Twitter Chat with John Gidding, and a HUGE Giveaway!

luuve

i have a few small collections of my favorite things. I need a better way to display them. Any advice??

Also, i have a ton of dishes both grandparents passed down to me. I love to use most of them, but when I’m not using the other set, how can they be displayed??? Or is actually using them and loving them enough??

Megan

I have been looking to buy a new couch for years but I have two little boys who are messy. Is there a couch that is very easy cleaning?

Allyson

What are some ways I can make over or disguse my green carpet without having to remove and replace it?

Rebecca

I love the look and practicality of claw foot tubs (you know: they’re actually deep enough to immerse oneself in but don’t have a huge footprint. If I were to remodel my bathroom and wanterd to obtain th evibe annd functionality of a clawfoot tub, would you suggest getting one? Would that be too difficult? Do you have another, fresher alternative? Thanks!

Katie

Awesome! My question is, I have a lot of trouble with grouping pictures and collections. I don’t want my rooms to seem cluttered but I also live in a very open floor plan. What advice do you have for hanging and framing art? How much is too much? Ratio of art to non space and all that?

Kristi Bruno

What do you see on the horizon in kitchen re-dos? Is stainless steel here for good? What about countertops and cabinets?

Thanks for the chance to win awesome prizes!

CourtneyM

Painting kitchen cabinets white – love the look & it is very “in” right now, but should I jump on this or hold out for this trend to fade?

caroline

What approach would you suggest for choosing a countertop color for a kitchen? It’s a major investment that I don’t want to mess up! Specifically, we have white cabinets and currently have a white tile countertop. I’m waffling between staying with white (just in a solid surface that won’t have grout to keep clean) or going with something more high-contrast (say, closer to our dark taupe ceramic tile floor). I wondered what to consider when choosing between matching or contrasting with the cabinets.

Val

I tend to decorate by choosing one color and going with it (in most cases light blue and brown). What are your tips for incorporating more colors into a pretty monochromatic color scheme?

michelle

what are your fav resources for bedding? cheap is always best, but I will be open, thx, michelle.

Courtney F.

Is it better to do a room redesign all at once, or have your vision and work towards it in pieces? I’d like to update our living room, but funds are low. I’m worried, though, that if i do it in pieces, I’ll get “sidetracked,” and the look of the room won’t come together the way I envisioned.

Sabrina

We recently moved into an old apartment that we’re renting. I love the old feel, however the kitchen floor is an old laminate that looks terrible and is peeling. Do you have any kitchen friendly suggestions for us to dress up the floor that aren’t permanent and are affordable? Thanks!

Jessica

How can you combine a lot of different home items together to create a cohesive look. I’m a pretty eclectic person and I don’t want my space to look like a garage sale!

Sheena

How do you create an open space fill in a bedroom only large enough for a full size bed that I want to keep. Certain colors? Fabrics? Etc?

rachel denbow

I have a wall of framed art that was put up to work with one living room set up when we moved in but I’ve been wanting to rearrange since then. I don’t know if I’ve really limited myself to a specific arrangement because of my art placement or if the composition would work no matter what piece of furniture was placed in front of/under it? In theory, how do you rearrange without having to change out too much on the walls?

Katie @ explanation required

I’m trying to work within a small budget for all my spaces (think IKEA, Target and the like), but know that some things I won’t be able to get on the cheap. What items are most important to splurge on?

Jenn

My home is still a temporary place meaning I bounce from one apartment to another. What are some good furniture investments I can make that will be useful in my temporary home and flexible enough to still work when I eventually “settle down”?

Gemma

How often does laminate wood flooring need to be replaced?

I’ve had mine for about 5 years now, and it’s chipped in some places, creaky in others, and is looking pretty worn down. How do I restore the original shine or luster that it had? Can I take out the damaged parts and replace it with the extra boards that I saved, or will it all need to be replaced?

Dee

My boyfriend and I just moved into, and are currently decorating, our first solo apartment. It’s downtown, all hardwood floors with a beautiful view! We really lucked out. The place is /tiny/, though, which presents a problem. Since we can’t have his-and-hers rooms, we’re having to mesh together two pretty different styles. Nicole’s most recent MIY has been great, but I have a more specific issue.

I have a great suede-feeling tufted ivory couch (http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=351454&CategoryID=35581), and the boyfriend is afraid to sit on it. He thinks it’s a little too pretty to zonk out on. He wants a “man couch”, something durable, clunky and leather. I’ve looked for ages and haven’t found anything that matches the style of what I already have (especially something that would fit in our limited space). I think there’s room for it if it’s a two seater, but nothing has seemed right. Do you have any suggestions on where to find a dark leather loveseat that might fit in among prettier, girlier things, that would be comfortable enough to flop onto after work?

Thank you so much!

Erin

Any good sources you use to get inexpensive but nice looking/detailed slipcovers?

Design Milk Jaime

I would love to know if it is acceptable to have a guest room and office combo – how can you make your guests feel comfortable when they’re technically sleeping in your office?

Dedee Smith

My boyfriend and I are moving in together … we both own our own houses and have very distinct styles — he is more modern, while I tend to lean towards beachy/shabby chic….how can we combine our styles?

Mary Claire

This giveaway is amazing! Do you have some interesting ideas for displays above my kitchen cabinets? I can’t stand the look of the 12-18 inch bare space, but I’m stuck on what to fill it with!

Katie

I am curious as to how many colors of paint in one house is too many. I love to have a well-designed space, but I don’t feel that there is a coordinating palette across the whole house. When should I cut myself off?

Shannon R

What’s the best way to make the most of your space in a tiny kitchen?

nikki

I would love some suggestions for simple wood bookshelves. I can’t afford to have anything custom-made, but we’ve long since outgrown the shelving we currently have.

Amanda

Do you have any advice for those of us with pets? Are there any surfaces or fabrics that are both fashionable and easy to clean/durable?

Every time I buy new curtains, my cats ruin them!
Every time we buy a rug other than tan, cat hair shows and looks untidy!
Every time we get a new table my cats lay on and walk all over them!

lindsey

I have open space above my kitchen cabinet. Right now I don’t have any decorations up there. Should I leave it that way or add something? I wouldn’t mind adding something, but am fearful of the kitchen looking too cluttered. Do you have nay suggestions?

Laura

What a cool prize! My question, how to mix patterns? I am very pattern shy when it comes to my home decor. I just can never find the right combination that feels cohesive. Any tricks up your sleeve?

P.S. I heart John Gidding.

Taz

I have a very long hallway that goes the length of our apartment broken up by doorways. Furniture doesn’t seem to ‘fit’ here. Any ideas on what to add to make this into a functional and beautiful addition to our space?

Margot

Wow, this is perfectly timed as I am moving on Saturday! My boyfriend and I are both artists/graphic designers and we both work from home. This will be our first apartment together! So excited! It’s a loft-style, exposed brick, small 2br.

My question relates to all of the paper and small-scale art and collage materials that we are constantly shuffling around. We either need to store them, display, or both and I’d love suggestions on how. Something that can display many small pieces of art, zines, and magazines…Like a rack or some kind? Also, shelving/boxing labeling ideas. We love vintage and would love to incorporate unique or unexpected boxes and filing…Not just any old plastic bin from Target, you know?

Thanks!

Amanda W

I live in a rented apartment, and am not allowed to paint. :(
Any suggestions on how to liven up the walls with more color? I already have area rugs and curtains…

Amanda

What are going to be the next trends in home items?

Shannon

I have a very large bedroom with wood floors. I’m desperate to warm the space up with an area rug, but an 8’x10′ will look silly in the space and the rugs that are big enough become unaffordable. I am not a big fan of carpet tiles. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can affordably and attractively warm the space (and my feet)?

jen

i have the base hardwood floors in my kitchen. i’m torn about what to do with it when i remodel. should i keep it and just stain it so that it looks even or should i put down new hardwood floors or some other material? my beef with the current floor is that it looks dirty all the time and is also hard to clean because of its uneven surface.

Adventures in Dressmaking

Great giveaway!
I’m moving into a tiny 1928 bungalow with awful 60’s and 90’s improvements. We can paint and do anything that improves the value in the owner’s eyes, but they think the ugly 90’s kitchen is just fine. What budget-friendly tips do you have for things that you can’t change in a rental?

Meaghan

Awesome! What are your suggestions for decorating an apartment on a low budget when you can’t paint?

Emily

Can you give some guidelines for how to shop thrift stores and flea markets to bypass the trash and really score the best finds?

Lauren

I have a small (read: tiny) studio apartment and a LOT of stuff to hang up, all of which was previously spread out over many rooms! I pared it down to the things I love because of the limited number of walls available, but I still feel like some of it doesn’t go together, yet I’ve only get the one room to work with. Any ideas that will make my place look more cohesive but still allow me to display a few different styles of decor? PS It’s about 240 sq. ft.

Lindsay Széchenyi

I have a semi open floor plan. The main room, which can be seen from the other rooms, is painted a pale aqua color. How can I carry that color through the rest of the house without feeling like the whole place is blue?

Melissa M.

I have a tiny little patio, 8’x’8. I feel like a full table and chairs set will be too overwhelming for such a small space. What’s an inexpensive and LOW MAINTENANCE patio furniture option that doesn’t look too cheap and cheesy? I currently have a wooden bench, but I failed to keep up with maintaining it and it looks gross now. Will metal just rust? Will plastic get moldy? Will wood warp? Thanks!!

Joy

How can I display my collections without my home looking cluttered?

rachel

What is your favorite decorating rule to break or throw out the window?

Thanks!

Kate

IS gray a trend for wall color, or does it have the staying power to become a classic?

Leslie

We have a 1905 bungalow with 10′ ceilings and no built-in lighting in some rooms. The attic isn’t finished so we have access to the ceilings.

There are a lot of projects in progress so we don’t have a lot of money. What is an inexpensive way to add lighting without breaking the bank?

Megan

We have a big brown sectional that is great for the family but not so great to look at. How do you make a large, dark piece of furniture work when one likes lighter, brighter and airy looks?

Kristin

We’d like to put wood floors in our kitchen, but need something that can stand up to 2 dogs and kids. Any suggestions for durable wood (or wood-look) flooring that is scratch resistant?

Melissa Mae

What is the easiest way to remove old wallpaper?
:) Thanks!

Wendi

Where can I find some cute and affordable throw pillows?

Diane L.

I just bought a set of matching coffee table and 2 side tables for our living room. While I’m waiting for its delivery, I’m seeing a lot of inspiring photos on the web for living rooms that don’t have matching tables. Am I committing a huge home deco no-no?