Decorating Lifestyles Blog

Furniture Shopping April 2, 2008

  If you are considering new furniture, yet are leary to do so considering our struggling economy, here are a few notes of encouragement.  First, furniture is one of the greatest values available to the American customer today. Based on consumer price index, a mid-price sofa at $299 from over 40 years ago, should be $2,084  in 2008 — but it’s not, it’s $699! Second, you should also consider the cost of other necessities ( yes, we need to consider furniture a necessity, not necessarily a luxury), like the refrigerator, the car, the TV and the computer. 

As an interior design consultant I am at times a sort of  ’cheerleader’. People need encouragement and confirmation that their investment in new furniture is like investing in their entire home - living in style and comfort, spending time with family and friends, and generally improving their lifestlyes are all great reasons to consider when updating  furniture.

  Most furniture stores offer in-home consultation services -  usually at no charge. Use this special service if it’s offered-it could potentially save you lots of time and worry.   You can also hire an independent interior decorator to assist you as well.  Usually charging an hourly rate, a decorator can look at your room, discuss your wants and needs, offer suggestions and inspiration, then either shop with you or even pre-shop for styles and fabrics to present to you at a later meeting.

If you are brave and willing to do some of the research yourself, I’ve written a few  decorator tips to know before you go!

~Measure the room including ceiling height, door openings and any existing furniture pieces that will stay in the room. Use these measurements to do a simple room layout and take this with you.

~Take photos of room and any furniture pieces that will stay in the room.

~Bring a swatch of  the rooms wall color and a sample of the flooring or carpeting ( a photo is OK if you don’t have an actual sample ), and any pillows or upholstery swatches from pieces that will stay in the room.

~Consider arm and leg styles before you go-will you look for a traditional skirted bottom or the more clean open look of a wooden leg, a square or rolled arm, a higher or lower back, - loose, attached, or semi-attached cushions? Also consider the depth of the seat-some sofas and sectionals can be get very deep.

~Think about the scale of the pieces you want to put in your room. There are lots of smaller scaled pieces available now-even in sectionals.  Generally, bigger rooms=bigger pieces, but there are ways to use larger scaled furntiure in smaller rooms as well. Furniture stores often have a computer to lay out the furniture pieces you like using the room measurements you brought along.

~Be open to new ways to arrange your sitting area. Don’t think you have to put the sofa in the same place as before.  In fact, it’s fun to mix up the furniture layout, especially since you’re getting new pieces. See my notes under Decorating Tips regarding room arranging.

~ Also, where is the TV going? - an important factor in the furniture arrangement. Will you need a new TV cabinet as well? If you move the TVs location, are there outlets in the proper place?

~Don’t forget to include in your furniture budget: a new end table? coffee table? floor lamp? table lamp? ottoman? rug?

~A lot of furniture stores let you ‘build’ your own custom furniture with options for fabrics, finishes, and arm, back and leg styles. I have created pieces for some of my clients with much success and delight to really capture that ‘custom’ look.

Good luck and remember - you deserve a comfortable, warm,  welcoming,  beautifully furnished room!

Do Right Now - Decorating Tips March 20, 2008

March is a perfect time to do some decorating and boost your rooms with a little style. Before you go much further, how about following my tips below to get kick-started? Sometimes this is ‘boost’ enough. Simple furniture rearranging and purging of old, out-dated accessories can totally change the look and feel of a space. Now, you MUST be brave and ready to get that old stuff out of your house -even if you have to get rid of things when no one’s looking (I find getting up a little early on trash-day morning and  pushing, shoving, dragging your rejects to the trash works well, I have been busted trying to do this the night BEFORE trash pick-up) - just do it, I promise you will look at your room in a whole new light and will not even miss the things you let go of. These tips are a good starting point and allow you to use your existing pieces in a new way, maybe even add a few new current accessories to really give your room ‘pop’. Good luck and I hope to hear from you with your successes!

CAROLYNS TOP 5 ‘DO RIGHT NOW’ DECORATING TIPS

1. MOVE FURNITURE AWAY FROM WALLS

“I swear if you move this sofa 8 inches, it’ll transform your life”-Diane Keaton from the movie “Because I Said So”

Yes, that’s right everyone-’move the furniture away from the wall’. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest family or living room -or both- and get started!

~Move furniture away from your walls and INTO the room at least a foot - most people probably need to think several feet if they have the commonly found ‘gymnastic’ area they are staring at from afar.

~Try forming an ‘L’ or group pieces facing each other with an ottoman or coffee table in-between. You may need two of these areas if you have a particularly long room.

~Cozy your stuff ‘in’ - remember, a person needs only 18 inches to maneuver comfortably between pieces of furniture. It’s OK if the arms of the furniture pieces are touching.

~Now, at first this will seem “not right,”too closed in”, “tight”, “funny-looking” - be brave and strong, live with the new arrangement for a few days- at least- and when you begin to feel the warmth of your newly decorator-inspired rooms, you will realize that it has transformed your life!

2. LOWER PICTURES/WALL DECOR

What else can I say - Hanging pictures too high is a common decorating don’t!

~Lower pictures/artwork at least 5-6″-maybe a little more.
~Think eye level for a SHORTER person.
~Some naysayers ( i.e.husband,friend,mom) will say “that’s too low” - but do it anyway - be brave - it’s not!

3. CREATE A WELCOMING ENTRY

Sofas and chairs are often blocking the ‘path’ from your front door into the rest of your home.

~Move furniture pieces that are blocking the entry area. If you have successfully completed Tip # 1, this is not an issue and you can move on. Yes, it IS better to have the furniture closer into the room and closer to other pieces of furniture rather than tripping over them as you come through the front door. BRAVE!

~As these pieces are now INTO the room and out of the entry path, you have started to create your welcoming entry - even if it’s a matter of creating a  ‘visually spacious’ entry.  The path should be at least the width of your front door if not more.

~If space allows, place a narrow entry table or console table at your entry, with a mirror or picture above and if possible a buffet lamp or two on top. Remember the 18″ rule.

~Check your entry light fixture. If you have had your entry fixture for 7-10 years - hopefully not longer! - or if it seems somewhat small, you should update to a newer finish and maybe even something a little larger. See Tip # 4 for more lighting tips.

4. UPDATE LIGHT FIXTURES

A lot of clients will paint, re-decorate, buy new furniture and not think about updating their light fixtures.  Finishes and styles have changed considerably over the past several years. There are so many options available now, that replacing all of your outdated light fixtures can be affordable, even if you do it a room at a time.

~Check to make sure you have at least 3 light sources in a room. A couple of floor lamps flanking a sofa, a table lamp or two, or even wall mounted sconces or lamps that are simply plugged into an outlet are a few ideas to add lighting sources to a room.

~Ceiling fans need to be updated as well, or at least update the light kit on it. I like the covered bowl light kits so the overhead light isn’t so harsh. Most of these fan light kits are ‘universal’ and will fit on any fan.

~A chandelier should be hung 20-27 inches above a standard table in a room with 8 foot ceilings - add 3 inches to the distance for every additional ceiling foot. To find the appropriate size, a chandeliers width should be at least 12-18 inches less than the table.

~Dimmer switches are fairly simple to install and inexpensive (I had one client who installed some herself!) - add these to most or ALL of your switches if possible - especially in living and dining rooms.

~It’s OK to mix finishes on lights and fans throughout your house - you can use combinations of black/iron with a brushed gold or nickel finish for example. I have tons more lighting tips I will share in the future.

5. REMOVE DRIED FLORALS/WREATHS/IVIES/DOILIES/LACE

You know who you are - you have all that ivy and eucalyptus above your kitchen cabinets or on top of the entertainment center, the dried floral you “paid good money for” sitting in the same place for the past 6 years, or maybe even the doilie collection on every side/end/coffee/console table because, “they were Grandmas”.

~Tuck those doilies and lace away and take the dried florals/ivies, etc. to Goodwill -or just pitch them if they’re really dusty and be done with it - it will feel refreshing!!
~I get this question a lot - “What should I put above my kitchen cabinets?” Sometimes I will suggest removing everything - especially ALL that ivy. Live with the openess for awhile. If you feel you must put something up there at a later date - think big and groups of three. Also, mix textures - like a ceramic garden stool, with Grandpas old wooden trunk and maybe something wrought iron - even a garden item find.  Don’t forget to vary the sizes of the pieces.

~And remember - if you never get rid of stuff, you’ll never get new stuff!!