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| Matters of Style |
September 2015
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Greetings,
Welcome back to Matters of Style, a periodic newsletter from To a T Interiors. In this edition, hope you enjoy reading about the process involved in a TV room redo and get inspiration from painted furniture and updates involving fabric that pack a punch. Happy Decorating!
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Room Redo: Max the Seating and the Style
My client Julie asked for help redesigning their TV Room which is open to the adjacent kitchen and dining areas in her home. One goal was to maximize seating as this is the area that people congregate in during gatherings.
As configured with a loveseat and two chairs, the room could only seat 4 without pulling up additional chairs. In addition, any new arrangement had to provide two comfortable seats for husband and wife to watch TV together. Julie's assumption was that they would be replacing the existing loveseat to achieve an updated look.
Upon seeing the room, my suggestions were: add a sectional to increase the seating in the roughly 12' x 12' space, and an area rug to ground the seating area and make it feel more cohesive.
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| | Proposed Floor Plan (dining area represented on right-hand side) |
To help visualize the changes, I drew a floor plan to demonstrate that the space could handle an 8' x 10' area rug and a 6' x 10' sectional.
Julie and I met at a local furniture store where we configured the ideal sectional from Bassett Furniture. I suggested Julie bring home the fabric samples to view in the room. The sofa fabric decision was easy but we had not found the perfect statement ottoman fabric. Julie did some shopping on her own and found the ottoman fabric and rug which I immediately gave approval to proceed as they made a cohesive palette with the new sofa and existing chair.
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| | New Sectional, Ottoman and Area Rug |
At my request, Julie shared feedback on the redesign process and results:
"I always feared designers imposing their own style on my space, but you have a wonderful talent for listening, incorporating my ideas, and keeping things I couldn't give up. With your professional advice, exceptional style, and shopping expertise the result is EXACTLY what I wanted, only much better and a lot easier! And my very-reluctant-to-change-anything hubby said "This is PERFECT!" Julie
High praise and happy hubby... my job is done!
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More Chalk Paint Please
| If you've been reading this newsletter, you probably know about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (ASCP) and it's transformative powers to make the old look new again. You can read a past issue on my personal experience using ASCP . This summer I took a class to perfect my knowledge and technique with some Porter's Neck friends, shown below with our sample boards.
One of my class mates was motivated to practice her new skills on this chest from her foyer.
While pretty, the chest did not fit the coastal vibe the homeowner was seeking. She bought a new area rug with the colors she wanted to bring into her home and used that palette to select a custom mix of two ASC Paint colors to remake the chest.
And here is the stunning transformation....
Before you get rid of any furniture that you think is not making the grade, be sure to look at it as a potential DIY ASCP project--it's way less expensive, and more satisfying, to take the class, buy the paint and pick up a paint brush, than purchasing a new piece of furniture.
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Small Project, Big Impact
| If painted furniture is not the answer for your design inspiration, consider a makeover with accent fabric to make an impact.
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| | "New" chair with inspiration fabric |
I inherited this beautifully carved Victorian-era parlor chair and wanted to use it in our NC home. With the upholstery past it's prime, I looked for fabric that would coordinate with artwork and an area rug in, of all places, our powder room. As you can see, this is not a chair for sitting, although it likely was used for that purpose in the late 1800's. I love the intricate detail of the carved back and legs and consider it an accent piece, albeit one that often becomes a conversation piece because of it's unusual location!
We needed a side chair in our great room so I went searching at local consignment stores for the perfect "one". It was love at first sight when I saw this cane backed chair with it's pineapple cut-out. After a good cleaning and new upholstery, it's a real stand-out in the room.
Decorating in zones is an important interior design principle. The area rug in this bedroom makes a strong statement in the function zone (from floor to 36"). But the room had no punch in the power zone:
from 3-6 feet. Adding a bolster and accent pillow in a statement fabric that mimicked the colors from the area rug creates a pop of visual interest in the power zone and helps bring the eye up and around the room.
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| | After: With New Bolster and Pillow |
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As always, if you need help making your home the inviting, comfortable space you envision, call To a T Interiors. We can help you select the perfect paint color, find solutions to corral the clutter that accumulates for busy families or redesign your living spaces to enhance the beauty and function for the whole family.
Susan
Susan Keifer
301-467-3563
www.toatinteriors.com
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Save 20%
Mention this ad when you schedule an appointment (or virtual consultation for long-distance clients) and get a 20% reduction for up to two hours. Feel free to share this offer with any of your friends and family who might appreciate To a T's help too.
Offer Expires: Appointment must be booked by November 15, 2015. |
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