Zusie's Profile

Usually I like the kind of asymmetrical arrangement that they are going for with the art and plates on the wall, but for me it doesn't really work here. I think that the symmetry and placement of the wall sconces is at odds with the asymmetry of the arrangement and there's no real flow to the pieces.

At first I thought that this was going to be about edible "aged" cheese. It sounds more like inedible old cheese.
I think that RamonaFrac's vinegar seems like a good idea, old cheese not so much. Maybe wine depending on when it will come of age could be a good idea. Otherwise, it's probably best to stick to implements such as your great grandmother's cast iron skillet or maybe some special tool for ethnic cooking.

I think that VisuaLingual brings up an important point -- the proportion of the mat to the artwork. I would suggest using standard mat sizes as a reference point for cutting your own.

Gelato spoons? twist ties? Once you start a "collection" of twist ties it's time to call "Hoarders."

I actually keep unused plastic utensils from takeout and delivery in a ziplock bag so that I don't waste them and I don't have to purchase them. I also reuse rubber bands, but I don't consider it a "collection."

I like the sheet music artwork. 3M make an array of adhesive hangers that you can use to hang frames on the wall.

I agree about hiding or replacing the pink drawers.

I would probably change the rug to something that picks up on the grays and blues that are common between the bedding and the art.

Carrying that color scheme through, you could make a covered bulletin board with coordinating fabric and get some magazine holders and desk accessories to match.

I would keep the ceiling beams natural wood and the bed loft is also strong architectural wood element, although I am not sure why there are two wood types?

If you are using Ikea cabinets (and you are not planning to have them professionally spray painted) then that helps to narrow your color scheme down. I would opt for their gloss white to contrast and highlight the wood and metal elements. It looks like you have red accents already so you could work that into your scheme.

With only having one view it's hard to say for sure, but if you rearrange the elements in your kitchen you may be able to have open display shelving on the right wall under the stairs.

In response to Elizabeth II, negative side effects of having a bed over a kitchen, the first things I thought of were the heat and the smells absorbing into your bed linens.

Hmm, this one is tricky. On the one hand, this furniture looks like it could be 1950s, particularly those pink floral drums. On the other hand, the green marble fireplace surround and the green color in the adjoining library space seem very 70s or 80s. I also think that the neutral area rug is a hint that it is at least in the latter half of the century.
Kellylj, is right, though, those floral arrangements and the pots that they are in do seem more modern.
Also, perhaps the biggest hint to me is the quality of the photograph, it seems like it would have to be from the last twenty years.

On the one hand you live in Seattle so the colors that come into my mind are cool and unsaturated, on the other hand you live on a house barge(!) so I think that you can go with something a bit more adventurous than traditional house colors. I think that the taupe that it is currently painted is too much of a traditional exterior house color.

I like the idea of a medium gray (RL Mt. Rainier) with a dark blue that has a lot of gray in it (RL Cardiff Blue) with yellow accents (RL Mango Gold).

This is a really good example of a simple, yet effective, makeover.

I must say that I might get startled in the morning with Jimi staring at me.

I guess a ping-pong table might be interesting (?), but I wouldn't add green to your color palate of white, dark brown-black in the pony, and red from the chair, and the beige of the couch.

I don't think that the mirror in the corner is doing anything right now besides either distracting from the view or the tv. I would move it out of this area. These photos give the impression that the other furniture is just strewn about. Bring the lounge chairs into the furniture arrangement and re-angle the womb chair to be more involved.

In this space I actually like that it's white, but it could be interesting to paint a vertical swath down the center of the wall or add some kind of textured wall covering vertically to act as a backdrop for the tv and some large scale piece of art above that. The accessories for a room/ wall like this need to be large, maybe even meant for outdoors.