Podding in Style

‘Tis the season of gift giving! Whether you are gifting others or yourself, Kensington has beautiful accessories to share. Our store stylist, Carolyn, creates pods around the store with one of a kind accents. Pods are collections of different pieces of furniture, accents and accessories displayed together to create a mini store within our store.  Carolyn has designed each pod to have a different feel. We have bright and fun pods to reclaimed and organic feeling pods. Our newest pod is our gift pod. It is filled with candle holders, vases, wine racks and more. It has pillows and throws and knick knacks too. 

Accessory pods have become a staple in Kensington’s showroom. There are accents for everyone’s taste and budget. For the holidays approaching, Carolyn created this pod with a little splash of glitz and glam, like jewelry for your home. From chairs with nail heads to mosaic mirrored gift boxes. Coat racks and wine racks are perfect gifts for yourself if you are hosting the party this year! Two and three tiered serving trays are a great way to bring dessert to the party in style. The pods are about combining textures and materials that fall into the same category such as this soft throw with the vintage vanity chair.

 

With the holidays quickly approaching, how do you incorporate your accents into pods within your home? With accessory pods becoming increasingly more popular especially in the entrance of homes, it could be the perfect welcoming to your guests. Pods don’t necessarily have to be super fancy either. A simple, well decorated pod could brighten up your living space. Kensington Furniture has a wide array of accents and accessories you could use to lighten up your pod! Our pods are ever changing with new accessories all the time. Each shopping experience is unique and you never know what you will find at Kensington Furniture! 

Frightened by the upcoming Holidays?

Halloween just past and the thought of the next holiday has already crept into your mind. Have you had enough time to plan? It’s less than a month away for Thanksgiving, the candy is gone and the decorations are coming down. New plans start to unravel.  The list begins: You got the turkey, the stuffing, cranberry sauce but forgot how outdated your table was! How are you going to find something in time for turkey day? Besides our great same day design deals and our awesome outlet there is still time to get your dream table for the holiday. You don’t want to be living in a haunted house, do you?

Whether you are planning a Thanksgiving at the shore or giving it a modern twist, we have plenty to choose from. The Holiday is about giving thanks. It is about spending time with family and friends. It is about gathering together to appreciate the little things in life and the blessings you have. Most of the time you end up gathering around the table or living area chatting about the years passed. Is that sagging sofa you are sitting on a part of those conversations? When Sally spilled the punch or Danny smeared mashed potatoes in the seats? We have a great selection of floor mark downs and outlet finds to bring in a fresh look for the holidays! You can customize your furniture the way you want for the holiday, but don’t wait there is no time to spare! Each day passing is a missed opportunity to order your furniture.

If Thanksgiving is not at your house this year but you want to get a jump start on Christmas, most of the manufacturers we carry take about six weeks to come in. So come in now and shop around to get your new furniture for the holiday party. There is only a week left to get Klaussner for Christmas! With hundreds of fabrics and configurations to choose from it will be the best present next to the tree this year.

As the holidays near, stop by Kensington and scratch a new sofa or dining set off the list. Our Design Consultants are here to help make your house a home.  They will come to your home so everything is a perfect fit. Set something up today!

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.