The other week, for fun, Marlee put up an Instastory asking the followers what they needed advice on in their homes. It was meant to just be an Instagram thing, but then we decided that it was silly not to share our suggestions on the blog, too! So that’s what we’re doing today. Here are 3 rooms, 3 different design problems, and 3 (or more) potential solutions. Let’s jump right in!
The Accent Wall…
First off, it’s definitely not terrible, but we have some suggestions to give her ideas to get the look we think she wants. Also, as a general design “rule”, accent walls are hard. They were a massive trend in the early 2000s, but since then, designers advise against them unless it’s drawing attention to an architectural feature, such as a nook. Arlyn wrote a great post about it here. They are advised against because they can feel jarring and stop your eye abruptly. I think that’s what she’s feeling with her’s.
We’re not sure if this room is a part of an open concept plan; if it isn’t, we suggest really committing fully and painting all of the walls like Ryann did in her last home. It feels intentional in a great way and keeps the eye moving around the whole space. Then, if it’s in the budget, a deep-toned, colorful rug would really help to visually balance the space. Also, going up a size will also make the space feel better scale-wise. Much like Ryann’s home, we recommend leaning into richer-toned furniture and decor. In conclusion, we think that the overarching issue she feels is that the space doesn’t feel balanced. So, by painting all the walls and leaning into those richer tones throughout will definitely fix that.
And for fun, here are some rug options with a reminder of what the space looks like:)
Aymer Copper Rug | Plaid Wool Reversible Rug
From what we gather from the baskets on the wall, loving pattern isn’t an issue. Both of these rugs are rich and warm with a pattern that won’t overwhelm the room. The copper rug is a little more neutral and has a similar vibe to the baskets, while the brown and blue one is a little more unexpected and modern.
Pierce & Ward Deco Border Handwoven Wool Rug | Katasha Checked Wool Area Rug
Then, if they wanted to choose a rug with a less intense pattern, I think this golden colored rug would be very fun and complement the bright color of the wall. Or they could tone it down but still add richness with the checked one that would also talk to the brick on the fireplace.
Hope this helped!
A Bathroom That Needs More Color
This follower really wants to add more color because she thinks there’s too much white. Well, fear not because we’ve got you. The good news is that this is a beautiful bathroom, so this is going to be a breeze.
We decided to really only recommend decor changes. Could they paint the walls? Sure. But we don’t think it’s necessary to inject a healthy dose of color to cure her from her “boring bathroom” blues. Naturally, there are two mood boards (we can’t help ourselves), and we based the style and some colors on what was already there – florals, pink tones, and a modern traditional look.
Deco Blossom Shower Curtain | Blair Warm Brass 3-Light Bath Light | Half Moon Dual Mount Shower Rod | V Hook Shower Curtain Rings | Sahar Bath Mat | Raspberry Vine Print | Caspian Soap Pump | Marble Toothbrush Mug | Metalla Trash Can | Candle | Luxe Faux Marble Bath Tray | Black Round Toilet Seat
This first one is definitely more green-forward, but we love that shower curtain so much that we couldn’t not include it. Speaking of the shower curtain, they should get a rod, hang it towards the ceiling, and make sure the curtain is long enough to almost touch the floor. This will make the whole room feel taller. Now, as you can see, we mixed metals. This is totally allowed, but make sure each metal looks balanced. We did, however, feel that the rod should match the shower doorframe. Then, while it’s not necessary, we liked the idea of switching out the current vanity light for a brass one to warm up the space. Just an option. Remember when I said the metal tones should be balanced? That’s why the soap pump and the waste bin are also brass. A little brass high, medium, and low. And if you’ve been paying attention, then you know our deep love for burgundy. It’s rich, is a warm neutral that is anything but boring, and it’s a perfect match for green. So that bath mat and tray (that would work on top of the toilet’s tank) are perfect additions and will really add in the color this follower is looking for. But their current bath mat could also be great. Now, for the toilet seat, I am very pro black seat cover. I have one myself, and I think it really makes the room look so much better. It feels vintage-like but not old, and since this is a modern traditional bathroom, it’s kinda perfect, right?? I also love the added green textures of the toothbrush holder and candle. And finally, the piece of art. There’s nothing wrong with the beautiful piece they have, but it does look a little small and/or hung a little too high. So if they are looking for a new piece of art, I love this idea of this print because it’s got all of the tones of the established color palette, but a little more saturated/bright to add a little pop to the whole space.
Deco Blossom Shower Curtain | Blair Warm Brass 3-Light Bath Light | Half Moon Dual Mount Shower Rod | V Hook Shower Curtain Rings | Sahar Bath Mat | Velas, Vinho e Flores Fine Art Print | Caspian Soap Pump | Marble Toothbrush Mug | Wicker Waste Basket | Candle | Rattan Tray | Black Round Toilet Seat
This mood board leaned much harder into the warm tones, so you can see the same color palette but with a different color emphasized. We also swapped out the waste bin and tray to be in a natural woven material, since bathrooms inherently have a lot of hard surfaces like tile and stone. Oh, and that wonderful print is again, a brighter version of the rest of the colors to add freshness. The only thing that I didn’t mention that could also be switched out is the mirror, if they wanted. It’s totally great, but a slimmer frame might feel more balanced in the space. I think a black frame would still be a perfect color, but silver or brass would also look awesome. Happy decorating!!
Adding Character To The Builder Grade Kitchen
Now, this follower has a great kitchen, but given that it’s builder-grade, they really want to add more character to it. Clearly, it’s very modern, so we’re hesitant to recommend going “too vintage”. That doesn’t feel quite right for a design like this because it may feel like too much of an overall contrast. Like they are fighting each other instead of working in harmony. We only say that because when most people hear “character,” they mostly only think “add all vintage”. Keep reading:)
So what we are about to recommend is a little vintage, but mostly things that add color and texture. It’s really about adding personality, right? With that said, the biggest change they could make is the handles. The brushed silver they currently have isn’t helping the space to feel warm. But to be fair, the cabinet colors are also not warm, so adding on bright gold pulls that would highly contrast (and may visually overwhelm) isn’t the answer either. So what could work??
Lacquered Oak Wood “Join” Cabinet Handle | Oval Bar Wood Handle Cabinet Pull
We first thought a mid-toned wood handle pulls. They could warm the cabinets up a little and be a more unexpected choice. The other issue is that we couldn’t find any wood pulls over 12″, and some of those drawers look much longer than that. It’s an option, but we think we have a better idea.
Linear Pull Bronze | Antique Brass Cabinet Pulls
Bronze. It’s not as bright as gold brass, and it seems like it’s easier to find extra-long options. We think this could be the most elevated option for what they have. Warm but not too warm, you know? 🙂 Plus, we LOVE a knurled detail like the ones above have.
Onto decor!
Vintage Bamboo Basket
We want to start with the space above the cabinets. Currently, all they have are a few gray-brown baskets that look too similar to the gray undertone of the brown cabinets. A rich, warm vintage basket like this (with others) would look great up there. It’s texture, it’s warmth, and it’s anything but builder-grade.
Orcino Green Marble Fruit Bowl | Hand Carved Wild Olive Wood Bowl
But as we said at the start of this space, decorating with all vintage isn’t necessarily the move in a super modern kitchen. So adding in pieces like this beautiful green marble footed bowl (that also adds a great rich color) would look awesome displayed above the cabinets. The same goes for these hand carved bowls. They aren’t vintage, but they have so much texture and movement. The biggest thing when decorating an area like above cabinets is to make sure not all of your pieces are the same height, and that they are big enough to make a visual impact when you’re looking at them from the ground. Create levels and don’t forget scale!
Handmade Studio Pottery Polka Dot Utensil Holder | XL Utensil Holder
We also think this kitchen could use more color and/or pattern. We love a well-placed polka dot, and that utensil holder is the perfect amount. But you know a splash of color is just as impactful, and you bet that Nickey Kehoe sells the most beautiful green utensil holder in town:)
Rechargeable Dimmable Rattan Touch Table Lamp | Ryland LED Table Lamp
This one may be tricky because it’s clear this kitchen gets a lot of action with at least one baby living under their roof. But if they can clear a little corner, we LOVE a kitchen lamp. It adds so much personality, ambiance, and guaranteed character. Both of these are rechargeable, so no need to take up any outlet space.
Moon Face Vine Dinner Plate | Antique Upper Hanley Semi Porcelain Dinner Plate | My Main Passion in Life is Bagel Plate
Ok, at first, the idea was to maybe hang a mix of modern handmade and vintage plates on the tile backsplash, but obviously, they would be difficult/potentially require holes to secure, and there’s the whole cooking grease mess issue. However, we still think that maybe the wall with the window or the wall next to the fridge could be options. Even if it’s just a single vertical line of plates or more of a gallery like this. The great thing about plates is that they are great to thrift, too! But again, for this kitchen, make sure it’s at least a mix of more contemporary and antique.
To the people who submitted, THANK YOU! And when we do this again, those who weren’t chosen will absolutely be looked at again, and we will also, of course, make sure you ask our blog-only readers too<3
Love you, mean it.
Opening Image Credits: Design by Ryann Trombetti | Styled by Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Ryann’s Living and Dining Room Reveal