The Care And Feeding Of Wooden Furniture

Nothing takes the place of having beautiful furniture around us in our homes and offices. Our environments matter, and having beautiful furniture around us adds to those environments. Caring for furniture properly is important and keeps it looking its best and lasting longer. 

Taking care of your furniture is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3.

To Care For And Feed Your Wooden Furniture:

1- Give your furniture the rub. Dust can damage furniture and leave tiny scratches that allow deterioration to begin. To prevent premature wear and tear, dust your furniture at least once per week. Use a clean, soft, cloth to remove dust. Using a clean cloth prevents spreading the dust around rather than removing it. Wipe the cloth in the same direction as the grain of the wood.

2- We all benefit from taking a bath and occasionally, your furniture can benefit from a good cleaning too. Harsh detergents and cleaners, and water, are too corrosive for your wood furniture. Instead, use a gentle cleaner that is created especially for wood. Give your furniture a cleaning on a regular basis.

3- Restore luster with a good furniture polish. This feeds and nourishes the wood which can otherwise dry out and possibly crack. At least twice per month feed and nourish your wooden furniture with a polish that is made especially for wood. A polish that doesn't leave a residue is perfect. Apply the polish with a soft cloth in the direction of the wood grain. For those wooden furniture pieces that are oiled, use a good product that contains lemon oil. Using a product that includes lemon oil in its ingredient list will also increase the UV protection of the wood.

4- When possible use table linens, and place mats. Avoid using vinyl or plastic on your wooden table and rotate your accessories often. Should scratches occur, hide the blemishes with touch-up markers, and filler sticks. A good water ring and mark remover will be helpful in treating water rings. Avoid placing wax candles directly on your furniture or glass items that may perspire. This will help to avoid creating furniture rings.

If your don't already have regular care for your wooden furniture on your to do list, add it now. Then follow through on giving your furniture the loving care that it deserves.

Spring Decorating Tips

1. Spring is here! Nothing elevates a mood more than a new candle with a summer scent, a fresh pair of pillows on a tired sofa and boxing up a dark, heavy, winter quilt and replacing it with a light weight throw blanket.

2. Your home is a reflection of you! Select your furnishings and accessories to tell your personal story through their colors and style.

3. Cool colors like blue, purple and green are considered tranquil colors. Use them in bedrooms, bathrooms and family rooms designed for relaxation.

4. Warm colors like red, orange and yellow are stimulation colors. Use them in spaces for activity and conversation, like dining rooms.

5. Blend and layer multiple shades and textures of the same color for a monochromatic look.

6. If you desire a visually energetic room, follow the color wheel and use contrasting or complementary colors in your design.

7. If you desire a serene room, follow the color wheel and use harmonious colors or those close together on the color wheel.

8. Consider your lifestyle when choosing fabrics. Remember to combine patterns, colors and textures to give a room interest.

9. Be eclectic in your style as you select furnishings. Styles can be compatible but a little different.

10. The MOST IMPORTANT work you will do will be within the walls of your own home. Make it a beautiful and enjoyable place to be!

Heather Osmond
Osmond Designs

Bedroom Furniture at Osmond Designs

Isn't this bed fabulous? We have all types of beautiful bedroom furniture at Osmond Designs on our showroom floor and for special order.

Visit us at one of our Osmond Designs store locations.

 Come by and see us!

Osmond Designs is Excited to be part of the Utah Valley HOME and garden Expo sponsored by Utah County Association of Realtors this weekend! 

 

The Expo is March 23-24th at the UCCU Center at UVU in Orem from 11 am to 8 pm. Look for us at Booths M11-M12. We look forward to seeing you there.

The New Global Design

Recently, Global Design has taken a contemporary turn. Today's Global Design blends a minimal modern look, with rich textures and accents. Although the traditional look of Global Design is alive and well, a new mix has entered the design scene adding more options and choices to Global Decor furniture and offerings.

Modern Global Design

Global Design by definition is a design created from a variety of furniture and accessories spanning cultures from across the world. Often this type of design is created by collecting items such as furniture and accessories gathered during world travel. Those who love to visit many countries and travel locations enjoy blending the items they have collected into a tasteful and well loved Global décor. Others enjoy the look of world travel in their home or office environment and adopt this design style by purchasing collectibles from around the globe. Whichever way global elements are obtained, the unique combination of collected world wide items creates a personal look and a style that is all one's own.

Children's Room designed in Global decor

The colors and styles used in global design can vary greatly depending on which country of origin the items are from. Blending colors and styles from multiple countries of origin creates a colorful mix. Color palettes range from neutral with pops of color, to bright intense color combinations. The Global Design of the children's room pictured above uses pinks and blues in an unexpected Global Decor look. It's sweet, kid friendly, and exotic all at the same time. A variety of furniture and accessories creates the look. 

Neutrals combined with pops of color create a soothing and interesting mix of Global Decor in this room. From the carved chest to the unique shape of the vase, global elements add touches that are exotic to the decor of this room and lend an air of world travel. Even the florals and palms add global contrast. The beauty of Global Design is the unexpected, exotic, flare it lends to a room. Those who may not be ready to design an entire room around Global decor may like adding a small item of furniture, or a few accessories that are of a global nature to a room as interesting accents.


by Debra Breitenstein

Great Room Decor

What creates great room decor? Some would say the type of furniture in the room is what makes or breaks the decor of a room, others would say, the color or style of the room is what creates the best room decor. Still other voices would insist that decor isn't a focus to the way they furnish a room, but a side note to their life given little thought. When it's all said and done, from my perspective, all decor is an expression. An expression of thoughts, art, color, design, personality, taste, and much more. Each person is unique, and being a unique individual is the basis for unique decor, decor that is all ones own.

 It is self expression that customizes and personalizes room decor. Even if a person doesn't give much thought to the room decor they are creating, they are creating an environment and decor in that room none the less.  Room decor is an expression of life and lifestyle. An expression that we live our lives in each day.

 Furniture, color, design, style, personality and more create an environment. It is that environment that has an impact on each person. Studies on how a color influences behavior and feelings have been done again and again; what a person sees and experiences has an impact in their lives. For this reason it makes sense to fill our room decor with things we love, things that bring positive thoughts, and feelings into our lives each day.

Sleek design, weathered design, soft, contrasting, rough, old, new, all types of finishes and textures are the perfect texture to the one who loves them. There is no one way to use them, combine, or envision them. That is the beauty of room decor. That is the beauty of design. It can be as unique as each individual is.


by Debra Breitenstein

Employee Spotlight - Chanelle Anderson

Osmond Designs Design Consultant Chanelle Anderson

Design Consultant Chanelle Anderson loves creating decor arrangements and working with the discount designer furniture at Osmond Designs. Chanelle has been on our Osmond Designs team for almost a year. Chanelle started work at Osmond Designs as an intern from LDS Business College in the Interior Design Program and graduates from the program in April. 

A typical day for Chanelle includes creating decorative furniture arrangements on the showroom floor and assisting in creating decorative vignettes for the Osmond Designs Orem Designer Furniture Outlet, attending to customers, and working with other employees. Customers bring in pictures of their space and Chanelle will assist them with design ideas. Many customers come in and ask specifically for Chanelle. They love her creative ideas and the suggestions that she provides. 

A recent favorite Chanelle likes is the Industrial style and Restoration Hardware look. Her favorite design style is always changing and she loves anything and everything to do with design.
 

Recent Room Decor, Industrial Restorative Hardware look designed by Chanelle Anderson

The more Chanelle works with design, the more new ideas come to Chanelle. Interior Design is Chanelle's favorite hobby. Chanelle did a project for the University of Utah Organic Chemistry Study Center. Her idea was the winning design idea. The study center was in need of a design make over. Chanelle spent a great deal of time with the students interviewing them on how the study space would function.

 

Utah University Organic Chemistry Study Center BEFORE

With a limited budget, Chanelle worked with the team to bring her winning idea to life! Combining the ideas of scientists and designers is not an easy task, but Chanelle and her team members pulled it off with flying colors. 

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Utah University Organic Chemistry Study Center AFTER

Red was a given because the Organic Chemistry Study Center is part of the University of Utah after all. Now that Chanelle's idea has been implemented, the study center is a much more appealing place. We appreciate Chanelle and all that she does here at Osmond Designs. When you come into the store be sure to say hello to Chanelle and to our other Design Consultants. We are happy to help you find the perfect decor for your room and the perfect discount designer furniture to create amazing decor for your home.


by Debra Breitenstein