A Series from The Francis Files

Don't Demo, Decorate

Most rooms I'm asked to fix don't need to be torn out. They need proportion and a point of view. This series shows how to update a builder-grade home without renovating, one room at a time, through considered decorating: a light fixture scaled to the ceiling, a rug sized to anchor the furniture, paint and millwork that give the architecture some weight. Then the New Regency mix of classical pieces with a youthful, unexpected turn, so the room feels collected rather than bought all at once.

The Rooms

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No. 01 Honey Oak Entryway

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No. 01

Honey Oak Entryway

The problem: Do your stair treads have to match your warm honey floors? No!

Instead of restaining an entire floor, try a dark walnut stain on your stair treads and railings to give a sophisticated contrast to your warm honey floors. In a double-height entry, you want to bring the emphasis down to human-scale, so use a chair rail with box paneling below, painted in a soft contrast to make the architecture feel more considered. If it's in the budget, swap that builder-grade front door for a 3/4 lite door for additional light. A more proportionate light fixture, rug to anchor the decor, large mirror - and the unexpected twist - a sophisticated "portiere" curtain at the door to take the whole space up a level.

Why a two-story foyer feels empty

In a 2004 two-story foyer, the honey oak isn't really the problem. The walls, the ceiling height and the scale of the decor are. Your eye has nowhere to land, and the room either feels cavernous or dwarfs the people in it.

Where to stop the molding on a tall wall

On a wall this tall, I stop the molding at the chair rail to give the height a clear anchor: one row of boxes under a 36-inch rail, following the stringer up the stair. To make it feel intentional, paint the rail, boxes and base a soft green in semi-gloss, and the walls above a warm white. The green carries the weight low, so the height reads as volume instead of emptiness.

Dark stair treads with honey oak floors

Treads can differ from the floor as long as they match the rail and the undertones work together. Here the rail and treads are stained dark walnut against the honey oak, with white risers and spindles. If there's budget for one more architectural change, make it the front door: a 3/4 lite door with an upgraded handle brings in more light.

A portiere curtain on the front door

Heavy blue linen drapery around the door is beautiful and practical. The portiere is a historic trick that softens the architecture and insulates the door.

The finishing pieces

My Color Study flatweave rug keeps things from feeling too serious, with a graphic pattern in durable wool. A pair of Theodora crystal column lamps under Coventry ikat pleated shades bring the blue from the curtains onto the sideboard. A large lantern with patina bridges indoors and out, the reeded sideboard is light but substantial, burl chairs are always chic, and a mirror is a must, adding another "window" to the space.

From the KFD Collection