Finding creative solutions for less-than-ideal spaces
Emily Henderson, Target's home spokeswoman and founder of Emily Henderson Design, an interior design firm, blog and lifestyle brand, joined staff writer Jura Koncius recently on The Washington Post's Home Front online chat. Here is an edited excerpt.
Q. What is the best way to blend styles for a couple and break it to your spouse that certain pieces will never fit into the overall design of your home? Compromise is, of course, important, but my husband's framed sports posters are important to him.
A. I could (and will probably) write a book about this. First off, come up with a shared color palette that both of you like. Make sure to have some cooler tones (gray, blue, green) to keep it looking fresh and modern and warmer tones (wood, leather or creams) to help it feel inviting. With your basic pieces, keep them simple - that way most accessories can work with them. Each of you gets to nix a piece from the other that you just can't live with, and both of you get a piece in there that you love. If you love a super-feminine Victorian-style chair, think about reupholstering it in a simple gray linen. As far as sports posters go, go vintage and go black and white. There are a lot of art resources out there that have sports-inspired pieces that he might like, but are still living-room-worthy.
It's hard, I know. But the more you both can be part of the process, the more you will both love it and want it to represent both of your styles.
Q. How can I get an office space in my living area without it looking too cluttered?
A. Make sure that the furniture works together. Don't get a desk that is super office-y or generic. Get one that has pretty wood or a sophisticated finish so that it looks more important and elegant. What I've done before (if space permits) is put the desk behind the sofa, almost like a sofa table. If the sizes are right, it can look really chic, and it's a really good use of space. Also, think about getting a pretty dining chair as your desk chair, something less utilitarian and just prettier.
Q. I was given a huge collection of old family photos when my grandmother died. I would love to do something with them besides having them boxed up in the garage. Any fun design ideas?
A. This may seem too obvious, but what about a big family photo gallery wall? I love them in hallways, dining rooms or stairways especially, but if they are old and beautiful, then they can be in your living room above a credenza as well.
Q. I painted my daughter's nursery gray with a coral accent wall. The gray looks lavender, and now it pretty much looks like throw-up in there. I'm banishing the coral and sticking to something neutral. What's the best true gray for a toddler room that another baby will soon share?
A. Oh dear. Listen, choosing colors is hard. I've painted hundreds of rooms, and I still am shocked at how a color might react with other colors near it. I love Gray Owl and Half Moon Crest or Sleigh Bells from Benjamin Moore. All of those are neutral and will not look purple. Just because it's a toddler's room doesn't mean you have to do a baby color, obviously. Check out these for more options: stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/my-10-go-to-paint-colors.
Q. My husband and I have many beautiful pieces, but we definitely need to downsize when we move to a new apartment. What should the order of tasks be to get from blank canvas to hosting Thanksgiving this year (aka "power nesting")?
A. I love the "power nesting" idea. When downsizing you want to look at each piece and make sure it fits into two of these three categories: beautiful, sentimental or functional. If it fits all three, then you have yourself a wonderful piece. But make sure it works in at least two of them, and if it doesn't fit into any them, then it's time to donate that sucker.
Q. I am looking to redecorate my home office, which is frequently used by two people. Should the desks match or differ in style, or would one large table that both of us could share be best?
A. They should either match or, yes, be one big table. There is enough chaos in the office already that having your basic pieces of furniture be simple and correspond with each other is key to visual sanity. IKEA sells really long desks that two people can work on, or, if you have the space, consider a small-scale dining table (although those don't give you storage). Think about an L shape if your room can handle it; that way each person has their own space but it looks really clean and simple.
Q. I love cement, Moroccan-style floor tiles, but I have two toddlers. Are there any more-durable and safer alternatives that offer the same look?
A. Not that I know of, unfortunately. I'm not a flooring expert, but I think that if you try to compromise something like that, it might look like a compromise. What about just adding solid area rugs until they are older?
Q. We have a sweet 18-month-old baby boy and are expecting baby No. 2 in April. I haven't done any nursery prep for this new baby because I can't decide whether I should take over our last remaining bedroom or leave it as a guest room and let the babies "share" a room. Do you think a combination guest room/nursery would work, or should they share?
A. I had this exact same issue. I think decorating the nursery/guest room in mostly neutrals is the way to go. Also think about buying a pullout sofa or a twin daybed with a trundle in the guest room. I bought a daybed that is in Elliot's room (my 3-month old). That way, if a single person were to crash right now, we are all set. (We actually turned our basement into the guest suite for now.)
So decorate the nursery and get yourself set up, but don't do anything too baby in it so that you have the flexibility of having a guest room soon. The advice we were told is to let the kids decide whether they want to share a room. (But of course, that only works if you have the luxury of an extra room.)
Q. I have a (very) small bathroom with one window, but the shower curtain blocks most of its light. What paint color would you recommend? Also, do you have any good, relatively inexpensive sources for industrial bathroom lighting? (I've looked at Lamps Plus, Target and Amazon.)
A. Go for a light to medium blue. A small white bathroom can be a little sad unless you have some color in the tile, so think about going a neutral shade of blue or green (with a lot of gray in it). Even Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore (my No. 1 go-to gray color) would add a lot of warmth. As far as lighting goes, Rejuvenation, Schoolhouse Electric and even Etsy have a lot of simple, industrial-inspired fixtures. There are a couple smaller companies, Onefortythree and Park Studio, that make them, too.
Q. Do floor-length curtains look silly on small windows? I don't really like the look of valances and want something flowy and dramatic, but I fear the bedroom windows are too small.
A. Sometimes it can look weird if the window is really high and small. A good solution is to put a piece of furniture under the window. That really engages the whole space and distracts your eye from the size of the window. What about a Roman shade? That's generally what we do (except on really long windows, where the cost of a Roman can be insane).
Q. With twin infants, my favorite iron and glass coffee table is currently in storage. I would love resources and suggestions for a baby-friendly coffee table (or coffee table substitute) for a small space. I've been searching for an upholstered ottoman as a possible replacement, but all I've found are giant, ugly square ones.
A. I want to write a whole blog post about this, but I wasn't sure there were enough of you out there who would need it. Go round and go heavy. You don't want them to be able to knock them over. I have a huge pouf in our family room that my kids love to crawl all over. Target, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, and Serena & Lily all have good, round, heavy coffee tables. A drum shape is a good idea, too - something low, round and large. And think about using indestructible materials: unfinished (rustic) wood, leather, Sunbrella or a big patterned fabric (to hide yogurt finger stains that will surely arise).