Gold Additions to Your Home Décor

October 10, 2014 by Stoney Creek Furniture

Gold is back – and with a vengeance! Don’t think for a moment of the 1980s. Today’s gold is soft, sophisticated and must-have. Read on and you’ll fall in love with gold again…I promise!

Why Gold? Gold is timeless, luxurious and opulent. It instantly adds romance and makes any room warmer and more inviting.

How Much Gold? A little goes a long way, but it really depends on how adventurous you are and how much gold appeals to your senses. Here are some suggestions:

  • An itty bitty bit of gold. If you just want a touch of gold, try updating your cupboard or furniture handles in gold, or invest in gorgeous furniture like this accent table with fabulous gold hardware.
    Caracole French Connection Chest

    Caracole French Connection Chest

      Or how about small photo and art frames? Make a collection for a wall or table display. Another great idea is gold curtain rods, subtle and so eye catching.
  • Big and bold gold. Statement pieces in gold make any room instantly glamourous. I love large, ornate mirrors in dusty gold, whether vintage or new. Add one to your hallway! Of course, gold on furniture is simply magical. Check out this dining table, accent table and hall table.
Gold Room

Gold Room at Stoney Creek Furniture

Stunning, yes? Gold is particularly trendy on headboards, whether as a finishing touch with cast iron, in a fabric headboard or in the beautiful metallic and wood piece shown here.

Caracole Silver Lining Bed

Caracole Silver Lining Bed

  • In-between, up-the-middle gold touches. Break out the spray paint (go soft, not bright) and give a new life to clay pots, candlesticks and trinkets. How about gold light fixtures, sconces or lamp bases? They make any room sparkle!

Where Does Gold Fit? Gold works with traditional, transitional, eclectic and contemporary décor. Gold touches befit any room, but is truly special in rooms where you want to relax – the living room, dining room, bedroom or bathroom. It’s also a great ‘welcome’ in the foyer. Consider these ideas:

      • Gold on the walls. Remember, ‘go subtle’ is your mantra. Small gold polka dots look amazing on a pale wall. They’re available in vinyl and you apply them yourself. Work out a pattern and voila! Gold wallpaper is also on trend with fine stripes, florals or geometrics. Perfect for an accent wall.
      • Gold on the ceiling. Those polka dots look great on the ceiling too. Or even pale gold stripes on white. Love these ideas for a powder room!

What Matches Gold? To keep gold from looking ‘cheap’, it works best with neutrals. My favourite combination is gold with gray, but it also works with taupe, beige and black and white for a stronger look. For a demure, ‘pretty’ approach, blend gold with mauve or softest aqua.

Thankfully, gold works well with other metals, so you don’t have to abandon what you already own and love! Gold with pewter and nickel is oh-so-chic; with bronze and copper it’s rich and charming. Multiple metals combine artfully for a layered, complex look.

What about Gold Fabric? Fabric is a great way to add gold affordably. Picture gold drapes in sheer or silk. Don’t forget throws and cushions – there’s no easier way to add instant gold appeal!

Bring a little gold to your life – and enjoy!

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

Fall Decor Ideas

October 3, 2014 by Stoney Creek Furniture

As I write this, it’s a bright sunny morning with delightful crispness in the air. These early days of fall are a perfect time to decorate for the season. Here are some fall decor ideas to spark your imagination:

Fall Decor at Stoney Creek Furniture

Fall Decor at Stoney Creek Furniture

For Your Dining Table:

  • Try the simplicity of white dishes and classic silverware paired with bright orange napkins, and only orange and green foliage in a vase and green stemware (surprisingly easy to find!).
  • Convert a pumpkin into a server. Choose a flatter pumpkin, remove the stem and place a tray/plate of appetizers on it.
  • Use a leaf as a place card. Choose a smooth flat leaf in a fall colour and write the guest’s name elegantly in black marker. Anchor the leaf stem to a pine cone.

For Your Walls:

  • Celebrate the season with pressed foliage. Small, inexpensive frames are available at thrift or dollar stores. Press coloured leafs, twigs or sprigs in each frame and group together on a wall.
  • Create a fall-themed wreath with items from your garden (it’s so much nicer all natural) and perhaps add a wooden family initial in the middle. Gorgeous in the hallway!

For the Love of the Pumpkin:          
Pumpkins are king this time of year. Try displaying them uniquely:

  • Vase/planter. Scoop out a pumpkin and add your favourite fall flowers, branches and greenery.
  • Candle holder. Scoop out tiny pumpkins and add a votive candle.
  • Topiary tree. Stack three pumpkins, large to small going upward, on top of an urn. Separate the levels with sphagnum moss. Include a white pumpkin.

For Your Furniture:

  • Dress your sofa, chairs and bed for fall with cozy throws. A dark faux fur throw looks so opulent.
  • Store light, cotton pillows and replace them with rich fabrics in fall colours, including this season’s trends: plaid, herringbone and tweed.
  • Fall is the ideal time to invest in new furniture. Many lines launch their premier items for fall so you’ll find a huge selection of timeless pieces. Dark woods simply never go out of style…
Fall Decor at Stoney Creek Furniture

Fall Decor at Stoney Creek Furniture

For Your Porch or Entranceway:

  • Painted pumpkins. Add black polka dots or a zig zag wraparound to your pumpkins. For polka dots, stick and outline round labels to the pumpkin and then remove and paint the circles. For the zig zag, stick painter’s tape in rows of zig zags around the pumpkin; outline and remove the tape and paint. Be sure to use waterproof paint for outdoors.
  • Cut out your home’s street number in waterproof vinyl. Stick to a large pumpkin for instant curb appeal.
  • Don’t forget mums! Invest in classic urns to showcase these happy, hardy plants.

For Anywhere in Your Home:

  • Vases of fresh cut flowers are always right. Don’t you love sunflowers?
  • Warm up to gold. Thrift and flea market finds like dishes and candlesticks can have a new life spray painted in gold.
  • Candle time. Whether on pedestals, in silver holders or nestled in a grouping in your fireplace, nothing says ‘welcome autumn’ like candles.

Enjoy the season – in your cozy home and in the beautiful outdoors!

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

How to Make Your Dining Room More Inviting

September 26, 2014 by Stoney Creek Furniture

Do you love dining rooms as much as I do? In these days of rush, rush, rush, I think it’s important to have a designated space just for eating and relaxing with friends and family. A welcoming retreat set away from the hubbub of the kitchen where there’s no hurry and no stress…

If you have a separate dining room, lucky you! The sky’s the limit for your decorating options. If your space is small or part of the living room, don’t despair, there are great ideas here for you too.

Solana Collection by Hooker Furniture

Solana Collection by Hooker Furniture

WALL COLOUR. If there’s one room where you can be adventurous, it’s the dining room. Show some personality! Mauve is soft and calming; aqua livens up the conversation; rich brown is comforting. Consider wall paper. Damask, for example, is always in style. Whatever wall covering you choose, make sure it harmonizes with any attached rooms, while still making a unique statement.

MOULDING & CEILING. Add drama and elegance with crown moulding in brilliant white. Paint the ceiling non-white; something subtle that coordinates with your walls. How about soft blue with dark taupe walls? Or pale pink with gray walls? Or even try wide stripes of pale colour alternating with white on the ceiling?

OVER-THE-TABLE LIGHTING. Choose lighting that illuminates the imagination as well as the room! A chandelier is always right, but what about in black with sparkling crystals? How about something totally different – industrial lighting, or three smaller pendant lights in a row or a giant globe encasing twinkling crystals?

Logan Collection by Legacy Classic

Logan Collection by Legacy Classic

LUXURIES. If you have the space, nothing is more welcoming than a fireplace. Book shelves for displays and of course, books, is also a classic look. Finally, consider a rug under the table to add colour and panache.

ART. In many dining rooms, the table is centred with much of the walls left open. What a great opportunity to display statement art – go large if the space commands it. Even consider a custom mural of something you love. The dining room is also the perfect place for sculpture or large plants.

FURNITURE. The focal point of most dining rooms is the table and chairs. The variety available is astonishing. Whatever style you choose, I recommend buying quality. The chairs must be comfortable and sturdy. The table must be substantial. Some people frown on dining room sets, but look at some of the options here. They are beautiful and timeless. Don’t overlook bench seats or a distressed approach. These trestle based tables are casual, yet still showcase good taste. Whatever suits your lifestyle.

Manchester Collection by Najarian

Manchester Collection by Najarian

MIX & MATCH. If you prefer eclectic, mix and match furniture styles may work better for you. For example, a metal and glass table with upholstered chairs or modern chairs with metal legs paired with a country table or a gleaming mahogany table with upholstered tub chairs. Always make sure the chairs and table fit together well, the chairs should tuck under nicely and be the perfect height for dining.

UPHOLSTERY. If you have a dining set you love, a change in upholstery may be all you need. Basic cushions can be a fun DIY job. It’s a great opportunity to go bold with an animal print or a bright fun floral.

Woodland Ridge Collection by Legacy Classic

Woodland Ridge Collection by Legacy Classic

Thanksgiving is coming soon, so what better time to improve your dining room? Get started now and your family will be complimenting you on more than your turkey dinner this year!

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

Abstract Art: Making it Work in Your Home

September 19, 2014 by Stoney Creek Furniture

One of my friends was re-decorating awhile back. When I suggested abstract art, she said, “Abstract art takes a lot of courage.” Of course, I convinced her otherwise and she bought a gorgeous piece for her living room. Hanging abstract art just takes a little know-how. Read on…

Exactly what is Abstract Art? Abstract art doesn’t attempt to accurately replicate something in real life. It is fluid, and seemingly spontaneous, conveying emotion through lines, pattern and colour.

Types of Abstract Art. Most abstract art falls into four unofficial categories:

  • Geometric – large shapes, triangles, squares, etc. dominate the theme
  • Black & Whites – utter simplicity; the artist relies on the absence of colour to express emotion
  • Minimalist Statements – very little by way of detail – relies on imagination
  • Bold Statements – often the process of painting is instrumental, creating dramatic results
Piet Mondrian: Composition with Yellow, Blue, and Red, 1937–42

Piet Mondrian: Composition with Yellow, Blue, and Red, 1937–42

Why choose Abstract Art?

  • Harmony. You can use a colourful piece of abstract art to unite a room – choose art that draws together all the colours in your space creating a unified palette.
  • Freshness Factor. One piece of abstract art can be so powerful that it makes a room look totally new and revitalized.
  • Focal Point. A dynamic piece of abstract art is a conversation piece and a focal point, anchoring your space. It can become the raison d’être of your room.
  • Emotion & Imagination. Abstract art is stimulating, awakening the senses and igniting your imagination.
Georgia O’Keefe: Blue and Green Music, 1921

Georgia O’Keefe: Blue and Green Music, 1921

Okay you’re sold! So how do you choose Abstract Art for your home? Think about:

Décor Style. Don’t let anyone tell you that abstract art only works in a contemporary home! Yes, it’s complementary to modern décor, but looks just as spectacular in a traditional room where contrast takes centre stage.

Art First. Most of us buy art after we decorate a room with furniture, carpet, etc. Do it the other way! Buy an abstract piece that speaks to you and then create a room around it.

Jackson Pollock: Lavender Mist, 1950

Jackson Pollock: Lavender Mist, 1950

Colour. Many abstract prints are bright, colourful and bold. You can ‘match’ the colours in the art to your room, but don’t feel confined. Even a little colour unity works. Consider keeping the surrounding wall colour and furniture simple, neutral and cohesive, letting the bold art speak volumes. Neutral abstract art is another option, especially if you have standout furniture that you want to showcase. The soft and natural tones in the art are more subtle but no less inspiring.

abstract art

Stoney Creek Furniture carries a large selection of artwork and accessories for your home.

Size. One of the best things about abstract art is that it’s typically large and substantial. Often one piece is all a room needs to be ‘done’. Let abstract art stand alone on a wall to maximize impact.

Shape. Colour is only one aspect of abstract art. Think about whether it’s linear, ‘blocks’, ‘circles’, soft and blurred, etc. The shapes in the art should echo your décor and furniture to help it fit.

As with all things décor, choose art that you love and you won’t go wrong!

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