ASK PRISCILLA
How to brighten a dark room, shade a sliding door, decorate an antique hat rack and give your bedroom a cozy focal point

By PRISCILLA KOHUTEK


Q. Our children’s room has navy blue walls and a dark hardwood floor. The girls are ages five and six. To save time and the headache of repainting that nightmare, what can I possibly do to make this room look like a child’s room?

A. Of course, you know that I am going to tell you the best decorating tool we have is paint. It is the quickest and cheapest way to completely transform a room in practically no time at all. It is so easy to roll on paint; you don’t even have to hire a professional to do it. If you have never attempted a painting project, trot yourself off to the nearest paint store or home improvement center, where experts are standing by to show you the way.

Blues, especially navy blue, are hard to hide, so be sure to tell salespersons what color you want to cover up.They will recommend a primer and the best way to prepare the walls.

However, if you still are not convinced this is something you can handle, I have a couple of ideas to lighten things up for the girls.A blue and white theme comes to mind — good for hot weather too. The navy blue walls will make a nice background for white Battenberg lace bedspreads and pillow covers. Pile the beds with pillows in different sizes and shapes for fun, or keep it simple with the bare necessities. Either way, the beds will have a fresh and cool look.

Add a whimsical, little-girl touch by hanging canopies of mosquito netting over the heads of the beds.They are lightweight, and a small hook screwed into the ceiling is enough to hold each one. When you are dealing with a high ceiling, use a wide, pretty ribbon to suspend the canopies.Tie a large bow at the top to conceal the hook. Drape the netting behind the beds and pull the edges to the sides of the beds.The girls will love their cozy nests.

Scatter area rugs around the room to give the dark floor a lift.With an airy blue and white color scheme, I think of loose, lighthearted designs on flat-weave cotton dhurries. They are reversible and washable, you know.

The window treatment should be crisp white tiebacks. For the sake of privacy, use roller blinds as an undertreatment. They are available in many styles and colors, inexpensive and simple to install.

Add more life and color to the room with flowers, hearts and butterflies. Use them as tchotchkes, in posters, on picture frames and lampshades.

To carry the idea a bit further, do a garden wall. Position a wide wallpaper border on the wall at chair-rail height. That means the top of the border should be about three feet from the floor — perfect for little people to admire.The peeland- stick wallpaper borders are quick and easy to apply.

Stencil flowers growing up from the floor to just below the border. Better still, get the girls to help you paint on flowers — the freehand effort of the children is charming and much more interesting than perfection.Above the border, apply stick-on butterfly appliqués in various sizes and colors.

Now, stand back and admire your handiwork.You’ve transformed a formerly drab and boring room into a cheerful setting for your girls.

Q. We need sun protection on a large patio sliding door that faces south. Are vertical blinds still in style, or should I invest in draperies?

A. Forget about everything you ever heard on the subject of vertical blinds that were — well, so vertical — and plastic or vinyl or whatever-looking and oh, so ugly! There is a new concept in verticals by HunterDouglas that is sensational in style and practicality. It is a great look that beats the heck out of the same old drapery treatment that hung on sliding doors for years because we didn’t know what else to do.

These blinds are called Alustra™ Luminette® Privacy Sheers. Barely reminiscent of the old vertical blinds, these are updated with dimensional features that have the softness of sheers and the privacy of draperies — I am totally crazy about them! They are available with both manual and motorized controls and have a superior UV protection rating of 95 to 99 percent — so important in our south Texas environment for the protection of your furniture and wall hangings.

Check out www.hunterdouglas.com for more information about this new way to treat sliding patio doors, as well as French doors and the entire walls of windows that are so popular in the Hill Country around San Antonio. The style and fabric choices easily work in both traditional and contemporary settings.

Q. I have a wooden antique hat rack in a guest bedroom and would like suggestions for what to put on it. I have had pretty gift bags displayed on it for ages, and I am tired of them. I am not crazy about "old" hats. So do you have any suggestions?

A. Display things that are near and dear to you — things that bring a smile to your face when you look at them. For instance, what is sweeter than old baby clothes and christening gowns on padded satin hangers? They are charming accessories for an antique hat rack.A pair of baby shoes, tied together with ribbons, is equally appealing. When you grow weary of that display, you can move to the next phase with leotards, tutus and ballet slippers. How about those outgrown "princess" dresses and "Cinderella’s" glass slippers?

If you aren’t into any of those themes, hang up a woman’s vintage dress. Complete the idea with an old handbag on a nearby peg and a pair of shoes placed on the floor directly under the dress. Or add a touch of humor to the room with a man’s striped nightshirt and nightcap paired with a demure, but subtly sexy, old-fashioned nightgown — in white, of course.

Q. Our new master bedroom is large and undecorated. There is enough room to make a nice private area for myself, but I don’t know how to accomplish this. The usual armchair and ottoman, table and lamp approach doesn’t turn me on. I want an area that is comfortable and inviting for reading and relaxing and pretty to look at. What can you suggest?

A. You are wise to reject the same old armchair idea. Besides, people are always tripping over ottomans that never seem to be where they belong.

I suggest that you create a total ambiance to enhance the décor of the room. I am big on bringing romance into the bedroom — where it belongs — so let’s set the stage. Your private area will be the focal point. Plan the rest of the room around it. A relaxed, traditional look with a French country twist is what I have in mind. It is very popular these days, which means there is a lot out there to choose from and many ways to put it together.

Start with a soothing color combination of French blue, or a dusty shade of Wedgwood blue, and ivory; green and ivory is another great mix. Design a background for your cozy corner by smoothing out the edges of the room. A scalloped, multi-paneled screen does the job and makes a great backdrop for the star of your space — a to-die-for chaise in a classic cotton toile.

Accessorize this divine lounger with a couple of needlepoint pillows for your back and a lamp at your elbow. Now you have a lovely, calming space where you can read or take a quick afternoon snooze.

The color scheme and fabrics will take the room in the direction you want. Do window treatments in the same fabric as the chaise, and dress the bed in a complementary fabric. Just about any style of traditional furniture will work for you. Congratulations — you did it!

Until next time, happy decorating.

Priscilla Kohutek, internationally published home decorating columnist and author, draws from her own experience and the advice of experts to answer your questions. Send your queries to her via email at Priscilla@askpriscilla.com, or mail them to SAN ANTONIO WOMAN, 8603 Botts Lane, San Antonio, TX 78217.