The September 2015 issue of Country Living is a “keeper.” Page 65 has a yardage forecaster that you can take with you to the fabric store if you need yardage for a sofa, chair, headboard, pillow, shower curtain, sink skirt, table skirt, porch swing cushion, bench, play tepee, hammock, dog bed, lamp shade or ottoman. It would also be so helpful if you want to order yardage on line. My guess is that lots of us are doing little or maybe large projets to get ready for the holidays. Here is page 65:
In addition to the yardage chart, there is some useful information about how to hang a gallery wall, mix patterns, pick the right-size coffee table, and how to style the coffee table.
Master the Gallery Wall
“The key to a perfect arrangement? Imperfections. Swear off the precisely gridded layout in favor of a looser, it-can-evolve-over-time arrangement. Hang the lowest frames 5 to 7 inches above the back of the sofa (or other furniture) and work up and out from there, spacing frames 2 to 4 inches apart. Keep at least one element (like the frames) consistent if possible.”
Laurel Canyon Music Studio
Lisa Weatherbee
Kerrie L. Kelly
Note: If you want frames the same color, you can always spray paint them.
Mix Patterns Like a Pro.
Country Living says, “Try our no-fail formula: one small-scale print, one large-scale print with movement, and one print with a nature motif. And while on the subject of mixing, rooms look most layered when they have something wooden, something woven, and something “wow” (as in something mirrored, reflective, or glossy).”
This room in one of designer Torri Burch’s homes is a favorite of mine. Note the large scale print on the sofa, the swirly print on the floor pillows, and the nature print on the two chairs.
In the same home is this wonderful sun room.
Again, the large print is the wallpaper, the medium print with movement is on the two blue and white garden stools, and the small print is on the floor in the carpet.
I always think that if you have a large scale print, a medium size print that is a floral or something natural, and one that is a stripe or a geometric, you are fine.
Enviable Designs, Inc.
In this room, you have a small floral, large geometric in the carpet, and medium size print on the drapes.
Pick the Right-Size Coffee Table
“Ensure visual balance with one that is 2/3 the length of your sofa. When it comes to height, the top of the table should hit at the middle of the sofa seat cushion.”
Gremia Design
Williams-Sonoma Home
…and Style It Up Properly.
“Every coffee table needs three things: books (to play with scale and height), a basket (to add texture and corral wayward items, like remotes), and decorative items to spark conversation. )And don’t ask us why, but three tchotchkes always looks better than two.)”
I looked for a long time to find coffee tables that adhered to these styling rules. It seems that there are as many ways to style a table as there are objects to put on them. The main idea is to have an odd number of items, with different heights, and one or two items are interesting. Three stacks of books would be boring without some object sitting on top of a stack or two. Look at lots of pictures of styled tables and try to emulate your favorites.
Cote de Texas
Cote de Texas
Cote de Texas
…and there you have lots to think about. I reserve the right to revisit each of these ideas one at a time in further blogs. There is just so much to consider and for every “rule,” there are probably ten ways to break it. The main idea is to explore the possibilities and to create and be happy!
deborahwoodmurphy 