For Johnsie~
How about large empty frames hung from the inside, and window stenciling advertising your premier services. Lighted from the bottom will create drama and a beautiful night look also - sure to catch the eye of potential customers.

To Darrell Murray. Bachelor with slate floors - use sage paint. It will be serene, as well as unifying the slate floors.

To Rene in regard to kitchen paint color, try a warm yellow. It will enhance the oak cabinets and go well with the brown/beige counter tops.

Always keep In Mind,

Less Is More!

A Smaller Room, Can have Darker Colors for The Walls, Always Paint The Mouldings Around Walls, White,Or Cream,Very Soothing.You Can Mixed Different Woods in furniture layouts,Do so with balance,not just one thing different.People not sure of their colors scheme.Look through their favorite magazines.Family pictures Can be used, when decorating,have a design theme in placement.Together on a Etegere or shelving units.Use The shade & values from your darkest color used through out the other rooms in your home.

I live in an apartment with a diningroom/living room attatched , kind of an L shape. We have a balcony with three glass doors with the opening door on the last panel closest to the diningroom. these balcony doors are centered between the wall connecting the dining room and the livingroom. Right now it is painted a cornmeal colour which we loved but have grown tired of and are going to be buying new furniture most likely in a nuetral colour. We would like to try a cooler colour for the walls
but don't want it to be too over powering maybe just a hint of blue, or some kind of bluish/green colour that we can do the entire apartment in . Have parquet flooring but will be getting some kind of area rug to match whatever colour we paint the walls and cooordinate with the furniture. Cabinets and all other shelving is in a expresso colour along with dining table legs with cream coloured top. Anyone have any ideas for a paint colour and how to seperate the two rooms with out really seperating them , possibly a low see through cabinet. Also need some solutions for getting more storage out of these rooms (hidden storage)on a budget.
Thanks in advance

"A ROOM WITHOUT RED IS LIKE A WOMAN WITHOUT LIPSTICK"

Every room needs a little shock of red. When I say "red" it doesn't necessarily mean red. It could be the family of reds like burn't orange, purple, pink. You have to admit, it's a cute phrase! It's true too. A woman can put on a little lipstick and run a comb through her hair and she's ready to go. Picture this, you fluff up the sofa pillows (comb through her hair), and you add a vase of red roses (a little lipstick), and your living room is good to go.

To Olivia/With high ceilings:
To capture the attention of your guests to notice your high ceiling, consider painting the ceiling one or two shades darker than your walls. Before you do this you should consider the height. You need to bring the ceiling down to a comfortable, human scale. If your ceiling is 16', add a generously sized crown moulding (8") to your wall at about 11'. Begin painting the darker color from that height and paint the ceiling. If your ceilings are 20', add the crown moulding to the walls at 13' or 14'. If you already have crown moulding, add a smaller moulding at the height on the wall I suggested and begin painting from that point and paint the ceiling. Make sure these mouldings are not painted the same color as the ceiling. If your moulding is white, it should remain white and the secondary moulding should also be white. The breaks in color really attract the eye. You'll also notice that your guests will want to remain in your living room instead of scampering off to other rooms that have a more human scale ceiling height. The formula to use for figuring out where to break the color is "thirds". Wall paint color goes up 2/3 the height and the last 1/3 (or highest 1/3) gets the shade or two darker color as does the ceiling. Painting the ceilings a color other than white is today's trend, so if you're freshening up, why not try it.

To Gwen/redecorating the bedroom, Asian style:
Instead of using turquoise on walls, use small amounts, like on a small wooden box or a small pillow on a chair. Consider painting walls a pale robin's egg blue. Also, consider a deep taupe for the headboard and drapes, if it's not too late! Bedspread could be a pale blue-ish green or pale blue. Detach the mirror from the dresser. If mirror frame can be painted, paint it a soft silver. Paint dresser and chest a pale silvery taupe. Accent pieces could be a dark wooden budha in a corner or on the dresser or a dark wooden bowl. Don't be afraid to add a small touch of red (or burn't orange shade). You'll need a little touch of black also.

Learn to listen to your client and design what they want to live with not what you want to give them. Educate your client and do not talk down to them. Establish a budget and stick to it. Make sure that any constructioin is done properly the first time as mistakes are costly in terms of dollars and your reputation. If a client wants to change direction - go with the flow after all they are paying you and any changes are paid for by them. Learn to listen and you will learn instead of spouting what you already know. Establish a time frame and try your hardest stay with it. The end result is another person singing your praises. I am in the design business and do project management for my designs throughout the United States, Canada and Europe.

We have a combined kitchen/dining area. The cabinets are oak (lots of yellow and red in them) as are the floors as well as the dining room table and chairs. The countertops are a mottled black/beige-stainless steel appliances and then there are the peach walls with cream trim. I would love some suggestions on how to bring all of this together -what colors to use as accents - is there a "style" in this combo - a theme I could go for - anything? Repainting the kitchen is really my only option (can't purchase new furniture or paint the cabinetry) so any advice is appreciated-especially specific ideas. As you can probably tell - I need the "decorating for dummies" type of instructions! Thanks.

When designing with a small budget, put your money into what will make the biggest visual impact.

Whatever your design choice in your home, accessorize with quality paintings, lamps and small items that personalize the home as totally yours and the people who live there. Of all the expensive designer things I have bought for my living/dining room, what I love most are my original and/or limited edition paintings.
I love color and I am not afraid to use it. I also think that the colors should flow from one room to the next. My living/dining and kitchen all have complimentary colors. My bathrooms are coordinated with my bedrooms and have their own personalities.
Hint: To hide those ugly electical cords, buy the plastic tubes, usually use to color the metal shower rods, and use them around the electical cords from lamps, etc. I use the color of either the rug or the baseboard when purchasing the plastic tubes. They are also great around the holidays when there seems to be wires everywhere.

I would put The Art Institute of Chicago as one of the top ten great museums in the world, and with the new addtion in the works, it will probably be in the top five!

I would love to see more in the Victorian styles ! The beauty of these houses can not be beat ! I love the colors and furniture , of this time period, way more than the plain lines and horrible white walls and trim , of today! They knew how to decorate and make a house a warm and welcoming home!

I would like to say "Keep it simple" if you are just starting out on working on your house start out slow find out all you can about how to fix what you want to fix. It will help you out in the long run.

Hello: I am an Interior designer, I remember well from my teachers,at The Art Institute. Form Follows Function.I like what I learned in My sales background,have an open floor plan, draw to scale each room in your home with what you plan to do, as your budget allows you add as you can.This really makes your home!

To Pat....Victorian Painted Ladies..that's what they are called. I suggest you do a search on the colors originaly used for these beautiful old Victorian houses keeping the colors authentic. I have seen some drastic colors used for 'painted ladies' that had nothing to do with the colors used for that time period...which diminishes the beauty of the original intention, that being painting them with three colors.

i took your test, results were my home must be drab and what ever. my home is comfortable has no cold and leather look. does not look like you have walked into a museum. we live in our home we enjoy the country style not the over stuffed crome look. to each his own. we like shaker style. i could not live in and enbironment as i discribed above i live warm comfortable look and feel.... thanks so much and have a blessed day i guess that is why i like country magazine.

I am going to paint my tv room cranberry I would like to know what color couches would match nicely with that color

Darryl Murray. How about keeping it earthy? You want to use some greens, brown and red. They are also very spiritual and will enhance your design.

I am a bachelor with ecletic taste...I have an open plan that connects my living/art gallery and den area. There are slate floors with predominance of sage/ eggplant/brickred hues...I am selecting colors for the walls to give continuous flow for the eye while providing "zen" like feel...I have hit a block in ideas...any suggestions for color

Hi-
I need wall color help. I am looking for a pretty deep cranberry color (preferably Benjamin Moore) to use on an accent wall - other walls are a gold color (Goldfinch, Benjamin Moore). I also wanted to have a translucent pale gold metallic paint used over the deep cranberry to make it look a little richer and give the room an added sparkle. Has anyone used this color combo before and loved the colors you had picked? Has anyone use the metallic paint over a deep base? Any ideas..suggestions...or thoughts are MUCH appreciated! I should also mentioned that all of the furniture is a mahongany finish and the couches are a chestnut brown/red undertone leather.
Thanking you all in advance!

If you haven’t heard the term, “universal design” here’s the official definition provided by NC State University, The Center for Universal Design: The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

What this basically means is that certified kitchen designers are trained to consider a client’s family size and lifestyle; its function (ie: will it be a two-cook kitchen, a kosher kitchen or both?); storage issues; lighting and ventilation; durability of products; accessibility requirements if a family member is wheelchair bound (American Disability Act); and various other regional building and safety codes.

Planning, preparation and knowledge is key to a successfully designed universal kitchen and is based on safety, a client’s lifestyle, their needs and budget. But the first step to obtaining that showcase kitchen is hiring a design professional qualified and experienced to meet these universal design guidelines.

Alicia Valair, CKD, CID, Allied Member ASID
Lifestyle Design Interiors
Residential Interior Design
info@lifestyledesigninteriors.com
www.lifestyledesigninteriors.com

One of the nice things about a neutral couch is that you can change out the pillow covers or whole pillows and change the whole look of the room.

If you use a taupe couch and espresso walls, you will put the focus on the outside of your big windows. Darker paint colors will generally require more coats of paint to get the right tone to the walls.

You could also do an an espresso couch with green walls as long as you match the tonal values. If you use dark green walls you may wish to paint the trim and ceiling in a lighter color.

To Jacque (Round table with Asian Design)

The table shape is great for the influence of Asian design: first paint it black. Think stenciling Asian motifs, freestyling the shape and designs of a kimono; include positive Asian symbols for good luck, good eating, etc. Use striking colors like red, cobalt blue, gold, silver. Have fun!

I am trying to design a 24x22 great room. We have found a couch, but can't decide on whether we want in in the light taupe or espresso color. The room has extremely high ceilings, and a huge window that is 8 feet long and 10 feet high. I originally wanted darker walls that were a medium brown and a lighter couch, but we're scared the taupe couch might look worn out after a year or two...but I also don't want to make the room seem so large by using a lighter wall color. Can we do an espresso couch with green walls? HELP!

Help
I just bought a new house and am trying to find colors that would make it my own. My bedroom is basis cream with beige rug. I have decorated with medium to deep plum. Any ideas as to what I can put on the walls that would go nice with these colors?
Thanks so much Sharon

I have a small living room with very low ceilings. No woodwork at all. My furniture is a dark brown suede..any ideas how to make the ceilings seem higher ...also any ideas for wall color...my kitchen is slightly seen from L.R. done in a barn red/gingham &cream..any ideas would be appreciated

To Julie:
With such a large open floor plan if the windows at the back of the house brings in a lot of light then your wall color should reflect the view of the lake while adding cozier warmth. Would suggest a using a soft blue (with hint of grey in it) for the main walls, then use either a chamomile (yellow/sandy) color or a soft shade of an aloe green color as an accent on a wall. You may wish to leave the ceiling a soft white color or use the chamomile (soft yellow/sandy color)to make the height of the ceilings less imposing. Remove the grasscloth and carpet.

Would also recommend that you either extend the slate tiles in a color to match the paint (a non slippery slate color: blue-grey or lighter shade)from the foyer into the living area for consistency; or
Replace the carpet with Rose Wood Floors (using a stain color that adds warmth to the paint
color(s)in the room). You may alo wish to change the Slate tiles from black to a color that goes more with the Rose wood/stain color you chose.

To TWEST : I forgot to add to my last comment that if you are going down to the rafters why not leave them exposed for an open feel. Place faux support beams in the same light pecan color of your cabinets.

TO TWEST: The warmth and golden glow of the Tuscan village is very hot right now, (no pun intended) . Meandering down the narrow winding streets the walls of the Italian villages wrap themselves around you with there warm yellows, mustards and terra-cotta huges. You can get this same feel by color washing your kitchen wall and backsplash; it would really make things pop with the black accents. The walls in your living room would wrap themselves around you and your guests painted a much lighter shade of yellow gold to blend and flow into the kitchen. Colorful terra-cotta awnings with mediteranean blue and/or black accents above the windows would look fantastic.Hang brightly colored plates on the wall for a finished look. Have fun!

We live in a large 5,000 square foot house on a lake that was built in the early 1970's and desperately needs some decorating (we've lived here for almost three years). The house was originally done in neutrals with a lot of grass cloth on the walls and medium tan wall to wall carpeting throughout the house except for the black slate in the large foyer at the front entrance. The walls are large and ceilings are twenty feet tall in some of the rooms--wall to wall windows overlook the back of the house, facing the lake.

We'd like to impart some COLOR into the house but don't want to overwhelm the large rooms as the floor plan is pretty open. We're thinking of having the carpeting taken out (we have a dog who has been rather destructive!) and having hardwood floors installed. Our last house we had rosewood floors installed and they were gorgeous/helped us sell the house quickly in a tight market.

Please recommend some color schemes for a more modern house with large rooms (the living room is 20' x 20'). Many thanks for your ideas!

To Marjorie. Those colors sound like my livingroom. I searched for months and finally used Lowes Signatures RS511 Strawberry Patch. It is a Burnt orange but not..you should look at it. I have had people copy it!

I want to paint my family room and cant decide which color would be right. The rug in the area is a cinnamon background, with hints olive, mint and peach,the sofa is luggage brown and the recliner is chocolate. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Pine needles paint is an Eddie Bauer paint. I have it in my bedroom, beautiful!

for Angie and Theresa - paint for cherry wood floors:

I think there are a lot of options with Cherry floors. If they are light or natural you can go with pale to medium green/blue or sage, a warm cream or ivory, even paler violets that don't have too much red in them. In darker cherry stains you can use all of the above plus richer golds that aren't too green,unless it is really dark cherry, reds ranging from cranberry to terra cotta and caramel colors that don't lean to the cool side. I would steer clear of "clear" pastels or primary colors.

I am repainting my living room and would appreciate some tips. My sofa, which is the largest piece in the L/room is deep purple almost black at nights. What colours would be suitable for the walls. Also, what colour cushions, rugs may I use.

To Pat with Victorian-

You might consider a light grey for the main color-with a blue undertone-not a yellow undertone-
use white for trim, and purple for accent color-and a very deep purple front door.

To Gwen: These colors are really in right now. As far as the furniture is concerned, you want to add natural finishes as much as you can. I would strip the furniture (assuming it's real wood) and stain it a dark brown to match the chocolates you are using. Not only will you revive the dressers but you will also extend their lifespan. It's also a great neutral if you change your mind and decide you like the red (green, blue, or whatever) after a while.

re kitchen and den kitchen cupboard are white appliances stainless steel floor grey light ceramic tiles in the den dark wooden floors couch red dark wood cabinet modern tv ? what color should i paint the walls would like to incooperate red in the kitchen help

I have this ceiling in my livingroom that is raised twice. I hope I'm saying this right...how should I decorate it or paint it, to get the eyes of my guest to be drawn up. Or, which painting style should I paint it in i.e,faux painting? I hope this is clear to understand!

I am redecorating my bedroom in a hopefully asian way. I am using turquoise and chocolate brown and silver as accent.
I don't want to use the usual red/black/gold asian colors. Do these colors sound ok? I have a 6 drawer nice wooden mirrored dresser and a cedar chest I can paint... but what color....or should I just leave them brown?The chest could use a coat of something.
I am making a headboard and upholstering it in choc. brown with drapes to match/compliment.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
G.

I am in the process of having my kitchen & small dining area taken down to the rafters and rebuilt. I plan to have light pecan finish on the cabinets, black appliances and a brown/black sile stone on the countertops. I would like a tuscan look and feel to the kitchen and dining area however it will be totally open to the family room. Seperated only by the island. How do I achieve the look I want. I will have only one wall.

For the hair and nail salon - a new salon in my town recently moved and overhauled a building that used to be, believe it or not, a fast food place. The structure of the outside hasn't chanced much, but the bold modern color choices always make me interested to visit inside. The outside is now trimmed with a sleek lime green square awning with gray and white writing. The brick itself was painted white. If you're looking for a modern look, go bold!

who makes the paint "pine needles" sounds like a color that would good in my home

I have a victorian home with three (3) colors on the exterior. The body of the house is deep yellow, the trim is white and the accent color is blue. It is time to paint the exterior and I am looking for colors that would reflect the period. Can you help me?

What colors would you suggest for furniture,carpet and accent colors for a huge great room that is open to the kitchen. We wanted to use the color "pine needle" for accent wall in kitchen and behind
bookcase in great room. Other walls "Ochre" from Lowe's which is a pretty cream color. There will be black kitchen appliances and the cabinets are an oak with smoky stain.

What would be some good colors to put with cherry hardwood floors? All the walls are white and have crown molding. (Foyer area with staircase and valeted ceiling, half bathroom, kitchen, and family room)

help...
how to make an asian design on a round table..pics would be lovely??

love vintage homes with that squishy comfy look

Being a fine art photographer and biologist, my home is filled with the nature images I have taken in my world travels. People have told me of the relaxing qualities and the power of color and art to make them feel good. Color has a powerful effect on people's state of mind and its use can either stimulate or calm. Art in the home can be windows to the world outside and reflections of ourselves.

I don't know what a URL is, but if this goes, it's for Janice. I have o\found with cranberry tones a golden color works well. I used Georgian brick (BM PAINT) and used Toasted Sesame seed. Looks great - and I get LOTS of compliments.

I find that candles will do wonders for almost any room. It adds coziness and ambiance to lifeless spaces. It can be small tealight candles scattered on a sofa table, scones flickering with lights on the walls, formal tapered candles on a shelf or dining room table.

What a good wall colors for cherry wood hardfloors.?

Cranberry reminds me of fall. New England. A bale of old straw,red colored berries on stiff branches resting against greying barns,the bent over-golden flowers of squash or pumpkins past their blossomed fresh color,softer chalky clouds that have pushed closer to the ground, this is the color cranberry is to me.
It is more than a color, it is a feeling, a cozy,nesting romantic scent. Cinnamon and berries. Movement of winter winds. It's a feeling of soft lighting and rustic sconces. Grey and cornflower blue hues will match softly.
So given this feeling, a color palete of soft grey/blues, rusty browns and amber lighting would set a nice feeling. Going down the step wall, depending on the height, large greying barn door frames with black and white vintage prints, maybe old relative's photos.
The lights... old rustic one armed sconces that give a amber soft light. Not ornate.
The color of the carpet is so strong that the placement of wall objects should be almost primitive in nature.
Well thats it for me. I'm not a professional. Just love to decorate. Every day it's a fun way to live life. Enjoy feelings!

I am opening a hair and nail salon,I am looking for a way to decorate the windows,to the front entrance,this is and old store building on maine street.

Well your stair carpet is only one aspect of the choosing the right paint. What color is the stair railing? Is it wood or iron with a contemporary or country feel to it. What kind of light fixture do you have in the hall? If your style is contemporary and you want soomething dramatic then paint the light gold not a mustard tone but metalllic gold. It will neutralized the rug and add a little glamour to the hall. Add pictures to the wall with cranberry color scheme or a matte with picture of the family. White base and crown molding. Staircase should be white with wood tone railing.

I am trying to decorate my wall that go up my stairs, I have cranberry carpeting on my stairs. What color can I paint the wall.