I’ve been working on creating a really rich, elegant space full of beautiful shapes and textures. You can see my plans for the décor in this presentation that I put together for the client before we began.

The furniture has my favorite classic French feel to it – Louis XVI side chairs for dining chairs, and a custom dining table designed by AVID. The table is two-toned, with a painted base and a stained solid hardwood top that will be both durable and hard-wearing. I love the carvings too – they add a touch of grandeur to a functional piece. As for the fabric, we’ve chosen some beautiful prints by my absolute favorite textile manufacturer Pierre Frey. I simply adore the gorgeous colors and designs they produce, and the client and I both fell in love with the deep reds and purple tones in this particular nature-inspired fabric.

The windows are to be dressed simply yet elegantly with drapery panels, and I’ve chosen some lovely custom-painted barstools with Micheal Smith fabric for extra seating. We also went for a simple arrangement of florals that will add some color but not overwhelm the area. But my favorite find has to be the antique secretary, a beautiful piece with gorgeous hardware and amazingly detailed carving. It opens up to reveal several tiny drawers and shelves, which means even though it’s such a classic piece, it’s perfect for storing all those modern accessories like iPhones and keys and the like!

You might be thinking, how do you know what to look for at a fair like this one, and even more importantly, how do you know what to invest in? For newcomers to the antiquing field, I always suggest starting with a small piece to get your feet wet. Start small, and then work your way up to your ‘antique comfort zone’. Antiques are a wonderful investment and the true quality pieces more often than not tend to retain their value.

With an eye out for really special pieces, I wandered around the fair. One of the first pieces that caught my attention was this lovely bench. I simply love the amazing carving, and the gorgeous green patina is just beautiful! This would be a great piece in an entry hall, at the end of a twin size bed, or in the midst of a seating arrangement.

Another great piece to start out with is a secretary. Oh, how I love secretaries! This was my first antique purchase, and I just adore this type of furniture. This is a great piece that can be used as dropzone or even as a substitute for a nightstand by a bedside.

I love that beautiful metal arcade around the top of this secretary! These are the kinds of details that I usually look for when hunting out a quality piece. (Note: Gatorade not vinage). I especially love the gilded chair that’s paired with this secretary. Oh and that stripe – so pretty, classic but a bit geometric.

I also really liked this elegant console with the matching tremeau (mirror)- just perfect for a sophisticated entry hall.

There were so many other pieces that I fell in love with at the fair… more details next time!

One of my crazes is for foo dogs, Chinese inspired figurines that symbolize guardians or protectors. They come from the original Chinese lions that traditionally stood guard outside temples, estates and grand homes or palaces. Nowadays they are much more attainable however, and should always be bought in pairs.

(Source: Circa Who)

My favorites include the Cloisonne foo dogs, which are made of beautiful decorative enamel and turquoise foo dogs. Though you might think the turquoise ones are only a passing fad – they can be seen just about everywhere right now – I really feel they are more of a design classic.

(Source: Carnaby Home)

Foo dogs are often designed with fairly frightening-looking faces, sometimes looking downright appalling, but that is really just a part of the beauty and appeal for me. They may be unconventional, but they really help to make a statement in an interior space, as in this entry hall.

(Source: Evie’s Independent Living)

But if foo dogs are too severe-looking for your taste, why not opt for alternative dog figurines with a little more homely charm? Staffordshire dogs, which originate in England, are definitely a cuter, more palatable kind of dog. These too started out as decorative pieces for upper class homes, but by the end of the nineteenth century they were amongst the most coveted of English-made porcelain figures. Today they are still a real collector’s item!

(Source: Old Sweetwater Cottage)

Another coloration that you might see around is the pretty red and white colored staffordshire pieces like the dogs in the center.

(Source: Cottone Auctions)

What do you think: would you decorate with dog-inspired figurines in your home? And which style would you prefer?

(Source: Quatrefoil Design)

I find these carved ivory discs so beautiful – they add instant prestige and integrity to a room. Before I use them in any of my current clients’ homes though, I am getting ready to put some up in my own house and office! There are so many lovely ways to display them… I wonder if mounting them on a dark background, as in the bedroom below, would work better? I have to admit, the contrast of ivory and chocolate is so elegant and yet so warm – just right for a cozy bedroom!

(Source: Amy Morris Interiors)

Another display of intaglios that caught my eye – and my imagination – is this gorgeous cluster of intaglios set in ornate blue and gold frames. The placement of the intaglios, along with the shape of the frames, creates the impression of two oversized brooches on the wall – so pretty!

(Source: Cote de Texas)

I’m so inspired, I can’t wait to see how they look on my own walls! Off to do some decorating…

Amitha Verma Interior Design

The counter set the tone for the rest of the décor. I designed a palette of rich golds and pale creamy tones to complement the red, and had a custom Louis XV-inspired cabinet made especially for the room. The hardware was so much fun to select – we were like kids in a candy store! Eventually we settled on this beautiful mismatched antique brass hardware with a natural patina.

Amitha Verma Interior Design

We decided to wainscot the wall to get in a little more stonework and used this amazing border from Walker Zanger with our vulcan red onyx tones and deep gray coloring. It was so decadent, it really fit in with our overall look. On the walls we worked with Segreto Finishes to apply venetian plaster, and this ever-so-slight motif was sprinkled on top of the plaster. Finally, I picked a really subtle Rose Tarlow print for the small window covering, something that would blend in rather than detract from the dramatic red. And here’s the finished effect!

Amitha Verma Interior Design

Chances are, you’re thinking about old-fashioned, 80s, monstrously-printed wallpapers and cringing.

Forget that, put it out of your mind. Nowadays when I talk about using wallpaper to my local Houston interior design clients, lots of them have the same reaction. But today’s choices are so much more exciting! In fact, when used tastefully, wallpaper has the ability to utterly transform a space into the epitome of chic!

(Source: Ginger & Gold Design Diary)

Stripes or patterns, big or small – there are so many options when it comes to choosing a gorgeous wallpaper for your home. I love how this subtle leaf print wallpaper has been used with a more detailed big leaf print fabric on the Louis XV chair – and how gorgeous is that white console table?!

(Source: Homesick Designs)

Wallpaper often has the effect of making a room look more formal and imposing. A rich stripe always works well in a bedroom or hallway – here, it’s been used in conjunction with a feminine floral print (a combination that always works!) to create a pretty, fresh country bedroom.

(Source: HomeDecoratingTrends.com)

I have to admit, I like using wallpaper to create real interest and drama in more public spaces like the foyer or dining room, where you make more impact. Even in a bedroom, though, the effect is startling. See this beautifully papered bedroom – it just looks like a study in Parisian chic!

(Source: radioiconica.com)

I simply adore the damask pattern wallpapers, especially in rich, metallic shades. Gold, silver, teal, pink, burgundy and pewter – all these colors look fabulous in damask prints. There’s a real air of regality and grandeur about them.

(Source: Best Home Gallery)

I can’t get enough of the utterly beautiful drawing room above – the elegant sofa, the rich looking wallpaper, even the side table with the miniature lamp is gorgeous! Sumptuousness and glamor and elegance all in one… and I’m sure you can’t even remember anymore why you didn’t like wallpaper!

In Houston, contact Amitha Verma Interior Design for fine wallcoverings.

Toile has been around since the 1700s, but it hasn’t lost any of its charm and elegance… in fact, I think it looks even more beautiful today, in the context of entirely modern interior designs. The airy, pale fabric, with its highly detailed pastoral scenes, adds a certain je ne sais quoi to every room that I use it in!

(Source: Chris Dee Designs)

As most of my projects have a French inspired flavor to them, I enjoy bringing in authentic touches like French antiques and vintage, antique pieces. Toile is the perfect blend of old and new – it is steeped in the old-world charm of eighteenth century Europe, but it works well within any kind of modern home, whether it is a bedroom or a comfortable sofa in the family den.

(Source: The Enchanted Home)

I just love, absolutely love rooms that are covered in toile wall-covering and fabrics like the one above. One day, this will work it’s way into my house. I adore working with toile, and usually incorporate it into my best designs.

(Source: Amitha Verma Interior Designs)

Recently, I used a delicious caramel and cream Braquenie, toile print on a beautiful dark wood chair. The contrast of dark and light, and the contemporary use of the vintage-style toile, created a stunning effect.

(Source: Country Living)

Toile is also perfect for use in less formal settings too. The French country style, which embodies cool, laid-back rustic charm, is also a great backdrop for toile-upholstered pieces. I love this toile bedding in a cheery red and white, which looks so simple and pretty on a cast-iron bedstead.Bright or subtle, upholstery or bedding, you can’t really go wrong with toile!