Design/Decorating Questions Only Please

Frequently Asked Decor Questions
As Answered by Allison Burns

Greetings, my name is Allison, and I am here to answer any design related questions you may have. Please take a moment to read the Frequently Asked Questions section, as your question may be answered there. The following is a compilation of common design questions that most people ask. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me by clicking on the link to my email. Have fun, and remember that it's YOUR space. Make sure YOU love it!

Does my whole house need to match?
When working with an open floor plan where one room is easily viewed from another, it's always a good idea to keep those two spaces from clashing, but they don't have to be perfect matches (some people are bothered by perfect matches, and that's O.K.). However, you probably don't want to create an extremely traditional dining room overlooking your Scandanavian modern living room. It's just a little confusing. But, if you want to mix styles, go for it! I would just recommend mixing them in every space. If you love both the traditional and modern styles, go for the eclectic look. Using the dining room/living room example again, consider featuring an antique sideboard with a modern glass top dining table. This can overlook your living room, which boasts a French Baroque sofa next to your brand new Christian Street mahogany armoire! Don't be afraid to mix it up!

If you don't have an open floor plan, don't be reluctant to use different themes in each room. Let your teenage daughter paint her bedroom purple and set up that leopard print bedspread, while you reserve your room for the muted colors, sans the animal prints. That's the beauty of a closed door.

Can I mix different woodtones in the same room?
Unfortunately, or fortunately rather, there is no real black and white answer to this. Once again, it all depends on your personal preference. One nice thing about Christian Street is the option to mix different tones. Our woods are so rich with many different tones that the lighter pieces will pick up some of the darker pieces' tones in its grain, as the two pieces compliment each other.

Don't be afraid of mixing wood tones, because really, wood is organic and no two pieces are going to have the exact same colors and grains. I would, however, refrain from mixing solid wood with particle board and laminates. The solid wood pieces will really make your laminated particle board pieces stick out, in a bad way.

Can I combine painted pieces with unpainted ones?
I think if you have a room with all dark wood, incorporating one brightly colored painted piece can really bring some accent and drama to a space. The only thing I would advise against is using too many colors in the same room. Mixing a few colors (excluding neutrals), can be quite refreshing. The problem exists when your dresser is pink, your nightstands are green, your armoire is a creamy beige and your bed is blue. This tends to result in, what I call, the "Elvira Effect." If you want to mix pieces, try a few base neutral colors, like white, black, biege or wood stain mixed with green and yellow or rose and lilac. There's seldom a more beautiful office than one done in a cream distress, accented with a green distressed desk and yellow chair. This room would put anyone in a good mood.

Will Christian Street assist me with the layout of my room?
Certainly! We'd be glad to help. Stop by the store and tell us about your room. We have a very knowledgeable staff that can guide you through the process. I can also sit down with you, or if you like, feel free to email me your plans. I can send a drawing back to you with some furniture layout options. That's what we're here for!

Where do I begin when selecting colors?
One of the very first things I learned while getting my design degree is that pretty much anything you put together can be found on the color wheel. Mixing colors is not as frightening as many people think. Mixing patterns, however, can be a different story...

A good place to begin is to look at something you know you want in your room. If you don't have any furniture but have a brilliant blue vase you know you want in your space, work around that. For instance, some colors that go well with blue are gray, orange and brown. So maybe get a bookcase with a beautiful brown tone, a grey sofa with orange pillows and a blue chair with orange pillows all to surround your gorgeous blue vase on the coffee table.

The best way to tell if you like something is by looking at it. Something that may sound childish but really works is using a great big box of crayons. Get a big piece of paper, start putting colors together and see what looks good to you. And remember that we are all different. If you think purple and green look great together, but you sister hates it, don't forget that it is YOUR room...and this is Louisiana.

Happy Decorating!