Colour Rescue: Got a High Wall? Think of Art as Wallpaper

This one day makeover Colour Rescue is all about what to do with a very high wall with a TV screen on a low stand. Hint: it’s all about oversized art and a gallery wall! It’s art… as wallpaper.

This is my second cousin Miia and her husband Colin (above). They are both physiotherapists in Edmonton and they are due in October to have their first baby!

Anita Junttila, Elizabeth Jacobs, Hellen Junttila (Our Mom)  Miia James, (her Mom) Lea Reardon, Maria Killam, Lea Junttila

All my sisters arrived for the baby shower (I wore pink because it’s a baby girl). I arrived a few days early to do some one day makeovers. See the first one here and the second one here.

Here are some sneak peaks:

Here’s the before of Miia and James living room (below).

Layering art in front of windows

You might think (as Miia did) that the art above the mantel should stay small and kept below the window but having a small piece of art above it (below) just drew attention to the top of the patio cover outside and the roof behind it. 

Adding the taller piece of art (above) drew the eye immediately to the tall aspens in their beautiful backyard.

Now with the addition of the moody greens and blues we added to this room (scroll down for the second sneak peek), along with the tall trees outside, we are transported straight to Italy.

Some very common decorating mistakes

Notice the lack of lamps and the flat, glary, empty feeling of the overhead lighting.

Also the curtains. Installed dead wrong (they were still there from the previous homeowners, Colin and Miia recently moved into this house). However, this is a common mistake people make, see last weeks colour rescue that was focused on curtains here.

I fixed both problems immediately. 

Also, the chandelier needs shades stat. 

However, the way we lit the room in the end with lamps, this light fixture never needs to be turned on again.  It’s works very well as a decoration.

 

If you have a light fixture that looks like this, you can buy them here.

Here’a sneak peak of the vignette on the fabulous travertine coffee table we found. 

If you have tall walls like this, the only way to make them work is to go UP with artwork as we did.

Don’t forget to reserve a budget for decorating

The total cost of this weeks makeover was $3980. A little more than we’ve been averaging, because we needed some furniture as well. We purchased a coffee table, two end tables, the accent chair, bigger artwork, as well as three new counter stools in the kitchen.

However the rooms are now finished and all we have left to do is enjoy them. Worth every penny.

Most people don’t buy new decor because they don’t know what to buy.

And it’s all too common to blow the home budget on renovations and unnecessary upgrades like crown moulding and stone without reserving some funds for decorating to finish your room.

My philosophy is, if you have the good fortune to have a decorator aunt in the family, you allow her to just get it done. Now, you can stop wandering around home decor stores wondering what to buy to make your house feel like a home. 

Here’s the kitchen before (above)

And of course I found a spot for a lamp in the kitchen

Styling for tall walls with high ceilings

Take a closer look at this amazing transformation in this week’s Colour Rescue.

Remember this is a quick, one-day makeover. Are there more fabulous and custom ways to decorate any room? 

Yes, of course.

However, this is a new couple on a budget, especially now as this new Mom will be on maternity leave very soon.

Please remember Miia will be reading the comments when you post them! Always be kind.

 

Related posts:

Elevate Off-the-Shelf Curtains with this Installation Trick

Colour Rescue: Create Styling Magic

Transform your Room with One Trip to the Store