Monthly Archives: July 2013

Ottomans Everywhere! Seating, Style, and Saving Space

a single ottomanIt’s a common problem, you have a room that looks great, but when family comes over for the holidays or a get together, where do you put everyone? Ottomans, it turns out, can be a great way to discretely add seating to a room, while saving space, and adding style. In this post, we’ll take a look at the many forms ottomans can take, and how they can function in different rooms in your home.

 

Fun and Function

an ottoman in the living roomOttomans come in many shapes and sizes, and they vary widely in their construction. If you are looking for a particular shape to match or complement the design of a room, chances are you can find it. Squares and rectangles are common, as are circular shapes, but beyond that, you can find hexagonal ottomans as well as pie-shaped ottomans! And some of them disassemble into separate sections, allowing for even more versatility.

The variety doesn’t stop there. Ottomans can also be smooth or tufted, and they can display their feet or be skirted. No matter the style of your home, or the room in which you’d like to place an ottoman, you can find one that fits your taste.

 

Ottomans in the Living Room

Adding ottomans to a living room is a great way to sneak additional seating into your home without making the room seem cluttered, but that isn’t the only purpose they can serve. If you use a bit of creative thinking, an ottoman can also serve as a great coffee table. The ottoman can give you more flexibility than a wooden table—fabric or leather, solid color or patterns are all options—and it can be customized further. Think about adding a tray on the top, or a shelf on the bottom, to add functionality.

 

Ottomans in the Bedroom

bedroom ottoman exampleWhile you might not think to place them in a bedroom, ottomans can make a great addition.  In fact, placing a longer ottoman at the end of a bed can greatly soften the look of a room, and it can also serve as a useful seating area when putting on your shoes. If you have a large walk-in closet, an ottoman can also serve as a great place to sit and contemplate your wardrobe choices for the day, while again giving you a place to put on your shoes.

 

Ottomans at La Maison

La Maison Interiors features a great variety of ottomans in our showroom. If you are interested in creative additional seating, or you are looking for advice on how to best make use of ottomans in your home, come by and see us, we’d be happy to help.

Choosing Chests

When choosing the decor in your home, why not consider another dual purpose furnishing? Earlier this month we mentioned all the ways ottomans can enhance a room,A simple but elegant chest of drawers and key among them was their dual function of style and seating. Chests can also solve two issues simultaneously, by providing storage while adding interest to a room. From door chests to chests of drawers, there is a chest for every room in your home—some you might not even have considered.

Two Questions: Where? and What?

Low chest with a great pattern and detailWe’ve already mentioned it, but it bears repeating: chests can add interest and storage to a room. That means your choice in chest will depend on where you are placing it in your home, and what you plan to put in it. In a living room, you might think about placing your television on a low chest, giving you a convenient place to store remotes or other pieces of your entertainment system while creating a unique visual when compared to a typical media center. In the bedroom, chests of drawers can serve as a dresser of course, but a smaller chest also makes a great bedside table with ample surface space and drawer storage. Behind a sofa, a chest can offer a good place for a lamp, flowers, or other decorating elements. A chest can also be used as a buffet, or as a table in an entryway or hallway.

 

Creativity Counts

A patterned chest provides popYou might not think of chests when you look to add color to a room, but think again! A painted chest, or one with an interesting pattern, can really “pop” in the right room. Solid colored chests, interesting wood patterned chests such as zebra-striped, or decoratively painted chests can add a lot of impact as well as adding the “designer touch” to a room. Consider all the possibilities when it comes to choosing a chest for a room in your home—you might be pleasantly surprised with the result.

 

Chests at La Maison Interiors

An intriguing chest with textured doorsFrom modern to Old World, La Maison Interiors has a plethora of chests from which to choose. Many are styled from Mexican vaqueros or antique trunks and make great conversation pieces. We’d love to show you the many options and help you add some interest to your home.

Style Your Sleep Space with an Upholstered Headboard

Considering updating a bedroom in your home? Upholstered headboards have been gaining popularity over the past few years, and for good reason.  By adding a touch of softness and style, an upholstered headboard can really help update the look of a room, all while adding a welcome warmth. You can use anything from cool linen upholstery, to leather, even an animal print! With so many options, there is an upholstered headboard for every style and taste.

 

What Upholstered Headboards Have to Offer

full bedroom set with an upholstered headboardIn small or large rooms alike, an upholstered headboard can be stylish, plush, and pretty—and it can add color, pattern, and texture to the room as a whole. Upholstered headboards can also help create a veritable cocoon of comfort, a great plus if you like to cozy up with a book in bed.

If you are looking to brighten up a smaller room, the lighter colors offered by upholstery—when compared to wood—can make a room feel warmer and less stuffy. Even a light leather can do the trick nicely. Another interesting option is a bed with some wood on display bordering the upholstery. The combination of the natural tones, especially when using leather, can help complement the flooring or other pieces in the room, creating a holistic look.

 

“Mastering” Upholstered Headboards

Upholstered headboards come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s important to know your options when you’re looking to make the best choice for your master bedroom. Done right, adding an upholstered headboard can add a splash of sophistication, while also creating a great spot for comfortable relaxation.

White leather upholstered headboard and footboardOne approach is to find a bed with not just an upholstered headboard, but an upholstered footboard as well. That can add an additional touch of color or texture to reinforce the great addition of the headboard. You can also try an upholstered bed with a distinctive shape of its own. Try a sleigh bed for more coverage and comfort, or a wingback headboard to add stability and substance.Have a bed backed with windows? A taller headboard can offer a way to break up the visual of the room nicely, as well as serving as a more comfortable addition than leaning against your blinds or window treatment.

Any of these suggestions can create a distinctive look that can serve as a dramatic centerpiece to a master bedroom.

 

Bedroom Bling

Bling headboardA great way to distinguish your bedroom is not only to focus on the upholstery on your headboard, but on the trim as well. Nail trim is popular, but If you’re looking to make your bedroom really pop, consider adding a headboard with a jeweled trim—even rhinestones! Adding a rhinestone trim to a light leather can really make your bedroom sparkle, for a room that’s glamorous, comfortable, and sleek.

 

Visit us at La Maison Interiors for a Great Variety of Upholstered Headboards

Coming in to the showroom at La Maison Interiors offers you a chance to see a range of shapes and upholstery options, both of which can be a big help when trying to make a decision for a bedroom in your home.

Pillow Talk

An impressive pillow with grey and yellow variationsIf you’re looking for an easy way to add the final touch to truly distinguish a room, consider throw pillows. Calling pillows versatile is an understatement. In fact, pillows may well be the most adaptable tools at a designer’s disposal. You can plan a room around the right pillow, just as easily as you can change the character of a room by swapping out the pillows on a sofa.

Interested? Here are a few things to consider when choosing pillows for your home:

Combine Complementary Colors

An example of a neutral sofa serving as a base for pillowsPillows can be a great way to add color to a room, and they can help soften the sharp edges of modern rooms as well. Using a neutral colored sofa as a base, changing your pillows can offer a great way to vary the color palette of a room to match the season.
Adding color with pillows at La Maison
But what colors should you select? Many things factor into such a decision, but here is one straightforward approach: pick pairs of complementary colors. If you remember your color wheel, you’ll know what we mean—red goes with green, yellow with purple, and orange with blue. To take things a step further, you can add a touch of refinement by selecting interesting shades of those complementary colors. Consider pairing a mauve pillow with a mustard yellow pillow, for instance.

Use Texture When Color Won’t Do

Textured pillow sampleEven if you are not looking to add more color to a room, pillows can still be a great help in creating a cohesive look. . In creating a stylish, monochromatic look, pillows in different neutral shades can add a striking visual element: just vary their textures. Distinct textures on a combination of pillows can draw the eye and increase the complexity of what’s on display in your room. Since contrast is the focus, try pairing a lighter texture with a heavier one. That way you’ll get the most impact, and you will avoid the rug-like look that too many heavy textures can create.

Vary your Patterns

An example of using pillows to mix texturesAnother great way to brighten up a room is to choose the right set of patterned throw pillows. Even more so than with solid colors, it can be tough to pair the right patterns together. The simple rule when pairing patterns is that you should try to combine patterns of different “scales.” That means you could combine a “big” pattern, like an argyle or wide stripes, with a “small” one, like a nice dotted pattern. Doing so will help avoid creating a room that looks too “busy.”

Pillows at La Maison Interiors

pillow arrangement on an upholstered headboardAt La Maison Interiors, we have a great selection of pillows, and the expertise to help you determine the right choices for your home. If you can’t find exactly what you are looking for, don’t worry, we offer custom pillow fabrication so you can be sure to get exactly the right look for your home.