apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

this is an easy fix. slip cover the sofa in a color more complimentary to the room. if the bf has to have the black leather look, soften it with a bunch of pillows. maybe add an oriental rug that will have all of the colors (including black) to tie everything together.

I say sell the couch on craigslist and use those funds to get another couch on craigslist [or the local thrift]. The couch is a visual black hole (duh, you knew that), and doesn't play well with the space or your other pieces.

I agree. The couch has to go. Slipcovers rarely look good. A pretty rug would do wonders, too. The TV stand looks too nice to paint. I can't tell about the coffee table. If they are real wood and in good shape think long and hard before painting. You can't go back easily, and neutral pieces like that can last a lifetime. You wouldn't need to paint them if you lose the couch.....

Or, if you absolutely must keep the couch, how about some cool graphic black and white pillows and a bright throw? Or a little flokati rug (Ikea has some cheap ones) in front of it?

I congratulate your willingness to allow your boyfriend to bring something he likes into your shared living space, even though it's not to your taste. That's true compromise! Through some red an orange pillows on that sucker!

The mantle is beautiful. Why not pull out some color from the tile work in the mantle? Maybe put some of the blue/grey on the walls and then slip cover that couch. It will make the molding around the fireplace really stand out.

Why bother with slipcovers? Its true that they never look all that good on big sofas like this. A nice throw, blanket or bedspread can hide the sofa temporarily : I still have my old and ugly blue student sofa, but I hide it under a lovely large piece of scandanavian-style beige canvas with machine-embroidered trees on it. When I'll buy a new sofa I'll use the cloth for something else.

If you're on a tight budget, do your best with lightening up the couch with pillows or a nice throw. Balance out the dark and light in the room by adding a colourful rug and art is always a great choice. Even if you just stretch some cool fabric over a frame... that's a great and cheap option for art.
And, as always, declutter the corners of the room. Once you get rid of piles of stuff and those haphazardly placed dining chairs, your room will seem much bigger. Don't listen to these folk who think you've got to get rid of your couch! You can work with it!

btw that fireplace is beautiful!

Definitely throw pillows! If you are tight on finds, nothing is easier to make than pillows. I don't think the couch is that terrible, if you dress everything around nicely. I think a slip cover would be too much, and they often look sloppy. Throw pillows can make it look sophisticated, though.

I'd also vote for a rug, although I don't like oriental rugs much, and they are rarely gentle on your wallet. I'm thinking something a bit more graphic. Also, maybe a nice decorative bowl on the coffee table?

Also, think about painting one wall, like the one behind the TV. If you let one color scheme carry through the pillows, rug, and wall, it will unify the room. I'd vote for pulling the colors from the fireplace mantle, because that is beautiful.

Please don't slipcover a leather couch, I had a feeling that would constantly look frumpy and wrinkled. Pull some colors from your gooorgeous fireplace and use those. Paint the walls a chalky bluish gray. Get a bright graphic rug in blues and greens and throw some throw pillows on the couch with blue/green/black/white on 'em. A white ceramic bowl of limes on the coffee table and a plant or two (maybe a snake plant by the television and something smaller on the mantle/on a shelf) wouldn't hurt either. Some sort of panel curtains on the window (if that is a window the couch is in front of) would also help to soften the couch a bit.

good luck!

I don't know why everyone's so quick to dump the black couch. You should be able to make it work with throw pillows and other suggestions above. A slipcover seems like a waste of money unless it really is hideous looking...

Here's a painting idea: Leave the mantle and shelves white and then paint just the wall in the back (wall behind the books) an accent color, maybe a light blue. That would give a nice glow to the whole mantle wall area. A few matching throw pillows might bring the color out even more...

Work with the black and add some black accent pieces as well as black and white patterns. If you can sew pillow covers, there are some really great black and white graphic pattern fabric in fabric stores or on-line. Even blakc and white curtains would be great. THen add some punches of color with the blue and green in your fireplace.

Use those mantle tile colors--paint at least one wall one of those colors. Use the other colors throughout (rug, pillows, art, etc.)
Don't bother with a slip cover, just lighten up with pillows and maybe a throw and the let the rest of the room elevate it. It's not nearly as bad as you think.
Painting the bookshelf wall would make that mantle sing.
Don't paint the wood furniture!
"Can white, brown, and black coexist in a non-drab way in a living room?"
YES! You just need the unifying color and to declutter. Great bones, good luck!

Throw pillows on a finished leather couch? They slip 'n slide all OVER the place and rarely stay where you place them. Instead, remove the back cushions and add oversized pillows to replace them. I echo 2lastnames' comments above, too.

Edit bookshelves, art on walls, throw on couch, color and pattern pillows on black couch, paint on walls (bluish gray) or paint in any green behind bookshelvs add more color accents-vase, rug maybe, maybe not-see how it looks after the accessories and colors-rugs are expensive, too. I’d save the money for a replacement couch in stead of the rug.

Your built-ins are great. What about painting the insides of them only with a bright contrast color?

Koko Match Co pillows would be a great way to bring the colors together:

http://www.mermaidhut.com/Content/ContentCT.asp?P=28

Oops. The link was wrong. Here's a link to one, but there are several available for mixing and matching. Koko Match Co Pillow:

http://www.mermaidhut.com/Prod-18-1-531-26/Match_Co_Pillow_Lion.htm

I see many good comments, but why not try a few houseplants with some colorfully-painted ceramic pots? It's relatively cheap, and it also brings some life to the room!

At least it's black. When my partner moved in with me, he brought a similar style of sofa - in aqua.

I think that the girl has to give up her idea of pretty (which she used three times in the post) and embrace a more sophisticated, urban aesthetic. Or dump the couch.

Painting the walls a blue-grey, and adding some more dramatic elements--big bold rug and art--would butch up the pretty apartment. Adding textures like brushed steel and homespun wool would also help. Edit the bookselves--either fill them up, or pare them down for starkness.

White, black and brown are a great combination, and don't have to be drab, but you do have to renounce the pretty.

I think add the sea glass blue to the rug & throw pillows as well as arranging the furniture so that the side chairs flank the mantle (if the space allows it) and put some coordinating art behind/above the tv.

I think the slipcover won't really work on the couch shape. But I understand and respect not being able to get new right now.

You could also do something with some trays on the coffee table to bring in the blue.

This room from Domino shows a mix of wood w/ black sofa:
http://www.dominomag.com/galleries/rooms/livingdining/livingroom/blackandwhite?slide=8

I think I would add black & white accessories--think zebra or b&w graphic print rug along with strong punches of yellow (or lime green)....maybe a large vase, bowl, a lamp, and yellow flowers on the mantle. The yellow (or green) will add your touch of "pretty" and complement the b&w in a fresh way. People (and you) will notice the overall look and mood of the room, instead of noticing the couch. Browse Jessica's blog, http://blackwhiteyellow.blogspot.com/ and http://sfgirlbybay.blogspot.com/ for inspiration. Visit urbanoutfitters.com for some cute bw&y accent rugs for under $100...Ikea has a great comforter cover in bw&y for under $13 that you could cut up and make pillows or seat covers for your occasional chairs. If you set a budget of $200 to spend on a rug new pillows, a lamp plus some decorative accessories from a thrift store will go a long way towards improving your space until you can afford that new couch.

I'll bet that bf loves his sofa, and the expedient thing to do, relationship-wise, budget-wise, time-and-effort-wise, is to pick a color out of the fireplace tiles that you like, get a throw that color and lay it over the entire back of the sofa, and paint the back of the shelves the same color. Then de-clutter, and recover those cute dr chairs in a fabric that goes with what you've done already, and set them up in a vignette. So far you've spent very little time and money. Now back off and decide if you need a rug with color, or pillows with color, or a bowl, etc. Forget about worrying about stuff going together. You have wonderful bones, and if you keep it pared down, your room will be pleasing to be in. Good luck.

Un-hide the wall with the fireplace (these chairs and coffee table in front of that wall! it's a crime!).
Paint blue-gray vertical stripes on the tv wall.
Throw geometrical cushions on sofa.
Put something colorful and stylish (and cheap) on the mantle.
Get rid of the chairs and tv table! They're really awful and commonplace! If you can't get rid, move the chairs in another room and maybe use art poster in the middle of the table.

Have a nice time!

Well, I love the fireplace and you should highlight that feature of the room. I would paint the walls in the surrounds of the fireplace a nice light blue or blue-gray. Pillows, pillows, pillows are so important to add color to the sofa. Slipcover ?

Reuse your 2 chairs; paint them and change the fabric on the cushions. Go to a fabric store and buy fabric remmants. I'm all about redesign and reuse what you have and if you're going to get rid of something (give it away or craigslist)..

I hope this was helpful and happy designing.

To me this question is as much about decorating as it is about relationships. I think you're getting great advise here on both fronts. I agree-- paint the walls, get an inexpensive rug to tie things together, and paint the backs of the book shelves a color that ties in with the fireplace tiles. But your approach to all of this may count too.

If you partner loves the couch (like mine loved his) tread lightly. You've just moved in together and he's moved in to your place-- it's a big change. There may be some football watching, beer drinking, poker playing, bachelor memories of that couch he's not ready to have erased by a pastel slip cover. Trial and error taught me it was more productive to suggest ways to 'integrate our styles' than ways to phase out his.

Paint the walls bright yellow. Replace the rug with a gray and yellow one with a mod design. Someone said slipcover the chairs. I agree.

I would either cover the couch or make some fun pillows in different, brightly colored patterns in a single color scheme. Then I might consider painting the BACK of the built-in bookshelves a coordinating, but possibly more muted color.