Q. I’m always worried about using colors that are going to go out of fashion right away, but I still want my rooms to look up to date. What can I do?
A. You are right on target to be concerned about those things. Who wants to put money and time into a design project and then not like it? One safe way to incorporate all the latest colors (like aqua blue, grass green and raspberry) is to just soften them. Do this by sliding everything a bit toward the neutral palate.Go ahead and use a shade of whatever colors are most popular, just not at their boldest and brightest manifestation. Save the boldest moves for the throw pillows and accessory items, those things which you can easily change from time to time.
Then as trends change and move toward other colors, you will still be enjoying beautiful design and color without having made the commitment to a particular fashion statement. Of course . . . with Home Reserve this is less of a concern because you can get new fabric cover sets! See “Renewability” and “Changeable Fabrics” inside the Top 5.)
A couple of years ago, you may have started to notice more purple tones turning up in furniture stores and clothing stores alike. Well, it’s official, purple is in, and this strong elegant tone has staying power! So, join in the fun and create your own purple space! Home Reserve offers fantastic purple hues for whatever your style may be. Think lilac for country looks, and deep aubergine for traditional to modern rooms.
Take a look at these varying purples:
Altima Lilac Hondo Grape Liberty Burgundy Montego Aubergine
Tory Lilac
Combining purple with colors like green, orange, yellow, or pink will give your room a lively, bold look. Purple also can be used with neutrals like gray, silver, black, or white for a modern, stylish feel.
Which purple will you choose? Check back next week to see how Jen and I are using purple here in the studio.
Q.Casey and Jenny, I love my home, but I need some help! My great room has 2 walls full of windows, beautiful hardwood floors, and thick wood trim that surround each window. I would love to have a furniture decor and layout scheme that would compliment my home’s features, instead of being distracting. What do you suggest?
A.Good question Katherine! To accent your home’s best features, there are a few guidelines that I always follow. First, choose a neutral fabric palette for your furniture, so that it blends in with the room. Some fabric choices could be:
Liberty Sand Dune or Pulse Bamboo
Hondo Cream or Eureka Natural
Next, choose a soft secondary color for accent pillows and decor. Having one more subdued color will help in keeping the decor simple but interesting. For example, choose colors similar to these:
Pulse Citron Pulse Seaspray Hondo Sunburst Pulse Brown
Third, choose a layout that doesn’t hide the home’s best features. With Home Reserve sectionals, it is easy to create the perfect layout for any room. We suggest choosing a sectional with modular ottomans, so that there are plenty of places to sit and yet still have an open layout to showcase your home. Here is an example:
Spring is here! A time when we open the windows, clean the closets, and let the sunshine in here in Indiana. As we watch the daffodils bloom, It’s also a time when most all of us are ready for a fresh new look inside!With Home Reserve’s changeable fabric cover sets, it is easy to change your fabrics to fit the seasons.So, when Spring calls for fresh bright colors and patterns, here are some of my top picks.
Designer tip: Combine the solid fabric on a sofa with the pattern fabric on a throw pillow. Or, for even more of a statement, use the solid fabric for a sofa or loveseat, and the patterns for a chair.
There’s a lot of research out there demonstrating that favorite colors are related to one’s personality and temperament. According to this article by Rachel Zupek, a person’s favorite color might even help predict their career path.
How does this research help you choose a new couch? Well, think of the last time you were shopping at Target and you went by that rack of new Spring T-shirts. Which color did you touch first? What color are the dishes on which you’ll serve Easter dinner? When you plant flowers in the Spring, what color do you always include?
The color choices you return to again and again make you feel comfortable, brighten your mood, and could even make you look better. (People with a cool skin tone look better in blue and green, while people with a warm skin tone should wear more yellows and pinks!) So, while Jen and I are all for trying something new now and again, we never underestimate the value of an old favorite.
Look at these Home Reserve fabrics pallets, which tone draws your eye first?
Jen and I have been filming a video about the comfort of Home Reserve Furniture, discussing options and answering the question “Is it comfortable?” There are a lot of options to create your version of comfortable here at Home Reserve. Maybe it’s the tightback cushions of Brook, or the big rolled arm of the Monroe style. Jen and I both have Home Reserve sectionals in our own homes, and Jen’s kids especially love the cozy corner unit.
Here’s a look behind the scenes, filming in the studio.
Q. We are planning on ordering two Ali Sectionals, in groups 4 and 10, to furnish a new home theater room. We were thinking of alternating each piece of the sectional with the Altima Hickory and Altima Latte fabrics. We couldn’t find pictures of anything like that on the website, and we wondered how you think this would work.
A. Great question, Matt and Vicki. We think that combining fabrics on a sectional is an excellent idea. We love to see people be creative with Home Reserve Sectional units and fabrics. This will give you a hip, modern look that will have your friends wondering how you did it!
Lately, Jen and I have been using a lot of big accent pieces. This completes a room quickly and efficiently. We recommend using only a few large accents for a BIG impact instead of several small pieces that can become decorative clutter. My Illustration teacher used to call this impact “The wow factor”. To get the look, Choose solid items with different textures and don’t be afraid of dark colors. This will make your carefully selected items look confident and intentional.
Take a look at the set of our recent video “Renewability.” A wall screen in a dark contrasting color makes a nice backdrop and adds dimension. A synthetic tree provides light texture, and a solid tile-top table completes the look.
Casey and I often get questions about wall colors and backdrops for Home Reserve Furniture, so I just wanted to share a note about a new favorite accessory . . .
Wallpaper used to be a thing of the past, when people buying a home couldn’t wait to rip the hideous designs off their walls! Well, good news. . . Wallpaper today has evolved and is the hottest new trend for modern home decor! I love these new graphic and bold designs. Check out places like nest-living.com 2modern.com, and designpublic.com to see a wide variety of modern wallpaper.
If you’re not ready for the commitment of wallpaper, wall stickers can achieve the same look. Using modern wallpaper or stickers as a backdrop for your Home Reserve furniture will give you a modern trendy look. It will liven your room, and accessorize your furniture like jewelry on a dress. Here are some modern wall designs right out of our studio at Home Reserve.
Tip: Use Solid colored furniture inf ront of interesting patterns.
