Punch Up Your Neutrals With Bold Accent Color

It's a rainy, cold day here Texas where we've been in gloomy overcast for what seems like a month. OK East coast friends who are still digging out, I will stop whining!

We can all use a little jolt of color during the winter months, but for those of us with a predominately neutral backdrop in our interiors, a pop of color works wonders anytime. Williams Sonoma Home recently offered up a great choice - coral!

Pillows....

A needlepoint rug or ginger jar....

Budget friendly bath accessories or towels.....
Even a faux alligator inspired clock in an unexpected coral....

Feels like spring....!

More on Choosing the Right Sofa

I blogged earlier this week in this post about style and color considerations in choosing a sofa.

Style isn't the only consideration. There are a number of other things to think through while you are shopping for this important piece of furniture.

• Cushions - the style and the number. Cushions come in both loose and attached versions for the back. Seat cushions come in single, two or three versions. Single cushions are often more contemporary in feel and multiples can be more traditional. Sit on lots of sofas to see what feels the best to you and to see if the cushions stay put and or move around or flares up.

• Arms and legs. You can choose from armless, traditional rolled arm, curved English arm, or a straight style. The rolled arm has a flat front panel and is often outlined in cording. English style is rounded at the front, with fabric formed into sunburst-type pleats. Straight arm sofas are most often seen in contemporary settings. Do you prefer a skirted sofa or one with the visible legs? Choose from leg styles that vary from heavy square chunks and wide bun feet to more delicate tapered legs or carved and curved formal versions. Legs are usually available in a number of finishes as well.

• Sofa construction. Look for frames of kiln dried hardwoods for the frame and construction using screws, not staples. Pillow construction can be done in foam of various thicknesses, down or a combination - foam wrapped in down. Quality sofa seats are generally 8-way tied springs. Wire coils are a cheaper, less long wearing option.

• Fabric. Consider how much wear your sofa will get in addition to the overall style of the room. Chenille is a popular and durable choice and leather is long-lasting and attractive. Velvets can be lovely but may not stand up to heavy use over the years. Don't forget trim and other options, they can add to the cost, but can give your sofa a custom look.
  

The beautiful sofas in this post are courtesy of Southern Living.

The Perfect Sofa - Style and Color

Selecting a sofa can be a little intimidating. It's usually the largest piece of furniture in a room and it's often the piece that you aren't going to change out every year or so if you tire of it. A sofa typically gets a lot of use so choosing one that is comfortable for the long haul that will stand up to heavy wear is key.

Given all of that, I encourage my clients to make an investment in the sofa - consider it a foundation piece and choose a style with classic lines that will stand the test of time. Keeping foundation pieces neutral and using accessories to add color and texture (those less expensive items that can be changed out often!) will result in furniture selection that will stand the test of time.

Below are two classic options from Pottery Barn - their Seabury and the Square Upholstered. Either of these sofas would work well in a variety of interiors from traditional to contemporary.

Bassett Furniture like many manufacturers offers a variety of sofa styles that can literally be built from scratch. You select the frame, the arm style, the number of cushions, etc. and the furniture is built to your specifications. This is a great solution when you can't find just the right combination of characteristics on the showroom floor.



Think about classic lines and neutral tones if you are sofa shopping. I'll blog about sofa construction in a future post so that you'll be well armed (no pun!) to head out and shop for that great foundation piece that will last.

Sculptural Lamps

One of the best ways to freshen your interior space is to update the lamps. There are loads of great choices today that work in a wide variety of decorating styles. Recently in sourcing lamps for a client, I used Visual Comfort Lighting - a great source for a wide variety of styles and designers.

I was completely taken with the clear and almost translucent lamps. I was searching for bedside lamps for a transitional bedroom that has both traditional and contemporary elements and uncovered some great finds.

The three beauties below are from Chart House - stacked ovals, a scored column, a crystal spire and one with an interesting white marble base....



I love the linear quality of the Barbara Barry soft silver "Carousel" lamp below.

The mercury glass Thomas O'Brien "Fiona" lamp with the narrow drum shade adds just the right amount of sparkle.

The traditional gourd shape is found in the Studio Lamp below.

Lastly, I loved the Alexa Hampton polished nickle "Kate" lamp below.

Monograms Galore!

I blogged about the trend of numbers and letters on pillows the were spotted recently at Dallas Market in this post. The traditional monogram has always had a place in design and we're seeing monograms popping up more and more these days in home decor.

Ballard Designs is a very affordable source and has some traditional and not so traditional monogrammed offerings. Shower curtains, pillows and a cute leopard ottoman tray that also comes in the zebra too for lovers of animal prints.


Pottery Barn has wonderful 300 and 400 count linens that are just right for monogramming too.

Even Target is getting in on the monogram action with towels, bedding and other accessories.
Monogrammed linens and other accessories make great gift items, personalization just adds that special touch. I word of caution in using monogrammed items in your decorating scheme - use monograms sparingly. One of two items are enough to add that touch of luxury.

Color of the Year!

The Pantone company just announced the color of the year, 15-5519 Turquoise. Pantone describes 15-5519 as "an inviting, luminous hue....combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of well being."

I'm a big fan of turquoise as an accent. Is it because I'm from Texas and turquoise jewelery never goes out of style?! Turquoise can give a neutral room (or a neutral outfit!) an enormous punch of color - like these beautiful drop earrings from Barse.... Back to interiors! How about these turquoise vases? Photo from Southern Accents? A paler turquoise is used in the upholstery in this room from House Beautiful. Some great turquoise accents in soft goods from Blissliving Home.... the Lucca Ocean Bedding or the fun Posey pillow below. If you are intrigued by turquoise and need another source, try Everything Turquoise, a site devoted to well....everything turquoise!

Another Trend Spotted at Market....

...gorgeous pillows with monograms, letters and wording. I was searching for some sources for these types of pillows on one of my favorite sites - Etsy! For the uninitiated, Esty is, in its owns words, "your place to buy and sell all things handmade." Be warned though, if you follow the link to the site you may need hours to browse through all the gorgeousness!

A lot of the pillows at market were made of linen, the type that you would see in a Paris flea market. The ones I discovered on Etsy were a bit more rustic - made of feed sacks - and have a gorgeous texture. The pillows I found below are from Next Door to Heaven. Their Etsy shop can be found here and their website is here. And the best news for those of us in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex? Their shop is in Weatherford, Texas! Check out some of their designs below.




Restoration Hardware is another source for these designs too. See their linen collection below.