Pick n Mix.
A quick and easy guide to choosing the finish that’s right for you.
I’ve been looking at a lot of trims lately, deciding on the perfect finish with clients is always the fun part for me, but it becomes a big decision when it’s a special piece for your home. I’m a tassel, fringing and bullion cord lover when I comes to my own home, so i’ll happily choose from a huge selection and i’m pretty decisive when there’s a choice to make, i’m a lover or a hater, there’s no grey area, i’m all in or all out.
I do understand this dilemma, do you go safe with a match, go risky with a contrast or radical with a clash. It’s easy for me to make the decision for you when i’m making furniture for my own collection. I choose what suits the fabric, the trim that I like and then consider the overall look of the finished item. There is so much of my own personality in the items I create and the finishes that I choose. That’s easy, I take the decision out of your hands, and it’s never thought about again.
“The choice between silver or gold seems to be the most difficult decision”
But how do you make the choice when it’s a made to order item for your home, the choice between gold or silver decorative pins seems to be a more difficult decision to most than purple tassels or black and white fringing. Somehow we believe that once we’ve chosen a trim you need to stick with it. Why?
I love metal hardware as a finish on furniture, simply I choose gold if I’m planning a more stylish look and silver or black when I’m going for an edgier feel, for instance I would never buy a leather biker jacket with gold studs - but I would grab a gold chained bag to wear with the tough silver metal of the zips and rivets. Its often easier to imagine your lifestyle and personal choices in fashion when applying it to a furniture finish, don’t forget it is part of your personality too - our homes are the biggest reflection of us after all.
“My secret to the perfect combo is to go warm and cold”
My secret to the perfect combo is to go warm and cold - mixed metals are good, i’m not a fan of matching, I mix my jewellery to avoid the overkill of gold, mixed metals are wonderful when stacking rings on fingers, so why would you deprive your home of that. Just because all your current trims are gold, if you want to cut chrome hardware into it - do it, there are no restraints when you’re being creative with your decor. Yes, you do need to decide on the overarching tone, but like most things a third of an alternative is the perfect balance. Photographers uses a rule of thirds, most artistic balance falls back to a third too, aim to keep your mix to a 70/30 split and it will work perfectly.
“Let’s make things personal…”
Treat your unique piece of furniture to the perfect finish and it will most definitely enhance your space, you will love it more if its exactly as you wanted it, there’s not a rule for your taste. Let’s make things personal, it makes for better conversation.
The next time you’re making a design choice, apply a little bit of this thought process to your decision making, oh i’ll let you into a little secret too, it’s ok to be safe, I only ever pick vanilla ice cream for dessert in a restaurant… and I’m ok with it.
