When to go High and when to go Low...
Photo: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images
The Obamas left the White House yesterday. And while this is not a political post by any means, I can't help but think of our outgoing FLOTUS, Michelle Obama, who not only reminded us "when they go low, we go high," but also wowed us with high-low style statements throughout her tenure as First Lady. I mean, who can forget those early days in J. Crew??!? I know I can't. Somehow, it felt remarkable that the FLOTUS and I could own the same sweater set.
I've always been a purveyor of high-low style, in my personal fashion and in my home. I will pair my Gap dress with Louis Vuitton shoes, just as quickly as I would pair a Schonbek chandelier with IKEA drapes. I encourage my clients to take this approach, and I am here to encourage you to do so, as well.
In home decor, there are some things that deserve a splurge and some things that...well...don't. It is truly a balancing act. To put it another way: you could think of the decorative items in a room as members of a girl group, coming together to make a harmonious pop song that will be stuck in your head for days... Ok, and let's just say that group is Destiny's Child and that song is "Survivor." Well, there can only be one Beyonce. Don't like girl groups? How about boy bands? At the end of the day, we can act like everyone in the band gets equal billing, but there's only one Justin, Michael, Lionel... you get the picture?
So to that end, let one item in the room be the star and let the other items in the room take on a supporting role.
For instance, back to my white IKEA drapes. When we completed our remodel, we had gone beyond our budget and my husband was like: "enough!" And yet, we needed utilitarian draperies for our windows to keep from being on display for all passersby. So I took some quick measurements and hit up my local IKEA. I had read several blog posts (here and here and here, for example) on transforming or "hacking" these curtains, and decided at such a low cost, I had nothing to lose. Initially, I did not transform them much: just took them out of the package, ironed them and threaded them onto the rod...remember we had a major privacy issue. Over time I have at least hemmed them, which was a really easy DIY, and I may eventually cut off the tabs and add clip rings. But for now, they are quietly lovely and do their job, without demanding much attention, allowing a sparkling chandelier to shine. On the other hand, perhaps you want to splurge on your draperies. Perhaps you have an awesome fabric and tassel trim around which you want to build a room. If so, by all means, create custom drapes and let that fabric take center stage. But then the draperies become Queen B and the rest of the room becomes the Kelly and the Michelle. Still beautiful, just a little less sparkly. Get it?