Tag Archives: Interior Design

Fabric and home decor: interesting color combinations

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When I was a kid one of my favorite jokes was “What is black and white and red all over?’  and the answer was “a newspaper”!  I would literally roll on the floor every time I told this joke.  ( I was easy to please)  Well now I find myself looking at photos of interior spaces and asking myself that same question only the punch line is different.  What is black and white and red all over?  These beautifully designed rooms…..could you live with this color combination?

This country style room designed by looking too sweet via House Beautiful is easy on the eyes even with a vibrant color combination such as black and white and red.  I could sleep here!

Candice Olsen never lets us down and this family room is vibrant and energetic.  I could live here as well!

via HGTV

Not so sure I could live with this black and white and red striped entryway.  It is lovely but the stripes are a bit circus like for my personal taste.  What do you think?

And just to prove that good taste never goes out of style, this room was designed by Dorothy Draper in her heyday and, along with the color combination, I see many current trends i.e. insect artwork, mirrors, large lamps and metal furniture.

 

So tell me, is this a color combination you might introduce into your home?  Also, feel free to use my joke any time you like but I cannot guarantee it will result in the uproarious laughter I thought it did.

Patterns for Home Décor

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Colorful pillows are easy to make and add style to your home.
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Many people are confident with making their own patterns for home décor items such as drapes, curtains, and bedspreads, but if you have never made your own pattern for anything before you may be a little daunted at the prospect. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of home décor patterns on the market. One is sure to fit your needs.

Simplicity has a wide selection of home décor patterns ranging from items for babies and children’s rooms on up to sophisticated designs for adult taste. Four patterns designed by Christopher Lowell are available. Lowell’s patterns feature outdoor décor, pillows, drapes, and occasional table covers.

Spotlight on Fabric Manufacturers: Robert Allen & Beacon Hill

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Robert Allen is a well known name in the interior design industry.  They, along with their upscale Beacon Hill collection, offer luxurious home decor fabrics in up-to-the-minute color and pattern trends as well as time honored favorites.  They also have a large selection of indoor/outdoor fabrics and their budget and family friendly Robert Allen @ Home collection.

Robert Allen @ Home Collection

Online fabric store carries over 1800 items from this versatile and durable collection.  For example, how about adding some fun to your game room this fall with Sportsfest in a zesty cardinal color? Looking for something a bit more sophisticated for your dining room?  You may want to consider Cattleya in traditional shades of burgundy and cream that will not only hide any stains but can withstand daily wear and tear.

Beacon Hill Collection

This division of Robert Allen fabrics features exquisitely detailed fabrics that include wonderful textures and beautiful patterns and colors.  All of this detail and luxury comes with a price so Beacon Hill fabrics do cost more but they are still affordable at OFS prices.

Robert Allen Fabrics

With over 18,000 items to choose from at any given time you are certain to find the perfect Robert Allen fabric for your project.  You will find plaids, florals, stripes, geometrics, dots, whimsical prints and several patterns suitable for kid spaces.  All colors are included in this collection so no worries about being able to find that unusual shade of persimmon you have been looking for or the perfect neutral.  Fabric choices include wool, suede, leather, vinyl, silk, voile, cotton and cotton blends, indoor/outdoor, sheer items for your window treatments….the list goes on and on.  And for those of you looking for hospitality and/or contract grade products, Robert Allen can meet that need as well.

Exceptional quality and value never go out of style which is one of the reasons Robert Allen Fabrics have been available to both the public and the design trade for over 70 years.  We are confident you will find exactly what you need in our Robert Allen fabric selection.

OFS Book club: Discovering Home with Laurie Smith

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Does anyone remember the television show “Trading Spaces”?  It introduced us to designers like Frank, the jolly grandfather type, Doug, the sexy guy, Hildy who always claimed to be a designer but I was never sure, the cute hostess Paige and don’t forget Ty Pennington, the only carpenter I know who worked without a shirt.  One of the truly talented designers to come out of that show was Laurie Smith who always produced livable and elegant rooms; in sharp contrast to other designers who hung old vinyl LPs on the wall!

Laurie Smith has written a book that takes us, chapter by chapter, through the process of designing your own spaces.  She discusses important elements like function and flow and helps you find color and design inspiration.  She helps you choose color, fabrics and accessories and the book is full of big, colorful photos that make it easy to see what she is talking about. 

This book was first published in 2005 but good design never goes out of style.  You can find a copy on Amazon.com or you might get lucky and stumble across a used version at a flea market or vintage book store.  My used copy was purchased from Amazon and, as an added bonue, is actually autographed by Laurie!

Home Decor: Red, white and blue for Memorial Day and beyond

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The celebration of Memorial Day represents many different things.  It provides a special day for us to take a moment and thank those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to the country in order to protect our American way of life.  And it is also the unofficial start of the summer season.  That means barbecues, picnics, ballgames and just a simpler way of living for a few months.

Patriotic colors such as red, white and blue are often used for summer decorating and will last from Memorial Day through the 4th of July all the way up to Labor Day.  It is easy to add some colorful pillows, throws and accessories that will liven up both your indoor and outdoor spaces.

The American flag is all the artwork you need for this bedroom.  It coordinates beautifully with a red leather chair and denim blue bedspreads.  (courtesy of house to home, Trio Giovan photo)

A simple red and white daisy in a blue bud vase will provide a touch of summer to a powder room or bedside table in the guest room.

This red and white striped chair courtesy of Effortless Style blog just says summertime to me.  The floral pillow could be replaced with stars and stripes, a flag etc or just left alone to welcome summer.

Summertime fabrics like ticking, seersucker and linen can all be used to create an inviting and relaxed look to your home.  So fire up the barbecue and let’s party!

Trend alert: Whimsical and funky wallpapers

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Wallpaper is back in a big way.  Not the stuffy florals from your grandmother’s era or the neon metallics from the 1970′s.  Todays wallpapers range in design from earthy and textural grass cloth to elegant and sophisticated crystal embellished silk.  Somewhere in between are large graphic prints that add fun, pattern and interest to a staircase, powder room or child’s room.

For example, this black and white paper featuring silhouette images of several breeds of dogs adds a fun touch to this staircase wall.  A coordinating fabric is also available and would look great on a bench in the foyer.

Best in show wallpaper from Osborne & Little
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Crown wallpaper from Graham and Brown
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With varying sizes and shapes of crowns and tiaras, this wallpaper would delight “princesses” of any age.  Use it in the bedroom, dressing area, closet or bathroom for the royal treatment.

Raised images of bottles from Elitis wallpapers
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What appears to be a white wall has, upon closer inspection, images of bottles and jars of varying sizes that adds interest and texture to an all white room.  Perfect in a kitchen, dining room, wine cellar or powder room.

All of these wallpapers add an unexpected element of surprise to your home’s interior design that is fun and whimsical yet still sophisticated.

Home Decor: Button, button, who’s got the button?

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This blog is normally all about home decor, fabrics and other interior design ideas.  But this button floral idea was just too cute to pass up!  (it counts as home decor, don’t you think?)The excellent how-to can be found here and is made available from Jones Design Company.

This clever use of buttons makes it possible to re-use all of those leftover buttons that you have been accumulating for years.  You know, the ones that come with a shirt or jacket that you haven’t worn in years or all those old buttons you cut off of clothing before you give it away.  Maybe you are lucky enough, as I am, to have a box full of buttons that your mother and grandmother saved for years.  I loved to play with those buttons as a kid and my daughter loved to count and sort them when she was a toddler and they are one of my most beloved treasures.  How fun to showcase some of them in this fashion.

Please share any of your “button” artwork with all of us by sending a link to your masterpiece in the comment section.  It will be fun to see how creative I already know you are.

How do Oscar’s picks influence interior design?

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You do not have to be a movie buff to be aware of all the hype that goes on for weeks before the Oscars are awarded.  From interviews to movie trailers you can actually feel like you have seen the movie even if you have not!  And while many might say that this night is a lot of “nothin”, the results do have an impact on fashion, books, future movies and, yes, interior design.  Take a look at this year’s nominees to see what I am talking about.

True Grit:  This modern version of an old time western has sparked interest in rustic design, aptly called “cowboy chic“.  (everything seems to be “chic” these days)  Elements of this style include distressed leather furniture, animal skins and horns, hunting gear and a general ease of living.

Wouldn't you like to meet this sophisticated cowboy? Love the nailhead trim and embossing on this dresser (by Houzz)
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The King’s Speech:  For some reason movies that take place in jolly old England always garner interest from designers.  This is an easy look to copy if you like chintz, clutter, antiques, gold leaf , heavy draperies and red velvet.  Seriously though, a home that has been decorated in a traditional manner can be lovely if done right.  I, personally, enjoyed looking at the crazy wallpaper and design of Logue’s home.  If designers pay attention we may see a resurgence of art deco design in the coming months.

Social Network:  There is no question that Facebook has changed the way we communicate today.  But I am at a loss as to how it is going to influence interior design.  The good news is that our computers and electronics are getting smaller and smaller with fewer and fewer wires and that makes this interior designer very happy.

Black Swan:  Black Swan has already had a major impact on women’s fashion.  After all, every woman has a hidden ballerina inside, don’t we ladies?  While pink is the color of the year and pink and black have always been a sophisticated palette I don’t think we will be seeing too much influence from this movie.  But if the girly look is something you desire, use feminine fabrics like tulle, organza and velvet, frame a pair of old toe shoes or seek out vintage dance posters and playbills.  Ostrich feathers can be a fun accessory when placed in a tall cylinder vase and don’t forget the sparkly tiara!

The Kids are alright:  I have not seen this movie but I would assume that any home decorated by two loving women who are moms must be warm and inviting and that is no trend, that is a must-have for any home.

Grab your popcorn, soft drink and junior mints and take a few moments to enjoy this annual pasttime.  And have fun spotting the movie influenced interior design trends in the upcoming months.

Something a little different–5 favorite things about 2010

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I recently ran across a new blog entitled Operation Nice and I wanted to share it with you.  While our blog is  meant to assist you with interior design, sewing and craft projects and to introduce you to our wonderful selection of designer fabrics, sometimes the need to address something in the news rears it’s ugly head.

We are all aware of the horrible situation that took place in Tuscon Arizona  last weekend and the media is intent on finding someone to blame.  I thought maybe the only blame is the disappearance of civility and plain and simple kindness in our society until I read all the stories of heroism that took place on that sunny Saturday morning.  It renewed my faith in Americans.   Operation Nice offers daily blog posts that discuss random acts of kindness and offers ideas and suggestions on how to live a kinder and gentler (to borrow words from a former president) life.  I liked this idea so much that I wanted to share it with you, our readers.  This link will take you to a post that includes a nice, snow day assignment.  It will require you to take a moment to reflect on the past year and focus on all the positives that took place in your life.  That’s a lot more fun than trying to make a list of resolutions that you know you will not keep, isn’t it?

Please take a moment to write down your 5 favorite things from 2010 and feel free to share them with all of us.  I bet you will discover that there were more than five favorites last year and how wonderful is that?!

Home Decor: Chinoiserie

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Chinoiserie:  according to Wikipedia it is “…a design and artistic style reflecting Chinese influences through the use of elaborate decorations and intricate patterns.”  The art of chinoiserie (pronounced shin woz urie) has been around for thousands of years but, like many things, is experiencing a resurgence in popularity in home decor.

Beautiful chinoiserie screen used as headboard. Photo courtesy of Shelter Magazine
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This lovely screen is a fine example of typical artwork and designs so often found on chinoiserie pieces.  Delicate vines, flowers, birds, insects and asian landscapes are popular subjects.  Colors are often muted like the soft gold in the photo above but vibrant primary colors like red or black can also be found.

Bold black secretary desk from French Accent fine antiques
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A touch of this lovely art form will add color and a collected feel to many rooms in your home.  A small footstool can act as a side table or a desk like the one pictured above can double as a bedside table or console behind a sofa.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match furniture and art pieces from different periods and cultures for a true eclectic design.