Interior Design Q&A with Marlaina Teich

  ‘Today on Inside the Studio, I’m answering YOUR interior design frequently asked questions!

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my blog readers to submit and email a list of their biggest mysteries in interior design so that i could help shed some light on what they were looking for.

You guys asked – and I’m here to answer!!

Q: What’s the right size chandelier to go over a dining room table?

A: When purchasing a chandelier to go over the dining room table, try to make sure it is 2/3 or 3/4 the size of the table. This will give you the best visual effect without the chandelier looking to big (or too small).

Q: How high should I hang a chandelier?

A: A standard, professionally hung chandelier is 30-24 inches above the tabletop (when you have an 8-foot ceiling). Bring that number up proportionately for hanging chandelier with high ceilings.

Q: What is the best size area rug for a living room measuring 15 feet by 18 feet.

A: You don’t want a postage stamp rug in the middle of the room – the furniture legs should be on the rug. Try to leave about 18-24 inches of space between the wall and the area rug.

Q: What is the most important task in full kitchen renovation?

A: Start with the cabinets; then you can start picking the fun stuff like counter tops, backs plash, and appliances!

Q: How high should artwork be hung on a wall?

A: the center point of the artwork should be around 57 inches from the floor. That being said, If you’re doing a gallery wall or a grouping of multiple artworks, you’ll want to make sure the layout and composition are interesting and well-planned.

Q: Should my nightstands match my dresser? Should the bedroom set match the bed frame?

A: No!! It’s better to have complementary, interesting furniture pieces than to have an all-in-one bedding set.

For example An upholstered headboard, white lacquer nightstands, and a vintage dresser you found at an estate sale and restored.

Q: What’s the best height for pictures in the bathroom? The tile comes up to 52 inches.

A: Usually, the artwork midpoint should be 57″ off the floor. In this case, center the artwork between the tile midpoint and the ceiling height (for 8-foot ceilings).

If your ceilings are higher than 8 feet, you might need to hang your artwork lower.

Q: In my bathroom, the width of the toilet (the main wall as you enter next to the window) is 32 inches wide, while the width of the adjacent wall is 50 inches wide. I want to put one large picture (17.5 x 21.5) over the toilet and the two smaller ones next to the mirror. My husband disagrees, saying a bigger wall should get bigger picture.

A: It’s difficult to judge this without seeing the room, but I like the sound of having one larger piece of artwork over the toilet.

If the artwork and mirror are similar in size, they will be too uniform to look interesting. It is better to break up the mirror wall into two smaller pieces.

Are you struggling with these or other home interior design dilemmas? Get in touch with us to schedule a consultation with Marlaina. You can begin designing your dream home today!