"Upholstery Ideas and Inspiration"

It's no surprise to anyone that I love upholstered furniture.  I'm addicted to it really.  Sometimes I wish I had a larger home just so I could add more furniture, mainly upholstered pieces.  So when I go to High Point Market twice each year, I love keeping a watchful eye out for new ideas for giving vintage upholstery a modern lift.  Thankfully, this year's market didn't disappoint in that area. 

 

 

Let's just say I kept my upholsterer on speed dial sending over great ideas for how we might upgrade vintage pieces.  You likely recall when we added this racing stripe to a pair of classic vintage wing backs.  How great would it be on a large ottoman.  NOTED!

 

This waterfall skirt was just lovely.  Especially with the contrasting border. 

 

 

Isn't it amazing how something a simple as the white trim can up the cool factor on this simple navy sofa.  Skirts are often great options for vintage upholstery makeovers because so many vintage pieces tend to have a lower seat height than what is standard today.  Skirting allows you to conceal taller legs which can definitely work in your favor.

 I'm a sucker for contrast piping and this example is an example of why. 

I am totally obsessed with this idea.  So good!  Not sure what type of chair I'd like this on, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

 

I spotted a number of sofas with bordered cushions.  It's a great way to create a designer look and could easily be accomplished even if reupholstering isn't in the plan.

Lastly, I think this is a great idea for what can be done with small remnant pieces of fabric.  Lord knows I have more than a few pieces of leftover velvet.  These vibrant colors would pop in almost any space and could be changed out seasonally to create a new look.

 

I'll be back soon with a recap from market, but for now just thought I'd pop in to share a few of the great ideas for future upholstery projects.  I can hardly wait to get started on my next one. 

Design Books: A Few in Review

I love hard cover design books and I love them for a couple of reasons. 

 

 

 For starters, they look awesome as a foundation for décor.  Not much beats a coffee table tray anchored by a couple of design books. They're also the perfect place to perch  my collected goodies. 

 

 

 

In addition to being great for decorating, they are a timeless source of great design inspiration. It seems that the projects never get old and I can always find great ideas and fresh perspective while thumbing through a great design book.

 

Thanks to a couple of awesome publishers, I've been lucky enough to find myself on a preview list or two.  I thought I'd share a couple of new releases that I've been enjoying lately. 

 

First up is Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating by Lauren Liess.  I've long been a fan of Lauren's work. She's a true talent.  She also gives great business advice making her one of the designers I'm not only inspired by but also look up to.

 

via www.laurenliess.com

I'm  a bit partial to her book since after posting this pic on Instagram, she shared it on a recent post on her blog.  Imagine my surprise. 

my Instagram photo via www.laurenliess.com



In addition to being a savvy business woman and owning a successful design business, Lauren's work is simply amazing.  I'm obsessed with her clean and fresh take on classic design.

 

Lauren Liess

Her book does not disappoint. Broken into three parts (1. The Fundamentals Elements of Design 2. The Intangible Elements of Design and 3. A Room-by-Room Guide), the Field Guide is essentially a reference manual for decorating.  I'm officially obsessed.

Next up is Windsor Smith's Homefront.  I've had the pleasure of meeting Windsor a couple of times an she's as personable as she is talented. I have to take out the tissues each time I open her latest book because I can't help but drool over all of the insanely beautiful projects she shares.

via Windsor Smith Home

via Amazon



Windsor Smith Home

There is something almost intoxicating about pouring over page after page of exquisitely designed spaces. Windsor is one of the greats and Homefront is an amazing display of her breathtaking work.

Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller knock it out of the park with their book, Positively Chic Interiors.  I couldn't think of a better name because their work is indeed positively chic. 

Carrier and Company

 

Architectural Digest

 

Architectural Digest

Honestly, I don't even have words for this one.  You just have to see it to understand. 

Wow! Just Wow!

 

And wouldn't you know, just as I was putting the finishing touches on this post, the Postman dropped off yet another design book.  Seriously? It's like Christmas!   

 

Parish Hadley Tree of Life is the collaborative effort of Brian McCarthy and Bunny Williams and is a compilation of the work of 30 design greats who detail their personal experiences working at the renowned design firm, Parish-Hadley Associates. 

Abrams Books

This book is for the true lovers of design.  I had a chance to briefly thumb through it and the work is simply timeless. It reminds me of the staying power that good design can have.

I'd recommend checking these all out and maybe adding a couple of great design books to your Christmas list.  I know I am. ;  )

"Wet Weekend Retreat"

Last weekend I made my second exploratory trip to the North Carolina mountains.  It was to be a research trip designed for me to get to know the area a little better.  I had planned to stay at an awesome rental property and was taking my friend Jennifer along for the ride.  Unfortunately, she wasn't able to make it and I found myself going it alone.  It's amazing how being alone in this kind of environment can bring such clarity. 

 

 

The weather was horrible (and has been horrible ever since) but that didn't put a damper on the trip.  It's hard to complain about a cloudy day when you're sipping your coffee from a deck with this kind of view. 

 

Let's start with the accommodations.  I was determined to rental a place so I could get a good feel for what it would be like to own one myself.  I couldn't have picked a better place. (Link HERE for info)

 

 

After winding up a mountain a bit, I found the gravel road that led to the home and boy was it worth the journey. 

 

 

 

 

So cozy!  I was even inspired to cook while I was there.  During a quick trip to the local Ingles grocery store for a few goodies, I even found my magazine on the shelf!  I love this place.

 

 

And how can you NOT love a place where you wake up, sit up in bed and see this...

 

 

I was totally inspired while I was there.  I even started thinking about how I'd outfit my own mountain cabin.

The next day, the crappy weather continued and I made a visit to the realtor and of course did a little shopping.

 

 

I'm always amazed by the deals you can score in the most unlikely of places.  I stopped by a place called Picker's Paradise and stumbled upon a bed full of these  amazing wool rugs.  They were 6 X 9 and marked $69.99.  After contemplating for a few minutes I decided that I couldn't leave without just one. 

 

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the cashier and she informed me they were 40% off!  Say what? 

 

After a few additional stops that afternoon, I ended up with this rug and a few other lovelies...

 

 

My realtor mentioned that there was a sale going on at the local Catholic Church, so before heading home on Sunday I HAD to stop by to check it out.

 

If only I had a Uhaul.  This vintage floral sofa would've been mine.

 

You konw I can never resist a brass animal.  I figured they'll always be a nursery project to decorate and at 50% off of $3.00, this was a no brainer.

 

By Sunday, the skies had cleared and I got to take in this amazing view before heading back home. 

 

How awesome is that??