Archive for the ‘Antique Furniture and Bungalows’ Category

Posh Living contributed Holiday decorating ideas to 843 Home & Lifestyle Magazine.  Here are our top ideas: 1 – To add some festive appeal, take an inventive approach by incorporating small, distinct additions to the room.  There are many creative small touches you can add to home accessories to bring in some holiday cheer. 2 [...]

High Point Furniture Market this fall was the most positive in energy and attitude that we’ve seen in a few seasons; the slight uptick we had in the economy this year gave vendors the confidence to plan for growth. Of course there were the usual parties, lectures and events, including a concert by the B52′s!  [...]

  Walking into our shop at 8:30 am and I’ve already answered one client phone call, a few emails from vendors and tweeted about my morning.  Every day is a different adventure filled with store customers, clients, freight companies, vendors, manufacturers, our workroom and various craftsmen that are working on projects for us.  I can [...]

  The current slow real estate market may have some homeowners feeling trapped in their current property, and others looking to purchase finding their buying power diminished.  How can we enjoy the home we live in when it is not our dream home? Tackle those small and medium sized renovation projects while the market is [...]

It’s always a relief when you go into a local store and find the perfect item that you’ve been looking for.  Next you turn over the price tag and see a price you wish was lower.  What’s the first thought that comes to mind these days?  I wonder if I can find this online for [...]

Beachfront income properties have their own particular set of concerns when it comes to interior design.  Condo packages may meet budget goals, but often contain inferior quality pieces that don’t last.   Vacation renters inflict heavy use; they track in sand, walk on carpets dripping wet, sit on furniture in wet bathing suits, and set drinks [...]

High Point Market this spring, while much smaller than previous years, had plenty to offer.  With showroom space more available, many new vendors are entering the marketplace at High Point, and we saw a large selection of antique and few-of-a-kind artist-produced pieces, as well as the usual manufactured lines.  There was a lot of focus [...]

It’s often said that our home is our castle; it’s the heart of family life, and for many it is also a status symbol. A fine home is representative of financial and personal accomplishment. Often, people hire a professional designer to create a beautifully decorated home that will impress others. But does this way of [...]

We’ve been hearing that Shabby Chic is making a comeback.  Shabby Chic was a style that grew out of the English country house look.  Old furnishings and fabrics were repurposed in the home, becoming more “shabby” as time went on.  The look was made popular when it was packaged in the late 80’s with English country style slipcovers in white damask, and faded floral chintzes with ticking stripes.

But is it really returning?  Not quite.  Times have certainly changed since then, and Shabby Chic has too. The green movement in recent years has created such interest in reclaimed, vintage and industrial furnishings that the design elements of the industrial-chic look are beginning to inform other styles of design.  The new version of Shabby Chic, or Shabby Nouveau as we like to call it, incorporates the soft, comfortable linen-covered furnishings we know well.  But now we have the addition of new industrial metal finishes and aged, limed oak finishes (instead of whitewashed Victorian castoffs).  Upholstered and slipcovered pieces are often seen in hemp and oatmeal colors, or even reclaimed burlap sack fabrics, as the look is influenced by the current interest in reclaimed interior design.

Materials in their found or natural state have had a big influence on wood stain colors too.  Driftwood tones and reclaimed wood with layers of wax or traces of old paint look interesting right now.

Reclaimed industrial pieces such as metal shelving, wood rolling racks, and antique wood flooring re-manufactured into tables are the industrial style elements of the Shabby Nouveau look.   Manufacturers are incorporating elements of metal and driftwood colors into their lines as they respond to consumer demand.  Industrial style metals add a more modern, edgy look to a room, but combined with warm woods they are easy to blend into any décor.  Used in moderation, they update a room without making it look like a city loft. We especially like these pieces from Stanley Furniture for their versatility and unique finishes:

The metal framed shelving on the library piece introduces an industrial element, but would work in a traditional room too. And, the top and bottom can be separated and used as a bookcase and buffet. The lighter, limed-oak style finish on the table and chairs can dress a room up or down.

Dovetail Furniture offers pieces that combine aged wood and linen with traditional European furniture shapes,  that are the perfect romantic touches for modern Shabby Nouveau.

A Swedish style wood-framed sofa shows off its light, elegant lines when upholstered in simple rustic linen.  Vintage sofas and chairs, or styles that have antique details such as wood frames and button tufting, are great additions to make a room comfortable and inviting. Painted woodwork makes the carvings stand out.

Look for antique frames that can be painted and reupholstered for a really personal look.

For that timeworn but sophisticated look, we keep pattern to a minimum, favoring solid textures and soft designs like damasks, ticking stripes or faded toile prints.  For a quick Shabby Nouveau update, a custom slipcover for your sofa or chair in natural oatmeal-toned linen is the perfect start.  Add some washed and faded toss pillows, and bring some rustic or painted furniture into the room.

So if you are a fan of Shabby Chic, but are looking for an updated style with rustic sophistication, think about going Shabby Nouveau.  With some industrial touches, textured natural fabrics, and reclaimed driftwood tones, the new chic look is very unique.

Kerry Ann Dame is an interior designer and co-owner of Posh Living, a slipcover and design shop in Surfside Beach.  She can be reached at (843) 238-0078             (843) 238-0078

Anyone who has considered new window treatments, and has looked at the available options, has found two different ways to approach the project. Shopping a local retailer for ready-made window treatments usually means a visit to the big box stores for pre-packaged curtains or valances, and the results are very disappointing: cheap fabrics, no lining, uneven hemming, and limited selection. Usually the colors and patterns are less than trendy, and the limited selection means anything you purchase has a chance of showing up at your neighbor’s house as well.
Custom window treatments have always been the anti-dote to this problem. With an endless selection of fabrics, custom sized for your windows, and high-quality finishing techniques such as interlining and blind-hemming, custom is the way to go for the most high end, individualized designer look. However, custom window treatments can take weeks to complete, and depending on the client’s choice of fabric, are more expensive. If you have good sewing skills, you may be willing to tackle such a project, but who has time in today’s busy world?
The newest entry into the window treatment marketplace addresses the needs of today’s design-savvy consumer. She’s looking for high-end quality, a reasonable price, and a quick turnaround. We like to call them Semi-Custom Curtains. This clever idea marries the concept of ready-made with the high-end quality of custom, at a more affordable price point. Semi-Custom curtains are ready made in single and double-width panels, and come in two finished lengths. The large fabric selection offers high-end designer fabrics such as linen and silk, in the latest colors. All panels are lined, and the silk panels are interlined, just like a custom window panel. For hanging, many styles have a rod-pocket and back tab, meaning they can be shirred on a rod, or the rod can simply slide through tabs on the back side for a tailored look without shirring. Curtain panels can also be hung on standard rings. The three different hanging methods not only offer different looks, they can be used with several different types of curtain rods, so expensive custom rods are not necessary.
The design philosophy behind Semi-Custom Curtains relies on the fact that so many houses today use similar floor plans and details. Most newer homes have single and double windows throughout, making simple curtain panels easy to hang. A pair of Semi-Custom Curtains on a classic wood or iron rod can frame a single window and close for privacy. When used with shades or blinds on wider windows, they add color and warmth to the room as stationary side panels, while the shades and blinds can be used for privacy.
To accommodate different ceiling heights, Semi-Custom Curtain come in two lengths: 96” for 8-9 foot ceiling height, and 108” for 9-10 foot ceiling height. Curtains should always be hung on the drywall, 4-6” above the window frame. Ordering is easy – just measure from the top of the window frame to the floor, and we can calculate the right length for you. Be sure to measure the width of the window too, on the outside edge of the woodwork. To make window look larger, purchase a rod that is 12”-18” wider than the window width, and allow the curtain panels to hang on the wall area, leaving the glass more open and creating the illusion of a wider window.
Our new display of Semi-Custom Curtains makes ordering hassle free – seeing actual finished curtain panels on display really helps the homeowner imagine the final effect. Just bring in your measurements, and we’ll help you decide the panel size, how many, and what type of rod you’ll need. Once you’ve placed your order, delivery of the curtain panels and rods is just a couple of weeks. Our professional installer can hang them for you if needed.
If you want to coordinate other elements in the room, matching bedding components such as bedskirts, duvets and shams are available, as well as throw pillows and shower curtains. Semi-Custom is a great way to decorate for anyone who wants to speed up the process, trim the budget, and still maintain a high level of designer quality in their home. Stop in to Posh Living to see our beautiful new samples, and get a free Semi-Custom quote. Or, preview some of the styles below:

Copyright December 2010 Posh Living, LLC May not be reproduced without permission.