Finishing Touch for Pillows

This is a cute chair pillow I made for a client. It is a 1" boxed with contrasting welt. It's petite size (10" by 14") enables it to be an accessory anywhere. The first picture is the completed pillow without the button, and the second with. This finishing touch was just what was needed.

Preserve the Memories

Interior designer Susan Schenk has created a line of pillows that are made from those fab outfits you will never wear but still have. "Everyone has an outfit in the back of their closet that they have saved for years and just can't part with. The outfit reminds them of an event, or a time in their life they cherish." The garments are made into sophisticated pillows that can be incorporated in your home interior.

The dress above was worn by three little girls in a wedding. The memories are now preserved, and a beautiful pillow adorns the bed.

Kidneys on the Couch

When I first started custom sewing for interior designers I was confronted by the "kidney" pillow order. I had sewn pillows that looked like balls, pillows that looked like tuxedos, pillows that looked like flags or stars. I used all the geometry lessons I swore I would never need. But a kidney pillow? I'm thinking kidney beans that sort of oval shape with the dent in it. And exactly why would someone want such a thing? I lay awake in the dead of night as one always does with these sort of creative dilemmas. Finally, I confessed to the designer my insecurity with creating this pillow. She looked at me like I had just fallen from the sky, and proceeded to explain to me it was just a rectangle. A rectangle! Hundred of kidney pillows later I must say they are my favorite. The height /length dimensions are in a 2 to 3 ratio. The favorite sizes are 12" x 18" or 14" x 21. The smaller of the two fits nicely on a single proper chair, and the larger fits perfectly in an upholstered chair. Another great attribute of the kidney pillow is that it only requires one yard of trim, so you can splurge and get that fabulous trim, without spending a lot. For two pillows, you only need one yard of fabric and two yards of trim.

The perfect wrap around for winter.

Deborah Jarchow is inspired by color, exploring the endless ways different hues can be combined, blended and interwoven. As a full time weaver, she spends her days creating color palettes in hand woven fabrics. She is devoted to exploring the interplay of color and texture and how light reflects from the fibers. Her textiles are designed using a simple weave structure, or plain weave, so the rich color combinations and delicious fiber textures can be fully appreciated. This fascination with color translates into large scale wall hangings and sculptural forms that affirm her emotional connection to color. Deborah has a elaborate collection of scarves, throws and wall hangings available.

Magical Floating Jellies

The art of Susan Christensen brings sea life into a child's room. These hanging jellies come in a variety of brilliant colors - hot pink, deep blue and bright green. More sophisticated than a baby mobile, these works of art float gently in a light breeze. Their magical!

Flowers: Fresh, Silk or WOOD?

Laguna Beach has the greatest galleries and public art. It's also a great place to take visitors because there is something to offer everyone in a lovely setting steps from the beach. Last weekend I took visitors to lunch at Sundried Tomato and we got drawn into Xanadu Collections. These flowers are all boldly painted wood specimens! The whole store has a fun tropical feel.

They have the largest selection of unique vases that are very narrow in dimension. This type of vase is great for small spaces as they lay flat on the wall.

The vases are a work of art in and of themselves.

Yes, my favorite. An arrangement of Zebras!

Chair Cushion Ties

I have probably made every type of chair cushion imaginable. It's a personal thing, but I never like the look of cushion ties. Whether the are bows, or tabs, or 1/2" ties I always find them less than perfect. So, when it came time to make a cushion for my antique rocker I chose to use a tassel and cord. I cut it in half and attached each end in the seam. Now I have a look I am happy with and yes, it does keep the cushion on the chair.

Mattresses Go Sky High

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I was reading the article in the Wall Street Journal on the new mattresses that are getting bigger and bigger. Just several years ago the box springs were deeper that the mattress resulting in the duster having a longer drop than the bedding. Now the reverse is happening. A 19" mattress top will result in a 22" - 24"drop for a coverlet or duvet. In these cases, which are the norm these days, Decorative Textiles always ensures the client has the bed they are going to be finally using before the quote. Clients often change their mind after approving the fabrics. A bed such as this from the E.S.Kluft Company requires several considerations. The first, it requires two people to make the bed. Second there are new considerations in the way the duvet or coverlet drops that differ from the older mattresses. If the interior designer does not use our measuring service, I request a photo of the end corner angle of the bed to ensure exact fabrication.

Quilted Bedding and Pillows

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Not all workrooms have the ability to machine quilt in custom designs or in small squares. Decorative Textiles uses several different quilters that can produce a quilted design that enhances the bedding. Dense quilting around a pattern, for example the orange flowers in the pillow above, will make the flower "pop". Custom quilting helps to avoid eye sores such as vertical lines quilted on a stripe fabric....without matching each and every line.

Custom Lampshades

I purchased these lamps at a local thrift shop this weekend. They were such a find and the first thing I thought of was how fun it will be to make a custom lampshade for them! My head is spinning with ideas! Custom lampshades are hard to find. After some serious looking I found a source. Now to find the perfect fabric for the shade.

Lush down seating without the "bum" impression

The plush look of down in a chair is so inviting. It"s like sitting on puff of goose down. The only problem is, once you sit in it you have to launch yourself out and then when you look behind you there's a crater in the seat that does resemble quite well a feature you wish would be a tad smaller. The way to accomplish a soft seat that will be a supportive cushion is to make a custom down T wrap with a zipper opening, and then insert some HR foam. The result....fluffy but firm. This room was designed by Jacque Walters of Patterson Forrest Interior Designs.

Home Tour Part 1

Periodically I will take you on a quick tour of a home for which Decorative Textiles has made the custom bedding. This master bedroom has a king bed that may look dwarfed by the size of this large room, but yes it is a king. The bed consists of a duvet turn down at the end of the bed, a coverlet with a down fill, two-tiered shirred duster, three 30" shams with chenille trim and 6" ruffle, three 26" pillows with self welt, two 24" pillows with applied fringe and a kidney pillow in the front that is the size of a body pillow with glass beads, two shirred panels on the face and applied trim. All these delicious fabrics have been mixed and matched by the Interior Designer of Patterson Forrest Interior Designers.