Leanne's Room

Hi, I'm not sure how blogs work so didn't know the protocol on how to ask
design questions and opted to e-mail.  Hope that's ok!

I have a house with living upstairs.  We enter up the long stairway
into the living room that is open to the dining.  I need to
redecorate and I love your style!  Can you help?  You can move anything
around, change the blinds, paint color, pictures etc.  The paintings that I
have I would like to keep and the couches are new. The pictures
are sitting on top of the big mirror in the photo just for safe keeping.
I'm up for painting the fireplace, covering it up, adding molding - whatever
you say, I will do! :)

My sincere appreciation,

Leanne

Leanne,

I love your "Whatever you say I will do!" attitude!  I wish my husband had that attitude!

Let's start with this room above.  You have issues with rhythm, balance and pattern. 

1.  Rhythm.  Rhythm is one of the principles of design.  In your room, you are lacking rhythm by alternation by having the bookcase and small cabinet to the right and left of the fireplace.  You can get away with similar looks when you have some windows with draperies or other elements that can separate the eye from the hard piece, hard piece, hard piece.  See this post where I discussed the principle.  In that post the gal had lots of case pieces on the walls of her bedroom.  Your example is less extreme, but sometimes an extreme example can help you to see what you are doing wrong.  What would I do on that wall?  I would cover the brick and build-in the whole wall.  On your built-in wall- you could add the three pictures sitting on easels as part of your decor.  I would scatter them, not line them up.   The scale is a little small for over the sofa.  Here are a few ideas:

(photo from houzz)

 You could combine a painted brick or stone fireplace with stained wood built-ins. 

(photo from the Yellow Cape Cod)

The most common look is covering it all in a painted white wood, which is always nice. 

When the wall is a built-in, it is seen as one item, not three, therefore, the absence of rhythm issues.  For a more in-depth description of rhythm, look at this post. 

2.  Balance.  Your room is more heavily weighted on the left.  I know you said you were going to keep your furniture- but I will give you a long term plan, because I think it is too large for the space, and too plain in style and color to really make the room sing.  I would replace your sofa/love with two love seats, which will give you space to replace your chair with two chairs.  Keep the scale smaller, and colors lighter.  (unless you have a three year old...)

(Beckett Love seat by Bernhardt Interiors)

(Pierre chair by Room and Board)

Add a nice coffee table, centered with the room.

Now, the art above your love seat should balance the window with window treatments.

(art from Uttermost)

I would add drapes to your window.  Floor to ceiling.  (drapes from Pottery Barn)

3.  Pattern.  Your "all the same fabric everywhere" look falls a little flat.  ;-)  You will notice that already I have added some pattern.  In addition to the throw pillows, there is pattern in the new chair selection, and also the window treatments.  I would add one more big pattern to really tie the room together.  Get a nice large area rug, probably 8 x 10, to finish off the space.  This is your unifier.  (rug from homedecorator.com)

Remember to have a lighting plan in your room as well as some plants.  ;-) 

XOXO

Christine

Pam's Place Needs Some Punch

Hi,

I'm a first time homeowner and I'm very overwhelmed with making decisions! I have one wall with three large windows and I'm not sure what kind of window treatments would look best (or color). It's a small condo, and really the only windows for the living room/dining room. Valance? White blinds? Long panels? I've attached photos for you. The walls are an olive green "olive branch" from Benjamin Moore. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your help

- Pam

Hi Pam,

It looks to me like you are trying to play it safe.  Brown leather mixed with brown leather and accented with brown furniture.  Then you have a green wall color. 

A few things you need:

      1.  Pattern.

      2.  Texture.

      3.  Variety.

      4.  Unifiers.

Your window treatments are a good place to start.  I would do floor length drapery panels.  From the ceiling to the floor.  You will want a patterned material.  The one I found for you is from Beacon Hill.

Notice how it has the green in it, as well as the brown in it.  If all of your furniture is going to be brown, we want to make it more unified by finding a fabric with both green and brown. 

Now take down your blinds.  I am so sick of stupid white mini blinds.  They are as bad as the ceiling fan.

Replace your mini-blinds with woven woods.  I would choose a color close to the color of your sofa.  This will bring the leather in more as a color.  If your room were large, and you had many elements, you could have a leather sofa without having to bring the color into the pallet. It can act more as a pair of blue jeans, where you wear any shirt with it, and it matches. But, because you have limited space for more furnishings, we need to bring brown into the pallet. 

Your drapes will be different than above, as you need four panels, since the windows are further apart.  Make sure your drapes are lined and weighted.  Just because they might not be functioning, lining helps to have them hang nicely. 

Can you have just one pattern in the room?  No.  A minimum of three.  Add a pattern in the rug, and another in throw pillows.  These additions will also increase texture and variety.  By the way- your current rug is WAY too small.  Is it a 5 x 9?  Go up to at least an 8 x 10.  Show your chair a little love by letting him sit on the rug as well.

The rug can be simple, but it should still be a pattern, not a solid color.  The rug above was found on Homedecorators.com

Add at least five pillows to the mix, all different, incorporating the colors in your drapes.  Look for textural variety, as well as variety in size and shape.   The pillow above is from Pottery Barn. 

OK- now I let you keep your brown furniture.  ( Although I would move or sell the chair and add two chairs in a fabric. )  But the table is putting me to sleep.  I say- paint it.  Select a nice blue from your drapes, and paint the table blue.  Make sure to unify the look by having some blue in your pillows. 

There you go.  I know you only asked me about window treatments, but that is not how to decorate.  Even when finances don't allow you to do everything at once; in order to make good choices, design the room as a whole, then start implementing it one element at a time. 

Liz's Bedroom

This post is a continuation of Liz's posts here and here. 

I am also hoping that you can help me with my bedroom.  The walls are painted "Sea Haze" and the bathroom that is visible is "Camouflage".  I have a white dresser that I really like and a white bed frame.  I would really like to dress up the bed.  I was originally thinking all white, but ultimately it leaves the room a little boring.  Please help!

Thanks so much, Liz

Hi Liz, let me start by saying that it is not a need for color that is leaving your bedroom on the dull side, but rather texture and pattern. This is so common that a room isn't feeling right, and someone will think that what they need is more color.  It is simply not true.  You can want a more colorful room, but that is different.  You can have an a amazing room in all white and "sea haze". 

1.  You need to make your bed better.  ;) Look at this post.  (By look at, I mean read and study. :)  In that post I go into specifics on bed making.  I'd like you to have a minimum of three distinct TEXTURES on your bed alone.  They can all be white and off white if you choose.  You could also introduce some sea haze. 

2.  Never have your paint color be found only on your walls.  This leaves quite the disconnect in the room.  This is also a big reason why I decorate before painting.  Now you have the job of finding some sea haze to bring into the room.  This can be a throw,  a pillow, art work... the pillow below is from Dwell Studio.  I like how it unifies the wall color with the bedding color.

3.  Add more pattern and texture in your window treatments. I would pair some drapery panels like the ones below from West Elm, with some natural woven roller shades, about the color of your lamp shades- or a gray tone. 

4.  Your focal point is weak.  The first problem is that you have a door on the same wall as your headboard.  This might not be avoidable.  But if it is, I would rearrange today.  The headboard wall is always the focal point wall, and when that wall is broken up with doors- it is hard to make it really perfect.  Now- how can we make it a stronger focal point?  Would I hang art over your headboard?  I don't think I would with your particular headboard.  However- I would add something over each night stand.

If you are able to give the headboard a wall of its own- you can also consider changing the wall surface of the entire wall.  You could change it to antiqued mirror squares, wood, paneling, upholstered wall squares, something entirely different.  If you find that you have more room, you could also have larger night stands, and larger lamps.  The current night stands fit perfectly, but I love the look of larger bedside tables- perhaps a chest on one side and round table on the other. 

Christina's Place

Check out Christina's family room and kitchen.  Here is Christina's Video:

Hi Christina,

You have a beautiful home.  When I look at it, there are three areas where you can improve, that will help you pull it together- we need to add pattern and texture and unifiers.

The striped rug that you like does add pattern, but it feels too stark to me- and doesn't go with the sofa. 

I suggest a softer look- the harsh black contrast with white leaves a disconnect with the relaxed slip cover sofa- the poetry rug below from homedecorator.com builds on the look of your relaxed slip cover look.  There are already harsh lines in your entertainment center- and we need more of a unifier in the room.   

 

I would use your window treatments as a unifier- another place to add a little color.  The fabric is from Lee Jofa:  Add a black tape boarder to more solidify the black in the room.

Your kitchen looks great, but I think we can both agree that it leaves you a little lacking.  For that- I would look to wallpaper. 

A beautiful paper like this on the wall would soften the harshness of the black. 

Now- I am looking around for some art work, and not finding any.  I would repalce the mirror in the dining area with a piece of art.  The room needs more color, pattern and interest, more than it needs a mirror.  You can find other walls for the mirror.  The art below is from Uttermost:

Add more interest by not matching your new table and chairs.  Select a wood table, and then use a chair that brings in some interesting color and texture- like the one below from Wisteria:

I like the idea of a photo gallery on your slanted wall.  I would do all black and white photos, and look for interesting frames like the one below from Wisteria:

 For the light above your table- I seleted a lantern from Dana Creath.  The clear glass lets the light shine.  Your place will look terrific.  You are off to a great start- you don't need to remove anything- just add more.  Don't forget to add plants.  ;)

Malia in Singapore

This e-mail came from my sister-in-law- who- with my brother and their two darling little boys just moved to Singapore for two years.

Hi Christine!

We made it! We're all here in Singapore and trying to adjust to life. It's been crazy, but we're slowly working at it. I was wondering if you had a minute to help us? We currently have rental furniture and I am dying to get something more permanent in our town home. Do you have any suggestions of what to get and how to arrange it in these rooms? I'm totally open! I think you know my style. I'm a modern girl. :) Please don't mind the mess everywhere! The curtains and lights are part of the town home and can't be replaced. We will probably be going shopping on the weekends to see what's available. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks so much!

Love ya,

Malia

Malia,
I think what you really need is an onsite consultant. A note to all listeners: I am now officially accepting donations for my Singapore trip. :)

Since you are only going to be there for two years- I would do two things. #1- not spend too much money. #2- spend the money you are going to spend right away so that you can enjoy your improvements as long as possible.

Your place is great- it has nice floors. Your room is asking for an L-shape furniture arrangement. I put an off white sectional at the top of the post. To me- going so light is bold and fun for a mother of two. Very modern- very sleek. Go bolder than you might typically- this is your chance- as you know it is a short term purchase. It is clean and simple- a perfect look for a modern girl. I would focus on four things:

Area Rug
Plants
Pictures
Splash of Color

An area rug will warm up your space, soften the harshness and make it more inviting. It will also add texture- which I think is the most missing element in your place. I loved the Zebra rug...

Plants. Imagine your apartment with some nice large plants in the corners of your rooms. Get something with large leaves and a tropical feel- large plants in large posts. Then add uplights on the floor- put the lights on the timers- and your home will have ambiance when the sun goes down. Don't skip this step. Go get yourself some plants!

Wall décor. Choose a prominent wall for a photo collage- that will make it feel like home instantly. Then go with some alternative wall décor to bring your other walls to life.

I would finish the place with the smallest splash of color. A bright green- a funky orange- an intense blue- pick a color- slip it into your wall décor- add a table runner and a couple of throw pillows- and you are done. You could even purchase some blank canvasses and paint them solid colors.

The furniture, rugs and art in this post are form overstock.com. Do you think they ship to Singapore? I checked on my little map and I've had 164 hits from Singapore- so- any Singapore readers out there? Help Malia out- where should she shop?