Making it Lovely

Category: ‘F’ for Fabric

  • Dreaming of Orla Kiely Curtains

    I’ve been having a lot home design dreams lately. Usually they make no sense, like the one I had recently where Kim from Myles of Style and the Dugger family gave my living room a makeover (it resulted in forced smiles followed by tears from me). Last night was different though…

    I had been looking online at curtains for the library. I know everyone always says that they love the ones that are up there now, but I don’t. I’m looking for a bold, graphic print that has brown and mustard yellow in it to work with the wall colors, but I didn’t find anything I really loved (these came closest). I had given up for the night and figured I’d look again in a few months when there might be some new options on the market. Then, I had a dream in which the perfect solution presented itself to me: I want curtains made out of Orla Kiely stem print fabric!

    Too bad it doesn’t seem to be available. Wah-wah.

    Orla Kiely

  • Primrose Fabric: Yay or Nay?

    I haven’t sewn anything yet… I just draped the fabric over the curtain rod.

    Possible New Curtains

    I don’t think it looks bad. True, there is no yellow in the fabric, but I think it looks fine next to the stairway color.

  • Plans for the Library

    Plans for the Library

    Our “library” (the landing at the top of the stairs) looks pretty good. I mean, it was even in a magazine not long ago… but I’ve always thought that it could look better.

    My Library
    (photo by Janet Mesic-Mackie for Home Magazine, September 2008)

    The little light in the room is horrible and it doesn’t even fully cover the hole in the ceiling for it, but I’ve had a hard time finding a replacement because our ceilings upstairs are only 7.5′ tall. I had ordered this Jonathan Adler light previously, but it was far too large for the space and we used it in my studio instead. I did see this light recently, and it may work since it’s a bit smaller.

    The stairway woodwork has been painted mustard yellow (“Campground” by Behr), which does look nice with our current curtains, but I was never a huge fan of those. They’re okay, but not great. I’ve always loved Amy Butler’s Lime Primrose fabric, and seeing it recently as pillows made me revisit the idea of using it for new library curtains.

    I’m just a little worried that the fabric won’t work with the yellow wall. Brandon’s mom gave us a curvy wooden side table recently (and the go-ahead to paint it or do whatever we want to it), so maybe it would be nice if it were painted the same yellow? I also have a neat little side table on the way that could be painted. Or we could keep a dark brown side table to match the legs on the chair and ottoman, and rely on the mustard yellow throw that’s in the room (which was just $1 at goodwill). The Orla Keily pitcher from Target that I’m eagerly awaiting (used as a vase with some pink flowers) would be nice too.

    Library Updates

    I love the fabric so much, I’m determined to make it work.

  • Slipcovering a Patrik Chair?

    I have IKEA’s Patrik as my desk chair. I still like it and it’s comfortable, but I’d like to change the color. I think having it reupholstered would probably be too expensive, so I thought a slipcover could be a good solution.

    Do you think it would be too hard to do though? There are a lot of crazy angles.

  • The Wallpaper is Here!

    The Wallpaper is Here!

    It’s so pretty.

    Fabric & Wallpaper

    It looks good with the pink upholstery fabric I bought on eBay too. I’m going to put white curtains up instead of ivory, and I think the rug could stay (for now at least).

    Fabric & Wallpaper

    I was going to paint the ceiling the same color as the living room, but I don’t think it will look as good as I thought it would. Maybe white, gray (to match or a little darker), or pink?

  • Four New Dining Room Ideas

    Four New Dining Room Ideas

    These are my latest ideas…

    Four Dining Room Ideas

    The constants throughout all four designs are the ivory curtains (from Crate & Barrel, now discontinued), the lighting fixture (from west elm), the dining table and chairs (vintage, from Jubilee Furniture), and the wood trim and floors in our home. Also, I may edge the curtains with a coordinating solid to pick up on the other elements in each design.
    (more…)