Many people think of pillows only as accents, as mere afterthoughts to the overall design of a room. However, this is not so…. Great looking pillows say lots about a room and its quality. Well chosen pillows provide visual exclamation points, and can even inspire the entire color palette of a home.  Colors radiating from a multi-colored print on a pillow can then flow to other rooms, creating color balance throughout. Pillows’ motifs can also contribute to the theme or look of a home (eg., seaside, sporting, or garden), adding personality, wit,  or even whimsy to the design scheme. From an economic vantage point, splurging on an expensive fabric, and then fabricating it into a custom pillow, often makes a lot of sense. The yardage per pillow is minimal (between 3/4 and 1 yard per pillow, though usually with a 2 yard minimum.  Less expensive fabric on a sofa will instantly look better when some beautifully fabricated down pillows are placed against the back cushions.(And please get 80-100% down fillig for your pillows; foam will not do.) All in all, the addition of a few sumptuous, custom-made throw pillows will add great quality to your entire room, and give you lots of bang for your...

The word on curtains these days is that they are more minimalist in design.  This trend was highlighted in a Wall Street Journal article titled: The Comeback Curtain.”  The article compared a popular design trend of multilayered etheral fabrics on windows  to the layering of  sheer blouses over camisoles.  “The window look is sexy”, said Interior Designer Mindy Miles Greenberg. As emphasized in the Journal, translucent, softly layered window treatments are showing up in suburban as well as urban homes, as energy and cost efficient alternatives to old-fashioned curtains and blinds. The clean lines offer no frill, puddles, or decorative valences. Less fussy, airy curtains in my opinion, are often appropriate in certain situations and are visually lovely, but they do not always replace the look, feel and value of a sumptuous traditional curtain. A custom window treatment, well fabricated by a professional workroom, is a decorating investment, and will most likely last at least 10-15 years.  Spreading the cost over this time, therefore, is not as prohibitive as the Journal article suggests. If well chosen, curtains in a room provide, color, pattern, and tactile warmth.  Windows dressed with a beautiful fabric provide visual impact.  When properly designed and sewn, curtains can become the Birken bag of a room. Certainly, trends in curetains change, according to the decorating fashions of the moment.  Styles shift from very elaborate designs to more simplified veersions to none at all, and back again. Both approaches to solving the window puzzle have their advantages and disadvantages, and can be tackled effectively with the help of a competent, professional Interior designer or...

Adding a window seat gave an unexpected coziness to the formal  Living room of this elegant home. The Edward Ferrell round tufted ottoman serves as both a coffee table and place for additional seating.

An unusual toile from Pierre Frey was the inspiration for the color palette of this  very comfortable and cheerful family room.  The  camel and red toile  fabric  was used on the curtains and accent pillows. The 2 club chairs flanking the fireplace( upholstered in a red Cowtan and Tout windowpane check)  , are a  stand out against the gray stone. The red is reiterated in the ceramic pomegranates displayed in a hand- forged bowl on the coffee...