Finding the right style for a new home

13 years ago

Hi there, my boyfriend and I just purchased our first house. It's small - under 1,000 sq ft, 2 bed/1 bath. We have dark laminate wood floors, dark granite counters, and grey carpets in the bedrooms. Everything else in the house is white and tan. Our collective furniture is a blend of styles, mostly handed down from family. This house is a blank slate and I don't want to just plop our furniture down into it and call it a day, but I'm having trouble getting inspired.

I've been looking at different styles and I lean more towards casual light-filled rooms with color (Mediterranean and Tuscan styles), but I'm also really drawn to minimalist "clean" looks. I need some inspiration! If you're still reading this, I would love to see some pictures of your favorite (small) kitchens, family rooms, or bedrooms, and hear any of your style suggestions for these spaces.

Like I mentioned, we have dark floors but there are big windows in the family room and kitchen so there's lots of light. The bedrooms and bathroom are much darker. We also have a stone wall fireplace which COULD be stunning... or an eye sore.

Help!

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Terracegallery

13 years ago

You have a nice neutral space.....I would love to see some splashes of color on the walls...it doesnt have to be original art if the budget is tight...there a lot of economical prints that would give you just the pop you need.

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Comments (8)

mcasey4
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks! I think you're right about needing color. I'm thinking of painting our dark bookshelves and tv stand white, and then decorating with lots of color. Maybe painting the end tables something fun like bright red or blue, and painting the pillar near the kitchen another fun color. We have a brown leather couch that will have to stay brown, but maybe white window coverings, with fun colored vases on the fireplace mantel, and a bright (but not busy) area rug. Thoughts?
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Granite Grannies Hethmon
13 years ago
Love this space. Very bright and elegant. Congrats on the house! To me, the most beautifully decorated homes are those where the homeowners were directed more by their own style than a particular design category. That way you end up with a blend of contemporary and whatever other styles you have. Basically, you don't have to pick minimalist or Mediterranean. You could fill the room with contemporary lines (in the furniture, lighting etc) and Tuscan colors or you could paint the walls a crisp white, add contemporary lighting and then use rugs, furniture, wall hangings, etc to throw in a splash of Mediterranean decor.

Here are some photos that, to me, are great examples of blending contemporary with traditional or foreign elements.

Emerald Cove Living Room · More Info

Living Room · More Info

Salaria House · More Info

Family Room · More Info

Palmer Pointe Road Residence 2 Lower-Level Family Room · More Info

FCB:Design (Markus Canter) Project: Savona Road, Bel Air, CA 90077 · More Info

Transitional Sitting Area and Wet Bar · More Info

Mid-Century Modern Home · More Info
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Granite Grannies Hethmon
13 years ago
My only concrete recommendation would be to change that kitchen floor to something not so grid like. If not wood, a wood replica tile or a tile with more variation and not such a grout/tile contrast.
decoenthusiaste
13 years ago
What is the exterior style of this home? Are you ignoring it entirely, or will there be flow from outside in?
User
13 years ago
This is a large room but I share because I think it shows how you can use a mix of furniture styles (since you have a lot of hand me downs) and colors/textures against a relatively light neutral background. It's also my favorite room :)
http://houzz.com/photos/1642040
mcasey4
Original Author
13 years ago
What great pictures and tips - thank you everyone! Granite and Sam, those pictures are really helpful - thank you. I seem to have looked at so many over the past few weeks that they're all blending together. This has really helped me come up with some concrete ideas! Granite, I absolutely agree with you about changing the kitchen floor - unfortunately that's not an option with our budget right now, but definitely a wish-list project for the future. I'll be consulting Houzz again when the time comes!

Decoenthusiaste, the exterior is a mixture of stucco and brick. The previous owners did a great job landscaping the front of the home - it's very 'all American' with new sod, beautiful flowers, white picket fence. We're focusing on making the interior work with the furniture we have, while still designing with purpose.

Thanks again for all of your wonderful tips and ideas!
User
13 years ago
Just adding a rug to your kitchen will help. I have good luck at Marshall's/home goods.
Have fun in your new home!