Katherine Rally Textiles

Thanks to a very nice email from this fabulous company, I discovered Katherine Rally Textiles today and fell in love! The story behind this husband and wife owned business is a great one...he's an architect and she's a designer. Kathy, Rally and their two small children decided to hit the road when the economy bit the dust and relocated to the island paradise of Bali, Indonesia. Surrounded by stunning beauty, they created their own line of batiks inspired by their love of travel, textiles and design. Needless to say, their collection of fabrics and pillows is absolutely stunning and I can't wait to use them in future projects! Here are a few snapshots from their online gallery. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

{ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF KATHERINE RALLY TEXTILES}

Celebrate Spring with New Trina Turk Fabric + Outdoor Finds

Spring has officially arrived according to the calendar, however the weather outside still reads winter for most of the country. We've been experiencing gloomy days and bouts of rain over the last couple days here in southern California, but with the rain comes the grassy green hills and patches of colorful budding flowers. I'm really looking forward to warmer weather so I can spend more time outdoors, especially at the pool and the beach. Trina Turk recently introduced her second indoor / outdoor collection for Schumacher, which is absolutely beautiful! In classic Trina Turk style, the collection boasts graphic patterns in vibrant color combinations, perfectly suited for spring and summer. This inspired me to pull together outdoor furniture and accents that would coordinate nicely with the fabrics, which has now given me the urge to re-do our apartment balcony! I'll just go ahead and add that to my never-ending to-do list of weekend projects :) What about you? What are you looking forward to the most this Spring?

FABRIC: TRINA TURK FOR SCHUMACHER

1. AQUA MARKET UMBRELLA; 2. ALFRESCO NATURAL DINING CHAIR; 3. VENEZIA MUSTARD YELLOW CHAIR; 4. PEDESTAL CAYENNE TABLE; 5. FORMOSA WHITE TRAY TABLE; 6. COLORED DOT GLASSWARE; 7. REED HURRICANE; 8. OUTDOOR GARDEN STOOLS

What's New! Diane von Furstenberg's Home Fabric Line

I was flipping through my Elle Decor September issue and was pleasantly surprised to learn about Diane von Furstenberg's new venture into home decor! This New York fashion designer has been a powerful force in the fashion world for decades, creating beautiful women's clothing in stunning printed fabrics. Now we'll be able to enjoy her lovely fabrics seen on the runway, on an upholstered chair, an accent pillow or bedding! The line will feature bold ikats, animal prints, large and small florals, in a variety of colors, including hot pink, lavender and yellow. “It’s all about mixing—scales, patterns, and colors,” she says. Her new home fabric line is complete with 87 crisp, graphic cottons and debuts early next year. Diane also recently designed 20 guest rooms at Claridge’s hotel in London. This is one talented woman, in more ways than one. I truly admire her work and look forward to seeing her complete fabric collection! What are your thoughts? Are you just as excited?!

looks from the runway - DVF fall 2010 collection

The dress from her fall 2008 collection that inspired the new home fabric China Vine

looks from the DVF fall 2010 collection

 a glimpse into the gorgeous guest rooms decorated by von Furstenberg for Claridge's hotel in London

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IMAGE CREDITS: ELLE DECOR; CLARIDGE'S HOTEL; DVF.COM

New Collections from Romo

I've been a fan of Romo for years. Their fabric and wallpaper designs are fresh, clean and sophisticated. Although they're on the high-end side when it comes to pricing, like fashion, sometimes it's okay to splurge on something expensive and luxurious, for that special touch you know you'll enjoy for years to come. At the very least, I enjoy just browsing their website galleries for inspiration! I've highlighted some of my favorites from their latest collections and I'm especially smitten with the wallpaper shown in the 3rd photo down from the Folia Collection...it looks like it a tile backsplash! Click here to view more.

ALL IMAGES VIA ROMO.COM

Burlap Bliss

Burlap has always been a favorite material of mine. The course texture of burlap comes from the fact it is made from the skin of the jute plant, one of the least expensive textile crops in the world--and one of the strongest. Jute fibers have a high content of cellulose, a major component of plant stalks, as well as lignin, a constituent of wood. The result is a textile fiber that is part cloth and part wood, heat resistant, easy to dye and very strong. It's entirely natural and biodegradable as well! The texture and casual look of burlap is what makes it so versatile - it can be used in numerous ways, as you'll see in the images below. What do you like / dislike about this material? What other creative ways would you use it?

IMAGE CREDITS
1&2) OWL PETITE BURLAP FEED SACK PAIR & BURLAP CORK BOARD VIA ETSY

3&4) HOUSE BEAUTIFUL 

5) LOVE BANNER WITH HEARTS, CREAMY BURLAP VIA ETSY 

6) VERSAILLES DOMED BURLAP-BACKED CHAIR VIA RESTORATION HARDWARE

7) BURLAP BENCH CUSHIONS VIA COUNTRY LIVING

8&9) LE PAPILLION FRENCH BUTTERFLY PILLOW & FRENCH NO 505 BURLAP & TICKING PILLOW

VIA ETSY
10) BURLAP COUTURE DRUM SHADE &  BURLAP COVERED DEMIJOHN VIA BALLARD DESIGNS
11) VIA GOOGLE SEARCH
12) CLOTHESPIN BAG WITH BLACK TYPOGRAPHY VIA ETSY 
13) BURLAP / JUTE NAPKIN RINGS VIA ETSY 
14) VIA COUNTRY LIVING
15) HOUSE BEAUTIFUL

Fresh & Affordable Fabrics

IMAGE VIA HEATHER BAILY STORE

I often get inquiries from people interested in designer fabric pricing, which typically ranges from $60 per yard all the way up to $175 per yard. Most people are a little surprised at the high pricing and opt to search for something more affordable. Although I have wholesale accounts with many of the top fabric manufacturers, I am constantly searching for great fabric deals to share with my clients and for myself! A few sites I visit from time to time are Heather Bailey Store, Calico Corners and Fabric.com. I've pulled together some of my favorites to share with you. Introducing new fabric into a space is an easy way to update and refresh your look - add new accent pillows, re-cover dining chair seats, hang bold-patterned drapery panels, add some color to your kitchen table with a vintage inspired tablecloth...the list goes on and on!

PHOTO VIA HOUSE TO HOME

Heather Bailey Store: (Clockwise from top left) 1. Paisley-Lime, 2. Wallpaper Roses - Turquoise, 3. Zag Stripe - Pink, 4. Peonies - Pinkypurple

Fabric.com / Anna's Drawing Room - 1. Plume Raspberry, 2. Trellis Stripe Blue, 3. Nouveau Bouquet Teal, 4. Sketchbook Ivory

Calico Corners - 1. Nelson - Orangina, 2. Lock Hot Pink, 3. Sandro Pear, 4. Morocco Pacific