Monday, September 08, 2008

designer help needed for the simple home!

Melissa at the Inspired Room got me going yesterday. She's inspiring women with what she's calling Fall Nesting.

In light of her challenge, hubs and I actually changed the room around and then put it back (minus the family pics on the BIG wall) because we got "stuck" and didn't know what to do.

So, this is my BLOG cry for help and ideas. Melissa's already fast at work with her creative juices going BUT I'm shouting out to all Blogging land Designers to send me any and all suggestions.

It's a hard room to dress up and I know that leather chair is a moose of one. Probably the little white desk needs to go? I'm not really using it. The kitchen nook table has become my little writing/blogging spot as well as these places.

I'm open to ALL and EVERY suggestion. Thanks!



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14 comments:

Antique Mommy said...

You've got some tall ceilings so you need to do something to draw the eye upward and it needs to be big. Kirklands has inexpensive big stuff - a place to start looking. Start by propping or hanging some art work over the black book case and adding some greenery and something else vertical.

I would also suggest adding something heavier to your windows - you some color there and that would be a good way to start to tie your colors together.

Lylah Ledner said...

you're fast woman! so, darker on the windows? i'll check kirklands out....not sure what style? thanks! awesome idea...can't wait to hear what else comes in.

Antique Mommy said...

Not necessarily darker, but some kind of panel with some color to fill up the space. They should hang below the arched window and to the floor. Your problem is volume - you've got lots of it and need to fill it up. Right now, most of your stuff is the same height and you need some variation to keep the eye moving and keep it interesting.

...and she lived... said...

I think it's a very cool room but I can see how it would be hard to decorate since it's so tall! I love it when rooms like this have the long floor to ceiling curtains. I also think it would look nice to move the armoire (sp?) to the wall instead of blocking the window. Then maybe if you moved the book shelf to the other side of the couch, and slid the couch more towards the window it would look nice. Do all of the chairs have to stay?

Lylah Ledner said...

i LOVE this part 2. checked target online. for something darker. i took a big picture hanging from above my white kitchen cabinets and put it above sofa...trying that. i like that you say "variation to keep the eye moving..."

thanks....

Lylah Ledner said...

thanks ----and she lived for that idea too. moving the "beast" to another wall....hmmmm.. there is a matching window on that side of the fireplace...so you're thinking the sofa would face the big wall with the big cabinet? ok...food for thought....hmmmm.... i think the chairs have to stay....and that's what makes it tough....

Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

Ok, dear. I need to see more of the room. All angles in order to really help with furniture placement. But from what I can see, I would move the armoire to the wall, pull your blue sofa away from the wall a foot or two, put at least one of your chairs flaking the armoire. Then, if you can sometime, hang your curtain rods just below the arched window (move up higher) and open them up a bit so you can hang a pretty curtain on one side of each window, without blocking the light!

Now, for your big wall, you could hang a big quilt, or do a big arrangement of items like big framed photos. Key here girl is big, since your room is big and your furniture is big anything too small will seem wimpy! Maybe just frame some favorite family photos, but make them VERY BIG and if you want to make them seem more artistic, make them b&w. Use big dark frames. You could use quite a few large photos.

Then I would move your desk out and put the bookcase where the desk is.

Of course, keep in mind that I cannot really see the whole room. It is always risky to give advice on a photo without knowing measurements and scale and entrances to the room, etc. But, this is off the cuff and my first thoughts. What an awesome room!

Hmmm, another thin is I think that mirror above your fireplace isn't really reflecting anything but the ceiling. You could try some other artwork there, maybe something with all your colors in it.

How's that? Overwhelming? I love your room. What a great place!!!

Melissa @ The Inspired Room said...

Ok, now if that armoire cannot be flat on the wall I would consider flipping the room around. The key with that arrangement will be not blocking off the entire entrance to the room with furniture. That is what blocks the flow, so can you keep the chairs flanking the armoire on the long wall and just have the sofa across from it?

As far as filling up a big wall, you can also try photocopying some botanical prints, lots of them, in big frames. That can fill up a big space! You can find big prints on old calendars or even library books.

Yes, on the curtains, I can't remember what length you said they would be hung that high, but if you can't find ready mades, try sewing two pieces together to make them long enough! Or having someone do it for you. It would be pretty easy.

Ok, there are a few more thoughts to stress you out...
x
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Lylah Ledner said...

what uber cool ideas! thanks woman! i'm glad hubs is such a nice guy and that he loves me. :-)

Ronel said...

I can't wait to see the final product.

h. said...

I agree with the above about putting your armoire on the wall. Balanced by the bookshelf. Be sure to put things on top of both of them or leave items off both to keep things from looking lopsided.

Move the larger mirror above the fireplace. If it's too big you might opt to place it over the sofa (hung on 52" center) in any case your furniture is all large scale therefore there ought to be a large scale mirror over the fireplace.

Your drapes need to definitely go up either floor to ceiling or bottom of the arch to floor, and extending along that whole wall.

If you're looking to "freshen" things up you might consider new pillow covers, throws, floor rug, and/or lampshades.

Looking forward to more updates.

Lylah Ledner said...

Hi Liss...thanks for stopping by this post too :-) and great comments! Hubs moved the pieces around night before last and I'm on a hunt for the longer curtains and something bigger for the fireplace. When decorator daughter Candace walked in last night, she went ..ohh...wow...really nice...looks "less clutter" which is crazy cause I added a few more touches with "stuff"...am still working on it and should post a few pics soon....thanks....

and you must be connected to Good Husband? great blog ya got going on.

h. said...

You're right, "A Good Husband" blogger is my spouse.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so I don't really have much designer know-how or suggestions for you, but I'm going to come and visit you oh-so-very-soon! And then, maybe I'll be able to come up with something. :)

Much love,
Stephanie