Friday, April 19th, 2019
What a wonderful year 2019 is, and what an amazing Color of the Year Living Coral is. Pantone’s chosen Color of the Year for the Year of the Earth Pig is the vivaciously delicious Living Coral.
Living Coral is fearless and upbeat but, looking at it, it is now a classic since it offers a Renaissance vibe. If you’re feeling up for a remodel so you could use this color for this year, then you’re not alone. A lot of homeowners are concocting ways to use this hue in their habitats.
Go ahead and liven up your home with this exciting color. Imagine different ways that you can pair it, fuse it or make it the center of all attention.
Living Coral + Gray
You can wake up to the awesome coolness of a neutral color palette as you set up a pearl gray loveseat. With light woods and off white walls all throughout, the welcoming freshness of Living Coral is something to look forward to in this setup.
Living Coral + Rich Blues
Living Coral will also blend well with royal blue. These are complementing colors that can make your space look regal. If you have dark woods and some gold accents, then what you’ll have is a dramatically sophisticated living room – or is it a bedroom that you wanted for this display of colors?
Pairing Living Coral with teal or aqua is also an alluring way to set up a beach vibe in your home. Use this color palette to make the living room or dining room more exciting.
Living Coral Going Solo
Living Coral, by itself, is already a vibrant color. So, it can manage to become a classic or modern element in any home. It can be the accent hue in a shabby chic environment or it can be the stylize a modern habitat.
You can even achieve an Asian flair with the right elements matching this lovely color. Living Coral can be used in bigger swaths throughout the room so that it stages an inviting and friendly environment.
Living Coral as Accent
Small accent pieces may be tiny but the can contribute – a lot – to the overall harmony inside a home.
Use Living Coral inside the bathroom to give it a different level of freshness. Use it in the bedroom to give a dash of bloom into that restful space. If you use Living Coral in the dining room or the living room, then you have sprinkled those rooms with tasteful art.
Color dispersion is the key to successfully using this lovely color as an accent hue. With the Pantone Color of the Year used in small amounts, you are keeping your spaces from looking too busy or confusing.
Pops of Living Coral will also provide an uninterrupted flow to the different rooms, thus, maximizing the impact of your design.
Living Coral Is Fun
What could be more fun to use in a home this year? Celebrate the beauty of interior design by choosing Living Coral as one of the stylish elements in your home. This bright color fuses the masculine and feminine energies.
In essence, you are decorating with Yin and Yang in mind or the ultimate balance. This will then become the oasis that you so badly need especially this season and the upcoming warm summer.
The Living Coral Overall Effect
Living Coral is fun. It can be the star or the relief from the overall color scheme. It can be bold, it can be the calming hue, it can be so many things for as long as you know how to use, fuse, and appreciate it.
Tags: 2019 Color of the Year, Living Coral, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, Pantone Color of the Year 2019
Posted in 2019 Trends, Accents, Accessories, Color Schemes, Decorative Elements, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Living with Living Coral
Wednesday, February 20th, 2019
Have you ever come to a point in your interior designing efforts when you changed the lighting fixture and you ended up revitalizing the overall look of your home? If you have yet to try this, then why procrastinate?
The year 2019 is the Year of the Earth Pig and it is an awesome year to do a lot of auspicious things in your home. An easy lighting update could just be the update that your tired-looking home needs.
In the past few years, you have probably seen some common themes of statements and sustainability that are being embraced in many lighting choices. These trends are continuing through to 2019 and they will even be elevated to the most innovative designs.
The Green Design
At the very top of the lighting trends are the eco-friendly lighting designs. The huge cut down on the carbon footprint equates to savings for many homeowners. There are now many choices for energy-saving light bulbs. There are also various ways to upcycle the eco-friendly lighting designs.
There is no doubt that the climate change has greatly affected every part of the world whether in bush fires or flash floods. One of the easiest eco-friendly ways to begin green living is to choose your lighting properly.
And don’t just introduce green lighting but also bring a touch of greenery to stay on the eco-friendly vibe at all times.
The Natural Design
Apart from the green fixture options, also trending are the natural materials used in lighting such as bamboo, wood, and woven fixtures. These may be simple designs but they remain to be one of the leading staple lighting features for this year.
If you have yet to alter the lighting in your home, then this trend will fit you right into the Boho style.
The Industrial Design
If natural materials don’t make you swoon, then that’s alright. Industrial style is also quite hot this year. It was one of the leading trends from last year which is still hot, hot, hot this year.
Don’t be intimidated by the oft-metallic look that industrial style offers. This is actually a fun trend once you get how to use it for your new designs. For instance, what used to be barn lights that were solely used outdoors are now quite stylish when used inside the dining room.
Metallic Is Hip
Metallic finish is the go-to style for both the minimalist and modern homes. You can add this style for this year. This is especially useful for those who are considering selling their houses the following year.
You will never go wrong with the metallic lighting fixtures. Chrome can freshen up a room whereas gold and brass are your sophistication tones.
Accent Lighting Is Drama
Of course, not every room in your home needs a new ceiling light this year. You can still change the overall look of any space when you know how to pick from the most popular accent lights in the market.
The right accent light can effectively guide the eye towards the highlighted object or architectural part of a home. An accent light is indispensible to a home that wants to emphasize a focal point.
Away with Old Trends
The Year of the Earth Pig begs to have all old trends pushed aside. Built-in bulbs often present a problem – when the LED light fails, the whole fixture tends to become useless. This is far from eco-friendly so it is time to search for those that have replaceable eco bulbs.
Cost of Lighting
There are many ways to save on the installation of your trendy lighting fixture. Of course, you need to set aside a budget especially for this. The average cost, though, is $421 for a small fixture.
You can spend anywhere from this amount to almost $400.
Tags: lighting trends, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
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Saturday, February 16th, 2019
Apart from cotton and linen, wool is one of the go-to textiles in any home. It is dependable, a symbol of luxury, and it is beautiful. Wool is all of these plus more – it is also eco-friendly, bacteria-resistant, water-resistant, and it can even help in giving you quality sleep.
So what makes wool so cool?
It’s Ancient
But in a good way; wool weaving has been around for thousands of years. Did you know that the oldest woven piece of this textile was from Europe and had been well preserved in an ancient Danish bog. The estimated date is all the way from 1500 BCE.
It Has Many Sources
If you’ve always thought that wool is only harvested from sheep, then it’s time to put that wrong notion to rest. The now wider wool category already includes textiles manufactured from the fur of alpacas, camels, goats, llamas, and other furry animals.
Mohair and cashmere are harvested from goats. Angora is also another type of wool.
It’s Pretty
Wool is often woven into rich, thick fabrics. This is the kind of wool that we often picture when asked about this textile. But did you know that wool can also be woven to become extremely smooth and lightweight?
It’s Warm
Wool is known to hold heat effectively, after all, this is the very thing that animals grow to keep themselves warm. Fine hairs keep the air and trap it close where the body is. Even a thin wool sweater or jacket can already add a significant amount of heat to a human body.
It’s Resilient
Suit jackets become more durable when wool is used as a raw material. These clothing should be hung rather than folded, though, because their resiliency is also the same thing that makes them take a shape and keep it.
Wool jackets, when well taken care of, can even be passed down to the next generation.
It’s Water-Resistant
This is probably one not-oft-mentioned property of wool. The untreated wools come with the fatty lanolin which makes them waterproof. Even the finest wools can offer a good amount of protection, still. Be careful in allowing water to seep through, though, because wool fibers are also known to be highly absorbent.
Wool can soak as much as 20% of their own weight. There are now dish-drying mats made of wool because they don’t feel soggy even after moisture absorption.
It’s Bacteria-Resistant
Where there’s moisture, we know that the growth of fungi or bacteria could also begin. But since wool is highly water-resistant, it is not the best breeding ground for mites, bacteria, mildew and other critters and pests.
Use wool toppers for your mattress to keep bed bugs at bay.
It’s Fire-Resistant
Wool is more capable of resisting flames compared to many other fibers. It can catch fire and it could even char and totally burn out but it does this rather than spreading or melting.
Wool is an awesome material for carpeting. Take a very good look at the train and airplane carpets and you’ll see how they are often made of wool.
It’s Biodegradable
Wool comes from a renewable source (e.g. sheep and other furry farm animals). These animals tend to regrow their coats so more can be harvested in the future.
It’s A Great Insulator
There’s a reason why wool is used on baseballs and pianos. Do you see those covers on the tiny piano hammers? Those are wool covers that are also used in speakers and sound systems.
Baseballs, are also packed with a lot of wool so that they can absorb the impact of a hitting bat.
It Requires Low Maintenance
Since wool is not a common home for bacteria, it is resilient and does not need much cleaning. There is no need to wash it often. More often than not, all it requires is a gentle shake or airing out.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, wool, wool benefits
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Monday, February 4th, 2019
Retro style covers many design decades. This term was used in the past as a means to describe styles and trends that were in. If this were to be the basis, then every style eventually becomes retro. At this time, styles that are from the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s are considered vintage, therefore, retro.
If you’re willing to cross over to any of these interior designs, then it’s time to go retro. Always think of bright hues, bold designs, and an awesome flair. You have to be daring because retro requires a certain set of personalities. It is far from laidback or casual; it’s busy, even bordering funky.
Retro Hues
To be truly retro means you have to pick retro colors. Don’t worry, this is not difficult to do.
Begin with avocado green. This is the retro hue of choice followed closely by mustard and fusions of black, brown, red, and white. Hot pink and purple are also amazing additions to your retro style home.
You can place a little of everything and mixes of green, blue, indigo, orange (the bright type), and sunshiny yellow. Checkered patterns are also welcome as are tie-dyed fabrics and paisleys.
Retro Textures
Texture is an element that you must never ignore when it comes to retro designing. Here, in fact, it’s okay to go overboard. Use soft vinyl, shag carpets and crushed velvet. Keep in mind that you have to be bold about everything so go ahead and use a lot of textures.
Retro Accent and Flooring
Here’s another easy thing about retro – you don’t have to limit your use of accessories and accents. Retro pieces include door beads, rugs, lava lamps, stools, and skate tables. Sculptures and art are often unique and bold, could also be abstract.
As for the flooring, your options are these three – shag carpeting, tiles patterned like checkerboard, and natural wood.
Retro Lighting
Every retro style home must have its floor or desk lamps. You can also opt for a multi-colored chandelier.
Retro Furniture
Now this is one design element that we have to focus on when it comes to retro style. The pieces that you choose are crucial in creating the retro feel in your home. Get the wrong furniture and you’re looking at a totally different or awkward era.
Broad and long sofas are a must. These must also be decorated with different-colored pillows for the needed burst of color. Chrome barstools are also a wonderful addition (especially the ones that have a red seat) to the kitchen or the bar. Puzzle piece ottomans offer a unique seating option for your guests.
It’s no surprise that retro furniture is still much wanted nowadays because its simple base constructions and wooden structures with metal feet are difficult to ignore.
If you’ve seen the Bauhaus style, then you’d know where retro style gets its influence. With this style, quality is a must for each furniture piece while still not steeply priced. Add in the element of comfort and you’ve arrived, style-wise.
Just imagine the milling techniques back in the 1960s till the 1970s and you know that you should include a bit of the perforated hole design and the metal fronts. Filigree legs provided the light and comfortable look that’s a recipe for the perfect retro home.
Going further on your furniture choices, use tables and side tables with a metal or solid wood construction. A gilding of metal is also a great addition. For the cloth covers, use sea green, musty yellow, brown or beige. Muted orange also appeared during the ’50 till the ‘60s so that’s also an option.
Don’t be afraid to mix different materials so you can say that you’ve truly jumped into the retro bandwagon.
Tags: McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, retro, Retro design, retro interior design, Retro style
Posted in 2019 Trends, Accents, Accessories, Color Schemes, Decorative Elements, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Retro Interiors Made Trendy
Friday, January 11th, 2019
Your feline pet isn’t just a furry friend anymore. These days, she is already considered a member of the family. And since she’s a member of the family, she also has to have her own space where she can play and roam around.
In urban areas that are already densely populated and have very few parks and trees, setting up a home for a feline family member could be a bit more difficult.
Believe it or not, there are now architects who are being commissioned to design homes around a cat. These homes come with spaces where the cat can perch, take a nap, and even move freely about.
Jackson Galaxy, known as TV’s cat whisperer, says that cats are bush or tree dwellers. They are creatures, therefore, that require lots of vertical space. For many homeowners, this is not always easy to set up especially when aesthetics are being considered.
After all, there has to be a balance between the human and cat elements. Here are some tips that can help you achieve this harmonious co-existence with your feline family member –
Tags: cat-friendly home, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
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Saturday, December 29th, 2018
It has been predicted that gold will be a huge hit this coming year especially in the world of fashion, specifically, make-up. Gold and bronze tones are super in with their glimmering charm. So, are you ready to use this majestic color in your interior design?
If you like gold even when it is not the trending color in the upcoming year, then that says a lot about your personality. You’re probably passionate and charming. There is a reason why Christianity uses this color in its icons and mosaics. It can easily represent the splendor of God. Gold beautifully symbolizes divinity.
The meaning of gold in color psychology is triumph. It also means many other things such as prosperity, abundance, well-being, masculine energy (since silver represents feminine energy), happiness, brilliance, generosity, and even tradition.
You have probably seen a lot of bold trends in the past but very few can offer the same brilliance that gold gives. And with the holidays now giving gold the spotlight, it’s but a matter of time that it will take the center stage once more as the New Year unfolds.
Gold accents are hot and they have always been a classy design element. They aren’t just a part of a fleeting trend but a style that’s definitely here to stay.
Gold Chandelier
One of the best places to begin your gold design is through your lighting. You can infuse shine into your home by hanging an elegant chandelier in the living room or in the dining room.
If you’re not ready to go all out yet on your gold design, you can begin with one that’s not that heavy on the metal but offers more glass and hints of gold on its arms. This lighting fixture should give the room a more elegant ambiance.
Gold Furniture
Who says gold furniture is meant only for the holidays? Look through any interior design magazine and you’ll find that gold furniture is a staple in any traditional and chic home.
You can pull of this style without looking tacky. Strategically place the furniture pieces throughout the room. Don’t use gold furniture in an already gold room – remember that scene from the Crazy Rich Asians where the lead actress described the gold-laden room as brilliant? You wouldn’t want to go to that area.
Gold Walls
If you’re feeling bold enough, then you can use gold on all your walls. Maybe not the kind of gold that you wear as jewelry but a darker shade of gold to make the room more majestic; now remember that there’s a very thin line between being splendid and overdone.
Metallic paints are also known to make rooms appear much bigger. So if you have limited space in the bathroom, gold is a remarkable color to use.
Gold Fabrics
Again, if you’re playing safe and you don’t want to look tacky, you can swap the linens, curtains, pillows, area rugs, and other fabrics with pieces that have hints of gold. You can also switch a single neutral piece with a gold accent wall. If the gold-colored wall is much too bold, then consider painting just a single accent piece like a gold-colored coffee table.
Gold Accessories
Other than the above elements, you can also add gold on your accessories. Use gold candles as decorative pieces on your tables. A little shine would surely go a long way. Also, don’t forget to arrange the centerpieces using the rule of three. This is a foolproof way of using gold without going overboard.
Gold Frames
Gold accents can also be added to walls by hanging photos with gold-colored frames. Even mirrors with gold accents are a good addition to any home.
Tags: gold, gold interior design, gold interiors, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in 2019 Trends, Accents, Accessories, Decorative Elements, Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Fashionable Gold in 2019
Monday, October 15th, 2018
Whether that alcove in your home is that living room nook or that kitchen corner, that tricky area can actually help maximize any living space. You might not have given this tiny space much thought when you moved in but now that you see this unused area everyday, it’s just right to begin planning how to utilize it.
An alcove is often associated with period homes. These are often that space created when a chimney breast juts out of the center of a room. More often than not, these spaces are merely used as storage space – and there is nothing wrong with that. However, there is much more that you can do with an alcove.
This isn’t just the alcove that you might find in a home, neither is storage the only way to make sense of this extra area. Those awkward corners and that area under the stairs (yup, brings to mind Mr. Harry Potter) are all spaces that might have existed because of extensions or renovations.
Rather than ignore these spaces, though, it’s high time to get over the tricky part of the design process and to start the repurposing project.
Here are just some of the exciting ways to make smarter use of an alcove –
A Sleeping Nook
Alcoves can be hard to furnish especially when it creates a deep recess. If you prefer a more contemporary look, you can always go for a bed complete with overhead shelves. These shelves will house the extra bedding especially for that spot.
Use a wall sconce to illuminate this special zone.
Display ‘Em Books
One of the best go-to solutions when making sense of a living room alcove is to create a mini library in that nook. Just set up a small cabinet, shelves or a set of drawers and you already have a special spot where you can enjoy the latest novels.
Why Not a Dresser?
You can also measure up the spot for a nice dresser. The sky’s the limit in terms of choosing a dresser that you can use in that bedroom alcove. If you can even fit nicely into this alcove, then just set up a divider and it could easily become your dressing area.
Homework Zone
If you happen to have the fusion of a fireplace and a bay window, then you won’t be having any more difficulties in creating a special nook. This can be your work area and you won’t even have to worry about getting ample light because you’ll get all the natural light that you need.
Just take these Humphrey Bogart reading nook pieces. The red desk is all you’ll need to make this small space a noticeable part of the living room. Pair it with a neutral chair and you’ve created the perfect nook ensemble.
Your Special Pastime Zone
You can still go for the traditional look by setting up a dedicated space especially for your hobby. That could become your knitting or sewing corner. It can also be the nook where you’ll place your vinyl record collection. Just add a lovely turntable, a plush chair, and a console table or desk and it’s the perfect spot to listen to your fave songs.
The Art Alcove
Another awesome way to make good use of that spot is to put a statement artwork there. You can even create your own gallery where you can hang multiple family pictures. Or you can just be bold and hang one piece that will surely be the focal point of the room.
So who says that alcoves are merely for storage? Now, you can create the look that you want with the functions that you need. All these smart designs should finally make sense of that long unused alcove.
Tags: alcove, alcove design, designing the alcove, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, utilizing the alcove
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Monday, August 27th, 2018
One of the critical elements that you should consider in every dining room is correct lighting. Take note, it’s not just lighting but the right kind of lighting so that you’re able to create an equally correct atmosphere. There are some lighting tips that are meant just for your kind of dining room –
The Supper Zone
If you happen to spend most of your nights rather than your daytime in the dining room, then you should look for lighting that is dramatic. Low-level lighting is what you should be looking for so that you’d create an intimate space.
There are special bulbs and lighting fixtures that cast a romantic shadow. Look for those. An elegant lantern can give your dining room the level of sophistication that it needs. A multi-arm chandelier would be best for ornate designs. While the starburst is perfect for that roundtable that you fell in love with.
For the modernist romantic, you can go for crystal lighting or just about any shape that speaks to you.
Begin at the Top
Think of the dining room lighting as the centerpiece of that space. Since this is so, you have to take every opportunity to make a statement. When you have a rectangular table, find a linear chandelier or several pendants which should run the entire table’s length.
A roundtable, on the other hand, should have a group of mini chandeliers or pendants. Pick LED-lit chandelier if you want a white light to be cast throughout the room.
The Table Is the Anchor
Another crucial thing to remember is that you have to consider the table as the basis for your lighting decisions. You have to do this because people gather around this one piece of furniture while the rest of the space recedes when a meal is served.
This means you can go for an interesting pendant, the traditional chandelier or a series of pendants. Just make sure, each time, that the bottom of the lighting fixture must be 36 inches from the dining table surface.
Large Pendant, Small Dining Table
Work with scaling especially around the dining table. The bigger the lighting fixture, most designers agree, the better. If you have a small, round table, match it with a pendant light that catches attention. Alternatively, you can also invest in multiple pendants that are asymmetrically numbered.
As for your rectangular table, look for a chandelier or, yet again, a series of pendant lights. The longer the table, the more that you need to create a row of lights that would run its length. It is always best to go for odd numbering rather than the matching look of even-numbered lights.
Zone Demarcation
Be sure to use a large pendant when you signed up for an open space layout. This one piece of lighting fixture can help you create zones in your home. This huge pendant would help focus eyes even during the day.
Use Dimmers
Light controls can effortlessly increase the level of comfort in your dining room. Dimmed lights do not just use less energy but they also create the perfect, intimate ambiance that you would want at night. Sure, go ahead and flood the dining room with daylight but, come night, be sure to achieve the right atmosphere by having just the low-level kind of warm light.
Plus, dimmed lighting looks pretty, too, so just go for it.
Don’t Forget to Layer
Just a single source of light would be too intimate while having a lot at the wrong spots could also be glaring. Having more than one lighting source gives you more options in terms of creating moods. So go ahead and have a table lamp for that sideboard or some wall sconces to match that large pendant.
Tags: dining room light, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
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