Erin from Kentucky's Dining Room

Christine,

So excited to be reading through your blog! I am also a mother of four great kids (oldest a girl and three little boys, all ages 2-10), a fan of baking sugary treats (like cupcakes), a fan of American Idol (though this year I'm not so into it), and married to a wonderful DIY guy who says, "Decide what you'd like and I'll do my best to make it happen." What more could I ask for?

Maybe ... some decorating talent would be nice! I just don't have it! Check out Erin's room here.

A year ago I jumped into redoing my dining room full force. We've been redoing this old house from end to end in just the past 2 1/2 years, including a complete kitchen redo (I love my maple glazed cabinets and black trim), knocking down walls, and a fireplace makeover. So I found an inspiration room on HGTV's Rate My Space and couldn't wait to get started on the dining room, but then as I miserably failed practicing the glazing technique on a piece of scrap drywall, I halted the whole project. The room's been a storage space and sometimes dining area for almost a year now.

Now I've got the momentum back. I'm attempting to put together my dining room and trying to look at it again, abandoning the glazing plan altogether. I found your blog because I'm questioning the existing crown molding I don't see the crown molding??? and how to handle the walls now that I've scrapped the glaze and diamond pattern (on top) that was part of my original vision. From what I've read on your blog, it seems the chair rail is a little too high in my room. Should I remove it? Move it? Add crown? Do a finishing of some kind on the bottom like faux wainscoting or beadboard? The height is OK- yes- I would add wainscoting or beadboard.
I just want the room to come together and me be happy with it, so I'm trying to plan everything! I'm not very confident about putting things together. How big a light fixture to I need for the large scale dining table? Is 24" round big enough? Would the rectangular 36" chandelier be better? With a rectangular table- an oblong or rectangular chandelier is ideal. Yes- 36 inch is a good size. Do I worry about putting all rectangles in the room (chandelier, table, buffet, art?) or do I need to vary it with some circles and squares? No- don't worry about that. In certain categories repetition can be boring- but with a rectangular shape- it is not a concern.

Another thing ... I tend to like things that match, but I realize it often looks better when they coordinate instead. So, if I have pillar candles on the chandelier, I'd like pillar candles as sconces. Does it matter if their finish amongst the sconces and chandelier is different (one more bronze, one black)? I would not do pillar candle sconces and a pillar candle chandelier- now that is where the repetition thing is bad. If you love that look- use it on the chandelier- as it is larger and makes more of an impact- but then choose something entirely different for the sconce- but something that still coordinates- like the sconce below from Bellacor - only $97.

I'd like to bring out red in the artwork and then with some accessories, are there rules other than to repeat the same color three times in the room? What you really need to make your room look more like the inspiration room (which I put at the top of the post) is some pattern. Don't use solid drapes-- use a pattern- same with the rug. The patterned fabric above is from Beacon Hill. The rug is from Dash and Albert. Add more color in the art work and centerpiece. The poppy print is from House in the Country- and is available in different sizes- framed or just canvas wrapped.

Then, is the table too big for this room? I've measured and staged the area with the furniture I already have and I'm thinking I'll like it fine, but I have a lingering doubt. Your table is not too large. My overall vision for this room is to be a casual dining area that we use almost daily for our family. Kid-friendly and durable is a must and we want to have guests and not have to say "let's put the leaf in." The only furniture will be the table and chairs and a buffet on the wall parallel (black or bronze mirror above). The sconces will be installed on the far end of the table (opposite the doorway to the kitchen), with the focal artwork in between. Simple window treatments on either side of the French doors, likely on swing away arm rods. We NEVER use these French doors, but I want the option kept there with the swing rods. No rug planned because it will just get ruined by my wonderful but messy boys.

Here are several photos, especially of things I've picked out online. I can't spend a ton on light fixtures, so that's unfortunately limiting. I love the pillar chandeliers at Restoration Hardware but $1,000? Not in our house!

In case it matters, I love traditional and tend toward cottage and Tuscan looks. My whole house is in the green family you see above including the kitchen adjoining the dining area, or a caramel/gold family. Housewide white trim. Black accents just seem classic to me right now.

I've asked a ton, I know. Please know that I am soooooooooooo grateful for any input at all. I'm so glad I found your blog. I'm decorating-challenged and usually just end up with nothing on the wall for years because I'm so scared of deciding, hating it, regretting it and thinking of the expense! It's a debilitating fear.

Thanks a million again. Wish you and yours all the best!!!

Erin

Southeastern KY

You are very organized- which is a great way to make good decisions- I hope my answers to your questions were helpful- thanks for writing in! Closely imitating an inspiration room is really a very good way to decorate when you have limited experience and are low on decorating confidence.

You are off to a great start!

Christine

The Colors of Sun, Sky, and Sand

Hi Christine:-)

Just back from our lakefront house with MORE pics:-) I am going to clarify all that is going to be done so you don't have to work too hard:-) We are going to be recarpeting the family room........we are going to be repainting the family room a nice neutral medium tone brown.....we are going to be refacing the fireplace, hopefully in stone with a nice mantel and put a tv up there too, we are going to be removing ALL GREEN marble in the family room....Now, here are my issues: It is a narrow, yet long room. We have three grown children who take up a LOT of space when we are watching movies. The chocolate sectional is a favorite as it is very comfortable so that stays. ALL OF THE OTHER PIECES ARE CRAIGSLIST OR TAG SALE FINDS :-) My younger daughter and I made the cushions for all wicker/rattan pieces so we really like those. I desperately want to make it more homey and comfy and accommodating for the five of us.....AND IF WE HAVE FRIENDS OVER WE ARE IN TROUBLE....the white wicker set is in the family room too. However, it is cut off a bit due to a hallway immediately behind the sectional. So basically it is wasted space where we never, ever sit. I would love to somehow incorporate that area into our tv viewing area to give us more seating. The corner where the tv is now I was thinking to put the tall, ladder like shelving to house our components and maybe some "beachy" things:-) We cannot take down the blinds as they are saving us literally hundreds of dollars a month in our heating bill. I would like to have some sort of valance to not mar the view. I did purchase the ones from Target that I am enclosing but feel that I will have too much blue/brown.....I am such a mess. :-(

- Debra

Dear Debra,

I don't like your direction. Harsh huh? sorry....

Anyway- Let's just start with the blue and brown. It is such a drab blue. I would much rather see you pull in a brighter turquoise color. Your little window frame to the right of the fireplace is far to small a scale to balance the window on the left. Let's start with putting a piece of art there- the piece below from Uttermost would be perfect.

Your furniture is all over the place. You have three different kinds of wicker. I would replace the bench in front of the window with a backless bench- wood or upholstered. Get a long one to seat as many people as you can. The little white chair in the corner is too small in scale and doesn't look right so close to your sectional. Of all your wicker pieces- I like the one at the top of the post the best. I would paint it a bright turquoise like the one below and cover the pad in a crisp white canvass. I would put it where your white chair is. Move the rest of the wicker someplace else.

Your rug is too small. I would use a nice large 9 x 12- like the one below from Dash and Albert. In a beach house you can use brighter colors than you might in your everyday home. Bring in the colors of the sun, sky and sand.

I am not a fan of the valances. I would take them back- throw them out- whatever. I rarely like the look of just valances. I find it uncomfortable. It's like someone put their shirt on- but not their pants. There are exceptions of course- but they usually include lower ceilings and kitchen nooks...) You are wrong in thinking that some panels will obstruct your view. Have some single width panels made- ceiling to floor- put them in between your windows. The panels will frame your view. You won't miss a thing- but it will soften that wall- and give you some style. I selected a Beacon Hill fabric for you- below. It is a coral print- bringing in some bright yellow. Not too themey- but still beachy.

I want to shoot down the stone fireplace idea too. I feel like it is too heavy. I would take off all the stone, and find a reclaimed wood surround- paint it a nice crisp white and then add hand painted tiles on your slip.

Provided you don't NEED the fan- take it out and add a fun bamboo chandelier like the on below from Shades of Light. It brings in an unexpected color that you can repeat in a small pillow on your wicker chair.

I am sure you will never invite me to stay at your shore house. You might be mad at me- hopefully not crying- or worse- you might stop reading my blog. Please don't hate me- I am here to make it look fabulous!

XOXO

Christine

P.S.- I would do a turquoise or white grasscloth or beadboard on the walls.... Also- in long narrow rooms- I almost always break up the room into two seating areas. I would put a pub table behind the sofa- the seats will be high enough to see the TV- and it can also be multi-functional.

Nichole's Pallet of Pattern

Dear Christine,

I am a 34 year old single mother of a 6 year old little girl. I have been in my small Georgian home which is located right outside of Chicago for 12 years now. Since my divorce I have pulled up carpet, remodeled the kitchen and bath, painted all 3 bedrooms and had crown molding installed throughout the house. You see, I am trying to make this house a home to me and my little one. My dilemma now is with my living room and small dining room window treatments. There were vertical blinds hanging from them since the day I bought the house, but I had them pulled down and replaced with horizontal blinds this past June. I thought about having JC Penny or Eddie Z's install cornices with side panels, but i couldn't swallow the $3500.00 pill.

It's a new year, and every year for the past 5 years I have taken on different projects within the house. I always do a little at a time. This year, I want to do something beautiful with these windows and save for a new roof if needed. What do you suggest? Should I whip out my grandmother's sewing machine and try to sew cushions for window seats (I'm not very handy), should i bite the $3500.00 bullet and get custom made cornices (I believe I'll only be living here another 3 years or less). Do you think I should get rid of the small table in the living room area and replace it will something else? I've had the tables for years and I'm open. I don't even know what I should have on the tables.

I do plan on going to home depot today to by accent lights to go under my new wall unit that i love. I think that would be nice. I'm also having issues with what to put on my wall in front of my dining room table. There was once a huge picture of fruit that my mother gave me. It was more her taste than mine. I'm leaving the wall blank until i figure out what to do with it.

Any advice you would offer would be GREATLY appreciated. I need some help big time.

Sincerely,
Hopeful for the New Year - Nichole

Dear Nichole,

I want to go over three things with you today- to make part of your long term plan.

1. window treatments


2. area rug


3. wall decor

First of all- let's tackle your window treatments. You have a traditional home, and yet very little pattern. Increase your pattern. Start with your drapes. Style-wise- put two floor to ceiling panels in the dining room, and faux relaxed Roman shade valances or stagecoach valances in the living room. These styles shouldn't be too hard to sew- or too expensive to have made. I selected a couple of fabrics for you from Beacon Hill. Because you don't have any pattern in your leather- I would use both fabrics in the drapes- one as a four inch trim. This adds some interest in a room that is nice, but a little dull. These fabrics would also act as a unifier in your room. You have black, brown, beige, but nothing pulling it all together.

Your plan also needs to include a rug, which will help by adding textural variety as well as more pattern to the room. I selected a giraffe rug for you from homedecorator.com. You also could use more softness in the room, which will make it more inviting.

Your dining area needs a chandelier as well as wall decor. The drum shade at the top of the post is from Room and Board. It also helps to increase the pattern and softness.

The wall decor is from Uttermost. You have a mirror in the room- add a piece of art, as well as other alternative wall decor. Don't' have, one, one, and one. Especially in the dining area where the walls are adjacent to one another. Notice how the metal wall art is a set of four, and the painting is one. You need variety in numbers, especially when your walls are right by one another like they are here.

Odds and Ends:

The two pieces of wall decor to the right of the door to the kitchen should be directly on top of one another- not staggered, and they should be hung about six to eight inches lower.

Try switching locations of the sofa and chaise, and then lowering your mirror a bit. Put the chaise in the corner rather than across from the sofa. Put a large plant behind it. You shouldn't have it floating out there in the middle of the room on an angle like that. Eventually you will need an additional chair to fully balance your arrangement.

Replace your coffee table- (the style is too similar to the dining table)- with a tufted upholstered ottoman.

I want to come over and rearrange your wall unit a bit. Maybe next time I am in Chicago. :) I love the merchandise mart there. :) For now- read the advice I gave in this post. I'm sure you'll do great!

Maryann's Family Room

Hi Christine,
Wow! Thanks for what you do. I really could use some advice for my family room. Starting with the basics: paint color, window treatments and furniture layout, etc. The upholstered furniture and carpet are very worn and need to be replaced. I tend to choose classic simple pieces. I gravitate towards greens, browns, purples, red and dark wood. I’d like to have the fireplace stand out. I’m also stuck with what to do on the left wall.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Maryann

Hi Maryann,

The first step I would take is to decide what furniture layout you want. For this, draw a "to scale" floorplan of your room, and try out a couple of different options.

Currently you have a sofa and two chairs; perhaps you have room for four chairs.

Try chairs of different sizes. I figure out exactly what size would look best on paper- and then go find that size of chair. This helps you to not have chairs that are too small or too large for the room. I also keep in mind if this is a "lounge chair" or a decorative chair. For lounge chairs I like to have at least 36 inches of depth with a tight back, and 38 inches with a pillow back (generally speaking).

Maybe you would like the two sofa look instead...

This goes for deciding your quantity and size of tables as well. You can check yourself with some blue masking tape on the floor to make sure that you have given yourself sufficient walk spaces.

Maybe you have room for two sofas and two chairs. Ask yourself how many people you want to seat in the room- and then see if it will work.

Then you need to start somewhere- perhaps you will find a chair and fall in love with it... maybe it will be a fabric for your drapes... you need an inspiration piece to chart your color pallet and path. I wouldn't try to fit both red and purple in the room. (chair from Horchow)

After you have a fabric to work with- it will be more clear to find others that coordinate. This is a drapery fabric from Beacon Hill. Have your panels- four on the large wall of windows- and the two on the wall with the TV- all hang at the same taller height. Layer your window treatments with woven woods or a solid color Roman shade. I would pull out the dark neutral khaki shade for a carpet color- or better yet- continue with your stone floors and put in an area rug. (is that Jerusalem Gold limestone?) The rug at the top of the post is from Homedecorator.com.

Add your sofa. Vary different textures in your selections. (sofa from Horchow)

After you have made these selections, it is time to select your wall color. If you want your fireplace to "stand out" like you mentioned- you will go with a high contrast in color. With the light colored stone- you would use a darker color on the wall. After you have fabrics- you have something to match paint samples to.

It looks to me like your sofa is pushed up against the pony wall. I would push everything closer to the TV- pulling your furniture into the room. What to do with the left wall??? It looks to me like your door and stereo components are filling what I can see- but you do need some art and wall decor in your room.

You have a beautiful home- it will look great!

Thanks,
Christine

Wallpaper Wednesday -- Hanna's Bathroom

Dear Christine,

I love your blog and your advice is so inspirational. I read your blog every day. My husband and I have owned our home for about 7 years and I'm finally ready to start tackling some redos. I am extremely insecure about my instincts regarding style, especially regarding window treatments, fabrics, and accessories. But, I've decided to start small with our small guest bath. As you can see, we inherited a colorful toile wallpaper and brass fixtures. I'm sure the wallpaper is very high-end and expensive, but I'm at a loss about how to decorate around it. I've paired a waffle-syle beige shower curtain and celery green bath mats and burgandy hand towel. Wow, just seeing all this typed out seems way over the top! Help. Is the wallpaper worth saving? I am a sucker for toile and the classic look of it.If so, how can I finish the room off? I was also thinking of painting the vanity a dark brown, but I'm scared that the room is too small for it.
I don't know if this is important, but the guest room itself has a floral bedspread with corals, celery green, and taupe; the window is dressed with a fairly cheap dupoini faux silk wheat color panels with a bronze rod, the furniture has walnut or mahogany finish, and the color of the room is ecru.

I would so love your advice. You've got great taste and I need some of that sent my way.

Thank you,

Hanna

Dear Hanna,

Look at your bathroom- you have white tile, white sink and cabinet- and then this dark colorful paper. Your room is split in half. Making that wallpaper work in there would require redoing EVERYTHING else. Which doesn't make sense. If your sink and tile were gorgeous, I would like a dark paper paired with it, showing it off, but it is ordinary, and the high contrast makes it stand out more than is desirable. Consider this. Work with your white shower - and you will see it less. This is what I am suggesting. Re-wallpaper in a wallpaer that includes your white and gold- and some silver. As items in your bathroom age and need to be replaced- you can then have the freedom to go silver- but it will look great in gold. The papers in today's post are from Candice Olson's book: Dimensional Surfaces. The one below is hard to see from the picture- but it is white- it looks like cork- and has silver and gold in it. It is a really cool paper.

This paper below is also white, silver and gold. Perfect. Your gold will look great and your white won't stick out in a bad way- like it does now. Your room will be unified and look great!

This shear fabric can be an overlap on your shower curtain - it brings in the same colors - I would hang it from the ceiling with lots of fullness. It is from Beacon Hill.

Pair one of these papers with the art at the top of the post, from Uttermost (yours is too small).
There you go- can you see my vision for you? Your room will no longer be split in half - it will appear larger and cleaner. Your new favorite room in the house!