Family Friendly Living Room

We have some absolutely terrific clients. We really do get to work with some amazing people. The living room concept that I am going to share here with you is for a family that we have worked with several times over the last few years on their Calgary and Canmore homes. Recently, they purchased a new home and the very traditional furniture we used in the last home would not work in this more contemporary new residence. The trick was finding a way to incorporate the rustic casual look of the new house with the traditional furniture style they are drawn towards while still making the room family friendly. Here’s how we did it.

Photo of the Quartet Sofa by Kravet Furniture

Photo courtesy of Kravet Fabrics

Photo courtesy of JoAnne Fabrics

For the living room we started with this sofa, upholstered in a combination of saddle brown leather with the small toss cushions in light blue linen and the larger loose cushions in a mocha colored chenille. Our clients specifically requested the sofa be a combination of leather and fabric so finding a style that would suit this was a logical place to begin. Leather is of course easy to wipe down, looks better with age and extremely durable – perfect for a room where children will play!

Photo courtesy of Duralee Fabrics

The drapery fabric will be this handsome paisley of taupe, brown and steel-blue. It’s the perfect backdrop for the sofa which will sit in front of the window. This fabric set the tone for the color scheme, and the overall look.

Photo courtesy of Kravet

Photo courtesy of Kravet

Two accent chairs upholstered in this cozy chenille will flank the sofa on the right. These chairs will be perfect for curling up in and reading a book! The fabric is durable and the texture is great for hiding stains and wear. The chairs are elegant, simple and comfy with a capital “C”!

Photo courtesy of Lee Furniture

Photo courtesy of Kravet

This living room is large enough to also accommodate two smaller chairs. These will be upholstered in the menswear inspired hounds-tooth pattern. Adding chairs with a wood arm and slightly different leg shape will break up the styles of furniture in this room. The smaller pattern is a great complement to the texture on the other chairs and the solid fabrics on the sofa.

Photo courtesy of Hickory Chair

Photo courtesy of Kravet

The shape of these hassocks is so interesting and they will be stunning upholstered in this fun blue and khaki zebra print. These will sit in front of the fireplace and provide extra seating when the family entertains. Of course I adore anything animal print! I like this one especially because of the unusual color combination. Hassocks in general are really functional pieces of furniture. They can be moved easily around the house, can have storage built-in to them and are nice to look at!

Photo courtesy of Restoration Hardware

The coffee table has to be something that can stand up to the harsh conditions of a toddler! This lovely model from Restoration hardware will look better with more bangs and bruises – a patina of sorts.

Photo courtesy of Vanguard Furniture

Weathered wood is all the rage these days (check out my previous post) and this table sports this finish beautifully. It has a traditional look but with simple lines.

Photo courtesy of Vanguard Furniture

Adding a different material, like metal, lightens up all the wood furniture pieces and provides a different texture. This little side table has a different colored wood top and a terrific base that lifts up and down.

Currently, all these pieces have been ordered for our clients and now we are patiently awaiting their arrival. I can hardly wait to see the finished product! These clients are such a joy and I was so happy when they called on us once again to help with this new project. I know that the room that Corea Sotropa Interior Design has created for them will exceed their expectations!

Cheers!

Jacqueline

Windsor Smith Fabrics

Photo courtesy of Windsor Smith Collection

Lately, I have been totally smitten with the fabric line designed by Windsor Smith.  The prints are fresh and crisp but still enduring. Their graphic patterns are casually elegant and printed on mostly natural products like linen, cotton and silk. The reason I like using them so much is because they seem effortless and chic. That’s why they have become a favorite for us to use in our Calgary interior design projects.  These fabrics are available from Kravet,  a company known for being on the cutting edge of fabric trends. When Kravet introduced this collection a couple of years ago I was thrilled. It is always so exciting when our clients select one of the lovely options available in this gorgeous line because the end result will be nothing less then spectacular. Here is a small selection of some of my favorite prints to use in our projects.

Photo courtesy of Kravet

We’ve used this great looking chain link for window coverings several times in many of the different colors that it is available in. It drapes beautifully and the embroidery is classic but modern.

Photo courtesy of Kravet

This lovely linen print is also fabulous for drapery. I really like how the crisp white lightens up the neutral palette and creates contrast.

Photo courtesy of Kravet

I can picture this pretty print in springtime green on an accent chair or a small footstool. It’s so cheerful and has a slightly Asian feel to it.

Photo courtesy of Décorpad

It looks great as accent cushions on this bed. Geometric patterns like this one are wonderful when paired with botanical prints.

Photo courtesy of Kravet

I love the Moroccan influence of this pattern. Recently, I spotted this fabric on a chair that was featured on a design blog I follow and I thought it looked fabulous.

Photo courtesy of the blog CocoCozy

Doesn’t this chair look adorable in this print? It just makes me smile! Thanks to the blog CocoCozy for featuring this chair on their blog.

Photo courtesy of Hickory Chair

The day after I saw this pattern on the above chair I saw it again in a different color from Hickory chair! It seems that the design community has made this print a favorite too!

Photo courtesy of Eddie Ross

This photo illustrates how all these fabrics work together wonderfully. This photo snapped by Eddie Ross is of a Kravet showroom display of Windsor Smith fabric and Kravet furniture. I find this room very inspiring and fresh.

If you are interested in using some Windsor Smith fabric in your Calgary interior design project contact us at Corea Sotropa Interior Design. We’d love to help you add some of these beautiful patterns into your life!

Cheers!

Floral Print Fabrics

Floral Print Fabrics

Floral printed fabrics are all the rage for 2010 and the perfect thing to inject some spring into your interiors. Today’s florals are large scale and the patterns are cleaner and less complicated then they have been in the past. You won’t find any old fashioned prints here! My Calgary interior design company, Corea Sotropa Interior Design often uses prints like these in our projects. Frequently, I begin a design scheme by looking through fabric books to get inspired and to create a concept for my projects. Recently, these fabrics have caught my eye. Perhaps they will be used to create something wonderful for one of my clients!

Windemere in Crimson by Kravet

I adore the large scale embroidery on this fabric. It would be perfect on an accent chair for a bedroom.

Glance by Kravet

This fabric is so colorful and fun. I would use this fabric for pillows in a family room. It would look so smart on a neutral sectional combined with more accent pillows in a black and white stripe.

Seraphine in Mineral by Romo Fabrics

Romo fabrics have the most beautiful modern floral prints. This particular fabric would be stunning as drapery.

Rubani in Dijon by Romo Fabrics

Here is another pattern from Romo that I would love to use as drapery. When fabric has very large scale use it on a piece that shows off the complete pattern like a chair or as drapery.

Samsara in Vintage Mauve by Romo Fabrics

The lanterns on this pattern makes this floral print unusual and interesting. Again, this large scale floral would make brilliant drapery!

La Sandra A from Liberty fabric

This unique floral reminds me of fractured glass. It has a vintage feel to it which adds to its appeal.

Calder in Aqua/Blue from Jane Churchill Fabric

Jane Churchill is an English fabric company and they are known for their lovely patterns and distinctive color combinations. This pretty fabric would be ideal as an accent pillow in a bedroom.

Cloisonne in Noir by Designers Guild

Who says that floral fabric can’t be drop dead gorgeous in a neutral palette? Not me! This black and white is very chic. The butterflies are a whimsical touch.

Samarkand in Moss by Designers Guild

This fabric has a lot going on but I think that is what makes it so extraordinary! The process to make this must have been very complex. I’d love to see it on the back of some dining room chairs.

Consuelos in Sprout by Robert Allen

Imagine this vibrant lemongrass colored print in a neutral living room! It would make a great accent cushion on a taupe sofa. What a wonderful way to add a punch of color into a neutral space.

Thomas Paul Prints by Duralee

Grey and yellow is such a popular color combination right now. This dandelion print is inexpensive and sweet.

Thomas Paul Prints by Duralee

I can picture this fresh print from Duralee in a bedroom. I’d love to use it on a headboard, or as a bench at the end of the bed.

Archangel in Aloe by Beacon Hill

This chartreuse floral is colorful but still elegant. The perfect choice for an accent chair in a living room paired beautifully with chocolate brown or beige.

The newly interpreted floral prints are large and bold. They range from casual to ultra elegant and can be incorporated into any room of your home. Be daring with a large scale print for your drapery or just add a punch of vibrantly hued floral to a pillow in your neutral room. Bring some springtime into your rooms with floral prints!

Cheers!