Nicolette Rohr's Profile

Also - some light colored, bright or colorful art on the walls! Maybe one or two LARGE pieces -- I find this really opens up a room, makes it feel special, and helps dispel gloomy apartment feeling. In lieu of a big piece of art, my good friend painted a large swatch of apple green right ON the wall. Or, buy the biggest canvas you can afford (48x30? +) and paint it your favorite light or bright color and hang it (esp if you aren't allowed to paint the walls). I know they aren't a light fixture, though as a previous poster said with art lights from Ikea any piece could be both a happy focal point and mood lighting-- and it will do wonders for brightening up the space visually and emotionally!

I'm nto sure I read every post - but I agree with white draperies, hung higher (almost to ceiling is often recommended) and seriously wider than the windows.

Roman shades in white on the other windows where high/wide curtains are not practical (i.e. kitchens, etc.).

Finally for an all-white canvas... how about hanging some white canvas? :) No, seriously - I also LOVE white. I find it soothing, happy-making, and minimalist. For one of my rooms, I recently painted a canvas in my favorite shades of white. You don't have to be an artist -- it came out great and I have no painting experience (and I'm pretty picky too).

My walls are a lighter shade of putty beige with a slight (thank goodness) greyish cast. The paint was here before me and it's just too big of a project, with all the others we have going, to repaint the whole house which is currently all matching with fresh pristine paint. So I can relate.

Again, get an oversized canvas at an art shop, if they are on sale get the biggest you can afford (like 30x40 or even 48x60) that will fit on a very prominent area of wall. Then paint it your favorite shade of white, even latex house paint will work. If you want to be more creative, use textured paint and put it on with a paint spatula (or hey kitchen spatula). That's what I did to form chunky areas to my liking - go to any art store and get acrylics and a big bucket of white gesso or textured acrylic paint. I also mixed my favorite white with a TINY touch of grey, a tiny touch of blue-grey, and an area of creamy almost-peach. I'm talking VERY pale shades, still white, but with a tiny tint. I applied those sort of randomly to some areas of the canvas as well.

I used a 24x30ish canvas I already had, my only complaint is that i didn't do this BIGGER :).

I also agree with hanging a mirror -- one WITHOUT a thick frame, or with a thinner metallic frame like the floor and wall mirrors at CB2. I have a thick framed 6x3 mirror but it really weight down the space with it's dark heavy 5-inch wide frame - just about ready to paint it white or metal leaf it!

I'm also heartily in favor of a slipcovered (or slipcover your current) sofa in white, just wash and even bleach the covers when needed.

BTW - I agree with a poster above who implied that slightly off white (though I wouldn't go so far as linen), just not the brightest bluest white, would harmonize with the brownish walls well.

Wow this is beautiful in the before's, what charm! I LOVE the retro wallpaper and the electic furnishings, it's the essence of a summer cottage. And huge! But I can understand wanting to clean it up and have a fresh palette as well... Can't wait to see the final results!

Okay what is that (soap thing?) in the bathroom? :) I'm dying to know! I've been all over the world and I have never seen anything like that. I do need a soap solution for a wall mounted vessel sink though (no counter top on which to set a soap thingie).

We have the Mandal (have had it about two years) and we LOVE IT! We have a small house, only about 900 square feet, but the bed has so much storage I haven't even used it all yet... and I'm a bit of a pack rat. We are considering a Brimnes (also from Ikea) for the guest bedroom. To be honest, I'd get another Mandal but it might be weird to have the bed in both rooms? :)