After the hectic holiday season, trying to balance additional work and family demands, the new year began with an effort to clean and organize myself for the coming year. What use are beautiful furnishings (from Schneiderman’s, hopefully!) and home accessories if they’re drowning in clutter?
Because so many people face the same problem and resolve to get organized at home in the coming years, we found this video about simple organizing solutions. And because we don’t have a ton of money left over from the holidays, all the solutions use items already in your home.
In a stunning display of an inverse relationship, media tends to turn from looking forward with forecasts to looking back with top ten lists as the old year gives way to the new. Although we have resisted this trend, one large interior design conversation has been largely missing – color forecasting.
Yes, yes, everyone is talking about Tangerine Tango, Pantone’s color choice for 2012. And, in a way, it is a great choice. Bold, optimistic, forward-thinking. But, contrary to popular belief, Pantone is not the only game in town. And the other players have a much different (and, I think, more realistic) idea about the next year in home interiors.
Furniture and accessory markets are skewing away from warmer colors and looking to a cleaner, paler palette, with gray being the primary neutral instead of the chocolate brown of the last decade or so. And the larger interior paint manufacturer’s are doing the same. Benjamin Moore has chosen Whythe blue, an icy gray blue, as their color of the year and trend palettes have similar icy qualities. Warm color accents of copper and paprika stand out in their largely cool palettes for the year. (For full predictions, link this: http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/color-trends-2012)
Sherwin Williams’ predictions are a bit more saturated, but still largely cool and calming. Take a look at their website here: http://www.sherwin-williams.com/do_it_yourself/paint_colors/ideas/palettes/todays_colors/restless_nomad/index.jsp
While neither of these companies have a hope of breaking Pantone’s stranglehold, those a little unsure of Tangerine Tango can find some forward-thinking ideas elsewhere.
We’ve been working feverishly over here at Schneiderman’s Furniture, making our New Year’s Resolutions come true! Okay, so we’ve been wanting to upgrade the images on our website, www.schneidermans.com, for quite awhile, and we are finally making progress!
Why is this so important, you ask? Well, most furniture stores, us included, rely on manufacturers to provide high quality product images for our websites. The problem is that the quality is inconsistent, the angles and lighting are inconsistent, and some manufacturers don’t see a need to provide their vendors with a way to advertise product. Plus, when you’re playing in the internet sandbox, the only difference between a huge national brand and a small, family-owned local business is the quality of the site. The internet levels the field for us locals.
To this end, we have undertaken the massive project of photographing all our product. Here is a short video portrayal of just one of the photography days:
Thank you to Jason Brown Photography in Bloomington, MN! Your quality of images and professionalism are to be admired. Here’s looking forward to a long working relationship!
When the holiday season approaches, I start to see a ton of great ideas in stores and online for decorating. The problem is that most seem to center on some sort of greenery. Not that I hate the smell of pine or anything, but my cat eats trees. And plants of all sort.
There are actually many good reasons for people to choose not to bring a tree inside. Some have the Sheldon Cooper Big Bang Theory attitude, calling a Christmas tree a “spider-infested fire hazard,” but some people just would rather forgo the expense and mess of a live tree. So what, besides the artificial tree option, are the choices?
Here are a few ideas culled from the interweb – great options if you’re looking for some alternative Christmas decor!
The collection put up on the wall could be anything from flatter ornaments to small framed pics to vending machine toys. I love the colorful look! If you’re going to do this, consider the white space around each item and make sure to place larger pieces sporadically. I think this would be a cool approach for permanent larger wall art anytime – just form a different shape! Painter’s tape in your chosen shape will help you control the placement and make sure your tree isn’t crooked!
Talk about cost effective! This is a wood ladder, strung with lights and ornaments. What a stunning idea for a large space! I wouldn’t try it with a yellow plastic ladder though. The color might be a bit strong.
This is my fave – a 3D tree-shaped ornament mobile. It looks like someone photoshopped the tree out of the picture! The instructions for this fabulous DIY look are at http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2010/12/20/christmas-tree-ornament-mobile/. (By the way, in searching for this topic, I found NotMartha, a new fave DIY blog. Check it out for a ton of fun craft and decor ideas that don’t require you to churn your own butter.)
Very hip, very cool, very modern. And just think about the cool look from the side with all the book cover colors cascading down the shape.
Another cool reuse of household item into decor. This is a vintage clothes drying rack with ornaments hung on ribbons. Very cool and a great way to show off your ornament collection.
So, if you, like many others, love decorating for the holidays but hesitate over the tree, come out of hiding! There are a ton of ways to decorate without making the dog sick on sugary tree water or chasing the newly walking toddler away from the light strings!
Glamping, or glamorous camping, is just what the owners of these wilderness retreats get to do. Take a look at this stunning dining room:
Rich colors complement the rustic log walls. Definitely my kind of wilderness adventure!
Or how about this living room:
Love the massive stone fireplace and the double mantle. Fantastic rug, too. And that curved side console facing the camera provides a great transition into the seating space without looking like a wall. Makes me want a cup of hot cocoa and a great book.
This bedroom is particularly stunning:
Great textures to warm up the high contrast black and white decor. And that stump nightstand provides a rustic touch to a modern space. Fireplace also fab.
I tell you, if I could camp like this instead of sleeping on the cold ground with a rock sticking into my back, I would go more often!
I was always the child with decor taste. My mother used to take me with her to shop for all her furniture, lighting, and flooring. (In fact, even though I live over 2 hours away from her now, she still calls me over to do this.) Over the years, she has come to trust me more and more and I have become able to separate her taste from my own. Just recently, however, she has come to the following conclusion: You can’t light a whole room with one fixture.
I remember lighting store after lighting store – combing through catalogs of overhead kitchen fixtures so she could get the most bulbs at the highest wattage – and trying (I’m sure in a condescending young adult way) to explain about ambient, general, and task lighting. I would also try to explain about the difference between energy used and light output. But, until last year, all this explaining fell on deaf ears.
Fast forward to a furniture sales floor, and over and over I would hear the same thing. “I don’t need a lamp in that room.” “The lamps I have are fine.” “What?! Who would pay that for a lamp when you can get them at [insert discount store here] for $10?”
So here is the Schneiderman’s Furniture Ode to the Lamp
Be they ceramic or metallic,
short, tall, or chunky,
modern, traditional, or in between,
great lamps make a space
just like a great necklace makes an outfit.
And so we will not let you leave
until you’ve considered your lighting.
And how much more you will love your new sofa or bed or chair or server
with a new lamp or two beside it!
To help keep our promise, we work with several fantastic lamp providers, including Pacific Coast Lighting which is a fantastic special order lamp provider. Here are a few examples of their new products. You can view the whole bunch of them at www.pacificcoastlighting.com. Call your local Schneiderman’s showroom for pricing!
“The thing about glitter is, if you get it on you, prepare to have it on you forever cause glitter is the herpes of craft supplies.” -Demetri Martin
There are people in the world, and bless them, who love glitter. They buy cards covered in glitter and wrapping paper covered in glitter and lotion with glitter in it. As the holidays approach, glitter is starting to come out of the shadows at a ton of retailers, especially those specializing in home decor. But not at Schneiderman’s. Glitter gets everywhere and we didn’t want to be vacuuming glitter off sofas in July. But we still want to provide our showrooms and your home with some holiday sparkle. So how do we do it? And how can you do put some sparkle in your home without the scourge of glitter?
1. Metallics
The song sings of silver and gold, and combining these colors with the rich natural greens of the season can make for an elegant holiday statement in your home.
2. Crystal
Maybe you have a set to pull out, or maybe you buy random pieces at estate and rummage sales throughout the year, but crystal lends a beautiful shine to a holiday table. Beyond the table, don’t hesitate to put crystal in the window or hang plates in an arrangement on the wall. Pull all the dangling crystals off those lamps up in the attic and string them across a window. The mantle and shelves are other great places to put a little bling. Place near a group of candles or string of lights and you will get a refracted glow worthy of the best holiday decor.
3. Gems
Not everyone is a DIY diva, but most of us have glue. Stop by the craft store and pick up a few colored gems with flat backs. Then go glue crazy. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about bedazzling the cat, but a few gems can perk up your wrapped gifts, your favorite holiday placemats or table runners, or your family’s stockings. If you want to get a little more ambitious, you can pick up different sizes and colors and start from scratch, but otherwise, just enhance someone else’s design.
4. Enhance your non-holiday decor with sparkle
At the holidays is one thing, but there are many things out there that can keep your home sparkling all year long. Try a lamp or throw pillow like these and add a holiday twist for the season, like trimming the lampshade or pairing the pillow with one of your preferred holiday ones.
6. Vintage touches
Remember the metallic trees so popular in the 1970′s? Why not bring this back? Talk about sparkle for the season! I wish we sold them at Schneiderman’s, but www.christmastreesgalore.com has an excellent selection.
So, until we figure out a way to ban glitter all together (and for those of you who put it in cards so it dumps on unsuspecting hands at opening, shame!), we’ll focus on finding sparkle in more creative places. Happy decorating!
From pattern to texture, there are a ton of ways to address every piece and surface in your home. While textured wall tiles may not be the most practical solution for a child’s room or bathroom (cleaning all those surfaces, ick!), what a great idea for an accent wall in an entry way or dining room!
There are literally thousands of options out there if you are looking to add some texture to your walls. Here are a couple ideas:
See more great options and shop for 3D wall panels at http://www.3dwallpanels.com.au/. Good luck!
I know, I know, everyone remembers the patterned sofas of the 70′s and 80′s. Brown and orange plaids gave way to mauve and blue florals in a stunning style 180.
But not all patterned sofas are dated. In fact, after years of microfibers in varying shades of brown, people are starting to revolt…in a big way.
Gorgeous pattern mix!
The simple, fresh palette helps the pattern mix in this room keep a clean, modern look. (And for those who think patterned furniture locks you into a design style, look closely – the yellow in the room is paint, window treatments and accessories!)
This option is maybe a bit more extreme, but what a great option for a fun, eclectic space with an Indian or Mediterranean flavor!
Wild or not, consider a pattern the next time you’re looking at upholstered furniture. The right piece will immediately liven up your space!
PS – Make sure you ask about the manufacturer’s skill level with upholstery. Some are better than others at matching tough patterns, like stripes and plaids, and the last thing you want is an upside down flower or bird right in the middle of the sofa back!
As we say goodbye to another Thanksgiving and switch to that next notch in the belt, thoughts turn to holiday gifts. This holiday, don’t miss out on a fantastic gift option for a special someone in your life – furniture!
For a significant other: Maybe it’s replacing that night stand you ruined with a sweating water glass. Maybe it’s getting all the jewelry off the dresser with a jewelry armoire. Maybe your honey is just aching for a new entertainment console to hold up that great Black Friday TV. Or how about a large painting or mirror for the big blank wall behind the sofa. Furniture and other home accessories can make fabulous gifts to pamper someone through her home.
For each other: Some couples save larger purchases for holidays and use them as ‘joint’ gifts. December is a great time to buy furniture, as most retailers are begging customers to spend some of their holiday money sprucing up the house. New living room furniture, a new dining set, or a pair of Ekornes Stressless chairs are great gifts! More lasting than a vacation, more used than jewelry, and less expensive than other big ticket purchases.
For an adult son/daughter: Whether he is in college or she is just starting out in a new apartment, new furniture never goes awry. Consider a mattress set in this situation, as most people sleep on horrible beds through this stage of their lives. Not sure what they need? That’s what gift certificates are for! Coordinate with uncles, aunts, grandparents, and siblings and those gifts can go a long way in keeping your kid from taking your furniture.
For a young child: Okay, so kids don’t exactly ask Santa for furniture. But some of them should. What about a great playroom table set? Or a crafting or art desk? A car bed or giant shoe chair can also be fun ways to get kids excited about their spaces.
For a parent: They gave you life, the least you could do is replace that 30 year old sofa. This is another great opportunity for a group gift. Get together with siblings and purchase a gift card. But parents also appreciate time, so do some research and offer to shop with them. You can make a day out of it by taking your parent to lunch as well. The time will be as much or even more appreciated than the gift. Whether they decide to spend the gift on new recliners, a new mattress, or a living room refresher, your parents will love the opportunity to spruce up their home!
