A friend and I were talking about how to arrange a couple pieces of artwork on her walls when she asked me what rules I follow when making a composition. I realized that I rarely think about why things work together, I generally go by my gut and what I think looks good. I mean, I don’t even use a tape measure when hanging artwork, I do it all by eye.
I was reflecting on this conversation while drinking coffee in my living room this morning. It got me thinking about why I feel certain areas of the room worked better than others. The photo below is of a completed section of my living room. This area is dominated by a mid-century cabinet that I picked up at a antique fair. When I bought it I thought that the refinishing job was sloppy and had planned on having it restored to the original darker finish that can still be seen inside. It’s kind of grown on me though so we’ll see what, if anything happens to it in the next few years.
Corner of the Living Room
Living Room Remodel Update
The plan was to not post any photos of the remodel until everything was perfect but with winter here things are moving slowly and I decided it was time to tell you guys what is going on, perfect or not. The living room is mostly done, the dining & kitchen not so much. With it being below freezing here in Minnesota painting isn’t really an option. Not only are the exterior walls too cold but we cannot leave the windows open for extended periods of time to exhaust the paint fumes. I feel bad because the kind people at Hirshfield’s gave me a gallon of their Platinum Ceramic paint to try out and I haven’t been able to use it yet. As a die-hard Benjamin Moore fan they want to prove to me that theirs is also an excellent paint. They make it locally. Soon, I hope to use it soon.
I also bought a new wide angle lens which makes interior shots so much easier to capture. I hope to get a chance to use it outdoors in the next couple days. My decorating style is a mixture of Scandinavian and Asian with some old world thrown in. Although the coffee table is kinda disco, so maybe the best way to describe my style is if you like it, buy it because you can make the things you love work together.
My furniture is a mishmash of new purchases, Craigslist, antique and thrift store finds, and one fancy writing desk handed down from my grandmother. You can see that in the right side of the photo above. The walls look dark blue in the cold winter daylight. At night they turn more eggplant. The sofa was chosen first for it’s size (it was the only one that would fit through the tiny hallway) and second for it’s clean lines. The chair was purchased at Dayton’s warehouse (remember them?) years ago and has worn like iron and embraces you like an old friend. There are also five pieces of Ikea in the room which I worry is too much. See if you can find them.
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