April 2013
ON DECORATING 

FRESHEN UP FOR SPRING: BRING A NEW LOOK HOME.

The daffodils are up, the forsythia is sunbathing, and the trees are leafing out.  Spring is an exciting time of renewal - and a perfect time to refresh the look of your home as well.  Here are seven ideas to enhance things around the house.

1. Rearrange your furniture. With the change in seasons, it's a perfect time to reorient your furniture.  Instead of making a fireplace the focal point in a living or family room, turn the sofa to face a garden or beautiful outdoor view.

2. Play with pillows. Add new covers in bright new colors to existing pillows.  Kiwi green, turquoise, apricot and hot pink are all great colors for the season.   Choose lighter, brighter fabrics for a Spring/Summer look, backed with velvets or darker silks for Fall/Winter.  If your sofa came with matching pillows, this is the first place to style up.  Changing the pillows in a room will have a big visual impact!

3. Are your pillows the right size and scale? Use two or three larger pillows on a sofa - at least 18 inches in size.  Larger scale sofas can even take 20-22 inch pillows with ease.  Club chairs and slipper chairs can be made more comfortable with decorative lumbar pillows for support.

4. It is time for slipcovers. A tired sofa or chair can be slipcovered for less than the cost of reupholstery.  A slipcover is like a new dress for your furniture.  It won't change anything inside, so it's not appropriate for furniture with structural problems.  Slipcovers can be made to fit like a glove, or in a more relaxed style, depending on your preference.

5. Streamline your bed. As you are putting away the heavy duvet, what will take its place?  Calico has lightweight jacquards, matelasses and embroidered cottons that make perfect bedcoverings for warmer weather.   Our custom bedding is made just for you, so that coverlets and bedskirts will fit perfectly.

6. How comfortable is your headboard? If you like to read or watch television in bed, an upholstered headboard is great for support and comfort.  Calico has a selection of handsome headboards that can be covered in the fabric of your choice.

7. Lighten your dining table with a length of embroidered cotton or lightweight linen to create a pretty runner or tableskirt.  The sheer illusion creates a pretty setting for dining.

REUPHOLSTERY: RECYCLING ON A LARGE SCALE

Long before we started separating trash, one of the earliest forms of recycling was reupholstering furniture.  It keeps chairs and sofas out of landfills - another reason to purchase good quality furniture from the start.   If you have furniture with good bones (such as a hardwood frame), it is probably worth reupholstering.

And if you are looking for a bargain, check out thrift shops where a furniture buyer with a sharp eye can find inexpensive pieces well worth recovering.  The quality of an older frame may justify the investment, as new furniture is probably even more expensive.

Reupholstering is more than a fabric face lift.  If needed, springs are re-tied, cushions are replaced, and joints can be reglued.  When it's all done, you'll have the equivalent of a new chair or sofa!

Click here to learn more about reupholstery >>