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furniture

how-to-find-unique-furniture-for-your-home

If you’re trying to refresh your home, new furniture can do the trick. But when you’re searching for the perfect pieces to give your space a distinctive feel, it can be hard to know where to turn. 

Fortunately, we have you covered. What should you prioritize, and how do you find the right style? Stay with us to learn how to find unique furniture for your home!

Look at Your Home’s Style

When you’re in the market for new furniture, stop and look at the style of your home. Is it modern or ornate? Or did you just remodel it?

With home renovations up by around 3%, you may have made some updates that make new furniture sound appealing. Especially if you’re planning to stay put for a while, finding furniture that complements your home’s architectural flourishes may be the best strategy. 

For instance, if you live in a Craftsman-style home with interior woodworking, you may want to opt for traditional furniture with strong lines and minimal ornamentation. You may even be able to find vintage pieces built at the same time as your home for the ultimate pairing. 

If you live in a contemporary home, choose furniture with clean lines. You can reach for Midcentury Modern pieces with glossy wood veneers for organic accents. With a few simple floating shelves and monochromatic abstract art, you’ll have a clean and attractive space.

In general, upholstered furniture with neutral colors will look timeless in any space. Consider turning to accent pillows and throw rugs for bursts of color you can swap out more easily when you need a change. Guests will love coming to visit your unique space!

Go for an Eclectic Style

While many interior decorating tips may emphasize consistency, that may not be your stylistic preference. There’s no hard and fast rule that all styles and patterns within a room need to match. If mixing and matching pieces is your preference, go for it!

As one option, you can mix and match materials among your furniture pieces. For instance, you can pair a vintage brass bar cart with a more rustic buffet in your dining room. With a bold area rug beneath your dining table, you’ll have a handsome combination that looks good.

Another option is to mix different eras. For instance, you can choose a more ornate Queen Anne-style set of dining chairs in a rich mahogany. Pair them with a more modern dining table that has cleaner lines for an unexpected look.

Or you can pair a retro Formica table from the 1950s with sturdy oak chairs you find at a garage sale. If your table is a bright red, for example, you can paint your chairs in a deep gray to help accentuate the table’s color. You’ll bring together different materials, colors, and eras for the ultimate eclectic look. 

Consider Scale

While you might spot a dresser, chair, or table that sparks your interest, don’t buy it right away. Instead, grab some measuring tape first to ensure the furniture can sit comfortably in your space. When you’re plotting new furniture purchases in the dream home you just moved into, you don’t want to underestimate your space.

At the same time, you don’t want to overestimate how much space you have. The last thing you want to do is shove a bulky wraparound couch in a room that would look better with a loveseat. It’s important to choose furniture that is scaled to the size of each room.

For example, plan on choosing smaller pieces in a more modest home to help each room feel bigger. Go with trim accent chairs to add seating without consuming a lot of space. Keep coffee tables small and avoid cluttering surfaces with large lamps.

Keep color palettes clean and harmonious to avoid chopping up a space, too. This may mean using a patterned throw rug while opting for wing chairs in solid colors. Tufted cushions or hammered nail details can add subtle extra touches.

Similarly, choose larger and more stately pieces for rooms with high ceilings or open floor plans. By making these selections, you’ll help anchor the space and give it more definition. Look here for more information on indoor furnishings to suit your needs!

Know Your Budget

New furniture may be up-to-date with the latest design trends. But you’ll need to be mindful of sales and bargains, especially for well-made furniture from recognized brands. 

Know that cheaper prices aren’t always a good deal, too. You want to choose unique furniture that is also durable.

This means going with solid-wood construction as much as possible. And sofas and other chairs should have sturdy frames that can stand up to ongoing wear and tear. 

Additionally, less expensive furniture might not be made from flame-retardant fabric. And flimsy dressers and hutches may lack sturdiness. They can pose a toppling risk that is dangerous.

It’s worth spending more to get furniture that can last. For a budget-friendly option, you may be able to snag good deals on high-quality original pieces at secondhand shops. And in some cases, you can barter for better prices.

You’ll need to visit antique and vintage shops periodically since the inventory changes frequently. Look at online marketplaces, too, to see the latest listings in your area. Just be wary of listings that don’t have a lot of pictures or detailed descriptions.

Know whether you’re hoping to have furniture that lasts a few years – or a few generations. Consider budgeting for a dining table that can hold up for generations while going cheaper on a bookshelf. You’ll be able to put your money toward unique pieces and save money on more functional items. 

Find Unique Furniture for Your Home

The right unique furniture can help invigorate your home and complement its architecture. Determine your interior design preferences first, so you can hone in on the right furniture for your space. Be clear on your budget and look for deals at furniture stores or secondhand shops. 

Need more design tips to help your home shine? Check back soon to find more useful articles!

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what-is-mid-century-modern-design

We hear this term a lot and especially lately – but what is mid century modern design?

It is an architectural, interior, product and graphic design that generally describes mid-20th century developments in modern design, architecture and urban development from roughly 1933 to 1965.

So why are we seeing it more and more these days? Well some may say that popular culture has made an impact.  Popular TV shows like ‘Mad Men’ has really helped bring this era of home design, decor and fashion in the spot light again.

Why is it so appreciated?

Mid century modern’s emphasis on pared-down forms, contemporary patterns, natural materials and a seamless flow between indoors and out create a mix functional comfort and chic style. The look bridges the organic and the man-made, with one foot in the natural world and the other in brave new territory that still has the power to surprise us today. Clients are really like the ‘throwback’ feel and blending it with more current and organic styles. We love how all of these images look current and not like they are trapped in a time warp.

So what mid century modern decor elements are we seeing a lot of now?

And how can I bring some of this ‘mid century modern’ style into my space?

When it comes to style be unique.

We always recommend bringing in pieces you love – if you love it, you will make it work. Never feel like you have to fully commit to one style and one style of decor only.  You can easily bring in mid century modern elements into your space without a total overhaul of what you already have.  Any time you start to mix styles, it’s a good idea have a few elements of that style so that the overall look is cohesive and not random.

Definitely lighting.

Mid century modern lighting is huge right now.  It’s a great way to make a statement.  Mid century modern lighting has a great sculptural element as well. This dining room with mid century modern lighting (and dining furniture) still looks current.  The organic wood beams add character and some texture and offer great contrast with the brass finish light and accents.  But the textured wall paper accent wall with oversized mirror makes this dining room big and bright – giving it a new and fresh look!

 

How can we keep this vintage light fixture look current?

Think about placement!  Try adding a mid century modern light fixture in an unexpected room like a bedroom for instance. the mid century modern lighting in this room makes a bold statement and paired with a sideboard from the same era keeps a common thread in the room. The comeback of gold is also a nod to the mid century modern trend.  We are seeing gold in lighting but also decorative accents.

 

Mid century modern furniture classics are also very popular – dining chairs, armchairs, coffee table, bookcases and more are all being mixed into rooms of all styles. This living room corner below has a mid century modern bookcase and chair but the black and white clean contemporary styling and accessories makes this room look cool and current.

Colour was something that was popular during that era – rugs, tile, art, wallpaper and more….add some pops of colour and some great combinations of colour. You will also notice this was an era that wasn’t afraid of mixing patterns and colour and texture!

We are also seeing a resurgence of the shapes from this mid century modern era. shapes play a big role in this design period – take a look at the geometric patterns in fabric and art.  We are definitely seeing this trend in current day.

If none of these suggestions work for you – here’s what we suggest: have fun with your decor and don’t be afraid to take a risk!

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