Décor Score from Creators Syndicate

Go for Laminates When Putting Flooring in Children's Bathroom for 07/06/2009

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We are turning a small bedroom into a shared bath for our children, ages 8 and 11. It's a pretty large space. We were thinking of putting down ceramic tile until my sister-in-law, who sells real estate, told us that four bedrooms sell better than three and the next owners might want to turn it back into a bedroom. What's your advice here?

A: I always wince when anyone puts the emphasi ...

Updated: Mon Jul 06, 2009

Hang Prints Together to Create a Matching, Decorative Wall Piece for 07/13/2009

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My husband bought a copy of an Audubon portfolio of prints ("Birds of America"). It's not all that valuable, but would look terrific if he takes my advice to frame the prints; they could hang as a matching set. He's resisting and wants to break them up between the living, dining and family rooms. Am I wrong to think they should hang together?

A: As Benjamin Franklin famously ...

Updated: Mon Jul 13, 2009

White is made right with textures and light colors for 07/20/2009

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Now that the children are grown and the grandchildren live on the other coast, I have finally been able to realize a long-held fantasy — an all-white living room! However, it's not working out as I'd foreseen.

With not much color, the room looks duller than I thought it would. No way I'm throwing out my new white sofa and chairs (and curtains), so what can I do to liven things u ...

Updated: Mon Jul 20, 2009

Maintain Bathroom Privacy with Opaque Window Glass or Mini-Blinds for 07/27/2009

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Our master bath has a separate shower (for my husband) and a wonderful, old-fashioned tub for me. There's a problem: The tub is right under a large window, which now looks onto the deck my neighbors just added to their house. I don't want to lose the light if I can help it, but I also don't want to be overexposed!

A: You can trust your modesty to newfangled technologies for both windo ...

Updated: Mon Jul 27, 2009

Place Family Photos Down a Hallway or Stairway to Create a Gallery for 08/03/2009

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We have a lot of family photos with four siblings and 14 children between us. I used to keep our photos on a large round table in the living room, but we've outgrown it. Plus, my sister is a professional photographer who sends large prints. Please, we love seeing the family, but need ideas on how to display our ever-growing collection of photos.

A: You're right-on: For maximum impact, ...

Updated: Mon Aug 03, 2009

Consider Wood Cabinets for Fashionable Wardrobe Storage for 08/10/2009

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We are considering converting our (married) daughter's bedroom into a walk-in closet — a lifelong dream of mine, probably leftover from reading movie magazines as a girl. Anyway, I want it to be as glamorous as possible without spending a fortune on a carpenter. Did you once write about using kitchen cabinets out of the kitchen? Would that work here?

A: The answer is yes to both ...

Updated: Mon Aug 10, 2009

Cork Provides Comfortable and Durable Kitchen Flooring for 08/17/2009

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We have always spent a lot of time in the kitchen of any home we've owned. Now we're about to renovate our next house, and I'm puzzled over the floor.

Someone has suggested cork. I haven't heard of cork in years! Is it a good idea?

A: A splendid idea, especially since you spend so much time in your kitchen. Cork is a natural product that's been endowed with preternatural charms ...

Updated: Mon Aug 17, 2009

Designer Tricks to Make a Small Room Look Bigger for 08/24/2009

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We have the smallest-ever breakfast area opening off our kitchen. My husband built a banquette and hung a light over the table, but it still makes us claustrophobic! I'm thinking of wallpapering. Would stripes be a good idea, just to relieve the squeezed look?

A: Especially if you run the stripes horizontally around the walls. It's a failsafe optical illusion. Horizontal lines seem to ...

Updated: Mon Aug 24, 2009

Group Similar Accessories Together to Create a Unified Design for 08/31/2009

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My husband absolutely hates clutter, which includes all my collections (hand-painted pottery, Raggedy Ann dolls, miniature chairs). I respect his sensibilities, so most of my "stuff" is in my office and my bath. However, the living room looks really bare, like no one even lives here. Maybe there's a happy medium — some way I can have my things and my (second) marriage, too?
Updated: Mon Aug 31, 2009

Tips for Displaying Art when Faced with Little Wall Space for 09/07/2009

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: The living room of our '60s ranch has almost no wall space. The picture window runs all the way across the front of the room and the other "walls" are mostly archways leading to the hall, the dining room and a small porch. We have just inherited a rather valuable painting from my husband's aunt. I guess we could hang it in the front hall or dining room, but it seems a waste not to ...

Updated: Mon Sep 07, 2009

Choose Contrasting Color Schemes for a More Powerful Effect for 09/14/2009

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My husband and I both like the color gray, so I was glad to see that a number of the designers in a show house used gray on the walls. But they also used beige furniture and a beige-and-gray plaid rug. It was very pretty, but a little too dull for us. What else would you suggest with gray?

A: Think contrast instead of coordinates. The latter must have been what the designer had in min ...

Updated: Mon Sep 14, 2009

Try a New Approach to Four-Poster Beds for 09/21/2009

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I've always yearned for a four-poster bed, but my husband is an architect who can't even abide the thought of traditional decorating. We're about to settle for a Shaker-style slim, black pencil-post bed. It has a beautiful, simple silhouette, so he's OK about it. But I'm thinking you may have other ideas.

A: I have several other suggestions for faux four-posters, all of them lifted ...

Updated: Mon Sep 21, 2009

Becalm Bedroom for a Better Night's Sleep for 09/28/2009

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We have been country dwellers all our married life. Recently, we decided to move into a senior community in the middle of a downtown area that has been beautifully reclaimed. We love the change of scene and pace, but both of us are having a hard time sleeping. I think I made a mistake painting the bedroom a bright color (chartreuse! What was I thinking?).

A: You obviously weren't thin ...

Updated: Mon Sep 28, 2009

Turn Stair Landing into a Cozy Sitting Room or Library for 10/05/2009

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: What should I do with the large landing at the top of the stairs in our condo? I thought of putting in a sleeper sofa and making it a guest "room," but it's in the middle of all the upstairs hallway traffic.

A: Good catch: Guests should neither be seen nor heard from till the host has a chance to slip down for that first cup of coffee. Besides, as a guest, I'd sure hate to ...

Updated: Mon Oct 05, 2009

Treat Windows with Accordion Shades to Gain Privacy for 10/12/2009

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I don't have a clue about what to do with the six windows in our dining room alcove. We are right on the street corner, so we need something for privacy, but I refuse to keep the windows covered all the time. Suggestions, please!

A: You have a number of viable options, ranging from a one-way window film that lets you look out but not in, to the kind of acrobatic, bottoms-up solution t ...

Updated: Mon Oct 12, 2009

Wood You Believe? Yesterday's Timber Leads a Second Life for 10/19/2009

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Our son and his two young children are moving in with us after his divorce. We had planned to move ourselves, but now we'll stay put and add a great room for the kids. Our house is Tudor-style, so we want the new room to blend with the old things, such as the woodwork, stained glass and hardwood floors. We were thinking of using reclaimed wood for the floors and woodwork, but my husband hate ...

Updated: Mon Oct 19, 2009

Ask Michelangelo: To Wallpaper a Ceiling, it Helps to be an Artist for 10/26/2009

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Q: We have a quirky room, a sun porch with six, large arched windows and a cove ceiling — lots of different angles. I would like to wallpaper the ceiling, too, but I don't know how to handle the curves. Any helpful hints?

A: Wallpapering ceilings can be as tricky as the end result can be charming. But it's worth the effort, especially in a fun room as most sun rooms are supposed to ...

Updated: Mon Oct 26, 2009

An Open-and-Shut Case For Dressing Doors Differently for 11/02/2009

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Our sun porch has six windows plus a French door that leads out to the patio. My furniture is mostly traditional, so I'm thinking of using pleated draperies on the windows. But what should I do with the door? It opens into the room, so more drapes won't work.

A: Full-length draperies — no, since they'd get tangled whenever your doors are opened. But never mind: Consistency is al ...

Updated: Mon Nov 02, 2009

Two Seating Pieces can Double Your Fireplace Pleasure for 11/09/2009

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Q: How should I arrange furniture in a large contemporary living room with a fireplace on one wall adjoining a window on the side wall, with the space open to the dining area? I plan to buy a new sofa, but I have no idea where to position it. We like modern sophisticated things. What's your advice about arranging them to best enjoy the fireplace?

A: One superb solution is to buy two sofa ...

Updated: Mon Nov 09, 2009

How to Make an Attic Bedroom Worth the Climb for 11/16/2009

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Q: My husband's niece will be living with us while she goes to grad school nearby. He has been doing over the attic for her bedroom — paneling the ceiling and putting in a new engineered wood. Now it's my turn to decorate, and I don't know what to do with the slanted walls, etc. Any advice or examples would be a big help.

A: Here's a roomful of ideas, borrowed from an aptly titled ...

Updated: Mon Nov 16, 2009