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sjhockeyfan325

Two color schemes

sjhockeyfan325
9 years ago

I still don't know how to upload multiple photos into one post, so I'll have to post twice.

Our condo is very contemporary in style (industrial loft-ish). We need new dining chairs and are moving the rug currently in the living room to the bedroom, and getting a larger rug for the living room. The pillows, sectional, dining table and shelf unit in the pictures we already have. We also have a swivel chair that matches the sectional.

Between these, would you opt for ivory for the major pieces (rug, dining chairs) with orange accents, or would you opt for orange for the major pieces (rug, dining chair) and accents (pillows, bowls, lamp).

Right now, except for the pillows, everything in the entire great room is wood, taupe, grey and ivory. We desperately need some color!

By the way, I'm not asking about the particular pieces, just the colors. We've already decided against the dining chairs in the picture because they're too low-backed, for example.

Thanks for your views!

Comments (42)

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    this is the second picture

  • nosoccermom
    9 years ago

    Since I'm fickle, I'd opt for the major pieces in neutral with the accessories in a color. That let's you change with the seasons or just when you want something new, like cobalt, turquoise, or whatever may be next year's Pantone color :)

  • amykath
    9 years ago

    I think I prefer the first one. The red rug just seems like too much and fights with your painting.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Ha ha - we don't own the painting yet either - it's just something by a photographer whose work we love.

  • Errant_gw
    9 years ago

    While I love orange, I'd go with the ivory, as well. Like NSM said, it will be easier to change things up with those items being neutral.

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    I don't care for the orange rug, but I do like the orange chairs. I think being afraid to commit to any color because you *might* want to change it in the future can lead to an awful lot of blandness. (And the pop-of-color-accessory thing does not ameliorate it in my opinion.)

  • motherof3sons
    9 years ago

    Orange chairs!!!! I need new DR chairs and want color. Everything IS neutral and I am bored! Go orange or go home!

    PS Jeepers creepers! Where did you find those chairs???

  • roarah
    9 years ago

    I prefer the room with more orange but I love color.

  • roarah
    9 years ago

    I prefer the room with more orange but I love color.

  • tomatofreak
    9 years ago

    Love the orange chairs. Think they might go best with the ivory carpet. Pic #1 is too bland.

  • sas95
    9 years ago

    I prefer the orange scheme.

  • pps7
    9 years ago

    I like something in between. Ivory rug but orange dining chair.

  • Gooster
    9 years ago

    Yes to the chairs and ivory rug -- but keep the accessories in the seating are. It's all in one big room, in typical SOMA loft layout terms, isn't it?

    (Disclaimer: my millenial test score was 82)

  • Fun2BHere
    9 years ago

    I like both choices. It really depends on how they make you feel. The orange makes for a more energetic room and the ivory is more calming. The best thing is to find someplace that you can buy things on approval so that you can see them in your place and get a real feel for how they look in the ambient light.

  • Karenseb
    9 years ago

    I love orange and we have an orange (rusty orange) sofa (My second orange sofa), two green chairs and ottoman with chair that has a pattern with orange, green and golden tan. Our area rug is a shade of orange with green accents and the house we moved from also had a couple walls with a great shade of orange. Of course I say go for orange ):
    PS. I even have orange accents. They are brighter shades of orange.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    9 years ago

    The chairs look reddish to me, which I don't care for. Orange I might like. But I like the curvy ones.

    I don't care for the orange rug, but the cream one looks dirty to me.

  • monicakm_gw
    9 years ago

    I'd also prefer the ivory rug and orange chairs :)

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you all - I hope you've given me some "chutzpah" to go for the orange chairs. None of the items I pictured were that specific - if I go for an ivory rug it won't be that one that mtn thinks looks dirty - I'll find one that looks fresher. As for the orange chairs, we're waiting to see some "fake" leather chairs in orange, but I saw the real leather ones again tonight and I just love them, so I'll have to decide how important they are to me, because they are MUCH more expensive than the fake ones. Also, the ottoman we had ordered for under the coffee table in orange is no longer available in the color we chose, so we have to go for neutral - one more taupey item. More than ever, then, we need to go for the orange chairs!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Motherof3sons, that orange chair is from Room & Board - it's the Ava chair in (I think) Sunbrella orange.

    The curved chair (Cora from Crate & Barrel) looks nice, but a) it only comes in neutral colors and b) it's too short.

  • MarinaGal
    9 years ago

    Go for the orange! It's fun and lively. We are in the process of furnishing our family room and the centerpiece is a huge, modern orange/rust colored sectional. The color is very inviting and completely transformed the room (change out from our old brown sectional). In your space, I would do both the chairs and rug in orange. Can't wait to see the final results!

  • emmarene9
    9 years ago

    I as well vote orange.

  • Annie Deighnaugh
    9 years ago

    I'd start with the art work first and then select the colors. I prefer more color than less, but your mood boards are really throwing me off with all the yellow in the art and then not seeing it anywhere else.

  • kitchendetective
    9 years ago

    I prefer the orange chairs, but I don't care for the red-orange rug with them. Of course, that could all be monitor induced clashing. I agree about the painting/photography issue. You may want to choose that first, or find a way to incorporate at least one of the two predominant colors from the art into your scheme since it is such a statement piece.

  • nosoccermom
    9 years ago

    Hm, I think what you need to decide is whether orange/red is what you really love. If it is, then go for it.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    You have no idea how helpful this has been! (My childhood home was decorated in shades of brown, orange and turquoise and I swore I would never even consider those colors, but here I am, considering them :-) ).

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It's all in one big room, in typical SOMA loft layout terms, isn't it?

    It is (my Millenial test score was pretty darn high too, especially considering that I was born very squarely in the middle of the baby boom years)

    The room was even bigger and L-shaped before we got it - basically one large rectangle was living room/dining room/kitchen, and off the living room was a huge room, a few steps down but not walled off, that they called a media room -- we put up a wall and made that into the master bedroom.

  • Mags438
    9 years ago

    I'm afraid of using color on expensive pieces so I want to say, go neutral with those things so it'll be easy to change up your look in the future. Scheme 1. On the other hand though, I've been looking for a red oriental rug to offset my neutral living room. scheme 2. So I guess I'm really no help.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Funny Mags. I've always been afraid of using color on expensive pieces too - however, I don't really know why, because I don't really change up the look often, and if I do, its the accessories I change, not the big pieces. I want to stop being boring!!

  • Gooster
    9 years ago

    @sjhockeyfan -- I thought so.... that's why I thought orange for the chairs was best, having seen the other room. But ivory may not be the best choice as well. Maybe turquoise and brown (just kidding).... maybe something with orange with the slate blue you have going on. (See link)

    BTW, Besides Britex, Discount Fabrics on 11th and Howard has some good upholstery selections in the warehouse room.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Example rug, no affilliation

  • yayagal
    9 years ago

    I agree to the orange chairs, so yummy. I know you didn't ask but, if it were my place, I'd use a tribal rug and they go so well with the modern industrial look and impart an artsy element to the room ala the one below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: tribal rug

  • malabacat_gw
    9 years ago

    Another vote for orange.

  • Imhappy&Iknowit IOWA zone 4b
    9 years ago

    Orange. If you get so sick of it you can't stand it another day, you will change it no matter the cost. I'm a neutral boring beige person but I recently bought a red oriental rug. I like it. When I don't want it in my L.R. any more, it will move to another room.

    I had never heard of the Millennial Test so I didn't study for it. I'm even older than my real age! Didn't think it was possible!
    Your Millennial score is 1

  • emmarene9
    9 years ago

    I was jealous when Lilylore got a two on that test.. I wanted to be lowest numbered. (3)

    Lovmkitchen you now stand alone. Take a bow.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    You've all absolutely convinced us to go for orange, and (other thread) to pass on bonded leather.

    As an aside, we sold 4 of the current chairs on Craigslist (they went to a good home :-) ), and they were gone when I got home last night. While I still don't like the chairs and will get rid of the rest, I actually love how the table and room look with fewer chairs, so I'm now certain we'll only get 6 new ones, not 8, and we'll fill in when needed (not often) with folding chairs.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yayagal, did you find those rugs by doing a google search, or are they on a particular sellers website?

    We already have this Moroccan tribal rug on the floor - we got it in Morocco many years ago - but it's too narrow for under the table or in the living room.

    This post was edited by sjhockeyfan on Sun, Dec 7, 14 at 13:40

  • Imhappy&Iknowit IOWA zone 4b
    9 years ago

    LOVE that Moroccan tribal rug !

    Now show us orange rugs that you've found!

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Lov, I haven't yet!

  • Imhappy&Iknowit IOWA zone 4b
    9 years ago

    Did you see this thread? A little more orange and not much money. Maybe instead of an orange rug if you're hesitant about it?

    Here is a link that might be useful: orange map wall hanging

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yay, we ordered the orange chairs! Despite the expense (jeez, they are expensive in real leather), we decided 1) we were tired of looking, 2) the chairs are really comfortable and stylish, 3) we all love the color and it adds so much "punch" to the room, 4) the vast majority of you voted for orange!, 5) they'll work in the future with a different table if we downsize again (which we might in about 5 years); and (i'll say it again for emphasis), the vast majority of you voted for orange! The chairs we actually got (not the ones in the picture above) are the color "Russian" with contrasting white stitching in this color palette.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    We also ordered a coffee table like this, but both halves are 30" square, the lower one is dark metal frame and dark wood (darker than the picture), the higher one is dark metal frame with opaque white glass top. Next up - end tables and a dining room rug.

  • sjhockeyfan325
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    I think what reminded me of this thread is that I'm sitting at the dining room table right now on the orange leather chairs we did finally get (back in January or February). They're great - I'm so glad we didn't go with another neutral. The color is perfect and the chairs (we sprung for the real leather as opposed to bonded leather) are very comfortable. There is definitely some kind of finish on them that allows water to bead up and wipe off easily. Since there are only 3 of us dining regularly, we are rotating them monthly so they wear evenly. The room isn't done (we need a centerpiece - any ideas?), but we're enjoying it in the meantime.


  • akl_vdb
    8 years ago

    Love the splash of colour they bring! Love the table too.