apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

(1) Rug;
(2) Art;
(3) Put TV on credenza; eliminate TV stand.

The room's unbalanced here's too much going on on the right side and not enough on the left. Moving the credenza over will help.

A rug!
I also think that if you put a chair opposite the couch (under the picture), it would balance it out some.. and it might help make the TV less of a focal-point.

I would get a colorful rug, and hang more artwork on the wall with the tv to balance out the weight of the sofa on the opposite wall.

Hope that helps.

Definitely a rug. Some larger artwork as well. The room seems very long and thin, and the placement of the furniture accentuates this. Can the sofa go the other way, opposite and facing the window? The floor lamp should go next to the couch. Can the white bookshelf go under the window? I agree with animatt, an armchair would be nice. I think I would try centering the TV on the wall on the left, and putting an armchair on the right side of the room facing the couch. This way the TV is visible, but does not take away from conversation space.

Good luck, and send "after" pics please!

I agree with everyone. The rooms seems elongated by the sofa being on the wall. Can the sofa fit against the window? I think this would anchor the room and help it not to feel like a hallway. You could put a small chair on both sides (remember the Cosby's living room--how they had two small chairs?). You could put a tall bookcase on the left area where the picture is hanging. That would create a "wall" and on the opposite side you could place the tv (so it would face the sofa).

Good luck and send after photos! ;)

If you can move the bookshelf, you might consider putting it on the wall opposite of where it is now. Put a chair that one might reasonably sit in to read for a little bit between the shelf and the TV, and then corner to the shelf, facing the window, put another chair that matches or coordinates with your comfortable reading chair. Move the lamp into that triangle there and you've got a reading nook.

I also think a rug is a good idea. Maybe something soft and Persian that picks up the blue on the accent wall?

You dont have a conversation area right now, you have a sofa facing a TV, simplest option would be to put a chair opposite the couch.

In similar sized nyc apartments I've seen it work nicely with the couch in the middle of the room, facing the window, with the tv at the window (and an extra chair to make it a seating area) - the area behind the couch then had an office type set up with desk bookcase etc. The room effectively became 2 rooms - a cosy tv/chatting space and an office/storage/whatever space. Try it, you might be surprised...

Also second the rug and art comments - the room needs to show some personality...the blue wall is a nice start...

Paint all four walls so that none of them are white. Consider changing the blue wall to a softer colour. Get floor-length curtains for your window. Centre the TV in front of the couch. Get a rug. Put art on the walls. Add some throw cushions (that coordinate with your new rug) to your couch.

Doesn't the floor lamp by the tv cause you to squint? Where do you sit to read? There should be a chair next to the floor lamp, or the floor lamp should be next to a reading chair, whichever....

And, yes, a rug.

Good luck, have fun with it....

I actually don't mind the couch along the wall. I like the functionality of being able to look at the TV or out the window with it that way. The problem to me with the layout is that TV/stand situation, it becomes a focal point...I would scour craigslist like a villain looking for some alternative--credenza or something of the like. If you can't find something that will hide that rather deep TV, my one splurge would be to go flat. If you centered the TV across from the couch, then you could start thinking about chairs on either side of the tv to balance out & make it more conversation-focused. Then you can take Joanne's suggestion with the chair next to the lamp...

1. Place sofa at an angle along the back corner of the room, near the window.

2. Move TV/shelf thing along wall toward the painting.

3. Move Painting.

Then fill in with whatever furniture or decorative items you think you need. Just a couple of suggestions: a small table on one side of the sofa; maybe a long table behind the sofa, perhaps repurpose the long shelf thingie in the front of the photo.

What's missing is a place for a visitor to sit and talk to you. No offense, but your current layout looks like where a sad bachelor comes home for a solitary evening of take-out and TV.

Textiles (rugs, curtains) would also warm up the room.

I would paint the living room all one color. Something soft to make it feel larger also, use an egg shell finish paint to diffuse the light and give an airy feeling. I gotta go with the rug suggestions also. Maybe a flokati in a neutral shade.

Any warm accessories or collections to personalize the space more?

I'd also suggest a uniform paint scheme. Right now, only one wall is painted, and although it's a vibrant color, it's also a very "cold" one.

New, warm, scattered lighting rather than the ikea-esque floor lamp.

I also second the long curtains to accentuate your windows.

Maybe a longer, low-profile TV stand along the wall since you have the space. I'd also put some nice art up above it...whatever tickles your fancy.

More than anything, I just think you need to infuse your personalities into your living space. This can be done with pictures, trinkets, art, etc.

Good luck!

There is a lot that is just wrong here. I agree with Lisa Hunter. This photo makes me want to open the window and jump out. Sorry man..Wish I could have advised you to go pre-war.

You need to make two rooms out of what looks like a hallway. re-paint that wall back to white. Why because the blue makes it look like a tunnel. Get a large area rug, some how find a piece of furniture to put between the dining table and the sofa area. In a odd way shorten the room.

A little lost on this one. Good luck..

Hey Guys, Similar NYC apt here. It's great that you don't have too much stuff. Try to keep it that way. Start with the window, some sort of sheers on a tension rod will eliminate the black hole at the end of the room. Put a sconce with a dimmer on the window side of the column. More lamps will define your spaces with dimmer lighting. Move the sofa in front of the window and paint all the walls the same color as the sofa. Add your color with your accessories, pillows, vases etc. It will make the room seem less long and is a nicer view when looking into the room. Put two comfortable small scale chairs opposite the tv and ditch the coffee table for two cubes you can put your feet up on when watching tv and move back in front of sofa with matching trays when you have company. The big expense would be to save up for a flat screen tv, it's worth it on a skinny console. I would keep the floor plain. Carpets are going to cut up your space and restrict your furniture placement. Mirrors and art will give you nice depth. Check out Ugallery.com for cheap original artwork. A rectangular table with a couple of chairs in the beginning of the room can be used as a desk as well as dining. The chairs can also be moved into the seating area for company. Remember, define your spaces with artwork and lighting. Good luck!

you need a rug, simple as. it ties it all together and makes it a defined space designated as your wind down area. otherwise it looks like some stuff in a corner of a room.

Place a large mirror - or as cheap as even just some mirrored plastic tiles, or a thrift shop job, or even cheapo tiles wrapped in shiny bacofoil, and go for LONG, not TALL - this to reflect the window BACK to you to where you are sitting on the couch.

It will double the main feature of this room, and widen that space immediately.

Get either 2 big plants, or (on a budget) some fun mobile stuff (crazy carnival kites, stupidly plastic fake plants, something) on each side of that window to give the primal brain the notion that the outside is more inside, thus spreading the power of what looks to be a decent urban view.

Finally, put that tall standing lamp thats shown as oppo. the couch more towards the side of the windows as well, it's highlighting a big load of nothing where it stands, put it on the l.hand (as we're viewing) and it'll draw attention outwards.

PS To qualify my comment - all the above are good, but I'm a lighthound, I can't exist without good access to windows, views, lots of!

Draped sheers - that you can draw back, "R" shape, if you need them - but if you have no overviewers, make the most of the sky IMO!

The rug idea sounds great to me too, they define a space and if you check out ethnic markets (have to say, I don't know the score in NYC but that's true of London) you might find something affordable that helps define that cozy space where you can enjoy a bit of tv, whatever!

Also - bit woowoo but when you FIRST viewed this place, before you did the contract doozy, what did you see yourself (yourselves) doing - is there anything you can take from that?

We so often lose our vision in the everyday...

Home is where the heart is - hope we hear an update on your choices! :o)

The room is imbalanced - you have several pieces against the right wall, in addition to (i think) a radiator. Since you cant move the radiator, maybe switch the couch and Tv to the opposite walls. Especially if the angle you took the photo from is a doorway - currently when you walk into the room the focal point is your tv. I'd rather it be the couch with some large artwork over it.

A hanging light from the ceiling always gives a nice third dimension.

Ceiling to floor curtain over that nice big window you got. Choose a lighter (material weight) fabric so that you can open it up nice and wide to make better use of your big window during the day.

Get rid of the blue wall. A single colored wall that is not a focal point makes the room negatively imbalanced.

Nice large art. Maybe, VERY large.

I definitely agree that the living room seems too focused on the television. If you don't want to replace the t.v. with something smaller, I would say at least get a lighter, slimmer piece of furniture for it to sit on. What you have is very dark and clunky looking. And get some more seating, even if it's just a small chair, and put it opposite the couch.
Also, I second (third? fourth?) the rug and curtain movement. And I think some bright pillows on the sofa would look good too.
A big mirror would make the space seem more balanced.
Some big plants would brighten it up too.