Variety is the Spice of Decorating

Hi Christine,
I love the decorating advice that you give on your blog and am hoping that you can help me out with some ideas for redecorating/furnishing one of the rooms in our house. This room used to be our family room but after doing some remodeling we have changed around all of our first floor rooms and it will now be our dining room. It's a large room so we would also like to have a cozy conversation area at one side of the room. We only have one piece of furniture for the room at this point - our 42" x 108" dining table that we got a great deal on when a local Drexel Heritage store went out of business. How great to have such a large dining room. We are also considering buying two Kensington leather loveseats that are currently on sale at Restoration Hardware. I love that piece. I've come up with a tentative room layout that I attached to the e-mail. I also attached some pictures of the room but the dining table is the only thing that belongs in it (the other furniture is from other rooms of our house that we moved in for a recent party and the window treatments also go elsewhere). We are going for a bit of a Tuscan feel but not completely Old World traditional. I love earth tones but don't want the room to get too dark by bringing in too much dark furniture/dark colors. I was thinking about bringing in some pattern by having the two chairs in the seating area be upholstered chairs and also having upholstered end chairs at the dining table. We'd like to have leather side chairs for the table since we have young kids and actually use our dining room fairly often. I would put leather on the sitting side of the chairs and a pattern on the back side of the chairs. This is a large area of the room- and more pattern would add a lot. Here are some of the questions that I have:
Do you have any recommendations for a buffet/sideboard that would go with our dining room table?
Should we center the dining room table on the short wall (the one with the windows) or move it off-center to allow more space between the table and future buffet?
Do you have any recommendations for a chandelier?
Do you think we should use a rug under the dining room table and in the seating area or just one or the other?
Any recommendations for fabrics for the chairs or for window treatments?
Any ideas for paint color or wallpaper?
Beyond these specific questions, we would welcome any additional suggestions that you have for decorating the room.

Thanks so much!
Kris

Hi Kris,

I thought I would break up your questions over a couple of days and start just with the fabric today. Use different sized patterns as well as a variety of styles and of pattern. Notice the collection of fabrics I have for you include a small leaf pattern, a large floral crewel fabric, and a medium size paisley pattern. Notice too the variety of textures- the green is velvet, the floral is a crewel, the paisley is a cotton- and the cream is a leather.

So- for your checklist in fabric selecting for a single room:

Variety in:

1. pattern size
2. pattern motif
3. fabric texture

Uniformity in:

1. feel
2. color palletI am sure that I break these rules from time to time, but they are a good guildeline for the novice designer. And, since I made the rules, that gives me the option to break them- right? :)

Thanks,
Christine

The fabrics in today's post are from Lee Jofa.

Kathy's Fabulous View

Today's post is a continuation of yesterday's.

Hi Christine,

I built this house and just moved in in June. I think some of my choices have been good so now I'm terrified to ruin it with the decor!! Several concerns but the main one is the great room. The view out the sliders is awesome. It's a protected marsh with tons of wildlife activity and changing vegetation so I didn't want to put furniture in front of the sliders...The problem is I also have the fireplace focal point and the tv wall. Maybe the sectional should have been a sofa? (your sectional is good.) I like the style with nailheads, etc. but what do ya think? I think I still have 30 days to decide...

The rug will go. I was thinking of perhaps a huge round braided rug?? Very very open concept, so do another of the same in the dining??

There is another weird wall between the kitchen and dining room. I'm returning the painting you see there because I think it's too pizazzy and orange for my taste but I could be talked into it. Your thoughts?? Maybe a photo wall template there? The ficus is pathetic I know.. may come back but not sure!!

For the windows I was thinking woven wood for the back dining room, and possibly off white shutters on just the bottom half in the breakfast. Notice the stained glass panels in the top half... Then my question is, should the two angled windows in the kitchen be the same as the breakfast nook or woven wood like the dining? For the sliders do you think just curtain panels? A woman from Budget Blinds came today and left a few samples see attached. Oh yeah, does the foyer window need to match the sliders? Roman shade there?

Hope this isn't way too much to take in. I'd love any tidbit of advice on any of these questions that you choose!!

Thanks,
Kathy

Hi Kathy,

I'd like to start with your rug. First of all, I want to say that I love the idea of the braided rug, and I love Capel. They are a great manufacturer. With that said, I don't like the mostly red with your leather color. I didn't include all of the fabric samples that you included- but I will say that I didn't really like them either... (hopefully I am not telling you this after you already had drapes made...) Your view is amazing!!! (the picture above is her view!!!). I would keep my interior colors pretty neutral- and play up the color of your view. I also thought your fabrics that were shiny were all wrong. I would stay with the feel you have going now- which is very nice- more casual. I also thought that a square or rectangle rug would be better than the oval. (most of their colors come both ways.) The rug I selected for you is below- from Capel- in a square.

Should you have all the same rug throughout? Most of the time I say- absolutely not- but with braided rugs- you could if you want to- but still don't have to. The rug I selected for you below is also from Capel. You could do something like this in your entry or dining area. You want consistency in style- as in casual- not formal----- BUT- you want it different in style- as in don't have multiple braided rugs that are all different colors... So- does that make sense? The same style- but different styles. I am sure that is coming off perfectly clear.

For your drapes- I suggest panels- Check out the plaid below from Lee Jofa. I think it is beautiful. See how subtle I am creating the color pallet?

I am not a fan of the leather ottoman right by the leather sectional. I would re-upholster- just the top of it. I know that leather is very practical- but textural variety is more important. :) This black fabric below from Robert Allen is my suggestion for the top of the ottoman. It would not have a stark contrast with the sides- and brings in the browns. The plaid above brings in some black- so we are all tying together here.

I selected a new floor lamp for you- Uttermost- there is more texture needed in your room. Your room is too smooth.

Good call returning the art- it is a cool piece- but I wouldn't select it for your place. Below I have a few wall decor ideas for you- from Uttermost.

Overall you have a great look going- work with it- not against it. Remember that your focal point is your view. Your other items should add interest and texture- but not try to compete with the view.

Thanks,

Christine

Renee's Window Treatments

This is a follow up from Renee's posts earlier this week. Catch up here and here and here.

Christine,
Any ideas for window covering for the window in the kitchen? Would I use the same wallpaper if I change the floors and paint color? I enclosed pictures of colors and styles I like.

Can I get your address? I would like to send you a token of my appreciation.

Thank you,
Renee

Hi Renee,

Knowing that you are changing the floors does change the need for the wallpaper. Wallpaper was necessary as a unifier for your different surfaces. Now you can still do wallpaper- as it would be lovely- but you could also not do wallpaper. Your choice. As a general rule, I would choose two rooms in your home to wallpaper. Think through your home, and decide where wallpaper would be the most advantageous for you.

OK- so let's say this is your floor (seagrass limestone from Walker Zanger)- and your cabinets are natural maple.

Use woven woods- like the sample above from Smith and Noble. Notice the natural maple color in the shade- this combined with grays and greens is a perfect choice. (if I do say so myself :) I would use these everywhere that you now have white wood blinds.

Then, as your second layer- add panels. ( A reminder for everyone to LAYER your window treatments.) One thing that would balance the large mass of maple on the kitchen side of the room, would be to select a drapery fabric like the one above from Lee Jofa. The maple color in the drapery will give your room a nice balance. I would still do your wall in a soft shade of green or blue- whether it be paint or paper.