Drapery Hardware

Custom drapery hardware can really make the drapery or window treatment.  It's one of the necessary components when you are going the custom route.  Why spend the money on your custom treatment or drapery and purchase flimsy hardware that doesn't hold up?   I work with several vendors that create beautiful and substantial rods and finials.  Finials are my favorite part of the drapery hardware and I've posted a few pictures that show some of the detail, color and material choices available.

This client loves elephants...Perfect!

Vendors include Helser Brothers, Paris Texas and Select Hardware.

Area Carpets, So Many Choices

An area carpet can change the personality of your room.  If you are looking to make a change to your space and don't want to paint, a new carpet can really change up the look and capture your new vibe!  While at Market in High Point I had the opportunity to check out area carpets from my new favorite rug vendor, Surya Rugs.  They pretty much have anything you'd want to dress up your floors.  There's not enough room here to post all the ones I like, but here are some samples.

Fun and Fresh!

I Love anything Ikat!

Also love Trellis styles.

Looks like it costs a fortune, but it doesn't.

The only one I can actually imagine laying on!

Ottomans for Every Room

I just got back from High Point Market and wanted to show you some of the great ottomans available. There is literally an ottoman for every room and style. Take a look at these pictures and see if there is something fabulous that you could envision in one or more of your rooms.

Contact me if you see something you'd love to rest your feet upon or dress up your room!

Creative Lighting Solutions

As with all necessary design elements, we find a way to make them better, more attractive, or interesting.  Last month I visited a fabric/decorating store in Richmond VA and they had some really great lighting hanging up in their store.  The first chandelier pictured has wine bottles as the decorative element.  The one on the left has the bottles loaded to create a shade, so you could use bottles in a particular color scheme to complete your decor.  As you can see, on the right is the lighting "frame" sans bottles.

This rustic chandelier would work perfectly in a less formal dining room or perhaps in a high ceiling great room.

I LOVE this lighting....soooo glamorous.  Either of these could really add some sparkle to your space!

The geometric overlay on this drum style pendant chandelier is a great way to update a transitional or modern room.

These pendant lights found on australiandesignreview.com are used over a kitchen island.  They are based on a design used in offices, factories, and stations in the 1940s.  I love the glowing hammered finish.

This Sputnik ceiling light, found on midcenturia.com, was designed in the 1950s based on, you guessed it, a space craft. 

And who can forget the shiny brass lighting from the 1980s and 90s.  Although I have nothing against traditional lighting... I'm glad we moved on to more creative options.

Unusual Design Elements

Sometimes it just works to throw a totally unexpected object into your room design.  It creates a unique space that can have alot of meaning to those who occupy the room.  We've all seen the really cool things that people come up with for children's rooms, but what about the everyday rooms we use as adults?  I found these images from House Beautiful and just had to share them.  How are some ways that you've used an otherwise out of place object in your room designs?

 

If I had a vacation home on the water, I'd love these two design ideas! 

I like that the designer used a French oak easel as a TV stand...its creative and can also be moved easily.

Upholstered and Fabric Headboards

You can add alot of flair to your room design with an upholstered or fabric headboard.  Between all the fabric choices out there, and with the various shapes, the design options you can create for your headboard style can vary widely.  While these two headboards are neutral, they are very stylish and distinctive.  The one on the left has a classic shape, tufting and those great nail heads.  The one on the right is wing-backed, just like a wing-backed chair.  This style looks incredibly cozy and elegant to me.   Both are from the Candice Olsen collection.  See below what it looks like when standing alone.



 

            

 I recently finished a project for a client who wanted an upholstered headboard for her guestroom.  She has a Jenny Lind headboard that has been in her family for many years (much like the one pictured below on left).  The cool thing is that it also has this wooden cover that fits right over the headboard.

I made a slipcover with this stunning fabric to go over the wooden cover, and viola!...an "upholstered" headboard.  Also, notice the matching box spring cover which gives the bed a nice finished look. This guest room is now beautiful, comfortable and inviting.

 I really love these patterned fabric headboards, the pair on the left have that great wing-backed feature. The one on the right is bright and cheery, perfect for a girl's room. (Sarah Richardson design on right) 

With it's ornate shape and gold framing, this headboard looks like it is fit for royalty.

  

                                                                                                                                                                      

Ceilings - The Fifth Wall

You can make a bigger design statement with the ceilings, a.k.a., the fifth wall of a room.  It's not unusual to see the fifth wall with a special treatment of some sort ... painted, papered, moldings or some combination of those.  Sometimes the room may just feel not quite finished if the ceiling is ignored.  I frequently look at pictures of decorated rooms on the web and, looking back, find that most of the pictures I save are those with a treated ceiling.  Look at the wood treatments on the ceilings of these two dining rooms.  Although the rooms appear to be large and have high ceilings, they still feel warm and inviting.  I love the one on the left.

                                                                                                                                                                          

Paint is the easiest and the most versital way to make an impact on your fifth wall.  There are thousands of colors, color combinations, treatments and finishes.  Your imagination is the limit.  Look at the beautiful bronze glow this ceiling provides for this dramatic staircase.  It just wouldn't be the same if left white.

Paint and moldings make the room's decor a little more special.  The picture on the left is a corner of my dining room ceiling.  I liked using the two shades of paint and notching the corners of the trim to provide depth and interest.  The ceiling of the bedroom gives more of an island feel to the room.

Look how fun the lattice makes this sunroom.