House Tour: Innovative Design Strategies

Decorating Cents : Episode DCT-1313 -- More Projects »
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Four oversized chairs surround a game table that has been painted to match the area rug underneath.

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To de-emphasize the strange angles in the bedroom, a tone-on-tone purple paint application is found on everything from the walls to the wall-to-wall cabinet.
Joan Steffend tours a house where the homeowner has employed artistic elements and innovative design strategies to create spaces suited to her needs.
  • What was once the formal--and rarely used--living room is now a functional game room/library filled with custom cabinets (built by the homeowner's father) and comfortable seating.
  • The built-in cabinets along one wall provide a space for books, hide the radiator and create a window seat perfectly suited to leisurely reading.
  • The interesting angles in the master bedroom created a definite design dilemma. However, the homeowner overcame the obstacles by placing the bed at an unusual angle in front of the sloped ceiling.
  • A custom wardrobe eliminates the need for additional furniture and provides a one-stop solution for storing clothing, a TV and books.
  • The area rug was the inspiration for the room's design, but it also took up all of the homeowner's budget. To save money, she made a stencil from the rug, sewed two sheets together for a duvet and stenciled it with fabric markers.
  • The bed skirt was made from matching sheets and features a bullion fringe border.
  • Opposite the bed, a large, frameless mirror was attached directly to the wall, then framed with door molding and decorative trim.
  • Handmade paper descends from copper wire to hide the outdated ceiling light fixture.
  • The radiator is disguised behind a fireplace grate and faux surround.