The Eaton Home

Our good friends, the Eatons, graciously lent us their home this week while we were in Phoenix. They have a very comfortable home, with a great layout, and an incredible new outdoor space that's perfect for the beautiful weather here. 

My favorite part of their home is their use of accessories, art and photos. Lisa has a great eye for picking out eclectic pieces that go together and also look like they've been around for years. 

I haven't forgotten to finish up Home Design Week (I guess it's Home Design Month now) with a post on Art and Accessories. The most important part! Next week. I promise. 

Home Design Week | Paint Day

A fresh coat of paint is on my top ten "make my day" list. There's no cheaper, faster way to make a huge difference in a room. I love making a special trip to one of my favorite paint stores to cruise the paint chips. Nerdy, I know. 

Besides walls, there's other great options to freshen up your room with paint. Wood trim, floors that are beyond repair, ceilings, furniture, picture frames...

I like to paint shop after fabric, rug, and window treatments choices are made. With the awesome selection of paints out there, you're much more likely to find the perfect color that matches your fabric than a fabric to match your paint. 

Here's a list of my favorite paint companies and colors I love. 

Devine Color: Pecan, Oat, Fescue, Glass, Macadamia, Steamer, Peanut, Reef

Yolo Colorhouse: Sprout .01 and .05, Leaf .02 and .04, Water .01 and .02, Stone .04 and .05 

Martha Stewart: Bedford Grey, Picket Fence, Stoneware, Sharkey Grey, Homespun, Deep Linen (Martha's favorite colors - Rolling Pin, Pebble Path, Soapstone Gray, Green Pressed Glass, Fern Shoot)

Benjamin Moore: Revere Pewter, Greenmount Silk, Abingdon Putty, Providence Olive, Waterbury Cream.

A few tips from my love of paint. 

1. Find a paint company you love and invest in their paint chip deck. ($15)

2. Always paint a large swatch on your wall before doing the whole room. Live with it for a few days to see how you like it in morning sun, afternoon and night. 

3. If you see a color you love in a store, house, or magazine be bold and ask what the color is. My favorite color choices have come this way. 

4. Coordinate the paint colors in your house, especially in the rooms that are visible from the room you are painting. 

5. When painting furniture, use a foam roller to get the smoothest finish. Several coats. Follow the drying time between coats. Allow it to cure for several days before using it. Polyurethane the top if you'll be putting things on it. Wait at least three days after painting before distressing it. 

6. Choose colors that you love. Don't be afraid to paint with the colors that make you feel good. 

7. Don't cry over the wrong shade. Just paint over it!

Next up....art and accessories.

Home Design Week | Window Day

I'm having so much fun doing Home Design week, I'm calling a "to be continued" for next week. I haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet (paint/art/accessories). 

But today, let's talk about windows. To cover or not to cover? Do you like dark & mysterious, or bright and airy? If you've seen any of the pictures I've posted of my house, I obviously go with the "less is more" philosophy of window coverings. 

I love a ton of light coming into my house, but I do like the option of getting rooms dark when necessary (movies and direct sun). Besides standard curtains, here are some window covering ideas that give you the best of both worlds...

Roman Shades | Good coverage when down, but look great when pulled up. Consider some with ribbon or embroidered trim to add color and interest to your room. Roman shades look best in windows that are wood-trimmed. 

Wood Blinds + Fabric Valances | I love the dark wood, thin blinds pictured above. I think wood blinds are one of the best looking window treatments when down, but I'm not crazy about how they look pulled up. I like to add a 10-12 inch fabric valance over top of the blind so they are hidden when up. 

Wood Plantation-Style Shutters | Consider shutters that open with levers and also fold back to reveal your windows when you want full light. A fun color, like the blue shutters pictured above, would be a great focal point for your room if there are just one or two windows. White shutters look great in a room with a bright wall color or wallpaper. 

Think about other ways to add interest through your windows. Find unique hooks to hang your curtain panels on. Use a branch to hang sheer curtains on to frame a window. Find a metal or wood geometric see through screen in your windows size. 

Finally, if you have beautiful windows, consider the naked look. An un-covered window adds a serene, un-cluttered look to any room. 

Next up...paint. 

Home Design Week | Rug Day

I decided that rugs need a day of their own. Windows can wait. I have a very conflicted relationship with rugs. I love them. I hate them. I've bought and sold far too many rugs in my life. So, although my experience is slightly jaded, I have a few things to offer through trial and error. 

First things first. What type of traffic will your rug be getting? Shoes on? Eating in the room? (There's nothing more noticeable than a dirty rug)

High traffic | Rugs that stand up well to a vacumn, spot cleaning and professional cleaning...wool pile, wool/jute blend, chunky jute, or flat woven (usually a blend of wool/cotton). 

Low traffic | Consider less expensive rugs if they won't get much "shoes-on" traffic. These rugs are decorative, cheaper but won't last as long. Sisal, cotton, and jute boucle. 

I'm attracted most to multi-colored floral rugs, but after a few of these, I've realized I re-decorate far too often to stick to one color palate. A rug with an ornate pattern will look great in a room with neutral walls and furniture. It can be the piece that pulls the room together. I like to use big florals on sisal and cotton rugs that cost less and won't make me feel guilty if I replace after a year or two. 

My favorite new rug is the chunky jute or wool/jute blend (top right and middle pictures of the collage). It's not the most comfortable for kids to play on, but feels good under foot, looks good with most decor, adds texture to the room and vacumns well. 

My next rug will be a simple geometric pattern wool rug for the bedroom. Single color rugs with a white pattern add interest to the room, and can make it through several re-designs (if I'm getting too intense at this point, feel free to stop reading and come back tomorrow). This style of rug works well in a room with bold color on the walls. 

Last, but not least, a list of my favorite places to find an awesome rug:

1. World Market - good prices, best selection of patterned sisal rugs. 

2. Pottery Barn - not so good prices, but rugs go on sale quickly. Great quality on wool and jute/wool rugs. Great floral patterns.

3. West Elm - ok prices and best selection of geometric and modern patterns. 

4. IKEA - great prices, good quality for the price on wool rugs. Great prices and quality of chunky jute rugs. 

Ok, enough said on rugs.

Next up...all about windows. 

Home Design Week | Textile Day

I heart fabric. There's nothing better than a great fabric shop. After deciding on colors for the room, I like to start with the fabrics. It's much easier to match your paint colors to your fabric than the other way around. Fabric is the thing that makes your room visually dynamic. A few ideas...
Pillow Covers
Couch/Chair/Ottoman Slipcovers
Curtains
Picture Mats 
Chair seat covers
Window or Bench seat cover


I like to use 3-4 different fabrics in each room. One "main" pattern that I love and a few additional fabrics that complement the main pattern. Use the main pattern at least twice and complementary fabrics once. (For example, if I used the main fabric for pillows and picture mats, I would use other fabrics for curtains and and ottoman slipcover.) 


If you've decided to use your bold color choices on your walls, you'll choose a main fabric that complements but doesn't compete with the wall color. Use neutrals to soften the room. When you have a neutral wall color, choose fabrics that draw the eye with pattern and color. 


Another way to add dimension through fabric is through texture. A few ideas...
Cover a bench seat or pillows with grasscloth, cable knit or wool. 
Use velvet with a raised pattern to upholster a chair. 
Use a ornate patterned oilcloth to cover dining chair seats or a side table. 
Use a fabric with an embroidered design on pillows. 
Add appliques a pillow or window seat. 
Use a double curtain rod with a patterned valance in front and sheer behind. 


Always get swatches first. You are "building" the room design before investing in a big cut of fabric. (I've got a few tubs full of fabric that I bought too quickly!) Shop online. With coupons and free shipping, you can get some great deals. 


Next up...window coverings + rugs. 

Home Design Week | Color Day

As a self-professed re-decorator, I'm always thinking of the next thing that needs painting, positioning or put on Craigslist. Through five houses in the last ten years, I've learned a few things about making this process easier and enjoyable. This week I'd like to share the process I go through when putting a room together. 


Before choosing paint, textiles, furniture, or accessories, I pull together a collection of images with colors that I'm attracted to. The colors you choose (see above) might not all end up in the room, but you'll have somewhere to start. I also like to include a picture of the wood and metal colors I'll be using in the room. 


This takes time. Don't rush the process. I have a "color" folder in iphoto that I stash pictures of as I see them online. I also use a cork board above my sewing table that I pin ideas to as I see them in magazines or other print. My worst color choices have been ones that were last minute, "under pressure pics" at the paint store. If you always have a file of ideas going, you'll be ready when it's time to choose. 


After you've chosen 4-6 colors that you'd like to see in your room, it's time to start thinking about which you'd like for wall paint, painted furniture, textiles and accessories. Choose 2-3 neutral colors and 1-2 focal point colors.


What is the atmosphere you want to create?
To create a calm, light, open room, you'll use neutrals on the walls, window treatments and furniture while using the bold, focal point colors on a piece of furniture, fabrics and accessories. 
To create more of a "statement" with a room, use your focal point color on the walls and accessories, while keeping the furniture, window treatments and some textiles neutral. 


(Don't rush out and buy your paint first. Although, I do love paint)


Next up...textiles.