The floors are a beautiful color.

I know that my first assumption was you are somewhat daring because you own a chartreuse sofa, so the “not so meek” suggestions were probably made with that thought. I think you can make any of these ideas work - with your artwork - since you have confidence and a sense of what you like. We are simply the Greek Chorus throwing out ideas.

Paul - that chair! Please tell us about it. I am an Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau style lover. Though I don’t think that chair is either style it ”speaks to me”. I do really like your flooring choice. Your explanation of your vision for this space is very clear. I agree with RedRyder - we’re the Greek Chorus throwing out ideas!

I'm sorry I sounded confident. :P I've never decorated a room from the ground up, ever. I had a fire here so the ongoing restoration has allowed me to try to do this for the first time. I've flipped houses in the past but never gutted anything like I had to do with this house. I had to rip out and replace the HVAC, the electrical systems and all the plumbing. Ultimately it was the best thing to ever happen to the 100yr old building. It has all the modern features like fire sprinklers now. The slow smoldering garage fire I had would have never happened at all with those installed.

Everyone's advice here has been invaluable. I know I would go totally over the top without feedback from those who know more than me. Trust me. Bichonbabe's comment about decorating in a vacuum is my biggest concern... making everything look cohesive throughout the house and not abrupt and disjointed is a big concern.

Going with dark walls or big pattern is all on the table. I do know I want to be daring and make some fun choices while putting things back together. If I don't do it now, I never will. I also know that I should hire a designer, get some mood boards and all that goes with it but I have a certain amount of money and that would blow it, then I would have a HomeGoods budget. The chartreuse sofa was $3800 reduced to $1800 and waited it out a few weeks to get it for $1200. No one wanted it, lucky me! I think it's a good thing to design around.

Btw, my advice is to make darn certain you are fully insured on your home with all the bells and whistles like code upgrades and loss of income if a rental or a home business is involved, etc. Thankfully I was a fanatic about being properly insured.

Right now, I'm about to start the landscape/hardscape, drainage, fences, gates... oy. Big job ahead. I'll post on this thread when I get some wallpaper choices set.

If you are keeping the rug I would have pillows that are predominantly blue…the color from the rug. Blue and chartreuse look great together.

@KW PNW Z8 I missed your question about the chair. I inherited the chair. I did not value it for a very long time. Then I had an antique dealer come into my home and way back when antiques had more value he went nuts over the chair (and a chest I own) and told me the chair was from the 18th century which I really had no idea. He said that the cross bar at the foot of the chair was worn into a yoke shape from people putting their feet up on it for hundreds of years. It is the most solid chair I own, It's amazing that it is that old. I thought it was interesting to put it right below my wall imbedded iPad hub. Thanks for your help with everything!

Dear Paul,

I AM A STICKLER for etiquette. Curse of the given name, I suppose!

Before you get started on color and pattern, let’s see some kind of architecture detail on the walls and around the window to give a little structure. Call me old fashioned, call me a Dorothy Draper, I am just gonna say it! Crown molding or at least chair rail style molding halfway up the wall if art is afoot! I don’t care if you hoist dragon heads on all four ceiling corners but get some plasterwork in there! Cherry blossom branches, anything!

The mural idea is MOST fantastic, but don’t you DARE do that with those gorgeous textiles and (I assume? is a safe assumption dangerous!) beautiful prints.

The mural goes on the wall outside the room with your art display (creating an entrance, theatre curtain-style). A wallpaper is fine so long as it is tightly patterned and echoes elements of the mural. But the mural idea is better than any wallpaper. Wallpaper! The devourer of fine art!

Normally i would cheer on the midnight blue hue, but with delicate-line art, a dark shade is too heavy. Rather than creating contrast to highlight the art, the art will be absorbed into dark walls and appear as a series of square shapes.

Paint your accent wall(s)? above the molding? below the dragon heads! in something light and bright, literally a shining gold or nickel! Matte those paintings in varying shades of the same hue — navy? fuschia or orchid? Even a steely purple, nickel walls, nickel in mural?

Gorgeous choices in textiles and colors! Lol! Magnifique! Whatever you do will look fantastic! Get that plaster up, Michelangelo, and get to it! Have a great time and cannot wait to see it, post more please! ❤️

Following

I think with modern type architecture, crown molding and chair rail molding, etc., are not so much of a thing.

Also, art displayed on a dark wall can showcase the art just fine. It can also be quite dramatic.

And I think Paul’s idea for the mural leading to the outside space is to blend with, and/or to frame, the living wall. I think that is one of the primary considerations.

Whatever choices you make for your space will be beautiful, Paul. I am not trying to advocate for any particular option. I was just sort of recapping... ( I think. :)

Hi Paul, 18th Century?! Impressive that it’s still in such good condition. A very solid piece as you say! I can see the curves in the front cross piece - amazing that the shape of it is from use over its lifetime! Are there any nails in the chair or is it held together with wood dowels? I agree that your placement of your treasured chair from the past under your present and modern day iPad hub creates a very interesting juxtaposition. A great and subtle art display! Thank you for answering my nosy question!

PS - side note - I’ve never been able to tag you - thought it was a limit with app on iPad but it’s the same deal on my desktop set up so I put it down to quirkiness of site. I can tag some posters but not others. Tagging a person should generate an email notification but doesn’t always. I recall you mentioning not receiving email notifications of new posts on your threads. Me too. I only see updates exist on threads from the bell at top of page.

@KW PNW Z8 Can't tag you at all, as soon as the @KW is typed it stops searching. The chair is mortise and tenons. It is held together with square dowels in round holes. Not sure how it is not creaky or why there is no movement in the chair... it is so rock solid for potential a 250yo chair.

@Elizabeth K Thanks for the input! Sounds like you get what I'm trying to do in that room and how visually satisfying it could be. I want it to be fun to look at and fun to be in. I'm going to stay faithful to the architecture @freedomplace1 but love the outside the box thinking and the nickel idea... especially antiqued/smoked nickel. I just installed my Graff smoked nickel shower handle today after a 12 week lead time! I appreciate everyone's encouragement. I will post pics as I make any big moves in there. There are some furniture auction coming up locally!

In the meantime, I found this local artist that takes 50 gallon oil drums and laser cuts them into wall sculpture kimonos. Haha... I know I may have lost some of you with this art but I love these. Too big for my 'snug' vip lounge but somewhere else... maybe my stairwell.

Smoked nickel!

Kimono art is great. That’s exciting!

I think I particularly love this one (at least from what I can see on my screen).

And the blue one is a beautiful color.

Such a unique idea. Enjoy!

Regarding molding, have you thought of a modern picture railing. With your art collection, it might make changing up things easier.

I love that kimono art! Perfect for a stairwell. I have a soft spot for metal art. I'm torn on the idea of creating a room that is completely different from the rest of the house. I think it's a good idea especially when it's a room that is separate from the rest of the house and in a contained space. I was recently in a home that had a golf/sports simulator room. It was dark and moody and on one wall a mural like golf course was projected. It was at the end of a hall of a completely open, bright modern home. Walking into that room was like walking into an enchanted forest from the bright sunshine. Wonderful. I realize the use of your space is quite different from a sports simulator room but the feel of the space from the rest of the house is the same. I love the idea of a hidden speakeasy kind of room.

Paul, the chair is such a great example of the skill of carpenters of that time who used their handmade tools to build furniture with no metal fasteners or glue. The close up pictures show the dowel fasteners in the frame quite well. The carving on the back at first seems primitive but when thinking about it being hand carved & with such nice dimension, it’s very intricate and another testament to the skill of the carpenters.

The oil drum kimonos are dramatic & what great colors - like @freedomplace1 the lighter blue is my fave but I’m also liking the black one. Thinking about your stair railing color - the orangy tones, isn’t it? The colors in black piece of neck opening & stripes with touch of turquoise would be great accent to the railing color on stairwell walls.

Love the shower handle! Really cool shape & smoked nickel is so pretty against the tile color. Smoked nickel is a new to me finish - like it!

Kathy

I swore I was going to wait until I got wallpaper samples but there is something to these HomeGoods pillows, no?

I like the pillow color with the sofa and the way the shape echoes the snake's coils.

Not sure about this rug with the pillows - but the final decision on wallpaper might pull that together.

Yes indeed - there is something to those pillows! Very cool shape - seems like they’re made for Luis!

Just noticed the footed brass / copper (?) pot covered in verdigris outside the door - what’s the plan for it?

The pillows are nice. I think if you break up the symmetry it could also be nice.

I used a charcoal shaggy.

Velvet and or silk could also be nice. Like this, maybe. And it’s from your Company, Paul! :)

The bronze footed pot is the thing I put down next to a bright orange pot and suddenly heard angels singing, the colors looked that good together. The metal pot got super heated in the fire and melted the welds so I hope the repairs hold. I just want to see it outside the door with a small bushy plant in it. The verdigris looks good with the blue pillows and the pillows kind of pull out the blue in the rug. I'll play with asymmetry.

Here it with a lemon pot I found at HomeGoods yesterday.

It reminds me a bit of the Tiffany blue.

Well... you have inspired me, Paul. I need a small sofa or loveseat for my new place. I’ve been planning on a blue one. But I just saw this.

I’m not sure how it would go with the yellow walls. And I would also have to rework all the other choices. But I love this.

@freedomplace1 The form is great and just the right size.

Paul, your new pillow finds are great - the color & shape makes them tie in with multiple elements in the space. The shape was making me think of something but I couldn’t pull it out of my imagination. Just came to me - Gordian knot - perfect for this room!

Thank you, Paul! And thank you for giving me one of your pillows! :) Those pillows are excellent.

I love this piece. I agree with you, the form is amazing. And the size is perfect for the form, and also perfect for the space I would be putting it in. I‘ve been searching for rugs and trying to figure the best way to work it with the yellow walls. But at this point, I am thinking that even if I don’t have anything else in the room except this piece, it could work! :)

Thinking about your bronze footed pot - I’m seeing a more upright growing plant in it & specifically, a plant with gray blue colors. I looked at the succulent Senecio blue chalk sticks but they do need some sun. Sansevieria / ”Snake Plants” tolerate low light & come in many shades of gray greens - ‘Moonshine’ is a gray silver color. I have several versions in shaded spots on my west facing porch in summer & they tolerate the heat well & are not fussy about water. They come inside for winter. You could leave them out year round in your weather - can’t seem to post a working link - easy to search though.

@KW PNW Z8 Thanks for the new word! I just spent an hour looking for a Gordian knot sculpture for the table. Not everyone's cup of tea but his 19c sculpture just sold at auction a few weeks ago in Brugge.

Not everyone’s cup of tea - is putting it mildly! 😆 How about this one? From Artsuite & a bargain at $1800, 😳 ceramic 9x9x4” so it will fit on coffee table. Perfect color! But, it is a little more relaxed looking - maybe not tatoo parlor vibe but definitely has tactile attraction!

Maybe going for the tatoo would be easier... amd more cost effective ?

But I’m not sure why there is extra dye (or something) bleeding around the edges on that one pictured at top and that looks a bit scary to me... almost as scary as that skeleton/snake sculpture!

ETA:

DISCLAIMER: I am not a tatoo expert, do not personally have any tattoos, am not necessarily advocating the acquisition of tatoos - etc. This comment is for entertainment purposes, only. :)

@freedomplace1 - your disclaimer - I’m with you! Henna tatoos are my limit. I like having the option to change my mind about what I like to wear or apply on myself.

I used to sculpt in clay in college and was a special effects make-up artist for a couple years and I'm just amazed to see that snake/skull is from the 1800's. It looks computer generated. Imagine the artist that came up with that... then. No tattoos either!

@KW - I agree! Options are good! :)

Paul, What material is the snake/skull crafted from? What amazes me is the enduring appeal of art. That sculpture could have easily been made yesterday and would still have a broad appeal. It’s truly timeless.

Oops, it's only 3 inches tall. It is so detailed I thought it was larger. Its ivory... and from 18th OR 19th century.

Ivory - so maybe a controversial piece too. I have no knowledge of how these old pieces are managed. The ivory from elephant tusks, whales, walrus and seals is of course contraband now but old carved ivory can still be sold. As you see, it’s expensive. The size of it - 3” - is like a Japanese Netsuke. I only know about them from a friend who has a collection of Netsuke.

I could also do an art installation group of pillows.

Late to the party, but…

if highlighting a living wall, I wouldn't use an over the top tropical mural. Too distracting. I like the dark blues (with subtle pictures) posted above with your gorgeous couch. And think would highlight the wall and art.

I think a dark cozy room off a lighter one is great. Most of our bathroom is creamy in color but the shower is dark green subway with a black floor. I love that it gives a cave like feel.

Do you know exactly what art will be hung in the room yet? I would take that into consideration while choosing the mural/ wall color.

@k8cd Thanks for the input! My intention is to look for a subtle Asian influence wallpaper for one wall... then fly by the seat of my pants with hopefully everyone's help as I try to pick the right color for the 2 walls.... or maybe leave it white!

The ketchup pillow is an April fools joke!

That looks great, Paul. I love the look with the wallpaper and (reddish ?) wall. I have been thinking - with the chartreuse sofa that I am now hooked on - the “missing link” for me - with the sofa color and yellow/gold walls - might be a plum/eggplant or a red. I was looking at a burgundy chair last night . So for me, I am thinking i could perhaps bring in some type of accents with those colors. So it’s interesting to see how you have incorporated it into your space.

I‘ve always liked TJ Maxx... so much fun.

A dark burgundy wallpaper could be beautiful, if it works with the rug. This is a Cole $ Son paper. Not too busy, but would be dramatic in that sitting area.

Still working on things. I forgot to post photos of the lamp lit. When dimmed the LEDs go pink.

Thanks for sharing Paul! The light is so pretty lit up - the pink glow is great - creates a rose gold look. The hanging chain is really pretty with the reflection of the light. Seems like it should be perfect softer mood lighting & that’s hard to find with overhead lights. Those 3 pillows look great on sofa. Love the lemon pot too. It’s fun to be vicariously shopping with you. 😁

Did Luis escape?😄

Here's Luis! He's off to be reframed soon. I found this Jonathan Adler throw that I thought was interesting... I photoshopped it in.