A place to store and a place to sit.
S Interior Design LOVES multi-functional furnishings such as the storage ottoman fabricated by Pacific Manufacturing. Great in a family room, master bedroom or guest bedroom to store a multitude of things you want or need close by, but don’t want to see out in plan sight.
Leather furniture—folks either love it or tend to dislike it. S Interior Design spends time speaking with their clients about the pros and cons of leather seating and often will mix leather furniture with furniture upholstered in fabrics. As the guest post below states, too much leather in a space is not the way to go, rather use in moderation for the best end result.
Great Room Design -S Interior Design-Leather Ottomans, Leather Sofa
Furnishing your home is a personal choice. Whether you’re moving into a new home or redecorating or refreshing your current one, your choice of furniture is important. Many homeowners try to find the balance between stylish and durability. Many furniture pieces on the market today have a lot of pizzazz, but may be too delicate or poorly made to last more than a few years. If you’re looking for furniture that’s beautiful, easy to care for, and will last a lifetime or two, then consider leather furniture. Leather is a wonderful, organic material that’s strong, durable, and if made right, can be a beautiful addition to any home. Many manufacturers offer a wide range of leather pieces, from sofas to leather-bound tables and you can use leather furniture to varying effects in your own home.
Decorating with Leather Furniture
Decorating with leather furniture in your own home can be easy. Much like anything, the secret is moderation. Having one or two large pieces is usually the best way to go, otherwise, if you used leather for everything, then you may go overboard and it just will look kitschy. For most people, a leather sofa or sectional would be the main purchase, since this is also the largest and most-used piece you’ll have at home. If you pick a good, full-grain leather sofa, this can last for years and it can look good in any living room.
If you want to incorporate leather furniture in your bedroom, consider a plush leather headboard. Not only does this make your room look elegant, but if you like to read or sit up in bed, you won’t need additional pillows. A leather armchair can also bring some Old World elegance into your bedroom alcove or any room, for that matter. If you have a sitting room, office, or library, a leather armchair would look great next to the window or near the fireplace.
Don’t think you can’t use leather in the kitchen. If you have a counter or breakfast nook, why not purchase matching stools upholstered in leather? Better yet, handsome leather bar stools would look great standing next to a shiny, wet bar.
Caring For Your Leather Furniture
Leather can be quite tough and will last a long time, not to mention become even softer and more beautiful after a few years. However, you should also take measures to care for your leather pieces. For one thing, make sure you clean and dust them like you would any furniture piece. Dust them regularly to prevent dirt from accumulating on the surface and small nooks and crannies. If you or a guest spills something on the leather, mop it up right away. Although leather is water-resistant, liquids can still seep in between the seams and cause moisture to build inside. This is bad because this can cause mold and mildew to form or promote rust in the metal parts of the frame (or both). Once the inside of your furniture begins to deteriorate, there may be little you can do to save it. Once in a while, every six months or so, you should use a special leather oil or conditioner (available at many furniture shops) to keep the surface soft and supple. Apply as directed on the bottle and your leather furniture will stay shiny and new as the day you bought it.
Using leather around the home can be advantageous in many ways. Not only does leather look classy when used right, but it can last for a long time. That means you won’t have to spend for repairing the furniture or having them replaced every few years. Indeed, many happy owners of leather furniture refuse to replace their pieces because after a few years, it still looks good or even better than when they bought it.
You have an empty room. No furniture, no artwork, not even a rug. Where do you start?
START WITH THE RUG. Continue reading
Design is a process. Candace Olsen said ‘Good Design Takes Time’. It is true! Sometimes you can make a notable change to the interior design of a space pretty quickly, but often the design plan needs to be developed, executed and adjusted to get it just right. So, while we all are trained to get everything quickly, I call it the ‘microwave society syndrome’, take a deep breath and invest time into the planning process to get the best end result.
Below is a recent example of a project S Interior Design is working on. You will see from the before and after photos the room has undergone a transformation. New paint colors, new seating, accent tables, area rugs, window treatments and more. Perhaps most different design element is the fireplace. The fireplace is a focal point in the room and before it had a faux paint technique in muddy brown tones that read as ‘Tuscon’. The new homeowners, wanted to inject color and an ethnic style element into the design. First we painted it, then we chose tiles to place on the hearth and the surround.
Before Picture
Fireplace After Paint Color
Fireplace After Paint and Tile
Here are photo collages showing other transformational design elements in the great room and adjoining eat-in kitchen area.
We Love Ottomans! So many size, shape and pattern options exist. Ottomans are fabulous ‘swing seating’ when you have extra guests, can be tucked away under a console table, used in lieu of a coffee table, provide a comfortable place to put your feet up … there are so many options I hardly know where to start.
Here are some pictures of ottomans that S Interior Design has designed for clients
Coffee Table Ottoman
As you can see, the styles range from contemporary to a bit ornate with fun trims! Our next ottoman project will be completed this coming week—A Souzanni fabric covered 20″ round.
Storage ottomans are great to use in small spaces where dual functionality is key. You can find storage ottomans at
Crate and Barrel, Cost Plus World Market, Home Decorators Collection.
If you would like to change the look of a room, try getting some ottomans. Ottomans can be a relatively small $$$ investment. Place a couple at the foot of your bed instead of a bench, or in an entry area to provide a place to sit down and put your shoes on. Get creative with the fabrics and trim and make your own design statement.
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