Winter Whites

Here in Louisville we’re expecting gray skies with a little snow, but mostly rain this week. The temperatures are slowly rising, and the sun is peeking out more and more. Winter is in the midst of one last hurrah, so we wanted to take a moment to celebrate one of our favorite seasonal styles—winter white. Interiors decorated predominantly in white can be classic, warm, comforting and refined. Here are a few of our favorites:

Photo credit: t.stylist.com

Love how the aged and contemporary pieces work together in this living room.

Photo credit: planete-deco.fr

Gold accents really make the white fabrics and paint pop in this dining nook.

Photo credit: camdesign-interiors.com

Plush white bath towels and window treatments add a degree of coziness to this bathroom.

Photo credit: housebeautiful.com

Consider painted ceilings, as well as walls and furniture, the same snow white hue for maximum affect.

Photo credit: housebeautiful.com

White portieres and an antique chandelier turn an ordinary hallway into something airy and extraordinary.

How do you like to use white in your home décor? It can be tough with small children and pets, but can be a simple way to streamline paint schemes in a sophisticated way. 

Easy Entertainment

It’s Oscar Week!

Many of us at Hillsdale Furniture spent a significant portion of the past couple of weekends checking out all of the nominated films we hadn’t yet seen, and a few have even popped up as available on our on-demand viewing options at home.  A few of us own Hillsdale entertainment centers that make watching, organizing and decorating around our televisions a far better experience. Watching “Argo” or “Silver Linings Playbook” from the comfort of our couches can feel just as fancy as at the expensive multiplex.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Arrow Entertainment Console

Tame the technology mess with the sleek, stylish Arrow Entertainment Console.  Constructed of solid hardwood with an espresso finish, the Arrow is the ideal upgrade from chintzy television stands. This console is 60" wide to accommodate most televisions, while the three lower units have adjustable shelves that make it simple to store DVD players, DVDs, stereos and gaming units. Three sliding glass doors make access and organization a breeze.

Grand Bay Entertainment Center

Transitionally designed to blend easily into both contemporary and traditional décor, the Grand Bay is available in two smooth satin finishes, either black or white, for added versatility. It is constructed of solid hardwood with veneer and the back features knockouts for easy cable management. The Grand Bay console is the foundation for this piece and offers two glass front cabinets with adjustable shelves for storing your electronics, game systems, DVDs and CDs. The side piers, top shelf and bridge offer additional storage and display areas as well as two cabinet areas. Each pier has adjustable shelves. 

Maison Entertainment Console

Classic design meets utilitarian function in our Maison Entertainment Center. Constructed of solid hardwood, this four-door console is a sleek addition to any living space, allowing for safe, organized storage of electronics, DVDs, music or books. Available in a sophisticated black or cherry finish with brushed pewter hardware, the Maison can complement any style aesthetic, and can be an easy space saver for tighter rooms.

Are you watching the Oscars this Sunday night? Who will you be rooting for? We’re pulling for hometown favorite, Jennifer Lawrence (a Louisville native), in the Best Actress category.

Go Jennifer! 

The Cleaning Machine

Our homes are our safe havens, comforting bases in which we can rest, relax and be ourselves. They are also often chaotic messes that demand our attention, and elbow grease. Take advantage of your extended time indoors this season by rolling up those sleeves and giving that furniture a little TLC. Here’s how:

WOOD

Photo credit: woodfloordoctor.com

Hillsdale Furniture prides itself on its line of solid hardwood furniture, including beds, dressers, dining tables and entertainment centers. Wood can be a bit a bit of a cleaning conundrum though, since many popular cleansers can be corrosive. But you CAN use Murphy Oil Soap a mild detergent. It’s highly concentrated, so you only need a little bit to go a long way to clean wood furniture and floors. It can cut through old furniture polish, waxes or other such stubborn grime. Howard’s Feed-N-Wax is a great wood polish. Use after a wood oil treatment (like Danish oil), or just to periodically buff up your wood furniture after cleaning. 

METAL

Photo credit: aladyrevealsnothing.com

Metal is one of our favorite materials for barstool construction, and if yours are getting a lot of wear and tear, it may be time to bring out the big guns. Steel wool is sometimes essential when scrubbing very tough stains, but to play it safe, purchase finer-grade steel wool at the hardware store rather than the thick, rougher pads generally sold at grocery stores. Barkeeper’s Friend is an effective metal cleaner. It comes in a powder, is activated with a little water and cleans almost all types of metal with minimal scrubbing. Brasso is a metal polish that while a bit on the smelly side, can restore some of that new-store luster to your favorite pieces. 

KITCHEN & BATHROOM

Photo credit: armandhammer.com

We all know that the biggest cleaning challenges hang out in the kitchen and bathroom. Buy the largest containers of white vinegar available at the grocery store, as it’s great for deodorizing and disinfecting. It is especially good at breaking down calcium deposits in tubs and drains. One part water, one part vinegar is also highly effective (and safe) on wood floors. Baking soda is gentle but abrasive, and it’s good at cutting through grease, so it’s a great option for cleaning pots and pans, ovens and stove-tops  It’s also safer and cheaper than commercial cleaners. Mix one part baking soda with three parts warm water to eradicate messes of the “baked on” variety. Finally, a lint-free cloth is good for cleaning almost anything, including glass and acrylic, and wiping down counter-tops.

*Please make sure to read any care instructions that come with new furniture to ensure the best cleaning results.

Share your favorite cleaning tips with the Hillsdale Furniture crew in the comments below!  

Be My Valentine

Valentine’s Day is February 14. That’s next week (just in case you needed a reminder). It may already be too late, too pricey, or too much of a hassle to make to a dinner reservation somewhere unique for that someone special, so take a page out of the Hillsdale book, and make YOUR dining room somewhere unique. Here are a few ideas for how to spruce up dinner time into date night by making that table setting sparkle. 

Traditional Tale

Stick with the classics. Use oversized red or pink placemats, white plates with a gold rim, and glistening silverware. Go big and have a vase full of a dozen red or pink roses in the center of the table, or choose a single stem and cut it to fit into a simple bud vase. Two long tapered candles in crystal holders complete the look. 

Modern Mentality

Sick of conversation hearts and boxed chocolates? Take a more contemporary route. Use a tablecloth in black, navy, deep purple or other saturated colors to add immediate drama. Choose a centerpiece of sleek flowers like orchids or lilies. Or, float a single flower in a shallow, modular bowl. This is enough on its own, but you can also arrange tea light candles into a heart shape on the table for a little romantic glow.

Laid Back Allure

Achieve a more relaxed, country-inspired look with chunky pastel earthenware dishes, or paisley-patterned dishware arranged on a tablecloth made of heavy, textured fabric. Fill a pitcher, jar or antique vase with a mix of wildflowers -- our favorites are sunflowers, hydrangeas and sweet peas. Bake his or her favorite pie with the classic latticed crust and add it to the centerpiece for décor before eating.

Signature Touch

Purchase a roll of black paper in a heavy stock. Cut it to the length and width of an appropriate table runner for your specific dining table, and then use chalk to scrawl a message to your loved one on it. It can be quote, memory or details on a Valentine’s gift—a surprise vacation, perhaps? Use contrasting tones of red and pink in the flowers, placements and plates to offset the black.

Need a new table to dress up for the occasion? Check out the Hillsdale Furniture Maddox Bistro Table, paired with our new Kilgore Bar Stool. Vintage execution meets modern design in the Maddox. This chic, round gathering height table is ideal for cocktails or easy dining. The Maddox has a lot of sheen with its nickel base and a solid wood, espresso-hued tabletop. Polished glamour defines the glossy Kilgore Stool. A simple dual ladder and cross back is accented with black vinyl on the 360 degree swivel seat, while your choice of a shiny or matte nickel finish highlights the piece from top to bottom.

For more information on dazzling dining and bar products, please visit www.hillsdalefurniture.com.

Happy Valentine’s Day from all of us at Hillsdale!