You know what u like and that is the good news! Keep looking at mid century images. I don't mind ur current wood bookcases as they coordinate nicely with ur table and chairs. Just stylize what is in the cubbies more. Forget about creating a "foyer" - not enough room. Place sofa in front of front window with coffee table and two chairs. A couple of colorful pillows on sofa. Repeat same window treatment on windows as have on front windows. If can afford, install shoji screens or shades that work from the bottom up. Can be white or wood reed look. Hope this helps? U have good taste! ;)

Hi, I really appreciate your input. The question I had about the shoji shades was the curtain in front of it. I want to hang something different that the white "sheet." I don't know if I should use a pattern or not. If I get a solid color I'm worried that it will take over the room when they are closed. Would it be ok to do a curtain with a pattern like an icat? The only other window I have in the room is a 1070's old fashioned privacy glass. I have a bottom up/top down shade there and frankly I wish it would just go away. However it does offer light in what otherwise would be a dark room. I could put a curtain at that window to match the curtain that will be with my shoji shades? I also added skylights in the kitchen. Still what should I put on the floor in the LR. Should it be a white shag carpet or a carpet with a pattern. The reason I want Ikea built-ins is because I am desperate for storage. The bookshelves maybe can be used along the wall where that big Asian cabinet will soon be gone.

Hi again! I'm not really understand ing ur windows I guess. You have shojii already? Main thing is to find what u like and what function u need . So, once you find what function u need, then decide the look. If you find a colored patterned area rug that you just can't live without, then stick with white window treatments or a natural fiber burlap or lonem look. Curtains can have a white on white pattern or sheer pattern on white. I think a white flokati is awesome. Then u can do a curtain that screams mid century and acts as a strong design element. I can search some ikea curtains but I'm not sure if I know how to forward..... ;(

There's nothing wrong with Ikea-furniture. Really. I love their very sleek and modern TV/storage solutions. Also these:






Mossy limegreens, mustardy yellow, orange are colours that would go great with your blue (table) and I (so very personal) associate them with the fifties.

I'd go for a funky coffee table and two smaller chairs.




Your floorlamp isn't really very stylish. It doesn't go with your beautiful sofa.

I'll see if I can find some track lighting that goes with your chandelier.

*linen

I basically love your house already.

My one suggestion would be to replace the neutral rug with a funky geometric rug to bring it all together.

I would add a piece of furniture to your living room that is the color of your kitchen cabinets to tie the 2 rooms. Also, have fun and add patterns. Love the room so far.

I REALLY REALLY thank you for your kindness and help. In regards to your question about the chandelier, I have a new chandelier that is going to go there. It is a chrome sputnik chandelier with 5" bulbs. I will take a photo. The floor lamp is gastly, I know. I can't wait to find some decent track lighting. When I said I liked Modern Mid-Century, I meant to say I like Modern and mid-century along with a little bit of global hippi I feel overwhelmed about creating a wall of cabinets from IKEA. There are too many choices. I was thinking white laminate. Do you think that this would be too trendy or that it would overwhelm the living room? Thank youuuuuuuu!

If you go for something like this (images attached), I think it won't feel like a wall of cabinets, but you probably won't have enough storage with these cabinets? You can of course go for white, or perhaps even a combination of colours. But....don't spend your money on it if you don't really, really like it. Even if Ikea offers cheaper solutions than other companies with similar styles, it will still cost you quite a lot of money that you could also put towards something that you absolute love.





I also quite like this Ikea combination, still quite sleek and light but with more storage. It has a vertical unit which will create a visual 'stop'. Don't know if you can choose another colour for the bottom cabinet doors though.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S39927155/

What's in the space next to your kitchen? I can see a cabinet there? If you don't want to go for a huge, wall filling unit (which I can fully understand), you could perhaps use that space for some sort of cabinet? Would that be an option?

Have you seen these ideabooks? They will perhaps give you some ideas?
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/10-vibrant-midcentury-modern-living-rooms-stsetivw-vs~2784501
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/157240/list/Add-a-Little-Mid-Century-Modern-to-Your-Mix
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/the-credenza-compact-office-storage-with-style-stsetivw-vs~1298932

Here are just some visual thoughts attached - a floating buffet/sideboard to replace the Asian cabinet, a folded fabric lamp to set on it - maybe a pair, bookcase perp to visually say "these are two spaces," couple of neat MCM chandys, and a sheer curtain from Crate and Barrel. Don't know if you can get longer lengths, but the pattern but it is an Asian designer's stylized version of maidenhair fern, and I think it will work for when you want more light but privacy. I'd do it at both windows, along with the IKEA shoji's you have - they are way cool!


https://www.houzz.com/photos/1958-mid-century-modern-living-room-remodel-midcentury-living-room-phvw-vp~396659

Hi thank you everybody and LOVE your ideas. I love that modern Chandelier and I have actually seen it hanging in a store. However it is way too large for my table. Urg. Because it was THE chandelier I would want!! Funny that you chose the exact same one! Attached is a photo of the sputnik lamp that I am going to hang, unless everybody thinks I should not. Also attached is a photo of that window I was talking about. It is opague so I keep the blind down. The distance between the window and the edge of the kitchen island is only 3 feet. Its tight in there. I don't mind wall cabinets going from the edge of the window all the way to the wall with the slider. And yes, I would want more cabinets than displayed but it is a good start to what I am wanting. The corner of the living room at the slider is WAY dark. I used a darkish paint on that wall. Its called pashmina from 13 feet plus a few inches. Please disregard the two chandeliers that are currently hanging in the photo. They are both for sale right now. I really appreciate the photos you sent along of the ikea layout and all of the others. I love the idea of floating shelves across the bottom in order to bring the feel of mid century but with a modern twist. I'm not sure Besta provides that. If I were to get the cabinets with the legs might I be able to change out the legs to something really cool? Maybe something chrome or wood? Photo attached is where the opague window is and to the door that leads out to the carport. The small mid century shelf works ok there but it is a little bit too wide at the base for easy walk thru. Again, I just want to thank you all for your help!!

Love what you've done with your little kitchen! And I'm not a mid-mod fan, but you have great pieces, great instincts :-) Do hang the Sputnik chandy! A white wall of bookcases with a matching console for the TV will look great. Like this, but smaller of couse - ikea modular system to fit your needs/space.
http://homesickdesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/White-Sliding-Door-TV-Cabinets-with-Bookshelves-for-Contemporary-Living-Spaces-by-Misura-Emme-800x412.jpg
Like the idea of "fun" rug under dining table to define that space. Like the idea of Large geometric patterned curtains over the shoji's (which I love those). I like the scribbled black and white above.
Have fun, you are so on the "right track" with your choices.

Cool Sputnik! Like it :-)
(cute dog too)

Hmm... okay... just thinking out loud now (not sure if it's possible): the Ikea long low cabinets (Besta) along the TV wall, but also going in front of the opaque window and just a bit past the window. Put all your plants on the part that goes in front of the window. Combine them with some cabinets with doors above the TV (as in the link, or one of those wood/glass/gloss combinations). Align the top cabinets if possible with the top line of the opaque window.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S59908165/

Have you put in the kitchen? I do like it, but breakfast bar may be a bit too big for the space, since you also have a dining table. If you didn't have the breakfast bar... in front of your window would be such a lovely space to put your dining table. And you could have put some sort of room dividing cabinet coming from the wall with the clock. Ah well... that may be going a step too far :-)

Yep... lessismore's bookcase wall looks pretty good too :-)

To me the table placement looks odd. It is so hard to tell from photographs but I wonder if it would not be better if you could break up the space by not having a large rug extend from the living room to the area where the table it. Just have a rug for the living area. and if you want to get a different one for under the table. Do those windows extend to almost the light switch? I would do modern rectangular style curtains such a the ones mentioned above but place them so they draw on the he sides of the windows. What is to the right of your kitchen?
You have some great pieces to start with.

Carolin's idea for extending bookcase mods into opaque window area and having plants live there - if you have enough walk around it space. Would look super!

I like the placement of the sofa. I would not spend my money on the wall and IKEA stuff given what you have to work with. There are other things that should take priority. Here, Less is more.

Can you lose the tall bookcase altogether - put it in a bedroom? [It could easily have new life elsewhere with an accent painted rear panel and strategic use of shelves and baskets]

I would keep the asian sideboard as it works with your midcentury style well and is higher end than what you can replace it with. Center it on the tv. Use the area to the right of the television to add back floating shelves stacked up the wall like a bookcase. Invest in the good deep modern ledges like PB has that can bear weight well, and curate your art collection and books to place there - figure out what you want to display before you hang, so the heights are just right for your vision - work it out on the floor from above. Cover a few books with red wrapping paper to group together here.

You don't need more storage elements here, you need a grouping of 3 modern art and graphic element on the wall space to the left of the television. Then put the table and chairs nearly on the wall by the window - don't let the location of the lighting above dictate where you place this - work it out and then have the electrician shift your box.

Voila! Your room will feel a lot bigger. Your barstools will now swivel out and finish the communication square, to accomodate a crowd a lot better. Keep your recliner, it is classic.

You have the tall armoire by the entry for storage and will benefit from just having less. When you invest in a mid-century coffee table, lose the small end table now by the sofa. I'd shift the shelving in the kitchen down closer to the window so it is opposite the kitchen "corridor" and then you won't have an entry exit challenge. You like to keep the large window area open, put the large plants in matching ceramic red pots on that wall. Get small red ceramic planters for your small ones so they are cohesive in your kitchen bar.

I see the neat shoji screens at front and think they are enough, but as I understand your post, you need another layer for privacy at night. If not, leave them as they are and take down the other curtain. If so, your panels need to be like the sheer in a layered window treatment and have heavier panels with texture and contrast - I think velvet - maybe perfect in the darker neutral http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Signature-Wheat-Velvet-84-inch-Blackout-Curtain-Panel/5740484/product.html I'd take down the valance and hang two longer thick rods so I could extend the drapes past the opening and let them hang open most of the time to frame the glass. Select a metal tone to match the kitchen hardware - it will obscure the top of the panels well enough -RH has some great ones. Velvet also does a nice job for keeping drafts out - endemic to 70's windows. Hang a pair at the obscured glass just to layer in more texture and color. At night when you close them, they will reflect the light around well but feel like your wall color. Lose the shade on the privacy glass since you really don't need it.

Just found this photo on Houzz and it does give you an idea of what 'your' Ikea wall could look like: