Living simply ~ in the Living room

Well I just couldn't take the "all white walls" situation!  I asked the apartment complex if it was possible for me to paint.  They said, "no problem, paint away!  You just have to paint it back when you move out."  Enough said!

                                      Click on images to enlarge

Since we don't plan to live here long, I talked myself into painting only one wall.  It's central to all the rooms and it has our cute little fireplace mantel on it.  It was the perfect one!  I usually use Sherwin Williams paints but I really fell in love with this color that Miller used to carry.  It's called Ozark green and my brother used it in his dining room.  They no longer offer it in their line but they can look it up and mix it.  I love it!  I think it'll look fantastic with all of the seasons as well!

The living area is small and compact, especially given the fact that it's supposed to double as a dining room.  This was my design challenge in this space.  Do I give up valuable living space by placing a dining table here when my husband and I usually (ok, always) eat on our laps in front of the TV?  The answer may seem obvious but I  had to really think about this.  What about when our kids and grandkids came over, where would we eat?  We have a counter height bar with two bar stools in the kitchen area for two of the three grandkids.  I decided that would be good enough.  After all, they need some floor space to play!

To warm up the white walls,  I used my black and white curtain panels on the windows and my black screen behind the sofa to add color and height.  That screen is one of my favorite things that I own.  It works great by adding color and interest to a corner like this or using it as I did in my last house to create an entry, like I showed you here.
I angled the sofa at the same angle as the fireplace.  I've said it many times before and I'll say it again, pulling furniture out from the walls doesn't eat up more floor space.  It actually gives you usable space behind the furniture and also creates interest in a room, making it appear larger.

This is the focal point wall with our cute little electric fireplace.  That will be so cozy in the fall and winter!

So this is it.  My living/dining/play room.  A multi-purpose room for sure.  Don't let a small apartment with white walls keep you from creating a warm, cozy atmosphere.  It can be done.  You can do it too!