The right size rug for your room. Go big!

Area rugs are one of the very best tools to use to transform a room, second only to paint in making a big impact.  But that tool is only effective if you size the rug properly.  Often I find that my clients are living with a rug that is much too small for the space, and as a result no matter how many accessories they add the room won't ever feel quite finished.  If in doubt I always recommend going bigger.  Sure, it is more expensive, but a too-small rug only accentuates the unfinished feel of a room and you'd be better off not buying a rug at all until you can get the right size.  Otherwise, you may just be wasting your money.

Before: the rug in this room was much too small to add any interest, softness, or grounding to the space.  In a room that can't be painted (like this rental) the size and impact of the rug is even more important!

After: a much larger rug, even though it is still in a pale color palette, adds much more warmth to the space and, by tying all the furniture together makes the room feel larger, too! 

I'd like to share this fabulous guide from MI Corp. in the Seattle Design Center for sizing a rug for your room.

Painting your bedroom with dark paint

“Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark, or the man afraid of the light?”

Maurice Freehill

If you want to create an instantly dramatic room, consider painting it with a dark, moody color - nothing says bold and dramatic like a stormy midnight grey or a deep metallic charcoal! Dark colors are also a natural choice for a room that needs to have some masculine energy, and the strength of that deep, masculine color can be balanced with soft creamy fabrics if it’s a ‘his and hers’ room.

Did you know that it is much easier to make a room feel finished and anchored with dark walls and light accessories? Starting with white or light walls, most people just end up adding lots of clutter trying to make the room feel ‘done.’ A room with a bold color needs very little ‘stuff’ to make it feel complete. Yet many people hesitate to paint their walls dark for fear it will make a room feel small and gloomy. The trick is to pair that dark paint with bright linens, art and even furniture; the high contrast actually makes the white seem even brighter and draws your eye to the light things in the room!

If you do choose to paint with a deep color, I offer four suggestions:

1. Consider starting with a tinted primer. Primer is less expensive and can not only mean fewer coats of the higher cost paint, but it will also even out the wall imperfections so that your finished product looks better.

2. Try a little bit more expensive paint. I frequently use Aura by Benjamin Moore when painting a dark color because it never needs more than two coats.  A dark color will highlight a bad paint job, so make sure you finish the job!

3. Choose the least amount of sheen (how shiny the paint is) you can get away with in the room. If it’s an adult’s bedroom or guest room, go flat/matte. Dark paints look best with little sheen.

4. Be generous. If you are going to do just a single coat using standard paint, don’t bother. A poor paint job looks awful - if you are going to put the time in to decorate your home, put in the extra couple of hours you need for that second, or even third, coat - it’s worth it!!!

So take a risk, and as I remind all my clients, it is only paint. It’s not really much of a risk and might just give you incredible reward!

A primer on paint - what sheen should I choose?

Not only do you have to decide what color you will paint your walls, you also have to decide the sheen of the paint. The "sheen" is the shininess of the paint and has a big effect on the look and durability of the paint job. It also affects coverage (how many coats you'll need).

In general, the less shiny the finish, the more sophisticated the final look. However, the inverse is true for durability - in general, the more shiny, the more durable and washable. You should also know that the sheen can change how a color looks to your eye and may appear darker or lighter with a glossier finish.

There are four basic levels of sheen: flat or matte, eggshell and satin, semigloss, and gloss. With some manufacturers, they have both eggshell and satin (eggshell having slightly less sheen) and some also have a high gloss in addition to the standard gloss.

Flat Paint

Also called "matte," this finish is generally non-reflective (though many top quality flats still have a very slight sheen) and is the most forgiving in that it can hide surface imperfections, including scratches and small dents. A flat paint also has the greatest hiding capability allowing for fewer coats of paint.

Flat paint is a good choice for large interior ceilings and for walls in living areas that don’t get a lot of abuse. It is not recommended for areas with high humidity and water exposure. My favorite matte finish paint is Aura by Benjamin Moore - it looks like velvet in the darker colors!

Eggshell or Satin

Both eggshell and satin paint have slightly more sheen than flat, satin having more sheen than eggshell.

I use satin or eggshell on kid’s room walls, kitchen and bathrooms because they have better stain resistance than flat paints and can be scrubbed more vigorously. It also resists humidity well, though your bathrooms should still have good venting.

Satin can be a nice choice for trim if you don’t want it too shiny, and it is a great choice for exterior use since it readily sheds water and resists the effects of the sun.

Semi-Gloss Paint

The next highest sheen, semigloss, is even more resistant to dirt and scuff marks, and easier to clean. It’s traditionally used in kitchens, bathrooms and on trim, windows or doors. As satin paints have improved I don’t tend to use semigloss on walls any more because it looks a little too plasticky to me and really highlights imperfections in the walls, so I reserve it for trim, windows and doors. Still, it can be a smart choice for a kid’s bathroom.

Gloss Paint

Gloss paint it highly reflective, very tough, more stain resistant and easier to clean than any lower paint sheen. Because of its highly reflective nature it will really highlight surface imperfections. Gloss paint can be used on trim, doors and windows, but choose it carefully as this type of paint will produce a "plastic" coated look on smooth trim and doors. That can be great if it is the look you want.

Other notes

This information all refers to water based paints. Some people really prefer to use oil paint for doors, windows and trim as it is more durable and because it dries more slowly, brush marks have time to even out. Bear in mind that oil paint is much more toxic and must be used in a well-ventilated area, and that it must be cleaned up with spirits instead of just water. Anther option for that higher durability is to choose a latex "enamel" - these have more binder content than other types of finishes and so are harder, more stain and scuff resistant ,plus are more washable than other interior finishes.

This information is also meant for guidance on painting the interior of a home, but each paint sheen is also available for exterior use. I recommend a satin sheen for exterior walls because it sheds water well, but still looks sophisticated. Just keep in mind that the shinier the paint, the more it will shed water and resist dirt pick-up. For exterior trim you can stick with satin, or go to a semi gloss or even a gloss.

The ability for a paint to hide an existing color is directly affected by the sheen of the new paint. In general, flat paint covers the best, gloss the worst. So, say it takes two coats of flat paint, you’ll want three or more coats of semi-gloss or gloss for perfect coverage.

Remember that every manufacturer will have a slightly different definition of each sheen, so be sure to look at the samples for the specific brand you are buying before committing to a given sheen. The samples on paint chips are usually given in a flat sheen.

Happy painting!

Finding Your Design Style

“Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous year after year.” Fred Allen

Finding your ‘style’ may feel impossible as you flip through the pages of home design magazines; there are so many beautiful rooms and furnishings!  With my clients I use mood boards that reflect five general styles; this eliminates some of the confusion and reduces the number of overwhelming options created by all those pictures.

Instead of confusing my customers with the intricacies of what might differentiate a French Country room from a Neoclassical room, or fussing over whether a Ming Dynasty vase belongs in a Japanese-influenced room, I keep the categories simple and broad so we can get down to the business of creating the new look.

Let’s begin with what we’ll call the “Classical” style.

CLASSICAL style feels timeless and honors history and tradition.  A classical room looks balanced and polished, features rich, luxurious fabrics and finishes, and exudes an air of quality.   You might like this style if you enjoy a clear feeling of antiquity and balance, and prefer old world treasures and marble floors with luxurious draperies.

Next consider the “Contemporary” style.

CONTEMPORARY style feels clean and open.  A contemporary space leans toward a minimalist feel, shunning clutter in favor of clean, crisp lines and a few key features that focus the room.  In contrast to the Classical style this leans towards the modern and new and tends to have an edgy, avante-garde look.

Perhaps you enjoy the natural, well-traveled look of the “Global” style.

GLOBAL style honors the world traveler and cultural collector.  A global room features natural fibers, varied textures, and colors common to nature.  It invites the viewer to take a journey.   This style can reflect one culture (such as a japanese-styled dining room or african-styled family room) or reflect a more general feeling of global travel.

For the fearless, perhaps a “Dramatic” style. 

DRAMATIC style feels fearless.  A dramatic room is far from ordinary and always leaves a lasting impression.  Built through drama, theme, and color, it is ‘extreme design’ and not for the faint of heart.  A dramatic room frequently begins with one of the other design styles, but that style is pushed beyond the ordinary to the spectacular.  This style is where theme rooms come into play - maybe a medieval castle for your basement media room, or an adventure filled jungle room for the kids!

For the hearth and home, “Country” style.

COUNTRY style speaks to tradition and family.  A country room embraces visitors with warmth and might feature family treasures, flea market finds, and cheerful, patterned, often mismatched fabrics.  It invites the visitor to sit and stay awhile.

And finally, you might find that you feel most suited to a combination of all the above.  This has become a very common in decorating, and we call it “Eclectic” style.

ECLECTIC style feels fun and vibrant.  Within an eclectic room all five styles may coexist harmoniously.  A well designed eclectic room showcases collected treasures and creates a jewel box of a room.

I find that while any room can reflect a given personality, an eclectic room will most fully represent its owner.  This style of room is most like a treasure chest and is filled with varied objects that may not all ‘match’ but that each speak to it’s owner I find that while any room can reflect a given personality, an eclectic room will most fully represent its owner.  This style of room is most like a treasure chest and is filled with varied objects that may not all ‘match’ but that each speak to it’s owner on a personal level.  The eclectic style is also well suited to the modern concerns for ecological friendly design because it allows for a viable combination of already-owned furnishings, consignment store finds and antiques, and new purchases.  

These are very broad categories, but are a wonderful starting point for figuring out the kind of room and home in which you’d like to live.  Try applying these style categories to the rooms you are drawn to as you flip through the magazines - you might be pleasantly surprised to find a common theme, and then suddenly you have a starting point for your new design!