Ask Donna
Have you ever had an Interior Design question and had nowhere to turn?
Well... Now you do! Ask Donna is a new online interactive feature offered by Donna Livingston Design. Here you can post any question that you may have regarding Interior Design and receive a personalized answer from Donna.
Click on questions below to see some of Donna's previous answers:
If you reference to a past blog post of Donna's you will find all of those wonderful ivory cream colors you are looking for!
Q: My home is a mid century ranch and I have a green slate stack stone columns and a dark brown glass door and brown garage door. I want to pain the exterior of my home, but I'm not sure where I'm headed. Do I take a light green from the stack stone, or go off white and highlight the columns and doors? There is not a lot of light since I have a big oak tree in front. Any suggestions? My goal is for the house to look contemporary and clean, but elegant.First of all I love mid-century as it is so NOW. Think hip! Without seeing it, I like the idea of green but maybe, it the range of slate color, or you could do a warm taupe color. I hope this helps.
Q: I am interested in studying interior design...is this degree well worth it and do you have any recommendations on a good interior design school? The pictures in your portfolio are amazing!!Thank you for your lovely comments about my portfolio. As far as interior design, it is a great profession and one that is always fascinating but challenging. Of course, I think it is the most exciting career you can have! Look for schools in your area to learn more. If you work now look for a night school. UCLA has a wonderful interior design program. One tip, I am forever pulling out pages from magazines that continually sharpen my skills. Good Luck!
Q: I just bought my first house last week and I need some idea how I can decorate my house within my limited budget.Well, you are off to an exciting start with a new home. Congratulations! What do you have in the way of furniture now? Start with some wall paint colors that are not white but have some warmth to them. Eventually, add a few of your favorite things. Your home needs to be nurtured and grow along with you! Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Q: Do you have any suggestions for a newly-wed bedroom?How about lots of candles, pink light bulbs, and a cozy comforter and pillows! Of course, just to make it the most romantic, a framed picture of the wedding so he never forgets how happy he was at that moment!
Q: We are building a Georgian style house (very exciting) and are having difficulty deciding on paint finish for the trim. In your opinion, should the trim have the same "sheen" as the walls if they are essentially the same color? Or should the trim be a level higher?
Well, first of all, congratulations on your
new home! I recently painted my own new
place and had to revisit the same question.
Here is the recipe that I follow:
1. Use flat paint on the walls (if you have
flaws in your drywall flat paint will help to
disguise them).
2. Use semi-gloss paint on any trim or built-
in cabinets.
3. Use eggshell paint on ceiling.
There are a few options for this layout. In a living room, it is often nice to have an additional seating area for extra guests. A great example is if you have company over and are watching a movie or sports game on TV. There may be some guests that are more interested in chatting than viewing TV, and an additional seating area would provide the perfect space for that. You also mentioned that the space is next to the kitchen. Another option would be to create a breakfast nook in this area. A small table and a few dining chairs provide a nice space for casual breakfast or lunch and can double as a work area.
Q: My living room has 2 story high walls and I cannot figure out what to do above the fireplace mantel. It's now just an empty blank space that looks unfinished. What do I do?This is something that arises in many designs. It is so wonderful to have such high ceilings, but what do you do with that space? Take a look at my portfolio from a recent project in the California desert. In this situation, I bought a large tapestry and hung it above the fireplace mantel. Tapestries range in sizes and price and you are bound to find one that meets your needs and budget. Another option could be a large mirror or several stacked picture frames. Just be sure that whatever you chose is safe from the open flame!
Connect With Donna
