Oh, the Disconnect!

Hi Christine,
First, I wanted to let you know how much I LOVE your blog.  I have been neglecting my kids/husband/house to read your posts ever since I discovered you.  Thank you so much for all the great tips and ideas! 
 
Secondly, I'm writing to ask (beg) for your help.  I am struggling with my living/dining room and hope you can point me in the right direction.  I've enclosed pictures, but as you can see they are two rectangular rooms with a large opening between them.  We are in the process (thus the lovely tape and missing baseboards) of painting all the woodwork "white".  I've also announced to husband that I would like crown in both rooms and wainscoting in the dining room.  (He wasn't very excited about either project!)  We purchased this house almost four years ago as a foreclosure and it has needed a LOT of TLC.  It is a center hall colonial but doesn't have much character -think golden oak on every possible surface - yuck! - and we are in the slow process of making it over.  I love modern, clean, lines, but with some warmth, and I'm not afraid of pattern (not that you can tell it from these rooms).  Also, I have two girls under the age of 3 which explains the tea party in progress on the coffee table.  These rooms are more for grown ups, but they need to be somewhat kid friendly.
 
Here are my problems:
 
1.) Fireplace - it is giving me fits.  I've tried a bunch of different things with no luck.  Nothing seems to look quite right.  You can see my most recent acquisition in the pictures (a sunburst mirror that I love) is still mounted on the plywood it shipped on!!  I think it would look awesome in my entry way so I'm not too worried if you don't think it should stay.
 
2.) Ceiling - don't know if you can tell from the picture, but we have a small tray.  I made poor husband spend a week of vacation scraping the popcorn off the ceilings (who sprays popcorn on a tray ceiling???), but now I don't know how to treat them, so they've just been painted white.  Should we add additional trim to the tray? It's only about 2" deep.  Obviously when we add crown molding in white, I'll need to paint the ceiling, but which part?
 
3.) Pulling the color scheme together - I somehow ended up with purple/grey/green in the living room but have purple/red/green in the dining room.  The red/green with orange continues in the kitchen and family room which are through the door of the dining room.  How do I tie these rooms together?  I know part of it is pattern and that my curtains probably need to be replaced.  I just can't figure out what would work in both rooms - the windows should match, right?  I found some artwork that I like, but they are only purple/green/grey.  How do I pull the red into the living room - do I need to???  Also, I would definitely be open to wallpaper in the dining room - as I love the look of wallpaper with wainscoting.  I can certainly repaint, this was our "we need to paint the walls before the floors go in" color.  (I know, I know - pick paint last)
 
4.) Furniture arrangement - I feel like I'm close on this, but not quite there.  I would love your input.  I do have chairs for the dining room that I plan to reupholster and two China cabinets that I am refinishing that could be used in either room.  I can augment my furniture, but don't have the budget to replace everything and would prefer to spend on curtains, accessories, etc.  I think maybe I need a new/bigger rug for the living room.  The cream just doesn't seem to be doing it for me. 
 
Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide.  Please feel free to be brutal and frank!  I promise to follow your suggestions and send after pictures.
 
Kind Regards,
Angela

Hi Angela,

Thank you for the kind words.  I hope you will still like me when you are done reading this post.  ;-)  I have 12 things I need to share with you.  The writer in me wants to be concise, but this time, at the risk of boring the readers out there, I need to say all 12. 

1.  You have two sunburst mirrors in sight of each other.  That is at least one too many. 

2.  Ditch the drapes.  (See I am being concise after all!)  They are far too traditional for your contemporary furnishings.  Replace them with a simple drapery panel.  Green is too much for your walls, and purple would be too much purple.  I would use the neutral color in your chairs and then add a trim in purple.  I woud also add a drapery panel on the windows by your fireplace.  On those windows use drapery rosettes instead of a rod to keep them in place and pull them to the sides, working with your rounded shape.  I would hang them higher, and use four panels in the living room and four in the dining room. 

3.  Accessorize the sideboard and table better.  That is what your dining room needs more than anything.  (Along with new drapes)  ;-)  On a rectangular table, either use a rectangular centerpiece, or use three items, which gives the arrangement a rectangular shape.  Can you see how adding the two candlesticks in the photo below works so much nicer than if there was JUST the plant?  

(photo from A'LaMode)

4.  Replace the round coffee table with a square. It should also, and more importantly, be larger. 

(photo from Southern Living)

5.  Your lighting is terrible.  Add can lights.  See this post on a lighting plan.

6.  Yes, trim out the ceiling tray.  Yes to the wainscotting (3/4 way up) and yes to the crown. Yes to painting all of it a glossy white.

7.  Your fireplace decor needs some color to really be connected to the room better.  Use the 40 x 40 purple flower picture that you sent.  Your current fireplace decor is way too formal for the room.  Your fireplace mantle is shallow; I would take off the candle sticks.  Keep it simple.  Your modern look is more simple and clean.  Move that miror to replace the mirror in the dining room.  I would get rid of everything red. 

8.  The sconces in the living room are way too modern for your house.  In general. all of your decor is too modern for your architecture.  You can get away with it more in furnishings, but once items start being attached to the room, you should maintain architecutral integrity.  I do however, appreciate that you have sconces.  I love and applaud the all too infrequent use of sconces.  ;-)

9.  Your living room only has one strong pattern.  Your use of pattern is too weak to really look pulled together. I picture a look more like this in your room:  Notice the strong pattern in the chairs, rug, and throw pillows?  In your case, add some pattern in the drapes as well if you'd like to.

10.  It is too small and too open a space to have two separate color pallets. 

11.  If you don't want to replace your chandeliers- change positions.  Personally, I'd say they were too modern, and too formal for your architecture and your space, but they are also the wrong shape.  Put the rectangular one over the dining room table, hung much lower, about 30" above the table, and put the one in the dining room in the living room.  I think those blingy chandeliers are something that we as a society will look back on in 10 years the same way we look back on the shirts that show your belly that everyone was wearing 10 years ago, but they really only looked good on anorexic people.

I do know that they are very popular right now, and every store is selling their version.  That's just my opinion.  Now I just offended all of my friends with chandeliers like this...  I might have to come back and delete this section...

 12.  Too large of a disconnect.  The big overall probelm is simply stated one of a disconnect.  You have a traditional home, with traditional trim, right down to the rosette in your woodwork.  Then you have this very blingy modern thing going on in your chandelier, and everything in between.  It's like you wore these earrings:

With this outfit: 

The thing is, sometimes it's really great to mix things up.  Some of my readers are saying, "I love the idea of those earrings with that outfit. "  I will say that mixing like you are doing is something that some people can do amazingly, but honestly, it is a hard thing to teach.  It is so very instinctual.  Your silver candlesticks and buffet lamps belong on a Downton Abbey dining room table, and the dining room table belongs in a Pottery Barn catalog.  Consistency is what you need. 

Rose's Sitting Room

Hi Christine!
I love your decorating blog and have been a frequent visitor and asked you some questions in the past. :) WELL ... we have moved and now I need some decorating help with our front sitting area!
Here is a video of the room. I tried to go slowly so the camera would not be too blurry:http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/rkinkead/Sitting%20Room/?action=view&current=MOV07031.mp4 The sitting room is a small room, not sure what to do in there for furniture and decor. I would love your help!! Let me know if you have any questions that I can answer. SOOO excited to get your input.
Thanks in advance!!
Rose

Hi Rose,

Thanks for writing in.

First of all- before we start- go move the rug in your entry to the other orientation. It should go the long way- coming off the door.
Thanks.

Now- let me tell you what NOT to do. Do not get a sofa and put it on your long empty wall. Why? You need to ask yourself- what is the focal point of the room? Well- it doesn’t have one yet- but- when you have one sofa in a room- what that sofa is facing is generally the focal point. That one sofa would be facing the exit of the room. It in no way is creating a cozy sitting room atmosphere. All of the energy of the room is directed right out the door. We are trying to create a living space- not a leaving space.

Four chairs- with a circular table in the center

A small sofa with two chairs

Two love seats- or small sofas- brought out into the room- not against walls.

Your focal point is going to be one of three places.

It is perhaps going to be a case piece- cabinet or table- that you put on the long solid wall.
It could be the window- provided you like your view.
It can be the center of the room, using one of the arrangements that bring you to the center- Get a fabulous lantern or other cool light- (like the one in the photo below) and really bring the eye to the middle of the room. You could not ask for a better conversation area than a center based arrangement.
Your room is almost square in size- keeping your furniture floating and centered in the room keeps a square room balanced.

What else would I do? On the long wall- get a piece of furniture- like I mentioned before. This is where your fireplace would be- if you had one in the room. Add a couple of lamps to the piece. Don’t forget lighting- you should have at least five sources in the room- like I talked about in this post. Over the furniture piece- put a large mirror. To give your wall décor good scale- get a set of four pictures- put two on the right- stacked- and two on the left.

Add drapery panels to your window- and then add two sconces to finish off that wall.

On your wall that shares the pocket door- add a few wall shelves.

On the wall that shares your entry door to the room, add a collection of baskets, plates, photos- etc.

What do you think readers? What arrangement should Rose select for her room?

Photos from Country Living- except the four toile chairs is from House Beautiful.

Karen's Living Room- Finishing off the Space

Hi Christine,
I have a newly painted living room with new couches. I am aware that the current carpet is not a good match and plan to replace it soon. However, I am afraid that it all will all appear too boring! I have arranged the furniture the only way I see possible with such a big piano. And for some reason can't put my finger on what is missing in this room. It just seems to be lacking something, even with the new walls and couches. Any suggestions?

Even though I do not like the current carpet with the new couches, and love this new color with them, I am nervous about creating an uninteresting room.Do you think there is something more I can do? And what do you think of the carpet color with my scheme? Or maybe it is just my wall decor that is lacking??Thank you so much for your expert opinion. I am completely stumped .

Karen

Hi Karen,
You are off to a good start- you are just further from finishing than I think you think you are. ;)

1. 
   Lighting Plan. Where is it? In your living room I see one lamp and one candle- and something on the ceiling- but I can’t tell what it is. You need a plan. A room without light and shadow is unfinished. This is an integral part of a design plan. Check out this post for specifics on how to do that.
2. 
   Texture. You need more textual variety in the room. In my later suggestions- look for items high in texture.
3. 
   Plants. You need some greenery. Real or fake.
4. 
   Fabric at your windows. Because of your built-in you will want to do Roman shades. Anytime you have a very traditional interior – like yours- you are unfinished without a fabric window treatment. To add texture- you could replace your wood blinds with woven roller shades. But the fabric is a must.
5. 
   Coffee table or ottoman. You are not quite done furnishing. It is hard for me to really see- but I would also consider pushing your sofas closer to the piano- leaving room for an end table on one side- and plant on the other. I don’t like them pushed so close to the built-ins.
6. 
   You have too many single items in your wall décor. You need more variety- not only in subject- but also in number. You have four single items and one set of two. The wrought iron piece should be replaced with a larger set of something- like the set of art in this post from Uttermost. Check out this post on variety in wall decor.
7. In your dining room alcove- you need to overlap. The candles and bird cage should come in a little and overlap the picture a bit. This creates one united collection. What you have now are four things with a picture hung above them. See this post on overlapping.

Your carpet selection is very nice- and your paint and sofas look great!

Furniture Arranging 102

Hi Christine,

I recently came across your blog and I love your ideas and help. I am clueless when it comes to decorating and design. Maybe you can help?

I own a 2 story town-home; the first floor is a long and narrow room that serves as an entrance, living room, and dining room. I want to design the room to appear larger. I feel like the living room is overcrowded and cluttered because of all the furniture right when you walk in. Is there a way to arrange my furniture that will make it appear larger and more open?

I have attached a rough drawing for your reference, but it is not to scale (1st time mapping out a room).

Thanks for your time! I added your blog to my favorites!

Jessica

Dear Jessica,

Thanks for reading my blog. I was not able to attach your drawing- I need it to be saved as a jpeg file- not a pdf- note to everyone....

I can say, however- that your decorating mistakes are super common- and worth addressing even without a picture. What you have done is line your walls with furniture. I hear people say that they don't want to "block" traffic. Or then there are those who are obsessed with wanting their home to look "large". Well- it may or may not look large- but it also does not look good or inviting when furniture is arranged in that way. If your kids can bowl in the living room- you need to re-arrange your furniture. I also do not like how you put the entertainment center on the wall by the front door. Move it to the wall where you currently have your sofa. Move your sofa out into the room- facing the entertainment center. Get a console table for your entry- or just fill the wall with wall decor, and add a sofa table.
Check out this room. It is in two pictures, but has the same, very common open floorplan- with dining on one end- living room on the other.
See how the sofa is out- in this case facing the fireplace- in your case facing the entertainment center. A "conversation area" is created. Conversation areas and TV viewing areas are ideally not also traffic paths- sure- you lose four feet- but you don't need it. You shouldn't have your sofa more than 12 feet from the TV anyway- and I think you do. Think "cozy".

I thought I would add this picture as well. For those of you who have a similar open floorplan- and want it less open- check out this beautiful room divider. I think it's lovely- and you could have such a piece with a flat screen in it. So- there you go Jessica- re-send picture for me if you can- (jpeg format) it is helpful to other readers to see what I am writing about. Check out this post for more on the same topic.

Re-arrange it- you will love the difference.

Diana's High Ceiling

Hi Christine,

I stumbled on your blog, and am amazed at all the transformations you provide at no cost. What a wonderful and inspirational blog you have! I am looking for help with my living area. I need to add some spark and interest to this area. I have a very large wall that peaks at 18' at one point!

Yes- let's start with this wall. It is crazy tall!! In some cases this is wonderful- in yours, I want to lower it. Let me tell you how. First- take some crown molding and install it on the wall with the door and window. Carry it around to the other walls- level at that height. Then- change the paint color to a darker color above the crown- not too dark- but darker.

There you go. You have defined the space in your living area to have a more workable scale- this will make it easier to have wall decor in scale to the wall itself.

It spans the living and dining area. I need a way to separate the two rooms, but make the wall interesting at the same time. I also think that the paint I have on this wall looks too yellow, although it looks great on the other walls. I would like more color and pattern than the gold and spots of red that I have.

Yeahh- you are working with a lot of taupe furniture there, huh? Two solutions for you- area rug- and drapes.- The fabric above is from Beacon Hill, and the rug at the top of the post is from homedecorator.com. I don't think you need more colors just more color.

Of course, I am open to any tips you have for the room as a whole.

Try to avoid two case pieces next to one another- like your entertainment center next to this console table. They never seem to look quite right when you do that. Move this table to a different location in your home- and lower the picture closer to the table when you do. I also don't know what to do with the wall that has a chair and mirror.

Your mirror is way too small- and your chair should not be against the wall. Angle the chair toward the sectional- and get a large oversized mirror- the one at the bottom of this post is 90 inches in height- perfect. Much better scale.

The wall was meant for a fireplace, but, as you see, we don't have one. Thank you for your fantastic advice!

Diana

You need a larger entertainment center- much larger.

Do you like my Sharpie drapes? ;) They go the floor- of course. Continue the same drapes in the dining room. Add some woven wood Roman shades under the drapes- and on the other higher windows. I also added a Sharpie footprint of where I would move your chair.. The large mirror makes a big difference- doesn't it?

Here I added your crown molding. See how it will be even with the lowest wall?

Replace your mirror with something much larger. The one below is from Uttermost. Replace the entertainment center with a larger one- the piece at the top of the post is from Bernhardt.

Did you want a paint color?- I like Restrained Gold from Sherwin Williams for the bottom- and Mannered Gold for your upper wall. Always get sample quarts. I can't really select paint from pictures.

On an unrelated note- do I know you? Your name (which I won't say on the blog) sounded totally familiar. If I don't know you- I know someone else with your same name. BYU? LA? Sorry for the bad memory...

xoxox

Christine