FAQ's

  1.   Can different woods be used on furniture in the same room?

  2.   Should I reupholster a sofa or buy a new one?

  3.   I would like to paint one wall a different color to create a focal point.
How do I choose the colors, and which wall should I use?

  4.   Should a tiny room always be painted white to make it look bigger?

  5.   How high should I hang artwork?

  6.   I have a large collection to display. What is the best way?

  7.   Is the flow of color from one room to the next really important?

  8.   I'm not sure what my style is. How can I find out?

  9.   Can I combine moulding color, such as painted
white baseboards with natural stained windows?

  10. How do I arrange furniture in a living room
that has hardly any wall space?

1. Can different woods be used on furniture in the same room?

As in nature, different colors of a natural substance can blend very easily. Wood is a finish that has so many variations, and most species act naturally together. In a room, different woods can certainly get along, but care should made in certain instances. In the case of a formal room, you may not want to add an old pine piece with formal mahogany. The wood should fit the style of the room, whether casual country or formal traditional or sleek modern. Beyond that, different color woods can certainly be used, and would be encouraged to create contrast and interest. For example, if you have a golden oak floor, do you try to match all of the furniture to ‘go with’ the floor? I hope not. The room would become very boring. If you do try to match any woods, though, they need to be very very close, not just ‘in the ballpark’ – then they look like they are trying too hard to be alike, and it becomes distracting.

2. Should I reupholster a sofa or buy a new one?

This is a question I have been asked many times, and I find the best way to answer it is to find out how valuable the piece is to you personally and financially. It usually costs about the same to reupholster as it would to buy new for an average quality piece. If it was expensive to buy in the first place and has high quality, you may want to consider reupholstery. Is it a treasured antique or a special family piece? In this case, I would say have it reupholstered. The piece means too much to you. If it is not of any personal value, and it is of average quality, replace it.

3. I would like to paint one wall a different color to create a focal point.
How do I choose the colors, and which wall should I use?

When painting a wall a different color, care needs to be used in choosing a color that blends with the other walls, obviously. The different wall is best done in a darker color to create a more dramatic effect and get the desired ‘focal point’. The eye will be drawn to the darker color first, thus getting the desired result.

The wall to choose depends on if there is already something that would draw the eye to the wall, such as a fireplace or special window. Choose the wall that is already most interesting, otherwise you will create two focal points that will fight with each other.

4. Should a tiny room always be painted white to make it look bigger?

I have always been a proponent of ‘doing it up’ in a tiny space to make it more interesting. Painting all the walls white to make it ‘appear larger’ in reality calls attention to the fact that it is a small space. The eye only sees the architectural features (which are small) done in white. True, the lighter color ‘recedes’ from the eye, and simplifies the space, but really, a darker, more colorful palette with different features and more accessories will make the eye notice all the little touches before it notices how small the space is. As a matter of fact, it makes it appear larger because the eye bounces from object to object rather than seeing the whole space at once, creating much more interest and the illusion the space contains more.

5. How high should I hang artwork?

Most artwork should be hung at eye level, as a general rule of thumb. Since everyone has a different eye level, a good average height is 60”, measured at the center of the artwork. If most people who will live with and enjoy the artwork are tall, you may want to raise this height a little. It really is just a guide. Keep all the artwork in the same room at the same level for consistency.

6. I have a large collection to display. What is the best way?

There are many ways to show off a collection, but the one thing to keep in mind is to keep it all together (or most of it) for impact! If you spread it out all over the house, you can’t see it as a collection. If you keep it in one place to make a visual statement, then visitors will notice the collection as a cohesive display.

7. Is the flow of color from one room to the next really important?

When walking from room to room in a home, the flow of color is very important since the eye gets used to seeing a certain palette in one room and wants it to continue on in the next room in order to feel comfortable. I have seen many designer showhouses, where a different designer does each room, with no consideration for flow from room to room, and I have to tell you, it is uncomfortable and takes some adjustment to go from one color palette to a totally different one. This doesn’t mean you have to just have one color palette for the entire house, however. If you do it right, you can continue a ‘main’ color to flow through, and use different touches in each room to give that room it’s own identity without disturbing the flow.

For example, if you have a sage green on the walls in the dining room, and want taupe in the living room, do so with touches of the same sage green in the living room, and touches of the taupe in the dining room, just to make them ‘talk’ to each other, without being exactly the same. If the kitchen is adjacent, and you want it painted yellow, you could still make it flow if you incorporate those same sages and taupes in accents in the kitchen.

8. I'm not sure what my style is. How can I find out?

Sometimes it is difficult to decide what you really like and feel comfortable with. To find your basic style, try our quiz on this website, Find Your Style. Look in magazines and online for pictures of rooms you really like. Keep a folder of tear sheets and print outs of these rooms, and you will soon see a pattern develop into your own style preference.

9. Can I combine moulding color, such as painted white baseboards
with natural stained windows?

Most homes look best with a consistent color that outlines the architecture, which is what mouldings basically do. You have to be careful with combining moulding color, though it can be done. I have seen some homes with a combination that I didn’t even realize until I looked closer. That is what you want to achieve – a combination that really isn’t noticeable. If it stands out, it may become disturbing to the eye. The example given above, of painted white mouldings and natural windows may work if there are not many windows in the room. One color should dominate – don’t have an equal amount of painted and stained – it may become too schizophrenic. One very common example of a successful combination is that of any traditional staircase – almost always you will see the upper banister stained and the lower posts painted white. And do you ever really notice it? So it is possible to combine, but be careful with it.

10. How do I arrange furniture in a living room that has hardly any wall space?

Without much wall space, the furniture will need to ‘float’ in the center of the room. I realize this is a hard concept for some to understand, but it really does work. Designers create rooms all the time with the furniture away from the walls, and it is the most interesting and versatile way to place furniture. Depending on the size of the room, hopefully there will be enough space to create the necessary amount of seating. Try different arrangements on a piece of paper first, thinking about what pieces are needed. Sometimes an angle will work for a seating arrangement, or two loveseats instead of a large sofa. Even using just a grouping of chairs instead of any sofas at all may fit into the space better and will provide more possibilities. Also, can any window seats be incorporated beneath the windows (either built-in, or maybe a movable bench)? Think of all possible solutions!

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