Lovely Linen

Linen, a summertime favorite for clothing, is also a beautiful fabric to adorn your home. The rich texture and light weight of linen creates a rustic chic feel that feels both elegant yet lived-in. Despite its prevalence in “shabby chic” decor, it does not have to be confined to simply casual spaces. Because of its naturally muted tone and neutral palette, it has the ability to transcend boundaries of style and aesthetics. Many designers will often use linen in an otherwise traditional or modern space to create visual interest and to juxtapose one fabric or texture against another. Whether applied to an upholstered headboard or used as drapery, the addition of linen to a space will instantly transform the entire look and feel of a room, and add the same element of charm and unrefined coolness that has made linen trousers a coveted staple of summer fashion for centuries.

This is pure rustic elegance! The weathered headboard and linen flour sack pillow cases add a touch of country charm to this very sophisticated and feminine all-white bedroom. I love the juxtaposition of the crystal chandelier and the distressed wood.

This is a great example of how linen can go beyond the casual "shabby chic" aesthetic and be used to create a very elegant finished look. A tailored linen slipcover is a great, inexpensive option for recovering old couches.

Hanging linen without a black-out lining allows the sunlight to shine through and emphasizes the fabric's texture and near transparency. Many designers will use linen for long drapery because it puddles beautifully on the floor, but I love how this designer chose to use linen for a more structured roman shade.

This is a great example of the various applications of linen in the home. In this space, the designer has used linen for the upholstery, pillows and the drapery. Each application showcases linen's natural durability and unique texture--qualities that make it perfect for window coverings and heavy traffic rooms in the home.

The white linen headboard adds to the casual "beachy" feel of the room. Despite the monochromatic scheme of the room, white exists in many different textures--linen, cotton, fur, antiqued wood and high-sheen hardwood floors.

Veranda Magazine. I absolutely love this living room! The unique combination of textures and patterns (linen, stripes, leopard and leather) creates visual interest, and yet every piece is still in keeping with the neutral palette of the room. The elegance of the rest of the pieces in the room makes you overlook the linen all together.

The natural sunlight, neutral linen and warm color on the walls makes this alcove and settee an ideal retreat for reading and relaxation.

I am absolutely in love with this all-white kitchen, and I particularly like the designer's unique use of linen to create chair covers for the tops of the wicker chairs. It's a great way to add a soft upholstery feel while still maintaining the casual "beachy" look of the wicker.

Designer Darryl Carter mixes linen with artifacts to create a more modern, masculine feel in the master bedroom. I love the juxtaposition of the bold nailhead pieces serving as the headboard and the soft linen on the bed.

House and Home. This is one of my favorite applications of linen. The long dramatic drapery instantly creates a sense of elegance and grandeur, and notice how the linen puddles at the bottom creating soft lines against the hardwood floors and steel chairs.

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