Showhome furniture

10 tips to make this year extra special. 

~ Showhome Furniture ~ 7 Comments
Merry Christmas to all you lovely people!

How many of you are so busy shuttling the kids, finishing projects and working the daily grind to decorate for Christmas?

Here at Showhome, we understand that struggle.

In the world we live in there is so much pressure to present the “perfect” image.

Chestnuts roasting by an open fire and all that bit.

So when you actually have time to spend on celebrating the season, instead of binge-watching the Crown in your bedroom, why don’t you try some of our tips?

Below we have a list of some of our favorite Christmas-time traditions of our families that we want to share with you!

And don’t forget to read until the end for a fun DIY!

10 Top Tips!

1. Get together with a group of your friends and do a cookie exchange.

Not only is it a ton of fun, but you will also have delicious cookies to share throughout the season!

2. Secret Santa a few neighbors (kids especially love this)

And it doesn’t need to be anything crazy, just visit the local Dollar Store for something to gift!

Identify a few homes you want to go to, bring your gift, ring the doorbell and RUN!

3.  Find the elderly or lonely in your community to go caroling to.

(Nursing homes are always welcoming)

While it seems nerve-wracking, the joy you bring to other’s lives is worth the fear.

Bring along a speaker with your favorite Christmas music, to help you sound fantastic. 😉

4. Make a hot cocoa bar in your kitchen and have some device-free time sipping cocoa with the family and reading Christmas books.

5.  Go ice-skating! Bowness Park is always fun if you are in Calgary, or hit up some skating wherever you live, plus it counts as exercise!

Bowness Park

6. Do a photo shoot with your friends.
When this winter weather makes you want to stay bundled and warm, cuddled up in your bedroom furniture, you have to put forth effort to actually get out of the house.
Text your friends and make a plan to do a winter photoshoot together!
It seems like everyone I know is an aspiring photographer.
If you have those “soon to be actual photographers” in your life why don’t you hire them for cheap to do a quick photoshoot for you?
It helps them build their repertoire and you get good quality photos out of it!
7. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
There is no better way to keep the spirit of the season than by serving others.
8. Come visit us at Sunridge Mall.
 Browse our store, share some hot cocoa and cookies and remember we offer interest-free/no payment for one year plans.
PLUS all our accessories are currently 30% off!
9. Play board games!
While some games (like Uno) have the ability to tear a family apart, overall playing board or card games with your family or friends is a great bonding experience.
Sometimes we get so busy getting gifts for those we love we don’t actually spend time with them.
Change that by picking up a classic game and playing with your family.
10. Bake cookies.
I don’t know if you are aware of the Six Sisters, but their recipes are always spot-on!
My favorite is their Soft & Chewy Ginger Cookies that I’ll be sharing with you today.
When you have a minute check out their site: Six Sisters

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tablespoon water
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • Sugar, for rolling
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Sift flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and one cup sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in egg, then stir in water and molasses.
  5. Fold in flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt and mix until well combined. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar and place 2″ apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
  7. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.

CHRISTMAS WREATH DIY

How to make an adorable Christmas wreath in just a few easy steps!

1. Go to the dollar store and buy a plain wreath for cheap

2. Pick trimmings from your tree and add them to the wreath

3. Add snowflakes and a bow

4. Spray with fake snow or sparkles

Now that you have such a beautiful wreath, post a picture of it onto Showhome Furniture’s Facebook page before you give it away or hang it up to make your home more festive!

BONUS TIP:

Take your kids to a live nativity and remember the reason for the season.

Google “live nativities near me” and you will find some great ones!

Calgary Nativity Pageant

This time of year can be hectic and crazy, but we want you to know that Showhome loves you!

Have a very merry Christmas!

Thanks for reading and be sure to share with us your Christmas tips!

Amazing Bedrooms For Teens!!

Image ~ ~ Naomi Pederson ~ 1 Comment

Do you have a teen-ager in your home?  If so you are one lucky person.  Teen-agers are so fun to be around.  They are usually full of life, chatty, and kind. . .until they are not-Lol!!  In one year our Showhome Furniture Family will have four teen-age girls.  What a ride we are in for!

With teen-agers comes emotions, and idea’s.  If your child has never had a room of their own, this might be a good time to consider letting them have one.

Teen-agers are going through a lot, and the pressure to fit in can be tough.  Making sure they have a place that is truly there’s can make a big difference.  One thing that we strongly caution against is letting them have a room of their own with a phone of their own. Recent research has revealed the hazards of letting teens have too much time with phones.

When designing a room for your teen-ager involve them as much as possible.  This is a time of change and exploring for kids, so let them have as much freedom in creating their own special space.  Definitely give them guidelines and a budget.  Teen-agers can get confused with too many options, and carried away without a budget.

Next pick the location.  Think of your teens personality.  Is she the kind that push the boundaries more than others?  If so, consider situating her room closer to you and further away from the outside door!  A top bedroom is a good choice.  This is something that you don’t need to tell your child that you are doing.  Just discuss with your spouse where you both think your teen-ager would thrive the best and let them know after the decision has been made.  In parenting I have found that prevention, especially prevention that my kids don’t even know I am doing, is a million times easier and effective than trying to discipline.  Disciplining is going to happen with teens, the less you have to do the better.

Now for the fun part!!  Picking out the furniture.   I suggest you don’t let your teen-ager pick out the furniture without help that will go out of style fast.  When picking out furniture look for furniture that can adapt to different stages of your teens life.  If you are confused at all the different options, speak to our design team at Showhome Furniture.  We love to help our clients design their homes. Once you have picked out two or three different bedroom sets that work, allow your teen-ager to make the final say.

Once you have the furniture it is time to paint your walls.  Wall color is definitely something I would let our teen-ager have more freedom in choosing.  Just like dying one’s hair, paint is relatively inexpensive and can be quickly changed if it is a disaster.

Lastly finish off with curtains, bedding and accessories.  Just like you are never fully dressed without a smile, so is your room never complete without accessories.  Accessories are fun and can pull the room together in such a way that your teen will know how special they truly are to you.

Yes teen-agers can be a handful, but the more I interact with teens, the more I love this stage of life.  It really is fun working on projects with my girls and watching them grow into their own unique selves.

Small Bathroom, Big Statement!

~ Naomi Pederson ~ 14 Comments

 

 

Do you have a small bathroom that needs an overhaul?  Or are you in the middle of building and need some idea’s for a small bathroom?  Either way, Showhome Furniture has some great idea’s and tips for you to make the most of your small bathroom.

When I was 7 month pregnant with my twins, I was renting a very tiny house and sharing it with my pregnant sister who was 7 months pregnant as well.  I had two kids already, and my sister had three and our husbands were gone all day trying to find work and trying to start a business.  Those were crazy days, and the fact we only had two small bathrooms for all 9 of us (two being pregnant remember. . .you know how a pregnant lady needs that loo!) was interesting to say the least!

At the time, I had no idea how to arrange our bathrooms to fit us all, and house all our stuff.  Seriously our bathroom was a disaster even before one of the kids got a toothbrush stuck down the toilet!!  Now, after decades of being in the furniture business, we are experts at turning that tiny toilet room into a functioning family bathroom.

At Showhome Furniture we have found 7 things that will make your time in the loo, especially a small loo, more enjoyable.

Storage:  Storage in a small bathroom is the number one issue.  Before filling your bathroom with accessories and decor, look carefully at what space you have available to add some storage.  Sometimes you can find space above the toilet, or along one wall where a pretty storage unit can be installed.  Hooks are a great way to get more storage and make the bathroom more functional.

Mirrors!!  Mirrors are beautiful and have the lovely trait of making a room seem larger.  Since your bathroom is going to be a bit cramped anything you can do to give the illusion of size is something you should consider.

Think Big!!!  With such a small space, decorating a tiny bathroom can be very affordable.  You can’t fit much in it so think big.  Splurge a little on the mirror, the wall paper, maybe buy a luxurious light, or awesome picture.  Pick a few things that really “Wow!” you and go for it.

Embrace Color!!  In small spaces, bright colors work great.  They catch the eye are fabulous at making your small bathroom seem bigger!  Contrast the color with white for a brighter effect.  This is especially wise when there is no window in your bathroom.

Use a Glass!!  If you can replace your shower curtain with glass doors you will open up the bathroom a ton.  Glass doors are super easy to clean if you keep a squeegie in the shower for occupants to wipe down quickly after each shower.

These are some of our most important tips when trying to make your small bathroom function and look beautiful.

 

The Home Office!

~ Naomi Pederson

http://myamazingthings.com/small-home-office-ideas/2/

Recently, a staff member at Showhome Furniture in Calgary read that in 2010 there were about 3.6 million people in Canada were lucky enough to work from home.

https://www.facebook.com/ShowHomeFurniture/app/267091300008193/

From someone who has a family business, Showhome Furniture knows how important a space set aside specifically for work is to home workers.  I remember keenly the day my husband moved off the couch of our small rented house and into an old RV he bought to be his office.  The kids thought it was a hoot and I may have rolled my eyes a bit when my sweetheart gave me the tour.  It was small and there were none of the gorgeous desks or decor that we carry in our Calgary furniture store to brighten up the space.  My husband got it for a deal, and it was close to home so we were both happy.

https://www.facebook.com/ShowHomeFurniture/app/267091300008193/

I am sure this ‘new office’ had nothing to do with the fact we had 2 young kids at the time, and I was about 7 months pregnant with twins.  Or with the fact that my pregnant sister with her 2 young kids were sharing the house with us.  Well, I am actually pretty sure this was the main motivator to my husbands ‘move out’ but it probably was a wise move.

https://www.facebook.com/ShowHomeFurniture/app/267091300008193/

Now we are no longer renting, and as we renovated our new house we made sure there was lots of room for a home office.

As we designed our home office, and have helped countless of clients with designing theirs,  we came across 4 awesome tips for making your home office work for you!!

Location Matters:  First pick the best location you can think of.  Make it convenient so that it functions well.  We have our home office on the top floor right beside our bedroom.  Most our kids have their bedrooms on the main floor, and so the top floor is the most quiet part of the house.  My brother-in-law has his home office off his theatre room with an outside door for clients to use.  My younger brother has his home office outside on the beach!  So just look at what works for you and go for it.  Don’t worry if your office isn’t conventional it just needs to be convenient.

https://www.facebook.com/ShowHomeFurniture/app/267091300008193/

Find Beautiful and Functional Furniture:  Next think of the furniture!  At Showhome Furniture we are passionate about helping our clients find the perfect piece for their homes.  A home office deserves as much attention as the rest of the house.  What kind of furniture you need greatly depends on what kind of business you are running.   The most common pieces of furniture pieces are desks, bookcases, and chairs or sofa’s.  You might find that you need a large desk and a small bookcase, or if you are like my sister you will want wall-to-wall bookcases and a small desk.  Think of what you will be doing most in this space and shop accordingly.

Buy A Comfortable Chair:  Picking a good chair is so vital that it has a paragraph of it’s own!  Sometimes people scrimp on the functional furniture and splurge on the showy furniture.  At Showhome we believe that furniture can be both comfortable and functional and suggest that you are extra thoughtful when picking out what you are going to be spending most of your day sitting on.

Decorate:  Once you have a great location, beautiful furniture and a comfortable chair you are ready to paint your office and decorate it!

When my husband was in the RV, I admit, I did nothing to make it look nice.  I was just happy it was close enough for me to send the little ones over while I napped.  This should not be what you do.  Working is hard.  There are a lot of sacrifices you make staying indoors all day.  Treat yourself kindly and make your home office beautiful.

https://www.facebook.com/ShowHomeFurniture/app/267091300008193/

You might want to make it look more traditional, or modern.  There are a ton of different styles to choose from.  If you are not sure what style you are leaning towards, just pop by Showhome Furniture and our wonderful designers will be happy to help you out for free.

Bring Nature Inside: The last tip that our designers at Showhome Furniture have for you is to bring nature inside!  If possible, I would encourage you to make sure your office has a window.  The bigger the better.  Tons of science supports the notion that nature is a great de stressor.  If you are going to have to be in doors all day, you might as well make the most of it.

https://www.facebook.com/ShowHomeFurniture/app/267091300008193/

Opening the window, having some real plants in your office, hanging pictures of nature and having a great view are all ways that you can incorporate nature into your office space.

At Showhome Furniture, we know the value of a great home office.  Working from home, is not a luxury that most people enjoy.  If you happen to be one of lucky few, we hope that these tips will help you design a great place to do work at home.

 

Falling into Fall Furniture

Image ~ ~ Naomi Pederson

Fall is upon us, and with fall comes constantly changing tree colors and a refreshing breeze!!!!

The Showhome Furniture Family LOVES the heat, and spend time each winter in Arizona just hanging out, bonding and going to trade shows.   We also love fall time and just like the leaves on the trees, we are constantly changing our stock and bringing in trendy new pieces.  There is something about change that we at Showhome Furniture finds very refreshing, just like that cool breeze after a hot summer.

With each new piece of furniture, make sure you buy a protection plan because Showhome Furniture Calgary knows that nothing is as hard on furniture as little kids coming in after their fall walk with dirt on their hands.  You do want to make sure you teach your kids to respect the furniture, but you don’t want to ever think furniture is more important than these magical fall moments.

My kids like to tease me that when fall comes, that I like to spend more time perusing the catalogs than taking in the fall walk.  The cool air conditioning, and constantly changing furniture does make working or shopping here on a fall day seem special.  That said, I know that my kids really enjoy being around me so I try to limit my time at the store and spend more time at home.  To help us manage running a store and raising 6 daughters we are always on the outlook for some delicious quick recipe to enjoy.

I had a friend who would freeze fresh blueberries in water and tell their kids that that was what popsicles were!!  I love the healthiness of that idea, but there is no way I would be able to away with that.  I do however love to blend up banana’s, pineapple, apples and oranges and then pour them into popsicle molds to freeze.  If I have some apple juice I will add it to the mixture but it isn’t necessary.

Remember that popsicles can stain clothing and furniture so it is best to get your little ones to eat them outside.  If they do drip on their clothing or spill on your furniture we have a great blog about how to get out all sorts of stains.

What are your favorite fall recipes that are quick to make and family friendly???