Designing a bedroom with a 10 year old.

My ten year old has decided she wants a new room. She no longer cares for her furniture, the pink, green and purple striped walls (which is way cute, of course) or her bedding. I'm having a hard time getting her to realize that I do this for a living and she should just trust me! She wants to trade furniture with her sister, which of course sister said, "No way!" I think I've convinced her that we can paint hers white and switch out the mirror which she thinks is hideous. I know that her Daddy will appreciate this (not buying new furniture, that is), even though I may have a hard time convincing him that it is ok to paint stained wood furniture. He also has a hard time trusting me!

Anyway, we are leaning towards painting the walls lavendar and the ceilings a lighter shade, I want to glitter glaze on the ceiling, but she's not sure about that. We are thinking black and white polka-dots for the bedding and that is as far as we've gotten. Since I've told her this will be part of her Christmas we are in no rush....at least I'm not! I will keep you posted as the project progresses!

Easy Window Treatment Idea

So what if you bought a bed-in-a-bag set and you can't find a window treatment to match or it's too expensive, or sold out? Well, check and see if they have any flat sheets that match and use that as your fabric. It's great because it's already hemmed. You can drape it over a decorative rod or bunch it up on each side, rubber band it, creating a rosette and tack it to your wall, without using a rod. I did a combination of this recently with a client. She had scarves left over from a previous house. One was too short and two made it too long. I rubber banded the ends together to make a rosette in the middle of the window, draped it over a rod several times and then made another rosette on each side of the window and it turned out great. She was happy because she got to recycle window treatments on which she had spent a lot of money. Her husband was out of town at the time, but I'm sure he was happy about that too!

"Fun" With Gel Stain

Do you have an old table, chair or other piece of furniture that needs an update? What about kitchen cabinets...are you tired of golden oak cabinets or are they looking worn out? Well, if you have a little bit of time and a ton of patience you can coat them with gel stain to change the color or for an antique look you can paint them and gel stain over the paint for a tea stained effect. This technique is not hard to do, but it is a multi-step process with lots of dry time in between steps so you must be patient. I recently did my kitchen table and chairs. Here are the steps I followed:

1. Cleaned with TSP (available at paint & hardware stores), don't forget to rinse and wear gloves.

2. Primed with oil base Cover Stain by Zinsser. Use plenty of ventilation, very stinky!

3. Painted with water based Satin Impervo (from Benjamin Moore) in Navajo White.

4. Wiped on (with a rag) Old Masters Gel Stain in American Walnut. Then wiped off and let dry at least 24 hours. Wear gloves for this stage, it's fun, but very messy!!!!

5. Applied 2 coats of satin Varnish, letting dry at least 24 hours between coats. Proper ventilation recommended for this stage as well.

** I used a 4" velour roller on the primer and paint.

If I had it to do over again I would probably use oil base Satin Impervo because it gives a much smoother finish. Even though it is harder to clean up, it dries harder and does look better because it doesn't show brush strokes. I've heard it described like painting with butter! I would definitely use oil base on cabinets.

My hardwood floors

We installed bamboo hardwood floors on our main floor living room and the stairs going up and down of our split level home. We also did the upstairs hallway. We did a dark mahagony color which I love even though it does show everything, gotta love the Swiffer. This has changed the whole appearance of my home, I also painted the living room a darker color as you know from a previous post. While I don't quite have everything put back up on the walls, I love the way everything is coming together.

Fun with Stripes

There are tons of different ways to use stripes in a room. Of course you can simply just paint two different colors or.....paint the same color but use different sheens like a flat or eggshell and a semi-gloss (tip: paint the whole room flat or eggshell and then tape off stripes and use the semigloss). Another variation of this idea would be to tape off stripes and then fill in with a clear latex urethane such as AquaPlastic. Do a faux finish on every other stripe or apply a glitter glaze. I did the glitter glaze on a horizontal stripe around my younger daughter's bedroom which turned out great, perfect for a princess room. Metallics are also fun, use them as a solid or more like a faux finish treatment, I love the metalllic collection from Modern Masters. Be warned that these dry really fast, you must add an extender. Some colors are sheer, some are semi-opaque, some are opaque.

If you don't enjoy taping, I would do horizontal stripes and make sure you are even all the way around your room, use a level. If you are really daring, paint a glow in the dark stripe.

Play around with the width of the stripes, they don't have to be uniform, just remember the more stripes you have the more taping you have to do. Use good quality tape, the paint store can recommend what you need. Before you even buy the paint experiment by cutting out different widths and placing them at different heights, try both vertical and horizontal.

What if your child wants to paint his/her room black?

So what if your child wants to paint his/her walls fire engine red, royal blue, hot pink, electric purple or, oh my goodness, black? If you can stand it, go for it. But what if you just can't let your child express him/herself quite that much? Well, you could paint just one wall, (I recommend the bed wall) or you could add these colors in other creative ways. I've already talked about using wallpaper as artwork so you could do that or you could buy a pack of artist canvases and paint those. Most paint stores sell color samples which are the perfect amount or you could buy quarts. You could paint nine 5 x 7 canvases and arrange them 3 across and 3 down above the bed or do 3 bigger ones side by side, be proportionate to bed size. You could leave them solid or decorate them with dots, lines, or swirls to add some whimsy. The beauty of doing this is that they can always be repainted fairly easily when your bundle of joy wants the express him/herself with a different color.

Another idea is to paint a horizontal stripe around the room or around windows and doors. Add a little color with a 2 inch stripe or be bold with 10-12 inches, although this wide is not recommended around windows and doors, it would be too heavy. If you have trouble visualizing, tape some construction paper around the room, try it a different heights/widths to see which is most pleasing to the eye.

Or, try Wall Pops from Brewster Home Fashions, which are like great big stickers. They come in fun colors and styles and there are even some really cool dry erase ones.

You can always add "the color" with bedding, try Pottery Barn for some fun styles. This is easier than painting, but not necessarily cheaper!



Most importantly remember, they are only young once so is this a battle you want to choose? Maybe so, if they want to paint all 4 walls black. Otherwise, you can always keep the door shut, chances are the room is a mess anyway.

Sprucing up walls

Do your walls need a quick sprucing up? Try wallies. They are similar to wallpaper and are great for kids rooms, bathrooms, playrooms or on furniture. My 13 year old has flip flops in her bathroom and my 10 year old has fun flowers. They are easy to put up and easy to come down. They not as big of a commitment as wallpaper and can really add some pop for not much money.

Quick tip: accessories

Have you ever found a bedding set that you just loved and wanted more of the fabric to use for pillows, window treatments, or other accessories? Buy an extra flat sheet or sheet set. The great thing about this is that it's already hemmed which is very handy for window treatments. You can drape them over a decorative rod, make a cornice board or panels.

Picking my own paint color

I am currently following my own advice on paint color. I'm trying to pick a color for my living room, hall and stairwell. We are getting new bamboo flooring, I'm so excited and it's a sustainable product, better for the environment, added bonus!! Anyway, I decided that I should paint before the floors go in, mostly because my husband loves it when I paint. He said he would bring the extension ladder home for me from the storage unit. This is the only involvement he wants in the project!

I tried 15 or so different colors and just couldn't find the right color that would look good with my lighting. I brought home big swatches and tried them on every wall of the room at different times of the day. Finally I decided on AF-135 (Interlude) from Benjamin Moore. I'm having the paint store shoot it at 75% of the formula so it is not quite as dark. I like full strength, but my family overruled me. They actually like 50% strength better, so we are compromising at 75%. I'm keeping the halls and stairwell the same color they are now, because it will be quite a feat to reach every spot, it's pretty tall and it's stairs, need I say more? This way if I happen to miss a spot it won't be as noticeable. I had the paint store match my current color in a Aura paint so that it will cover well and will touch up better later. I will post pictures of the finished product when I'm done.

Want to cut a hole in your wall?

Want to cut a hole in your wall to open up a space? I have friends who recently wanted to do this and this is the advice I offered them. Cut out the size and shape you want from brown paper or newspaper first, tape it to your wall and make sure you can rearrange your furniture around the opening. Move it around and make sure you get it in just the right spot and the right size. Don't forget to do it on both sides. The last thing you want to do is cut a hole in your wall and then not be able to arrange your furniture around the opening.

One of my new favorite things.

Check out the Manh Truc Woven Woods Collection from Lafayette Venetian Blind. They are super cool, I love the woven natural look. I'm typically not a fan of vertical blinds, but I really like the Panel Drape...the woven shade material is railroaded (run vertically instead of horizontally) so it's a contemporary version of a panel drapery. It's not your Grandma's vinyl vertical blind, that's for sure.

My color pick for May

Color of the month for May...AF-490 Tranquility. It's part of the Affinity Collection designed to go with Aura paint (my favorite!) from Benjamin Moore. What's not to love with the name tranquility? It's a nice, peaceful, pastel gray blue which pairs nicely with chocolate brown, warm silver, a pale green, pale yellow or even black. It would go well in your bedroom, in fact, check out this neat bedding from the Material Girls blog.

Mother's Day is almost here.

Do you like to give handmade Mother's Day gifts? I have another idea for wallpaper samples. Decoupage wallpaper onto flower pots. Cut out florals or stripes, mix and match until your heart is content. Scrapbook paper also works well for this. Cover with Mod Podge or a water-based polyurethane, add some soil and a pansy or two and you will be all set.

Love wallpaper, but don't want to mess with hanging it?

Do love the decorative look of wallpaper, but don't want to commit to hanging it on all your walls or even one wall? My perfect solution is the make artwork with it. Many companies will sell samples in lengths up to 10 feet. Order a sample and make wallhangings. Cover an artist canvas, or better yet several and group them together above your bed or sofa. You can also order several coordinating samples and make collages with them. Scrapbook paper works well for this also. The best part is you can change it with much less hassle when you are tired of it and ready for something new!

Trendy vs. Classic

When I'm helping design a space, I'm often asked what is hot right now or what are other people doing? Well I could tell you, but does that really matter to you? If it does fine, and if you change often trendy might be great, but you have to love it for what it is not for the trendiness of it. You may not care for chocolate brown paired with a pale blue-gray or dark espresso furniture.



Keep the big hard-to-change items classic and accessorize with trendy pieces. For example Dried Mustard (Benjamin Moore 2158-10) or Big Sur Blue (Ralph Lauren IB93) might be hot colors for '09, but in 10 years do you want your bathroom tile or countertop to be that color? I've helped many people work around pink tile from the '50's or country blue countertops from the '80's and it is often a challenge. With today's housing market being what it is, people are staying in their homes longer so take this into consideration when choosing your more permanent design elements. And, if you do decide to sell your house it will be an easier sell.



Go with trendy colors for your bathroom rugs or towels, knick-knacks, or even bedding.

Paint tips

I've said it before and I'll say it again, always pick your paint color last. You will thank me later, I promise!

With paint, you definitely get what you pay for, buy the best you can possibly afford. More expensive paint often saves money in the long run because you end up using less. My favorite is Benjamin Moore's Aura, it is a painting experience. My husband really makes fun of me for saying this, but I do really, really love it!

Remember that paint is the cheapest and easiest thing to change...you can repaint walls much easier than changing carpet or countertops.

When choosing a sheen remember the flatter the paint, the better it touches up, but the less scrubbable it is. Except with Aura, it is equally scrubbable in all sheens and it touches up great too. Eggshell is a good happy medium, not too flat, not too shiny. It is what most people use. Most people do use flat on ceilings, however. One thing to keep in mind though, is that paint companies terms for sheens are often slightly different. When shopping have your salesperson show you an example of their sheens.

If you have small children (or messy big ones!), try satin or pearl finishes in bathrooms and kitchens so walls will be more scrubbable.

Don't rush your color choice...always try the color in your space before you buy. Lighting changes everything. Metamerism is the occurence of colors seemingly changing colors when looked at with different lighting. Paint swatches will often look completely different at your house than they do at the paint store or your neighbor's house. They will also look different from room to room in your house. Try your swatches at different times of the day, on sunny days and cloudy days, and on all walls of the room to make sure you like it everywhere before you commit. If your paint store has a sample or bigger swatches of your color, take advantage of that...if you buy a sample I recommend painting it on a piece of cardboard or posterboard so it's easier to move from place to place.

Do your prep work: Wash your walls before you paint. For best results, use TSP (trisodium phosphate), following the package instructions. Tape off trim or go very slowly cutting in your room and keep a wet rag in one hand to wipe up drips. Use a drop cloth! As with the paint, use good quality roller frames, covers and paint brushes. Use the right size nap for your space...heavier naps for textured walls. Paint store employees should be able to help if you are confused.

Don't want to paint yourself...ask a paint store or designer (like La Casa Designs!) for a recommendation of a good quality painter. Get several bids.

Having trouble getting started on your room?

Are you having trouble getting started on the redesign of your living room, kitchen, bedroom or bath? I recommend that you start with one item you love. In the living room start with a pillow, picture or piece of furniture and base everything around that. In the kitchen start with a rug, a dish towel, placemat or even a cookie jar or cannister set. In the bedroom start with bedding; in the bath the shower curtain.

As a general rule, start with the item with which you will have the least amount of choices. For example, don't lock yourself into a paint color and then try to find bedding or a shower curtain to match. It can be extremely frustrating to have your walls painted a certain shade of green and then find comforters or shower curtains with every other shade of green besides the one you need. It's easier to pick those items first and leave your paint color last. Even choose carpet or countertops before paint. Yes, most of the time carpet and countertops are fairly neutral, but there are tons of shades of taupe, beige or gray and they will sometimes clash with each other. This is true even if you are trying to keep everything neutral; all neutrals do not match one another. There are more paint choices than any other part of your design; and if you can't find the exact color you need most paint stores like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams can match it for you. Hint: a paint store will typically do a better job matching than a big box store such as Lowe's or Home Depot. Just allow them time to match because it does take longer than having a gallon or quart mixed from a chip. They also have designers on staff who can help if you are struggling to choose a color.

Ready Made Magazine

Becky over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog has an interesting look at this month's Ready Made Magazine.