Recurring Themes

It’s the end of another exciting year of travelling for business and pleasure, grabbing as many opportunities as I can to be inspired by the wide world of home design and decorating.

 

Creating a home that nurtures and looks and feels right, has many challenges no matter where you live. I have covered dozens of topics and answered hundreds of questions in this column, and your feedback continues to give me direction.

 

Decorating ideas don’t come from just what is new and trendy, but also, and just as important, from solutions to the challenges of maintaining a home that energizes us, whatever the budget.

Here are three questions I receive frequently. I am not able to answer every query so I hope these general ideas and instructions are helpful to readers with similar challenges.

 

Q: We have just moved into an old house and want to change everything, but can’t afford to renovate for at least a year. Can you help?

 

A: Fresh paint will give you an instant lift but have some fun along the way. This may be the perfect time to experiment with a colour or pattern you might not choose after the reno. Start with the living or dining room as these public and entertaining spaces should be fun and filled with energy.

The living room shown is one of my favourites for a couple of reasons. Navy blue is a popular colour and has many effects, depending on the shade and the colours you put with it. Navy is as dramatic as a midnight sky alongside pure white, and the stark contrast emphasizes shapes and patterns.

The fat stripes on the wall really kick it up. Have you noticed stripes are popular in fashion in every width and colour combination? Stripe up a focal wall, buy a few striped cushions or throw for the couch and you’ll be sitting pretty until it’s time to wield the hammer.

 

Q: We are helping our parents redecorate the home they have lived in for 35 years. Some of the rooms have two or three layers of wallpaper. What’s your advice regarding painting over the wallpaper?

 

A: I know what you want to hear: Slap on a coat or two of paint and be done with it. However tempting in the short run, this will only make more work in the end, and it won’t look very nice.

The wallpaper may have loosened and peeled in spots, the walls may have small cracks and the seams will show. This is not a good base for paint.

Take the time to strip the walls properly, which is not so bad with many hands helping. That’s a wonderful gift for your parents.

 

Q: You showed a Mexican themed staircase with stencilled tiles in a recent column. How did you do the stencils? Can I buy them?

 

A: You can make stencils by copying a pattern onto Mylar (stencil plastic) and cutting out with a sharp knife. Or order stencils online from the many great sources on the web.

We created the faux Mexican tiles with multiple stencils that we cut by hand and layered to add the different colours and motifs.