Super Bowl Style

This post is the first in a series on entertaining for the big game, this year being played between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots on Sunday, February 5.

Super Bowl Sunday is usually all about the pig skin, and the party food. This year, spice it up even more with a few fun decoration ideas to really amp up the big game atmosphere.

Set the main food table to look exactly like a football field. Find a green tablecloth, some white tape, then get to work setting the lines and the appropriate yardage. Add a creative centerpiece at the 50-yard line, using real (or miniature) footballs and penalty flags to call attention to that plate of hot wings (not that they’ll need it).

Color schemes should usually be drawn from your favorite team, though this can be tough when the invite list is diverse in its fandom. This year? No problem. Both the Pats and the Giants wear red and blue, so repurpose a few of those Fourth of July decorations, and save a few pennies while making everyone happy.

Flowers might not seem a priority on game day, but they can actually be major conversation-starters when planted in a football helmet or beer mug. Let your florist cut custom Styrofoam holders for you when you pick up your stems (bring the “vases” with you), then arrange yourself once you get home.

Also of paramount importance? The perfect entertainment center to house the real the star of the show—the TV. The Hillsdale Furniture Grand Bay Entertainment Center with Large Console, is a classic that dresses up well no matter the occasion. The smooth satin finish is available in either black or white for added versatility, and it boasts solid wood construction and knockouts in the back for easy cable management.  The console offers two glass front cabinets with adjustable shelves and an open center area with an additional adjustable shelf for storing your electronics, game systems, DVDs and CDs, or Super Bowl decorations.

For more information, please visit hillsdalefurniture.com

Black and White

A freshly pressed tuxedo. The little black dress and strand of pearls. The wool pea coat and white beret. Black and white is one of the chicest and most sophisticated color palettes in our arsenal. It’s simple, sleek, and just as easy to apply to the home as it is to the closet.

Here are a few easy ways to shake things up in a few of your favorite rooms:

·         Alternating black and white vertical striped wallpaper or painting projects can make a small room, say a powder room or nook office, seem far more extensive than it actually is.

·         Accent pillows in contrasting shades of black and white, or in a variety of black and white prints, complement most sofas and decorative chairs, and are easy ways to spruce up a room seasonally or on a budget.

·         A gallery wall, assembled of a series of black frames with large white mattes, is a streamlined way of showing off photographs and filling up blank wall space. The simple color scheme will look stylish against nearly any backdrop, making it the ideal solution for tough design spots.

·         Large pieces of black or white furniture add a sophisticated touch to any décor, and make beautiful bases for brighter colors on the walls or on accessory pieces. Try a black bed with crisp white bedding, or a black dining room set with white cushions on the seats.     

Here at Hillsdale, we like our contemporary Dio bed, which is done in the popular platform style and comes in both black and white. With squared corners, a horizontal slatted motif and a solid finish, the Dio bed, available with a matching one drawer, one shelf nightstand, makes a bold statement in any bedroom. It is constructed of solid wood and climate controlled wood composites.

  

 

Learn more about the Dio Beds at hillsalefurniture.com

Home Office Harmony

January presents to us a clean slate—a chance to start anew and refresh our attitudes, goals and lifestyles. Often this arrives with a burst of organizational energy, leaving us ready to take on those New Year’s resolutions with aplomb.

Home office and business organization often takes center stage during this time of the year, and here are a few ways to get those files, old mail and magazines in line this year:

·         Use bulletin boards and push pins to capture small ephemera—tickets, postcards, photographs—that might not otherwise have a logical storage place. Pretty it up by covering it with cheerful fabric, placing it in a frame and hang it above your desk from a wide ribbon.

·         Install wide spanning shelves above the desk so as to minimize the need for everything to remain on top the desk. Cover these in paint or wallpaper for a stylish twist.

·         Corral your children’s artwork into a small, round trash bin and mailing tubes, labeled with their name and the year or semester.

·         Swimming in leftover gift baskets from the holidays? Spray paint them and turn into stylish household organizers that fit on top of or below the desk.

·         Take an hour to review all old paperwork. Purge what you don’t need, and consider scanning anything you do to store on your computer. Toss the hard copies. Still need tangible copies? Inspire organization by finding a new desk or filing cabinet that’s stylish and practical. Hillsdale Furniture has a couple of options.

Short on space? The Solano Desk is the perfect solution when you need to carve a small office space out of your living room, kitchen, bedroom or den. It’s available in a rich oak or deep cherry finish, and can double as a lamp, accent or display table.

If you have more space, the Wilshire Desk features a blend of cottage styling with country accents to give clinical offices a cozier feel.  Opening each drawer is a reflection of old world craftsmanship, complete with tongue and groove drawer bottoms and English dovetail drawer construction made out of solid wood.  The finish has been painstakingly applied for maximum durability and charm.

For more information on these products, check out http://www.hillsdalefurniture.com/.

Luxary For Less

The Monaco Dining Collection

Always dress to impress. This mantra should be applied not only to wardrobes, but to homes as well. Everyone should be able to enjoy beautiful interiors they are proud to bring friends and family home to, for the holidays, for the party, for the evening.

Hillsdale Furniture is working to make luxury and elegance attainable, affordable, and easy to care for. Our products are conceived and designed stateside, and capture the trends, themes and styles popular with high end dealers and designers, at a price point that’s far less weighty on the wallet.

The Monaco Dining Collection is a prime example.  A sophisticated faux marble top sits above an imposing metallic globed base that together instills the table with a sense of modern grandeur. Sumptuous parson's chairs subtly complement the rich colors in the table top. Comfortable and understated, the upholstered chairs are covered in rich, chocolate-hued faux leather with attractive stitched accents. A fantastic addition to any kitchen or dining room, the Monaco Collection is constructed of wood composites, marble veneers, solid wood and faux leather.

With a style that marries the modern and antique aesthetics, and a price tag that won’t break the bank, the Monaco Dining Collection is a smart option for homes that crave sophistication and style, without the sacrifice.

Luxury for Less is a regular series that will periodically feature Hillsdale Furniture products that are elegant, sophisticated and most importantly, affordable.

Read more about the Monaco Collection here:  http://hillsdalefurniture.com/s/4142DTBC/Monaco_5pc_Round_Dining_Set