- Follow us:
Thursday, August 23rd, 2018
Fine Furniture Design Summer Home Poster Queen Bed.
So what are the most common types of clutter in your home?
Clothes?
Your kids’ toys?
Or books, perhaps?
No matter, clutter is clutter and since it’s summer, you might as well do some summer cleanup.
Summer signifies the acquisition of too many stuff. This is that season when people tend to own a lot more. This is also that time when out-of-town guests leave some of their items and also when the past holidays have left celebratory stuff.
Summer can also be the time to prepare for events and to hold them in your home. Since most people are up and about and are so busy, they tend to be less inclined to do the cleanup. But this should not be the case in your household.
It is time to say no to summer clutter.
Bye-Bye Books
Whether you’re cleaning up your eBooks or your literal book pile in your home, it’s time to accept the fact that you don’t get to read all these books anyway so it’s time to throw or give away some of them.
Now, let’s face those bookshelves holding your to-be-read file. Be honest with this file. And actually read the books that you include on this list. For those that you won’t really read anyway, just have them donated. Some people will be more blessed to have them and actually read them.
Do you have duplicate copies of certain books? Then it’s time to keep just the one that you want. As for the tattered books, well, they’re not just not good for Feng Shui but also a complete eyesore. It’s time to have them replaced. Bookshelves look unkempt with such books included in your collection.
Farewell to Vacay Purchases
So that wide-brimmed hat is not going to be a regular part of your wardrobe, right? Then it’s time to have someone else enjoy it. What about those sunscreen sprays? Have you, somehow, managed to create a collection of different bottles and tubes?
It’s summer but it’s also the time to let go of these used and possibly even empty products and other stuff. Pick the ones that you will still surely use then say goodbye to all of the rest.
Goodbye to Memorabilia Posers
There is real memorabilia and there are those that are just posing to be memorabilia such as ticket stubs, menus, foreign money, etc. Learn to categorize the real mementos and those that just become garbage.
Most of the time, the drawers are homes to these kinds of stuff. These items tend to co-exist with the office items. Let go of those receipts, shoe laces, book tags, bag tags, hotel key cards, and even broken cell phones and necklaces.
Take a few minutes to review these items in the drawer then get a black bag and say bye-bye.
Kitchen Cleanup
You’re going to be busy in your kitchen so you might as well prep for those taxing days ahead. Prep that grill by having it cleaned and brushed. Make sure also that the utensils have been thoroughly cleaned. Check also your cooking equipment and appliances – the oven, refrigerator, stove, baking tools, etc.
Remember the Garage
How about a summer cleanup in your garage? Maybe this site only gets cleaned during spring and it’s high time that you change that. Always begin cleaning from the top then work your way down to the garage floor.
Find a broom to remove cobwebs and to clean the lighting fixtures. Check also if the windows and garage door already need to be oiled.
Store Other Season Gears
Time to pack those coats, scarves, and sweaters now that the sun is out and shining. You could vacuum pack these stuff until that moment when you will need them again.
Tags: decluttering, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, summer cleanup, summer declutter, summer decluttering
Posted in Home Maintenance, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Summer Season | Comments Off on 6 Super Hot Summer Decluttering Tips
Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018
Whether you’re doing a guest bedroom, bathroom or a kitchen remodel, it pays to be a good neighbor throughout. Featured in this photo is the upcoming Hooker Furniture Bedroom Beaumont King Upholstered Bed.
The remodel or renovation of a home can have a huge impact on any homeowner’s life. The stress could come from the anticipation of the project or it could be because your neighbors aren’t as cooperative as you wanted them to be. These are your neighbors and so it is, of course, crucial that you build a positive relationship with them. So what could you do to still be the perfect neighbor when you’re about to remodel?
Okay, remodeling a home entails loud noises, debris, and lots of mess. There could also be a time when the street becomes less spacious because the parking could be eaten up by the goings-on during the renovation.
Whether you’re planning to remodel the bathroom or the roof, this type of extensive project could literally change your lifestyle as well as your neighbors’. You might just think of the immediate impact to your family but there are, inevitably, effects to your neighbors, too.
Be kind and here are some ways that you can be nice to them during the construction phase –
Get Necessary Permits
It is a courtesy to your neighbors to get all the necessary papers for the remodel. This will ensure everyone in your neighborhood that you are abiding by the local building codes. This becomes doubly important when you have plans of selling your house someday.
Your neighbors will also be ascertained that your safety and theirs have been considered. Just make sure that you display the permit on the window where your neighbors can best see it. This is to deter any possible questions that they may have if this piece of paper is absent.
Inform the Neighbors
As a part of the neighborhood, it is your responsibility to inform the nearby homes of the upcoming remodeling project. You don’t have to knock from one door to the next, though. You can just write a letter detailing the part that’s going to be remodeled in your home, why you’re remodeling, and the timeline for this project.
You should also include your contact information. You could also thank them by sending some baked goods (yes, these are very effective in mitigating concerns). There are also communities that have their own regulations on whom to notify when you will remodel.
Notify two to three houses down.
Emphasize the Work Hours
One of the most important parts of your letter is that section where you write the work hours as well as the project timeline.
Will the workers do the construction tasks during the morning? Normally, the construction hours take about 12 hours each day so, ideally, it should be between 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The contractor must be informed of your preferred work hours so that they do not end up annoying your neighbors who are expecting that the noise would stop at a certain time.
Contain the Mess
Deck or roofing installations could create a huge mess. These projects involve demolishing parts of your home and some scraps building up in your yard. Some of this debris could get to your neighbor’s lawn – this is what you would not want to happen.
Tell your contractors to be respectful of the nearby properties. Check on your shortlisted contractors’ cleanup processes so that you get to choose the one that creates the least impact on other people’s homes.
Be Gentle and Considerate
Even when you prepared amply, there could be complaints from neighbors who will not be happy with the ongoing remodeling project. Instead of reacting straightaway, you could sit down with your neighbor and come up with a solution. Have your neighbor speak to the contractor who would be able to explain to them what’s going on and for how long.
Be sure to thank your neighbor for bearing with the inconveniences.
Tags: home remodeling, home renovation, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, reconstruction, remodeling, renovation
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Remodeling Around Not-So-Sweet Neighbors? 5 To-Do’s During Renovation
Tuesday, August 21st, 2018
Fine Furniture Design’s Runway Collection has this Gilded Quilted Leather Bench for your bedroom.
Have you noticed that many furniture pieces inside royal people’s homes have gilding?
Gilding is a basic term that’s sometimes misleading for a lot of people. There are different styles and methods of gilding and just as many are the factors that are in need of gilding. The location, surface and the item’s condition are all factors that point to the application that is going to be used. Generally, though, gilding is what’s known as the application of beaten, thin gold (or any other type of metal) sheet.
The three known gilding disciplines are oil gilding, water gilding, and verre eglomise. The first type is the easiest to do which means it is the cheaper alternative. The finish for this type can’t be burnished and also does not appear to be brilliant.
Oil gilding must be used when the furniture that needs gilding is going to be exposed to moisture. The next type of gilding is water gilding which offers the highest quality. There are many processes that are involved in this discipline such as gesso and bole, sanding, also polishing. This is only suitable, though, for pieces that will not be used outdoors.
The last discipline or verre eglomise is what’s also known as glass gilding. This is a process wherein the gold sheets are placed on the glass’ reverse side. This results in the most beautiful reflective surface that’s best used on art pieces and glassware.
The Gilding History
For many centuries, artisans and artists have already used the gold leaf as a way to make their masterpieces shine and shimmer. Just research the ancient artifacts and you are likely to find glistening pieces in just the first few that you find. Just imagine all the Pharaohs’ glistening properties and you’d know exactly what we mean.
These days, the contemporary pieces in homes, architecture, and art are still making good use of gold leaves. There is, apparently, no better way to accentuate sophistication and style than gold.
The gold leaf is a fine sheet that has been hammered through a pounding process called goldbeating. It is the act of putting these sheets onto surfaces that is known as gilding.
Now have you ever wondered what it would be like to gild your own pieces of furniture or wall paintings?
Experimenting with Gilding
If you want to experience the joys of gilding, first hand, then you could experiment with your own painting. You will only need a few steps to have your own gilded masterpiece soon. Here are the materials that you will work on –
As soon as you have gathered the materials, you can then prepare the surface by, first, wearing your pair of gloves then using a regular paintbrush, cover the surfaces that are about to be gilded with leaf adhesive. This is to make sure that no bubbles will remain.
After the adhesive already feels sticky, put the gold leaf sheets by using tweezers or, better yet, fondant balling tools. You can then use the gilding brush in buffing the gold leaf sheets. This process should help you remove excess gold sheets from your painting. Smoothen the leaves over the gilded areas.
If you see remnants, don’t throw those away. Save those for your next masterpiece. To finish your project, apply the sealer.
You can repeat this same procedure whether you are designing a nightstand, a rack, coffee table edges, or even a simple decorative jars and vases.
Tags: gilded furniture, gilded painting, gilding, gilding process, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Accents, Color Schemes, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Gilding Explained
Monday, August 20th, 2018
Fine Furniture Design Bar and Game Room Raylen Wine Cabinet 320-852
Have you recently bought wine and now you’re planning to store it for future use? Before you buy an entire crate, it’s important that you know that only a small percentage of the finest wines are good for long-term storage. Majority of those that you find in the market are best consumed within a few years that they are released.
Wine storage is best for the professional grade kind of wines. Here are some simple guidelines to follow when you’re serious about storing your best wines –
Cool Throughout
Remember also that the top enemy of any bottle of wine is heat. Temperatures that are higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit will age undesirably. If the temperature goes much higher than this, then the wine literally get cooked, hence, the flavors and aromas are flattened.
Don’t get too worried if your assigned wine room is not too cool. So long as you consume the wines within a few years, you should be good.
But Not Too Cool
Refrigerating your wine bottles for just a couple of months is fine but to go for years of fridge storage means you will soon dry up the cork stopper. Your fridge lacks ample moisture to keep the cork stopper on the bottle’s mouth.
If refrigeration can become an enemy of wine storage, then so is freezing. Frozen wine produces ice crystals which expands the wine in the bottle. This results in the cork being pushed out.
Lights Off Please
Sunlight, and just about any type of direct lighting, is a potential problem for wine storage. The UV rays of the sun could age wine prematurely which is why most wine bottles come in dark colors.
The bulbs in the wine room may not age the wine but they can, over time, fade the wine labels.
Just Go Sideways
More often than not, wine bottles are stored on their sides – and they are stored in this manner for a good reason. This is not just a space-efficient way of storing wine bottles, it is also a definite way to keep the corks damp. Standing bottles keep the corks dry over time which results in bland-tasting wine.
If you’re going to consume the wines that you bought in the next few years, though, then it’s perfectly fine to have them stored – standing – in a cabinet.
Shake Not
There are many theories which state that vibration can cause chemical reactions which can damage the wine. The world’s most serious wine collectors are quite obsessive about the non-vibrating setup for their wine bottles. It’s been observed that significant vibration has disturbed older wines’ sediments making them gritty in the process.
And Now the Essentials
For the inexperienced, the world of wines can be daunting. There are, after all, many different tastes to consider and storage rules to remember. Although this is the case, wine storage does not have to be complicated.
You can begin by shopping for the right wine cabinet. This rack or cabinet must also be able to hold other wine storage essentials, not just your bottles of wine.
There are also different kinds of racks. The free standing wine rack can easily blend with any kind of décor. This is mostly made of metal or wood. This fits well in modern settings and can also be considered as the pièce de résistance of your design.
Countertop wine racks, on the other hand, are ideal for kitchen counters. They can also be set up in any part of your home or in a dedicated wine cellar.
The wine cabinet comes with drawers and often has extra shelving where you can store wine glasses, towels, and other home bar paraphernalia.
The wine console table is a fusion of the wine rack and an accent table so it is a stylish accent piece that you can place in any area where you want to entertain people.
For a wide array of wine racks, check out this link.
Tags: how to store wine, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, shopping for wine rack, wine cabinets, wine cellar, wine racks, wine storage, wine storage tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on Correct Wine Storage
Friday, August 17th, 2018
Fine Furniture Design Summer Home Bed Bench can be used as a visual space divider.
The open floor plan is a pretty new concept and it is becoming more popular by the day. It would seem like every home improvement show on the planet is going for this floor layout lately. So why is the open floor plan so hot nowadays?
You really can’t blame homeowners and designers from choosing this layout. This is a fad that seems to be going to the classic status. An open floor plan allows more natural light to flow into the space and it even makes small rooms appear bigger. While there seem to be only advantages to this kind of layout, there are, of course, still some disadvantages, too.
Here are the advantages of open floor plans –
Optimized Multi-tasking
Open floor layout is a wonderful idea for parents with small children. It’s because the mom can now prepare food while supervising her kids who are playing right across her. Parents can now safely finish their work deadlines, too, as they are also multi-tasking and checking on their little ones who are not far from them, playing or doing their own homework.
Optimum Lighting
Natural light would also freely flow. With this, the inhabitants will feel a renewed kind of optimism as the room appears brighter and livelier. Open floor plan allows the maximum allowable light to flow freely inside your home.
As soon as the big walls are toppled down, the sunlight can now shine freely into the living room, kitchen, and just about any section that you would want to appear brighter. Say hello to savings on your electric bills.
Bigger-Looking Room
Ask every homeowner – especially the ladies – and what is the most common thing that they can comment with their home? Studies show that most homeowners believe they have a small kitchen.
One convenient way to add space or at the very least, the illusion of space, is to open up the walls and go ahead and embrace an open floor layout. Keep in mind that the most successful open space plans are able to achieve airiness and spaciousness.
Living rooms tend to appear bigger because of vaulted or the two-storey ceilings.
The Uttermost Lamps and Lighting Ordino Modern Nickel Floor Lamp is an awesome accent piece to an open space layout.
A Bigger Entertainment Space
If you’re the homeowner type who loves to socialize and to gather people during the holidays, then an open floor layout is the best layout for you. It’s because the closed layout gives a sense of separation and compactness as opposed to the airiness that the other layout offers.
Just imagine having a bigger entertainment space now that the guests can see your joined dining area and kitchen. And just think of the next Thanksgiving dinner where everyone would no longer have to be cramped in one area.
There is also a downside to an open space layout and here are some of them –
The Possibility of an Unclean Kitchen
Cooking is a messy process since this is a workspace where meals are prepared. In an open space layout, the kitchen fuses with other parts of your home so, as you can see, there won’t be any place to hide. The messes will be seen by everyone and, yes, including your guests. And this is just the look. How about when we begin to discuss the odors that come with cooking?
No Quiet Moments
With very few walls, you can expect that noise will travel uninterrupted. This means, when the rest of the family is watching their favorite show on TV and you want to read, well, you do get the picture. This is also true when you are having separate lively activities on one given day, say, you would want to watch the football but the girls are also having a sleepover.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, open floor plan, open floor planning, open space layout
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on The Ups and Downs of Open Floor Plans
Thursday, August 16th, 2018
These Hooker Furniture Living Room Nesting Tables are in their traditional setup. Coming soon in Hooker Furniture.
Are you drawn to the beauty and functionality of nesting tables? Well, you’re not the only one. They serve a purpose of giving ample table space without eating up a huge section of the floor space. These are amazing for laying out stuff now and then or when you’re providing more table space for your guests. No wonder nesting tables are such great assets in any home.
Nesting tables can be used just like you would the end or side tables. Compared to the latter, though, nesting tables are seen to be more interesting since they offer the additional option to be pulled away from sight or be stacked right after use.
Nesting tables are far from boring. They were all designed with these three things in mind – function, style, and mobility. They are also available in different kinds of materials such as acrylic, wood, even stainless steel, so there are definitely nesting tables to match every emotion or mood and style.
The nesting tables can help you save space especially when you only have a tiny space to work on. They are easy to move around, hence, depending on your needs, you can move them to the living room or to the bedroom or dining room. There are also endless opportunities to decorate them according to the theme that you have set up.
For a few years, nesting tables seemed to have been out of fashion. But recently, more and more homes are realizing the function and design potential that these pieces of furniture offer. You, too, will soon realize the versatility that these tables have to offer.
What you place on the nesting tables is just as crucial as where you place them. These can be functional but they can also hold your most precious collections. Depending on the kind of collection that you will place on your nesting tables, you should also choose the right material that goes well with those.
Acrylic nesting tables are most popular nowadays while the chic traditional ones are made of wood. For those who wish to have a contemporary style, glass or metal will give you that look.
It is rare to find nesting tables for the bathroom, though. But just imagine the many things that you can do with those tables in that spa-like room of relaxation. Just stick them right in the corner and they can hold the most luxurious stuff for you from shower gels to scrubs.
Nesting Table Arrangement
Don’t be limited to nesting tables resting in the living room. You can also use them as nightstands in your bedroom. If you want additional space for your make-up, nesting tables can also be an additional furniture piece for your vanity table. They can also function as side tables in your lounge.
Staple Living Room Piece
Nesting tables are often seen in the living rooms. These are often situated right next to the armchairs. There are also some that are used in the kitchen, bedroom, and some homeowners even dare to use them in bathrooms. In fact, as you come to think of it, every room can benefit from nesting tables.
The Star of the Show
Nesting tables can also take the place of the ultra-chic coffee table. It becomes its multi-tiered version which you can spread when needed and restack once you’re done using them. Just imagine how your guests will marvel as you pull out two more tables underneath the first one.
A Sophisticated Bedroom Piece
Who says your bedroom has to be boring just because it is a place to snooze? You can increase the level of sophistication in this room by replacing your nightstands with the nesting tables. You can change their positions according to your needs, a great way to keep this room uncluttered.
Tags: decorating with nesting tables, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, nesting tables
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Purposefully Stylish Nesting Tables
Wednesday, August 15th, 2018
Hooker Furniture Dining Room Sandcastle Fretback Arm Chair – Upholstered Seat
The living room can either be a private room or a social hub. The way it is used depends greatly on how you feel towards hosting parties or not having any of those at all. This also depends on how you arranged the seating units and how many you actually have. The number of chairs that you set up inside this living room will also indicate how often you will receive guests.
Every living room has a sofa and additional chairs. There is also a center table, an artwork or two, photographs, and some stuff to make the room more personalized. When you’re the type that likes solitude, then the furniture arrangement will also indicate this. You are bound to see just a couple of chairs plus the cozy couch and that’s it.
Either way, whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, you are likely to display chairs in the living room. So what chair styles would suit your theme and personality?
Before we go to chair preferences and all the science and art that are going to be used in your decision-making, you need to, first, understand how the chairs are going to function in the living room. Remember that the living room is often a place where you should unwind and just be yourself.
The chairs need to be comfortable not just stylish since they are supposed to be used in a room where people gather and enjoy each other’s company. These may also be used for binge-watching the family’s favorite TV shows.
The Armchair
Let’s accept it. Most homeowners seem to be stuck with just the couch as a living room seating unit. Yet a chair can become a tool for self-expression. The armchair is a good way to express both your personal style while providing the seating function.
The armchair is a kind of accent chair that can become a symbol of your creativity. This seats just one person unlike the loveseat, couch or sectional. This can come in different styles from traditional to modern to contemporary.
Don’t look for dirt-cheap armchairs if you want to satiate both the function and aesthetic needs of your living room.
The Recliner
This is one of the modern luxuries that homeowners now enjoy. While they may appear to be modern, a few historians argue that Napoleon Bonaparte once owned the first recliner chair. And from his time to ours, many designers have already contributed to the style and new look of this seating unit.
These days, recliners are symbols of comfort in many homes. They come in many different materials such as cloth and leather upholsteries. There are also manual and electronic recliners and you have a plethora of color and style options.
A recliner is useful to someone who struggles to get out of a seat. There are even lift-assist recliners in the market nowadays.
The Round Chair
Who says rectangular or square is the only way to design chairs? For those who don’t want to be boxed any longer, there are many round chair options for you. These are those oversized chairs that have a 58” width and about 30” of cushion depth.
This is a wonderful accent piece because of their unusual shape. Contemporary round chairs can come in different colors from neutrals to bright colors.
Protege Upholstery: The Amelia Sectional Left Arm Facing Loveseat
The Loveseat
As the name states, this is a chair that’s meant to accommodate two people. This also comes in many different styles. Check out our wide array of loveseat options.
The Accent Chair
This is an all-encompassing term that is used for different living room chairs such as the wingback, club chair, barrel, English rolled arm, the Lawson chairs, and many more. These are often decorative chairs which are used to draw the eyes of beholders. Their purpose is to add visual interest through their style or color.
Tags: chair, chair styles, chair types, chairs, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, types of chairs
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Popular Chair Types (And Which Ones Are For You)
Tuesday, August 14th, 2018
Double the fun with the Thomasville Bedroom Kristiania Daybed (Twin) 84915-473.
You may have been assigned to a tiny dorm but there are still a lot of ways that you can design this cramped space into a stylish zone. You don’t even have to wrack your brain in updating the look of your dorm space. Here are some chic updates that will make your dorm stand out –
Furniture Rearrangement
Alright, this is no complex design hack, in fact, it is so simple that anyone can do it. Sometimes, just moving your dorm bed from one side of the room to the other makes a world of difference.
To rearrange, you must first assess the layout and then make a plan of the furniture movements that you want to make. You can put a dresser in a closet or have two desks placed back-to-back instead of two separate areas in a small room.
You might also want to change the bed to a daybed so that you can welcome your visitors during the morning and have ample seating for all of them. Just throw some decorative pillows on this daybed during the morning to turn it into a cozy couch.
Coordinate
How else can you avoid clashing but by coordinating? But what if your favorite color is purple but your roommate detests it? There are ways that you can meet halfway instead of getting stuck to a color palette that makes you cringe.
Have a sit down with your roommate and decide on what colors you can agree on. Matching your color palettes doesn’t mean that you both have to like blue gray like exactly. You just have to find colors that are complementing rather than to clash, say, a dorm room with a navy and coral palettes.
Mobility + Functionality
When you have decided to buy dorm furniture to redecorate, the smartest thing to do is to look for multifunctional pieces. An example is a futon that doubles as bed and a sofa. There are also a lot of storage ottomans that are stylish seats which also double as storage bins.
What’s a Dorm Room without Decals?
This is a dorm room so you are not allowed to decorate with anything permanent. With this, your choices might appear to be limited but a creative mind would just think of a different way of expressing flair.
Add instant charm to your dorm room by peeling off the wallpaper and using decals on a repainted surface. If you want to have the feel and look of a wallpaper, then just create a pattern for smaller decals and you’ll have a wallpaper-like texture.
And Don’t Forget to Customize
You should also integrate your personality into your dorm design. Add a colorful artwork to the wall or have some photos of you framed so that you can arrange a gallery wall of your latest travels.
Another way to customize the room is to bring it back to life with a bold color. How about painting one wall with an accent color? Do you like lime green? Then go ahead and add personality and vibrancy by creating a statement with a lime green accent wall. If you still have to muster the courage to use bold colors, then add it, not as a dominant color but, as an accent color on some furnishings.
Warm up the cold dorm floor with the rustic beauty and color of the Capel Incorporated Floor Coverings Homecoming Rug 0048NS Rosewood.
Warming Up the Cold Floor
A small space does not have to be unwelcoming and cramped. You can also customize your part of the dorm room by adding an area rug. You can also combine several rugs that will fit into a bigger area.
The college dorm rug does not have a standard size that fits all. You need to do measurements in order to get the correct size, although, the most popular size is 4 feet by 6 feet.
Tags: college dorm room design, dorm decor, dorm design, dorm design tips, dorm room design, dormitory designs, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Dorm Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on 6 Dorm Design Hacks to Dazzle
Monday, August 13th, 2018
See both beauty and function in this Fine Furniture Design Cachet Bookshelf.
Bookcases or bookshelves, more often than not, become the permanent homes for most college textbooks or personal collections that you can’t seem to have the heart to throw or give away. This piece of furniture may seem like another furnishing in your home but its rich history reveals that there is a lot more that it can offer any modern home.
At about the time when the codex was first seen in the first century, open bookcases housed to forms of books – the cylindrical rolls as well as the flat and rectangular codex. These were slowly seen as not-so-pretty ways of binding books so people began hiding their books while some built trunks and armoires for the sake of transporting their book collections.
Yet these trunks were not easily accessible so the bibliophiles had to think of ways to have their books within sight and easy reach. The next 1,400 years showed shelves that displayed books the conventional way – spine out and piled horizontally.
Bookshelves became popular in the ‘30s as publishers and architects, alike, promoted this piece of furniture. This joint effort became a way of encouraging people to buy books.
Bookshelf as a Piece of Art
One good way to be different when decorating your bookshelf is to see it as artwork. To do this, you must, first, have an outline of what you would want to accomplish. And since this is a piece of art, it must have some sort of organization. It must also be flexible since you will constantly add and take away contents from it.
Do not be afraid to unleash your creative side. Only the most creative minds can see a bookshelf as a sort of art installation. It must show meaning and purpose. The overall look must be a fusion of shapes, colors, and style which reflect the theme that you used in your home.
The most common rooms where bookshelves are found are the living room and the office. With this in mind, design your bookcase in a way that it also becomes a conversation starter.
Order in Chaos
As soon as you have decided on the kind of shelf that you’re going to use, it’s time to put order to chaos. Begin by finding a clean spot in your home then layout out all the books and knickknacks that you would use in stylizing the bookshelf.
It’s not bad to be picky about the stuff that you will use. Pick pieces that will help tell a story or even evoke memories through their shapes and colors. Once order is done using colors or shapes, then clutter is visually reduced and the meaning that you’re trying to convey now becomes more powerful.
Of course, the easiest things to consolidate are your books. If you like referencing, then you can organize the books according to their genre or to their design. If you’re more moved with visuals then go for color and size organization. You can also restack the books from smallest to largest or vice versa.
As soon as the books are organized, you can then move to the objects. Use anything from vases to bowls, even small clocks, and decorative boxes.
Maitland-Smith Accessories Pair Of Pompeian Patina Brass And Black Finished Iron Anchor Bookends: Talk of stylish bookends!
The Stabilizing Bookends
What better way is there to stabilize books than to use bookends? The right pair can add to the style of your bookshelf this is especially when you don’t have a sculptural object to display.
Bookends have a great beginning. These are those pieces of art that can be used to hold the books on both ends just like an anti-diluvial. Bookends logically hold the books that are arranged vertically. They do not just help the books stand erect, they also preserve the books by preventing them from being deformed when they lean for an extended period of time.
Tags: bookcase, bookends, bookshelf, decorating the bookshelf, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Living Room Design | Comments Off on Bookshelf Fashion
Saturday, August 11th, 2018
The Fine Furniture Design Portfolio Collection shows how beautiful monochrome could get.
It can get intimidating to think that you need to complete a design project using only a single color. Only the bold and the confident can get away with this. But here’s the great news – a monochromatic color scheme is actually hot right now. So how can you use it in your home?
Stylizing with monochromatic color is a lot more than picking a single color and flooding your interior with it. You would want to consider a lot of things such as what moods are associated with what colors. You will also need to explore your preferred hues and which ones are actually usable.
So What Is Monochrome?
The simplest definition of monochrome is that it is a single color that’s used as a base for all the tints, shades, and tones. There are some purists who argue that the first hue must come from the primary, secondary or tertiary hues on the color wheel. But it’s as simple as beginning with one color and moving on from there.
This only means that you can use any color from beige to purple and even jet black.
Go Classic
If you’re just starting and you do not have a style guide or even a preference yet, then you could be inspired by the classic color theory. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Color Theory is only for the artistically inclined. This has helped many interior designers for years and it’s about time to use it to visually engage your beholders, too.
The monochromatic approach to design is to pick that base color from the color wheel and then to add variants of that same hue.
Creating the Single Hue Palette
Your top consideration in creating the monochromatic scheme is contrast. How will you be able to create contrast with just a single color? Your biggest problem is to add depth and making the room stand out despite using just one color.
Be more confident in monotony by adding a sharp contrast.
You can do this by adding dark or lighter variants of the same color. Create a palette with just your artistic sense or you can use Adobe Color CC and other such tools.
Begin with that base color and then have a minimum of two other choices which are the lighter and darker versions of the same color. And just like any other color palette, you will need to establish where to use each color variation. Decide how each is going to appear in your design.
Understand Tints, Tones, and Shades
These are no less than your biggest tools when it comes to setting up a monochromatic home. Familiarize yourself with each so that you’ll know how to use them to your advantage. A hue is one of the 12 colors – the purest ones – on the color wheel. These are the colors that are either primary, secondary or tertiary colors.
The base color is the dominant or most prevalent color on your color scheme. This is where your design would all begin.
Tints are any color with added white so that it becomes lighter. When you do the opposite and add black, then what you get is the shade. Tone, on the other hand, is the addition of gray to intensify the color.
Why Monochrome?
So why should you go for a monochromatic color palette? It could get monotonous when not done correctly but it can also look amazing when artistically executed.
If you are a lover of simple and harmonious things, then this is the color scheme for you. It is also quite easy to design when you only have to worry about a base color and its tint and shade.
Minimalists will surely embrace this color palette for obvious reasons.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, monochromatic color palette, monochromatic color scheme, monochrome, monochrome color palette
Posted in Color Schemes, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Excitingly Monochrome
Follow us on our social media
© McCreery's Home Furnishings | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
