How to choose a sofa

 

One of our newest additions, from the Parisian Loft collection, made by Precedent Furniture, features many ways to customize your sofa according to how you like to relax.

That might sound like an odd way to order a sofa, but we will probably ask you if you like a firm seat or a "sink into the sofa" seat.  Also, do you sit straight on or prefer to curl up with your legs underneath you. 

You  might be familiar with choosing fabrics and colors, but now there is even more to decide.....but they are easy decisions! 

This particular series of furniture gives us 2 options for the depth.  If you like to curl up and watch TV, you'll definitely want a deeper seat.  Or if you are purchasing a sofa for a small scale room, or your back requires you to sit more upright, the smaller depth would be what you are looking for.

Now choose your components:  sectional pieces, chaise, ottoman, chair, etc.

The Parisian Loft series also has 3 arms to choose from, which are more slender than arms styles from several years ago.  This works out great with side tables and take up a lot less space in a room, giving more area for actual seating.  The Track arm is generally considered to be more contemporary, with the Small Roll arm more traditional.  The Flare are reminds us of the English Arm style which has been around forever and is great to mix into more any decor.

The back style has 2 choices, as seen above.  The boxed cushion is traditional but more tailored in appearance with the cording.  The knife edge has a more casual look, but not sloppy.  These cushions fit on the back of the sofa and are not to be confused with scatter cushions.  The nice thing about unattached  cushions are that they can be rotated to keep them from looking smashed down if you tend to sit in the same place everyday.

As mentioned before, welting adds a tailored look, while the unwelted cushions might look less fussy and could also be considered more contemporary.  We have recently been noticing more furniture without welting in all styles and designs.  A note on that is that some welting can be the first to show wear, and the double stitching on the unwelted cushion doesn't.

You can see above that there are optional finishes for the legs.  The shape will probably depend on the other pieces in your room. 

Finally, some of the finished options put together to give you an idea of what your piece will look like.  If you have small children or pets, remember to ask us about fabrics that are easy to clean.  All of our furniture companies are expanding that area of their fabric lines.  The look of pet-friendly fabrics, as we sometimes call them, has come a long way. 

There's a lot more to tell you about our furniture lines, but we'd rather do that in person.  You'll be happy to know that our newest line is also made in the US, as we feel that is an important factor in custom upholstery.  Each piece can be ordered to your specifications, or if you like what we have in your store, we'll have it delivered ASAP.

New Store Hours for 2016

We gave it the "ole college try"! For the last 2 years, Madison Lane has been open on Saturdays and closed on Mondays. We were hoping the new location would draw in weekend shoppers.  

Now,  for 2016, we have taken a look at the traffic patterns for the area and the many people saying they missed us on a Monday, and decided to go with the flow!  Especially looking at our immediate neighbors, Dr. Hayes and Dr. Skaggs who are both open on Mondays, it appears our area is geared for the Monday through Friday shoppers.  Even though Rangeline Road can be a frightening place on the weekends ;)  it seems that is where everyone is going.

OPEN:  MON - FRI 11:00-5:00

If you were one of our Saturday shoppers, just be aware that will are still available for you on that day, just call and we'll make arrangements.  We realize many people shopping for furniture pieces need to bring their spouse in on a Saturday, and we are fine if you give us a 'heads up' on your visit.  

 The majority of appointments are made during the weekdays at 9:00 am if possible.  That allows us to be back in the shop by 11:00 or have someone covering the store for a few short hours if necessary.  We do quite a few "color consultations" during the week, and I'm not talking haircolor!!!  If you need a change and are thinking of painting, give us a call, we can help you get started on your redecorating project.  Also, measuring for window treatments, matching up fabrics for various projects, etc, are all examples of a typical morning appointment.

We are closed down for vacation the week of 1/4/16 - 1/8/16.

Happy New Year to our customers, and look for new things to happen at MLI in the coming year!! 

The secrets of Window Treatments

As I paid for another year of membership into one of the best professional window treatment groups I know of, I thought about all of the information I have learned from this group of professional people.  We gather from all over the US (and beyond our borders) to talk on an online forum about everything from how large to make a drapery hem to how to install 20 ft drapery panels.

I have been a part of the Drapery & Design group (previously called Custom Home Furnishings) for as many years as it's been around.  We have attended seminars, classes and shows and met many of the people who are still part of the professional group.  It's a support system unlike any I know of and you, as a customer of Madison Lane Interiors, benefit from it as well.

We feel that one of our specialties in the home decor business is our ability to meet your needs for window treatments, and most likely exceed your expectations.  We try our best to explore all options when it comes to design and pricing.  If you are have the need for drapes, shades, shutters, or blinds in the coming year, stop by and talk to us about it.  We definitely have all the options for you to choose from and might tell you a few of our secrets, too.

Introducing another furniture line: Precedent

Although we won't have the new pieces of furniture in the store, we do want to let you know ahead of time that we will be representing another line of American made furniture.  Precedent offers a variety of seat depths in many styles, making it so much easier to find "just the right size".

 For over 30 yrs, every piece of Precedent upholstered furniture has been meticulously and sustainably crafted for exceptional value.  They offer over 500 fabrics to choose from, several finishes for no extra charge, custom styling, and the very best cushions for each frame, ensuring that each piece is as comfortable as it is stylish.

 The styling on many pieces of Precedent furniture tends to be cleaner lines, less fuss but very "on trend".  We sat in every piece in the showroom when we visited the showroom in High Point and can honestly say they were all comfortable.  Of course we had our favorites, and we did take notes so we can tell you all about them!

 

OK, what kind of prices are you talking about, you might be saying by now.  Precedent is considered a mid-range priced furniture.  You will be very pleased in the pricing, as we were!  

 The sofa/chaise shown in the above photo will be one of the pieces we are getting with our first order.  We were impressed with a chaise than can be switched to the other side, and not fixed on only one side forever.  This was always something to consider when buying such a set up, and moving to another house which might not allow a right side chaise/sofa.  Another plus is the ability to switch cushions to reduce wear on just one all the time.

 Precedent also offers customized beds, available as full beds or headboards only.  The shapes and heights, styles and fabrics are all up to you.  

 Stop by and look through the catalog or visit the Precedent website.

What's different about a dining room?

If you have a separate dining area you know the issues I'm about to mention.  Most of these rooms are on the front of the house, so the window is visible to everyone driving by.  If this window faces the west you may need a more than one line of defense against the setting sun (since most dinners will be during this time).

Another issue is how to warm up a room that has so many wooden pieces in it and very little upholstery.  An area rug may help, but if you pass through part of your dining room into the next room, the corner of a rug might end up running into the middle of the traffic area.  Or if your room is narrow, it could cause a problem with a hutch or sideboard.

One of the best places to use floor length drapery ends up being in a dining room.  It can solve several of these issues.  First one is that it adds some softness to an otherwise "hard" room.  Another reason is to filter the sunlight and provide privacy (or at least semi-privacy as shown above).   Other rooms have upholstery and small tables that may be  hard to place if a floor length panel is in the way, but a dining room doesn't seem to have this problem.

We know all the measurements we need to take and how to determine the type of drapery hardware you will need, too.  If you thought talking about pinch pleats, returns, leading edges and lining was difficult, wait until we start telling you all the hardware options!  There are so many styles and colors available, but by the time we determine your "needs" it will start limiting all of those choices into something more manageable.

Come by and tell us what is different about your dining room.  We'll solve your problems and find the best look for your decorating style.

Some top reasons to use throws in your decorating

Once we start hearing the weatherman mention Fall, we are all too ready to pull out our heavier quilts, and other Fall decor.  One of our favorite things that will add another layer of texture and color is a throw.  They come in many sizes and colors, and all price ranges.  Looking through the online picture book, Houzz, we found some great uses for your pretty and useful throws.

 

Houzz

 

 

 Now that we are ready to use our outside living spaces again (most of us did not do much entertaining during the HOT summer), how about adding something to stay cozy after the sun goes down?  The added layer of the blankets/throws makes this little table so much more inviting, and if you don't have a lantern, we have several of those, too!!

Houzz

 The small throw on the chair is a good example that not all throws need to be large or bulky. A smaller, more inexpensive, but colorful throw breaks up the expanse of grey so that it blends more easily into this less serious mix of throw pillows and art.  The orange could easily be replaced with a cream or aqua throw for the summer months.

Houzz

 You might have picked up a blanket on vacation at some point in your travels but not sure how to display it.  This monochromatic bedroom was quickly warmed up with this throw.  The darker colors and imperfect fringe add an organic feel and also keep the space from looking too cold for the upcoming months.

Houzz

Everyone would love a sweet little nook like the one above.  However, it wouldn't look nearly as inviting without the green herringbone throw just begging you to curl up with a good book!

 

Houzz

 

And if the look of a "throw" seems to casual for your sense of style, we can always design a custom made blanket for your room.  The one show above may not be any larger than shown, although you could design one that is a little large and more usable.  We can see that it adds that extra layer of design that helps finish off this room and helps balance out the decor.  A suggestion would also be made on a custom throw:  make it reversible!  A smaller pattern with more of the orange would be a great choice on the backside of this one ;)

Houzz

 These chair just got all dressed up for Fall!!  If you haven't thought about folding your throw on the center of your chairs, give it a try.  The color choice is great for this room, and if you are looking for even more of an Autumn look, just change out the white pillows for something darker.

Houzz

 Don't forget those ottomans, they need some dressing, too.  Although this one isn't as "fallish" as some of the others, you get the idea of changing up the look.  We like a more casual look with the throw laying over an ottoman so it can be quickly picked up and used!  A scrunched throw just adds the fullness of the folds and looks just as nice and more usable--perfect for a family room.  A more formal approach is shown above, and does seem appropriate for the area.  

If you are taking inventory of your throws and come up short, we have a great new shipment in this week, along with several we always keep in stock. 

Decorating for over a century?

The room on the left is from a home built over a century ago, room on the right was finished this summer.

Of course we haven't been around for 100 yrs, but some of the homes we have done work in have been here for more than a century.  Looking at our last 2 installations, I realize there is about 120 yrs difference in age between the two homes!

I think that says a lot about our "style" of decorating:  it should be appropriate for the home and the homeowner.  We always work WITH our clients as much as FOR them.  Although many people might say "I wish you would just decorate my home" we know they really don't mean it....entirely.  Everyone should live in a home that reflects their likes and feel comfortable and inviting.  Our homes are an extension of ourselves, but we can't always find all the finishing touches, or achieve the look we want without some additional input.  It's difficult to look at our personal belongings with an objective eye, and that's where a decorator comes in handy.

Lace curtains are appropriate for this historic home

If you live in a new home or a historic home, or something in between, we can be of assistance.  We have access to many of the difficult to find details, such as the drapery hardware we used in the photos above.  You probably can't find them on-the-shelf.

Stop by Madison Lane Interiors to discuss your specific needs in your home. We have decorating ability that spans over 100 yrs!

Our Annual Sale!

 If you don't follow our Facebook page, you might not realize that Saturday, August 1st, is our BIG annual sale.  We have been marking down items all week long.  

 

We'll have half-off many items, such as lamps, bedding, decorative vases, small tables, and some chairs.  Our sales consist of inventory we have had on hand for awhile, and may be in perfect condition.  There may be a few "dent and ding" pieces,

and some of those will be reduced to 75% off.....sounds crazy, but we don't have the time to fix them or store them so you get a great deal!

Hours for this one day sale:

11:00 - 3:00, August 1

We do anticipate being very busy on Saturday, so if you need to discuss ordering new furniture or fabric a visit during the weekday would be beneficial.  

Hope to see you Saturday.