Advice for kitchen seating area

9 years ago

Hi I am looking for advice on wall finish/colour for a small seating area at the end of my uninspiring, dark kitchen in the uninspiring dark rental house I currently live in. All the walls in the kitchen are magnolia and the kitchen cabinets are light wood with black countertops. My choices are very limited by the colours already in the room but some can be removed (i.e. the rug or cushions). As you may have guessed, by the €7 ikea lack coffee table, budget is also an issue so I am really hoping to spend very little on updating this area. I have the landlords permission to paint the walls but due to budget constraints I am hoping to be able to leave the other three walls magnolia and just have a feature wall. I also plan to improve the lighting situation with either standing floor lamp or side table lamp and also a low hanging large shaded ceiling light. I was also thinking of hanging pictures or art work on the wall over the couch. I was hoping somebody could give me some advice on wall colour/finish and also comment on my proposed modifications. I know The choices are
limited by what is already there but I am trying to make the best out of what I have.

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Comments (5)

hortonhearsawho2013
9 years ago
How about a large canvas artwork? I like the retro look you've got going and I like the rug.
boundsgreener
9 years ago
Hi. I love your couch and if light is an issue, I would think about a large mirror because it'll bounce the light around the room (your little starburst one is a bit wasted over there). Mirrors don't have to be expensive - look in charity shops and second hand shops. If you go for a large canvas, make it quite colourful so the boring walls fade away. Again, you don't have to spend a fortune - there are lots of websites with affordable art. A floor lamp would be great and if you get a ceiling light, make sure it isn't so low that it blocks whatever fabulous new item you have hanging behind the couch.

I'd see how it looks when you've done this before you paint or also to help choose your paint colour so it goes with mirror/art. Good luck!
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Hi minnie101, Thanks so much for your detailed reply. Great to know what colour that grey is. It may be a little dark with our floor. We will definitely update the handles - I hate the current ones. We'll probably go with wood to keep within budget. Your non-tiles pic is lovely. We'll probably keep some tiles and try to keep the kitchen a little more modern than country kitchen, which might be a challenge with wood. The room faces south. I like your idea of dividing it with paint. We probably will go with white in the kitchen and then 1/2 slightly darker tones in the tv-couch area. The 'other' entrance into the dining area is narrowed by a non-structural wall, so we should remove this to open it properly or like you say, close it off. Maybe not close it off entirely as we'd lose a lot of light, but maybe put in a counter or breakfast bar if space allowed. I love your pendant light suggestions over the dining table. Details like this and a rug in the couch area will really help divide the room as at the moment it is one big cavernous space. I really can't decide yet what way the couches should face - into a tv in the corner, or out into the room like you suggest. We'll have to draw out some chalk outlines on the floor and see how much space there actually is. Colour-wise we like the idea of keeping walls and cabinets quite stark, the wood counter will add a bit of warmth, and then adding colour with couches, rugs and possibly dining chairs. I've attached a couple of pieces of furniture I like. Some may not work, but we'll figure it out.
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doristhedinnerlady
9 years ago
How about a large oversize clock and surround with quirky artwork. Also place low lights so they bathe the wall behind giving it a cosier feel. Tk Maxx, Homescence and ikea good places to look. My sofa is similar retro to yours and the radio.
livingroomz
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the replies, I have plenty food for thought. I like the ideas for artwork over the sofa and had not thought about the low hanging light interfering, I was just trying to make a more cosy intimate spot but the lamps should acheive this. The starburst mirror is intentionally their as it looks best from further away. Up close you see that this is actually a cheap spray painted knock-off but it actually looks ok from a distance. The side wall is the first wall you see when entering the room from outside. Thanks again for the commenst and picture.
linlinpod
9 years ago
A large mirror ,or 3 ikea mirrors (long and narrow) would look good

Advice for kitchen seating area

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hortonhearsawho2013

boundsgreener

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Advice for kitchen seating area

Comments (5)

hortonhearsawho2013

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