Thursday, July 12, 2012

Finding the Right Contemporary Furniture for Your House

Many people interchange the terms "contemporary" and "modern" when it comes to house furnishings. In reality, modern and contemporary furniture have distinct features. Know the difference between the two when conducting a home renovation project.

Contemporary versus Modern

Contemporary items have earth shades and simple outlines, accented with fine details. Due to these features, most of them look softer, neater, and more natural in appearance.

Modern furniture pieces are often designed to look futuristic. Its innovative designs aim to make the piece look more interesting and striking. Most of its designs are not visible on the typical pieces of furniture your grandma has kept. The use and production of modern furniture started during the 1950s. Until now, many furniture companies produce different modern furnishings.

Many homeowners still go for furniture items with contemporary designs. This is especially true for those who have simple houses with minimalist designs. They also go well with classic and antique pieces passed down by your mom or grandmother.

Choosing your Contemporary Furniture

Household needs are one of the first things to remember when shopping for home furnishings. Focusing only on the items the house needs is one aspect many people forget when buying from a furniture store.

For example, if your dining table is still in good condition, buy only a matching set of chairs and not an entire dining set. When you need contemporary coffee tables, don't be drawn to the many beautiful loveseats available on the home centre. If you let the "wants" take over the "needs," you might end up buying the wrong piece for your house.

After knowing the exact items you need, think about the size. To do this effectively, examine the place you intend to put the piece on. If possible, measure the space to get the exact dimensions you need. Be it a table or a bed, don't buy a piece too big or too small for your room.

Comfortable Contract Furnishings

When you are in the hotel and leisure industry or require seating for any commercial reason such as for residential homes or clubs or offices, you will need to look closely at suppliers of contract furniture. This particular type of furniture includes a mix of arrangements for various different areas such as modern bar seating, lounge, relaxation areas and the reception. Furniture will usually consist of a mix of pieces like club chairs, modern bar seating, reclining chairs, dining chairs and ottomans.

The important factor is the degree of comfort. Whether the seating is in a leisure centre or a hotel, you will need quality in the fabric or materials used. Contract furniture will have daily heavy use and wear and tear is likely to be significant. In certain areas people are likely to be sitting on chairs for quite long periods and therefore ergonomic specifications will need to be taken into account for postural reasons. Some chairs benefit from having an option for different positions. An adjustment mechanism may incline them at different angles. This may particularly affect furniture intended for a TV or cinema room for reclining.

Modern bar seating is more than just a wooden bar stool. You can choose from bar chairs, club chairs or stools. In the past, club chairs were generally only used in clubs for relaxation and cigars. Whatever the area or choice of style, the next issue is fabric and material used in the manufacture. You may like to consider high-density wood. Stylish ottomans might also make a good addition.

Dining room chairs are another area to consider. You may need to think about furniture for banqueting suites, fixed seating and benches along wall areas in addition to free standing chairs, sofas and tables. When it comes to tables, are you sure about whether you want a square, oval or round table? What will look better in a larger room may not suit a smaller, more intimate space.

Folding chairs are an option if your venue may hold larger events whereby you need to store seating at certain times or during the winter if furniture is outside in the warmer months.

5 Questions Answered About Buying Furniture Online

How do I know it's a trusted business?

This question puts many off of online buying, especially when dealing with an SME or not well known company. The truth is; many internet stores are genuine people doing genuine business. However, wherever there's money to be made there's cowboys, so you'll want to keep your wits about you when shopping. The best way to decide whether a business is trustworthy is to find reviews online about them. If they are renowned for being dodgy, then there will be plenty of disgruntled customers warning you about them All you need to do is type in 'company name' followed by 'reviews' into Google and you'll soon have your answer.

How do I know the payment is safe?

Furniture can often be expensive and making a large payment online can be quite daunting. There are many measures in place to protect consumers in the online marketplace. A great way to check if a site has secure and protected payment is to look for a certified seal. All secure payment providers will let a business use a seal or badge to show that they are safe. Alternatively, you can go through PayPal, which is a service that guarantees protection on all payments.

Will it come assembled?

Usually, furniture purchased from the internet will come in an RTA (ready to assemble) state. So, it won't be assembled when it gets to you, but instead will come with instructions and tools for putting it together. It comes like this to ease shipping and reduce costs.

The treasure map to my slapper of gold

I walked into the kithen the other morning and found this treasure map on the fridge:



"A cruncher like this would be too BOLD, but seek and ye may find a slapper of GOLD!"

At first I thought it was a little treaure hunt/ game that my husband had made for the kids. But then I read it again...  I call the 3-hole punch in our office the "cruncher:"



And so I realized that "slapper" must mean stapler...

And I had just seen the prettiest stapler EVAAA when we were at Pottery Barn...

So I followed to the end of the map...


I saw the drawing of the banana peel & had no idea what that meant  (He just told me that it was a chandelier)
wups!

... but I recoginzed the shelf with binders & boxes and glasss jugs on it as the one from the
back office:

{See the shelf all the way to the right?}

And I ran down there and on top of the shelf where X had marked the spot, there was the beautiful brass stapler that I'd been eyeing!!
eeeeeeeek!!

Here's a quick pic I snapped of it:

{The "slapper" of gold i.e. a brass stapler from Pottery Barn}

I love it!! 

 I'm not five years old any more, but my husband understands that I still get excited about things like a five year-old.  
...and that makes me really happy.


xoxo, Lauren

ps- I love that he thinks that a brass crucher (3 hold punch) would be too "bold" ...  I think he's right ;) ;)

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Meet the Designers at Corporate Culture

Auckland design fans, take note: Our friends at Corporate Culture are inviting HOME readers to a very special 'Meet the Designers' event next Wednesday 18 July from 6-8pm at the Corporate Culture showroom (73 The Strand, Parnell).

You'll ...hear designers Nathan Goldsworthy, Emma Hayes, Tim Webber and Christopher Johnson speak about their latest work. Emma and Tim were finalists in this year's HOME Design Awards, and Nathan has been a finalist on a number of occasions before. Entry to the talks is free.

Entry to the talks if free. If you're keen to attend, please RSVP to Christine Lawton, christine@corporateculture.co.nz. It's going to be an enjoyable and informative evening!

Above: The 'Adjutant' table by Nathan Goldsworthy, from our Design Awards 2011. Photograph by Toaki Okano, styling by Jessica Allen and Tanya Wong.


Designer Emma Hayes' 'River Print' fabric series (above) was a finalist in our 2012 Design Awards, as was Tim Webber's series of 'Y' stools (below). Both photographs by Toaki Okano, with styling by Juliette Wanty and Alicia Menzies. 


How does your garden grow and a gardening giveaway!


What is it about gardens and why we love them so? I am a sucker for a more natural looking garden, kind of like the perfect combination of nature just doing what it does best...growing all kinds of beautiful trees, shrubs and flowers with a little help from us to keep things neat and pristine. Nothing overly done, nothing too perfect and a beautiful lake or pond, a charming gazebo and some gorgeous statuary and planters certainly is the icing on the cake. One thing I never tire of looking at is pictures of beautiful gardens. They literally have the ability to "take me away" to a beautiful, magical, serene place. Do they have that effect on you too? I had a loooong wish list at the start of this summer (being its the first summer in our new house, I came wide eyed and full of dreams and wishes) but the reality is that little has gotten done and the list remains nearly as long as it did when summer started! So....thinking next year is the year (please remind me that I said this).

One thing I wanted to desperately do is start my own garden, had one in our first house and few things could make me as happy as when I ran out first thing in the morning to fetch what nature had sowed.....it was thrilling to load up a big crate of tomatoes and cucumbers! I have planted some flowers this year, and of course several new hydrangea bushes which grow really well around here, they are practically fool proof! I have done some container gardening, (mostly indoors though) and though I have done little....the little I have done has been immensely satisfying and I realized this year how much I enjoy it, always looking for an excuse to visit a nursery or a beautiful florist or greenhouse (to the point where I think some people think I work there)! So next year, my green thumb is going to be glowing and ready for action! Today  I share with you some exquisite gardening images I have saved that just make me exhale and immediately bring down my blood pressure a few notches. To boot....this is being tied in with a fabulous gardening giveaway!! Something from my shop in conjunction with a few chic gardening items from Angela's garden. All details on bottom. Enjoy..............

This is positively magical, Old Westbury Gardens
This makes my heart sing.....the white blooms, the charming seating arrangement, does it get any better?
The manicured look of I believe boxed hedges is simple perfection.
Beautiful planters and statuary, boxwoods, a fountain and lush foliage make this cozy, inviting but above all very elegant. London gardens

This charming parterre garden is just beautiful, Lamaisonfou
How beautiful is a simple garden bench on a sea of perfect grass with a raging flower garden as a backdrop!
Dreamy don't you think? A beautiful arbor or corridor of pale pink roses....spectacular!
Give me an expanse of bright green lawn, and a bed of blooming hydrangeas and I am good to go!
Green with Envy garden tour.....lush, secluded and magical is how I would sum this fabulous setting up.....
What awakens every one of our sense as much as a breathtaking rose garden/arbor? Granted this is not something most of us could easily achieve but its certainly a thing of beauty to aspire to!
White flowers in a lush green garden are the picture of elegance, Southern Accents
Statuary is such a gorgeous compliment to a lush and elegant garden, love this! Linda Floyd
How beautiful is this? What a perfect hideaway aka reading spot! Alfreds Gardens
Love a shaded parterre garden with a beautiful bench,  it just beckons you to sit and stay awhile, Pam Penick
One of my most favorite looks a boxed grass courtyard surrounded by hedges and towering large trees.....just breathtaking! J Schamp photography
Arbors and fountains are a beautiful way to complement a garden, Rinfret
How about a wisteria arbor to enter your herb garden? Yes thank you! The garden tourist
The right dose of weathered benches, boxed perimeter hedges, florals and lavender/heather......love love love it!
Gorgeous boxwoods frame this elegant patio, love the idea of a bold statuary item to center it.....Susan Friedman design group
OK if this isn't the picture of idyllic charm...don't know what is! Old Westbury Gardens
Love white in gardens and this lush garden's hydrangea borders are just amazing!!
Yes this requires boatloads of work and maintenance, but how stunning is this perfectly manicured garden featuring these round boxwoods lining a walkway? Domestic Executive
How beautiful is this bronze statue placed in the middle of a gorgeous lily pond? Love!!! Linda Floyd
This has been in my files for a long long time as a picture perfect "yard" (while I realize its far from your average yard) love the manicured, restrained feeling......visual perfection. Southern Accents


Are you channeling your inner green thumb yet? I am and most definitely feeling very inspired though we all know to have anything like those above, must be a true labor of love. These just do not "happen"! 

 So to get you really motivated I am offering a wonderful gardening giveaway! I am offering a beautiful aged moss fiberglass planter along with this beautiful pair of kidskin leather gardening gloves and matching stylish hat, courtesy of Angelas Garden. To enter its very simple, click on my store (here) and come back and tell me one item that you would love to own. Want a second chance then visit Angelas Garden (here) and tell me a gardening item you would love to have.  If you are in the market for great looking, very stylish, well priced gardening accessories, look no further, Angelas Garden is AMAZING!  I will announce a lucky winner on Friday! Good luck.......and get your garden on!


Here's the planter ready for your green thumb to work its magic!


And the beautiful kidskin gardening gloves and chic matching hat from Angela's garden...


If this doesn't get you motivated to begin gardening, don't know what will. Talk about gardening in style! Thanks for stopping in....wishing you a wonderful day. Be back on Friday!!






Photobucket

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Guest posting today at Inspired Design!

Hi there...hope you had a great weekend! Ours was busy and great but oh so hot!  I was melting and don't know if I have ever felt such incredibly hot weather, about 100 as a temp but once the humidity was factored in the index's were more like 109!! As you can see I have been posting less...there's been a lot of coming and going so my posting and blog visits have been sporadic. I do try to visit all my favorite blogs (and theres a ton of them) when I can, but realistically I expect this is how it will be for most of the summer. However, come fall I expect things to go right back to a more regular schedule (and I look forward to it). This summer has been quite busy with not as much downtime as I would like, so really hoping August might be a bit more relaxed! Moving on.....



Today I am over at one of my most favorite blogs and the guest of one of my best blogging friends, Debby of Inspired Design. Yes, that gorgeous blog that promises a perfect dose of stunning style, picturesque travel pics, inspiring images and always a well written prose worth reading every single word of. Debby knows just how to draw you in and my morning blog rounds simply would not be the same without a stop over at Inspired Design. Debby started her "Smitten with summer" series and asked me to guest post, naturally I was thrilled and jumped at the chance! Please stop over and visit me there, click here to visit!



Just a brief sidenote Debby, being the talented girl and photographer that she is recently launched her online store, Inspired Design Print Shop,  featuring the most gorgeous photographs (perfect for framing and hanging as a grouping) of her favorite places on earth. Places like Nantucket, Paris and California. The giclee prints (8x10)  are absolutely gorgeous, well priced and a really terrific way to display your love for some of your favorite destinations, also a superb gift idea! I think they are so well done, just had to share. Here's a sneak peek of what she offers...............Click here to visit her Print shop.





Pretty gorgeous don't you think? Thanks for stopping in....see you over at Inspired Design!




Photobucket

Monday, July 9, 2012

The Boys' Lake Cottage Bedroom

We recently visited my dad, who lives on a lake, and I did a few things to the boys' bedroom there.  Christian, our 5 year old (today's his birthday!!!) and Justin, our 2 "and-a-half" year old sleep in the room that used to be my dad's  and my Uncle Teddy's when they were boys.


Our family's had the cottage since the 50s and our boys love visiting now...


Whenever I visit my dad, I get a few things done here and there. Lots of it is fast and unplanned which means most of it is antique shops & retail..  This time, I did a little in the boys' bedroom.  Here's the view from the door...


I switched out some of the "girlier" fabrics and colors  (The aqua and corals I'd put in 10 years ago just weren't quite making it boyish enough ;) and added a few things from around the house & a few new ones.  I pulled in the old Ikea chair we'd had and am eying another chair to swap it our with but will have to wait on that one.  It's a nice spot to read with the boys.  I DEFINITELY need to add some blackout matchstick shades (they wake up waaaaaay to early with the sun & the time change) and plan on adding a wall of old family photos across from the bed so the boys will see their great-grandparents and the rest of the family when this lakehouse was in its heyday.  (It used to be packed every weekend with family but we live so far away it's not the same.)  We still all get together there, just not often enough. 

One of my favorite additions to the room is the set of basket fish we hung from the ceiling:

{found at the PB kids store}

I "borrowed" this vintage ship model of my dad's from another room in the house:

{A secret: The curtains I hung are too short for the windows but are mostly hidden behind furniture.  When the shades get added, I'll hand the rods a bit higher and add more fabric to the panels - probably in a contrasting fabric.  But for now = shhhhhhhh }

Christian sleeps on the left and Justin is on the right with the bed rails to keep him from falling out.  I love tucking them in at night and climbing into bed with one of  them.  Justin kicked me out this trip saying I should "snuggle with Trin Trin" instead.  (I guess I'm a bed hog.)  We watched fireworks  from the window the other night and I fell asleep.  It made me really happy.


I know it would have been a prettier pic without Justin's bed rails but that would have taken too long ;) ;)

I love the size of this room.  The ceilings give the illusion of even more space and there's not much "stuff" at all in here because we just bring our clothes when we come.   At home, the boys' room is so tiny that just 1 t-shirt on the floor makes it feel like a mess.  (Add in unmade beds and toys and books and the room looks trashed daily.)  They love playing with toys in here and even when they're not all picked up, the room still feels good.  I WISH this room was in our house at home.


Here are the boys "hanging out."  (Actually, me stealing them away form a game of hide-and-seek to make them sit o the bed so I could get a picture of them in their new room.  Ah vell.)

{"Are you done yet Mom?!!"}

In a couple of years, Luke  will join them in the big boys' room...  probably with a sleeping bag. 

xoxo, Lauren

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BIG 5 YEAR OLD!!!!!

ps- As I mentioned, I've been LOVING instagram on my phone and have been sharing little peeks of projects and tidbits on there.  I showed some pics of this room on there last week & looove playing with the photo editing to make the pics look cool.  (I'm really bad at it right now, I'll be honest, but I have hope.)  I'm not sure how to link over to it but my name on there is LaurenLiess and as soon as I can figure out how, I'll be sure to share a link on the blog so you can find me.  I've been having so much fun seeing everyone's phone photos and it's a little like twitter but waaaaaay better.

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.