When I shared the plan for my mom’s bedroom makeover, I received this comment from Judy… “Hi Marian, I love the color palette!  I know that using fabric is a good way to pick your paint colors.  But, what if you don’t have that kind of choice? My dining room is in the middle of my house, no windows, neutral floor color (carpet).  There isn’t any type of “jumping off point”, which always gets me stuck when trying to pick a paint color.  Any suggestions?  Thanks so much!” Dear Judy (and to others who feel a little stuck when choosing a wall color), Picking out a paint color can definitely be intimidating.  It’s not because of the lack of options, but because of the plethora of options.  You can literally paint your walls any color.  So, out of multiple fan decks with thousands of colors, not to mention all of the variations of the colors

A few weeks ago, I received a question from Jan and figured I would answer it in a post.  Especially since I’ve learned a lot about this over the past few years. “I have a question….picture me waving my hand in the air…..oh oh Miss Marian!!!! Do you pick your wall color or fabric first?  My walls need to be a shade of green because I am doing a restoration and the original wall color was green.  I found some fabric I like and have ordered samples.  But then what about rugs.  Maybe I should buy my rugs first?  But then I really love these fabric samples. What is the order that you use to buy these big ticket items?” So, which comes first? Well, I’m going to give a totally non-answer answer and say that it really depends.  I don’t think you can say you always start with the paint color or always with the

In part one of the room reset challenge, we took everything out of the room except for large pieces of furniture, rugs and curtains that are definitely staying.  If you were on the fence about something, it came out of the room. While the walls are bare and the room is mostly empty, it’s a good time to paint the walls, if needed, and if you know the direction you want to take the room.  If you’re not ready to paint, hold off until you’re sure.  This is a good time to spackle holes in the wall and such, though. So, now you’ve made a big mess while taking everything out of the room, but it’s worth it, because now comes to fun part. It’s time to play with your space. It’s really helpful if you have a friend who can help you with this part.  This is the time when

I’ve talked about doing a “room reset” often on my blog, in my book, and in our Design Ramblings on YouTube.  If a room is feeling busy, boring or it’s just not “right”, a room reset is my go-to way to either get back on track or give the space a fresh look. I first introduced the “room reset” five years ago when my living room was starting to feel over-crowded, dark and heavy. I stripped all of the accessories and wall art… …and eventually ended up with the lighter and brighter space I envisioned. And just to show how it evolved from there, this is what the room looks like today… So, remember Leigha’s bedroom?  The one that felt heavy and dark?  Here’s a reminder… Here’s the look I put together for her space… And I suggested she start with a room reset of her own along with a