When you’re feeling stuck with just about anything in life or work, it’s nice to tap someone’s shoulder and say, “Hey, can you take a look at this and let me know what I should do next?” Right? Part of working for myself, at home alone, has me missing that lifeline. I can’t tell you how many times Jess and I would spin our chairs toward each other to ask that very question when we worked in the same office many years ago.
SO, if that’s helpful in a professional or even personal capacity, I thought: People probably need this in their decorating, too. We put out a prompt to the EHD universe on Instagram and in The Link Up to have you guys send in images of any rooms in your house you couldn’t quite complete so we could help you take it all the way. Maybe you needed a new rug and felt analysis paralysis from the options out there. Maybe your curtains have always bugged you, but you were having trouble nailing what should replace them. Consider me “the closer,” because I’m about to get a handful of readers to the decorating finish line. Let’s do this.
Bigger, Bolder, Better
From the reader: “I need a new rug for my space. Bigger? Brighter? Also need a chair (or 2) in front of this window. Would love some help.” – Caitlin
Reader Caitlin was nothing if not concise in her request for help with her living space pictured below. When I first saw it, I thought, “What a cool, mid-century space!” The fireplace, the beautiful window frames, it has great bones. But admittedly, that rug isn’t quite right. It’s not oriented in the correct direction (it needs to spin 90 degrees), and it makes the large space feel unbalanced between one sofa is fully on the rug, and the other just has its legs on it.
I also think this is an opportunity to do something a bit more graphic or punchy, leaning into the more modern vibes of the room and furniture. The vintage-inspired print is lovely, but perhaps there’s a better option. The reader seems to think it could be brighter and bigger; I’ll agree with the bigger for sure. I didn’t get dimensions from them, but I can only guess this is roughly an 8×10 rug. There’s a chance it’s a 9×12 but it’s hard to tell. At minimum, this room would completely transform with a 10×14 rug. I’d love to see ALL the furniture fully on the rug, and again, the rug parallel to the fireplace, rather than perpendicular. It would fix some of the asymmetrical things going on here.
Reader Caitlin also mentioned two chairs by the window, though I’m not sure which window she means or how much space is really there, so I’m not actually going to recommend any. While I love a facing sofa layout, I could also see the sofas being set up in an L-shape facing the fireplace. It just depends on what’s on the other side of this room.
As for the rugs, I pulled options in two categories: more graphic or punchy (below) and something more neutral, which could also be nice to let the beautiful wood really sing.
1. Anni Flatweave Wool Rug by Nina Freudenberger | 2. Milord Hand-Knotted Rug | 3. Melrose Checked Rug | 4. Pasadena PAS-01 Midnight Handmade Area Rug by Loloi Rugs
I have long loved the Anni rug from Lulu & Georgia, and think the color story of it could be a very cool monotone look as the tones are similar to the leather sofas, and even the pink stone around the fireplace. For a less graphic option, I pulled this darker red rug (#3) for a tone-on-tone look. On the flip side of that, a block print-like floral rug in green and burgundy would add a nice additional layer to the simple color palette she already has going on. Another option is a large, cool solid blue rug, which would feel decidedly more ’70s/now than the vintage-inspired rug.
1. Dawn Ombre Wool Rug | 2. Marrin Hand-Knotted Ivory Wool Area Rug | 3. Greenwich GRN-01 Sage Wool/Cotton Handwoven Area Rug by Jeremiah Brent x Loloi
Neutral doesn’t have to mean dull. I can’t help but try to bring in tans and pinks into the rug here, which is funny because when I first saw the room, I thought it needed more contrast; this is not that. Then I found a few images I loved in my Instagram bookmarks that were a soft, monotone palette like this and I gasped, which is why I think the Dawn Ombre rug would be absolutely gorgeous in here. I’d change out the throw pillows to better align with the style and colors in this rug, though. In a very “Brady Tolbert” move (who famously loves rich neutrals), I offered up a cream rug which would, in fact, add contrast and a lightness to the living area. I love the subtle details of some of the darker moments in it, so it’s not just a plain beige rug.
And lastly, this dark green rug feels very neutral to me, so I’m including it in this section. It’s by Jeremiah Brant for Loloi, and the organic grid keeps it interesting without feeling overly patterned. An olive like this would be a beautiful complement to the warm wood tones throughout.
Go Big Or Go Home
From the reader: “I’d love some help with the art in my dining room. I’ve had a couple of different things in this spot, but I can’t seem to settle on the right thing. The rest of the house is fairly light and neutral, with green accents. We live on a farm, so the style tends to be a bit traditional farmhouse, but I’ve considered a more modern piece here for a twist. Any ideas for a big art piece for this space?” — Karie
I agree that this wall needs something more than the triptych that’s here. While I’d love to suggest a large furniture piece here, when you see the pulled-back image below of the dining room’s correlation to the living room that already has a large bookshelf, it would just feel too heavy. So art it is!
First off, I love these chairs. They’re such a fun twist on the classic Windsor chair. When someone says they’re toying with the idea of bringing in tension with the juxtaposition of styles, I’m ALL in. However, looking at the other art in the room and the living room (below), the rugs, and the pillows, going full out contemporary here would simply not feel right.
I like the idea of adding in some more color and visual interest with a large framed canvas. Those are, of course, quite expensive, so I searched through Juniper Print Shop, which sells printed canvases in really large sizes for a wildly low price. Minted is another good source for large canvases that won’t make you have to sell your plasma.
One thought before I walk through my picks: Art is so subjective, obviously, and it does feel a little weird telling someone what they should like. So instead of that, I approached this more in the realm of colors, styles, or ideas the homeowner might want to look for in a specific piece they actually love. I’m past the point in my life where I’m buying art simply to decorate; I’d rather collect and display, and recommend the same to anyone reading.
BUT, I have a job to do, so here is what I think visually makes sense.
1. Hills II Lynne Millar | 2. Lake Walen | 3. Limited Edition Fine Art Print Easton Hill by Carol C. Young | 4. Limited Edition Fine Art Print Play by Shiho Whitehead
When Karie said “farm” and “farmhouse,” I immediately went to more of a landscape. It’s a fairly classic move, I’d say. At bare minimum, I’d go with something no smaller than 30″ x 40″ but ideally larger. I used Hills II (or maybe it was Hills I) in my parents’ living room makeover, and it really is quite beautiful in person. The canvas is printed as opposed to painted (hence the price), but it has built-in oil paint strokes and texture in it that makes it really very authentic. The deep browns and burgundies are a nice balance to all the green in the dining room.
For something softer, I like Lake Walen, which would complement the sage chairs nicely. Now, I really love the shape and color in this Easton Hill canvas by Carol C. Young. This and the more abstract Play by Shiho Whitehead, are both twice the price but also come framed.
To broaden the visuals of the art piece, I’d recommend also adding matching sconces on each side of it; that way you can get away with a smaller piece but still take up room on the wall to feel appropriately scaled.
Third Time’s A Charm?
From the reader: “Drapes! The white IKEA cotton drapes were a quick purchase out of necessity. They’ve been OK, but don’t hang very nicely. I do open and close my curtains each evening and morning. It’s been years, and now I’m contemplating upgrades. Current state: Navy drapes on the front window and white drapes on the dining area window on the other side (not pictured). I thought I’d ‘try out’ the navy before ordering four panels, but now, I’m trying to avoid Amazon purchases. The navy drapes are the same brand/ style as Caitlin’s green drapes in her lively apartment, and while a great price, I think these are too dark for this space. Admittedly, they need to be steamed, hung better, and yeah, probably go higher with the curtain rod. So, it’s like Goldilocks and the porridge: I have one that is too hot/dark and one that is too light. Wanna help me find the ‘just right’ option?” — Jen
Curtains are seriously one of the hardest things to get right in a room, tbh. It’s so easy to just go white, which is a good safety net, but when you try to jazz it up, that’s when the stress of a design decision can start to unravel you.
I agree that the navy feels heavy, particularly next to the dark blue armchair and darker brown leather. If the walls were a different color and the moody tonal look was the intention, I might change my mind, but it’s light and bright in here, so that’s where we should stay with the curtains. Also, I think this window is large enough that it can stand to have two panels on each side for fullness. I do not think the rod needs to be any higher (I personally do not like that RIGHT UP TO THE CEILING look and prefer just a little breathing room), but it does need a bit more drama. Here’s what I picked out: one group of solids, one group of prints.
1. Cotton Blend Drapery Pleated – Cloe | 2. European Linen Room Darkening Curtain | 3. Fresh Khaki French Linen Room Darkening Curtain
While navy wasn’t right for this room, I wouldn’t fully abandon the blue idea, though I’d opt for something softer, like these from TwoPages. Another idea I had to better incorporate the rug was to go with an oatmeal or flax linen. It would create a subtle contrast against the wall, but add warmth. These from Half Price Drapes, as well as Quince, are a great price for the size.
As she mentioned, she opens and closes them daily, putting them on rings would be the easiest way to facilitate that, though adding a pleat (like with something such as this from IKEA) and training the bottoms to hang well would make sure they stayed tidy.
1. Pierce & Ward Floral Lattice Curtain | 2. Pierce & Ward Foliage Stripe Curtain | 3. Cotton Woven Stripe Curtain
On the off chance this homeowner wanted a complete change, I had to include some patterned curtains. My fingers are itching to add either another color or pattern into this living room, which I think could be done well with either the Foliage Stripe curtain or the Floral Lattice curtain from Pierce & Ward’s new line for West Elm. A little safer option is this striped curtain from Anthropologie in a fairly neutral, darker green.
Lights Out On The Matchy Matchy
From the reader: “I have a small craftsman home and our living/entry/dining are all sort of combined. We have these two white overhead lights that just don’t do it for us, but I am not sure what to swap them with. We changed out the dining room light, which is visible, so do they need to match that light? Should they be more flush? Three lights in a line are just throwing me off, so I haven’t done anything with them, but I would love to change out the two white lights!” — Jenna
I can totally see why someone along the lines would have taken a relatively open space that comprises three rooms and put the same light fixture in all of them. But in my opinion, when you do that, it ends up looking like a hallway. The best thing you can do to make spaces within an open room feel like their own is to treat them like their own. Translation in this case? Different light fixtures.
From the looks of the pendant they picked for the dining room, I’d say reader Jenna likes natural materials, so I can’t suggest anything wildly different from that. They can all be different, but they should still feel like a family. I may look nothing like my older sister, but we both still have tan skin and dark brown hair. It would make you do a double-take if her hair were actually red and curly, right? Same thing here.
For the entryway, I agree that a flushmount is the best bet so you don’t end up with three hanging fixtures in the sightlines from room to room. A pendant or modern traditional chandelier will still be best in the living room now that there’s some more room to play visually. Here are three options I put together:
1. Akari 75A + Gull Flush Mount (20″) | 2. Brass Wooden Persimmon Chandelier + Piedra Travertine Ceiling Light | 3. Lombard Chandelier – Brass + Radiance Spire Semi-Flushmount
A craftsman house and a Noguchi pendant are a match made in design heaven. You can certainly find a less expensive reproduction, but I wanted to include the true original as a starting point. The 55 or 75 would be a good size (the 55A is smaller and maybe better suited for what’s expected in this room, but the 75A is larger and could be a cool, surprising moment). I’d love to see it with this West Elm flushmount; it would be a nice transition between the basket nature of the dining room pendant and the paper-like quality of the Noguchi.
The second pairing feels a bit more vintage-inspired (particularly the chandelier), but I made sure to keep some wood elements to speak to the natural dining room light fixture as well as the craftsman style of the house. The flusmount reads more modern for sure, but the travertine bell keeps it very down to earth.
And lastly, something more that might pair better with the Blu Dot media console they look to have in the living room (which tells me they like a mix of modern and traditional). The darker green of the flushmount adds something interesting to the trio of ceiling lights, and the brass canopy echoes the brass of the chandelier’s arms (it’s under $250 from Article!).
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That was SO MUCH FUN! If any of the readers who submitted are reading this, please feel free to let me know if any of my suggestions would work for you, and 100% update us if you do in fact implement any of these changes. Keep an eye out for more prompts like this; we always post them to Instagram Stories as well as put them in Sunday’s Link Up for those who aren’t on social with us.
Until next time…