How to Create Harmony with Old & New Furniture
When you walk into a furniture store, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the furniture on display. They have entire rooms designed, where every piece – every décor item – is perfectly matched. It looks beautiful.
Who wouldn’t want to start designing a room from scratch, carefully adding each piece in a well thought out process? But that’s not how the real world works. That’s not how most of us live.
Instead, it’s more like this. We need a new piece of furniture, say a sofa or a chair. So we head in and view these “perfect” room setups, trying to pull away one piece and enter it into our existing room at home.
It’s challenging, right? I know you’ve been there. Maybe even recently.
If you’ve stopped by Paul Schatz Furniture store, moving around from room to room can open up the possibilities. It can also leave you driving home in frustration, convinced you’ll have to win the lottery to have the room you truly desire.
And here’s the thing. It becomes even more difficult when you head back into your room at home and realize you can’t bear to part with certain pieces you’ve had for years. Maybe you like the chair in the corner; maybe it carries sentimental value like it’s your grandmother’s. And the painting above the fireplace? You bought that while on your honeymoon. Meanwhile, the lights on the table were purchased on a whim, but they are still your favorite. You don’t care that one item says traditional while another says modern. How will you ever find something that brings your style into play?
For all these reasons and more, if you stop by and meet with one of our design consultants, you’ll leave with three pieces of advice.
#1: Embrace What You Already Own
Always remember that the rooms you see in our store are designed to show you possibilities. We put the newest models and the latest fashions on display because we build them together. That’s our starting point as a retail furniture store.
If your room already has great quality pieces that speak to you and show off your personality, that’s your starting point.
The key is in making the two come together. And there are many ways to do that.
You can mix and match pieces, incorporating them into other parts of your home. The traditional dressers that have been in your bedroom for years may be the perfect addition to your guest bedroom, providing just the right amount of storage for your out-of-town guests.
In addition, you can always paint and reupholster. The key is quality. If you own furniture that has stood the test of time, it’s worth the investment to restrain or refinish it, or simply add a splash of new color by changing out the fabric.
Finally, you can combine. Don’t be afraid to partner a white nightstand with a dark bedframe. Or a white bench with oak chairs around the dining room table. There are many ways to bring the look fresh perspective, and make it feel part of your home.
#2: Never Be Afraid Of Creating Your Own Style
Often we’re afraid to add a piece of furniture to the mix, worried it won’t give the room the right look or feel. Yet that’s hardly ever the case. If it’s right for you, your style will shine through – and so will your desire to live in the room. Comfort trumps splendor. Quality outplays cohesiveness. If you’re happy, it will show in the style of your room.
Our homes are not designed to be showcases always on display, they’re meant to be lived in. We laugh and play there; we lounge around and take in ballgames; we hang out with our friends. And a room will only make all that possible if you’re comfortable there.
Mix things up and add some flair. Paint. Change out the drapes. Add a new wall hanging. Throw in a new rug. Pillows are always a wonderful way to add color and pattern to any room. And the best part is they’re inexpensive and easy to change out.
Furniture isn’t something you have to love and live with for life. A great structure means it will last for years. That’s the bonus. It’s also a way to incorporate quality as your foundation, giving you room to stretch and add other items that are meant to be temporary. Nothing says “you” more than those crazy purchases you make on a whim, which allow you to show your creative side once in a while.
But when you start with quality, choose furniture that stands the test of time, you have pieces that will grow and change with you. They will be the backbone of your room, providing value and comfort from day one. You’ll never be able to say that with inferior furniture. That’s what only comes from carefully selecting the right piece at the right time; one piece at a time.
That’s where Paul Schatz comes in. That’s where our design team at our Portland and Eugene furniture stores can help you out. We can see your vision, get an idea of your style, view what already “works” in your room, and help you find the perfect addition.
That’s our job.
#3: Use Little Details To Pull Your Look Together
Nothing really goes together. And yet everything looks perfectly in its place.
That’s the way a room should be designed and it’s one of the first hints we give our customers.
Chances are you have one color, one pattern, one style that you wish to carry through the room. That’s the world you should share with us. That’s the style we’ll help you achieve. We’ve heard it described many ways:
- By color: pink, red, blue, green
- By feeling: serenity, peacefulness, bold and wild
- By demographics: mountain retreat, beach house
No matter how you say it, we know you have a certain vision in mind. And we know that with a little work, we can help you pull it all together. One sofa, chair, table, or rug at a time.
Are you ready to add new style to your old space? Trying to figure out how to marry your old décor with a new piece of furniture? Stop by our furniture store and we’ll show you just how easy it can be.
Lili has been with Paul Schatz Home Furnishings for well over 10 years. Lili has a great design talent for understanding the wants and needs of each client in creating their space. She also has a wonderful way about herself at making each and every one of her clients feel special. When Lili isn’t working on one of her many design projects, you can find her taking long walks or dining with good friends.