Home Interaction

As we discussed in part I of 2011 decorating trends, popular paint company Sherwin Williams, www.sherwinwilliams.com, has come up with 4 color palettes that have been built around a suggested lifestyle; Purely Refined, Gentle Medley, the Nomad and the one we are going to discuss today, Bold Invention.

Bold Invention is designed to appeal to a young, artsy homeowner who resides in a metropolitan area but these same ideas will work just as well for suburb dwellers.  In order to achieve this style, Sherwin Williams suggests decorating your home using the following:

• High energy colors.  These would include chili red, sapphire blue , parakeet green and steely gray. 
• With its clean and simple lines, modern furniture is the perfect choice for this look.  Search for items that combine metal, glass and acrylic with blond wood tones to coordinate with the warm and cool color palette.
• Look for fabrics containing geometric or graphic designs as the perfect complement to the intense colors used in this design style.
• Artwork can include lots of colored glass items as well as graphic and  abstract prints on the wall. 

Bold Invention is meant to evoke images of a youthful and energetic lifestyle but, as I said, these same colors would work just as well in an eclectic interior in a home in the suburbs.  The key is to choose those trend ideas that  suit the tastes of you and your family and apply them to your decorating projects.  For example, geometric print pillows will add a pop of color to a neutral sofa.  Sapphire blue walls in the powder room can turn this sometimes boring space into something special.  These simple project make it possible to easily switch to  next year’s trend.

Always press your projects as you go.

Poking out the corners, using the pointer tool.

Inserting the pillow form.

Slip stitching the opening together.

Ready for the buttons.

Here are my finished pillows. I’ll have illustrated tutorials showing them in the making soon.

Amy Butler Hourglass pillow

The fabrics are Amy Butler’s Deco Rose Brown and Fresh Poppies Fuchsia.

The little kitty is not perfect, but I think she is kind of cute.

Candy Kitten

Amy Butler Hourglass pillow

My favorite, done in Amy Butler Pressed Flowers Turquoise and Clematis Grey.

Jean jumper: This tool is a piece of plastic designed to help the sewing machine foot work over bulky seams such as those found in jeans.

Kimono sleeves: Kimono sleeves are cut in one piece with the garment front and back.

Knife pleats: Knife pleats are more commonly called straight pleats. Knife pleats all run in the same direction; your pattern will give detailed instructions on making the pleats.

Knits: Fabrics which are knitted rather than woven. Knits have more stretch than woven fabrics; some patterns are made especially for knits.

I received my new J.Crew catalog this week and happily sat down to read it magazine style, since I look at it for styling ideas more than individual pieces.   I flipped the page and THERE THEY WERE. Again. The sequined harem pant. Really?? When I saw them many months back when Jenna Lyons wore them on Oprah AND in Elle Decor on the the same month I thought “Ok, I hate them, but they’ll be a flash in the pan”. But then they put them out again- the most unflattering pants on the planet- now with a drawstring waist! Next to giant shoulder pads, harem pants are my very least favorite “trend” and to add sequins to them is like, so visually offensive. I think my retinas would be burned if I saw someone wearing them in real life. YET, they are sold out! At an offensive $650 price tag too!! This is something that leaves me baffled- who bought them? Where are they wearing them?

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The letter “C” can apply to so many things when it comes to decorating not the least of which is color.  But we talk about color so much that I thought we would discuss something a little different for the letter “C”—candles.

Candles are a very important part of decorating.  They add light, ambience, color and scent to a room. Let’s take a look at some of the choices you have.

Soy or Wax?

As the name implies, soy candles are made from a wax derived from soy beans.  This results in a natural product that is fairly inexpensive and very renewable.  Soy candles can last up to three times longer than regular paraffin wax candles and usually burn much cleaner, producing less black soot.  Most scents are added through the use of essential oils keeping with the all natural idea.

Paraffin used in candle making is a by product of petroleum.  Burning petroleum is probably not a good idea but, to be fair, the amount you burn is minimal so probably no need to worry.  Paraffin produces a black soot that you can see on the inside of a candle holder or even on the wall next to the candle.  Paraffin is often less expensive than soy but if you take into consideration the amount of burn time you receive with soy it probably all pencils out.

Scented or unscented?

This is strictly a personal choice.  It is nice to burn a candle with a scent reminiscent of the season i.e.

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