Style Counsel July

Tuesday July 26th, 2011

Fabulous Feathers

When Cris said she wanted to sell these Bamileke feather headdresses, I wasn’t so sure. They are different, that’s true, but are they just a bit silly, I wondered? Now I have seen and felt them, I love them and am delighted we are able to offer these fun, decorative pieces to our Eco Chic faithful.  These traditional head pieces are made for African ceremonial dances, come in stunning saturated colours, the feathers are soft and lovely, they fold up for easy transport – and best of all, they make an unusual, dramatic, bright, eye-catching feature display for your home.  Here’s how to use them successfully, just like our room shot does:
 

• Big and bold, the headdress needs room to stand out, so let it shine by placing it with plenty of room around it so it can be the focal point.
• Use one of the strong colours to enhance or offset your main colour scheme – here the wallpaper is busy and coloured, so the Bamileke is pale to contrast. On a plain wall, try the chrome yellow or the three toned pink or blue version.
• Accessories that are three dimensional, organic in shape and unusual in presentation are hard to come by which is why these headdresses are such a gift to the adventurous decorator – here the rotundity of the headdress is echoed in the drum lamp shade and the curvaceous chair, making a study area soft and appealing rather than a hard edged story.
• A pink Bamileke would not have worked in this setting – the touches of pink are what makes an otherwise restrained scheme pop.  Experiment with anything to hand – a book, a piece of fruit, a sweater, flowers – to see what contrast colour makes your décor sing, and you’ll get that interior designer ‘ look’ happening!

Love this room? Eco Chic can assist with achieving a similar look. Check out our fab new Bamileke Headdresses in the homewares section and choose your colourway. Our Fossil Wallpaper has these duck egg tones. We make custom lamp shades and cushions to match, so you can easily have the lamp and cushion combo going on – just ask us! 
 

Tuesday July 19th, 2011

Eco Elegance

A liveable space that gives back to the planet and is functional, fashionable and fun. We love it! Here’s how to get it:
 

• Keep your palette restricted and add just touches of colour / nature. Here, basic white is given edge with black, warmed up with wood and softened with browns and greens.
• Irregular shapes are always winners. A cow hide breaks up the linearity of a floor by its very irregularity; a round tribal artefact over a mantelpiece or piano softens the situation and adds exoticism; the rotund edges of the side tables, chairs, ornaments and that random free standing globe avoid that ‘boxing ring’ squareness that is so often the fate of living rooms – remember!  avoid at all costs furniture simply pushed to the edges of a space – think ‘dentists waiting room’ and you won’t fall into the trap!
• Curtains are great for insulating a house and keeping in the warmth and blocking out the sun – plus they soften a room and are sexy too boot!  Stripped wooden floors are a timeless classic, and a waxed or oiled floor is the best of all as it avoids all those nasty chemicals in varnish and stain.
• Mix and match your period pieces for boho eclecticism, but keep the lines clean. Okay, yes, a fifties lamp with a Louis chair, but don’t add pom poms, tassels, hunting scenes or floral/plastic cushions. You’ll just confuse things.

Eco Chic can - and will soon!  – help you achieve such style.  Look out for our eco friendly cowhide rugs coming soon, and our bamileke headdresses in divine decorator colours for those indispensible designer touches to your home. The Santa Barbara bookshelf looks just like this one; our Emery sofa is stunning in white; the Erica ikat armchair would work a treat in this setting - or try the Carlotta vintage chairs if you have lots of room - and our Magazine basket is a practical and stylish addition to any space.

 

Monday July 11th, 2011

Good In Bed

 

Most of us realise that we spend about 40% of our lives in bed and not all of it sleeping.  Yet, few of us really invest in it with the same gusto as say the living room.  While only a few select guests may visit us in our bed,  we think it should be as beautiful to look as it is comfortable to be in.  Here is the A-Z of how to make a good bed. 
 

• Sheets – Two main factors go into a great sheet, thread count and fibre.  Usually, the higher the thread count, the softer the sheet.  However, we have seen 1000 thread count sheets that feel like cardboard because they are made cheaply.  We recommend 300 minimum, this is great for summer, then up to 1000.  Now the most important factor…fibre.  Don’t touch anything synthetic it won’t breathe.  Egyptian cotton is the softest cotton by far as well as cotton bamboo blends.  Linen looks great and breathes, but takes lots of washes to really soften up.  Anything marked “sateen” will have a silky feeling to the surface of the sheets.
• Blanket – We highly recommend having a lightweight blanket in between the sheet and comforter.  This provides extra warmth in winter and is great in summer when the comforter is too hot but a sheet just doesn’t feel like enough weight.  Look for waffle weave or lightweight merino wool.
• Top layer – There are three main choices in this category…to each his own
• The traditional quilt or bedspread - This option is lightweight and always look ttidy and neat.  In more modern spaces it can be tucked in.  The only drawback is lack of warmth and a rather flat look.  Can be thrown over a comforter for extra oomph.
• The comforter- This is a fluffy concoction that is usually top stitched with a decorative fabric on the outside.  This provides lots of warmth, looks fluffy and neat, but is not easily washed…too big for household washers so needs to go to drycleaner or big laundromat.
• The Doona – The most popular choice these days consists of a sheet like envelope that goes around a fluffy insert.  Advantage is you can pick the insert to suit your climate.  Down is the warmest, microfiber provides great fluffiness and alternative non-allergenic fibres like corn or eucalyptus  are great too.  Polyester fill will not breathe and will go flat over time.   The other advantage of a doona is that you can launder the cover on a regular basis, change it easily for different looks and replace the insert with the seasons.  Disadvantage…tends to look messier and you will forever be readjusting the insert.
• Throws – we highly recommend having a throw at the end of the bed.  It adds style, texture and colour.  It is place to rest your feet when you sit on the bed, and it is great way to add an extra bit of warmth in winter or to throw over your legs when lounging during the day without having to completely unmake the bed
• Accent cushions – As good as they look made up in the shops, a bed with 101 cushions can be annoying when you are tired and ready to get in bed.  Keep it to a few well chosen accents.  Just a few ideas…3 mismatched cushions looks stylishly eclectic.  Two square euros in a contrast colour looks classic.  Or try one big bolster - nice to rest against when sitting up in bed.  Put a basket or ottoman at the end of the bed to throw them into when you go to sleep
• Pillows – It IS true what they say about replacing you pillow every 6 months but this can easily be extended with a good pillow protector.  Latex is the best pillow but expensive and some people don’t like the feel.  Down is nice but can cause allergies and flatten over time.  Microfibre or corn fibre are other good alternatives.  If you see a $10 pillow keep on walking unless is for the unused guest room.  There are usually several choices in firmness  and in height…Test drive a few to see what suits best
• Mattress protectors – Now that you’ve invested in the $2000 bed, don’t you think it’s worth protecting it from stains, germs etc?  We like the Tencel mattress protectors made from Eucalyptus fibres, naturally antibacterial and don’t harbour moisture.  Some people like to add a bit of a pillow top as well. 

Style – We will leave this up to you bit think ahead about several factors…colour of your bed and floor, climate, do you eat in bed, does the dog climb up, do you get sick of things quickly, how often you want to lauder or go to the drycleaners…oh snd dont forget to browse outr bedding category for lots of beautiful choices.
 

Tuesday July 4th, 2011

Dining Insider Style

Don’t make dinner parties the only time your dining table or dining area is used – gathering together to share a meal can be a daily enjoyment, and a little planning can make the most of your dining space. Here are a few InsiderTips of theTrade:

• Almost never will an interior designer have a matched set of dining table and chairs. The easiest way for instant ‘designer know-how’ is to choose a table and chairs separately, and don’t be afraid to mix and match dining chairs for casual cool.
• Make sure your chairs are the right size for your table – you need a seat width of about 50cm for a really comfortable seat at dinner time. To give people enough elbow room at the table, allow 60cm per place for a rectangular table and 75cm for a round one.
• It’s better if your chairs can tuck nicely under the table when not in use, so check table legs and chairs work well together. When in use, things go better if there is about 60-70cm of space behind each dining chair, to allow for walking around and pushing back of chairs etc. This isn’t a worry if your dining table is set in a very open plan space, of course!
• If you do have a lot of dinner parties, you’ll need upholstered chairs, or at least an upholstered seat. A hard chair doesn’t make guests want to linger. Fabric dining chairs are great for adding colour and pattern to a space, whilst a leather type seat is easy maintenance.
• Round dining tables are a little sexier than their angular counterparts, add curvaceous lines to an angular room and can solve spatial problems.  Oval tables are the tops, but tricky to source – if you can find one, grab it!
• Pay great attention to lighting at your dining table. Pendant lights are always a winner, as are candles – but not scented candles at a dinner party, too many aromas fighting for supremacy! Candle sticks and candelabras add instant intimacy, add sparkle to your stemware and sex appeal to your guests!
• Fine and romantic dining calls for table cloths, napkins and place settings. Ever see the movie ‘Kate and Leopold’? Music, candles, linen and flowers turned an inner city roof top into a flight of fantasy, so think what they can do for your kitchen!
• Don’t be afraid to be a little bit fancy, after all, there’s more to life than a take out or a barbecue – live it up!

Our inspirational dining room photo shows a clever setting that can be both functional and fabulous depending upon requirements.  To achieve this look, our Betty dining chairs around the Tavola dining table (which comes in both round and rectangular) would work a treat, the Rope or Nest rug are durable and stylish in the dining area, try the Hobart or Pierre pendant for an industrial chic effect and to finish, Sunset Ripple art will add a splash of colour, or why not go funky/traditional and grace your wall with Your Dog’s Portrait?!  For the final touches,  persuse our tableware section for some great linens.

Subscribe to weekly posts CLICK HERE then then go to "Follow by Email"