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Last week, I made a short video on Instagram requesting you all to send me your pressing design questions and dilemmas, with a chance for your question to be answered in a post. I wanted to do this because daily I receive questions asking “which tile looks best with my kitchen,” “how to hang drapery” or “what color should I paint my walls.” After scouring through your questions, I chose 5 that I thought might help you on your next design project.
Interior Design Q&A
1. “I just moved into my home. It’s a much older home, but the price was great, and it needs some cosmetic appeal because it’s really dated. The house is beautiful, but it’s dark because of all the trees, and the hardwood flooring is ok, but can use a serious upgrade. Do you have any advice for me?”
My Response: Congratulations on your new home! I love working with older homes because it gives you so much opportunity for customization. When you begin the remodeling process for an older home, you want to evaluate what stays and what goes. You can look at changing or staining the flooring to an espresso or black hardwood with lighter walls to brighten things up, and add contrast. Another option would be to invest in moldings for your walls. This is just another way to add detail and highlighting certain areas in the home to keep that old charm, but modernize things a bit.
2. “I’m in the process of trying to design my home, but I have no idea where to start. I’ve been trying to design my home for the past 3 years. What do you recommend?”
My Response: You want to carefully plan your project. Stick to designing one room at a time. Usually, clients try to tackle the whole project at once, depleting their budget. Find inspiration, plan your project, then execute. If you still find yourself unsure on where to begin or how to execute, I want you to consider hiring a professional. This will help you save time, money, and another 3 years of headaches!
3. “I want to remodel my kitchen, new appliances, new everything. What style of countertop do you recommend? I’m considering laminate because it’s more affordable and they have different styles nowadays.”
My Response: When remodeling a kitchen, you want to not skip on quality. This is where you and your family will spend a lot of time. Though something may be more cost effective at that moment, you have to consider your needs, value, and the future. Is this your forever home or do you plan on selling? I suggest going with granite as your first option, then looking into more higher quality materials, such as: Dekton, quartz, marble, stainless steel. It solely depends on budget and the look you want. There are so many unique options.
4. “How to transition my 9 year old daughters bedroom to teenager friendly?”
My Response: Never buy a full size mattress. Go from twin to queen. Full size mattresses are unecessary and you will find children grow out of them pretty quick as they grow into their young adult years. As it relates to decor, you want to see what your daughter likes, and make it functional for her needs.
5. “I just purchased a townhome, it’s 2 years old, new construction, so it has the standard builder look. How can I make it more custom looking?”
My Response: Invest in your moldings. Moldings and casings can really take your home to next level design opposed to your standard builder grade. It will give your home a more grandeur aesthetic, making the interior look more high end, with added detail. Take your time with this as your home is still settling.
My advice to the person who’s in the middle of their own design project is to always go with the option that scares you the most. Stepping out of our comfort zone is the most challenging, but rewarding thing you can do in design. This is what I consider to be the art of design.
Tiara, XO
Richie Madison Interiors]]>
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