ikat print fabrics
It's hard to say farewell to summer, but the kids are back in school, fall is in the air and I'm excited that I now have time to write my September blog.
ON COLOR: According to Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone Color Institute's Executive Director, we won't be seeing a huge shift in color trends from 2010 to 2011 due to consumers still being uncertain with our economy. Consumers are combining color a little bit differently. With neutrals still being center stage, at least for main elements such as carpeting or a sofa, the exciting news is that metallics are still hot, hot, hot. The key to using metallics is to pay attention to their temperature correctly. For example, It's great to use gold and silver, but one should predominate over the other. Silver is cool and gold is hot. If they are equal, the space becomes too overstimulating. By infusing metallics into an otherwise neutral space, it creates visual interest and depth.
My Thoughts on color: (If you didn't already know) Please don't be colorphobic! Color is everything! If you're unsure, I can help. You can still use neutrals as a base or background, while accessorizing with color. Not only can you accentuate the neutrals with color, but large scale prints are also very hot right now. A few scattered patterned pillows on a sofa or a new bold drapery treatment can be very dramatic. You can change these things seasonally or simply whenever you tire of them.
ikat prints: what are they?? It is the method of weaving a fabric that uses a resist dyeing method process similar to tie-dye. The dye is applied prior to the threads being woven to create the final design. The word itself literally means tied, bound or knotted. See the photos above to see how these beautiful unique fabrics can create excitement to a room.
Green product idea: On the topic of bold patterns and color, One Thread At A Time is a fair trade company that employs female artisans worldwide. These women may be impoverished or have been battered, and by hiring them to produce these beautiful pillows, it enables them to improve the quality of their lives. Contact me for more info, or you can go to their website: http://www.onethreadfairtrade.com/
~ Please check back next month for our next blog.
