Furniture

To Match, Or Not To Match… Nightstands

February 9, 2019

Furniture sets are nice because of their convenience. But, in the world of an interior designer, that convenience comes at a price – “matchy matchy”. Furniture, furnishings and accents should be complementary, of course. However, when everything matches, it can yield an interior space that seems a little bland and devoid of personality; hotel rooms and other public spaces come to mind. Mixing your furnishings up can create more visual interest and mismatched nightstands are a great example of this.

Perhaps you are already a fan of shabby chic or non-matching furnishings, or maybe you have been the beneficiary of some pretty cool hand-me-downs. Either way, there are plenty of ways to make mismatched nightstands look entirely at home and stylish in your bedroom.

How to Make the Most of Mismatched Nightstands

Proportions

Even if the pieces aren’t matched, try to pair end tables, small dressers or whatever you are using that have similar proportions. If the height, widths and general shape of the tables are similar, they will hardly appear mismatched. Using some identical accents, like a pair of lamps or other identical accessories, will make the fact they are mismatched less noticeable.

Color

Tables that are painted the same color will go a long way towards “working,” even if their architecture is different. This is easy DIY project and if you are brave, it can be a fun way to introduce a bright or bold color that you might have shied away from otherwise.

Matching wood tones

Similarly, finding antique or contemporary pieces with matching wood colors and tones will help the pieces to harmonize. This is a great way to get an end table with extra function power. In this Orange County bedroom, one of the owners likes to write before bedtime, an action that is difficult with most traditional night stand styles since there’s no room for knees. By choosing a small antique writing table, and then finding a nightstand in a similar shade of wood for the other side, the couple have complementary nightstands without her sacrificing the nightly writing ritual.

The same but different

You can also select two different versions of the same thing. A shorter, taller, skinnier or fatter version of the accompanying nightstand can be a fun play on the same design and is also an interesting study in proportions. This can be helpful when a bed has to be placed off-center in a room. The skinnier or smaller table will work better against the wall, giving just enough space for a lamp, your smart phone, a glass of water, etc.

Embrace the difference

You can also take the opposite approach and celebrate the fact that your nightstands are mismatched. Don’t even worry about the fact that they’re different. Put a funky lamp on one and a more traditional lamp on the other. Let your pile of books runneth over while his simple alarm clock and small reading lamp stay neatly in place all year long. The rest of your bedroom decor can tie it all together.

Yes, working with mismatched furniture can be challenging at times, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a wonderful way to create a more interesting living space.

5 Tips for Mixing Wood Types and Finishes

January 27, 2019

Feel like your wood furniture reads more like a “wood finish sampler” than part of a cohesive interior design? Never fear. This is a common design conundrum and one that is easily solved without sacrificing any favorite pieces or spending money on expensive refinishing or painting.

So, whether you are a hoarder of gorgeous wood species or are a teak fan who just merged households with your oak and pine lovin’ counterpart – I have several solutions for you.

5 Ideas for Mixing and Matching Your Different Wood Types and Finishes

Think of it as pattern mixing. Different wood species mean different wood grains, and what are wood grains but one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful and fascinating patterns. Patterns can and should be layered to create depth and interest in your rooms. Think of different wood types as patterns waiting to be mixed up. Consider the undertones in the grains and place your pieces accordingly, using tables, hutches or sideboards that share similar hues or undertones. You can also approach this in a different way, keeping the grains consistent and throwing caution to the wind when it comes to finishes. Use other textiles and objects to create additional lines of communication between the pieces so they all feel related.
Make one of the pieces a focal point. Perhaps you have a particular table that is one shade while the rest of your wood furniture is another. Use the odd ball piece to create a focal point and surround it with the others so that it stands out. You can use surrounding accents to tie it in. For example, let’s say you have a table with a dark stain while the rest of your furniture is lighter pine or oak. Place that darker table in the middle of the room and use the lighter pieces around the edges. Then, use other objects or accents that match the focal point to tie it together.
Take advantage of area rugs. Area rugs can be a great neutralizer when you move into a home with gorgeous wood floors…that don’t match a single piece of your own wood furniture. Choose a neutral area rug that is large enough to house the bulk of the furniture, whether it be a dining room table and chairs or the coffee and end table set in your formal living room seating arrangement. Once you have the area rug in place, the furnishings will all come together with the area rug as a buffer.
Choose sides. You may realize that you have two distinct “sets” of wood furniture. One half is one type and/or shade while the other is another (typical when two homes merge as one). In this case, choose sides and keep all of the furniture with one shade in one section or side of the room with the rest on the other side. Perhaps they will be divided by a couch or seating area. Or, maybe one shade set becomes part of the reading nook while the other comprises the main seating area.
Use solid colors too. Even with the above tricks, it may be that you simply have too many wood pieces in varying shades. If this is the case, break them up using solid color furnishings so it doesn’t look too much like an episode of “Woods Gone Wild.” Simply painting one side of a butcher block or dresser white can help to tone down the effect.

7 Ways To Use A Serving Cart

December 30, 2018

Furniture can be divided into three categories: pieces you use daily, pieces you use weekly, and pieces you hardly ever use. To a minimalist designer, the latter category is clutter, filling up unnecessary space. A traditionalist will look at that piece differently, allowing it to remain as long as it jives with the rest of the decor. A transitional or functional designer says, “Let’s put that piece to use more often!”

Serving carts are a prime example of a furnishing that can be superfluous unless you’re getting more out of it than the occasional service at a party or social gathering.

7 Ideas to Make A Decorative Serving Cart More Functional

A serving cart can be attractive in its own right but, unless you’re using the piece regularly, it’s also a space hog. Here are ideas to put that piece to use.

Make it a home bar. Serving carts work great as a small home bar. Put all of the basic – or your favorite – liquors on the top, along with an ice bucket, napkins, a shaker and a glass to hold spoons or stir sticks. Put a few tumblers and wine glasses on the bottom level. Now, happy hour can migrate anywhere you want it and is at the ready when you have a visit from an impromptu guest.
A kitchen island. Have a small kitchen? Apartment, cottage or townhome dwellers find a serving cart makes a wonderful kitchen island substitute, providing extra “countertop” space for food prep and storage.
Enjoy fresh flowers. The idea of having a fresh flower arrangement on a weekly basis is lovely, the practicality is less so. It’s difficult for families to find a space where a vase of fresh flowers can sit relatively undisturbed – most of the spaces where it would rest are used on a regular basis, which makes it more of an inconvenience. Your serving cart, however, makes a perfect host for your arrangement, and when it’s tucked diagonally in a corner or along a wall, it won’t be in the way.
Craft cart for kids. No matter how hard you try, the kids’ craft supplies are rarely returned to their intended location. Why? Because kids draw on the coffee table, the dining room table, the kitchen table, on a book on the floor…etc. Purchase some attractive storage containers and make your serving cart a portable kids’ craft cart they can wheel to where its useful and then wheel back again – making it easier for the miscellaneous supplies to make it back into one spot.
Your craft cart. Do you love to scrapbook, embroider or sew? Don’t tuck those projects away in a cupboard. Instead, use the same idea as the kids’ craft cart. Organize your crafting materials in tidy, attractive storage containers and keep them out and handy so you can work on your projects more often.
Use it as an end table. If the height works with a chair or couch in your living or family room area, the cart can serve as an end table – holding a lamp, some magazines or those errant remote controls.
Plant stand. House plants add color and life to interior decors, and the right plants also improve your indoor air quality. Your serving cart will work as a plant stand. Put the pots on serving trays to protect the stand from water run off and to simplify things when it’s time to relocate the plants while you use the tray.

Shopping For Patio Furniture

November 11, 2018

April showers bring May flowers, right? That’s what we’re hoping for here in the Kristina Wolf Design studio anyway. While we’re thrilled about all the rain our state has absorbed this year, we’re ready to turn our sites on sunshiny weather – and that means more time spent in backyards and patios.

If you haven’t shopped for patio furniture lately, you might experience a bit of sticker shock; it’s an investment. Even lower-end products sold in big box gardening shops have whopping price tags. For this reason, I recommend saving up until you’re able to splurge on higher-quality products made by well-established brands. The right choice will yield furniture that lasts decades, and that beats spending money every year to replace cheaper, worn out versions.

7 Tips for Purchasing Patio Furniture

Here are 7 tips to help you make the right investment for your outdoor lifestyle.

Get your priorities straight

What are you purchasing the furniture for? This will dictate which pieces you buy. Do you dine outdoors on a regular basis? If so, a larger dining table and chairs makes sense. If not, a smaller café table with chairs will suffice and the rest of your furniture can be mix-and-match chairs and a couple of ottomans that also serve as tables or additional seating as needed.

Are you a lounger and/or is your backyard the go-to space for cocktail hour or morning coffee? In that case, a couch (which can always be pulled up to a table) and a chaise lounge or two are essential.

Make a list of which furniture gets priority so those pieces make the cut first.

Think about size

You’ll want to think about the square footage of your outdoor area and then make sure your furniture is sized according to the space.

Squeezing too much in, or placing oversized pieces in smaller spaces, yields a crowded and less relaxed energy – and that’s not the idea. Larger patios have room for furniture-style pieces while a smaller patio should feature perimeter benches and lower profile tables and chairs.

Try them on for comfort

Never purchase patio furniture you haven’t tried out on your own. Like bar stools or dining room chairs, you should be able to sit down and remain in place for at least a minute or two, so you’re absolutely sure you’re making a comfortable choice. The last thing you want is a chair that pinches thighs, tables that are too high or too low for eating or project comfort, or chair arms that are too skinny to actually support a real life arm. Don’t forget to check out adjustable chaise lounge positions to make sure the angles are all comfortable – and that you can access a completely prone position for lounging on your tummy.

Consider all-weather and storage options

Materials definitely matter for a few reasons. First, you don’t want to purchase a sturdy and heavy wrought-iron set if you’re planning to rearrange furniture on a regular basis, or if you’re going to be storing them seasonally as they are cumbersome to lift and maneuver. Similarly, you shouldn’t purchase weather-vulnerable wood furniture unless you’re committed to sealing them each year before the wet weather kicks into gear. Look for patio pieces that are inherently weather resistant and/or that are coated with high-quality protective coatings to extend their lifetime.

Really think about your outdoor lifestyle, weather you’re going to be storing furniture or not, how often it will be moved around, and the climate where you live. If you are planning to store it, have you narrowed selections to those that fold, stack or come apart easily for space efficiency? Answers to these questions will narrow your options in regards to materials and maintenance requirements.

Figure out which material makes the most sense for you

Those brand new plastic or acrylic pieces look amazing in the store, and the price may feel right, but you’re guaranteed to need new furniture within five years. Rule of thumb: always purchase from established brands to make sure you’re fully satisfied.

So, that leads to an analysis of higher-quality materials.

Wrought-iron. Beautiful and long lasting. Also very heavy and can be ruthless when it comes to stubbed toes and shins. Look for powder-coated, UV-resistant finishes, rust-proof hardware, and seamless welds.
Aluminum. Yields a high-quality look but is much lighter-weight. Again, you’re looking for powder-coated, UV-resistant finishes, rust-proof hardware, and seamless welds.
Recycled plastics or polymers. Unlike the cheaper plastic options, these are thick, heavy and durable. Consumers also like the rounded and more sculpted (mid-century modern) style available from these moldable materials. Look for UV-stabilizing pigments to prevent fading.
Wood. Only purchase patio furniture made from denser wood such as eucalyptus, teak or Shorea wood (looks like teak but is much cheaper). Almost all other wood products need to be sealed every year – and the reality is that most homeowners don’t do it. Look for wood furniture that isn’t glued together.

Purchase covers or a stylish storage shed

Even the most weather-resistant patio furniture materials last longer when it’s protected. If you aren’t planning on storing furniture, purchase heavy-duty covers from the manufacture so they fit well.

Pay attention to warranty information

Do pay attention to warranty information, particularly information pertaining to the furniture’s structural integrity. While paint and coatings are relatively easy to replace, your furniture’s structure should come with respectable warranty protection so you can rest easy – physically, mentally and financially.

Comfortable, high-quality patio furniture is the foundation for years of outdoor memory making with family and friends. Designing an outdoor living space that suits your interests and lifestyles – optimizes your outdoor space.

Making Your Shelves The Most Interesting Piece In The Room

November 9, 2018

Shelves are made to be utilitarian, which is fine. But, with the right eye and a little creativity, they can become utilitarian works of art – or, at the very least – utilitarian accents that enhance an interior design.

9 Ways to Make Shelves Stand Out

Here are 9 Ideas for replacing existing shelves, or updating the ones you want to keep, so shelves do more than just “hold stuff.” Give them something to brag about while they’re at it…

Make them disappear. Here’s an idea for the modernist as well as the decorator who appreciates a little whimsy. Purchase metal L-Brackets at the hardware store. Then mount them about 10-inches to 12-inches apart- or as far apart as some of your largest, hardly-read books. Then, stack the large book on the bottom (forming the shelf) with smaller books stacked on top. The effect is a floating stack of books on the wall.
Put an old ladder to work. Have a loft or industrial-style space? Find an old antique ladder and paint it any color you like. Then, open it up against a wall and run planks of wood, metal or whatever hard material appeals to you (thick glass with dulled edges would be awesome too) through both sides of the ladder.
Don’t forget the white space. One of the biggest mistakes most of us make is overcrowding shelves so they become a boring, non-stop run of books and/or cluttered with curios. Don’t forget the white space. From books to collectibles, shelves will always look cleaner and more interesting if you leave some gaps in between things.
Wallpaper them. Budget designers can turn ugly, old wooden shelves into works of art by wallpapering them top and bottom. You can often find old scraps of wallpaper for cheap, but even purchasing it new will cost less than $50, depending on how many shelves you have. This is idea is especially attractive for shelves that are higher up, because the undersides of the shelves add unobtrusive color and interest.
Old crates or boxes. Sand, finish or repaint old wooden boxes or crates. Even old dresser drawers or file drawers will work. They can be mounted on the wall like a curio cabinet individually or in unique arrangements.
Display collections. We posted an entire piece on how to display your collections. Interspersing a collection amidst books or designating “display” shelves is a smart way to add interest to various rooms in your house.
Use rough planks. I love the look of thick, natural wooden planks that keep the edges of the tree in their natural curvature. They work wonderfully for mantel tops and also as shelves. Have a small entryway? Use a thick wooden plank or two, hung above the height where it would knock ahead, to display some curios.
Stack antique benches. Most plain, wood benches are about the same depth as substantial shelving, which makes this a smart way to convert antique benches into shelves. You can stack them, bracing them for safety to make a bolder statement. A distressed look is always appreciated and it’s just fine to mix-and-match colors.
Use art. Shelves are a great place to display some of your art, especially smaller pieces that can get lost on a wall by themselve. Instead, you can show them off – and create a little of that aforementioned shelf space – by using a shelf to prop them up against the wall. Even larger works of art will look stunning this way if the shelf and space accommodate them.