Jean Renoir - Italian Designer Sofas and Armchairs

Retro Sofas are Uk suppliers of stylish Italian leather sofas and armchairs in period designs such as the iconic Jean Renoir sofa and armchair range. Our sofas are designed in the styles of the Art Deco period and the 60s and 70s and make a perfect addition to any home living room, boardroom or office. Delivery is available throughout the UK.

When looking for the right peice of furniture for your home, office or living room, its difficult to find sofas and armchairs that have that extra something, that all important 'je ne sais quoi', that feel good factor which comes with style, elegance and quality with a good price tag attached to it.

For me, the Jean Renoir range of designer Italian leather sofas from Retro Sofas of London has all this and more rolled into one. This sofa range just oozes chic, and has infinitely more appeal than the run of the mill sofas and armchairs available on the market at comparable prices. With its undertstated retro style and vintage shape, combined with an elegant trim, it just feels right. It impresses without being ostentatious, and has style without being loud or garish. This has to be the must have designer sofa and armchair range for 2009.

Find out more about the Retro Sofas ranges of sofas, armchairs, footstools and sofa beds at the Retro Sofas web site:

Italian Designer Sofas and Armchairs | Retro Style Sofas and Armchairs | Jean Renoir Sofa and Armchair Range

Bring the beauty and warmth into your home with our prints, rustic decor, home furnishings and kitchenware. From whimsical to dramatic, you'll find something to please everyone in your family with rustic home furnishings.

For many city dwellers, rustic home furnishings are a way to escape the hectic urban lifestyle for the peaceful tranquility of rural living. When it's impossible to leave the corporate rat race behind, an urban apartment or city house decorated in rustic home furnishings can be a relaxing place to unwind after a stressful day at the office.

Country decorating utilizes natural materials as much as possible and decorative items that look handmade even when they aren't. Wooden floors may be polished to sheen, yet have characteristic marks from decades of being walked on. Braided rugs are scattered about, providing texture and warmth. The walls may be painted in neutral shades or earth tones, or perhaps papered in small floral patterns or bold country motifs.

For those living on country farms or in mountain cabins, the rustic decorating style is a natural choice that showcases the tradition of a farming heritage. And for those who live in-between, the suburbanites, upscale country home furnishings can provide a comfortable gathering place for family and friends to enjoy each other's company, or to relax after a long commute.

Popular designs incorporate such elements as apples, floral wreaths, roosters, birdhouses, hearts, and Americana folk art for borders or to be used either above or below chair railing or crown molding. Wide borders with bold patterns complement smaller matching designs, checks, stripes, or plaids that can be used for larger wall areas.

A bear or moose motif may be used with more rustic home furnishings to create a log cabin ambience or to bring the feel of wilderness living into the dwelling. Chandeliers that look like wagon wheels or that are made from antlers, whether authentic fixtures or reproductions, are common lighting elements for rustic decorating.

From moose wall plates and elk switch plates, to bear coat hooks and deer towel bars, loon key holders and pinecone or leaf curtain swag holders, we are your source for rustic metal art decor featuring wildlife and fish themes for decorating your log home, lodge, cottage and log cabin.

A dark brown leather sofa fits perfectly in a country theme, especially when teamed up with either complementary or contrasting upholstered chairs. Comfort is a primary factor when it comes to selecting seating for the rustic dwelling. Throw pillows and curtains can be made from the same fabric to add a unified look to the room, though window shutters are an innovative alternative to traditional drapes when it comes to window treatments.

A stack of folded quilts, perhaps piled in an open trunk or a large basket, invites family and friends to wrap themselves up on chilly evenings while watching television or reading a good book. Or handmade afghans can be draped over the back of the sofa and chairs. Such simple decorating elements provide a hospitable feel to a family room. Baskets, in a variety of shapes and sizes, are also an integral element of country decorating whether handmade or mass-produced. To add additional interest, baskets can be lined with calico prints or trimmed in lace, filled with balls of yarn and embroidery projects, or hold freshly baked cookies for mid-afternoon snacking.

Another idea for bringing elements of nature into the house is to arrange a small collection of bird houses on a plant shelf or countertop. Other collectibles can also be displayed, perhaps rag dolls or stuffed teddy bears.

Vintage Wallpaper
Retro is fun, but don't live entirely in past
Going retro has never been easier. Whether you love '50s space-age style, '20s art deco or design from any bygone era, vintage furniture and home accessories are everywhere today.

Vintage Wallpaper

Parsons Dining Room

The History of the Parsons Dining Chair

A parsons chair is a special kind of upholstered dining chair. The name has nothing to do with the clergy. The chair was named for its origin – it was created in Paris in the 1930s, by a designer at the famous Parsons School of Design.

When designing the chair, the Parsons School designers didn’t radically reinvent the idea of the chair (as, say, the Bauhaus did in Germany). Instead, the designers streamlined historical influences, kept what worked, threw away what didn’t, and created an enduring modern classic.

The main traits of the parsons chair – its naturalism, simplicity and linear look – are classic Modernist traits, but the style reflects 1800s Mission and Arts and Crafts styles, the Art Nouveau styles that emerged later, and the Art Deco that was contemporary at the time of the parsons chair’s design. The simplicity of the chair fits with these styles and a great variety of others, both classic and modern.

Originally, the parsons chair was meant to be used in a set with the parsons table, whose linear look reflects a similar aesthetic in the matching chair. However, in a bit of irony, the simplicity of both has led to them being adapted separately into many styles of furniture and decor. The result? Today, they are rarely seen together. The parsons style is so adaptable that many who own a parsons table or a parsons chair have no idea that companion pieces exist.

The parsons chair is virtually always crafted of hardwood, and features a slightly curving, squared backrest and legs. They are usually featured with slipcover upholstery that entirely covers the legs and gives the chair a solid, monumental appearance. This slipcover is optional or absent on many recent models.

Most parsons chairs nowadays are direct clones of the original Parsons School design. However, many recent variations exist, including versions with cabriole legs, Chippendale-influenced designs, shorter or taller designs, and versions with armrests, versions inspired more or less by Art Nouveau or Art Deco, and so on. The original Parsons School design was upholstered in leather, and this is still a very popular upholstery option, though microfabrics are increasingly used. The wide variety of options available today should ensure that you’ll be able to find one that’s right for you.

Due to its simplicity, comfort and ease of cleaning, the parsons chair remains enduringly popular, especially in restaurants. In fact, you might already own and enjoy one without realizing what it is. We hope that knowledge of this chair’s history should deepen your appreciation for this unique design.

About the Author

For more information and a great variety of dining chairs, check out http://www.MoreDiningChairs.Com.

Ron Jordan is a marketing associate for Cymax Stores Inc., a premiere online furniture distribution company.

News from 100 years ago: 06/09/2010
The little town of Wetzell, located two and a half miles north of Mancelona on the G. R. and I. Railroad, no longer exists.

Parsons Dining Room

Decor Art

Large Wall Art Decor Ideas

A room's, house's, or office's interior wall is actually like a blank piece of canvas. Put some artwork on it, and you can add character and details to any place in the house.

There are many ideas on how to creatively decorate your walls. Here are some of them.

1. Pictures

This is a traditional but time-tested way of decorating. Simply hang framed photos on the wall. Photos can be anything-family members and loved ones, memorable places where you went, or themed and carefully composed pictures of a certain subject. It is best if these pictures were blown up, or enlarged. It would probably be good if you keep the frame uniform; if you used a gold-leaf frame on a certain picture, all other pictures should use the same frame. Doing this effectively omits a look of chaos.

2. Paintings

This is another classical decoration. You can do either of two things: hang a large painting, or hang smaller multiple paintings. The two main criteria for selecting paintings are size and color. The painting should be too large that it will overwhelm the wall, nor to small to be lost in all other items.

Paintings should be hung in a way so that its center is at eye level. When choosing a painting for a large wall art décor, choose a bold color in your room or house and choose artwork that has that color in it. If you want muted colors, you may choose a black-and-white art with a light-colored mat or neutral colored frame.

Style should be consistent. For example, if your house or room is filled with antiques, the painting you choose may have antique-style frames.

3. Sculptures

Two-dimensional sculptures are also great for wall decors. Another idea is to surround a larger sculpture or painting with smaller ones. A good way of organizing such is to draw an imaginary rectangle and the part of the wall you want to focus on. Then fill that rectangle with a grouping of related art, in this case, sculptures.

4. Carpet and rugs

Beautifully designed carpets such as Persian rugs can be used as wall decors. Just make sure that it coincides with the theme of your room since these kinds of rugs usually have overwhelming designs. Please note that most Persian rugs are large and can dominate entire walls.

5. Unconventional materials

Do not limit yourself to paintings, photographs, and other classical art. You can use other materials. For example, an old wooden box can be repaired and hanged as a curio cabinet and a wall décor at the same time. Wooden blocks can be used as candle stands. A piece of weathered driftwood can be used to accent a wall. The possibilities are endless.

6. Wallpaper

Don't forget this simple large wall art décor. Wallpapers can really define the atmosphere of a room. You can choose between plain colored ones for a simplistic design or a patterned one to establish a theme. There are endless styles available in home improvement shops

7. Lights

An artful display of lights is a contemporary wall décor art. Spotlights suspended on the ceiling project beams on the wall. Carefully arranged, the beams can form patterns, lines, and spots that are as effective as any painting. Spotlights can also be used to highlight particular pieces of artwork.

About the Author

Article author Alyssa Davis is the contemporary design consultant and senior staff writer for Metal-Wall-Art.com. Visit the store for a distinctive
candle wall sconce
and
wall art sculpture
.

Abbott's ZonePerfect(R) Nutrition Bar Brand Continues Commitment to Creativity as Premier Sponsor of Film Independent ...
Principal sponsors include Kodak and Subaru read more

Decor Art

Art Deco
Retro’s fun, but keep a balance
By Melissa Rayworth The Associated Press Going retro has never been easier. Whether you love ’50s space-age style, ’20s art deco or design from any bygone era, vintage furniture and home accessories are everywhere today.

How 2 Create a Jazzy Art Deco Bedroom in 6 Easy Steps

This article contains information and tips to help you create your little piece of Art Deco style. The colours, patterns, designs, furniture styles and decorative detailing of the Art Deco era will be revealed. Added to this are lists of where to find more information and suppliers of Art Deco items. If you follow the 6 easy steps you can easily put together your Art Deco master piece.

During the Art Deco era interior design was a main focus. Smooth surfaces, exotic materials and repeated geometric forms characterise this style. The style became part of the ‘Swinging Twenties' part of the ‘Jazz Age'.

Tip: Read through the whole article before you start following the steps

 

Step 1:  Know what makes Art Deco different from Art Nouveau

Art Deco is a jazzy style with straight lines, geometric and abstracted shapes used in buildings, furniture and decorative details. This is the main difference from the earlier Art Nouveau style with its flowing lines, organic curved rounded forms, fantasy themes and gentle pastel colours. In comparison Art Deco is bold, colourful, showy and dramatic.

Tip: Look for

• Straight lines

• Geometric shapes

• Abstract patterns

• Egyptian scarab

• Sun Motifs

• Stepped ziggurat shapes

• Fan shapes

• Aztec symbols

• Stylised flowers

 

Step 2: Become familiar with examples of Art Deco design

You can do this from the comfort of your computer desk. Just use the information below to inform your research. This is the easiest way, but you can also visit your local library or you can research in your local area.

Tip: An easy way to find visual information is to do a Google image search. Please note some images labeled as Art Deco are in fact Art Nouveau

In France

• Emile –Jacques Ruhlmann a leader of French interior design and furniture design between 1918 – 1925

• Paul Iribe

• Andre Groult

• Neuilly Villa designed 1929 by Pierre Legrain

• Eileen Gray in 1920 designed Suzanne Talbot's apartment

 

Art Deco USA

Design in the USA was Influenced by French Art Deco after the 1925 Paris exhibition. The Americans loved the bright surfaces and abstract patterns of the style. The 1933 World's Fair ‘Century of Progress' in Chicago saw many Art Deco motifs, designs and shapes used for example the rising sun motif and stepped ziggurat.

Ely Jacques Kahn designed Art Deco skyscraper entrance lobbies

• Bricken Building

• Chrysler Building

• Empire State Building

• Banking Hall of the Irving Trust Company

 

Step 3: Select floor covering

For a bedroom plain wall to wall fitted carpet would be an excellent choice. This was a popular floor treatment of the time. Although geometric patterns and Sarouk Persian or Turkish carpets in geometric or floral salmon pink were popular in the States. In Britain large repeat patterns in soft muted colours (similar to William Morris designs) were used in hotels and on ocean liners.

French carpets were formal in style with highly stylised floral designs. Brilliantly coloured carpets with abstract patterns were used in theaters and department stores in the US and France.

Animal skin floor rugs could also be used in your bedroom. Zebra skin rugs were popular and placed over the plain carpets. Linoleum continued to be popular as did parquet floors.

Tip: What you choose for the floor will influence all your other choices. Remember this when you make your selection.

Art Deco Floors:

• Plain

• Geometric

• Zebra skin

• Persian

• Turkish (Sarouk)

 

Carpets Available in Art Deco Style

Stark's Navarre design

Stark's Laseine design

Bosanquet's Ives trellis design

Axminster Carpets' Honeycomb design

 

Step 4: Select the wallpaper and paint colours

You may want to create a modern styled room with an Art Deco twist or create a room to reflect a real impression from the Art Deco times. Strong colours were used as a reaction to the pastels of the Art Nouveau style. However colours did vary between countries and the decades of the Art Deco era.

In a bedroom green, ultramarine, sea green or deep blue could create a peaceful retreat. But black, red, crimson, burnt orange or hot pink could create a dramatic bold statement. Or a sophisticated elegant atmosphere could be created by using white on white, cream, coffee, beige, bluff or chocolate brown.

Tip: Some colours work better in a bedroom. Greens and blues are said to decrease the heart rate. Reds and oranges are said to stimulate and increase the heart rate.

Art Deco colours

• Chocolate brown

• Red

• Black

• Hot Pink

• Beige

• Coffee

• White on White

• Ultramarine

Walls, ceilings and woodwork were often smooth and sometimes glossy. Wallpapers were also popular. If you want drama and excitement in your scheme then wallpapers with bold geometric, Egyptian or Aztec motifs in vibrant colours would achieve this.

The wallpaper designs of the 1930's could create a sophisticated elegant look. The tea stained colours heighted with silver or gold would create a rich, smart interior space.

A truly feminine room could be created using one of the many Art Deco floral design wallpapers. Or a classic modern Art Deco look could be achieved by using geometric patterns in cubist like designs.

Wallpaper

• Stylised Flowers

• Stripes

• Geometric

• Egyptian motifs

• 1930's (tea stained colours highlighted with silver or gold)

 

Wallpaper Sources

Bradbury and Bradbury's Glasgow Panel

G.P. & J. Baker's Rose & Hummingbird

 

Step 5: Select the Furniture

The interiors of the Art Deco era housed furniture with straight (sometimes curved) clean lines. To create a classic modern room glass and chrome could be used. Lacquered furniture was also popular at this time so could be used to create an elegant sophisticated style.

Exotic timbers could be used to create bold statements and rooms with a sense of drama. Upholstery was often designed in geometric patterns, but plain fabrics were often used. Large tasseled cushions of varying shapes covered with sumptuous fabrics were popular. Using cushions in this manner would create a more informal look.

Tip: It is best to make the final choice on paint colour selections after the furniture has been selected

Furniture

• Chrome

• Glass

• Veneered exotic timbers

• Lacquered: Black, Scarlet, Pale yellow

 

Step 6: Select Art Deco Accessories

Ornaments were sparsely used during the Art Deco period. The classical minimal modern look was starting to have an impact at this time and influenced Art Deco design. The stepped profile is considered the shape of the Art Deco era. Abstracted fans, sunrise and Egyptian motifs were also popular.

Lamps with female figurers holding a ball are a well known icon of the Art Deco era. Also cushion were used in strongly coloured rooms, often black and red with red lacquer-work furniture and China pagoda lamps.

So what could you use to finish off your Art Deco room? Fan design table lamps or a girl with a ball lamp could be used with sleek lacquered furniture or with exotic timber or glass and chrome pieces.

A mirror in a fan or step design would work well with most furniture designs. Art Deco interiors rarely displayed paintings however murals were sometimes used. Ornaments in bronze and other metals of the female or animal form were in vogue at this time so could make a nice addition to your Art Deco bedroom.

Tip: One piece of Art Deco; a lamp, piece of furniture or wallpaper could be the starting point of your interior decorating scheme. Everything else selected should then relate to that object.

This article has illustrated there are three main themes you can use to create your bedroom in an Art Deco style.

You could create:

• A bold dramatic room with strong colours, bold geometric patterns and exotic timber furniture.

• Or secondly you could create a classic modern style using chrome and glass furniture, abstract patterns and muted or neutral colours with strong contrast.

• Or a luxurious sophisticated room could be created using lacquered furniture, subtle patterns and tea stained coloured wallpaper with silver or gold stripes.

That is not to say you can't mix some of the items from each style to create a really individual take on Art Deco. The important thing to remember when creating an Art Deco room; the motifs, patterns and designs are basically the same. I will be writing a series on Art Deco on my Sample Board Online blog http://blog.sampleboardonline.com I invite you to visit. It will be loaded with information and images.

Some Art Deco Sources

USA

Modern Gallery French & American Art Deco

Art Deco Collection

Art Deco Rugs

UK

Antique Suppliers and Reproduction Suppliers Directory

Rupert Cavendish Antiques

The Art Deco Home

Australia

Art Deco Online Store

Art Deco World

 

 

About the Author

Rosena works as an interior design, retail and visual merchandising tutor for Australian College QED. She I has also worked for the Retail Traders Association of Victoria as a Retail Trainer. Rosena has a Diploma in Interior Design, Post Graduate Diploma in Public and Community Health and is a qualified trainer. She also works as an interior design consultant, creates designer art work and is the Australian partner of Sample Board Online a new cool free interior design presentation tool.

Art Deco