Norwood Furniture

HOW NATURE INFLUENCES DESIGN

  Nature has a significant influence in the design of interiors & exteriors, furniture, window coverings, accessories for the home, as well as our own fashions and jewelry.  Elements in nature can be thought  of as the jewelry of the design. For example, living coral from the sea can influence an entire room by the shapes it forms influencing the pattern and color of the fabric.

           

We look at todays' runways and fashion magazines for tips on what's new this season and apply that to our own wardrobe and accessories.  The same can be applied to our living spaces.  In design, the shapes, colors, design, accessories; especially window treatments and bedding are THE JEWELRY!

Not long ago, Norwood Furniture hosted a color workshop, where I featured a segment called "Ebb & Flow", which talked about how water influenced everything from the colors of fabrics, and the design of the fabric patterns, to the selection of paint colors and the theme of the rooms. Colors from the sea in hues of  aquamarine blues, sea blues, spa blues and as well as sky blues were featured.

   

In the book, "Colour Futures" by ICI Paints, the author writes: Water is, and always has been, both a necessity and a fascination of mankind. It speaks to our collective imagination in practical, spiritual and symbolic terms. Fluidity, liquidity, translucency and reflection are qualities and characteristics that fascinate designers.

Consider nature to influence your next home project, it is the jewelry of your design!

Karen,

Norwood Furniture 

 

 

 

 

WHAT ARE TODAY'S WINDOWS WEARING?

Hi, my name is Sherri Murphy and I manage Norwood's Custom Drapery and Bedding Department . We have recently received several great new fabric books filled with the latest and greatest in textiles. Here are some of the current trends we are seeing emerge:

 Artisan Inspired- High quality embroidery from India. Embroidered on natural drapery cloth, classic cotton organdy and linen.

      

Linen- Casual elegance is today's most important home decor style and linen is the perfect companion for this look.

Damask Eleganza- Exquisite new damask taking luxurious faux silk and enhancing it using a pocket weave construction. Two designs- traditional damask and a large-scale transitional scroll. Pairs beautifully with one inch wide stripes. 9 colors- earth tones, metallics and soft neutrals.

     

     

  Faux Silk- Classic silk like douppiouni with the heavy slub and crisp hand of luxury silk. Jewel tones, rich silk colors, basic neutrals and soft pastels.

Radiant Velvets- Elegant silk velvet solids great for upscale window treatments and luxurious bedding.

Sheers- Architectural sheers with a variety of stripes and textures with a concise palette of neutrals. Novelty sheers with coordinating patterns in a neutral and earth color story. Large stripes, checks, graphic scroll embroidery and dots are all seen in the new collections.

         

Silk- Raw silk is still very strong. Lots of beautiful colors.

 Latest Color Trends Canary, Wheat, Goldenrod, Crimson- clean reds to wines Copper, Persimmon, Brick, Gold- yellows and golds with a hint of tan Dune, Mink, Fudge, Granite-browns and classic black white combinations Khaki, Chive Spruce, Sage- mid-tone dirty greens to olive Oasis, Azure, Seaside, Sweet Coral- soft corals, peach and rose Pebble, Mushroom, Noir, Spice- Rust to orange based reds and bricks Linen, White, Ivory, Gray ,Taupe Mineral, Slate  Deep Midnight, Dark Velvet Sky, Valentine, Ruby, Cherry White, Parchment, Sandstone

         

Faux Leather- Textures with lots of dimension, classic looks to innovative iridescent patterns.

       

The Green Project-Reduce, Reuse, Recycle- a collection of textiles made from recycled plastic bottles.

         

Menswear Inspired- The menswear look has firmly established itself as a category in home decor. We are seeing hounds-tooth, faux suede, wool looks, small scale checks and distressed leathers.

                                                               

I invite you to stop in and check out our wonderful Drapery library and personally experience these great new fabric resources. 

 Sherri Murphy

Norwood Furniture

What color are your eyes?

We subscribe to many industry magazines that have insightful articles on a variety of topics. One such resource is the "STIR" Magazine published by Sherwin Williams. I was reading the article below and thought I would pass it along to our readers. STIR magazine also has a great website www.swstir.com with numerous articles relating to color, design, style, paint and really anything to do with design.

Enjoy this little tidbit on the colors that make up the human eye:

Todd Brundrett, Norwood Furniture

It's the season of Orange

At the recent color event, I researched and presented on the color orange.  What do you think of when you see orange?  For me, I think of the bright orange of yams in my family's casserole at Thanksgiving.  It's a recipe that's been passed on, mostly by word of mouth, through the years.  Our name for it has become "Apple Yammy Yum Yum," but I think it originally had a different name.  Wanna give our recipe a try?

Two Baking Apples, thinly sliced

6-8 large yams

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup diced pecans

1 bag mini marshmallows

Oven at 375 degrees

Bake the yams in the oven for approximately one hour, until fairly soft.  Remove from oven and remove the skins.  CAREFUL--they will be hot!  You can also peel the yams beforehand and boil them for approximately 25 minutes.  Next, mash the yams to the consistency of mashed potatoes.  Take a 9 X 13" casserole dish, spray the bottom, and flatten 1/2 of the yams on the bottom of the pan.  Take some of your apple slices and cover the entire layer of yams.  Next, put on another layer of yams and follow with the remaining apple slices.  Mix the brown sugar and pecans in a bowl and sprinkle over top of apples.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake in oven for 45 minutes.  Remove pan from oven and put the mini marshmallows on top.  Turn oven to "Broil" and put pan back in oven for approximately 5 minutes.  Watch the pan because you only want the marshmallows to brown, not burn. 

I hope you enjoy my recipe.  And by the way, orange increases the appetite, so it's a great color for a dining area--unless you want to decrease the appetite. If you want to know more on how to use orange in your decorating or have other questions you can email me at shastai@norwoodfurniture.com.

Thanks for reading,

Shasta

Norwood Furniture

FALL into Brown

As a home furnishings consultant at Norwood Furniture, many emotional responses are elicited when surrounded by various shades of brown.  When working with clients in the Phoenix metro area, brown is often referenced by the words coffee, espresso, latte, mocha, malt, and my all time favorite....chocolate.  As we enter autumn equinox, brown becomes a popular color for home decor.  It is a favorite back drop to fall foliage oranges, yellows, reds, purples and greens.  Even in Arizona!

When reviewing the psychology of the color, brown often symbolizes a down-to-earth attitude, making you feel safe, comfortable and secure.  Associated with the earth, brown implies sincerity, genuineness and reliability.  Sounds like the qualities of a true down-to-earth friend!  Brown evokes a sense of strength while conveying feelings of friendliness and dependabiity.  The color can also stimulate the appetite and conjure feelings of wholesomeness in our daily lives.  The traditional classic color adds richness and stability to any environment.

Choosing brown for your home has physiological responses that may serve to improve the quality of life for you and your family members.  Did you know that brown may reduce irritability and reduce mental tension?  Using the color in your den or office will help improve your focus and concentration.  The color brown, has similar effects as tryptophan, found in high protein based foods, which can increase brain levels of serotonin to help you feel better.  Brown has been shown to help reduce chronic fatigue, help increase sleep levels, help improve immunity, and help control mood fluctuations.  What a great color to include in your bedroom!

As a decorator, I am often asked what are the appropriate spaces for the use of the color brown in home decor?  My first response is that brown can add an air of sophistication when various depths are used for walls, sofas and chairs in the living room.  The beige and brown colors can be accented with either warm or cool colors.  Good rooms for decor in yellow brown are the study, library, media room, sewing room and bedrooms.  Dark brown absorbs light and can create dramatic and intimate spaces for small rooms.  It can also be used in large rooms, with a lot of sunlight and windows, to create a more cozy and intimate atmosphere.

As you FALL into brown, have fun incorporating the color into your home....and look for my favorite "brown" chocolate cake recipe on my next blog.  If you have any questions about colors or need help with interior furnishings and accessories for your home please email me at janetb@norwoodfurniture.com .

Have a great day!

Janet Baker

Norwood Furniture

480-892-0174

THEY CALL ME MELLOW YELLOW... NOT

HI, MY NAME IS ROXANNE "THAT'S ME IN THE YELLOW DRESS" AND I AM ONE OF THE DESIGNERS AT NORWOOD FURNITURE.  WE HAD A GREAT COLOR EVENT IN OUR STORE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.  THE COLOR THAT I WORKED ON WAS YELLOW. 

GOOD ROOMS FOR YELLOW ARE KITCHENS, DINING ROOMS AND STUDIES.  USE APPROPRIATE SHADES.  YELLOW STIMULATES APPETITE AND CONVERSATION.TOO MUCH YELLOW OR TOO BRIGHT OF SHADE CAN CAUSE ANXIETY AND MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR A BABIES ROOM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YELLOW AND EXPLORE WHAT SHADES WILL CREATE THE FEELING AND MOOD YOU WANT FOR YOUR HOME, COME VISIT NORWOOD FURNITURE OR EMAIL ME AT roxanneb@norwoodfurniture.com

LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU!

ROXANNE BRENNAN

How colors affect the feeling of your Home- Red

I like to start my second blog with a big "Thank You!" to all our customers who attended our event last night, "Color Choices:  How Colors affect the feeling of your Home".  We had a great turn out.  We learned a lot and had some fun!  Also, "Thank You" to all the designers at Norwood who participated.  Everyone did a great job!

We explored how red, blue, yellow, green, brown, orange and black and white effect the mood in our homes.  We also had a great presentation of current color trends in windows and bedding.  I thought I'd share with you a brief description about how my favorite color "Red" affects the feeling in your home.

Red is associated with arousal, anger, aggression, passion, love, mental energy, control, excitability, as well as danger.  Rich red is sophisticated, and also denotes compassion.  Adrenaline is released in the presence of red.  It stimulates appetite, heightens the sense of smell, raises the pulse and increases blood pressure, respiration and heart rate.  Good rooms for Red are the kitchen, dining room, party room, game room and some small spaces. 

When you think about using a specific color in a room its important to consider the effect that color will have on the room so it supports the feeling you want.  Color's effects can be subtle or obvious but the research supports the idea that many people share common responses to color. 

You can bring color in not only with paint but also in fabrics, art, rugs, and accessories.  The amount and intensity of the color can influence the effect it has.  For instance, too much Red can cause feelings of agitation and aggression so use it in smaller amounts such as creating an "accent wall" in Red instead of the entire room and adding some great accessories. 

If you are interested in learning more about how different colors affect the feeling of your home, please stop in and see us or email me at robinm@norwoodfurniture.com  We can help you learn about what colors are best for you and your home!

                                                                                                           Robin Muralt

                                                   Norwood Furniture

Blue's in your decorating

  Hi,  My name is Sandy and I am one of the designers at Norwood Furniture.  On September 10th we are having an event all about living and decorating with color.

  My color topic is blue, so I thought I would share a little about it.  Blue is a very tranquil, calming color.  It also represents justice, strenght and loyalty.  When used with brown it enhances concentration and a feeling of trust.

  Some of the best rooms to use blue in are the bedroom, bathroom, study, spa, library and family room.

  I invite you to our event on September 10th to learn more about blues and other colors in decorating.

Sandy Salazar

Mamma Mia!

Inspiration! "Mamma Mia! here I go again!" 

After having seen the movie version of the musical Mama mia! I am ready to redecorate!  The multitudes of gorgeous blues in the seas of Greece and the crisp whites of the hillside buildings have inspired me! The deep Aegean, cerulean, sea glass and clear turquoise blues of the water with the beautiful sky blue and the soft periwinkle of Sophie's bedroom walls are all so rich together and calming at the same time.  I couldn't take my eyes off the colors or stop thinking about what room I could use them in.

Working everyday in home furnishings it always surprises me where inspiration can come from.  It can come from your wardrobe, your favorite color or the latest color trends. Maybe a painting has inspired you or a fabric.  It maybe a vacation spot or a picture from a magazine. I found mine in Mamma Mia. 

Color is so important in decorating your home and can effect you and your family in many ways! For Example, blues are associated with peace and tranquility and can have a calming effect on us physically much like the blues of the ocean with the waves flowing in and out.  If you've seen the movie or are planning  to, look for the scene where Meryl Streep is singing "The Winner" and running up the hillside to the wedding chapel with a beautiful bougainvillea red scarf blowing in the breeze.  The red is so dramatic against the blues!  You can always use a spot of red! This will add an element of excitement and passion to the calmness of the blues and whites. 

If you're interested in learning more about color join us Wednesday evening September 10 for a fun seminar.  Please call to register 480-892-0174

Robin Muralt

Norwood Furniture