What's Your Sofa Personality?

Knowing your (or your client's) furniture personality is critical to furniture happiness.  Have you ever thought about it?

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Are you a perfectionist, a lover of things neat and clean and orderly?  A "tight back" or "tight seat cushion" may be for you...

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Or maybe just a tight back alone, like the one below.  Why?  Because they rarely ever wrinkle.  No loose cushions to get squishy.  True love for the type-A personality (overgeneralizing, I know, but work with me:)

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Then there's the semi-attached cushion, perfect for the "I like to think I'm a more relaxed
personality, but I don't want my cushions moving around (or kids using them to make forts!).  Semi-attached look loose and more relaxed, but they are actually sewn along the back of each cushion to the back of the sofa.  Pro?  Looks neater than loose back, and no fussing.  Con?  You can't rotate your cushions for even wear.

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The ottoman above is semi-attached.  It has a loose-looking cushion, but that baby isn't going anywhere, because it is sewn underneath to the base. (Easier to show on an ottoman than a sofa picture.)

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The cushions on a  "loose back" sofa, above, can all be taken off and rotated for wear. This is a great sofa for the person who 1.) is anal about even wear of cushions or 2.) likes a more lived-in look to a sofa,  or 3.) the person who doesn't freak out when the kids toss the cushions all over the floor.  (And they will.  At least once. :)

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A "pillow back" is literally having pillows along the back instead of larger cushions.  Whoa.  This person has a ton of tolerance for messy and super casual. (So NOT me.)   Do not buy a pillow back if you like things neat all the time!  This sofa type will make you out of your mind.

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Seat cushions either come loose or tight (like the blue tufted sofa up top).  There is one guarantee I can make with a bench cushion, like the one above.  It will, almost immediately, show what I call "comfort wrinkles."  Because the cushion is so long, it. will. wrinkle.  This is not for you or your client if 1.) wrinkles make you insane, or 2.) you are not willing to flip your cushion regularly.

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Finally, a word about skirts.  Whether your personality leans formal or casual, know this...skirts wrinkle.  Almost always.  And once they get a major crease in them, you can rarely get it out, because skirts have a stiff backing, and when it gets bent, it doesn't un-bend.  You also risk shoe marks.  That said, skirts are one of the easiest ways to add a bit of formal attire to a space.  Just know what to expect. 

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Truly, the key to sofa/furniture happiness and true love for years, is knowing yourself (or your client), and answering these questions before you make an investment:

1. Am I a person who likes things to look neat and tidy all the time?  Do I want to work at maintaining  a perfect look?

2.  Will I loose my mind if I can't rotate my cushions so that they always look evenly worn?

3.  Do I like to sit on my sofa (tight back/tight seat), or sink into my sofa (loose or pillow back)?

I could go on and on.  But I won't.  (Whew, I know.)    What sofa personality are you?


Carol


Need help buying furniture to suit your personality?  Contact me, I'd love to help you.

Zebra Wallpaper

Um.  I'm in love.

Okay, this is not original material.  I saw the staircase on A Delightful Design, and then the staircase and upstairs landing on Chattafabulous.  Both today.  (Thanks, ladies.) I couldn't resist sharing them with you.  I apologize that I do not know the original designer or photographer.  I know Abby sourced the staircase from Pinterest.

These images speak to my very core.  My design soul.  I could live with this for a very long time.  Am I the only one who gets moved to the core by certain interiors?  Say I'm not...

Talk to you soon, Carol

Robert Allen Performance

We received this Robert Allen Performance fabric the other day (on the left).  I paired it with a gorgeous new Kravet for a glam shot...

 "Performance" fabrics are fade and mildew resistant,  and generally tough, easy to clean fabrics.  Most are suitable indoors and out.  Why should you use them?  Because they give you great looks and they wear like iron.  Perfect family-friendly choices.  (Not just the ones above, I mean indoor/outdoor fabrics in general).  The industry has finally caught on  that people want high design and high function.  Yahoo!

Have a great week everybody!

Carol

Need new fabrics or color in your home?  Check out my Design Services and see how I can help!

Before and After: Master Bedroom and Yellow and Gray Ikat

The bathroom makeover from this post is in the same house as the master bedroom I'm working on in this before and after:

My clients wanted to update the bedroom, keeping all the furniture except the bed.  They were tired of the overly traditional window treatments and the bright yellow.  There was a four-poster bed in here before we moved in the new one, more befitting their personalities...

The walls are Ben Moore HC Clarksville Gray, which, depending on the light, looks gray or green-gray.  It's very soothing and calm.

There's artwork and accessories still to do, but I'm happy with the way it's coming along.  Now, the old chair, that was once in the living room and was not quite perfect for the bedroom, now feels like we planned the whole room around it!

Funny how that works out!

Have a great weekend,
Carol


Is your bedroom in need of an update?  Email me.  Maybe all you need is an online consult!

Before and After: Bathroom

I'm sure you've seen this bathroom a million times before.  Standard builder edition.  Basic elements.  No style.   Not much different from one house to the next.  Yawn.  (I'm sorry, did I just yawn out loud?)

After the window treatment went up today, this is how this baby's looking now...

We still need to do artwork, a ceiling fixture and the handles need to go on the painted cabinet.  But, this gives you a pretty good idea of how it will all turn out.  Here's more...

 

I kept this powder room fairly monochromatic so that the richness of the textures and patterns would play off of each other, and envelope the visitor with warmth.  I knew when we started this project that grasscloth was a must have.  Nothing compares for incredible texture.

Got a bathroom that needs a change?  Contact me and let's get started.

Talk to you soon with more on Buying Leather Furniture -- the last of the series.

And check out Wow us Wednesday's at Savvy Southern Style today, and Ivy & Elephants, too.  So much great stuff to look at!

Carol

Buying Leather Furniture: The Difference Between Top Coats

About a year ago, I consulted for a client for whom I recommended an orange-red, leather sofa.  When we met, she had a couple of swatches from a furniture store.  She asked me what I thought of the one she was leaning towards.  The color was perfect.  Then, I ran my fingernail across it.  Uh-oh. 

My client's sample finish was much like the sofa above.

 "I can't have a sofa that scratches like that!" she gasped.  Her reaction told me everything I needed to know about which direction to point her in.  Do you know enough about leather to have scratched a sample piece?

If you do, you know how many headaches you've avoided.  If you don't, now you will.  First, some basics.

1.  Leather is most often either analine or semi-analine.  It's the dying and top coat (in semi-analine) that helps determine the look of the leather.  Analine is how it is dyed -- it enhances the natural markings and beauty of a hide, no matter the dye color.  Here are two examples of analine leather (analine has no protective top coat)...

 I sometimes call this the "Ralph Lauren look."  You can see the hyde's wrinkles, the uneven "complexion", sometimes even bug bite scars or healed scratches from the cow rubbing against a fence, perhaps.  Without a top coat, analine leather will eventually take on a patina of body oils and stains, which can enhance the look of a piece of furniture as it ages and is used.  After many years, it may even crack, because there has been no moisture-protecting barrier.  (Think of your own skin after years without any lotion.  Hello!  Dry.  Hence the expression "leather skin" when we talk about people who've spent too much time in the sun!!)  You cannot wipe up spills on a leather with no top coat.

2.  So what does semi-analine get you?   Family friendliness.  The protective top coat gives you time to wipe up spills.  Some top coats more than others.  For example, the images above and below most likely, from the looks of them, have a "wax pull up" top coat on it.  While you can wipe off a spill, you better hurry, because I believe this to be a minimal protectant against stains.  I have a small sofa with a wax top coat.  The sheen and feel are very rich, like the one below, but it is definitely not scratch-proof or completely spill-proof. 

Most semi-analine have a synthetic topcoat that works really well at tolerating spills and giving you enough time for a successful clean up.  One trade-off is that they tend to be more cold to the touch, because the natural hyde can't adapt to the room temperature as well as an analine hyde.  They also can look less rich (depth of color) if the hyde has been highly corrected (explained in the next post) and has a top coat applied, like the image below. 

 This all said, semi-analine can be beautiful, but much of it depends on how "corrected" the leather is (again, next post...).

 Are you learning anything valuable?  I hope so.  As I've said before, I am by no means an expert, and I'm sure there's lots more info.  Always read the labels when you look at leather, and always ask the salesperson for guidance.

Talk to you soon,
Carol

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If you missed the Basic Tips of this series, click here.  Differences in Grain, click here.

Buying Leather Furniture: The Difference Between Grains

Full grain, top grain, split hyde. You've heard them all.  But if you're buying and you don't know what they mean, you won't know what you're paying for.  And if your client wants to know why one sofa is so much more expensive when it looks just like the other one, you want to be able to answer, right?

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Like I said in Part I, I'm by no means an expert.  So, I decided to use Wikipedia to define full grain, top grain, and split hyde.  The following definitions (*) are taken directly from Wikipedia...

*Full-grain leather refers to hides that have not been sanded, buffed, or snuffed (as opposed to top-grain or corrected leather) to remove imperfections (or natural marks) on the surface of the hide. The grain remains allowing the fiber strength and durability. The grain also has breathability, resulting in less moisture from prolonged contact. Rather than wearing out, it will develop a patina over time. High quality leather furniture and footwear are often made from full-grain leather. Full-grain leathers are typically available in two finish types: aniline and semi-aniline.

(I'll talk about aniline in Part III)

Full grain leather tends to be thicker than the others described below, and it's usually less pliable.   There is very little manipulation of the hyde, so the look tends to be more rustic and authentic.  Because full grain leather usually has no protective top coat, you don't get that "cold" feeling against your skin when you first sit on it.

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*Top-grain(Most common type used in upper end leather products)leather is the second-highest quality. It's had the "split" layer separated away, making it thinner and more pliable than full-grain. Its surface has been sanded and a finish coat added to the surface which results in a colder, plastic feel with less breathability, and will not develop a natural patina. It is typically less expensive and has greater resistance to stains than full-grain leather, so long as the finish remains unbroken.

When buying a piece of leather furniture, and the salesperson says "it's top grain leather," make sure to ask if the piece is completely top grain.  Less expensive/quality pieces will have top grain on the cushions, and split hydes on all the other sections.  Again, know what your are paying for.  It is always preferable, in my mind, to have the same grain of leather on the entire piece.  It will all wear evenly, and you want it to all appear the same, especially if you are floating a piece in a room.   This is where, when there is a considerable price difference between two sofas that look the same, the amount of a grain of leather used might be playing a part in the price.

The image above is from a big-box furniture store that touts its value and why-pay-more sentiment.  It may be leather, but it's not going to last.  It just isn't.  It is a made from a split hyde and has an artificial layer bonded to the top.  It is, really, throw-away furniture. 

*Split leather is leather created from the fibrous part of the hide left once the top-grain of the rawhide has been separated from the hide. During the splitting operation, the top grain and drop split are separated. The drop split can be further split (thickness allowing) into a middle split and a flesh split. In very thick hides, the middle split can be separated into multiple layers until the thickness prevents further splitting. 

So...have your eyes glazed over yet? :)

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Part III in this series will be a lot lighter -- how to figure out what kind of finish is right for you or your client depending on personalities (?) and intended use.

I hope this has been helpful so far.  See you next post!

Thanks for reading,

Carol

Buying Leather Furniture: Basic Info You Need to Know

Buying leather furniture can either lead to great joy or great disappointment.  You need to know what you're buying, whether for you or a client, your leather choice really is important.  Why am I talking about this today?

Someone showed me a small black swatch of leather last week and said "I need to replace a cushion on my black leather sofa because it's really worn.  Can you match this?"  Um.  No...

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 The woman who asked me this is very bright -- lots of lights on.  But, like others I've encountered in the past, she didn't stop to think...leather comes from a hyde.  From a cow.  Not from a bolt where you can order it by the yard.   I'm not being snide.  People just don't think about it.

Here's the next surprise people encounter in situations like this.  First, you have to buy an entire hide to reupholster anything.  Next, it is nearly impossible to ever match leather.  Why?  Back to the cow.  It takes several hides to upholster a sofa, or even a chair.  When the furniture is made, quality manufacturers will have tight quality control, where they use hydes dyed at the same time, and ones that are carefully chosen to blend/match as closely as possible.  

Just like us, every cow is different.  Some have more wrinkles, for example. (Have you ever noticed a leather sofa where one cushion just seems more wrinkly than the others?  That can be why.)   This is the same reason why you want to buy a matching chair and sofa at the same time, 

if you want them to look the same.

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(Okay, you have to know I love this orange leather.)

This leather reupholstery question made me realize I know a few things about leather furniture that you might like to read, whether for yourself or when shopping for a client.  I don't profess to know it all, but a few tips I've learned along the way might benefit you.  I hope so.

In Part II, I'll share what I know about leather furniture construction.  After that, I'll tackle leather finishes.

Talk to you soon,
Carol

PS  Did you notice I centered my paragraphs?  I'm trying it -- what do you think, is it easier or harder to read?

Top Tablescape and Ambience Tips

I.  Love.  Doing.  Tablescapes.  I just do.  Last weekend, I did one for the wedding shower I had for my niece.  In my book, there are some tablescape and room must-do's that are worth talking about. 

1.  Layer and vary the height of the objects on the table.  This is critical to a successful buffet table.  To get the effect, cover your table with one tablecloth, and then put various objects (bake ware, boxes, cake plates, or whatever you've got) on the table underneath a second tablecloth or piece of fabric.  This creates all kinds of nooks and crannies to nestle festive items in.

Source: thehighheeledhostess.com via Carol on Pinterest

2.  Use something unexpected as the centerpiece.  In the image above, this person used an egg tree.  Isn't that so much more inviting that a bouquet of flowers in the middle of the table with a bunch of boring, one level, pastries?

Here's a centerpiece I really love...  I can just see a buffet table layered with coffees, teas, and exotic food with this on the table...

Source: inspiredbythis.com via Carol on Pinterest

Here, I used a picture of the engaged couple as my centerpiece...

3. Repeat a color or element several times (in odd number).  Look back at the 3 images above.  The flowers are consistent in color and vary in height.  You can use many different things as your repeated element, again offering the unexpected.  Above, I used the shower favors, white boxes of truffles with pink ribbon, in groups of three around the other elements on the table.

Source: twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com via Carol on Pinterest

4.  Incorporate lots of texture.  A successful tablescape always has varying and interesting textures.  Think of the table the same way you think of decorating a room.  Shiny, smooth, rough, etc.  The keys to visual delight.  This image above is a magnificent example of using texture for incredible success.
The image below is a gorgeous use of a repeated element (color) combined with texture.  Soooo inviting.

Source: marlisbennett.blogspot.com via Carol on Pinterest

5.  Use lighting to enhance the ambiance of your table.  Whether you decorate your chandelier, use tons of candles, or add creative lighting like the image below, adding the right ambiance and going that little extra step will make your guest feel that much more special.

Source: ruffledblog.com via Carol on Pinterest

So, there's my top five tips.  Hope you find them helpful.

On a completely different subject, my blog buddy Steve from An Urban Cottage is guest blogging for New England Home magazine today.  Check it out.  You are guaranteed to learn something about architecture you didn't know! :)

Talk to you soon,
Carol

Easter Brunch Recipe -- Thank Paula Deen

If you are looking for a last minute Easter Brunch recipe, (or for any brunch where you want to be a rock star :), make this Baked French Toast Casserole by Paula Dean.

I threw a wedding shower for my niece this morning (below), and Abby from A Delightful Design suggested this recipe. It went over so well there was nothing (I mean nothing) left in the pan.  Of course, I didn't take a picture of it.

 

So check out this recipe.  You are guaranteed a great response!  (Thanks, Abby!)

 http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-french-toast-casserole-with-maple-syrup-recipe2/index.html

Happy Easter!!
Carol

Wow Wallpaper and Inspiration Art -- Project Updates

Yesterday I had a drapery install for an ongoing project, and today I was three hours from home measuring for window treatments in my client's cottage in the Berkshires.  Thought I'd share some updates.

Remember this post about my client who agreed to silver metallic walls in the living room?

The reason metallic was the only way to go is because we put a flocked wallpaper (by Stark) with a silver metallic background on the accent wall.  Plain old paint would have died on the other walls, and it would have taken away from the depth and richness of the paper.  Sometimes one element tells you what to do with the next one.

Here's the same view before the drapes went up, with the two swivel chairs I did in a silver and black weave fabric.   The black cut velvet sectional was the only thing in the room when we started...

We have a long way to go with this room, but I'm pleased with the way it's coming along.  Keep in mind, the clients' wish for this space and the dining room attached (coming), is that it be lounge/glamour/chic/edgy.

Here is a look at the purple drapes going up (albeit messy as they weren't dressed yet) with the black velvet ruffle...

Yes, all windows will have drapes.  The one on the right, above, has a sheer, embroidered roman on it, which all the windows will have.  Here's a (poor quality) close up...

The pattern on the shades mimics part of the pattern of the wallpaper.

Switching gears/styles, remember the carriage house I did back in the fall (here)?  I was out there today measuring for the window treatments, and my client had hung the artwork that had inspired the color palette for the entire home.  I just love its whimsy and girlishness...

The windows in this room will have white cafe-height shutters, and oatmeal colored drapes with great texture.  Can't wait.

So, that brings you up to date on my week.  I'm getting ready for a bridal shower at my house on Saturday, and I hope to share the tablescape from it.  How I love doing tables!!

Have a great weekend, and a Happy Easter!
Carol