Splendidly Small!

When we saw this picture we were immediately smitten.  Bright, textured, stylish and, yes...small.  Who says small rooms can’t be divinely ambitious.  If this room were dog it would be a Chihuahua that thought it was a Great Dane!   Stuck with small room but feeling aspirational?  Here are a few tips:

·         Simple colour scheme - if small children are not your intended guests, a palette that consists of 80% white is ALWAYS a winner!  Added to it are cools in the form of turquoise and midnight and warms in the brass accents and some unexpected touches of red.

·         Texture - this room is deliciously layered. The idea that small rooms should not be cluttered or they will look smaller is a myth!  The more your eye has to look at the less you notice the walls.   Just do it artfully.

·         Play on scale – the oversized cushions on a smaller sofa makes the room feel a bit decadent, as does the very large pattern on the floor rug.  This is smartly mixed with smaller scale patterns in the fabrics

·         The eclectic art wall – always a winner and not as expensive as one hero painting.  Just frame up all your little bits...post cards, baby sketches, small posters and voilà!  Not sure, though, about this on BOTH sides of the room as done here... just settle for one wall.

·         Focal point - A really strong focal point is a requirement in small room for obvious reasons -you look at it and not the floor plan.  It’s the mirror in this room, of course!

Like it, want it?  Eco Chic's got it!  Our Driftwood mirror would work perfectly in this context, as would the Claudine table lamp.  Try the Parker sofa in a small space - sleek and streamlined.  The Venice rug can make a big impact on a small budget, and the Luanne range works beautifully in so many applications, it's always a winner. Mix the Boxy frames with our horn and burlap options coming soon, and you've got the look.  Sounds Like Home - we can hear 'So Frenchy So Chic 2011' playing in this room...http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/so-frenchy-so-chic-2011/id416476680

Dinner Date

Eccentric and eclectic, sexy and stylish yet still understated – a real achievement!  What makes this unusual dining room a sophisticated success?

·         Neutral, yes, bland, no – restrained colours have not been allowed to stray into the boring zone by the clever use of texture, the defining tones of black and the crisp touches of white

·         Varied size and shape is used to great effect – the oversized bowl, the exaggerated chandelier, the low-level pouffe - give visual interest and add the unexpected to the room

·         Highly curvaceous forms make for a sinuous rhythm – there are very few straight lines in this voluptuous setting!

·         References run from formal (the dining table) to fantastic (the Ostrich side table), mid-century (the chairs) to traditional (the bulls-eye mirror) and it is this co-ordinated yet disparate mix that makes a basically very neutral toned room dramatic, not dull

Eco Chic’s Valmont or Palm Springs dining table would give this look.  Our sensational Mud Bead Chandelier is a showstopper along similar lines.  Try the Nicholson or Luanne mirror if it’s curves you’re looking for. Dulux Pier Pointe is a good match for this pale but interesting wall colour. Sounds Like Home - we can hear the strains of Leftfield’s ‘Original’ drifting through this room  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsXX1ws739Y

Marché aux Puces - Parisian Flea Market Style

Industrial style is a versatile favourite of ours; using deft touches can add an edge to coastal style, give glamour interiors a touch of street savvy and save country from getting too cute. 

Some of our favourite pieces are the originals we found earlier this year at French flea markets up and down the country, from Paris to Pézenas and beyond. 



Pewter and horn chandeliers, pre-war filing trays, turn of the century office chairs...

....old zinc pharmacy trolleys, factory fans, warehouse lighting - lots to love....



..now we just have to work out how to get it all back here for you!