I get SO many great questions from my blog readers and Instagram followers! Below, I’m sharing nine of the common decorating questions I am repeatedly asked. You’ll notice a trend in the questions overall :).
1. SHOULD I CONSIDER A CLOSED DOOR STAIRCASE INTO MY BASEMENT?
YES! My previous home’s basement didn’t have a door and it was LOUD! The sounds (i.e. kids playing or parents entertaining) from the basement carried throughout the house.
If you have an open floor plan and your stairs are visible to the main part of your home, I recommend doing what we did in our current house … install a door at the bottom of your stairs. This still gives you a door to the entrance of your basement; however, the top of your stairs remains seamless and open.
If your stairs aren’t in the middle of your house, then you can certainly install a door at the top of the stairs. The bottom line … add a door somewhere!
2. SHOULD I PAINT MY CLOSET INTERIORS THE SAME COLOR AS MY ROOM OR CAN I LEAVE THEM WHITE?
I recommend you leave your closets white. Not only does this save you money in painting costs, but it also allows you to repaint your bedrooms in the future without the need to repaint closets as well.
3. IS THE WHITE KITCHEN JUST A TREND?
I can’t tell you how many times I am asked, ‘is the white kitchen just a trend?’ Umm … NO! It’s a timeless classic! The white kitchen has always been around and always will be.
Maybe it won’t be the latest and greatest trend of the time, but it will never go out of style!
SEE MORE PHOTOS OF MY WHITE KITCHEN
4. DID YOU PUT OUTLETS IN YOUR FAMILY ROOM FLOOR?
Yes. I added two outlets in my family room floor. We had to guesstimate where our furniture would be placed once our house was completed. Both outlets are floating in the middle of the room and we added outlet covers to keep our kids and dog safe.
To be 100 % honest, we rarely use these outlets because I prefer overhead dimmer lights rather than lamps, BUT the outlets are there in case we ever need to plug in lamps in the middle of the room.
5. WHERE SHOULD I HANG MY KITCHEN ISLAND PENDANT LIGHTS?
I have a great blog post that answers this question in detail for you! Please read HOW TO HANG PENDANT LIGHTING OVER KITCHEN ISLAND to learn how high (over your island) to hang your pendants, how to space your kitchen island pendants, and what size pendants I recommend.
6. WHAT TYPE OF WINDOW TREATMENTS DO YOU HAVE ON YOUR WINDOWS AND WHERE CAN I BUY THEM?
I have Hunter Douglas Duette cordless shades on every window in my home. The shades are barely visible when they are up. We have the top down/bottom up option … and we have the blackout version in our bedrooms and bathrooms.
I highly recommend these shades if you want a minimal look! You can purchase Hunter Douglas products only through an authorized Hunter Douglas dealer.
7. “I FEEL LIKE CARPETED STAIR RUNNERS ARE GOING OUT … LIKE YOUR STAIR RUNNER IS OUT”
Yep, someone really told me my stair runner was ‘out of style’! I can assure you that the carpeted stair runner is NOT just a trend that is going out of style!
Not only does it add style and texture to your stairs, but it’s also a safety measure in that it helps prevent slipping on stairs.
As a matter of fact, my most popular blog post is HOW TO CHOOSE AND LAY A STAIR RUNNER: AN OVERVIEW. This proves that the stair runner is here to stay!
8. IS THE WHITE HOME EXTERIOR JUST A TREND?
Just like the ‘white kitchen’, the white home exterior is a CLASSIC and it will always be a timeless choice. It may not always be the current trend, but it’s definitely not going out of style!
I’ve rounded up gorgeous white home exterior inspiration in 10 WHITE HOME EXTERIOR IDEAS YOU’LL SWOON OVER!
9. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE BLACK WINDOW TREND? IS IT LASTING … OR DATED?
Black windows are timeless! Yes, they are also the current trend at the moment (especially with Modern Farmhouse exteriors), but this doesn’t take away from the fact that black windows have always been around.
Like the trend questions above, black windows might not be the current trend (down the road), but they will always be a classic window style choice.
WHITE EXTERIOR & BLACK WINDOWS via THE CREATIVITY EXCHANGE
WANNA KNOW THE TOP QUESTIONS I GET ABOUT MY HOUSE?! VISIT MY FAQ PAGE!
Did you notice a trend (no pun intended!) in the questions I repeatedly get? People question the longevity of current trends.
Here’s the deal … trends come and go, so choose design styles that make YOU happy; don’t worry about how long the trend [e.g. white kitchen, white exterior, black windows] will be around.
If you love what YOU choose, you’ll be happy with it for the long haul!
RECOMMENDED POST: HOW TO CHOOSE TIMELESS DESIGN FINISHES.
There you have it … my answers to 9 common decorating questions I get from blog readers and Instagram visitors. Now it’s YOUR turn! Ask me your top decorating question(s) in the comments below!
I have tile floors throughout except bedrooms. I need a large rug in living room, runner in dinning room and runner down the hallway. Should they all be the same?
Hi Connie! No – you don’t need to have the same rugs in all of these areas. However, the rugs should certainly coordinate with each other (i.e. keep a cohesive color scheme going with the rugs) since the areas are probably all visible to each other. Best!
Hi what size cellular shades do you have really love how they look!
Eek … I’m not sure what size my cellular shades are. The cells aren’t very big … maybe an inch or so.
Should I paint the closet door the same color as walls? They have been painted previously. The trim around door is oak. Walls are painted a gray/beige.
Hi Nancy! This all depends on your style. I prefer to have all interior doors in my home white regardless of the wall color. However, if you have a fun and more bold style, you can paint the door to match your closet walls. It’s up to you! – Carrie
Hi we have just built a new house. It has a rather large window in the masterbedroom with fantastic views. However, it also faces southeast and over looks a body of water. We need some privacy during the day and night but want the view. Also, we need room darkening as the rising sun in the morning can be like a laser beam! Also, there is a half circle window on the top. Really need some advice! thanks
This is an old comment so you’ve probably figured out what to do by now. However, if you haven’t … I recommend talking to a local window treatment retailer to find out your options. I am not an expert in all home materials, so I always refer readers to the experts :).