Bo Placebo's Profile

Make the couch disappear by painting the walls or bottom part of the walls a dark color - I cannot say because your lighting conditions and exposure will determine that. Go with the masculine flow and make some plaid pillows -with the green of the sofa and wall color in it - Black Watch maybe. You can order fabric online from Scottish tartan suppliers and glue these together with Fabri-Tac if you cannot sew. Alternatively, a dark or tartan wallpaper (Ralph Lauren, maybe) on the lower part of the walls will help the sofa disappear but keep the windows a crisp white. Aim for a monotone in paint, fabric and couch. (The couch looks comfy but don't you slip off of it when you lie down?)

Is that some kind of ram's head on the bed? This is really a man-type bed and it has real presensce which is the problem and the delight of it. Don't fight the look. Even though you can't paint (why not? ) you need to balance the presensce of the bed so it is not the focal point of the room. Shift the focus to the walls by stapling or gluing with wallpaper paste some plaid fabric, at least to line the book shelves which you can takle with you when you leave. Add much larger blocks of coordinating jewel-tone colours in paisley and solids on the bed and the curtains. Think country house hunting lodge with maps, dead animals and leather. It's a pity you can't paint the walls because deep colours would make that bed disappear.

You already have orange/brown going on in the sofa,floor and fireplace but because of the weather in Vancouver you need to go as light and bright as possible. How about sticking with the white but add some pops of cheerful orange - perhaps in the pillows and, lucky you, Marimekko is on sale right now so you could tie the white and orange together. You need some more black on the sofa side of the room maybe in a floor or table lamp. You are more than half-way there so keep up the momentum.

So what if Martha Stewart isn't the most nurturing woman on the planet - she's not our mother or wife. She's our inspiration - impeccable taste, unlimited imagination and a lot of hard, hard work. Thank you for recognizing her accomplishments.

You have a lovely apartment and gorgeous wood floors and fireplace so I am loving gray but what gray and even what color depends on other factors - your furniture and the amount and quality of the light to start with. So invest in some of those little pots of paint and paint up some sheets of cardboard and tape to the walls. Eventually one color will jump out as the right one, but don't touch the ceiling or the trim for now. Painting is so easy so don't be afraid of making mistakes since you can paint a room with two or three coats in a day. Invest in a large roll of that blue tape - it is a wonderful thing!

Since light is not the problem continue with the blue-grey to tone down the presence of the cabinets and cozy up the dining area but add pops of mustardy yellow- maybe on picture frames and tea towels. Love the persian rug at base of sink idea.

J.C. Penney's catalog use to carry foam bolsters and covers for them in a variety of colors, I have some in a cheery cherry red over placed on a khaki comforter against which I have several plaid pillows. Since I am short this arrangement is too deep for comfort but then most sofas are also too deep for comfort. It was far more comfortable with a 30 inch mattress which can still be had on special order.

I'm guessing that you favoured one sofa over the other because of the proximity to natural light and also because you had a view of the world out that window.

Please consider donating your old towels and sheets to the local SPCA, Humane Society or similar organization. We use dozens of these every day so our dogs don't have to sleep on bare concrete.

Stop! Don't paint yet! Like others here I usually abhore wood panelling but there is something special about yours. If you paint (as I have done in the past) I think you will get a country vibe. Check out Target's bedding department for the wood panelling behind a lime comforter by Dwell to see how a modern aesthetic works with wood panelling. Lovely! Go for a Japanese vibe or a Scandanavian ( see book Finnish Country Houses) one . How about several yards of a Marimekko wall panelling suspended from the ceiling, a few very modern light fixtures and a Modern Lighting fan? The vibe will change instantly. Yes to painting the fireplace, ceiling (not beams) and possibly that odd crosspiece but hold off on everything else because your situation is rare and unique - lovely wood panelling. A Scandanavian would feel right at home!