skip to main content

Home Decorating Design Dilemma living room

How can we spice up this small condo?

6 months ago

last modified: 6 months ago

We are buying a light grey couch and have an off white entertainment center. Thoughts on accent wall?

Featured Answer

PRO

CDR Design, LLC

6 months ago

last modified: 6 months ago

Hi. The furniture sounds good, so far (without further info).

Your question is "Thoughts on accent wall?"

Answer: What is an "accent" wall? One wall painted an alternate color? If so, my thoughts are "No". Walls painted an alternate color, in my opinion work only in extremely large spaces, usually commercial spaces, to break up the monotony. In smaller spaces, they break up the space, but in a negative way.

If you mean something else, let me know. Thanks!

Your question: "How can we spice up this condo?"

Answer: What do you mean by "spice up"? Maybe you mean, "make more appealing/interesting?" To answer that, I would just be guessing, at this point. Why? I haven't seen your sofa or entertainment center, I don't know the dimensions (floor plan) of the room and I don't know what style you like. For me to further help, I would need at least

1) Photos of all 4 walls of the room

2) Photos of the sofa and the entertainment center.

3) Photos of rooms you found that you like.

Do any of these photos reflect what you like?

Three-Courts Residence · More Info

Contemporary Living Room · More Info

Living Room · More Info

Transitional Living Room · More Info

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

deegw
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
You have a good start, I actually like the current furniture. Have you ordered the new sofa?

I would add a bigger rug, a coffee table, and a large piece of art over the sofa. No accent wall.
Susan L
6 months ago
I think the first thing to do is think about what you mean by ‘spice up’. It could mean accessorizing around what you already have, or starting over. You already selected a new sofa, so let’s see what that looks like. Do you have inspiration photos? Go make an idea book of rooms you like, and we can find the common denominators in terms of style and color. Otherwise there’s not enough info here for you to get some real help.

I also like the current furniture, and it looks a lot more spicy already than the generic light gray couch that I’m imagining….
Related Discussions
How much can we do without much $ up front?
Q
Comments (4)
I've been looking at the same thing here the past few weeks. One thing that caught my eye was solar air heaters. They are glass over a dark surface metallic, an place for air to circulate and a warm and cold vent. I thought perhaps the same thing could be done with window coverings. ( curtains and shades ) A black layer toward the glass, a metallic layer then a light layer inside toward the living space. You can find NASA space blankets, for the metallic fabic for about $2 in the sports dept of most dept. stores. The other materials can be purchased easily. I'm trying it now. I put white cotton roman shades in the master bedroom today and put a metallic layer between the fabric folds. Next I'll put a black layer on the outside that I can remove in the spring. Below is the site that gave me the idea. Here is a link that might be useful: Clear dome solar space heaters
...See More
Refilling small spice jars
Q
Comments (26)
I am preparing for my father's memorial service on Tuesday, but I will print out this list and look on Wednesday if not before. What I am showing you still need are Fennel Thyme Ancho Allspice Chervil I know I have a lot of ancho -- that is one I ordered a pound of and then found a bag. I will also send you some pasilla negro chili powder -- it is a lovely rich flavor, deeper than ancho, but similar in terms of mildness. I may have fennel, thyme and allspice, but will have to check. I have a friend who has not been to Penzey's and requested that I take her. That is on my list of things I am going to treat myself to after the service, and we'd better go quick or the summer schedules will begin and we won't be able to get together. Between Annie and I, we should be able to get anything headed your way soon.
...See More
Can we talk cat condo for a minute?
Q
Comments (19)
Yes, the corrugated box stuff would work. And believe me, they also love old WICKER. Oh dear yes, I had a problem with my cats clawing the arms of a wicker sofa. Never heard of the cat liking to claw rubber, but they have some pretty unusual cravings. Yes, OldGardener, the store bought posts do tip over, when you have an enthusiastic scratcher of any size at all. Marti, your cat sounds very independent, and phobic. Like my little boy maltese, he remembers which vet "did him in," and he growls at him every time. And my parrot knows that when I bring out the carrier he is headed to the vet, unless I've spent days packing. So yes, they are smart smart critters. Good luck with the tranquilizer. The one we were given for our cats, to calm them down for a 1500 mile trip, only made them drunk, and they meow-meow-meow like dripping water torture for the WHOLE TRIP, TWO DAYS. It was the LAST time I went anywhere with cats, and is the reason I have no cats these days. Good luck.
...See More
Our condo is being tented for termites, what can we do for the o'kids?
Q
Comments (14)
Cut off the flowers and all the blooms, try to leave 3 to 4 Leaves on and as many roots as you can. Get some sphagnum moss, soak it in water (with a wee bit of Quick Start from Miracle Gro) for 10 mins. Wring out the moss until it's just damp and put the moss and the plant in a vegetable plastic bag like the ones you get when you go veggie shopping. Note: If the orchid has a lot of roots, you can try and re-pot for the time being, until they get going again. If just a few roots left, you can leave in a sealed plastic bag until you see new roots have come out. The bag will act as a mini greenhouse and will keep the root system and the plant moist. Use just enough moss to mix in loosely with the plants root system. Do Not Pack it in or you'll smother it. The balance of air in the bag along with the moist sphagnum moss will be what keeps it thriving, and the Quick Start (just a drop) which has vitamin B will will give it the boost it needs to keep going. Here's one I'm trying to save, have only a few good roots left due to root rot. Here's a Phal that's in serious trouble, no bottom roots left but only a couple of small stubs just below the leaves which are shriveled and dying. This one will be a challenge. Good Luck
...See More
Kendrah
6 months ago
I think the pics are from real estate listings and probably not the OP's furniture. You need to give us more to work with here. What are your tastes? Do you have a good rug to fit the space? When you say accent wall, do you mean you want to paint one wall a different color? I'm not a fan of that look, but especially in a space this narrow.
PRO
JAN MOYER
6 months ago
last modified: 6 months ago
You won't get much help until you know the dimension of the space, ( post a floor plan in a jpeg format below ) , what does the gray sofa look like, what does the "off white" entertainment center look like ( assume it's from a prior home? )

Now you have a couch facing a tv unit. What area rug, what chairs for other friends? More important? What size for any of these? We don't know since we have no dimensions, and you haven't informed your tastes, a color you love , a style you love, or anything else: )

No to the accent wall . Amateurish, and unnecessary . Certainly paint, but ALL the walls.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
6 months ago
I assume the furniture in the pic is not yours so frist we need to see your stuff and a to scalr plan of the space if you want help with layout. Post both here in camments . The plan in jepeg format DO NOT start another post .
littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
6 months ago
Gray couches are not spicy, IMO. Or maybe you think you need spice BECAUSE OF the gray couch?

Cancel the gray and get something bold and beautiful.
Jennz9b
6 months ago
No accent wall
PRO
Betty Wasserman Art & Interiors
3 months ago
Here are a few of the designs we have completed for our clients. Please take a moment to notice the TV walls, sectionals, and various other decor items. We don't think you will need an accent wall, but perhaps a lovely rug, some pillows, and artwork to help your space feel complete.
Front & York · More Info

Front & York · More Info

West Side Whereabouts · More Info

West Side Whereabouts · More Info

Southampton Modern Farmhouse · More Info

Chelsea Loft · More Info
PRO
Darci Hether New York
last month
Can you add a little more context? Are you wanting the TV to be on an accent wall? What other furniture do you have? Below are some designs of ours with grey furniture so you can see what other furniture we have used around a grey sofa.
pied-à-terre in the clouds, 200 amsterdam, nyc · More Info

pied-à-terre with hudson river views west village, nyc · More Info

Westhampton Beach Home for Family and Friends · More Info

Pied-à-Terre: Family Room · More Info

Financiers Pied-à-Terre, Tribeca, NYC · More Info

Related Stories

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: Spice Up Your Spice Rack

By My Paradissi

The right spice rack adds a pinch of style and a dash of functionality to any cook's kitchen

RED Red Doors Spice Up Home Fronts

By Living Small: City & Small Space Consulting

Quaint or contemporary, a red door can be a key ingredient in creating a warm, welcoming entry to your home

DECORATING GUIDES 10 Ways a Red Lamp Shade Can Sass Up a Room

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Energize a neutral palette, refine a rustic look ... where a red shade goes, liveliness is sure to follow

KITCHEN DESIGN Spice Up Your Kitchen Island With Color

By Love Your Room LLC

Let Your Island Be an Excuse to Have Fun With Pattern and Hue

SMALL SPACES 9 Organizing Lessons We Can Learn From Small Spaces

Are you designing a little room or a studio apartment? With these clever tips, you can make every inch count

COLOR 11 Ways to Spice Up Neutral Palettes

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Side with texture and pattern in a neutral room for a look that commits to high sophistication and elegance

ECLECTIC STYLE 9 Ways to Spice Up Your Kitchen Cabinetry

If a perfectly matched set of built-in units isn’t your cup of tea, try these ideas to add some variety

BOOKS Can Tidying Up Result in Life-Changing Magic?

By Mary Jo Bowling

Organizing phenom Marie Kondo promises big results — if you embrace enormous changes and tough choices

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Sliding Doors Open Up a Small Space in New York City

By Mitchell Parker

A wall teardown and custom treatments add more options for living and entertaining in a 450-square-foot apartment

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Small Garden? You Can Still Do Bamboo

By Matt Kilburn

Forget luck. Having bamboo that thrives on a wee plot just takes planning, picking the right variety, and keeping runners in check

Sponsored

17 Reviews

The Leading Interior Design Studio in Franklin County

More Discussions

Help with Studio Apt

53

Free Standing Gas Range

7

outdoor cover for PB sea grass chairs

0

Master bedroom help

1

Unframed Canvas Pic Dilemma

3