I've been in my house nearly two years, and waited to get this section done; finally got my furniture, and finally got my big new tv!

But my original plan for this wall (involving a chair rail type molding and a different bottom color paint) just wasn't coming together! So-- plan B; got this nice tapestry map thingy from Urban Outfitters and stuck it up today. Will be tweaking!

Still looking for a paint color accent (deeper tan? green? blue?) but at least it's not a blank face staring at me, yay!

I love it!

I'm a mapoholic. This is not good so close to Christmas!

We love maps too - we have an enormous map of Manhattan in our hallway and a vintage (1940s) schoolhouse map of Eurasia/Northern Africa in our entry. Very fun!

I am interested in Geography and Maps (In my family they were called charts). I love your new piece. I have to say I am slightly bothered that the tv blocks some of it. I am so neurotic that I must see the map intact.

You have not been around much lately Violet. Hope you are ok.

I really like it. I also like to use rugs the same way. Hang them on the wall and make a statement!

Looks great. I really like some of Urban's home decor items.

I love it, Violet! A chair rail and two colors I'd paint would not have been a good background for the height of your furniture and television, what you have is actually much better, imo. Only if you are open to tweaking I would hang the tapestry right up to the ceiling. It looks as though the bottom edge would hang to end nicely at the level of the middle section of your furniture.

Love the color and content, nice job!

I'm really thrilled with it - not bad for a spur of the moment, inexpensive online purchase. The muted color works well, and echoes the orange rug I have in the front part of the room.

Emmarene, thank you for thinking of me, and I've been around. There's about a foot and a half between the tv and the wall, and you can actually see the whole map as you look down the long, open concept space.

Kswl -- I thought about putting it up to the ceiling, and may end up doing that. I'd have to haul out the ladder, though, as that was the highest I could reach with my step stool! I actually kind of the like the way it's centered and framed by the wall. We'll see.

GREAT idea!!! :)

Just love maps too! And a wonderful color -- yes -- the map could be hung even higher -- but it was an inspired choice! :)

I like the current wall with the orange of the map! :)

Very well done indeed!

I would try hanging it at ceiling height. I think the way you have things balanced on the ends and the lightness in terms of visual weight of the map, I think the wall can support it being hung much higher.

Great choice - I love it!

I love it!
Great idea!

I like it! I'd like it better if 1/3 of it wasn't covered by the tv. I think you could paint that wall a deeper color to really make it (the whole wall) stand out.
Did you ever make a decision on what to do about your bathroom upgrade?

I like it- I think I'd like to see it raised a bit too, but am not bothered that the TV covers some of it...its a background graphic.

I like maps too- just finished a 10' map mural for a client, based on a an old coast survey map.

Love it, great colour too ! I love maps (I'm a geography nerd), I have a wall sized world map from ikea in our family room.

I agree with the others, try raising it up a bit. enjoy!

May paint the wall a leaf green or s darker tan color if I can find one. The position is a test run so I'm glad to have your comments

No Monica, not yet- too much to do. The living room wall is the last piece for my main loving area so now I can move on to other projects.

This post was edited by Violet.West on Sun, Dec 7, 14 at 20:24

I love the color of that tapestry map in your space - it really adds a great punch of color but works beautifully with your neutrals. What a fabulous choice. It's bold so this clearly looks like the focal point to me - which makes it tricky to work with. Is this where you want to focal point to be?

Like some have posted, it's annoying that the TV covers too much of the map. I don't mind objects such as TVs or other art work overlap - but this is far too much overlap. It wouldn't be so bad it this was a repetitive geometric or other small design where the hanging art appeared more as background pattern, almost a wall paper effect.

Can you rearrange the area? Move the tapestry off to one side towards the kitchen and move the TV towards the corner so most of the map can be seen? I presume you might need something else on the wall as well to balance the area.

The map is very graphic and attractive, but it's too bad that it's completely upstaged by the flatscreen TV. I would move something.

i was also thinking.. move the tv to the corner.. at an angle ...

and enjoy the map ...

the window reflections are maddening.. but i understand.. that is a camera angle issue ...

personally .. i dont do brown .. the map color.. but if you are happy .. i am happy for you ...

and if the TV works in the corner... the think about a book shelf on the left of the map ... i seems apparent that you are a book collector ... the collection is not served on that low thingee ... lol ..

you can try moving the TV for free ... so give it a go .. i can always be wrong.. and you move it back ...

no clue how that affects the furniture in the rest of the room ...

but you seem proud.. and if you are happy .. feel free to ignore it all ... wont hurt my feelings ...

ken

guys, as always, comments are appreciated.

To me, the focal point is the tv, and I've carefully arranged the furniture and space for that. This is in the main tv/movie lounging space, with a futon, bean bag chair, and cushions opposite; we often watch movies as a family here. In the corner to the right is the computer where I often sit (and am sitting right now) and the map is backdrop. I think it's neutral enough and makes a nice addition to the space. I just was so tired of that huge blank wall!

it would drive me crazy to have the map not centered. and yeah, the books are a problem. working on it.

This post was edited by Violet.West on Sun, Dec 7, 14 at 20:35

Absolutely love the map; it's fun to see a funky space on this forum. As much as I love a traditional room, it's great to see other, more modern spaces featured as well.

Oh, I love it just as it is! When I first saw the pic, I thought it was an inspiration pic from a mag or something.

I like the height the map is hung at, and the fact that the wall boarders the top. This isn't really a map, but a map pattern. As such, I like how it is a kind of wall paper behind the TV and you can't see the whole thing, sort of like cow print on a foot stool, you don't expect to get the whole cow on there. And it isn't Fine Art, so you aren't covering up the Mona Lisa.

It is hard for a large black TV to not be a dominate focal and setting it off to the side or angling it seems kind of fey. The only way I have seen a big TV like this work 'with' the design, is when they painted a wide black stripe behind it, like the width of a fire place -but I just don't think that's necessary. It is what it is and what it is is a big black TV, trying to hide it in the corner makes it even bigger and more out of place.

Staying with muted or dirty colors, my first impression is that the lime and tangerine is close to a split-analagous, which could suggest a purplish blue or periwinkle. Is there a dirty periwinkle? That would be the high contrast color or accent. Perhaps a worn indigo?

You could also look at this as a 'citrus' palette and look for blood orange, or lemon yellow, rather than a blue.

For a more jungle palette, you might have tan walls or beige or, of course, the Panatone color of the year 'Marsala" a kind of milk chocolate brown.

For high drama, you could go with black walls, you all ready have black accents.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bluish Purple 282 Flower and Fruit Pastel Paints

I like your wall color as is. If you do paint that wall I would go with a dark gray. It would look great with the orange map! So, I tried it and it matched your carpet too well and did not look so good. I tried dark brown, not so good with the orange. Then I tried the deepest dark gray green (nearly black) and so far it is my favorite (although I like your current wall color).

huh, that's pretty nice. Not sure it would go with the rest of the room, though.

ugh, probably will never paint. I've been playing with colors for years and nothing seems right. May wait until I can paint the entire room. It's a very long shot living/room/dining/kitchen/den open space, that's north/south facing and doesn't get a lot of light. I've never liked the wall color but can't find anything I like better.

I like your wall color the way it is now anyway!!!

Yes aktillery, that's what I was thinking for black, in a dulled or muted palette. But it may be too much for a north facing room and with black kitchen cupboards nearby.

There is one very important thing to remember before you paint a room. If you don't like it, you can paint it back. No harm in changing your mind.

In a north facing or low light room, you might be happier with a lemony yellow. I hate those pale pastels that every room in the 1960s and 70s were painted like stale old mints. And yellow has a tendency to look pastel, but...

They are making very nice, deeply saturated pastels, like the green and tangerine you have. I would look for a dusty yellow that was near in tone as the yellow and tang., but then a shade or two lighter.

Just to give you an idea of the color I'm thinking of:

Valspar: Maple Cream
Behr: chilled Lemonade
Dutchboy: Crayola Canary
Benjamin Moore: Dalia 319; Good Morning Sunshine 326
Glidden: Buttered Sweet Corn
Sherwin Will. Daffodil -6901
Lora Ashley: 814 Tulip
Revell: Revell 37112
Testors: 1112

You might want to look for these sample cards and go a shade lighter even. Of do the TV wall that shade ^ and the other walls the lighter shade, a subtle feature wall.

I wanted to add a styling note: to the left of the TV, in front of the hanging, I would like to see something, I don't know it that means moving the vase nearer to the TV, or putting a stack of books there. Because, having that portion of the map exposed looks a little confusing, like I don't know if the hanging is a back drop, or if it is a mistake.

Tried to slop some paint on the wall to see what it would look like (Benjamin Moore: Dalila 319) and at the last minute decided to move the vase over a few inches. Of course real paint would have shadows and some variation.

This post was edited by Lilylore on Mon, Dec 8, 14 at 16:30

thoughtful post, lilylore, thank you. But I'd never, ever, ever paint anything yellow!

That vase was just randomly stuck up there to balance things out a little for now -- I'm going to continue tweaking until I like the total look. fun!

I love that wall! I really like that shade of orange. It looks great with your other colors!

Funny. I think it was the designer Bunny Williams who said that she always put at least one yellow thing in every room because it "lifts one's spirits". I don't think your style, or mine for that matter, are anything like Bunny's, but she has a point.

I like all colors, and seem to have a new favorite every other year, so I forget that some folks have colors they would never do. In that regard, you might look for a sandy tan, (a yellowish beige) that is creamier rather than more grey like a taupe. It won't look yellow once it's on the wall. The thing is, if the room doesn't have the light, or has mainly north light, you may want a warmer color, what ever it is.