 A
quick word or two on the quality of what you choose.
Always buy the best you can afford,
but don’t break the bank! Try to manage with a few good quality
items to start with and then expand later.
If you cannot
afford to buy an expensive fabric then buy a more affordable
material and have it made up really well. I have seen interlined
curtains made of calico with natural cotton, fairly inexpensive
trimming, look really stunning. A cheaper fabric can look very
much more impressive if it has been quilted. A quilted cushion
will always look expensive and will crease less easily and
therefore wear better. You could even consider quilting a larger
expanse of fabric for curtains or use a quilted upholstery
fabric on a small chair or stool for extra effect.
TIP: Mix a very good quality item with
something simple or ordinary for contrast. Mix the old with the
new; an antique chair on a sisal mat, or a pair or linen
curtains on a grand window, draped on the floor for a luxurious
feel.
Aim to have your
home feeling welcoming and comfortable, not a show house! Pile
cushions on a sofa, and add a chenille, velvet or woollen throw
to make the room feel inviting. If everything is new then you
will miss out on the appeal of having a few faded and well-worn
items that perhaps have happy memories or are of sentimental
value.
Function
Do not become so
obsessed with creating a beautiful room, that you forget the
function its and the practical implications involved! A scheme
may be very imposing, but a sofa in a drawing room that is too
hard to sit on comfortably, or the absence of a table in your
sitting room for your cup of coffee, rather defeats the object
of the exercise!
Consider who is
going to use the room and what their needs are. Practical
considerations are as important as aesthetics if a room is going
to look good and stay looking good for some years to come. You
are hardly going to make your guest feel welcome if they are too
frightened to sit down!
TIP: If you have children, it would be
unwise to have cream carpeting throughout the whole house no
matter how much you like it, as it will look grubby after a few
months. In a totally adult house, you can afford to be more
minimalist and a little less practical. |
