Designer Secrets

I swear it takes me the whole month to read a magazine.  I love shelter mags because they can be a source of inspiration and entertainment.  Tonight I'm reading the latest issue of House Beautiful. "101 Designer Secrets" by Lisa Cregan caught my eye.  I'm often asked what the "rules" of home decoration are and people seem happiest with answers involving numbers.  I'm not saying whether I agree or disagree with any of the following, but the article was full of such answers, so I'll share some with you:

Hang artwork 63" on center above the floor for perfect viewing height.


When framing artwork, specify a mat with 8-ply thickness to create an impressive bevel.


A bed should be no higher than 23" off the floor.


A bench at the foot of a bed should be at least 2" shorter than the width of the mattress.


No more than 6 pillows on the bed.


Mount 5 robe hooks 68" high instead of a towel bar.


Dining room chandeliers should hang 60"-66" above the floor.


End tables should be no less than 30" high.


Bedside tables should be 36-38" high


A rectangular table should be 36" wide.


Give yourself at least 36" of space between the dining table and wall to pull out chairs comfortably.


Wall sconces in a bathroom should be installed 66" above the floor to the center of the fixture.


Drapery panels should have a 1/2" break at the floor.


Put light switches 36" off the floor and 1 1/2" - 2" off the door trim.


When ordering fabric, add 2 yards so that you never run out and you can replace a ruined cushion.


15 watt bulbs simulate candlelight.


Sofas should be 6.5'-7' long.


Install an outlet 28" high behind a console table to allow a lamp to be plugged in with no unsightly cords dripping off the top.

Hope you enjoyed those numbers.  Read the whole article in the May 2012 issue of House Beautiful;

Ciao,
Anne

Finally starting to roll out the fabrics for our new drapery line at DeCocco Design!

We've been working on photos of our fabrics to put on the website--days of taking photos in every light, from every angle. You know how hard it is to tell the true color of an item on your computer screen?  We won't be able to solve that issue for the world, but we're doing our best to get color and clarity on our end.  Today I thought I'd share some of the pictures to start wetting your whistle for the fabulous drapes that have been in development all these long months.

We're going to have beautiful blues.

We're going to have gorgeous greens.

And ravishing reds!

Poppin' graphics...

Elegant dots...

Handsome textures...

Fabulous stripes...

Updated coordinates...

For every room.

That's just a sampling--I'll try to post more soon, but I'm on the run every minute to get this new venture up on the website in just a matter of weeks from now.  Can't wait to show you the trims that we've found.  Nothing makes a drape look custom like a fantastic trim.  Our fabric/trim combinations are not found anywhere--I know because I've been looking for them for years!

Back to work.  Thanks for checking in.  

Ciao,

Anne

DeCocco Design Drapes are special--want to know why?

Do you want to know what makes our drapery panels different from any others that you see online or in the big retailers/catalogs?  Let me count the ways;

      The fabrics and trims - ours are beautiful, versatile and of high quality. We've got textures, patterns and
                                   colors that you will not find with ordinary, off-the-shelf products.
                                                 
     The workmanship - custom-made upon order in a professional workroom that has been chosen because
                                   of the spectacular quality of their work, right here in the U.S.

     Quality Control - everything is chosen and supervised by Gail and I.  We are experienced, knowledgeable
                                   and extremely picky.

More another day. In the meantime, enjoy the day.  The trees here in NC are blooming and green leaves are appearing.  The season is changing and springtime in NC is so pretty it can bring tears to my eyes.

Below are more lovely photos from my friends at Houzz.com  that show how window treatments bring beauty and balance into the space.  Picture any of these rooms without the drapes and you'll see that the result will be a little colder, a little less inviting and not quite so interesting.

Ciao,
Anne

The zen of design

A great place to start

While very few, if any, rooms in this world could feel this peaceful, it's not a bad image to keep in mind when choosing colors, fabrics and furnishings.  Soft, quiet, tonal, restful.  A good place to start.  Even in rooms that need to be stimulating, efficient and productive (kitchens, offices and playrooms for example).  There should always be a place to rest the eye, to soothe the overstimulated mind, even if it's just an unadorned piece of wall or a wooden bench painted in a cloudy blue or piney green.  The working brain needs a moment here and there to pause before becoming creative again.

Recently I did a guest room where we painted the walls a very vibrant shade of chartreusy green--Sherwin's Impetuous, #6916.  The room was fairly dark, so it could handle the bright color, which was set off nicely by white moldings and a white bed.  I cannot for the life of me get a decent shot of this room, but the above picture shows the fabrics we used and hopefully illustrates some of what I said in the preceeding paragraph about starting with a soft, peaceful vibe.  There's a lot of color, but the white cuts it down and rests the eye.  It's hard to go wrong with blue and green as a combo since it's the color of the sky and the trees (or at the beach--the water and the seaweed)!

Ciao,

Anne

The magic of slipcovers

Calico Corners sent me a notice about their slipcovers and I wanted to share the photo with you.  I would guess that every seat in the above room is slipcovered and don't they just look great?  There are lots of slipcovered pieces in my house.  Once you've purchase a good chair or sofa, you can easily keep it for many, many, many years.  All you have to do when you're ready for an updated look, is to have a slipcover made. 

Finding a seamstress or upholsterer who does a fantastic job is key, but just ask around and you'll find them.  I'm really loving that blue chair on the left, just because it has the crisp white welting (some people call it piping, too) on it.  Adorable. Fresh.  When having a slipcover made, always consider having some contrasting welting.  It's what says "custom" to me.  If not contrasting, then just something a little different to add polish to the look.

When choosing your new fabric for the slipcover, consider something that can be thrown in the washing machine.  After washing, throw it in the dryer, but take it out and put it back on the cushions before it's completely dry.  That's how you get it wrinkle free. I love a good slipcover.

Ciao,

Anne 

Lovin' the pillows

Oh yes, my home DOES make me smile! Newest project is pillowcases made from quilting fabric. I used an Amy Butler wild floral print and a quieter, leafy print to make two sets of pillowcases for our bed. Our bedroom is a restful space, but a little graphic print peeking out won't hurt a bit.

Picture #1 is the fabric, all ready for sewing, and #2 are the finished result. Lovin' them!

Ciao,

Anne