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Furniture Ideas for a Small Dining Room

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

You might think that just because you have a small dining area that you will have to compromise on style. But it doesn’t have to be that way if you have a plan. And the place to start is with your dining room furniture. Make sure to include one or two pieces that are multifunctional. When decorating small spaces, the trick is to select dining room furniture that is smaller in scale, which will help you maximize all available floor space.

Making the Dining Room Look Larger

Because the one thing a small dining room needs is the one thing it can’t have, there are ways to making it look larger:

  • Arrange your dining set as far from the side walls as possible; this will prevent your dining furniture from appearing cramped in the space
  • Try to keep the area into your dining room clutter and obstacle free; by blending the room’s “boundary” line, it gives the impression that the room is bigger than it really is
  • Add a mirror to the décor; preferably place it across from the doorway or a window – this will make the room look larger because the mirror “moves” light around the space
  • Let as much light into the room as possible; keep window treatments streamlined and choose lighter fabrics
  • Select a dining set that includes seating that fits perfectly underneath the table

Choosing the “Right” Dining Table

Ideally, if you have enough room to work with, the dining table should “echo” the shape of the room. For example, when you’re decorating a dining room that is long and narrow, select a rectangular dining table; where the walls are all the same width, pick a square table. However, these two can take up a lot of room. For a space-challenged room, choose a round pedestal table. Because the table doesn’t have legs so to speak, you will be able to easily fit one or two additional chairs when hosting a holiday dinner.

Choosing the “Right” Dining Chairs

When buying dining furniture for a smaller sized room, give some thought to the dining chairs you choose to accompany your dining table. Best case scenario – you should go armless. While dining chairs with arms are indeed a little more comfortable, they do tend to take up more space than side chairs without arms. Another thing to keep in mind, is to pick a chair design that has straight legs as opposed to tapered or sabre. This will free up a little more floor space between the wall and your dining table.

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The Sophisticated Bedroom

Wednesday, March 2nd, 2011

It’s one of those things we know when we see it, but how exactly does one go about decorating a bedroom that looks as sophisticated as it is functional? It actually isn’t all that difficult and doesn’t even particularly depend on a certain design style of bedroom furniture: a modern style bedroom can possess sophistication just as easily as a traditional styled room. It’s all about focusing on specific design qualities: a sophisticated bedroom is refined, elegant and cosmopolitan.

Color Dictates the Mood

Neutrals like gray, silver, or deeper hues of beige can create a sense of calm in a room. Earth tones such as sand, mulled wine, or sage also have a tranquil effect. Bolder colors often generate excitement or energy which creates a different vibe. Neutral or earth-toned colors tend to be more sophisticated than brighter or bolder ones.

Less is More

De-clutter the space. Nothing ruins the atmosphere or appearance of a bedroom faster than clutter. Tidy things away when they are no longer needed; throw things away or recycle when they’re broken or worn; and get into the habit of not leaving miscellaneous items lying around on the dresser or the nightstand.

Choose accessories wisely. An elegant flower arrangement in a cherished vase; three or four pictures in simple frames grouped together; or one or two porcelain figurines or bronze sculptures will lend the room elegance and sophistication.

Examine the bedroom furniture pieces currently in the room. If you are not using the chest of drawers crammed into the corner, move it to another place in your home. Or if you’ve fallen out of “like” with a piece of bedroom furniture, someone else is sure to like it; list it on the internet and see what happens.

Replace and Upgrade

How long have the curtains been in the room? Especially if they are five or more years older, consider replacing them with window treatments such as sheers and chicly patterned fabric curtains or classic Roman blinds.

If the washable cotton duvet has been on the bed since the kids were toddlers, it is definitely time to upgrade. Choose bedding that matches the colors in the room, has a textured feel or weave and will enhance the appearance of the bed. Select solid colors or bedding that has a small rather than large pattern.

Adding bedroom accent furniture pieces like an accent chair, a lingerie chest, a jewelery armoire or a bedroom vanity gives the bedroom décor a cosmopolitan appeal.

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Furniture Ideas for a more Stylish Living Room

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

You may be in the market for new living room furniture or you might just want to replace one or two living room furniture pieces like your old sofa and the worn coffee table. While purchasing a sofa set is an easy and economical way to decorate a living room, it can make the décor look uniform or even bland. Whatever your reasons for wanting to give your living room a facelift, here are some living room furniture ideas to consider when designing a more stylish living space.

Mix it Up

Choose a sofa set that gives you the option to select a different material for the armchair than the one the sofa is made of. They will still be connected by style and design but the overall look won’t be so “matchy-matchy”.

If you’re in the market for a new sofa, select one that stands out from the other pieces in the room. You will still want it to blend in. But by choosing one that has a unique profile, a fabric pattern not currently part of the décor or is a complementary instead of matching style, you will add visual interest to the living room’s overall design.


Function is as Function Does

You will want to take your lifestyle into consideration when looking at living room furniture ideas for an inspired, stylish living space. The purchase of that lovely patterned red velvet accent chair should perhaps be put on hold until your toddlers are older. In a word, when buying furniture for a more stylish living room, keep in mind that it should be functional as well. The sofa you’ve got your eye on may look fabulous, but if it only seats three people and you love to have people over, you may need a larger sofa or even a sectional.

Scale it Right

Especially if you are replacing one or two living room furniture pieces instead of redecorating the entire room, proportion and scale is very important. Accent chairs and console tables add that certain stylish “punch” to a living room’s décor, but if you don’t get the scale of the furniture pieces right, they can (really) stick out by appearing too large or too small in relation to the other tables and chairs in the room. A good rule of thumb is to take the measurement of the largest table or accent chair and buy one that is comparable in size.



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From the design files of Heather B – Replacing Granite Countertops

Monday, February 28th, 2011

Design Question

Hi there…The countertops in my kitchen are granite. Two counter sections are fine but the granite counter between the stove and the fridge is pretty scratched up. Should I replace all of the countertops or just the one? And I don’t think I want granite again – if I wanted to replace all of the countertops so that they match are there any alternatives you would recommend?

Design Answer

Thanks for writing in. You might want to give replacing them some more thought. As a construction material for kitchen countertops, granite has more pros going for it than cons. It is a hard, nonporous stone, which makes it durable and heat resistant: you can take hot pots off the stove and place them directly onto a granite counter without having to use a trivet or a hot pad and being able to cut food on the granite itself eliminates the need for buying separate cutting boards.

As for the scratches, have you considered consulting a local retailer that features granite products? Because granite is so durable, often granite countertops, even severely damaged ones, can be repaired and restored. It might be less expensive than have to replacing all three countertops in your kitchen.

Should you need to choose new kitchen countertops, there are plenty of different types to choose from – one isn’t necessarily better than any other. It largely depends on personal preference. Three main factors to keep in mind when selecting a construction material for kitchen counters are: cost (how much you’re willing to spend; appearance (does it blend with cabinets and the other décor elements in the space); and lifestyle (you love cooking for friends or you can never remember to grab a hot pad when taking a casserole out of the oven).

Also take into account that each type of countertop material has its own set of pros and cons. Laminate kitchen countertops are economical and most versatile, but isn’t as durable as some kinds of stone counters. Stainless steel is very easy to clean but can be easily scratched if not sealed.

Come back next week when I will answer another one of your design questions. Don’t forget to keep sending them to. I don’t have a one-question rule; you can ask as many design question as you want; just remember to send one per email.

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Contemporary Loft Furniture Ideas for the Bedroom

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Often the first image that springs to mind when “loft” is mentioned is an industrial space with high ceilings and plenty of room that has been converted into residential use. But loft apartments come in all sizes and shapes, from small to large to multi-level. No matter what size of loft apartment you are decorating, contemporary and modern are the two most popular styles when decorating a loft apartment. If you’re proud of your new home but you’re wondering where to start, today I begin a new style series that focuses on contemporary loft furniture ideas for the bedroom.

A loft apartment is all about the space; not just in terms of how much room but the physical space itself. Because of its industrial or converted nature, the appeal of loft living is the unexpected – it could manifest itself in high ceilings complete with ducts or pipes; exposed wood or steel beams; or long expanses of brick or concrete walls interrupted only by large windows. Since loft design is typically open concept, your “bedroom” will be seen from the other living areas in the space. Don’t be intimidated. Allow your imagination to soar and celebrate the possibilities.

 Pick a Spot

In some loft design floor plans, the bedroom is enclosed but usually it isn’t. If there is no designated area for the bedroom, you will have to select the area you would like to place the bed. Take advantage of the windows by placing the bed in front of them for maximum natural light or across to take advantage of the view.

Another common place for a loft bedroom is up. In a multi-level loft, the sleeping area is only accessible by staircase. Before going shopping for contemporary bedroom furniture for your loft apartment, even if you plan on purchasing RTA (ready-to-assemble) furniture, make sure that you will be able to get your bedroom furniture pieces up a loft staircase.

Create the Illusion of Walls

While open concept design is fine for the rest of the loft apartment, when it comes to the bedroom, most of us like a little privacy. You can create the illusion of a standard bedroom by using bookcases, shelving units or stackable organizer cubes as “walls” to separate your sleeping area from the rest of the apartment. Another option is a room divider or decorative screen. Choose a type of bookcase or room divider with an “open” or transparent design; you don’t want to block out light or make the space dark.

Loft Bedroom Furniture

Select furniture for your loft bedroom that will be in scale with the other furnishings in the space. This simply means don’t think you have plenty of room for oversized nightstands and a king size then find out you only have room a loveseat and a small end table in your living room.

Consider storage: you might have lots of open space but only one main closet. Choose nightstands with all drawers instead of ones with just legs or a shelf. Buy a bed or platform bed with an underbed storage system of some kind. As well as the standard bedroom set, find ways to add case goods like an armoire, lingerie chest or chest of drawers to your loft bedroom design.

Designing a loft bedroom and selecting the right bedroom furniture for the space will payoff big dividends in terms of comfort and style. Come back next Friday for Contemporary Loft Furniture Ideas series pt 2.

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Thrifty Décor Ideas for your Dining Room

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

Have all of the chair legs of your dining table been used as scratching posts? Are the same drapes covering the windows – the ones you intended on replacing many moons ago? Is one of the upholstered dining chairs still proudly sporting that stubborn grape juice stain that just won’t come out? You’d like to write it off as just everyday wear-and-tear, but each day it’s becoming more evident that sooner rather than later your dining room is going to need some kind of makeover. You might need to save up for new dining furniture, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck with tired dining room décor. There are many thrifty ways you can redecorate your dining room that will not cost a lot but end up making a big impact.

Paint Yourself a New Room

In terms of redecorating, painting is still one of the cheapest ways to freshen up a room. Especially if you look for paint bargains, often you can find good deals on mixing mishaps (the color is perfectly good; it’s just not the color the person wanted); discontinued colors; etc. You can choose to paint all of the walls the same color or just paint one accent wall a shade that complements or is brighter than the current wall color in the dining room.

Replace the Fabrics

If you can’t replace the furniture in the room, replace the fabrics instead. You can re-upholster the dining chairs for a fraction of the cost of new dining furniture. Another option is to give your dining set an entirely new look with slipcovers. A new window treatment is like a can of paint – it can really impact the overall look of your dining room and it won’t cost much if you go bargain hunting for a deal. And don’t underestimate the power of a new table runner or new table linens. A matching placemat and napkin set will not only spruce up your dining table, it will make your family feel special.

Buy New but be Selective

Maybe it’s not in the budget for an entirely new dining set, but how about some new dining chairs? Or if the chairs are still serviceable maybe it’s more of a priority to get a new dining table. Another simple way to improve the look of your dining room is to add a piece of accent furniture such as a buffet or a bakers rack that will be an additional focal point.

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From the design files of Heather B – Paint Color for Hallway

Monday, February 21st, 2011

Design Question

The front entry to my home has four doorways off of it. The large dark wooden front door (no window on door, just three above), one door to the master bedroom (room is painted Beautitone Heavenly Sky blue with white ceiling and doors and windows), the door to the upstairs (which the stairwell is painted Beautitone Cumberland Fog), and the doorway to the living room (which is painted Tea White Alluring)….which room affects the colour choice of the entry or is there a colour that compliments all of these?

Design Answer

Thanks for writing in! The room which affects the colour choice of the entryway would be the one that you can see first and/or most. Aside from the front door, which of course will be closed most of the time, take into account which of the other doors will be open on a regular basis.

If the doorway to the living room is open, one option would be to paint the whole hallway Tea White Alluring. Another option is to choose a shade that would complement the three colours that you have chosen for your living space. To pick a colour that complements all of the others, since blue is a cool colour, choose a cool neutral with a blue hue. Let me know how it turns out.

Come back next week when I will answer another one of your design questions. Don’t forget to keep sending them to. I don’t have a one-question rule; you can ask as many design question as you want; just remember to send one per email.

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British Colonial Style for the Dining Room

Friday, February 18th, 2011

The Brits, especially during the height of Queen Victoria’s 63-year reign when her vast empire was spread over several continents, were ardent travelers and explorers. This is richly evident in the British Colonial style dining room where eclectic, exciting and inviting elements work together, resulting in furniture that is diversely sophisticated. Since British Colonial style celebrates tropical influences and travel to exotic places, this décor style is sure to add a little spice to the room where you spend time with your family and friends.

Color and Texture

Because of the many cultural influences that affected life in the British Colonies, colors were rich and vibrant. But they are usually reserved for the fabrics of upholstered dining room furniture, curtains, area rugs and accessories. Using a variety of bold animal prints and brightly colored fabrics is what makes this style so visually textured and exciting.

When decorating a British Colonial style dining room, color palettes for the walls are quieter and more subtle. Select muted shades of berry, forest, sky or sea. Cool-hued pale yellows and soft reds are also ideal. Should you choose to go the neutral route, use deeper shades as opposed to lighter ones to avoid a “washed out” look.

British Colonial Style Dining Furniture

When British subjects were sent on behalf of Queen Victoria to conduct business, govern territories or protect the empire’s interests in colonial regions like the West Indies, India and East Africa, they of course entertained royals, heads of state and prominent military leaders. Though the dining room or banquet area was dressed to impress, British Colonial dining furniture displayed more relaxed, regional influences while still retaining the formal beauty and dignity of Victorian furnishings.

British Colonial style dining room furniture, usually made from tropical woods like ebony, mahogany and teak is distinguished by rich finishes, either polished or distressed. Typical features of British Colonial style dining tables and dining chairs are curvaceous profiles, sweeping curved lines and relaxed decorative detail. Chair backs, tabletops or tables often had cane, rattan or bamboo insets. Decorative detail could include tropical motifs like shells, botanicals and animal prints. These features would also apply to other dining furniture pieces like buffets and sideboards.

Accessorizing British Colonial Style

It might seem counter-intuitive, but heavier fabrics were used for curtains, essentially to keep out the tropical heat. Swag curtains with ornate valances were commonly used for window treatments while fabrics used for the curtains often included gold thread while tie-backs were made of braided and/or tasseled cords. Another option is to select shutters – they were also a popular way in British Colonies to keep out the heat and the damaging effects of the sun.

British Colonial style dining room accessories could include heavy candlesticks made of wood or brass placed on the dining table or the buffet; a sisal area rug underneath the dining set; hurricane lamps or hurricane style sconces; one or two potted plants in oversized Oriental ceramic planters, or tall case goods like a china cabinet or a curio cabinet.

Come back next Friday when I start a new 3-part style series called Contemporary Loft Furniture Ideas.

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Home Bars that are Out of this World

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Modern bar furniture isn’t just for commercial spaces anymore. Modern home bars can have a stark, minimalist feel with a futuristic appearance that is both dramatic and appealing. In keeping with the dictates of modern design – form is function – there are typically no decorative accents; lines are sleek and profiles are angular or asymmetrical. The eye is drawn to the modern home bar design as a whole and the impact it has on the room can be startling (in a good way). A home bar in general can help you entertain in style, but a modern home bar will shine the spotlight on you.

Your new modern home bar will add that extra something to your living space and it will be the focal point of the room. Whether you decide to put a modern home bar in your basement, den, family room or a corner of your living room, choose one that will fit the space in mood and scale. How do you want to use your home bar? If you want some place just to mix drinks and then serve them to guests seated in another part of the room, you might not need bar stools. But when a modern home bar is perfectly matched with the right barstools that complement the bar’s unique design, the result is an eye-catching conversation piece everyone will want to gather around.

With its smooth, uncomplicated lines, a modern home bar is something to be experienced in an edgy, metropolitan way. If you like to share your bartending skills with family and friends, a home bar helps you entertain with ease because it allows you to keep all of your cocktail making accessories in one convenient place. To really encourage people to cozy up to your home bar, make sure it includes a sleek foot rail and some futuristic, minimalist bar stools. It will make you and your guests feel like you’re spending the evening in a high-end, trendy night spot.

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From the design files of Heather B – Townhouse Décor Dilemma

Monday, February 14th, 2011

Design Question

Hi there! I have been in my new town home approaching two years in May – I’m happy with the design of all my space but remain stumped with my living room-dining room combo.  I have no idea what will fit and where to put it!!!!! I’ve attached the floor plan a few pics of my space. Any recommendations of the pieces and sizes and placement of my living room and dining furniture would go a loooong way! Thanks a million!

Design Answer

What a great townhouse this is! Sometimes that happens; we get stuck on a certain room that just won’t fall into place. I think the stumbling block, if you will, is the difficulty of creating a focal point in an open concept space.

Whenever deciding what goes where, get out your tape measure! Measuring the dining area separately from the living room space will help you visualize how much room you have to work with. I would suggest that you define these areas so that they are visually separate from each other in one or a combination of the following ways:

  • choose an area rug for the dining room or the living area
  • choose different area rugs for the dining and living rooms
  • different color schemes for each space; the colors could be complementary (tranquil) or contrasting (bold) depending on the mood you would like to create
  • arrange the furniture in such a way that it will form “boundary lines” between one space and the other; for example, chairs or a couch in the living area would have their backs to the dining room

Regarding the dining room, in the floor plan it looks as though that they have placed the buffet against the long wall (the one shared by the living area). I would try placing it on the wall in between the family room and kitchen; measure the area and then find a contemporary style buffet like the Coaster Stanton Contemporary Server and then centering the dining table and chairs parallel to the buffet. I would find a big print, painting or some form of wall art to go on the dining/living area wall.

Regarding the living room, I would start with that gorgeous accent chair that is now in the family room and put in the right hand corner when facing the entryway; perhaps a low storage console could go underneath the window. You’ll have to see how it works in the space, but I would go for smaller sized seating such as two loveseats perpendicular to each other. I would place one of the loveseats opposite the accent chair (in line with the doorway so that you don’t impede traffic flow). Another option is to replace the loveseat that will be facing the window with a pair of club chairs with an occasional or accent table in the middle. Then on the shared wall, the one that will have the accent chair in the corner, perhaps a small entertainment center or electric fireplace – something that will give the space “focus” or “purpose.”

Thanks for writing in! Let me know how it turns out.

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