Guest Post - Homeware Ideas for a Luxe Dining Experience

If you like to indulge in luxury dining at home and enjoy hosting dinner parties to impress your guests then you need to think carefully about your dining room décor and how you decorate your dining table ready for when they arrive. 

You can be incredibly creative with your homeware on the dining table to make it look stunning, so try a variety of colors and styles, depending on the food you are serving and the season outside. There are so many options it can become confusing but making the best impression on your family members and dinner guest is not that hard. 

For this post we asked our friends from Suchandsuch.co to give us their ideas on how to achieve a luxe dining experience. 

Use flowers

While not strictly homeware, a beautiful selection of flowers in a simple vase can really bring a touch of luxury to your dining table and will be a talking point for your guests. Keep it simple with white blooms and green leaves, or match the flowers with your color scheme. If you don’t want to have a large floral display in the middle of the table then why not give each guest their own small vase with a selected single flower. 

Update for the seasons

Whether it’s a Christmas meal, Thanksgiving, or a birthday celebration, you can update your tableware with seasonal themed homeware such as candles and garlands to bring your dining area in line with the season and create new scents to change the atmosphere. 

Don’t be afraid of patterns

Try using patterns and prints for example, go for bold patterns on napkins, or cutlery with bold colored handles. Use napkin rings with patterns on them, or go for dinnerware with a subtle pattern against a plain tablecloth. 

Use different shapes and sizes

Try using different shapes and sizes of glassware on your dining table, including water glasses, shot glasses and champagne flutes, depending on the occasion. Try using different sizes of plates and bowls together to provide contrast and interest at the table. 

Try using flatware

For a really high end luxury look go for gold flatware to use under your guests’ plates and for serving your dishes onto. This metallic finish just cries luxury. If gold isn’t your colour then black flatware can provide a similar opulent look with added mystery. 

Do up the room 

Once you have your tableware sorted, you need to make sure the surrounding room also represents the luxury you are trying to achieve. A simple way to add to a room without costing a fortune is to add a rug with a nice color and pattern. A deep pile plush rug brings luxury under foot. 

Try wallpaper

While it might be considered old-fashioned, using stunning wallpaper can really bring a luxurious feel to a dining room and you can tie the patterns and colours in with your curtains and tableware for a really pulled together feel. 

Stunning lighting

A stunning light feature can really add some opulence and luxury to your dining room. Think about gold and black light fittings to make your guests feel at home but impressed at the same time. Try one central pendant, or use several corner up lights, depending on the atmosphere you are trying to create. 

Luxury seating

If your dining chairs are boring then try adding a touch of luxury to your guest’s seating by changing the cushion pads or by using chair covers, they don’t have to just be for wedding parties. If you can, then swap out your chairs altogether for a set of more impressive designs which your guests will love. 

Update your artwork

The final touch to make your dining area really luxurious is to update your walls with some high end artwork. You don’t have to spend a fortune, just choose a large bold piece that is impressive and unique; don’t go for prints that can be found in every furniture store. Scour second hand and charity shops for items that can be reframed or cleaned up to become impressive.

Creating a really luxurious dining experience needn’t cost a fortune or require a complete overhaul of your whole dining room. Just adding one or two homeware pieces like a new central lighting feature, or even just a beautiful flower display can make any drab dining room look stunning. 

Dressing your table in a creative way with colors, patterns and different styles of china and glassware will also bring your table to life and enable you to create a luxurious feel for any occasion. Owning a variety of sets will enable you to dress the table up or down according to the look you want to create. 

Even just adjusting the smallest things like the color and style of the napkins, or the flat plates, can make a big difference to the way your dining experience will go. 

Author Bio: Jane Aldridge is a freelance writer for Such & Such. She has been contributing to other sites for the 4 years since she finished her writing degree. When she is not working on an article she can be found volunteering in her local library, reading to kids during Story Hour. She lives in Bath with her cat, Mr. Tinkles.

Guest Post - Interior Design Inspiration: Color in Nature 2019

Popularity seems to change all the time. Color trends are no different. Sky blue colors might be very popular one year. Then suddenly natural colors and earth tones seem to become a much more popular choice. That’s the situation going on in 2019, because natural earth colors are all the rage these days.

What constitutes earth tones? Well, your typical clay colors, purple, green, and brown definitely fit the bill. But to be more specific, there are various shades and color palettes that make up the beautiful natural colors that so many people seem to be keen on this year.

Which natural earth tones are the trendiest in 2019? If you’d like to learn the answer to this question, we suggest you keep reading to discover the most popular examples of the natural colors everyone is gravitating toward right now.

Honeycomb

This gorgeous color fits the bill because it’s natural, it’s golden, and it certainly creates shiny and positive vibes. And even better, it’s one of the more popular colors that really seem to be in style right now.

The fashion world initially glommed onto the honeycomb popularity train. They rediscovered why so many people love this rich, bright, inviting color. And it didn’t take too long for the home design industry among others to catch on to this exciting trend.

As you undoubtedly know, there are a number of different shades of honeycomb to choose from. You can use this color to accent a room or you may want your bedroom or child’s bedroom to have the bright golden color dominating the space. It’s up to you.

Or maybe you prefer honeycomb cabinets in your kitchen. This exciting color really stands out and brings life to dull rooms. So it’s an excellent option that is bold, daring, and a great way to celebrate life and fill it with warmth, positive energy, and lots of natural light.

Soft Clay

This color is definitely turning heads in 2019 because so many people are interested in adding soft clay to their color scheme. When you paint or purchase accents in this color, your home develops an earthy feel like no other. Plus, it’s a much better choice than average and ordinary beige or brown accents that tend to make up the overall color palette in many of today’s modern homes.

Guess what? Soft clay is a great addition because of its ability to blend with typical browns and beiges. This mix creates an elegant, welcoming, and casual feel in just about any area of your home.

So, if your goal is to make a room feel much more welcoming and inviting, then you definitely need to add soft clay to your color scheme mix. By filling your home with this natural delight, it’ll bring joy and happiness to everyone in your life that spends time in your home.

Gray Green

Some people seem to like gray green colors and others seem to prefer other more popular shades. But if this color is one that you happen to enjoy, and it fits with your current color scheme, you’ll definitely appreciate its beauty and elegance. Even more important, in the home it helps provide a relaxing, calming, and soothing effect throughout the entire household.

Do you want to know another interesting thing? When you add gray green colors to your bedroom, it really gives the entire space added flair and excitement. Even better, it’s a very attractive color and it’s both masculine and feminine in nature, so it will go good in in your bedroom no matter what gender you happen to identify with.

So, quit playing around and add gray green shades to the mix. You can paint your ceiling gray green, or paint the wooden window sills this color. Or just add it by bringing gray green accents into your room.

Hazelnut

This exciting color is very popular these days. Why? It’s available in many different shades and it provides an inviting and warm tone throughout the household. Plus, hazelnut is a very attractive creamy color that fits in just about any home’s interior.

Are you trying to change the ambience in your home? You could add hazelnut flooring, accents, or cabinets in your kitchen, living room, or any other room for that matter. It will create a measure of elegance and charm that you just can’t get from your typical browns and beiges.

Bottom Line

Home design trends are constantly in flux. And popular colors go in and out of fashion faster than you can count to five. But if you’re looking to give your home a natural and gorgeous look and feel, adding earthy colors definitely makes the most sense. So begin painting or adding earth colored accents to your home now and enjoy the peaceful, elegant, and friendly feelings that they provide.

Author Bio: Wendy Dessler, Outreach manager. Wendy Dessler is a super-connector who helps businesses like BEST ONLINE CABINETS find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.

Guest Post - 5 Key Features of Modern Industrial Styles

Modern industrial design takes minimalism to a whole new level, embracing the bare-bones features that other architectural styles try to hide. It pays homage to classic factories and warehouses, and yet its symmetry and cohesion make it desirable among the most discriminating interior design connoisseurs. The style is becoming a popular fixture at trendy hotels, restaurants, lofts, and even residential homes.

So what exactly is the modern industrial style? What sets it apart from other modernist influences? To understand the trend, it’s important to recognize the key features that make it unique. 

1. Exposed Beams, Pipes, and Ductwork 

The most obvious defining feature to casual observers is the exposed structural elements. The style eschews most ceiling panels in favor of an open design that leaves the building’s mechanics wide open and exposed. The metallic pipework looks especially pronounced against white and muted paint jobs, and it’s often designed with an intentionally weathered look to reinforce the gritty, industrial motif. 

If you want to achieve this look but don’t want to gut your entire home, you can fake it by creating shelves out of copper pipes or making an industrial desk lamp.

2. A Delicate Interplay of Metal and Wood 

Metallic and wooden elements are both trademarks of modern industrial style. These building materials are usually presented side by side, such as with wooden stairs reinforced by a metallic base, or hardwood floors offset by metal beams. 

If you’re looking to introduce an industrial-inspired theme into your home, you may not be able to install new wood and metal foundations on a budget, but you can still work with what you have and upgrade your space with industrial-friendly accents. One such example is in an entertainment room or your “man cave.” Instead of redoing the whole interior, you can opt for specific pieces to compliment what you already have. If you have wooden floors, then opting for a steel pool table and metal accents will work very well together. This leads us right to our next point...

3. Vintage Furniture and Accessories 

Again, because wood and metal are the name of the game, industrial design tends to incorporate aged wood furniture, metallic bar stools, and other effects that fit the motif. Wrought iron wall art is popular for decor, as are DIY options like furniture crafted from weather-worn wood pallets. 

If a home already has wood floors or fixtures, the simple addition of vintage furniture and accessories can promote an uncompromising industrial look. Rustic metal floor lamps, pendant lighting, and modern door handles are just some of the additions that can quickly turn a home into an industrial modern home. 

4. Warm Color Schemes 

When it comes to modern industrial, it’s all about warm earth tones. Grays, browns, blacks, and whites are especially common, often contrasted with exposed brick. In some cases, the designer may add one or two brightly hued accessories or pieces of furniture to offset the motif with a bold splash of color. 

5. The Elimination of Clutter

Modern industrial design is all about maximizing space. Books are arranged neatly on bookshelves, furniture sets are closely grouped together to ensure ample space all around, and superfluous clutter is relegated to closets and storage areas. The ever-present sense of openness and space is an essential hallmark of an industrial motif; it’s the aesthetic that separates “factory-chic” from “crowded factory.” This is why it’s very important to find a way to eliminate the clutter.

Additional Features 

Additional features will vary from place to place, but there are a few more common effects worth mentioning. For example, an industrial modern home or business may contain concrete flooring, track or recessed lighting, and an abundance of indoor plants. Some homeowners and business owners also like to decorate with steampunk-inspired art like metal clockwork and gears. Try experimenting with different industrial effects, and find your perfect urban decor.  

About the Author: Katie Tejada is a writer, editor, and former HR professional. She enjoys writing about events, travel, decorating trends, and innovations for the home, but also covers developments in HR, business communication, recruiting, real estate, and finance.

Guest Post - How To Stage an Empty House on a Budget

Yes, staging a house on a budget is entirely possible. Sellers who are considering staging their home can increase the overall value of the property. Plus, it can help potential buyers feel welcomed that they’d be willing to buy the house.

What’s great about home staging is that you are basically displaying your own personal touch. And anyone who likes your work and buys the home is the right new home owners.

Home staging does not have to be expensive at all. If you want your house to get sold right away, then these budget-friendly home staging tips to turn an empty house into another family’s dream home.

Clean the house

It is best to clean your house before staging thoroughly. Since it is an empty home, cleaning it should be easier compared to if it is filled with appliances, furniture, and other decorative.

There is no need to declutter anything. So, all you have to do is sweep up and make sure that all parts of the home are nice and tidy. If the house has a garage and a patio, those need to get cleaned as well.

The windows need to be shiny. Doorknobs should be polished, lighting fixtures are cobweb-free, disinfect the entire kitchen and make the bathroom(s) sparkling clean. If your home has carpeted floors, you may want to hire some end of lease carpet cleaning services to perform a throughout cleaning.

See to it the entire house smells good too. Some homes have had pets previously. If the house for sale had a pet before, you might want to hire a professional service that will take care of pet odors.

Basically, you want your empty home to be free from dust, dirt, and all other messes. If there are still further staging procedures needed, make sure that you get the house cleaned up first before showing it to potential buyers. And don’t forget to maintain the curb.

Renovation is key to selling a home

Undertaking the necessary renovations can help a house gets sold faster. You must be able to ‘wow’ anyone who takes a look at your home in order to attract their interest in buying your property.

Among the many renovations needed to get done before putting up a house for sale is repainting. You want to make your home more appealing to potential buyers and giving it a fresh coat of paint is something that should not be skipped.

Giving the walls, doors, and stairway a fresh coat of paint can increase the overall appeal of the house. Use neutral colors when painting anything in the house. This will allow for more appeal to all potential buyers with different color preferences

You do not need to repaint the entire house, though. Since we’re working on a tight budget, painting the main rooms is going to suffice. You don’t have to repaint anything in the bathroom not unless it needs one badly.

Make sure that you fix any dents or holes in walls. See to it that you replace all busted light bulbs, handle leaking faucets, and fix all squeaky doors.

Add some props

When staging an empty house, you should know where to put a focus on. You should prioritize staging the living room, dining, and the master bedroom. You can add one more room to stage if the house has several bedrooms. 

Your goal here is basically to emphasize the space in the respective rooms. So, it is important not to fill the spaces with a bunch of furniture and other decorative.

For the living room, you will only need to provide a sofa, a side table, a coffee table, and a couple of chairs. A table and a set of chairs would suffice in the dining room. Just add a centerpiece to complete the staging. 

You can get creative when it comes to staging the master bedroom. Set up a bed that will appeal to anyone, add in two bedside tables, and put a rug to highlight comfort and sophistication. 

You do not have to buy new furniture as you can simply make use of used furniture. If you do not have the necessary or appropriate kind of furniture, then you can opt to get on in a furniture rental shop.

And finally for the finishing touches add in a few paintings, custom made curtains, decorative jars, flowers in a vase, some magazines, and clean white towels in the bathroom.

These are just the main things you need to do before you put up your home for sale. You can basically get creative with the staging procedures. Once you’ve made the necessary fixes in your home, it should already be more appealing to potential buyers.

Author’s Bio:

Sean Hangar is owner and head designer at Custom Curtains Hurstville based in Sydney. He has years of experience helping people to make their homes and work places look amazing through his curtain and interior design. 

With an eye for detail and the best materials available in Australia, his designs are transforming homes throughout Sydney! Check out his website here.