Test Your Home Décor Knowledge

Do you consider yourself an interior design aficionado? Do you hold up the checkout line at the grocery store to finish articles in the home décor magazines? Do you continuously refresh your browser in December to be among the first to see the Pantone Color of the Year?

At Baer’s Furniture, we understand the obsession. Our stores are staffed with interior decorators who have voracious appetites for all things design. That’s why we created this entertaining interior design quiz.

See how closely your answers match the opinions of our Design Team below!

Interior Design Quiz Questions

1. What is the 60-30-10 color principle?
2. Name three natural materials found in home décor.
3. What is the difference between contemporary and modern?
4. What are the three traits of Art Deco design?
5. What does the “aniline” in aniline leather refer to?
6. What are six accessories found in living room décor?
7. What is the Danish concept of Hygge?
8. Where did the term “Dark Academia” originate?
9. Which of the following is NOT true of Feng Shui?

        a. The intended occupant of the room should have a commanding position.
        b. There are five elements of Feng Shui: wood, metal, fire, water, and earth.
        c. The words “feng shui” literally translate to “tiny flowers.”
        d. According to the principles of Feng Shui, you can use geometric shapes to achieve balance.

Interior Design Quiz Answers

We’ve provided you with the answers for each question, along with a helpful explanation. 

1. There are many approaches to creating color schemes in interior design. One popular one that we often recommend is the 60-30-10 principle. Choosing three colors from the same palette, 60% of your space is in the primary color, 30% is in the secondary color, and 10% is in the tertiary color. For example, in this photo displaying the Parker House Americana Modern Writing Desk, the walls and area rug comprise the primary color. The white desk and curtains are of the secondary color, and the tertiary color is neutral wood tones. 
   
   
   
2. Some examples of natural materials include wood, leather, metal, rattan, cotton, and stone. This gorgeous tropical bedroom featuring the Tommy Bahama Home Island Estate Round Hill Bed makes heavy use of wood, rattan, and linen. There is not, however, a great deal of metal since this is not an element that’s readily available in the tropics. 
   
   
   
3. There is a lot of understandable confusion over contemporary vs. modern. Modern design has more rigid rules. For instance, the modern interior is simple and efficient. It’s characterized by straight lines, neutral and primary colors, and highly functional materials like glass, steel, and concrete. Contemporary, on the other hand, is always evolving. It is a far more flexible design principle that reflects the trends of the moment. 
4. Art Deco is a design trend that has come in and out of vogue over the past century. Some of the characteristics of Art Deco are geometric shapes and patterns (particularly straight lines), symmetry, luxurious materials, black and white, jewel tones, typography, allusions to ancient cultures, and an overall glamour. 
5. Aniline refers to a type of dye that’s used to color leather. The leather that’s used for this process is particularly supple, which means that aniline leather furniture sells at a premium.
6. Almost any item that isn’t a piece of furniture or a fixture can be considered an accessory. Common living room accessories include throw pillows, blankets, lamps and lampshades, curtains, area rugs, wall art, mirrors, and objets d’art. 
7. Hygge is a Danish word that was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2017. While Hygge is a broader concept, it is often applied to interior design. Hygge emphasizes comfort and coziness. For instance, a Hygge living room may include fluffy, textured pillows, a thick blanket, scented candles, and soft mood lighting. This Terra Fabric Sofa from Bernhardt’s Plush Collection was designed with Hygge in mind. All you need to add is a thick blanket. 
   
   
   
   
8. Dark Academia is a term used to describe a style of décor that uses muted blacks and grays to create a light-absorbing interior. Scientific implements and artifacts are used to give the effect of an anthropologist's study. The term traces its roots to a Tumblr site dedicated to Harry Potter. 
9. Feng Shui is an Asian decorating principle based on the concept that rooms have their own spirit or energy. While all of the concepts listed are part of the Feng Shui discipline, the name literally means “wind and water” and not “tiny flowers.” Therefore, “c” is the correct answer.  

With 16 furniture stores in Florida, Baer’s is your number-one partner in interior design. Stop in at Baer’s Furniture today!

Hot Furniture Trends

 2023 was a lightning-fast year, and with a change in seasons upon us, we're excited to make some fresh changes to our interiors! These are a few of our favorite furniture trends right now - and we think you'll fall for them, too. 

The Continuing Evolution of Farmhouse 

If you have already embraced the coziness of farmhouse décor, you’re in luck. The farmhouse furniture motif is still alive and strong, but it is evolving. Modern Farmhouse is an emerging new look that has moved from naked wood with black iron details to a slightly more refined appearance, drawing from coastal, Scandinavian, and modern designs. 

A piece like the Palmetto Home Cane Bay Collection Coffee Table checks all of the right boxes. While it clearly would work in a coastal living room, it can also add that touch of lightness you’re looking for in Modern Farmhouse décor. 

The Long-Anticipated Arrival of Curvy Furniture

If you’ve grown tired of the razor-straight lines of the furniture that became so popular during the 2010s, you’re in luck. Supply interruptions and delayed purchases may have forestalled the move from straight to curvy, but this trend is finally ripe.

Circular and oval table tops, rounded legs and feet, and camel-back sofas with rolled arms are all de rigueur. The Tommy Bahama Home Bali Hai Quickship Shoreline Sofa has beautiful rolled arms, slopes forward at the base, and sits atop solid, curvy legs. These ornate fern leaf carvings make this sofa ideal for tropical or coastal décors.

Maximalism is In (but so is Minimalism)

There has been an explosion of maximalist styles over the past few years, but we believe minimalism still has legs. 

Maximalist styles like Dark Academia, Grandmillenial, Boho, and several other décor disciplines are going to keep being huge. Look for dark, heavy furniture for Dark Academia, brilliant floral patterns for Grandmillenial, and earthy tones or greens for Bohemian — and of course, tons of accessories for all of the above.

Speaking of Boho, the Loose Back Wicker Rum Chair would make a fantastic accent piece for your Bohemian room. Flank it with a few macrame plant holders, and your room is ready to relax and enjoy!

Why doesn’t this mean the end of minimalism? Because there are too many minimalist trends that remain extremely popular. Minimalism may not be for everyone, but it’s too popular (and practical) to go anywhere. That leaves you with a lot of choices. 

Texture Remains in Vogue

At Baer’s Furniture, we love decorating with textures. It adds space, dimension, and warmth to any decorative theme. Textures may not be a burning new trend, but they are going strong with no end in sight. Here are some of the popular ways you can include texture in your space. 

• Furniture Accessories - Knitted or faux fur poufs, throw pillows, blankets and throws can all provide a soft feel and look to your furniture. Adding textured accessories can also break up the rigid lines of furniture pieces that may not go with the softer look that you’re trying to achieve. 
• Wallpaper – Generally more expensive than a coat of paint, wallpaper can be a useful accent for adding texture to a room. The push toward maximalism allows you to explore creative options.
• Rugs and Curtains – You can warm up a room with a large area rug or place several smaller rugs around for a more versatile look. 

Creating a Zen Space

If there are two home trends that have made it big this decade (so far), it’s the home office and home wellness spaces. Creating a quiet place for meditation and self-care has become an essential antidote for stressful times. 

It also gives you a fun option for smaller spaces since it doesn’t take a lot of room or furniture to create a self-care area. 

If you’re looking for “now” furniture in Florida, Baer’s Furniture is our go-to place for trend-setting furniture pieces. Their knowledgeable staff keeps abreast of the newest trends and highest quality furniture. Stop in at one of Baer’s many Florida furniture stores today!

Turning Your Living Room Into a Home Gaming Center

 One of the many lessons the pandemic taught us is that you can have a lot of fun staying home and playing games. If you’re a committed gamer of one type or another, you may have decided to go all in and convert a room into a full-blown game center.

Non-Floridians often use their basements for just such a purpose, but because virtually no homes in Florida have basements, the possibility of a subterranean rumpus room is nonexistent. On the other hand, you may not want your living room to look like a strip mall arcade.

We consulted the Baer’s Furniture design team to assemble some guidelines for creating a gaming center in which adults can feel comfortable. As usual, the team didn’t let us down. 

Types of Games You Want to Play

Before you start picking out tables, cabinets, and recliners, you might want to think about the types of games that you want to play.

If you’re embedded in VR, you’ll want a floor plan that gives you plenty of space. A minimalist approach to your décor might be best.

If you’re more of a tabletop gamer, you might want to select a nice elevated pub table with some tasteful bar stools.

If you play console games, a reclining sectional that faces your television sets might be your furniture of choice. 

Measuring Your Space 

It might be fun to play laser tag in your living room, but you probably don’t have the room for it. Once you figure out how you want your room to incorporate your gaming, you need to determine the layout of the area. Some basic elements might include a table for playing board games, a pair of gaming chairs facing a wall-mounted television, or some open area for Twister or Oculus play.

That doesn’t mean you’re done. You might want somewhere to place a lamp or set down your cocktail, but figuring out the room layout is a great start. 

Multifunctionality

At some point, you may need your room to serve another function other than games. For example, if you have your family over for a holiday, not all of your guests may be as passionate about play as you are. If nothing else, a bar in the corner or maybe a sound system will add to the festive atmosphere of the room. 

Furnishing Your Living Room Gaming Space

You might have the impulse to empty the room out and just start playing, but we’re talking about a gaming space for adults. You’re going to eventually want to sit. For this, we recommend the unparalleled Large Opal Classic Chair from the Stressless Furniture Mike Collection (or anything from Stressless, really):

It is beautiful, compact, and you will feel like you’re floating when you sit in it — ideal for VR, video gaming, or just taking a nap. 

Again, because this is an adults’ playspace, we need to keep things neat and orderly. Having cables, boxes, and remotes strewn around the room is not the sophisticated look you’re going for. A console with wire management is an absolute requirement for any gaming room. Check out the Hooker Furniture Big Bang Entertainment Console with removable shelves. 

This beautiful storage piece has a bold pattern that enhances the excitement of gaming. It is also large enough to support a television of substantial proportions. 

If you think that your gaming room should also function as a social center, you can’t go wrong with a reclining sectional. It encourages close conversation, but it also has ample seating for sitting around a Monopoly board or playing on the TV.

We like this Natuzzi Editions Intenso Contemporary Power Sectional for an adult gaming center. Add a storage ottoman to the center as a playing surface and hide away your board game boxes. 

A Few Tips for Rounding Out Your Gaming Space

The devil is in the details, they say. Here are a few items that you don’t necessarily have to have but are nice add-ons for a well-rounded game room:

• Dark curtains to eliminate glare on the TV 
• Surround-sound speakers for a more immersive video-gaming experience
• Area rugs because they’re nicer to stand on and they dampen the sound 
• A dimmer switch for ambient lighting options
• Oversized throw pillows or poufs make a nice touch for sitting around a game board on the coffee table

Always remember to avoid tackiness by investing in high-quality furniture at a Baer’s Furniture store near you. 

What is Cluttercore? Is the Cluttercore Aesthetic Right For you?

If you’ve heard the term Cluttercore being bandied about in home decorating circles and thought that it sounds like a lazy way to excuse being a messy housekeeper, you might be surprised to find out that it’s a fairly disciplined approach to interior décor.

While minimalism has ruled the day since at least the mid-90s — although its roots trace back as far back as the '60s and '70s — it’s not a design trend that everyone wants.

The Cluttercore aesthetic is the exact opposite, and we think that it has legs. 

The Cluttercore Trend Defined 

While the term Cluttercore is relatively new — as are most design trends using the -core suffix — the concepts behind it are rather old.

Cluttercore involves using knickknacks, objets d’art, souvenirs, and collectibles to individualize your space. It is a maximalist design that allows decorators to embrace the chaos to whatever degree they’re comfortable. 

Cluttercore does not mean the end of surface cleaning... Quite the opposite.

Adopting a true Cluttercore space will increase your workload. The more surface area you introduce to your space – and all of these items add surface area — the more dusting and shifting items around you have to do. This is one of the main reasons that many home designers love minimalism. It’s low maintenance. 

Tips For Achieving Cluttercore Design

If you’re undeterred by the additional cleaning and maintenance that will become part of your home life, these tips should help you achieve the Cluttercore look you’re hoping to achieve. 

Theme or No Theme: You Must Decide

Collectors love Cluttercore because it means that they can leave their hard-won prizes on display.

Their living rooms might be a little busier, but collectors tend to display items from a certain genre or that share a particular theme. This is one approach to Cluttercore. All of the clutter is Hummel figurines, sports memorabilia, Star Wars collectibles, etc.

On the other hand, you can go for a truly eclectic look where the pieces don’t follow any particular theme. This would depend on your tolerance for true chaos. Colors will clash, straight lines will mix with curves, patterns represent different eras, etc. This route may give you the most freedom, but it also may take a greater toll on your sense of tranquility. 

Utilize Storage Space

This may not seem to make sense on the surface, but it addresses the question of whether you want a Cluttercore theme or just don’t want to have to put things away. Although Cluttercore is a forgiving style choice, certain items are not decorative in any way: remote controls, dog leashes, electronic cords, and house keys are not Cluttercore — they’re just clutter.

Have a space to store non-thematic items. This Lexington Oyster Bay Shadow Valley Media Console (shown in a distinctively non-Cluttercore setting) provides you with display space to show off your items, but it also gives you hidden storage for your remotes, keys, games, etc.

Display Cabinets are a Must

Unless you intend to clutter the floor with your cherished items, which may result in breakage and injury, you’re going to need surfaces to celebrate them.

Bookshelves are a nifty way to display rows of items, or you could go with a more whimsical design, like the Ocean Club Tradewinds Bookcase that gives ten different compartments plus the top to display your favorite pieces.

If you have breakable items, a good alternative is a sturdy curio cabinet, like the Pulaski Chocolate Cherry Two Way Sliding Door Curio Cabinet.

Offset Large Items with Small Ones

You are going to want to have some level of balance in your space. It will make it more comfortable when you’re enjoying your treasures. If you have a large item, you can surround it with smaller items or create symmetry by putting a collection of smaller items opposite of it.

For example, if you have a jukebox or pinball machine on one side of a doorway, you can install a curio cabinet with smaller pieces on the other. 

Accessorize

While your space is already full of decorative accessories, you also want to make it warm and inviting. Use throw pillows, area rugs, quilts, etc., to make your space feel warm and inviting. 

Invest in Quality

If you buy cheap furniture, it will cheapen the look of your interior. If you’re serious about decorating, invest in it.

Baer’s Furniture is Florida’s number-one retailer of high-quality furniture. Stop into Baer’s today and find the pieces you need to complete your Cluttercore space.