How I Created Loops on the Pillow Covers

I have been working on the no-sew pillow covers I wrote about here and here. I had left them with ties made of ribbon and they looked pretty but I was not entirely sold on the slight gaping.

So I debated buttons or some type of decorative metallic clasp (a way to bring metal into a space). A couple of weeks ago Joann's opened a store about ten minutes away (I had never been into one and was so excited). I bought some jute for one project and some scrapbooking paper  for another as well as these simple but beautiful turquoise buttons. Out went the no-sew pillow concept! (This is about easy stitching though). 

If you recall, this is what the ties looked like.

Family room throw pillows are generally (supposed to be) subject to some misuse (at least, mine are) and can, quite literally, be thrown about during kids' parties, pillow fights and similar high energy moments. Ties become undone and these ties are of  polyester ribbon, making them more slippery and allowing them to become undone more easily.

So after much thought I decided to make loops for the buttons with the glued-on ties. A simple solution and the covers would still look pretty. I first used some heat from the stove to (very quickly and very carefully) heat the exposed end of the ribbon to prevent unravelling.  I then proceeded to twist the ribbon like this.

and looped the free end through thus creating a twisted, knot-like loop

and pinned it to the inside of the cover thus creating a loop. I still needed to stitch it to the fabric.

I did a simple back stitch with some coordinating pale blue embroidery thread I have had for many years. I had contemplated a chain or a cross stitch for a brief moment but decided to keep it simple. See the blue stitching on the outside?

And here is the loop. I love the look of it.

And now I have to do something similar on the opposite side of the covers to incorporate the new buttons with the ribbon already in place.

Will share that with you shortly. Do you like how the pillow covers are looking so far? I am loving them.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Lisa

The Spun Lamp - Lighting with Personality

Have you seen these Spun Lamps? They are the creation of the Evie Group, a Sydney, Australia-based design studio which produces housewares, furniture and  lighting.

They are chic and I am sure you will agree, quite visually stunning.

The design of this unusual light fixture epitomizes simplicity which successfully masks the real complex nature of these pieces.The inspiration for this Spun Lamp stems from the traditional top which it mimics.  It is available in silver or brass mirror finishes, and can be used facing up or down (depending on lighting preferences) with the wiring designed to include the ability to be spun around the base or loose, as shown below.

Hung from the ceiling in multiples to create visual interest at any height.

 Even more versatility as optional outdoor lighting.

Well, what do you think? Aren't these truly amazing and so unique? I could see these in various decor styles. For more information on these and to view other interesting products by the Evie Group visit them at evie.

Today I am linking up my Safari Nursery Design Board to the Roomspiration blog hop and link party at a la mode. Do check it out along with all the other great nursery creations submitted by others.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Lisa

Mood Board Link Up

Today I am linking up to Mood Board Monday link-up at Pewter & Sage. This Monday's inspiration of wallpaper was a joint collaboration between Sarah of Pewter & Sage and Cathy of Room Rx.

I chose Layla Grayce's Spherica Parchment wallpaper as my inspiration for my mood board. I loved the elegance of the colors and the dimension as well as playfulness of the pattern. I decided I would use the circles as a recurring theme through the relaxed living room space I would create. The star would be the wallpaper but I would add pops of color for more interest. I hope you enjoy it.

Spherica Parchment Wallpaper

Here is the board I created. I hope you like it.

1. Color Palette- I used the parchment hues and pale grey from the wallpaper as the base for the palette. I decided to add turquoise and deep orange hues for color pops and a hint of black to ground the space.

Souces (alphabetically):

Anthropologie

 2. Splayer Sofa – the lines and the playfulness of the design (with the tufting) and the casual fabric (raw cotton and burlap) with whipstitching are what drew me to this piece, called the "undone sofa".

 4. Benson Chair – this adds true elegance in style and color, which stays true to the neural palette. Also the deep seat lends comfort to this relaxed living room.

 5. Terai Folding Chair – a fun piece which brings in the pop of orange and some black as well as pattern.

 6. Waving Stripes Curtain – these look beautiful and add a striped pattern in muted tones within the palette and do not compete with the wallpaper.

10. Festival Rug - fun, circular pattern within the color palette adds interest to the floor. The main rug.

11. Doily Rug - I thought it would be nice to add another rug, circular, to the side of the main rug, perhaps by the Terai chair.

12. Illusion End Tables - my thought would be to place two of these tables side-by-side to create a coffee table.

Ballard Designs

14. Brooklyn Floor Lamp - an addition of black and a perfect accessory to this eclectic space without making the room heavy.

Horchow

 8. “Amelie” Mirrored End Table - circular element and I like anything mirrored in a room.

Layla Grayce

20. Spherica Parchment Wallpaper.

Overstock

19. Black and White Moroccan Pillows - a pair on either end of the sofa would add a pattern and some more black. Very pretty pattern.

Pier 1

 9. Celebration Tree Art - I love this artwork. I think it adds so much interest and draws in more of the color palette yet is subdued enough to work appealingly with the wallpaper.

13. Green Printed Flower Pillow  - perfect and easy addition of colors with stripes.

16. Sequin Circles Pillow - again, more color pop.

Restoration Hardware

 7. Foucault’s Orb Crystal Chandelier - I absolutely had to add this stunning fixture which has the circular element and is so beautiful and unique. Sure to be a conversation piece.

Wisteria

 3. Deeply Rooted Club Chair - the frame and whimsical aspect of this chair make it a winner. It also has a sizeable seat and is perfectly neutral in color for a pop of pillow color. Another interesting piece.

World Market

18. Glazed Ginger Velvet Bolster - Beautiful and easy color accessory.

15. Glazed ginger Suzani Lumbar Pillow - Circular pattern and color necessary accessory.

17. Mallard Green Velvet Pillow - color pop.

In summary, I have used fun yet comfortable and interesting neutral colored main seating pieces and one colorful chair with the addition of accessories tying in more bright color as well as some metal, mirror, stripes, the recurring circular element and a touch of black. This results in a visually interesting, eclectic living room.

I would love a room like this. Do you like what I have created?

Do visit Pewter & Sage and take a look at the other mood boards.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Lisa

Floral Chandelier & Decal Project Updates

Well, the floral chandelier about which I posted here has taken me a little longer to complete than I thought it would. Perhaps because it is a home project and not one for a "real" client. You may recall this picture from  my last chandelier post.

I decided I did not want to overwhelm the entire piece by covering the brass base of the sconces with leaves, too. One of the options I was considering was using pipe cleaners in a coordinating color or acrylic paint or floral pieces. I decided on acrylic paint when I came across aptly named Foliage Green by Americana.

I poured a little paint at a time onto a disposable plate and used a small foam brush.

I decided to use food bag clips to hold the leaves away from the metal as I painted as well as ScotchBlue painter's tape along the base of the leaves above the metal to prevent paint from getting on them. So therefore, a little more involved in the final stages. This is after just one coat of paint.

Did you catch the butterfly? Something I picked up at Michaels' in July. More to follow. Almost done with this one.

The other update is with the living room, posted about here, and the decals from Modern Wall Graphics behind the sofa.

After playing around with layout ideas I finally decided to go with a circular one to mimic the curve of the Hepburn sofa. (Sofa not in place here as I had to move it in order to access the wall).

I measured a portion of the main part of the wall determining how wide and how high I wanted to pattern to be. Then I found the center point of that box. I made a makeshift compass by tying a pencil to some string and holding the free end at the center point I lightly penciled a circle on the wall to give myself a boundary within which to work. (This picture taken by one of the kids so pardon the quality). If you decide to try a compass like this for any project I would recommend using a small pencil and holding it perpendicular to the wall so as not to mess with the shape of the circle - it gives a more accurate boundary. Also my circle was fairly large; it would be easier with two people.

Now to add some of these.

I have to take better pictures of this wall. We have not seen much sun in recent days and that has been part of the problem.

More to follow of this project, too. It is a little time-consuming when adding decals with an intricate pattern such as these to a wall. One has to ensure all the swirls come off neatly without ripping and everything adheres properly to the wall. But I am liking how it looks.

What do you think? Have you undertaken any interesting projects recently? I'd love to hear about them or send me a link. If you have any questions about any of the items above do not hesitate to email me.

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Lisa

Artistic Spiral Staircases

Fall has come early. With back-to-school and other activities, my work and projects and some studying (all me) and now the kids sick with different ailments, I have fallen a little behind with my posts.

Here are some spiral staircases which are works of art. All quite amazing but I would question the functionality of a couple. Perhaps they are meant to be just art.

A focal point, centered in this space.

Space-saving design. I love the pop of color, too.

Beautifully done in metal.

An interesting creation. To me it almost mimics the spine of a prehistoric animal because of some aspect of the curve and to some degree the shape of the treads - does anyone else get that? I could almost envision this on display in the Museum of Natural History. The treads look like they could be slippery with almost invisible handrails.

I love the effect of the light within this sweeping staircase.

This work of art can be enjoyed on  two levels.

Modern and decorative.

Minimalistic. A barely-there staircase.

Interesting combination of materials - feels rustic yet contemporary.

This one seems suspended in the air. I think this one is really meant to be a form of art. The treads do  not seem functional to me. What do you think?

 All images via

I think my favorites would be the first one and the sweeping one with the amazing light. Which one would you pick?

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Lisa

Luxurious Bathrooms with A View

These were designed to maximize amazing, serene, magnificent views.

With a Japanese garden.

Panoramic views on top of a hill.

Warm tones and bathed in natural light.

Stunning ocean views.

Overlooking a grove of aspens.

Unique plaster which reflects light and a planned view of the church steeple.

Floor-to-ceiling windows.

Indoor-outdoor environment with picture window and skylight.

Old meets new - a contemporary space with a view of an Austrian castle.

Images via Architectural Digest

Aren't these so beautiful? I think each one succeeds in creating a relaxing space by drawing in the outdoors. I really could not pick one favorite but if I had to I would have to pick three - the one with the ocean view (love any water views), the one with the aspen grove has an amazing shower and the indoor-outdoor bath exudes warmth. Do you like the idea of making the most of the outdoors when designing a bathroom? Which one is your favorite?

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Lisa

Living Room In Progress

My living room has been a work in progress for some months now. I started to think about the revision during last winter when we were stuck indoors a lot. I love moving furniture around, looking at new and interesting layouts and searching through my closets to swap decorative items around. I certainly cannot display all that I have at the same time.

The updating process primarily began because I wanted to change the color of the walls and we had also purchased a couple of beautiful pieces of furniture on a trip last year. Our grand piano had to be moved from what had been the perfect spot by a window (but with a radiator below which was not good for the piano). Thus began a ripple effect.

Today I will share some of the progress with you. (Some of these pictures were taken, at the time, just for my benefit).

This was the living room some years ago, newly painted.

On the wall, Benjamin Moore's

and a shade darker in Dill Pickle as the fireplace accent color.

A few years ago. 

This past winter break I had a couple of days to myself with nothing scheduled and decided to seize the opportunity and after sample-testing three other similar options (sorry no pics) changed the wall color to Benjamin Moore's Meditation. I wanted a more modern, calming color to balance the gold-toned items in the room.

   Meditation

When decorating a space, I don't like competition but harmony and balance and at the same time I strive toward interest, not boredom.

I have a small collection of pillow covers so I changed those around while working through a couple of different color palettes on the Hepburn sofa from Ethan Allen. On the wall behind the couch is a serigraph by the artist Itzchak Tarkay. I love it's vibrant colors for which the artist is known. This was purchased at a school fundraiser art auction. I plan to move it to a wall by the piano. I think now it would look better there. More on that in another post.

Working with a more neutral and muted palette briefly ...I have had these raw silk cushion covers for a while, bought in India. I like the reverse color cut work pattern on them and the beautiful steely shade of grey.

The enamel flower centerpiece I found at a local household/gift boutique where I buy affordable hostess gifts as well as small teacher appreciation gifts. I purchased it with a gift card I had received. It was displayed on a plate rack but I thought I would try it like this for a little while. You can catch a glimpse of a sparkly crystal votive.

Up close.

A few weeks ago I shared this collage with you of some decorative pieces which I am using to incorporate blue, green, teal, turquoise as pops of color to the room.

For example, this handmade mid-century stoneware vase via Etsy. A stunning piece in shades of turquoise with a pretty pattern.

Hand-blown Maltese glass vase also via Etsy. I love the swirls and splatter pattern.

Pillow covers - teal, part of a pair gifted to me, and the green embroidered one I purchased on a trip to India). Another reason I chose the wall color is because I liked the effect of the warm gold sofa (here to stay and not being reupholstered) against the grey wall.

This figurine was purchased in Bali by my husband on a work trip a few years ago.

I would like to include this silver tea set which belonged to a family member and was passed on to me and I like the idea of combining silver and gold. The silver-plated tray I have had for many years.

This is how a part of it looks now while I work on the various elements. The coffee table vignette is obviously not done. Here I am playing around with items and color combinations, also looking to combine silver and gold. I need to add more height (some books, maybe candlesticks).

In place of the artwork I have plans to put up these decals from Modern Wall Graphics which I ordered in beige.

images via 

Here I am just working out the layout of the decals without measuring, just to give myself an idea. You get a glimpse of sheers from Pottery Barn and ivory hand loom silk curtains from west elm (bought on sale earlier this year; love the texture which lends the subtle pattern).

At first, I wanted to add a large mirror to this wall but decided on these decals instead and I might put up a few smaller mirrors on the same wall. I found some great pieces recently, like this one below.

That's all I have for you today. I will share more progress with you in time as it all falls into place. The room has come a long way. So much more to do. Big transformation, don't you think? 

Linking this up to Roomspiration at View Along the Way and Room by Room at Cottage & Vine

 

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Lisa