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Shannon’s Dilemma: Ideas Anyone?

After weeks of waiting for three dry days in a row to grout, Mother Nature is finally on our side and John’s finishing up the tile in the sunroom as I type this (while singing “grout, grout, let it all out”). He’ll give you the full tiling rundown tomorrow, and in the meantime, I’m more excited than Jessie Spano about this post (and she’s SO EXCITED).

As we mentioned on Facebook this weekend, thanks to your suggestions during our Blogiversary, we thought it would be fun to share some ideas for folks out there who are stuck with decorating dilemmas. We also knew you guys would have a ton of suggestions to add to the mix, so we hope these posts will turn into great group brainstorming sessions for any homeowners out there who are stumped. So let’s dive right in. Here’s Shannon’s issue:

Hey Sherry and John! We just moved into our house in July, and I am LOST. This photo is taken from our living room, which is very open. The area on the left is our front room, the brightly colored door goes to our garage, then there’s the funky bookshelf area (ARGH), our boring but wide stairway, and our downstairs half-bath.

Before ReaderQ

I LOVE color, NEED color, but need to keep it all cohesive down here (everything opens up to the same space). The thought of one color everywhere makes me want to cry! As you can see, I broke down one day and just painted the door to our garage to get some color, even if it’s temporary. I’m willing to buy paint cans tomorrow and show you afters! I just have no idea what colors to paint. Also, that horrible spot where the bookshelf and TV are currently living is too small for a couch, and nothing seems to make sense in that space. Our TV can go anywhere in the room (so it can move out of that nook). As long as I can keep Eugene, my coral-painted horse head, I’m happy!

We have three kids, so storage and function are always great things, but I also love some pretty, decorative things, too. My husband and father-in-law are my fabulous carpenters (they always seem to figure things out together that I throw at them), so again, I’m all about showing you the afters! Oh and don’t mind the blanket on the carpet–it’s rest time and my three littles are watching the Lorax. Love you guys! (In a non-creepy, even though we’ve never met kinda way!) – Shannon

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Guys, I stared at that picture for a while without having a clue, and then I realized that the nook between the stairs and the front door would be awesome with a big built-in to add tons of functional storage. Shannon would gain a spot to stash things out of sight (like kid-gear) from the six drawers down below, and she’d have a place to display her decorative stuff (like Eugene) up top. The best thing about adding something built-in right at the edge of that enclave is that the entire wall would have less of that nook-next-to-a-nook-next-to-another-nook feeling since it would break things up and bring that wall forward to create a great little focal point.

Version1

As for the execution of those built-ins, Shanon could either have her husband and father-in-law build them from scratch (since she mentioned they’re awesome carpenters in her letter) or she could buy something like these Hemnes ones from Ikea, which would hopefully be pretty simple to frame out for a nice built-in look. They’d also create a great place to add color. Maybe a soft blue tone on the back of the bookcase could be fun (like Valley Mist by Behr). Then the same bold door tone – except a little muddier with more gray in it so it’s not too intense – could end up on the walls of the bathroom to bring more color on that side of the space. Shannon could ask the person at the paint counter to add 15% more gray to the formula of the door color to hopefully end up with something in the right range.

I also photoshopped the walls a soft gray tone (like Silver Drop by Behr) and quickly switched out the light fixture by the door for this guy (I can’t help it, I’m obsessed with these – and the small one would be really cute there). Then I added this rug to the living area, just because that’s another easy way to add some color and interest, while picking up on some of the cheerful items displayed in the built-ins.

And just for fun, I made an alternate version with cooler periwinkle blues mixed with some warm corals and some deep navy tones:

Version2

This time I used this rug and photoshopped an abstract painting on the wall going up those stairs to bring in even more coral and periwinkle to that wall, along with darkening the door and the bathroom to a rich navy tone (something close to Myth by Behr). I also made the ceiling a super soft blue tone (Lime Light by Behr) to layer in there with the light gray walls, and for the back of the built-ins, a sea glass green could be pretty too (Palm Breeze by Behr).

So there are two thoughts I had for Shannon’s space. Do you prefer the Option 1 (emerald and copper with hits of sky blue) or Option 2 (coral, periwinkle and navy with some sea glass green)? Or do you have a completely new idea to add to the pot? We’d love to hear what you guys would do, and I’m sure there will a ton of awesome ideas in the comments, so… fire away! And a big thanks to Shannon for sharing her problem area. We’re crossing our fingers for after photos to share with you guys!

Psst – Got a particularly tricky spot or a dilemma in a certain area of your house? Submit a photo (or two) along with a few sentences about what bugs you or has you stumped to [email protected].

Comments

  1. Maggie S says

    I like option one –love the green door! I would also paint the back wall in the staircase the same color as the door (or maybe another fun color. It art is nice but I’d like more of a focal point for that spot

    Reply

  2. Jeanna says

    I love what you came up with… so clean and functional. I only thought of two things when I first saw the space. Idea #1 was a larger TV hanging on the wall with a built in media cabinet underneath, or idea #2, I could see a beautiful built in server with hanging shelves above for pretty glassware and serving pieces. She never said if they had a dining space, and I could even see adding a hanging light and a pretty dining area to break up the space.

    Reply

  3. Kara says

    Option 1 – it matches Eugene better. :)

    Built ins would be the best way for all that storage. Maybe instead of glass cabinets on the top, they could be open shelving. Very similar to those bookshelves you had at the second house with the teal background.

    In the hallway to the garage, I would hang a couple of hooks for quick jacket/scarf/hats grab to/from the garage, but not much more than that since it’s a narrow hallway. Then on the opposite wall in that “mudroom” hallway – hang a series of square white frames with pictures (black and white?) of the kiddos.

    Reply

  4. Shannon says

    I think the built-ins would look great there. I also think it would make a great desk/homework station for the kids when they are school aged. It looks like there is plenty of room to add some sort of shelving up top for storage as well.

    Reply

  5. Katy Simms says

    I LOVE the periwinkle option. Mostly because it will let Eugene shine ;)
    I want built-ins SO bad! We don’t really have an area in our current house that would be a good spot for them though. Sadpanda.

    Next house, I plan on making exactly what I’ve always dreamt of! That will be our forever home and I can’t wait to meet it =)

    Reply

  9. Heather says

    I really like the first option – it seems less “matchy” and will work great with more quirky items in the shelves. I love the idea of popping in some thick crown molding around the tops of the bookshelves too, to add some more architectural interest to an otherwise boxy space.

    PS. I’m loving this new series! As soon as I read you were doing this, I wanted to secretly take photos of every room in my boyfriend’s house as he. needs. help. bad. haha!

    Reply

  10. Dawn says

    Builtins, but different. Cabinets on the bottom, coming up no higher than two feet. Horizontal open shelving above, 18″ between each shelf. Edge of shelf with thick trim on it. Bright or deep color on back wall.
    As for the depth of the shelves, they should match the wall near the door. It will be okay that the wall near the stairs sticks out more. It won’t look weird.

    Agree to change the light fixture and adding a rug on top of the carpet. Stairwell needs either art or pattern — stripes running parallel to the floor (first at an angle, then straight)? I’d need to see the other side of the room to recommend colors.

    Reply

  11. Lil says

    First things first…more pictures please!

    I love what Sherry did. I completely agree with boxing out that nook flush with the wall, but i was thinking more open shelves with a bright color in the back. (like they had in the dining room in house #2)

    We had an interior designer friend help us with paint colors a couple of years ago and he said to transition paint colors only where there is moulding (sp?)…so I would tend to go with one color thoughtout, using art/pillows/accessories for color. We have Benjamin Moore light khaki in our house. We had it in our first house and loved it so much we used it in this (our 3rd) house too.

    Good luck! Do we get “after” pictures?

    Reply

    • shannon says

      Definitely afters!! I’m itching to grab some paint already! My “carpenters” might need a little time to work, though! They’re certainly not experts, just great at figuring out the crazy things I throw at them!! I wish I would’ve thought to include more pictures–just never thought in a million years I’d actually get picked! Haha!! –shannon

  12. Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

    A storage bench seat for larger kid items and/or blankets might be nice with shelving along the sides or higher up of the nook.

    I wonder, too, about the colors of the other rooms and stairs. How would it shift things to be more cohesive or make the nook a focal point?

    For smaller storage items, would it be possible to add hooks to the outside of the walls or even a mini bookshelf up one or two?

    Reply

    • amanda says

      I like this idea a lot. I think a bench with storage or hooks above would make a lot of sense there.

  13. Crystal says

    I thought it would be a great place for a reading nook. A bench or two side chairs planking each side with a sleek end table in the middle. A great place to take a call, read or two people to sit and relax.

    Reply

  14. Kimberly says

    I think, since she loves color so much, she should go bold with the nooks–each a different color. The trick would be picking colors that work together, and then using them throughout the room that connects to the nook. This way the colors look intentional and not jarring.

    Reply

  15. Brenda says

    I keep trying to figure out how it would look with a little purple thrown in (because it’s my favorite color), but I think that would require different color combinations. I like the pops of color in the first one better, I think. I also think built-ins would look fabulous no matter what colors Shannon picks!

    Reply

  16. heather says

    Before I saw your photoshops all I could think of was “BUILT INS” for the space in between. Also, I think it would be beautiful if (and only if) they could remove the half wall between the family area and the garage door.

    My only other tip (not design related) is when you post the main rooms, keep the photos large! That will enable others who have photoshop skills to put something together too, which can be uploaded (Flickr or what not) and linked to in the comments :)

    Reply

    • heather says

      The more I thought about it the more I realized, at least in my house, with a garage door right there that this area would make a perfect bench/storage/shoe area. So I sketched up (roughly) their area, threw it in photoshop, pulled a picture of Pinterest (to which I promptly lost the URL of it…)and edited it to fit the space. Posted it over on Facebook under the link to this post.

  17. Kali says

    I am wondering what is behind that wall under the stairs. Wouldn’t it be cool to put a kids hide out/reading/secret/or hidden storage room and access it through the door in the built-in? It would be small, but loved. Just an idea-as I am always looking for sneaky storage spots and LOVE secret rooms-they are so magical. I love the built-in look and Sherry’s photoshop makeover looks great!

    Reply

    • shannon says

      You’ve got me thinking, Kali! There is a storage closet directly behind that area, and it’s not really that useful to us right now (might change our minds after we’ve lived here for awhile). I wonder if we could somehow utilize that space, too! Hmm . . . ;) -shannon

  18. Jules says

    I’d also think a large desk, with a bright lamp (on right side of desk) and an awesome piece of artwork would work in that area. Brightly painted chair also. And get rid of the carpet on stairs…paint a fun design on them? Board and batten on walls up stairway? Funky art in stairway also?

    Reply

  20. Daisy says

    I love the idea of built ins but I’d be more partial to buffet style built in on the lower half, with open bookshelves on the top half. I also think the garage entry space is screaming for a coordinated chair rail with beadboard on the bottom and a cohesive color on the top with hooks and a hat rack- making the space more useable for coat/hat/glove storage.

    Reply

  21. A says

    I didn’t have to stare at it, the first thing that entered my mind was built in’s. As for which option, that would depend on what colors they like. I see your crafty Tuesday lasted a long while, haha!

    Reply

  22. Daisy says

    “Shanon could either have her husband and father build them from scratch”

    Perhaps Shanon herself is handy and able to do this herself? Or perhaps Shanon’s mom is a carpenter?? Or her cousin Suzan?

    Reply

  26. Skeeter says

    I love the built-in idea! She could also build a padded bench with storage below for shoes etc. And put hooks/baskets above to hang coats, bags, gloves…and a shelf for Eugene : )

    Reply

  27. christine says

    What about a built in reading nook in that spot in the middle instead? She could put a ton of cozy pillows on top of a built in bench with storage underneath and hang a big piece of art over top.

    Reply

  28. stephanie p says

    My first thought was built-ins but more like a bookshelf with different size cubbies and then the background of the cubby painted different colors – almost like a Mondrian painting but without the primary colors. You could even frame the space for the TV in the middle and work around that.

    Reply

  29. Nancy says

    My first thought was a reading nook with comfy chair, table, lamp, etc.

    I used Benjamin Moore’s Philadelphia Cream on my walls. It’s yellow enough to be colorful, but it’s not in-your-face-yellow. It would be fabulous with the coral and blue accents.

    Reply

  30. Kara says

    Demo those little partitions that make the nook!

    Ok, that’s a big job. Sherry’s solution is great, but the a super quick paint-only solution would be to make all three faces of the partition white and paint the back wall of the nook, the back wall of the stairwell, and the wall with the door to the garage the same bright color so they look like one plane and the partitions kind of recede. Trick the eye.

    Reply

    • Kara says

      I left an s off partition up there in a way that might be confusing. Paint both partitions white so they disappear. Or another neutral color.

    • shannon says

      I like the idea of tricking the eye like that. That’s super smart! Thanks, Kara!! –Shannon

  31. Sasha says

    Love the idea of build ins, especially with the nook in that location. Saw someone mention the posibility of including the tv in the build ins, personally I wouldn’t if there was a more “calm” wall elsewhere in the room, as I think both the door to the garage and stairs going up would be a busy “backdrop” :)

    Reply

  33. Stefani says

    I love option #1 because I am in love with green.

    Built ins really set this space apart and I think they are the perfect choice for this area.

    If it were me, I would leave the middle part open with a countertop for bar / coffee.

    Reply

  34. Kaesey says

    Hmm, I do like the built-ins. I was thinking of a wall of shelving above a built-in cabinet (basically what you did, minus doors above) with a dark color on the wall behind it, like a deep purple. Similar color on the bathroom walls and garage door, with golds and corals as accents. There’s a house down the street from us that is stained the most beautiful deep purple color – it reads as a neutral and looks great with every season’s decorations so far! (Red/brown undertones, rather than blue.) I think dark colors can be fun in small bathrooms, especially with good lighting and fun accessories. =)

    Reply

  35. Rachel G. says

    Love the built in idea. To add to that, I would definitely slap up some board and batten in the entry way to the garage and then up the stairs if they are feeling really adventurous (or some chunky picture molding up the stairs?). Can’t wait to see where they end up.

    Reply

  36. Sarah says

    I had the exact same thought when I saw the first picture. Built-ins! The gray really freshens up the space too. I think a simple (maybe grid?) gallery wall in the hallway to the garage might make that space feel a little more special too.
    I’m going to love this new series! It might even get my juices flowing for our master bedroom – which after 6 years of living in it – still looks awful. I just have no idea what to do with it. Stupid awkward windows.

    Reply

  37. Jane says

    I thought of a homework area (not sure the kid’s age)with built in desks and cabinets above for storage. Another idea, if that door is used everyday, would be a command center with a bench and storage underneath and cubbies/lockers above to store the sporting equipment and calendar of events for the family to know who is where and how long. Whatever you decided, it will be awesome.

    Reply

  38. Laurel says

    For a cheap solution in the interim, she could turn her bookshelf on it’s side (so it becomes a wide sideboard of sorts, with feet/legs added, if needed), hang a gallery wall of frames (incorporating the tv as one “frame”), and paint the entire nook a bold accent color,

    Reply

  39. Ted says

    I see something like a mudroom look here. I can see coming in from the garage and needing a place to drop books, coats, shoes, groceries, etc. As a living room, it also adds seating when you need it and with napping little ones, it also gives a place to store that blanket and animals, etc when not napping.

    Since she has carpenters, I would personally build banquette style bench seating with lift up seats for hidden storage. I would put beadboard on the walls and then hooks on the back wall (for kids coats, backpacks, etc). Finally a shelf higher up for additional storage (if you want things out of sight, you can get square boxes/baskets that can sit up there to keep things hidden from view). Something like a custom one of these built to the space:

    http://coreasotropa.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/mudroom-iv.jpg

    For colors, you can paint related shades. I would pick a color that you like and then look for the color in a paint deck. Paint the nook with the garage door and the stairwell the same color one or two shades lighter and the middle nook the deeper version (or pick one color for the middle and then have them mix with 50% white to lighten it for the nook and stairs). This will “highlight” the space, but keep it from overwhelming the space. If you want to keep it neutral, go for something like a camel in the middle and a lighter beige on the outside. If you want bolder, you might want a blue-grey (when looking at the YHL paint color picks icon on the right, the middle blue-grey or similar for the middle space and a much lighter version for the nook and stairs. Good luck!

    Reply

  40. Lindsay says

    I like the color scheme of option #2. And while I know built in bookshelves = storage = a necessity for families, I really want to see a built-in bar cabinet with shelves above. No need to be a wet bar, but I’m thinking an under counter wine fridge or a beverage fridge (for the kiddos) centered, flanked by 2 narrow cabinets and then open storage above for knick knacks, horseheads, fun barware, etc. (going with corals and mercury glass colors stored on the shelves). Maybe impractical with children, but adults should still have fun…and as for navy tones, I’m a sucker for Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore – it’s the perfect nautical navy color!

    Reply

    • shannon says

      Lindsay, that’s genius!! Fridges and wine fridges! LOVE!! You’ve got me thinking!! Thanks! –shannon

  41. Marcia says

    This is so much fun! I really like the first option you showed, but I was also thinking that open shelves over cabinetry would be nice. With a bold geometric wallpaper in the nook only above the cabinets.

    Reply

  42. Marci says

    Personally, I love the idea of a built-in to bring that whole wall out. Not sure I ever would have thought of that. I have so many awkward spaces in my house… totally need to send you guys pics!

    Reply

    • shannon says

      LOVE those cabinets on top, Lauren!! Totally just pinned your link on my pinterest page so I’ll remember! Thanks for those ideas!! -shannon

  44. Michelle says

    I love this idea, but I know that if it were me, I’d need one of what you would call a “Phase 1” update while I waited to see what really made sense. I love the idea of a soft muted color paint, but I would be inclined to leave the bookshelf where it is for now and hang some ceiling high curtains in a beautiful, complementary print like you did with the wardrobes in your first house. I also think that might soften up the space a little with all the angles. Just my wish-I-had-a-real-house-to-decorate thoughts. :)

    Reply

  45. Jenny@EvolutionofStyle says

    I’m digging on the rug in the first photo. Maybe it’s my computer, but the door in the second photo is reading more gray than navy, which I love – and then I got to thinking that adding gray to the first look would be pretty too. I love the coral/gray color combo. And the built-ins in the middle are a perfect solution! Functional and beautiful!

    Reply

  46. Jodi says

    I vote option 1 out of the two offered, but I also would consider adding some warmth to that area with open, chunky wood shelves on top and some closed wood cabinets/closed storage on the bottom.

    Might require a custom cabinet maker, but I think it would be worth it in the end and would add some texture and a natural element to all the straight lines and white in the room. I’d also make sure to have a number of curvy/round accessories (vases, clocks, etc) on the shelves to soften all those straight lines.

    Reply

  47. Megan says

    Fun post! I bet you’ll get lots of submissions!!!

    The built-in was my immediate thought as well… great choice on the West Elm fixture. However, I think I would venture more bold with paint. Although it looks really nice, I feel like *everyone* does the grey/blue thing with white trim. Her take on the garage door leads me to believe she would get bored with standard. Punching up the palette (i.e. colors from Sherwin Williams Urban Organic or Color Pizzazz line) would help energize the space, yet still be complimentary with the open floor plan. A nice patterned wallpaper (simple trellis or gemoetric) would look awesome going up the stairs and be a good neutralizer if the color choices were more vibrant… not to mention a great backdrop for kids pictures/art!

    Reply

  48. julie says

    Great minds think alike. I instantly thought of the Ikea bookcases jazzed up in that space. I like option 2 and thought the door needs to go dark and that she needed a hanging light both of which you included.

    Reply

  50. Kate says

    As soon as I saw that space, I immediately thought that it was perfect for some great built-ins or a mini “mudroom”, but I would lean more toward built-ins since it would break up the “nook-next-to-a-nook-next-to-another-nook feeling” as you said.
    I’m voting for Option 2 Sherry! I love the combo of Navy, Coral, and Periwinkle.

    Reply

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