An upholstery project

When I am decorating a space for myself or for a client I like to keep the "bones" of the space neutral. In my own home I like to switch things up a lot and the best way to do that is by changing out a few accessories. I prefer that the walls and sofas be fairly neutral so that if I want to change the look, I can throw in a new pillow, a pretty collection of glazed pottery or a new print and get a re-freshed room. That being said, fabrics are a wonderful way to brighten up a space.

BHG

BHG

Last month while I was working with my "out of town" client, one of the things I needed to do was to select fabrics for a few upholstery projects.

This bedroom is used as a guest room for when the client's adult children come to visit and it has a calm, spa-like feel to it. In keeping with that, the walls will be painted Benjamin Moore's Revere Pewter (HC 172) and I had them replace the bedskirt with a linen skirt to match the headboard.

Pleated Button Bed Skirt from Pottery Barn

To finish off the existing window treatments they are having simple dummy panels made in a white cotton duck that will flank the sides and also between the two windows with an espresso colored wooden rod.

The client had an existing chair from her previous home that we are having re-covered and an ottoman made to match in this fabric from Norbar. The color is perfect to keep the space calm and uncluttered and I like the organic feel to it.

Prism Spa Collection, Pattern: Sadie, Color: Spa 493

I chose this fabric, also from Norbar for a pillow just for fun.

Slade / Robin 001

Downstairs there is a small settee that sits in their family room in front of this bookcase:

And it will be re-covered in this fun pattern that will add some life but is still fairly neutral: 

Duralee 42020, Chocolate 103

This beautiful Ikat fabric was selected for the dining room drapes:

{Robert Allen Home 2320885 Khandar - Indigo}

And lastly, they have a wonderful banquette in their kitchen that is worn and ready for a new look. 

The banquette gets a lot of use and needs something very durable but I also wanted to lighten it up a bit. It sits right next to their kitchen (think 'Something's Gotta Give kitchen) and this:

 In order to get the lighter fabric that I wanted to use, we decided to cover the back and the seat in different fabric (actually, it was my client's idea and I agree!). We chose this fabric for the back and the seat will be covered with a tan colored leather:

{Duralee 14800 / 192 Flame}

And just for fun, I wanted to show you a chair we had recovered last year. It was a chair that was very sentimental to my client. It was small but I did not realize HOW SMALL it was until it was recovered and placed in the room it was intended to be in (the downstairs guest room). The bed in that room is a very high bed and it completely dwarfed the chair. On my first visit to their new home to see all the furnishings we had selected for the first time in person I stayed in that room. The client voiced that she was not happy with the chair because she did not like the way the upholsterer had put the large red flower in the center of the chair. The sample I had sent her did not reflect as much of the flower. But I did not like it for a different reason ... it was just toooo small. You know when you make those kind of mistakes and you are just sick because you know it is just wrong and there is nothing you can do? I had some thinking to do ... so we dragged the chair upstairs ...

and placed it in the children's room and it worked perfectly! (Whew!)

This sweet children's room attaches to the adult kid's room with a Jack and Jill bathroom in between and will also be painted in Revere Pewter.