sfgirlbybay: perhaps you need a bit of...

Friday, July 21

perhaps you need a bit of...

...well, please just let me know. xoxo

10 comments:

Anonymous said...: Hi Victoria,
I wanted to thank you again for helping me with my living room. I'm really excited about the paint samples and fabrics you suggested--they're on their way, and I feel really happy with them!
I'll send you some "after" pictures in a few weeks.
I particularly wanted to thank you for not only making suggestions, but for explaining why you would go with certain looks. It's helping me look at the rest of my space in a different light.
Thanks again for all of the inspiration and for your time--you even drew up a plan for my furniture placement. How sweet!
Have a great weekend...
a big hug to you,
Rachel; 1:58 PM
sfgirlbybay said...: You are so welcome...I am anxious to see what you do. Have a great weekend!; 2:26 PM
lsaspacey said...: Hi Victoria,
I also saw your house tour, and I just adore your home.

My apt is so far from the image I have in my mind of where I want it to be. If you don't mind, please check out my blog and pictures of my apartment in my Flicker group. Any suggestions you may have, please feel free to comment.

I know I have a lot to do, but what I think is most important is to paint the walls. The main space receives little light and the apt walls are this horrible renter's off-white. I am willing to lobby my landlord to paint. I was thinking a color so light it reads as white but infuses the living room with a glow. In the bedroom, I was thinking a very pale blue to play off the green and orange accessories. Does this sound like a good idea to you?

In advance of any wisdom you can offer, thank you!
Lisa; 10:32 PM
lsaspacey said...: Sorry, the blog with my apartment is called SHELTER. Thank you.
Lisa; 10:33 PM
sfgirlbybay said...: Hi Lisa -

I went to your flickr account, but couldn't find SHELTER. Am I looking in the wrong place? Maybe you could send me a link? Be glad to help!
Victoria; 8:47 AM
Anonymous said...: Leslie - I remember your place from your AT posting; you have some nice pieces and made a pretty good start on your apartment. Please post "after" shots of whatever you do that Victoria recommends; I'd love to see how it all comes out. I bet it will be beautiful!; 10:19 AM
sfgirlbybay said...: Hi guys -

Never thought I'd get so many requests for help, but I'm not complaining. Just wanted to let you know I will get back to you, and I am replying in the order the requests have been received (that sounds like a recording!). I haven't gotten THAT many, but enough to keep me pretty busy. I gotta lose this full time job and just blog!
xo, Victoria; 2:41 PM
sfgirlbybay said...: Lisa - at long last I am back to you.

Re: painting. I'm all for it. If I think I'm going to be in a place for a long time, I just go ahead and paint and forego my rental deposit. With that said, both times I've done this, the landlord loved the color and kept it, and I got my deposit back. Risky, yes, but I care too much about my environment to not take the chance.

I'm a big fan of the Restoration Hardware paint palette, for two reasons. 1) the paint goes on easily and hardly ever needs a second coat. 2) they have some great colors and a can goes a long way.

If you want a nice 'glow' but want to keep it white, their Mediterrean White has a bit of pink in it's undertones, so that would work nicely.

For the bedroom, I really like their Silver Sage - if you like greens and blues it's a cool color because it changes color with the light. Sometimes it looks gray blue, or even a light aqua, and other times a kind of light moss color. Another color I really like is their Atmosphere Blue - really soothing color. They will send you swatches if you go online. Let me know if that helps. Cheers, Victoria; 2:52 PM
sfgirlbybay said...: Hi Leslie -

I'm going to post my suggestions on the AT link so I can reference the photos...see ya there! :); 3:07 PM
sfgirlbybay said...: Hi Leslie - I'm posting here, too...

Thanks for writing! First off, I love your living room and think you've found some great pieces. I think I would add a modern entertainment shelving unit, rather than the covered table. Ikea has one called IVAR and it's only $80. It comes on casters and is unfinished, so how about painting it off-white, or a cool gray-blue?

Everyone's right about the art. You need it! But I think it needs to be something that you really love, or has some meaning to you. In my blog I talk about having family photos blown up on a large format printer and framing them with simple Ikea RIBBA frames - they come with great wide white matting and look like a much nicer quality than they're priced. I think I paid like $25 for a 22" x 24" frame. So a nice grouping over the sofa could be cool - maybe even in black & white in their Birch colored frames. And a nice big print over the television. I like to make my TV as invisible as possible!

As far as the dining room goes, I think a nice fluffy Flotaki rug (look on ebay) would be cool, and maybe a nice fabric runner on the table. Lotta Jansdotter has some great modern, fresh looking ones in your color palette. If you can paint the wall a nice rich color (taupe?) that would add warmth as well. And, again some more art. Or maybe a fun 70's looking mural?

http://www.jansdotter.com/

For the headboard (you need one) you could go to the flea market and look for an unusual item to hang on the wall and use as a headboard - an old iron gate, or a vintage door on it's side can look cool. If you want a cozier look Urban Outfitters has that cool chocolate brown tufted velvet headboard that could look great with the yellow bedding AND the sock monkey (check the blog - there's a photo there). Not sure what your lighting situation is, but some kind of modern bedside lamps would be nice (west elm?). Maybe change the knobs on the dresser for a funkier look - Anthropologie has some great ceramic ones, and even Targét has some nice ones sometimes.

As for the entryway - if it's small space and doesn't intrude too much with the living room - why not a bright fun color - a great butter yellow would be nice off the charcoal chalkboard and metallic chairs and would be pick up colors from your sofa pillows. Or even a dark cobalt blue would be fun and dramatic.

You know where to find me with questions - hope this gives you some fun ideas, or inspires you with some of your own. Have fun!
Victoria; 5:30 PM