Mixing and matching fabrics is both an art and a science. The art is the careful balance of color, scale and pattern, and the science comes from analyzing the shape and style of each piece of furniture and achieving a balance between the piece and its fabric. Furnishings with simple lines invite fabrics that are complex in color or texture, whereas detailed, ornate shapes demand more subdued fabrics. Designer Barbara Eberlin shows Chris Madden, host of HGTV's Interiors by Design , how she perked up a traditional sitting room by mixing and matching a variety of patterns, textures and colors. The large sitting room of a traditional Philadelphia home required all the furnishings to be scaled up. The simple, inviting lines of an oversized sofa called for fabric with real definition in terms of texture, color and pattern size. Covered with a large-scale print, edged with luxurious bullion fringe and accessorized with tapestry pillows, the sofa has the necessary weight for a large room (figure A). Three different striped fabrics are used in an intimate seating area comprising a pair of informal club chairs and a round table (figure B). The rounded backs and graceful arms of the chairs invite guests to sit, and the careful balance of pattern, color and texture of the fabrics on the chairs, pillows and tablecloth make this a good mix. A 19th-century gilded settee is upholstered in luscious pink patterned with golden Napoleonic bees (figure C). The detailed, ornamental form of the carved French settee requires a restrained yet elegant fabric. The small scale of the Napoleonic bee motif is perfect for this ornate piece, and the golden bees blend nicely with the gilded frame. A big floral-patterned rug anchors the room and provides necessary balance in this large, architecturally strong area (figure D). It's not necessary for every piece of furniture to touch the rug, as shown here, but a dialogue between the furniture and rugs in a room is essential.
GUESTS :
Barbara Eberlin
1809 Walnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: 215-405-0400
Fax: 215-405-0588
Designer- Eberlin Design Consultants
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