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tara_carrico

I need some creative minds, please!!

9 years ago

Does anyone have any ideas on what I could do on the rest of this wall? My husband says, "Less is more":) But I know it needs something. Thoughts?? ** actually after posting this picture, I KNOW it needs something because it looks kind of boring.

Comments (33)

  • 9 years ago

    Put crown moulding up. That will make a yuuuuuuge difference.

    Other than that, I'd leave the wall alone. Maybe put sometingin that corner there; a potted plant; a corner cabinet; a sculpture....

  • 9 years ago

    Adding more things to the wall may not give you the look you are going for. Without seeing the rest of the area, including what appears to be a living room, it is hard to know what your style is or what style you are going for. Could you post more photos? Do those three pieces have meaning to you, or are they something you bought to fill the space?

    For me, there is too much brown in the room. I think you could use additional lighting, and maybe drapes on the window. Some sort of narrow sideboard under the wall hangings would enable you to add two candlestick lamps. Another way to go would be to replace what you have there with one large painting. Go to the thread below titled, "show me your living room" and look at TurquoiseRose's large paintings. If that is a look you would like to replicate, you could go to a place like Great Big Canvas and get a 60 inch wide x 45 inch high canvas for about $500.

  • 9 years ago

    Tibbrix - I was told by my 30-something niece and nephew that crown molding is an old lady thing. Just sayin . . .

  • 9 years ago

    graywings123 - I'm a 30-something and we just did crown molding in our bedroom of our contemporary house. Looks gorgeous. And does add that extra something.

  • 9 years ago

    If you ever need extra chairs for the dining table, I'd get 2 more matching chairs and put them on either side of the arrangement to complete the symmetry you've already got going on. I don't think the wall needs anything else. A nice torchiere would help light the space indirectly, softening the look.

  • 9 years ago

    graywings, I would have to disagree with your niece and nephew. Crown moulding was removed from home building to save money. The reason it was put in in the first place, when houses were built well, was to create a finished look in a room. I do think rooms w/o moulding look very unfinished and can even look cheap (goes to that builder's extracting every dime of profit from the buyer).

    I don't believe that crown moulding is a generational thing at all, especially since there are so many types of moulding, from simple to very ornate. But the bottom line is, crown moulding and baseboards give a room a very finished look, and I would say more "sophisticated" rather than "old lady". It's also a genderless thing, so the "old lady" v. "old person" thing is a rather odd comment as well.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The first thing I thought of was crown as well. But, it looks like an open concept room so that might be difficult. You need some varying height, shape, color and texture in the room. Everything looks very monotone and geometric.

    Don't add a bunch of little things. A bolder centerpiece would look good. I like tall glass (colored or clear) lanterns with flameless candles on a timer. In the corner by the door you could put a tall colorful floor vase with something natural in it. I would buy the vase and pillows for the sofa in the same color.

    You have a great start.

  • 9 years ago

    These are simply a variety of options but I agree, it needs more color, something to give the room life. You could add a another piece of furniture, like the seating that was already suggested or a side board with accessorie's and additional lighting. Draperies are a great way to add color too.

    While I like the pieces you have on each side of the clock, they don't appear to be the right scale to me. Another idea is to put something up with a bit more color and size maybe.

  • 9 years ago

    Tib I love crown moulding too but wouldn't go as far as to say houses without it look cheap or unfinished. I've seen many beautiful homes without it and it wasn't missed at all. Also, I could be wrong but aren't there are some styles where it wouldn't fit the era? MCM comes to mind.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Lukki, please read my words. I worded that part carefully, including it being my own opinion and that it "can" look cheap. I did not say that it does look cheap and does so in all cases.

    Obviously I believe the room above would benefit from some architectural heft, namely crown moulding

  • 9 years ago

    I would be inclined to try a large mirror on that wall and add a nice low centerpiece on the table.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Why do you think it's boring? Do you want more color or some reflection or? A large rectangular colorful painting would look nice and maybe a group of two small stacked mirrors on each end for some reflection ( brought out wider than table) . Somehow the grouping you have now (grouped exactly the length of the table) just does't look right. You could also do a large colorful painting and a large somewhat matching rug to add some stylish comfort to that area.

    Or, if budge is an issue paint that wall a color...make it a color you have in accessories in the rest of living space. Add a narrow shelf under the clock with some small colorful objects.

  • 9 years ago

    I'm not going to mince words with you Tib, I got from your post what I did and happen to disagree that's all.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Words matter, Lukki. Please don't get terse with me because I explained what I had said. I have mis-taken what others have said here many times. I acknowledged it. I didn't dig my heels in that my misinterpretation was the right one. Nor did I get pissy with them about it.

    where's that thead about civility that so many here hated?

  • 9 years ago

    If it's not new, I think a larger, more unique chandelier would fill things out and add to the interesting pieces you have.

  • 9 years ago

    Agree about color, but then I'm allll about color. To me, it needs some softness. Add a plant or two, a centerpiece on the table. something to break up the hard lines.

  • 9 years ago

    My first thought was color, my second thought was crown molding, so I seem to be barking up the same tree as others on this thread.

    I'm not sure how you would effectively introduce color to the wall itself without replacing one of the items you have there already. (And for all I know, you might prefer neutrals.) The "something in the corner" that Trib suggested could be used to bring in some color (plant, sculpture)

    I don't know what style the home is, but your decorating style seems to be fairly traditional, so crown molding seems like it would be a good fit. As lukkiirish notes, it isn't necessarily a good fit for all styles of homes (Midcentury Modern), but based on the one view we have of the house, I think it's worth considering.

  • 9 years ago

    My view is that you have too much on that wall. Choose either the clock OR the decorative panels. (If you pick the latter, you'd obviously hang them closer together.) You could paint that wall a contrasting color or not. The items you have hanging there are too unrelated to work.

  • 9 years ago

    I wasn't getting turse with the only one who obviously never says something that can be misunderstood. I just diagree, the last I heard we are still allowed to do that. No more hi jacking..fini...

  • 9 years ago

    Wow.

  • 9 years ago

    Don't put in crown molding if there isn't any or if it doesn't fit with the rest of the house. It would look funny if it was just in the dining room, or if the rest of the house is Craftsman style like your table & chairs.

    To my eye, it's the scale of the wall art in relation to the table that's off. The easiest thing would be to put in a table leaf, if you have one, to make the table longer. Or you could rehang the art & add a little color & depth with a floating wall ledge & gold/bronze votives.

    Speaking of depth, if you rearrange the chairs so they are two on each side lengthwise, it would open a view to your table decoration. That would give your eye something to look at in the foreground -- another visual trick to add depth to the view

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I like that idea w/ the floating shelf above for sort of tying the elements together.

    Color was my 1st thought as well. It's a bit too monochromatic as is. If there were a large colorful floral arrangement &/or some colorful linens on the table, I think that would go a long way to breaking up the boredom.

    Fabric & flowers/plants would also lend an element of softness to the area. It's all hard surfaces right now.

  • 9 years ago

    And here's how it looks lengthening the table, if you have another leaf for it.

  • 9 years ago

    Maybe add an ethnic woven table runner?

  • 9 years ago

    COLOR - it needs COLOR!

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I believe that putting in the extra leaf (if you have one), putting the chairs only on the two long sides, and placing a large, colorful floral arrangement in the middle of the table is all you need. Really like the arrangement on the wall. Please post a picture of the after, so we can see the improvement.

  • 9 years ago

    i don't care for the clock above the table or the clock with the 2 arched pieces... i would find a rectangular mirror or a painting/picture, etc to put between the 2 arched pieces if you keep them there...

    i would find another place for the clock- foyer, FR etc...

  • 9 years ago

    Tara,

    Do you have 5000k bulbs in the fixture? Please, could you find out. Thanks

    Idea: Remove the arches. Make it a clock wall by adding 2 or 4 clocks.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a similar dining room set up except mine is closed on the other end too. Do you need any type of sideboard in the dining area? I have a small dresser I put in my dining room to use as a siderboard, and put some candlesticks on it, which added a more "cozy" feel to the room. I also put all the chairs in the middle of the table, none on the end. I did it mostly because of space being short on the ends of the room, but it also just looks better in a small dining space. And I put out colorful placemats and colorful runner and a nice big centerpiece. I can't quite make out the design of your table but it doesn't look like it is made for placemats. To be honest, if I had your table I would put a tablecloth on it. I actually had a table very similar with white tile mixed with pine wood. It had been in my apt. and it was more of a kitchen table style, so when I started using it in the dining room, I put a classy tablecloth on it. Tablecoths allow you to change the look of a room very simply. I inherited a lot of them from my mom, along with various placemats and centerpieces. I have to admit I'm having a lot of fun changing out the look of the dining room from season to season. At my last house, I had one look, all the time. YMMV.

    Also, you might consider drapes on the window at the end of the room. It would balance out the space and add color. Normally I am not a fan of drapes but I found in my dining room that at night with the blinds closed, it was just a big boring blank space of blue (the blind color) so I am in the process of getting a rich looking drapery fabric for that end of the room. One other thing you might consider is adding wall candle sconces. I am not a fan of candle sconces unless you would actually USE the candles though. I would move the arches out and put candle sconces next to the clock on either side. I love dining by candlelight. Again, just some ideas, YMMV.

  • 9 years ago

    How would you feel about painting the frames of the panels? I'm not suggesting anything such as red, but am thinking black might add just the right amount of definition needed. Is the light fixture black? I don't know how you feel about hanging plates, but maybe a single colorful plate above each of the panels might add enough color also.

    I've always thought of crown molding as a very classic element. Probably just the opinion of one young person, and am even surprised a young person would know what it is. I'm going to go out on a limb and say many young people haven't developed their own taste or style, or it's easier to follow current trends since they lack the visual insight. Whatever the case, to each his own.

  • 9 years ago

    I think that it needs something with shiney frames or edges.

  • 9 years ago

    I think we need to hear from the OP. She seems to have posted and vanished.