The first easy quick fix is to create flower arrangements. First fresh flowers will automatically brighten the atmosphere in the home. Flower arrangements are not for just the dining room table. They can go in the kitchen, bathroom, entry, on scones and in bedrooms. Isn’t it nice to see beautiful flowers first thing in the morning? Or how about when you first walk into your home? Pick a color of type of flower and create the arrangements around the color or flower. For instance if you want to accent your home with white you could use white calla lilies, white roses, carnations, daisies, baby’s breath and jasmine. Each arrangement could have all of the flowers you selected or just one or two, then as you change rooms you could change flowers. As an example the entry could be calla lilies, the kitchen daisies and the bedroom roses. Another way to do it would be to use only one type of flower but all the different colors. If going this route then the entry could be multicolored calla lilies, the kitchen yellow and red calla lilies and the master red and white calla lilies. There is really no wrong way to incorporate your flowers just use them and make sure to change the water in cut flowers on a daily basis so that they last as long as possible.

The second quick and easy fix is to change the fabric on your dining chairs. If you have simple seat only cushions on your dining chairs this is really easy. You don’t need an upholsterer to do this. Simply find a fabric you love, and you don’t have to spend a lot on the fabric. You can find remnants at your local fabric shop, or call your local interior designer to see if they have any leftover fabrics. A dirty little secret in the design business is that there is always leftover fabric. When we are making window treatments and bedding we have to order enough for the repeat to match so sometimes there could be a yard or two left over. I know I am always happy to help out a client with these remanent fabrics and will sell them at a very discounted price. Now that you have your fabric simply unscrew the pad from the chair. Lay the pad on the fabric and cut around it leaving about 2″ larger than what you need to cover the visible parts of the cushion. The all you need to do is wrap and staple the fabric. Re-attach to your chair frames and you have a whole new look!

And the last quick and easy fix is paint. This can be painting a wall or a piece of furniture. To freshen a room creating an accent wall will add a wow factor. If your room is in dark tones go with a light accent. If you room is light find a dark accent color. The easiest way to determine an accent color that will coordinate with your existing color scheme is to use your paint fan. Find your color and if you are dark to begin with go three steps lighter. If you are light the go three steps darker. This will refresh your room and make it look like a brand new room. If you choose to paint a piece of furniture find one of yours that is an accent and doesn’t other pieces. Great options are hallway chests, accent tables and mirrors. Just remember to sand the piece first and don’t choose one made from plastic or resin.

Now you have the tools so get going on freshening up your home and putting a smile on your face!

What is going to be the main use of the space? This is important because we need to know what kinds of furnishings, electic, water, storage etc that need to be incorporated into the space. Once we have this information we can move onto the next question.

How many people are going to be using the space? We need to know this for traffic patterns and seating. This question can  lead into two other possible questions; what are the ages of the people using the space and do you plan on entertaining in this space? Now if this is an office or similar space these questions may not seem relevant. These additional questions are for more of a residential application. However, they would apply to a common space in an office building. The answers to these questions help us in furnishing the space correctly and also making sure that we are meeting proper building and health codes. For instance there may need to be wheelchair access, or child safety measures taken.

What is the lifestyle of the users of the space? This question lets us know how much use the space will get and if we need to take into account specialty products. For instance, a homeowner that always wants the windows open could have fading issues with regular fabrics and a sunbrella style fabric would suit the application better.

How do you want the space to feel? This may seem like a weird question, but it is so important. For an office we may want the space to be productive, display an image of authority, or maybe cutting edge. For a home we may want the space to be happy, relaxing, or cozy. All of these feelings require different designs.

Are there any colors that you hate? Most would think that I would want to know what the client likes first. But what the client doesn’t like tells me so much more about them. And also if all the above questions have been answered I am well on my way to knowing what the client likes.

Do you like straight lines or curves? This is a great way for my to get to know the clients style even better. Most people do not know what is contemporary, or traditional, french country verse english country, spanish mediterranean verse italian mediterranean and so on and so on. By asking a more direct question and combining the answer with previous answers I can get a better picture of the clients style.

These are just some of the questions that need to be answered to be able the create the “right” design for a client. So as you can see the answer is not so simple since the question is actually much more complex than most people think. Once I have the answers to these questions and more I can create the “right” design for my client, giving them a space that not only looks fantastic but functions properly for them.

So now that we know your lifestyle and the floor plan of the home we need to decide what goes into the home. This is where we start to give the home real character and warmth. What tile or stone, wood or carpet or do we combine some of each. Do we want a more contemporary look with stainless steel and chrome or a more traditional look of oil rubbed bronze. The design necessitiy here is the proper flow. If you go with traditional we need to stay traditinal throughout the home. If you go contemporary then we need to stay contemporary. That doesn’t mean that we can’t throw in touches of whimsy but on the whole once a style is decided on it needs to be the basis for the entire home. Without the proper flow the home will continuously be out of balance and at odds with itself.  This does not mean that you have to have the same tile throughout the entire home or that you can use only one paint color, but it means that each space in the home must tie back into the other spaces. This also means that if you decided on a coastal, Key West style home that rustic oak floors would be in conflict with the architecture of the home, creating poor flow for the home. A home needs to be in harmony with every aspect and detail that goes into and outside a home. This is what your interior designer is  for. This is the person that helps you edit properly. Just because you like a bunch of different styles does not mean that they all work together. This is where I work with my client to find out what about those styles that they like and how I can interprete that feeling in a manner that works with the overall style of the home. This could mean finding contemporary moroccan lighting to go in the spanish mediterrean home so that the client can have the updated look while giving a nod to the tradition that inspired them. This may also mean finding the right accent tile that ties everything together. Sometimes it’s a fabric that is the inspiration and what will be the driving force for flow and balance. Whatever it is that your designer has been able to find to help be that inspiration it is now time to feel that inspiration throughout the home.

That’s right we are onto furnishings and finishes. Again the design necessity is the flow and balance. So if we are back in that coastal home we are looking for furnishings using the ocean as inspiration. That equals seagrasses and jutes, ocean colors, textures that remind you of the summer sun and beach grasses. Fabrics that bring simplicity to mind, light denims and stripes, cottons and linens. For the spanish mediterrenean home its large scale pieces with straight lines, heavy woods and clean stones. It is large amounts of contrast with highlights to the high ceilings. It is clean lines offset by intricately detailed accents. It is monochromatic color schemes with pops and twinkles. It is a feeling of standing on the Spanish coast and feeling years and years of history and people before. It is tradition and innovation at the same time.

This is where my job as an interior designer is to dig deep into my clients soul and find out where they go to for their “happy place”. It is finding what satisfies their being and nutures them to be able to step into each day ready to face the world. It is creating the place that they yearn to come home to so that the day can fall away. The number one design necessity is finding the soul of the home. Finding and knowing how to create the dream and wish that lives deep within the client. I know some of you are thinking it’s just a house. But when you are building a custom home you are building more than just a house. You are building a home that with the right combinations will not only give you shelter but nuture your soul. It will give you peace of mind and security.

First when was the last time that your home was painted? A coat of paint to freshen your home will really do wonders. And if you have painted recently there could be some touch up spots that are in need. These spots are where the door hits the wall, or under a bar top that gets shoe marks ( there are ways to never get those scuff marks, email me for some ideas) that kind of thing. Touching up these spaces will make it look like you have repainted.

Second how is the flow to your home? Do your go from room to room and feel as though it is all one design or is each room its own space without feeling a part of the others. We want there to be a flow between your rooms. This makes the home feel larger and welcoming to you and your guests. This can be achieved in small ways like choosing one or two colors to be throughout your home. These colors should be picked up in paint, furniture, artwork and accessories. The other place that can restrict the flow to your home is the furniture placement. Space planning is extremely important to a home’s flow. We want to feel as though we are open to go anywhere but are also directed as to where to go by the set up of our furniture. This is an area where a consult to an interior designer is  really affordable and helpful. An interior designer can rearrange your existing furniture to give you better use and help with the flow.

Third are your walls filled with artwork and accessories or are they bare? Every home needs artwork and accessories but some homes have way too much and some not enough. Just because you have space on a wall does not mean that you have to fill it. One large painting over a sofa does a great deal more than five small pieces. When looking for impact artwork and accessories will do that when you use the right scale and style. With artwork WOW factor is created by choosing the right piece and placement. A large piece in a family room will bring the room together while two medium-sized pieces will create two areas in the room. This is great if you have a large family room in which you have multiple uses for the space. Maybe one side is for watching TV while to other is for reading or playing games. Your family room is not the place for a bunch of small pictures and paintings. This will make the room feel cluttered and not inviting to your guests. You can have an area on shelves where you display your family pictures, but it should not be every picture –  just a sampling. When it comes to accessories think in the rule of three. Do you have three accessories together? Are they are three different heights? Do they have three different weights? Are they picking up the chosen flow colors? If you can’t answer yes to all of these questions you need to do some editing of your accessories. This may also mean adding some larger wow pieces to your accessories. There is a tendency to think that you can’t put a large piece on a cocktail table. Yes you can and you should! At every point in a room there needs to be a reason for the eye to continue to travel around. If all the colors are the same, if all the heights are the same, if all the weights are the same your eye stops moving and the room will not feel right.

Holiday times are great fun and you should keep them that way. Don’t stress and use some of the tips above to give your home some WOW, or you can always delegate and call for a consultation!

So for me day 1 of furniture fashion week started at the IHFC (International Home Furnishings Center) building. Which is the largest and the main building. There are twelve floors and six wings to the IHFC building. This can be confusing to navigate and since some exhibitors change locations from market to market a little overwhelming. I started in the main wing with outdoor furniture and lighting. The first thing that I saw that was really a trend setting display was at Curry and Company. This was the Moroccan lighting. These lights are absolutely gorgeous. They are combinations of hand hammered and beaded hanging lanterns. The beads are done in amber in this picture but can also be done in blue.

The light that comes from these beautiful lights is soft and create and wonderful ambiance for any room. They will be a great way to give a room a real wow factor.

From lighting I went on to meet with my Stanley Furniture Representative to see the new products and where they saw the trends going. The new line that has been added to the Coastal Living Collection is amazing! They have added great new adaptable pieces with a wide variety of finishes. And what I noticed trend wise was the French Laundry style that I know is going to be the new trend.

Stanley Furniture French Laundry

From Stanley I went on within the IHFC to find unique pieces and lines for my clients. I love having the ability to use a combination of well-known companies and smaller one-of-a-kind companies to give my clients the look of their dreams. The first thing that I saw hat made me stop enforced my earlier thought that Moroccan was going to be one of the upcoming trends.

Wunderly Lighting

Wunderly Moroccan Chair

I also went into the Rowe Showroom and again saw the earlier trends being re-enforced. The French Laundry look is really hot! Personally I am really happy to see the french laundry style. I have been really into this look for the past three years and it is great to see companies manufacturing the style. Going through certain parts of market this fall was like someone had picked my brain while I was sleeping and created the looks. Here is some of Rowe’s take on the french laundry look.

Rowe FurnitureRowe Furniture

One of the goals while I was at market was so find a European Modern line. This style is a little different from what we in the US would consider modern. A European modern style is made up of groupings that fit together in many different ways. They feature many options for hanging cabinetry and the kitchens are sized differently. And self-closing drawers are standard in all pieces. Here are some pictures of the new Italian line I will now be carrying. The line includes everything from  bedroom and dining to office, entertainment and kitchens.

The last stop of the day was at Canadel to look at custom dining. I am very excited about this product. It gives me the ability to create all different styles of dining tables, chairs and accessories – from traditional to contemporary – from dining height to bar height. They even have some antique reproduction pieces. Enjoy some pictures of a few options.

Antique reproduction

 

 

Day 1 of Fashion Week – conclusion French Laundry is hot. Moroccan style is very in. European Kitchens are coming to the US in full force.

Antique Reproduction

 I have shown you some of the great upcoming trends and some of my favorite stops on day one. The day started at 7:30am and went until 7pm. It was a long and enjoyable experience.

Canadel dining table

Let’s step out of the mindset that it is just for function and into the thinking that window treatments are what ties your room together. And there are many different styles of window treatments. There are blinds, shades, shutters, draperies, cornices and valances.

Blinds can be horizontal or vertical and can be made from many different materials to give you different looks and functions. When blinds are used they are mostly for function. They can be made from wood, plastics, or fabric. These are your horizontal wood/faux wood blinds, vertical blinds, mini blinds etc. These are functional treatments and in my opinion usually need another softer treatment to make them feel finished in a room. The reason being is that they are usually set inside the window and without a decorative molding they do little more that block the window. They also tend to feel harsh since they are generally made from hard materials. So instead of adding a finishing touch that flows with the room they simply add function. This can be changed by adding a cornice or valence to the top or draperies along the side. Blinds can also be made in fabric for a softer touch but on the majority I feel they still need something to finish them.

Because of the harsh feelings that blinds tend to give there are shades. Shades came from the need to have a functional way to block light and give privacy while having a decorative side.  And since they are generally made from fabrics they are softer feeling to begin with. Also shades tend to be a more finished look. Shades can consist of roman shades, roller shades, woven woods, and cellular shades. The roman shades and woven woods can be finished treatments on their own. Roman shades are made from fabric and can be hobbled or flat. Since they are made from fabric as designers we can add lots of details to give that finished look. It can be decorative banding, a decorative fabric, or trim that makes these treatments really complete the look of the room. Woven woods can also be done in either flat or hobbled and they come with an additional valence to their top to hide the workings and give a finished look. These can also be banded in fabric for a finished look. They have great function in which they can be raised from the bottom but also can go down from the top. This gives the home owner the ability to still have light and privacy at the same time.

Roller shades have come a long way since the days of the white vinyl that half the time when you pulled the bottom instead of going back up would just unwind itself. Do you remember these? How many times did you have to climb up and take it off the bracket and roll it back up manually? Ok they are very different now. The biggest trend in roller shades now is solar shades. These are great and they give the functionality of blocking the sun and uv rays while also giving a finished contemporary look.  These can be banded and I prefer to do them with a matching valence. Roller shades can also be done in fabrics to match the style of decor in the room or home. They can also be used underneath decorative cornices, valances and draperies.

Of the shades cellulars are the only ones that I feel are the functional option that must have a softer finishing treatment with them. Cellular shades are exactly what they sound like. They look like a honeycomb and to me are basically a mini blind made out of fabric. These are not one of my favorite options for window treatments and do not bring much to the room.

Shutters are another option when it comes to window treatments. These are a great clean-looking treatment. When shutters are installed they have a decorative molding that goes around the window for the finishing touch. I love using these in tropical styled homes, Key West looks, cottage looks and beach looks. They can be made for every kind of window including doors and give a great continuous look throughout the home. They can be made of either wood or faux wood. The climate of the home takes a large part in the decision-making as to use wood or faux wood.

Now we come to my favorite kinds of window treatments. Draperies, cornices and valances. These treatments all add those finishing touches that really make a room pop. There are many different styles of draperies from the traditional pinch pleat, to inverted pleats, to grommetted and rod pockets and many versions in between. These treatments can be made from all different kinds of fabrics. They can be lined, banded or sheer. They can be functional or decorative. You can also have workable draperies underneath stationary draperies. And draperies can hang on their own or underneath cornices and valances. When hanging draperies there are many options for decorative hardware, everything from wood to wrought iron and tons in between.

Cornices and valances are what we call toppers. They go on top of the windows to complete the look. Cornices are hard and are built around a wood frame. Valances are soft and flowing and they are built off of a wood rail. Although they both do the same thing they give different looks to the room. Toppers are made from fabrics and can have decorative trim and banding. They can also be shaped to highlight the room. Most people think of rectangles but they can be all different shapes, I have done semi circles, scalloped, and triangles. The beauty of soft window treatments, (draperies, cornices and valances) is that you are only limited by your imagination.

So the next time that you think about windows and how they fit into your room think about what they are saying. Are they speaking of the beauty and warmth that you have created in your home? Are they fun and funky? Do they reflect you? Your windows are the eyes of your home make them work with it!

Once the painting is done, the furniture and window treatments are installed.

From here the home is starting to take shape and there is a place to sleep and eat but that is far from a completed home. There are still many rooms that we have not yet addressed. The bathrooms, the kitchen, the loft, living room and study are still bare. So the next meeting with the client was to create a plan for the above mentioned rooms. This meant starting with the kitchen and bathrooms. So we went to work.

We selected a tile to highlight the clients style and create a unique back splash. This took a kitchen from simple counters and cabinets to a finished space to match the fun colorful style of the client.

On to the bathrooms – goal have a tropical feel without being the traditional Tommy Bahama and no monkeys!

Wallpaper is one of the easiest ways to completely change the look of a bathroom. This is a room where you are not going to be able to add furniture and window treatments (most of the time) so wallpaper really is a great tool.

Ok so if you are looking at the pictures and wondering what this is all going to look like you are not the only one. Over the time of designing this home many a workman looked at me like I had ten heads. To create a truly unique design it means thinking outside of the box. So as paint and wallpaper goes on the walls and tile is installed there are definitely more than a few moments that an outsider could be very perplexed and positive that is not going to come together. However, as a designer, as I see each stage completed I see where the design is going. What lamps, artwork and accessories I am going to use to finish the design. I see a vision coming together.

Where are we now? We have completed the wallpaper and tile work and it is time to move onto furnishing the empty rooms. So we move ahead with the client’s needs and style in mind. I find fabrics from JAB, and Highlands Court for draperies and furniture. I find furniture pieces from Lee, Palecek, Taylor King and Stanley. I have rugs made to go with the design. And then there is a lot of waiting. Waiting? I know you are thinking to get all of that done how do you have time to wait? But the reality is that with all the products that have to be made we have around 12 weeks of wait time. Once all of the pieces come in, it’s time to install them in the home.

Now we have places to sit and all the rooms have furniture but that still does not equal a completed design. Artwork, lamps, and accessories are needed to have a complete design. So on the next trip to Florida for the client I bring in all the artwork, lamps, and accessories and complete the home. This way the client has the ability to see the home completed and also veto anything that they feel is not them. So my job is to work with art galleries, lighting companies and retailers to find the right pieces to complete the look. Artwork and accessories make a huge difference. They may be the last step but they really are the stage the completes the design. They are the icing on the cake, or the jewelry of the room.

 How different the rooms look when the finishing touches are added! All those bold colors now make sense. That vision of contemporary tropical is created. And there is not a monkey in sight!

Lots of hard work and planning along with vision and creativity go into a successful interior design. Without all of those components a design does not evolve nor is it successful.

Now on the other hand some of my favorite fabric vendors did release some amazing rich fabrics. Stroheim has always been one of my favorites and because of that I was able to view the new releases from them last week – and they were show stopping. If you want to read more about those fabrics, please check out last weeks post. Romo really showed how to work with a neutral fabric! Instead of neutral being boring they took that great charcoal grey ( my current favorite neutral) and created a wow! Look at how beautiful this neutral is. The use of multi levels in the velvet give it a richness that is opulent. They also were able to create a depth to the fabric making the neutral grey seem to reach out and touch you. This is the kind of fabric that you just want to curl up in and never leave. Way to go Romo you just reminded me why I always have to see your new releases!

Now the other way that some of the fabric companies went was to really do traditional with a POP. And RM Coco really went all out in this area. They said lets take a traditional pattern and make it really stand out. I am in love with the direction that they are going. It really is taking into account the influences from around the world and giving us fabrics that show where the rest of the world is going. This fabric is rich in color and the stitching is amazing. They have put such detail into the fabric and the colors just pop. The colors really show the influence of other cultures while the pattern is like a traditional Amish quilt. How divine!

Blue, blue, blue. Every fabric company came out with blues this season. And as an interior designer I say about time. I am so happy to see true blues. As I am extremely tired of the spa blue or robin’s egg blue. It was definitely about time to see real blue. And even better true blue with white. There is nothing more traditional and classic then blue and white.

Here is one of my favorite new releases of the classic. This is from RM Coco and the knots and embroidery are going to make this a highly sought after fabric.

I am very excited to start working with all the new releases! This has just gotten me so excited to see what is going to be coming out at High Point Market. It is going to be fantastic to see these great fabrics and many others on furniture and in window treatments.

This week the showings were for Stroheim, S. Harris and Vervain. And even with the changes in ownership of Stroheim I am still in love. This is one line that is like the perfect pair of high heels, no matter what you are wearing they are always the right answer to complete the look. Stroheim has been one of my favorite fabrics lines for ten years and this release is a perfect example why. They have come out with new cutting edge technology for better wear, kept up their well-known name with opulent fabrics, and great color combinations.

Silk with bamboo for added strength and wear

Here is an example of the new technology that Stroheim is using to strengthen silk fabrics. As an interior designer I love using silk fabrics in designs to give them that WOW factor. However, silk fabrics are more delicate than many other natural fibers which means that they cannot always be used due to the lifestyles of the clients. The addition of bamboo to these silks adds stability to the silk and a strength that allows a great deal more applications. This example is just one of the beautiful silk and bamboo combinations. The colors in this line are refined and elegant and are great for window treatments, bedding, and pillows.

Velvet Stripe

Velvets are in and they are as beautiful as ever. This season they are dry velvets. What this means is that the texture and hand of the fabric is more dense and stiffer. This is NOT the velvet that when you touch it you see every mark, finger print, and dare I say butt mark. This is a velvet that is rich in texture and depth of color. This is the type of velvet that you want when using it for upholstery. It will last and not crush after many sittings. What better - rich velvets and no crushing! So are you excited? I am. Thank you Stroheim for yet again an amazing release of fantastic, usable, unique, cutting edge fabrics!

Now on to S. Harris. The release that I am most excited about is a line created from metal sculptures. Seem like a weird combination? Let me explain. This line has taken unique metal sculptures and translated them to fabric. There is an amazing depth to these fabrics. They have used pleating to create the layers that would normally have been created by welded metals.

Fabric from metal art

Here is one example of the amazing translation of metal art into fabric. The colors of these designs are mostly in your neutral tones such as cream, gray, and beige. And the unexpected is that some of them have metallic threads running through them. I am hoping that these designs take off so that we can get them in a wider range of colors. I would love to see this design in a vibrant royal blue or high intensity purple.

On to Vervain. I was most excited to see this line however I have to  say it was not what I expected. Normally I expect rich velvets, embroidered silks and a perfect mixture of traditional and contemporary designs. This season we did get some velvets but most of the line was linens and linen like fibers. The line was directed to a more quiet, sedated clientele. The colors on the majority were muddy. And the patterns ranged from Icots to traditional paisley and toiles. They did add some surprises but on the whole it felt scattered and dare I say slightly mundane. Please don’t be upset with me Vervain as I still love your fabrics.

Colorful Icot

Here is a an example of one of the unexpected surprises from Vervain. I love the color in this fabrics. Big thumbs up for taking a traditional pattern like the Icot and adding bold, fun colors. I can’t wait to find the right use for this new fabric!

So in conclusion lots of new fabrics and something for everyone. Stroheim has confirmed that even though they have new owners they are still producing a truly Stroheim line. (I was really afraid that the Stroheim as we had known it was gone). S. Harris is looking towards non traditional avenues for inspiration and Vervain has come out with collection that has something for everyone.