Update Your Decor with Fabrics and Textures
fabric colors (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Creating a cosy home takes more than filling it with furniture and slapping paint on the walls. Careful choice of fabrics in bedding and curtains can make all the difference to the atmosphere and ambiance of a room.
Boutique Bedrooms
Because fabric adds such richness and luxury to any home decor, it’s worth spending a little time on deciding which type of fabrics you prefer for curtains and bedding. Different types of fabrics help create different types of atmosphere, so choose carefully. For light and airy, spring fresh or feminine themes choose light colours, floral prints or soft pastel designs in cotton with frills and flounces. Think valances and pelmets, fabric light or table lamp shades or even bed canopies in soft, floaty gauzes. Match bed coverings with drapes where possible to create unity and a sense of balance to the room.
For a room with a more bohemian or boutique feel, go for darker colours, bolder patterning and clean angular lines. Swap gentle cottons for richer damask fabrics or velvets. Texture matters here, so don’t be afraid to mix and match. Imagine faux fur pillows and cushions piled on the bed, or floor-length curtains held in place with dramatic tie-backs.
If you’re trying to create a fun and playful atmosphere, look for polka dots or multicoloured stripes, bright primary colours or rainbow-hued fabrics. These are great for kids’ rooms, but also for adults with a love of funky or retro styling.
One trick used by designers in creating a sophisticated atmosphere is to pick out a central picture or ornament and build the look of the room to echo the mood, period or colours of the object. Sticking to a limited colour palette may see restrictive, but is actually liberating because by reducing your options your imagination throws up more coordinating ideas and you’re less likely to end up with a confusing mess of styles.
Colour and Style
Make colour your friend, regardless of the style you choose. Fabric colours help create mood, with soft blues creating a restful, cool atmosphere and yellows making a dull room seem brighter.
White can sometimes appear cold, but creams mixed with soft tans and browns is warming and clean-looking. Greens reflect nature and can create a nurturing, caring atmosphere is a room that’s relaxing. Great for de-stressing after a long working day.
Red is sometimes referred to as a colour of danger or unrest but it’s also rich and exciting and can be an ideal colour in the bedroom when you wish to create a boudoir atmosphere that is rich with both elegance and sophistication, alongside just a touch of seduction.
Regal purples are lovely for creating mystery and intrigue. Mix purple with silver for a magical look, or with gold for a fantasy palace appeal.
Fabric and colour are strong influencers in the way a room affects how the people who use it feel and behave. You can choose to stimulate or calm, depending on the colours and textures you choose, so explore and have fun. Making a house into a home is a major part of the pleasure of home ownership.
AUTHOR BIO:
Janice Little writes regularly on fashion and home decor for a range of websites and blogs, including http://www.valueinteriors.co.uk.
Category: Home Repair
