A few of my favorite things

I love photos taken very close to pretty things. I looked around at my
Christmas decorations and realized I had some pretty things that
I just wanted to remember. Here's a few of my favorites.

Decorating With Color - Don't be afraid!

Yesterday I said that in today's decorating world, anything goes. Granted, there are trends that will make us look back and remember the decade, but we are not as restricted as the "mauve and country blue", "hunter and burgundy", or "avocado green and harvest gold" of the past. Here are a few examples of rooms exploding with color that I found while browsing the Better Homes and Gardens website. I think just about every color of the rainbow can be found among these pictures.

First is the classic white room with beautiful punches of color. In this case, the choice of white for the walls certainly isn't due to a fear of color. It makes for a soothing neutral backdrop against the bright bursts of color. One important thing to note, and what makes these walls work, is that they are not the only white in the room. Too often, homeowners choose to leave their walls white, but then do not repeat that white anywhere else in the room. White works, and can be stunning, but you must repeat it throughout the room.

This room is nearly the exact opposite of the first one. Every single corner is bursting with bright color. Repeating the colors throughout the room is what makes it feel more soothing and less like a jumbled rainbow.

This room demonstrates more restraint, even through the bold color. The palate stays in the warm tones of orange, yellow, and red, and again are repeated throughout the room. A small splash of aqua blue adds interest and a cool contrast.

Compared to the warmth of the previous room, this one is cool and airy. It has a monochromatic feel with it's shades of bluish lavender in light, medium, and dark hues. This is a great choice for a room that gets a lot of sun and heat throughout the day.

This room's ultra urban industrial style is well balance with rich jewel tones. The cool lavender brown walls are warmed up with punches of bold red and orange.

So what do we learn from these pictures? Don't be afraid to use color! Find your favorites and balance throughout the room through repetition and pairing them with classic neutrals.

Decorating With Color - Finding Inspiration

Today I'd like to begin a new series that focuses on how to decorate using fabric color trends. There are so many bright, beautiful color combinations available and choosing the right one for the right project can be intimidating.

One of the great features about using color today, is that there are virtually no rules. Thanks to the advances in technology, we are free to discover color combinations from around the globe. We can take color inspiration from cultures all over the world and adapt them to accommodate our own style and personality. From the sun drenched Italian countryside to the vibrant, rich colors of Morocco, you are limited only by your imagination.

The single best way to incorporate color into your decorating is to find inspiration. Whether it's a picture of a room from your favorite decorating magazine or a photo taken on a summer vacation, find inspiration that moves you. Colors are able to evoke emotion, so by incorporating them into your decor you can take yourself to any destination imaginable.

Take a look at these inspiration pictures taken from Sherwin Williams 2009 Forecast Influences. Can you see your room decor evolve from on of these breathtaking scenes?

Global Tapestry

Techno-color

Conscious Luxury
Local Momentum

New Mini Pillow Listings!

First, let me say thank you to everyone who entered my Chamomile Pillow Giveaway.  The winner was chosen and contacted by email.  The giveaway pillow has been created and is on its way!

In the meantime, here are a few new mini pillow set listings at SimplicityInteriors:

Breeze Mini Pillow Set

French Blue Damask Mini Pillow Set

Home Decor Fabric Sale!

I am having a SALE at Fabric Flair.  There are tons of home decor weight fabrics on sale for a fraction of their retail price.  Fabrics that are normally $25-$35 per yard are drastically marked down to move them out.

Check them out!

MOVING SALE!

   Joel Dewberry - Aviary            Amy Butler - Daisy Chain
     

I am going to be dividing up my Simplicity Interiors Etsy shop so that fabrics are in a different shop.  I am still working on my grand opening of FabricFlair. There's nothing there yet and I just registered the shop name.

In the meantime I am having a store moving sale.  Instead of relisting all the fabrics in a new store, I want to clear out my inventory.  I have reduced prices on almost 70 items. 

Stop by and take advantage of pricing that is far below retail!

Pear                                           Multi Floral

  

Announcing Fabric Website!!

Simplicity Interiors now carries fabrics that you can buy directly from my website. If you are looking for high quality home decor fabrics then this is the site for you. Find everything from brand new patterns to clearance fabrics at a reduced price. Can't find what you are looking for? Link directly to Greenhouse Design/Fabrics and search by color, type, and style. Then go to the contact page and let me know what I can do for you.

Back Again and Decorating Avidly!

It seems that all plans to decorate anything came to a screeching halt last December 30 when my son joined our lives and became part of my decorating team. I say he became part of because he altered my home in such a vast and unimaginable way. Suddenly I felt a camaraderie with all those women who said that they couldn't get a thing done now that they had kids. My naive thoughts were "so just do it when the kid is sleeping"! Well....then God blessed me with a child who never slept. This was just to spite the fact I always had that preconceived notion that all babies sleep all the time. Not mine. He definitely cried, ate, and pooped far more than he ever slept!

But now he's 8 months old and much more independent, so mommy can find herself again. However when I say "find herself" I mean literally. We moved a week ago and my life is crazier than it has ever been. I will never find anything, ever! At least once a day I find myself saying my new favorite mantra, "I knew I put it in a box that with with such and such and had something or other written on the front". Then I spend an hour looking for this wonderful missing piece of our lives that has disappeared somewhere in the very long 5 mile move up the street. Why do we have to pack so well we we are not moving very far, anyway?

But my favorite is when I am asked where something might be. I have 2 or 3 answers of logical places the missing item might actually be. If I am the one who asks "did anyone see" then I get a response very much like I just asked for the 3rd character to make an appearance in the second act of William Shakespeare's The Tempest!

I will be decorating again. I have to make the new house my own. I will be doing this at the whim of my children: 8mo old Conner, 32 year old Jason, who is really my husband but is more like keeping after a child, and 3 fur kids (cats) Mabel, Max, and Matty. I will post pics and advice as I am able. It's going to be fun! And as always feel free to give me any advice/criticisms (as long as you love what I am doing!) and overall discussion. If there is something you want to know more about, please let me know!

And we're off!

Fabrics Can Make the Difference

Quality fabrics help to put the finishing touches on a room and create the feel you desire. Mixing patterns, colors, and textures can be daunting to any do-it-yourself decorator. Here are a few tricks to consider:

• When mixing patterns, like florals and stripes, keep the color scheme in mind. As long as you are repeating the same colors, the patterns should coordinate well.
• Choose one patterned fabric and add solids and textures that pull out the colors from within.
• Solids do not have to be boring. Look for solid fabrics that are rich in texture. They add interest without appearing too "busy".

When choosing fabric colors, take the time to stop and think about the effect you desire. Do you want the fabric to stand out? For instance, if you are dressing a window, would you like it to be a focal point in the room, drawing your attention each time you enter? If this is the case, use a fabric color that contrasts with the wall color. The picture to the right is an example of using contrasting colors to draw your eye toward the window.

Would you prefer those window treatments to fade into the background and not steal the show? Then choose a color that is similar to the wall color. This will create a soothing, blended effect that will allow other furnishings or artwork to star in the room. The picture to the left is an example of how to use fabrics whose colors blend, allowing the artwork to be what catches your eye, not the pillow.

Remember though, blending fabrics with the wall color does not have to be boring. Think texture!

Would you like to explore quality decorator fabrics? Visit greenhousedesign.net , my source for great home decorator fabrics! Find the link to the left.