This lovely still life provides some ideas about the process. The kitchen shown here has cabinets in country green paint along with some rustic distressed honey pine. What does the space need to finish it up effectively?

When you’re looking to add a color, almost anything in that color will help you determine if you’re on the right track. With this kitchen, it was time to head to the pantry for ideas. Red can work in a surprising number of rooms. It certainly works in this one. You don’t have to use a scale or cranberries to check out the color. Do you have a red scarf or sweater? That would work too.

Don’t head right for white when a space is too dark. The soft cream of the bowls and flour provide just the right lighter tone without pulling too bright a white that wouldn’t work in the room. One other thing: white diminishes the appeal of most woods. Try to stick with creams or colors to show any wood surface at its best.

The old-fashioned style of this still life may lean you toward a bronze or antique brass metal choice, but you can see that silver works well here. Don’t be too consistent or you can end up with a cliché rather than a good design.

This hotel lobby has captured some of the both goals. Several design decisions made this possible.

First, the layout and architectural features of the space support an integrated room. The two tall thin windows help make the connection stronger and the choice to put oversized crown molding at the ceiling gives it a more significant presence in the room.

Colors are cohesive throughout and help to connect the flooring with the full height of the space. For example, the diagonal squares scattered on the stone floor have a dark taupe tone that is matched by the focal wall to the right and the stairs and railings for both staircases.

Artwork and accessories also work well in this room. The large three-part canvas echoes the shape of the long lean windows and the art’s soft tones provide a connection between all levels of the room without demanding too much attention. The lean plant almost feels like a piece of sculpture, and its height continues the theme of connecting upper and lower areas. Finally, the simple round table mirrors the curve of the stairway and brings attention to people-level.

What ideas can you borrow from this room to combine drama and comfort in your own vaulted-ceiling space?

1. Empty your closet completely. Yes, all of it! Now promise yourself that nothing but the best will go back in your closet. In other words, if you wouldn’t buy it – full price – today, it’s leaving your life forever.
2. Sort your clothes and accessories into three piles: keep, lose, or maybe. Take the lose items off the good hangers and put them in trash bags for donating. If you want to take a tax deduction, write down every item as you go (no details, 3 skirts, 5 blouses, etc. is fine). Put the lose bags outside your bedroom door and promise yourself you will not open them again.
3. Take your keep items and check for any washing or repair needs before you put them back in the closet (on your good hangers). As you refill the closet, determine an organizational system that you think might work for you. For example, by season or by purpose (such as work vs. play).
4. Now it’s time to address your maybes. The best way to evaluate them is by trying everything on in front of a full-length mirror. If you really don’t want to try something on, then it’s a goner. If you look at yourself and realize you don’t want to be seen in it, put it in discard. Keep only those things that you would buy again. Put the rest in bags with the other donations.
5. Finally, take a look at your newly-arranged closet. And remember our fundamental rule as flooring people – always keep your clothes hung up, not covering your beautiful floor!

This can work very well, but don’t jump into it without some planning and discussion of expectations. This situation is not the same as it was when your child was in high school. Work together to figure out ground rules that work for all of you. Let’s consider some issues you may want to address.

First, agree on a plan for the stay. This should include specific goals, a timeframe, and the amount of money your child will save or use to pay debts. The next part of the plan is specifics on what expenses the child will cover and any responsibilities taken on around the house. It’s important not to slip into the old parent-child relationship. This means that parents do not do their laundry or clean up after them. Include real consequences for not meeting the plan, up to and including having your child move out.

Determine which space or spaces will be given to your child for the duration of the stay. You do not have to give your child his or her old bedroom if it is not convenient. It would be good if the space includes a private bathroom. Don’t feel obligated to redecorate in any permanent way for his or her stay. Leave the flooring, but you may want to encourage the addition of an area rug to personalize the space. Paint, some of their own furniture and art will help make the space theirs.

Finally, don’t expect to exert the same kind of discipline that you used when your child was young. It is no longer appropriate. However, you do have the right to ensure that your comfort and convenience are not affected. Be sure to request notice about which meals he or she will be home for, and ask them to stay quiet if coming in late in the evening.

With these issues covered, you are all in for a more pleasant time while sharing your home with your child as an adult.

If you’re considering bringing one or both parents into your home, making a few plans first can help this transition work well for everyone involved.

To start, make sure your family member or members have a realistic understanding of the situation. If possible show them the space they would have, and get measurements to keep their furniture expectations realistic. Let them redecorate the space to make it their own.

Be sure to do a safety check on your home before your parent or parents move in. Look for tripping hazards such as rugs without non-slip pads. If possible, carpet their space. Carpeting is the safest flooring for the elderly because it cushions falls. You may also want to add safety bars to showers or bathtubs.

If you can, provide a bedroom, a bathroom and a sitting room to ensure enough privacy. It’s generally a good idea to include a television in their personal space so that there will be no program debates among the generations.

Plan to provide additional storage space for valued possessions. Remember that something that may not seem valuable to you may hold special memories for a parent. If you need to, rent storage space to hold their things until they’re ready to let them go.

Above all, work to keep the lines of communication open. There will be challenges, but with effort you will all find the time together to be rewarding.

The most powerful design feature in this room is the suspended staircase. By opening up the stairwell, the homeowners have taken their basement from an unnoticed space and turned it into an exciting addition. The metal and wood staircase has a double value thanks to the light super-shiny floor. The reflection of the stairs actually acts as artwork underfoot.

The rest of the room keeps to the modern tone. A wall of contemporary images in matching frames provides an inexpensive but dramatic attention-grabber as you descend into the room. The conversation area is defined by the white sofa and loveseat and the daring zebra rug. A black and white theme continues with throw pillows and a series of vases.

Other than the addition of the stairway, this room was not expensive to create, but it has a high-priced impact. The reason for that comes from the powerful design that moves this room from basement to an exciting part of the total home.

First, anticipate a mess. Children are not naturally tidy and baking has a lot of things that can spill and splash. Plan ahead to reduce any problems this could cause.

Fortunately, kitchens are made to handle messes. Simple preparation such as paper towels or work cloths ready to wipe up spills on your floor and countertop can provide quick clean ups and allow you to go right back to baking. You may want to pre-measure some of the messier elements such as milk and have the eggs already cracked and waiting in a bowl.

Next, don’t stretch your own capabilities. If you’re a regular baker, then make cookies from scratch using one of your tried-and-true recipes. If not, then plan for a mix or even pre-made dough. Add some decorations such as sprinkles, even with a chocolate chip cookie, to make the process more fun and exciting.

Be sure to plan for your final clean-up while the cookies are baking. Start with the cooking implements. You may want to put them all in the sink out of the way. Then wipe down the countertops. End with the floor, to pick up anything that’s landed there during either baking or cleaning. Have your child help clean – it’s an important part of baking.

Finally, be sure to check your young one’s hands and shoes or feet for flour or other ingredients before he or she heads out the kitchen door to less forgiving flooring.

What doesn’t work, and what needs to happen to make this room live up to its potential? Start with the easiest and most appalling decision – the valance. The bit of fabric cuts at a point that emphasizes the unfortunate delineation between the lower and upper windows, damaging the drama of the line and adding absolutely nothing to the potential charm of the room.

The black sofa has the power to live up to the space, but sitting alone in the middle of the room, it seems as if the movers set it down and no one has touched it since. It’s too far away from the other chairs to create a conversation center or support the fireplace as a focal point. It also needs some companion upholstered pieces to save it from looking bulky and overbearing compared to the other furniture in the room.

The other pieces of furniture seem to have been set to make it easy to vacuum. The plants feel like space fillers rather than an integral part of the design. The light walls and carpet increase the weakness of the look.

Let’s make some changes. Place a rich gold carpet in a slightly darker tone than the ceiling. Move the sofa within shouting distance of the fireplace, and add a couple of upholstered chairs to make a conversation space around the fire. Take the rockers and move them to the front of the room where their light weight will keep your eyes moving to the back of the space where the action is.

Finally, tear down that valance and consider replacing the ceiling fan with a darker and more significant light fixture. The addition of a rug or two would also anchor the space effectively. Suddenly you have a space that invites you in and makes you feel comfortable.

This concept may sound counterproductive, but in reality you may find that one choice stays in your mind over all of the others. Or it may just be that you will realize that you don’t really want several of the options you were considering. Even taking the time to walk away and then look again with fresh eyes may make the decision easier.

You may want to take a photo of the choices you are facing, or bring home samples. Many stores allow either or both options, with a small deposit on the samples. Once home, give yourself a break from the decision process – at least a couple of hours if not a day. Then go back to your photos and samples and see which ones stand out. You may find that the decision you have been reaching for is now there for you.

While all salespeople want to make a sale, good salespeople understand that letting you take the time you need to make a decision you are happy with will turn you into a long-term customer, which is much more valuable. Let them know when you come back to make your final choice how much you appreciate their patience, and how helpful it was for you in the decision-making process. And you can make your final purchase confident that walking away and thinking about it brought you to the right choice.

When you have new flooring installed, grab a small piece of carpeting, a tile fragment or a piece of wood or your sheet vinyl. That’s your start. Next, as you paint, cover a sturdy piece of paper with your paint. Don’t rely on paint chips for your color, because the actual paint color will always be different. If you started your painting with a poster-board sampler, just cut a corner of your selected sample to put into your book.

Having furniture recovered? Ask for the fabric scraps and add a piece to your collection. If you can’t get your fabric or for existing furniture, check the hem to see if you can clip a little bit to give you that color or pattern. Do the same for any curtains in the space. To do color matching for other key pieces of furniture or accessories, go to your home improvement store and grab some paint chips in the right color range, and take them home to find the best match.

Finally, take a couple of photos of the room. You can put everything in a sturdy notebook, or even put each room’s samples in separate large envelopes or photo boxes and label them. When you go shopping for additional pieces, or even replacements years from now, you will be ready with the samples you need to match colors and styles.