Norwood Furniture

Let's stay in tonight...

More and more people are foregoing their funds earmarked for vacations and frivilous purchases to put them toward something more concrete and long lasting.  They are investing in their homes in order to create a place to relax and unwind after a tough day at work.  Instead of meeting friends at a restaurant, people are choosing to entertain in their homes.  More homes are equipped with home theaters and game rooms than ever before.  And why not?  If you have to choose between spending a couple thousand dollars on flights, hotels, meals, and activities OR buying that fantastic new game table, it seems like a no-brainer when you consider the long term usage and benefits.  I've included some ideas to help you create the home you desire.

Home Theater Seating

Norwood Furniture carries three manufacturers that produce Home Theater groups: Barcalounger, Berkline, and Klaussner.  If you'd like to see their options online, their websites are:

www.barcalounger.com

www.berkline.com

www.klaussner.com 

You can also visit the store to see fabrics in person and get more info about the products.

Home Theater seating works great in family rooms in place of a sectional, too.  They come in a lot of different styles and fabrics or leathers.  Cupholders are optional on most and some even have storage areas for books, magazines, and movies.  If you don't like the look of a sectional, you can always put a few recliners in your room.  These companies have some great recliners available, some of which don't even look look like a recliner.

Game Tables

More people are using game tables in place of formal dining tables these days.  Like the living room, the formal dining room often gets very little use.  If a game table is put in the room, it becomes a more casual and fun space that your family can use more often.  Plus, the game table can function as additional eating space if needed. Norwood Furniture carries several manufacturers of game tables.  I've included a few examples from Hooker Furniture (www.hookerfurniture.com).  The first shows a counter height table and stools, which is currently a popular trend in dining tables.  The higher table feels a little more relaxed and welcoming.

The second table is a traditional poker table with castered chairs.  The unique thing about this table is that the top can be reversed to a finished wood side so it will look like a 54" dining table.   Have your friends over for a few rounds of poker on Saturday night and enjoy dinner with the family on Sunday at the same table! 

Pub Tables

Pub tables have become a popular "accessory" in larger family rooms and living rooms.  They offer a casual place to  share a drink, play cards, or just visit.  Often used near freestanding home bars, they can offer additional stool seating along with a counter bar.  They are a great serving area for finger foods when entertaining as well.  For the amount of floor space they use, they are quite functional!

 

Entertainment Centers

Entertainment centers really complete the look of your home theater or family room.  They provide support for your television and provide a decorative look around them.  They are also quite functional as storage pieces for electronics, videos, music, and speakers.  For more info about entertainment centers, I encourage you to check out my previous blog on them.  http://norwoodfurniture.typepad.com/blog/2008/08/home-entertainm.html

If you need help picking just the right pieces to create a fun and welcoming home that you'll be proud to use for entertaining your friends, I'd love to help!  I'm available at the store Wednesday to Sunday.  Give me a call at 480-892-0174 or e-mail at ShastaI@norwoodfurniture.com.  Have a fantastic Spring!

Shasta Ireland  

Norwood Furniture

GOING GREEN

Hi, My name is Roxanne,

I am a designer at Norwood furniture. It seems as if everyone is jumping on the green bandwagon. We are all more concerned with our carbon footprint. When remodeling or decorating your home, there are many options that are easy on the eye as well as the environment.

Bamboo floors are an eco friendly option.

Bamboo grows 20 times faster than oak and is more durable.

There are fabrics made from bamboo as well and can be found in upholstery and mattresses.

Here at Norwood, Rowe upholstery has a selection of eco friendly fabrics and frames. There are over 200 natural fiber fabrics including certified organic cottons.

Wood from replenished domestic forests are used for frames.

Eco cushion cores contain plant based renewable materials.

We carry Aireloom mattresses which are made with bamboo fabrics, which are made from bamboo and wood pulp from the forest, a completely renwable substantially natural resource. These fabrics are exceptionally soft, absorb moisture very fast and are some of the most comfortable fabrics in the industry today. Bio based luxury foams including visco elastic, Reflux, and Energia foams are made by removing up to 20% of the petroleum polymers found in poly eurethane and replacing them with soy or bio based polymers.

This process makes Aireloom mattresses much healthier for our consumers. You will also get a great nights sleep! They are so comfortable! If you are planning on decorating your home or purchasing a new mattress,stop in and see us and ask us about our eco-friendly products.

Roxanne Brennan, Norwood Furniture

Multi-Purpose Furniture

Using multi-purpose furniture is always a good idea when decorating your home.  I love the idea of being able to move pieces from room to room with different uses in mind.  This also works well when moving from home to home.  Here are a few examples:

A sofa sleeper used as a seating piece also serves as additional  sleeping space.

A flip top console (shown below) can be used closed as a sofa table behind a sofa, or you can flip down one side and use it as a writing desk.  (Great for working on a project while watching TV.)  When you open both sides you can use the table for dining or as a serving table.  

        

A small chest can serve as an entry piece or as a single dresser in a bedroom.  You can also use a small chest as a chair side table or to flank the end of a sofa.  Also, an accent chest might be the perfect choice for a nightstand due to the higher mattresses available these days, and it also adds visual interest in a bedroom.

 Small arm chairs (check seating height) can be used at the end of a rectangular dining table and easily pulled in for additional seating in a conversation area.  Most dining chairs measure 18" from the floor to the top of the seat.

 A daybed used in a spare bedroom provides sleeping space, but , when adding lots of pillows, can be used as additional seating.

 Nesting tables can be used as end tables, or when separated, can be moved around to accommodate many needs when entertaining.

 

An ottoman can be used in front of a sofa to put your feet on, or add a tray and use it as a cocktail table.  It is also great for additional seating when entertaining. 

A buffet or credenza can be used in a dining room to store dishes, but in a family room it can be used to house entertainment components, games or toys.

 

In todays economy, it is especially good to know that the furniture we are investing in can be used for many purposes.  It's always nice to be able  to move furniture around  easily from room to room.

 As a design consultant at Norwood Furniture, I would love to help you with any furniture needs you may have.  You can contact me at the store Saturday through Wednesday or by e-mail at  robynm@norwoodfurniture.com.

Just a reminder that October is national breast cancer awareness month.  Early detection is the key.

Robyn McCarthy - 7 year breast cancer survivor

Norwood Furniture

    

Non-traditional Night Stands for Guest Bedrooms

A lot of my clients have been interested in non-traditional night stands for their guest rooms lately.  Sometimes we get so used to only looking at furniture designated for a bedroom that we forget to think outside the box.  Since guest rooms don't require as much storage as regular bedrooms, you really don't need the extra drawer space of traditional night stands.  They normally only need to hold a lamp and may serve as a place to set a book or glass of water.  Here are a few alternative night stands:

Chairside Table

End Table

Nesting tables

Accent Chest

     Drum Table/Commode

When choosing one of these options, keep in mind the height of the mattress on the bed frame and the height of the piece that will serve as a night stand.  It shouldn't sit too low or high because it could hinder your guest from reaching over and turning out the light from bed.  The average night stand is 28-32" high.  One way to compensate for a piece that isn't quite the right height is by picking a lamp that makes up for the height difference.

For a table that is too low, find a taller lamp, like a dining buffet lamp.

For a table that is on the higher side, find a squatty lamp.   

I'd love to help you find some fantastic options for your guest room.  If you have any questions about the suggestions above, you can contact me at the store Wednesday to Sunday or by e-mail at ShastaI@norwoodfurniture.com.   

Have a wonderful Fall Season!  Shasta