A White Denim Cleanse
As a designer, Connecticut Country House is both home sweet home and my design lab. It serves as my canvas, a place to experiment and to try out new ideas. It’s ever changing, always evolving and never static. But, for most of my adult life, I’ve always decorated my homes with rich, earthy color palettes, preferring a cozy POV.
Last summer I pulled a 180.
Maybe I can attribute it to all of the big changes occurring at the time, including the send off of our one and only to college, but, what I craved, what I needed, was to lighten and brighten my surroundings.
From that inner need to start anew, Project Refresh was born. Inspired by beautiful white color chips, Benjamin Moore Cloud Nine and French Canvas, the walls, ceilings, and trim in the kitchen, gallery and dining room, as well as the kitchen cabinetry, were all treated to an update with a fresh coat of paint. A skylight, added to the kitchen, now drenches the room with gorgeous natural light, taking full advantage of its southern exposure. The transformation is amazing! Airy, casual, and relaxed. Cozy redefined.
Fueled by the great feeling I get every day from the results of Project Refresh, it serves as a great catalyst for Project Refresh Part 2 with more thoughtful changes and updates throughout the house, and not just with paint. This spring all of our upholstery is getting a new wardrobe to better suit their new, spiffed up surroundings. I’m thinking of creamy white denim slipcovers that will wear like iron and age like a favorite pair of jeans.
Creamy white denim slipcovered upholstery to work with the creamy white-painted walls. Now we’re getting somewhere!
To be continued…
Love, Nora
Way to be brave! I have been a hold out on lightening up my earthy palette, except for paint. I, too reupholster and rarely buy new furniture. I tend to keep furniture and the fabric for a long time, so change is a little scary. What if I don’t like the new feel? Thank you for sharing your wonderful home and I look forward to seeing more of her new look 🙂
Hi Tina! I’m no different…..it’s taken me some time to get to this point! But once I decided…..I commit!! I look at it as a new chapter in my life and the life of my wonderful old house! Thanks Tina! Love, Nora
So exciting!! 🙂
I am such a slipcover fan. I know you will love these new renditions.
I actually had my sunroom loveseat done up about three years ago
in panter’s dropclothes. Washed the he k out of it before and used
a ton of fabric softner. Adore it to this day. Looking forward to seeing
yours. I love me some white rooms!
Hi Victoria! What a great idea to use the drop cloths! And you bring up an excellent point, and that is to wash the fabric before sewing it up! Thank you! Will do!
I’m lovin’ white rooms as well….:) Love, Nora
Love the idea of a creamy white slipcover. I have a wingback chair with a t-shape seat cushion, I would love to have a slip cover made for it, but I would still like the stretcher base to show. do you know if that is possible to have done. So excited to see more of your beautiful home and your spring refresh.
Hi Linda! Absolutely! I would slipcover it that way as well….I think that’s what makes it modern – the juxtaposition of the structure of the chair with the softening of the frame with a slipcover. Love it! Thanks Linda! Love, Nora
I did that four years ago. I had all my furniture slip covered in creamy white denim. I love it.
The most wonderful of ideas!! And yes you are brave!! I followed your lead with the french canvas, got me with the name, too; painted all my bedrooms and all but the powder room with it. What a differences … so beautiful in the light! Excited to see the results with new slips! White makes everything else, ie your wonderful collections pop, don’t you think?
Hi, Nora! Is there a white canvas fabric that you would recommend? I would be curious if others have a favorite white fabric they have used.
Hi Karen! The white duck/denim I am ordering is from Golding. There are 3 “whites” to choose from. I’m going with the middle one – Bleached White.
Love, Nora
Thanks for the recommendation. Once you have the covers made, do they require special washing instructions? Also, will you use fabric protection to prevent stains?