Dear Debbie:
We are remodelling our guest suite and would like some tips on how to tie in the bath and bedroom. Bedroom walls will be painted, but not sure what colour. The white carpet is staying, thinking white marble for bathroom.
Jane and Jules:
Dear Jane and Jules:
There should be some unifying factors that tie a bedroom and ensuite bath together and make a purposeful flow. Bathrooms have hard surfaces, which contrast with the soft textures and fabrics that dominate the bedroom. Bathroom surfaces can be given a gentler character with your choice of colour, style and pattern. Seen here, the pale marble markings in the porcelain floor tiles connect beautifully with the bedroom's soft white carpet.
Be aware of the view standing in the bathroom looking toward the bedroom. The bedroom walls are painted in a deep shade of mauve with a hint of grey in it, a wonderfully warm colour that will cast a rosy hue on your guests.
The bathroom's wallpaper has pastel pink and gray flowers that float against the bedroom's saturated hues, creating a welcome balance.
Design details in the bathroom have a traditional edge; a bevelled countertop, and deep brown undercounter cabinetry with moulded door panels connect with the nostalgic design of the day bed.
Carry colour from one room to the next with towels and bed linens. You can pick your towel colours from those seen in the bedspread; including the popular white.
Dear Debbie:
I was hoping to get decorating advice on how to create a pretty girls' bedroom for my daughters aged 13 weeks and 4 years. We have a Cape Cod style home and their bedroom is built on the gable end of the house and the sloped ceilings don't leave much room for positioning furniture.
Debbie A.
Dear Debbie A.:
These rooms with low ceilings are wonderful for young children. I am assuming that there is an area in the middle of the room where the roof peaks.
This is the best position for the crib, as you will be reaching into the crib to care for your baby and will require the head room.
Then I suggest you choose low, long dressers or consoles and open shelves for storage, and a play table.
Tuck them along the walls under the gables. Depending on the size of the room, the bed for your four year old can run along the wall too.
With two children sharing a room, it's important to plan easy traffic flow from the door to the crib and bed. The age difference calls for a variety of play stations.
Dear Debbie:
We have 1980s melamine kitchen cabinets with the oak pull strip along the bottom of the doors. Is there any way to update the look without replacing them? We are putting in a new granite countertop. Have you ever done a show on this?
Joe
Dear Joe:
This was a remarkable makeover I did on The Painted House and it's included in my Kitchen and Bath book. The original melamine cabinets were white with the oak strip running along the bottom of the doors as you described.
We painted the cabinets a medium sky blue and the pulls were transformed with silver metallic paint. This contemporary combination worked well with the new stainless steel appliances. Your colour combination depends on the shades in the granite. Black or dark green with gold pulls would be very dramatic, or gray, weathered wood doors with dark gray or red pulls is an option with country appeal.
Debbie Travis' House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.
