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News: Are You in the Market for New Upholstered Furniture?

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Miles-accessorizedI just got back from Norwalk, OH from the Norwalk furniture factory and wow, was I impressed. Norwalk has been transformed, cleaned up, and streamlined into a #1 US custom-made furniture option. Under new ownership and new vision, this company is another one of my favorites.  The employees just gleamed  with pride as we toured the factory, where we witnessed fine upholsterers and seamstresses putting the final touches on their product. It was such an honor to see each phase of the upholstery process.

After 25 years selling fine furniture, I have an even greater appreciation for what goes into the final product. I have just gotten a new chair in my studio, the Quincy chair,  and would love to share more about Norwalk with you. If you aren’t able to stop by,  be sure to check out the Norwalk Web site. It is well worth your time. I especially love the Copley Square collection as it fits almost everyone, but the new Elise Chair is a beauty. And if comfort with a flair is for you, take a peak at the Milford.

Have fun with Norwalk. They have really taken a step in the right direction.
Photo Credit: Norwalk Furniture

Janine’s Tip of the Week#5: Arranging Dining Room Chairs

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When thinking about your new dining room, consider a special chair for your host and hostess or maybe even the whole group.  I love these ideas from two of our favorite furniture companies called CR Laine and Jessica Charles, don’t you?  Wouldn’t it be nice to step out of the box and sit a little more comfortably? These beautiful chairs add a zip of color and set the stage for a beautiful new dining room.

Your friends will be talking about the new trend setter in the group and you will start using that room that has been sitting vacant and boring for way too long! These chairs add a little fun and flair to that once stuffy room and transform it into a modern social gathering space that’s long been forgotten. Why not have a little fun with your dining room?

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Décor Double Take: Something’s Gotta Give

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kitchen-adI saw the movie a long time ago, but to all my movie going friends out there, another great designer-friendly movie that I will never forget is Something’s Gotta Give. How wonderful was this family room? Doesn’t it just make you want to sit down and relax? Oh, how and I could go on about how fantastic the kitchen was with all that great white cabinetry. The overall theme screamed vacation. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have a beach home that felt this rejuvenating? It was a beach home that we all long for—I can almost smell the ocean air and not to mention the views! And Dianne Keaton and Jack Nicholson were quite a pair. It just feels good to see love can happen at any age.

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Photo Credit: Sony Pictures

Janine’s Tip of the Week #3: Creating a Retreat

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The Decorative Touch

The Decorative Touch

I get asked: I want to begin a new Master Bedroom, but how do I create that retreat?

Master Bedrooms are truly the sanctuary of your home. It’s the one place I find that my clients want to shut out the rest of the world. And yet, I think it’s almost the most ignored space in the home. How sad is that! You deserve to spoil yourself in the master suite. I suggest that you start with deciding how you want the space to feel. This should be a true reflection of your “couple” personality, which means choosing options that are not strictly feminine or masculine.

The great news is bedroom furniture is not like our parents furniture! There are amazing leather headboards, upholstered headboards, and beautiful over-sized iron beds. And our nightstands can be totally different than our beds.  The days of everything being the same wood are over. Great design allows you to be a little playful with your furnishings.  Now if that is not in your comfort zone, no problem.  Instead, be more creative with your fabrics.

First, find fabrics that just feel good to you and you can’t wait to sink yourself into. Something that really just says “comfort.” Remember, this is your place of rest, relaxation, and tranquility. With all the beautifully bedding choices out there, something should grab you and just say ahh… I would suggest looking at Eastern Accents.com or Legacy Linens.com, both lines are great and a good starting point.

Next, paint color comes from your bedding choice, and don’t be afraid to consider an accent wall behind the bed for wallpaper, faux paint, or another great texture. Maybe try a drapery treatment. Bedrooms are all about textures. Drapery, privacy treatments like woven shades, or room darkening roman shades are going to be important as well. This is your cacoon so to speak, so don’t let mother nature in too early!

Again,  look to the experts, there are loads of great master bedrooms in magazines, so do your homework. Don’t settle for ordinary in this room,  it’s the one space in your home that you spend a great deal of time in.  It should reflect your personality; however, I would suggest you hire an interior designer before starting your project.

Janine Terstriep

Spring Palettes: Turquoise and White

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With spring fast approaching, it is hard not to notice all the spring decor that is popping up in the stores. What is really hitting the scene now is turquoise and white. Together, these two colors are bright and fresh, just perfect for spring. Check out this great image from the Color me Happy blog. What a lovely guest room this would make, don’t you think?

Click here to check out more spring palettes on the Color me Happy blog.

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Colour me Happy blog

Décor Double Take: The Blind Side

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blind side-www.imdb.com

The Blind Side, IMDB

Have you ever been watching a movie and have fallen in love with the décor? If you are anything like me, you notice the set design before anything else. So, speaking of a great movie, I would highly recommend The Blind Side. Not only is it a wonderful story, but if you are a crazy designer like me, you will love seeing the scenes in Sandra Bullock’s home.

It is a lovely home from the outside, but the decor inside is very well done, too. Sandra Bullock plays an interior designer in the movie and some of her scenes are easy for me to relate to–especially how much I talk on my cell phone…it is constantly connected to my ear! But seriously, don’t you just love the living room and that gorgeous sofa that Big Mike sleeps on? The movie is not only a good one for those who are design obsessed like me, but husbands will enjoy the show, too. On a side note, I do wish there were more good people in the world like the folks in this show. You just walk away feeling better.

By Janine Terstriep

Janine’s Tip of the Week #2: Furniture Selection

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decorativetouch4I often get asked: Where do I begin in my furniture selection for this room?

Well, again each case is different, but most of the time the largest piece dictates the space.  I often start with either the area rug or the sofa. Which piece is going to have more pattern?  If the area rug is the busiest and has a large-scale pattern, I start with that first. Then the sofa will be smaller or medium pattern. For instance, a tweed or texture looks great with larger patterned pillows. Additionally, I might choose leather or plaid/paisley patterned chairs  to complement the rug colors.  As a general rule of thumb, I like to work from that one large pattern; it makes it easier to find the perfect “go with” items.
Janine Terstriep

Designer Secrets for Help in Selecting the Perfect Paint Color!

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1.)  Select your fabrics for the living room or great room first, the rug, drapery, and sofa are often the more expensive items and will generate the color scheme…and the $300-$500 of paint will create the backdrop for these items.  So selecting the perfect shade of “mocha” will often be found in your sofa and help ground the other items in the room.
2.)  Select your tile and granite first if you are working on a kitchen or bathroom, as they are the materials that will remain the longest and again are the most costly.  Its easy to get more excited about your paint color when you can see how well it relates to the materials already selected in the room!
3.)  If you are working on a bedroom, buy your bedding first!  There are so many beautiful bed collections that the paint color can accent so deliciously once your bedding is selected, and your job is so much easier.
4.)  If a bath renovation is on your list, start with wonderful new tile or simply a new shower curtain and your paint or possibly wallpaper can fit in nicely.
5.)  And if you must choose your color palette that flows throughout your home with out all of your furniture selections complete, I do suggest hiring a professional interior designer to help make selections as perfect as possible.  There are many things to be considered when building or renovating…designers do make the processes much easier.