Ask The Designer

Today on Ask the Designer, I have a design dilemma for you, the readers.

For my new followers, Ask the Designer is a series I run on Thursday as an opportunity to help answer your design dilemmas. If you have a dilemma and would like design advice, please email me your question and send photos to themustardceiling@gmail.com

I am doing a mini-makeover on my dining room, adding some color. I started out with my burlap drapes with the coral border.

Now I want to incorporate the coral into the room again. I want to incorporate a fun ikat. I found this coral Malabar Fabric from Ballard Designs. I love it!



I also am crazy about this Kalah ikat from Calico Corners.

Unfortunately, the Ballard Design fabric is on back order until July and the Calico Corners fabric is too orange... so I have decided to make my own.

I have created stencils for both and have been playing around with screen printing paint, which I recently found out about from this incredible tutorial on The Exchange blog.

So I need your help, which pattern do you prefer? I am planning to recover the seat of my chairs.

I have four of these chairs.

and this is the space they are going....again.

Option 1: Medallion Ikat

Option 2: Malabar Fabric

I apologize the pictures are so terrible, this is all a very early rough draft of the creative process, thank you for bearing with me and the terrible photos, and early stages of painting the fabric.

Which do you prefer? I am open to other suggestions as well. I would love to hear your feedback.