Jane's Apron... I mean Plate... Inspires a Room

Peeking into the fun world of Jane's Apron the other day, I found her post titled "fall of a different color". There we're shown a vintage square Johnson Brothers plate. Jane (whose real name is Julie but, for the sake of simplicity, let's just call her Jane) says it is her "new muse". She likes the colors of the flowers—deep purple, pale blue and bright yellow—and the green and dark brown of the leaves and vines. She thinks they might make a nice alternative to the traditional fall colors we see all around us these days. She calls them "the kind of colors that you could design a whole room around".

Seeing Jane's plate and reading her words, I was reminded of this chair I used in a recent post about fall, asters and the color purple. Meet Dahlia.

Deep purple velvet on the front and patterned velvet on the back. The colors of Jane's leaves and flowers well represented. Ivory-finished wood with a dark brown undercoat revealed by wear and distress. Curvy arms and back like the scalloped edge of Jane's plate.

As Jane wondered, so did I. Can a warm, fall-appropriate room be designed around these non-traditional colors? Let's see. . . from a plate, to a chair, to a room. . .

jane's plate by Comfort&Luxury on Polyvore.com

In this make-believe room full of unconventional fall color, a pair of Dahlias are joined by a mouse brown sofa with clean lines and a straight back. Flanking the sofa are tables with distressed ivory bases and dark stained tops. An antique bench brings more curves and a deeper version of yellow in its golden caramel, tufted leather upholstery. Underfoot is a green-gold area rug and across the room, to balance the weight of the large, dark sofa, is a large, dark sideboard. Two more tables, one dark and curvy, the other bright and sleek, round out my furniture choices. Accessories are a mix of contemporary—abstract art, light blue glass and golden ceramic table lamps, simple silk pillows—and traditional—French reproduction clock, blue Tiffany glass bowl, embroidered gold on blue lumbar pillow. I've imagined, and I'll ask you too as well, dark wood floors under everything and walls painted a pale straw gold. Arrangements of fall flowers and branches, like the one I show, will help carry the fall theme throughout.

But what about that big, blank surface in the middle of the room? What can I add to the brass and glass coffee table to suit the season? I like these dark turned candlesticks, below, and I'll use them as-is with ivory pillars. Of couse, they'll be joined by the requisite stack of art and design books and probably a very small arrangement of flowers or greenery.

To complete the vignette, and keeping our fall theme in mind, which of the four items below would you use? Clockwise from upper left: a trio of white glazed terracotta gourds, a rustic trug full of faux artichokes, antique hand-painted opaline glass vase, or the wooden duomo sculpture (but not the staircase as it's too tall and narrow like the candlesticks).

This room was designed without a client or budget in mind. It's a true mood board. . . a collection of ideals and suggestions put together to form a look, a direction, a "mood". Tell me where you think I've hit or missed. I appreciate your feedback.

And please remember to visit Jane's Apron. (written by Julie Thompson, not "Jane"). Lots of pretty, creative craftiness to see there.

Click on the mood board and go to my Polyvore page for items and sources used there. Dahlia chair from Horchow. Candlesticks are from Pottery Barn. Tabletop accessories are from, clockwise: Horchow, Pottery Barn, Horchow and Horchow.

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OH NO!! I almost forgot to go to the party!! FLEA MARKET STYLE is hosting a McLinky party today—"I'm a Flea Marketeer"—and party-goers have been asked to show off their favorite flea market finds. I may be late, but my link is there—#102. Go to their post to see what my favorite find is and, while you're there, have a look at the others.

Lots of fun stuff to see!