Design Ideas Needed

Hi there, we need some help with making an area of our place more usable and attractive (see picture). We're renting so can't just rip it out - the fireplace isn't real and the rest of the wall has no electrical outlets at all. Right now we're blocking the fireplace with our tv stand (with no outlets we can't really put it on the shelving unit). Since we can't tear down the wood shelving / wall unit thing it would be great to at least minimize how bad it looks, so any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks!
Candace

Dimensions and more pictures (ie: what is to the left and behind the camera?) would be useful.

Okay. We have just moved into this place. We rented it sight unseen as we were moving a fair distance. We had a friend check it out for us but now I wish that we would have spent the extra money to check it our ourselves! This space is definitely not ideal but will have to do until we buy our own place.

Here are more photos. Just unpacking..hence the mess! We are planning on buying new furniture etc. for this space. We lived in a little condo before...hence the small size couch and chair.

Now that we are here...looks like the "fireplace" area is meant to house an electric fireplace. (We have out tv in front of the fireplace nook right now!)

Do you think that main wall would look better if we painted the top half the same colour as whatever the walls will be? I have no clue what wil work for this wall.

Dimension of room is approx. : 12' x 20'

Thanks for ANY suggestions!
-Candace

Originally Posted by cbest

Click to expand...

Do you think that main wall would look better if we painted the top half the same colour as whatever the walls will be? I have no clue what wil work for this wall.

Yes, paint it if you can in my opinion since there appears to be a large, rectangular discoloration in the middle where a piece of art or something hung.

Here are a few suggested layouts - nothing special. These are realistic measurements so you can really fit more furniture in this space than it looks. I know you said there are no outlets on the wall unit, but if your TV will fit I think it's where it needs to be (not necessarily centered). You can run the wires up the left hand wall and across the wall-unit shelf/mantel using tidy, nearly hidden wire covers like this http://www.improvementscatalog.com/h...cover-kit.html that tuck into the corner (yellow line on the picture attached).

If the fireplace nook has nothing in it, put some birch or cedar logs in there or candles. Having an electric fireplace ordered to fit the nook would probably not be worth it in a rental.

Easy-to-use space planner here: http://www.americandrew.com/planner.asp

Thanks for your suggestions. They have helped out a bit.
Our new couch & love seat should arrive tomorrow so hopefully I can get things set up a bit.
Now I just have to decide what colours to paint this place!

-Candace