A coffee table by any other name....

Look outside of the box when it comes to a coffee table. I once had a client, for whom I found a fabulous antique trunk that they liked very much. I suggested that they use it for a coffee table, and they felt like they couldn't, because it was too high.

I am here today to tell you that there is no right or wrong height on a "coffee table." Sure- with an end table, you want it to fall at a natural level next to the arm of your furniture- not too high, not too low. But coffee tables are different. They can be higher than "normal" they can be narrower than "normal." They should have a good scale relationship with your furniture- but don't think that just because most furniture manufacturers make them around 18 inches high, that that is "right" and other sizes are "wrong." It's just not so. I was once antiquing with my brother-in-law and we found a fabulous "sugaring sled" (a sled that was used to move large buckets of maple syrup on the snow). It is a perfect coffee table, and compliments his Vermont heritage. I once found an antique bench from a monastery. Long and thin, yes- but still- another perfect coffee table. I love the interest that comes to a room when you are able to beautifully combine the old with the new. It is such a timeless design when done well.

It's Saturday!! Go garage sale-ing, go to flee markets, go antiquing. Have fun! And e-mail me and show me what you find! (Karl- if you ever read my blog- e-mail me a picture of your sled!)

This photo is from Coastal Living, June 2008, Designer: Patrick Sutton.

Sofa for 8 Sided room

I hope you can help me. I have received conflicting advice about what to purchase for the 18'x21' family room in my new home. The space is an 8 sided step down. Three sides have floor to ceiling (12') windows; the opposite 3 sides open onto a hallway connecting several spaces; one side opens to the breakfast/kitchen; across from the breakfast area is the final side and only wall area, housing the fireplace and wall-mount TV. I watch TV from the kitchen.

Spacious enough for sectional. L-shape or U shape? Should sofa face the wall of windows and our woods? That would expose the sofa backs to hallway and breakfast area. Current 90" sofa in front of windows looks dwarfed. Need to seat my family of 6 comfortably but 7 or possibly 8 would be wonderful. Finding that not all corner units of sectionals are functional. Too crowded or too deep.

I would appreciate any help at all. We are anxious to purchase but have received different advice at each store.

Thank you.
Gayle

Dear Gayle,

From your description, I did my best to draw your room to scale- What do you think of having two sectionals? Bernhardt makes one called the "Archer" - it comes in leather or upholstry. The sectional has a nice curve to it that would mimic your architecture, rather than compete with your existing angles in the room.

You can then put a console table on the back side of both sectionals- symetrically. This not only "decorates" the back side, but also gives you a place for lamps, and storage if needed. You could then finish the look with a couple of ottomans in the center. This would seat 8 comfortably, as the angles in the sectionals are subtle, and not true "corners." Let me know if I can help you further with ordering anything, I would be happy to get you some leather and or upholstry samples from Bernhardt, as well as some pricing. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Let me know what you think, or if we need to re-work your plan!

Thanks for the question!!!

- Christine

The sectional and console table are from Bernhardt. The ottoman is from Padma's Plantation.

ABC Wednesday S is for Staging

In addition to regular Interior Design work, I also stage homes that are going on the market to be sold.

A client that I worked with last week had a bedroom that needed some new bedding as part of the staging.

How do you know what to buy?

• Is the room large or small?


• Is the bed in the room a good proportion to the room, or is it too large or too small for the room?

1. Large patterns and dark colors take up more "visual space." If you have a large master bedroom, for example, using a dark color, or large pattern is a good direction to go. Keep your patterns and color current and simple. When potential buyers walk into the room, you don't want them thinking, "what a bright duvet" you want them thinking, "what a fabulous room." Keep in mind that patterns are also very subjective. What you like, someone else may dislike- keep them simple.


2. On the flip side, if your room is small, go with light colors, white perhaps, with minimal pattern. Also think about purchasing or "renting" a more appropriately sized bed. A small room with a large bed that encompasses too much of the room draws attention to the size of the room in a negative way. Consider a full sized bed instead of a queen, or a queen instead of a king. Is the bedroom in question not a "master bedroom?" Just put a twin sized bed in it. This also allows you to arrange your furniture in a nicer way, instead of pushing the "too large" bed into a corner to make room for it. Ideally, the bed should be against the wall only on the headboard.
3. Make it look like the catalog! Buy all of the pillows (budget permitting) that you need to make it look finished. Use two duvets (one as filler under your more decorative one) to give the look of opulence and softness. (This is what the pros do!) Make sure your pillows are the right size. Do you have a king sized bed? You should have king sized pillows. Iron your sheets and start sleeping on the floor. (OK- so maybe I am exaggerating a little)- But I would go through the effort for an open house for sure. Again- make it look like the catalog- fold the sheets back. (Did I mention that you should purchase nice new sheets too?) The price range of your home will justify spending a certain amount- so take as much advice as makes sense in your situation.

All of my bedding photos came from Garnet Hill one of my favorite sources.

Kitchen Make-Over Series #4

I am also suggesting to replace the corbels with more decorative corbels. (Corbels are the supports at the bar). Little changes like this will make a big difference, giving the cabinets a custom, rich look. This is also a great example of adorning the flat areas of the kitchen with bead board. Isn't the brick work in kitchen fabulous!!!! I just love it.

Thanks to Great American Kitchens for the photo, designers: William and Phyllis Taylor

Kitchen Make-Over Series #3

For my client's kitchen makeover,

I am suggesting to replace the doors, and then paint and glaze her oak cabinets. This is the finish that I am going for- in the photo above.

The wood is first painted, and then glazed with a dark color that gets into the edges and detail, giving it an aged, beautiful look.

Photo: Great American Kitchens, designer: LuAnn Porter

ABC Wednesday R is for Rug!

Nothing changes the look of a room like a new rug. My dream job would be to buy rugs full time!!! I absolutely love rugs.

Malia asked,

How do you know what size of rug to buy?

Dear Malia,

There are a lot of "correct" sizes to buy. I personally like it when you are walking in between the sofa and coffee table, and are NOT walking on the edge of the rug. You don't want your feet to be half on and half off the rug when you are sitting on your furniture. I like to go bigger, most of the time, and encompass as much of the seating area as possible. When under a dining table, go with a diameter 4 feet larger than your table (giving yourself 2 feet on either side). For instance, a four foot round table would require an 8 foot round rug. In this way, when you are sitting at the table, your chair is not half on and half off- a totally annoying feeling. Every room is different, and you might find that you have to break these rules, depending on your size and furniture arrangement- feel free to send a floor plan for more specific advice.

Thanks for the question!

- Christine

My Pick for the Day

OK- my new line of wonderful that I have discovered is called "Jene's Collection." I absolutely love it!!! They have fabulous tapestries (check out the size of the one below- 76 x 77!!!), amazing lamps, and these super cool trunks. Everything is hand painted, giving it a uniqueness that adds that surprise that every room needs. And oh- did I mention that their prices are terrific!! The trunks above run around $399- pretty cool huh? I like using two of them for a coffee table.

The Modern Nursury

These are pictures of a job that I really enjoyed. The couple I was working with were the nicest people, and expecting their first baby. Their home was clean and simple- beautifully modern. This gave me a fun challenge. A "Modern Nursery". I started with a shape as my direction- a circle. We kept the colors neutral, the style consistent with the rest of the home, but the feel, all "baby." The crib is from "The Little Miss Liberty Crib Company" in Beverly Hills. The light is Crate and Barrel and the dresser is West Elm. The murals are what makes the job really spectacular. (The one above doubles as a height chart) Murals are by Linda Littlefield. (OK- she is my mother :) Inspired by Nazran's art work, the painting gives the room a really fun feel.

FENG SHUI FOR THE NURSURY

I wanted to go a little deeper for Cara- as she design's her daughter's bedroom. I thought the showcase house I did in 2004 was another good example.

Cranky children that do not sleep well can cause us to too easily forget all the wonderful aspects of raising a child. Even the newest of mothers quickly learn how important it is for baby to sleep well. As a mother of FOUR, I have learned that a well-rested child is usually content, well trained and agreeable. The mornings are always so much more pleasant at my home than the few hours before bedtime (my personal least favorite time of the day).

In designing the nursery for the 2004 Designer Showcase Dream Home, I incorporated Feng Shui techniques to make it a haven for rest! Relying on ideas from Feng Shui for Children’s Spaces, by Nancilee Wydra, and drawing from real-life experience with my own children, I incorporated those elements that would enable a child to easily quiet down and relax by just being in the room.

Color is an inexpensive and beneficial place to start for creating a dream nursery. Greens, blues and purples fill this space. The soft colors, low in contrast to one another, are relaxing and encourage quiet activity as well as sleeping. The colors are not pure and vibrant, but rather grayed and more subtle. When selecting a color scheme for a bedroom, choose soft colors that are next to one another on a color wheel, like blues and purples, rather than opposite one another, like yellows and purples. The higher the contrast, the more the color scheme will inspire action and movement. High contrast and bright colors may be an excellent choice for a playroom or bonus room, but they are not exactly what you want at naptime!

It is essential to consider that different children will have different needs. A sad, melancholy child could benefit from a soft yellow, which cheers. But instead of combining yellow with high-contrasting blue, use a soft green, or a subtle peach. And what if red is your child’s favorite color? Is it not allowed at all? Of course not- simply combine it with soft tans and blues and put the red on the bed skirt, where it won’t be seen when it’s time to slumber.

While murals are gaining fast popularity in homes, especially children’s rooms, not all murals are ideal for a young person’s space. The subtlety of the mural in this dream nursery inspires peace rather than uproar. The same rules apply with artwork as with wall color. By keeping the colors soft and low in contrast, your child will be calmer and will rest more easily.

The soft window treatments that adorn the windows in the Dream Home Showcase nursery were selected for their ability to diffuse light, creating a cozy environment, even for middle-of-the-day naptime. The floor pillows in soft muted colors encourage quiet play. Mom can settle down with her little one for a bedtime story next to their paper moon light, which subtly diffuses the reading light.

It is significant to consider the contour of an area when creating a room for baby as well. While diagonal lines encourage activity and movement, the soft circles found in this room inspire a calming sleepiness. The curvature is repeated throughout this space as seen in the round crib, rotund ceiling art work, circular rug, spherical light, and curved changing table motif.

Feng Shui experts agree that every room in your home should have a form of sound. With studies illustrating how noise is an essential ingredient for a child’s development, the nursery is certainly one place not to be overlooked for some sort of reverberation. You don’t need constant classical music (although that would work). Something as simple as a ticking clock will enhance child development.

Texture is another element that can be used to a child’s advantage in a nursery. If you want your child to use the room primarily for quiet activities and sleep, use textures that are fine rather than coarse, open weaves rather than tightly woven fabrics, soft rather than rigid, matte rather than shiny, and smooth rather than rough. Patterns with small repeats will also be more soothing than bold, larger patterns.

Clean, uncluttered spaces are vital for encouraging relaxing and sleeping in anyone’s bedroom, but especially for baby. When the child’s bedroom doubles as a playroom, this beacons the need for storage solutions, which put the toys out of sight.

By following simple techniques in selecting the color, lighting, and texture for your baby’s nursery, you too can create a peaceful place that will encourage rest and happiness for your new addition.

Cara's Daughter

Hi Cara,

I had some more thoughts that I wanted to share with you on your daughter's room. First of all- there are some things to consider before we start to decorate. Think about how you want your child to feel when in the room. This will be different for different children's personalities, and in different homes, depending on if your bedroom doubles as a playroom.

Do you want your child to feel calm, quiet, inactive, pensive and sleepy?

• low lighting


• few furnishings


• wall to wall carpet


• no shiny materials or glossy finishes


• small windows


• plush padded furnishings


• low bed

Do you want your child to feel exited, energetic, talkative, sociable and alert?

• bright overall lighting


• lots of choices


• highly polished surfaces


• glossy walls, shiny fabrics


• lots of windows


• firm surfaces that provide resistance


• bunk beds

These pictures came from my own daughter's bedroom in a previous home. I wanted my daughter's bedroom to be a place just for sleeping and quiet reading. I find it funny when people who have overactive, hyper little boys paint their rooms red or other bright colors, and then put in bunk beds. I had these beds custom made, and then had the mattresses cut down to give me wall to wall beds. The chandelier came out of an old friend's garage. She asked, "What do you want that old thing for?" It had been in her home for years before retiring in the garage. I got the corbels at an antique store, salvaged from an old home north of Davis, CA. They had a million layers of paint, and some of them were damaged. I stripped them, my husband repaired what could be repaired, and then added a fresh coat of paint the same color as the bed, bead board and shelf. The wallpaper is a subtle botanical print, and the ceiling is painted green with a whimsical detail around the chandelier. When we moved, my daughter (age 5) said that what she missed was the design on the ceiling. The shade is a Hunter Douglas Silhouette, and the curtains are silk, with beaded tie backs. The chairs are Pottery Barn Kids.

Coleen's Living Room

Dear Christine,

I saw you at the gym today and it reminded me that I hadn't sent you photos of my living room. Right now all the walls are white and have a rough stucco texture. The living room is the 1st room one walks by upon entering our home. Many people say they like it, but I would like to add some color - I'm just not sure what color to add. Any suggestions would be terrific!

Thanks,

Coleen

Dear Coleen,

I have some ideas for you- in the pictures, (as far as color goes, I see red, chocolate brown, beige and cream. Adding color is a great idea- let me give you some different things to think about.

#1 You want to have good contrast. Contrast with the sofa material- (do not select a nice light beige or cream that will be too similar to your sofa, or clash with your shades). You also want a color that will compliment your red that I see a lot of on the wall.

#2 Rarely, in my opinion, should your wall color be the dominant feature in a room. (This is not the case in a very modern design) I feel like the wall color should accent and draw attention to, not away from your art work, and wall decor.

#3 Complimentary color schemes are color combinations that are opposite each other on a color wheel- examples would be red and green, yellow and purple, orange and blue.

Complimentary color schemes help the colors to "pop"- which is not always the objective- but can really work to your advantage. With the red chargers and art work on your walls, I think it would be great to have a "complimentary" color on the wall- to make them "pop" and show off even better.

So- my suggestion- green on the walls. But not like that might sound. I would suggest a khaki green. This will keep the walls understated, but create a more intimate environment, and good contrast with your wall decor.

I would add some throw pillows that have a combination of red, khaki, and dark brown (approximately your leather color). These are key to help everything pull together. It might be a good idea to find the pillows or pillow fabric first, and then select your actual paint color, as there are many different options of paint, and finding the perfect fabric or pillow might be more limiting.- But if you would like to paint this weekend, and want specifics, I can tell you that I like Sherman Williams Universal Khaki 6150, and Hardware 6172, and Chatroom 6171. I ordered your some 8 1/2 x 11 samples of these colors, and 6 others. I ordered 3 coppies of each color, so you can put them next to your floor, next to your sofa, different places, different lighting, so we make a really smart decision.

#4 It is ALWAYS a good idea to get a sample quart before painting. Even with a ton of experience, I still do this every time. A paint that looked great on one job, might not work at all in a different home. Flooring, lighting, everything makes such a difference.

Thanks for your question, feel free to follow up with more questions, and we would love to see "after" pictures when you paint!

One more idea for you. Your architectural niches are the perfect place to change the surface of your walls- the above picture is from Walker Zanger's Shibui slate collection- picture something like this in the niches, instead of paint. You can hang your wall decor right over it.

- Christine

Kitchen Make-Over Series #2

Idea #2 to update your kitchen without replacing your cabinets. Replace your crown moulding with a larger or more decorative moulding. Crown moulding can be installed at different angles. So- if you don't have a lot of space, the angle of the moulding can be changed so more of the moulding is on the ceiling. This will give your kitchen a richer, newer, more decorative feel. Make sure your crown moulding selection is consistent in style with your doors.

Photo: Great American Kitchen, designer: Steve Kinon

Kitchen Make-Over Series #1

Thanks to "Great American Kitchens" for the photos!

I have a client right now with a kitchen that we are going to update without replacing. I am going to keep you posted as we do!

The cabinets have a large area that is open to the living area, that is plain solid wood. I wanted to post some ideas that I am going to give her on how we can update and dress this area up. One idea is to add bead board with trim, like the photo above. This is also a great treatment for a back splash (and much less expensive than stone or tile). Another option- check out the photo below- this one has some nice wood trim added to the flat parts- again- so nice compared to a simple flat panel.