Once I wrote about working on Megan’s office, I started getting e-mails from readers who weren’t local, but really wanted some help with their spaces. Sadly, I’ve had to tell them that’s not really my forte. I once tried to do a virtual consultation and ended up throwing in the towel before I really got going.
I feel like I need to stand in the space, see the homeowner’s style and what they have to work with in order to really be able to help them. Of course, I can look at a picture and throw out some ideas, but what if it’s not functional for their family or it doesn’t work at all with their style? Is that really valuable to them, then? And, if it’s not valuable to them, is it even worth doing?
But then, I was looking through the latest issue of Country Living magazine as I was hanging with the boys at the pool and I had some inspiration for one reader who had asked for some help with her space, so I decided I would write a post about it.
And maybe this will become a thing that I do for those who aren’t local to me. You’ll have to let me know…
The reader, Sarah, was asking for advice on decorating around a wood stove in a room they call “the fireside room.”
And this is the picture I saw in CL that inspired me…
This is the home of Annie from My Swallow’s Nest. She makes really pretty custom slipcovers.
Anyway, here is what Sarah’s space looks like…
You can see that she has a great sense of style! The chairs are opposite the stove and a staircase is to the left of it and the kitchen is to the right.
So, I think right off the bat that the challenge in this room isn’t so much the wood stove, although that might be bugging Sarah, but it’s the fact that this room is a glorified hallway. You have to leave a traffic path smack in the middle of the room for people to get to the kitchen and up the stairs, which I’m sure happens often.
And it looks like you have to step over a sizable napping dog, too!
Traffic paths like that can be very limiting to a space.
The other thing that’s a challenge is the shape of the floor tile. Sarah pointed this out to me and, she’s right, what in the world is up with that shape?! If it’s at all possible, I would change that, but that might be easier said than done.
My dream for that floor, if it were mine, would be to replace the tile altogether with something dark, like slate, or even brick. It’ll blend better with the stove and the floors and won’t show dirt, ash, etc. quite as much.
I picture it like this floor under the stove…
I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me address the wood stove first and we’ll go from there…
I think wood stoves can be very charming and functional, since they’re a great source of heat. We actually used to “farm sit” for some dear friends and their wood stove was the only source of heat in the house. There was even a grate to allow the heat to go to the second floor.
While there is a charm to them, those big, black pipes and the big black metal stove sticking out in the room can be an eyesore. I live in PA where old farmhouses with big, ugly stoves are pretty common, so I’ve seen some doozies.
The good news is, I don’t think Sarah’s stove is an eyesore. It has a nice shape and looks to be in a nice location.
I think what it needs is permission to be a wood stove. Sarah said she initially wanted to get rid of it, but they’ve decided it’s not going anywhere. If that’s the case, let’s make it look really charming. Let’s celebrate its wood-stove-ness.
In the inspiration picture, they had an old kettle on the stove and I love that! I think a little enamel or copper kettle would be fitting on Sarah’s stove. It looks like it’s intentional and tells a little still-life story.
This is where we boil our kettle for tea before we settle in our wing chairs on a chilly night.
Also, I know this stove below looks nothing like Sarah’s, but I like the way it’s accessorized with the bucket full of wood.
I picture a large basket, crate, galvanized tub or something like that with wood logs inside, tucked just to the side of the wood stove. Make it big. Commit to it! The small baskets next to the stove look dinky next to that bad boy!
Sarah said there is brick behind the drywall and I would definitely expose that again. I think it’ll work really well behind the wood stove and make more of a feature out of it. If the brick isn’t a nice color, you can paint it a dark blue, dark gray or even just white.
In the inspiration picture, they put corrugated aluminum behind the wood stove to set it off and something like that would be a option, too. Again, it celebrates the stove, making more of a feature out of it.
The other option, if you want to go lighter and brighter, is to paint the wood stove and pipe in a cream. Did you know you could paint wood stoves? Yep, you can. There is high-heat paint made just for that purpose, so that’s an option as well.
As far as the traffic path, I would consider moving the existing rug into the center of the room. Pull it out, so just the front feet of the wing chairs are on it. If it’s big enough, it might even cover a bit of the awkward shape of the tile. I think it will connect the chairs to the stove better.
Over to the left of the stove, where the stairs are, is where I would put a big basket/tub/crate of wood. The urn and bowl are for the dog food and water, but I would maybe find another place for that. The stairs and stove are big focal points and right now the dog food is center stage! I know how that is, though, and it’s got to work for your furry friends and they might like it right there.
I think the wall behind the stairs is screaming to be featured. You obviously have a great eye for galleries, so what about creating one that runs up the steps, framing out the window? You could also consider some mission-style trim work, which would add architectural interest and be in keeping with the rest of the details in the house.
Sarah said they are planning to beef up the newel post, which I think is a great idea, too.
By the way, I love those little hooks going up the steps! What a great place to hang stockings for Christmas!
And, for the wall to the right of the stove, the two blue chairs are hiding an unfinished cabinet at the moment, so I think Sarah would agree that they look a little awkward there.
Have you considered putting one on either side of the wood stove? Maybe with a little footstool in front of the stove? My gut feel is the chairs will look like doll furniture next to the stove, but it’s worth a try. If not, they’d be great “head chairs” for when your dining room is finished!
That yummy velvet mixed with some humble farmhouse chairs would look stunning.
Lastly, Sarah, I want to talk about the wall color. I know the kitchen is a recent renovation, so I’m assuming you picked the rust color. It’s a pretty color, but it looks a little disconnected, to me, from the white cabinetry and the cream walls in the “fireside room”. If you want the walls rust, keep them rust, but find a way to thread that color into the room it’s open to through pillows, wall art, rugs, upholstery, etc. That way, it looks intentional.
You want it to say, I love this color and I picked it on purpose.
If you do expose the brick wall and it’s a “brick” color (not painted), then that would help with tying it in. You could even paint the half wall under the stairs in the same rust as the kitchen.
So, those are my thoughts and the best I can manage without standing in the space, getting all up in your stuff and scooting your furniture around!
I hope you get some ideas and inspiration from it.
Sarah and everyone else, you’ll have to let me know if this was helpful at all and if I should do more posts like this.
Thumbs up? Down? Sideways? Anyone?
That was a very interesting post, and I’d like to see you do more of them. It would be nice to see some follow-up photos of the space to see how the homeowner implements and interprets your suggestions.
Absolutely do this again, it was great. You packed a ton of specific ideas in this post and you also quietly slid in some “here’s how to think about a space”, too.
And Marie Claire is right – follow up pics would be so fun!
Like you I prefer to stand in a person’s space, see what kind of light it gets and take a look at their furniture, colors, etc. before I help them with their decorating. In this case I think you have given Sarah sound advice and addressed a lot of her issues. I often find that a person knows what bothers them about their space but is unsure of how to fix it and that is where having a fresh set of eyes take a look and point them in the right direction can help tremendously. So, to answer your original question, by all means continue with these kinds of posts in the future and thanks for caring enough about your readers to ask our opinion.
Really great post Marian. You gave ideas that everyone can use in tying rooms together. Also it was great to see how the magazine sparked a possibility or two. It’s the next best thing to having you in person. Thumbs up.
Wow, Marian, you just made my day! I love your ideas here and your attention to details is such a gift. You have put so much thought into this and I really appreciate it.
I am actually a trained interior designer, but even so, a person can get really stuck in their own space and it helps to get a fresh perspective from someone else. You have given me a lot to think about now and I promise to send follow up pictures when we are finished!
Oh, I’m so glad, Sarah! Yes, we would all love to see follow-up pictures.
And I totally agree. I think it’s easy to get stuck in your own space. I always love it when I can get another opinion, just a fresh set of eyes on a space I’m sick of pondering. 🙂 You clearly have great style, so I’m looking forward to seeing what you do.
I really like this post. Love your suggestions. That space behind the wood stove would look great with some weathered planked wood. I love your idea of painting the stove. I would use some copper paint and just do some highlighting. This was super inspiring.
I will try these ideas, thank you!
I love this post!
Big thumbs up!!! ???????
I enjoyed your post very much and would love to see more of them. I personally have wanted to email and ask your opinion on a lot of things… Starting a blog (which I have done, but am too afraid to hit publish), decorating ideas (my house was built in the 30s and is head to toe tongue and groove paneling…ceiling too…but was afraid Kriste would stroke out)… I actually considered inviting you to my house in Georgia, putting you up at a bed and breakfast for a few days and bribing you with a guided tour of some crazy cool antique stores…. Lol. Oh well… Until I get up the nerve to email you a few pictures with questions, keep up the great work. You are an inspiration to many.
A big thumbs up! I love your ideas. It doesn’t matter if all of them are used or not. It is such a joy just to read a different perspective. This idea is a keeper!
Fanfreakintastic post! Wowser….it’s amazing what you thought of just from the three photos and I can totally see all of the suggestions working…especially getting rid of the tile and exposing the brick. Really…it was great and I would love to see more post like this.
You are on a roll!!:)
Great post and great idea for more posts!
I give it a big fat thumbs up!
I really liked this post and seeing your perspective into Sarah’s space…is refreshing. It shows that all of these things are just ideas to begin with; and that they’re a jumping off point. Nothing has to stay… this way or that. Try what you like and toss out the rest!
Great stuff
Good ideas. I would suggest replacing the two paintings to the right of the stove with a large piece of art. Something big, like the ship painting or the flag in your examples. With a larger piece of art, the eye will go to it instead of the stove (or the white tile). Perhaps if the stove was in your home, you would hang a gallery of ironstone platters on that wall! I think some vintage footstools would look great around the stove as well.
I love this, Kate! Hmm, you have definitely got my wheels turning.:)
One of my favorite things to do when I get the chance is go to real estate open houses and builder showcases. It’s always fun to see someone else’s ideas for a space and to imagine what I would do if the space were mine. So this post is kind of like that. I really enjoyed the little “peek at your process” and would love to see more. Thanks for trying something new!
Yes! Definitely do more posts like this! It was very helpful to hear you explain WHY you would make certain changes, and they were all great suggestions I wouldn’t have thought of. The only thing I would say is that at first, only seeing 2 photos of the space, I was having a hard time figuring out the layout. It wasn’t until I read much farther that I realized you had more photos of the “fireside room” from different angles, and then it all made sense. But that is a minor thing. I really loved reading this post, and I agree that it would be great to see some follow-up photos when it’s done.
Thanks for all the inspiration, Marian. You rock!
I really enjoyed this post! Please do more like this. I like to see ideas for real life awkward spaces and difficult design issues.
I love the idea to help your readers with their spaces! Its great that you’ve been answering reader emails with posts lately too, what a great way to connect!
I agree with you 100% about embracing the stove as a focal point. We have a very simple one that we use for heat that I tried to decorate around for the longest time. Once I embraced it as an important part of our home a lot of disjointed parts came together. We have a kettle, I use a big antique copper tub for firewood, and an old brick layer bag for kindling!
Thumbs up! I enjoyed this post and can’t wait to see the follow up photos Sarah has agreed to send. You have a true talent Marian and it is fun to see the ideas you come up with for a someone else’s space.
Great post; more, please!
I really enjoy your ideas, and your keen eye. I read and reread (multiple times) your posts to help me fix up our 220+ year-old farmhouse in southeastern PA. With an almost invisible budget, and unexpected repairs needed all the time, it’s not easy, but with your suggestions and tutorials, I’m hoping we can get this house to ‘shine’…so we can turn it around and sell it!
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THIS! I love problem solving and just your suggestions opened my eyes to little things in the picture and from someone who ISN”T a dcorator it’s like someone who is really good at speeches and public speaking helping someone write a best man speech….it’s like this is good…but this is BETTER…does that even make sense? point is:i love this post…also I love this chicks house!
Three thumbs up….no, wait, I only have two…..but wish I had three for you!
Marian, I loved this post! Please keep them coming, this is so helpful to people like me who love farmhouse style but lack some of the imagination to achieve it. Its so nice to see inside your brain, what you think when you see a space. I too have a wood stove and we love it despite its awkwardness. The wall behind it is natural brick, and the tile underneath is slate color. It has wood trim around the tile that matches the floor, but sits 1 1/2 inches higher, creating a visual separation. One thing I might add to your post is that rugs are pretty and they can hide bright colored tile, but if you use your stove in the winter and have an expensive rug, PLEASE keep the rug away….the inevitable wood dust and ashes will most likely stain that rug and it will need daily cleaning.
By the way, as far as wall decor behind the stove, I try to stick with decor that is safe in high heat situations(at least in the cold months). That means no plastic, wood, paper, or fabric. I love deer antlers. They are very rustic and have that “campy” feel. I love plates and old metal signs as well
AMAZIING!!! Please keep this. I have been wanting to repaint my living room, and your comment about connecting the paint color to the rest of your home hit home. I went through my red phase and though I still love my red, it doesn’t connect to the rest of my home. Do you have a favorite “white” that looks great in a room that doesn’t get a lot of light? Gracia
Thumbs up!
Oh yes, thumbs up! I love posts like this, we all have these decorating dilemmas (tall ceilings 😉 and the advice you shared goes beyond Sarah and her wood stove. My favorite piece of advice was to take that thing you can’t change and commit to it. Just a shift in perspective from hating something to embracing it can make all the difference! Would love to see some after photos as well!
Definitely thumbs up!! More please! 🙂
I think you hit the nail on the head. I just keep repainting and moving things until I get it somewhat right at my house. I think this post was great, you gave us all some great ideas. Good luck Sarah, your home is lovely!
LOVE this post! I love how you not only give different decorating ideas, but also explain the reasoning behind your ideas. I have a wood stove in our family room that we have yet to use. You’re always welcome to drop by when you’re in the neighborhood – Fairfield – and share your ideas!
I think this makes a great new feature! You are much more thorough than some of the posts I’ve seen where a blogger takes a pic before and then you run the mouse over it to see the after. Those are fine, but your approach is much more personal and has much more valuable content than just a quick visual. Very nice!
Thumbs up! I love this post – please do more like it! All wonderful ideas and suggestions. I can see the challenge in that wood stove but I think with some simple tweaks like you have suggested it will be really charming. Celebrate that stove Sarah!
Marian,that was so helpful and really practical info. on so many issues that you addressed in one post. Yay! A couple questions came to mind for me in reading this. What about code issues concerning flammable surfaces behind the stove? Also if this stove is really used to heat the house in winter any chairs close( the velvet chairs) by would not be practical would they? I myself have a wood stove right inside the door in my entry. yuk! I did use a dark tile to replace the existing light eighties style tile that was on a pad in front of the stove , but I have since had many people trip over it because they do not notice it out of the corner of their eye when walking around it. Even though there is plenty of room to go around it. ugh! I noticed the threshold in photo of stove is also low and if the new darker tile blends in would that be an issue for them too? I really love your idea of pulling the two wing back chairs and the rug up to the stove closer to make a small seating area for evening coffee.The traffic pattern is then redirected to flow behind the chairs making the sitting area more of a sitting room, instead of just a big hallway.brilliant! I cannot have a wonderful basket or bucket full of chopped wood next to the stove due to bugs coming out as it drys and warms up. But maybe for others this would not be an issue. Keep these kinds of posts coming they are so helpful in visualizing the possibilities in front of us!
You brought up several points that I was about to make myself. We have a woodstove as well. And it is so important to keep flammable fabrics/baskets/surfaces away from the heat. There are clearance requirements behind the stove as well as below. So the tiles underneath, while not the most attractive, are necessary. And it might be a headache to replace them, depending on how many strapping men are nearby.Great advice re: it’s a woodstove; embrace it! Celebrate its function. We use an old copper boiler for wood and old crocks for kindling.
Oh, definitely safety considerations always come before looks. 🙂
Unfortunately, the room really is too small to pull those wingbacks any closer. But, the rug could definitely come out to the tile. As to the safety concerns, once we added a fan to the back of the stove (its built in), all the heat moved to the front. I feel comfortable decorating behind and beside, fabrics are questionable, though. The only code I know of for wood stoves is that there needs to be a hearth so many inches in front and around (if it sits out from the wall). Sometimes those sparks pop and fly out pretty far in front and I like it for the pitch that shows up once in a while, too.
I would be careful to not hang art of any real value near the stove. Although it may not be a fire hazard, the heat and dryness will still cause eventual damage. I love the rustic ideas for the surrounding walls; barn wood, brick, tin ceiling tiles and using dishes and antlers to decorate. I use the olive bucket from Antique Farmhouse for wood and I keep pretty birch logs in it during the summer. It appears as though the floor tiles are laid directly on top of the wood. I’d pop those suckers right off, lay down a slab of slate and polish up the remaining wood floor. When all of the tile is gone, you will have many more deorating options! And def paint under the stairs rust!
I can picture a red brick wall behind the stove which is on top of charcoal slate. And,
the wall to the right painted the rust from the kitchen just blends everything together.
The suggested accessories fit in well. Good job my dear. So nice knowing you.
Irene
Chiming in with the YESes! It was great food for thought about decorating around the elephant in the room. Thank you!
Thank you so much Marian,that was wonderful and would definitely like to see more.
I love this feature! I think you’ve done a great job of giving advice with out standing in the space and I think you give creative and practical advice! Keep them coming! How about having readers send in pics of smaller design dilemmas like fireplace mantles, smaller vignettes, etc?
Love all you do Marion!
I am sure this post cost you a lot of time and thought- but it’s a wonderful idea, esp as I imagine many people like your style and verve but don’t necessarily have the same décor as you have, but they all have decorating dilemmas!You gave some really great ideas to Sarah.now I wonder if it would be possible to paint the stone hearth/tiles until it can be replaced?
Marian,
I have had some time to process this post and I have to say that even though you may not particularly want to give advise on unseen spaces, you are very capable! Your instincts are excellent and your thought processes are rock solid.
The only thing that I can see was a tad bit confusing was the scale of those little blue chairs. They are almost child size, so I couldn’t use them in my upcoming dining room. Darn it! But, your ideas for head chairs is still a beautiful one.
So, while there is no substitute for the real life experience of visiting one’s home, let me encourage you by saying that you have MUCH to offer. Do you feel a new “Decorating Dilemma” series coming on?:)
Thank for you taking a chance and stepping a little out of your comfort zone. I’ve got some work to do now!
Could you pull the wing chairs forward and make the walking path behind them?
That was fun! Please do it again!
Marion,
Wonderful advice. I personally want to see/read more of your expertise displayed this way.
Please keep this type of thing in regular rotation because you are really good at it.
I have 2 suggestions to throw into the hat:
Maybe attach some vintage tin ceiling tiles behind the stove if there is no brick on the wall—rather than corrugated tin? And, how about some of that cool, wood-grain looking tile for the floor surrounding the wood stove. This could even be used on the wall to reflect heat back. Just a thought. 🙂
Dear Marian,
Please keep these posts on redesigning coming!
Working on my own home’s interior design I feel like a deer caught in the headlights.
I especially liked your idea of revealing the covered up brick wall. That will bring so much interesting texture where it’s needed – right behind that wood stove. And I hope the blue velvet chairs can hold their own on either side of the wood stove…so eccentric. And as things evolve as you pointed out they can head chairs with humbler dining chairs. Great thinking! I also like your suggestion for resolving the flooring underneath the stove.
Now, when can you come over to my little pool house and help me see straight?
Keep these posts coming.
God bless.
All I know is that I hope we get to “see” the room after some of the suggestions. I love several of the ideas and think how you went about it and noticing all the details was great. I have a perfectly nice suburban home and no wood stove or charm to speak of and all the options and character in this house make me jealous! I hope you get to keep doing posts like this!
Thumps up! This was a great post and I would love to see more, I am a trained interior decorator as well and this was great advice!! Sometimes as much as your trained when you stare at a space long enough you need some fresh eyes and perspective. Also another can have an idea you didn’t even consider or wondered if you should even dare.
Sarah you have great style and I really like your space! Marianne great advice as always 🙂
Thanks for sharing!!
Lauren Baxter | Lovely Decor
xx
I loved this piece and am looking forward to seeing what Sarah does in this space. I love the slate under the stove with the sail boat picture. Something like that would be gorgeous. Uncovering the brick and painting the small wall rust like the kitchen is genius. She could white wash the brick if the color is too much but it would still give a tonal tie-in with the rust colors.
I think you have a hit on your hands with this series.
Thumbs up!!
This was a really fun post to read, as I have been in this space, and it seems as if Marianne had as well! Such attention to detail. You even mentioned the sweet hooks along the stairwell! Sarah’s home is charming beyond words. I know it means a lot to Sarah to have the wonderful feedback that was received in this article. I’m super excited to see follow up pictures! “Before” and “Afters” are the best!
This was a great post! A definite thumbs up!
Thumbs up! Idea’s to consider and helpful to get the imagination going! 🙂
I’m guilty of sending you an email asking for decorating tips just TODAY! I think this post is fantastic! Although I don’t identify with the wood burning stove problem, I liked reading about your thought process and advice. I say THUMB’S UP! Keep ’em coming….and I love the Design Ramblings you and Kriste are doing on YouTube!!! I keep watching them over and over and take notes on all the great ideas!
Love it! Great inspiration and a peek at how your decorator brain works. More please. 🙂
This was great to walk through with you!! Yes, please, more of this type of article would be great!!!
I would love to read more posts like this! The specific ideas are great for this space but the principles are broadly applicable to any room.
I’ve been thinking for some time about asking you for some help with some projects. Knowing full well the challenges long distance decorating would present, but hadn’t sent you an email yet because I wondered if you would consider it. Will you?