Monthly Archives

June 2015

Designing a Stylish, Functional Living Room for the Whole Family

You’ve abandoned style for convenience, traded sophistication for comfort, ignored all bold interior design ideas for your living room, and forced yourself to focus on family-friendly practicality instead. The space is now perfectly functional — and perfectly bland.

Balancing form with function often seems impossible. However, there are ways to craft a modern living room design that adapts to each day and any style need. Through carefully selecting multipurpose furnishings, smart accessories, and life-proof materials, you can redefine your home — and inject your personality into every corner. Let’s reclaim your space.

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How to add a touch of Texas to your home’s decor

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Like most Texans, I’m proud of my state. From Dallas’ world-class arts district to Austin’s colorful individualism to the picturesque grasslands in between, Texas is home to a host of unique people and landscapes. And everyone can agree that Texans possess a very clear sense of style, and we’re not just talking about bejeweled belt buckles and 10-gallon cowboy hats. Texas style is, at its heart, a product of the untamed and hardy people who settled here.

Whether you’re born and raised Texan or got here as fast as you could, apply these tips to your interior décor to pay tribute to our great state.

Space

Everyone knows the saying: “Everything is bigger in Texas.” Apply this sentiment to your home and you’ll quickly see Texas evident in your decor.

Our state is known for its ranch-style homes, characterized by spacious layouts and large, open rooms. Even if you don’t have a huge house, you can achieve the same oversized feeling with large-scale furniture and plenty of open spaces. For instance, making an oversized couch the focal point of your family room leaves the rest of the space relatively unoccupied. Create the feeling of openness in your kitchen with exposed shelving to hold your cast-iron cookware or to house your array of colorful spices.

Incorporating Texas into your home shouldn’t compromise its functionality and the way your family uses the space. Study how your family moves in and out of the rooms in your home and plan your furniture placement accordingly. Don’t be stuck with too little or overwhelmed by too much.

Color

For a home that exudes Texas charm, stick with a color palette that reflects the landscape of the Lone Star State. Consider a buttermilk white desk or a sage green armchair, and don’t be afraid to use a few punches of accent color here and there. A throw blanket, pillows or even picture frames in red or blue tones give a nod to the state flag without being too overt.

A star motif can also be strategically scattered throughout your home as long as the color is considered. For an understated Texas touch, avoid red or blue stars. A few ways to incorporate stars without being over the top is through small accessories. Hang a star in a neutral color similar to the wall on a gallery wall highlighted by an eclectic mix of other items such as picture frames and mirrors for visual interest.

Texture

Perhaps my favorite way to incorporate Texas style into a home is through texture. Texas doesn’t have just one signature texture per se, but this just opens the door to an interesting mix. A true Texan is bold enough to pair distressed wood cabinets with metal pendant fixtures and cozy upholstered furniture. The goal is to use a combination of textures to create an environment that feels warm, inviting and lived-in.

A tried-and-true way to create Texas texture is to bring the outdoors in. Hang a set of antlers on the wall as a hat rack (cowboy hat optional), and scatter desert plants such as succulents throughout the house. To pull the earth tones and natural textures throughout the home, try something as easy as placing a bird feather or two on assorted surfaces.

Here’s to the Lone Star State!

Bree

Seasonal, Summer

Indoor, Outdoor, Around Town: Fun Summer Activities for Kids

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

You know the drill: Kids wait all year for summer vacation, then once it’s finally here, boredom sets in.

This summer, keep your kids happy, occupied and out of trouble with cheap thrills at home. For those days when the neighborhood pool just isn’t going to happen or it’s raining cats and dogs, these activities will keep everyone under your watch at full attention.

INDOOR

Birdhouse: A painted birdhouse makes a beautiful and practical addition to your backyard. The structure can be purchased at a crafts store, then make it your own with a selection of weatherproof paints. Once your masterpiece is dry, put a handful of birdseed or cereal inside to attract some feathered friends.

Spy Training: If the weather outside is uncooperative but your kids are itching to be active, send them to spy training. In a hallway or small room, put up string in a zigzag pattern. You can tie the string to objects in the room or tape it down to walls with painter’s tape. Tell the kids to go from one end of the room to the other without touching the string.

Neo-Watercolors: Watercolor on paper is so last year. Fill a pan with a layer of baking soda. Then, as if you were dying Easter eggs, make a few different cups of dye using food coloring and vinegar. Using a dropper, have your kids sprinkle different colors into the pan of baking soda for a tie-dyed effect.

OUTDOOR

Balloon Ping Pong: Keep kids moving with this DIY activity. Hot glue a paper plate to the end of a thick popsicle stick or paint stirrer for a lightweight paddle. Then have the kids use the paddles to hit a balloon back and forth. Throw in multiple balloons for extra fun!

Crayon Art: This craft provides a nifty way to recycle broken crayon nubs and entertain your kiddos. Take a handful or two of worn-down crayons and spread them out over a canvas. Put the canvas outside in direct sunlight and let it sit. After about 35 minutes, you should have a beautiful, melted mess of abstract expressionism right at your fingertips!

DIY Slip and Slide: You’re going to want your camera for this one. Buy plastic sheeting at the hardware store and place it on a slight incline in your yard. Next, weigh it down at the corners so it doesn’t scoot all over the place. Turn the hose on and place it at the top of the incline, then let the kids slip and slide to their hearts’ content! For all the muddy feet and dripping wet swimsuits that ensue, make sure your mudroom is ready to handle the mess. Check out last week’s blog for a few tips on mudroom prep.

AROUND TOWN

Finding fun activities to do at home is a creative—and inexpensive—way to go. But don’t forget about all the discounted and often free summer activities available for kids in your area. Check out a local museum for an air-conditioned learning experience, a bookstore for kids’ storytime or a wildlife refuge for a healthy dose of animal appreciation.

Happy summer!

Bree

Seasonal, Summer

Steps to update your mudroom for summer

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

With school officially out, it’s time to make the mental and physical switch from spring to summer. Slide into some flip-flops, plan a backyard barbecue and treat your home to a seasonal spruce-up, starting with the mudroom. A well-oiled mudroom keeps your house clean, and ensures you’re prepared for all the activities summer has to offer.

Swap

Let me start by saying that even if you don’t have a designated mudroom, these tips apply to any space that serves as a catchall for home essentials. Mudrooms are usually found at the front or back of the house and don’t even have to be a “room” at all. Carve one out of an empty corner or a free closet, as space permits.

The first step to summerizing your mudroom is to swap out the items it contains. Currently the space is likely cluttered with things you won’t need for a few months (we’re looking at you, school backpack). Comb through your mudroom and pull these unnecessary items out and store them in a different area to make room for summer necessities. A few items might stay such as the dog’s bed, rain boots, hats and sunscreen, but for the most part, you’ll want to start fresh.

Restock

There are a number of summer essentials you’ll need to stock before the season’s in full swing. Beach towels are useable year after year, but refill your supply of sunscreen, bug spray and first-aid items to ensure you’re ready for anything the season throws your way.

If your kids are young and growing like weeds, you’ll most likely need to re-buy some items just for them. These include sunhats, sunglasses and water shoes. Other useful kid items I like to grab as I head out the door for long drives or restaurant dinners are crayons, coloring books and socks.

Organize

A mudroom feels like a disaster area when it isn’t well organized. During the seasonal update, take the time to reevaluate the organizational situation. Think through the daily functions of your mudroom. Is there a hook for everyone’s bag, a spot for some shoes, sufficient shelving and assigned spaces for all categories of essentials?

Built-in shelving is an asset to any mudroom, however you can stay just as organized with standing shelves or mounted shelves. Bins and baskets are also key to keeping your mudroom looking clean and organized. They help hide clutter and should allow everyone to find their items more easily. Go a step further and label the bins. Use clip-on labels or dry erase stickers so the bins can go from season to season.

Clean

Though a mudroom is designed to get dirty, remember that a clean mudroom helps keep the rest of your house clean.

Have a couple washable rugs on hand to catch any tracked-in mud. This will dramatically cut down on the amount of sweeping and mopping required through the rest of the house. If you don’t have a built-in sink in the mudroom, keep moist towelettes on hand to quickly wipe off dirty hands and feet (or paws, as the case may be). If your kiddos are going to be getting wet outdoors, having a few beach towels within reach is essential. Roll up the towels and put them in a place your kids can access quickly.

Decorate

The mudroom isn’t necessarily a room to “decorate,” but it should still fit the decorative theme evident throughout your house. My advice is to keep the mudroom simple, using color and texture for accents.

Throw in a pop of color using a rug, seating cushions, wall hooks or canvas bins. Even the pillows on a bench or your summer tote can be used for this purpose. As for texture, consider a summery, seagrass rug, woven bins or wood shelving with a distressed finish.

Feel free to add art or photos to the wall, as they don’t take up any surface space and add personality. But be wary of decorative items that don’t have a purpose and just take up room. The priority should be on maximizing space and functionality.

With a well-stocked, smartly organized mudroom, I promise you’ll be ready for summer in no time. Happy organizing, homemakers!