South Carolina Woman Magazine

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Color As Therapy For Your Home

Layla S. Altman, ASID

I had a customer call me the other day wanting to thank me for a very small thing. It’s something I do almost every day as an interior designer. I helped her select a few paint colors for her home. She brought in her fabrics and described to me the style of her house. I had never been to her house, but after speaking with her for several minutes I began to imagine what it was like and how her family lived. We were able to narrow down the paint selections pretty quickly. A soft fern green color for her guest bedroom. A warm fall golden color for her hallway and foyer. She went home and I ordered the paints, which were shipped directly to her front door.

I got a call from her about a week later. She was elated! The paint colors gave her so much joy. Joy she needed because it had been a day filled with a lot of disappointment and frustration. Her husband had been having health problems. They had been back and forth to the hospital trying to resolve his situation. That day they ran into a brick wall yet again. Upon returning home from the hospital, the painters had just finished the last coat of paint. She was happily surprised how great her new colors made her house feel. Her attitude about the temporary problems they were having, now felt temporary. They would find a solution; things would work out. That moment of joy in a simple change that she had made to her home, had turned her attitude around. She wanted me to know that I had helped her to make this change in her life. Wow!

The most rewarding aspect of being an interior designer is to have a positive impact on the way someone lives. In a way, we are home therapists. We help you to reinvent your space so that you can function better, feel better and ultimately live a better quality life.

It may seem trivial. Really, can a paint color change the way I feel at home, in a room? The answer is yes. In fact there is quite a bit of research regarding how we react to our surroundings and color. You may already know that the colors Red and Yellow are aggressive and active colors. Greens and Blues are relaxing and soothing colors. The color Orange can stimulate appetite and encourage socialization. Our reaction to color is almost instantaneous and has a profound impact on the choices we make every day.

Color Psychology as Therapy

According to Kendra Van Wagner, color expert, there were several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese, which practiced chromotherapy, or using colors to heal. Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy or colourology. It is still used today as a holistic or alternative medicine method. Chromotherapists claim that colors bring about emotional reactions in people.

· Red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation.

· Yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body.

· Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels.

· Blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain.

· Indigo shades were thought to alleviate skin problems.

I firmly believe as a designer, from my education and experience, that a harmoniously balanced room can have a positive impact on an individual’s emotional and physical well-being. We may not realize it, but we unconsciously perceive our surroundings. If your room colors are mostly dark and muddy, then you may feel a little more depressed. If your colors are light and airy, you may feel more relaxed and positive. If your colors are bright and aggressive, you may feel motivated or possibly agitated and not know why. How do you want to feel in your home? Take a look at the colors that surround you and imagine how you would feel if they were different. It just could be the change you are looking for!

Layla S. Altman, ASID is the co-owner of Posh Living in Surfside Beach. She can be reached at 238-0078 or by email: layla@poshsurfside.com Read more design tips online at www.poshsurfside.com

Which Fabric?

How to choose just the right fabric for your design project.

By Kerry Ann Dame

It’s a question we hear daily at our shop. Which fabric is right for the project? We usually surprise the customer with a set of questions of our own: What is the project? What is the room? Is it formal? Who uses it? What are your hobbies? Do you have pets?

This may seem like a long list of questions for a simple fabric selection, but they are so important. Interior design is about creating a home that best suits the client’s lifestyle. That means we must go beyond the way things look – we want to choose fabrics that perform well, in addition to looking great. So we begin with the list of questions.

If the project is recovering furniture, we’ll want to know whether the piece is heavily used and by whom. A recliner that is sat in every day for hours is different from an occasional chair where people perch for an hour or so. Clients usually begin a project concerned with matching the colors of the room, but before we can look for the right color, we determine whether we want a heavy duty fabric, and whether a slipcover or upholstery is appropriate. While it may seem like a great idea to put heavy-duty fabrics on everything, they can be one of the more expensive options. There are so many wonderful patterns available in less-expensive prints, we’ll use medium-duty prints on some pieces for a great-looking room.

We also like to know about hobbies – if someone in the family is an avid gardener, beach-lover or horsewoman, a slipcover can be the perfect solution. Being able to sit on the furniture without having to change clothes is convenient and makes for relaxed living. If slipcovers are custom made they can be very stylish and traditional – and just the thing for an active lifestyle. Instead of steam cleaning, they can go right in the wash.

For upholstery we’ll need to make sure the fabric is durable and cleanable. The best fabrics for upholstery are usually a blend of a synthetic material for strength and cleanability, and a natural fiber like cotton or rayon for softness. While the thickness of the fabric contributes to its strength, a fabric doesn’t necessarily have to be thick to be durable. The fabric industry uses a scale called the Wyzenbeek scale, based on a machine that rubs the fabric until it show signs of wear. The more rubs the fabric can stand, the higher rating it achieves. For residential use, we like to see a wear rating of 25,000 rubs or more on a heavily used sofa; for commercial use such as a restaurant, a fabric will need twice that number. Some of the newer synthetic fabrics for indoors by Sunbrella and Outdura pass 60,000 rubs, making them ideal for family use, while their acrylic fibers make them easy to clean – and yet they aren’t very thick.

When shopping for a sofa, try to find out the Wyzenbeek rating of the fabric, or its content – a woven that feels heavy and is more than 50% polyester or nylon is likely to wear well. Consumers are often misled by the fabric grade on sofas – a higher grade indicates the price of the fabric, but has nothing to do with its durability. In fact, some expensive grades of fabric are silk blends or soft chenilles that are not very durable at all.

All of this doesn’t mean that a cotton fabric won’t work. Cotton prints are the workhorses of decorating. They are great for slipcovers, where they will typically last five years or so in the average family. They are also perfect for draperies, bedding and occasional chairs. We’ll even use them for upholstery in areas that have less use, such as a vacation home, formal living room, or on a bedroom chair. Often clients will worry that a large pattern will be too busy, but interior fabrics are designed to have a repetitive rhythm that actually looks best covering a large area such as a window or bed. A bold pattern can really make an average room sing. On furniture, large patterns are calmed by the shape of the chair or sofa and actually look less busy than they do on the bolt. For a very large or busy pattern, we may just use it on some pillows for a bit of punch.

Putting the room together with an assortment of fabrics is the real challenge. When clients come to select fabric, we’ll ask the important lifestyle questions first. Once their needs are established, we’ll plan the placement of fabrics in the room for wearability, appropriateness and a great look. It is so important to consider the use of a fabric. If it’s for bedding, we prefer cotton or linen that is nice to touch and washable. In my experience, too many designers choose bedding fabric for color and design, and the client ends up with something far too heavy, scratchy or delicate to be practical. Custom bedding is expensive, and to have it end up in the closet is a waste.

The same idea applies to furniture – it needs to look great and be nice to sit on. Cottons and linens have a medium wear rating, but are so comfortable in our hot southern climate that it is worth replacing them a bit more often. In fact, if a fabric is indestructible, you’ll run the risk of being sick and tired of it long before it is worn out.

Striking a balance between durability and great looks is where a professional can be really helpful. In our showroom, we encourage our clients to choose the fabrics and colors they like, and then offer advice on where each fabric should be used. First, we select the most durable patterns where we need them. Then, we address comfort and a visual mix that moves the eye easily around the room. When it all comes together, we’ve gone beyond picking colors, and created a room that has staying power and is just right for the lifestyle of the homeowner.

Kerry Ann Dame is an interior designer and co-owner of Posh Living on Business 17 in Surfside Beach. For more information, visit PoshSurfside.com online, or call (843) 238-0078.

The Elusive "Perfect Chair"
by Kerry Ann Dame

We ladies have all had that dreaded conversation at one time or another. You know what we're talking about. We try to avoid it, but it keeps rearing its ugly, overstuffed head. The Recliner. The Man Chair. Nearly every home has one, and nearly every couple has had the same argument: It's ugly! It's comfortable! But I hate looking at it! But everything else in the house looks nice, can't we have just one comfortable chair?

The debate rages on, and it's something we at Posh Living face in nearly every home we design. Some of the newer solutions save space, but we all know that Queen Anne wing chair isn't fooling anyone, and those modern Swedish recliners are just so, well, modern and Swedish. Unless you're living the eclectic loft lifestyle, they stick out like a sore thumb.

What to do? As designers, we specialize in problem-solving and finding just the right furnishings for each client. Recliners are appealing because they are so comfortable. The same level of comfort can often be achieved by choosing upholstered seating that fits the client's needs. When we sell a sofa, we always ask if the client prefers to sit or lie down, if they need support for a bad back, and if they'll be using the piece themselves or if it's primarily for guests. If a man likes to lay flat, the right sofa can work instead of a recliner. There is a big difference in the type of seating you need for an hour's visit versus an all-day football marathon. Often, we'll choose a medium size sofa that is comfortable for most people, and focus on his-and-hers seating for every day use.

First, let's talk about the Man-Chair. Comfort is key. Most men look to the recliner for its comfort and flexibility. They want head support for that post-yardwork nap, and lots of cushioning for watching games or reading. However, when offered other options sometimes a guy will choose a chair and ottoman. Our most popular recliner substitute is our overscaled Brighton wing chair. Its wide seat, fat arms and big wings are perfect for settling in for the afternoon. Add an ottoman and you can relax in a reclined position with your head on the wing and chill out. Because it doesn't recline, it saves space in the room, so it is perfect to tuck into a corner. It can be upholstered or slipcovered, and the slipcover is washable, so if you are not a fan of the typical recliner fabrics, like leather or chenille, it provides a wide variety of choices. If the cover becomes worn or stained, it is easy to repair or replace. For a casual home, both men and women love its distinctive, relaxed English cottage style.

If a recliner is truly what is needed, take heart; they are getting better looking all the time! At Posh Living, we like McNeilly-Champion leather recliners. They come in a wide variety of frame styles, and most of them resemble classic club chairs so they really don't look like a recliner at all. Imagine an English style club chair with mahogany feet and casters, or an Art Deco recliner in bomber-brown leather - in other words, a recliner that will be a decorative feature in the room, instead of an eyesore. The other advantage of a "hidden" recliner is the fact that they take up so much less room; the same level of comfort can be achieved using far less floor space. Without the typical wide, flat arms, a club chair recliner is much smaller. With a wide selection of leather choices, six leg colors, and a large selection of frame styles, we've been able to solve almost any seating problem without a design dilemma. Of course, it has to be seen to be believed, so we are very excited to have one in our showroom. The frame construction is unsurpassed in the industry; the reclining mechanism is smooth and uses no levers - just lean back and the chair goes with you. Needless to say, we are very proud to be a McNeilly-Champion dealer.

Last but not least, we like to address the comfort of the lady of the house as well. Many women are uncomfortable with the overscaled upholstery of today. They want to sit with their feet on the floor and their back against the back cushions, but most sofas are just too deep. It is really important when furniture-shopping to sit on several chairs and sofas to see what best fits you. We are usually concerned with the height of the seat off the floor, and the depth of the seat from front to back. Seat cushions of sofas vary from 18" high up to 23", and need to be the right height for those using them. A short person may need an 18" seat, unless they have long legs. A tall person may not need a high seat cushion, if the sofa is deep enough to sink back into. We ask our clients to sit on several pieces and see what feels right. A higher sofa can be fine for a shorter person if it has soft cushions, but may be too high if it has the firmest spring cushions. Once our client has made her choice, we measure the dimensions of that chair or sofa to choose her custom chair. Many women like to read, knit or scrapbook, so reclining is not as important as sitting comfortably, and we take all of that into account.

As designers, we often become deeply involved in people's lives. It's so rewarding when we receive compliments from clients who ordered custom furnishings. Quality furniture can be hard on your initial budget, but we feel strongly that buying pieces that will last makes sense. Years later, we'll bump into a client and hear how much they still love their chair, room, or house - and we love knowing that we made a difference! Often, a husband and wife will have two entirely different chairs in the same room - leather for him, and something pretty but very comfortable for her. Sometimes, they order his-and-hers matching chairs. As people today are looking to age in place, it is so helpful to have quality furnishings that won't sag, spring cushions that are firm to ease getting up, or even a motorized recliner. It gives us great satisfaction to know that we have designed rooms our client may have for a lifetime, and that we may have ended an ongoing argument once and for all!

Copyright 2009 Kerry Ann Dame. May not be reproduced without permission.
Kerry Ann Dame is an interior designer and the co-owner of Posh Living in Surfside Beach. She can be reached via email at KerryAnn@PoshSurfside.com, or at the showroom at 843-238-0078. Read more design tips online at PoshSurfside.com

The ABC’s of Holiday Style

By Kerry Ann Dame and Layla Altman

Holiday gift-giving doesn’t have to be ho-hum. Break out of your mall malaise – think beyond sweaters and cologne, and consider your loved one’s lifestyle.

A is for Art – A great gift for couples to give each other.

B is for Botanicals – Shells and Flowers on fabric, or scents for the home.

C is for Candles – So many chic designs, and such pretty packaging, a quick and easy gift.

D is for Damask – Pillows, pajamas, stationery; dresses up your life.

E is for Eclectic – Give a gift that adds to a collection.

F is for Frou Frou – A tassel trimmed purse or lampshade is girly fun.

G is for Gourmet – Food gifts are always welcome, especially if you make them yourself.

H is for Home – Welcoming someone who’d otherwise be alone is a special gift.

I is for Ikat – The hot new fabric adds global chic on a pillow or chair.

J is for Jewelry – Who can say no to something pretty?

K is for Kite – Family fun, unplugged!

L is for Lamp – A lamp makes a unique and much appreciated gift.

M is for Massage – Give the gift of relaxation.

N is for Nostalgia – Visit the antique mall for something from the Good Old Days.

O is for Orchestra – Tickets to a concert you can share together.

P is for Pets – Pamper your loved one’s pet with a pretty dog bed!

Q is for Quality – Buy one nice, well-made item instead of lots of cheap ones.

R is for Rug – Give the gift of warmth and a quick room makeover at the same time!

S is for Silk – Pajamas, curtains, a fabulous pillow, silk is a luxury treat.

T is for Travel – Make memories together.

U is for Umbrella – In the wildest print you can find.

V is for Vintage – Find an old mirror or table and refinish, paint or decorate it for a very personal gift.

W is for Wellness – How about some exercise gear?

X is for XM Radio – With over 130 channels of music, sports, news and talk radio, what’s not to love?

Y is for Yellow – A sunny color, anything yellow will brighten your home.

Z is for Zebra – On a rug, a pillow, it’s like an instant room makeover.