It's Deja Vu All Over Again

This is a kitchen I designed for my client, Holly, probably 20 years ago. The wallpaper, the florals and the balloon shades probably give the time period away. But, look at the colors - rose and blue.

So, it with no further ado that I share Pantone's Colors of the Year for 2016:

Wow! 20 years later - they are back! And why not? Rose Quartz and Serenity. They are soothing, comfortable, soft hues that evoke a sense of calm in these turbulent times. And in our "keep it until it rots" Midwestern sensibility, these colors are sure to be quickly embraced. Chances are, many of the accessories that worked with this color scheme 20 years ago are still in use! 

In the case of Holly's kitchen, (did I forget to mention the windows flanking the slider have rose pleated shades under the valance?), how could we update the look to bring it into 2016? If the wallcovering were staying, changing out the handles on the cherry cabinets and installing new light fixtures would be an inexpensive update. Removing the original window treatments and installing a neutral Duette Architella Honeycomb Shade by Hunter Douglas on the small windows with a coordinating Vertiglide on the slider would keep the softness and allow the room to open to the outside. I'd replace that balloon with a much simpler treatment and push it all the way to the ceiling to further open the expanse of glass. Possibly a stripe or even a banded solid would be a good choice. And instead of the laminated tablecloth (she had little children at the time, kept the table practical), I might coordinate custom chair pads with the top treatment and use placemats instead.  

So, if you find yourself looking at home decor or women's clothing in the next year and start to feel like you've done this before - chances are, you have!

Panels are on Track!

"I hate verticals!" I hear that from customers at least twice each week! Verticals have been the "go to" treatment for sliding patio doors for years. Like the Avocado Green and Harvest Gold of a generation ago, people remember them as the flimsy plastic vanes from their first apartment and cringe at the thought of putting them into their newly decorated home.

But wait! Practically speaking, they are a great option for families with kids and/or pets. Plus, they are one of the more affordable treatments for an opening of that size. There are many more choices in the present day vertical lines that allow you to enhance rather than detract from the decor in your room.

Still not convinced? Then panel track may be your answer!

Definitely a more contemporary option, panel track can be many different looks - anywhere from prints like the pattern in the photo to neutral solids. Coulisse is a European line exclusive to Eddie Z's in the Chicago area and boasts fashion forward prints and colors unavailable anywhere else. In this customer's space, we were working with greys and mostly solids, as this was right off the kitchen. The fun and unique design added some needed punch to the room! And since there is a young child in the house, messy fingerprints can be easily wiped clean from this practical material.

Panel track fabrics can also coordinate with the windows in your room that demand a horizontal treatment instead of a vertical, because they utilize the same fabrics. Sunscreen fabrics, woven woods and room darkening are other options available in this kind of treatment. A bit pricier than the typical vertical, but still affordable. Worth considering when you are treating those sliders or other large windows, panel track may be your answer to those verticals we love to hate! 



There are more than 50 Shades of Grey

I'm looking outside my office window right now and at first glance, I see a very grey and gloomy day. But looking further, I notice how it makes the fall colors just POP! The greens that are still hanging on, the yellows and golds, and the reds and oranges!

Whether the racy book prompted the trend or just that it is time in the cycle, but grey in home decor is everywhere! Whether it's walls or furniture or windows - grey has become the new neutral, (finally!) overtaking the beiges in popularity.

And just like nature, grey can be a backdrop to a bright splash of color in your home.

 

Personal note: this is a treatment I did for a customer about 18 years ago. I recently caught up with her to finish an adjoining room and was thrilled to find this looking great after all this time. Grey is still very much in vogue and looks elegant against a black backdrop with just a punch of red.

 

  Abdendriel/Citrine from Robert Allen

 

Yellow makes a terrific combo with cool greys, warming a color that can be considered cold and unflattering. This is a pairing found in the spring and fall collections of our fabric lines. And you can even update one of those beiged-out rooms by adding grey. The neutral and neutral combination of grey and beige is stylish and sophisticated and a great way to update without starting from scratch!



Look beyond the grey skies and see the color that emerges from that backdrop!

After the Before Before

 

I wish I had the before "before" photos of this contemporary room. Typical suburban two story family room is what I would tell you. But this savvy homeowner brought in some major bling with the floor to ceiling marble fireplace and an incredible chandelier that just dances throughout the room.

But something was still missing! That is where we came in...

 

The first layer we added was privacy - all the glass gave the room a bit of a fishbowl look. We used Hunter Douglas Pirouettes - giving the homeowner complete control over her privacy while also providing excellent light control. Then we played up the height by adding cascades to the centers and panels to the outside of the corner windows. This Fabricut faux silk added a graphic element and a bit more sheen. Depending on how and where you view this fabric, it can pull up grey or gold tones - perfect for the palette of this room!

Tango Anyone?

Have you ever thought about color? About why you are seeing so much more grey in furniture right now? Or how Avocado Green became the color of choice for refrigerators many years ago? There is a group whose only job is to think about color. They are called the Color Marketing Group (CMG). They are the ones who actually determine what next year's car colors will be or what colors you will be drooling over when you choose those roman shades for your bedroom.

How do they decide what colors you'll be seeing in the next year or two? Where do they get the inspiration to inspire you? It's both simple.... and complex. They take a look at what is going on in the world. One key element they look at are economic conditions - and as a country we seem to be on the upswing - so right now the colors are bright and cheerful. Just the tonic to bring us out of the economic doldrums of the last few years! Pantone, the world-renowned color communication company used by interior, fashion and print and product designers has named Tangerine Tango as the 2012 Color of the Year.  "Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward." - Pantone.com

An entire room of such a bold statement is probably too much for most people to handle. But, think about Tangerine Tango as an accent! Maybe in a couple of custom pillows against a neutral sofa or on a hotel-inspired neutral bed? This is a tone that would pop with greys, taupes, beiges or creams. If you want to be really daring, pair it with a complementary color - a turquoise - just in small doses - and really make your room sing! 

I'll be exploring more about color in upcoming posts....

Slider Solutions

You probably have one in your own home.... the ubiquitous sliding door that leads to a balcony or a deck or a patio.  Unless you are in a situation where you don't need privacy or to protect your furnishings from the sun, you probably want to treat it with some kind of window covering. The quick and easy fix was always a vertical blind. And they still are a great solution for that situation - economical, attractive and practical. But if I had a dollar for every time I heard "I hate verticals, what else can I put on my slider?" - well, I would have a lot of dollars!
There are plenty of other solutions available when treating your sliding glass door. First of all, you need to answer a few questions.
What room is it in? If it is in the kitchen, you may be getting a face full of sun at breakfast, or at dinner and want to control your light differently depending on the time of day.
Does it get much use? Are the kids or the dog going in and out several times each day (or hour)?
That is going to lead you to your next question - Vertical or horizontal? In reality, any product can be used to treat a slider, but vertically moving products may be a wiser choice if your door gets used frequently throughout the day.

One of the up and coming products, popularity wise, is a product called panel track. The one pictured here is an Eddie Z's woven wood, that serves two purposes - as a sunscreen and as a decorative complement to the adjacent windows with woven wood roman shades. This family had a wonderful, private backyard so their concern was not privacy. You can also use semi-opaque or opaque fabrics to suit your particular needs. The panels, which you can vary in number or width depending on the width of the window, slide open and stack behind one another allowing easy in and out access. I think this is a great option to a vertical, especially in a more contemporary room. They are moderate in terms of price range so you can get a lot of bang for your buck!
No, vertical blinds are not the only choice out there! When you set up your appointment for the new look on your slider, we can review all your options and choose the right look for your situation!