HOUSE The Fabric That Calls My Name

HOUSE The Fabric That Calls My Name

If you had to guess….

….what decorating question do you think I get asked the most?

Where I got my smocked burlap curtains?

Close.

How does the house stay so clean with four children, two dogs, two cats, rabbits, deer and a tortoise named Fred?

Ummmm….even closer…..but not quite.

It is…however….a great question with an easy answer……

….Photoshop.

Actually….the question I get asked the most is…..

….where do you begin when you decorate a room?

and….

How do you get the idea for your rooms?

What is the first thing you start with?

And sometimes someone will e-mail me with…..”I really want a new look for my space…..

….but I’m stuck.”

I love that question….because I understand.

Truly.

Probably more than you know.

I’ve spent more time than I even want to admit…..

….trying to figure out a vision for a room.

What I want it to look like?

How I want it to feel?

What do I want to say?

And when I can’t figure it out….when I’m stuck….when I just can’t get it…..

…..I start with the fabric.

Does that make sense?

It’s something easy….something tangible….

….an easy place to start.

If I’m trying to figure out a space….and I can’t visualize it in my mind…..

…..I go to the fabric store and wander the aisles until I get inspired.

I usually have a color palette that I want to use as my foundation. I look at fabric after fabric…until I find the one. And you know what’s interesting….sometimes it’s not always the one I thought it would be. Sometimes it’s orange instead of red or it’s graphic when I thought I was looking for subtle.

Sometimes it’s never what I planned.

It’s almost like the fabric chooses me and then twirls me around the room in perfect time to the music to start the dance.

So corny….I know.

But so true.

Like this black and white all–over pattern in an indoor/outdoor fabric. I thought I wanted to go in a different direction for the porch. In my mind I envisioned neutrals and grays and white slip covers and topiaries. But then I saw this fabric….

….and the rest of the porch fell into place.

Instead of neutrals….after I found the fabric….I wanted to go bolder.

Originally the chairs on the porch were a brown basic fabric to build my palette around….but when I saw that fabric I knew I wanted color and fun and a porch that didn’t take itself so seriously.

Next I found these deacon’s chairs in a light turquoise and painted the table black to anchor this side of the room.

I kept the rugs and the stripes on the chairs….because the new fabric would make them pop.

Then I added fresh flowers in pots and planted tulip bulbs for spring.

I wish I could explain the rest of the steps after I find the fabric.

But I can’t….exactly.

I kind of make them up as I go along.

Sometimes it involves left over paint in the garage or shopping the house or spray painting something to match.

Yep.

And sometimes it all works…..and truthfully (just between us)….

…..sometimes not so much.

Sometimes the room takes a little extra planning to get it right.

But most of the time….the fabric that calls my name….that wonderful, amazing inspiration….

….knows exactly how to dance.

And just in case you wanted some fabric to dance with….Online Fabric Store is having an amazing sale for today ONLY!

And you get a free yard of burlap and a packet of seeds with every order and

a $15 gift card with all orders over $75.

Happy spring shopping!

disclosure: I was provided with the fabric in this post by Online Fabric Store. All opinions on fabrics and dancing and twirling are completely my own.

Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

PS In the exciting news department…..THE CHALKBOARD WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And all because of you!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for the encouragement and voting and support and joy you bring to me every single day.

Have a wonderful day rock star!

Original article and pictures take www.thistlewoodfarms.com site