Home Decorating 101

I devour catalogs with the same enthusiasm as I do magazines. I'm in major nesting mode, so I especially like the design ones: Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, West Elm, etc.

I try to mix and match cookie cutter, albeit beautiful, popular brand name pieces with original items. For instance, I paired a Pottery Barn desk with a one-of-a-kind stool from Nadeau. We also have special items from our travels strewn about the apartment, like our walking sticks from the Inca Trial, hanging (kind of precariously) above our makeshift bar.

But when it comes to decorating, I'm learning I have a lot to learn. Here are some design lessons I've learned the hard way:

"Cream" shades of paint - in particular, Chatsworth Cream - can look too yellow.
You can over-stuff a couch.
You will stain your ivory pillow cases with mascara, even after you've washed your face with makeup remover.
Framing is expensive, but always negotiable.
Get curtains when you first move in. Otherwise, four years later you'll still be flashing your neighbors.

It turns out design catalogs also have helpful suggestions. Here are some tips I learned from browsing the October 2014 PB catalog:

Sherwin Williams Functional Gray SW 7024 looks like a good, safe gray! Noted.
The term "Rustic Luxe" is now on the scene: It's a trademarked name for PB's bedding collection, and I like it. Let's let "Rustic Luxe" have a moment and give "Rustic Chic" a break.
Mixing and matching different frames of photos and artwork, along with sculptures looks good.

In addition to picking up these helpful hints, I also found a piece to pine for, this time in the November 2014 catalog: The Logan Collection Small Modular Wall Suite. I yearn for something to hold wine glasses etc. Ours currently live atop a counter on a "Rustic Luxe" tray, underneath the aforementioned walking sticks.

[Pottery Barn, October & November 2014]