Fabric Store Notions

April 8, 2011

Bolts and bolts of fabric...

If you live in the Bay Area and sew, you are probably no stranger to Discount Fabrics.

One of its two locations is just a block away from Urban Ore in Berkeley. The other one is in San Francisco. I have not yet been to the one in San Francisco, but according to Christine Allen, the selection is impressive and "huge".


Beautiful and inspiring fringe.
Marked: "Regular price of $29/yard; Discount Fabric price: $19/yard"

The store in Berkeley isn't huge, but the selection is good. Rarely have I walked out of there without fabric for at least one project, and usually I left with additional fabric because they inspired new projects.



I will always feel a fond affection for Discount Fabrics, because when I was a beginner sewer with ambitious projects, the customer service was patient and helpful. I was happy to find that this is generally the rule with most fabric stores.


Tie backs, extra-large tassels, or whatever you want to call them,
are priced from $5 to $30 and up, each.

Fabric stores are also a great place to visit if you ever find yourself feeling creatively blocked. Browsing through aisles of fabrics with their various colors, textures and possibilities always gets my creative juice flowing.

-------
Discount Fabrics, Berkeley
3006 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley
(510) 548-2981
www.discountfabrics-sf.com

Discount Fabrics, San Francisco
201 11th St, San Francisco
(415) 495-4201
www.discountfabrics-sf.com
 

Spotlight on... Christine Allen

April 5, 2011

Good designers, especially residential designers, are a personable bunch. After all, they design living spaces for people. To be effective, they have to understand their clients’ tastes and personalities, as well as how they function within their environment. This understanding can only be obtained through personable communication.

I believe that great designers go a step further. They seek out quality products for their clients because they know that although the costs might be higher in th...

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In the Eye of the Beholder

April 1, 2011

Art does NOT have to be expensive to be impressive!  




Horizon Series #6 - Liz Maxwell "Hang Art"



 

Iceberg - Jeff Dikio "Hang Art"


Do you have an empty wall that you'd like to cover or do you just want to change the look of your living room, family room, or entryway?


One of the easiest things to do other than painting your walls, is placing a painting on the wall.


While working with clients to find that special work of art, I’ve come across a few resources that I would love to share just in...


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Ohmega Salvage and Urban Ore Redux

March 29, 2011
On Saturday, Lori and I braved the rain to check out Ohmega Salvage in Berkeley. Like Urban Ore, they mostly sell reclaimed architectural elements like doors, window, sinks, tubs, and even furniture. According to their blog, they recently received a shipment of antiques from France.

The rain and cold wind urged us to walk briskly through, but I did notice that Ohmega has a very large inventory of glass shades. I was pleased to find a whole rack of them marked "free".




Below, some not-so-free sha...

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I Found A New Home!

March 24, 2011

Home 101 Urban General Store.  It’s a great new little shop on the sleepy south end of Shattuck Avenue in Downtown Berkeley.  The owners, Hadley Salz and Allison Etchison, have a keen eye for vintage chic and reuseable items. Their eclectic mix of wares includes vintage china and crystal, furniture such as chairs, desks, and cabinets as well as candles, jewelry, tea towels, and more!  


   

Here is one of their tables I wish I could find a home for.



This would make a wonderful small coffee ...


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Let There Be Light!

March 22, 2011

Last week at the Alameda Antiques Market and Faire I found a fun fish basket (panier de poissons) that I thought would make a great pendant light. It’s a unique shape and material, and it should cast a very interesting light through the metal wire which will create fun shadows on the wall. Making a pendant light is VERY EASY to do. You can transform almost anything into a pendant once you know the basics. So here’s how!



Materials you will need:





 1. 3 feet or longer piece of covered wire
 2....


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Fabulous Farmers Market Orchids

March 17, 2011

Every Saturday at the Berkeley Farmers Market on Center Street, the orchid man sits with his huge stand of lovely orchids.  He has large ones and small ones, most for only $10.




 

Orchids are a wonderful plant to have as a floral arrangement.  They are simple, sophisticated, and colorful all at the same time.  What is even better is the blooms can last for up to two months, and you only have to really water them well every two weeks!


Here is one way to take 2 of those orchid plants and really ...


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Antique Faire at Alameda Point

March 15, 2011

The first Sunday of every month one of the largest antique shows in California takes place in Alameda... unless that first Sunday is a rainy day as Lori and I discovered on March 6th. Fortunately for us, the Alameda Point Antiques Faire has a "rainout rollover" policy and the show gets postponed to the following Sunday.

Although there were fewer vendors at the rollover event this past Sunday than on a usual faire Sunday, Lori and I spotted many great finds.





Above is a pair of cane chairs for $...

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Salvaged Treasures at the Salvation Army

March 11, 2011

Today marks the 131st year that the Salvation Army has been operating in the US. Like many of the first Americans, it too originated from England.

Lori and I visited the Salvation Army Store on Webster St. in Downtown Oakland a few weeks ago.  I was still on my hunt for a bookshelf and a table for my sacred space.

Thrift store shopping is inevitably a hit-or-miss experience. This time, it was a hit! Well, at least a partial hit.  I found a little table in excellent condition and of good quality...
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Spotlight On...Photographer, Muffy Kibbey

March 8, 2011

Walking into a beautifully designed room, you instantly feel the warmth and personality of the homeowner.  You should feel at ease and comfortable sitting down.  However capturing this on film is a completely different story, no matter how wonderful the design is.  This takes many years of experience, knowledge, and talent. After several failed attempts to photograph my own designs, I needed help and was introduced to Muffy.  She has since photographed many of my designs, some of which have a...


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About Me

As an Interior Designer, I am constantly looking for new ways of re-purposing and re-using what people already have as well as finding new resources for affordable furnishings. This is just a place to share great resources, ideas, information about the trades, and ways of doing things yourself to help make your own home fabulous! 

- Lori Pepe-Lunché,  more about me...


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