Well, it was that time again, where all of the furniture industry join together in High Point, North Carolina to view hot new furniture styles and colors! This year was no exception. In sofa fabrics we saw a lot of bright colors and bold reds. Leather is trending with button cushions. In bedroom furniture, the storage bed is still very popular, as is the marble top Louis Philippe. As for formal dining, that business is dropping because people are moving away from the formal dining room, but we did see some counter height formal dining which was eye catching. The mattress designs have not changed much but we are beginning to see a hint of color in what is normally an off-white world.
Home Office
Monday, April 11th, 2011
Spring Furniture Market
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Relax yourself by reclining
People need to relax. More importantly YOU need to relax. It is very important to your survival that the amount of stress you put on yourself be lowered and the amount of time you spend relaxing be increased.
One of the single best pieces of furniture to relax in is the almighty recliner. A recliner is a piece of furniture, such as a large armchair or sofa, that can be adjusted into a reclining position by lowering the back of the piece and raising the footrest. A reclining chair can adjust to different levels from a slight incline, to lying almost flat.
But what type of recliner is right for you?
Stressless Recliners
Stressless recliners are perfect for a family with a fashionable home who want to maintain the home’s sleek style while still having a piece of furniture they can relax in and enjoy the day. Stressless Recliners come in two separate pieces: the reclining chair and a matching footstool to elevate your feet. The chair typically reclines to about 45 degrees and can come in either a high or low back. These recliners come in a whole range of fabrics and colors, allowing you to find the perfect match for your stylish home.
Massage Recliners
What they lack in style, they gain in extreme comfort. Massage recliners are the ideal item for treatment of tired legs and backs. They come with a variety of massage types and many different reclining positions. Your legs are cared for too as they include mechanisms to massage your feet, calves, and upper leg. Typically, they are operated manually but sometimes offer pre-programmed massages for specific parts of your body.
Swivel Recliners
Swivel recliners are probably the most prevalent recliners today since they provide maximum comfort. The swivel base of the recliner allows it to turn in a 360-degree motion, allowing you to see all sides of the room without having to stand up. It reclines using a small lever, and has both a chair and an ottoman with a base that contains the swivel mechanism. Pull the lever, lean back, kick your feet up and give yourself the much needed relaxation to recharge your batteries for the next day’s activities.
Sofa Recliners
Not to be left out, sofas can be made to recline as well. Many sofas are manufactured with reclining mechanisms of their own, giving your family or guests ultimate comfort in any occasion. Reclining sofas have backs that recline in at least two places and have a footrest which comes up as the back reclines. These can come in a variety of sizes and styles, giving them the ability to fit any kind of décor.
Whether it’s enjoying a good movie or after a long day’s work , visit your local PMD Furniture Direct ™ franchisee and shop their immense selection of reclining furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings Collection and give yourself the ultimate in relaxation!
Thursday, July 22nd, 2010
What is contemporary style?
Are you “in style”? Does your home have a look that would be considered cool by today’s standards? If so, then your home probably has been designed and decorated with a contemporary look. But what does “contemporary” really mean?
Many times contemporary style is classified as a distinct style and doesn’t encompass other design styles. Commonly, and un-knowingly, people think furniture considered contemporary is something they are most likely to find in an upscale art gallery in New York city. What they fail to realize is that the word contemporary simply means “of the present time,” and this can encompass a broad range of designs.
If you are looking for a more straight line look and want to stay within the contemporary design, then look for pieces that are of Danish or Scandinavian design. Contemporary Scandinavian designers often use straight lines in their designs and leave their pieces unadorned and crafted of walnut and teak. Sometimes their pieces will have gentle curves, but these will not be at a premium.
The most common label for contemporary furniture is “Artsy” and is likely to be found in urban locations and lofts. This furniture often has flare and is extremely simple. Furniture pieces in this category are not always adorned with straight lines, but typically showcase curved lines to give them a unique look and shape. Leather and microfibers are usually the upholstery of choice in this case.
Finally, minimalist styled furniture takes the contemporary look to the extreme and is known for its use of straight lines. The Minimalist approach was inspired by Bauhaus design and puts emphasis on free space, functionality, and economical design. You won’t find a lot of furniture in a minimalistic room. Instead, you will find one of two pieces accompanied by a lot of space.
Whether its curvy lines or straight lined, urban or minimalistic, visit your local PMD Furniture Direct ™ franchisee and shop their immense selection of contemporary furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings Collection and give your home the fresh style you are looking for!
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010
Things to pay attention to when shopping for the perfect piece of furniture.
“What color do I need?…..should I go with fabric?…..what style do I need?……will this even fit?….do I have enough money?!!”………
We have all been there before. Picking out a new piece of furniture can be a very stressful time, especially when there are so many factors to take into consideration. Take your time and don’t make a hasty decision, this will save you from hating your furniture for years to come. In order to help you find the right piece of furniture, we have compiled a list of factors you need to think about before you go shopping. Each recommendation will help you find that perfect item you will treasure for years.
- Space is key: How much space do you have to work with? This is the first question you need to ask yourself. It’s simple…regardless of what you want, if you don’t have the space, then don’t even consider it! The shape and size of your room will help you determine what to look for. For instance, if you’re looking for a living room sectional and don’t have a lot of room to work with, consider a loveseat over a sofa.
- Measurements: You want to bring your furniture in your house, right?. Many people find the perfect piece, buy it, get it home and oops it doesn’t fit through the door. Keep in mind that some sofas are simply too big to bring into your home. In order to get the piece into the room, it has to first fit through the door. Measure all your furniture pieces already in the home. This will give you a solid base of measurements to look for in a piece of furniture. This will save you the stress on the way home about whether it will fit through the door.
- What’s your lifestyle: What is your life like? Is it just you or are you a part of a large family? Will the piece you buy often have smaller children on it? Your lifestyle determines what type of piece you should buy. If you entertain guests regularly, consider a sturdy, comfortable couch. Buy pieces of furniture that will flow with your lifestyle and won’t leave you pulling your hair out every time you have guests over.
- Budget: It’s simple. Don’t buy what you can’t afford. Always plan around your budget. You shouldn’t burden yourself with the added stress that accompanies paying off home décor you can’t afford. Quality furniture costs more, but will last longer. Cheap furniture, while easy on the budget, doesn’t last long and you may find yourself buying furniture again in several years. Determine how long you want your home décor to last and shop for items that fit that time range, and most importantly your budget.
When following these steps for buying a piece of furniture, visit your local PMD Furniture Direct ™ franchisee and shop their massive selection of high quality furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings Collection and leave in peace, knowing you got that perfect piece!
Saturday, July 10th, 2010
Keeping up with furniture lingo
With styles changing almost daily, it’s hard to keep up with current furniture lingo thrown at you while shopping for furniture. Whether it’s traditional, contemporary, modern, cottage, or chic, these terms can encompass a broad range of styles that might leave you scratching your head. In the next few weeks I will review the most commonly used terms to discuss styles, and what exactly they mean. This week we will look at traditional styles, and what it truly means to be a traditional looking piece of furniture.
Time honored, European, Colonial…these are just a few of the words you might hear when shopping for a traditionally styled piece. The main characteristic all these terms have in common is they have a look dating hundreds of years back. These pieces will be reminiscent of furniture you might find in a royal mansion in Spain, or a President in Colonial times.
If a piece has an European feel, it most likely means the wood will have a curvilinear design and commonly will be constructed our of dark woods. Sofas and chairs will have an arched back giving them a more formal look and feel.
American styled pieces will have a look that was represented in the Colonial times. Painted finishes coupled with spindles – and finial – are very typical in this instance. However, they will be adapted to fit modern day uses.
Tropical looks combined with British styles are what makes up the British Colonial and West Indies fashion. These pieces are most likely constructed with wicker, rattan, and other lighter woods but completed with deep dark finishes. The lines and edges of these items will be much cleaner and simpler when compared to the curvy lines of the European brand of style.
When looking to give your room a traditional look and feel, visit your local PMD Furniture Direct ™ franchisee and shop their enormous selection of furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings Collection so your home can have the class and style it deserves!
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
Painting it environmental green
Do you love the environment? Do you love spending time in the great outdoors? If yes, you should consider giving your décor an eco-friendly boost. In today’s society, we are constantly made aware of mother earth’s deteriorating condition. Taking care of the environment is essential for all industries and products. For those of you looking to create an environmentally friendly home, here’s a list of home-beautifying trends and products in accordance with the bourgeoning ‘green’ movement.
Wabi-Sabi
Reclaimed wood is one of the most popular trends in green design. The reshaping of recycled wood falls under the Japanese art form, Wabi-Sabi, an art devoted to finding beauty in imperfection. This new spin on an old design philosophy presents both contemporary and traditional items that are sure to brighten any space.
Paint it “Green”
The green movement no longer only applies to the construction of furniture. Now, the green movement extends from your floor to the ceiling, literally. New chemical-free paints – which contain no volatile organic compounds – make spicing up your interior an eco-friendly exercise. Today, chemical-free interior paint has expanded from only a few shades to the entire spectrum of the rainbow and beyond. You can paint your rooms and feel good about your effort to reduce the damage inflicted on mother nature.
LED is a Y-E-S
While compact fluorescent lighting is a better choice for the environment than the old incandescent bulb, it gives off a drab, bluish glow. Fluorescent bulbs used to be the only environmentally sound choice, but now a brighter option is in the making. New LED bulbs, made in the same shape and size as incandescent bulbs, will soon hit the market. They give off a brighter, more natural light than incandescent lights while offering much more durability than the older models.
When giving your room an eco-friendly boost, visit your local PMD Furniture Direct ™ franchisee and get those eco-friendly furniture pieces from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings Collection so you can enjoy the environment all the time.
Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
Tranquility right in your own home
Everybody needs peace and quite some time or another. Whether it’s after a long days work or you have a huge decision to make, tranquility can play a huge role in rejuvenating you. But where can you go to get peace? How about right in the comforts of your own home! With just a little help and some creativity, and your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee, you can create a little room in your home where relaxation will always be waiting for you. Follow these steps to creating your own tranquil area.
1. Choose a room in your home where there will be few to no distractions from others. A lightly trafficked area is best like a bedroom or office area. The main idea here is to create a personal and uncluttered place that inspires you to feel relaxed.
2. Focus on beauty when decorating. It doesn’t take a lot, but just a couple of objects. It can be a photo of a loved one, a candle, flower, or some type of memento that relaxes you. Something personal. Regardless of what the object is you choose, keep it simple when it comes to color. White and pure colors are usually the color of choice. A nice comfortable chair is also key. The idea is to be relaxed. Relaxing means putting your whole body in a comfortable state. What better reach that goal than a comfortable chair.
3. Stimulate your senses. Aroma and sounds enhance peaceful feeling in people. Some type of scented candle or table top waterfall for noise are usually the objects of choice, but music can also play a huge role in achieving tranquility.
4. Take advantage of it. It is really pointless to set up an area and not use it. If you have a moment or you are by yourself, take advantage or the area you created. It’s not enough just to have the space available, it’s about taking the time out of your hectic workday and relaxing.
When trying to set up a tranquil room in your home, visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to purchase the items you need to find peace in your home.
Saturday, April 24th, 2010
Setting up a home office
In today’s economy, more and more people are finding it easier to run businesses from the comforts of their own homes. The results of this growing trend mean people are setting aside areas of their home as their office and most importantly now have to buy office furniture.
Whether you are buying a new desk or chair, knowing what to look for can be the difference between enjoyable working area or a painful one. Follow this guideline for buying office furniture from purchased from your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee and set up your perfect office today!
- First, always measure the area you are going to set up as your office before you go out to buy. Knowing these measurements will help you decide what furniture you can purchase for your home office.
- Comfort and functionality always trumps looks. You are going to be spending hours at this desk so make sure it is the right height and size for you. Larger desks does not always mean better. Find something you can sit at comfortably.
- Think about the materials the desk is constructed out of. Always look for durability. Metal desk are known to hold up longer than wood desks. This is great especially if you have young kids. Wood desks can sometimes be more executive looking, but can get banged up and chipped. Also metal desks are much more easy to clean.
- Set a budget. Knowing your limit will help you decide what you can and can’t afford. This budget will help you avoid impulse buying.
- Pick a chair that is comfortable, adjustable, and can roll easily on all different types of floor coverings. The chair is the most important thing you are going to buy. You will be sitting in this chair for hours so do not skimp on this purchase. A little pain in your wallet will be far less than that great pain in your back.
- Finally, research. Go online and do some research to see what stores have what offers. This will save you a ton of time and allow you to make great purchases.
Visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of affordable, durable and beautiful furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection.
