Welcome to Inspirations

A little more than 4 years ago, I purchased a Howard Miller entertainment center similar to the one pictured below.  I love the traditional style that blends well with the transitional pieces I own.  I also look for furniture that is made in the USA (which the majority of Howard Miller items are).  But what I REALLY love about it is its storage capacity.

I am amazed at the amount of “stuff” that the entertainment center holds: CDs, DVDs, VHS, books, knick-knacks, everything.  All of my components (cable box, DVR, etc.) fit very comfortably behind the doors, and the glass means that my remote controls work easily without needing any special aim.  The baskets are great for storing less attractive items such as gaming systems and their controls. Decorative boxes that match my décor are stacked behind the glass to disguise other items I don’t need displayed.  Most importantly, my TV looks great on top of it!

The Howard Miller Custom TV Consoles and Home Storage (formerly known as “Ty Pennington Collection”) are available in a vast array of styles and seven different finishes. Door styles and hardware are also changeable.  If you have a storage challenge in your home, I would highly recommend this line.

-VL

We, the staff at Charlton Furniture, are surrounded by beautiful furniture and accessories every day.  We love to “ooh” and “ahh” as new items are brought to the showroom floor; gushing ensues when new fabric samples arrive from the manufacturers. So when we asked our staff to choose a “favorite” item off our showroom floor, the debating began. Stay tuned for some of our favorite responses:

When we started talking about what our favorite item in the store is, I started thinking about all the things I love and wish were in my home and I didn’t think I would be able to pick just one. And then I thought that truly – my favorite thing in the store I already own.

Last year, we purchased a set of Serta iComfort Directions bedding, and it’s the best thing we ever did for ourselves. My husband was having back problems, so we decided to invest in a good set of bedding, and after much deliberation, chose the Reinvention with an adjustable base. It’s a combination of latex and gel and memory foam and all I know is that my husband’s back is better, and my hip no longer aches when I wake up! Words can’t express the difference this set of bedding has made in our health and well-being. I know that sounds canned and corny, but I can climb in bed with aching muscles, put on the zero gravity setting, and all the stress seems to leave my body. No more flopping around trying to get comfortable.

So if you’re not sleeping well, do yourself a favor and invest in a good set of bedding. You will be amazed at the benefits you will experience.

-KL

Our delivery crew is the best in the business. But even the professionals run into the occasional challenge.  Here are some helpful notes if you are having a furniture delivery in the near future:

• Let your salesperson know if there are specific days that are more convenient for you (“I have Wednesdays off!”) or you need the new item before a particular date (“We’re having a baby shower on the 10^th!”) One of the joys of buying from a small business is that we do our best to be flexible.
• Measure your home carefully! Nothing is more heartbreaking than finding, ordering and receiving the perfect furniture only to discover that it won’t fit through an interior door way.  Staircases with landings, narrow hallways and sharp turns are challenging too.  This goes for bedding as well: Queen sized box springs are available in a split design if needed.
• If your delivery is to take place after a storm, please be sure that your driveway and walkways are clear of ice, snow and debris. Safety first!
• Saying goodbye to old furniture can be bittersweet. If it’s in good condition, consider donating it to your favorite charity or ask family and friends if they might have a use for it.  Your well-loved furniture will live on and you’ll save on a disposal fee.

And as always, it’s better to ASK if you have any questions!

-VL

Trends come and go but good design lasts far beyond tomorrow.  Here at Charlton Furniture we will help you find styles that suit your lifestyle and personality to give you a well-designed, beautiful room that out lasts the “trendy”. Here are some tips to get you started:

• Mix old with new. Contrast a fusion of pieces that you already have and add fresh new pieces from our store. It can vary from transitional to contemporary but the difference will be fresh.
• Grey is the new black. It blends with any style and works with many colors.  It’s a great update from beige.
• Experiment with the bold and beautiful area rugs that we carry; Perfect for striking the balance of classic and current design for each home.

-MT

I was watching Brain Games on NatGeo last night, and they were talking about how we are wired to be followers. Really? Not what I wanted to hear. Our brains our telling us to follow along with what everyone else is doing. But I guess it’s built into our DNA for survival – take cues from what’s around us so we don’t miss the danger just behind the next trend.

Seriously though, we are barraged by advertising that tells us what the latest and greatest styles are that we HAVE to have. Our homes should look like a carefully staged catalog page. But that’s not reality. What we really have to do – at least when it comes to furniture - is figure out what works in our own homes. Still stylish, but really what fits for how we live, and where we are in our lives. What makes sense when we are alone is entirely different than what happens when there are kids or pets around.

According to Candace Olsen, “That's not to say if you have a busy lifestyle with kids and pets, you can't have a gorgeous, stylish home. Companies have caught on and now function can be stylish, too. For instance, there are great-looking, durable fabrics that are made to handle extreme wear and tear. Some are even made with Teflon. Sometimes you might pay a little more for a high-performance material that looks great and can stand the test of time.”

Check out this fabulous chair. It swivels and glides, it’s soft and white (OMG), but it’s made out of Sunbrella fabrics, which are so easy to clean (even with bleach!) and are also fade resistant.

If you keep this in mind and choose wisely, you can go ahead – use and enjoy your furniture, and it will still look good for years to come.

-KL

We, the staff at Charlton Furniture, are surrounded by beautiful furniture and accessories every day.  We love to “ooh” and “ahh” as new items are brought to the showroom floor; gushing ensues when new fabric samples arrive from the manufacturers. So when we asked our staff to choose a “favorite” item off our showroom floor, the debating began. Stay tuned for some of our favorite responses:

One of the most versatile and comfortable chairs on our showroom floor is the 932 style tilt-back chair and ottoman by Smith Brothers (pictured below). It is quite stylish and can be added as an accent chair in many different settings. You can read, tilt-back to relax or take a nap in this beautiful chair and ottoman. The fabrics choices are fabulous, and it can be ordered in leather as well. It is so comfortable, you may want a pair. The quality is superb, and it is made in the heartland. If you want to be inspired, come on in and give it a try. -JH

Quick tips to get started…..

With winters approach, we’re all hearth-side and warming up from the cold. “Tis the season” to be indoors. As we glance around our most lived-in room, we eventually “see” what needs attention.

Don’t be daunted by the domino effect; (OMG if I change one thing I’ll need an entire make-over). Be open. Being practical does mean beautiful and affordable options. Focus on the one piece that would give you the best “lift” both practically and visually to the way you use this space.

So let’s get going….
What furniture frame provides the specific body comfort and performs exceptionally in that particular space?

• A relaxing luxurious leather recliner to ease the daily stressers away…
Currently the recliner industry fabricates sleek frames which rock or glide, and even swivel for multiple use.

• A trim, comfy cushion sofa to accommodate guest and friends, or a solo lounging time with hot beverage and a good book…

• A pair of swivel chairs can connect multiple focal points…be that TV viewing, a beautiful view through your picture window, and most importantly the fine art of conversation.

Keep the process simple. When you visit our 3 beautiful showrooms, “test-drive” frames to get your specifics met. Charlton Furniture shares our talented salespeople for expert assistance. Your new frame selection needs to compliment existing furniture pieces stylistically or color-wise. Designers often use throw pillows or a new area rug option to be the “connector” between what’s existing and your new purchase.

Here are some of my favorite frames which have worked so very well in family rooms after my designer home visit

-D.M.

While traveling the back roads to Charlton Furniture each day I cannot help but notice the interesting colors of late November, those quieter colors that might feel dull after the riotous burst of oranges, reds and yellows of October. However, November colors make very good calming neutrals to consider using in your room settings as they bring that softer, faded, more grayed tone to the scheme that has become so popular. Colors like the faded barn red and pale mahogany of the maple leaves and softened copper oak leaves that dance on the air currents make wonderful leather color choices. The vanilla cream and hush pink of the tall swaying grasses are beautiful, currant tints for fabric and wall choices. There are a multitude of great tree bark colors that are on display now that the trees are bare; nutty browns to silver-squirrel-tail gray/browns, to lichen gray/green browns that are easy to live with textile colors. Old stone wall grays are more noticeable now too, with their varied tints and shades of gray and silver-sparkle-mica that can be found in many of our upholstery fabrics today. Manufacturers like Lee Ind., Wesley Hall, Harden, C R Laine and Vanguard all carry these beautiful gray-toned textiles.
Take a good look at your late November surroundings to see and appreciate those wonderful softened hues that mother nature gives to us while the earth gets ready to nap. You could think Gustavian tones, another always popular colorway and keep things light through the darker months.

Judith Murphy
Interior Designer
Instructor