Showhome furniture

How To Refreshen My Kitchen Without Breaking The Bank!

~ Naomi Pederson

Our kitchen is the heart of our home. We are constantly gathering together to play games, eat, chat and hangout. With a home full of young adults and little kids we are constantly in and out of this room and it really can take a beating at times. This is why we think that keeping your kitchen warm, inviting and updated is so important.

Today we are going to give you a few tips to help keep your kitchen updated and full of love and life!

First thing you need to do is assess your situation. How old is your kitchen? What accessories do you just love in your kitchen? What feels outdated or isn’t useful.

Next take pictures and give Showhome Furniture a call to set up a free consultation with our amazing designers. We love helping our customers out save money and making their homes look great!!

The easiest thing to help update a kitchen is to paint the walls. Paint is fairly inexpensive, and can make a huge impact. If your kitchen doesn’t have a lot of windows, or is small consider using a light color of paint. If your kitchen is larger and more open, a dark wall can really be striking!

Another easy way to update your kitchen is to redo your backsplash. You can go all in and tile it if it is not tiled, or change the tile if it is already tiled. Tiling looks classy and adds a look of completion to a kitchen. If you want to get that updated look but don’t have the budget for tiling, consider using peel and stick tiling. There are a ton of different types available and they are super simple to use.

Fresh flower are a great way to freshen up your kitchen. It is amazing how just bringing in some nature from outdoor, can totally change the feel of your space. Nature is a gift, we try to use it as much as possible.

Updating your cutting board is a fun easy way to also create an inviting space for people to gather. I love the thick wooden ones that can double up as a serving platter for parties and such.

Food and conversation just go so well together! That is why our inexpensive barstools are a great way to entice visitors to sit and stay awhile, keeping the cook company as he fixes food.

What are your favorite ways to update your kitchen on a budget? If you have any questions about your kitchen, give us a call and book your Free 1 Hour Design Consultation with Showhomes high end designers.

5 Tips For Creating A Stunning Thanksgiving Table

~ Naomi Pederson

Thanksgiving is less than a week away and there are few holidays that call for a stunning table setting like Christmas and Thanksgiving do!  With the turning of the weather bringing people indoors, this is the perfect time to create beauty within your home.

At Showhome Furniture, we are constantly looking for ways to be inspired by the gorgeous world in which we live in.  We love the changing of the leaves and frost tipped branches that come as the weather starts to shift its temperature.

This year, we are loving the white pumpkin themes! Turkey’s are very Thanksgiving-ish  but it is also such a holiday specific decorating item that will go ‘out’ faster than pumpkins.

When you decorate with pumpkins you can have them up all fall and even into winter if you want to.  In the coming weeks, we are going to be posting some great DIY table decor, and pumpkin decorating that anyone can do.

Today though, we are going to discuss the perfect way to bring autumn into your home just in time for Thanksgiving.

First, clear everything off your table. Next, pull out what supplies you have.  Pop into Showhome Furniture for some great inspiration and accessories to help your table decorating go better.  As I said, white pumpkins are my current love so I made sure I picked up a bunch to use.  You can buy them at the grocery store or your local craft store.

When making a table centerpiece I like to go long and will often use a runner.  The runner can go all along the table and over each end of the table, or it can be smaller and just run longwise in the middle of the table.  A runner is not needed, but it helps frame the accessories that you place on the table.

After you have chosen to go with a runner or not, I always like to place the big things on the table first.  Kinda like in life, if you do the most important things first, the rest of the day can be filled in with pretty, less important things that makes your whole day go better.  In this tablescape, the bowl of pumpkins is the largest, most central item and then the candles, which are important but not as big would go on second.

After you have placed the most important ‘statement’ items on the table, now is the fun part, you get to add the embellishments!  These embellishments are the thing that really adds wow to your table setting!  In this setting, the greenery is a great way of filling in the blank spaces between the pumpkins

Now set the table with your dishes!  I always like using white dishes because they are so versatile and can really dress up your table nicely.  Sometimes I will use a charge (or placemat) and often I just leave this step out.

An easy, elegant and simple place setting card is a small pumpkin with either your guest name written right on the pumpkin or on a small card and tied to the stem!

5 Tips For Making Thanksgiving Amazing!

~ Naomi Pederson

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and now that I am back in Canada, I have to say that this year is already meaning more to me than ever before.  There is something about spending six months surrounded by people who have so little material wealth, and yet have such depth and gratitude that just humbled my family and I.  We all know there are those who live at a different standard than us, but after sitting on their floors, and hearing their stories, my life has been changed forever.

To make this Thanksgiving, more about the thanks and giving than the food I have put together some quick but meaningful ways to really appreciate this amazing country that we live in.

Decorate your table with items that inspires gratitude and reminds us to be thankful.  Your tablecloth, or a sign on the wall, can remind all who come to dine, the reason why we come to dine-to give thanks.  At Showhome Furniture, we source the most beautiful tables from all around the world because we know that eating together as a family is very important to the success of your family.

Make it easy for people to give thanks.  Put out a pen and a simple sheet of paper with the words “I am thankful for” by each place setting.  Take a moment before bringing out the food to think about what you are thankful for and write it down.  During dinner, it is fun to read out what we are thankful for.

If you have kids, another activity is to draw a huge turkey on some poster board.  Get kids to write out what they are thankful for on feathers and stick them on the turkey.  It is a fun way to visualize all that we have.

I love giving my kids a new gratitude journal on Thanksgiving.  At Showhome Furniture, we know that so many diseases and mental illnesses can actually be helped greatly by the habit of giving thanks.  We try hard to cultivate this into our family culture.

When you go to buy a turkey, think about buying an extra one for someone who you know might need a little bit of love.  If you don’t know anyone who would appreciate a turkey, you can call your local food bank and donate a turkey there-or better yet, sign up as a family to serve at the food bank on Thanksgiving.  One of my favorite memories as a family is when we would go to our local homeless shelter and feed the people there, talk to them and entertain them with my kids singing.  I am sure they were doing us a favor at times watching my silly girls perform and I am very grateful for their attentiveness and the kind way everyone just accepted us for who we were.

At Showhome Furniture, we would be amiss to not end this post of what we are grateful for if we did not mention you, our valued friends.  Without your support, we would not be able to bring in such unique handmade wonderful furniture from all around the world.  Because we love you, we will give whoever mentions this blog post 30% off any regularly priced dining room table!!

What do you guys do to express your gratitude for all that you enjoy??  I would love to hear from you because I am always looking for new ways to bring meaning into this season.

 

5 Ways To Make A Beautiful Mudrooms That Work

~ Naomi Pederson

Do you have a busy family with kids that love to run in and out?  Do you have to figure out backpack, boots, shoes, hats and jackets?  Are you tired of your mudroom being a dumping ground and not a place that really works?  At Showhome furniture we feel your pain.  Not only do we have 6 gorgeous daughters of our own, we also belong to a very close large extended family.

To create a mudroom that works first decide exactly what that space needs to do.  Does it have to double up as storage space as well as the main family entrance?  If it doesn’t then make sure you get rid of anything that is not needed.

Next empty your mudroom so you can see what space you are working with.  A mudroom does not have to big in order to work hard for you.

Lockers are a great way of giving everyone their own space and holding kids accountable for that space.

Benches can double as a place to undo your boots, and store hats, mitts ect. . .

A good mudroom has hooks.  Hooks are a great way of keeping things off the floor and are easier than hangers-which is why you rarely see a mudroom without hooks.  The fun thing about hooks is that they can be as fancy and decorative as you want.

Baskets are a great way of separating item like mitts and gloves.  Make sure that your baskets are very strong.

Mirrors are a great item to add to your mudroom so that you can do that last check before leaving for the day and because they add beauty and light to your mudroom.

Lastly, don’t forget to add a few accessories, family photo’s or other charming accessories that are beautiful and show your family that they are loved no matter how busy life gets.

 

 

Delighting The Child And Enticing Them Outdoor

~ Naomi Pederson

Play is so important for all of us!  More and more research is showing the wonderful benefits of playing and the healthy effect it can have over a lifetime.  At Showhome furniture we have 6 beautiful daughters and we know the importance of play for children and adults alike.  We also know it is important for kids to play outside and fun playground equipment is great for enticing the kids off their devices and out into the sunshine. Even just hanging a comfy hammock will invite your kids to leave the house and enjoy God’s creations.

Most people don’t have enough land to create a separate play place for the kids and adult entertaining for the grown-ups.  With this in mind we went on a search to find out the best way to mesh adult spaces with play spaces and came up with some outstanding backyards that anyone would love to spend the day in.

The easiest playground equipment is to go to the local hardware store and buy a pre-made children’s playground kit.  These are not what we had in mind when designing our childrens play space and came up with a much better, natural design.

First pay attention to your local weather and seasons.  In Southern Alberta where we built our home, the wind is so wild that using canopies and anything not securely cemented in is just asking for it to blow away.  Once you know what can handle your climate, look for ways to create unique spaces in your yard that fulfill different functions.  You may want to create a corner for private talk outside.

Next look at nature.  The idea is to merge nature with play.

Nature is full of soft lines and different natural materials.  With our furniture, we have found that natural material tends to bring a warm and depth to our furniture that mass produced items just don’t have.  This firepit is great because it is a perfect gathering space, and when not use is a great place for kids to play.  Because it is sunken down lower than the other part of the patio, kids and adults alike will be drawn to this cozy space.

Living playhouses add magic and beauty to your yard as well as other cozy spaces to hide away.  These spaces can be elaborate or very simple as long as they give both children and adults a sense of being in a world of their own.

A tree house when built properly can add magic to both adults and children.

Hide the plastic elements within nature to downplay their presence.

Kids love water so any pretty water feature is sure to entertain them for hours.  Be sure to make sure that your water feature is sturdy and safe.

Kids love swings of all kind.  Hammocks and hanging chairs are a great for kids as well as adults.

Lastly, accessorize your yard.  Fill up the corners and spaces with little magical touches that both please the eye and delight the soul.  With these tips, you are sure to create a magical place for parent and children to play and reap all the benefit.

 

 

A Dream Window Bar On To Your Deck

~ Naomi Pederson

I love the large outdoor entertaining places that some people create.  I love seeing the outdoor kitchen area’s, the outdoor fireplaces and luxurious dining area’s.  Unfortunately, an outside kitchen of that magnitude is not really within the reach of most of our budgets.

If you are like me and love to eat outside, and you have a window that opens into your backyard, a window bar may be the perfect way to cook and entertain outside while spending a fraction of the cost a full outdoor kitchen would.

First, the window needs to be a comfortable serving height.  Usually, this is around the 42″ mark.  If your window is a little higher than that you can either work around it, put in a new window or raise your deck to accommodate this height range.

Next, pick a window.  The folding windows are awesome but for some climates or high wind places, these will not work.  Talk to your local contractor to see what he suggests.

Once you have a window at the right height it is time to add a bar.  Your bar can be any material that is weatherproof.  Looking in local buy and sells is a great way to find a used high-end countertop.  Because your bar is small and a simple design, you will likely find many options that will work for you.

Now for the fun part, it is time to accessorize.  Treat your eating bar area similar to a kitchen dining area within your home, just make sure the accessories are weatherproof.

Plants also add a finished together look and feel to your outdoor eating area.

Once you have everything perfect, this is the time to have fun and invite people over to enjoy your new affordable entertaining area!!!

 

Creating Cozy Spaces On Large Decks

~ Naomi Pederson

I always dreamed of having a large deck to entertain on.  I thought of all the parties I could throw and all the people that would fit on my large deck.  Finally, I was able to get a home that had a large deck off the kitchen.  I was delighted but soon realized that sometimes decorating a large space can be harder than decorating a small space.

At Showhome furniture we know that it important to balance things out, pick good furniture and define spaces in order to create the maximum entertaining space for your time and money.

deck furniture layout ideas

When I designed my deck, I found it easier to break my space up into different zones.  I had the eating zone and the sit back and chill with friends zone.  Sticking to just two different zones allowed me to also have enough room to move around and look out at the view even when there were many guests over.

For my eating zone, I opted for a gazebo kit to frame in and shade my guests while we ate and conversed.  If you live in a very windy location like a few of my sisters, you might not be able to get away with a box kit and may have to hire someone to come and build you a permanent structure that is windproof.

I learned the hard way when I lived in Southern Alberta near the foothills, that you must build according to the needs of your location.

For the visiting area, I just got a good quality sectional, a rug and a coffee table.

No living space inside or out is complete without accessories, and since we were creating an outdoor living space, I made sure that my deck was loaded with plants or different shapes and colors.

One thing I did not do, but many have is to add a fireplace or fire bowl because even though my deck was large, I wanted to leave lots of space for mingling guests and running children (who are often in large numbers at our gatherings).

What I did do though was add a lot of different candles and lighting to my space.  The mixed lights let me enjoy our deck even when the evening grows long and dark.

Whatever your deck size, decorating it properly is a must in order to realize it full entertaining potential.

 

5 Simple Decorating Tips For Decorating Your Cabin

~ Naomi Pederson

Are you one of those lucky people who own their own cabin that they can use to just get away from the world?  If you are, you know that it can be a challenge to decorate it in a way that is easy to maintain, as well as beautiful.

At Showhome furniture we know that struggle well.  Each day we are rearranging furniture into small mini rooms to help inspire our clients.  We realize that decorating these small spaces take as much thought or more as decorating a larger home.

The first thing to realize when decorating your cabin is that because you won’t be living there on a daily basis, you won’t be needing as many things.  Being conscience of what you allow into your cabin is vital.  Your cabin needs to have the essentials and should not have too many extras. Extra’s create more clutter, are usually not used enough to make them cost effective and cause more work to clean up.  Keeping your things to a minimum will greatly improve the time you spend in your cabin.

Next be careful about your furniture choice.  Getting furniture that is well built and made with natural products will help them last longer.  At Showhome Furniture we offer a 5 year furniture protection plan.  This protection plan is something every cabin owner should consider, especially those who own a cabin by water.

When you are on a vacation rules tend to be bent, and nothing can wreck furniture more than wet sandy kids sitting down on new furniture.  Even well built furniture can benefit from the protection plan, helping make each dollar you spend on your cabin last long.

In a cabin you naturally chose smaller furniture because the rooms in cabins are usually smaller than a regular house.  While it is wise to choose smaller furniture, freeing up more space for moving around, do not worry if you find the perfect large chair or other piece of furniture.  A few larger pieces can help make a small room feel special and inviting.

When choosing what to decorate your cabin with think of the following questions:

1. Do I need this?

This question helps provide you a framework to help you make a better decision on what you should or should not bring into your cabin. As we identify what we need and don’t need, we are able to better choose things that will be useful and bring us joy, as well as say no to the things that will just clutter our cabin and vacation time.

There will definitely be things you will be tempted to decorate your cabin with that you don’t need.  When you find that you are dealing with something that fits this category it is the perfect time to ask yourself the second question, why do I have this?

2. Why do I have this?

With this second question, we are encouraged to analyze more deeply our relationship with our stuff and how they are a part of our lives.

Often you will be surprised at the answers you will come up with to the question of “Why do I own this?”

Many people have found that as they take time to thoughtfully decorate their cabins, that their cabins truly become the little bit of peace and quiet that help us get away from the stresses of life, and allow us to function at our best.

6 Steps To Staging A Gorgeous Bookcase

~ Naomi Pederson

No home is complete without a bookcase.  Without a bookcase, where would you put all those lovely books that must be read one day?  At Showhome Furniture, we are believers of reading but we must admit, bookcases can get messy awfully fast, especially when you have kids.  We also know that bookcases can hold oh so much more than just books!

Here are some of our top tips to being able to create a beautiful bookcase that invites you to read, but is easy to keep looking attractive.

For your best look remember the rule of thirds.  One third books, one third space, and one third carefully chosen accessories.

Next figure out what is going to be your anchor piece of decor for each shelf.  They should not be too small or your bookcase will look cluttered.  Stagger your anchor pieces on the shelves.

Once your anchor pieces are in,  fill your bookcase up with your books!!  Be creative with your books.  They can stack horizontal or vertical.  As you are filling your bookcase, take this time to get rid of any old, boring, or ripped books.  A bookcase looks best when it is not filled to overflowing.  A fun idea is to turn your books backwards so only the white pages show.  This makes is hard to find a book fast, but really looks great.

Fourth, add some smaller tasteful accessories in between the books.  Make sure the collectibles are varied and unique.  Create loose symmetry by placing them in groups.  Accessories of similar sizes and shapes are perfect for grouping.  Make sure you add interest by stacking accessories.

Fifth layer smaller accessories in front of some of the books and larger accessories.  Framed pictures and quotes are great for enticing visitors to come closer and look longer.

Lastly, stand back and admire your work.  Too often I think we work hard and forget to just take a moment to step back and appreciate all that we have created.  I have learned that taking a moment to pause and appreciate what I am doing can make all the difference.  Afterall, why go through all this work to make a great looking bookcase if we don’t take time to look?

 

 

DIY Spring Wreaths To Brighten Your Home

~ Naomi Pederson

Spring is still a little ways off, but at Showhome Furniture we don’t believe in waiting for beauty to come quietly to our store or home.  We love winter, but we also love spring with it’s green colors, flowers and fresh new starts.So, to help welcome spring into our store we are celebrating with lots of greenery and floral arrangements.  One cute do-it-yourself craft anyone can do is a Spring Wreath.  It is simple, and really can add a special touch to your front door or even living room wall.All you need is a glue gun, glue sticks, a wreath frame, some fake or dried moss, some green leaves and silk flowers.  I found all of these items at my local craft store.

First cover the wreath with moss and leaves. If you can find different varieties of moss, your wreath will look even more stunning.

To cover your wreath with moss, put down some hot glue on the wreath and alternate sections of moss with an odd leaf sticking out here and there.  It is important that the leaves are spaced rather evenly all around the wreath, some on the edges, some in the middle and some in the inside.  Using a variety of leaves will make your wreath interesting and whimsical.

Next get some flowers and glue those in, tucking them here and there.  You can just do one type of flower, or a whole bunch of coordinating, but different blooms.  I personally like the wreaths that look a little wild, so I have all sorts of colored flowers of all different sizes.

One neat idea is to get a bunch of succulent plants and glue them all over your moss wreath.  Succulent arrangements are very popular, and it is not hard to tell why.  Their hardy unique look is attractive in a variety of settings.

The last thing to do with your wreath is to stick in any other accessory or fixin.  This can be anything from ribbon, to toadstools, to moss covered rocks.