MBR: toile / buffalo check, where to put which print

March 21, 2008

I have l-o-n-g dreamt of a pink toile bedroom. My husband is not super-keen on that, so I "compromised" and will be doing red toile instead. (In our previous house I utilized his taste, and it was lovely and oh-so tasteful, but it didn't make me smile or breathe a sigh of relief upon entering my "oasis.")

We'll be wallpapering with the toile

and doing a large-scale (color-coordinated) buffalo check

tailored bedskirt and upholstered, tufted headboard. We have plantation shutters but I was thinking to "soften" it I'd add panels on either side, I was thinking in the buffalo check: I like the idea of the buffalo check being at the window so as to marry the bedskirt / headboard with the rest of the room. I'm planning on getting (matching) toile fabric for some accent pillows (either neckrolls or squares) on the bed. The bedding is this:

But now I don't know what to do about furniture upholstery. At present, we have no seating in our bedroom; it actually reminds me of a college dorm: no bedskirt (and the cats have picked open the bottom of the box spring); computer on a large folding table, printer on an old changing table (okay, that doesn't remind me of college!) and boxes everywhere else. Oh yeah, and lots of children / puppy toys. All of that stuff will be gone when the remodel is done (our bedroom / bathroom is the only place we're not doing at this time so we'd have a place to "live").

I found a chaise I like

{{!gwi}}
but am also toying with doing two small armchairs instead. (These are really close to what I like, but not quite there -- too big and too expensive. Still searching for the "right" chairs -- any source tips?)

Can / should the seating be upholstered in toile or buffalo check? I'm concerned if I do the seating in buffalo check it'll just be too much: in my mind's eye doing the seating in toile will just be visually "softer." Am I on the right track with how I've placed the toile and buffalo check? Again, in my mind's eye it looks great!

You all helped me so much getting my sons' bedrooms' fabric choices in order (and they're still in the process of being sewn by a wonderful seamstress!) that I'm hoping you'll help me now with my room.

Thank you!

Comments (6)

oceanna
I think this room promises to be really pretty. I can't wait to see your pictures as you bring it along, RM. And give your DH extra hugs for going along with this -- many men wouldn't.

I think a solid might be the best on the seating, but that's JMO. For seating how about haunting Craigslist for a few weeks and see what turns up? You can find incredible bargains there.
March 21, 2008
decorpas
gorgeous choices:-)

i would agree with oceanna that you might want to think about a solid for the furniture. also, have you mocked up the check in a tufted version? I only ask because patterns can change in an odd way when they are tufted. I have a tufted sofa and when I looked at it in a pattern fabric, it didn't translate as well as I had hoped. I ended up with a solid. I hope that isn't the case for your check, because it's so pretty. But please check it out if you haven't yet!

Your husband is a keeper for being so flexible. Your room is going to be soo pretty!
March 21, 2008
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Comments (34)
Okay... I am from the brutal truth, because its always the shortest route to great results. The dressers "don't work perfectly well". They are both tall, dark, dated, and not the most effective storage, or a pretty proportion for the room you have. And I don't think you will miss either one of them. If you're looking for results, here are my tips and you take for what they are worth. Sort of like a trip to the doctor..or what I would tell a paying client! First...don't start till you rid the room of all unnecessary clothes and "stuff" Second, take a good look at the interiors of closets after you purge. Can you get more in there? Now... a king bed is 80-82 inches in diameter. Your mantel headboard is a foot??? wider than it needs to be. That takes space from nicely proportioned side chests, or tables that you NEED, for style and also storage. Assuming you need storage after you purge! What is the folding table near the dark chest and fan??? No.........!!! please no. The television is at nursing home/hospital height. There are great , inexpensive buffet height storage options... or even a long dresser maybe...72 x30 high and mount the tv above on the wall. The goal is to think simpler, less clutter, more tonal, and smoooooth it out. That can be your soft grays, with whites and a pop of yellow! Evaluate your carpet and tone of that too. You only need app 23 yards of carpet ( plus the closets). There are great things out there that could start your scheme, that are not pricey. You want the wall color, and the carpet to complement one another. Take all the pictures you used for inspiration, and pick them apart! Ask yourself WHY the rooms feel good to you! Don't be afraid to acknowledge when a thing has served its time....the joy of a great result is worth the wait, worth a little financial effort. Get it right the first time, and don't waste time, money, or energy on outdated proportions..... and dated furniture. Do it once, think it through... and get some help!! It's worth the money you will waste on mistakes and a lesser result. More opinions will just confuse you, but that is mine. Keep it simple, concentrate on impact from less. Design is always about taking out...before you add one thing. In a word..it's editing.
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Lol it is spinning! And thank you for the suggestions, but as stated, the couch is too big to go across that space without blocking it, believe me I have tried it :) Also I still need room for rambunctious kinect/wii players. Not sure if it can be seen, but I have an old 50's like metal picnic basket on the left side of the couch that holds all our cd's/games/controllers etc., so I actually have a handle on that part! Regarding the block of colour at the top of the dining room: I actually did that on purpose to bring the ceiling down in that area, firstly to make the room a touch smaller/cozier and to give visual seperation to the living/dining areas, also if you look carefully, on the west wall of the dining room there are pictures suspended from twine right at the borderline as one would with a picture rail ( maybe I need to post a pic) but everyone seems to hate it lol!
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I think the space is way too busy. If you plan to add a buffalo check to what's already there, it will be way over the top. I'd neutralize either the rug or the sofa, for starters. Then your TV console is too small, and I don't have words for that mantel. It doesn't fit at all with the modern fireplace. In short, I think your room is having an identity crisis. Could you give us a shot of the whole sofa wall and fireplace, please?
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I don't think the green deer print curtains are horrible;) but I do think that they distract from the beautiful prints and colors already chosen. The cream curtains with the black band or Greek key trim are a nice neutral backdrop and your fabrics are the star. Beautiful home HIWE!
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gk5040
I agree with the solid sofa or chair, I might even think the headboard should be solid. I would add some checked pillows or shams.
March 21, 2008
les917
It all sounds very nice. I would like to see the chairs done in a third print fabric. Perhaps a pretty small floral or diamond pattern, to allow the chairs to have some presence in the room rather than disappearing into everything else.

Maybe something like this?

sabada geranium

This might be nice, too, as it has some curves to balance the strong check, but has more red than white, compared to the other fabrics:

piccadilly rouge

Another choice would be to do a textured white upholstery on the chairs, with red welting. You could then put a small pillow on each, with the buffalo check on one side and the toile on the other. Then a large round ottoman or tuffet done in the toile on the top and a box pleated skirt in the buffalo plaid, with the same red welting as the chairs dividing the two fabrics.
March 21, 2008
oceanna
I think with this mockups on the computer would be really helpful. If not that, then drape your fabrics around the room and stand back and see how it looks... because there will be things you'll like and things you won't.

I'd be hesitant to do the headboard. I think it may be overkill. Plaids are tough enough to work with but tufting them will probably push most folks "over the edge." It would make it hard/impossible to ever sell it. It might get/show dirt. I would only do it IF the rest of the room were put together and it cried out for that as the special touch. IOW, I'd make that decision last.
March 21, 2008
rmkitchen
Good Morning Kind People!

What an absolute delight it was to go online just now and read your terrific, supportive and helpful suggestions.

If just for the notion of the tufting distorting the check fabric's symmetry alone I am forever grateful, decorpas! It had never occurred to me .... My husband really likes a tufted headboard so I just thought "sure!" But now I'll need to rethink either the tufting there or the fabric choice for the headboard.

les917 -- you were the one who led me down such a great path with my boys' fabrics, so I was so happy to see your kind name here again helping me. Thank you for the links to those beautiful fabrics -- I've already bookmarked them! Thank you.

gk5040 and oceanna, thank you for suggesting the solids. I think you're right: I was putting the cart before the horse. I should first wallpaper the room (because I know it has to be that red toile!) and then let me eye direct me. And of course, deciding what the actual seating will be (either that chaise or, more likely, two petite fauteil or bergeres) will certainly help decide what the upholstery should be.

oceanna -- I am one of those who lives in a CL wasteland -- crap crap crap. We used to live in San Francisco where it was a shopper's dream! But things are different 'round here ... shoot. But I love your always-helpful and kind suggestions. When I first saw those chairs I posted above I thought I'd found a steal -- the two of them for $800. Then I reread it and realized I'd left off a zero. In this life I am just not in that bracket!

And thank you for the nice words about my husband. Yesterday was one of those days with the kiddos (my one year-old decided to take NO NAP but did want to scream at me -- he was exhausted but wouldn't give in) where I realized I earn every penny (and then some) I spend on "me" things. I think he feels likewise so he knows if he wants to continue to spend private time with me anywhere (not just in the bedroom!) it behooves him to make sure I am pretty happy. But you're right -- I'm lucky that he doesn't put up a fuss about having a pretty bedroom. I have a friend whose husband hates smocking and gingham (for little boys' clothing) and will not allow their son to wear those things. Let's just say my kids would go naked if that were the case but, of course, I couldn't be married to a man who didn't appreciate smocked jonjons! Thank you for reminding me that I did good with my husband. We all need that mental goose every once in a while, and yesterday was certainly my day.

When we get going on this project I'll be back to post pictures!
March 22, 2008

MBR: toile / buffalo check, where to put which print

Comments (6)

oceanna

decorpas

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