Empty Canvas - Need Suggestions and Ideas!
Just made an offer on the house, and the whole house has a comtemporary sorta style which we find it's been tastefully done, but not really our style. we really prefer the modern and uber cool look, but with the current design and style of the house, feel it's almost impossible to change...Please note that all furniture will be removed and we will only be left with light fittings and the blinds and the kitchen cabinets/stove and ovens. As such, we are starting from an empty house (empty canvas) and are looking at making changes before we move in. The current pictures show how the previous owner has decorated it. with some changes in the layout they have had previously...
Please dont get confused in regards to the layout of the TV and the sofa as there is currently 2 different layouts. One layout has the TV under the mirror and one layout has the white couch underneath the mirror.
Had a few things we want to change, but may not be able to afford to as yet.. but lets see what ideas you have.
1) we dislike the green wall, but need ideas on what colours would suit...esp in regard to point (2). Take note that they've got a white skirting on the wall (runs under the mirror) which would be hard to remove, and would need to be painted as well...and this goes around the living room and to one end of the kitchen as well.... (near the fridge)
2) the peach tiles in the living room and kitchen ..we dislike this and find it hard to match anything but are unable to rip it up to pay for wood/bamboo right now... which is what we would prefer.... as the rooms are currently wood. We need to take this into consideration in regards to furniture etc. Any ideas to get around this?
3) the kitchen and living areas are joint and pretty small (pictures may look deceptive), and we would like to have table for at least 6 ppl as we would have family and friends over (instead of the table of four they have currently) which is tucked away in a corner...near the fridge currently
Please dont get confused in regards to the layout of the TV and the sofa as there is currently 2 different layouts. One layout has the TV under the mirror and one layout has the white couch underneath the mirror.
Had a few things we want to change, but may not be able to afford to as yet.. but lets see what ideas you have.
1) we dislike the green wall, but need ideas on what colours would suit...esp in regard to point (2). Take note that they've got a white skirting on the wall (runs under the mirror) which would be hard to remove, and would need to be painted as well...and this goes around the living room and to one end of the kitchen as well.... (near the fridge)
2) the peach tiles in the living room and kitchen ..we dislike this and find it hard to match anything but are unable to rip it up to pay for wood/bamboo right now... which is what we would prefer.... as the rooms are currently wood. We need to take this into consideration in regards to furniture etc. Any ideas to get around this?
3) the kitchen and living areas are joint and pretty small (pictures may look deceptive), and we would like to have table for at least 6 ppl as we would have family and friends over (instead of the table of four they have currently) which is tucked away in a corner...near the fridge currently
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Since you like modern, I would suggest painting the walls a light cool steel grey. I would carry the color right over the trim. This will make the space feel bigger. You can even carry the color into the kitchen since your appliances are stainless. With one unified color there will be less contrast between rooms, again, giving you a larger "feel".
The flooring...the rug that is there now is much to small for the space. I would simply get a much larger rug that fits at least one third under your furniture. That will cover the tile, give more warm to the space, and you can find some really great modern textures to introduce. A larger rug will also designate the two different "zones" in a less obvious way. (instead of through paint)
Seating is a little more tricky because of the hallway...do you have space for an island? If not, I have seen coffee tables that double for eating...the top lifts up to allow for more seating. So, maybe check online for multifunctional convertible furniture.
I hope this helps!
Good luck & I hope your offer is accepted!
I would remove the oddly placed wall moldings. It will require a minimal amount of patching and sanding, but go a long way in helping you achieve the uber cool look you desire. Also remove the ornate ceiling medallion and think about replacing your very traditional kitchen door. Love the idea of gray walls...it will neutralize the peach tile.
If you want to change the window coverings panel blinds would work with the modern look you are after. An inexpensive option is:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60143746/
Or you can do a transparent white with a graphic pattern?
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60102883/
or a combination....
I believe you can also buy the hardware and choose your own fabric to make the panels out of...but these might work with the grey?
I'd change the floors...but it might not be in the budget right now. Definitely agree about a larger area rug.
Can you do a round glass table in the kitchen area? Or do a lacquered table with ghost chairs? It would work with the modern look you are after. BTW, I love the plaster ceiling medallion. Would not touch that.
A) GREY WALLS
love the suggestions. grey walls I'm thinking would look fantastic, but was wondering if it was more of a light grey or a dark grey?
eg:
1) Jewell Street Addition
2) Classic Coastal Colonial Renovation - the Anti McMansion
3)Modern living
I've found a lot of pictures with grey walls but they all seem to pair well with nice wooden floors..not tiles =(
and when you say to the kitchen, does this include the area above the cabinets, where the stove and range hood is as well?
Chandani: could you explain more regarding the other paint colour as I'm not too sure what colour to imagine for above the panel.
B) RUG
any suggestions to what kind of rug and colours would pair well with a grey wall? In my head I have a very simple and dull black or dark blue rug...but that doesn't look very nice at all..some examples would be greatly appreciated... Im starting to realise I'm not very creative with this!!
C) ISLAND/TABLE
there is space for a small island, nothing too big as it will cut off the hallway, but i'm thinking it will also result in the kitchen being less 'open' as such.
Have actually thought about a convertible table which i've seen previously that has glass panels that can convert it to a larger table when needed, but the one I know off starts off as a table of 6 and maybe changes to a table of 10 when fully open which will be too big for my space.
You wouldn't go with a wooden table would you. Glass will probably be better?
Chandani: when you say lacquered table do you mean a glass style or a black/white solid colour lacquered table:
1) Rocca Table - Black and White Lacquer Table
or
2) Village Home
D) WALL MOULDINGS AND CEILING
i don't trust myself to do any of the sanding etc as we're not very handy at all, and will even need to youtube and google how to paint a wall properly! and we probably won't be able to get anyone in to do it for us ..as our funds will probably be all tied up in buying furniture etc! but i do like the idea of removing it, but do not trust myself to do it!!
D) GHOST CHAIRS
love the idea of the ghost chairs.. ..will definitely look into this.
E) WINDOW TRIMS
We are going to keep the wooden blinds... do think a change will tie in with the whole theme, but for now the whole house has the same blinds running through all the rooms ...and they're pretty new and quite nice as well.
Paint colour- I think you simply need to get a bunch of chips and try them out in your lighting. I'd say a midtone. Think about when you will be using the space more- day night and consider the colour during the day and night. The second colour could be a slight variation of what you have on the walls. So... say your accent colour is purple, you can ask your paint dealer to tint your grey with a bit of purple. Start out with a small amount, test it... see what it looks like dry in combination with the grey and add more purple if necessary. I suggested the purple b/c a grey-lavendar reads neutral.
Rug- hard to suggest without knowing your furniture. A shag/flokati could work. Make sure that there is some variation in the colour or it will show every little speck!
Table- I simply meant a high shine painted finish. I love upcycling... so you could simple find a great round pedestal table and have it sprayed (or if you have a space, do it yourself). If you are keeping the floor, maybe a dark stained wood might be the best option.
If you will be keeping the blinds, I'd do some floor length panels in a soft fabric to frame them up. You could get rods with straight and corner extensions so that you can have one continuous rod and do panels flanking each of the windows.
I'm on maternity leave...and still have to have my design "fix"...so I'm attaching a rough idea of colors & things to look for when you shop that I feel will work for your space & its existing features that you won't be changing anytime soon.
The colors are from Benjamin Moore. Keep in mind, that 'contrasts' are what make a space look smaller. So, by keeping a monochromatic (tone on tone) look, the room(s) will feel larger. Depending on what your furniture looks like, will determine how dark you want your wall colors.
Don't get overwhelmed, you know more than you think you do! ;)
Will definitely look into what paint options we have here in Australia...
Barbara . Thanks so much! Not sure we have Benjamin Moore paints in Australia .. But would love to see what you've got there! Have just sent you an email..
I guess we also need to establish what kind of furniture suits this house and the style we are lookin for. I thought we may have played it safe and gone with a black leather or similar L shaped sofa and putting a tv beneath where the mirror is currently.. The tv will be bigger than what it currently is and may include an entertainment unit etc... Not sure if that will take up too much space... But we have a pretty big tv with the amps and DVD player etc....
Paint the trim that is at the top of the window area the same color as the wall rather than removing it. The other trim should be a fresh white.
I agree that the door should be replaced with a modern one when you have the funds. The medallion should go.
Black and white rugs are very popular now and would look good with your floor. I like this one: The Sandberg Home See what a black and white rug looks like on a light tile floor: SchappacherWhite Ltd. That photo has the ghost chair in the arrangement. the info said that they are stackable, which would be good when you aren't using them and I like that you can move them from the living area to the dining area when needed.
Good luck!
I agree about the drop leaf table votes above.
Have a great time updating the space!
If you want more of my tips, visit me at www.dailydesignelixir.com
hi houssaon - did you mean the wood/brown coloured trim on top of the blinds?
this benjamin moore paint is proving popular. unfortunately i can't find anything about it in Australia =(
Guys I've also attached more photos of the house. Don't know if this changes anything. The previous owner renovated the house with a certain theme as you can see (changes def needed in the master bedroom definitely!!) and everything has a sorta classical feel to it..including the closet doors..and the bathroom in the master is all peachy coloured too.. (nothing we can really do here without spending big money) whereas the 2nd bathroom is a bit better in a black/white theme..
probably getting a bit ahead of myself, but getting excited by all the awesome tips and comments..so please keep em coming!
http://www.westelm.com/products/ikat-links-rug-b854/?pkey=crugs-flooring
Here are a couple of examples of what I mean about "framing" the windows.
I was referring to the trim that is about 3/4 the way up the wall. I would love to see the supports painted an electric color making the a design statement.
I wonder if you need the gutters and leaders with all the hardscape, especially where there is a wide overhang.
Isn't it funny, we're having the discussion around the world!
I could imagine the beams red initially .. But not so sure anymore ...
Black sounds good.. But unsure if it will have the same effect as the black on brick industrial look as that was metal...
In regards to framing the window... Would that create a more contemporary/classical feel? We are trying to make it less of that and more modern and feel blinds will do that more so than curtains? Those curtains do look nice those...
We walked past a replica store today, and had a look at some of their furniture..Eg the Noguchi tables etc ... Mmm
They also has some ghost chairs as well.. But we found that it was a bit too plasticky and cheap... How do you avoid this?
I saw this at Ikea too
http://www.ikea.com/aa/en/catalog/products/S19885712/
And this
http://www.ikea.com/aa/en/catalog/products/60160463/#/20162077
What do you guys think?
I saw this, and thought its similar to what you guys were talking about in regards to 2 colors and this has the trim as well...except this is ina bathroom....
Everyone's probably still asleep half way across the world, but would love to hear any comments! Settlement will take a month, so a whole lotta time toplan carefully before we move in...
right now the gate doesn't say much and looks straight through into the courtyard..
what do you think of a wooden gate similar to this?
Menlo Park Modern
Palm Springs
http://www.woodfordgatemakers.com.au/images/gallery/timber-jarrah-3-full.jpg
any suggestions or other pictures you guys know about?
I like your Ikea chairs and the white version of the table. Also like the way the ceiling was panted the same color as the space above the trim. That would work. You could enance the entryway with a variety of potted plants from very tall to small.
Those gates are very attractive, but are more of a barrier than a welcoming.
Good luck with you new house.
dining table/chairs + ottoman and living room chairs..
Do you think painting the cornice on the wall or leaving it white will be better?
Are you referring to the living room area? If so...
For a modern look, I would paint the picture rail (the moulding that is on the wall a third of the way down) the same color as the wall. It will just give an architectural feel, verses a contrasted moulding look. Then, leave the crown moulding (moulding against ceiling) white
Timber inspector says I need to sand the eaves and beams and give it 2 new coats of paint as it's worn off a bit. So definitely need to repaint those beams..still undecided..there's 2white plastic gutter drains that go down 2 of the diagonal beams as well..
For the outside, you can always "prime" in white primer first, then you can see how that looks and decide if you want the paint to be light or darker etc...
Can't wait to see pics of whatever you guys decide, have fun!
Would a 3 seat (facing the tv) and 2 seat sofa (facing the kitchen) work with a table on the corner?
Thanks chandani! Had no idea what sectional was and putting that into the search shows it as these modular couches! The floors mre of a peach colour, and heaps of nice pics with grey walls... But most have really nice wooden floors or nice modern neutral tiles... Whereas we have Peach tiles and the kitchen also has a gold coloured splash back....
Tailored Sophistication
Hyde Park Loft
Personal Home Tour
Table:
South of Market living room
TOPIC: FLOORS!
we've been thinking back and forth about those ugly tiles..and went to look at some flooring shops last night..and got some quotes. we decided last night..we're gonna get new floors for the kitchen/living room and the hallway (the rooms have already got laminate wood lookalike clickboards. we're going to go with vinyl floors...either the vinyl boards or whole piece vinyls...not sure if this is common in the States?
the question now is..because the rooms have already got clickboards (laminate) in a lighter wood colour, we can't match it.. (previous owner did this..and was probably easier to put clickboards as rooms were carpet). we can't use laminate boards because its currently tiles..and to put laminate will mean we need to rip out the tiles. instead we're gonna get the installer to prep the surface over the tiles and then stick vinyl strips on top.
what do you guys reccomend as a wood colour?
examples of what we have access to:
http://www.karndean.com.au/en-au/floors/wood-flooring.aspx
http://polyflor.com.au/expona-domestic-plank-new.html
http://polyflor.com.au/camaro-studioflor-plank.html
so ive also looked at what we are able to get in the stores here..taking into account what you guys have suggested..
got some pictures here and please comment!
1) dual grey walls..
2) wood floors (unsure at this point dark or light or other style?)
3) possibly a 3 seater: white leather couch (the wife likes the white couches) or a black leather couch OR a grey cloth couch
4) 2 tub/individual chairs? ideas?
5) thinking a noodle plush rug (see attached) ..or would this not work??
i was looking at paints and thought these greys were good? any suggestions?
http://www.bunnings.com.au/learn-how-to-DIY_online-diy-tools_paint-colour-trends.aspx
(click on the "RAW" set of paints)
was thinking if i left the white trim as white..it may add a special feel to it? or even adding a few extra lines in like this? or totally not?
Trying not to match the laminate/floating floors in the rooms too mch as its going to be different colour an texture... It's going to be vinyl in the kitchen and living room and hallway whereas the rooms already have wood laminate (see pics)
Looking at flooring colours this Thursday and paint too so need ideas!
where i'm up to? haven't started anything yet! i get the keys to the house on friday, and will be doing the floors and walls first thing!!
a lot of things to consider..thinking the walls and floor..so need to sort those things out..before we decide on colours of the couch etc!!
Floors and big ticket items, I tend to be practical and choose something that will stand the test of time. Paint is easy to change, floors, not so much!! As Barbara suggested, bring home lots of choices and see how it looks in your space at different times of the day/light conditions. I also tend to prefer medium-dark floors as it grounds the space. Since the plan is to go with grey walls and a more modern look, it will also add some warmth to the space.
unsure if its concrete or what..but as far as im aware..we're not gonna be able to use the tiles after this process.. (not that we want to..given its awful colour)
hmm don't really like the look of the terrazzo...reminds me of a kitchen counter top from the 90s
thanks for the reply chandani. was thinking of making seperate posts for different things..(eg a topic on floors) a topic on wall colours etc. but the few ppl commenting here are giving good ideas and keep it up!
whcih brings me to barbara..who has been the best of help!
thanks again guys! will update after we see the paints and flooring! so many things to decide on!
although it looks patchy or has different shades of colour in the pics...its actually a flat colour and non glossy. the lighting the existing owner had is quite dim and has crystals hanging from it so it casts shadows and rainbows onto the walls =(
leave the kitchen white or paint it light grey??
for panaroma from before-after:
Before: http://360.io/CgQRv8
After: http://360.io/TvhfDc
"A light grey will connect the spaces better, especially with the dark beam/sofit that runs from the living room to the kitchen" - did you mean the wall thats next to the door (thats currently white?) or did you mean the white cornice going across the wall??
- pretty good fun to see the before and after photos.
- kitchen counter top is currently a marble swirl colour ...need to look at it again.. hMmmm.
-the splashback is like a glass/glossy laminate..and in gold. kinda clashes with grey if the walls are painted.. thinking may leave it white.. hmmm
- i will note that the colours look darker than they are..not enough lighting as the existing lighting is quite bad..(esp without lamps etc)...
- we've made an order on a liquorice (dark grey) couch..(3 seater) and in a cloth. thinking of getting a white/light grey/silver rug to brighten up the place and 2 white tub chairs for additional seating. we will then add a bit of yellow or charteuse coloured pillows or a bright side table to brighten up the place as its a bit grey and dull at the moment!!
Thinking we need a side table of some sort and maybe a big feature floor lamp that hangs over the top at the corner between the couch and the white chairs?
Ideas or suggestions??
For a guide the rug is approx 2x3 and the white tv stand is 2m.
The fan isn't a permanent fixture so that will be removed.
The couch can be pulled towards the hallway/kitchen another ~1/2 metre which would provide space on each side of the couch.
1) Was thinking a big overhead lamp (we need lighting... As the ceiling lights are dim) between the white chairs and the couch in the corner of the wall .. But was unsure If that would overpower the size of the living room..
2) a small table between the 2 white couches OR/and another table next to the couch where hallway is..any suggestions of something that isn't a table but can be repurposed would be appreciated!!
3) ottoman.. Unsure how it would work here.. Any suggestions? Right in front of the couch? How big etc...
5) When u say pictures on the right side of the couch .. Did u mean where the fan is?
6) And for pulling in colours of the blinds.. I don't know if I can put anymore pillows.. The white chairs don't suit pillows and the couch has 2 huge pillows on it already as arm rests..
Thanks for the tips regarding the pictures ... Will need to look at abstract art (have no idea..) and have agree for family pictures to go on the wall in the kitchen haha
Any examples of art tables paintings ottomans pillows cushions etc would be greatly appreciated! Thankssss!