Don’t Let Your Kitchen Backsplash Be a Missed Opportunity

This backsplash around the window in this catering kitchen is made of the same marble that we used for the countertops.

Although kitchen backsplashes have a functional purpose—protecting walls from water, grease stains, mold, and mildew—these days, they are also treated as an important design element. After all, the backsplash is right on the wall, so a visitor’s eyes naturally rest there. Despite the fact that backsplashes can make great focal points, many Dallas homeowners save picking their backsplash tiles for last.

Your kitchen design will look more impressive if you pick your backsplash tile early on and design around it. For those of you who are designing a new home or planning on remodeling your current kitchen, you should find the following tips useful.

A backsplash should cover the wall space between the countertop and upper cabinets above your range. Lately, I’ve noticed that the newest trend is to have the backsplash continue up beyond the upper cabinets, sometimes even up behind the vent hood. To figure out how much square footage of tile you’ll need, multiply the width of your wall by the height. Then, increase that number by ten percent just to make absolutely sure you’ll have enough.

When possible, we like to continue the backsplash behind the vent hood, like in this example from a Dallas kitchen.

Ceramic, stainless steel, porcelain, and stone backsplashes are great against oil and grease. Glass tile is perfectly water-resistant, so if you create a lot of steam when you cook, that’s something to consider. You should also think about how much maintenance you’re willing to accept for your backsplash. Ceramic tile doesn’t need to be resealed, but natural stone will.

Even if you’re saving money on your tile choice, don’t cut corners with your grout choice. You need a high-quality grout to make sure the tiles stay on the wall over time. Most tile backsplashes have a grout joint size of one-eighth of an inch, but sizes of up to a quarter inch are also possible.

Since replacing tile is expensive, you can never be too careful making your choice. Purchase a lot of different tile samples to take home (it’s cheaper than buying a lot of the wrong tile), then tape them to your wall and leave them up for a while. You can see how the color shifts as the lighting changes through the day.

Subway tile, like the gray tile we used in this bar area, is a classic choice for kitchen backsplashes.

Recently, my design firm has been using the same material for both the countertop and kitchen backsplash. Whether you use the same material or not, try not to create too much contrast between the two surfaces. For example, if your countertops are a cool gray, your backsplash should also be in a cool color.

The gray and terracotta colors in this mosaic tile backsplash match other colors we used in this Kessler Park home.

Mosaic tile patterns often incorporate multiple colors, allowing you to pick up on some of the other accent colors you’re using in the kitchen. If you have countertops with a unique pattern or color running through them, it’s a good idea to pick a neutral backsplash tile so you don’t draw attention away from your countertops. Of course, if your countertops are understated, you have more room to be creative and showy in your backsplash tile choice.

Choosing a timeless backsplash is important if you’re planning on selling your house. White subway tile is one option, but also consider penny tiles, picket tiles, square tiles, or hexagon tiles. White subway tile is also perfect for kitchens that have a lot going on, visually. Although it’s normally laid out in a brick pattern, a newer trend is to lay the tiles diagonally or vertically. Another thing to keep in mind is that larger tiles tend to look more contemporary, while smaller tiles feel more traditional.

Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution to finding the perfect backsplash, some tile choices will work in your kitchen better than others. By taking into account your budget, your lifestyle, and the rest of your kitchen’s aesthetic, you can easily narrow down your selections.

We used this fireplace screen with animal figures as a kitchen backsplash. It helps to complete the farmhouse theme.

Designers like myself also have established relationships with showrooms which gives us more leeway to request a tile and then return it on short notice. A designer can be a great resource whether you are just beginning your kitchen design project or nearing the end. If you'd like to work with us, you can reach us by calling our Dallas office at 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

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A Designer’s Guide to Selecting the Best Tiles for Your Bathroom

Patterned tiles, like the ones we used in this Preston Hollow pool bathroom, can add a lot of impact to a small space.

One of the reasons choosing tiles for your bathroom can be so tricky is that there are a lot of options, but not all of them will still look current in a few years. And, unfortunately, swapping out tile is not an easy project. The key is to find the right balance between a tile that is timeless but also has some character to it. The most important factors to consider are: the size of your bathroom, your preferred colors, and what pattern you want the tiles to be installed in.

Tile Sizes:

Different parts of your bathroom call for different sizes of tiles. For example, if you have a shower bench, a larger slab will feel more comfortable to sit on than a lot of smaller tiles. At my design firm, we usually use matching slabs of the same material for both the shower seat and the sink countertop.

This shower we remodeled in a Colleyville home has small mosaic tiles on the floor for safety and security.

Mosaic tile has more grout lines, which makes it suitable for shower floors: more grout lines equal better drainage and more traction. Ideally, the tiles should be two inches or smaller. Mosaic tiles are not the only choice for shower floors, however. Slip-resistant ceramic is another safe option.

Tile Colors:

The most popular tile for bathrooms is white subway tile. I recommend choosing a bright white tile if your toilet, bathtub, and sink are also bright white. Sometimes, a warmer white (such as a biscuit color) is preferable, especially in traditional houses.

I personally consider bold accent tiles to be dated. I haven’t used them in my projects for a decade. Instead of having a border of accent tiles in your bathroom, I suggest combining a neutral tile (like white or gray) with an interesting wallpaper or paint color.

These floor tiles are cut in a fresh new version of a traditional pattern. The biscuit white color matches the tub.

Remember the rule of three: a patterned tile should contain no more than three colors, and you should stick to no more than three varieties of tile in the entire bathroom. A good starting point is to pick out a tile you really love and then pick two other tile types that complement it.

Something to note about dark grout is that it shows efflorescence (light grey spots from salts) over time. White grout will show dirt more easily, so make sure to use grout sealer and thin grout lines if you choose white for your grout color.

Tile Materials:

Ceramic is the most affordable tile, so it’s a good choice for covering large areas such as your floor. Porcelain is more expensive, but many people prefer it for the following reasons: it’s more durable, and the color goes all the way through the tile instead of being merely glazed on top. That way, if a porcelain tile is chipped, the color that shows underneath is the same.

Glass tile is great for an accent wall, but it’s also slippery, so don’t use it on the floor. If you’re interested in glass tile, try shopping for it in person instead of online. Seeing it in person helps you get a better sense of its color and shine.

Tile Placement and Patterns:

Tile should be used on every side of the shower except for the door or curtain. I like to encourage my clients to also cover the shower ceiling with tile instead of paint, since paint can peel in humidity.

A common piece of advice is to install floor tiles diagonally to makes a small bathroom feel more expansive. Just keep in mind that attention-grabbing patterns like diagonal and herringbone should only be used with simple tile patterns that have subtle grout lines. The most conservative patterns for tile are “running bond” (which looks like an alternating brick pattern) and “stacked,” in which rows of tiles are stacked vertically from top to bottom.

This floor has small hexagon-shaped tiles that run into the shower, while the shower walls have herringbone tiles.

The right tile choices can make or break a bathroom, so it’s worth your time to research and proceed with caution. After all, it’s a costly mistake to pick the wrong tile. If you’re hesitating between several different options, then it might be time to consult a professional designer. An experienced designer like myself will be able to point you towards options that are both practical and pleasing to the eye. To schedule a free consultation with us, send an email to info@chambersinteriors.com or call our Dallas office at 214-232-9501.

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6 Reasons Why Framed Wallpaper Panels Are Hot Right Now

We hung these de Gournay panels in a rising sequence. The panels add interest to the wall of this high-ceilinged room.

The words “wallpaper” and “trendy” might sound like an odd combination, but as it turns out, wallpaper has been coming back in a big way in Dallas homes over the last three or four years. One of the trendiest ways to use wallpaper is to take individual panels, frame them, and display them as art.

If you’ve never seen framed wallpaper panels in action, you might be wondering why someone would choose them over papering an entire wall or room. Here are some reasons why interior designers like myself recommend them:

1. They are less of a commitment.

   It’s much easier to remove framed panels from a wall than it is to remove wallpaper from the wall itself.

2. They are more affordable.

   If you have your sights set on very expensive, hand-painted wallpaper brands like Gracie or de Gournay, you can bring down the costs by only buying the panels you need. They’re also a smart way to add wallpaper to large voids, like in a high-ceilinged room or a staircase. After all, it’s easier to use several panels of matching wallpaper than it is to find several pieces of matching artwork.

3. Using panels can help break up bold patterns.

   Sometimes a dramatic wallpaper would be too much for your room. But the same pattern divided into visual blocks could possibly fit better into your design.

4. You can take them with you to your next home.

   Once applied directly to the wall, most brands of wallpaper can’t be reused. Framed wallpaper panels, however, can come with you when you move, making them a wise investment. They’re a great option for renters, too.

5. Framed wallpaper panels are less hassle.

   Even if you’re planning on framing the panels yourself, this will still be an easier project than putting up wallpaper.

6. They can add some much-needed interest to plain walls.

   For example, framed wallpaper panels are great for homes without many architectural details.

Sounds appealing, right? If you’re sold on the idea but don’t have much experience with wallpaper, here are some pointers to help you get started.

Before you even pick a pattern, measure your wall space carefully so that you can figure out how many panels you need and what their dimensions should be. Once you have your measurements, then it’s time to decide what color and pattern you want. The dominant color in your wallpaper pattern should be based on at least one other color from the surrounding room, even if it’s just a secondary color.

On the other hand, if you’ve already found the wallpaper you love but haven’t designed the rest of the room, you can use the wallpaper as inspiration for the room’s color scheme. Wallpapers with neutral colors and touchable textures (like linen or painted grass cloth) are another creative option if you don’t normally decorate with bold colors or patterns. “Busy” patterned wallpapers should be used in spaces that are otherwise clean and simple in style. That way, your panels will command attention without making the room feel overwhelming.

We used Gracie wallpaper panels in this upstairs hallway. Although they are part of a set, each panel is unique.

Your choice of frame can have a bigger impact on the wallpaper’s presentation than you might expect, so pick a complementary one. For example, one-inch gold bamboo frames are the perfect match for chinoiserie wallpaper. Your frames should always be small to make them lightweight and keep the focus on the wallpaper itself. Another thing to note is that adding glass will make your wallpaper panels much heavier and more difficult to hang, so I don’t advise it at all.

I myself have worked with framed wallpaper panels on two Dallas projects recently. For one project, we used Gracie panels in the client’s upstairs hallway. On the other project, we hung de Gournay panels in a rising sequence along the wall next to the staircase. If you’re interested in adding this surprising alternative to artwork to your walls, but could use help making measurements, picking the right pattern, and picking the right frame, give us a call. You can reach our Dallas office by calling 214-232-9501, or you can send an email to info@chambersinteriors.com. I personally believe that this is one of those occasional design trends that is classically beautiful enough to stand the test of time.

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Five Tips for Picking Out the Perfect Style Lampshade

The patterned lampshade and blue-and-white base seen here are complementary to one another and the rest of the room.

Swapping old lampshades out with new ones is a quick and inexpensive way to make your interior design feel fresh again. However, if you normally buy a lamp base and shade together, you may not know what to look for when you’re shopping for lampshades themselves. It’s important to learn which lampshade shapes, materials, colors, and sizes will look most pleasing with the lamp base you already own.

1. Make Careful Measurements

Your lampshade should be almost as tall as the lamp base and twice as wide to achieve classical proportions.

In order for your lampshade to look proportional with your lamp, you’ll want to follow the following guidelines:

Lampshade Height:

• Needs to measure about three-quarters of the height of the base.

• There should also be a two-to-three-inch space between the shade and bulb to allow heat to disperse.

Lampshade Width:

• The shade width should ideally be double the base width.

• Your shade needs to cover up the light switch and harp—keep this in mind if your lamp will be above or near eye level.

• For floor lamps, the base diameter of the lampshade looks best when it’s eighteen inches or more.

If you find yourself stuck between two differently sized lampshades at the store, when in doubt, choose the larger one.

2. Balance Your Lampshade with the Rest of the Room

After you measure the bases of the lamps you want to update, take the surrounding room into consideration. Lampshades look best when they harmonize with the proportions of the items around them. For example, the lampshade for a table lamp should be balanced with the other objects on the table. In a narrow room, you might not have room for an end table with a lamp. In this case, I’d suggest lighting the room with two floor lamps on either side of a sofa instead.

The floor lamps in this Dallas area den complement the modern artwork displayed on the wall. We added a modern trim to the top and bottom of the shades.

3. Pick a Complementary Shape for Your Base

Different shapes of lampshades complement different kinds of bases. Square lampshades go well with square bases, and rounded shades can be paired with either rounded or hexagonal bases. “Empire style” is the term for lampshades with that classic conical shape. Although rounded lampshades are more popular, square shades have the advantage of conserving table or floor space because they can be pushed closer to the wall.

4. Choose Material and Translucency

As you can imagine, the material of your lampshade influences its overall look and how much light passes through it. Parchment is a good choice for contemporary and modern rooms because of its minimalist, solid-color look. For traditional and classical rooms, I’d normally recommend silk or cotton lampshades with a pleated effect. Linen shades look great in either solid colors or prints.

In some cases, rectangular lamp bases should have boxy lampshades, like these metal square shades from a Kessler Park guest bedroom.

Another thing to consider: are you planning on using your lamp to add more ambient lighting, create a reading corner, or highlight a focal point? In any of these cases, make sure you choose a translucent lampshade to let light filter through.

To highlight another object, choose a shade material that is opaque enough to bounce light above and below. Thick parchment, silk, or laminated card are examples. Feel free to choose a darker, thicker lampshade material if your lamp is purely decorative and is situated in an area that’s already well-lit.

5. Use Colors and Patterns That Contrast With Your Lamp Base

If your base has a unique shape that you’d like to highlight, make sure to choose a simple shade so that you don’t draw attention away from the base. On the other hand, simple bases call for lampshades with interesting colors or patterns. Since lampshades have less of an impact on the room than curtains or upholstery do, you have more leeway to use very striking colors or patterns on them.

When we’re working with a client, we take the original lamp with us when we shop. Having the original helps us not only find the perfect new lampshade color and material, but also see how the lampshade will transform.

Plain white lampshades are the safest choice for lamp bases with eye-catching shapes or textures.

Updating lampshades can seem intimidating at first, but you might be surprised at what a difference a new shade can make. And of course, if you’re starting a major redesign project and need to update all your lamps, our professional interior design team can help make the process a smooth and easy one for you. Schedule a free consultation with us by calling our Dallas office at 214-232-9501 or sending an email to info@chambersinteriors.com.

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What to Look for When You Shop for Upholstery Fabric

Furniture with curves, like the Art Deco chairs seen to the right, often look best upholstered in solid colored fabric.

To work as a professional interior designer, you need to know your fabric. When I take on a new design job, many times my client asks me to reupholster an heirloom piece with beautiful bones but outdated fabric. Although antique and vintage furniture was built to last for generations, oftentimes these pieces need to be reupholstered to fit in with modern day décor.

If you’re thinking of updating the furniture in your Dallas home but have never shopped for upholstery fabric before, you might be feeling overwhelmed with your choices. However, once you know what to look for, you can narrow down your options pretty quickly.

For Heavily-Used Furniture, Look for Durable Fabrics

Before you think about color and pattern, consider durability. Will your furniture get everyday use? Do you have young children or pets? In either case, durability should be your top priority. One easy way to check the durability of a fabric is to look at its rub test score.

Fabric manufacturers test their products by performing a rub test, using a machine to rub the fabric in a back-in-forth motion until it finally shows signs of wear. As you shop, keep the following numbers in mind:

For the most durability, consider using outdoor-friendly fabric brands.

• 3000 double rubs: Light use only.

• 9000 double rubs: Medium duty. Suitable for infrequent use, like formal dining chairs.

• 15,000 or more double rubs: Heavy duty, suitable for frequent use.

• 50,000 or more double rubs: Suitable for commercial use.

Durable fabrics that are “life-friendly” include Sunbrella indoor or outdoor fabric, faux suede, and Crypton fabrics (which are water and stain resistant). You should also double-check whether your fabric will be fade resistant if your room gets a lot of sun.

For Decorative Furniture, Go for Style

On the other hand, if you’re buying fabric for a decorative piece that won’t be sat on very often, your options are wide open. Silk is a delicate fabric that should only be used in low-traffic areas where messes and spills are unlikely to happen. Tibetan wool and Belgian linen are other deluxe options if durability is unimportant. Bedroom headboards, decorative pillows, and chairs in formal living rooms are great places to use that delicate fabric that you love.

In this Dallas bedroom, you can see an example of an upholstered headboard as well as an upholstered, striped bench.

Mixing the Right Textures

Texture is something to think about when you’re redesigning a whole room. You can keep things interesting by mixing different upholstery textures in the space: leather, velvet, wool, linen, and cotton all have their own unique textures that can play off each other.

Lots of different upholstery textures play off of each other in this game room we designed.

For thread counts, generally the higher, the better, as they increase the longevity of the fabric. Long, natural fibers with a fluffy texture are not advised for allergy sufferers because they collect dirt, dust, and pet hairs.

Picking the Best Colors and Patterns for Your Piece

Whenever possible, try to see the fabrics you’re interested in in person, or ask for a swatch. Most designers recommend choosing a neutral color for your sofa upholstery instead of a bold color or pattern. The risk in choosing a trendy color or pattern is that you may tire of it in a few years. You can always add more color and personality to your sofa with patterned throw pillows.

A pair of upholstered mohair chairs provide additional seating in this north Dallas home office.

Keep in mind that curvaceous furniture looks best with solid color fabric. If you try to get your curvy furniture upholstered with a pattern, especially a striped pattern, it may look “choppy” and flow poorly over the lines of your piece. Solid color fabrics can also help tone down a piece of furniture with unusual shapes and lines.

Dark colors, beiges, and grays are the best colors for concealing dirt. That said, dark fabrics will also fade in sunlight more quickly, so light fabrics are better for sunny rooms.

There’s nothing quite like seeing an old piece of furniture come back from the upholsterer, transformed in its new fabric. Now that you know what to look for, you’re that much closer to finding the perfect fabric for your project.

If you still feel limited by the options you see in the store, you can also work with an interior designer—designers can connect you with a wider variety of fabrics and will know the best upholsterers working in your area. To schedule a free consultation with us, send an email to info@chambersinteriors.com or call our Dallas office at 214-232-9501.

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