Wednesday 30 March 2016

Simple But Stunning

We love it when a client asks us to create something special to suit their colour scheme. These cushions were made from a heavy linen cloth and finished with contrasting gros-grain ribbon stitched in a simple but striking design. We used feather inners for the cushions as they plump up beautifully and don't go flat over time as polyester fill has a tendency to do. These cushions are to go with a set of white linen curtains with  3 rows of black gros-grain stitched across the top of the curtains. Simple, but stunning. It is so satisfying when the most uncomplicated of designs give the most striking outcome.
Cushions are traditionally used for a practical purpose to make sitting in a chair or sofa more comfortable. These days they are as likely to be used to soften the severe lines of furniture and to add a focal pop of colour or design to a room.
We would love to create something like this for you.
Give Rachel a call on 0272214049 and discuss your ideas with her.

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Warming up for winter

The nights are starting to draw in and daylight savings time is nearly at an end for this summer. Another couple of weeks and we will be drawing the drapes early to keep in the heat. Beautiful curtains and blinds are our specialty and we pride ourselves in the process of selecting colours and fabrics with our clients and turning them into beautiful drapes.
 This gorgeous fabric is from Textilia Fabrics, 'Chalet' colour Spring. It drapes into beautiful folds and makes lovely roman blinds too. It is a two tone Jacobean design in a vine pattern on a Jacquard weave cloth.Although it looks like a heavy linen cloth it is in fact, a mixture of linen, polyester and viscose which help to stabilise the linen threads. The curtains were lined with a heavy blackout lining, which not only blocks out the light but adds to the insulating qualities to ensure the heat stays in the room and doesn't disappear through the glass. Don't be fooled into using 'thermal drape' curtains as an insulator, it is about as useful as pasting paper to the window. Air needs to trap between the layers of fabric and lining and often we add an interlining (called bumph) to provide an additional layer of trapped air. An interlining also helps to add substance and weight for light materials like silk.
We selected a Resene paint for the walls, a warm white, 'Merino'  and added a bedspread in white, back cushions with soft shades of aqua and pale yellow and a throw in a soft aqua chenille. It is a beautiful restful room, inviting to come home to.
We begin the process by visiting your home, selecting and sourcing colours and fabrics and seeing the job through to completion in our workroom.New tracks are supplied and fitted when we install your curtains.
We are based in Wellington, New Zealand and can be contacted on:
 027 221 4049, or by email: rachel.jldesign@xtra.co.nz.  
Website: www.janlambertdesign.co.nz