An Intro to Flame Retardants in Furniture

It is a terrible thing to die in a house fire and for many years building codes have required fire alarms.  Flame retardants, chemicals which inhibit a fire from starting, have been a component of clothing and furniture for many years.  Many of our customers have expressed an appropriate level of concern about their effect on health.  Here’s a fairly brief introduction to flame retardants, their health effects and what you can do.  Caveat: I am not a scientist so all the facts here are gathered from outside sources.

What Are They and How Do They Work

One of the first fire retardants in popular use was polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs).  Odorless, tasteless PCBs easily penetrat latex, polyvinyl chloride, foam and, sadly, skin.  Since the 1930’s it has been known that it accumulates in body fat (and transmitted to infants through breast feeding) and can inhibit and imitate the main sex hormone in females, feed estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells, cause rashes, fatigue, headaches and coughs. The US Congress banned production in 1979.

This was followed by a rash of other chemicals.  In 1975, California began implementing Technical Bulletin 117 (TB 117), which requires that materials such as polyurethane foam used to fill furniture be able to withstand a small open flame, equivalent to a candle, for at least 12 seconds. In polyurethane foam, furniture manufacturers typically meet TB 117 with additive halogenated organic flame retardants. Although no other U.S. states have a similar standard, because California has such a large market, many manufacturers meet TB 117 in products that they distribute across the United States. The proliferation of flame retardants, and especially halogenated organic flame retardants, in furniture across the United States is strongly linked to TB 117 (cf. Wikipedia).

These chemicals work by interfering with the oxygen, reducing the ability for combustion. Several studies in the 1980s tested ignition in whole pieces of furniture with different upholstery and filling types, including different flame retardant formulations. In particular, they looked at maximum heat release and time to maximum heat release, two key indicators of fire danger. These studies found that the type of fabric covering had a large influence on ease of ignition, that cotton fillings were much less flammable than polyurethane foam fillings, and that an interliner material substantially reduced the ease of ignition (cf. Wikipedia), however these are not currently standards for furniture manufacturing or sale.

Are they harmful?

According to a Seattle Times article, nearly all Americans have some trace amounts of flame retardants in their bodies. This is mostly from the dust from TVs & computers. From a recent visit to LOTT, I learned that they go through the water treatment plant and into the Sound unchanged.

A longitudinal study of 329 mothers found that children with higher levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) scored lower on tests of mental and motor development at 1–4 and 6 years of age.

What can you do about it?

This checklist is cited from the Department of Health in Washington state.

•          Cleaning - PBDEs in indoor dust is one of the primary sources of people's exposure. Reduce your exposure to indoor dust. Use a damp cloth to dust indoor living and working areas. Avoid stirring the dust into the air. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter. Open windows and doors while you clean. Wash hands after dusting and cleaning.
•          Foam products - New foam items that you purchase today are unlikely to contain PBDEs. However, mattresses, mattress pads, couches, easy chairs, foam pillows, carpet padding, and other foam products purchased before 2005 likely contain PBDEs. Replace older foam products that have ripped covers or foam that is misshapen or breaking down. If you can't replace the item, try to keep the covers intact. When removing old carpet foam, keep the work area sealed from other areas of the house, avoid breathing in the dust, and use a HEPA-filter vacuum for cleanup.
•          Electronics - Deca-BDE has been used in electronics for years but is now being phased out of most electronics. When purchasing electronics, request products that contain no Deca-BDE or other bromine-containing fire retardants.
•          Foods - PBDEs can concentrate in the fat of poultry, red meat, fish and other fatty meats. See how to reduce the fat when preparing and cooking fish (these tips can be applied to other meats). Wash hands before preparing and eating food.
•          Disposal and recycling - PBDEs will continue to pollute the environment unless flame retardant products are disposed of properly. To keep PBDEs out of the environment, dispose of foam containing products and electronics such as TVs and computers at your nearest hazardous waste collection site.

My Takeaway

My personal opinion, and others will disagree, is that, generally speaking, any chemical for which you need an acronym (PCB, DDT, et. al.) is probably not good for you.  I suspect there is a cumulative effect to the toxins we ingest and we do well to avoid them.  That said, not every toxin is avoidable and that as long as we are cautious our health will be better.

As for the industry? I think there is clear evidence that flame retardants are not going away but that they are becoming less dangerous.

How to identify your personal style

If you have trouble deciding what to purchase for your home or office, this article may help you. I talk to a lot of people about their décor and style because I work at Furniture Works, so naturally I need to match people to a piece that suits their needs but also appeals to their sense of style. I can usually tell people what their style is if they tell me what they like, but some people don’t even know what they like.  The “I’ll know it when they see it” expression can be very self limiting. First of all, you won’t, and secondly it wastes your time. In the design industry, when a client says this colloquial expression it means they will never be happy and you should drop them as a client, immediately. I know a lot of customers like this who whim buy and end up with furniture that is not true to their needs. A good salesperson is there to guide you to the right purchase, that you’ll really be satisfied with. They are not there to just take your money. If you can’t bring yourself to accept help from a professional, invest 20 minutes of time investigating your style and you’ll end up saving yourself time and money.

Style can be summed up in four basic categories:

• Color
• Tone
• Silhouette
• Culture

I will explain each of these categories in a moment. It’s important to note that even if you prefer one style over another, feel free to mix it up a little. Most great decorating scheme incorporate a dash of quirkiness and personal touches. For example, a modern décor scheme might break the ice with a collection of framed LP’s or an ornately carved accent piece painted a bright unconventional color. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different styles.

Color

Color preferences and how a color influences us is extremely important to know about yourself, since it drastically affects your mood and can make you depressed or tense if it’s the wrong color for your personality. I once painted a bedroom a dark red, which looked great with the red and black accent furniture, but I felt very tense in the room. It was too much for me, and the reason is because I’m naturally high strung. If you are easily excited, you should try to steer away from bolder colors like red, orange and yellow if you can. There are ways to tone down these colors if you must have them. Pairing grey with any of these colors will immediately make the color seem a lot more conservative. If you’re calm and laid back, bold colors may be your thing.

Try to think about what you want to feel in a room. Do you want to feel rested and relaxed in your living room, or energized and awake? If you’re not sure which color is right, here’s a list of common color schemes and how they affect mood in general. Read through them and pick two or three that resonate with you based on your personality.

Red: Exciting, passionate and warm, red stimulates appetite and makes some people feel awake and alert. Be careful though, it can also cause tension, stress and anxiety in those prone to hypertension. A good compromise for red is merlot or coral.

Blue: The opposite effect of red, blue is soothing and calming, lowering heart rate and blood pressure. It especially shines in bedrooms where it can provide a restful sleep. People who are already very relaxed sometimes dislike this color, as it may seem cold or boring. It’s not a good color for offices or kitchens in general because of its soporific effect.

Don’t think color can have an effect on you? Just try it and see. The subconscious will almost immediately pick up on the effect of color, and even if you don’t notice that immediate effect, over time – say a few hours - you’ll come to understand how powerful color is.

Orange: Optimism, sociability and youthful impulse all describe orange. It’s the go between color of yellow and red. Orange retains a degree of its power even at subdued levels. Terracotta or Peach are still orange and can stimulate the appetite and evoke conversation just like the stronger tones, without being too pushy. Orange is one of the most controversial colors. Some people immediately dislike strong oranges but enjoy terracotta without realizing it’s in the orange family.

Yellow:  Optimistic like orange, but with a more cheerful spirit, yellow bestows joy and has a streak of intelligence. Some people don’t like it and it can make people feel ill at ease, so you may consider pairing it with grey or blue.

Green: Green is the color of vegetation and has a calming effect. It can make some people feel uncomfortable as it is also the color of mystery and the wild. Classically it has also been the color of luxury as it used to be difficult to create as a dye. Everyone associates green with emeralds of course, and Pantone recently announced Emerald as the color of the year, explaining that people were tired of the lean recession years and wanted some luxury in their lives.  I’ve been seeing a lot of faux malachite treatments on DIY blogs, which is indeed an elegant and rich look. It creates a sense of coolness and intimacy with nature. A very small percentage of people report that it makes them feel sick. I have a pea green paint color from previous owners on my bedroom wall which needs to be repainted, because even though I love green, it does indeed make me feel nauseous.

Purple: Calming and relaxing like blue, purple has a regal feel that is the associated with luxury and new modern ideas, science and outer space. It’s also a classically rare dye, used only by royalty in Rome when it had to be distilled from shellfish . It’s a popular color, but effects vary amongst audiences. Some people report having it make them feel powerful and energized, others report that it’s a welcoming and friendly color.  It happens rarely, but a few people find it cold and repulsive.

Brown: Warm and homey, brown has a wide range of colors that can lean towards yellow, red or orange. It tends to make a room feel less sophisticated and puts most people at ease. Too much brown can be oppressive. If you’d like to make a room feel both luxurious and relaxing, different shades of chocolate and gold accents can make you feel like you’re living in a chocolate box, which can be wonderful.

Grey: One of those colors you either love or hate, grey tends to be elegant and formal. Some find it boring and conservative. When paired with brighter colors it tends to formalize the brightness and ground it out. It pairs well with red, yellow and orange. Grey lends a seriousness to any room and too much of it can be oppressive. All colors look wonderful with Grey so it allows us to play around a lot with palettes.

White: Cleanliness and elegance is conveyed by white, and it can make you feel alert and make the room feel bigger. Some find it to be sterile and cold, so it’s up to you whether you find it appealing. Blue makes it more relaxing, while red can create excitement.  White tends to amplify any color you pair with it, so if you want to brighten a room without drowning in color, white is the way to go. A whole room done in whites and the family of whites can be very relaxing and clean. 

Black: Black is another love it or hate it color.  Morbid to some, elegant to others, it can make a room feel smaller, so it’s useful for spaces that feel too large. It pairs well with any colors but does best with a mixture of neutrals and solo bright accents, such as a grey, black and red palette. Dust and dirt tend to show up quite badly, so if the surface will be soiled regularly try not to use black.

Tone

Have you picked your favorite colors yet? Great! Now we need to know your tonal preference. This is just a very simple preference that determines what shades of your favorite color you like best. Try playing around with paint chips from your local hardware store and mix it up until you get a color combination you like. You might discover that, while you hate purple many shades of purple, you love a dusty eggplant, for instance.  Combine your favorite colors with one of the following categories, and you’ll know your best decorating palette.

Pastel: Very light colors, with a lot of white in them. It’s used to evoke a light and airy feel, and should be paired with some earthtones or white to avoid a cloying, easter egg feel. Whites are a special category within tones as they tend to be very specific and the white family is quite diverse. Pastel whites tend to be tinted with a little color. Add white to almost any bright color to create a pastel.

Neutrals: Colors with grey added to them. Neutrals are not necessarily what we traditionally think of as a neutral – beige, taupe, grey and cream are common, but any color can be a neutral. For example, a grayed jade green is a perfect example of a neutral color, and a very popular one lately.  Neutrals tend to “middle” between extreme darks and extreme lights. This can be a very relaxing and sophisticated palette.  Neutral whites tend to be very understated, neither bright nor colored, like their pastel relatives. Eggshell would be a good example of a neutral white. Adding grey, black or white to any color can create a neutral.

Jeweltones: Many people do not understand this category of tone. It is not synonymous with earthtones. In fact it is quite different. It means a fully saturated color, such as fire engine red or lime green. The name can be misleading, because many actual gemstones can be dark, subdued or pale, which is not a design “jeweltone”.  Jeweltones are used in many design schemes, from modern to moroccan. Beautiful complementary opposites can create excitement. I use emerald and bright red in my Chinese themed study to create warmth and an energizing effect against dark wood and heavy carvings and sculpture. Jeweltone white is stark, often enameled. It’s also referred to as modern white or titanium white.  Jeweltones happens when you add saturation to a hue.

Earthtones: Earthtones tend to have a lot of “mud” in them, or black, plainly put. A burnt orange happens when you add a little grey or black to bright orange. Earthtones are warm and friendly, though they can also be drab if used improperly. You can usually combat this with the addition of shiny or metallic elements.  Olive green is an example of an earthtone green. Take any color and add a darker shade to it and you’ll probably get an earthtone.

Silhouette

Silhouette talks about the underlying structure of an piece, whether it’s a room or a piece of furniture.  Silhouette is very important because it can set the tone for the whole piece. It’s just as important as color; however, color tends to have more power. It’s easier to work around silhouette issues than color issues, which is why Silhouette is placed after color. You may find you love all of these categories I’m going to describe to you, which is perfectly alright – the goal is to find which silhouettes you absolutely cannot live with, and the ones you love. You can combine silhouettes – there are no hard and fast rules.  Here I’ll list a few of the more common types.

Ornate: This silhouette is over the top and likes to announce its presence. It tries to entertain the eye with scrollwork, lots of curves and intricacy. A good example of this silhouette would be the Victorian settee or Chippendale chairs. It can also include complicated modern art styles.

Bold: Big and often with comfort in mind, bold designs take up a lot of space and are less popular than they used to be, but they still exist. An “overuse” of materials is often utilized, such as thick lumber, overstuffed cushions and oversized bases or legs. A good example of a bold silhouette would be the Papasan chair or column canopy beds.

Minimalist: Understated, often sacrificing comfort for style. Minimalist silhouettes play down decoration and emphasize simple straight lines and geometry. It has a clean and modern feel. They can be very functional pieces, but tend to be less forgiving when it comes to allowing for soft cushions and color and pattern options. A good example of minimalist silhouette can be found in traditional Japanese furniture, midcentury modern and Scandinavian design.

Contemporary: This is a mix of curves and straight lines, sometimes with a little bit of ornamentation. Modern and contemporary styles have been merging lately, and this trend is expected to continue. Contemporary tends to be a little softer than Minimalism, and may include transitional elements. Sometimes function is chosen over form, and this is where contemporary diverts from true minimalism and modernism.

Classical: Soft edges, symmetry and flowing design are all hallmarks of classical design. Of all of these, symmetry is probably the most distinguishing mark. They may not be heavily decorated or even very old, but they will have symmetrical structure, tasteful ornamentation – if any – and emphasis on traditional beauty from the old world.

Culture

You can turn to any point in time on any place on the globe and find a unique style of decorating based on a culture. Having a sense of your favorite culture is something that happens over decades, but one almost certainly can find fast favorites by browsing through an antique/vintage store or by looking through decorating books. Try to write down a style you find, if you like it. There are so many that knowing whether or not you prefer Hollywood Regency to Mid-century modern can save you a lot of time and energy!

For example, I have loved Asian art since I was a teenager. I began collecting asian furniture in my twenties. I started with Japanese décor, which is generally minimalistic or rustic but later discovered I really preferred the more ornate and refined furniture of Southeastern China. I also found out that even though this doesn’t mix that well with American Chinatown glitz and glam, I like all of that, too. I wasted a lot of money on pieces I loved from department stores and lifestyle stores that never really fit right with the rest of the anchor pieces in a room. If I had known my style before I went out shopping, I would have saved the money to spend on pieces I knew immediately would match my taste and the rest of my décor.

If you love a certain type of style, find out who in your city carries that era or style, and check back with them frequently. Get to know the salespeople so you can get an inside scoop on the next great piece for you décor. For example, if you love Victorian antiques and their ornate, classical style, figure out which antique stores specialize in Victorian era furnishings. As always, no matter which era or style you’re looking for, always check back at Furniture Works, because we carry furniture from every era in every style!

Setting up a small Olympia Outdoor Room

This blog was written by our sales associate, Naomi Chan...

It’s not hard to set up an incredibly relaxing patio space, no matter what kind of living arrangement you have. Not everyone has room or accommodation for a barbecue or full patio table. With a little spare cash anyone can afford a beautiful and relaxing outdoor room. All you need is as little as a 5’x4’ spot that is outdoors.

Furnishings

Think you have to spend a grand on a patio set? No way! Today’s new finishes and innovations in design allow anyone to create a fun and interesting outdoor environment for the cost of paint or varnish. It’s simple to waterproof wood or wicker, and there’s plenty of indoor furniture that works outdoors as well, such as glass, metal or acrylic. Want upholstery? Not a problem. If you’ve got a little patience, there are literally tens of thousands of waterproof fabrics available worldwide online. Many upholstered seats can be wrapped in your choice of fabric and stapled in place.  

The key is making sure you’ve got a place to sit and surface to put your laptop or coffee when you’re ready to use the room. Just make sure it’s rain proof. The rest is all about plants…

Pots – Solutions for Concrete and Balconies

Small space with no soil? Try container gardening!

Get creative with your planters and they’ll reward you tenfold in return. Anything from tin pails, old boots and tires to student work from Evergreen’s pottery studio can be easily found at flea markets and thrift stores in Olympia especially at the end of school semesters. Collections add impact to design, so if you decide to go with tin pails, for example, get them for all of your plants. (Metal gets hot so keep it in shady spots only)

Plants for Olympia, Zone 7b

Olympia is a tiny pocket of zone 7b surrounded by a dense wall of zone 8b just outside of its borders. Check the map at http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-washington-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php to find out what zone you’re in if you live outside the city limits. Zones are used to find out whether or not a plant will do well in your backyard.

For Dark Locations

Most small spaces in Washington state tend to be shaded. Even in the darkest and dankest of locations, like at the back of a tree-walled fenced  apartment patio can foster growth, as evidenced by the fact that even the darkest of Washington’s old growth forests are teeming with undergrowth.  You can get bright fluorescent greens and silver foliage to make the space seem less dreary.  For a modern look, try an old tire filled with a variety of mosses, and tall industrial cylinders with dramatic hostas emerging from the top. Or for a more romantic look, ferns and small shade loving blossoms can be placed in  anything rustic. If you need a bright splash of color on your containers, spray paint, as always, is your friend.

Shade loving plants are not as easy to find as their more colorful sun loving counterparts that fill the aisles at the local big box hardware store, but they’re readily available at any small specialty nursery.  I called all of the local nurseries in the Olympia area and found one, The Bark and Garden Center, that is locally owned and boasts a special section for shade loving plants. They’re also open seven days a week, from 9-5, which is a huge plus. They are located at 4004 Harrison Ave NW, Olympia. Their number is 360-352-2955.

For Sunny Locations

In our region, you can choose pretty much any sun loving plant you like, but for ease of maintenance, try to avoid ones that attract our local pests. I love marigolds, but slugs love them. I’m willing to buy and spread diatomaceous earth to grow them, and if you’re not, you may be disappointed to find all of your blooms beheaded by the little blobs.

Put your plants on stands of varying heights to add depth and interest. Vine trellises can add a cool spot in the summer and evergreen shrubs can contribute interesting foliage in the winter. 

Think about your space and what you need for your comfort and you’ll have an extra room to enjoy instead of a flat boring space to store the barbecue. 

How (and why) to use a paste wax

Paste wax has been used for centuries to seal, protect and add shine to wood furniture. Paste wax dries to a hard, but very thin, protective finish which makes it the best choice for maintaining fully finished furniture. It is simple to apply and offers several benefits that modern technology can`t match.

Paste wax contains no chemicals that can dry out wood furniture. Most spray-on furniture polishes contain harsh chemical solvents to make them spray effectively, which means that they are dissolving your finish even as they are cleaning it. 

The solvents in paste wax are generally made from mineral spirits and are only intended to help the wax soften enough to be spread over the wood. This type of solvent is far gentler on furniture finishes. 

Manufacturers of spray polish like to scare consumers with the dangers of "waxy build-up," but this is a myth. Given the nature of paste wax, it simply does not build up in the way that they claim it does.

Every time you rub against a waxed surface, you degrade a tiny bit of the wax. When you reapply paste wax to furniture and buff it, you`re replacing missing wax, not simply layering over what is already there. 

You don`t need any special equipment to apply paste wax, but it`s a good idea to keep lint-free cloths and oil-based furniture soap on hand.

Begin by dusting your furniture. A static-cling or feather duster is excellent for this, because they do not grind the dust particles into the finish, which can cause microscopic scratches. Another benefit of paste wax is that it easily fills tiny scratches, but it still makes sense to avoid causing them if you can.

To apply paste wax, start by dampening a lint-free cloth such as a shop cloth, linen dish towel or old t-shirt with warm water and a tiny dab of oil-based furniture soap. Clean the furniture thoroughly and then wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth.

Place a little blot of paste wax in the center of a clean cloth. It doesn`t need to be large, certainly no larger than a jawbreaker candy or a ping pong ball. Twist the free ends of the cloth close around the little ball of wax. Squeeze and gently knead the cloth until the wax warms and you can feel it softening.

Hold the cloth by the twisted ends and rub the part covering the wax against your furniture. Use whichever motion feels most comfortable, either small circles, back-and-forth or side-to-side sweeps. Because the wax seeps through the cloth in such tiny amounts, it doesn`t matter if you work with or against the grain of the wood. 

Let the wax sit for a few seconds. You will see it start to become cloudy. This is the solvent evaporating and it is a necessary part of the process. Buff the wax lightly with a clean, dry cloth and it will develop a deep, soft shine. 

If you let the wax sit too long, so much solvent will evaporate that the wax becomes hard again. Apply a bit of fresh wax and it will soften right back up. 

Work in small areas if you`re polishing a very large piece of furniture. Buff each section to a high sheen before moving on to the next one and you won`t have to worry about the wax hardening.

Reapply the paste wax when water no longer beads up on its surface or when the furniture looks like it is starting to lose its shine. This will vary according to how much use the furniture gets, so check the look and feel of the wax every time you dust. 

The furniture lovers at OlyFurnitureWorks recommend contacting their friends at Forrest Furnishing the next time you are looking to add to your collection of fine dining or casual wood furniture...unless we've got it too. :-)

Where to Start with Interior Decorating

Because I work at a furniture store, get quite a few customers interested in decorating their homes, but who are not sure where to start. If you think decorating is confusing, overwhelming and intimidating, you’re not alone. Nearly half of the customers who come into Furniture Works don’t know what their style is or how to get inspired. With that in mind I hoped to present over the course of a series of articles a basic guide to finding a style, assembling it and loving the interior of your home. After all it’s probably the most costly necessity in our lives so everyone needs to learn to make the most of it to get back the rewards of being at home – relaxation, entertainment and fun socializing.

To begin with, put aside any of the more complex ideas you have about your decorating needs – start with the intent of the room. You will need to keep it in mind all throughout the decorating process, from paint to accessories. Just like most disciplines, decorating can be broken down into steps and rules. There are anywhere from 7 to 11 steps depending on the school of design. Christopher Lowell, one of tv’s most entertaining designers, used the seven step method. It is:

1. Architecture – If you can’t change the architecture, as most of us cannot, color the walls, including the ceiling, anything but white unless you are living on the space station or want that modern effect. Apartment dwellers are often stuck on this point, though some are lucky to have flexible landlords. If not, try looking at alternative wall treatments like temporary wallpaper (my friends swear by it) or interesting fabric treatments for the ceilings.

2. Flooring  - Chosen for both its functionality and beauty, to complement the walls. Note that this doesn’t include area rugs, which are accents. Think about the impact the flooring will have on the household, and consider pros and cons if you have pets, children or allergies.

3. Large Upholstery – The anchors of the room, where most people will gravitate towards after entering the room. It may be the bed or a sofa, but it is the place that cradles the humans in the room, (and sometimes the pets!). Unlike most decorators,  I am not going to tell you not to choose a patterned couch, since I believe if it’s perfect for the décor, it’s only going to last about 7 years with common use, and that’s about the lifespan of a well chosen color trend. Besides, I’ve seen some really lovely patterned couches, and I own a fabulous Tommy Bahama sofa in subdued purple and green paisley which gives the room it’s in a very exotic feel, sheltered by exotic dark woods and Chinese antiques. Any patterned couch can be made to look classy, so choose what you really love. Please do not settle for a couch you half love.  Solids can be a broken up more easily with throw pillows, but can also make the couch look cluttered, so consider this step carefully – not only are the items in this category expensive, they are harder to move, and most people don’t want to shop for a couch every season to their whim. If you like to follow trends frequently, go for a neutral in a stable color trend Here’s a hint - try the most recent Pantone color palette for the year – they last on the scene sometimes a decade, which means you’ll easily find matching accessories as the years go by. If this anchor piece is not going to be used frequently, like in a parlor or guest bedroom, you may want to pick an investment piece like an antique setee or mid century sofa, since it will be around longer than an averagely used couch.

4. Soft Accents – Easy to update, this category includes pillows, throws. It also includes curtains and other things that add comfort without actually being in direct skin to skin contact with the inhabitants of the room. Area rugs and runners are also part of this category.

5. Surfaces – Sometimes called non-upholstered furniture, I just call this surfaces. It’s all about the place to put your coffee mug, or keys. It may include a coatrack or a magazine stand, or a hutch for your china if you’re decorating a dining room. (Yes even large pieces can be part of step 5 if they are not serving purpose #1: human comfort! Or feline, as is the case of most hutches.)

6. Accessories – Time to find a way to show off that vintage Barbie collection! Seriously, this is the most fun part, and the place where most neophytes in design start, which can lead to some costly mistakes. It doesn’t matter what you do here if you followed the first steps. What’s important is that you inject your personality into the room. I love seeing someone’s collection of oddities. One of the rules here is that numbers have power – a single snowman might signify winter, but a collection of 10 or more is a statement and quite fun to look at. If you have a lot of collections, consider rotating them around the year so you get more enjoyment out of bringing them out to see.

7. Lighting – Now it’s time to choose the lighting. Lamps can also act as double duty for accessories if you have an especially decorative one. Lighting casts shadows, which can be used to pattern walls at night with interesting plant or floral silhouettes. It’s also important to have good lighting in spaces where reading and writing takes place. Low ambient lighting can add a lot of warmth and atmosphere to a room, but there may be occasions where you need strong overhead lighting to see properly, if someone looses their contact for example, so try to have both available if you can. Experiment with different colored bulbs or shades to get the effect you like. Red lighting, for example can be dramatic or cozy, while green adds a touch of mystery. The lighting will react to the colors around it, so choose based on this.

The first rule of any room is for it to serve the function for which it was designed. If the room is not functional and convenient, it fails first test of good design and will become an annoyance rather than a haven, no matter how well coordinated it is. You and your guests won’t notice how you matched the art  with the sofa if they don’t have a place to set their drink. Comfort and durability are number one on the list of good design – because the rest is easy after these two needs are met. Some people spend so much time looking at pictures of gorgeous interior decorating schemes they forget about the people for which it was made – the photos rarely include them and they have a rather abandoned feel!

I love looking at a beautiful, well coordinated room, with exotic materials and rare art. It’s great to get ideas from photos, but don’t forget that you have to live in the photo, too, perhaps for a good long time. Decorating isn’t just about color and style - the existence of the poofy recliner in nearly every furniture showroom proves this fact – along with the death of creepy (and uncomfortable) Victorian furniture designs..

The room – for whatever purpose it has been set aside for – should serve all of the needs of the person who enters it so that they never even have to think about the design. I feel it’s important not to let a room become too vain! It should be thinking about people, not about itself and how pretty it looks!

A bedroom should have enough room to dress and undress easily in, as well as a bedside table for water, books, cell phone and other objects important to everyone. Empty drawers or hangers in the closet are always a welcome sight for travelling guests to give them a sense of sanity and organization. A bedside light that can be reached from the bed in the dark is very important. Soft sheets and ample blankets are essential – there’s nothing worse than shivering through the night because your host has neither ample heat nor good blankets.  (A general rule of thumb is one big comforter, two firm and two soft pillows, and 3-4 spare blankets of varying weight for seasonal changes) One needn’t spend a lot of money on these items. A $20 used bedside table from a thrift store is much better than none at all.

If you’re reading this thinking “I don’t even have that in my room, let alone the guest room!” now is the time to pamper yourself with a few simple fixes. Just do it, your home should be like a 5-star resort for you and your family. It doesn’t have to be expensive and it doesn’t have to be elaborate, just functional and comfortable.

A living room should have a place for people to rest their feet, put their drinks down, and set their purses, coats and hats (if no entry hall is available for that purpose) I am consistently amazed at how people who are interested in entertaining seem to decorate their living rooms based solely on their needs as a solitary couple or individual. One friend of mine had just a single end table touching the couch, the only seating that was intended for guests. This end table was used to set cell phones, books, tablets and other electronics in their docks, so that you never felt comfortable putting a drink down on it (if you were lucky enough to be sitting on that end), lest you start an electrical fire. Meanwhile, the couple had two beautiful matching plush leather recliners which they used to full advantage while guests were forced to make do with their feet on the floor on an otherwise comfortable couch – an inexpensive ottoman at the foot and the tiniest of coffee mug sized pedestals on the other end of the sofa would have solved these issues.

Bathrooms are another area where design suffers big time due to style sacrifices – I like to use the Feng Shui manner of decorating a bathroom – stark and utilitarian. The Chinese, reluctant to quick changes in technology, were very put off by the modern bathroom invading their homes from their former place in an outhouse and have never trusted them since. With all of the happy mold scum native to Washington that prefers bathrooms, I’m inclined to agree, so my bathroom is kept as easy to clean as possible. I do not understand are towels that are “just for decorating” in other words, they hang there permanently, never to be used, just looked at. Try not to be that person with the plastic covered couch –  buy tile or some other waterproof art for the bathroom if you want to decorate it. Simple color coordinated towels will add a lot to a bathroom if you let them.

Make your space fun, convenient and available to yourself and guests. Your house should be like a 5-star hotel.

After you’ve firmly established in your mind the purpose of the room, and have a vague idea of what kind of furnishings you need, it’s time to determine a color palette. As I discussed in my last article, one can easily draw on nature for a color palette. Try picking your colors from a photo of your dream vacation spot. You can find a vast array of attractive color palettes in design publications. Also, try picking your favorite color and figure out one or two complements or adjacent colors to accompany it. If you prefer a clean, mentally soothing and elegant feel, try using just one color with different intensities. If you’d like a little more excitement, you should examine complements, which are opposite to each other on the color wheel. This can create some stunning and dramatic environments.

After you’ve chosen a color scheme, start looking for examples of it online or in decorating books. Searching for “blue and white bedroom” in a search engine should give you quite a few examples to draw from. Check bookstores for both interior design books and pictures of famous locales to get ideas for an exotic or authentic touch of class.

Most importantly, figure out what you must keep in your décor – maybe it’s an antique table or a collection of something that has to stay. ( You’ll have to work these pieces into the design. I am of the opinion you can mix and match décor from old to new, no matter what, just following some simple color and functionality rules. Have fun decorating!

-thanks to our sales associate Naomi Chan for writing this

Why I sell furniture

Yes, I know it is a little self-indulgent, but I thought a few folks might be interested.  Why do I sell furniture?

I had worked in almost every aspect of information technology for two and half decades.  Because it is a volatile industry, there were occasional periods of unemployment and during one of them I had made some Adirondack chairs for myself.  I found I really enjoyed the process of making furniture and when my wife & I moved into the country and I had a big shop, I started making furniture for my house.  I discovered I had a hobby and, with employment by state government, a steadier job.

Most of the furniture I made was in the craftsman/mission style, suitable to my house. It matched my other furniture and it was mostly straight lines (easier to cut than curves).  I made about a dozen pieces and I got to know about different species of woods, their qualities in woodworking, various wood finishes and joinery.

When the government went through one of its periodic contractions, my division was cut by about 20%.  Gee, I thought, if I could be cheap to keep, maybe I could stay in my job longer, so I went to half time with the intent of opening some kind of business.  My wife had a fondness for retail because her mother had a retail store when my wife was a girl.  So we asked ourselves, what kind of business does Olympia need?  We decided our town needed some place that sold good, used furniture.

There had been antique stores and new furniture stores but we wanted a business that would reflect our personal ethic of recycle and reuse.  Good stuff is made to last and it seemed a shame that folks would take their good, used furniture to the landfill because there was nothing else to do with it.  We began meeting with furniture wholesaler reps, looking to find scratch & dent furniture that we could repair and have available for sale.  We started frequenting auctions, yard sales, estate sales and anywhere else we could find good furniture.

Like many other towns, business in Olympia was moving away from the central core of downtown to the periphery.  After considering a number of different locations, we figured we’d like to have a business downtown, to support other local businesses and to help keep the unique character of downtown Olympia alive.

We started our research in how to run a business and began shopping for used furniture and we were rapidly filling up my shop.  Finally, we found a building available for lease (it was the old South Sound Printing building) and worked like dogs for a month to paint, clean & rehab the building to convert it into a retail space.  I remain eternally grateful to our friends for helping out with the hard work.

At last, we had a store…and, ten years later, we’re still in the same location, selling gently used, consignment and new home furnishings.

Innovative designs - incorporating nature

Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.
-William Wordsworth

It is a little ironic that although we want to be inside and away from nature, we also want it accessible.  What is a picture window but an illusion of being out of doors (and bringing in the natural light of day)?  For many in an urban environment, the "out of doors" is streets, concrete and steel.  Here are some designs that bring nature indoors both real and imagined.

Wooden Panton Chair 

Upside Down 

Orchid Chair

Slices Chair

Tree Bed