Décor Score from Creators Syndicate

Decorating on a Deadline? Get the Basics Down First for 02/13/2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I need unusual ideas for my boyfriend's home office. He loves antiques and "guy" things, such as maps and ship models. The trouble is, I volunteered to decorate for him before I was called back to work full time, so I can't spend much time shopping for antiques like I'd thought I could. He needs his office up and running, and I need help, fast!

A: Quick! Focus on the basics ...

Updated: Mon Feb 13, 2012

It's Quite a Stretch, Decorating for 'Boomerang' Kids for 02/06/2012

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: We're trying to make a nice home office for our son who is moving back home until he can find another job. His father thinks we should move in some of the furniture that's been in storage, like a small sofa and some lamp tables. They're looking a little shabby to me. I don't want our son to feel any worse than he does about having to live with us. Do you have any ideas that don't cost much?< ...

Updated: Mon Feb 06, 2012

Overhead and Under-Played, Ceilings Are Worth Looking up to for 01/30/2012

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I just returned from my first-ever trip abroad, where I was really struck by how much attention the Old World paid to ceilings! My husband laughed at me because I practically came home with a crick in my neck from staring up so much. Not that I want cherubs and goddesses over my head, but can't we have more than plain white ceilings in our houses today?

A: For centuries, ceilings were ...

Updated: Mon Jan 30, 2012

Add a Scoop of Contrast to Create Drama in the Kitchen for 01/23/2012

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I am worried about the floor plan in the house we are building. The kitchen opens to the dining room through a wide doorway. I like the openness, but I am looking for some way to set the kitchen apart from the next room. The builder suggests that we add a wide molding to the doorway. Do you think that would work?

A: It would certainly help distinguish one space from the next, as you c ...

Updated: Mon Jan 23, 2012

Living Large in a (Really) Small Space for 01/16/2012

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Our living “room” is just a wide spot in the entry hall of our small apartment. (We used the official living room for a family/dining room instead). Our sofa is a sleeper, that's how cramped we are. My question is what to do about 1. a cocktail table and 2. lighting. There's really no room for a cocktail table or lamp tables.

A: Never mind that the living room we show here is on the s ...

Updated: Mon Jan 16, 2012

Making Everything Old New and Now! Again for 01/09/2012

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: We are thinking about buying a grand old townhouse that dates to the mid-l9th century. It will need some restoration but the architecture (plaster moldings, ceiling medallions and floors) is in surprisingly good shape. We have a few antiques, but most of our furniture is contemporary, so we're looking to blend periods — old and now — and need advice.

A: If pictures are rea ...

Updated: Mon Jan 09, 2012

Epoxy-Painted Floors: Fab but Don't DIY for 12/26/2011

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Is it possible to paint floors so they look like stained concrete? I really like the smooth, seamless look, but I'm in a condo and there's no way I can have poured concrete. Is there another way to get the look?

A: Take a leaf from the book of visual tricks belonging to architect Charles "Chip" Bohl. In his own apartment, he used epoxy paint to seal the floors, so they gleam ...

Updated: Mon Dec 26, 2011

When Do Accessories Become Necessities? for 12/19/2011

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I suck at arranging furniture! Our living room is really big (27 feet by 25 feet), and I have no idea where to begin. We have an extra-long couch and a couple of end tables. Can you get me started, like, where do I begin putting down the furniture?

A: Relax. Furniture arranging is all about common sense, and, obviously, you have enough of that to ask for help. By "common sense,&q ...

Updated: Mon Dec 19, 2011

Tame Space With Warm Color and the Right Light for 12/12/2011

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Our dining room is really large — 23 x 21 feet with 10-foot ceilings and long tall windows. You're probably going to tell me that it's a nice problem to have, but it is still a problem, making the room feel warm and comfortable when you have people in for dinner (we usually eat in the cozier family room). I hate to let such great space go to waste. Please advise.

A: It is a nice ...

Updated: Mon Dec 12, 2011

Hot Ideas for an Off-Duty Fireplace for 12/05/2011

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: What should I do with a really big fireplace that doesn't actually work? I keep it full of dried flowers in the summer, but would like a change for the holidays, something besides a pile of logs, please.

A: Easy as rolling off a log — pun intentional — here's an instant decorating lesson from two of the best, Benjamin Bradley and David Thiergartner (BradleyThiergartnerInte ...

Updated: Mon Dec 05, 2011

A Sofa's Not Just for Sitting Anymore for 12/02/2011

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Where to put the sofa in an open plan room? We have a fireplace, but no walls — the space just wraps around into the dining area. Should I put the sofa facing the fireplace or at an angle to it?

A: Successful furniture arranging is all about creating comfort, and that includes visual comfort.

We humans crave a certain amount of organization. We also need certain kinds of ...

Updated: Fri Dec 02, 2011

Layering's in Fashion for Homewear, Too for 11/28/2011

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: My husband's new office is in what used to be the sun porch. The floor is concrete and cold and hard. He is unemployed "officially" at the moment but expects to go back to work (soon, we hope!), so we don't want the expense of putting down a floor. Could we just lay a carpet over the concrete?

A: You could, and if you also put down the requisite padding that every rug needs, ...

Updated: Mon Nov 28, 2011

Big Space? Divide to Conquer for 11/21/2011

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Our living room is really big — too big! (22 x 20 sq. ft). I'm having trouble working out a comfortable furniture arrangement. There is a fireplace, but if I set the sofa and chairs facing it, what happens in the rest of the space over by the window? Can you draw me a diagram of a suitable furniture arrangement?

A: Even better, I can show you a bird's-eye view of a real room in ...

Updated: Mon Nov 21, 2011

Brightening the Corner Where You Are for 11/14/2011

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Our apartment is on the dark side, literally. We face the wall of the building next door, so the living room stays in constant shadow. We tried to compensate by lightening the wood floors and using light beige upholstery. But it is still too dark. Do you have any other suggestions?

A: It was wise of you to apply the physics of color to your problem, a solution you'll find in many pro ...

Updated: Mon Nov 14, 2011

Asymmetrical Arrangement Energizes a Room for 11/07/2011

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Q: We have a high ceiling in our Great Room that slants away on both sides of the beam in the center of the ceiling. I can't figure out how to hang paintings and things on the wall because it comes to a point in the center. Do I follow the angle or ignore it?

A: Your choice. You can simply work out your arrangement as you would on a wall with a straight ceiling line, or you can take a ti ...

Updated: Mon Nov 07, 2011

Try a New Slant on Room Arranging for 10/31/2011

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We are downsizing from a large ranch to a little cottage with rooms that are too small for our furniture. We jettisoned a lot of stuff before we moved, but are still having trouble making things fit, like the sofa that's too long for any wall in the living room. Our daughter suggested that we set it cater-cornered, but isn't that a decorating no-no?

A: No, no, not necessarily. Cater-c ...

Updated: Mon Oct 31, 2011

Wrought Iron Makes a Grand Entrance Grander for 10/24/2011

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We're redoing an l960s contemporary home that has a large entry. Some earlier remodeler put an ugly ornate iron railing on the stairs. It's coming off! But what should we put in its place? We don't like wrought iron, but don't you agree that wood is too traditional for the rest of the house?

A: In the first place, wood is evergreen, no pun intended. It's never "too" anything ...

Updated: Mon Oct 24, 2011

Bedroom A Yawn? Just as it Should Be! for 10/17/2011

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Q: What's the best color to paint a bedroom? My husband (the architect) wants it white (like every other room in the house). I'd prefer a color; maybe even pink, but I don't dare suggest it. If you make a suggestion, he might listen.

A: An architect listen to outside opinions? About interior design? All architects seem to remember how Frank Lloyd Wright dissed interior designers, calling ...

Updated: Mon Oct 17, 2011

Dark Rooms Take a Shine to Reflective Surfaces for 10/10/2011

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Our apartment is in an old, pre-war building, overlooking an airshaft. We love it because the rooms are big, the ceilings are high, and we have — ta-dum! — a working wood-burning fireplace! The downside is that it's dark. We painted the walls a very light cream and used sheer curtains to let in as much light as possible. Can you suggest other "bright" ideas?

A: M ...

Updated: Mon Oct 10, 2011

Wood You Believe Who Designed This Bedroom? for 10/03/2011

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We are re-modelling the wonderful old cabin we bought in the mountains and want to do something special in the boys' bedroom. We have 6-year-old twins. Bunk beds are the obvious answer, but we can't find anything "rustic" enough. Do you have any resources to suggest?

A: How about Mother Nature? She's the best decorator around, and you can be sure everything she suggests will ...

Updated: Mon Oct 03, 2011