It sounds very busy :(

That is a lot of furniture for that size room. Do you really need all that?

Could you mount shelves on the wall, instead of having a free-standing unit? That would also bring some of the black or white up onto the walls.

What is the armoire being used for in the room? Closet space or just general storage? Might be cheaper to do a professional closet design so she can use her closet and eliminate the need for the armoire? If it is for a tv, I would spend the money on a small flat-screen and wall mount that instead.

But, to your original point. If the headboard and nightstand beside it are both going to be black, then I think you would want a black piece on the other side of the room to balance.

If you are going to keep all the furniture, I would think about painting the shelving unit the same color as the walls, to help it disappear visually.

I would do the armoire in the distressed off-white to make it feel less bulky and heavy.

I would also think about how soft the colors are in the bedding, and consider that when deciding how much black and grey to put into the space. Perhaps the walls done in a shade of the aqua from the bedding might be a better fit.

Hi Les,

Yes, it is alot of furniture in the room but is all needed. The armoire houses the tv, dvd player, college books, and also has a pull out desk space. It is placed in a corner of the room with the dresser next to it. The nightstand is by her bed and the other side of the bed is her shelving unit that dad made for her. The inside of the unit has beadboard so should we keep that a cream color and paint the rest of it black. I would love to paint the walls the pale aqua color but daughter (age 19) is set on grey walls. Would it look ok if the armoire & the dresser was done is off white since they are one side of the room & keep the other side with the black furniture?

Here is a link to what the bedding will look like.

Here is a link that might be useful: look of the bedding

I realize you did not ask this question, but... :) I followed the link, above, and just wanted to give a word of warning about the black upholstered headboard, which will attract every piece of lint, every hair, every dust bunny, etc. And depending upon the material you choose, black will fade at the seams before other colours.

If your daughter likes the turquoise colour of the bedding or the silvery grey, I would encourage her to use one of those hues for the headboard. Since your first choice is black, you don't seem to be looking for future versatility, and it is fairly easy to reupholster the headboard. Just a thought. :)

Remember the 60-30-10 rule!! I'm including a link for you. :)

Love the bedding! I would take that as my inspiration for the room and run with it! It's so fresh that I think it would drown in all that black, especially if the bed was black. It just wouldn't do it justice.

Here is a link that might be useful: 60-30-10 percent rule

Other than the bed and headboard, I would do all the rest in the off white (except maybe the bookcase-I like your idea of the black with off white beadboard). I think it will be stunning and the off white will help to "lighten" the small room while the black acts as the accent your daughter wants. I think it's wonderful that you're working so well together on this-it will make the room that much more special to her

Okay - I'll be the voice of dissent. I must have a case of "Napoleonic Room Complex" as my average room size is 12'X13'. I have mixed furniture colors & finishes in nearly all of my rms. & I think that it looks pretty darn good. I think that the rm. you two are planning sounds fantastic & I would definitely mix furniture colors. Love that bedding & planned color combo. I don't think that it will be too busy at all if done right & w/ some restraint.

I'm looking forward to reading the article posted by Texashottie.

I'd keep the black to the smallest portion of color in the rm. & do the majority of the furniture in the off-white (but not all of it). I have to say though that I would also consider doing the headboard in the cream & maybe even the dust-ruffle too. Maybe use an accent pillow on the bed w/ black in it. Don't forget your wall art too! That's a great way to pull in smaller doses of black like in black & white photo's and/or black frames.

Well the padded headboard will be black (already purchased the fabric) and the nightstand is black (already purchased). The armoire & dresser & bookcase can be painted either the cream or black. The bookcase will be on the other side of the bed so should that be painted black so that all the furniture on that wall will be black? Then the armoire & dresser in cream??

Since you are def. doing the headboard black & the nightstand is black, I would keep the rest of the furniture cream.

This is so hard for me to picture in my mind. Wish I knew photoshop! I am now wondering if the armoire which is a pine (natural color) would look good as is?? If I do the dresser cream would it look good to paint the mirror above it in black in order to bring some black over to that side of the room? Oh, decisions decisions.

ttodd does wonderful things with small rooms so I would listen to what she has to say carefully. She also has brought up using black frames and/or photos to add the black elsewhere.

Here is a pic that represents the look my daughter says she is wanting.

Here is the lamp:

Here is the nightstand:

Here is how the bed/bedding will look (disregard the other stuff)

Here is the armoire: Should I keep it natural or paint it cream?

This is somewhat like her bookcase but it is currently natural pine with white beadboard interior back. Should it be painted all cream?

Oh and maybe a dresser like this with a black framed mirror? Will that look good?

Anyone up for photoshopping?

Or maybe I could buy this and the top would blend with the armoire if I keep the armoire natural.

See link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: link for other dresser

The dresser will look great with a black framed mirror. I would also change out the knob with black ones (or paint them black). Can you paint the top black?

If you are creative with a paint brush, I would paint the armoire a combination of black and cream. All the panels black and trim cream or all the panels cream and trim black.

I would suggest oil-based paints for durability.

Her room looks like it will be a lot of fun.

Paint that armoire! Why not black--paint it all black, I say. Cream furniture doesn't seem very interesting, but the black would work well in her room, and later, if she takes it with her.

I was confused about your bedding; I think it looks fine in your photoshopped pic! I thought you were using the patterned fabric as a comforter too; the cream comforter instead seems to balance the black better.

I included the 60-30-10 link for you to figure out your colors---you've got gray, blue, cream, black... (or is that gray really more blue?). That link will help you figure out what to paint black and what to paint cream. If you're using your cream as the "10%", then her cream comforter is probably all you need in that room and painting any furniture "cream" would offset the percentages.

As far as the size of your room and the amount/size/finishes of furniture---I don't think that's an issue. I've read a designer's book that purposely uses large furniture in a small room so the focus is on the furniture itself instead of realizing how tiny the room is. I would think you would be employing the same "trick".

Another trick that I read to increase the size of the room is your furniture placement. When entering the room, if the eye can unobstructedly see the furthest angle/corner of the room, it will appear larger.

I think Ttodd's personal rooms are inspiring. Similar to your daughter's inspiration photo, Ttodd's LR makes use of neutral textures, like the basket weaves.

Your daughter has great taste and so refined!

Hi Texashottie,

I'm fighting my tendancy to make things matchy matchy. Daughter has warned me that she wants an casual eclectic breezy beachy kinda look. I would rather that she paint the walls a pale aqua but she insists on a pale gray. She says it reminds her of weathered wood cottages at the beach, so I have to paint the walls gray. Are you saying that since her comforter is cream that I should or should'nt paint the furniture cream? Oh and I forgot to mention that her drapes will be done in the same aqua damask print as her sheets. We may also add cream sheers for the breezy blowing in the wind look. She is in nursing school so she wants her room as relaxing as possible. She will be living with us probably for 2-3 more years before moving out on her own.

Your daughter's inspiration room looks light and breezy in part because the headboard is light and airy. A solid black headboard would be visually weighty, not airy.

I agree with suero---that inspiration pic may have a black headboard, but it's iron and "open." The solid black tufted headboard your daughter wants is not beachy; it's more contemporary/chic.

But I know you bought your fabric already, so if you're set on making it black, then I probably would paint the other pieces of furniture black to make your "30%". Your cream could count as the "10%". The "60%" would be the aqua and your walls---and when you pick out the gray wall color, I would be sure it had watery undertones that complemented the bedding. (I'm all for finding complementary paint colors rather than matching exactly the color of your aqua pattern).

I understand about you not wanting to go matchy-matchy. Can you swap out some of the wood furniture for something iron? Something iron and open would also visually open the space instead of a heavy, black wood piece. Seagrass, jute, and such textures will also lend to a more beachy theme if you can work those into your furniture or else accessorize with them.

I agree iron furniture would give it an airy look. I know she has mentioned though that she doesn't like iron beds so guess her room won't be airy. Maybe I can lighten up the room with mirrors? She said that the crystal lamp isn't exactly beacy either but she still likes it & wants it in her room. So maybe it will be a twist on beachy & be beachy contemporary chic? Or perhaps the west indies look?

Texashottie:
So the gray walls & the aqua accents will be all counted together as the 60%? Even though they are 2 different colors? Will I have to use the gray other places in the room?

Ttodd: Where can I see your rooms?