"Country Living"

August 3, 1999

Country Living's Senior Editor of Design and Decorating, Robin Long Mayer, is here to exchange ideas on decorating, design and other important aspects of "Country Living."

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HomeArts: Greetings and welcome to our chat with Country Living magazine's Senior Editor of Design and Decorating, Robin Long Mayer. This is your chance to talk with her about the magazine, ask her questions, and share your decorating ideas and concerns. Welcome Robin!

Robin Long Mayer: Hi! It's nice to be here. Nancy Soriano asked me to talk to you today because she couldn't be here, and she thought you might have some questions that I could answer relating to decoration of the home. I am not an authority of decoration of the home and I think that I am probably like all of you out there, I have the same concerns and face the same problems - what color, what fabric looks best in my house, what will hold up the best, what kind of lighting should I use. So, ask me your questions and maybe I can help you out!

Samsmom: Just loved how the owners of that brick house that's featured in your August issue combined antiques and flea market finds. Do you plan to do more on creating that kind of eclectic look in the future?

Robin Long Mayer: Samsmom, I would say yes, I mean, we at COUNTRY LIVING celebrate the individual style, the individual style of the people whose homes we photograph, and we come across different interpretations of individual style every time we go into a home to photograph, so the term "eclectic style" can refer to any home we go into. Eclectic in my mind is just another word for relaxed decorating, and I think that's what COUNTRY LIVING is all about. So I guess "yes" is the answer to that question.

Busyladee: I always find it so hard to imagine what a certain paint color or piece of furniture will look like in a room - I just can't visualize it. Are there any tricks you've developed to help you visualize an effect in advance?

Robin Long Mayer: Busyladee, I wish I had a trick for that one. (smiling) No, in terms of paint color one could always try a corner of the room you know, paint a section of the room and see if you like it at different times of the day, depending on the light. In terms of furniture I would say that you really should just pick out what appeals to you. Look in magazines, if you find yourself gravitating to the same style over and over again I would say that's the style you should go with in your own home.

EZguest453: I just painted my guest bedroom light (but not pastel) yellow with glossy white trim. Can you suggest an interesting accent color for bedding - something less predictable than pale blue or another pastel?

Robin Long Mayer: EZGuest, I always, always love crisp white linens in the bedroom and I think the white would just offset the wonderful white trim you've painted in your guest room. Yellow is almost like a neutral color, so if you have a favorite color you'd like to throw in there, almost anything could go. I would also suggest the use of texture, you may think that white sheets are boring, but when you mix white linen sheets or crisp white linens with a chenille throw or an antique textile, although the colors may be the same the texture will give it a new fresh look.

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