// BLOG
How to Decorate Your Dining Room and Add a Personal Touch
April 30, 2012
The dining room is a wonderful place to display collectibles and artwork. For example, a friend of mine travels each year to a different country and collects pottery wherever she goes. She had a shelf built high on the walls around the room where she displays her plates. A collection of baskets in an open cupboard will lend texture and character to a country dining room. A collection of blue-and-white willowware displayed in a china cabinet would echo the theme in a blue-and-white room. You might create a vignette of objects on a small table under a window. Arrange high and low items such as two candlesticks, a small plant in a pretty ceramic cachepot, an interesting little plate in colors that reflect the wall or fabric color, a table lamp and a photograph in a standing frame. A simple clear glass vase filled with fresh cut flowers and a collection of shells in a basket might be all you need on a small table or shelf.
When my husband and I were working on our book Nantucket Style, we photographed an artist’s house that was built in the 1700s. There was a very narrow wall space in the dining room, next to the door, and she used this to create a photographic display. Here she had framed black-and-white family portraits in the same simple black frames and arranged them to fill the area. Large colorful portraits of these same family members filled the larger walls around the room.
Another artist friend displays a collection of souvenir English coronation tins in the dining room. They are housed on glass shelves in a display case mounted on the wall and illuminated with lighting within the box.
Decorative accessories don’t have to be expensive to be interesting. Whatever appeals to you can be used to add decorative touches. Plants, fresh flowers and potted trees add style to any room. Flowering plants add color on windowsills. When in doubt, use white and garden green. The freshest and nicest color combination is a grouping of white flowering plants with deep green leaves in simple terra-cotta pots. Look for old, used garden pots at yard sales. Sometimes you can find interesting shapes. I like to whitewash mine or create a mixture of glaze and paint to rub over them, very crudely, to make them look Old World. Place these on ceramic dishes on a highly polished table. It’s fun to mix textures and put things together that you wouldn’t expect to find side by side.
How to Treat Your Floors
March 22, 2012
How you treat your floors is an aesthetic as well as practical consideration. You can polish, paint, carpet, put down area rugs or lay tiles. The decision is based on the size of the room, how it will be used and the style of the furnishings.
Carpeting
Wall-to-wall carpeting should always be installed by a professional. Wherever you purchase the carpeting, this service is usually included in the cost of the carpet. You will also need an underlay, which may be extra. Ask. Carpeting comes in a variety of colors and textures and the price range is just as varied. As with everything else, quality costs. Some carpets have a stain-resistant coating. This is a good feature to look for.
Sisal carpeting has always been a favorite choice of decorators because it’s good-looking and practical, and pretty much blends in with the floor. It’s a good natural background for most furnishings, is relatively affordable and comes in different shades, textures and quali¬ties. Basically it has a flat, matlike feel as opposed to carpeting, which is soft and plush.
If you have good hardwood floors, it would be a shame to cover them with wall-to-wall carpeting. Interesting area rugs would be preferable. Area rugs and carpeting soften the look and feel of a room and help absorb sound.
Area Rugs
Area rugs, such as a good Persian, Oriental, kilim, hooked, or needlepoint, can determine the colors you select for furniture and window and wall coverings.
Rugs come in a variety of sizes and patterns, so know exactly where a rug will be used and the area dimensions before shopping.
If you’ve already chosen a color scheme, take swatches of paint colors, wallpaper and fabrics with you when selecting your floor covering.
Stenciling and Faux Finishing Floors
A floor is the perfect canvas on which to apply a painted design. There are many talented professionals who specialize in this area and can transform a plain floor with a checkerboard pattern, faux tile, the look of marble, a stenciled border, or any number of other patterns.
Whitewashed or bleached floors create a soft film of white over sanded floors, reminiscent of those in country cottages. A thin coat of paint is applied, then quickly rubbed off so the wood grain shows through. Several coats of polyurethane protect the finish and give the floor a nice luster. Floors in many century-old houses are in bad condition and are good candidates for a paint treatment. A decorator with such a home on Nantucket Island painted her floors in a light color, then spatter-painted them with several different colors taken from the wallpaper and fabrics in the room.
None of these techniques is difficult to learn, but all require some patience and practice on a small board before you tackle a large area like a floor. If you want to save money and have a good-looking floor treatment, check out the free booklets offered in home centers as well as some books from the library to determine if this is something you might enjoy doing.
How to Decorate a Guest Room
March 16, 2012
I sleep in the guest bedroom in my house once a year. I do this to assess the room for comfort and to add whatever’s necessary before inviting guests to stay with me. You can have fun with a guest bedroom because it probably won’t be used as much as the other rooms. Therefore, you can get away with painting and decorating touches that aren’t entirely practical on an everyday basis. However, if you don’t have the luxury of an extra room, chances are your guests will be sleeping on a pull-out sleep sofa in the den or home office.
Creating a stylish room for dual purposes can present an interesting challenge.
Since I live in a resort area, I’m usually prepared for a few guests during the summer months. The room doesn’t get used much in the winter so I decorated it in a summery way. I can always add a down comforter and quilt to the bed for winter use if necessary. Friends of mine decorated a den/study for optimum use every day, and for their occasional weekend guests. While my guest room is outfitted in white eyelet, theirs is furnished in tweeds, leather, chrome and glass. One wall is a built-in bookcase, there is a small TV, and most of the time the room is a sleek but cozy den. The floor is carpeted, there are wood blinds on the windows, and the tailored sofa opens into a queen-size bed. Small glass-and-chrome tables function as coffee tables in front of the sofa and, when pulled to each side, become night tables for guests. Two occasional chairs complete the den, and are easily pushed out of the way when the sofa is opened up.
A friend who often has weekend guests suggests twin beds pushed together because this arrangement accommodates any situation. My guest bedroom has a double bed because the room would be too small for night tables on either side if the bed was larger. A double bed is a bit small for two, but most guests stay only two nights, so it isn’t too uncomfortable. It’s fine for one.
Where your guests sleep isn’t as important as how you accommodate them, whether with twin beds tucked under eaves in an attic space, a futon in a tiny space, a sleep sofa in your office or a sumptuous bed in a beauti-fully decorated bedroom. Wherever your guests sleep, the room should be attractive and function well. Most of all it should be inviting. When your guests close the door to their temporary home, they should feel at home.
Guest Checklist
No matter how small, a guest bedroom can be comfortable if you do the following:
1. Remove all of your personal items. A guest room shouldn’t be the catchall for last year’s Christmas wrapping paper with closets full of old clothes that you’ve probably forgotten.
2. Line dresser drawers with scented paper. Fill the closet with pretty hangers.
3. The bed, no matter how it evolves, must be comfortable. Try it out yourself before having guests use it. A quilted mattress pad, pretty sheets, a blanket and comforter make the bed inviting. A patchwork or applique quilt adds to the homey quality.
4. Lots of pillows, soft and firm, will be appreciated.
5. Keep the furnishings simple. This is not the place to store castoffs so your guests have to navigate through the room. A night table and reading lamps, a small dresser and a chair are enough. If there’s room, a bench at the end of the bed is good for sitting and holding a suitcase. I keep a wicker trunk at the end of my guest bed. It holds all the bed linens and towels, and guests use this for their suitcases.
6. Accessories that add to the comfort include a mirror (full-length if possible), clock and phone.
7. Fresh flowers, current magazines, a local newspaper and books make guests feel welcome. Pots of flowering plants on a shelf or windowsill add color and liveliness.
How to repair plaster walls and ceilings
March 15, 2012
Although plaster is known to be rigid and susceptible to cracks and stress, it is still chosen for interior wall and ceiling decoration because it is more visually stunning when finished compared to the drywall material commonly applied in home decoration. Another more important reason is that should a crack form on the plaster decoration, in most cases it is relatively easy to repair without the need for a plastering expert.
The steps involved in repairing a plastered wall and/ or ceiling are:
- Step 1) The old, chipped plaster is removed from the substrate before any repair is to be done. Ensure that debris is removed thoroughly. Note: if the stress lines appear to run in a diagonal direction, then there is no need to chip away the old, ruined plaster but instead immediately repair the plastering surface by application of drywall plastering compound with drywall tape added to seal holes and stress lines ( see Fig. 1 for what a drywall tape looks like). If the stress lines appear to run in a horizontal direction, it shows this is a serious problem because it is thought that the cause of this is due to the lathe (the lathe is a platform made up of horizontal strips of wood stuck together to support the plaster when it is being applied to the substrate (see Fig.2 for a pic of a lathe)).
Fig.1 Drywall tape Fig.2 Lathe
- Step 2) Drywall setting compounds are applied to the area where the stress is found. Drywall setting compounds. The time taken for the compound to dry can range from 20 minutes to 90 minutes. (See Fig. 3 for a pic of a fast drying setting compound). The drywall setting compound is mixed with water until it has a consistency that is not too runny or too thick. The drywall setting compound is applied smoothly and evenly over the cracks/lines.
Fig.3: drywall setting compound
- Step 3) The drywall tape is now applied to the setting compound to cover the cracks or stress lines. A 4″ or 6″ drywall taping knife is used to press the tape into the setting compound. Note: there should be setting compound wetting both sides of the tape. Excess setting compound is removed by wiping it away with the drywall knife. (See Fig. 4 for an example of a drywall tape and Fig.5 for an example of a drywall taping knife.)
Fig.4: drywall tape Fig.5: drywall taping knife
- Step 4) Make sure the tape is embedded in the mud well because this is so important. Once this is done allow time for drying. When the setting compound has dried, sand the edges lightly. Apply a second coat of drywall setting compound using a 8″ or 10″ drywall floating knife. Spread the second coat evenly and if necessary, sand down any uneven surfaces.
- Step 5) In this final step, apply a final coat of drywall setting compound using a 12″ or 14″ drywall taping knife. Note: this last coat should have thinner consistency than the previous coats and should be applied in such a way as to achieve the smoothest texture.
Orientation of the building
March 15, 2012
Prior to setting the foundations of a prospective property, it is best to consider the orientation of the proposed building in relation to the Sun as this will greatly influence the extent to which the property can absorb/ reflect heat during the Seasons, particularly in Winter and Summer as well as the general comfort of the new property occupiers. (see Fig.1)
Fig.1: example of incorporating the movement of the Sun
into property design
The designed property must be orientated in such a way as to provide good ventilation and minimise wasteful energy loss whatever the weather.
Exposure to radiation from the Sun in the form of infra-red waves should also be considered in the design of the property as during Winter there is much less infra-red radiation exposure as the Sun is positioned more towards the Southern Hemisphere from the perspective of someone living in the Northern hemisphere e.g England, Sweden etc. Instead of property owners having to spend vast amounts of money on heating and gas during the Winter, it would be advantageous for their property to be built in such a way that it receives the most infra-red radiation exposure from the Sun to naturally and cost effectively warm their property. The opposite can be said for a property during the Summer season. As mentioned previously, during the Summer season, for the same person living in the Northern hemisphere, they would find the Sun more orientated towards the north now making the days longer and since their property has high exposure to infra-red radiation, it would be best if their property was designed to reduce the amount infra-red absorbed during that exposure for the reasons being that it would prevent the building structure from deteriorating due to the material expanding when heated and contracting when it is cold as well as the general comfort of the owner.
Other factors that may have an affect on the orientation of the proposed property are: rain, humidity and prevailing winds.
For rain especially in the case of heavy rain, it is best for the building to be designed in a way that it’s thinner exterior walls are not exposed to the impact of heavy rain so as to avoid having to frequently spend money on repairing damages caused by the rain.
For humidity, in very hot, humid conditions it has been found to be warm to anyone but this effect can be countered if there is improved ventilation. For this reason, if a property is to be built in a very humid area, it should be orientated in a way that it transfers this humidity away from the area and improves the comfort of anyone in that immediate area.
For prevailing winds, as mentioned in humidity, the key to improving the occupant’s comfort during hot, humid conditions is to increase ventilation. To do this, the direction of the wind and the speed at which it flows has to be considered in an area where the building is to be placed. The proposed building should be placed in font of very fast winds during the humid Summer season to encourage ventilation.