Archive for May, 2009
Posted on May 14, 2009 - by admin
Outdoor pillows with pizazz
I have to admit - I change my pillows often! I’ve been accused of ADD “Attention Decorating Disorder”. The way I look at it, is that it’s cheaper than changing the sofa. At any rate, I have a bench right next to my front door that happens to be the first thing you (or at least the first thing I) see when you walk or drive up to my house. This bench is the perfect place for my pillow fetish. The problem is the direct sunlight. After about 2 years I got sick and tired of throwing away my pillows due to sun damage. I decided to get smart and only use outdoor fabrics for this pillow. This was a WISE investment as the pillows still look new at the end of a season regardless of the amount of sun and rain that we received. The problem was that I was stuck with some pretty boring choices….. until now. Check out my latest finds
First from FRONTGATE
How great is this guy?! I’m loving the embroidered dragonfly look and even outdoor CORDING! That’s something I haven’t had before
Great zebra pattern - more great fringe.
A MONOGRAMMED outdoor pillow - LOVE IT! What a PERFECT housewarming gift.
Posted on May 7, 2009 - by admin
How to make your Window Treatments work year round
A big mistake that I see when dealing with customers who have designed their own windows is that they don’t take into account the other 3 seasons beside the season that they are currently in. For example, it’s Fall and Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Susie really wants her window treatments to be finished for the holidays. The air is just starting to turn cool and she is comforted by warm plaids and deep velvets. She makes curtain panels out of a pumpkin colored velvet and a valance to match. 3 weeks later, Christmas rolls around and that “pumpkin” colored velvet now appears fluorescent orange next to her deep red and green Christmas decorations.
Next, all the snow melts and March is upon us. Susie is desperate for spring and something happy and cheery. Now, all of a sudden, her heavy orange drapes with their heavy valance look sad and outdated. HOW did this all happen in less than 5 months??
One question I tell people to ask of themselves is “am I wiling to tweak my window treatments throughout the year?” Notice I said “tweak” and not “change”.
If the answer is YES, then I would recommend choosing one color or pattern that you absolutely LOVE. Something that makes you smile every time you see it! Now, use that fabric as a basis for a window treatment. Perhaps it becomes a cornice in the kitchen, or a pair of pinch pleated draperies in the living room hung off of a gorgeous chunky wood rod. Let’s say in the summer the treatment remains “as is” (we tend to go more casual in the summer). BUT, in the winter, you have a pair of red (or orange, green, plaid etc.) swags made that you hang over top of the panels!
Now, I’m really giving away my secrets!! These swags could be heavily trimmed with fringe, or beads etc (maybe something that you don’t want to live with year round. I guarantee that when you pop those swags up, everyone will think you just got new window treatments. OR, let’s go back to the kitchen. Remember your simple little cornice that you hung over the sink? Well, maybe in the winter you put up a simple pair of half width red velvet café curtains that look so warm and yummy they make you think of hot chocolate every time you do the dishes. Little changes such as these keep your windows looking fresh and new throughout the year.
If the answer is NO, I refuse to mess with these treatments once they are up - then I really suggest that you choose a year round fabric that won’t tire easily through the seasons. I’m not going to tell you not to use velvet, but certainly think about how it will feel in the heat of August. Maybe you are decorating your finished basement and it’s always slightly cold down there. Or, maybe this is a room that rarely gets used in the summer. In those instances, you can go more seasonal with your fabric. However, for the most part you’ll want to stay with a medium weight fabric that can move throughout the year. You can always change your pillows come Christmas time!
Melissa Lauer is an interior decorator and custom window treatment designer. She owns http://www.onlinesilkfabricstore.com which specializes not only in exquisite silk fabrics from around the world, but also in custom silk drapery and silk bedding.
Posted on May 1, 2009 - by admin
Flower Centerpiece Arrangements
Floral Centerpiece
Last week I was lucky enough to attend the Cincinnati Flower Show. They had a lot of great ideas for both home and garden. One thing I am always on the lookout for is new and exciting centerpieces. These flower centerpieces really caught my eye as I thought I could easily replicate them with flowers available at my local market (or even local discount store like Sams Club or Costco). For the pot, you could use a nice looking garbage can (I say this because I have a great looking black wicker can and an equally attractive black tole one). While these twigs are special designer versions, I feel you could get the same effect with dried reeds or twigs from your area. However, if you are interested in buying the twigs you see in the photo, I’ve seen them both at Michaels craft store and Sams club. The nice thing about buying good ones is that you can save them for use again later. The same is true of the paper lanterns, you can find them almost anywhere (Target, Walmart, Michaels, Hobby store, Party Store etc.) The carnations and pom pom mums are also readily available - around here you can get a couple bouquets of both for under $10. Another nice thing about this centerpiece is its longevity. All of the flowers chosen are long lived and can withstand moderate heat… no wilting flowers here! I loved the color scheme of hot pink, lime green & black. I’m going to do my own version in lime green and lemon yellow - fresh and fun for the spring/summer.
I often buy bouquets of fresh flowers for my kitchen and my dining room, but when I’m looking to take it up a notch I really prefer an organized display. I even keep a virtual file of season arrangements that have caught my eye and that I feel I can easily replicate. On of my favorites was found in the fall at a very upscale antiques festival. I was able to purchase the centerpiece after the show was over for maybe $25. I took a few photos from various angles. When it came time to discard the spent flowers, I disassembled the arrangement and kept everything that wasn’t perishable (ex. feathers, floral picks, dried berries, and the basket it came in along with the liner) I put everything in a ziptop bag and down to the basement it went. It only took 5 minutes more than chucking the whole thing in the garbage. Now, every year for the past SEVEN years I have pulled out that basket and re-created the arrangement. Talk about getting my money’s worth!
I encourage you to do the same, even if the initial arrangement is a bit of an investment. If you have the PERFECT spot for it and you know that you’ll create it again - just do it. Mother’s day is the perfect example.. if you see an adorable sunflower topiary in a cute tin pail that would look great next to your kitchen sink - grab it! Enjoy it, take photos and do it again next year at the same time. You’ll thank yourself.
