We have two issues to address in this living room. First, is the issue that our reader submitted: how to paint a great room which includes the living area, the dining room and the kitchen. How can you differentiate spaces when each functional area shares so many walls and so much air space? The second issue, which I noticed, is that this room suffers from a serious overdose of brown. Some carefully placed wall color and area rugs can help keep the spaces from blending together too much (and can also break up the monotonous brown!)
Here is the current room. What you can’t see here is that the dining area is next to this seating area, which then blends straight into the kitchen. It’s a quintessential “great room,” but without architectural features, there is little to articulate the functional areas.
In every scenario, I’ve painted the two walls different colors. When you are faced with one huge room, a simple solution is to create an accent wall. Pick any wall or area of the room you want to draw attention too. Check out this teal color, which coordinates nicely with the existing brown. Some golden yellow touches give the color palette a little edge and global accessories timeless. Also note that I added molding to the window and updated the blinds to make it look more substantial. Here’s the updated room recap:
- Benjamin Moore paint in Wedgewood Gray and Aegean Teal
- Andalusia rug from West Elm
- Etched Square pillows from West Elm
- Woven wood shade from the Shade Store
- Cowhide cocktail ottoman from Room and Board
- Rafia bowl made in Uganda from Ten Thousand Villages
- Black and white photograph of Paris from Allposters.com
Next up, some modern blues. I replaced the brown recliner with a more modern chair in a contrasting beige. I also darkened up the window shade. My favorite addition is the art to make an interesting focal point behind the couch. That particular piece is total steal – original art by Seon-Jeong Kim sold on Etsy. Room recap:
- Benjamin Moore paint in Lucerne and Serenata
- Axis chair from Crate and Barrel
- Seaglass Stripe rug from Crate and Barrel
- Jenga pillow
- 2″ wooden blind from the Shade Store
- Original modern art sold on Etsy
- Agave bowl
- Twine floor lamp from CB2
Lastly, an accent wall is excellent place to make use of wallpaper. I find that an all-over wallpaper is too busy for my taste. On a single wall, however, it adds a lot of depth and life to a room. This totally adorable wallpaper comes from Denmark. Room recap:
- Wild Flower wallpaper from Ferm Living
- Benjamin Moore paint in Caliente
- Yasmine rug from Crate and Barrel
- Mona Lisa and George Washington pillows from Atelier Expo Arte sold on Etsy
- Neo bunching cube, Gentry table lamp and Streeter swivel chair from Crate and Barrel
There are a lot of ways to define spaces within in larger room. Don’t be afraid to use more than one color of paint or to experiment with wallpaper and area rugs. A big great can be just that…great!
Continue reading about Putting the “Great” in a Basic Brown Great Room
Sometimes decorating is like losing weight–those last ten pounds (or last 10%) are always the hardest! That’s certainly the case with the living room below. When our reader sent this photo, my first reaction was, “This place looks fabulous!” Notice how well coordinated the furniture, paint color and accessories are. The theme is carried out in full, right down to the smallest detail. By most standards, this living room is in pretty great shape.
However, our reader didn’t quite see it that way. She is struggling with the color palette, and specifically the accent color. While the red provides a nice contrast to the otherwise neutral theme, the red combined with the green gives off too much of a Christmas vibe. I like the red, but I can also see our reader’s point. Let’s see if we can give her some ideas for new and even unexpected accent colors.
Existing palette of sage green, black, white and red.
The current room:
My first inclination is just to shift the red to a more orange-y color. This eliminates the “Christmas,” but keeps the contrast.
Another variation on the orange/earthy scheme is to introduce pattern. Here’s a Moroccan inspired palette with accent pillows from Etsy and Medallion curtains from West Elm. I also think the room could benefit from one larger (and more dramatic) piece of art. In this version, I placed a black and white photo of Morocco.
Our reader was interested in exploring blue accent colors. With the sage green, it’s tough to find just the right shade of blue. Here, I opted for a rather purple-ish dark blue. This includes curtains in lustre sheen/Elderberry and art deco glam pillows. The overall look is very sophisticated.
To brighten up the color palette, here is a royal blue. I wouldn’t immediately think to pair sage green with royal blue, but with the right accessories and artwork, it is possible to tie it together. In this scenario, the Japanese print ties together a range of sea greens, ocean blues and misty atmospheric neutrals. With art like this, you can make it work.
Lastly, when in doubt, keep it in the family. In this case, the green family. Sometimes you can make a pretty and unexpected palette by sticking to a particular hue. In this room, the sage green acts like a beige – in other words it becomes the neutral backdrop to the saturated green. The key, again, is in the accessories. What better accessory to a green palette than some actual live plants? Silk dupioni curtains in Greenhouse add a lush green anchor further matched by graphic pillows.
I hope this gives some new ideas for a lively color pallette with sage green. This room is so close…just that last 10% and it will surely be complete!
Our reader is just putting the finishing touches on her brand new home. The entire home is a blank slate and this homeowner wanted some ideas to add a little style, preserve a feeling of lightness and also compliment the beautiful dark floors. This living room with also include a baby grand piano, which can be a beautiful focal point in any decor (in addition to sounding great!)
My initial idea for this room is to paint it pale yellow. Pale yellow is a classic and rarely a disappointment. In this room, the yellow both preserves lightness and adds a cheery warmth. It also brings out the red tones of the floor. I’ve added some modern furnishing, which are clean and un-fussy in a room that will be dominated by a piano. The modern classic furniture includes: Design Within Reach Theater Sofa, Noguchi coffee table, and Tripod lamp. To complete the modern feel-geometric textlies from the Shade Store and a Rothko print in a bold primary pallette. I quite enjoy this yellow!
For a completely different feeling, check out the pale blue. The room retains the same lightness, but feels much more cool, calm and collected. This is great color to relax the energy and encourage a more quiet mood. Matching blue silk curtains keep the look streamlined and a Picasso print keeps it modern.
Looking for something more dramtic and classic? Instead of wallpaper, try a subtle beige-on-beige stripe. Vertical stripes are a true home decor classic, but in the wide beige they don’t feel prissy. I added a little drama with two sweeping silk curtians hung to puddle and draw attention to the wood floor. With the grand piano, the curtains and stripes are very operatic and remind me of the theater. How divine!
Lastly, a little casual modern in a friendly light green (with a hint of yellow). Choosing the right shade of green can be tricky. Too much yellow looks sickly, too much blue looks like a hospital waiting room. I recommend using multiple shades of yellow to minimize the problems. Here, painted a desaturated yellow-green on the walls and paired with with an unexpected ceiling in a dark gray-green. The bright green leaves of the plant round out a green trio. Some bright white orbs and brown window panels complete the modern earthy look.
Remember our reader who needed some ideas for a teenage boy’s bedroom? Well, check out the spectacular final outcome of their bedroom makeover!
They came up with some great solutions including a tasteful (but not boring) blue, navy and green color scheme, carried out to perfection in both the bedding and the small rug. I also love how the new curtains soften up the windows without overpowering them. My favorite additions are the album cover wall art and the fun poster of Hendrix.
The final blue paint color: Olympic C-54-3 Feelin’ Blue
I think this room is a huge success!
Thanks to our reader for sharing photos of the completed room.
I’m excited about this fun assignment for Mochi Home. A reader asks us to visualize some new colors for their teenage son’s bedroom. Teen rooms can be such fun and are a great opportunity to showcase a kid’s hobbies, talents and unique personality. Currently, the room is a cheery yellow with navy blue curtains. Check out the great bedding in a fun retro pattern and also that rockin’ drum set in the corner.
Before adding color and other accessories, I made a few general updates. In order to open up the room, I removed the curtains to reveal shuttered windows and the interesting angles of the room. This gives us much more wall space to play with. I also removed the top wallpaper border, which seems a little too fussy for a teen room.
In each of the visuals, I pulled colors directly from that fun bedspread. It makes a great palette for instantly coordinated walls and accessories. Here is a two-tone blue room. The dark lower-half accents the wall structure and also has a retro feel. A little rock-n-roll wall decal from Blik adds a bit of flair.
With such interesting angles, this room lends itself well to an accent wall. With the rusty red from the bed spread, the wall behind the drums really pops. Even though the windows already have wooden shutters, perhaps the original blue curtains were used to block out light for a teenage boy who likes to sleep late. Instead of bulky curtains, I suggest a low profile blackout shade, like the Flocke series from The Shade Store. Blackout shades actually come in a variety of colors, so no need to sacrifice style for function. Finally, why not have some fun on the walls? Classic rock album covers are just one way to let a teen’s personality shine.
One of my secret home decor indulgences is Pottery Barn Teen–even for adults! It sounds crazy, but PB Teen has some very fun pieces and their accessories and textiles always inspire me to add a little energy and color to any room. Of course, PB Teen is really great when you are actually designing a teen’s room! I found some wall murals that would make great accent walls. Check out the two images below for the London mural and the Play My Music mural. These are great because you can have your teen pick out their own wall art.
Lastly, here’s an option where the original yellow becomes the accent wall. Offset by deep navy, the yellow suddenly looks fresh and fun. And of course, I couldn’t resist the little 8-bit critters from Blik. Wall decals, posters, and framed images are great way for kids to express themselves and can also be a fun project to work on together.
Our living room, while not huge, does boast a pair of oversize windows (well, technically it’s a sliding glass door, but doesn’t go anywhere.) The previous owners installed a nice set of Hunter Douglas Silhouette shades, which I adore. They can be fully open, fully closed, or half-open, which creates the most flattering diffused light. While these shades set the mood for daytime lighting, they really do nothing for our decor.
We scoured stores for affordable curtains to fit our oversized windows, but couldn’t find anything we liked (and could afford!) So, we had our crazy DIY curtain idea and I decided to sew the curtains myself. My mother, in her inifinite wisdom and years of sewing experience, advised otherwise, but I’m stubborn, and went ahead anyways. Here are the results.
First, I needed an oversized curtain rod for the extra wide windows. Again, affordable options were limited and I searched for an alternative. I ran across this great DIY project from Shelterrific, where they used an electrical conduit as a curtain rod. As they suggested, I purchased two 10′ rods (for around $10) and had them cut to half of my window size. I then attached them in the center with a conduit connector. Voila! Instant extra long curtain rod. I used regular curtain rod brackets to keep the rod in place. Thanks for the idea, Shelterrific!
Next, the curtains. While vactioning in India last fall, we picked up some gorgeous rusty orange heavy-weight satin with a subtle sheen. For less than $100, we had curtain fabric, lining fabric and enough extra for matching pillows. It’s good to plan ahead when making trips abroad!
I chose to make hidden tab top curtains. I like the clean look-similar to grommets, but without the messy hardware installation. First, measure and sew the edges of the lining fabric. Then, attach the lining to the main fabric (right sides out) and finish the side edges neatly.
Next, sew the header and the tabs. For this, I basically made “belt loops,” which are sewn into the wide hem of the header. I found that a sturdy grosgrain ribbon makes a great tab (and you don’t have to sew the edges). I spaced my loops about 7″ apart. You should adjust based on the size of the window and curtain.
Here’s a close up of the tab.
Lastly, hang the curtain on the rod. Then, measure and pin the hem. I found it useful to hang the curtain and pin the hem, to ensure that the curtain just grazed the floor. Remove the curtain, sew the hem and you are all set! Here’s the finished curtain. I tied the panel in place for 24 hours to train the fabric. I imagine a light steaming with the iron would also help.
Check out how clean and nice the hidden tab top looks! I love the modern edge-not too fussy.
Sewing your own custom curtains may not be practical for everyone. Don’t despair, you still have options! Before I embarked on my project, I discovered that my local dry cleaner/tailor would sew curtains to my specifications. This is great option if you don’t have a access to a sewing machine (or the patience to do it). So, ask around before you settle on an off-the-shelf product.
Continue reading about Real Life Makeover: DIY Hidden Tab Top Curtains
Here is a lovely house in need of a little color boost. The interior is bright and open, with tons of light and nice lines. It’s currently finished in a pleasing neutral scheme, including brown and beige furniture. Our reader would like to liven it up with a fresh color palette. The good news here, is that you can really take this decor in ANY direction. With such solid basics, the sky’s the limit.
Mini-palette: Brown, Yellow, Sage, Beige
My first thought is a yellow and brown theme, to match the existing furniture and accessories. The color inspiration comes from Olympic paint in Calabash, which I paired with a chocolate brown. An aqua/sage striped curtain keeps the room looking modern.
Mini-palette: Teal, Terra cotta, Black
I found more inspiration with Olympic colors Blue Bayberry and Baritone. I love the combination of teal/blue with Terra Cotta. Add a little black and the palette really pops. To bring it all together, add some tall curtains in modern organic print.
Mini-palette: Terra cotta, brown, beige, yellow
Continuing with the Terra cotta, here is Olympic Ginger on the wall. This is warm and spicy, without being dark and oppressive. The Ginger coordinate easily with the the brown and beige of the existing room. I also love the existing throw pillows on the couch with a modern/ethnic rainbow appeal.
Mini-palette: Dark and light green, beige, brown
Lastly, a calm and friendly green in Dark Sage and Asparagus. The combination of muted green with bright green keeps the room lively, but still feels understated and earthy. Simple curtains soften the back wall. Also, note the green paint on the mantel and the back of the bookshelf to highlight the architectural details.
I was lucky enough to catch my friend in transition between apartments – which means clear photos of big empty rooms! This is a Mochi Home dream, of course, as it’s really easy to quickly play with some different looks.
I used some window coverings from The Shade Store as inspiration. You can see how the right window treatment can really set the style of a room, even without any furniture. Here it goes:
An empty bedroom.
Classy green silk inverted pleat drapes. I kept it monochrome with a complementary shade of celery on the walls. I also darkened the floor to an eco-friendly deep brown bamboo.
This is a really sexy panel system in a Chilewich fabric. I dream about dividing a loft space with panels like this. Here, it works for a subdued bachelor pad bedroom.
Lastly, a more feminine tulip shade in pink silk. This is also practical, as it doesn’t block the AC/heater (although it doesn’t hide it either). I couldn’t resist an accent wall, which would look lovely behind a bed.
Hopefully, this will remind you not to neglect your windows!
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