Dream Mom's Profile

Hers. I don't like the red, I don't like the leather and I don't like the style. It's "your" place (meaning yours and your boyfriend), not the MIL so I'd choose what looks best in there. Also, if she was involved, let her store the sofa at her place.

To make things go over a little smoother, you can wait until you get to the new place, try them both, then select which ones looks best. Yours will of course, because of the dark wood floors. Done deal.

I think the problem is that while this area might be functional, everything is a totally different style. It doesn't look or feel good.

A few different ideas:

1) Get a three foot wide mirror that has three cubbies below it and then hooks for the coats. It will probably have around five hooks, you can use one for the doggie leashes and the rest for coats. Because you have a place to hang coats, doesn't mean it needs to be totally full. Put some of them away.

Beneath that, you could go with a bench with three woven/wicker type baskets. You could store the shoes in there and the bench would eliminate the need for a chair. The bench and mirror should be the same color-so if one is white, the other should be white, if one is black, the other one should be black.

2) A second idea is to have a three foot wide coat hook rack on the left and then on the right, have a dresser or bookshelf with a mirror above it. The top drawers or bookshelf could have baskets inside to store each persons stuff and the lower shelf or drawers could store shoes.

But I guess the larger issue for me is this, you state the living room/dining room area in on the right, and these are typically more formal type rooms. Why not make this area a nice foyer instead? I'd have a mirror and hand painted chest of drawers (at the very least, the three drawer chest should be of the same or similar style as the furniture in your living room) in the foyer and put the coats and shoes in the closet along with the doggie rear to hold the leashes. These things seem like they are more fitting of a back door than a formal entry. And I definitely wouldn't want the doggie rear to be the first impression for my guests.

Go to a custom lamp shop in your area and bring in your lamp. Then you can try on different shades on your lamp and they can make a shade that will be perfect for your lamp. They can also make recommendations.

I recently purchased a pair of lamps from Craigslist that were made in the 1930's. I will be going to a custom lamp shade shop since it's been hard finding a shade that comes down long enough to cover the hardware (I need about a 12 inch drop and most over the counter shades are 11 inch.) There are multiple on-line retailers too-I think gallery84.com was one but I dont' quite remember because I looked at so many. If you google lamp shades, they should come up.

I just love the last photo. The paint color is divine too! I'd love to know what that color is!

O.K. Here's a few ideas...

Let's start with the colors. Currently, I like everything you have in the room so we'll keep them. Your colors for the room are aqua, white, brown and orange. Anything you purchase for the room should be in those colors.

Next, if you want to keep the bed on that wall, it needs a few things:

-Add a brown wrought iron headboard (Pottery Barn has a lot I like.) to coordinate with the shelves and the breakfast tray.
-Add white drapes along the side of the bump out. The bump out is too narrow for the bed and looks awkward. Adding white drapes hung from the ceiling to the floor and even with the bump out will visually expand the space. We are talking side panels here that would be wide enough to go to the outside of that headboard; They should be full enough so you can't see through them.
-Once the side panels are up, move the shelves closer to the bed so you can use them more as side tables. Dump the green folder and add more books and more accessories. Stay in one of the four colors above. When you add them to your shelves, you need to do it in a pattern. So starting at the top shelf, if you have an accessory, it goes on the top left of the first shelf, another accessory on the far right of the second shelf, left again on the third shelf, etc. Do the books in the opposite manner, some on the top right shelf, then left on the second shelf. If you don't have enough books, then group more of them together. It doesn't look good to have two books on each shelf.
-Get a larger picture for over the bed and hang it lower. It should not be above the height of the bookshelves. Go with a thicker frame, say two inches to give it a little more weight that matches the bookshelves. If you prefer the narrower frame, go with two prints, instead of one.
-Add a tailored bedskirt so you can't see under the bed.
-Add a bench or seating to the base of the bed.
-Now that you have a headboard, set your pillows against it. Have at least two rows of pillows and then an accent pillow. Set the breakfast tray on the bed.
-Add a chair and small table in the opposite corner for reading. There should be a lamp on the table.

Be sure to do a follow up post so we can see what you have decided.

Love the paint color. Can you tell me what it is?

You could also move the bed to the larger, opposite wall. Add side tables and table lamps to each table. Then move the shelves closer to the bump out. Add two prints to the bump out or one large one. Add a tailored bedskirt and wrought iron headboard. Stick with the color palette outlined above.

Oh, I just LOVE the first kitchen! Very glam indeed. This kitchen reminds me of a beautiful penthouse that appeared years ago in a magazine; the man, an attorney, had the penthouse done in a very dark navy/sapphire blue. He said he wanted that color, because he worked all day and the only time he was at home was at night and the color scheme was perfect for the city in the evening.

I can see this kitchen being used by someone who entertains a lot. I wish it were my kitchen!

I liked #4 too, but somehow that seemed less new and more "Better Homes and Gardens".

Oh, I just lost my comment!!!!!!!!!!

O.K. here's what I'd do. I'd keep the wall. If you are not sure, live with it for a year before you do anything. Removing a wall will cost you, plus you'll have to fix the floor and it won't increase your value. Also, the condo isn't an open concept style so changing the footprint of the condo will make it more disjointed and less what you are looking for.

For the kitchen and dining area, lose the barstools and get some with back on them. Go with a larger rectangular table and put a hanging light fixture over the table. I am thinking something like a glass lantern type (Pottery Barn has some that are nice.) Add a large oriental rug (red or orange) under the table. It will make the space appear more finished and make the windows look less bare. Add three large scale prints on the brick wall (the current one is too small and looks lonely there.) The print in the rug will visually fill up the space.

For the living area, I agree with bepsf. Lose the sectional and instead go with the loveseat or smaller sofas. Use a leather ottoman so you can put your feet up and make sure to get a larger rug. Add the desk and sofa table behind each of them as she suggested. For the bay area, you can add the round library table but use upholstered chairs, in a print fabric (the print fabric can be modern or traditional whatever you like) to visually fill up that space. You'll need that since your rug is under the sofas and there won't be a rug in that space. The one other thing that I would suggest is in the bow window area, where they currently have a bookshelf, is to have a carpenter make a built-in. It should be white and go to the ceiling, maybe with doors on the bottom and open shelving on the top for books or pretties. You can put as much or as little as you like there but adding a built in will make the space seem more intimate.

Good luck! I'd love to see it when you are finished!

I absolutely love it! They did a great job.

Thank you for listing the items; I am not a fan of MCM however I am a fan of good design, regardless of the style. And this place looks great. I love the clean, spare look, the continuity of style from room to room, the bold colors, etc.

As for comments, I think you can appreciate good design and style regardless of whether or not it's your personal choice. It would be a very boring world if everything was decorated the same!

I forgot two things: Paint the baskets black and remove the stuff from the top of the bookcases.

My comment was just lost!

O.K. let's unify the room with color. If you are committed to the wall and sofa color, then we'll proceed from there. Keeping it simple, your colors are green, red, white and black. Paint the mirror white and the desk black.

Picture frames-you have a picture with a small black frame on it that gets lost. Add pictures with white matting and a thicker black frame (say 1.5 to 2 inches) so it will stand out. You could add one over each of the bookshelves that flank the fireplace.

Chairs-Replace them all. Add two black leather chairs to flank the sofa. Something like a Crate and Barrel leather chair or Pottery Barn. Update the desk chair. The reason I suggest replacing them is because you have too many styles going on. You can keep the classic elements (fireplace mantel, crown moldings, baseboards and doors) and add the modern room elements (paint color, sofa, flokati rug and new leather chairs).

Pillows-Final touch would be geometric pillows for the sofa and new leather chairs. They should be a bold, geometric print and the only rule is to use one of the four colors that are already in the room (green, red, white or black).

That's it!