How to Make Your Guest Room Extra Special for the Holidays

November 13, 2015 by Stoney Creek Furniture

The holidays are a time when many of us welcome overnight guests, whether just for an evening or for an extended stay. With get-togethers and parties happening constantly, it’s nice to provide a special place for your guests to unwind at the end of the day. While there are lots of tips available on how to create an inviting guest room for every day, here are some suggestions just for the festive season!

Add Holiday decorations. Why not? Go subtle with a tiny tabletop tree (natural if you can) or some twinkly mini-lights around the window. Don’t go overboard, but a few touches are perfect.

Make extra storage space for suitcases and gifts. If ever there was a time to clean out the guest room closet, this is it! Move your things and make room for the extra items that go with the holidays – dressy clothes that need to be hung and presents to deliver and bring back home.

Provide treats. Tis the season to indulge a little so leave a tray of goodies – perhaps some very special chocolates or truffles. How about a bottle of red wine and pretty glasses? Most importantly, include bottles of water!

Display magazines. Add some season-specific magazines for guests to peruse. If children are staying over, include some Christmas story books.

Top up the personal care tray. In addition to all the regular toiletry items your guests may need (comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.), include items like Advil/Tylenol (it’s party season!), throat lozenges (it’s cold season!) and rich hand/body moisturizer (winter means dry skin!).

Splurge on pillows. Dress up the bed with some fabulous cushions. Choose something in faux fur, with a whimsical written message or a popular nature-themed design.

Pillows available at Stoney Creek Furniture

Pillows available at Stoney Creek Furniture

Indulge with Holiday-scented candles. Whether beside the bed or on the bathtub, candles are a wonderful treat. Peppermint is particularly evocative of the holidays, as are fir and pine. Choose beautiful candle holders, perhaps in silver, crystal, metal or something organic.

Include a steamer for holiday clothes. While it’s always nice to keep an iron in the guest room, if you can add a steamer for the holidays, do so! It’s the perfect way to freshen up a dress, suit or shirt before a special occasion.

Add a festive throw. Nothing kitschy of course, but a gorgeous dark red blanket or a throw in dark green plaid is cozy, beautiful and holiday perfect!

If you don’t have a guest room, improvise! Many of us don’t have a dedicated guest room, but we may still have overnight guests during the holidays. A sofa bed is the answer! Sofa beds offer daytime seating as well as an overnight bed, so it’s ideal for smaller spaces. Just be sure you provide your guests with a side table, light, alarm clock and a place to hang their clothes. If you don’t have closet space, décor hooks work well.

Sofa Bed available at Stoney Creek Furniture

Sofa Bed available at Stoney Creek Furniture

Start making your guest room ready for the holidays now – and then you’ll be ready when family and friends start to arrive!

No Comments / Tags: , , , / Posted in Design tips, Entertaining, Holidays

A Special Event and Gift-Giving Tips to Help You ‘Wrap It Up’ for the Holidays!

November 6, 2015 by Stoney Creek Furniture

Can you believe that we are already well into November? It’s time to think about the holidays – they are just around the corner! Like many of us, you probably love the holidays, but the ritual of Christmas shopping can be exhausting – you want to buy something that will be appreciated, but without spending a fortune. This blog is dedicated to helping you solve that dilemma! Wrap it Up at Stoney Creek Furniture

You’re invited to ‘Wrap It Up’: An evening of one-of-a-kind shopping, silent auction and social gathering

For a fun night out that’s guaranteed to help with your Christmas shopping challenge, join us at our Stoney Creek location for ‘Wrap It Up’! For just $10, it’s an evening of holiday inspiration featuring local artisans, a silent auction, treats and more. Best of all, proceeds from ticket sales, the silent auction and raffle tickets go to Hamilton Food Share, which makes it a wonderful opportunity to help a very worthwhile cause.

Unique gifts from local artisans

Wrap It Up features unique ideas for gift giving, including handmade jewellery, belt buckles, home décor including soy candles and vintage & repurposed items, Christmas décor and much more.  These are one-of-a-kind, quality pieces made by some of the finest craftspeople in the area. Among the participating artisans are Dolce Kimera, Amy’s Place, Square Pegs, Lainey & Co., Marquis Dreamstore and many others.

Christmas tree silent auction

Seven beautifully-adorned Christmas Trees will be displayed on silent auction. Each one has been decorated by a talented designer, including Natalie Sexton, Tara Dolce Kimera, Brenda Cox, Carol Fines, Patricia Knebel, Marquis Dreamstore and Stoney Creek Furniture. You can bid on a professionally decorated tree for your own home. Trees have been generously donated by Holland Park Garden Gallery.

Samples, raffles and grand prize draw

The Watering Can Pastry Market and other local food shops will be on hand with baked goods, treats and hot beverage. Raffles throughout the evening will feature great prizes like furniture, gift cards and gift baskets. The $10 admission fee includes a ballot for the Grand Prize Draw for a leather club chair or coffee and end table set.

 Where, when and for tickets

Wrap It Up will be held Wednesday, November 18, 2015 from 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM at Stoney Creek Furniture, 395 Lewis Road in Stoney Creek. <Click here to purchase tickets.>

Gift giving ideas

As I write this, there are just 7 weeks until Christmas! With that in mind, here are 7 gift-giving suggestions to help you find the perfect present:

  1. It’s about love, not money. Select a gift that shows you really thought about the recipient – their likes, hobbies and passions. For most recipients, the cost is irrelevant; choose from the heart.
  2. Don’t know what they like? Do a little investigation. A person’s social media sites, their home or their office is bound to provide inspiration.
  3. Send them to an event. Rather than a thing, make it an event. Think creatively. How about mystery dinner theatre tickets or dinner and billiards at a favourite pub?
  4. Make them laugh. If the person you’re buying for has a sense of humour, choose a silly gift. Think about what makes them giggle and go with something cute. Sometimes just the gift wrap can be funny with a serious gift inside.
  5. Rekindle a memory. Reflect on special times spent together – a holiday, an activity you do together – and choose a related gift.
  6. Make something. If you’re talented, make a gift! Remember, it’s not about cost. Knit, bake, paint or sew – whatever you like to do – just make sure it will be something your recipient will like!
  7. Donate. If you really can’t think of something to buy and your recipient has a cause they are passionate about, make a donation to that charity on their behalf.

No Comments / Tags: , / Posted in Events, Holidays

Nature-Themed Décor: How to Add this Trend to Your Home!

October 30, 2015 by Stoney Creek Furniture

As it turns colder outside, we spend more time indoors. Perhaps you can bring a little of nature into your home to nurture you through the upcoming winter months? Nature-themed decor is  extremely popular right now. But unlike the motifs of yesterday, the look now is bold, creative and grabs centre stage. Here are some suggestions:

Natural-Inspired Colours. There’s nothing more soothing and nature-evocative than blues and greens in your décor. Go beyond the traditional shades to include aqua, turquoise, chartreuse, lime and olive. Take some cues from the pillows we’ve featured here – such an easy way to update!

Pillow selection at our Vaughan location

Pillow selection available at our Vaughan location

Florals/Leaves on Fabrics. Bold flowers, leaves and branches are everywhere – on upholstery, bed linens and wallpapers to name a few. It’s a traditional ‘Audubon’ look with a modern sensibility: brighter, less muted and on a larger scale.

Birds, Butterflies & Dragonflies. Accessories with flying creatures are just as popular as florals and greenery. From accent pieces for your coffee table to wall hangings, the fresh twist is in the colour, the size and often, a vintage finish.

Accents available at our Vaughan location

Accents available at our Vaughan location

Distressed & Rustic Finishes. Rugged finishes are reminiscent of a country cottage nestled in the forest. Yet today’s rustic and distressed furnishings are clearly contemporary and blend perfectly with industrial and modern décor.

Rustic coffee table available at our Vaughan location

Rustic coffee table available at our Vaughan location

Natural Furniture Materials. Wood, marble, metal and stone, alone or in combination, are hugely popular for furniture and accessories. You’ll also find rugged wood lamp bases, small wood footstools and other wood accents, typically with ‘rough’ styling rather than a perfect finish.

White/Grey Accents. White can be surprisingly warm! One of the most popular looks is natural elements painted in white/grey, like branches and driftwood, for example. You’ll also see lots of birds/animal accents in distressed white. The grey egg pillow we’ve shown is a favourite!Accents available at our Vaughan location

Antlers and Animal Heads. Unbelievably trendy right now! Whether imprinted on pillows or paintings or actual replicas, you’ll see these in unexpected styles just about everywhere. Antlers are especially popular, with decorative deer and ram heads often wall mounted or used as a table/desk decoration.

Pillows available at our Vaughan location

Pillows available at our Vaughan location

Plants. So obvious, yet we often forget that real greenery is the best natural décor choice of all. While a large plant is wonderful, a collection of smaller plants also works well.

Accents available at our Vaughan location

Accents available at our Vaughan location

Rocks, Branches & Shells. These naturally beautiful accessories are being used creatively for a unique effect: a large branch (perhaps distressed with white paint) hung over a headboard, a collection of rocks on a modern hall table or sea shells grouped in multiple clear jars on a kitchen sideboard.

A few natural accessories can update your home with this popular trend, without spending much. Enjoy the beauty and serenity it brings to your space!

No Comments / Tags: , , , / Posted in Accessories, Decor, Design tips, Trends

Creating a Breakfast Nook: How to Find a Space and How to Decorate It

October 23, 2015 by Stoney Creek Furniture

One of the nicest things you can do for your family (and yourself!) is to create a breakfast nook in your kitchen. While many of us ‘grab and go’ in the morning, a breakfast nook makes it easy to sit and enjoy a quick meal – whether with your family or on your own with the morning paper. What’s especially great is that you can skip the formality of the dining room – casual convenience is what it’s all about.

Finding Space
You’d be surprised at how little room you really need to carve out a breakfast nook. Consider stools and small round table; the footprint is small, yet it’s an inviting spot for coffee and conversation. With just a little more space you might consider a classic choice like a traditional rectangle table and chairs in oak.

Abbey Table & Bar Stools

Abbey Table & Bar Stools

Bench Seating
A great option is to build a bench seat into a corner and then add a table and chairs around it. It’s the ideal way to optimize your seating real estate. In fact, any type of bench seating gives you extra space, if you have a big family. While the footprint is larger, a substantial table and chairs takes the area from breakfast nook to evening meal. If you prefer casual dining, why not? HINT: Whatever your seating arrangement, a breakfast nook looks friendlier with cushions – try bold florals, sunny yellows or ocean blues.

Stockton Collection

Stockton Collection

Diverse Décor Styles
Create an eclectic, industrial look in your breakfast area by choosing mix and match steel chairs in different colours, paired with a wood-top table. Or go glamourous with a glass topped table with ornate pedestal and elegant chairs. Your options are endless!

Timbuktu Collection

Timbuktu Collection

Storage Suggestions
While floor space is typically limited in a breakfast nook, be creative if you need extra storage. If you build banquette seating, incorporate cupboards or drawers underneath. If you have wall space, consider adding eye level cabinets. Very convenient for placemats, bowls, etc., that you need every morning.

Decorating Your Breakfast Nook
Blending colours and furnishings with your kitchen theme will create a cohesive look, but your nook can also be complementary or even in contrast to the rest of your kitchen. It’s the perfect place for an accent wall with a pop of bright colour. If the area feels confined, open it up with a large mirror or mirror collection. Circle shapes and polished gold frames are trendy. Want to define the space? Place a rug under the table and chairs.

Light It Up
If you have a sunny corner, that’s the preferred location for your breakfast nook. But don’t dismay if your area is darker. Choose a statement light fixture – pendant lamps work well, as do sleek contemporary lamps, retro mid-century looks or very trendy blown glass. And don’t forget chandeliers – a touch of sparkle is always welcome, even in an informal space.

Lighting options available at Stoney Creek Furniture

Lighting options available at Stoney Creek Furniture

Whatever style you choose for your breakfast nook, enjoy the family time it provides every morning.

No Comments / Tags: , , , , / Posted in Decor, Design tips, Furniture

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