New England Style

Antique Bedroom in Ipswich Massachusetts Gets Coastal yet Cozy

2012-02-15T11:20:00.000-05:00

This antique home in the heart of downtown Ipswich Massachusetts, has been a long time charmer and favorite of mine! How lucky was I to be the one to design and fabricate the window treatments for the master bedroom!

Here is the other side of the room just to share some of the fabulous details with you of this old timer.

And the above photo shows the colors I was to work with. The wall color being a soft ivory leaning towards a pale yellow, white woodwork, and a classic blue and white toile.

I recently found that a quote I've been using by Frank Lloyd Wright was incorrect. He actually said: "Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union" (not just form form follows function, as I previously thought he said). I liked what I thought he said first, but I think I even like the correct one better!

These windows face the street, so privacy needed to be considered. A layered design was agreed upon after a few of the following computer designs were submitted for her approval!

The last one was selected as the winning design! Which one was your favorite? Please let me know in a comment - I would LOVE to know!

Isn't it beautiful? Okay, now for the honesty factor... I am a window treatment designer, but I'm also human and sometimes I make mistakes. I can't believe I did this but let me explain my design flaw... ie my dirty laundry :-/. When the iron holdbacks are in place, here, where I designed them to be... might look good BUT... (drum-roll, it seems so obvious to me now, how did I ever miss this), the shades can't come down past the holdbacks. Ugggh! So the holdbacks are now removed.

The hardware is custom iron made here locally. I recommended this because of the historic nature of the home, I wanted it to be historically accurate. I haven't suggested iron hardware in years and I'm so pleased with the result.

The side window we decided to do differently. This is a faux roman valance with buttons & ties.

So at the time of this post, my client and I have decided that I'm going to make tie-backs out of some of the leftover material so that she can pull the draperies back like the original design. In the meantime, I kind of like the draperies just like they are now...

In a comment - can you share with me which look you like best? Tied back or straight down?

Thanks for visiting my blog. Please follow & share, I'd love to see you back :-)

Until next time,

Michelle

Dining Room Gets New Drapes & Shades Before the Holidays!

2012-01-06T14:29:00.005-05:00

What a classic yet rustic dining room. The first floor of this renovated antique home in Lynnfield, Massachusetts had no window treatments at all until 2 days before Christmas. That's the day that I came and installed these custom drapes and roller shades! (Okay I have to level with you... I'm on my final revision & just decided I need an English lesson - after the first 3 paragraphs, I had to delete 3 "lovely's"! I mean, this place is "lovely", but... I may need to get more creative with my language if I'm going to keep my readers interested)

My client has a knack for decorating. She did such a fabulous job on the exterior of their family home, didn't she?

Even the renovated barn got a set of decorated planters and pretty natural garland.

I thought this planter above was worthy of a close-up shot with the creative grouped branches and the stone-wall behind it.

Let's rewind a couple of months to when my client first called me. She wanted a bit more privacy on the front windows of their home, since the house is on a main street in town. I just NOW noticed that these shrubs have red berries on them - how fantastic to have NATURAL red berries for Christmas! I will post a picture below of the before room, from last fall.

I love the bright sunny room so we wanted to make sure that we didn't lose the ability to keep that warm sun from shining in by covering the windows with too much fabric. So below is a rendering I did for her with my vision.

She and her husband were on board. So the design and fabrics were approved - next step, placed fabric orders, then... fabrication!

As I'm working on these drapes, I'm drawn to the texture of this fabric. They will be timeless and beautiful! The color resembles burlap, but this is SO much nicer.

After....

This is the hardware line I sell the most of but this finial has never been selected by a client of mine before. I have a new favorite! She has such good taste... don't you agree? We both decided these windows now have a "Beacon Hill" sort of look to them - very classy! You might notice, I always recommend metal rings with fixed eyes. I'm not a fan of clip rings or of wooden rings.

Above is another closeup that allows you to see the roller shades as well. So handsome!
Okay below I will show another view of the before - from the living room, followed by more after shots.

After...

The room is finally ready for the holiday! The tree was so endearing, so I will share that with you as well as a piece of the red ottoman slipcover & matching pillows I made for her living room below.

One last glimpse of the dining room from the kitchen on my way out the door that day...

I hope you had a fabulous holiday ~ I am SO happy about the new year! Looking forward to sharing lots of stories and decor with you in the year to come! My next project will be the living room window treatments in this same house - see you then!

Yours Truly :-J
Michelle

Linking up with these great sites:
My Romantic Home
Book Giveaway:
French Country Cottage

The Evolution of a Tired Sofa

2011-12-08T10:17:00.003-05:00

My client from Newburyport (one of my favorite seaside towns nearby) contacted me a few months back with a photo of her very tired sofa asking if I could help. I get lots of inquiries like this and I usually give a quick quote for a slipcover and a price range for fabrics and they either say 'sure when can you start?' or 'that was more than I expected, I think I'll just get a new sofa'. Below is the picture she sent me:

I have to admit, this one was pretty 'bad'! I am honest with my clients and if the foam is bad or the springs need replacing, I usually tell them it's not worth it unless it's an heirloom or something. This one had bad springs in 2 areas as you can even see by the picture. The foam was in good shape though - these cushions are wrapped in a down envelope.

Why I forgot to take a picture of it right after removing the old slipcover is beyond me but maybe you can see by the picture of the old slipcover that the legs were WAY too short. The sofa seemed to be sitting too low on the floor, it felt like it belonged in a dorm. So I suggested she invest in new legs. I found her these beautiful legs and the sofa looked so much better already!

Fabrics - next I suggested that since she has a new kitty, a 6 yr old, and she loves warm, soft and fun fabrics... that she go with a solid fabric with visible texture. This crushed velvet will hide a multitude of scratches and fingerprints and be so much more interesting than a flat cotton. Pillows can be added later with fun patterns and they can be changed throughout the years.

She went from green, to brown, to orange and ultimately ended up with a beautiful Sangria!

Lets discuss the skirt length. This shorter skirt was a last minute design decision on my part and I'm so glad my client was open to trying it. I also decided to try the double pleat on the front legs, and pleats wherever the cushions join too. This was instead of a gathered skirt that my client inquired about. I was afraid a gathered skirt would look like a tu tu on an elephant, this sofa is massive! So for a bit of whimsy, I opted for the shorter skirt, a few extra pleats and buttons on top of the corner pleats.

The fabric in the color Sangria is scrumptious!

It picks up on the paint color in the foyer - I decided to take one more picture of it on my way out... I just love it - what do you think?

Michelle

Linking up to these great blogs:
Chic on a Shoestring
My Romantic Home
And a fabulolous book giveaway:
French Country Cottage

Yes, Upholstery Fabrics Can be Used for Draperies

2011-08-28T14:39:00.002-04:00

Here I am, waiting for the winds from Hurricane Irene to hit and take my electricity away... racing to get this post done first! Wish me luck...

When selecting fabrics for your window treatments, the choices are many to say the least! You'd be surprised at how quickly you can eliminate many of them when actually viewing a computer rendering.

In this case, the renderings quickly showed us that contrast was needed in order to fill up some of the scale of the large space.

My client wanted to pull out the brown and tangerine tones in her wood furniture, sectional and pillows.

I thought that would be easy, but I earned my consultation fee searching for a fabric that fit just that criteria. The scale of the print needed to be rather large too and I found it in this fabric.

My client was concerned that the heavy upholstery weight fabric would not lay properly. As you can see, it is laying nicely now, but this is not a job for a non-professional! If you are making your own curtains, I would suggest sticking with drapery weight fabrics. It takes time, experience and special tools to get fabrics like this to look as good as this :-)

Like many of my customers, this family loves their tall windows, but needed some sun protection and privacy during different hours of the day and night. So I showed her many samples of natural woven roller shades and roman shades to work with the draperies.

"Before"

I created some computer renderings for her from her own photos to save some of those consultation hours.

"During the Design Phase"

I think I mis-marked that rendering above, this fabric also came in 'sage' and that fabric is the sage, not the cinnamon. Below is the pretty cinnamon swatch. I wish you could see the texture, it's soft and chenille-like in some areas, puckery in others.

The final room shots tell it all. The room is so much more complete. The window treatments look like they've always been there, always belonged there.

"After"

Thanks for visiting my design blog. If you'd like to have me help you create the room of your dreams, email me and let's talk about it!

Until next time, happy decorating!

Porch by a New England Marsh gets Spruced Up

2011-08-22T14:31:00.002-04:00

New Cushion Covers in Newbury

Before I go on about these new cushion covers (made with Sunbrella fabric), I just have to show you the lovely home that they now belong to!

Come with me for a visit to this classic New England style home in Newbury, Massachusetts. It sits in front of the marsh, with weathered cedar shingles and lots of pretty windows trimmed in white paint.

Onion lamps on the light posts line the driveway. The windows have different shapes and sizes, no cookie cutter here, very personal and charming.

I am greeted by a solid fur door that is identical to my own front door - we clearly have the same taste! She just purchased this simple and elegant dried wreath for it - perfect, it really says "Welcome!"

Beyond the columns are a lovely Birch tree and Hydrangeas...

Oh, before we go inside, look up, don't you love the ceiling?

Step inside and let's visit the back porch now.

You are immediately greeted by the view! I did not have my SLR camera charged so I know you are not going to get the full effect but this was the best I could do with what I had with me. I guess I was just focused on getting these new cushions delivered and installed this morning. My client just finished re-painting the porch in time for my delivery.

I love how the Sunbrella (color "Spa") fabric works with the texture and color variation of the weathered cedar shingle siding (oops, forgot to move the vacuum hose and ran out of batteries on this camera too so...)

Almost didn't notice the pool, how could I miss that? The beautiful view, that's how. The sky must change just like a work of art right here. I can imagine watching a storm roll in from here.

A field stone fireplace on the back porch makes this a great place to be even in the cooler months here in New England.

I hope you enjoyed our visit. My client said this morning that she was more relaxed already with her new cushions all in place looking so much more tailored and serene than before. Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Feel free to leave a comment and email me if you'd like me to help you decorate your own home.

Next I'll be posting a 'field trip' to a lovely farm that sells it's wares - it's a favorite spot of mine and I hope you'll join me :-)

Linking back to these sites:
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphasis Monday

Balloon & London Shades with a Splash of Color

2011-08-16T23:06:00.004-04:00

Linen Floral Balloon Shade and Custom Cushion

This room, like many in my clients homes, was already beautiful but lacked finishing touches. My client has big plans for filling up the room with a rug, accessories, an upholstered chair and lots of pillows to make it really cozy over time. One question people often ask me is "what should be my starting point?". I almost always say "the main fabric". The only exception to that rule (that I can think of at the moment) would be if the client already has a colorful and printed rug that is staying in the room, or a piece of art that stands out in the room already and will be staying.

Custom London Shade in Floral Linen

"After"

Now I'd like to show you the before pictures that my client sent me, that I used to work my design magic over a pretty significant period of time late last winter into early spring :-)

"Before"

And here is the first design that I did for this client:

And then came the second design rendering, I think she asked me for something a bit more formal and warmer and she might have specified curves.

(the black mark is hiding my client's name)

Both were very pretty, I think the first was 'my' first favorite :-) So I came across this next fabric that had a splash of raspberry in it and WOW, that one was a close contender and was such a good deal, but it turned out to be discontinued and only available in pieces that were different dye lots (hence, the good deal) so, though this next one is beautiful but we had to rule it out almost right away :-(

Do you see what I mean about that terrific raspberry color in that room? What a shame :-( So I continued my search and decided to try a 'tangerine' background on for size and this is what I found.

So she loved it... but I wanted to make sure she ruled out floor length panels before making the final decision... so I showed her the same fabric in panels, tied back in a romantic way, with natural woven roller shades.

Hmmm, I do love how the panels balance out the large space in the room and kind of anchor the tall windows in this design but she ultimately chose the balloon curtain with Londons...

So I forgot to even mention the cushion! It was key to the coziness of the window seat for sure. She hasn't decided on pillows yet, so I took these off of her bed for the benefit of the 'after-shot'. I'm not too much of a matchy matchy person anyway so I kind of like that they don't perfectly match with the curtain fabric.

I get lots of requests for more 'fabrication shots'. Action shots are hard to get unless I have another 'body' in the house or if I'm lucky enough to have my helper working with me for the day. This curtain is SO heavy, I should have weighed it. The fabric is a heavy linen, it's interlined and lined and the full length is about 54" before scrunching it all up (artfully if I do say so myself).

The trim cord was a last minute add on - it really finishes off the tops beautifully. Here's a picture of it during the final stage of construction on my table.

Then I added the trim to the top:

And after hours of fussing to get the folds to look "perfectly imperfect"... they were ready to be loaded into my car for delivery and installation!

Awww, isn't that just the prettiest sight? These windows are done and pillows are next!

I hope you're all enjoying this beautiful summer. Next week I'll be delivering newly recovered porch cushions that are almost finished. That porch is all about the view though - you might not even notice my cushions and that's okay - this view is so serene and tranquil... I'm looking forward to sharing it with you all! Thanks for visiting with me.

Until then, enjoy your week,

Linking back to:
Savvy Southern Style for Wow us Wednesdays
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays
Shabby Creek Cottage for Transformation Thursday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphasis Monday

Welcome Summer and a Casual Lifestyle...

2011-07-05T21:45:00.005-04:00

My kitchen dining area just got a new summer casual arrangement! I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get some of my rugs out of the rooms in the summer. I just want to see my clean, bare floors, I want to let my floors breath after they've been covered up all winter. I want to let my casual, ultra soft, white, cotton curtains to puddle on the bare floor for a coastal feel (truth be told, this curtain is just a very high thread count, ultra soft, pre-washed, not ironed flat sheet!). This rug (below) was on it's way out of my kitchen for good, but after a good shampoo, scrubbing and hosing off on the driveway, my husband ended up putting it to good use under our outdoor dining table in the back yard. (Firepit still under construction - watch for a post later)

Summer is my second favorite season. I love the casual way we live in the summer. We dress casual, don't have to layer up, grab a jacket, no more boots...just slip into sandals or sneakers most days. The season even seems to effect the colors we choose to wear. My summer clothes are so much more fun and colorful in the summertime vs. the gray, black and navy that seems to be my standard in the winter. I think I'm influenced by the beautifully blooming flowers.

Above are just a few of the flowers blooming in my yard right now. Yellow Primrose, Carpet Rose, Happy Returns Lily and pansies that reseeded themselves from last year! Please excuse the weeds :)

Rose Campions are some of my VERY favorites, they reseed so generously and accent the other flowers with a hot pink polka dot so beautifully. I ALMOST left the above picture out because of the weeds but I thought maybe my readers would look past the weeds and see my garden for it's beauty despite the weeds. After all, I'm still recovering from major surgery that I had less than a month ago... so no weeding allowed for me this summer (is that a good thing or a bad thing?). That's my dog Brady in the above photo who loves to chase chipmunks that are always playing on this stonewall.

My favorite old fashioned flower that I transplanted from my parents yard years and years and years ago are the Feverfew - also a generous re-seeder, leaving me plenty to cut and put into vases and enjoy in my kitchen all summer long. The small, daisy-like flowers also act as the 'baby's breath' in many of my gardens.

While we're speaking of my kitchen, I had to share with you these lovely place mats I got that add such a summer splash of color to my table. They don't all match, which adds to the beachy-casualness of my summer kitchen. At .25 cents apiece, I couldn't pass up the bargain at my local thrift shop the other day.

Remember to ENJOY the outdoors, take time to sit, relax and appreciate the beauty in the blooms and the foliage - don't worry so much about all the weeds. I'm enjoying mine and relaxing for the first time 'ever' (this is a new seating arrangement in my front yard) because I'm on doctors orders to do so for the first time in my life! I can't tell you how much I enjoy watching my kids and their friends sit out there talking, laughing and enjoying each others company in this new seating area - I should have created it years ago - how inviting! (Oh, and in case you're interested, that's my new, fun and peppy car that makes me feel like I'm 20 again when I drive it - it averages over 30mpg too so that makes me love it all the more!).

Enjoy your summer...

Michelle

Linking back to:

Faded Charm for White Wednesdays
Southern Savvy Style for Wow us Wednesdays
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays
Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays

My Favorite Valance

2011-05-04T10:14:00.000-04:00

Recently I came across these photos of a valance job I did a few years ago. Although I do have the photos in my portfolio, I decided they were worthy of their own article here on my website/blog. I might even go as far as to say that these are my favorite valances - Claudines :)

I have to show you some close-ups of this lovely upholstery fabric we used (Kravet by Candice Olson). Don't you also love the nubby, textured linen we selected for the contrast fabric for the horns and the welt? People frequently ask me "can I use upholstery weight fabrics on window treatments?" The answer is "yes", but it all depends on the valance and the drapery style. I have found with this particular style valance, that it actually hangs and dresses much neater if a sturdy, heavier fabric and interlining are used.

Above is one of the only BEFORE shots I took of the room. It really was quite pretty before too, wasn't it? But the windows did need something in order to make the room look complete.
Here's a similar view AFTER:

and below is another before:

I am CRAZY about that island, aren't you? Can you tell this dining room was an addition?

Let's discuss the way the valance is hung (see closeup below). My favorite way to hang this type of valance is on Medallions. This was the first job I used medallions on. I never anticipated how difficult it would be to hand screw every single one of these into the wall while standing on a ladder, arms slightly over your head! Might be easy for a weight lifter (which I am not)... Don't underestimate the difficulty in 'dressing' any valance that might appear to be simple either... there are many tricks we window treatment professionals (and installers) have up our sleeves to make them look as perfect as they do.

This would be the view you would have while looking up at them while sitting at the dining table... see why the nice contrasting fabric is so important? Imagine how cheap these would look if I had used plain white lining?

This is the other end of the room. I love the greenery... I think if this was my home this room would be FILLED with plants for a tropical feel.

View from the kitchen sink (above).

Another kitchen sink view (above).

I love this one - feels like a sunroom doesn't it?

So here we are - where the family gathers to eat together - talk about the day, share stories... priceless!

Until next time, consider finishing off the bare windows in your home!

Bye for now,

Michelle

A Day at the Beach?

2011-04-21T15:35:00.000-04:00

Well not really a day at the beach. This picture is about as close as I got. It was really just another day-at-the-office for me, but I don't really 'have' an office that I go to... I work in my clients homes, in my home in my workroom/studio...in my sample room... and even up in my sunny bedroom (when I need some sunshine because my workroom has no windows!).

Here's a glimpse at my workroom for those of you who haven't followed my website for very long and might not have seen it. I love it - but I do long for windows - not sure where I would put one, but I can guarantee you I'd find room if it meant I could have a window!

How about a window like this? This would make a nice workroom space - I'd want to work all day and never leave if this were my workroom! This is one of the rooms in the Inn that I'll be doing some work in soon.

Okay in reality, I was only there today to measure and troubleshoot with the contractor about the best and least expensive method for window coverings for a very large room...

So this is the before... and hopefully I'll have a lovely 'after' shot for you in just a few weeks if all goes as planned today!

So before you get all jealous of me and think that I had a day off at the beach... here is what really happened when I was snapping this shot. I was ready to make a bee-line for home after measuring. It was sunny but WINDY and BITTER COLD. I opened my car door and the wind almost ripped it off! When I got back to my car, I literally could not shut my door against the fierce wind. It took both of my hands and all the strength my arms had to pull my door shut! So no need to be jealous of my beach day... I was just kidding with you :) Soon enough, soon enough...

Until next time!

Michelle

Dreamy Master Bedroom

2011-04-16T12:35:00.005-04:00

This master bedroom en-suite project of mine is finally nearing the finish line! We've worked on it piece by piece, like many projects I do for clients. So I try to patiently wait & not post too much until there's a visible change. I think we're at that stage now!

Perhaps I should show you a 'before' picture here, for the benefit of those of you that weren't followers of my website back then.

Can you believe the difference? I think this has to be one of the biggest transformations I've done thus far in my 13 year career of interior decorating/design and custom fabrication! Let me see if I can find a photo that is this same angle and distance as the before. Ah, here's one:

Keep in mind, we're not done yet! My final recommendations for this room are to switch out the white ceiling fan with a rustic, wood one... hang some vintage plates or other collection of small paintings or frames or ? over the bed...still working on that. Swap out the tiny end tables for more substantial ones that fit under the windows and have drawers or cabinet doors (hiding the cords and filling that space). Finally, I am on the lookout for the perfect carpet to have made into matching custom rugs that will fit each of the rooms in this master bedroom en-suite.

Close up detail of the double kick pleats on the corners of the silk tailored bed skirt I just recently made and installed. I make my bed skirts and dust ruffles in 3 separate pieces... can you tell? I just think it's so practical - if one side gets dirty, that is the only piece that has to go to the cleaners - and the whole mattress doesn't have to come off to achieve this! Why aren't they all made like that? Well - mine are!

Next I delivered the extra long, down filled, custom bolster. I wanted to show you a close up. The fabric on the ends is left over from the window seat cushions on the other side of the room, exquisite Robert Allen fabric - has an embossed look and feel to it. I thought it was so beachy next to this soft, dreamy, white bedding my client picked up at Pottery Barn (I instructed her to buy 'white' or 'ivory' and that it should be washable, like any bedding that touches our skin!).

While we're on close-up shots, I wanted to show you the center pleat, not visible in the other photos. I also wanted to explain that I purposely did not re-press this bed-skirt at the install. I prefer the look of real silk, and real silk is crinkly. Also, I don't want this room to look too refined and 'hotel-like'. We are going for a dressed up room that is cozy, warm and decorated, a little bit coastal, inviting and soft are important words to add to that mix as well. I think that a little beachy on this bed ensemble goes a long way. Don't you agree?

Notice the hold backs on the draperies? That was a recent addition too - really added the 'awww' factor and some romance to the window treatments.

Oh, I almost forgot - the antique trunk was my clients already, and was on the other side of the room, so nobody saw it when entering the room. I would love to see an upholstered bench, a setee or a wood bench with a cushion and pillows at the foot of the bed, and this trunk directly under the mirror, blocking the speaker from immediate view and creating a nice spot for a pretty plant in a rustic pot... then a stack of books to one side. That is my final vision for the room (along with the other items I mentioned earlier). So there may still be one more post on this room, I think it is well on it's way to being a real winner of a bedroom, don't you?

Stay tuned - this is how big room projects usually work - after all, Rome wasn't built in a day, right? We weren't going for a bed-in-a-bag or a matching-5-piece-set-from-a-furniture-store look here, we were going for a room that evolved over time and I think that is exactly what my client is getting.

If you have a room that needs a transformation like this - email me! I'd love to be your designer & fabricator :)

Michelle

Linking back to these favorite sites:
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
At the Picket Fence for Inspiration Friday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphasis Monday
Southern Savvy Style for Wow us Wednesdays

Time for New Outdoor Cushions

2011-04-15T20:24:00.006-04:00

Finally, Spring has arrived here in New England!  Everyone is outside even on the chilliest of the sunny days, doing yard cleanups, pulling the outdoor furniture out of storage... inspecting those cushions... 

Does your outdoor furniture still have the original cushions that came with the it?  Are they flat as a pancake?  Do you sink down into the frame because the foam has no support left in it?  Chances are, the company that made your outdoor furniture used the cheapest of foam, and maybe even fabrics as well (not made for 'outdoor use' in many cases).

This lovely furniture is on Cape Cod.  The old cushions were just as I described... disintegrating foam and fabric.  I wish I had more pictures - my client sent me these.  Why I didn't take before shots I don't know.  

I replaced the foam with outdoor foam that the water can run right through and it is mold and mildew resistant.  The fabric is Sunbrella.  The outdoor foam is wrapped in an outdoor dacron for extra softness (that the water can also run right through and it will not hold the moisture).

Another set of outdoor cushions I did last year were actually for the indoors.  I've shown them in a previous post but I'll show them again for those of you that are new to my website.  

 I used a decorative welt instead of a fabric one on these.  Here is a closeup.

Tomorrow I begin my first cushions for an inn on the ocean nearby!  I can't wait, maybe I'll post the picture back here when I finish.  Here is the view from one of the rooms when I was there to measure back in February. 

You can usually extend the life of your outdoor furniture by just replacing the cushions.  Keep that in mind, you could be saving a lot of money and being 'green' at the same time!  (Oh, and don't forget to email me to place your order :)

Enjoy the spring... it's my favorite season!  Is it yours too?

Michelle

Linking up to these favorites:
Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Night Special
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Chic on a Shoestring for Flaunt it Friday

Custom Valances & Shades... Its all about the Details

2011-02-28T16:13:00.011-05:00

Notice how the little flowers in this pretty cotton fabric mimic the flowers in the wallpaper? The wallpaper is Thibaut... one of my favorites. Do you like the fabric covered buttons on the valance front? How about the 1/4" striped banding on the lower edge of the valance that mirrors the striped welt on top.

The striped 3" banding on the bottom of the shade, just below the stationary fold? Don't you love how the stripe contrasts, yet at the same time complements the paisley in the shade? These fabrics are both from Greenhouse Fabrics.

...the shade in it's 'up' position, where it will be most of the time.

I do love how it looks when it's down - isn't the fabric lovely? So beachy! It picks up on the tones in the bathroom tiles perfectly!

This is a kids bathroom (bigger kids) - Mom didn't want it to be too girlish, too boyish, too young, or too grown up. I think we hit it right on the mark...the design was a collaborative effort as it should be :)

I think it's pretty much... perfect! What do you think? You don't have to agree with me.

Oh, I wanted to add that those two fabric covered buttons took me longer to make than the valance did! I've been wanting one of those button press machines for some time now and I'd like to declare right now to you, my readers, my goal to invest in one in the year 2011. I'd love to add buttons to almost everything I make! You don't want to know what my thumbs feel like even the next day after making these 2 without the help of a button press... :(

As always, if you need help with custom window treatments, cushions, pillows or slipcovers and/or want a design consultation... contact me, I'd love to help!

Until next time...

Linking to:
Southern Savvy Style for Wow us Wednesdays
Faded Charm Cottage for White Wednesdays
Chic on a Shoestring for Flaunt it Friday
Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday
Antique Chase Flea Market Wednesday Giveaway

White Slipcovers, Classic, Coastal, New England

2011-01-25T14:40:00.007-05:00

Nothing can freshen up a room and say "classic, coastal, New England" more than new white slipcovers!

Can you believe directly above is actually the same sofa "before"? Even I had my doubts... this truly is one slipcover job I considered talking my client out of.

But then we searched fabrics and found these Duralee Liverpool Linen Dots... and the gorgeous lip cord that was so subtle... and decided upon an ivory ultra suede for the body of the sofa and backs of pillows.

...Decided last minute to throw a little linen polka dot into those pleats too (sort of becoming a signature of mine along with the double kick pleated corners)...

I had all new plump, custom down pillow forms made for just the 5 main back pillows...decided less is more here...

I wish the photo captured the creamy vanilla ice cream texture of this white ultra-suede and the beauty of this pillow combination along with it.

Many hours were spent selecting these fabrics and many house calls before the final selections were agreed upon. I have to thank my incredibly talented stitcher for this slip - it was a challenge with all these exaggerated curves!

Fast forward to yesterday and I had yet another white sofa slipcover to install! This time cotton...corded, like a fine pinstripe.

The old upholstery underneath is a yellowy ivory. This one blends masterfully with the trim & rest of colors in this coastal living room in Georgetown, MA.

...and with the rug. Don't you love the wall color in this room? It's Benjamin Moore's Saybrook Sage.

The wainscotting was a DIY project by my client's husband - didn't he do a great job?

Ahhh, another room complete with finishing touches... another happy ending :)

Until next time,

Linking back to:

Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphasis Monday

Faded Charm for White Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style for Boring to Better

My Client's Home Featured in the Boston Globe - A House Tour

2011-01-15T09:58:00.009-05:00

You may recall an antique farmhouse in Lynnfield, MA that I featured a couple of months ago. My clients have their home up for sale and it is currently featured on Boston.com @ http://www.boston.com/realestate/gallery/homeoftheweek/011611/ and will also be in tomorrow's Boston Sunday Globe as "Home of the Week".

I've done many of the custom pillows and window treatments throughout this lovely home so was thrilled to see some of my work in these Boston Globe photos. I thought I would share some of the pictures with you since I had not shown you the rest of the house. Enjoy your house tour!

Most visitors enter through this tastefully renovated kitchen. Don't you love the original, massive fireplace?

I turned existing drapery panels into these faux leather, banded roman shades in the grand piano room to better suit the taste of my clients.

Below is the den, the last room on the main floor. The day bed also makes this room a perfect guest room.

Just at the top of the stairs is this cozy but chic guest room (below). There are drawers built into the walls, eliminating the need for too much furniture. My client made this upholstered headboard himself and this is simply a full size bed with ample storage underneath. Ingenious use of space in this smaller room and HUGE on style!

That about completes our antique farmhouse tour here in lovely New England. Thanks for joining me. Read more about the history of and how to purchase this home in tomorrow's Sunday Globe or right now @ Boston.com: http://www.boston.com/realestate/gallery/homeoftheweek/011611/

Until next time...

Linking to these great sites for sharing:
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday
French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
Southern In My Heart for Inspiration Friday
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphasis Monday
Savvy Southern Style for Boring to Better

Layering Window Treatments

2011-01-13T16:32:00.005-05:00

Panels and Valances Duralee Highland Court Fabric with Natural Woven Roller Shades

Many times we don't know what it is that's missing in a room, but feel that 'something' is missing. You're not quite sure what it is. Maybe you need window treatments? That is the #1 missing piece to the puzzle in most of my clients rooms & over the years has been the main reason that they contact me.

What if you already have custom window treatments... or maybe you had shades or blinds made, that helped, but...?

Maybe you never thought of adding another layer? Giving depth and dimension to the windows can really complete your room.

Perhaps it's not in your budget to do all layers at once. I'm a big fan of doing separate invoices for my clients. I can create the design for you so that you can see the finished product - but am always happy to separate the blinds or shades from the panels and/or valances into separate estimates so that you can order these as they fit into your budget.

If you'd like me to do a rendering of your room or windows with another layer, email me about a consultation. I can even do your design with your existing window treatments in place. Until next time...

Linking up to:

French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday:

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2011/01/feathered-nest-friday-no-17.html

Southern In My Heart for Inspiration Friday:

http://southerninmyheart.blogspot.com/2011/01/inspiration-friday-party-no-19.html

My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday:

http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2011/01/show-and-tell-friday_13.html

Seeing is Believing; Window Treatment, Slipcover & Cushion Renderings

2010-12-27T17:43:00.008-05:00

Job #1: A sunroom in need of a new 'beachy' color. I liked the room the way it was. But I'm not the one that had already been living with it for ten years... and I totally know that I-don't-care-if-you-like-it... I-just-need-it-outta-here feeling! Below is the before shot... I did a few renderings to show my client some different ways to revamp the room without spending a fortune on all new furniture.

My client was wanting to see a cool, calm, serene 'spa' color that worked with her slate flooring - so we tried this one on for size (below).

Below, I wanted to show her how woven wood blinds and decorative panels could cozy up the space, while still adding the cool spa tones she wanted. The spring green was a nice contrast to the turquoise.

Job #2: Client has a large banquette in her kitchen that needs angled seat cushions and window treatments. Those angles might be a bit tricky so these renderings will be key in figuring out what drapery hardware and curtain style will work here.

I thought the shaped bottom of this valance (below) was lovely going around this curve and that the floral fabric was warm, cheery and spring-like.

She wanted to see something with specific colors and a bright background - happy colors, so I thought I'd try this tropical linen floral that I have in stock (below). Do you like the fabric covered lamp shades? How about the stripe on the boxing of the cushions...

Okay for something very different, I wanted to show her what separate treatments over each individual window might look like and the panels in the front were an unexpected surprise - I love how they ended up framing the whole unit of windows.

Job #3: I have this chair in my workroom now (below) and my client is deciding what to do with it. We can reupholster or slipcover it. She doesn't want to cover up the wood, the room is going 'coastal' so I showed her this style, with the ties, that will still allow her to throw these 'pinafores' (I nicknamed them) in the wash (or preferably have them dry cleaned). The pieces you see of detached ruffles were skirts I tried on and decided looked awful, so discarded. I think the tailored skirt with pleated corners (shown below) looks best.

I also offer this service to my clients that don't live here in New England. If you'd like me to do some computer designs for you - I can work up an estimate for you based on your needs. Just send me an email and we can begin. A story board or mood board is also an option (showing paint colors & accessories etc). Here are two more below (Client #4) showing paint colors (these are the same house, connected family room and kitchen):

The banquette (below) did not exist previously, so I did this for her in order for her to envision the finished product, and so that we could try on several fabrics, valances and wall colors.

When I'm not in my workroom, or researching fabrics from my sample library, I'm upstairs working on designs such as these. What do you think? Would 'seeing it' like this ultimately help you to be able to make your decorating decisions? For most people 'seeing is believing' and renderings can make all the difference in the world.

I have many more renderings to share with you - but will save those for future articles. Until then - enjoy your holiday week :)

Michelle

Linking up with Completely Coastal for Coastal Blog Posts 2010

http://www.completely-coastal.com/2010/12/coastal-blog-posts-2010-linkup-come-and.html
A Bowl Full of Lemons for Totally Organized Tuesday:
http://abowlfulloflemons.blogspot.com/2010/12/week-4-totally-organized-tuesday-link.html
Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphasis Monday:
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2010/12/colonial-williamsburg-apple-tree.html

Merry Christmas To All 2010

2010-12-20T08:17:00.008-05:00

I finally finished decorating our tree yesterday. One thing I love about having a real tree is that it is never the same, every year brings a brand new look!

This year, I went for a shorter one, proving that once it's all full of decorations, nobody even noticed (except my husband thought we should cut off the top). I thought maybe this would be the year I might find a topper I liked, so decided to wait and leave the top. All decorated, I think it looks fine - what do you think?

I use iridescent wire ribbon in lieu of garland. Last year I used tartan ribbon. This year I wanted to use white, but could not find it in my attic, so red it is! Last night I added the candy canes - that is a first for me. I happened to have them because I want to make that yummy Peppermint Bark this year. I'm going to follow the recipe I found on my friend Nancy's blog (she also has an eggnog bread with an eggnog glaze recipe I'm going to try) http://nancycreative.wordpress.com/ in case you want to check it out after you're finished perusing my blog.

I love how the tree showed up in the reflection. The sugared fruit 'pics' are my favorites in the wall pockets. Last year I filled them with red winter berries (which are in my kitchen this year).

A few things I love, all grouped together. The Grinch is a favorite Christmas special in our house, we love this decoration :) My sister-in-law Martha gave me the beautiful glass ornament one year and I gave it a special stand because I love it so much... and how it looks next to my vintage glass oil lamp.

I was waiting for snow to post "Merry Christmas" because my house looks so much prettier when there is a blanket of snow (see my header picture from last February). But Christmas is coming fast, so I decided I had to at least showcase the great job my husband did on the outdoor lights & decor. I also love how our brand new roof and fieldstone & granite front step looks this year :)

Thanks for stopping by to visit! Next I will either be posting photos from my latest two jobs or the handmade gifts I'm making today for my 5 nieces out of fabric scraps. Yes, I've got a lot of those laying around...

Michelle

Written by Michelle Jamieson

http://www.newengland-style.com

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com

Linking back to Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday:
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-tree-illuminated-with-real.html
Cottage and Vine for Tour of Homes:
http://cottageandvine.blogspot.com/2010/12/2010-christmas-tour-of-homes.html

Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday:
http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2010/12/nifty-thrifty-tuesdays-no43.html
Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursday
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2010/12/transformation-thursday_22.html
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday:
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2010/12/show-and-tell-friday_23.html

Anticipating snow...no white for us yet...

2010-12-15T11:53:00.005-05:00

It's unusual for us to still have no snow right now here on the North Shore of Boston Mass. I never realized how much it "makes" the view out my windows and of my house (see my new website header photo from 2/10 of my house when it's covered with snow) all winter long. Without it I am finding that everything just looks dead and brown ... very depressing :(

But while driving my son to a friend's house last night, we passed 2 ponds. We both noticed the most amazing, pink sunset that featured a VERTICAL streak of light! We were blown away, so we pulled over at our summer fishing hole spot (see photo below of the same spot in the summer) to take a picture. Unfortunately all I had was my blackberry so the quality is not great, but this is better than nothing! Do any of you know if there is a special name for this vertical streak or a reason for it? Never in my life have I ever seen a vertical streak in a sunset (I'll post it again since I didn't take a second photo).

Stevens Pond, Boxford Massachusetts 12/14/2010

Now when I look at this photo, I can't help but to think of how much prettier it would have been if there was snow on these trees. So I want to thank my dearest friend Amy from Maison Decor for adding the pretty snowy border to my photo for me today :) You can almost see the stillness in the air, and feel the cold in the air can't you? Even without the snow - the sky shows us and the temps remind us that it is still winter. Here is the same spot in summer, when my son (right)and his friend fish there.

Thank you all for reading my 'not-decorating-related-post' for a change! I will have a new camel-back sofa slipcover & pillows to post photos of by the end of the week - I just need to get off of my computer and finish sewing the pillows first!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

www.jamiesoninteriors.com

www.newengland-style.com

Linking back to these sites:

Faded Charm for "White Wednesdays"

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/2010/12/white-wednesday-78.html
Chic on a Shoestring for "Flaunt it Friday"
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/2010/12/flaunt-it-friday-37-and-like-me-pretty.html
Shabby Chic Cottage for "Holly Bloggy Home Tour"
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2010/12/holly-bloggy-christmas-home-tour.html

New England Style - an all time favorite...

2010-12-08T13:16:00.010-05:00

Welcome! This lovely New England Style home has so many elements that I love that I decided to dedicate a whole post to it. In fact, I decided that I love the "New England Style" so much that I've re-named my website/ blog after it. (I will have a second website address www.newengland-style.com soon, I already have the domain name, but I have not activated or forwarded it yet at the time that I am first publishing this post. First of all, let's talk about the fur front door? I have one on my own house and it is a perfect charming first impression. I think the front door sets the stage for the rest of the house and should be heavy and solid. Then there's the onion lamp - classic New England Style. The porch was added on - great idea, it wraps around too.

A traditional, golden, warm living room. The room is mixed with antique, reproduction and new furniture. The woodwork in the room is also a mix of old and new

Note the fabulous paneled wood wall, the bubble glass & iron sconces...

On the other side of the room, the new built in wall features book cases, window seats, cabinets... don't you love the antique clock? I'm crazy for really old antique clocks like this one.

The lovely linen drapes are handmade by me. The Laura Ashley linen fabric was chosen along with the wall color to be subtle and look like they'd always been there. Do you like how they are just long enough to 'break' onto the floor?

Another view of this wall for perspective. The built-ins cover the entire wall.

One day, the dining room was being painted, so these armless chairs covered in a darling yellow buffalo check were in the living room. I love them in here. I don't believe that every shade in a room should be the same - a little variation adds depth and interest.

Here is a before shot of the living room - without the window treatments. Don't you agree that the room is bare without them?

The trim is a gorgeous wide gimp that goes perfectly with the fabric. I could have added it like this horizontally for interest. But my client and I opted to band the inseams.

This is what you see when you walk in the front door and look to the left. Could anything more warm and inviting? Maybe cushions & pillows for those window seats?

How about a vase of fresh flowers in any room to put a smile on your face :)

Thank you for coming along to tour of one of my favorite rooms that I've had the pleasure to help decorate. I'll feature some other rooms in this same home - I've been lucky enough to get to work on several rooms in this home as they purchased it at auction when it was very dated and spent quite a while renovating it to bring it to it's current, lovely state.

Please feel free to comment below - I just LOVE all of your notes!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com/

Linking back to these great sites:

Savvy Southern Style for Boring to Better:

http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/2010/12/boring-to-better-party-5-and-christmas.html

Faded Charm for White Wednesdays:

http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/2010/12/white-wednesday-77.html
Chic Provence for a Fabulous Givaway and Provence Tour Info:
http://chicprovence.blogspot.com/2010/11/chic-provence-design-tour-in-spring.html
The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays:
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/2010/12/transformation-thursday.html
My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday:
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2010/12/show-and-tell-friday_09.html

Sheer Shades are a Perfect Solution for Ugly Basement Windows

2010-12-03T08:20:00.007-05:00

This pretty little window treatment is covering up something not-so-pretty. I'm sure many of you have a window that might look a little something like this (below) or maybe yours is even worse.

Perhaps you don't want to go through the expense or headache of having the window replaced right now. Maybe all you really want is a little bit of privacy, yet still some filtered light at the same time? And how about a little bit of fabric introduced to the room for some much needed 'texture' to cozy up the room and give it some personality.

For this shade, I made it stationary. It will not be operable, it will stay just like it is. We chose a linen-look polyester sheer fabric that comes in many colors for the body of the shade. And the top mimics a little valance and brings in the colors from the rest of the room.

I used thin, clear acrylic rods to stabilize the shades and give each fold some weight in order to keep them taught and straight.

I love the end result. What do you think? If you need solutions for your window problems, contact me (email me via any of the click-able buttons here on my site) for a consultation today. I'll be glad to help you ;)

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com/

Linking back to these great blog parties - check them out for great decorating ideas:

"Chic on a Shoestring" for "Flaunt it Friday":
http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/2010/12/flaunt-it-friday-35.html
"My Romantic Home" for "Show-and-tell-Friday":
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/2010/12/show-and-tell-friday.html
"Southern In My Heart" for "Inspiration Friday":
http://southerninmyheart.blogspot.com/2010/12/inspiration-friday-party-no-14.html
"Funky Junk Interiors"
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2010/12/sns-60-brings-you-your-fav-christmas.html

Linen Slipcovers for Wingback Chairs

2010-11-29T09:54:00.005-05:00

These latest slipcovers don't even need words to describe! But I will anyway. My client Maureen and I were definitely on the same wavelength even before our first meeting. I like to email with my clients before a consultation to get an idea of their lifestyle, taste and color pallet before I arrive at their homes.

This gorgeous linen fabric color is like a robins egg, but it is not a solid linen. It has a fleck of brown throughout giving it depth and a 'heather' look. Selecting the fabric wasn't that quick and easy though. For my client has 3 labs - 2 yellow and one chocolate. The chocolate one, Punch, loves to lay in these chairs. My client had a vision of white, washable, cotton slipcovers for her (then) red and mustard yellow, very folk-art-like fabric chairs (wish I'd taken a 'before' shot). I decided to show my client how a handful of her dog's hair looked and acted on the white, denim-like cotton. It didn't look very good, and it didn't brush off very easily. Then I showed her a very washable, durable, ivory faux suede (she wanted washability too). Though it looked amazing and creamy... the dog's hair was even more stubborn about brushing off of the suede fabric. Finally, I brought out this favorite of mine, and would you believe that the dog's hair blended right in with the flecks in the linen fabric. We could not even find the dogs hair, it blended so well. PERFECT! Doesn't it look fabulous with her burlap curtains?

The above 2 pictures are taken with my Blackberry of one of the chairs in my van just before delivery - I thought you could see the true color better with these outdoor shots.

Though the linen is not supposed to be 'washable', I made a few extra covers for her chair slips so that she can wash or send these covers to the cleaners, rather than potentially ruining the linen slipcovers in the wash. She loved the idea. I have pictures of the head rest and the arm covers below, the seat covers I am not finished with yet, but may add a photo of those later!

She asked for a flounced skirt. Not a tight gathered skirt, just a relaxed, loose ruffle and not too long. I think it came out perfect!

We (one of my best slipcover stitchers and I) rushed to get these completed (design, fabrics selected, ordered and fabricated) and installed in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. I am so blessed to have such talented help when the season gets busy like this!

If you need help turning your home into the home of your dreams, I'd love to help you, just shoot me an email!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com/

Linking back to http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/
Check out this amazing site and an INCREDIBLE giveaway opportunity!
http://www.cynthiascottagedesign.blogspot.com/

Walls Painted White... Back to a Blank Canvas

2010-11-23T10:11:00.008-05:00

Pure, simple, yet elegant. That is how my kitchen feels when I look at my freshly painted walls. Some might think that these white walls are waiting for their new color. Not so, for I, the 'color queen', have turned over a new leaf! I have declared that there will be no more red walls in my house!

Because of my poor organization skills when it comes to filing my photos of my 'own' home, I seem to have misplaced ALL of the hundreds of photos I recently took of my RED kitchen :/ So I will instead provide you with a link to the article I recently posted about it. For those of you that already read it, you may want to refresh your memory by checking out the old red kitchen that I was itching to paint out. Many of you commented and said I should leave it. I did, for a while - but 10 years is long enough for just about ANY color on my walls! Here is that link http://jamiesoninteriors.blogspot.com/2010/10/sneak-peak-into-my-dining-room.html

Okay, so I did take one more photo of my new china in my hutch just prior to painting out the red... I'll share that photo here:

Here is the primer/paint I used to rid my walls of the red faux painting. I started to second guess my desire to go 'white' at this point, because I kind of liked the blue/gray color with the coffee ice cream color (I made that up, it was an 'oops' paint that had no name!). So I decided to take a picture of it with my new, old China that I had just picked up at the flea market!

Oh my goodness... kind of a pretty combination, ha? I was in the middle of cleaning out the cupboards in my hutch and buffet when I painted this - so excuse the table full of STUFF. I had to step back and see if this new primer/paint was worth keeping for a while?

Hmmm, kind of cute - could work with some of my watercolor paintings... but NO! I am ready for white walls for the first time in my life!

So I had the most fun on Saturday night, cranking the radio to 80's music and having a "painting-it-white" party for myself while the kids and hubby were in and out all evening. I hadn't heard some of those songs in so long - I forgot how much I enjoy painting and singing out loud when I'm all alone! But after the first coat, I looked back at my slider, it was dark outside, so the glass was black, I literally said "Oh NO, it looks AWFUL" - it was the trim... it looked so dirty, scratched (from my dog) and just downright yellowy toned trim next to the new, fresh, crisp "Swiss Coffee" Behr wall paint. I don't have the time or the patience to paint my TRIM right now! This was not in my plan! So while waiting for that coat to dry, I decided to scrub my trim with a damp cloth. It was slowly improving... hopefully it was just 'dirty' and not in need of new paint. I tackled the second coat, and as I peaked over my shoulder after finishing each wall, I was falling in love with the white. I'm declaring "there will be NO MORE RED in my kitchen!". I couldn't wait to wake up and see how it looked in the daylight the next day. It was definitely a Sunday morning for newspapers, magazines, kids and dogs in front of the fire.

Wow. I'm in love with Swiss Coffee. Look how the wood on the floor pops now and the hutch... and the red on the chair seats was next in line to go BUT... when it's the only red in the room - I kind of like it all over again! So I think it can stay, for now... My hubby brings down some Christmas decorations and I am NOT ready to put anything into my new white kitchen right now except for some nice, green plants. He walks in the room with red berries in his hands and I declared "there will be NO MORE RED in this kitchen!" But then I remembered that I just brought the urns up from the basement to see how the 'stone' color would look as an accessory against the new white walls - and I loved them so much but I thought they needed some jade plants in them. But I decided to grab the red berries out of my hubby's hands and try them out in the urns, breaking my own new rule about banning red in this room! Oh my goodness, I LOVE them now that the room isn't swimming with red, pattern and loads of color everywhere. Oh yes, my own motto 'contrast is good' I remembered - suddenly the red berries and red polka dot seat covers POP against the crisp white walls! So they can stay, for now...

What to do about curtains? I of course, have a little collection in my attic of curtains that I've had over the years and periodically I switch them out like accessories in my home ;) So I hung the old iron rod, deciding that when I took those dark red valances down, it was the brightest my kitchen had been in years! From now on it will be panels in my kitchen, flanking the slider, no more valances hovering over it (should I post a picture of how I threw them out the door after I took them down? Boards attached and all? They are laying upside down on my iron table, getting some much needed fresh air! I may put them up for sale (if I can find those pictures of them hanging in my old red kitchen that is!). So out came the cottage style panel and valances that I made before I started my custom window treatments business 12 years ago! They are still so pretty and boy do they look different next to the white paint and the freshly sanded and waxed top of my antique farm table. I think I'll take pictures of this, then try out the panels from my family room next.

Check out that yellow gingham check that I lined this panel and valance with. I don't even know if I knew what lining was back then - I just remember thinking that a treatment should look finished from the backyard too!

Be still my heart... I never imagined how pretty this old valance would look against my table top! Wow do I love my table all over again now that I have white walls too!

I had to step back and take a picture. Sometimes this is the best way to decorate by the way... take lots of pictures, go back to your computer and look at them objectively. Though I think this is lovely - I'm not wanting so much of the yellow, green and red cottage roses look in my kitchen anymore. So I think I will sell these (wanna buy them? email me... let's talk!). Time to try the blue background panels from my family room to see if that is more of the look I'm going for in my new white kitchen.

Ooooh, much better. See, how much better the contrast looks? The cooler tones of the blue make the red berries and seats just look so FRESH! But it's still flowers and I'm ultimately needing to rid my first floor of some of the flowery fabrics. So I think I'll put this back in the family room and see if I can find that gray/blue linen stripe that I have somewhere in my house (is it under my workroom table? Is it in the attic?)... I'll have to try it on in a computer rendering to see what it might look like and that will tell me if it's the look I'm going for. (Please know that this rendering is very sloppy and I only did it for my own benefit - I'm much more careful with my renderings for my clients - if it was for a client, I would even have put the treatment behind the table so that it would look like it would for real).

Now that is more like it... I wish the 'other' stripe was more 'white' but it's not. So it will have to do, I bet it will look just perfect. I like how it's picking up on the ivory tones in the light fixture, and the warmer wood tones from the hutch. I will eventually put a natural woven roller shade on this slider too, just hanging like a small valance, and that will also tie in the warmer ivory color in the fabric. This will be perfect! But no time to finish before Thanksgiving, so for now - the old cottage roses will grace my kitchen windows just until I can find the fabric and finish up the new linen stripe panels! I can hardly wait!!!

Well, I have slipcovers to deliver this morning! So I best get dressed and get to work so that I can post a new article ;) I do promise to share with you the linen panels whenever they may be finished. I can hardly wait to start cooking and setting my table for Thanksgiving now ;)

... 5 days later... I'm adding a few photos from Thanksgiving Day since I continued to make some changes after I originally posted this! The biggest change was the glass shades on my light fixtures. I had these old fashioned bubble glass shades in my bathrooms and just love them to death. I went looking everywhere for more of them to replace my amber milky glass shades that worked better with my Italian Countryside style kitchen (that is no more). They were no where to be found! So I took these out of my bathrooms and I will enjoy them more here in the kitchen from now on. I absolutely love them - I feel like I had new light fixtures installed! What a quick update - I highly recommend it!

Here's my youngest son Colin looking to snatch some 'pickings' before the meal! My Mom is always helping in the kitchen... Notice the close up of my glass shades - I elected to keep my red berries here on the island lights, at least for the holidays ;)

Here are my oldest son Pat, my Dad and my middle son Evan, watching the Patriots game while waiting for the Thanksgiving Day feast to be complete! (oops, I never got around to putting that curtain panel back after trying it out on the kitchen)

Well, the food just looked too good to not take a picture of... and of course, my new, old china that looked so pretty that day. Can you tell that we are HUGE (sausage) stuffing fans in my house? Two big pans of it and it was all gone 24 hrs after the holiday dinner!

You should see the new (well, relocated) bubble glass shades when I have the lights dimmed at night... absolutely to DIE for! Sometimes the best changes in your home's decor can be right under your nose - just hiding in another room!

Okay - officially on to Christmas now... time to get that tree and pull down some decorations!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com/

Linking back to these great sites be sure to check them out:
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/
http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/

Custom Pillows Add Instant Comfort, Color and Texture

2010-11-08T11:42:00.003-05:00

It always helps when my clients have great taste or give me free reign to choose what fabrics look best in their room! I'll have a closeup of this beautiful pillow (above) later in the post. This pillow absolutely made this chair. I loved the fabric so much that I ordered some for myself too ;)

Ah, a fresh pile of custom pillows - ready for delivery!

Both my client and I were amazed when we looked from the kitchen at what a difference a few custom pillows could make to this older sofa and to the room!

Close up shots...

The fabric from the one on the left has a name that I thought was perfect and it comes from an old quilt pattern. It's called "Goose Wing". Perfect complement to the other pillows. The center one in this photo is the most exquisite SILK POLKA DOT (those of you that know me or follow my posts know that I am a fanatic about polka dots). My client was a bit concerned about durability with this silk, so I backed it with a knit stabilizer before constructing it and now it is PERFECT!

Won't you sit and stay for a while?

Perhaps you prefer more detail like trims, welt and more than one fabric. Just about anything is possible when you order custom pillows through me.

I've decided to start offering custom and pillows that I've made for sale directly through my website (blog). I'm very excited to be able to offer this to clients from near and far! In most cases, I can even promise 24 hour turnaround time on custom pillows. Soon, I will be adding a button with a link to purchase, but for now, please contact me via email for estimates and to place orders. This is a great way to give a custom pillow as a holiday gift, or to give your own rooms a quick 'pick-me-up' before the holiday season!

Happy Monday!

Michelle

As always, if you need help designing and or fabricating the room(s) of your dreams, email me! Virtual designs from a photo are also a specialty of mine that can be done through email even if you live far away :) jamiesoninteriors@verizon.net

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

www.jamiesoninteriors.com

My Ever Changing Living Room

2010-11-03T10:59:00.007-04:00

Well, here we are... welcome to my cozy sanctuary that is my living room. It's by no means finished or completed. I don't know if it ever will be. I have this funny infatuation with trying to make this room perfect for my family. This weekend, my parents stopped by for dinner, and while the pot-roast was simmering, they began helping me re-arrange the room! I LOVE it when we do this. This is what we did when I was growing up. This is what helped lead me into my current profession as an interior designer. My parents were always re-arranging rooms, in the quest for the perfect arrangement or to make rooms more functional. So at a very young age, I too was constantly re-arranging my bedroom.

A few short years ago, this room was my 'red room'. Though I liked it, after a while, the walls began to feel like they were closing in on me, so I had to break free and paint it a lighter color. Here it is when it was red. At first, I used a set of floral pinch pleated panels that I already had in my attic from a previous room (I always save my panels, never know when I may need them for another room - they are currently at my parents cabin on the Lake, see my June 1st post about panels being the most practical treatment - they look great against their knotty pine walls).

And then I decided the panels were too long and flowery so I made boxed valances in a pretty toile with contrast pleats made with remnants from these cushion covers I made. In the winter, I needed it more 'cozy', so added the cafe curtains. My dog Brady cracked me up one morning when I saw him perched (like he thinks he's a 'little' dog?) on my feminine little parsons chair! He's watching the squirrels, chipmunks and birds all taking turns at our bird feeder in this picture (well, okay honestly, the squirrels don't take turns, they hog it all until the feeder ends up on the ground spilled everywhere!)

Then I felt claustrophobic, once winter was over, so I can easily remove the cafe curtains... I LOVE cafe curtains for this flexibility!

In my quest to find pictures of this room painted in different colors, I found quite a few! I know I have more, going back further but those pictures were pre-digital camera days, so we'll skip the nineties! I enjoyed coming across several pictures of my kids when they were younger in this room. This seafoam greenish color is the oldest 'digital' picture I could find of this room. My husband and son Colin (now 12) were having fun in this picture (must be about 10 years ago). I had ivory swags and jabots on the windows at this stage, and I had resisted the temptation to paint the stained trim - although I was finding it difficult to love wall colors because of the stained trim...

So I don't even remember having that seafoam color on the walls, which tells me it didn't last long. So I decided to do a faux painting technique which really complemented the stained trim beautifully. And the Swags and Jabots stayed - and looked quite elegant now that I look back!

Viewing these pictures now, I think I should have left it just as it is in this picture - I actually think it's my very favorite! These were my very first slipcovers. And again, my sweet little baby Colin below (playing with his toy cars in the window)

Then I came across this picture of all 3 of my boys in front of the Christmas tree. I really miss my kids this age (love their bare feet). This is always our Christmas Tree room.

So I guess I was desiring something a bit more grown up? I don't know, but I went to Benjamin Moore's "Henderson Buff" next, for yet, another shade of green. I caved in and painted the trim ivory. And I think this was the first time I had those floral panels in this room.

Next, I was looking for something bright, bold and splashy (had enough of this soft, muted colorway) and I distinctly remember that this was a beautiful spring day. I remember vividly looking up at the blue sky and thinking that it was the most vivid blue I had ever seen (must have been a long, hard winter!). I took my "Behr" fan deck and chose "Colorado Blue" to match the shade of the sky that day. It was a really good match!

"Colorado Blue" looked great with my white slipcovered couch, but I don't have a picture with it. These panels came from my family room. They worked much better with the new bright paint color. I thought it looked awesome with my plate and bright old quilt collections. Something about this color scheme made me think of New Orleans or something. The curtains should have been hung on different rings, but this was summer, this was casual... it was fine until...

The cold weather came back. So I began to think of warm, cozy fires and of course, the holidays. So this is when the red paint idea came to play. The bright Colorado Blue Sky paint only got to stay for a few warm months - reminding me of a breezy southern porch during it's short stay. Here's the same view as the picture above but of the room in red (in case you forgot what it looked like).

I remember painting this room red and sewing the slipcovers in 3 days for the new, hand-me-down wicker furniture before having 16 people here for Thanksgiving dinner!

It was nice while it lasted, but now I am back to where I started in this story - the feeling like the walls were caving in on me. So one April morning... I bought the gray primer to prime out the red. Here are my walls primed... floors exposed... I love to let a room breath by removing items including rugs in the spring! I instantly loved the color of this primer! It really looked good with the ivory trim. But the paint that I had already bought to go over it was a perfect match to this Restoration Hardware bag you see on my mantel!

And so up went the color that is still on my walls today.

There are some things that will not change about this room. The things in the room that mean a lot to us. First of all, the memories that it holds in my heart of my family spending time together in front of the fire, listening to music, the kids taking naps on the couch when they were home sick from school, Christmas mornings, etc.
The old guitar that was my father-in-laws (and my husband and his brothers carved their initials in it when they weren't old enough to know any better!). We are fortunate enough to have it and to have a son that plays it so beautifully! The memories of my father-in-law playing my piano every time they came over for Sunday dinner or holidays.

The antique steeple clock on the fireplace that was my parents, and came from dear friends of ours when we were growing up in Ohio. The painting on the wall that my Mom's great Aunt Laura painted when my Mom was a little girl. The coffee table, that was the first piece of furniture my Dad built when I was about 2 and we still lived in Minnesota. My Dad found this piece of wood in the basement when we bought this house in Anoka, MN, he distressed it (he was before his time), and let us kids help! Our neighbor, Mr. Olson had cut down a small oak tree and part of this small oak tree became the legs on our coffee table! As a child, many tv shows were watched by my family behind this very coffee table! Oh, I just have to show you a picture that I found of us during one of our many trips back to Minnesota in the 70's. Isn't my Mom so beautiful? She made her outfit, she made mine, she maybe even made those polyester leisure suits! I give her credit for teaching me how to sew when I was about 5 (and paint, garden, cook and I could write a whole new post on what a great Mom I have)!

Thank you for visiting my living room and for reading my long story about it. I hope you'll visit my website (which is also my blog) often :) If you need help choosing paint colors for your own home, or fabrics to go with your paint... window treatments, or even a new room arrangement... please contact me for a consultation!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com/

Linking Back to:

A Sneak Peak into My Dining Room

2010-10-28T14:45:00.003-04:00

I must admit that I am not the type to entertain in a "fancy" way. I decided to challenge myself by entering a post of mine into a 'blog party' hosted by one of my favorite blogs (Between Naps on the Porch). The topic happens to be "Tablescapes" which is why this is a 'challenge' for me! I recently realized that I don't even own a matching set of more than 4 glasses for heavens sake! This hasn't always been the case. Once upon a time, when I worked full time and was recently married, I had lots of pretty, matching things and a fairly new house too. Where did the years go? Nevermind that, where did all my dishes go? Almost 20 yrs later, we have 3 boys (20, 17 & 12) and a very high energy dog... a busy life and a very well worn (yet still loved) house! Oh my goodness, I haven't even invited you in my front door yet - so please come in & welcome to my home!!!

Today is a very breezy fall day, the leaves are blowing around my yard like crazy and it is a wompin' 70+ degrees out AGAIN, which is very unusual for the North Shore of Boston in late October! We had to sleep with the windows open last night, it was so hot for sleeping.

When you live in the same house for this many years, and you are a decorator, you get tired of looking at the same walls and the same furniture and the same arrangements for so long. So I cannot tell you how many times I've stripped wallpaper, re-painted, re-arranged and redone all of the rooms in my house. Well, there was a time in my life when I was in love with red. My love affair with red began about ten years ago I believe (shortly after the 'fruit wallpaper' came down from these walls I think). I was going to re-wallpaper in a rustic, harlequin design, but then remembered how much I hate stripping wallpaper, and instead, I faux painted this during my youngest son's nap, 2 days in a row, I believe it took me 2 naps to complete this process. I think that was at least 10 years ago now. This is the longest I've ever left any walls alone in my house. So just last week, I told a client (who also does faux painting) that I was going to tear down my red curtains, rip off my red polka dot fabric seat covers, get out my paint brushes, and paint over this red harlequin design, as soon as I got home. But every time I think about doing this, I sort of 'like it' again... and think, maybe I just need to change out my window treatments (I specialize in custom window treatments, cushions, slipcovers and pillows) to work around it. What do you think?

So in honor of this Tablescapes Thursday Blog Party I'm joining in on today, I decided to clean off my table. It is usually full of fabric sample books (I am a designer and need natural light and sometimes the big table in this room in order to match and coordinate several fabrics), and the other half is usually full of back packs and homework... all of which just get shifted down to the far end of the table when it's dinner time (or we eat at the island instead). Which brings me to question number two. Last fall, I stripped my antique 8' farm table top. I didn't have the time or the energy to finish stripping the rest of the furniture, so this is where it stands. Sometimes it bothers me that I don't have a polished, neat surface to wipe down after dinner... but when I see it in these photographs now, I love the worn finish! What do you think?

So you might notice that my dishes do not match. I am a big fan of collecting old sets of china, and sometimes that means only finding 3 plates that I just love and I buy them thinking that I'm going to hang them on the wall, in love with them for the embossed and scalloped edges. Inevitably, they end up in my hutch though! I think it makes for a nice eclectic and casual look and feel. And I never feel bad if one gets dropped or broken, because I don't have to have a perfect matching set anyway.

So did I go out and buy anything special for this photo shoot today? Nope - I pulled together fruit that I already had in my kitchen and what a pretty and colorful display it makes for on my hutch. Speaking of my hutch... I almost forgot to tell you that it's so special to me because my Dad made it for me. I just love it, and am lucky to have such a talented and generous Dad!

Well thank you for joining me in my family's home in the place where my family gathers the most... our kitchen! Come join us sometime, as you can see, we have plenty of room and lots of extra chairs to fit around our big old table. My blog is usually the place where I showcase my work in my client's homes, but this time, I thought I'd invite you in for an up close and personal visit. I hope you'll come back and visit often :)

Written by Michelle Jamieson

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com/

To link to Tablescapes Thursday and visit beautiful blogs with gorgeous table settings click here:

Casual Linen Drapery Panels & Woven Roller Shades Give a Room a Cape Cod, Coastal, Beachy Feel!

2010-10-25T11:30:00.009-04:00

Janet was my first client to request sill length draperies. I am not one to hold on tight to rigid rules of home decor and will always make it a priority for the space to be functional. After consulting with Janet in her family room (then dated, worn and in need of some freshening up in many areas of the room), we decided on a traditional, yet not too formal style with a Cape Cod Coastal flair.

Janet first contacted me about new slipcovers for her furniture. Sounds odd, but I frequently talk my clients 'out' of slipcovers and end up with another solution instead. In this case, I spied another sofa being under-utilized in another room that just needed a little help to make it the perfect sofa for the new family room. I suggested we have the skirt removed, after all, the bones of the sofa were great and even the color fit her new scheme. The result is perfect. (The old couch went off to college with the youngest son!)

This client already had a long list of updates and a time schedule to go with it when I first met her, talk about being organized! The hard wood floors were already underneath the old carpet, the fireplace wall needed some skilled carpentry work, lighting & new built-ins to bring it up to the quality craftsmanship level of the rest of the home. Fresh paint on all the trim and walls. While all this work was being done, I was stitching away at the linen draperies and pillows in my workroom and the chair & ottoman were being re-upholstered, while the skirt was being removed from the sofa.

Privacy is also an issue in this family room and my client was tired of her boring, old, silhouette blinds. Her kitty cats had also chewed their cords, so I had to keep this in mind when finding the perfect new blinds or shades for her room. Woven roller shades / blinds are the ideal solution! I have an absolute perfect match to the bamboo color in her drapery fabric. To keep the look sleek and low profile, I suggested no valance, instead to use the shade as the valance and have the fabric roll over the top like a waterfall instead of from underneath the roll. The 'valance' (blind) can be as long or short as she wants it to be. The clutch roller mechanism is so easy to use and it is barely noticeable, even with the 'chain' we selected to make it cat proof. These worked out perfectly for her bay window.

They are perfect for the single windows on the sofa wall too. On these windows, she opted to show some of the molding, yet didn't want to completely inset the blinds for an inside mount because of a lack of space and a desire to not put holes into her brand new replacement windows. They are mounted right on the molding. What flexibility these roller blinds / shades provide for different window types.

I think that without the two different elements of the roller shades and the panels, there would not have been the depth, dimension and contrast that is needed for windows (and a large room such as this) to really look and feel complete. Careful planning of layers on the windows play a big role in the cozy factor of any room. Perhaps I should place a 'before-and-after' shot below here:

If you feel your windows could benefit from another layer and/or your furniture could use a face-lift or maybe you're not sure just what isn't working in your room but it just doesn't feel right... contact me... I'd love to help you! As always, I welcome your comments and would love it if you'd care to follow me (right column) and share my blog with others (immediate lower right "link to this post" button you can tweet this, link to your facebook, link to your email etc)!

Written by Michelle Jamieson

Michelle Jamieson Interiors

http://www.jamiesoninteriors.com/

Linking this post back to a favorite blog for "Metamorphasis Monday" :
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Custom Roman Shades with Leather Banding from Pleated Panels for Grand Piano Room in Lynnfield MA Antique Home

2010-10-15T11:11:00.003-04:00

Do you love antique homes as much as I do? I'm fortunate enough to live in picturesque New England, on the North Shore of Boston. I'm even more fortunate to have clients as these homeowners, with great taste, vision and talent. They bought this antique farmhouse in Lynnfield, MA just a few years ago and transformed it into a property that most of us would only dream about living in.

I was asked to re-make panels in the grand piano room that had an 'old lady' feel to them (see above "before"). They were antique satin with a maroon satin banding :( The rods were overpowering in this room where the low ceilings are flush with the tops of the window moldings. These 'generic' blinds are my least favorite yet I see them in multiple homes (must be a common, quick, 'just get something up on those windows for privacy' decision). There were already goblet pleats in an adjoining room in similar colors (too much repetition... these rooms needed some contrast to each other, to create a feeling of individual personality).

I took on the project of making these into something more masculine and with clean lines. In our discussions that followed, I came up with fabrics that seemed to bring out the bark on the branches in the existing fabric. The choice was a very soft, distressed faux leather. This would be the banding - perfect.

The faux leather needed to be top-stitched in order to behave properly as banding, and that added even more masculinity, reminding me of a baseball stitch. Sometimes the fabric dictates what will be the next custom detail. I ask my clients to be open to changes and new ideas during fabrication and send pictures showing what I think should be added, such as these upholstery nail-heads and the cording on top. Most of my clients are open minded and trust my expertise. These are the ones that end up the happiest with the end result.

These clients have been searching for a home near the ocean. They surprised me by putting their house on the market almost immediately after this installation! The house finally felt right... finally felt completed and is ready for the next owners to fall in love with it (I do have one more batch of custom pillows to make and deliver and then we'll move on to the house near the ocean!)

Written by Michelle Jamieson / Michelle Jamieson Interiors

www.jamiesoninteriors.com

Custom Slipcovers Freshen Old Furniture in a Marblehead Home Undergoing Renovations

2010-10-12T08:44:00.002-04:00

As you can possibly tell, my clients home is currently undergoing renovations. I wish I had taken a picture of this furniture before! The transformation really is just incredible. I could describe the before for you. Old, stretched, worn out linen, dragging on the floor. The seats and arms were worn so badly there were holes in both covers.

I personally wondered if the pieces were even worth re-covering. However, the cushions were of a good, quality down, so there was no foam to be replaced (one thing I always look for when advising a client to slipcover or not). The springs were in fine condition, and basically, the two pieces seemed to just need a good cleaning and a new cover.

Fabrics are so important when having custom slipcovers made for your furniture. This client selected a fine ticking stripe for the chair and ottoman. The sofa is now dressed in a fabulous faux suede. Both fabrics are durable and washable (though I always recommend spot cleaning and dry cleaning to increase the longevity of the slipcovers).

Have you ever seen a faux suede look more like the real thing? We were both pleasantly surprised by this fabric!

Lastly, a closeup of the ticking stripe. Not to mention the lovely double kick pleated detail that I recommend to almost all of my clients. Sometimes I add a button to the top of this kick pleat.

Do you have a piece of old furniture that has good bones and just needs a new cover? Contact me for an estimate today! There is still time to get yours done before the holidays!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

www.jamiesoninteriors.com

London Shades Polish off a Master Bathroom

2010-10-02T22:13:00.002-04:00

For those of you following my series on the Master Bedroom Ensuite... here is bathroom you've been waiting for!

Below is the bathroom before...

There is not one thing I would change about the original bathroom (above) other than to add custom window treatments!

London shades were selected. The fabric of choice... a cotton toile from Greenhouse Designs with a blue/green 'spa' background color and ivory foliage designs outlined in brown. A corded trim in mingled tones of brown from De Kei Trims for the tops of the shades. Then I decided to make a knotted button and see if my client liked the result... I'm so glad she did because I think this custom touch looks great!

London shades are still a favorite choice for windows! Would you like to see some in your house? I wonder which fabrics would look best in your room. Contact me today to schedule your consultation!

Written by Michelle Jamieson / Michelle Jamieson Interiors

Custom Window Treatment Fabricator & Designer - A Day in the Life of...

2010-09-01T11:59:00.003-04:00

The Master Bedroom En-suite is a project nearly complete! The valances (5) are all cut out and sections are pieced together - today I plan on sewing the pinned layers together (lining, interlining and face fabric). As you can see by the "above" photo... I was successful, with assistance from my talented workroom helper.

I just love how the lattice fabric (that will be the main fabric on the panels) adds depth, dimension and interest to this embroidered faux silk valance fabric. This embroidered faux silk is the most silk-like 'faux' I've EVER used. I actually had to go back in the sample book and look closely at the contents again to be sure. The beauty of it is that it will hold up better than silk - will be less sensitive to sunlight and moisture. In the above photo (sort of a 'before' pic as compared to the picture at the top) you can see why I encourage my clients to let me help them decorate their windows in 'layers'... this valance is going to be beautiful - but to make it 'ultra' beautiful and to really pop, the panel fabric (below) is going to be the icing on the cake.

At this stage, the panels are all cut out, along with lining, and the hems are pressed in and pinned - ready to be stitched.

If you aren't a seamstress, haven't tackled a project like this on your own... it can be hard to understand how much time and background work goes into the construction of custom window treatments. They are not cheap, but maybe this article can help some understand why they do cost more than 'ready-made' and aren't constructed and installed in just a day or two (well, okay, sometimes I've been known to be 'Wonder Woman' for that occasional client that is having a party and asks if there is any chance I could complete a job in just a matter of days... and yes, I have done it, even if it means pulling an 'all nighter'!).

There is a lot of math, calculating and figuring of yardage, repeats depending on the fabric, type of lining that will work best with the face fabric (oh and how about just the 'selection' of the face fabric), interlining as well, comes in several weights, thicknesses... sometimes the face fabric will need a stabilizer in order to drape properly. Figuring out what depth of boards to use (or sometimes 'hardware', rods and finials etc).

Below is my sample room - which is in a hallway around the corner from my workroom (clever use of space in order to not take away from the much needed space in my actual workroom). As you can see, I carry several lines of fabrics, trims, hardware and more. This way, I never have to leave my studio, everything is at my fingertips ... which can be good OR bad depending on how you look at it :)

Then of course, orders need to be placed. This is the 'administrative' part of my business and I'm going on a limb here by showing you my ultra cluttered desk area where all the research and ordering is done. I've cleverly used space under the stairs to save room for all of my industrial machines and large worktable elsewhere in my workroom.

The UPS man has just arrived delivering the fabrics for my next job (above)! Oh, how exciting... but I'll resist the temptation to open them in order to stay focused on finishing the job at hand! I'm sure my current client will appreciate that.

The next step is for me to make some covered buttons for these pleat tops... and begin mounting the valances to the boards! This adjustable stand with the board on top and clamps, is something I built and couldn't live without. I need to take a trip to the hardware store soon to bring home some lumber & angle irons - also need to see if I have enough of the right types of screws for the installation. Then, I've decided to take the afternoon off, after a trip to the dentist - my youngest son and I (and maybe a friend) need to find a beach on his last day of summer vacation :( We have record breaking heat today on the North Shore - 95 degrees on September 1st!

I hope you enjoyed 'A Day in the Life of a Custom Window Treatment Fabricator'. Let me know if you did... I love your comments... if you enjoyed my article, please forward my blog link to your friends and 'follow' my blog on the right hand column.

Until next time....

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors www.jamiesoninteriors.com

Custom Cushions & Pillows... Cozying up the Window Seat

2010-08-14T20:22:00.001-04:00

Well, this master bedroom window seat ensemble is far from being finished - but I just had to post the end result of at least the completed seat cushion & pillows while we wait for me to finish the window treatments! It's been a crazy busy summer and I thought I'd have this whole master bedroom done by now. But it's moving along and as promised, I'm posting pictures as I complete each portion.

Here is a before shot:

It was a lovely built in window seat... but a bit cold and not too enticing to stay and cozy up with a good book yet! So I thought it was important to get those cushions & pillows done and installed first and foremost.

Alright now I need to share with you some close-ups of the gorgeous fabrics so that you can get the full effect of the elegance of the new little space.

The pillow fabric is a Duralee Embroidered, polka dot in the most beachy, coastal and soft, linen ivory with a hint of the palest blue green embroidered dot (only visible as that pale 'other' color during certain lights of certain types of days!). These pillows sit atop the cushion which is covered in two fabrics. The sides and the bottom are a lovely and soft Stout, linen-like weave that marries the pale blue green and the ivory & gold tones in the ensemble. On top is the most elegant Robert Allen, medallion fabric that has an embossed quality to it. Do you see the pucker in the texture? I'm obsessed with fabrics that pucker in the background - this reminds me of pale blue water with medallions floating in it. A last minute add-on was especially appreciated by my client upon installation today... that was the petite, 1/4" twisted rope trim in a bronze tone. We both imagined the cushion without it today and shook our heads in agreement that this trim truly framed and set off the feature fabric on top.

Let me share a tip with you that I used on these cushions. The fabric on top was not affordable as the only fabric for these cushions (as there is a second cushion in an adjacent closet that is much longer than this one). I suggested that we 'only' use it on the tops. This cut down on the yardage immensely and there is even enough left to use on a bolster pillow for the bed!

Lastly, I've suggested that my client allow me to make a small ottoman for this reading nook when the room is complete, with many of the left over remnant fabrics. What adult or child will be able to resist cozying up with a good book in this inviting space?

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors www.jamiesoninteriors.com

A Design is Selected & the Fabrics Have Arrived! (Master Bedroom Ensuite Series)

2010-07-05T13:24:00.000-04:00

When working with my clients, it's hard to gauge how long it might take for the fabrics and trims to be selected. This is a big decision after all, it's not always as easy as just perusing through your favorite catalog and ordering something. After all, when you order "custom" there are no returns just because you changed your mind. That's why computer renderings are such an imperative part of my business. My clients love that they can more than visualize what the finished product will look like in their room... so in actuality, I've made it easier than buying from a catalog by actually showing them the product, with the potential fabrics, in their room! I tend to show alternative designs as well.

In the case of the 'master bedroom en suite' series of articles I'm going to be posting here until it's completion, my client has been a dream to work with and has made her design and fabric selections, with my help in about 3 to 4 weeks time. The final design that she selected is the photo above.

The fabrics and trims (and other materials necessary to construct this custom order) trickled in throughout the week last week and today they are ready for me to open (it's like Christmas - I still get excited when opening new orders for clients!). Below is my worktable, heavily laden-ed with the unopened packages!

In the process of selecting fabrics, the bottom line price changed significantly (by thousands $$). This is where it is important to make sure that you've selected a designer that is in tune with and respectful of your budget (that would be 'me'). Client selects the most expensive fabric as the favorite and wants to use it as the main fabric, on long panels, throughout the room. Designer works up a quote for client, realizing that client may potentially be shocked at the bottom line, makes sure to say "there are ways we can still work with this fabric yet bring the total price for the room down, if that interests you". Client is relieved to have another option, still using favorite fabric as the main fabric. Designer switches design to valances utilizing the main fabric, then using coordinating, more affordable fabric for panels underneath... other changes are made to the design as well... client is thrilled, likes new design better than the first... designer is thrilled... voila, fabrics have now arrived, and I'm ready to begin the window seat cushions today! See the window seat cushion and pillows fabrics and trim below:

I will be posting pictures of room as it is completed in stages. The window seat cushions and pillows should be complete this week. The fabrics I will be using above are as follows. The linen dot is "Duralee" and the Linen-like Chenille is "Stout", above left. The upholstery weight, puckered, medallion fabric lower left is "Robert Allen". The trim cord for all of these items is a lovely 1/4" bronze toned twisted lip cord from "D'Kei Trims".

Stay tuned for more articles. Please 'follow me' by clicking on the right hand column in two areas Facebook Networked Blog, (even if you don't have a Facebook networked blog yourself) and in the regular follow me section too. I love followers! I also love comments - so give them freely!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

The Transformation of a Master Bedroom Ensuite Begins...

2010-06-11T16:23:00.002-04:00

I fell in love with my new clients property as soon as I pulled into their driveway...

A modest, traditional, New England Cape Cod style home sits nestled on a hillside, surrounded by the most lovely landscape I've experienced in a long time. I use the term 'experience' because that's how it felt when we walked through the garden to get to the back door, struggling to hang on to all of my fabric books & measuring tools while soaking in all of the beautiful plants. Most of you know that I'm a fabricator of custom home furnishings, and designer, but I'm a gardener too and truly appreciate a well planned (not just 'landscaped') property that has most likely evolved over time. This is how well designed rooms should feel as well. I vow that I would purchase my next property without even stepping foot inside the home, because it's the land, the home's exterior and the way the house is seated on the property that really make the "bones" of the best properties... the inside can always be transformed with fabrics, furnishings, paint & details (and that's where I come in :).

So I'm invited here to help my clients transform their master bedroom suite into a cozy oasis. I decided to invite you, my clients, fans and followers, to join me on the journey! Thus far, I've got a 'before' collage to share with you below.

During our consultation, I've picked up on several cues in order to come up with a design that will please my clients (and keep me from having to go back to the drawing board too many times). Traditional, tranquil, formal, elegant, yet casual and comfortable... cozy, lots of fabric... Okay, I think after my measurements are complete, I'm ready to suggest a few fabrics for my clients (who had to leave after a brief consultation and trusted me to finish my job on my own that day :) Before heading back to my studio, I left a few fabric books with some samples marked and others left open & displayed to fabrics for them to see when they came home. After emailing back and forth with her about fabrics and designs, the first design is complete and emailed to her.

Much to my surprise, my client replies that she doesn't care for these fabrics now that she sees them 'up' on the windows, and would like a design that is more traditional (isn't this traditional?). Once I figured out what she really meant by traditional, I was ready for design rendering number two.. What she does like is the vanity and bench I suggested for this little alcove room (isn't it adorable?) that is directly off of the main bedroom and only currently houses a few drawers for storage.

After another email discussion, I have come to the conclusion that by traditional, she means 'panels' for the windows and wants to see another fabric that she likes on the windows & bedding... and would like to see more fabric in general. So here we are with design rendering number 2;

Oh my goodness, now I'm falling in love with this design, though I try hard not to influence my clients too much when it comes to 'my' taste, I'm trying to pull out of them their own taste when I'm working on a design. This design evolved a bit out of necessity before coming up with what you see above. You see, my client fell in love with this fabric and it turns out that it is discontinued and there are only 13 yards left! I assured her that I could come up with a design where this fabric could still be her main fabric, and I would make that 13 yards work if that is what she desires. That is why we have sill length panels on the open windows, and gathered valances on the dormered windows (above design #2). I also layered the gathered valance and switched the bed skirt from a tailored one to a gathered one, to address her desire for 'more fabric'.

Well, my client and her husband really like this design, and wonder if they could see floor length draperies next and the same style on the dormered windows too, if we tried a faux silk embroidered fabric that they are also very fond of, and if we could incorporate some other favorite fabrics she has mentioned to me in our conversations. I've added a few of my own new fabrics into the mix and added gathered skirts to the window seat benches therefore, here is what I've come up with for design number 3;

So at the time of this posting, the latest design is design number 3 (above), and I will leave you with a photo (below) of the fabrics that are currently in the running for this project! I will post the finished room on this same article, whenever it is complete, so that you can view the before and after! Oh, almost forgot - there is a master bathroom attached to these rooms that I will be working on next. I will save that for another article! Stay tuned for more!

Please feel free to leave comments, click on "follow me" (right column). If you have Facebook, follow my facebook networked blog (you don't have to have a blog to do so)... and even share a link to my blog with your friends! I love comments and I love followers! :)

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors www.jamiesoninteriors.com

Drapery Panels Get My Vote for the Most Practical Window Treatment!

2010-06-01T11:21:00.008-04:00

The Well Traveled Panels...

I have drapery panels that I have used and re-used, not only all over my own house, but in the homes of others as well. For that very reason, I have to say that drapery panels have to be the most practical of all window treatments.

This weekend, I had the opportunity to photograph a set of panels that I made well over ten years ago, one might say that they have made their way around the block a few times! I think that where they are now, just might be where they belong. After all, who wouldn't want to belong to a living room framing windows that have a lovely lake view on one side, and a sunset meadow view on the other?

Many people steer away from florals today, but I think these photos might show you how different florals can look with different paint colors and even knotty pine as the backdrop.

These well traveled panels have been in my living room, my family room, stored in my attic, then 'staged' in my parents bedroom when it was up for sale, back up to my attic for a few more years and now they are in my parents cabin.

Panels can be hung up high, right at the molding or anywhere in between. There are no hard, fast rules about where panels have to be hung. They can also be puddled, or some prefer 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the floor, and some prefer to have them just 'break' onto the floor. If panels are made properly, they have an 8" rolled hem. That leaves lots of flexibility when it comes to re-purposing panels either to another house or another room, as hems can be let out or shortened, no need to change the top.

So the next time you feel like re-decorating a room, consider drapery panels. You can even swap them out seasonally. As you can see, I like to hang onto my old ones - I eventually end up using them somewhere else!

Feel free to leave a comment and click on 'follow' in the right column. Also, if you are a Facebook user, follow my Facebook Networked Blog as well, you do not have to have a blog to do so! I love followers and I love comments!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

The Power of a Testimonial or a Thank You...

2010-05-10T14:18:00.000-04:00

How interesting that I've been in the custom home furnishings business since 1998 and never realized the power of testimonials until fairly recently. Based on my own experience as a 'customer', I've noticed that before I hire a contractor, I first of all go to their website. Second of all, look for a photo gallery of their work (mental note... needed to make larger photos of my work more easily accessible on my new site / blog - done!). If I'm impressed enough, the next step is to look for a list of 'testimonials'. I read them thoroughly, top to bottom! They mean everything to me, along with photos it pretty much says it all.

Well, over the last week, I decided that it was important that I compile some complements that I've received from my many clients over the years (ones that I've saved in my email anyway!), and find a way to place them on my blog/website. I wanted it to be click-able right from the front and upper portion of my blog. So I added a horizontal 'navigation bar' and placed some my clients testimonials (happy customer comments) there for potential and current clients to read. I also added links to larger photos from my portfolio there.

When going through all of these old emails, I realized how important it is as a "customer" to follow up when I hire a contractor, with a thank you note! These notes were very special to me, but also valuable to my business, now that I've added them to my blog. From now on, when I am happy with the services of someone I've hired, I will follow up by saying so in the way of a note or an email, not just in person.

I found a very good article or two on why testimonials do and don't work. These tips are going to help me to become a better testimonial writer. I want to write good, effective ones when they are deserved. Here are just a few of the tips I picked up from the article:

Be specific, vague testimonials are overlooked and readers do not think they are credible (in other words, talk about specific benefits that you received from the service and why this person's business impressed or helped you). Don't over-glorify the 'person' but stress how their services or product benefited you.
Talk about objections that were overcome by this company's service. You may have been skeptical about certain things but now you're "sold" or a "true believer" - discuss that in your testimonial.
Make sure your testimonial addresses questions that other customers may be asking - it doesn't get much better than a 'customer' answering the questions that customers want answers to (that is credibility)!

I hope this has been helpful and not too 'wordy'! Please check out my testimonial page and click on the different categories of my new navigation bar below the header photo to see the larger photos of some of the work that I've done (you might find pictures of your own home there if you're a customer of mine). If not, maybe I need to go back and do another photo shoot!

Lastly, none of my clients on my testimonial page have said that I could not use their last name, I just assumed I should protect their privacy on the internet and only use their first name and the town they are from. One of the articles I read stated that if you don't use the first and last name, they look fake. I would love your feedback! What do you think? I just didn't think it seemed right. Do mine look fake? As always, I value your feedback & comments, right here on the blog or via email.

Written by Michelle Jamieson / Michelle Jamieson Interiors

Custom Roller Shades - Woven Wood Fabrics & More 15% Off This Month!

2010-05-04T08:34:00.016-04:00

If you haven’t owned these before, now is the time! They’re fabulous! They look just like woven wood blinds or roman shades but without all the folds & strings & fuss! The perfect solution for your families' allergy problems, no dust cradling in those crevices. Easy to lift and close with the high class clutch lift system (included).

They are the perfect complement to your valances and panels! Layered window treatments add to the ‘completed’ look in your rooms. Many fabric choices are available. You may need blackout lining for that early morning sunshine in the bedroom or for your media room? If you are like me, you prefer to have a bit of warm sunshine streaming through your shades.

Roller shades are less expensive than traditional, big brand name shades and blinds. But deduct this 15% discount and it makes these roller shades an even more affordable choice!

Select your shades with a small valance, a cartridge header, or no topper at all. They have such a small projection, this makes them look very clean, neat and sleek.

Email me your dimensions and I’ll get you an estimate! Estimated time of delivery after order is 2-4 weeks as of right now.

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

My Peaceful Cup of Coffee...

2010-04-30T15:33:00.000-04:00

So yesterday morning, I'm drinking my coffee and notice how pretty the sun is shining in through this "one" window in my family room. I decided that as soon as my son got on the bus I would take a picture of it to add to my portfolio. I took several pictures, then set it aside to download later. Fast forward to 3:45 ... my son gets home off the bus and accidentally whips a lacrosse ball right through this very window! I spent the good part of last night and this morning trying to get all the shards of glass & splinters off the tables, floors, rugs, inside and out of both couches, pillows... so much for that peaceful moment I had with my coffee yesterday morning :( Talk about a Twilight Zone moment...

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

Feel free to "Follow me" on the right - email me and/or leave comments right here!

Staging That Home of Yours

2010-04-28T12:13:00.002-04:00

Sometimes we live in our homes for so long, that we don't even 'see' our rooms for what they really are anymore. Certain rooms can easily become dumping grounds if your house and your life is full of kids & activities like mine is. There are many reasons to consider 'staging' a room and believe it or not, selling your home is not #1 on the list of reasons for me or my clients. The easiest way to go about this task would be to hire a professional. But some of you may be up for doing this yourself, so I'll share some tips with you.

I highly recommend taking a before picture of the room first. I then ask my clients how they use the room (or 'wish' to use the room), and if they could describe to me how they would like the room to feel. After scoping out other rooms in the home, for items that may be more appropriate in the newly 'staged' room, I'm off to my studio to work on a design. I find that downloading the pictures and examining them on my computer screen can be the easiest way to see what the room needs (and 'doesn't' need). Most of the time, I end up 'deleting' multiple items before I begin 're-designing'. Once I return to the home to make the actual changes, the new room all comes together very quickly. You can achieve award winning results without spending a penny on new furnishings. However, the icing on the cake could be a custom cushion & pillows for that window seat... custom slipcover or more often than not, custom window treatments are all the room now needs to give it a brand new and 'finished' look and feel.

This home is one of my favorite historic homes in my town (and one of my favorite clients in town, who happens to be my dear friend Pam, lives there!). The house was built in the 1700's and my client was showing her kitchen on a kitchen tour for a fund raiser for our local elementary schools. A local shop did the kitchen staging and I did the staging for the connected dining room and the front foyer (which was completely empty until I arrived). Older homes tend to be 'dark' when the ceilings are so low, so I brought in multiple lamps, paintings and accessories and I pulled out her bright and cheery china and silver for some sparkle and shine! Lastly, going out in the rain to snip some fresh blooming Lilacs brought more color and an intoxicating scent into the room. It was a success - the rooms were warm and inviting and beckoned the family to come in and sit down for a cozy dinner!

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

"Flirtatious" Trims from DKei

2010-04-13T14:57:00.003-04:00

FLIRTATIOUS, I even love the name! I've just added these trims to my line. Aren't they just so fun? The loop fringes are perfect for pillows (notice, two different lengths)... the tassels, well, gotta love them down the inseams of drapery panels, or even horizontal, across a panel.. (heck, why not revive an 'old' pair of panels by adding this trim!). Then there's the flat ribbon gimp with those adorable knots, to dress up pillows, panels, how about an ottoman or even at the base of a chair! Okay, now I have to admit, I am NOT a 'rosette' person, but I can see these looped ones really dressing up a cornice board, or stuck to a 'holdback' for a drapery panel. Lastly, one of my favorites is that looped piping! This would be so versatile on pillows, cushions, a duvet... anywhere welt would be used. The colors are just so refreshing - if you're interested, email me and mention 'Flirtateous', I'll make sure you get to see these great trims in person! (If you don't live near me, I'll have the samples of your choice sent directly to you, free of charge).

Written by Michelle Jamieson of Michelle Jamieson Interiors

Using Outdoor Fabrics "Indoors"

2010-04-07T15:31:00.003-04:00

It's finally happening. I went to a "Sunbrella" seminar at the Boston Design Center so many years ago that I cannot even remember what year it was. The speaker was Joe Ruggiero, who at the time, was one of my favorite designers. Anyway, he predicted that within a short period of time, people would be using outdoor fabrics everywhere inside and outside their homes. I was very impressed with the presentation. They took a piece of bold, black and white striped Sunbrella fabric and dumped it into a bucket of bleach! Left it there for a while as I recall - and it still came out black and white! I don't recommend you try this at home (certainly don't want to be responsible for anyone's home experiments gone bad).

I have used Sunbrella outdoor fabrics in many of my clients indoor rooms. When fabricating, here are some drawbacks. You can't use a HOT iron or steam on it! It wants to shrink when heat and/or steam from an iron is applied. That's bad when I'm trying to turn this into roman shades (which need creases in order to go up and down properly). Slipcovers - depending on which type of Sunbrella fabric it is - if it's the nice, woven, Jacquard fabric, it should work just fine - but if it's the basic stripe, the basic cushion fabric, then it does not stretch. Fabric needs to have a slight stretch to it when pulled on the bias in order to be able to ease over the piece of furniture for a nice, snug slipcover fit.

Perfect applications for Sunbrella fabrics? CUSHIONS - indoor or outdoor. It works absolutely like a dream. Recovering dining chair seats (the kind that are stapled underneath) - again, it's washable, fade resistant, so it's great in this instance also. For the windows, I would stick with cornices if you really have your heart set on a Sunbrella fabric, and nothing with 'gathers' or ruffles, because Sunbrella is very stiff and will not scrunch up well to produce a natural looking ruffle or 'rouched' heading. Fabric Roller Shades! These are a new favorite of mine, I will be featuring them in an article coming up soon!

I just finished and delivered these cushions this past week. My client went ahead and ordered the contrast welt from DKei from me, which I think really complements this print! She replaced the original cushions that came with her set that we could not seriously even call cushions. They were flat as 'pancakes' and made an adult feel like he or she was 3 years old because they were so low. These 5" brand new foam cushions were the solutution! Now the whole set got a makeover and all of the grown ups can sit comfortably for hours!

Enjoy the warm, spring weather! If you see a lovely fabric and fall in love with it and it happens to be a Sunbrella, ask your fabricator (hopefully that's "me") if it is suitable for the application you have in mind! :)

Written by; Michelle Jamieson
Michelle Jamieson Interiors

Late Winter Blahs? Visit a Greenhouse!

2010-03-13T18:58:00.001-05:00

Here in New England, we recently had a devastating winter storm. Hurricane plus force winds blew down more trees in my town than I have ever seen in the 24 years that I've lived here. We were without power for many days. We were fortunate that the temperatures were in the 40's, so I will not complain. However, in my quest to keep at least one room in the house warm - I ventured to my local greenhouse / nursery to fill my trunk with firewood. While they were loading up my trunk, I was drawn in to the greenhouse that I frequent yearlong. Words cannot describe the rejuvenation I felt as my senses were awakened in this stage of the late winter. Ah, the smell of the moist dirt, the feel of the mist in the air - the sight of the vibrant blooms of these lovely flowers were as welcome as a trip to any spa for me.

Spring is just around the corner now. But if you need a reminder that it is near, just a little something to get you by for another month or two? Make a trip to your local nursery - take a stroll through the greenhouse, breath in the air, feel renewed.

We are now expecting 3 days of heavy rain... I thought it was an appropriate time to publish these pictures I took with my Blackberry 2 weeks ago and share these lovely blooms with you.

Written by Michelle Jamieson / Michelle Jamieson Interiors www.jamiesoninteriors.com

Faux Leather Custom Cushions Make for Happy Clients in Boxford Massachusetts

2010-03-06T00:13:00.011-05:00

Recently I've had the opportunity to use Faux Leather for custom cushions for two clients. I might have had a hard time selling this a few years ago. However, if you could see some of the FABULOUS color and style selections available today, you too might be tempted to say 'yes' to Vinyl or "Pleather". The most practical aspect being the obvious - it's virtually stain and spill resistant! If I had these samples a few years ago, I would have guided one client in this direction (one with 4 young children who had me make new covers for her banquette cushions twice in 6 yrs).

For the purposes of a well informed article, I've asked these two clients to share their thoughts after living with their Faux Leather cushions for several months. My client, Sue (top three photos) has stated that "leather would have been much more expensive and might have scratched as you slid in and out." She then stated that her Vinyl (not as fancy sounding but same thing as faux leather) cushions are GREAT and still look like new!" She especially loves her basket-weave texture (not available on real leather). Sue also had me make upholstered back cushions in a sturdy but lovely fabric and soft matching pillows to fit under the window without blocking the view.

Another client, Liza was actually my first client to select this fabric. She is the one that was having fun using the word Pleather while I kept referring to it as Faux Leather (a more widely used term in the industry).

Both of these clients, though happy with their Faux Leather cushions, ended up asking for custom back cushions out of a complementary fabric. The fabric and the 'plush' inserts definitely soften these banquettes and both of them could not be more Happy. 2 days ago, I just received a new order for replacement cushions for a pontoon boat. This will be my first 'auto/marine grade' vinyl cushion project and I'm really looking forward to it! I decided to re-publish this article due to high demand and multiple questions I've received on faux leather (and because I have many more readers than I did when I first published this)

Written by Michelle Jamieson / Michelle Jamieson Interiors
www.jamiesoninteriors.com

Bright, Fresh, Splashy Fabrics this Spring from Duralee! What a Breath of Fresh Air!

2010-02-24T16:11:00.000-05:00

Design Challenges - A Window in a Corner

2010-02-19T11:47:00.001-05:00

This client had a challenge in her dining room. One window is right smack, tight into a corner. Unfortunately, it is also a very visible window, the only window you see from the busy kitchen doorway. Normally, I might suggest a board mounted valance, with floor length panels underneath, which could eliminate the "no room for a finial in the corner" issue. However, this client wanted a formal, elegant look for her dining room, bare minimum glass covered and specifically told me from day one that she does not like 'top treatments' (valances)... only panels and roman shades.

I always listen to my customers. I might show them one computer rendering with an alternative (in case they just couldn't 'visualize' how it could look?), but ultimately, it is my customer's house, they are the ones that will be living with it, and they are going with 'custom' because they want their windows to reflect who they are and how they live :) So pinch pleated drapery panels were selected. Next, we needed to settle on the hardware. My client wanted to match her dining room set, a deep, English Walnut stain. I suggested minimal 'end caps' rather than finials, to downplay the corner issue. Ultimately, my client did not want this corner window to compromise the look she really wanted for all 4 windows in the room. Therefore, the only solution was to eliminate the corner finial.

After viewing my computer rendering for her, showing exactly how her panels would look, with the fabric and hardware she liked, my client was very happy with her choice. She got the hardware she loved, the look she wanted, and as you can see by the before and after pictures... the 'problem' window is less of a problem now that the windows are beautifully 'dressed'.

Hiring a design professional that uses computer design software (such as you see in the picture to the right) can eliminate unnecessary worry about how the finished product will look. Another client may not have been satisfied with this look, but my client was able to make an educated decision based on the renderings (with choices) that I gave her to choose from.

A Sneak Peak Into My Workroom...

2010-02-15T15:36:00.002-05:00

This fall, I was lucky enough to have my Dad offer to build me a brand new worktable! After dealing with the makeshift one I made myself, several years ago, now warped, torn and past it's prime... I couldn't have been happier! The only downfall being that I had to move everything except for my machines into adjacent rooms during the construction period :( It was well worth the loss of production time and aggravation of having to climb over workroom boxes to get to my laundry. The new table is absolutely amazing. Having the right tools really does make all the difference in the world! I'm so lucky to have such great parents that are so talented, there for me whenever possible and come up with the BEST Christmas present ideas ever! This is the room where I create, design, brainstorm and most importantly, get products produced for my clients.

Slipcover Mania!

2010-02-12T10:11:00.001-05:00

New Trend? Hardly... slipcovers have been around for centuries! Proving that people have been smart and practical about their furniture longer than you might have imagined. They are anything but 'trendy' (the only trendy part, could be the style or the fabric that is used). In the past 2 months, I have received more requests for slipcovers than ever, since I first began my business. People are thinking more 'green' and not wanting to waste a perfectly good piece of furniture (not to mention the practicality of being able to remove the cover to have it cleaned periodically). Because the decision to go with slipcovers rather than to replace the piece of furniture is not always an economic one. Having custom slipcovers made 'can' be more expensive than replacing the piece. This depends mainly upon the fabric. But to go with a 'cheap' fabric can end up not being as good of an investment. After all, if you're investing in the cost of labor to have it fabricated, you may as well protect that investment by going with a fabric that will hold up well for your particular piece. There are several fabrics that are extremely durable as well as attractive, and are very affordable as well. These are the fabrics I always show my clients first, when giving them fabric choices for their slipcovers. It's a good 'starting point' and you can always work your way 'up' from there. Oh and to answer a question so frequently asked... YES, White cotton slipcovers are still IN and in my opinion they always will be!

Polka Dots

2010-02-11T07:23:00.002-05:00

Polka dots can be just the texture needed for your room... I don't mean the bright and bold dots from the fifties, or the ones you see in childrens' rooms. I mean tasteful, yet elegant polka dots. This is one of my favorites, in linen, I believe Duralee has nailed it with this fabric.

I have a client with a new family room addition. The walls were already painted a cool, grey-blue when I was brought on board. There's lovely woodwork throughout the room, a built in corner bench, and lots of windows. How do we warm up this space?

We warm up spaces like this with textiles! Fabrics and rugs... lots of them! I suggested we add custom cushions to the bench area and fill it with bolsters and pillows, to create a wonderful, cozy spot that invites you to come into the room and relax. I suggest a few prints on some of these fabrics, like maybe a dot on the window treatments, striped slipcovers for the chairs, a few pillows in floral. Lastly, The client has children and wants a coastal feel, so I suggest a seagrass rug to define this corner of the room (and protect the beautiful floor at the same time). Seagrass rugs are not only beautiful and add much needed texture, but they are extremely forgiving... it's very difficult, if not impossible to stain a seagrass rug. I like to use graphic design software to show my clients what I am envisioning for their room. This design I'm showing you is a collaborative effort with my client. I started out with simple linens (dot for the window treatments) stripes and accents in florals for the slipcovers & cushions... at one point, I added cafe curtains to the corner windows only! I may show that design later (in another article I'm working on; 'cafe curtains'). Ultimately, it's my client that dictates what goes in their room, after all, the room needs to reflect who they are and how they live. (Please note, the stripe on the chair would not be diagonal as you see here - the fabrics are a representation of how they may look - and not exact, when using graphic design software)