How much paint should I buy for my large room?
The average gallon of paint should cover about 350 square feet. This will vary based on a few factors:

• How much texture is on the walls: The more texture the less square footage you will get out of the gallon.
• When was the last time said area was painted: A “dry” wall will soak in more paint vs. a wall that was more recently painted. New drywall should be primed with a drywall primer first. Using primer will help increase the amount of area the paint will cover.

Should I use a paint sprayer or paint roller?

Wooster Brush

For applying the paint, I would never use a sprayer unless there is nothing in the room. Meaning no trim or floor to deal with.  A sprayer will require much more prep then brushing and rolling. You will have to mask off every area in order to make sure that the paint will not overspray on it.  The time that you may save will be lost in the prep and clean up. Remember, painting is not a race!

As for rollers, depending on the wall and sheen of the paint can vary.  On smooth plaster and drywall I would use a 3/8 Pro-Dooz by Wooster Brush.  Texture walls I would use ½ Pro-Dooz, and on a texture ceiling I would use a ¾ SuperFab roller, also by Wooster Brush.  Also I would buy a Wooster extension pole 2-4 foot, It will be the best $25 you will spend, especially for a larger area. You can find all of these products at your local Hirshfield’s.

What kind of paint finish should I use for my painting project?
Flat, matte, or eggshell are the most common paint finishes.  Use flat for your ceiling or an area in which you probably won’t wash. Flat also works well on walls that have a lot of natural light due to its ability to absorb light (meaning  less “sun spots” on the wall, and you will see less roller marks and brush marks).  Matte works great for hallways and common areas.  The idea of a matte is that it is a washable finish with a very low shine. Use eggshell for kitchens, bathrooms, and kids rooms. Eggshell washes well and can stand up to moisture. Every room has different needs for a finish, so feel free to talk to your Hirshfield’s paint professional and we can recommend the right one.

Decorating a nursery
Decorating a nursery for baby is one of those special moments in parenthood. And when you first bring your sweet baby home it it can sometimes be hard to imagine that one day they won’t be needing a changing table, crib or rocking chair. So when planning the decor for your nursery, think about adding pieces that can transition from baby to toddler to tween to teen.

In this European-inspired nursery, a neutral wall color offsets the whimsical curtains and furniture. The paint color, Benjamin Moore‘s Caramel Apple, will serve as the perfect neutral backdrop for many years to come. The fabric on the window treatments is playful, yet sophisticated. And the changing tray can be removed from the chest of drawers for an easy transition from nursery to child’s room.

Design Dazzle

Design Dazzle

This nursery is clearly for a little girl, but the neutral green wall color will grow with her. The curtains can easily be switched out if she outgrows the pink stage, and the tree on the wall is actually a removable decal. The chandelier adds a sophisticated touch to this nursery.

HGTV

Decorating a child’s room
As your child grows, you’ll switch the crib out for a bed and add a few more adult pieces of furniture such as a desk or extra storage. The paint color and furniture choices in this room are pretty neutral, so the whole look of the room can be changed based upon your fabric and accent choices.

Better Homes & Gardens

The roman shades in this room are timeless and versatile. Even if this room is one day turned into a guest room or office, those curtains will withstand the transition. The picture frames above the bed are also simple and classic, and the pictures can be easily swapped out to suit your child’s taste.

Houzz

For more kid’s room inspiration, check out our post, Kids Rooms for All Ages.

“It’s nice to have books around. They add so much ambiance. I hope we never live to see the day when books are eliminated from the home,” said Minneapolis interior designer, Jim Noble (Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Decor by the books“).

Books add warmth, dimension and visual interest to a space. There’s just something about having books around that make a room feel more important.

You can add books to your home decor in bulk, such as a library or study with built-in bookshelves, or you can simply use them as accents. Use them within a larger wall display to add height to other objects or casually display your favorite reads on the coffee table as a conversation piece.

Better Homes & Gardens

My Romantic Home

CatherineNicole.com

The Happy Housewife

We Heart It

When decorating with books, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Consider the size and color of your books, especially if you are using them across an entire wall. Visual balance is key.
• Layer your book shelves with other objects to add interest.
• Think of books like any other piece of art, when displayed properly they can serve as the focal point of a room.

“My view is you almost can’t have too many books, because just from the pure physical standpoint they give a home so much more depth and dimension.”
- Timothy Corrigan, internationally known interior designer (Minneapolis Star Tribune, “Decor by the books”)

And check out these fabulous wall-coverings available at Hirshfield’s:

Cole & Son

Angela Gutekunst

Cole & Son

Brunschwig & Fils

Hirshfield’s Premier COLLECTION Instant Rebate Sale, January 14-29
Save $40 Instantly on any order of $250-$499
Save $85 Instantly on any order of $500-$749
Save $150 Instantly on any order of $750-$999
Save $250 Instantly on any order of $1000 or more

Hirshfield’s & Hunter Douglas Save Energy in Style Sale, beginning January 16

BUY 2 or more of any combination of the following products and save:
Hunter Douglas Vignette® Tiered™ Architella Shades     SAVE $50 per unit
Hunter Douglas Vignette® Modern Roman Shades           SAVE $40 per unit

BUY 4 or more of any combination of the following products and save:
Hunter Douglas Duette® Architella® Honeycomb Shades    SAVE $25 per unit
Hunter DouglasDuette® Honeycomb Shades                            SAVE $20 per unit

Manufacturer’s mail-in rebate offer valid for qualifying purchases made 1/16/2012 – 3/31/2012.  A qualifying purchase is defined as a purchase of any of the product models set forth in the quantities set forth above.  If you purchase less than the specified quantity, you will not be entitled to a rebate.  Rebate offers cannot be combined. All rebates will be issued in U.S. dollars, in the form of an American Express Prepaid Reward Card.

Scenic Woodland

Medallion with Scroll

When I hear, “you’re going to love this new book” my heart races for a few seconds. A new wallcovering book always carries the hope of great expectations. The Silhouettes book is a winner in every category!

Asian Scenic

Asian Scenic close up

Large Swirl Geo

Open Trellis

Lacey Circle Geo

Tulip Damask

Paisley Swirl

Paisley Swirl close up

Tree Silhouette

Scenic Vines

Scenic Vines close up

Vertical Half Squiggle

Julia, Hirshfield’s Design Studio, offers up this book report:

This book is fresh, cheerful, and has a good mix of colors and patterns. Sometimes a manufacturer has a fantastic pattern, but has it colored wrong or vice versa. Not this book.

The patterns are versatile and not tied to a particular style; they are suitable for contemporary, traditional, or transitional spaces. The designs are very current and on-trend:  geometric, chinoiserie, butterflies, birds, damask variation, trellis, and faux bois.

The look, and even feel, of the papers are similar to the Farrow & Ball block printing process. Totally old-school, totally very expensive looking. Farrow & Ball can cost in the upwards of $200+ per single roll, the Silhouettes papers retail for $48.99-$53.99 per single roll. Plus, it is made in America.

We all love the book here at Hirshfield’s. Do you have a favorite pattern? Which room would you use it in?

Always call your local Hirshfield’s store and verify they carry a particular book, or that the book is not checked out, before you make a special trip.

Watch WCCO’s story on Cutting Down on Winter Energy Costs.

During the winter, most of your home’s heat is lost through the windows because, let’s face it, windows are just large holes in the side of your home. But some energy efficient window treatments will help keep the cold out. Dawn, from Hirshfield’s Shop at Home, explains in the WCCO segment that putting an energy efficient window treatment on your window is like putting a blanket on it.

Be sure to look at the R-Value of the window treatment, which is a measure of a product’s ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value number, the more insulation it provides and the better it is at reducing heat loss. Certain Hunter Douglas window treatments available at Hirshfield’s can increase a window’s R-Value by 70%!

If you are interested in installing energy efficient window treatments in your home, stop in to your local Hirshfield’s and let one of our certified window treatment professionals show you the best energy efficient window treatment options.

Kathy starts out by emphasizing not all walls are suitable accent walls. There needs to be a reason for an accent wall and it needs to make sense in the overall design plan. A fireplace wall, a headboard wall or a window wall all make good accent wall candidates.

House Beautiful

Martha Stewart

The great thing about accent walls is that they allow you to incorporate bold colors into your home without committing all four walls. Kathy’s pick for accent wall color is a dark charcoal, or dark chocolate color.

Accent walls don’t always have to be paint, either. Wallpaper works great for accent walls.

Better Homes & Gardens

Isabella & Max

For more tips on picking the best color for your accent wall, check out this article from BenjaminMoore.com: Ideas for Creating Beautiful Accent Walls.

Accent wall: Benjamin Moore royal flush Walls: Benjamin Moore paper mache

The staff at the design studio are very excited to share a sampling of new pieces which are arriving weekly, as a result from their last buying trip to High Point Market. More news from the showroom is they’re adding two new lines into “the mix,” and one line will be exclusive to the Hirshfield’s showroom. More on the new lines when pieces start arriving at the showroom.

Pillows!

Handcrafted from reclaimed wood this one-of-a kind sideboard is the focal point of any room, even if you don’t have convex mirrors and boom wall sculptures to glam it up.

Close-up of sideboard doors

Reclaimed bench just unpacked and waiting for a cushion.

Love the detail of the doors.

Boom sculpture on a table or on the wall.

Love purple? These corbel bookends and throw lend the right amount purple to a room.

Twisted vines

The metal grouping looks like birch trees in the fall.

Laying Lotus flew off the walls before Christmas

Laying Lotus used as a centerpiece

Aren’t these one-of-a-kind pieces absolutely gorgeous? You know they are. The photos don’t do them justice. I guarantee you’ll fall in love when you see them.

Can objets d’art be multi-taskers? The staff at the showroom seems to think so:

• Boom wall sculptures can be hung on the wall or placed on a table
• Glam it up with mirrors like the showroom did, or keep it simple with a few mirrors
• Wooden column capitals turned candle holders, grouped together, or used as a single, chunky statement piece
• Laying Lotus piece used as a wall hanging or centerpiece for a table; this piece mixes cool and warm metallic finish
• The versatility of the pieces provides an opportunity to use them in multiple rooms

It’s like Christmas at the showroom with the new pieces arriving. Look in the near future for an update on the showroom’s new lines.

Also, as evident by the red tags in the photos, there are still sale items available. Custom made, fabricated headboards are $400 and $500, high-end sofas for $900. Leave a comment if you’d like to see photos.

I hope you enjoyed the “what’s new” theme song.

In South America, design is heavily influenced by Spanish trends, Aztec patterns and the iconic color scheme of deep red orange paired with neutral beige and a calming green.

In North America, technology plays an important role – innovative patterns and colors are the goal. The Arts and Crafts movement has also influenced this region, and nothing personifies North American culture like the iconic cowboy in blue jeans.

Africa draws its defining colors from the craftsmanship of Morocco, the colors and patterns of Batik fabrics and, of course, the fabulous animals native to the region.

This color collection, designed by Color Guild, represents global color trends. Color Guild is comprised of more than 55 independent paint manufacturers from 14 different countries and is dedicated to the marketing, promotion and selling of paint products. The combined expertise and experience of the member companies makes Color Guild uniquely qualified to serve as a definitive resource on color and coatings. For more information visit: www.colorguild.com.

The interesting thing about color is the way it can be mixed and matched to create functional color palettes that compliment larger societal trends.

The Hirshfield’s Colour Canvas 2012 collection features color combinations that harmonize with the greater surrounding colors representative of different regions, along with forecast color trends. Each of the color combinations demonstrates the use of a neutral or off-white mixed with forecast colors and harmonizing hues. In this post, we will take you on a tour of three of the six new collections; the Australian, Asian and European collections.

The colors in the Australian collection represent the area’s rich culture of aboriginal art, the treasured Great Barrier Reef and the simple, clean design  common in Australian homes.

Asian design cannot exist without the color red. It is fundamental in patterns and designs found throughout this part of the world. The Asian collection also features the modern, futuristic landscape of Shanghai and the exotic patterns found in the Far East.

European design includes the refreshing colors of the French provinces, comfortable and cozy charm and the sweet, carefree colors of traditional English gardens.

Stay tuned to see the South American, North American and African collections!

This color collection, designed by Color Guild, represents global color trends. Color Guild is comprised of more than 55 independent paint manufacturers from 14 different countries and is dedicated to the marketing, promotion and selling of paint products. The combined expertise and experience of the member companies makes Color Guild uniquely qualified to serve as a definitive resource on color and coatings.