INTERIOR STYLING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

by ERIN SHARPLIN LOVE  |  erinlove@panachebyerin.com

Every person’s style is different.Maybe you love clean and modern AND warm and cozy, too. The good news is that there are ways to fuse all of the styles together while still making the space come together perfectly. Although I don’t mind breaking design rules, there are some that I consider true guidlelines for making sure a space looks its best: 

WHAT SIZE RUG SHOULD I BUY?  This is a common question, and I can see why! First I need to address the reasons behind incorporating a rug into a space at all. First, rugs help define zones in open floor plans. For instance, I suggest zoning a dining room area and living room area of an open floor plan. Second, a rug adds dimension to the space, making it more inviting.   Yet another reason to incorporate rugs into an area is to include your own unique style and color scheme. Now get your painter’s tape ready and start laying out a design to determine the proper size.

Living Room – To make an area feel proportionaly appropriate, all of the furniture in this room should AT LEAST be touching the rug. In other words, at least the first one forth of your couch should be on the rug. If space provides, however, the entire couch and/or lounge chair should be on the rug.

Dining Room – The rug should be big enough for both table and chairs to fit comfortably and for the chairs to be pulled back for sitting while still being on the rug.  

Bedrooms – Ideally, you want the rug to touch your feet as you enter and exit the bed, so with that in mind, choose a rug large enough for that requirement.  At the very least, the last half of the bed should be on the rug.

WHICH WHITE PAINT IS YOUR FAVORITE? There are SO many different whites that they all start looking the same for some people. Depending on the tone that a client is looking for I have my “go-tos” to recommend.   Paint can be a tricky thing because it can look one way in a room with a lot of light and totally different in a dim room. Knowing the undertones and thinking about how light the rooms are makes the choice easier. I always make swatches for clients who are unsure they want to commit to a certain color. That way a swatch can be moved to different locations in the home and at different times of the day to see how the color changes.  

Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore – This is as close to a true bright white as you can get!  This color can pair with warm or cool toned paint colors, so it is perfect for trim, doors, and cabinets.  

Pure White by Sherwin Williams – If you still want a true white with a little less of the “brightness,” then pure white is for you.  I love this color for trim, doors, cabinets, and walls. It, too, can pull both warm and cool tones from other colors in the room.

Alabaster by Sherwin Williams – This is my choice when a client wants a warm white that isn’t too bright.  It still reads as white, but is a more subdued choice. Alabaster is great for cabinets and walls!  

Shoji White by Sherwin Williams – This is another warm white that is great for the exterior and interior of a home.  Remember that the more sunlight in an area, the lighter the color will appear.  That is why I love this color for painting the exterior of homes. It still white, but not blinding.  For interiors, it is the perfect warmth for walls. If you love the idea of a bright white trim and a warmer white, Chantilly Lace and Shoji White pair well together.  

Greek Villa by Sherwin Williams – This one is a close rival to Shoji White.  It is on the warm side as well, but looks great with cool grays and allows bright pops of color to make the statements. Greek Villa is also a great color for the exterior of a home.  

Crushed Ice by Sherwin Wlliams – Looking for something with a gray base? Look no further than Crushed Ice. It is the perfect barely there gray and looks great with both cool tones and warm tones for mixing and matching purposes. 

WHAT LENGTH SHOULD MY CURTAINS BE? Not only should you consider the length of your curtains, but you should also consider the volume.  You don’t want wimpy curtains!  Extra width is your friend. Full curtains are luxurious and give the appearance of a bigger window. One of the biggest problems I see in homes is that the curtains are too short.  They should be no more than a half inch off of the floor.  Better yet, curtains should skim the floor.  If you want a more glamorous feel, let the curtain puddle a bit.  In addition, don’t forget to hang your curtain rod as high as possible above the window frame.  

WHAT SIZE LIGHT DO I NEED? Ah, this is a tough one!  I love the look of an oversized light, so giving a finite answer is going to be hard.  I typically eye the space and go a bit larger than the width and length of the area added together. So, for a 10×10 area I would go no smaller than a 20” width light. But you wouldn’t want something too big either, so find a happy medium. You should also consider the height of the ceiling when choosing a light fixture. The higher the ceiling the more forgiving you can be on the light size. Go bigger.  

The above questions are a few of the most common, but if you have a different question, or would like more specific answers based on your home, please don’t hesitate to contact me!