St. Patrick's Day is almost here so green is the color of the day! Here are some ways to accessorize your home with this fresh and lively color.
1. Although this room has pale green walls, it is the green pillows that are the star here. White and green is a very refreshing color combination.
2. Green draperies are an easy solution to getting some green into your room. Notice they repeated the green in the pillows and throw on the chair.
3. All this room needed was green chairs and it came alive! Do you have some chairs that need reupholstering? Try using a bold color like this for a whole new look to your room.
4. If you go more for today's hot yellow green - paint the back of the bookcase and then add a throw to bring the color into the room. The white accessories on the bookcase really pop off the green backgound. Even the lampshade matches.
5. What a beautiful dining room - with just the plants in the corner for a touch of green. They could be trees or plants on stands like the ones in this picture.
6. A green headboard with a pillow repeating the color gives life to this neutral room. This could be an easy do-it-yourself project by just making a plywood frame, covering it with padding and then stapling the fabric onto the back. They used nailhead trim here for texture and a little glam.
7. This wall of live plants makes a bold statment and is easily watered with a drip watering system. You will need a well lit wall - maybe a skylight overhead or else large windows nearby.
8. Here is another way to use green plants for decorating and have them be functional too. Having a live herb garden in the kitchen is a great way to always have fresh herbs.
9. Even the family pets can use of dose of green in their part of the house! Aren't these pet beds adorable?
Look for a way to incorporate green into your accessory decorating and you will be amazed what a change it can make.
Link to previous blogs here
Please call me if I can be of any help!
408-369-9801 or email me
accentondesign@yahoo.com
Lila Levinson, ASID, CKD, CID, NCIDQ, IDG
Lots of people think that no window treatment is the best treatment, but that is not the best solution for many rooms.
There are functional issues to be addressed such as privacy, light and heat control, softening and warming up the looks of a sterile room, enhancing the architectural features and balancing the furniture and color in the room.
For privacy, blinds or shades are the first choice because they can be used alone or under a drapery or valance. We use them alone when clients are starting the decorating process and need to address heat or privacy but the rest of the room hasn't been designed yet. We can layer the finished treatment over them when we are ready. They come in sheer fabric, opaque fabric, wooden slats, metal slats and grass and woven wood fabrics and they can be mounted inside the window sill or outside.
Plantation shutters are still popular and offer light and privacy control and a more architectural look.
Roman shades are a decorative shade that is used alone or in combination with other treatments and can be operable or purely decorative. There are quite a few styles available and they can be mounted inside the window or on the outside. They should always be lined.
These Roman shades operate from the bottom up to offer privacy while still letting in a lot of light.
These Duette shades are often used in a bathtub so privacy can be addressed without sacrificing natural light. They can be motorized so you won't have to climb in the tub to operate them!
If light control is a concern we recommend black out lining in both Roman shades and draperies. This lining also helps insulate and keep out heat and keep the room heat inside. Be sure that the window treatment extends beyond the glass so there is no light leakage at the sides. That also includes having returns on the sides of draperies so the light doesn't peek out from the sides. Draperies should always be lined unless they are sheers.
Don't be afraid to use draperies because they will be too dominant in the room - you can always use a fabric that is the same color as the walls to help it blend in but still create a soft frame for the windows.
If you are looking for a luxurious look have your draperies interlined (an extra layer of a specific fabric that increases insulation). This is often done on silk draperies to give them body. There is no other way to get that full beautiful draping and it has the benefit of adding extra insulation as well.
Full height draperies can be used to frame a view and draw attention to it. They can be operable if needed for privacy or sun protection or just as stationary panels for decorative purposes. They also add to the formality of a room, where shorter curtains are used in less formal spaces (kitchens, kids bedrooms, family rooms). They can also be used to enlarge the look of windows that are too small for the room or uneven in width. By extending them well past the ends of the windows they give the impression that the windows are larger than they really are.
Top treatments can be used decoratively or to balance uneven heights of window in a room as well as add a decorative touch. By mounting them all at the same height the windows will appear to all be the same height from inside the room.
Bow and bay windows usually look best dressed with some type of window treatment. Bare bow or bay windows in a living room for instance, make the room look unfinished. Depending on the type of treatment you select, they may require special rods or custom valances but the finished result will greatly enhance the looks of the room. This room has Silouettes in the windows, a valance to hide the Silhouette when it is fully open and drapery panels flanking the window. Notice that the bay window panels are mounted higher than the ones in the adjoining room in order to emphasize the tall windows.
Solar shades look great in a more contemporary room and also cut the glare and help keep out the heat of the sun. The advantage to them is that they are minimalistic and don't block the view when down and can be raise all the way for a full unobstructed view. There are several light densities and colors available. The darkest ones offer the best visibility.
Vertical blinds are another option, although I have never liked them. The newer sliding panels on a track are much more attractive and don't give the room that sterile look. They come in many different opacities and weaves.
Windows coverings are often the finishing touch for a room so have fun with them!!
Please call me if I can be of any help!
408-369-9801 or email me
accentondesign@yahoo.com
Lila Levinson, ASID, CKD, CID, NCIDQ, IDG
I just returned from the Kitchen & Bath and Window Covering shows in Las Vegas and found some fun new things to share with you!
Interior design is taking a new direction - I saw lots of "bling" at the show in everything from faucets and hardware to fabrics and trims. Keep your eyes open for this new trend.
Faceted vessel sink would brighten up any bathroom
Here is a farmhouse sink that can be retrofitted into your existing cabinets so you won't have to replace them to get this charmer!
Wow - a medicine cabinet that raises up instead of opens out! It can have a magnifying mirror, TV, electrical outlets and adjustable shelves inside.
This faux limestone fireplace looks and feels like the real thing but is much lighter and easier to install.
Cast Bronze "people" cabinet hardware add whimsy to any room
New contemporary cabinet door style has texture for added interest
Beautiful silk sheers
Elegant embroidered and embellished fabrics - good for draperies and upholstery
Whimsical contemporary drapery fabric for some playful fun!
open
These roller shades are partially sheer when open and opaque when shut and look beautiful either way. They are very easy to operate.
closed
Crystal upholstery tacks dress up this cornice
Very cool contemporary tassels
I hope this had inspired you for your next decorating project.
Please call if I can be of help 408-369-9801
accentondesign@yahoo.com
Live, Love, Laugh ........ Have a great day!
Lila