mine is trying to redo and tie in old with new. My house is 15 years old and it is outdated now... the biggest problem is how to update colors etc when I really can't afford to get all new furniture etc. (i recently asked this question so if you want to look for more

pictures of my dilemma they are listed here someplace)Like how do I tone this down with out changing everything? ;)

Kelly, you need to paint and that's about the cheapest thing in decorating you can do. I would paint over all of that yellow and those green stripes. Just get a much more neutral color. Then I would keep the furniture, I would just reupholster the dining chairs and the checked green chair. Then just update your accessories, the second cheapest thing in decorating.

I don't have any pictures, but dealing with a GIANT expanse of a wall. It's only 1 story, so not expansive in the vertical direction, but horizontal. It's about 25' of nothingness. We just moved in so still feeling out furniture arrangement, etc. But right now no furniture, no art. Open floor plan so the wall is both the family room and half the eating area. One big piece of art? Lots of smaller art pieces? Group the art into family room section and eating area section? Console table? Chairs?

I have no clue how to deal with this.

I love the ideas! I am thinking maybe a post on easy home updates and designing an empty wall could be great additions to my blog. I will send you the link once I can get something written. Hopefully I will be able to answer some questions.

don't have, my problem is time

I have one room that functions as office, dining room and family room. It's cluttered!

Auntthelma that is such a great dilemma to discuss. I have a room like that as well! Thank you for your input!

Currently, how to have a large (dog is 90 lbs) dog crate in the living room where the dog will be happy without it looking like a total eyesore. Dog crates are Not Attractive. :(

Piratefoxy that’s a great suggestion I am sure lots of people are looking for answers to. We have the same issue with the dog crate. We actually use it as a nightstand in our master bedroom but I have been looking at more attractive options. Thank you.

why a dog crate? I don't have it and can't imagine having my dog inside one like a prisoner

My design dilemma is my kids desk!!! I posted something on this, so can you please advise??

I see a lot of common themes in these threads: window treatments, furniture arrangement, color blending between rooms and/or to define areas in open spaces, using lighting in a room to warm it up including lamps, using an inspiration piece to give direction in a new room that's a blank canvas.

Foxy, do a search for dog crate furniture. There are lots of choices and ideas.

Interesting! If you are brave, maybe tackling the “tv over the FP” setup...I’ve never experienced one that didn’t crane my neck like crazy, but people seem to like it...maybe presenting options (ours is not over the FP)...

people have been asking how to decorate now that their homes feel empty after putting all the holiday decorations away

inexpensive updates...how to choose a rug....accessorizing with pillows and throws....adding interest to an all gray decor...discussions with photo examples of various styles (what the heck is farmhouse modern)...alternatives to shiplap...someone just asked about ideas for total glam half (guest) bath...tips for choosing upholstery (say have couch and choosing side chairs)...

Having 3 mantels in my house, I find them hard to decorate. I really don't care for a lot of books and stuff on them just to fill them up, but sometimes only candlesticks is not enough. Plants are great if the light conditions are right? Congratulations and good luck on your new blog. I look forward to seeing the link.

Money. Deciding when to invest large sums vs. small. My likes seem to change every 5-7 years so I hate over spending, but then do I get bored so fast because I'm not investing in enough classics? But I like fiddling with my spaces so if I spend a ton then I can't fiddle so much. And around and around and around it goes.

Links to your blog or business are considered advertising and not allowed here.

Lobby68, I have the same problem. I used to spend a lot on quality rugs etc but not anymore. My taste changes too often

buy a dog bed not a cage

buy a dog bed not a cage

The dog may prefer a crate, I know one of my dogs would not want a bed instead of a crate.

I see a lot of design dilemmas on how to arrange an open floor plan. They are so common these days and can be confusing.

People also often ask for help decorating mantles, entry tables, bookshelves, and coffee tables. Entryways in general seem hard, especially in a more open plan.

My dogs were crate trained as puppies, spending short periods of time there when I had to go out and leave them alone. They liked their crates and would go in on their own for naps and when they thought it was bedtime. I wouldn’t leave a dog in a crate for hours, but having them used to it is a good idea for an emergency, when they have an injury and need to be quiet, or when traveling. Agree they are not very attractive.

@dylaine - did you miss where I said he HAS a bed? He has two, in fact, and a padded mat on the stair landing where he likes to lie down and look out the front door, and he’s allowed on the furniture so he can and does get up on the sofa and the chairs. He still goes in the crate for preference sometimes.

Why should we take away something he likes and finds comfortable?

who is dylaine? I'm Dyliane. Take a cage for you

PirateFoxy I wouldn't bother replying...

OP, a lot of what you are attempting is addressed on this very platform.

However, one thing that comes up consistently that many people feel is missed here is how to design modest size rooms. Not apartments or condos, not tiny houses, not open floorplans (those are all addressed more) but regular size, 1950s ranchers with 10x12 bedrooms.

I'd do some research to see if a blog is the correct platform at this point. I see far, far less engagement/comments on blogs in 2018 (okay, 2017...) than, say, in 2010.

Allie, if you're looking at a blog as a form of promotion for your interior design, I'd consider something like Instagram and then make sure you have a way to post there regularly and frequently. And maybe you could use IG Stories for questions.

Color temperature of light and paint colors vex me. I have a south facing open plan apartment with high ceilings and huge windows.The sort of light, not pink Italian terra-cotta paint looks fine in daylight,4000K looked awful. I’m going to repaint, and want to avoid a similar problem. I tested a lot before I painted the last time, and will test even more the next time - but this is hard. I’m even considering using Phillip Hue white bulbs so I can fine tune the temperature.

Added to this is, of course, the right white for the ceiling. Standard BM ceiling paint is grey, the BM Simply White I used in the kitchen is pretty pure but does have some yellow. Will that add to the problem?

Having some way to address the interplay of color and light would be enormously helpful.

Becky, you makes some great points. I do use IG but never thought of using stories to answer questions. That is a great idea. I have done a lot of research on blogging and it’s benefits to my business and I feel it is a smart move for me. The best thing about social media as a business owner is it doesn’t have to be just one platform. Many business will create a blog and then share across all their platforms in order to help reach all of their consumers. Thank you for your input.

Here are a few design issues I see frequently:

Failing to see the big picture: Mixing older warm tones with the newer (but now passing possibly) cool tones. Example - someone puts a cool tone floor in a warm kitchen - or a cool kitchen in a warm toned home - they have made a big investment and now it does not look right. Another example, glass mosaic backsplash - pretty in a 12 x 12 sheet, but overwhelming when installed and often the wrong colors for the kitchen.

Taking out or ruining a traditional timeless element and replacing with a trendy element - Exp: painting a traditional brick fireplace jailhouse gray.

People who think - possibly due to poor info given on places like HGTV - that they can remodel their kitchen before they put their home on the market and get their money back and more.

Clutter. Often see people considering a remodel to make a kitchen bigger when it is plenty big, just the space is poorly utilized.

Failing to see the details. For example, the inspiration photo of a white kitchen that has a pretty hood, a couple of glass doors, pretty millwork - and the person paints their ordinary old cabinets white and wonders why it doesn't look like the white kitchen inspiration pic.

Changing things up to realize what they think their kitchen "should" look like rather then exploring what really makes them smile.

To add to jhmarie's excellent list, what I see most often is the wrong scale in furniture selection and the selection of accessories. For some reason, many people want to fill up their rooms by adding either lots of oversized sectionals, chairs and couches and then fill in the blank spaces with too small accessories or even too small TV credenza's.

What is the secret to determining proportion of furniture and accessories in a room?

"The best thing about social media as a business owner is it doesn’t have to be just one platform."

That's very true. You just have to be careful that you don't end up spending most of your day dealing with social media rather than interior design, or promoting your business at the expense of client projects. Ideally, you'd be able to promote your business using previous client projects, which is a win-win : ) . If you're fairly new to the business, I would put more of my energy into client projects to improve skills and work up a solid portfolio.

If your clients are willing, I might use the design dilemmas that they have faced, and that you are helping them with, for your blog posts/IG Stories, and then ask for followers' input if they've had similar dilemmas. That might help cut down on the herding cats aspect as illustrated above by some dilemmas : ) .

Maybe just a general pet themed dilemma, with interesting and UNIQUE ideas for issues like crates and litter boxes and storing toys? (Meaning not yet another blog post consisting of “look, on Amazon you can buy baskets that say ‘Toys’ on the side!” because I can kind of find those myself.)

Becky, I don’t think I can like your comment enough! Thank you so much for your insight.

You're very welcome, Allie, and good luck with your interior design business : ) .

Forgot one of the biggest dilemmas I see - large TV hung in the wrong spot - usually over the fireplace.

I pass this thread on often:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/on-my-soapbox-mounting-the-flatscreen-too-high-dsvw-vd~4537748

Long walls with no doors or windows to break them up. Ugh This is definitely my biggest design problem - well that and a budget that is never big enough!