Interior Design Q&A: Fireplaces, Contractors & Red Flags

Summary

Dear Alice | Interior Design
Episode: Interior Design Q&A: Fireplaces, Contractors & Red Flags
Release Date: October 30, 2025
Hosts: Alison, Suze (Suzanne Hall), Sam

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Episode Overview

This lively Q&A episode tackles some of the most common – and vexing – interior design dilemmas sent in by listeners. With their signature wit and eye for high-style, Alison, Suze, and Sam dig into everything from the realities of living in a log cabin and handling awkward fireplaces to how to select the right designer or contractor and let go of unwanted furniture. Warm, practical, and occasionally hilarious, this episode is full of actionable advice for homeowners and design lovers alike.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Living in a Log Cabin: Pros, Cons, and Design Strategy

Timestamps: 04:00 – 12:47

• Pros: Cozy, absorbs sound well, natural aesthetics, solid structure, easy to cut in new features like windows. Excellent insulation for cold climates.
  • "Noise can... bounce around... [but] log cabins really absorb sound..." (05:12, Alison)
• Cons: Ongoing maintenance (chinking and resealing every 5–10 years). Bugs can burrow into chinking, particularly certain types of bees and spiders. Visually busy with lots of orange tones; nothing is perfectly square or level, making furniture placement tricky.
  • "It's very busy visually... sometimes on a Zoom call, I'm like, whoa, what is all that behind me? It's just tons of orange." (06:36, Alison)
• Design Advice:
  • Lean fully into the log cabin aesthetic (think Ralph Lauren/Sundance style). Use warm tones, patterns, and layering to harmonize with the bold environment.
  • Art on the walls and rugs can break up the expanse of wood and tone down the orange.
  • Logs let you hang art anywhere without searching for studs.
  • If the logs are too orange, consider sanding and restaining.
  • "More is more in this circumstance." (11:38, Suze)
  • "I think the look and the memories are absolutely worth it. I would do it." (12:43, Suze)

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2. Friends as Designers: Smart Boundaries & Smoother Projects

Timestamps: 12:48 – 17:52

• The dilemma: A listener wonders if hiring a close friend — who has opposite design tastes — for a project is a good idea.
• Alison and Suze’s take:
  • Friendships are precious and can be harmed by the stressors and tensions of design projects.
  • Refer to stylistic differences as a gracious reason to choose another designer.
  • If you proceed, have frank conversations upfront about how to communicate and handle disagreements.
  • "There is just something really sacred about friendship. So it can be tricky with friends and family." (13:11, Alison)
  • Suggest enlisting your friend’s help to find a designer that's a better style fit — keeps the friendship intact and is honest about your needs.

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3. Corner Fireplaces: How to Place Your Furniture & Make it Work

Timestamps: 19:33 – 24:52

• Big frustration: Corner fireplaces are universally disliked for awkward space planning, yet are common in many homes.
  • "Builders, developers, you are not saving space. You are making things complicated. Please don't use them anymore. No one likes them." (19:33, Suze)
• Suze’s real-life solutions:
  1. Ignore the fireplace; orient furniture (sectional, TV) to another wall if the fireplace isn’t worth highlighting.
  2. Remodel: Extend and dramatize the mantle so it feels built-in and intentional.
  3. Space plan to accommodate both the fireplace and conversation areas; allow directional choices for TV/fireplace/window viewing.
  • "We actually took the mantle and elongated it... made a proper built-in that made it look more grand and glorious." (21:30, Suze)
• Focus on making the fireplace a focal point if you remodel. Otherwise, it’s okay to sidestep it in your furniture plan.

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4. Hiring Designers or Contractors: Order of Operations & What to Watch For

Timestamps: 24:52 – 31:12

• Who to hire first? Always start with the designer, not the contractor.
  • Designers provide resources, vetted trade contacts, and help clarify your vision before it’s handed to the builder.
  • "The designer is going to have resources... the best wallpaper hanger, the best painters... They come with their own bank of resources." (25:23, Alison)
• Red flags:
  • Designers who don't have a strong list of trade contacts.
  • Lack of finished projects or positive referrals.
  • Designers who start but don't finish strong; experience matters.
  • Contractors who don’t finish jobs, or drag projects out because they’re juggling too many at once.
  • "She just, she can't get him back here to finish. And nobody wants to come and do half of a job." (30:51, Alison)
• Always check references and go with referrals from satisfied clients.
• Understand the difference between designers (build/construction) and decorators (finishing/styling).

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5. Best Flooring Choice Today

Timestamps: 31:12 – 32:32

• Hardwood floors are considered supreme for both function and fashion.
  • Real hardwood (either sand-and-finish or engineered) is preferred over vinyl or tile lookalikes.
  • "I'm talking about real hardwood... sand and finish." (31:19, Alison)
• Use tile or marble only in entries; bedrooms may still have carpet or a runner over hardwood on stairs.

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6. What to Do with “Throwaway” or Outgrown Furniture

Timestamps: 32:32 – 36:30

• Options beyond Facebook Marketplace:
  • Gift to family, friends, or workers (contractors, cleaning staff).
  • Donate to thrift organizations or charities (DI/Goodwill-style) — someone in need benefits, and you get a tax write-off.
  • "It was the coolest thing to see everybody that had worked on this house just, like, feel so grateful to have just, like, a piece that they get to go home with that, like, feels new to them." (34:07, Suze)
  • Visualize your donations helping someone specific to feel good about letting go.
  • "I just always think I'm giving it to my friend Shima when I donate it. And that feels really good to me." (35:44, Alison)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On leaning into the log cabin look:
  • "More is more in this circumstance." (11:38, Suze)
  • "I think the look and the memories are absolutely worth it." (12:43, Suze)
• On corner fireplaces:
  • "Builders, developers... you are not saving space. You are making things complicated. Please don't use them anymore. No one likes them." (19:33, Suze)
  • "We actually took the mantle and... made it look more grand and glorious..." (21:30, Suze)
• On hiring friends:
  • "There is just something really sacred about friendship. So it can be tricky..." (13:11, Alison)
  • "Friendship is the most dear thing. Yeah, it's like almost like family." (17:13, Alison)
• On referrals and finishing the job:
  • "A referral is the best thing. I love it when we get a referral just because they've lived with it." (27:31, Suze)
  • "Probably the number one complaint people say to me is ... 'they just never finished.'" (29:32, Alison)
• On donating furniture:
  • "It was the coolest thing to see everybody that had worked on this house just, like, feel so grateful..." (34:07, Suze)
  • "I just always think I'm giving it to my friend Shima when I donate it. And that feels really good to me." (35:44, Alison)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:00 – 12:47: Log cabin living: Honest pros and cons, embracing the style, practical tips
• 12:48 – 17:52: Should you hire a friend as your designer? Relationship boundaries, exit strategies
• 19:33 – 24:52: Solving the dreaded corner fireplace: Space planning examples and remodel tips
• 24:52 – 31:12: Designers vs. contractors: Referrals, warnings, who to hire first, and those crucial finishers
• 31:12 – 32:32: What flooring wins today? (Spoiler: Hardwood)
• 32:32 – 36:30: How to clear out old/good furniture in meaningful ways

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Bottom Line

This episode exemplifies Dear Alice’s blend of down-to-earth realism and high-end design savvy. From navigating the quirks of specialty architecture to safeguarding friendships and creating homes where memories (not just style) are made, the candid advice offered here makes design feel approachable, impactful, and above all, personal.

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Transcript

[Alison]

First tip, let's talk timing. And who. Who do you call first? I would always start with the designer.

[Sam]

Any tips or warnings to keep aware of when you are looking for designers or contractors on your home?

[Suze]

Darn corner fireplaces. How many questions? We get this question a lot. And I'm going to tell you how I did it with my sister's house.

[Alison]

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Dear Alice. We are going to be doing a listener Q and A today, so thank you for your questions. And we are going to be answering six of them on this podcast.

[Suze]

Yeah. And Happy Halloween. Yeah. Second favorite holiday, All Hallows Eve.

[Sam]

I love that. I never say that. That's amazing.

[Suze]

Pocus. All Hallows Eve, I think. Yeah.

[Alison]

Yeah.

[Sam]

That's one of my favorite.

[Suze]

I know. Are you watching any fun movies or anything? Like, I do love a hocus pocus situation.

[Alison]

Yes.

[Suze]

Practical magic.

[Alison]

Practical magic.

[Suze]

Go watch cat. That's so cute.

[Alison]

Okay.

[Suze]

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.

[Alison]

Yeah.

[Suze]

Get all witchy and Wiccan.

[Alison]

What else?

[Suze]

What are some other, like, spooky.

[Sam]

The Lost Boys is what I love. I am. I was obsessed with vampires as a kid. That's so cute. The Lost Boys is my movie.

[Suze]

So he was. He was spooky.

[Sam]

Kiefer. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Suze]

I had nightmares about that, man.

[Sam]

Yeah, it was. Yeah. It's a scary movie. I was like, my aunts showed it to me. They're like four or five years older than me and when I was a kid and I loved it ever since. And the soundtrack is great. It's like 80s and. Yeah. Dangly like earrings and stuff like that. Yeah.

[Alison]

I don't know if I've even ever seen it, really.

[Suze]

He played a villain for the majority of his career until 24.

[Sam]

Oh, really? I didn't know that. Yeah.

[Alison]

I love it.

[Sam]

Keith was awesome.

[Alison]

Well, speaking of holidays, you guys, the holiday collection is available right [e-mail] not Halloween decor, if that's what you're thinking. We're talking actual Christmas decor. So that just went live. It's been so fun having it up in store. And then I also wanted to say that today's questions aren't going to involve log cabins, corner fireplaces. If you have one of those, we finally have an answer for you on how to space plan that room. Because I know the corner fireplace is the bane of your existence, probably if you're trying to figure out just where to put that sofa or sectional. So Suze has some really good practical advice for you. And then also how to deal with designers and contractors if you're taking on a remodeling project, we have a question where we answer that, so we're gonna get into it.

[Sam]

Okay, before we do that, do you guys have any, like, favorite Halloween traditions that you guys do with your families or anything?

[Suze]

My boys are of the age where, like, we have to carve pumpkins. Like, there's a place called Corn Bellies here in Utah, and it's a big, like, this Halloween Festivus, and they have, like, rides and caramel apples and the warm chocolate chip cookies. They come in the bucket. Anyway, Corn Belly is really, really fun, and so, like, you can get season passes, but my boys are always like, they're getting at the age where they're just like, let's get a season pass to Corn Bellies. It's crazy cute. So Corn Bellies is really fun. And then. Yeah, dress up. You guys dress up.

[Alison]

I don't dress up, but.

[Suze]

We don't.

[Alison]

Have kids at home anymore, so it. I mean, I guess I could just dress up for the trick or treaters.

[Sam]

Not this year because it's too late, but, yeah, next year, you. And I don't have to know. I. I just barely said I love vampires every year. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a vampire, so my, like, go to costume is. I. Like, 10 years ago, I bought, like, the ones that, like, mold to your teeth. The vampire teeth. Oh, my God. So, yeah, I use those and just. I'm a vampire every year.

[Alison]

And what do you wear?

[Sam]

Just, like, all black and.

[Alison]

Yeah, you have, like, a high collar.

[Sam]

Yeah, I'll like papa. Papa collar. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Suze]

Been in dangling earrings.

[Sam]

Yeah, I should. Exactly. I need to get some.

[Suze]

Your hair, like, keep.

[Sam]

And I like, paint my fingernails and. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I love it.

[Suze]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Yeah, they thought it was awesome. That's my tradition.

[Suze]

Cool, cool, cool.

[Alison]

I love this time of year.

[Suze]

I do, too.

[Sam]

So the first question is from Gina caller. She wrote in and asked, what is your experience working with Log Cabin esque homes? My family is considering purchasing one up in the mountains for family retreats, but are weighing the pros and cons from a design and practical viewpoint. Unique question.

[Suze]

That is a unique question. I'm excited for her, though.

[Alison]

Yeah, that is exciting. We Corey and I talked to Drew yesterday, who's the president at Alice Lane, and he actually lives in a log cabin up a really beautiful canyon. And I asked him yesterday, hey, what are the pros and cons? Because you've lived there long enough. And he was like, yeah, okay. Let me tell you the pros first. So the pros are. It's. It's really, really dense, all of it. And so it absorbs sound really nicely. Super solid. It's. Aesthetically, it's really, like, natural and beautiful. If you like that look cozy. It's cozy. Everybody always says that where I think in homes that are, you know, Sheetrock, traditionally made like the rest of ours, noise can. Or sound can kind of bounce around off the walls. And depending on what your flooring is, it can be kind of loud. And this really absorbs sound and gives you.

[Sam]

And diffuses. Cu. Walls aren't just, like, straight. That's where most of the re. Like, reveration. Like, comes. Yes, yes. You got, like, the curved log walls.

[Alison]

Each of the logs. So sound bounces off in different directions. It's. It's just really cozy. Yeah.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Alison]

Some of the cons he gave us were the upkeep, because it is all natural, and then the chinking in between the logs. You have to upkeep much like any natural material. I think he says probably every five to 10 years. But he did say that because it is natural. It's that there's a lot of bugs.

[Sam]

They, like, burrow in.

[Suze]

Yeah.

[Alison]

They burrow into the chinking, and they can eat into it, and so they often get bugs. He thought it'd be fun to raise bees, A certain type of bees. I forget what kind.

[Sam]

I can't remember either.

[Alison]

They're not the ones with the stingers. They're, like, iridescent and pretty, and they're good for the environment. And what he noticed was that the bees were everywhere in the home. They'd burrowed into the chinking. And they get spiders just because they love. It's just a natural material. So he didn't know that he would get the bugs that they got, which was really interesting. I asked him about mice, and he said that's just kind of. That would be like. It depends on where you live. And it's like a normal amount of. If you get mice in a normal home. He actually said a normal constructed home is easier for mice to burrow into.

[Sam]

Because the walls just become their.

[Suze]

Yeah.

[Alison]

Huh. And they. Around between the walls where with this, you don't have that. So that wasn't a thing so much as bugs was. And then he. It's very busy visually. He's like, sometimes if I'm on a zoom call, I'm like, whoa, what is all that behind me? It's just tons of orange. Everything's orange. All the logs are orange. And so sometimes he's trying to figure out what to order and, like, what's going to look good with all these orange logs. He also said nothing is plum level or square, so he was putting up a baby gate to keep his little one from going down the stairs or whatnot. But because one log protrudes out further than the works down here, you really need to be able to have lots of adjusting points because he's like, you just can't get a square. Yeah, a square, like, edge on anything moving a dresser in. Like, some logs protrude out further than others, so you can't push something all the way up against a wall. He said there's probably more cons than pros. He loves it. He loves the lifestyle of it. Oh, he did say the bugs come more in the summer because heat rises and then bugs are swarming around sort of up at the top. So I don't know. What else did he say?

[Sam]

I mean, as far as, like, structurally, like, everything is a beam in the walls, you know, so if you're like. If you're going to, like, I'm going to add a window here and cut that out way easier because you don't have to cut it out and then reinforce it with the beam because it already is one, you know, so structurally, it's great. Insulated very well. Better than. Better than normal, which I think makes a lot of sense if it's going to be up in the mountains, because you're going to, you know, experience like. Yeah, freezing temperatures. But, yeah, I think. I think you have to be the person for it.

[Alison]

I think so, too. You know, if you are. Yeah, but I think aesthetically, we wanted to lean in and show you some photos, Gina, of, you know, just to get your. Just to get your senses going. Like, if you lean all the way in and do this really sort of Sundance or Ralph Lauren look, you have to lean way into the log cabin. You're not just bringing up your old gray sectional and putting it in the log cabin, because then you're just going to be mad that the walls are so orange. And you've got to lean in. You've got to use those warm tones. Using all of the pattern helps fight, I think, the other pattern or I guess, get along with it more because you are just leaning into that full Ralph Lauren aesthetic. So we have a couple of. If you're tuning in on YouTube or Spotify, you're going to see some images on screen. Suze, you pulled these. Do you want to tell them kind of what they're looking at. Yeah.

[Suze]

And when, when you do lean in with the log cabin, we've done homes up in Sundance. And you really do. You, you're just like, you're. It's the, It's Robert Redford, it's Sundance, it's Ralph Lauren. It's like the movie like Dan in real life. And so when she said family retreat, I was just like, money. I'm like, that's so dreamy. If you can like, figure out the maintenance of like those things that you guys mentioned. Like, I think this is so dreamy, especially for like a second home if you love the location. So what you're looking at now are just some images I grabbed when I was like looking at a Ralph Lauren. Again, Sundance and some of these movie sets and like, you're seeing wool Pendletons and a lot of natural materials to kind of accompany. You have some trophies on the wall, you know, like animals and, and obviously wildlife that's happening. Great paintings of wildlife. And anyway, it's just a really layered, cozy, like, filled in look handsome. It's very, very handsome. And I'm like, I'm into it. It's like, it's the magic when you go up to Sundance. If you haven't been there, like, come. And it's just like you walk in and you can feel it like in your bones. And I'm just like, I need, I need a hot drink and a blanket, stat.

[Alison]

So do you think it feels like you're gonna make a memory there? Like you're gonna sit and play a game or do a puzzle? I'm not gonna be on my station.

[Suze]

It doesn't be on my phone.

[Alison]

It also doesn't feel like you're at home. It feels like you're somewhere special. I mean, it feels homey, but. But you really are going to just leave your phone behind and just sit in there and life's going to slow down and it's going to be a time capsule moment.

[Suze]

Yeah.

[Alison]

So I like this better than just going to another home that's, you know, a similar decor. Yeah, decor. I just, I really love it. And I think, Gina, what a cool opportunity for you that you do have the mountains nearby and that you. That there is something like this for sale. And as you put it together, I think more is more and the coziness will come.

[Suze]

And I think to the fact if you do have a log cabin and you're dealing with a lot of the orange, the image on the left is like a quite a two story with like A loft up above and they just have art. And this one has, like, more of like a pickled wood. They have beams, and it's just more wood clad versus log. But with a log cabin, too. If you can cloud those walls with like a lot of art and build that up, you start to diffuse some of that color. Just be. Or hang rugs on the wall or things like that. If it becomes too much, um, I think that'd be a really good way to help pull down the orange if it becomes an issue.

[Sam]

That's the other thing with like a log cabin. Like, you don't have to find a stud.

[Suze]

Oh, my God.

[Sam]

You just. You're hanging it.

[Alison]

You know, he just said he could just hang anything anywhere. And he has been doing the thing where you hang a rug and it kind of drapes pretty over, like the first log and then drapes. And that's been really lovely. And he's not too precious about hanging anything anywhere.

[Suze]

But more is more in this circumstance.

[Sam]

Yep.

[Suze]

I love it. It's such a mood. Y. You might have an antler chandelier. Most three of the five have it. So, um, you'll probably have an American flag or wherever you're living hanging up on the wall. But here's one that has more of, like the chinking. Not as yellow or orangey of a log, but you do see the chinking in the wood. When you do go up to.

[Sam]

You can restain them too. So, yeah, if you do. If the one that you're looking at is orange, you definitely take that. You can take that off and restain it and refinish it and stuff like that. I think Drew mentioned, like, re sealing his cabin is like an every five to ten year thing.

[Suze]

Yeah.

[Alison]

So, yeah. Kind of. I mean, marble countertops. I guess we're supposed to resell every six months.

[Sam]

Yeah. So they say.

[Alison]

Yeah. So this you only have to reseal every five years. So that's good news. Gina. Y so Suzanne would say, do it.

[Suze]

I would 100 do it. If you live on the East Coast. I would. I. I would worry. When you said bugs, I was like, ah, termites. We don't see them as much over here. But you do have that a little bit more over there. So.

[Alison]

Yeah. There's pest control for that, you know.

[Sam]

Y. You can solve anything these days.

[Suze]

It's true. But I think the look and the memories are absolutely worth it. I would do it.

[Alison]

Yeah.

[Sam]

The next question is from Michelle or Michael from England. And they wrote in and said, first time listener from England. Love the podcast and very exciting for future episodes. We are considering hiring a design firm here that a friend runs. But our worry is that her preferences are much different from ours. Is that normal? And how would you handle a situation like that?

[Alison]

Yeah, I. You know, this is a really tricky one. The. Here's what's tricky to me. It's the friend piece, not the style. The style piece is also tricky, and I think will be a really good excuse as to why you maybe don't work together. The friend piece can be tricky on this. I think working with friends and family can. Can be something that. It depends on them and you'll know if. If they're. I don't know if you've had some upfront talks about it. I have, like, probably one of my dearest, closest friends, Susan, probably Susan, my. One of our dearest, closest friends who years ago was beginning a new build that lasted probably like three or four years, and it's just a dream project. And she came to us and said, I think I want you to design. She's like, I don't want you to design the whole home. I have a designer that we've always used. I'm going to have her do it, but I just wondered if you guys would just touch, like, a few spaces for me that are personal for her, like her dream closet. And we were gonna even take in and do the bathroom because they all bled together and we drew up a scope for her. And then in the end, she's like, you know what? I'm not gonna sign this. I've had too many things go wrong with. When there's friendships crossover into business. And I love you guys so much. I never want there to be any weird. Anything between us. And we were like, totally get it. We respect that. And we were bummed because we really do love her and we know we would have. We would have just knocked it out of the park for her. And we were so excited about it. But in the end, I respected that decision and I've even taken that into my own life and other arenas because, I don't know, there is just something really sacred about friendship. So it's. It can be tricky with friends and family. We've. I've worked for a family member before, and, you know, tensions will run hot because, you know, there's so many things in a project. Right. Like, maybe their patience runs. Like maybe something's been installed wrong and they want you to handle it even though you're not their builder. Or maybe cost came in different than they had hoped. For and that could be because they wanted to do more or whatnot. But there's so many tension points and triggers and stressors in a remodel that something's going to come up. And so just know that depending on how close this friendship is, that you guys have a safe word or that you, that you guys talk about it in advance and you say, hey, I don't, I don't ever want anything to come between this and this is. We're going to make a million decisions together. A lot of these are going to be financial and I just want us to always be in a safe zone where we can talk about it. If you're both great communicators, it's going to be fine. If one of you is non confrontational and gets really quiet, then it's hard to communicate with somebody like that. So I don't know. The one reason why, how you could get out of this is because their style is so different. And we've been hired before from a gal that was really good friends with her past designer in real life. And then she didn't use her for the next project, she used us because our style is different. And she had done a traditional home with her last friend and then we did a really contemporary home for her and she just blamed it on style. And so anyway, I think this is a really hard line to walk, but I do think friendships are really precious and you just don't want things to come between it. I don't know, sue, what would you add to that?

[Suze]

No, you're here. I was just gonna say I'm like, I would lean on that style thing if you don't align in like it's such a long process, an expensive process. Like you said, like emotions are high that if you, if you don't align like you, you obviously love this person because it's a friend. So you got that. But if like the style doesn't align and you're nervous at all, I think that that's your out. That's your out. And again, I think if you were to like, I'll kind of write that off and say we'll go ahead and use her, I think there would be some resentment along the way to not get what you ultimately want. And that's not fair to her or you. So I just like call it clean, go to dinner and hire someone else.

[Sam]

Yeah, Honestly, I would say if you end up doing it, do it because you think that they're the right designer for you. Don't do it because just they're they're a friend and that's just happen to.

[Alison]

Be a designer and you need a designer. I mean, you could even ask them like, hey, I thought about using you, but I just don't want this to come. I don't want anything to ever come between our friendship. Who do you think would be a good fit for me? My style is actually different than yours. I. We're actually going to go contemporary on this one or you're contemporary and we're going super traditional. Who would you recommend? And she could even be a part of that problem solving with you. That's another if you're that kind of friend. And then she'll respect because I respected it when my friend said, you know, our friendship's too dear to me. And I thought, gosh, yeah, friendship is the most dear thing. Yeah, it's like almost like family. So, yeah. Yeah, I hope that helps.

[Suze]

Yeah.

[Sam]

Michael, Michelle, Suze, before we started recording, you were telling me about your bubble cuddle blanket from Cozy Earth. Let's tell the people about it.

[Suze]

Okay. I want to shout it from the rooftops. I love this thing so much. The bubble cuddle blanket is the best faux fur blanket out there. I know because my family all has versions of all the other ones and they look like flat tires. But the bubble cuddle has a structured grid that's quilted on the front and the back and it is so soft and it like, I don't mind having it out on my sofa with all my other beautiful curated things because it's that lovely and I say it is cozier than all the others. So I love, I love, love, love my bubble cuddle.

[Sam]

So if you want to get a bubble cuddle blanket or any of the amazing products that Cozy Earth offers, head to cozyearth.com and use our code Dear Alice for up to 20% off. That's cozyearth.com code Dear Alice. And if you get a post purchase survey, make sure to let them know you heard about Cozy Earth right here. Because home isn't just where you live, it's how you feel. Let's go home with Cozy Earth. The next one is from Lauren Davis. She asked. I've always been an admirer of your interior design and have become a huge fan of your podcast. I feel like I'm taking a master class in interior design and I'm more confident in designing my home. My question I have the unfortunate inheritance of a corner fireplace in our home. We've lived here five years and it just never feels right in this room. Help. How do I best space plan for this area? I love the feel of a modern French design with little southern charm to bring in the comfort of home. I'd love all the advice and tips. Best to you all. Super nice of her.

[Suze]

Okay. Oh, darn corner fireplaces. Builders, developers, like, you are not saving space. You are making things complicated. Please don't use them anymore. No one likes them.

[Sam]

Or pantries. Or corner pantries.

[Suze]

Like, how many questions? We get this question a lot.

[Alison]

Yes.

[Suze]

How do I address the corner fireplace? And I'm going to tell you how I did it with my sister's house, because she also inherited when she was, like, first time holding buyer. Her and her husband bought this little starter home, and it had a corner fireplaces, which to me, that says that not only her house had that, but hundreds of them in this development have that same issue. They're like, again, edifices on the earth that, like, sit for, you know, for a very long time and nobody knows what to do with them.

[Sam]

I would love to talk to the architects, be like, why did they think.

[Alison]

That was a good idea, that corner?

[Sam]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alison]

We'd also like to. Nobody. Nobody that has one knows what to do with it.

[Suze]

Nobody.

[Alison]

They all wish it was oriented on a straight wall and that they could make that the focal point. Because how do you space plan that room? Lauren has the same question.

[Suze]

Who is your master?

[Alison]

Yes. Who is your master? Well, so Suzanne has sketched out some space plans for you. So if you guys are tuning in via YouTube or Spotify, you're going to see this camera one. Suzanne said, you know what corner fireplace you lose. We're going to go ahead and put the sectional facing the opposite wall. And we're not going to look at you and we're not going to pay attention to you because we can't square furniture.

[Suze]

Like, look away, look away. I did it so much, and my sister's like, what do I do? I'm just like. And it wasn't cute, and it wasn't like, it had beautiful finishes. It was like really basic millwork with, like, dumb tile or something. And it just was a glory for no one. I couldn't put a TV over it. There was a window over there. I'm like, I don't know what to do with you. You know, let's just ignore it. Like, I'm just gonna.

[Alison]

Like, how many years ago was. Was. Oh, gosh, option one.

[Suze]

That was probably 15 years ago. One, like, maybe even before.

[Alison]

Like 20 years ago, probably.

[Suze]

Yeah. Sometime between when we met 17, 20 years ago.

[Alison]

And she didn't necessarily want to replace the fireplace at this point. She just was like, she had a lot of little kids, wanted furniture.

[Suze]

Yeah, she had a lot of little kids. She's just like, let's just like get some furniture in there. And. And even at that point, like, it still wasn't just trying to space plan normal furniture from, you know, that she had had. There was just like no right way to do this. And like lived like this for a second. It was just always like such a thorn in my side. Every time I would go over there, I'm like, gosh dang it, you've corner fireplace. You suck so hard. So years later, they're ready to do a remodel and we're like, okay, what do we do with this corner fireplace? And it was a remodel where again, they didn't like, this wasn't the home that they wanted to invest a ton of money to like re pivot exactly where the fireplace was going to go. And so I'm like, okay, I'm gonna put my thinking cap on and I'm gonna fix it this time. Like, what can I do? And so ideally, like, we don't ignore a fireplace. You know, that should be a focal point and she should make it beautiful. So what we did in camera two, you can see this space plan is what we ended up doing. And what you'll notice, the biggest difference from camera one is on camera one, it just juts out at a 45 degree or 90 degree angle back to space 1, 2. We actually took the mantle and like just completely elongated it from like corner to corner. Like, we expanded it, we expanded it completely. And then I'm going to show you enlarge the footprint. Instead of it feeling like a modular fireplace that was just plopped in the corner, we actually like made a proper built in that made it look more grand and more glorious. And we could actually orient the section on before again, I just had the back. We ignored it completely on the space plan. On this new one, we're actually looking at it. And then I did a console next to it floating in front of a mirror, a window. And we actually liked floated the TV on top of that. So with window treatments. But then here's what we did. So this shows you how we terminated that whole fireplace into the wall completely so you don't have any weird hidden corners. And we space planted around it and like made it beautiful. We got a new firebox still kept it in the same place, but just like grew our Mantle just to make a more grand moment. So that was, I think, probably the best. The most successful corner fireplace that we've ever been able to do. So I'm glad I got to do that experiment.

[Alison]

You imagine coming over and being like, how'd you get this mantle?

[Suze]

I know, I know.

[Alison]

So great.

[Suze]

So much, much better.

[Alison]

Yeah. So great. And then you just kind of in back to the space planning. Lauren, you can see here how that sectional is going to allow you to. You can have a couple vantage points, whether it be looking at the console with the TV on it, and that's framed with drapery because there's a window up above it. Oh, sorry. There's not a TV above that.

[Suze]

Yeah, it's just, like, in front of it.

[Alison]

Beautiful. Love that. More eye level.

[Suze]

Yep.

[Alison]

Yeah. So that sectional is going to allow you to either look at the TV or look at the fireplace or out the window. And this room feels so huge coming into it now. Yeah.

[Suze]

Yeah. It's really welcoming. And the fireplace is something to behold. It's actually really beautiful.

[Sam]

Expanding the footprint of it. That totally makes sense. Yeah. Hard to ignore it because it is there.

[Suze]

Yeah.

[Sam]

But if that's the. That's your only option.

[Suze]

I think we just did a cast one and just had the filler pieces created. And anyway, it turned out really, really beautiful, so.

[Sam]

It did.

[Suze]

Anyway, so if you're embarking on a remodel, this is how I would address it. Yep.

[Sam]

The next question is from Megan Fox. Do you have any tips or warnings to keep aware of when you are looking for designers or contractors on your home? Currently looking at some options in my home in Texas and just feel nervous since this will be my first time hiring out.

[Suze]

Hmm. This is a great question.

[Sam]

We do have an episode about I off the top of my head. I can't remember when it was when it aired, but it was working with a designer. So along with whatever answer you guys are going to give, you can go reference that, too.

[Alison]

Yeah. Okay. So first tip. Let's talk timing. And who. Who do you call first? I would always start with the designer because the designer is going to have resources. She's going to have worked with the best wallpaper hanger, the best painters. She's going to have a mirror source, a slab source. They come with their own bank of resources.

[Sam]

Possibly even a builder that, you know, they have worked with before. That's. Yeah.

[Alison]

Have great rapport with. They're going to know the best cabinet shops. They're going to know good, better, best. Depending on your budget. Maybe you go with the good, maybe you go with the better. Um, maybe you don't. Maybe you're not interested in the best bid. So they're going to really help be your tour guide on this project. They're also going to start the design. And we usually, as a best practice, we used to always say we like to get six, get started six months before the build takes place, because that gives us time to really figure out your North Star and help dial in your design, sit down in several meetings, craft it out. So then that's the design that you hand off to the builder to bid. Your cabinetry is elevated, your tile drawings are done, everything specified right down to the grout. There's no questions. Or if they do have a question, then we can point out in the drawings and the finished schedules like, it's all here. You just need to go bid the actual design because otherwise they can give you ballparks, but they don't know actually what your design is. And then it's going to come in different than bid. Right. So I think you always start with the designer and then you go on to the contractor. And like we said, your designer is going to come with a Rolodex of contractors. So that's your easiest, easiest route.

[Suze]

Yeah, I would say if your designer doesn't have those things, probably not the right designer. I think that that is a red flag if they don't have, like, really good references and projects that they can, like, show you. And I honestly, I think the best way to find a designer that you like is if you've, like, you talk to people, you talk to friends, you talk to family, you have used designers and hear what their pro, like process and experience was. Because I think a referral is like, the best thing. I love it when we get a referral just because they've lived with it. They've like, they went through the process with us and they enjoyed the experience. So therefore, when I get a call from a friend of, you know, a client, I'm like, oh, good. I'm just like, yeah, it was a good working relationship. And those are the kind of people that you want to, you know, because it's a really long process, you know, like, yeah, you're designing for, you know, 6, 6, 10, sometimes 12 months, depending on the house. But then the build can be anywhere from, like two to five years, depending on. You really have to be. Depending on your job. So anyway, so it can. Whatever it is, you just. You're going to be making decisions that are really important that you're going to be living with. So you need to like your designer, you need to love their work and you need to learn that they have a good process. And if they have all those things, it's likely that they're going to know the best builders that will fit into your category.

[Alison]

And then you want to talk to them. And I talked to several, because you're going to know if you just like them, you know, if you resonate with them, if you want to sit in meetings with them and go shopping with them. Liking them is really important and trusting them is important. One of the things that you ask for tips or warnings to keep aware of when you're looking for a designer or contractor. One of the things that sue and I have experienced quite a bit is if we get hired after somebody else has been hired, probably the number one complaint people say to me is, or they say to us is, yeah, I hired somebody, but they just never finished. You're hiring a creative person that probably loves a part of the process and maybe not the other part of the process. And especially if they work alone or they work from home and this is kind of a part time job for them, their process might be a little bit more loose and they might have a lot of energy and getting started, but then peter off in the end and not really finished. So we get often called in to finish people's work because their designer just didn't have the energy for it. Or maybe they're good at the build portion and they don't know how to style, you know, or they don't know the decoration portion of it. Because what's funny is there is a difference between designers and decorators. Decorators are good at the finishing portion of it. They're good at the furniture, they love the drapery, they love the wallpapers, they love the styling. Designers are really good at the construction portion of it, the interior architecture of it all. It's really the, the math and the project management and the specifying of all the pieces and parts. And so ideally you're going to get somebody that's really great at both and that they can not only start the job with gusto, but finish it as well with a really great touch on the end. So that's why think the referral is great, because anybody that's worked with them, maybe you like their portfolio, maybe you've talked to them and you like them, and then you could even ask for references. And then you could call people that have worked with them. And if it all checks out, then you're in really good shape to get started with them. Same thing with contractors. If you decide that you're going to be the designer and you just need to hire contractors, you're going to again want referrals for people because again, you want them to finish their work. That's another thing that people say with contractors. Yeah, he started. I have a sister in law right now that's been working on a bathroom, master bathroom since February. They haven't been able to shower in their own bathroom. They've been showering with their kids. He started laying the tile and then he went and started working on all these other jobs. So he starts a lot of things and then to keep them on the hook, he just, he just starts a million other jobs so that he has a lot of things in the pipeline. So anyway, she's just like, I can't get him back here to finish. And nobody wants to come and do half of a job.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Alison]

Or just finish a job. They want a whole job. So yeah, finishing. I can't tell you how important it is to get a finisher when it comes to contractors. But again, if you start with a designer, they're going to know they're going to have a book of business or book of contractors that's, that's their favorites. And she can pick up the phone and call them and find out whatever you need to know and you'll be in good shape.

[Sam]

The next question is from Mitchell. He asked for flooring. Is there a material that reigns supreme in your mind?

[Alison]

I think hardwood floor. I think that's reigning supreme right now. It's, it's probably going to take up the majority of a main floor, I would say. I even know people that are ripping out carpet in their bedrooms and using hardwood. It's natural, it's comfortable on the joints, more comfortable than walking on tile. We'll, we'll generally do some sort of tiled entryway, do a really beautiful, some sort of marble something. And then from there you're going to take off with hardwood through all the main living spaces, the hallways, the kitchen. And that to me is a superior one. And when I say hardwood, I am not talking about lvp, not talking about vinyl, that looks like hardwood. I'm also not talking about tile, that looks like hardwood. I'm talking about real hardwood. So that is, and, and sand and finish. Floor. I love a sand and finish. And then there's also your engineered hardwoods which are great and easy install. So both of those work really well. But I'd say that's what's reigning supreme right now. If you still love carpet in a bedroom, then you can do that. I still really love carpet in a bedroom. Even the stairs today we're doing in hardwood, but then using a stair runner over top.

[Suze]

Yeah, yeah, hardwood. Hardwood wins every time.

[Sam]

Agreed. Last question from NB Portino comment from YouTube. What do we do with our throwaway furniture when we want to replace it? In fact, what do we do with even our good furniture when our tastes change? This is a dilemma I faced for years. Even when I have stellar antiques I've outgrown. Piecing them out on Facebook Marketplace is too much work. Plus, I'm not having strangers come to my house. Any advice?

[Suze]

I feel like everyone. Every client that we've ever worked with has had this question, like, what do I do with all this old stuff? And my best. And I was actually just witnessed it was. We were at an install for a home here in Utah and they had, like, this track of all their old. We're putting all these new, beautiful furniture in their home that, like, really fits, like, I guess the lifestyle that they've curated, even though it's not stuff that they've had forever, but it's the style that they have collectively, like, built up to this forever home. They have just all this old stuff. They've given some of the stuff away to children that have moved away, and so they've parceled it out that way. But all the stuff that they still had to find homes for, they opened it up for any of the cabinet makers, any of, like, the workers that were working on their house. And I kid you not, it was the coolest thing to see everybody that had worked on this house just, like, feel so grateful to have just, like, a piece that they get to go home with that, like, feels new to them, you know? And so if you're not wanting to do the Facebook Marketplace, I've had success on that, like, with some of my, like, better pieces. Like, I'll put it on there. And, like, usually if it has, like, a name brand, like, people will appreciate that.

[Sam]

Yeah.

[Suze]

And they'll. And they'll give me, like, a good value for it. If it's just like a whatever brand, like, people don't care and they'll just haggle you down. So that is like the curse of Facebook Marketplace. So know that what you're posting on there has value so that the person googling or searching for that keyword of that brand, that's when they'll, like, pay for it. Otherwise, I really do think that, like, giving it to somebody that could use it. Siblings, children, cleaning ladies. The cleaning ladies. And just, like, people that actually work, you know, amongst you and, like, would really do well to have it. It was really beautiful to see everybody just, like, load things in their car. And it was just. It was cool that it was going to homes that needed it.

[Alison]

And we have a girlfriend from Iran, and she immigrated to America when she was just, like, grade school, and her mom was a political prisoner over there, and her husband, or the dad, was a neurosurgeon, and they sent him to America to learn things at UCLA and bring that back to Iran. But they ended up staying here. And she said, they got here and they had $10,000. And with that, most of the money went to buy a car. They were able to find mattresses on the side of the road. And people said, have you heard about Goodwill? And they said, no, we haven't. And actually, there's. There's something called the DI in some states, Deseret Industries, our church. And they can. And people just donate stuff, and you can go and get things for free or for hardly any cost. And so they were able to go to the DI Desert Industries and get beds and get sofas. And she said, I just remember, like, my little hands touching this bed, and I couldn't believe that I had the riches of a.

[Sam]

That's amazing.

[Alison]

And ever since she told me that story, I just. On Saturdays will I slowly, like, build up a box of stuff that I don't need, or from my basement, I drive it right down to the Di and I think of my friend Shima, and I'm like, somebody like her is going to use this, and they give you a pink slip to write it off in your taxes. But it feels really good knowing that it's going to go to somebody that might not have anything or, you know, if you're ever giving an old mattress or whatever it is, it could be some decorative things or a set of nightstands or whatever. I just always think I'm giving it to my friend Shima when I donate it. And that feels really good to me. So, yeah, I think that's another option, too. If. If it helps you picture that in your mind, that maybe it's going somewhere good, that helps my brain. So, yeah, great answer.

[Sam]

That was it for today. This is our last question.

[Suze]

Great.

[Alison]

Well, if you guys have questions of your own, feel free to always send those to Dear Alice alisonehome.com Sometimes it's an. It's an answer that might take a whole podcast. In others, it's a short Q and A like this where we can give our expert advice from what we've experienced over the years. But thank you so much for watching. A quick reminder that the Holiday Collect available [e-mail] so check that out and we will catch you guys next time. Happy Holidays. Hey, thanks for listening. If you like our show, please leave a five star rating.

[Sam]

Sam.