Every month last year I teamed up with Dutch boy Paints to host an internet program called Restore My Decor.  Participants upload photos of their troubled rooms and I picked a winner that would receive a virtual makeover.  On the program I featured their room, suppling them with a drawing, color ideas, furniture suggestions as well as answering questions from the on line viewers.  These “virtual” winners had the potential to be the grand prize winner, which was a  to complete a room makeover buy me personally.  When I featured Karen and her husbands living/dining room on the program little did we know that they would become the grand prize winners.  So, off to Columbus, Oh. I went with $4000 in my pocket to complete their traditional chic living room.

Living Room Before

When I visited Karens home she told me that they accumulated most of the furniture, it was way too bulky and took over the space.  Yet the dining area was scant and seemed disjointed. It needed to join the living/dining room spaces which was an issue because I only had $4000.   So I edited out a few pieces and added some chic, traditional elements.   The camel back sofa was in great condition, I liked it, so it stayed, which was great for the budget.  I shopped for a lot of accessories on line (I was relieved they were all there when I arrived)  and did a little shopping in Colombus (Great shopping by the way).

Homeowners painting used for design inspiration

Karen has a painting that means a lot to her and wanted it incorporated into the room. This became the design inspiration. A common mistake that some people make when designing a space around an object is taking it too literally. For example, the frame around Karen’s painting is gold but using too much gold would overwhelm the design and look garish.  I actually steered clear of any gold and incorporated antique brass and darker color metals. For example, the dark metal on the really cool lamp shades and coffee table. Flanking the sofa with darker wood like the espresso colored side tables, allows each furniture piece to stand out individually. I hung sconces on either side of the painting to stretch out it’s size so it didn’t appear to be lost on the large wall. The wing back chairs with solid oak legs and exposed frames with burnt oak drifted finish adds a traditional artistic element. The two little leather and metal ottomans provide additional seating white keeping the room spacious. Obviously, the colors for the room were also pulled from the painting. I used a sophisticated Golden-grey on the walls and dusty blue for the accent color. I hung the blue curtains close to the top of the ceiling and about

Living Room After

10 inches wider then the window to create more drama in the room and showcases the floor to ceiling window. The zebra rug is a playful element but also suggestive of the painting as fur lines the jacket of Napoleons wife in the painting. Animal furs and animal skins were often used in the making of clothes in the 1800’s and was a sign of wealth and rank in society. I used a glass coffee table, so you can see the pattern of the rug, adorned with a few of Karens keepsakes.

Dining Room Before

Dining Room After

After all this, surprising enough, I did not reach my budget.  Yeah!  I was so excited that I  was able to furnish the Dining room for Karen and hubby as well. Off to the stores again.  I was even more elated when I found a chest of drawers that was the same dusty blue that I was using in the room.  I snatched that up quickly found a mirror to hang above it and found a new dining table.  Voila!!!

The end result,  Karen was over the moon and even went as far to call me magical.  I had so much fun with this project.  A big thanks to Dutch Boy for making it possible.  Stay tuned for Restore my Decor in 2011, streaming in May.   You could be the next grand prize winner.

Visit: www.restoremydecore.com