I’m a big fan of bright colors. Huge. In the winter, I love the warmth that shades like cranberry, orange and fuchsia bring to a room, and in the summer I like to bring the outside in with sunshiny yellow, cool aqua and fresh green. Doesn’t the thought of all that color just make you feel – well, joyful?
The thing with brights is, it’s a little too easy to cross the line into overkill. A little bit of fuchsia or chartreuse can go a long way. So I’ve found that one of the easiest (and safest!) ways to inject color into a room is through the soft furnishings. Cushions, curtains, throws, tablecloths, bedcovers – they’re all inexpensive and easy to change, so you don’t feel bad when you tire of one color and want to experiment with another.
This season I’m really loving the colors of handwoven fabric simply because it comes in such a fabulous range of colors. Handwoven material (also known as khaddar) has been a long-time staple of the fashion world here in south east Asia, and the thicker variety works great for home furnishings, with its vibrant colors and nubby texture.
Khaddar has undergone a huge revival in recent years, thanks to the efforts of a few designers who have taken a traditional technique and used it to produce high quality ‘designer’ material.
Khaadi is one such Pakistani design house. Though they are best known for their lighter cotton and silk textiles – which are used for clothes – they have a stunning range of home accessories that make the most of handwoven textures and patterns. The result: pretty yet practical pieces that combine the rustic flavor of a traditional art with the funky feel of contemporary design. I can’t count the number of times I’ve gone into the Khaadi showroom just to lust after the gorgeous displays and buy yet another fabulous piece that I definitely don’t need but can’t live without once I’ve seen it!
I’ve found that a striking hot pink or orange bedcover can transform the look of my bedroom, and a red tablecloth creates an instant festive feeling on my dining table – especially when set with contrasting mats and napkins. Great for holidays and special occasions – or simply when I want to be cheered up!
What do you think? Would you take the plunge and fill your home with color…?
[All images via Khaadi.com]
