Happy Thursday, BDH. Mod R here, requesting Horde assistance.
I am moving house.
The new place is lovely, and I am very happy and grateful to have housing, but it has also been touched by the Fairy of Modern Rental Design (much less cooler than the Fish Fairy) and leeched of colour. Stark white walls, bright fluorescent lighting, black fittings, grey floors. Add windows that do not get direct sun and the usual English grey natural light, and you get the picture.
Very much a First World Mod problem, I am the first to admit. But the more I get to know myself and my ADHD, the more I realise how much my environment overstimulates me and makes me evil.
I haven’t decorated a home in more than a decade, and I ended up really hating what I did then, which was to work with the monochrome instead of against it. When I got rid of the bigger, greyer pieces, it was like my whole nervous system breathed a sigh of relief from tension I didn’t even know I was holding.
I do not want to get to that situation again.
Now I’m leaving all of that furniture behind and starting anew, with two limitations:
- I can only work with furniture, textiles, lighting, rugs, art, and renter-friendly tricks. The walls, floors, kitchen fittings, and permanent fixtures must remain as they are.
- More importantly, I have no measurable aesthetic sense. As in, I can appreciate it when I see it, but I have no idea how to get things that harmoniously “go” together.
My style is…pretty much everything they dig up at Pompeii? I’m not sure what to call that particular flavour of Mediterranean, but if I could live on an Ancient Rome set design, I would. Creams, terracotta, olive greens, pops of gold and sea blues.
My mission is to lighten and warm up the place by combining the two realities. “What if a spreadsheet became a home?” meets “You wake up on a sunny afternoon in Apulia. It’s 78 AD, and the olive harvest is plentiful.”
So I come to you, wise Horde.
Where do you look for inspiration and shop for home things? I’m in the UK, but please do not let geography stop you. The comment section has never respected borders before, and I see no reason for it to start now.
Is it Pinterest accounts? Design books by…? Instagram people? Specific blogs? YouTube channels? Secret witch covens that meet inside an ancient turtle and discuss where to buy good curtains?
Please advise, because I am currently losing a staring contest with a grey floor.
First? = )
Pin(trest) of First 😀
Yay!
Good luck with the new place! I spent 20 years moving around and always finding white walls. Bleh. When I bought my house a few years ago, I went with a blue-gray for the library, living room, and dining room (split level house).
When renting, I used art/pictures on the walls, colorful drapes and blankets/sheets to break up the white. Your color palate sounds nice and cohesive! I wish I could help with decorating ideas, but most of my things have come from garage sales, antique stores, thrift stores, and family.
Wayfair has some nice things with pops of color. They’re having a Memorial Day sale as of now, too. ; ) I do appreciate a good sale.
this ^
you gotta add those splashes of colour to make it lively and if plants are friendly to you, definitely some greens as well ^^
+1000 on adding color you love – prints, pillows, knicknacks – and plants (real or high-end fake)! Good luck feathering your new nest!
Mirrors can help with lighting. also a cheap update can be light bulbs! I find white light vs yellow makes a huge difference in how I feel. you can even try out a smart bulb where you can try out all sorts of colors.
I 2nd the smart bulbs! I like that you can also program them to go on or off, or even different color hues at certain times, so that helps. For example, bright white during the day when you may be working, and a warm cozy white in the evening when you want your mind to start relaxing.
Also, smart plugs help alleviate hassle from an inconvenient on switch on fancy lighting fixtures. You can put a smart plug on there and just use your phone or if you have an alexa or google home you can just tell it to turn it on and off instead of actually standing up. I find this most handy when I am ready to turn off the lights after reading in bed. I am already all cozy, and standing up disrupts my sleepy state!
I had a smart bulb next to my bed and it took me five months to realise that was what was interrupting my sleep. No idea how or why but I tracked my interrupted sleep to July 10th 2025 when I installed the bulb. Now it’s gone I am finally getting more than a couple of hours a night. So not in the bedroom. I cross checked my Amazon delivery with my smart watch sleep record and there it was.
I grew up with white walls and they are my favorite, mostly because they are the best for showcasing artwork. There are things that allow you to hang artwork without damaging walls, whether photos or posters or paintings or textiles. If you have things to hang, I’d look into it.
I painted (had someone else do it because I don’t do it well) my walls off-white because yes, artwork. Plus my brain hates living in too much colour even though I love it. Experts suggest saving pictures of things you like and grab colours and shapes from that.
Not sure if this is something you’re looking for, but a web search on “modern take on Rome interiors”, then having a look at the images and I found this site.
Obviously it can be quite fancy but could help you with colours.
https://www.decorilla.com/online-decorating/modern-mediterranean-interior-design/
Best of luck decorating and you can find a lot of great stuff at charity and second hand stores.
Yay so fun!! More guidance on starting to design a room but I highly recommend Caroline Winkler’s videos on YT. https://youtu.be/tonzvI7RnEA
Also I would just type Mediterranean home design in IG search and see what pops up and adventure from there! Best of luck to you 🙂
+ 1
I came to recommend Caroline’s YT
+1 for Caroline!
+1 for Caroline as well. Her early videos were about working with a rental space if I recall.
I want to say there is a YT channel called Apartment Therapy that could be a good reference as well.
Also recommend Caroline. Her early videos were about working with a rental space if I recall.
I want to say there is a YT channel called Apartment Therapy that could be a good reference as well.
+1 YES to watching Caroline Winkler’s YouTube channel. Her renter friendly finds and designs done for her subscribers have been a great resource for me.
https://theancienthome.com/collections/roman-bowl?srsltid=AfmBOoruKs06Rkj32EP6AQ7LCxSiSDv29OOEYsOx8Y8HfyEVTUYeYGMP
Late to the party, I know, renovating 17 homes taught me a lot about this.
I suggest looking for a large piece of wall art that has a lot of the colors you love, and hang it in your living room. Pull colors from the wall art for things like rugs, throw pillows, afghans, vases, lamps, potholders, hand towels, kitchen decor, etc. If you are buying upholstered furniture, pull the upholstery colors from the wall art as well. The wall art will tie your color scheme together and make it feel unified.
If you go this route, you can pretty much ignore the black, white, and gray (especially if you can cover up the gray floors with lots of rugs!).
+1 totally agree
Large area rugs are your friend for that gray floor. I have actually found ones at Aldi. Keep an eye out for discount stores! Aldi, Lidl, etc.
Second 😀
Color is important, but so is variable height! I love (fake or real) potted plants for this. A neutral sofa with a colorful footstool or poof? Corner freestanding shelves so you don’t get in a rut of “mash all the furniture against a wall”?
Most important of all, lamps and lighting that suit your taste. Mix large floor lamps with table lamps, and get yourself lots of smart plugs to manage them. Don’t be afraid to add lamps to the kitchen or switch out bulbs if the lighting is harsh.
Good luck making your new place feel like home!
Congrats! Can you hang tapestries? I like a good tapestry as an alternative to wallpaper. And then you could do a simpler rug which could be a dark color to hide any stains or just daily wear and tear?
Type in the style you like and go on Amazon. They have everything! If Amazon ain’t got it I don’t need it 😆😆it’s amazing what you can find with just a broad search term.
And if you see it on Amazon, consider looking for it or something similar locally. It is better for the environment and your local community.
+100
Pick a warm color you love as the balance to the grey, something that reminds you of ancient marble. Don’t worry about matching because both are neutral. Layer anything you can in those ancient tones especially if they have different textures. Have fun with covering sofas and chairs with throws and cushions in those colors and designs. Start small and be patient with choices. When you’re ready, choose a beautiful vibrant third color for accent touches. Good luck. Be patient with process. There is no wrong style to individual happiness.
Ok – I’ve now read the post, and congrats on your new home!!!
Being decoratively challenged, I’m also interested in the Horde’s replies. As someone who once painted an entire kitchen lime green, I now start with the Benjamin Moore palettes -you can search their site for “Terra Cotta palette” for color inspo.
Oooooooo
Congratulations!! I don’t know if you have pets or other small creatures (kids), but if you do, you may want to look into washable rugs. There are lots of designs, certainly in the palette you are looking for. They are not as plush, but the peace of mind I have knowing my rug can be washed is wonderful. Ruggable is the company I use.
It honestly sounds like you know what you are looking for… trust yourself, and if you love something, get it! As you have more things, them you will want to be able to return, in case it doesn’t for with what you have. You are at the beginning, still pick something that really speaks to you and to from there!
Returning items is something I used to feel guilty about. What do you mean you bought 4 choices to see how things look and sent 3 back?! You can DO that?! You can, and it’s expected. No defect or lying needed. Game changer mentally for me to try something in the space since I too am a “know it when I see it” person.
Yep – it was cool until it wasn’t.
Lime green kitchen. Was this in the ‘70s? I’ve seen the appliances back then…
As long as u didn’t pair the lime green with plum, it isn’t so bad. Ask me how I found out my late mother-in-law was colorblind…
Seconding Michelle’s reply…if you have a cat, LL Bean Waterhog mats are the way to go. Surprisingly the mat acts as a nice indestructible scratch pad
And those rugs last forever, cats or no. The ones I bought in the late 90’s are still holding strong. You do need to be vigilant about vacuuming the cat hair out regularly, because water is not the only thing they hold tight.
+1
I found the easiest way to sweep a carpet was with a broom with about 2-inch rubber bristles. The best part? Little or no static electricity.
I learned to use Pinterest to search for a mood or type of room setting (i.e. 19th century men’s library) and see what comes up. I’ve also requested “peacock colors” and see where that gets me. Lately I’ve been looking at removeable peel and stick wallpaper, now that I have a color scheme for my living room. Options for websites include sites for decorating school dorm rooms, Wayfair, and Amazon.
Have a blast!
By all means search for color inspiration on paint company websites, but beware! You may not notice it in the fine print, but the color you see onscreen can be somewhat different from the actual paint color. We once selected what we thought was a lovely terracotta shade from a website, and the actual paint came out bright pumpkin orange! The shop did help us adjust the color till we were happy with it, but we had to endure the lecture on how all screens handle color somewhat differently.
At least it was lime green. I’ve seen avocado green kitchens. That was an experience you can’t unsee.
My grandmother (aesthetic sense is clearly genetic) had an avocado kitchen. She said it matched the Pepto Bismol pink bathroom.
Reader, it did not.
Oh my gosh! 🤦♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Worse yet, back in the last century, aka 1970s AD, my sister-in-law had a Peptol Bismol kitchen and an avovado bathroom! I like the idea of washable rugs. There are some excellant laser printed oriental style ones on Amazon, many with bright, sunny and possible Pompeian colors. Good luck, Mod R, the Horde is with you!
My mother decorated our family bathroom in Pepto pink and black. Accent pieces were pink, black, and gold plaster fishes blowing pink bubbles hanging on the walls. I loathe Mid-century Modern.
When I was a kid in the 1960’s, my parents bought a house and redecorated. The living room had a gold rug, one wall avocado green, one wall burnt orange, and two walls in a geometric wallpaper combining gold, avocado green, and burnt orange! It was the ‘IN’ style at the time!!! 😳
Yikes!!!!! Don’t do THAT Mod R!!!!!
I do have one suggestion though: if you’re looking for ‘ancient’-looking wall art I’ve seen nice reproductions (usually small pieces cast in cement but made to look like stone carvings) in various museum gift shops.
They also have very nice posters, throws, fabrics, photos, framed art, etc. You could probably find reasonably priced items depending on the museum, and it would help support them.
Good luck…I’m sure it will be fabulous! 😁
Totally agree with searching out treasures from museum shops. Also, use lots of textiles. If you are restricted from painting the walls you could consider softening the white by hanging fabric or textiles on the walls- my niece recently hung a silk scarf she loves on the wall and it looks fabulous
Hahaha! In the 70’s our kitchen was renovated. My mom picked a wallboard that had avocado, orange and yellow flowers on it! We also had a muted golden dishwasher. Glad that color scheme has gone by the wayside!
Good luck with the decorating. I personally would ask a friend, whose style you like for help.
Ha! My sister worked for a county police intake facility for juvenile delinquents. They painted their intake rooms pepto pink because psychologically it was know to calm people down. She said it definitely worked to calm the kids way down. Weird.
I would suggest you get some artificial plants if the light isn’t good. Ikea always seems to have good ones, and not very expensive either.
The avocado green was one choice, the other was harvest gold; when apartment hunting during that time those were the only choices you had along with whatever had been the owners choice of shag carpeting. Trust me, you don’t want to see those shag carpet colors in bright sunlight.
Especially ORANGE shag!
My Dad bought a house with lime green shag carpet. He kept it because he was too lazy to change it.
It was something you never want to see.
Before my parents got divorced the house they bought in the early 80’s had a family room with brown shag carpet with orange netting hanging from the ceiling with large glass balls in it and large paper balls around the light fittings that came back into style in Ikea a couple of years ago.
The kitchen was the outside of an avocado green.
I don’t like grey or bleh beige myself but in someways it was better than any of the above.
My parents had netting w the large glass balls when we were young. Also shag carpet, which was a not-lovely brown, although perhaps that was better than the alternatives. Does anyone know what those glass ball were supposed to b? I’d forgotten all about that!
I think they’re meant to be floats for fishing nets, hence the netting.
I think they might be inspired by Barberella, the mid-century space-age symmetric vibe-focusing objects? Or, they’re sea ball things 😅
I once looked at a house for sale. Peeked in the living room window while waiting on the door to be opened. Orange shag carpet on the floor… AND WALLS!!! Decided right then that I had seen enough.
I remember avocado and harvest gold kitchens. I once looked at an apartment from the same time period that had turquoise kitchen appliances – the thought of that at 6 AM was terrifying! Not to mention that my supervisor’s boss lived next door – NO!
our first apartment had harvest gold appliances and green shag carpet!
Hah, growing up my Dad’s house had the classic forest green or harvest gold carpets, with the two alternating on the basement steps (not to mention the mustard yellow appliances with matching corded phone & the large sunflower print wallpaper in the kitchen… things not to miss about the 70s!)
Segue; I had a friend who outfitted every surface of his station wagon (later named the “shag’n’wagon”) with purple shag carpet & enormous fluffy dice 😱🤢.
I don’t think the ‘wagon ever worked as intended lol
The purple shag reminds me of Andrea’s revenge on Raphael in Gunmetal Magic.
When the plates and even the toilet paper holder get purple shag…watch out world Andrea is on the loose! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh God yes — the 70s was an ongoing visual disaster. Our kitchen was harvest gold when I was a kid, and my wallpaper had orange flowers the size of a dinner plate on one wall, and bright yellow paint everywhere else.
I’d go to Pinterest for design ideas. I know it’s no longer cool, but when I want to describe a setting, it’s where I go. There is a LOT of stuff on there since it’s an older site.
I moved into a kitchen with mud brown wallpaper and the owner had sort of crinkled it by hand for texture. It just looked wrinkled. So gross.
I married during the burnt orange & avocado green years. Received crockpots in each color. First rental married home had an all avocado kitchen. Shudder.
My folks did an ‘accent’ wall next to kitchen that was a wall paper of fuzzy burnt orange fleur d li’s (sp?) against a smooth champagne gold background. The kitchen appliances were harvest gold.
I’m laughing at all the comments about the color disaster that was the late 1960s and into the 1970s. I remember the shag carpet in all the shades of the technicolor rainbow. Oh. My. Gosh.
Anyone who wants to go “retro” in their kitchen, don’t do what people did back in the day. You don’t want to be remembered for the color weird choices.
No wonder Andrea got all that purple shag so cheap to “decorate” Raphael’s house. I wouldn’t want to be caught with all that shag carpet. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hanging textiles is a great way of adding large blocks of color to a white wall (without paint.)
Look for a fabric that conveys the mood you’re aiming for, and buy as much of it as you can. It can be used as a tapestry and / or backdrop.
+1
Totally agree. Rugs, small blankets, even a pretty tablecloth can add bright color to a wall, and you can change them out seasonally. Easier to store than framed pictures, and easier emotionally to get rid of it if it doesn’t work.
Mod R, the best place to start looking is your closet to find your style. Do you like scarves? Sweaters? Jeans? You might like colors but what do you really default to will be in your closet. Find an inspirational piece, i.e. a scarf, a picture, a book cover that draws you in and feeds your soul. Use this piece to coordinate your choices. You’ll feel better.
Book cover, you say 🤔
Drezmurs EVERYWHERE!
Totally agree on the inspirational piece approach, but I would use a different type of inspiring piece – like maybe a tablecloth or a big print? If you get it in colours you like, you can get a room that looks quite coordinated by matching to it.
E.g. painting of olive trees under a blue sky, sky blue curtains, olive-ish coloured something else (side table, coasters or etc)
E.g 2 lemon and leaves print table cloth, yellow kettle on the side, photos in green frames on the wall
Thank you, this really makes sense to my brain, which has no visual sense at all.
Agree, and then just pick things that kinda go together in the color scheme. pick the biggest item for your living room first. Start with couch. And maybe it’s got an olive tint to it. So some kind of pattern of olive and gold cushions would work on that couch. And then find window drapes that have a similar color in them. But like maybe your drapes also have a green stripe too, so you can match that green and find a blanket in that color. And then look for the rag that has all of those colors woven into it and some grey.
Pick furniture that you like but has clean lines (those tend to be timeless). And try to enjoy the hunt. It’s a process. It’ll take time. And it’s ok to have it only half way there for a while. You need to truly love the things in your place. So don’t settle for iffy things if you don’t love them.
My wife likes to drag me to open houses, especially for new build communities to see what the interior designers are doing currently.
Dawn just suggested the lazy version of this below, which was to snoop on AirBnB photos – both winners.
1. Not sure if you have a green thumb but plants can help tone down the sterility of your space
2. ADHD vs. clutter on flat surfaces. Minimal pieces (no more than 5 or so) that please ME in colors I love have been the balance that I need.
3. Some of the removable graphic “wraps” may help. Maybe do the island and leave the kitchen cabinets?
4. I like textile wall pieces and macrame plant hangers. The function is good while adding both color, shape, and texture to my space. Some round framed cross stitch or embordered work can change a space. Works well with a small wall space.
5. If your space is very square and geometric lean into curves in your choice of furniture. It can give a space the “soft” balance your space may currently lack.
6. I love pottery pieces as art, especially Native American pieces, but I bet their are plenty of Roman reproduction pieces that could work in your space. That could blend your color palate with your art.
7. A lovely retro shaped new tea pot in an ocean blue…
All great points, taking notes 📝
I used Excel and put together pictures of what I liked and saw it worked together first. The pics could be from any store.
ModR, I sympathize. I am very much a minimalist when it comes to furnishings, and conservative by nature, but grey, white and black would make me seriously depressed.
I’m sure others will have suggestions for social media, but you can get some inspiration by looking at VRBO/AirBnB photos, or photos from house/apartment real estate postings (if I remember that’s estate agents in Britspeak).
Good luck!
That’s genius!
Some of the best design ideas I’ve been given:
1. If most items in the space are square add another shape. If things are round add squares. Etc.
If mostly square; It could be a round or triangular rug, a crystal piece, artwork. Play with how much you add.
2. A color wheel is your friend. I always go to the exact opposite of the color on my wall to select a significant piece. I never stay in the same color palate. I will not use gray or beige. A personal choice as neither color makes me happy.
3. Say you like a light orange creamy color, but not quite. Ask the paint guy to squirt a little more orange to make a beautiful beachy salmon. Or whatever color floats your boat. Paint guys here will do that with smaller cans of paint and let you see what it looks like at home.
4. Lighter fabric drapes. If your sunlight is limited, do not hang the lacy curtains for privacy. They just block light.
5. Faux paint or hang some cheaply priced wood trim on the edge of the wall to ceiling. It will make your room look larger.
6. Organize. And organize again. Although that was your favorite tshirt until the great spaghetti accident of 5 years ago, recycle and replace.
I watch a lot of HGTV here. Love love love the Property Brothers when they rehab a home. Drew and Johnathan Scott. They have a lot of really good ideas.
Large plants, lamps for mood lighting, large art glass, super colorful rug and large wall art placed at eye level. A variety of soft textures furnishing and curtains if allowed.
First, change all the lighting to warm LEDs. When building that aesthetic with the grey stone color and black, they lways go with the cold, white bright LED. That will help ALOT. For the cabinets? I would look into window films if possible – or something similar that doesn’t use glue. You may have to periodically reapply but it will break up the black. They also have decals for tile (like for showers and bath) that will stick to backsplash and similar surfaces – again, opt for the static ones not the glue ones. If you really want to go wild, buy a projector for one of the walls, and use it to pick your scene- white / grey walls be waiting for that. As for colors? Pick a three color theme and just roll with it. I just went on a safari so all my stuff has been army green, khaki and cream…. And I’ve been working that for non safari clothes because it’s so versatile. So if it’s cream,Terra cotta, and pale yellow (or olive), just base everything of those dominant colors and go to town. Good luck.
I have a projector already! Win.
3 colours – got it. That seems like it will stop the haphazard “well I like this item, and that item, but why are they so messy together” magpieying.
For the cabinets, look for “wall peel” – it’s basically contact paper post it notes. There is a whole world of possibilities. I know you said you didn’t want to change the cabinets, but I bet you could find a whole Tuscany scene for your kitchen.
Don’t fight the magpie! I honestly read your post and felt a sense of kinship. I also don’t know how to pull a room together or how to harmonize colors, furniture, stuff to create a vibe. BUT after living in my house for 8-9 years, I’ve started getting compliments of like “oh I love this room,” “your house is so cute” and it’s just full of stuff I have magpie-d over the years.
Sure it might not look like a designer ad, but it sure looks like me and I love everything in my house (well mostly, some are still “we got this for free and I don’t want to spend $$ on a new one).” So it does come together when you magpie! Plus I’d rather be surrounded by stuff I like than stuff that’s okay, but doesn’t make me happy. Just a thought! (Although not very helpful aesthetic design advice hahaha.)
My inner magpie creates visual chaos that becomes overwhelming 😀
The magpie must be tamed!
Our family has constant issues with magpie vs clutter! The eternal battle of “put that away” vs “but I’m still using it and I’ll forget to finish if I put it away”…
I loved my grandparents’ storage solution of making big walk-in bookshelf/closets with wall-mounted interior bookshelves behind the clothes-rail across one end of each bedroom, simply by adding floor-to-ceiling sliding doors (which in my future-house vision would also use the doors as an art-display space). This might be too much modification for a rental as you’d have to attach the floor/ceiling tracks somehow, but you could potentially do something similar with standing screens? Then “necessary” clutter (like in-progress projects, or open shelving) could be left in place without being a distraction at other times. Might be cheaper to make your own, depending – last time I tried to buy one it was a ridiculous amount of money for what was essentially a sheet of painted ply with feet…
I was going to suggest a projector as well, that way you can test out colours that you like before spending any money. I gather some TVs also come with an art-display setting, for all your faux-window to Italy needs 😀
I thought it was ‘inner goblin’, but I like the magpie analogy ! 😊
https://www.amazon.com.au/Goblin-Mode-Embrace-Imperfection-Thrive-ebook
I get you – magpie is too easy to do!
What works for me is what somebody told me long ago: go into your room, start with your 2 or 3 dominant colors, and do things from largest to smallest. As you get smaller, you can get louder and more divergent from your color/ pattern/whatever.
So first in your case you’ve got floor and walls already grey, and that’s actually good because a neutral is useful for the biggest stuff.
Then nmpick out the next biggest things – your couch, rug, curtains, maybe? – and make it a contrast, so maybe cream for the couch and olive green for the others (or vice versa!). These are your highlights on your canvas of grey. (Have the rug and curtains match, kind of, and the couch contrast because the couch lies visually in the middle of the other two.) You could honestly go ahead and buy these and put them in the space and see what they look like.
Then work down again: small tables, large art, big lamp, etc. They can get brighter, and they can also pull in colors from the others – zoom in on each one of these and see it as part of a smaller setup: your couch is cream, so the pillows are thehighlights on a canvas of cream – maybe they’re the blue and gold now? With an olive blanket thrown in to pull in that color? Similarly, the rug is olive, so maybe do a table in a grayish brown, then its own black and gold lamp on top?
Then you can drop down one more level if you want: stand there and look at the room. You said your can’t design, but you know when it’s right. Excuse me, that means you can design, it’s just slower! Put a black book on the table and step back. Look ok? No? Oh, try blue. Huh, maybe lighter? Throw a washcloth on and see if it fits in size and shape. No something missing – ok, try both gold AND blue because you’re feeling maximalist today. Or that doesn’t fit at all, ok, so maybe just try something crazy like a bright red cup and see what you think. If it works, then go find something small and bright red to live there! Or don’t. It doesn’t matter. If it works, keep it – if it doesn’t, either complain a lot or move on! If you start big to small, then you’ve established the expensive and hard to change stuff first, it’ll look ok from the beginning, and you can dial in the details as you figure them out. Half the fun of living in a space is that you can change it over time.
Enjoy!!!
Thank you so much!
PS – Really hope you’ll share what you decide on! So cool to think about.
+1
+1000 on the led light levels. We rent and they “modernized” our apt with new led lights that are institutionized bright and also show every speck of dirt. Thankfully also all of them came with the ability to change the warmest and brightness setting. The kitchen is still too bright so we are going to try a decal sticker over the light.
Also the Grey isnt to bad if you take the advice lots of people are leaving because you aren’t trying to match a wood color or as some pointed out with orange or lime. Think of it as a background to add to.
Totally agree on the LED lights. Apparently they’re now available in florescent-size, but you probably need to check with the management if they require new hardware or are compatible with what you have. It will also save you money on your electric bill (if you’re responsible for that).
Best wishes on your move!
My aesthetic sense is zero but I totally agree on the LED lights. The bathroom light bar over my sink had to be replaced and building maintenance put in a new one. My first reaction on walking in was that my retinas were bleeding. Fortunately I piped up and said I didn’t think could deal with it long term and was told, oh the tone can be changed but figured the brightest setting was best for a bathroom. A few minutes tweaking switches I didn’t even realized existed and the light was much, much warmer but still bright enough. So if the fixture lights are terrible, never hurts to at least ask if they can be adjusted.
Mediterranean inspired curtains, rugs and pillows would already help a lot.
Ikea has lots of good and cheap stuff. Get something like this + pots in your color.
https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/fejka-artificial-potted-plant-in-outdoor-bamboo-40610607/
I second Ikea (website or irl) for ideas.
We rent but I absolutely cannot live without fairy lights round my rooms, or in my bedroom around the top of the 4-poster (from Ikea) a b*gg*r to build but we love it! An brutal but take it off regularly cos too long on the wall it goes hard and pull the paint/paper off (ask me how I know😆)
Check your rental agreement with how much you can do too….. ours is pretty strict so adding ‘rental solutions’ to searches out there show stuff that is not permanent/easily removable.
Enjoy your new gaff
Find art and decor that say, “sunny afternoon in Apulia, 78 AD, plentiful olive harvest” to you and go for it! Pick the things you love and make you happy. It is YOUR space. And remember that Ripper Cushions go with ALL decor styles…!
As long as you don’t mind fringe, get a woven blanket with a mediterranean landscape. For the size they are much less expensive than a print or tapestry and they are lightweight enough you can use the command hooks that stick to the walls and hang it with a super lightweight rod like you would a shower curtain.
Just search Mediterranean woven throw blanket.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4478373452/mediterranean-village-woven-blanket?ls=s&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=Mediterranean+throw+blanket&ref=sr_gallery-1-5&organic_search_click=1&pro=1&frs=1&content_source=eda5d6be-f806-4a88-8319-3090a94e154e%253ALTdaacdd7894e6edec9cff583ed2281556654fac09&logging_key=eda5d6be-f806-4a88-8319-3090a94e154e%3ALTdaacdd7894e6edec9cff583ed2281556654fac09
Oh that’s so pretty!
I have a throw with a lovely design on my wall as art and I smile every time I see it. Feels peaceful to me so I didn’t want it all crumpled up so you can’t see the rather intricate design. Some designer would probably cringe but I don’t care! While some throws are light, others require hollow wall anchors (which the magic of the internet assures me is the British phrase for toggle bolts).
Good luck!
What a great site, Emily. Thank you.
I’m like you, ModR. But I’ve discovered the brilliance of washable rugs (in my kitchen) and Indian light cotton fabrics, French tablecloths, and pillows! Good luck!
Estate sales
Don’t think we have those in the UK…correct me, British Horde!
I think they’re called a house clearance in the UK, or something like that?
We do, but unless you are lucky enough to find one selling your colours you might do better at a Car Boot Sale. These are not always literally out of the boots of cars, but the idea is that someone with a large space lets people sell their preloved things for a nominal fee, land owner rakes in the seller fees, sellers theoretically rake in sales and punters get bargains. It is worth getting there early to have the best choice.
Also, you can find things on Vinted.
So I am going to be weird but I love the grey floors and white cabinets. But I have quilts of many colors all over my house, colorful serving spoons and cookware, an entertainment center that is bright blue with a colorful tile top, artwork all over the place. And that is mixed with the antique furniture.
And the boring walls, floors, etc mean the eclectic taste in other things is not overwhelming.
Hi ModR! I am the same way with monochrome as it tanks my mental health. I bet there is a version of a Facebook Market place over there where you can find stuff that brightens up the new place. Are there any seasonal markets or craft fairs near you?
Hello, Pinterest is a good place to start getting ideas, also maybe you can go to your closest The Range and just have a nice walk around there. Good luck 🙂
My husband and I are both engineers and do not have the gift of this type of design. We eventually gave up and hired an interior designer for a couple grand to tell us what color to paint the walls and pick out some furniture etc that works. It looks so much more cohesive and nice than anything I could have put together. Good luck!
I love a bit of Interior Design Master, this one had Mediterranean vibes https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002ct27/interior-design-masters-with-alan-carr-series-6-episode-8?seriesId=m0007mmw-structural-5-m0029tns
Paint if you can! Warm tones like dusty sage, warm white, ochre, terracotta. Low-slung sofas in camel, rust, terracotta or warm neutrals. A rattan or wicker chair. Throw pillows and blankets with pops of terracotta, cobalt, warm gold, cream. Color layering is your friend! Natural linen curtains. Jute rugs, chunky cotton throws, oversized art. Books! I’d also suggest removable contact paper to cover really dark cabinets if they bother you (maybe just the top row?).. Some places let you temporarily replace light fixtures, so you could put up some brass, wrought iron lights, or wicker fixtures.
On YouTube I would suggest Alexandra Gater for apartment transformations. For more help with color, Farrow and Ball have a Mediterranean-inspired palette. There’s also apartmenttherapy.com.
There are so many more options for renters out there than there were a few years ago, and a wide range of price points for everyone. Good luck with it!
Yes!! Alexandra Gater has fun transformations that are generally quite rental friendly. http://www.youtube.com/alexandragater
Look through the video archives and you should be able to find something that aligns with your aesthetic.
Pinterest for ideas (I’m like you can’t handle the modern grey.)
Etsy, Amazon for buying.
My husband and I also love the Pompeii style we will eventually build a house inspired by it with the mosaic and all.
I don’t have advice for where to shop, but a trick my sister taught me (artistic soul that she was) is how to make the room not only harmonious to itself, but in a palette you love. You cruise around everywhere with your eyes open for a main piece, a focal piece, just one. It can be a picture, a throw blanket, whatever. The rule is you must love it and the colors it has. Then, you use any and all of the colors in that piece, even going so far as to take it with you when you shop (which I had to do because I haven’t got a good eye for color matching when not side-by-side). If you buy pillows for the couch, if you buy a rug (which could be the focal/main piece btw), use any of the colors in the main focal piece. Planters in one of the colors or rugs or pillows or whatever, even little figurines or a mug set. By using any or all of the colors in the main piece, you have a variety and an overall color palette, but they all work together like you know what you’re doing. Lots of color possibilities, and they all work well and harmoniously. With your gray/neutral background, to change it up entirely, simply change the couch cover, pillows, throw blankets, etc to one of the other colors in your main focal piece, and you’ve changed the feel of the room and left the harmony in place.
Yes to starting with one piece you love — a rug, a couch, a comfy chair — and building the space around that item.
I use paint sample cards to match the colors; I get the one to match the “big piece” and then pick one or two others that complement it. I then carry the color chips in a sandwich bag in my purse so I can match to the colors as I’m out and about shopping.
Image searches on the internet are super helpful to see what you like and, more importantly, what you don’t!
Some rental agreements let you paint the walls as long as you paint them back to the original color before you leave. If you plan to stay for awhile, it might be worth considering adding some color that way.
Congratulations on your new home! And also, I feel for you – it’s always a lot of work to move, regardless of how much help you have.
What I’d suggest for some quick and quirky color, is to take some photos of the neighborhood, get them printed onto canvases, and hang them on your walls. I move a lot and this always helps me feel more at home in a new place.
The easiest things to change are pillows, bedding and throws. If your stores work like the US, there are new colors and combos you see everywhere and it makes life easier if you work with one of those than end up on a quest. I’d look at any stuff you have and would like to display and find accent colors that tie in.
Good morning, Mod R! It’s rare I get to see all my special interests collide, but you have achieved this. Alexandra Gater would be the person I’d recommend to start with: she has a series on her Youtube Channel called Studio Fix that shows how to decorate small spaces in renter and DIY friendly ways but still keep them cozy and custom. She also does virtual makeover consultations if you want to go that route, and has a published book on finding your own design style available on Amazon and probably via local retails as well since she’s Canadian. 🙂 I’ll put all her links below, but I love watching her content and have found it very helpful for myself and friends/family in a similar situation to yours! Best of luck.
Her website: alexandragater.com
Studio Fix playlist: https://www.youtube.com/show/VLPLP9Bv0pAWm5kqE1SJupUiirZfp051nGN9?sbp=KgtUOGlWS2lXWDVfQUAB
Her book: https://a.co/d/01MtO6di
Two words: Italian vintage
This webstore happens to be based in my home country (they ship worldwide). I’m sure the UK also has similar shops or sellers.
https://barlume.fi/?srsltid=AfmBOoooMbVOdKcB4ye_XUGmii-zPle0vBVS9ceJYZvclBQC8ofG0NbE
Start with a throw or picture you love. Look at the colours in that and choose other pieces that use those shades. Go slow only adding what really appeals.
I recently bought a new home and gave away or trashed all my old stuff because, old. My new house is only 5 years old and previous owner left all walls white. So first I took a spare blank of vinyl flooring to a paint center and held it up to various paint swatches. Picked out a handful of colors that I liked and bought small sample jars of each color in the finish I wanted. They now have small temporary sheets of paper(?) that you can paint the sample colors on, remove the backing, and then hang on the walls and move around so you can see how the colors look at different times of day. Once I selected the colors on various walls, I took the original paint swatches with me when I went furniture shopping. I have bought some stuff online, but first set of furniture and accessories were based on those colors. I still haven’t finished every room because I’m taking my time, but this new place is looking much better than my old place.
Have fun decorating. Take your time.
And if you’re artsy-craftsy, watch Nerdforge on Facebook, and she’s probably on YouTube. I can’t do anything like what she does, but she’s still cool to watch to help with thinking outside the box.
I tend to do thrift shopping, and find artwork and textiles that speaks to me. When you’re moving into an apartment with a monochrome style palette,, it’s easy to add colors without worrying about them clashing. You can do each room in a different color or style depending on what you use the rooms for. Bedrooms of course I’d like to keep soothing with blues and grays because that’s what I find less stimulating. Kitchens I like to do reds, dining rooms I like oranges, and then living room rooms I use whatever speaks to me at the time. One thing about the living room or lounge, I usually have a sofa that I can just buy different colors of covers for, or different pillowcases for throw pillows, or I purchase different throw blankets of various warmth and colors or prints.I do have a few pieces that I set up wherever I go, like family portraits or thebig poster that’s framed that my husband bought when we got married of Bugs Bunny and Taz Easy Rider style, 😂
Homeplace (uk version of home goods) may have something you like. It is quirky and the stock changes often so if you don’t like anything, wait a couple weeks and try again. Habitat has some lovely bedding sometimes. And yes, Amazon.
For process: buy a couch you love. Make sure it is comfortable. If you don’t find one you love, buy one that is ok but that you can decorate with lovely throws and pillows. Build around that and don’t be too quick to buy. Mediterranean needs plants and plants are known to be calming and happy.
Here is the thing all designers say: Matchy-matchy is boring. You need pieces you individually love for the majority and then you can have blander ones for the rest. Paint is a girl’s best friend. Paint bargain store furniture and if you don’t like it you can paint it again.
Rugs: Are hard to tell online. Find a place that does free returns and comes back to pick up the rug. Resign yourself into going through a couple before keeping one. Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised by the first one and maybe not. For rugs you want pattern (covers up inevitable stains). Don’t worry about matching the pattern to anything else. Match the feel. Not sure where you get rugs in the UK but in the US you can buy them from the big hardware stores online.
Also, be aware that some carpet stores will take normal carpet and bind the edges to your preferred dimensions. It is one way to cover an entire floor (more or less) that stays within rental agreements.
Use command strips to hand up pictures in mats (but not necessarily frames as they are heavy).
Pick a color for the kitchen and buy some canisters and trivets that work with it.
Second to avoid matchy-matchy. Colors can be *close* to each other, but they’re more interesting if they’re slightly different. So try different shades of olive green, for example. Or put a rust colored throw with a textile that has a rusty red… they “speak” to each other but aren’t an exact match.
I so understand your issue. I can’t plan colours to save my life. So I cheat. Benjamin Moore does a great job of matching colour palettes. Also Sarah Renae Clark has beautiful palettes made for colouring but they would work for house decor too. Try googling her name and the colour grey to see what fun combos come up. Then buy blankets placemats cushions in the accent colours. I would pick dark furniture that matches your cupboards to serve as neutral background. Lastly I have a friend who has an amazing eye for interior design so I always vet through her before I grab bold colours. Have fun and try to enjoy
mod r I have a “rag” rug (6×9) made with Indian sari’s and it is is lovely bright.
I got it from Etsy years ago but you could search online for what’s available there of course. then you buy it in your preferred “tones” so you can get your pillows with blues, greens and plants with terracotta etc.
Mod R,
You already have a lot of advice to sort. But, I’m going to go ahead and challantly add to the rabbit hole we find us in today 🙂
1. I sympathize. That would depress me, also. I recently moved and while they didn’t paint everything renter white they did paint everything vanilla. Warmer but bleak. I’m working on it slowly- but I find as I get older I’m less patient with waiting to have a comfortable home. I want it now! (Veruca Salt)
2. You already have great advice. 3 main colors. Choose what you like. Change lightbulbs (so true!) So my question is – what are you bringing from your old home? Are you moving your magpie collection and hoping to tone down the ADHD desire to have it all on display? You don’t mention how many bookshelves or if you need new. Something to consider.Surely you are not starting entirely from scratch.
3. Move.
Put your stuff away.
Change the lightbulbs and hang curtains.
Add the 3 colors to your space and decide if you like them. (I have chosen the wrong shade!)
Enjoy
I actually am starting everything from scratch 😅 Is that bad?
I am bringing no furniture, art, or other decor with me. Unless you consider ironing boards and air fryers as utilitarian art pieces.
No bookcases?!?!? *gasp*
None that I am taking with me 🙂
Wow, that’s a true fresh start! My advice is be slow to buy. Start with necessities and bigger items. Look for things you love, but if you can’t find it, buy cheap (used?) and functional with the goal of replacing with something you love later. For better light try mirrors and reflective surfaces, but watch out for too fragmented light, which I find anti-calming. Good luck!
Fabric and decorated shower curtains can cover the blah walls. Yes, I said decorated shower curtains. They aren’t expensive and they come in great designs. Famous paintings, beautiful landscapes, etc. You can make an accent wall with one or two of them, maybe with a tapestry blanket somewhere else.
Check if you are allowed to paint. Some apartments will let you paint if you repaint before leaving. Even one wall can bring life to a room. If not, hanging fabric can give you your Pompeian atmosphere.
If you like it, you can haunt thrift stores for ceramics. Especially Majolica, that is very colorful. A large bowl on your dining table can add color to the room.
Alternately, add color by getting a large floor vase and filling it with silk flowers. If you can find a wholesaler to buy them from, silk flowers aren’t expensive. You’ll have to design your own flower arrangement, but I think you have that creativity.
Good luck with your decoration. Starting over is hard.
Shower curtains also r a quick and inexpensive choice for window curtains, at least to start.
I hear hanging plates on walls again is now chic instead of Grannycore. How about some Mediterranean patterned plates massed on one wall for a big punch of pattern and color? The majolica would 100% work and you could slowly collect pieces in your preferred palette—or thrift some single regular plates in different patterns. It’s always nice to have something inexpensive but specific you’re after when antiquing or thrifting. Keeps you from coming home with something that “seemed like a good idea at the time” but won’t fit anywhere!
OMG! That is my worst nightmare! What happened to all your books and swag?
I’ve had nightmares about house fires and losing all my “stuff.” I know it’s just stuff but it’s stuff I’ve collected over 50+ years! Some books are out of print! Oy!
On the other hand, starting from scratch means you choose everything! No guilt for not displaying art made by a friend a bizzillion years ago.
So, discuss places you feel super comfortable. A room at the museum, a restaurant, a friends- what makes it right for you? Enjoy the journey!
I had laugh at the title. I am reading Donna Grant’s Skye Druids series and the evil beings live in The Grey. I am sure the Horde will have lots of suggestions for you to overcome your battle in The Grey. 😁 Welcome to your new adventure.
From some of the YouTube shorts that pop up for me, one thing I can recommend is that painter’s tape is your friend. Apply stick-and-peel *over* the painter’s tape.
https://youtube.com/shorts/J6f9KVbrDTQ?si=bsSUuW2F9oXx8pVI
I like and have used peel and stick wallpaper. I like spoonflower as they allow you to buy samples – which you can also use to test if whatever type of walls and paint you have will actually allow it to be peeled off when the time comes. Place it near the floor or in an out of the way corner for testing – once you know it works with out harming your walls, then use the other samples in the area/lighting you want to fix up. Their Mediterranean style collextion https://www.spoonflower.com/en/inspiration/collections/riviera
Those are gorgeous, I love all the lemons!
Target has wall murals that you can stick on the wall and peel off if you don’t like them or if you get bored or if you move. Don’t know if you have Target where you are?
https://www.bhg.com/return-of-tuscan-style-homes-11787406
I tend to look for ideas in Better Homes and Gardens. The houses sometimes look overly put together for me but it is a good source for things that compliment each other and neat little touches
I’d suggest checking out Maria Killam. She’s a Canadian designer who specializes in color and is a prolific blogger/youtuber. She’s addressed the scourge of black and gray frequently.
The tl;dr is lots of natural materials (eg jute or seagrass rugs to break up the gray floors) and plants! And pick a couch in your favorite color, not a neutral.
Everyone above has great ideas. I have one too. If you or you know someone who knits, crochet, and/or quilts, you can create your own blankets, bath rugs, hangings, or whatever else using fabric or yarn in the colors that you like.
I’ve been on a crochet tear lately working on blankets. I use acrylic, variegated yarn since I like the variation the colors give me while working on the blanket. Plus, the yarn makes the blanket one of a kind.
I do the same with bathmats. I use 100% cotton yarn for those.
Decorating is all in what you want in your new space. You can go tonal, with different colors in the same color family (paint strips help with that), go crazy and have a Jackson Pollick theme. I have an eye for color and what would go where. I am not a professional decorator. Over time, I learned what I like and go with it. 😊
If it is color confidence you lack go find your favorite poster/scarf/book cover/throw pillow/etc. Pick three colors from that item. You now have colors picked by an expert to go together and that you find appealing.
I watch Clutterbug on YouTube. She addresses organization for an ADHD mind. Starting fresh, you would first determine how you flow through your space. Ikea is your friend for many foundational items.
You already know the colors you like, so a neutral colored sofa like grey or tan with pillows and a throw in the color you like. Choose a favorite chair in that color scheme. If room for another chair, another neutral color that is a shade darker than the sofa or a cream.
I think Esty has seamstresses that will make slipcovers for IKEA sofas when they don’t get the color quite right.
For artwork think of how it makes you feel when you see it. Choose a few pieces that make you feel what you want to feel in that space.
I hear what you say about Romanesque, but I’m afraid that the first thing that comes to mind is terra-cotta, and that ain’t colorful. How about a few mock-Persian/Afghan throw rugs? If you go that route, make sure you get good pads – they are dangerously slick on hard floors.
Decorating, bah. Just do what feels right to you. I like colorful things, so I would get loud color upholstery and cushions. Get things you like that speak to you, the heck with everyone else. For black cabinets, if you can’t paint, maybe put some posters on them Curtains you like and some rugs. I miss our burnt orange fiberglass 1970s Sears curtains, our 1790 house was 70s with early 1800s furniture and wallpaper with some 40s and 50s thrown in. I really miss our 1920s monster cast iron sink. The house burned down in 1989 or we would still be there with oru 70s 1800s ‘decor’ You can’t go home again, like they say, so my advice is to wing it and be happy.
Right, so my style is like ….junk drawer chic, so probably not what you’re looking for, but I explored really vibrant (dirt hiding) rugs and I ended up with this one: https://www.wayfair.com/rugs/pdp/latitude-run-weisman-abstract-redblue-area-rug-w005932263.html and another by the same company for a couple rooms in my house. They are super fun and since they have like a thousand colors, any other accessories you get tend to match. I have tried to fill my house with things I love ( so many books, art my kids made, stuff I’ve picked up from thrift shops). I don’t worry about it coming together –I just want it to make me feel happy. Good luck with your new space and with your move!
I love this artist based in Scotland, as well as prints of her art you can get lampshades, cushions and other home items. The colours and detail are amazing!
https://www.dawnmaciocia.com/?srsltid=AfmBOop63n-s_3aNT3ukWcgkl1Dr6ikVm7_v0y6yhszkmE49bSSHpGuU
I follow an interior designer on instagram who has some really good videos on how to use colour and furniture to make your rooms look the way you want them to. Her page is here: https://www.instagram.com/juliejones_designs/
I was going to say this too! She has a website as well that has a quiz to help identify your style and it includes some links to example products (https://juliejonesdesigns.com/quiz/).
One of the things I like about her content on the socials is that you can see how layout and color is used to make a cohesive space.
I am surprised that you can’t paint the walls. I think rentals in the US are usually allowed to paint (possibly with color approval by management agent). Maybe I’m wrong.
As to interior design, I generally don’t look for inspiration. I find pieces that I like, and that’s enough. Cf. Diamond Fire, Catalina not knowing if Arrosa’s pieces go together. They go together because they are an expression of her personality, and her personality is strong and integrated. Same with Nevada’s bouquet.
For purchases, one of the best places in the US is a discontinued/overstock store, e.g. Home Goods. You won’t find suites of unified furnishings, but you’ll find a constantly-changing varied stock at low prices. Used furniture stores and estate/yard sales (“boot sales” maybe?) are also good places to find individual pieces that speak to you.
Over the years I have lived in a number of places and mostly rented without being able to change much; my first choice is always plants, plants and more plants. I basically turn every room into a jungle.
For furniture I have rarely been able to afford new but have the ability to cover or reupholster when needed.
Other note; had heat wave it was too hot to do anything. Think 90’s in Maine the last couple of days, so read “Maggie’s story” and only comment. I hate clift hangers; George Martin almost totally cured me of buying series as came out.
I like having neutral walls & floors. But I put up a bunch of plants, art, &, rugs that are very colorful. Currently the sofa cover is teal. 🙂
Oh if you can’t hang things on the walls per your contract: shelves for plants & knick knacks/sculptures & indoor room dividers that could have a mural or possibly hang art on would be another way to incorporate color & texture.
I’ve moved around almost every year since I turned 18. The biggest thing I’ve noticed when in places with lots of Grey is to warm up your lighting. Make sure all your light bulbs are warm tone bulbs not blue daylight bulbs because that will make the Grey feel more cold and unforgiving.
My style is very eclectic and homey with lots of color. But to make sure things go together I keep my woods all the same (dark wood) and use highly saturated colors. Even if you don’t have a set color palette using the same saturation creates a through line and harmony. Like pastels and light oak. As for your style you already know what you’d like Mediterranean and warm colors. So now you just need to find stores that sell things in that esthetic. Pintrist can help also just googling and finding physical locations where you can go and touch things can really help.
If you (like myself) have collected a wide assortment of arts and trinkets and memorabilia but struggle to display them, think about palettes, which will help you take advantage of the existing neutrality in the space.
Sort things by color
Each shelf/ surface/area is assigned a color or set of colors… you can find ideas for combinations online or even from art or gardens you like.
You probably need at least three items of a color to make it look like a part of the palette and not just an accident, but think about proportion if it doesn’t look right.
Once an area has a palette it becomes a starting point for picking out items you need.
If you go to far, toss in some neutral items. Good luck!
You can never have too many throw pillows 🙂
https://www.etsy.com/market/vintage_rug_pillows
I’m in the uk too. Are you watching interior design challenge? I’m sure that kitchen was featured last week! They have plenty of ideas, not sure how many of them are feasible though
So you have a clean slate! I agree pick three colors you love and buy interesting curtains/shades, rugs, pillows and art. Buy more lamps, so you add light. Plants always add to a living space. If you buy at reasonable prices, if you don’t like it, try again. Make a new nest for yourself and settle in!
So… whenever I have to decorate for an event or space, I lean into what people near me -mostly my sister- with an eye for design have to offer but as a young girl I like having fun with this area I’m not confident with (style, graphic harmony) and if you feel like it… a couple sims youtubers have used the game to plan their redecorations or wardrobe changes (for example Deligracy, Clare Siobhan…) which means learn what works with low stakes and 0 money invested, for this I recommend you look for free custom content searching your parameters like Mediterranean, earthy pallette, etc
Otherwise: think that you have the ash background from Pompei and inject warm as in potted plants, cushions ranging red to Expresso, framed fresco prints, maybe a bust, a column lamp, amber lightning,definitely invest in candles and incense to add into the atmosphere, use music to add into it, maybe linen curtains in warm ivory, bronze accents perhaps… good luck!
PS: A couple years back when I was teaching English, Sims was very useful… I promise you might learn by gaming.
As someone who very much lives in the beige, grey, and black and white, I’m not sure how helpful I can be, but my advise is this: For furniture you want to blend into the background (like some shelves, or more utility focused pieces like a shoe rack or a bench), go with light neutrals. For anything you actually want to consciously see, use bright, saturated colors (for instance, my wardrobe and shelves are a boring beige wood; my bedsheets on the other hand are various saturated shades of blue. I love sleep, but I don’t care about my clothes). Also, if you group pieces with similar or the same color together, it feels more like a complete area (my desk, desk chair, computer, headset and monitors are all black, for instance, differentiating them from (you guessed it) more beige shelves). If you focus on one or two ‘feature’ colors for an area/room, you’re at less of a risk of things clashing.
Hi Mod R ! First, how exciting for you ! I wish you all the best in this new place and hope you can build your dream home !
Now… A good home decor takes time. I know, boring !! But taste can’t be always IKEA purchased. Convenience means fast, and you never build anything beautiful if it’s convenient. Good home decor comes with patience, hunting, and just a tiny bit of luck !
I build pinterest boards with aesthetics I vibe with (mediterranean YUUUH) and then I hunt for pieces that come as close as possible to my vision. I go to thrift places, I go to garage sales, I go to flea markets, and I HUNT (my budget is always : the lower, the better)
When you can, don’t be afraid to negotiate !
ALSO. Facebook marketplace is your new best friend. Look for things that you like, don’t be afraid to like and save items that are out of budget so you can build the algorithm you deserve 🙂 ! In terms of home decor, vinted is also very cool (Idk if it’s available in the UK I’ll admit)
And also ; if it makes you happy, that means it’s doing its job. Every house does NOT have to look like an ad !
From France, with love !
Of course you need a good balance of everything : wood, wool, soft cushions and some metal as well, don’t be afraid to mix it up to your taste and have faith in yourself !!! (If I don’t make any sense, I’m sorry)
I’d suggest finding a friend who’s willing to help. Then go to a fabric store (you can do this on your own if you like) and just go hog wild choosing colors and patterns that appeal to you, and you don’t have to decide “appeal to me on what, exactly?” Just things you like. Ask for the smallest possible “sample” amount of each, so you walk out with a swath of fabrics that represent all the colors and patterns you naturally gravitate to. Give those to your friend as a kind of visual aid, and ask for help finding items that are similar. (You could do this with a color wheel too, but you’d miss out on patterns and textures.)
Being from the UK myself online is great but I also like to wander around flea markets as you can find the most random brilliant things. I’m in London so there’s quite a few but a car boot sale could work as well.
If you have a chance to tour houses that are for sale they stage beautifully.
Also watching shows like house hunters or house hunter international. Travel shows in general often give me ideas about what looks good together. Air bnb often has pics if the inside if places for rent. World market stores have good color mix ideas. Any high end store can give you eye candy on decorating ideas to adapt. Magazines on decorating are usually to expensive to copy but will give you ideas on what splashes of color go with what. Walk around your space with color filters and look at specific places. That might help. It worked for me:)
Houzz app has some great pictures to get inspired. Also add plants if you can. Greenery always adds warmth and helps with air quality. I’m sure whatever you do will be lovely.
+1. I had to decorate a big contemporary open space “salon” in Switzerland from scratch – which was NOT my style – and Houzz.com was a great help!
To get started: I looked at Houzz, Pinterest, and even bought a few old-fashioned Architectural Digest and design magazines (train stations still have them). I printed/cut out pictures of rooms I liked. Then I kept the pics close as I shopped, for reference. That helped me figure out what kind of couch, blinds, bookshelves, dining sets, fabrics and overall vibes I liked without getting too overwhelmed.
Wood furniture really warmed up our space. A big wood bookshelf, wooden coffee table and side tables, etc.
A designer friend recommended a neutral-colored couch – told me to make it fun with throws and pillows. She said we’d get sick of a bright one too soon. Worked for us!
Good good luck –
+1
This is US but if you are looking for clever design in furniture for a very reasonable price, I always go to Target. There is lots of sleek midcentury furniture for really great prices. I found. Round white table with two bright yellow chairs and an oval warm wood dining table with sleek chairs covered by blue fabric. Also some great blue fabric barstools. So think pops of fun color in upholstered furniture, pillows. Curtains rather than shades for the softness. Big shelving with lots of books and accents that mean something to you. Pick maybe three or four colors you really love and try to stick to them.
I would potentially look into some style quizzes, so you get a idea of the furniture style you like, and then can associate that with your color scheme and it narrows your scope down.
I follow Julie Jones on Facebook and I liked her style quiz if that helps.
https://juliejonesdesigns.com/quiz/
Maria Killam https://mariakillam.com/category/decorating-advice/
Her blog is great!
Clearly, you need to hire a harmonizer.
Where are the Primes when you need them 😂
I’m the exact same as you. I’ve never been much of a decorator, but I’ve picked up a few things here and there. My suggestion is to go with jewel tones, like an emerald couch or a sapphire rug. Those colors play nicely with the gray and black.
Since these colors are loud, you would need to use them in moderation. When looking at an area of your apt, think in 3s. A color “triangle” comes across as harmonious. For example, in the living room, you could have a sapphire rug, sapphire pillows on a gray couch, and a painting with sapphire featured semi-prominently. You could them layer some lighter colors in, like having a clear light green vase with white/yellow daisies on a side table. Another example would be in the bathroom: amethyst rug, curtain, and soap dispenser, paired with gold and white accents.
I moved to my first own apartment in last November. I used Ikea’s room planner a lot, since I needed to play tetris with all the furniture and plants I had to fit in. But it’s also a good tool to visualize different furniture arrangements and also some colors (are they accurate on the screen compared to the real life ones, not really, but does the job).
Personally I don’t think I have much of ‘style’ but I know what I like. So I would say go with your gut, if you like it, it doesn’t matter if it ‘fits’ with something. (very helpful lol) The colors you like sound actually pretty good together imo. Different rooms can also have different styles/colors, so if you want all colors but feel they are too much together, break them into different part of the home.
Since you can’t paint the walls (which is so sad) big pieces of furniture and textiles can really bring in color to the room. Also art on the walls.
If you find piece of furniture that you like the shape/style but not necessarily the color, think can you alter it somehow. Like I wanted a dark blue armchair, but couldn’t find one in the right shape, shade or in budget. So I bought one I liked the shape of (and it was in budget as secondhand piece), which had removable covers (thank you Ikea), dyed those covers dark blue plus changed the legs to prettier wooden ones, and now I have the perfect chair. ^^
Honestly, I will out myself as Nordic and just say that most of my stuff is from Ikea (new or secondhand), and few things from hardware store I happen to work at (all the temptations and inspirations, a blessing and a curse). I’m generally bit too picky and like to plan ahead to have real success with general secondhand stores.
We live on a lake in the mid-Michigan and so I’ve embraced a cottage-core, beachy aesthetic. Hobby Lobby is an amazing source of throw pillows, accents, rugs, etc. We went with gray and blue walls, so everything is pops of color against that – navy blue and goldenrod, turquoise or coral, driftwood and quasi-geometric textures. Having that theme in mind has been very helpful!
I love to look through home magazines at the library. I page through them and stop occasionally.
I wear a lot of gray and black by choice and those lovely Mediterranean colors you mentioned can clash. Looking at frescoes from Pompeii, the reds and blues would be harmonious with the gray and black. Olive green and terracotta would depend on the shade.
Try covering up the gray floors with colorful rugs.
Based on my apartment living experiences.
Fabric wall hangings are a great way to go. (Think tapestry style).
Also go for smaller area rugs, not larger ones.
The combination of tapestry/fabric style hangins and smaller area rugs allows you to change color schemes and rearrange much more easily to suit both the space and your current moods.
Not to mention both are relatively cheap (esp. small rugs vs. larger).
If you know someone who is handy with fabrics/sewing you can pick up lots of bolt ends from fabric stores cheaply and create some pretty artistic designs.
You can also use fabric for table runners, table cloths, furniture backings/hangings (over back of chairs, sofas, etc.) to create nice spaces.
As far as lighting, the above can work hand-in-hand if you have programmable/color tuneable LED lighting (if you’re into LED lights). You can do a lot with accenting by simply tinting the lights to change the entire mood of a space.
If you don’t/can’t do LED lights, select lamps which have easily changeable shades. You can pick up shades cheaply from thrift stores and tint, dye, or paint them to totally fit your desired space.
Ikea’s home decor section. Pick up a couple pieces that you like (browse their website beforehand) and see how that fits. (Also, I’m a big fan of their cork trivets. Natural materials are very calming to me.) You could also look into doing your own mosaics!
I am stylistically challenged and live in antique house (for USA, c. 1780). Back when the original GW was around. I think this is great reason for Mod R to isekai portal into Gertrude Hunt. What would Dina create? 😎
Congrats on the move!
How do you feel about something like this? https://www.etsy.com/listing/4318367747/orange-medallion-tapestry-tablecloth
and this for the sofa https://www.etsy.com/listing/4466981474/non-slip-linen-sofa-cover-thick-3-seater
I am also decoratively challenged, so with out apartment I actually went with sunny yellow walls and beige/white furniture and just change textiles (pillowcases, throws, covers) whenever I feel like something new.
Great ideas and I love those tablecloths!
BTW, charity shops are great places to find some accents for cheap. Especialy glass.
Also car boot sales migh be full of surprises. Happy hunting!
At one point, I practically lived in my office at work: white walls, grey furniture, depressed me out of my mind. I bought the largest size blue sheer curtains I could find and attached them to the walls with push pins. Color on the walls, no painting, and push pin holes are tiny and easy to fix when you move out. Plus, sheer curtains are cheaper than other types of wall art. (Blue is apparently my happy color for being in my office, not so much when the entire house is blue…)
Good luck!
Look at apartmenttherapy com. lots of inspiration for apartments or small homes, lots of solutions for renters dilemmas.
If you are not sure where to start in decorating, start with a picture you love, even if you are leaning it against the wall. or fabric you love and build your color scheme from there. Using those colors as a reference, start from there, like someone else said keep it down to 3 colors you see in your fabric/picture. Works beautifully. My bathroom started from a shower curtain, my bedroom from a duvet cover, my living space from a painting.
Congratulations on your new home! One product we used to create a warmer texture was called Airstone. It took time and p*tience to apply, but can be used to create accent walls or around things like fireplaces. The end result was really worth it.
https://www.airstone.com/
So, the easiest thing to do, is go through magazines. Take pictures of the rooms you like. It’ sounds like you have colors you are drawn to, you could even google the colors in rooms. Adding cold to very generic background is very doable. On the other hand, an old army wife trick is to soak sheets in starch. You hang them on the wall like wallpaper, you have to hang them on the shower bar for a couple of hours so they aren’t dripping wet, then put them on the walls. But that can get busy fast.
My best friend lives in the UK and she has an Instagram account that she does inspiring people with home styling, decor and design ideas. She always lets you know about good bargains she finds at places like B&Q and Home Bargains etc. Her Instagram is katiecurates_
Thank you!
I visited a traveling Pompeii exhibition and marveled at the murals/frescos that they made on the plaster walls. If you could find some large prints or posters of such murals and use the flat black surfaces as frames it might help. Also I was impressed by the “fireplaces” that they used in the wealthy homes; a large stone set in a metal base that was carried from room to room. I think a coffee table that echos that would be effective But your biggest problem is the light. Fluorescent lights only emit a few wavelengths and the effect is cold. You need a bright full spectrum source ( or two) to mimic the Tuscan sun and set it as high up as you can since shadows matter too.
Hello! I worked with interior designers many (many) years ago, when I tended to move from apartment to apartment and some tips they gave me are:
1. Keep the big pieces of furniture neutral. Tan/beige couches, table, chairs, etc. Make sure they are comfortable pieces that make you happy. Comfort first, style second.
2. Blend the main color of your rental property colors (it looks like your are black and grey) with colors you like (warm tones) through patterns of throw pillows, rugs, and curtains. For example, you might have a throw pillow that has grey, warm blue, cream, and terra cotta, next to a solid grey pillow and a solid cream one. Then you can have a throw that has blue, cream, and olive green. Finding items that have both the colors you like and one or two of the colors you can’t change, will help the space feel like it’s more yours.
3. Bring in artwork that makes you happy. Thrift stores in the US are great places to find artwork that is reasonably priced. I also shop at local university student art shows for unique pieces. Not sure if they have the equivilant in England. 🙂
4. Consider peel-able wallpapers. I haven’t tried this, but I’ve seen others do it and if you are handy, it can look really nice.
5. Bring in plants – real if you can, but fake are OK if you don’t have great light or a green thumb. You can put them in pots that have the colors you like and textures that remind you have the Mediterianan.
Hope all this helps and congrats on your new place!!
I love this post and I hope to steal ideas 😬
A couple folks have mentioned picking one piece to start with – I agree 100%. A rug is a great starting place, it will have complimentary colors that you can use. Peel & stick wallpaper too. A great, inexpensive way to add blocks of color to a wall you can’t paint is to put fabric on frames (like an art canvas). Or maybe a print of a mosaic you love. Not a digital picture here, you need a physical object to color match. Once you have the physical object, take it to a paint store and color match swatches. That’s your palette. In general I like neutrals, one major accent color, and lots of smaller accents, but I’m a bit of a color maximalist.
One important note on color – in general color trends are around the base tones. Right now the trend is a yellow/brown base. Think back to the teals and pinks of the late 90s – that’s a blue base. Colors will harmonize if they have the same undertones, but a bluey pink looks off with a brownish green. I love small yellow accents. They make everything around them better.
I’ve always done better decorating when I’ve given myself time to think and collect. So personally I would start with the need-to-have furniture and then slowly play, not trying to buy everything quickly.
Didn’t read all the other comments, so hope this isn’t repetitive. But if you want more sunlight, then try positioning mirrors on the walls in ways that reflect light from windows. Instead of stopping at “wall” your eyes are tricked into thinking “window”, too. Helps the place feel roomier.
Walk through IKEA, looking at all the brightly colored and patterned rugs and curtains and throw pillows and bedding. Buy more than you need. Move them around your apartment until it works.
I go to thrift stores and just get what I like. I’m old so I am at the point if I like, I am going to be the one looking at it all the time, so I get what makes me happy. My home probably would not be one on Pinterest, but it makes me happy and at the end of the day, that’s what really matters. From peacock decor to honey bee decor to any shade of pink.
This is going to be a bit long but please hang in there because I’m really good at this. Because I’m AuADHD, my home needs to be calm a soothing too, so I get it and modern interiors are anything but soothing.
You’ve stated your pallet.
Creams, terracotta, olive greens, pops of gold and sea blues. So here’s how to make it a reality.
1. Buy yourself a good D ring notebook, a box of sheet protectors and dividers that fit the sheet protectors (they are wider than normal protectors.) Mark the sheet protectors by ROOM.
2. Before you buy anything, do a lot of browsing on line and print. As you browse websites, magazines, etc. PRINT, the images you like, or tear out the magazine page and put them inside the sheet protectors and sort them by ROOM. You say you like Mediterranean so focus on magazines, websites, travel brochures, anything that gives you images you find pleasing, even if it’s the color of the water off the coast of Corfu. Colors, textures, furniture shapes, fabric patterns are what your looking for. Your goal is to fill the notebook full of images of things you want for your home, BY ROOM. Hopefully, there will be colors that will flow throughout your home, but not all of them, because each room will have it’s own use, and personality.
For Example, cream, and terracotta flows throughout my home. I have hardwood floors and every rug has those colors in it, as well as some shade of blue. All the rugs are muted, none of the match exactly but they “speak” to each other in that they can occupy the same space and look like they belong together. As you walk through my home, the rugs flow like a river, connecting all the spaces because their similar colors.
So the point isn’t necessarily to exactly match colors but have them not argue with each other.
3. Once you find things you like how they look together, then you start shopping. Keep your notebook with you as you shop, whether online or in person, to help you stay consistent and focused.
4. Have a budget for each space if that’s an issue.
5. I’m a firm believer in beginning with your bedroom first. Rest is important and having a restful sleep space is paramount. I’m assuming, because this isn’t your first home, you have a functioning home, it’s just not soothing and peaceful because of how it’s fundamentally designed. If your renting, you can’t do the press on wall paper but if your cabinets are metal, you can buy magnetic sheets and glue artwork to them or the press on wall paper and put that on the front of your cabinets to lighten them up. Bed sheets made wonderful window treatments. And thrift stores are your very best friend. Happy Hunting.
You have my permission to DM if you want more info, have questions, etc.
Please let us know how it goes. ❤️
So helpful!
I always painted one wall in every place we ever moved into (army family) and then painted it back before moving out. I liked having a feature wall that was my color.
Just came back from a visit to Copenhagen and Malmö. Suggest you check out some Danish and Swedish home decor ideas. They go for colourful, cozy yet elegant, and just a touch whimsical. Not sure what sites to look at, but there is a major store called Illum Bolighus in Copenhagen that sells home decor items and they might be a good start.
Maybe someone has already said this.
Look at the latest episode of Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr.
They are dealing with that issue of a pretty horrendous black kitchen in a rental. There are lots of design faux pas but some of the schemes have really good ideas, mostly doing wonders with paint and a bit of plywood.
Look at fabric from Laurel Burch to staple on wooden frames. Some of the colorways may be brighter than you want, but they are so pretty. The Mermaids collection is amazing!
Congratulations on your new place!
Kate Watson-Smyth (UK) used to have a free blog, but much of her content is now paywalled on Substack. She has published books too – details at https://madaboutthehouse.com/ – so will be readily available from UK public libraries.
I’d particularly recommend ‘Home. The Way We Live Now’. It’s a spiral-bound split format book (so best read on paper, not a as a kindle book) with lots of design solutions, and, it’s particular focus on small homes, working from home and rentals. I’m used to teaching neurodiverse students, and I think that this format is very practical: information-rich, yet ADHD-friendly. But YMMV.
She is very good at explaining ‘why’ things work to design ignoramuses like me in a way that is engaging and with a light touch. Her aesthetic is layered, with colour. I don’t share her exact taste, but found her very helpful in developing my own understanding of what I like. She also does not assume large budgets.
As to (UK) sources of stuff…in addition to suggestions in the book above, as has been mentioned, Amazon can be good. In addition:
– I always liked poking around in charity and secondhand shops, but pickings are a lot thinner nowadays. I had better luck with Emmaus (https://emmaus.org.uk/your-local-emmaus/?region=all) – you might be near one? Otherwise a lot of Council Tips (household waste recycle centres) have something like an Emmaus attached, where they sell secondhand furniture. We didn’t have a car, but they did reasonable home delivery for us;
– My own choice is not to buy upholstered furniture like sofas secondhand*, but I would buy wooden furniture. I’d get it home, clean it with sugarsoap and either paint it white (other colours are available, obviously) with a chalk paint (examples can be found in B&Q or online), or, lightly sand it and use Osmo products to seal or to colour and seal. Osmo stuff (bought online) is very expensive but excellent;
-ASDA Home have some great stuff at a good price. I’ve gotten 100% cotton curtains from them. The bedding/linens can be good too. Last time I looked they had some very colourful and quirky bath mats and towels – just the thing to brighten up a rental. They don’t carry everything in their shops, so best to look on their website;
– For lights, I did a deep dive researching options recently, and was amazed at how many options there now are. For rentals, usb-powered lights are great for those areas where there are no sockets and a few people told me about Pooky Lighting. I thought that some of their stuff was ok, but it was a bit more than I wanted to spend! But I was very pleasantly surprised at next.co.uk: loads of different styles and options at a range of price points;
– I’ve been known to buy white cushions covers/sofa or chair covers/curtains and dye them. I’ve used Dylon and just followed the instructions (nb works best on natural or high natural content fabrics) in the washing machine. But there’s always the risk of a streaky/patchy result (I got away with it, but I should note the risk!);
– Emmaus that I mentioned above provides jobs for former addicts/alcoholics etc. So in a similar vein, I wanted to mention https://finecellwork.co.uk/, who provide paid, professional, high-quality craft opportunities to people in prison with the aim of rehabilitation. I have no personal links with either organisation, but I admire what they do;
– Rugs, I have no particular rug recommendations. Personally, I prefer wool or other natural materials for rugs for health reasons – but they are so expensive! A tip I picked up about 20 years ago is go to carpet shops – in some of them (probably small high street ones), you can get a piece of colourful carpet cut to the exact size you want and then pay to have it ‘whipped’ at the edges – voila! Your own unique rug. And it often works out cheaper than buying a rug of similar quality. Some carpet places routinely whip carpet remnants too – that can be helpful.
* For anyone wanting to clean sofas/upholstery (or anything else, actually), I really rate the recipe and method that Nancy Birtwhistle (former Great British Bake Off winner) uses. She has various ‘green’ cleaning books and puts most of her tips online.
I hope that that helps!
So a lot of companies post colour comparisons. So for instance a specific blue matches this colour fixtures etc. I’ve attached an image of one of them from BEHR paint from Home Depot. You may not have that there. But the colour ideas are great. file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/78/08/92242611-8D11-4700-B1EE-07E3AFB5DAE8/Behr%20Spa%20Blue%20A%20Complete%20Color%20Review.png
Some resources that you might find helpful:
https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/living-room-with-gray-vinyl-flooring
https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/how-to-make-your-gray-sofa-look-better
https://mariakillam.com/blog/
Congratulations and Enjoy. Couple of thoughts.
A digital photo frame – you can load all your favourites and leave it to cycle through or have it on whatever you are in the mood for and change whenever. Should save on space/clutter.
Experiment with a cushion or 2 – buy or make (and they are easy/cheap to make – promise. Just a couple of straight lines). Can have a big impact and if you like it, you can build on it. If not, you’ll have learnt what doesn’t work for you/what to avoid without too much time/effort/expense.
If you are a crotcheter have a look at janiecrow.com
Her rugs and shawls are amazing in a room
Or how about Japanese inspired wall hangings
I made one of Susan briscoes sashiko wall panels. They are pre stenciled and very simple to stitch. Her webshop is in the UK susanbriscoe.com
Bebebold.eu has a beautiful range of Japanese textiles for draping/wall hangings
Good luck with the project
Mod R, Grey is such a great neutral, as are the white walls and black fittings. This means you can decorate however you like. I would a) invest in a color wheel, b) look at Pinterest, Instagram, magazines etc and decide what style you are, not what’s on trend or what the flavor of the month is. The color wheel for example might show you the navy blue of your duvet and then pretty lime green for your boudoir pillows and curtains. (Just an example, but I love jewel tones.) If you go with Pink shower curtain, then your towels could be a shade of green, navy whatever. Make this apartment yours with area rug of your color and fabrics in the prints and shades you want. Remember, it is better to have quality instead of quantity so splurge on those ticket items that should last a while which is why you definitely want the color you can live with. Go for it!
Ha-Ha – I love decorating. First – I think you have pegged your color scheme creams; olives; gold; touches of blue but maybe take a spin by a paint store and collect samples to take home and see in your apartment lighting? There are probably 10 shades of olive alone. Find the colors that will work and won’t work for you and your space by seeing if they make you smile when you look at them. Then head to Ikea – great linens, soft home stuff; kitchen accessories etc. plus their prices are so reasonable. If you don’t spend a lot on something and then don’t find it is perfect for you there is less angst about donating so someone who will love it can find it. Have fun!
I’m a big fan of masking or painters tape and cardboard to layout things before I buy them…. AKA a couch with dimensions of such and such… A table that is this high, etc… I don’t have great depth perception and absolutely suck a visualizing what’s too big or small…. I have been known to paint or wrap things to simulate how something would look or feel in the space… It has saved me a ton of time returning things and headaches from not being able to return stuff… Yeah, it does take a little longer, but I find I am happier with the end result… I wish you joy in your new dwelling :-).
Hmmm since you’re starting from semi-scratch. I’ll give you the tip my mom gave me when I was a kid and I watched her decorating our home.
What she told me is that if you want things to look cohesive and look ‘right’, pick something you like that has the colors you want. Across the room you can other pieces that contain the same color(s). It can be just one of the colors in the original piece if you want, and that’ll likely be enough. Don’t go too color happy, and add some solids in there to make things mesh.
For example, in my living room we got a green couch (honestly because I love green). When the holidays came around, I found a throw pillow with some holly on it in the same shade of dark green as our couch. I also found a penguin pillow with a green scarf. I was gifted a throw blanket that’s just magenta in a very close shade to the holly berries on the pillow. So now it’s May, and I still have a penguin, a holiday throw pillow, and magenta blanket laid out prettily on my couch because they match perfectly and look cute LOL, I’m too lazy to do seasonal decor.
If you just google images of rooms in the style that you like, I’d hazard a guess that you’ll see a color palette across the photo. You can make most colors work as long as they’re connected across different items in your room. When it comes to decorating across time/aesthetic etc I’ve got nothing. But the color trick has worked for me over and over again. It doesn’t even have to be big items or anything, I once got a specific color of kitchen towel to help match a rug in my living room(since it was an open space situation).
Honestly don’t think too hard, have fun, and just pick something that you like to start! There’s no need to decorate super fast, you can gain items more gradually over time. I have tended to collect items for my home gradually over time except the big ticket furniture items. It’s easier to start with neutral large furniture pieces (couch/table) and add colorful accent pieces unless you’re really good at decorating (I’m not).
First – Lighting is always going to make a HUGE impact. You want warm lights! Stay away from “daylight” or anything super white. Lamps are your friend!
Second – they have come a LONG way with “renter friendly” things. Peel & stick tile, temporary wallpaper, etc. Not all of it is great, but read reviews and most will call out if things actually removed as easy as they were supposed to.
Lastly – 2nd hand stores and things like FB free groups for your area are great places to find good quality things cheap.
Good luck!
You can make your own art with a sheet of plywood that you then paint or put wallpaper on to have a movable piece or pieces
swapping out the lighting to warm white is essential imo and then interesting light fixtures/lampshades can really change the vibe of a space!
And it’s a bit more futuristic than Mediterranean vibes but there’s a decent number of light fixtures that reflect pretty colours onto the wall 😀 (the tiktok sunset lamp projection thing is the obvious one, but I’ve added a dichroic film to the reverse of my wall lamps so they provide the same amount of light outwards into the room but shine pink and yellow onto my wall)
Yes! A cozy home for ModR, Beloved of the Horde.
I was always a Pier 1 girl myself until they closed down. Sniffle.
I used Pinterest to keep track of stuff I liked when furnishing the house, but not for inspiration. You might look at online furniture stores or even Wayfair to get a sense of possibilities and how to achieve it.
I hope you’re able to achieve a look and feel that makes you happy and content. (Yes, my idea of home is very hobbit-y.)
To add to the stainless steel (or cover it up, ahem) They may also have something similar for the fridge. 🙂
https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Dishwasher-Reusable-Dishwashers-Appliance/dp/B0DGPZM3SC/ref=asc_df_B0DGPZM3SC?tag=bngsmtphsnus-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80333278396869&hvnetw=s&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=72520&hvtargid=pla-4583932755015543&th=1
There are many others of similar style, some that help the fridge look not so blech. Faux stain window window films for bathrooms etc can help. The standard tried and true tapestry for the wall? LOL.
Houzz is a great source of inspo, you can go to the Stories and type a description of your style into the search to get started. It sounds like your style is a variation of Old World: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/1329788/thumbs/So-Your-Style-Is–Old-World
I also live in the UK, and like colour (and also pattern!) in my decorations. I recommend IKEA for big rugs (and also half height Billy Bookcases) and maybe curtains depending on your taste. After that, I like Dunelm for things like cushion covers and doormats but some of their stuff (a duvet cover) has faded pretty quickly. Homesense / TKMaxx can also be good for getting a couple of fancy pieces, but it’s easy to spend a lot of money there so I would go there last.
I’m reeling from your comment of no bookcases so I’m limiting my suggestion to address it.
I found some short folding bookcases a long time ago. They are great to spread books around in different rooms and also allows for decorating above them.
Good luck and hope you have more fun than angst in your new home!
I will get bookcases 🙂
I don’t really understand where this no bookcase thing started between you and Steph 😅 – all I said is that I’m not taking any of my current furniture with me?
It’s oppressive and black and makes me stressed, and luckily the new tenant was happy to buy it at reduced cost.
Yep, I think I went with the no furniture comment and went sideways! 🤪
I completely support getting away from oppressive and black bookcases! 🤗
I too am design-challenged. I hired a company to tell me what to do and I absolutely love the results. I had a room I didn’t know what to do with, and now I have a library with a bar.
Anyway, my suggestion is to hire someone to tell you what to do, and then implement their plan yourself. It wasn’t terribly expensive, I paid for 3 or 4 hours of time total. You can contact the designer I used https://www.joymontgomeryinteriors.com/ to help you over Zoom or find someone local to you. Good luck! It was really worthwhile for me. 🙂
Congratulations ModR on the new place! Hope the new is based on reasonable reasons – may this new beginning find you safe!
Nothing to add at this point but will strongly agree with those who recommend changing/adding warm light and a plant (real or otherwise) in the space you are most frequently in while awake and just purchasing a quality bed, a quality chair (both that you love) and a place to sit and eat. Then work through the spaces from most frequented / most important. Believe some one above mentioned bedroom first. Then tackle the next most important space to you. No need to do everything at once. But then I am eclectic at this stage in my journey so if it doesn’t bring me joy or a bunch of usefulness I set it free. Love the idea from above: digital frame for photos. Nature photos for me are very soothing. Sending you peace, health and success on this new adventure!
Congrats on your new home Mod!
I might suggest shopping thrift shops for pretty quilts that can be hung as art. Or find kitchen towels that can be framed for wall art. The shower curtains now can be anything – I just changed my old blah beige/blue one for a William Morrison Strawberry Thief print from Cafepress.com
Good luck and don’t stress, it’ll come together😉
I love your description of the preferred aesthetic!
I go to Pinterest and Instagram, but you could do some AI mockups for ideas. I’ve been planning my dream built-in library (very much a future project) and have been asking ChatGPT to show me fuchsia, dark teal, and peach bookcases (not all together). Stained wood is out of my price range, but, fortunately, I love a bold paint color. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect hue, though.
Maybe pick out a few key pieces that you know you need and let AI layer things around them?
Good luck!
Great minds!
+1 for AI use to test ideas
There are any number of computer programs that will allow you to decorate a room so you can find what looks best in your space.
Rugs are always a good start.
Sounds like an interesting problem…
Have you thought of using AI to test the colours etc.?
Take & upload a photograph of the room and ask your AI of choice to change the wall colour to X, etc. and see what you think…
It worked well for my garden the other week when I was considering different colour gravel to use!
Equally several of the bigger stores have a ‘see it in your home’ option for furniture etc. so you can ‘try it out so to speak’…
A good painter can paint your cabinets so that they look like they came that way.
I have ADD/design so I have all my soft fixtures – blankets, pillows, curtains, etc.- in different colors so I can change the look easily. I get tired of the same pictures too so I use a staple gun and cover them in different material for a different look. right now the picture above my sofa is a sari that is stretched across a frame. It cost about $20 bucks and looks designer.
Congrats on the new digs! You have a ton of advice already from people most likely more knowledgeable than I, so my two cents: indirect warm lighting. So the kind of warm LED lighting that shines on the bright white ceiling/walls, making them reflect the warmer colour. Don’t know if that explains it very well, but basically point a warm light at the surface rather than the space.
I hope you find your happy place amongst the gray! Or grey, if you prefer 😉
Lulu & Georgia looks like it may fit your aesthetic or Vivaterra. Both lean toward your color palette.
You’ll know a piece is right when feel something click into place in your chest. That’s what I always look for. (Even when my (87 yo) mom asks me (60 yo) “where are you going to put that?”) If it clicks, it sticks with me.
Good luck!
I have a friend who is am interior designer. They have an option to go into a clients home and create a plan for them.Iit’s cheaper than them doing the job, but still gives you a cohesive look for your home. She does a lot of those jobs because it works for her family’s schedule.
I tend to create Pinterest boards and check out every home design book in the public library to flip through the pictures. My ADHD doesn’t love the clutter I create and my home doesn’t have a cohesive look. I’m working on it.
So, you should buy a rug in a warm sand to medium golden brown tone. This will catch light and throw warm light onto the walls, and it covers up some of that gray floor. While there are furniture covers a more practical solution is a blanket or afghan in jewel tones. It’ll cover the monochrome furniture and you and Mr. Mod R can cuddle under it in winter. You know the art that sings to you, so check museum gift shops to see if they have posters by those artists. You can also check resale shops/thrift stores for decor items such as vintage vases, artwork, and dishes. The customer is always right in matters of taste, and the same goes for home decor. I had one neighbor with a suit of chainmail in his living room and another who had a black velvet painting in their foyer. It’s what makes you and Mr. Mod R happy that matters, not what some interior decorater thinks you should have, because Fad!
IFF you can afford it I would use Farrow and Ball. I save up and get them for at least one wall. They are made with lots of different pigments (depending on the colour you choose, it can be as many as 12 compared with 2 or 3 for crown). This means that in different types of light, they appear different colours. I also use USB fairy lights to lean into the gloom, along with lots of plants.
https://www.farrow-ball.com/
Good luck in the new place!
Check out Caroline Winkler and Alexandra Gater on youtube! They do a lot of renter friendly makeovers and give lots of hints and tips.
Second for Caroline Winkler! Lots of fun, colorful, renter friendly tips. She does a series called “Fixing Subscriber Homes” that you might find helpful!
+1 🙂 Caroline!!
As a nooo you can’t put a hook in the wall renter. We changed the handles on all the kitchen cupboards. Kept the original to put back when moved out. But bright red handles for us worked a treat.
I like metal photo prints (I get mine from Bay Photo but ymmv) ~$70 for a 16×20 enlargement of my pictures or family pictures, no frame needed. As much color as you want. Pictures of Tuscany can probably be downloaded.
also Etsy
in the states, Restore (donations for Habitat for Humanity). Can get fairly nice used furniture. Go to an upscale area, get nice art very cheap
I find a lot of inspiration from Pinterest – you could try looking for maximalist decor, Mediterranean style, etc. I often look for colors – e.g. yellow kitchen cabinets, terra cotta kitchen..
Practically, there are many creative renter-friendly ways to remodel using contact paper, peel and stick wallpaper/tiles, paint for the furniture (including stencils for fun patterns and effects). I really like chalk paint for the coverage and the complete lack of smell (it’s water soluble). Changing the hardware on cabinets also tends to have an amazing transformative effect 🙂
I don’t know if anyone mentioned AI yet, but Someone did mention apartmenttherapy.com. They did an article about different free interior design AI programs: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ai-interior-design-37304209
I have a few friends who have used different GPT apps and liked them. Paid apps are probably better, but the free ones can give you some ideas. You upload a photo of your current space, select a design style, and the AI will redraw the room populated with matching furniture and decor.
Your description immediately made me think of this B&B that I stayed at on the Amalfi Coast: https://www.lenamagdabnb.com/ Hopefully the pictures inspire you!
Is a grey floor like a cat?
As a temporary thing, you can use wrapping paper or something similar, along with painter’s tape, to cover cupboard doors: fold the paper over the top and bottom and at the opening edge, and tape it on the inside. Run the straight edge along the hinged side and you may get away without tape there. Not expensive, easily changed.
I did this for a cupbard in my dining room with old, ugly, plain, large cupboard doors. Helped so much – although I’ll admit the poinsettia paper may look odd in the middle of the summer. Or not. 🙂
Hang fabric in rich, glorious colors that you love – curtain your walls, for example, if you can’t paint. Use solids for a wall and then over the middle or at one end hang a narrow print of something delightful, like elephants or flamings or ? Use those expandable rods to hang curtains over gaps, swagged doorways or windows.
You can usually change out electric covers and then replace them with the boring ones when you go.
Walls full of bookcases also do a lot for color. Vary the height if you want art on the walls in some places. You could look at pictures of houses for sale in the area — or in a climate that uses colors you love. There are reasons people tend to the same types of colors in different areas, of course, like southwestern colors in the southwest US, but the heart wants what the heart wants! Choose a color or couple of colors to use throughout and then shift shades or complements in different areas, like a dark blue in a bedroom and light blue in the bathroom, with the main color being that tawny almost gold, for instance.
Swag fabrics along ceilings and have them drape down at corners. Fairy lights in colors. A mirror to take advantage of color in one place and reflect a little light (don’t position it to scare you in bed, ahem).
Bland bookcases? Use wallpaper on the sides – run a pretty print up the side of the bookcase, or in the back where it will show above the books, or on the outside just under the top edge. And/or paint the cases so they reflect your love of those sun-rich mediterranean colors, outside or edges.
Good luck!
Of course bookcases don’t have to be for books – they can be yarn display shelves, art shelves, folded clothes or things in baskets, with pretty curtains or open, stacked with jigsaw puzzles or anything you might collect. Tall ones are a quick way to hide a decent bit of wall.
Congratulations on the new digs! Have fun with putting your space together!!
TK Maxx and what we here in the states have as Homegoods which is part of the same company. They get great pieces.
Also low light plants will help!!
On this week’s Interior Design Masters the challenge was rental properties in Leeds so they all had to be reversible designs. Some good ideas, especially the marine ply splashback I thought. Amazing how different they all turned out for identical studio flats. (I still prefer the old Great British Interior Design Challenge series because Tom Dychoff always gave good architecture chat.)
There’s two Australian shows that are good too but are as much for the drama as the interiors – The Block and My House Rules.
Changing Rooms of course and actually anything with Laurence Llewellyn Bowen.
You’ve got to look to someone to beat the bland beigeness of everything nowadays!
Mind you my mum brought us up in 360° colour during 1980s working class bleak Britannia (and sadly we were even embarrassed by it sometimes back then!) so I’m full on indoctrinated against monochrome now 😉
If you can affix it to a command strip, you can hang it was my moto – I had fabric attached to command hooks at the top & bottom draped to stop the hvac from blowing directly on my face in my dorm. I had heavy duty moving blankets attached at top & bottom to command hooks on a shared apartment wall to stop their tv from blaring into my apartment at 4 am. I firmly believe there is nothing I cannot achieve with a variety of enough heavy duty command strips & hooks, safety pins, and heavy duty line. But I also saw a cool trick for a rental friendly DIY slat wall involving rental friendly removable peel & stick wallpaper and gluing thin slats to the peel & stick wallpaper to create texture on blank flat unpaintable walls – and a similar trick for a roman limewash plaster look – basically putting up rental safe wallpaper appying random joint compound, then painting over the dried joint compound. You could do one wall and frame it with floor to ceiling bookshelves or faux columns secured with rental friendly furniture straps.
For design ideas I just image search various key words that relate in a million tabs and save photos I like. I like to follow a rabbit hole search as results usually give me ideas for keywords. Then I make a mood board in Microsoft paint (or word depending on how easy I want the image to be to move) with my saved pictures and with the specific thing I liked about a photo noted in words and probably circled. I tried Pinterest, and it can be useful as a search tool, but the boards don’t work well for me to “see” a cohesive image. Yes there are more sophisticated tools, but image dumping into an infinitely expandable window of MS paint is a free action that doesn’t require more thought processing.
Best Wishes for your new space!
+1 on changing the lighting to a full spectrum or as close to natural as you can get. Colors do not look the same under different types of lighting. When redoing a space, I always start with the floors. Find a rug(s) that speaks to you and build the room around it. I lean toward solid colors for larger pieces of furniture and pick up accent colors from the rugs, wall art,etc. for accessories. Much easier to change out smaller items when you want to. Quilts of any size are fun as wall art.
For inspiration go to a paint store or order paint swatches online. Also look around outside, Mother Nature creates a wonderful palette. Don’t be shy about asking for fabric swatches to take home or carrying around while shopping. That shade of blue, green, yellow might look ghastly next to the beautiful terracotta sofa you. fell in love with.
Congratulations on the move and have fun decorating.
I’m not sure if you live near an IKEA but they sell a lot of apartment friendly stuff.
Some of their stuff is too modern for me but I can usually find something I like. And I think they had a bit of stuff in the colors you mentioned.
Just a heads up- ikea is wonderfully paintable. It’s designed to be- so if you need shelves and color? Go for it. They can disassemble to go with if you move, and gives a bright pop. I have a very beige/white room and that helped me start bringing color in- plus pillows and blankets.
My go to is colorful storage example fabric ottoman (wayfair – https://www.wayfair.com/furniture/pdp/lark-manor-akifa-2150-wide-upholstered-rectangle-storage-ottoman-wnpo9049.html?piid=82956949). That includes baskets (IKEA) because I can have a pop of color but also a place to declutter. Agree with the pictures – metallic frames or wood and various sizing. You can easily change out leveraging a theme like pets, books etc.
+1 on rugs and if you can nice candle holders and candles. I like to be able to move things around from one area/room to another because sometimes you need a change but money is tight.
Go to flea markets and boot sales. Buy things that call to you. Join pages on Facebook that say they like your type of design. Roam around on Pinterest. Make your home a place where you feel comfortable and love your stuff.
You can get removal wallpaper https://oliveetoriel.com/collections/peel-and-stick-on-removable-wallpaper-australia-online?page=47&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22344038324&gclid=CjwKCAjw2rrQBhBuEiwAarLWHUMARA6QxsQVTx5QKOSj6-03FU_JqOOHe39hk2kRQ80MSSZ2rMDIXxoC1iMQAvD_BwE
I’m sure you can get something similar to apply to the grey kitchen cabinets
The example I gave is randomly selected from a quick internet search as an example
Here is another great removable wallpaper. https://paintedpaper.com
There’s also removable felt wall art that can add some softness, texture and color. https://feltright.com/products/shape-play-mist?variant=44630788112612&country=US¤cy=USD&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=21430639100&utm_content=&utm_term=&gadid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21430639826&gbraid=0AAAAACdj9gjqZnJk9u9oD207t8ZUPp1Kg&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlvCegrXNlAMVETUIBR2Hkwh2EAQYCSABEgK9HPD_BwE
I’ll probably come back with more, but here are my first thoughts, from someone who has moved house every couple of years since childhood.
Lighting. Get yourself some lamps. Floor lamps, table lamps, bedside lamps. Then put smart bulbs in them, because being able to adjust the color(s) and intensity of your lighting is a game changer. The cool-to-warm white bulbs are nice, but if you can, get the full-color ones. If you go this route, post about it, because I’m sure I’m not the only one who will have light-color suggestions for you for different moods/seasons/weather.
Pro tip: Stick to only one or two brands of bulbs, if you can. It’s tempting to grab stuff on sale, and there are a lot of no-name or lesser known brands that you can get cheaply. That’s cool, but each of them will have their own app. If you don’t integrate them all into Apple Home or Google Home or whatever (which has its own issues) then you’re stuck thumbing through apps to get your lighting how you want it, which makes it more hassle than it’s sometimes worth. TPLink/Kasa, Phillips Hue, and Lifx are all solid, well-known brands, but YMMV.
Second, unless you love art frames, look at stretched canvas art. It’s frameless, usually cheaper, still has dimension on your wall, and you don’t have to worry about frame styles/colors not matching. Alternatively, hit thrift stores and antique shops for art, and have an eclectic mix of frames on your walls. Art lets you add both color AND points of visual interest, and hopefully makes you feel something every time you look at it. If it makes your heart happy, then hang it. Doesn’t matter what it is.
Third, Pinterest is your friend. Don’t worry about following particular people, just put in your desired aesthetic (rewording often) and let the bot show you pretty stuff, then save it to your own board. Start with the overall vibe, then later you can then drill down into Bedroom, Living Room, Kitchen, Bath, etc. Now get out there and pin, pin, pin!
Once you have a table, find one of those Provence (French) tablecloths in colors you love. Mine is yellow and green with lots of olives! Then, decorate everything to match the tablecloth. You Got IT!
If it’s okay with landlord, paint ceiling in hi gloss, this will reflect light and make it brighter. Get ideas from magazines, cut pictures out that you like. Shop thrift shops, or boot sales(I think that’s what you call it) think of your new space as a blank canvas.
Probably the last thing you want to do is stay in the same color palette. Why not accents of red (think of the different shades and patterns in cloth), gold (literally shiny/shiny gold (metal objects or metallic accents in cloth print) or vivid deep pink. Try scrolling through Mood Fabrics, Britex Fabrics, etc., and get samples of cloth. Go wild on the color selections (after all, you are just playing to find out what you are drawn to). Live with those for a week and see where you are. Do the same with inexpensive art prints from Etsy, Great Big Canvas, or Fab art. Remember, art doesn’t have to be hung; it can function as an attractive room divider or atop a fireplace mantel. The colors in the work you choose should reflect pillows or other things that you have selected the fabric for. At any road, good luck and have fun creating your nest!
I know this is old school and proves my status as a fifty year old, BUT magazines. Decorating is the one time I go to the bookstore and buy a bunch of magazines. It helps me to visualize.
Good luck and have fun!
Yep! This is me too! There is just something about going through a
Magazine that’s sparks inspiration
Bonus when you can cut the image out and tape it to a wall!
Best Whip cream chargers in USA & Canada.
Chillchefs website Link: https://chillchefs.net/
Serious answer (and I know there’s lots of negative thoughts on this) check with CharGPT. Give it that exact aesthetic. It helped me choose light fixtures AND found where I could buy them! Once you have a “look” you can go search the internet.
Late, but if you want to zhuzzh up your cabinets, I’ve had good results using peel and stick wallpaper on them.
There are peel and stick wall decor in amazing sizes and designs. I bet you could find a Roman/Pompeii for a single door or an entire wall and use it to tie all your colors together. I know grey is a popular color right now but it reminds me of Navy ships ugh.
Antique shops. Boot sales. French antique street markets.
“More importantly, I have no measurable aesthetic sense.”
“My style is…pretty much everything they dig up at Pompeii?”
🤣 MENTAL NOTE Mod R is FUNNY.
I’m sorry your situation specifically rules out the roman favourites murals and mosaics😢.
Colorful throw pillows. Scarves in pretty colors, arranged on your bed. Plants that have flowers like African violets in different colors.
I love a good cookie jar collection on the counter, in odd numbers like one or three or five. Even if you don’t bake cookies, they are great places to store your teabags or your K cups if you drink coffee that way, or small utensils, like wine corks, and specialty spoons that you want to always know where they are.
Colorful, throw rugs on the floor, in different styles to be eclectic. Maybe braided rugs in the living room and Persian looking rugs in the bedroom.
And I just love Sun catches in the window. I prefer a stained glass kind.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to add colorful, personal touches and they actually look better against a monotonous gray, Brown or black background.
One of my favorite accent pieces is my shower curtains. I changed them for every season and every holiday. Same thing with the bathroom, hand towels and washcloths.
I scroll Pinterest until I can’t stand the ads anymore. I also like magazines for inspiration. But a couple of quick suggestions is change your lightbulbs. Many rentals use the cheaper lightbulbs that have that very cold white that’s more blue on the spectrum which makes a white/black/Grey house feel cold and look more greyish. Look for bulbs that have a more neutral tone or warm tone if that doesn’t bother you. Also you can use floor lamps and table lamps to pull the light down and make it more cozy. The other is a floor rug or runner to break up the grey floor will help. Also flowers and plants (if you can have them) are a fast and great way to bring color and a bit of nature in while you figure out you new place. Congratulations btw!
Figure out which of the colors listed make you the happiest and run with it for the furniture. For example, I am a person who gravitates towards sea tones, so I would start with darker sea tones for a patterned area rug and pull in the darker color in a solid for the couch and and lighter tones for armchairs. Then I would pull brighter colors out of the area rug for accents and accessories. The idea is to choose a pattered piece (be it rug, chairs or couches) to give you the color story and work from there.
You can get ideas and inspiration from Houzz a website. There is also Remodelista as a resource. Textiles and framed art as well as curated finds at thrift stores, charity shops and Buy Nothing groups help when on a budget. Good luck. Be patient. It can take a while to make a bouse a home. Another resource is the library to check out magazines and design books. And of course Tv shows and movies for house designs. I watch a lot of foreign tv series and it’s nice to see houses / homes in other countries.
Living plants are a great way to warm up any space. Even fake plants that mimic that look (if you have a brown thumb the way that I do) can help you.
Since you can hang them from curtain rods (if they are light enough not to bend or warp the rod) or sit them on floor and table spaces, these are renter friendly, too.
Good luck!
Hi Mod R, thanks for all your work keeping the BDH sane while we wait for news of Maggie 2. Congratulations on and good luck with your new place.
My first immediate thought is if there is as much black in the cabinets of your kitchen as in the photo, I strongly recommend finding a way to make them lighter. Otherwise all that black is going to absorb the limited light you do get and make the place really dark and dingy, a lighter colour will reflect more light back into the room. I suspect the best solution will be stick on: peel and stick wallpaper or tiles, contact paper, something like that. If the cabinets are painted, you may be able to talk your landlord into letting you paint them a light colour.
Beyond that, I suggest searching your social media of choice for ‘renter friendly makeover,’ add the room you’d like to start with if you want. Find a creator whose style and approach you like and watch/read/look through a bunch of their work for ideas. Given your description of the style you like, I suggest looking up ‘Boho home decor’ as well. And as an AuDHDer, I suggest looking for some home organisation suggestions; I like Cas from Clutterbug on YouTube, but there are several with ADHD friendly advice.
Lastly, don’t forget to put some art on the walls. This was the biggest mistake I made when we were renting: leaving big white empty walls. Command picture strips are your friend, and there are so many options online to purchase art prints of various varieties. Frames can be expensive, but you can often get them second hand.
Good luck and have fun with it. Not everything will work first time, and that’s ok. Learn from it and try again.
–Alison from NZ
Design Toscano was great in their heyday. I also always look at Etsy and eBay for tapestry, I love the texture with woven textiles, if you’re patient interesting things come available. And as others have mentioned since they aren’t framed are easier to move. You can also look for embroidered or textured drapes .
I think the advice of looking at the colors in your closet is brilliant!
I’m not sure what to do that addresses ADHD specifically – and that would be key for your success. I suggest searching for experts who can advise home decorating. Never gave home decorating much thought for myself, just went with colors I like. I love blue toned green for my living room because it is soothing.
Didn’t read all the comments, so may be repetitive…how about those hanging fabric pix? I entered wall hangings greece and got this website for lightinthebox.com which had some really cool pix, depends on if you’ve got a wall space big enough (and a tall enough friend or are good with ladders). I’ve got a gorgeous mountain lake scene as my headboard, and love it.
My kitchen is pretty blah, so I shopped for appliances that had pops of color and because I like it mostly turquoise.i have accents of yellow and darker blue. Don’t worry about matchy,matchy and just buy stuff that you really like.
I have to worry about fitty-fitty at least 😅, if not matchy-matchy, because a chaos of things will make it seem like I live in constant mess and stress me out.
You might try knotted fringe throws made out of fleece fabric. It does not have to be sewn. My great niece and her teenage girlfriends used to get together to make them. The internet has the tutorials for them. There are many colors and patterns of fleece and sometimes you can find kits on sale to make them. IKEA has a lot of colorful products or you could visit the charity stores! I have used clothing from Goodwill as fabric. Just wash it and start creating. If it doesn’t work out then I have a new cleaning rag! Good Luck and happy creating!
1. Peel and stick tile. It’s amazing. You can create a whole new backsplash.
2. Wallpaper. If you can’t paint, it’s your best option. Peel and stick. Comes right off. Painted Paper has beautiful stuff.
3. Lighting. Get floor lamps, table lamps. They have smart switches that stick to your wall and control the smart bulb. So you can control from the wall. Don’t even use the nasty florescents. lighting is truly the most important thing.
4. Splurge for real textiles. Wool, cotton. It has soul. No fake stuff for rugs and throws.
5. Use brass metal. It really brightens a room. you can swap out the knobs on your cabinets and swap them back when you leave.
6. Plants. lots of plants. get grow lights for them. they make shelves with built in grow lights. warm Mediterranean glow.
7. Tapestries. wallpaper companies like Painted Paper make tapestries too. many of them have that Mediterranean olive aesthetic.
Find your closest art festival and buy prints (if you’re on a budget) of whatever speaks to you.
I highly recommend reading interior design book Foundations by Nate Berkus. I love what he has to say.
recommend is real and stick tiles for your terracotta needs, a lot of places online have something renter friendly, and I would probably go peel and stick wall murals, to gain the Pompeii feel to go with them. there was a place in Australia that had reasonable prices (pre covid!) and if I could remember their name I would tell you, i found them on Etsy, if that makes the search easier. the real trick is to unfortunately go for the more costly stuff to save yourself time and money later. Best regards, and congrats on the move!
Hi Mod R! I created an inspirational board on Pinterest for you. Here’s the link:
https://pin.it/7C074uD7h
Hope you enjoy.
This is so incredibly kind!
This is what has worked for me.
Find a bunch of old color magazines, National Geographic, fashion, architecture, doesn’t matter.
Then cut out the pictures that make you feel the way you want your home to make you feel and pile them up
(Extra step, to do or not) go through your pictures and cut out any parts that don’t work for you
When you have 20-30 pictures, lay them all out and find what they have in common. Colors? Textures? Patterns? Something else?
That is your starting place. Once you have that, you will start seeing things that are will fit into the “feel” you want – pillows, throws, wall hangings, rugs, tchotchkes.
I know my limitations and hire a professional 😆 just bought my first house and I’m so excited to have a landscape designer come out tomorrow to get plans for my future garden – the interior designer is lower on my personal list so my furniture will not match the room for a while
If you hang pictures or textiles on the walls, use removable strips. then you can reposition items without any holes in the walls.
One of the best things I’ve ever done for my home designwise was to edit down to my favorite and my best items. I did a deep clean, charity runs, got the kitchen to flow the way I liked it, closets organized like a boutique (because every girl’s a princess), etc.. Then I asked my favorite high-end furniture resale store for the name of their designer and invited her to “Come over to move a few things around”. In just a few hours my home was a magical place filled with things I already loved. Her hourly fee seemed like a lot of money at first, but the results proved it was one of my wisest investments. I never dreamed that my things could be so beautiful if they were placed just so and ‘if we maybe move this over here with this’. The celebrated designer Carolina Herrera suggests that you ‘decorate in colors you look good in, otherwise you look bad in your family holiday photos’. It’s anexcellent reason for buying new drapes -lol Wishing you every happiness in your new home!
A lot of the artists on redbubble offer big 6′ x 6′ scarves, which friends and I use as cheap wall hangings/much bigger art prints. Weirdly, they don’t have “scarves” on any of the menus, but if you type it in the search bar, you’ll get tons. At least one is literally a print of a mosaic from Pompeii 😀
You can use two stick-on hooks, a string, and binder clips to hang them up on a wall without any damage. They are also very easy to change out that way, which can be fun. I have a set of 12 nature ones for my office at work that I rotate through the year to make up for not having any windows in there.
Hi, in The UK we have a wonderful renters friend of sticky backed wallpaper, meaning you can peel of the backing and apply to walls to make them nicer or easier on the eye, and then before you have to return your home back to renter perfect you just peel it back off. In the UK its called “self adhessive wallpaper”, they also do Tiles and wood panels like that as well.
Good luck making your home feel more like a home. I painted mine soothing colours as I sure from anxiety so too much white feels clinical and too much grey I find depressing.
My home is now coffee and cream colours in my lounge/computer room, and pale pink/purple in my bedroom as those as supposed to be restful colours, my bathroom is a soft mint which helps reflect light around the bright white tilling. My kitchen is painted a Minion colour yellow as the kitchen cupboards are all very pale ash wood, and I wanted a bright cheerful place to encourage me to cook.
I meant have anxiety or sufer, sorry its 3am here and I’m having sleep problem due to ill health, I often cant spell properly when that happens
Even though you said walls can’t be touched, I love peel and stick wallpaper. You are in the UK … you can go with maximalism: floral, plaid, textures and colors that all mix.
Pops of colour (throws pillows are great for this!), bright art, and ONE big bright colored item as the focus makes they gray fade away. If you have a couch you love, find a cerulean blue throw cover or a couch runner.
Then your monochrome walls work with you.
Moving, such a joy… not. But you do get to get new furniture, so that is a plus (and hopefully have it delivered to your new place instead of having to move it in yourself!).
The grade school and high school I went to required uniforms, so I never learned to mix and match my clothes. College was the first time I had real day-to-day clothing options. My college roommate told me I should pick no more than three colors and stick with them (advice I clearly needed, lol). For my clothing, I usually stick with two…
In any case, my ability to pair colors can be questionable if I’m not careful.
Don’t see why that two or three colors can’t apply to your home.
I’d go with furniture in very neutral colors like brown or cream (depending on messy your household is). They make couch covers (which are a MUST when your dog just KNOWS the couch is his), and you can use those to liven it up, if you want… but I’d go with couch cushions (pillows) or throws.
For floor covers I’d go with something more neutral like cream, so your couch cushions (pillows) can give you the pop of color you want.
This applies to the bathroom and kitchen, too. Floormats are amazing, but remember to keep a room cohesive. Maybe something like a cream floor mat with teal towels. That way the colors don’t try to scream and make your eyes bleed.
And pick up some nice pictures or paintings for the walls. If you can, go with ones of flowers or sunsets – great colors. Those do an amazing job of adding color. I have a friend who does wildflower photography and gets his images printed on metal. Light and super cool! You could look for something like that…
I use Pinterest and the snap tool to find similar items to the aesthetic I see pictured. I’ll try and find something there and post as a reply one
Dear Mod R…there are some really fine suggestions here about adding fabrics (drapes, cushions, rugs, pillows), art work, and plants. If you really like Pompeiian mosaics the Getty site https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/pompeii-mosaic has some gorgeous ones for you to use as inspiration for colors and patterns-I think some of the geometric ones are stunning. Or you could pick a print(or two or more) from this site https://fineartamerica.com/shop/prints/pompeii and use the colors in it/them as guides to whatever fabric, etc you choose as brighteners and lighteners in the murk.
+1 on fineartamerica.com for prints. Excellent suggestion.
Terra cotta goes really well with grey
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/337066353381339890/
So I don’t think that the grey floor will be much of a drawback to what you want to live in
This is a spread that would look good against white walls https://www.zazzle.com/trendy_mediterranean_terracotta_navy_blue_tiles_duvet_cover-256187163089244788?srsltid=AfmBOopidM3ETk0YEIzwaSyFoocxGwJC9qN4vxLjiTBQb0tjTnalScnC
Pleaseu
Removeable wallpaper is very renter friendly, you can get whole murals. just Google “removable wallpaper for renters Pompeii” and you can see a vast selection at very reasonable prices.
Also in the UK with limited ability to decorate rented apartments.
Hines of Oxford have some of the most amazing tapestry pillows that really add a spark of colour, texture, and personality to your home.
I’ve also used those no-damage wall hooks to hang cheaply framed posters and paintings everywhere. They also come in tiny varieties for fairy lights which have changed the mood of my living room remarkably.
ohh exciting but also challenging times ahead!
I watch way too many interior design channels and read magazines but have no formal training whatsoever. so with that disclaimer here my two cents:
1) seeing as you already know which colours you like, pick a colour palette based on them, I.e : terracotta, creams (and then grey black seeing as you can’t change them). use a cream and terracotta that is a bit muted, has some great in it . you can bring in green through I.e. plants, possible in those antique looking bust looking planters. they are fairly cheap
2) go for a cream that is not too warm in your bigger pieces, in your rug if possible use a combination of creams , terracotta and grey.
3) Pinterest is your friend in these cases. look up ‘ how to warm up grey floors ‘and the see if you like any of the search results . use that as inspiration after analysing it , I.e. what do I like?
4) I think there are shades available you can clip unto existing light fixtures haven’t used them myself yet though. maybe Google to see if there is a company that ships to you.
Good luck!
I am no help on decorating. However, I can get you the goods on organizing!
Checkout the Youtube channel Clutterbug and look for an overview of the Bug types (different organising styles) – maybe take their quiz as well – then you can start to work with your Adhd instead if against it 🙂
Note: your organising style might be different in different rooms.
1. If you’re doing rugs, start there. It’s much harder to find a rug for a couch than a couch for a rug.
2. Decide if the rugs will be neutral/quiet or visually textured. I myself love me a Morris style rug, but if you go that way you have to be comfortable with simplicity elsewhere to achieve a pleasing balance.
3. One of the best tricks I ever learned was from a military spouse who got moved around a lot to non-permanent housing: starched fabric as wallpaper. But these days you can also get peel-n-stick wallpaper. Try http://www.lovevsdesign.com. Moderately pricy, but for good reason, and you only have to do one wall or the inside back of a bookcase to make a big difference.
4. For ideas: library magazines or Pinterest, yes. Also, there are online quizzes to help identify what people are calling your particular design style. It took me a while, but I finally figured out that my hubby’s favorite style is “plantation” or sometimes “Hemingway.” Once you know this, it’s much easier to find good ideas relevant to your actual style.
5. Go slowly. Add one element at a time and live with it for a few days or weeks. Pay attention to your clutter threshold. There may come a time when you think you want or need more, but your visual threshold will try to stop you. Listen to this inner voice, especially since you live with ADHD. Simple and pleasing will be less stressful than several items that are allllmost right.
What a fun new adventure!!!
Most landlords are willing to let you paint & make changes if you put things back when you move out. So you can install different door handles or faucets if you keep the originals to re-install when you move. They also make lots of peel & stick vinyl backsplash tiles for kitchen and bathrooms. Also carpet tiles. I’ve moved alot in my younger years.
There is peel and stick wallpaper now, and it does not damage the finish underneath. So when you move it can be removed.
I hope you have an easy move into your new home Mod R! In my experience, somehow stuff magicaly breeds when you need to pack it up and even when you throw some out you still end up with more than you had before you moved. As I am ah… esthetically challanged, I can’t offer any help there, but I wish you the best of luck!
Big pieces of art on the walls help, screen of is just a scarf on a pattern and colors you love. Make sure all your pictures have the same color frame; it helps calm the brain. The Last time I moved, I spent a lot of time on Google store. I found my rig by typing in orange rug and then Google showed me what stores near me carried it in stock. Take your time over the next three months finding things so you don’t rush into something you hate. I love your color palette and, as my grandpa used to say, if the colors are found in nature they match.
I like http://www.chairish.com for a lot of things. It’s great for vintage and antique pieces, but re a lot more reasonably priced than 1st dibs.
1st Dibs has a fair number of UK-based dealers and might be useful to you. It’s free to join. http://www.1stdibs.com
I must confess that the majority of home things I own were inherited or thrifted and I have no aesthetic to speak of.
Personally, I would focus on how you want each room to feel. What’s its purpose? How should it feel to accomplish that? Then, ask yourself what rooms you’ve been in that felt that way. Why did they feel that way? Let your intuition guide you.
Living room: welcoming – soft cozy furniture, throw blankets, coffee table, bookshelf, board games? Bedroom: restful – dimmable yellow lighting, sunset or twilight colors, no TV?
Do you like plants? Do you have pets? Consider the needs of each living thing that will be in the space.
IMHO each item in the space should serve a purpose. If I have to wonder why a thing is in a room for more than five seconds, I default to “get rid of it” but that might be a combination of claustrophobia and anxiety talking.
I have a large selection of throw blankets that I rotate seasonally. I have a few wall hangings that I rotate or rearrange periodically rather than buy new stuff. I’ve been known to use graphic printed blankets as curtains.
It’s your space, make it home for you. Enjoy the journey 🙂
Sounds like you need to spend some time on the Facebook Moody Decor page!
Japandi style! You have an ADHD sister here: I don’t decorate my home to the high octane eclectic crazy cool artsy meets ancient world aesthetic that I drool over in my Pinterest boards exactly because I have ADHD and I have learned that I need a very calm restful minimal home environment- NOT cold or ultra modern: restful. I’m a magpie and I can collect string if I not vigilant! am attracted to knickknacks so I direct that towards plants now. The most coherent way for me is to have a cohesive palette that shares no more than 3 colors throughout my house- warm soft neutral with a high light reflection is a solid plan with no buyers remorse. I find Japandi allows me to feel centered, relaxed and free to focus elsewhere and not on cleaning up or decluttering. So much time wasted to declutter and cleaning that I could weep. Truly: less is more. Rest IS more.
Look up Alexandra Gater on youtube
For the UK specifically… I’d go wander around somewhere like Dunelm or even just Ikea or The Range (Home Bargains and B&M also oddly have a bunch of interesting homeware on occasion, and even the big supermarkets are surprisingly effective at that sometimes) and see what catches your eye? It sounds silly but I’ve quite often just hit the artwork section for any of those places (or even the lampshades), found something that caught my ADHD brain and then built around that style-wise as a centrepiece. Seeing something in person is the key thing though, you’re not getting all the colour inaccuracies etc from an online pic.
You can always prop up big pictures on tables against the wall if the renter requirements don’t let you use picture hooks etc, and if there are small bits of wall that will take removeable wallpaper, that’s also nice for adding pops of colour (or stick-on tiles for bathroom/kitchen).
Ooo exciting! I would find one thing you love per room, so a lamp, a rug, a sofa, a picture, and build the rest of the room around that
Command strip hooks, shelves, etc. can be used in amazing ways! And double sided tape comes off with gentle heat from a blow dryer (Test on a safe wall first but useful).
And plants with cool grow lights make such a difference to the atmosphere, especially during grey winters! Aside from the dependable peace lilies, I have a Meyer lemon dwarf tree and herbs all inside with grow lights that give me daylight :-). Good luck and have fun!
Watch the Sorry Girls on YouTube! They do a lot of renter friendly interior makeovers!
depending on your budget: have the kitchen cabinetd wrapped (diy if you are handy). It’s renter friendly if you use the removable version, and it removes a ton of black at once. For decoratinh what I did is pick one dominant colour, and decide with every item if it fits with that. Then style of the item is irrelevant. Although tbh my house looks like library meets second hand store in furniture 😀
I feel you. adhd lack of visual vision is a thing for me too.
10 years i have been indecisive about our kitchen. I put pictures into chatgtp and now decision made. lots of different variations on where the blue should go
we are going for a grey floor… i would never have done that but now I know it will work.
I’m a big fan of watercolors, especially those by Winslow Homer and John Singer Sargent. Terrific light, very tropical or Mediterranean. Pick a painting that makes you feel good, then go looking for objects in that palette.
I’d start with a rug. Ruggable sells in UK: tons of designs & they are WASHABLE. From there comfortable furniture (no suggestions on source). Pillows & throws add comfort & color. Then smaller objects that warm your heart.
And cats. And books.
Maybe IKEA? I know a lot of people look down on it, but I also work there and I know their interior design people work hard to build cosy and inspiring rooms/apartments in the stores. Maybe a walk around an IKEA (or two) can help you with that. You don’t have to necessarily buy there, but definitely use the inspo. Also, some room sets may be succumbing to the grey plague but not all will be like that. Old catalogues may also be an option (old because colours and because they don’t print them anymore). It will be a problem though if you don’t like the Scandinavian style for obvious reasons.
Hi Mod R, sorry, but I can’t send photos here. If you wish to see some I could show you some colorful and some dreary rooms.
My appartement is very white” white walls, windows, doors and ceiling. The floors are light wood.
I bought a lot of furniture at Ikea. The basics like wardrobes and shelfs. Mostly white and natural wood.
Then I started browsing furniture stores. Cheap and expensive both. I found cheap but colorful, woolen area rugs. A very cheap but colorful sofa. I found some more expensive but still not bankbreaking single pieces like a red leather stuffed chair, a dark blue cupboard, and prints for the walls.
I added some heritage pieces from my parents. Brown oak, British, around 1900. Some pewterware, not the rigid stuff.
My biggest problems always are lamps and curtains so I went for unobstusive ceiling lights and added single pieces beside sofa, bed etc. The curtains are in the main color of the room and are framing simple sheer white panels or blinds. Everything Ikea again.
The main colors are dark blue, dark red and orange accents.
This probably sounds awful but I feel everything goes together really well.
My suggestion since my sense of style is a sweetie at the bottom of a old handbag is:
– Grey wall hang landscapes with greens and blue
– Dark kitchen counter, use beige container with small green plants
– Dark kitchen cabinets, if space at the top weird nick nacks with color that draws the eye away.
– Rugs should function and not have tendrils since if they get dirty you might aswell throw them away.
– Tall lamps for weird angled open areas
– Dont be afraid to add weird storage containers with colors against a wall
I hope I’m allowed to leave specific links. Check these out:
An easy one – Type “Mediterranean decor” on Amazon
Some specific links:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1723892384/mediterranean-interior-design-ideas
https://youtu.be/BjvPKZQNkJw?si=yAnZOGfDtDtrtI5Z
https://share.google/3JDhTegzOSGsLDgfw
https://share.google/pqfU4rJmjeTbvoCcr
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1196683182/blue-yellow-lemon-pillow-cover-outdoor
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4501375388/original-moroccan-courtyard-oil-painting
Lark Manor™ Orange Mediterranean Bath Tranquility 5 – Bathroom Metal Wall Art | Wayfair https://share.google/7QCrYAqIoo1xN1O5v
Lark Manor™ Mediterranean Landscape Wallpaper Exotic Classical Wall Mural | Wayfair https://share.google/bd09xs7VGh6btqQi8
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4489266850/mediterranean-seaside-cafe-canvas
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4361176542/mediterranean-coastal-view-canvas
Bungalow Rose Mediterranean Tiles In Retro Blue VI – Abstract Tile Round Wall Art on Metal | Wayfair https://share.google/lk8y6CPjQY5XtmR4C
Red Barrel Studio® Blue Tiled Marocain Door I – Abstract Tile Wall Art Prints Set Of 3 | Wayfair https://share.google/QH4r6CI8PmLEeogp7
Bungalow Rose Tuscan Sun Tiles IV Talavera – by Anne Tavoletti Wrapped Canvas Painting & Reviews | Wayfair https://share.google/NN1htrxb93xb95ZHR
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4502646117/colorful-mediterranean-wall-art-set-of-3
https://youtu.be/z0A3cBAStFY?si=HyN3z0VxFFZFYtRO
https://youtu.be/BjvPKZQNkJw?si=yAnZOGfDtDtrtI5Z
https://www.etsy.com/listing/1709304532/cityscape-painting-prints-bright-wall
Good luck, enjoy the process!
Go to Dunelms or look online at Next or Laura Ashley (now part of Next) and look at their curtains, cushions, bedding patterns and choose a print or pattern that you really like and then choose soft furnishings and rugs that fit in that colour range. I often start with a cushion and go from there. Good luck!
As a renter, layers of curtains, mismatched but harmonious picture frames (on rental hooks), and lush textures of cushions and throw rugs.
Pinterest, but go by “feel”.
Mediterranean “calm”, “quirky”, “boho”.
Stick with the bog standard, and hopefully lined curtains or blinds that you’ve got that help keep out the cold and/ or heat. Add a curtain rod with a gauzy, slightly too long but nicely cheap cottony tab top, but add a terracotta, or olive green layer over it on the same (maybe bronzey-gold) curtain rod. Stitch or glue a layer of fringe to the colourful curtain on the inside edge, and leave that one pulled back.
Texture, levels, colour, shape, and nothing that the landlord can be mad at
There are magnet wraps for appliances. There are removable tiles for backsplashes, etc. Get some live plants in clay pots and ceramic pots. There’s commercial window film available in an outsourcing variety of patterns. A water fountain with your plants and soft lighting for your focal point. Think about textures. Hope this helps!
do you have an art work that speaks to you that you love, use that as you colour inspiration and go forth, you grey background is your neutral palet…breath easy
I’d go splashes of colour, my favourite is yellow, using mirrors to bounce around any available light – maybe see where the light falls now we’ve got a nice BH weekend in England.
Do you know Matthew Williamson?
He is a british designer.
He once had a collaboration with H&M and now is an interior designer.
Perhaps you could look on his site for Inspiration.
Also on H&M they have a Home section (mostly Online) and you can look there online, too.
If you Are looking for furniture, sometimes you get a sample from the Store to take it back to your Home, to See, if it matches the colors you have at Home.
We did so before buying our Couch and that was very Good, because we then Took the second choice. When buying a couch there are water repellent materials, very good with children.
We bought our paintings in Greece on Rhodos. There is a tiny galery and we have a painting with the mediterranean blue sea and one with an olive tree.
Also in London you have Mina Lima, the designers from the Harry Potter Films. In 2019 you could visit for free in London. So much beautiful Art in one tiny Place. I bought some postcards that are now in Frames at our Walls.
In Germany we have Fagus sylvatica trees an I love the color from that Wood, that is why our table and chairs are from This.
Also do you know stressless?
They are so comfy and buyable in different colors. They have very high prices, but worth the money.
They are from Norway.
Congrats Mod R!
I researched a few places online and found that a paint store is probably where you want to start.
The link below is for Benjamin Moore paints, but really, you could go wherever you can get the best deal — unless you’re hiring a pro to do the painting.
https://www.benjaminmoore[dot]com — [Remove the brackets and the “dot” and add a “full-stop” before “com”before pasting in your browser search field.]
Search for the Benjamin Moore Mediterranean Interior palette. All the colors you mentioned in your post are on the page.
Remember: Take your time. Give it a couple of days to view your color, paint, carpet and other samples at different times and locations in your living space. Rushing may make you regret your choices.
The photo of the kitchen in the post would benefit from Olive Gray (Grey? sp.) Green or muted Deep Sea Blue and the wall could be muted to a creamy coral-white or a very pale turquoise blue. Muted Dark and Medium Blues, Turquoise and Teal Blues, and muted Grey-Greens are definitely what you are looking for in your choice of dark contrast colors. Coral and peachy pinks and creams and very pail turquoise blues are also known to calm an over-active mind and help you focus.
Without seeing the remainder of the living space, it is hard to envision a color palette.
Try picking a “contrast wall” to add a pop of color, but, maybe a muted color, like a slightly brighter coral color next to cream walls, or slightly brighter teal blue next to very pale turquoise-white walls.
Always remember to paint a large swatches (3 ft x 3 ft, 1 m x 1 m?) on a smooth medium (paper, canvas, heavy card stock) then hang each one on the walls around your space. Put the contrasting color swatch(es) next to each one. Step back and observe the changes (lighting, decorations, furnishings?) as you go about your day.
Above all that, have fun!
Nothing worse than hating your design before you even see it.
So, enjoy yourself!
It makes all the difference in how you feel about your design.
Do you own boardgames? We never need to use any decorations in our living room because we have two opposite walls with shelves (IKEA Kallax) full of boardgames with some extra beautiful ones on top.
You could probably do something similar with books, as well.
Having poor taste and a significant color vision deficiency I can only wish you luck in finding what you need.
Hi, Dear ModR!
I feel quite excited on your behalf, really. With a monochrome background you have the option of putting anything:
A bright green rug, to simulate a grassy lawn, or perhaps one with colourful flowers, for a field of blooms. Curtains in any colour you could wish (nearly). My approach is usually to see how many colours I can add in the form of rugs, curtains (or the like), throw pillows, etc.
The only no-no for me (which you may hate) is that you cannot really mix grey and beige/brown. But if you can live with that, you can see how many colourful and interesting things you can smoosh together.
Though with ADHD: you may want to stick to a single colour scheme, such as shades of red-orange-yellow…
And the best part is, depending on finances, if you don’t like it or grow bored with it, you can just replace it with some other stuff!
Also, except for necessities, you can add things over time, as and when you find something you like…
Where in the UK are you, Mod R? I am sure a safe meet up with some of us hordey types to take you to look at some ideas could be arranged!
I generally look at instagram and other random places for inspiration – start with one thing you love. Textiles for the win and preferably textiles that you can change if you change your mind. Wandering around Ikea and the Range and B&M may either inspire or at least give you a clear idea what you DON’T like!
(I’m in Plymouth btw – no idea if that’s remotely helpful)
Congrats on having a roof over your head despite the greys.
I personally feel the same as you (ADHD unite), while my autistic (with splashes of high functioning OCD) loves the modern and grey bull.
We moved into our new house last year August. Our floors are grey Lino or dark grey carpet. Kitchen is modern farmhouse (my desires though I’d like wooden beams and old school light fixtures too). I settled for light wood look cabinetry (Devon oak) with grey synthetic stone benchtop. He hated all the pendant lights I liked so we settled for lights we both liked (but I don’t *love* them). We went blue and orange for lounge (it’s open plan) with blue chaise and ottoman, an orange leather spinning armchair, and somehow found the perfect rug that’s ran and orange that just works. Was about $200. We have some orange ish throws and some stripey pillows. Tv cabinet and book cases etc were from ikea (light oak that is close enough to kitchen that you can’t tell it’s different). Curtains have blue underside with white sheer upper which kinda just looks grey. Goes with everything but it IS bland.
So I put plants EVERYWHERE. I have two large monstera plants, three baby monstera, orchids (5 different ones), multiple trailing plants (purple heart, wandering jew, my 15 yo peace lily, and four or five other plants whose names I can’t remember, plus a ficus, and two succulents). Just in lounge/kitchen areas. Oh and dracanea. And multiple props on the kitchen window. Naturally all of these are in porcelain pots of various colours (though mostly a range of oranges and blues, some of which I painted with wall paint samples I’ve blended into blues I liked). Cause we need colour!
We have super limited wall space in that area cause windows and giant sliding doors take up most of the walls, but we definitely need some art which will make up the rest of the blandness.
That’s been my best shot at dealing with bland greys. I mostly prop swap with friends and people in community that are into plants. So most of my plants were free or bartered for.
If you have bad memory you’re best off going for hardy stuff- peace lily is good- you basically water it when it looks droopy. And most of the others I named are similar. I do big water/soaks every two weeks (or weekly in summer) (my inside pots have holes so they’ll drain off, I empty any residue out of the porcelain pots to stop them getting waterlogged).
Lamps are #1 – they even sell wall sconces that are rechargeable, no hard wiring. Turn off the fluorescent, and never turn them on again.
If you’re renting, hunt down YouTube accounts where they actually test renter, friendly, wallpaper, etc. I wouldn’t trust Pinterest for product recommendations.
A lot of Pinterest these days is AI, which can be annoying, but you can take a picture of your apartment and feed it to AI and ask it to create the vibe you’re looking for. I don’t always have great luck with that kind of thing but I have friends who have had really good design inspiration from that.
Just imagine that you’re a dragon, and this is your cave. Don’t buy anything you don’t love and the style will kind of come together on its own.
There is a YouTube called Actually Alli, which is all about upgrading and adding color to rentals. She is clever! She also demonstrates the take down where she returns the place to rental standard.
Lots of great comments – I second Maria Killam in general, as well as Alexandra Gater and strongly recommend Cass at Clutterbug for thinking through your system before you spend money on stuff that won’t work with your ADHD.
To continue the amazing Canadians on YouTube trend, I’d also suggest Nick Lewis, who is far snarkier about design in general and who has a number of these-things-help videos on how to make a space feel good to humans that is generally style agnostic (ie: lighting warmth, etc). Maria Killam and Nick Lewis would leave your overhead fluorescent off forever and do lamps, for example.
From the Americans, I’ll second Caroline Winkler, Emily Henderson, (both above), but for your specific design style, I’d recommend more of LoneFox.
But I think if I were going to pick only one YouTube channel resource for you – try Living with LK. She does renter-specific design advice and lives in a rented American Spanish Revival home (warmer, lighter tones than Tuscan, typically) and probably has the closest design match and specific rental restrictions you do.
As some have noted, many rentals in North America permit painting and hanging on walls. My last place didn’t, but tension curtain rods (or shower poles) can sometimes fit to hang a textile wall art (I did this at the end of a hallway to hang a tapestry that did warm up the white walls and black wood floors I had). You’ll also see most of the designers hang art from bookshelves- may I recommend museum gel if you do that… my cats found that a hilarious new toy when the art could be moved from behind.
Lamps, textures, and … I’ll add a bit of highly controversial and opinionated advice that you’re obviously welcome to discard. In my opinion, neurodivergent folks (I’m autistic) are particularly sensitive to artificial environments. Clutter is a big issue… and so is being surrounded by plastic. Biophilic design proinciples led me to test out a bunch of stuff… I need to be very careful how much vinyl and polyester I come into contact with on a daily basis. A lot of DIY and rental-friendly stuff will lean into cheaper materials, so before you try removable wallpaper, please get samples and try touching them a few times a day every day for a few days to see if you like the feeling. Same with rugs or other textiles if you can. It works best if, like some have mentioned above, you’re willing to take your time decorating.
I started over a few years ago due to some personal circumstances and I’ll also suggest – buy yourself a new set of cutlery, glasses, and dinnerware that you love. The opportunity to switch something you use everyday to be loved helps reinforce the fresh start is something great.
You’ve had lots of great advice above from commenters and I’m sure more to come. Hope you’re getting inspired and excited to settle into your new spot!
Decor wise in the UK I feel as though we’ve been living in a 50 shades of grey world for a while now & I hate it! If you’re looking for cheap & cheerful try The Range, B&M, Home Bargains and charity shops. Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and some garden centres have homeware that is a bit more expensive but not outrageous. I fear the grey may be pervasive though, good luck!
What colours do you like to wear the most? Choose rugs or cushions in those colours and then get others that go with them – shades of them or patterned versions of them. Throws and art (check out the charity shops). Vases and tablecloths as well. Do what makes you happy. Don’t let anyone else dictate what you should like. The nice thing about the items I suggested is that you can change them seasonally or according to your mood. Have fun.
I love giant wall art to transform a space. I get lightweight tapestries (very thin, easy to hang with command adhesive hooks) from society6
Pinterest. Search for your desired esthetic and you’ll get photos suggestions and even mechandise links.
Some things (shipped from UK) in those sort of colours
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1632658568/art-deco-blue-gold-cushion-covers?ls=s&pro=1&frs=1&local_signal_search=1&content_source=6f10e873-7b02-495e-938d-3fd78b1beac2%253ALT3e534df97bb563b2ef6b438c229d5c932306abb3
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1096354023/royal-gothic-wildflower-garden-large?ls=s&local_signal_search=1&content_source=6f10e873-7b02-495e-938d-3fd78b1beac2%253ALT9420daafa50c87fb0dfe6f780cf119632addeeff
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4344236833/navy-blue-round-mosaic-fish-rug-ocean?ls=s&pro=1&frs=1&content_source=54d1cb51-feb2-40ce-b099-2cd233f910b1%253ALT9e8c81c83e7dee2e84d64ff8e8219b0bdb71dd36
I’m a day late to the design party but if you are looking for inspiration, I really enjoy Julie Jones’ interiors on Instagram. She has a style quiz on her website that is educational and informative about the difference of styles and what that means for design elements (eg eclectic vs maximalist) plus shoppable links for pieces you can incorporate. It’s free for the price of your email address. She also offers virtual design services with an emphasis on space planning.
OMG i love the BDH.
I came to read the comments, now i am taking notes. Please, please Mod R can you pin this post. It’s usful, it’s funny, its happy.
This is a community in action. This is what love & joy looks like. ❤️ 😍💪🏽💓
Same for me! I wanted to read the comments only but now I’m also taking notes.
Thank you BDH! 💓 😍
Everyone has been fantastic and so kind!
First I want to say congratulations on your new place and have fun with it. One thing with grey is you need to bring warmth and life. I do not know what restrictions you have in regards to paint or hanging things on walls but a couple of things to note…
For a grey floor and cool white living room I usually Pinterest search “colors to warm up grey floors”and usually get a lot of good results. (For example https://pin.it/dO377wN32 ) Once I have that set I can do the sofa, rug and coffee table. Accessories usually come in the way of pillows and throw blankets, more plant life or a couple of tchotchkes.
Lamps will be your friend as they cast a warm glow on things and keep the cool white lightbulbs away. A good floor lamp and table lamp. Don’t be afraid to even put one in the kitchen!
For a grey kitchen:
1. Warm wood tones are your friends! Cutting boards leaning up the counter, a wooden knife block, wooden fruit bowl, ect. Counter stools if you need them or a wood dining table can help a lot.
2. Plants Plants Plants! terracotta planter with ivy in it, a vintage urn with fresh flowers for color on the island… go faux if you have a black thumb but get something good.
3. If you can add a peel and stick tile backsplash (maybe like this https://pin.it/5CUPyMbpH ) to bring some color in?
4. Textiles – Runner rugs in the kitchen can also bring extra color in, tea towels that hang off the oven door.
Hi Mod R, I feel like you’d like Grillo Design’s colour palette https://www.instagram.com/grillodesigns?igsh=MXJpcjM4ZXo3cnc1cg==
She has lots of renter friendly hacks (in particular look at pre-2025 posts where she was still a renter) and she’s UK based so it might make sourcing easier.
Since you know the color pallet you want, check Wayfair, Overstock, Amazon, HSN, and At Home. Start with curtains, pillows, blankets and throw rugs that add bright color to the rooms.
I watch Alexandra Gater on YouTube. Lots of renter friendly ideas. Start with rugs you LOVE. Build out from there. there are lots of rugs companies online. Stick on tile is renter friendly to brighten walls and floors. Switch out hardware on cabinets. It’s not permanent. Good luck!
Love her!
Congratulation to moving houses!
There are a lot of websites out there that can help you with wich colors go well with other ones. Maybe this could be some inspiration.
https://www.kingofcolor.com/what-color-goes-with/gray
https://colorhunt.co/
maybe something like this, grey in combination with neutral beiges?
https://colorhunt.co/palette/f2f2f2eae4d5b6b09f000000
I’m sure it’s been mentioned but the do make removable wallpaper. Maybe an accent wall (or whole room) with a nice warm color will help but making sure it still works with the things you cannot change in the room.
I’m a big fan of The Nester. She has “rules for decorating” that really aren’t rules but teaches you how to work with what you have and lean into what you love. I’m also challenged in this area and am so grateful for the help she provides. She even has a book Rules for Decorating and a membership with classes a private FB group to get help. It’s such a great resource.
Happy decorating and I hope you love your new home. 🩷
step one: find a rug you absolutely love. measure your biggest room and buy a rug size that either 1) fits the seating area — like the front legs of the chairs/sofa, or 2) leaves a one-foot gap between the rug and walls. use that rug as your color theme throughout the house. every color has to “go” with that rug. doesn’t have to be matchy-matchy, but cannot clash.
step two: get the comfiest chair or sofa (in a color that coordinates with rug)
not step three, but very important: get a lot of lighting. reading, task, uplights (for you, that’s probably torchieres), AND make sure the bulb lights match — not pure white vs. warm light.
Happy nesting!
You know you can buy pieces of Roman glass? My partner is a history teacher and our bucket list is Pompeii, so for Xmas last year I bought a ampule. Search Ebay for Roman glass and it will come rt up and they aren’t that expensive, the seller took my offer instead of the posted price. The glass comes from all over the Roman Empire. Just be prepared to wait a while because they ship through Thailand and customs takes a looong time. Mine was almost 3 months but it was really worth it.
My other advice is get your base out of color, texture, and pattern instead of themes. You know your colors you like already. There are tons of articles and vids to show the correct balance on the C/T/P. Then you can add you accent pieces out of your ‘Pompeij Rising’ plus anything else (say a goth bat), because it will work together. It also makes it a lot easier to work in holiday stuff. Goid luck!!
It sounds like you’re not permitted to paint, but could you use the peel and stick wallpaper that doesn’t damage walls? It can work on flat-front modern cabinet doors, too! They make all different styles and colors and even murals. The site I look at most frequently here in the US is wallpops.com but I’m sure there are plenty of UK equivalents. Good luck making your new home feel truly homey!
Particularly if you’re neurospicy, there are a few more questions to consider before you start. What is your need/tolerance level for color and pattern? It can change over time and even be different in a new space. Also, what is your tolerance for clutter, and how much do you mind/not mind dusting? If moving things around to dust doesn’t bother you, then your space can be brightened and made interesting with accessories; if not, I’d suggest leaving surfaces more clear and sticking mostly with color in curtains, rugs, furniture, and throw blankets. In the meantime, you can experiment: try putting a bright or printed sheet or blanket over your couch to see how you live with that amount of color/pattern in your new space before you invest in new furniture, for example.
Also: some people love lots of smaller art on their walls and are stimulated by having many items/details to look at. Personally, in my own space it would drive me bonkers. Fewer but relatively larger pieces, and leaving some wall space empty, works better for me right now. And you can always approach it as a long term project, giving yourself time to decide if you like this wall being blank or would rather find something interesting to put there.
There is a flooring company called Flor that sells textile squares that you can use to make rugs using very rental friendly adhesive dots. You can follow their suggestions or go completely rogue. They are machine washable. The tiles can be disassembled and reassembled in case of unfortunate wine and pet accidents and cleaned individually. some of the designs can be used as wall hangings in my opinion.
You might look at Jeremiah Brent designs for inspiration. Nate and Jeremiah have a couple of TV shows, several episodes of which feature a style like you are talking about.
I am a big fan of using Pinterest for design inspiration. Before you buy, you can put pictures of everything for the room on one Pinterest board to make sure they harmonize.
In the US, I often find the best quality and most interesting pieces on Facebook Marketplace. It takes patience, but is often well worth it.
Command hooks are your friends for walls.
Happy decorating!
Dear Mod R, my first thought was: get some of the vellum overlays in a size close to your kitchen doors and fix them with velcro. 😜🤭😱
Seriously, you can do a lot with fabrics. Curtains reaching to the floor: wide (15-20 cm) stripes in different colours and for different places in different combinations. For Furniture you could take colour samples from this curtains to pick complimentary furniture, but not more than 2 different colours per room. For light get some big mirrors and ask a friend to help you place them in a way that gives you the most light.
🍀🍀🍀
I really like the design books of Sarah Richardson, a Canadian designer. Her books ” Sarah Style” and “Sarah Style At Home” ate available on Kobo. ( And Kindle too, I would imagine) And though I haven’t looked, I would think there may be YouTube videos available to give you an idea of how to start. Your problem is likely going to be too much information which can be paralyzing. Good luck!
I don’t have a decorating style. Or maybe my style is “I see it, I like it, I add it to the mishmash of other stuff I like.” I’ve never really worried about matching a style (I have ADHD-but without the H-except mine means I don’t worry about matching styles). Instead I add or subtract color till I’m happy. But I couldn’t do that all grey/black neutral either!
Pick up that pretty throw blanket, rag rug or runner, and what not that you like and add it until you have enough color to make you happy.
Pinterest is a great resource to visualize a color scheme but I can get stuck in endless options, so I offer these tips to narrow things down:
– Include the current colors on walls, cabinetry, etc that you can’t change in your color scheme. Seems like you are going to need to work with a lot of white and black/charcoal so I’d recommend more vibrant colors to complement (deep olive green, rich teal, and/or reddish terracotta).
– Start with the 80/20 rule to add color and limit decision fatigue. Pick one color/color family for 80% of your space and another for the remaining 20%. I prefer cooler tones for the 80% and warmer tones for the 20% like a darker olive green sofa and rug paired with pink pillows and art. You can always add more colors as you go with throw blankets, art, light fixtures, and other decorative touches, but this will help your space look intentional.
After you’ve decided on a color scheme, you can start shopping! Ruggable and One Kings Lane are my favorites for rugs. Etsy has great artists that sell reasonably priced prints and you can literally find any composition (I even found dinosaurs riding various construction vehicles for my dinosaur-and-trucks loving son). Target has cheap and cute picture frames. Framebridge has nicer options and is my go-to for high quality framed digital prints.
Other random thoughts:
– Might be worth asking your landlord if you can paint or put up removable wallpaper on one wall to add more color. My past landlords were more amenable to me changing the walls if I limited it to one. I love Baltic Sea from Benjamin Moore (https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-colors/color/csp-680/baltic-sea) and it might fit your color scheme. This Priano wallpaper from Serena & Lily might also fit (https://www.serenaandlily.com/products/priano-wallpaper/1242019).
– Rechargeable wall sconces are a renter-friendly way to add warmth.
– Apartment Therapy (https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/skirted-desk-trend-spring-2026-37549526) has lots of design tips for renters and small spaces.
Hope this helps! Enjoy filling your new space with color!
Your warm Mediterranean color scheme sounds lovely. Wood furnishings will help, and they don’t have to be expensive. IKEA’s Nordkisa and Ragrund pieces for example are made of bamboo (not pressboard and laminate) so they are sturdy. Consider looking at high quality French brand Carre Blanc for towels and duvet sets if you can get them: they always have at least one Mediterranean inspired pattern and lots of happy color. Plus many of their duvet covers are reversible offering two looks for the price of one!
Hello,
I found that when redecorating my house I typed in moodboard and thrn the parametres in google and pinterest and got some good moodboards to start. My other idea is to pick one piece that you own or love such as a painting, vase or rug and and work a moodboard around that. Once you have a moodboard just drop in shots of items that you like onto the page as well.You can do as many changes as you like to the page until you have a result that makes you feel good. It is substantially cheaper this way and means that your decisions in real life have purpose and structure – your ADHD will thank you for it when you go shopping. take care and have fun from NZ
Someone mentioned Lighting, and it will absolutely help. Make sure you get high cri (90+ color rendering index) and dimmable warm white LEDs. Incandescent on a dimmer in your bedside lamp if you can get them. The light quality is better for helping you fall asleep.
Also, part of what make apartments feel impressive is all the overhead light fixtures. Get table and floor lamps to give you a softer lighting look and feel. Antique stores often have the coolest lamps. You can also drill a hole in a vase or candle holder or basket and turn it into a lamp with a simple light kit.
For the kitchen, you can get stick on under cabinet lighting or even just some led tape. Again, make sure it is high cri. If led lighting is giving you a headache or things looks a bit like a flip book cartoon- all steppy/stroby, the driver quality is bad and the hertz refresh rate is too low. Usually a sign of cheap leds.
Yeah, not fond of builder neutral either.
one thing I have done is use a “tapestry” to add color and interest when couldn’t paint. I bought heavy upholstery fabric with texture and color/pattern I enjoyed. then one seam at bottom and fold over top to make pocket for wood or metal rod and hang. stop about a foot from ceiling. you can use closet rods as curtain rods are expensive. makes a large statement that is easy to change. Good Luck.
I don’t buy from this site because it is above my price point, but I love to LOOK on Houzz. Search Mediterranean style or Roman Mediterranean style and a whole host of photos show up. Fun to browse for ideas.
https://www.houzz.com/query/mediterranean-style?opc=home
I totally get you! grey walls = meh. I went to wayfair.com and got alot of artwork and rugs there. helped TONS! Good luck… not the designer here, just like color in my life and buy the touches.
So I’m in the UK too and have found this challenging as well! My go-to’s are Sosterne Grene, TK Max, charity shops, and the best thing in the summer is like the charity art fairs – we’ve picked up some gorgeous stuff for like £20 that no one else has. But I basically have decided to do a witch in the woods vibe whereby, I decorate with random plants, old cool furniture I’ve found at the chairty shops and it’s all mismatched but because I love it and it’s all me, it just goes.
Suggest starting with 1 or 2 big colorful prints/posters that you really love and then take your colors from there.
I paid $1 for one (plus $25 frame). It is of a shop in Serrano Italy. $200 for another (a fantasy Michael Parkes). And a 3rd is a crude colorful oil crayon drawing I did myself in a 101 art class. All of them remind me of the style combo you described.
Have fun and let it be you…..
Start slow. One piece at a time. I know it all looks boring now but adding too much too fast will be overwhelming. Consider creating your own decor, like a chunky knit throw or creating wall art. Enjoy the “new” as a clean fresh start to a comfortable space.
Caroline Winkler on YouTube. she is hilarious, love her ideas and very renter friendly.
except she sometimes railroads her own landlord
I hate moving but congrats on a nee place. Find a large rug you love, it can be simple in pattern or super vibrant depending on your taste. A rug can make the vibe of any room that much more cozy or put together. I have found that you can really improve a light situation with a mirror placed across from a window or lamp. Good luck!
My first stop would be Apartment Therapy. This is a website that has thousands of photos of actual apartments on their site, and in all different types of styles and designs.
It’s a great way to figure out what you like, as you can just peruse through so many different styles and designs. And these are not decorator designed apartments. These are apartments that have been put together by the people that live there.
Some are done in a very tight budget, annd others have used more money, but you can find so many different styles and ideas there. It’s easy to get sucked in but it really is a great resource to figure out what you like and to get some ideas. I highly recommend starting there.
And then what I would do is once you’ve decided what you like in there, is put AI to work. Show it some of the styles you like, ask for suggestions on where you can find similar products at reasonable prices, and have AI put together some ideas for you.
Congratulations on your new apartment! I love redecorating and it will be so much fun for you, I think, to create your own space. I love the site and I’ve been going there for years. https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/
First thing to do is pick your most favorite color and then find 2 complements. After that it is a matter of picking rugs, curtains, pillows and random items in those colors. about 50% should be your favorite color, and then a mix of the other 2. Most any color will pop against black and gray (as long as it is true gray – mix of black and white no other colors) Pintrest is good for idea. Do an internet search for color wheel calculator, it will help finding colors. Home Goods has a lot of random things but is eclectic and amazing for lamps, rugs, general decorations, even dishes and tableware.
Good luck and I am sure the horde will help, but alas I am unable to help. My spouse is the decorating guru. I ask him about my outfits to make sure I don’t clash.
Look up The Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith, for step by step how to put everything together in your own style. She has books, a blog, and a Facebook membership group. I found them extremely helpful.
If you’re ADHD and it’s all fluorescent lighting, you’re going to want to buy some lamps.
I have been impressed with the ads from Wayfair of “any home, any style” and expect that their website will have lots of ideas. I haven’t shopped there, but am willing to the next time I need decor.
Also, I have found that wandering through upscale furniture stores and “gift shops” give lots of ideas.
Good luck. I have an eclectic aesthetic with lots of warm color.
If you decide to go with a plant then give a snake plant a go. They improve air quality (since most homes are more toxic than outdoor air quality) and they’re a succulent so they’re happiest when you don’t water. Forgot to water it for a month? ehhh no big deal just give it a bit and it’ll be fine. They’re so interesting to look at too.
Wishing you a warm and cozy home that brings you joy.
Covering most of the grey floor with large patterned rugs in the colours you like will go a long way to changing the atmosphere. I am particularly fond of oriental and oriental style rugs which fit in with many classical themes. I buy the former at auctions where they are surprisingly reasonable and the latter at some of the stores mentioned. If you look at many pictures it is often the rugs that pull the room together. Where I have patterned rugs I usually have wood, leather (in pet friendly areas) or solid coloured upholstered furniture in a color similar to or complementary to what is in the rug. Accessories pick up other colours. If I have a solid rug I tend to have patterned walls. I have used patterned bedsheets to cover a bedroom wall in a flat similar to yours – cheaper and easier than wallpaper. If the top hem is patterned it can be interred to cover a baseboard. Add big plants to add greenery and height. Some palm-like tropicals are often on promotion and even a tiny schefflera grows big pretty fast. For art you can have blown up your own photographs in addition to what has been mentioned.
Exciting!!! I start with a beautiful rug. Something that encompasses what you truly feel. Then the rest of my decisions are easy, does it match the rug? Not necessarily in color, it could be aesthetic. I just don’t buy stuff that fight the rug.
You would be stunned by the wide variety and quayof peel and stick wallpaper available! One way to get started it to choose one wall to feature, find a wallpaper that speaks to you and then pull different colours from it to use in the room. I also use Google and Pinterest for ideas 🙂
You would be stunned by the wide variety and quality of peel and stick wallpaper available! One way to get started it to choose one wall to feature, find a wallpaper that speaks to you and then pull different colours from it to use in the room. I also use Google and Pinterest for ideas 🙂
Honestly, Don’t worry too much about if the pieces go together stylewise. Buy a couch in a fun colour (mine is a dark seafoam green) and a rug that is complementary (I have a persian rug I inherited that is in the reds) and it looks great! Add throws and pillows in colours that do not clash too much and you are off to the races.
I completely understand; I’m fortunate to have boring offwhite rental housing and can’t put things together, I cannot create images in my head if they don’t exist. I had white and grey curtains for years because I couldn’t figure ‘it’ out and I wanted to walk in the room without being flash banged from the sun. I randomly spent weeks & countless hours searching for curtains. It was so frustrating ! Why? I don’t really know. I couldn’t connect with anything and didn’t want to be miserable. But I kinda was.
In my search I found oil brushed bronze and shined bronze door handles … I was shopping for curtains… But the door handles… I liked them. I spent so much time not liking anything not being able to commit because I didn’t want to spend money on something that I was going to hate again. I got the door handles. I can’t use them, but having them in my hands when I resumed my search opened something in my brain and I found browny bronzy curtains on home depot. I probably looked at all the curtains on all the sites hundreds of times. This time, with the door handles in my hand, it felt different. I bought them. I had so much anxiety as I waited for delivery… Things can never fit back into those plastic sleeves. What if I hated them and couldn’t pack them back up to return them? I was tired of being unhappy with the grey. They finally arrived and… I love the curtains. I’ve never loved curtains before in my life. Previously, after fruitless searches, I just got grey. Neutral grey. And now? It’s a cool toned slightly shiny bronze and makes me so happy.
So, maybe start small and find a thing, a thing that you can’t use, anything that you like even if it makes no sense. Buy it and hold it in your hand to see if it makes you happy. Hold it when you are not searching and then, if this thing makes you happy, hold it when you are searching. Best of luck.
This lady’s style screams happy to me and her hacks are all renters friendly : linktr.ee/Taybeepboop
Everything I have learned about interior design has been from Paige Wassel, Caroline Winkler, and benjiplant on YouTube. Both Paige Wassel and benjiplant have videos specifically about decorating modern overwhelming grey apartments.
Take a picture or painting that you have had for a while and that you love. Use the colors in that picture as your palette for the rest of the house. Don’t add anything else.
I skimmed the comments and saw some wonderful advice, so I’m going to give you some terrible advice. Once you’ve got a cohesive color scheme, and tasteful furniture, you need some weird stuff. not a lot (I mean, I like a lot, but I’m a maximalist) but they give a home so much personality. I’m thinking flea markets, charity shops, Etsy. I saw someone mentioned museum gift shops. A miniature copy of Michelangelo’s David? or the Elgin marbles? old travel agency posters of Italy or Greece? vintage postcards of Pompeii?
Regardless, congratulations on your new home!
Consider fiber art to your walls to add color. I do this by hanging art quilts I have made on my walls…gives you a pop of color and you can select your favorite soothing palette. Example is “Dance of the Dragonflies” that you can see if you google it.
I suggest an idea board. My daughter does this when designing anything. From wedding to living space.
I am amazed at how it helps to pull things together cohesively.
I am pretty sure you could google the term to get started.
She sourced a lot things from thrifting.
OK. My method is to choose a throw rug that you really like. (A largish rug, maybe for under the dining table, or for the living room.) Then use the colors in the rug for pillows, curtains, etc. If the rug goes with the paint and stuff you cannot change, so will everything else.
A couple of books on this subject that I LOVE: Living With Color by Rebecca Atwood – absolutely amazing for really taking a topic that can sometimes be vague and rife with broad statements (“blue is ALWAYS calming”) and making it much more personal and specific to you and your space. The other book is The Nesting Place by Myquillyn Smith – a lot of this book is about attitude and gratitude, but it’s also really geared towards renters in a lot of ways, something I think a lot of interior design information glosses over. She wrote another book, Cozy Minimalist Home, which is about achieving that homey feel without just adding more clutter. Best wishes on your new home – it’s always exciting to settle into a new space and explore the potential!!!
hi there.
we bought and old house this years, so my recomondation is tested to the fullest by us: use ki. you upload a picture of your room, and give it as much details what you want, and what you dont want. sometimes with other pictures, eg a rug, and it shows with one click how it could be. if you dont like it, you try something else.
cheapest solution with a lot of possibilitys. have fun 😉
We recently moved home to Texas from California and it’s quite a cultural shift in decore. We’d been in the same house for 25 years and I wanted new.
I bagged all the old rugs, curtains and towels and started fresh. I was even more selective about what went on the walls when we arrived.
I will be honest- I did most of my shopping online.
Some came from Wayfare but the bulk came from Amazon.
We’re so far out in the country that no one knew where our street was. Google Maps even had us in the wrong place so I had to write step by step directions with every order so the drivers could find us. Cost Plus Imports online is a great resource for the decore theme you’re looking for. It holds many treasures and mine are among the few items I brought.
I’d suggest lots of throw rugs and pillows, colorful lap blankets for the furniture, colorful sheers on the windows, go crazy with towels and decore in the bathrooms.
You can change the ambiance in any room with color and plants.
Enjoy!!
MC
If you have some big bare walls, maybe a peel-and-stick wall mural?
https://a.co/d/0ja2aJP7, for instance.
I’ve seen very nice examples of these, but I’m afraid they could easily veer to tacky. Personally, I’d like a beech forest around my bed, but haven’t actually dared do it yet.
Good luck! I’ve been in my current apartment almost three years, and still haven’t really settled in, so my suggestions may be highly suspect.
I generally start with Dunelm, Next, M&S, and Argos/Habitat. Bookmark what you like and see if they go together, or have a common theme. Then you can build from there. Good luck!
Large Quilts Or large sewn pieces of fabric work wonders to fill up the white walls. You can sew a strip of fabric to the top back to hold a metal rod- even a curtain rod and then you just have 2 or three brackets to mount, easy to remove and fill in with white tooth paste before you leave. I have a tapestry that’s 4 1/2 X 7 ft. and it has been a beautiful focal point in my last several houses. I also have a giant 3 1/2 ft. tall tree urn with large artificial tree that is another huge focal point.
So many fabulous pieces of advice and knowledge here already!
Two things I’d do asap: Change bulbs asap and energetically Harmonize your space (whatever that looks like for you) and add some low care air cleaning plants (sansiveria is my go-to and can take a beating if you’re not plant inclined).
One thing I would add: *don’t rush yourself* to find the right piece. Take your time. the PERFECT thing will come to you and it will happen. Sometimes it might take a few iterations of what you thought you wanted before the right thing falls together in your head. Spark some joy.
If any large spend item or prominent piece has to be found- live in the space and REALLY picture it before you go out and just buy something. That way you will 1000% love it and be so happy. And sometimes the hunting is the best part. (Like a fan might be open to making a massive canvas or print for you from book art!)
Maybe even treat yourself to a really amazing art piece you find while on vacation in your dream zone. Or see if you could craft it yourself vs just going for a quick/cheap fix.
We moved recently and I am really enjoying the ability to take my time to get it all just right without rushing. (I also cannot interior design BUT. As the pieces click together I find it more and more peaceful and satisfying than just throwing up something and making do)
I find if the space is blank I can dream without trying to overcome what’s placeholding on the walls there.
Pretty sure all of these have been covered but:
Shopping sources:
World market
10,000 villages
Etsy
Specific aesthetic searches that lead to small or legacy businesses that are not “big box”
Estate sales or Antique auction sites
If you’re a diy-er there are SO many YouTube tutorials on how to achieve specific finishes on furniture and even self crafted art pieces.
First, congratulations on your new apartment! I hope you love your new home soon. I find that anthropology.com can have some unusual things in their furnishings + home section with good color which can be hard to find these days. Also, although it may be different in the UK, usually (in Canada) you actually can paint your walls, with permission, if you buy the paint, choose a reasonable color and know you’ll be repainting when you leave. We’ve done that and if you get friendly with the landlord or manager of your building, in the end they may agree to repaint for you since they usually repaint anyway, again, as long as your paint choice is reasonable. Finally, start with your largest pieces, find pieces that MAKE YOU HAPPY then jump off from those. Choose one main color theme then add two to three accent colors and if you do choose a large piece in color (which I personally applaud in this time of everything has to be monochrome) then remember to be careful adding other larger pieces.. for instance, choose an olive green velvet sofa, then make the chairs you get be more muted, like cream with wooden accents to “go” with your floors. Wood doesn’t have to match, just don’t let it be a red based wood floor with a yellow oak chair, like that. Add throw pillows to the chairs, they can have pattern, try to have some olive green in them if you can. then different shape pillow (like a long bolster for center of couch in another solid that has that similar color in your patterned throw pillows. Then a plain blanket that has texture and gooshieness for couch, in possibly that cream in the chairs, could have a subtle stripe if you can find something that would go. Add a sisal rug to go under everything. That’s your living room. Drapes in like a linen would give the esthetic you’re looking for. I think of natural fabrics when I think of your aesthetic. If you have a sideboard or tv stand with space underneath, add sisal poofs as extra seating. I would think dining chairs with caning would also go well. For your kitchen, I’d go bright, like this…(https://www.anthropologie.com/en-ca/shop/amelie-latte-stoneware-cereal-bowls-set-of-4?color=075&type=STANDARD) and even better if that color was one of the colors in the throw pillows! Also this https://www.anthropologie.com/en-ca/shop/the-latte-stoneware-pasta-bowls-set-of-4-amelie-edition?color=022&type=STANDARD). As a for instance, instead of the couch being the jumping off point, if you fell in love with these drapes… (https://www.anthropologie.com/en-ca/shop/pallido-cotton-linen-blend-woven-striped-curtain?color=040&type=STANDARD) then get chairs to match the gold color, find accent pillows that have the other color or find that color in the rug then do a neutral sofa with that other color as a long bolster (12″ x 27″) throw pillow in a texture like this long shape and texture (https://ca.pinterest.com/pin/282389839123970474/visual-search/?cropSource=5&entrypoint=closeup_cta), color is good too, natural feeling fabrics. Or this kind of texture (https://www.anthropologie.com/en-ca/shop/malia-cotton-floral-candlewick-cotton-flex-euro-sham?color=011&searchparams=page%3D2%26q%3Dpillow). Finally, what about something like this for your bedroom? (https://www.anthropologie.com/en-ca/shop/dahlia-100-cotton-jersey-floral-quilt?recommendation=rectray-children-products), the pink sand or French oak color may be your palette. Good luck! Hope this helps.
In Canada, quilt stores have colourful panels you can use for pictures. And if you tell the staff your decorating struggles and concept, everyone will pitch in with ideas and local sources.
I usually don’t bother with a main concept or invent a color scheme, but start with one piece that I really love (so only invest time in this one extraordinary piece) and expend from there.
E.g. my sister has a couch table and the foot is looking like an ancient pillar. She fell in love with it, bought it from a second hand platform and only after that she choose her carpet, a special wallpaper, the curtains …
In general, I really love wallpapers, they so much brighten up a room! Also, I adore second hand stores – online and offline. You always find something unique and surprising. I have several cabinets, around 100 years old, they are full of character, durable and beautiful.
Good luck and have fun decorating!
Wow. Congratulations on your new home. Personally I like little pops of red and orange. I tend to lean toward earth colors. A vase, colorful plants, lots of throw pillows in various colors. Change them out for the season. Rugs are good for some color.
Share what you decide on with the BDH.
Start with something big like an area rug or curtains and choose the one you love most. Then pick out no more than three colors from your big item to use for the dominant colors in things like pillows, throws, etc. Don’t worry about style, just tie it all together with colors you love. Remember that different rooms can have different color schemes.
For a rug try the search terms”washable area rug” . There are lots of sites and they usually have eveything from gray to sizzle your eyeballs color. Wayfair is a good overall home decorating site. They are affordable, but you are not going to get heirloom quality, more like Ikea. Pay attention to the reviews and don’t order anything breakable. I have had too much broken glass from there. Good luck and please yourself.
I’ll admit…I like white walls. I have big cats in my living room. Unicorns, Pegasi and Pegacorns in my computer room and bedroom; and cats/kittens in my kitchen.
It tend toward brown, red and tan in the living room and blues in my bedrooms.
I’m not an interior designer and I know I probably would make one seize up but it’s what I like. 🙂
you do you. let the interior designers do what makes them happy in their own homes. everybody wins. lol
Two Instagram accounts that I follow (as a fellow ADHDler) and enjoy. There’s also one on FB, but I have to find her again…
@talesfromwisteriacottage
@littlehouseinlondon
you do you. let the interior designers do what makes them happy in their own homes. everybody wins. lol
Me personally I wd go to used furniture stores, antique markets, auctions, that sort of thing. BC #1, anything new you buy in a furniture store these days, unless it is from the designer-furniture-for-very-wealthy-people-boutique, where i have never shopped, wiĺl not be solid wood; most likely it wiĺl be made of particle board. Behind the veneer. Me I prefer quality. & if something has already lasted one or 2 hundred years, or more, I expect it wiĺl survive me too.
Warming = greens instead of blues.
Yellow/creams for sure.
Hot = orange and reds
So I would look for wood and fabrics.
I don’t have Facebook but I’ve heard the Marketplace is pretty good. Also even though thrifting is hot right now, it’s still fun!
Ooof, that’s a lot of black and gray! Is it possible to cover the black on the cupboard doors with contact paper that looks like wood? The floors can be softened (or hidden) with rugs (sisal or sand colored type rugs that are ginormous and can cover a majority of the floor).
Do as Dina: close your eyes and imagine the space around you. If you cannot paint a wall, you can hang a tapestry (very Pompeii) or even a curtain from ceiling to floor that you can open at will. That black block of a kitchen can be light up with colorful appliances (red or turquoise Kitchen Aid coffee maker, toaster, mixer, etc.: there are many options and brands out there). Look for a colour wheel online to combine complementary colours (the safest option: a primary with the secondary that doesn’t contain it: blue with orange, etc., or with the adjacent tertiary colours -a bit more adventurous). Rugs, big cushions and ottomans and coffee tables help to keep a small space open. And ART everywhere: buy what you love from affordable, young artists, even on the street. Get a poster of a gorgeous Pompeii excavation, patio, mosaic, even a small reproduction of a sculpture… Sit in the space, close your eyes and dream!
Good luck 😉 awesome ModR!
I love @miahiramatsu on Instagram for her “nerdcore” home series – she uses aesthetics from various books/TV shows/movies to inspire various home decor looks. As a renter myself, I like removable wallpaper and hunting for wall art or statement furniture pieces at local thrift stores.
One example I can give from experience is try tile stickers. I turned my very 90s kitchen (dark mdf cabinets and white tiles) into something much more fun using tile stickers.
I went for moroccan tiles but you could go for whatever tickles your fancy. I also painted my cabinet doors to pale blue which really lightened up the kitchen. In the end I got what looked like a brand new kitchen for a 10th of the price. They’ve been up 9 years now and still look good. Also, as and when you ever leave they can just peel off!
If you can, start with the floor – add rugs! That will give you a color pallette to work from. Go to resale shops (perhaps not in London, but investigate antique shops that would be more affordable). Facebook Marketplace works well in the States for gently broken-in pieces. Ask friends for cuttings from plants you find interesting at their abodes!
If you’re worried about clashing colours, buy a small colour wheel from an art store, mark your existing colours on it and then use the instructions on the wheel to see what colours go with it. You can carry it around in your purse.
The best color and decorating advice I have found is from Maria Killam. She has several blogs and videos on decorating. She sells a lot of products, but it is possible to read the blogs and watch the videos to find the information you need without buying anything. I struggled horribly until I found her online.
Heres what I would do. Find a couple of big art pieces in the style/color you want. Largish canvases if they can fit. Mediterranean landscapes? Furniture should be solid colors that pick up a color in the art. Accessories – cushion s, throws, can be multicolored and patterned. Rugs- more neutral, simple geometrics or natural fibres. Sand, terra cotta, even blue (oceanic).
Are you allowed to paint the walls or are they already a pretty neutral color? Houzz has a lot of pictures to look at and they will help you narrow down what you do and don’t like. The space you live affects you more than people realize. I would probably advise you not to do too much at once and keep things on the lesser amount of “things” side. Rugs.com and Wayfair are great places to check out types and style of rugs. HGTV has lots of pictures also. And don’t forget lighting! That’s extremely important. Unfortunately you can’t add extra windows (honest it was always there….) and also figure out the color of light that makes you feel good. White white, yellow white, blue white, there’s a scale on every bulb package that tells you the lumens and where it falls on the color scale. Hope this wasn’t too confusing.
Not allowed any paint, walls are staying stark white.
Check out remodelista.com
They have links to lots of european products from their design stories.
Good luck!
the largest really cool thing I’ve seen is magnetic stickers for fridges. I would presume you can find the same for cabinets? Also, did you know that using starch you can temporarily attach fabric as wall paper?
Look into fathead wall hangings? They are also removeable. They are pointed to sports, but I’ve seen where they do other walk coverings.
Good luck! Share photos!
I suggest a red couch. Not bright, darker reds are still strong and go with everything (I’m on my third). My place also doesn’t get much light. If you are near a college or university with an art department, look for student art sales.You can get original, energetic and well done wall art, ceramics and sculpture. Probably some inspired by the ancient art you like. There are hangers that don’t mar walls and can hold silkscreens and other prints. Bookshelves can hold art as well as books.
(Disclaimer, I am an artist and think original art has more energy than mass produced art.)
My advice is to start with one medium to large piece that you absolutely love. Make sure that it’s either a natural material or a bright color. It can be a piece of art, a statement chair, a comfy couch, coffee table, a bookcase in an interesting shape, etc. Anything that makes your heart sing all in its own outside of the context of the room.
Place it in the room (physically or virtually using those mad Mod R skills). Add some of the boring everyday stuff that you know you need to the room. Leave some of it neutral so your favorite piece shines. Feel free to pull from the color family, or shape, or texture of your favorite piece, but never match it exactly.
Now, leave it for a few hours and come back to it. Notice where your eye is drawn and where it naturally just skips over things. Each room should have 2 to 3 “moments”. Places in the room where your eyes are drawn and that elicit a smile. Build on that, adding one piece at a time. If the addition makes you happy, keep it. If you notice a slight shift in feeling, stop, leave it and come back later. Remove it if it still doesn’t feel right when you come back – you don’t need to explain why to anyone.
Two rules: don’t rush it, it takes a long as it takes. Don’t explain your choices to anyone – it’s none of their business.
Last hint: rugs are a wonderful way to add color AND texture to a room. If the room feels cold and sterile, add a colorful rug. If a room feels too busy, add a neutral rug in a single color to ground it (can be textured). Some rooms never feel quite right until you add the perfect rug.
Go to arts and crafts fairs and thrift shops. Look at things until you see something that takes your breath away. Buy it, even if expensive. This will be the start of your decorating. Then pull colors from this item into your new furniture and rugs.
You might not even need to buy it. I saw a painting that my father bought back in the 80s, and fortunately was frequently available to look at. I now have a gold sofa, green and brown chairs, and a rug that pulls the colors together. Then after my parents passed, the painting has pride of place in my living room, and I love it every day.
Congratulations on the new home. I like the cabinet pic. The knobs look like eyes! Good luck brightening things up.
Olive trees have a lot of grey to them, so going with some larger olive green pieces, say a sofa and chair could be a great beginning, I would look for a living area rug that’s Main color (or colour which ever one prefers) is clay and has all the other Med colors in it. If you are allowed to hang Art, You might even hang something like that above the sofa. To relieve the black and grey in the kitchen area you might consider getting some stoneware pitchers in teal blues and terracotta to set on the counter, even just one that you can put flowers in once a week is cheerful.
bedroom, get a bright cheery comforter to start. doesn’t need to be expensive, just a pop of color to get away from the grey and a shower curtain if needed same thing, those two items should not be your forever things, they should be keep me from killing myself with the evil grey things so I can stop and think a bit. I repainted a condo I was living in once because the grey walls had me so depressed it was dangerous to my well being. Totally get the anti grey thing. some say it looks clean, I say ‘yeah like a morgue.’
Go 2nd hand, and Ikea has beautiful rag rugs for that pop of colour. Buy a small carpet 2nd hand, and hang it on the wall. Get a cheap framed print, and splash colour over it. Cushions are your friend. Fill a bowl with sea food plushies (lobster. crab, fish, seaweed ) and go wild. Lots of plants on display shelving, all different sorts. Have fun xx
I am late to this party and I haven’t read all the comments because my boss frowns upon play at work but my advice as a librarian — go the the library and get home decor books. Find a style that feels good to you then try to locate things that copy that vibe.
Even in my own home I tend to go with light, blank walls and make the space mine through color. I have colorful furniture and lots of art. Pillows and blankets are helpful. Warmer colorful furniture can add a lot. Grey and white are banned.
I got an amazing custom couch from a California company called What a Room — I have no idea if they ship internationally. It can be good to invest in a statement piece and then find less expensive or thrifted items to make up the difference.
I’m blathering now. I shall stop.
American fashion historian Nicole Rudolph has been doing a months-long series on trends in home decorating as she fixes up and decorates her new house. She references sources that do beautiful color well, including the 60s and 70s, and she explains a lot of the why’s you see in current home decorating. Maybe it’s because I’m a history nerd, but I find that I can better figure out what I like when I can sort the jumble of choices into a kind of historical order and intention. The videos are also fun. She’s over on YouTube.
Get wood furniture. Coffeetable. Small side tables. Plant stands. Shelves. Picture frames.
I would go with warmer wood towns like oak or teak to balance the black. Nothing too light.
That alone should already add a lot of warmth into the room.
If you don’t have animals, splurge on a wool carpet for the living-room.
Plants, lots and lots of plants. There are self-watering options for us ADHD people who tend to forget to water plants. Or go with easy-to-care for plants like peace lilys, agalomena (the come in a wide variety of shapes and colors) and pothos (trailing plants). Maybe on monstera (can get really big) or a monstera monkey-mask (another trailing plant). You should be able to find all of those in stores that sell plants in the UK.
I can’t believe no one has made the obvious joke: these gray walls will not kill me!
My design is based around a statement piece. I pick one piece and design the room around it.
In my bedroom, it’s a handmade quilt. That gave me a bunch of beautiful colors to choose from for art and rugs.
For the kitchen, it is a ceramic painting from Italy. From there, I hung a bunch of decorative plates in the same colors.
Adding light wood pieces- like a breakfast bar or shelves- can warm up a grey and white room.
Organizing your collections by color or theme can tame clutter into a more visually appealing display. Think the difference between a junk shop, where everything is jumbled and can be overwhelming, and an antique shop where things are organized by era, purpose, color and type. Much more welcoming!
Good luck with it.
Mod R, they have great wall murals or wallpapers that are like peel-n-stick that you can use in an apt. that can peel write off. Maybe find a lovely Mediterranean tile print and put it on the front & sides of the island for some warmth and a great pop of color. You may also be able to find a nice high end peel-n-stick tile to use for the backsplash. Wall prints, and window treatments can also warm up a space. Pillows w/ some terracotta/Mediterranean prints on a warm colored sofa can make the space feel really different. Add some life potraying colors w/ plants & if watering is not your thing get some succulents.
I’ve gotten my inspiration fr. binging many programs on HGTV, don’t know if you have that in the UK. I also, look at magazines from Architecture Digest, and furniture store catalogs.
Pinterest “Italian Decor” or “Tuscan Decor” is a good vibe. There used to be a magazine on the racks at Waterstones called Tuscan Design which was a whole thing. Believe it or not, TK Maxx (as it’s called in the UK) is awesome for a more minimalistic Roman Villa design vibe, with those requested pops of sea blue, aquamarine and Tuscan red. Coir rugs, textured cream curtains, matchstick blinds, sofas and chairs in creams and tans/neutrals, then pop the color with warm woods, pillows and throws. You got this!
Lucky you – a neutral background is a great advantage when you have a good sense of what you want. My best advice, if you don’t know exactly how that looks, is to take pictures of your space and ask AI to style it with your specific taste. Then ask it to refine. A good place to start would be exactly what you shared above: “You wake up on a sunny afternoon in Apulia. It’s 78 AD, and the olive harvest is plentiful.”
I live in San Francisco where we have fog, so I can relate to grey daylight. I have an LED floor lamp I love; it does a great job of simulating sunlight, and takes up very little floor space. Here’s the Amazon listing for it: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brightech-Torchiere-Super-Bright-Floor/dp/B06VSX13DF.
Removable Wallpaper
When I redecorated I got a lot of information about color from Maria Killam, online. And I also hate all the black and gray.
They have lots of secondhand shops in the UK. Get some nice rugs in warming colors. Stalk the secondhand shops. Buy a good couch and add your favorite pillows and throws. I got a lot of secondhand silver and china in the UK. Have fun shopping!
Fellow ADHd-er here! I recently had a similar experience. I ended up using a tweaked version of my garden design consultation questions. Here’s a shortened version:
What is the room used for, and where are you going to be facing most often in that room? Whatever the answer is, that’s the focal point of the room.
Pick a colour palette (or two) online
Pick 3 descriptors: Mediterranean, cozy, modern
Google image search those descriptors + the room: Mediterranean, cozy, modern
living room
Hard part. Pick three, and only three, pictures you like.
What do the pictures have in common? Is the furniture big and cushy, are the carpets circular, are the picture frames light or dark, etc. When you find all the common traits, overlay your colour palette.
Canva is helpful because you can upload an image of the room and snippets of furniture you find online
I get distracted by pretty things and decision paralysis when I shop, so I ended up printing out the photos, writing notes, and referencing them so I didn’t randomly buy a shiny thing.
Dark kitchens in rentals are hard because there’s only so much you can add to soften it. ovens mits, tea towels, spice rack, toaster, dish cloth, photos/art on the back splash, stools for the island. Flowers!
Hope this was helpful! Good luck!
So I recently used Chat GPT to recommend some colours for soft furnishings and that I was UK based and it came back with recs from Dunelm etc so pretty decent. I gave it my room colours and that it was north facing and the vibe I wanted.
You can get peel and stick wallpaper – worth checking out – also for the kitchen cabinets too.
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/lifestyle/interiors/g34023469/removable-wallpaper/
Congratulations on your move! It’s exciting but also stressful. I’m in the throes of a move myself, also to gray floors and light gray walls. Kitchen is lovely.
Lost most of my stuff in the Fl hurricanes, and have been living in a tiny mobile home with most salvaged stuff in storage. I’ve been thrifting floor lamps and table lamps for warmer lighting. I love plants in the home (out of feline reach). I have the benefit of a dear friend who has amazing design skills as well. I plan to add more natural fibers and textures as well to fight all the gray. Enjoy
Fellow ADHd-er here! I recently had a similar experience. I ended up using a tweaked version of my garden design consultation questions. Here’s a shortened version:
What is the room used for, and where are you going to be facing most often in that room? Whatever the answer is, that’s the focal point of the room.
Pick a colour palette (or two) online
Pick 3 descriptors: Mediterranean, cozy, modern
Google image search those descriptors + the room: Mediterranean, cozy, modern
living room
Hard part. Pick three, and only three, pictures you like.
What do the pictures have in common? Is the furniture big and cushy, are the carpets circular, are the picture frames light or dark, etc. When you find all the common traits, overlay your colour palette.
Canva is helpful because you can upload an image of the room and snippets of furniture you find online
I get distracted by pretty things and decision paralysis when I shop, so I ended up printing out the photos, writing notes, and referencing them so I didn’t randomly buy a shiny thing.
Dark kitchens in rentals are hard because there’s only so much you can add to soften it. ovens mits, tea towels, spice rack, toaster, dish cloth, photos/art on the back splash, stools for the island. Flowers!
Hope this was helpful! Good luck!
Hi Mod R, congratulations on your new place. I also have ADHD, get overwhelmed by my environment, am decoratively challenged and live where it’s often grey. I’d say pick colors, fabrics, lights, art, plants etc that give you the feelings you want from your space. Calm, relaxing, good feelings, safety and, refreshing for example. Start small and try some things out first to see how you react to them. You know returnable things you can test out first before you commit. Good luck.
Find a stick and peel wallpaper you like. It won’t damage paint or walls. Use it on an accent wall or your bedroom to create an oasis.
To warm things up use large color pieces to balance all the grey. Playful colors like teal? Sage green is soothing but might be too greyish to give you relief . I would try a lot of bright artwork on the walls with your favored Pompeii colors in creams and rust. If you can find patterned pillows with grey mixed with colors you like it will bring things together without being too jarring. Maybe some great photos of Roman ruins with blue sky and the columns outlined against it with grass growing up? You could try some of the peel and stick wallpaper for a backsplash too. If you hate it after a while or are moving it just peels off.
I’m going to be moving into my first apt in 30 years so dread not being able to update the wall color. My bedroom in my old house had a raspberry accent wall and pictures of roses. LOL
Suggest you find a picture you like and use that as a focal point. A really big one that can take up a wall. Then grab colors from the picture to either pop colors from it or contrast to the colors in the picture. Maybe find something by googling all the things you like and see what pops from AI. (pompeii mediterranean style pictures click on images).
PS. I love roses and that was my inspiration which came from a comforter set I found in a catalog.
Even if you stay with the white walls, black fittings, and grey floor, your favourite colours would absolutely work. I can picture a cheerful & beautiful space with pops of colour throughout from the suggestions of rugs, plants, and lamps, and colourful appliances if you are so inclined. The grey floor might work to your advantage, since Pompeii old stone floors? Sea blue rug, maybe?
Good luck, so excited for you!
Hello, Mod R!
I totally sympathize with this dilemma. My recommendation is to:
1) Identify a color palette that gives you maximum cozy vibes. Pinterest, furniture stock photos, and etc. are all great for inspiration.
2) Start from the ground (literally the floor) and work your way up. Look for rugs that fit your chosen color palette. Then explore furniture that compliments. Then, decor for counters/surfaces before moving to the walls.
3) Strategically place mirrors (discount stores are perfect for fun pieces!) to help maximize the lighting in your rooms.
This has been my strategy the last few moves, and it’s made things a bit less overwhelming!
So I had a similar problem when I moved into my new house, which has light grey walls, and white cabinets and doors with black handles for accent. The good news is, any color will go with this!. I bought a blue sofa, added some area rugs with various colors, and hung a lot of pictures on the walls, all colorful. Now, I own this house, and don’t know how your landlord feels about wall hangings, but if he’s OK with that, you can brighten things up considerably with colorful art. Doesn’t have to be expensive – posters that you like work too.
Another thing that helps is to add lamps with warm lightbulbs, to counteract the harsh fluorescent lighting. Pretty lamps can add a nice note to a room when lit. The Mediterranean colors are pretty – reds, golds, green etc. and none of them will clash with the grey, since it’s a very neutral color. Since you’re buying furniture, I suggest lighter woods, which again adds some brightness. So, to summarize – add accent pieces in colors you love, lamps with warmer bulbs to counter the fluorescent, and go for lighter color wood in the furnishings.
As a note, I am not a professional decorator (far from it!) so other members of the Horde may have better ideas. This is just what I did. Hope it’s helpful!
I got a bunch of woven rag rugs at the Goodwill, ran them through the wash, and put them here and there. Also nice if your floors are some material that’s not so pleasant on the feet. They can be a real tripping hazard. Fun if you have a cat. They’ll haul ass down the hall, stop on a rug, and surf into the bathroom on it.
Only other thought is replacing (temporarily) a light fixture is a doable project for most people. One place I lived I put up a nice antique ceiling fixture that I found at a junk shop. Put the old hideous chrome monstrosity back the day I moved out.
You can get all kinds of peel and stick decals for walls which are great for renting.
https://www.amazon.com/Decorative-Waterproof-Wall-Sticker-Background-Decoration/dp/B0D9RRNCG5/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2KA8V2WWA4O1L&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Y27cJLUyEskWgXF6jaYd7ujs7OSSg5WA0B9Jj9z-oWbM7ki82M22QwZCHQtxW4AIA2P3Wk1HoYHiv4Xlyx5axYs0VzckZgI4awZnHakF_qCFqSFejBsiMx77qmQZFQlezbk_9r99oiM0gf54XrhHkPtkm_HREH45Vxopxf-wYo-iEcXgKl7M3y9WpEmeGrvmSuxz2hsSmLWziF7MvfzrFn4VVxXy75Qq_Tgt4laM96_fxXK3OKXwS_y5MItzrAfpjopuqM8izs3_tsyBzwmMp_8a8zpqiDPcfnd7osooG5o.6HRT9dUwZidzwP2XRQGf4Li_NlqJpxe30tUGKhliliY&dib_tag=se&keywords=wall%2Bdecal%2Broman&qid=1779468919&sprefix=wall%2Bdecal%2Broman%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-9&th=1
also: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=olive+grove+wall+art&crid=1WKIO7VANDZDX&sprefix=olive+grove+%2Caps%2C168&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-expert-pd-ops-ranker_1_12
and https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pompeii+wall+art&crid=29E6Z9P9J0IB&sprefix=pompeii%2Caps%2C191&ref=nb_sb_ss_saint-en-refocus-candidate_1_7
Good Luck!
YouTube for renter friendly DIYs + Pinterest + sometimes Houzz.
There are SO many renter friendly tricks these days to completely change your surroundings. Vinyl wraps for everything from floor to counters to cabinets. Lamps to change your lighting (never use the overhead if you can avoid it), tension rods to add sheer curtains to your disappointing windows and at least give a little Parisian texture to the monochrome modern. Things like that.
I am a big fan of dye. You can buy flat sheets and sometimes curtains and rugs at thrift stores. Sheets will dye easily in a washing machine or large buckets in the yard. Sheets make good curtains with minimal sewing or even safety pins, also furniture covers, bringing desired colors and softness into a room. A plus is the ease of washing, keeping dust and stains off your couch, ect.
Cheers!
Removable Wallpaper UK – Custom Peel and Stick Wall Murals https://share.google/SN6kiuTbYJ5IPfQml
I’m not in Great Britain but I found this shop online. They have temporary wallpaper for renters. It looks pricey but if you like the idea you may be able to find a less expensive alternative.
I like to go to places like World Market and Target ( I live in the USA) and look at colorful pillows and throws to toss on chairs and sofas. You can see if the colors look good together in your cart before you buy. And if you get tired of them after a few months you can send them to a thrift shop and start over.
Come to think of it – you could shop at the thrift shop the first time, too
I love to decorate and organize. I love watching Feng Shui videos from Dear Modern (Cliff Tan). He is super helpful and how to set up your furninture. Since you are ADHD, i recommend you take an organization quiz from clutterbug. She has 4 different organization types, and 2 are for ADHD folks. (She is ADHD). She teaches you to setup zones for your home and then how to organize for your type – this will help you figure out the right storage to add to your place. Basically -designate how you want to use the different parts of your house and zone them. Examples, sanctuary bedroom. Living space that may also need to function as an office or workout space etc, or maybe for frequent entertainment. Then select the furniture/storage you need for each space to make the zones for you. Once you know what you are looking for, then it’s easier to find items in your style. example – you might need a couple of arm chairs or a chaise lounge, a sofa, side tables, table lamps, coffee table, desk, and rug for your living room/office zone. – Now you know the pieces you need. Watch Dear Modern for the layout, then measure for that space. Now start looking to see what furniture fits in that area. Makes it easier when you know what you can fit and sets limits on what you need for your basic furniture. You have your measurements and now you can pick stuff in your style. Get your base furniture selected. I suggest a pinterest board or google slides to see what looks together. Then you can accessorize to your heart’s content. Also love waching GarretLeChic for inspiration.
Also, i’ve lived in rentals most of my life. For walls – artwork. if you are not allowed to have hanging nails, use command strips. Also, i use fabric to create really cool effects – made my bedroom look like the inside of a tent. Plus there is removable wallpaper for apartments now, but that can be a bit of pain. for your style, i would pick your furniture and rugs – have some cool ornate artwork for the walls and drapy curtains and fabric. also, you can use high book shelves and tall plant stands, placing hang plants on them to create the feeling of a mediterrean garden. if you have a cat, that problem won’t work well.
I don’t have place to point you in but one thing I do each new apartment is use my own light fixtures or covers – the existing ones are easy to store and I love how immediately different fixtures change everything. I love using what I call Chinese balls – those white, typically, round with wire to form tissue fabric balls with a hole on the top and bottom. they are easy to affix over the light bulb. and the other thing is change the exiting bulbs to softer light or blue light. Good luck.
Tricks for rentals that won’t keep you up nights when you move out repainting everything.
Lighting. Check the warmth of your light bulbs. In a stark monochrome environment, changing the lighting to something warmer instead of daylight will help, especially in the evenings. If you need bright light during the day, I’d suggest getting lightbulbs you can program and change the warmth on such as Phillips Hue or Eufy Home. Best part- you can program these to change on set schedules and take them with you.
Alexandra Gater is a YouTuber that I would recommend checking out. You may not jive with her style, but her tips and tricks can be adjusted to the finishes you want. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=alexandra+gater
My sister once had a room that had awful 1970’s quilt themed wallpaper wall that could not be removed when she moved in. Her trick was to get two full size flat sheets and (Thumbtacks? small nails?) and cover that wall by stretching the sheets flat over the wallpaper and tacking as appropriate at the top, bottom and sides.
It worked wonderfully, looked really good, and when she changed her aesthetic she simply changed the sheets.
I’m a big fan of curtains and throws to set color moods and when life is not crazy I rotate them through the seasons, cool blues when it’s hot, and warm tones in the winter.
I like IKEA’s wood furniture, I have a set of their ladder back chairs we spray painted wild colors, and their pillow department is wonderful for colors. We also have several chairs that are surviving 5 kids, 3 dogs, and other extended family. They have some nifty colors too.
Amazon has these amazing curtains.
https://a.co/d/0cEtWvMK
We have burnt orange which is fabulous, peacock blue, and a forest green which are all fabulous saturated colors and they’re terrifically warming and light blocking to boot!
Aside from that, we tend to do thrifting/ second-hand stores for bits and bobs, I have a fantastic set of matching marble top tables we found in three different places, sets of bookshelves and a desk from a demolition reclamation store that needed a bit of refinishing but are amazing.
My suggestion is to find the paint section of a DIY store and pick up the little color strips or booklets in the colors you like and bring them home and look at them. They will look different in your space, and give you a better ideas of what colors you really love. (I had a friend who took her favorite outfit and went to the store, picked out the matching colors and brought them home, it turned out fabulous!)
Best of luck, and don’t be afraid to “w*it” a little while and decide how your space will work before you get stuff! It will save you a mint in the end!
If the floors are bothering you, find a carpet or rug you like in the colors you like. Immediate warmth and your favorite colors.
Agree wholeheartedly! Ruggable is an Aussie site that ships all over the world. They have beautiful colour and period themed rugs – a plethora of rugs in fact.
Please forgive the lecture!
0) climate control if you (landlord) can actually do anything about it
1) light: i.e. windows and lamps and mirrors (assuming that your primary sense is sight). How you store things may also fit into this category as you try to interfere or not with sight lines.
2) fellow living things like pets and plants (terracotta pots!) and people (guests?),
3) roosts: invest in a mattress and linens, a good chair that fits *your body*,
4) think about the the things that you most often interact with in your home like knobs and faucets and cutlery and toilet seats and then upgrade those things when you find something that is a joy to see/touch/hear.
Any of these things can be ordered or redone in your color scheme of choice.
When we built our house, we started w/ comfortable furniture where we’d spend the most time. (SIT/Lounge/Lay on it before you buy!) Found the perfectly-comfortable couch, then chairs. Then, we went to a paint store and pulled all the “collections” of colors they had, eliminated anything that was too bland, too monochrome, too (whatever). Of the remaining collections, found one that worked w/ the colors of the comfy couch & chairs we purchased — then kept that color collection to help find things (art, shades, throws, dishes, dust-catchers, etc) to insure that what we bought harmonized w/something on the collection.
We also looked for whimsical (used/recycled) items … odd signs, odd creatures, things that made us smile, or laugh, and found space for them in the rooms.
Not sure what your countertop appliances/cookware/bakeware situation is, but those are great ways to put some color in a kitchen. There are temporary back splash options too https://www.bobvila.com/articles/removable-backsplashes/, though this is a US site so I don’t know what the UK has available. 3M also has removable wall hangers that can be used for art and can hold some decently heavy items.
Spoonflower has peel and stick wallpaper that you can do in any design. I have also used it on kitchen cabinet fronts.
My suggestion is find a piece of fabric, a throw pillow, a piece of art, a tapestry, or a rug that you love. You need to LOVE this. Then use that object as your starting off point. The master who created this object has already put together colors, style, tones, and scale that appeal to you.
The other thing I suggest is to you remember that every room needs C. R. A. P. – Color, rugs, art, plants. If you remember when you are picking your furnishings, it can help.
And if I was living in the UK and furnishing a home from scratch, I would definitely hit the British Museum store and all the shops around it.
The UK has a robust trade in vintage, used, and antique goods. Do you have a stylish/artistic friend who would thrill to the challenge of Weekend mornings at flea markets in return for you buying the coffees/teas and brunch?
Tricks involve – using removable wallpaper for a feature wall – a lot of bang for your buck, but it does take attention to detail to make it right. You can also hang quilts or fabric on the walls – you can make a quilt hanger with a flat piece of board longer than the width of the quilt/fabric with a second piece of molding screwed on top – sandwiching the fabric between. Two hooks or eyes can give you something to hang it with. Alternately, if you can find some long curtains, you can cover an entire wall with curtains – Amazon even carries cheap curtains, but sometimes you can find terrific used ones at a charity shop.
Soft goods/blankets, throws, pillows, rugs can give great pops of texture and color for relatively short money. If you are thinking Mediterranean, how about flotaki rugs (sp?)? Fluffy off white gives Greek vibes (so Roman adjacent).
Finding some larger terracotta pots to use as end tables or as focal points would also bring in the Roman aesthetic. Find some tiles to decorate the kitchen backsplash (just rest them or hang them).
There are tons of spots that sell art and prints and there are so many classically-inspired pieces that choosing a few should be easy (I live near Boston, but love Sulis – a UK-based reseller of art and they have framed works).
Get some blue/green/terracotta linens for your tables or to hang on your bureaus for more interest.
I just had to say thank you for this “Secret witch covens that meet inside an ancient turtle and discuss where to buy good curtains?” because that mental image is delightful! As a grey home dweller myself, I feel your pain.
Hi. 1) start with art or a focal piece in the room and furnish around those colors. 2) figure out your undertones – all colors have them and you don’t want them to clash. 3) don’t mix clean and dirty colors. And if those recommendations resonate you are probably familiar with Maria Killiam.
Good luck with the existing finishes! I have two “monochrome” neutral rooms in my historic home and they are both warm and inviting. One is black furniture and the other is tan with a pink undertone.
I also have no design sense – our decorating style being whatever we hang up, if we even get around to doing that. I have tons of art and decorations to hang but – squirrel! That said, this never crossed my mind, but a friend told me she puts her room dimensions and pictures of her furniture, art etc., into ChatGPT and it gives her design ideas. Mind blown! She did mention having less luck with Gemini as it randomly added a badger (!) into her daughter’s room design.
I rent, and my walls are Institution White. My curtains, though, …. One set is red and the other is peach. My loveseat is red; everything else is either wooden or white. And I have a fair amount of accumulated artwork, including pictures my mother did when I was a kid, a moderately large collection of frogs, three of which are hanging on my walls, some South Asian temple rubbings that an old friend of the family gave my mother when I was twelve and that eventually wended their way to me. And a couple of very nice fans, hanging on the wall where I can reach them easily in high summer.
This site has ideas based on terracotta pieces and some have classic influences, while some are more laid-back styles.
It sounds like you enjoy visuals though, so check it out: https://www.dabblinganddecorating.com/terracotta-decor/
Hi Mod R, I share your genetic inability to understand how to achieve a personal feng shui , tho I have learned a few things.
1. Many artists and photographers sell prints and canvas-prints of their work through art websites. I’m on vacation now but can update you once I find the one I bought from- no idea if it’s only US or international but I’m sure UK has plenty! So if you have seen pieces you’ve liked, google the artist’s name to see if they sell art that way. I love the canvas reprints I’ve bought and you can get them in various sizes and thickness of base frame, which affects cost and shipping. They may offer professional framing too but that’s pricey, of course.
2. The above artist websites also sell their work printed on throw pillows or possibly towels, scarves etc.
3. In addition to Tuscan colors, consider sunset colors – various shades of peach are so beautiful and very warmly calming. I painted the inside of my house a pale peach and am thrilled with it. Also, hints of rose, lavender, light blue and turquoise along with th the light olive and Tuscan yellow are very beautiful.
4. Look in thrift shops and second hand stores etc for what you like; it’s less $$ and if you decide after a while you don’t care for it, just resell it on and get other stuff. You aren’t married to anything.
5. Various wood tones in the mid-range are appealing and soothing to me; you may feel the same and used markets have better deals for nice pieces.
Good luck and have fun with it! Think of it as an ongoing, enjoyable project and not a “rush and finish” task.
One last thing – peel and stick mirror tiles can be used to light up dark corners or hallways, also peel and stick lightbulbs for closets without lights.
You might think I’m a little bit insane, but… Take inspiration from the early 20th Century ancient Egypt craze that followed and erupted with the discovery of Tut’s place? There should be many more images of that style available. Sculpting and painting lotus headed half pillars from foam to place against the walls, painting or dying fabrics to adorn very simple furnishings or stamping plain cream colored sheets that are placed on very simple timber frames and leaned against plain walls, potted palms, and so many more options.
I agree with prior posts for mirrors strategically placed to add light and I buy seasonal table runners cheap (TJ Max, Ross in the US, online, $15-20) and hang them over open doors to create color that can be changed at will – sort of like the hanging tapestry idea as some of these are gorgeous embroidery. I have about 8 of them and it’s fun to change them up when the seasons change without spending a lot.
Ah, my ADHD sister in chaos. ALL OF THE COLOR AND ALL OF MY FAVORITE THINGS. WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!!!
I find (controlled, hah) decorating inspiration watching Alexandra Gator on youtube. She does a lot of rental and small apartments or one room at a time. Her and her team’s ideas for decorating rentals with strict guidelines are clever. I wouldn’t do all of them but I like her creativity.
I also like her mixed up gallery walls, no order, no intensive color coordination, just a practice run on the floor, take a pic and put things on the wall. For some reason I thought things had to be more orderly or something.
I also have been super inspired by conversations with others, especially “Think outside the box”. For instance, one person said she doesn’t use her living room for entertainment and prefers lounging in her free time so she moved her bed in there.
I realized spaces allotted to certain purposes in the past don’t have to be used that way now.
My dining room is now an extension of my studio which previously was a library/music room. The Piano That Couldn’t Be Given Away is now in the entry, some of the library shelves are in the front room and some of the shelves are holding art/craft/sewing supplies. I would probably fill my house with creative supplies if I were living alone. Sorry Hunny, you will need to sleep in the shed, I need your mancave.
Have fun! Remember you can change things around or toss things if they aren’t working for you!
Imagine a place that you like, and look at it with half-closed eyes, so you see only the colors. Then use that as your template.
I live in Denmark by a bay with a forrest to the south. In that forrest, close to the beach is a white house with a black tiled roof. So: bluish gray water, creamy sand, natural wood, leafy greens, white and black. The result is creamy walls, lots of wooden furniture, white windows, plant green and warm yellow textiles, and a bit of black leather. Most pictures are botanical, and most ornaments are glass. And the books are varigated. 🙂
I’m not very talented at home design either. But, it’s amazing what treasures you can find second hand. People get tired of things and replace them, often donating them to Thrift stores. Thrifting is an excellent resource for home decor. Once you have an idea of colors or things in mind check out your local thrift shops. Especially things like throw pillows. Those are stupid expensive in stores.
It sounds like your vibe needs a ficus tree. I can’t keep them alive, but I am sure someone knows how to and could advise.
Good luck with the move and have fun with the redo!
I haven’t scrolled to all of the comments, so this may be a duplicate, but… IKEA and Costco. I think that they have both of these in the UK?
You have your color palate, so go see if anything (rugs, pillows, throw blankets, etc.) fits and, as another commenter said, try it at home, then bring it back if it doesn’t work.
I feel peaceful around blue (from sky blue to turquoise to navy), so I decorated in various shades of blue. I bought my sectional couch at Costco, and of course it was only available in grey. Fine, but I also bought vibrant blue ombre throw blankets and a large indoor/outdoor rug in shades of grey and blue to tie it together. The rug ties the various shades together. Bonus, it works really well to dampen the ambient sound.
At Ikea, I got curtains and throw pillow covers in shades of blue.
Good luck!
you find something you love ( for me usually antique or thrift store) and plan around that. another good place can be a museum store. then you look at your item and get a color wheel and look at the opposite or the three in a triangle so you know what will look good with your item. take pictures and keep looking till you find more items in those tones that speak to you. worth waiting for the right item.
OMG I have a decorating sister. I feel like I’m interior blind.
When people come into my house, I think they figure that I am simply very, very poor and can’t afford to do anything to my house. That goes doubly when they see the tablecloth I have covering my back sliding door.
The one thing I have going is house plants, and some very nice textiles; literally the pieces of fabric. I have found some very creative ways to use that fabric, but not nearly enough.
Weirdly and expensively the place I find some of my best ideas is from a magazine called World of Interiors that I think costs a $1000 thousand dollars per edition.
A family member asked me why I don’t have more photos of Family on the walls. It is because I have framed photos of Family down in the basement wrapped in towels in bins. They’re old.
For icing on the cake (or on the walls) the paint is an odd, very pale butter, yellow, but more towards beige. The landlord would not let me paint it.
I call my decor French eclectic.
Your new place sounds perfect.
Here is some information on the furniture of the time period recreated. I also found a lot of information on the exact furnishings that have been uncovered in Pompeii after the eruption. Not sure if that would help with finding pieces of what you want now. I did read where the use of lamps helped to create shadows and they liked gardens to be included which could look like having a lot of potted plants on trellises. https://europe.factsanddetails.com/article/entry-1138.html
and Key Furnishings & Decor
Couches and Beds (Lectus): Use wooden- or bronze-framed couches. Romans used beds for sleeping (lectus cubicularis) and dining (lectus tricliniaris). Top them with heavy wool or linen textiles and embroidered cushions.
Facts and Details
Tables (Mensa): Keep surfaces minimal. A small, three-legged bronze or carved wood table placed beside your couch or bed is period-accurate.
Lighting (Lucernae): Ambient light is essential. Use oil lamps made of terracotta or bronze rather than overhead lights. Keep them on shelves or small tables to emulate how Romans cast shadows against the walls.
Facts and Details
Seating (Sella or Cathedra): Avoid heavy, overstuffed armchairs. Instead, opt for simple wooden stools (sella) or a high-backed chair (cathedra) with a cushion.
Facts and Details
Storage: The Romans kept most items in wooden chests (arca) or tall, closed cabinets rather than open shelving.
Ancient Origins
Walls & Architecture
Vibrant Colors: Ditch the neutral, monochrome palettes. Pompeian style features striking, bold wall colors—especially “Pompeian Red” or deep black with elaborate scenes from Greek mythology.
Instagram
·Mara Ohanyan
Indoor/Outdoor Integration: Bring nature indoors. Roman design frequently connected living spaces to colonnaded courtyards or gardens. Add large potted plants, such as laurel or olive trees, to simulate a traditional atrium.
This is from AI.
My sister is going through renovation and she hired an interior designer. The way she works is that she asked my sister one colourful thing you want to have (non negotiable) and get a colour palette from that.
In my sisters case it was a tile she chose for the entrance, but it can be a painting or other.
You can probably take a picture and ask AI to give a colour palette and work from there.
go to op shops/second hand stores and start collecting everything colourful that sparks joy. pick three colours to be the main features, dark blue, rust oranges and mustard were my choices. colourful plates and bowls, plant pots, get cushions for the sofa, or get new cushion covers. I believe every sitting needs a cosey blanket, they’re great pops of colour. I just took a beaten up wooden frame bed and primed, and painted it a moody blue. You 100% can enrich your space just by being a magpie and listening to what sparks joy. the collective effect can be edited as you go. everything that enters you space must spark joy.
2 things. Rugs and lamps. And look 2nd hand to get pieces that are different. Car boot sale, marketplace. Side of road. Then do them up. With a lot of the older generations downsizing or passing away there is a crazy plethora of amazing items. I also help clean out deceased estates and currently have a shed full of 2nd hand stuff I will do up and sell. Also have adhd and feel like it’s treasure hunting at its finest. Good luck.
In my Mom’s house, one bedroom has all the walls painted a medium-light grey and towards the top of the walls, there is a 4″ white horizontal stripe, and that color is topped with about 18″ of yellow ocher. The yellow ocher stripe was then stenciled with a green and brown vine. Somehow it works well. I would include a picture of it, bit the comments box won’t let me.
Other colors that would go well with greys are the US Southwestern colors of turquoise, corals or terracotta, ocher both yellow and raw umber. Look at Navajo blanket designs for colors that they pair with greys.
The key is sometimes really simple things you love. Find a nice big rug you love for you living room and bedroom. Then pull colours from it for cushions, throws, artwork. Then pull the special memory pieces out and books! Voila! A home that you love. Key to furniture for me was to be or two pieces that I just adore and the rest were more about functionality- the more it has the better. Keep to neutrals in furniture for the most part but those few you just adore can be splashy!
Dear Mod R,
I am probably not the first person on here to comment this: I used a scrap book which I filled with cut outs from home decorating (read kitchen) magazines when getting ideas together for a new room where I was living in the noughties.
Nowadays, home decorating magazines (paper style) are expensive, and many of them do have online subscriptions, or a certain amount of free content.
I know some people also keep a large pin up board or magnetic board to use as a ‘vision journal’ for their decorating dreams.
Seeing how magazine designers style interiors gave me a lot of inspo – hope you have fun!
Hugs,
Rachel-Anne
Sounds like you’re not allowed to paint the walls, but what about peel-and-stick wallpaper? It peels back off like a sticker, so it’s often recommended for renters.
Plants will bring life and warmth into a cool / grey space, and you can have fun with pots to bring extra colour or texture in. If you’re not (yet) confident keeping house plants happy and healthy, ask for advice at your local garden centre for plants that are easy to care for, and build your collection over time. Don’t be afraid of bigger / taller plants in pots if you have room for them! And if you want a bit of extra help caring for your new babies, there are a bunch of good apps that will tell you exactly how often to water / fertilise / etc. I used Planta for a year or so, but these days I freestyle – it taught me the basics and my plant babies have never been happier.
Start with the art you want on the walls then find furnishings/rugs/decor in the same/complementary colour palette that fits with the art pieces. That way your not trying to source art to fit furniture, and it gives you somewhere fun to start. once you have a colour palette for each room, it will be so much easier.
To the eye it will look nice and cohesive because everything will sync. With a monochrome backdrop it is the opportunity to go super bright and bold for your art work colors, as it will make the colours pop even more
I play a fun game. I wonder what I actually like, so I go to stores and just start looking at all kinds of different things. Literally clothes, to nick nacks. When I get a hit of what I actually like (which is the hard part for me). Then I keep looking, and looking. I but it! It all ends up making me happy. I think it goes together, but I don’t care because it actually reflects me.
All the best, yummy, magical luck to you, our dear, dear Mod R
so I’ve recently decided lemon scented candles, soaps, scent pugs, etc… is my thing. the lemon shaped candle inspired me to make yellow my highlight color with my pale green ears and gray floors/furniture. Bright yellow, not gold yellow. I’ve added a yellow tablecloth cloth to my dining table, yellow fleece blankets on the chairs and put up a white lattice room divider with yellow decor on it to block off my exercise room from the family room. Yellow checked pillow covers and a lemon blanket on the green loveseat. It has all cheered me up immensely!
I got a lot of it on Amazon, but the original candles were from Kirklands.
Congratulations on the house move (survive and get paid vibes :))
1. Dunelm is awesome, even better if you stalk things you like and get them on sale. Their stuff is reasonable and actually nice, and delivery is free after £50
2. Ikea bulbs – they have a brand new range that does adjustable colour, temperature, Smart Control etc and much cheaper than the big brand with the same/ way better functionality
3. Plants – either of the above or local garden centre. I kill mine regularly but £10 to replace 2 plants every 6 months is not bad at all
This is easy and something that I do myself: for a splash of color in the kitchen you can prop a colorful tray against the backsplash.
Here is an example of a colorful one from Ikea: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/havsbraxen-tray-patterned-multicolour-10618370/
I actually have two that are the same size and I switch which one is in front depending on the time of year or my mood. One has cozy coffee mugs and the other has colorful birds which I use in the spring.
Read the book Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee and check out her website The Aesthetics of Joy. Good luck!
look at wallpaper the peel off non sticky kind for walls. maybe the kitchen cabinets can be painted? I love the Sherwin Williams paint collections for inspiration on paint groupings and room ideas.
try a cheaper “washable” rug from Amazon or anywhere near you to cover floors. they are thin and foldable and easy to move. also cheaper so if you hate it –
As someone on the spectrum… take the redecorating slow. Keep everything bare bones when you move in, except for a couple of things. One set of shelves with books or trinkets. One planter or grow garden for green and light.
Prioritize your computer setup first, make that your comfort area.
Once you’re happy with how your computer is set up, focus on ONE thing to change, like refrigerator magnets or some flowers in the bathroom. Change one thing a week to see if you like it.
One small change at a time dramatically reduces the stress of moving into a new place.
They make giant, rental-wall-friendly stickers that can instantly transform a space! I searched for “giant wall sticker grove” and this was the top result:
https://wallism.com/us/product/aNGVl8LKYkd7
Live your best olive tree life!
Hello, would love to see before and after shots
thanks
you can pin art (latest Hoard offering) on the cupboards to brighten the kitchen, nice turkey rug on the floor, pick one main colour then a pattern you like.
If you are semi handy and want some BIG but cheap art, look into framing a fabric shower curtain.
https://www.blesserhouse.com/diy-large-scale-wall-art-from-a-shower-curtain/
The great thing about grey is that it really makes colors pop. Especially oranges and pinks. If I were you I would look for a rug or blanket or painting that I really love to look at and then find a few accessories that use a color from that inspiration piece. You could look at magazines, also, and take a photo of rooms that you love and try to style your place similarly. My furniture is a mishmash of styles, so I sometimes will try decorative things out and consider them until I decide if I like it or not. If not, then I try the piece in a different spot, moving things around until I really like it. Some decorative items can also be painted a different color. I get things cheap at yard sales and thrift shops usually. Good luck!
Ok this won’t help, but… my mother. She is an amazing interior designer. Sorry Mod R, I’m not help. But my biggest recommendation: find what makes you happy.
Ugh, the grey scourge! When I was house-hunting (six years ago now) it seemed that every house had been “updated” with prison grey and very cold finishes. I feel your pain! For a beachy-bohemian vibe, I would recommend you check out the Florida-based company, Natural Life, for inspiration. They are positive and colorful, but there are also items with a more subdued yet still fun and natural aesthetic. The home goods on offer include curtains, sofa covers, bedding, and décor pieces that are renter-friendly as well.
So. There’s a YouTube channel called Never Too Small I love. As for big impact for less cash and tying a room together? Go on Google arts and culture, hit “explore” and choose explore by colour in visual art, with the colour you love wearing on your body most. Next, scroll. Heart the stuff you like. Now you have a mood board. Then, order a massive art shower curtain of an artwork you found. (Like I have Van Gogh’s flowers in my bathroom). Pin up on a wall for a while. Every single thing you buy for that room has to have just a little bit of a colour from the painting on it. Eventually you can put parts of the shower curtain over canvases or just use foamcore to make a massive “painting” that stays up. To break up the kitchen top cupboards, take the doors off one and making it into a plants and cute stuff spot for your prettier items. I’m in a rental and this, plus a few peel and stick tiles and rugs in the same tones as the big art piece get the neutral to fade away.
pinterest! going down a rabbit hole leads you more to what you like. have fun with the search terms, you’ll have a blast!
also, once you find designer names or styles you like, you can plug them into search engones and click images and shopping selectors.
i also lime to search wallpaper companies’ website are super fun! I like Bradbury & Bradbury myself.
also, look at magazines and style books from the library.
have fun!
If the white walls are bothering you, you might look into removable wallpaper: https://wallblush.com/products/druids-whisper?_pos=18&_sid=df2491a7d&_ss=r
mrkate on YouTube! that woman is capable of bringing color to the greyest of rooms! must watch for your type of situation. she works with all sorts of budgets and all sorts of rental friendly workarounds. just totally great
I find it difficult to think this abstract, so I often go to places like IKEA or John Lewis where they have small areas which are set up with a room theme. This way I can ‘see’ it all together, and it’s easier for me to work from there.
New apartments often feel too echoey and smell unfamiliar,
So getting your favourite coffee or baking or if you like aromatic oils – they make it feel more a home
I’d say, get the cushions, you can change the covers later – but the sound absorption and softening makes a huge difference.
Your brain starts thinking ok, I’m comfortable now, let me start making a nest.
I didn’t read many comments, so this may have been said. But
Find a piece you LOVE and build the room from that.
Example, I had to put a rug into my living room, and I found the perfect rug in greys and blues with some hints of golden yellow. So I went with a grey/blue/gold color scheme for the room. I wrapped lampshades with blue threads. I potted plants into grey/blue pots, and I had a couple of golden candle holders. Fairly simple.
Another example. I had some fabric I wanted to make curtains from. It had a purple/blue/yellow color scheme in a triangular pattern. I took a sample of the fabric to a paint store and spent hours matching the fabric colors to paint for the walls. Then I used the triangular pattern and echoed it in other aspects. A triangular shaped light fixture, mirrors cut into triangles, etc.
So. Is there a picture you adore that MUST be in your space? Do you get giddy over a specific lamp that NEEDS to belong? Pull colors from it. Echo the shapes.
Once I have a starting point I like to Google things like ‘bedroom with blue, purple, yellow paint scheme’
or ‘triangular light fixtures’
And have fun!
I am in a rental with grey walls and floor. Fortunately I like street art and Bansky artwork on Amazon did the trick. The basic white and black with splashes of color made the place Rock. Of course Bansky is a far cry from Mediterranean but the idea was to add bold color that stood out but blended in.
My area rug definitely could fit in Mediterranean with its design in beiges, blues, red and hints of grey throughout. Found it at a discount store no longer in business . Walk through the stores, surf the web for items that speak to your heart and will pull everything in to standout.
Hello! Fellow renter here!
Not sure if my experience helps, but I’ll post my two cents here.
When me and my fiance moved in together and picked furniture, we knew what we didn’t want – black and white.
We found a big piece that we liked, our couch, and picked colours that wouldn’t clash and wouldn’t look dirty when we would forget to dust the apartment – grey fabric and light to middle wood colour. We used the same colour palette throughout our living and dining rooms. then , I wanted decorations. There’s a site where I live, that sells copies of paintings. I decided Klimt’s Kiss. Thus, was decided the spash of the room. Whenever splashes of colour are joining these rooms, it’ll be slightly gold or “yellowy-mustardy”. Because trust me, I can’t decorate to save my life!
Decorative pillow cases with photos of people or places that make you feel good printed on them might work. I also like mugs with loved ones’ photos taken at the happy moment printed on them- makes me feel better. Might work for you too.
Just brain storing…
Hi Mod R, I am an interior designer based in Italy and do virtual consultations. I would be super happy to help you personalise your new flat. You have brought me so much joy through the years I am happy to give back.
Hi!
When I do renovations and redecorations, I find the website Houzz really helpful. You can look up your space sizes and see what other people, including designers, have done. You can dupe their look, or use it as inspiration good luck!
Block shop has amazing scarves and rugs that bring color in but are geometric and stay in line with the modern feel. It is expensive, but beautiful works of art.
So, my family has a very limited budget when it comes to things that are not necessary for living, so my design esthetic is basic neutrals with an accent color I can change out at my whim, while texture creates warmth and coziness. I also focus on texture and not patterns. Too much pattern stresses me out.
My current bedroom, for instance, is warm beige, gray, and sage green, while my accent color rotates. For a couple if years it was a dark pumpkin orange and currently it’s lavender. All I changed was a few pillow shams and the colors in the artwork.
A warm, textured rug on yor gray floors. Woven or macrame art or lampshades. Fur, nubby knitted, or velvety throws and pillows, etc.
As for stores, I’m afraid I thrift almost everything, so I’m not a lot of help there.
I wish you the best with this new adventure!
It’s Ren Faire season, and you can often get cool mosaic lamps and other warm, ancient-feeling knickknacks there. Ruggable has washable rugs in many kinds of patterns.
“Mediterranean” is a good search tool. May I also suggest searching “Byzantine” for a beautiful, jeweled, enameled aesthetic?
Hopeless Romantics magazine/catalogue has some beautiful things. But thrift stores and antique stores are my favorite places.
I like Julie Jones Designs and her thoughts on interior planning based on space and human size requirements. She also mentions color to unify a space and it sounds like you have a good color palette to start with.
Alexandra gator is amazing with temporary fixes for renters. So fun to watch an educational.
https://youtu.be/s-UTsG3eazY?si=UVx4szA_ovMdzSTk
Hopefully this link will work. I’m not too text savvy.
Apartment Therapy!
and walking through the stores accessible to me to see what’s available
A hint for rugs, 100% wool rugs are actually cheaper than the washable ones are naturally fire resistant and easy to spot clean use fans to dry thoroughly.
Beautiful fabric can be used as wallpaper. You can put it up with liquid starch. It is easy to remove and you can just wash away the starch with water. It works best on paint that isn’t flat. This also works on Glass really easy to remove.
Alexandra Gater has a channel that specializes in small apartments. The thing is she showcases landlord friendly stuff. Things that aren’t permanent but cover up bad landlord decisions lol. I haven’t watched her for awhile, so I don’t know if she’s changed.
Living room: Spring colors/patterns (leaf greens, bright blues, yellows, pink, red orange) in rugs, curtains/drapes, artwork on walls.
Kitchen: Citrus/ sunshine colors in towels, tablecloth, curtains.
Bath: Oceans in pattern/ colors- turquoise, light blues, teals and a light splash of bright coral (pinkish orange). Curtains, rugs, towels, shower curtains. Have oceanic patterns (waves, fishies, sea shells, seaweed, etc.) in curtains, rugs, bath towels.
Bedroom: Darker forest greens with accents of lavender, purple, bronze/brown.
Houzz.com ’nuff said…
I love Pinterest for ideas.
Congratulations! Always exciting (and exhausting) to move house.
As a stop-gap measure, I found self-adhesive wall decor really useful. Cheap, fast/ easy to get, renter friendly aka easy to remove.
For instance, I bought a stack of fake tiles in Mediterranean design and used those to make colourfull decorative borders and patterns on my kitchen cupboards. That was a cheap thing I could do the first week, to get colour in and make the place mine. Then I had time to find out what I really wanted and where to place stuff.
You can find a lot of inspiration on Amazon or Etsy, though you might want to check if there are local businesses to buy from as well.
I enjoy reading various articles in sprucing up rentals from Wirecutter. E.g. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/how-to-add-life-to-plain-white-rooms/
Area Rugs can visually divide your space, anchor areas in a room, & will provide sound dampening. You can use one larger size or overlap a few smaller sizes to get the size you need. I prefer low pile rugs, but you can always look for thick/fluffy options to create extra cozy-ness.
Freestanding Pillars/Columns can display artwork, hold plants, or work as a small side table depending on height. Look for Architectural Salvage pieces (like an old porch column) at Thrift Shops, Estate Sales, &/or in Construction Dumpsters. You can always cut off a rotten end to make it functional (& the correct height).
Tension Rods can be really useful & multipurpose. Think outside the box (less unconventional usage).
Supported Tension Rods (aka Room Divider Curtain Rods)
Use to add floor to ceiling curtains (will help absorb sound, hold heavy curtains, & soften the harsh visual edges) without drilling for a wall mount rod.
Since you don’t need or want to block the natural light – but may want some privacy, use sheer curtains – but add extra panels.
My favorite (& cheap) way to do this is to use Net/Sheer Curtains like the Ikea LILL (EX: 3-5 pairs on a 3’ wide window).
If you also want to have the option to block all natural light, use a double rod to also include the sheers.
Hang blackout curtain panels on the front/outer rod.
(Each curtain panel should be the width of your window times 4 (approximately). Add an additional 6” to make sure you get full coverage. EX: 36” Window = 4 – 38”-40” Panels).
I’ve also previously used (something similar to) the thin light filtering Ikea GINSTMOTT (there used to be a really cheap thin white cotton like curtain).
Look for light filtering vs sheer if you want a bit more privacy &/or a bit of draft protection/window insulation.
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DFH63QDM/]
[https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/net-sheer-curtains-700221/]
Use a multi section rod to create a ‘Floating Partition’ or ‘Gallery Wall’.
Hang artwork (use gallery style wire cables), plants (in plant hangers), & knickknacks (use hanging shelves or even a platform style plant hanger).
Hang everything at a variety of different heights (depending on ceiling height, everything should hang within a 5’-6’ space in the middle – that’s at least 1.5’ from the ceiling & floor).
[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FH2MF72R/]
You can also use a heavy duty tension rod (on the inside of your window frames) to hang plants, crystals, or stained glass.
Smaller (Thin/Lightweight) Rods used Vertically (2-3/cover the depth) between shelves &/or inside cabinets can be used:
– To keep multiple stacks of folded clothing or linens stacked neatly into sections (upper shelf in closets, linen cupboards).
– To store items on end (instead of flat/stacked) in the Kitchen: cutting boards, baking sheets, baking dishes/pans, lids, &/or shallow depth pots & pans.
– To store items (cookbooks, cutting boards) on the kitchen counter for every day access (on end + against the side wall or backsplash). Place the rods between the countertop & bottom of the upper cabinets.
i bought a REALLY large cheap piece of thin paneling and painted it up so I’d have something pretty to look at. specifically i grabbed 48-in x 96-in Smooth Hardboard Wood Wall Panel, but I’m sure they have similar on your side of the pond. 😜 Just make sure it hasn’t been treated out have a finish otherwise they frequently won’t take paint well.
if you don’t want to paint it, it can instead allow you more freedom to put up adhesives or other more permanant things without actually damaging/ being on the wall itself.
it can be easily either leaned against or attatched to the wall with minimum holes in said wall. also since it’s a woodish composite less worries about it accidentally tearing/damaging in transit to another apartment.
depending on how much storage space you have, you can also take the doors off the cabinets (or at least do it on the top ones only) and then pick up replacements that bring you joy.
or for a cheaper price (and less storage space) you can usually at least switch out the cabinet and drawer hardware (just make sure to measure well if it attatches with two screws instead of one so you don’t have to return things). I’ve had excellent luck finding really nifty ones at garage sales or clearance bins
https://greenivy.co.uk/ had some rather spiffy looking drawer and cabinet hardware.
don’t forget to look not only with the eyes but also with your hands. doesn’t matter how pretty if the aren’t comfy imo
I usually use Pinterest! Of course, my style is a mix of Ancient Egypt, Helenistic Rome, Middle Ages- Renaisance, and Science Fiction Fantasy…as in, I do me, and that’s what counts. People who come to my home may flinch, but my friends know me, and my home makes me happy.
I would still paint 1 wall in every room a cheerful color! When leaving an apartment it’s easy to repaint 1 wall white, but in my experience landlords tend to like it and you might not have to.
Rugs and carpet with all those lovely colors you mentioned!
Nothing like a nice cushy rug to sink.your tired feet into after a long day. Keep your list of colors in front of when you shop for draperies, bed linens, artwork etc.
Congratulations on your new place!
This is exciting news! I love your Pompeii inspired palette! (And the olive harvest is plentiful 🤣). Try checking out ApartmentTherapy.com https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/search?q=warming+up+grey+rental+apartments
When we we moved into our last house we gutted it and rearranged some of the rooms. I did the design work for the layout but I hired a designer to vet my plans to double check my work and make sure the measurements and plans would work. I really used her mostly to keep my color schemes on track. It is hard to keep everything harmonious and I didn’t want to do or buy something then have to redo it. I told her the colors I wanted and the look I wanted then she pulled color swatches together, fabrics and helped me plan my art on the walls. Then I used the colors and style when I picked out rugs, pillows, furniture, and all the other things that make a home feel like a home.It wasn’t expensive and worth every penny to keep my sanity.
I immediately thought of this image I saved: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrluaIZLFyw/?igsh=aWExYm93Y3E3MmJ1
This account might inspire you too. Good luck bringing light and color to your new place!
Look at artists you like and buy posters from them on Amazon. $30-50 gets you an awesome wall piece. That brings the eye from the morning stuff up to the wall.
Wow, a lot of comments.
I like a wall of books to warm up a place, a pile of books in every area, and large books stacked on the coffee table. You can’t have a sterile apartment with books. A neutral sofa with a terracotta throw, warm lightbulbs, a few side lamps , lots of art on walls, Roman pottery on the kitchen bench or on top of piles of books. And plants and a cat. Job done.
Congrats to your new home 🙂
If you like mediterranean table cloth, have a look at amazon for “Mintdecor”, their design is floral mediterranean, comes from Spain and lightens things up due to their design and colors. It is not overflowing but very harmonious. I have several of them and like them a lot. Also they are satin resistant 😀 Maybe something for you 🙂
stain resistant (sorry)
You might want to look into the peel and stick removable wallpapers that are available now. There are a lot of colors and styles available, will stick to flat or lightly textured surfaces, and don’t leave any residue when you remove it. For colors I usually do a pale yellow in the kitchen and a light blue in the bathrooms. The living room, bedrooms, and hallway is in an eggshell white (better to show the artwork on). Add in some natural wood (bookcases, ect.)and indoor plants.
You can start with two very simple but effective things. VERY IMPORTANT and cheap first one: CHANGE THE BULBS, leds, whatever choosing the warmest possible light.
Second, cover the grey floors. you can use rugs and mats, colorful carpets and kilims or neutral mats, ma even doing just this will change the appearance of your rooms and you will be able to assess the other parts.
Choose large pieces, since having many small rugs would fragment the look in a disturbing way, having a look even in IKEA or in secondhand sites.
For inspiration, please forget Pinterest, subscribe yourself to the free newsletter of House and Garden, MUCH better!
And after that remember that it is YOUR house, and it has to be a place when you feel happy and cozy. No matter what you will choose.
Have fun!!
Oh yes, change those bulbs. Warm that room.
There are some very cool peel and stick backsplashes. It’s my understanding that it will come right off so no damage or commitment. I would add something that will give you some color and pattern (blue or green- maybe chevron pattern). Find a larger rug and dish towels that have some of that color. Now you need to add something with a warm contrast tone (this is where Rome comes into it). Hopefully you have enough prep space to have some fun (olive branches in cream vase, something that feels of archeological, accent wall art-check ETSY).
I’d love to see a pic of what you come up with.
first, don’t decorate a house, create a home. put around those things that speak to you of family and friends, and pull your colors from that. don’t go for a “style” or “theme”. embrace the eclectic in your life!
I need a restful place aesthetically, so I can’t do eclectic chaos 🙂
I highly recommend that you look for inspirational images/videos to get an idea of how to go about decorating. Start with the big items, rugs, sofa. There are some great washable rugs out there now. I have one that looks like an aged woven carpet in teals and terracottas but you just pick the whole thing up and throw it in the wash. It’s not a Ruggable. It’s way less expensive and I’ve washed it like 7 times, still looks brand new. I digress. You can warm up the space with textiles in warmer colors. Also, you can get beautiful wall hangings ( like a rug for the wall). In the kitchen, pick one strong color and repeat it three times and decorate to that. You will see this trick a lot in photos of white kitchens. Like Dutch oven on stove, matching electric kettle, matching toaster, matching kitchen towels. Oh, if you get really desperate, they have these vinyl covers that can cover up your appliances. They are magnetic so they come right off. I covered up all my stainless steel appliances with them. Surprisingly, it looked really good. Anyways, lots of luck.
I have two YouTubers for you to check out.
Alexandra Gater does renter-friendly makeovers using different styles according to the makeover recipients’ taste and wishes. This is her most extreme-in-limits (no paint and no drilling holes!) makeover to start with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHZnQn6D-2E
The other designer is Caroline Winkler. She has a very distinct style of her own (and she’s slowly decorating her dream—rented!—house), but she also does room makeovers using just the items found in the dwelling she’s in. She will sometimes also do videos of design suggestions for viewers who have sent in photos and measurements, as well as described their needs for the space. This is her funniest video, where she designs interiors for the anonymous men of Reddit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClqNoAQ9NYM
I hope these not only help, but bring you joy!
I came back to this post and in rereading it and comments I remembered that in school we had a project to paint a mural. We used huge rolls of butcher paper. Mine was a Matisse (inspiration: etsy.com/listing/4481655186/vintage-1937-lithograph-odalisque-by?gpla=1&gao=1)
Later I had the fun job of creating a trick or treat maze for young kids out of refrigerator boxes and – craft paper, which is another name for butcher paper. I did scenes from Disney’s Aladdin (Agrabar marketplace) and Max’s room turning into Where the Wild Things Are.
Acrylic paints both times. Art tape to attach it securely to the walls.
So. Much. Fun.
I used them in my live work loft and later my first couple of homes, for parties and Halloween. Pompeii had murals, and mosaics, so …
Heck, I’ve looked at wallpaper sites and gotten the itch to try recreating some of those designs on butcher paper.
I’ve watched this Canadian YouTube-er for awhile. She also offers consults. Give her your “mood board” images, dimensions/layout and she will give you the plan and resource links. Her name is Alexandra Gater. Or just binge watch her channel 🙂
When I was at Uni, my dorm room was boring as hell. But more of a “shades of brown” instead of grays and black. I bought a large amount of cheap fabric in bold colors and used a glue-gun to adhere it to the walls.
Then I heated up my clothing iron and ironed on top of the fabric with glue-gun stuff beneath it. Ironing it really thinned out the glue so it was less obvious and made the cloth look amazing. Much more like wallpaper.
That became my ‘temp’ wall coloring and really made an impact.
Another thing that is possible now – self-sticking shelf paper mimicking metals (copper!) or stone like marble. I had some shelf paper that looked like white marble and covered up a lot of the wood cabinets, closet exteriors.
When I had to move out, everything removed quite easily and didn’t leave residue or marks behind. Even the glue under the fabric just peeled off without leaving anything on the walls.
Hilarious post!
I’m the same way.
Know what I like when I see it, no clue how to get there.
I think you’re ahead of the game.
You gave a pretty good visual base.
I agree with those suggesting you Google or AI for some visual ideas. I also spent a lot of time cruising FB Marketplace to see what people were getting rid of and how something spoke to me. Estate sales….in person and look for online estate sales that you can bid on stuff auction style and later pick up locally. My style is a bit all over, so I have vintage, mid-century, current…. For me it’s all about color – I need color but not wall color. So furniture, accent pillows, rugs, art.
I’d say go slow. I’m 2 years in our home and still looking at blank spaces on the walls. Took 9 months to decide on an area rug in the living room….
I would not make the walls a dark color. It will make the space smaller. I would add the colors you like in curtains, pillows, art, rugs. You could make the walls more color friendly but a really lght shade. I Google say for example French Country Kitchens. It will give you resources as well as pictures.
Oh Mod R. Congratulations. I look at everything, Pinterest, YouTube, design books, IG, HomeGoods,thrift shops. Sit and think and dream. Don’t buy all at once. Don’t clutter it like I did, in a rush to get it done. Have fun and take your time.
Hey Mod R. I suggest that you go to YouTube and watch Alexander Gater (a decorator based in Canada. She decorates rental apartments for people based in Toronto area. Hopefully she can give you ideas on how to get sroubd the restriction of being a renter in a space that does not feel like your space.
How to change an ugly apartment floor without causing damage:
https://youtu.be/UYrzx54qXos?si=RxPGBvpCX2LciCn8
I can’t interior design for peanut.. but a plant and a grow light is always good
Hi Mod R 😊
Sorry I am very very late to the party on this one.
As a fellow UKer I hear you!! grey? ugh no way!! Italy instead?? yes pleeeeease! Sounds like you have great taste already, and it might be boring but your new place is a blank canvas – no splashes of nauseating -migraine-inducing colours from previous eras to deal with first – yay!
I’m no expert of course and the Horde has already given you some brilliant ideas to work with (like change the lights to warm white for sure!! definitely no cold white industrial lighting + 200 ) but just incase it helps, I remember one comment from when I first read your post and got lost looking at wall hangings/Tapestries from that link.
And I saw this Italian inspired one. It has a grey/black back and the fringe around it has those colours too but mixed with the colours from this scene so it blends the two really well- it has most of the colours you like, and it looks like you have an open window with a view overlooking the cost from Apulia 🥰☀️🌊 Available in 3 different sizes, so you can choose the best fit.
Then you can choose your other key items/colour highlighted pieces for your new place from here and add in some darker terracotta or red pieces that are darker shades or lighter shades of what is in the pic if you want an even more Pompeii look.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/4345373817/italy-vacation-souvenir-100-cotton-woven?ls=r&external=1&rec_type=cs&ref=landingpage_similar_listing_top-5&pro=1&content_source=de4eed33e3ed1046f6fe6c90707aaa53%253ALTc399bc9f389d9468ce4d32fa6dfddae195912802&logging_key=de4eed33e3ed1046f6fe6c90707aaa53%3ALTc399bc9f389d9468ce4d32fa6dfddae195912802
It’s not cheap but worth going for if you only buy one or two major pieces at higher prices then shop around for bargains for the rest with this pic to take your colours from while you shop.
Just an idea. You might already have vanquished the grey by now!!
Wishing you all the best!! have fun! Enjoy your new home! 😁
I’ve learned to be sensitive to the light. If I can’t get sunlight in my house (my current place has awkward windows, for example), then all my lamps need warmer, softer bulbs and employ lamps that invoke candlelight. I am not above buying a string of colored fairy lights and using these instead of the curtain rod for some sheers on the windows. It makes for a nice night light effect that just makes me smile. I have a couple favorite art pieces that I always put where I can see them. (Sepia etching of a Roman ruin, favorite fairy tale prints, warm cream/light photos, and of course the Periodic Table of the Fruits and Nuts) I would rather have warm fabric draping a table than knicknacks, so I use these to switch out color seasonally.
First, look up “Color Wheel” on Wikipedia. Find an example and color print it.
Know that colors directly across the wheel from each other are “Complements” of each other–a little of one complement brightens its opposite. If, on your wheel green is opposite or across the wheel from red then they are complements. (different designers have created different color wheels.) Equal parts of complements like red and green placed next to each other will drive you nuts, BUT a small piece of green will actually brighten the bigger piece of red. it also works for blue and yellow or yellow orange–a dot of one enhances a bigger piece of the other. If you feel soothed by a color ( some people like greens and blues, others like pinks) pick bigger things of those colors and add dots of color of the complements (like a small pillow or napkins). Another note on ‘color.’ Adding white to a color creates a “tint”. Adding black to a color creates a “shade”. With the sharp contrast already created by the black cabinets against the white walls, I would likely use full colors instead of tints or shades.
Your photo shows a cabinet style currently known as “mid-century modern.” Lots of straight lines, geometric shapes. If you like that you will find lots of similar furnishings of this popular style which came into fashion through the genius of Danish designers around the late forties and fifties. You can soften the impression by adding soft cushions and using nubby fabrics. You may also consider hanging fabrics on white walls, perhaps a weaving and possibly a quilt as a headboard or as a friendly cover for a blank wall, This works especially if you are’t sure if you want to purchase art work for the walls at this time. Hanging fabrics gives you a relaxed time to slowly find special things for decoration. There are adhesives now available you can use for fabrics that leave no marks on walls (be careful of quilts–there are special hangers for expensive or historic ones). If you like the smooth black surfaces in the kitchen that’s great. If you don’t like it, look for placemats that would look nice adhered to the cabinet doors. Consider color blocks for the cabinet doors which have both the floor’s grey and your favorite terra cotta red? Potted greenery provides the complement. Again the black is so vivid that tints might look wimpy. Does your community have art fairs or a weavers guild? And adding greenery in the form of hanging pots and more always softens lines. Use your appreciation of terra cotta colors with their complements of greens and olives, sea blues with the complements of creams and golds, or reverse them with a beach of cream and an accent of blue–any way it works.
Work slow. Your home needs to make you happy.
I know the feeling! Try looking for wallpaper stickers. Some companies sell “murals”. We bought a beach scene for my daughter’s room that brightened up the whole space and made it happier.
Hi! I am totally new to the horde but I’ve loved the books -well actually all books forever. I love to craft. Knit, crochet, cosplay, bead. So I use Ott lights. They’re a full spectrum light designed for sewing but wonderful all over my place. Since I’m not on a decorating deadline I like to make my stuff. Also if you have a color and an idea try thrift stores.
Dotti from Atlanta
Not sure what your kitchen situation is, but peel and stick tiles are your friend! There is peel and stick renter friendly wallpaper and flooring as well. Youtube and TikTok are full of uber creative renters. I am obsessed with seeing what people can do in some pretty boring apartments. Good luck!
Well i am Late and hope you have fun and feel comfortable with the result!
First I would suggest getting some Basic furniture in a warmer Wood shade in a shape you like.
Then I would suggest choosing 3 colours like many others for the Sofa, carpet, drapes, pillows …( you might consider the colour of the Wood a colour too)
Now some colour theory nerdiness:
The choosing of different brightness and light/ dark of this 3 colours is important:
1st should be brightest
2nd should be more muted and maybe darker or lighter
3rd might either be darker or lighter than than the others and or a neutral
For example: the brightest is a nice warm Terrakotta orange, complimentoryis a darker muted Olive Green andg a contrast is a soft light lemon yellow.
Another example: Or a Deep warmer turquoise Blue ( like the mediterranen sea) with a darker softer ocker yellow and light sage Green.
Or bright lemon yellow, a more muted Medium leaf Green and a reddish Wood colour.
Then choose all items in this colours – maybe with some lighter and darker shades… of the same colours.
I would choose 3 colour in the warmer Shades of every colour to compliment each other ( as a Contrast to the stark background).
But if you choose 3 very bright colours it might Look garish together ( think red Blue yellow). And if the colours are all very light, there is
…Not enough contrast.
Take a Picture of the 3 colours next toeach other and Look in black and white at it- it Shows the contrast.
I just stumbled upon this traveling mural artist in Europe who paints & draws on walls and people’s homes. Perhaps you would like this.
Instagram: katdieuxart
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSFpoBQkYlH/
I love decorating : I’ve moved twice and so far, I’m really happy with the cozy vibe I’ve achieved !
When I’ve no inspiration, I went to a Ikea store ! I’m not always buying things there but it gave me inspiration for the colours, textures and so on !
Good luck with your decorating !
Do you like plants? If not start with succulents and other hard to kill plants. Maybe some colorful mosaics. Softer and squishy furnishings. Jewel toned throws and pillows. Quiet reading corner.
Think of friends houses. Where have you felt the most soothed? Ask those friends for ideas
I look at homes on Zillow, not to buy, but to see how they’re furnished. I look on Pinterest for innovative ideas. I wander through Michael’s or Hobby Lobby for more decorating ideas. Here’s how I would go about furnishing a new place.
Pick a couple of complementary colors to build you theme around. Start with a loveseat and chair. Maybe in a burnt umber or light brown, with grace notes of teal or blue. Pick up the color theme for your dining room chairs or seat cushions and accent with a light tablecloth and runners for the season. Consider
Do you collect? Statuary, pictures? Consider a table accent with pillar candles on a decorative place with smooth river rocks around the base. If you have a balcony or patio, add a glider or chairs with vivid outdoor cushions and a patio table with a metal base and glass top–something that won’t blow over in the wind and won’t break if it tips over.
We have white walls in our living room, but they’re covered with paintings, metal wall art, and printed photos of what’s important to us–with a rustic, frontier, or western theme. Our dining room needs new paint, and I want to remove the beadboard, wood trim and wallpaper. I would thrift frames and wall art, for at least some of it.
If space is tight, perhaps a secretary’s desk could serve as a laptop workstation. Otherwise, I’d buy modular office furniture with complementary bookcases and file cabinets. My hubby and I built a custom L-shaped workstation that maximized the wall space in my bedroom-turned-home office.
We added Sauder office furniture that required assembly. A library table with a bookcase and two-drawer file cabinet, a matching four-shelf bookcase, and a file cabinet topped with a matching hutch. It took some assembly, but that’s what family and friends are for. When space was a little too tight, we trimmed 4 inches off the short leg of my work desk and redid the trim.
If you have a tile, wood, or linoleum floor in the dining area, consider a rug to add a splash of color. I like Persian-style rugs, but there’s an amazing variety to choose from.
Hope this helps!
I have *opinions*
1 – lamps for mental health. As others said – smart lights – go the daylight option ones for combatting seasonal blues.
2 – rug or mat, cover the floor! Maybe even cover the wall – pretend it is an accent room divider and secrets lie behind.
3 – inspiration https://www.nevertoosmall.com/ – yes I get jealous, but gives me ideas for small space living & how to maximise it.
And MR Cliff Tan!!! https://www.dearmodern.com/ – so now you know! Feng shue (and roasting) of strangers rooms as he offers ways to make them flow better
4 – plants- if that fits your Roman villa vibe & budget of energy & coin
Eons ago Christopher Lowell had a decorating show, his technique was “The seven layers of design”. Essentially pick your favorite piece of furniture, drapes, or rug analyze why you like it, i.e. the colors muted or bright, calming or energetic etc.
I suggest, before you buy a lot of stuff, is to look at fabric yardage for something you like and put it up on those grey walls and live with it for several days in light and darkness to see how the color affects the ambiance. Personally I have to have med to light paint colors as dark, grey, tan, brown walls depress me. There are many ways to turn wall color into simply background by what you hang up or place in front of them. Any library should have decorating books or magazines for ideas. Decorating is very personal and thank God for secondhand stores. its amazing what you can find!
There are all kinds of renter friendly products available now. Goid hunting!
Houzz app. Now – yes, much more than what you are asking for but “renter-friendly” doesn’t mean it has to stay soul less. Then find the closest charity shop and check out if it is in your price range. Then – not sure if English social media does this too – FB marketplace and search on “rug”, etc. based on the comment re: floor, you might want something right now. Apartment therapy works. If you are diy and into hacks – many threads on Reddit
First off I’m sorry you have to try to mesh Mediterranean and modern dark wood modern.
From a veteran renter: Forget drywall screws, put a nail into the stud, if what you want to hang is between studs put a nail into two studs and hang it on a string. I’ve never personally used a drywall screw in my life because they leave such horrible holes in the walls. Sometimes with heavy things you can also just put in like five to ten nice super hard small finishing nails and it’ll spread the weight enough to just put them into the drywall and hold up something heavy and stationary, we did that with a 3×4 picture at each apartment with one of those metal toothy bars on the back, and it’s never given us trouble or been hard to cover up the tiny holes later.
The other thing I learned after long-term renting was that I never painted because I’d have to paint it back at the end… but I wish I’d just just painted it honestly since I was going to stay there for years. Lots of places will let you paint if you paint it back to their way before you leave, just make sure they tell you their paint colors and production company at the beginning and that’s what they want back at the end.
I also also lack aesthetic sense, but fortunately it seems that my nine-year-old wants to grow up to be an interior designer and has been helping me since she was three or four. She even started using the word pop back then, and I have no idea where she heard it or if she just reinvented it herself. Here’s what I’ve learned as a naturally non-aesthetic decorating person. Find a decoration or something that you really love and then work on building a theme around it, but make sure it doesn’t clash with your wall white because whites can come in cold and warm – if it looks good don’t sweat it, but if it looks wrong…. Cold colors and warm undertones will sometimes just look a little wrong together, so if you have cold white walls just choose cool versions of the colors you want. Cool vs warm is really about the undertones. I lack aesthetic sense for decorating, but I love to paint recreationally (pictures not walls). To explain undertones it’s best to share a story: The first time I painted a still life I set up a little red stool with my black leather tap shoes on a warm wood floor, but when I painted the black shoes they looked wrong. I couldn’t figure it out. Right shape, right shading but wrong. My teacher, who was also an impressive professional illustrator but an even better art teacher, told me that in real life things reflect color on each other. The painted shoes looked wrong because in real life the red from the stool and the gold from the wood were ever so slightly reflected on the shoes. He told me to mix just a tiny bit of red and wood color into the black for the shoes. Suddenly they looked like they belonged in the picture and it looked real and inviting instead of like a cut and paste job. The things you put together will reflect some on each other, and warms undertones against cold sometimes look a little cut and paste, if you get that feeling that might be the problem. With my lack of aesthetic sense sometimes being able to recognize why something is wrong has been a huge step for me, so that I can not just feel frustrated, but also know where to go from there.
I loved someone’s suggestion of mirrors to make the space feel open and curtains to add texture, motion and color, I’ve seen it done beautifully but wouldn’t know how to do it myself. My other advice would be to just try something. Maybe go to the thrift store and get a few cheap things you like that wouldn’t be too much to send back to the thrift store or return, and see what you can make work in the space and what you can’t and think about why and go from there.
Sometimes little things make a big difference. Have you ever been in a staged house that someone is trying to sell? It’s very different from an empty house. I once talked to the stager leaving our neighbor’s house and she didn’t have that many things she was taking out. I wished I had her sense, but the takeaway I got was that making a space comfortable to move through doesn’t always require big things.
The last thing I’ve learned can be illustrated by this really funny video that has nothing to do with decorating and everything to do with people. It’s not a necessary watch, but it’s so funny I wanted to include it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T37hu6RrIE . How many times have you walked into a different part of that house and forgotten what you were doing or why you came in there? This can have to do with decorating. My daughter changed classrooms in preschool and the new teacher was an ECSE who arranged her classroom better and suddenly all the challenges surrounded preschool went away. Why? Because the teacher was awesome, but especially because she’d worked the snags out of her space. Our eyes naturally look for a focus when we move into a new space, and we’ll be naturally drawn towards that, without one we start to feel restless and confused and forget what we were doing. It could be a plant on the coffee table or a series of mirrors behind the couch, a set of half curtains behind the dining room table… if you think back to memories of a space I’ve noticed that the things I remember are often these pieces. The cherry half curtains in my mother-in-law’s kitchen, the brass deer statuette near the fireplace in my grandmother’s house as well as the giant coffee table and the hanging lights over the stairwell. When you first walk into the room (from different areas also) where do your eyes want to go? Put a focal point near there, and try it from different entries, just something to rest your eyes on and guide you comfortably toward where you want to go when you enter the room. My aunt had lots of aesthetic sense and liked to paint accent walls, which have kind of gone out of style some, but it worked well for her. Find what works for you, but give yourself focal points to rest your eyes on so that they aren’t wandering restlessly every time you enter a space and you’ll make the space more comfortable and consider different angles – when you walk into a room and also when you sit down on the couch… if you just can’t stand to sit there and want to sit at the dining room table instead then there might be a lack of focal point from the perspective of sitting on the couch.
You probably knew a lot of these things, but these are the things I’ve learned from lacking aesthetic sense but needing to make space comfortable and renting apartments for a long time. Also lighting! The color and brightness matter. Good luck!!!
Are you sure the lights are fluorescent?(some form of tube shape filled with gas) (Not sure exactly what difference there is in light sockets from US to UK)
LED bulbs besides saving energy also come in a ranges of “colors” aka temperatures (2700K is warm yellow, ranging almost to 5000K, super bright white) and also in “color changing” which lets you set the white you want. Light temp is a personal preference but changing the bulbs should soften the house. Also, you can look for bulbs that mimic actual sunlight(NOT “daylight” color, those are harsh white”). GE makes a series of bulbs called “reveal” that do a good job- you can tell if they are true sunlight cause the bulb is faintly blue. (My sister said she noticed the difference and they helped with the lack of sun in the winter)
Also- peel and stick wall art- Amazon has tons – will let you add personal style touches and color, large or small, without making any permanent changes
I’m sorta late to the party but hope this helps!
Hi Mod R,
as I have experienced a fire in my apartment three years ago, I know about putting something together fast.
My advice concerns not the already listed objectives but the following experience:
use wood to give the entire environment a more natural and historic feel (the kind and color are not important, up to you, look at old palaces from the Mediterranean). And buy used stuff! I got an large original oriental rug 2 by 3 meters for a hundred euros at a use furniture place and the cleaning cost me only a 130 euros more. For book shelves: buy real wood like Ivar, not Billy. It can also be painted later.
Hi! I use Pinterest,. Apartment Therapy, and Dwell Magazine as some inspo. You might assist be surprised at what’s available in the design section of the library. I’m a renter and have found some great renter friendly options. Felt tiles to give a wall color are super fun and easy to install. Good luck and have fun!
Spring or grass green (as in those tiny plants in the photo) always looks good against black. Brass and copper -colored pots for plants bring warmth. Might be a little costly, but I’d suggest adding an accent wall with removable stick-on wallpaper – something with green and white – a leaf and/or floral print – to soften and contrast with black if you have lots of black colored cabinets as in the photo. Inexpensive area rugs can also help to bring in some softening pops of color.
Hope this helps!
Just read an NYT article on DIY Wallpaper without the Work (Tim Heffernan)–use gessoed blank canvas & paste wallpaper on it in a pattern that you like. Light, easy to hang, any size that fits your space, any color or design. You can use Command strips (wall must be perfectly smooth, removal best down carefully & according to directions) or coordinating ribbon to hang if you have a picture rail, although you do need to get the right hooks for this.
I start with a piece of fabric. Find something that speaks to you and then center everything around it. Make pillows out of that fabric. Choose coordinating solids and patterns. Don’t be afraid of a couch. That’s a color like dark green velvet, or even yellow. There are some lovely faux olive tree plants. I highly recommend getting at least one and putting it in a lovely pot. You could also do terra-cotta pots with some shaped shrubbery in them. Don’t be afraid of lemons they’re very Mediterranean and add a lovely pop of color as a fabric
I’m late to this post ,so maybe its superfluous but according to my lifelong transfer prone life experience, just add rugs on floor according to your colour preference, add candles and light fixtures that provide a warm light to nullify the white walls . ..also add bright splashes of colours in the form of bright cushions/ throws and bright prints or paintings/ posters of your choice to brighten the walls… some flowers and I find it becomes livable.
Best of luck ..and may you find happiness and sanctuary in your abode.✨️💃✨️
I have learned a lot from watching Caroline Winkler on YouTube! She does a lot of videos that help you understand how to accomplish you design style and how to deal with what is making your space feel uncomfortable.
https://youtube.com/@caroline_winkler?si=CO_e3ZKb70tBudFo
But like others have said, things that will make your space feel less sterile for any design style are warm light, (especially in lamps so you don’t have to use the big light), rugs (make sure it’s big enough for the front legs of your living room furniture are on the rug), art is a must, and if you put up curtains, which can add a lot of coziness, make sure they mount close to the ceiling no matter your window height and touch the floor.