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!

Nailed It On The Head!

Nailheads are hot! Furniture for sure. Headboards? You bet! (Eddie Z's does custom headboards!)

But why not take them a step further? This cornice is topping a Hunter Douglas Powerrise Alustra Silhouette in my customer's craft room. She was looking for something different with a little bit of whimsy. We found just the ticket!

Using a pebble grained faux leather from Trend Fabrics and a square nailhead that we angled to turn them into diamonds, we turned a simple shaped cornice into something special. So cute!

There are so many options available with nailheads - size, shape, finish - use it as a border - or why not as a unique design in the middle of a cornice? Maybe an initial?

This creates a truly one of a kind treatment that doesn't add much to the bottom line, but adds a huge amount to the impact in the room. A cornice with nailheads could work in an office, a child's room, a family room or even a craft room (as seen above). As a side note, Eddie Z's is completing the craft room above with custom storage from our closet division, so this room will not only look fabulous, but  also function beautifully!

She's Got Legs...

To quote ZZ Top "she knows how to use them". What does this mean when you're talking about window treatments? Most windows end somewhat short of the floor, generally 24" or more. You can treat the window itself with some kind of hard treatment, like a Duette or a Silhouette, and that's great, but stand back and take a look. Why does it feel like something is missing? Because it is like a body cut off at the knees, or worse yet, at the hips! It needs legs!

This was a very formal space with very deep windows. The customer wanted a simple roller shade for privacy. But the room would never have been complete without the addition of the faux silk drapery panels (and the marvelous pagoda style cornices to complete the oriental theme). Not only did the drapery panels add softness to a room with many hard surfaces - think about a typical dining room - lots of wood in there! - but it gave that much needed vertical line to offset the chair rail that cuts the room into two pieces.

As simple as this sheer treatment is, the "legs" that reach to the floor, give weight and more importance to a rather nondescript window in this dining room. Yet, because of the choice of the sheer rather than a heavier, lined drapery, the window still feels light and airy. Simple or ornate, framing your window with drapery panels completes not only the window, but the entire room.

Morale of the story... stretch your "legs" and your windows will be in much better shape!

Color Your World - 2013 Style

Color trends are a fascinating study into the psyche of America and the world. As I have spoken of previously, the Color Marketing Group determines what will be hot and what will not based on world politics, social trends, ecology and even entertainment.

What we are beginning to see and what will be emerging in the next year are pastels. Soft, not in your face, can be used as a neutral, pastels. Benjamin Moore has announced its color of the year for 2013 is Lemon Sorbet - http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/color-of-the-year-2013.

Take a look at some of the new fall fabrics. Yellow, which you could not find for many years unless you were looking at children's fabrics, is back! We're seeing this soft as butter yellow paired in fabrics with grey - which is not the stuff of baby nurseries! Instead, this touch of sunlight warms the cool, sophisticated grey tones that are replacing all the browns we've been seeing these past few years. A sense of optimism and simplicity permeates these new tones. You feel warmth and comfort just stepping into the room below! And after the turmoil we've been through as a nation with the economy in recession - it's nice to see that things are now looking up!     

              

Room by Benjamin Moore



Baubles, Bangles and Beads, Oh My!

I've been thinking filing a post about baubles, bangles and beads as part of contemporary design for a while now. So when I walked into a customer's home this past week to help her complete her newly redecorated space, I found myself truly inspired!

http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod691015&cm_ps=modal_add_to_cart-_-none-_-other_items_you_may_like&categoryId=cat1701013

This chandelier has such a sense of fun - the ornate, very traditional crystals combined with the contemporary rustic orb - I love it!

Which is my point - you don't need to be Queen Victoria to add a touch of elegance to your decor - it doesn't need to be much - just some trim on a pillow or a lampshade or the bottom of a cornice is all you need to bring some bling to your space! Women accessorize their clothing by adding earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets. They do so much to complete and complement the look. They boost self-esteem because you just know you look great! Think of your decor in the same way. Without the right accessories, the room feels incomplete. Plants, artwork and tablescapes are just the beginning. Take it to another level by layering trim onto your windows.

This is part of the Beaded Accents Collection available through Eddie Z's. Options galore to add a bit of sparkle to your window, pillows or bedding and give it that truly custom look. The cost to add these little extras is not prohibitive and will give your window or the entire room that WOW that catches every guest's eye and the finishing touch that makes you feel fabulous!

Ikat Anyone?

Ikat - you're seeing it everywhere, in women's fashion and home fashion. Where is this trend coming from and what is ikat anyway? Ikat is defined as a dyeing technique used to pattern textiles that employs a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye (and who among you hasn't tried tie-dying a t-shirt?) on either the warp or weft fibers. We've seen it before - maybe that's why I get the "I feel like I've stepped back into the seventies" reaction from many customers when I present them with an ikat pattern as an option for their room. This trend is a way of reaching back to an earlier, simpler decade, yet giving a nod to the more complex, global culture that is today's world.

The fabric above is Ikat Fret in the Mango colorway from Robert Allen. Besides the striking pattern, it gives us that wonderful punch of the orange that is currently so popular. This fabric would be a pop of color in pillows or a fabulous graphic statement in side panels in a casual room like a family room. We've so "overbrowned" ourselves - from the chocolates, to the taupes to the beiges - that a bit of bright and bold - even in small doses - works to bring a room to life.

Don't be afraid of patterns like ikats - they make a room, and the people in it - feel happy!

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....

Your Room Portfolio

Whenever I design a fabric window treatment for a customer, I try to remember to have a memo sample sent to them. This benefits the customer in a few ways. First of all, this will help them to remember what fabric we chose. After only seeing a fabric for an hour or so, one can quickly forget just how fabulous that pattern was in the room! It adds to the anticipation of the new look we have designed and helps to jog their memory, so they can further plan the room.
Memos are a terrific way to keep a record of your room. Whether you are out shopping for accessories or looking for a new sofa, collecting samples of the pieces of the room in a room portfolio makes for easy shopping. You can use a simple manila folder or upgrade to an accordian folder (four sides, nothing falls out!) to separate by room. Put as many swatches from the room as you can collect - drapery, sofa, chairs, carpet, paint chips and/or wallcovering. If you've got arm covers for a chair or sofa, this is the perfect use for them! Keeping them on the arm causes the fabric to fade unevenly, plus they look awful! Keep them under a cushion or put them in your room portfolio. Use photos for the things you don't have swatches, it's so easy now with camera phones.
I am a great believer in working in the room you are decorating. But that is not always possible when you are buying accessories or upholstered pieces. Taking those few extra steps will save you time and mistakes in the long run.  You may want to take the accordian folder a step further and keep the invoices and care and cleaning guides in there as well. Don't forget a photo of the finished room!
Voila! Everything organized in one spot!