Designing a Kid-Friendly Living Room

Posted August 8, 2016

We all want to boast a beautiful living room. After all, it should be the one room in your home where you can relax with your family, enjoy your favorite television show after a busy workday, and entertain guests. It shouldn’t be the one room in your home that lacks style, organization or upkeep. And just because you have children, doesn’t mean your living room – or the rest of your home for that matter – has to lack style. There are plenty of ways to make your living room look elegant and clean, while also making it kid-friendly and safe.

Here are some tips to help you maintain a clutter-free, organized and visually appealing living room, no matter how young your children may be.

Find the Right Paint

Fingerprints, markers, crayons and other imperfections can make your walls look dirty and unmaintained, which can take away from the overall beauty of your living space. Once the marks are on the wall, there’s no going back – unless you paint your walls with a washable paint sheen! Colors in eggshell, satin or semi-gloss are all great options for families with young children, as imperfections can be washed away easily with soap and water.

Don’t feel limited to traditional paint options either. Chalkboard, magnetic, and dry erase paints are all wonderful accent wall options that take the cake for being parent and living room approved. In fact, you’ll want your kids to draw as much as they want on the walls coated in one of these fun and family-oriented options!

Protect Your Furniture

Kids are always jumping around on the furniture, and if they aren’t doing that, they’re either eating or drinking on them. To ensure your furniture investments are protected and maintain their like-new appearance for a long time, take advantage of couch and chair covers. These slip-covers are easy to take on and off, and they’re even washable. Use them to cover your furniture during play dates, and then whisk them off with ease before your dinner party.

Another family-friendly furniture option is leather. Both durable and comfortable, leather furniture is less likely to reveal stains, spills and other imperfections than fabric is.

Choose the Right Flooring

When you have young children, spills, dirt, allergens and crumbs can easily accumulate and make your floors look downright dirty. Make sure you install floors that are easy to maintain and clean up should your son spill his glass of orange juice everywhere. Durable, stain resistant carpeting is also a wonderful way to cover your gorgeous hardwood floors until your kids are a bit older. Plush and warm, carpeting can also protect your kids from bumps and bruises should they fall.

For families looking for fine furnishings and interior design assistance in the West Bloomfield, Michigan area, Sherwood Studios is here to help. Visit our showroom at 6231 Orchard Lake Road or give us a call at 248-855-1600 to get started on your living room upgrade!

Source: http://www.homestoriesatoz.com/decorating/5-ways-to-create-a-kid-friendly-family-room.html

Greet Your Guests with a Welcoming Entryway

Posted July 12, 2016

When it comes to decorating the home, most families focus their energy on rooms that see the most use (the living room, kitchen and dining room). But there is one easily forgotten space that can have the biggest impact on guests: The entryway.

The first area in your home that friends and family see when they arrive, your entryway should present a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Give guests a hint of your home’s style while also offering plenty of room (and light) for them to take of coats and shoes.

Here are just a few tips on how to imbue your entryway with hospitality and style.

Incorporate Storage

Regardless of if your children are age eight or 18, it is a given that they will drop their backpacks, coats and shoes at the door when they walk inside. Instead of looking on in frustration as all their stuff piles up, we recommend incorporating storage into your entryway. Hooks to hang coats and backpacks, a dresser to shore glove, hats and scarves, and a rack for shoes will make your space an organized and welcoming one.

Take a Seat

Give your guests a place to sit down and take of their shoes when they arrive by adding a set of chairs or a bench to your entryway. For smaller spaces, we recommend finding a bench with storage to perform double-duty in your space.

Provide Plenty of Lighting

The first area of your home that visitors step foot into, your entryway should be filled with warm lighting that welcomes them in from the outdoors. If possible, we recommend adding a couple different lighting options to your space. With a table lamp, wall scones and a hanging lantern or chandelier, you will be able to illuminate your space perfectly regardless of what time of day or night it is.

Make it Your Own

As you are choosing furnishings and decorative piece to fill your entryway, pay attention to how they match the rest of your home’s style. The first glimpse that guests get of your space, the entryway provides hints and clues to your interior design style.

With the right furnishings included, this space can be a beautiful transitionary area from the outdoors to the inside of your one-of-a-kind home.

Whether you are looking for fine furnishings to fill your entryway or an experienced interior designer to help you bring your vision to life, Sherwood Studios can help. To get started on your entryway redesign, visit our West Bloomfield, Michigan showroom or give us a call at 248-855-1600.

Finding the Right Rug for Any Room

Posted July 5, 2016

Warm in color and complementary to any style, hardwood floors are absolutely beautiful. But regardless of how much you love yours there is nothing quite as comfortable beneath your feet as a plush rug. Obviously you don’t want to hide your rich hardwood under wall to wall carpeting, making an area rug the perfect compromise.

Whether you are looking to create segmentation in an open floor plan or add an extra touch of coziness to your bedroom, the right area rug will work wonders.

Size

Finding the perfect area rug is all about dimensions. The size and shape of your rug needs to fit the room it is in. Pick a rug that is too big and it will overpower the furniture and décor, choose one that’s too small and it will not serve its purpose well.

This article from Houzz provides great sizing advice for rooms of all sizes and shapes.

Lifestyle & Location

The style of rug you choose depends greatly on where in your home it is located. Spaces like the dining room and entryway will always require a durable rug to keep spills and muddy footprints from staining. And for families with young children or pets, durability should be considered throughout the entirety of their space.

Color

Once you have decided what dimensions and fabric you prefer for your area rug, there is also color to consider. This will depend greatly on your interior design style.

Are you looking for a rug that makes a statement or one that serves as a backdrop for furniture and decorative items?

There are endless colors and patterns to choose from, just remember that the piece you choose will be with you for years to come. For individuals that are constantly changing and updating their home décor, we recommend choose a neutral hued rug with a simple pattern that will blend with your home’s style no matter how often it changes.

Located in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Sherwood Studios offers fine furniture and interior design services for families looking to add warmth and comfort to their home environment. Visit us online to learn more about the furniture we sell and services we offer, or give us a call at 248-855-1600.

Six Furniture Pieces for Your First Home

Posted June 13, 2016

Whether you just tied the knot or are moving in to your first apartment post-college, there are sure to be plenty of furniture items you need to purchase. For individuals looking to do away with mismatched dining chairs and the couch that’s cushions sink to the floor, you are probably wondering where it is best to save and where you deserve to splurge.

We recommend spending a little extra on the pieces that will grow with you, moving to different areas of your home as your family – and floor space – increases in size.

Chinese Garden Stool

Called “The Most Helpful Furniture Piece You May Ever Own” by Houzz, the Chinese garden stool is a piece that can fill many roles, moving gracefully from the living room to the bedroom to your backyard patio.

The perfect height to place a beverage, snack or book when sitting in a chair, the garden seat is small enough not to feel clumsy in your space, but large enough to hold all the essentials. Best of all, this little table’s sturdy ceramic design can stand up to years of use whether indoors or out. We have even seen them used in bathrooms to hold the essentials next to your tub and in the shower.

Wooden Chest of Drawers

Especially if your bedroom is on the smaller side, a wooden chest of drawers is the perfect spot to store your clothes. A classic piece that will always remain in style, this chest can be placed in your entryway, living room or dining room down the road. Filled with winter gear, placemats and extra serving ware or your collection of remotes, there is a purpose for this piece regardless of where you place it.

Nesting Tables

The perfect way to provide extra room for snacks and beverages during a get-together in your small starter-home, stacking tables can be put together neatly and stylishly for everyday use. As your family grows, each table of your set is sure to find its own space in the home, whether it’s as a space for your little one to color in their bedroom, a spot to rest your coffee in your home office or as a living room end table.

Depending on the type of nesting tables you purchase, they can even be moved outdoors during summer afternoons.

Café Table and Chairs

Don’t have a dining room in your first home? A café table and set of chairs can be placed in a corner of your kitchen or living room, adding a touch of elegance and the perfect amount of space to enjoy your meals.

As your home grows and your family expands, this table set can provide extra seating on your patio or a spot for your children to enjoy breakfast and after school snacks in your kitchen nook.

Simple Love Seat

A lovely option for a small living room, a simple love seat with a classic shape and neutral hue will always have a place in your home. Whether you pair it with a larger couch down the road or move it into a guest bedroom, office or study, this piece will see plenty of use.

Add color with bold pillows or a patterned throw blanket, allowing your style to change according to the season and your mood.

Comfy Footstool

Regardless of how large or small your space is, there is nothing better than putting your feet up and relaxing after a busy day at work. Your home will never lack the need for a footstool, so treat yourself to an attractive option that suits your design style.

Whether you love the look of leather poofs or fabric footstools that open to provide storage space within, this piece provides a place to rest your feet, set books, remotes and trays of snacks while also providing extra seating when guests come to visit.

For individuals in the West Bloomfield, Michigan area looking for fine furniture to accentuate their first home, Sherwood Studios offers a wide array of furniture options for every room of the home. Shop with us online or visit our showroom at 6231 Orchard Lake Road. We look forward to helping you bring your interior design style to life!

Sources: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/7682783/list/13-versatile-furniture-pieces-that-grow-with-you

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/51529598/list/10-furniture-essentials-for-small-spaces

Choosing a Color Palette That Flows From Room to Room

Posted June 7, 2016

Especially in areas of the home that are open and connected – like the living room, kitchen, dining room and hallways – having a cohesive color palette ensures a polished look. Knowing how to properly blend colors, patterns and textures throughout your space takes time and practice, but for individuals looking for a little help in the department, Sherwood Studios has a few pointers you can employ.

Decide on a Color Group

The first thought to consider before you start painting your space is the color group that you prefer. Are you attracted to warm colors (beiges, reds and oranges) or do you like the look of cool hues (grays, greens and blues). The colors you use throughout your home should all be within the same color group for a cohesive look and feel.

Of course, if you would like to add a bright wall color to your space, there are places that this will work as well. We recommend restricting the boldest of hues to enclosed spaces like bathrooms and bedrooms. This way, you can have a bit of fun with your home without interrupting its overall style and flow.

Employ a Flow-Through Shade

Instead of choosing a different color paint for every area of your home, connect key entertaining spaces with a flow-through color. Perfect for employing in the front foyer, mudroom and connecting hallways of your home, a flow-through color will be the glue that ties everything together.

While many families choose a neutral hue for their flow-through areas, your options are endless as long as you pick a color that blends seamlessly with those used in your other spaces. For example, if your home is filled with blues and greens, an attractive flow-through color might be a pale blue-gray.

Use Bold Hues to Accessorize

Another great way to add pops of color into your space is to accessorize with bold colors. Chairs, throw pillows, artwork and other accent pieces offer plenty of opportunities for fun and are much easier to swap out than your wall color is should you desire a change.

You also want to use accessories to help your accent colors flow from room to room. For example, if your living room has pops of rich burgundy and burnt orange, you will want to employ at least one of these hues in the next room for a complementary progression.

Work with an Expert

Not sure what colors best tie together the areas within your home? Hiring an expert is a wonderful way to create the attractive space you envisioned without having to handle all of the tiny details that will pull it together.

Here at Sherwood Studios, our team of professional, experienced interior designers can help you transform the rooms of your home into one cohesive and stylish space. Learn more about our services online or contact us by phone at 248-855-1600 to schedule a consultation.

Source: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/66922903/list/how-to-create-a-cohesive-color-flow-throughout-your-home

Four Sleek Storage Solutions for Your Living Room

Posted May 12, 2016

Regardless of the size of your home, extra storage space is always welcome – especially in the living room. The space where your family spends most of their time together, your living room is bound to become a catch-all for sweatshirts, magazines and more at one point or another.

If your living room has started to look cluttered, there are endless storage options to consider, including the simple and stylish ones listed below.

Fill Your Ottoman

Much more than just a place to put your feet up after a long day at work, your ottoman is the perfect spot to stuff your extra throw blankets and pillows.

It will take less than a minute to straighten up your living room with a good sized ottoman at your disposal. Just fold up the extra blanket draped across the couch, grab the newspaper lying on the coffee table and stash them inside.

Choose a TV Console with Closed Storage

Especially if you have an expansive collection of DVDs, Blu-ray discs and videogames, a TV console with closed storage is a must. Closed storage allows you to keep all of your electronics on hand (but out of sight) to give your space a sleek, clutter-free appearance.

Make Use of Built in Shelving

Living rooms with built-in shelves offer an extra opportunity for storage; all you have to do is cut down on your book collection. We recommend emptying off the bottom two shelves of your storage unit and purchasing baskets that match your home’s aesthetic. Placed on the now-empty bottom shelves, these baskets serve as a storage spot for children’s toys and games, remotes, extra batteries, personal documents and more.

Update Your Coffee Table

If you are struggling to keep the surface of your coffee table clutter-free, the simplest solution is picking out a new table that offers built-in storage of its own. Whether you replace your traditional coffee table with a beautiful antique trunk, pick out a table that has a lower-level shelf for storage or pull your ottoman in front of the couch, the options are endless nowadays.

For all your fine furniture needs and interior design assistance, Sherwood Studios is available. Located in West Bloomfield Michigan, we can help you to transform your home with simple storage solutions and high quality furnishings that will accentuate your personal style.

Begin shopping with us online or visit our showroom at 6231 Orchard Lake Road.

Source: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/65688522/list/13-stylish-storage-solutions-for-living-rooms

Decorating Advice to Enhance Any Room in Your Home

Posted May 5, 2016

An extension of your personality, your home should be styled to show off the colors, trends and decorations you love. But as much as you may dream about having a home worthy of a catalog or magazine, it can be difficult to create that perfect space within your four walls.

Luckily enough, there are a few fundamental tricks that every homeowner can use to create a vibrant and attractive space you and your guests will be in awe of.

Pick One Focal Point

As you are furnishing and decorating a room, think about what piece you would like to make the focus of the room. While the bed will always be the focal point in the bedroom, there are so many other options to consider in other rooms.

Whether you have a beautiful piece of art hanging behind the couch in your living room or a stunning chandelier above your dining room table, let this one item you love take center stage. Choose other accents and furnishings that will blend with the style of your star item, creating a cohesive look and feel throughout the space.

Avoid Overcrowding

No matter how large or small a room is, make it a goal to be able to navigate the space comfortably. You never want guests to have to weave around chairs or step over decorative items to get to a seat.

This decorating technique will help you to reduce clutter throughout your home and will also create an opportunity for you to consider higher quality furniture, as you will be purchasing fewer items than may have previously resided in the room.

Choose Paint Colors Last

A common mistake many homeowners make when redecorating a room is beginning by choosing a new paint color. While it is great to have a particular hue in mind as you are picking out furniture and decorative items, it is best to wait and do the actual painting after the entire room has been put together.

This will ensure that the specific shade you pick will complement the décor and lighting within your space.

Work with an Interior Designer

Whether you are moving into a new home or are looking to update the look of your current space, working with an interior designer can be beneficial. With years of experience and a keen eye for color and design, the team at Sherwood Studios will provide you with assistance every step of the way, ensuring that your home looks as incredible as you imagined it would.

For more information about our services or to begin shopping for furniture, visit us online or head to our West Bloomfield, Michigan showroom.

Tips for Keeping Your Furniture in Tiptop Shape

Posted March 3, 2016

Buying new furniture can be an exciting time for any homeowner/renter, and while it can be a stressful experience for some, it should be enjoyable to choose the furniture that will reside in your home.

However, once you’ve picked out your furniture the work does not end there. In fact, the work – not all hard work, don’t worry – is just beginning. Whether you choose leather or fabric furniture will dictate what you should do to keep your furniture in tiptop shape.

Today, we’re going to focus on how to keep your fabric furniture looking as good as new. We’ll talk leather furniture another time.

Use a vacuum. For starters, keep your vacuum handy when you purchase fabric furniture. You’ll want to make a habit of routinely vacuuming your sofa and/or chairs with a low suction upholstery attachment.

Clean up. If (and unfortunately it’s more of a when for most people) something gets spilled on your furniture, clean it up immediately. Stains are harder to get rid of when left unattended, so make sure you use upholstery cleaner on spills and marks. You’ll also want to pay attention to the fabric care label for specifics.

Keep furniture out of direct sunlight. To maintain the color and fibers of your furniture, keep it out of direct sunlight; it’ll help it stay bright and vibrant.

Schedule an annual cleaning. While this isn’t necessary every month, we recommend having your upholstery cleaned once a year by a professional. This will help you maintain the condition of your furniture.

So as you can see, these tips aren’t too hard to handle and they won’t keep you too busy! By paying your furniture just a little more attention than you might have thought, you’ll keep it in tiptop shape and looking good as new.

How do you keep your furniture looking in prime condition? Share your ideas with us in the comments below.

Can a Professional Interior Designer Actually Save You Money?

Posted February 4, 2016

Everything comes with a cost, and it’s always smart to find ways to save money while working on your home. But when considering interior design work, many people fail to see that, much like other home improvement projects, it can be a smart long-term investment. Instead of thinking of home design as a place to pinch pennies, many savvy homeowners are seeing it as a way to save in the long run.

One of the most important jobs of a professional interior designer is to put an effective plan into place. Instead of haphazardly tackling projects in a nonsensical order, interior designers strive for efficiency. This helps avoid costly mistakes, like remodeling an area only to realize that it needs to be torn up again for a new addition. A good plan will account for every detail of each room and tackle jobs in an orderly, straightforward fashion. It can really pay off to be decisive about what you want and take care of it the right way.

You don’t always need to decide on plan that spares no expense either. While many homeowners envision a professionally designed room as one that’s just filled with the most expensive furnishing and appliances, this doesn’t have to be the case. It’s an interior designer’s job to figure out what works for the homeowner. After all, if they didn’t know how to work within a budget, they’d be out of a job pretty quickly.

We know you don’t need to plate your entire home with gold for it to increase in value. Still, no matter what you’re able to afford, a well designed home is bound to be worth more than a poorly designed one. If you design your home to blow you away, it should do the same for others when it comes time to sell, especially if you find yourself in a competitive market. It’s always smart to think long term.

Finally, consider the time you can save by delegating responsibility to an expert. Put the design of your home in the hands of the right person and see how much more rewarding and relaxing the decorating process can be. Interior design work is a valuable service that, if done right, can really pay off in the end.

Reasons to choose a TV Console Over a TV Wall Mount

Posted January 20, 2016

In the 1980s it seemed like everyone had a big “entertainment center” piece of furniture which functioned as a place to put a bulky TV along with several other items like a stereo, record player, VCR, books, objects of art, and whatever else a person wanted to display on its shelves or store in its drawers. These entertainment centers were tall, wide and took up a lot of room.

Since TVs got much thinner, to the point where they could literally be mounted on the wall like a painting, things have changed. Today people can choose between having their TV mounted on the wall or placed atop a TV console.

TV consoles are typically rectangular in shape, fairly low to the ground, and have a space on top to place a TV. Below the TV you’ll usually find drawers to store things and/or open shelf space. In essence, TV consoles are the stripped down version of hulking entertainment centers from a couple decades ago.

Why choose a TV console over a wall mount? Well, even though we all wish we didn’t have to deal with cables and wires, we still live in a world where TVs, DVD players, video game systems and surround-sound systems come with cables and wires. If you have your TV mounted on the wall, how are you supposed to connect all your other items to it without having to constantly stare at a whole bunch of messy cables and wires stretching from the TV down to the floor toward plugs and such?

Sure, you could put several holes in a wall to hide cables and wires behind the wall, but most people don’t do that because it’s expensive, time-consuming, and there’s always the “what if” question in their mind that goes, “What if I want to move the TV to a different area?”

A TV console can easily be moved, and because of its shape, structure and overall look, cables and wires can be concealed in and/or behind it so you and your family or guests aren’t noticing a whole bunch of unsightly cables and wires. Furthermore, because a TV console has space underneath for things like a DVD player or speakers or whatever, it functions well as your mini entertainment center befitting the modern era.

If you have enough room for a TV console, would like some convenient storage space, want to hide cables and wires easily, and have the option to move the whole thing as needed, a TV console is the logical choice.

Call Sherwood Studios at 248-855-1600 for help picking out the perfect TV console for your needs.