You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘home decor austin’ tag.
As of today, Wednesday, January 2nd, we are officially opened in our new location!
We will be open new hours in this location, Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and we will now be closed on Sundays so we can all spend time with our families and take a much needed break on the weekends!
The new store is right at the corner of Braker and Burnet roads in North Austin, just across from the Domain.
We all worked really hard to get the old store packed up and moved and took a much needed break on the 1st. I was so tired I only snapped this one picture to share. I will have to get more later- but not this week- tomorrow morning we start furnishing the Southern Living Custom Showcase House just in time for a party there next week.
We will install the furniture Wednesday, the window treatments and art work on Thursday and all the fun accessories and details on Friday. I promise to take pictures of that to share with you all later!
Happy 2013 and best wishes for a fabulous new year!
I am excited to have Amanda Pallotta, one of the Heather Scott Home & Design “team members”, guest posting on the blog today. Amanda received her degree in Interior Design just a few years ago and has been a great help at the store. Amanda is very talented, as you can see from this great kitchen she designed before she came to work with us:
One of the issues Amanda comes across everyday is dealing with customers who struggle to fill their homes with items of the right scale and proportion. She is here to offer some basic tips on how to overcome this issue:
1) Scale refers to how an item relates to the size of the room or to something else. For example, a large tall wooden canopy bed with a petite glass night table would not be the right scale for the room.
Design by Heather Scott Home & Design
In this photo, the scale of the large headboard is balanced by a wide nightstand (about 34”w) and a large lamp.
2) Proportion refers to the shape of an item and how it relates to other things in the room. For example, A square dining table with a rectangular shaped rug underneath would not look right because it is not the correct proportion for the table.
Design by Heather Scott Home & Design
In this small dining room, which was very traditional and historical in nature, it was important to keep the proportions of the table, rug and chandelier aligned.
In contrast, proportion can also be used for impact, such as in this room below, which did not have any architectural feature, interest was added by using a large scale light fixture.
Design by Heather Scott Home & Design
Take a walk around your home and examine each space. If something doesn’t feel correct or comfortable it is probably because the scale or proportions are off. First, try to edit the clutter, check the proportion of the items in the room and when in doubt, take a picture of the space! The eye has a much easier time discerning what is off in a picture rather than when you’re physically in a space. Try rearranging, removing or replacing items until you achieve the look for you home that you desire.
Easy tips to consider:
· A larger room can handle furnishings and decor that are larger in scale. And vice versa. The smaller room is, the more petite or delicate the furnishings and decor should be.
· The main furnishing item in the room sets the stage for the scale of all the other furnishings. For example, an oversized sofa and a petite side table may look awkward next to each other. However, you do not want to over stuff the room with all large scale furniture.
· The higher the ceiling, the taller and more imposing the furnishings pieces can be. Low ceilings beg for low furniture and decor. The one exception to this rule is using low, modern furnishings in a room with tall ceilings to achieve a dramatic effect.
· Remember to leave “white space” in a room. This is the space around and above furniture. A room rarely looks good when every square inch of it is filled. The eye needs room to rest in a space, so provide it by leaving some surfaces uncovered and some walls alone.
· If the room is small, keep patterns to scale. Use smaller prints and less of them. A larger room can typically handle larger prints and more colors. If you have a small room but prefer a larger print, make sure it has a lot of white space in it and use it sparingly.
· Use repetitive patterns or colors. For example, if you have square-shaped wainscoting panels on your wall, choose a square coffee table and a square piece of to maintain the same proportions throughout the room. Just be careful not to overdo it.
In case you are a visual person, here are a few more photo examples:
http://www.abhomeinteriors.com/blog
Lamps are any easy element in a room to get wrong. But, they are so important to get right. Lamps really should not be shorter than about 28”-30”h.
One other tip, even if you are decorating a child or teen’s room, don’t buy ‘child size’ lamps from kids’ stores. They are too small. Just buy a regular sized lamp and add some cute ribbon trim to the shade or find another way to make it more youthful.
Now that I have spoken about what not to do let’s have a little fun with scale and proportion! This is where you can take chances and make that designer mark.
This gorgeous chandelier in this living area calls out to the large mirror and portrait while adding an unexpected look to the space. Because this room is large and has higher ceilings, a large scale light fixture is a must!
The oversized mirror in this room adds an outstanding elegance to the space.
Finally, one of my favorite pieces to play with when taking scale and proportion into consideration! Paintings! Everyone has that one conversation piece they just fall in love with.
Here is an example of a space where a large painting was used to create a focal point rather than a gallery of smaller photographs or paintings. If you can imagine, you can see how the impact would not be as great!
Source: Elle Decor
I hope you’ve learned at least a few tips related to using scale and proportion in your home. Last tip- when it doubt, it is better to go too big for accent pieces (lamps, art, rugs, vases) than too small. Hope you have a great holiday weekend.
Photo taken at the Raymond Waites showroom
I’ve noticed a change in attitude recently. I have been hearing customers in the store and new clients saying things like, “We believe it is important to invest in a product we will keep for the long term” or “I’d rather have a nice piece that will last, rather than something I’ll want to get rid of in a couple of years”.
Honestly, this is a big change from a few years ago when most people were saying, “I don’t want anything nice, my kids are just going to ruin it” or “I don’t want to spend that much on something I will be tired of in a few years”. My generation has been accused of being a ‘throw away’ generation. We buy consumer goods intending to replace them before we’ve even gotten them out of the box.
Visiting the High Point Market this past week, I saw the manufacturers creating products that will more than meet the needs of what consumers are asking for now- something special that is worth keeping.
For the past few years, all we saw at market was solid beige linen covered upholstery. No details, nothing special. And, as much of this product has been imported from Asia, the quality of the upholstery has gotten progressively poorer (loose threads, uneven seams, etc). It was so refreshing and exciting to go to market and see exciting upholstered products that bring some creativity to a room.
Here are a few key examples from several of the market leaders in upholstery products:
From the Alexa Hampton collection- red grosgrain trim on the side of a chair
A red racing stripe up the center of a dining chair (sorry for the blurry photo!)
And, in a more classical color way in the main showroom, velvet with linen flange, including a little butterfly pleat at the corner.
Contrast welts in the same color way (gray on gray and cream on cream), just a different texture (such as velvet cord on a cotton fabric sofa), at no extra charge, even at the ‘entry’ level price point:
Mixing of fabric and leather in a new way, as well as mixing up the nailhead details- from tight spacing and the Greek pattern on the arm to the loosely spaced nailheads along the bottom of the fabric.
From the Amy Howard Furniture Collection- another look at mixing of textures (velvet on linen) in alternate colors and tone on tone.
How fun to see a collection that doesn’t look like you’ve seen it everywhere already!
I pointed out the nailhead detail above on the chair. Go back and look at the 2 sofas above the chair- they both feature different sizes and spacing of nailheads.
And, speaking of adding custom details notice these products from the Mr. & Mrs. Howard Collection by Sherrill Furniture:
This pink sofa was so beautiful in person. The sofa below has contrast trim at the bottom and throw pillows with trim. The ottoman has a unique nailhead detail. All these elements are available in the main product line and anyone can add these unique details to their new upholstery products.
As you can see, there are a lot of custom details with the latest upholstery products. If you are considering investing in new upholstery, I recommend you think about adding some of the customized elements to enjoy your furniture for the long term, not just the next couple of years. We would be happy to help you navigate your options if it seems overwhelming. Just stop in the store or email us with your questions.
Have you noticed recently that decorating for Fall has gradually shifted from well thought out plans to sticking out a few Styrofoam tombstones and some orange light strands in the front yard? Well, Canada has us beat by a mile when it comes to decorating for fall. I just got back from a trip to Quebec City and Montreal and the decorations were so amazing, I couldn’t stop taking pictures.
The outdoor decorations were so incredibly creative. I’ve decided to share a few of my favorites with you that are ‘fall’ and some that are ‘Halloween’ focused. They certainly inspired me to take holiday decorating up a notch and I hope they inspire you.
Fall décor:
Halloween Inspired:
Most of these photos are from the Joan of Arc Garden in Quebec City. The last few are from the town square, which had very interesting “Wine” themed decorations. I don’t think I have the time or inspiration to go all out like in the winery theme, but the photos from the Joan of Arc garden are really quite simple items, such as blackboard cut outs, pumpkins and some fabric material.
Dueling men (note the ‘ghosts’ in the trees)
The Hangman (note the street lanterns which were wrapped in orange cloth and tied with a bow. They looked like pumpkins in person).
The sorcerer at the cauldron:
The pirate’s ‘boat’ and treasure chest:
The Wine display (notice the painted pumpkins and the detailed garlands)
These displays were really amazing in person. I was surprised so much time would be spent on ‘landscaping’ in an area covered with snow for such long periods of fall and winter. That said, I am so glad they did because our whole group really enjoyed searching out and finding all the creative displays at various parks, offices and restaurants. I hope this inspires you to take some initiative in your fall décor as well!
Starburst mirrors are always a nice decorating solution. They’ve been around for centuries. The mirrors have seen a resurgence of popularity over the past 2-3 years.
We have several styles currently in stock. They range from about 12” up to over 36”. The prices start just under $98. Have a look at these styles and see if you have a good place in your home to tuck one of these mirrors. They look great centered over a bed or between 2 windows and their curtain panels. The mirror have a timeless and classic look that never goes out of style.
We have been receiving tons of great, fun Lilly Pulitzer items. The store definitely looks like spring (or summer given the heat already!). But, for those of you who aren’t up for such a color commitment, I wanted to share with you this beautiful sofa, in very neutral colors.
Here is the Lola sofa in a very colorful vignette:
Here is the sofa without all the colorful pillows:
It has classic tufting on the back, is upholstered in a soft beige color and has contrast piping in white.
Here is the same sofa in a ‘neutral’ setting:
The sofa is available in other fabrics and colors. It sells for about $4700. The piece is handmade in the USA and is incredibly comfortable. Please come in and see for yourself!
Many of you know we regularly carry some very nice wooden ottoman trays. We are excited to now offer a new style of wooden tray:
This new style has wooden handles and measures 31”lx20”wx3”h. This tray is in the driftwood finish (which is really an ‘unfinished’ state). This same tray is in stock in several colors and stains.
We also have additional inventory of the four handled wooden trays you will frequently see in the store. These trays measure 30”wx22”dx4”h and also come in several finishes.
The most popular finishes tend to be red, wood stain and rubbed black. They work wonderfully on coffee tables, kitchen counters, buffets. Any place you need some accessorizing or a place to corral miscellaneous items (remotes, keys, etc).
The trays range in price depending on which style and, in some cases, which finish. They start at $115 and are all constructed of solid mahogany wood.
And for any of you that have dreams of being a TV star or, possibly more importantly, having your home remodeled for free, HGTV is looking for individuals in the Austin area who have found their dream home, but need to fix up their existing home for a quick sale. They pay for the remodel of your existing home! Wouldn’t that be fabulous? You can contact them directly at buyingandselling@cineflix.com for more information about the qualifications. Let us know if you decide to go for it!
Just a quick note before I share this week’s ‘before and after’. Charlotte, NC designer Traci Zeller featured one of my previous projects, a nursery for twin boys, on her most recent blog post. Traci is a fabulous designer, who also happens to be a mom of twins, so she frequently writes about and shares tips on twins. Stop by her blog to see her thoughts on twins sharing rooms and pictures of some fun twin bedrooms: http://tracizeller.com/blog/2012/should-twins-share-a-bedroom/
And if you are living a hectic life, with or without twins, (and who isn’t?), often times our guest bedroom becomes one of the last rooms we decorate. It typically houses the cast off furniture pieces from before you were married (her bed, his nightstand), your old bedding before you bought the king mattress, … you know the story.
My clients came to me last year and wanted to redecorate their guest bedroom for their parents who visit frequently. This is what the bedroom looked like when we started.
As happens, husband and wife’s tastes had changed over the years and while they once had enjoyed rustic wood furniture, they were now looking for something more sophisticated.
We painted the walls a new, soft green color and lightened up the ceilings. Drapes helped to soften the room as did an elegant upholstered headboard.
Open shelf chests were used as nightstands (it is a guest room, after all) topped with beautiful, timeless ceramic lamps.
Overall, a serene, chic and classic space. Just the type of room a visiting guest could hope to escape to!
If you would like help creating a chic space for your guest room, or any other space in your home, contact us at info@heatherscotthome.com
Our Lilly Pulitzer furniture pieces have finally started to arrive!
One of our (and everyone else’s) favorites is the Lilly Shoe Pouf!
This white upholstered, button tufted ottoman has a removable lid and the inside stores over 16 pairs of shoes, with plenty of room left over for other storage. This would be fabulous in any girl’s glam dressing room.
Check out the signature Lilly floral print inside- so fun!
The ottoman is 36”d x 19”h and sells for $789.99. Currently it is only available in white, but will be offered in other colors in the coming months!
We also now have all the Lilly fabric swatches from Lee Jofa available for you to see. You can even check them out and take them home to look at in your space if you would like to! There are some great graphic prints in fabulous colors.
Hope to see you soon!
Sometimes you just need a little filler décor on your bookshelves or table tops. We just received these darling ceramic vases in various sizes and colors.
I love the elegance of this set of 3 off-white ceramic vases. They are very small, only 3 1/2” to 6 /2” high, and cost $39.99 for the total set of 3.
Another fun set are these round vases which are a bright, tomato red. They come in small, medium and large and are about 4” h to 8”h (the large is actually quite big) and range from $14.99 to $49.99.
We would love to have you stop in to see all the new accessories!
