COTE DE TEXAS: FABULOUS NEW FABRIC LINE: Joni Webb Designs for FOS Fabrics

FABULOUS NEW FABRIC LINE: Joni Webb Designs for FOS Fabrics

 

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Los Angeles interior designer, Mary McDonald, of Million Dollar Decorators fame just came out with a new fabric line for F. Schumacher and I am literally drooling.  While, I’m not a big fan of citrus orange – it’s too bright for me – but notice the curtains and the gorgeous rug!

This ad ran in the new Elle Décor and I was slightly Fifty Shades of Grey over it!

 

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The curtain fabric comes in 4 colorways – tangerine, blush conch, aquamarine and lettuce.  To die for!

 

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OMG!  The blush conch – imagine this color mixed with a soft brown in a bedroom.  I literally gasped when I saw this on the F Schumacher web site.  Gasped.  I want  to have curtains made out of this!  Anyone want a new bedroom designed by Webb Design????? 

 

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I love the Lettuce colorway too.  And the aquamarine colorway.  The Schumacher web site says you could use this as wallcovering but the width is not that wide (54”) and I think it would get boring to see the same scene repeated over a large expanse like in a dining room – but in a small space, such as a powder room or dressing area, it could be great.  Personally, I  think this is a perfect curtain fabric, or a chair fabric or a pillow.   The vertical repeat is 131.5 – so the tallest windows it could cover would be around 10’.

 

 

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A blow up of one section of the Chinois Palais fabric in blush conch.   And the best part?  100% linen.  Leave it to Mary McDonald to come up with the best new fabric design I’ve seen in ages.

 

 

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She pairs the mural fabric with her other new fabrics – a brown velvet, a more contemporary fabric, and a cut velvet.

 

 

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This linen – Garden of Persia is another great one.  And notice the Octavius tape for trims – gorgeous!

 

 

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The linen – Garden of Persia – in the blush conch colorway.  Imagine this as the duvet and headboard with this curtain:

 

 

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What a gorgeous bedroom! 

 

 

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And there is this linen pattern – Villa de Medici which you could also mix with the Chinois Palais fabric. 

 

 

 

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And there are her tapes and appliques that are so unique and match the aesthetic of the fabrics just perfectly.

 

I’ve often thought about fabric designing and how hard it must be.  There have been a few bloggers who have recently designed their own fabric lines – and I’ve always been in awe of their abilities.  One -

 

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Jackie Von Tobel designed an entire line of fabrics – which she drew - but then again, she’s an incredible artist.  Her two books are all hand drawn – with over 1,000 illustrations per book. 

 

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Besides this book, there is another one on Window Treatments HERE.  Jackie’s fabric line was inspired by her own drawings from both books. 

 

 

Another interior designer blogger, Pure Style Home, started her own fabric and furniture line Here called Lauren Liess Textiles.   Above, on a chair she designed, she covered it in two different fabrics from LL Textiles.  I love the green chintz, which comes in several different colorways.

 

These women aren’t that much different than me, but I am amazed that they were able to design fabric lines!  I can’t even imagine how you go about it.   Where do you start?  Do you have to be a good artist? 

Looking at Mary McDonald’s new fabric line, I can understand more easily how she started.  She looked around her house and at her projects for inspiration.  That much is obvious.  For example:

 

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In her new fabric line for F. Schumacher, orange is one of 4 colorways. 

 

 

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Now, this bright orange is a color she has used in designs before.  In her former house, the large entry was mainly orange with blue and white accents.  The entry hall was stunning and the focal point of her entire house.

 

 

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In the center of Mary’s large entry hall, the ceiling drops, and stone arches surround the space.   Mary put two antique Empire day beds in this area covered in tangerine colored fabrics.   The two chairs wear tangerine velvet. 

 

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Another look at her two story Tudor styled entry hall.  Is it any wonder where the inspiration for the Tangerine colorway came from?

 

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And, the inspiration for her Chinois Palais fabric is obvious too!

 

 

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Mary uses handpainted wallpapers from Gracie and DeGournay in many of her projects.   She recently redecorated her bedroom in an aquamarine paper, very similar to her Chinois Palais aquamarine fabric.

 

 

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And, in this house’s entry way, she used another aquamarine wallpaper.

 

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This de Gournay wallpaper in a dining room she designed may have inspired the Lettuce colorway:

 

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It’s also obvious why she chose a Lettuce colorway – you only have to see her newly redecorated kitchen to understand:

 

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The Lettuce green and white fabric and wallpaper used in Mary’s new kitchen décor may have inspired her Lettuce Schumacher fabrics.

 

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Her guest suite is decorated in shades of greens, pinks, and browns – did this also inspire her Lettuce colorway?

 

 

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Mary’s former bedroom in bold navy and white.

 

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This dining room in dark navy was another inspiration  - love the touch of the lettuce green.

 

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Did these blue rooms inspire her Bleu Marine colorway?  So pretty!  Again, this mix would make a wonderful basis for a family room or a bedroom design.

 

 

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Mary  has two fabrics based on a needlepoint stitch.  Here, this linen is a cross between the flamestitch and the more modern chevron, although the web site names marbled Florentine papers as the inspiration.

 

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And this fabric, Bargello, a cotton.   Both these two fabrics have a direct correlation to Mary’s personal life:

 

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In her former house’s dressing room, the walls were papered in a very similar pattern!   While this wallpaper’s lines are more severe, Mary’s Bargello fabric shows softer, curved lines.

 

 

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Such a beautiful dressing room!  I would love this! 

 

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And in her kitchen, the former décor had another flamestitch wallpaper.  Notice the pillows repeat a similar pattern.  Mary must really be a fan of the flamestitch.  

 

 

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Mary designed this high contrast red, black and white family room.

 

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And another view of the contemporary room.  Did this room directly inspire Mary’s Schumacher fabric line?

 

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These fabrics and trim in black, red, and white seem to have been inspired by the above family room.

 

 

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Mary’s newly redecorated living room is filled with different shades of deep greens. 

 

 

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Her former dining room holds a collection of green malachite and various green urns and vases. 

 

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Were these green fabrics inspired by these two rooms?

 

 

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One large segment of her line is the trims – the appliques and the tapes  - that coordinate with the fabrics.

 

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Here, in this room Mary designed, you can see she used a similar applique on these pillows.

 

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Mary’s Schumacher Brighton applique is reminiscent of the pillows above.

 

 

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In her blue and white bedroom, she used a Greek key applique which inspired her Schumacher stylized Greek key.

 

 

 

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In this girl’s bedroom, with the Blush Conch and Lettuce color scheme, she used a Greek Key trim on the pillows.

 

 

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The Octavius Tape comes in Bleu Marine, Bittersweet, and Aquamarine colorways.

 

 

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And here, she  used Oriental styled appliques on her curtains’ cornice.

 

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These appliques might have inspired her Shanghai trim.

 

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And here, a selection of pillows with the appliques sewn on.  The large pillows are her Garden of Persia fabric.  On the sofa is her Malmaison tape.

 

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Perhaps Mary McDonald is most famous for the bold, geometric shapes she paints on floors and carpets.  Here in her bedroom, the sisal rug was painted in a large blue and white pattern.

 

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This house has a black and white pattern painted over hardwoods.  Love!

 

 

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In her former house, she painted a graphic pattern that encircled the middle of the room and went around the perimeter of the entry hall.

 

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Looking down at the pattern on her floor that circles the middle section of the room.  Gorgeous chandelier!

 

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In another view of her former house, the floors were previosuly stained brown wood planks and painting them white and black was a late design decision – which I think was genius.   Here, you can see the enfilade – from the dining room, to the entry hall, to the living room, through to the study with its striped chair.  Portieres divide the rooms.

 

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Mary’s bold painted floors became the inspiration for a line of rugs sold at Patterson, Flynn, and Martin, through F. Schumacher.  Here, is the Paterre rug which is sold in two colorways.  Isn’t it gorgeous??

 

 

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Mary designed 18 rug patterns.  Some match her fabrics, like Garden of Persia and Voltage.

 

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Here is the Algorithm rug. 

 

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While many rugs are silk and wool, some are fiber rugs, such as this one, French Conga, with it’s great border.

 

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Here, a wool and silk blend rug, matching the Garden of Persia linen fabric.

 

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And another textured one, to go with Mary’s blue fabrics – Brighton Lane.

 

 

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There is one thing about the Schumacher fabric line that surprised me:  there was no yellow colorway.  Mary is known for using bold sunny lemon yellows, often paired with brown silks and velvets, stripes and solids.  Here, in her former house, standing before her collection of incredible ivory pagodas, Mary dressed in bold banana to match her décor.  But why no yellow colorway?  Is it no longer a favorite of hers? 

 

Seeing how Mary dreamed up her fabric line by referencing old and new projects, and former and current houses for inspiration, I thought I might try designing a line of fabrics, using the same technique:

 

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Let’s see.  First I looked at my house for inspiration.

 

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Then, I looked at my client’s rooms – and viola!  I came up with my own line of fabrics. 

 

Joni Webb Designs for FOS Fabrics:

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Let’s see, I designed a brown velvet, an ivory velvet, and a brown glazed linen.

 

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Next, I designed an ivory matte taffeta silk, a linen stripe, and a white cotton.

 

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There’s a white linen, an ikat, and a snow white linen

 

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And there’s a ticking stripe.

 

Done.  Whoa.  That was really, really hard!!!  Geez, wonder how much I can sell it for?

Just kidding, just kidding.  But, seriously, these are really the only fabrics I seem to need these days, that is unless I can have this one:

 

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Actually, this really does look good with “my” fabric line!  Anyone want a new bedroom designed by Webb Designs using this as a curtain????   I’m ready!!

 

If you don’t have Mary McDonald’s book – you can order it here from Amazon.  Just click on the picture. 

42 comments :

  1. Fantastic post! Love her new line. You can design a library for me using her fabrics! Have a great week.

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  2. Joni, I love this post because I am such a fan Of Mary McDonald, so fun to see so many of her designs in one place. I plan on using her lettuce colorway in my family room redo, I am in love with her no fret pattern. Her beautiful blush colorway would look beautiful in a bedroom or powder room.I am pretty much like you in that I like solids and stripes with a geometric pattern thrown in the mix. However my color choices range in the blues, greens and black and whites.
    I think you would be a fantastic fabric designer. You have a definite vision of what you love and so many love your work. I say go for it!!
    Happy monday,
    kathysue

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  3. Wonderful post!! Always love seeing the room you did at the end. What a huge difference from the before shots!! Loved all the flooring ideas as well! xo Leslie

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  4. I, too, have toyed with designing my own fabrics. But the industry is so elusive and it is hard to know where to start. Wish the process were more transparent! This collection is to die for....I was drooling over the fabric wings when I saw them in person last week.

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  5. Thanks so much for all of the shots of spaces that I don't recall seeing before. I am crazy for "Mum's" style, and can now dream about how I can update some things around my home with her gorgeous offerings. I always appreciate your thorough posts!

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  6. I love Mary McDonald's new line -- especially that scenic Chinoiserie birdie pattern that we've seen so much of on hand-painted wallpapers. Putting it on fabric is GENIUS. The last time I quoted a Gracie paper for a client she nearly had a heart attack and I barely made it out alive... ;-) Even though the Schumacher fabric is expensive, that drapery fabric is a much more affordable way for clients to get a scenic-birds-and-branches fix than papering the whole room with it.

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  7. I love your fabic line as well as Mary's. I am not a fan of Mary's work, I think her designs will be dated way to quickly, and for the life of me why would anyone want the floor in every room to be the focal... I just don't get it. But she is very pretty and funny, I am a fan of the person.

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  8. Wonderful post, Joni! So informative and so many wonderful examples of Mary's talent! Yours wasn't so bad either! And actually, a lot more livable and realistic! But Mary's talent is very obvious and I cannot imagine being able to do that either! I will be referring back to this post for a long time! It's hard to take it all in at once! Have a wonderful week!

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  9. Joni, could you have a group of fabric designers on The Skirted Roundtable or do an interview with them for your blog. Ask them how they truly design fabric. I know gals/guys who design fabrics, like Heather Bailey for the quilt market, do it with a stylis and electronic tablet and some draw their designs on paper first. There is a school in San Francisco that teaches a two year program on fabric design. It is a very intense undertaking. Does hiring someone else to draw your fabric designs make it yours? Does going into the fabric company's archives and pulling out an 80 year old pattern and recoloring it qualify as designing it yourself? I think there needs to be some truth in marketing what these designers say is their new line. I cannot see Mary sitting down and drawing out every feather on the birds or flower petals in Chinois Palais, so I would like to hear it from her mouth that she really did design this pattern. Interview Lauren Leis about how she did her line. We all would like to know how it is done. In addition to that, how they get a contract with the fabric companies. There are a lot of talented people who would like the opportunity, connections and knowledge of the fabric industry. For those of you who want to try printing fabric in small yardage, there is Spoonflower, who will take your Adobe Illustrator drawings. It has to be your own original design. I've had them do some small things for me on linen. You can also have Spoonflower sell your designs on yardage but it is not profitable like having a contract with Schumacher. Please explore this topic further for all of us. Thanks.

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    1. Great idea for a SRT Summer, it would be very interesting to hear how these designers came up with their fabric lines, did they actually "design" or did someone else or is a re-issue. I think someone also mentioned Spoonflower in comment below. Joni you need to check them out! Lauren actually did a post on her fabric line and pricing, it was very informative. I am little disappointed in some of the comments with regard to her age, no matter her financial backing, whether its family money or none at all, she is very talented young woman and obviously very savvy and I enjoy her work and success, these young designers have so many resources available to them that were not around in my halcyon days and through the internet (blogging/pinterest/olio etc) they are able to garner exposure.

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  10. Thank you for the informative post. Personally I would tire of the impact of all that color. The average client is not going to redo their home on a whim
    every few years as Mary is able to do. I can see her designing a fabric line, but how does a young designer like Lauren Liess (love her blog also) figure out the
    ins and outs of the process? Joanie, your fabric line cracks me up, love it............... Linda

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  11. Joni, I'm with you; I love the blush Gracie-on-linen! I had a pale yellow Gracie wallpaper on my dining room walls before our deluge. I miss it terribly! But when I saw Mary's Chinoiserie pattern, I fell in love all over again. Now I'm plotting as to where I can use it. Maybe I will have that fabric somewhere in a retirement condo in my future! :) As always, I admire your research. You are an amazing journalist! Were you a newspaper reporter sometime in the past? :) I am already anticipating your next post!

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  12. Hi Joni, I was going to post my ideas for patterns to add to your imaginary "Joni Webb Fabric Collection". However, since my specialty is sales and marketing, just could not help it, my ideas quickly blossomed into a REAL concept. Therefore, I will be sending you my ideas in a private email. With your exposure through the internet, it would be very do-able for you to have a fabric line.

    Check out my email and let's talk further.

    Smiles, Charlotte

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  13. Hi Joni! first, I have to say I LOVE your blog!! really inspirational! So, I thought you could help me. We are in the process of building our home and I NEED HELP with COLORS!!!!! Who better to ask than YOU?? :) In my bedroom Im looking for clean and airy which is unlike me I usually do colors like SW Favorite tan and BM Alexandria Beige in the past. But Im leaning toward a Bluish greenish taupey grey color! Some clean and airy that will go with a white bedding and Aidan Gray lamps and AG candlestick Sconces.I am looking in to a linen upholstered headboard like the Zentique King Louis headboard. I just want something clean. AND mabey a color that will coordinate with BM Lancaster Whitewash Trim. ( that is the the color trim I usually use) Also what Fabric for the curtains would go good? I would Love your ideas. Thanks

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  14. I totally agree with you Joni! Beautiful fabrics and I love the Chinoiserie, tapes and appliques!
    I think it's more fun being on the buying end than the designing end, that way you can just enjoy seeing it and if you get to use in in someone's home so much the better! Maryannex0

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  15. I love how she pulled the delicate and bold patterns together...oh man...and in linen and cut velvet...I need to get in and see this in person. And I would LOVE to see the bedroom you design with the fabrics above....gorgeous.

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  16. Joni, look no further than the NC company listed in the link below. I recently read a story about this company in a magazine. They
    will print any fabric or wallpaper that you can design. If memory serves me correctly, there are no minimum yardage. You can do this.

    http://www.spoonflower.com/about

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    Replies
    1. P.S. This is not spam, by the way. Spoonflower is a legitimate company and has been featured in numerous shelter mags.

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  17. Hi Joni: I love your new fabric line and kicking myself that I didn't collaborate with you on Mary's idea of the deGournay-inspried designs for panels. I have a wonderful source for printing here in Los Angeles and can get the ground goods, too, belgian linen at an excellent price. What I can't figure out is how she managed such a large repeat unless it's digitally printed. Screens simply don't come that large! I hope you still love your bedroom as much as I do. Sending you a virtual hug and thanks again, for yet another amazing post. Simon

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  18. adore MM...love the Chinoiserie bird pattern(any color)Grand post. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  19. Mary McDonald has such style and pizzazz! Her interiors are always chic. And her fabric line is gorgeous. But I love your designs and colorways :)
    Loi

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  20. You had my heart pounding...and then I saw the orange and I thought...umm ummmm. You big tease!

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  21. Joni, I know you can do anything you decide to. I too, love Mary McDonald and so happy we get to see her on t.v. now.I think anyone reading your blogs and stepping into your home would have a hard time not liking your designs. They are beautiful and what is so great, there seems to be "bits and pieces" of many styles which you so beautifully brought together. I would love to see you on your own Decorating show on HGTV. I am a
    Chinoiserie girl too and love your style and Mary McDonalds' too. Great post !

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  22. Thanks for teaching me I have zero cut linen in my home or conservatory.

    Thanks, Joni.

    XO T

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  23. May as well call this "The Mary McDonald" post. I have never understood why she gets the attention in design ...especially as of lately. Her room designs have so many elements that have been copied from other famous designers, and she is trying to always go over the top (& I don't mean that in a good way). Have never been a fan & never will. If it wasn't for her starring in the hit Bravo design show, I doubt that she would have written a book or started a fabric line (because not many would have been interested).
    Lynn

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    Replies
    1. I agree with you. Valorie Hart did a post two weeks ago on Mary McDonald and how to achieve her look with Valorie's Houze picks. - Most of the stuff was not worth looking at.

      To call Mary a Million Dollar decorator is to level an enormous insult at those who really are. She comes across as a flake who assumes that her clients are ignorant boobs (maybe the ones on Bravo actually are), and she sells them a design scheme she does on the cheap and charges top dollar for. Anyone will to be a reality show decorator must not have "real paying clients". It certainly is not a reputation builder.

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  24. Hi - I agree with Summer's comments above - lets get the low down on all this fabric "designing". I have a couple of friends who are published writers and I wonder if it is not the same in the world of fabrics - make many friends and connections in the industry, and if your really talented and beginning to have a "name, maybe someone(company) will pick you up. OR, you have a ton of money and you pay for it all yourself - maybe even someone else to "design" it. I seriously doubt most designers sit down and draw it all out - fabric manufactures have resources for this in house. The designers might meet with these people - come up with some things, etc... I was kind of surprised about Lauren L. having her own fabric line - she is very young and only regionally known - maybe she has tons of money.

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  25. that chinois palais is killer in blush! i never get too excited about prints but that is amazing. i find mary extremely entertaining. and that's what 'reality' tv requires. it's not a real inside look at how the average designer runs her biz, it's produced and theatrical and trainwreck-y.

    :)
    michele

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  26. Joni,
    Love all the color and prints. Makes my heart happy!

    Tikaa
    p.s. i know we talked about it but I changed my blog name totallytikaa.com

    Thanks for the input, I adore your advice.

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  27. Gotta say ... . all that color and pattern was fun to glance at, but I found myself breathing a sign of relief when I finally got to Joni World !
    At long last something I could relate to... ... and your fabrics were the perfect subtle mix. I just find those rooms with every surface screaming to be difficult. No room for humanity.

    jjjjudith

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  28. I love Mary McDonald and have her book. To the snarky poster on this blog Mary's book was published way before the Bravo Million Dollar Decorators show began.

    I'm like Joni in that I prefer white linen and neutrals but I truly love these fabrics. Maybe I could afford some tape or applique and use it on cushions. I'm definitely going to try to buy something from this line.

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  29. Loved this post and all the fabrics are great and fresh! I was trying to find the green chintz by Lauren Liess and it is not on the link connected to her picture of the chair?? Is this from someone else, it is not in her selection of fabrics? Help! Thanks!!

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  30. That is so lovely. i am really looking for such kind of post, these are wonderful the desgins the color combination. everything is perfect. thanks for sharing Jomi.

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  31. That white looks lovely but dangerous. NO FLUIDS ALLOWED lol

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  32. It looks like she scanned a de gournay wallpaper panel. Not that original she she come up with her own designs!

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  33. Seeing how Mary dreamed up her fabric line by referencing old and new projects, and former and current houses for inspiration, I thought I might try designing a line of fabrics, thanks for tips. designer decorator fabric



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  34. Very nice collection of designer decorator fabric of home decor. I like very much and appreciate with a lot of collections of home decorative items.

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  37. Very nice collections and with this kind of inspiration i also trying in to decorative fabric design and also i appreciate your guidelines.
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