Who Likes Wing Backs?

Hi Christine!

It's Sarah from Austin. We're making slow headway in our house; finished the dining room & getting together our living room. 

I need a little living room chair help now. 

We have that pretty sofa that looks like this: http://tinyurl.com/8jdz65w that I would like to cover in a greyish blue velvet or stripes as we talked about. 

Now we need a chair that will give neck support while we watch tv (football specifically!). You had suggested some white tufted chairs.

But ... we want something that maximizes comfort & something that will help us as we're both tall - 5'11 & 6'1. We really liked this one: http://tinyurl.com/233ech3 but I worry that the leather will be a little overwhelming. There are some ok La-Z-Boy recliners, but a wingback seems so stuffy! 

2 Questions, then:

1. Is leather just too much? Does one have to be careful about using it? I'd love to buy that Pottery Barn chair but I think it might become the focal point of the room if I'm not careful. 

2. Do you have any brilliant sources for comfortable, neck-supporting, tv-watching chairs or recliners for tall folks? 

Feel free to use me as an object lesson. :) 

And, I keep thinking about you - as I walk through our neighborhood, there are so many funky exterior paint colors, and so many pretty details. I'm going to take pictures & send them to you. 

Take good care.

- Sarah

Hi Sarah,

This is hard to explain. I just don't like the chair you selected with the sofa you selected.  Maybe it is too overwhelming, and lacks balance- maybe it is just off in the style.   It is one thing to have a real contrast in style, a true juxtaposition. Like using a super modern chair- like the phopto below from Elle Decor:

Your combination is not like that.  A recliner from La-Z-Boy would be far worse.    I also am maybe not the right one to answer this because I love wing back chairs.  The right one can be super comfortable.  I love how they cradle your head, and sit you up at the same time.  If you find the look stuffy, you can also get some very contemporary ones that would be cool with your sofa, like this one from Nathan Anthony.   Or what about this one from Revenge?

I tend to think that if you don't like wing backs, you need to see and sit in more of them.  Sure- some are ugly- but then again, others are fabulous!

If you want to shop at Pottery Barn, I selected some chairs that did go well with the sofa. 

Want to go leather- how about going all the way totally different?  There are some surprisingly crazy comfortable chairs out there- like the Wassily.  Can you see how a chair like the Wassily would be crazy different enough that it would go, but yours is not different enough- and it is just a miss.  I think it is a combination of the leather and the leg style in the chair you selected.

Most of the time the advice I give is correct vs. incorrect.  Today- I think it was more subjective.  I like to think that there are many ways to decorate a room, and when all things are correct, I should let the client express their personality, select what they like and what is comfortable.  But something inside me doesn't want anyone to select a recliner...   So- what do you think?  Does anyone disagree with today's advice to re-select?  Do you like Sarah's leather chair?  Anyone know of a super comfortable chair that would go better with her French sofa?  Sarah- if you end up getting a recliner- don't tell me.  In my imagination, over here in my office in California, everyone takes my advice.  ;-)

I Found the Owl Pillow

Dear Christine,

I'm looking for the owl pillow from the set of Better With You. It aired on April 13th. It was on the couch. Any idea where I could find it. My 3 year old loves owls and I would like to get it for her.
Thanks!
Christina

I found it!  Can someone please be impressed with me?  I am impressed I was even able to find the owl pillow in a picture of the show.  You can get it from Amazon.  Or Birdseyemoon. Or for a bunch of cute owl pillows check out squidoo. 

Modern Family Part II- Claire and Phil's Place

Claire and Phil's House is very much your typical California- young family home. Check out the kitchen above- great painted cabinets.

The family photos up the stairway is nicely done. The wainscoting makes this work- without it- you would need much larger pictures. Look at the trim molding about 8 inches from the ceiling... a nice idea- you know I love trim... but way too small in my opinion.

I wanted to get a shot of the plate/picture collage in the kitchen. But alas- all you can see is the bottom bit of it- have to watch the show for that one- but I did like it.

OK- now look at the three pictures on the wall to the left. The perfect way to keep it to scale. The window treatments are the very popular combination of woven Romans with patterned panels.

They layer color very well in this home- architecturally it really invites it, with trimmed out large openings- and a common color pallet throughout. If there was a unifier in this house- it would be the pillows on the sofa above.

This blue color on the wall seems to change dramatically from picture to picture- I wonder if they keep re-painting it- searching for the perfect shade?? Look at the wall in the three different pictures in this post.... This shot above is the most recent- last night's episode- and it is the grayest blue. They could have started with this one if they would just have read my blog post on painting walls blue. ;)

What do you think of this house? Like it? Don't? Have a favorite part, or something you'd like to put in your own home?

Which Modern Family House is your Favorite?

I think I need to change my profile, because I have not been watching much American Idol this year- my Wednesday nights are spent watching Modern Family instead. Today's is the first of three posts on the interior design of the show. This is Jay and Gloria's house. It is the most modern of the three.

I like the subtlety of the paint choices in the two tone kitchen, as well as the smoky glass. I also like the classic wood floors. The clean lines and neutral colors of the walls and floor make a great background for the art.

The counters are also super neutral- probably a Silestone- or similar material. It makes for a really pretty kitchen.

Here you get a peek at the dining room. Check out the roller shades- one of my favorite choices in window treatments. I am frequently saying to "layer" your window treatments- that advice doesn't go for the more modern interior- where simplicity rules. Notice how nice the large plant is in the photo above. Plants make such a big difference in an interior.

Here we have some more bright art- with neutral furniture. Here we a get a little juxtaposition of style with some more traditional leather pieces.

The entry table is lovely. I like the simple floral arrangement as well.

So- how would I describe it? It is definitely modern- you can tell by the exterior shots that you see on the show. But the invitation of traditional elements keeps it from being stark. It is still homey and warm. A little bit Jay and a little bit Gloria.

What do you think? Do you watch the show? What do you like, or not like about the house?

We Need More Sconces In this World

Any House fans out there? I really love Wilson's new place. Of course- I liked his old place- but this one is even better. (however, I did think that his wainscot in his old place ended at an awkward level- a little too close to the middle of his wall- it should have been about a foot higher.) I love the woodwork, the combination of traditional architecture with the more modern kitchen- and mostly- I love the abundant sconces. I need more sconces. I think most of us need more sconces. Builders here in California seem to just hardly use them at all. We need more sconces in this world.

Interior Design throughout the show is great- Cutty's apartment is wonderful- even the hospital is fantastic. Look at those walls- look at the ceiling- very well done. My local hospital isn't nearly this cool.

Homework:- go walk around your house and see where you should have sconces but don't have them. Electicians are not as expensivce as you might think. Go get some sconces! Anyone watch the show? What do you think of Wilson's new place?