In Love with Velvet

 



For years and years my favorite pillows have been those made of old tapestry scraps – preferably backed with a dark brown velvet as shown above.   The pattern of the tapestry is especially beautiful when paired with linen upholstery or slipcovers.  

 

 

Is there anything prettier than this?  Two large plain pillows paired with a pillow made from an antique piece of tapestry on a slipped loveseat?  Shannon Bowers.  Lampshades, Watkins Culver, Houston.

 

 



Here’s my own version – an antique tapestry scrap, gold braiding, and brown velvet.  No one makes prettier antique tapestry pillows than B Viz – almost anytime you see a pillow like this in a magazine, it is sourced from  B Viz. 

 

  A client walked into my house the other day and saw my brown velvet pillows and ordered some for her own living room that I am currently helping her update.    It got me thinking about velvet pillows and velvet in particular - wondering what the instant appeal was?    Looking through old pictures from my portfolio, I was surprised how often I have used plain velvet.  

 

 



I think this was the first time in recent history I used plain velvet pillows.  Today, I would make these pillows bigger.  These are probably 20” – but now, I prefer 24” or 26” pillows.   Also, I wouldn’t use welting either.  

 

 

 

For this client, we used silk velvet – which is such a luxury. 

 

 



For this client, I used a cotton velvet – I love the density of a cotton velvet.   There’s less sheen to it.  

 

 

 

And here, again, I used a cotton velvet.    I like to pair the plain velvet pillows with one patterned one.  Nothing like using a formula!

 

 

 



Here instead of velvet pillows, I did the sofa in velvet.     The client had picked the taupe and blue fabric on the chair as their main fabric – the plain cotton velvet was used to quiet the room down. 

 

 

I used this very inexpensive loveseat covered in velvet from Urban Outfitters in a teenaged girl’s bedroom a few years ago.   Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures of the room!   This piece was such a steal – and it made a big impact in the teenager’s room.

 

 



My sister in law’s sister (got that?!!) has this fabulous antique French sofa upholstered with a silk velvet.  The velvet is actually so old, it’s rubbed off in places where it has gotten the most wear over the years.   To me, this adds to the charm and beauty of silk velvet.

 

 



Some favorite uses of velvet:     In this little girl’s room that Sally Wheat designed, the cotton raspberry velvet ottoman makes the room.  I can’t wait to copy this for a client!!!

 

 

 



In Windsor Smith’s study – she used a raspberry silk velvet on one chair and a gold silk velvet on another.  Love, love, love this room!!!

 

 This blue velvet ottoman seen in Elle Decor is gorgeous.   What a closet!!!

 

 

     Pure Style Home’s Lauren Liess used this apple green velvet on a sofa in her living room.   So fresh!  Originally she was going to have a slipcover made for versatility, but I think she may have abandoned that idea. 

 

 

I love this aqua velvet ottoman Brooke Giannetti of Velvet and Linen used in this master bedroom!   Again – I love cotton velvet for it’s matte like finish.

 

 

 

Velvet curtains?   The simplicity of Ina Garten’s apartment makes the silk velvet curtains a stand out.   Just don’t use red velvet for curtains!!!

 

 I’ve never used velvet for curtains before myself – but who can ever forget Scarlett O’Hara ripping up her green velvet curtains to make a dress to impress Rhett Butler?

I know how often I say that linen is my favorite fabric, but I surprised myself when I realized how much I actually like velvet!  I suppose the lesson is to think outside your box sometimes????   Next, I’ll be saying I don’t like seagrass.

 

NOTE:  New Skirted Roundtable is up with Diane Dorrans Saeks, noted author.  Listen HERE.

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