The love of fabric

One of the favorite parts of my job as a designer is selecting fabric for a client's project. I could (and do!) spend hours just looking through the fabric showrooms for that perfect combination to create a beautiful room. In fact, for me, I draw a lot of my inspiration from the fabrics I choose for a client. Sure, many clients have a particular look they want. But I find most aren't looking for a specific fabric, but rather, a feeling. When a client tells me they want a warm, inviting room, I look for browns, oranges, tans, and other warm colors. Or, sometimes they have a painting or other item that is an "inspiration" piece where I can draw color from. But even then, I think the fabric used for the furnishings and curtains brings a room together like nothing else in a room.

Recently, I've had the opportunity to work on a great project redecorating an entire house and have spent a lot of time at the Seattle Design Center looking at amazing fabrics. I truly believe in spending a little more money on a custom look that sets your home apart from others and is a reflection of you. A few of my favorite fabric lines include Lee Jofa, Kravet and Osborne & Little. All offer thousands and thousands of options, and I never tire of the challenge of pulling together the right look to amaze my clients!

Here are a few combinations I'm thinking about right now. (when the project is done, I'll post the pictures so you can see what we came up with) Unfortunately, my antiquated camera just doesn't do these beauties justice but hopefully you can get a flavor.

feminine and sophisticated

bright and playful

pretty in pink

understated elegance

Design Inspiration and this blog

Welcome to my blog about interior design, real estate and anything else that inspires me enough to write about it. I'll use this first entry as a bit of an introduction to me and what I do.

For starters, I live in Seattle and have my own interior design business, Adorn. (http://www.adornhomeinteriors.com) I'm also a licensed Realtor with Coldwell Banker Bain (http://www.cbbain.com/rebeccacarlson). I love anything and everything to do with a home. So much so, that I couldn't decide between the two professions, so I'm doing them both. And honestly, they really do go well together. When I work with a client looking to buy a home, I'm able to help them see the potential in a home they might not be able to see.

Like many designers I know, I didn't start out my professional career doing interior design. In fact, I spent 15 years in Corporate America as a Human Resources Manager. My yearning to break out of the "corporate box" and do something more creative finally won and so I gave up the steady paycheck to work on my own. I haven't looked back since and couldn't be happier.

My design philosophy is pretty simple: your home should be a reflection of who you are and a place where you can kick off your shoes and relax. I generally believe you get what you pay for, yet I'm a sucker for a good deal! Mixing high-end items with great deals from Target or Pottery Barn is a great way to get a custom look without breaking the bank. My general design style leans towards casual elegance. I like a home to be comfortable and inviting, yet have a touch of sophistication. Transitional pieces are what I tend to gravitate towards within my own home - bringing together traditional pieces with a modern flair.

I hope you come back frequently to see what's inspiring me in my work, perhaps learn something new, or hopefully get inspired yourself.

Your thoughts/comments are welcome. My email is adornhomeinteriors@comcast.net (or my real estate email is rebeccacarlson@cbbain.com).