Room Therapy

As some of you may know, my bestie, Erica, lives in New York City. She's looking to update parts of her apartment and you know how much I love imposing my design aesthetic on the people I love ;) Luckily for me, Erica actually wants my help! This is what the living/dining space in her place looks like now:

As you can tell, the space has great basics and just needs a little pizzazz and some finishing touches. It needs to look like the Erica (and boyfriend) of 2013 and beyond, rather than the Erica and boyfriend of years past. All major furniture is staying (sectional, desk, bookcase, TV stand, dining set), as are the rug and the embroidered pillow on the sectional. Here's where I think she should go with the space:

1. Add in some graphic art. The existing art is pretty but I think something more graphic, like these two photographs would really add personality to the room. (Society6 and EyePoetryPhotography).
2. Erica is looking for a chair that she can use both at her desk and turned around as an occasional chair in the living space. I think this houndstooth chair from Target (of all places!) is a classic and is perfect for the space. (Target).
3. The existing rug is gorgeous, but it's a little small for the space. Layering it over top of a larger natural woven rug, like this one from Ikea, is a great way to fill the space and add dimension. (Ikea).
4. I'd like for the curtains on the windows to stay light and bright - but run all the way to the floor, elevating the ceiling. These grommet curtains from Target are inexpensive and come in extra-long lengths! (Target).
5. Pillows can be an awesome and inexpensive way to jazz up a room. These ones are all from Society6 and just $20 a pillow! I'd throw one of the white pillows on the houndstooth chair and arrange the rest with the existing pillow on the sectional. (Text, Dot, Compass, Sailboat).
6. Erica loves this style coffee table and the hard metal and glass lines are a nice contrast to the softness of the sofa, chair, rugs, and pillows. (Pottery Barn).
7. Although she didn't technically ask for new lighting, I spotted this beauty at Target and couldn't resist throwing it in. The thin metal base of this floor lamp doesn't take up much visual space and yet it still has major impact. (Target).
8. Also from Target is this adorable Nate Berkus lamp base. With a crisp white drum shade, this table lamp would be a fun addition to the room. (Target).
9. And a few accessories to round things out. A wooden tray from Pier 1 to corral remotes on the coffee table. A rope-wrapped hurricane vase from the Nate Berkus Target line. A woven plant pot from Ikea to house their fig tree. And a geometric bowl from Target for the centre of the dining table.