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pwfraz

For those who like a challenge!

3 months ago


What's the most simple and economical way to redeem all my decorating disasters? When you see the photos, it will go without saying that I know nothing about decorating, so I'm hoping someone can help me with simple ideas and pillow suggestions. We don't want to buy new furniture other than possibly a DR table and maybe a 5 tier corner stand (DR corner by French doors?) at some point. We'd rather not repaint the turquoise cabinets (yes, eek!) or the walls but will consider if necessary to try and tie everything together.

Coral/peach/terra cotta/reds, greens, turquoise/teal and creams are my favorite colors (gray is my least favorite color). I love the colors in the print on the DR wall, hence how we got turquoise cabinets.


What about replacing the red with cream/ivory curtains and some peach/coral/cream pillows for the sofas? Maybe a cream sofa cover but that still leaves the sage recliner. The red in the LR and turquoise in the kitchen are so limiting - can't change it up for different seasons/holidays. We originally had a very nice light sage green paint on the cabinets with a terra cotta/coral paint for the DR/Kitchen which I loved then we had a small upgrade and had the whole house painted Accessible Beige (which looks gray in our low lit house). How I miss my old colors! And yes, we still have tile countertops which I do prefer, not surprising, right? HA ;)


Thank you so much for any help you can give me.

Peggy











Comments (24)

  • 3 months ago

    It’s not disastrous if you liked the colours! disconnected is probably the better word. Lounge room, I would swap the brown sofa to the middle position and frame with the sage green sofa and sage green chair. The red on the sage green to me looks great. The red curtains tie into that but when open, the curtains look a little insubstantial. A thought would be to explore slightly longer curtain rods and wider curtain panels, and try hanging the curtains with extra over the wall (maybe one or two curtain holes over) It might mean larger curtain panels so that they draw fully closed. This would help bulk the window dressing up a little bit.

    Yes, the turquoise kitchen is dominating, and doesn’t seem to fit well with the beige walls. As you have observed yourself, it’s probably the questionable area. A sage green, or even a stronger green, would tie in better with your living area. Turquoise highlights in tea towels, bowls or displayed glassware/utensils might be a better way to bring turquoise in. Lucky for you your tile counter is neutral!

    Although coral is in your art piece, I wouldn’t try to introduce it in your scheme. By leaving it in the painting, the painting will continue to be a highlight overall.

    pwfraz thanked kazzh
  • 3 months ago

    Theres a lot you can do with paint. *I* would pull a coral out of that piece of art and boldly paint the kitchen walls to be as bright as the cabinets. The dining room wall would then be an accent wall. The table and chairs in your dining area scream 'kitchen' to me. is there another leaf or two to make the table more important in that space?

    pwfraz thanked Rho Dodendron
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  • 3 months ago

    I would pull your couches and chair onto the rug so your conversation area is more cozy.

    pwfraz thanked Jennz9b
  • 3 months ago

    Honestly, you made mistakes in choosing your colors if you wanted to emulate the feeling and colors in the art.


    When you choose colors for large areas that color is magnified by the size of the area being painted.


    Your cabinets are too bold and the accessible beige is too muted to emulate the art.


    The art has turquoise, but in very small doses, it has just a touch of the dark red, but mostly lighter corals. There are no tan/beige colors in the art.



    Which colors feel more like the painting?






    The brighter, more vivid the color the smaller amount of space you want to cover with the color.


    A few accents in the bright colors vs cabinets or walls.


    Always use a color several places in the same room (3 times is ideal - one larger piece, one medium sized piece and one small piece.

    pwfraz thanked Jennifer Hogan
  • 3 months ago

    I really love your bold color choices. Like deegw, I think the rug is the odd thing out, and looks gray on my screen which you don't want. I would choose a new rug, and choose carefully to augment the color scheme in your painting, and the other color choices you have. I'm following along because it's so refreshing to see someone who loves color after all those years of gray. I think you're getting some good advice here. Jennifer Hogan is very good with color.

    pwfraz thanked Mrs. S
  • PRO
    3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    We can't really provide you with a comprehensive solution without see the missing wall.




  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Are you planning on putting a cabinet under the TV, because to me it looks unfinished without one, and makes your whole room look unfinished. Otherwise I think your living room is quite nice.

    pwfraz thanked doods
  • 3 months ago

    A worthy challenge! Unfortunately my houzz surfing time is up -past my bedtime by far lol! at 12:27 a.m. but hope to return tomorrow! oh dear lol! Can i resist? Double peering…

    pwfraz thanked Elizabeth K
  • 3 months ago

    There is too much dissonance between the in your face colors and the subdude. You need to bridge things a bit more. Turquoise and red are a fabulous combo. I'd put red accents in your kitchen - red utensil pot, vase, toaster, pot holders, whatever. Add chrome cabinet hardware. I'd experiment with some light blue and light turquoise print pillows in your living room along with the current red accents.


    Bella View · More Info



    Eastside · More Info



    Eclectic Kitchen · More Info


    pwfraz thanked Kendrah
  • 3 months ago

    I think everything is workable in your home, but the turquoise is never going to be toned down by anything other than another coat of paint. I'm not a paint expert by any means, so don't know it this is doable, but I'd be looking at a possible glaze or tinted wax or something somewhat transparent to go over the top of the turquoise (if you won't just repaint) just to take away the neon aspect.

    pwfraz thanked Olychick
  • 3 months ago

    I only glanced at the other comments so some of this may be a repeat:

    LR: curtains are to short. They should just touch the floor. there may be enough hem that you can let them down. Press them well. Everything always looks and hangs better when pressed. Lose the tie backs and pull the sofa off the wall so the panels hang straight. TV is too high. If you have to tilt it for watching it's too high. Lower it and put a console under it that is 25% wider than TV.


    A larger rug with color in it would ground everything. Pull the furniture in closerfor better viewing the TV.


    KITCHEN: going with the turquoise, black, white scheme - I would paint the stools black and paint the crown molding over just the cabinets turquoise - will look less choppy. If you want to tone the cabinets down a bit, I would research this Limewash by Sherwin Williams. Paint the walls the same color as the trim in eggshell finish. 3 colors in the space is enough. A red accent piece would tie into the LR.


    DR: add a rug.





    pwfraz thanked jck910
  • 3 months ago

    There is a “disconnect” right now between the bright, happy turquoise kitchen and the brown dining and living rooms. You need to pull them together by bringing turquoise into the LR and adding another accent color. The red suggestions from Kendrah work well in the photos she posted.

    Just going with that idea for now, you can change the rug in the LR and add turquoise to the DR with a tablecloth or seat cushions. And you can put a rug under the table and chairs. (If you have little ones and a rug in the eating area horrifies you, forget I said it.)

    Pull the furniture onto the rug. My designer friend has always said it looks like a hurricane came through when furniture is in the walls and the rug sits alone in the middle.

    Here are some rug ideas that can pull together the two areas. They also offer other colors you can use for pillows.

    pwfraz thanked RedRyder
  • 3 months ago

    Love the third rug RedRyder posted. Would be great under your dining table or in your living room.


    A multi-colored pillow like this could work in your living room, might even be ok alongside your red pillows.



    pwfraz thanked Kendrah
  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Hi Peggy! thank you for sharing photos! Lovely home with beautiful features. I feel this is an irresistible challenge. I will try to keep it simple! Posters who know me are sending vibes right about now lol! warning you to get a crash helmet! Maybe one for the doggie too!

    Hopefully a few basic structure notes and recommendations can give you a foundation to build, create, and explore. Or save for a rainy day! and today? Sorry for typos! on phone! and…

    Print Me ❤️

    Make a Basic Inspiration Symbol

    Add architectural, large structural elements, and color palette to create a basic working symbol.

    Most noticeable to me are:

    Architectural elements such as half vault ceiling, crown molding, wooden plank wall, gallery floor plan (emphasis on flow, not focal points) elegant window length, multi-tone wood flooring, natural light, spot and hanging lights. Classic styles!

    Structural elements are in Primary shapes Motif! This includes furniture shapes such as rectangle, circle, and triangle (ceiling). Have much more faith in yourself! the furniture shapes you put together are CORRECT!

    Color Palette here is a wow, Again, spot on! Your color temperature is a warm yellow base in turquoise (oh dear lol!, in love with this!!!) kitchen, warm toned floors and walls.

    Combine all and i arrive at a speckled near- robin’s egg symbol, but perhaps a water drop shape as well! Natural and classic.

    Emoji shortcuts: 🪺💧 🍐🍓 💎

    Recommended Actions for Furniture

    -Keep dining set! Traditional American style and matches barstools in shape. Add leaf to elongate to oval. Matches well with leather couch cushion shape.

    -MUST slipcover recliner/fabric couch in same canvas, Yep, ok to cut hole in canvas for recliner arm adjust! Paint it in color of slipcovers If you like.

    -Slipcovers in loose and floppy fit, Canvas can be cream, navy or denim-navy.

    Tables, purchase or create:

    -2 small square end tables

    -1 square coffee table

    Shelving, purchase or create:

    -Narrow plank shelving bookcase style under television, brings out element!

    -2 Floating shelves (can be plank style if you want to match the plank wall) at least 4 feet long and 4 inches deep, center behind leather couch and on dining room wall.

    -3 tall lamps (try for 2 matching)

    -2 matching table lamps with torch in teardrop or upside-down teardrop (inverted torch) shape.

    -1 or 2 kitchen counter lighting lamps, spotlights for the underside of cabinets

    -All lampshades in modified cone triangle.

    Placement:

    -Place slipcovered furniture entirely on rug (six inches in) and let the rug edge move flush with the window frame. This means rug will not center the room , but move toward dining area.

    -Place recliner at 90 degree and square coffee table either in diamond-to-wall position, or face forward in front of both. In short, corner it!

    -Coffee table not centered in front of couch!

    -In leather couch area, place end tables on either side, diamond-to-wall or flush.

    -Create denim rug long enough to cover floor underneath all three pieces. Try for six inches underfoot and out from end of tables.

    -Matching table lamps on end tables.

    -One tall lamp near recliner.

    -Two matching tall lamps flank floating shelf in dining room

    To finish with structural elements soon and then…

    Coming soon with Palettes! Art and just the fun stuff!

    Hopefully not too many more intallments! Will check in next few days and please keep in mind these are basic foundation ideas that can stay, or hold you over this year, in case you are doing a really big makeover!

    Also lol! I have that ceiling fan!

    ❤️

    pwfraz thanked Elizabeth K
  • 3 months ago

    I think it looks like fun, but I would paint the uppers white. I know that is disappointing, but the lowers can stay, it's just too much. All the other suggestions are great, though!

    pwfraz thanked Beth Allen
  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago



    Either paint the stools or invest in some new ones.



    Beautiful Karastan wool rug with the tones of the cabinets and sage and brown furniture.

    https://nwrugs.com/products/drew-jonathan-wabi-sabi-teal

    Center the rug; put all front furniture legs on the rug.







    Match draperies to the wall color. Amazon


    Art over sofa


    pwfraz thanked elcieg
  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Hi! Hope you are getting lots of good inspirations on here! Anything i put up is with the aim of quick, under $100 diy makeovers, but hoping you also see lots of inspirations in posts for bigger projects someday. Such a lovely space!

    A few more quick words on your basic structure elements.

    When working with clean looks —streamlined to a few shapes and colors, balance becomes very important. The same shapes or color temperature throughout can make spaces look very cluttery. All rounded or square furniture, all warm or cool colors — this can start to feel suffocating! walls are closing in! in finishes, colors, shapes, always have a complemetary or contrast element. Big part of building decor foundation! This goes for color schemes too, but a whole other post!

    You have a natural eye for this: furniture picks, the balanced colors in the floral painting. Put to use!

    Perhaps i should just make sketches, hmmm?

    Recommendations:

    Wood finishes include your dining table set and the antiques I spied!

    -Choose two finishes, here i recommend cherry in the curved (carved look) antique style, and distressed simple (even to Shaker or Farmhouse) as contrast. Distressed here would be dark red-black base and white chip distressing, plank style.

    -Mahogany/black cherry/black walnut/dark oak antiques in these finishes make the best balance with distressed pieces. Suggest, very gently, for those with pine or maple pieces, they not be paired with distressed wood. If you love the look, lighter woods can be distressed themselves, and then paired with any intact finish: ironwork, plaster or stone/tile, metals.

    -Bring maple barstools into the fold with an easy coffee color stain. I do not recommend a distressed look for these, even though not in antique style —all your curved look pieces are in darker finish and the round seats add to your base!

    -Folks, I love distressed wood! But at some point, the Cousins with Money are going to visit. And wonder what on earth happened—Oh Dear! They are living in a house full of chipped barn fuel! And start sending you things they cannot use/cannot return/have no space for/the-kids-say-this-won’t-fit-in-their-dorm-room…You pile up with gifted things that look like really shiny 90s Ikea. So oooops, try to limit distressed woods!

    Unless you like the Ikea.

    But I digress!

    -Pull that lovely cabinet in the hall over to the dining room corner if you like!

    -I do recommend for simpler the square tables, floating shelves, shelving or other plank wood accents, make all same in distressed dark cherry/white.

    -To create flow, edge over your barside edge tile with this, or echo the plank wall. Your architectural elements are a true envy! Literally hands a decor foundation to you! (I live in a Federal Colonial and there IS no natural element. Have beach house dreams, never gonna happen, jealous!)

    FUN PROJECT FOR UNDER $20!

    Distressed Tables!

    -Get shelving or planks, make the three squares, paint or coffee/vinegar stain dark red/brown, then distress with dollar white acrylic paint. You can clean this finish!

    -Balance with circular element by using rounded brick for legs, paint it dark red! Go about 18 inches high.

    -Any circle or column material would make the perfect base here!

    To be continued! I do hope you will also continue to forgive me as welllol! Redoing wood floors here, and in need of distraction. Doing a design scheme for your space is my treat for pulling up the nails! ❤️

  • 3 months ago

    @elcieg is right - the stools need to be painted. Her photos make the decision easy.

    pwfraz thanked RedRyder
  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    If it were my house i would start by repainting the kitchen cabinets a warm white and also all the walls. eggshell white not satin. great idea also to paint the stools to match the kitchen table. i wouldn’t do any chipped or distressed anything. i would work over time as budget allows to get a larger rug with some elements of beige from the beige couch and little elements of the colors in the painting you like. i would replace the floor lamp with a one with a round ivory shade (don’t get one of these ”torchiere” kinds.) i would get new ivory drapes long enough to reach the floor, and lower the TV to viewing height. When feasible i would remove the brown leather puffy furniture and not buy that kind again.

    pwfraz thanked Jennz9b
  • 3 months ago

    @ElizabethK I've read your suggestions twice and not sure what any of it means. "Basic Inspiration Symbol" ???? "Motif"???

  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Sorry in delay, life is busy at the moment! When pulling together several disparate (seemingly incompatible) elements, sketch all the basic components-architectural, structural (biggest pieces including living and dining), and decor. Break down into basic shapes. Combine predominating shapes! to arrive at a basic shape. This helps create a decor theme. You do not need to use the physical shape as the theme itself.

    For example, the combination suggested here is a teardrop shape: most prominent accent detail — here the diamond edge in the antique detail and moroccan edge of ceiling fan, to the client’s preference for round shapes in florals and tables, comined with larger ovals in furniture.

    Prominent shapes in this guide system are usually taken from nature.

    Look at the shapes and detail of largest pieces and decor — long thin lamps, for example, candelabras mixed with a of majority rectangular furniture? Leaf tree/torch/pillar, whatever symbol/shape comes to mind. A love of triangular pieces? Pine tree/Sail/Mountaintop (advanced lol). . Decor shorthand is udually a natural shape. Common motif shapes for a majority of round pieces:

    Shell/Arch//Crescent

    Teardrop/Egg/Pear

    Starfish/Flower (symmetrical) -for example, client prefers a radiated arrangement with coordinating pieces.

    It sounds complicated, but most decor will fit a shape theme. And i go with three impressions! For example, there are many round and oval shapes (rectangular, not square furniture) plus floral — that gives you a basic petal or robin’s egg.

    Peggy has an advanced eye for shape — the round table and barstools are a base for antiques, with rounded Moroccan pattern with a diamond shape (tear point) included. Like to crunch numbers? You can assign a point for each basic shape--but that gets very messy, especially if your client likes to change decor often.

    But here? lol! Fantastico! The point in the pattern, plus angle in architecture, which MUST be included in as architectural element, lead me to arrive at teardrop. Were the ceiling an arch, the shape would remain closer to robin’s egg or pear.

    DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THIS IF MOST ELEMENTS ALREADY MATCH.

    Practice your eye in your friends’ homes — if only to yourself! Try not to tell a friend she has shooting-star taste! Even if she has a winding staircase! Fleur de lis (❤️)! Try to keep your practice impressions to yourself! A decorator friend teases me about my love of pineapple and says i am, at heart, a pinecone.

    After i admitted this to myself, i bought some dracena plants. Love them!

    And if anyone knows where to fit the antique organ into a design scheme, my design challenge nemesis! My great-grandmother’s pump organ! my basic shape is All Ears ❤️

    pwfraz thanked Elizabeth K
  • 3 months ago

    Hi Peggy! Sorry i have not been able to check in! Some amazing comments from Houzzers here! A few more words from me, as well 🙂. Redryder’s rug picks are perfect. Elcieg suggestions and patterns. Kendrah’s pillow as a color guide!

    Quick Pull Together Tips:

    Match shapes on every level.

    5 basic levels:

    Floor and ceiling, and three in between— height of walls in about three divisions — really the upper and lower the wall allowance from window bottom and top.

    In reality, 3 heights: end table, mid-height section at furniture tops and dining room table/chair height, top section wall art and wall lighting.

    Here i recommend:

    Celing lighting: Coordinate celing fixture with fan by edging the bottom of the rectangle with a frame, or edgers, metal stencil edges? echoing the fan’s metal decor frame.

    Next level down to Wall Art:

    -All floating shelves to have one picture or decor piece of same height included.

    -Above TV might be a great place for extra hanging lighting fixtures? Plank boards, you can do lantern shapes!

    -On at least one wall, echo the height of the angle ceiling with graduated art — in level if 3, base objects/pictures darkest, middle in middle tones, top lightest.

    One more Down to Mid Height:

    Woods—agree that the barstools should have at least a coffee finish, but there is a cheat here lol! Are they about the height of the dining room table top? Then put a big circular round basket on top of it!

    Floor—If keeping rug, then i suggest navy added to it with denim or matching neutral/white floor rugs, and the reason for this in next post when i finish with a whallop! On Color! ❤️


    pwfraz thanked Elizabeth K
  • 3 months ago
    last modified: 3 months ago

    Dear Peggy,

    I have now walloped and galloped and easy -tipped toward the finish line! Fix yourself a julep if you made it through the steeplechase here lol!

    Color.

    A sea palette with turquiose/aqua as your hero color, coral as accent color, and base notes dark red and gold. Neutrals in this color scheme can be navy, black and white. You mentioned you do not want to emphasize the gray? Fixtures, then, remain in black(iron) and brass. (But a touch of silver might work well, the ‘why‘ is below. lol far below) .

    Here’s why i recommend keeping the gray and white rug, for now. I am about to truly PONDER your rug.

    Your color base is warm (yellow). Turquoise in kitchen, red/gold flooring, warm in beige walls.

    If your neutrals are warm as well, the house will feel very closed in—again, the too-much feeling. All in warm tones becomes suffocating, while all in cool feels cold and even uncomfortable.

    Balance itself, with big pieces, is so very important. Your current rug is a cool neutral, and floor textiles in cool tones look very CLEAN. They also make spaces look larger. For a quick fix, dot some navy on the Morrocan gray with a fabric-paint pen. Again, perfect eye, the simple Marrakesh pattern, matches fixtures, antiques. Correct lol yay! Great rug! Add denim fiber throws, done!

    When you keep each level consistent in shape and color, even distinct from other levels, the result is a much lighter look. Lighter is the best look for open floor plan. A too heavy/busy pattern with many shapes/ colors limits EVERYTHING to the rug. And the eye right down to the floor, as well. It’s why large area flooring has become much simpler and in natural fibers. More elaborate rugs might be found today in a dining area, where the furniture is same match. Those suggested above would be gorgeous under your dining set!


    Furniture:

    -Matching slipcovers on non-leather sofa and recliner in canvas or navy

    -A bigger someday leap? or even now for slipcovers? Dark Red/coral (aqua or navy touch if possible) large floral print on cream, Gorgeous! , and with a leather couch? you can do Big Red Flower Luxe!

    -Pillows Coral, Red, Aqua, Gold, Denim any or all!

    -Area Seating: If you decided to go area seating, i.e. leather couch its own area, it does require st least two big pillows in same fabric as slipcovers.

    -Rugs to all match in tone, so i do recommend cooler navy/denim and/or white/gray accents if you keep the Moroccan.

    -And truly, silver and white, in artwork or a few accents here and there — starfish or shells? Frames? Accent lamp? would look very fresh in this color scheme (yes, i have sliver-dipped pine cones with beige walls, if you saw above post 🙂).

    Peggy! You made it! I truly appreciate you taking the time to read all this, and i apologize for my version of simple fix-it! and typos! ! Such a lovely space. I had many, many more ideas — but — when someone has a good eye, and you matched shape and proportion, almost perfectly!— lol wowza! — it is more important for you to know structural principals. Oh heck, i sm on a roll…so….

    My color tip here? is pulling-through Turquoise in few accents only, let it flow on a navy base, and you sailed right through to the end!

    Best wishes, good luck, please post pics this year of your project?, and…HAPPY SHOPPING! ❤️ The End!

    pwfraz thanked Elizabeth K