Doors and walls: A few updates can quickly make a big impact
It seems as if almost everyone has a room that they dislike. It is boring because there is no color or it has looked the same for 20 years, or it is downright ugly because you are so busy living life that you don't have any time or money to improve it.
But where and how do you start, possibly spending money gradually, without ever breaking the bank? And what are the latest trends, particularly for the shell of the room?
One place where you can make an immediate impact is by changing your interior doors. Many homes built since the 1950s have cheap and ugly interior doors. That was the place where the builder economized. Or, at the very least, they have been beaten up by years of family living or no longer close correctly.
“Any house settles over its life, especially during the first 10 years. That natural process leaves homeowners with door openings that are no longer perfectly square, causing doors to rub or to not close perfectly anymore,” explained Dan Teuscher, owner of HomeStory Chicago, based in Elk Grove Village ((847) 258-3417 or www.HomeStoryChicago.com).
Homeowners also run into problems when they replaced carpeting with hardwood floors, leaving them with large gaps at the bottoms of their doors.
“You could practically serve dinner under those doors,” Teuscher quipped about doors that remind one of flood pants.
Until recently, however, the mess and expense involved in replacing a home's interior doors served as a deterrent to making that change. Doors had to be cut, planed and then painted on site. It was an expensive, time-consuming and messy process, so homeowners just lived with less-than-perfect doors.
But those are no longer the only options.
HomeStory Chicago has new computer technology which allows them to precisely measure the existing geometry of each door opening, using 13 different reference points, and then doors are made in the factory on an automated door machine so that they fit perfectly. They are also painted or stained in the factory so that the homeowner doesn't need to endure the mess and fumes.
That factory satin finish holds up better to the wear and tear caused by children and pets and you will never see brush or roller marks since it is spray-applied.
Solid core, hollow core and wood traditional and bi-fold doors in all sizes can all be made using the process, as can louvered doors and doors with inlaid glass. Arched doors, however, are not available.
“While we offer a variety of paint colors and stain finishes, most people today seem to be trading out their oak for white doors and trim. A few accent color doors are also being chosen. Mirrored doors in which the mirrors are inlaid into the door, not just attached to it, are also very popular, especially for closets. Our doors can also be installed as sliders, not just on hinges,” he said.
Initiating a major overhaul of your “boring” or “ugly” room's walls can also have a huge impact on your home and it can be done inexpensively by purchasing some paint and doing the work yourself, or it can be done more elaborately by hiring a professional to apply anything from textured wallpaper to custom faux paint finishes.
Both are back in style, according to Lara Dahm, an interior designer with the Sherwin-Williams stores in Hoffman Estates (695 W. Golf Road; (847) 884-2582) and in Elgin (1310 Dundee Road; (847) 695-4544).
“Now that the recession is over, people want to enjoy happy, positive feelings. So, designers are bringing back big floral and tropical prints on wallpaper (and clothing), as well as scenes with a three-dimensional effect. Textured wallpapers like grass cloth and some that even have tiny beads or glitter incorporated into them are also being used. But those floral wallpapers don't look the same as papers of the past. Many use large flower designs in neutral colors which are then accented with pops of color like beige flowers with pops of purple, for instance,” Dahm explained.
In addition, people are seldom covering all four walls of a room with these wallpapers. They are accenting one wall with them instead.
“In bedrooms they are using paper on the headboard wall, for instance, or in a family room it is the wall around the stone fireplace that they wish to make pop,” she continued.
In addition, today's wallpapers have been re-engineered. They are thicker so that they are more durable and manufacturers claim that they are very easy to change when it is time to re-decorate, according to Dahm.
Faux finishing with a variety of paints and other materials is also hot again, she continued. For instance, there is a Venetian plaster application which gives a rough finish that can then be painted and glazed to cover problem walls or create an accent area. And there are finishes using tissue paper and other materials applied to the walls for a textured finish.
Faux finishing can also be used to create a unique look without texture. You can get a fascinating look, for instance, by painting a wall with a flat color, for instance, and then applying a second coat of the same color, only using the high gloss enamel version of it, using a plastic bag as a paint brush, Dahm said.
Metallic glazes are also popular over all kinds of different colors, she added.
The only type of faux finishing that seems to be “out,” Dahm said, is the type with veining that makes a wall look like it is made of marble. That look is now out of favor.
Stenciling is also popular again. You can purchase inexpensive, oversized stencils through online sites like Pinterest or Houzz and, in an hour or two, change your room and make a statement at the same time. Some people even to choose to stencil a “headboard” for their bed.
If a homeowner wants to handle the painting themselves and doesn't consider himself or herself to be artistic, paint-only walls without fancy finishes are always popular. You just need to pay attention to what colors are in style and what you like.
“Paint company representatives travel the world to pick out new colors to feature each year. In 2015, the colors which Sherwin-Williams expects to be trending are earth tones and sea tones which give rooms a spa feel and give homeowners an oasis from technology,” Dahm revealed.
They are also advocating the more vibrant colors of tourism, gypsy clothing and the solar system, she continued. Colors like blue, amber, orange and even black are popular.
“When they are used correctly, it can give an amazing look,” she confirmed.
Vibrant primary colors like those seen in the Olympic rings and are also trending for 2015, as are the colors of the rainforest — greens, purples, blues and corals.
The gray tones of the past few years are still popular, but now they are being paired with bright primary blues, oranges and other carnival colors, according to Dahm.
“I suggest to my clients that they find one piece of inspiration, like a decorative pillow. Bring it into their room and stare at it for a few days. Then build your new room around it. It doesn't have to be expensive. But use the colors in the inspiration pillow or artwork or whatever to paint your walls, bring in a new vase, etc.,” she stated.
“People are being very loose with design today. Step outside of your comfort zone and do something bold. Stripes are very popular, so try them. Mix gray and burnt orange. Put a darker color or a faux finish design below the chair rail in your dining room to make the room more interesting,” Dahm suggested.
Don't ignore your ceiling or assume that it has to be white. Many homeowners are choosing to paint their ceilings in deeper colors like gray, dark blue or even black to make rooms, especially those with vaulted ceilings, homier. Metallic glazes over a variety of ceiling colors are also being used to make such ceilings “pop.”
Dahm offers several tips when it comes to the practicalities of redecorating your room:
• Paint cheap wood but stain expensive woods with beautiful grains. If you don't plan to stain your trim, don't invest in expensive wood.
• The higher the sheen of a paint, the more washable it is. But flat or matte paints are better for hiding imperfections in walls. They are also better for people who prefer to periodically touch up their walls.
• Most people find a happy medium by choosing eggshell or satin paints for their walls and semi-gloss for their trim.
• Oil-based paints, which are only sold in quarts and have a higher gloss, are best for painting trim, doors, windows and cabinets because they dry to a harder finish that doesn't knick and does not show fingerprints. Never use a flat paint on these types of surfaces.
• Don't use grass cloth papers in bathrooms or children's rooms. They are not very durable, especially when exposed to steam or grubby little fingers. Grass cloth is primarily appropriate on accent walls that are far from food, grease spatters and other potential problems.
• If you choose to use grass cloth, don't try to hang it yourself. Hire a professional who has practiced on someone else's wall.
Room for Living makeover contest
It's that time of year again. We're spending more time indoors, which means more time looking at rooms we wish we had updated years ago.
Not to worry; we present the Room for Living makeover contest, where we asked readers to send us photos of their decor-challenged rooms.
We picked finalists to get makeover suggestions from contest sponsors, experts in home decor. These finalists will be featured for five weeks in Home & Garden through Nov. 16; see Page 3 for the makeovers.
Winners, who will be chosen from among the finalists, will receive makeover packages from contest sponsors valued at more than $5,000.
So settle in and join us while we take you through the steps of remodeling a room, from doors and walls this week, lighting next week and followed by furniture, rugs and curtains and we finish with some fresh ideas for holiday decorating.