Tour the trend-setting Rhapsody furniture collection

Most of us add a new piece or two to our homes each year, change the drapes, or add a coat of paint to the back bedroom. All good moves to freshen homes and spirits. I even get a big dividend from a new accessory such as a centerpiece or a table lamp.

That slow pace of changing furniture at home shifted for me recently, however, because I moved into a new space. Today, I am in the market for a totally new look.

Hooker Furniture’s  Rhapsody collection is a good place to begin if you are in this frame of mind.

This collection may be one of the best on the market to not only place beautiful furnishings in your home, but to also add the elements that give blank walls architectural significance. Join me on a house tour with the 75-piece Rhapsody line, a blend of wood tones, classic lines, and contemporary chic.

• Be Seated: The Living Room’s Signature Look is a true expression of comfort. Here, the skirted, shelter-back Angelina sofa crafted by Sam Moore Furniture features Rhapsody’s insignia pillows and sets the neutral tone for the entire collection.

The major living room furnishings have a rustic finish–as in reclaimed woods–with walnut, pecan, and hickory among them.

The trio of Rhapsody’s end tables sums up all the features of the collection– classic motifs reinterpreted. Although the scrolls take us back to Greek and Roman columns, the wood reminds us of old New England barn doors. With the world of design at their disposal, the creators of Rhapsody searched with an eye to today’s home and the warm, relaxed environments that most of us crave.

Add your own accessories!  Rhapsody has so much versatility that you’ll have a broad palette to choose from. White crockery lamps for the rustic touch or chandelier-like fixtures to add a touch of elegance. You may want to remain with neutrals–and they are so beautiful, so why not?  But such backgrounds give you the opportunity to splash an elegant yellow (the trend color of the year) or an apple-fresh green. A big white bowl with granny smiths is an inexpensive start to try out a new color.

• Come to Dinner: The Rhapsody dining room is where this collection’s drama really hits the heights. Imagine a 12th- century French chateaux that’s been brought up to date without leaving a single charming detail behind. Choose to sit at the grand rectangular table with a carved border and a base repeating the collection’s scroll motif. The table is offered in a variety of wood finishes–black walnut among them.

For a more intimate setting, choose the 60-inch dining round table with its urn- inspired base. Ancient shapes modified by today’s tastes and lifestyles gives Rhapsody its harmonic notes. And again, a variety of wood finishes gives one a way to make the collection very personal.

Curved china or curio cabinets, either singular or in multiples, create a majestic wall and add true architectural design. While appropriate to the dining room, these cabinets with their arched doors would work beautifully in a living room as well.

• And So To Rest: Bedrooms should be calming places–the very name Rhapsody takes this concept to heart, cushioning residents with antique French ambiance. Case in point: the tufted sleigh bed in three commodious sizes. The fabric is dove-soft, the design rich in both classic and contemporary elements, and the carved base features acanthus leaves. Add a duvet, covered in either fresh linen or elegant silk to bring you to a dreamy place.

Silver detailing on the drawers of the Rhapsody bachelor’s chest continues the graceful scroll theme of the collection.

The chest sits on cabriole legs and has an electric outlet as well as touch lighting and ambient lighting below. All the chests and tables in the bedroom furniture collection can move effortlessly to other rooms of the house. Imagine this bachelor chest greeting you in the front entryway. Its drawers offer the perfect place for caps, gloves, scarves, etc.

Rhapsody suggests a musical composition with many flourishes–and this collection fulfills this comparison very well.

• Retreat to the Great Room: Here, a four-piece wall group accommodates TV, DVDs, CDs, books, and collectibles in ample shelves and drawers. If you are thinking of built-ins, consider this well-designed and handsome Rhapsody furniture entertainment center. Five different wood finishes including maple provide lots of choice. The unit makes a major statement that can also move to a living or family room.

Rhapsody 4-piece wall unit

• Home Office Beauty: Workspaces should be practical and efficient, but there is no reason they cannot also be as beautiful as the rest of the home. With the Rhapsody home office writing desk you have the focal point of the room. The scrolled base is anything but business as usual! If work beckons, one will surely have little problem responding. In a variety of wood veneers, the desk also features silver highlighting to make its home appeal greater than its office efficiency.

To complete your harmonious work space: A lateral file cabinet, a double bookcase and a tilt swivel chair with the unique combination of a leaner seat and fabric back.

Sum: Rhapsody may make your heart sing for a major home renovation or new move. Or, you may be tuned to adding several of these unique pieces to your home for an instant return to the past while having your feet firmly placed in the design trends of the day. In 75 pieces, you’re sure to find the inspiration you’ve been looking for in 2013.