A Magic Carpet for a Dog

Dear Melissa:
Help, I need some advice on rugs.  I have to have many rugs around the rooms on my first floor, due to one of my dogs who won't walk on the wood floors, so there are more rugs than normal.  My colors tend towards blue and burgundy and are either oriental-type or braided mixed around the areas.  I need to purchase a runner for one area.  Should I be "matchy, matchy" and get the exact same rug as the others in that room nearby, get that same rug in a different, but complementary color or should I get a different type entirely (such as another oriental-type?

Thanks for any help you may be able to give me. J.D., LA

Dear J:

Interesting dog. Have you tried socks?

There are no right or wrong answers in decorating, only effects. Here are some questions you can ask yourself in order to make the right decision. What effect do you see when you look over all these area rugs? Do you see pleasing, delineated groupings of furniture, or is the look rather choppy and busy? Is a hodgepodge of rugs the first thing that catches your eye when entering your home?

Here are my suggestions. If the look is too busy, you might do better with an attractive wall-to-wall carpet for a quieter, more continuous look. If you are happy with the area rugs, consider the effect that a matching rug would have versus the effect of an additional pattern. Where do you want the viewer’s eye to go? Where in all honesty will it go? Here’s a little tip: if you have too many rugs and too many patterns, all you’ll see are rugs, not the furniture, or the view, or the fireplace, etc. If everything looks good as it is, will an additional pattern be distracting?

In either case, any combination of the same colors will help tie the look together. M.A.K.

The Fifth Wall

Dear Melissa:

I understand that ceilings are called the “fifth wall” and are supposed to be given some sort of treatment, but aside from painting them a surprising color or mirroring them, I’m at a loss. C.A., FLA 

Dear C.:

Well, let’s skip the mirrors unless you are creative enough to avoid both the “Las Vegas” and bordello looks. Let’s also avoid the popcorn finish found in almost every new house.

Try coffering or gilding your ceiling, or adding a dome, cove lighting, or a skylight. How about covering it with wallpaper, or bamboo matting? You could also install or stencil a center medallion on it or hire a decorative artist to fresco it or create a custom finish for you.

You will hear me saying again and again: you are limited only by your imagination and budget. Just try to keep the ceiling treatment in harmony with the rest of the room. Also, bear in mind that a dark, busy ceiling will appear lower, and a light, quiet ceiling will seem to recede. Determine the appropriate effect you are trying to achieve. M.A.K.

What Is the Difference Between a Decorator and an Interior Designer

Dear Melissa:
What is the difference between an interior decorator and an interior designer? B.P., NJ

Dear B.:
Think of it as the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist: both can help you but one has had more extensive training. While anyone with talent and a resale certificate can become a decorator, many states have passed licensing or title acts that require anyone using the title “interior designer” to have first passed something called the NCIDQ certification exam. Only qualified interior designers are granted this title in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.

Typically, decorators create room layouts and shop for clients. Interior designers on the other hand may choose to sell merchandise, but also act as consultants to clients by reorganizing space, complying with building codes, specifying furniture, finishes, and equipment, and administering contracts. Clients are often directed to dealers for purchases. Work is usually done at a much higher level than that of a decorator.

That said, a lot depends on the ability of the individual practitioner. There are decorators just as capable as interior designers who choose not to sit for the grueling NCIDQ exam. To confuse things a little more, there is a sort of pre-professional level, my level, i.e., the allied member of ASID. This means that I am a card-carrying member of the American Society of Interiors Designers who has the appropriate education and experience to register for the NCIDQ exam, but who has not sat for it. M.A.K.

Disagreeement on Color

Dear Melissa:

My wife and I just bought a new contemporary house that we love. However, I love an antique white color on the walls but my wife wants more color. My question is, designer to the rescue, with really tall walls, how would you use color in a really big room??? How do you pick the colors?? How do you separate the rooms?? My wife and I are in conflict. F.G., NH

Dear F. and Mrs. F.:

I don’t do counseling, but what I think I hear you saying (do I sound like Oprah?) is that you’re worried that while a neutral color can be boring, a strong color will overpower a large room. Fear not. As long as the wall color has something to do with the colors of the furnishings, you should be all right. May I suggest a compromise? Try a neutral nonwhite: a gray-green or yellow (which go with everything), or one of the many unidentifiable grays that are so fresh now.

Don’t worry too much about rooms that have doors that close. Those colors are self-contained. Concentrate instead on the rooms open to one another.

The easiest way to find a color scheme you can both agree on is to pull one from a patterned fabric or wallpaper you already have in the room. The textile designer already came up with colors that go well together. Assign a different color from the mix to each room as the predominant color, and then use the other colors for accents. M.A.K.

How to Make Florida Work in Boston

Dear Melissa: 

I just relocated from Florida where my chrome and beige contemporary leather furniture looked good with white walls and big windows overlooking the bay. But it all seems sterile up here. I don’t want to change my furniture because I may move again in 18 months and anyway I like it. What economical things can I do? J.E.R., Boston

Dear J:

I have three words for you: color, texture and plants. As you’ve noticed, white walls don’t work well in our northern light. Use either warm colors like chocolate or a “funky” color like purple or turquoise. Counterbalance the sleekness of the chrome and leather furniture with lots of nubby fabrics, Flokati rugs, woven blinds, and textured wallcoverings. Living things also warm up a room. Throw lots of parties, invest in some plants, or hire your unemployed brother-in-law to hang out on your couch. M.A.K.

Dear Melissa:

I recently inherited a beautiful 1823 American Empire loveseat. Unfortunately, it clashes with our carpeting. The piece is a gold-camel color, but the carpet is a lovely kind of mauve…What do we do? Reupholster or re-carpet? What would you do in an established room? C.D., UT

Dear C.:

First of all, is the fabric on the loveseat original upholstery? If so, I’d get it appraised before you inadvertently destroy the value. If not, consider which is in worse condition. If they are equal, work the numbers to see which cost is the lesser of two evils. You’re in the same ballpark with an inexpensive carpet and an excellent upholsterer.

Must you reupholster? Does the loveseat clash with all of the furniture in the room? Get out your crayon box. Could you incorporate the loveseat into a color scheme like mauve/burgundy/gold,  or mauve/slate blue/yellow, or mauve/periwinkle/turquoise/yellow? If you can’t work it in, I should caution you that while gold is still popular and  historic, mauve --while outdated --  refuses to die. A similar shade of pink is comning in. M.A.K.

Buying Quality Furniture

Dear Readers:

With so many furniture stores coming and going lately, a lot of people have been asking me about buying quality furniture. Okay, here are some basic guidelines to consider:

1) What do you need furniture for? How many people must you seat? For what activities?

2) What size will you need? Can you fit it through the doorway? Up the stairs? (I can’t tell you how many people forget these last two.)

3) Do you need built-in or movable furniture? Built ins are neat and efficient, look more contemporary, and can be very versatile. On the other hand, where you place them is where they stay.

4) Can you reuse any of your current furniture? Consider slipcovers and reupholstery first.

5) Must your furniture be custom designed? Obviously, built ins must be. Get references.

6) Address safety concerns - Are there sharp corners where children can be scratched? Will the chair tip over? (A possibility with 3 legs, or casters.) Will the fabric be too close to a heat source? (Especially bedding.) Can you see the glass top on the cocktail table?

7) Does the piece come with a warranty? For how long? Will the store repair problems?

8) What is the cost vs your available budget? What is the lifetime cost (initial cost + maintenance cost + cost of disposal + cost of replacement)? Often, the more expensive piece that will last for 20 years is a better buy, even if the initial cost is high.

9) Does the style fit in with the rest of the décor? Here I must interject a word of caution about “eclectic interiors”. Everyone thinks they have one, which apparently makes whatever they’ve done to their rooms okay. The definition is to juxtapose at least 2 styles in a pleasing way, while mixing old with new. Is it just me, or does that imply something deliberate? I don’t think it means: Fill a room with a hodgepodge of every style under the sun, kind of like the “Old Curiosity Shoppe”. One should use both restraint and some sort of a plan. Two good solutions are to have one style predominate, and use a second one for accents; and make the really disparate pieces more compatible by using similar colors and upholstery.

10) Are you purchasing the furniture from an established store with a good reputation or from a discount supplier with little history and no customer service (and therefore, questionable customer satisfaction)? As always, Buyer Beware.

Nuff said. M.A.K.

Tile in the Living Room?

Dear Melissa:

I am considering having ceramic tile installed in my living room. The carpeting I had installed a couple of years ago already has to be replaced due to heavy traffic, a long-haired cat, a 6-month old puppy, and a Newfoundland. The present carpet is forest green with the same carpeting going up the stairway and upstairs hall. My problem is: What do I do with the stairway and hall? Have you ever heard of using ceramic tile in the living room? I am afraid of losing the “comfortable feeling” it now affords if I install ceramic tile. Do you have any alternative suggestions? R.D., IN 

Dear R.:

Don’t I always? I sympathize with the conflict between pets and carpeting. Tile in living rooms is very popular in warm climates, like Florida and the Southwest. You are absolutely correct in thinking it will seem cold (and in fact, be cold to the touch). Some better options might be synthetic stain-resistant carpeting, hardwood (which can actually be priced fairly reasonably); laminated wood, which has improved dramatically; green patterned carpet; or replaceable carpet tiles.

Regarding the latter, I’m not referring to the cheap do-it-yourself carpet tiles of the past. These look exactly like broadloom when installed properly, but the individual stained tiles can be replaced. Commercial carpeting has always come like this. For a more residential feel, take a look at http://www.flor.com/ .

If the forest green carpet on the stairs looks tired or seems to clash with the new flooring, you might also consider a stair runner to make the transition from the flooring downstairs to the carpeting upstairs. It's a nicer look. M.A.K.

Renovate or Sell

Dear Melissa:

Is it less expensive to renovate your house or buy a new one and move? I realize that since houses are cheaper to buy, mine is going to sell for less too. That part would be a wash. L.C., GA

Dear L.:

With the real estate market the way it is, I’ve grappled with this one myself recently. Unless your house is falling down or in need of a serious overhaul, it can be much less costly to renovate. (What did you expect a decorator to tell you?)

Seriously though, unless you discover your dream house on the market, you’ll still have to make any new house your own by freshening up tired rooms and eliminating the current colors. Add to this the cost of the closing, realtor, legal, and moving fees. So, do the math. And let’s face it, at least you already know the pluses and minuses of your current house and neighborhood.

If you are really unhappy in your present house, perhaps a better question might be: Is it better to buy an existing house or build exactly what you want? I personally couldn’t deal with any more upheaval in my life. Can you? M.A.K.

What about Wallpaper?

Dear Melissa:

Do you have any tips on selecting wallpaper? S.D., OH 

Dear S.:

Of course. I have advice on every subject; I just try to limit myself to decorating.

Patterned wallpaper has been out of style for some time now, unless you live in an antique home. Personally, I adore all types of wallpapers, so I have been waiting patiently for its return. Textured and novelty wall coverings are much more popular right now. So if you’d like an updated look, check out the new 3D trends, metallics and lasercuts. How about leather tiles or rice paper?

When choosing wallpaper, scale is critical. Just as you wouldn’t want an enormous pattern overpowering a wall and possibly forcing you to trim off the tops of flowers or birds’ heads, you wouldn’t want a tiny pattern that has no impact either.

Typically, wallpaper fills up a room by adding pattern or texture to its largest expanse (namely, the walls); so it’s a great way to make a large room appear cozy. Surprisingly, small prints can actually make small rooms seem larger, if the same tiny print is repeated everywhere, even in the upholstery fabric.

Always bring a sample of the wallpaper home to view in your light. The color will change under different lighting conditions – make sure you like the paper both during the day and at night. Try to get a really large sample or at least two smaller ones to pin up side by side, since you want to see all the colors and parts of the pattern, with no surprises later on. M.A.K.

Dear Melissa: 

You have been so helpful in the past and I thank you for that.  Here I am again with 2 other questions/problems.  (1) Want to install a rope hand railing (instead of normal wooden one) in a small, narrow & steep stairwell.  I know I've seen these in historic homes in the past, but can't remember where.  Where can I find information? (2) Want to put a door at top of stairs to master bedroom.  (Not same staircase as previous question.)  It's a unique situation in that this 2nd floor only has this one room; it's kind of like a loft, although no overhanging balcony.  I probably need an interior architect.  Is there such a designation?  And how do I find one? Thanks in advance.
"Decorating Novice"Lyme, CT

Dear Decorating Novice:

It’s always nice to have a repeat customer. (1) In my opinion, safety comes first. Are you sure you want to install a flexible handrail in such a challenging stairwell? If you decide to proceed, you will need a large diameter rope from a marine supply or building supply store. Then you will have to find railing brackets that will fit that diameter rope. Some potential sources are: Baldwin Brass, Renovators Supply, R. Christensen, juliusblum.com, and atrtechnologies.com.

(2) Any builder, interior designer, or architect can help you. (And yes there are people who call themselves interior architects, as a subspecialty.) Try the yellow pages or local professional organizations. It may be difficult, however, to find someone for such a small project. M.A.K.

How Does A Decorator Show House Work?

Dear Readers:

Did you know that there is something called a Designer or Decorator Show House scheduled this time of year in most states? Do you know what a designer showhouse is? It’s a type of fundraiser sponsored by a charity or nonprofit group. You may have heard of the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club Decorator Show House, which occurs every year in New York City, or the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, in California.

For those of you unfamiliar with a show house, this is how it works. Interior designers, decorators, and decorative painters bid on rooms and spaces in a large unoccupied house. If someone has the winning presentation for a room, that person’s firm has a limited amount of time to decorate that space at its own expense, as a form of marketing. Landscape designers are afforded the same opportunity for different areas of the home’s grounds. The idea is to create something unusual and inspirational. The public purchases tickets to view all of the unique spaces in the house and gardens, with proceeds going to the sponsoring charity or nonprofit group. At the end of the allotted month, each firm must return its space to the original condition (or a reasonable facsimile thereof). It’s sort of like Brigadoon – it’s only there for a short time and then it vanishes.

It’s a lot of fun for the viewing public to compare the “before” pictures with the transformation of each space. (Although since different firms do each space to showcase their own talents, don’t expect anything resembling continuity among the rooms.) There is no better way to pick up clever ideas to try yourself; or if you’re in the market for a decorator or landscaper, you can determine just how creative the different local firms are. I should make a point about the latter, however.

As a veteran of seven showhouses, I have noticed that some visitors come into the house looking for a particular room; and only if they see exactly what they’re looking for, do they hire that designer. You have to understand something. These are talented people. Someone who does a fabulous bedroom in a show house may be the perfect person to do your family room. Or the talented designer of a dining room might be the one to help you with your living room. We are multidimensional. Every one of us can do contemporary as well as traditional rooms, dining rooms as well as nurseries. So, here’s a tip: find the person, not the room. Ask to see the portfolios of the designers’ other rooms. Talk to the designers and artists to see if you are well suited. Compatibility is paramount.

The rooms and gardens in a designer show house are spectacular. The lunches are wonderful. Often there are lectures and wine tasting scheduled on the grounds. All in all, a showhouse makes for a lovely summer’s day out. M.A.K.

Lacking Drama

Dear Melissa:

My house is decorated, and people seem to like it, but I don’t know, it seems to be lacking drama. My walls are painted soft colors, but something is missing. N.I., OK

Dear N.:

Maybe all of your colors are so soft, there is no punch to the rooms. You do not want your colors to match exactly. Vary the shades of your colors for visual interest. Say for example, your room is basically a medium blue. You don’t want all of the pieces to be the same medium blue. Some items could be navy blue, others powder blue. You could even throw in a totally different accent color. Variety helps.

Perhaps the problem lies with your accessories. They may be small and unobtrusive or scattered, instead of grouped for impact. Unless you are a collector, one large object can be better than five tiny ones, which may just look untidy. If you are a collector (or just have lots of stuff) group the pieces for more impact in a display cabinet, on shelves, or on one tabletop. In the case of the latter, arrange them in an interesting manner – in small groups of like kind, shape, or color; or with some on top of books or decorative boxes for varying heights. M.A.K.

Little Wall Space

Dear Melissa:

My kids are moving into their teen years so I decided this was the time to redo the playroom. I put in a wood floor, painted the walls a bright color, and replaced toys with computer equipment. My problem is that the room has a low, slanted ceiling on opposite sides of the room; the one wall at the end of the room has a nearly floor-length palladium window in it. So, there is very little wall space. I’d like to put up a few pictures/posters that are framed but I think they would look strange attached (somehow) to the ceiling, and strange on the waist-high walls. I am putting one next to the window, but am I limited to one picture in the room? J. M., AK

Dear J.:

The room sounds great so far. Alas, we all have only so much wall space, which is a problem for art lovers. You don’t have to be limited, however. You can stack smaller pictures one above the other on the wall, placing the ones with more visual weight on the bottom. Another option is to store and rotate your pictures seasonally for a fresh new look. (Just hide the previous holes.) It’s perfectly all right to place pictures on the floor and lean them against the wall, even overlapping them slightly, for a casual look. And don’t forget tabletop and freestanding easels. Now your picture count is around seven. M.A.K.