Decisions, Decisions and More Decisions!

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:

Nate Berkus at Calico Corners

Mary McDonald at Schumacher

Martyn Lawrence Bullard at Schumacher

  Christopher Lowell at Joann Fabrics

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.