Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may not make it into your décor but you might bring in a bright copper kettle while working your favorite things into a room design. It just makes sense to design our homes around things we love. That makes us comfortable, and if we feel comfortable in our homes we will enjoy them more and our guests will too. Dealers of the best furniture Chicago offers can help you achieve this goal.
One place to start is by getting rid of clutter. That means not only piles of mail and old magazine that have accumulated on the end table or kitchen counter, but anything that we don’t use, need or want. One home makeover show used to have a designer that asked: Do you love it? Do you need it? (If you haven’t used it in six months to a year the answer is NO!) Can it make you money? If the homeowner could not answer yes to one of these questions the item was out. This process of eliminating clutter can be emotional and may take some time, but work at it steadily and it will happen.
Find a wall color you like. This is an easy and inexpensive way to give a room that “wow” factor. You can do the entire room or just an accent wall, but don’t be afraid of color. Think about how different colored rooms make you feel and go from there. Continue that color in accent pieces throughout the room.
Be sure that your furniture is comfortable. How many of us have been to a home with that one formal-looking room that no one ever uses. The atmosphere is cold and the furniture is stiff, so no one wants to use it. This is why kitchens so often become the gathering place. They are warm and inviting and we feel comfortable being ourselves there. If your furniture is not comfortable and you don’t love it, get rid of it! Buy the best quality you can and upgrade when you can afford to do so. Even in a room like a home office, your Chicago office furniture retailer can help you combine comfort and function.
Put things where they are accessible. I can’t count the number of times I have gone to my storage closet to get a fan and found it is hidden behind boxes of Christmas decorations and piles of camping equipment. Pack things away seasonally so the fans are at the front of the closet in the summer and the Christmas decorations are there in December. Keep other things close at hand, like some throws or blankets in a basket or drawer near your favorite place to curl up at read or watch a movie. Keep your most-used cooking pieces close-at-hand. This goes for reading material and lighting as well.
Speaking of good lighting – get some! Don’t count on a ceiling fixture to illuminate your entire room. Place lamps strategically where you can use them to save energy or to highlight reading and handwork. Recessed lighting in kitchens and bathrooms and spotlighting on artwork can be convenient as well as warm and welcoming. Consider dimmer switches wherever possible to allow mood lighting and save on energy costs.
Don’t forget the personal touches. Heirloom pieces and family photos not only give you a sense of ownership and recall fond memories, but they warm up your home and guests often enjoy then as a conversation piece. Photos should be displayed in groupings if they are small. Change some of them out seasonally to keep your room fresh.
When you shop for the best furniture Chicago has to offer, think about what you want in your home, not what a decorator uses in the displays. Most of all, keep your personality in your decorating – that will assure a comfortable home.
