FABRIC STORIES




I sat down to write this post 30 minutes ago but before I could type one letter I heard that dreaded sound.....you know the retching sound that dogs make before they throw up?  Sometimes they do it for a few minutes before the "lava starts flowing" and I am scrambling to move her away from the rug onto the hardwoods.

Lord knows that trying to get already digested dog food out of seagrass is no fun [throw in a little chewed up grass to get the process going for them].

Fact:  you can take seagrass outside and hose it off....let it dry and bam....like new.

Now I am back....3000 pieces of paper towels later.

I mentioned that I spoke at Haven last week.  Thinking about what my subject would be it crossed my mind [and that was a short trip] "when I am listening to someone at a conference....what do I like to hear?"

It became clear to me that I am a visual person and I want to see "pretty things" mixed in with tips and ideas. Plus the other 2 bitches [Erika and Darlene] took all the good stuff....bitter...party for one.

It then hit me...well hit might be a little strong...more like a little bubble with words in it, "what do I love?" .....FABRICS.

That is when I came up with doing a few "fabric stories" and how I came to put them together.

So....here are a few I used in my presentation.

I started with the floral.  Next I chose a deep velvet for the sofa.  I like to use a darker or lighter color for the upholstery.  In my opinion [there is no specific rule here] the pattern will show up better.  From here it could be a toss up.  The chairs could be the large Ikat OR the black and white geometric.  I would probably paint the walls white and maybe the ceilings that minty green [a very pale version of it] in the floral.



OK...on to another one.....
This one was a fav.  The large floral was my "lead fabric".  I usually like to use it at least 2 times in the room, maybe 3.  To make it a little more modern I added the large chevron.  The tufted blue diamond fabric [which looks a little muddy in this picture] would be the sofa.  I brought in another pink in the toile and the smaller geometric in yellow.  Once again...I would add the color to the ceiling in the palest blue.



I have time for one more....


OK.....funny enough I started this one with the very bottom fabric. It is a new one from Robert Allen.  So I kind of went backwards.....funny how your brain works sometimes huh?
I am liking the green velvet again for the sofa [although in the next picture I used a brown velvet!]  I love throwing in a strong geometric patterns such as  La Fiorentina by Lee Jofa.  It keeps it from looking like Traditional Home circa early 90"s.  Everything matched then :)



Some people asked me if I would use all of the fabrics  in one room.  Of course that stumped me a little...deer in the headlights kind of way.....uh...uh....well.....thoughts and words spinning around in my brain like a blender.  Yes and No.  Maybe you guys don't think design is a process...here is a little tip for you.  

YES IT IS.

Here is how I do it....
Fabric Story
Paint
Rug
Upholstery
Then I decide on pillows and accessories etc.  Some might get eliminated, new ones might get added [because of cost].  If there is a bath or kitchen attached to the plan.....then I have the opportunity to use some in there.

I have a few more....so we will continue this next week.

Gonna be a hot weekend here in the A.T.L.
I don't want to appear to be a whiner.....but whaaaaaaa.
106...AYKM?

Sha hot at hell and not leaving the house.



40

ONE ROOM CHALLENGE




About 2 months ago I was asked by Linda 
from My Crafty Home Life to participate in her series called One Room Challenge.  I tried to say no......just cause I was not sure how busy I was going to be at this time...but she was not having it.  Pretty persuasive...that girl Linda.  



OK...flash forward to about a week or so ago and all these emails [from the participates] started flying around about the event.   I started getting nervous.....scratching my head and thinking uh oh.....you committed Sherry......

AND....I don't have a room.

If you don't know me.....I am a pleaser.  HATE to disappoint.  Can't say NO.  Yep....I admit it.  Which leads to over committing at times.

Here is part of the real problem with me [well there are many but we are just covering one today].....when I feel pressure  I look for a huge pile of sand to hide my head in.  Hopefully when I finally pull my head out.... the "issue" will be gone.

Yeah...that never happens right?

 Last night I emailed Linda trying desperately  to pull out.   I told her she could send me an email....cussing me out in the biggest way.....slander Design Indulgence.....tell everybody that she knows for a fact that my butt is huge and I own stock in spanks.  OK...maybe the first part it true... I do have some "junk".

Well Linda should be out selling ice to Eskimos
because she would NOT take no for an answer.  Seriously.

 OK Linda....I am not promising I will get to the finish line but I will give it a try.

Today I had an appointment with the cutest new client.  When I got to her house I thought...."we were separated at birth".  

Her front door looked something like this.


By the time she opened the door....my lips were stuck to it like in the movie "Dumb and Dumber". 

I suck at first impressions. 

Her home is beautiful.....but it just needs a little accessorizing.  Maybe some new pillows....[duh..my favorite] and in general pulling it together for that finished WOW look.  As a matter of fact...the back yard was just photographed for Southern Living [styled by the talented Annette Joseph]....and it is fabulous!


See....what is not to love here.....

 Hopefully this will work for the challenge.  Want to know the best part.....she loves BLUE! 

Like this...
 
She even had a picture of my bedroom pillows.....

I think it will be a good match.  Next week I will show you her existing fabrics that I will be working with.

I am supposed to blog on my progress every Wednesday and there are 18 other blogger/designers participating.  This could cause some pressure as hopefully I can keep her [the client] on my schedule :).  

Deep Breath.

 Linda......here goes.

Lauren - The Cottage Mix
Lindsay - Everything LEB
Barbara - Hodge:Podge
Tiffany - Living Savvy
Jessie - Mix & Chic
Danylle - Nana Moon
Jennifer - The Pink Pagoda
Emily - Rue de Emily
Lindsay - Sadie + Stella
Please go check out all of the other very talented [and I am sure much better organized] blogs to keep up with their progress.

Dang...I made the deadline and got the post done on time.

Life is good...well right now at 1:13 pm Wednesday afternoon.

Sheriky Freaky Deaky

Yes...I have a friend who calls me that.  It is a mouth full.


PS....I had my favorite Blog/Web Site designer [Shari Millerwork some magic over here at Design Indulgence.  So I am completely networked now :)  Whoop.

29

C. WONDER AND A PEEK OF MY DESIGN PROJECT





I have been trying to get at this post since yesterday morning......serious.

Every time I sat down, the phone would ring or I would have to answer an email or I would walk in a room and forget why I was there....or possibly forget who the heck I was and what am I doing on this earth.

But that is a whole question in itself right???

The last time I posted, I was off to Haven to speak on fabrics.  It was great to meet  so many nice people in 2 days.  Really.....who doesn't have a blog now.  And these DIY people are full of talent.  FULL I tell ya.

I felt insignificant in many ways.....like I need to "get my drill on" and break out the safety glasses.  Boom!

Moving on....

C. Wonder is coming to Atlanta.  Yep...that is right.  

I saw this at Lenox the other day and started taking pictures....

I was so excited!!!  They have everything.....for real.

If you need a pillow with a grasshopper on it.....

If you need an arm full of colorful bracelets....your good.


What about cute pillows....say no more.

A plate with a bee on it.....stop looking.

What about a stripe t shirt?  The have em.....
Get your foo on if you need.....
Right on trend...blue vases.

When I was taking the picture I started walking away and this guy jumped up and asked me how I heard of them.  I looked around...."is this a trick question?".  No seriously he said.  He seemed really surprised at my vast wealth of knowledge about retail stores.  I asked him if he had heard of a little thing called the internet????

It turned out he is the manager of the store in Atlanta!  AND even though I was sarcastic...bordering on rude....I got an invite to the opening party.  Uh huh.  That would be me looking all cute [hopefully] at that "par tay".

Now if you are thinking I am dragging out the pictures of this project.  

You would be right.

I did have "photographer extraordinare" Tina Rowden come over and take some swanky pic's for me so it goes without saying that those will be one million times better than mine.  

But...here are a few I took.


The sink area.....

Kitchen Island.....

Pillows....

More pillows......


Kitchen table.

I promise to share the rest when I get the good ones!

Hope everyone is relaxing today...it has finally gotten "humid suffocating hot" in Atlanta. 

Oh yeah...one more thing.  Remember my slipcover guy....his 10% off sale is over June 30th.  Call Jim...770 516 0841.

And the last thing...I did start a Design Indulgence facebook page.....Of course I need to figure out how to get it on the blog.  Looks like I might be sitting here a little while longer.....


Sha sweating.....






40

A LITTLE BOOK DIY





Sometimes when I have to style a room, books need to be bought.  Most people do not have a plethora of these laying around their home.  I often go to the Goodwill or the flea market.  Yes.... it would be wonderful if I could just go out and load up on all new beautiful books but that is just not reality.

In my opinion...they really help to warm up a room.  

On my hunt the other day I found gobs [a whole bunch] of the readers digest books for 2.00 each.  You know the ones with the pretty colorful paper on the outside.


I ripped the whole display apart [crawling around on my knees] looking for the perfect ones to go with my plan.  

Yes I did.

But....when I was putting them in the room...I could not get past the dark leather part.

It was too much color and they were way too dark.  So I took them out and planned on not using them.

BUT....I had a brainstorm....WWKD?  
That is "what would Kim do"....a blogger who flippin paints everything....and more than once I might add.  She is unbelievable.  I once asked her if she had paintbrushes extending from her arms instead of hands....

Anyway....what did I have to lose.  I will paint out the edges.  Proceeded to tape them off and got out my chalk paint.

I was starting to get excited..... but they looked a little bland so I got out the trusty "rub n buff".

Oh yes I did....

And that was the answer.  

To MY problem anyway.  Y'all have to figure out your own...I got way more than my share to work on.

Take a look.

I don't have a step by step.....I know you can figure this one out folks.

I did wax them also.....and lightly distress.....

Now I have to go get more cause I want some.


Yes I know everything does not have to match....but the unpainted ones just did not look good in this room...you are gonna have to trust me on this one.  When you see the whole room I think you will agree.

So easy.......what cha think???


46

A WINNER...SCOTT'S...AND DID YOU MISS ME?




What a week!!!  My clients were on vacation, and I decided to do their den/kitchen install.  It is SO much easier when I have that much time to really finish a room....and perfect the accessories.  We all know that is the hard part :)

Before we go any further...the winner of the giveaway has been a friend...and long time follower.  Kathysue always leaves the nicest comments and her blog is full of great ideas...pictures and well thought out post.  You need to run on over to  Good Life of Design  and tell her she won!!!

You get one sneak peek of the install....


Now on to the rest of Scott's.


Can I tell you how hard it is to find small tables sometimes????  These were awesome!


Here is the info....


One more....


I always have to include the wonderful headboards from Burlap Street.  They are located here in Atlanta.  You know you want that chevron one.


Come on...order up.


Sometimes I like to take pictures of vignettes.  Styling is always the hardest part of design...so this helps me think about composition.


These were sold....but...


These weren't!  I stood there forever....picturing them recovered in a really cool fabric....touching...sitting...while she kept lowering the price.  I wanted SO damn bad.....but I walked.  I know.....see how strong I can be.




Yeah....this was quite a "room starter"....
As was this one....


Let's talk about collections....


Things always look better in groups...



One is sad...8 is really good....


It is just a fact.


A new line of chalk paint.....


Picture down the leading edge of some curtains....


So many choices here...


Some great textiles...Carter Seibels Singh....510 759 5856.  She has an Etsy shop  .  Go check it out!!!


Frame them....


Books....
Got a little DIY to show you that is done with some books.  Yep.....you are gonna like it!


I have a really busy week coming up!!!  Rhoda at Southern Hospitality asked me to speak at Haven next week!  It's a 2 day conference and I am going to be "chewing the fat" about fabrics and PILLOWS.....duh... I can talk nonstop about those little gems? I mean...give me a real challenge right?


I am honored that they included me.....but I started thinking "what can I do to really make them like me".....you know...kinda like a bribe?  Give away some pillows!  [Ha...I am like a politician!]  So if you are coming to hear what I have to say [along with Erika and Darlene] you might just go home with something....


I am pretty darn excited that I will be meeting so many people.  Gotta get my hair done and shave my legs.......first impressions and all that......


Happy Fathers Day....


Sherika





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