Featured Designer - Erin Rothner of Bloom Design

One of my favorite things to learn about is how designers are using linen for their clients. Talented designer, Erin Rothner of Bloom Design in Manhattan Beach, California, happens to love linen as much as I do. Bloom Design is a fabulous company specializing in window treatments. Erin can take a room from ordinary to extraordinary with her creative eye. I am thrilled to have her as my design guest this week to share her linen favorites and all these amazing photos of her clients' homes.

Erin before we get started, tell us about Bloom Design:

Bloom Design is a window coverings company. I am a designer for the windows. I help my clients decide what type of privacy/semi-privacy and light control they need on each window. I then assist them in picking out products that will achieve these goals. When I walk in a home I usually get a strong feeling for the style. The best part of my job however is finding the perfect fabrics for my designs.

What qualities do you like about linen?

I really love linen because of the way it hangs. It has soft wrinkles that can almost shake out when I use it as drapery and roman shades. Linen is casual and perfect for so many different looks. The texture is what keeps me coming back. I can't stop touching it! Because the linen fiber, which is derived from the inner layers of the stem of the flax plant, is so long it is extremely strong and luminous. It is such a highly durable fabric. When using white linen it can be bleached to get stains out. Linen is wonderfully soft looking after it's been washed. I like to pre-wash my linens when I use them for drapes, bedding, slipcovers and pillows. This softens the fabric and gives it a more lived in look.

Aside from window coverings, what else do you use linen for in your designs?

I am a sucker for linen slipcovers. I just replaced the arm panels on two slip covered chairs I have in my family room. I bought two yards of the same fabric that the slipcovers were made out of and washed them like crazy to knock down the color (a printed linen). After the repair they look fantastic and now I am as happy as a clam. I also love linen bedding and pillows. When worn of slept on linen absorbs water quickly so moisture is drawn away from the body and dries quickly.

What is your favorite linen pattern right now and who makes it?

That's a hard question...I lust after linen so almost every sample I see I love whether it is super light weight or printed and heavy. I just used an 85% Linen, 15% Cotton GORGEOUS fabric by Beacon Hill called Deblois-Antique for a fabric roman shade. It is almost a sheer weight fabric with a great geometric pattern that has a slight Moroccan feel to it and is oatmeal in color. Definitely check it out here. You have to see and feel this one in person.

Erin you work with both interior designers and homeowners alike, what's the best way to get in touch with you?

Definitely e-mail me (erothner@aol.com) if you want to get in touch!

Thanks so much Heather for this opportunity to share my love of linen!

Thank you Erin for sharing your love of linen and for all of these beautiful photos! And on a personal note, below are the curtains Erin designed for my older daughter Madison's nursery in Manhattan Beach. When we sold our home I actually took them with me! I am still trying to figure out where to hang them because I love them so much.