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Achieving the Look You Want with Fabrics
by Kathleen M. Peters, www.KatieDidDesign.com
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 fabrics. 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.
You've probably had a general idea of the fabrics
that you'd like to use in mind since you first started thinking about your
decorating scheme. All you need to do now is to consciously think about
them to make sure that they will contribute to the look that you are trying
to achieve.
The type of fabric being used will mostly affect
the formal or casual look of your room. So first you'll need to decide
whether you want to use a light-weight fabric, a heavy-weight fabric, or
something in the middle.
Light-weight fabrics, such as laces, sheers, and
some chintzes, are great for making a room look soft and feminine.
They're going to give a summery lift to the room. The classic image
of white sheers blowing in the breeze of an open beach house window is a
good example. And lacy ruffles lining everything is a common feature
of a girl's bedroom decor.
Heavy fabrics, on the other hand, lend a more serious
and sophisticated look. They'll look more formal and luxurious.
What type of fabrics are used in the White House? ... Or those incredibly
huge mansions along the shore cliffs in Newport? They are frequently
heavy tapestries and brocades. Even the silks used are the heavy varieties.
Even the phrase, 'heavy draperies' sounds formal, sophisticated, and rich.
What about the vast majority of fabrics that are
somewhere in the middle? They can be used to give almost any look,
and that is why there are so many! There is a huge selection of middle-weight
fabrics out there, so if you want to use some of them, then you've got to
think more about their colors and patterns, and HOW you're going to use them.
It's important to understand that how you use a
fabric can often be more important than what fabric you choose. Yes, it's
definitely possible to use sheers in a formal room, just as it is possible
to use a heavy tapestry fabric in a girl's summer bedroom decor. The
trick lies in how much you use, and how you use them.
Let's say that you love white sheers, and you're
determined to use them in the windows of your modern sophisticated dining
room. What can you do so that they will contribute to the formal look
that you want your room to have? The answer is to use LOTS of sheers,
and to hang them simply. Gather them up very, very full, and take the
time to arrange all those gathers into organized and even folds -- from the
rod, all the way down to the floor. And get up on a chair or stool
and force the headers to evenly ripple forward and back, like the catalog
samples look. Doing all this will take some time, and may be more expensive
than fewer sheers, but it is the key to making your sheers look formal and
'heavy' (because you've got so much), rather than breezy and casual.
What if you've found a beautiful tapestry fabric
in soft shades of lilac and sage that you'd love to use in a feminine, frilly
bedroom? In a case like this, you want to use small amounts.
Not small enough to disappear, but as beautiful accent pieces... such as
a footstool, a simple throw pillow or two, or a simple valance and tiebacks.
Long draperies would give an unmistakable formal touch to the room.
To sum it all up, a formal look is created with
symmetry and weight -- either in the particular fabric, or the amount being
used -- while a casual look is created with variety and lightness of fabric,
style, or arrangement. So if you're having trouble getting your fabric
to 'fit' in your room, think about how your using it, and don't be afraid
to try something new! Chances are, you'll be a lot more pleased with the
outcome.
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This article Copyright 1999-2004 - 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
http://www.DecorDecoratingAndDesign.com
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