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Need to 'brighten' up an area - suggestions needed!

14 years ago

I'm hoping someone here can offer some suggestions. My mom recently moved into a studio cottage and we need ideas for adding color and brightness to the main area. I wish I knew how to attach pictures here, but since I don't know how I'll describe what she has so far:

A cream colored leather sofa and matching chair.

A toile rug - looks a bit like some of the blue pottery from Holland - with flowers and slight shade of cream, sage, but mostly lots of blues

Espresso colored coffee table, entertainment center and end table

Maple-colored wood floor

The sofa and chair gets lost in the off-white color of her walls. Although I think yellows for the wallswould work, the sofa still blends in too much. What color should I be looking to paint at least the wall behind the sofa? What ideas for colors and patterns of throw blankets and pillows?

Thanks so much! I've just started looking for help on this subject, so if you have any other website recommendations, I'd appreciate it.

Caroline

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Comments (6)

bronwynsmom
14 years ago
Sometimes a studio is a place for one accent wall. What if you painted the wall behind the sofa in a rich blue from the rug, and painted the rest a creamy rich ivory?

You have the perfect opportunity to use a blue and white scheme. Blue and white looks great with dark wood furniture. A very restricted color scheme keeps a place looking crisp and serene, and you already have the big things. For inspiration, the link below takes you to a collection of blue and white rooms that have been featured in House Beautiful. As you'll see, the use of some dark navy works wonderfully in such a plan.

A small space is also given life by good table lamps all around the room, with white fabric shades to let plenty of light out, and to create pools of light where you need it. Three-way bulbs let you control where the light is strongest. It's amazing how cozy and lively a small place can look when you create light and shadow.

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue and white rooms
oceanna
14 years ago
DCSam, sounds like she's off to a lovely start. I have just the thread for you, in our Gallery. LOADS of inspiration pics in there for cottage living. You can save your/her favorites to your own computer. Is there a way you can sit your mom down in front of a computer to view these?

Here is a link that might be useful: Show me your Cottage Decor
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dcsam
Original Author
14 years ago
WOW!!!! Great forum. Thank you so much. I did 'copy' the page where you can view the rug. We looked through thousands of rugs, and this is the one we kept going back to. But now I'm wishing we would have gone with more of a 'country look' rather than with her espresso-colored furniture accent furniture.
Thanks again
Caroline

http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Toile_Area_Rug/910/
remodelfla
14 years ago
I agree with the rich blue accent wall with the color taken from the rug. On using cream on the other walls... I kinda like the idea of picking a cream with a undertone of goldish yellow to it. Then I can see putting some of the yellow/gold accents in pillows, pottery, whatever. It could be a rich understated space with a hint of french country to it without being too "themey" for a small space.
dcsam
Original Author
14 years ago
I think remodelfa hit it exactly - a "hint of french country". But a deep blue wall seems extreme to me. In looking at the rug, do any of you have other suggestions for wall color?
Thanks so much!
Caroline
WA state
threedgrad
14 years ago
I did the blue accent wall with 3 cream / off white walls.

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