House Accessories for 2011

Get the look for 2011
Do it Yourself
by Angelie Martin-Spencer
Thursday, January 20, 2011

Textures in textiles are a hot trend this year, basically, luxe... and the home décor trends go hand in hand with the fashion trends. The same fabrics that you see on the runways in clothing and accessories like bags, will be the same ones you'll see in the home. Frills, ruffles, lace, velvet and crystal beading are mostly seen in clothing, but now they're seen on bedding, pillows and throws.

While doing a little online shopping at Next (UK) stores, I saw these trends repeated over and over and realised we needn't buy these things online from half way round the world, because we could actually get the look by doing it ourselves with fabric resources found right here.

o Ruffles are very popular and can be seen on bedding, pillows and throws from Next UK (pictured); however, I found those very same kind of ruffled fabrics at Ping's and Silk and Satin, in a wide variety of colours and prints. To make the throw, you need two yards of the fabric and hem. To make the pillows, a yard will suffice. Because the fabric already has so much texture, you need not add any trimmings, so you could cut a square for the front and use an envelope closure for the back.

o Lace is also making an appearance in places it wasn't usually seen. Yes, it used to be on curtains, but now it's on cushions. To get the look, create contrast, using a lighter coloured fabric like beige or gold satin, and top that with lace in a darker colour like black, or red. (pictured). Pablo's has some great lace and satins that can be layered to get the look (pictured).

o Velvet is also very popular this year, because it is just soooo luxurious and is great for bedspreads and pillows. Fabrics like cottons and linens are also being accented with velvet for added texture. I've actually seen these fabrics at LP Azar and Marc's.

o And you can add further luxe to your cushions by adding sparkly trimmings and accents like diamante trims, crystal brooches or beaded buttons (pictured).

With all the textures that are now evident in fabrics and home accents, a great way to incorporate them in your home is to go with a monochromatic scheme, and allow the textures to add the interest, or go with a 2-toned scheme where you use a neutral colour as the backdrop and add a pop of bold colour and texture.

MY THOUGHTS

anything that's hard to maintain is a no-no for me. never mind the fad. if i can't throw them into the washer, they're not nice. i bought these noodle curtains. pretty. classy. until it's time to have them cleaned. not even acceptable with dry cleaners.