As designers, we’re constantly inspired by the world around us. Everywhere we go, we’re always on the lookout for intriguing color combinations, fascinating textures and fabulous patterns. Read our blog to see what we’re loving, where we’re shopping, and what we’re obsessing about.
Thanks to MN Monthly (and freelance writer, Pheobe Larson) for the opportunity to talk about trends and how to best incorporate them (or not)!! Click on the link to see the full article. Cheers! Jen and Drea
http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/April-2013/Designed-to-Last/
We’ve been asked recently by a few different magazines and blogs to talk about current trends. This is a common topic to discuss in January, heading into a New Year and craving the next best thing. As Drea and I have been talking about this at length, we thought we’d share our personal thoughts on trends.
What is trendy in 2013? Well….just google it and you will find a myriad of ideas on what is “in” this year.
Emerald green you say?
Brass is back?
Computer generated fabrics?
That’s nice, but what does that really mean for the average person or consumer. Should you call your designer and recover your sofa in emerald green, change out all of your light fixtures to brass or find that amazing equestrian fabric for those window treatments you’ve been holding off on?
Probably not. Trends are introduced each season to get you to do just that! It’s a way for businesses to sell more product. Who doesn’t want the latest version of the iPhone or newest model of car?
Same concept.
Now don’t get us wrong. We look forward to the trends each season and it’s fun to see what’s up and coming. We crave that and need it to stay current. We use trends sparingly however. Our clients trust us to design spaces that are personal to them and timeless yet still relevant. The best way to do this is to be inspired by our clients and not the current trend list. It’s ok to incorporate trendy pieces, but we encourage our clients to do this in a way that is easily changeable and not a large investment.
We believe it’s trendy to just be yourself…..
And That’s So Fiddlehead!
It’s official….Pantone’s 2013 color of the year is Emerald Green 17-5641 and this is one trend that Fiddlehead is really loving! We’re seeing a lot of it in the Spring fashion collections…….
Way to go Michael Kors…….stripes and green! We’re sold!
Looking for ways to incorporate this fresh color into your home? Here are some inspirational images we adore!
Definitely a bold choice for a kitchen or bath (and a larger investment)…..go big or go home!
Maybe a single wall is more your style? It’s just paint, right?!
LOVE the pink accents—not for the faint of heart! Very Fiddlehead!
Give an old piece new life by reupholstering it in this yummy color. This is not your grandmother’s sofa…..or is it?!
And, finally, don’t forget the finishing touches. Simple linen panels, a bold lamp or even a small accessory can be an inexpensive and easily changeable way to try this trend in your own home.
And that’s so Fiddlehead!
It seems like this happens every year—I take down the Christmas decorations and my house feels bare. Add to that, the “curse” of being an interior designer; needing, wanting and craving change and inspiration at this time of year (I can just see my husband rolling his eyes). Per the Fiddlehead Manifesto, when you find yourself in this predicament, one of the best places to start is with a new piece (or a wall full) of artwork. Here are some images that are inspiring me and will hopefully get your juices flowing.
Go big or go home—what an amazing back drop and room starter! Notice how the furniture and accessories almost seem mini compared to the artwork, yet it works. The art is the room!
Don’t forget to incorporate artwork in or on your bookshelves. Doesn’t have to be as large-scale as the one above, but it’s a great way to break up a wall full of books and almost becomes the jewelry of the space. Good lighting is also important.
Who doesn’t love a great art wall? Also, adoring the dark blue wall color to anchor the installation. Can be helpful to lay the grouping out on the floor in advance, however, I think it can look even better when it is random and ever-changing. Kid-art is a great (and inexpensive) way to get your little Picasso’s involved!
Layering art uses the same principles as layering fabric. Just be sure to vary the scale of pattern and color intensity so that it appears balanced. Love this look behind a sofa or on a mantle.
Artwork in a mudroom? YES, YES, YES!!!! Love the unexpected!
Think outside the box and use what you love!
And if books aren’t your thing……..need we say more?!
Here’s a list of some of our favorite local galleries here in the Twin Cities:
Art Resources Gallery : artresourcesgallery.com
Gallery 360 : gallery360mpls.com
Circa Gallery : circagallery.org
HI Gallery : hangitinc.com
Griffin Gallery : griffinart.com
And…..if you need someone to install your artwork:
Tim (from Hang-It) : hangitinc.com
And That’s So Fiddlehead!
Back in the office after a wonderful, extended holiday with our kids and husbands. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out which hat to put on when we leave the house in the morning—-mom or business owner. But in reality, it’s both, and as working moms we move from one to the other many times throughout the day (some days better than others).
It’s a new year and with it comes renewed energy and inspiration…….or does it?!?!? Living in Minnesota (albeit a fine, fine state) in January can be a bit dreary and downright depressing. Add to that, all of the uncertainty about the world we live in and you’ve got the recipe for a potential meltdown.
Luckily, if one of us is having an off day, the other can usually be counted on for some sage words of advice and a morale boost.
But if that doesn’t work, here are a few other things that can put a smile on our faces (at work) and hopefully yours too! And remember it’s the little things……
New flavor pod for the office Keurig
Fresh, new, empty 2013 calendar (by the way, Jan-Mar are already full, darn it!)
Valentines York Peppermint Patties and Brachs Cinnamon Hearts in our candy jars (goodbye Christmas treats, hello V-Day!!)
New station on Pandora (anxiously awaiting a new song from T. Swift courtesy of Harry Styles!)
Dreaming about the day that Kim and Kanye call us to furnish their nursery!
Wow–that sure made us happy!!! Are you smiling yet?
That’s so Fiddlehead!
Us: ”Honey, what would you like for Christmas?”
Him: ”I don’t know…..I don’t really need anything.”
Men have it so easy, don’t they? We drop hints throughout the year, we send photos and links…..there is no excuse for them to get it wrong. When the tables are turned, however, we are left to aimlessly search the malls and websites for the perfect gift that won’t get returned or never used. Here are some idea for our guys and yours. Good luck!!!
LINKS:
1. iPad cover 2. Watch 3. Socks 4. Noise Reduction Headphones 5. Thermos 6. Cufflinks 7. Art of Shaving Set 8. Blanket 9. Duffle 10. Scarf 11. Men’s Health
AND THAT’S SO FIDDLEHEAD!!!!
Jen and Drea here! As business owners, moms, wives, chauffeurs, volunteers, and all-round crazy women this time of year, we are always looking for short-cuts to finish off the holiday shopping. Not surprisingly, more and more of us are choosing to shop the web. Nordstrom reported record Black Friday sales, but not in their stores…online! We LOVE this trend and the extra minutes it gives us to be the wonder-women we are!
If you’re like the two of us, scrambling for that perfect gift for the girlfriend/mom/teacher/sister, here are some of our favorite pics at the moment. And don’t feel bad if you snag one or two of these for yourself!
Tune in for Part 2 where we share our gift ideas for the men in your life and maybe even your dog!
LINKS:
1. JCrew Gloves 2. JCrew Hat 3. Knock on Wood Woodpecker Clutch 4. Animalia Gold Pig Ring 5. Sorel Joan of Arctic Reserve Boots
6. Polka-Dot Thermos 7. Lenora Dame Benchmark Bracelet 8. Revival Stripe Blankets 9. Measuring Hedgies
AND THAT’S SO FIDDLEHEAD!!!!
Jen here! When I first saw Andrea in design school 13 years ago, I knew instantly that we’d be friends. Now, as designers and colleagues, we share similar tastes in just about everything. Over the years, we’ve developed what we call the Fiddlehead Manifesto—a list of 10 things that we find ourselves saying to our clients over and over again.
Number three is one of my personal favorites: Accessories are not an afterthought—they’re a line item. I love this topic because I happen to adore accessories—all those fabulous pieces that go into finishing a space, like small drinks tables, lamps, books, photos, tchotchkes, and objets d’art.
When Andrea and I are starting to design a space, we’re already thinking about how we’re going to accessorize it. When we put together a budget for a client, we always include an amount for accessories. This surprises some of our clients, because until that moment, they never thought accessories were that important.
Here’s the thing: accessories are necessary—wait, make that critical— to the success of a room. Done right, a beautiful lamp, a cashmere throw, or a piece of sculpture brings balance, color, texture, and even joy to a room. Conversely, the wrong accessories draw unnecessary attention to themselves. The resulting imbalance is hard to put into words, but it’s a feeling that something just isn’t right. And when a room doesn’t feel right, you won’t want to spend time in it.
The good news is that accessories don’t have to be costly. We love the way a gorgeous pillow adds a much-needed layer of color and texture to a neutral sofa.
We think a room should always feel collected, not purchased, so we get a kick out of placing a $30 vase from TJ MAXX on an heirloom coffee table and watching the conversation unfold.
Take a look at your own accessories and how they’re interacting with your furnishings, rugs, art, and draperies. If your coffee table books, candles, wedding gifts, and your husband’s duck decoys don’t appear to be playing well together, don’t be afraid to take everything down and edit, arrange, and rearrange until you find that perfect balance.
Over the years, we’ve distilled our design philosophy into our very own Fiddlehead Design Manifesto. This list of 10 of our most common sayings is both truthful and playful—like us! We find that when we share our Manifesto with clients, they love it, because it helps set the stage for a beautiful and successful design relationship. Number one on the Fiddlehead Design Manifesto is the simplest and most important of all the points: Save your money until you can do a room right.
Now, with some design projects—renovating an entire house or buying furnishings, for example—it’s infinitely easier to do it in phases. But, we always recommend starting with a master plan so that you have clear direction along the way. By taking the time to develop a smart, thoughtful plan (with a detailed budget), it’s so much easier to implement your plan over several months or a few years.
But, trust us, kitchen and bath remodels do not lend themselves to phasing or piecemeal-ing. We’ve seen many kitchens where the homeowner has updated the kitchen countertops with an expensive material like granite, and then decide later that they never liked their cabinets in the first place. This costly mistake could be avoided by developing the plan upfront and doing things in the proper order.
So, if you’re thinking of remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, talk to us. We’ll help you create a plan with detailed specifications and a budget. From there, save your money until you can do it in one fabulous fell swoop. You’ll be thrilled with the results!