Bright and bold playful patterns are trending this summer! Interior fashion has currently found a home with fresh and exciting patterns that brighten rooms and add life to a color palette. These new trending pieces are not your Grandma’s ancient sofa, instead, they hold a focus on large-scale shapes comprised of vibrant colors.
Luckily, there is an abundance of these playful fabrics out right now and scattered throughout our showrooms.
Find Your Fresh Face
Start your color palette with a unique fabric you cannot keep your eyes off of. Remember, large-scaled shapes and bright colors are the two core elements of this trend. The first one you fall in love with is probably your new “fresh face.”
Tangible Teammates
Don’t shy away from textures throughout your room, a mix of different textures can actually give your room a sophisticated look. After selecting your main fabric, choose smaller patterns and similar shades. Rugs, accent chairs, rugs, pillows, and smaller sofas are all perfect pieces to implement this concept. Be careful! Always avoid selecting fabrics that could outplay your main piece.
Personalize Play
The best part of these bold patterns is adding a personal touch to your home and letting your style shine. The scene is yours to set, so have fun doing it!
Decorating your coffee table gives you the opportunity to let your style shine in your living room. Adding the right pieces adds an intriguing sophistication that is sure to charm. Impress your guests with these quick and easy steps. Let’s get right into this quick read:
Prior to Decorating
Using tape, create squares around where you would like to place objects. This technique will help you measure what will fit and how much of the table you wish to decorate.
Color
Find decor that will be eye-catching on your table. For example, if your table is constructed of dark wood, enhance it with white accents.
Shape & Height
Try to incorporate a mixture of shapes. Rectangular objects are great for structure but will look too stuffy without any variation. Round trays, bowls, and candles come in handy to break up these stuffy lines.
Height falls under the same concept, find one central piece with substantial height compared to the rest for chic symmetry.
Elements
Start with a Base Stack objects on top of books or a decorative tray. The rule of three applies excellently to coffee table design. Create three separate collections on your table, each with a different base. I recommend staying within the same color theme in each group, to avoid clashing. Two collections work just as well, especially if you are working with a small table.
Greenery Flowers and plants add that pop of color that every room needs. Find glistening vases to feature your greenery. Even though real flowers are stunning, faux flowers are cheaper and last longer.
Small Objects Small unique decor pieces are perfect to set on top of coasters, trays, and books. Find objects that tie in with your theme and personal style.
Candles Everyone loves a great smelling candle! Place your favorite candle onto one of the bases to add maturity to your space.
You’ve put a lot of effort and heart into decorating your home, but maybe you ran out of steam when you finally got to the guest room. Or, maybe you’ve decorated it but feel like it needs something more. Why settle for a guest room that’s only ok?
Think back to times you’ve stayed at someone else’s house (or even a hotel). There are usually some little things that would improve your stay. Do you ever tell your hosts about those things? Like most of us, you probably politely say how well you slept but secretly wish you had a different pillow that didn’t make your neck sore.
Treat your guests to a great stay by taking a few steps to transform that spare bedroom into a true getaway. Improvements can be simple and don’t have to break the bank.
Assess Your Situation
The best way to figure out if your guest room is comfortable is to spend a couple nights sleeping there yourself.
Pay attention to the bed, lighting, storage, and where they might put their belongings. Listen for noise coming from the rest of the house as well. This will give you a good idea what and how much they hear from you after they turn in for the night.
If you find yourself crawling back to your own bedroom after the first night, improvements can probably be made for your guests.
Now that you know what you’re dealing with, let’s whip this room into shape.
Start with the Guest Bed
Although the bed is the most important part, many of us are guilty of shipping our old mattress off to the guest bedroom. If it’s still in good shape, it’s smart to reuse it, but it’s also best to avoid making your guests sleep on something you wouldn’t sleep on.
Montgomery’s Mattress 1st Manager, Clint Richards, recommends purchasing a medium to medium-firm mattress to appeal to a wide range of sleepers. A traditional coil mattress is the safest buy. If you have a regular guest, you might consider a mattress more to that single guest’s liking.
For most guest rooms with intermittent use, Clint recommends buying a mattress in a middle to low price range. However, if you end up sleeping in this room often because of a partner who snores or steals the covers, buy something closer to what you would sleep on in your master bedroom.
If you have a tight budget for guest room improvements, focus your money here. Your guests will appreciate the great night’s sleep more than anything else you do.
Offer Bedding Options
When it comes to completing the bed, give your visitors options. The right pillows, blankets, and sheets blend together to make the secret sauce for a good night’s sleep.
Clint recommends a basic cotton sheet set for most guests. “Microfiber can sleep hot, and other materials like flannel may sound great to one guest and like a furnace to another,” he says.
If you know some of your regular guests love flannel sheets, keep a spare set ready. Always ask your guest their preference before putting anything other than cotton sheets on the bed.
Clint recommends providing medium-firm pillows or have multiple options handy. Make at least one option hypo-allergenic since some people have allergies you may not be aware of. If you can, provide two pillows per guest in case they like to sleep propped up (for those heartburn-y kind of nights).
Finish off the bed with a couple layers of lightweight blankets, a bedspread or a comforter. Layers offer your guest the ability to add more or less heat through the night, depending on their comfort level. Also, keep a couple extra blankets in the room in case they feel cold.
Now that the bed is comfy and cozy, focus on other guest room must-haves.
Think About Organization & Electronics
You’ve arrived at your destination and you’re shown to the room you’ll be sleeping in. You notice right away the bedside table and lamp are not on your side of the bed. You like to read before going to sleep. Hard to do when the lamp is on the wrong side of the bed, especially if your spouse is traveling with you. Has this ever happened to you?
To solve this problem, put a nightstand or small table on both sides of the bed. Add lamps to each table that are tall enough to reach from the bed. Matching lamps will help tie together mismatched tables or bedroom furniture. No room for a table and lamp on both sides? Keep a clip-on reading light handy near the bed.
With tables and lighting are taken care of, give your guests options for organization so they don’t have to live out of their suitcase or keep their things on the floor. Put out a luggage rack, make space in the closet for hanging clothes, and add decorative but functional hooks to a wall or the back of the door to hang jackets, purses, or wet towels after a hot shower.
Finally, guests always come with one important little electronic: their cell phone. If you don’t have an outlet within easy reach of the bed, add an extension cord so they don’t have to crawl half under the bed to reach one.
Finish it off with Creature Comforts
For most guests, it’s the little things you do that really matter. Put a box of Kleenex along with a wastebasket in the room. Tuck a lint roller in a drawer. Add a night light for easy late-night navigation.
Add a basket filled with a couple bottles of water, a snack or two, lotion, aspirin, antacid, extra toothbrushes, and even some essentials for the ladies. I actually had a guest once with such bad heartburn in the middle of the night he went to the convenience store six blocks away for antacid because he couldn’t find where we kept it. See how great that basket of goodies would have been? I learned my lesson!
If your guest room doesn’t have a ceiling fan, offer a table-top fan for your guests to use. A lot of guests need air movement to sleep well. And the fan helps drown out household noise as well.
Guest Room Essentials Accomplished
Now that your guest bedroom is ready to make visitors feel at home, orient your guests to the room. Show them where to charge their phone and hang their towel, where the extra pillows and blankets are stashed, and how to get out if there’s a fire (especially if you have any doors or windows that are difficult to open).
After their first night, encourage them to share with you if they found a need for something that wasn’t there. And find out if they slept well or need something adjusted with the bed. Tell them you’re trying to get the guest experience just right in your home. They’ll be happy to help with recommendations if they have any.
Did we miss anything? Let us know if you have something special you do for your guests. And don’t forget to enjoy your time with them.
Quality furniture can make all the difference in your home. Furniture is one of the most important, yet least appreciated aspects of life. You rest on it, your kids play on it, you sleep on it, and in many cases, you have it your entire life.
Quality Counts
What do I look for?
Know your wood types. Wood furniture falls into three categories: solid wood, veneers, and particle board or composite wood.
Check drawers and cabinets. Open the drawers and cabinets.
Avoid nails and glue. Jointed is best.
Consider your lifestyle.
Be realistic about colors.
Inspect the legs.
Check the springs.
Test the cushions.
Caring for Quality
Furniture Care Tips
If your furniture is located near a window, it’s best to use window treatments to prevent furniture from discoloring. Heating and air outlets will also fade fabrics and leather, as well as damage the fibers over an extended period of time.
Fabric: never take the cushion cover off to clean.
To clean a spill, immediately blot (without rubbing) with a dry, absorbent white cloth. Check the cleaning code (w/s, w or s) on the label of the furniture, normally located on the center seat cushion, for suggested cleaning methods for the fabric. Use a professional furniture cleaning service when an overall cleaning is needed.
Leather: clean with a soft, damp white cloth.
After wiping clean, gently rub with a soft dry cloth. Never use polishes, oils, ammonia, cleaning fluids, solvents or detergents to clean leather upholstery. The use of these cleaning agents may cause damage and will void the warranty
Rotate and fluff seat and back cushions regularly. Vacuum regularly with an upholstery attachment.
This will prevent the cushion core from wearing prematurely, will preserve the fabric color and control welt slippage. Although dust may not be apparent, it settles into your upholstery and may not only make it dirty but may eventually damage the fibers if not removed.
The dining room table is the last bastion of family gathering time.
Your table is the place your little ones smear birthday cake during their first birthday party and later share their spaghetti noodles with the dog. It’s the place you see your kids’ faces and hear about their day before they go back to their phones and computers.
And it’s the place you and your spouse regularly reconnect as a couple over a home-cooked meal (or maybe a fast-food burger and fries).
Don’t rush buying a new dining room table—it’s too important to your family and the function of your home. Whether you need a table for your formal dining room or your eat-in kitchen, take your time in choosing this gathering space foundation piece.
Consider Your Lifestyle
Every family has different needs when it comes to their dining table. Let’s look at the needs you should consider.
Family Makeup
If you have small children, you’ll need a durable table that can stand up to high use. Besides meals, your dining table will see homework, games, crayons, art projects, and plenty of spills. Selecting the right materials and finishes are key.
Families with older children may not have the opportunity to eat together as often. School activities, friends, and the allure of their own rooms can make it difficult to get your kids to the table. In this case, you may not have as many concerns about high use, so your choices open up a bit more.
No kids at home? You have the freedom to pick a dining room table for its beauty and style. Use the next considerations to help narrow your options.
Meal Time Habits
Some of us use our dining room tables to eat meals. Some of us use our tables to pile mail high and hold the Target bags until we have time to put the stuff inside away. (Admit it, you do it too.) We won’t decide who’s right or wrong today, but you need to be honest about which one you are.
Pay attention to your daily routine. If you do eat meals at the table, buy one large enough to fit the number of people who use it on a daily basis. If you don’t use your table for actual eating, buy the most appropriate size for your space (we’ll talk about size coming up). From there, consider one last thing.
Entertaining
Do you host family get-togethers and holidays? Or entertain a group of friends for games or dinner parties on a regular basis? You need a dining room table capable of seating everyone comfortably. Buy a table with the number of people you normally host in mind. Consider an extendable dining table for large parties. And remember, each person needs at least 24 inches of space at their place setting.
If your space is limited but you still entertain, buy a table that fits your space for day-to-day needs and expands when the crew comes over. Look for an extendable dining table with leaves, a gate-leg table, or a drop-leaf table. You’ll have flexibility for groups and still be able to fit the table into your space.
Measure Twice Buy Once
Getting the dining table size right is the most important part of buying a table. Imagine buying a beautiful new table, getting it home, and every time someone tries to get up from the table, their chair hits the wall. Aunt Edna won’t be happy if she has to crawl under the table to get out of the room.
Before you start shopping, measure your dining room carefully. Know how high your ceilings are. Make note of other furniture in the room. It’s a good idea to measure that furniture as well so your proportions match up.
For example, if your china cabinet is very large, don’t buy a petite table that looks tiny when in the same room. Or, maybe you have an airy feeling buffet with slender legs. Don’t buy a massive, heavy table. They just won’t work together.
Leave 42 to 48 inches of space between the edge of the table and the wall. If you have other furniture (like a buffet) in the room, that 42 to 48 inches will be between the edge of the table and the front of the furniture.
One last thing. Don’t forget to take extension leaves into account when measuring. The table should still fit comfortably in your dining room when at its largest size.
Deciding on Materials
Even though a variety of materials are available for dining room tables, solid wood is the most popular. Its durability over time and its beauty are unmatched. You can find unique looks in many design styles. Imagine a solid wood slab top, honed to a beautiful lustrous finish.
Wood veneers are also available and make it possible to buy a wood table clad in a rare wood species. Unusual patterns can be created with several types of veneers. And don’t be fooled by negative impressions of veneers. They are just as durable as solid wood.
You’ll also find dining tables made of glass, stone, metal, and laminate. Although glass, stone, and metal may seem more durable than wood, this is not always true. Glass is difficult to keep clean and stone and some metals require extra care when used, just like wood.
All materials have an upside and a downside. Talk with your interior designer about which works best for your home and family.
Make a Statement
Let’s say you saw a table that screamed, “I’m perfect for you!” Would you go for it? Look for a truly unique dining table that’s an expression of your personality.
Your dream table might be a rough-hewn wood slab created as one piece with a metal base that makes a striking contrast to the warm, wood top. Or maybe you prefer a sleek metal topped table for a modern look.
Some companies offer the option to create a custom table to match your tastes exactly. Explore the possibilities and bring home just what you want.
Whatever type of dining room table you choose to buy, take all these things into consideration, and you’ll bring home a table that can serve you and your family for years. The designers at Montgomery’s are here to help whenever you’re ready.
Can you believe we’re already to a new year? Welcome to 2019!
With a new year comes new color and home design trends. Fresh colors slip into 2019 to complement much of what you already see. And some design styles from the past will pop up and take the design world by storm in brand new ways.
After following 2019 home design trends closely, we’re excited for what the year has in store. Let’s take a few minutes to talk about interior trend forecasts for 2019 and how to use these new trends in your own home.
2019 Interior Paint Colors
Every year, paint manufacturers use their expertise to predict and create new color palettes. From there, furniture and home décor designers take those colors and create beautiful things to freshen up our homes and make them feel new again.
Colors of the Year
Sherwin-Williams’ color of the year brings back a color palette we’ve seen before—the colors of the American desert Southwest. This year, their experts have selected Cavern Clay as their color of the year. They describe Cavern Clay as “a warm terracotta color with ancient, elemental roots.”
This color combines midcentury modern with the colors of the Southwest. Not to worry. This isn’t your 90’s Southwest. This soft color and its complimentary palettes take those desert colors and add undertones of gray to create an updated look.
Use Sherwin William’s Cavern Clay as the base hue of a room or just as an accent color. Visit their Colormix Forecast 2019 to see the entire palette. Reading the stunning descriptions of each palette is a treat all by itself.
Behr Blueprint
Behr’s color of the year is called Blueprint, a lovely gray-blue Behr describes as “an honest, approachable color that conjures up the blueprints builders rely on to bring architectural designs to life.” It’s a color that’s easy to live with and even easier to mix with other paint colors.
Behr’s paint colors for 2019 include some great neutrals that can be easily worked in with other trending interior paint color schemes. Visit their Color Trends 2019 to get a look at what they’ve put together.
Benjamin Moore Metropolitan AF-690
Looking for a more neutral color of the year? Benjamin Moore has selected one just for you. Their color of the year is called Metropolitan AF-690. Experts at Benjamin Moore describe it as “calm, composed and effortlessly sophisticated.” A beautiful soft gray-white, this color sets the tone for a harmonious, understated home. See their entire palette by visiting their Color Trends 2019.
Living Coral
Finally, the vibrant color Living Coral bursts into 2019 as Pantone’s color of the year. They describe this color as “sociable and spirited” and a color that “welcomes and encourages lighthearted activity.” If you’re optimistic and playful, this just might be the color for you. Expect to see plenty of Pantone’s Living Coral this year.
Using Trending Neutrals with Vibrant Colors
Even with all the new 2019 interior paint colors, white will still be a major player. Use it as your main color and accent with the new, earthy and vibrant colors. You can use large swaths of color to accent or just toss in a few colorful pillows to provide a subtle pop. The choice is yours.
Not sure white is for you? Gray will still be popular this year, but home design trends are forecasted to shift away from cool grays and toward warmer grays to complement the new earthy tones. This upcoming trend is more beneficial for those of us who live through cold winters, implementing warm grays will prevent your home from feeling too stark during these months. This upcoming trend works better for those of us who live through cold winters because it keeps our homes from feeling too stark. Less “brrr,” more “ahhh.”
The designers at Elle Décor suggest finding a balance between neutrals such as white or gray with the right dose of color. So rather than using gray as the entire color scheme, let it take a supporting role by using bigger doses of saturated color than you have in previous years. The addition of more vibrant shades will create a happier, more upbeat look we could all use to boost our mood in an uncertain and seemingly divided world.
Be daring this year. Let color lead your home to places you haven’t attempted before.
Design Trends
New design trends can be a bit tricky. Design experts’ opinions vary when it comes to what’s trending for the new year. So what should you do to make sure you don’t make a design mistake? Look for common threads among the trends. And keep reading for some guidance.
Other experts’ websites came in handy to help nail down the design trends for 2019. You can check them out, too. Visit sites from the High Point Market, Elle Décor and House Beautiful magazines, and Houzz.com (my personal favorite). One of the best things you can do is visit one of Montgomery’s showrooms. You’ll find cutting-edge pieces as well as beautiful classics all in one place. And we love visitors.
Now, on to 2019 design and furniture trends. Let’s start with what designers saw at the fall High Point Market.
It was hard to miss the curvy furniture pieces. Feminine, swooping lines on sofas, curved-back chairs, and round accent tables have made their presence known. Velvets and attention to details in upholstered pieces were also in the spotlight. Experts expect to see detailed seaming and contrasting welts.
Style spotters at High Point also noticed an emphasis on handcrafted pieces, natural materials, and highly tactile warmth overall. Cane, bamboo, and rattan popped up around every corner. Light wood floors and furniture dominated over darker woods.
Statement case goods (like buffets or unique tables) were well represented at High Point. You’ll see these everywhere this year. If you see something you love, consider adding it or replacing something with one of these gems. Beautiful, unique case pieces have a way of setting a tone for a room like nothing else.
Another popular 2019 home design trend will be mixing modern pieces with the traditional. For example, you’ll see mid-century modern pieces sharing the same space as antiques in a home. Consumers have evolved into buying separate pieces rather than buying matching furniture sets over the past few years, creating more organic spaces. Buying furniture this way will better reflect your personality and give a greater sense of a collected home.
Black will show up in some unexpected ways this year. All black powder rooms are all the rage (yes, even the walls). Black cabinetry is making a big comeback. And, black accents used with the light neutrals of this year will pump up the contrast in your spaces.
You’ll be able to mix patterns you couldn’t before. Geometrics will be prominent in flooring, fabrics, and wallpaper. To maximize a pattern’s impact, use vibrant colors like Pantone’s Living Coral. Vibrant color schemes also work well to make a small room appear larger.
Speaking of wallpaper, this year will see a bolder use of it than in the past. Use wallpaper to cover all the walls in a room rather than just an accent wall. The bold patterns and beautiful colors make a real statement. And part of this look is to hang art and photography on the walls right along with the wallpaper. Layer it on!
One design trend many of us should be excited about this year is mixing metals. Gone are the days of matching every single metallic surface in a room. Feel free to mix them up—brass with nickel, gold with hammered bronze. Metals are finally free to hang out with each other.
A final trend is the increased use of terrazzo, but top designers disagree on terrazzo’s future. Some see terrazzo as moving out of popularity, while others see it as the “it” material of the year. Trendspotting is a tough business, which is why we leave you with one final bit of advice.
Don’t feel pressured to follow trends each year. Pick up on a couple if you see something that speaks to you. The great thing about interior design trends is that it’s all about your personal preference. Do what you love, and it will always work in your home.
And remember, our designers here at Montgomery’s are always close by to help you make great decisions for your home. Visit anytime, even if you’re just checking out the new trends.
The shift into the holidays brings crisp whites, shimmery gold and silver, and a festive style only seen at this time of year. We try to think of something new to add to Christmas decorating each year. It might be a small twist, but who doesn’t like surprises and a little change?
Our incredible interior designers contributed some of their best holiday decorating tips and secrets to help you add something new to your Christmas and winter holiday traditions.
With so many secrets revealed, you’re sure to find a new way to spread joy throughout your home and neighborhood, no matter which holiday season you celebrate.
My favorite designer tip is to put up separate trees with different themes. That way you can change your décor as your tastes change without getting rid of treasured pieces or family heirlooms.
Put different themes in different rooms in your home to spread the Christmas cheer!
Try using ribbon, feathers, or even a large snowman hat to top off your tree.
I cut fresh greens from the tree belt at the farm and mix them in with the artificial tree. It’s a great way to fill in the gaps and fill your home with the smell of evergreens.
The more lights, the better! Lights make your tree come to life. Wrap each branch from the trunk to the tip of the branches. You’ll be amazed by how much light you’ll get.
To make it sparkle, even more, add glittery picks and reflective ornaments (hang some deep inside the tree branches). The twinkling lights will bounce off these surfaces and create a magical experience.
Put everyday décor away and relocate furniture to make room for the tree. Your room won’t feel overwhelmed by the new addition.
No space for a tree? Light up a wreath and decorate it with ornaments.
Give your greenery and garlands new life by adding new accents like ribbon or Christmas picks.
Wrap gifts in boxes when possible. It makes for a prettier package under the tree.
Mix ornament sizes, starting with large ornaments and working down to smaller ornaments.
A combination of navy, gold, and silver is a hot new trend for this holiday season.
Cranberry sprigs tucked into branches add a great, colorful touch.
Use battery-powered timed candles for decorating during the holidays. I place them on the mantle, but they’ll add a cozy feel to any space.
Invest in unique stocking holders for your mantle. They’re a great foundation piece when deciding on a theme.
For the stair railing, hang ornaments on ribbons at varying heights up the rail. This unique technique is sure to impress your guests
Shake it up and place the base of your tree in a basket instead of putting a skirt around it.
Choose a theme and stick with it. Using the mantle as your starting point will help set the theme for the rest of the space.
Fill decorative bowls with pinecones, colorful ornaments, holiday florals, and other various pieces. Don’t be afraid to use a variety of shapes and textures.
Hang Christmas cards from twine with baby clothespins.
Traditional plaid prints mix perfectly with the colors of the holiday season.
Vintage items and family antiques such as doilies and old canisters pair easily with holiday spaces. Embrace them this season!
Wrap interior doors in wrapping paper.
Use multi-colored lights in fun rooms but stick to clear or white lights in formal rooms.
Use a variety of fresh greens throughout the house. This easy trick adds the amazing smell of evergreens to any home, even those who choose an artificial tree.
Hang lights during the cold seasons. The subtle glow of light makes my apartment feel warm and inviting. I drape them from the ceiling in my living room or hang them down the walls.
Dig out Christmas “artwork” from throughout the years. Change up family photos on walls, ledges, bookcases, and shelves to showcase all my family’s memories.
Bring out Christmas quilts and pillows and add them to sofas and beds. Then add Christmas to the bedroom by using holiday pillowcases on every person’s bed.
Put Christmas books on the shelves and on the table tops so they’ll be ready to share with children or act as additional holiday décor.
Layer multiple area rugs to add warmth and softness. Use those old antique rugs over the top of sisal rugs or carpets. Dare to go bold with a pattern on pattern.
To create a festive outdoor experience, fill balloons with water and food coloring, tie and simply let nature do the rest. It’s just as fun for adults as it is for kids.
Switch out some of your everyday decorative pillows for pillows with bigger, bolder textures. Try cable knit, fur, and other rich, warm textures to add a bit more decadence to the season.
Bring out the china! If you have room, keep the table set. Light some candles and polish the silver for a sparkling glow. Then have a dinner party.
Find your inner kid by making cutout paper snowflakes. I suggest cutting out many shapes and large sizes for more intricate designs (sometimes I draw mine out before I cut).
Make paper chain out of colored construction paper. It’s cheap, fun, and creates a cozy, colorful space.
Don’t be afraid to explore nontraditional holiday colors, even glittery pastel blues and pinks are trending this year.
If you go nontraditional, go BIG and make a holiday statement.
Stuff glass vases or other containers with battery powered mini LED lights.
Spray paint tree branches white, add red berries and put them in a large glass vase filled with lights. Want it more casual? Use a galvanized metal bucket instead.
Hang pine boughs with wide ribbon on the back of dining chairs.
Use a pair of children’s ice skates as your table centerpiece. Lean them against a glass cylinder stuffed with lights and greenery.
Hang large ornaments or paper snowflakes from the ceiling in room corners, down the hall, or against the wall above the TV.
Tired of your Christmas village? Give it new life by spray painting every building the same color (try silver, gold, or pale blue). Then add glitter and white accents to the “snowy” parts of the buildings.
Use large decorative lanterns or canning jars to create winter scenes inside like snow globes. The people, cars, and other small pieces from a Christmas village work great for this project.
There you have it! That should give you plenty of inspiration for your holiday decorating. Now dig in and make your space beautiful and unique to your taste.
Do you have ideas you want to share? Tell us about them in the comments or join us from your favorite social media spot and drop them there.
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, you probably have a lot to do to get ready for your guests—cleaning, planning, grocery shopping, cooking. You want the food to be delicious and the house to be clean and welcoming.
What about the dining table?
The dining table often becomes a hurried last-minute flurry of action. Grab some plates, that paper turkey centerpiece, and let’s do this! Then you sit down and think, “I used all this same stuff on the table last year. I should have planned this better. It looks pretty sad.”
Need some new ideas for decorating your Thanksgiving table? We’ve got you covered. We’re going to give you a lot of ideas to wow your guests when they sit down to eat. And, you can tweak these tips to set a beautiful dining table for any event.
Every Dish has a Place
Only set the table with dishes, glasses, and silverware you’ll use for the meal.
Utensils are placed in the order they’ll be used. Put forks to the left of the plate, spoons and knives to the right (knife closest to the plate with the blade facing the plate).
Serving soup or salad first? You can place the soup bowl or salad plate on top of the dinner plate. If you have room, the salad plate could be placed to the left of the forks. The soup spoon or salad fork would be placed on the outside of the other silverware on the appropriate side (spoon on the right, fork on the left).
Place wine and water glasses on the top right just above the knife and spoons. Place the largest glass to the inside, moving out by size with remaining glasses.
Place the bread plate to the top left of the dinner plate, above the forks. Place the butter knife diagonally across the plate with the handle pointed to the right. If you don’t have room, rolls may be placed on the dinner plate with other food.
The napkin can be placed on top of the dinner plate or to the left of the forks. If space is tight, place the napkin under the forks instead.
Florals Take Center Stage
Did you know Montgomery’s creates custom floral arrangements and centerpieces? From the floral room, our designers can create custom pieces based on your style, color palette, and table and room size.
You can choose the exact silk flowers you desire to create a signature look exclusive to your table. Or, you can let the designer take the lead. They’ll communicate ideas with you and work with your preferences until you have exactly what you want.
Montgomery’s floral designer, Karli Strain, says they select shapes and textures based on your style, whether traditional or contemporary. Want something unusual? She suggests the pincushion flower for a unique twist.
How about something sunny and bright? Try sunflowers. They add a burst of color and a big smile to the dining table. The brightness of yellow sunflowers can be contrasted using deep purples and brilliant greens.
If you really want to buy into the Thanksgiving theme, use a pumpkin as your vase. Add some ears of corn and maybe even a pilgrim or two for a traditional Thanksgiving table centerpiece.
Maybe a centerpiece isn’t your style, but you still want to incorporate flowers and greenery. Try staggering candles of all sizes (keeping the color the same) down the center of your dining table.
Napkins Soften the Look
Folded or not, cloth napkins add color, pattern, and a soft surface when so much about the dining table is all hard surfaces.
You could choose one of a hundred methods to fold napkins. Since space is limited here, check out this site to find some unique folding techniques. (Ever folded a napkin to look like a necktie? You’ll want to after checking out this site.)
Don’t want to spend time folding? Use napkin rings instead. You can find many options in a wide range of prices or make your own with easy to find items. Here are a few ideas you might want to try:
Use raffia to tie leaves, flowers, or cinnamon sticks around each napkin.
Tie a simple ribbon around a fancy napkin or a fancy ribbon around a simple napkin.
Bake small cutout cookies in appropriate shapes for the holiday (leaves or turkeys for Thanksgiving), poke a hole through before baking and attach with string or ribbon.
Guide Your Guests with Place Cards
Place cards are not always necessary, especially if the group is only immediate family. But the point of place cards is to mix things up and make the most of your guests and their personalities.
Think about who might enjoy sitting together to ensure conversation flows. Avoid separating couples. And, for the love of all that is good, don’t seat two people together who don’t get along. Unless you like drama. Even then, think carefully before pulling at that thread.
If you don’t need place cards, you can still make use of the idea of them. For Thanksgiving dinner, you could use a different leaf or animal shapes tied to each napkin with ribbon (think owls, fox, turkeys, deer, etc.). The possibilities are numerous. Make it fun or make it stylish.
Add some surprises
The Thanksgiving season is all about fall, harvest, and nature’s bounty. Texture, layers, and saturated colors are the hallmarks of the dining table. Make the most of those things by featuring them front and center.
Try adding fruits like persimmon, passion fruit, or pears and vegetables like artichokes to play on the color and texture theme. Mix in pinecones, mini pumpkins, and various gourds to capitalize on the bountiful look.
If your theme is on the casual side, tuck a few woodland animals into your display. It becomes like a game of “Where’s Waldo” with little faces peeking out of the foliage just waiting to be discovered. You could even include a nod to the Plains states with a pheasant perched on top.
Want something completely different? Fill glass vessels (vases, hurricanes, votives) with layers of various colored dry beans, nestling a pillar candle in the center. Put three of these in different heights in the middle of the table with mini pumpkins, fruits, or veggies gathered around the bases.
Here are more unexpected ways to spice up your Thanksgiving table:
Galvanized buckets or other galvanized vessels add a whole new material to the mix (great for a more casual table).
Feathers create softness and a light feeling.
Use shocks of wheat tied with ribbon, lining them down the middle of the table.
Wrap a few yards of scrim (use the natural color for Thanksgiving) around the back of your dining chairs and tie with a wide, colorful ribbon.
Use canning jars filled with fall finds for a casual, homey feel if it fits your theme.
Cake stands, alone or tiered, add a different vertical element. Use modern or traditional stands to complement your theme and pile them full.
Mix and match dishes, layering chargers (large plates that sit under the dinner plate), plates from different sets, and adding colored glass goblets.
Now it’s Time to Enjoy
Your beautiful dining table is set and ready to go. The only thing left is to sit down with your guests, be thankful for everything you have and the great people in your life, and enjoy the view.
Do you have a great suggestion for decorating or setting your dining table? Share it in the comments below. We can all learn from each other. Our next post will be all about secret decorating tips Montgomery’s designers use to transform their homes for Christmas. You won’t want to miss it!
What is your style? Is traditional style a bit too formal? Is contemporary style a bit too harsh? Do you feel like you like something in the middle, elements of both but can’t put your finger on it? The transitional style is an alliance between traditional and contemporary, taking the unique aspects of each and combining them to create a balanced blend of both.
For a fresh, tailored look, transitional design unites the simplicity of contemporary design with the refined elegance of traditional design. Design strategies in this style influence all elements from window fashions to flooring and emphasize clean lines, less color, and lots of texture to achieve a neutral space full of depth.
The base of a successful transitional design begins with the color palette. Subtle neutral colors create calm, relaxing spaces that are clean, uncomplicated and allow the other elements an opportunity to shine. Selecting white, tan, gray and beige may seem lackluster at first. However, when paired correctly, they become exciting, drawing you in and allowing your mind to relax and enjoy the space.
Setting foot into a transitional room means stepping onto thoughtfully selected flooring. Warm woods paired with soft carpets and textured rugs continues the goal of creating calm and depth. The evolution of design in rugs brings the homeowner more options in materials, patterns, colors and most importantly with this design style, textures. Various weaves, braids, and fabrics combine in infinite ways, producing intriguing patterns without the need for color and contrast.
Transitional furniture combines curves with straight lines, metals with woods and/or masculine and feminine features for a simplistic aesthetic that keeps the focus on the sophistication of the design. Pieces may be ample in scale, but not overbearing or intimidating. Mix and match minimalist pieces with more modern straight lines and carefully curated fabrics on relevant chairs, ottomans, and sofas for a subtle contrast.
Bring it all together with window fashions, lighting, accessories, and art.Select simple solid drapes without embellishments or ornate gatherings. Go big with a statement light fixture and striking artwork, while less is more with accessories.
Whether starting new or refreshing your space, the transitional design brings your space current, blends elements from different styles and allows for a calm yet dynamic room.
If there is such a thing as a “magic number” for assuring good visual design, it’s three. Artists and designers use visual elements in sets of three to help their compositions feel more harmonious. Left, center, right. Small, medium, large. It’s a series that’s familiar, balanced, and orderly. Three is important when it comes to structure, it has symbolic significance to many religions, and it has a natural connection to the way we process information.
As a design principle, combinations of three are considered more engaging and memorable. Our brains are programmed to find patterns and respond to proportions. Our eyes seek to keep moving. You can create this kind of visual interest in your own décor by applying the “Rule of Three.”
Composition
Arrangements composed of an odd number of objects are more appealing – a center point anchors the arrangement and the other pieces add symmetry.
Move larger furniture into groupings. Three pieces with similar visual weight will create cozy conversation zones.
Working with a standard shape in the room also creates cohesion. A round mirror, round table, and the curve of a sofa arm encourage you to think in threes.
Scale
Varying size and scale engage a sense of depth.
Three levels of height draw the eye into following a triangular path.
Using patterns of three different scales (small, medium, large) or motifs (plaid, stripe, floral) in a room adds dimension and texture.
Color
A typical formula for a color palette consists of the primary color, a secondary color, and an accent color.
If you introduce a pop of color, repeat it in two more places to keep the observer’s gaze traveling around the room.
Layered lighting improves the color and ambiance. Most plans incorporate three sources: natural illumination from windows, overhead fixtures, and task lighting.
Decorating your coffee table gives you the opportunity to let your style shine in your living room. Adding the right pieces adds an intriguing sophistication that is sure to charm. Impress your guests with these quick and easy steps. Let’s get right into this quick read:
Fabric: never take the cushion cover off to clean.
How about something sunny and bright? Try sunflowers. They add a burst of color and a big smile to the dining table. The brightness of yellow sunflowers can be contrasted using deep purples and brilliant greens.
