It's Great To Be Home

Fabric Showdown

Now that our fab new rug is in its new home, I’m atwitter with the excitement of choosing a new fabric to recover the antique dining room chairs. But picking fabric is both a blessing and a curse – there are so many amazing options out there, so how is a girl to choose?!?

It’s been tough, but I’ve narrowed the field to 6 finalists, and I think I may have even decided on a winner. My criteria is pretty simple – the fabric has to introduce a new color into the mix (not just olive and chocolate), it has to be patterned (spills are a doozie in the dining room), and it has to be fun.

Here’s a rundown of the finalists:

1. Turquoise Peacock. What’s not to love about a peacock print? The turquoise is a fresh and welcome addition to the existing color palette, but I’m a little worried about introducing yet another animal-inspired print into the room.

2. Fuschia Ikat. Love ikat, love fuschia. Love that it adds in a bit of turquoise, too. But is fuschia in a dining room too much?

3. Confetti Squiggles. I’m smitten with the fact that this fabric introduces a plethora of colors to play with, but I think the pattern is a little too distracting when paired with the rug.

4. Confetti Damask. I think this pattern is gorgeous, and I’m particularly drawn to the traditional design with an updated color palette. But unfortunately, I’ve learned that money doesn’t grow on trees (darn!) and this fabric is wayyy out of my price range.

5. Olive Trellis. The trellis pattern has been a fave of mine for awhile, but for some reason it falls flat for me in this dining room, probably because it doesn’t introduce that all-important third color.

6. Eggplant Ikat. This one is the winner for me – it’s fun and funky, but maybe not as wild as the fuschia ikat. And while I typically don’t like colors in the purple family, I’m really digging the deep eggplant of this fabric.

So now that you’ve checked out the fabrics for yourself, what do you think? Is there a clear winner for you, or do you think I’ve gone off the deep end and need to keep looking?

Tonya’s Cozy Master Bedroom Transformation

When Tonya sent me before and after pictures of her master bedroom, I was completely blown away by the transformation.

Here’s a quick peek at the plain and impersonal master bedroom that Tonya and her husband Tim started out with:

Now take a look at the cozy retreat that these crafty newlyweds made with just a few cans of paint, a tight color palette, and a little creativity:

Here’s what they did and how they did it:

1. Make it cozy. The builder’s beige walls that Tonya and Tim started out with were boring and stark. They instantly added depth, warmth and interest to their bedroom by painting a dark chocolate accent wall that draws your eye towards those great windows. By keeping a tight color palette in neutral tans and chocolates, the space feels restful and soothing – the perfect place to relax after a long day. A simple green plant adds a pop of color and life to the room.

2. Make it cohesive. Like most newlyweds, Tonya and Tim inherited an army of mismatched furniture – but you would never know it by looking at their master bedroom. Their trick was to drape the mismatched pieces in gorgeous tan and chocolate fabrics that matched their color scheme – a quick and easy transformation that instantly ties the whole room together.

3. Make it crafty. Of course, Tonya and Tim couldn’t just throw some fabric over their mismatched furniture – not this crafty pair. Instead, they sewed custom slipcovers for each nightstand and the dresser out of upholstery material. For added storage, they sewed pockets onto the slipcovers for the nighstands to stow away reading glasses, books and the remote control. Genuis!

Pretty snazzy, right? Have Tim and Tonya inspired you to cozy up your bedroom?

Want to see your makeover featured on It’s Great To Be Home? Just send it on in to itsgreattobehome@yahoo.com.