When all else fails

throw everything at it.

And when in doubt, post a picture of your guest room.

Seriously though.  (My 5 year old says it the cutest.  I need to catch her on tape.  Yes, tape.  I am approximately one hundred and four and I remember the 8 track.)  As much as an "editing eye" is a wonderful beautiful thing, sometimes more is more.

This room has had many, Many, MANY iterations, but this one, with ALL of my favorite bits and pieces all thrown in there, is my favorite.  It needs a printed bedskirt, doesn't it?  And once I decided on a leopard rug for the living room, the jute can be layered back in here for just a little MORE more.

I know.  I make it look so EASY, don't I?

Playing around with a jute rug

I love the layered look.  Love it.  Escpecially in a house like ours, which has simple, clean lines and little patina.  Sometimes the problem with layers is that it means A LOT of individual items that may not be strictly "necessary", and that can add up to the big bucks.

In the small guest room, where I have a beloved turkish rug in the small area of free space at the foot of the bed, I have long thought that a natural woven rug underneath would add texture, depth, and a soft place to step in and out of the bed.  But the room didn't "need" it, so I wasn't going to buy it.

And then.

Then I found a rug that I FORGOT THAT IT HAD.

Is that weird?  (I know there are all you hoarders out there who are shaking your head: no, not weird at all.  In fact, I just found a dining room set in my storage locker.)  But for the rest of you, I know.  But it can happen.

The rug is a 6x9 jute rug from World Market that we bought in Boulder for our dining room (above).  When we first got here, I put it in the dining room, too, but that room is big.  (BIG: It now has a 9x12 rug).  Apparently, when that didn't work, we put it in the loft above our garage, a dark scary place that I never ever venture, until the other day when I thought maybe my husband's bike was stolen and went up there, hoping against hope that he had just stashed it for the winter.  (He hadn't.  Stolen.)  Silver lining?  Jute rug.

First, i used it to test out whether I REALLY want a natural rug in the living room what with the arrival of the new coffee table.

The verdict?  Probably, yes.  (But what do you think?)

Then, I realized that because it is the wrong size for anywhere in this house, and because I own it already, I can layer it up.

What do you think?

P.S.  sometimes the posts I think are quick posts end up being the longest ever.  My brain just makes these circuitous connections and I want to tell you the WHOLE STORY.  My husband is trying to cure me of this but so far, no dice.

How to Layer a Space

I have never been a minimalist.  The current trend towards layering--in both home decor and fashion--feels right up my alley.  But it doesn't come naturally to everyone, and I loved the recent piece in Lucky magazine that shows you how to layer an outfit, starting with a great combo of classic pieces then layering on the color, texture, and pattern.  I think what I like most about this approach is that none of the looks are "better" or "worse," rather, it gives you an idea about how to successfully combine elements along the "layered" spectrum, with each look being "finished" in its own right.

(You can also see a little how-to video from the good folks at Lucky, here)  

I thought I would translate this to home, using my mater bedroom as an example.  Ready?

1) Start with great shapes and a hit of interest, otherwise known as a "star."

In my case, the great shapes include an arched chinoiserie headboard, a classic sunburst mirror, a hexagon bamboo side table, and a spindle lamp.  The hit of interest?  Why, my embroidered tapestry of course.

Even at this simple end of the spectrum, I have an eclectic mix of styles and eras, but the white bedding keeps it quiet and the textures play nice--the diamond patterned rug mimics the geometry of the throw and the lampshade.

2)  Layer in pattern and personal effects.

Start to use those clean surfaces!  A white tray on the bedside table is a simple graphic element, and a pitcher of water is a nice touch in a guest room. To the antique cedar chest I added a textured  basket and a stack of favorite design books.  Keeping within my color palette, I added the bold zebra pattern to the bed and another graphic brown and white textile in the basket.  Minimizing the overall palette keeps the layers from getting out of hand.

3) Throw on the texture and mixed finishes

On to the maximalist!  A fur throw, gilded green pillows, exuberant hydrangeas, and leather and silk jewelry boxes push it to the next level.  Again, every new element fits within the existing palette: green pillows pick up the green rug, the orange and yellow jewelry boxes echo tones in the embroidered throw, the brown fur throw and leather handles push brown as my neutral, even the flowers' pink and green is simply a repeat from elsewhere in the space.

For variations on this theme, take look two and  add curtains, layer on a second rug (sheepskin or hide, something organic in shape), and add in sconce lighting over the bed in a metal finish.

And here is a side by side look.

That's not so hard, right?

What about you: do you like to keep it simple, pile it on, or do you live somewhere in between?

Oh, and I posted a little late yesterday.  In case you missed it, check out the board for a masculine living room.