High fashion meets home design.

The last ice storm in March nearly did me in, so I packed up my car and headed to the Design Center in New York City. I mumbled something to my husband about a business trip but I knew I needed to feel dry pavement beneath my feet for a couple of days. Call it a mental health break from a long, endless winter.

The Design Center, a resource for interior designers and known to the trade as the D&D Building, is located on Lexington Avenue across from Bloomingdales. It is an 18-floor behemoth that is crammed with fabrics, trims, wallcoverings and accessories. It is, I am proud to say, my personal Mecca. You must be well rested, tote a generous supply of energy bars, and consume a Grande Starbucks at the outset, as it is not for the feint of heart.

I was on a bit of a mission. I recently found out from a fabric sales rep that Christian Lacroix designed a new line of fabrics for Designer Guild and I was anxious to see the entire collection displayed in large swatches. Ralph Lauren started the trend by creating a story for his models and then designing their surroundings as well. Other designers have followed his lead into the interior design world.

Lacroix brings his rich history of fashion design to this fabric line and knowing his background will help to understand the collection. His design is informed by growing up in Arles in the South of France. A sun drenched color palette and hints of the tradition of bullfighting, both great influences on his clothing design, peek around each corner. He is a cross over designer in so many ways, with his long history of designing for the Opera and theater. This can be seen in some of the detailing of the fabric finishes. To see some of his exuberant wardrobe designs, click through his website www.christian-lacroix

As a designer, I am thrilled to be able to explore the world of fashion, as it relates to home design. These intersecting worlds can enrich one another in fascinating ways. And the fact that Lacroix is French – Magnifique!

The transformative POWER of color -

This is for all of you out there who, when faced with a decision on what to paint your walls, default to that old standby, Benjamin Moore’s Navajo White, a bland but safe off-white color. You know who you are. As it turns out, this is not actually the safe choice anymore, thanks to all of the fun and fast paced HGTV shows, homeowners are realizing that color on the walls can transform a room like no other decorating element. I call it a bit of magic in a can.

Now, your next question will be, “Then what color should I choose?” Here is one method that is simple and foolproof. I have used it many times when decorating my client’s homes. I want you to select something from the room that will be your “inspiration”. This can be a patterned fabric, oriental carpet, oil painting or even a torn out page of a particularly pleasing room from a home shelter magazine. From this “inspiration”, I want you to select paint chips that match colors from the object you selected. Invariably, you will have a neutral color for walls in an open area, a rich color for the dining room, a contrasting color for another room, and so on. Essentially, what you are taking advantage of by doing this is that some artist somewhere designed that fabric or carpet, belaboring the color choices to create a thing of beauty. Half of the work is already done for you. With this exercise you have created a color story for your home and a reference point to come back to time and again. It’s simple and a great way to select pleasing colors for your home. I know you are going to have fun doing this.

Why you should choose a neutral fabric for your sofa, AND NO, that is not the boring choice!

The choice you make in a sofa is a crucial one because it is usually the piece of furniture that a living room is built around. Taking the time to contemplate a few key aspects in the selection process is well worth your while.

You can express the style of the room, whether it is traditional, country/cottage, contemporary, transitional or eclectic by carefully choosing a shape that reflects that particular style. The next important decision will be the fabric choice. After many years of designing rooms for couples and families, I strongly suggest choosing a neutral fabric, usually solid with some texture so it has a nice feel, as the basic fabric. Then, you can build out from there in any direction stylewise with pillows that add color and pattern. Here is where you want to spend time getting personal and creative in your coordinating fabric choices. Add a colorful throw for another shot of color and texture. It is simple and fun and takes the doubt out of the decision making process.

This is a topic near and dear to my heart. Confession time. I once selected a fabric, it still pains me to admit this, in a fruit pattern on a black background. Sounds scary. Well it was. It actually turned out to be a bit of a family inside joke with many family members clocking how many hours they spent on “The Fruit Couch” as it was affectionately called, as it was a sleeper sofa. Hopefully this illustrates the problem with not selecting a neutral fabric - I had to live with that choice for many years before finally coming up with a good enough excuse to bring it to the local thrift – my husband and I were purchasing a pellet stove and needed the room.

Usually a sofa lives with you for at least 10 years or more so your neutral sofa can be the base around which you can change the look of the room with the seasons or the changing style of a decade by simply replacing your patterned pillows and even wall color in the living room as the spirit moves you. It widens the choices and the possibilities are endless.

If I have saved just one homeowner from making a big mistake I will have done my job. Happy decorating!