Styles of Furniture

Hello everyone! So this week we want to describe some fo the most popular styles of furniture today. This should help you to find a style that fits the taste and flow of your home.

Traditional-
Traditional furniture is very simple and homey. This style usually consists of neutral colors or floral patterns. The fabrics are matte and not very textured. Pieces are balanced and are easy to relax in.

Casual-
If you like the comfort of traditional furniture but want a more modern look then casual style furniture is what you're looking for. These pieces are usually oversized and over stuffed, they generally come in neutral and natural colors and look as comfortable as they feel.

Contemporary-
Contemporary pieces use a wide variety of materials such as glass, metal, stone and wood. They also use bold colors, geometric shapes, and animal print. They try to aviod details like pleats and tassles.

Formal-
This style often incorporates antiques or has features from major movements in art history. Formal pieces are full of detail, are very symmetrical, use lots of dard hard woods and usually have a glossy finish. They can be tall and they coordiante with eachother. The fabrics in formal furniture are very elegant, such as silk and velvet. They also are known for details such as buttons, tassles, and fringe.

We hope this information is useful in your furniture hunt! Stop in our store to check out some of the pieces we have, and if you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you!

Exclusive Interview With Boutique Owner Amy Morris- Why Furniture?

So, Amy, what got you interested in refinishing and painting furniture?

Amy: You can’t beat the quality of old furniture, however with today’s styles it doesn’t always fit modern day taste. I want something in my home that is made well, and is stylish. So I turned to painting.

How long have you been painting furniture for?

Amy: I started painting furniture 5 years ago, when my husband and I remodeled our home. We had some great pieces but really wanted to make them work with the new colors and layout that we selected, so I did a lot of reading and a lot of research and taught myself how to paint.

What do you feel is the benefit of refinishing old furniture VS buying new?

Amy: Definitely quality.  Not to say that all new furniture is bad, however most new furniture is not made as well as older pieces.

What kinds of paints or stains do you prefer to use?

Amy: I like all kinds, Chalk paint (not to be mistaken with chalk board paint, two different paints), stains, waxes, latex, I use it all. For painting and distressing pieces I prefer chalk paint, it is easily manipulated. I pair it with a wax and finish it with a top layer of stain as a final touch.

What are some common mistakes you see when painting furniture?

Amy: It is really hard to mess up when you refinish or paint furniture, especially if you are looking for a distressed look. In my professional opinion tinting is the most difficult to get on point.  It is way too easy to cross the fine line between too light and too dark. If you get it too dark your piece is ruined.

Do you have any tips on applying paint (for a first timer)?

Amy: Spend the money on quality paint. If you buy the cheap stuff your piece will not turn out as well as you like and your paint job won’t last as long.

Where do you go to find new pieces?

Amy: Everywhere. I go to flea markets, estate sales, garage sales, antique stores. The best part is that most of the places I go I can negotiate price.

What do you look for in a piece of furniture?

Amy: The most important thing I look for hands down is the quality of the piece, then the character of course. (see previous blog post for tips on determining quality)

Is this something that you offer as a service to your shoppers?

Amy: Yes, when my shoppers come in I want to know that I helped make their house feel more like a home. I provide a free consultation and estimate for any piece they want to bring back to life.

Old Furniture VS New Furniture: Detemining Quality

I think we all know how frustrating it can be to go out and purchase a new piece of furniture only to have it falling apart on you within a few short years. Today’s wood furniture is not always the best quality. Most furniture that is “new” is generally made from plywood or engineered wood. You also will find that a lot of today’s furniture is held together with screws, nails, and glue which do not make for the best quality. Since we are focusing on furniture this month we want to start with educating you on how to determine a quality piece of wood furniture that is going to last for many years.

Composition of wood furniture-

Learn the difference between hard woods and soft woods. Hard wood means “from a deciduous tree”. Soft wood means “from a coniferous tree”.It does not mean that the wood is “hard” or “soft”. What you want in a lasting piece of furniture is wood that is reasonably scratch resistant.

You can do a simple test to understand the wood’s resistance by drawing a thin line with your finger nail. If it makes a visible dent on the piece of furniture then you know it is not the quality you are looking for.

Construction of wood furniture-

The joint construction is the best way to determine the quality of the furniture. Anything held together by staples nails, or glue is going to be low quality. The best joints are dove tail (interlocking square-ish teeth) and mortise and tenon (narrowed end of one piece inserted into a hole in the other). Also, look for thin sheets of wood in between drawers, they improve structural strength.

If anyone has any questions about quality of wood we welcome your questions and comments!