Fabric Inspired Decorating

How do you decorate?  I'll admit that my decorating "technique" is occasionally as follows:

1. Pick a paint color based on what I feel like.  Do not consider how it relates to the rest of the house.
2. Cajole the Hubs into painting by promising him it's the last room he'll have to paint.  Ever.  He has yet to mention the fingers I have crossed behind my back.
3. Place assorted thrift-store accessories and "found" objects (literally, found 'em on the side of the road) randomly around the place.
4. Spend too much time flailing around trying to find coordinating fabrics.
5. Give up, watch The Bachelor, and ignore that my room is woeful at best.

As a result, my home does not look like this.
Photo: Houzz.com

Believe it or not, other people have more successful decorating techniques.  I am sure you've seen Sarah on that show Sarah's House.  One of the things she and her sidekick Tommy do is choose a fabric first.  That fabric inspires the color choices, furniture and even the design style of the final room.  I loved how she used this yellow and charcoal fabric in a bathroom:

Photo: HGTV

My friend Jessica is great at using this technique, to the point that a fabric actually inspired her entire wedding.  And it was so beautiful that it was featured in the current issue of Weddings Unveiled --check it out here.

See that striped table runner?  That's the fabric.  Gorgeous, right?

These photos, from Jessica's photographer Millie Holloman, make me drool.

Anyhoo, she and I went fabric shopping for her new house last weekend, and what fun!  We saw some beautiful fabrics, and I can't wait to see what she does with her inspiration fabrics in her new house.

Her bedroom fabric--I adore it.

This graphic print is so pretty--I want to cover my house in it.

Here's the inspiration for her great room--isn't it, um, great?

And here's what it looks like on an ottoman.
Heaven!

And here's a fabric I personally loved for its colors (with my paint chips).
It's since been nixed due to being too paisley-y.

Speaking of paint chips...I have made some progress on my quest for the perfect beige.  Turns out, it's not a beige, its a greige, not too pink or yellow.  Very neutral but warm--and that's it on that chip!  It has no name because its a custom blend but I'll show you what it looks like on my wall soon, promise!  Then we will go through my aforementioned decorating "technique" and see what happens next;)

In the meantime, go find some fun fabrics and see how they inspire you!