Archive for the ‘Accent Furniture’ Category

Wicker and Rattan Furniture Adds Exotic Flare to Any Room

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
Domus Antonia Rattan Table with Teak Top

Domus Antonia Rattan Table with Teak Top

There’s nothing like wicker or rattan furniture to make you think of warm breezes, fragrant flowers, white sand beaches and exotic destinations. Wicker and rattan furniture adds a breezy, casual look to dining areas and Florida rooms. Wicker bar stools instantly turn a bar into an exotic oasis. A rattan armchair or accent table can add a wonderful foreign flare to the decor or any room. A wicker dining set adds a graceful elegance that can be dressed up or down to work with both formal and casual decorating styles. The clean smooth lines and natural fibers of rattan furniture make it a look embraced by both modernists and traditionalists.

What is the difference between wicker and rattan furniture? Wicker is the more general term, referring to the weaving process itself, not the fibers used. Wicker furniture can be woven from any number of different vines, grasses and plants. Rattan is the most popular organic plant fiber used in wicker furniture, but reed, willow and bamboo are also used. Rattan is sometimes used to fashion the framing around which fibers are woven. Often a combination of materials is used to create a single piece of wicker furniture.

Grand Furniture Gallery online offers an excellent selection of unique wicker and rattan furniture pieces at superior prices. Add a little exotic excitement to any room in your home with superbly constructed wicker and rattan furniture from Grand Furniture Gallery.

Upholstery Furniture Care Tips

Friday, April 30th, 2010

Many homeowners buy upholstery furniture because it provides great comfort, and it can create a cozy ambiance in rooms. While they are an excellent choice of furniture, they are not as easy to care for as other types of furniture. Here are a few upholstery furniture care tips that may be useful to homeowners.                                                                                         

Lambert Oak Living Room Collection

Lambert Oak Living Room Collection

Whenever you spot spills or stains on your upholstery furniture, you have to clean them immediately. The longer they remain on the fabric, the harder it is for you to remove them. The cleaning method varies from one type of fabric to another, and it is advisable that you read the manufacturer’s instructions before you start cleaning. You should avoid using upholstery cleaners on the non-fabric parts of your furniture piece, because fabric cleaning products can cause damage to metal, wood, and other materials.

Some homeowners remove the cushion covers of their upholstery furnishings for separate cleaning. This is not recommended because it will result in damage of backing materials as well as fabric shrinkage. Also, certain cushions may become more discolored than others, and this can affect the uniformity of color throughout the furniture piece. If you need to clean an entire piece of upholstery furniture, the best thing to do is to hire a professional cleaner. Make sure that you vacuum your upholstery furnishings at least once a week.

Transform Your Home into an Island Paradise with Tropical Furniture

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Tropical furniture is becoming more popular among trendy homeowners these days. This type of furniture brings comfort, warmth, and an exotic touch to a home, and it can recreate the soothing atmosphere of a tropical paradise. With the right tropical furniture in your home, you can feel like you are on a beach vacation everyday.                               

Tropical Home Entertainment Center

Tropical Home Entertainment Center

Tropical furniture usually consists of comfortable upholstered furniture with neutral tones and long horizontal lines. It comes in colors such as mellow gold, pale yellow, tan, beige, ivory, and dark brown. The colors and horizontal lines combine to create a calming and relaxing ambience in your home. To create a more authentic tropical environment, you can use natural elements such as plants, animal prints, and grass cloths to accompany your tropical furniture.

Materials that are commonly used for making tropical furniture include hardwoods such as rosewood, teak, mahogany, ebony, and koa, as well as bamboo, rattan, wicker, and wrought iron. Rattan is an indispensable part of tropical décor, because it comes from a tropical tree, and it has a natural appearance that blends well with most tropical furnishings. Wicker and rattan are also preferred materials because they can be used to create lightweight, sturdy, and eco-friendly furniture.

Fabrics used on tropical furniture pieces are mostly soft and lush, and they feature leaf patterns, jungle prints, and tropical motifs such as orchids, hibiscus, seashells, and birds of paradise.

Different Types of Furniture Wood (Part 2)

Friday, April 2nd, 2010

One of the most common types of hardwood that is used for constructing furniture is oak. Oak is known for its great strength and density, and it has a natural resistance against insect infestation and rot. It can be used for making many different types of wood furniture. Another dense and hard wood that is widely used for furniture making is walnut. This wood has many color variations, ranging from light to dark, and this makes it one of the favorite hardwood options among furniture makers.                                                                                                                                          

Mangrove Mahogany Armoire

Mangrove Mahogany Armoire

  

If you are looking for dark wood furniture pieces, you should opt for those that are made of mahogany or cherry. Mahogany is dark red in color after it is sanded and varnished, and it is a very durable wood because of its excellent rot-resistant qualities. This wood is more expensive compared to other types of furniture wood. Similar to mahogany, cherry also has beautiful a dark reddish color. It has been a preferred material among American furniture makers since a long time ago. Other popular types of hardwood used for making furniture are poplar, ash, and teak.

Nowadays, you will also find many furniture items that are made of composite wood. Composite wood is cheaper than softwood and hardwood, and it does not expand or shrink in reaction to temperature changes. However, it cannot last as long as natural woods. Examples of composite wood include plywood, pressed wood, and particle board.

Different Types of Furniture Wood (Part 1)

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Wood is one of the most common materials that are used for constructing furniture pieces. It is a suitable material for any style of furniture, ranging from traditional to contemporary, and it can add natural beauty to the décor of any home. Also, it is durable, and it can provide heat insulation.                                                                                                     

Serenato Ambra Executive Writing Desk

Serenato Ambra Executive Writing Desk

There are basically two types of wood that are used to make furniture, and they are softwood and hardwood. Mostly, hardwood furniture pieces are more expensive than softwood ones, but they are stronger and more resilient. If you want furniture that will last a very long time, you should opt for hardwood. Softwood is a flexible material, and furniture makers can bend it to create pieces with special shapes and designs. Both types of wood can be used to make beautiful and elaborately carved furniture pieces.

Some of the examples of softwood that are often used for furniture making are pine, redwood, and spruce. Pine is the most commonly used softwood, because it is affordable and easily available. Pine trees grow very fast, and this ensures that there will always be a good supply of pine wood. Redwood comes in many different varieties, including the Giant Sequoia, Dawn Redwood, and Coast Redwood. The Giant Sequoia is lightweight and it has high resistance against decay, but it is a brittle wood. Although spruce is usually used for the manufacturing of paper, it is also used for making baskets, crates, and other things that are not used to carry a lot of weight.

Identifying Victorian Furniture

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Victorian furniture is probably the most popular type of antique furniture that is in existence today. There are many

Victorian Cherry Corner Curio with Glass Shelves

Victorian Cherry Corner Curio with Glass Shelves

distinct characteristics that make this furniture style easily identifiable, and you don’t really need an expert to tell you which furniture pieces are Victorian.

One of the most prominent features of Victorian furniture is the elaborate carving. Machine carving was introduced during the Victorian era, and many furniture manufacturers made use of this new technology to create very detailed carvings on their products. Many Victorian furnishings feature elaborate floral carvings. The materials that were commonly used to make Victorian wood furniture include mahogany, rosewood, and walnut, and items such as tables and dresses often feature marble tops. The wood was mostly finished in rich and dark colors, and this is one of the characteristics that can help you differentiate authentic Victorian furniture from reproductions. Reproductions of Victorian furniture usually have light-colored finishes, and they resemble country style furniture.

Another way to identify Victorian furniture is to look at the curves. Victorian tables and chairs have exaggerated curves, and they are mostly elliptical in shape. The upholstery of Victorian furniture is rich and puffy, and horsehair was often used as stuffing. It features fabrics with bold colors and patterns, as well as elaborate trimmings and fringe. All these features gave Victorian furniture the ornate and luxurious appearance that set it apart from other furniture styles.

The Origins of Victorian Furniture

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Victorian furniture dates back to the 19th century when Queen Victoria was the ruler of England, and it was the first furniture style that was mass produced. From the beginning of her reign, Queen Victoria identified herself closely with the middle class people, and her tastes in fashion and furniture had great influence on the trends of the British

Victorian Cherry Corner Curio

Victorian Cherry Corner Curio

society at that time.

With the Industrial Revolution in full swing, the cottage industries of the past were quickly replaced by large facilities that were capable of mass-producing any furniture design that was in vogue, and this contributed to a dramatic change in overall furniture style. Newly-invented machines provided more possibilities for the fabrication of chairs, tables, settees, divans, and other furnishings, and any furniture item that was used by Queen Victoria could be mass-produced and offered to the public.

Furniture in the early Victorian era reflected influences of old-school styles such as Chippendale and Tudor. As Queen Victoria and Prince Albert started to adopt a taste for Regency furniture, curvy and incised designs as well as woven seat cushions became popular. Towards the end of the 19th century, the British public developed an appetite for radically-styled furniture, such as Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts furniture. Furnishings with Gothic influences also came into vogue for a period of time, and they were mostly adorned with gargoyle and snake motifs.

Decorative Mirrors: A Reflection of Your Personality

Friday, March 19th, 2010
Bob Mackie Accent Mirror

Bob Mackie Accent Mirror

Mirrors have been essential functional items in households since a long time ago, but now, they are widely used as decorative items as well. They do not only serve to provide a reflection of your appearance; they can also reflect your personality. There is a wide array of decorative mirrors available today, and finding the right one will certainly add pizazz to your home decor.

When choosing a decorative mirror for a room, you should consider the size and decor of the room. One of the unique functions of a mirror is that it can enhance the spaciousness of a room. If a room has limited space, you should use a free-standing, wall-mounted, or table top window. It is a good idea to place the mirror across from the window, as this will create a bright and cheerful ambiance in the room. Floor mirrors are recommended for larger rooms.

Decorative mirrors come in a wide range of artistic frames these days, and some of them are very elaborately crafted. It is important to select a mirror that blends well with the decor in the room. If you are using contemporary furniture, a traditional styled mirror may not be an appropriate choice. A decorative mirror should accentuate the overall appearance of the room and reflect your personal taste and style.

Grand Furniture Gallery in North Carolina has an excellent selection of decorative mirrors for you to choose from, including Bob Mackie, Collette, Britannia, and Versailles mirrors.

The Edwardian Furniture Design – A Fun Choice

Friday, March 12th, 2010

EdwardianThe Victorian furniture era was named after Queen Victoria of England and was depicted by heavy dark toned furnishings.  Back in the Victorian era, it was not uncommon to find homes filled with ornately carved furniture and heavily layered window treatments.

Her son, King Edward VII, succeeded to the throne in 1901, and then began the Edwardian furniture era.  His design style was quite different than his mother’s.  The Edwardian period was considered a more elegant and cheerful designing time.  It was a time of change and distraction from the dark and heavy design style.  During the Edwardian era, furniture was designed with delicate lines and upholstered in floral designs or flowing graphics.  Many furniture pieces from the Edwardian furniture era had a mixed bag of design styles.  You could often find previous designing techniques mixed together to make one interesting piece of furniture.  For example, a desk could have slender legs with squared feet, and the drawers would have inlaid veneers and intricate hardware.  Instead of a heavy desk, the desk would be delicate and light.  Many furniture designers in the Edwardian era used curved lines for their furniture pieces.  During this eclectic furniture making time period, mixing classic styles with curved designed was popular among designers.  Basically, during the Edwardian design era, most anything that was cheerful and fun was acceptable!

At Grand Furniture Gallery you will find furniture reproductions from most every time period.  Stop by our store to check out our lovely selection of Edwardian, Queen Anne, Georgian, and Sheraton design elements that are incorporated into many of the great furniture pieces that we have in stock.  See how great designers from years long past still offer inspiration for today’s furniture.  At Grand Furniture Gallery you will always find quality North Carolina furniture at prices that cannot be beat!

Home Bar – Bring the Party Home

Friday, March 5th, 2010
Harmony Home Bar

Harmony Home Bar

Of course going out for a round of drinks with your friends is always fun, but with bars charging a premium for drinks, why not start hosting at home.  That way, whether you are serving fine cognac like Remy Martin or single malt scotch such as a smoky Lagavulin or a smooth Macallan, you won’t feel like you are pouring your money down the drain.

Of course, to create the right ambiance for your event, you need the right furniture, like a Home Bar, placed in the right location. If you have a large living or dining room, dedicating one corner for you bar, allows you to mix and pour for your guests during dinner parties and other get-togethers.

You can also place it in your sitting or living room where it will provide a perfect setting for before or after dinner drinking. Another ideal place would be a solarium or indoor/outdoor room that leads to a deck or backyard.

At Grand Furniture Gallery  you can find the Home Bar that will match your home and entertainment needs.  With many unique, beautiful and functional pieces, you will be inspired to start hosting more parties, where your bar (and drinks) will be appreciated by all your guests.

With dependable shipping throughout the United States, Grand Furniture Gallery makes shopping for your furniture a great experience. With clear, full-color images available online, you can select your dream piece and order it with just a few clicks.