Ever get the sense that you must be the only one who doesn’t know something? Yeah, me too. And though that may sometimes be the case in your own world, after years of interior design I’ve come to discover that there are some VERY similar dilemmas among the home improvement types! I thought it would be helpful to have the top 5 interior design questions I get asked most often in one easily found location. So here we are!
1) What size area rug do I need?
Often times this comes down to a) not knowing, and b) opting for the lower cost one (we’re all guilty of making a decision or two on cost alone sometimes!). But let’s start right here: the BULK (I’m talking 9.9/10) of living rooms need an 8×10 are rug. Many require larger, but 8×10 is basically the “starter pack”. To stop visually breaking up your space, you want to sit the front legs of your sofa and chairs at least 5-6 inches in from the edge. Larger spaces with furniture being “floated” in a room can often have the entirety of upholstery pieces sitting on the rug.
2) How high should I hang artwork?
There’s some variety to this, as ceiling height and orientation of the artwork can have some affect. But a good rule of thumb is to hang pieces roughly 60” to the center. If most family members are a little shorter you may want to lower this slightly; if everyone’s taller, or the ceilings are particularly high, you can raise it a little.
3) How big should a coffee table be?
This touches on both scale and proportion, so it can be a little tricky. For sectionals, I like to opt for a circular coffee table or ottoman, or a cluster of smaller round tables, that generally keep within the limitations of both ends of the sectional. For straight sofas and chairs, choose a table that’s at least half the width of the upholstery piece, up to two thirds. You’ll have to double check this against traffic-flow to be sure it’s right for your space, but in general these are good rules to follow.
4) What about drapery – how high, and how far off the ground?
Drapery, after the function it provides, is all about creating vertical lines. For the best look, you don’t want to cut these lines any shorter than you need to, as it helps create the feel of more vertical space. For 8-10′ ceilings I install drapery as close to the crown molding as possible – so that the header or top of the drapery and the bottom of the crown appear seamless (little to no wall colour in between). Ceilings higher than that can be decided more specifically by the window line – but when in doubt you can usually go higher than you think!
For the distance from the floor, it’s entirely dependent on what style you want. Drapery installed half an inch from the floor will give you that full-length look without touching the floor, which many people like for their clean line. You can also have them installed so they “break” on the floor – picture how a properly tailored man’s dress pant cuff breaks on the top of his shoe. And, less popular these days but I still love their look in bedrooms particularly, are puddled drapes – as much as a foot extra of fabric that puddles at the bottom of the treatment. It gives a lux look which is why I love them in bedrooms – extra cozy and decadent. An extra 4-6 inches will give you the luxurious feel without an immense amount of extra fabric, which may not be as desirable if you have pets.
5) What’s on trend now?
Oooo, there’s no question that makes me tread with caution more than this one! Yes, it’s important as a designer for me to stay in-the-know about current and upcoming trends – furniture shows like High Point Furniture Market get me excited about developing styles! But, let me say this: design that YOU love will never go out of style. Yes, styles come and go and things do get “outdated”, but what’s most important is creating a space that you love, that serves you well, and that represents your lifestyle.
If you have any questions about design, I would LOVE you to let me know! Maybe you’ll see them answered in a blog or video post! Send me a direct message on my Instagram or Facebook pages, or email me straight from my website! I’m waiting to hear from YOU 🙂
