A FREE bi-monthly home decorating ezine!
published by KatieDid Design
May 2001
brought to you by:
KatieDid Design
www.katiediddesign.com
mailto:contact@katiediddesign.com
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April 27th, 2001 ------ May Issue ------
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Hello Dear Readers!
First the good news... it's a girl!
:-) Yes, I finally had my baby. She was born on
March 27th - the day after I sent out the April
issue. I'm glad that I got the issue out that
day, or it would have been really late! As it
is, here she is a month old today, and I'm still
running behind on everything! Three kids takes
quite a bit of time out of my day! But they're
worth it. Anyway, we named her Karsey Miranda,
and she was 8lbs. 12oz. and 21" long... Want to
see pictures of the cutest little baby you'll
ever see? You're welcome to go see them here:
Karsey Miranda Peters:
http://www.katiediddesign.com/Karsey
Next... despite being so busy, I did
get the next article written for you! (That's
why this is a little late.) This month's article
is the second in my new four-part series. It's
on 'Achieving the Look You Want With Patterns'
and I hope you enjoy it. Last month's article was
'Achieving the Look You Want with Color', and the
next two months will be on Materials and
Furnishings. If you missed last month's issue
and would like to have it, just send a blank
e-mail to this e-mail address and you'll get last
month's issue by autoresponder. Enjoy!
April issue:
mailto:april@katiediddesign.com
Congratulations go to Dena of Pennsylvania!
She was the lucky prize winner among the March
subscribers. She received a free 12" Fabric-Covered
Fan. She chose to have hers done in blue and
yellow and in a modern style.
This month's prize will also be a free
12" Fabric-Covered Fan! The winner will get to
choose the color and style of the fan, and
I'll design their very own unique and beautiful
little accents. So forward this to your friends,
or send them by the site to subscribe so they get
their chance to win! All those subscribed at the
end of the month are automatically entered. For
more information on the drawing, see my drawing
page.
Fabric-Covered Fan:
http://www.katiediddesign.com/fa-fan.html
Drawing Page:
http://www.katiediddesign.com/drawing.html
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1. THIS MONTH'S SUBSCRIBER SPECIAL
- Rod-Pocket Panels
2. TIPS & TRICKS
- Paint Striped 'Wallpaper'
3. FEATURE ARTICLE
- Achieving the Look You Want With Patterns
4. CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH
- Try Something New!
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1. THIS MONTH'S SUBSCRIBER'S SPECIAL
- Rod-Pocket Panels
I've decided to give you all a 10%
discount this month on Rod-Pocket Panels. These
basic window treatments go with just about any
decorating style, and can look quite different
depending on the length you order, and the
valance(s) that you hang them with. You can have
them made with twin sheets for a great look at an
economical price, or you can have them made from
Laura Ashley decorator prints... or anything in
the middle! It's up to you! Let me know what
you'd like by May 31st!
Rod-Pocket Panels:
http://www.katiediddesign.com/wt-panels.html
And don't forget that you've got a few
days left to take advantage of the April
Subscriber Special on Rod-Pocket Cascades.
These great window treatments can be styled to
look classic, country, Victorian, modern...
almost any style. And the great thing about them
is that they are fabric- savers -- you can get
treatments for two windows from about the same
amount of fabric as you would need for
rod-pocket panels for ONE window! This month
you, as a subscriber to this e-zine, can order
one pair for $29.95, or two pair for $45.95.
That's $24.00 off the regular price of
$34.95/pair! All you have to do is order before
April 30th and mention that you're a subscriber.
Rod-Pocket Cascades:
http://www.katiediddesign.com/wt-cascades.html
This offer is available to anyone who
is already a subscriber, or who subscribes when
they place their order. Just tell me what you'd
like and mention that you're a subscriber. If
you have something in mind right now, drop me a
line and ask:
mailto:katie@katiediddesign.com
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2. Tips & Tricks
- Paint Striped 'Wallpaper'
Do you like the look of wallpaper but
want the easy washability and durability of
paint? If you like striped wallpaper, then
here's a great easy way to get it!
1) Choose your colors...you can do
white and blue, cream and green, two slightly
different colors for a shadow effect... whatever
you want!
2) Paint the entire wall or section of
wall the lighter color.
3) Use masking tape to mask off the
stripes that you want to stay the lighter color...
you can do lots of narrow stripes, or put
masking tape along strips of paper to make
wider stripes. Make sure your first paint is
totally dry, and make sure that the masking
tape is securely stuck to the wall... your
stripes won't have straight edges if it's not.
4) Paint in your darker stripes on the
uncovered wall
5) Wait for it all to dry, and take off the
masking tape to reveal your striped wall!
P.S. I suggest trying it on a small section of
wall before doing the whole room... just to be
sure that you like the colors and stripe size
that you chose!
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3. FEATURE ARTICLE
- Achieving the Look You Want With Patterns
So you've gone through all the
magazines and decorating books, and you know the
general look that you want your room to have.
But you don't want to copy it exactly... so what
do you do to get that look with YOUR colors,
patterns, fabric, and furnishings? This article
deals with achieving the look you want with
patterns. Of course, if you choose not to use
patterns at all, then you only have to think
about how color, fabric, and furnishings will
affect your room. Refer to those articles for
guidelines to use.
There are two basic ways that patterns
are used in decorating. The first and most
frequent use is in fabrics. The second is on
walls through wallpaper and paint. Patterns in
both places should follow the same guidelines.
The type of patterns that you use, and how you
use them will affect the final look of your room.
Lets go through the process of choosing
patterns, and combining patterns.
CHOOSING PATTERNS
The first decision to be made is
whether or not to even use patterns. Many great
looks can be achieved using only solid colors in
the room. The LACK of patterns is often a good
choice for a masculine room, or a modern-style
room. But since this article is about using
patterns, we'll assume that you've decided that
you DO want to use patterns in your decorating
scheme.
There is a scale to patterns, both in
size, and in color contrast. The size of the
pattern is how large or small the objects in the
pattern are. For example, a small plaid or
stripe would have thin lines and spaces, while a
large plaid or stripe would have larger lines
and/or spaces. A small floral would have small
flowers and leaves, while a large floral would
have large flowers and leaves. The size of the
print has nothing to do with the repeat of the
pattern. The repeat is how often, in inches, the
whole pattern repeats itself down the fabric. A
small pattern may have many different types of
flowers that repeat only every 27 inches; or it
may have many of the same small flower, and
repeat that small flower's pattern every 4" --
both fabrics have small patterns, even though the
repeat is vastly different. A large pattern will
always have a longer repeat, but even they can
vary greatly.
The color contrast of the pattern
is the difference between the colors in the
pattern. The greatest color contrast would be
black and white, or royal blue and bright yellow,
etc. A more gentle color contrast would be
burgundy, mauve, sage, and ivory. The least
color contrast are the damask fabrics that use
all one color, and create a pattern by reversing
the threads in a floral or stripe pattern.
In general, larger patterns look best on larger
items, and smaller patterns look better on
smaller items. For example, if you want to cover
a bed with a plaid fabric, I would suggest a
large plaid if the bed was a king size, and a
small plaid if it was a toddler crib. If you
want to put a floral wallpaper on your walls, I
would suggest a larger pattern for a large room
with large open areas of wall, and a smaller
pattern in a smaller room with small sections of
wall and lots of furnishings. Basically, it
looks best to be able to see a nice amount of the
image in the pattern. If you use a very small
stripe on a large duvet cover, it will almost
look like a solid. But if you use part of a very
large floral on a throw pillow, you won't be able
to see the complete group of flowers!
Another thing to remember is that the
larger the size and greater the color contrast in
a pattern, the bolder and more dramatic that
pattern will be. It will draw attention to
itself, and away from the surrounding
furnishings. Say you have simple white furniture
in your bedroom. If you want to keep the look of
the room simple, then you'll want to go with
smaller patterns and/or patterns that do not have
a very great color contrast in them. On the
other hand, if you want to liven up the room and
let the furniture be a mere backdrop, then a
large floral pattern of fuchsia and green, and
another pattern fuchsia and white stripe will add
plenty of interest to your room. What if you
have ornately carved antique furniture? Then
you'll probably want to go with patterns with
more gentle contrasts so that they don't take
away from your beautiful headboard.
COMBINING PATTERNS
Combining patterns is also a frequent
challenge in decorating. There are two basic
ways to combine fabrics. You can choose only one
or two patterns for a 'matched set' look in your
room, or you can use many different patterns for
a 'mix and match collection' look.
The 'matched set' look is easiest to
achieve, and very popular. This is the look that
most ready-made bedding sets use. I suggest
first finding a floral or other pattern that you
like. Then find a plaid or stripe that
coordinates with the floral. Finally choose a
solid color or two from the pattern that you will
use. Use them all in about equal amounts
throughout the room, and use each at least two or
three times.
The look that I describe as a 'mix and
match collection' uses many different patterns.
It gives the look of things collected over time,
since nothing really matches. Yet everything
coordinates and comes together for a comfortable
feel in your room that can be wonderful. The
trick to making it work is to choose a theme and
stick with it in every pattern you use. The
Shabby Chic style uses this look by sticking with
white or mostly white patterns. A Victorian look
is often achieved by using a theme of roses.
Country decorating themes are often geese, pigs,
or cows. Just make sure that patterns use the
same color tones so that they coordinate well!
Finally, don't be afraid mix it up!
That's what makes your decorating style unique.
You can even mix these guidelines. Personally, I
prefer medium-sized patterns with gentle
contrasts, in a 'matched' set look, with a few
different 'mix and match collection' items thrown
in! Just keep these in mind to guide you, since
they'll help you figure out why your patterns
will and won't work. Have fun!
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This article Copyright 1999-2003 - Kathleen Peters, KatieDid Design. Reproduced with permission.
Kathleen Peters - 'Katie' - is a custom window treatment and bedding designer, and owner of KatieDid Design, her online shop. She is also the editor-in-chief of Decor, Decorating, and Design, a free bi-monthly ezine filled with articles, tips, and guidelines to help with your home decorating.
http://www.katiediddesign.com
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4. CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH
- Try Something New!
This month I'd like to challenge you
all to try something new! Learn something new!
There are many crafts and decorating techniques
that are relatively simple, but achieve great
effects. How about stenciling a wall? ... or
putting a crackle-finish on something to make it
look antique? You can try your hand at making a
no-sew pillow or placemats. Or make a wreath!
What about all the new wall-painting techniques,
like rag-rolling, or the paint tip above in the
'Tips & Tricks' section? Go ahead, take the
plunge, and try it! You can do it! And it's
fun!
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Remember, if your decorating isn't fun, it isn't
worth it. So enjoy it!
-Katie <><
KatieDid Design
http://www.katiediddesign.com
e-mail:
mailto:design@katiediddesign.com
PO Box 381235
Murdock, FL 33938-1235
1-877-KATIEDID
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Don't hesitate to forward this newsletter to
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form -- I would just like to know who you are,
that's all. Thanks!
Copyright 2001 KatieDid Design - All
rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced in whole, or in part, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
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