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Monday, March 13th, 2017
This Hooker Furniture Living Room Mason End Table features a lighter finish compared to the other pieces surrounding it.
These days, it would seem that the interior design theme for many homes is anything goes. Different furniture styles can now co-exist in one room, giving the space a fresh and unique look. Mixing and matching is also still definitely in but you have to make sure that you give mixing a lot of thought and introspection.
Similar But Not Exact
You might be tempted to match wood furniture but don’t do an exact finish sort of match. A light room can have green accents and a textured wallpaper right on the side where the headboard is. Adding a darker wood furniture near the bed can also help ground the room.
Keep It Simple
The furniture in the room could have different finishes and patterns and the textiles could have different shades but as long as they are set in a pretty straightforward manner, then what you achieve is beauty.
Use Motif
Do not be afraid to use motif even when you have a small space to decorate. A common design that is used in smaller spaces is the repetition of patterns. If you chose a mainly yellow palette, you can use blue in small dashes.
Fuse Design Elements
When you use several finishes and colors like birches, white and dark wood, remember to link each hue with a common design element. Having too many standalone elements will not give uniqueness in a room, what they do is give the room a cluttered look.
Fusing different design elements does not mean that you ignore the beauty of variance. You can also assemble a mixture of different furniture just as long as they have an anchor color. An array of blue and yellow, for instance, will create a beautiful variety without demanding for attention.
Become a Minimalist
Use raw elements in giving a room a more natural and simple feel. Any room can be tied together by using a light wood finish, for instance in a group of armoire, table and bookshelf. To add a simple pop, use a red chair to complete the look.
Use White
Welcome a limitless conglomeration using the color white. With this simple hue comes myriad opportunities to add layers and textures.
Add Shapes and Patterns
Mixing and matching furniture also means using the same color everywhere but in different tones or shades. But more than just repeating the colors throughout the different rooms, you can also add visual variety by putting interesting shapes and patterns.
Mix Traditional with Modern Pieces
The perfect matching of traditional with modern pieces is a difficult technique to master but one that’s possible to try. There are foolproof pairings, though, that you can begin to use in your home –
Tags: fusion of design themes, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, mixing and matching furniture, modern and traditional, traditional and modern
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Mixing and Matching Furniture: Achieving a Look That’s Fresh and Chic
Monday, March 13th, 2017
The Winners Only Dining Room 42 Inches Contemporary Leg Table DF24242CX is cozy enough to share with your roommate.
College students look at a dormitory as their temporary residence. To most, though, this is often mere physical structure that provides a place for them to sleep. Various colleges and universities have solo or multi-occupancy rooms. While these are provided for by these educational institutions, they are not free and it is up to the occupants to decorate the said areas.
So how do you make a small area appear fabulous?
Rearrange Furniture Layout
Moving furniture from one side of the dorm room to the next can make a lot of difference. Rearrange the room as soon as you set foot in it. Begin by assessing the layout then experimenting on the possible furniture placements.
An example is to place two desks back-to-back. You would never know how lovely this would look in your space if you don’t try. You can also set up a daybed so you can have more seating for your new friends. You can sleep here during the night; place throws during the day and you’d have an instant couch.
Compact Is Great
The more mobile and compact the furniture is, the better. When buying furniture for your dorm room, a smart thing that you can do is to find multifunctional furniture pieces. Ottomans can serve as a seat as well as a secret storage unit. A small buffet can serve as a china ware storage unit as well as a serving counter.
Coordinate
What if your roommate hates purple but you happen to love it? Then you have to find ways to compromise. After all, you will be spending a lot of moments with this person so you also have to understand that it is difficult to go to a room that’s painted in a color that you detest.
Speak with your new roommate and ask if he or she is willing to coordinate. This doesn’t mean that you have to match furniture and accessories. Just decide on a color palette that won’t clash (e.g. a coral and navy palette is as neutral as it could get so that each girl will be able to express her uniqueness.
Cold Floors Made Warm
If you arrived at a dorm that has dull flooring, then it’s time to warm it up, well, at least on your area. Find an area rug that fits your side of the dorm room. Create a unique look at your corner; make sure that you check the area rug that you buy. It has to be durable to sustain heavy foot traffic.
Decorate with Decals
Of course, the downside to dorm room decorating is that you cannot use anything permanent. Since this is so, just add decals where you want some personality. Decals can instantly make the room appear more charming.
Capel Incorporated Floor Coverings Homecoming Rug 0048CS Chestnut Brown
Display Artwork
Infuse your personality into your dorm room by adding trendy prints or hanging some wall art. You can set up gorgeous and colorful accessories, too.
Dare and Bare with Bold Colors
Adding colors is the most basic way that you can add life into any room. Temp wallpaper one wall for that beautiful accent wall. This can be in the super in lime green or anything bold such as red or black to add a dash of drama.
Say No to Bare
Don’t just accept what’s given to you. Beige walls?
Boring. Unless you do something to make the dorm room more exciting. Use wallpaper in your favorite color or texture. Add a lovely mural which is the ideal alternative to wallpapering.
Store and Hang
Most dorm rooms already have an armoire or cabinet. If you want to add more storage space, you can set up some clothes rack by the side of your bed or woven baskets that you can put on top of the cabinet.
Tags: decorating dorms, decorating the dorm room, designing the dorm room, dormitory design, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Dorm Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Your College Dorm – It’s More Than Just a Sleeping Quarter
Friday, March 10th, 2017
Universal Furniture Dining Room Round Table 409657-C
Why wouldn’t you want an Italian inspired home? Italian style is quite popular and for a good reason. It is gorgeous, ornate, elegant and it presents the loveliest quality furnishings. Say Italian and you actually mean luxury.
Based on history, Renaissance architecture and interior design dates all the way back to the 15th century. This started in Florence, Italy and was dominated by baroque style furnishings and stone columns. These days, Italian interiors show the most amazing craftsmanship.
Italians definitely know how to design a home with elements that never fail to amaze. Their homes are simply luxurious and they have layers from ceiling down to the floor. Have you noticed how every corner has layers to offer? That’s just the way Italians work.
Italian interiors feature lacquered kitchens, unique chandeliers, glass crystals, and streamlined furniture. While other pieces may be modernized or have a minimalist look to them, you could still not deny the elegance of Italian style. The refined taste of the master artisans and architects show just this.
Italian Also Means Gold
Italian is always described as luxurious or elegant because it is a style that is often gilded with gold. The gilt trim is quite popular in both traditional and modern Italian designs. It can show up practically anywhere such as mahogany furnishings, mirror frames, even on inlaid tiles. Marble stone veining could also reflect a little glamorous gold from time to time.
Italian Stone, Marble and Tiles
From terra cotta to marble, and stoneware of every kind, Italians have everything to do with these. Ancient Italians worked with these rustic stones and created beauties out of them. Italian flooring even reached a point when it became the decorative standard for many homes throughout the world.
These stones also exhibit the loveliest geometric designs, inlaid art and designs. These make them a must-have part of many homes. Today’s elegant homes cover their floors and walls with the gleaming beauty of marble while others simply take shiny stones as an added glamour in a minimalist setting.
If you want to showcase the Italian design in your home, then you must be ready to use some marble tiling at the entryway, most especially in the bathroom. If rustic is the design that makes your heart beat, though, then you can always use some terra cotta on your floors and walls.
Universal Furniture Dining Room Buffet 409680-C
Modern Italian
If you want to embrace the modern Italian look, then this is also a unique way to stand out. Most of the furnishings that have been described as Italian are traditional. Some interiors these days, though, show modern designs that are still attributed to this ornate style.
The furnishings might be sleeker to look at but their level of luxury and comfort are, nonetheless, supreme in quality. The modern Italian look offers a lot of black and white with some unexpected chandeliers from time to time.
Modern enthusiasts are sure to find a glamorous piece or two with the latest Italian pieces. These also have high quality materials that add elegance in any room in your home. Or you could choose to go all Italian and embrace the concept in every room of your home.
From the 15th century design of Florence, Italy, to today, Italian style remains to be an exquisite look for homes. It makes good use of ornate, quality furnishings, tiles, artistic stones, and gilt that remain popular for many, many years. The final look that these design elements achieve is truly elegant so there’s no way to question your style.
So, whether you’re a modernist or a traditionalist, you are sure to find joy in Italian design. Now it’s time to decide if you’re altering the look of your home soon.
Tags: Italian design, Italian interior design, Italian interiors, Italian style, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, modern Italian, traditional Italian
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Italian Interiors: Layering in Luxury and Elegance
Friday, March 10th, 2017
FFDM’s Hyde Park Collection: The ambience achieved here is the perfect setting for the night owl to catch some sleep.
A lot of people admit to being night owls. If you’re one to stay up late and prefers this lifestyle than rising up early, then you belong to the group of people that are genetically predisposed to be more productive at night.
Several animal studies have proven that our genetic makeup has a lot to do with whether we prefer to sleep early or late. This is pretty much like having a set of blue or brown eyes.
So, if you recognize yourself to be night owl, then it’s time to consider what needs to be set up in your room.
The Serial Night Owl’s Bedroom
Okay, so being an early riser has its benefits but it definitely isn’t a lifestyle for everyone. The greatest minds are actually renowned to sleep in. There are other factors, apart from genetics, that play a huge role on whether or not you are an early or late sleeper.
Since late night TV programs have an appeal to you, it might also help if you look into other diversions that would help you sleep earlier (perhaps).
There might be this hush as all other family members have already gone to bed but when you’re on your own, it’s time to start doing something that will help bring the yawns.
Set up a reading corner by having an armchair and a lamp by the corner. These should give you hours of reading enjoyment or you could feel a little sleepy as you go through some deep reading.
An alarm clock is also a night owl’s best friend. Being a late sleeper does not mean that you have to do away with the required seven hours of sleep each day. Your nocturnal hobbies means you find it difficult to wake up at 7:00 in the morning so if you really have to go someplace during that time, then be sure to set up an alarm – or even two.
You might also want to consider collecting some DVDs. These could serve as great companions during those long nights. The 23rd hour spells the worst TV shows so you might as well find movies that you have always wanted to watch.
The Hooker Furniture Bedroom Sanctuary Nightstand is perfect for those nighttime readings.
The nighttime is also your perfect opportunity to spend some time by yourself. Staying up late could also mean observing some night life. You could perch by your window and gaze at the skyline or you could go out and party with your friends.
Breakfast might not be your favorite meal of the day but this does not mean that you should forego on dining room setup. You should also carefully consider the dining table and chairs that would make you feel comfy during brunch time.
Since you won’t have the pleasure of eating your breakfast in the morning, you might want to have the breakfast nook in a spot where the afternoon sun won’t cause glare.
You might also feel rebellious as you choose to stay up late. As children, we have often been told to go to bed early. The night owl is the ultimate rebel as he stays up late, watching TV, reading, or doing anything that he finds pleasurable.
Since you have confessed to being a night owl, you might as well squeeze out some creativity out of your admission. There is, after all, a wonderful magic during nighttime that can boost what you do. Early birds may profess to be productive but you have an extra hour or two during the night as no noise is present to disturb you.
Okay night owl, it’s time to indulge in hours of creativity and productivity. Let the early risers do their stuff, do yours and try to exceed what everyone else is doing.
Tags: late sleeper's bedroom, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Bedroom Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Night Owl’s Bedroom
Thursday, March 9th, 2017
The Uttermost Accessories Mela Tall Decorative Vase 1931 could be traditional or unique. Just choose what goes with it.
Okay, so you’re getting married and just looking at the traditional gifts at the gift registry makes you woozy. So what do you do then?
Wedding traditions have changed a lot since the days of our progenitors. A noticeable change is that couples now marry when they are truly ready and that they now have their own sets of tableware, linens, furniture, even knickknacks.
Since these things are common inside a couple’s home, this is the reason why gift registries have offered these exact same things for many, many years. Gift-givers, took the cue and just bought what was common or ordinarily used inside homes.
This needn’t be the case with your wedding. You have to let your guests understand that you are exploring new territories and would like to have something that’s uncommon.
If you already have the basic housewares, then you should look into other wedding registry options. Look into other areas in your life such as owning a new home pretty soon. Setting up gift registry that has the tag – new toilet – could easily give your guests a hint but is not the best choice for a title.
Believe it or not, guests are actually excited to give something that’s not ordinary. Others might feel awkward at first but it’s not something that you can’t move on from.
A garden registry, for instance, requests for living, potted plants and flowers, seeds, perhaps and a small tree that can be easily planted. That honeymoon fund request is fast becoming a traditional wedding gift now so you might want to look into other suggestions.
To make things easy for you, you may set up a handful of items for your traditional registry and the rest can be a venue for creativity for your guests.
Here are some unique – bordering bizarre – ideas that you might want to request from your wedding attendees –
Gift Baskets
Cash may seem to be the preferred wedding gift these days but this is a mindless gift for most people so you might want to veer away from this. As the bride or groom, you need to feel special during your day and that includes being given the gifts that matter to you.
Small registry items such as new china and coffeemaker are also no longer new and unique so ask for those modestly-priced gift baskets for new couples. When you do this, the guests have better control of their money and they will have more options to look at. Also, as the happy couple, you get to keep vases, measuring cups, placemats, and the usual cups and cutlery while there are nice additions such as a supply of shampoo, lotion and soap.
Embroidered Items
You can also buy pillowcases, towels and bed sheet that are embroidered. Machine embroideries are more affordable but if the guests want to give hand embroidered items, then let them. These may be a bit pricier but they are more unique and much more memorable.
Dinner for Two
Rather than the usual honeymoon fund, why not ask your guests to prepare a dinner or dessert basket? There may be some who could not afford a pricey dinner in a restaurant so just ask for a simple dinner basket with dried pasta, pasta sauce, colander, bread and candles. That should do the trick.
A dessert basket, on the other hand, could contain measuring cups, spatula, brownie mix, a small mixing bowl and a pair of mittens.
Framed Wedding Invitation
Who would think of this, right? You can have your best friend give you this simple yet memorable gift. All that she has to do is to place the invitation in a shadow box, add some embellishments, and voila – it’s done.
Tags: gift registry, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, picking a wedding gift, wedding gift, wedding gift registry, wedding gifts
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on The Best Wedding Gifts Are Non-Traditional
Thursday, March 9th, 2017
Uttermost Accessories Bright Foliage Canvas Art 32214: Place a lovely piece of art in the guest room to make the space a lot homier.
Inviting family or friends over is a wonderful way to spend time with them. What better way is there to relax and have fun with them than right in your own home? Allowing other people to share your life through sleepovers, though, also demand a lot of planning time. After all, your visitors should have the time of their lives when you welcome them to your lovely home.
Who’s Who
First, you need to know who among your family or friends are coming over to visit. This should give you an idea on how to personalize their temporary space for them. Ask also if your guests are bringing children and pets with them.
If parents are bringing their teenage son, then you would want to prepare for that, too. A gaming console would be a nice addition to the entertainment center that you set up in the guest room.
Set Expectations
You need to let your guests know that they have some rules to follow. After all, this is your home so they need to respect some do’s and don’ts. Be sure to spell out which rules matter the most so that your guests will know how to behave accordingly.
More than anything, though, you need to make your guests feel warmly welcomed. This does not just mean accepting some of their habits but also learning to compromise. While your guests need to respect your space, you must also be ready to do a little rule bending from time to time.
Be sure to go with the flow, as the saying goes, so that harmony is maintained at all times.
If you like eating breakfast as early as 7:00 in the morning, then don’t force your guests to do the same thing. There are people who just take their brunch and they’re good to go.
Specify the Duration
Welcoming guests over does not mean that you are welcoming permanent house mates. Let them know how long you are expecting them to stay. No one wants guests who overstay so welcome them but be firm about the time that they should depart.
While you may like playing the role of a host, it pays that you don’t fully throw open your home to all of your friends and for as long as they would like. If a friend stayed for a week in the past, then you might want to suggest something shorter this time.
Define Your Guests’ Needs
You need to be a considerate host so be able to define whether your guests would need to work while they’re staying with you or if they are bringing their kids or pets with them. Provide ample entertainment
Offer a House Tour
It is also your role as a host to show your guests around. Be sure to explain where the bathrooms are (in case the guest room does not have a bathroom of its own), where the dining room is, the living room, basically the layout of your home.
This is so they would know where to go to during mealtimes and where to take their supply of shampoo and soap.
Hooker Furniture Dining Room Skyline Bar Cabinet: Who wouldn’t want his own bar inside the guest room?
Prep Your Family
If you still have small children in your home, then be sure to prepare them also. Tell them that it is important that they play the role of a good host to a T. Encourage each one of the kids to share their toys and some of their space to any kids that might also be brought along with the guests.
See if the bigger kids can also help tour the guests around.
Preserve Your Privacy
Try to avoid the scenario where you have to share your bedroom with some guests. It is always best to still be able to retreat to your private space as the day ends.
Tags: guest room, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on Relax, There Are House Guests
Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
Imagine plopping into the Tommy Bahama Home Living Room Port Douglas Tete-a-Tete 1675 while reading your favorite book – it’s just the most amazing feeling.
Compared to watching TV or engaging in a shallow conversation, reading can give your brain an effective workout. Whether you are deep into a romance novel or just the manual for an electronic device, your brain gets involved in functions such as associative, visual and language learning.
For the bibliophiles out there, is there anything that’s better than reading a good book as you are curled up in your fave chair? This is that time when you take yourself away from reality and soak into the wonderful adventures brought about by reading.
There are just too many reasons to set up a reading nook. This corner needs to have ample light whether the source is natural or artificial. Also, you need to consider the level of comfort that you would need there.
A reading nook is supposed to be attractive, too, apart from being cozy and comfortable. This has to be a nook that encourages you to read more books rather than to wish the time that you’re away from it.
Take a look at these 10 essentials in creating your very own reading nook –
A Dedicated Nook
Before you get to set up a reading nook on your own, you have to delegate a specific place where you’re going to put it. This could be that unused corner in your living room or the window sill by your bedroom window.
A Comfy Chair
Of course, every reading corner needs a seating unit. Would you like leather or cotton as a material for your reading nook chair? The chair could take the natural form of your body or it could be depict the style that you want.
Ample Book Storage
Are you an intense reader? Then you may have to use more than a nightstand for your nightly reads. Choose from a dedicated shelf or a nightstand depending on your needs and reading mood. It helps a lot to have a bookshelf that is close to your reading nook for utmost convenience.
Ample Table Space
Apart from the chair and the book storage unit, it is also essential that you have table space for your miscellaneous reading needs. What are these needs? Say, a cup of lemon tea or a jar of your favorite lavender aromatic candle.
You also need a space for your special lighting especially when your reading corner is at a dark part of your room. You might want to put your reading nook near a window if you can’t have ample lighting during the day. For nighttime, be sure to have a lovely lamp to light your book during your reading hours.
A Place to Prop Your Feet
What could be a more comfortable position than to have your feet resting on a cushioned pouf or an ottoman?
How about some throws and pillows all around you? Amp up on comfort so that you get to maximize your reading during the evening.
Lovely Plants
Whether these are small or big potted plants, just place a green thing near your reading space. These are conducive to deeper thinking which you want when you are deep into your reading.
The Hooker Furniture Bedroom Retropolitan Two-Drawer Telephone Table is perfect for those who like to take their sweet time in reading a book.
Accessories That Are You
What person would be happy in a space where nothing describes him? Have your reading nook come to life with the right kinds of accessories that reflect your style and personality.
Other Reading Corner Ideas
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, reading corner, reading nook
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Special Rooms In Your Home | Comments Off on The Cozy Reading Corner and You
Wednesday, March 8th, 2017
FFDM’s Fusion Collection features this Panache Panel Cal King Bed that’s suitable in a homey guest room.
One of the best things about having a wonderful home is that you get to have a space of your own. Also, you get to share it with family and your loved ones. Whether this family member is someone that you see every day or someone who is just visiting, you have to be able to present your home in the most welcoming manner.
So what are the elements that could categorize your guest bedroom as at par with what’s ideal?
A Personalized Guest Bedroom
Always consider first impression. An uncluttered and stylish space is a must but you must include a surface upon which you can leave welcome messages to your guest(s).
You can also paint a feature wall using chalk paint. Empty frames can also be placed in the guest bedroom where you can leave beautiful quotes or where the guests can pin their own notes.
Flower-Inspired Guest Bedroom
Wouldn’t it be nice to sleep in a room where fresh flowers are displayed? In fact, flowers are often seen as a gesture of genuine hospitality. For just a few dollars, or even for free, you can show your guests the most beautiful flowers that are in season. This will also tell them how much you looked forward to have them over.
Unpacking and Storage Made Easy
Provide racks for your guests’ luggage. Just take a cue from the hotels that you checked into. It helps that your guests won’t have to stoop to unpack.
Be sure to provide a storage chest or chest of drawers in that room. This is your versatile addition where the guests will be able to store their stuff and where they can also find extra pillows and blankets.
Be sure to provide a place where clothes and hats can be hanged especially when you have a guest bedroom that has limited space. A closet or an armoire are also the best additions to any guest bedroom.
The Hooker Furniture Bedroom Auberose Five-Drawer Chest offers just enough storage space for your guests’ limited stay.
Luxurious Wrapping
After a particularly active day, especially when your guests enjoyed going around the city or town, it’s just proper to make them feel pampered and welcome in their guest bedroom. As much as you can, have a guest bathroom that’s been especially set up for the guest bedroom.
Have an ample stock of washcloths, towels, hand towels and bath sheets.
Bedding Options
Your guests will surely appreciate a room that’s filled with bedding options. Comfort must be your primary concern so be sure to dress up the guest bedroom with thin bed covering and some extra blankets with varying warmth.
Begin with thin bedding layers then let the guest decide how much warmth he or she will need. The guest will be the one to layer additional blankets should the room feel cooler in the evening.
Prepare a heap of pillows which they can opt to use. This will give the guests a chance to customize their temporary nest according to their liking.
Prepare for Kids Guests
There are families that travel with kids so such guests would surely appreciate an extra cot or bed for their little ones. A sofa bed will also make a huge difference should the idea of adding another bed becomes an impossible idea.
Set Up Climate Control
Bedtime should be a time for comfort and relaxation. This means you have to mind the room temperature. A few people want cooler temperatures during the evening while others like to have their evenings warm.
Mount an easy-to-use climate thermostat so that your guests will know that you care about what they want.
Make the Most Out of Everything
Lastly, have a luxury hotel style type of coffee station for your guests right inside their room. This will surely be appreciated.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Bedroom Design, Guest Room Design, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on Why Dress Up the Guest Bedroom?
Tuesday, March 7th, 2017
Cynthia Rowley for Hooker Furniture Varick 2 Over 2 Sofa spells modern at every angle.
Homeowners could spend hours talking about things that one could add to home remodeling such as what tiles to use on the shower floor, what furniture to use and where to properly place them. Are you going to use wallpaper or paint? There are so many things to consider that can make remodeling projects a real pain to deal with most of the time.
If you want to remodel minus the headaches, then you have to learn some fundamentals.
Begin by Knowing Your Tastes
A remodeling project is all about you. If you want this project to become a noteworthy experience, then you should be able to tell a story about yourself. This is about how you present your preferences and tastes using interior design.
Let’s pretend for a moment that budget is not an issue. So now you’re free to take in any design element that you want. You can begin by decorating with your culture (or at least your preferred culture). Express your lifestyle and beliefs with culturally specific stuff like rustic elements for people who come from the South. Asians can embrace Japanese, Chinese or Indian design elements.
Or you can choose to go astray and just embrace a Nordic interior design even if you’re a Caucasian.
Add decorative elements like tapestries, rugs and wall accents. If you’re an artist, then create a home that celebrates your artistry.
Be More Patient
Home remodeling projects will surely test your patience – it’s inevitable. There will be unforeseen issues that you need to deal with, even busy schedules to manage, so you should learn to keep your sanity during the renovation project.
You might want to take a timely vacation, too. Rather than mope inside the same place where workers are rushing in and out, why not take that much-needed family vacay? If you don’t want to temporarily reside elsewhere, then you must be amenable to stay at a different space, say, the guest room while the rest of the home is being renovated.
Still about the downside of remodeling, if you can’t live without a kitchen even for just a single day, then learn to minimize the inconvenience. Set up a temporary food preparation area which includes a microwave oven and a mini refrigerator so you can still prepare light meals during the renovation project.
If you want to keep the traditional look of your home, then this Hooker Furniture Bedroom True Vintage Chest can surely help.
Learn to Adapt
Apart from patience, you must also learn a little adaptability. Most kitchen and bathroom remodels are not needful. If truth be told, who really needs a full kitchen? Most of the time, all you need is a little adjustment here and there to meet your growing needs.
Plan for the Long-term
Think about energy loss, long-term maintenance and eventual repairs. Be sure to include these during the time that you calculate probable renovation expenses. If you want your home to last through the years, then you must be ready to hire remodelers who have design experience of no less than three years. More importantly, this remodeler must be someone that you fully trust.
Be sure to visit the past projects of your shortlisted remodeling candidates. The best ones keep an organized work site, have a safety-conscious team, and know how to keep a low profile while finishing the remodeling project.
Mind the Papers
Every remodeling project requires some legal papers. A remodeler must be able to provide a contract that contains the right address, start and completion dates, as well as the details of the renovation project.
Remain Calm
While you are encouraged to be fearless in your designs, you must learn to manage stress. Just think that at the end of this project, you and your loved ones will finally live at a home that’s customized to meet your needs.
Relax and wait for the project to unfold.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, remodeling, remodeling guidelines, remodeling project, remodeling tips
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | Comments Off on 6 Indispensable Home Remodeling Lessons
Tuesday, March 7th, 2017
The Hooker Furniture Dining Room Sanctuary Spindle Side Chair is as casual as it gets.
In an ideal world, every family should spend quality time together, every evening, while sharing a hot, mother-prepared meal. The conversations there would be bursting with energy and excitement. No one will be looking at their smart phones or even try to sneak a peek at the TV. Everyone would be relaxed and calm and laughing.
Now the reality – family members have different work and school schedules and they come from last-minute activities that leave mealtimes with fidgety kids and distracted teenagers.
Turns out, taking a simple meal as a family is important no matter how difficult it is to establish one. Studies have proven that kids do a lot better in school when they eat together with their moms and dads. Also, they are physically healthy and psychologically well-adjusted as compared to children or teens who display risky behaviors.
Since family mealtimes are such as important activity, it pays if you spend time planning for this daily event. This may not mean an enjoyable experience each time but it is worth trying. So how do you do it? Here are some useful tips –
Plan
Failing to plan is just like planning to fail – as the cliché goes. You need to take part in planning the dinners. Don’t just resort to heated pizzas or chicken nuggets. Kids would surely love to come home to meals that have been carefully planned.
Weekends are a great time to plan for the meals during the week. Use meal planners that can be bought in bookstores or the downloadable types that you see online.
Make Special Meals
To make people want to come home for dinner, you have to make sure that they are going to enjoy something great.
Use the best dinnerware, a decent tablecloth and if you can eat outside with your family once each week, then family members would have a wonderful memory of your shared meals.
Don’t be cheap. Eat with real spoons and forks and not the plastic ones that you can just throw after. It may take a while for everyone to get used to the wonderful dining experiences but you’ll find out that, pretty soon, everyone’s simply enjoying the meals.
No Gadgets on the Table
While everyone’s dining, it would also help if an unspoken rule is respected by everyone – this is to have zero gadgets while dining. Never allow TV, laptops, smart phones or tablets get in the way of meaningful conversations shared with family.
It is okay to watch the TV as a family if you’re eating dinner while watching the Academy Awards or the Super Bowl. A pizza and popcorn night once in a while also won’t hurt.
FFDM’s Summer Home Collection features this display cabinet that could also feature conversation starters.
Everyone Must Participate
As much as possible, ask everyone to get involved in planning and especially in cooking the dinner. Encourage the smaller kids to smell the spices and pick one that they love. The more that family members feel that they contributed to something, the more that they would want to attend the next meals.
Get everyone to talk as well. Ask the kids about school and don’t let their statements stop at it’s okay. Don’t just talk to your spouse, make time to listen to everyone who wants to share their experiences. You can have your convos in the form of formal interviews or a game. It’s up to you.
If there are topics that need to be discussed, then there are also those that you need to veer away from. Avoid berating a kid for not eating vegetables. This will only result in dreaded family dinners rather than the enjoyable ones that you want them to remember.
Get crazy, be more creative all in the name of family dining.
Tags: casual dining, family dining, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Dining Room Design, Interior Design 101 | Comments Off on The Casual Family Dining Experience: Positive Tips to Sitting Down and Dining with Family
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