The Magic of Fabric
...a tiny window at Claire's rental
So far this year, we have focused on window coverings and inspiration while both Linny and I dig into further developing our own personal styles. I wrote about my recent move into a rental, and how I planned to make it feel like home quickly, thoughtfully, and on budget. My plan mostly worked - I was able to source most of my punch list via Facebook Marketplace and Habitat for Humanity within two weeks of moving in and ended up only using Ikea for a bed frame and soft goods. There are certainly still things I would like to do, but I now feel like I can settle back into our slow progress approach.
Everything you see here is second-hand (including books and accessories) with the exception of the Ikea throw pillows, which are double-stuffed at Linny’s suggestion to avoid the sad, squashed throw pillow look. I added a pair of vintage olive green armchairs to the room this weekend. They popped up on Linny’s fbmp before mine despite being 1 minute away from my house - just goes to show, sometimes it helps to put friends’ algorithms to work for you.
As a reminder, I won’t be painting the walls because it’s a rental, and it has very textured walls that I am not up for tackling. However, I love color and pattern, so I needed to get creative. While we were searching for window covering inspiration, this image of a beautiful slanted window covering by Louis Roe sparked an idea for my son's cute little dormer window.
I sent Linny this silly little sketch and decided to drape the space in these cotton IKEA curtains we have been loving lately.
She came to visit, and we spent some time assessing the space and then headed to IKEA and the hardware store for supplies. We spent a morning rigging up curtain rods, and thanks to Linny's skilled DIY hands, we created a space that feels like my own childhood dreams come true.
I was honestly surprised by how special it felt to sit in this little space. There is something magical about being surrounded by fabric, and it really hit me that I want to lean into using more textiles in general.
Stay tuned for our next newsletter about why we think fabric might just be the new paint : ). We’ll be sharing a round up of out of the box ideas from some favorite design books that are affordable and achievable, AND some really fun sources to put your own spin on these savvy design moves.
In the meantime, here are some of my recent fbmp finds that I love but aren’t quite right for my current home. (links for subscribers below)
