Dear Jane-Marie,
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Long time no newsletter! It has been a busy, busy spring & summer with lots of fun projects around the metro. In the coming months, get ready for a whole new Embellishments Design Studio website with shots of everything from contemporary and glam retreats to tradition-with-a-twist living spaces. Check out below for decorating tips that will help you get it right the first time.
Sincerely,
Jane-Marie
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Upholstered Furniture: Custom vs. Retail
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 My cousin recently asked me how buying a custom sofa differed from buying a sofa from a retailer. Here are a few tips to help you see the difference between custom and retail:
- Price:
- Custom upholstered furniture is typically higher in price than furniture you will purchase off the floor, but with good reason - wouldn't you rather buy a great sofa and have it last until you are tired of its color or shape rather than because it has fallen apart due to issues with the construction or fabric selected?
- Options:
- If you don't like the 7 colors the ready-made piece comes in, you might be out of luck. All custom upholstered pieces allow you to do COM (Customer's Own Material). This option means you can supply any fabric you like for your new piece, thus enabling you to work with a decorator to select a fabric that will meet your needs in terms of comfort, color, texture, wearability and durability. If you don't go custom, look for a retail brand that will allow you to do COM.
- The ready-made piece you select may only come with exposed legs and loose back pillows, whereas a custom piece can offer structural options such as a choice of skirts or different exposed legs in a myriad of finishes, spring blend down seats or foam seats, and loose or attached back pillows.
- Configurations are important here as well - for example, look for a sofa line that has more than one size available in each style so that you can ensure your sofa will be the right scale for your space (i.e., full size, apartment size, loveseat, sectional). And remember, people typically buy larger than their space will hold, so be sure to measure your space first.
- Wearability & Durability:
- As mentioned above, you may not get a large selection of choices with a retail piece. Fabric choices may be based on what was available for good prices at the mill or what sells well based on price alone. Make sure you inquire about fabric content and cleaning instructions as well as durability (durability is rated using the "# of double rubs" - the higher the number, the better). These are the facts that a decorator should automatically research for you to ensure you are getting a type of fabric that works for your application.
With every custom piece you buy through Embellishments Design Studio, I provide you with fabric content, care instructions, durability ratings and information on how to protect your furniture with optional treatment systems. I want to educate you on your new purchase so that it lasts as long as possible for you.
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I have been getting lots of questions from clients lately on what the best height is for hanging artwork.