Home Decorating Insight

Episode HDMIX-405

Romantic Victorian Bedroom

AIR TIMES:

Host: Karen McAloon
Co-Hosts: Daniel Hirsch and Ian Read

.

Saturday is the best time for me to watch HGTV and sometimes I get hooked. This Saturday I was busy setting up this website but I was still able to catch a show or two.

.

This episode was fun to watch but as you’ll soon see, I’m going to shoot tons of holes in the design the crew put together. So, here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly, project by project.

.

Red wall and ceiling with 18″ white band at ceiling.

I love red walls and even using red on ceiling and entire rooms is good for me. Check out the photo of the red ceiling in my entry way. However, I don’t agree with using a lot of red in a bedroom. Red ia a color that is energetic, exciting, and heightens the blood pressure. It is even known to increase the appetite, that’s why you’ll find it used in kitchens, dining rooms and restaurants. A bedroom is NOT the place where you want your enery to race, I don’t care if it’s the perfect color for your theme or not. This design included not only four deep red walls but a red ceiling as well, arrgh!

.

On the other hand, the 18″ band of white that they used at the top of the walls was fantastic, especially since the ceiling was red as well. It not only broke up the solid color but it gave the ceiling height. I feel the 8-ft ceiling they painted red was just too low to put such a strong color. A deep dark color like red, will draw the ceiling down, so normally, to use a strong color like that you need a ceiling that is more than 8-ft. Not being able to see the room in person really makes it hard to judge, but from seeing it on TV, the white band made the ceiling “appear” much higher, which in my opinion, is the only way they were able to get away with painting red on the ceiling.

.

Shoe boxes on wall.

Are they serious? Who has wall space in their closet? Plus, I think you’d be lucky if the shoes don’t fall out. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t waste my time.

.

Jewelry closet.

I love Ian, he can work wonders with any carpentry project. The jewelry closet was a great idea, but only practical for someone who, like the homewoner, makes jewelry for business. It’s a little much for most people.

.

Armoire.

That armoire was beautiful and it was great what Ian did to make it usable as a TV cabinet. It added great character to the room, a wonderful addition.

.

Wing chair.

Tacky, tacky. The “not too tapered” slip cover just looked cheap. And don’t you think it’s strange that the homewoner “just happened” to have a perfect match of fabric for the cushion and pillow? Probably came from the garage, right? Don’t try this at home, it’s a sure disappointment.

.

Light fixtures.

I love the idea of painting the bright gold fixtures a more bronze color. I didn’t really care for the fixtures themselves, they look like they belong outside, but I guess they’ll do. However, painting them was “spot-on”. Bright brass fixtures, although once very popular, now look dated. And as if I’m one to talk, my newly built house has bright brass door fixtures! Yeah, I know, I could change them out for the oiled bronze or brushed pewter door knobs but once I checked the price to replace them, I decided it could wait till a later date. Hmmm, I wonder if they could be painted?

.

Speaking of painting brass fixtures, our house had brass carriage lamps on either side of the garage - YUCK! One of the first things we did after we moved in was to paint them black. Oh, what a difference ~ they are beautiful now and no longer look dated. What wonders a $4 can of spray paint can do!

.

Roses painted on floor.

I love Danielle Hirsch ~ she is so creative. I also love that she’s working with David Bromstad (the 2006 DesignStar winner) on his show, Color Splash, but I digress.

.

Anyway, the roses on the floor are gorgeous but they only work because of the period of their design (Victorian). If later they choose to go modern contemporary, they’ll be in trouble. Not to mention they cut their potential buyer pool to only those who like the roses, heaven forbid they ever want to sell.

.

They never said what kind of paint they used to paint the roses. I would guess an oil base. My other worry about this project is that after you reapply the varnish, it might not match the rest of the floor. This project is very risky, in more ways than one, I would not recommend it. However, using a design like Danielle used but putting it on a wall would be beautiful in the right place and right design. Plus, on the wall, if you mess up or change your mind later, you can just paint over it and no one will ever know.

.

Pictures.

Well, hmm, the re-mounted grandma pic, not so hot. The Victorian ladies in frames, great idea and inexpensive as well.

.

Overall finished design.

Well, doesn’t it always look gorgeous when they’re finished? Especially compared to the way it looked in the “before” pics? Ever notice the lighting? And do they always film the finished room at night, the windows are always either black like it’s nighttime or they are fully covered? Of course the room is beautiful with a “set-up” like this, but most of all, compared to the “before”, there’s almost a jaw-dropping contrast.

.

Yes, the room is much, much nicer but all in all, I’d rate it a 2 out of 5 stars. The first big deduction is the red paint in a bedroom. Number two is the risky painting on the floor. Number three is the closet drape and shoe boxes, how inconvenient is that? And number four, and worst of all, it’s a bedroom and there’s no cover for privacy on the windows! Where will these people get dressed?

.

Interior design must be functional, practical and comfortable in addition to being beautiful. This design fails in my opinion.

.

Until next time ~ here’s to a beautifully comfortable home.

.
Reba

.

.