Decorating
Ask Our Agony Aunt: Choosing Accessories and Window Frame Colours
Do you have a burning decorating dilemma? Our resident agony aunt is here to help
In need of design help? Step forward Houzz’s very own agony aunt, Kate Watson-Smyth. We’re thrilled to have Kate, a property journalist who writes the interiors blog Mad About The House, on board to support Houzz users with their interiors issues and design dilemmas. Having renovated and decorated her own home (on multiple occasions!), Kate knows the ins and outs of the home-improvement world, and how challenging it can be. So, over to Kate…
Kate says:
Hello campo73 and thank you for following the blog. So, where do we start with this painted and empty room? I feel that most people might start the other way round – with a favourite chair or a cushion or even a picture they want to hang on the wall and choose the wall colour after that. But if we’re doing it this way round, I have to assume you love the wall colour. So you now need to think about how you want to feel in this room.
Is it a room for resting and relaxing? Or is it a busy room with lots of chatting and family time? Once you have thought about that, you can think about colours that make you feel that way. I am enervated by yellow and orange and too much colour, so prefer to keep the palette simple and layer up lots of textures and textiles for interest and depth.
Hello campo73 and thank you for following the blog. So, where do we start with this painted and empty room? I feel that most people might start the other way round – with a favourite chair or a cushion or even a picture they want to hang on the wall and choose the wall colour after that. But if we’re doing it this way round, I have to assume you love the wall colour. So you now need to think about how you want to feel in this room.
Is it a room for resting and relaxing? Or is it a busy room with lots of chatting and family time? Once you have thought about that, you can think about colours that make you feel that way. I am enervated by yellow and orange and too much colour, so prefer to keep the palette simple and layer up lots of textures and textiles for interest and depth.
I always say that you should look in your wardrobe for inspiration, as the colours you like to wear are the ones you will be comfortable living with.
But it goes one step further than that. What style of clothes do you like to wear? Are you a structured, tidy person? Do you like to shop at Cos, for example, with its clean lines and structured tops? Then try midcentury modern furniture as the clean lines and sculptural shapes might be perfect for you.
But it goes one step further than that. What style of clothes do you like to wear? Are you a structured, tidy person? Do you like to shop at Cos, for example, with its clean lines and structured tops? Then try midcentury modern furniture as the clean lines and sculptural shapes might be perfect for you.
Perhaps you’re more a jeans and fancy top kind of woman? In which case, consider something a little more industrial but refined – a velvet sofa and a brass lamp.
Traditional wardrobe? Then search out traditional furniture by scouring eBay for vintage pieces that you love. You can hang it all together simply by having confidence in knowing that you are buying what you love. There will be a common thread in the things you like and you have to trust that.
Traditional wardrobe? Then search out traditional furniture by scouring eBay for vintage pieces that you love. You can hang it all together simply by having confidence in knowing that you are buying what you love. There will be a common thread in the things you like and you have to trust that.
If you make Ideabooks of all the things that you like you will find there is a common thread to the colour or style. Finally, remember this design tip: something new, something old, something black and something gold (by which I mean metallic).
Dear Kate:
What colour ‘white’ paint would you suggest I use on my woodwork as we have old uPVC window frames that are definitely not sparkling white. Last time I used Pointing from Farrow & Ball, but this looks too creamy against the windows. I want the woodwork bright and clean looking without making the frames look dingy. Hope you can help.
333jlh
What colour ‘white’ paint would you suggest I use on my woodwork as we have old uPVC window frames that are definitely not sparkling white. Last time I used Pointing from Farrow & Ball, but this looks too creamy against the windows. I want the woodwork bright and clean looking without making the frames look dingy. Hope you can help.
333jlh
Kate says:
Dear 333jlh, I’m going straight in with the controversial answer here and I’m going to say don’t paint the woodwork white at all. A dark frame is much better at highlighting the view outside and turning it into a picture. At night, a dark frame will disappear and make you feel more in touch with the outside. If black is too dark, then look at Railings (from Farrow & Ball), which is a very dark grey that can sometimes look navy. Trust me, your windows will look better this way.
Do you have a question (home improvement related of course!) for our resident agony aunt, Kate Watson-Smyth, to answer? Ask your question in the Comments section and, if you’re lucky, Kate might choose your dilemma to tackle next time.
Dear 333jlh, I’m going straight in with the controversial answer here and I’m going to say don’t paint the woodwork white at all. A dark frame is much better at highlighting the view outside and turning it into a picture. At night, a dark frame will disappear and make you feel more in touch with the outside. If black is too dark, then look at Railings (from Farrow & Ball), which is a very dark grey that can sometimes look navy. Trust me, your windows will look better this way.
Do you have a question (home improvement related of course!) for our resident agony aunt, Kate Watson-Smyth, to answer? Ask your question in the Comments section and, if you’re lucky, Kate might choose your dilemma to tackle next time.
I have been following your blog for a long time now and I love your style and taste. However, when it comes to implementing the ideas in my own house I freeze. I’m good with paint colours, but not the furniture and accessories; it’s like I’m afraid to commit to anything in case it doesn’t look right with a future purchase. So my question is: if you had a blank canvas, a room that’s already painted but now needs filling with furniture and accessories, where would you start? And how do you make sure it will all work together nicely at the end?
campo73