Design Happens

BRIANA: Lili has pitched it as a Color of the Month in the past…and so have I. This couch caused quite a kerfuffle at the meeting. So take a stand and make it official. Is denim in the home jean-ius (sorry) or is it better on the body?

FARIMA: If you would’ve asked me this question a couple of months ago, I would’ve said no way.  I’m not sure what exactly changed my mind, but I like it in small doses. I voted for Lili’s denim pitch, and I even featured a denim map in my color trends post.

The sofa is a little too much for me though.

MARIANNE: I voted for Lili’s denim, too — but not so much denim the fabric, more the idea of that lovely washed out, soft blue. Like this beautiful wood table:

LILI: That poor couch gets a bad rap, but look at its lines! Think of how well it will wear. Granted, I wish it didn’t have jean seams down the cushions like a pair of old Levis, but even that’s not enough to make me turn my nose up at it. But like Marianne said, I’m really attracted to the color. I mean just look at how beautiful it can be (even when you can see the denim weave):

BRIAN PATRICK FLYNN: Denim is like Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep. They deal with the wear and tear of public scrutiny and mean-spirited naysayers 24/7, but they hide it VERY WELL. It’s part of why we like them, makes them relatable. Denim also hides all of the nasties our kids rub all over it. We’d never even know that Jimmy and Sabrina had a flour fight on the denim ottoman because it’s so resilient.

Next, Meryl can be stunning, fashionista-y, and formal like in The Devil Wears Prada; however, she can be downright invisible as a bored housewife in Hope Springs. Sandra, too. Football Mommy in that Oscar movie [which seemed more like a movie of the week] or sexy and powerful like in The Proposal. Same with denim! Stick a light-toned denim on a sofa, add chicken pillows and BAM! Casual-country, borderline frump. But use dark denim, chrome nail heads and pinstriped Paul Smith throw pillows, and you’ve something tailored and chic…Park Avenue-ish. Denim in the home is all about using the right shade and the proper high-low pairing.

GRANT: Denim in decor — I find it uninspiring. It’s not hideous or really even unappealing — it’s just whatevs. I do, however, enjoy wearing it (especially in unique ways). This Adam Arnold bow tie is going on my Christmas list.

TYLER WISLER: I’m all about denim in general, but in interiors it’s an unexpected textile in a world of chenille, chintz and bouclé. I recently discovered an application from an innovative company called Casamania. They created a chair out of recycled garments and compressed them into chairs. Yeah, uh-mazing!

The “RememberMe” chair is a great conversation piece and a way to immortalize something like a favorite pair of jeans, and incorporate it into your environment in a chic and unconventional way.

JESSICA: I think I want to like denim more than I actually do. I like the blues and the way the texture looks in small amounts like Farima’s denim map, but something about the idea of having that big jean couch in my house is enough to drive me up the wall. On a side note, am I the only person who has this song stuck in my head now?

We’ve discussed denim on this Casual Friday, now tell us what you think: