Finding the underlying beauty in basements
Antiques dealer and decorator Loi Thai joined Washington Post staff writer Jura Koncius on the newspaper's Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt:
Q. I love seeing photos of your beautiful house in Castine on your blog. What are your favorite towns in Maine to do antiquing and flea marketing?
A. Definitely southern Maine! You can antique your way up on Route 1 starting at York or Kittery. Have fun!
Q. I have a den with oak floors, dark wood cabinets, a brown leather couch, and a dark blue rug. I am searching for a warm cream color to complement the rich darkness of the room. Any suggestions?
A. Without knowing the light in the space, it's hard recommend the right color. How about Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray or Bleeker Beige? Please paint samples on poster boards and hang on the various walls - you'll want to check out the colors at different times of the day and night.
Q. We have a somewhat dreary basement, with painted wood paneling and musty old carpet from the previous owners. While we've been able to furnish it with some nice furniture and a TV, it's still slightly depressing, and I'm at a loss for what to do with the floors, walls and support columns.
A. First of all, I would replace the musty old carpet (and the padding underneath). It's hard to get rid of the mustiness, which is most likely in the rug pad as well. How about repainting the paneling in a neutral color, and hanging fun art? For the support columns, you can have a carpenter frame them out with stock molding.
Q. I'm considering tile for our basement, but I'm worried it may be uncomfortable when the weather turns colder. What has been your experience?
A. I love our tile! Practical for a basement, easy to clean, and holds up well. If you have any issues with moisture, tile is the way to go. For warmth, use a big area rug - something soft and thick.
Q. What do you think are the key elements of Swedish style? I'm hoping to make my house look more like a Scandinavian cottage.
A. Definitely furniture painted in grays, whites, blues and greens. Keep it simple and clean. I love whitewashed floors or sisal if you can't lighten your floors.
Q. I would love recommendations for a floor covering for a lakefront cottage - something that would stand up to water, dirt and traffic. Whatever I get would have to go over original linoleum that my husband really doesn't want to take up, as it provides some protection for the subfloor. It doesn't have to go wall to wall. Carpeting is out, but I was wondering if maybe a sisal or jute rug might be a good option?
A. Sisal is great. Try one with a pattern or texture, which hides dirt better.
Q. Any suggestions on cleaning dried grape jelly off a sisal rug? I didn't notice the stain until long after the guilty party was gone and the stain was dried. The tips I'm finding online seem to be related to fresh stains.
A. Sisal can be difficult to clean. Since the stain has dried, I would first use sheets of lint tape (from a roller) and a vacuum cleaner to pick up the dried jelly trapped in the sisal fiber. Then try a cleaner made especially for natural fiber rugs. You can always try a professional cleaner.