Kingstown Collection By Tommy Bahama

This wonderful Kingstown Collection by Tommy Bahama Home captures your sense of discovery and adventure in a casual but dramatic setting.

Lush orchids twine through tropical fruits, scented candles evoke spices from distant lands, and adventures are told of the latest travels to far away destinations.

The Pembroke Dining Table commands attention with seating for ten and a refined style. The Bonaire Dining Table showcases a compass-point inlay inspired by journeys around the globe. Unusual touches include Nail head trim around the Sienna Table's plank top, and a stunning hammered and burnished copper inlay across the top of the Maldive Buffet.

Inspired by British Colonial style, with a hint of Campaign and a whisper of Safari, these evocative designs provide the sense of a well-traveled life and of items hand-selected during the journeys around the globe. With Kingstown, you can travel the world without ever leaving home.

Tropical Style Decorating

There's more to tropical decor than a potted palm in a corner. Of course it is an integral part of the theme and can't be done without. There is however a wide variety to choose from, the most popular being the Kentia Palm, Bamboo Palm, and the Lady Palm, each contributing to a different look by itself and an amazing ambiance in a group.

A tropical decor would call for lush greens and earthy browns, with as many natural products as possible thrown in. There is a kind of sparseness in spite of all the lushness which is what has to be borne in mind throughout. To achieve this remove all rugs, carpets, and throws. The curtains could be replaced with rattan, sisal or bamboo blinds that tame the strong sunshine and lets it enter in muted shades.

Wicker is the furniture of choice, but teak and mahogany or anything that looks similar would do as well. Embellish side tables, sofa tables and occasional tables with baskets, bowls or other objects made of bamboo, sisal, mat, or grass. Artifacts made of copper, brass, and iron lend a touch of panache to an otherwise earthy ambiance. Wrought iron in the form of candle sticks, wall art, or small pieces of furniture works well with the palms gracing a corner.

A large stuffed animal may work for some folks while others may prefer their German shepherd lounging around, for a touch of the majestic. Various ethnic elephant statues in festival finery, cute monkeys, and other animal art is a great way to extend the tropical beyond the ordinary. Wall art could include straw hats, hand held fans of rattan or straw, framed batik prints of tropical flowers such as the hibiscus, or fabulous figures that complement the decor.

A bowl of fruit is a normal occurrence for any kitchen or dining table, but for a tropical look, fill it with a pineapple, pawpaw, and some bananas. If you can lay your hands on an old table fan, set it up on a corner table.

Try combining the tropical beach look with some nautical decor. Substitute the animal theme with the marine. Display a large conch shell or a collection of small shells. White wicker and large blue cushions spell nautical with a capital N. A sailor's cap or a life belt on the wall leaves no one in doubt as to your intentions. Another interesting display could be of empty liquor bottles of interesting shapes, sizes and colors. So just because you don't live in the tropics doesn't mean you have to do without it.

Hot Summer Decorating Ideas

Old Jack Frost knows when he has outstayed his welcome and gracefully withdraws, leaving tiny blades of grass, shoots, and buds in his wake. And that signals the beginning of warm, sunny days and a new life. Dark, gloomy interiors barricaded against the cold in thick drapes and blankets, now beg for fresh air and bright colors. There is no need to spend a fortune to turn winter drab to summer chic. Here's how to do it in a few easy steps.

Flowers For You

The thick drapes go first and need to be replaced with pretty lace, gauzy chiffon, or anything sheer. Use bead chains instead of tie backs to give a jaunty look to the room. Coax the sunshine in with a big bunch of yellow blooms in an elegant vase, placed in a strategic spot that can be seen from at least three different locations. There are many ways to keep your blooms fresh longer as your florist would be happy to inform. Add a spoon full of sugar to help the flowers go on, and no, I didn't hear that from Mary Poppins.

Bursting With Color

It is really not necessary to repaint the walls or change sofas, unless they are due for a change anyway. Strew fluffy, light cushions and throw rugs around your living area to create a riot of yellow-white-orange, or green-blue-red color scheme that brings the interiors alive. Attractive wall hangings add to the ambiance but take care to stop short of the psychedelic.

Your Tropical Home

A majestic palm, a rustic coffee table, an ethnic lamp, a colorful rug with fat floor cushions, some wicker, and a basket of ferns is all you need to create your very own home tropical retreat. An indoor water feature that ripples quietly in a corner would make a great conversation piece and may even bring you good luck if placed as feng shui directs.

Don't Forget the Outdoors

Summer decorating does not have to remain indoors. Clean up patios and drag all garden furniture back into the garden. Touch up and repair or repaint as required, this might make a great project for older kids. Hang baskets of flowering plants and fern around the patio, and place a few indoor plants around. Spruce up the garden and if space permitting, hang up a hammock for some serious R & R, and soon the only frost that remains would be around a tall glass of icy drink.

Creating a Shabby Chic Look

What is Shabby Chic?

Shabby chic is a decorating trend where you basically take something new and make it look old. Sanding and denting are some of the more common ways to achieve the look.

Finding Some Shabby Furniture

Light weight furniture collected from yard sales and dime stores could do very well here. Strip the paint off and give a coat of white paint so that tones of the old color and the wood are visible through the new coat. The corners and edges should be sanded to achieve a naturally worn out look. A very light beige tone or cream color would be ideal and this should be so for all pieces big and small. Strip the room bare of dark or bright colors and go for white washed walls with one feature wall in red or in various tones of red.

Arrange the freshly painted old furniture and decorate with old world cushions in clean, faded slips; doilies, throws, table runners, and lamp shades. The basic tones should be the same antique white mixed with tiny floral prints or pastel stripes that spell cozy comfort. Anything from an old tea pot to a paint tin can do duty as a flower vase filled with red and white blossoms, perched on an occasional table.

Throw in a Little Color

Spice up the bare white walls with a bold painting in red or related colors. The feature wall can be left alone as a background for the white sofa with a quilted throw draped across, or serve as a dramatic setting for framed black and white photographs. The end tables could become the center of attention with some antique candle sticks or a tea-set retired from the kitchen.

Shabby Chic Not Just Plain Shabby

The whole idea is to maintain a contrasting tension between the crisp, clean white elegance and the dull shabby red elements. The various pieces of furniture do not have to belong to the same set or even match, but a balance is maintained and held together by the rest of the decor. The end result is a hand made, handed down look that spells a great bond with the past while looking to the future.

Shabby chic stands for a clean, neatly preserved look and is not a tag to cover bad housekeeping gone to the dogs. The key word here is clean, squeaky clean to grandma standards.

Simple and Functional Kitchen Decorating Ideas

The kitchen is supposed to be the heart of a home and there are so many things that can be done to keep it in tip-top condition. Though a modern kitchen is no longer used for heavy duty cooking, it still holds an undeniable importance.

Here are a few ideas that can both enhance the look of your kitchen and make grabbing things easy and convenient.

That Old Thing?

It does duty as a breakfast counter, coffee bar, and even hosts important family meetings. So a decor with all these various aspects in mind opens up possibilities that may not have been considered before.

Quite a few objects have been retired or replaced by modern gizmos and are no longer of any practical use. Kettles, water jugs, ceramic ware, metal troughs, orphaned tea cups, baskets, old china are all now valued for their aesthetic appeal. These are too dear to be discarded and can be used as decorative displays.

An Aromatic Herb Garden

An herb garden on the window sill is a thing of beauty that brings the outdoors to your kitchen as well as spices up the soup. An aloe vera plant with its distinctive looks is also great for minor burns and scratches. Mint, parsley, basil, and others can be planted in any old container and kept hidden in small wicker baskets. Those with brown thumbs could go for a bunch of flowers in an interesting little bucket or water jug instead.

Tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, and even egg plants are natural born performers who provide a bit of entertainment as well as nutrition. They can be displayed on counter tops in vegetable bowls of any kind. It may even get the kids to be more inclined to trying them out.

The Kids Art

A good old fashioned clock on the wall is practical as well as decorative. Big old ladles, copper pans and other such outdated utensils can go on the wall and add character. Give the refrigerator door a break and frame some kid art for the wall. See the little Picassos glow with pride at the promotion. This little idea will also help to eliminate the clutter look.

Handy Hand Towels

Color coordinated hand towels on the dishwasher, oven doors, and fridge handles lend uniformity, and just by changing the colors you can achieve a new look. Having the towels accessible in a couple locations will make convenient hand and dish dryers, pot holders and quick spill catchers any time and any where needed.

How to Shop for Furniture Online

When it comes to online shopping, there are the obvious pitfalls; but it sure beats driving around mindlessly looking for a parking space. There is also the immense convenience of being able to check out a wider selection, compare prices, read reviews, and get bargain prices only available online.

In fact it seems so painless and hassle-free that it's a wonder why everyone doesn't do it. It seems most people don't know how to get started or don't realize the vast information available to them. To help, I thought I'd create a simple how-to guide for the beginner online furniture shopper.

Be Informed

Today, the higher quality online stores have websites that give a great deal of information including pictures and graphics of great detail. You will also find dimensions and materials used that sometimes isn't readily available at an offline store.

The first step to smart internet shopping would be to go through this information with a fine tooth comb; discarding the frills and gleaning genuine information. Treat it as you would a glib salesman. Look for real answers and make sure all your questions are answered before proceeding further.

When you have found exactly what you are looking for, compare prices with other similar websites to see if the price is right. A good shopping comparison website may come in handy here. Also, when comparing prices, make sure you include shipping in the cost. Some online furniture stores will say free shipping but the shipping cost is actually just added to the selling price.

Double check the actual dimensions of the product and make sure it is as tall or wide as the picture implies it is, and also that it will pass through all your doors comfortably to its final destination.

Gather as much information as you can about your furniture selections, and if you still have questions call up the store and clear all doubts. The most reputable online furniture stores will have a toll free number for you to call. If they don't or it's hard to get in touch with somebody, that's not a good sign and you should probably stay away from that website.

Store Policies

Determine if it's a secure site before typing in your credit card details. Don't be put off by the lengthy small print, most of it is there to protect you, the consumer. Look for things such as a the store's return policy. With these things in mind and a few clicks of the mouse, your furniture shopping is complete!

Delivery

If not provided to you, ask for a valid phone number and address to contact if the company that will be delivering your new furniture. You may need to work with the shipper on a time that is convenient for you since you'll need to be home to accept the delivery. Sometimes there is the option to track progressive stages of delivery online.

Find the policies and procedures section of the website for their policies regarding late delivery, damages, set up, and trash take-away. This way you will know exactly what to do in any situation that may arise.

Some Practical and Inexpensive Kitchen Decorating Ideas

The heart of the home
The kitchen is supposed to be the heart of a home and there are so many things that can be done to keep it in tip-top condition. Though a modern kitchen is no longer used for heavy duty cooking, it still holds an undeniable importance. It does duty as a breakfast counter, coffee bar, and even hosts important family meetings. So a décor with all these various aspects in mind opens up possibilities that may not have been considered before.

Quite a few objects have been retired or replaced by modern gizmos and are no longer of any practical use. Kettles, water jugs, ceramic ware, metal troughs, orphaned tea cups, baskets, old china are all now valued for their aesthetic appeal. These are too dear to be discarded and can be used as strategic displays, flower vases, and craftwork.

An herb garden
An herb garden on the window sill is a thing of beauty that brings the outdoors to your kitchen as well as spices up the soup. An aloe vera plant with its distinctive looks is also great for minor burns and scratches. Mint, parsley, basil, and others can be planted in any old container and kept hidden in small wicker baskets. Those with brown thumbs could go for a bunch of flowers in an interesting little bucket or water jug instead.

Tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, and even egg plants are natural born performers who provide a bit of entertainment as well as nutrition. They can be displayed on counter tops in vegetable bowls of any kind. It may even get the kids to be more inclined to trying them out.

Kid art in the kitchen
A good old fashioned clock on the wall is practical as well as decorative. Big old ladles, copper pans and other such outdated utensils can go on the wall and add character. Give the refrigerator door a break and frame some kid art for the wall. See the little Picassos glow with pride at the promotion.

Color coordinated tea towels on the dish washer, oven doors, and fridge handles lend uniformity, and just by changing the colors you can achieve a new look.

Get the geometry right
Remember to keep the work triangle between the sink, the stove and the fridge unencumbered. Divert traffic around these areas rather than through to avoid mishaps. A cleverly placed island or kitchen table can help with this. This may help prevent your work triangle from turning into a disastrous Bermuda triangle.

How to shop for furniture online

Online vs. in store
When it comes to online shopping, there are the obvious pitfalls; but it sure beats driving around mindlessly looking for a parking space. There is also the immense convenience of being able to check out a wider selection, compare prices, read reviews, and get bargain prices only available online; all without leaving home. In fact it is seems so painless and hassle-free that it's a wonder why everyone doesn't do it. Often it is the how to rather than the why not that stymies the decision.

Be Informed
All good furniture showrooms have websites that give a great deal of information with mind-blowing pictures and graphics meant to entice the potential customer. The first step to smart internet shopping would be to go through this information with a fine tooth comb—discarding the frills and gleaning genuine information. Treat it as you would a glib salesman. Look for real answers and make sure all your questions are answered before proceeding further.

Let the shopping begin
When you have found exactly what you are looking for, compare prices with other similar websites to see if the price is right. A good shopping search engine may come in handy here. Also, when comparing prices, make sure you include shipping in the cost. Some online furniture stores will say free shipping but the shipping cost is actually just added to the selling price.

Double check the actual dimensions of the product and make sure it is as tall or wide as the picture implies it is, and also that it will pass through all your doors comfortably to its final destination.

Gather as much information as you can about your product, and if you still have questions call up the store and clear all doubts. All reputable online furniture stores will have a toll free number for you to call. If they don't or it's hard to get in touch with somebody, that's not a good sign and you should probably stay away from that store.

A good delivery
Make sure they deliver to your area, and you have a valid phone number and address to contact if needed. Sometimes there is the option to track progressive stages of delivery online. Discuss with the store manager their policies regarding late delivery, damage in transit, help with setting up, and whether there is an extra payment for this service.

Happy shopping
Then onto the all important step of making the payment. This might call for lengthy filling up processes, but it has to be done. It is important to ascertain their Security as well as Privacy policies. Determine if it's a secure site before typing in your credit card details. Don't be put off by the lengthy small print, most of it is there to protect the consumer, such as a the store's refund policy. With these things in mind and a few clicks of the mouse, your furniture shopping is complete!

3 Simple Steps to Having an Amazing Fourth of July

It's that time of the year again when red, white, and blue rule as far as the eye can see. You could still hang on to this color scheme as you jump outside the box and think a little harder. The choice here would be between the usual knick knacks for the sake of sticking to the tricolor décor, or a spirited endeavor that would go to make your Independence Day one to remember for a long time.

Colonial Decorating Ideas

After you have hung the flag and put up the traditional red, white, and blue accessories, raid the attic for any antique items that may resemble this period in history. Drag out old barnyard or wicker furniture from storage and arrange them on the patio from where you get a good view of Old Glory.

Find old objects such as pictures, frames, lamps, musical instruments, convex mirrors, candle holders, anything pewter, and any old thing which doesn't scream 21^st century.

You could also scout around in the flea markets, garage sales, and dime stores well in advance to make an amazing collection. Pictures of colonial themes or of your favorite founding father would take your room right back to the 18^th century.

Get Everyone Involved

Take it all back to when it really happened. You'll be doing the kids a huge favor as well as giving them a valuable lesson in history by re-creating the era of our Independence Day. The idea is to have fun and make history cool!

Deck the kids in period costumes; a huge frilly apron and a cute bonnet for the little girls, and perhaps breeches, a waistcoat and tricorn cap for the boys. Turn off all electronics, and light candles and lamps. You could, of course, leave the music on, but play music of the period, which you'll find at most music stores.

Party Like It's 1776

If you're having a party, let your guests know the dress code well in advance. Along with your regular party menu, serve some colonial fare such as chicken, mashed sweet potatoes and a stew that includes pork, sweet corn and cabbage, or other vegetables that are available. A suitable dinner table topic would be whether there really is a treasure map behind the Declaration of Independence. :o)

After the crowd is gone and the fireworks are over, curl up and watch an all-American period movie. Gone With The Wind, anyone?

This article has been provided by GreatPricedFurniture.com. Recently ranked among the top 500 websites by Internet Retailer 500, Great Priced Furniture has some of the most inspiring collections of wonderful furniture and carry only the very best manufacturers.

Ward Off The Winter Blues With Cottage-Style Decorating

Similar in some respects to both country and coastal decor, cottage style decorating attempts to instill a strong sense of place in the home environment, with the inspiration drawn from the flower-filled lanes and cozy charm of a shady, off-the-beaten-path bungalow.

Instead of fussy floral prints and dim interiors, today’s reinterpretation of cottage-style decorating brings the outdoors inside in a distinctly feminine style. The overriding emphasis in today’s cottage-style decor is pairing crisp, clean backdrops with nature-inspired pastels.

White beadboard or paneling is a popular choice in cottage-inspired spaces. Once this aesthetic foundation is in place, a true cottage feel can easily be achieved by layering the room with furniture, art, accents, and accessories that coordinate harmoniously, but don’t match exactly.

The desired look is eclectic and dynamic, with visual interest sparked by color, texture, and interesting accents every where the eye is drawn. While a substantial amount of color is a defining characteristic of this look, the finishes are often muted or weathered, so bold, direct color statements that could be overwhelming are rare in a cottage-inspired space.

The furniture profiles and selections in cottage-style decorating are diverse and whimsical, with an emphasis on colorful, unique pieces that evoke the natural world and bear the marks of handmade craftsmanship.

Wicker and iron furniture, both evocative of garden seating, are frequently used as accents in cottage-style spaces. Needless to say, plenty of plants and flowers -- preferably potted in richly-textured woven baskets -- are an important finishing touch that can serve to unify and complete the cottage look.

Whether you are a gardening enthusiast with a green thumb or a city slicker who harbors secret dreams of shady flower beds and thrills at the idea of bringing a slice of nature into the living room, cottage-style decorating may be the style for you.

Adding an Extended Furniture Warranty

We've just added another great option
to our furniture. We've just put the final touches on our new
Extended Warranty provided by Ultra Shield. This is on top of the 30
day money back guarantee we already offer. We know the kind of
commitment it takes to make a big purchase like furniture, and now
you can be sure that your covered should anything happen to your
furniture investment.

Leather Furniture Warranty

The leather furniture warranty covers
your leather upholstery for up to 10 years. There is even a leather
care and cleaning kit included with the warranty.

Wood Furniture Extended Warranty

A great warranty for all your solid
wood furniture. Provides protection for up to 7 years and also comes
with a wood furniture care/cleaning kit. Part of the kit is a
scratch guard and a dust off formula that repels dust so you won't
have to dust as often.

Extended Mattress Warranty

Your new mattress is warranted for a
full 15 years and comes with an Ultra Premium Mattress Pad with
Teflon Fabric protection. If you ever spill food or drink, get mold
or mildew, you're covered!

Get the full details here.

Floating Bed

Ran across this floating bed and just had to share. It's definitely unique, I'd love to give it a try. The queen size has a 7'4" diameter, it may take up too much room inside to be practical.

With a pricetag of over $3000, style and comfort have to be a priority.