Hello! Today I am helping my Email Subscribers with their one FREE Design Question for my “Ask a Designer Series”! I offer this service to my email subscribers as a thank you for following my blog and supporting me. It sure is fun to see what my readers are needing advice on! I am answering 6 of your Design Questions today! I think I get a fireplace question once a week, kitchen design, furniture placement and window treatments! I also replied to about 10 others via email- some design questions are harder to find inspiration pics for or the design question doesn’t require it. Let’s get peeping into your homes! You can find how to ask a question at the end of this post.
#1 Design Question-
“I don’t know what to do with this space. I’ve tried a small table there it seemed to gobble up the space and look too big. It’s a small house that i don’t want just clutter but i hate having just an empty space. Help!” From, Megan
Nesting with Grace Suggestion-
You said that you tried a piece of furniture in that spot and you do have the TV console on that wall. I would do floating shelves on that wall just like the Inspiration picture with lights. It would add height to the space and break up the low console. How fun would it be to decorate those shelves? I see you have artwork leaning by your console that you could mix in!
#2 Design Question-
“Do you think I should paint the built-in’s do I paint the beams too? And what about the fire place? Unfortunately the blue carpet has to stay until we can afford new flooring.” Thank you so much, Allison
Nesting with Grace Suggestion-
You have done a great job of updating the space already! I would paint the brick fireplace and also the built-in’s. It would feel so much brighter and lighter! I went back and forth on the beams. I would paint everything on the fireplace walls and bookcase. I wouldn’t paint the mantle or the beams, see how it looks. One thing you could do is take off the mantle and do something like the inspiration picture The Lily Pad Cottage. It would be gorgeous too.
#3 Design Question-
“How do I rearrange my furniture for a different look? I’m dying for a change but have yet to find the magic formula! Maybe I have too many chairs, maybe I just need a sectional? I don’t know! (But I’d much prefer a smaller space, have you ever heard that before?) Anyway here are my pictures, overlook the mess!”
Thank you, Megan Smith
Nesting with Grace Suggestion-
What a cute room! But yep, you are right. I would get rid of the sofa and the blue chair and do a sectional. Leave the cute yellow chairs. The above Inspiration Picture from Lily Pad Cottage shows how a sectional really balances out such a large room and a large entertainment center. I think you would be happy with it!
#4 Design Question-
Nesting with Grace Suggestion-
You have a pretty home! You could add more seating behind your sectional but I think you need some height or it would all look low. I would do a sofa table behind the sectional and what about this….two hanging chairs? Like the inspiration picture? It would be a fun spot to hang out and chat with friends like you are looking for and also not look so boring like you don’t like. You could do a grouping of four chairs around an ottoman and put a rug down and that would be great too! (You can find the hanging chairs HERE I have the double and they are easy to install).
#5 Design Question-
“I love the clean, fresh, and timeless style that you create, although I feel like my house style right now is the opposite with it’s monotone brown and hard surfaces. I was hoping you could help me figure out some things that I could do to make my home seem less brown and incorporate more welcoming, cozy texture.Please excuse the bear on the wall, that must stay per my husband’s request and he also says I can’t paint the trim or cabinets…darn it! I am definitely on the hunt for a new sofa, so any suggestions there would be welcomed! I do, however, love my living room rug and leather sling back chairs. How can I update and create a welcoming cozy home with such brown monotone hard textures…and what couch would you recommend? I guess that’s two questions, but if I put them in one sentence does that count?” Blessings, Melissa
Nesting with Grace Suggestion-
THIS Rug Pillow
#6 Design Question-
“For 10 years I haven’t had a window treatment in this 10 foot window because I don’t know what to put. I don’t want to spend money on something and then not like it. Can you help?” Thank you, Judi
Nesting with Grace Suggestion-
I would do a Roman Shade 100%! I found the inspiration pic that shows three roman shades on one window. It will save on the price and then you can pull them open at different heights if you wish! I would do a light, white linen fabric. You can read about the roman shade I did above our kitchen window sink HERE.
#7 Design Question-
If you are already subscribed to my blog and want to ask more questions or want your Design Question answered quicker and by the Nesting with Grace Community you can join our Facebook Group HERE! (we limit this group to only email subscribers).
If you would like to submit a design question you can subscribe to my blog HERE and you will be sent an email with how to submit your question. (Keep in mind I am about two weeks out).
Very inspired by the entryway idea, thank you! 😊
yay! Thanks!
Where do I find the wall lights above the floating shelves?
There are some here- http://rstyle.me/~a7Zbr
Thank you so much for your help! I was not sure about painting our built-ins or fireplace but with your reassurance I am going to add it to our list of to-dos! That you again Brooke 🙂
Allison
You will love it guaranteed!
What about this for the corner mudroom?
https://www.hayneedle.com/product/belhamlivingrichlandhalltreeinantiquewhite.cfm
It may be less intrusice in your hallway but still give your kiddos a designated, contained place. a basket in the botton could hold shoes or hats/gloves, etc.
that is fun too. I just thought she could maximize that large wall with hooks and baskets rather than just a tiny corner piece. Just offering other ideas.
OMG, thank you soo much for your idea for my kitchen window… I never really thought what a challenge it would be to figure out something for that window, all I know is that when we built that addition I knew I wanted the window to be enough to see my backyard… after the holidays my cabinets will be painted and new back splash is going in and now I can plan to dress my windows ..Merr Christmas ..
I am happy it helped you!! It is a great window! Merry Christmas!
I just want to go paint (or thick mortar wash 😉)that brick fireplace and paint those wood shelves. It’s going to look amazing. I did this for a friend who has a very similar set up and it totally brightened up the room. It’s so inexpensive and such a huge change. I hope she posts pics of the after 🤗
yes!! I hope she does too!!