Designing Around a Starter Piece

While there are many interior design guidelines, there seem to be less and less hard rules. Maximalist and eclectic fans will say that you can, in fact, combine different patterns and colors; and most contemporary designers agree that you can mix media throughout a room, even different metals. There are many design styles that marry classical and contemporary elements; and mixed and matched sets are more en vogue for their uniqueness and ability to display personality through design.

With the “dos” seemingly replacing the “don’ts” in interior design, putting a room together can be more and more challenging, and in some cases, downright confusing. That’s where an interior designer can come in. An interior designer can help you curate a look that’s entirely your own—while still creating a sense of balance and cohesion in your space. How do they do this? There are many strategies and years of experience that a designer can use in guiding furniture and décor selection for your home. One such strategy is using a starter fabric or piece to inspire your design. It’s an easy method that your interior designer can walk you through or you can even employ on your own to refresh your space.

What is a starter fabric? In the interior design world, a starter fabric is typically a piece of fabric from an upholstered item, like an accent chair or sofa, that features three to seven colors. This is one of, if not the first item you choose for your room, and it serves as an inspiration piece for the rest of your space. It’s simple! When selecting the remaining furnishings and décor, you choose items that pull colors from the inspiration piece. It’s a simple strategy for making your design work easier, and it brings a sense of connection to your space while still allowing you to amalgamate different styles, silhouettes, patterns—and colors.

Does your starter piece need to be an upholstered item? The answer: no! Your inspiration piece doesn’t have to be an upholstered piece of furniture. In fact, it doesn’t have to be fabric at all. The same strategy can be employed with any multi-colored accent piece or home décor item. Here are some ideas for starter fabrics and other pieces that can serve as your inspiration piece.

• Custom fabric on a sofa, chair or ottoman
• An accent pillow with three or more colors
• A quilt or colorful throw blanket
• Curtains or drapery
• A multi-colored area rug
• Painting or other wall art
• Floor or table lamp
• Tabletop or sculptural pieces

How do you choose an inspirational starter piece? With so many options for what form your inspirational piece can come in, it can be hard to narrow it down. One strategy: look at what you already own. Do you have an heirloom piece that you know you want to incorporate, or a find from your travels or a previous shopping excursion that you’ve always wanted to showcase? These make perfect items for your starter piece. You can also visit your local furniture showroom and see what strikes your fancy, or work with a designer to discuss your preferences and view customer fabric options. A good designer can help you narrow down the choices from hundreds of fabrics to a select few that best suit your preferences, and the same with wall art choices.

Whether you select a starter piece from something you already own or purchase something new, make sure to fully consider it for your room. Are the colors ones that you like and can see yourself surrounded by? Is it something that will withstand the test of time and you won’t get tired of in a season or two? If so, you’ve found your design inspiration!

Color strategy. Once you’ve used your starter fabric or other inspirational piece to identify the three to seven colors that will make up the color palette of your room, it’s important to think about how they will be applied. Typically, you’ll want a dominant color. This might be your wall or the largest pieces of furniture. Most people stick with more neutral shades for the dominant color, but you can certainly go bold if you feel like making a striking impression. A secondary color is used throughout the room in the accent pieces and artwork. The remaining color or colors should be incorporated as accents. Apply these accents strategically and sparingly to bring in pops of color and personality to your space.

Starter piece examples: Here are a few examples of fabrics and art that would make great starter pieces and how they can be used to inspire the design throughout a living space.

1. Stickley 1283-45 Fabric

This custom order upholstery fabric is a gorgeous velvet that features different cool colors. It’s neutral enough to be versatile and would make a beautiful sofa or sectional for your living room. The fabric also offers a variety of beautiful green, blue and gray shades to fill out the color palette for your room. For instance, this sofa would work exceptionally well with a backdrop of light gray walls, a serene seascape featuring similar blue and green shades that is centered and hung behind the sofa, and tied together with an area rug in some of the same hues.

2. Century 20583L45

This fabric falls in the green/azure color group and features a lively print that could make a bright and fun inspirational piece for a living room. With an accent chair or ottoman in this bold fabric, you’ll have plenty of colors to pull from to create a vibrant living space. Consider cream colored walls and sofa. Yellow, orange, pink and blue can be incorporated through an area rug, artwork and accessories such as a lamp.

3. Big Framed Sky Art

A bountiful pastel sky, over the landscape, Big Sky is an artist-enhanced, gallery-wrapped canvas. The depth of the espresso-toned narrow frame adds just enough emphasis to the overall appearance of this broadly beautiful art, in its complementary color scheme. This piece would look stunning in a living room with a cream or brown sofa, and accented with orange, yellow and blue accessories and home decor. You could also use it in a bedroom with a neutral upholstered headboard, and an area rug and bedding that matches the color palette.

4. English Garden Hand Knotted Area Rug

The striking color palette of red, blue and green is designed with flowing acanthus leaves and repeated floral motifs that make this rug a stunning design element for any room. While you could pair it with a neutral warm neutral sofa, it would also pair well with a light green or blue upholstery fabric. Throw pillows and wall art in the red colors will pull the whole look together.

What about patterns and textures? We’ve based this blog on color inspiration, but a starter piece can also help direct your choices regarding other design elements—even your theme. For instance, if you’ve chosen a floral throw pillow, take a close look. Does it lean more botanical? Does it fit the cottagecore trend? Choose your theme accordingly. An inspirational piece can also help you decide on patterns. Remember, it’s just fine, and sometimes recommended, to mix patterns as long as you stick with your defined color palette. Finally, don’t forget to take texture into consideration. Regardless of whether your inspiration piece is smooth or rough, it’s important to bring a variety of textures into your room to add dimension and that je ne sais quoi!

By using a starter fabric or other inspirational piece, you can curate a room that is full of personality but still balanced and designer approved!