A fun DIY idea

I love getting DIY ideas from innovative store display, don't you?  I know, you are TOTALLY going around Ikea looking at the way they hacked their own pieces.

I recently spotted this dresser and had to share.

They took a narrow scarf/ runner and applied it to the front of the drawers.  In this case, it doesn't look permanently affixed, but you could really use any fabric, some spraymount or fabritac, and maybe some nailheads to finish off the look.

What do you think?  A really fun way to spruce up an old or cheap set of drawers.

Smart updates: slipcovered bedrame

I'm always thinking about ways to use fabric to bring new life to old pieces.  I am especially a fan of solutions that don't use a lot of yardage (cheaper!) and that are not permanent (commitment issues!)

How about these tailored slipcovers for wooden bed frames?

Martha Stewart via The Designer's Attic

Via Kathryn Ireland

Suzanne Kasler for Hickory Chair

I love the way they leave a bit of the wood exposed.  Much more character than a fully-covered headboard, which might go a little Pottery Barn on you.

And this last one is sort of genius:

via Cote de Texas

Those little corner slipcovers protect the antique french beds from little kitty claws!  This is one of those applications where the haphazardness really makes it work.

We have upholstered headboards in 2 of 3 bedrooms, and I love the Chinoiserie bedframe in our Master bedroom....but I also love this slipcover idea should I ever need to switch it up.

Which, you know, is like...never.  right?

Upholstered Strip/es

So, I'm still toiling away, trying to figure out what to do for almost no money in my long and boring windowless upstairs hallway.  I'm actually not even going to link to all the various and sundry posts about it (there are a lot).  It's embarrassing.  Lots of thought, little action.

For now I'll just let the ideas roll.

How about, for example, creating stripes out of upholstered sections joined by tape trim and upholstery tacks?

Yes: I like it.  And when you break up the square footage across 2 or 3 fabrics, I might even be able to make it happen with supplies on hand.....

Or, you know, not.

Don't know where to start? How about the palette

Sometimes I find a blank slate the hardest.

Where to begin?

If there is no piece to inspire the space (like the painting in this room or the rug that set the palette here), I like to choose a textile and then determine an overall color palette.

Take a fabric (or rug, bedding, artwork) with multiple colors and pull out your favorites.

Two schemes here, each read in a column.  Go for a mix of warm and cool, and throw in a neutral somewhere along the way.

This works with a two-tone fabric, too.

Again with the two schemes.  Repeat one of the tones (here, the aqua), ground it (the brown or grey), add a contrast (warm coral or pink to the cool blue),  and again with the neutral.

Easy peasy.

These are process excerpts from a new girls' room project where we are starting with the curtains.  It's going to be super cute!

Client breakfast nook

I've been working with a client in a sort of modern craftsman home, bringing in investment pieces little by little.  They have a charming breakfast nook, surrounded by windows, with medium wood frames and green beadboard below.  We recently brought in a lovely pedestal table and cross back chairs (which came in white but will be painted.)

Now: fabrics!  The banquette will get a cushion in the stripe, with a suite of throw pillows that can move between this space and the living room sectional.

I'm pushing for orange chairs (see paint swatches above), but we may settle for a warm ivory that matches the table base.

Here's the inspiration I sent my client to put on the hard sell....

Adorable, right?

Thinking about headboard fabric

I recently came across photos of the girls' room nearly finished in the old scheme, and found myself wondering why on earth I went and changed it all up.  (I mean, I know why--I wanted to move the orange rug out of the living room and it worked with the pink walls and some vintage fabric I had for curtains.)

But now, as the room sits pretty unfinished again, I am asking myself why.

As in: "why, why, WHY?!"

It would be nice if something was just finished.

So.  What's left to do?

- strip and stain the desk and chair (ugh!)
- possibly paint the dresser
- find bedframes (preferably for free) to raise up the beds.
- make or buy bedskirts (or buy and modify with some vintage trim I seem to be hoarding)
- add wall lights to give much-needed task lighting to the beds and desk
- make new bolster covers
- re-make the headboards

That's all.  (yes: sarcasm.)

Right now, fabric for the headboards is torturing me.  The room looks like this:

Those are swatches of this:

Thibault Rinca in Coral, available locally through A.J. Maison

Which I LOVE.  Except for this room I wish it was blush pink, with an orange border around the white pattern.

I was also in love with these, but don't think I can justify the price point.

Amy Karyn, available locally through Tapis Decor

So there I go, thinking out loud again, and showing you very messy and unfinished photos of a room that changes constantly.

If you want to continue to tune in to the messy rumblings of my brain, and currently read on google reader, please follow me on blog lovin'.  Google reader is going away as of Monday!  I'll post more details tomorrow on where else (and how) to keep following this blog. 

I hope you'll stick around!

Look for less

If you love the Samarkand prints from Schumacher and Brunchwig & Fils as much as I do....

Peter Dunham uses Brunschwig, via House Beautiful

Brunschwig, via The Designer's Attic

Schumacher in Traditional Home

Schumacher in (an earlier iteration of) my girls' room

You're going to LOVE this!

Ellis Ikat Pillow from Pottery Barn!

24" pillow cover, just $39

It's definitely closer to the Brunschwig pattern, but definitely soothes that colorful global craving at a (much) better price point.

Have you found any worthy knock offs lately?

Nate Berkus for Calico Corners

It's no secret that I love Nate Berkus.

In fact, I love him so much it makes me question my notion that I prefer feminine spaces.  I love his brand of eclectic, traveled, masculine interiors, and of course the way he makes it seem so chic and effortless.  Oh, this old thing?

(Except of course he would never say that, because he is unabashedly enthusiastic about design, which is so much better than nonchalance, faux or real, don't you think?)

I say this as if we know each other. As if we were friends, or something.  The internet--or maybe all of modern life?--is funny that way.

Anyway.

I loved his collection for Target, and lo and behold, I wandered in to Calico Corners today to see what was new, and I'll tell you, I swooned for his collection.

I wanted it all.  And I could actually afford some of it.

Calico did a good job of showing it off, too.  Love the choice of this organic, almost-animal print cotton on a fancy chair.

Sadly, while I LOVE the color palette, it is just a little off for my current house.  (Love this ikat spot for this chair, but sadly the hue is too plummy.)

Anyone want me to come use a bunch of these textiles at your house?

Say yes.

See the entire collection here, though I will tell you, they are so much better in person.

How to achieve different looks with one color and fabric story

Yesterday's post was kind of a trick.  I didn't include the fabric combo that we actually went with.  I know, I'm sneaky that way.

Here's what we chose:

That white linen with the navy embroidered pattern (middle, Robert Allen) will be draperies.  The top fabric, a scrumptious watercolor lily print from Designer's Guild, will make euro shams.  The furry pink dot on the left is intended for a bedskirt (though we may go retail), and the graphic pink trellis options are, well, options.  The pink wallpaper at right is for the en suite bathroom--I'll show you that plan tomorrow.

Even with these colors and patterns set, there is still plenty of room to create different vibes.  Here's how.

Preppy Cottage

mis-matched nightstands and a shabby chic chandelier give this space a fresh take on cottage.  All the graphic punches of solids keep it from getting too sweet.

Regency Glam

The bits of bling (chandelier, nightstand hardware) add glitz, while the coordinating geometric motifs reference Hollywood Regency style.

Eclectic Bohemian

Pink leather poufs and a bead chandelier are beachy global, while the masculine bedding and mid-century inspired nightstands keep it down to earth.

Preppy

Seeded glass lamps, chunky navy nightstands, pom pom pillows, ribbon trim shades on a classic chandelier, and those french ticking stripes on the bench--very preppy "Nantucket"!  All of a sudden, this is my favorite.  How cute is the little pillow in Lulu DK's "love" embroidered print for Schumacher Child?

It's amazing how much the look can change, even with the same colors, same base elements, and even some of the same prints, don't you think?

Choosing a palette for a girls' room

You know that 9 year old girls are my favorite clients, right?

Well, 5-year-olds aren't so bad, either.

I recently completed a plan for a Big Girl Room in a newly renovated house.  Mom spent loads of time and energy managing a gorgeous renovation, and she just needed a little help rethinking her daughter's space.  She wanted modern preppy (leaving the PB Kids and pastel gingham behind), and her daughter's main requirement was bright pink.

With pale grey walls and carpet and white trim and bed, I had a nearly blank slate to work with.  We discussed doing some custom elements, and that meant one thing: starting with fabrics.

I presented my clients with a number of color options, including:

Pink and Orange

Pink and Aqua

Pink, Red, and Navy

And a multi-color approach

As well as pink and grey and pink and navy, not pictured here.

It can be really fun to present options like this.  Some people can be overwhelmed, but it was quickly clear that this client knew what she wanted and we were able to zero in on a scheme.  

Often, I find people just need something (some GOOD things) to react to to figure out what they really love.

What do you think: any favorites?

Desperate.

I'm getting desperate for spring.  DESPERATE.

We have enough snow on the ground that it could be February.  Or November.  Or really anything but SPRING like it's supposed to be.

I want--no, need--bright.  And fresh.  I want to wear my new white jeans and put on my sunglasses for once.  I want to hear the birds chirp and start the garden and go for a bike ride without needing snow tires.  My brain is a muddle as if I have been blinded by the whiteness of it all.  I am so desperate that, in an act of superstition, I had my husband remove the paper snowflakes that were still adorning our doors this weekend.  Because maybe it's our fault and our little papercuts are summoning the real ones.  Right?

Hey, how about some bright, cheerful pillow pairings?

The pinks and blues on the right are destined for this living room.  So fresh and bright I will live vicariously through them.  

Which would you choose?  Is is Spring where you live?  No, wait, don't tell me.  Of course it is.

Have You Lost Your Mind?

That is what my husband might say (or at least THINK) if he happens to wander in to the guest room and sees this:

Yes, I'm thinking about reupholstering the headboard.  No, I didn't plan it.

This is what happened.

I am making new curtains for the girls room because of the new rug.
Because of the new blinds, which replaced the temporary one but do not have any of their light blockage, I need to sew the curtains with blackout lining.

At places like Joann's, blackout liner can be $12/yard, making this "free" project decidedly less so.  So I went to my favorite fabric warehouse, where the goods can be had for $3/yard.

But you can't go all the way to the fabric warehouse and not look around.  Nay.  And what did I find?  That's right.  This Persian Diamond fabric from IMAN's collection for Calico Corners (I blogged it here) for a mere $7/yard (original retail was around $54/yard).  How could I not buy a yard (or two?)

Meanwhile, the guest room always felt close but not quite.  I keep falling in love with it, only to become disenchanted mere days later.  (I'm not usually so fickle.  Truly.)  And it occurred to me on my way home with my score that this could be amazing on the headboard.  Here's where the room was most recently (except that the rug went to the living room!)  Oops--I kind of love it.

But.  What do you think?

And if I do it, shibori-style throw pillow or animal print?  I love the freshness of the white bedding for spring. (By which I mean, for the fresh blanket of white snow we lovingly received today.)

(Colors on the right are far more accurate.)

Decisions, decisions.

Sneak peak

Oh, what a BIG difference some little changes can make!

 

Painting that red accent wall the same creamy, peachy yellow as the rest of the kitchen dramatically lightens everything up and makes the existing hand-blown glass pendants shine.

 

Getting the dated, dark fabric off the banquette (plus steaming and re-wrapping the foam) makes the seating nook so much more inviting.  (And of course I love a good banquette with ticking stripe and a mix of fabrics!)

And off-white faux-ostrich vinyl makes some ho-hum craigslist chairs and barstools very stylish indeed.

These were the fabric stories for this kitchen--I think my client done good with her choice!

It just goes to show, you CAN work with what you've got.

Pattern Play

Lets' wrap up with project Bohemian Modern, shall we? (bedroom, living room, dining room.)

Final selections: kitchen upholstery.
The kitchen is nice.  And, well, that's it.  It's "nice."  The cabinets are fine.  The granite is fine.  It just doesn't make me jump for joy.

There is an L-shaped banquette in a big corner, with a huge window and tons of natural light, and that's where we will be doing a nice french ticking stripe on the cushions and a mix of patterns on the throw pillows.  I immediately thought of this:


Pretty sure this is Hank Azaria's house in...probably Elle Decor.

Keeping the palette simple (to let the patterns pop), I gave her three options.

Blue and white with a side order of red and khaki

Grey and chartruesey-yellow

And red and khaki (the winner.)

Sometimes it feels random when I am pulling fabrics and whe I start to group them, I see things are missing.  Not this time: I laid 'em out, and made my husband give me a high five.

The client agreed: we had such fun playing around with these.

Ordering fabrics now.  can't wait to see these come to life!

Living room: the final piece?

We all know that design, especially in our own homes, is an evolution, right?  And because all of the elements in a room are part of a larger composition, changing one changes, well, everything.

In my living room, bringing in a big painting is going to firm up my desire to change out the rug.  (It will go to my girls' bedroom, currently rugless, and start another evolution up there).  With a natural rug on the floor in the living room, I'm going to miss the strong hit of the orange, and the strong trellis pattern.

Enter the green Danish chair.

My husband purchased this off craigslist for our house in Brooklyn, and while I actually like the green color of the upholstery, I've always wanted to reupholster it in something with a more sophisticated finish.  To bring back the orange and some pattern, I've been looking at fabrics like these.

source

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Okay, that last one is green again.  But I love the sort of floral stripe enough to consider staying in the existing color family.

Another alternative?  Kantha quilts are on sale at West Elm for $60.  I think the big ones offer enough fabric to cover two cushions like these.....I am a big fan of this look, though my gut tells me it will feel oh-so-2012 before I am ready to reupholster again.

For a long time I didn't understand why Domino Magazine was called that.  Now, every time I witness one of these domino effects in my planning, I get it!  Lonny, on the other hand, I don't really get.

Any evolutions afoot at your home?  Oh, and have you seen the "evolve" T-shirt, part of Meg Biram's new limited edition collection, Manifesto?