My favorite way to start a design plan is with fabric! I love fabric! I can spend hours in a fabric store. Usually I redesign my entire house in just an hour or so, several times over. But I know that some people are terrified of creating a fabric scheme. I have a few rules that I always follow so that you can redecorate without having to redo every little thing in the entire room.
Rule #1: Make the most patterned fabric your jumping off point. I feel like that is the easiest way to start. Find the fabric that speaks to you. If you are pretty tame person it make be a simple stripe that works for you. If you are like me, the more pattern the better! Just choose your favorite and start there.
Rule #2: Choose a color from that fabric that will bind all of the other fabrics together. Simple. Choose your favorite or the color you want to see the most of in the room.
Rule #3: Keep fabric neutral for your furniture. It is much easier and more affordable to replace pillows, draperies and accent furniture than it is to buy a new couch. A textured solid, such as linen, is usually my “go to”.
Rule #4: Use a large but simple pattern on draperies. You don’t want your draperies to overwhelm your room or to compete with any other fabrics. If you are putting 5 or more fabrics in a room, you should keep your draperies simpler. A great trellis or simple stripe could add to the overall scheme rather than detracting from it. Or a solid drapery panel with a pattern at the top or bottom does the trick, too.
Rule #5: Remember that fabric you picked in Rule#1? Use that for pillows. It needs to be the punch and pop in the room.
Rule #6: Use a fun fabric that compliments your fabric from Rule #1 for an accent piece. I usually pull in an animal print here, but I LOVE animal print. And a small ottoman always looks good in animal print!
Rule #7: A small pattern or larger scale texture works great as a layering pillow for your bold pattern. Think herringbone, houndstooth or polkadots.
Now put it all together and you are done. I promise you that people will think you are a pro if you stick to these rules.
All of these fabrics are available from New South Home Couture. If you like them, check them out for great pillows and window treatments.
