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Q. Okay, I know it’s a mess. It’s our summer cottage and while some really like the raw wood, I don’t. So I’m thinking of painting the walls and ceiling white, but what is the perfect shade? The sofa, chairs, and obviously the Ben Franklin stove has to stay but everything else is up for grabs. What do you suggest?
A. We turned once again to Amie Corley, designer extraordinaire and recently picked by Southern Living magazine as one of the five new tastemakers of the South (and yes, St. Louis is not the South to us but she originally hails from New Orleans). She responded with a fabulously detailed plan:
To Keep:
1. Instead of trying to pretend that this room doesn't look like a lodge, I would just run with that whole "hip lodge" look. Don't worry. It will be a very cool lodge! I'd recommend keeping the wood ceiling as is but painting the walls a show-stopping dark navy. My favorite navy blue paint colors are Farrow and Ball Black Blue or Benjamin Moore Polo Blue. I always use a flat finish for walls. It has a velvety affect and you definitely don't want any surface sheen since the walls are already textured.
2. Your mid-century barrel chairs are super cute and I would recommend reupholstering these in something like Brunschwig's Les Touches fabric, which is an abstract take on animal print. It would make such a statement on those chairs and really show off their fun shape.
To Change:
3. Unless absolutely necessary, remove the fan. I would recommend replacing it with a simple drum pendant. These are inexpensive light fixtures that work in any decorating style.
4. An instant fix would be putting bamboo or woven wood shades on your windows instead of those half curtains. I recommend mounting the shades higher and wider than the window frame to give the illusion of larger windows. I love Smith and Noble woven woods and the texture of the wood against dark walls will be a nice contrast.
5. I would build out the sofa area starting with a big piece of artwork between the windows. A landscape photo, like one from 20 x 200, framed and matted in simple white will modernize the area and really pop on the dark walls.
6. The Petrie sofa from Crate and Barrel (6a) would be perfect with your barrel chairs. It's got nice, clean lines and a retro mid century feel that would fit right in. I've shown it here in the putty color-way. I would put a pair of pillows in this punchy red and white fabric from Thomas Paul (6b) on the sofa.
7. Replace existing coffee table with a simple parsons coffee table like this one from Crate and Barrel. It's inexpensive and the clean lines will be a fun contrast with the natural elements of the room.
8. Move sofa out from wall and place a simple console (8a.) like this one behind it. I'd put two of these cute red lamps from West Elm (8b.) on the console that will help frame your artwork and add a nice pop of color.
9. I love the texture of this driftwood table from Arteriors home and would put it next to the sofa or in between the barrel chairs.
10. You could definitely use more storage, especially in that TV area. I'd recommend investing in a media console or case piece where you can put your TV and store all of the TV accessories. These pieces usually have enough storage for all of that other stuff that I see stacked up everywhere. They can be a nice catch-all for DVD's books, etc.
11. Finally, for a cozy finish to the room, I'd definitely do something with that floor. I can't tell from the photos what you've got in there now but I would recommend putting down wood floors or running wall to wall sisal or natural fiber carpet and layering a hide rug over it. The layered affect will do a lot for this space and help to define your seating area. I love using hides over a natural fiber. It always looks great.
