Florida Decorating Ideas with Pantone Color Palettes 2018

The color stories for 2018 break free from traditional thinking. The colors are refreshed, and hues are used in new and unusual combinations. Classic metallics have become neutrals and iridescent fascinate the eye. Exotic and intense colors are taking center stage against neutral backgrounds that really let them pop. And yet, pastels are still popular.

All of these elements can be used to infuse modern freshness into your Florida home.

Verdure Color Palette in Florida Decor

Vegetal colors like Celery are combined with berry-infused purples and eggshell blue, symbolic of health, in this palette. Verdure symbolizes our continuous search for well-being and good health. It features a profusion of shades that express vitality, freshness, abundance, regrowth, and renewal. Vegetal colors such as celery, purples, and blues work to add a freshness to interiors.

In the bedroom above, the blues and greens of the Verdure palette are featured on the Seabrook Queen Panel Bed by Broyhill. The tropical inspired print gives the room a restful, seaside cottage-inspired feel. The berry-colored flowers on the dresser round out the palette.

Pantone Playful Palette in Florida Decor

The bright yellow of "Minions,” the almost neon green of "Slime," and all other symbols of fun play (pun intended) together in this color scheme. This palette underscores our need for an environment that reflects quirky, confident, and one-of-a-kind style. Bright, light-hearted bursts of color bring Playful to life.

Colorful pillows, zig-zag stripes, and the bold Twin Palms Coral Accent Chest from Tommy Bahama is the perfect expression of the Playful palette in Florida decor. This chest is a versatile piece that gives you storage and a display place in any space you put it. In true Playful spirit, it can also be an alternative to a bar cart.

Pantone Resourceful Palette in Florida Decor

A range of complementary oranges and blues form the foundation of this palette. This combination of cool and warm colors draws the eye again and again. Resourceful is a nuanced palette that juxtaposes the need to re-use and refurbish owned items with the desire to inject freshness with new pieces. This urge to innovate is demonstrated in the combination of colors from opposite sides of the color wheel.

You can use this stunning color combination in a relaxed coastal dining room. The strong colors on the area rug and walls keep the decor lively while showing off the distressed white Sandcastle Dining Set in a sophisticated setting. This combination expertly balances casual coastal style with chic comfort.

Pantone Discretion Palette in Florida Decor

The opposite of Playful, this palette features subtle hues that hint at a renewed sense of power and strength. Understated and upscale, Discretion mixes subtle harmonies in texture and color. The quietly powerful and low-key colors give your space a decorous and luxurious feel.

In a neutral room, the colors of the Discretion palette become the stars of the show. Pinks, grays, and beige in mischievous textures create a look that is airy and adventurous. The linen-like Bluff finish of the Paula Deen Bungalow King Bedroom Group by Universal captures cottage charm and lets the palette shine.

Pantone Far-Fetched Palette in Florida Decor

This palette embraces many different colors with its love of warm, earthy hues and rosy tones. Pulling from multicultural influences and using them in unpredictable ways, this palette goes deep into global color sources to give your interiors warmth and light. It reflects a world that is increasingly connected and culturally diverse.

Ruby wine and iced coffee up the cool factor in the room above. Rough sawn planks in the Callista Round Dining Table and Side Chair set accentuate the autumn hues and rosy tones of the Far-Fetched palette. The warm beach color of the round dining table brightens the room.

Pantone Intricacy Palette in Florida Decor

This is a palette of neutral metallics that adds a little shimmer and shine, and highlights the dramatic yellow Sulfur and Holly Berry Red. Intricacy achieves dramatic dimensionality by layering complex patterns and textures with metallics. It features classic shades used in unusual ways.

The mixing of subtle neutrals with metallic accents brings drama into what could otherwise be a boring space. The silversand finish on the Miramont Chest paired with the dark sable finish on the legs bring this palette life. This theme is carried through on the glass and metal coffee table and anchored by the plush area rug. Additional colors from the Intricacy palette are brought in with accessories on the table that can be changed when your mood changes.

Pantone Intensity Palette in Florida Decor

An eclectic mix of bold jewel tones is the hallmark of this palette. These tones evoke a feeling of sophistication, power, and strength balanced with black, gold, and brass elements. Intensity is all about making a statement. The palette draws on designs of the past, mixes and re-imagines them with color and style.

When adding elements of the Intensity palette to your space, choose a few as your main color choice. The jewel tones of the undeniably elegant and memorable Ariana Velenza Curved Sofa from Lexington is a great piece to form the foundation of your colorway. Silver-leaf coffee table sits like a jewelry box in the center of the deep turquoise pieces. The palette is completed with metallic accessories and bright art on the walls.

Pantone TECH-nique Palette in Florida Decor

In a wink to technology, the TECH-nique palette features bright pinks, turquoises, and purples balanced by brilliant white and neutral almond tones. A play on blue screen technology, the colors seem to glow from within. The hues are brilliant, opalescent, pearlescent, and translucent.

Shiny metal legs and high gloss wood are the perfect foil for the bright greens, purples, and pinks in the wall art. This combination anchored by the white Soho Luxe Upholstered Arm Chair by Bernhardt reflects the subtleness of the palette. The traditional flared back and gentle arms add just the right amount of contrast with the modern palette.

The universal nature of the Pantone palettes lets you play with color to your heart's content. You can easily add them to your Florida interiors for an updated look for a style that has timeless appeal.

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Add Interest to Your Home Décor with a Mixed Material Coffee Table

Why is salted caramel so popular? Why is sweet and sour chicken an enduring favorite? Why is cheddar cheese and apple pie a classic? All these things have one thing in common: unexpected flavor combinations. The bolder fashion mavens among us take this concept even further by combining stripes with patterns. Unusual combinations can add interest and personality to your home décor with a mixed-material coffee table.

When you add furniture with mixed materials to your home, you add personality and freshness to the space. Even better, these pieces go with almost any design style. If your style is contemporary, try a sleek table with a glass top and a simple wood base. If you like a rustic feel, try a mixed-material coffee table with metal base and a distressed wood top. If you like eclectic, then anything goes, as long as it goes, of course.

It Takes Two to Tango

A favorite combination when it comes to a mixed-material coffee table is metal and wood. There's just something about this classic combination that pleases the eye and soothes the soul. To add this look to your living room, look for a fresh interpretation to level up your style. Try a distressed wood base with a metal top, like the one found on the Oyster Bay Litchfield Cocktail Table. The carved wood base and burnished stainless steel go well with a relaxed and neutral color palette.

Good Things Come in Threes

Three is definitely not a crowd when it comes to mixed materials in furniture. By adding glass to the wood-and-metal mix, you add unique contemporary style to your living room. With its brass frame, wooden drawers, and glass top, the Curata Modern Rectangle Coffee Table is a modern focal point that you'll enjoy showing off in your home.

Add a Mixed-Material Coffee Table to Your Home Décor

If you really want to try out the mixed-materials look, but aren't sure it will go with your current style, try adding a cocktail or coffee table to your living room. It may seem like a small change, but it can really supercharge the style of your home décor. There is a wide range of style and material combinations to choose from.

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Get Ready for Holiday Guests with a Sleeper Sofa

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and for some, the most crowded. There’s nothing like hosting family and friends for the holidays, until you think to yourself: where will they sleep? Sleeper sofas to the rescue.

If your idea of a pull-out bed is that of an unwieldy, uncomfortable piece of furniture that lacks a little je ne sais quoi, then I’d like to introduce you to the new world of sleeper sofas. Not only are they a great way to make sure that you enjoy as much time with your guests as possible, they also provide a comfortable place for them to sleep.

Make Your Living Room a Bedroom with a Sleeper Sofa

If you don’t have a dedicated guest room, a versatile sleeper sofa lets your room easily transition from family room or den to sleeping space. And you don’t have to compromise on style. The Natuzzi Editions leather sleeper sofa features sleek leather, precision tailoring, and fine craftsmanship. It goes from sophisticated seating to comfortable sleeping in less than 5 minutes.

Known for their ability to give your guests an instant backache, sleeper sofas used to have a bad rap. Saggy mattresses combined with uncomfortable bars and springs made sleeping on them an ordeal. But no longer. Sleeper sofas are now as easy to sleep on as they are easy on the eyes. The memory foam mattress gives your guests the perfect night's sleep while the ergonomically designed sofa provides plenty of comfortable seating.

To make the space more conducive to sleeping, add some blackout curtains, extra pillows and blankets, and a light nearby for bedtime reading. Create a convenient space for your guest's things, such as hidden storage or a side table. Making a power bar for charging electronic devices and your wifi password easily available are touches your guests will appreciate.

Make a Checklist to Get Everything Done

As the holidays get closer and life gets more hectic, checklists can be a life saver. Make a list of everyone's tasks and check them off as they are completed. Be sure to include items such as clean and straighten common areas, wash towels and sheets, create a schedule, make a shopping list, wrap gifts, and last, but not least, don't forget to sweep the front porch and turn the light on to welcome your guests.

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8 Interior Decorating Tips for a Beautiful Home

Do you envy someone who seems to put their home together effortlessly with style and grace? Well, envy no more, because you are about to become that person. Here are the best insider interior decorating tips and tricks for effortlessly elegant home décor.

1) Choose Your Palette

If you are redoing your entire décor, this is the time to choose a new palette. Choose a color scheme for the entire house and plan out how it will be used in each room. You want your rooms to go together, but not match. So, if you have chosen a palette of grays, purples, and yellows, you want these colors to be in each room to maintain continuity. But, you can highlight one color more in one room than another to create a different mood in each room.

2) Choose an Awesome Sofa

Don’t put off buying the best sofa you can find. A piece such as the Tower Place Conrad Sofa from Lexington offers comfort, style, and casual elegance. This sofa will quickly become a family heirloom with its heavy-duty hardwood frame, sinuous wire seat, and plump, fiber-filled back.

3) Create Height with Low Furniture

Draw the eye up with strong verticals and avoid highlighting the horizontal. Low-slung furniture will make a small room look bigger, and mirror can add scale and the illusion of more space.

4) Put Your Statement Pieces in the Spotlight

If you have a piece you love, an heirloom or unique find, put it on display. Mix it in with the rest of your pieces so that it will stand out more.

5) Bring in Some Nature

Adding some natural elements makes a space feel warmer. From greenery to a piece of driftwood, touches from the outdoors bring the energy of nature into your home. You don’t have to make your home a jungle, unless that’s your thing, but a little greenery can soften angular lines when placed on a sideboard or end table.

6) Keep the Pieces You Love

Even if you are redecorating your entire home, you don't have to get rid of all your furniture. Keep the pieces you love. This will add a layered, organic look to your style.

7) Combine Design Styles

Are you a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll? No worries, you can combine design styles to create a balanced look. This is especially good for couples who may not agree on their interior decorating style. Sure, simple, minimalist style has an appealing serenity about it, but reality doesn't always match that ideal. The transitional style of the Monterey Sands Pacific Grove bed mixes with minimalist style to create a warm, inviting, and homey space.

8) Add Some Texture

This interior decorating tip gives your space depth and interest. Texture is often overlooked in interior design. Wood, leather, area rugs, throws, and pillows are some of the many ways to add texture. Metal, plastic, and patterns can also add texture to a space.

Try these interior decorating tips in your next home refresh and you'll be the one everyone envies for their effortless style.

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How to Choose Mattress Firmness

When it comes to mattresses, firmness is very subjective. Everyone has a different perception of what soft or firm means. Here’s a quick guide to help you choose the mattress that will give you the right amount of firmness and support so that you get your best night’s sleep.

What Is Mattress Firmness?

When you lie down on a mattress and feel yourself relaxing into it – that’s when you can feel the firmness. Does the mattress feel stiff and unyielding? This would be considered a firm or very firm mattress.

Or does the mattress have a more cloud-like feel with tons of cushion that immediately conforms to the contours of your body, like sleeping in a hug? This would be considered soft or plush. And some mattresses have a balanced level of hug, contour, and push-back. This would be considered a medium firm mattress.

Whether you are a stomach, back, or side sleeper will influence the level of firmness you require in a mattress.

Side vs. Stomach vs. Back Sleeper

These three positions play a key role in the firmness level that will give you the most comfortable sleep. Sleeping on your side can create numerous pressure points between your body and the mattress. For this reason, side sleepers usually fare better with soft or medium firmness, so that the mattress is able to conform to the shape of the side of your body.

Some feel they just cannot get to sleep unless they sleep on their stomach, but this position can lead to lower back issues. Because of this, stomach sleepers generally require a slightly firm or medium mattress. This will help keep the spine in alignment when lying on the stomach.

Back sleepers can really suffer from back or neck pain if they have a mattress that is too soft or worn out. Their mattress requirements range from slightly soft to medium to moderately firm. Back sleepers need a mattress that relieves pressure and offers plenty of support.

How to Decide Which Firmness Level Is Best for You?

Of all the factors covered, position is probably the most important one to consider when determining your ideal firmness. Side sleepers usually require a firmness low-to-medium firmness level, while stomach sleepers will probably be more comfortable with a mid-to-high range. Back sleepers tend to be most comfortable with a mattress squarely in the mid-range.

Kingsdown bedMatch Mattress Technology

The Kingsdown bedMATCH diagnostic system uses 18 statistical measurements and more than 1,000 scientific calculations as well as information about your sleep preferences and physical condition to help you find the perfect mattress. This system identifies the right firmness and postural support based on your body shape, curvature of the spine, width of the shoulders, and any current pain or issues you may have. You’ll find that when your mattress gives you the best postural support based on your sleeping position and body type, your body remains properly aligned and supported while you sleep.

4 Steps to Better Sleep with bedMatch

1. Create Your Profile – answer a few simple questions about your sleep preferences 
2. bedMATCH Analysis – technology analyzes statistical measurements and 1,000 scientific calculations related to your answers 
3. Mattress Recommendations – get color coded recommendations for mattresses with the firmness you need for postural support based on your profile 
4. Choose Your Perfect Mattress – test each mattress on your list and choose the one you like the most 

The combination of science-based recommendations and personal preferences lets you find the mattress that gives you the best support. The next time you are mattress shopping, visit the Baer’s Furniture showroom near you to take advantage of the Kingsdown mattress technology and find your perfect mattress match. Getting a good night’s sleep will change your life.

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Freshen Your Décor with New Custom Upholstery

One of the best ways to show your style is with custom upholstery and furniture. You can create the perfect statement chair or the sofa that fits your style. In addition to fabric, you can choose arm styles, leg styles, and pillow styles that make a piece uniquely yours.

Choose Your Fabric Based on Style and Function

There’s more to choosing a fabric than color or pattern, although that is important. Some bold colors can take over a room and should be used in moderation. However, they often make great accent colors, and when used on a statement piece, can elevate the entire room.

Once you have a few thoughts about the colors you’d like to use, you can narrow down your upholstery options. This Traditional Wing Back Accent Chair from Huntington House features a bold print that pulls in the blues and beiges of the room’s décor and adds bolder blues and gold to liven it up. However, if you want a more subtle effect, you can choose a geometric print in two complementary colors and create a different, but just as stunning look.

If you are having trouble finding what you want, don’t hesitate to ask for help from a design professional. Bring in some inspirational photographs to demonstrate what you are looking for.

When choosing your fabric, it’s important to consider where the piece will be used. For instance, if you are choosing a statement chair to freshen your room’s décor, consider how much use the chair will get. Is it merely decorative? Or do you anticipate putting it in a reading nook or bedroom where it will get a lot of use? Fabric on decorative chairs probably won’t get too much wear and tear, while those in high traffic areas will probably need upholstery that is easy to maintain.

Also, consider texture since you’ll probably be looking at and sitting on the chair or sofa for a while. The texture of the upholstery should both fit in with your room design and feel comfortable when you sit or lie on it. Good design isn’t just about looks, it is also about function. Don’t hesitate to keep looking until you find your perfect match.

After you’ve chosen your fabric, you can choose arm, cushion, and feet style. Options for the Conversational Sofa by Huntington House include a panel arm, pleated arm, English arm, track arm, modern track arm, or padded track arm. You can also choose from base selections that include a skirted base, block leg, bun foot, or upholstered base. Pillow options are bed pillow back, box border back, knife edge back, and modern box border back. Each option has characteristics of a certain period or look, but there are no hard and fast rules. It’s really what you like best. In the end, you’ll have a unique piece that reflects your taste and style, and fits perfectly in your home.

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Choosing Leather Furniture That Matches Your Room Style

Leather furniture automatically becomes the centerpiece of whatever space you put it in. Just like any other furniture, leather pieces come in myriad styles, including traditional, transitional, modern, and more. Whatever you choose, when you go with leather, you are getting stylish, comfortable furniture that improves with age.

With all the furniture styles we have today, it's easy to get confused when it comes to the characteristics of each one. Here are some pointers to help you decide what kind of style reflects the décor in your home.

Hallmarks of Traditional Design

Traditional furniture can be recognized by:

• Lots of detail and embellishments
• 19th century or earlier aesthetic
• A timeless, elegant, and luxurious design

Hallmarks of Transitional Design

Transitional furniture can be recognized by:

• Blending the comfort of traditional with clean profiles
• Balances warmth of traditional with understated colors
• Gracious, streamlined, harmonious spaces

Hallmarks of Modern Design

Modern furniture can be recognized by:

• Clean lines and bold geometric shapes and patterns
• Urban aesthetic
• Focus on function over embellishments

Hallmarks of Contemporary Design

Contemporary furniture can be recognized by:

• Popular or used right now
• Changes and borrows styles from different eras
• Isn’t tied down to any one specific style

How to Add Leather Furniture that Suits Your Style

Since leather furniture lasts for decades, look for a style that you will still adore 20 years from now. A classic piece might be the way to go; they are called classic for a reason. You can fit them into almost any design style without too much trouble. Here are four possible approaches to adding leather furniture into your design.

Leather for Traditional Style Décor

Match a classic frame with a classic color. If you prefer something really traditional, this is probably the approach for you. A chocolate brown chesterfield sofa for your living room or den, or a leather office chair would probably fit in with your current decor.

Leather for Transitional Style Décor

Mix a classic frame with a contemporary color. There are so many colors to choose from in leather furniture these days. You can refresh a classic shape with a hip color such as turquoise, pink, or green. Or pick one from your room’s current palette to create a cohesive design aesthetic. Mixing classic shapes with modern colors can make a traditional space more exciting.

Leather for Modern Style Décor

Cover a modern frame with a classic color. Try a classic color such as brown, tan, or black on an ottoman with acrylic and brass legs. Leather is supremely sexy, and when you put a classic color on a contemporary or modern frame, you’re pushing the boundaries in just the right way.

Leather for Contemporary Style Décor

Cover a contemporary frame with a contemporary color. Try a sofa with clean, straight lines in deep blue or provocative purple leather. Put this against a light blue wall for a stunning effect.

Whenever you choose leather furniture, you are making a statement. You can show off with a flashy red leather sofa or add a subtle touch with a classic brown leather side chair. Make sure what you are getting is 100% genuine leather. Terms such as “bonded leather”, “leather-like”, and “feel of leather” indicate that what you are looking at is probably not 100% leather.

Using these approaches, you can mix and match styles and colors to get the look you desire that fits your décor personality. Regardless of which you choose, you’ll be adding a touch of timelessness.

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Dress Up Your Dresser with an Eye-Catching Mirror that Reflects Your Style

Although the bed takes center stage in the bedroom, a dresser with a beautiful mirror is a strong supporting player. Just as a dresser helps reflect your style, so does the mirror you choose to hang or place over it. Dresser mirrors come in numerous styles and sizes.

In general, square mirrors are medium-sized, rectangular ones come in a wider variety of sizes. Oval mirrors create a classic look, and unique shapes – such as geometric – add a touch of modern sophistication while curved lines add softness.

Keeping this in mind, here are some tips to help you choose the mirror that best reflects your style.

Mirror Shape

Select a mirror shape that complements the design of the room. If most of the furniture in the bedroom is square or rectangular, choose a mirror with the same shape. In the room above, the Cascade Dresser Mirror from Broyhill Furniture is the perfect companion piece to the dresser. It echoes the room’s design, which uses straight lines from the bedside tables to the dresser, to the paneling on the walls, and even the ceiling. In addition, the mirror’s beveled glass brings in extra light. A curvier or more ornate mirror would look out of place.

Mirror Frame

A framed dresser mirror can create a great accent for a bedroom. Mirror frames come in different styles, designs, shapes, and colors that can complement your bedroom’s style. You can choose a frame that is in the same wood finish as your bedroom décor to create a balanced, cohesive look. Or, you can choose a gold or silver framed mirror for a more elegant look. A metallic framed mirror will create a focal point in your bedroom, so its size and placement is especially important.

Mirror Size

The dresser should be wider than the mirror, so be sure to measure your dresser before you choose your mirror. The dresser should not only be wider, but taller to create balance between the two pieces. Above, the Sandcastle Arched Mirror from Hooker Furniture balances the dresser: it’s not too small that it seems like an afterthought, and not too big that it overpowers the dresser top.

Personal Style

Of course, in the end it comes down to your personal style. You can find a mirror with an elaborately carved frame, or something simpler. A mirror without a frame will give your room a more modern feel, while a round or oval mirror is perfect if your bedroom style is more romantic.

Your mirror can stand out as a focal point in your bedroom or blend into the room’s décor. There’s no right or wrong choice, and it’s quite likely that whatever you choose won’t stray far from your personal style. As long as you love it, and love your reflection in it, there’s nothing to worry about.

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Tips and Tricks to Make the Most of Your Leather Furniture

Durable, comfortable, and long lasting, leather furniture adds character to any room. It’s like the little black dress of furniture – you can dress it up, you can dress it down, and it’s appropriate for any occasion. It adapts well to almost any design style.

You can find leather pieces that are timelessly classic and ones that are modern and edgy. However, many people struggle to decorate with and around leather furniture, especially if they are trying to create a look that is light and colorful.

Decorating around a brown leather sofa doesn’t have to be that difficult. Here are some tips to get you started.

Treat It as the Neutral It Is

Keep in mind that brown leather is a neutral, so it goes well with a variety of colors. It also works well with other neutrals. Even a red leather sofa can be treated as a neutral. It just depends on the look you want to achieve. So choose a look for your space and see if you can use the remaining ideas to make the most of your leather furniture.

White Walls

White walls are enduringly popular and won’t be going away any time soon. And with a leather sofa, they really work. The white walls and brown trim above accentuate the brown leather Manchester Chesterfield-Style sofa from the Tommy Bahama Island Traditions Collection. The upholstered chairs with complementary fabrics add visual texture. If you prefer, you could strictly repeat the brown and white color scheme, just be sure to add plenty of texture with your fabrics when you style your leather couch, and add accessories to keep the room interesting. 

Lighter Rugs

When you are decorating with warm colors, you may be tempted to use heavier rugs. It’s not wrong, exactly, but if you are looking for a lighter, brighter look more in keeping with Florida style, choose a lighter rug that incorporates whites, creams, or other lighter colors to keep the space fresh.

Custom Details

If you don’t love all-white walls, but want your space to be lighter and brighter, consider adding custom details such as wainscoting. You’ll end up with a warm and cozy space accented with interesting architectural detail.

Natural Elements and Lighter Furniture Pieces

A great trick for softening a space is adding items from nature, such as plants, wicker baskets, and wooden candlesticks or bowls. Incorporating lighter rugs and furniture pieces will also lighten up the look. You can easily complement the dark red leather sofa, such as the one above from Huntington House, by using other dark elements in the space and in the upholstery of the other furniture pieces in the room. The throw pillows, upholstered chairs, and natural area rug keep the space bright.

Create Interest with Contrast

Even a neutral space with a brown and white color scheme can become more interesting with contrast. The darker elements will really stand out against white walls, woodwork, pillows, and rugs. Consider an area rug with a brown and white geometric pattern to help create texture without going against the color scheme.

Use Patterns to Create Flow

By incorporating a mix of patterns, you can draw the eye around the room. A bold color and pattern on the window treatments can add weight to the walls, and you can repeat the color of the leather in the upholstered pieces and throw pillows. Repeating the sofa color is a good way to create a cohesive look. If you prefer neutrals to bold colors, you can still use patterns for interest, just make sure all the patterns reflect the natural palette of your room.

Boldly Go …

Select one bold color, either the sofa itself, the curtains, or the area rug, and repeat it in patterns and textures throughout the space. Neutral walls will also help lighten the look of dark leather furniture while pops of color create contrast and interest.

Add Color with Paint

For all of you who really don’t like neutral walls, paint is the least expensive way to add color to your space. Pick a bold color and make it pop with white trim on the baseboards and molding. Use the color in throw pillows and accessories to keep the look balanced.

Clever layering and accessorizing will give you a room that is balanced, attractive, and comfortable. Visit the Baer’s Furniture showroom near you to see more leather sofas. If you are not sure how to style your leather furniture, take advantage of the Baer’s Furniture complimentary design service to achieve the look you desire.

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Dining Tables Designed for Entertaining

Every home has a designated space where people gather to share meals and discuss the events of the day. Some home floorplans keep the dining room separate, while others extend the dining room into the area off the kitchen, making a more open floor plan.

Other homes have a specific dining room that is separate from other rooms or areas in the home, but still accessible. Whichever way your dining room comes into play, its design should bring out the combined comfort-factor of food, friends, and family.

But don’t dismiss the dining table as just a place to gather for meals. Interesting options for style, shape, and design can make your dining table a piece of furniture that sets the tone for the entire space.

Classic Dining Table Shapes

Round and rectangular are classic dining table shapes that fit almost every dining room. Rectangular tables, such as this one from the Solana collection by Hooker Furniture, can accommodate a lot of guests. Warm tones and simple lines give this table timeless appeal. Two included table leaves let you extend the table, so you can have a quiet dinner with your family but also easily host a lively dinner party.

Round tables are great for smaller dining rooms and hosting small, intimate parties. Because they are usually smaller, their rounded shape allows conversation to flow easily around the group, they create an environment that is friendly, warm, and intimate. They are great for playing board games or cards since their rounded shape forms a common center area that’s easy for all players to reach.

The casual style of the Oyster Bay Calerton Round Dining Table by Lexington gives you the casual look of a seaside cottage that says “come in and relax a while.” Its vintage style blends easily with all styles of furniture, from traditional to country. The additional leaves give you the option to entertain more guests on special occasions and holidays.

A more traditional style is perfect for formal dinner parties. Rich wood finishes and carved legs are the hallmarks of traditional style. However, lest you think traditional is boring, the Kilimanjaro Expedition Table from Tommy Bahama draws its inspiration from famed explorers and adventurers. Even the name sounds exotic and alluring.

A beautiful dining table automatically commands attention in your dining room. Rectangular, round, large, or small, your dining table needs to be functional as well as attractive. The right dining table can make a dinner party at home an event equal to, or better, than any at a five-star restaurant.

When you invite people into your home to share a meal, you want to make them comfortable, but it doesn’t hurt if they are a little impressed. Whether small and intimate, or extended to its full length, the perfect dining room table will create the impression you desire.

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9 Reasons to Choose Leather Furniture

It’s true that when you decide to furnish your home with leather furniture you are making an investment. But this is an investment that pays dividends. Leather reigns supreme for many reasons, all of which add up to comfort, style, aesthetics, and more. Perhaps this is why leather is both the most traditional and most frequently chosen material for furniture. Below are reasons why this unique material is a perennial favorite.



1. Durability: This means that you can get years of use from your investment in leather furniture. Leather retains its strength and durability for decades and its looks only get better with age.
2. Longevity: Durability’s partner. With the right care and maintenance, a quality leather sofa can last for many years.

3. Comfort: Leather adjusts to your body as you sit or lie upon it, so it is always nice and welcoming. The material doesn’t break down, so you don’t get the sagging or drooping that can lower the comfort level.

4. Maintenance: Leather is easy to clean, it can be as easy as running a damp cloth over it once a week. Dry with a soft cloth and you are done. If needed, you can vacuum your leather furniture using the soft brush attachment before you wipe it down. You should condition your leather sofa every 6-12 months with a good leather conditioner. Make sure to ask your Baer’s furniture representative any questions you have about cleaning your leather furniture.

5. Luxury: Naturally elegant, leather furniture carries an air of luxury and class more than any other material.

6. Versatile: It never goes out of style and can fit into almost any type of décor. Regardless of style or color, your leather sofa work with your design. Its look can easily be changed with accessories such as pillows and throws.

7. Kid Friendly: See durability and maintenance above. Yes, these features make it kid-and-pet friendly. Stains wipe off and it is resistant to tearing.

8. Hypoallergenic: Leather doesn’t accumulate pet dander, dust mites, and other allergens, unlike fabric.

9. Budget: Your investment in good quality leather furniture will last for years. Its color and shape lasts longer than fabrics, and wear and tear adds to its appeal.

Both traditional and contemporary leather furniture is available. If you go the traditional route, a leather couch will add elegance and luxury to your space. Add brass and gold accessories for a regal look. If contemporary is more your style, pick one of the more vibrant colors such as red or purple to get the impact that is hallmark of modern design. No matter what style you choose, each leather piece is unique in nature and will add value, beauty, and comfort to your home.

Learn more about Baer's Furniture. Follow Baer's Furniture on Instagram for more design tips.

What Mattress Style Suits You? Revolutionary Technology Can Help You Find the Perfect Memory Foam Mattresses

Getting a good night’s rest can depend on many factors: your stress level, the room’s temperature, or your mattress. To really get a good night’s sleep, you need a memory foam mattress that gives you the support you need. A mattress that is too firm can take your spine out of alignment, one that is too soft won’t give you proper support. Both of these situations can result in you waking up achy and sore. That’s why a memory foam mattress might be the perfect option for you.

How Do You Know If You Are Sleeping on the Right Mattress?

If you wake up and feel lower back pain that goes away in 15 to 30 minutes with a little stretching, you are sleeping on a mattress that doesn’t give you the right support. When you sleep on the right mattress, you feel no pressure, it’s almost as if you are floating on clouds. A memory foam mattress conforms to your body as you sleep, giving it the support it needs, right where it needs it.

Mattress Testing Technology

You could test many mattresses by lying on them to see if they are right for you. This entails lying in several positions for at least 15 minutes each. Why 15 minutes? That’s about how long it takes your body to relax. And remember, you’d have to do this on every mattress you try in every store you visit. Even if the carry the same brand, the mattress can be slightly different. 

However, there is technology to help you make your decision. The patented Kingsdown bedMATCH diagnostic system uses information about how you sleep, 18 statistical measurements, and more than 1,000 scientific calculations to help you find a mattress that will provide you with optimal support and pressure relief.

First, a Baer’s sales associate will ask you questions about how you sleep: on your back, side or stomach. They’ll also ask if you have any specific issues: neck pain, back pain, and so on. Once this information is entered into the bedMATCH diagnostic system, you lie down on the bedMATCH test bed for approximately 3 minutes. This is where the science and statistics come in.

Using these measurements and your information, bedMATCH determines how much support you need from your mattress. It then gives you color-coded recommendations with a list of every mattress available from Baer’s that is in line with your profile. You can then lie down on each hybrid or memory foam mattress on the list and choose the one you like best.

Visit the Baer’s Furniture showroom near you to try this revolutionary technology and find the mattress that will give you the perfect night’s rest you crave. Follow Baer's Furniture on Twitter for more design tips. Read about the Spirit of Life Dinner in honor of Baer's Furniture.