What to Know Before Buying a Sectional?

Want some great advice on what to look for when shopping for a sectional, click here to find out what the experts at Brandsource Canada have to say.

2016 Home Furnishing Trends

Designer, Kelli Ellis, recently attended the High Point Market -- the largest industry-only home furnishings trade show in the world. We asked Kelli to report back to us what she saw, and luckily, she graciously agreed to do so. From our 2016 Design Trends Issue of Beautiful Design Made Simple, Kelli speaks about the wide reaching trends that were highlighted during the market.

"... it appeared trends were all over the place for 2016. For me, that is a great thing because as designers and consumers we want what we like in our homes, not just trends. When we can hit on both though, it's a plus. Here's what I saw..."

1.Deep blue cabinetry via HGTV  2.Gold accents via RenewRedo  3.Mixed media acrylic chairs via Horchow  4.Dark accent wall, Lisa Petrole Photography via Houzz  5.Large-scale floral throw pillow via Etsy

BLUE

Blue was a hit this market. I'm obsessed with dark teal blue, navy and any variation there of. From high gloss cabinetry to walls, I was in heaven with all the blue. Using it in several of my current projects, I was drawn to it, of course.

GOLD

Of course, gold is still going strong. My rule of thumb is to not use one metallic exclusively, but mix within the room, so you have flexibility in your look. Showcased here in the Emporium home and Noir showroom. Copper and rose gold are popular too, but since they are more difficult to match, they will be less of a trend. Even some manufacturers that are notoriously colorful and bright, moved to some modern metallics.

MIXED MEDIA

As always acrylic is popular and always a show stopper (under the best lighting it is breathtaking!) The pairing of eye-popping velvet with acrylic traditional, was a stunner. Rustic woods, fur and subtle shine blend beautifully in the Bernhardt Showroom.

DARK SIDE

Seen in many of the showrooms like Noir, Berhardt, Emporium Home and Koket, black, navy and plum walls, set off the furnishings and lighting beautifully.

FLORALS

Not Granny's florals, but larger, over-scale beautiful florals with birds, keeps the perfect season in sight all-year-round.

 In closing, a message from Kelli to the readers of Beautiful Design Made Simple magazine:

"Remember, trends come and go, so design with your heart in mind. Choose what you love first then find a unifying color to build upon. Designing your ultimate home can be less daunting when you do some homework and identify what styles make you smile. Happy Designing in 2016!"

Kelli Ellis, interior designer and lifelong traveler, represents the epitome of livable luxury and casual international style. Her celebrity and discerning clientele benefit from her extensive world travels, which bring pieces of exquisite furniture, dramatic artwork and unique accessories used to create thoughtful havens. Learn more about Kelli and her interior design work by visiting her website at kelliellis.com.

Urban Collection Furniture By Trendline

Urban Living by Trend-Line

The new Urban Living consumer choice program by Trend-Line brings urban living to a whole new, attainable level. We know that many consumers are constantly inspired by the latest trends as seen on HGTV, interior design magazines, Pinterest, favourite bloggers, and more. Many of those inspirations arise from the major markets like Toronto and New York. So much to the point that often the everyday consumer, no matter how much they love what they see, will often dismiss the inspiration as a far-reaching dream. With that in mind Trendline has addressed, in a meaningful way, home furnishings that adhere to those trends with their contemporary Urban Living program. The styles are fresh and on point for those of us looking to dress up our homes with a new style and feel. They have selected contemporary frames that fit into a wide selection of modern styles. They have also included collections that come with multiple layout options to help maximize your square footage. Design choices are great with arm selection options, leg options and a multitude of fabrics to choose from. Crafted in Canada the program is built on quality along with selection. From the frame construction to the quality of the foam and springs built into the furniture.  The tailoring is impeccable and the fabric is made with advanced computer technology that achieves the best results in design and maintains a great pattern consistency. View a sample of the Urban Collection by Trend-Line on Pinterest.

How to shop quality when buying leather furniture? A Retailers Perspective.

Truth? This article has a little bit of a hidden agenda in the fact we have just brought on the Natuzzi line of leather furniture in our showroom, maybe not so hidden now :)  However, it takes you through, in a simplified way, the process we use when researching what manufacturers we decide to carry in our showroom. We believe that quality needs to be synonymous with look and feel so when we research a line we go through the rigours of determining what a manufacturers offers to us and thus our customers.

Our latest objective was to bring another quality leather offering to our showroom with distinctive styles.

When shopping leather the language in it's simplest form is about 4 things: Top Grain Leather, Split Leather, Full Grain Leather and Corrected Grain Leather.  So right away we could eliminate any manufacturer offering 'Split Leather' in their line up. This leather is sometimes used on sides and backs of many manufacturers leather furniture, it serves a relevant purpose to bring cost down on such items but for our purposes it doesn't offer the quality product we are looking for.   

Probably the most confusing term thrown around by many sales associates is Top Grain leather, this simply means that the leather comes from the top portion of the hide, and does not mean it's the 'top' quality of leather. Having said that we definitely want the leather to be from the top portion of the hide so that's a good step one being Top Grain leather.

This is where the last two terms come in, 'Top Grain Leather' is further divided into Full Grain or Corrected Grain depending upon the quality of hides. To us it's important that a manufacturer offers both as this now plays into the lifestyle the furniture is going to live in.  Does it have lots of traffic with kids, grand kids, or even lots of entertaining, a corrected grain leather situation.  Or does your furniture call for beauty, comfort to be enjoyed by few, a full grain leather environment.

Although many manufacturers will offer both full grain and corrected grain this is where we found Natuzzi set itself a part from many of the other manufacturers.  They hand select their hides and put them through 23 different stages in the tannery process which results in two lines of leather.  A 'Natural' line which is soft, velvety and keeps the original characteristics of the hide such as grain, veining, and colour shades which makes each piece distinctive and the quality is very recognizable to the touch and sight.  The second line is called 'Protecta' which is the corrected grain, they use an invisible protective layer to preserve the beauty of the hide but the coating allows for a more daily use of the leather.  The looks are great like with the Natural line but the feel is quite different.

But remember do not stop at the hide when shopping leather be sure to ask about the frame construction and more importantly that they use a polyurethane foam padding in their seating areas.  You can often determine those things by asking about the warranty, manufacturers will only warranty what they believe will last and when we shop a manufacturer we research with others retailers their experience of the manufacturer holding true to their warranties.

So if you are in planning phase of a new furniture purchase, even if it's not leather that you are looking for, utilize Natuzzi for inspiration and enjoy their team of 120 designers, colour specialists and interior designers, the looks are certainly appealing.

Get a look at some of the selected styles we added to our Natuzzi showroom.

What colours to use in creating a mood in your dining room?

In a recent article posted on Bob Vila's website by MARIE PROELLER HUESTON she mentions that the dining room is making a comeback in our homes, although I don't know the basis for that I can certainly attest that it was once a play room for our kids and it now has come back to us.  The article goes on to speak about the colours to choose for your dining room based on your personality and thus the mood you want to create in your dining room.  Inspired by this I started looking at Canadel, a manufacturer of dining rooms, that's offers customization beyond belief.  Combining what we learned from the article with dining room settings we can create with Canadel we came up with this general guideline for mood creation:

Red:
For a dramatic statement creating an intimate setting.

White:
For a clean, focused atmosphere.

Black: 
Glamorous setting, but requires a light contrast somewhere in the room (chairs, walls, floor) so it's not overwhelming

Green:
Creates an energetic mood lending to vibrant conversation.

Blue:
Creates a relaxed, calming environment.

BRIGHT:
Whether it's yellow or orange any bright colour creates a fun, open atmosphere. As mentioned in the article it is most useful in a room with limited natural light as colour intensifies when reflected. If there is good natural lighting mix in darker colours to absorb some of the light.

Gray:
This puts a modern twist on traditional, gray doesn't really lend to a specific mood but is on trend and let's the room become whatever mood you bring into it, enjoy a coffee, create a formal sit down or just for the everyday limited family time we can get.






View more of our IDEABOOK from Canadel.

Read the full article from Bob Vila.

Home Furnishing Trends from 2015 Canadian Furniture Show

We recently attended the Canadian Furniture show in Toronto where many manufacturers showcased the trends and continued successes in the home furnishings industry.
After many tours of our suppliers we hope the below will provide you with design inspiration and ideas if you are looking to update your homes.

1) Rustic has been popular for a while now but we noticed that some of the furniture is starting to show rustic with a modern twist.  For example the use of rustic arms with leather seating on chairs.  More easily done is the a rustic dining room table but matched with leather chairs.

2) Tufted! If we played the popular university game where we drank after every time a certain word was said than 'tufted' would have made for an interesting show.  But I must say the looks are great and you have a choice in many cases of where you want the tufted look.  On the seating, on the back, on the sides or a combination of those. It's available from ottomans to sectionals.

3)  Gray is still a main stay.  Beige/Taupe ruled for many years but gray is not letting up easy.  We still see a variety of room settings that use the gray but throw a splash of colour in the mix with the use of brighter accent chairs.  An easier feat with gray than beige.

4) Stripes roll reversal.  It use to be solid fabric on the sofa with a striped accent pillow to add some life.  We started seeing striped fabric on the sofa with solid accent pillows. It surely is a unique look and I must say I like it.  My concern would be for how long :)

5) Headboards galore!  Are you wanting to freshen up your bedroom without a huge budget.  Fabric and leather headboards and beds with tufted offerings and studded offerings are a plenty.  Custom fabric is available to coordinate to any existing decor in your bedroom.

6) Contrast Piping. We saw sofa and love options where the piping is contrasted to the main fabric of the furniture piece.  The piping is then used as the accent colour of choice with the chairs, pillows etc.
It was a refreshing look.

7) Bigger is better.  It requires some planning when it comes to your space but a four seat sofa offering is abundant.  We saw it many elegant design settings which tells me they are not gearing it to the everyday person but with custom fabric offerings it certainly can be for everyone.  The look is quite endearing except maybe from our delivery teams perspective.

8) Double Fabric.  Accent chairs with the use of one fabric on the back and a different fabric in the seating areas was common.  Sometimes it was contrasting, sometimes it was monotone with the use of a pattern and solid, sometimes wood was used to separate the two areas but it was unique and appealing.

9) Tablets are an integral part of living room design.  Wait...what? Yes they can be used to help you design your living room but as we saw from all motion furniture manufacturers we have made sure it's easy to read, charge and enjoy a refreshment while using your tablets on your furniture.  Very cool indeed!

Enjoy more photos from the show on our Pinterest Board.

How to design your indoor space to feel like the outdoors?

For those of us that live in Canada there are two times of year that we can start to feel a little anxious.
When fall turns to winter...I start to grasp at the last moments of the outdoors not knowing when that first snowfall is going to come. When winter turns to spring...it just never seems to happen quick enough, though I'm grateful when it does, especially after this past winter.

Perhaps anxiety is the wrong descriptor but nevertheless when we long for the outdoor feeling whether it's minus 30 with the wind chill or pouring down rain it's nice to have a go to option in your home that still provides that relaxing feeling of the outdoors.  So what are some key elements.

Room Photo from HGTV on Beach Inspired Sunrooms - See More

Natural elements such a wood, cotton and wool are great to use.  With any fabrics in the room try and think about the use of floral or leaf patterns if the design is right for you.  Paint colours can be chosen to reflect the particular outdoor mood you desire, the bright yellows, oranges and pinks for those that love the summer time bloom or the more subdued blues, neutrals or greens for those that love the lake/ocean feel.  Lastly, the most obvious choice and sometimes overlooked, is the use of plants.  Big or small, in oft set corners or up front on table tops, the use of greenery or flowers is crucial, in my opinion.

One thing trending is the use of vertical living walls in the home.  With so many plants being able to grow vertically without the use of soil there are many designers and companies learning how to use this concept practically in a home.  Read more by Rebecca Keillor, Special to the Sun

Now having said that we are not all green thumbs and the thought of having any living plants in our homes seems to carry with it the inevitable statement, "man I really tried to be good at watering it this time!"  Fear not, the ability for companies to produce fake plants from Ficus globes to Palm trees has been incredible, get a small taste on our Facebook page of what these can look like.

But be forewarned fake plants doesn't mean no maintenance, they still require cleaning as they can be dust collectors and start to age quickly if not maintained, find out how to care for your fake plant if you think they hold a spot in your home décor.

Another great inspiration of bringing the outdoors in:

Photo by housearquitectura - more details.

A Look At The 2015 Trends in Upholstery

Written By Brandsource Home Furnishing Merchandising Team

As promised last week, we are bringing you the latest news from the world of upholstery as seen at the Las Vegas Market last January. The very first market of the year showcased the latest products and collections in a variety of colours and tones with Marsala (Pantone’s colour of the year 2015) at the center of the colour wheel.





From menswear inspired upholstery (don’t count on this look for Canada) to subdued looks in neutral and pastel colours to quieter shades beautifully complementing Marsala, contemporary and classic upholstery looks delivered configuration options and comfort. Retro looking bench back sofas, with exposed tapered wood legs driven by consumer’s desire for clean and ‘zen’ looking living areas, were dominant in leading upholstery manufacturers’ showrooms.





Colours ranged from muted to bold. Sofas and sectionals tended to be more on the natural side of the colour palette while the accent chairs would feature bright and playful patterns and prints.




Interested in learning more? Click Here to get an in depth look at the home furnishings trends from the Las Vegas Market highlights.

Determining a Decorative Style for Your Room.

Designer Ross Cassidy might have said it best when choosing a style for your room, "Design isn't like marriage. You don't have to commit for life."   Great advice in taking the pressure off but at that same time how do you know what style you want for the room you are currently thinking about.

The first question we like people to answer is about their lifestyle. How do you want to feel when you are in that particular room, do you want to feel cozy and comfortable, do you want it to handle a social setting or want it to always feel fresh and new.  Let's look at the 5 broad styles in home design and see if it narrows it down for you.

CASUAL














This room is soft and comfortable, very welcoming.  It will be brimming with accessories such as candles, throw pillows, afghans, books and will be attractive and pretty.  Specific styles you will hear that fall under casual are: Shabby Chic, Country, Cottage, Rustic, Vintage, Retro, Nautical these all evoke history and memories of the past.  The characteristics will be asymmetrical, horizontal lines and soft upholstery with low lustre detailed fabrics in both solids or prints. The colours are often very warm and earth tone, soft and pastel colours will enhance the soothing feeling that is sought with a casual room. Others will want to enhance the room with contrasting darker hues such as forest green, navy, wine and olive to name some popular choices.

FORMAL

Symmetry is very key to a formal room.  Long vertical lines with tall windows and high ceilings are often sought with ornamental details.  Although this is often imagined for mansion style homes today formal is taking a more liveable approach that is less stuffy but still elegant.  Specific styles you will commonly hear are Queen Anne, Federal, Georgian or Victorian.  Notice the symmetry from sofas, chairs, and accessories all in perfect pairs.  Fabrics used are often rich and delicate with strong surface features such as brocades and damasks. It is quite popular to see dark stained furniture like china cabinets, buffets or any furnishings with carved accents. The flooring sets the stage typically with high gloss woods, high polished porcelain tile or stone and sometimes finished with a patterned wool carpet or oriental rug.

TRADITIONAL

This falls between casual and formal. You want it classic yet comfortable, functional yet peaceful. Sophisticated lines are essential without a lot of frill or extra decoration. Specific styles you will hear are Early English, French Provincial, Italian Provincial or Colonial American.  This room is not as perfect as a formal room it supports classic lines but has understated details.  Furniture is often medium tone and plain which leather supports easily and a little bit of pattern is added with the use of pillows or throws. Architectural features such as chair rails, crown mouldings and wanes coating is popular.  Flooring is often medium in tone with hardwoods like cherry or walnut and area rugs in the gathering space.  Ceramic is often the choice in entry ways and kitchen areas.

MODERN

This room is uncluttered, light filled with open floor space.  The furniture is minimal with sleek lines. Specific styles you will hear are Art Deco, Mid Century, Post Modern and Contemporary which is the most current version of modern design. Geometric forms are popular with repetition of line, form and colour across all elements in the room. Colours will have boldness and contrast.  Less is more with this style with very few accessories or detail. The open space of the room and furniture can sometimes lend to a barren feel but inviting to social gatherings. Flooring will be sleek and smooth offered by tile, hardwoods in grey, laminate and even vinyl. Carpet is rarely used and when area rugs are chosen they often have texture or a bold colour to them.

ECLECTIC

Good design isn't restricted to any one style and eclectic accentuates this.  It will mix styles and has very few rules.  You still need to be mindful of the principles of scale, balance and form but this style is often used when you cannot determine which of the four previous styles mentioned applies to you. This was a favourite of Orson Welles who said. "Create your own visual style, let it be unique for yourself and identifiable for others."

So ask yourself how you want to feel and see if that leads you down one of the style paths mentioned and then have fun designing it.  And remember Ross Cassidy if you fall out of love with it you get to enjoy starting all over again :)

How to determine value when buying wood furniture?

It use to be as simple as 'you get what you pay for' therefore since that table is more money than that table it must be better.  Well that does still hold some truth but it's better to know what to look for so you can make that determination on your own.

It's all about composition and construction.

Composition: Your wood source will determine price, your hardwoods such as oak, maple, cherry and birch are generally stronger and more stable and price is higher for these reasons and the fact that they are less available. Softwoods like pine and fir which will generally dent or scratch easier than your hardwoods and are more available tend to be a lower price.  Your maple and birch furniture will often be more contemporary with simple lines as these woods are harder to craft but they take stain very well and are resistant to warping and shrinking and swelling.  Your cherry is often a veneer, and although this usually has a negative connotation, the cherry veneer can offer an elegant look and longevity when paired with a high quality base material.  

Construction: This is the difficult part because it is tough for us to be experts in wood craftsmanship and unfortunately very easy for some manufacturers to make the appearance look so appealing that we forget about what's underneath.  But as I did with my first grade 8 crush, let me list some pros and cons to look for in the construction. Keep in mind this is based on looking for longevity in your purchase, if you are filling a spare bedroom some of these things may not matter to your purchase.

Cons:

• Staples, if you see staples it isn't crafted well.
• Exposed glue, probably quick assembly was more of a concern
• Jostle the piece of furniture, if it squeaks, rocks, twists or wobbles it should be reflected on the price tag.
• Knots or cracks, some desire the rustic look of knots but they still should be finished well.
• Particleboard - if you see this anywhere, it splits easily and veneers pop from it eventually
• Edges don't have even, consistent stain like the tops

Pros:

• Look at the interior corners see if there are corner blocks that attach at the corner
• Product with drawers, look for thin sheets of wood between the drawers (often called dust panels) these add stability
• Back panels are flush and fitted and are screwed to the frame.
• If backs and undersides are stained and finished this is very high quality, reduces chance of swelling and shrinking even more.
• Doors/Drawers are aligned, indicates sturdy structure
• Smooth even feel as you glide your hand along finish, even the rustic look should feel smooth without blemishes or rough patches

I recommend to find your style first and foremost, whether it's contemporary, classic or modern that will help narrow down the choices.  After that you can ask yourself how long do you want your furniture to last?  If quality is of high importance be sure to inspect the furniture's construction a little deeper.  To help you with this click on the link below, in my opinion it is a clear and concise guide to shopping for quality in furniture. 

http://www.getrichslowly.org/images/GRS/furniture_checklist.pdf

The Use of Mirrors in Home Decor

The use of mirrors in home décor is as popular as ever, the designs have evolved into eye catching wall art and the characteristic of the mirror itself lends many advantages for your room.
First off it can make any room appear more spacious and brighter using the natural light that comes into your room.  Secondly, as any decorator can tell you, it is easy to work with mirrors in that they blend with any interior, whether your goal is contemporary or traditional, a mirror will only complement your style.  Often times it can be a struggle to find that perfect wall art piece, the colour maybe just off, the size isn't quite right so in many cases a mirror will just work better and with the many choices in beautiful frames and decorative details you won't be disappointed.  However, one decorating favourite, if you have found the perfect wall art piece, is to complement it by putting a mirror on the opposite wall where possible. The reflective properties of the mirror increases the importance of the print by showcasing in from many viewing angles. 


Further to mirror wall art many furniture manufacturers have rediscovered the benefits of mirror and are producing many furniture pieces with mirror.  They offer similar decorating value, however I must advise if you still have small children at home, like us, the fingerprint cleaning can outweigh the great look of the furniture :)





Have a look at some trendy designs in mirror wall art through the link below and discover if decorating with mirror may be that missing piece you have been looking for.

http://www.renwil.com/products.php?CDStyCode=MI

What to consider when buying leather furniture?

If you've shopped leather furniture in recent years you've possibly invested in some Tylenol or maybe even dabbled in a glass of red wine or two trying to wrap your head around what type of leather is right for you.  We all love the idea of leather, it can offer a simplicity when decorating a room without the worry of patterns and offers many colour and style choices.  The difficult part is knowing if you are getting quality leather that will endure and make it worth the investment. 


It is important to note that quality leather offers the following advantages over fabric:

• Leather outlasts most fabric coverings. It has an exceptionally long useful life.
• It will not tear -- even along the seam lines.
• It is fire resistant and emits no toxic fumes, even when exposed to intense heat.
• Modern full grain leather products won’t crack or peel.
• Quality leather stretches and retains its shape without sagging.
• It "breathes", assumes body temperature rapidly and is instantaneously comfortable.
• It resists heat and sun damage.

But not all leather is created equal.

There is 'Bonded' leather, this is leather pieces glued together and essentially covered with a vinyl top, for that reason it takes on the same properties of vinyl and actually has less stretch ability, bonded leather can be made to look good but doesn't have the same durability. It's one advantage is that it resists staining very well.  This will be offered at a nice price point and will be a good choice for certain furniture uses.

Then there is 'Top Grain' leather, when the hide is split the top portion is considered to have the best properties to make leather furniture.  This top portion can be left as 'full grain' which is not buffed or sanded or can be made into 'Corrected Grain' which has the surface markings altered by being buffed or sanded.
Generally, leather that has too many surface imperfections will require correction. Full grain leather, is considered to be of greater beauty and higher quality than corrected grain leather, and so commands a higher price.  It is important to note that corrected grain leather does not lose it's favourable properties. However, some manufacturers top grain leather will weigh one ounce per square foot while others will weigh up to three ounces per square foot, and thicker is better!  When it comes time to decide between 'Full Grain' and 'Corrected Grain' you need to analyze your living conditions.  A 'Full Grain' will be soft and supple and show the natural flaws and markings which adds to the natural beauty of the top grain but this probably isn't a good choice for a household with 3 young children.  A 'Corrected Grain' will have a coating which creates a smooth finish and allows for unique effects like alligator or ostrich finishes and provides a certain protection for heavily used furniture.

Finally, as leather continues to grow in popularity manufacturer's try and find ways to cut costs to make it a more affordable choice.  You will hear the term 'Splits' or 'Vinyl Match' this essentially is cost saving because only the sitting area of the furniture is made with top grain leather and the rest is covered in a vinyl or the less sought after bottom portion of the leather split which is stiffer and not able to be used in the sitting portion of the furniture.

Having the knowledge of those 3 common terms (Bonded-Top Grain-Splits) in the furniture industry is a good starting point. From there knowing how the furniture will be used in your home is important and then dive into the look and feel you want for your home!

Choosing Fabric for Your Furniture

By Monika Nemeth Interior Design Consultant

When it comes to choosing fabric for your furniture it's simple to start with look and feel, but you should also consider durability based on the needs in your home?  Do you have a dog or cat that needs to be near you when your relaxing on your furniture, do you have kids that somehow always forget to remember that you don't want them eating in front of the TV? If this high traffic, heavy use relates to your lifestyle consider the following:

1. A microfiber or perhaps leather covering, as these can withstand heavier use.
2. If going with a fabric, consider a woven patter over a printed pattern, as these also tend to last longer.
3. One key metric to look at is the thread count (the amount of threads per square inch of fabric). The higher the thread count, the more dense the fabric will be, and the more it will stand up to whatever your family can throw at it. 
4.  Finally, for that furniture that sits in a well lit room, be sure the fabric offers some fade resistance.