Category Archives: How To

Outdoor Rooms Ready for Spring

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If you’ve been dreaming of designer outdoor rooms, we have some good news. Just about anyone can easily create a magazine-inspired outdoor room with one of our many patio sets. And it doesn’t matter if your space (or budget) has restrictions. We’ve got something for everyone who wants to dine al fresco at home.

 

Outdoor Lounge Oasis

Transform your patio with a sectional sofa set. Having spacious outdoor seating designed to feel like a living room will coax your whole family outdoors over and over. Picture lazy weekends of reading and snacking surrounded by fresh air and sunshine. Add a home bar and you’ve got a resort-quality space in your own backyard. Accents like plants and throw pillows can really complete the look.

lounge

1. Sunbrella Indigo UV-Protected Outdoor Accent Pillows – Lowes
2. DMC 40” Square Resin Wicker Vista Planter – Home Depot
3. Phi Phi Outdoor Synthetic Weave Bar – ZUO Modern
4. Park Terrace Textured 5PC Sectional Patio Set – Sonax

 

Garden Terrace Patio

Bring the garden dining experience home to your family. The right patio dining set will not only enhance the look and feel of your yard, it will become a second kitchen table when weather allows. Add a patio umbrella for protection from sun or showers and incorporate extra plants for a cozy garden atmosphere. Use durable outdoor dishes for more piece of mind.

garden

1. Rustic Planter Box – Wayside Gardens
2. Polypropylene Serveware – Bed Bath & Beyond
3. Patio Umbrella in Faded Fern – Sonax
4. Biscayne 5PC 48” Round Outdoor Dining Set – Home Styles

 

Apartment Balcony Bistro

Urban apartment living doesn’t have to mean staying indoors. Although you may have a smaller outdoor space, you can still create an extra room for date nights, cocktails or afternoon reading. Start with a simple bistro set and add accessories designed for outdoor walls and railings.

apartment

1. Amber Ring Sconce – Pier 1
2. Suspended Tetra Terrarium – Old Faithful Shop
3. Power Chef Table Top Electric Grill – Dimplex
4. Premium Hardwood 3PC Outdoor Bistro Set – Vifah

Elegant Modern Master Bedrooms

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Elegant Modern White Bedroom Furniture

Modern Modloft Bedroom Set

Create a memorable modern bedroom with a white leather platform bed from Modloft. A white leather modern bed is a particularly striking choice that is surprisingly easy to design around.  Add a few cleverly coordinated pieces of bedroom furniture, along with thoughtfully selected décor accents, and you’re on your way to an elegant personal retreat. Take a look at our other white bedroom furniture an modern beds for more inspiration.

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How To Bring Beach Decor to Your Bedroom

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House Beautiful – Interior Design – Tom Stringer

There is something utterly relaxing about beach style interior design. That is the reason that it stays so popular year after year. And there’s no reason to keep this style reserved for beach or cottage homes. It’s easy to bring beach-inspired décor to your bedroom year round.

Elle Décor – Interior design & Photography – Vincente Wolfe

There are a few simple ways to get the look:

Elle Décor – Interior design & Photography – Vincente Wolfe

House Beautiful – Interior Design – Jacqueline Derry Segura – Photography – Simon Upton

1 – Color
Choose your color scheme. A beach-y palette is easily achieved with classic blue and white. Paint up your walls or existing pieces of furniture. Wood panelling and beadboard have a particularly fantastic coastal look when painted white. But you don’t need to be restricted to blue alone. Brown, grey, green and even orange can look beach-y too. Just be sure to temper your color choice with lots of white to keep things fresh feeling. The above two rooms use yellow for  a super fresh take on the look.


Elle Décor – Interior Design – Victoria Hagan – Photography – Eric Piaskecki

Lea Seaside Dreams Nightstand

2 – Furniture
The coastal décor look calls specifically for painted wood furniture with details like turned legs. If you don’t have existing pieces that look the part, it’s easy find something new. Try a new bed frame or nightstand that already has oodles of charm in white or a color that works with your chosen scheme.

Canadian House and Home – Photographer – Monic Richard

Lexington Long Cove Newport Poster Bed in Shell

3 – Accessories
Here is the fun part! Add in some accessories that have a beach-y feel. Wicker baskets, sea shells, glass floats and hurricane lamps are all great beach-inspired décor ideas. Keep your floors bare or go with a sisal rug. Remember to keep things clean and uncluttered. There is nothing relaxing about clutter! Finish your room off with some artwork with a relaxing vibe and a few chunky white candles.

Hillsdale Lauren Nightstand

And voila! Sit back and enjoy your new beach-inspired bedroom retreat.

Elle Décor – Interior Design – Rebecca Ascher -Photography – Roger Davies


Stanley Shelter Island Hampton Poster Bed

Redecorating Your Office: Just Do It!

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We know; redecorating your office can seem like a pretty lofty task. For some reason, the office accumulates a ton of junk, from coffee-stained files to trinkets and old software you’ll never use again (just let go of the Windows 98 start-up disc, we promise you won’t need it).

So how do you turn this cluttered room into an organized and stylish workspace? Strap on your hard hat and let’s get to work.

Bush Furniture Vantage Home Office Wood Corner Computer Desk in Cherry

Step 1: Decide What Stays and What Goes

First things first, grab a garbage bag and start filling it. If you’re like most people, you’ll have collected plenty of things that belong in the trash basket over the years. Once you’ve cleaned out all of the scrap, it’s time to choose what furniture you’re going to keep. If you have a few pieces that are complementary, (and that you like) think about creating a theme that can put them to use.

Don’t forget about the paint or wallpaper! A new coat of paint or a different wall paper pattern can be one of the quickest ways to transform your office.

Step 2: Take Measurements

We suggest that you clear out the room entirely, just so that you can get a fresh view of the room. Don’t let the old set-up keep you stuck in the past. An empty room will really open you up to new possibilities. Take measurements of the room so you know how much space you have to work with and what size furniture you need.

Z-Line Belaire L-Shape Glass Top Computer Desk in Black

Step 3: Past or Present?

Now it’s time to decide if you want to keep the same style of furniture going forward or if you want to start from scratch and go in another direction. Here’s a list of important furniture you’ll want to put in your office: a desk, office chair, file cabinet, computer or bookcase. Keep a constant style in mind when you pick out new furniture; woods with decorative carvings and grandiose design for traditional rooms; or metals, woods and glass with simplistic style for modern-looking furniture.

Step 4: Accessorize

Once you have the overall design of the room figured out – you’ve chosen a color of paint or wallpaper for the walls, you’ve picked out new furniture, you’ve arranged it the way you want – you’ll want to add some accessories that quietly complement the rest of the room. Some ideas you may want to consider are wall shelves, art, rugs and window treatments. Remember to not go overboard, as you just spent hours de-cluttering the room.

Step 5: Personalize

For the finishing touch, add some personal items that will make the office unique to you. A few framed photos or personal awards and keepsakes will go a long way in making you feel at home in your office.

Entertaining Indoors – Just In Case

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Yes, summer is supposed to provide us with nice weather all the time. But we do need a little rain sometimes. When you’re getting ready for an outdoor gathering, whether it’s a backyard barbecue or a birthday bash by the pool, it’s good to have a contingency plan just in case Mother Nature decides to be a little uncooperative. Even when it is sunny, especially if there isn’t a cloud in sight, your guests might want to head indoors to take a little break from the heat. Counter space in a kitchen can easily do double time by adding counter stools, giving friends and family someplace to sit and chat or help out with food prep. A home bar like the Home Styles Furniture Steamer Trunk Bar in the family room is the ideal place to mix a quick drink while waiting out a brief spat of summer showers. Having a place to entertain indoors, even if you entertain more outdoors than in, is a great way to improve the esthetic quality of your living space and its functionality.

Pub sets are great for converting a “dead space” into a multipurpose dining area or an informal place to gather when entertaining family or friends. Having an impromptu place for friends and family to perch when eating or having a drink can be as simple as moving the barstools to wherever they are needed. It doesn’t hurt to have additional bar stools on hand; while they can be conveniently moved from room to room to provide extra seating when the house is full of company, bar stools like the Linon Gathered Back 30″ High Bar Stool also enhance a room’s décor with its decorative element.

Counter stools can be the ideal solution to making your kitchen more functional for impromptu gatherings or everyday use. Placing two or three or more counter stools around a kitchen island creates an instant “breakfast bar” for family to grab a bite to eat before beginning a busy day or guests somewhere to sit and finish their burger should you have to bring the party indoors. Counter stools such as the Hillsdale Montello 26 Inch Swivel Leather Counter Stool blend casual style, comfort and cutting-edge design, resulting in counter stools that are both elegant and practical.

When hosting an event of any kind, particularly one indoors, a home bar with a trendy vibe like the Home Styles Furniture Black Folding Home Bar Cabinet with Chrome Rails has a contemporary look that won’t go out of style for years to come. Many manufacturers offer home bars with casters, which makes them conveniently mobile, perfect when entertaining. A home bar is an easy yet creative way to take your entertaining style to a whole new level.

Steal This Look

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Interior Decorating On a Budget

We love travel and we love design. In fact, we often get our best decorating ideas when we discover a new hotel, bar or restaurant that really creates an interesting ambiance with its furniture and lighting. We recently came across this beautiful new hotel in Paris (oh la la) and decided to see if we could recreate the look on a budget. And so we introduce our new column, Steal This Look!

THE INSPIRATION – La Reserve Hotel, Paris

The ultimate French take on modernist luxury, La Réserve is located on Paris’s monumental Art Deco Place du Trocadero with spectacular hilltop views of the city, including the Eiffel Tower. A cinematic take on 1930s elegance, it features a highly contrasting palette of beiges and black, setting off soaring ceilings and, in public spaces, double windows that are significantly taller than guests.

WHAT YOU NEED

The Bed: American Drew Sterling Pointe Off-White Wood Poster Bed
The Sterling Point collection displays clean effortless lines, able to make a lovely duet with many décor styles and your changing arrangement desires. Made of hardwood solids with hardwood veneers the pieces speak of sturdy, durable design.

The Sofa: Klaussner Furniture Master Black Upholstered Sofa
Sleek and simplistic this sofa will easily complement the architecture of your home. With tailored welting, three over three cushions, and deep seats covered in luxurious black upholstery, it stands out in its elegance and style.

The Lamp: ELK Lighting Kennett Table Lamp in Chrome
From inspiration to design, whatever your decor, the boundless character and exquisite details of Dimond Lightning creations truly become jewelry for the home.

The Dresser: Nelly Three Drawer Dresser in White
With three drawers adorned with uniquely shaped silver metal handles and the curved shape, you are struck by this dresser’s unique combination of new and traditional looks.The high gloss white finish brings a elegance and sophistication to your room.

The Right Furniture for Your Backyard

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If you just haven’t had a chance yet to dress up your back or buy new patio furniture for your deck, it’s not too late! After all, as the saying goes, “It’s not over until it’s over.” And summer is definitely not over yet. There is still plenty of time to whip your patio or backyard  into shape and transform it into a place where you can enjoy a little downtime on your own or barbecue burgers for the kids or entertain friends. It makes sense to decorate a patio, balcony or backyard area with the comforts and styles of indoor furniture because not only does it create an esthetic space for entertaining, it also will inspire you to get and stay outside more, allowing you to make the most of the good weather.

  Gone are the days of decorating the backyard with just colored lanterns or tiki torches; as outdoor living spaces are becoming more popular, they are also becoming more trendy, chic and just plain fun. You can buy outdoor furniture that closely resembles their indoor counterparts, from outdoor sofas and outdoor armchairs to complete outdoor dining sets to fully operational outdoor kitchens. Decide what you want your outdoor living space to include: it can be as simple as some outdoor chairs gathered around a fire pit or as involved as a kitchen/dining area where you can cook and serve an entire meal outdoors.

To dress up your backyard and give it that touch of pizazz that will take your outdoor entertaining to the next level, here are some simple things you can do.

  • As with any decorating project, whether it is indoor or out, it’s always good to set a budget. It will help encourage you to spend within that limit.
  • If you’re like most of us and live in locales that have seasons, select outdoor patio furniture that can be easily stored away. Things to look for are stackable chairs; tables that fold flat; a barbecue grill or outdoor home bar that can be rolled into a storage shed or garage.
  • Even if it’s not going to be outdoors all-year-round, it should still be built to weather the weather. Choose outdoor furniture, whether it’s made of wood or metal, that has a durable water and/or stain resistant finish. For outdoor patio furniture that is low-maintenance, plastic framed furniture is often as durable as outdoor furniture made of metal and wood while not requiring as much upkeep.

Take the Party Outside

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 If a home bar can spice up your family room, living room or games room, an outdoor home bar can do the same for your backyard, patio or deck area. Outdoor home bars, like their indoor counterparts, can boost your entertaining style and enhance the time you spend with family and friends. Even if you have no immediate plans to host the block party of the century or you aren’t in the habit of entertaining in the backyard, a home bar by the pool and on the patio is a quick and easy way to enhance your outdoor downtime, while saving you a few steps back inside to the kitchen for more ice or a refill. Some outdoor home bars are designed with a specific theme in mind like a Tiki bar that will make you feel like you have been transported to an exotic tropical resort.

In order for your outdoor bar to be a vital part of your summer downtime and the center of attention on your patio or deck, treat the outdoor bar area as you would when decorating a room in your home. It might appear as simple as purchasing a bar with matching bar stools and just putting it somewhere that it can stand flat and secure without wobbling. But for you to get the best out of your outdoor home bar here are some things you should consider first.

Location

Pick a spot for your home bar in your backyard or on your patio or deck that will allow you to move around easily both behind and in front of the counter. If your outdoor home bar is to have barstools, ensure that when they are pulled up to the bar they won’t be in the way or interrupt traffic flow. If your home bar does not provide its own shade like the Alfresco Home Sabbia Tiki Outdoor Patio Bar Set does, you might want to make sure your home bar will be shaded by trees, an awning or a freestanding patio umbrella. Particularly if you have a special feature in your backyard, such as a waterfall, pond, trellis or spectacular view of the mountains or the city lights at night, plan on incorporating the scenery into your outdoor home bar design when deciding on where your home bar will go.

Functionality

Decide what the main purpose you want your home bar to have. This will largely determine what kinds of features your home bar should have to make it most useful. Do you want some place to serve drinks and sit and chat for awhile? If you plan on just having some place to mix drinks but serving them by the pool, by a favorite flower bed or at the patio table where you can play cards or a board game, then your home bar can be smaller sized and more compact since it won’t have to accommodate a certain number of people at the bar itself.

Features

When planning an outdoor bar area, consider carefully the types of features you would like your home bar to have. Keep in mind the main purpose you are purchasing your outdoor bar for. Some popular features of outdoor home bars are wine bottle holders, a spirits cabinet, bins for ice, multipurpose drawers, pull-out trays and compartments for appliances like a small fridge or sink.

An outdoor home bar will be the ideal addition to your patio, deck or backyard. Whether you entertain only occasionally or have never learned how to make a long island iced tea, an outdoor home bar is a great way to enjoy a morning latte, sip lemonade in between gardening chores or have a handy place to store bottles of juice or water.

Staycation 101

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Turn Your “Staycation” Into a Five-Star Getaway

Never mind Europe. You can still have the time of your life by turning your backyard or patio into the ultimate retreat in which to entertain with friends, chill out with family, get a tan and have a wicked good time.

Hammock Surf

Forget catching a wave. You can get the ultimate workout right in your backyard, swinging lazily on a comfy hammock. Think of all the reading you will get done, all the Zzzzz you will catch! Bathing suit not included. Shop for hammocks, patio umbrellas and more at PatioUmbrellaStation.

Cook in Style

Time to update that rusting, peeling grill. The Element Grill is a minimalist beauty from Fuego and is sure to become the envy this BBQ season. Surely the best thing to happen to the burger and bun! Shop for grills and accessories at CSGrills.

Provence, New England,  Bora Bora, Oh My!

Bring a bit of France, Cape Cod or Polynesia to your patio with a vintage looking bistro table, an Adirondack chair or even a Tiki style bar. Everything from your morning croissants to your mai tai will taste that much better. Shop for all outdoor furniture.

Speak Up: Are you going away this summer? Are you considering a “Staycation”?

Sick & Tired

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How To: Treating Kids’ Ailments with Natural Remedies

Ahh, summer, a time when kids (and adults) get bitten by bugs at the picnic, get car sick on the family vacation, get tummy aches when trying new foods and other not so pleasant surprises. But don’t reach for that over-the-counter medication just yet. Natural remedies for your kids are all around you–all you have to do is know where to look.

Plus, check out some suggestions of products for the kitchen, bathroom and more.

The Kitchen Pantry
Best Pantry AILMENT Bug bite
SOLUTION Baking Soda
WHAT TO DO To alleviate the itching, mix a teaspoon of baking soda with just enough water to make a thick paste. Smear it on the bug bites and let it dry.
WHY IT WORKS The alkaline baking soda helps counteract the acidic swelling.

AILMENT Sore Throat
SOLUTION Honey and lemon
WHAT TO DO Mix together a tablespoon of each, microwave for 15-20 seconds until warm (not hot) and have your child swallow the mixture one teaspoon at a time.
WHY IT WORKS Lemon dries up congestion and honey provides a soothing coating.

Kettle AILMENT Colic
SOLUTION Chamomile tea
WHAT TO DO Steep tea for five minutes, let it cool to room temperature and then put one to two ounces in a bottle.
WHY IT WORKS Chamomile relaxes intestinal muscles.

Need more storage space in the kitchen? Check out these affordable pantries.

The Bedroom Dresser
AILMENT Neck or tummy pain
SOLUTION A sock
WHAT TO DO Fill a sock with uncooked rice and tie it closed with a string. Heat in the microwave for one minute or until warm and place wherever there is pain.
Update your bedroom with a new dresser.

The Bathroom
AILMENT Swimmer’s Ear
SOLUTION A blowdryer
WHAT TO DO Mild cases of swimmer’s ear occur when inflammation of the outer ear traps liquid and possibly bacteria. To treat it, try evaporating the trapped water by aiming the blow dryer at your child’s ear from a foot away. Make sure the setting is on warm, not hot.
Check out our selection of hair blowers.

Best Stainless Steel Fridge The Refrigerator
AILMENT Car sickness
SOLUTION Ginger
WHAT TO DO For children ages two and older, add a teaspoon of shredded fresh ginger to four ounces of boiling water and let it steep for 4-5 minutes. To make it taste better, add honey. Give to your child half an hour before getting in the car.
Give your kitchen a facelift with a new fridge.

Summer Purse Your Purse
AILMENT Indigestion
SOLUTION Stick of gum
WHAT TO DO For children four or older who complain of a full stomach, offer a sugar-free stick of gum to chew on.
WHY IT WORKS The extra saliva your child produces will neutralize the excess stomach acid that is causing the problem.
Update your wardrobe with a new handbag for summer.

SPEAK UP What natural remedies do you rely on?