Pillow Talk

You might have seen this on Instagram already - I hacked this Ikea tablecloth from the Vinter 2015 collection into two drapery panels for one of our guest bedrooms.  

When I first came across this fabric, I knew I wanted to use it somewhere in my house, in the form of pillow accents, or drapes. 

And as usual, if I love it, I know a lot more people out there also do, so the said tablecloth was quickly sold out in Ontario. I was only able to secure one panel. I needed four. Fortunately they were still available in Calgary, so I ended up getting my BFF to courier the other three to me. I had them professionally sewed together, and voila, they became this fun yet lush backdrop for my custom settee. 

I love the organic geometric patterns. 

Now onto pillows. It's springtime (or is it?), so I started to declutter. I found a few pieces of designer fabrics lying around so I had them sewed into pillows. They are for sale. My blog readers get 10% off. All of these pillows have invisible zipper closure; and seams are double-stitched and serged to prevent fraying.

Pillow A: this ever-popular Schumacher Hothouse Floral linen pillow in mineral (a bluish grey shade), 17x17", same fabric in different patterns on both sides, US$95/CA$125. 

Pillow A - Side A

Pillow A - Side B

Pillow B: Schumacher Hothouse flowers linen pillow, 17x17", same fabric in different patterns on both sides, US$95/CA$125. 

Pillow B - Side A

Pillow B - Side B

Pillow C: Schumacher Hothouse flowers linen pillow, 17x17", same fabric in different patterns on both sides, US$90/CA$115. 

Pillow C - Side A

Pillow C - Side B

Pillow D: Yellow and Grey/Charcoal floral canvas cotton pillow, a la Schumacher Pyne Hollyhock, 18x18", US$35/CA$45.

Pillow D - Side A

Pillow D - Side B

Pillow E: Yellow and Grey/Charcoal floral canvas cotton pillow, a la Schumacher Pyne Hollyhock, 18x18", US$35/CA$45.

Pillow E - Side A

Pillow E - Side B

I couldn't find the name of the designer for this yellow and grey floral fabric, but I love it enough to turn them into drapes for one of our guest bedrooms. 

Les Touches Pillow and Stuck on Hue Etsy

I am still obsessed with animal prints, and all those stripy and spotty fall fashion outfits didn't help. They constantly reminded me of just how much I love Brugweg & Fils' Les Touches fabric. I know I sounded like a broken record - I said I wasn't going to fork out that much money for a pillow; but I also know that Les Touches Black and White would look amazing in any room of my house, so I couldn't let it go. 

I exchanged emails with Hollie of Stuck on Hue on Etsy on and off a few times over the past couple of months, mostly because I couldn't decide whether to bite the bullet. Hollie was extremely helpful and patient, and worked with me to pick out a section of the fabric that would show a symmetrical yet organic pattern. I finally decided to go through with it, and I ended up ordering not just one, but two of them! 

I have to say this is by far my favourite pillow/fabric in my house right now - the Brugweg & Fils' Les Touches in Black and White. 

Gorgeous, right?

The other one is now on my foyer sette. 

Hollie has tons of other gorgeous pillows in her Etsy store, all handmade by herself with superb sewing workmanship. Her choice of fabrics is on trend yet timeless. I am already eyeing this Kelly Wearstler's Channels in Ebony & Ivory.

It would also look great as a long body or lumbar pillow like this. 

Hollie's pillows are widely used in interior designers' homes and projects. Like this 20-inch leopard velvet pillow in designer Sherry Hart's dining room. 

And the banana leaves pillow covers paired with a black and white striped headboard by Sara Lorton Designs. 

And there are so many more in her Etsy store. 

Hollie is also the talented DIY blogger behind I'm Busy Procrastinating. Check out this amazing DIY Black & White abstract art she painted for her living room. 

And the ceiling medallions as statement wall art, how creative! 

Hollie is on vacation until early October so her Etsy store is temporarily closed. Be sure to check back for all the fabulous designer pillow covers she offers at likely the best prices you can find anywhere online. 

One Pillow Three Ways

I am still not over animal prints yet. After this recent makeover, I wanted to do more. Pillow is a natural choice: they are an inexpensive way so you can experiment without feeling the pinch; they are not permanent so when you are over the trend all you need to do is to swap them out; they are versatile and can practically go into any room in your house. 

I really liked the Les Touches but I wasn't ready to fork out $100 (which seems to be the going rate) for a pillow which I wasn't even sure was going to work for my house. So I went with a close alternative - the black white Dalmatian Spots by ElemenOPillows on Etsy. I was pleasantly surprised by how affordable ElemenOPillows made them pillows to be. When you find a certain fabric you like, run a price from low to high search on Etsy, and ElemenOPillows always comes up on top. They didn't compromise on the quality either. Rather, their pillows are nicely made and have fabrics on both sides! 

So this is the Dalmation Spots pillow on the settee in my foyer. 

I moved the Mark Tabbener's sketch from the master bedroom into this foyer nook after a comment about it looking lonely in a large space (and I agreed). I have something else in mind for that wall so more on that later. 

The same pillow also works in my living room. 

And bedroom as well! Black and white pillows are so versatile! 

I added this stunning blue flower to my garden this year. Stoke's Aster "Blue Danube" is an easy-to-care-for perennial which gives non-stop flowers into the late fall. I have neighbours come up to ask me what they are and where to get them. I bought mine from Terra Greenhouses. 

Dipladenia is another high performer that's easy to grow. Although in zone 3-5 they tend to become annuals. 

Limelight Hydrangea has finally started to bloom, almost a month late this year. I cut off some small odd branches and they became a nice little bouquet. A touch of seasonal colours is what my front entrance needs. 

Enjoy the long weekend! 

Louis XV Chair Upholstery Fabric Choices

It's been months since I picked up these French Louis XV chairs and I am still debating which upholstery fabric to use. It almost felt like last time I looked at the calendar it was only March, and now it's already mid May - shocking how fast time flies! 

Last week I finally got around to ordering these fabric samples I managed to narrow down to: the top three cotton velvets (in cement, indigo and pewter) are from Tonic Living; the five velvet swatches below are from Discounted Designer Fabrics. Can you tell I really have a thing for velvet fabrics these days? 

I love the touch and feel of the super soft cotton velvet, but not so much the colour choices - "cement" is too cool of a grey with green undertone, "pewter" is too taupe, but I love "indigo". I love this navy shade of blue by itself. It only concerns me a little that it might be hard to work such a strong shade of colour into a room setting. 

The colours of the textured velvets work for me, but I am not so sure about the texture. How embarrassing would it be to leave behind butt prints when you get up from the chair? 

And then there is the animal print fever. I couldn't take my eyes of these two leopard velvets - the print on the left is powerful, fun and sophisticated at the same time; the one on the right is elegant and a more subtle way to use animal print. I love them both, but which one? 

To give you an idea, this is what the chair would look like in leopard velvet upholstery. 

Cowhide print is the one Anthony picked out - he is a big fan of black and white. 

So which one is your favourite? Solid cotton velvet, solid textured velvet, or animal print velvet for a pair of Louis XV chairs? Is animal print a passing fancy? 

Earn Your Spots

Well, it took me long enough but I think I am finally jumping on the animal print wagon. I know I know, I am a follower. You are never going to find me the first one to jump on a trend. I wait, observe, test and eventually I may or may not make the move. I play it safe, my decor is mainstream, and I am okay with that.

Spring is officially here, I think, and what better way to update those tired couches you've been curling up in all winter than with elegant and sophisticated animal print pillows?! I've waited long enough and I've earned my spots. 

As high-impact as they are, it's surprisingly easy to pair them with other light or dark color fabrics, and work them into any decor styles. Like this.

K Sarah Designs

And this.

K Sarah Designs

And this. 

Bijou and Boheme, Christine Dovey

These are a few of my favorites on Etsy. 

1. Brown cheetah print pillow by kassapanola. 
2. Dalmatian Spot pillow by WhitlockandCo. 
3. Leopard print pillow by AriannaBelle. 
4. Grey and tan spots pillow by JoyWorkshoppe. 
5. Velvet leopard pillow by AriannaBelle. 
6. Kravet aqua tan spots pillow by PopOColor. 
7. Snow leopard pillow by WhitlockandCo. 
8. Brunschwig and Fils Les Touches pillow by AriannaBelle. 
9. Tan spots pillow by PopOColor. 

Which one is your favorite? Do you have animal print upholstery in your house?