TIPS FOR CREATING ROOMS THAT FLOW TOGETHER

NEUTRAL ROOM WITH SUNFLOWERS THAT FLOWS INTO THE ROOMS AROUND IT

One of the ways a home can feel cohesive is by creating rooms that flow together. Seamlessly and visually beautiful! It is important to think of your home as a whole and not only separate rooms! It’s all about the flow!

Does your home, as a whole, feel curated? Do your rooms work together as part of a whole? Or do your rooms feel disjointed Do they look “choppy”? Or do they play nicely together? Is walking from one room to another a beautiful transition?

I get emails all the time from readers wondering how to create a home that seems to FLOW!

WHAT ARE ROOMS THAT FLOW TOGETHER

I often talk about the eye/mind connect and how decorating is all about what our eyes see and how our mind perceives it.

We first need to think of the rooms in our home as a whole. One experience! One big decorative journey!

When we go from one room to another and our minds see some continuity and they can make sense of room to room transitions our mind will see it as beautiful or interesting. That is what we mean by rooms that flow well together.

However, if our eyes pick up decor that is very different or with no easy transition from room to room our minds perceive this as disjointed, unpleasant, or odd.

It is our job as home decorators to keep our eyes and minds happy and interested! And keep the transition from one room to another a pleasant experience!

HOW TO CREATE ROOMS THAT WORK TOGETHER

One of the reasons we all love Fixer-Upper is Joanna’s fabulous knack for making the rooms in her fixer-upper houses flow together.

Well, that and Chip’s funny antics and how they transform the worst homes on the block, and those adorable kids, and the amazing vision they have for each home, and Chip and Jo’s farmhouse and….

The list goes on and on!

But I know that part of the reason I love Fixer-UppOWer is how amazing all the rooms in a fixer-upper home work together!

We don’t have to appear on Fixer-Upper to have a home that seamlessly transitions from one room to another!

Here are 5 great tips for creating a home that flows well together! And moving to Waco is not one of the five on this list!

USE THE SAME OR SIMILAR PAINT COLOR

This is probably the easiest fix for rooms that don’t flow well together. Painting all the rooms in your home using the same 2 or 3 colors will visually connect them. You will be amazed by how a home will look larger and more cohesive if the wall colors (and ceilings) work together.

WALL COLOR

Color is an amazing equalizer when we are talking about rooms that flow together.

As a home decorator I don’t have the experience or the professional know how to use vastly different wall colors in different rooms and have them transitional well.

But, as a home decorator, I do know that keeping the wall color in my home to one or two or three colors will instantly create a cohesive transition between rooms!

And here’s something important to remember…

KEEP THOSE DIFFERENT COLORS THE SAME HUE BUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SADES AND TINTS!

Here’s an easy way to get this right! Pick a color as your primary paint color and then have the paint store make it a bit darker and/or a bit lighter!

Another easy way to pick paint color is to look at a paint chip that has complimentary colors on it. Choose the paint for the whole house from one chip.

The paint color in our home is easy! Because of its open concept and hight ceilings we chose to paint it all one neutral color.

I used Benjamin Moore’s Simply White in a few of the StoneGable bedrooms and loved its soft look that we had the entire Tanglewood house painted Simply White!

TRIM COLOR FOR ROOMS THAT FLOW TOGETHER

Keeping the trim around doors and windows the same throughout a home will help the rooms in a home flow easily together.

Don’t forget to do the same with baseboards, crown molding, and doors.

Things like crown molding and the trim may not be the first things we see in a room, but when these things are uniform the look like they belong together. 

I think one of the biggest mistakes home decorators make is to paint or stain trim differently throughout their homes. Keep all trim the same color! 

All the trim in our home, including all the built-ins and fireplace, is Simply White by Benjamin Moore. And yes, it is the same color as our walls. Because our walls are flat and the trim is semi-gloss the light reflects off those surfaces differently and looks a little different but nice.

HOW FLOORING AFFECT FLOW

One of the best ways for rooms to work beautifully together is by using the same flooring so one room flows into another. This is especially important for large open areas in a home.

I would treat wall to wall carpeting the same as flooring. Keep it the same from room to room. It will make such a difference in the way rooms that rooms flow together easily.

Area rugs should share the same color palette throughout your home too. They don’t have to be exactly the same.

Yes, you can put a couple of the same rugs in one area but they can often look boring and a little too safe! If you feel better doing this stick to rugs like sisal. They have lots of texture and are a neutral color.

All the rooms in our home have the same hardwood flooring and this gives a very cohesive look and feel! And our area rugs are very similar in color palette!

When there is a difference in flooring from room to room our eyes pick it up right away! Instead of transitioning into a room, they will stop and our minds will try to make sense of the difference. Thus stopping for natural and seamless flow!

YOUR STYLE

Your personal style has a lot to do with room to room transitioning!

It’s so important to know your style and basically keep in that style lane!

Once you find your style and you decorate your home within the limits of your style your home will look at home! It will look like you!

That does not mean you cannot be creative! No, just the opposite. When you know your style you can reproduce it in so many ways!!!

My style is TRANSITIONAL. And my entire home reflects my unique spin on trasitional style!

You might like to read more about HOW TO KNOW YOUR DECORATING STYLE.

FABRIC COLORS AND PATTERNS

PILLOWS ON A CHAIR ARE A DECOR ACCENT

Fabric color and pattern can have a huge affect on the way rooms flow together in a home!

My best advice is…

  • don’t be too matchy-matchy
  • don’t use too many colors throughout a home
  • pick a color palette and stick with it
  • repeat colors and textiles in a room and in a home
  • neutrals with lots of texture is the easiest way to go

I think it takes a lot of practice to feel confident about switching colors between rooms. So, unless you are an interior decorator or have an incredible natural gift for color and pattern stay with a specific color palette for a seamless look!

A pop of color or wood tone or texture can also be carried throughout a home especially if it leans towards neutrals. It’s always nice to incorporate a fun color and carry it throughout your home!

My pop of color at the moment is a saturated burnt yellow.

Can you see it here in the sunflowers?

And here in the bedroom?

REPEATED ELEMENTS

If you have any distinctive architectural elements in a room try repeating them in some way in another room.

Here are other things to repeat that will help rooms flow together..

  • shapes
  • patterns
  • textures
  • size of objects
  • color
  • flowers
  • pattern

I hope this has helped you understand how to create a cohesive home with easy transitions.

What are you doing in your home to help you have a home where all the rooms play well together?

These post might help you decorate your home…

HOW TO USE COLOR IN YOUR HOME

AN ELEMENT OF DESIGN YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT… SCALE AND PROPORTION

10 DECORATING TIPS THAT WILL HELP YOUR HOME LOOK AMAZING

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157 Comments

  1. Margaret du Preez says:

    Love your home Yvonne

  2. Really like how you give related articles that tie into at the end of this post. You keep inspiring me!

  3. Good Morning Yvonne!

    Your home is beautiful and the flow from one room to another is seamless. I am in the process of picking out new flooring for my home (a project that has been on-going for 2 years). So many gorgeous options to choose from. I’m hoping to make a final decision shortly so we can have the project done before the holidays (she said optimistically). lol I love the flooring you used in your laundry room. That was one of the colors I looked at for my master bath. I love your color-scheme and you have given me the inspiration to start updating and making changes in my own space. Thank you for the vision!

    1. Lorri Rauscher says:

      Thanks for the tips for a house that flows. Sometimes we have some piece that we love but deep down know is not right for the room. .decisions decisions. ..?

  4. Joyce Kennard says:

    I love the new mirror in the living room. Now that you have it over the chest, what are you using over the couch? Also, one of the older pictures of the living room shows a china cabinet(?) reflecting in the mirror over the couch, where is this in relation to the room? Also, love the mix of furniture colors. Have Cherry in my LR, would love to mix it up. Thanks for getting this 73 yr olds mind stirred up, lol

  5. Carol Imler says:

    I’ve been trying to think how to make my living space look “less formal”. Everything is quite traditional. I think it’s time to get something chippy over my fireplace! Your home is beautiful! Even though you are very eclectic in your style, it certainly flows beautifully! Thanks for sharing some of your “secrets”!

  6. Love the way everything works in your home. I am in the process of trying to do the same thing. It takes time but well worth it! I look forward to your newsletter each morning! Have a great day!

    1. Hi Debbie, It does take time but you are so right… it is worth it! I’m thrilled you are enjoying the newsletter!

  7. Love your blog posts! What advice do you have for table lamps?

  8. Beth Beard says:

    I love your home. We just recently installed harwood floors throughout our entire home. Huge project but so nice all the carpeting is gone. My friends are telling me not to use area rugs as they will discolor the new floors. Your home is very bright and I love the large windows, so I was wondering, do you have any problems with the sun discoloring the floors around your area rugs?

  9. I am starting with the paint change. My rooms are different colors and I am starting with different greys that are on a paint card at the Sherman Williams store. I can’t wait to get started.

  10. I agree so much with the flooring one. We used to have carpet, tile and hardwood in our downstairs and changed almost all the spaces to hardwood. What a huge difference! I always love seeing your lovely home. Enjoy your week!
    Shelley

  11. Perfect tips. You and your home is beautiful. Thank you.

  12. Good morning Yvonne, In March we left the town we had lived in for 42 years…how I loved that little country town and all that it was to us ! We built a small house in a harbor town with a very large garage for the Mister – antique car collector extraordinaire ! I have been very intentional decorating and look to many of your posts current and past to help create the new casual farmhouse chic cottage vibe in this home….Yvonne I too am very eclectic ! I learned from past renovations done on our former house that hardwood floors throughout was a must for that cohesive look in a smaller open concept home ….we chose a gorgeous rustic quarter saw stained oak with wide plank – I can’t bring myself to cover it with any rugs yet.It’s that beautiful to me ! All your advice is spot on ! I am embracing a neutral palette as well and love it. Easy to play with accessories and appointments…….wishing you and fellow ‘coffee clatch’ readers a sunny and grace-filled day ! ……….Smiles…Anne

  13. Very good tips, Your home is a good example of how to have good ‘flow’ in your home. Thank you!

  14. Every time I read your posts, I’m in awe of how you create a home that is not only georgeous but livable. I read every word of every article hoping something will finally click and I will magically become someone that can pull together a room the way you have. I know what I like, and I know what I dislike, but for the life of me, I cannot pull elements together to make a cohesive look. So for now, I’m just enjoying being your blog stalker (and taking notes).

  15. Love the new chippy mirror in the living room Yvonne! Is it a vintage piece or new? And did you find a place for your gilded mirror? Thanks for all the inspiration!!

  16. I’m beginning the process of redecorating our master bedroom. I have taken your advice of sitting in the room and just day dreaming! This has been a very helpful process. Thank you for all of your great recommendations!

  17. Sherry Pelle says:

    My tip is when you want more of a variation of color on your walls, and still want a good flow from room to room you would only need to use a different shade of the same color in each room. I wouldn’t vary off too many shades from room to room. Only if a room has four walls like bathrooms or bedrooms then you can go darker or much lighter with your shade while keeping the same sheen of paint finish in each room. Hope that helps!

  18. Julie Maier says:

    It’s amazing how using these tips can change the cozy factor in a home. When a house “flows” I think we feel more calm, relaxed.

    Sometimes achieving this flow takes a little more work in some rooms than others, but in the end, the little work has a big payoff. Your home, Yvonne, is such a wonderful example of a homes flow equaling a peaceful, cozy home. Thank you for sharing these tips – so nice to be reminded of them to help keep them in the forefront of my mind while working on my redecorating projects!

    Have a beautiful day!
    Julie

  19. Linda schmidt says:

    I love and live in a very, very eclectic home and love everything about it and I love visiting your eclectic home.

  20. Great advice! We just bought a fixer upper as our next family home ( no updayes have been made since it was built in 1973) and your reminder about using paint to create a flow thoughout your home is just what I needed to hear this morning before I head out to the paint store. Choosing paint colors can be overwhelming. Thank goodness for samples!

    1. Hi Susan! congratulations on your new fixer-upper! Just think how many great projects you can do to make this home your own!!!! Happy painting.

  21. Your home is so cozy. You have the most innovative approach to all you do. You are also gifted in so many areas. I have made some of your recipes and receive compliments. You’re like an “old friend”!

  22. Again, thanks for all the tips. I love your home.

  23. Very good things to keep in mind! We are working on having the same wood flooring throughout, only two rooms done so far but all the wood is in the garage ready to go.

    1. Keep it up! We have been working on them for a few years and I love how our hardwood floors look!

  24. Love all your ideas. Your home is beautiful!

  25. I’ve found that too much of a specific thing (grunge/chippy) looks too predictable. A touch here and there mixed in with newer things makes they eye want to investigate. More interesting!

    1. You are dead on, Valerie! You want and need the unexpected!

  26. Deb Gregory says:

    What lovely rooms! Your home is so warm & inviting! I had an unfortunate Tuscan phase as well. I have a small house with open concept living room/kitchen dining. My furniture is dark brown leather with ornate wood carvings. The kitchen has a wooden bar & armoire that matches the furniture in the LR. I cannot replace the furniture at this time nor the dark green carpet. The thing that does help the most are the off white walls thru out the house. I have also removed any heavy decor pieces & minimized decor all together in attempts to lighten the feel of these rooms. Please give any suggestions to what I could do to help with a less heavy or Tuscan look. I am tired of the darkness of the floor & furniture, but budget won’t permit a change of these costly items. Thank you!!!
    signed:
    “What Was I Thinking”

    1. Kittyluvr says:

      I followed many of Yvonne’s tips and covered my shag ( yes SHAG) brown carpeting with a very large sisal rug($200 on Joss and Main) …and it made a huge difference in my living room and also a similar style in my dining room which connect. I did use the same paint throughout the house as Yvonne suggests. I also pulled all of my “doo-dads” and replaced them with lighter and more neutral items..that were thrifted or crafted…a lighter textured throw and some light pillows and it transformed my dark sad 1973 style rooms. It can be done!

      1. Deb Gregory says:

        Thank you for those great ideas !!! I can’t wait to get started to lighter rooms! I think the large sisal rug may be just the answer to this dark green carpet. Thanks again!!

  27. The white mirror looks great over your lovely chest. I like to switch things up myself, probably more often than is necessary.

  28. Love your home, it’s so pretty and comfy to look at.

  29. Yvonne- your house is delightful! Keep on giving us inspiration for decorating our own homes!

  30. Thanks so much for all of the great tips. I love your decorating style and the colors you use.

  31. Yvonne, it amazes me how you continue to come up with fresh ideas for your blog. It’s a must read every morning before I truly start my day.

  32. Beautiful as always Yvonne! I’m currently working on saving for the hardwood flooring. I know it will make a huge difference in the flow of our home. Thanks for the inspiration!

  33. Your home is lovely! I am in the process of picking out a new color for the walls and I’m leaning towards off white like yours so I can use all the things I love the most that I already have.

  34. Thanks for the great tips Yvonne. I’m in the starting phase of remodeling my kitchen and dining room which flows through to my living room. Reading this post has helped me realize how I need to go with these rooms. I’ve been stuck for a few weeks but now i think I know the direction I need to go.

  35. I appreciate that you tell your readers that making a home come together is a process. Few can afford to do the job in one fell swoop as much as we would like that to happen. Thank you for your good ideas and encouragement balanced with the concept of being gracious toward our homes and ourselves.

  36. I love Fixer Upper! We are in the process of installing red oak flooring in our home and painting the whole house in neutral colors. Only the bedrooms sport different colors and those are very light and airy. We only have two more rooms that currently lack red oak and they have this horrible faux slate. I can’t wait til that’s gone.

  37. Nan, Odessa, DE says:

    Great advice

  38. Love your home Yvonne, I just bought a new table for my entryway, now I don’t know what to put on it, lol and I need to put something
    Else on the wall, guess I will keep looking for inspiration…. Thanks for inspiring us !!!

  39. I like the way you have the black and white accents currently in your home. I think I am going to try that in my own home.

  40. i like to have almost all of the lamp bases the same color and the shade the same shape this does not have to color then I can move them around.

  41. Anne Adie says:

    You give me such great ideas!! Thank you!!

  42. Ronny Kosempel says:

    We are on a fixed income so it is hard to afford major changes to our home. Your blog gives me ideas on how to change things up a bit to make our home more inviting on our limited budget. Thanks.
    PS: My style is country/farmhouse/cottage.

  43. For several years I have been enjoying (and stealing) some of your great ideas! I just love your style and I’m trying to transform my home little by little to create a look that is most comfortable to me! I truly enjoy your blog.

  44. Your blog is timely, as we are building a new house, and this very subject has been on my mind. Thanks for the help.

  45. I really love your sense of style and love how it flows from room to room..I have no idea where to start

  46. Your post confirms why I subconsciously shudder when I visit or see photos of homes with lots of different types of flooring types or colors of carpets! Good thoughts on flow that I can use.

  47. Hello Ivone , I love your home so beautiful and cozy loved!!!!
    Blessing
    Isora
    XO

  48. Your home flows so beautifully. I seem to always have a hard time incorporating beautiful pieces that were perfect in previous houses, and too expensive to casually replace, into our current house. Since its not our final home, I dont want to paint them……they are classics and antiques and we love them, just not here so much……

  49. Gayle Mathues says:

    for years I resisted neutrals! I had a burgundy living room, a hunter dining room, a yellow foyer, all within visual of each other! It did not make me happy! Then we moved and the house we bought was in neutrals. suddenly I understood! Peace! Serenity! Now I love neutral walls and let pillows, decor and so on speak. I still have a yellow couch to deal with… but it will be undergoing a paint job in the not too distant future! Your home is truly an inspiration to those of us who are trying to create a restful place in which to live…..

  50. Anne Marie says:

    These are great tips – thanks for sharing.

  51. Lovely!! Thank you….your blog is always so helpful.

  52. I feel like I’m staring with my mouth gaped open when I peruse your pics!! Love your colors and homey decor!!

  53. Very helpful article, Yvonne. I will keep these tips in mind as I continue refreshing room by room. I am able to move a lot of things around from one room to another with ease, so I know that there is a good sense of harmony occurring. I think once I get all of the original stained wood painted white, that it will help a lot with the flow. When we replaced the windows we painted the new trim white, so we’re part way there. I really want to repaint the kitchen and dining room this summer. They are completely open to each other so I think one color is best. Since they’re located between the family and living rooms, I think a more neutral shade would really unify the three spaces…those other two rooms are both neutral shades.

  54. You have a lovely home! Thanks for sharing these tips!

  55. Jill Miglin says:

    Hi Yvonne,
    I always love reading your posts! They are so inspiring.

  56. Hi, Yvonne and Friends,
    I agree that similar paint and colors throughout a home help the eye “flow” through, pleasing each who enters. We have even taken it one step further (my husband’s suggestion) of carrying touches of our outside colors inside. Our siding is “Woodland Green” on the “wings” and the main section has a manufactured stone from Lancaster Stone but with the same colors as authentic stone from our farm.
    We have carried small touches of that woodland green inside, mainly on a few area rugs. Subtle, not overbearing, works to blend outside with inside! I’m interested in your ideas, Yvonne, for your stair steps. Currently we have carpeting on them and throughout the hallway upstairs. I have been studying changing that out. Any ideas?
    ~ Nan from Northern PA

  57. Thank you for all the helpful hints you share. Keep them coming!

  58. Great tips Yvonne! We too have carried “the same” pretty much throughout the house. The only different we did was use polished nickel for hardware and light fixtures in the bathrooms vs oil rubbed bronze in the rest of the house. Our wall color is Moth Gray, the very lightest of greiges. I love how this color changes depending on the time of day it is. Ever so slowly I’ve been incorporating Persimmon-Coral through the house. Lucky for me many people shy away from, “reds” so most of my finds are in the clearance aisles! One of my best pieces of advice is if you stumble across something you love, BUY it. Take it home and if it doesn’t work, take it back to the store. Of course this depends on store policy. It never fails, if I pass on something then decide to go back for it, it’s gone. I adore your blog and look forward to every post!

  59. Theresa Kleinschmidt says:

    Look to you post everyday,Yvonne. I like the flow of your home snd how you coordinate all all your furnishings. Our 100 year old home still has the original finish on the oak and ash floors. I have been thinking about refinishing the floors for awhile and now I think I have the inspiration. Thanks Yvonne and enjoy your evening!

  60. Debbie Jones says:

    Your home flows perfectly and I think that is what makes it so beautiful!!!

  61. Your rooms are lovely, I only wish I could get my color-blind husband to grasp the concept of rooms flowing together.

  62. Holding to Southern traditions, my dining room walls are RED! …but just above the white chair rail… Below is our choice of neutral beige that is our house flow color. It works. Sometime I may change the red to my neutral color, but I do enjoy it for now.
    Thanks for your great flow tips…your house has great flow.

    1. That touch of red in the dining room sounds fabulous, Nancy!! “Go with your gut” is my mantra … and something tells me you really like that bit of color and I’m sure it looks lovely and dramatic at night when you are dining with guests, I’d say – keep it!

  63. Diane Smith says:

    I love your neutral style, but would enjoy seeing some before/after photos comparing the “now” to your former Tuscan style!

  64. Yvonne, your home is lovely and i love the way if flows from one room to another. I am definitely “Pinning” lots and lots of this blog for future use and especially sharing with some of my clients. Being a realtor, it is hard sometimes to get the seller to make their home attractive and up to date for prospective buyers…………..this blog “NAILS” it and I will be sharing your blog as well as getting my clients to subscribe for your inspiration.

  65. Your home always inspires me.

  66. Joanne B. says:

    Great post! We CAN do this too! You make it easy and give us the confidence to try! Thanks for sharing your style, your home and your heart!

  67. Shauna Neuenswander says:

    I am in the process of updating my house thanks for all the inspiration.

  68. Love your style. You have certainly made your house a home. Would love to know where you shop in PA since I just realized that I’m within driving distance of your area.

    1. Sharon, you will love Lancaster County! It’s so unique! Filled with American History, lots of gorgeous countryside and the Amish! Here are some of my favorite haunts. I know you will enjoy them. Please tell the shopkeepers I sent you!!!

      First of all, did you know that Lancaster is the oldest inland city in the US? Yes, it is!

      Don’t miss FRESH VINTAGE BY AMY in Strasburg, THE TREASURE PLACE, KITCHEN KETTLE VILLAGE, and the CANDLE BARN in Intercourse, and there are lots of great eclectic shops on Queen street in downtown Lancaster. My favorite Queen Street shopping places are DWELLING (#1) and MISE EN PLACE across the street. There is an amazing repurposed/chippy/ cool shop down an alley just off of Queen Street that you can walk to. All handmade items and so fun. It’s called BUILDING CHARACTER and a must to visit. Also visit FESTOONS on N. Duke Street. I just bought a floor cloth that is gorgeous! And CENTRAL MARKET is a MUST! It is the longest running market in the western hemisphere. It is quintessential Lancaster County! There are quite a few fun shops around CENTRAL MARKET.

      I think the Walking Tour is amazing if you like History and architecture as well as a visit to Wheatland, President Buchanan’s home. If you are adventurous you can take a segway tour too (that’s on my bucket list)!

      A visit to the DISCOVER LANCASTER- VISITOR CENTER… you will find tons and tons of great places to visit that I cannot tell you here.

      And while you are in Lancaster make sure to stop by one of the many great restaurants. We love Federal Tap House (you might see me there), Aussie And The Fox, Cork and Cap (everything is fabulous), Iron Hill Brewery,Checkers Bistro, Bistro Barbaret and Bakery (expensive but fabulous chef), Horse Inn (steaks), Prince Street Cafe (coffee), Mean Cut (coffee), Hunger And Thirst (an experience, great food), The Press Club (great mushroom soup)… I could go on and on. If you want to experience a real Amish smorgasbord go to Good’s and if you want to eat an over-the-top smorgasbord go to Millers in Lancaster or Shady Maple in East Earl.

      Have fun in Lancaster! If you are coming in August it it HOT and muggy! Dress comfortably.

  69. You know I adore you, right?

    You are clever and funny and amazing and creative and I LOVE READER APPRECIATION!!!!!

    Happy day friend!
    karianne

  70. Sharon locker says:

    Yvonne I have been using you’re tips and advise since I started reading your blog for 5 months now. When people come to my house they comment on how clean it is. It’s always has been clean, it’s just now I that I know how to do vignettes and have my rooms flow people notice a difference. Last week a male friend of ours commented on my new burlap lampshades. He asked if they were new; I told him they were from another room in the house. Repurposing is a way of life now. Thanks for showing me the way.

  71. You are a true educator. You explain clearly the idea, including specifics, the provide visual examples.

  72. Constance Colvin says:

    Bingo! You nailed the important things perfectly! 🙂

  73. Barb Salley says:

    I love your posts and your home. You really speak to my style. Keep the information coming. Thnks

  74. I couldn’t help but laugh when you referred to your “unfortunate Tuscan phase” because I went through the same thing complete with painting my kitchen cabinets red and my walls yellow! The great thing about home ownership is that you can make a big change with a simple can of paint. Love your blog…

    1. CarolbinTX says:

      I went through that phase too…only way too late in the game (like my current sand dollar walls when everyone went gray). I had a dramatic 2 story red foyer and harvest gold living areas! Fortunately, a small kitchen fire with lots of smoke damage caused us to go the neutral beige route!

  75. Oh jeez, I must confess I went through the Tuscan phase as well. Down to wanting my kitchen to look like an Italian bistro and painting it as well as the adjoining breakfast nook and family room a buttery yellow but then added a ragged on goldish colored glaze treatment to the family room. Ugh….at the time I loved it of course. It looked just like the walls of Cheesecake Factory. Thank goodness it’s a nice, neutral light gray now that will work with any decor. We’re also working on replacing the flooring in our home with a very nice high quality wood laminate. We’re doing it ourselves and at this point I think we’ll be on the 4 year plan. We’ll get there though. Thanks for all you do for us Yvonne.

  76. All great ideas and so doable! Thanks, Yvonne!

  77. Tracey Harris says:

    Grunge???
    I have never seen anything remotely grunge about your beautiful home!!!!

  78. I like the blending of the colors and the items. I does feel bigger than perhaps it really is.
    Great decorating style.

  79. I love your home and how well it flows. I also love Chip and Joanna. I am definitely an HGTV junkie. I use to watch Candice Olsen on Define Connections, she too is an awesome designer, I picked up from her to add a touch of drama to each room by adding a little black. It is a good start to tying rooms together.

    1. Hi Sammi – do you know the work of Sarah Richardson? She is HUGELY popular and so down to earth. Like Candace, she’s another Canadian super talented decorator/designer and Jacqueline Glass.

  80. Pam Grineri says:

    Such great advice! Love your posts.

  81. This is soooo my style, Thank you for the tips. I was trying too hard to be matchy-matchy & it was Frustrating me that it looked too perfect and NOT me. After pulling some things and moving some things my house flows so much better. You are now pinned to my favorites.

  82. You are in inspiration! Thank you for your blog and lovely pictures

  83. I love your decorating style. I would like to switch to a neutral color palette, but don’t know where to start. I think it’s so very calming and relaxing.

  84. Love this info I have a ranch style house with living room flowing into the kitchen. Will definitely try some of this idea’s.
    Thanks again.

  85. Sarah Barr says:

    Well thought out and not difficult to implement. Thanks for the post!

  86. I love, love, love everything you do and I’ve decided to use Sonnet as the color in my living room, dining room and hallways since I’m not so good with color choices. I put up a test sample on the wall, and it looks darker than it does in your pictures. Did you lighten it at all, and if so, could you tell me about how much? Thank you so much for all your wonderful ideas!

  87. Where did you purchase your rattan blinds?

  88. These tips are good reminders. My mother was an interior decorator ( yes, that’s what they were called back in the day) and implemented all of these tips in her designs. The only exception for our home, regarding carrying the same color throughout the home. was in bedrooms.We always lived in a two story home – 6 bedroom home. My sisters and I were allowed to choose the color of paint we wanted and then she would guide us to the finish from there.

    I remember my mother also being big on the placement of lamps in her decorating designs, I think lighting is a big part of decorating and can make a big difference in the appearance of a room.

  89. Love, love, love your style. You inspire me every day! Thank you.

  90. Karen Cadden says:

    Somehow I have to transition from color on the walls to using color in the accents I place in a room. I love the way your rooms flow together and am going to try to head in that direction.

  91. Oh my, this is so me! “I consider my style classic/ traditional/ refined/ farmhouse/ cottage/ industrial. In other words very very eclectic.”

    Thank you for posting this, sometimes I feel like I’m such a hodgepodge of styles that nothing makes sense but this gives me hope! Your home is beautiful and I always find a lot of inspiration from your post.

    Thank you again!

  92. Do you use black in every room? It appears so, but just wondered if that is accurate?

  93. Love everything about 5 Great Tips for Creating Rooms That Flow Well Together!

  94. Jacque Avant says:

    I always enjoy reading your blog and learn so much from it. Keep up the good work.

  95. I also have the open area with 3 rooms. I love to decorate it and let it flow! thanks

  96. I love light neutral decor as well as black but was unsure about how black would look among all the lighter neutrals. You’ve done it beautifully! I’m excited to know I can keep some of my favorite black pieces I already have as I set out to decorate our future new home in neutrals. Thanks for the inspiration!!!

  97. Carol Swanson says:

    Oh, Yvonne, you always have the best articles in your blog! Thanks for helping a klutz like me. lol

  98. I feel like a child at Christmas when I open your blog, I’m so excited. Love the neutral wall color, but I feel like we made a mistake on the ctown molding we made it the same color S our kitchen cabinets cherry with a dark glaze definately stands out, wear it installed it in the kitchen , dining, sitting room also the mud room.but not in any other rooms. Little concerned about that. Can you give me some advice on that?

  99. Dianne Lanier says:

    I always appreciate your advice, and thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us!

  100. Terri Smith says:

    Love your home Yvonne, it’s so inviting. I just did a small redo on our laundry room, the room is so small with limited space it is hard to find items but I wood love to know where you found your sign laundry room rules and the sunshine plaque. I do a lot of shopping in Lancaster area but can’t seemed to find them, could you give me any suggestions on where to shop in lancaster area to find laundry room decor. Thanks do much

    1. Head over to the Treasure Place in Intercourse. They have the best signs!

  101. We are in the process of buying a new home and your giving me a whole lot of awesome ideas. Thank you once again Yvonne for sharing your beautiful home.

  102. nancy limestall says:

    Love your style….

  103. Doris Campbell says:

    Love your suggestions. I’m always coming away with a great tip. We, too, are replacing our flooring with hardwoods and we have one more room to do. Its a mess to work through, but well worth it and having the floors flow from room to room is the best thing we’ve done to our fixer upper.

  104. Ashleigh Hall says:

    Such great tips Yvonne!

  105. I LOVE the 3 drawer chest in your living room….with the chippy painted mirror above. EVERY post I look for that piece. If you don’t mind sharing WHERE did you purchase it??? I need to have that or something similar in our home office. When you walk in my home from the the kitchen there is a long, gallery style walkway that passes our breakfast room, nook and then family room. At the end of the “gallery walk” is my husbands’ home office with french doors. For years I have looked for a chest that would be perfect for that area. A piece that could function in his office but be beautiful so as you look down the gallery you see a piece like yours. HELP…thank you!!1

    1. This chest has a tale to tell.I’m sharing about it on Wednesday. It was manufactured by Hooker but I don’t think they make it any longer. You might like to check out Hooker they make beautiful chests.

  106. Great tips! These tips are just what I need to help me get my house “together.” Your home is beautiful!!! I am working on one room at a time, and have nearly completed the main bathroom. I am so excited with the results. I decided to add Board & Batten and used BM Stonington Gray and BM Pearly White for the paint colors. I am also in the process of installing soapstone counter tops and a farmhouse sink. I know I will love it!! I continue to be your number one fan of Decorating Tips and Tricks! Never miss an episode! Blessings!

  107. Laura Harrie says:

    I agree with you on the paint color, it does make a huge difference. Once we installed all the crown molding, that was another positive change for our home.

  108. You have such wonderful posts and this is truly one of my favorites because it shows how all the rooms work together but have individual looks too. I learned that when you paint one room then the entire house needs painting…which isn’t such a bad thing ;). However, time and money have a big part of making such huge changes so I started with the great big room and painted the halls leading from that room. I worked on one side of the house and kept painting each room until that side was completed. I am ready to go to the other side of the house and paint the bedrooms over there. I have used the same color except I found an “OOPS” paint at the hardware store that was so close to my color and it was only $9.00! I couldn’t pass that up so I used it in the laundry room and it was a good contrast. I am curious about what you do with bedrooms as far as color. Do you go with the same color or go with a completely different color?

    1. I keep them Simply White by Benjamin Moore. I am obsessed with this color. I think white walls show off the room

  109. You are so talented. I only wish I had some of your vision of putting things together as you do. I learn something each time I read your blog. You have a beautiful home.
    Did you make the Willow Street sign?
    thank you for sharing

  110. Norma Rolader says:

    Great information and tips on the flow of your home

  111. Sue Corrigan says:

    I love your style, the clean lines, the complimenting colors, and the beautiful floors!! Now I want to do some redecorating!!

  112. Your home is lovely and your tips ar great. I must say you certainly aren’t a minimalist. I prefer a few less “things”. Love your podcasts and eagerly await each one.

  113. I love Chip and Joanna! Thank you for your tips but there are 5 colors i like in my house. Can I still use these 5. Im not much of savey decorator so my house is not cohesive its more pish posh or here and there I know it doesn’t flow. Please help!

    1. SURE you can use them if they all work together. I’d keep them to the bedrooms or bathrooms. For rooms that flow together use one color. Hope this helps.

  114. Maxine T. says:

    I consider my style classic/ traditional/ refined/ farmhouse/ cottage/ industrial. In other words very very eclectic.

    I could steal your description of your “style”. No wonder I enjoy your blogs!

  115. Wish I would have read about the all same flooring last year when remodeling my kitchen, I do like the flow from one room to another.

  116. Thank you Yvonne for all of your great tips!! We recently renovated our kitchen to a “French Country” look! Before, our kitchen was dark…dark floor, dark granite, dark cabinets. Now, with vanilla cabinets, fantasy brown granite and Quiet Moments paint by BM, it has been completely transformed. I get all of my inspiration from all of you!! Thank you!! Barb

    1. You kitchen sounds “yummy”! So thrilled StoneGable is helping you! thanks for letting me know.

  117. I love what you have done. Would love to transform my main living space but it would mean starting from scratch after 9 years. Is that unreasonable?

    1. We have done that with every room, except one in our home. It’s taken almost 8 years but sooooooo worth it! We are still not done. However, are we ever really done?

  118. Teresa C. says:

    I agree with all these elements you mention here about making our homes “flow”. They ALL really promote a sense of calm & order, despite being eclectic. Another element I add to each room,( a little bit at least,) is seasonal decor, which I see you do……but not sure if you do in EACH room, each and EVERY season. ( I am new to reading your blog! LOVE IT!)

  119. I have two living rooms and I can not figure out how to get them to flow. My house looks very choppy for this reason would love some advice.

  120. Another good lesson in decorating our homes. My house has the same colour throughout and the same trim. I did carpet the bedrooms to keep them warm in the winter and soft underfoot. I now wish I had ran the same hardwood that is in my open concept living room, dining area, kitchen and hall. That particular flooring is no longer available and I know a different wood would be worse than carpet. Live and learn! I’ve carried the same neutral decor throughout with light touches of red as my accent colour. I also prefer bigger items to lots of small. I dislike clutter! I feel it unsettled the mind.
    Loving your touch of sunflowers and mustard bedding. It does have a wonderful summer feeling!

  121. Mary Ellen says:

    Where did you purchase your bed skirt for your bedroom.

  122. Shorlanda Mason says:

    I need help blending! I have a multi level home and started replacing my floors and no tgat I’m ready to complete the last two rooms (formal living room/dinning room) L-shape that butts up to my kitchen, I can no longer find that flooring. I also installed new oak doors and wood banisters that I can’t decide on what color they should be stained. Different woods stain different colors (oak doors and stairs but popular wood banisters) !!! Can you give some suggestions or an interior designer near by! HELP!!

    1. Hi Shorlanda, I would love to help. But with that many different woods I think you need someone locally to come to you home and give you their opinion. I would need to see all the wood tones and the colors you painted the walls.

      1. Shorlanda Mason says:

        Thank you! I’m reaching out to someone. If you have a recommendation, that would be helpful. We unfortunately got the doors after we had the banisters installed. My husband wanted oak doors. We found a custom stain person so that might help. Oak is the problem because of the pink undertone