We’re back with everyone’s new favorite column (at least according to the comments and page views): Design SOS. As a quick recap, this is where we take reader-submitted rooms and give them quick, practical style advice to elevate things and get everyone feeling great about their homes. It’s so fun seeing into people’s personal spaces, but I also know how vulnerable it can be to show them off (especially something unfinished) to the world, so thank you to everyone who continues to submit photos of their rooms to us. As a quick catch-up, you can see previous Design SOSs from me, Jess, and Emily here, here, here, and here. Now, let’s get into today’s lineup!

Practical Style Advice For: Rounding Out a Blue-&-Brown Color Palette

From the Reader: “Here’s my predicament: The couch is a cool light gray, and I’m not sure that it goes with the new rug I’ve just added from Quince. I’d love any advice on how to style the couch to make it blend better with the rug and how to style the rest of the room to pull it all together. I did read and love the long post on all the different couches you’ve reviewed, and eventually I think I’ll replace this couch, but I’m not ready to do that yet. In the meantime, I’m looking for some design solutions that can pull the room together and make it feel intentional with the current brown leather chairs and gray couch alongside this rug.”

I can’t tell you how many times in my own home and life I’ve bought a big statement piece of decor thinking it would solve all my problems, only to introduce new problems. While this reader is worried that her new rug doesn’t go with her old sofa or leather armchairs, I promise that with a little styling and the addition of another color to round out the palette, everything will start feeling much more cohesive. Because to me, that’s the biggest issue here: It’s playing it too safe. Sure, grey, blue, cream, and brown work well together, but it’s not enough. The blue from the rug isn’t showing up anywhere else, neither is the grey, and then everything else is just brown or mid-tone wood. Let’s introduce some variety, shall we?

But first, there are some other things she can do to make this room feel more pulled together, and it doesn’t involve spending a single dollar. Here’s my checklist of what needs to be done here, starting with easy (and free) shifts:

Design SOS Checklist:

• Move the sectional off the wall about 6 inches so that the front legs of the sofa (not just the chaise) are on the rug.
• Take the chairs and be intentional with their placement. My preference would be for them to have their front legs on the edge of the rug, side-by-side and straight (facing the long way of the rug). Put the side table between the chairs.
• Add rug tape to the edges of the rug where it’s kind of bumpy and curled up.
• Move one of the floor lamps to the right side of the sectional
• Consider taking down the plantation shutters to let in more light and limit the brown of the wood.
• In terms of styling: Bring the blue from the rug throughout the design of the room via curtains (in a soft denim) and through pillows; introduce another warm color in the palette (in this case, cream, rust, and a touch of brown) to balance the coolness of the gray and blue; add in a coffee table in a lighter wood tone than the floors for variety; consider swapping the media console to a lighter tone to add contrast between it and the leather chairs.

Here’s a moodboard I put together of some of these new decor additions to give you a sense of how it all comes together with the help of Spoak.

Curtains | Roman Shade | Curtain Rod Pivoting Corner | Coffee Table | Media Console | Rug | Throw Blanket | Striped Cream Pillow | Floral Lumbar Pillow | Rust Striped Pillow | Navy Striped Pillow | Blue Plaid Pillow | Sectional | Leather Chairs | Glass and Wood Side Table

I sourced a sectional and leather chairs that were similar tones to what our reader had in their home and pulled in the rug she recently bought from Quince. Given that the rug is dark blue, light blue, and varying shades of creams and off-whites, I pulled from that and just shifted the tones a hair to make it a bit more interesting. I take any chance I get to use a light blue linen curtain (you might have noticed, if you’ve been paying attention to my designs)! Here, I went with a hue that leaned a touch more warm than icy and then echoed that color in a plaid of a dark blue throw pillow I popped on the armchairs. (If she’s willing, I’d take down the wood mini blinds and replace with a white or ivory drapey Roman shade for some softness against all the squared off angles.) A navy pillow on the couch brings in the darker shade of the rug, as well as an oatmealy-cream option with a fun, modern pattern. I didn’t want to go too wild with the color palette, but I took the brown of the leather and slid over on the color wheel a bit to orangey rust for another pillow, as blue and orange always play nice together. A dusty, floral lumbar pillow brings in some of the browns and oranges but in an unexpected way so things didn’t feel overly matchy-matchy. A creamy white throw with a navy grid pattern rounds it out. Notice how I didn’t add in any more grey or true brown. Even the new coffee table is a lighter yellow-toned oak, and the same for the media cabinet. This all breaks up the monotony of the wood finishes and introduces contrast and warmth.

For a better look at some of the selections, above is a moodboard of just the new soft goods, as you can’t see them very well scaled down on the previous room moodboard.

Practical Styling Advice For: Transforming A Foyer Or Entryway

From the reader: “My entryway has been the same since we moved in 8 years ago. I’m not a modern farmhouse gal and don’t know how to make this better. I do like my gigantic pew, and it’s very practical. I’m up for painting it but don’t want my entry to look like a preschool either. Please help!!”

As soon as I read our reader’s email, I knew I wanted to tackle her modern farmhouse foyer transformation! While I don’t actually have much information as to what her design aesthetic actually is, I’m hoping something I did below at least inspires her to make choices that better align with what she wants her home to look and feel like. Here’s what I think could take this space and flip it on its neutral, Kirkland-Signature-Chic head.

Style SOS Checklist:

• Take down all the “modern farmhouse” choices, such as the pendant lamps, the “gather” sign, faux greenery, and the baskets on the wall.
• Swap the solid tan rug with something that makes a real impact. Your foyer is the first peek into your personal style; what you see immediately when you walk across the threshold. Go ahead…lean into your style vibes.
• You can’t see it in these photos, but the exterior part of the front door is a fun yellow, so she clearly isn’t afraid of color. Go with that. Paint the baseboards, door frame, and door something—may I suggest an olive green?
• If she’s into it, maybe try a playful wallpaper on the walls. (You can either take down the shiplap if it’s not overly destructive, or just paint it the same color as the door).
• Add a long, narrow console table under the hooks. This not only balances the pew, but it adds a spot to throw keys.
• Bring some greenery in and pop it on a plant stand. Pick something that doesn’t need a ton of light.
• Put a mirror (or art) above the pew; I picked the mirror as a helpful spot for a last look before going out the door, as well as its practical ability to increase light in this somewhat dark corridor.

Here’s a side-by-side of a rough placement of some of my selections and a Spoak rendering for something a bit more realistic (even though it altered a few things slightly, like the runner and light). The green is a bit more sage than I was intending, but it’s honestly not a bad option, either! Though I do prefer the Mountain Olive from Behr I link below.

Olive Green Paint for Door & Baseboards | Wallpaper | Flushmount Light | Runner Rug | Console Table | Plant Stand | Mirror | Wood Key Bowl | Amber Glass Vase | Solid Olive Pillow | Blue Patterned Pillow | Beige Check Pillow | Mustard Velvet Lumbar | Under Bench Baskets

You’ll notice in the above moodboard some additions: Throw pillows in a combination of colors pulled from the runner (olive, blue, cream, ochre), an amber glass vase for a big pouf of fresh-cut blooms on the console, and baskets to pop under the bench to throw shoes or anything else that ends up in a foyer. I have these same baskets, and they’re great, FYI. And considering how much baskets cost these days, these are incredibly affordable compared to many other options this size and quality. Also, you can’t see it in the above renderings, but I picked a Sandberg striped wallpaper; it has almost a hand-sketched quality to it, which I like for a family home so it didn’t feel too serious. Another move in the “not-so-serious” game is the auburn ceramic bell Schoolhouse flushmounts and the slate blue hue on the console table; sure, she can do something in black or white or wood, but I couldn’t help myself. The table is only 12 inches deep, which is important for a narrow space like this, so you can still move around and not want to scream every time you walk in with both shoulders weighed down with grocery bags, for instance.

Practical Style Advice For: Creating A Cozy Multi-Purpose Kitchen Nook

From the reader: “I have this area in my kitchen that I don’t know what to do with! I used to have a small round table with a drop leaf and three chairs so my kids could sit and eat breakfast. I love the idea of having an eat-in kitchen, but I would also love to have a little spot for me to sit and have my coffee or even a spot for additional kitchen storage.”

This last reader submission is also something I’ve actually been sitting on this one for a few weeks. I couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do here to satisfy her requests, but then I just decided to play, and I like where I landed! Some difficulties that could affect whether what I suggest works or not spatially: I don’t know the measurements here. I can assume each tile is 12 inches, but they could be larger or smaller; I don’t know what the path of travel looks or functions as in this part of the kitchen; what else am I not seeing here that could make my style choices feel either cohesive or like a bad fit? BUT, either way, as is always my hope, perhaps this reader can see what I did, and follow the formula but in her own way.

First up, our to-do checklist.

Style SOS Checklist:

• Lay down a rug to set this space apart. Something small, such as a 3’x5′ or a 4 or 5-foot round rug.
• Opt for varied seating to give you a soft landing spot for coffee sipping, but add in traditional dining side chairs for anyone else in the household who needs a spot at the table for a quick nosh.
• Add lighting, as this corner feels dimly lit. My preference would be a plug-in long-arm wall sconce that can function as an overhead without having to hardwire anything.
• Introduce art in a unique way (such as a hanging art rail) or add a floating wall shelf for storage of collections or some kitchen goods.

I kept most of my choices fairly neutral considering I don’t know much about this reader’s style choices, but I can gladly say that the banquette has some storage in it under the seat, the bistro table is on sale, and the chairs are lightweight so they can easily be moved if they end up in the way. I also found this shelving unit on Etsy, and it’s an incredible price, though it is incredibly narrow, so it’s more for small cute little pieces of decor rather than storing anything substantial of a kitchen nature.

For anyone who likes the more realistic take, above is a Spoak rendering. But for the nitty-gritty details and some shopping links, see below:

Storage Banquette | Bistro Table | Side Chairs | Rug | Wall Shelf | Sconce

I also really love the idea of adding some real character and a personal touch via photos or small art in a hanging gallery wall style such as the below. It really leans into the charming coffee house or bistro aesthetic I was going for for her nook:

Gallery Wall Rail System

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And that’s where I leave you today. Please keep sharing any rooms you need help with (small things, not huge overhauls, please…that’s not the nature of this series) and include as many deatils about what your needs are, what your style preferences are, what colors you tend towards, and the like. The more, the better! You can send them to me ([email protected]) or Jess ([email protected]). Can’t wait to hear from you, and for the readers who were featured today, let me know if you’re here today and what you think!

Until next time, friends…

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Portland Project: The Entry & Staircase Reveal