The Rug that Changed Everything

Hello Christine,

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed your blog and appreciate your straight forward advice.

 

My sweet husband surprised me with a Turkish rug for Valentine's day. Actually I was quite horrified that he'd make a purchase like that without my approval! But, I'm trying to let go and make it work in our bedroom that I was in the middle of re-decorating. I'm so lost. The rug has a very fancy design and I'd like another pattern or color but don't how to make them work together.

 

So, could you please give me some advice? Curtains & Throw Pillows - What color or pattern? And any other suggestions.

I don't even know if I can turn this room around or not. It's really thrown me for a loop. However, the rug feels AMAZING under my feet :)

 

Thanks,

Ann

Ann-

You need to have a careful talk with you husband.  One of those genius conversations where you go away with him not being offended- and yet he understands that he is never to do this type of thing again.  Good luck.  ;-)

Power up the pattern.  This example is just like one that I had in a recent post where the patterned rug was not fitting into the room, simply because the room didn't have enough other strong patterns to balance it. 

Go with patterned bedding.  The one above is from Martha Stewart. 

Replace the wrought iron over your bed with a piece of art work that brings in more color.  Bring the eye up to the focal point- which should be your headboard area.  This piece is from Uttermost.

Your nightstands are too small, as are your lamps.  Replace your night stands with some Bombay chests, and get some lamps that are closer to 36 inches in height.

I like it when the lamp shade contrasts in color with the wall color.

Add more balance to your pattern with patterned drapes.  These are from Horchow.  A heavier color will also help. 

Replace your contemporary ceiling fan with a beautiful chandelier.  This will really change the mood of the room. 

After that all you need to do is replace your carpet with wood floors and then change your wall color.  Your husband will be thrilled to find out that the rug made you replace nearly everything in the room.  Perhaps it was a little more generous gift than he thought.  ;-)

Design Tension

This post is in response to a comment from this post.

Christine,

Great advice as always. :)

I have a question about the rug and sofa. When you say they are disconnected in style do you mean that the rug is traditional and the sofa is contemporary? I've been hearing a lot of talk lately about design tension and I thought it meant that you can mix styles to create this tension. What is design tension and how do we do it correctly?

- Mary

Hi Mary,

Design Tension is the feeling of harmony that comes from the the use of opposing styles.  Take a look at the bedroom above.  The wall decor, light fixtures, crisp walls and bright flooring and bedding are all very very contemporary- perhaps even modern.  The furniture, on the other hand is extremely traditional.  The caning and turns are historically nothing that would be paired with such a modern interior.  Who can deny, however, that they are the perfect addition to the room.  A more contemporary bed would have been predictable, and certainly have less impact than the beautiful tension that you feel with this very unexpected choice.  This is design tension. 

The use of extremes is always present in a successful use of design tension.  The rug and sofas at the top of the post are indeed different styles, the rug is quite traditional, the sofas are more contemporary.  There is no color connection, or style connection.  And whereas the styles are different, they are just a little bit different- not the use of extremes that create what would be considered design tension.  (in a good way.  ;) 

How do you use design tension correctly?  It is actually pretty difficult for the average joe to pull this look off, and yet for some, the instinct comes so naturally.  It is one of those elements of interior design, where if it does not come naturally, perhaps you could copy a professional, like in the photo above from Veranda. 

If you haven't voted- check out this post.

 XOXO

- Thanks for the good question!

- Christine

Wallpaper Wednesday- Where is dad's atlas?

If only my children's bedroom had three sets of beautiful French doors- I could make their room look as good.  Let me tell you what makes this wallpapering work.  The room is such that there is a limited amount of wall space.  If you have a 12 x 13 rectangular bedroom with one window and a closet- it won't have the same effect.   Look how the headboards are essentially built-in wainscotting.  You could absolutely take a simple room- put your bed/ beds on a good clean wall- break up the wall with similar headboards and then finish off with the destroyed atlas.  I like it.

Photo from sailor taylor.

White Walls #1

I am on a mission to lighten up some dirty paint colors.  I  want to show you the beauty of lighter and brighter.

Photo from Classy in the City

A Few Bad Ideas- A Few Good Ideas

Christine,

I just found your website and loved the posting on chair rail snob.  My fiance and I just bought our first home, and we're very excited about it.  I envision our master bedroom as this warm and rich, luxurious place with neutral tones and a little flair.  It was originally blood red on all four walls...now it's primed and ready, we just can't make a decision!  We'd love your opinions on the issue of color, texture/faux painting, design for the room.

1.) Our current furniture is a lighter oak, tall platform bed.  We'd like to paint the room in something neutral/warm to match this, but something that could also easily look good with darker color furniture in the future.   We haven't picked out the exact bedding yet, but it will be something of creams, ivories, tans (light & dark) with hints of burgundy possibly.  Or maybe bringing in some tones of lighter blue/green?

2.) I really want to do a faux paint finish to add texture to the walls.  I'm unsure if doing this on all four walls with such a large room would be too much though.  I also tried to play with ideas of doing a chair rail split with a faux finish in darker tone below and lighter paint upward.  I'm currently looking at tissue paper finish or a brushed pearl, but open to other as well.

3.) The room has a vaulted ceiling.  We love it, but I'm not sure how that plays into the overall look of the room. For example, would it look better to put chair railing at natural 8' ceiling line and then do vertical paneling in an ivory color down to it? Do we paint it all the way up?

4.) I'm thinking of arranging the bed on the long wall with a normal 8' ceiling (essentially opposite the way that the previous owner has it in the photo).  I'd make an upholstered headboard to attach to the wall above it.  Bed stands could go on either side of the bed with a larger vanity/dresser or wardrobe against the vaulted wall.  I've also thought that I could put a very small half-moon window seat with a plush button cushion and dramatic drapery or light lace.

Thanks for your help!  Please let me know if you need other photos.  (Not seen to the left, large open entry to the master bathroom, no door.  Above this entry way is a large plant shelf.)

Stacey

Bad Ideas:

1.  As you can see- bad idea #1 was the previous owner's paint selection.  ;)  I WOULD NEVER PAINT A BEDROOM RED.  Any bedroom.  Not only is it ugly, but it does not lend itself to sleeping.  I especially think it is a bad idea to paint a little boy's room red- which is where I see it most frequently.  I, for one, want my boys to sleep.

2.  Bad idea #2 would be selecting a paint color prior to selecting your bedding.  It is in your fabrics where you find your paint color.  It is a very bad idea to select the paint first.

3.  Faux painting yourself is a bad idea.  Unless you happen to be AMAZINGLY TALENTED- it will not look good.  This is what happens.  You put so much time and effort, blood sweat and tears into the project that you think it looks good- but it really doesn't.  Your friends are too kind to tell you otherwise- but it looks bad.  It's like when people have an ugly baby. They think the baby is beautiful, thier friends tell them the baby is beautiful- but...  Add some texture in other ways.  Get some plants.

4.  Bad idea #4.  Don't do a 3' chair rail in a room with a ceiling that goes over 9'.

Good ideas:

1.  I like the idea of the vertical paneling on the bottom 8' of the room.

2.  If you have a wall that is not interrupted with windows or doors- that is a good wall to make your headboard wall.

Go select your bedding, and write me back.  :)

Photos from House Beautiful