Hello!

Just like that, another summer has come and gone. With kids back in school and routines back in order, this upcoming fall season may find you with a little more time to think about your home - I know that's the case for me.

It's bittersweet to say goodbye to family vacations and to send my youngest back to Florida for another season with the Sarasota Ballet, but I've already taken advantage of the newfound time to pursue my personal home project.

This year, Rob and I have set off to update our family room. With two west-facing windows, the room doesn't get as much natural light as I'd like during the daytime. And now as fall approaches, the daylights will be getting even shorter. So, this month, we'll focus on three aspects of the room - paint color, window treatments, and reflective elements - that lighten up the space.

With the Fall Equinox on September 22 comes a new Hunter Douglas Rebate: Season of Style.

Kindest regards,

Margaret
Owner, Sew Beautiful
 In This Issue
Did You Know?

When Fall Steals the Light

Hunter Douglas Rebate
 
Did You Know?
There's an entire vocabulary surrounding the texture of various types of fabrics. Within the titles of our fabric books, you'll find words like "slubby" and "bouclé" to describe the smooth, bumpy, multicolored, monochromatic, and novelty fabrics lining the walls. Have any idea what these mean?

Slub yarns vary in thickness across the length of the strand, weaving together to create a fabric where some sections rise higher than others. The change in thickness can be spaced out regularly or irregularly.
Bouclé yarns vary in loop size. A mixture of looser and tighter loops within the same strand creates a bumpy feel to the woven fabric.
When Fall Steals The Light
Emphasizing Natural Light in my Own Home
We’ve all heard the old adage, “the shoemaker’s children go barefoot.” Well, I’ve always felt that way about my own home. 

In the business of decorating for others, many designers may not have the time or inclination to update their own homes.  Until recently, that’s been the case for myself. But finally, I’ve taken the time to update my family room! Enlisting one of my own designers, Ronnie Harmon, and decorative painter Suzi Wood, we set out to create a brighter, updated room that is comfortable, inviting and transitional. A big consideration for my husband and me is how long we might stay in our current house. Not knowing where we might be in the next few years, we looked to make changes with resale in mind. In other words, how could we work with what we currently have? 
BEFORE
Thinking first about our “non-negotiables” – our beautiful area rug, sofa, two chairs and TV console that all fit the room perfectly – we designed a plan for painting, reupholstering and accessorizing to achieve our desired look.

The dark red leather sofa and two Michael Thomas chairs, while still comfortable and in great shape, were simply dated. With a fitted slipcover for the sofa, and reupholstered chairs, it all looks brand new!
AFTER
With a western exposure that offers little daylight, we set out to lighten the room. Starting with the fireplace, Suzi painted the brick in a combination of whites and grays to give it depth and texture. Painting the fireplace doors black offers a sharp contrast to the white brick and completes a beautiful focal point for the room. The walls we painted in Revere Pewter with silk white trim.  This monochromatic palette allows us to add texture and pops of color with accessories for a layered liveable space. 
To complete the seating arrangement, the black coffee table was replaced with an upholstered ottoman in a soft gray leather and the TV console was painted in a weathered drift wood finish. By adding square bunion feet and new drawer pulls, it too looks like we purchased a new piece. 
The addition of glass top tables, glass base lamps and mirrors on the mantel add light reflective value to a usually dark space. The new art above our sofa – an abstract of New York City – is one of my favorite pieces as it reminds us of time spent with our ballerina daughter in the big city! 

And of course no room is complete without the right window treatments! Custom continuous arch plantation shutters from Norman are the perfect finishing touch. I love the light they bring to the room, especially at night as light reflects off the closed louvers.   


While it’s taken some time to complete (client projects come before personal), I am so pleased with my new family room. A big thank you to Ronnie for his patience with me and persistence to achieve the overall vision. And thank you Suzi – your beautiful painting has helped transform this room! Are you both ready for the next one?
Need help with a decorating project?

Please contact us for an in-home consultation. We help homeowners dress their windows and complete their rooms with well designed and beautifully made custom window treatments, pillows, cushions, bedding, upholstery and more. To schedule an in-home consultation, call  (410) 544-3300 or email  [email protected] .
Hunter Douglas Rebate
Sew Beautiful | 8 Evergreen Rd. Severna Park, MD | 410 544 3300