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sweet_reverie

Help me with these walls! :)

sweet.reverie
9 years ago

Hello!

My husband and I built a house last summer and I spent a lot of my time on the home building forum on garden web so I thought this forum might be helpful for our latest conundrum.

We have two walls behind our couch. We have pretty much all white, grey and wood in the house so we are hoping to pop with color through art or photographs. I am a professional photographer by trade so I have a lot of photos of my girls I could use but I am not sure if art would be better or a mix of both? My husband does not like photography canvases, so those are out. We are going to using a mirror a near by wall so a mirror is out too. What do you all suggest?


Here is a link that might be useful: Home Blog

Comments (22)

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    I'd pull the sofa away from the wall and put an L-shaped shelf up behind it (attach to walls and shelf using corbels on each end and plane brackets in the interior).

    I'd put your photos and a couple of lamps on the shelf behind the sofa.

    I think a soft, nice burnt orange/pumpkin would be beautiful on those walls. Maybe something like BM Caramel Latte or Bronze Tone. I think the sofa would look beautiful against a color like that, and black framed photos and artwork would look gorgeous on walls that color. The rug would be great against it as well.

    This post was edited by Tibbrix on Fri, Jun 6, 14 at 20:08

  • sweet.reverie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Tibbrix: The shelf is an interesting idea. :) My husband and I love grey and white- we want pop with small amount color from art. We like not having colored walls. I will have to think about sizes of prints or art.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    I agree about pulling the sofa away from the walls. Side tables with lamps would be nice too as would a chair by the FP to help inclose the conversational cluster in the room.

    Then you can turn to artwork. If you have photos that have similar color or theme, you can make a grouping on one wall, and then other art on the other.

  • sweet.reverie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Annie: Yes, we have side tables planned, as well as a leather chair by the fireplace.

    I am so unsure about pulling the sofa from the wall! I am not sure why. I will have to look up inspiration pics.

  • ratherbesewing
    9 years ago

    I see an OVERSIZED piece of art or photography hanging on the window wall over your sofa. Do you plan to add drapes, blinds? I googled "Houzz gray sectional sofas" and saw many wall possibilities. Beautiful house!

  • caminnc
    9 years ago

    I was going to ask about drapes as well, plus are you going to add sofa table? What does your mirror look like? I agree you should pull the sofa out (jmo) and I would also show the rug more. Its acceptable to just have front feet on the rug to the halfway point. If you keep the setup you have now look at Lea Frank Design on Houzz. I like the idea of photo's of your girls if you do it in more of a contemporary way. There are alot of nice large horse pictures trending right now that use the same colors you have used which would look good. Congrads on your new home!

  • nosoccermom
    9 years ago

    Well, you could go with large photographs or a mix.

  • graywings123
    9 years ago

    It's obviously your choice whether to put family photos on the walls or artwork. It would creep me out to have to see photos of myself every day, so I would go with artwork.

  • tibbrix
    9 years ago

    I misunderstood about color.

    Here is a link with photos of a sectional with a distressed-wood shelf behind it. If you do it, I'd put in a shelf that is slightly wider than the one in this link. I would also put shelving along both stretches of the sofa, unlike what is in this link.

    I also happen to have a shelf I made out of reclaimed wood, on brackets, behind my sofa (which is not a sectional) and I love it because it has practical uses (lighting) but it also adds a rich dimension to the room and the wall behind the sofa.

    I agree with ratherbesewing re: an oversized piece of art.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Shelf behind sectional sofa

    This post was edited by Tibbrix on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 8:17

  • yayagal
    9 years ago

    Take a look at the CB2 site, it has lovely ideas for wall decor. From what I glean from you, I would guess something organic and large. A work of art using aged wood similar to your table could be stunning. Love your home.

  • sweet.reverie
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Wonderful thoughts everyone! We are decorating this house sloth style, and only buy things when we can pay in cash. We do not make a ton of money and have expensive taste..SO it takes a while to save for each piece. I am very excited for this part of the house to feel more homey!

  • patricianat
    9 years ago

    I think that family photo thing or artwork is optional. I would not do it, but my DIL has done it so well over her sectional, so artistically and playfully that I love it.

    On the long side, she has the big picture of her husband (my son) without a face lifting weights, showing his middle and it is the center photo. On the perimeters, she has pictures of the kids swinging on swings, playing in the water, their first airplane ride, getting on the roller coaster, skiing, one of herself in the garden from a garden magazine photo shoot wearing shorts and scarfed hair, pictures of the wedding party trying to help blow out candles on the groom's cake since this was his birthday as well.

    All are in black and white and everything framed in black and white. It is like a story. There is nothing serious or posed in any of the pictures.

    On the short end of the sectional, she placed a movie promotional banner from a movie in which their house was used and the director/producer sent them the "banner."

    They do have a long hall of professional artwork which they have bought from starving artists or from local known artists.

    This post was edited by patricia43 on Sat, Jun 7, 14 at 12:10

  • User
    9 years ago

    Sweet,
    Whatever you personally decide to put on those walls is up to you. You are a photographer, so you have a great art background and are capable of taking a pic of anything you want to put there.
    Whatever you choose, think bright color.
    I'm serious, and bold, beautiful color.
    I have no idea why the color bright orange is coming to me, but something to think about.
    Orange and bright green.
    Since your budget is tight, something to consider is mabey buy some gorgeous orange and bright green plants, or set a sceen, and take photos and blow them up. Go to a nursery, or a garden center, or somewhere you can buy scene items.
    Or mabey you live near a beautiful historical site, and can stage a pic there.
    Good Luck, and Congrats!

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    sweet.reverie, whatever your wall color is now, I like it.

    I like the idea of a shelf behind both sides of your sectional, but I have a couple of practical concerns.

    I would be worried that as people get up and down from the sectional, maybe even do a might flop on it, that will exert some lateral pressure on the floating shelf, compromising it's strength and stability.

    Also the empty space behind where hair and dust eventually end up. I guess you can just pull the sectional out to clean.

  • teacats
    9 years ago

    Gallery walls from Pinterest -- lots of ideas!

    Or: perhaps enlarge your house building plans for your walls?

    Or: consider taking photos of a gorgeous local tree -- enlarge and hang in a grid

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pinterest -- gallery walls of photos

  • Olychick
    9 years ago

    I'm not suggesting these baskets (altho something neutral might balance a piece of statement art on the other wall) but just showing how nice it looks to have the sectional away from the wall a bit. You don't need tables or shelves, altho those work, too.

    [Traditional Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2107) by Saratoga Springs Design-Build Firms Witt Construction

    I really like the palette you have and know you're thinking of adding more color through art on those walls, but I really think black and white photos might looks stunning. Not little rows of similar sized art, but something oversized and artsy. Perhaps not faces but....

    [Modern Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/modern-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2105) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Chloe Warner

    I'd actually love something from nature (besides people) if you photograph that-

    [Contemporary Dining Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-dining-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_722~s_2103) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

    altho this is a great arrangement of family photos, imo

    [Eclectic Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2104) by Elkridge Interior Designers & Decorators AFP Interiors LLC

    [Contemporary Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Birmingham Interior Designers & Decorators AMW Design Studio

    Then I'd add some muted colors through other art/pillows, etc.

  • madeyna
    9 years ago

    Since your a photographer I like the idea of four large peices of artifully done pictures ( in cepeatope sp?)in a poster size with pops of color infused in the pictures. Two on each side of the couch. ,flanking the light fixture. I would pull the couch out just enough to put a tall light fixture behind it in the corner maybe something that hangs out a little over the couch that would make that a nice comfie reading corner. You could put something like a four by four back there to keep the couch from scouching back if thats a problem. I would love to see a sheer pulled all the way back on each window(thin just one panel each widow, maybe the color of the rug) to add a little softness to the room.A large round ottoman in a natural fiber would be fun as well.

  • Oaktown
    9 years ago

    sweet_reverie, your home looks great!

    I have zero decorating skills, but if you do decide to pull your sectional away from the walls, your kids might really enjoy playing back there. I know mine do!

  • jill302
    9 years ago

    The first photo from nosoccermom is divine, great mix of color.

    Love Tibbrix's idea of the shelf behind the sectional. Never would have thought about putting a shelf all along the back. The shelf would add visual depth behind your sectional, a great look.

    In our family room we have a shelf behind our sectional in corner, where the back on our sectional rounds. The shelf is attached to the wall and is very useful, it's primary use is to hold a lamp, although we rotate decor through the space as well. It has worked really well for us.

  • Boopadaboo
    9 years ago

    I like the look of large pieces (gallery walls too, I have a board on that)

    Below is my board with lots of large statement pieces so to speak.

    Love your room!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Large artwork

  • lolasanders
    9 years ago

    Like your room color match. But you may need to find a better place for the sofa. The place is better for a shelf.
    Just my personal opinion:)

  • sixtyohno
    9 years ago

    We have a shelf the whole length of our room. It only 8 inches wide and it has a lip. My DH is a good photographer. We have photos framed in 16x 20 frames, some vertical and some horizontal propped on the shelf. We can change photos whenever we want, go back to old ones, put up new. It is a changing display and it keeps the room fresh and fun.