Design solutions: Colour trends and low-VOC paints

Q: We inherited this Gibbard dining room suite and are very happy with it. However, I find that the chairs aren’t suitable for our family; they’re somewhat small, and we’re always cautious when sitting in them (my husband is 6'4"; I’m 5'10"). Should I buy new chairs, and if so, what style would work? Or should I have these chairs made stronger? Heidi Beck, Guelph, Ont.
A: You are lucky indeed! The Gibbard Furniture Shops is Canada’s oldest furniture manufacturer. Based in Napanee, Ont., the company has been owned and operated by the Gibbard family for five generations, since 1835. The Gibbard name is synonymous with quality construction. Testament to that fact is the number of stamped Gibbard pieces that have been handed down through generations or sold at antique shops. Despite their quality, antique dining chairs can be too small in scale for today’s dinner guests. Also, the straight-back, wooden dining chairs of yesteryear often don’t suit the more casual way we entertain today.
I suggest switching to fully upholstered modern chairs that will work with your other Gibbard pieces. Check out designer Karen Kayne’s gorgeous dining room in “Love at First Sight”, in the October issue of STYLE AT HOME. Chairs like hers would be perfect for you. Also, I love how she used a different style of chair at the heads of the table – steal that idea, too. The other bonus of fully upholstered chairs is that they’ll break up all the wood in your dining room, adding some softness.
That said, don’t get rid of your Gibbard chairs! Instead, reposition them throughout your house and enjoy them as sculpture or for more occasional use. Here are some ideas: move your corner cupboard and place one chair on either end of your sideboard, put the armchair in the adjoining living room, and add a chair to a bathroom, bedroom or entryway.

Q: I’d like to repeat the drapery fabric from our master bedroom in the ensuite bathroom. How much fabric should I order? Should the curtain itself be lined, even if I hang a vinyl liner? I’d love any other hints about custom-making shower curtains and trims. Clara Lakewood, Tillsonburg, Ont.
A: I’m a big fan of custom shower curtains. A fabric curtain adds welcome softness to a room full of hard surfaces. Of course, with anything custom made, the sky’s the limit. Remember the ex-Tyco CEO who was vilified in the press for his $6,000 shower curtain? Yours needn’t cost that much, but the extras can add up. Here are some design tips.

LENGTH Choose a length that suits the space. If you have a plain acrylic tub skirt, conceal it with a curtain that goes to the floor. Conversely, if your tub skirt is pretty, show it off with a shorter curtain (as I did).

FABRIC Standard shower curtains are 72 inches square and require five yards of fabric. If yours will be larger or if the fabric has a large pattern repeat, you’ll require more yardage. The sewing pro handling your job can tell you how much fabric to get. Midweight cotton or linen is best for shower curtains and won’t require lining.

DETAILS Finish the top with pleats and drapery hooks or buttonholes rather than casual grommets. Repeating flourishes in your master bedroom draperies, like pleated headings and trim, is a nice way to harmonize the two spaces. In a small bathroom, don’t go for too much fullness, or the excess fabric could prove bulky.

TRIM Some ideas to consider: flat woven tape applied as a border; ball or bead fringe near the top or bottom hem; grosgrain ribbon sewn to the side or bottom edges in a box-pleated ruffle design.

LINERS Skip off-gassing PVC vinyl and opt for waterproof polyester fabric instead. Look for a liner that’s mildew resistant and machine washable.

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