Style Counsel 8.10.10

Friday October 8, 2010

Colourful Language

A fresh and cheerful take on the old bookshelf, we think this space featured in Lonny Magazine is just delicious!  Lets break down the elements that make it so clever.

• Symmetry!  Most bookshelves these days are all about turning books this way and that,  but this one follows a rigid symmetry and is perfectly balanced.  All the books are stacked equally and the accessories are all similar in scale.  The bust at the top is the piece de resistance
• Colour!  Coral red and ocean blue are a timeless and winning combination especially when paired with lots of crisp white and soft gray.
• Unpredictability!  Whilst this room is traditional at its core (panel mouldings) they have used l an unconventional  zebra pattern as a seat cushion on a  Chinoiserie chair, added a very modern acrylic coffee table, and framed up an eclectic set images including horses and shoes.
• Placement!  Putting a chair next to your bookshelf turns it into a reading nook and invites people to sit and browse rather than treating it just as a showpiece.

To get the look with Eco Chic, try our Charlotte chair which looks like Bamboo and can be painted in any colour.  We could probably even do the seat in a zebra pattern if you really had your heart set on it.  For a nice lightweight coffee table the Montecito in white would be perfect.  We also have the Santa Barbara bookshelf and lots of funky art in poppy colours with nice boxy white frames.