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Help Decorating Living Room - Mid-Century Attempt

7 years ago

We live in a tiny apartment in manhattan and I am trying to do a midd-century/modern look with some classic accents. I'm struggling and need any ideas on how to tie the room together?

I want to pick some hardware and add feet to the white dresser, recover the ottoman and maybe replace the red chairs with one large chair for reading. I also need to get some art up on the walls! (Also the air conditioner is temporary, hopefully only 1 more month.)

Any ideas are more than welcome!

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Comments (5)

yvonnecmartin
7 years ago
Definitely add feet to the dresser. For a MCM look use plain round ones with brass (note your doorknob).

The ottoman could be covered in a color that is in one of your paintings. Then carry that color over to the pillows on the couch.
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Kathy Yata
7 years ago
Adding feet to the dresser won't work well because of the toekick. Put it up on 4 cans of beans or tuna to emulate the look, pretty sure you won't like it. Make it more retro 50s, my 1956 bedroom set has the toekick at the bottom like your piece. I'd rather have nice stiletto feet like all my living room furniture but other than that it's wonderful and makes me happy. DLawless has MCM inspired hardware, was thinking the dished saucers but the chevron ones might be nice! If you can figure out how to remove the toekick or are brave enough to cut part of the centers out so it looks like feet go for it though. I'd do skinny and only as tall as the toekick or proportions would get wonky.

I tried and failed to finish smocked round pillows, very retro. Piped around squares and squares with buttons in the center are MCM or you could buy pillow covers made from one of the iconic fabrics from Girard or Eames or a Calder inspired mobile or 'atomic' then pull a color for the ottoman. You can get incredible deals on eBay for fabric remnants, search Maharam and you get more suggestions under the search bar.

Have fun searching for a new chair. Looks like you have a great spot for a nice wide comfy chair like a Womb or Bird or Wegner Shell/Wing or Egg.
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I also thought of using the wall that Karen used, but it throws the room off quite a bit. The fireplace wall is still the worst place for the TV, due to glare, not to mention aesthetics. Perhaps you could move the dining table into the kitchen (replacing the kitchen table), and then put the TV in the dining room. I personally do not like eating in the kitchen, but there is a dining table of sorts already there, and if the TV is more important than dining, the the dining room could be sacrificed. I also agree that the room is beautiful as it is and think that the TV should be placed somewhere outside this room, which is why I suggested the dining room. Another alternative, since you are remodeling, would be to close off the fireplace opening so that it is merely a stone wall, and then it would not seem like the fireplace has to be a focal point. You would have to be able to find matching stones, however. If you want to keep the fireplace, it pretty much needs to be the focal point of the room.
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This is way off-topic, but could you please lower the picture over the sofa so that it's about 6 to 8 inches above the back? That has to be the most common mistake that people make. Also, is that contraption behind the stove necessary? It actually detracts from the view. The same is true of the series of pictures above the table, they're much too high and the lamp (I'm sorry, its color doesn't go with anything else in the room) should also be hung much lower. Your room would look more open without the metal decoration to the left of the stove. I don't want to offend, but I love to "fix" rooms, and these are suggestions that any interior decorator would make. You have a nice room and the view of course is absolutely stunning, which puts you ahead of the vast majority of people.
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I have a 1956 MCM ranch we renovated to make more useable for us in this century .I am not sure what you want to do. This is how we used the fireplace that was in the space between the kitchne and the LR These pics were in the summer when we have a sofa in front of the fireplace I love moving the pieces we have around in the different seasons
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First off thank you to everyone who put their time and ideas into this post. I am truly humbled. I apologize for the late response. This has been a very tough week at work with a huge project closing out. I truly value and appreciate everyone's input and recommendations. This post turned out to be exactly what i needed. I love most of the ideas given. I have always enjoyed the concept of interior design but know nothing of it. Perhaps when things slow down I will take time to educate myself. Grover thank you very much for taking time to do the renderings. They are very helpful and make it easy for me to visualize some of these recommendations. Seldens and you both provided great art examples that I really like. Beth your recommendation for the snake plant is spot on. I actually purchased the white pot at the bottom of the stairs for that very purpose. Sixzero6 I actually own the place and purchased it about 1.5 years ago. I love your idea about the wooden shades. I have indeed struggled with adding textures. Pinkmountain thanks for your kind words. That color took me nearly a month to figure out. I knew I was going to spend a lot of money and wanted to be sure that I used a color that would be unique but not offending. The pictures dont do it justice as it seems to slightly change color depending on what time of day it is. Certain times of day express the green undertones more than others. The bookshelf is actually an Ikea version that I installed mid century legs on and painted it. Unfortunately I learned the rule of scale the hard way. It seems too large for the area. I like some of the replacement options given. If there is anything that will never change here it is the couch. It is a pulled Italian leather couch with memory foam cushions built extra deep. It is pure heaven to sit/lay on and will zap your productivity if used during the wrong time of the day. :) My short list: Pull the couch and rug up to allow for a generous walkway behind it (rear couch legs off of the rug) De-clutter bookcase and remove stuff off of the top Center TV between windows Change pillows to add texture Add meaningful art (non-symmetrical layout) Obtain a snake plant for my empty pot Long term list: Evaluate windows treatment options (wood shades or drapes) Add an accent chair (love this one) Possibly replace bookshelf with something different I will update this post as things come along over the next few months. I currently have a huge Christmas tree in the room right now which halts any rearranging but after the holidays I will give it a shot. If anyone sees any patterns or pillowcase recommendations feel free to let me know. Also if anyone views this post later then feel free to add your thoughts. I love hearing everyone's perspective.
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groveraxle
7 years ago
Why do you even have the dresser? It seems to just take up space you don't have.

There is nothing in your apartment that is mid century modern. The sofa and TV console are contemporary, the red chairs and ottoman are transitional (or styleless), and the demilune table is traditional.

If this were my space, I'd keep the sofa, the media console, and jettison the rest. I'd replace the ottoman with an actual MCM coffee table--it will have less visual weight--and replace the red chairs with a classic MCM knockoff like the Eames lounger or even a butterfly chair.
Altra Owen Retro Coffee Table & Reviews | Wayfair · More Info

Alexa Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table | west elm · More Info

Mid-Century Show Wood Upholstered Chair | west elm · More Info

Nixon Mid Century Modern Chair · More Info
Lars
7 years ago
Obviously you need the dresser, or it would not be there. However, I would paint it black to match the TV console and switch those two so that the TV is on the dresser and the console is on the longer wall. I say that partly because I think the TV is positioned too low, but also because of space. It would be easier to do space planning with a floor plan drawing.

The view from the window in the first photo does not look like Manhattan! It lets in much more light that I would have expected.
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PRO
Beth H. :
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
i have to agree. nothing in there is mcm. at least trade in the white colonial style dresser for an mcm credenza or something. put the tv on it (or over it) and use something else where the white piece is. like this

sell yours and find one on craigslist. ditto for chairs and ottoman and tables. you need to peruse mid century family rooms on Pinterest to get ideas.

http://blog.froy.com/mid-century-modern-design-decorating-guide/#foobox-1/2/Virginia-Scott-hero.jpg
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