Monthly Archives

June 2016

Spruce Up Your Front Porch For Summer

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Nothing says summer like a well-appointed front porch. While not all of us are lucky enough to have a wrap-around porch on which to spend lazy afternoons sipping sweet tea, anyone can make their porch a feel-good oasis with just a few small additions.

Whether you’re looking to make some big changes or just do a seasonal refresh, these suggestions will turn your porch into a stylish destination with some serious curb appeal!

Paint

The quickest way to see a difference in your house from the street is with high-impact color. Summer is a great time of year to rethink the color of your front door and shutters. You’ll be amazed at what a difference a fresh coat of paint can make. How about switching from a safe brown or cream to a pastel blue or fire engine red? Sure, it’s intimidating to take the plunge, but keep in mind that paint is temporary — you can always change it. So go ahead, be bold!

Furniture

Once you’ve got your color scheme locked down, it’s time to move on to furniture. Before you go shopping, ask yourself how you plan on using your porch. Will you sit and stay for a while? How many people will be sitting at a given time? How much furniture will your porch be able to comfortably hold?

While all aspects of your home should work for your family and your lifestyle, it’s important to maintain a sense of minimalism when it comes to the front porch. Even if you have a large family, you don’t want a bunch of furniture cluttering up your porch!

In my opinion, two chairs and a small side table is a safe option. Depending on your style and that of your house, you might choose a slim bench or even a porch swing instead.

Textiles

For a cohesive front porch, consider your textile choices carefully. Textiles will come into play not only for your outdoor furniture, but also for the curtains you have hanging indoors. For summer, think light pastels and spicy, vibrant hues.

Don’t be afraid to add fun prints into the mix, as well! Stripes are a classic summer favorite, as are bold florals. When it comes to prints, my suggestion is to think big. From the street, a small-scale print can get easily lost. A large-scale print, on the other hand, is modern, energetic and eye-catching.

Plants

Regardless of the season, no front porch is complete without a fabulous display of greenery. To make your porch pop, try a combination of plants, both planted and potted. Several varieties of plants all layered and intermingled results in a lush, multidimensional look.

If you’re starting with a blank slate, begin by defining your “hero” plants: the large, distinctive ones you want to emphasize. Place those in central locations, and from there, build out your foliage display with complementary blooms and a nice mix of hardy greenery.

What are your tried-and-true tips for designing a fabulous front porch?

Bree

Seasonal, Summer

4 Summer Accent Pieces to Freshen Up Your Home

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Summer has arrived in North Texas, which means it’s officially time for swimming, gardening, picnics and lazy days spent at home with family. If you plan to spend more time at your humble abode over the next few months, you may be thinking about treating your home to a seasonal refresh.

One of the easiest way to transform a room is with some well-chosen accent furniture. From craftsmanship to materials and color, these four standout pieces from the Home Zone Furniture collection will bring new life and a dose of fun to your home this season.

For comfy color, choose the Bombay accent chair. This bold seat is sure to mix up a home ruled by neutral tones. Sturdy in structure yet nicely cushioned, this chair is a great addition to any living space. Set off the daring chevron stripe pattern by placing throw pillows in complementary colors and patterns around the room.

Liven up an empty corner using the blue Elliot chair. There are hundreds of ways you could use this lightweight, brightly colored accent chair in your home, because it’s simple and doesn’t take up much space. I love to use it as the base of a fabulous vignette at the end of a hallway or in a lonely corner. If the space you choose is already empty, start with the Elliot chair. Hang some small art pieces vertically overhead, stack a few coffee table books below or on top of the chair, add a few personal effects, and you’re done!

Make a statement with the Nina two table lamp set. Contemporary, sculptural and wonderfully metallic, the Nina lamp complements a variety of decor styles, from traditional to contemporary. Whether you place these on each bedside table or on either side of a dining room buffet, this silvery lamp is a chic standout in a formal or informal setting.

Show off your personal style with the Zanders sofa table. This long, thin table has a tubular metal frame and mosaic inlay, and it’s the answer to making empty hallways or entryways useful again. The Zanders is traditionally used to beautify the backside of a sofa placed in the middle of the room. That being said, you could also use it to fill a bare wall. Once you find the perfect spot for it, you can decorate it with planters, stacks of books, or picture frames — let your style take the lead.

Happy summer!

Bree

Decor, Interior Design Ideas

Baby-Proofing Tips for New Parents

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Has the stork recently paid a visit to your home? As you settle in at home with your new bundle of joy, it might be hard to believe that soon, he or she will mobile and looking to get into some trouble. As a mother myself, I can tell you from experience that this happens in the blink of an eye!

Along with late nights, early mornings, and the exhausting joy of parenthood comes the mighty task of baby-proofing your home. Even if your baby is still a newborn, it’s never too early to start protecting them from potential household dangers. Follow these 10 tips, and your home will be safe for a growing baby in no time!

Put up baby gates

If you have stairs or any room rife with sharp edges and other hazards, block it off with a baby gate. In this day and age, baby gates come in a variety of styles and sizes, so you’re sure to find something that will blend seamlessly with your decor.

Cover electrical outlets

Protect little ones from electrical shock by covering all electrical outlets within reach. You never know when they might stick a finger or toy in!

Add covers to sharp corners

The sharp corners of tables are often at head height for toddlers once they get on their feet. Cover up sharp corners to prevent any head bumps.

Cover the bath faucet

Bath time is all fun and games until someone slips and hits their head on the faucet. Make sure that never happens by placing a colorful kid-friendly cover on the bathtub faucet.

Anchor large furniture

You never know when large furniture might fall or collapse. Take the right precautions and all anchor furniture to the wall.

Cover knobs

Whether you like it or not, your child will be opening doors in no time. Keep kids out of your home office and other places they shouldn’t be with door knob covers.

Install a toilet lock

The bathroom is a toddler hotspot for trouble. You never know what they might catapult into the toilet or how many times they’ll flush for fun. Protect your bathroom against a flooding disaster by installing a toilet seat lid lock. You’ll be happy you did!

Put latches on drawers and cabinets

From the medicine cabinet to the kitchen drawers, protect your baby from the hazards that lurk in your everyday go-tos. Odds are, if your little one sees you going to a certain place repeatedly, they’ll want to try as well.

Secure the fireplace

You don’t want junior making a mess with any remaining fireplace soot or injuring themselves on a fireplace accessory. Physically barricade the fireplace using a sturdy, weighted fire screen.

Adjust draperies and blinds

Long drapes and blinds are just asking to be tugged on. As your baby grows, adjust low-hanging window treatments so they are out of reach. Don’t forget to cut any looped cords so your baby doesn’t get tangled up in them!

Once you’ve checked these tasks off your list, you’ll be able to relax (even just for a little bit) and enjoy the new addition to the family!

Bree

Decor, Living Room Ideas

Sensational Sectional Sofas from Home Zone

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Decorating the family room can be a surprisingly difficult task. Of course you want the room to be stylish and well-composed, but the pieces you choose to fill this high-traffic room must be functional and comfortable. If you’re just beginning to put together your family room or simply looking to upgrade, I suggest starting with the room’s focal point: the couch. From size to shape and color, you have endless options when it comes to choosing the perfect couch for your home and lifestyle.

For a bustling family that loves to gather at home, my suggestion is a tried and true sectional couch. The Home Zone Furniture collection has many sectionals to choose from, but these four are my absolute favorites.

Zoey

The Zoey sectional is the ideal choice for the ultra-stylish, contemporary home. It’s a stand-out in terms of both aesthetics and comfort. Notice its clean lines, cushion depth and rolled arms for maximum comfort. Its microfiber covering is velvety and soft, inviting you to sit (or nap) for hours. No matter what the existing color palette of your family room might be, this neutral gray tone is sure to fit in. Throw pillows are a must on any substantial couch, and with the Zoey, a handful come included!

Jillian

Create a soft, welcoming environment in your home with the Jillian sectional. Made with a soft chenille fabric, the Jillian is a cozy oasis for the family to relax together. While sectionals tend to dominate both physical and visual space, the Jillian’s light, neutral color allows it to gently blend in with your family room environment. Aside from its unassuming presence, we also love its clean, structured design and reversible throw pillows. The reversible feature ensures you’ll be able to switch up the look of your couch at a moment’s notice.

Waverly

For ultra-comfortable, oversized seating, look no further than our Waverly sectional. The seating cushions are deep and wide, promising that you’ll always be comfy no matter where you sit! This chenille sectional is best suited to a room with larger proportions. Take advantage of the reversible throw pillows and mix them up whenever you please. The structured, linear arms are not only a great place to lean an elbow, but you could use them to balance a coaster and drink, too!

Santa Barbara

Fashionable, luxurious and cozy, the Santa Barbara has everything you could possibly want in a sectional. This light gray couch complements a variety of styles, from traditional to contemporary, and fills every space it encounters nicely. For those with a family prone to messes, the Santa Barbara protects against disaster with its easy-to-clean, 100-percent polyester surface. The cushions feature extra coils, and the backs and sides are padded for comfort. With cushions that hold their shape and arm rests that are nicely rolled, the Santa Barbara is sure to add a dose of elegance to your home.

Which of these sensational sectionals will you be relaxing on this summer?

Bree

Decor, Interior Design Ideas

Small Space, Big Style

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

No matter how big or small your home is, you’re entitled to major style. If you’re faced with the task of decorating a petite space, look at it as an opportunity to be creative and inventive. When you’re decorating a large space, there is room (literally) for error. In a small space, you’re challenged to analyze your square footage and architectural proportions in order to make the most of what you’re working with.

Instead of doing the expected and decking out a small room with equally small furniture, go bold with these five steps.

Proportion

As contradictory as it might sound, a small room can be made to feel larger with large-scale furniture and decor. Forget what you’ve heard about small furnishings complementing small rooms. On the contrary, a large piece of furniture makes a statement in a small room and opens up the space.

If you choose small pieces of furniture, you’ll end up using more pieces in the space. Selecting one large piece of furniture as opposed to three smaller pieces will look less cluttered. The same goes for decor. Instead of using a handful of small items to decorate a table, mantle or shelf, go for fewer, larger pieces. When it comes to decor, a good rule of thumb is to always select items larger than a cantaloupe.

Color

It’s a tip as old as time: use light colors to make a room appear larger. While white may be the classic go-to for walls and furniture alike, don’t be afraid to stray away from comfortable neutrals and experiment with color. A particularly chic choice for small rooms is a palette of different shades of the same color. Light blue walls, royal blue furniture and cerulean pillows work together to expand the space and create a sense of continuity. While dark shades do have a tendency to make a space feel more compact, pastels add a dose of personality without the visual restrictions.

Style

There are a number of small style edits you can make throughout a room to create the illusion of space. One easy fix is to eliminate heavy window treatments. You’ll be surprised at what a big difference this can make. Remove the blinds and consider swapping out thick, darkly colored curtains in exchange for something light and gauzy, or nothing at all. The purpose of this is to maximize the amount of light in the room and eliminate incongruent, dark décor in favor of space.

Another easy way to create space is to choose furniture with exposed legs. This trick maximizes both floor space and light. If you’re shopping for new furniture for your small room, consider lucite. This clear, easy-to-clean material is a must-have in every contemporary home. Practically invisible, lucite is an easy choice for rooms lacking in space.

Decorative storage

If you have a small home, you know that storage in disguise is a top priority. For those buying new furniture to decorate a small room, always choose pieces that have capacity for storage. Does that coffee table open to reveal hidden storage? It’s a must!

If you’re decorating with furniture you already own, use every drawer available to you in a thoughtful way. Consider drawer organizers to get the most out of the space you have, and enact a system to make sure everything ends up back in the same spot. Another technique is to work storage into your decorating scheme. No one has to know that the ornate box sitting on the side table in the family room is full of knickknacks for the TV!

Manipulate the eye

A tried-and-true way to make a small space seem bigger is to manipulate the eye and make the room seem taller. The easiest way to do this is to draw attention to the ceiling and invite the eye to look up. If your decor allows and if you’re feeling daring, try putting an interesting wallpaper on the ceiling. Go for something with a large, bold pattern, ideally in a light color palette.

Not your style? Hang book shelves at the very top of the wall, almost touching the ceiling. This technique will add pops of color and foster a homey feel. If you’re not convinced yet, hang art in a gallery style, stretching the frames all the way up to the ceiling, or suspend hanging vine plants from the ceiling to create visual length.

What are your techniques for decorating a small space on a budget?

Bree