DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION ARTICLES Paint Paper & Fabrics
Painting a Small Space Question: I have small kitchen and wanted to know what colors to use in order to make it appear larger. Also do I paint the ceiling the same as the walls or use a different color. Painting a room to make it appear larger is always on the top of most folks list ….if it were only that simple! Whenever we are faced with a space that is too cramped or under sized for our needs, the first reaction is to think- if only it were bigger instead of how do I make the most the most of this smaller space.By simply rethinking the perspective on the smaller space , you are better able to see the soon to be designed JEWEL BOX of a small space. First begin your project by doing a de-cluttering and cleaning NO HOLDS BARRED assault on the contents of your kitchen cabinets, storage area and countertop areas. You will be amazed how much larger and cleaner feeling the entire kitchen will appear once you have pared down the kitchen "junk" to only the bare necessities. Now , once de-cluttered, you are then able to step into the space and THINK! Like I've always said, you can't expect to have a successful decorating project unless you first take the time to OBSERVE the situation and let your mind simply quiet and let the thoughts come gracefully. Now you are then ready to mentally DECORATE. By that I mean , letting your mind and imagination begin to imagine several color possibilities while still standing in the middle of your now de-cluttered kitchen instead of rushing out on a decorating whim of today's HOT colors! . Once you have an idea of the direction you'd like to take, THEN AND ONLY THEN go to the store and begin to check out the many paint offerings. Since you have now mentally pre- selected a color that would speak to your decorating soul, be thoughtful and do that color justice by buying a paint color in the next deeper shade then what you've imagined. By doing so, you'll be ensured that the paint color that goes on the wall will be appear to be the color you've originally liked since all colors get LIGHTER once on the wall . And for the ceiling don't be afraid to add a splash of interest by painting the ceiling as if it were a fifth wall and another opportunity to add a hint of color to bring about the total transformation of your cramped kitchen into a beautifully! © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Papering Over Paneling The most important tip is that this is NOT A ONE-DAY PROJECT so be prepared to take your time and do the necessary prep work following all instructions. If you skip a step you'll likely have wallpaper falling down within a few months.The prep works starts by removing all picture hooks and fixing any paneling planks which may have been pulled away from the nailers. Then add some elbow grease by washing all surfaces with a vegetable-based soap to remove all grease and furniture polish build up. Next you'll hang a heavy-duty wall liner, which is made specifically for paneled walls. Most wallpaper stores keep this in stock and it costs around $10.00 per single roll. You'll need the same number of rolls of liner as wallpaper needed less the repeat and remember that if the package is unopened you can always take any leftovers back for a small restocking fee. Since the liner is a synthetic product it will require the PRE-MIXED HEAVY DUTY PROFESSIONAL STRENGTH PASTE – whew! What a title but it really does make a difference so don't try to skimp and use regular vinyl paste, or worse, cut the paste with water. Be sure to use it straight from the container even though it has the consistency of warm lard. Next hang the wall liner horizontally rather than from top to bottom as with regular wallpaper. Take care not to push the liner into the grooves; the idea is to stretch smoothly across the grooves. After the liner dries (about 24 hrs.) check for any imperfections or phantom grooves. Fix these with a little patience and lots of ingenuity! I've used hypodermic syringes inserted into air bubbles to make areas lie smooth, and for those problem grooves I've even used latex caulk to fill-up or level out bumps and humps; just bend back the liner, caulk, and re-paste the liner.Finally you're ready to hang the wallpaper according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you select wallpaper that has a texture or a stripe in the pattern you'll double the chances of having a " GROOVY " less job. © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Wallpaper Repair Our family room has grass cloth wall covering below a chair rail. The cat has clawed and ripped several strands of the fibers. How do I repair this problem? To repair the damage simply pull away the ripped and frayed fibers- they will look like pieces of straw – set aside the longest pieces. Next, cut the remaining thin mesh strands, which held the fibers in place. Finding a section of undamaged grasscloth (behind the TV is a good spot) carefully pull out a few straw like strands. Make random selections so as not to make an obvious " thining " in the wall covering. On the damaged section, glue the salvaged and newly pulled straw pieces onto the backing; be sure to match the horizontal pattern of the intact section adjacent to the damage. Super glue will hold the best but requires tweezers and a frustration-proof attitude; I've used rubber cement with excellent results! Just to be sure to read the label and let both sides dry to a dull finish before completing the bond. Repaired area still looks patched and ragged??? Then you've got three choices:1. Hide the damage with a piece of furniture2. Replace the grass cloth with another wall covering3. Paint the grass cloth wall covering- Yep; I said paint the wallcovering!! This is a design trick used by several professional designers to add texture to an otherwise dull room. Here we're using it to hide a problem. Paint the wallcovering as if it were a traditional sheet rock wall only this time using a roller cover specifically designed for rough surfaces. Be sure to use a quality latex paint; the viscosity (thickness of a liquid) is greater and will not loosen the adhesive on the backside to the grass cloth unlike a cheap latex paint which will just cause you more money in the long run. © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Stay Away from Stenciling? Question: My kitchen is all white & I would like to jazz it up a bit. My family room is off the kitchen & I have a vine type stencil applied to the room around the ceiling. Now, I'm wondering if I should have had the stenciler apply the same vine around the kitchen to make it all coordinate. Plus, my backsplash is painted - no tile or anything. Is there anything in this area that I could to do brighten things up? Would it be best to stencil & let the backsplash go, or forget the stenciling & put some color on the backsplash? I'm really at a lost! My colors are hunter green, cranberry & navy. Stenciling is a great way to add a bit of country charm to any space but only in small amounts… so forget adding more stenciled vines to your kitchen. Instead, my recommendation for a design savvy kitchen and coordinated family area is to add a few touches that you would not normally associate with the kitchen – wool patterned area rugs and runners in the kitchen, rag rugs scattered across the countertops and oversized art work on the walls. And once you paint the backsplash area a deep but vivid cranberry color, your dull white kitchen will simply sing with pizzazz! Here's how: Select a paint color in a satin eggshell finish in a deep maroon purple based cranberry and apply the paint using a dry brush technique. Then, once dry, apply two coats of POLYSHADES by MINWAX in the maple color . This will add a deep richness to your backsplash and since the MINWAX contains polyurethane, it will help to protect your walls behind the countertops. Then shop for a black based hooked area rug featuring a comfortable country design such as fruit or chickens, and select a runner that you will position in front of your sink – normally a 2'6" x 8' works great, and a larger rug in either a 8 x 10 or 9 x 12 size and position this rug in your family room . Next pick up a small rag rug from the local Target or Pier 1 in the colors found within the wool runner. Then simply angle the rag rug across your countertop beneath a few baskets and cook books that are positioned in a dark corner on top of your countertop. And to finish your "pulled together look" be sure to add a few artificial silk vines to your countertop arrangements and whatever groupings you happen to have on top of your kitchen cabinets. © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Fun with Decoupage Question: I am interested in using photos and newspaper articles to decoupage on my wall. Any suggestions or where can I find some really good instructions? Well it sounds like someone's imagination is running on HIGH...What a great project! Although I can't help with providing a web address with detailed instructions I have done it before and had wonderful results...here's how: Prime the wall with a good quality wallpaper primer Paste the backs of the newspaper articles with a spray adhesive and apply a sheet of black construction paper to each article. Next apply wallpaper paste to the black backing and then apply to your primed wall. Next add the photos in a scattered pattern using a spray adhesive. (spray adhesive seems to work best). Finally, apply either a clear coat of polyurethane or a tinted "blotch" coat of a stain/poly mix. I really like to use Minwax "Polyshades" for a great looking antique finish. © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Coordinate Your Color Scheme Question: Help! We now have too many colors in our home. Blue and pink (mauve) in the family room which is open to the kitchen, peach and blue (working out the burgundy) and our formal living room is blue and light yellow. How can I make them all work together? So many times in our rush to "do" a space,we select a wall and accessory color combination that is the "in" color of the day without regard for the continuity of the overall residence. To pull all of your rooms together and make your home a truly comfortable place to call home, I'd recommend that you start by selecting ONE color that you have the most of: accessories, knick knacks etc. This and only THIS color would then be your accent color...Sorry, but if you are really serious about pulling your house together you'll have to get tough and assign all other items to the yard sale or charity box. Now for the easy part; selecting a single color to be used throughout your entire home. Begin by looking at a typical paint sample chart and select a color in the middle range. If your accessory accent color is blue, I would not recommend that you select a wall color in the blue family, instead go for a warm earthy yellow gold tone or even a medium green family of colors. By selecting a wall color that will compliment your accessory accent color you will then begin to unify your home, thus getting rid of the schizophrenic approach to decorating. Okay, now begin your wall color placement challenge by painting your kitchen the medium shade of whatever color you select. Then paint your family room the darker shade along with the master bedroom and all guest bathrooms. Every other room in your home can then be one shade lighter than the kitchen or even any one of the darker shades it does not matter as long as you only select the wall color from the ONE chart. For your trim, be sure to paint it the shade of white that is usually found at the top of the sample chart and don't forget to paint your ceilings....to add a sense of decorating pizzazz, select a paler version of your accessory color. In other words, if your accessory color is blue and the wall colors are in the warm earthy yellow tones then be sure to paint your ceilings a pale browned blue...see it's easy to create a whole house color scheme once you slow down and begin to think and work like a pro! © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Wow 'Em With Red Question: I just recently bought a silk red bedspread that I really like and I want to paint the walls in my room a color that will coordinate well with it. If you have any suggestions it would be great. Wow …a red silk bedspread … I hope your significant other is prepared for the extra energy the room will now hold ! Like I've always said , anytime you add such a dramatic accent piece to a room the energy of that space can't but help to be revved up and the space energized with design savvy. For your red bedspread to do it's magic and make your room the most comfortable spot in the whole house, you'll need to really play up the impact of the color by surrounding it with the natural counterpart of red…. An intense turquoise blue green, or for a more restful atmosphere, a medium based basil green with blue undertones. You can confidently paint the walls in either of these two shades and then be prepared to add lots of throw pillows in a deeper shade found in the wall color for a pulled together look. And to complete the room, don't forget about the appeal of a large area rug turned at an angle under the bed and also the addition of a pair of eye catching bedside lamps with knock out silk shades ….. send me a photo …. I'd love to share it with the others who are not quite so brave and secure in their own design talents. © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Painting Cathedral Ceilings Question: Our living room /dining room is an L shaped room with a cathedral ceiling that meets in the middle of the two rooms. We would very much like to paint the room a moss green/grey with white on all the baseboards and trim. Our dilemma is whether to paint the ceiling the same color, leave it white or go with a lighter tone on the walls. When sitting in the living room, the dining room ceiling seems to become the focal point. High vaulted and cathedral ceilings are wonderful design features that accentuate any room style, but pose an especially difficult challenge when selecting paint colors for the walls. Numerous questions but the one most pressing …..how do you know where to start and then stop the wall color since there is usually no crown molding to act as a definitive guideline for changing the color from the wall to the ceiling ? Well the answer is simple : in rooms where the ceiling line is a visual part of the wall, always select a color that is a few shades lighter than the wall color . Another pro trick that is guaranteed to work especially in rooms where the walls are painted a pale-pale pastel color, to a gallon of white paint add 2 tablespoons of the wall color and mix well. The resulting color will be a sweet blush of the wall color with just a kiss of color . © copyright 2000 DESIGN SERVICE INC. Back to Top Finishes for concrete flooring For the last few years today’s flooring options have really been limited by your imagination and also by the depth of your pocketbook. AND it’s not more evident than when considering the type of finish to apply over a concrete floor. With so many options in regards to color, texture, and finish it’s no wonder that easy to keep concrete flooring is the hottest trend in decorating today! BUT before you take the plunge and remove the basic wall to wall carpeting, 20 year old sheet vinyl flooring or your plain old tile squares consider this: concrete floors are cold to the touch and hard on your feet not to mention your back! Also because of the solid cool surface under your furniture the entire room will feel cool and bare UNLESS you incorporate lots of area rugs and interesting textured wall treatments to compensate for the cool flooring underneath. With these facts in mind here’s a few pointers to get you started on creating a dynamite looking floor! BEFORE YOU BEGIN….take a peek! Creating a great looking finished concrete floor takes more time and effort than other types of floors, but once finished you’ll have a virtually maintenance free floor that will last for decades. Start by examining your concrete floor checking to see if the entire floor has been sealed during the building process. If the floor is “slick” feeling and beads water it’s a sure bet the concrete has been sealed with a clear specialty sealer. If you can research the exact sealer used with your builder you’ll be ahead of the game; otherwise assume the floor has been sealed and only select products specifically for use on SEALED concrete floors. Now you must perform a two step check for moisture, otherwise you will only end up disappointed when all of your hard work and efforts begin to peel off in sheets! The procedure to check for surface moisture is simple, just lay a few sheets of newspaper on the floor and check it in a few hours. If it’s curled and soggy damp…BINGO! This means you have a water drainage problem and a specialist needs to be brought in to stop the water mitigation (outside water coming into your house) prior to painting/staining your floor. If nothing happens then proceed to step #2. In this step you are checking for a phenomenon called RISING DAMP. This simply means that the temperature of the underlying subsoil is warmer/cooler than the top layer of the concrete and this is causing a thin film of condensation to form. Also by checking for RISING DAMP you will have a fool proof way to know if your floor has been sealed since a sealed floor usually does not allow condensation to form. You can make this check by taping a 10”x10” square of aluminum foil directly and tightly to the concrete floor, wait 24 hours and then remove. IF the underside of the aluminum foil is covered with moisture you’ll either have an unsealed porous concrete floor OR an improperly sealed floor; in either case knowing this information will allow you to select the proper quality of paint or stain for your floor. NOW THE FUN PART…selecting the look With so many options available be sure to ask a lot of questions and explore different sources of professional treatments in your area. Now that you know whether your floor is sealed or unsealed more importantly, if you have a water problem you’ll be better able to refine your search and settle on the one treatment PERFECT for your floor! Deborah Burnett appears regularly on HGTV, National TV and worldwide radio with design ideas and decorating tips. She is a nationally recognized health and wellness design authority and keynote presenter bridging the gap between science and evidence based epigenetic design which explores how the body and brain are affected by the interior environment. As a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine she specializes in research and design pertaining to how color, light, sound and daylight affect sleep.
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Illuminating the Future
– with Jim Benya, Jennifer Veitch and Susan Szenasyn
Knowledge to Practice: Epigenetic Design and the Built Environment
– VELUX Daylight Symposium
Evidence-Based Lighting Design, Deborah’s new book
– Wiley, Spring 2014!
Daylighting and Its Impact on Infertility
– The Daylight Project, UK Infertility Awareness Week
