Matt Fox and Shari Hiller 7/24/2002

HGTV: Welcome to HGTV's hosted chat room. This morning, Matt Fox and Shari Hiller, hosts of Room by Room, have joined us to answer your interior design and home improvement questions. Good morning, Matt and Shari!

Matt Fox: Good morning everybody from nice and cool Cleveland Ohio!
Shari Hiller: We're anxious to hear your great questions, so let's get started.

Question: I live in "affordable" (subsidized housing( we aren't allowed to paint, or wall paper--I need some ideas for color, decor and storage.
Shari: Here's a project that would certainly add some color to your room. You might consider doing it as an accent wall, and that would be the starched fabric technique. You can find instructions on hgtv.com, just search for RXR-710.
Matt: We use a lot of under-bed storage using plastic containers. You can put your winter clothes away in summer, and your summer clothes away in winter. As well as storing items you don't use often.
Shari: You might want to consider dual-purpose furniture, such as a storage ottoman, storage headboard and use dressers as nightstands.

Q: I'm planning to paint a floor cloth to use outside on my patio and need to know what kind of paint to use. Will it crack when I roll it storage?
Matt: We use just regular latex paint, and you can also use craft paint for that project, but you need to seal it. And we use a water-based polyurethane because the water-based sealant doesn't yellow. Now to store it you want to roll it, and roll it like a tube so you don't cause creases. You want to roll it around a heavy cardboard tube, hold it with a rubber band and put it in a plastic bag. Great summer project.
Shari: Have fun!

Q: In Africa theme great room with matchsticks on one window. Would you do roman shades over sliding doors or repeat matchsticks?
Shari: Well you wouldn't have to repeat the matchstick, but if there's only one other window in the room, then the slider should match. Sounds like a cool room!

Q: Good morning from a fellow Clevelander. I'm moving into a new home in a few months. The LR carpet is hunter green. My furniture and accessories are in shades of olive/khaki/purple. What can I do to make these colors work with the hunter green carpet?
Shari: It's very difficult to blend that many greens together. Hunter with olive and khaki is a tough combination. If you can find fabric with all of your colors in it, you may be able to make drapery panels, pillow covers, maybe even a chair slipcover to help tie things together. Another option would be to pull the carpet up in the corner and hope maybe you have a beautiful hardwood floor underneath. In that case, if the hunter green carpet's in good shape maybe it can be relocated to another room.
Matt: Or maybe you could wear sunglasses or keep the lights off. Works for me!

Q: I have started doing my 1/2 bath using the "woolie" faux painting system -- however it doesn't look right -- looks like a paint job gone bad. Any suggestions to save/repair my work?
Matt: We've never really used the wooly. The only thing I could suggest is stop what you're doing and reapply a base coat, and before you go back practice with the wooly on some other surface until you get your technique right before you go back to the bathroom.
Shari: I'm not sure this would work, but if you have colors that are too bold, you might try a Ralph Lauren sun fade glaze over the top to soften everything. It's like adding a translucent coat of white.

Q: Hi Matt and Shari, I am a first time live chatter from Cleveland Ohio and your show rocks! Thanks for all your great ideas! I have a 16 feet x 3' 1/2" foot hallway with 5 doors and a chair rail that is seen from the family room and the kitchen. I would like your ideas on placement and number of recessed lights to use, is it too narrow of a hallway to use wall mounted lighting? What about a pain technique for "wow" power and ideas to display family photos/portraits? Although pricey, I like the Pottery Barn frames. What is grosgrain ribbon?
Matt: Dear Clevelander, it sounds like you have a whole show in mind. And it would probably take a whole half-hour to answer, but here goes. First of all I wouldn't use a wall-mounted light, but instead of recessed lighting have you considered track lighting. You can move the fixtures along the track to highlight the artwork you have planned. Track is a great accent and general lighting.
Shari: Instead of a "wow" painting technique, how about a bold color. It would make a great background for your family photos. And grosgrain ribbon can be found in your local fabric store, and it's a heavy ribbon with horizontal lines woven in. It's very sturdy, great for projects. It comes in great colors.
Matt: Well we hope this helps and we hope this first chat isn't your last.

Q: I'm wanting to know what I can do to improve the look of metal kitchen cabinets that have been covered in contact paper? I'm in an apartment.
Matt: If the contact paper can be removed, metal cabinets can be painted just like a regular wooden cabinet door. Same prep, which is clean, lightly sand with 220-grit sandpaper, prime with a bonding primer and then paint with an oil or latex paint. That should spiff it up a bit.

Q: Color palette is muted gold/sage/brick red and dusty blue. If roman shade, what color of fabric?
Matt: I don't know but we know where you can get some hunter green carpet.
Shari: Generally, we select our window coverings with the wall color in mind. If you're trying to make the room look larger, match your window coverings to your wall color. If the room is spacious and can use accents around the room, choose whichever color you like best. Sounds like a great color combination.

Q: Matt and Shari I have a vaulted ceiling in my master bedroom how do I decorate the angled wall where the head board is in front of? I was thinking a boarder would break up the wall too much and it runs in to the plant shelf!
Shari: If you still want to use a border, is it possible for it to just follow the ceiling line? This will accent the architectural details of the room. An unusual wall shape might look nice in an accent color, could you pull something from your bedding that might give the room some drama?
Matt: Have you considered a flat-screen TV?

Q: This question is for Shari. In Episode 707, you made window scarves to use as a valance treatment, and they were hung on kitchen cabinet knobs. Could this same treatment be used on traditional curtain rods?
Matt: What makes you think I didn't come up with that window treatment?!?
Shari: Unless you added a pocket to the back of the scarf, the loops would continue to slide from the weight of the fabric and you'd have a hard time keeping it looking neat... I think. :)

Q: What are the up and coming color trends ? Love your show when will we be seeing new ones?
Matt: Our new shows should start in October, with the regular HGTV fall lineup. But if you want to, on Friday nights they're running back-to-back Room by Room shows. They're still good.
Shari: As far as up and coming color trends, Matt and I generally decorate to satisfy the homeowners needs. We work with the colors and styles they have available. We really don't spend a lot of time trying to figure out what the next trend's going to be, since we feel it's better to live with colors you love rather than the colors someone else tells you are hot.
Matt: But hunter green's still a good color.

Q: My daughter is sort of redoing her room. The bedding is white with a tulip motif. Mostly purple coral, and light sage. What would be a good wall technique? She is artistic and would like to paint the walls light sage with hand-painted, whimsical tulips. What do you think?
Shari: I think it would be a great idea to give your daughter the chance to try it. She obviously has something pictured, and she won't be satisfied until she gives it a try.
Matt: I think it's wonderful. You go girl!
Shari: The color combination sounds beautiful. This sounds very nice.

Q: What type and style of wood furniture would mix best with a black wrought iron canopy bed? And on another subject: I am thinking of painting a soccer field like wall mural on my son's bedroom wall. Any tips or ideas to do this? How would I blend the other walls? I am using red and green colors with of course black and white soccer balls. Thanks.
Shari: Cherry would be gorgeous with a wrought-iron bed and very classy looking.
Matt: There's a lot of furniture coming out with wrought iron incorporated into the piece, like the legs of a nightstand.
Shari: If you stay with the midrange or lighter woods they'll show up better against the dark wrought-iron frame.
Matt: There's so many different ways you could do it. You could paint the soccer field below chair rail height.
Shari: Or as high as two-thirds of the way up the wall.
Matt: It could be angled, there's so many ways you could do it. Use a sky blue as a background, and then paint the mural over that.

Q: I watched one of your shows where you mentioned using a paint on the ceiling that had reflective properties. I have looked every where and can not find this type of paint. I would like more than just white paint.
Matt: If it's the paint we're thinking of, that is a high reflectant white, it's available at Sherwin-Williams stores in a variety of soft white colors and pastels.

Q: Hi Shari and Matt, I Love your show. Can you offer any suggestions on stenciling on duck cloth? I am trying to make a shower curtain. Thanks.
Matt: I've always had trouble in the past folding those ducks down.
Shari: How about just fabric paint, because I think it's washable and can hold up to the moisture from the shower.

Q: Hi Shari and Matt, I would like to redo my bathroom in a farmhouse style but I don't want to use beadboard on the walls since I would have to remove the pedestal sink. Is there some way that I could use paint on paint to give the same effect as beadboard?
Matt: Of course! They actually have a squeegee you can purchase that's cut in the shape of beadboard. And you can find that at Sherwin-Williams, it's part of their illusions program. We've actually done it in the show. The show was about a sun porch, in season 16 I think. I'm not sure if that show's aired yet though.

Q: I would like to put some typed garden messages on my garden theme bathroom wall. If I use Modge Podge will it work and/or will it be a bear to remove when I redecorate?
Shari: We haven't tried anything like that using modge podge, but we foresee a lot of sanding.
Matt: Sanding is in your future.
Shari: How about a stencil brush, and stencil the letters and write whatever message you want.
Matt: I would think stencils would be better.

Q: What is the best way to treat the windows in a bay window?
Shari: There are so many ways to treat bay windows. You need to determine whether you want the treatment on the outside of the bay, inside the bay or a combination. Blinds work great inside, and offer light control and privacy. And a fabric treatment on the outside usually helps to soften the window. Check out a window treatment book in your local bookstore and fabric store for more ideas. By the way I've kicked Matt out of the room due to his overuse of the hunter green carpet joke.
Matt: I'm working on some new one-liners using ducks.

Q: What interior colors and accessories would you suggest to create a Nantucket style home?
Shari: The New England color palette uses a lot of light neutrals on the walls, with bolder colored trim. A nice beige, navy, muted red... Check out hgtv.com, Room by Room show number RXR-306, "New England Guest Room".
Matt: There are tons of books that are specific to the New England-style home.

Q: You used z-brick on show #28, we can't find z-brick in the pacific northwest, do you have supplier that still makes z-brick?
Matt: The only thing I can think of is to go to the web and search for z-brick. Here, I've found www.z-brick.com.

Q: Hi, I was wondering. When putting fabric on walls with starch, does the fabric need to be a heavy weight or could I use a lightweight fabric? Thanks.
Shari: When we've done this project, we used medium-weight fabric. Lightweight sheets seem too see-through, and the real heavy upholstery fabric doesn't seem to want to stay on the wall. Most decorative fabric that you might use for draperies, slipcovers, and bedspreads would be perfect.

Q: When will you do some shows that deal with just how to display accessories in a room?
Shari: We're currently considering an idea for a video dealing with just that, accessorizing a room.

Q: I have a 4 year old girl and a 2 year old boy in the same room and I need some decorating ideas
Shari: I saw something interesting in a magazine the other day, where the beds were placed so the headboards were together in the middle of the room and the children lay facing opposite directions. There was basically a line down the middle of the room, with one side decorated more for a male, the other for a female. But the colors were the same, but the amount used on each side differed. The boy's side was bluer with touches of yellow, the girl's side was more yellow with touches of blue.

Q: Is it possible for Matt and Shari to use a room in my house for their show? If not, can you help me here? My entire house has white walls, how do I get enough nerve to start adding color to them?
Shari: If you want to try color, try it first in areas where you don't spend a lot of time. For instance, how about the entry way to your home? Perhaps a guest bedroom? Or like in my house, the dining room is a great place for bold color because it adds drama and interest and we only eat a couple of meals a year in it.
Matt: Don't feel like you have to paint all the walls, you can start out with just an accent wall to add a splash of color. Then it's much easier to go back and paint over it.

Q: I'm starting a business called 'ladies tool time' to teach ladies tool usage and home projects. Any suggestions on projects?
Matt: Great. More competition! Wall shelves are great projects for learning basic power tool techniques. A lot of our projects are on the website and make great projects for beginners. There's a great trash container I built that's very functional and also teaches you how to use a lot of different tools. And when can I sign up for a class? It's RXR-1107. Just go to hgtv.com and search for it. Look for the "Decorative Trash Can" project.

HGTV: Well, everyone, our chat hour has ended. Thanks for joining us today. And thank you, Matt and Shari, for answering our questions.

Matt Fox: Well thanks for putting up with me today.
Shari Hiller: I don't think you should come to the next chat, Matt! LOL! That's what happens when you have too many chocolate chip cookies before a chat.

Matt: Just keep you ducks in a row, and join us for the next chat on August 20!
Shari: Where we'll decorate together, Room by Room.