How do I make my sun room feel finished?

The darker furniture pieces help anchor this large sunroom

Dear Dawn,
I have a sun room that was added on to my home several years ago. Once all the work was done I realized it was a challenge to not only decorate, but for some reason it still feels like it is in a state of transition, and not a finished room. Where am I going wrong?
Leslie, Ft. Wayne

Dear Leslie,
One mistake a lot of people make with their sun rooms is making them too different from the rest of the home. If you want your sun room to feel more integrated and finished, you should try a few of the tips listed below:

Pull color from adjoining rooms 
A sun room feels less like an addition when you pull color from the rest of your home into the space. This doesn't mean you have to use the exact color, but using lighter shades in an existing color already present in the home should help the room feel integrated. Try to find furniture that is similar to what your already have and love as well. Don't be lured into buying furniture that looks like "sun room furniture" that looks picture perfect but isn't user friendly or comfortable. This could keep the room feeling not only unwelcoming, but disconnected from the home.

Anchor the room
So many times, we see sun rooms that are light and lovely to look at, but they still feel like a glorified enclosed porch. While sun rooms should be filled with light many times people forget that a few visually heavy pieces can be just the anchor a sun room needs. So what exactly are visually heavy pieces? This can be items with strong presence in the room either in size, color, or texture. With all the strong light usually present in a sun room, you may feel the room has a light, ethereal, floaty feeling that doesn't really say, come on in and get comfortable. Adding a few dark furniture pieces, a bold print rug, or some texturally interesting pieces should help "settle the room down" and make it feel like it has substance.

Make sure the temperature is under control
Believe it or not, humans are extremely sensitive to fluctuations in temperature. A few degrees in either direction can be all it takes to make a room less appealing. Sun rooms that tend to be too warm in summer and too cold in winter will not be utilized to the fullest. If you haven't done so yet, look into adding heating and air conditioning to the space. Light control is important in keeping a room from feeling too warm during peak sunlight hours. Investing in window blinds may be a way to help stabilize the temperature in the room. Consider adding additional sources of heat  and air with electric fireplaces, and ceiling fans as well. 

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That room no one goes into....

American Signature Vineyard Manor dining room table and chairs (Photo credit: Dawn Gagnon)

Do you have a room in your home that seems to be the one room everyone avoids? Does it seem to feel uncomfortable or have a  confused purpose? Well we all have these types of rooms. There are any number of reasons as to why a room in your home may be the one that gets avoided, under utilized and wasted as a great space. There are a number of reasons this may be. Lets look at a few:

Space is undefined: All rooms need an identity. Try to figure out what space you'd like to add to your home and use that as an initial inspiration. Do you need a home office? Craft/sewing room, library? Spare bedroom? Try to give the room a purpose that is really needed, it may be an inexpensive idea or more costly, but it should always address a key need you have in your home. Otherwise it will still be the "room no one goes into.." which is still a waste.

Space is too small or too large: Small spaces can always find a use if you examine first what your needs are. Many people will use small spaces as a place to simply create a "nook" for reading, sewing, meditating or convert into a closet. Spaces that are too large can be divided up into smaller spaces via a room divider or have a half wall built to separate the spaces. This way you can focus on creating two separate spaces individually. Because the spaces are close together you may want to consider spaces that will work well in close proximity to each other.  Perhaps a media room/game room?

Space is odd shaped or has little available wall space: Odd spaced rooms can be a real challenge but the first step is to try and treat the space like it is symmetrical. I know that may be hard to do, but you can read this article : Designing and decorating odd shaped rooms to get more information on this subject. Limited wall space is always a problem but you may want to create a faux wall where there is none and there are many ways to do this. You can build or add a shelving unit or use screens to make a faux wall as well to work off of. You can also suspend long drapes from the ceiling that can be opened and closed as needed where a wall is desired.

Space is too cold, too dark, too hot or too bright: All of these problems can be addressed with a few key strategies, for instances, cold rooms may need an additional heat source. Consider an attractive electric fireplace, which can provide not only heat but a focal point. Try to find units that have additional storage. Also consider where the cold feeling is coming from. Is there a draft? Are there windows that are in poor shape? Is the room really cold or does it feel cold because of the design and decor? Likewise, you'll want to ask yourself similar questions for a room that is too light and too warm. Rooms that are both too bright and too warm usually suggest that there are many windows and not enough air flow. Again consider adding an additional supply of cool air via an air conditioner. You can also tone down the brightness using black out curtains, installing shades or exterior awnings for the windows. Cool down the room visually by adding "cool" neutrals like gray or taupe or with blues and pastels. Go easy on the pastels mind you, or you'll have an 80's look. Pastels will work fine if you keep the trim in the room either bright white or very dark and remember to outfit the room in modern, contemporary furnishings. 
Read more here on The Unused Spaces to Your Home.

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Furnishing small spaces

Of all the spaces that offer a challenge in furnishing small spaces are more than likely the most difficult.

1. Opt for a loveseat instead of a couch. Loveseats are about a foot smaller than a couch but for a small space it is by far a better choice than trying to put in one large piece. Smaller spaces usually mean smaller walls, so pairing down your sofa to a loveseat may be the ideal solution. Look for straight clean lines and good quality. Over sized furniture will overpower the room and leave you little wiggle room.
   
2. Replace your coffee table with a storage trunk or ottoman. We all know small spaces lack storage so any time you can find a piece that serves dual duty you'll be far ahead of the game. Make sure to do this in every space of your small home. Always seek out multifunctional pieces.
   
3. Use floor lamps to flank your furniture. Tight spaces can't always accommodate side tables and end tables, however in most cases you still need lighting. Floor lamps can fit into a tight space and offer you the lighting you need.
   
4. Opt for one large piece that serves as the only seating. Sometimes more is best depending on the individual layout of the room. In these cases a sectional may prove the best option and allow for the most seating with no additional furniture required. Chose models that have built in storage, and fold down drink holders etc.
   
5. Raise up your bed. If you can manage, raising up your bed a little more will allow you to have additional storage underneath. Use luggage to store seasoning clothing and extra blankets etc.
   
6. Keep your chest of drawers and get rid of the dresser. While dressers usually come with mirrors, They usually take up far more wall space. Mount a full length mirror to a door or wall and use a chest of drawers in a small space instead. If you are handy, many drawers from dressers can be outfitted with rolling casters on the bottom allowing drawers to slide under your bed for easy access.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Maximizing limited space in your home

Room (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

No doubt one of the biggest challenges with many homeowners, is how to get maximum space from a small room. Empty-nesters, and those downsizing are often overwhelmed with the task of trying to house all of their belongings and decor into a condensed area. With limited square footage, you have to literally think outside the box, and up the sides of the box, if you will. When we look at any space and what it offers we tend took at the limitations of the actual square footage, however, by simply looking "up" we may realize that the next available space may be at eye level.


Making the vertical leap
 
The walls of a small room tend to be the most under used areas for actual storage, however, they actually have the most potential. If you think about it, if you have a room with 8 foot high ceilings, and a room of average size, say 12' X 12" you will see that each windowless wall offers 96 square feet of possibilities. Now if you figure on installing shelving, you will have to subtract for the amount the shelves extend into the space but still if you have more than one wall that can add up.

Ways to make storage beautiful

Master bedroom with built-in shelving, George D. Oakley House, 2110 Kakela Place, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, on the National Register of Historic Places (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shelving, hangers, hooks, all serve a valuable purpose in a small space. However, they don't always look attractive. This is where you must be creative. and get a decorative element that serves double duty. Decorative baskets may be your best friend for shelving that is needed for storage. Shelving that can run up your wall and extend corner to corner offer you maximum space storage, but not necessarily attractive storage. Consider giving shelving character by painting and adding decorative trim work like molding to the edges. It will give your shelves a finished built in look, and with the addition of lovely baskets that can hide your books, extra blankets, etc. you can have extra space on the floor and this gives you and your home a more spacious feel.

Opening up the floor

Empty living room/dining room in an apartment in a 1920s apartment house, Los Angeles, California. The exposed brick wall is recent. The flooring is also recently added. A Murphy bed was once behind the door on the left, but now the narrow space is used for shelving. I posterized this image in Adobe Photoshop Elements. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Once you are trained to look to your walls for extra storage potential you will love the idea that your floor space is clutter free. If you are planning on selling a small home, with small rooms, buyers than can see a lot of floor space will actually feel like your home is bigger than it is and when it comes to selling a home, you are selling it by the square foot. The more the buyer can see, the more you're likely to sell.

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• Unifying large multi purpose spaces in your home (examiner.com)

Unifying large multi purpose spaces in your home

Image via Wikipedia

A clean slate is best. It may be best to clear out the room if it isn't already done. Take note of things like wall outlets, cable and phone lines etc. These all will play a key part in space assignment and definition. Once the room is clear you will notice the large expanses of individual surfaces like the ceiling, floor, and walls. These large surfaces have to tie in together to create a unified design. When choosing paints, or flooring, window treatments etc. remember that they will be the background for the room entirely. Creating too many colors, and varying window treatments or flooring will make the room feel disjointed. There are far better ways to create definition for a large space. If you live in South Carolina and would like to have a local contractor help in your renovation or remodel, see the * link at the bottom of this article for more information.

Ideas and potential problems

Ideas are free, so this is perhaps the easiest part of your project. Start off by writing down a list of ideas based on need vs. want and cost vs. budget to get a good idea what you are in for. After you've gotten a list going, it is time to take a look at the space and survey it in these key areas: ceiling, floor, walls, windows, entrance and exit. Assess if you space needs a new ceiling, flooring, walls removed or added, windows or lack thereof, and adequate accessibility. Not all large spaces were designed to be something else and in the case of attics and basement areas, having proper entrance and exits may need to be looked at. By going down this list you can write down your thoughts on how to improve them, as well as in what order. Most people who have done renovation work will tell you these broad surfaces have to be addressed in a certain order especially if the room requires painting. Ceilings should be installed and painted first, then walls painted, added, or removed, Windows can be installed next, and finally flooring. Flooring is best do to last so that paint drips, damage from wall and debris, etc wont destroy it's finish.

Here are a few common ways to utilize wasted space in your home

home office/study area

If you lack a home office, this large space may be just the place to create a home office, study area for the kids, or even a small library to read in.

Need media room/ game room

Many homes being built today are incorporating into their design media rooms and home owners are also requesting game room/play room space. Why? Well it may be due to the fact more Americans are feeling the pinch economically and spend more recreational time at home.

Additional Storage

If your home has cramped storage, having a partition built may be a clever way to create storage. In most cases, it would involve installing a wall framed in 2 X 4's spaced every 16 inches from the stud's center point to the center point of the next stud, a few pieces of sheet rock, molding, and joint compound. Creating a hidden area or large walk in closet in a large space is a great way to add storage that may be lacking in other areas of your home.

Define and unify

Once you have chosen the right details for the large surfaces of your multipurpose room, it is time to designate space allocation. Work on the room as a whole so that you don't end up with a disjointed space. Example: If you are adding a home office, you may want to take care to make sure that the finishes you use in choice of materials is one that can be carried out into the rest of the space. Cherry cabinetry in your home office area needs to be repeated elsewhere in the space to create a cohesive feel. The same applies to fabrics. Whether it is window treatments, throw pillows, furniture coverings, they need to have one common among them all. This should be in color, texture, pattern. Try to keep it simple by choosing three main colors to work off of. Similar textures, shapes and patterns with like colors will give your space a unified feel without compromising each rooms defined purpose.

Do you suffer from color phobia?

Image via Wikipedia

For some slapping a coat of paint on a wall is a funky adventure and an expression of style and color.

For others, paint colors, types and choices are a terrifying commitment to change that they are just not willing to undertake. These are lovingly referred to as the “color phobes.” There are also those that take their phobia to the extremes, no color on the walls and certainly very little color in the overall décor. As an Interior decorator, I am always shocked at how little people are willing to do to break away from their comfort zone.

So how do we correct this condition? Taking the mystery out of paint is key to at least getting a color phobe out of their shell and to tap into their creative side. Paints basically come in a few finishes, glossy, semi gloss, satin, and flat/matte. Which should be used for what? Glossy is durable and can stand up to moisture, can be washed, has a longer drying time and is great for cabinets and furniture. Semi gloss is seen often in kitchens and bathrooms for resistance to moisture and easy to wipe clean. Satin has a sheen as well and is also seen in kitchens, kids rooms and bathrooms. Flat and matte, great for walls that have imperfections. Due to the low reflective quality of flat paint, marred and damages walls will not be highlighted with flat paint. Now that dealt with the different finishes, in part so we have taken some of the mystery out of paint finishes at least, right?

The other problem is society screams that one should not dare paint any wall a color other than beige. Daring not to be neutral is scary, but can it be done? Should it be done and when should you do it? All good questions a color phobe may be pondering. When should you try a color that is on the wild side? Well that is up to you, if you aren't planning on selling your home there are a few risk free places to give color a go. Closet interiors, children's rooms and hall ways come to mind. Look around your home for some inspiration. Breaking free from color phobias requires baby steps, so try small spaces first.

Should bold colors be done at all in your home? Well again, if you aren't planning on selling, why not? Worse case scenario, you have to repaint, but at least you gave it a go, and that is important when you are afraid to take color risks. Perhaps your phobia should be toned down to colors in décor first. Bold sofa pillows, drapes or an area rug may help coax you out of your fears of using color. It may also tap into a creat at is in your home and just address the colors in or on it. Use that as your inspiration. Sometimes you discover your artistic side and that starts off a chain of events that frees up your mind, and your heart. Removable décor that has bold color statements are easy ways to break out of dull lifeless schemes and a safe way to address the problem.

Painting is only a cosmetic change, it's not a life time commitment. No more than changing your hair color is, which to some is equally daunting. Truth is, it's only color people. If painting is too scary, try the other suggestions mentioned here and see if there's a sleeping artist inside, chances are there is.

Bird Of Paradise Dining Room

Bird Of Paradise Dining Room
The Bird of Paradise Dining room is all about capturing the natural elements of Islands near and far. Using bamboo, wicker and the floral accent o f the Bird of Paradise painting and flowers, one gets a since of warm, tropical breezes, and a casual lifestyle that we all pursue.
Cane, bamboo, wicker, and natural woods all work together to create an environment to relax and  enjoy a wonderful meal in. The pops of color brought forth by the painting, vase and furniture all keep this design natural, yet allow bursts of color found in the timeless, beautiful ever changing landscape of the islands..a true paradise.

Color trends that date a home

Image by MPR529 via Flickr

 

We all love color in our rooms, some more than others but if you aren't careful, your color choices could be a loud red flag that says your room has not been updated in a while. Color trends of eras gone by can hurt you if you are currently in the market to sell your home so paying close attention to what those colors and finishes are can help you figure out if your home has a chance of getting sold.

The Earthy 70's

The seventies was all about wood tones and earth tones. If you doubt me take a trip through time and look at old home photographs. See a lot of wood paneling? How about on the floor? Is that shag carpet rust colored? Or perhaps you had green carpeting? Lets talk about the kitchen, remember the Avocado green appliances? Or was it Brown, or Harvest Gold? Flooring was usually a wild pattern as well and you can bet greens, and oranges and browns were in them as well. Now if your home is still hanging on to the 70's look, you may want to get it into a time machine fast and move on up to the current decade. Leave that Brady Bunch home behind.

The Pastel 80's

You may think that your buyer will not notice your eighties décor, and in fact you may not even notice or be aware of your 80's décor either. Does your home look like it was used as the backdrop for the show The Golden Girls? To help you assess whether your home is dated, watch some shows from the era and pay close attention to the décor. Whether it is the Cosby Show or Different Strokes, chances are if your home looks similar it is time for an update. Look for these clues, large over stuffed pastel and floral furniture is usually a dead giveaway. Brightly polished brass was another popular finish in the 80's and 90's. While the 80's home furniture was over stuffed and larger than life, the kitchens were suddenly taking a turn as well and County blue and similar shades. You will also notice Oak furniture was all the rage, whether it was in the kitchen, or other parts of the home, Oak was in. Oak and brass was also seen paired together.

The Hunter Green and Burgundy 90's

When we left the 80's behind, someone decided to go from warm and sunny pastels to darker cooler shades such as good old Hunter green and Burgundy. What designers didn't think through in this era was how hard it is to neutralize this color scheme, and when a color scheme is hard to neutralize, it is hard to match it to other colors not in the same color group. What does this mean to a buyer? It means unless they have all neutral furniture, they may have trouble matching their décor in your home, assuming they still want to. Hopefully if your home is caught in this time warp, a can of paint will correct it all. If not, you may be looking at some more expensive measures. If this color scheme carries onto your solid surfaces and flooring, get ready to shell out some major coinage to correct the problem.

In a rosy world, we'd like to think “if a buyer loves my home, they will make the changes to it that need to be made..” however, buyers see “changes” as extra “money” they have to spend and if a buyer thinks they have to sink an additional 5 to 10 thousand dollars updating your home, they might as well look at a more expensive home that doesn't need updating. When selling your home, think like the buyer, not the seller. Disassociate yourself from your home, pull your head out of the past, and look toward the future, if you want to sell your home. Otherwise you will find yourself sitting year after year on your little piece of nostalgia and you will have to make peace with that.

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The importance of balance in home decor

Image by dawnella66 via Flickr

Staged-livingRoom2Image by dawnella66 via Flickr

This room is well balanced in its decor.

Balance in home design and décor isn't just about placing like items opposite of each other, or making sure every wall hanging is juxtaposed to another. Creating balance is about making sure the visual accessories in a room compliment and are visually evenly weighted to all of their counterparts. Why is balance so important? The human eye is trained to make distinctions in all it surveys.

This is a great navigational tool if you are lost but in a home, too many distinctive oddities confuse the brain instead, since the occupant of the room is not trying to figure out how to navigate the area, they simply want to enjoy the view. Balance allows the eye to gracefully scan the room and not stop and refocus continually. This promotes relaxation and calm. The next question is, how to create balance using different items that are not of the same color, texture or shape.

Visual weight of a object being used in décor needs to be countered to make a room feel balanced. Otherwise you have a room that feels askew and this leaves the occupant often feeling a little askew as well. To make sure that the balance is right in a room you must survey the decorative items and furnishings. Ask yourself these questions:

Which items does your eye travel to immediately when you enter a room?

The items that your eyes are drawn to are more than likely the visual weight champions of the room. Large furniture, dark items have more visual presence.

Is there equal distribution of these items in the room?

Single large pieces in a room that have no counterpart to balance them out will make the room feel off balance. When people sense a room is off balance, they tend to avoid relaxing in the room altogether. An off balance room creates off balance feelings. Maybe not in the most extreme sense of the word, but you will definitely notice it.

Are the counterparts placed diagonally or opposite of their heavy partners?

Balance is of course creating a counter weight in the room. A large dark sofa will throw the balance off in a room if the other equally heavy piece is placed incorrectly, or in juxtaposition with the sofa. What you want to do is to place the counterpart in an opposite part of the room.

Balance can also be created by placing tall items diagonally to each other as well. For instance, a fireplace with a tall vase on one side flanking a piece of artwork, need not balanced with another similar tall vase on the other side, you can place a taller vase on the opposite side down on the hearth and still get the sense of balance from this.

Other ways to help with the balance in a room is with color, a heavy dark piece of furniture can be off set by a darker wall color opposite of the piece, so don't be afraid to try color as an option it can really make a difference. Dark framed pictures and wall décor also carry a great deal of weight visually in spite many times of their size so always try to employ a little dark in the room. Dark accents while visually weighty often “sit a design down” in a room. A room that is without a few dark accents can feel somewhat transitional and temporary. However in some cases this may be just what the owner wants, especially in bedrooms, beach themed rooms or zen inspired décor.

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Learning how to “read” your room

Image via Wikipedia

Learning how to “read” your room

Every room has hints and clues as to how to furnish and decorate it, even open floor plans have to be addressed wall by wall, window by window, and from floor to ceiling. Knowing how to "read" your room is the key to creating a room that has that “good” feeling, as opposed to one no one ever wants to be in. So how do we "read" the room? By simply paying attention to the characteristics of the bare room, aside from built ins and furniture. Every room has strong points, weak points, can be cooler or warmer than other parts of the house, or be exposed to more or less light. By assessing what those strong and weak points are, you can address and correct what those things are to get the best look for the space possible.

Floors, Ceilings, and Walls
Part of reading a room involves looking at every surface to address size, scale, and light exposure, for instance, walls must be addressed in  light exposure, window placement, height, and length. Big wall, bigger furniture, larger artwork, medium walls smaller and so on. Nothing gets lost in its appeal like a large wall with the wrong size artwork and furniture flanking it. When we use properly scaled decor and furniture with the spaces and surfaces that are a backdrop, we create symmetry and visually balanced compositions. Windows that are off center on a wall can be a particular challenge as well. In some cases creating a "faux" window complete with matching drapes helps balance the look in the room that has an off center window. Dark rooms will benefit from painting surfaces in satin or semi  gloss paints. In some instances a wall opposite of light sources painted in reflective satin paint will help with adding additional light into a room. Painting smooth ceilings in a reflective paint will definitely improve the amount of light as well. Flooring in dark rooms should also be lighter and if possible consider the reflective qualities of hardwoods that have a high polish. Flooring should be noticed as well. Rooms that do not have carpeting such as tiled, or hardwood will make sound reverberate. If you have a family consider lose laying carpeting, or using area rugs to cut down on sound echoes, (especially with children). Homes with small children should generally have plenty of soft flooring to account for the falls children may have. This is  especially true for babies and toddlers. In making your choice factor in light exposure, the natural temperature of the room whether it is a little cooler or warmer than other rooms of the house, and who will use this room and how often. A room that tends to be a little cooler than other rooms might benefit more from carpeting or warm tones of hardwood flooring. Tiles tend to be cold to the touch and unless additional radiant heating is installed prior to installation, tiles will make a cool room feel cooler. 

Windows
Windows always have to also be addressed in a room because they play such  a pivotal part in the light and aesthetic beauty, but they also play a part economically as well. A family room flooded with natural light may not be the best room for placing the big screen tv. or furniture that has fabric directly exposed to the sunlight that pours through. Sunlight bleaches and fades fabric and this can cause fabric to eventually tear and weaken. If you are having custom pieces make for a room that has a lot of windows and sunlight consider choosing fabrics manufactured by Sunbrella, et al. to cover them. Indoor/outdoor furniture fabrics come in a wide variety of styles and patterns today.  Take extra precaution to add the right window treatments here as rooms with many windows are naturally warmer and have to have extra efforts made to keep them comfortable. Remember as well that light filled rooms tend to fade  carpeting so be sure to pick flooring that can stand up to years of sunlight exposure. Rooms with little natural light have to be dealt with in a different way. Single sources of light, such as one window or door have to be emphasized and capitalized on. Ways to do this include adding mirrors opposite of the door or window to reflect light back into the room. A mirror often can  function as  a second window in a dark room. Sheers are not only transparent window dressings, but they also many times are made from man made fibers that are reflective. 

Related articles

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• Home staging for a faster sale
• The differences between solid wood, engineered hardwood and laminate flooring

Tips for shopping for furniture

American Signature Vineyard Manor dining room table and chairs (Photo credit: Dawn Gagnon)

For homeowners and interior decorators nothing feels so great as finding a source for your inspiration that fits your budget, while offering high end quality for the price. South Carolina indeed has many fine furniture stores, however, many have sacrificed wonderful customer service in the process and as a result lose a sale or two as well. When shopping for furniture there are a few key things to look for in a any store you visit.


Knowledgeable staff is key
When you visit any furniture store it is imperative that you have knowledgeable staff to help you in your selections. High pressure tactics, those trying to make you purchase something you aren't comfortable with will only make you regret the purchase and the experience. Explain to the staff what the furniture you need will be used for, whether you have children and pets and how often you will be using the furniture. If you have a professional staff, they will be able to guide you perfectly as to what sort of furniture fits best with your lifestyle. 

Make clear what you can afford
Stick to your budget. There is no satisfaction to be gained if you overspend just to make your salesperson happy, while you end up with a purchase that didn't fit your budget. Weigh the factors about what is worth the extra money versus what isn't. Remember also, cheapest isn't always smarter, and most expensive isn't always better.  

Solid wood construction
Always look for solid wood construction when purchasing furniture and make sure to ask your salesperson what is the best way to care for your purchase. Heavy solid wood furniture is an investment, but if it lasts 25 years, then you have spent your money wisely in the long run. Take into account the weight of the pieces, most heavier pieces tend to last a very long time. Also consider when looking at living room furniture the fabrics used, along with the shape. Clean lines, and straight edges are usually easier to slip cover, especially if you are trying to preserve your furniture while your children are young.

Tip: Sleeper sofas tend to outlast regular sofas due to the extra construction involved in their manufacturing. If you truly want a lasting piece this is something to factor in and many sales persons won't necessarily tell you this. Not to mention, sleeper sofas are always handy when you have over night guests.

Don't be afraid to give furniture a thorough inspection
Most furniture is attractive in the furniture store. Retailers use accessories and staging to optimize the appeal of the furniture they sell. Sit on the pieces, look underneath the dining room tables, and the chairs and see the construction with your own eyes. This goes also for mattresses. Always test them out. Be on the look out for squeaks, noises, uneven chairs and table legs and things that suggest shoddy craftsmanship. If your family are larger than average people, make sure you explain this to your salesperson. Buying cheap, lightweight furniture that looks pretty in the showroom is a waste of money if your larger family members can't sit comfortably in them. Bring your measuring tape and your measurements from your home to ensure that each piece will fit in the intended space. Nothing is quite as aggravating as buying pieces that are out of scale with your home, the room or can't fit where you need them to fit.

When in doubt stick with traditional
It is easy to get caught up in the chic styles that are out there today, however, the traditional pieces that you grew up with in fine woods like Cherry, Mahogany and Maple will last a lifetime and tend to never go out of style. Good quality pieces should have hidden screws, and tight joints. Always inquire as to the warranties of the furniture you select beforehand.

Related articles by this author:

Defining spaces with an open floor plan

Interior design color trends of 2011

Defining fabrics commonly used in interior decorating

Pulling together a room design with your local Pier 1 Import store

• Interior design terms and definitions series T-Z
• Interior design terms and definitions series G-S
• Interior design terms and definitions series A-F
• Defining fabrics commonly used in interior decorating
• Choosing the finishing touches for your newly built home
• Top real estate advice articles

Interior design terms and definitions series G-S

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The Interior design and decorating world can be a confusing place to be. If you live in South Carolina and would love to find an Interior designer or decorator, visit: South Carolina Interior Design Scout for available listings in your county.

Guimpe braid
A round or flat narrow decorative braided trim or cord of fabric used on upholstered furniture. Also called gimp or guipure.

Halogen
A light that emits true color characteristics unlike fluorescent and other lighting that tend to give a room a yellowish cast. More energy efficient than standard incandescent lamps, but not as energy efficient as fluorescent lights. Developed by General Electric.

Jabot
The side portion of a window treatment where fabric is draped vertically in soft folds on either side of a swag or valance.

Matelassé
The French word "matelasser" means to quilt or to pad. Intricately woven fabric created with two sets of warp and filler threads in a double weave, giving an embossed, puckered, or quilted effect.

Obelisk
A tall, slender, tapering, four-sided stone pillar with a pyramid top. Reproduced in table-top versions as a decorative accessory and used in high-end interiors.

Parsons table
A sturdy square table with block legs and an apron of equal widths. This was developed in the 1950s at the Parsons School of Design.

Patina
A luster or sheen that develops on an object's surface with use, wear, or oxidation over time. Usually associated with fine antiques, vintage, and leather furniture.

Portico
Entrance, porch, or walkway to a building with columns supporting a roof, which can be large enough to enable cars to drive under for protection while exiting a vehicle.

Primary colors
Three colors: red, yellow, and blue.

Ragging off
A paint technique/effect caused by rubbing/wiping a painted surface with a rag or piece of leather.

Receding colors
Cool colors that make surfaces appear more distant or smaller, such as blue, green, violet, gray, or bluish-greens.

Relief
Raised ornamentation that makes a design prominent by lifting it or cutting away the background or surface of a particular design.

RTA
Ready-to-assemble furniture.

Sconce
An electric lamp or candlestick fixture attached to a wall. Also called girandole.

Shoji screen
A room dividing, translucent wood-framed screen with rice paper panels. Used as a standing art element, for privacy, or to define space.

Sisal
Strong fiber from sisal leaves used to create floor coverings.

Slipper chair
Used in bedrooms or small rooms, this is a small, armless, high-backed, short-legged upholstered chair.

Authors note:  Didn't see the term you were looking for?  Don't worry this is the second publishing in a three part series. The third article covering terms T-V is forthcoming, so please keep an eye out for it.
For more information on interior decorating, visit: Dawns Interior Decor Solutions.

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How to Keep Your Living Room Neat When You Are in a Hurry

Image by dawnella66 via Flickr
Do you lead a pressured life? Perhaps you are a working mom who has to leave the house
two minutes after the kids in the morning and only gets home again in the evening. Or
you are a doctor working long shifts at unusual hours. Or you may be a home worker, and
even though you are physically in the house you are so busy with your work that you
don’t get a chance to do any of the standard household tasks that need to be taken care of.
The uniting factor between all of the individuals mentioned above is that they probably
do not get too much time to do the housework. One option is, of course, to hire household
help. But anyone who has children will tell you that the nice, tidy living room that is left
does not stay that way for very long. Unless you hire a live-in slave, you will therefore
have to at least fill in the gaps between your cleaner’s visits.
So how do you keep your living room looking neat when you have so little time
available? Here are some useful tips to help you:
- Tidy up as you go. For example, if your child has been playing a game in the
living room you must make sure that every single piece is picked up as soon as
they have finished. And depending on the age of the child, he or she should be the
one to pick it up and put it away. Don’t leave it till later, or the mess will only get
worse!!!
- Every single thing needs a home. Therefore, there should be a rack for magazines,
a shelf for books, a drawer for papers, and a bin for garbage …
- Similarly, educate your Significant Other to hang coats or jackets on pegs or
hangers, rather than on the backs of chairs because this always looks untidy and
also creates the “have you seen my best jacket” scenario that most of us try to
avoid.
- Create a list of things that you will always make sure are done before you go to
bed at night. For example, this could include making sure that any dirty cups left
lying around are washed and put away, that the table is clear, and that the sofas
are left with nothing on them. These are small tasks, yet they make a huge
difference to how a room looks.
- Write down in your personal calendar one day a week when you do a thorough
clearing up of the living room. Again, if you have been trying to keep basic order
through the rest of the week, this should not take too long or be too difficult.
Here, tasks would include vacuuming the carpet flooring or
washing the laminate flooring, dusting surfaces, clearing out the mess
under the sofas and in the corners, and making sure that the bookcases and
sideboards are orderly and clear. You can also make a bi-weekly list that would
include cleaning the windows, and a monthly list that would include washing the
drapes. Planning is everything, and just as you plan a business meeting, you can
also slot certain household tasks into your personal schedule.

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Defining spaces in open floor plans

Image by adaptorplug via Flickr

It is a real challenge to divide up and define specific spaces in an open concept design. If done poorly the end result will look congested and cluttered and disconcerting to the eye. There are ways that we can define individual spaces in an open concept and have it merge seamlessly.








1. Furniture placement- 
We can always form a border between two rooms using the furniture in the room. Sofas, love seats and freestanding units are a great way to divide a space. If you appreciate the flow of the open space, use the smallest size piece of furniture to do this. Make sure sofas and love seats have a finished back, and can be freestanding. Some inexpensive pieces do not have a finished back. This simply means that the furniture has a pale piece of canvas type fabric backing and not the matching upholstery seen  on the front.

2. Coordinating colors- 
 If you have an open concept in your home but wish to define one area from another you can use a lighter paint or darker paint color in the same color family to give the other room its own personality while still making it merge with the other areas. Take a sample of your existing color to your home center or paint store and ask them to either darken it or lighten it.


3. Create a movable barrier- 
You can create individual spaces using a variety of movable barriers. Some ideas are to section off one area from another using large fabric panels on tracts, building a divider using bi-fold doors, and creating your own fabric screen that requires using 2"X 2 " wood, piano hinges and the fabric of your choice.

4. Use of columns, half walls and large objects- 
Many homes in new construction are using columns now to add architectural detailing and definition to spaces in an open room. You can build your own as well. Many home centers have columns, 8 foot posts, etc that you can easily paint and install between two spaces to create definition. Half walls can easily be built with 2 by 4 lumber, sheet rock, paint and molding. Large objects like vases, book cases and stands in darker colors usually cause the eye to stop and make the distinction between two spaces.

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Decorating a small space

Image via Wikipedia

Small spaces can be
made to look big using light

Many times it is asked how to achieve a comfortable and spacious feeling in a room that is small. Though a challenge, the ability to maximize on the limited space can be achieved if you follow certain common sense rules. Most people will tell you the problem room in their home is often odd shaped, small and low light. These issues will be addressed to help you reverse that feeling, since the space isn't always possible to enlarge.

Odd shaped rooms
Odd shaped rooms are particularly challenging when a homeowner tries to decorate and furnish it. One key thing here to remember is the actual definition of the room. Rooms should always be defined by primary use. This doesn't mean it can't function as other things but the primary function of the room should be evident and prioritized. That being said, odd shaped rooms have to be treated like any room. For example, an "L" shaped room needs to be decorated as if it is a rectangular shape, since the predominating shape is still rectangular. The odd remaining space could be sectioned off, partitioned, or used for the secondary function the room may serve. By defining the primary shape of the room, you can focus on the positives and give the room a personality that overcomes the odd shape.

Rooms with little light
Most all rooms have at least one window. If the window affords little light it is a real challenge to bring the feeling of natural light into the space. Even in low light conditions, there is always usually one source of light occurring in the room. To find the direction of this light, look for items in the room that cast a shadow, the light source will be coming from the opposite side. This is best done in an empty room during the day with no lights turned on. Once you have determined where the source of light does emanate from, there are a few things you can do to capitalize on it. If your walls are in good condition, choosing warm semi gloss creams on the wall will bounce what available light there is.

Placement of mirrors in the rooms where they may reflect and bounce light is a good strategy as well. Don't think just because an area of a room is darker that a mirror won't work, in fact many times this is just what it needs. Mirrors and semi gloss paints bounce light around, forming criss-cross patterns throughout the room. If your ceiling is smooth, paint in a high gloss paint, which affords the most reflective ability. This will cast light downward into a dark space and also work with the other light that is bouncing around, real and artificial. If your ceiling is the standard "popcorn" ceiling, if possible, scrape smooth as this is well worth the trouble.

Small rooms
All the above plus this- always consider function, comfort and scale with small spaces. Once you have the function of the space defined the next question to address is the comfort needed to use the space. For rooms that are used only occasionally, comfort can be sacrificed a little in the name of visual appeal. If the room will be used daily, comfort takes the lead in the priorities and therefore, scale of the pieces need to be considered. With all cases of small spaces, you have to have the right scale of furniture to make the room comfortable and livable. Consider love seats instead of sofas, ottomans (with storage) instead of coffee tables,nice trunks are also smaller in scale and work nicely in a small space.

Consider floor lamps instead of end tables, and keep clutter to a minimum. Keep in mind that even if the floor space is limited, you can always maximize the vertical spaces in the room with shelves and shelving units. Sometimes the best way to maximize floor space is to look "up". The walls are also an important way to get storage. Just be careful not to cause too much visual clutter. One way to reduce visual clutter is to disguise it by storing them in similar items like matching baskets, canisters, etc. The eye sweeps across "like" items and always seeks out things that stand out. By minimizing what "stands out" in a room, you literally give the impression of more space.

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