hello
hey everyone it's me Olga Gomes aka designchickee. I started this little
design channel just over a year ago and I can't believe so many of you have
joined me by subscribing to this channel, hitting that like button and sharing my
tips with your friends. And here we are at a hundred plus subscribers. A few
weeks ago I asked you to send me your design questions for this very video and
you came through. So let's get to your design dilemmas. Our first question comes
from Stacy through YouTube: hey designchickee, my question is how high should I
mount wall sconces on either side of my mirror for my bathroom vanity. There are
so many standard measurements, sizes and heights that interior designers refer to
when they're designing a space. In this case wall sconces for a bathroom vanity
usually lie between 65 and 70 inches measured from the finished floor. This is
based on a typical person's eye level and lighting up their faces is rather
important in a bathroom. As a designer, I don't want to say we complicate things
but I also take into account other factors like the size and shape of the
mirror and the actual size and style of wall sconce as well. For instance some
sconces are very long so I prefer to have this type of sconce sit somewhere
close to the middle of the mirror like this
and the mirror needs to be a certain length for this sconce too. Take into
consideration the placement of the shade in relation to the mirror. In this photo
the sconces are definitely too high. They look top-heavy and they certainly
wouldn't highlight the faces of the people using this bathroom. Here are a
few more examples of sconces that are either too high or the mirrors are too
short. So there you go... I hope that helps Stacy. Next up we have a question from
Colleen from Facebook: I live in a suburban bungalow which is now 7 years
old. My problem is the very "contractor like" gas fireplace surround.
I would love to hear any suggestions you might have to make it more unique.
Sometimes when you buy a home from a builder they'll include some great
features but they're usually pared down and pretty basic. Many times gas
fireplaces are left unadorned completely. This is actually a good thing because
you can apply your own design taste and style. I didn't get a photo of Colleen's
fireplace but here's an example of what it might look like. In some cases the
fireplace protrudes into the room. An easy way to add interest is by adding a
wood mantel. It can be painted or stained either would be lovely and I love having
furniture or built-ins on either side of the fireplace. Another great opportunity
for this kind of fireplace setup is to add a mantel as well as an over mantel.
With the addition of a wood mantel some trim above the mantel, stone around the
gas insert and paint, you can make that discreet fireplace into a real focal
point. If you have a fireplace that does not protrude into the room then adding a
mantel is still a great option. Here's an example of a more modern type of mantel. I
love the small subway tile as a fireplace surround. Overall this mantel
is a very strong modern style. Our next question is a color question and it
comes from Jane a Facebook follower: I want to change up my bedroom and would
like to know what are the best colors to use in a bedroom. I'm starting fresh so
let me have it. I love that! OK Jane, the most important thing about bedrooms is
that it should promote healthy deep sleep. There's been lots of research in
this area and most agree that colors that promote a calm environment is best
to reduce blood pressure and heart rate. Blue colors are the best for this. If
you're a follower of Feng Shui, light pastels and neutral earth tones are best
too. So here are some of my favorite colors for bedrooms.
Get ready to pause this video and take note! Okay next up is at Lizzy Bell on
Twitter. I'm redecorating my master bedroom and have fallen in love, that part is
in caps, with a fabric but I'm not sure where to use it plus my husband is wary
of a floral pattern. Is this even a bedroom friendly fabric? Any suggestions?
Here's the fabric she's loving and look it's got blue in it! Well I think this is
a beautiful fabric and a great starting point for redecorating your bedroom and
I love the idea of having a floral headboard. Yes, an upholstered floral
headboard is elegant and inviting. Picture this...
I love the geometric wallpaper in behind to balance the flowers and this night
stand, lamp and the artwork just add to the perfect level of sophistication for
this room. If hubby is still not keen on this look try this instead. I would take
a strong blue color from the fabric and use that as the headboard and then
incorporate this fabric into pillow shams for the bed. A little floral goes a
long way when it's paired with a bold solid color. This is definitely more of a
modern look. Okay we've got one more question. This one came through our
YouTube family! Audrey sent us a photo - she writes: we
just recently moved into our house and although I was initially thrilled that
the window treatments were left behind, this room, our living room, seems off. Some
guests have said the drapes are too skimpy. Others say they're too low
insisting that they should start at the ceiling. Just wondering if you've got any
suggestions for my row of French doors? Well this is a beautiful room but if you
said they are too low I agree! When you have an 8 foot ceiling,
I like drapery to start a few inches away from the ceiling. In this case your
ceiling looks to be higher than that so taking the drapes all the way to the
ceiling would leave too much of a gap between the rod and the top of the
French doors. So I would raise the rods about 6 or 8 inches above the door
trim to give the doors a little more room to breathe. You may even be able to
reuse these drapes by adding a full band along the bottom to make up that
additional length in the drapes. So there you have it! Our very first interior design Q
& A video. Tell us what you think of the format and if you want us to do more
of these videos where we take your real life design problems and turn them into
design possibilities. I've said this before, I never thought I'd have 10
subscribers let alone 100 so I just wanted to thank all of you for following
me and for sharing my videos and encouraging me to do more. I love design
and I love sharing that love with you so if you like this video please give it a
thumbs up or leave us a comment in the section below. You can reach us on
Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Thanks for subscribing and for tuning in every week!
See you soon.