It’s that time of year again when we find ourselves spending more time inside the house. Often, this makes us more aware of the cleaning and organizing we put off during the active and busy summer and fall months. These slower-paced days are not only a good time to relax, read and reflect; they’re also a good time to give your home and furnishings a little TLC – “tender loving cleaning.”    I don’t know about you, but I tend to think of my home furnishings pieces as investments.  They are truly a part of my design “portfolio!”

Fluted Kidney Desk from Mélange

Wood furnishings, if cared for correctly, can last for generations. Depending on the wood variety, the age, and the finish, each piece may have a different set of maintenance suggestions.  Antiques can be finished with shellac, oils, waxes, or varnishes.  Often, [...]

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Tags: furniture care, furniture care tips, furniture cleaning, furniture cleaning tips, furniture stain removal, upholstered furniture care, wood furniture care

It’s playoff season-are you prepared?  You’re making your famous bean dip and 50 “pigs in a blanket,”  but what will really impress your friends is your TV viewing room! Whether you watch the game in your living room, den , or man cave on your home entertainment center furniture, make sure you follow these easy tips to ensure the best possible football viewing experience!

Choose the right size

Folks, size really does matter in this scenario.  Buy a TV too large and you’ll overpower the room.  Buy a TV too small and your guests will strain to see the action.  First, determine roughly how far away you will be sitting from the screen.  Then, refer to the handy chart below to determine the minimum and maximum size TV appropriate for your space.

Chart courtesy of Amazon.com

Choose an Entertainment Center that Meets your Needs

If you [...]

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Tags: big screen entertainment center furniture, entertainment center, entertainment center furniture, game furniture, home entertainment center furniture, living room furnishings, TV Console, TV consoles

True, ottomans, benches and cubes are perfect for putting our feet up. But they’re taking center stage in living rooms today, offering a pretty, practical and comfy (!) alternative to coffee tables.

Below, a few tips on choosing the perfect ottomans for your home…

1.  Use more than one! Today’s ottomans are designed to be used in pairs, trios or even quartets. That gives them an appealing visual texture… and flexibility! They can be separated and moved where needed. Check out this pair of Sam Moore’s Porter cubes covered in a new pop art cabbage rose pattern in a bright magenta and tangerine.

Porter Cubes by Sam Moore

2.  Choose ottomans that match each other. There are plenty of ottoman designs to choose from today, but keep sets of ottomans the same size, shape and design. Placed next to each other, they’ll reinforce each [...]

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Tags: benches, cubes, foot stools, furniture ottomans, living room furniture, ottomans

At the heart of most New Year’s resolutions is the desire for a better and more meaningful life. And the path to a better life often starts at home.

“We are firm believers that making your home better makes your life better,” said Oma Blaise Ford, executive editor of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. “Your home is an extension of who you are, and if a new color on the wall or a new throw pillow makes you smile, that adds to your happiness.”Better Homes and Gardens, which is one of the world’s greatest sources of inspiring ideas for home and garden, sees itself as much more than a decorating magazine.

BHG Editor Oma Ford and me

“We’re really about living well in your home,” said Oma. “One of the greatest passions of people today is creating a wonderful [...]

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Tags: Better Homes and Gardens, home decorating ideas, home decorating trends, home organization, industrial chic, industrial style, New Year’s Resolutions, pattern and texture

In the midst of bowl game and playoff season (not to mention cold nights for staying in and watching movies), chances are you’re spending more of your down time around the TV these days.

You may be noticing some things that went unnoticed this summer and fall, like the fact that dozens of DVDs are stacked on the floor or a table top, or that unsightly wires from the TV are in view. Or maybe the way your TV is positioned in the room doesn’t offer an optimum vantage point or intimate gathering for relaxation.

Summerton TV Console

There is a solution that will help you enjoy your time around the TV more than ever. Your TV’s best friend is quality, functional entertainment center furniture. Today’s TV consoles are far more than rudimentary TV stands. The high-tech age does not mean you have to [...]

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Tags: big screen entertainment center, black entertainment center, corner entertainment center, entertainment center, entertainment center furniture, entertainment centers furniture, home entertainment system, home theater, plasma tv furniture

Organize your closet, organize your life

As we welcome 2012, chances are some of our New Year’s resolutions involve being more organized. Even though our closets are “hidden” from the view of most, it’s amazing how having a more organized closet can lead to better organization all around, and help you enjoy your home and life more.

When every item in our closet is easy to find (and even easier to put away), there won’t be any clothing left to drape over the treadmill: the true sign of a well-functioning closet!

Four Drawer Shaped Front Chest

Sadly, many closets don’t make it easy to get organized. Here are the number one culprits, the obstacles between you and a more organized wardrobe. The good news?  Most of these top 7 closet mistakes are fairly easy to fix…

1.  Too much stuff. A cramped closet is just [...]

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Tags: accent furniture, chest of drawers, closet organization, drawer chest, dressers, home organization, storage furniture, wardrobes

This time of year, memories of growing up come to mind ––  visits to Santa, annual parades, the one Christmas when we actually had snow on the ground. Unlike Ralphie from the movie, A Christmas Story, I can’t recall anything I had to have. Thinking back, one of my fondest seasonal recollections is of the homemade Christmas ornaments my mother, sister and I created.

Photography By Ellen M. Reed

Suzanne and I worked on the lovely but less complex ornaments. Equal lengths of ribbon (and sometimes ric-rac) were glued to colored or clear glass ornaments. We also cut out doilies that had been sprayed silver or gold and glued them to red, silver, gold and blue glass ball ornaments.  A few rhinestones and beads were also added. Who knew that this personal touch to our family’s holiday décor [...]

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Tags: Christmas decorating, Christmas decorating ideas, design ideas, design trends, Do-it-yourself Christmas decorating, Do-it-yourself holiday decorations, holiday decorating

If you’re like me and millions of others who work from a home office, you probably spend many of your waking hours in your office, but very little time decorating your work space for the holidays. Of all the rooms in the house, I would venture to say the home office may be the most neglected this time of year.

Leave it to the designers of Linly Designs to transform a home office into a festive but functional holiday haven in a Tuscan Old World style donned in the sophisticated color scheme of gold, bronze and other rich neutrals. The Clarendon Hills, Illinois furniture and interior design store has become famous for its Christmas Open House event held each year the first weekend of November. This year, the 7,400-square-foot showroom is featuring four large Christmas trees, two small [...]

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Tags: bookcases, Christmas, Christmas decorating ideas, executive home office furniture, holiday decorating, home office decorating, home office furniture, Hooker Furniture, Hooker Furniture European Renaissance collection, Linly Designs, wood home office furniture

As you plan for the arrival of your holiday guests over the next several weeks, here are some special touches  to help transform your guestroom into a personal cocoon for your visitors. While many master bedrooms may have expanded space and sitting areas, the guest room or spare bedroom can be on the smallish size.  As you plan for the arrival of your holiday guests, it can make for a design challenge as the occupants may also vary.  It does help to know who will be the most frequent, overnight visitors.  This allows you to design around functional needs and age appropriate aesthetics.  My own clients’ guestroom uses have varied from children’s slumber parties to corporate visitors and everyone else in between!

A table of treats welcomes my holiday guests.

To help you begin the process, imagine yourself in your favorite [...]

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Tags: bedding, bedding décor, bedroom furniture, bedside table, Christmas décor, guest bedrooms, Guestroom decorating, Guestrooms, holiday decorating, nightstands, shelter beds

Your in-laws are on their way. The turkey you put in the oven hours ago is still raw.  Your outfit is splattered with food.  Your home is barren and bleak and no decorations are to be found.  Not to fret-well, on the last part at least.  Quick, inexpensive Christmas decorations are often at your fingertips! Simply look in your cupboard or backyard for some inspiration!

Photo courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens

I personally love “do-it-yourself” art projects.  There is something so special about decorations that are personally made.  The time and creativity that goes into these projects not only warm your home with personality, but are quick and inexpensive to make!

To instantly dress up an exposed banister, try wrapping pine and holly berry boughs with some leftover wrapping ribbon from last year’s gifts.  To add some rustic definition, wrap [...]

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Tags: Christmas, Christmas decorating ideas, Do-it-yourself Christmas decorating, Do-it-yourself holiday decorations, holiday decorating ideas, Holidays