| Q |
Many homes today have high ceilings and open floor plans where the dining and living areas are one "great room." How can you break up the room into different living/dining areas so that they are distinct rooms with different tones? |
| A |
Open space plans are wonderful for the way we live our lives today, but they often pose a design challenge when looking to lend a unique look and feel to particular areas of a room. One strategy is to pick a wall color that is neutral and adaptable to run throughout your combination room. Then accent individual areas with a specific color to distinguish it. For example, you might utilize warm red for an accent rug, drapes and accessories in the dining portion of the room, while focusing on a warm green palette the den. With neutral colored walls, ceiling, and floor, you can create a cohesive feeling to the room while still distinguishing individual areas through color, texture, mood and tone.
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| Q |
With many paint and countertop choices available today, are there any colors that coordinate better with different types of wood cabinets, such as medium oak, light wood, white/painted, dark wood or cherry? |
| A |
| There is a plethora of cabinet, countertop and paint choices today to allow you to express your personality and individuality by combining these items in a manner that is a physical manifestation of you! If you are totally lost, pick up some design books and magazines that place an emphasis on kitchens and baths, and peruse them to see what your eye is gravitating towards. Because some cabinets are warm in their color tone while others are cool, there are some basic guidelines that can help you determine what will work. |
| | Medium Oak - Oak cabinets can be stained many different colors and are quite versatile. A natural oak, however, will tend to have a yellow undertone that will look great with warm toned colors. Warm reds, oranges, golds and greens are all good paint choices. Neutral colored walls and countertops should be looked at carefully to ensure that pink or peach undertones are not present. These will add a cooler tone that may not work as well with the warmth of the natural oak. |
| | Light Wood - The first thing to do is to determine if you are working with a cool or warm undertone in your cabinet color. Natural or bleached maple or birch, for example, can be gently warm or almost cool. Generally speaking, adding mid-range colored walls will provide a decent amount of contrast without breaking up the kitchen landscape too much. |
| | White/Painted - As with light colored wood, painted cabinets can be either cool or warm. You will normally have a tremendous amount of flexibility with color choices for both your walls and countertop when working with a white painted cabinet. However, very saturated or dark colors will not be the easiest to work with in these situations. |
| | Dark Wood - There has been a huge resurgence in the popularity of dark wood cabinets. This color of cabinet can be cutting-edge modern or the most conventionally traditional, depending on the door style and the colors paired with it. Because dark wood is a fairly adaptable choice, most colors will look acceptable. Be cautious about utilizing intensely saturated, jewel-toned colors that may detract from the warm richness of your dark wood cabinets. |
| | Cherry - In its natural color state, cherry has a tendency towards a pink undertone. Walls and countertops that work with this cooler undertone will play to the cabinet's strengths and create a beautiful kitchen or bath. Warmer colors may also be successful, depending on how much pink color is in the wood. |
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| Q |
Like many older homes, my walls are covered with wallpaper. Do I have to remove the wallpaper before painting or can I just prime the walls and paint over it? |
| A |
Although it may be tempting to paint right over that wallpaper, you will be so much better off if you take the time to remove the existing paper first. Depending on the condition of the paper, seams may telegraph through the paint, bubbling may occur, or the wetness of the paint may cause the paper to begin peeling off. It can be an arduous process, but removing the existing paper will pay off in the long run as you continue to change the paint color or refresh the existing one as the years pass. Be careful to employ a removal process that will remove the paper while minimizing the damage to the substrate.
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| Q |
I just painted several rooms in my house the same color of light green. However, in one room the color looks completely different despite using the same paint, brushes and everything. What happened and what can I do to fix this? |
| A |
This is a common problem. The reason why a paint color will look different in different rooms has to do with the natural and artificial lighting present in a space. A color will appear lighter or subtler when an abundance of natural light hits it. Shadow tends to make a color appear more saturated and possibly even cooler in tone. Artificial lighting also heavily impacts the color of your walls. Fluorescent fixtures will tend to bring out the coolness or blue in a color, while incandescent lights will intensify the warmth or yellow in a color. The best artificial lighting, in my opinion, is low voltage halogen MR-16 or MR-11 which both closely approximate the "white" light of natural daylight. PAR 20 lamps, which are incandescent, are a close second and much more affordable.
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| Q |
How can I make an awkward two-room bathroom feel larger without tearing down the wall? |
| A |
A good trick is to use a monochromatic color scheme throughout both rooms. By painting the walls, ceilings and trim in these two rooms the same mid to light neutral tone, you begin to erase the boundary lines and expand the visual space. Use a similar color for the towels, countertop and floor to make the space feel even larger and make sure there is plenty of light available! Additionally, keeping your metal finishes consistent throughout will also minimize visual surface breaks and keep your bathroom looking fresh and thought-out.
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| Q |
How can I accomplish an 'Old World' look in my kitchen? Are there certain surfaces or finishes that I should choose? |
| A |
The "Old World" look is one that has always been popular when trying to create a warm, cozy and familiar kitchen for gathering and sharing. Cabinet and wall surfaces in warmer tones with subtle texture can begin to create this look, but it is the details that will really send the message home. Finishes for cabinet hardware, lighting and faucets should be considered carefully with expanded options like oil-rubbed bronze and wrought iron lending a softer "antique" feel. Many faucet and hardware style options are available for creating the look of "Old World" with modern function and superior durability.
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| Q |
We are planning to remodel our kitchen, but we are embarrassed to call a contractor or designer since we don't know what to ask for or where to begin. We have a limited budget and lots of ideas. How do we express what we want? |
| A |
Being very clear and up-front about your desires, expectations and budget are for a kitchen remodel is one of the best ways to ensure that your contractor gets your job done within your time and financial constraints. If you are unclear about what you would like from a kitchen renovation, peruse design magazines and online sites to collect images of kitchens that you find appealing. Then review and begin making note of the consistent elements. Sitting down with a professional designer or kitchen specialist who can begin to clearly translate your desires onto paper may be money spent up-front, but it can also be a savvy way to save money and ensure that you get what you want for the long term.
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| Q | What is an easy way to quickly update the look of a kitchen or bath? |
| A |
Painting can give a room an instant update. It is easy to learn, easy to repair if you mess up,
and it's relatively inexpensive. Choose a color that will inspire you and make you happy, as well
as freshen up your space.
To create a cohesive look, choose coordinating towels, bathmats, faucets and accessories.
All of these items are readily available, can be relatively inexpensive, and will reinforce the
message you are creating with the paint.
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| Q | What decorative elements do you choose first? |
| A |
Start with your most restrictive element. Look to the colors in that element to see what inspires
you and pick complementary colors. Metals are neutral and can be used with any color. Then,
reinforce that metal finish everywhere - soap dishes, shower curtain rings, faucets and showerheads.
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| Q | What can I do to update my rooms frequently? |
| A |
If you like to frequently update your rooms, neutral walls with colorful accessories are the best
idea. Since neutrals are always in style, are accepting of colors, and come in various tones, you can
accessorize with different color towels, bathmats, artwork, shower curtains, or anything that might
be on your countertop or vanity top. These can all be changed easily within a few minutes - much less
time than it takes to paint a wall.
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| Q | I want to add some color to my kitchen countertops, but I don't want to clutter them with just any decorative items - any ideas? |
| A |
Don't just add items because you've seen them in magazines. If it doesn't inspire you, it's just clutter. Instead, find objects that are a reflection of you. If you love the beach, create a jar filled with sand, shells or colorful pebbles. Or perhaps converting a favorite family photo to black and white with a colorful coordinating frame will make you smile each day.
Since your home tells a story about you, be sure that everything you add to your room has meaning and makes you enjoy your space.
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