Monthly Archives

July 2016

Create An Airy Summer Oasis In Your Bedroom

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

At the end of a long summer day, nothing beats kicking off your sandals and crashing in a cool, inviting bed. Even if you aren’t out of town on vacation, a bedroom that incorporates summer style will immediately transport you to a relaxed state of mind.

From lightweight linens to a soft color palette, how will you craft the summer oasis of your dreams?

Textiles

The first step to creating a summer bedroom is swapping out your bed linens. Pull any heavy down comforters, quilts or rich fabrics out of the mix in favor of all things lightweight and breathable. If you tend to get hot easily, go with 100 percent cotton sheets, and choose percale over sateen. Percale has a simple matte weave and a cool, crisp feel. Over the sheets, choose a lightweight down comforter or thin quilt.

Light

Natural lighting is an essential component of summer style. Block out harsh rays but maintain the room’s brightness with light, gauzy curtains. They won’t completely block out light, but they’ll put a nice filter on your bedroom and keep your space somewhat cool.

Speaking of light, a well-lit room is a great environment for plants to thrive. Consider adding a potted plant that’s happy indoors, or place a pretty floral arrangement on your bedside table.

Color

Summer is a time to lighten up! For your summer bedroom, choose a color palette ruled by shades of white and add pastel touches such as baby blue, mint green and peach pink. A neutral palette like this lends itself to change, so you can easily transition out of it when fall rolls around. Don’t forget that the nautical theme is always in style! Experiment with incorporating touches of navy and white stripes into your bedroom.

Space

To create an airy room that undeniably feels like summer, it’s important to make space by eliminating any clunky or unused furniture and clearing off surfaces. Is your bedside table cluttered? Rearrange! Has the arm chair in the corner gone unused for months? Relocate!

One of my favorite summer decor to-dos is to leave hardwood floors bare. Roll up your rugs, take them to the cleaners and let your floors breathe. Now is the time to go minimal and prioritize air, light and space.

Texture

Summer textures can be found in furniture as well as textiles. Dark woods, heavy metals and furry textures carry the warm, cozy connotations of fall and winter. Wherever possible, swap these rich, opulent textures for tropical, natural fibers such as rattan, wicker and bamboo. While it may not be possible to spring for large-scale piece of furniture in one of these materials, keep in mind that even the smallest addition, like a wicker side table, can make the biggest difference.

If you’re unsure whether your current furniture creates a summer or winter vibe, ask yourself whether or not you’d see that texture incorporated into the decor of your favorite beach locale.

From seashells to nautical stripes and weather-beaten bottles filled with sand, what home accessories put you in a summery state of mind?

Bree

Bedroom Ideas, Decor

Mattress Facts

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

High thread count sheets and plush pillows are nice, but a good night’s sleep begins and ends with the perfect mattress. Whether you demand firm support or prefer something on the softer side, everyone has strong preferences when it comes to hitting the hay. Here’s how you can meet the mattress of your dreams at Home Zone Furniture.

When to shop

The general rule is that mattresses need to be replaced every eight to 10 years. Maybe you’ve been waking up with little aches and pains due to a sagging mattress, or maybe not. Regardless, mattresses collect sweat, dust mites, fungus and allergens over time and need to be swapped out once a decade.

While mattress shopping might not be as fun as shopping for home decor, imagine how much better you’ll sleep with a well-chosen mattress. We spend over one-third of our lives in bed, so why not make it a rejuvenating experience rather than a pain-inducing one?

What’s your type?

Shopping for a mattress can get complicated fast. There are many types of mattress to choose from, depending on your body type and unique preferences. For a bed with some bounce, go with an innerspring mattress. If you prefer less spring and a firm base, choose memory foam. Perhaps you and your sleeping partner like something different. In that case, try an adjustable mattress. At the end of the day, choose a mattress that will provide adequate back support and unmatched comfort.

Our favorites

When you arrive in a showroom full of mattresses, it’s hard to know where to begin! Some of our Home Zone favorites include the Bree-O-Pedic Signature Plush Mattress, Marble Falls Firm Mattress and the Payton Plush Mattress. All of these mattresses feature a supportive coil base and a high coil count to avoid sagging.

The Bree-O-Pedic comes at an incredible price for its resilient memory foam and breathable organic fabric.

The Marble Falls is one of the firmest options we offer. We love this mattress for its high-density foam and antimicrobial and hypoallergenic qualities.

For an amazing hybrid mattress, choose the Payton. The Payton combines resilient coil support with conforming, gel-infused memory foam.

Test drive

When you’re mattress shopping, don’t settle for anything until you’ve done the 15-minute test. Lay for 5 minutes on your front, 5 on your back and 5 on your side to determine if this mattress will be comfortable for you in the long run.

If you’re bringing someone shopping with you, have them check to see if the mattress supports your spine in a neutral position — meaning that everything from your head to your heels is in complete alignment. A mattress that’s too soft won’t support your body’s pressure points, and a mattress that’s too firm will push against your pressure points. Either way, you’ll end up uncomfortable! Look for a mattress that makes you feel weightless.

What are you waiting for? Come visit us at Home Zone Furniture and find the mattress of your dreams.

Bree

Seasonal

How To Prepare Your Home Before Going On Vacation

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Are you heading out of town this summer? No matter where your travel plans may take you, be sure to prepare your home before you take off. From common-sense pointers to some lesser-known tips, this checklist will help you save money, reduce mess and eliminate disaster risk while you’re away.

Unplug

Electronics not in use continue to pull energy and cost you money. Save a few extra bucks while you’re away by unplugging everything from the coffee pot to the television. Aside from cutting down on energy consumption, unplugging electronics will also help prevent possible small fires caused by a power surge.

Good timing

A quiet, inactive house can be a target for crime. Create the illusion that someone’s home by arranging for your lights to go on and off at various times throughout the day. If you hire a house sitter, have them turn on a different set of lights before they leave so the house appears tended to. If a house sitter isn’t an option, consider putting your lights on timers so they change accordingly. Keep in mind that just as keeping all lights off signifies that no one is home, keeping all lights on can send the same message!

Clean up

Before you leave, clean the house, take out the trash and wash your dishes. As you go room to room cleaning up, don’t forget to clean out the fridge and throw away any produce that might be ripening on your countertop. No one wants to come home to a gallon of spoiled milk or a bowl of rotting fruit! If you’ll be gone for more than three days, I suggest throwing away anything with an expiration date.

Temperature control

Save money while you’re out of town by adjusting the thermostat. Before you leave on summer vacation, bump the temperature of your empty house up to 80 or 85 degrees if you’re going to be gone for three or more days. Sure, it might be a little toasty when you come back, but you’ll be amazed at how much energy you’ll save with this temporary change.

Enlist a neighbor

Sometimes the easiest way to deal with simple home tasks while you’re away is to ask a neighbor to lend a hand. A trusted neighbor can help pick up the mail, put your trash cans out on trash day, and park in your driveway occasionally to show that someone is home. Even if you don’t want to ask someone to perform these housesitting duties, it’s a good idea to let a neighbor know that you’ll be away. If you’ll be gone for longer than a week, consider pausing your mail delivery, and hire a lawn service to mow your yard. A uncharacteristically overgrown yard could signify to thieves you’re away from home.

Lock up

Last but not least, don’t forget to lock all doors and windows before heading out. This may seem like common sense, but it can’t hurt to do a thorough check before you leave. Always remove any lurking hidden keys, too. You might think your hiding place is clever, but the plastic rock near the porch won’t fool everyone.

Once you’ve got the doors locked, the thermometer set and a neighbor alerted, it’s officially vacation time. Bon voyage!

Bree

Decor, Living Room Ideas

Entertainment Sets That Balance Technology and Style

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

In this day and age, technology in the home makes our lives easier in myriad ways. From smart thermostats to tablets that hold all our favorite recipes, home technology increases efficiency and saves time.

That being said, one of my biggest pet peeves is when home decor falls victim to the necessities of the modern day. A television takes the place of a well-styled mantel, or unsightly cords clutter up an otherwise spotless room. While these are common conundrums everyone faces today, the Home Zone Furniture collection offers a selection of entertainment sets sure to make your home both stylish and functional.

For the empty zone behind the sofa, try the Zanders sofa table. This thin table fits comfortably into a variety of spaces and is unassuming yet beautiful, with rich birch veneer and natural slate mosaic inlay. Use the shelf underneath to keep the remote and extra cords out of view, yet easily accessible. Leave the top surface empty to hold the drinks and snacks that are sure to make an appearance once the TV comes on!

Stay organized with the Bonnie Black TV console. This sturdy black console offers a number of shelves to store extra DVDs, CDs and accompanying hardware. By closing the doors, you’ll keep the interior neat, tidy and under control, but you’ll still be able to see the contents from afar. With its clean lines and simple hardware, the Bonnie Console is an ideal addition to the contemporary home.

Update a traditional bedroom with the Condor TV stand. The Condor has the look and feel of traditional furniture with its rich wood finish and classic structure, but it’s built with a modern sensibility. Use the power port to charge everything from your smartphone to your iPad, and the drawers to tuck away remotes, disks or even extra clothing you’ve run out of room for. You’ll love not only the slick metallic drawer pulls, but also how easily and quietly the drawers open and close.

Complement a rustic home with the Seattle TV stand. This weathered-looking stand is nicely crafted from ash veneers and pine wood solids, ensuring both strength and style. Store gadget and non-gadget items inside the drawers, which open and close easily with ball bearing glides. One of my favorite aspects of the Seattle TV stand is the built-in power port, which allows you to keep all of your electronics together and eliminates the appearance of cords. The Seattle TV stand would work nicely in a bedroom, but could also be placed in a small-scale living room as well.

Create the ultimate home entertainment center with the Clyde Merlot TV console. This impressive structure offers a series of cabinets for all of your TV-watching needs, and leaves sufficient space overhead to add personal styled vignettes. By taking advantage of the overhead nooks, you’ll find that the Clyde Merlot Console can be incorporated into a wide variety of home styles, from contemporary to traditional. In my experience, incorporating other objects aside from TV-related items into the shelves of the Console disguises the technological presence and maintains the style of your home.

How do you balance design and electronics in your home?

Bree