@groveraxle, what do you think about the placement of these frames in my hallway? I tried to achieve another cohesive wall. Crown molding going up in about a week or so..

The grouping looks good, Steph. If I had to kvetch, I'd wish the Metropolitain sign were equal to or shorter than the frame below it. I don't love the way it meets the frame on the right. You might try one of these alternatives.

Ooh! I like the metro sign on the bottom too. Will readjust in the morning -- should be easy enough. Stay tuned for questions about my dining room and some options for LR end tables tomorrow!!

Below are some pictures of my process so far -- the room is definitely feeling lighter, airier, and a place I will eventually love. But I still have few questions:

1. What color pillows would you do on the sofa? Here is the area rug I have: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Retro-Paisley-Rug-53-x-710/7917799/product.html My walls are this color: http://www.behr.com/consumer/ColorDetailView/PPU8-16 although it actually looks more grey in the natural light of my home.

2. Do the walls behind the sofa look too bare? I'm worried it looks like a waiting room..?

3. How many end tables should I add? I was thinking of 2, and putting one by the end of the sofa towards the DR, in place of the ottoman with the macbook on it, and one in between the leather arm chair and other end of sofa. Or would it be better on the other side of the arm chair on the wall between it and the door?

4. Does the plant look okay in its placement? I am going to put it in a nice white pot.

THANKS!

Nice rug. I would put just one end table at sofa arm by kitchen. You already have plant and lamp in other corner. Can you sit in chair and reach trunk? If so I would not put anything on either side of chair. Consider a table lamp for it also. For pillows I would take colors from the rug, a brick red or blue/grey.

I would look at just replacing the roman shade you have on the window. Hang is on outside of frame and get in a color from the rug or pillows.

susan -- do you think the plant and floor lamp are okay in that placement? nothing is permanent yet. you have to lean to reach the trunk from the arm chair, but i'd rather not clutter the space up again.

One end table, a large one, between chair and sofa with chair centered under the window. Table lamp on top, palm moved to the other side. Natural linen curtains. Shades of olive greens and rusty reds and no more brown.

like this mock up, groveraxle! will have to find a similar table that's in my price range. and will keep my eye out for a lamp like that! i love that palette too. thanks!

$213

@susan -- where is this from?

Not sure what the difference is from $3900 to $213, but thought I would throw it out :>) I looked at some tangerine lamps but all were about 27" I believe this table is 28" a little tall, for an end table but since the other was 30" I think it will be a better fit. If you go online to o.com look at their orange lamps, at 28" for table a 27" lamp should be just about right.

Overstock.com for lamp ITEM# 16997836

for table ITEM# 12978746

Excellent find on the table, Susan! Actually, Steph, I was thinking a craigslist table that you could paint. NOT brown. ;-)

I scoured Craigslist, but also found a 30" round wood table top at Home Depot ($25) that I might just distress and paint (not brown) and affix it to some cool base for legs. There's a local salvage warehouse that usually has awesome stuff I could repurpose for a unique table.

thanks for all the advice so far, everyone!! I really appreciate your help in making my living room a space I'll love!

This picture isn't the best, but which of these molding samples would work best in this room? My ceilings are about 8' high, and I have 5.25" ogee baseboards.

ALSO -- if I sanded this down, distressed and painted it, would it work?

Appears to be right size. And I like the shape. one on left

Yes on the table. I really can't tell on the molding. Probably any of the three will look fine.

Your home is looking amazing. It's got an entirely different vibe now. Your sofa cushions are looking a little deflated however; it might be worth investing in new foam inserts.

@lila, thanks! I was already planning on washing my covers and re-stuffing my cushions this weekend!

Okay! I got the table today, actually lowered it 5" bc it was too high for the space, sanded it down, primed it, and I'm not sure if this is the best color choice. I am going to wait until tomorrow to see it in the proper daylight to fully decide, but was just wondering. I haven't completely painted it because I wasn't sure if I wanted to try another color. I include options a little further down. Thanks again for all the great suggestions!

close-up of rug:

What do you all think? Should I go a shade darker? Or more in the green family? The current color is called "Dried Chamomile" by Behr. These are the other options I was considering:

"Tangy Green" (one shade darker)

"Nachez Moss" (more like the green in my rug)

crown molding and recessed lights went up. still on the lookout for a new fan, need to take care of my cushions, and would like to install a new door that allows more natural light, but here some AFTERS so far:

Wow. Good Job.

thanks, susan! and thanks for all your helpful suggestions! almost there!

The room is looking wonderful. The TV wall looks great.

Two things: if you haven't finished painting the table, I'd like to see a cooler color. Look at your latest photo, at the turquoise table on the the left. I think I'd like to see the same color on the right. It really pops.

Second: the art over the palm tree either needs to come down a good 18" or go away. It's just too high and lonely. Now if you really want to get busy, you might do a whole gallery wall around the window, but that solitary piece of art looks out of place.

thanks, grover! do you mean art / frames on both sides of the windows, like i have in the hall way? i am slowly finding things that i like, so this side of the room is still a work in progress.

i was actually surprised at how much i liked the turquoise table and how well it worked, so i will check out a similar colors for the other table. it was easy enough to paint, and only required less than a "sample" size of paint from home depot!

how would you arrange prints for a good looking gallery wall? i'm going to get three 5x7 prints (4x6 also an option), and one 8x10 -- all with black frames and white mats. I'm including pictures of the walls for options. I am also considering putting an 8x11 print on the corner wall near the window by my front door, but not right next to the door.

Option 1 -- seems kinda puny.

Option 2: (but then what do to with the other side of the window..?)

shot of room overall for better angle.

Your frames are all too small for a gallery wall. What are you putting in them? If it's family photos, make sure they're the best of the best. No school pictures with those crummy blue backgrounds, OK? Mix in a few pieces of art in similar colors for interest. I like the gears, BTW.

Let me see what I can do with that back wall. Back in a bit.

@grover -- lol no family photos. i was going with awesome patent prints, and some black and white photos. i can go larger than 5x7, i am just worried about the small size of the wall. thanks! they're 3 clocks and awesome for my steampunk vibe!

Ikea is a great place for frames with mats, and old (or new) wall calendars are good sources of high quality prints to frame.

Aha, you have the prints. Enlarge some of them at Office Depot (or whatever it's called now). They will do high quality prints for cheap.

I saw that it was a clock or three when I was working on the wall. Very cool. Forget the color I show above; you can get that steampunk vibe with black and white and sepia.

Thanks so much for this layout! I think it looks awesome. I will go out and get some frames to match these sizes this weekend, and get prints blown up. I also like the mixing of white and black frames since I have the all 8x10 frames on the opposite wall where my tv is. Stay tuned for more pics in a few weeks! Can't believe this is the same house!

and yes, I LOVE IKEA for frames. Are those big black ones 11x14?

I'm just now coming to this and it is amazing what you've done! The yellow table washes out...consider a chartreuse but a deeper, bolder tone. Maybe consider painting the floor lamp, too. You could go white to match the trim, khaki to match the walls, or even a bolder color. Pull it away from the walls a couple of inches, too.

@columbia, Thanks! And yes repainting table is on my list of things to do! I was taking a short break from painting post crown molding! :). THe walls are actually a light gray -- but it looks creamy at times! I hadn't thought about painting the lamp, and will definitely consider it. Thanks!!

I can hardly believe that this is the same room a month ago. Good job.

Steph, I actually have no idea what size frames I used. I just took a random assortment of pictures and arranged them. Cut paper templates to represent frame sizes you know you can get and tape them to the wall. Move them around--horizontally, vertically, square--till you have a pleasing arrangement. Then figure out what pictures can go in what frames. That way you'll know exactly how big to print the pictures, and what frames to buy and where they go.

You've already done this in the hall, so you know the drill. BTW, you originally had a wire bicycle on the TV wall. Maybe that could be part of the composition for your steampunk vibe. It kinda goes with the clock.

thanks, everyone! i like the idea of working in my bike, @grover. i have been playing around with some frames i picked up at ikea -- a mix of white and black ribba. does this seem too cluttered? i'm not sure i like the single frame on the small wall by the window, but i would need to better work it in since i ordered 2 8x10 prints. i was trying to go off the mock up, but think i liked the cleaner look of a single print with the gears on the other side, although i can always add a few more frames.

I like the single frame on the small wall by the window. In your grouping, I'd remove the tiny outlier on the far right. Then with the grouping only on the right side of the window, the whole wall looks a bit unbalanced. I wonder how it would look to remove the frame on the left and move the clock closer to the window. Oh wait, no need to wonder; I'll Photoshop it. Back in a bit.

By the way Steph, keep in mind that the actual frames will be a bit bigger than the paper that comes with them, so account for that in the spacing

drdeb -- thanks. i did account for that, and the other pieces of paper are actual frame sizes. this laying out is so nerve-wracking!

i also moved some more things around and squared it up, and came up with this as an option as well. @grover -- i was thinking of maybe just putting the iron bike i have on the small wall by the window so it's not blocked by my lamp shade?

The clock alone wasn't the answer; it unbalanced the wall even more. Here's another alternative. Keep playing. It's a lot of trial and error.

Both your groupings on the right look good. My concern is that the left side needs a bit more visual weight to balance it.

thanks!! i will play around with this configuration -- i like your incorporation of the bike. and i agree the left side needs the visual weight. thank yoU!!

i think i am liking this layout, but will sleep on it and see how it looks tomorrow. i think the wall seems more balanced now, and isn't as cluttered as i feared it would be. also, the bike is lopsided bc i am using a command hook instead of making more walls -- i am done spackling and painting for at least a year!!

that ceiling fan really has to go.

Just thank your lucky stars I'm not there with you. I get totally anal when it comes to grouping pictures. Here are two more variations with the bicycle straight and ample spacing. (We both know it's gonna bug you if the bike doesn't fit right.)

Do you want to replace the fan with a light, or a new fan, or just make it go away?

Perfect timing! I just got the hammer out to start hammering some nails in. I am looking for a 3 blade fan, no light kit since I know have ample light and just think it'll be sleeker.

Try the Emerson Loft. It comes in a bunch of different finishes.

Would the white or black work better? I was actually thinking of this one: http://www.lampsplus.com/products/52-inch-casa-vieja-delta-wing-bronze-ceiling-fan__4f570.html#read-reviews-tab