Lounge Room Rugs: October 2009 Archives

How do i design my room to feel like a cafe/lodge?

You just can't replicate the ambiance of a French Cafe.  The smell of croissants, cheese, and coffee all blend into quaint furnishings and understated art on the walls.  At the very least, you can try to bring a bit of France into your home with a Cafe Kitchen.

Keep you paint tones neutral/dark.  Don't go for bright colors, any cafe colors are muted and soothing.

Add some plants. Any sort of climbing plant will do, or tiny flowering plants. Cafes always have pretty plants in beautiful vases.

Your table and chairs should be black wrought iron. Generally called Bistro tables, they seat 2 to 4. Add a candle to the center of the table for a cafe look.

Create a home organization center by adding a chalkboard and a bulletin board to your walls. Put up photos of places you'd like to visit or have been to. Add a nightly 'menu' for your family to see when they enter the room.

Your wall art should consist of pictures of food, wine, or scenic cafes. Home stores usually carry wood-backed photos of Parisian cafes or grapes/fruit plates.

Add a beautiful area rug to your floor or little smaller area rugs in key areas. A rug that is striped would look great in front of a door. Add a large rug under your table in a similar pattern or style.

Your kitchen cafe will get extra style points if it is full of the heavenly scents of baking. Have fun!

What interior design style should I choose for my house?

I just bought a new house and I hate all this modern simplistic bright colored furniture stuff. I'm not so thrilled about classic Victorian type decor either. Any suggestions?


dyn-myst-2015_2038.jpgMy suggestion is to mix styles. There is never a reason to stay within one type of style for your home if you like a few of them.

If you aren't into modern, bright colors or clean lines, I'd suggest a contemporary style accented with another style you are fond of. Maybe it's country, french country, retro, or what have you.

With contemporary styles, you can choose neutral toned couches that are overstuffed and comfortable. Maybe a large sectional in a neutral light gray or mocha. If you paint all of your walls dark gray, you will have to lighten up in other areas. A cream/cafe au lait color couch would be beautiful in a room like that.

For a good idea on how to mix colors and styles with a contemporary feel, check out this section of area rugs. Notice how there are circles, squares, and soft swooshes on the rugs.  These are generally found in contemporary styles.  You can mix colors and shapes to achieve the look you are seeking. For example, if you have a neutral room, add a large colorful bowl on your coffee table in a circular shape for contrast.

Add a large area rug for comfort and warmth, but also to add some style to your room. A rug such as this Slate area rug would go perfectly with mocha, grey, and black.

Find accessories that highlight your tastes.  If you like antique lanterns, find a way to work them in by using color and shape to incorporate them.  Frame your favorite photos and set up a collage or a collection on your end tables.  Use your imagination!  Decorating should be fun, not daunting.  Feel free to express yourself and you'll end up with a beautiful result.
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How can I decorate a living room with white walls? I like olive green, dark brown, and orange for color.


Nice color combo!  It would definitely look cozy with the right touches.

Depending on what type of couch color you have (chocolate brown or olive green) add a large area rug under the base of the couch, extending under your coffee table.  For a true homey touch, get a deep pile area rug so that you have something cushy to sink your feet into when getting up and down.  A Flokati rug is so soft, has a long pile and adds a touch of luxury to your room.

With white walls, you really need to refocus the eye and use the white as a back drop.  Add some color with frames and other knick knacks.  One idea is to create a collage of black or deep brown frames, blowing up your favorite photos and putting them up in a set pattern on the wall.  You might want to focus on sunsets or orange flowers, just to get that extra orange color into your room. Prints of Prairie lilies, falling leaves, or the beautiful orange glow of the sun across water would look great.  If you blow the prints up in black and white or sepia, take a felt and lightly color in a random flower or leaf orange.  It's a very beautiful effect.

Fill up the wall space by adding items such as a large clock, wall sconces that can be plugged in, or framed artwork. Once again, focus on deep greens or orange colors, so that your eye is drawn to the color on the wall and not the white.

Be sure to add orange pillows to the couch and curtains to the windows in your room. They will liven up the space with color and create an extra level of coziness. It sounds like it will be a great room, enjoy!

About this Archive

This page is a archive of entries in the Lounge Room Rugs category from October 2009.

Lounge Room Rugs: September 2009 is the previous archive.

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