inspired by a BOLD RUG

Happy Monday everyone!  If you're off to a slow start this week, I hope this will put some PREP in your step- intrigued?

About a week ago I was invited by Chairish.com to participate in a design challenge for their website featuring their latest rug collection.  If you are not familiar with Chairish like me, they seem to be an upscale version of Craigslist geared towards designers and design enthusiasts who value quality furniture and accent pieces.  The company was created out of a need to sell perfectly good condition home furnishings when you are relocating or even changing styles.  You can easily list your items on a professional website.  Their 'About' section explains it best, "Our shop exclusively features curator-approved treasures in a full-service and trustworthy environment."  I'm also very impressed with their item descriptions and search categories from a multitude of design styles, color, and price.  

This online event is to show readers how to go bold with their rug selection.  It's so easy to stay safe and neutral, but Chairish would like to show their shoppers how to go from light to BRIGHT.  I was sent a folder with 10 options, but they have many more rugs to choose from.  There were modern graphic patterns, beautiful eastern rugs, and bright multi-colored rugs.  The graphic patterns were great, but weren't challenging me.  I was leaning towards a teal patchwork turkish rug, but then I decided to go green!

This Grass Green Arbash Turkish Rug is stunning.  Don't be so quick to dismiss it as just another green rug.  I was pulled in to the depth of its color from bright grass green to the dark jungle greens.  The striation in the weave, and random highs and lows have so much energy and visual interest.  This traditional wool rug, and others like it, are now considered old fashioned in Turkey.  Today, Turkish dealers are saving these rugs from the 1960s-80s, and over-dyeing them with modern and vibrant colors to save them from collecting dust in the back of bazaars.  How fantastic!

As the name implies, I immediately envision bright green grass when I look at this rug.  I think of golf greens and polo fields with fresh cut grass.  These sports have a sophisticated culture, and preppy reputation.  Pink and green is an iconic preppy color combo, so that's how I decided on my colors for this bright design.  I think of women dressed to the nines in beautiful florals, sipping their tea while viewing the game.  Kate Spade has great style to modernize traditional colors and patterns for today's woman.  Being outdoors, natural elements bring warmth and rustic charm of the nearby horse stables.

Welcome to my preppy bedroom inspired by this grass green rug.  With a green rug on the floor, I wanted to splash the wall with pink.  Both pinks colors are toned down with a bit of grey for sophistication, but the stripes are modern and graphic.  To balance all of this color, I brought in this beautiful four poster bed in white.  Not only does it add some country charm, it's a landing place for the eye to rest in this bold design.  Next I was searching for a chandelier to hang over the bed, but decided I'd rather have two pendants to hang from above.  These beehive pendants in jute are the perfect neutral accent with some texture.  The balance of the lights allows me to offset one night table and a chair around the bed.  Let's talk about this chair!  Believe it or not, I was planning to use a sleek, mid-century leather and chrome chair, but then I found this beautiful cabbage rose bouquet print.  I love the traditional tufting and it reminds me of Dorothy Draper in the 1940s.  To complement this, I slipped in some mid-century style with this walnut night table.  Crisp white, embroidered pillows with a pop of a berry pink velvet are just the perfect touch for the bedding.  

In an eclectic design it's important to use repetition for cohesion.  Green, pink, and white are each repeated 3 times through my design.  For example grass green is featured in the rug and repeated in the chair and the purse by the leather pouf.  

I envision this eclectic and bold bedroom as a guest room at home, or at a charming bed & breakfast.  I definitely took this eclectic bedroom from white to bright, don't you think?  As you see, this whole room was inspired by a rug, which is often one of the last accents added to a design.  I hope when you are ready to re-decorate at home, you will take a second thought about what goes below your toes.  Even if you're not ready for pink walls, you can still go BOLD with your rug. 

So, would you take a holiday and stay in this 'missmatch' Bright & Preppy Bedroom?

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SOURCES

Chairsih: Rug, Bed, White pillows, Pink pillow, Pendants, Chair, Night table, Pouf, Clutch, Sunglasses, Mirror