Southern Style

Hillsdale Furniture was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, just south of the Mason-Dixon Line. This, however, isn’t particularly reflected in our offerings, considering how much pride we take in presenting a great breadth of furniture styles. We dabble in just about everything, but our heart does sing just a bit when we see southern hallmarks like Spanish moss, wicker and wide porches with painted ceilings at the homes of our friends and family.

Here are our Top 10 favorite hallmarks of Southern home style. Do you have any of them in your home?

10.  Formal fabrics and tassels. 

Photo Credit: apartmenttherapy.com

9. A touch of country antique store chic.

Photo Credit: apartmenttherapy.com

8. Toile fabric in unexpected places.

Photo credit: housebeautiful.com

7. Classic, hardwood-built 4 post beds.

Photo credit: housebeautiful.com

6. Travertine marble bathrooms (and porcelain, clawed tubs).

Photo credit: housebeautiful.com

5. Large windows and long, luscious drapes.

Photo Credit: apartmenttherapy.com

4. Welcoming foyers always outfitted in fresh flowers.

Photo Credit: apartmenttherapy.com

3. An always bright and distinctive color palette.

Photo credit: southerndistinctions.com

2. An appreciation for architecture and natural exposed beams.

Photo credit: southerndistinctions.com

1. Beautiful,comfortable porches perfect for Sunday afternoon laziness.

Photo Credit: apartmenttherapy.com

Loving the Laundry

The weekly, daily, or even at times hourly laundry routine can be one of the most tedious in our regular housekeeping. It is repetitive, often messy, and always time consuming. And yet, beautiful, organized laundry rooms and nooks can often turn this chore into a pleasant respite from harried home routines. Check out a few of these spaces that we love.

(Images from Apartment Therapy and HGTV.com) 

Do you have a beautiful, or beautifully organized laundry room? Share it with us on Facebook! 

Moments in Marble

Marble is one of our favorite materials used in modern home design and décor. This isn’t exactly a groundbreaking preference or opinion—marble has been mined for its inherent beauty for centuries—used for everything from sculpture to kitchen countertops. It has a way of adding a touch of lux to any room it’s found in (even in its faux varieties), and as such we have gone a bit crazy for it at Hillsdale Furniture.

We especially love it mixed and paired with other lovely materials, and here are a few of our particular favorites:

Marble + Copper

While we love marble in both its black and white hues, nothing can really compare to a beautiful white marble offset by the sheen in brass or copper. The two materials become infinitely fancier together than they ever were apart. 

Photo credit: caitlinandcaitlin.com

Photo Credit: Apartmenttherapy.com

Photo Credit: Apartmenttherapy.com

Marble + Oak

Pairing these two beautiful fair hues in a bathroom or kitchen will bring in the light like you wouldn’t believe. Together they make spaces feel clean, clear and bright, and have the added bonus of looking quite sleek and stylish, and seemingly straight out of “Real Simple” magazine.

Photo Credit: Apartmenttherapy.com

Photo Credit: Apartmenttherapy.com

Marble + Dark Wood

This one is an equal opportunity style for all hues of marble. Darker hues of wood—either painted or of the cherry variety—bring out the best in marble. These design blends tend to look bold, classic and sophisticated in an upscale antique kind of way. Hillsdale’s own Monaco Collection captures this aesthetic, and is a quick and easy way to introduce the look to your home.

Do you have marble in your home? How do you decorate around (or more appropriately, with) it? 

No Shrinking Violet

We feel like we’ve been saying this a lot lately, but it’s snowing again in Louisville, Kentucky (home base for Hillsdale HQ). We desperately need some spring inspiration to overcome our winter fatigue, and we have a definite winner in the 2014 Pantone Color the Year—Radiant Orchid!

From the original announcement: 

Radiant Orchid blooms with confidence and magical warmth that intrigues the eye and sparks the imagination. It is an expressive, creative and embracing purple—one that draws you in with its beguiling charm. A captivating harmony of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones, Radiant Orchid emanates great joy, love and health.

“Magical warmth,” “embracing purple”? We’re all in. Here’s how we’re going to incorporate this lovely hue into our homes this season.

Creative Accents

Lighter purple hues can be tricky when overdone outside of a little girl’s bedroom, but can really brighten up a room when used sparingly, as an accent color. We like the idea of painting it on to a single stool, end table or accent baskets for a quick pick-me-up. 

Photo credit: decor8blog.com

Textbook Textiles

Textiles make for an easily swapped in and out way to give Radiant Orchid a quick try out in your home. We love the idea of using it in bedding, throw blankets, pillows and seat cushions (particularly those for outdoor furniture). It pairs lovely with yellows and hunter greens, and textiles are a great way to play around with interesting pairings and placements. 

Photo credit: houzz.com

Festive Florals

We’ve spent a lot of time on this blog talking about floral prints and arrangements, but we have to reiterate how lovely a fresh arrangement of REAL purple orchids would feel on a dining or coffee table. We can practically smell springtime at the very thought.

Photo credit: decor8blog.com

Are you a fan of this year’s Pantone Color of the Year? Do you like Radiant Orchid more or less than last year’s hue—Emerald? 

Pet Projects

If you’re anything like us, you go a little crazy for your pets. We’re the type to purchase overpriced, organic dog treats and Egyptian cotton cat beds (even though Fluffy much prefers napping the bathroom sink). We love our pets, but we don’t love what our pets often do to our home. From tracking mud to shedding hair, keeping our homes clean in the presence of pets is a big job. Here are a few ideas for how to (stylishly) pet proof:

Blanket Solution

It’s mostly our fault, because we like the puppy snuggles so much, but our dog is pretty comfortable hopping up on our expensive sofa. We love the idea of wrapping a durable but aesthetically lovely blanket around the cushions to protect from hair, dirt and scratches.

Photo: Design Sponge

Under the Rug

If you know you are a pet devotee, skip the wall-to-wall carpeting and instead opt for stylish area rugs. They are easier to keep clean and vacuum around, and have the added benefit of being available in small patterns and dark colors, both of which aid in making pet hair a less obvious nuisance (along with many other such challenges).

Photo: Design Sponge

Fitting Fabrics

Give some thought to your fabric choices when bringing Fido or Fi Fi home. Some are great for dogs, awful for cats, or perfect for pets in general. For example, velvet can be a magnet for a pet hair, and it isn’t the easiest to clean, but it’s an excellent way to combat cat scratching (it isn’t a looped fabric), so always consider the way in which an animal will interact with your fabrics before purchasing.

Photo: ihavecat.com

Faux Fur

Photo: Etsy.com

While it may seem silly, matching your home décor to your pet’s fur color will save you a lot of time, money and headaches. If you’ve got a yellow lab, dark fabrics are going to show the shedding really quickly. Try out paler options first. If you are one of the non-superstitious saints who has adopted a black cat, dark fabrics will be your friend.

We hope these tips are helpful enough to have you headed to your local Humane Society to adopt a first, second or third four-legged addition to your family! 

Cozy Up

The dog days of winter are upon us (we think it’s a thing). February snow is still hanging around, temperatures are low, and after a brutal string of storms this winter, we’re all just a little burnt out. Here are a few quick and simple ideas for cozying up the home a bit to help our moods before the big thaw arrives.

Photo credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Table Layers

Summer is a better time to let beautiful tables really show their stuff. This time of year, add a lovely fabric covering to make the dining table more inviting when the temperatures take a dive. Tablecloths are pretty standard, but an unexpected table runner (a repurposed scarf perhaps?), especially in a thick, durable fabric, can work just as well. 

Photo credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Mind the Nook

At Hillsdale Furniture, we love reading nooks. But we especially love them this time of year, particularly when they are located near a heating vent. Find a cozy corner or space in your home to repurpose as a reading nook, even if only for the season. Grab a blanket, pillow, cup of tea or hot chocolate, and spend a few hours with your favorite novel on the next snow day.

Photo credit: sohautestyle.com

Skirt the Table

For a new look that both cozies AND hides clutter, try out table skirts. Full-sized covers for night stands, end tables and coffee tables are both chic and cozying by covering bare table legs, but they can also hide unsightly stashes of books, paperwork and general junk. They are great solutions for last minute gatherings and parties. 

Bask in Bedtime

Add an extra dimension of coziness to the bedtime routine with an upholstered bed or headboard, a much warmer option than traditional metal or wood designs. Hillsdale’s own Barrington Bed is a classic that will work with a variety of aesthetics.  It is finished in khaki linen, and features an elegant wingback headboard and footboard. Check out www.hillsdalefurniture.com to view all of our upholstered bed options. 

How do you stay cozy on chilly, winter days and nights? 

Table for Two

If you are anything like us, then difficult reservations and expensive prix fixe menus give you a worse Valentine’s Day headache than that box of chocolates. We’ve been rewriting the traditional V-Day playbook though, and have moved the festivities into our own dining rooms, giving us a brilliant excuse to indulge in the kitchen and dress up our dining room tables. Join us this Friday, February 14 with a few of these fun ideas:

Love Letters

Take the traditional XO symbolism to the next level. Purchase (or make) a large X and O, and adorn in bright red or pink glitter using the old school crafting techniques of painting on glue then adding on a thick layer of glitter. Place in the center of the table, on a white or black tablecloth, and through a little extra glitter onto the table around it for that something extra. 

Sweethearts

Have birch trees or pale-colored, narrow logs on your property or available for purchase? Trim into 4-5 small sections, about a foot tall each, and carve initials into each one, preferably with the traditional heart and arrow accents as well. These not only make a fabulous centerpiece, but are also fun gifts to give and receive. 

Conversation Starters

Have a lot of candy hearts on hand (perhaps even from last year)? Put them to work before you indulge. Fill your vases and pretty glass jars about halfway full with the token Valentine’s candy, then place an appropriately sized candle on top. Wrap a red or pink satin around the base and tie in a pretty bow. Make three or four of these in a variety of different jars for a festive alternative to classic candlesticks. 

The Base

Nothing brings out the best in Valentine’s (or any holiday) centerpiece quite like a beautiful table, and we’ve got our fair share at Hillsdale Furniture. One of our newest additions—the Marsala Pub Set—would make a lovely Valentine’s gift, especially when dressed up for the occasion. Boasting a more traditional finish but whimsical design, the laser cut design features a floral-like motif, glass table top and matching 360-degree swivel stools. The set is constructed of sturdy metal and finished in an eye catching gray base with heavy rust highlighting.

Be sure to check out all of our new additions at HillsdaleFurniture.com, and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day, no matter how you celebrate.