Color is the Question

Last week I wrote a post about the overuse of the color gray.  If gray is not the answer, then I suppose color is the question.  The most common question I get regarding color is what color to paint the walls. The answer to that question is so dependent on the room you are considering and what is going on in the rest of the house.  Today I'd like to give you ideas of ways to add color if you already have a neutral backdrop.  Remember, the wall color is NOT the color scheme.  It can be part of a color scheme or it can be a compliment to the rest of the colors in the room. Here are a handful of ideas:

Colorful fabric is an obvious choice, even muted color.  

More colorful fabric, vibrant this time.  And colorful trim.

You may remember this colorful wallcovering from Dana Gibson with her matching trim on a white Roman shade.

Fresh flowers brighten any spot.

Colorful walls, tablecloth, artwork and draperies.  Notice how the adjacent wall space on the far left is another shade of blue!

This master bedrrom in shades of green and violet is still restful and inviting.

This trim from Brimar is able to withstand the elements, so your outdoor areas can be colorful, too!

The MOST colorful drapery hardware from Duralee.

Gorgeous fabrics and wallcoverings from Kim Parker.

Floral fabrics are everywhere! This one from Kravet Couture.

My all-time favorite fabric from Osborne and Little.

Pillows from Jaipur.

Pillow from Surya, when you want SOME color, but maybe not LOTS of color.

Colorful furniture, rugs and pillows in the EJ Victor showroom at High Point.

Not Your Mother's Roller Shades

Growing up, my mom made all the window treatments in our home.  Well, I would bet my grandmother made the pinch pleated draperies, but my mother made everything else. 
When she learned how to make a roller shade, you better believe suddenly every window in our house had one!
For years, the roller shade with the scalloped hem was everywhere and they were usually made of cheap fabric, or worse, plastic!!  And they were always white.  Then the style fell out of favor and was replaced by mini blinds, then honeycomb pleated shades, wood blinds and plantation shutters.

We are about to install this pattern in a bedroom.  Stay tuned!

We recently found the next generation of roller blinds from LuXout Shades.  The fabrics are sourced from all over the world. There are solids to go with every decor and prints that can become the focal point of a room. And these shades are Made in America, in Virginia, in fact.

Take a walk in the woods without leaving the comfort of home.

Unlike the shades my mother made, the roller at the top can be hidden with a headbox.  The hems can be plain or scalloped and bedazzled with an assortment of trims.  

Our customers are loving this product. Depending on the style and options, the roller shade can fit any decor from traditional to eclectic to contemporary.

Imagine this in a beach house.  Or in the beach house you are dreaming about.

Blackout Bedroom

Occasionally, when working with a client on one project, we will spot a fabric for another project.

This gorgeous grey fabric with a geometric stripe woven in caught our eye and knew it would be perfect for the master bedroom. The husband wanted "blackout curtains" so he could sleep late and not be bothered by the sun peeping in.

But there were so many windows in this bedroom plus sitting room and the lovely fabric was a bit expensive for long drapery panels everywhere.

We hit on this idea of traversing drapes on the back windows and Roman shades on the side windows and in the sitting room. (Actually, it was the mother-in-law who thought of this!)

The custom made pillows in shades of grey, cream and gold were the finishing touch!

I love the mix of masculine and feminine. But mostly I love the fact that the husband thinks he's going to sleep in!  These clients have a newborn baby!! 

Drapery fabric by Unique Fine Fabrics.

Large grey pillow fabric by RM Coco.

Trim by Trend

Geometric pillow fabric by Fabricut

Velvet floral pillow fabric by Trend

One fabric, Two rooms

If you want to unify two spaces, especially if they are side by side, try using one fabric for both, like we did here: 

fabric by Kasmir

Here is the Dining Room, before:

And after:

And a different view: 

                  

And here is the Living Room before:

And after:

Another view:

And finally, a close up of one of the drapery panels and the hardware:

Get an "A" in Geometry

Geometry was the only kind of math I did well in.  I've asked other designers about this and many agreed that they were good in Geometry, too.  Not one said they got an "A" in Calculus!  We tend to think in space and shapes.
The geometric embroidery on this fabric was really appealing.  In a room of solid fabrics, it gave us some pattern to work with.

The family room was in really good shape, decoratively speaking.  It just needed the finishing touch of window treatments so we chose to do soft stationary drapery panels with a French pleat header. Some people call it a Euro pleat.  And those corner windows - a matching pair! thank you Mr. Architect! - were going to be a challenge.

My installers did an incredible job, as usual.  They make an installation like this look easy.

I give this project an A+  !!!

Fabric by Kasmir

Drapery hardware by Graber 

Blinds were customer's own

Tuesday's Topics

After we dream a while,  

let's find a fabric just like this!  

Time to get the cobwebs down?

  So maybe you didn't literally use spiderwebs as your    Halloween valance like we did,  

but is it time to TREAT yourself by dressing your windows?