What’s outside of your closet at home?
By Debbie Frank

Spring is here and we design divas are feeling more creative than ever. Understanding that most people are being more particular with how they are spending their hard earned money, here are some luxury items that you can take from your closet and apply them to your own décor.

Find some great Chanel scarves and have them “repurposed” upholstered onto a great chair like this one:

This bespoke chair from Suzan Fellman would be one of the greatest artistic pieces for your home. I would plop this chair down to be the ultimate conversation piece not to mention a way to enjoy your scarves everyday.

Another creative idea is to find a great vintage or modern fashion advertisement and have one or many custom framed. They look great grouped on the wall in different frames. Search on ebay for authentic ads. Pick a designer that you love…Chanel is always a winner in my book. You can find great ones on ebay.com and you are usually able to offer a price for them so you don’t have to wait for the auction to end. And if you buy multiples from the same dealer, you save on shipping. There are so many to choose, what is a girl to do?

Another way to spruce up your home is to wallpaper. It is hotter than ever and ready to impress your most fashion conscious friends. If you are too timid to do the whole room, just accent a wall. I stumbled upon one of the coolest resources for wallpaper I have ever seen. It is wallpaper from the 70’s and can be found online at www.wallpaperfromthe70s.com The company is out of Germany, but there is a calculator for measuring your walls in feet, so it is really easy…no German required. So say goodbye to those white walls and hello, color and pattern…yeah baby.

Oh how I want to be Margaret Russell, the Editor of ELLE DECOR. In addition to her unparalleled editorial skills, she must have about 8,000 cocktail dresses that look fabulous on her. In the foreword to my new favorite book, So Chic: Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces, she defines what makes a space chic:
But what exactly is chic? Webster’s defines the word as “cleverly stylish; smart; a woman who adapts fashion to her own personality.” When it comes to interiors, chic is that and far more. A chic space can be razzle-dazzle glamorous or quietly unpretentious, seriously sophisticated or unapologetically bohemian. The unifying thread is indisputably confidence, no doubt boosted by splashes of joie de vivre and flair.
Speaking of chic, I am always on the lookout for fresh new designers who are coming into the marketplace. One to watch is Hilary White, her new line is called Liv Chic. Hilary is a, New York based, interior designer who has already made a name for herself among some high profile athlete and retail fashion shop owners. She was in search of great furniture for her clients and found a manufacturer to create some classic French reproductions that were funky and affordable…and alas Liv Chic was born.

For example, last year Hilary had a custom table made for one of her high-end projects. We received quotes from NYC custom furniture manufacturers which ranged from $7,500-$9,000. They ended up having the table made overseas at Liv Chic’s furniture company for $750! The philosophy of Liv Chic is to produce the high style furniture for a fraction of the cost. Now that is living large. Most of the furniture is hand carved mahogany or teak. Custom finishes and sizes available. She can be found at www.whitedesign.webs.com.

Just like the clothes, right now, it is all about eclectic design for your home. You mix the colors, textures and fabric types. The queen of this style is Tricia Guild who just happens to be from the United Kingdom. You can find her fabrics at www.designersguild.com. There is a new collection called the Royal Collection which was inspired by the magnificent interiors of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, this superb collection contains refined and elegant jacquard woven silk damasks and brocades, stunning embroideries on silk satin grounds and a sumptuous pure silk jacquard velvet weave. On designers guild’s website there is a lot more than just fabric. You will find furniture, bed and bath, kids and other home accessories.
Here’s to putting more fashions of spring into your home design.

Stay tuned for more inspirations from the fashion runway into your home.

Debbie Frank, D. Frank Designs. For comments and story ideas please contact at Debbie@dfrankdesigns.com