CatherineM's Profile

The mosaic fountain and vintage end tables are GORGEOUS!

I love, love, love the long pendant lamps in image #2... anyone know where they are from?

I strongly advise NOT painting the cabinets (white or any other color). To me, there's something very wrong about painting over perfectly good wood, especially since removing it entails such tedious work should you ever decide you don't like it anymore.

Wood is timeless, therefore I would do all possible to work with it by:
-continue the turquoise paint from the dining room into the kitchen
-add funky knobs/pulls/hardware to the cabinetry
-[if you can't install wood floors] distract the eye by covering a large part of the floor with an area rug that has the turquoise and other colors from your dining room
-add some type of treatment to the window in color coordinating fabric
-changing out light fixture with something updated
-add under cabinet lighting to brighten up those dark counters and back splash
-add finishing touches by decorating the counter tops with all of your turquoise pieces and other colorful items, they will pop off the dark granite.

By the way, your mid century vintage dining room is beautiful! That turquoise paint color is so perfect - seems to be close to what I have been searching for - do you mind telling me what brand/color it is?

Thanks and good luck!

In my opinion, despite bringing high design to the masses, Design Within Reach is a total hypocrisy. Almost nothing about it is "within reach"... I am an Interior Designer and I've been to countless showroom parties at DWR, they are pretentious and expensive - just on another level from the manufacturers that they copy.

I think painting the chair is the worst idea out of all possible ideas, the wood and its carvings are gorgeous! I don't mind the upholstery but I think that is because I've also inherited antiques with more or less the same retro velvet and I was so thrilled to have the beauties that I didn't care about the upholstery. My style is very eclectic bohemian, I can make anything work. I suggest, as mentioned above, remove the arm covers and add a unique pillow in teal, burgundy or beige... This chair is so beautiful, please don't paint it! I think you should "live with it" for now and give it a chance as is, perhaps it will influence your style! :)

Apartment Therapy specifically asked if we like the result, so why should anyone refrain from saying that they don't? I could have said I thought it was ugly, but I feel that is an unfair judgment to make about another person's art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and everyone has their distinct tastes and unique eye for creativity. However, I must add, that a public forum that seeks the reader's opinion isn't solely for "OOOOH I LOVE IT" kind of comments.

Interesting that someone had the idea to do this, however I don't like it at all.