It’s All in the Mix

I remember as a young girl the enjoyment of the many weddings I attended with my parents. Guests ranging from the smallest crawling their way across the dance floor (parents racing behind to catch them) to the perfectly partnered parents showing us how it‘s supposed to be done. Everyone was always ready for a slow dance after two or three polkas, an occasional twist and the (no wedding is complete without it) chicken dance. All were guaranteed to have a good time, it was all in the mix.

As Boomers we are a product of our past where our decorating acceptance was measured by our ability to match fabric, rugs, wood and accent pieces. Furniture collections were the way to go with manufacturers sculpting our style in everything from sofas to the lamps. Matching was easy and it kept us balanced. However, it had the same effect as dancing to one Polka after another. Today’s freedom of decorating style flourishes on the mix of furnishings, fabrics, color and texture.

While furniture is still referred to as Formal, Casual, Contemporary, etc. they now sit side by side in the same room. Think of adding a tapestry chair to a leather collection to add warmth to the environment. Integrate antiques and other collectables throughout the home, grouping them with other like items takes away from their uniqueness. Bring the outdoors inside by adding a garden accent table in wrought iron or marble to add to the mix. While it is always a comfort to know you have one store that knows you by name, your decorating may be limited by a sales person or manufacturer’s style.

Forego your teachings that plaids and stripes don’t mix. On the contrary they work well together and should be added to the mix when using floral and prints. The choice of fabrics today allow endless opportunities to inject variety into your room with luscious silks and tapestries not excluding embroidered and embellished materials. Add contrast by using a color in accent pieces that is no way related to your color scheme, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how this brings an added dimension to your room. Speaking of color, yes you can add a contrast color to one or more walls. Entertain the options available in finishes that expand your decorating with minimal cost.

There are tremendous decorating opportunities available to bring a monochromatic look to life with the right mix. Work with a minimum of three shades of the color you have chosen. Think texture, texture, texture and feel free to incorporate sisal, leather, and lace. Add pottery and metal accents in either the deepest or lightest shades of your color. Choose tone on tone fabrics in a variety of patterns.

Congratulations, you can now celebrate the freedom of living in the great U.S.A. and your decorating freedom. Enjoy!