Is It Time to Color Yet?

Hi Everyone!

We’re staying busy here! Because we are one, stuck at home and two, focusing on patterns and fabrics this month, we wanted to share something with you that was shared with us! Schumacher made some AWESOME coloring book pages and now is the best time to color! Click the button below to go to our Fabrics + Patterns Pinterest page and print out the coloring book pages! We would love to see what you come up with, so send us your designs, we would love to share them!

Also, a little history about each one, because patterns are so much more than just being pretty.

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IKAT // Terence Ikat

Ikat, (pronounced ‘ee-KAHT’) is a Malaysian word meaning “to tie” or “to bind”. They are made by dying the threads before the fabric is woven. The threads (usually cotton or linen) are tied tightly together and dipped into dye. This process makes fabrics look a bit hazy or uneven.

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Midcentury // BLOMMEN

This fabric is simple, clean, and minimal. It is a mid-century print largely inspired by the Scandinavian movement through the 1950’s. Although this period of design was heavy on wood and natural pallets, it was also known for it’s pops of color. If you like this type of design style check out: Josef Frank, Jens Risom, and Arne Jacobsen—to name a few.

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MYTHOLOGICAL // GIOVE

Schumacher has a line of hand-drawn work by firm Charlap Hyman & Herro. It’s collection ranges from snakes and stars to clouds pierced with Cupid’s arrows. Dreamy in tone and story, it goes to show how inspired we can all be by the fairytales and stories we know so well.

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Japanese Motif // Lotus Garden

This pattern dates back to the 1920’s—during the Art Deco period. These patterns are known for being ornate, lavish and intricate. Japan’s take on Art Deco was very much inspired by their Shang-Dynasty period. Which references familiar birds, oriental flowers and plants, and animal motifs. It is classic, without being traditional.

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Click the button, it will lead you to our Pinterest page, the fabrics and the coloring pages are there for you to print!

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“We love fabrics because they seem to always have a deeper meaning attached. We hope you loved learning a bit about the beauty Schumacher has to offer! ”

— Paige W. Interior Design Team

The Books We're Reading...

Hi Everyone!

Since were all staying home, we thought we would share what we’re reading! With such an importance on staying connected, we’re also trying to not get lost in the rabbit hole of too much - news, social media, screens, screens and more screens. So, what are you reading and how is it helping? We hope you get inspired to sit down, read a bit, and get away.

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Paige

She: Muses, Visionaries & Madcap Heroines // Kate Spade

I've long believed that the most inspiring and vibrant women in America —and around the world, are the ones who stand out in the crowd. "Daring" is a word that's always in style whether it's in reference to creating a shockingly beautiful work of art, following a world dream, challenging the status quo, speaking from the heart, adventurous cooking or inspiring an entire generation to think about a social issue differently.

”The most daring thing you can do in life is be true to yourself, individually & collectively, these women inspire us to do exactly that."
-Deborah Lloyd, president & chief creative officer Kate Spade NY

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Brittany

Be the Sun, Not the Salt // Dr. Harry D. Cohen

Along with a novel to escape the stressors of our current world, I have found Dr. Harry D. Cohen’s “Be the Sun, Not the Salt” to be an encouraging supplement to dealing with the new challenges that life has presented. As well as being smart advice for normal life situations, it is a positive guide to presenting your best self and being a positive beacon no matter the situation. Broken into small, easy-to-digest sections with positive affirmations, it is just what is needed to carry us through the scary times we are experiencing with a positive mindset (or in the very least, an outward positive impact on those around us, rather than a negative (salty) one) and hopefully will instill cheerful and optimistic behaviours throughout all of life’s everyday AND challenging circumstances.

“Before you speak, ask yourself if it will be helpful.”

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Madison

The Lonely City // Olivia Laing

Part memoir, part art history, this book delves into how art can comfort us, especially in hard times. Subtle and completely empathetic, Olivia Laing shows us how loneliness and isolation (physical or imagined) can lead us to the beauty of vulnerability, in times when it is absolutely necessary. Because really, in this time of chaos, who have you turned to? The artists, the lovers, the dreamers, and the doers.

“Sometimes, all you need is permission to feel. Sometimes, what causes the most pain is actually the attempt to resist feeling, or the shame that grows up like thorns around it.” 

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“We want to see what you’re reading too! If you have any book recommendations, we’re all ears! Talk soon! ”

— Paige W. Interior Design Team

April's Design Accent

Life seems to be hitting us at every angle and it feels a little crazy! So, we’re ready to throw some things… just kidding! Only fabrics! But really, stepping back has made us realize how grateful we are to have amazing clients like you and how much we love doing what we do! So, why not go back to the basics and celebrate a huge part of our design foundation?

This month we will be focusing on PRINTS! Because fabric is easily the most important element here at Paige Williams Interior Design, we want to push our clients to really enjoy the beauty that we see in all of these different prints! Here’s a little snippet of an interview Paige did a few months back, in her words:

"Fabric is my design foundation. Its color, texture, and functionality is the ultimate physical manifestation of creativity. I like to use fabric as the core material to really connect and evolve with my clients. It’s not uncommon for me to start with a fabric the client loves and build an entire space around it. Whether it’s a throw pillow, custom barstools or an eye-catching window treatment, the right fabric can drive the feel of an entire room and help the client’s personality shine through."

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Click the button to see some of our favorite fabric inspirations!

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“We’re looking forward to this month, we have lots of fabrics to show you! Stay tuned! ”

— Paige W. Interior Design Team

Searching for Light

Focusing on light this month has made us take notice of not only artificial light but natural light and the way we’ve made changes when artificial light just wasn’t enough. In this project, we had a client who had found the perfect house, well almost. The location was exactly where they wanted to be, with just the right amount of land and in the right neighborhood for their children. However, parts of the home felt closed off, dated and too dark for their liking. So, we tore down some walls and updated the space. We hope you love the final result!

BEFORE…

Our client loved the location of this home but couldn’t stand the small kitchen. One, it wasn’t a central part of the home and felt much too closed off from the rest of the house. The lack of space and lack of layered lighting made the face feel cramped. So, we opened the kitchen and placed it to more of the center. We added architectural details, natural elements, replaced all cabinetry, and installed new lighting.

BEFORE…

Look at how low these ceilings once were!

With the perfect location and a house under budget, our client decided on some big renovations to make this their dream home. We worked with a trusted architect to increase the ceiling height and change the exterior of the home. We then added some large windows to bring in light to an otherwise dark space, increased the fireplace height along with cream colored bookcases. This one change brought in ample lighting that filtered into the rest of the home, and we finally had a bright and open concept.

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Want to see more of this space? We love the bright blue accents and natural elements in this space. Check it out!

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“Natural lighting when buying a home is so important. But as you can see, anything can be changed. If you have everything checked off the list but want to change something, remember that you can! We’re here to help! ”

— Paige W. Design Team

March's Design Accent

Lighting is the biggest difference you can make in a space! Thats why this month were focusing on LIGHT! Light can transform the mood and functionality of a room and it is a master manipulator on the illusion of space. Its a culprit in making design tricky but it is beyond rewarding when you get it just right!

Different types of light

When designing, it’s important to use multiple types of lighting. By giving the client layers of light, this allows them to control the mood and functionality of what they need throughout the day. A few of these layers are: general, task and decorative.

General lighting

General lighting covers overhead and recessed lights. This includes chandeliers, large pendants, canned lights, etc. This is an important base of lighting, that should not be skipped.

We can’t wait to show you the rest of this project! But until then, we can tell you that this was the very first piece picked and it helped curate the rest of the home.

This is the perfect example where general lighting can be an art piece in itself!

Task Lighting

Task Lighting covers forms of more direct light. Such as desk lamps, under-cabinet lights, or directional floor lamps. Perfect for reading after the sun goes down. Once you live with this ambient light, you won’t ever want to live without it.

Does this picture look familiar? We worked hard to make this custom bookcase come to life! We think it turned out beautifully, check it out if you want to see the rest of the home!

Decorative Lighting

Decorative lighting is the cherry on top. This could include lighting that glows underneath a cabinet, or recessed lighting in bookshelves. This type of lighting is fun to play with and shows that you went the extra step.

Isn’t this the perfect spot to cozy up to on a rainy day? We designed this custom bookcase to help balance out the space and add some extra color. See how pretty the light reflects off the metallic wallpaper? We love it!

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We’ve talked about all the details on picking out the perfect lamp! Do you remember? Check it out!

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“Thanks for checking in with us! We are so looking forward to showing you more projects this month. Talk soon! ”

— Paige W. Design Team