Are you ready for holiday visitors?
Dear Debbie;
I'm fixing up a tiny bedroom as a guest room for holiday company. Can you recommend any wall finishes that would look romantic and cozy, and suit lots of different ages and personalities? Thanks, Zoe Dear Zoe;
I have just finished renovating my tiny London home, and one of the rooms that I particularly like is the little bedroom in the attic. It is my guest room, but I have a feeling that I will be sneaking up there myself. Attic rooms can be a challenge with sloping ceilings that make the space feel even smaller. But to me this is cozy, perfect for happy dreams and a good night's sleep. It is said that, in order to make a small room appear larger, you must use white or light colours on the walls. It is true that pastels are airy, and give the illusion of pushing out the walls and enlarging the space. But darker colours, or oversized and busy patterns are a cozy alternative. I papered the whole room in a glorious damask patterned wallpaper from Farrow & Ball, www.farrow-ball.com. It looks like an original stenciled finish that would have taken hours and days to paint. (I did this on my walls years ago, and it looked stunning, but it was labour intensive.) Farrow & Ball make their own wallpaper using paints instead of dyes to create the patterns. Not only are the colours brilliant, but you can feel the texture. It looks like painted wallpaper, and it is, but they do the work. The pattern shown here, called Silvergate, was translated from an early 19th century English damask paper originally printed at Silvergate in Norfolk.
Headboards, more than ever, claim the center of attention in bedrooms today, and this soft grey, tufted wool headboard, Charlton from The White Company www.thewhitecompany.com, is no exception. It's incredibly comfortable to lean against when you're reading, and the wool feels cool in summer and warm in winter. The mirrored glass bedside table with drawers, and dresser not seen, add a little Hollywood glam, and generate sparkle and life to the cozy and romantic setting.
It's always lovely to be able to add a bit of personal history to a room. It could be a hand quilted bedspread, an old rocking chair, or a grouping of old family photos. Here, I chose to hang a pair of antique lamps from France that I inherited from my grandmother. The room is finished now and awaits its first arrivals. Enjoy your decorating and let your imagination soar. Dear Debbie;
My young nieces are visiting over the weekend and I'd like to plan some Christmas projects for us to do together. They love crafts and baking, but I am no pro. Help! Doreen
Dear Marianne;
Dining rooms are very special places. Sharing meals with family and friends is one of life’s enduring pleasures. You will be making memories, having both frivolous and serious chats, making future plans, and filling the room with lots of laughter. When you are decorating your dining room, think of it as setting a stage. Central to your plan is the table. There are many styles from which to choose, from ultramodern glass and steel to finely turned heritage pieces. If you anticipate setting up regularly for more than six people, then choose an expandable oval or rectangular top. Otherwise, dining in the round is a friendly way to go; you are facing everyone, and conversation is not confined to your neighbour.
I chose a dining vignette from Urban Barn as a lovely example of a modern formal setting. The round table from their Churchill Collection mimics the features of classic architecture. Carved trestle legs with rounded scrolls give weight and substance to the piece. Upholstered chairs provide comfort and elegance, very inviting for a leisurely meal. Upholstered style dining chairs suit a living room or den and can be swapped in and out as needed. Think about a few armless chairs to mix at the table. The Zain pendant lamp, inspired by hammered metalwork, casts a contemporary glow to the festivities.
Investigate different avenues for table shopping. You will find amazing deals at estate sales and secondhand stores. No need to invest in a complete set of dining furniture right now. Combine your stylish table and chairs with inexpensive cabinetry or shelves for storage and a funky bar tray on wheels for serving. Dear Doreen;
Your craft store will have lots of handson projects that come with materials and instructions. Why not make decorations together for a child's Christmas tree? Cut out paper snowflakes, glue coloured foil onto cardboard to fashion shiny stars, decorate Styrofoam balls with metallic paint and glitter. Bake up some gingerbread cookies; don't forget a hole in the top for string to hang on the tree. Have the children decorate the cookies with sugar icing and sprinkles. If you still have time, have them design and decorate wrapping paper. All you need is a roll of brown or plain white paper, some paint and a few stamps with holiday motifs. You supply the materials and they will guide you.
Have fun! Dear Debbie;
We have graduated from our first tiny apartment to a house that has a dining room. What should we look for in a table? Is this what you would call a splurge item? Thanks for all your help. Marianne
Written by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email decorating questions to house2home@debbietravis.com. Follow Debbie at instagram.com/debbie_travis, facebook.com/thedebbietravis, debbietravis.com.