Happy Tuesday to you all. First mailbag of the new year and we have two good questions. Let’s get down to business, shall we?
Katy writes:
I have a tiny powder room with Cole & Son’s Foretti in gray.
I need to get a ceiling fixture and can’t have one that hangs too low or it will hit people in the head. I really like this one but don’t want to spend that kind of money. Any suggestions? Any colors you recommend? I need your help! Thank you! Read the rest of this post »
Just one question for the mailbag today so here goes:
Kristin writes:
Hi Molly,
I am having trouble deciding on a rug for my dining room. I am looking for a
rug that will work with the somewhat open floor plan I have, the rug in the
living room is only a few feet away, but also works with the curtains that I
worked so hard to make. I am thinking grey, but have not been able to find
anything that works. The dining room is painted Revere Pewter from Benjamin Moore and the curtain fabric is
Dahlia in the Slate colorway from Calico Corners. The dining room is open to the
living room and the kitchen.
Is it Tuesday already? Time for the mailbag!
Leo writes:
Our master bathroom is neutral, neutral, neutral, and feels like it needs something to brighten it up. We are thinking of colorful towels and bathmats, but don’t want just solid colors or traditional patterns. Can you recommend any sources for bathroom linens in interesting colors, textures and patterns? What else could we do to bring in a bit of excitement, but still maintain a calming environment?ML: Hmmmm… You want excitement but in a calm way? I think what you are saying is that you want to make your bathroom a little more lively but not busy or chaotic. Towels definitely can help as can addressing the walls. Nothing changes the feeling of a space more quickly or completely than a coat of paint. And the good news is, if you hate it, it’s quick and easy to repaint it, especially in a small bathroom. I would select your towels first and decide on a wall color that works with them. How about keeping it neutral but adding a little sass with these jacquard bath towels from Williams Sonoma Home?
So many good questions this week! Should I take it that the mailbag is back on? Let’s get to it…
Tom writes:
A “friend” recently bought a house that needs a little help. It’s vintage 1978, with lots of golden oak floors and unpainted oak trim around the windows and doors. That by itself seems like a lot of oakiness for his taste, but to top it off, the previous owner recently remodeled the kitchen and selected cherry cabinets, which don’t seem to work very well with the floors and trim. Redoing the kitchen again isn’t in the budget for the foreseeable future. He’s considering staining the floors – would you recommend darker or lighter? What’s the difference between bleaching and liming? Any other ideas?
ML: Hmmmm. Golden oak really screams 70s and not in a good way. And pairing it with cherry is really adding insult to injury. Here’s what I would do. I definitely prefer the idea of lightening the oak floor vs darken it. Dark floors can be pretty but have been really overdone in the past few years. Also, if you have a pet, they will show every hair which is something to take into consideration. The lighter treatments look much fresher and more modern to my eye.
Quarter sawn white oak with a driftwood finish:
Am looking for some round rugs, preferably 5 ft to 6 ft in diameter- maybe a sisal. any suggestions?
ML: I love round rugs in the right spot but they can be tricky to find. Never fear, I have tracked down some good options and hopefully one of these will work for you. Anthropologie is working out the round rug at the moment (and all come in the 5×5 diameter you are looking for). For starters, there is this Doily Rug (I particularly like it in the gray but in the interest of full disclosure, I should say it comes in brown, too)
Hi guys. It’s that time again where I try to solve your design dilemmas. This week readers had some good questions so let’s get started!
Kristen writes:
Hi Molly. I hope you get a chance to weigh in on this rug conundrum. I need help. I’d like to replace this falling-apart little Ikea Persian with something else. I’m thinking zebra pattern? Or something else mod? And it needs to be larger than this 5 x 8, doesn’t it? My only hesitation is that there’s a large Persian in the adjoining dining room, and I’m afraid that something really graphic will be too much of a contrast. What do you think?
Best,
Kristen
Hey everyone. Well, it’s Tuesday and you know that means it’s time for answers to your burning design questions. I am only going to respond to one person today but it’s one person with a lot of questions and questions that could pertain to all y’all out there. This is from my dear friend, Eric, so I am going to do him a solid. Everyone else, let’s try asking one question at a time…
Eric wrote (and sent the following pictures) on October 28th:
We had new windows put in the bedroom and kitchen, and they’ve been naked ever since. Curtains? Blinds? Pull down shades? Too many options. Read the rest of this post »
Today is the inaugural mailbag – the time when I answer your burning questions about design and more. So far, I’ve received four and all answers are below. Thanks, and keep ‘em coming!
On October 10th, Diane said:
Hi Molly!
Hey people. I’m Molly Luetkemeyer (loot-kah-my-er, just so we can get that out of the way). I have been a practicing interior designer at my firm, M. Design Interiors for the past 10 years (for the full back story, check out my about page). My ongoing mission is to guide clients to create personal, comfortable, chic homes that reflect their needs and particular tastes. No one should live in a showroom or someone else's house. Period. I am inspired by a range of sources from modern and contemporary art to nature, fashion and vintage design books to stuff I see on the street. It’s always coming at me and I want to share a little of it with you.
So take a look and as always, let me know what you think at molly at mdesignla dot com!
)