April Stay Home - Free Designer for a Day (Vol. 9)

It’s our last volume of our Free Designer for a Day (from April) advice. Squeezed it in just before June. Whew. If for some reason we missed your submission, feel free to email us! Hello@grayoakstudio.com

Question - I would love to see a few mood boards for a toddler playroom that is both pretty and functional, especially after all this time inside :)

We pulled together a gender neutral, high-low mix of playroom fun. A “high-low” room is one that includes both expensive and budget-friendly furnishings. We believe that when it comes to interior design there’s time to go high and a time to go low. Unlike when it comes to responding to bad behavior where, as Michelle Obama says, you should always go high.

How do we decide when to go high and when to go low? Anything that will make a big statement in a room (example: an amazing chandelier) warrants a higher budget. Anything that will be useful and beautiful for the long haul and, thus, needs to be great quality in order to last (example: sofa) warrants a higher budget. But trendy decor and “temporary” furniture shouldn’t break the bank. Somethings are just at good at Target as they are at Pottery Barn (and beyond). There are always exceptions to the rule, but these are good guidelines.

Full prices are listed below, so be sure to click through and see ongoing sale prices (there are a bunch!).

House-shaped Wardrobe - $119

Cube Storage Organizer - $70

Animal Storage Cubes - $17 each

Large Woven Basket - $27

Floor Pillow - $200

Triangle Rug - Cost varies by size

White Table - $220

Blue chair - $95 (for set of 2 - they come in many different colors!)

Rainbow Art - $10 (lots of coordinating art available)

Light Wood Frame (for art) - Cost varies by size

Schoolhouse Clock - $189

Wall Color Idea - Kensington Blue by Benjamin Moore

We think one of the pillars of a functional playroom is ample storage. Places to hide all the stuff, quickly and easily. So, we layered it on.

There’s that beautiful, minimal house-shaped wardrobe for all the costumes. The cube storage unit with the adorable cubes is key. The cubes can be filled with categories of toys (blocks, dolls, cars, etc.) and the empty spaces can be filled with books. The big basket is a catch-all when you’re doing a “quick clean up, guests are arriving in 5 minutes”. And the table has storage inside! Each side lifts to store all the crayons and coloring books. We used this exact table in our Prospect Project.

We also found these gorgeous wood hooks. They could be another place to hang costumes or crowns, capes, the classic Melissa & Doug toy dust pan and broom.

VIA Wooden Athens

And that is that! While we’re no longer accepting submissions for Free Designer for a Day advice, we are always seeking inspiration for new blog posts. We love hearing from followers and readers who have real and general design questions.

- Leah

*this post contains affiliate links*

April Stay Home - Free Designer for a Day (Vol. 8)

You are not wrong, it is MAY. And, frankly, we’re more than halfway through. But, we had so many amazing submissions to our “Free Designer for a Day in April” that we’re continuing to answer the questions and provide some transformation advice. And today we’re chatting through an exterior design question! Which is perfect for this time of year as everyone is getting excited for more outdoor time and there are sales upon sales in the world of outdoor furniture.

Question - I have an "outdoor" design question for you: A few summers ago, I purchased a patio dining table at a tent sale. It was a great deal so I stored it away thinking I'd get the matching chairs later on. A few years have gone by and I've just pulled the table out of storage, wondering if I could pair a different type of chair with it (rather than something that's part of the set, and hopefully at a more reasonable price-point). My patio is uncovered so the chair would need to be resistant to weather (we'd store everything away in the winter though!). Is it possible to mix materials when it comes to outdoor dining? 

And here is a photo of her awesome table. It looks like it’s in perfect condition.

So the short answer is YES! You can absolutely mix metals with outdoor furniture. Here’s the trick when mixing any metal (whether indoor or outdoor): make it obvious. Don’t make it a question of “Are they a match? They look really close…but not quite…hmmm…” or “Are the chairs just dirty?” or “Maybe they were a match, but the table wore worse than the chairs?”.

Keep it obvious and eclectic. This is especially true when you’re working with brass, bronze, pewter or iron because there is no “standard” for those tones. Aged Brass at Pottery Barn may be very different than Aged Brass at Ballard Designs. Nickel and Chrome, however, are standard. So you should (hypothetically) be able to buy those finishes from different retailers and match everything perfectly.

Now, let’s talk about the existing table. It’s great for some non-matching dining chairs because its style is neutral. It’s not uniquely ornate nor does it nod to one particular genre (mid-century, rustic, etc.). It also looks like a matte black finish, which works with all sorts of colors and finishes. Black is also, hypothetically, a standard finish. So, this homeowner could actually buy other black chairs to “match”, but we’re going to pose some ideas for a curated look.

Everything comes in multiple colors (so click through to see more options) and everything is on SALE. Prices below reflect the sale.

1. “Cactus” color metal chair - $693 for a set of 2

2. White frame with neutral woven back - $59.95

3. All-Weather wicker stackable chair in charcoal - $249

4. Gray nautical rope chair - $279.98 for set of 2

5. Eucalyptus wood chair - $76.99

6. Slope chair in natural with black frame - $224.25

7. White metal bistro chair - $134.25

8. Light weight gray stacking chair - $143 for set of 2

One last tip - there is a difference between true outdoor furniture and “patio” or “covered porch” furniture...so know what you’re buying!

That’s all for now. I’m keeping it short so I can head outside and enjoy this weather!!!

- Leah

*this post contains affiliate links*

April Stay Home - Free Designer for a Day (Vol. 7)

It’s May, but we are still working through all the submissions we received for our Free Designer for a Day in April. And we will continue to answer them all. So, if you are waiting for an answer to your question - hold tight, it’s coming!

Today we’re talking about layout, paint colors, built-ins and metal finishes. It’s another VERY long blog post, so get yourself ready. Maybe quick use the bathroom. We have a lot to share.

Question - I’m stumped what to do with furniture placement as it’s a very awkward room.  Along the wall with the dresser and computer desk we are thinking of doing built-ins tied together with a bench under the window. We would like to find a spot to put a couch, or small sectional if possible. We want to get a piano as well (probably an upright). I would like a clean, bright space with maybe texture through bamboo blinds, baskets etc and colour through pillows and art.  Also, should I paint the side door and patio door a contrasting colour or leave them white? Same with the built ins we are building. Also don’t know what metal(s) to use.  Black or brushed pewter, brass? Any help would be appreciated!!

Let’s start with the trickiest part of this transformation - the layout. This is a difficult room for several reasons: the shape, each wall has a window/door/stairs and (for us) we don’t have the actual measurements.

Let’s look at some photos and try to wrap our heads around it.

Here is one side of the room. In the far right corner of the photo to the left there is a nook…shown in the photo to the right. It’ll all make sense in a bit.

And here is the other side of the room.

The other factor we considered when developing a layout is all the furniture the homeowner wants to add to the space - an upright piano and a sofa or small sectional. She also wondered about adding built-ins and a bench centered around the window in the images below.

We came up with two layout options. Without being able to measure all those walls and nooks, we wanted to give a couple options.

You’ll notice that we did not specify a sectional. Here’s the thing about sectionals - they require a really big space or they cut off traffic flow. They also vastly limit layout options because they’re just really big themselves. As a result, we rarely specify them.

You’ll also notice that neither option includes the built-in considered by the homeowner. We love built-ins - they add beauty, function and character - but they’re permanent. This is a smallish, awkward shaped, “bonus” room and installing anything permanent is a bit risky. So, no built-in. But fear not, we’ve got lots of beauty, function and character.

Option 1

For this option, we are creating two lounge spaces with a piano in the middle. There are a pair of armchairs for a sit and chat spot at the top of the stairs. Then, tucked into the nook is a sofa for a cozy, book reading, afternoon napping spot. We love the idea of the sofa taking the entire width of the nook and a floating shelf or art ledge behind the sofa. Check out these inspiration images.

IMAGE SOURCE

IMAGE SOURCE

And here is our first mood board.

The prices below are the full price, but most items are currently on sale! Click through to see the current price.

Chair and a Half - Price varies by fabric (She may want to try this layout with her existing loveseat…if it fits. Trying a layout for a few days before committing to new furniture is always a great plan)

Ottoman - $200

Rug - Price varies by size

Library Sconce (plug-in or hardwired) -

Art Ledge - Price varies by size (length and stain color are customized)

Leather Armchairs - Price varies by leather choice

Black Side Table - $170

Floor Mirror - $500 (The homeowner could also relocate her existing mirror at the top of the stairs)

Palmetto Leaves Art Prints - $4

Wood Frame - $30

Option 2

For this option, we are placing the piano in the nook and creating one, larger, lounge area. We love the idea of a grid gallery wall next to the sofa. Something floor to ceiling. And she could even add the library sconce (from Option 1) above everything. Check out this inspiration.

IMAGE SOURCE

And here is our mood board.

Again, click through to see the current sale price!

Rug - Price varies by size

Sofa - $900

Pouf - $180

Blue Swivel Chair - Price varies by fabric choice

Rug - Price varies by size

Blue Pillow (on sofa) - $30

Gray and White Grid Pillow (on sofa) - $26

Faux Indoor Tree - $130

Floor Lamp - $250

Tree Ring Art Prints (Set of 9) - $225 (The sconce from Option 1 could be used above the gallery wall)

Creating a Clean, Bright Space

The wall color and the lighting are important for keeping the room clean and bright. We recommend white or pale gray/beige on all the walls. We have a great blog post on popular white paint colors - here. We also recommend adding recessed lights to the ceiling and task lighting (sconces, floor lamp, etc.). For the furniture, she can go with lighter fabrics on the upholstered items to create a real white-on-white-on-light feel. And she can use a natural or washed out jute rug, like the option below (this one also comes in ivory and light gray):

Our Lowell Project is an example of using a very light, neutral palette. Even the decor is light. When going this direction, it’s important to turn the “texture factor” on high volume with lots chunky knit fabrics and lots of woven accents.

LOWELL PROJECT by GRAY OAK STUDIO

Painting the Door

Should she paint the French doors a contrasting color? Nah. Unless she paints the French doors and all the trim in the room (baseboard, window trim) a contrasting color. For example - white walls with beige or gray…or greige trim. Otherwise, we don’t think the French doors are a big enough moment in the room to go different than the walls and trim.

Choosing Metal Decor

We talked about metal finishes in Volume 1 of this series - in the context of door knobs. The general advice we give when choosing a metal finish, whether its door hardware or curtain rods or decor, is stick with two throughout your home…three if you’re feeling confident. You want repetition in a space to make it feel cohesive. It’s a classic non-answer answer. But, truthfully, all metal finishes have a place in the right room, it’s a matter of considering the room as a whole and the general vibe and look you want.

If you’ve made it this far, well done.

- Leah

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