juliamargaret's Profile

Me too! Beautiful.

We also have a living room that the front door opens into at one end, and we have made the wall at the other end the "media" center and clustered the chairs/sofa/ottomons (our space allows us to have a couple!) at that end -- it sort of creates a nice cozy seating area and helps with what someone already mentioned about feng shui. I don't dislike the blue walls -- but you have to add some architectural details. Horizontal wood (or wood-like if your budget is tight) blinds on the windows with sheers (as everyone has mentioned, that go to the floor!) and some pretty patterned side panels would really make the windows a feature. Could you add some wood molding above the cement base, and even paint it (and the molding) out in a warm white? Paint the back of the door a glossy black, and have your media center (even if it's just the coffee table you have now) the same black. Hang cool posters or art on that wall, too -- even shelves with books would be good. Put the cream chair in front of the windows with a side table (the side table could be a pop of color -- depending on the pattern you choose for the curtain panels) and put a lamp on it (like everyone has said, you need some table lamps and low floor lamps!) and stack some favorite books by the chair. Put a coat rack by the front door and "stage" it -- hang a couple of cool baskets (wicker, etc) on it that you could use to put mail/keys, etc. in when you walk in the door. Put an umbrella stand on a throw rug there to help create a small "entry" space. Get a nice ottomon to "center" the room -- it adds seating to that area in front of the front door, but won't be a barrier -- and you could use it with the cream chair. I think living areas have to be comfortable first. Get pillows and throws that are soft and put them in each chair/futon you put in that space. Add throw rugs if you can't get a big rug -- layer them up and scatter them everywhere to warm up that tile floor. A sisal rug would go a long way in that space, too. Mostly, you want to direct the focus of the room to the wall that right now has your Ikea sofa against it. Make the room a "square" using that wall as one side, instead of the rectangle it is now.

Or, just put white jackets on all the books -- then you REALLY wouldn't be able to find them to read! I was just in San Fran and SO happy to see all the small bookstores. Nice plants and plant holder too! Great color contrast!

You probably already know this, but just in case...Use a scoop of lime in the outhouse every time you use it, and it will stay fresh and cedar-smelling. We just got back from staying in a beautiful cabin (with an outhouse) on a lake in the Adirondacks, and we can't wait to go back next summer! Your cabin is beautiful! This post was great fun to read--Thanks AT!