Interior design and home improvement chat— August 20, 2002 9:30 p.m.
HGTV: Welcome to HGTV's hosted chat room. Tonight, Shari Hiller and Matt Fox, hosts of
Room by Room, are here to answer your questions about interior design, home improvement and their program. Hello, Shari and Matt!
Matt Fox: Happy middle August everyone! I can't believe summer is winding down...
Shari Hiller: Oh, don't talk that way, Matt! There's still a week and half left until school starts!
Question: We have a cedar siding home with a porch across the front with lattice from top to bottom and all the way across. We want to repaint our front door & my husband would like to paint the lattice a complimentary color to the door & the house. Would that take away from the house's appearance to have the lattice painted? The door color will probably be a shade of green, so what color would be used on the lattice! HELP!!
Matt: The lattice should be the trim color.
Shari: Let the door be bold and exciting, because if the lattice is bold and exciting, it will take away from the beauty of your home.
Q: On Episode RXR-1505 there was an old picture of a sailor on the wall. My mom swears it was my dad's picture from around 60 years ago. Any idea how I can find out about that picture?
Matt: First of all, she's absolutely right. LOL. We're looking through the season numbers to see if we can track that down. We know it was a family member of the homeowner might you have relatives in Cleveland?
Q: I have Shaker style kitchen cabinets but they have a laminate on them. How can I antique or give them a more distressed look??
Matt: Well, laminate can be painted, so you should start out with a base coat of paint. To get an aged look, use a glaze that you can wash onto the surface. Or you can wash a darker color paint on (darker than the base coat). We always experiment with a sample board before we actually start on the cabinets.
Q: My question is this--I live in a mobile home (a single wide). Can you give an tips on how to do walls as cheaply as possible? Also, I want an Asian theme.
Matt: A lot of mobile homes do have walls that can be painted. Paint is the cheapest decorating tool there is. We have talked about using starch to apply fabric directly to the walls. I believe those starched fabric instructions are available on the website (hgtv.com). That would be a great look.
Q: Hi, Matt and Shari. I am currently redecorating my kitchen like your recently aired episode "old world kitchen". Do you remember, Matt, the color of the Z- Brick you used? I need your help.
Matt: The color samples would be on the website: www.z-brick.com. They should have a color system to choose the color you are thinking of. You'll have a lot of fun on that website.
Q: On episode RXR-1505, you used an unusual fabric for a curtain by the front door. Did you purchase the fabric from a fabric store like Joann or Hancock Fabrics? Thanks, JulieB (owner of the hunter green carpet)
Shari: You're back! All of our fabric comes from the Cleveland area either JoAnn or Hancock -- so you are right on there. We are trying to find the specific retailer. Here we are -- Bilt-Rite Fabrics here in Cleveland. The phone number is 216-662-7200. I believe the fabric did indeed come from Bilt-Rite.
Matt: Hope it works with that hunter green carpet!
Q: Hi Matt and Shari! Love your show. I really enjoy getting great tips from both of you. please continue your great work and sense of humor.
Shari: Thank you, Nicki!
Matt: We have another three year contract so Martin and Lewis should continue to be around for awhile! We're so excited...
Q: I am interested in the stackable recycling bins featured on the RXR-1004-Garage for Two episode. Do you have a source where they are available? Thank you!
Matt: Home Depot. But most home center stores has them -- Lowe's too. A company named Tucker manufactures them.
Shari: He knows that because Tucker is his cat's name -- LOL!
Q: Hi, you make decorating fun and easy. I was just wondering if you could or would ever decorate a manufactured home "mobile"?
Matt: We have discussed that many times, and we would like to do that within the next two seasons. We get so many questions on it. So hang in there.
Shari: We are writing it down now. Thank you again for the suggestion.
Q: Do you ever come to Cincinnati Area -- not for the show, but to do a couple of rooms?
Matt: Unfortunately we don't do rooms that aren't a part of the show -- we just don't have time. We are thinking about launching future Room by Room clinics that would happen over a weekend and be regional. Would Cincinnati work? People could come spend a weekend with us and get personal attention and ideas.
Q: How should I prepare a wall to be covered with fabric and starch?
Matt: Well, you can use an existing painted wall without any prep at all. Now, of course, if you have fresh drywall you would want to consider priming it before applying the fabric. That's the beauty of the fabric treatment -- no prep at all. Plus it peels off faster and easier than wall coverings.
Q: How can I prepare wood paneling to apply wallpaper border, can this be done?
Matt: What you need to do is buy liner paper and cut a strip of it the same width as the border. Apply liner paper over the paneling, allow to dry, then apply the wallpaper border on top of the liner. The liner will cover the groves in the paneling.
Q: I'd like to decorate my daughters' (ages 5 and 2) room as an old-fashioned British nursery. Room is already painted light green. If I add an old-fashioned floral border, what sort of window treatment should I add?
Shari: You have a variety of choices. Matt just suggested lace and Battenburg lace. Or how about something with a lot of fabric. I'm thinking of one room particular, it's a type of Roman shade -- an Austrian shade. The room sounds adorable -- have fun with it!
Q: Last week you talked about a homemade solution to revitalize wood surfaces. Does it have to be real wood or can it be wood look surfaces, such as Formica or veneer?
Shari: This solution would have to soak in, so it wouldn't work for laminate. But for a porous surface like veneer, it would be fine.
Q: Hi. Love your show! I'm thinking of putting a chair rail in the guest bathroom -- grass cloth below and a water-colored seascape mural above. Is it okay to put a chair rail in a bathroom?
Shari: Of course! In a small bathroom, a chair rail is a good idea because it breaks up the height of the wall, bringing the scale down a bit. It brings it closer to that cube size we all strive for. Bottom line: yes it is good.
Q: Is there a rule or guideline for pulling furniture away from a wall or angling something such as a sofa? I'm bugged by my family room arrangement but don't know what to do.
Matt: As long as you don't block the fridge or the big screen, any angle is fine -- LOL.
Shari: I would suggest, however, that when you do pull the furniture away (which I think is fine) just be sure not to create any awkward spaces that you just can't design around. If you are not pulling the sofa far enough out to create a walkway, put a sofa table or a drop leaf table behind it to fill the awkward space. The same goes in a corner. Add a high table that you can add accessories or even a lamp to. Don't get discouraged and live with those angles. I know you will love the room once you experiment with them.
Q: Just love your enthusiasm and advice, and I have asked many questions. Thanks for all of your help. Any advice on painting a 30 year old bedroom? I would like to transform Mediterranean into cottage, filling in grooves, painting and sanding some of the paint.
Shari: Sounds like this is a good idea and can work. By adding some softer colors to the wall you can get that cottage look. You might want to visit your local library or bookstore and pick up a few books on cottage style. You will find all sorts of ideas to make your idea work.
Q: I have a question -- does it matter if your china cabinet doesn't match your table?
Shari: Well...it depends. If everything else in the room goes with the table then your China cabinet may be that unusual accent piece. To make the cabinet stand out even more arrange the inside with something dynamic and brightly colored to bring some real attention to it. Hope that helps.
Q: I have an empty wall behind sofa. would like to hang oval mirror vertically 29" long by 20 wide. beside it, 2 separate square pictures of 6 wk Shar Pei puppies 14 x 16 in oval mats. should I put anything else in grouping.
Shari: You don't necessarily have to put anything else with the grouping, but here's a neat idea: I saw an oval mirror surrounded by about a four-inch border of paint. It looked to be a washing technique blending a couple of colors. Then, where the technique ended and the plain wall color began, they hand-painted vines and small leaves. The look was incredible. Maybe you can have fun with an idea like that.
Q: I am painting my little girls room light green and lilac stripes. Is there anywhere online I can go to preview this before I actually do it?
Shari: Even if you can find something online to preview that, there is nothing better than making a small sample board with those colors. You can set it up in the room and look at it at all times of day. We do it all the time.
Q: Hey! I am going to college and will be living in a small dorm room with white walls and another girl! How can I customize the space to suit my taste (bright, colorful, lots of orange!) without painting or some sort of neat carpeting? I gotta have some "me"!
Shari: I hate to keep bringing up the starched fabric idea, but once school is over, you can just pull the fabric off and wipe the wall with warm water. Try bringing in pillows, a small area rug, bedding, and even make a room divider with the fabrics you love. There are plans on this website. Hang all the pictures you want -- whatever happened to filling the holes with toothpaste! -- LOL
Matt: Good luck in college! We'll be rooting for you.
Q: Our house has a stone fireplace that is in bad need of cleaning(the exterior and the interior ) any suggestions on this short of painting it?
Matt: Those problems become professional problems. You don't want to mess around with a cleaner that could damage the mortar. I know there are professional masonry cleaners in the yellow pages that you could consult. But this is a job that Shari and I use professionals for.
Q: More than 1 yr. ago, I saw an episode where you used a Frank Lloyd Wright type art glass piece as inspiration for a painted wainscot. I've searched the website unsuccessfully. Is there somewhere that I can get some instructions for this technique?
Matt: I think for sure...well, first of all, it is a masking technique using masking tape. You could come up with your own design. Start with a base coat, mask of the lines with painter's tape, paint over the whole wall again with a final coat, and then peel the tape. It's a simple technique in which the real work is taping the outline. It's episode 810 -- Frank Lloyd Wright-style living room. Hope that helps.
Q: I have three standard windows side by side in my living room. I am not a curtain drape person. Any suggestions for a window treatment that will not break the bank?
Shari: For standard sized windows, you local home store should have quite a few options in stock. Mini-blinds, pleated shades, vertical blinds, even woven wood shades are now being sold right off the rack in a lot of stores. By using a blind, you eliminate a lot of the fabric.
Q: How can I get a room makeover ?? I need it terribly.
Shari: All the homes we do are in the Cleveland area -- so when we look for new homes check on hgtv.com at the "be on hgtv" section for regular updates.
Q: Is it possible to put ceramic tile over linoleum?
Matt: We have put linoleum over linoleum -- but you should call a flooring expert and ask them once you've explained in detail what you'd like to do. I would be afraid to do it, but a flooring expert can help you.
Q: I rent a house and the owner doesn't want us to cover the expensive paneling on the bedroom walls, so what can I do to give them a new look?
Matt: Well, the fabric starch thing is definitely the project of the day. Test an inconspicuous area to see if the water from the starch damages the paneled wall. I would do a sample and leave it for a couple of weeks.
Shari: How about putting small cup hooks spaced evenly across the ceiling at the wall. You could use decorative sheets, tab top draperies, etc. to hang from the hooks and cover the paneling. Put grommets in the sheets.
Q: I have vaulted ceilings in my kitchen/main living area. I want to paint the white walls, but am unsure if I should use one color or several to highlight the angles.
Shari: You don't need to use several if the color you select is bold enough, the angles will be in great contrast to the ceiling and will shout right out at you.
Q: How do you choose a paint color for a room?
Shari: Hey -- even the typist Watson knows it's an inspiration piece. LOL. An inspiration piece usually has a variety of colors in it that you love. Pull out a color -- and use the color on the walls.
Q: Do you have any tips to be aware of for the use of wide barn plank flooring in a kitchen?
Matt: Make sure all woodpeckers have been removed. LOL.
Shari: LOL.
Matt: Seriously, I would question how to keep it clean. You will probably need to seal it with a polyurethane. And we would probably both suggest using wood like that for the walls, not necessarily the floor. We just looked it up on the internet, so obviously it is being done, though we are somewhat unfamiliar with the installation and results. Here is a website to check out: http://www.appalachianwoods.com
Q: Help... I'm remodeling a bathroom with deep wine carpet and white corner shower, white pedestal sink and white toilet. What color should the textured walls be?
Shari: Before you pick your wall color or the pattern to use there, try to find some towels, a piece of art, a shower curtain, that has that wine color in it. Then peruse other colors. You can probably find one for the other color. It's the whole inspiration thing said another way.
Q: While trying to remove old porcelain towel bar from bathroom wall, we accidentally ripped the drywall leaving a large hole in the wall. How can we fix it?
Matt: Starched fabric. LOL. Actually it depends on the size of the hole. You can use a drywall compound or a spackling compound and just sand it smooth. If it is a larger hole, you may need to use a fiberglass mesh, followed by spackling compound.
Q: Hello, Matt and Shari. I've got two questions: When does your new season start, and when will y'all be coming back to Georgia?
Matt: Obviously you saw us at the Atlanta Home and Garden Show. It was a fabulous show. Contact the show and ask for us back. We'd love to come back. Our new shows start airing in October along with many other HGTV shows.
HGTV: Well, everyone, our chat hour has ended. Thanks for joining us tonight. And thank you, Matt and Shari, for spending time with all of us.
Shari Hiller: Thanks everyone for sticking it out with us this evening! You had some great questions.
Matt Fox: We are looking forward to chatting with you again. For all you EST and CST time zone folks, sleep tight. And for all the Mountain and Western time folks, have a nice evening... And join us next time and we'll decorate together with starched fabric -- I mean...
Matt and Shari: Room by Room.
