Tips for Selecting the Perfect Area Rug

April 6, 2012 By

Area rugs can serve many purposes. From an interior design standpoint, rugs support the color scheme and style of the room and can be the perfect starting point for selecting paint and furnishings. Rugs can help define separate areas in a space, and can also serve as a stunning focal point for a room. From a practical standpoint, rugs add warmth to a cool floor, help reduce noise, and provide a comfortable place for kids to play. With the enormous selection of rugs available, choosing the right one can be daunting. Below are a few tips to consider when choosing an area rug.

  • Decide how much you would like your rug to stand out in the room. Will the rug be a focal point, functioning like artwork in the room? If so, then choose a rug with a beautiful design or motif. For example, in traditionally decorated rooms, you might select a rug with a center medallion; for a more modern room, you might select an abstract or geometric design. If you select an area rug with a large and busy pattern, keep the other fabrics in the room simple. For example, a solid color sofa, and a subtle striped fabric on the chairs. If you would rather call attention to other features in the room, such as that gorgeous oil painting or that new red sofa, select a rug with a muted pattern or a solid color.
  • A rug for your dining room should be large enough to accommodate both the table as well as the chairs with people sitting in them. A rule of thumb is to add about 36″ to the width and length of the table. This will give enough room for diners to comfortably move their chairs in and out. Generally, china cabinets and buffets sit on the floor, not the area rug.
  • If you are purchasing a large rug to cover an entire room, leave a border of exposed floor on all sides. This will make the room look larger. If your rug is centered in the room, aim for equal amounts of floor showing on all sides. When this is not possible, aim for equal amounts on two opposite sides.
  • For stability, living room chairs should ideally be placed all the way on or all the way off the area rug. If chairs are heavy enough, this may not be a problem. Sofas are heavy enough that they can be partially on and off the rug.
  • A rug under a coffee table looks best if the rug is the same length as the sofa. An area rug measuring 6′ X 8′ or 5′ X 7′ is usually a good size in front of a sofa.
  • Use a waffle-weave mat called a “rug grip” underneath rugs that are placed on bare floors. This will protect the floor from scratches, as well as keep the rug in place.
  • Area rugs on top of wall-to-wall carpeting can cause a tripping hazard. I prefer not to use area rugs on top of carpeting, but if you do, make sure to use a rug grip made for this purpose. This type of rug grip has adhesive on both sides, causing the rug to stick to the carpeting.

 

Filed Under: Flooring, Home Decorating, Textiles Tagged With:

White—great choice for a bathroom

March 16, 2012 By

I’ve designed many bathrooms over the years, using a wide variety of materials from slate to granite, to glass. All have been beautiful and have suited the clients’ taste to a T. If I had to pick my own favorite projects, however, I would pick the ones where we used a lot of white. There’s just something so clean and pristine about white in a bathroom. And white is so versatile. It can be contemporary, traditional, glamorous, or spa-like depending on the accents used with it. Let me give you some examples:

There was the small traditional bathroom where we used white subway tiles in the shower, white hexagon tiles on the floor and white wainscoting on the walls. Accented with black toile window valance, a border of black hexagon tiles on the floor, and an antique oak wash basin instead of a vanity cabinet, the look is both clean and fresh, but also charming and homey.

Then there was the large master bath with the white claw foot bathtub front and center, white porcelain pedestal sinks, white bead board paneling, and the large walk-in shower featuring white tiles in three different shapes and patterns. Accented with a rich lilac wall paint above the bead board, this bathroom is just plain beautiful, oozing vintage charm.

One of my other favorites is a recent project—a stunning black and white and gray guest bath. White 9×12” wavy field tiles in the shower are accented with three bands of black glass tile mosaic. The vanity top is black granite, and the vanity cabinet is painted gray. The shower floor is made of black river rocks, and the rest of the bathroom floor is large 12×24 black porcelain tile. The high-contrast black and white color scheme is striking and contemporary. And the addition of the gray keeps it from looking too harsh. It’s a very sharp look.

White can also add a touch of glamour. I am just finishing up this master bath project: white quartz counter tops with a touch of silver sparkle, all white 9 x 12 field tiles in the shower and surrounding the spa tub; the accent is a band of 4 x 4 glass tiles backed with silver leaf, and the walls are a very soft light blue. With polished chrome fixtures, and the sun shining on the silver leaf, this bath gleams and glistens. It looks light and bright, but also very glamorous and elegant.

The new bath project I am just starting will have white quartz countertops, large white Carrara marble tiles on the floor, and will feature tile mosaic in light green, white, and clear and frosted glass. It will have a very spa-like feeling, soothing and relaxing, and light and airy.

White is an extremely versatile color that takes on a variety of looks depending on which materials you pair with it. If you are planning a bath remodel, look at the myriad choices of white tiles, glass, quartz, marble and even granite. You can design the bath of your dreams.

Filed Under: Bathrooms, Color, Interior Design Tagged With: ,

Furniture Shopping is Easy when you Plan Ahead

March 2, 2012 By

Browsing for furniture can easily overwhelm even the hardiest of shoppers. You’ve decided to buy a new sofa or dining set. You set out on a Saturday ready to buy, but when you get to the furniture showroom, you see so many choices that it is impossible to decide. Or, you see nothing on the floor that is to your liking so you become discouraged and leave with nothing. Does this sound familiar? If so, perhaps the following tips can help.

  • Before you go shopping measure your room to determine the size you are looking for. I can’t emphasize this enough! Most furniture showrooms are very large, making the furniture look relatively small. Be careful– when you get the furniture home it may be too big for your space. Measure the wall width and height, and also measure any furniture you will be keeping in that room. That way you can make sure the new furniture pieces will be in the proper scale and proportion. Always take your tape measure to the store with you so you can measure on the spot. It’s a good idea to take along a few photos of the room too; the sales person can help you determine if the new items will be a good fit in terms of scale, size and style.
  • Take paint color chips, a swatch of your drapery fabric, a cutting of your wallpaper, even a cushion from your sofa or chair. This will help you make good color choices. Many stores let you bring fabric swatches home with you, which can be very helpful when trying to coordinate colors and patterns.
  • Focus your shopping efforts. Even if you need several new pieces, shop for only one or two pieces at a time. Trying to do too much in one day gets overwhelming. When I take clients shopping, we may look around to see what is available, but we concentrate our time looking at one or two high priority items.
  • If you don’t see what you are looking for on the showroom floor, be sure and ask a salesperson for help. They can look through their catalogs to find what you need. Furniture stores only have a small percentage of available items on the floor. Often a variety of sizes, styles and finishes are available, but you won’t know unless you ask.
  • Be prepared to wait several weeks for furniture to arrive. Eight to twelve weeks is a very typical time frame. Don’t wait until the last minute to go shopping. If you have a deadline in mind, such as your daughter’s wedding shower or husband’s birthday party, plan ahead.
  • No matter how good a deal it may seem, don’t buy an entire living room suite if all you really need is a sofa. The extra furniture pieces will undoubtedly crowd your room, and the look will be too “matchy-matchy.” Chairs should coordinate with the sofa, not necessarily match it exactly.
  • Ordering furniture online has become more and more popular. Read reviews of the online store, as well as reviews of the piece you are looking to buy. And read the return policy carefully—many items are not returnable, especially if they are custom. Read about their delivery policy as well; does the furniture come assembled or will you have to do that? Does the driver bring it into the house and set it up for you or will the box just be left on your porch or driveway? If a piece is large and heavy, pay extra for the “white glove delivery service” where they bring it in the house for you. Also watch out for the shipping charges, which can add a substantial amount to the purchase price. Be aware and budget accordingly.
  • Consignment stores are great places to look for furniture. If you see something you like, buy it right away, as their inventory changes frequently. By the same token, if you don’t see anything this time, check again next week. At consignment stores, look for style, comfort and quality. Don’t worry about the upholstery fabric; that can always be changed.
  • Take only one or two other people with you to shop. Those others could be your spouse, a close friend or your designer. Any more than that and you’ll have too many opinions to consider.

With a bit of planning, your shopping experience will be a great success.

Filed Under: Furniture Tagged With:

Ideas for a mini bath makeover

February 17, 2012 By

Is your bathroom in need of an update? There is a design solution for every budget. Before you begin, evaluate your needs and wants. Who will use this bathroom? What is the feeling you want to evoke? Do you want a luxurious spa bath or a whimsical, kid-friendly bath? Here are some ideas to get you started.

  1.  Start with a new piece of art. Purchase a new art print, or “borrow” one from another room in your house. Think creatively about artwork—frame calendar photos, or your kids’ paintings, or even greeting cards. Paint the walls, using a color from the artwork, and purchase new towels and accessories.
  2. Paint the ceiling. If you want to try some vibrant color but are hesitant to paint all of the walls, paint the ceiling. Consider colors like lavender, red, or apple green. Be sure and bring in art and accessories that contain your ceiling color. It will look amazing.
  3. As an alternative to paint, consider using wallpaper. Talk about dramatic! Cover one wall, or just the ceiling, or go ahead and cover all the walls. Choose a bold and dramatic pattern like a paisley or damask.
  4. For a luxurious spa bath feeling, stick with neutrals—select creams, whites, grays and tans for wall colors and accessories. Outfit the bath with aromatic lotions, soaps and candles, and of course fluffy white towels.
  5. Replace the light fixtures. Is there a ceiling light? For a romantic look, replace it with a small chandelier. Replace the outdated bar light with something more modern. The choices are endless.
  6. Change your light switch to a dimmer switch. Imagine relaxing in the tub with the lights dimmed and candles lit.
  7. Change the cabinet hardware. You can select whimsical knobs shaped like soccer balls or frogs, or glass knobs for a vintage look, cut crystal for an elegant look, and iron knobs for a rustic look.
  8. Keep knickknacks to a minimum. Because of their size, bathrooms will just look cluttered and crowded with too many accessories. Less is more—display one large, beautiful vase on the counter. Or borrow a model home trick and fill a large glass container with bars of soap.
  9. Update the towel bars and tissue holder. Again, there are so many choices, from traditional, to rustic, to modern. If you have chrome bath fixtures, nickel, Lucite, or chrome accessories will work well. If you have bronze fixtures, choose bronze towel bars.
  10. Is there room in your budget for a new tile floor? There is an incredible variety many of materials and finishes available today. I recently finished a bathroom project where we used tile that looks just like hardwood for the flooring. It looks fabulous. In another bath, we used glass tile mosaic as a perimeter border, surrounding 12” x 12” tiles.
  11. Add display space by mounting wall ledges or glass shelves on the wall above the toilet or towel bar. Prop or hang a piece of art, and add a bud vase of flowers and a candle.

 

Your new bath may become your favorite room in the house.

Filed Under: Bathrooms Tagged With:

Your clothes reveal favorite colors

January 27, 2012 By

If you’re having trouble selecting colors for your home, take a look in your clothes closet for inspiration. Have you heard that before? It used to puzzle me when I heard people say it. After all, I like to wear black slacks with tops in bright colors like red, coral and lime green, but I wouldn’t pick those colors for my home. Or would I? Your clothing does say a lot about the styles and colors you prefer, and can provide inspiration when selecting colors for your home.

Analyze the clothes in your closet. Do you have a lot of solid color clothing or patterned clothing? Are your clothes bright colors or are they more muted earth tones? Is your closet full of trendy clothes or classic clothes? Is your clothing style simple and comfortable or dressy and formal? What color dominates your wardrobe? In my case, my dominant color is black. I have several pairs of black slacks, black jackets and tops. So it is no surprise that I chose a black leather sofa for my family room, and black granite countertops in my kitchen. If you like to wear black, consider bringing some black into your décor. Give a table a new look with a coat of black paint. Replace dated cabinet hardware with black iron knobs. Consider a black leather chair, ottoman, or bench. Almost any color you pair with black will look good. Taupe, cream or tan with beige gives a sophisticated look; red, yellow or lime green with black gives a more high-contrast, dynamic look.

If you love to wear all of the latest fashions, you probably would enjoy trendy colors in home décor too. Follow the trends, and change your colors with the seasons by changing out accessories such as bedding, accent pillows, dishware, and table linens. You may also enjoy bright colors on your walls. Small areas are great for experimenting with fun colors like cantaloupe and berry. How about painting the powder room or an accent wall in your kitchen?

If your clothing style is more classic and tailored, you probably enjoy more traditional décor as well. Try dark woods, paired with rich colors like burgundy, gold and navy for an elegant look. Or perhaps you prefer the streamlined contemporary look. Try cool neutrals like taupe and silvery gray, paired with icy blue and aqua for a sophisticated look.

If you love patterned clothing, bring patterns into your home. Try a floral print for the sofa, a stripe for the chair and a geometric print on the draperies. If you prefer solids, add interest by incorporating textures like a chenille sofa, a sisal area rug, or woven wood blinds. You may also like subtle tone-on-tone geometric or striped fabrics or patterned carpeting. Both of these bring interest and pattern into your room without appearing too busy.

If you’re unsure about how to decorate your home, a trip to your clothes closet may reveal some answers.

Filed Under: Color, Home Decorating, Styles & Trends Tagged With:

Decorating with Orange

January 13, 2012 By

Did you know that Pantone selected Tangerine Tango—a vibrant, deep orange color—as the color for 2012? According to Pantone, Tangerine Tango gives us “the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.” If you haven’t already noticed splashes of orange in home furnishings as well as in fashion and consumer products, you definitely will be seeing items like toasters, purses and accent furniture in the very near future. Orange is an optimistic and energetic color and can very successfully be incorporated into your décor.  Adding orange will bring new life, vitality, and vigor to your space.

While painting an entire room in Tangerine Tango might seem too bold for most people’s palettes, a smattering of orange in accessories might just do the trick. Try an arrangement of ceramic vases on a mantel or dining table, or some punchy new throw pillows, or a new set of dishes.

Reupholster your dining chairs or that bench in your entryway in a printed fabric with lots of orange. Or paint the ceiling in your powder room—what a statement!

Orange comes in a wide variety of tints, tones and shades so don’t think bright orange is your only option. Members of the orange family include: Apricot, Salmon, Rust, Brick, Persimmon, Pumpkin, Cantaloupe, Peach and many others. For a harmonious color scheme, look to the color wheel. Combine yellow-orange (like a Mandarin orange) with yellow and yellow-green (like pear or celery). This is a great color scheme for a kitchen and adjacent family room. Imagine buttery yellow walls, with green, yellow and orange printed dining chairs and window valances; a pear green sofa, tangerine colored dishes and green placemats and napkins. How cheerful and inviting!

To create a complementary color scheme, pair orange with blue. Imagine a navy blue sofa with copper-topped tables and a patterned area rug in shades of rust, blue, tan and cream. An accent wall in a deep rusty red tone would add a very warm touch. Use browns to ground an orange room—for example—add a brown leather chair or ottoman to this scenario, and use an espresso finish dining table in the kitchen scenario above.

If you work from home, try painting your home office (at least 1 wall) in orange; its energy will help you get your work done!

Filed Under: Color, Home Decorating, Styles & Trends Tagged With: , ,

The Organizing Bug Strikes Again

December 30, 2011 By

The Organizing Bug Strikes Again

A couple of weeks ago I was stricken by the organizing bug.  It happens to me a few times a year, but especially this time of year, and when it happens, no drawer, closet or cupboard is safe. Sometimes I can feel this bug coming on slowly, and other times it hits with no advance warning. But the approach of the New Year always makes me want to start off the year organized; if I can start January this way, there’s a good chance I can keep it up throughout the year. As much as I try to keep things neat and tidy, with our family’s busy lives things sometimes get out of hand. Maybe you can relate.

I walked by our messy, disorganized hall closet, and the bug hit with full force.  It had been a long time since I had given this closet my attention. (It is so much easier just to close the door and ignore it!) Something had to be done; it was now or never. I took everything out of the closet and piled it on the floor. Every last piece of paper, box, bag, and scrap came out. It surprised me how bad it had gotten: there were receipts from last Christmas, wrinkled wrapping paper scraps, envelopes filled with miscellaneous photos, and games and toys that had not been played with in years. I was ruthless. I threw away trash, and made a large pile of giveaway items. I sorted the remaining items and put them neatly back in the closet—games on one shelf, gift wrap supplies on another shelf, and so on. Now there is even empty space on some of the shelves, which I don’t plan on filling any time soon.

Those of you who know me know that I hate clutter. It doesn’t mean that my house is never messy (on the contrary! Sometimes it is very messy!), and it doesn’t mean that I am not the culprit occasionally. Personal correspondence, business paperwork and my kids’ school work pile up, and soon I can’t see the counter top anymore. It does mean, however, that once a week I tackle the paperwork on the counters until the surface is visible again. I am far from perfect, but keeping clutter to a minimum saves my sanity.

A few years ago, I caught an Oprah episode with professional organizer Peter Walsh. He challenged viewers to try this experiment to combat kitchen clutter: I took his challenge, and I urge you all to try it too, as it will be eye- opening. Here’s what you do: Transfer the entire contents of your kitchen utensil drawers into a large box. Place this box in another area of your house, away from the kitchen. (I placed my box in the laundry room.) Every time you need a utensil for cooking, go to the box, get what you need and put it back in the kitchen drawer. At the end of three or four months, you will see which items you really need and use, and which items are just taking up space. Get rid of everything still left in the box—you won’t miss them, and your kitchen drawers will be clutter free.

I can feel the organizing bug coming on again. Next: the bathroom cabinets.

 

Filed Under: Organization Tagged With: ,

Tips for a Beautiful Christmas Tree

December 15, 2011 By

I am truly a lucky person. Not only do I get to decorate my own tree for Christmas, but, as part of my design business, I also get to decorate many of my clients’ Christmas trees. It is such fun to take a bare tree and turn it into something magical. In this column I’ll share some decorating tips with you so your tree this year will be your prettiest yet.

1         While real Christmas trees smell heavenly (and the kind of tree my kids still insist on every year), I’m really coming to appreciate several features of artificial trees. As a decorator I particularly like that the branches can be bent and shaped to be where I want them to be. If you need to move a branch up or down an inch or two, or bend it to secure an ornament, an artificial tree allows you to do this. With a real tree, you’ll have to be creative to fill in any bald spots—use cut pine branches, or more ornaments, or silk flowers and floral picks.

2         Another great feature of artificial trees is that they come pre-lit! Stringing the lights on the tree is my least favorite part, but having lots of lights really makes the tree come alive at night time. Start by tucking and weaving Christmas tree lights on the branches near the base of the tree.  Once the inside is covered, then move to the outer edges of the branches. How many lights is enough? Rule of thumb is approximately 100 lights per foot for any tree above 4 feet tall. For example, for your 6-foot tree, plan on using six 100-light strands. For smaller trees, fewer lights are needed.

3         After the lights are on, then you can add garland or ribbon, or anything that wraps around the tree. Don’t skimp on the garland—for that same 6-foot tree, you’ll need about 80 or 90 feet of garland. I love beaded garland; it looks beautiful when it catches the light and it hangs beautifully on the branches. Wired ribbon is fabulous too. Try tying large bows and letting the ribbon “tails” cascade down the tree. Very pretty.

4         Place your largest and most special ornaments first. Think creatively for a moment—do you have a collection you can display on your tree? Tea cups? Teddy bears? Snowmen? China dolls? The possibilities are endless. Can you imagine a tree decorated with delicate teacups? How unique and beautiful! On a tree I helped decorate this week, we used the client’s collection of Santa Claus dolls—they were large and colorful and really added a festive holiday touch. We placed those first, then filled in the rest of the tree with a variety of ornaments. Use wire to secure your items to the branches.

5         If you use clear glass ornaments, be sure and place them right next to the light bulbs so they really sparkle.

6         Floral picks and artificial flowers are a decorator’s best friend. Tuck floral picks into the branches and use large-size artificial flowers poinsettias, or amaryllis, or hydrangeas to add color and texture.

7         Make it personal: Make sure your tree reflects you and your family. My favorite ornaments are the photos of my kids. Their cute little faces are tucked in right alongside the other ornaments, and they are the ones I enjoy looking at the most. Happy Decorating!

Filed Under: Holiday Decorating, Seasonal Decorating Tagged With: ,

Secrets to a Successful Monochromatic Room

November 29, 2011 By

Interior designers adore color. We are like kids in a candy store when we look through paint swatches and fabric samples. Take us to a tile showroom we become giddy with excitement. So we are delighted when we are asked to design colorful rooms for clients. There are several color schemes on which we like to base our designs. In this article, I will focus on one popular color scheme called the monochromatic scheme. Monochromatic literally means one color, and in this type of scheme, one main color is used throughout the room. Designing a monochromatic room seems like it would be easy, but it does take some skill to keep this type of room from looking overpowering or boring.

For example, let’s look at the color blue. In a monochromatic blue bedroom, blue would be the dominant color for the walls, bedding and window treatments. However, in order to keep this room from looking flat, a variety of blues are used. The walls can be a soothing shade of gray-blue; the bedding can be a paisley pattern with lots of blues, grays and a little white, and the draperies can be a deep blue silk. Blue can also be incorporated into this room with artwork, accessories and an area rug.

The secret to making monochromatic rooms interesting is contrast. Make sure your bedding and headboard coordinate but don’t match exactly, and make sure they stand out against the walls. Make sure your window treatments are not the exact same color as the walls. Keep your dark wood dresser—the contrast will be beautiful against the gray-blue walls. And mix up the textures as well. The silkiness of the drapes will contrast with the nubby chenille of the chair upholstery, and can you substitute your wooden night stands for two chrome and glass tables? That will add even more contrast.

Throw pillows are a great place to add texture, even if the colors are all the same. Dress up plain blue pillows with beaded trim or fringe; look for a blue stripe fabric for additional pillows, and even throw in a little bit of faux fur for a fun and playful touch.

With texture, subtle pattern and tints, tones and shades of one main color, your monochromatic bedroom will be a peaceful and beautiful haven.

Filed Under: Bedrooms, Color, Home Decorating Tagged With: ,

Listen to Goldilocks—furnishings should be “just right”

November 4, 2011 By

Goldilocks was right– there is such a thing as “just right.” Have you ever walked into someone’s living room and noticed that the furniture is just too big for the room? This is an error of scale. It can happen quite easily, and I see it frequently when I look at homes. It happens because people don’t take measurements before they go shopping. It happens because they decide to buy the entire living room suite of furniture, and then use it anyway, even after they realize it is just too big. It happens because people don’t realize that furniture looks properly scaled in those large furniture showrooms, but is, in fact, too large for their own home.

It is also possible to undersize furniture and accessories. I see this problem as well, especially when people buy large new homes with high ceilings and big rooms. All of a sudden, the furniture and accessories that filled their old living room get lost in the large new space.

Scale refers to the relationship of sizes between objects. Objects that are too big or that overpower a space, or are too small and get lost in the space are said to be out of scale. For example, a delicate chair placed next to a bulky leather recliner will be out of scale. Similarly, a lamp with a large, heavy base will be out of scale if it is placed on a small end table.

Some common errors of scale that I see are:

  • Furniture that is simply too large for the room. Take measurements of the room before you shop. Be aware that certain styles appear larger than others: a sofa with heavy rolled arms and a high back will appear larger in your room than a sofa with a lower back and simple arms, even when they are the same size. Also, please resist buying more furniture than will fit in the room, even if it is a great deal.
  • Small pieces of artwork floating high on large walls. To remedy this problem, select artwork that fits the wall size and shape. Large walls need large art arrangements; small walls need smaller pieces. If the artwork is too small, try it in a grouping with other pieces or move it to a smaller wall. Also, hang the artwork lower and closer to the furniture, always relating it to the furnishings around it.
  • Small accessories on large mantels. If you have a large-scale fireplace and mantel, your accessories should be large as well. Small items will get lost on the shelf and make no impact. Try tall and wide ceramic vases or chunky candleholders instead of tiny knick-knacks. To add height you can use a stack of books or a decorative box. If you have a large-scale piece of art hanging above the mantel, you may not need any accessories at all– you can let the art speak for itself.

What would Goldilocks say if she came to your house?

This article appeared in The Tri-City Voice on November 4, 2011.

Filed Under: Accessories, Furniture Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts