Ria Tienhaara's Profile

Display Name: Ria Tienhaara
Member Since: 2/26/09

Latest Comments...

I have three suggestions.

1.Turn the entire length of the wall (on the left side of the behind the couch) into built ins for books, display, and whatever you keep in the dining hutch. This creates one long wall making it easier for furniture placement.

2. Get rid of the dining hutch and put mirror(s) on that wall to bounce in natural light.

3. Get a round table for eating.

Would love to see some after pictures!


How to Redecorate Living Room in Inherited Home?
Good Questions
8/26/11 11:07 AM

If the windows bother you, they don't bother me but I can't see through them, then put curtains on the laundry room side of the windows.


Help Me Decorate Around Paneled Wall?
Good Questions
8/19/11 8:45 AM

Paint it all one colour to minimize the look of the recessed panels. If you don't want to go with white, I would go for a blue on the walls which would pick up the grey from the floor and make the nice wood ceiling a feature. It looks like the floor and ceiling are on the orange-yellow-brown side of the colour wheel and because the toilet and sink are creamy go toward a grayer blue.


Help Me Decorate Around Paneled Wall?
Good Questions
8/19/11 8:39 AM

I'm assuming you like your dining room arrangement and you are using all the same furniture. Therefore, I would switch the areas within the photo and have the living room closer to the kitchen and the desk area closer to the window. With the comfortable seating near the kitchen it would be easier to chat with guests / keep an eye on kids while cooking. Put the desk where the blue chair is now, against the wall, to make it a handy spot to put mail when entering, also the desk chair can then turn and become part of the living room group easily. I would put the black shelves where the desk is currently, either against the wall or the fridge, so that the cookbooks are still near the kitchen.. The couch would go between the desk and black shelves, on the wall where the dresser is now. The tall floor lamp could stay down there, between the desk and couch. The rug and coffee table would be moved in front of the couch with the rug edge tucked under the front feet of the couch. The end table with table lamp then is put beside the couch, nearer the kitchen, with the chairs facing the couch, not pushed against the wall, but far enough out to walk behind. The white chair with it's back to the fridge and the blue chair angled toward the kitchen with it's back to where the coffee table is, is probably going to be the best position. Then the dog bed can move to be either in front of the black shelves or between the couch and desk. The kids desk would be awesome facing out of, or parallel to, the window, or put it where the black shelves are currently, facing into the kitchen. As for the dresser it depends on what is stored in it and where it is most functional but I have two ideas once everything else is in place, depending on where you put the kids desk, if you like the two closer together or not: either with its back to the little Ikea worktop or down in the corner where the couch is now, beside the window, facing into the room. Hope this helps and I'd love to see some after pictures.


What To Do With Space Between Living Room & Kitchen?
Good Questions
3/4/11 11:04 AM

It looks like the stove is under the microwave. If you want to keep the pot-rack close to the stove, for ease of use, place it where you have the painting and wine glasses. Put the pot-rack as close as possible to the wall and cupboards so that there is less chance of head bumping. I recommend putting the long side of the pot-rack against the wall. Straddling the soffit is fine, unless you can find a pot rack small enough to fit between the upper cupboards and the soffit, such as a small square type. Your table may have to move. But the wine glasses and painting should move either way.

Also, your kitchen looks like someone actually cooks in it, which is marvelous. That's all I can recommend without being able to see more of the space. Good luck and I hope to see some after pictures.


Where To Hang Pot Rack In Small Kitchen?
Good Questions
2/15/11 9:07 AM

Thank you E!

The view is nice and the fireplace is non working... In that case, would it be really radical of me to suggest facing the couch out the bay window?

I did that in my last place and absolutely loved sitting with my coffee looking out the window. Adding a coffee table that fits in the bay window at just the right height for feet, flowers and coffee would be important to me.

If you do that, then the fireplace area would be very nice as the office area. Sit with your back to the fireplace, and then the other window would be in front of you providing natural light but not being too much of a distraction. And you could keep an eye on what's going on through the glass doors too, if you need to. The white shelves would work quite nicely for files and other work related things. I would choose an open desk, perhaps a glass top, in order for people to still get a nice view of the fireplace when entering the room. The desk chair could be white leather or wood.

Then place the CD's and music gear in a cabinet along the wall opposite the fireplace.

Why not try the furniture out this way before you make any more decisions about the size and look of the chairs, desk, shelves, and window treatments? I'm not sure if there is enough room to do this but if yes, I think you might like the flow.

If you end up liking the placement, but don't want to see the back of the couch when you enter the room, put a console table the same height as the couch or a trunk at 1/2 the height. Something behind the couch, for flowers or magazines, extra blankets, or tea pot on a tray - but not too much there or it will look cluttered. Something simple.

You are getting so many suggestions - so exciting!

Thanks again for telling me the paint colour!

R


Apartment Therapy Chicago | Good Questions: How Can I Unify Polish this Room?
2/26/09 12:17 PM

I love the wall colour - I'd love to know the name and brand, actually :)

To begin I have two questions;
Do you use your fireplace?
Do you like your view out the window?

I think answering these two questions will help decide the answers in terms of furniture placement.

A few other questions:

Do you need a bigger desk? If yes get one! Modern and dark is fine. If front of the window or along another wall would be better placement either way.

Do you want to hide some of the paper work, CD's etc? If yes, how about finding a period piece or replica to replace the dark shelves? With closed doors to hide what you want hidden. Something tall, with or with out mirrors.

I like your coffee table but it does seem small, is it just how it looks or is there another reason to replace it?

I think a lattice pattern or a stripe would be quite nice as a replacement for the casual chair, on something low and clubby maybe? Tying in the green and red and adding another colour is an option. A simple white plus one colour (red or pink or blue or black) of satin stripe about three inches wide would be quite nice. The same chair on both sides of the fireplace could be quite charming and satin would add another depth of texture to the soft plush carpet and suede looking couch. If the blue chair bothers you then definitely recover or replace!

Find toss pillows you love, keep each pillow unique, a little gift, and rotate around the room every so often.

I do like the bare window, but if privacy is an issue then you must have something there yes? Not too matchy-matchy with the furniture but a strong statement in the patterns would be nice to balance out the large expanse of wall colour and sofa colour, the background of the curtains could even have something in common with the tile surround in terms of colour. Whether you go for traditional silk or bamboo blinds or a simple shade, plain white or a pattern, try to do most of the rest of the room first. (The other way to go is stay very similar in tone, but in different textures, in everything but the couch and art.)

Lastly, introduce as many colours as you like, but don't leave them hanging. You could bring the couch and chair colours together with the window covering, and/or pillows, and/or art. No need to stick to basic black and white. You don't need to repeat your wall colour anywhere else, except maybe in art. Keep the lovely trim and shelves around the fireplace white, and tidy the shelves up a bit.

Suggestions for colours: mustard yellow, fuchsia, pale pink, sky blue, red coral, peachy coral, navy.

Best of luck and looking forward to seeing the final pictures :)


Apartment Therapy Chicago | Good Questions: How Can I Unify Polish this Room?
2/26/09 11:00 AM