Monthly Archives

May 2017

Decor, Outdoor Ideas

Patio Pick-Me-Ups

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Ready to kick summer living into high gear? Give some attention to your patio! This crucial living space functions as an intermediary between the indoors and the outdoors, making it the perfect shaded oasis for the season.

Whether your patio is where you dine alfresco or lounge after a dip in the pool, these are my five tips for making this a space you’ll want to use every day.

Create boundaries
Set your patio apart from the rest by creating some physical boundaries around the space. Depending on your style, you could use pots, shrubs or trellises covered in vines to create a clear division between the patio and the lawn or pool area. Once you have those boundaries, the patio will be easier to decorate because you can treat it as you would an indoor room.

click to read more

Seasonal, Spring, Summer

How to Decorate Your Fireplace for Every Season

home Fireplace

 

During the fall and winter, the living room fireplace is the central gathering place in the home. Nothing feels quite as cozy as sitting in front of a roaring fire, chatting with friends and family as the temperatures dip outside. However, as spring blooms and moves into summer, you can still light up a room (sans flames) with a beautifully decorated fireplace. Our fireplace decoration ideas will help you refresh your space throughout the year and celebrate every season.

click to read more

Decor, Dining Room Ideas

Switch up your dining room with these 4 design ideas

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

There are some rooms in the house that benefit greatly from a quick and easy rearranging. Other rooms, such as the dining room, aren’t as flexible and require a little more creativity when it comes to sprucing up.

Whether you’re prepping for a dinner party or simply want to bring a little life to a stagnant space, these are a few tips for rejuvenating your dining room for spring.

Patterned rug

No matter the style, a dining room isn’t complete without a rug under the table. This is a chance for you to incorporate extra colors and patterns into a room that is generally visually flat.

If you’re choosing a new rug, one of the most important things is to make sure that your rug is proportionate to the room and to the table. Next, pick a color that stands out, but which also complements the room’s color palette. The perfect rug will add dimension to your dining room whether you’re laying it over carpet or a hardwood floor.

Colorful centerpiece

Place a beautiful centerpiece on your table or buffet for some seasonal color. Experiment with arrangements of different shapes and sizes to find the look that best complements the room. Flowers are a classic choice, but a large bowl filled with fruit is inviting, too! For spring and summer, my favorite centerpieces include a vase of peonies and a bowl of fragrant citrus fruit.

Set the table

Even if you aren’t expecting guests, liven up your dining room by preparing the table with dining accessories. Some items you might consider laying out include place mats, napkins with napkin rings, silverware and your porcelain collection. Every time you walk by, the added color and texture will be sure to lift your mood!

Mix and match

For a fun, casual look that’s perfect for summer, try mixing and matching your chairs. If you have a number of dining chairs and side chairs to choose from, mix them all together around the table. To play with color and texture, get slipcovers made for your chairs in a few different colors or a playful, summer-perfect print. The result is a unique, eclectic look that will have everyone gathering around the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Just make a few tweaks, and you’ll be amazed at what a big difference small changes can make. Now all that’s left to do is plan a dinner party!

Bree

Seasonal, Summer

Summer home design dos and don’ts

Bree here, from Home Zone Furniture.

Summer is swiftly approaching, and for many of us, it’s the perfect time to revamp the house before the kids are out of school.

Keeping in mind the trends of the season and some commonly committed mistakes, these are my dos and don’ts for decorating this season and beyond!

 

Don’t use every trend in one room

Home decor trends change every season, so deploy them wisely! The first rule is to only indulge in trends you truly like — the trend will change before you know it, so don’t invest in a style just because it’s popular at the moment. The second rule is to spread any trendy items throughout your home so that the new additions aren’t all concentrated in one space.

 

Do try a trend here and there around your entire home

While your home shouldn’t be overrun with trends, trendy styles and decor items are essential to making your home feel current and stylish. Once you get inspired by one trend (or several), do your best to disperse the trend throughout your house in different ways so that it looks organic and well-incorporated in your existing decor.

 

Don’t match every little thing

For a look that’s modern, fresh and unique, don’t try to match everything in a room. It’s OK, and actually recommended, if the throw pillows don’t match the curtains and if the lamps aren’t all from the same collection. With a little bit of mix and match, you’ll be able to create a look that better reflects you and your family.

 

Do maintain a color palette for a cohesive look

In order to create a well-composed room, pick a color palette you like and stick with it. Neutrals, shades of blue, jewel tones — whatever you pick, this palette will guide your aesthetic choices from the rug to the accent chair.

 

Don’t put every belonging on display

You’ll end up with a busy, cluttered room if you put every belonging on display in an effort to decorate. While you might like the style of a maximalist room, pick and choose the things you love most to put on display.

 

Do showcase your collections

Not every belonging should be on display, but the display of a collection or two is a classic, highly personal element of design. To make it work, first decide where you will be putting your collection on display. Use an empty wall to install a handful of artworks in a gallery-style hanging, or make use of those open kitchen shelves by styling them with beautiful ceramics.

 

Don’t have cold, bare rooms

To do minimalism right, it’s important to avoid creating a room that feels cold and bare. If the room feels too sparse, guests won’t feel welcomed into the space. If the design is simple and clean, it’s imperative that the textures you use are rich and cozy.

 

Do embrace minimalism

A cold, bare home is uninviting, but a nicely done minimalist home feels refreshing and serene. In order to create a minimalist style that is true to your lifestyle, start simply by minimizing clutter. Next, embrace a neutral color palette with shades of white, gray and beige. Lastly, invest in a minimalist style by decorating with furniture and other décor that has clean lines and simple, relaxed shapes.

 

Bree