Advertisement
Home Decor

How to decorate your home with prints, colour and family treasures

One decorator used floral patterns, antique plates, and meaningful mementoes to create colourful accents and a vibrant look
How to decorate your home with prints, colour and family treasures

Angus Fergusson

Meet the decorator

When you really love something, buy lots and lots of it. That was decorator and homeowner Sally Pitfield’s approach when she stumbled upon 153 yards of amazing cotton chintz at a great price. She used the fabric on the main floor of her home, and when she and her two children later moved to a smaller midtown house, she found that peppering the print throughout was the perfect way to make a open-plan place cozy and comfortable. Ten years later, the hardwearing fabric still feels young and energetic, setting a tone that Sally describes as “saucy traditional.” Having inherited many antiques from her parents and grandparents, she seamlessly mixes older pieces, simple textures like sisal and honed marble, and fresh pops of colour to give family treasures a new, modern life. In fact, she is a master at combining old and new. Traditional chairs are upholstered with graphic, hip fabrics, and citrusy greens are casually paired with tweedy greys. The end result is a home that reflects the joyous mood of this family.

How to decorate your home with prints, colour and family treasures

Use one bold print everywhere

A small room can feel much bigger if you keep the elements of design minimal. Here, a large-scale pear-print fabric finds a home in drapes and on a sofa and ottoman. The rest of the room’s composition is kept quiet and discreet, with the exception of a single piece of floral art.

Get this look: Pear-print fabric (discontinued), Gaston y Daniela, Leejofa.com. Orange fabric (on chair and pillow), Raoul Textiles, Ycocarpet.com. Velvet pillow, standing lamp, Elte.com. Scroll print, Hollacecluny.ca. Abaca rug, Dominionrug.com. Round Niermann Weeks mirror, Primavera.ca. Shutters, Mastercraftshutters.com. Opposite: Stools, IS A International, Havaseat.com. Teakettle, Lecreuset.ca. Kitchenaid mixer, Williams-Sonoma.ca. Aviva Designs dog bed, Dogfatherandco.com.

How to decorate your home with prints, colour and family treasuresAngus Fergusson

Hang floor-length curtains in the kitchen

To make an open-concept kitchen and dining room feel fresh and formal, Sally chose grand drapes but kept everything else quite simple. Cream cabinets are complemented by an ecrutile backsplash and a honed marble counter. The Provençal-style table is comfortable and casual, while a simple chandelier adds elegance. Get this look: Niermann Weeks chandelier, Primavera.ca. Table, Horsefeathershome.com. Chairs, Trianon-online.com. Seat-cushion fabric, Pierre Frey at Primavera.ca. Custom paint, Paint Colours Unlimited, 416-703-5500.

Hang floor-length curtains in the kitchenAngus Fergusson

Advertisement

Display antique plates

Use ornate, too-good-to-eat-off plates as wall decorations. In the living room, a small, bright painting becomes a focal point when flanked by an arrangement of plates. For a balanced look, the bright colours of the art are picked up in the base of the lamp, the accent pillow on the chair and also in the candles and glasses on the dining-room table.Get this look: Lamp, Angusandcompany.ca. Painting throughout house, Finer Edge Painting & Improvements, 416-480-0414, Fineredge.ca.

Display antique platesAngus Fergusson

Turn a small bedroom into a cozy den

Instead of using a spare bedroom as a seldom-occupied guest room, try converting it into a TV room or den. Use space cleverly with built-in shelving and compact furniture, like this neat three-seater sofa designed for a condominium. Then make the room feel larger by choosing a fresh colour, and brighten it up by keeping window coverings simple. Get this look: Open-arm chair, ISA International, Havaseat.com. Fabric on chair, Hable Construction at Ycocarpet.com. Coffee table, Elte.com. Grey fabric on sofa, Kravetcanada.com. Lamp, Trianon-online.com. Paint, Arbour, Para.com.

Turn a small bedroom into a cozy denAngus Fergusson

Carpet your bedroom

Cream carpet is the ultimate luxury in a bedroom, creating a soft touch on bare feet as well as a calm, hushed mood. And since the bedroom is usually farthest from the front door, so your pale carpeting is subject to the least amount of wear and tear. Choose wool carpeting over nylon, as it lasts longer and is easier to clean. Get this look: Brunschwig & Fils fabric through Leejofa.com. Custom headboard, bedskirt and frog lamp, through Sally Pitfield Interiors Inc., 416-483-7171. Bedding, Aulitfinelinens.com. Paint, Natural wool, Para.com.

Carpet your bedroomAngus Fergusson

Advertisement

Frame postcards or calendar images

Turn beautiful postcards, pictures cut from books or calendar pages into stunning artworks by having them framed with mats. It’s a great way to add a touch of colour, especially in the bathroom. A soup tureen is a decadent and beautiful place to store bath salts. Get this look: Cesame Pedestal sink, Sifton faucets, Elte.com. Sconces, Sescolite.com. Paint, Igloo, Para.com.

Frame postcards or calendar imagesAngus Fergusson

Make a counter into a desk

A home office needs lots of storage space and lots of counter space. Fashion a working desk by placing a counter top (or even a hollow-core door) above two filing cabinets. Upper kitchen cabinets also work well for storage above, and cork glued as a “backsplash” creates a custom noticeboard. Halogen spotlights under the uppers provide great task lighting. Get this look: Custom cabinetry, Manuel Matos, 416-576-4833. Desk chair, Elte.com. Orange boxes, Pierrebelvedere.com.

Make a counter into a deskAngus Fergusson

Decorate with meaningful mementoes

Surround kids with memories of trips taken and family events by incorporating souvenirs into their decor. Here, a Stampede poster and regatta flag become playful parts of a kid’s room. Primary-colour fabrics with neutral walls mean the look and feel of the room can easily change as the child grows. Get this look: Bed linens, Potterybarnkids.ca. Monogram pillow, Aulitfinelinens.com. Desk light, Ikea.ca.

Decorate with meaningful mementoesAngus Fergusson

Advertisement

Layer small rugs over wall-to-wall carpeting

Start with a neutral palette and add touches of colour and pattern by layering area rugs. It’s a great way to create smaller living areas within a room that has an awkward floor plan. A small rug next to a bed also gives a cozy welcome on a cold morning. Get this look: Desk, chair and area rug, Potterybarnkids.ca. Hardware on window seat, Restorationhardware.com. Paint, Down, Para.com.

Layer small rugs over wall-to-wall carpetingAngus Fergusson

GET CHATELAINE IN YOUR INBOX!

Subscribe to our newsletters for our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Advertisement
Advertisement