COLUMN: Gail Mayhugh

DEAR GAIL: Would it be a good idea to mix solid colors? For example, can I mix an olive green sofa and love seat with a tan or brown recliner? -- Cody M.

DEAR CODY: Mixing solids is a great way to decorate, plus it's one that I find most people are comfortable with.

One thing that you'll want to do, to add personality to your room, is use texture in the solids. Have the sofa and love seat in one texture, maybe a soft smooth suede, and then the recliner in another, perhaps a chenille. Or have the sofa and love seat in a chenille and the recliner in leather. I would not have all three pieces upholstered in the same texture or fabric but just in different colors. It would be OK to have the sofa and love seat in the same fabric and color though.

When working with solids, it is important to have different textures in the room especially if you don't plan to bring in any print fabrics or patterns. The different textures act as your pattern.

In upholstery you want a fabric that will be inviting to the touch when you sit on it. We like to feel fabric and want it to be comfortable to the touch, which those in the industry call "the hand." The hand of a fabric is how it feels in your hand when you touch it: is it soft, smooth, rough, delicate, hard or stiff?

Everyone has a different perspective and preference about what is comfortable. It's no different than the preference a person has about the softness or firmness when sitting on a piece. This is why I feel it is so important that you touch, feel and sit on any upholstery that you'll be using every day. Long ago I gave up custom ordering upholstery for clients because even if I had sat on a piece at the furniture market, my idea of soft and comfortable is probably different my clients.

Depending upon the theme and feel you're looking for in your room, you can add rougher textures with a couple of throw pillows or on the window treatments. I love some of the woven rattan pillows out right now. Most are hard and rough to the hand, but they look great. I also like the look of woven window shades. They add so much texture to a room and come in a variety of colors which would look wonderful with olive, tan and brown. If you already have privacy blinds up, you can have the woven material made into cornice boxes or stationary Roman shades which look great over wood blinds.

If you like a softer feel on your windows, try chenille. It has a soft hand and hangs nicely as drapery panels. For a more casual look, you can use an open casement fabric that will add a lot of texture to your windows.

Another area where you can add texture is the floor. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpet, you can layer an area rug over it. Use something that has a different texture than your carpet. Sisal has great texture and a softer, more comfortable version is now available. Or, you can use a longer, plusher pile or sculpture carpet, which you can have made from any carpet. The store will order the size you want and have the edges bound. It's a great way to get the exact color, pattern, style and size you want.

Gail Mayhugh, owner of GMJ Interiors, is a professional interior designer and author of a book on the subject. Questions may be sent by e-mail to: gail@gmjinteriors.com. Or, mail to: 8170 S. Eastern Ave., Box 4-275, Las Vegas, NV 89123. Her Web address is: www.GMJinteriors.com.

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