Color Exercise
I’m in Yael Steinberger’s interior design program (read about it here and here) and one of her introductory assignments was to add color to this black and white room. To me it looks like a seating area in the upstairs corner of a hotel or conference center, so I considered it as a commercial space. If I could edit some of the items, I’d replace the standing lamp with something grander or with sconces, switch out the artwork, add more variety in the types of seating, etc. But sticking with what was given, here’s how I colored it in in Photoshop:
I started with the flooring because I didn’t like the dark glossy floors and in general it’s helpful to work upwards. I’ve always loved these Barcelona cube tiles (especially in this apartment) and they felt appropriate for the Spanish–Italian-style seating. Normally I wouldn’t make every seat in a grouping a different color — and probably not turquoise — but the sameness and largeness of all three called for some differentiation. I added a velvet texture to tame the original pleathery look. I didn’t love the large panels by the curtains, so instead of accenting that feature with solid blocks of color, I made them wood to add warmth to the modern space. The cement adds a contrasting texture to the back wall. About three quarters of the way through, the turquoise couch was feeling a little lonely, so I added the blue-hued rug and leafy wallpaper to tie all the tones together.
Design Process: Carmei Gat Living Room
I did the mood boards for a penthouse apartment in Carmei Gat, which has a lot of light and great views. The unit was purchased from the original owner, so we worked with the existing finishes. Our starting point was gray tile floors and the large gray sectional that my client already owns.
BEFORE
3D MOCKUP
During our brainstorm she quickly gravitated towards a feature wall of books, and we found this rug together which she got excited about and purchased immediately to help anchor the rest of the room. After that the goal was to warm up the space with creamier tones and natural materials, plants, a curtain for the small window, and a large mirror to reflect the great view.
She was keen to paint the space the perfect off-white, instead of the bright white that comes standard in apartments and feels too hospital-y for her taste. We settled on Tambour’s Swan Lake, which turned out beautifully with zero yellow undertones. Only after the long ordeal of ruffling through paint fans did I notice that Swan Lake mirrors the designer favorite, White Dove by Benjamin Moore. If you’re looking for the perfect off-white by a more economical Israeli brand, check out Swan Lake by Tambour.
Sources: IKEA Kivik Couch // השטיח האדום Rug // United Seats (Pickup) Armchair // Betili Coffee Table // IKEA Skottorp Lamp // Pebble Storm Swingfan // Golf & Co. Ottomans (no longer available)
Mockup: Mid-Century Danish Wood Shelving
In a Facebook group someone asked for design advice about the built-in wood shelving in her new apartment. Here’s what she said:
I personally REALLY love them. They are some sort of mid century danish design that the previous owner commissioned.
However, a couple of problems: First, there is one area of the wall where the wood is missing. I have no idea what happened there but the previous tenants put some "wood wallpaper" to make it blend in but it does look odd. Also, in general, because they take up such a large area of the living room and are really dark I am wondering if it's making the space too dark.
Thank you for reading so far! So my questions are:
1. Would you hire a carpenter to try to match a piece of wood to the style/stain of the rest of the wood?
2. Would you paint the back wall of the built-in shelves white so it's not so dark? I'm really really resistant to this because I love the wood but wanted to hear opinions and part of me is worried that is is all too dark...
3. Finally, what color floors would you combine all this with? I like the idea of mixing the midcentury wood look with some other industrial/modern style for the flooring so it's not so "matchy matchy" — would light gray textured floors look good here?
For reference, in general I really like this kind of decorating style:
https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/justina-blakeneys-punchy-pattern-filled-los-angeles-home-233347
Here’s what the place looks like:
My instinct when faced with a ton of wood is always to paint it white, but given this is custom work she really loves, I was eager to see how it could feel without the no-turning-back paint solution. This was my response to her:
1 - To start, you can try covering those areas with artwork to hide the imperfections and mirrors to reflect light.
2 - Usually my reaction to wood is to paint it white. But it looks like you've stumbled upon some rare valuable carpentry that might be worth preserving. You can start by trying to brighten the space with books, art, plants, mirrors, and bright rugs and furniture, and see if the place achieves the spirit you're after. (Justina Blakeney's living room is also filled with darker tones.) Down the road you can paint it if it's not working for you, and you'll feel that much more certain about it.
3 - Agree with others: match the warm tones and go light and bright.
Here's how the space could feel doing the above:
That’s how this mockup came to be. It was a lot of fun to put together and confirmed (for my own curiosity!) that even if white paint ultimately becomes the desired route, preserving the wood that initially wowed her can still make for a vibrant, bohemian, jungly space.