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judilangeland

looking for advice on achieving 1930’s vibe

2 years ago

I bought this house last December. It’s a very simple ranch that needs a lot of help. I haven’t done a lot inside to change it because I’m trying to decide what I want for a look. The photos of my living room and kitchen are of when I bought it I have since added a very basic area rug and IKEA furniture but I’m not loving it. I also have added white blinds to all windows, including the front. I have eclectic taste, more minimalist than busy. I found this couch on marketplace and fell in love with it. I brought it home and shampooed it but now I’m not sure what to do with it. I also found this mirror, and they both look to belong in the same genre. I checked out Pinterest and really like the photos I found with 1930s decor. Any thoughts or suggestions? The photos are of my home

Comments (20)

  • 2 years ago

    Cute house! Lots of potential there. I also love the mirror and sofa.

    When you say 1930s style, do you mean art deco? What do you think of black and jewel tones with shiny surfaces? Or do you prefer more neutral colors?

  • 2 years ago

    Honestly, I was shooting in the dark when I said 1930’s. I tried to find similar styles on Pinterest to determine what style would complement the sofa and mirror and found something that said 1930s so I’m certainly no expert. I like the idea of black and jewel tones with shiny surfaces. Thanks for taking a look at this with me. I appreciate you both.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    Hi, I would love to see what the space looks like now. I'm interested in the area rug you bought is it for the living room to go along with the sofa? I would probably get a rug that is busy as in some type of pattern the sofa is beautiful and simple and I think a rug with a strong pattern would look really nice with it complemented with some throw pillows that go with the rug of your choice. The mirror also looks really nice, maybe finding a sideboard for the living room I would suggest some dark wood for the sideboard and looking for a few more pieces that go along with this mirror to put on the wall where the sideboard would be. Also with your description of what you would like the space to look like I am wondering if you will be renovating the kitchen to fit more with the style you are looking for?

  • 2 years ago

    Excuse the mess. You can see I have very little design sense, but this is where I am

  • 2 years ago

    Another

  • 2 years ago

    The sofa was free and seeing it in my space it seems big so if it doesn’t work I wouldn’t be sad about getting rid of it but that’s the look I like. I found a chaise lounge on marketplace. That may work better maybe with a desk because I work a lot from home. Just some thoughts I’ve had but not sure how to pull it all together. I do love how my cabinets turned out and my home is only 700 ft.² so I feel every inch counts and I’d like it to go together.

  • 2 years ago

    Some things I have but not using:

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    I'm not sure if you have the exact measurements of this space or perhaps a layout that would also help. I was going to suggest that you turn around the sofa but from the picture I'm not sure if it will fit. A chase lounge and two armchairs would work better in this small space. And for the armchairs I would choose something that is light in the space, with wooden legs not too large because it will eat away at your space. I like the rug on it's own but I am not sure I like how it goes with the carpet that you have. I would also go with a larger rug than the one you have chosen. I suggest you look at some armchairs first that you love and then match the rest. Also if there is a chance that there are nice floors under that carpet it might be good to rip it out.

  • 2 years ago

    I love your advice. Thank you so much. I definitely plan to change out the sofa. I’m deciding between a chair and a half with an ottoman or chaise but I’m hearing you about the armchairs and to keep them light. I already looked under the carpet as I hate it, but unfortunately, it’s just subfloor underneath. I’ve even thought of putting tile or peel and stick flooring throughout but I don’t want to get into something and make a mess. As far as the area rug goes, I’m so lost. I hear you on getting a bigger one and that makes perfect sense. But I’m not sure what goes with this carpet. I think because I’m just not into this carpet. So maybe I need to look at area rugs that cover of majority of the room. Any thoughts would be great. I’m not fond of flowery or traditional Area, rugs, per se. I don’t even like the one I have but it was inexpensive and the pattern was OK. I do like Jewel tones and natural fibers but nothing too terribly modern. And I do want to paint the walls but I’m struggling on that as well. I guess I’ve never had a house that was so bare bones, I want to change everything. I just don’t know where to start.

  • 2 years ago

    I am working and not sure of the dimensions but I believe they are approximately 10 or 11 feet across and 20 feet long

  • 2 years ago

    7 foot ceilings so very short

  • 2 years ago

    Love the couch and the mirror! Great colors. I don't feel the 1930's vibe from it like you do, though. Not a fan of the chaise. Kitchen is where I would be working. The spindles and carving over the stove are not my taste. You are showing 3 different colors for the kitchen cabinets.

  • 2 years ago

    I painted the base cabinets blue and took out the spindles. Just not sure if I should do more blue or go back to white. I agree on the carving. I bought a shelf for over the stove for my spices. Just plain wood that I’ll probly paint.

  • 2 years ago

    Dimensions: 17.5’ x 10.5

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    I understand that fixing up a home from scratch for the first time can be overwhelming you should take it slow and make sure you have the budget for everything, if the floors are not looking so good I would put a hold on that for now and save up it's better than finding someone to fix it up and making an even bigger mess so my suggestion is that you wait a bit. I love the blue in the kitchen and I would also paint the upper elements the same color, the knobs you choose also look really nice with the blue you did a really good job there. In case you are scared of making a mistake with the walls, and you wouldn't use any dramatic colors like the blue in the kitchen I would suggest a warm toned white, beige something that will warm up the space I think it's too white now and that will definitely help. I'm trying to see what kind of a carpet it is, how thick it is but I'm not sure from the picture. You can look into layering rugs over carpets there are a lot of websites that offer suggestions about layering thickness, colors, materials etc. and yes don't be scared to go big with the rug. I would also advise you to spend a bit more time on pinterest or a similar website and find more inspiration, make a moodboard of everything you love it will help you a lot since getting a piece by piece without an actual idea can cost you a lot of money and time and you will end up with a lot of things that just don't go well with each other.

  • 2 years ago

    I love that couch! With the flower mirror, I'm getting a "Mid-Century Modern" vibe. As for your kitchen cabinets, the TV design shows tend to use a color on the bottom cabinets, then go with a neutral for the top... so white or even some warm tone would work well without overwhelming.

  • 2 years ago

    The couch and mirror are not 1930's but more of 1950's-60's.

  • 2 years ago

    Thank you all! I love the idea of the mood board. And yes, the white on the walls is definitely too white. I honestly think it’s primer. A few things in the home lend me to believe there were a lot of quick fixes to get it sold. It was a rental home And I knew going in that I would want to change pretty much everything. And my tendency is to do exactly what you said not to do. Buy a bunch of stuff and then realize nothing goes together so I’m going to do my best and hold off on a lot of it. I do like the idea of warming up the walls though and I know there is a lot of paint on marketplace that I can get pretty cheap and still end up with some good quality paint. The carpet is thin and cheap so layering might not be a bad idea, but I will look into that.

  • PRO
    2 years ago

    It's a long process but it will be worth it in the end painting the walls will already make a difference! Good luck!