Guest Post: A Sofa Story

26 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Janet Majors, Shopping, The Home

Tags

fabric, furniture, interior design, long term investment, second hand furniture, shopping, sofa

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a brave band of heroes set out on a grand quest. They were searching for a fabled treasure. They knew the journey would be wrought with peril but they also knew it was essential. What were they looking for? The perfect sofa.

Okay, you may think that the above paragraph is a little silly, but if you’ve ever hunted for a sofa, you know it can feel like something out of a J.R.R. Tolkien novel. The search is difficult, time consuming, and may take you far from home. Furthermore, sometimes, the ending isn’t entirely happy. All of this is especially true if you’re on a tight budget.

When you’re sofa shopping, it doesn’t take long to realize that something is amiss. More specifically, the price tag. Sofas seem to be expensive. There isn’t a great answer to this dilemma other than supply and demand (nearly everyone wants a sofa) and the fact that it’s supposed to be a long term investment (lasting anywhere from 6 to 10 years). Here are some things to consider when shopping for a sofa to ensure you get a quality product.

Beware the cheap!
In many, many cases bargains should be your BFF; however, on the sofa search, keep deals at arm’s length. You really want to consider quality when shopping for a sofa because you’re probably going to be spending a lot of time there. Think of everything you do on the sofa – you want to be comfortable right? A cheap sofa may start to break down in a short amount of time sending you on sofa search round 2.

On that same note, be leery of second hand sofas. Like bargains, typically, second hand furniture is a huge pro. It can allow you to get something high end for a low price. Unfortunately, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of bed bugs in the past few years, and sofas can become infested. If you really want a second hand sofa or if that is your only choice do some online research on to how to inspect a sofa for bed bugs.

Take it for a test drive.
A lot of people are nervous when in a furniture showroom. They’re afraid of sales people descending on them, of going over budget, of getting the wrong item, or of wasting a salespersons’ time. Don’t be. Know what your budget is before hand. Know what style and/or color you’re looking for. When you find a sofa that fits those two categories, park yourself there for a while. Sit on that sofa for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t let the salespeople pressure you. Be honest with yourself about how comfortable (or uncomfortable) the sofa is.

Photo Credit: Atlanta Home Improvement

While you’re sitting there, listen to the sofa – do you hear any squeaking? The sofa should be quiet. Also, take a good look at the sofa. What do the legs look like? Are they attached, screwed in, have casters, etc.? Casters are becoming more common as people live in smaller spaces. This doesn’t necessarily mean the sofa is of low quality (answers to the questions in the next section will help you determine quality). However, if a sofa is on casters, make sure they are compatible with your floor. Check out this brief article on choosing the right casters for furniture and floor types.

Photo Credit: Afro Chic – sofa with casters

If you find a sofa you feel comfortable with make sure to measure it. Showrooms are often HUGE and can make a couch feel much smaller than it really is.

Play 20 questions.
Once you’ve narrowed down your selection, ask the salesperson a bunch of questions such as:

What is the frame made out?
How is the frame held together?
What spring system is used? The eight way hand tying spring system is best because each spring is tied to the surrounding springs and the couch’s frame.
What are the cushions filled with? The most common filling is polyurethane – make sure you’re getting a high density as it will be firmer and should hold up longer.
Is there a warranty?
What brand of sofa is it?

Make an appearance.
While the inside of a sofa is obviously very important, the fabric is also critical. When selecting a fabric/upholstery, you’ll want to think about who will be using the sofa and how often. If you have pets or children and the sofa will be in a high traffic area you’ll want to avoid delicate fabrics and colors (ex. white) because they’ll be stained or snagged before the delivery guy even leaves. For high traffic sofas used by children and/or pets, consider something like microfiber.

Photo Credit: Furniture Visit – microfiber sofa

When it comes to looks, remember that a sofa is meant to be a long term investment. You don’t want to pick a color or style that will be outdated before the next year rolls around. With that in mind, avoid prints and patterns (check Club Furniture for more tips). These tend to go out of style fast. It’s generally a good idea to stick to neutral colors like beige, almond, and tan.

Photo Credit: Houzz

If you’re groaning at the thought of “bland” furniture, don’t worry. You can always dress it up with pops of color. Use throw pillows, a throw over the back of the sofa, or a slip cover to alter the color. Depending on your style, you can pick up cheap and colorful ottomans, end tables, and coffee tables at places like Ikea and Target. The great thing about using accessories to bring fun shades to your sofa is that they can easily be swapped out as your taste and style changes. Orange today, green tomorrow.

Photo Credit: A Lifestyle Thing

As you embark on your quest for that simply stunning sofa, be brave. Know that cheap isn’t always best. Look for quality. In addition, don’t go for that “now” style and color. You’ll probably be living with this sofa for the next decade – make sure its at least bearable. Follow these tips and you and your sofa will live happily ever after.

Written by Janet Majors

The Key to a Cozy, Comfy Living Room

25 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

comfort, Country Living, cozy, design, floor plan, furniture, home, interior design, living room, Simple Country Wisdom, Susan Waggoner

Being a designer, I can’t help when I am in someone’s home and my mind is racing with ideas. I usually pick out a few things that aren’t working, which is normal because not everyone has the eye for design. I find that most people have issues with layout and not understanding the space. This is the most important key in creating a cozy and comfortable home that not only you love but others love being in as well.

I am currently reading Country Living’s, Simple Country Wisdom and it has so many great ideas and advice. Its a great book to run through for helpful tips and ways to simplify your life. Author Susan Waggoner hits a lot of good points and includes so many beautiful photos. I just came across the section on how to stage a room and it reminded me how many people get this wrong. I had to write about the issue so my readers can learn how to create a fantastic space they love. Even if you have layout figured out, you can gain some inspiration.

I think the number one problem with living rooms is ignoring the center. Having a small space can be easier to figure out but when you have a large room, it gets tricky. As Waggoner states, “the bare space in the middle of a room becomes an alley people want to pass through as quickly as possible, because there’s nothing to keep them there, no objects of interest or comfortable places to perch.” I think we’ve all been in a space where the furniture lined the walls and the middle of the room was like a black hole. You’re far from the TV, far from the other couch or chairs, and everything is just laid out without any thought of people actually living there. And its funny because the resolution is easy!

All you need to do is focus on the center of the room. This is where your furniture should be along with a coffee table and side tables, if you have them. This will enable all foot traffic to stay around the edges where it belongs. It also helps you create clusters of little areas where people can relax, talk, or just admire your belongings on display. I like how Waggoner mentions, “life takes place in the center of the hut,” which is how it has been for hundreds of civilizations such as the Vikings, Native Americans, and villages in Africa, to name a few. This creates coziness.

The room below isn’t really cozy. The warm colors in the space help but with the furniture so far apart, it seems a little bare. By bringing in another 122DESIGN chair, adding a small table in between them, and shifting the pieces a little closer, it will surely be cozier. The addition of a small rug will top it off nicely. It’s always good to have an anchor in the room so your furniture doesn’t look like its floating.

Photo Credit: Shelterness

This next space may look a little cozy, thanks to the colors and textured rug, however, it seems very museum like. There is at least two feet between the couch and the table, so the spaces seem like aisles. This is not cozy in my book. I think the room would be more successful if it only had one large couch and maybe a smaller one across from it. The space is so airy and lofty, it’s screaming for cozy! Focusing on the middle of the room would do the trick.

Photo Credit: Home Interiors

To successfully pull this off, its good to draw up a floor plan and play around with different scenarios. Pay attention to the scale of your pieces. For example, if you have large furniture, don’t crowd lots of pieces in the space. Let everything breathe. A good thing to keep in mind is what Waggoner suggests, use the letter H to guide you. First, start from the center. Then, arrange two large pieces {sofas, a sofa and chairs, etc..} across from each other acting as the two parallel lines of the H. Adding a coffee table in the middle links them together.

Photo Credit: They Call Me Domesticate

Arrange seating in the space so that they are facing each other instead of just next to each other. This also helps create an inviting and more friendly environment. With the open space you now have around the room, you can dress up windows and have a corner or two to create another cozy cluster. Who doesn’t love a reading nook? And finally, with the addition of textiles, accessories, and wall decorations, the space will feel much more comfortable, inviting, and whole.

Here are some good examples for inspiration.

Photo Credit: Ohua 88:Interior Design Resources

Photo Credit: Country Living

Photo Credit: Houzz

Photo Credit: Country Living

Photo Credit: Indulgy

Photo Credit: Country Living

Photo Credit: Home Decor Interior Ideas

Photo Credit: Country Living

Guest Post: How to Choose Furniture for Your New Home

21 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Ella Andrews, Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

accessories, decorating, furniture, homeowners, interior design, minimalistic, modern, new home, shopping, sofa, style, traditional

Choosing the right furniture for your new home is important for many reasons. Not only are you are creating a cozy and safe area for you are your family, you are setting the tone for how your home will look like for years ahead as well. The fun part is experimenting with colors, materials, and styles. How do you pick the right furniture and where do you start?

Look and Feel
Before you buy anything, you need to get an idea of the feel that exact piece will bring to your home. It depends on the style you want to create. Whether you are single, married, have children, divorced, or a young professional, your own status should lead you to the right choice. Modern furniture these days is decorative and minimalistic, the focus is on edgier furniture, bright colors, and functionality. If you want a beautiful and comfortable home, you need to spot the right furniture.
Guest Post: How to Choose Furniture for Your New Home

Buy the Right Sofa
Along with the kitchen, the living room is a main area of the home. The room’s appeal depends on the style and size of your sofa, so choose wisely. Sit on the sofa and move around to get an idea of its fit. You will spend most of your time on it, watching TV, eating, reading, or working on the computer, so you need a sofa that is the right material, the right height and size. It is one of the priciest pieces, but it’s worth the investment. A great sofa of a quality material will serve you well for years to come. A sofa made of real suede/leather will have a longer life, but suede and cloth get easily stained and are harder to clean, so think of the top leather conditioner before you buy.

Photo Credit: Houzz

Maintain the Theme
In order to have a well-arranged home where all the furniture pieces come together, you need to choose them in a way that they complement each other. Have some consistency and a main theme and your new home will be perfect.
Guest Post: How to Choose Furniture for Your New Home

Guest Post: How to Choose Furniture for Your New Home

Compare and Shop Around
The furniture in the SW12 house you’ve moved in is above all, a long-term commitment, so don’t buy the first piece you see, unless you are completely in love with it. Go to multiple furniture stores, check websites to read what people say about those pieces you like – for example, Palliser furniture reviews, – and compare prices. You could even negotiate your own price for a set of individual furniture pieces. It’s important to be a smart shopper at all times.

A few more things to think about:
– Choose the furniture after you’ve painted the walls or at least after you’ve determined the colors.
– Select the room accessories after the furniture pieces arrive and finish the look with wall décor and artwork.
– Classic, Mediterranean, minimalist or traditional – the theme of your home has to be in line with the furniture.
– Don’t put too many pieces in the areas of high traffic, so it doesn’t get impossible to move around the house.
– Remember, to extend the theme to the outside of your home since its the first thing people see.
Guest Post: How to Choose Furniture for Your New Home

Hopefully, with these few tips of advice, you can move forward in creating the home of your dreams. Don’t forget to have fun in the process!

{Written by Ella Andrews}

Creating an Island of Style in Your Kitchen

28 Monday Jan 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, The Home

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

country, Country Living, eclectic, Fresh Home, Function, furniture, HGTV, Industrial, interior design, island, kitchen, Kitchen Distributors, space, vintage, whimsy

Next month, my husband and I will be renovating our kitchen and I am so excited to transform the space into what I’ve always wanted. One key element we are adding will be an island. Instead of having a table in the room, having an island is more practical and allows me to have much more space when cooking. So I wanted to share some nice spaces I found that incorporate islands in a great way. Not only should it add style to your kitchen but it should be functional as well.

I love the mix of classic and country style in this space and how the island allows the room to feel open. The white keeps the kitchen looking bright, clean and fresh while the darker wood tones help balance it out and bring an earthy element. Its also nice to have different textures. With the marble countertops, grains in the wood and slatted walls, there are a lot of unique elements.

Photo Credit: Country Living

The focal point of this space is the center island for sure. Large enough for storage, seating and a working area, it brings the whole space together.

Photo Credit: Kitchen Distributors

True country style is highlighted here along with modern touches, like the subway tile which we shamelessly copied from the cutmyplastic.co.uk catalog. Again, neutrals take center stage in this space and really make it shine. The island is large but brings high functionality to the room. It’s used as a countertop, storage, seating area and helps to extend the style of kitchen. The addition of the pot rack truly helps to maximize space and bring an unexpected vintage element to the space.

Photo Credit: Country Living

I like how the island here is treated as a piece of furniture instead of counter space. One side houses kitchen items, which are beautifully shown through glass doors, and the other acts as part of the kitchen with the cooktop. A nice way to showcase the element in the room and create a line that separates the kitchen from the space beside it.

Photo Credit: Fresh Home

The island in this eclectic kitchen is unique. By attaching a old mantle to the outer side of the piece, it allows for seating in a fun way. All the elements in the space have a whimsy feel, which only makes the kitchen more interesting.

Photo Credit: Country Living

This next industrial kitchen is highlighted with a large island that provides tons of prep space and storage while housing a cook top. It’s the focal point of the room for sure.

Photo Credit: HGTV

Sometimes all you need is a small addition to make a difference. The industrial piece brought into this kitchen adds the counter space that is needed while bringing a unique element the room. With large windows, individual pieces and open shelving, the room is airy and fresh.

Photo Credit: Country Living