FABRIC STORIES

I sat down to write this post 30 minutes ago but before I could type one letter I heard that dreaded sound.....you know the retching sound that dogs make before they throw up?  Sometimes they do it for a few minutes before the "lava starts flowing" and I am scrambling to move her away from the rug onto the hardwoods.

Lord knows that trying to get already digested dog food out of seagrass is no fun [throw in a little chewed up grass to get the process going for them].

Fact:  you can take seagrass outside and hose it off....let it dry and bam....like new.

Now I am back....3000 pieces of paper towels later.

I mentioned that I spoke at Haven last week.  Thinking about what my subject would be it crossed my mind [and that was a short trip] "when I am listening to someone at a conference....what do I like to hear?"

It became clear to me that I am a visual person and I want to see "pretty things" mixed in with tips and ideas. Plus the other 2 bitches [Erika and Darlene] took all the good stuff....bitter...party for one.

It then hit me...well hit might be a little strong...more like a little bubble with words in it, "what do I love?" .....FABRICS.

That is when I came up with doing a few "fabric stories" and how I came to put them together.

So....here are a few I used in my presentation.

I started with the floral.  Next I chose a deep velvet for the sofa.  I like to use a darker or lighter color for the upholstery.  In my opinion [there is no specific rule here] the pattern will show up better.  From here it could be a toss up.  The chairs could be the large Ikat OR the black and white geometric.  I would probably paint the walls white and maybe the ceilings that minty green [a very pale version of it] in the floral.

OK...on to another one.....

This one was a fav.  The large floral was my "lead fabric".  I usually like to use it at least 2 times in the room, maybe 3.  To make it a little more modern I added the large chevron.  The tufted blue diamond fabric [which looks a little muddy in this picture] would be the sofa.  I brought in another pink in the toile and the smaller geometric in yellow.  Once again...I would add the color to the ceiling in the palest blue.

I have time for one more....

OK.....funny enough I started this one with the very bottom fabric. It is a new one from Robert Allen.  So I kind of went backwards.....funny how your brain works sometimes huh?

I am liking the green velvet again for the sofa [although in the next picture I used a brown velvet!]  I love throwing in a strong geometric patterns such as  La Fiorentina by Lee Jofa.  It keeps it from looking like Traditional Home circa early 90"s.  Everything matched then :)

Some people asked me if I would use all of the fabrics  in one room.  Of course that stumped me a little...deer in the headlights kind of way.....uh...uh....well.....thoughts and words spinning around in my brain like a blender.  Yes and No.  Maybe you guys don't think design is a process...here is a little tip for you.  

YES IT IS.

Here is how I do it....

Fabric Story

Paint

Rug

Upholstery

Then I decide on pillows and accessories etc.  Some might get eliminated, new ones might get added [because of cost].  If there is a bath or kitchen attached to the plan.....then I have the opportunity to use some in there.

I have a few more....so we will continue this next week.

Gonna be a hot weekend here in the A.T.L.

I don't want to appear to be a whiner.....but whaaaaaaa.

106...AYKM?

Sha hot at hell and not leaving the house.