show stoppin' sofa

I have always maintained that updating the pillows on your sofa is one of the quickest, most economical ways to change the look of your living room. I like to do it every four months or so to create a look and feel for each season. Places like TJ Maxx and Cost Plus World Market have a super variety at affordable prices. If you are handy at the sewing machine, and could spend a little time making new covers, then your options for personalizing your sofa are infinite! This is a crash course in mixing prints and textures to create an inviting place to sit everyday.



Start with a blank slate, so you can vizualize the look you want to create. I am happy to have a very neutral sofa so I can bring in texture and pattern through the fabric on the throw pillows.




The first pair of matching pillows creates a feeling of symmetry and provides a fabric design that repeats the color scheme of the room. If your sofa itself is covered in a patterend fabric, I would suggest that you start with two solid colored pillows, and introduce prints in the next step. This way you won't overwhelm your sofa.


The next pillow should add a new texture and pick up one of the colors from the first set. I chose the apricot silk pillow which coordinates with my accent wall color.



A fourth pillow might bring in a new shape like round or lumbar, for variety. This pillow might also introduce a new type of pattern. For example, if you started with a small stripe, maybe this pillow has an oversized, off-center, single flower on it.



Lastly, I like to drape a solid colored throw over one end of the sofa. Even in the summer,I get chilly when sitting and reading here. To me, a soft throw makes the sofa feel more inviting and less formal. If you don't like the draped look, fold it neatly and center it on the back of the sofa or tidily drape it over one arm.

A well dressed sofa can be the focal point of the room if your space is lacking a physical one, such as a fireplace or an ocean view. Give this formula a try in your own home, and email your photos to me at bchicdesign@gmail.com!

summer's hot and cool hues

Bliss Living's Carrie comforter set

I have been really inspired by the rich and electric colors I am noticing for summer decorating. Soda pop orange, bright turquoise, deep royal blue, mocha espresso and subdued coral. I already have softer, paler versions of these colors throughout my house, but have been scouring the Internet for ways to perk up my rooms for summer. Here are some finds that got my attention:


Anthroplogie's Coral Courtyard Curtain panels would add a gorgeous dose of color and dramatic over sized pattern to my living room windows. The Moka Leaf Doormat could grace my front porch or fit nicely under my kitchen sink.




Bliss Living has an outstanding bedding collection that incorporates all shades of coral and blue. A few Mia Floor Pillows around your coffee table set with candles and a Caribbean dinner would be a stylish, but casual way to entertain friends this summer.





West Elm's overlapping squares chair has always been a design I admire. Now I am thinking the arm chairs would look excellent in the Saffron hue at my dining room table, joining two other chairs upholstered in a pale aqua damask pattern. The iconic print pillows featuring classic sea creatures would add whimsy and just enough nautical style to the white sofa in our living room.

More than likely, I am just dreaming about acquiring these beauties, but I am just really loving this summer color palette. It brings together the complementary colors of orange and blue, creating a curiously balanced example of summer's warm vs. cool dichotomy.

art gallery wall

domino magazine


I have always wanted to do this. Something about the mixing of related but unique works of art, collected over time, on one common wall says home to me. Seeing these two photographs on dominomag.com, along with the feature on Drew Barrymore's film studio offices the April issue, has inspired me. Although I am not quite ready to undertake it, I have decided to dedicate a wall in my office to this salon style art hanging.

If you don't have enough pieces to create a cohesive collection, scour antique and second-hand stores,keeping an open mind. Look for works whose subject matter are related, such as landscapes or portraits, or for pieces that simply have a pleasing color palette. No need to worry about the varying frames; either go with the eclectic look or paint them all the same color to unify the group. Consider old postcards and photographs, which can usally be found for a buck or two a piece. I found a small art history book at the RAGS sale for $2. It contains nice color prints, for which I'll purchase used frames to put my favorites in.

Properly hanging them might seem like a daunting task, however, there are ways to simplify and reduce the number of mistakes. Trace the outline of each piece on craft or butcher paper. Tape the shapes to the wall with painter's tape until you get the right configuration. For a more formal arrangement, create a grid pattern with the templates. If you want a more casual cozy feel, be random with your spacing. While doing this, don't forget to consider the furniture that will be below it, be sure to hang items at least 10" above the top of the piece.

Displaying art work in numbers is a sure way to provide visual impact. Doing it on the cheap makes it painless to rotate pieces out when the seasons change or the mood strikes you. I'll let you know when I've get mine done!

Shops to try in the Puget Sound area:
The Anne Bonny in Seattle
Simply Renewed in downtown Bremerton
Olde Central Antique Mall in Port Orchard

update your ikea sofa

If you own an Ikea sofa or armchair and are tired of the current slipcover,and Ikea's selection is boring you, check out Bemz, www.bemz.com. On this website, you can choose an Ikea frame, click on a fabric swatch and watch it transform. What's even cooler is that, free of charge, you can order 6 swatches to be sent to your house from their headquarters in Sweden. I sent away for some and had them within a couple of weeks. They offer 68 quality cottons and 22 linen/cotton blends in solids, stripes, florals and other fun geometric prints.

Now, I don't have an Ikea sofa or chair, but I do have two tub chairs and a wing chair that need either recovering or a new slipcover. I thought that maybe I would measure my chairs and compare with Ikea's dimensions to see if they might fit. Bemz prices are pretty reasonable considering the diversity of fabric selection, the quality and the fact that they will hug your Ikea piece like a custom sewn slipcover.