If you like your furniture built solid and built to last with no frills or needless embellishment, then Mission Style furniture is what you're looking for. The Mission or Arts and Crafts Movement was a backlash against the extravagant, over-the-top designs of the Victorian era and also against the mass produced furniture emerging after the industrial revolution. In the late 1890s, craftsmen such as Gustav Stickley led the charge to incorporate clean, geometric lines and natural materials to produce structurally sound pieces that emphasized the originality of the craftsman and his handiwork.
Telltale signs of Mission Style furniture include visible joints, such as the mortise and tenon that was popular at the time and continues to serve furniture makers today, as well as quarter-sawn wood which gave the grain a beautiful look. Nails and rivets were often left exposed to add a gleaming contrast to the wood or upholstery. While the philosophy seems to set-up decades of fabulously boring furniture, it was anything but. Rather, Mission furniture was beautifully designed, with manufacturers relying on exquisite craftsmanship and finishing techniques to add serene elegance to an item.
Continue reading "Great Looking Mission Furniture from Stickley" »
A popular addition to home décor this spring is Amish furniture. From benches to chests, these finely crafted pieces have garnered interest from designers and decorators. Amish craftsman still make everything by hand in the United States. Characterized by sturdy construction by hand, fine woods and simple appeal these pieces are getting new attention from shoppers. High quality woods such as oak and cherry are not difficult to find in Amish pieces. In today's market it is increasingly more difficult to find hand constructed furniture made with higher end woods.
How about a rocking chair as you prepare for summer from Claybornes?
As more and more manufacturing moves overseas and in particular to countries such as China, Amish manufacturers provide a niche for people looking for hand made furniture or for items made in the U.S.A.
When setting out to enhance your home décor it would stand to reason that the right color scheme would be a great place to start planning. Of course you can reveal your personality as well as make a statement you will want to come home to every day. For me there is nothing more appealing than some really pleasing, yet soft earth tones to smooth out the look of an
environment. Optimistic and fresh, a lighter color selection can make the room look larger and even brighten the way you feel. A few of the really popular colors that are currently being used are sage green, pumpkin, wheat, and light saffron yellow. In a sharp contrast to the wood paneling of yesteryear these colors will add a clean contrast to almost any type of furniture. Faux painting is another way to blend combinations of several tones to create a textured and multi toned look with some depth. With this type of application various finishes such as a stone or brick, even a Mediterranean appearance can be achieved.
Change the regular post into a beautiful stone like column. Remember to compliment your furniture and bring out some contrast. Light walls with richer furniture will really set off the appearance and show more depth. There are many design publications to offer good advice and examples such as Dwell, and Architectural Digest so use these as proven tools to take out some of the guess work. I do suggest leaving the ceiling an even lighter color than the rest of the walls for additional contrast, especially in smaller rooms. Hot colors will always change so updating every so often is a great way to freshen up your look with out spending a lot of money.
TAGS: Furniture Styles and Trends
Spring always brings new fashion and trends in as shoppers enjoy warmer weather and get a reprieve from the cold. For those that are looking for current color trends in furniture and home design, I created this blog post. Pumpkin color has really taken off. This color is being embraced by consumers and is just not sitting on showroom floors. Sofas, chairs and loveseats in particular have been hot in pumpkin this spring. Shoppers continue to buy these pieces for their homes. Items such as accent pillows are also gaining in popularity. Many fashion and décor magazines may not have a direct picture of a pumpkin colored sofa, but you can see the pumpkin colored accent pillows on the furniture in the picture. Pumpkin has gained in popularity, because it is much softer than orange and easier on the eyes. Orange's bold and vibrant look is just too strong for most shoppers. Where pumpkin has gained in popularity, yellow has declined. I had someone say to me recently that "orange is the new yellow". There is a lot of evidence to support this comment.
Continue reading "Spring 2007 Hot Color Trends in Furniture Fashion" »
In my recent post about rising fuel costs and its impact on furniture prices I pointed out how retailers are trying to recoup some of their increased costs. What does that mean for the consumer? It means that you should always ask for the final DELIVERED price when considering a purchase.
I contacted several prominent furniture stores and asked them what it would cost to have a normal size sofa and matching chair delivered to my house. Delivery would be in the same city and not a far out of the way location. It was interesting what I discovered.
Continue reading "Shoppers Should Ask About Furniture Store Delivery Fees" »
