A room filled with brilliant color is unforgettable. If you want to make a big statement with your decor, choose a bold overall color scheme or accents. Red commands all the attention in a room, epitomizes glamour (think of the red carpet) and envelops warmth. There’s no competing with it and no upstaging it.
The warmth of a fire, the scent of wood smoke and the crackling of logs – what is more appealing on a wintry day?
The fireplace is truly an essential core of every home. We dress up the mantel with prized possessions and pose for family photos in front of them.
Sizing up the ultimate pattern of intersecting lines
Plaids are one of the most universally used prints. They adapt themselves well to any lifestyle or design scheme. Whether you’re on the lookout for a simple new accessory or a major addition to a room, you’ll find plaids aplenty this fall – from the very traditional, to some with a hint of whimsy.
In interior design, black is as dramatic as it is in couture. Think of classic Audrey Hepburn – the little black dress, the perfect pair of black pumps, the quilted black Chanel bag or the sporty black petal pushers.
Decorating is individual. It’s about expressing yourself, then living with what you love. Knowing how to pair these elements harmoniously and gracefully is the basis of good design. There are some basic rules of design. Over the years, when these rules have been implemented, they have proven to be tried and true.
In design, whether interior or fashion, being ahead of the season is always best. I recently did my fall holiday decorating. Using colors such as rusty red, orange, rich gold and sage green to usher in a change of season is exciting and gives your home a fresh new look. But don’t leave decorations up forever after a holiday. When it’s over, it’s over. Decorations start to look tired and it just doesn’t add much to the feel of a room.
Whether used indoors or out, stripes are classic and very stylish.
Nowadays, anything striped goes. Stripes are showing up in all kinds of textiles. Wallpaper, fabrics, bedding, upholstery, rugs, draperies, lamps and flooring are showing off their stripes and moving into the spotlight of trendy, modern design.
In a country that is dark for half of the year, the Swedes have come to cleverly use color to lift their spirits and brighten dark, gloomy spaces.
White and the palest, powdery soft shades of blue are often seen in Swedish design, and bring a lightness to the interiors of this northern European style.
Owning a home these days can be expensive. And if you’re like me, there are few things that are as valuable as a good house. OK, maybe a nice pair of shoes and a designer handbag or three.
Faux bois is French for “false wood.” Something of a lost art, faux bois encompasses anything that reproduces the appearance and texture of wood. This French technique captures the look of wood by using cement, cast stone, cast iron and other elements. A faux bois effect can be achieved by painting, printing or imprinting a wood grain pattern on textiles, home accessories, walls, floors and furniture.
If I could live with only one fabric for the rest of my life, I would pick denim. Denim has been a part of my life, part of what inspires me in designing, and what I wear nearly every day.
