Young designer brings a fresh approach to Southern style

Margaret Kirkland, who participated in this year's Southern Living Idea House, is an interior designer based in Atlanta. Known for her timeless interiors, she has been named a Next Wave designer by House Beautiful and "Best 15 under 40" by Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine. Kirkland works on projects throughout the East Coast and abroad to bring a fresh, young approach to traditional design.

Kirkland joined Washington Post staff writer Jura Koncius recently on the newspaper's Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt:

Q. What Southern cities are your favorites for shopping for home design products and antiques and touring old houses?

A. There are so many great Southern towns! Some of my favorites are Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Athens, Georgia; and Atlanta. Athens is a great place for shopping and touring old homes. For shopping, there is the Hawthorne House, Athens Interiors Market and Agora for vintage items. In Athens, take a drive down Milledge Avenue to see all the historic sorority houses. We recently have spent a lot of time in Birmingham, Alabama, for the 2016 Southern Living Idea House. Some of my favorite stores there are Iris & Co., Circa Interiors & Antiques, Hanna Antiques Mall and Henhouse Antiques. In Charleston, three of my favorite historical places to visit are Calhoun Mansion, Aiken House and Joseph Manigault House.

Q. What are your favorite types of textile floor coverings, and why?

A. I think that rugs and carpeting offer so much personality to a room with texture, color and pattern. They also absorb sound and add instant coziness to a space. We often start from the floor up in our designs, especially if we are using a unique rug. I love vintage and reproduction Oriental rugs, and Oushaks and dhurrie rugs are among my favorites. I also love using sisal and jute rugs and will layer them underneath Oriental rugs. We love wall-to-wall carpet in textured colors, geometrics, trellis patterns - even animal prints!

Q. I want to get slipcovers for the two hideous couches in my rented house, but everything I've found costs as much as a new sofa. Where can I look that might not be obvious?

A. When buying slipcovers, I always like to use a local workroom to get a snug custom look. A great way to go about this is to ask a local upholsterer, workroom or seamstress to make slipcovers and then try to save money on the fabric. I have been known to make slipcovers out of cotton dropcloths from Home Depot just to get a fresh, clean look. For online sources, Ballard Designs, IKEA and vendors on Etsy are great resources.

Q. We live in a 1920s brick four-square home. There is a bank of windows in the living room, across the front of the house. A double-size window is flanked by two single windows. Right now, we have white mini-blinds with swags and jabots, which are very outdated. We do need privacy but like the windows with the mini-blinds pulled up to make the room seem larger. Plantation shutters would not work well with the window arrangement. Our style is English and traditional with a twist of contemporary. Ideas for bringing our living room windows into the 21st century are appreciated.

A. First, I would take those jabots and swags down to simplify the look. I would do simple, functional drapery panels across the entire wall to let light in. When you need privacy, you can pull the panels closed. If you cannot easily do draperies across the big and small windows, I would do bamboo matchstick shades. They have a more updated look than blinds and let in much more light than plantation shutters.

Q. Do you have a good online source for beautiful pillows?

A. Recently, I found a great source on Etsy, AccentMarks. It sells great pillows using exclusive designer fabrics. As for online sources, I like Ballard for outdoor pillows and Serena & Lily and West Elm. On the more expensive side, Hable Construction has beautiful, one-of-a-kind pillows. Hable designs its own fabric, so the pillows have a unique touch!

Q. I have an antique four-poster bed in my bedroom, with wood floors and a Persian rug dominated by burgundy. The curtains are ecru but kind of puffy. It just feels so old! I am looking for a younger touch but would like to keep the rug, because it contains the remnants of so many good memories. Can you give me some ideas that won't break the bank?

A. If you need to keep the rug, I would paint the bed to lighten things up. Paint is always a cheap way to make a change. One of our clients recently transformed her furniture with Chalk Paint. Also, adding bed linens will help freshen up the room. One of our favorite sources is Serena & Lily, which always has great sales. Also, you can buy pre-made drapery panels to simplify your look. Ballard has great options.

Q. Is it better to mix table lamps in a room or keep them the same?

A. I always like a good mix of lighting in a room. Don't get me wrong - it is great to have a pair of lamps flanking a sofa, but a mix of lamps makes the space feel more interesting and allows for different levels of light to offer good task lighting, as well as an overall glow to the room. I love using table lamps on tables, floor lamps next to chairs, sconces on the wall, art lights on art and bookcases, as well as overhead lights to keep your eye interested and make the room feel more alive.

Q. We have an Oriental rug (mainly burgundy) in our dining room and need to find a new place to put it. With wood floors throughout the house, you would think it would be easy, but we're struggling to figure out where it can go without totally replacing things such as bedding. Any ideas for how to move it to, say, our master bedroom (where it should fit)?

A. It can be nice to keep a darker rug in a dining room because the red palette will help hide spills. If you want to move it to your bedroom, make sure the walls are painted a light color. If you keep everything else light and airy, hopefully you will not have to change your bedding.

Q. What's your go-to solution if someone spills coffee, wine or food on your carpet or sofa?

A. First, don't panic! Spills can always be fixed, and you never want to make a guest feel uncomfortable by making a big fuss and drawing more attention to an accident. We like Wine Away and OxiClean powder. Do make sure to act quickly. Blot with a dry towel to clean up the spill, and try the old standby of soda water. To prevent stains ahead of time, I always like to use a stain protectant on clients' rugs and upholstery so that liquids will not be absorbed into fibers.