A great friend loaned me her Katie Ridder Rooms design book yesterday afternoon and by 10pm last night I had read it all, three times. I was also told to make sure I read the forwards before each section, that Katie has design elements present in all of her room. Seriously, I was thinking what a pain, who needs words when you have such inspiring photographs to look at.
Of course I have seen Katie's work in multiple publications through the years and pinned on my pinterest board, houzz and decorpad, but never all in one divine place. The first time through the book last night, I flipped through the pictures so fast I imagine Scotty thought I was reading one of those old school flip picture books that make a movie. . . the movie that is presently playing in my head that is.
The second and third time I read the book, I learned a little something like this:
Living Rooms
1. Katie likes large, geometric, wool carpets.
2. There must be multiple "intimate" seating areas.
3. Every living room needs multiple light sources, with a variety of light intensities.
4. Add layers of texture through fabric and materials.
5. She LOVES color.
The Dining Room
1. Dining Rooms "come together at night" so they can handle a lot of color and light sources.
2. She advises limiting "natural wood" to just one piece in the room.
3. Chairs should not be in the same wood. Katie almost always upholsterer them in two-two fabrics.("solid meets pattern")
4. The key elements to her dining room are 1. Full Curtains 2. An Unusual Rug. 3. Upholstered Chairs. 4. Unique Chandelier.
The BedRoom
1. The most important piece in the bedroom is the bed. Try not to disguise them with too many pillows.
2. She prefers upholstered but if using a frame, they should be in metal and wood. She also loves creating canopy's or using bed hangings to add warmth.
3. How to make a bed:
a. Use ivory sheets with decorations limited to the band on the top sheet.
b. Turn the top sheet down of a cotton pique blanket.
c. From back to front use Two King Shams, Two Standard Shams, One decorative pillow
d. Place duvet cover at the foot of the bed and fold in thirds.
4. Curtains should be floor length or in roman shades.
Wallpaper
Did I tell you she has her own line of wallpaper. . . .love!
Katie has done what some artists spend their entire life trying to achieve, she has created her own, unique and identifiable style. Her taste is exquisite, refined and very, very expensive. To be inspired by her rooms, does not necessarily require the kind of wealth one would expect. Color richness can be achieved at home with a can of excellent paint. Trying using a high gloss trim paint in the same or coordinating color as the room to set your room apart. Upholstered chairs in two-tone fabrics can be done by your local craftsman. Unique chandeliers can be found almost anywhere, from Ikea to Antique Malls and Consignment store.
To Get Your Own Copy: Check out her book here http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Ridder-Rooms-Heather-MacIsaac/dp/0865652724
Cheers,
Taylor
Images shown above were captured from Pinterest.
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