OY VEY!! Q&A!! TUESDAY #4, design questions answered!!

    

Welcome to the 4TH  OY VEY, Q&A!!!!!
But before I get started I want to share something with you guys. 
One of the great perks of being a Blogher affiliate (they are one of the companies that put ads on my sidebar), is that by being willing to participate in some promotions, I find out about cool stuff I wouldn't otherwise bother with. 
I'm old, and am not always willing to check new things out.
So they emailed me about something called 
appSmitten.
Didn't think it was something that would interest me.
Figured I'd at least look at it.
Pull my head out of my #$%  the sand.
Well, guys, IT'S WAY COOL!!!
It's a FREE newsletter that tells you about what are the coolest apps out there for your ipad, iphone or Android.
It slogs through the millions of apps, and recommends the ones that are the best, from free apps to ones you got to pay for.
I already found a free one that finds my ipad for me, when I've put it down somewhere and can't figure out where it went.
I MEAN.....
I can't call it like I can my cell phone.
With so much new technology, it's nice to have this free advice. I set it up to send me a newsletter once a week. You can set that up for how ever often you want it.
If you click on this link it will take you to the page where you can sign up.
AND!!!!!!
I will get a small fee for everyone who signs up!!!!!
YIPEE!!!!

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OK... ON TO THE BLOG

FIRST.....

A pretty picture for the blog roll photo....

This is a shot of my Florida dining room.

I will be sharing more photos on my next blog post.

NOW ON TO THE Q&A!!!!!

First question was from Martha.

she asks.....

HI Betsy, I have a decorating question about carpet.. When buying a carpet that will not be wall to wall, how far from the wall do you measure if you want it almost to the wall, sounds weird . I know no chair legs should be one on and one off but I am just not sure how far to the wall do you go and how much floor should be showing. Thanks in advance for any clue you can give me.

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I love this question, I know this is something a lot of folks wonder about. 

AND I HAVE THE ANSWER!!!

First: I ignore any rules about furniture legs being on or off the carpet. 

I THINK THAT IS JUST A SILLY, SILLY, SILLY RULE.

Especially, if it would force the furniture into too tight a grouping.
I tend to angle chairs grouped by an end table against a wall, so one of their back legs is ALWAYS off the rug.
Like this, right here, in this here photo!!!

The back inside legs are off the rug!!!!!

OH NO!!!!!

Don't let the design poleece find out. 

I AM A REBEL AND A RULE BREAKER!!!!!

YIPEE!!!

I usually leave around 12" of wood showing around the edge of a room, if I am having a rug cut to size.

If I am using a pre-sized rug, then I allow 6" to 18" or more.

For a hallway, and on stairs, I leave a wood border of 4 - 6".

There ya go, that's my answer.

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Next question!!!!!

This is from the wonderful woman that edited my two books.

She made me look smarter than I really am, so now I'll try to make her sister look stupider that she really is!!!!!

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Hi Betsy,
I just posted a response on your bog!! First time I've ever done that.

Anyway, it reminded me to send you these pictures of my sister's huge, clunky, truly vintage 1950s chair. It was her ex-husband's grandmother's chair and I'm not sure why she's hanging onto it, but that's just how she is. It seems to be very solidly made except that the pointy little Jetsons legs are not sturdy enough to keep the chair upright when her cats start racing through the apartment, and 2 of them (the legs) have been broken for awhile. So she'd like to replace the legs with something sturdier and have the whole thing reupholstered.

She has already "recovered" it once, and as I look at these photos, I'm just imagining what you'll say--"toss it in the landfill. No, burn it first." But anyway...

I am sure it will cost a fortune, far more than the chair is worth, but I also thought you might see its potential and have some creative ideas about redoing it that would make it really cool. If not, however, that is fine.

Thanking you in advance, I remain sincerely yours,
Vicki :)

The heffalump from the front

Broken leg and Kitty assistant.

the heffalump from the back.

OK, get ready!!!!!

I'm now going to DRAW!!!!!

I realize this is a 1950's looking profile, but I plan on obliterating it!!!

I would add some padding to the tops of the arms to make them a little rounder, for a more cushy look.
I would add a seat cushion with a nice full crown. (it looks like it's supposed to have one, and that it got lost along the way)
I would add a contrast welt at the edge of the arms, along the outline of the back, and a contrast 1/2" cuff along the bottom of the gathered skirt.
(I HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH GATHERED SKIRTS,
 I DON'T KNOW WHY, I JUST HAVE!!!!!)
Maybe have a tiny gathered detail at the top of the skirt??!!
With the skirt, you can fix the problem of the broken legs, without having to worry about how the new legs look.......


THEN I WOULD COVER THE WHOLE THING IN A CABBAGE ROSE CHINTZ!!!!!!
Yay!!!!
CABBAGE ROSES!!!!!
like this, maybe???

or for a newer more current look, one like this???

or like this??? for a cute really cottage look!!!  

OR for a completely classic look, this one....

So many fabrics, so little time.....

BUT

It would probably be cheaper, to go to Crate & Barrel, and buy a new chair.

(just sayin')

(unless she takes an upholstery class, like I did, and does the labor herself!)

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OK, NEXT!!!!!
My bidness partner Kris sent me this problem. 
She's had some new closet doors installed in her turn of the century house, and this is the note she sent me.....

I'm feeling kinda witchy as I gave poor Nigey no direction and he did do the very un-man thing of at least matching the oil-rubbed bronze finish on the window locks.

But she didn't like these door knobs. She wanted them to match the original ones in the house, like this.....

NOW.....

the problem with getting new doors already predrilled for knobs, is that the holes are too big for antique knobs to work. 

You need a bigger rosette, and I can't remember, but the setback

(the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the hole)

might be different too.

Sooooooooo, 

what you need to do is.....

find an antique looking knob with a conversion kit.

like this one!!!!! It's from Look in the Attic

They sell glass knobs too.

Or you could use this one from 

House of Antique Hardware.....

That's the best I could do, hope it helps.

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Next!!!!!

Hi Betsy!

SO, if I wanted to do a YELLOW KITCHEN similar to the one you did, what color Ben Moore paint would I use for the lower cabs? 
I have several BM colors taped (8x8/5x9) sheets to my cabinet and am getting lost in yellows. As soon as I find one the lighting changes and so does my mind!  Our kitchen gets SE exposure. Some have used Hawthorne Yellow (HC-4) but it might be too much for me. 

I'm leaning towards Cornsilk (198), Weston Flax (HC-5), Harp Strings (213), or Santo Domingo Cream (274).... but then there are a few more saturated ones that I always keep handy like Vellum (207), Barley (199), & Traditional Yellow (170).

Some are getting too peachy/beige looking to me next to the yellows.  

I'd like to accessorize with deeper and brighter yellows...  I love your wallpaper!  If I don't do beadboard what other tile would you recommend for the backsplash?

Any guidance regarding color, backsplash, lighting is welcome : )

Thanks!  Valerie

(this is the kitchen she's talking about that I did for a client in Vermont)

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Alright guys, now here's the deal......

I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT COLOR TO PAINT YOUR @#$ WALLS!!!!!

Every color looks different in EVERY HOUSE!!!!!

I would need to look at the paint samples in the actual room you are talking about.

ESPECIALLY YELLOW!!!!!

yellow has a way of reflecting back on itself and turning REALLY florescent.

Soooooooooo

I'M NOT COMING TO YOUR HOUSE.

So I can't help.

Well, maybe this one suggestion.......

Bring a picture that shows a yellow you like to the paint store, and have the computer match the color.

As for the backsplash, if you don't do beadboard, the tried and true answer would be white 3 x 6 subway tile.

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OK NEXT!!!!!

cmarilyna@aol.com WROTE..

  

I have bamboo woven shades throughout my house...and love them.  I just had woven shades installed in my family room and kitchen

and unfortunately I goofed...the color is not the goldish shade with brown specs thta I had expected....it looks ORANGE.  Thet cannot be returned because they are exactly the ones I ordered...though the 2x4 inch sample did not look so orange when I ordered them.  Here is my question...are you aware of anyone having painted woven blinds?  Do you think that I could lay them flat and spray paint them...and splatter some brown specs?  Is this a crazy idea? Help! 

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Boy do I know how it feels when something custom ordered doesn't turn out how you expected!!!!

You can definitely paint them. Just one question.... 

is the surface of the bamboo blinds the hard shiny outside of the grass?

(bamboo is a grass, ya know?)

Or.....

is it the inside rougher part?

The paint will stick better if its the rougher inside of the grass.

If it's the shiny side, I would experiment on a small part, to see it the paint sticks.
Annie Sloan chalk paint would probably stick just fine, though. I've never used it, but my friend Amy Chalmers swears by it, and always is showing how she uses it on her blog.

I wouldn't splatter it though. Maybe experiment with a wash of color, allowing some of the natural fiber to show through.

Of course, if you are good at decorative effects, then go ahead and splatter, but it just might end up looking like a craft project....

Good luck, and send me the finished pictures. I'm sure the class would love to see how this turns out!!!!!

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Next!!!!

Hi Betsy I am new to your blog. I have a small living room 14x16. Want to do away with my 6ft. sofa, takes up too much space, and group chairs for conversation. Do the chairs need to be of the same size and style?? Thanks for any info. Evelyn 

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I love the look of four chairs grouped in a circle to form a conversation area. 

There are no hard and fast rules, but I prefer if all four chairs are the same style and covered in the same fabric, gathered around a coffee table or a large ottoman.

I did that in this gazebo for the same clients in Vermont.

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Next!!!

From: "Gail Bidgood" <gailbidgood@hotmail.com>
To: betsyspeert@gmail.com
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 7:32:32 PM
Subject: Decorating Question-Kitchen Renovation

Hi Betsy:  To be completely honest, I just found you.  I went in
search of someone to ask my decorating question to and I found you -
and like you (funny) from your blog.  So here goes my question.  My
husband and I have spent the better part of the last year renovating
the main floor of our home.  The kitchen was the major job.  We are
almost done.  Waiting on some cupboard doors and a little more
painting to do.  Today we started installing a natural stone called
"Silver Fox" from Erth Coverings.  A beautiful product BUT I'm not
sure about it.  I love the product but I wonder if it distracts -
draws your eye too much - especiall with the backsplash - a product
called "Bullet" from Saltillo.  The Silver fox shows up as a muted
brown/grey and the backsplash is stainless with white glass.  What do
you think.  I have attached 4 pictures.  The rug (if you can see it)
actually contains the greys and browns.  Would love to have an opinion
as we have halted installation for the time being until we can decide
for sure.

Thank you and I look forward to reading your blog.

Sincerely

Gail

Ummmmm.......

This isn't really my style......

Just because you like something, you don't need to stick it in a room.

The granite seems to work with the stone on the wall. 

The thing I'm having trouble with is the backsplash tile.

I'm not really understanding the two crystal chandeliers in this space.

Amy at Maison Decor did a really wonderful post about lantern hanging lights.

Check out this link to see what I mean.

I think if you change the lights to something a little less glitzy, it will pull the whole space together.

I don't want to be mean, but that's just my opinion.

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And lastly, ('cuz this is getting really long)

Susan Greenman
Hi Betsy,
So glad I found your blog via Kim of Savvy Southern!!  LOVE your style and have saved some of your magazine photos for years!

I can't seem to get my dining room right.  The walls (top portion) were green for 14 years....I decided I needed a change, but am not sure I like the Dunmore Cream with the checked drapes.  Green and ivory flow through my downstairs. * What would YOU do to make this room better? *       ANYTHING can go- drapes, hutch, table, chairs, light......

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This is what I like: The draperies, The wood dining chairs, prints on wall, chandelier, white paint on woodwork.....

Not crazy about the hutch, would probably go antiquing and find a real old one, not a 1950's repro.

I would look for a wallpaper to go above the chair rail, I feel the paint is too stark, I want to warm the room up. A soft muted paisley in the same colors as the checks would look wonderful. 

like this one from York wallpaper

Or this one 

If you did this, you may want to reframe the prints, thicker white frames would stand out better against the wallpaper pattern.

THEN....maybe hang some white ironware pottery on the walls too!!!

I would look for host and hostess arm chairs for the head and foot of the table with upholstered seats and backs, to give a more comfy cushy feel to the space. Cover them in the check.

The chandelier looks like it is hung too high, the bottom shouldn't be more than 36" above the table. I tend to hand chandeliers 30" above tables, unless they are unusual, like the one in my Florida dining room.

And while I'm spending your money!!!!! I would get an antique dining table, and replace this reproduction.

I would have a cushion made for the window seat that has a decent crown, not one that is just a slab of foam. Then I would cover it in the check, or the paisley, or a solid brown that picks up one of the room colors. And then I'd get some decent feather filled toss pillows to adorn the window seat.
You could make your own needlepoint toss pillows!!!! Because after doing all this, you won't have any money for entertainment!!!!!

Whew!!!
that's a lot of advice.
Just remember!!!!!


YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, AND THIS ADVICE WAS FREE!!!!!


Later Gator