Decorating Q&A

Our own Decodiva has been answering some great questions from you guys! Here are just a few.

Click on any question topic to see the question asked and the answer decodiva gave.

Color meanings
Color ideas
Color and redecorating help
Peeling paint
Painting dark paneling
Tight budget ideas
Furniture arrangement
Basement living room
Sofa accessories and colors
Rented apartment decor help

Q:

What color promotes calmness for my grandchildren's room and what should I stay away from? Thanks so much! dianne

A:

Hi. Any pastel hue without any "busy" prints are said to help peaceful activities. Pastel blue is especially calming. Stay away from yellow, however, as it is said to promote crying and raise blood pressure in some people. The readings on this subject is very subjective and contradictory in some cases so it would be wise to just go with what feels right or search for more info on color meanings on the web. Also, the ages of the children will have an effect because infants need visual stimulation. Hope this helps! decodiva

Q:

I am trying to figure out what color to paint my bedroom and bathroom. They are connected. There is one window in each room. The bathroom is very big. Probably bigger than the bedroom. One wall of the bedroom is sliding mirror doors on our closet. I bought a border from the Longaberger company called botanical fields. I plan to put it around the middle of the wall. It is a floral print with a scalloped edge on the bottom. The colors it in are greens, grays, pinks, purples, golds. The linoleum in my bathroom is white with some peach and lavender. My bedroom carpet is cream. I am going to need ideas for curtains in both rooms and for a comforter. The bedroom window is wider than a normal window and a little shorter. The bathroom window is regular size but has a arched glass piece above the window. I wasn't sure whether to paint the walls all one color or do one color above the border and one color below of if I should do both rooms the same color or different color. The border has kind of a basket weave print under the flowers and I am going to use a piece of a white picket fence for my headboard. I hope I have given enough info. Any help will be appreciated.

A:

It sounds like you could do a great garden retreat theme in your rooms!
Let's start with the windows! The window in the bedroom area would look great with either a cornice box made from untreated wood or vinyl lattice attached over the window or a flat lattice panel attached from the bottom of the window down to the baseboard. If you did the cornice box look, you could attach sage or light green sheer panels inside the box using a staple gun or hide the rod under the box. If you wanted to use the lattice under the window, some funky terra cotta pots attached as scarf holders (use the drain hole to attach to wall with a screw and stuff the inside with flowers). Drape 2 window scarves in colors in your border sort of twisting as they fall and puddling on the floor. This treatment can be carried into the bathroom, but not the box, you could take a piece of sheer fabric twice the length of arched window and knot it in the middle, put the knot in the middle lower portion of the arch and "fan" the ends out attaching discreetly with staples.
As for a comforter, there are some new really plush white or ivory eyelet comforters or duvet covers that look soft and airy. Lavender damask would also look great! You could weave a floral garland through the pickets of the headboard to carry the theme of the border down.
If you are using the border like a chair rail the general rule that we use is if there are more dark colors in the border, paint the bottom at least 2 shades darker than the top treatment and vice versa. This usually makes the visual division blend well.
I hope this helps and I think it will turn out very well!
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Q:

Hi There, I am having a colour dilemma. My couch is charcoal grey and my carpet is light bluish-grey. I have recently painted one of the walls in my apartment a deep, dark red, but am at a loss as to what colour I should paint the rest of the walls, trim and doors to match. Any suggestions? I would hate to paint over the red wall, but I will if I have to. I like having one of the walls a vibrant colour. Thanks so much.

A:

I love those colors! If you painted the remaining walls a light neutral grey it would blend well with the charcoal, but not overwelm with the grey. You could also tie everything together by accessorizing on the dark red wall with some neutral grey tapestries, framed prints with grey matting, stainless sculptures, etc. and splashing the deep red color on the grey areas with accessories, throw pillows, area rugs, etc. If more grey is not what you want, you could also paint either 2 shades lighter than the deep red on the remaining walls and maybe paint the moulding/trim a shade inbetween the two for a monocromatic feel. A neutral shade of burgundy would also look great with charcoal, but the red wall would have to go. Either way you choose, your room will have a rich, elegant, modern feel with those color combinations. Hope I could help some! Good luck.
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Q:

I moved into a home where the paneling has been painted. I tried to paint over the existing paint and it is peeling of in big sheets. What do I need to do to prevent this?

A:

Hi there! First, you need to determine the type of paint used on the existing painted surface. ie: If they used an oil based paint, you cannot paint over it with acrylic or it will peel. You can bring a paint chip to the paint store or have a painter look at it.
You can start over by scraping off the peeling areas, sanding the surface, priming and re-painting. Use a quality primer such as Kilz, Zinser 1-2-3 or the like. They also come in a fume-free grade for an extra couple of dollars.(it's worth it, your family will thank you!) After the primer is dry, apply 2-3 coats 100% acrylic (either matte, gloss or semi-gloss) for the easiest application. Good luck! Once you re-do the area, it should look great for a long time.
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Q:

I have very dark wood paneling in my living room and would like to paint or wall paper it. We have put beams up all around and cross beams for support and the paneling is under this so it is unre movable. Please help in an inexpensive way. Thank You.

A:

Hi there! Dark wood paneling can make any room look dark and dreary! The most inexpensive way to brighten things up is with paint! You will need to use 2 coats of primer such as Kilz, Zinzer or the likes. Once dry, you can paint any color to match your decor, which will also take 2 coats. You can also attach a chair rail moulding and painted wood lattice or white vinyl lattice on the bottom portion for a great garden feel!
We've also done wallpaper over paneling, but be prepared for an involved process. You have to first fill the grooves with sheetrock mud spreading with a large putty knife. Once that is dry, you have to sand it smooth so that lines won't show under the paper. Then, prime and paper! If the room is large, plan on spending some time with this and use good thick paper with an involved pattern to cover any ridges. An alternative to this is just do the bottom portion as you would a chair rail around the room by using a border in the middle, paper at the bottom and paint the top portion! At least it would cut the prep time on the grooves in half!
Hope this helps! Good luck!
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Q:

I am redecorating my entire apartment on a tight budget. I am looking for the following ideas: I am looking to keep down cleaning maintenance on my windows, I now have venetian blinds that are very narrow about an inch at best and get dusty very quickly. All my rooms have one entire wall made up of windows approximately 13 feet wide and the ceilings are 8 feet high (of which 5 feet are windows). I am interested in hearing any ideas that can be done to either replace the venetian blinds with inside casement verticals and curtains which I originally planned to do, but I am sure that this would cost alot of money, along with the labor to install them. Please email me with any suggestions.

A:

Hi. Installing the verticals is no big deal, but depending on the size of your windows it could get quite expensive. There are kits usually at fabric stores for choosing your own fabric and creating cabana shades for a casual effect or you could dress up inexpensive vinyl roller shades with fabric. See our project steps for this at www.decorating4less.com/pages/fabricshade.htm. As for the curtain treatments, sateen bedsheets can be made into quite a lovely window drapery treatment. You could also buy about 10 yds. of fabric when it is on sale and create a scarf draping effect. I'm not sure of your decor, but bamboo shades can be painted to give a garden effect, burlap can be used inexpensively and can also be painted or dyed for effect, decorative floor screens can be used as moveable window coverings, or wooden shutters can be painted and installed inside the lower half of the windows or entire length for a wonderful casual look.
I hope this gives some ideas to help get you started!
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Q:

My living room is 14'w x 25' long. The fireplace is centered on the one 14' wall. A large window is on the opposite wall. On the 25' wall, there are two windows approx. 40" apart. The opposite wall has pocket doors to the foyer. Unfortunately, the pocket doors are not centered on this wall. We have a 6.5' sofa, 2 Queen Anne wing chairs, an armoire for the television, end tables, a console table, a large torchiere lamp, 2 table lamps. How on earth can I arrange this room? I hate the television, but we have no choice. It must be in this room.
Please help me. I can send pictures if it would help give you an idea. Thanks!

A:

Hi there! I'm going to give a layout description from the orientation of standing in the pocket doorway looking in. If the armoire is 40" or under, it would fit best between the windows on the 25' wall. Even if it overlaps the windows by a few inches, you can remedy that by using opposite side tie-back drapes. Just to the right and about 4 feet in from the doorway, position the chairs 3 feet apart oriented toward the armoire with one of the endtables between them. As for the sofa, it would look great positioned slightly opposite the chairs, but not directly across. Start about 6 feet in from the right rear corner and 4 feet from the 25' wall and position it on an angle facing the armoire. This should leave enough room for the console table and a large plant next to the torchiere in the rear corner. You could also place a small writing desk in this niche or on the opposite corner. 2 club chairs or a large recliner would look great in the far left corner near the fireplace to enjoy that area also. Accessorize with some large fan palms or dragonias and you have a wonderful and warm room to enjoy your evenings! I hope this helps, if you need anything else just let me know!
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Q:

Our family room is quite large, & is in the basement. It has: 2 windows (lots of light),that have white, pleated fabric shades. Ceiling is brocaded white... Walls are a very, very light, taup/pinky color....2 support poles in the center of the room, that are gyprocked and square....Carpet & glue have been stripped off the cement. I would like to do a distressed, or old look, on the walls... a "Fibre Wall" product, on the square support columms, to round them & make them look rough, and rustic.... Paint the floor to look like big rock, marble, or ceramic tile...Windows leave the pleater shades,& drape, unfinished muslin fabric, onto the floor. Trim..?? What colors, different treatments, and How To'S, for the floor, support poles, windows, walls, and trim, would you suggest, to give it an old world or rustic charm? Furniture Colors and Accessories Burgundy/wine colored leather couch and loveseat. Other couch done in tapestry with large leaf patern, predominant color is taupe & dark green, with smaller amounts of a darker taupe,burgundy,aqua,copper,moss, Dk. blue,& peach. Arm chair in one of the same goldy taupes of that couch, with an African motif of lions, elephants, and giraffe. Some accessories from Indonesia, Africa (smaller carvings, zebra rug), Mexican pine desk & hutch,ect. Thanks in Advance

A:

Hi there! First, let me commend you on your sense of adventure in undertaking a project of this size!! Therer are a few different treatments that we've used to achieve the look you're after with much success. For the "old world" look on the walls: you could achieve an "aged fresco" look by applying plaster with a trowel before painting. This is a forgiving process as you smooth it in some areas, leave bumps and gauges in others until you have a consistently inconsistent look! After it dries, paint with a matte shade of mocha, sage or parchment for a great fresco look. There is also a "texturing sand" that can be added and mixed in paint that we've had moderately good results with. Or, if you want to use a painting technique to achieve visual interest, choose 2 colors that are at least 3 shades apart on the color card such as: dark mocha/light caramel, light verdigris green/deep forest, deep terra cotta/warm peach, etc. Apply a base coat of either the light or darker color (test both on a scrap piece of wood to see which effect you like best) and working in sections while still wet, use a damp natural sponge to apply the opposite color with a "dab/twist/swirl" action. You can then use a "badger" brush to lightly sweep the surface for better blending. As for your columns, you could use a large sisal or jute rope rug and wrap it around and attach with screws or large decorative ties at the top, middle and bottoms for a great texturizing effect. You could also use large jute rope(3" or larger diameter) and wind it around the poles. These are great effects because you can then use the rugged surface to hang architectural findings, wooden masks, or other decorative accessories on. As for the floors, the best technique that we have used is to paint a basecoat with grey garage floor paint, then tape-off 24 inch squares running either on center or on a diagonal diamond pattern and then using 2 colors (one dark, medium and light) such as; deep burgundy, caramel and mustard yellow or light turquoise. Use a bunched-up rag or natural sponge to apply each color in varying patterns and intensity on each square. You'll probably have use more of the darker colors and just a little yellow or light turquoise. You can "eyeball" the look to know when you've achieved the right stone effect. After all is dry, remove the tape carefully and finish with 4 coats of poly sealer or finish applied with a floor paint roller. You then have a great stone effect with grey faux grout lines! I hope this gives you some ideas to achieve the rustic charm you're looking for!

follow-up Q:

Thanks for your great answer. Would you use the white Muslin window treatment, or just the white pleaters? I was thinking raw edged Muslin, hung over a metal or branch rod, draped onto the floor. Also, the baseboard, window and door trims are narrow and a deep blue now. Would you do them, dragging some of the same colors that are on the wall & floor? What about the 2 white doors, in the rec rm? There is stairs, railing, & the wall by the stairs, that are a part of, & face onto, the rec rm.?? Would you include this, using the same colors and treatments?

A:

Hi again! The muslin sounds really nice. If you want to antique the muslin you could do a tea stain on it. Just make a large pot of tea using about 12 tea bags and water, then either dip the whole fabric piece in it or tie off different sections with rubber bands for a varied look. Lay flat to dry. I would either use a neutral shade from the surrounding colors on the baseboards and doors, but carry the painting technique over to the stair area and wall. Good luck, I think it'll look great!
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Q:

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Q:

Hi decodiva! I am soon moving into a rented apartment. So the changes i make must be easily removed. My concern is the kitchen. White walls,white cabinets,black countertops,white and black linoleum and of all things out of date harvest yellow appliances! The ugly fridge and stove need to be blended in or toned down so as not to be such an eyesore. My taste in design runs to the rustic country style...Thanks for your time!

A:

Hi and thanks for your question! Wow, harvest gold! First, to play down the appliances, you could place a decorative kitchen towel on the oven, burner covers on the stove (if it is electric), decorative magnets on the fridge and you didn't mention if the dishwasher was gold also, but if it is you could check the panel to see if it is reverseable. Sometimes the other side is white or black. An eyecatching accent color would also help, coral, sage green or terra cotta would be great! A rustic pine spice rack, woven baskets for fruit and live plants will warm things up a bit! As for the walls, there is a border that is available at most home improvement centers that is supposed to be easily removeable and created with renters in mind. If you hung it at about 48" around the room it would look great! You could then use the upper space to hang a large tapestry, rustic shelf to display your favorite plates or a large piece of framed artwork to create a wonderful focal point. Sometimes if you persuade the landlord by telling them that painting or wallpapering would improve their property and letting them approve the color choices they will permit it. It's worth a try! One last idea is to create a border with fabric and a staple gun! Just double the fabric and fold the rough edge down and staple around the top of the wall! You'll just have to fill the staple holes when you move. Oh well, hope I could help! Good luck on your new place!
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