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Room Redesign: The Case of the Missing Fireplace

Aug 21, 2009

Ellen and Rick live on a hill above Long Lake near Traverse City, Michigan. The first thing you notice when entering their living room is this gorgeous view: blue water with a diminutive island smack-dab in the middle.

(Click pics to enlarge!)

The large windows make good use of that view. Problem is, something else we love in Northern Michigan is warmth, especially when it comes from a fireplace. In Rick and Ellen's room, that fireplace happens to be set into the wall opposite the windows. Pair that challenge with the narrowness of the room and its function as a path between the kitchen, porch, and bedrooms, and you have a space planning challenge.

Because the family didn't use the fireplace much, they blocked it off by placing the sofa against it, facing the windows. Two chairs faced the sofa, backing against the windows. In all, the small room contained a large sofa, two oversized chairs, two side chairs (removed before I remembered to take "before" pics—oops), four tables, a bookcase, and a buffet. While the seating often was used when entertaining, the room wasn't cozy and didn't allow easy flow from the adjacent spaces.

Ellen and I rolled up our sleeves and started clearing the room. We turned the sofa 90 degrees and placed it a few feet in front of the buffet, very close to the window. That set the rest of the plan in motion. We removed the floral chair and the burgundy chair and brought in a dark leather chair from the family room and a long ottoman that works as seating or as a coffee table with the addition of a tray. Removing the floral chair broke up the set for a more sophisticated feel, and Ellen was growing tired of the print, anyway. The chest formerly used as a coffee table became a side table, as it was a more appropriate height for that use.

A broken floor lamp and two very tall candlestick lamps were removed. We stole a simple lamp from the bedroom that had better proportions (in the lower right of the photo above). Ellen and Rick read in the living room in the morning when bright sun comes in the window, so Ellen felt that two lamps were adequate. Candlelight is often used in the evening.

Now that the fireplace wall was cleared, some unsightly outlets and vents were exposed. I moved a narrow basket from under the buffet and filled it with throw pillows and a fabulous grey cashmere throw that Ellen brought from the bedroom. The cozy addition improved the look of the fireplace wall without getting in the way of traffic. We brought out a fireplace screen that Ellen had put away in the basement.

Accessorizing was fun because Ellen had a lot to work with. Lots of swapping and repurposing happened at this stage. We brought in hardcover books and removed their jackets to make the bookcase look good. A couple of baskets were filled with children's books, and I found some small woven boxes in the kitchen that I turned upside down to give some height to a candle arrangement on top.

 
Ellen and Rick loved the results. The room now has better flow and better arrangement for conversation, the view is still the main focal point, and we found the missing fireplace. Thanks for working with me, Ellen! —Diane

Do you have a furnished living room, family room, dining room, or bedroom that doesn't feel right?

Can't put your finger on it, huh? Just email me and I'll make the most of what you have, with your help. "Work with me, here" is 2-3 hours of fun, collaborative work in your space. When I'm finished you'll have a room that works, a new love for your old furniture and accessories, and a color scheme for the walls if you desire.

Email me for a "Work with me, here" session in your Northern Michigan home. $100 first hour, $50 per additional hour.

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High & Low: 8 Storage Ottomans

Aug 20, 2009

Few pieces of furniture are as versatile as a storage ottoman. It's a footrest, a seat, a coffee table, a storage chest, a play surface. I often recommend them in my eDecor Plans for living rooms, family rooms, and bedrooms. Here are 8 storage ottomans available online at a variety of price points. As you can see, you don't have to spend a lot to get a serious dose of form/function fusion.

HIGH TO LOW:

Aniline-dyed Leather and Hairhide Storage Ottoman from NeimanMarcus.com, $1999 plus processing
Nailhead trim and turned hardwood legs make a luxurious accent for a gentleman's library or a British Colonial sitting room.
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Poof Leather Storage Stool from Ashington Square, $614 plus shipping
A compact option with stylish curves, nickel accents, and a hardwood base.
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Sam's Cocktail Storage Ottoman from StacksAndStacks.com, $549 with free shipping
Extra-large ottoman can anchor a seating area and hide all your clutter.
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Wattley Faux Leather Storage Ottoman from Ottomans.com, $414 plus shipping
High bang-for-buck factor! The top-stitching and nailhead trim make this ottoman look much more expensive than it is. I love its rustic-modern sensibility, and for larger ottomans, the lift-off top is easier to manage than a hinged top.
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Dana Leather Storage Ottoman, $359 plus free shipping (limited-time sale)
This well designed piece is the perfect addition to a casual family room. A padded edge keeps your feet comfy, but the wooden panels in the center offer a sturdy drink surface. Slide the panels to reveal storage space beneath.
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Taylor Storage Ottoman from Ottomans.com, $350 plus shipping
An elongated oval available in ten juicy colors. Fits nicely with a glam or Deco look.
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Skyline Storage File Cube with Casters from CSN Sofas, $118 with free shipping
Stores files and becomes a seamless part of a cozy reading nook. Available in several colors.
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Ektorp Bromma Storage Ottoman from Ikea, $100 plus shipping
The base model comes with a removable white cotton cover, but fabric upgrades are available for an extra $30-40.
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Want me to design a room around a piece of furniture you love? It's more affordable than you think. eDecor Plans are highly customized, problem-solving room designs for clients anywhere. —Diane

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Inspired Question: Will revamping our fireplace help sell our house?

Aug 19, 2009

Inspired Questions come from you! Send 'em on over (with a photo, please). While I can't redesign a whole room on the blog (that's what eDecor Plans are for!), I can solve small design dilemmas and give bits of advice this way. And, if you send me a question with a photo, you'll be entered into the monthly drawing for a $50 IRD gift certificate good toward any of my services. Here's a photo and a question from Emily.

Emily writes:

"I am getting ready to sell my house. One project we had left was to paint the fireplace, which feels a little stodgy and heavy in the room, and to retile the hearth with blue-ish gray square mosaic tiles. This room is the first one you see when you enter the house. Do you think one or both of these projects would help stage our house to sell? We were thinking an off-white for the fireplace color. The current tile is beige squares with medium gray grout. Thanks for your advice." —Emily

Hey, Emily—

What a cute room! I love your use of color and pattern. You're right about the fireplace looking a bit heavy in a room that otherwise looks very light and fresh. With staging, of course, you have to weigh the money and time you'll put into the project against your return. If something stands out so much that it will draw attention away from the strong points of the house, then it's worth doing. Since the fireplace is one of the first things buyers will see, it might be a good idea to spiff it up.

For broad buyer appeal, neutral is always the way to go. I would suggest a white that's barely off. In other words, not too creamy. Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams is my favorite all-purpose white. It's not stark like a pure white but looks great with both warm and cool palettes. Paint the grates and the mantel, too. You could consider painting the mantel a contrasting color like deep chocolate brown. It would put some "eyeliner" on the room and balance the dark colors in your furniture.

Now, about the tile. For staging you should spend the minimum amount to do a quality job that will boost the appeal. But given that this is such a small area you could create a very impressive feature for a relatively small amount of money, especially since you're doing the work yourself. How about this marble tile, available at Home Depot? It's a 2"-square tile that comes attached to a 12"x12" mesh that makes installation and spacing a breeze. Use a light grey grout for ease of upkeep.

2"x2" Grecian White marble mosaic tile at Home Depot:

You mentioned wanting blue-grey tile. That would look great in this room. To give buyers even more flexibility if they want to change the decor, you might try slate. This slate has subtle muted shades of rust, grey, rose, and green in it. It would adapt to almost any color scheme a buyer wants.

4"x4" tumbled multi-color slate at Home Depot:

This project should be fairly easy and inexpensive. Once it's complete, you might consider changing the art on your mantel because the white piece will no longer stand out next to the white brick and mantel. Something that picks up on the orangey hues in your lamp and coffee table would be perfect!  —Diane

Want to buy Emily's house in Traverse City?

This 1940s bungalow in Central Neighborhood is meticulously maintained and decorated with an eye for casual chic (as you can see!). Check out more photos and arrange a showing here.

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Inspired Idea:
Stock cabinets gone custom.

Aug 18, 2009

You know those cabinets? The ones that every builder puts in every house? Yeah, these:

People complain about them. "They're so boring." "They're too country-looking for me." "They're too dark."  "I see them everywhere." Well, my friends Theresa and Steve actually did something about it, and the results changed the whole feel of their kitchen.

Painting cabinets white is a pretty standard solution, but they added a unique touch in keeping with the modern aesthetic of the rest of their house by painting the center panel metallic silver. It's a nice, lustery sheen, and with the subtle grain of the brushstrokes it reads as stainless steel. Then they replaced the antique brass hardware with brushed steel. Nice work, guys! Thanks for sharing. —Diane

Got an Inspired Idea from your own home? Send me a photo and I'll enter you in my monthly drawing for a $50 Inspired Room Design gift certificate.
 

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Coming soon: Comments

Aug 18, 2009

Room for Inspiration is still ramping up. Soon you'll be able to comment on the posts, ask questions, and contribute your own ideas right on the blog. Until then, feel free to email me! —Diane

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