Do you have a Decorating Conundrum, a seemingly insurmountable
design flaw that you just can't figure out how to 'surmount'?

 

Well, you've come to the right site because today's post is all about Solutions.

 

 Problem:  Do you have unclaimed space dawdling underneath a staircase?

House To Home

The Brick House

Solution:  Open it up and create a reading nook and extra storage. 

 

  

Problem:  Do you have a pantry, mud room, or laundry
room right off of your dining room? 

Confetti Style

Solution:  Elegant décor isn't wasted on ANY room.  Dress up the little

eyesore then remove the door so that your dinner guests can enjoy the

view of another beautiful room.

    

Problem:  Do you have a long, skinny foyer? 

Inside Homes

Solution:  Removing the ceiling completely changes the dynamic
of the room and increases the cubic space.  Lofty aspirations, what?!

 

 

 

 Problem:  Do you have a basement that's never seen the light of day?

Ken Satterfield

Solution 1:  Mount mirrors on the wall and trim them out to
give the appearance of windows.

Source

Solution 2:  Mounting televisions near the ceiling gives a sense of height which many basements lack.  Don't forget - light colored walls reflect light.

 

 

 Problem:  Do you have a small eat-in kitchen?

Chandeliers & Warm Beers

Solution:  Decorate BIG - paint one wall darker, hang colorful art,
use upholstered chairs and don't forget to hang a great light fixture.
BIG attitudes convey BIG confidence.

Problem:  One of the challenges of a Fixer-Upper is prioritizing the 'fixes'.  The kitchen is one of the most expensive rooms in a house to renovate and it takes a lot of thought and planning to get the kitchen you want.  In the meantime you have to live with a less-than-desirable kitchen often one with ugly cabinets.

Beautiful Living

Solution: Remove the top cabinets, patch and paint the walls and then hang shelves to hold the essentials.  Install curtain rods with interesting panels to hide the cabinets and drawers under the counter.   This temporary solution provides a respite from the uglies and gives you a sense of progress toward your eventual renovation.

 

 

Problem:  In a small kitchen there often isn't enough room for

an unsightly garbage can without tripping over it.

Gail's Decorative Touch

  Easy solution: Position a pre-fab cabinet beside the refrigerator and place

the can inside.  The top can hold decorative items or cooking utensils.

 

 

 Problem:  Need to give your laundry room

a little personality of its own? 

Belle Vivir

  Solution 1:  Cover one wall with old shutters, remove cabinet

doors to give an illusion of more space, install bright lighting

and add a few vintage accessories.

Source; In My Own Style

Solution 2:  Hang non-traditional art on the walls, attach a gathered skirt to the sink and either replace the flooring or add an interesting area rug.

 

 

 

Problem:  Is there a quirky shaped attic in your home that has potential?

Apartment Therapy;  Kotivinkki

 

Solution:  Highlight the quirkiness!  Crooked ceilings, odd shaped doors

and squeaky floors are what give houses character.

 

 

 

Problem:  Many house plans feature the master bedroom with a door opening out to a patio or deck that is also accessible from a dining room or den.  This design limits the bedroom's privacy.

Not My Beautiful Home

 Solution:  Extend the backyard privacy fence onto the patio.  It creates a separate outdoor area for the bedroom and also allows the main patio to function as a second outdoor dining room without a view of the bedroom.

 

If you can identify with any of today's design challenges I hope

these solutions will give you some ideas on how to solve them - or at

least work around them.  Thanks for stopping by!