Toile. I think it’s one of my favorite words. Twahhl. The fabric can be rather matronly, though. A few months ago, I saw a toile pillow in an article on the Canadian House & Home website featuring Canadian bloggers (article has since been removed). It was in a really great shot of Arren Williams’ home, and said pillow looked like as if it had been colored in with highlighters. Very tongue-in-cheek. You can see the photo here, on Arren’s blog (scroll down). I emailed him to find the picture, and he told me that he had used highlighters. Fantastic.
I had bought half a meter of toile from Chintz & Company. So I got some highlighters and set to work. Coloring is very soothing, by the way. I was worried about filling it in too much, but I can always add to it. Here it is on our sofa:
I’m working on another (different) pillow but I think it goes quite well with the print we have above the sofa. The print is by Jessica Ritter and it’s called “Beneath the Surface”. We got a great deal on the Gus Modern sofa. It was the floor model at Koolhaus. Our apartment is still feeling a little sparse but Ryan and I are making a coffee table (more on that later), and I’ve been looking for some sort of rug.
Thanks to Arren for the great idea!
I love the highlighter idea! What a great way to modernize something! I may have to try that.
That’s so fun!! Great idea!
Super cute!
The pillow looks great! It looks fresh and I think it is a good example of how to combine the past with the present.
Love the whimsy against the buttoned-up grey! On the storage-room bedroom idea, have you seen in the domino design book – one colourful example of? I send you photo if no. I be email soon. kizzes!
Urban Outfitters just released a toile pillow and shower curtain. And here I thought it was such an original idea! *shakes fist at UO*
Love the pillow! I have a similar pillow that I bought from Urban Outfitters, but I must say I like your toile highlighted pillow better
Love it! I can see a whole chair covered in bright Toile!
Also a great idea to add some whimsy to a toile baby nursery!
AWESOME. I love this!
This is so cool!!!! I posted a link to your project on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/cool-idea-toile-highlighters/2009/06/29/
–Anne