How to Decorate

It’s Houston Week! We are kicking it off with Houston-based designer Marie Flanigan. Marie is an award-winning interior designer and the author of The Beauty of Home. Her work has also been featured in publications such as Architectural Digest, ELLE décor, Vogue, Southern Living, Traditional Home, and she also recently had a role on HGTV’s internationally broadcast series Property Brothers: Brother vs. Brother. We talk about Marie’s love of texture, fireplaces, breaking conventions, and the importance of how a space makes you feel.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma

Hi Caryn,

The first thing I would do is come up with a way to make the dining room feel special. Add drapery, paneling throughout the room, and I definitely think it’s important to case the entry. One thing that casing does for rooms is it allows you to start and stop a wall finish. Then I would take a look at the architecture of the space to see if first I could recess the mud function into the wall and then be able to close it off with doors. That way when you are using the dining room, you could shut off the mess that accumulates in mudrooms. If that’s not possible, I would definitely go with the paneling idea and let the mudroom cabinets be an extension of that paneling so that it follows the same detail of molding on the cabinets. Just make sure you have doors in that area so you can “hide the mess”. You could perhaps lacquer the room or choose a fun color to paint all of the woodwork so that way the garage door just disappears, or you could even have the paneling go across the doors to hide it. Another thought is if you don’t use the dining room often, you could restyle the dining room table so it’s more of a round entryway table and you relocate the chairs to somewhere else while they aren’t in use. If you really want to embrace this as a more casual room, you could even do a built-in banquette under the windows and change from a round table to a square or rectangular table that would allow it to be pushed towards the corner more. Then you could use that bar cabinet for storage. A large area rug could also help to feel the space larger.

Good luck, Caryn!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Marie Flanigan Interiors

Marie Flanigan on Instagram

The Beauty of Home

Forbes & Lomax

Lutron Switches

Bocci Outlets

Telluride Project

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Today our guest is Dallas designer Jean Liu. Her full-service interior design firm, Jean Liu Designs, specializes in high-end residential and commercial projects. In 2018 Jean was named one of House Beautiful’s 10 Next Wave Designers. Her work has also been featured in Traditional Home, Town & Country, Architectural Digest, Luxe, The Wallstreet Journal, and many others. We talk about Jean’s love for bold art, how to create a “Zen” kitchen, Jean’s great house with a great room, and much more.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma 

Hi Laura,

Yes, definitely take the symmetry into account and we have three recommendations for you. First, is to consider adding a linear fixture over your island that runs the length of the island. This will help detract the eye from the lack of symmetry and the true center of the room. Another option, given your husband’s height, would be to use a flush mount or semi flush mount throughout the kitchen. We love the Greta fixture! Finally, the last option we suggest is using gooseneck sconces over your window to let the lighting be handled through recessed cans throughout. What direction your windows are facing and the natural light you get may influence your choice. We usually recommend with any kitchen remodel that you strongly consider adding LED under cabinet lighting. You could also add some small lamps or tiny accents to your surfaces. We are all big fans of having dimmers for all lighting, as well!

One thing to keep in mind is that you’ll never really be looking at the room straight-on, so it won’t be as noticeable as you may be worrying about. It’s great that you’re keeping it in mind, but don’t let it trip you up too much!

Good luck, Laura!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Jean Liu Design

Jean Liu Design on Instagram

Jean’s Personal Home

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Our guest today is New York-based architect and interior designer Barry Goralnick. His firm customizes projects to include everything from early planning stages in building to interior design, to product design — check out their impressive collections! Barry’s work has been featured in Architectural Digest, ELLE décor, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and he is also a featured designer in Rizzoli’s new best-selling book Interior Design Master Class – 100 Lessons from America’s Finest Designers on the Art of Decoration, among many, many other accolades. We discuss how Barry’s background in fine art & literature influenced his varied style, decorating for small and big spaces, his tips for getting back to basics, and more.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma

Hi Christine,

One thing I would remove is the stone around the peninsula in the kitchen; it looks inauthentic to me. If you extended the top, you could create a place for barstools. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but if you’re considering changing the cabinets at all perhaps you could turn the peninsula into an island. There are even some great freestanding kitchen islands available.

I like the idea of painting the cabinets and painting the walls. It will help break up the monolithic theme. I would not paint the cabinets and the wall behind the fireplace the same color. I would choose a light color for that wall and maybe even pull from the stone. Also, even if you just paint the wall behind the hearth it will not only bring some contrast, but it will make the space feel taller. If you want to keep some of the wood, you could maybe sand it down and do a clear or light finish to lighten it up a bit, so you keep that rustic mountain feel.

I know you didn’t ask me, but the drapes need to go! I would either do some shades or floor lengths. Regarding the banquette, I wouldn’t do a built-in one, but I like the idea of a long bench. If this is a vacation home, you want to be as flexible as possible and be able to shift things around. I am not a huge fan of the black railings since they are kind of heavy; even if they were light grey with a wood rail on top it would lighten it up. In terms of overall decorating, we think you should choose some stylish, well-scaled furniture and don’t go kitschy with it. If you leave even half of the wood in there, you don’t need anything else that nods to the Smoky Mountains. And don’t get furniture in the same color wood! We definitely recommend adding some upholstery and softness to the space. If it’s a rental space, we highly suggest performance fabric!

We are excited for you. Do we get a free weekend to stay there now?! Send us the photos…and the listing!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Barry Goralnick

Barry Goralnick on Instagram

Goralnick Architecture and Design on Facebook

State Street Project

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Today’s guest is Dallas-based interior designer and business coach Traci Connell. Traci’s work has been featured in Traditional Home, Luxe Magazine, and many more. Traci is known for her signature method, “Ease of Glamour”, where she aims to create homes that are easy to design, easy to live in, and overall practical. She tells us what it means to make a home “bulletproof”, how she implements technology in her process, her advice for emerging designers, and more.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma 

Hi Courtney,

The biggest hiccup here is that it’s a long, narrow space. My initial thought is to flip the areas and put the TV over the fireplace. Then a sofa right in front on the wall in front of the fireplace. There is no room for a coffee table, but you could put two storage ottomans on either side of the sofa in a matching or coordinating fabric. Then you could roll those over when you’re watching TV and almost create a modular-type sectional. At the door where there is a bookshelf of shoes, I think you could use some vertical storage. You could definitely put a little rug right there, too. On the other side of the room where there is a door opening, you could flank two matching storage bookcases and you could store the toys there. That far side of the room is great for a play area. We think toy storage should not be in the entryway but rather where the playing happens…unless they are outside toys! You could also put two swivel chairs there that could be moved around.

For the windows, I would add some panels in white oak or seagrass. For the window coverings, I would add Roman shades to all of the windows to match what you already have. If you do move the TV to the rock wall, I would add a light fixture that’s tight to the ceiling but sprawls out. Since you like the blue, you could paint the ceiling a light grey-blue in a satin or flat finish. You could even match the color inside the built-ins. If you really do entertain in this room, you could also add a mobile bar cart. The modular approach to the room will definitely give you more flexibility.

For the dining room area with that “awkward space”, I would take out the white shelves in those curved niches. Then maybe wallpaper back in there and/or do floating shelves so it doesn’t go wall-to-wall. You can change the hardware and leave the bottom, but I love the curve. In the middle, if you can, take it all out. A nice and airy art light with a beautiful piece of large art would be lovely. The buffet can then be on the other wall for more storage. And then move a light over there, as well.

Where that hole in the floor is where the hearth was, hopefully, you can patch it with wood because it doesn’t seem like you really want a fireplace. A little bit of construction there, but not too much.

Well, there you go, Courtney! Those are your marching orders! Good luck!

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Our guests today are a husband-and-wife team, Britt and Damian Zunino, of the Manhattan based architecture and interiors firm Studio DB. Their work has been featured in Luxe Magazine, Architectural Digest, The New York Times, ELLE Decor, and many others. We talk about their love of creative spaces, how New York has influenced their style, and how they aim to create a space that is beautiful but also livable, their collaboration process, and more. Their work exudes a swankiness that we really love, so be sure to check out their portfolio!

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma

Hi Malorie,

We love the idea of bringing in the pink, but with the color palette that you have we need to bring something to tie it in. The first option would be to incorporate a fun wallpaper on the ceiling that had some of these colors to bring it all together. Maybe something in pink with a micropattern. We thought maybe it would be nice to add two more swivel chairs that had a pretty back so you can see that right when you walk in but also be able to turn them around to watch television. We have even done something where we have upholstered the back of the chair in a different fabric that is a little more playful and the seat is more durable. Rather than having all of the furniture on the outside of the room, the swivel chairs will help pull it in and engage that space. Another option if you didn’t want to go the wallpaper route is to paint the ceiling a little bit of a softer green than what’s on the walls so it feels like a more uniform envelope of color. We love the idea of a stripe on the rug. Also, something in a pretty neutral, like a seagrass rug, would be nice. Then you could even layer on top of it with a more colorful or patterned rug to anchor the seating space. That one can be much smaller and cozier, and the bottom rug would stretch more towards the walls. To touch on the blue chair, the shape is really interesting but since you have so many lighter colors in the room you could reupholster this one to fit better with the room. It would be nice to even add a little footstool or side table.

We also want to say that you’ve done a really good job! We love the custom sofa, the sofa table, the lamps, the sconces, the bench seat. It’s a great space and you’re really onto something that you just need something to tie it together. Good luck and send us the after photos!

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Our guest today is San Antonio-based interior designer, Alison Giese, who recently relocated from Northern Virginia. Her work has been featured in Rue Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Home, and more. Alison’s signature style is to give the homes she designs character and soul, while still keeping it minimal and elegant. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and check out her Monday Mood Boards every week! We love them and so will you.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma 

Hi Beth,

We agree that most of the upholstery does feel a little big for this space. For a sofa, I think you could try a sectional with a chaise at the end. You would have to measure the room and map it out first either with a scale drawing or using painter’s tape on the floor. Caroline personally loves the Hartwell sofa for this space, especially in front of a window because it has a pretty low back. It’s also really comfortable without being too deep. And it comes in leather, too! If you do go with a leather sofa, you could try an upholstered ottoman to soften it up. Whatever you go with, just make sure you pay attention to the height and the length of the arms; try to keep it more compact so it doesn’t look as bulky. Depending on if you want the big lounging sofa or not, you could also add additional seating—maybe even some vintage chairs since they have a smaller footprint.

I love the large chair in the corner; it kind of looks like a reading nook with the lamp next to it. Potentially the other chair in the other corner does feel oversized so that could be an opportunity for a smaller chair or even a little café table. So many people are having to carve out even the tiniest spaces for homeschool or home office, so if you don’t have that this could be that place.

We love your built-ins. You could easily make those a fun color and utilize some of that storage for kid stuff. The carpet is great too!

For the TV stand, your current media stand looks a little too deep so you could give yourself more walkway space if you got a stand that is smaller. Like we mentioned in another episode, an IR repeater is a clever way to help you tuck away your electronics.

Lastly, we think you could add some more lamps or even hire an electrician and put some sconces in.

Thank you for sending in your question, Beth! Good luck and send us some photos!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Alison Giese Interiors

Alison Giese Interiors on Instagram

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We are thrilled to welcome back our guest today Andrew Cogar who is an architect and president of the award-winning firm Historical Concepts. We discuss his new book, Visions of Home: Timeless Design, Modern Sensibility, collaboration, the narrative of a house, a closer look at a historic Charleston single house, designing around honesty, the concept of the creative process, and more.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma 

Hi Olivia,

The biggest challenge is that this is a pass-through room and it’s hard to get around this square layout. My advice is going to come more from an architectural standpoint than interior design. First, I would suggest putting up a wall. Most people think of this as an impossible task, but it’s not! It’s actually some of the cheapest and simplest construction to do as long as it doesn’t involve any electrical or plumbing. Assuming the fireplace is a gas insert, I would close up that space above the couch and I would put the fireplace on that wall. Incorporate it in a complete wall of bookcases and built-ins and have the TV worked into the bookcase more to the right. You could get a big reading chair and ottoman to be able to take advantage of the fireplace. I would then shift the cased opening and put that where the fireplace was (assuming those are closets and not a powder room) and move the opening there. That way you can have a 3-sided enclosure at the West side of the room. You can put a couch or sectional where the TV currently is, so it really takes advantage of the natural daylight coming in from the sunroom. This really creates two zones; one is a sitting and reading zone and the other one is more of a living room. Being able to see this from the front entryway will really bring it in with the rest of the house. You can spend just as much money and time trying to solve this room, but I think making these inexpensive and simple changes will really unlock so much potential in the space. Hopefully, this is helpful and works out! – Andrew

With regards to the rug, we think you should try to find the biggest rug you can find for the space. Usually anywhere from 3inches to a foot of space around the edges works well. It will really help ground and center the room in a good way.

Good luck, Olivia!

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Today’s guest is Boston-based interior designer, Lindsay Atapattu, of LEB Interiors. Her spaces incorporate traditional elements in a clean, edited way. We talk about her love of traditional and where it meets modern, which elements are making a comeback, which elements are trending, designing with kids in mind, using color and chintz, and more.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma 

Hi Jamie,

The first thing I want you to do is get in there and paint the walls. I always say paint it white if it’s a big room; you can always change it. Get two of the same rugs; one for the dining space and one for the living space. They can be different sizes, or really different designs if you want, but keep it cohesive.

Next, let’s talk pendants; I would definitely pare from 4 pendants down to 2 or 3. Go for larger pendants and use painter’s tape to mark where you might want to place them. In terms of the lamps behind the sofa, that’s tough. You really have to have the outlets in the ground instead of coming out of the wall; especially with kids running around. Depending on the positioning you could have cords go under the rugs and plug into a wall if it’s close enough. The best thing to do would be to have an electrician come and if you have a basement, see if they can run a cord and drill up. If you’re having one come in to quote the pendants, you might as well get a quote for that too. Otherwise, I would say forego the lamps behind the sofa and add one on an end table closest to the outlet or even a floor lamp.

Now the sofas; I think if you have a basement for the kids to go to that’s a perfect place for slipcovers. The space in the photo I think is a little more formal so I wouldn’t do the slipcover unless you’re going for more of a farmhouse look. Just be sure, to be honest with yourself about how often you’ll take the slipcover off; because it’s a pain! Ballard and others make really great performance fabrics these days, so I would opt for using that on a more formal piece in this room… especially if you have another place for the kids to hang out.

Finally, we would all like to see you add some fabric or texture to add softness to your seating so it’s not all wooden (i.e. the stools and the dining room chairs). You have a good base here. Good luck, Jamie!

Mentioned in This Episode:

The Schwartz House on Instagram

Brie Channel Bed

Ballard Pleated Lampshades

Bissell Spot and Stain Cleaner

LEB Interiors

LEB Interiors on Instagram

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On the show today we have father and daughter design duo Barry and Amanda Lantz of Lantz Collective in Carmel, Indiana. We talk about Barry's art collection, why art is the perfect starting place for color, their new fabric collection with Kravet, and how their aesthetics differ.

What You'll Hear on the Show:

Show Notes:

Find all of the show notes at howtodecorate.com/podcast.

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Today’s guest is acclaimed interior designer and photographer Matthew Patrick Smyth. He has been on ELLE Décor’s “A” List, his work has been featured in House Beautiful, Traditional Home, New York Magazine and more. He also wrote a new book “Through a Designer’s Eye: A Focus on Interiors”. We talk about his polished yet comfortable spaces, his love of artisanal pieces and antiques, his attention to detail and light, and some touching personal stories.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

Decorating Dilemma 

Hi Jenny,

First of all, thank you for including the floorplan—so helpful! This is a very generous width for a dining room so the sideboard is not going to throw off the room; there’s still plenty of room and no flow problem whatsoever. It’s not a floor to ceiling piece, so your eye will go right over it. I would put a big mirror over the sideboard to reflect the windows and the beautiful view. That will really open up the room. It’s really important to keep that chandelier centered with the windows so I would not touch that. The table centered in the room is the way to go. It’s good that you’re thinking about it now…but don’t overthink it! It’s actually a nicely designed floor plan and well proportioned; I wouldn’t play with that. You’re in good shape, Jenny!

• Matthew

Mentioned in This Episode:

Matthew Patrick Smyth

Matthew Patrick Smyth on Instagram

Through a Designer’s Eye: A Focus on Interiors on Amazon

Zillow Gone Wild on Instagram

The Schwartz House on Instagram

Chicology Roller Blinds

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