The Off-Putting Off Set part II

Christine,

Thank you so much for addressing the offset photo issue in a post, I was delighted to see it! I snapped a picture of how I have them hung now, and photo-shopped in some measurements of the wall for reference. (The green dot on the floor plan is the location in question) Are they all wrong for the space or will a different configuration make things right? I promise I'll take After photos if it can be fixed. (I have command strips on standby!) It drives me batty that so many people never post back with After photos!  We've already made two changes to our home thanks to your advice--our furniture is now in a conversation group around the fireplace instead of splattered up against the walls, and I put LED lights on top of the kitchen cabinets for ambience. Baby steps!

- Rachel

Rachel,

Very cool measurements.  I need to learn how to do that "draw on your picture" thing.  Do I need a Mac for that or can I do it with a PC?

Let me first say that your scale is good.  Good Job.

However- you made four mistakes in hanging the pictures.  :)

1.  The off set thing that I covered in this post.  Maybe it is just my opinion- but I don't like it.  I watched House on Monday and that show has beautiful interior design- and above the bed were hung two pictures- off set on a diagonal.  I still didn't like it. 

2.  Center the two frames on the wall.  Have four inches between them and nine inches on either side. 

3.  The center of the lowest picture is hung at 6'4".  That is perfect.  If you are Sean Bradley's sister.  However- if you are not- hang them lower.  The center of the picture should be at eye level- when it is hung on a wall with no furniture below it, like you have here.  I realize that there are different eye levels in the home.  I always go with mine. 

4.  Notice how the highest picture is very nearly lined up with the top of the door.  Never mind that this is way too high. (I already said that)- Don't line up the frames with anything.  Don't hang them the same height as a window, don't line up a frame with a fireplace mantle- anything.  Go out of your way to make sure they are not "lined up" with anything.  (Except of course, with each other:)   I realize they are not perfectly lined up- I am suggesting you don't have them even close to looking like they are lined up.  When you do this, the subconscious starts seeing the lines, noticing that they are lined up, or almost lined up, and NOT noticing the picture.  It also messes with the rhythm and line of the room.

Notice the two pictures in the photo above.  They are hung perfectly square to one another.  They are hung at eye level.  They are centered between the windows, and they are not lined up with anything.  So simple huh?  (as an aside- check out those super-cute slip covers!)

The Search for the Indestructable

Hi Christine,
I came by your blog through a friend. I really love the kids' room ideas that you just posted!! Was it this post- ? If it wasn't, check it out- it discusses the two-gender children's room. I am having a dilemma with my kids' room. I have a (almost) four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl and they share a room (we have a two bedroom house). My first question is regarding wall treatments. My son can be rather destructive, or maybe I should say experimental, with his tools! (see a few pictures) He likes to bang toys on the wall and if he finds anything sharp he trys to use it to hang things up :) My question is if you have any good ideas of a product I can use or ideas to redo the bottom 4 feet of the kids' room that is REALLY durable and maybe also kind of fun, too. I know you probably get a lot of emails, so thank you for any response!
Ellen

Dear Ellen,

Two and four? I have two and four year olds sharing a room myslef- both boys. My girls are the older two- much kinder to the walls. The bottom four feet, huh? Here are a couple of things to try. You could make a pattern with cork squares. You could cover them with a cool fabric before you hang them. They are inexpensive, easy to replace, and can be used to display some of their artwork and pre-school projects. I can see having a LOT of them in a pattern around the room.

Another idea? How about upholstering the walls? Chalk board paint? Metal wipe boards from an office store or Target- get a bunch- put them in a pattern. Make a giant felt board.... Have all decoative items too high for the little guy to reach- like the photo above.

Paint your wall in a fun pattern. Don't use such bright colors though- sleeping is the main idea in here. Check out this post on feng shui for children's rooms.

I would put both headboards on the wall opposite the entry door- with chest in between- this will create a natural separation. I have my boys in full size twin beds. Don't go through too much trouble until you do the same- they will have outgrown your toddler beds before you know it.

Anyone else have ideas for Ellen's little monsters? ;)

Strengthen Your Relationships- the Interior Design Way

Christine,

If my ceilings are only 8 feet tall, what guideline should I use for picture/frame selection. My pictures never seem to balance out with the wall space.

Thanks,
Heidi

Dear Heidi,

Great question. Fantastic question. When you get this principle down- your whole house will look better. It is the principle of relationships. Let me teach it by showing examples. Take the top photo with the blue and white photo. In this room, the sofa is against the wall. When your furniture is against the wall- the wall decor should have a relationship in size and scale to the furniture- not the wall. Don't hang it too high- it should be close to the furniture that it has the relationship with- this strengthens the relationship. With that said, you can have a relationship with the wall also- but not instead of the furniture that it is above. For example- take the second photo- here the collection of wall decor is hung close to the table, and just a little wider than the table- keeping that relationship. It also has a relationship with the wall- where the wall decor follows the architectural line of the wall- and fills the space of the wall. See the difference?

Take this bedroom above for another example. Here, again, there is furniture against the wall. In such a case- the relationship is with the furniture- not the wall space. Six plates on a wall would never work if there was no furniture there- but- the shape of the headboard- with the high arch- creates a situation where the wall decor has a relationship with the high portion of the headboard- and it totally works.

This photo shows us a couple of examples. The fireplace mantle is like a piece of furniture, and the wall decor above it has a relationship with the size of the mantle. To the left of the fireplace, there is no furniture against the wall- so the selected wall decor has a relationship in size and scale to the wall space itself. Notice how it fills the area nicely.

Here the sofa is on an angle- not pushed against the wall- and so- the wall decor goes lower than the sofa line- the relationship here is with the wall- not the sofa.

So- does that answer your question? Did I explain it clearly enough? Go around your home- check out your relationships.

Have you not voted for my sister's rug? check here.

Photos in today's post from Elle Decor October 2009 and House Beautiful October 2009.

Who's the Fairest of them All?

Remember back in the 80's when mirrored walls were so popular- right next to the pearlized pink leather and black laquer tables? And then, in the 90's- we took them out- we thought they were "tacky." I am not saying today, that mirrored walls are "back" and that they are the hot "thing"- but when done nicely- they are a timeless look and a great tool. They can be far more effective than just a mirror hung on the wall in achieving the benefits of a mirrored surface.

1. They open up a space- giving the illusion of a larger area.
2. They provide a texture variation.
3. They reflect light and color.
4. They can define a niche. (I especially like using them in an architectural niche)What do you think? Are there any walls in your home you'd like to "mirror"?

Bottom photo from Lofts and Condos 2009.

Brick Walls

Ever since I cared about walls I have loved brick ones. I love the Urban Chic look. I love the rawness of it all. The San Francisco Design Center is in a group of old beautiful buildings downtown. It has some great brick walls. A couple years ago I told DH that I wanted to brick a few walls in our home. We have a brick exterior- it would look great. He doesn't always catch my vision though.... I like the idea of my DH and I selling our home in California when we get old and retiring in downtown New York City. We would have beautiful old brick walls with exposed pipes and ducts- super awesome columns holding the ceiling up. There would always be something to do, and a hundred restaurants that will deliver dinner. Great public transportation when our vision starts to go... DH would probably rather retire to a secluded place- but hey- I still have 30 years to convince him...

What do you think of the brick walls? Would you do it in your home? Which is your favorite?

1. White leather sofas
2. Super fabulous drum shades
3. Silver metal ceiling
4. Copper coffered ceiling

   Photos from Lofts and Condos 2009