the FRANCIS FILES

Notes on New Regency style from the studio of Kevin Francis O'Gara

The Francis Files

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Custom Sectional Couches: 5 Made-to-Order Options Compared by Size and Depth The Francis Files · Furniture Custom Sectional Couches: 5 Made-to-Order Options Compared by Size and DepthA made-to-order sectional earns its keep when it fits the room to the inch. Of everything in a living room, the sectional...Lucca hand-tufted maze rug in Boxwood Green under a cream curved sofa in a living room with arched windows Guides Why Our Maze Rugs Now Use TENCEL™ Lyocell Instead of Bamboo SilkEvery made-to-order Labyrinth maze rug is now tufted with TENCEL™ Lyocell in place of bamboo silk. Here is what bamboo silk really is, why lyocell holds up better underfoot, and what stays exactly the same.What a Rug Does for a Living Room, and How to Get It Right The Francis Files What a Rug Does for a Living Room, and How to Get It RightA rug sized to catch the front legs of every seat pulls the sofa and chairs into one conversation. If you only...The Renovation Drawing Set: What to Draw Before Demolition The Francis Files The Renovation Drawing Set: What to Draw Before DemolitionA scaled floor plan, a finish schedule and a demolition plan, laid out before the first wall comes down. Every renovation I...How to Choose an Air Purifier That Fits the Room The Francis Files How to Choose an Air Purifier That Fits the RoomA purifier earns its corner when it has clearance on every side, an outlet within reach and a clear job to do...Is Remodeling Worth It? 5 Honest Reasons to Renovate Your Home The Francis Files Is Remodeling Worth It? 5 Honest Reasons to Renovate Your HomeTwo basins, one bathroom, and no more queue at seven in the morning. Most writing on renovation opens with the promise that...Plan Your Apartment Layout Before Move-In With Virtual Design Tools The Francis Files Plan Your Apartment Layout Before Move-In With Virtual Design ToolsPlan the room on paper and on screen first, and the sofa, the rug and the lamp all arrive already knowing where...The Remodel Finish Schedule: How to Keep Your Design Intact Through Construction The Francis Files The Remodel Finish Schedule: How to Keep Your Design Intact Through ConstructionThe finish samples, the tile board, and the faucet that was actually approved, all in one place before the counters go in....Styling a Finished Basement as a Living Space The Francis Files Styling a Finished Basement as a Living SpaceHow to style a finished basement as a real living space: layout, layered lighting, rugs, color and moisture-smart materials, from an Atlanta designer.How to Hang a Gallery Wall So It Reads as One Piece The Francis Files How to Hang a Gallery Wall So It Reads as One PieceA gallery wall reads as one piece when the outer edge and the gaps are planned before the first nail goes in....Organic Bedding Brands for a Natural, Design-Forward Bedroom The Francis Files Organic Bedding Brands for a Natural, Design-Forward BedroomFive organic and natural-fiber bedding brands compared by fabric, finish, certification and price, from Delilah Home sateen to linen and percale.Exposed Timber Beams: Where They Earn Their Place in a Home The Francis Files Exposed Timber Beams: Where They Earn Their Place in a HomeWhere exposed timber beams earn their place in a home, how they shape a great room, kitchen and entry, and how kit vs hybrid sets how much wood you see.How to Make Rooms Flow Together Without Matching Design Projects How to Make Rooms Flow Together Without MatchingA sage hallway hands off to the living room through one repeated colour and a rug that carries it across the threshold....Furnishing a Home in a Flood Zone: Rugs, Legs and Finishes The Francis Files · Furniture Furnishing a Home in a Flood Zone: Rugs, Legs and FinishesMoving into a river town like Charleston, WV? A designer on furnishing a flood-prone ground floor: raised legs, wool rugs, materials and layout.Furniture for a Walk-Up: How to Buy Pieces That Can Climb Stairs The Francis Files Furniture for a Walk-Up: How to Buy Pieces That Can Climb StairsBuying furniture for a walk-up or brownstone? A designer on sofas with removable arms, modular seating, two-part antiques and pieces that climb stairs.Moving Antiques and Art in Summer Heat: What Actually Gets Damaged The Francis Files Moving Antiques and Art in Summer Heat: What Actually Gets DamagedHeat loosens veneer, softens shellac and ripples works on paper. A designer on moving antiques, art and rugs in hot weather, and in winter cold.Furnishing by House Style in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs The Francis Files Furnishing by House Style in Chicago's Northwest SuburbsBuffalo Grove split-levels, Arlington Heights bungalows, Vernon Hills open plans: a designer on furnishing each northwest suburbs house by its era.Paint Colors for Portland's Gray Season, From a Painter The Francis Files Paint Colors for Portland's Gray Season, From a PainterMoving to Portland? A painter's guide to paint colors for Pacific Northwest light: warm whites, greens, butter yellow, lamps, and when to paint.Moving Into an Oceanfront Condo: Protect Your Rugs, Art and Antiques The Francis Files · Furniture Moving Into an Oceanfront Condo: Protect Your Rugs, Art and AntiquesMoving into a Jacksonville Beach oceanfront condo? A designer on building rules, valuation coverage and keeping rugs, art and antiques safe in salt air.Office Relocation Furniture: Plan the Rooms Before the Freight Design Projects Office Relocation Furniture: Plan the Rooms Before the FreightMoving an office in Miami? Decide what furniture earns the freight, draw the new floor plan first and plan around tower elevator and insurance rules.Wood Paneling Ideas for Small Rooms That Open Them Up The Francis Files Wood Paneling Ideas for Small Rooms That Open Them UpWood paneling can make a small room feel taller or wider. A designer's guide to board direction, finish, feature walls and lighting.Contract-Grade Furniture at Home: What the Label Actually Tells You The Francis Files · Furniture Contract-Grade Furniture at Home: What the Label Actually Tells YouWhat contract-grade really means for a busy home, how to read double-rub counts, and what to ask about frames, care and warranty before you buy.How to Pack Antique Furniture, Art and Textiles by Material The Francis Files How to Pack Antique Furniture, Art and Textiles by MaterialHow to pack antique furniture, paintings, gilt and textiles: cotton on French polish, glassine on canvas, tissue on hardware, tubes for fabric.Designing a Kitchen Around Built-In Appliances: Beautiful Now, Easy to Service Later The Francis Files Designing a Kitchen Around Built-In Appliances: Beautiful Now, Easy to Service LaterPanel-ready appliances let the cabinetry lead. The details that keep them working are planned before the first door goes on. Built-in and...