Trick or Treat

Tis the season for thrills and chills but not in the furniture buying process! Have you been tricked in the past and got home and hated it? Did the sales person creepily follow you through the store and intimidate you in making a quick purchase and by the time you get it, it isn’t your style at all…..

This time is different. No more tricks, just treats. Treat yourself to endless customization. Remember always wanting to go to the house with the king size candy bars? Now you can come to the store with the biggest selection. With hundreds of fabrics and leathers from Klaussner, Rowe, England, Palliser, Bernhardt, Flex steel and more! You only buy what you love. To be able to get it in a few days is convenient but think about how long you will own this furniture. Just because you can have it fast doesn’t mean you have it the way you want it. Let’s change that. How about four to six weeks and you get exactly what you want. So you wait a month and a half, it seems long right? But think about how long you will keep it, seven years or more? Doesn’t seem that long of a wait anymore. You should have control of what you want, not what you have to settle for. If a store doesn’t have the color you want, do you settle for the one in front of you? I hope not.

Here are a couple of “tricks” for you to keep in mind. 1. Do your homework: Find styles that interest you. See if you can customize them in store. 2. Price shop a little, obviously there are online retailers that will always show “the best price” but read the fine print. If you want it delivered in your house and set up you will most likely spend more. The best way to price shop is within your market. Find local stores and compare with in your driving distance, print out and bring in your findings, a good retailer would not let a customer walk over a few bucks. 3. Try out the furniture if you can. Every sofa, chair, ottoman will have a different feel. Do you like down cushions or super firm? 4. “Treat” yourself to a great experience. Do not settle for a sales person that you do not connect with or trust. Find someone you can talk to as a friend. You are expressing yourself with your furniture, you will want someone who can read your style and help point you in the right direction.

With these 4 easy tips try not to get tricked and simply treat yourself, you deserve it. Furniture shopping should be just as much fun as shopping for new clothes or a new car. Don’t settle for typical, we don’t all wear the same clothes or drive the same car so step out and have a different living room as well. I gave you the tricks, now it’s time to shop for the treats.

A Unique Creation

What is your one and only? How do you hold true to yourself and what you love? Must you settle for ordinary when you are one of a kind? The same must apply to the furniture you place in your home. Furniture normally comes in shades of brown, mass produced for convenience. What if I told you it doesn’t have to be that way? Step out of the norm and fill your home with pieces you connect with, pieces that have a story. Our store designer, Carolyn Wood goes out of her way to find unique pieces from manufacturers to give us the ability to cater to every customer’s style. She finds pieces that are hand painted or use reclaimed wood. Pieces that you can order but all are slightly different. The grain in the wood is different or pieces that are painted might have more blues or reds than others. Carolyn picks furniture that pulls out emotion from the consumer. Furniture that you can place in your home and walk by every day and see it in a different light.

As a collaborative effort, our owner and Carolyn took it one step further and teamed up with an artist, Maggie Oberc, to truly create one of a kind pieces for the store. Maggie is the founder and director of ArtSpot Studio and has had a relationship with Kensington and Carolyn for some time now. (see artist’s bio below) Carolyn and Maggie started by searching through antique shops and by attending auctions to find outdated pieces that have been left behind. Maggie would then give new life to these pieces and they can be found here at Kensington as part of our One and Only Collection. This collection demonstrates the true definition of re-purpose, redefine and rediscover. Old pieces that seem out dated have transformed into works of art thanks to Maggie. Each piece completed has a story. On the back of the hand written tag you will find it’s journey and how it has become the one of a kind piece it is today. Carolyn and Maggie are examples of how creativity and thinking outside of the box can transform any part of your house into a unique creation. 



 

BEFORE AFTER

Growing up in Europe, she was inspired by the world class art, stunning architecture, and old world craftsmanship.  This inspiration is what led her to study fine art and design in her native Poland.  Her adventure continued when she moved to the United States to further her studies and found her passion, decorative painting.  Experimenting with unusual media, combining different textures, seeing potential and finding new purpose for forgotten treasures is part of her signature style.  Her natural artistic abilities, willingness to travel both locally and internationally, and commitment to excellence has established long lasting relationships with her clients.

ArtSpot Studio is the company founded in 2004, providing decorative high-end painting for furniture and architecture with attention to detail. Artistic approach to wall design combined with great sense of color and space satisfies even the most discerning clients.

ArtSpot Studio is best known for an imaginative blend of old and new. With Decorative Painting comes a vast array of creative looks for almost any surface. We can transform any standard look into spectacular visual treat. Our simple or multilayered techniques can be applied to walls, furniture, moldings and doors, ceilings, floors, tiles, canvases. We offer Decorative Finishes using high quality paints, metallic mediums, plasters and other textural mediums, stenciling and freehand painting.

We collaborate with building contractors, designers, architects, commercial and residential individuals to personalize and capture the vision of passion of each client’s environment.

Recycling is a new “green” approach to design. Everything can be given a second life, and be repurposed. Therefore, there is no need to throw things away. We can transform anything from Dining Tables, Armoires, Headboards, Night Stands, Kitchen Cabinets, Bars…even Countertops and Tiles.

BYOF (Bring Your Own Furniture) for a quick makeover, or visit our online store to see already painted ready for a new home reclaimed furniture.

 

Fall into the Season

It’s that time of the year again, the time to fall into the season. Many customers ask us how to decorate for the changing seasons without having to drastically alter their living spaces. Furniture is an investment, so we suggest that you pick something that matches your style. This could mean selecting an arrangement that remains neutral to the various seasons so that you do not have to worry about changing your style every three months. You don’t have to go out and buy a whole new house worth of furniture. In fact, there are small ways to make a big impact on your living space. One way is through artwork; it is a great way to change the feel of your room. You can alter the landscapes of individual rooms or simply just swap  pictures of your family to match the current season 

So how do you change it up? How can you use small accessories to make a big impact? First step for a living space is to change up the pillows. It is a small expense that can have a big impact on what you want. When picking the pillows for the season you should keep your desired color scheme in mind.  Will you be picking burnt orange and butternut squash or more earthy tones of browns? With pillows you can add tons of texture to the room. Pick thicker fabrics like velvets or burlap to give your space a warm autumn feel. While you are at it, why stop at just one fabric,  this could be your time to add  a sense of richness to the room. Go with a theme that goes along with what you like most about the fall. By adding throw pillows to the mix, it will not only help to accessorize, but it will also give you something to cozy up with by the fire on cold nights to come. 

So what inspires you?  Is it the leaves changing, or the crisp autumn air? Hot cider, hay bales and corn stalks? Apple picking and pumpkin picking have always been a season favorite for me. If you bring these elements into your home, it creates a cheap and easy way to add festive elements at a low cost that will leave a big impact. Just remember, at the end of the day this is your home and you want it to both comfort and inspire you. Pick accessories that naturally do that. Fall in love with your home as you fall into the season. Breathe in that fresh autumn air and let the decorating begin. 

Perfectly Imperfect

We all know no one is perfect, so why do we strive to be? Our looks, our clothes, our jobs, our homes…... Do you dream of having a perfect house that everyone admires? Do you wish to have that perfect bedroom oasis or a perfectly decorated living room, but you can’t seem to fit your pieces together to make your perfect room happen?

How about having a room that is perfectly imperfect? You should be okay with the fact that not everything has to match. A dresser from your grandmother might just look awesome with your new upholstered headboard. You can use both old and new décor together to create a hand-me-down eclectic look. You can add pops of color in unexpected places to cheer up a space. This help could come from either a purple desk chair or a pink ceramic elephant head on the wall. Having a perfectly matching room can be off-setting and feel strange, just like something out of a movie. A great example of perfectly imperfect is rustic-chic. It may stir up a sense of the glitz and glam of an old farm house: a farm with reclaimed wood, luxurious linens, pops of color and a classic organic vibe. It should be about finding what best fits your style.

I love modern and vintage, colors and neutrals; there is no need to pick just one! You don’t have to match the sheets to the drapes, or buy a typical bedroom set so that everything can match. Try buying a headboard here and a dresser there, and then tie it together with various colors and

patterns. 

Try hitting up the local furniture stores to see how they place items together. Use their stylist to inspire your next home design. These people will inspire your with the foundations for rooms, the backbone for the pieces to your next great design. Then you can hit up the local vintage shop to find accent pieces that will add some flair to your space.  By adding an assortment of accessories you could really can bring everything together.  You could find an old chandelier at a flea market and hang it over your bed.  You could reupholster a Queen Anne sofa in a funky fabric, then cover it with a variety of down pillows.  You could buy a modern table and 6 mix and match chairs. By simply adding charm, you can create a perfectly imperfect room. It is okay to be different, so why feel the need to make your home cookie cutter? Create a room that emulates your individuality, a room that is perfectly imperfect!

Customize Never Compromise

Customize Never Compromise: what does that mean exactly?

 

 When purchasing furniture for your home, you want it to represent you and your style, right? Why settle for an ordinary sofa from a large chain store just because you can get it in less than a week. Do you buy the same boring clothes that everyone else wears or do you buy the fun shirt with a cool print because it's just your style? Furniture shopping is the same as clothes or shoe shopping, you should buy what you like, not what's in stock in their giant warehouse. 



Rowe Sofa at Kensington Furniture
 

 Customizing does not mean over doing it. You Don't have to have a floral sofa, plaid pillows and a stripped carpet, unless that's you and I'd say rock it if you love it. Customizing is about choosing what you love. You can start with picking the frame you like whether it has track arms, a picture frame back, or a serpentine shape.


Above: This sofa combines traditional style in the exposed wood feet and button tufted back with a more modern looking track style arm and plush seat cushions. Contrasting throw pillows add a bold look and extra comfort to this sofa.



England Sofa at Kensington Furniture

To the left: The sofa features great traditional design with a smaller footprint in a three over one combo. The serpentine bench seat and curved seat deck are what it's all about in this style. Contrasting pillows, a tailored skirt, and modified wings complete the look.

 

 What type of seating do you want? Down filled? Do you need a sleeper? 8 way hand tied or sinuous coils? If you are not sure, ask some questions, the Design Consultants can help you decide depending on the look and comfort or are trying to achieve.


 Do you get sick of the same color or print? Is the fabric your hardest decision but you like to change things up? Get a slip cover sofa and change it out season to season and you will enjoy your sofa much longer!

 

Below: This slipcover cover sofa by Klaussner offers an easy-going casual-style to your living area with the ultimate comfort of plush, down blend cushions. Beautiful welt cord trim, a straight-line skirt at the base, and oversized rolled arms make this sofa a fantastic piece to enjoy in your home whether you are watching TV with family on a lazy Sunday or hosting guests for a dinner party.

Klaussner Sofa at Kensington Furniture

 So now we are starting to get the feel of what we want, right? Let's decide color... blues, greens, reds? No, how about Robin's Egg, Avocado, or Ruby. It sounds better and feels better. Simply picking a color like red doesn't have emotion. Ask for  pomegranate or fire engine red, it gives it life, and personality.

  Now what material: a lot could factor into this... do you have kids or a dog or maybe both! Will it be in a sun room getting a lot of natural light? Let say you do have kids and a pet, so a synthetic material would be best such as a polyester, nylon, or rayon or a blend of such. A Microfiber (a synthetic blend) is a great choice because it wears well and cleans well and is fairly stain resistant.

 


 Are you starting to see how fun this can be? We are almost done all you need to pick are pillows. Our in store designer suggests self pillowing. This means going with the same fabric as the sofa for the main pillows that come with it and then picking different accent pillows from anywhere whether it be Surya or your local department stores. We have great accent pillow options in store here at Kensington. This option helps with changing out colors and patterns periodically to your look can stay current and fresh!

  Above: A beautiful collection of Surya pillows in different colors and patterns. Color and style combinations from Surya are endless!

 

Kensington Furniture specializes in customization. We have expert Design Consultants who can help you find the perfect sofa that fits your personally style. Remember it is your home, do it your way.

 

Getting Ready for the Holidays



Is it that time of the year already? Yes!

We are already into the second week of November and Thanksgiving is approaching fast! Are you having guests over? Are you a guest at a loved ones home?

Accents

Holidays can be tricky, you don't want to over do it but you don't want people thinking you don't care... So where is that happen medium?



free-thanksgiving-printables

If you are serving Turkey dinner, choose a beautiful and festive center piece for your dining table. I know one... the turkey! Find accents or candles that will fit the Thanksgiving theme and place around the table to highlight the main event. Go with fall colors, warm colors. Gold is always a great accent too.

Here is some great ideas on how to make Thanksgiving feel special. Use cute invites and place cards. Wrap little presents in gold and make cute labels for your desserts.


Anything is possible with these printables found on Pinterest.

Pumpkin!

Are you the guest and you are unsure what to bring?

It's hard to think of a good thanks for the Thanksgiving feast!
You can bring a wine that pairs well with the main dish or a fun dessert wine.
You can even bring some dessert. Is pumpkin pie overused? But pumpkin is so good...
How about a pumpkin roll, cupcakes, even pumpkin custard!
Just search pumpkin on Pinterest and there are hundreds of ideals. Not a pumpkin fan? do the same for Apples or Pecans.


Holidays are magical. They bring people together that don't get to see each other often. They help you remember why family is so important. Everything about them is great, especially the food! Remember to give thanks this Thanksgiving for all that you have and for the people around you.



Time to Buy a New Mattress?

Are you getting restless at night and the thought of buying a new mattress isn't helping?

Mattress buying can be a stressful time and laying on the mattresses in the store can be a vulnerable situation. How can you get comfortable with a sales person standing near by?



Lay down and get comfortable a 5 minute decision
could cost you 10 years of poor sleep!

Have them help you. They know what they are talking about and can help you make the right decision when buying the perfect mattress for your home.

Questions that they might ask are: how do you sleep- hot or cold? Are you a side sleeper? Stomach or back? Are you sleeping alone or with a partner? All of these questions are important questions since most people just sit on the side of the mattress and press on it for firmness. That is a big no no! LAY DOWN, GET COMFY! Stay there for a while. The sales person expects you to do so any way, why not take advantage of the opportunity.

Finding the right mattress is crucial. You will be sleeping on it for the next 7-10 years! That is a huge commitment, so make the right one.



Posturepedic Gel Series

There are all different types of mattresses on the market now so narrowing it down could be tricky.  What is your budget, does a cheaper mattress mean a cheaper product? No, just because a mattress is pricey, does not always mean it is the best for you. Sealy and Stearns & Foster make great inner coil spring mattresses for affordable prices. They can be soft or firm and anywhere in between.  They breathe well because air circulates through the coils. Sealy has come out with a Posturepedic gel series that is an inner spring mattress with a layer of foam acrossed the top. Within that foam is gel that helps regulate your temperature, which is a huge bonus for many sleepers.

The foam mattresses are a major part of the industry now.What seemed like NASA only material is now in furniture stores coast to coast. Tempur-Pedic makes a great mattress but it is a dense foam that doesn't breathe well. If you are a hot sleeper, it's not the mattress for you. There is an alternative, just because you sleep hot does not mean foam is out of the question. The new Sealy Optimum is a foam mattress that is fused with outlast material to help regulate your temperature through the night. The Optimum mattress is the latest in mattress technology with the ability to pull the heat away from your body, store it, and release it back to your body when your temperature drops.


Sealy Optimum

Are you ready to purchase a mattress? Will it be less awkward now that we covered the basics, I would say so. Having the knowledge before stepping in a store is smart but remember, they are there to help you, so
 'one upping' your sales person is not going to get you the right bed. You might have some facts but they have experience. Listen to them and open up when they question you. The more information they receive, the better they can customize your comfort. Researching is a great starting point, but get in the store, lay down and feel the bed, it is the only way to truly decide.

If the sales person is too intense, let them know. Making a connection is key to reaching your goal. The mattress is important but so is trust. You should be able to trust them that the decision being made is the right one. So who is good or bad? That is your call. Did they ask for your name, did you get theirs? Are they lurking behind you or staying a comfortable distance just in case you have a question? Being able to contact you if you walk out the door, they should have your information.

Kensington's Mattress Store offers a great selection with great Design Consultants to help. Find the mattress you need with a person you can trust.