karen paul interiors I pulled this off a website. Is the photo anywhere near what you have. Your photo is reading very white.

Cynthia Wydeven Yes. I just sent a different photo in to give you a better view

karen paul interiors The important aspect of choosing the best rug is to understand that any shade of blue will move in the wrong direction...every time, as it is totally rogue. So, to introduce a range of blue, teal, peacock, gray, aubergine, etc. you create a composite of family and range. You can then come back with accents pulling up those hues that make the best sense when considering quality and amount of light this room receives day and night.

karen paul interiors bevallew, you are absolutely correct on every count. It is a designer's obligation to help the client explore options they would have never considered. We work with color every day and know when to push the envelope. That's the nice part about working one-on-one with a designer as you can discuss such things. Often times clients have a difficult time envisioning that which goes outside the "box", but this is something we must do to earn our keep. If it were otherwise, we would not be needed for advice. The beautiful part about collaborative efforts with the client is generally, the final result is a composite of what the client thought they wanted and what the designer was pushing toward, and the end result is the creation of a surprise for everyone. That is the "third" mind at work. When that happens everyone is so pleased with the results.

suzanne_m patty40422, I agree that the thread is starting to be very long. It is hard to refer to rugs that have been posted.That is my reason why I posted the third last comment above. I am waiting for an answer from sparkle as to know if she needs to look at more different styles or if it is a matter of finding one of the rugs already posted (or similar ones) in the right size at the right price.

bumblebee728 And that was another great idea of yours Suzanne!

oliviaduncann Dove white always looks stunning as a trim and never disappoints. Even putting dove white on the ceiling aswell or a different kind of white could look nice then having a color like in the photo ive attached for the walls.

karen paul interiors So you are saying you can choose one color for the walls but not another for the ceiling?

karen paul interiors This is an Empire/Regency era (Russian) version of the Greek Klismos chair. This is not a chair that will be reproduced. Of course, you can have it made to your specifications...that's easy. You might want to compromise and look on1st Dibs and see what you can find.

Barnhart Gallery Here's a somewhat simpler Neoclassic piece that might fit the bill:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEOCLASSICAL-EGYPTIAN-REVIVAL-CHAIR-DESIGN-TOSCANO-/171003631203?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d09c5663

Sia@South47th @karen paul interiors Your help is very much appreciated. I knew it was of the Empire Regency Era but couldn't find the name of the piece, Many Thanks for that! 1st Dibs is a fav of mine, however I couldn't source one to the customers satisfaction. We may need to indeed have the piece made, but the customer is a bit 'impatient'. ;)
@Barnhart Gallery I appreciate your help, the customer is looking for something more authentic.

karen paul interiors The success of your marble is all about the installation. Please have it professionally installed by someone who comes highly recommended.

inpdx Walls will look lovely. Wear likely won't be an issue on walls. Old bathrooms used lots of marble and in many cases it still looks great. Just make sure it's installed properly, as Karen said, and follow any sealing/cleaning instructions. (If I sound jealous, I am!)

ASVInteriors I firmly believe that the glamour of showering in a marble shower outweighs any disadvantages. Unless you have a spotlight on the wall you are unlikely to notice the water spots - or failing that, just squeegee it down after a shower... go for it!

karen paul interiors Catherine, I deliberately avoided suggesting bringing your love seat back into the mix. You will have blocked the front entrance and the dining room and that is not going to work visually. Further, you simply don't have enough space because as you enter the room you technically should have at least 5' before you arrive at your first piece of furniture, or at the very least 3' if space is at a premium. Either way, a large, unforgiving piece with its back to one upon entering an area is not good. Something to keep in mind...the person sitting with his/her back to the front door will not be comfortable, so I would certainly look at other options for seating.

las8 A few more pictures

Catherine McKinnon-Annecca Love these pictures! What are your thoughts on placing the tv on the mantel, I've heard different things, and as I mentioned above, watching tv on that particular angle would not be comfortable. Then there is the issue of wiring etc.

karen paul interiors I'm posting an inspiration room with a dark gray/navy wall. It is Beluga by Behr. Another one is Polo by Ralph Lauren, which is a little less gray than the Beluga. Photos can be deceiving so you can pick paint chips in this family and try a few.

karen paul interiors klopez, just so you understand the use of the colors I suggested, you are NOT trying to match the navy. You are going into something deeper and more toward gray. The girls are correct in that you do not want to attempt to match the Navy. Your bedding will be just fine and it will not scream college dorm so long as you follow through with an upscale and casual look such as the photo I posted. Good luck! :)

karen paul interiors When I was looking up the Commodore, I found another one that is muddy enough to run with the Navy.... assuming you keep your current bedding.

karen paul interiors Beyond Frames is correct about undertone. The last one I offered does have a red base and the Hale Navy has a green undertone. It is of utmost importance to try on the walls first. Also, if you know which direction your windows face, that will give you insight into which base you will need. If it is North, then a purple/red undertone is good. If you are West, then an green undertone is best. Test and look at your colors in all lights and times of day.

travisinteriors Just all white bedding. shams white with navy border. Careful blue like red can over power.

leelee Do you have a Nadeau furniture store in your area. They sell that type of furniture cheaply.

karen paul interiors I would do red and I would suggest looking at BM Morracan Red rather than Dinner Party.

Ed Hi Jess, Bluenan, yea... people can be quite passionate about their red :) --

bluenan Hi Ed- Looks good on the BMW, not convinced on the front door. I like the look of a sleek black Audi S5.

karen paul interiors I looked at your idea book for bathrooms and would have to ask which color(s) do YOU prefer. I could not find a common thread except for a chandelier.

sugarcakes2 I would find a new place to store your haircare products, then remove the scale. Buy matching towels-all white looks nice. If you have a little more budget replace the shower door with a frameless version. A chandelier would be nice, the Bathmats need to go and be replaced with something else, maybe a teak mat.

emvelte Thank u

karen paul interiors Revere Pewter is a fairly neutral gray unless you have a Northern exposure and then the green undertone becomes evident. So, it would be relevant to know where windows in both rooms are facing and then you will know if you need to go with warm or cool in the bedroom and also what value (intensity) you need to put into play.

karen paul interiors I suppose the more important question is what do you want the room to be? Are you modern/traditional/transitional? What else are you working with or is this your first piece? You also might want to post a photo of your sofa and the room it is going in.

pattihenderson If you want great help, please post pics. Tie the area rug color(s) into the couch pillows ....

pcmom1 Yes, need to know style of couch. Is it a fire engine red leather or a wine velvet victorian? What is the rest of room like? And a photo (or four) are worth a thousand words!

karen paul interiors What an assignment! Sheeesh! So everyone will be thinking in terms of a panpoly of metals. Don't buy into that mindset....be different. Think in terms of contrasts, textures, dark vs light and color. Begin with how the room needs to feel in your mind's eye. Then focus on what you feel is the most important grounding element. That's where you begin. Then think about color and create your color triangle. Then think about finishes such as matte vs high gloss, mottled finish vs straight-ahead clean. Know what room it is and how it will function. If you can begin with purpose and the grounding element, I'm certain Houzzers will help you move this along. This could be a tragic project or something really fun. Create that third mind with you, the Houzzers and that "middle eye" that will come to the forefront when you begin to feel excited and edgy. So throw us a crumb. What fun! :)

karen paul interiors Also to answer your question...Don't forget the chain mail window treatments, the metallic wall coverings, fabrics with embedded metal, trompe l'oeil paintings on ceiling and/or walls with metallic finishes and silver and gold-leaf finishes on furniture. So there are other materials you can place in the mix as long as they have some metalica to them. This will take you beyond the literal observation and solution to a much more expanded set of solutions. Don't do the obvious as everyone else will do that.

karen paul interiors You know what, I think I would create a "Zen" room which is the anthesis of what anyone would expect. Create a mood for meditation with light, reflective qualities and emotional quiet. So you could begin with several huge floor pillows in silver or gold embedded with some sort of quiet, deep colors like aubergine, pumpkin and a deep green.

Nancy Walton What about corrugated metal for walls?

KLD Inc Corrugated metal is a great idea!

karen paul interiors What sort of wall space do you have on the other end of the room (across from door/window wall)?

karen paul interiors I would set up a dining room table coming off the stair wall, having the width of the table on the wall. Most likely you would want to keep your table at a 36" width to allow enough space for chairs. The table can be any length you want for the space, with leaves that can allow you to expand for many people when that is needed. Your chairs would be on the sides of the table, without host and hostess chairs, as your table would actually be touching the wall. For decorative purposes, you can begin with a large, vertical piece of art on that wall, so as to anchor the table. This is not an unusual arrangement and can be very effective. I would suggest dining chairs that have arms and that would be comfortable seating when pulled up to other upholstered pieces designated for seating (on the other end of the room). This becomes a very useable space and is close enough to the kitchen that it would make sense logistically, rather than having to travel half way across the room with dishes, etc. As for your seating on the window/door wall, you will need to determine if this is an adjunct area to your living room or if it is simply seating space for you and your husband. Next question is, do you need storage in this room?

carolins Hi Jojolatte,
I've been following your dilemma and you've got some great help here already, but I have been thinking too about what would be a nice solution for your dining/living room.

First I thought that a round pedestal table that can be extended will be really nice in your room. With a couple of really comfortable chairs around it and a comfy bench, so that it can double up as you living space too. And when the family comes over for a festive dinner, you can extend the table and get the folding chairs out.

Then I thought that a rectangular table with leaves could also be a really nice, with the short side against the short wall between the entries to living and kitchen. Again with 4 or 6 really comfortable chairs. And when the family comes over to enjoy dinner you can pull it from the wall, extend it and get everyone around it.
In the corner between the windows you'll have space for a small round table and a chair for you and your husband. When more people join you, you can add some chairs from the dining table to your 'cozy corner'.

I'll try to find some photos that give you an idea of what I'm thinking of.

carolins

karen paul interiors Porch and Exterior Mouldings Design and Colors fresh butter 290 Paint - Benjamin Moore fresh butter Paint Color Details I believe the Fresh Butter suggested by Rockin' might be similar to this photo. The yellow will always appear much deeper once the entire house is painted. Fresh Butter is lighter than Copa and has just enough orange pigment to keep it warm.

karen paul interiors This is BM Copacabana in the photo.

karen paul interiors This is similar to BM Fresh Butter

sara9 Thank you. I like the 'more yellow look of this in your photos the copacabana appears more cream/brown.....I need the warmth....have seen too many houses out here painted a pale yellow that just looks blah...more like pale butter.......need the zing for my taste and for the rainy days in winter.

karen paul interiors Barrique has several colors that might work. This is a "hand scraped" porcelain tile and is available in two lengths and two widths. For a more formal look, I would suggest the 4" width, on a long "board". This tile cannot be distinguished from real wood and with so many options for installation, and with ease of maintenance, it is a good investment.

Ashley Shaw You could also do a 'transition' between the spaces if you choose not to match it really closely. We had a greyish tile in our kitchen, then wanted to use an oak hardwood in the family room. We put a 4inch wide band of a mix of small tiles in both colours and in between colours. It worked quite nicely.

petekeri Thank you! These are all great ideas!

karen paul interiors I would introduce yet another color that is warm and that will combine with your brick, white and gray. I recently installed the Pental St. Laurent Quartz and it is terrific at blending with other colors. It's a brown/gray and has just enough depth to it, as well as the white veining.

mumzee Thanks stoneshop! I think I saw samples of the pental's? They have both white and black colors to choose from. I'm assuming It is a good product and reasonably priced? I don't want too get into bakers marble. Too expensive and I want something stronger and more resistant. I'm leaning toward a White Island with black on the back counter.

Stoneshop You're welcome, mumzee! Yes, Pental does have both light and dark marble-look options to choose from. They are one of the least expensive quartz manufacturers (at least out of your most popular companies). In our area, most quartz materials will be more expensive than a Carrara marble--so it depends on which type of marble you are considering. Be sure to keep us posted on your progress!

karen paul interiors

Brenda I like BM "vanilla milkshake". try to stay away from creamy/yellow whites, and more towards an oatmeal-white would be my advice.

amy_lerner Uba Tuba granite, tumbled travertine backsplash, red oak floors (natural finish)