Does a mirror make a room look bigger?

A mirror is only is good as the image it reflects.

I wanted to share this image with you of a room designed by Barry Dixon, hung with a beautiful mirror, as seen in the September 2011 issue of House Beautiful.  Three of the things that make this vignette so successful are that 1) the mirror is hung at a natural height for a person to look in to its center, 2) the mirror itself is a lovely piece of art due to its oval shape and ornate frame, and 3) that it is reflecting a beautiful piece of art and a well chosen hanging lamp and medallion.

Room by Barry Dixon as seen in House Beautiful Sep 2011

In my work I have encountered dozens of mirrors that were meant to 'open up a room', often hung over a fireplace.  But if you hang a mirror over your fireplace and all it reflects is your white, bare or (gasp) popcorn ceiling, then all you've done is add more unsightly space to the room.  It may seem bigger, but is that the 'more' that you want?  That was the case for the client with the living room in the photo below - when I first came to their home to redesign this living room with their existing furnishings they had just that, a large, unadorned mirror reflecting a lot of white ceiling:

They wanted a new tv so we removed the mirror and hung the tv over the fireplace, and also rearranged the furniture and replaced the too-small rug with the larger rug from the dining room along with new paint and updated lighting and window treatments.  While I would have loved to put a piece of art over the fireplace, function for the family is always a first priority!

When choosing to hang a mirror consider what it will reflect when you look at it from all parts of the room.  If it reflects a beautiful view or piece of art that you love, go for it!  If it's hung so high that it just reflects white ceiling you've lost an opportunity to add to your space.  Same goes for reflecting a long dark hallway - who needs more hallway?  In those instances consider, instead, a piece of art, maybe with a natural theme like a forest with dappled light coming through aspen trees or a sunny desert vista. 

And remember, if the room feels 'dark' but a mirror will only reflect more of that dark room, add real light with table and floor lamps.

If you have questions about when to hang a mirror or how high to hang it, don't hesitate to send me an email with a picture of your space and your question, at design@rivalee.com.  Happy decorating!

Let your kids redecorate - it’s a great teaching tool!

“The easiest way to teach children the value of money...

is to borrow some from them.”  Anonymous

Preteen room by decoratorJennifer Mullin of Ideal Spaces in Alabama - charming!

Is your son or daughter begging for a bedroom makeover?  This is a great chance to teach them about budgeting and let them express their personal taste.

First, set a budget.  Decide how much money your can afford for the project and decide if the child has to contribute to that fund.  For the lessons in this article, it’s not really important for them to contribute, since it’s about budgeting and planning, rather than earning.

Next, decide the parameters.  Are the floors off-limits?  But an area rug is okay?  What about paint?   It’s reasonable to let them choose the wall or ceiling color, but what about the trim, molding and doors?  Can they paint the furniture, or buy new?

Once the limits are set write them down on paper along with the budget and have everyone sign the decorating contract.  Then let them shop!  Make sure they understand that they only have this amount of money, that it needs to account for sales tax and shipping, if applicable, and help them create a complete plan before they ever lift a paint brush or buy a comforter.  Teach them to ask about return policies at stores and how to care for packaging and save receipts in case they need to take something back.

Make sure the contract states that you get to review the plan before implementation to assure that the limits were kept in mind, but otherwise try to keep your hands off the project.  Not only will your kid feel valued by being trusted and allowed to express some personal taste, they’ll come to understand the real cost of goods, learn to prioritize and make choices they must live with, and begin to learn to budget.  Priceless!

For another great article on teens and decorating try this one by Heidi Tyline King and Mary Wynn Ryan.

Where to start with an interior designer

So you've decided to have a designer come over to look at your decorating dilemma.  If you've never worked with a design professional, you may not know what to expect.  This article is meant to give you some tools for making the most of that first meeting in terms of communicating your design wishes (please see "Up Front Budgets" for help on the financial side of that first meeting).  

A clean and contemporary bedroom featured on eurofurnitureonline.com

You've probably decided to hire a designer either because you feel that you 'have no style' or that this particular room is outside your problem solving comfort zone.  Regardless, please don't tell the designer to do "what ever they want" because you may not get what you want, but you'll have to pay any way.

How do you direct the conversation?  Do your homework.  My clients start one of three ways.  Either they have an inspiration piece they want to use to focus the room, they have a collection of images from the internet or magazines to share, or they get handed "The Book", my own collection of images for those too busy or uncertain to have started before I arrive.  

One of my clients asked me to redesign her bathroom.  She had a light fixture already chosen and purchased, and my job was to create a room around the fixture.  That was a great starting point!

Other clients have torn out 10, 20 or more pictures from design magazines and printed pictures they've downloaded from the internet.  To do something like this try typing in a search like "modern bedroom images" or "traditional kitchen images" in Google.  Then click on the "images" button right at the top of the Google search page and print out any that inspire you.  By going through these images with my client I learning what they like (or don't like) identify a common design thread and style.

Finally, many of my clients are overwhelmed before I arrive and have done practically nothing. They get "The Book."  The Book is simply a three ring binder full of images I have torn out of magazines over the years, and I have the homeowner go through with a stack of post-it notes and mark images that they love (and at least three that they hate).  From there I go through the ones marked, learn what they like and dislike, and again identify their design preferences.

I do this in addition to asking questions about their house, lifestyle, and wishes for their home.  All this is critical to making sure that 1) I understand what the client wants, 2) that my own design style is in line with their wishes so that we work together seamlessly and 3) that I am able to communicate effectively with this particular client; without effective communication the project is doomed.

Every designer that comes to your home with have their own way of running that first meeting, but the more prepared you are beforehand, the more you will get out of the meeting and the more quickly you'll know if this designer is the right designer for you and your home.

Use "caution" when decorating with yellow

Alley, before consulting with Rivalee Design,

 says "Caution" instead of "Welcome"

Alley, after working with Rivalee Design,

repainted in cayenne red and butter yellow.

Yellow may be the most cheerful color on earth, but while nature usually gets yellow right, we humans often botch the job.  What is so hard abut successfully decorating with yellow?  

When I first visited the job site pictured at left I was discovered a screaming yellow that said "CAUTION DO NOT ENTER".  Choosing yellow to brighten a dark alley was not a bad choice, but the shade and intensity were all wrong.


When I created the new palette, I still incorporated yellow, but the yellow I chose looked nearly white on the paint chip.  That is one of the keys - remember that colors intensify as they cover more space and as it reflects itself.

So then how can you successfully decorate with yellow?  Here are three tips to help you bring that sunshine inside.

1. Avoid “yellow”

Choose a color more like sand, or creamy butter.  If the paint chip looks like the yellow of a crayon or daffodil, the color is way too intense for the walls.  

2. Add splashes of yellow

If you are determined to incorporate sunny crayon yellow, start small. Try a soft grey sofa with daffodil yellow pillows and a lemony throw.  Set the table with a dragon red tablecloth and deliciously yellow plates.Try new navy curtains with sheers in sunny yellow. Or add a collection of bright, shiny yellow vases to the room.

3. Use only yellow

When decorating with a bold color, using a monochromatic scheme can make it work.  If you paint the walls a medium shade of yellow, lay blond wood floors with white area rugs and hang white curtains, then splash around some intense yellow accents, the result can be sunny, lovely, and bright.

One little warning...

Whatever variant of yellow you choose, it’s likely to shock you as it goes on the walls.  Don’t panic.  The wall color is only one layer of the decorating in your room.  Try not to make a final decision on the color until your furniture, rugs, art and accessories are in.  This is especially true if you are hiring a decorating professional to create a room for you.  That person isn’t just giving you a paint color, they are giving you a whole room.  


Here’s how it was said in Martha Stewart Living: “Hold that breath when you've finished your walls, and don't exhale until the furniture goes in, for yellow is hot or cool... depending on its neighbors; nothing's as qualmish as an empty yellow room.”  


Well put, and good to remember.