A lot of Apricot’s Home products have washable wool in them, so let’s talk about what washable wool is and how best to care for it. Why do we use washable wool? It is a dream material for many winter goods and doggie products, providing unparalleled quality. From absorbing moisture in the cold, to natural…
Tag: luxury fabric
Decorating 101: what the best sheets are made of
The best bedding sets are expensive. Have you ever wondered why high-quality sheets and duvets cost so much? The answer has a lot to do with the raw cost of materials and there isn’t much that manufacturers can do to reduce the price. The bedding set in the picture is all cotton. The sheets are…
Sewing 101: how to make luxury pillow covers
In interior decorating, if you want overstuffed luxury throw pillows, your best choice is to make them yourself. In the picture, I replaced a set of Armani silk and golden silk wool pillow covers with a custom Mood Fabrics screenprint and silver glow in viscose-linen blends. The cost of fabric for designer pillow covers is…
Sewing 101: how to bind a blanket
Sooner or later, you will likely have a blanket that needs to be rebound. My puppy loves Pendleton blankets, but the binding the blanket in the picture came with was not a puppy-friendly material. I rebound the blanket with a more durable binding and mitered corners. You don’t need amazing sewing skills to bind a…
Furniture mods: how to Hollywood your sofa
Reupholstering a sofa with a custom-made cover is the first step in transforming a living room from coastal vibes to a Hollywood allure. Picking the right upholstery silhouette and fabric takes a few weeks to do. The sofa in the picture started with a contemporary off-white cover in an Upper East Side apartment. Living on…
Furniture mods: how to upholster a seat
If you entertain a lot, dining and bar chairs need to be upholstered occasionally. I restored the bar chair in the picture with handsewn black velvet after a merry night with sparklers. Replacing the fabric on a seat is straightforward, requiring nothing more than a little time, some tracing paper, and a needle and thread….
Decorating 101: attractive and colourful linens
When introducing colour into your home, purchasing colourful linens is a great way to test how different colours attract positive energy to your environment. Colourful curtains, pillows, throws, towels and bedding can all enhance the ambience of a room without the permanence of investing in colourful paint or furniture. Linens typically last for about 5…
Furniture mods: upholstering like an expert
Upholstering your furniture with professional results does not require extensive interior design expertise. The papasan chair in the picture was transformed from a modern vibe to a rustic lodge aesthetic with a natural wool pillow cover. I used a wool wash with lanolin to soften the cover for an extra-cozy touch. Pillow covers versus upholstering…
#LKRB principle of design: never be fancy
What makes the interior of a home look fancy or expensive to you? Can you tell if the velvet in the picture is real? What do you consider to be “real” velvet? Silk or polyester? How high should the pile be? Would you consider the luxury bar chair in the picture to be a splurge…