I love all your lamp choices, but I love the first one the best.

Oh, no! You, my daughter and daughter in law all chose the MOST EXPENSIVE one. But I guess it wins! :-)

The first lamp is incredible, where did you find it? Kit, I have to agree with you about keeping the large pieces neutral and adding color with accessories and artwork. This is an incredible place and nothing should compete with the view!

I think any one of the following would be beautiful in your room. Forgive me the first, it's just so gorgeous and I'm partial to red. You may recall my trying to beat you over the head with a red glass object previously. The second is a perfect, elegant gold shaggy. The third is a tad extravagant (but oh my!), and I took the liberty of trying a bit of colour in the fourth. All from Overstock, all probably utterly impractical for the grandchildren, but see whether you react to any of them and that might get you going.

Images came out a bit blurry. I'll fish you out a bigger image if you want to see any of them in more detail. Sorry about the lamp using half your budget, but beauty is beauty. Can't fight it.

Lamp is Regina Andrew Crystal Flat Urn Table Lamp. Does it bother anyone that the top of the lamp will be a smidge higher than my headboard?
Rina, I so appreciate all of your advice. I think I was (naturally) thinking light creams in carpet with lots of texture...like basket weave? This last photo is of bathroom samples. Anyone see a theme? (Warm, soft, neutral, safe and boring!)

Like these:

I like the theme, soft and neutral. The textured rugs are beautiful. I think you have incredible taste and having the makings of a stunning home!

Nothing boring about any of it. A cream rug is of course perfect in the room. (I think I do get your taste, I'm just naturally subversive.) I'm just not too sure about your visitors and cream rugs -- ban cherry lollipops. Chocolate ice cream. I'd even say beware a tomato sandwich. Of these I like top right and bottom left best.

Thinking about the height of the lamp. I can't decide whether that would be a problem or not, given that it's a pretty tall headboard.

Back later, I hope.

Your new place is beautiful. I like the brown wall. I will be watching this thread for the final look. Have fun decorating!

Not boring at all. It is a calming, easy to live with scheme. I think it is classy and dramatic.

I think that sounds great. You could add to the earth feel with a rug or a few earthy floral designs around the room. As the for the Edmonton glass table - I think it is a great idea. But word of warning with kids - don't let children crawl on them (seems simple but sometimes it happens). I have heard too many reports of children crawling on glass tables and breaking through them.

Moving on, and promising not to be subversive any more, have you worked out how much seating you need in the living room? In the other thread, you said that you entertain. What number of people will you need to accommodate at one time? Do you need two armchairs? A two-seater love seat and a single chair? What do you think? Will catch up tomorrow.

Thinking of 2 arm chairs by the window. I have 2 ottomans from my old den that I can re-cover in an accent color. Even considering bright tangerine or turquoise....but I'll probably wind up with butterscotch ultra suede!

I love Blues with your wall color. How about doing some in lamps and art?
Also, LOVE Calligaris - my favorite furniture designer.

kit2650, what a terrific space and how exciting that you are starting with an essentially blank slate! starting with the rug was great advice. Consider something like this rug, from Surya, which would provide the brightness you need but still give you some organic pattern in low contrast colorations that also softly hit on the yummy chocolate wall. This would also allow you to accent with turquoise in the small punches it sounds like you are drawn to, without committing to a major infusion of that. It even works with your ottomans as they are. For a high impact, low cost approach to your dining room wall, check out IKEA. Consider using a series of repeated square mirrors hung in grid configuration. They have them in simple wood frames in several finishes and they are not inexpensive. They are CHEAP and the effect will not look cheap. Almost gives a window effect. I will post an image where I utilized this approach in a dark music room opposite two small windows. VERY impactful!

If you are considering hanging any art on your walls take a look at the pieces I have available - I also offer custom paintings. Cheers!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/gperillo

Mirrors repeated for BIG impact... I would do them nearly floor to ceiling on one wall.

You've been getting beautiful suggestions since I last checked in. I love the carpet Daniel Dionne posted, if you're prepared to consider moving away from the luscious cream you're thinking of. Idega's postings are lovely, too, especially the lamp, which is perfect for your style, I think. Very subtle colour. But the big surprise this morning is seeing you mention tangerine. Your ottomans are among the nicest I've ever seen, very elegant. The bright colour would look wonderful, but then so would the butterscotch. (Delicious colour, butterscotch.) I also like Daniel's mirrors, but I remember the other thread and the rationale for one big mirror to reflect your view on a large scale, so I do hope you are able get one of those.

Where the armchairs are concerned, no doubt the final decision will be determined by your carpet choice, but an all-over small geometric pattern that uses the wall brown and cream would be good. I'm thinking of a houndstooth or similar. Just an idea.

I think you can work perfectly around the brown paint and white furniture

I love the textured neutral rugs above especially the first one, like a basket weave !! Unique.... also, love blue or turquoise lamps and huge abstract canvas art. Look on Overstock. I like one unusual item in each room, something that surprises or a really nice piece of furniture, a splurge ...mirrored accent table, or unique chest in foyer or bedroom. Horchow has great ideas, sales sometimes, not inexpensive though. Put a giant ceiling to floor mirror that stands against the wall in bedroom or living room. The light will bounce of it , looks yummy too. Sorry, no pics available , take your time and don't buy junk... I love your new place, really pretty !! And throw a little pink in there somewhere with sparkle and glitter !!! Love it................have fun.

I think you could have great fun with this apartment, I adore the floor and the big windows. First thing I would do is invest in lots of lamps, different heights and styles and place around the room - they are a great way to change the mood of the room if you can get them on a dimmer switch or even just by how many you turn on. Get some armchairs for the window (with legs not solid bottoms - this allows the eye to see the floor and adds too feeling of space), some side tables, 2 large light rugs (scotch guard the dining room table one) and then I would think about the window dressings - you could go for over the top curtains that drape on the floor for a luxurious hotel style feel or some lovely roman blinds (again I would stay not too dark to let as much lovely light through as possible). The large brown wall with your sofa on is calling out for a sideboard and again I would put two lamps on top either ends, it would be handy storage for dining table cutlery and plates etc and break up the brown a bit.

Your tv unit has perfect holes for displaying choice pieces, this could be an antique collection of books or family pictures in beautiful frames or knowing you mentioned gold, the odd gold colored piece of objet d'art. Some artwork on the walls would help personalise the space, mirrors are always good especially opposite windows and along with your choices of lamps and sideboard I think you will have a really nice rich, warm apartment to your taste.

Thank you for all your great ideas. I sold most of my house paintings and only kept the ones I really, really loved. Here are a few:

hi Kit, these would work perfectly with the colour scheme I was talking about the gold frames and these images will add to that luxury, sultry feel. Have you seen/heard anything you would like to try and implement?

Hi. Just popped in; I haven't been Houzzing today. Same question -- have you made any decisions? Those pictures are beautiful.

Well, funny enough, I bought dusty pink glass bowls on gilt.com awhile ago...thought of how much I'd like the table set with my white china, sterling silver, pink and white flowers, and pink bowls. (I got rid of 35 years accumulated china sets and bought plain white bone china for every day and formal. I'm living alone now. Why shouldn't I set a beautiful place for myself every day?)
As for ideas, I'm waiting to move in on Tuesday to get a feel for living here. I do have in storage 2 small occasional tables and a few lamps...brown leather and bronze.
My first purchases will be a textured cream on cream rug, I think, and two occasional chairs for the living room. But I have to see them in person. Does anyone have any ideas for places to shop in NYC that will be fairly reasonable....say $1000 or $1200 a chair? I'm thinking of a fabric that will be a small print...not busy...with some brown and gold and cream and maybe an accent color will pop out at me. Then I will upholster the ottomans accordingly.
For the wall behind,the table, I'm going to look into a custom mirror because I really think it should be big and square and with no frame or embellishments other than bevels.
For the wall unit in the living room, I have a gazillion photos of my children and grandchild that I will put among items I will buy slowly... After I unpack and perhaps find some treasures.
I would like to put two long mirrors behind my bedroom end tables, but am worried about ordering the lamps I love. No one has answered about whether they think it will look overpowering for the lamp to be about an inch higher than the top of the headboard. But clear crystal is what I want.
At that point, I think I will be out of money and will make a wish list for more paintings, lamps, bedroom chaise, closet designers, etc.
I retired from teaching so Tuesday will also be my first official day of not working. Less income, but more time to make a life for myself in the big city. So I'd like to stretch out the decorating to make the enjoyment last longer. This is my very first home living alone and I want it to be a place I love walking into, not a reminder that I'm missing the man I loved for forty years.

What a beautiful room to start with, it needs your personality, your favorite things or go to your favorite stores and study their displays. Buy what you love, or as I say "talks to me". Warm neutrals with pops of color, area rugs, pillows, throws and I use indoor/ outdoor rugs inside because if accidents happen, they clean up. They have come of age too, with great patterns and color. Now lets talk about art, buy what you love, it always works, does not need to coordinate, it has to say something about YOU. Don't second guess yourself, use your first instinct, it's usually right!

chemayne, love the third one.

Kit congratulations on the new adventure. What a wonderful place to start your adventure in. I don't know many people that have not fantasized about living in NYC, what an incredible place to retire! I like your strategy of purchasing the mirror, chairs, a rug and then filling in with things you have kept through the transition. The artwork you kept will look beautiful in the space.
I love the lamps for the bedroom and think it will be fine if they are just a little taller than the headboard. Can't wait to see what you do after move in day. I am sure there will be plenty of Houzzers enjoying this journey with you.

Idego Interior Design :) while reading this thread I am looking at my new day planner and the cover is van Gogh's Branch of an Almond Tree in Blossom. Van Gogh is one of my favorites. I have 2 of his prints waiting to hang in my bathroom after it's painted.

Kit, when you get the dining table in place I suspect you will find the light fixture is too high, can the contractor lower it so the bottom is 60"-66" above floor?

kit2650 - congratulations on your retirement. So sorry you can't share it with your husband.

Have a grand new adventure and enjoy living in the city.

Thanks for everyone's help. Now I'm going through old photos to see what I'm going to unpack. Found more paintings, two tables, and two lamps! Ignore leather recliner...that went! Not elegant enough for a city apartment! Also iron bed...sold in a tag sale where someone actually stole my comforter right off the bed!!!!!

God bless, kit. Thank you for being a teacher.

I am an Interior Designer in Houston, TX. A great way to designate the dining area is a large pattern wallcovering. Before you cringe, wallcoverings are very popular again and there are some beautiful patterns out there. Putting a mirror on the wall in the dining room is a great idea and will reflect the natural light coming in from the windows in the living room area. I have a new website I just launched that has some beautiful mirrors on it. It is www.kmhlimited.com. The pieces I carry are 30% below retail. I am always adding new designer pieces, so keep checking back. There are a couple of dining room table options you could use. First would be a simple banquet bench against the wall facing the living room with a narrow rectangular table with two upholstered chairs opposite the bench. Second would be a round glass table to keep the space feeling open with 4 upholstered chairs. I have attached a sample. I have also attached a sample of a console configuration that you could put beside your sofa with a couple upholstered cubes for additional seating. Lastly, don't be afraid to put a couple slipper chairs in front of the cabinetry under the living room window with a cute round table between them.

First thing where are your books? A comfy chair and a standard floor lamp goes a long way. To me a house needs one's personal collection of reading material also some selection of things you have acquired though your life. decorate for your comfort and I think it will follow that friends and family will feel relaxed in your home. Start looking in thrift shops Sally Ann's etc if it speaks to you try it out less investment to loose.

Can you tell me about your floors? They are beautiful!

Engineered fired European oak from town and country flooring, NYC. I debated about spending $14.85 square foot, but now I'm glad I did!

I would add cushions on top of the cabinet in the window. Our 5 grandchildren love to sit, talk, and play. Maybe you could have a table made for the to do art and crafts. Our grand kids, call them "kids zone"

Jacque, that's really just a cabinet to cover the radiator. Too high and deep for a window seat. I have a second bedroom that will be for the grandkids to play in. What I did do in my summer house is great for kids. My friends' grandkids come to play, too. When they aren't visiting, I store the bikes, blocks, puzzles, etc. in there.

It has the making for a nice space.

It's coming along, slowly but surely. Found those fabulous bedroom lamps on eBay and dune linen bedding at Restoration Hardware. I found a tiny crystal lamp for the bedroom desk at Marshall's. I just ordered window treatments...simple silouette sheer blinds and found a mirror at HomeGoods that will be fine for the dining area until I can locate the "perfect" mirror in some antique store some day. All that's left to do now is to order an area rug for the living room and two comfy arm chairs. Any ideas for chairs??

Actually, even more has arrived since those photos. I just took these. The coffee table in the living room rises to become dining room height for extra seating at big meals....or midway height for my laptop use in front of the TV! (Calligaris)

Coming along nicely, kit.

Kit, you are a wise shopper and talented decorator! Great work.

Lovely, Kit. It's looking like home. You certainly hit the jackpot with those bedside lamps. They are stunning.

Any luck with the mirror for the dining area yet?

Kit, the apartment is beautiful, your furnishings and decor are perfectly proportioned for the space. Very elegant, but not fussy! Absolutely love your style!

Found the mirror and two friends helped me hang it yesterday! $179 in Home Goods!!! Crystal lamp on bedroom desk from Home Goods, too.....and the throw on my bed. Jackpot!!

Hooray!