Canada AM's home and decor expert Karl Lohnes answers questions from the mailbag related to his segment on decorating small spaces:

Question #1 (In three parts)

Carolyn writes: My questions has to do with floor covering: Hardwood vs. carpet – does the choice of floor covering help make the room seem larger or open it up more?

Answer: One of the secrets to making a small space feel larger is to continue the same colours and tones of flooring throughout the entire space. In the case of Carolyn's small living room, I suggest a wood floor. A smooth, satin gloss will help reflect light around the room which will make it appear larger.

Carpeting will add texture to the room which visually fills a room. Note: If you decide to use carpeting, then choose a neutral colour, similar to a wood floor that you might have chosen. The more neutral, the longer the colour will be in style.

Question B: I have been told that you pick your floor covering first then the paint colour for the walls. Is this the correct order? I am not sure where to start in this updating of the room.

Answer: Paint colour can be changed every 3-6 years; flooring lasts longer. Choose your flooring first as it will influence the room for a long time. A good wood floor choice is an oak wood with walnut stain. You get the grain of the oak and warm brown colour of the walnut. To make the room feel its largest, paint the walls just a few shades lighter than the flooring.

Question C: Should I use the same floor covering for the stairs?

Answer: Flowing the same flooring throughout is the secret to making a small space appear larger so yes you should choose the same flooring for the stairs.

Question #2

Paulette writes: We are purchasing the family home and it is only 880 square feet. We are taking down walls to make it an open concept living room and dining room. The room is now 19 feet long and 17 feet wide. I need to buy new living room furniture but need ideas on how to set it up.

Answer: Without knowing where windows and entrances are situated it will be difficult to answer Paulette's question. Here are some rules when arranging furniture in a square shaped room:

  • 1. Use area rugs as your guide; without walls, they can help define sitting areas within an overall space. The 8x10 sized rug tends to work well in grounding a room setting's size.
  • 2. Create a focal point that can be enjoyed by the entire room. A fireplace mantel is an great choice, an entertainment unit is another contender; a large picture window or piece of art can act as the room's focal point as well.
  • 3. Keep furnishings comfortable yet smaller in scale. Although you have a rather overall large room, you want to have flexibility to move furnishings around whether it be to create one large sitting area or 2-3 smaller ones.
  • 4. If incorporating a dining area in this open plan, consider re-positining the chandelier over the table. This will visually establish the dining area.
  • 5. If wanting to create a dining area in a corner area, choose a round expanding table. It will fit snug into the corner for everyday dining.
  • 6. Don't forget to fill the corners of the room with tall things like plants, corner cabinets and etegaires; even drapery panels and vertically hung artwork will help.

Question 3: Kitchen paint colours (from Tina)

Question: We have white kitchen cabinets, the counters are black granite and our floors are a neutral ceramic tile. We like the sharp contrast of the black and white and love our yellow leather chairs. What colour should we paint the walls in our kitchen?

Answer: The existing paint colour is a great neutral, but should not be put with the crisp black, white and yellow as it appears murky and dirty. I suggest either using a fresh white like Benjamin Moore's DEWDROP CC-608. This will allow the cabinets and trim work to disappear into the walls, making the small kitchen and dinette area feel larger and brighter

If you want to warm up the area with colour, then I suggest MUSKOKA DUSK CC-6. It is a rich purple-tone which is opposite on the colour wheel to yellow (on the chairs). Its a surefire way to jazz up a room and compliment your favorite chairs.

For great decorating tips you can now follow Karl on Twitter @: karllohnes

Got a comment or decorating dilemma to ask Karl? Email us: homedecor@ctv.ca