Cool furniture, design objects and desiderata

[nmprisons]

I'm thinking about the Tolomeo mega floor lamp. As for art, I wouldn't know where to begin.

I have the Tolomeo Mega in white and really like it.

Begin your art investigation here: https://www.geminigel.com/

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Tolomeo mega is a good lamp. Credenzas are useful, you can use them to store things.

 

[brokencycle]

 

[Principle]

As for art, I wouldn't know where to begin.

Big and preferably in oils

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Nothing wrong with acrylics. I prefer watercolors personally, and of course Japanese prints.

Silk screens, works on paper, etc etc are all acceptable works and sometimes a bit more approachable than something like oil on canvas.

 

[TheFoo]

I strongly object to buying art for purposes of decorating a space. Dictionary definition of bad taste. Better to learn about art and figure out what you like. Then, if you do buy something, your furniture/objects should be made to suit the art, not the other way around. We changed the upholstery for our sofa based on the art we put it under.

Gemini G.E.L. is a good source for original prints by established/mature artists, but you can get original paintings for similar prices if you are willing to embrace the emerging scene.

Alternatively, why hang any art? Nothing wrong with leaving a nice space as is. The trouble is making it nice in the first place. In the OP's case, as others have pointed out, hard to judge/advise without a broader view of his living space.

 

[TheFoo]

Sofa arrived today:

View attachment 794616

Rug on carpet is hard for me to wrap my mind around. Shouldn't be done. On the other hand, leaving the carpet bare seems a worse option in this situation.

Honest opinion is there is too much MCM here. Tables are too matchy. Chairs clash: the Bertoia is too much beige with the cream sofa and grey-beige carpet and the lime-green Tulip is just too loud (can't stop staring at it). Circular coffee table doesn't reflect the space you've carved out, which seems to be crying out for something rectangular.

I suggest moving one of the chairs somewhere else. Whichever one you keep here, move it to the corner farthest from the window and set it at an angle facing toward the center of the rug. Move the Platner side table somewhere else in the apartment, so it's not in view at the same time as the coffee table.

As others have said, move the sofa's front legs onto the rug. If enough space, move both away from the wall. I disagree about the 12-inch gap. That is useless, awkward space. If you can pull away a few feet, on the other hand, you can then put in some shelving or a credenza/console against the wall.

These changes will bring the sofa and chair closer together and shrink the sitting area. Now you can move the table closer to the chair, but keep it equidistant from the sofa. It should not be centered in the rug like it is now.

 

[TheFoo]

I would not do the Tolomeo. You need a lamp that isn't such an obvious icon.

 

[Mujib]

I would not do the Tolomeo. You need a lamp that isn't such an obvious icon.

Because of the other stuff in the room?

I was thinking, with the metal on the sofa, chairs, and tables, there would be too much metal in the room.

 

[TheFoo]

Because of the other stuff in the room?

I was thinking, with the metal on the sofa, chairs, and tables, there would be too much metal in the room.

That's a consideration too, but main problem is that you have too many iconic pieces of furniture in one setting. Only thing worse than adding a Tolomeo would be an Arco.

 

[Mujib]

That's a consideration too, but main problem is that you have too many iconic pieces of furniture in one setting. Only thing worse than adding a Tolomeo would be an Arco.

Other than the bird chair and the coffee table, what else is iconic? Sofa isn't. Tulip chair is iconic?

I'm also thinking that if I do bring wooden pieces into the room, I should avoid walnut as that would make it even more mcm. If I do avoid walnut, what are my options considering what is there in the room now?

Chairs clash: the Bertoia is too much beige with the cream sofa and grey-beige carpet and the lime-green Tulip is just too loud (can't stop staring at it). Circular coffee table doesn't reflect the space you've carved out, which seems to be crying out for something rectangular.

The sofa is actually a really light gray. The tulip chair is wool, and the green is much subtler in real life. The bird and diamond chair are in this Knoll cato:

http://img.archiexpo.com/images_ae/photo-g/52087-7382957.jpg

 

[TheFoo]

Other than the bird chair and the coffee table, what else is iconic? Sofa isn't. Tulip chair is iconic?

I'm also thinking that if I do bring wooden pieces into the room, I should avoid walnut as that would make it even more mcm. If I do avoid walnut, what are my options considering what is there in the room now?

The two Platner tables, the Bertoia chair, and the Tulip chair are all famous and obvious MCM staples. Need to separate them (see above).

Nothing wrong with walnut. Just don't make it more MCM.

Another way to think about this (which is what we did way back when): if you are renting and expect one day you'll move somewhere more permanent, the furniture will likely outlive your current living arrangements and it should be a much lower priority that they comprise an optimal space today. We bought a lot of things for our first apartment in NYC knowing full well that they were less-than-ideal together, but were nonetheless worthwhile investments because in a bigger space later on, they would be separated. Then as now, I hate buying disposable stuff.

In short, I don't think these things go together now--but individually they are perfectly nice and worth keeping, and that matters more.

 

[double00]

Hmmm... i rotate art quite a bit.

Imo the furnishings dont have to subserve art or vice-versa. I just buy what i like and then figure out where it goes. I suppose since i buy most of our furniture it all tends to work but if i cant find a good piece of wall i just mothball and bide my time. $.02

 

[lefty]

You don't reupholster your furniture every time you change art? Do you at least change rugs, tables and paint?

lefty

 

[ethanm]

I strongly object to buying art for purposes of decorating a space.

I strongly object to this level of snobbery.