How to Decorate

Today we are discussing the very important and fast-growing topic of sustainability in design with expert, Laurence Carr. Laurence is the creative director and CEO of her award-winning New York-based design studio Laurence Carr Inc. Her signature style blends well-being practices with contemporary design and smart technology. She shares with us her passion for educating the design community on its impact on the environment, how our well-being is inextricably intertwined with our surroundings and materials, and where we can focus our efforts to design with sustainability in mind.

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Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Kimberly,

My first inclination would be to mount the TV on the orange painted wall so it’s not a focal point, is easy to watch, and is out of reach for young kids. To distract from the bulkhead I would find a way to incorporate it into the design of the living room. You can paint it the same color as the ceiling, use recessed LED lighting to highlight parts of the mantle, or you can decorate it to make it look like a wood beam. Or even replace it with an actual wood beam! No matter what you need to paint that current wood trim so it blends instead of sticks. For the best flow, I would have a sofa that faces the fireplace with armchairs on either side instead of a sectional. Your final question about hidden storage for kids' books and toys, I would suggest putting a wall system in that very long wall where the fireplace is. You can make the height go up to the height of the mantle and you can play around with doors, movable shelves, etc. The key is making it easy to reach while also reducing clutter. You want efficiency but also for it to be multi-purpose for longevity purposes; you want to be able to use it for built-ins after the kids outgrow this phase. Don’t forget to of course use GREENGUARD gold-certified materials!

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Laurence Carr Inc

Laurence Carr Inc on Instagram

Laurence Carr Inc on Pinterest

Chez Laurence

Ballard Designs Performance Fabrics by Sunbrella

Wren Dining Table

The LBC Red List

Sustainable Furnishings Council

What does GREENGUARD Certified mean?

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Spring is here and that means many of us are doing outdoor decorating. Our guest today, Brantley Snipes, is a Mississippi-based landscape architect as well as the owner, lead designer, and project manager for Brantley Snipes Landscape Design. When she’s not working with clients, she works on preservation projects for the nonprofit Main Street Greenwood, Inc. where she serves as Executive Director. Among many accolades, Brantley was named to the Greenwood Commonwealth’s Top 30 under 40. We talk all about the importance of landscape design, creating outdoor rooms, what to know before you DIY, how to embrace pine straw, and address many of your landscape questions.

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Brantley Snipes Landscape & Design

Brantley Snipes Landscape & Design on Instagram

Brantley Snipes Landscape & Design on Facebook

Osmanthus Market

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We’re doing something a little different and very exciting on the show today! Zoe, Hillary, and Taryn are here from the product design team. They give us the inside scoop and their different perspectives all around the in-house product design process here at Ballard Designs. When we did our listener survey a little while back, so many of you said you wanted to know more about the product. Well, we heard you and today we answer all of those questions and more!

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Ballard Designs

Hutton Office Collection

Original Home Office

Lucille Chandelier

Allister Upholstered Chairs

Abbeville Collection

Request a Catalog

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We are beyond excited to have UK-based stylist and interior designer Sophie Robinson on the show! Sophie has over 20 years of experience working across TV and magazines. She hosts her own show, Dream Homemakeovers with Sophie Robinson, where she transforms homes with her keen eye for paint, patterns, and furnishings. Sophie also judged the best emerging design talent on BBC Two’s The Great Interior Design Challenge. Throughout her blog, online courses, and TV shows you’ll find that Sophie’s secret sauce is her use of color (or “colour” if you’re in the UK). She’s on a mission to liberate us all from the beige and boring! Sophie’s personality is as colorful as her work, and we loved talking to her about her process and the psychology behind it. We’ll also dive deep into her tips and tricks for how to LIVE IN COLOR!

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Stacey,

You have great proportions and a generously sized living room, and the layout is not complicated so that’s great! The big windows are lovely, and I can see the treetops and lots of gorgeous natural light. I don’t think this home is lacking, personally. You’ve got good bones! We might have some cultural differences on this, but I don’t think you need to add any moldings. Here in the UK, we are into honoring the integrity of the architecture, and when I hear the word “moldings” it’s quite different than what you may think in terms of just adding texture to the walls. That said, my rule of thumb is never to put period moldings into a home that is older than your house. So for instance in your 1970s house, I wouldn’t put Victorian, Georgian, etc. In terms of window treatments, you want to keep this light and openness, so I would stick to ones that are minimal. I think Roman shades would look great or you could have curtains, but just keep them very tailored. I am afraid I can’t tell you what color to paint your walls! After listening to this podcast you know you have some work to do in terms of figuring out your color choices. You can mix patterns and plains as long as there is a common thread throughout. In open-plan spaces like this, people tend to stay neutral throughout as to not overwhelm, but I think you can do really cool things with paint. I would keep the ceiling one color throughout; it doesn’t have to stay white but I would keep it light. I think using the 90-degree turn of the walls is a perfect natural breakpoint to change colors; you don’t need an architrave or molding to do it. It all depends on what tonal family you choose in order to choose actual colors. You could also use cabinet doors as an opportunity to paint.

Please let us know which color palette you choose, Stacey. Send pictures!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Sophie Robinson

Sophie Robinson on Instagram

The Great Indoors Podcast

The Great Interior Design Challenge

The Beginner’s Guide to Colour Psychology, by Angela Wright

Designers Guild

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Award-winning architect and author Jeffrey Dungan joins us on the show today to talk all about bringing joy to home design. He founded his firm, Jeffrey Dungan Architects, with a focus on creating private residences with lasting beauty. He’s known for his clean and modern approach to classical architecture. His accolades include numerous awards from the American Institute of Architects, Veranda, and ADAC’s 2017 Southeastern Architect of the Year, being named a Shutze fellow by the Institute of Classical Architecture, and a prestigious Palladio Award. His work has been featured in The Wallstreet Journal, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, House Beautiful, and many others. His highly regarded book, The Nature of Home, is available now and he’s also working on a second book. We talk all about Jeffrey’s creative process, his playfulness and childlike approach to design, why he thinks a house should “wink” at you, an in-depth look at natural light, and much more.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma

Hi McKinley,

Some of the best interior decorators never went to interior design school, so you don’t have to necessarily go to a specialty program. That said, it’s not a bad idea either! Anecdotally, I went to architectural school with Ray Booth who now spends most of his time doing interior design, but he had a strong foundation from his education. If you have interior design firms in mind, I would say go ahead and reach out to them. You could certainly see if they have an internship or summer program so you can get your feet wet and decide if it’s really what you want to do. Family ties can always be helpful, but there is SO much work out there right now that I don’t think you’ll have trouble finding a place that would be happy to bring you on. Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note! My best advice would be to follow your heart. If you’re at architectural school and you still feel interior design pulling at you, I would explore it. Even if you spend some time doing it and decide it’s not for you, it's better to know now than always wonder. It’s a true gift to be able to do something you naturally love and are passionate about. Good luck!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Jeffrey Dungan Architects

Jeffrey Dungan on Instagram

The Nature of Home

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Today is all about, you guessed it, furniture shopping! We have scoured your questions, consulted with our SVP of Merchandising and Design Skye Kirby Westcott, and used our collective knowledge and personal experiences to bring you today’s episode! We're sharing our best tips on what to know before you buy furniture, how to not regret your purchases, what to splurge on, and so much more. Plus, we bring back the “highly divisive” Trials & Triumphs!

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Today we welcome Dallas-based interior designer Meredith Ellis to the show. Meredith has over two decades of experience in the industry and specializes in creating soulful, layered homes that are sophisticated yet livable. Her career began while she worked under the legendary Bunny Williams in NYC before moving west to hone her skills with internationally renowned designer Michael Smith. Meredith is also the founder of JAMES showroom featuring fabric, wallpaper, furniture, lighting, and carpets for Texas and the South. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Traditional Home, Better Homes and Gardens, Southern Living, and The LA Times. We dive into Meredith’s “seamless” use of fabrics with patterns, colors, and textures and tips and tricks for how (and where) to use them!

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Kristen,

Your house has such classic and beautiful bones. I think the biggest bang for your buck is going to be painting and adding some color. I would draw color from the living room maybe from the Oriental rug; I would probably use sage or gray blues. Drawing shades from nature is a great way to get comfortable adding color. A real show stopper is just painting your walls, trim, and window casings. If you are just going to paint the dining room, I would do maybe a soft gray-blue and then your millwork a little darker to give some depth. On the ceiling, I would lighten up that color by half. If you need storage I would paint that breakfront a pretty high gloss color; either a contrast like black or dark dark green. You could also do wallpaper in the back of the cabinets and display the china there. In terms of the drapery, I don’t think you have to do the same fabric in both of the rooms. You can do one as a pattern (in the dining room) and maybe one a little more tame (in the living room). Just have them relate on some level, but they definitely don’t have to be the same. One of the other things you could do is use some bold art as a great statement piece; maybe something with some color. Since you’re on a budget you could try places like Facebook Marketplace, antique malls, Chairish, or 1st Dibs. On the rug, it depends on how bold you go with art, but it definitely needs to be a low pile so you can move chairs easily in and out. You could do sisal but I would not do another Oriental since that's in your living room. Maybe a pretty stripe, diamond, or another geometric pattern. When you get to the point that your budget allows it, I would do some pretty upholstered chairs for the dining room–something that’s really durable especially if you have kids. Think performance fabric or pattern. Otherwise, just paint the window frames. I also love painting doors a contrast color, so if you want you can paint the french doors either a fun color or go darker than whatever you choose for the millwork. But I really think we gotta get some green in there.

A little paint can really make such an impact! This house has such great bones…good luck and please send us some pics!

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Our guest today is the inspiring and highly knowledgeable interior designer Rasheeda Gray. Her Philadelphia-based firm, Gray Space Interior Design, specializes in residential and boutique commercial projects. Her work has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Architectural Digest, ELLE Décor, HGTV, and more. In 2021 Rasheeda was named one of House Beautiful’s Next Wave Designers. This episode is all about renovating! Rasheeda gives us tips and tricks for the entire renovation process, insight into her personal and professional experience answers all of your renovation questions and more. She gives us an in-depth look at why planning is so important as well as how to stay focused and on budget!

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Tracy,

This is definitely a complex design dilemma! Keeping in mind that you want the space to be comfy and inviting, let’s start there. Since there are no defined walls I would suggest you float the furniture. I would recommend getting an area rug that’s big enough to contain all the furniture and ground the space. I would lean towards putting the sectional on the window wall. Then I would have 2 chairs and maybe a small ottoman flanking the sofa to create conversational areas. The ping pong table is a really difficult addition to this space! But you could put it to the far right side of the room. If possible, I would look for a table where you can put a cover or nicer fabric over it that makes it look less “ping pong-y!” To save space I would put some ottomans for seating in this zone that can slide under the table. Regarding window treatments, I wouldn’t cover the windows since you love that natural light. Think of window treatments like eyebrows in that they frame and complete the look. It will give the room a sense of cohesiveness, as well. On those 2 thin windows on either side of the main window, I would hang the curtain rods the same height and use one small panel on each. If you’re worried about baseboard heaters you could use shades, but I don’t think it’s a problem. I prefer floor-length curtains for this space and you could always use tiebacks when you use the heaters. The chandelier is a bit big and formal for the space so if you’re looking to change it, I would personally get rid of it. If you have a choice I would go with recessed lights throughout the space with a few accent lamps, as well. For paint, I always say pick it last. You can certainly go with white, but to make the space feel really cozy I would go with a medium neutral color like a taupe or gray to warm it up. One of my favorites is Repose Gray. Then bring color in with all of your furniture, artwork, accessories, etc.

We’re so glad you enjoy the show, Tracy! Please send us the after photos!

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Today we welcome husband and wife team, John & Vivian Bencich. They are the founders of Square Feet Studio; an award-winning architect, planning, and design firm based in Atlanta. With Vivian’s background as an interior designer and John’s as an architect, they and their team specialize in smart, simple, and sustainable designs meant to last a long time. They have created beautiful and warm spaces throughout Atlanta including many popular restaurants like the iconic Kimball House. Listen in as they share tips on how to recreate our favorite restaurant ambiance in the home, the importance of numbers in planning, how to use a holistic approach to design, and more!

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma:

Hi Bev,

We like the way the color looks! But if you want to change it, I would not recommend a darker gray and would instead make it very warm. From Benjamin Moore, I would suggest using either Calm or Lacey Pearl to go with the blue furnishings. To select the right paint color in the future I would suggest getting sample pods and painting a 3’ x 3’ square on the wall. To test how it looks in different lights you could either paint one square on every wall or use a loose piece of drywall and move it around. Always test the actual paint sample vs. pictures or swatches!

Another tip we have, even though you didn’t ask, is to pull the seating apart a bit to air out the space. Great job with the space, Bev!

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Interior designer Gail Davis joins us today and gives us a glimpse into her unique journey and style. For 15 years, Gail has transformed her clients’ houses into homes using her eye for colors, textiles, and traditional styles. After leaving a career in fashion, Gail studied at the New York School of Interior Design and interned for two New York design powerhouses; Bunny Williams and David Kleinberg. Her work has been featured in House Beautiful, AD PRO, Domino, as well as many more publications. She also hosts her own podcast Design Perspectives. We discuss how Gail’s background in fashion heavily influences her design, how she creates spaces that are elegant but livable, as well as her love of layering, fabrics…and dogs!

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