Sneak peek: Sarah Richardson's fabric collection

 

 

Now I'm anxious: when will Sarah Richardson's fabric collection for Kravet be launched? It's been announced for some time now, but we have yet to see the big release.

Curious as I am, I Googled the two names and, lo and behold, up came the site Housefabric, already selling Sarah Richardson's fabrics, especially designed for the textile brand Kravet.

Needless to say, the fabrics are gorgeous and combine perfectly. They are all natural material - heavy cotton or linen, or a mix - and can be used for upholstery, drapery panels or pillow covers. Have a look at these stylish combos:

Fall in love with orange

There's no escape: fall is here. It is surrounding us with warm reds, oranges and yellows - the same hues that we like to use as accent colours in our homes.

And while red really brings life to beige and taupe interiors, the vibrancy of orange and yellow is best appreciated when used in grey colour schemes, which are so in vogue right now. It's the contrast between warm and cool that makes the combination interesting.

Orange has been a popular accent colour for some time now. If you consider it for your home, first assess how pure or muted the other colours in the room are. Adding a vibrant orange to an otherwise muted colour scheme will not look right.



Interior decorated with pieces from Target's

Beaver Canoe collection.

I saw some neat orange pieces when visiting the Target store in North Bay last week. They were part of the Beaver Canoe collection - a collaboration between Target and Roots. Make sure to check it out! It's a contemporary, organic collection that feels warm and inviting for this fall!

Pieces from the Beaver Canoe collection

at Target's North Bay store.

Buying online - yea or nay?

Online shopping makes it possible

to sometimes find unique things

without having to battle congested

city traffic. Here mirrors from

Serena & Lily.

 

 

A client recently wanted my advice about an upholstered chair she had found online. She really liked it, but could she comfortably buy it without having seen it first hand? It was going to be used as an occasional chair in her bedroom.

My answer: "Ideally, you want to try it in person, to be sure that the comfort, quality and fabric meet your expectations. But if you trust the brand (which both of us did), and agree with the company's return policy (which was reasonable), then I would say: give it a try. Oh, and ask if you can't get a sample of the upholstery before committing."

The fact that the chair was not a key piece for the main living area, also contributed to my reply; I would never, never, buy a living room couch, for example, without having experienced it first hand. That's also true for dining room sets, antiques and anything else where the details are critical.

Baskets, hardware, mirrors and small side tables I think are fine if you are familiar with the company's finishes and you can't find what you're looking for in a nearby store.

What's your take on online shopping for the home? Is it for you? I'd love to hear your stories!

A fresh start for your home



Photo: Williams Sonoma.

Sometimes, our homes come together by chance. We have some hand-me-down items here, some “temporary-fixes-turned-into-permanent-solutions” there, and - in the best of cases - also some well-thought out, treasured pieces that we really like.

Often, because of lack of time and different priorities, things stay like that year after year…

…well, maybe not any longer! Why not try this fall to refresh your home so that it more reflects you, and the way you want to live?

Here’s what I suggest you do:

1) Focus on one room at a time.

2) Create a "blank canvas", by taking out as much as you can from the room, including wall art and rugs. Determine if there are alternative ways to place the main pieces of furniture. Small changes such as changing the orientation of a chair, or taking out a side table or excess chairs can do wonders.

3) Assess each piece that you are about to put back into the room: Do you think it is beautiful? Does it make you happy? Does it fit with the other things in the room? Does it make your life easier? If you answer “no” to these questions, ask yourself: do I really want to keep this piece at all?

4) If the previous exercise meant that you got rid of items that filled a key role, determine if you can bring in furniture from other rooms. Keep an open mind towards reinventing how you use a piece. For example, a chest can become a coffee table, an antique box can become a bookshelf, and a beautiful scarf can be framed and be put on the wall.

5) Start making a list of things you want or need for your home, prioritize, assign a budget, and start the search. Let me know how it goes!

Easing out of summer

Summer is not quite over, but with school starting next week, many of us are already in a fall mindset. But don't go too fast - there is still time to get your home ready for cooler temperatures. What we can do already now, though, is to start making plans and getting inspiration.

 

I subscribe to a variety of design newsletters, and one such publication is from Designers Guild. The company's relaxed, beautiful interiors and lush colour combinations always put me in a good mood. 

Here are some selected highlights from their Fall 2013 catalogue. I hope they will inspire you too! Enjoy the long weekend!  

 

 

Customizing IKEA

Superfront's products include marble, limestone

and lacquered tops, to be combined with nine 

differently patterned fronts, eight handle and

leg options in twelve different colours, for IKEA's

Faktum, Bestå and Pax cabinets and wardrobes.

The new IKEA catalogue is out, and as always it's filled with inspiring interiors and smart design.

I avoid decorating a room entirely with pieces from a big box store, but I think it's perfectly fine to throw them in here and there, according to the "save and splurge" philosophy.

What I really like though, is when a big box store find is tweaked and renewed with the help of a few new components, creating unique and highly personalized pieces. 

That's the business idea of the brand new Swedish company Superfront. The firm offers a wide range of fronts, handles, tops, legs and sides for existing IKEA cabinet bases. I visited their Stockholm showroom this summer and was very impressed by their versatile pieces, and how a basic IKEA product can look so exclusive and stylish while still maintaining a sensible price.

Let's hope we can buy Superfront's pieces here in Canada soon!  

Untreated brass and copper, leather and lacquered steel are

some of the materials used in the company's door knobs.

 

Crystal clear design

An absolutely gorgeous - and huge! -

glass fixture, as seen at last year's

Interior Design Show in Toronto. The
glass top prevents the table from
feeling overly big.  

Do you recognize any of these situations in your home environment?

1) Big and bulky furniture.
2) Space is tight.
3) Dark colour scheme or limited natural light. 
4) Many flat finishes and materials.
5) Mix of design styles.

Then you should consider introducing a transparent piece of furniture into your space. By being "barely there", it fills a function without taking up visual space. It also helps bounce light around, and can be a unifying element that brings different furniture styles together.

Choose between glass or acrylic materials, and try to protect the piece from scratches.

Here's some inspiration to give you a crystal clear idea of transparent pieces' functionality and beauty:

A glass wall in a realtor's office in Stockholm cuts out

sound and maintains the space bright and airy. Curtains

suspended from ceiling tracks offer visual privacy

when needed. 

This Murano glass fixture

feels light and unobtrusive. 

Another version of Philippe Starck's Ghost

Chair. This piece is called Casper and is

from the Great Room in North Bay.

I specified this Richelieu Swarovski crystal knob for 

a client's cabinetry, to introduce some reflection and
a glamorous touch. She loves the result!

Smart stool solution for a shower; it can

handle water and is visually light.

Great rooms for kids

A happy and relaxed room is a good foundation for a happy and relaxed little one. And, as parents, that's what we want!

Here are five key components that go into a great space for a young child:

1) Soft colours for a good night's sleep
Yes, I know, many kids love strong colours. But if the room is for sleeping in, you're better off choosing a mellow colour scheme that will keep your darling calm. A red bedroom is not a good idea. This toddler's bedroom was originally blue, which felt moody and dark. I picked a light yellow colour and paired it with soft greys, beiges and the odd hint of orange. The result is sunny and happy. 



2) Be creative when it comes to art
Who needs "real" art when children's paintings are so colourful and dynamic? I used a mix of frames, added a few bought pieces and achieved a whimsical and highly personal focal wall.


3) Make it playful - use pattern
Quilts are ideal for kids' rooms. They can be your guide for a complete, harmonious colour scheme. That's what happened here; most of the colours in the quilt are repeated elsewhere in the room. Keep your eyes open for fabulous quilts in our local stores!

4) Bring in movement through a mobile
Movement is life, and few things provide it so subtly as mobiles. Attached to the ceiling in one corner of the room, this paper mobile quietly calls for attention.

5) Storage boxes: your life saviour
This is probably the most important component. You want to be able to tuck away all these adorable soft toys, books, lego pieces, and other kid essentials. Shelves, baskets, containers and boxes are your best friends. Don't forget the storage space under the bed!

 

 

Do you have other good ideas for kids' roooms?

Gorgeous rooms for rainy days

Sarah Richardson's cottage living room.

Summer is not all sunshine, we've seen signs of that in recent days. And even though sunny weather is preferable, rainy days can also be beautiful in their own special way. I'm thinking of the dramatic colours, the freshness in the air after a downpour, the look of stone and other materials when they are wet...

Nothing beats watching a storm roll in from the vantage point of a cozy, comfortable room. 

Here are some of my favourite rooms for rainy days. Have a wonderful, long weekend - rain or shine!

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

 

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

 

Photo: Houzz. Eclectic Living Room by Santa Ynez
Media and Bloggers Going Home To Roost
 

Photo: Houzz.

 

Photo: Houzz. Charles Cunniffe Architects Aspen

 

Photo: Houzz. Kitty&Company Interior Design llc