What is the room going to be used as? Living and dining? Where do all the arches go? Can you make an office space in one of the arches?

This is only for the eating area off the kitchen. The owners blew out the basement; the arches and beyond are under a London street. I can hear roller blades go by on the sidewalk above!T here's not much room between the arches and the back walls except for the area that is brightly lit. That area is deep and could house a twin bed with side space. I thought about it being an small office but I can't stand up in it! I's love to be able to store some things between the arches and the walls.....certainly not what is there now....maybe paint a mural and put in a wine storage rack? I'm having trouble figuring this out!

Heavy fabric would help dull the street noise. If the landlord won't let you hang curtain rods behind those arches you could use 3M hooks which can be removed without leaving a mark.

That might be a great idea! Would you put them behind the arches and keep them closed?

are you keeping the furniture that's there?

If you're keeping your existing furnishings, paint them a soft neutral and keep all accessories monochromatic. Dramatic drapery to conceal the not so pretty bits and floor to ceiling drapery over windows, if needed. Find some black and white photography or create some to stow in the beautiful arched niches. Add silver accents with candle sticks and frames. It will enhance the architecture and declutter the visual space while adding an air of sophistication!

A curtain rod for drapery or if using fabric then curtain clips. That way the fabric could be pulled aside. http://www.gbinteriors.co.uk/acatalog/GB_Interiors___Curtain_Clips_151.html.
I would talk with your landlords because the curtain rods seem like a good idea for the space.
This type of 3M clip could hold a slender rod. http://www.amazon.com/Command-Traditional-Plastic-Metalic-Brushed/dp/B001B0WNLW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1358291819&sr=8-4&keywords=3m+hooks+large

It has good architectual details. The arches are nice. If you use fabric around the arches put it on the back side so that you will still see them. You should consider painting all the chairs the same colour. They are mismatched but will look good together once they have a uniform colour.

Make the chairs uniform by giving them the same chair pad- something neutral with texture. Also a table cloth and a centerpiece of some type reflective of your style. Love the arches. I would just unclutter them and find some sculptural art- maybe in monochrome color such as black against the white background or blue and white Spode.

paint chair cream color, a runner that coordinates with the rug to go on the table with candle sticks or vase or art piece. clear clutter in the room, Wall art would be awesome between the arches.

I definitely plan on clearing out the shelving etc. The chairs are the original Wishbone chairs from the designer; not the knock offs. The colors were a one off a display for "The Colors of Benneton" I'm happy to part with anything else but those are staying in those colors. I'd sell them before painting them. I could change the rug and close up the table easily....going monochromatic may be difficult to pull of if I keep the chairs but it is a good thought; it would look very nice...

Wow, so much potential...the table need to be smaller. Whatever all the "stuff" is in the middle arch, loose it. Paint a design, to resemble tiles, around the arches...leave the walls white for contrast; yes, tv on wall...as many things hanging, some great artwork. OMG, I wish I could fly all over the world & decorate it!! I've been published national 3 times, local Atlanta a lot. :)

First thing tomorrow I'm going to get rid of all the excess junk and close the table. The chairs fit under so they'll be ok. The painted tiles are a great idea...wish you could fly over and help!

if you are going to put a tv over the fireplace, what are you going to do with your table?? watch and eat? I think the fireplace is fabulous! I'd want a smaller table or at least leafless so you could take advantage of the fireplace. Not so sure about a TV in my diningroom however. This room has such a great potential.. post pics when you are done

My first thought is to paint the cubbies within the arches an accent color - I was thinking bold unless the landlord says absolutely not. Then, if those walls inside are a color (orange? red? cobalt blue?) a set of similar prints, one in each archway, would look beautiful. I too suggest painting all of the chairs one color - black lacquer? and maybe get seat cushions the same color as the painted archways :).

If I very specific photos & color fabric samples I could help you from here. I've decorated many homes from paper & photos...I could share some ideas with my photos with you, if u like! Let me know. :)

So many arches....in the arch to the right of the fireplace, I would either build a bench that fills the space with drawers or baskets below. Put a cushion with a color that compliments the chairs. Hang a nice reading lamp from the wall and turn this into a reading nook. The next arch could a large mirror on the back wall with a tall "tree" on the right hand side. A nice uplight placed behind the tree would create drama and add light. Next arch, place the curtains behind the arch, but, I would make them a more translucent fabric so that light shows through. It can be a good storage area OR as you said a bed could be placed there. The deep space opposite the fireplace could be fitted with a desk top, and open shelving fitted with baskets or decorative boxes for office supplies. You could hang the same curtain behind this arch so you can close off the office when necessary. I would make the table as small as possible and place it toward the end of the room opposite the fireplace. You could leave the chairs painted and paint the table white. Add a centerpiece reflecting the colors of the chairs.Then a comfy upholstered chair on each side of the fireplace facing each other. The fabric for the curtains could be repeated in pillows on the reading nook and the chairs. Fabric on the chairs and the cushion could match. A soft tint of color on the walls would make the white cabinetry stand out. Remove the rug. Place an area rug in front of the fireplace that would fit under the furniture there. Sculptured wall art would look nice between the arches.

As ths is a rental, there is little one can actually do permanently lest one receives written permission from the owner. That being said, what creative fun. The room does have possibilities. If it were I, there are five things I would do. 1) have a door created for two of the arched aloves for additional hidden storage. 2) Stain or paint all the Wegner knock off chairs the same colour to tie them to one another and place cushions atop them which draws their inspirational colour from the rug below 3) Take a digital picture of a scene you love then either brighten the colours of the snap and have it expanded to fit the size of the alcoved door frames I suggested. Doing so shall bring the outside in so to speak and best of all give one a faux view for ones' ground floor dining space. One can have the image expanded online and then shipped to ones' residence if need be. 4) Stain the dining table a rich mahogany then have it buffed and polished for extra richness with the painted Wegner knock off chairs acting as a whimsical/ modernist counterpoint the traditional table. 5) Last but not least add a small stereo, I prefer Bose wave CD/radios, somewhere which allows one a good sense of feeling the music whilst not having to see where the music is coming from...Have fun.

Do not paint those chairs. Please :( I think they are fab being all mismatched like that with the rug colours pulling it together. Is one arch the entry way into the room? Or does that one go off elsewhere? Are the other arches (the two where one is filled with junk) interconnected spaces or divided into two small alcoves behind the arches?

If interconnected then I think you could put some nice bookcases (just some hacked IKEA ones) along the length of the wall. Do a Google image search for "hacked billy bookcase". You could put wallpaper in the back of the shelves to add some fun. Use baskets on them for small stuff (including table setting stuff) and even make cupboard doors for the bottom of them to hide other messy stuff away.

If you don't want the arches you could use a funky screen to block one off/break the arches up a bit - temporary and moveable for your next great space. I'd love to see a brightly coloured one that ties in with your rug. Also, you could then have junk/office space/etc behind it and not see it all the time. This option might work well in the arch that's behind your table head (opposite the fireplace) with the bookshelves in the other arch. If you're artistic you could paint something onto a blank screen. Or have something enlarged and screen printed on?

http://www.sharonpakir.com/2010/12/17/the-office-on-a-budget/c5075675-a4df-4892-bb39-ca513a0c3d12/

http://flairefurniture.com/billy-bookcase-hack/

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Mirrors, not necessarily these as they are expensive x 3, but this idea.