If
Disneyland is the ultimate magical place for children, then fabric
stores are the ultimate magical place for decorators and DIYers
alike.
And,
just like a kid at Disneyland for the first time, whenever I enter a
fabric store I am stunned into silence. With eyes open wide, my head
turns – first right, then left, then right again. I am overwhelmed
by the colors, the sights, the textures of it all and don't know where to begin my adventure.
I
usually run around, amassing swatches. (I suppose I have enough by
now to create a patchwork quilt for my 10 foot couch!) Then I pull
out my paint samples and run outside to see how they look in the
light. (I never shop for fabric at night.)
Unsatisfied with the eye candy in my hand, I run back into the store
to begin the process anew. There's
the magical world of faux leathers over here, just right for a
quartet of chairs for my daughter's dining room. And, that richly
embroidered fabric I truly love but am afraid it's too stodgy and old
fashioned.
And,
let's not forget the newest fabrics from celebrity designers
including:
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions!
This
past Sunday, a new line of fabrics debuted at a local fabric store I
admire. Despite the dark, overcast skies and the supremely
overcrowded parking lot, I and my trusty paint swatches walked boldly
in. This time, however, I decided to do a little homework and learn from the experts.
Here
a few tips to keep in mind when narrowing down colors and fabrics, courtesy of HGTV and designer Kathy McCleary.
"Tip
#1. Choose a color scheme from the largest pattern in the space. If
you've got patterned upholstery, an Oriental rug or large piece of
artwork, pluck colors you like from the pattern. For a neutral wall
paint color, look to the pattern's whites and beiges.
Tip
#2. Start with the formal areas of the house. Specifically,
the living room, dining room and entry way. Choose a color scheme for
those areas first, then pull one color from the scheme. For example,
take the red sofa and tone it down (say, to burgundy) for an accent
in more private spaces such as the den, office or bedroom.
Tip
#3. Decorate your space from dark to light, vertically. A
real "cookbook" way to make any space look good without
much risk, McCleary says, is to use darker color values for the
floor, medium color values for the walls and light values for the
ceiling.
"Any
interior space replicates the outside world," he says. "The
exterior environment is generally darker below our feet (the earth
itself), medium-valued as you look straight ahead (buildings/trees)
and lighter values skyward."
Tip
#4. Study the color of your clothes. Most
people buy clothes in colors they like to wear and think they look
good in. Similarly, you should decorate your rooms in colors you look
good in. "If you don't wear yellow, don't get a yellow sofa,"
McCleary says. "You're going to look sickly on it."
Tip
#5. Use the color wheel. In
general, analogous color schemes — colors next to each other on the
color wheel, such as blue and green — are more casual and relaxing,
and work best in informal or private spaces. This is a good strategy
for a bedroom, where you want to rest and recover. Whatever
color scheme you choose, McCleary advises to put something black in
every room. "The black clarifies all the rest of the colors in
the room," he says. Try a black lampshade, a black vase or a
black picture frame.
Tip
#6. Use the rule of 60-30-10. "When
decorating a space, divide the colors in the space into components of
60 percent of a dominant color, 30 percent of a secondary color and
10 percent of an accent color," McCleary says. The walls will
most likely be the majority, the upholstery would represent the
secondary color and accessories such as a floral arrangement or throw
pillows would make up the rest. "Works every time!" he
says. "The colors are properly balanced and there is a shot of
color (the 10 percent color) for interest."
Tip
#7. Go with the architecture. If
you have a small room in your house, don't paint it white to make it
seem bigger. Instead, cozy up to its architecture with a rich, warm
color scheme. Let your big rooms expand with light, and your small
rooms wrap you up and nurture you.
Tip
#8. Follow your personal style. If
you decorate honestly, other people will appreciate it because it's
you, even if they'd never decorate their own house in the same way.
That means if you want to make every room in your house red, white
and blue, go for it. You can make any color look good as long as it's
your taste."
Tips
4 and 8 interested me most. When I look around my closet, my
favorite colors include cool and warm shades including red,
beige, black, lapis lazuli, green, orange, yellow, slate, and
fuschia. I don't like or wear browns, burgundy, navy blue, white, pinks, or
pastel colors.
The
colors I've chosen for my bedroom include slate, gold/yellow, lapis lazuli
and beige. As for my personal style, well I think it's more Erica
Kane than Citizen Kane.
P.S. I think this Nate Burkus fabric is now one of my favorite things!
P.S.S. I'm not claiming any rights or privileges to any of the photos or quoted text contained in this posting. I am simply availing myself of materials found freely through public sources. Hey, I'm just a gal on a simple mission to make my dream home as comfortable as it can be, one room at a time.
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