daughter's bedroom

Hi Christine,

My name is Cara I found your blog through Michal's. I love to decorate my home, but I am at a loss as to what to do with my almost 3-year-old's pink bedroom. I am planning on purchasing a "big girl" bed soon. If I sent pictures, maybe you could help with some ideas? (I loved the idea of painting the base boards, but am a little hesitant only because we will have to sell our house in 2 years, because we are in the military). Thanks and I hope to hear from you soon.

Cara

Dear Cara,

Ever since I started having children of my own- I have had a new love- decorating childrens' rooms. Keep posted- I'll have a few different posts to respond to your question. I would love for you to send pictures. I think to begin with, you need some inspiration- for instance- a fabulous piece of art- a great quilt- something to be the focal point fo the room, something to build your room around. The photo is one of an artist's child's bedroom- her name is Jennifer Judd McGee- I love her work. What do you think? Any particualr interests of your daughter to work around? Keep posted- this is just the begining. I would also like a floorplan of your daughter's room.

Thanks,

Christine

tuscan kitchen

Hello Christine, my name is Lisa XXXX, from Fredonia, NY.

I am redoing my kitchen,

I am painting it a butter yellow with one accent wall in red. I would like to have a Tuscan theme with all the beautiful sun drenched colors; where should I look for accessories for my walls?

Thanks so much!!!
Lisa

Dear Lisa,
Can you tell me the dimensions of the walls that need wall decor?
Thanks,
Christine

Bare and Boring

Dear Christine,


I was so happy when I found your blog. My family room and I are in need of your help. It looks bare and boring. It is a rather small family room but I know it has more potential than what is or is not going on in it right now. I would love to be able to achieve that finished, polished look. I would love to hear your ideas on anything from wall hangings to furniture, color, layout, drapes, or whatever else you feel this room would benefit from. I would like to paint this room soon and maybe acquire some additional furniture pieces but wanted to wait for your advice. I look forward to your help. Thank you so much for your time and interest.





Sincerely,


Mary Kate Telles





Mary Kate,


Can you tell me the dimensions of your room (A, B, C and D- as I outlined in drawing)? Any colors that you like or don't like? How many people would you like to seat in this room? What is this room used for mostly? Is there a TV in the armoire? Any book or other storage needed? What would you describe is your style? Do you have kids or pets that I should take into consideration?

Thanks,

Christine

Thank you again

Thank you sooo much for all your help with my paint color selections. I never realized before how consistent I am with the colors I choose. I can now have that flow with color I was lacking with every room being alfalfa and antler, my safety choice. As you saw, my bathroom choice really wasn't me. I purchased the colors for my master bedroom and bath yesterday. I'm on my way. I'm still undecided about the other bathroom. I do know it needs a change.

Thanks,

Linda

Dear Linda,
Take some pictures for us to see here when you are done! Before and afters are my favorites!
Thanks,
Christine

Susan's Question

Hi Christine,

First, thanks so much for your wonderful blog and willingness to
generously share your time and talents!

Here's s design challenge from Massachusetts. I hope I'm giving
useful information. I'll attach a photo, if that helps.

We live in a small (1050 sq ft) post-war cape. Our living room has an
inside wall that goes along the center staircase. It's the perfect
spot for a collection of family photos or other artwork. I tried to
put something together, but, ugh! -- it looks like a bad dorm room
wall (not to mention, they're all crooked).

Do you have some good examples or rules of thumb to follow in terms of
proportions, spacing, etc. for a small living space? Also, a big
obstacle is that a programmable thermostat is in the center of the
wall. I've thought about installing a floating shelf under the
thermostat and covering it with a picture, but think that might look
funny with the other pictures mounted directly to the wall.

Any creative ideas for creating a fun arrangement of photos, while
masking the thermostat?

Thanks very much in advance for any insight you could add!

Susan

Dear Susan,

Thanks for your question, and picture! I feel like it is so much more helpful when a photo is attached.

I just love the architecture in the east! How lucky you are!

Let me talk for a minute about small spaces. In small spaces, I try to keep the visual mass low. Visual mass is how "heavy" something looks. For instance, a dining chair with four wooden legs has less visual mass than a slip-covered dining chair. Light colors have less visual mass than dark ones. A see-through glass coffee table has less visual mass than a wooden chest used as a coffee table. Large bold prints have more visual mass than small simple prints. This does not mean that you won't use dark bold colors (or other items with high visual mass), just not in large areas- perhaps they would be in a pillow rather than the upholstery fabric on the sofa. On the flip side, some large spaces need to have more visual mass, so the furnishings will feel like they are a good scale for the room.

A couple of other items. When you have one table on a wall, the table should be a good scale and proportion for the wall. The table has a "relationship" with the wall. I would suggest that your table is too short, and not wide enough- and perhaps, too deep.

When you have a table, sofa, any furniture against a wall- the wall decor above it should have a "relationship" with the furniture. It should be "rooted" to the furniture. Don't hang it too high. Your pictures are too high :)

OK- so about your thermostat..... Some electrician just wasn't thinking. He was told it went on that wall- so where does he put it? Right in the middle!! Hello!!! My solution- let's use a collection of frames, some larger, some smaller, some square, some round, some rectangle- similar style frames- but not matching. Generally, I would say that my personal design style is a little more simple than this, but the business is what makes it work so well to conceal the thermostat that is right in the middle. I would keep the frames very simple if you have a more decorative table, like the one in the photo- or if you have a more simple table- I would be more decorative with the frames. I would also have my photos copied in sepia tones. With just a few frames, the thermostat is more noticeable- with more- it will blend in. Keep it assymetrical- random but full. - No noticeably large sections of negative space. Then- let's put a plant right in front of it. (It does not matter that you are covering up someone's photo in full or in part- don't worry about this at all.) I would also suggest that your frames are too contemporary for your traditional table. I would lean more traditional becasue of your architetcture as well. I drew two buffet lamps and a plant on your table- the same effect can come from two topiaries and a ceramic urn- or something similar- just so long as the thermostat is covered. :) Thermostat? What thermostat? (Yet still easy enough to use.)

The table above is an example of one that would work better for your wall. It is 40 inches high, 52 inches wide, and only 10 inches deep. The fact that it is taller and wider than your table will give it a better scale and relationship to your wall. The fact that it is only 10 inches deep, will make it a practical solution for a small space. The low "visual weight" will make it work well in your small space as well.

Susan- thanks for the question- feel free to follow up with more questions about this wall- or anything else in your home!

- Christine

Thanks to Guildmaster for the table- $699.00 AGED FILIGREE METAL WITH SKINNY HERITAGE GREY STAINED WOODEN TABLE TOP.

Earth Day

I think it is important for each of us to do our part to protect and preserve the earth for the future generations that will inherit it.

I am always impressed when a manufacturer takes special effort to be "earth friendly."

One of my favorites? Mathews and Company. Their copper tables are made of a blended mix of soda bottles. Their wood furniture is made of vintage wood, over twenty years old. Their pottery can be returned to the earth, as it is made of three different types of soil.

What else? They are fantastic from a design standpoint- unique, bold, and easy to customize.

I'm not done yet- we need to talk finishes.

This post is part of an ongoing series of posts that go over the different options in hardwood floors. The idea is that you can get educated by someone who knows what they are talking about but is not trying to sell you anything. :)

The finishes available on hardwood floors might be the clicher that helps you make your decision. I will go over them one by one for you.

1. Acrylic Impregnated – I thought I would start with my personal favorite. I put acrylic impregnated floors in my last house and was EXTREMELY happy with them. If my budget would have permitted- I would have them again. So- what is it? "Acrylic monomers are injected into the cell structure of the wood to give increased hardness and then finished with a wear layer over the wood." I posted last time about the hardness of the different species. For instance- maple has a rating of approximately 1800 PSI's- with this finish, the acrylic (and the stain) is "forced through the wood"- it "impregnates" the wood. If the wood has a dark finish, you can see (from the side of a sample) that the stain goes deep into the wood, not just on the surface. This has several advantages. #1- scratches would be less noticeable becasue the color is not just surface deep. #2- more importantly-the acrylic has hardening agents in it, making a maple floor with 1800 PSI's naturally- even harder. This type of flooring is used frequently on a commercial level. The floor that I had is from Hartco- from a series called "Pattern Plus 5000" This same type of floor is in most "Gap" stores that I have been to- as well as a number of other retail establishements. It can also be installed in a number of different patterns- which is cool. You can get it with an aluminum oxide finish on top of it (they call it the Permion finish) , (I did- and for residnetial use I would recommend it) or not- commercially- it would not have the aluminium oxide, becasue they like to buff it. This is the floor that is used in some of the "Sports Authority" showrooms where shoppers try out their Rollerblades. It is a great finish! This is the flooring in the photo.

2. Aluminum Oxide – particles added to the polyurethane finish to increase the abrasion resistance of the wear layer. This has become extremely popular on the better grades of hardwood floors. I am not a big "Pergo" or laminate floor fan. However- it was the best thing that ever happened to the finishes on hardwood floors. The laminates came onto the market with their "aluminum oxide finish"- which was far superior in durabliity to the urethane that was found on most hardwoods at the time. It wasn't long before the hardwood floor folks figured out how to put this finish on their floors as well. Aluminum oxide is extremely tough. It is used to polish diamonds- it is fabulous!
4. Ceramic – Advanced finish technology that allows the use of space-age ceramics to increase the abrasion resistance of the wear layer. Comparable to Aluminum Oxide- our thanks to NASA- this is up there with velcro and ice cream dots as good stuff!
5. Polyurethane – A clear, tough and durable finish that is applied as a wear layer. The nice thing about a floor with a polyurethane finish- is this: When the floor gets wear and scratches- you can have a "screen and re-coat." Here- professionals would come into your home and first rough up your floor with a buffer that has a "screen" on it- (it looks like a window screen)- this does not actually penetrate the stain. Then a new layer of polyurethane is applied. Unlike sanding an engineered floor- this can be done many many times since it does not actually go into the wood at all. Some of the new floor finishes are actually too hard to screen effectively. (There are other types of urethane finishes- water based- moisture cured- oil modified- these are some different options for a custom finish- but I will have to admit- I am not an expert on them- sorry- ask your floor guy)
6. UV-cured – these floors are finished at the factory and the polyurethane finish is cured with ultraviolet lights instead of using heat. When everyone was changing their finishes to aluminium oxide- my favorite longstrip company- Kahrs- looked into it as well. They determined that their finish that they were already using was better. They use the UV cured finish. Is it better? I don't know- but it is VERY good. I would definitely recommend it.

7. Wax. Like you may remember- wax was the thing in the 70's- but - like everything good- it came back. What's good about wax you ask? Well- for one- the look. A waxed floor gives you a beautiful matte finish. Martha Stewart is a big fan of wax finishes- or so I've heard. What else? You can fix it yourself. For a screen and re-coat of a urethane floor- you need a professional. But- If you have a wax floor- just rent a buffer and take a Saturday- you can take care of it yourself. I recently purcahsed a kitchen table with a beautiful distressed finish- it is a wax finish. It is great- I love it for these reasons.

Sliced or Rotary Cut?

This post continues my series on selecting a hardwood floor. Another consideration is whether the wood is sliced or rotary cut. Some wood veneers (the top layer in an engineered floor) are sliced, and some are rotary cut.

SLICED

• Sliced veneers are cut, like the word says. They are sliced. It would be like taking a baguette and cutting it the long way, into long pieces.



• This shows a more distinct, truer, more natural grain- which is more of an issue in species that have more grain. It really is a nicer look, and if budget allows, it is a choice that I would make.



• This is a more expensive process, as it has more waste, as you might imagine, with the scraps from slicing the baguette, where only the center pieces are wide enough for use.

ROTARY CUT

• Rotary cut veneers are more like a cinnamon roll. The blade cuts the wood in such a way that it peels away at the log in a circular motion.
• The result is a "fuzzier" grain. It is less distinct, like you would see in a piece of plywood.



• This reduces waste, thereby reducing the cost.



• This does not affect the durability of the wood- just the look. Some buyers are not so particular as to even notice. The more particular buyers will see the difference, and generally prefer the sliced look.

Ok- but what species should I get?

When I first started out in the design industry- it seemed like the only choices were oak, maple or cherry. Maple was harder than oak, but because of the grain, oak will disguise the inevitable future scratches easier. Oak tended to be less expensive. Maple has a more contemporary feel- oak and cherry more traditional. Cherry is VERY soft, and more expensive, so it didn't make a lot of sense in most cases... And that was it- explain that to the client, and they could choose- oak, cherry or maple.

Today- that is absolutely NOT the case. There are TONS of species to choose from, as you can see from the hardness chart above. So- how do you decide?

1. Hardness. Like I said, cherry is very soft. You would never want a bar stool on a cherry floor. Even oak is not that that hard to dent. I have a friend who, shortly after the installation of her new lovely oak floors, had a party. One lady in attendance was a little heavy, and in spiked high healed shoes. Everywhere she walked little "pock" marks were left on the floor. A good finish makes a difference here- (which I will discuss in another post)- but the hardness factor of the floor is an even bigger determining factor. Brazilian Cherry is one of my favorite species for this reason. It is not so exotic that it is out of control expensive, and it is about 3x as hard as your average oak floor. So- what is your traffic level in your home? Any Rollerblades, or do you have quiet serenity and slippers?





2. Color- If you have wood kitchen cabinets, and are including the kitchen in your flooring installation, this area really needs to be a good blend. This is another reason I like Brazialin Cherry- it tends to have colors of red, almost like a mahogony, or cherry, as well as golden oak colors. It is a great floor to blend a lot of different woods that you might have in your cabinetry and furniture. A little trick of mine? If you have wood cabinets, and a wood floor, paint your toe kick. Make it the same color as your baseboards, or a different coordinating color for your home- black or white perhaps. What this does, is it separated the two large areas of wood in such a way that your mind doesn't try to see if they "match". I think it looks a lot nicer in most cases- especially when it doesn't match perfectly. So- which species have a good color for you home? I suggest the old standby- don't make your decision before taking a number of samples to your home and looking at them in different areas, and different lighting- next to your cabinets, furniture, and paint colors.





3. Grain. Some woods will have a very noticeable grain- others are smooth- the higher levels of grain will tend to disguise small scratches better than smoother, clearer woods like maple.




4. Style. Certain species will add to your feeling that you are going after. For instance- if you have a provincial decor- a knotty pine will make more of a provincial statement than a simple oak. If your interior is modern- a clean look of a maple will add to the feel, whereas a busy oak could perhaps distract from it. Or- a dramatic bamboo or zebrawood could be a fun addition to a modern home. A rich elegnat traditional interior might benefit most from a glossy cherry, or rich walnut.




5. Earth Friendly. The number one growing area of interior design is being "green." With this as a concern, bamboo makes a good solution. It grows very fast, making it an easily renewable resource. The fast growth also makes it affordable.

Crazy about Glue- Down

This post is a continuation of a little series on hardwood floors that I started last week- I am discussing all of the little details to help you make the best decision for your home. This post is contrasting glue-down floors with floating or longstrip floors- (see the previous post for longstrip info)

Glue-down engineered floors. These are hardwood floors that have different layers of wood for greater moisture stability (less expanding and contracting), and they are individual planks, glued down directly to your slab. (Raised foundations would use a nail-down floor- some wood floors can be both nailed down or glued down- which is a good choice if you want a glue down on you main floor slab, and the same piece upstairs.)

So- here we go- glue-down

• PROS

1. These floors are quieter, and have a more solid sound to them.


2. You can see each individual plank. I like this look - as it sets it aside from the laminates.
3. 
   
4. This type of flooring is used in most herringbones or other patterned floors.


5. It is possible to have a beveled or eased edge. (I only recommend a beveled edge for buyers that like to vacuum on a daily basis. )

• A word about beveled edges. Why have them? With a square edge glue-down floor, there is always "overwood"- this is referring to the little difference in height between the different pieces of wood, due not to imperfect milling, but rather to the imperfections in your concrete slab. A beveled, or eased edge, makes this unnoticeable.


• They also have a different feel and look about them- more clearly drawing attention to the individual planks of flooring.


• This is always the look in a distressed hardwood floor.
• 
  
• They are higher maintenance - requiring more vacuuming to keep them clean.
• 
  
• There are different depths to a beveled floor- as you can see in the pictures above.

CONS

1. The over-wood spoken of before- this bothers very particular people, but not most people.
2. This type of floor is most susceptible to moisture problems in a slab with high moisture content. (Underylaying with an inexpensive sheet vinyl takes care of that in most cases.)

Engineered for Performance

The majority of the pre-finished wood floors sold in California, are "engineered." It used to be called "laminate"- but the birth of Pergo changed their distinction. An engineered floor has 3 or 5 layers of wood. In looking at the product, you might think that the thin layers of wood are that way to save money over a solid piece of hardwood, but in actuality, it is really about the stability of the product. When wood expands and contracts, it does so only in one direction. The different layers of wood in an engineered product are laid in opposing directions with each layer, and then glued and bound in such a manner that it drastically reduces the amount of expanding and contracting the floor will do. This is what makes it possible to install this type of floor on a concrete slab that has moisture coming through it. (With that in mind, there are extreme cases of moisture where even an engineered wood is not going to work- reputable stores can measure the moisture content in your slab and let you know what your specific situation is- there are special adhesives and vinyl underlayments that can help).

So- let's say you have decided that you want/need an engineered wood floor- there are still more decisions to make.

The next decision to make is whether you prefer a longstrip or individual plank floor- otherwise called a "floating" floor or glue down.

Longstrip-

A longstrip floor is one where the pieces of wood, in an engineered piece, are put together in a long strip of wood, usually about 8 inches wide and 7 feet long. Each longstrip is then put together with a tongue and groove construction.

• PROS

1. Longstrips are a smoother floor. A typical individual plank floor has what is called "overwood" Where each plank is glued to the floor, the imperfections in the slab (and there are imperfections in EVERY slab), make the pieces of wood slightly higher here or there. Longstrips, or a floating floor, do not actually glue down to the floor, only to each other. This proves to be a smoother floor in most situations.


2. They, generally speaking, install quicker. It is not in my nature to make a long term flooring decision for such a reason, but, they do install faster.


3. Because they "float" they are sometimes a better choice if you find that you do have a high moisture content in your slab.

• CONS

1. They are a "real" hardwood floor, but they sometimes look a little like a laminate. (This is less common in the style in the photo- by Kahrs . Here the planks are long solid pieces of wood rather than more of a "butcher block" look.) BTW- I love Kahrs- they are my favorite long strip brand. They take great pride in their product, and have fabulous warranties, and from my experience, really stand behind their product. They are not cheap- but hey- it's only money- this is your FLOOR!


2. They are noisy. If you do not wear shoes in your home- you will not notice so much, but they are louder. Hard shoes tend to have a clippity clop sound. (This might bug some people, and not others)

Solid... Solid as a Rock

So- this post is for those of you that are shopping for hardwood floors. There are SO MANY to choose from, different brands, different finishes, different construction, different styles, different colors- prefinished, or custom- where do you begin? We'll take it step by step.

Question for you- do you have a raised foundation, or are you on a concrete slab? I am in California, where the large majority of us are on concrete slabs. (Poor us- we have no basements). This makes a big difference - because if you are on a concrete slab, you probably do not want a solid hardwood, but rather an engineered product. What is the difference and why? Look at the side of the wood sample. Do you see just one piece of wood, or 3 or 5 thinner pieces glued together? The solid piece is a terrific choice for those of you on a raised foundation. Solid hardwood is a good choice for these reasons:

1. You can completely change your color in the future. With such a large piece of wood to work with, if you went with a dark ebony finish today, and in 15 years wanted a different color- no problem. (Ok- so it is a lot of work, and a big mess- but at least it is possible without the expense of replacing our foors - approx $3.50/ sq ft compared to the $10-$20 that a replacement would cost)

2. They might be able to survive a leak or a flood where an engeneered piece wouldn't. (Not in severe cases, but sometimes.) Let's say you had a plumbing issue in your home, or your French doors were leaking- this is sometimes the downfall of hardwood floors. There is a rasied grain in some cases, warping in others. With a solid piece, again, you have the thickness to refinish your floors. Some brands of hardwood, like Bruce- offer a higher-end engineered selection, with a thicker top layer, that actually guarantees one sanding- but most do not have the thickness to do it.

3. Statistically speaking, solid hardwood floors last 30 years, whereas engineered floors are replaced after 20.

So- When is solid not a good choice?

• If you are on a concrete slab- it is generally not a good choice. There is moisture in your slab that works its way from the ground, through your concrete, to your home. If you have carpet- this is absolutely no big deal. If you have vinyl- you may sometimes have blue or purple colors in your vinyl- or perhaps little bumps- where you think to yourself- "What a dumb installer! Why didn't he sweep!"- no no- not his fault. That is an alkali build-up as a result of heavy moisture. Ceramic tile and stone- no problem with moisture. Hardwood- you have to be more careful. Don't think- hey- I live in a dry climate- this is not a problem. It doesn't work that way. I worked in Valencia, CA for a number of years, and even with the hot, dry climate, moisture was a big issue in flooring. Solid hardwood expands and contracts more than an engineered hardwood. This makes it more susceptible to moisture issues. Keep it out of a bathroom that gets regular steamy showers (whether you are on a raised foundation or slab). And- in order to install it on your concrete slab, you need to first "waterproof" your slab. This is not as simple as just installing a piece of vinyl- it is actually very thick. That's the problem. It makes your floor so thick that you would trip where it transitions into carpet. It cannot be put in a kitchenbecasue you would never be able to get your dishwasher out for repair or replacement. Not to mention that the cost goes up with the extensive floor prep.



• When does it work? If you have brand new construction, or you are getting new kithen cabinets, you can have it installed before the cabinets go in, and then the cabinets (and diswasher) would be on top of it- not posing a problem for your dishwasher (but perhaps a future probem if you ever choose to change your floor). I did this once with a client, and she also incurred the expense of re-sheeting her carpeted areas with a thick plywood prior to carpet installation to make the height not be a trip hazard.
  
• Solid is also the product of choice when you want a hand distressed, custom finish, or both. It is also nice to have the urethane coat the entire top of the floor, not having gaps in the finish where the pieces of wood come together.

Thank you Decor fall winter 2007 for the photo- Designer Stephanie Wohlner

Flooring 101

Almost nothing is more important in a beautiful home than to start with beautiful flooring. This is a limiting factor in many cases. I will go to a client's home, and we can get new furniture, paint the walls, add great accessories, their house will look great- but unless their floors are beautiful- it will never look fantastic.

Rule #1- Go timeless. Flooring is expensive. That's WHY people have not-so-great flooring- so- when you do take the plunge- go timeless. Personally- my #1 picks are natural products, like hardwood and natural stone. (I am speaking specifically about all over flooring- for the living areas in the home.) These will not go out of style like ceramic or porcelain tile. They generally give you freedom to change your colors in the home also. I feel like the flooring should be a beautiful background. A pallet for you to decorate on. We all can picture ceramic tile from the 70's- hideous dark colors and ugly patterns. In the 80's they all had little peach flowers in the corners. In the 90's people looked at the previous two decades and decided plain white 12 x 12 tile is the way to go. But alas- we now think that is hideous also. Today, we can go to the tile store- and see so many beautiful tiles that sadly, will seem horrible to us in 15 years. Think about how long you need this investment to last- and make a selection that will still look good through that time. (A good classic hardwood floor should look good indefinitely.) Some people might not mind the inconvenience and expense of replacing flooring- others know they will only be in their home for a few years. In ceramic and porcelain tile- my personal pick is tile that looks A LOT like stone. There are some great faux travertines out there. Also- if your architecture will allow- saltilo tiles have made it into the timeless category.

Rule #2- Get the best flooring that you can afford. I remember a fellow interior designer, years ago, having carpet put on a wood staircase as a runner for a client. I was helping her figure her job out. It was custom cut and professionally installed with beautiful brass hardware. However- she selected average carpet. Carpet that, on a staircase, would probably be showing signs of wear in a year. I think of this as a key element to your home- the last one to scrimp on.

Rule #3- Don't chop it up. If your home is over 4000 square feet- I might give you different advice- but for the rest of you- have as few flooring changes as possible. Especially in the middle of a room. If you have a kitchen that is totally open to a family room- select one floor for the area. Cutting it in half, putting hard floor in the kitchen, and carpet in the family room, makes your room look smaller, and disturbs the "flow".

Thank you to Architectural Digest for the photo of Ryan Seacrest's Hollywood home

The Vaulted Ceiling

Photo- Decor fall '07- designers: Peter Ermacora and Evan Hughs

Malia asked:

One more question...In our condo, our bedroom ceiling is slanted up. What do we do with that? Should we call attention to it or shy away? We do have a cool ledge up there, but I'm stumped for ideas. My style is simple, clean, modern.

Malia,

This is one of those questions that does not inherently have a right or wrong answer. I can, however, give you my opinion.

You describe your style as simple/clean/modern. With that description, I would not add a ledge or anything. I would keep it simple, unless, of course, you need to add something to create balance in your room. Do you find that your room has more furniture on the other side of the room, or more wall art or something? Does it feel lopsided or out of balance? These are good reasons to add something over there. If that is not the case, I would leave it clean and simple.

Do you have a different color of paint on the wall than you have on the ceiling? This will give you two very different looks. The photo above shows you the "one color" look. Some things that help that to work: beautiful architecture, interesting mouldings and beams.

The lower picture shows the second look- that of having contrast on your walls with your ceiling. Notice how the angled ceiling stands out. This is simply due to the contrast with the white ceiling and taupe walls. If you have really cool architecture, this will help to draw attention to that. If it is not especially something you are crazy about, perhaps the one color, more suble look is better for you. I really like contrast in most cases. If the room in the above photo were my job, there would be a contrasting color on the walls, even if just a subtle one. I feel like it gives the room depth and interest. SO the next question is, what do you want to add to your description of "simple, clean, modern"- the word "bold" or "subtle." No wrong answer- :) Good luck Malia! Send us a picture!

- Christine

Pattern adds Punch

Christine,

I have white wood blinds in my kitchen eating area and I am looking to make a change. I have a traditional, minimalist country style to my home. Any ideas?

- Cindy

Dear Cindy,

Kitchens are usually filled with hard floors, smooth cabinets, and hard smooth furniture. The floors are mopped frequently, making long drapes a less desirable idea. I am a big fan of Roman shades in kitchen areas. This is one place where you can bring in the softness and pattern of fabric. Imagine the photo above with shutters or blinds- certainly not as interesting. If you like some diffused light without losing the view, I sometimes hang solar shades under the Roman shades.

Thanks for the question!

- Christine

Thanks to Decor for the photo- designer: Christine Lane

Beautiful but Boring part II

Michelle wrote in wondering how to decorate her entry in an "earthy, rustic, casual" style, in a way that still blended with her formal home. Yesterday we addressed the walls, and today I wanted to tackle the table. To help you make a centerpiece selection- I want you to take into consideration three principles: scale, balance, and style.

1. Scale: Your table appears to be approximately 36 to 42 inches in diameter. Your centerpiece should be approximately 12 to 16 inches in diameter for a table this size. That is for the "pot, urn, vase, etc." Whatever you have coming out of it can be much wider. (even as wide as the table itself- but not wider) I would have an arrangement with greenery coming out of it. This will draw the eye up to the grandeaur of the entry.




2. Balance: Your table has a glass top, and a fairly light "visual weight" To avoid your table feeling "top heavy" do not have a centerpiece that is too "thick and dense." If you were to have a "heavier" looking table, you would want a thicker, denser arrangement. (like the one in the lower photo)




3. Style: You describe your personal style as "earthy, rustic, casual." You also descibed your home as "fomal," which is clear to see from the photo. I would perhaps consider replacing the table. The glass, smooth lines, and cherry finish are definitely formal, and also I feel like your entry needs a heavier "visual weight" in the center. The picture that I posted is a table from K&K Interiors. It has a distressed finish, more visual weight, and is rustic, yet formal. If you opt to keep your table- your arrangement should be consistent in style with the table that it is sitting on, for example- the centerpiece in the upper photo.

Good luck Michelle! Let me know if you have any furthur questions, and be sure to send "after" photos!

Thanks to Decor magazine spring 20008 for the photo.

Beautiful but Boring

Christine

I have a massive two story foyer with a double staircase and two curved walls. These walls need some personality but I'm not sure how. I wish I could hang some pictures or something. And then there is the table which is a start but I can't come up with the right way to decorate it that reflects my more earthy, rustic, casual style but would still look good in my formal house. Please help!

- Michelle

Hi Michelle,

Let me just start by saying that you have a beautiful home- a great pallet to work with. Your stone floors, beautiful neutral wall color and what a grand staircase! Let's start with your walls. We'll tackle your table next time. Now that I've just complimented the nice color, let's change it. This entry way needs to be more inviting. I would look to the color pallet of your adjoining living room for a color choice. It certainly does not have to be a bold red, but contrast with the floor would be great. I am not a huge fan of hanging pictures on curved walls. I have seen it look "OK"- but it tends to feel awkward to me. You could hang tapestries or a rug- but with the symmetry of the staircase, I would maintain symmetry in your wall design. Perhaps a beautiful fresco hand painted wall mural or wallpaper. My personal style would keep it somewhat subtle. I love the example photo- muted colors, aged- to look like it has been there for a hundred years. Can you picture it? What do you think?

Thanks for writing in- and especially for the photo- that is fun to see. I want to see an "after" photo also!

- Christine