Home decorating help

[Mannequin]

My fiance'' and I just moved into this apartment in June and have been slowly but surely accumulating things for our new place. Larger item purchasing has been done, but I am in need of some assistance with one wall and one corner. I need a little advice on what one might do to finish off this living room. I will be going to the local IKEA this week, so things from that store could be suggested. Thank you in advance!

This is a shot of our living room. Note the empty spot below the Marina poster. I was thinking of a plant stand with some potted fake or real ivy, or a tall vase with tall spikey fake greenery or something. What might help this corner?

Another view:

I am also having trouble with this wall behind the big couch. Fiance'' and I were considering some large prints or mirrors, but are still stuck on what kind of wall art to do here. We are working with a wall that is approximately 8.5 feet long. Suggestions?

Here is a room I do like that I feel is done. This is the dining area off the living room here and I like how it turned out. The ficus and the Franz Marc print finished this side off nicely. (Ignore the unmounted art below, still deciding where these go.) Hoping this may help with suggestions for the other room.

 

[moremoremore]

I would 100% do a large mirror on that wall. As for the empty space, I don''t see any empty space! I''d leave it alone. You already have a lot going on in that room...not every nook has to be filled! I say leave it!

 

[Mannequin]

Date: 8/21/2006 12:31:47 PM
Author: moremoremore
I would 100% do a large mirror on that wall. As for the empty space, I don''t see any empty space! I''d leave it alone. You already have a lot going on in that room...not every nook has to be filled! I say leave it!

I can move the TV stand and bookcase over a bit and block some of that white wall more. We can''t paint and I just hate the boring white.

We were talking about mirrors yesterday and thought about one large one or multiple smaller ones. Like, four or five "door" mirrors hanging at the same level. Hmmm...

 

[eks6426]

Could you get another bookcase like the one next to your TV and put it on the other side? I was thinking that might give a more balanced look. I'd add the greenery on the shelves.

I like your idea with the door mirrors. IKEA also used to have these long wavy mirrors that could be grouped.


If you don't like your white walls and can't paint, you could hang fabric with starch. You'd need a lot of fabric--sometimes dying cheap muslin with Rit Dye will work. Then you get liquid starch. Dip the fabric in the starch, ring out then apply to your wall like wall paper. It will stay, but peel off easily--leaving now marks. I'd test a strip in a closet first just to make sure nothing weird happens with your walls. Do it and let it dry a few days and then pull it off to make sure it leaves no marks. I did this in one of my apartments on one wall that was my "accent wall." Friends were always amazed at the look and how I did it.

Good luck!

 

[Erin]

for starters I would slide your bookshelf away from the tv - maybe over in the corner on an angle where your music storage is and then put the music storage under your south pacific poster - that way the height is balanced across the wall from your art to the tall bookshelf - right now it just looks smooshed

secondly I would buy some bright pillows for your couch - preferrably those that accent your ravenna poster

 

[ephemery1]

I would put the tall, stackable bookshelf back on the bare wall behind the couch. That would de-clutter the space around the TV and create some symmetry between the two posters, and add some height in a place that could use it!

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 8/21/2006 5:03:19 PM
Author: ephemery1
I would put the tall, stackable bookshelf back on the bare wall behind the couch. That would de-clutter the space around the TV and create some symmetry between the two posters, and add some height in a place that could use it!

That might be a workable solution. The bookshelf is throwing me because it breaks up the wall in an uneven way. I''d either move it to the wall behind the couch, or the corner.

 

[Mannequin]

Date: 8/21/2006 5:15:40 PM
Author: FireGoddess

Date: 8/21/2006 5:03:19 PM
Author: ephemery1
I would put the tall, stackable bookshelf back on the bare wall behind the couch. That would de-clutter the space around the TV and create some symmetry between the two posters, and add some height in a place that could use it!

That might be a workable solution. The bookshelf is throwing me because it breaks up the wall in an uneven way. I''d either move it to the wall behind the couch, or the corner.

I''d like to try to keep it on this side of the room, only because the room is long and narrow and there is not enough room to put that along the wall behind the couch.

It is stackable and does come apart - I could unscrew the plates and put one set of shelves on each side of the TV stand, maybe? I''d probably look into about two small shelves in the same dark wood for above the TV then, for framed pictures.

 

[Mannequin]

Date: 8/21/2006 12:08:07 PM
Author: IslandDreams
Could you get another bookcase like the one next to your TV and put it on the other side? I was thinking that might give a more balanced look. I''d add the greenery on the shelves.

I like your idea with the door mirrors. IKEA also used to have these long wavy mirrors that could be grouped.


If you don''t like your white walls and can''t paint, you could hang fabric with starch. You''d need a lot of fabric--sometimes dying cheap muslin with Rit Dye will work. Then you get liquid starch. Dip the fabric in the starch, ring out then apply to your wall like wall paper. It will stay, but peel off easily--leaving now marks. I''d test a strip in a closet first just to make sure nothing weird happens with your walls. Do it and let it dry a few days and then pull it off to make sure it leaves no marks. I did this in one of my apartments on one wall that was my ''accent wall.'' Friends were always amazed at the look and how I did it.

Good luck!

The book case is actually two cases put together, stackables, $50 each. I think I may try to separate them and place one on each side of the TV stand. The top of each shelving unit will be about half the height of the TV on the stand.

I like the fabric idea, that could be fun. There is a neat fabric store down the street from the apartment that might help tremendously.

IKEA does still have the wavy mirrors, but I think I''d like something straighter to echo the clean mission-style lines on the furniture.

 

[Mannequin]

Date: 8/21/2006 4:42:04 PM
Author: Starset Princess
for starters I would slide your bookshelf away from the tv - maybe over in the corner on an angle where your music storage is and then put the music storage under your south pacific poster - that way the height is balanced across the wall from your art to the tall bookshelf - right now it just looks smooshed

secondly I would buy some bright pillows for your couch - preferrably those that accent your ravenna poster

I totally agree on the pillows. I love the bright stuff.

I haven''t seen a ton that are of good quality and appropriate size as I have been looking around, but I am hoping that there may be something in the stores among the back-to-school stuff. I have some really cute Pier 1 pillows that would work well, but they are way too small.

Those posters were such a steal, too. FI brought the South Pacific one from his old place and I found the Ravenna one on www.art.com for 9.99. Frames were on sale at the local Meijer for 50%, so basically I got two for for the price of one at $30. I was looking for a vintage-look poster that would complement FI''s original one and the boats and muted colors looked fabulous next to the other one.

 

[autumngems]

I''d move the bookcase by the TV somewhere else. It looks unbalanced there. For the wall behind the couch, something unusual would be neat. Myself, I have a lot of oriental stuff from living in Japan for 5 years, I would hang an obi or a Kimono on that wall. Find something unique to draw the eye.

 

[eks6426]

I think splitting those bookcases is a great idea. Then you could move your art posters to be over them along with hopefully another print above the TV. That will give you some balance. Also, when you arrange your stuff on the book cases try to not just stack the books vertically. Some horizontal or maybe baskets/pots in between some of the book groups would look nice.

Love the bright pillow idea and it'll be cheap.

I agree, the wavy mirrors are not going to match your mission style so maybe the regular door mirrors would do...and they are low cost too. Try to get ones with wood frames though...not the thin plastic framed ones.

 

[Blenheim]

Yay IKEA! We''re still on for 11, right?

I agree about splitting up the bookcases -- I think that the wall would look better balanced. IKEA might have some good throw pillows, we will see.

 

[Mannequin]

Date: 8/22/2006 9:21:03 AM
Author: Blenheim
Yay IKEA! We''re still on for 11, right?

I agree about splitting up the bookcases -- I think that the wall would look better balanced. IKEA might have some good throw pillows, we will see.

YES, IKEA is a GO for today. I''ve seen a lot of neat pillow covers on the website, so there may be some things of interest there. I will wait for you by the main entrance. No idea what I am wearing today yet, but I carry a straw purse with pink trim and embroidered flowers in the summer.

 

[Mannequin]

Date: 8/22/2006 8:25:09 AM
Author: IslandDreams
I think splitting those bookcases is a great idea. Then you could move your art posters to be over them along with hopefully another print above the TV. That will give you some balance. Also, when you arrange your stuff on the book cases try to not just stack the books vertically. Some horizontal or maybe baskets/pots in between some of the book groups would look nice.

Love the bright pillow idea and it''ll be cheap.

I agree, the wavy mirrors are not going to match your mission style so maybe the regular door mirrors would do...and they are low cost too. Try to get ones with wood frames though...not the thin plastic framed ones.

This sounds like a good plan.

The book case is currently not completely full, and I haven''t gotten to adding any greenery to it or rearranging the shelves yet. FI and I just wanted the book boxes out of the way so we unloaded them and haven''t really touched the shelves since. I''ll work on this during the week and see about taking some after pictures.

 

[Blenheim]

I''m wearing jeans, a shirt with small blue and green flowers, and carrying a green purse. Can''t wait to see you!

 

[eks6426]

How about an arrangement like this? I know the perspective is off but it gives an idea.

 

[Erin]

good work IslandDreams

 

[FireGoddess]

Yes yes yes - separating the bookshelves would give the room more symmetry!!!

 

[Mannequin]

I like it a lot! Great suggestions!

Thank you so much! I''ll take some AFTER shots for you guys once I get things rearranged.

The IKEA visit was productive today. I met Blenheim there and we browsed the store for a few hours and picked up some great stuff. I have a new wooden easel for my classroom that is going to be fabulous for the speech class I teach, a serious bargain at 19.99. We were only slightly frustrated with the lack of lightbulbs for certain size lamps.

 

[Mannequin]

Oh yes... I found pillow covers to match the Ravenna poster, Starset.

I think I may take the tan pillows and cover them and completely remove them from the color scheme. These other colors are so pretty!

 

[portoar]

First, I would move the tall bookcase by the TV to the corner where the smaller case and boom box is. I would angle it in the corner. I would move the other case next to the TV.

I wouldn''t try to "fill" that space under the marina poster. I think the several small furniture items along the wall give a "cluttered" look to the space, esp. in contrast to the bigger couches.

I would try to move that blue exercise ball out of the living room, if possible.

I would try to get a third print to match the marina and south pacific posters, frame to match, and hang in the middle of the other two.

 

[portoar]

Date: 8/22/2006 10:25:41 AM
Author: IslandDreams
How about an arrangement like this? I know the perspective is off but it gives an idea.

Oh yes this looks good