Outdoor pillows add a pop!

Tis the season of outdoor living and entertaining. We've been creating outdoor spaces that have many of the comfort elements of our indoor rooms — sofas, lighting, rugs, artwork and pillows all give our spaces that added comfort.

I recently worked with a client to add custom pillows to her outdoor covered porch. This porch is so peaceful. It has a beautiful stone floor and overlooks a lovely garden.

Her furniture bases are neutral, with red upholstered cushions (red is also a neutral, as it goes with almost every color!). She wasn't interested in bold, tropical floral patterns, so we selected a few outdoor fabrics to add a touch of class without bringing in bold colors (allowing the red to be the star!).

{Sofa that lines one side of the long porch. Polka dots add fun and the tan fabric has tiny black dots to match the dots.}


{Coordinating, but not matching, pillows accessorize this red sofa.}

The client didn't want tons of pillows that they had to toss around in order to sit down, so we stuck with 3 on the sofa. Custom also allows you to select the filler for your pillows. In this case she went with down because it's softer on your head (especially good when napping!).

{Two chairs and ottomans across from the sofa.}


{Lumbar pillows add comfort while sitting without getting in the way!}

As always, when shopping for pillows (indoor or out), take any existing fabrics from the room with you when you shop (for both custom and retail shopping). This way you can match and coordinate colors exactly.

Also figure out what sizes you want before you go so you narrow down what you are looking for. When buying pillows for outside it's best to get an outdoor fabric that can weather the elements. You can also use this fabric indoors if you have an area that gets a lot of use.

Happy outdoor living!

custom cushion completes room

Like my previous post, this design solution is also all about details. I guess I'm in a detail-oriented mood this week, or it's the joy of seeing the details in a room finally come together.

This client started with a blank slate in her guest garage apartment, but over time we filled it with beautiful and function pieces that any guest would love. (See the room's full design process here.)

The final detail came in this week—— a pretty custom window seat cushion.

{BEFORE - empty and sad window seat}


{AFTER - a pretty white and blue modern, yet inviting floral pattern that begs to be sat upon}

This detail ties all other elements of the room together - from the blue paint on the walls (Sherwin-Williams' Rain) and the tan sofa to the custom upholstered funky brown chair and the Company C rug.

{Pottery Barn sofa in tan with various pillows}



{Company C rug in the kitchen space, a bright addition to the apartment}

The challenge in this space? The client selected the rug for the kitchen space and it is a bit too "cool" color-wise for this space, but she really loved it so I let her keep it. :) I then had to find a window cushion fabric that worked with the rug (the window seat is in the kitchen), but also looked good with the warmer neutral tones in the living space.

{Funky and fun chair from Arhaus in a chocolate brown floral fabric}

Taking a cue from the graphic floral pattern on the chair and the blue color that flows throughout the space, the Robert Allen "Growing Wild" fabric was selected for the window seat cushion. A perfect compliment to the bright rug and the neutral decor.

The client is happy and that means I'm happy. See how well one upholstered piece can brighten a space and tie a room together?

Happy decorating!

mixing pillow patterns

I was very camera happy on my recent visit to The Washington Design Center. (See the lobby pictures here). I'm taking my time sharing my pictures so you'll keep coming back (there are more where these came from!).

We visited the Fabricut showroom and the daybed display in the entry was a happy gathering of beautiful pillows. The colors, the textures, the fringe, the shapes, the FABRICS...I had to restrain myself from diving in!

{by focusing on oranges, greens and blues - with a touch of yellow - they created a lovely mix of patterns, sizes and textures}


{a close up of the splendor! notice the different trims, edges and closures.}


{in addition to sticking to a color group, varying the scale and pattern is key to mixing pillows. bold stripes with soft tone on tone patterns. lovely.}

Have fun mixing your pillows. Searching for the right mix can take time, but be patient — when you finally get the right mix it's worth it!

"Where should I begin?"

Do you struggle with how to begin your design projects? Does your living room just stare at you, giving no answers, suggestions or feedback? I hear this question a lot from clients and I have a few tips to help you figure out where to start your next design project.

Start with the item that has the most limitations. For example, if you are reupholstering an existing sofa, purchasing an area rug and window treatments and painting you need to determine which of these things has the most limits.

Retail purchases are the most limited in that you are limited by what the store carries. They may carry something you LOVE, but it's still the most limited as far as selection goes.

Custom fabric treatments (upholstery or window fabrics) are going to provide you more options than retail. Your budget will be your most limiting factor here, but there are thousands of custom fabric options available. You'll need to work with a professional to access to the widest fabric selections, but he/she can assist you with selecting the proper fabric type for your project.

Finally, your least limiting option is paint color. Paint can be mixed in any shade you desire. You can bring anything inspiration piece to your favorite paint shop and ask them to match any color.

So as you are planning your design projects, select retail items first, followed by custom and then select your paint color last to tie all of your selections together. It's easy to jump into paint color first, but that can limit your future selections, which are already limited.

I always suggest starting with an inspiration piece to get any room started. This helps with any purchases (retail or custom) and can be anything—art, fabric, a printed card, pillow, rug or a flower. Anything that catches your eye can inspire a room!

Then shop with that inspiration piece with you so you can coordinate colors.

Happy decorating!

Pillow talk—inspirational ideas

Don't beds look great with a lot of throw pillows? I love how they look, but they also spend a lot of time on the floor when the real sleeping pillows are in use! I like finding new ways to display items—pillows being one of those items. 

Here are some great ideas for arranging your bed pillows (and a sofa idea, too). Don't be afraid of texture and color and of being "messy." Or, keep it simple. You have to know what you like and then experiment.

Try something new and use fabric and colors you love. It's that simple!