April Stay Home - Free Designer for a Day! (Vol. 1)
/We are SO excited for today’s post!!!
If you’re new around here, let me first explain: For the month of April, we are answering ALL your design questions and even giving specific advice on your home (layout suggestions, wall color recommendations, furniture links…the whole kit and caboodle). It’s basically our “Designer for a Day” package. For free.
We’ve received so many questions and even more submissions for room makeovers (with photos and all)! And we’re still accepting more, so please email us at hello@grayoakstudio.com with whatever design dilemma you’ve been pondering. We’ll help. Promise.
Question: Where do you get all your vintage books?
You know how much we love using vintage books. This is part of our secret sauce. It feels a little like revealing the key ingredient in grandma’s recipe. But, we also want to share the joy of owning vintage books and support a local business, so here goes nothing: Used Book Superstore. There is one location in Middleton (our primary spot…they know us by name) and one location in Burlington. And once a week (Thursdays in Middleton) the entire vintage book section is 99 cents per book when you buy 10 or more. They are currently closed, of course, but you can support them by buying a gift certificate now and using it later when they reopen.
Vintage books are a critical part of our designs for several reasons. First, they’re beautiful. The texture and muted (from age) colors are amazing. Second, they bring history into a home. Even if your style is some version of modern, laying in found/vintage pieces adds character and interest. Third, they bring personality. We find hilarious titles or relevant titles (something about Boston) that speak to our clients.
Extra tip: We also get a lot of coffee table books at the Used Book Superstore. You can find some amazing, large scale books for a fraction of the price you would pay for a new version.
From our Enos Project
From our Lovell Project
These frames are a mashup. We use wood gallery frames from Pottery Barn in the rustic color and replace the ivory mat that it comes with for a true white mat from Michaels. The black frame with the oversized mat is also from Pottery Barn.
And, while we’re on the subject of frames, the frames we used in our Dover Project are our favorite when using non-custom frames for larger scale art. They come as large as 32” x 26” without mat and 18” x 24” with mat.
From our Dover Project
Question: I have been trying to choose fabric for roman shades over my cafe shutters. I’m trying to stay away from too much red, and not formal. Can you suggest a fabric? If you have other ideas, I’d be happy to have them.
Window treatment questions are probably the type of questions we get the most - from our Designer for a Day clients (and our friends and family). And, for good reason. Window Treatments are complicated. There are a lot of options: shutters, shades or curtains. And within each category there are a million iterations. What size should the plantation shutter louver be? What type of fabric and liner for the curtains? Fabric roman shades or bamboo roller shades? Then there are options on how to install them. How high should the curtain rod go? Should the roman shades be inside mount or outside mount? There are a ton of style choices and a lot of technical choices too.
As interior designers, we are constantly taking professional education courses to understand more about this niche of our industry (and the latest technology) and we have also built relationships with window treatment experts. Both experts in all the options and experts in installing them. All of this is to say, we get it - this is an overwhelming part of home design. So, take your time to learn about your options and choose something that not only looks beautiful but will also hold up to the functional needs of your room and your family.
Now, back to the question. Let’s check out some photos that were sent along. On the left are the windows at issue and on the right are some fabric choices under consideration.
For starters, we love the plantation shutters! And we really love them in this application - on the lower half of the window only. Plantation shutters are an investment, but, if you can swing it, they’re well worth it. They provide amazing privacy, they let in all the light on the top half of the window, they’re very easy to open and close, they have a timeless style that works with any and every home, and they add an architectural element. So much to love.
In terms of layering on an additional treatment, we love the idea of drapes. Drapes (aka curtains) can stay fully pulled to the side and let in all the light during the day, but roman shades would eat into that natural light source. Even when a roman shade is fully pushed up, it still covers a portion of the window. In addition, drapes are great in older homes with lower ceilings because they create a vertical line, draw the eye up and make a room feel higher. Below is an example of drapes layered with shutters from our Lovell Project.
from our lovell project
For the drapes themselves, we would go very simple and classic -ivory linen with a light filtering/privacy backing. This room has a lot of pattern and mid-to-dark tones. Adding a light, flat color will be a nice break for the eye and also add the more casual feel she wants. The windows are too close to give them their own rod, so we recommend one long rod that spans both windows with drapes on the far sides. Check out our incredibly rough sketch below.
This will impact 2 (possibly 3) pieces of wall art. She will need to remove the art by the light switch and we would also recommend removing the decorative mirror between the windows for a clear space when the drapes are drawn. Finally, the larger piece on the perpendicular wall may need to be moved if it’s close to the corner and is touched by the drapes when they’re open. There can be an instinct to fill each open bit of wall with art, especially if you have a large, special collection. But, leaving blank space is important. Beautiful, happy design is all about balance - fill some wall space, leave some free to breath.
For hardware, she should look at the existing metal finishes in her home (brushed nickel, brass, etc.). And, when in doubt, go with oil-rubbed bronze because it’s a chameleon and can read both timeless and modern depending on the room it’s in.
Here are the links to everything we’re talking about:
Drapes - Mid-range and Budget-friendly
Drapery Rods and Brackets - Mid-range and Budget-friendly
Drapery Rings - Mid-range and Budget-friendly
We are big proponents of drapery rings because they make such a difference in the usability of the drapes. You can pull them open and shut easily. Make sure your drapery rings match the same finish as your rod and brackets, and also check the size of the rings to make sure they will fit around the diameter of the pole.
Question: Black or satin nickel for interior door hardware?
We love both! We also love brass. And chrome. And all the million shades of bronze. There is a home and place for all metal finishes. Your metal finish choice should be considered in the context of all other hardware in your home and the style of the home itself. And, even then, mixing metal finishes adds an eclectic, curated feel to your home - so you don’t have to stick to one thing. If you’ve chosen oil rubbed bronze for your light fixtures, you can still choose satin nickel for your door knobs. We generally recommend mixing (at most) three metals. And mixing two tends to be the easiest to juggle.
Can you mix metals for the knobs themselves? By and large, you should stick to one knob finish and style. But maybe just the bedroom doors have something different going on. Or your powder room is something quirky and fun. But, if you’re having trouble choosing just one knob, then don’t stress yourself out by choosing multiple - stick with one and carry it through the whole house.
The biggest consideration for function of a metal finish is shiny versus matte. For example, the difference between polished nickel and satin nickel. We love both, but shiny anything will be covered in fingerprints minutes after you clean it. If this is something that will bother you, choose a matte finish.
Let us know if you have follow-up question here (or on any of today’s questions)! We’re happy to dive deeper.
This is all for today. We’re hoping to share one (if not more than one) a week with all sorts of fun questions and design dilemmas we’ve received!
- Leah
