Conversations / Live Q&A

Good morning!  As a means of introduction to Vastu and our design aesthetic, I'd like to answer your question.  Eric and I scour the globe for unique product lines that offer high quality, customization, good value, and relatively short lead times.  We attend a few shows in NY and one in Milan annually to buy and get ideas.  Most of our lines are small, artisan created production houses that allow us to design what fits your space instead of to stock a huge warehouse of what we think will sell.  That way we can create exactly what our customers need for their individual spaces.  The majority of our lines are unique to Vastu in Washington, the East Coast, and some are exclusive to us nationally.

Have you visited Miss Pixie's on 14th Street (near Vastu)? Good Wood on U street is also a great resource. The Big Flea, which comes back to town the weekend of September 18th, would be a good place to hit, too. You could also scour Craig's List everyday.  Lots of places to find what you're looking for.

I think the Web site you are referring to is Nesting, which is run by DC designer Liz Levin (www.lizlevinnesting.com). It's not a blog, but she has lots of helpful info and images on the site.

How about Benjamin Moore's Colony Green or C2's Ginko?

I really liked today's House Calls, too. Designer Samantha Friedman did a really nice job.  Yes, some of the items were pricey, but in her defense, when the room was assigned to her the homeowner's budget was left out, so that's our fault, not Samantha's.

And I like the idea about having two versions of HCs, too. I made a note to myself about it after last week's chat. Don't think two entire versions would be possible given our space constraints, but we may be able to work in something that addresses that suggestion. Thanks for reminding me.

Would love to hear more thoughts/suggestions about House Calls, if anyone wants to share...

Check out Ballard Designs (www.ballarddesigns.com). They have lots of great seating options in your price range and I believe they are running a special on all upholstered furniture right now.  I wrote a story about them in today's paper, posted above.

This is a very good question.  Our neighborhood (14th and U) thrives on independent retailers.  We have been fortunate at Vastu to have a large customer base and even larger customer referral network.  We literally had customers and neighbors come in when we first opened over 7 years ago to hug us and thank us for opening on 14th Street.  Now we are fortunate to have media coverage in the Washington Post and through other sources in town.  Additionally we have a huge social network - many, many followers on Twitter and Facebook.  Our website is our best marketing asset and we manage our web presence daily to be sure that we're on top of web searches for modern furniture in Washington, DC.  It's our owner-run management style and unique product offering that keep people coming back and spreading the word for us.  We have tremendous appreciation for our customers.  Thank you!

Instead of investing in doors, could you compromise and use the bottom two shelves to store your toddler's things?  You could keep his books and toys on display or get a few baskets to keep them hidden.

Knoll is a classic mid-Century modern company that still pays royalties to the architects who designed their furniture.  Knoll approached us about 5 years ago to represent their entire residential line.  It's an honor to be an authorized Knoll dealer.  We love to mix in mid-Century pieces with other warm, modern furniture in a home.

Have you considered a mirrored backspash?  It will definitely make your kitchen look and feel more spacious and it should reflect the light around the room. I've seen this in lots of houses and it does wonders. In fact, Jura has a mirrored backsplash in her kitchen. It looks great.

We have designed numerous studios in DC and NY.  Our best solution seems to be a custom sofa that can fit a twin mattress.  When it's used as a bed, it's really comfortable for one and when it's used as a sofa, we can make a cover for the mattress in the same material as the sofa, load it up with pillows and it becomes a super comfortable place to lounge and watch TV.

Wow, that's some nice storage you have there!  Unfortunately, I'm specifically looking for bedroom, coat, linen and children's closets.  If anyone has any of those they want to send me pictures of, please do: sapienzat@washpost.com

I know this year's color is turquoise...certainly not for everyone.  I am a believer in choosing warm, neutral colors for large pieces of furniture while adding pops of color in art and accessories.  Perhaps if you want to be a little trendy, you could add some turquoise throw pillows.  I would certainly not advocate for painting your whole place turquoise! :-)

Do you think you'll have the carpet runner longer than the foyer rug? If so, you might not want to base the runner choice entirely on the area rug. They don't have to match, but they should go together somehow.

Great solution. Thanks for sharing.

This is a great question that we're asked all of the time.  And of course it depends a bit on your layout and where the access points to the room are located.  Generally I like the idea of a 72" sofa across from 2 comfortable chairs.  Perhaps they are armless chairs so that at a party, more than one person can perch on the seats of the chairs.  Also, you might find a place for cool, upholstered cubes that can be pulled up to join the seating group for children.  Alternatively if you have the space, then an armless sofa across from your armed sofa could work with 2 small-scall arm chairs off to one side.  I'm happy to review a floor plan if you want to email one.

Yeah, I know, that is a problem. I am really hesitant buying upholstered pieces without having tried them out first.  Ican tell you that I have Ballard's Parson's chairs and they are super comfortable. I also know many people who have ordered their tables and case pieces and have been really happy with their purchases. Designers look to Ballard, too, for both case pieces and upholstered pieces, so that should tell you somethng.

We do carry the original Barcelona chair.  They're gorgeous and are stamped with Mies van der Rohe's signature (the original designer).  They are available in nearly 800 colors of leather and are handmade in Pennsylvania still.

Good point and suggestion, though the original poster didn't want leather. Im sure Macy's has deals on other upholstery as well. worth taking a look. They could also try Room & Board.

I have had a few clients have their fireplace surrounds cast out of concrete.  They are simple and beautiful - perhaps a little more modern than granite.  Locally, Concrete Jungle will do them in a variety of colors including a charcoal gray that is beautiful.  A current client is doing their hearth out of a thick piece of glass so that you can see the hardwood floor beneath it.

If you like the vintage look,  you could stack a few vintage suitcases and use the top as a table, the insides are storage.  Storage ottomans are also a good option. You can have them upholstered in something fun and modern and use them as extra seating, too.

I'm going to let Terri reference the article but I will say that all too often we see clients make expensive mistakes because they haven't considered all of the design solutions that a qualified interior designer can offer.  We're happy to help at Vastu - we have lots of solutions at a variety of price points.

Really hard to say without knowing what the actual yellow color is, but you could probably pick just about any color that you like. Just go with something that makes you happy. If you hate it a door is really easy to repaint. Can't comment about the clapboards without seeing a photo - too difficult.

This is a difficult design dilemma without seeing your floor plan.  Generally I like the idea of white cabinets to make the "disappear".  You might consider alternative counter tops that do the same...like Quartzstone or even seamless stainless steel with an integrated sink.  Butcher block seems like it might fit your aesthetic, but it requires a lot of maintenance and isn't the best from a food germ standpoint.  Please email us completed photos!

I don't think the hardware needs to match in both rooms, but all the hardware should be the same in each respective bathroom.

This is perfectly ok.  In fact it's even ok to mix a variety of woods (ones that are contrasting like maple and wenge) and a variety of metals.  It's ok to have a table with a chrome base and still use an oil-rubbed or anodized metal on a lamp.  If the scale of the room is small, I would choose only 2 woods and 1 or 2 metals.

Having the front of a chair or sofa on the rug in a living space would be just fine. But, if we're talking about a dining room, you always want to have a rug large enough that the legs of your chairs still remain on the rug when someone it sitting on them.

Thanks for participating!  Lots of great questions today.  How about the "recycled coffee table duo".  It's a great price and is made from recycled railroad ties.  It's virtually indestructible.  And with 2 tables, you can nest them or pull them a part.

It's perfectly fine to use outdoor furnishings and fabrics indoors, and a great idea. In fact, that's a huge trend right now. Outdoor fabrics have come a really long way and look and feel so much like regular, indoor fabric.

Yes, great suggestion. Thanks!

Not necessary. In fact, kind of boring, if you do.

Yep. It's a great look. Thanks.

Hilarious!  It does happen :-).  I go to my business parter, Eric or one of our designers on our design team at Vastu.  We all ollaborate on most projects which is very helpful to us and probably most beneficial to our clients.

Yes, definitely with a high gloss finish.  Thanks for bringing that up.  Colors sound nice, too.

This is an excellent suggestion. Lots of people I know have found great deals on decent furniture at Home Goods. Their stock is always changing, so it's a good place to check out every so often.

This is a great question because ultimately your question is about quality and value.  You would like the "bones" of your chair to be well-made enough to last a lifetime.  You may need to reupholster it in 10 years, but the general structure should be solid.  You should ask about a chair's construction and lift it a bit in a store to understand its weight and heft.  The best construction is kiln-dried hardwood with dowel and screw construction.  Heavy duty sinuous steel should support the seat cushion be it a loose or tight one.  In a moderately priced fabric, I would say that $1,500-$1,750 would be a reasonable budget.

Yes, also a good tip. You really need to keep checking back at places like that or visit their Web site a few times a week to keep current on their inventory. You could also ask a favorite store what day they get their new shipments each week, and be sure to check back then.

Thanks for the shout out - glad you're happy with your furniture and layout!  That's why we're in business - we always appreciate hearing from our clients.  There are so many beautiful 100+ year old homes in DC and we love working on projects where we can keep old fireplaces and moldings yet update lighting, colors, and furniture.  Don't be afraid to add some vintage modern accessories...a deco clock, a modern piece of artwork, or even modern-subject coffee table books.  Changing or moving things like accessories and art within a home not only keeps it fresh, but it's an inexpensive way to change up your space a bit.

I understand what your friend is saying, but I don't necessarily think she's right. Painting the entire place the same color would avoid a visual break bewteen rooms, therefore, the condo might feel a little bigger, but I don't think you have to go that route. And based on your desire to paint with different colors, I don't think you should go that route. I like the colors you're thinking about and think they would work well together and give your place the personality it's probably lacking right now - yours. for some turquoise inspiration, check out the blog House of Turquoise. If you have any thoughts about using that color in your house, you will definitely want to after browsing this blog. www.houseofturquoise.com

Oh, yes, you could be right. thanks.

Your place sounds great!  There are a lot of choices for an entry table that will work.  You could so something in a lacquer.  It doesn't have to be a strong color...could be white, gray, or taupe.  Or a wood species that would tie things together is zebrawood.  It naturally has light and dark tones.

This is a great suggestion. And would also be even better with the mirrored backsplash.

It depends a little on the set-up of the table.  If it's 3 chairs on each long side and 2 on the heads, then I think 1 bench on 1 side is ok.  If the table is 4 chairs on each side and no one at the heads, then a long bench for 4 people is cumbersome to move in and out.  But you could do 2 smaller benches with backs.  Perhaps the chairs are upholstered and the bench(es) are wood?

Eek!  That's a tough lesson to learn, but thanks for sharing your experience.

I am not a cat owner, but a lot of my clients are.  My understanding is that the textile needs to be very flat with no loops or loose weaves where a cat might grab on to.  Someone earlier in the chat suggested Crypton fabrics.  These would be great for a cat too - they're incredibly tight with glue backs so that there is nothing to grab onto.  Knoll has a variety of Crypton finish textiles.

In a model apartment that we did at View 14, we framed very bold wallpaper.  We did a series of something like 40 individual frames.  Not permanent and still gives you the look of a wallpapered wall.  I would do something bold in pattern and color!