Wrap-around front porch enhances this Prairie-style home at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. Cedar decking with natural stone apron to grade. Exposed aggregate sidewalk. Photographer: Tom Cerul

This charming Great Room was transformed into an inviting space for relaxation, reading, and socializing. This north-facing room comes to life with a rich colour scheme that also enhances the rich tones of the hardwood flooring, original to this cozy 1970's bungalow. Gone, however, are the bi-folding closet doors which too were original to the house -- they were replaced with sleek, sliding panels. By the time we were contacted to help our Clients with this decorating project, they had already begun the process, a few months prior, with the purchase of a cocktail table and side table, as well as a ceramic lamp. These accessories served as the starting point for the new room design, while inspiration came from the eclectic art collection that my Clients have acquired over the years, on their travels. The beautiful hand-crafted glass dish was the starting point for my Client's colour scheme. Photo: Justin Van Leeuwen

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM (Top) — Acrylic Paint on Canvas. 20” x 24” E-Mail For Quote REFLECTIONS OFF A RAIN SOAKED STREET (Bottom) — Acrylic Paint on Canvas. 20” x 24” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

MG ProPhoto
Study room - mid-sized transitional freestanding desk carpeted study room idea in Denver with gray walls

AZIMUTH — Concrete, Sand, Paper Mache, Modeling Paste, Clear Gloss Glaze / Acrylic, Latex, Metallic and Tempera Paints / India and Iridescent Inks on 1/8" Masonite. 48” x 60” Approx. 50 lbs.” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

ETHIOPIA — Concrete, Plaster, Modeling Paste and Sand / Acrylic, Enamel, Metallic and Tempera Paints / India and Iridescent Inks / Acrylic Resin on canvas. 48” x 60” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

TRANSCENDENCE — Concrete, Paper Mache, Sand and Modeling Paste / Acrylic, Latex, Enamel, Oil, Metallic and Tempera Paints / Acrylic, India and Iridescent Inks on canvas. 60” x 48” E-Mail For Quote Photo by Siggi Ragnar.

For the best effect when looking for fabrics to furnish your house, it is best to use fabrics that have varying textures. This is the only way to avoid getting a flat and bland look. When furnishing, consider collecting different types of fabrics and then mixing them until you get a result you find appealing. Do not be afraid of trying out as many fabrics as possible. Remember it is only through carrying out trials that you will be able to identify the right color schemes as well as find what works best for your items or house. Voyage Maison share some tips to make the most of your soft furnishing. When Choosing Fabrics, Consider Where You Want Them To Go

When selecting a fabric scheme, consider where you want the fabrics to go. If you look at the back of most fabrics, you will find that most manufacturers usually indicate the most suitable area where they should be placed such as on upholstery or for windows. You will also find that most fabrics usually come with labelled with their composition and rubs. Understanding the rubs on a fabric will help you know more about the durability of the material as well as the most suitable areas of use. The number of rubs on a fabric are typically found on little icons on the material or they can be indicated in the form of a number after a Martindale test has been carried out by the manufacturer. The number of rubs is the best way to know how to purpose a fabric. For example: • Fabrics with less than 10,000 rubs are most ideal for decorative uses • Fabrics with between 10,000-15,000 rubs are ideal for light domestic uses • Fabrics with between 15,000-25,000 rubs are ideal for general domestic uses • Fabrics with between 25,000-30,000 rubs are ideal for heavy duty uses When Choosing Fabrics For Furnishing, Consider Their Practicality and Maintenance Needs

It is best that you select your fabrics based on your existing needs while at the same time looking at the care that will be required to keep the material in prime condition. For example, if you have pets and kids, you should go for fabrics that can easily be wiped or cleaned. Most of the fabrics in the market today can be easily cleaned but you should ensure that you specify to your retailer that you need a material that is easy to clean when making a purchase. On finding your fabric of choice, you can also acquire Scotchgard – A strong fabric cover that repels most spills making cleaning of fabrics easier.

When selecting fabrics, you should also consider the orientation of the room where they will be used. This will help you pick the right material of fabric as well as select the right fabric color. For example, if your room has a southern orientation, light will be filtering into the room in such a way that it will not be prudent to use fabrics made of silk material for your cushions and windows.

Tips On How To Accentuate The Appeal Of a Room By Adding Throws & Cushions

In the market, you will find cushions and throws in all shapes, sizes and colors. These fittings can essentially be said to be the cherry on top of the cake when it comes to accentuating the décor in a room. After planning out the furnishings for the rest of the room, cushions and throws can help you brighten up a room and further, they can help you transform it entirely. For example, you can change the look of a room from formal to informal just by selecting the right cushions. You can also transform the look of a room to suit the season at hand, say from summer to winter by simply changing cushions and playing around with the fabric covers. You can also achieve different effects by changing the sizes of cushions and throws in a room. Changing cushions and fabrics to suit different occasions, moods or seasons is a great way to achieve your desired look without breaking the bank.

This charming Great Room was transformed into an inviting space for relaxation, reading, and socializing. This north-facing room comes to life with a rich colour scheme that also enhances the rich tones of the hardwood flooring, original to this cozy 1970's bungalow. Gone, however, are the bi-folding closet doors which too were original to the house -- they were replaced with sleek, sliding panels. By the time we were contacted to help our Clients with this decorating project, they had already begun the process, a few months prior, with the purchase of a cocktail table and side table, as well as a ceramic lamp. These accessories served as the starting point for the new room design, while inspiration came from the eclectic art collection that my Clients have acquired over the years, on their travels. Colour, colour, colour! The hallway table was simply painted (professionally, of course) to create a statement in the new design. You can see what it once looks like in the next photo. Photo: Justin Van Leeuwen

This charming Great Room was transformed into an inviting space for relaxation, reading, and socializing. This north-facing room comes to life with a rich colour scheme that also enhances the rich tones of the hardwood flooring, original to this cozy 1970's bungalow. Gone, however, are the bi-folding closet doors which too were original to the house -- they were replaced with sleek, sliding panels. By the time we were contacted to help our Clients with this decorating project, they had already begun the process, a few months prior, with the purchase of a cocktail table and side table, as well as a ceramic lamp. These accessories served as the starting point for the new room design, while inspiration came from the eclectic art collection that my Clients have acquired over the years, on their travels. Little details, like the added trim on this recovered lampshade, help create flow in the design, and make all the difference! Photo: Justin Van Leeuwen

CREATION — Concrete, Plaster, Modeling Paste and Sand / Acrylic, Enamel, Metallic and Tempera Paints / India and Iridescent Inks / Acrylic Resin on canvas. 48” x 60” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

This charming Great Room was transformed into an inviting space for relaxation, reading, and socializing. This north-facing room comes to life with a rich colour scheme that also enhances the rich tones of the hardwood flooring, original to this cozy 1970's bungalow. Gone, however, are the bi-folding closet doors which too were original to the house -- they were replaced with sleek, sliding panels. By the time we were contacted to help our Clients with this decorating project, they had already begun the process, a few months prior, with the purchase of a cocktail table and side table, as well as a ceramic lamp. These accessories served as the starting point for the new room design, while inspiration came from the eclectic art collection that my Clients have acquired over the years, on their travels. Photo: Justin Van Leeuwen

This charming Great Room was transformed into an inviting space for relaxation, reading, and socializing. This north-facing room comes to life with a rich colour scheme that also enhances the rich tones of the hardwood flooring, original to this cozy 1970's bungalow. Gone, however, are the bi-folding closet doors which too were original to the house -- they were replaced with sleek, sliding panels. By the time we were contacted to help our Clients with this decorating project, they had already begun the process, a few months prior, with the purchase of a cocktail table and side table, as well as a ceramic lamp. These accessories served as the starting point for the new room design, while inspiration came from the eclectic art collection that my Clients have acquired over the years, on their travels. Photo: Justin Van Leeuwen

PROGRESSION COMPLETE (Left) — Latex, Enamel and Metallic Paints /India and Iridescent Inks on Canvas. 48” x 36” E-Mail For Quote THE NEW EARTH (Right) — Acrylic, Enamel and Metallic Paints / India and Iridescent Inks / Concrete, Plaster, Modeling Paste, Paper Maché and Earthen Materials on 1/4” Masonite. 48” x 36” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

IMPRESSION — Acrylic, Latex, Metallic and Tempera Paints / Paper Mache, Sand and Modeling Paste / Clear Gloss Glaze / Acrylic, India and Iridescent Inks on Canvas. 48” x 60” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

PROMETHEUS — Multi-Layered Acrylic Resin (1/4” to 2” thick) / Acrylic, Latex, Enamel, Oil, Metallic and Tempera Paints / Acrylic, India and Iridescent Inks / Plaster, Concrete and Paper Maché / Crushed Glass, Glass Beads and Earthen Materials on 3/4” Medium Density Fiberboard. 64” x 49” Approx. 300 lbs. E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

CARBON DATING THE SHROUD — Acrylic, Enamel, Latex, Tempera and Metallic Paints / India and Iridescent Inks / Clear Gloss Glaze / Clear Acrylic Resin and Earthen Materials on Canvas. 48” x 60” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.

POSTMODERN — Concrete, Paper Mache, Sand, Modeling Paste, Plaster and Acrylic Resin / Acrylic, Latex, Enamel, Oil, Metallic and Tempera Paints / Acrylic, India and Iridescent Inks on canvas. 60” x 48” E-Mail For Quote Photo by SWK Digital Imagery.