(Welcome to Sarah, one of the finalists for a contributor position here at AT:Chicago. This is her third post...re-visit her first one here and her second here. Comment away!)
Orla Kielys bright, bold patterns are everywhere right nowcheck out her wallpaper at Anthropologie, luggage at Flight 001, and her amazing flagship store in London (shown in the photo on the left).
Kielys designs make an impact, but unfortunately for me its an impact my checkbook cant survive. Instead, I paid homage to the designers trademark colors, dressing up a thrift-store chair and an Ikea bookshelf (shown in the photo on the right).
Heres how:
More photos from Orla Keily's flagship store.
Kiely plays with scale, combining small prints with large, high-color graphics. In the knockoff room , fabric from Urban Outfitters Danish Dot Bedspread makes a bold statement while concealing clutter. A pattern from Paper Source becomes a wall hanging, and a homemade throw pillow punches up the color scheme with bright red.
Bookshelves How-To
1. Measure the area of the shelves you want to cover and cut the fabric 2 inches wider (for 1/2-inch side hems). Hem the edges.
2. Adhere sticky-backed Velcro strips to the top and bottom shelves, and attach the fabric to the bookshelf using Velcro.
Wall Hanging How-To
1. At a craft store, buy paper, foamboard and spray adhesive.
2. Make sure your paper is at least an inch larger than your foamboard.
3. When using spray adhesive, work outside or in a well-ventilated area. Spray the foamboard and adhere the paper, smoothing out any wrinkles.
4. Turn the foamboard over, spray the edges with adhesive, and fold the paper over the board as if you were wrapping a present.
5. Because foamboard is lightweight, you can hang it with sticky tack or masking tape, leaving walls unblemished.
Throw Pillow How-To
1. I made this reversible pillow sham by sewing three sides of two placemats together and securing the fourth edge with Velcro.
2. Take a scarf or scrap of fabric, measure around the circumference of the pillow, cut, and sew into a loop.
3. Slide the scarf over the pillow like a sleeve. To wash, remove the sleeve and the Velcro.
-Sarah
Great post! I'm in the same Orla-loving, paycheck-hating boat. I really love the use of that urban outfitters bedspread to cover part of your bookshelf.
view katie's profile
What a fun project. You've manage to capture Orla Kiely's style for very little $$$. I like the use of the bedspread too! Tres clever.
view sarsfieldnaughton's profile
I love how the inspiration comes through, but it isn't at all a copy. Great post!
view Anne in Chicago's profile
I love your post & the do it yourself ideas. The placemats over the pillow are especially clever!
view emarie's profile
I was in London really briefly just after Christmas and made a point to go to her store there. It was amazing. Totally amazing. And stuff was on sale. Some very hard decisions were made that day...
view jennifer in sf's profile
I love Orla (and can't really afford her) too. I love what you did! The partial hidden storage for the bookshelf is especially smart.
view pinklovesbrown's profile
Jennifer, I'm jealous! I haven't been to the London store, but I've found myself clicking on that page again and again...and revisiting my clippings from the July/August 2006 issue of Domino that featured photos of Kiely's home (complete with blue couch).
Thanks for the comments everyone!
view sarah c's profile
great post - we love how to's!
view cinnamontoast3's profile
thanks for a great DIY post! I have recently revisited that domino spread with her home. . and funny I just posted it here.
view janellep's profile
Great post! I love the colors.
view LaDonnaNichole's profile
i too love orla kiely! (she should have a fan club on this site!) her use of color and print is often unexpected, playful and fab! i am going to london later this summer, and i am so excited to go to the flagship store... this post was a great way to interpret much of her work on a budget!
view BeccaBklyn's profile
The most distinctive thing about Orla Keilys designs is hr use of colours - she chooses slightly quirky shades and mixes them in news ways - you've captured that perfectly!
view Violetsrose's profile