Cool Decorating
Jun 30th, 2008 by Lauri
If you suffer from hot flashes, I have a cure: whenever you feel your temperature going up, think about decorating your home. Why? Well, if you are like most women, you’ll probably go into a cold sweat whenever you think about selecting paint, buying a sofa or making any decision involving furniture. Goodbye hot flash. Okay, okay. I’ll stop teasing.
But, if you do panic at the thought of wasting money and having to live with your design mistakes, you actually are in the majority. Of course, it is also possible that you may be in the I-love-to-decorate-anything-that-doesn’t-move group or the I-don’t-need-any-help-I-am-perfectly-capable group. If you happen to be in one of these, right or wrong, things are fine, as long as you are happy with the way your place looks and feels.
Now back to the majority: If you want to enjoy decorating your home more, there is a solution. Well, actually 10 solutions. If you’ve read any of my books you know about the 10 Common Decorating Mistakes and you also know how passionate I am about teaching you how to avoid these errors. (Unlike decorators who ask you to leave the premises while they work, I want you there to learn as much as possible.) But if you haven’t read or heard about these 10 common problems, good news, your decorating anxiety is about to leave the building. And it doesn’t matter what style you favor or how small or large your budget or what type of structure you live in: Everyone makes the same 10 mistakes (most people actually make 7-10 of them).
So, take a look at the following list and then check your home to see which of these boo-boos you’ve made. When you have time, put on some music and have fun correcting them! Here, in no particular order, are the
10 Most Common Decorating Mistakes:
• Creating an uncomfortable conversation area
Hint: if you have an L-shaped area you’ll need to create a U-shape, instead.
• Not defining your priorities
• Awkward traffic patterns
• Badly lit rooms
• Furniture of different height
• Rooms that are off-balance
• Ignoring a focal point
• Improper use of accessories
• Ineffective use of artwork
• Poor furniture placement
I can really attest to the whole creating a strange conversation area issue. Many of my clients seem to think that a living room needs two sofas, and that’s it, no matter what size or shape the room is. It doesn’t matter that there is no walking room or that a sofa is two yards away from the coffee table.
It’s difficult for them to change their mind once I tell them that one large couch and two chairs would be a good solution.
Hi Erin,
You are right: there is no “one size fits all” configuration when it comes to conversation areas, and that is why I specify one of 5 variations for a comfortable U-shaped seating area, comprised of a sofa and 2 chairs. This combination seems to work for almost every home and my clients usually agree. As for using 2 sofas: unless they match and the room can accommodate them, it can get crowded. The worst idea is the dreaded loveseat/sofa combo!
Lauri,
Having gone through might sweats and still having hot flashes I’ve learned a few things.
I really thought the article might be “how to decorate with hot flashes on the mind”-believe me I could tell you a thing or two. For example I had a red wall in my family rm and everytime I walked in it, it felt like it was 100 degrees in there-so I had to repaint it!
1) Put Ceiling fans where ever possible! I live in Fla. and of course that is a mantra in any home here, but I swear, that a ceiling fan in the bathroom is a under rated location~yes they have to be ceiling huggers, but @ 2 in the morning when you are soaking wet that fan is a blessing! and don’t forget the laundry room as a good location too!
2)Let’s talk about beds! Everyone seems to love those spaceage foam mattresses but beware they are HOT. You get submerged in them and you sweat to death! Stick with a firm mattress and change the sheets a lot for cool (low thread count-yes they are much cooler than higher thread count sheets!) and losts less expensive and you can afford to have an extra set or two.
3) Put in thermal cell blinds to reduce heat from windows. Add solar films to windows and drapes to reduce daytime heating to keep your entire home seasonally cool.
4) Create a bathroom spa with new towels and bath accessories-if you have the luxury make one bath a girls bath to go soak in!
5)Put a rug in front of your frig, so while you are standing there at 2 in the morning it is more comfortable.
6) Replace all those heavy chenille throws with light weight throws! Remove all the pillows on the sofa-so you can lay down flat to pant!
7)Set up a little drink stand next to the bed, the tub and the sofa with a little ice bucket and napkins, to spritz yourself down!
8)Put a hamper and a 2nd set of loose night weat hanging in the bathroom to make that 2 oclock meeting smoother!-
9) Lastly, keep little hand fans,or those mister fans around for those sudden flashes-bh
Thanks for your “cool” suggestions, Brenda. Although I was kidding, you have presented some really useful ideas for those suffering from hot flashes.
I won’t put a rug in front of my fridge, though, as the bare floor feels good on those middle-of-the-night freezer runs (my side-door freezer cools me off more quickly than the fridge), but I will think of you as I stand there listening to the ice thaw.
I am guilty on all 10 counts! I can’t say I have the 1 sofa and loveseat, I have worse. 2 oversized chairs and 1 chaise lounger in my living room which is rectangular and about 20 x15. It is dark and I don’t have a real sense of what I want it to look like. I like neutrals, and my accent are weighty and dark in texture and color. I really need to almost start all over, but don’t have the budget to do so. What do you suggest? I was thinking of just getting rid of the the chaise lounger first to give me more space, and we’ll have to sit on the floor or bring in dining room chairs for now.
Thank you for your insightful blogs!
You have a lot of company, Alma.
The best suggestion I can give you is to start by correcting those mistakes. You’ll be truly surprised what a difference each one will make, immediately, without buying new furniture. Read Use What You Have Decorating - it will show you how to use your chaise lounge as a sofa, temporarily, until you can afford to buy a new one.
Thanks very much for dropping by!