House Apartment: living room

Showing posts with label living room. Show all posts

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Living Room Interior Design Tips

The living room is the most popular place in a house for the entertainment of guests. This is why it is imperative that this area be decorated and made into a friendly atmosphere to ensure the comfort of visitors. The layout of the room must flow well and all items found here should match with the overall theme of the room.

Living Room Interior Design TipsLiving Room Interior Design Tips

The most basic tip for designing a living room is making sure all colors and themes found here fit together. No clashing colors of any kind unless that is the style desired. Also, never mix modern furniture with old fashioned pieces. Carpets and drapes on the windows should match up to ensure that the rooms color scheme ties together.

The furniture and spacing of furniture can also add to the overall effect of the room. The colors and style of furniture should coordinate with other colors found in the room. Placing the furniture around the central focus of the room, in most cases a television, promotes uniformity of the area. Pieces of furniture in this room include couches, recliners, end tables, and television stands.

Monday, March 29, 2010

It's Friday, Im in love

...with my apartment! I promised a lil' sneak peek of my living room, so here it is!

the rugs that I won on eBay showed up early in the week...this is the largest one and it's pretty much the perfect size for the space. I desperately need a rug pad, as that thing slips and skates all over the place (especially with a rambunctious dog chasing my feet everywhere). do you guys know of a cheap source for rug pads?

the Eames chair was my grandfathers and is in need of some serious restoration. but until I have the time and patience, a sheepskin in the seat will do just fine. the credenza on which the TV sits is actually two drawer units that also belonged to Boompa-- I pushed them together and you know, they don't look too bad like that!

the antique Chinese hats on the wall were a gift from my mother, purchased at an estate sale in Kentucky...I think she may have gotten the green ceramic chain-link lamp at the same sale-- I can't keep track, she estate-sales about as much as I craigslist!

ahhh, and the new sofa...

not the best shot, but such a great piece. also, I swear I didn't pose Bunny there, she just does that.

so, yeah...I love my apartment. I spent some time putting things together the other night and I fiiiiiinally feel at home. it's crazy how screwy your whole life can feel when your home is chaotic. I literally made myself sick because I was stressed and felt unsettled, but after spending a few hours with a hammer & nail I am starting to feel great about everything. I still have a LOT of work to do, but I promise to share my progress!

hope you all have a great weekend!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I'm back(garage)!

whew, another unexpected little break, hm? sorry about that, kids. busy times, busy times... hopefully I'll have some fun news to share with you very soon!

one thing that I definitely neglected to mention is that I'm now a bi-monthly guest poster over at BackGarage! it's been one of my favorite reads since moving to Chicago and I'm very honored to be a little part of it.

my first post debuted two weeks ago, check it out:

This is a guest post by Dean Fisher.

Hi. So, I know we just met and all, but...I have to tell you something. I'm addicted to Craigslist. Oh... you are too? Well then, we're going to get along swimmingly! In my bi-monthly "Furniture Finder" posts, I'm going to put together a room using only Craigslist treasures. I'm gonna try to stick to my personal "under $100" rule, but that's not always possible. Hey, let's not waste anymore time, let's put together a living room!

I knew I had to kick things off with this green couch as soon as I saw it. Sure, the photo isn't the best, but it's that perfect shade of kelly green and it's a budget-friendly piece at $140. It's deep, looks like it'd seat at least 3 people, and the seller even offers to deliver (a huge plus in my book). YES!

I instantly knew I wanted to pair it with a marble-topped coffee table to keep the vibe on the "glam" side, which would balance the very "typical vintage" look of the sofa. One of the first things that popped up in my search? This stunner:

Um, you guys... did you notice that it's only $50? What a STEAL! The first thing I'd do is bust out the primer, paint, and wipe-on poly and transform that ugly base into something sleek and simple. High-gloss white sounds just right for this chic space and would look perfect with that gorgeous slab of carrera marble.

Now onto the rug, which, as The Dude will tell you, "really ties the room together". Hey, he's right! Lately I've been loving layered rugs, so I was thrilled when I came across these two:

That. Kilim. Is. Gorgeous. Can you imagine how the bright colors would pop in front of the deeply verdant couch? Since, at 5x10, it's really too small for a living room, I would layer it over this (brand new!) seagrass rug which is more appropriately sized. Using a rug that's too small for your space is one of the most common decorating mistakes...when in doubt, go for the larger option!

I really like how the chocolate binding picks up on the brown hues in the kilim and the natural weave nicely accompanies the other natural elements in the room (like the marble and...well, you'll see). The kilim is a basement bargain at $125 and the seagrass rug is being offered for only $200, which is also a great deal for something that size.

Now we need some character and accent pieces...For example, this woven stool would look rad next to an armchair:

It's been on Craigslist for months-- In fact, I was gonna pick it up for something like $30 a while back, but ended up passing on it. It'd look lovely in between a pair of wingbacks and is the perfect place to rest an ashtray or a cocktail glass...

And then there's my absolute favorite kind of accessory...the dead kind!

Okay, I kid...kinda. I have an unnatural fascination with taxidermy and my house is full of it. There are two things I always try to incorporate into every room (of my own and clients'!); those being a bar and something that was once living. Anyway, wouldn't this African antelope look fantastic above the sofa? He'd command the whole room and would really lend to the "traveled" vibe at which the kilim hints. There's no price attached (don't you hate that?), but I'd offer a very fair $150 and see what happened.

So... what else would you include? I'd love to find some rad end tables for either side of the sofa, throw in a pair of brass lamps, maybe a sleek, modern Parsons table for the flatscreen, some strategically-placed stacks of magazines, and perhaps that aforementioned pair of wingbacks that you can always find cheaply on Craigslist (but you have to be ready to invest in reupholstering them!).

If you have requests or suggestions, please leave them in comments! Do you have a room that you want to redecorate, but aren't sure where to start? Are you looking for a specific piece for a specific space? Lay it on me. I'll find your furniture.

Dean is from Kentucky, but just moved to Chicago after living in Los Angeles for a while. Still there? Good, cause it gets weirder. Dean is a girl with a dude's name, has a severe aversion to cilantro, and always says "yes" to fun.

what'd ya think?? I'm putting the second one together right now and it will be up tomorrow morning. don't forget to check BackGarage to find out what kind of rad, affordable treasures I'm finding for a plantation-influenced dining room!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

sofa sale: part III

this is a familiar post, so I'll keep it short and sweet.

selling my couch. photos below, craigslist link here. serious discount for any MLA readers. someone come take 'er away!

after nearly 2 years of demanding, hoping, searching, and pining for a velvet sofa, I finally got one and then promptly fell in love with a tweed monster. oh my fickle heart...anyway, photos of the new guy to appear shortly-- stay tuned!