Design Challenge: Living room transition

Over the past two or three months, I've had several friends move into new apartments and ask for help in decorating them. One girl, in particular, moved into a place with her best friend from college. She is only planning on staying there for a year, however, before finding a place with her boyfriend.

The dilemma: furnishings fitting of a female-only space that can transition into a male/female cohabited condo within the next couple of years

The solution: greys and neutrals with some fun, feminine accents

The Room:

LT's Living Room by AKaz85 on Polyvore.com

A few notes:

- The room's main piece, the couch, is neutral and traditional. It can fit into practically any style home.

- The tables and lamps are a mix of metals and woods. Mixing textures and materials make the room more interesting but it's important to make sure it blends. Having wood in two places (table lamp and coffee table) and metal in two places (floor lamp and end table) ensures a sense of cohesion.

- The light blue and cream chair, the two purple giraffe-patterned pillows, and the starburst mirror give the space personality, in this case, making it more feminine.

- The image in the background is the ideal wall color: a light grey. This simple palette provides a great backdrop to tie the room together. Image courtesy of Design Inc.

click on the image for pricing details and where to buy

Happy Lounging, Lauren!