There are of course other items of soft furnishings that also make a huge difference. Whilst tie backs aren’t much used these days in contemporary rooms, in a traditional setting they can make a pair of curtains truly sing! In this case size really does matter. Small and weedy tie backs look mean, and do nothing to enhance curtains, but a pair of heavy tie backs with grand tassels will add a stately feel. One word of caution when using tie backs, or indeed any other forms of passmenterie: don’t try to match the colour exactly to the fabric they sit on. The more exact the match, the less they will be noticed. It is often better to make your tie backs or trimmings a little more intense in colour, and generally speaking, the smaller or more delicate the trim, the stronger the colour needs to be.
For a while now, furniture throws have been in evidence, although I have to say they are not a personal favourite of mine. Whilst a strategically placed sash of a wool or cashmere fabric across the back of a sofa certainly brings something to the party, I’m not a fan of the type of throw that is supposed to completely encompass a whole sofa or chair. It always looks dishevelled, and never seems to quite cover everything, giving me the irrepressible desire to lift it up to see what lies beneath.
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So far we have talked mainly about living rooms, but soft furnishings can really come into their own when used in bedrooms. Here, a new bedspread can change the feel of the room instantly. Whether it be something simple and readymade, or beautifully quilted, the impact is immediate. Quilting on bedspreads has many forms, ranging from the ornate and sumptuous look of outline quilting, where the seamstress guides the machine by hand around the intricate design or print of a fabric, to the simpler and far less pricey, but extremely effective technoquilting. This is a process where the quilting machine is programmed to produce a more regular design, such as a diamond trellis, a series of channels, or something crisp and contemporary. As most of us now use duvets instead of sheets and blankets, the majority of bedspreads these days are throwover rather than fitted. A good halfway house is a three quarter length bedspread, revealing a smart, kick pleated bed valance. This gives you the scope to incorporate more than one fabric, perhaps tying in the valance with an occasional chair or the headboard. If however you are the type of person whose bedspread spends most of its time in a crumpled heap in the corner, a bed sash could be more suitable for you. As with cushions, because of the relative size of the sash to the proportions of the whole room, you can use a stronger and more impactful fabric to add warmth or drama. And talking of the good old cushion, why not throw a few on the bed for good measure – we at John Charles Interiors always do.
Lastly, and by no means leastly (is that a word? If not it should be), let’s talk about headboards. For many a year now, the importance of having a strong, impactful headboard has been appreciated. 10 years ago in this very editorial I was advocating having it up to a metre and a half tall in the right setting, but these days they just seem to be getting bigger, bolder and more beautiful. In fact we have recently installed several full wall headboards, where the bedsides sit in front of the headboard, and pendant lights hang from the ceiling instead of bedside lamps. Even if this look
wouldn’t suit your bedroom, the headboard still has an important role to play in bringing pizzazz to a room. It can be in a striking fabric or combination of fabrics, and can be deep padded, buttoned or squared.
So there you are, from items as big as headboards to as small as cushions, the thoughtful use of soft furnishings really can lift and refresh your room.
JOHN BIDDELL - JOHN CHARLES INTERIORS 349 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B17 8DL T. 0121 420 3977
www.johncharlesinteriors.co.uk
LIVE24-SEVEN.COM
HOME S & INTERIORS JOHN BIDDE L L
John Biddell - John Charles Interiors
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