Bright Advice for Holiday Furniture Shoppers

(ARA) – When it comes to dressing up the house for the holidays, many Americans think beyond roast turkey, evergreen, tinsel and a big screen TV for watching football and parades. Holiday season is a popular time of year for furniture buying, especially dining room furniture.

“Dinner parties, family gatherings and other celebrations associated with holiday time prompt many people to think of replacing old, worn dining room sets,” says Brad Haas, a furniture expert with manufacturer Carrington Court, which has produced dining and parsons chairs for 24 years. “Unfortunately, if you wait until the last minute to upgrade your dining room furniture for the holidays, you may feel rushed and stressed – and could be more likely to make a poor decision.”

After all, the set you buy before the holidays with Grandpa’s comfort in mind, or to impress your old college roommate with its style and beauty, will be the same furniture the kids will abuse for family dinners throughout the rest of the year. “Furniture buying is always about striking a balance between beauty and practicality, and that balance is even more important when buying at holiday time,” Haas says.

Before you head to the furniture showroom, or hop online to place your order, keep the following tips in mind:

* It’s not uncommon for furniture orders to take 12 weeks or more to fulfill, including the time to make the furniture and deliver it to your door. Allow yourself ample time to shop and order so that you won’t feel stressed. “Nothing is worse than having a dinner for 12 people and realizing your dining chair order will not arrive on time, leaving your guests with nothing to sit on,” Haas says. Carrington Court dining chairs and parsons chairs normally take two to five weeks to produce, and another one to seven days to deliver.

* In some cases, buying off the retail floor may be an option, as it can allow you to see the actual piece you’re purchasing and even take it home the same day. But you have to decide if your urgency overrides the disadvantages of buying off the floor, including paying retail prices, limited choice, potential damage or poor quality of floor models, and the need to transport the furniture yourself.

* You’ll find a wider selection if you’re able to order retail and wait. But retail can be very expensive and the wait for your furniture is likely to be much longer. Production and delivery times may change since the retailer is at the mercy of the manufacturer. You also won’t see the finished piece until it’s delivered. This option is best for people who are able to place their holiday orders well in advance – around late summer.

* Online purchasing from a company like Carrington Court, which has only an online store front and makes all its own furniture rather than dealing with outside manufacturers, offers several advantages. You’ll be able to choose from a large selection of fabrics and finishes for your dining and parsons chairs, and can even order fabric samples to ensure what you’re buying matches your decor and tastes. Or, send your own fabric, which speeds up production times.

* Ordering direct from the manufacturer also yields more affordable prices and faster production and shipping times. You’ll wait slightly longer than if you bought off the floor, but far less than if you order from a retail store. If there’s a problem once your furniture is delivered, you can deal directly with the manufacturer to resolve it, rather than going through a retail sales person.

* Online ordering also allows you to save gas, since you won’t be driving around to multiple showrooms to find what you want.

* For the truly time-pressed, Carrington Court offers a “Quick Ship” program – all chairs in the program ship within three business days of the order and will be delivered in one to seven days. And all the chairs come with a lifetime warranty.

“Holiday furniture shopping doesn’t have to be stressful,” Haas says. “With a little planning, you can brighten your holiday table easily and cost-effectively.”

Visit www.CarringtonCourtDirect.com to learn more.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Smashing Lighting Upgrades on a Shoestring Budget

(ARA) – The economy may be in the doldrums, but that doesn’t mean your decor has to be there too. It’s possible to turn dark, dreary and dated decor into light, lively and “now” on just a shoestring budget.

What’s the secret to sprucing up on a shoestring? Lighten up – literally.

Upgrading your home’s lighting can impart a whole new atmosphere, and you don’t need to spend big bucks on pricey new fixtures to do it. Simple, budget-friendly changes can make a big difference in how your home looks and feels, and how much you enjoy living there.

The experts at the American Lighting Association (ALA) offer a few tips for creating a big impact on a small budget.

First, consider the first impression guests (or potential buyers) have of your home. “Upgrading exterior lighting or entryway lighting can improve the curb appeal and first impression of your home,” says Monty Gilbertson, manager of Lighting Designs by Wettsteins in La Crosse, Wis.

Michael Berman, a lighting consultant with Chatsworth, Calif-based Lamps Plus, agrees. “Replacing old, worn-out fixtures, purchasing inexpensive landscape lights to highlight interesting architectural elements or plantscapes can make it ‘love at first sight’ for potential buyers,” he says.

Once you’ve upgraded the outside, take a look at the first parts of the house guests see – often the entryway or dining room on modern floor plans.

“Changing the dining room chandelier and/or the foyer light will make major strides in improving the look and, in some cases, the efficiency of your home,” Gilbertson says. “Fixtures in the entryway should set the style for the rest of the house,” Berman adds. “Even a small flush-mount fixture can add style to an otherwise lackluster entry.”

Next, install dimmers throughout the house, even in rooms where you might not normally think of using them, like the kitchen and bath, suggests Joe Rey-Barreau, an education consultant for the ALA and an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s School of Interior Design.

An upgrade that’s well within the skills of most do-it-yourselfers, installing a dimmer can completely change the character and quality of a space. For example, dimmers in a bathroom enable you to use the facilities in the middle of the night without the jarring impact of turning on bright, overhead lighting. In a master bedroom, they can create a soothing or even romantic mood.

In other rooms, take a look at your table lamps, advise both Rey-Barreau and Jeff Dross, senior product manager for Kichler Lighting in Cleveland. “One way to make an impact on a small budget is by changing outdated lampshades with newer trend-forward versions that incorporate fashion-friendly colors, fabrics or patterns,” Dross says. “Many companies sell stand-alone shades at budget-friendly prices.”

Consider how you use table lamps as well, Rey-Barreau says. “How many do you use in a room? What types? Table lamps can create a more diverse quality of light, and adding a few accent lamps in a room can really change the quality of a space,” he adds.

Simple upgrades in kitchens and baths can also deliver big impact and enhance your home’s value on a shoestring budget, the experts agree.

Modern kitchens often hide lighting under cabinets or in the ceiling through recessed lighting. “Adding fixtures that can be shown off and enjoyed can make a big impact,” Dross says. “Adding mini pendants is a good place to start. They add aesthetic appeal and build an interesting focal point at a fair price.” Or, upgrade from a single bulb fixture in the kitchen to a multi-bulb unit with a dimmer, Gilbertson suggests.

In baths and kitchens, consider replacing fixtures with dated finishes with more contemporary choices. Many manufacturers now make light fixtures in finishes that complement some of the more popular choices for plumbing fixtures, Rey-Barreau points out.

Finally, when you’re lighting a room, keep in mind that you need to use more than one light and more than one kind of light. A balance of overhead lights (on dimmers), floor lamps and/or table lamps will produce the most aesthetically pleasing, livable atmosphere.

To learn more about how to use lighting to enhance your home’s decor, livability and salability, or to find an ALA showroom near you, visit www. AmericanLightingAssoc.com, or call (800) BRIGHT IDEAS (800-274-4484).

Courtesy of ARAcontent