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Pop Mod Color

Ever wonder how designers make a room flow while mixing and matching patterns and colors? I have been asked so many times how I can be so brave with colors and not be so “matchy” with patterns. Our spring cover exhibits this idea exactly. I mixed pops of color and multiple patterns while still maintaining a fluid design with cohesiveness. How did I do it? Well it really isn’t hard with just a few tips from the trade to follow.

Pop Mod Color 2011

Pop Mod Color 2011

 

First, you have to realize that mixing and matching is a good thing. “Designer” rooms feel like they have evolved piece by piece and are not just a matching set of something from a local “big box store”. Maintain this mind set as you add each piece to your space.

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Second, let’s talk about pattern. Mixing patterns is easy. I have one simple tip to follow. Mix patterns of different scales. For example our fabulous Amy Butler Vibrant Damask Rug designed by famous designer Amy Butler has an extra large pattern with several colors. I pulled the green and chocolate from the rug and choose another pattern for our super cute Button Back Egg Wing Chair. The paisley print on the chair is a smaller scale than the rug with complimenting colors to make the patterns cohesive. The two patterns together are much more interesting than a solid and a pattern would be, making the scene fun and exciting.

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Third, mixing colors is always fun. My tip, you can create any color combo as long as there is at least one element in the space that features all the colors together. You can mix red and yellow, purple and blue, green and pink, etc… as long as you have a piece of art, a pattern, an accessory that has all the colors you wish to feature. Again I was inspired by our Amy Butler Vibrant Damask Rug. Who wouldn’t fall in love with this exciting pattern with popping colors? The cool tones of the apple green, turquoise blue, and sunny yellow in the rug float beautifully on a sea of soft white. The white background makes the colors “pop”, which brings me to my second tip about mixing color. Choose a neutral to consistently break up your color combo, giving your eye something to rest on along the way. I choose white accents like our Flowering Stalk Floor Lamp in gloss white, our Oval Ring Drum Shade Pendant in white, and our glossy white Laquer White Greek Key 2 Drawer Dresser. These bright white accents give your eye a rest as it flows from the bright rug to the patterned chair, and then finally to the bright turquoise wall with our exclusive Beautiful Mansard Mirror designed to complement our entire spring collection featured on pg. 2 and 3 of our Pop Mod Color catalog.

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Follow these very simple tips and you too can create a “Designer” space all your own. Mix any color, mix different patterns and have fun with your space. My hope is that our Pop Mod Color catalog inspires you to be fearless in your designs and embrace color for spring 2011!

Pop Mod Color

Pop Mod Color

Until next time,
Katrina

Before the Transformation…

Let’s just say our basement was not a show place & leave it at that. It served as a “multi-purpose” room in the broadest of senses. Old stereo equipment dating back to husband Dave’s years of collecting the latest & greatest in Hi Fi, 8 Track, Cassette Recorders, etc. etc., etc. Hand me down sofa from my sisters first house, etc. etc., etc.  Oh yeah did I mention the Electronic Piano??? You get the picture; brings new meaning to “fallout shelter.”

So the transformation began with my need for bright color & the family’s need for a Family Fun Room/Media Room. Found the rug & the rest just came together one, two, three; really- it all happened in 1 hour of being at the furniture market with some of our favorite supplier.

Found the rug & ottoman

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Festive Plaid Rug
, Festival Floral Ottoman: 3 Colors

& worked the colors of the sofa around it

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Four Piece Sectional

and then turned & walked around the corner & there was the Chandelier,

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Circus Tent Carnival Chandelier

next corner were the Geometric Prints! Poof! Done!

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Geometric Prints : 3 Colors

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Back in Richmond we got down to the details of accessories & lighting. Here is where I pulled in our Design Team. The Outdoor light for the prints just spoke to all of us; love them! The gloss white & design is so right with the prints. We decided to keep with the color story & bring in this cool table lamp in the orange & bravo! It made a huge impact.

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Sizzling Colors Geometric Ceramic Table Lamp 7 colors

Deciding the wall color was even simple as we all agreed Yellow was the right choice. We went with a vibrant , buttery yellow  to keep things uplifted & crisp. The family is happy, hubby loves the chaise lounge connected to the sofa & our Loki can’t stop chasing her tail when we let her visit the new room. Not sure that is because she loves the room or she really is “Loki” ;)

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Black and White Make it Right!

The crisp clean statement that black & white make together are classic’s in their own right. This combination transcends decorative styles; it goes boldly from modern to classic venues as seen in our popular Black & white porcelain table lamp

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Porcelain Stripe Table Lamp

We love the clever pattern of this Black & White Floral Damask area rug; such a breath of fresh air! Perfect for a spring time decor freshen up.

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Black and White Damask Rug

French Toile shades in black and white adorn a classic bath fixture & will sit proudly in any bath or powder room.

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Traditional White Bath Light

Take it out doors in this sharp indoor/outdoor braided rug. Definitely not your grandmother’s braided rug and is available in 4 colors.

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Indoor/Outdoor Braids Rug

The Best of the Best!

We’re highlighting a selection of our customer’s favorite items and where one might use them.

Designs By Gollum’s Michael Lee’s elegantly appointed home is a treasure of detail & mastery of design.

Her use of a crystal chandelier in the boudoir can be replicated using our European Crystal Elegance Chandelier.

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Recreate the perfect ambient lighting effects seen in her dining room for your next soiree using our beaded Old Hollywood Regency Chandelier, Old Hollywood Sconce & Starburst Candlestick Lamp.

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The high design impact of mirrored furniture reflected here makes quite the statement. We have an array of styles and finishes.

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Classic furnishings with the dramatic impact of the black zebra in Designs By Gollums’ sophisticated living room. Our stenciled zebra skins are available in black or chocolate.

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Visit Designs by Gollum for our Princess Basket Wall Sconce Giveaway!

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Michael is busy penning her next novel; a trilogy that revolves around a Charleston “cake lady” named Teeny. The first book in the series is titled Gone with a Handsomer Man. Visit Michael Lee West for all the details of her enchanting and charming novels.

Hope our inspiration helps you to make your home your haven.

Decorating Your Nest…

Tweet, Tweet…make your nest complete! The bird craze is all about bringing the outdoors in with rich, graphic and traditional bird patterns! Birds of a feather flock to everything home!

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We’ve got your feathers covered…

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Mimosa, the color of hope and reassurance for 2009

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Pantone, the world renowned authority on color, recently selected their color of the year, Mimosa. The invigurating color is popping up everywhere.

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“The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation.”

 

 

Freshen up your home without emptying your wallet!

Looking to freshen your home without emptying your wallet?  Check out these simple ideas to keep costs low and results high.

  • Paint one wall an accent color or a deeper shade of the color you already have. If the room is long & narrow, paint a warm dark color on the short wall. Or paint the ceiling a light cool color. Or just paint the fireplace wall section an accent color. Add new lamps with that accent color.

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  • Paint a piece of furniture (such as a coffee table or 2 end tables) an accent color. Be sure to use the proper prep (ask the local hardware store for guidance).
  • Rearrange your furniture and add a new rug. Change or recover your throw pillows or try “wrapping” them with your favorite scarf.

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  • Take an existing console or end table and add a storage shelf on the bottom for baskets to hold “stuff”. Paint the shelf an accent color or use antique wood flooring. Or sell an existing piece of furniture at a consignment store and replace it with a storage piece like a mirrored furniture piece that will always go with any look you do.
  • Add inexpensive seating “stools” that can double as end tables. Paint them a fun color or distress them and “paint” with an antique wash.
  • Add accent lighting (plant lights on timers, picture lights, spotlight on sculpture or architectural feature). You will be amazed at how much accent lighting can do for a room at night! Put dimmers on all other lighting in the room.

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  • Add some interest to your walls by taking all pictures down and rearranging them in a new plan on the floor, adding short shelves made from antique molding (for collections of sculpture, colored or clear glass, candles or candlesticks), table clocks and decorative items from the kitchen that can be hung on the wall (platters or plates, containers that can hold trailing greenery, handmade bowls, etc.), and small mirrors hung from decorative chain or interesting ribbon. Try adding an open empty frame (antique ones are great) around a plate or platter (maybe even on the diagonal).
  • Add a “fun” fabric lamp shade on a plain lamp.

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  • New monogrammed towels for your bathroom (Hit the white sales!).
  • Frame your bathroom mirror with antique molding, polyurethane molding painted in an accent color, upholstery braid, or outdoor ribbon.

©Shades of Light 2008

It’s 2009! Make Your Home Shine!

2009 is here! Now is the time to clean up, clear out and comfy up your home. Our design team has brainstormed on some simple ideas to inspire your design transformations.

Step back and decide what to keep and then make your list of what you will need to make your home sparkle like new.

Stuck with old-dated can lights? We have the perfect instant solution! Our Magic Pendant easily screws into your recessed light. We offer an assortment of hardware and glass shades to work in every décor.

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Patterns, patterns and more patterns for 2009: floral motifs, paisleys, geometrics. Some Shades of Light Products to try…

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Make the old look new. Layer an existing rug over a larger sized sisal to create a chic up to date look. Choose from our vast selection of bordered rugs to impact your existing space.

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Maintaining Your Rug

RUG CUSHION OR PAD

Not just for keeping your rug in place! The cushion is an important aspect of prolonging the life of your rug. The pad helps cushion the rug from the existing floor underneath to absorb the weight of traffic and to help keep the rug from breaking down. Choose the correct pad to keep the rug from slipping. Determine whether the rug will be on top of carpet or on a hard surface floor. We offer a selection of pads of each type.

PROPER CLEANING

To keep your rug in great shape, vacuum or shake it regularly. You need to get any loose dirt from the surface of the rug. Dirt and soil can work down into the base of the rug and break down the fibers. Follow the manufacturer’s directions on cleaning. When using over the counter products, all traces must be removed from the carpet after cleaning. Otherwise, they will act like a magnet and soil will attach to any trace left in the rug. We recommend professional cleaning for all rugs. We do not recommend protective coatings for natural fibers. They could effect the color and destroy the fiber’s natural ability to breathe. However, protective coatings can be applied to synthetics. Our tufted wool area rugs naturally lose a bit of fuzz. This is natural, simply fetch a vacuum and groom away.