Traditional or Quirky?

To make things a little easier for you, we’ve spit our collection of decorations into easily navigable sections. Baubles nestle glistening in the Christmas Baubles section – perfect! Traditional baubles tend to be simple, round and generally come in festive hues of red, gold, silver and green. But have you considered quirky pink? Elegant black? Or even our gorgeous little Neon Glitter Finish Shatterproof assortment of eccentric baubles (product code: FD-108480)

Matt or Gloss?

After trying to settle this one in the office, we’ve had to concede that mixing and matching is the way forward! We love mixed packs like Ruby Red Shatterproof Droplets (product code: FD-106547), Classic Gold Shatterproof Baubles (product code: FD-106691) and the opulent Amethyst Shatterproof Baubles (product code: FD-108893)

Big or Small?

This rather depends on the size of your tree (a 2ft tree might look a little odd covered in nothing but six gigantic baubles!), personal taste and theme. A lot of our customers opt to invest in a large number of simple medium/small baubles, interspersing 16cm giants tastefully to create a stunning, wonderfully dressed tree.

Long or short, big or small, matt or shiny as the day is long – have fun choosing the perfect outfit for your tree!

Tip 1:
Use a flatware tray for utensils and place it neatly in a kitchen drawer. This will keep every utensil separate and will make it easy to find the one you want in a matter of seconds.

Tip 2:
Organize your favorite recipes in alphabetical order for quick reference. This can be done using note cards and a note card box or a binder with alphabetical separators.

Tip 3:
If you have a large number of VHS or DVD movies, consider a media unit to neatly store your collection. If feasible, select a wooden unit for strength and a pleasant appearance as opposed to inexpensive, plastic units.

Tip 4:
When storing away your seasonal clothes, don’t just hang them in the closet until next year. Instead, purchase a large plastic lidded storage tub and place your seasonal clothes neatly inside. Rather than folding, try rolling your clothes as this will reduce wrinkles and fold lines. In addition, it will save a lot of space. Place the storage tub in the floor of your closet and label the tub according to the clothing inside.

Tip 5:
Are you always losing pens and/or pencils? If so, consider using a coffee mug for neat and easy storage of your pens and/or pencils. Everyone has a coffee mug and this is a much more whimsy way of storing your writing utensils rather than a typical pen/pencil holder.

Tip 6:
Be sure to throw out any old magazines and/or newspapers. The best way to store them is a handled basket next to the sofa. However, this unit needs to be cleaned regularly in order to avoid any unsightly clutter.

Tip 7:
It is a good idea to keep all important papers, including deeds, titles and tax papers in a fireproof protective box. This box should also feature a lock & key and can be placed anywhere in the house. Most individuals place this underneath their bed.

Tip 8:
If you have any items that you no longer want, consider donating them to a local non-profit agency. This will save space and you will be doing a good deed.

Tip 9:
In order to avoid clutter, it may be necessary to throw away certain types of mail. This may include credit card offers, but don’t just throw them out without first shredding the letters. Identity theft is a huge problem and using a paper shredder on any bills or credit card offers will prevent anyone from ever gaining access to your private financial information.

Tip 10:
Make sure that your kitchen is neatly organized with all appliances close to an electrical outlet. You don’t want to have power cords running across the countertop and you will find that the microwave, toaster and coffee maker all in one location will be very convenient.

On the other hand, today many top designers and artists work for mass department stores and offer their collections for a small fraction of the cost of their work.  Top artists and designers do this because their profit is greater when selling to many people rather than just a few.  Everyone benefits from this system.  We can all enjoy trendy, top art for a fraction of the cost and designers or artists are better compensated for their work.  This system also allows us to update homes as often as we wish. 

Updating a home has never been easier.  Simply go down to a store, choose a collection you like and bring it home.  The collections are often set up in the store, so that dishes, glassware, tablecloths, napkins, and accent pieces are displayed in a professionally designed grouping.  World-renowned designers put the collections together and freely give us the advantage of their talent, training and expertise.  All types of stores employ top professionals to design collections, so that price isn’t necessarily a determiner of quality.

That’s the good news.  The bad news is that too many choices may lead to confusion and a sense of feeling overwhelmed.  Each collection is beautiful and easily available.  The cost per item is low, but choosing pieces can be a confusing and sometimes expensive dilemma.  How do you determine what to do?

The first thing to do is determine what you have and what you need.  There is a saying ‘Less is more’.  This is especially true in home decorating.  It’s far better to have a few pieces that you love than to have too many things that you don’t particularly like, no matter how good a buy they were.

Accents come in any budget, so first make sure that you have good, comfortable furniture.  This need not be expensive furniture.  A well-used but comfortable piece of furniture will often look great with slipcovers, pillows or a throw.

Secondary colors make a big difference in a home.  What’s the main color in the room?   If your couch is red, for instance, a white accent throughout the room will look dramatically different than, say, a purple accent.  Six months later, change the accent pieces to black and the room will again look strikingly different, all the time using the same furniture.  Red, or any bright color, can sometimes cause a challenge when trying to find the right accents.  Neutral colors in furniture will give you more options for accent color changes, and allow you more flexibility.

Many people wonder what colors go together – the answer is that if you like it, it works.  It’s your home.  If you’re unsure of your choices, one option is to go to a paint store and get the sample cards.   They’re put together by professionals and show which colors work together.   Simply match the colors on the card and you’re unlikely to go wrong.

Another easy way of ensuring tasteful color coordination is to simply purchase an entire collection.  If you want to update the bathroom it’s easy to get all the accent pieces and fabrics at one time.  Unless you’re sure of what you’re doing, this is a very simple way to get a beautiful, professional look.  Make sure you purchase all the pieces that you’ll need because often the collections are changed every few months and pieces won’t be available.

Decorating can be a real challenge.   These are some easy tips to have a designer look at a fraction of the cost.  You’ll end up with a home you’ll love!

1.Are your sofa or chair cushions showing signs of wear? If it’s leather, maybe the seat cushions are discolored, lighter in the seat area than the rest of the sofa or chair. If it’s fabric, see if the upholstery threads are pulling apart or discolored. If your furniture is showing signs of wearing, it’s time to consider new furniture or at least slip covering options.

2.Are there holes in your furniture? You might be able to stitch or patch the holes if the rest of the piece is structurally sound. Otherwise, start thinking about new furniture.

3.When you rise from the seat, does the cushion remain sunken? Check the springs to see if that’s the problem. If a broken or stretched spring is the culprit, the problem can probably be repaired, maybe even by yourself if you happen to be handy in that way. If the springs look okay, maybe you just need a new cushion. Take a cushion with you to an upholstery shop or fabric store to show the sales person what kind of cushion you need to replace the bad one. It’s a good idea to take a good cushion with you so the sales person can help match the cushion to the firmness and density you want to replace the bad cushion with.

4.Is the frame of your furniture still in good shape? If a sofa or chair has been dropped, it might crack a wooden frame.  Flip your furniture upside down and take a look.

5.Does your furniture sit level? If it’s not level, check the frame. Check the legs to make sure a peg is not missing. If you can’t spot the problem, it’s time to buy new furniture.

6.When you sit on your furniture, do you feel the arms separate from the rest of the frame? Maybe you have a problem that can be solved with wood glue and a few clamps. Otherwise, for safety’s sake, get rid of your old furniture.

7.When you sit down, do you feel wood or a frame sticking out? Consider that poke in the behind your official cue to buy new furniture!

8.If you know it’s time to replace the old look of your furniture, decide if the update can be done with a simple slipcover.  By measuring the furniture properly, a slip cover – either purchased ready made or custom made if your furniture has an unusual shape or curve to it – you can get a nice fit. Slip covers range in price starting at about $40. The better fabric you select, the higher the price. If you just want to update your furniture for a few more months until you save enough money to buy an all new ensemble, slip covers are the way to go.

9.Look at the finances. Will buying new furniture mean you’ll have to finance the purchase? If so, can you handle the extra bill each month?

10.Do you just want to? There’s nothing wrong with “wanting” new furniture. Look for solid pieces that will give your family many years of enjoyment and you’ll always be happy with your decision to buy new furniture!