Wallpaper Wednesday- The Ceiling

Layered interior design is what I would call a design job that keeps getting more interesting the more time you spend in a room.

One layer of your interiors is your ceiling. Consider wallpaper as a solution for adding interest above.

Sometimes you have an architecturally odd wall- one that doesn't seem to be asking for wall decor- but is just there. How about wallpaper?

Check out this stairwell ceiling that would almost certainly be left white. What is the solution? Wallpaper!

Photos from Elle Decor

Erica's New Home

Hi Christine,

I work with Jen and she recommended your blog to me and told me to email you. I am building my first house ever (in Levan Utah) and I am in desperate need of design advice. Our basement walls have been poured so I think I have a little time to decide some things but I'm finding that I have to learn about things I never thought of before like what kind of lighting do I want in my house and on our wraparound porch, what kind of flooring is best, what fixtures to buy, faucets, etc....also I will need help decorating it but I'm trying not to think of that at the moment--too overwhelming! :) We want a rustic, warm, country, homey look and we originally wanted to build a cabin but it wasn't in our budget. Jen said you might be able to help and from looking at your blog I believe her. You mention on your blog that people can send you floorplans---can you tell me how best to do that? I would really love your input if you have the time.

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon!
Erica :)

Hi Erica,

Hmmm- where to begin? Let's start with what not to do.

1. Don't find a line of lighting- that has coordinating chandeliers, pendants, and sconces, as well as bath lights and buy the same thing for throughout your home. If you are building a custom home- let's not make it look like a tract home.


2. Along the same line- don't select a cabinet color and have it in your kitchen, laundry room and all of your bathrooms. Again- a horrible tract home look. (Coming from a humble girl that lives in a tract home.) I participated in a dream home showcase here in Sacramento where this beautiful custom home had cabinets like that- everywhere. I thought it showed a total lack of style and originality. That would never have happened in a showcase house in L.A. Use a console sink in your powder- have some painted and some stained- don't go cookie cutter in your decorating.


3. Don't have drywall on all of your walls and short baseboards everywhere. That will not begin to give you a rustic warm country homey look. Have decent moldings. Have some paneling. Have a coffered or beamed ceiling. Create a pallet with your walls, floors and ceilings. Check out the wood on the ceiling in the top post. If these things are a stretch to your budget- choose to do them in small rooms. Have your windows framed out. Readers in the east won't know what I'm talking about because they are ALL framed out with wood trim. Here in California some builders offer it as an upgrade- but most don't bother at all. Laziness. It only adds a couple thousand to the house. I have mentioned it to some clients and they seriously had no idea what I was talking about.


4. I would work with a lighting designer - and customize the lighting needs for each room. This is the kind of thing you are going to want to avoid changing at a later date. These designers are sometimes free if you go to the right lighting showroom to purchase your lights. If you are getting them through your builder- see if you can change that. Don't forget sconces. Don't put can lights throughout your living areas and bedrooms. Incorporate levels of light.


5. For the look you are describing-- I would go with hardwood floors. Don't break up your flooring and have carpet in the living area- if you can at all afford it- go hard surface with area rugs rather than carpeting certain rooms. I try to avoid flooring changes wider than 3 or 4 feet. My least favorite is the open family room and kitchen with hard floors in the kitchen and a sixteen foot transition to carpet. "Ohh- but my children play in there- I don't want them to hit their heads!" Whatever! Kids need a hard head to succeed in this world. Don't make babies out of them. I have stone floors throughout my house- and had hardwood throughout my last house- my kids are fine. In fact- we have yet had to have any stitches- and our only broken bone was from a trampoline. I did 7 posts on shopping for wood floors. Carpet can go in the bedrooms. Look at the photos in this post. Every one of them has wood floors. I also want you to notice all of the ceilings in the post. Include some beadboard- like you see below. Include wood beams.


6. With wood on the floors- I would go painted in the kitchen. I like white kitchens because they are so timeless. Never out of style. Check out the beautiful white kitchens in these posts. Don't think because you are going for the warm and rustic look that white cabinets are not the right choice. I think that look means that wood floors are the best choice- and wood with wood is a hard look to pull off beautifully. It usually requires a very large home in my opinion.


7. Hardware? In the 80's it was gold- in the 90's it was chrome- then brushed nickle- now it is heading towards bronze- and you know what's after that? Gold. The colors come and go. I would use black or Tuscan bronze.

So- this is all my advice without a budget of course- sometimes the ideal will not be an option- but it is a good place to start.

I think I am coming to Utah later this month- maybe you should just hire me for a day and we can make all of your decisions in such a way that it fits your budget and your family's needs. I need to make sure I see Jen while I'm in town too! ;)

Hey readers- which photo is your favorite in this post? I like the 4th one- with the light wood beams on the ceiling- and the beadboard walls and black sconce with a sisal rug. What a great look.

Photos from Country Living.

Incredible Islands

I wanted a post that would help you to think outside the box a little more on your kitchen island. Not just making it a different color- but different entirely. Check out the one above- stainless steel and glass...

For the family with six little mouths to feed- this set up would be perfect. Not the best for family dinner- but perfect for breakfast.

Here is a free-standing look- that really isn't. Do you see the sink? Do you see the wood in the center going to the floor- hiding the plumbing? Farmhouse style with the convenience of a prep sink.

I love the trough sink here. (Not to mention the ceiling...) But here they kept the cabinet style and just changed the counter surface. Surprisingly the wood cabinets, wood floors, wood counters and wood ceiling still doesn't feel like too much wood. The vast space and high ceiling help that immensely.

Maybe this should be a post on ceilings... I like the raised furniture style of this island. Sure you lose some storage space- but I say- totally worth it.

Above is the true furniture piece island. The unique wood and metal piece is a great prep surface- as well as storage for some pretty big pots.

I think this one is just plain pretty. (another beautiful ceiling)- The topiaries add a lot as well.

Photos from House Beautiful.

The Brown Kitchen

As a follow up to the Blue Kitchen and the Green Kitchen- now presenting- the Brown Kitchen... Many kitchens start brown- simply because of wood cabinets- but these kitchens took a step further- making brown not just the natural shade of wood- but their focal color. Above- it is the brown chairs that seal the deal.

OK- so this is a stretch to put this kitchen in a blog for "brown kitchens"- but I just liked it so much- so I'm stretching... Here- the focal point of the room is the fabulous built- in display - which really pops in brown with the other cabinets in white. Check out the cool ceiling also. I want to move into that house....

This contemporary chocolate cabinet is kept consistent with chocolate barstools- and ceiling.

Here is a painted brown cabinet. I don't know about this one- I feel like painted brown usually looks better if stained...

And I finish it off with brown walls, and accents in this great kitchen. Keep in mind that these brown walls look great because the cabinets are white- and the room is large. Small- or even medium sized kitchens with painted cabinets are not the place for brown walls. Raise your hand if you have seen some brown walls that didn't really work. It takes a large space- and some good contrast.

So- what do you think? Do you prefer blues and greens-... Anyone love the brown?

Photos from House Beautiful.

Baseball Bedroom

Hi Christine,

My 11 yr old son would like his room redone. His room is approx. 12’ x 12’. One wall has a window that is 6’ wide leaving 3’ of wall on each side, another wall is the door to his room and closet (double bifold doors). First of all- rearrange your furniture- I drew a floorplan for you above. Always try to avoid having the headboard on the window wall. Create a focal point with your headboard wall. The other two walls have nothing on them. His room has a chair rail that is 3’ from the floor. Ceilings are 8” tall. I would keep the pennants where you have them- take everything else down- you will put some of it back later. He has a twin bed and his quilt is primarily a medium gray with thin red and blue stripes and sports pictures. We were thinking we would paint below the chair rail red (Benjamin Moore – My Valentine #1330) and above the chair rail gray (Benjamin Moore – Silver Bells #1458). Currently the chair rail is white Should we paint the chair rail, we were thinking blue (Benjamin Moore – Stunning #826). We're not sure if this will chop the room up too much or make it look very small. His current room has taupe below the chair rail and white on top. No- don't cut your room up like that- it is too choppy- too dark, very annoying. Also, he picked out a gray loveseat from Ikea that folds out to a bed for guests. You don't have room for a love seat, desk, and twin bed. In my opinion, it would be too cramped. Use a trundle bed for guests and keep the chair you currently have. It is a great chair. And we were going to go with a desk and shelving from Ikea as well. I would love your feedback.

Thank you,
Jennifer

As readers of mine know, I am not a big fan of chair rails. In your case, I feel like it is limiting where you can hang wall decor. You can keep it- it is not terrible- but I would take it down if it were me.

Wallpaper the ceiling with the Candice Olson Baseball paper below. Use the shades of gray and white in your paper to paint your wall. Go with three wide subtle stripes if you remove the chair rail, just two colors if you keep it.

Red is great to include- just not on the wall- Use two of these tables form IKEA for "coffee tables" in your son's new lounging room. Add a couple of night stands- I like these wall mounted ones from IKEA. They finish off the headboard wall. Along the ceiling about 12 inches out on the headboard wall- add this track lighting- with two pendants- one over each nightstand. A little more red for punch. Make, or have made, an upholstered headboard like the one below from IKEA- it needs to be a custom size to fill your space just right, filling the length, not the width of the twin bed. This desk is 50 inches in width- also from IKEA- should fit great- but I don't know the measurements on the chair. Now fill in your wall space with the larger prints- around the chair and flanking the windows.

Can you see my vision? Happy decorating!

Christine