Design Dilemma - Living room, caught in two minds.

8 år sedan

senast redigerad:8 år sedan

Hi,

My name is Barrie and i am an Englishman living in South Korea. I have recently decorated a downstairs living/dining room as it will hopefully be one of the rooms used in our new photo studio. It's important that i point this out as it's not necessarily important that it has a true flow as the camera obviously only points towards 1 part of the room at a time. I have no prior experience and feel well out of my depth.

My original idea was to make a Victorian (Well European style) dark walled moody living and now it has turned into something somewhat different. My wife had a carpenter make us some lovely doors which i painted black and gold, and then she installed a fireplace which i painted black. Then came adding the white baroque style moulding.... I had reservations from the beginning and argued that all the moulding should be the same color (gold) We then purchased a chandelier which i sprayed blue (why?) After this the room had no real identity so i decided to spray paint and reupholster a ding table and 4 chairs. I thought that it might work having a mix of old with some very bright colors and in truth it still might. So my dilemma is do i try go for a more normal traditional style or can someone please give us some advice?

The floor is laminate and i would love to stain it much darker but I understand it's not possible to do that. I think a rug would also be nice and maybe help bring things together but before that i think there are a lot of other issues to address. I am also aware that the room is still a bit empty and needs more ornaments/personal items which i don't have. It is difficult to say the least to source/afford the items i want whilst living in South Korea.

I have uploaded some photos and hope someone can kindly give me some help :-)

Below are a few photos of the style i wish i could create

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Ludo Gallagher

7 år sedan

In fact. Here is a new post that is right up your street. The photo on it is also the look I think you should push for:

http://blog.abigailahern.com/design/how-to-style-your-dining-room-from-scratch/

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Kommentarer (15)

Jonathan
8 år sedan
I don't think you have the proportions right but I do like the blue. acidic ally the ceiling is not a high as a Georgian room and the coving and skirting and fireplace are a little small
Given that some things can't change I would try to go for a simpler look that still works with the proportions- personally I would paint the skirting the wall colour to make the walls look taller- I would paint the ceiling a softer colour than white- perhaps a pale grey and I would then paint the coving a soft white.
The room also needs a rug and furniture- personally I think your table is too small for the space and if you have tried to mock up a fireplace you should treat it like the feature it would be in other homes and point the furniture towards it- perhaps a sofa and coffee table?
I think your shelves are too dark and would stand out in a light colour.....perhaps the same soft white suggested for the coving.
I also think you need more lighting than just this one light. Look for table lights and standard lamps.
Just opinion of course but hope it helps
PRO
Casa Colori
8 år sedan
Hi Barrie,

I would personally painted the doors the same blue of the walls to give a sense of continuity. I would also paint the fire place white. As suggested by Jonathan the ceiling could be a light grey without the golden lines. The blue chandelier is gougers. I would replace the wooden bookcase and the desk with bright ones (pink or red). I would place the bottles on the bookcase to be more creative. For the table I would look for a traditional one to balance the fancy colored bookcase and desk then the chairs I would alternative the one you have with some chairs more traditional.

I hope it helps

Silva
Ludo Gallagher
7 år sedan
You need to simplify. Look at Abigail aherns website and blog for inspiration. The black and blue don't go. If I were you I would paint everything in the blue. Everything. Most certainly the big white door and its frame. Paint the ceiling, coving, fireplace, gold, black, white. Paint it all blue. It's an Abigail ahern trick. I've just done it in my office and whilst it's daunting, it works. Then you need pops of colour. Where you have gone wrong is introducing an off the shelf table and shelves in all colours. You would be better off again having a dark table and about 4 dark chairs. Then Say 2 colourful chairs. Or with your existing set, I would again paint it all dark but leave the bottom 20cm of each piece in its original colour. That's quirky and a bit more original. The. You need softness in this room. The total blue out will help with this. Instead of the gold I would choose green as an accent but introduce it only in the form of lush plants. Ferns or tropical X or whatever will grow there.m,go big, an indoor tree, lots of pits collected together. You need a big soft rug under the table, but this won't work if the table is existing colours. You need softness on the wall. It would be nice to embrace some Korean culture. Maybe a big tapestry on local fabric or rug up on the wall. The English Victorian style you are going for is all ant quirk. So the odd nod to Korea would work well. Good luck!
PRO
Veera Hawkins
7 år sedan
Really like the inspiration photo with the pink footstool/coffee table and you aren't far off. The black and blue do not work together. At all. So, I would suggest painting them white (leaving the gold trim) or blue as others have suggested however due to the ceiling height I am not convinced it will give the desired result. We want to avoid the whole smurf-effect. Also, there is too much permanent gold. It may be an idea to paint the trims and skirting white and paint the ceiling blue as in the picture. You have A LOT of pale floor which needs to be balanced out. Fireplace white too (maybe paint the decs on it gold). Chandelier needs to be white. Coving around the light - white. I'm guessing buying a massive new table won't be happening soon so to make it look more balanced, a huge fluffy white rug would work with the dining set on it. And I mean HUGE. Like a mere foot or two from the wall. I like the colours of the dining table and chairs. Now for the trimmings; there can be an abundance of gold accessories, so frames, mirrors candelabras.. In clusters, throughout the room. They will look less heavy that way. The little table with the phone on it is cute and can be left as is but I would suggest painting the shelf unit.... Maybe the same yellow as your dining table. Or pink.

These are some ideas however without really seeing the whole room (this is only a section of an L-shape from what I can see) it might be necessary to tweak it all a bit. But mainly, create a balanced canvas, then accessorise with the gold and the other colours. No matter how colourful a scheme, if it is well balanced, the whole look with come together beautifully.

Hope that helps.
PRO
Create Perfect
7 år sedan
Hi Barrie,

Start by looking at the photo you like, not in the way of items in the space, but how they are laid out, the proportions and how they fill the space. You have lots of dead space in your room which isnt working to make the items pop.

I do not mind the black but probably (as i think someone else suggested) you should have gone for a shade of blue that sits nicely with the other blue. A deep midnight.

You are getting the right idea and have done well.. you just need to play with and try and fill the space better. You are correct that a rug would definitly help to fill the space and some of those open gaps.

If you look at the size of the door you can see you really need to go ovet the top of the proportions, get things that are oversize. Maybe try upcycling an old motor bike by adding some bright paint etc and maybe try and increase the size of the light fitting.

It will be worth it - its a stunning space.
PRO
The Colour Club
7 år sedan
quite a lot going on in this room! there are lots of colour groups and design styles going on and to get it harmonising and working together you really need to decide and look at what you want to achieve. What feeling do you want? What is the room used for and when? What behaviours do you want to see coming out of the space? you have colours from lots of different groups so there is no cohesion at the moment. If you require any further advice i am a colour and design consultant and would be more than happy to help. Please just give me a shout . Many thanks Lucy from The Colour Club
Joanna Biddolph
7 år sedan
Most people have identified the main issues. For me, there is too much going on on the walls and ceiling before you add any accessories. If you look at the first room you want to emulate, the background is relatively simple - one colour on the walls and ceiling; another colour for the coving and skirting boards. That's it. In the other one, again the walls are one colour; the ceiling another. Very plain. This simplicity gives you a great backdrop with which to have fun with colourful art and accessories but, as the colour expert has said, choose colours from the same spectrum and shade groups within it. Apart from that, it's about proportion. Yours is a big room; it needs big furniture and big accessories. Also, as you've gone for quite a bit of drama, the furniture in the room doesn't work - it's small and fiddly; you need things that make statements. The mirror is also too small; so are the antlers. If they are important to you, try grouping them together with other gold accessories to make a feature of them on one wall. Otherwise, abandon them and buy bigger versions. Then tie the main colours together with a large and spectacular rug - again, this is what has been done in the top room that inspires you. It must be so annoying that it's so difficult to find what you like over there. Could you order large prints, say, and frame them locally or is even that difficult?
nmlondon
7 år sedan
We have been living in South Korea for the last three years, and I do admire what you have done so far to depart from a Korean apt (아파트) decor - I wish we could do the same in our Exordium Apt, but it is rented. Good luck with your task!
nmlondon
7 år sedan
Also, perhaps you can use Ask Ajumma (a virtual concierge service) to help to source certain things?
teenytinyhouse
7 år sedan
I think you're not far off the look you want but, you're right, there are a few tweaks to tie it together. Mainly paint, so only a weekend, maybe two, depending on how handy you are with a brush!

I would paint the black blue, and lose the gold frame moulding in the centre of the ceiling (it brings the ceiling down, visually). Love the blue chandelier, keep it!

Is that a radiator to the right of the door? If yes, I'd paint it gold to match the skirting (it would also look more Victorian). If you have the budget, you could get it replaced with a vintage style cast iron radiator? They are quite expensive though, so maybe something to save up for down the line? I'd also paint the entry door blue, with a gold frame, to tie everything in together - I think the stark white block in the wall jars with the rest of the room.

As per other contributors to this thread, I agree that you need a rug, ideally a dark coloured Kilim or Turkish style rug, going by your inspiration photos. IKEA do some that are very affordable, but you could splash out on a handmade one. If you can find a battered and worn secondhand one, I think would look awesome, it would give you that lived in Victorian look?

Finally, the chairs and table are cool, and the colours work for me, but the table is way to small for the space. Perversely, I think it actually makes the room look smaller? I would switch to a six seater, and turn it 90 degrees to how you have it at the moment (pointing toward the fireplace).

It does look awesome, and do please keep us posted!
Sandra Marshall
7 år sedan
I love it. Paint he big white. Door blue x
PRO
Feature Radiators
7 år sedan
A gold cast iron or column radiator would look fab like our Classic or Etonian radiators.
Radiators in mid-century (40s, 50s and 60s) themed settings · Mer info

Etonian cast iron radiators · Mer info

Alternatively something ultra-modern would look amazing, like our Arteplano in brass..
Radiators for Asian themed spaces · Mer info

...or our Ron aluminium radiator in anodized gold

Radiators in eclectic settings · Mer info

I think you are not far off getting it right so stick with it!

I think a load of old books and some fab cushions should be easy to source and would make it feel more personal and cosy. Good luck!
PRO
Little-Persia - Persian & Oriental Rugs
7 år sedan
I love it! The white door and grill I'd definitely paint and I'm actually not being biased here by saying I think a traditional rug (something like the image you attached) under the table would finish the room off nicely. Something quite square would be perfect (although harder to find). If you have the funds I'd recommend: Moud, Tabriz, Kashan or Bijar. I personally find handmade rugs look best next to ultra modern furniture.
Kyle Barrett
7 år sedan
While it's not my style at all, I personally feel the black and blue go nicely together. I would focus less on painting more furniture in adventurous colours and acquire some classic furniture in matching dark wood tones.

The dining furniture is the part I think has gone a little too far. Maybe focus on letting the accessories do the bright colour accents. And tying things together with the colour palette you have already.

Some more white needs to be included at the moment, and general furnishings as others have offered as a suggestion.

You need art and a rug for sure.

Design Dilemma - Living room, caught in two minds.

Ludo Gallagher

Kommentarer (15)

Jonathan

Casa Colori

Ludo Gallagher

Veera Hawkins

Create Perfect

The Colour Club

Joanna Biddolph

nmlondon

nmlondon

teenytinyhouse

Sandra Marshall

Feature Radiators

Little-Persia - Persian & Oriental Rugs

Kyle Barrett

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UTFORSKA HOUZZ

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