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Tag: Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Nail Down New Flooring: Go from slab to hardwood with these stylish flooring options

    If outdated flooring has you puzzled as to the next remodeling step… our interior design pro, Jennifer Adams, is here to help. Consider these variables for a new look that your loved ones will enjoy walking all over.

    Question: I live in a 1953 ranch home built on a slab. I want to install hardwood flooring throughout. However, the slab is covered with asbestos tile.  How would you install hardwood flooring?

    It is possible to install wood flooring over a slab floor with asbestos tile on it. However, there are lots of variables to consider, including how level the slab is, the moisture content in the air, and the level of moisture in the slab itself. A high-quality engineered flooring product might be a better solution and give you a similar look to hardwood, especially if you can’t nail the new flooring down. To find out what products will be best for your situation, ask a professional installer or licensed contractor.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Revamp Your Bathroom with a Modern Touch: See which look is cleaning up in style

    Do you have a small bathroom and no ideas for how to spruce it up? Even compact bathrooms can benefit from this refresh. Our interior design pro, Jennifer Adams, gives you tips to go from small and cluttered to a streamlined sanctuary.

    Question: I am looking for ideas to remodel a small master bathroom. Absolutely willing to look at this as a clean slate – any modern, trendy suggestions would be wonderful!

    As luck would have it, the most modern, trendy look for bathrooms right now is a clean slate! Create a relaxing, spa-like atmosphere with airy whites, soft grays, open spaces, clutter-free surfaces and room to move.

    Choose a pedestal sink or a sleek, wall-hung vanity for a more spacious feel, enhanced by beautiful storage baskets. Use the biggest mirror possible and put lighting on dimmer switches to control the brightness. Consider a roomy shower with clear glass doors or a simple shower curtain instead of a standard tub/shower combo. Add a skylight or window, especially if there is no natural light.

    – Jennifer Adams

  • Ask A Pro Q&A – How to Create an Oasis of Style: Matching brick and wood

    From the walls, floor and ceiling, texture is key to creating a visually interesting home. Interior designer Jennifer Adams shares how to select wood tile that enhances existing red brick.

    Question: I am buying a home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, that was built in 1986. The living room and sunroom floors are red brick. The rest of the house has an old and stained Berber carpet. We want to put new wood tile throughout the rest of the house, but I am not sure which color. I am thinking a light, almost creamy white like bleached barn wood. The trim around baseboards and windows is a natural wood. The walls will be a Navajo white. Would love your thoughts on the color of wood tile to choose.

    If the walls, floor and ceiling of most of the house are white, that red brick will be an exciting departure. If you’re planning to keep the original wood trim, consider going with a flooring color that is close to, but a bit darker than that. In tile, your choices might be limited. Go closer to the wood trim color, not the brick. And in the living room, add a natural fiber area rug in jute or sisal that will coordinate with the wood trim. Good luck and send in a photo when you’re done!

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask A Pro Q&A – Ceramic Tile or Wood: The best choice for your home

    With so many stylish flooring options, choosing the right one to fit your budget and goals can be a challenge. Interior designer Jennifer Adams shares whether ceramic tile or wood is best for your home with these considerations and tips.

    Question: Should I install ceramic tile that looks like wood floors?

    It depends on your budget and goals for the space! There are a lot of gorgeous tile products that look like wood and can be more durable if you have pets or live in a sandy or wet environment. Even though there are amazing finishes for hardwood flooring these days, if you truly love the look of wood but can’t deal with the floor getting even a little scratched or worn-looking, perhaps ceramic tile that looks like wood is for you.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Don’t Pale at Picking Colors: How to play around with seasonal hues

    Don’t underestimate the classic sophistication of white or other neutrals to celebrate the season. Interior designer Jennifer Adams reviews which hues make your home a holiday destination.

    Question: Which are the best colors of the season for now and later? We are going to paint soon.

    White is always right! White gives any space a clean, airy look and blends with every style and taste. Choose a pure white if you prefer cool tones or a warmer off-white. Another option is a very pale gray, sand or tan with brownish undertones—not too pink, not too green and not too yellow. You can easily accent with brighter colors for the time of year or your personal taste.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Choosing a Timeless Kitchen Hue

    Kitchens are the heart of the home. By selecting the right color, you welcome guests and express your style.  Interior designer Jennifer Adams discusses the best options for cabinets and a refreshed look.

    Question: Which are the most classic kitchen cabinets that will not look dated?

    I’m assuming you are talking about the door style. For a truly classic look, simpler is better! A look that never goes out of style and blends with any decor is a solid slab-style door without any panel or embellishment at all. But that look can be a little boring if it’s finished with plain white paint. To add some timeless interest to cabinet doors, choose an inset Shaker panel for the larger doors and drawers, with a slab style for small drawers.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A: To Keep or Not to Keep Beadboard in a Bathroom

    While shiplap may be the current darling of the design world, beadboard is also receiving attention for its versatility and style. When debating whether to take on a renovation that involves this timeless design, consider the time and cost investment.

    Question: I have beadboard in my hall bath and want to know if I should keep it, replace it with shiplap or leave it plain and just paint the drywall? The room has vintage floor tiles, a pedestal sink and marble tile surrounding the tub/shower.

    – Ken G.

    Well, this is a great question and my answer is, it depends! Use caution. This sounds like a simple project, but it might not be. Do you have a problem such as dry rot, mold or peeling paint that requires removing the beadboard? Is it painted already? Do you simply not like it? What looks beautiful to you? What are your goals for the space and how it will feel?

    In general, unless you are going for a new look completely or know you need to fix something, I recommend keeping a project simple. Any time you tear something out is an opportunity to find hidden problems that might delay the project or increase your budget. In bathrooms, in particular, moisture wreaks havoc without being noticeable. And in old buildings, paint often has lead in it, so talk with a licensed contractor before doing anything to create dust or cover up potential problems.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A: Preserve or Renovate

    An open space increases the sense of expansiveness in a room. Dream Team member and interior designer Jennifer Adams explains the considerations for this renovation, such as building codes and historical preservation. Give your home an area to relax and entertain without putting a cramp in your style.

    Question: I’m in a small apartment (625 square feet) in New York City. Is it better to open a wall and expand the kitchen into the living/dining area or keep the original footprint?

    – Laura L.

    Call a licensed contractor and open up that wall with as large of an opening as possible! The only reasons not to might be if there are structural requirements of any type, if you’d be losing too much storage, or if there is some historical significance to your building. Even then, there are probably ways to work around the issues.

    Before swinging a hammer to DIY the project, talk with licensed contractors and your building management and/or HOA, as there is most likely more to this project than you might realize.

    In any size place, especially a small apartment, opening spaces to let them flow together will help make your life better. Seeing a continuous space makes a place feel bigger, airier and less cramped, so you’ll be happier and perhaps less tempted to move. Plus, the openness will make entertaining easier and more fun, even if it’s just you and a friend or two.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A: Staging Your Home for Potential Buyers

    Living in a home for any period of time will leave a wealth of clutter that can prove challenging when it comes time to stage it for potential buyers. See if this process is the right one to help you keep your treasures.

    Question: We have lived in our home for more than 30 years and have done quite a bit to it. We are planning to finish the remainder of our remodeling and sell. How do I “stage” and edit out 30 years of living?

    -Wanda G.

    Staging is all about creating a blank slate. Many potential buyers simply have a hard time seeing past your treasures, which they may see as clutter!

    Depending on the housing market in your area, it’s also smart to finish any partially completed remodeling projects that may be a distraction. Starting a new project, unless it is to fix a glaring problem, is probably not necessary. As you interview potential agents, see what they have to say.

    The most time-consuming part of staging is going to be the “editing out” or, essentially, massively de-cluttering. As you obviously know, any time we live in a house for a long time, we tend to hang onto things simply because we have the room. Since you’ll be moving anyway, pack up the valuables, art and especially all your personal items including family photos, trophies, unique treasures and mementos, large collections, etc. This may be a great time to encourage your family members to ask for what they want! Or, get a storage unit if you can’t move directly into your new place.

    Try very, very hard to store only items you will use in your new home, and donate the rest. You’ll thank yourself later – trust me on this! Otherwise, you’re paying good money to keep things you don’t really want. Allow plenty of time for this process if you are working or have a busy life – maybe even a couple of months! It’s more than a weekend project. And give yourself a realistic deadline to keep on track.

    -Jennifer Adams

  • Ask a Pro Q&A – Maximize a Living Room Layout: Entertain or relax in style with these arrangement options

    Deciding where to place chairs can be tough when setting up a space. Especially when you have a uniquely shaped living room. Interior design pro, Jennifer Adams, gives this reader a few options to make every guest feel welcomed in their home.

    Question: I have a long living room with a fireplace in the middle of one long wall, two windows on another wall opposite the windows a sliding door to a deck and fourth wall with two door openings on each side. I have the couch on the wall opposite the fireplace and I don’t know whether to buy chairs to go with the couch or get a sectional instead. How should I arrange the furniture?

    Adding two chairs to a sofa arrangement would be more flexible than a sectional, especially if your room is small. Place one chair on either side of the sofa, corner to corner to save space. You could angle the chairs slightly to the fireplace or move them at right angles to the sofa for better conversation. Finish this arrangement off with a coffee table and one or two end tables between the couch and the chairs. Use the tables to make sure everyone has a place to set a magazine or beverage within comfortable reach.

    Is there enough room to place the couch closer to the fireplace so you can walk easily behind it to allow for through traffic? That would make a cozy and inviting seating arrangement because someone wouldn’t need to walk through the middle of the room unless they were headed to a chair.

    – Jennifer Adams