Patchwork Cushions :: Recycled Fabric & Denim

When I was a child I remember my Nan used to keep tins and boxes with assorted buttons, old zips, bags of fabric remnants, denim off-cuts and pieces of string. She would never through anything away if it could be recycled. I also find myself doing the same thing especially since I have a lot of samples leftover from projects.

So what a great way to use up those samples fabric pieces and create your own original cushion designs! 

These lovely cushions featured are by textile designers Cloth Fabric in Sydney. They patch their textile own remnants, composed in colour combinations that work really well together and create a new family of products.

images via Cloth Fabric

Just goes to show it is better to gather and recycle than to throw away!

Have fun

Recycled Patchwork Fabric Sofas

What can one do when your sofa looks tired, frayed on the seat cushions and has seen better days? 

Buy a new one? 
Buy a new cover? 
Throw a sheet over it? 
Or re-upholster?

I love my old sofa... It was a lovely house warming present from my dear Nan, purchased from Ikea UK over 12 years ago. It has participated in 4 house moves and one long boat ride from the UK...

It has lasted really well considering and still has the original fabric, is sturdy, the seat cushions still have great structure and it is so comfortable. The only thing now is that the seat cushions are a little thread bare and in need of a makeover. 

So this has now become a little personal project of mine to create a new look with my existing sofa. I am thinking of:

• Using recycled upholstery grade fabric where possible
• Changing the style of the legs
• Changing the colour of the legs
• Making new scatter cushions

To start my project I have added some images of other successful patchwork sofas for inspiration.

Image via Terry's Fabrics

I love how the choice of patterns used within this patchwork sofa co-ordinates so seamlessly with the colour scheme in this room. A great colour combination!

Image from the Spier Hotel

This sofa takes on more of a natural colour scheme and is highlighted by the green dining room chairs and co-ordinated by the use of natural woods and use of pale green within this room.

Image via Arthur G's furniture

By keeping the patchwork design structured, the cushions works well with the square style of the sofa frame.

Images via Design Rulz

This is where you can have a little more fun by creating a statement piece by using both strong colours and strong patterns.

I will let you know how it all goes.

Have fun.

Re-upholstered Dining Room Chairs :: Sari Fabric

I just could not help myself to add this image today by the style files. 

image via the design styles

This setting is actually an office board room of the fashion label the Free People in Philadelphia. 

The chairs have been upholstered with different pieces of recycled sari fabric and look amazing! It's a great way to add character to your room, tell a story of your travels and just the thing to go with my sari artwork. 

All I need to do now is find some second hand dining room chairs to upholster. 

Have fun.

Driftwood Coffee Tables & Side Tables

Early this year, the beach at the end our garden got an absolute hammering with ex-cyclone Oswald and a further mini tornado that ripped through after. 

We moved in just after these storms but are still reminded by the extent of tree damage and driftwood that still remains on the beach. The beach is now slowing and naturally repairing itself though a meter lower than it originally was earlier this year.

I keep walking past quite a bit of driftwood and thinking what can I do with these lovely redundant items? Maybe a new driftwood coffee table or side table like these?

These striking driftwood side tables sold by by the sea are created by layering the individual pieces into an outward fanning shape.

This simple design by her-indoors with the stacked driftwood is perfect set against the natural rug below. It probably is also easier to build!

This driftwood table by designer Tristan Cockerill has each peice of driftwood nailed in place until the shape is realised and then a piece of toughend glass placed on top to finish it off.

I will have to see how much driftwood I can gather first.

Have fun.

Ethnic cushion style

I love traveling and have always loved the idea of bringing something back from my travels and integrating it into my home. 

I always make time to find those local fabric markets, not just for that holiday experience, but to bring something back that I know I would struggle to source back home in Australia.

Cushion cover fabric is one of the easiest things to look for at these markets.

If you keep your sofa base fabric neutral you can add a wild mix of colour, texture and patterns with cushions made from pieces of handcrafted textiles, old rugs and fabrics from your travels.

image from Richard Powers

These cushions have a handcrafted South American vibe!

Pairing cushions with a rug also helps anchor the room or area.

images from style files

These cushions are made out of old ponchos from Peru!

What a great way to remind you of your holidays and add a splash of colour and decorating confidence to your room.

Have fun.

Outdoor Entertaining Colour Schemes :: Colours of Rajasthan, India

The best thing about moving house is when you go through those last few boxes and discover old picture frames, holiday photos, lamps, ceramic bowls and items you purchased on holiday and packed away years ago as you never found a natural home for them. 

With this mind and together with my fond memories of India I would like to add a splash of colour to my outdoor entertaining space and finally find a home for those packed away holiday purchases. 

I am literally starting form scratch as I currently have no outdoor furniture.

So where do I start?... With a colour mood board and a theme. 

My colour theme for my outdoor dining area is going to be that of the intense mix of colours that I have found across India and especially Rajasthan. 

Here's my colour board below...

I have added a few photos from my travels along with my favorite colours & textiles. This blend of  bright colours instantly brings back happy memories of my travels. 

Yes you really can take a photo like this. The cows love the camera!

I cannot take credit for these photos as they are by others.
I have added these images so that you can see how intense colour really is in Rajasthan, from the sari fabrics through to the window frames and architecture.

For this type of colour scheme to work I will use intense colour across fabrics and cushions and keep the seating and furniture quite neutral, maybe white cane seats and white washed recycled timber.

This exercise is not something I am going to solve overnight but by starting with a colour board and theme it will help me keep focused on a clear approach.

Have fun.

Recycled Chairs :: Stackable Old School Chairs

My family and I have recently moved from our lovely 67 sqm Brisbane Post War home in Brisbane to a larger home by the sea in Hervey Bay. 

We plan to raise, extend and add a much needed deck to our Brisbane home at a later date but in the mean time we have swapped our city life for a sea change while we plan for the future new house build. 

This move has given us the opportunity to have outdoor living areas for the first time since we have been in Australia and this we are quite excited about.

So I now have some new "To do lists"...

1. Look for some second hand outdoor dining room chairs and recycle.

2. Reupholster and give some new life to some up my old dining room seats.

3. Look for some old timber doors or recycled timber furniture to make a new outside dining room table.

4. Find some old secondhand daybeds, refurnish to create to a new outdoor lounge area.

5. Start planning for the new build.

Now for Task 1 - Inspiration for new dining room chairs

Currently I have some old dining room, ply stackable, 'school style' chairs (originally from Ikea UK many years ago) and I am now looking for some ideas to give them a new face lift.

via poppytalk

This recycled old school chair has been given a great revamp just by adhering fabric scraps and samples to its back and base.

Here's a great idea if you love painting. These beautiful chairs from Anthropologie are hand painted with different flower and landscape scenes.

via decor8blog

Finally for something for softer. This comfortable revamp of a classic 1930's school chair by UK textile and pattern designer Ellen Calvert has created a cushion base and back by knitting the cushion and based with a giant woolen knit, then she applies a pattern print to then embroidering over on top.

Have fun.