Can anyone help me with some decorating suggestions?

[tree_hugger]

I see so many pictures of your gorgeous, funky homes posted here. I was hoping some mamas might be able to help me out with some ideas for our home.

We live in a rental, so painting is not allowed. I feel our home is a bit .... "blah". The walls, couches and curtains are all neutral beiges and creams. I am really craving some colour and some personality!

Our furniture is all functional hand-me-downs, but kind of plan and boring. Its all kind of "country cottage" looking, which is so not us.

This is what you see when you enter our front door and look straight ahead.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...y/DSCF5453.jpg

This is what you see if you look a little to the right, from the front door. That door leads to the kitchen and my office.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...y/DSCF5454.jpg

This is what you see standing in front of the television. That door leads to a hallway which has all the bedrooms and bathroom coming off it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...y/DSCF5456.jpg

This is what you'd see standing in the kitchen looking in.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...y/DSCF5458.jpg

And this is what'd you'd see when standing in the hallway looking in.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...y/DSCF5457.jpg

We are young, hip kind of people, and I want our home to reflect that.

I've got to run - toddler is up from sleep - but I'd really appreciate any ideas! BBL. :

[jlutgendorf]

A couple of ideas…

First, do you have an Ikea near you? If so, go scout out some curtains and a bright bold rug to replace your current ones. Pick a color scheme (this site is helpful, you need flash 9, a free download: http://www.kuler.adobe.com), then get your curtains and rug to go with that scheme.

Research how to make slip covers so you can change the colors of your couch and chairs.

Here's a fun idea for you and the kids. Go to an art supply store (sam flax, dick blick, etc.) and purchase either a big roll of paper or some big sections of canvas. Get some cheap water colors or acrylic paints in your color scheme (which can be diluted down to work similar to water colors, but be careful as when they dry, they're permanent) and make big paintings. One artist I really like is Helen Frankenthaler http://images.google.com/images?q=he...mages&ct=title

Her "style" is easy to emulate and will give you big bold color without actually painting the walls.

If you do get canvas, you'll need to wash it first to get rid of the sizing that makes it water proof.

You can also just let the kids go crazy. I really like the work of most kids as it's very spontaneous and free and colorful.

With your furniture, you could sand everything down (to get past the lacquer) and then paint or stain in the color of your choice. But that's pretty time intensive, especially on the entertainment unit.

I think what you should really think of is adding some big sections of color. Right now you have so much big empty white/beige space that it's overwhelming. And most of your art or things with color are tiny, so they're getting lost in all that space.

Hope some other people have more ideas!

~Julia

[4evermom]

Are your couches already slipcovered? Maybe you could dye them.

Fabric is a great way to add color. If you see something you like (tablecloth, imported bedspread, something off the bolt from a fabric store) you can hang it on the wall. It could be stretched like a canvas or have a chanel sewn acress the top for a dowel or just tacked up by the corners.

[mumkimum]

I had 2 ideas:

Staple our use a doublestick tape to put some lightweight fabric behind the glass on your entertainment center - it'll look less cluttered & brighten up the room (some simple patterned fabric, preferably bright colors, large pattern).

Find one or two kids pictures (you have some nice ones up already too) and get them overmatted and framed - - like to a poster size -- and hang underneath the b&w photos of your kids on the dining room wall. (you might want to hang the kids pics up a bit higher if you wanna do this). Or if you want real simple, just cut some mat board to a frame and use a teensy bit of tape to put the drawing on it if you think you might want to rotate pictures.

[Lisa Lubner]

Some great stuff you can do...

Blik wall graphics!

Etsy for inexpensive artwork and check out the pillows to brighten up your couches!

Rasterbator to enlarge some of your own photos or artwork.

I would (personally) get rid of the huge entertainment center. I think it's overwhelming and it sorta takes over that whole space.

And check out apartmenttherapy.com for more ideas.

[sunanthem]

Bring in some plants!Hanging plants or large potted floor plants.

Get a cool poster or two or get printed poster size pic of your kids or family or a great nature shot and a poster frame and hang them near dining area.

Cool place mats will bring in color and maybe a nice candle holder for the center of the table, or some kind of centerpiece; a nice big wooden bowl stashed with fresh fruit is nice. You could also bring in color by putting chair cover pillows on your dining chairs.

Don't forget movement from above! Funky mobiles from the ceiling really change the feeling in a room. I have a paper cranes one and one made from grapevine mini wreath with semiprecious stone beads hanging down. There are tons more design ideas for those out there; and you can easily and affordable make your own.

Also, brining in nature somehow is always nice, a vase of funky knotty twigs or pussy willows, or a natural wreath of some type, or a bowl put up with seashells, or a big conch, or a bowl of pinecones or .....

I love the idea of putting a backing on your entertainment center doors!

[um_hanna]

:

[Bearsmama]

Hi,
I think you have a nice, well-organized space (thanks for sharing!). One suggestion that I think always makes a difference is to hang your pictures at eye level. I would bring some of your artwork and framed stuff down a bit. It has to be a nice balance-nott like, right above the couch, or up to high that the eye has to travel, but literally at eye level.

[Mommabean]

:

Originally Posted by Lisa Lubner

Some great stuff you can do...

Blik wall graphics!

Etsy for inexpensive artwork and check out the pillows to brighten up your couches!

Rasterbator to enlarge some of your own photos or artwork.

I would (personally) get rid of the huge entertainment center. I think it's overwhelming and it sorta takes over that whole space.

And check out apartmenttherapy.com for more ideas.

those are some of the BEST things I have ever seen to decorate! thankyou! dh and I are getting ready to FINALLY put things on the walls of our entire home and I am LOVING Blik! it is so beautiful and well priced!

[reducereuserecycle]

u should somehow accent your curved doorway...maybe with garland around it ???????

[serenetabbie]

I really like the clean, simple lines of your furniture. And the kid art is fabulous. I suggest getting some plain black frames like you have in the dining room, matting the art work and hanging it grouped together. Grouping a bunch of smaller photos/prints together in like frames always looks nice to me... you could spray the one of the tri-matted baby photos matte black and hang it with the three of the cutie on the other wall. You can even put it with the Abby Road print, since that looks like it is in a black frame too. The suggestion to hang all the art/photos at eye level is a good one too. My SIL has a really cool looking mirror on her wall slightly above eye level (like, I can see my eyes and the top part of my head) in her one room that gets little sun to reflect the light back into the room and to mirror the photos she has on the opposite wall.

I always say plants too! IMO nothing brings life into a space like life If you need some suggestions on good, sturdy, air improving plants to suit your light level PM me (I am not sure I will remember to check back here). With a funky rug, a cool lampshade on a standing lamp, some colorful throw pillows and throw blanket and some plants the living room would look totally different.

I know people who have really nice rugs or tapiestries hung on the walls and it looks great and adds loads of interest. If your child was older than toddler age, I would say a cool table cloth would work too, but I know from experience that toddlers + table cloths are just a bad idea

Good luck, and I look forward to seeing the photos when you make changes!

[Mizelenius]

Here are my tips:

(1) Entertainment center: I'd take most of the frames down that are on top of it-- maybe all. That's your focal point, so you could make a nice display there. It'd be high, but you could put up a large picture or maybe a few medium size ones that work together. You can still use the pictures, but I'd make them into a large collage and hang that elsewhere. I'd hang some sort of fabric or bamboo/natural fiber on the two doors to hide what is behind them.
(2) Sofas: express your style through pillows. Your sofa fabric is pretty neutral, so this is where I'd make things fun and bring in the color scheme you want.
(3) Dining area: I'd move the rug elsewhere. I think it makes that space too formal for your taste. Add a runner in your funky style, put some accessories on the table, and it's all good. I'd love to see a large mirror on that wall-- I think it would add a lot of dimension. I'd do something with the corner by the curtains near the arch, like a tall plant, interesting looking chair with some artwork over it, etc.
(4) Artwork in general: I agree with the pp-- hang your pics at eye level, and take into account the size of the space you are working with. I think most people tend to put too small items in a space. You could still use what you have, just add some more and group what you have differently.

To make a long story longer , I think you have some good basics, and accessories will make a huge difference to stamp your place as YOURS.

[MommyErin]

Originally Posted by jlutgendorf

First, do you have an Ikea near you? If so, go scout out some curtains and a bright bold rug to replace your current ones.

Yes. I have these curtains hanging in the play/family room and they really brighten up the place in winter. Funky and fun!

With your furniture, you could sand everything down (to get past the lacquer) and then paint or stain in the color of your choice. But that's pretty time intensive, especially on the entertainment unit.

Oh but so worth it. You could paint your table and chairs or even just the chairs some really fun color. The bookcase too. If you draw the eye to the furniture, it draws the eye away from the beige carpet and white walls.

The other option is to take the white thing and go with it, kinda Rachel Ashwell-esque.

Originally Posted by sunanthem

Bring in some plants!Hanging plants or large potted floor plants.

I second this one too. If you can swing it, get a potted ficus tree for the corner and put some white Christmas lights on it. Hang a plant basket from the ceiling too.

Originally Posted by Mizelenius

(2) Sofas: express your style through pillows. Your sofa fabric is pretty neutral, so this is where I'd make things fun and bring in the color scheme you want.

Oh, yeah. Get some pillows, maybe a bright funky throw for the back of the couch.

I have found that spray paint and the thrift store are my two biggest decorating friends. Make them yours, too!