Tag Archives: velvet

Fabric: luscious red decor fabrics will add some spice to your decorating

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It is certainly not too early to add a touch of love to your home decor in preparation for Valentine’s Day.  Who knows….a gentle reminder just might get that special someone in your life in the mood for a little shopping if you know what I mean!

The selection of red fabric is virtually unlimited.  Regardless of whether you prefer a friendly stripe or polka dot or would rather opt for a sophisticated and romantic velvet or satin, there is something for everyone.

Red accents can be added to any color scheme.  Here a just a few ideas for you:

  • Pop a few pillows on the couch.  Add some coordinating trim for a designer look
  • add a red accent band to a pair of standard drapery panels
  • Upholster a small footstool or recover your dining table chair seats in red suede

Take a look at these red ideas and see if you find something that will light a fire under your loved one.

Effortless Style blog offers a fun loving red and white striped chair that will brighten any space.

In this room courtesy of Decorpad a band of red fabric has been added to simple white draperies and a vintage chair has been spray painted in a yummy shade of lipstick red.  Lots of red accessories completes the look.

Is there anything sexier or more romantic than red velvet?  If you are not going to wear it then add it to your home decor in the form of a new bedskirt or pillow shams for the master bedroom, for example.  This red velvet chair certainly has a come hither look to it!

photo courtesy of Angus McRitchie

 

 

How to bring Golden Globe fashion into your home decorating

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Color was the name of the game at last night’s Golden Globe awards.  Beautiful gowns in shades of green, sapphire blue, red and, of course, plenty of black made an appearance. 

Fashion and home decor trends often go hand in hand.  The colors you see on the runway are the same colors you will see appear in furniture and fabric manufacturer’s showrooms.

Black and white and red all over rooms is one of my favorite color combinations.  Check out previous posts about these fun room designs here.  The gorgeous George Clooney and his date Stacy Kiebler wear this combination beautifully, wouldn’t you agree? (of course, I would wear any color George asked me to wear!) And the cozy black, white and red Lake Tahoe bedroom designed by Scot Meacham Wood ain’t bad either!

This rustic bedroom was designed by Scot Meacham Wood

Laura Dern and Zoey Deschanel chose to wear luscious green. 

photo courtesy of celebrity-gossip.net

Green is always a popular color choice in home decorating and we will, no doubt, have many beautiful green fabrics to choose from in the future.  The yellow based green of this velvet chair is trending right now and adds a sunny feel to any style interior.

Green velvet chair in room designed by Robert Passal

Blue is a universally popular color and it appeared on the Golden Globe red carpet several times tonight.  For all you blue lovers out there I don’t have to tell you how to use this color in your home decor.  Choose any shade of blue you like and go for it.  The varying shades of blue in this dining area designed by T. Donovan Keller and courtesy of House Beautiful offer a cheerful morning greeting.

Breakfast room designed by T. Keller Donovan courtesy of House Beautiful

On the 7th day of fabric Christmas..stockings were hung

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On the seventh day of fabric Christmas my true love gave to me several stockings to fill. 

Stockings are a must at Christmastime and are an all important item in your holiday decor.  You can make stockings from all types of fabric including burlap, velvet, cotton and felt but you can also sew them from fabric scraps, old sweaters and blankets or just about anything else you can find.  Here are some photos of pretty stockings that might inspire Santa to be generous with his goodies.

Plush velvet stockings tied with tulle bows demand to be filled with sparkly jewelry and perfume, wouldn’t you say?

photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

 These comfy plaid and cable knit stockings add a level of homespun coziness to this hallway.

courtesy of martha stewart

 Easy to make felt stockings are just waiting to be filled.

courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

 Santa won’t have any trouble finding these cheerful red and white stockings from Better Homes and Gardens.

 

On the 6th day of fabric Christmas…a romantic bedroom

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On the 6th day of fabric Christmas my true love gave to me a luxurious red velvet headboard slipcover that transforms our bedroom into a holiday retreat.

Have you ever considered a slipcover for your headboard?  It is a simple project that can be used for many different seasons.  Matt and Shari from the old “Room by Room” series on HGTV (and currently on several PBS stations nationwide) offer a tutorial on a simple headboard slipcover found here.  Romantics will enjoy using red velvet but how about an earthy burlap or a sensual suede for a holiday change?

While this idea is perfect for a master bedroom, consider using it to turn a child’s room into a welcoming guest room when family visits or to honor those constantly changing tastes of that teenager in your home.  This idea can also be used if you are looking for an inexpensive way to create a headboard.  Apply some batting to a piece of plywood, sew your slipcover and you have an instant headboard!  What could be simpler than that?  (having someone make it for you!)

On the first day of fabric Christmas…or how to recover a chair seat

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On the first day of fabric Christmas my true love gave to me one yard of fabric that I used to recover a chair cushion.  This is a simple project that can be done in less than an hour. 

Materials needed

  1.  one yard (or less) of fabric
  2. new foam or batting if necessary
  3.  a staple gun
  4.  a screwdriver
  5.  and a pair of scissors.

Remove the old chair cushion.  This is done by turning the chair upside down and unscrewing the cushion.  The old fabric can be pulled off and discarded.

If the stuffing, foam or batting is reusable, leave it intact.  If not, cut your new batting to fit the shape of the chair seat, using the old pad as a template.  Now is the time to cut your fabric as well, using the same template.  Be sure to allow enough fabric to fold around the sides of the chair and wrap underneath. (usually 2-4 inches)

Place the fabric on top of the batting and flip the chair seat over so the bottom is facing up.  Pull the fabric tightly over the edges and adhere with the staple gun.  Keep your staples evenly spaced.  Repeat this process around all four sides, skipping the corners for now.

Once the fabric is stapled, it is time to staple the corners.  Gather the fabric into a neatly folded pleat and staple several times to keep the fabric in place.  Trim all excess fabric for a clean look.

Replace the cushion on the chair and screw back in to the existing holes and Voila! you have a new seat cushion.

This project is simple enough that you can choose seasonal fabric and then replace it once the holidays are over.  Just imagine a beautiful and luxurious red velvet seat cushion greeting your guests in the entry way or a sophisticated gold brocade in the formal dining room set for Christmas dinner.   Bring a bit of the holidays into the kid’s rooms by recovering a desk chair in a fun seasonal print.

This is a much better gift than a partridge, don’t you agree?

Fabric: Settle in for a long winter’s nap with cozy fabrics

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It’s that time of year…time to wrap yourself in your favorite fleece throw and settle in for a long winter’s nap.

When it is cold and damp outside there is nothing better than walking into a room warmed by a fire and made cozy through the use of inviting and comforting fabrics such as velvet, suede, fleece etc.  Here is a quick recipe for a cozy room:

combine 1 part comfortable seating upholstered in a plush suede or microfiber

add two parts colorful accent pillows in the colors of the season

a dash of warm and cozy throws to wrap yourself up in and

top if all off with a roaring fire

photo courtesy of pottery barn

Now dash away all and let me get some rest….it’s cold outside! And, by the way, this recipe will have you sleeping like a baby.

Home decor–go BIG or go home Christmas decorating

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When it comes to holiday decorating, teeny tiny decorations and ornaments can get visually lost in all the ornaments, garlands and, of course, gifts.  This is the season where BIG really is better.

photo courtesy of Traditional Home magazine

 A small wreath would look pretty silly on this large fireplace, don’t you agree?  The scale of this wreath is perfect and is really all that is  necessary on this fireplace mantel.

courtesy of veranda magazine

While a tree this size obviously requires a large room with tall ceilings, choosing an overscaled tree for your home can be fun.  The garland, chandelier and centerpiece are also appropriately large and really provide holiday impact. 

designed by Mary Macdonald

Now that is some tree topper on this tree decorated by famous designer Mary Macdonald.  Some peacock is walking around with a bare bottom!

Borrow other decorating ideas from these homes such as a red and green color scheme in your furniture, fabric and rugs.  Your dining room can be transformed into a red and green wonderland with the addition of fabric slip covers, an inexpensive rug and plenty of colorful accessories.  While this room is pretty formal, choose fabrics that match your decor such as a red and green plaid for a country interior, shiny red vinyl in a contemporary home or a beautiful red velvet for a traditional dining room.

How do you go BIG with your holiday decorations?

Top 5 home decor essentials for fall

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courtesy of amanda carol at home

While we all hate to say goodbye to the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, most of us welcome the change of seasons.  Fall means changing colors, wonderful aromas both inside and out and holidays spent with family and friends.  I have compiled a list of the top 5 home decorating essentials to turn your summer home into a fall retreat.

  1. Velvet pillows.  Replace those sunny floral pillows with rich velvet in luscious fall colors like gold, rust, brown and cream. 
  2. Scented candles bring those outdoor scents inside.  Think of pine, pumpkin and musk “flavors”.  Be careful not to overdo it and at the dinner table, always use unscented candles to avoid unpleasant conflicts with the smells of the food.
  3. I like to replace my artwork as the seasons change.  Family vacation photos can be replaced with pictures of your kids when they were little all dressed up for Halloween or past Thanksgiving dinners when the family was all together.  It is fun to reminisce and you can add to these photo collections every year.  Artwork depicting floral displays, beach scenes etc. can be replaced with pretty posters of a red barn, changing leaves or a pumpkin patch.
  4. Cable knit is popular this year and I think pillows and a throw made out of this cozy fabric are a must.  Make our own out of old sweaters or purchase them from sites like Pottery Barn and even discount stores like Walmart and Target.
  5. A laptop quilt is a must.  While I don’t always want to be wrapped up in a blanket, my feet and legs do get chilly during the fall months when I am watching TV or reading a book.  Having a small quilt or throw to toss over my legs is the perfect size and weight.  Heirloom quilts are the best because they are already worn and soft to the touch.

There you have it…my top 5 home decor essentials for fall decorating.  What are your must-haves this year?

Can U spot the trends? in room by Colorado Homes & Lifestyles

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I know summer is waning and this room is kind of summery but it is so pretty I wanted to share it.

Room designed by Emily Minton Redfield, art by Matti Berglund, courtesy of Colorado Homes & Lifestyles
High Quality Photo

There are many subtle trends in this space.  It just goes to show you that you can enjoy a trend without it slapping you in the face.  Here is the list…see how many you spotted.

1.  The first one that caught my eye is the use of honeysuckle pink in the armchair..very nice

2.  Brass accents can be found in the lamps, drawer pulls, coffee table, furniture hardware and chandelier.

3.  Turquoise is still showing up in many rooms but it is used sparingly here in throw pillows.

4.  Bold floral prints are a big trend for 2011 and you can find it on throw pillows on the sofa.

5.  White painted furniture remains a popular trend.  Here it is found on the frame of the chair, side tables and the sofa.

6.  A mix of furniture styles makes a room feel collected over time and less like a “designer” room.  This room includes antiques, an asian flair, a modern touch in the metal items as well as traditional designs found in the sofa and yellow chair.

7.  The greek key design has been around for centuries but it has been popping up in room designs for the past couple of years.  It is used as an accent on the draperies in this room but you will often find it used as metal accents on furniture, trim on upholstered pieces etc.

All in all, I think this is a lovely room that can easily move into the upcoming fall season with just a few accessory changes.  For example, switch out those summery pillows for some made out of a golden velvet that has been trimmed in the hot pink; toss a cozy throw over the yellow chair and add a floral centerpiece made up of mums and sunflowers.  All of these changes will still coordinate with the custom artwork but look warm and inviting.

Can you spot any trends I missed?

5 home decor projects to cure the end of summer blues

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Do you have the end of summer blues?  Have your relaxing days by the pool sipping a cool drink turned into days spent shopping for school supplies?  Not to mention the constant reminder that summer is ending with stores now stocked with fall fashions and even some Christmas decorations! Well we can’t stop it so we might as well embrace it with some home decor projects that will help us welcome a new season—FALL!

Fireplace design from Strictly simple style blog
High Quality Photo

These quick and easy projects will have you longing for an evening by the fire:

  1. Burlap is such a trend right now and can be used in so many ways.  Start by sewing a new runner for your table or mantel in richly colored burlap.  If you are really crafty, stencil or monogram it.
  2. Add some candles scented with pumpkin, spice, apple and other yummy smells that embrace the fall season.  Place them in areas where you will enjoy them such as the mud room, kitchen, entry and bedroom.  And be sure to light them…no since having candles if you can’t enjoy the wonderful smell AND the glow.  (even battery operated candles are available in scents so check those out if safety is a concern)
  3. Sew your own or purchase some new throw pillows that feature colors and motifs of the fall season.  Consider using plaids or embroidered designs and include fabrics like corduroy, suede, velvet and fleece.
  4. Chilly fall evenings can be warmed up with a lap throw or quilt.  Keep them handy by tossing them across the back of a sofa or chair.  An added bonus is the instant pop of color and pattern they add to a space.
  5. Bring in natural elements such as bowls full of acorns and pinecones picked up on a hike; sunflower centerpieces on the kitchen table; dried berries and twigs gathered in a basket by the fireplace…mother nature knows how to decorate for every season.

Embrace the new season for it has a lot to offer—-cozy evenings spent indoors, wonderful smells of change and the anticipation of upcoming holidays!