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Monday, February 27th, 2017
Hooker Furniture Living Room Jackson Glider/Recliner could effortlessly sit in a corner and still beckon one to curl up and relax.
A home that’s inviting – one that beckons and lingers in the minds of guests – is one that’s enjoyable and cozy. Regardless of the current season, each home can benefit from having a dash of coziness added. Here are some solutions –
The Entryway Set the Impression
As cliché as it may seem, first impressions, indeed, are lasting. Winter has been tough but a quick clean on your front steps plus a welcome mat will do a lot of wonders. How about installing a hello sign on your front door?
These are fundamental ways to create an inviting vibe. If you want to up the level of comfort still, then add a pot of big, green leafy plant by the side of the front door. Your guests will simply love the pop of green as they are being welcomed to your home.
Make Space
Adding furnishings seems to be the primary concern of many homeowners. What they lack to plan for are the spaces between such arrangements. While it matters that you put lovely furniture pieces, it matters too that there is ample space where you could move around them.
This is especially true for smaller homes. There should be comfy seating spaces which are also fre from obstacles. Never cramp oversized furniture too closely to one another or put too many pillows on the floor for your guests.
Also, for parents, try to designate a spot for those toys. If possible, create a cozy corral for them.
Yes to Soft Textiles
What could spell comfort more than plush textiles? Use plush rugs and carpets then be sure to layer them like a pro.
Invest in deep furniture and soft benches and ottomans.
Experiment with Hues
Color is a design element connector. For instance, you can use magenta for a cozier living room but this doesn’t have to be on large furniture. This shade of red can be used on cotton pillows and on some accessories.
Hyde Park Poster Queen Bed is FFDM’s contribution to comfort inside bedrooms.
Use Design Tricks
Always think of the guest’s probable first impression. Consider the space layout and pay attention even to the least design details. You can paint the far wall right across the front door with a bold accent hue. Have fun with lighting and art or just about anything that can catch people’s attention.
These, when done properly, will surely catch people’s attention, creating a feeling that they would want to linger awhile and even explore your home.
Personalize
Another simple way to make your home cozy yet still functional is to personalize the space. Invest only in pieces that come from reputable dealers then personalize them if you must. Put photographs of your family on that new credenza and let everyone see how sparkling your personality is with art pieces on walls.
Aroma in the Air
A cozy home should not have any bad smells. If you’re not sure what your space smells like at the moment then take a breather, walk through a park, then go back home. The first smell that would hit your nose is the one that lingers throughout the day. If it’s not pleasant, then get rid of that malodor.
Get some fragrant potted plants to get rid of the smell. If these don’t work, then purchase some air fresheners. If you’re not a huge fan of things bought, then you can also prepare some scents in your own kitchen.
Begin by simmering water in a saucepan then add slices of citrus fruits and some herbs such as mint or lavender. This diffuse pleasant aroma through your home.
Of course, never forget garbage disposal; no amount of cleanup and freshening up could create wonders if you don’t declutter.
Tags: cozy ambience, cozy home, cozy interiors, creating a homey ambience, homey, homey ambience, homey interiors, hominess, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Homey Yet Functional – Learn the 7 Tricks to a Cozier Habitat
Friday, April 29th, 2016
FFDM’S Summer Home Collection is featured in this corner of a home. Foamed furniture such as the chair here is effective in controlling the overflow of sound.
The open floor plan concept in offices came into existence in the 1960s. Since then, hundreds and thousands of companies all over the world, embraced this concept. Some believe this concept is a source of stress, noise and nuisance. If you look at this floor layout, though, you would immediately begin to see the benefits that it offers.
The open floor plan fosters collaboration among employees. This used to be imposed among workers which made it one of the most used layouts in the world today.
In France, alone, individual cubicles exist as a minority. About 34% of employees still work in partitioned workstations according to a 2015 study.
The early 20th century showed that the open offices flourished. Frank Lloyd and the likes of him perceived the partitioned office as a facist, totalitarian trend. Because of this perception, more flexible plans allowed employees to be free from the confines of small work areas.
Right after World War II, the development of the tertiary sectors was accompanied by a new perception on the workplace. The idea of an open workspace originated in the 50s in Germany. Eberhard and Wolfgang Schnelle came up with the idea of an office landscape where partitions are no longer a necessity.
The work areas were decorated with green plants fostering open communication among the workers. By 1964, Herman Miller, an American company, came up with Action Office Series 1. These were modular offices that were created with panels and various workspace heights. These easily adapted to the workers’ various activities. It was observed that their interactions became more regular and their movements, more fluid.
It was in 1968, though, that Robert Probst came up with the cubicle which is an office space with partitions that can be removed.
The Ultimate Family Design
The open floor plan can be the best kind of family or entertainment space but if you bring in the kids and pets to the picture, you would end up with discord.
This is why there is a need to understand your tolerance level if you are choosing to employ the open space layout in your home. You might have started with how you will use the space on hand but you might have forgotten about the possible noise that could come from family members, pets and appliances. This is especially true if the room features audiovisual components.
Always think of sound as something that is liquid. Water will always look for a place to flow to so it can seep through spaces and cracks.
This is also true with sound. You need to plan for an escape route for any kind of noise.
Consider also the shape of the room. Surfaces made of stone, metal or concrete tend to bounce sound at a louder level.
If you want a modern, clean, no-curtain room, then see if you can install rugs that would deaden the sound. Know how to control the noise by lowering the ceiling, having the columns in a room wrapped in wood, or replicating this kind of ceiling along the rooms.
Should noise become an issue, then it is best to break up the rooms by creating doorways in between the living areas. There is no other way to contain the sound without disturbing the flow.
Interior designers know that fabrics can be used to muffle sound. Empty rooms are noisy but once you bring in the furnishings, draperies, especially the carpets, you would soon notice that the room has become a lot quieter.
Use same color on your walls and draperies. Add texture as well as interest without totally closing off the other rooms. Make good use of soft surfaces like upholstered pillows and chairs to manage the sound.
Tags: 1950s, 20th century, homey, homey ambiance, homey ambience, homey interiors, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, open floor, open floor layout, open floor plan, open floor planning, open space, open space design, open space layout, open space theme
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | No Comments »
Thursday, February 11th, 2016
Uttermost Accessories Daymeion, Screen 20278
Fire is known to be an essential element to man. It is primal but is key to man’s survival. Fire can be used to describe passion, deep love or hatred, even vengeance. Fire is essential in shaping the world. To come into existence, it needs three elements – air, fuel and heat. The fireplace is a great way to bring in the lovely flames into your home. If you have a fireplace in your home, have you ever wondered how to dress it up?
Fireplace in the Middle of the Living Room
Having an open fire right in the middle of a room can have its benefits as well as disadvantages. The biggest advantage is that you won’t have to worry about heating up the living room. With fire comes smoke, though. While others love the smell of smoke because of its tanginess, others do not want the hazardous smell to emanate inside their home.
In order to control the smoke, or if you want to clear it out of your home, the simple solution is to cut through the roof. The smoke will automatically go up there. The hole will allow the smoke to escape but, of course, you do not want a simple hole to become a part of your home. While the smoke would waft up there, that hole is not at all appealing.
Now say hello to the chimney. The fireplace and the chimney are companions that always go hand-in-hand. This union was invented in the 12th century. These features were considered as part of castles and homes of noblemen.
Extra care was taken in making brick or stone fireplaces. By the 1500s and the 1600s, the fireplace had become a regular addition to people’s homes.
Beginning during the Medieval Period, homes in varying grandeur were built with fireplaces and chimneys. These were also built with brick or stone. The brick pipe, long stone or vent channelled the smoke out of the houses. The smoke box which is the chamber down the chimney pipe is used as a buffer against any downdraft. The firebox is just below the smoke box and is where you should start the fire. The hearth is the brick or stone platform where the firebox and chimney are both built. These sometimes extend out of the firebox to the room, to offer protect from rolling logs.
Uttermost Accessories Daymeion, Tools, S5 20338
Fireplace Advantages
Fireplaces are lovely parts of a home. They offer numerous advantages. This means living in a home where the fire is now safely contained inside a room. There is also the stone chute to make the smoke disappear from the room. These are big improvements from just that single hole on the roof.
In smaller residences, the fireplace can serve as a heater as well as a place where food can be cooked. Fire can keep the house warm while providing a place to heat pots or pans of scrumptious dishes.
While the fireplace became more renown, it has become a part of many homes. A totally new industry sprung up, aiming to supply accessories and equipment used in fireplaces.
The fireplace grate was invented long ago (1600s) and were a development from the andirons. Andirons can hold huge logs, even chunks of firewood but the fireplace grate contains the fire, charcoal, kindling and fuel (wood). Grates vary in sizes from the smaller grates to the larger wood-burning fireplace grates.
Fenders can be made of iron or brass and are used as fireguard. These prevent ash or rolling logs from burning that beautiful carpet right in front of your fireplace.
Add the dust bin, bellows, fireback, fire screen and other tools and you’re ready to start enjoying the crackling flames in your living room.
Tags: designing a fireplace, fireplace, fireplace design, fireplace elements, homey, homey ambiance, homey ambience, homey atmosphere, homey interiors, living room accent, living room accents, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Accents, Bedroom Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Living Room Design | No Comments »
Thursday, February 4th, 2016
This Flexsteel Living Room Sofa 7399-31 spells urban fashion and comfort.
You may just be in your mid-30’s or 40’s but if you have already accomplished a lot of things in life, then you deserve to have another feather in your cap. The next best accomplishment for you at this point is to obtain your dream home, try urban living, and dress your home up according to your liking.
Would you want a big home right away or would you choose to have a condominium unit as your first home? You can be hands-on with the design process. Whichever you choose, be sure to review your choice of a dream home from the day you get your hands on the blueprint.
Next, find an interior designer whom you can trust. This expert should be able to discuss your personal preferences, what you would want the house to evoke, and your spatial needs.
There are a lot of responsibilities that come with your new home. If you are a hardworking professional, then you deserve to glam up your urban dwelling. You can begin with a white color scheme.
Stylish living begins with this simple color. Shades of white can create a bright and airy atmosphere while creating an aura of peace and balance. As you enter your home, you would soon understand how white opens up the space and gives the dweller a welcoming feeling. Be careful in using white, though, as it can have a stark appearance when left without complement.
Apart from white, earth tones are the next best colors to use when going with the urban look. Green, brown and yellow can be used in varying shades. If you want to contrast the starkness of white, you can bring in potted plants. Just be sure to water it daily and place it atop a side table that is not directly hit by sunlight.
Sam Moore Living Room Urban Ottoman 1061 offers patterns that will stand out in a neutral background.
Create a Homey Aura
Urban interior design makes use of the design concept where only essential furnishings are brought into the home. This means you have to let go of any trinkets or furniture that can clutter the overall look.
Choose your furniture and accents wisely. A quick look on our lovely furniture pieces will soon give you an idea on how to spruce up your new home.
Area rugs will make any living room stand out. Find one that has varied designs since you will be using a neutral backdrop. A decorative area rug will complement, say, a shiny marble flooring. Other attention-getters inside a living room can be a baby grand piano, art sculpture, chandelier and any abstract painting. These will provide the much-needed contrast for the white scheme.
When it comes to the couch, any upholstered kind will do. Here’s a tip – be sure to rotate the cushions. It’s been observed that most homeowners have a tendency to stay on just one side of a couch.
An urban dining area will also look great with a 10-seater table made with wood. Find mirror panels to reflect this grand sight. Hang a crystal chandelier right above this set. The kitchen space can have a breakfast nook right by the window overlooking the garden. Find cabinets and shelves to store your kitchenware.
FFDM’s Boulevard Collection features this streamlined bedroom piece,
The home office for someone who knows success can have an old-meets-new motif. Modern conveniences such as a laptop and LED TV can be placed in the same room as the antique manual typewriter seated on a streamlined desk.
If there’s space to spare, then take time to find an ottoman that will match your office couch. This ottoman will not just serve as a seating piece but also as a table should you nephews decide to play a board game while you’re busy working.
Frame some of your black-and-white photographs and hang them proudly on your office wall. You can also use this room to store your favorite books, trophies, and some personal items.
Have fun with urban glam!
Tags: harmony, homey, homey ambiance, homey ambience, homey interiors, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, urban glam, urban interior design, urban living
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes | No Comments »
Thursday, January 14th, 2016
This classic wooden bed comes from FFDM’s Highlands Collection
Do you believe that the bedroom is a sacred place? This is the very place where you sleep, relax, dream, and fantasize even. This can be a room that you have all for yourself or you might be sharing it with someone who you care for. While this room deserves privacy or even if it is dark and tiny, it need never be depressing.
Sprucing up your bedroom shouldn’t be complex. Here are a few tips –
Find Cozy Bedding
What could be more relaxing than climbing onto a comfy bed with luxurious bedding? Find pillowcases and bed sheets that make you want to go to bed each night. If moon and constellation, dots and stripes make the kids marvel at night, then have their bedding designs come in these patterns.
Hooker Furniture Bedroom Sunset Point King Fretwork Panel Bed fits perfectly in shabby chic, seaside or lakeside homes. This bedroom focal piece comes in cathedral white oak veneers.
Do you have a duvet that you want covered? It wouldn’t be wrong to experiment with some colors. If you want to splurge on your linen sheets then go silk! Silk pillowcases – would you believe – can make you a lot prettier in the morning? It may be myth for others but sleeping soundly through the night speeds up rejuvenation, hence, you look fresher when you wake up.
Let There Be Light
There are many different ways that you can bring in light into the bedroom. You can begin by hanging mirrors or by replacing the doors of sliding closets with mirrored ones. These should bounce the light throughout the room, making it a lot brighter than it really is.
Creating a fancy bedroom can also be as easy as installing lighting fixtures with Swarovski crystals. These will be the perfect rainbow projectors for your private space. You will be amazed at how the lovely rainbows will dance around your room.
‘Not a huge fan of rainbows? Then try to project stars on your ceiling instead. Salt lamps can also emit lovely light during the night. The salt is also good for your health as it clears away air-borne allergens such as pet dander, smoke or pollen.
Clean Up
You bedroom should not just look fantastic but also smell fantastic. It would be wrong for this room to smell musty. So it wouldn’t hurt to plug in that vacuum cleaner and to set up some scented candles. Some homeowners prefer oil burners to scented candles. Still others want those essential oils in humidifiers. Whichever way you choose to make your bedroom sweet-smelling, it really doesn’t matter. The bottom line is, you can sleep better if you clean up.
Maitland-Smith Accessories Fire Screen 1351-324 features intricate artwork, perfect in achieving a romantic bedroom.
Sparkle Up
If you want your bedroom to become more cheerful, then add some sparkles. This could be as easy as having a candle light reflected on your bedroom mirror. It can also be more elaborate such as adding crystal or glass chandelier.
‘Want it to be sassier? Then go bigger by adding curtains beaded with crystals in each window. Have the headboard decorated with crystal beads, drape a Moroccan wedding blanket at the foot of your bed, or just hang a mirror ball right above your bed.
A Standout Master Bedroom
The master bedroom is probably the most intimate area in your home. This is where you can express your creativity, style and your personality. Bedrooms are now a lot more than places for getting dressed or sleeping.
Expand the range of use for this room by adding an expansive closet space, a reading nook, or a private office. Adding features such as a fireplace will make a world of difference in terms of upping the air of romance. The fire screen can accentuate the fireplace, making the bedroom a lot more calming and interesting – perfect for a room meant for relaxation.
Tags: bed, bed styles, bed types, bedding, bedroom mirror, chandelier, fire screen, fireplace, guidelines, homey, homey ambience, homey atmosphere, homey interiors, master bedroom, master bedroom decor, master bedroom design, master bedroom design elements, master bedroom elements, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, mirror, mirror in interior design, mirrored interiors, pillow, pillows, relaxation room, relaxing bedroom, romantic bedroom, romantic design, romantic setting, romantic setup, scented candle, scented candle decorating, sleep, sleeping, tips
Posted in Bedroom Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Hooker Furniture Home Office Brookhaven Desk Chair
Designing your first home office can be kind of tricky. Primarily, you need to establish how the office would look and feel. If you decide to go for a homey atmosphere, chances are, you may not be able to concentrate with your work. There are simply a lot of things in your home that can take your attention away from your work.
If, however, you pick the professional style, then why place the office inside your home in the first place? One of the blessings of setting up a home office is that you have the freedom to use a style according to your preference. With this in mind, just make sure that you can separate this space from the rest of your home.
Awesome Home Office Setup Tips
The first guideline – because it is the most evident – is to never blend work and the pleasurable things that you do at home. Even if you think that you are the most focused person in your previous workplace, this will not amount to anything if you do not separate your home office from all the other rooms in your home. The two are bound to fuse so break them up from the onset.
Fine Furniture Design Home Office New Bedford Ladies Desk 1020-925 is for the delicate female professional.
Next, be sure to examine your home office now and then. Clear away game consoles, TV, and other possible sources of distractions. While you may have separated your home office from the other rooms, keeping these gadgets near your work area can still cause major distraction.
Respect and maintain the boundaries that have been set. Keep the workplace distinct from all the rooms. Doing so will have a psychological effect on how you work.
‘See that magnificent Brookhaven Desk Chair from Hooker Furniture above? The next guideline pertains to this very thing. You have to invest in a seating support that does not just look good in your home office but would also support your back as you work those long hours.
The American Academy of Family Physicians has reported that approximately 90% of adults feel back pain at one point in their lives. This means that you should pay attention to the style and sturdiness of the chair that you are about to purchase.
One of the things that are neglected in setting up home offices is lighting. Too bright or too dim just won’t work. If you want to get ample lighting, then allow your desk to be situated near a window where sunlight could come in.
If you ever felt lethargic during the winter months, then you are not alone. Research proves that people do tend to feel this way during the holidays due to lack of sunlight exposure. Boost your mood and stabilize your sleep patterns by allowing more natural light to enter your home office. If you work during the night, then be sure to get artificial lighting for your workspace.
If you are not sure about the intensity or tone that is suitable to your home office, then experiment on these. Consider the factors such as the total amount of space and number of lighting fixtures, used when making your final decision.
Apart from having updated technology for your workspace, you must also make sure that you simplify processes. So how do you go about with this?
Organize your home office often as this will increase your work efficiency. Clutter can cause distraction so invest in storage units such as a stylish office cabinet. Do not settle for those traditional metal types straight away. Try laying your eyes on a wooden cabinet or shelf that may also serve as a piece that will balance the statement piece (your office desk).
Practice minimalism in your home office and you’d never go wrong.
Tags: cabinets, creating a homey ambience, desk, executive desk, guidelines, home office desk, homey, homey ambiance, homey ambience, homey atmosphere, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, minimalism, office chairs, office desk, office furniture, tips
Posted in Home Office Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | No Comments »
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