Take It From A Pro
Decorating Tips From Area Professionals Can Help You Create
A Home That Fits Your Lake Lifestyle

By Kate Hofstetter

     Six top local interior decorators,  all with decades of experience in their field, were asked for three design tips for homeowners. Heading the list, as you might expect, was: “Hire a professional.”
     “You will avoid costly mistakes and save time and money,” said Kris Willard, owner of Interiors By Kris at Westlake Towne Center. “Ask for recommendations,” she advised.
     Mary Catherine Perry of Trocadero Fine Furnishings in Union Hall couldn’t agree more.
     “If you ask friends and neighbors how to decorate,” she said, “your home will look like it was designed by a committee. Most people can’t afford not to have a decorator.”
     Resist placing furniture against walls, said Anne Cook of Accent on Design at Lakewood Professional Center. Instead, create intimate groupings, especially in large rooms such as the ones found in many homes at Smith Mountain Lake. Create conversation or reading areas by using oriental or area rugs to anchor furniture.
     Even if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, you can layer a small area rug over the main carpeting to draw the eye to a conversation area and create a focal point in the room, added Janice Thurman, co-owner with Carrie Conard of Envisions, located in Burnt Chimney Plaza.
     “Many people today have solid flooring such as hardwood or ceramic tile,” Thurman said. “Area rugs can also be used to soften such floors.”
     Cook said she starts with an “inspiration” piece when decorating. It could be a rug, artwork, or even a special pillow or vase — something that gives a feel for what the homeowner loves and wants to accomplish. She then builds around that piece.
     “I want your home to reflect who you are by displaying the things you love,” Cook said. “I don’t want it to look like it was decorated by Anne Cook. It should appear to have been decorated by you. The best compliment I can get is when your friends tell you what a good job YOU have done.”
     Moyanne Harding of Interiors By Moyanne in Boonesboro likes to start with the room color.
     “Color,” she said, “sets the mood for the room. Pick a color that makes you happy, in a shade best suited for the type of natural lighting in the room. If you have a room flooded with natural light, it can handle deeper tones. If you have a small amount of light coming in, use warmer colors.”
     When painting, Conard warned, keep in mind colors in adjoining rooms and try to use a compatible color. “If you do have a strongly contrasting color in an adjoining room, try area rugs that include both colors. This will help tie the two rooms together.” She also advised that wood tones will warm white rooms.
     Pat Cundiff of PAC Interiors & Floor Fashions, Inc. in Rocky Mount advises that your permanent products such as carpet, ceramic, hardwood flooring or window blinds be from a neutral palette.
     “Then add color,” she said. “Eight to 10 years from now if you want an updated look you can change color.”
     Changing paint color is the least expensive, most dramatic way to change a room. Don’t be afraid of color was another key tip from most of the decorators.
     Some of the most popular colors today have rich tones. “Chocolate brown is probably about the hottest color,” said Thurman, “another is deep red with blue undertones. Terracotta is also a popular color and more and more people are choosing metallic colored ceramic tile, such as bronze and pewter.”
     When it comes to window treatments, Conard and Thurman advised against vertical blinds, which are functional, but slipping in popularity. To update a room’s look, switch to fabric or, for a casual look, the natural reed or bamboo-type blinds.
     Whenever possible, incorporate furnishings and accessories you already own into the project, which helps keep costs down, Willard advised.
     “With new fabrics and accessories, your possessions can take on a new focus,” Willard said. “Design your home or office for comfort, durability and your lifestyle. Try not to follow trends or fads but look for quality items that will endure.”
     Cook warned that lighting is often overlooked by homeowners. Lighting is important because it sets the mood. She mentioned three key types of lighting: overhead or the main lighting in a home, ambient lights (such as spot lights or “up” lights), and task lamps for reading or desk work. Perry sees balance as a key in decorating. Big pieces are needed, she warned, to balance smaller pieces. Too many small pieces create a cluttered look. Color and texture also need balance. For example, she explained, two small floral prints together aren’t as pleasing to the eye as one small floral and a large, cleaner plaid.
     She also suggests mixing fabrics. “Not everything should be flat.” Fabrics with an open weave or nap create a balance for tightly woven, smooth fabrics or leather.
     Harding also stressed the importance of scaling furniture to the size of the room.
     “Many people buy furniture too large for their room,” she said, “which makes placing it very difficult.” She also advised that furniture fabric should be durable and appropriate for your lifestyle. If you have pets or children, take that into consideration when you buy.
     Cundiff said she finds many people stop short of completing their decorating project by not accessorizing, perhaps because they are satisfied with the look before the project is complete and they become complacent or they are trying to save money. Either way, she warned, stopping before completion is a common mistake. The finishing touches usually take just a little more money and make the overall investment worthwhile.
     People working within budget or time constraints may want to do their decorating in “phases,” Cundiff explained. However, it is important from the beginning to “look at the overall picture and develop a complete plan” from which to work. Clients can fall in love with one step in the process, she said, but a plan keeps them focused and moving toward their goal.
     If you are in the process of building a home, consult an interior decorator early in the building process so he or she can help with placement of electrical outlets and even walls. A decorator can assist with kitchen layout, exterior and interior lighting and selection of colors. He or she will sit down and go over the building plans with you and make suggestions that your builder or architect might overlook. Decorators also frequently save you money over the long haul by avoiding common mistakes and by making their jobs easier once the home is complete and you are ready to begin placing furniture.
      Each decorator stressed the importance of decorating to fit a client’s lifestyle. Do you entertain a lot? Is your lifestyle casual or formal? Do you like open and spacious or private and cozy? Do you have pets, children or both? Your decorator will want to know as much about your needs as possible. She will also want to hear your personal likes and dislikes regarding such things as color and style.
     Cook said she asks her clients to start an “idea” file of pictures from decorating books, magazines and catalogs of designs that appeal to them. This naturally develops their personal palette, she said, and helps them convey their wishes and ideas to her.
     And looks aren’t everything. Harding suggests adding an inviting aroma to your home with candles or potpourri. A pleasant smell not only warms the house, it’s cleansing and relaxing.