Thursday, June 30, 2011

6 Things Every Well Decorated Room Should Have

While you're reading this, keep in mind that this is only my personal opinion, and there may be god reasons why any of these six things will not apply. The world's most highly skilled interior decorators may agree or disagree with me, and they may say art should be on the list or one black thing in every room is not necessary, especially in all-white rooms, but it has worked for my mother and I in our own homes and I am still learning. My list is not in any particular order, so please enjoy and feel free to tell me your own Top 6, or even just your Top 1. What has worked for you in your home?

#1 One black thing, whether it be a chair in the corner, a lamp, china cabinet, the frame holding your favorite artwork, or a small accessory. Black creates depth, interest, and even a focal point.
Steven Shubel via Decorpad

#2 Excellent lighting. Lighting has the potential to make the people in the room feel comfortable; it can control their mood. Think of a dance club - if the lights inside were very bright, would you really want to dance? Probably not. The fact that they are dim gives people a sense of intimacy and can make someone dancing feel more confident. The same goes for bedroom lighting. You want to feel relaxed in your bedroom (so not too bright) but it has to be bright enough to find that missing sock under the bed. Also think of typical dining rooms - there's a reason why chandeliers are so popular in dining rooms. How are you going to see your food if you're eating with only a table lamp lighting your plate? But chandeliers do double duty, lighting the entire room at the same time they compliment your design scheme and bring the beauty of the room up a notch.

There's lighting for every different style. In my opinion, a nice overhead light to illuminate the entire room (a dimmer switch is a plus) should be combined with a small table lamp or task light. Other options include sconces for bathrooms and hallways, floor lamps for living rooms, and recessed lighting. Always take size into consideration, making sure, for example, a chandelier doesn't hang so low it touches the table, or the table lamp you picked out isn't bigger than the side table next to your sofa.
Alvhelm Malkeri via Cococozy
Cote de Texas

#3 Vertical interest. Don't focus only on filling the room with furniture, think about what might cover the walls, windows and ceiling, too. Consider crown molding for a plain, boxy room. Maybe artwork or mirrors can liven up bare walls. A chandelier might complement the elegance of a space. Vertical interest can also be accomplished by something as simple as putting a valued personal treasure on top of a tall piece of furniture (like an antique birdcage on top of a bookshelf, or collectibles on top of a dresser or armoire.)
Ruthie Sommers, Domino Design Project, via Habitually Chic on Flickr

A slightly new trend, or at least an idea coming back into style, is to paint the ceiling a very different color from the walls. For example, light gray walls and a black ceiling, or white walls and a baby blue ceiling. This draws the eyes upwards. Personally I rely on crown molding and ceiling medallions for my chandeliers, which I think is very classic and elegant.
Room Envy via Maison Boheme

#4 Practical upholstery. Furniture that gets more use should be in a forgiving material, such as a print fabric to hide stains, or leather that can be easily wiped clean. If you're clumsy/messy like me, or have kids or pets, you'll know that this is important, and you'll know that slipcovers make cleaning so much easier. Also, for a well designed look, you can buy extra fabric from one piece to carry over to another piece. For example, say you have a sofa in a brown print and a chair in the same room in a solid ivory, you can get extra material of that brown fabric and make a pillow for the ivory chair. Otherwise, many sofas and sectionals come with matching pillows, and you could put those pillows elsewhere (like on the hypothetical ivory chair) and replace them with different colored pillows for the sofa. You can do the same thing with curtains and blinds. This simple task will tie your room together.
Mi Casa via The Decorista...notice the leather chair and
coordinating pink, yellow and white colors on different pieces of furniture.

This goes for rugs/carpeting as well. They say cowhides are good for pet owners (although I have yet to see if that's true) and shag rugs are bad for pet owners (which is definitely true.) Tile is good for spills but bad for children falling, hardwood has the potential to dent and scratch but is easy to clean.
Emily Henderson Portfolio....velvet may look gorgeous but it is a pain to clean

#5 A balance between shapes, including furniture with and without legs and skirted pieces. Having all skirted pieces in one room, for example, can make the room seem too heavy, bulky, and low to the ground. (Think grandma's house.) All legged furniture, on the other hand, could make a space too distracting, although it could work well if it is planned right. There should also be a balance between square, rectangular, round and oval pieces. My mother will not let me hear the end of it. Every time she comes over she reminds me that I need an oval or round table in my dining room because I have all rectangular shapes and it is hard to walk around each piece. An oval table looks great with a rectangular sideboard, console or cabinet, while a rectangular table pairs well with a rounded sideboard or console. My mother also never fails to mention how it would be safer to have more rounded pieces in my house if I ever plan on having kids. This balance between shapes is usually a benefit in a room with a good amount of pieces that would otherwise all be the same shape: square coffee table/chairs/side tables/tv console/rug, etc. In a room with less pieces it is possible for them to have balance while being the same shape: a single dining room table, a single china cabinet, and a rug. And sometimes the room has that extra something when all the pieces are the same shape, and then this rule does not apply.
Tori Spelling's dining room
Suzanne Kasler...notice the round mirror, arches, and non-square furniture layout

#6 As I've said before, curtains or drapes take a room from bland to grand. Many homes are designed with phenomenal windows that shouldn't dare be covered up, but for the little homes in little suburbs, this is not the case and privacy is an issue. You may not even want curtains, but sometimes the style of your house decides that for you. If you do choose to cover your windows, all curtains in the same room should be matching, hover nicely a few inches from the floor or window sill, and cover the length and width of the window. They shouldn't clash with the overall scheme of the room (think polished, elegant, gray-toned room with hot pink zebra curtains - it just doesn't work.) Nor should they be unwashable. Even curtains get dirty.
Habitually Chic on Flickr

Where The Sidewalk Begins

What do you think of this list? Anything you would add to it or disagree with?

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Ugly Truth

No one wants to hear it, believe me I know, but I still have to say it. I can't even count how many times people have told me "You can't save them all." And I can't count how many times I've been called the crazy cat lady and that no one is going to want to come to my house because I have (now 6) cats. Well tough luck. The way I see it, I am taking care of six cats that would have otherwise been put down. Two of them I picked up literally the HOUR they were going to be euthanized, and they are two of the sweetest cats I've ever met. You see, I could only have one cat, but there are people out there who don't get their cats fixed and let colonies of them breed in their backyard, only to be taken to one of the shelters listed below to be put down.

This year the Ionia County Shelter took in 522 cats, adopted out 274 of them, and euthanized 149 cats and kittens. I was so relieved that euthanization number wasn't higher, until I looked at the records for the Macomb Humane Society, Humane Society of West Michigan (which upon an earlier visit claimed they no longer euthanize) and the Kent County Humane Society. So here are the numbers - Macomb took in 914 cats and kittens, euthanized 794 of them, and only adopted out 56. Excuse me while I take an anti-nausea pill...Continuing, the Humane Society of West Michigan, which had a name change this year, took in 2095 cats and kittens, euthanized a whopping 1482, and only adopted out 497. Lastly, the Kent County Animal Shelter, who makes it nearly impossible to adopt from them, took in 2251 cats and kittens, euthanized 1920 of them, and only adopted out 58!!!

Anyway, I would like to argue the belief "You can't save them all." I believe that over time people will work so hard at Trap-Neuter-Return that every cat will eventually have a home. It will take forever, but it can be done.

Book Storage Inspiration

Most us of readers aren't rich and can't afford a library devoted solely to books, which is why we have piles of books in every room, usually with no designated space. I've shown my way of dealing with books in my own house (see below) but I am now out of space on these two bookshelves on the sides of my TV.
My House

So now I'm looking for additional book storage, something small or maybe skinny because I don't anticipate getting double the amount of books I have now. Here are some inspiring images from around the web.
Maria's Pockets - Apartment Therapy Small Cool 2010

(Trunk book storage idea!) Emily Henderson via Aperfectgray.com
(Love the candles on top of this bookshelf in the dining room!) Apartment Therapy

Windsor Smith via Cococozy
A book shelf in an alcove with a bed, Apartment Therapy

Build a secret passage! Or just add a door with shelves where you have
an existing open doorway. Image via Peter Pennoyer.

Put a single shelf high above. Image source unknown.
Above a nightstand. Image source unknown.
(Book side tables!) Nick Olsen via Habitually Chic on Flickr
Books on the coffee table, a classic. Image via Zatista
Books on top of the mantel. Image source unknown.

Window bookshelf, source unknown.

via Real Simple?

Bookshelf stairs via Apartment Therapy

Elizabeth Sullivan via Made by Girl

Caitlin and Samuel of Popham Design via Design Sponge

Sunday, June 12, 2011

More Mantel as Headboard Ideas

Last time I didn't get to cover how great this mantel-as-headboard thing can be. The best past isn't how pretty it looks, it is that you can put things on the mantel/headboard that you otherwise couldn't display at the top of your bed, such as artwork, accessories, candles, books or clocks. I also love the idea of putting a padded and tufted headboard between the space of the mantel as some of the pictures below will show. One even has a mirror. I had been plotting how to make the perfect headboard for my low ceiling (yet tall mirrors on my nightstands,) and I think this idea is the best yet. Check out all these great pictures from around the web.
Better Homes & Gardens via http://www.knottinghillinteriors.com/




Gail's Decorative Touch



Traditional Home via House of Turquoise


And if you can't get your hands on a mantel, a single, wide shelf will do nicely.

Better Homes & Gardens via http://www.caylascorner.com/

P.S. A correction - the picture from my previous post, the bed with the black and white damask cover, is actually from http://www.afancifultwist.typepad.com/

P.P.S. If anyone knows how to make a link going to a different page that has just my photos of my house, please let me know how to do it! I'd like to have a link that says "My House" soon. Thanks so much!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Mantels as Headboards and Attainable Inspiring Bedrooms

This is totally how I feel...
Able & Game via Moderncat

And since my last topic was headboards, how do you feel about a mantel as a headboard?



And a beautiful bedroom to inspire you. This one looks perfect for a home on the water.

And a bedroom that seems suited to a home on the outskirts of town.
Hilary Thomas via Patrick Cline Photography in Lonny Magazine

And another one that seems like it should be in a posh European townhouse.
Michael Smith via Cococozy

Might I just say, though, that none of these rooms are unattainable in an average suburban home, nor would they look ridiculously over the top. In fact, the mantel-as-headboard is a cheap way to make your bedroom look classy and elegant, possibly even with a vintage flair. You can usually find an old headboard at any antique store (or request they save one for you) and put a fresh coat of paint on it or leave it be for vintage appeal. And while you may not be able to fit nearly as many pieces of furniture in the last three bedrooms shown above, you can certainly achieve the same look. I'm telling you -- king size sheet sets are always about $40 at TJMaxx, Marshalls, and Home Goods. (While you're there pick up table lamps, pillows, rugs, accessories, pots and pans, and even food. You'd be surprised at what they carry.) Sometimes Target has a good sale. You can get a great quality chandelier online at http://www.gallery804.com/. Second-hand furniture is actually in style.
Forget art, accessories and lighting for now, the first thing you should do is invest in luxurious textures. Not luxurious as in expensive, but luxurious as in comforting, exciting, and visually interesting. Velvet, patterns, layers, silk, lace, egyptian cotton, etc. It's the best thing you can do for a space, and it gives the room interest. In the pictures above, which are undeniably gorgeous rooms, you'll find velvet, stripes on a rug, a damask patterned duvet cover and a pintuck duvet cover, varying accent pillows, extra blankets that complement the colors in the room, materials in different shades of the same color family, and window coverings in fine textures and colors. Not to mention comfy, beautiful floors and rugs.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Black Headboard Inspiration

I think an elegant (or modern) black headboard in an otherwise neutral room, possibly with little pops of color throughout, makes for an amazing, classy space. Here are some inspiring rooms from around the internet.
bhg via the decorologist


Nate Berkus via decorpad

Metropolitan Home via decorpad

The Cross Decor & Design via decorpad

source unknown - maybe Apartment Therapy

decorpad

Sabrina & Julian house tour on The Nest


Art Van usually carries black leather headboards, but here are other shopping options:
Parisian headboard via http://www.wakeupfrankie.com/ (but available elsewhere, too) 
This headboard is available from Kmart online




Or, of course, you can always paint the headboard on the wall, as I've previously posted about.

By the way, there is seriously nothing better than a fur blanket (preferably faux) on top of your bed. I dare you to go out and buy one.
Savvy Home via Once Daily Chic