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Archive for the ‘home decor tips & tricks’ Category

Visual interest

Posted in home decor tips & tricks, incredible artists, mixed bag on December 10, 2014| 1 Comment »

Not everyone looks at a space the same way. Someone who lives there everyday may see small imperfections as well as function issues. A visitor who has never been in the space sees a big picture and bases an opinion on first impressions. So how are both the constant and occassional visitor visually enticed? Abstract art.

Texture, light, color and scale make abstract painting relevant in any living space.

Long time California artist, Elise Tysick has a great overview here of why abstract art is so sucessful:

http://blog.nuvango.com/abstract-art-elise-tysick/?utm_content=buffer0c551&utm_medium=social&utm_source=CLtwitter&utm_campaign=buffer

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Designer Product Spotlight: Recycled Area Rugs

Posted in eco friendly, home decor tips & tricks, mixed bag, rugs, vintage furniture and decor on October 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

With everyone’s focus on environmentally friendly ways of living, we were thrilled to find these recycled natural fiber area rugs.

Recycled over-dyed natural fiber area rugs

Recycled over-dyed natural fiber area rugs

Natural wool area rugs are given new life with an entire soak in earth-friendly dyes. The range of colors used on these rugs is astounding. Dark classic tones to bright moderns give the renewed area rugs a vintage feel. These 9′ x 12′ room sized over-dyed rugs range in price from $8,000 to $15,000. But one of a kind finds like this are art works in and of themselves.

Recycled natural fiber area rugs

Ecofriendly dyes provide broad range of color

Pair these area rugs with vintage decor or modern designer pieces. Either way, you’ll know your design choice leaves less impact on Mother Earth and more design appeal in your home.

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Capel Rugs Introduces More Genevieve Gorder

Posted in home decor tips & tricks, home office ideas, incredible artists, rugs on October 26, 2012| 3 Comments »

Quote from Genevieve Gorder

Thoughts from Genevieve Gorder

Ooooohhhh! I LOVE Genevieve Gorder! Her smile is infectious. I loved her when she first started out on HGTV. She was so accessible to “normal” people like me. She has a firm grasp of practical design implementation yet her head is forever up in the clouds of innovation.

The folks at Capel Rugs must feel the same way. Of the many HGTV designers being sought after for licensing their own design styles, Genevieve Gorder is among the top.

At HighPoint Market, we got to see some of Genevieve’s latest interior design work for area rugs.

Natural flat-woven rug design from Genevieve Gorder

Warm colors liven up any room

Natural flat-woven rug design from Genevieve Gorder

Geometric patterns pair well with classic and modern pieces

Natural flat-woven rug design from Genevieve Gorder

Bold color choices make a statement

Her flat woven rugs made with natural fibers are perfect paired with reclaimed wood furniture or classic pieces alike. She utilizes bold as well as traditional colors and her patterns are fun and innovative. We’re impressed!

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How Do You Make A Hand-Tufted Area Rug?

Posted in home decor tips & tricks, mixed bag, rugs on October 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My eight-year old daughter, like many children, has a very curious mind when it comes to how things work. She has been known to take apart the dishwasher for example. So I can’t wait to show her these photos of how hand-tufted area rugs are made!

To hand-tuft a wool rug, loops of wool are pushed through canvas that has been stretched on a frame. The canvas has the rug design on it which can accomodate a complex pattern since each tuft is done individually. Take a look at this partially tufted wool rug:

Detail of Tufted Rug Outline

Check out the design on this partially tufted area rug!

Half complete tufted rug

This shows the entire area rug when it is half complete with the tufting process.

It is fascinating to me to see the detailed pattern on the canvas that the rug maker then uses during the tufting process. Hand-tufted rugs are great for high-traffic areas and generally last between 12 and 20 years.

Hand-tufted area rug stretched canvas

Here you can see the canvas stretched on the frame.

In terms of impact on the interior design of your home, hand-tufted area rugs deliver a huge bang for the buck. Not as expensive as hand-knotted rugs but still having intricate patterns and details, these types of wool area rugs provide a more budget-friendly alternative.

I’m already envisioning my eight-year old hard at play on a hand-tufted rug for her Polly doll’s house.

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Texture Talk: Reclaimed Wood Furniture

Posted in eco friendly, home decor tips & tricks, mixed bag, vintage furniture and decor on October 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Ever look at the interior of a home and say to yourself, “Wow… this should look really great, but something just isn’t right here?” There’s a gut instinct response that is sometimes hard to put into words. And then, little by little you notice it. Everything matches. Like…everything. The chair fabric matches the pillow fabric. The wood type and style for the end table matches the dining room table. The living room curtains match the kitchen paint. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not into the “matchy-matchy” look. Home decor should reflect your personality and quite frankly, I’m just not that put together. One of my favorite quotes is, “I think my life would be easier if I could just get my selves to agree on something.” (Brian Andreas of Story People)

So imagine my love of pairing seemingly contrasting items for a surprising home decorating idea. For example, pairing soft textured fabrics with the rough feel of reclaimed wood.

Reclaimed wood table

Soft chair…rough table. Love it!

Try this: Take a look at the reclaimed wood table below and find something visually appealing in your house that would not be an obvious pairing.
Reclaimed Poplar Wood table from the Shandong Province

Reclaimed Poplar Wood table from the Shandong Province

Fun, isn’t it? I bet you actually came up with several items. When you free yourself to look at a broader range of options for home decorating ideas, the combination possibilities suddenly grow.
This is especially true of reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood touches a cord with us on many levels. There’s something about making something useful again that is appealing. It seems to embody the circle of life and ground us in Mother Nature’s worldview. Once a rarity, reclaimed wood furniture is becoming more and more accessible. Don’t let the industrial look of it scare you off. It just may be the piece that allows your other pieces to really shine.
Industrial buffet cabinet made of reclaimed wood

Industrial Buffet Cabinet Made of Reclaimed Wood

So the next time you see a home decor item that appeals to you don’t say, “Oh…but I don’t have anything that will go with that.” Stop for a moment and allow yourself to expand your design thinking! You’ll be surprised and happy with what you discover.

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Book Smarts: What’s on Your Wall Shelves?

Posted in home decor tips & tricks, home office ideas, vintage furniture and decor on October 26, 2012| 2 Comments »

Vintage looking books tell a story on your wall shelf

Vintage looking books tell a story on your wall shelf

One of the things I love to do when I visit someone’s home is peruse their wall shelves or book cases. Not only do I discover my friend’s interests in books, I gather information about the things in their life they find important. Do they have books of a certain genre? Do they display a collection of items? Is there balance between spaces on the shelves where my eye can rest vs. spaces that contain something?

As you know, we just returned from the High Point Furniture Market and one of the coolest new implementations of a tried and true home decor idea was using covered “books” as design elements on wall shelves. Two displays from a vendor booth really caught our attention. These decorative books tell a story that will captivate.

Eiffel Tower Vintage Decor Books

A little Paris in your home!

When deciding how to place items in your bookshelves, the style of the shelving unit itself plays a part. Are your bookshelves more in line with vintage furniture? Or are they sleek with a modern appeal? How can you play with items of meaning to you while giving a nod to your own interior design aesthetic?

Wall shelves and book cases harbor endless possibilities when it comes to home decor. Whether you have your personal reading collection, decorative books, or display cabinets of your favorite treasures, each item you choose to place on your bookshelves should be thoughtfully selected.

Personal library floor cabinet

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Fall Inspiration

Posted in home decor tips & tricks, mixed bag on September 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Austin, TX hiking view

The eastern United States has always claimed the most beautiful fall displays. Incredible interior home decor and exterior home designs have incorporated brilliant fall colors. But closer to the urban pulse, southern fall palettes include greys, muted brown, green and gold. This Austin area creek reflection would be a great jumping off point. No, not into the creek! Jump into a fresh room makeover based on this calm, organic palette. Your space with thank you!

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