March « 2009 «

March 24, 2009

Chic, Not Shabby! A Proper Slipcover

Filed under: Fabric Usage, Furniture, Paint — Tags: re-use furniture, shabbychic, slipcovers — Leona Gaita @ 3:53 PM

This beautifully made slipcover uses a pretty mix of textures and soft colors.

A truly chic use of slipcovers.

Custom slipcovers have been getting short shrift for years now due to several trends in interior design. One is the “Shabby Chic” movement. The trend gets full credit for giving permission to American home dwellers to de-formalize their environments, combining the old with the new to create very personalized result. This shouldn’t mean getting rid of elegance. In it’s best incarnation, Shabby Chic succeeds beautifully in creating a stylish informality, which I love, and can’t live without. Unfortunately, like any trend that gets too popular, it has its abusers. Well loved (used) does NOT equal sloppiness.

Custom slipcovers everywhere. Not too shabby! This is from the movie "Something's Gotta Give", the beach house, one of my all time favorite movie interiors.

A ready made slipcover, no matter how clever, can never fit like a custom one, or stay properly in place when sat on, or be considered in any way “chic” Even a loosely fitted slip cover, should be made for that specific piece of furniture.

This red sofa has a well made slipcover, which is hard to distinguish from upholstery.

Gaita Interiors made this red slipcover, which is hard to distinguish from upholstery.

6a00d834554b0569e200e55178c4f88833-800wi1

This slipcover was made by a skilled, experienced craftsman. Tight as a glove!

The other, opposite trend which has hurt custom slipcovers is the idea that anything new, is always better. In a booming economy, why slipcover, when you can throw it away, and buy a new one…on credit? I guess that bubble has burst! Here are some good reasons to give custom slipcovers a new look:

It’s very chic, and can be as shabby and casual as you wish,or if you’re like me very tailored.
It’s MUCH less expensive than either reupholstering or buying new.
A slipcover can be taken off and laundered.

This neutral slipcover makes a wonderful backdrop for an array of pretty mini-prints. Very charming!

You can support a small local business-craftsman, the backbone of the American economy!
You can get almost any look you want, granny floral, clean modern, ruffles or plain cording, whatever rocks your boat.
It’s a green alternative to throwing away old furniture, that’s still serviceable.

We saved these two nice old chairs and made custom slipcovers, with a contrast scallop fringe near the hem. The ottoman is from Beachley.

Your sofa or chair deserves a new outfit! How would you feel if you had to wear the same outfit everyday for years!
A well tailored slipcover, on the right type of piece can look just like upholstery.
Used upholstered furniture is cheap and plentiful. You can buy an old piece, and slipcover it for less than the cost of most new furniture.
You can make a summer slipcover for wintery looking furniture, giving your whole room a new vibrant look for the change of seasons. Your upholstery will last twice as long too!

So pretty! Washable linen custom slipcover.

Nice button detail.

Comments (1)

March 17, 2009

Nature and Art Show us How to Design With Purple

Filed under: Fabric Usage, Paint — Tags: Duralee fabrics, Gustave Klimt, Henri Matisse, Pierre Bonnard, purple, Richard Diebenkorn, trendy — Leona Gaita @ 4:35 PM

The use of purple in interior design is a trend that’s not so trendy. Artists have always taken their cue from nature and made plentiful use of this shade that lies on the fringe of the color spectrum, and always glows against the colors around it.

Sherwin Williams has the best purple range. For this look, check out Kimono Violet SW6839, African Violet SW6982, and Fully Purple SW6983

Ether cool or warm, depending on the proportion of blue to red to grey, purple can be bent and stretched to evoke excitement or restfulness. passion, or serenity.

henrimatissepurplerobe-and-anemones-1937

Matisse loved purple and gold, as well as the use of textiles in his work.

No one does purple like mother nature, but we can try!

If such a warm dark purple is too deep of a commitment for you, there are other ways to get purple into your life. A soft greyed down purple is a very peaceful and sophisticated backdrop for a bedroom or living room

Part of the calming effect comes from the use of colors that are close to purple on the color wheel, such as the aqua, and other cool tones, black and white.

A very cool use of lavendar, with just a touch of hot purple blanket and flowers.

Perhaps this designer was emulating Richard Diebenkorn’s use of lavender. He, no doubt took his cue from the beauty of the California landscape, where he spent much of career .

Richard Diebenkorn - Ocean Park Series

Purple is great for blending with…PURPLE! This designer has no hang ups about “matching” hues. Remember, colors don’t need to match. In nature, they never do. This is especialy true of purple. Purple, plum, lavender, violet, they all look great together. Here’s great example of that principle. Gorgeous, isn’t it!

periwinkle-and-purple

A profusion of purples, reds and blues, set against gold by the master Gustave Klimt in his Portrait of Eugenia Primavesi -1913

Purple is such a potent color, that even a small amount in a neutral setting can make all the difference, If you have neutral room that needs to be juiced up, I highly recommend a dash of purple .

touch-of-purple

contemp-living-room1

Both of these rooms would be pretty enough, but not nearly as interesting as they are with their touches of purple. If a chair is too much for you, try several pillows. Remember, it’s OK to mix purples, so don’t be afraid!

Portrait of the Brenhiem Brothers 1923- Pierre Bonnard

Pierre Bonnard uses a touch of purple combined with warm earthy tones. Although the value of the lavenders and purples are close to the values of the surrounding colors, the cool addition serves up lots of contrast in the warm setting.

These gorgeous fabrics are all new from Duralee's Highland court Marakesh Collection.

Nature’s favorite use of purple is to combine it with green. Dusky, woodsy, aubergines, grapes, mosses and olives. Duralee does a great job with this purple range in their new Marakesh Collection.

The painting below by Bonnard evokes all of the beauty and mystery of the deep woods, featuring a range of purples to contrast the greens, from bright lime to darkest green of the forest.

view-of-the-river-vernon-bonnard-1923-large

View of the River, Vernon 1923 by Pierre Bonnard

Comments (5)

March 16, 2009

NY Interior Designer To Blog Cost-Effective Design Tips

Filed under: Holidays — Leona Gaita @ 5:38 PM

An interior design specialist from the New York metropolitan area seeks to give decorating tips to a public, increasingly interested in economic alternatives, via a new blog.

Larchmont, NY (PRWEB) March 16, 2009 — Gaita Interiors, an interior design firm servicing the Westchester County area, has launched a blog is intended for those looking to improve their living environment without incurring heavy costs.

“As I think about what people really need right now, in terms of the economy, and what I can offer, blogging about design seemed to be the most sensible way of helping people help themselves in terms of decorating and design,” said Leona Gaita of Gaita Interiors.

Home Design Tips from Gaita Interiors

“I want to show people the inspiration for my own creativity, and teach them how they can apply these simple principles to their own lives and their own homes,” continued Gaita. “Most often people have an idea of what they want as far as a ‘look’, but are unsure of how to go about accomplishing that. We want to give the average person the tools they need to beautify their living environment for themselves, without spending a lot of money doing so.”

Gaita Interiors has been a staple of the local community for over 40 years, servicing Larchmont, Scarsdale, Westchester County and the New York metropolitan area. “We’ve become expert at everything from space planning to color fabric selection, to full interior design. I’m now interested in educating people on how to do some of these things for themselves, to enrich their home and their lives with beauty and elegance.”

Gaita’s blog can be found at http://www.gaitainteriors.com/blog.

Comments (0)

March 12, 2009

Paint Something Old, Create Something Brand New or…

Filed under: Furniture, Paint — Tags: Furniture, Paint — Leona Gaita @ 12:50 PM

Top 10 reasons you should roll up your sleeves, and paint some old dilapidated furniture.

paintedfurniture_ss1lg

10- The look is beautiful, versatile, original and unique.

9- You can breathe new life into something old, and save it from the land fill.

8- You can maintain a connection to the past by saving the old, instead of replacing it.

7- Used furniture stores are overflowing with inexpensive old wood furniture pieces of every size and type.

6- It’s totally customizable! You can make unmatched pieces match with a common paint color……or you can use several colors from the palette of your room and paint each of several pieces differently. For example a cluster of three small painted tables, instead of one large coffee table.

5- You can give an old piece of furniture a sleek modern update, or lend it an antiquated look, using various paint techniques.

4- It’s fun to be green by recycling old furniture, instead of buying new.

3- We’re in a recession, and it’s cheap.

2- It will make you feel good about your self.

The NUMBER ONE REASON you should paint some old furniture is:

1-It’s the weekend, and you have nothing to do!!

msl_jun06_furniture_l

Some things to keep in mind:

Do paint an old piece of furniture. Never paint a fine antique…..know the difference!
Make sure to prepare the surface well . Good preparation is half the effort, and will get you the best long lasting results.
You can further change the appearance of a piece by changing the hardware. This is a good way to modernize an old piece, or add a bit of whimsy to the style.
You can choose a semi gloss paint finish for a sleek soft sheen, or you can use an eggshell paint for an almost flat finish. The shinier the finish, the sturdier.
It’s OK to hire your painter to paint some furniture for you. It’s still relatively inexpensive, and much easier on your manicure. I won’t tell any one!

2612432059_140d5482922

Some fancier techniques (but still for beginners)

Once you’ve painted a piece, you can add a textured glaze finish. Use semi gloss paint, if you’re planning to add a glaze finish.

Choose a pretty wallpaper that co-ordinates with your paint color, (or matches your walls) and apply it to smooth drawer fronts of a bureau, the back panel of bookcase or a table top. You can then apply a coat or two of clear polyurethane for protection.
Paint two coats of a very bright color (like apple green) Once it’s thoroughly dry, add a good coat of black paint (two if necessary). Sand and distress the surface so that the bright green peaks through here and there. Finish it off with a coat of satin polyurethane.

763639337_5dc7b00ad0

Paint the drawers a contrasting color. Or the top, or both. A beige chest of drawers with light aqua drawer fronts and top is serene and classic. Trim it up with crystal knobs.

horchow_chest_sm

You can add stripes (or other imaginative motifs, like the tree design on the bureau above) by using blue painters tape to block off the background color.
A simple floral design can be stenciled on, using craft paints and ready made stencils

Be daring, you can’t do wrong!

An updated take on the Swedish style of painted furniture.

Here are some excellent books devoted to painted furniture which will offer both inspiration, and instruction:

Painted Furniture: Simple Techniques for Fresh NewLooks by Diane Weave
Painting and Decorating Furniture by Sheila McGraw
Painted Furniture: From Simple Scandinavian to Modern Country by Virginia Patterson

red-table-300x2791

A Chinese game table , painted, which leads me to:

Comments (4)

March 10, 2009

Make room for a Game Table and Family Fun

Filed under: Furniture — Tags: extra dining space, family fun, game table — Leona Gaita @ 11:37 AM

game-table-portiere-wallpaper-framed-0032

The addition of a game table to a family room or living room will add fun, function and beauty. Turn off the TV and have some old fashioned family fun with puzzles, board games and cards.

12-bozhardt-game-room-0608-xlg-912127802

A 36″ square table and four armless chairs will accommodate any game for four. If you have room for a 48″ round, you’ll be able to accommodate 5 for poker! The best part is to be able to leave a game or puzzle, and come back to it later. Marathon Monopoly anyone?!

Glass tile game table from Mosaica

Any style you can think of (and some you’ve never imagined) are available, in a full range of price points. For added elegance and function, hang a small chandelier directly above the center of the game table, at about 32″ off the table. Now you’ve really got something!

You’ll love the extra seating for diners provided by a game table when you have a large crowd. You can even choose one that extends with leaves. Crate and Barrel has a round extension table called The Cabria that would serve well as a game table, and double as an extra dining table when needed. Now you have the potential to seat an extra 8 at big holidays, without dragging out the old folding table!

Freeman Game Table with leather chairs. (http://www.frontgate.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&itemID=6078)

Freeman Game Table with leather chairs from www.frontgate.com

When creating a floor plan, it may even be worh the loss of a club chair to create room for a game table, considering the many advantages and versatility you’ll gain.

If space is tight, a small game table.or chess table for two is also functional and pretty, especially centered under a window.

5-watson-table-xlg-625133352

Comments (0)

March 6, 2009

A Fabric Draped Passageway-The Portiere

Filed under: Color usage, Fabric Usage, Holidays, Wall Decoration — Tags: drapes, interior passageways, portieres — Leona Gaita @ 2:07 PM

The draped interior passageway, also known as a portiere (french for door) first came to Europe from Asia in the fourth century. Made of heavy tapestry, or velvet, in was introduced to mitigate drafts. It was used extensively in wealthier Victorian homes, for both practical and decorative purposes.

Velvets, and heavy damasks were the preferred fabrics for the Victorians, due to their heat retaining qualities. In our modern heated homes, we can consider the use of lighter fabrics. A portiere can be made of silk, sheer organza, or a cotton print, as well as traditional heavier fabrics.

: A lush silk portiere defines the space in a Master Bedroom suite. Interior design by Joy Meek, as seen in Metropolitan Home.

s;ldkf;dlkf;sldkf;sldfk;sldjf;dfljg;dlfgj;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfgj

: A Dining Room Portiere (Dream Windows, Kathleen S. Stoehr)

In “Gone With the Wind“, Scarlett famously uses her mother’s old green velvet portieres to make herself a beautiful dress, in order to impress Rhett Butler. Rhett’s no help, but she does come home with a new wealthy husband!

One of my favorite films (not the least because of the exquisite interior set design by Dante Ferretti and Robert J. Franco) is “The Age of Innocence” based on the novel by Edith Wharton. There we can observe, in beautiful reproduction, the Victorian use of richly draped passageways, creating a sense of sumptuous glamour.

In one of the early scenes, shot from the point of view of the main character Archer, we go with him from one beautiful drawing room to another. As he approaches each partially obscured draped passageway, for a moment we are kept in suspense as to what lies beyond in the next perfectly appointed room…….the plot thickens, I’m inspired!

A full width portiere creates two distinct spaces in an open floor plan

I love the sheer portiere I have on a gapingly wide opening in my design studio. It really softens the space, and even absorbs some unwanted surrounding sounds, and it’s just so pretty!

100_0039

skldjfoweifjlskdjfosieufjidjfosieufidfjoseufosdifuoapeoiupa98efuopidufou

: Cheerful print portiere helps to define a space at the end of a long hallway.

: A beautiful portiere in a fabulous bathroom.

s;ldkf;sldkf;sldkf;sldkf;sdlkf;sldkf;sldkf;sldkf;sldkf;sldkf;sldkf;sdlkf;sldkf;sldkf;

Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating and installing a portiere:

Excellent places to use a portiere: between a dining room and a living

: A perfect nook for sleeping and reading Domino Magazine

room, between a vestibule and a living room, between a master bedroom dressing room and bedroom etc.

A portiere can be used to improve the proportions of a long narrow room by sectioning off the far end and creating a windowed sitting area.

If you’re using a sheer fabric, neatly finished edges are all that’s required. However, for most other fabrics you’ll want to self-line, or use a contrasting fabric to line your portiere, since both sides will be fully visible. If you’re using ready made panels, you’ll want to double the quantity, and hang them back to back on a double rod.

Tie backs are an important element of a portiere. They can be made of matching fabric, or a passementerie tie back with tassles, or even a beautiful piece of ribbon with a bow.

A portiere can be simple, clean and modern, or elaborate and traditional. For a very traditional look, use a damask and add a swagged valance, and tassle fringe. To keep it contemporary, use a sheer, a solid silk or velvet, plain and simple.

A portiere can installed either inside the door jamb, or on the outside wall above the passage way. I tend to prefer to install above the opening, for a sense of height.

A single panel can be installed in a smaller opening and tied back to one side for an asymmetrical portiere. A pair of panels can be used on a wider opening and both tied back for a symetrical effect.

Comments (0)

Framed Wallpaper – Substitute for Fine Art

Filed under: Wall Decoration — Tags: art, custom framing, do it yourself, frames, ready made frames, vintage wallpaper, wallpaper — Leona Gaita @ 12:58 PM

wallpaper-3

This may not be the right time to invest in fine art, but hey, life goes on! Until wall art is hung, even the most beautifully decorated and carefully thought out room is not complete. A splendid alternative to expensive art is framed wallpaper. Currently, many of the wallpaper manufacturers are making beautiful, graphic, large prints that are eminently frameable, and make great wall art.

wallpaper-4

There are several approaches to such a project. If you need a single large piece that you would use over a sofa, or fire place mantel, choose an oversized abstract design and have it custom framed. Or you can use two 24″x36″ ready made poster frames and hang them side by side. The key is to choose a different area of the print design to center in each of the two frames, so that you don’t end up with two identical pieces.

Ready-made, store-bought frame, and attractive wallpaper

For something medium sized, you can choose an 18″ x 24″ or 24″ x36″ ready made poster frame. Remember most wallpaper runs about 27″ wide. Many representational patterns will have central figure that you can focus in on. For example, a Chinoiserie pattern may have a perched bird. Center this figure, and then crop the wallpaper according to the size of the frame. I have a framed Chinoiserie wallpaper. One of my friends is a connoisseur of Asian art, and she was quite surprised when I pointed it out to her! She assumed that it was framed art. In any case, it’s very pretty, and it makes me feel happy when I look at it!

Vintage wallpapers from the Groninger Museum, The Netherlands

You can create a grouping of three or four small pieces by choosing a thematic novelty pattern. This one has four distinctly different black chair silhouettes on a white background. Each can be cropped, and framed with a ready made photo size frame and mat to make a charming grouping.

Detail of Thibaut- Cantonese color metallic gold

Some tips:

Check on the width of the wallpaper before buying large ready made frames. Some can be as narrow as 20″, though most American papers are about 27″ wide.
Choose a frame that picks up some of the coloring from the print, but retains contrast to the background
For a very large (custom framed) piece, select a pattern that will look good running sideways, such as an abstract or certain florals.
Remember, you don’t need A LOT of wall art, just a few choice pieces, to create few focal points.
slkdlkfjg;dkfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlkfjg;dlkfjgl;dkfjg;dkfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg;dlfjg

Thibaut- Cantonese, custom framed

slkdjflskdjflskdjflsdkjflskdjflskdjflskdfjlskdjfslkdjflskdjflskdjfslkdjfslkdjlskdjfls

Gorgeous effect, using bits of pretty wallpaper.

Comments (4)