Love that chair?

www.designsponge.com


A very common problem for our clients is whether or not to recover a beloved chair, sofa, etc. There is no right or wrong answer, but there are some questions to ask yourself before taking on this expense.

Question 1:
Why do you want to keep this chair?
Often the expense to recover a chair is the same if not more than buying a new one to replace it. With this in mind, what is the reason for keeping the piece? Family heirloom? Most comfortable chair ever? Only had it two years, it's just ugly fabric? If it was an expensive, well made chair, then reupholstering may be a good option for you.

Question 2:
Will it serve me better recovered?
After the piece is recovered do you have palace for it, or is it something that has been in a garage and you have no room for it? Have a plan! If you are spending money to revive this piece of furniture, give it a place in your home where it can be seen.. not stuffed in a corner.

Question 3:
What type of fabric do I need for it's new purpose?
Are you turning a living room chair into a bedroom chair? Dining chair to a desk chair? Game room sofa to living room sofa? Whatever the case may be, make sure your selection is fitting! Select a fabric that compliments the rest of the room. Do you want that old sofa revived in white for your living room but you have 4 kids? Maybe try a faux leather option instead. For your bedroom, maybe try a soft chenille.

Question 4:
Is there wood, metal or some other material in addition to fabric?
Make sure you address any other parts of the piece of furniture. If it has a bad cushion, have it remade. Wooden legs look tired? Have those refinished as well. Don't save money by skimping on other parts. You want it to look and feel like a brand new piece of furniture!

Question 5:
Reading these questions, are you rethinking the reupholstering?
Lots of time, effort and money go into reviving a piece of furniture, whether you do it or hire someone else to. If you don't feel that your chair (or whatever) is worth all of that, then maybe consider buying something new instead. New doesn't have to mean expensive... just better suit your needs and/or taste.

Hope this helps your reupholstering dilemmas!

Until next week!

Holidays

Holidays are quickly approaching and many people have family coming to visit. So to get you ready, here are just a few things you can do to either spruce up your home or throw in some holiday cheer.

Table Centerpieces
Whether it is your dining table or your coffee table, everyone notices what is on it. If you have hurricanes, apothecary jars, or something similar, change out the filler to something festive. For Thanksgiving do fall colors using natural elements like nuts, cranberries or pine cones. For you table, use fresh flowers and/or fall colored candles.

These items are from Pottery Barn and can give you great ideas for your table, buffet, coffee table, entry or wherever!







Pillows
Fun pillows are an inexpensive way to freshen up your sofas and chairs. Choose colors that compliment your room and furniture, regardless of the holiday. For something different, try pillows with words like "family" or "love" to express your Thanksgiving spirit.

These pillows from Pottery Barn and West Elm give you an idea of how to be Thanksgiving festive..




Guest Room Bedding
With family coming to stay, this is always a good opportunity to spruce up the guest room. Get new linens, comforter, etc., even new pillows if the current ones look pretty sad. You want your guests to have slept well, not wished they had stayed in a hotel (unless you wanted them to stay somewhere else, then keep the flat, sad pillow).

These bedding options from Bed Bath and Beyond and West Elm can give your guest room a little lift...





Anytime your are hosting an event can provide the opportunity to make some changes. These quick, cost-efficient "fixes" will make you feel prepared for your guests.

Happy Thanksgiving preparation!

Balance

So much of what we do as designers is about balance. Whether it's balancing a room with furniture or a rooms color palette, balance is key. We often hear "I just need help" which is code for us that their room feels off kilter for them. How do you create balance?

Furniture

Elle Decor

Big pieces, like furniture, are the first thing. These large items are the first things you see and the first to affect you. If your furniture is too big or too small in your room, it can make the necessary empty space feel unbalanced. The same goes for too much or too little furniture. There is a harmony between the filled and unfilled spaces in every room. Plan your pieces before you buy them. One thing should not overwhelm the room. If all the furniture is on one side of the room, it can make it feel like the room is tilting.

Fabrics

House Beautiful

Too much pattern or color can throw your room off, also. There is a fine line between embracing and enjoying patterns and having an overload! As with furniture, too much pattern or color can fight for your attention and end up fighting against each other. Keep things simple with emphasis on fun pieces. And, choosing items within the same color palette allows you some wiggle room with more fun items.

Art

Pottery Barn

Art is important to any room. So many things can go astray when trying to place and hang art. Too high, too low, too far apart, to much or too little! As with furniture, a balance between filled and empty space is key. Most art should be hung with the center at eye level, unless over a large piece of furniture, such as a bed. When grouping items together, try to create a shape, so that your "unorganized" pictures actually have order.

While I enjoy and need balance, you don't have to create a mirror image of your rooms. Don't allow one side to feel "heavier" than the other... this simple idea will go a long way in balancing your room!

Until next week...

How do I make my bed?

There are so many different ways to make your bed now. Coverlets or comforters? 2 pillows or 20? To dust ruffle or not? I'm going to show you a few different ways that we like to make a bed.

The Hotel Bed

Have you ever been to a hotel and just wanted to take the bed home with you? Tidy linens, down comforter and a coverlet. We love to replicate this look for a nice retreat at home.



White and brown linens paired nicely for a crisp, metropolitan master bedroom.



Neutrals create a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

The Updated Bed

Do you have bedding that you absolutely love, but it needs a fresh look? We have taken comforters and quilts that client's own and given them a new look.



By adding a solid coverlet, this client was able to keep her colorful comforter and antique pillows.



Again, by adding a solid coverlet, this client was able to keep her existing comforter and pillows in her guest room.

The Ohhh Ahhh Bed

This is the category for beds that are just great. Whether simple or extravagant, they turned out beautifully!








So, as you can see, there are so many different ways to make a bed. Be different and unique. Don't be satisfied with a "bed in a bag." Take ready-made items and mix them up.

Until next week!

Why Change?

Some people may ask why change my house? I've had it this way for a while, but I like it? Don't fix it if it's not broken, right? Well, that's one way to look at it. For us, change is good. There are improvements on how to do things and new ideas all the time and trends are changing constantly.

Just think if we didn't make some changes occasionally... we would all still have orange and green shag carpet and pink refrigerators! So, change can give us a fresh perspective of our room, our home and our life.

Reevaluating a space can be not only productive, but also therapeutic! Cleaning out a room and repurposing it can make you feel good and can even inspire you! Turn an older child's bedroom into an office or craft room (but wait until they move out, please ;] ) Clean up your laundry room and set up a table so you can actually fold clothes in there, not just store Christmas dishes.

I just repurposed a bookcase in my living room to house my son's toys. This got them out of sight and off the floor and made my living room feel useable again!

Here is an example. We took this playroom / storage space and changed it into a home office / homework room! We were even able to display some of her children's artwork in frames that can easily be changed.

Before....

After...

You can also move around some items in your home to give you a fresh look. Take away the greenery and rearrange the items on your table. Get a new lamp or some new candlesticks. Switch out your picture frames and photos for new ones (especially if your children are no longer in 2nd grade, but your grandchildren are).

A few changes can freshen up your space and give your home a boost. Don't be afraid to move things around or repurpose something to fit your always changing life!

Until next week!

Accessories

Accessories are a very important part of my job. Too many, and your home will look cluttered. Too few looks boring and impersonal. While every home and client is different, there are a few accessories that I like to have on hand! Regardless of your style, these favorite items of mine can find a place in your house!

BASKETS!!


Curved Basket Collection, www.westelm.com

I love, LOVE baskets!! In a bookcase, on a table, master bedroom, study..baskets can go anywhere! And bonus, there are extremely useful. Anything from fruit to toys, magazines to bath salts! Who doesn't love a good basket?!

LANTERNS!!


Park Hill Windowpane Lantern, www.potterybarn.com

You can find these fun accessories in any magazine now! They are everywhere. We love them on the dining table or even on the coffee table. With so many available, we have found them in almost every style! Painted wooden ones for country french, silver or black simple for modern.

TRAYS!!


White Wooden Cut-Out Tray, www.pier1.com

Trays are a wonderful item. We often put them on the dining table to keep your candles, lanterns or jars all together. You will also find them on the coffee table or even in the bathroom for your perfume, lotion and jewelry box! Larger sizes can be a challenge to find, but a great resource for us has been Pier 1! (www.pier1.com)

BOXES!!


Jasper Boxes - Set of 3, www.homedecorators.com

Stack them with books, knick-knacks or even other boxes! Just like baskets, these go great in any room and are super practical! You can find these anywhere in some great options! I especially love mirrored ones!

Now you know! These items go with us to almost every job we do! Any style, any room... these versatile pieces are great items to have in your home! And BONUS, they are inexpensive, so changing them out for something new won't break the bank!

Until next week!

Typography

Script, bold, tiny, big, typewriter, lists, sayings, French and English!
If you haven't noticed, there has been a massive wave of type in decorating! You can put it on anything from walls to chairs... pillows to windows! We love it! It is a fun new way to express yourself in your home. However, don't overdo it! If you can talk too much, so can your home! Be subtle, not screamy! :)
Here are a few ways this blogger has been inspired by type!

The first piece of art is from Ikea (www.ikea.com) and the last two are from Pottery Barn (www.potterybarn.com).





You can even put it DIRECTLY on the wall! Caution: use sparingly!
These are from www.allmodern.com




Another great way to bring in some script is on an accent chair. LOVE this one from Home Decorator's Collection (www.homedecorators.com)



And finally, my favorite way to bring in some type... PILLOWS! LOVE these from Pottery Barn (www.potterybarn.com)!




As always, I hope this inspires you to try something new!
Go get some type!
Until next week!

What's the trend? Industrial

While we strive to give all of our clients' homes a timeless look, we do love to incorporate the latest trends when we can. The current trend we LOVE is "industrial." Bare bones, vintage, simple pieces. These things can be brought into any home, from traditional to modern. They are all great conversation pieces and create an interesting design. Right now, Restoration Hardware (restoration hardware.com) is all over the industrial look!

Check out these items that we love!

These items are from Restoration Hardware. www.restorationhardware.com








We also like this stool from West Elm. www.westelm.com



And yet another great example, this end table from Home Decorator's Collection. www.homedecorators.com



Flip through any decor magazine and you will see this creative trend!
Hope this inspires you!
Until next week!