Drawn from House Beautiful’s wildly popular “Swatch Watch” feature, this inspirational new guide shows home decorators how different colored and textured fabrics work with a variety of furnishings.
Charming florals or cool abstract patterns? White-on-white or a splash of brilliant color? Just like clothes make the man, fabric makes the furniture. House Beautiful understands that, and so the editors are letting sofas, chairs, settees, ottomans, lampshades, and more put on a “fashion show.” As in the magazine feature, beautiful photographs display every piece of furniture covered in several different fabrics; with each change of material, the item’s appearance is transformed. The magazine’s experts explain exactly how the choice of color and pattern affects the furniture’s appearance. For example, stripes on a sofa highlight the couch’s shape and give it a contemporary flair, while a floral pattern de-emphasizes the form and adds traditional country charm. A range of sofa and chair styles are included, as well as ottomans, benches, chaises, curtains, lampshades, fabric-covered headboards, and more. With details on fabric content, technical terms, decorating pitfalls, and upholstering tips, this is the ideal reference. A Main Selection of the Homestyle Book Club.
Following the maxim "form follows function," Dellatore offers readers advice on choosing home fabrics that will not only fit their individual tastes but also suit their domestic needs. The book is a spin-off of the House Beautiful "Swatch Watch" column, which is dedicated solely to fabric talk, and the wide array of furniture and interiors captured here are pleasingly laid out to reflect a multitude of aesthetic tastes. Dellatore, owner of an upholstery and curtain-making firm in New York City, takes furniture staples-such as loveseats, wing chairs and trestle benches-and wraps them in whimsical patterns to demonstrate how different moods and styles can be achieved by fabric applications. He also tackles related topics, such as fabric treatments for windows and "small touches" like tablecloths and folding screens. One of the most magical pieces is a plain metal shelf unit transformed into an elegant moveable closet with a few bits of colorful fabric and some grosgrain ribbon trim. With practical tips on upholstering (e.g. align those stripes when nailing down material) and more creative suggestions on decorating ("to make horizontal furniture look taller, use...vertical patterns, and add contrasting pillows to draw in the eye"), this book gives readers a chance to get a professional's advice without paying the professional rate.
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