So then, here’s the other end of Jennifer’s living room, also painted that fabulous warm buttery yellow.  What I see here is a space with small problems and great potential. 

As I said in the previous post, the first thing I would do is dress the windows.  I would  coordinate, not match, the windows in the living room to visually unify the two spaces since they are essentially the same room.  I would also consider using a bamboo roman shade to bring in another texture and on top of that I would hang some simple panels on a chunky 3-inch dark wooden rod.

After that, I think the recessed area where the hutch is located is just screaming for some color and maybe even some texture. This is a great place to pull in one of the colors from the sofa fabric.  She has a rusty red club chair in her living room and I kind of like that color paired with the yellow.

In the mock-up above, you can see how the pop of color on the back wall and the curtains help to fill the space.

Above, I’m trying to show how a texure on the back wall will add visual interest.  Additionally, you can see how a rug defines and anchors the space.  What you will notice however is that the hutch looks too small.

Here I’ve solved the problem of the hutch appearing to be too small by adding a large framed mirror over the top.  I would then use only one of the tall natural floral elements. I would place it on the left and then add a group of lower items in the center and on the right.  Generally, in arranging accessories, you want to try to achieve an informal balance as opposed to precise symmetry. 

Additionally I would add some sort of art on either side of the hutch to help fill out the space.  I would look for something architectural like antique Chinese panels or something beyond standard framed prints — something unexpected.  And it might not be “one” thing - it could be a group of things that read and occupy the space as a whole.  Beyond that, I think some coordinating shades on the chandelier would add a lot of ambiance.  You might even consider turning your table the other direction to visually lengthen the space.

I didn’t go too much into specifics in terms of accessories and colors because I know y’all have great ideas and I want to hear them. Bring’em on! 

I need help! My formal living room is in need of your expertise. I have the room almost finished but I stand at an impasse. I know that there is more work to be done but I don’t know what the room needs to finish it out.  ~ Jennifer

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Jennifer, you are off to a great start. You have paint and you are not afraid to use it!   Now, as you said, you just need to pull it all together. And that is the hard part.  The “pulling it together” phase of design, for most of us, is a lifelong effort.

Since your ceilings are so tall, you really need to pay attention to scale — meaning that your accessories have to be BIG or they will look ridiculously small in the space. Things that are bigger and weightier will work better in this space than things that are small and delicate. For example, your coffee table in front of the sofa is chunky enough to fill the space, but the side table to the right, although exquisitely beautiful, is delicate and would work better in a smaller room like a bedroom.

When pulling a design together, it’s best to work big to small. That means the first design element you need to tackle are your windows. Taking color cues from the fabric in your sofa, I would shop for a fabric that pulls in these colors as well as the eggplant on the adjacent wall, something like the stripe shown below.  Look for fabric that has some weight to it as opposed to sheer and airy. I would repeat this fabic in a few pillows and then also add another coordinating fabric somewhere, maybe in a faux roman shade or something like that.

Because your ceilings are so tall, I recommend that you have panels made to hang at least 12-inches above the top of the window to keep the eye moving up. You could even get away with single-fabric width stationary panels since you have blinds for privacy and light control. 

On the wall on the right, with the two side-by-side windows, I would consider hanging one long rod across both windows with panels at either end and then one in the center to give the illusion of one big wall of windows.  I would also probably add some sheers to disguise the fact that the windows are not full length and to provide diffused lighting which adds ambiance.

As far as curtain rods, I would go with a 3-inch rod in a dark wood finish with pineapple finials.

The second purchase I would make is a rug which will anchor the furniture, help to define the space and add color/texture/pattern. I never mind spending money on a good rug because it’s one of those things you can move from room to room or home to home as your tastes and lifestyle changes. I would look for a rug that pulled out the darker vibrant colors in your sofa fabric – eggplant, burgundy, rust and gold. 

After that I would focus on lamps, again something big and substantial and in keeping with the mood of the room, and then beyond that, work on finding art and smaller accessories.

One thing that I would change in your existing design is the tapestry behind the sofa. It is too small for the space and the motif and color don’t really refer to anything else that is going on in the space. In place of that I would look for a group of things that read as a whole – four large pictures hung to make a rectangle, three wide but narrow pieces stacked vertically to make a rectangle.

Another thing you might consider is your furniture placement. The sofa between the windows on the back wall is kind of expected. Think about angling it in the corner by the two windows with something tall and organic behind it.

 Another option would be to put an armoire or bookcase between the two windows. This would provide a focal point and occupy the space in the same way a fireplace would. Add some accessories on top – a large framed metal grate or one large picture and some fat rustic pots with a bit of greenery — and you’ve solved the perennial “what to hang over the sofa” problem as well as keeping the eye moving up and around the room and absorbing some volume.  I really like this armoire to the right.  The dark wood refers to your other dark wood furnishings, it is chunky and substantial and the inset arched doors repeat the arches found elsewhere in your house.

In my next post,  we will look at what to do about the adjacent dining room and how to make the two spaces work together.

Our house was built in the mid 90’s. In the kitchen we have honey oak cabinets and white formica counter tops.  The appliances are white, all the molding in the kitchen is white. We are currently pulling down the wallpaper, texturing and painting the walls a neutral sand color to match the rest of our open floor plan walls.

We are also and replacing a hideous light box with recessed cans. The flooring will be a medium to darker colored tile. I want to either paint my cabinets a lighter white or cream color OR stain them much darker. I also need to get new counter tops as the Formica is lifting in places. Color wise, what do you suggest? Are there any hard and fast cabinet/counter/flooring color combination rules?  ~ Stephanie

* * * * *

Painting over previously stained cabinets is not that great of an idea and a last resort. I only recommend it if the cabinets are not in great shape or have some other insurmountable design flaw. Anytime you paint over stained wood, you will get chips, sooner or later. Even with a high adhesive paint, kitchen cabinets get a lot of abuse, and your chips will come sooner rather than later.

Additionally, in your case, I think if you paint your cabinets a light color, it will be too much of the neutral tones everywhere.  As it stands now, the dark cabinets are in good shape, provide a nice horizontal band of dark contrast to your light countertops and walls, and my recommendation is to leave them alone.

If you are looking to replace your laminate with granite, Giallo Ornamental pairs nicely with the sand colored paint you have chosen.  If granite is not in your budget, then look for a warm beige matte-finish laminate, something with a small fleck or design in it that reads as a texture.  Additionally, a 4×4 tumbled marble or a 12×12 ceramic with a stone appearance placed on the diagonal on your backsplash would add warmth, texture and interest and increase the wow factor substantially. 

There are no hard and fast rules of design, there are only design concepts. Whatever works for you is whatever appeals to YOUR eye!

Stephanie’s kitchen make-over in progress.

To give you a rough idea of how the horizontal banding of contrasting colors would work, in the picture above I blotted out the box lights, left the cabinets as is, added a Giallo Ornamental granite countertop and a tumbled marble backsplash.  Even though the cabinets are dark, the tone is warm and works well with the overall design. 

Giallo Ornamental granite - an elegant choice that I use often.

Do you have any recommendations as to what color I should paint my bedroom to go with this new bedspread? There are two large windows on either side of the bed and I have tan grommet top drapes with brushed nickel hardware.

I purchased a quart of celery/lime green paint and brushed some on the walls to give me an idea of how it would look. I LOVE the color, but I don’t know if it would look good in such a large room.

Also, my husband is conservative (our last house was almost entirely one or another derivative of white). I want more color in this house, but I want him to be happy with it too. I’m just afraid our whole house is going to be white or boring beige!  ~ Katrina

* * * * *

First off Katina, I love your new bedspread! Aptly named Moroccan, it is fabulous and exotic and your new white furniture is beautiful as well. 

As the rooms stands now, there are two wrinkles in your design as I see it.  One is that your beautiful white furniture gets lost against your white walls, so I will take your side on paint  — you need some color on the walls to feature your furniture and bedding.

The second glitch is your curtains. I know that they are probably brand new and you probably love them, but I don’t think they are right for this room.  I would describe the mood of your bedspread as exotic (Hello? Moroccan!) vibrant and cheerful and the curtains as quiet and subdued — a definite conflict.  If possible, I would replace your curtains with something more in keeping with the spirit of the bedspread and use your curtains in another spot — one of your beige rooms perhaps!

Okay then, paint.  I looked at a couple of different paint scenarios for you. The first one is using a green similar to what you have described.  I think if you are willing to change out your curtains, the green will work okay and look nice, although when I look at your bedspread the bit of green found in it is too subtle to use in such a big way as wall color, at least for my eye.  In person, it may read differently.

The second paint color I looked at will probably make your husband sit down on the floor and weep - cinnamon!  I understand this color may be too overwhelming for some people, but to my eye, it is exotic and rich and romatic — everything I want in a Moroccan boudoir.  And your white furniture will definitely stand out nicely against it.

In the true spirit of compromise, and because I don’t think I can convince your husband to go with cinnamon, I really and truly think that if you will change out your curtains to something more similar in color to your bedding that, you could both be happy with a nice warm beige.

Zzzz….

What is the best way to spend money on an older house to get it ready for market? The brief story of this house is that it was built in the 1960’s by my grandparents and suffers some of the woes of a house from that era such as ugly kitchen cabinets and wood paneling. The shag carpet has removed and for the most part, it is filled with beautiful hard wood floors. We have freshened the paint in many of the rooms but it is sitting empty (almost no furniture) with no one staying there on a regular basis.

It sits on an acre of land on a dead end street, very conveniently located to town, so it’s in a great location. The kitchen needs to be updated but that is more money than our family is looking to put into the house at this point. We have tried to improve the curb appeal with a new mailbox, cleaning up the bushes, etc. but I was just curious if you had any thoughts on what else could be done within a budget of say $5,000 or so to help it sell.   ~ Kerri

* * * *

Kerri, it sounds like you’ve done all the prudent things to get your house ready to sell.  $5,000 is actually a substantial amount of money to get a house ready for market if all that is needed is cosmetic.  If you want to sell that house sooner rather than later, I would spend it.

First and foremost, pay attention to curb appeal.  In order to sell the house, you have to get them to stop and look so that they will want to go inside and look.  That means a neat and tidy yard with bushes trimmed back and a pop of seasonal color in flower pots or beds.  Beyond that think about repainting your exterior trim color a darker stronger color. 

It is amazing what a good trim color - eves, gutters, shutters - can do for a house.  The exterior trim color is like a picture frame. You can take an ordinary picture and put it in a nice frame and all of a sudden you’ve got art!  Most people, in my opinion, play it too safe with the trim color and opt for a sandy beige.  If your house is brick, look for the darkest color in the brick and go with that.  PPG/Monarch has an exterior trim color called “Mesa” that I’ve used a lot for homes with a brick that had a dark brown fleck. 

Keeping in mind that the two rooms that sell a house are the kitchen and the master bathroom, I would hire a professional painter to come in and paint your cabinets and any panelling that you have a nice neutral creamy white.  Contrary to conventional wisdom, in your kitchen I would put a color on the wall – a subtle, warm, cheerful color will make all the difference.

If the counter tops are not in good shape, replace them with an inexpensive attractive neutral laminate.  Update cabinetry hardware with simple knobs/pulls. After that, I would look at updating lighting fixtures.  Depending on the fixtures, you might be able to repaint the existing fixtures with a matte black paint.

I would also probably go ahead and remove any existing shag carpet and replace it with something else, anything else. 

Beyond that, I think it would be prudent to spend a little bit updating your kitchen appliances, especially the refrigerator and stove. 

If you can afford it, staging a house with a bit of rental furniture to define the spaces has proven to help sell a house.  I think if you are creative, you can do all these things and more for $5,000 or less. And any good real estate agent will tell you that you will probably get it all back and maybe even a bit more.

Good luck!

We recently bought a home from a builder who builds space, not luxury.   One of the luxuries they don’t include is knobs on the cabinets. So my question is what do I look for when choosing knobs? Are they supposed to match the fixtures or do you match the cabinets?   In the bathroom there is a spice colored maple cabinetry with black marble looking formica and chrome fixtures. In the kitchen we chose tawny oak cabinetry with a tea biscuit marble looking formica, and chrome/stainless in the sink Thanks!  ~  Seallen

* * * * *

Cabinets don’t have to have knobs if they have the little hand grooves on the underside for opening. Sometimes I think knobless cabinets are nicer because it’s just one less design element to work around. If you really don’t want knobs, then a good trim carpenter can rout out those grooves for you easily enough. I kind of like the “knob-less” look - it’s a cleaner look and that always appeals to me.

On the other hand, cabinetry hardware can be like jewelry and really make the design sparkle. On the other hand…. $$$$$!  When you first start shopping for cabintry hardware, you think “Oh this knob is nice and it’s only $5!”  And then you start adding up how many you need. Then you faint right there in the hardware department and when you come to, there will be strangers standing over you and fanning you with a store circular. See, there are more problems with cabinetry hardware than they cover at those clinics at Home Depot.  They never mention the fainting part.

One thing to keep in mind as you are shopping for cabinetry hardware is that a simple design will stand the test of time better than something more ornate, like what is shown on the right.  And no, you don’t have to match the fixtures.  You can match the fixtures if you want, but you can also match another design element,  like the style or color of the room. 

As you are looking at cabinetry hardware, pay attention to size and style.  Some pulls are difficult for men with large hards to use because they are too small to get their hands under.  I avoid knobs that have a specific orientation or a pattern because they always seem to turn and that bugs me.

It sounds like a satin nickel finish would work for your kitchen. There is a small satin nickel button, something like is shown here on the left,  that is inexpensive (less than $3) that you can get at Home Depot or Lowes.  Ikea also has some very inexpensive simple knobs that come in a variety of finishes.  I thought I saw some in their store for around $1 that they don’t show on-line.  Another resource for inexpensive hardware is Knobs and Pulls.

For the bathroom, a knob with a brown patina might work well with your spice colored vanity.  I like this one shown here on the right (Home Depot/$3.79).  I usually select knobs for cabinets and pulls for drawers, but there is no absolute rule, it’s whatever is functional and appeals to your eye. 

I suggest you go to your local hardware store, buy several different styles of knobs in a variety of finishes and take them home and see which one,  if any, appeals to you.

“Help!  We just bought our first home and I have no idea what to do with my dining room.  The problem is that the walls are contractor off-white with white trim. It has a chair rail, but I have no idea what to do with it.  I do not want to use wallpaper, or more beige. I have a cranberry wall in the living room, and I would somehow like to bring that color in, but the chair rail trim is just stumping me. Should I take it down, or just paint the same color above and below? I have no idea what to do, but that off white is killing me.   ~ Jenn”

* * * * *

Jenn, I couldn’t tell a lot from the pictures you sent, but I loved what I saw.

The red living room wall color is a strong color and works well with your modern/traditional furniture with the clean lines.  In think in your case, one strong color calls for another and the best way to achieve this might be with what is called a “triadic” color scheme. Instead of choosing the color directly across from the color wheel for contrast which would be green, go left and right of green which is your deeper hued yellows on the right and blues on the left.  

I would consider using a rich yellow ochre shade with a tinge or brown below the chair rail, one shade lighter above the chair rail and then even one shade lighter on the ceiling (if the ceiling is isolated with crown molding).  You want to avoid shades that you might describe as sunny or lemmony.

The chair rail helps to break up the space and adds a bit of visual interest, but it wouldn’t ruin the space either if you decided it had to go. Unless I was planning to retexture the wall anyway, I would not go to the trouble to remove it.  Another option is to paint the chair rail either black which will really make it stand out or the deepest shade of yellow ochre to make it analagous to the wall color.

If you go with the yellow ochre idea, your cranberry/indigo/yellow accessories are what will make it work — think red matted and black framed art contrasting against the yellow walls and curtains with a splash of cranberry.

Any other ideas for Jenn?

“My question is about paint color, specifically how to use color on the walls in decorating a home.  How much of the house should match, is there an ideal number of colors to use in a house, do the rooms need to match each other, etc.  Basically I want to walk the line between boring beige on every wall and too much color and would love to hear your thoughts on it. ~ Liv”

* * * * *

Well Liv, that is a really good question and one I wish I had a really good answer for, but it all depends.

I think everyone should use color in their home in a way that expresses their personality and style and makes them happy.  For some of us, that will be beige everywhere.  For others it will be a rainbow in every room.

When I am working on a home for a builder, because I am trying to appeal to the widest audience of buyers, I generally limit my palette to three colors - a shade of white for the trim and mouldings, a strong warm beige for the walls and then another accent color for the dining room or kitchen, which we sometimes jazz up with a metalic glaze.

One way to get the visual appeal of a variety of colors is to use varying shades of the same color.  In other words use three shades of the same color in any given space — think below the chair rail, above the chair rail and then ceiling.  If you are able to put a glaze on top of any of those shades of the same color, you get even more mileage out of your single color.

For the average homeowner, using a lot of different colors in one visual space is difficult and hard to get right. More often than not the effect is disconnected and chaotic.  However, when it is done right it can be stunning — think of Mexican or Italian pottery.   

If you are using a variety of colors in one visually connected space, then those colors should relate to one another in some way — they are all warm, or all muted or all something.  However, in private spaces like bedrooms, then all bets are off and you should choose whatever color you like with no regard to how it relates to the dining room.

So how many colors are in your palette?

“I want to get rid of the vertical blinds on my sliding glass door.  I HATE VERTICAL BLINDS.  I also don’t care much for regular drapes.  I was wondering what you would suggest I replace the blinds with since I need to have the versatility of having the glass door covered at night and open in the day.  We also have a dog who goes out that way … so easy in and out is also a must. “

 ~ Iowa Mom

* * * * *

Dear Iowa Mom,

I’m not a huge fan of vertical blinds either. Aside from the fact that they scream “corporate office” there is all that flapping and swishing that happens anytime they are disturbed in the slightest. 

Hunter Douglas has a product called Vertiglide which is a cellular shade, only on a track.  One thing I really like about the product is that it’s sleek and swish-free and it does not have the tangle of pulls and cords that you get with regular vertical blinds.  But, it’s not especially cheap if you’re on a budget. You can expect to pay anywhere from $300-$500 or more depending upon the size and level of product you choose. 

I checked out a number of other products for sliding glass doors from plantation shutters that stack back to sliding bamboo panels — but frankly, they all seemed a little cumbersome to operate and none provided the clean look that I like.

I know you said you didn’t like drapes, but I think they are your best option because:

1) Pinch pleat drapes on wooden rings hung on a substantial wooden rod with beautiful finnials at either end will bring the eye upward to an otherwise uninteresting space and add a dash of architechtural interest.

2) Depending on the fabric you choose, drapes are most likely the cheapest option, even custom made.

3) Fabric is a great way to warm up a room, reduce noise and bring personality, color and texture to a space.

4) Drapes can be pulled back to one side, even beyond the door if there is enough wall space, and be completely out of the way all day long, and then pulled across for privacy as needed - mechanically simple and highly functional.

5) Drapes are easy enough to change out as the season or mood changes — sheer and light for summer, heavier for winter.

Any other window treatment ideas for a sliding glass door for Iowa Mom?

Hello Antique Mommy,
 
I need help.  My husband and I just purchased our first home.  It was built in 1976 and has the original everything.  It’s hard to know where to start, but the two things that are bothering me the most are the ceiling and the fireplace in the living room.  The living room is the first thing you see when you walk in our home and it sets the tone.  The ceiling is a cedar tongue and groove and it continues down one wall.  We don’t know if we should paint, stain, or rip it off.  Also the ceilings are vaulted and there is a red brick fireplace that is floor to ceiling.  I’ve painted the walls olive and it looks terrible with the red brick and cedar ceiling.  HELP!!

 ~ Amanda

First off, congratulations Amanda on your new house! Let’s all stop and hum a few bars of “We’ve Only Just Begun.”  Seriously, so much ahead of you - broken water heaters and possibly even a front door that won’t pull shut just as you are leaving for the airport.  Homeownership is just a lot of fun.

Second of all,  from what I’ve seen, I LOVE IT! What a fabulous view you have and I just see a ton of potential in this space.

Let’s start with the fireplace and your options and then my recommedation.

There are many many ways to reface a brick fireplace.

You can lay big 18×18 travertine/slate/granite/ceramic tiles on the diagonal for a very clean, modern look.  There is also a great product out now that is a lightweight stone that comes in a variety of flavors.  It really looks like a piece of stone (and trust me, I would not tell you it did if it didn’t) except that it is flat on the back like a piece of tile and it’s lightweight.  You would find this product at your local brick yard.  It is applied just like tile, except by a stone mason.  It can even be used outside.

You can also reface your fireplace in panelled wood for an ultra-traditional library look, although I don’t think that would be a good choice for your house.  As you mentioned, you can sheetrock over your fireplace, and frankly this is my least favorite option.  I think it is just too modern of a look for this home.  And finally you can simply paint over the existing brick, and that is my recommendation - good old fashioned paint.

I think that probably the brick on your fireplace is the same brick that is on the front of your house, so I think it would be wise to maintain that small thread of continuity.  Since you have already painted your walls an olive green, I vote for painting the fireplace an olive green with a good bit of brown to it for a tone-on-tone look. Additionally, I would paint the half-bricks that surround the firebox  and the hearth an even darker shade of green-brown.

Also, I would really really like to see you get a mantle on this fireplace to break up that tower of brick, something chunky and wooden to go with the ceiling.  Any trim carpenter can easily do this for you.  If you win the lottery, think about putting in some hand-scraped hardwoods in a dark finish.  Until then a flat patterned berber in a rich green-brown would be great!

The next issue is the ceiling.  Quite honestly, I would just leave it alone. When I messed with your picture in my design program, I painted it white and it just looked… dumb.  If you paint it white, then it’s the only white element in the room. If you paint it green, then if you change your wall color, you are stuck with a green ceiling. No other colors look very good.  At least live with it a few years before you make a decision. If at some point down the road you are able to add some hardwoods in a similar color, I think it will make a world of difference in how you feel about the ceiling. 

 Abpve, Amanda’s den before she painted it.  I’ll bet that’s olive green paint in that bucket. 

  Amanda’s den after I painted it, laid some carpet and put in ugly curtains. The brown strip across the fireplace is supposed to represent a mantle.

Below is a swatch of the fabric you are planning to make into stationary panel curtains.  You mentioned using bamboo or matchstick shades for privacy and I think that is a great  choice – it will bring some interest and texture to the space, as opposed to standard two-inch blinds.  I think the window to the left of the fireplace is going to be a challenge to dress.  Maybe some of our blinds/window coverings distributors have some ideas? 

Be sure to pull in the red with your accessories — pillows, art, lamps, etc. — to make this fabric work. Also, I’m thinking adding another color to your palette would really make things hum in this room - maybe yellow? What do y’all think?

The journey of a home improvement project begins with a single trip to Home Depot. And then another trip to Home Depot when you get home and find out you bought the wrong thing.  And then a few trips to Lowes and maybe even one to Ace Hardware, the place with the helpful hardwareman. Come on! Sing along!

Welcome to the wonderful world of homeownership Amanda!