<p>jmom, agree. I need to go to the ellen athan and try the furniture.
startbright, shennie, anothercrazymom, you make me think. Maybe hiring a decorator will be a better idea. I’m having a hard time figuring out how furniture should be matched and placed. And on top, I know i need to paint the living room. Maybe I’ll need the living room, dining, and adjuscent areas so it doesn’t look too wierd…</p>
<p>If you go to a place like Ethan Allen, the decorator is free (or at least it used to be free). They will come to your home, help you decide on pieces and sizes…and help you choose fabrics and woods. </p>
<p>I’m also thinking about redoing my living room to make it more usable. I’m going to get an overstuffed look loveseat, and a chair with an ottoman. I have another chair that I love and tables that I will keep for now (brass and glass…would really like wood). We also have a piano in the room that will stay.</p>
<p>thumper1, thanks for the heads up. I’ll visit Ethan Allen and speak with a decorator there and see if it would work out.
same here…i’m trying to do the living room to make it more usable. It has been a space with no much use.</p>
<p>I start with wholesale prices and charge a percentage on the job. The retail markup is 40%, I never would charge that much. I will occasionally do some work for an hourly fee, but I usually consult for free. A decorator can source more then one furniture line and many different fabric sources. I love trims and embellishments and I will spend a lot of time in different stores finding just the “right one”. I also will accessory shop in antique stores to Marshall’s.</p>
<p>good points, anothercrazymom. could you give an idea about how much a decorator charges? TIA</p>
<p>I charge 20% over wholesale on furniture. If a piece is very expensive and I didn’t spend months looking for it, I would charge 10%. Fabric is 20% over wholesale, again unless it is very inexpensive, then I would charge 30%, I am taliking about fabric that wholesales at less the $20 a yard. Rugs I charge 10%. I occaisonally do consultations without shopping for a client. I just rework what they own. I would charge $75 an hour for that. I do not make a lot of money! My H is a much better business person then I am, thank god.</p>
<p>I also think, given how much you are at sea, that a decorator is the way to go. With such a big investment, some professional help makes sense–it certainly worked out well for me. In addition, decorators have sources you will never discover on your own. anothercrazymom has described the traditional way decorators operate–they buy wholesale and mark up, so while you aren’t getting any bargains, you aren’t really paying more than full retail, either. In-store decorators don’t charge you for helping to select the store’s offerings, but in my experience they are of varying quality–plus their main job is to get you to maximize your purchases from that store. There are other decorators who can be hired on an hourly basis to do a layout for you or even go shopping with you to give you an idea of what would work or choose individual items. Good luck, and have fun!</p>
<p>I promise you I spend hours sourcing, shopping and thinking about my projects. I love beautiful drapes I have been known to completely lose my commission to make sure you get amazing window treatments within your budget. How your room looks is my advertisement and my reputation. Silk tassel trim is expensive, but hanging down the leading edge of your living room panels it may make the room. Well if you have only budgeted so much for your drapes and there is no room to move, I am going to make them beautiful for the price you are comfortable with. I have done this without making a dime but every time I am in your house I am happy you are happy.</p>
<p>When we decorated our living room years ago, we used a decorator hired via a gift certificate bought at the elementary school’s silent auction. The decorator suggested starting with a couch choice, and we picked one at Ethan Allen. Then I think she went to another store to help us pick out the lazy boy chair (that is a recliner but does not look like it). We paid a fortune ($1700) for her to have custom window valences made for LR and DR (luckily we already had sheers), but they really made the two rooms look classy. Then she brought over 2 area rugs to choose from. It really was nice to have help.</p>
<p>However, we ended up never replacing the “temporary” painting we had bought when first in the house. In retrospect, I wish we had started with painting, then couch, etc. We have off and on for years tried to pick something because it is the focal point, over the piano. But alas we never found the right thing. </p>
<p>When we decorated the family the challenge was the 2 story fireplace wall. I finallllllly found a very large tapestry that DH and I both liked. It was an old world map theme. With that as our base, we started shopping around. The Lazy Boy decorators offered to come to the house, and that worked great. We were also picking out paint color (to carry through the whole first floor) and carpet, so we liked having the help.</p>
<p>Just a caution - expensive couches are usually well built. But sometimes the pretty pricier fabrics are not as durable as the midrange choices.</p>
<p>colorado_mom is right about price not meaning well made. Kravet makes a wonderful sofa, they stand by their product. They have a program where the fabric is free with the frame, through a decorator only. It is limited fabric choice (which for Kravet or anyone is a large choice). I also like to start with the rug first and then build the room.</p>
<p>"I also like to start with the rug first and then build the room. " - I like that idea. It would have worked better in our living room project. There are LOTS of options with couches.</p>
<p>First of all, pick up some decorating magazines and see what calls out to you. Find a glimmer of what you think you like be it style or color. Then, hire a decorator that freelances. (not affiliated with a particular store). Building from the rug up is a good idea BUT first you need to know quality/style/price range. A good rug is many thousands of dollars. A decorator can help you find something that is first quality and not a price tag.</p>
<p>I agree with ellebud, I work with importers and I bring a client into the warehose and we can spend time looking through hundreds of rugs, we take a few home and figure it out. I’ve also done well with Stark warehouse sales. It depends on what look you want. If a decorator tries to push you to spend more then you are comfortable with, run! On the other hand you may need to be flexible about some things.</p>
<p>A couple of years ago I unintentionally re-did my living room because I happened upon a painting that I fell in love with. I had to have it. The re-do started with an accent color on the wall over the fireplace where I hung the painting. It domino’ed from there to a whole room paint job, which required new furniture, which required new lamps, which required new side tables. I did keep my rug, which amazingly still works even though the room has transformed from very traditional to contemporary. I love my new room.</p>
<p>anothercrazymom, I’d love to work with you! (and I’d never let you eat your commission; I’d figure out a way to make other compromises.)</p>
<p>I’m going to jump in here because I’m also looking for some decorating changes. Current LR furniture (couch/loveseat/chair) is 25 years old and, although it’s still in good shape, we’re tired of it and the stuffing seems to have broken down, not as comfy as it once was. Navy leather. It’s been great; didn’t realize just what a great neutral navy is, it’s really served us well. </p>
<p>I’m thinking I"d like to go with a beige/tan upholstered couch, linen or perhaps micro suede–I’ve looked at an “oat” that I liked. My dilemma is is whether I will regret going with SUCH a neutral color. And do we go with the couch/loveseat/chair combo? Too matchy-matchy?</p>
<p>Background–needs to be somewhat pet friendly, need to seat at least 6 with maybe an ottoman/bench for extra seating, needs to be somewhat informal which is in keeping with our lifestyle. Our LR is not where we “live”, although I think we might “live” there more if we loved it. Right now, it’s used mostly when we entertain. We often comment that we’d use it more if we had a television in the LR, something I hate to admit. (I have a love/hate relationship with television!) No kids left at home–just DH and me.</p>
<p>I seem to have a problem with the term “redecorate” as I can’t bear the thought of starting all over–I like the 2 year-old paint color and the current rug. Guess I just don’t see the point in getting rid of something that we still like and is in good shape. We have a hodgepodge/collection of things we’ve accumulated over the years that we will want to continue to display. We also have a few antique pieces that contribute to our somewhat eclectic style. I’m just not the type to go out and buy a new painting to use as an inspiration piece–would rather use something that I’ve got. Not the decorator’s dream, I’m afraid~</p>
<p>Your comments/thoughts?</p>
<p>I’m not a professional decorator however I am an artsy type person so I did my house by myself. I can tell you what I did… maybe it can help. You’re welcome to skip the rest of this if you don’t care as it’s a pretty long post. :)</p>
<p>When I did my living room I had a complete blank canvas to work with. The room was completely empty and I planned to gut it. I started with a pair of couches that I fell in love with. They’re a dark brown microsuede. I then tore up the existing carpet, re-finished the hardwood floors a very light color, and painted the walls a baby blue. I have white trim and doors. I went with an off white area rug (which was relatively inexpensive but looks amazing), baby blue throw pillows as well as light brown throw pillows. The end tables, coffee tables, and tv stand are all a black glass. The artwork on the walls is all black and white or sepia toned in a black frame with a white mat. I went with brown curtains that are the same color as my couches but on opposite walls, so that it doesn’t all run together. The room came out great. (Beil, you could do the beige couch but get throw pillows or throw blankets in another color to spice it up a bit. What colors are your walls? I’m sure you could make it work without re-painting them. What color is your rug also?)</p>
<p>My kitchen has honey oak styled cabinets, and the moment I saw them I knew I wanted a bright yellow kitchen. I pulled a yellow color right out of the cabinets and ran with it. The kitchen looks stunning. Curtains go with it so nicely, hung up some of my art work and it just looks so great. (to me anyway. if you don’t like yellow you probably would hate it!)</p>
<p>My hallway was difficult… It’s not very long but it has two openings to other rooms without a door, and it has four door openings to bedrooms and whatnot… I boldly decided to go with a red paint. My mother thought I was insane. The red goes SOO well with the white trim and I have B&W photos hanging on the walls. The light hardwood floor with an off white runner (matches the one in the living room) really help to lighten up the space also.</p>
<p>In my bathroom, I left it the same color it was when I bought it. Moss type green and light brown. I did hang some sepia colored artwork on the walls as they were bare, and I went with dark brown floor mats, towels, and shower curtains. </p>
<p>My guest room on the first floor has a white chair rail going around it… so what I decided to do was paint the bottom half of the room the same red as in the hallway, and the top half of the room is a light gray color. The blankets, artwork, etc are gray, black, red, and green as an accent color. It came out looking really nice. </p>
<p>My master bedroom is actually about to get painted again this weekend. I painted it when I moved in but I hated how the color came out and have been putting off re-doing it. It’s going to be a middle range gray. Not too dark, but not too light either. I decided on burgundy curtains and blankets and all of my furniture is black. Throw in my artwork on the walls and a couple of shelves with pictures on them and it’s set.</p>
<p>I have two other bedrooms on my second floor to finish decorating yet. One project at a time!</p>
<p>I honestly think the artwork can make or break a room (just like a nice rug). It’s amazing how transformed something looks just after switching out a piece of art. Maybe the old one was too small or the wrong color or in the wrong kind of frame or something like that. If you like the artwork you have, keep it in mind when picking out floor and paint colors. I’m a photographer so most of the stuff on the walls of my house is actually my own work. I spent hundreds of dollars on nice frames and printing my photographs. Worth every penny. I went with the same brand frame for each room, so it really ties everything together. I also have some of my paintings hanging up in various rooms as well. I’m actually about to start one soon that I will be hanging in my master bedroom. I switched out all of my old beige colored light switches and outlets for white ones to match my trim. They look great as well.</p>
<p>Beil, I recently purchased a very neutral sofa. It works for us. The carpet and sofa are in the same neutral family; the carpet is lighter. I bought ivory silk window coverings that are rarely closed, so they are just neutral columnar elements (they go to the ceiling) that add some softness and texture. The wall color is more saturated than usual, and the rest of the furniture has pattern and color. The sofa, carpet and window treatments are sort of like the neutral mat on a painting and help to lighten the room, which includes some antiques. I feel I could easily change the wall color when I get tired of what I have.</p>
<p>ETA: speaking of mats: I recently changed the mats on some artwork and both mat and frame on others. I had some colorful mats from the 90’s (“let’s pick up the coral in this painting.” ) and switched to more classic neutrals. What a difference it made!</p>
<p>Fendergirl, your house sounds great and it has the most important elements. It is a reflection of you and your taste. I have a difficult time getting people to spend money on art. H and I give each other paintings as gifts, our S asks for artwork also. He wanted a painting for his 18th birthday and we just gave him a woodcut he loves for Christmas. </p>
<p>By the way I love neutral sofas, but I am not personally a fan of matching sets. I may be overfond of pillows. I think of pillows as a way to introduce an expensive fabric a client fell in love with without breaking the bank. If you need 18 yards for curtains most people can’t spend $180/yard on the fabric. One yard for pillows may be worth the splurge.</p>
<p>Some of you have discussed “pet friendly” and have mentioned light colors…we have found that light colors show all kinds of dirt…dirt from the dog or cat’s paws etc. How would this color be “pet friendly”?</p>
<p>Also…anyone have a suggestion for pet friendly for a CAT who uses some of the older furniture as her personal scratching post? I have aluminum foil around the back of one char (fine when it’s against the wall) but would love to replace my sofa…but worry about the kitty’s claws.</p>