Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF: February 2016

2/29/2016

Ashley Furniture Coupon Clearance Sales 70% OFF: REINVENTING THE LOST ART OF ENTERTAINING

Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF offers Free Standard Shipping Sitewide, Excludes Home Delivery! Redeem this Ashley Furniture coupon and get Up to 50% OFF Select Home Decor + Free Shipping On Many Items!

Turning wallflowers into social butterflies

Entertaining is not everyone’s bag. In fact, having to play “hostess extraordinaire” while coordinating cocktails, food and clean-up can be more than a bit overwhelming. Relax, these days you don’t have to do it all. Enter the hero of our story: Your Friendly Neighborhood Supper Club.

Potluck Dinner and Block Party had a baby, and they called it Supper Club

A culinary tableau inspired by the Wine Night theme

Supper clubs are the perfect marriage of a relaxed neighborhood get-together with the elegance of a sit-down dinner. The perk is that the guests bring all the food. Supper clubs set a fun “food” theme for every party; French Twist, Herb Superb, Summer’s Bounty. Sometimes the theme carries over to the attire. “Dressing up is half the fun,” says Patrice Heisner (pictured below in the light blue “toga”) who, with the help of several long-term members, has been leading her own supper club since the year 2000. “We’ve done ‘50s and ‘60s, semi-formal and even Ancient Roman parties. Not everyone dresses up, they don’t have to. Our goal is for everyone to be comfortable and have a good time.”

The Ancient Roman theme becomes a modern-day toga party

Getting started

Patrice and her husband along with five other couples started the City View Dinner Clubin their historic neighborhood in Monroe, NC sixteen years ago. Today it has grown to over 25 couples. It’s a great way to grow lasting friendships with the people in your neighborhood. Plus, who doesn’t love getting a chance to look inside the homes around us! Your neighbors may be just waiting for someone to get the ball rolling. Send a message to see if there’s interest. Patrice shared the vast knowledge gleaned from her own club to help you start one of your own—and keep it going.

There’s always room for more!

Socializing with neighbors is the best part of the party

Supper clubs are the chameleons of the entertaining world. They can be customized to suit a wide array of ages; some young, some older, a few singles and empty-nesters. Once you decide to start a club, the next step is to decide how many members to invite. There is no perfect number, and getting to know your neighbors in a social setting is well worth the effort it takes to entertain more people. If you have a group larger than 10-12, you may find it difficult to seat everyone. In that case, break off into smaller groups after the cocktail hour to keep the dinner arrangements manageable.

Five is the magic number

Iron Chef Party-goers ask, “Who says you can’t play with your food?”

An important aspect to setting up your event schedule is keeping track of potential conflicts. Patrice has learned from experience that the months to avoid are May, July, October, November and December. Keep an eye on school breaks, holidays and local events and schedule around those dates. Patrice advises not to plan more than five parties a year to keep everyone excited and motivated. Because most of all, this is supposed to be fun!

Keep it simple, sweetheart

When in Rome…setting the stage for Roman Night at the Supper Club

If you are doing a traditional supper club, the division of tasks is pretty straitforward: cocktails, appetizers, soup, salad, main course and dessert. You can move from house to house, or keep it simple by having everyone bring their part of the meal to one designated house. Some groups do cocktails at one house and everything else at a second house. Others save the cocktails for the after-party. No matter how you plan it, keep the group informed of the plans. Communicating early and often is the key to success.

Something for everyone

Menu planning is up to the discretion of the individuals providing the dish. Your job as group leader is to offer party themes that everyone can choose from. Menu and theme ideas are readily available on the internet. You can also search Pinterest for party ideas, recipes and decorating tips. Many online cooking magazines have forums to help build supper club communities either by region or interest. And be sure to include themes that range from simple to complex to give everyone a chance to participate. The opportunities for creative party ideas are endless.

Many thanks to Patrice Heisner and the fabulous members of the City View Dinner Club for sharing their themes and images from past parties.

Feel free to post images of your supper club on our Facebook page to inspire others. Or share your recipe for success in the comment section. And above all else, Keep Calm and Supper Club On!

2/26/2016

KIDS ROOMSACCESSORIES WALL-TO-WALL STYLE: KIDS ARTWORK FOR EVERY PERSONALITY

They’ve chosen bedding in their favorite color and adorned the shelves with stuffed animals, trophies and pictures of their BFFs. If there’s one thing kids value most about having a space to call their own, it’s the ability to express their unique personality. They might be fine with notes from friends and collages of their favorite pop stars tacked to the wall, but you might want a more polished look—at least for a feature wall. Why not compromise by choosing canvas wall art or decals that showcase their one-of-a-kind character? Whether they’re the ultimate girly girl or a sports nut, we have artwork that’s as unique as them!

The Flower Child

Flower power! Repeating the same image in different colors makes for maximum impact. We love the look of hanging the set in a cluster, but they look equally as adorable spread throughout the room. They’re even lovely on their own—choose frompurple, blue or pink.

The Baller

A triple threat on the field and court? Score! Our football, basketball and baseball decals showcase fun and funky pop art. What’s really cool is that these pieces stick directly on the wall and are a cinch to reposition.

The Dog Lover

Man’s best friend makes for one doggone cute motif. Our Berniss canvas art is designed for a single display, but the word art, ball- and Frisbee-fetching pieces will have your tail wagging when displayed solo, too.

The Playful One

What’s not to love about these silly monsters? Available in red, green and yellow, they’re a playful way to add some serious color to his or her space.

LET THERE BE LIGHT: DESIGN TRICKS FOR MAKING YOUR SPACE FEEL LIGHTER & BRIGHTER

Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF offers Free Standard Shipping Sitewide, Excludes Home Delivery! Redeem this Ashley Furniture coupon and get Up to 50% OFF Select Home Decor + Free Shipping On Many Items!

With snowflakes, cozy blankets and other winter delights come dark, dreary days. While a gray and gloomy sky can make you want to close the curtains and cuddle up in front of the TV, even the homiest of home bodies can start to feel snowed in. Rather than succumb to the winter blues, you can apply a few simple design tricks to make your home feel lighter and brighter.

Fans of eclectic design will love the look of mixing similar but slightly different pendant lights. We’re especially fond of combining our Ichiro Pendant Lights — the open-work design allows maximum light to shine through. In turn, you get a cool, contemporary look and a bright and shiny space.

Looking for a way to get more bang for your buck? Check out our Rishona Table Lamp Set. The white shades ensure a crisp glow while the metallic bases bounce light throughout the room. Looking for more ways to incorporate metallics into your decor?Click here for more bright ideas!

Triple Threat
Sheriel Floor Lamp

For larger rooms (or those with dark corners), we’ve found that using multi-directional floor lamps can work wonders. Our Sheriel Floor Lamp has adjustable arms and necks, allowing you to shine a little light wherever you need it most.

Nice & Natural
aerial51-1024x683

If you’re after a warm and cozy glow, try turning off the lights and lighting some candles. We’re slightly obsessed with the DIY candles Erin recently made on Francoise et Moi. Not only do they provide soft, natural light, but they also smell like pure Christmas. What could be more cozy than that?

Do you have any home decor tricks for combating those gray, winter days? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments below!

TIPS FOR HELPING YOUR CHILD GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP

Don't miss ussing Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF: Up to 50% 70% OFF Select Items for Bedroom+ Bed room furniture Free Shipping Redeem this Ashley Furniture coupon and get Up to 50% OFF Select Home Decor + Free Shipping On Many Items

From Restless Nights to Sweet Dreams

Loomis-2-Piece Twin Comforter

It’s something every parent dreads: the restless nights when their little ones just can’t get to sleep. Whether it’s because they’re anxious about a spelling test, had too much soda at dinner or wound themselves up on the playground, kids—like adults—can have trouble sleeping for any number of reasons. But, unlike adults, kids can’t pop a sleeping pill or imbibe a nightcap to help themselves get some shut-eye. Instead, parents must rely on all-natural techniques.

Lights Out

Nyx Table Lamp

The body produces a hormone called melatonin that plays an important role in regulating circadian rhythm. Production of melatonin ramps up as the sun goes down or an environment grows darker. Studies have shown that bright screens from computers, televisions, tablets and smartphones affect the body’s production of melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep. Switch off electronics at least an hour or two before bedtime to give the body plenty of time to produce the melatonin needed to make your little one feel sleepy.

Warm up and Cool Down

Seventy 5-Piece Twin Comforter Set

Just as a dimming of the lights helps produce a sleepy feeling, so does reducing body temperature. It might seem counterintuitive, but taking a warm bath and increasingbody temperature actually helps with this process. As the body cools off from a bath, the brain recognizes the reduction in body temperature and causes that blissful sleepy feeling.

Create a Cozy Space for Sweet Dreams

A Hope To Dream

All the tips and tricks in the world won’t do any good if your little one doesn’t have a comfy sleep space. Unfortunately, too many children are forced to sleep on the floor or share a bed with multiple family members. At Ashley Furniture HomeStore, we believe that every child deserves a clean, unused mattress to call their own. That’s exactly why we’ve created our A Hope to Dream Foundation. A portion of the proceeds from every mattress sold in HomeStores goes toward purchasing a bed for a child in need. If you know a child between the ages of three and 16 who needs a new mattress, please click here to fill out an application.

2/24/2016

5 DORM ROOM DOS AND DON’TS

Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF: Up to 50% 70% OFF Select Items for Bedroom+ Bed room furniture Free Shipping Redeem this Ashley Furniture coupon and get Up to 50% OFF Select Home Decor + Free Shipping On Many Items

Finally! You’ve graduated high school and it’s time to start the next chapter in your very own dorm room. The future is wide open and the possibilities seem endless: who knows if there will be a cute boy at the end of the hall or if your roommate will become your best friend for life. With so much excitement surrounding your new beginning, you’ve probably given little thought to life in a dorm room. Scared? Don’t be! Stick to these dos and don’ts and college life will become second nature in no time at all.

Don’t bring everything you own… Do stick to the essentials

You don’t want to be the kid who shows up with a U-Haul and a minivan full of stuff. You won’t need your mom’s entire linen closet or a kitchen’s worth of pots and pans. Bring the bare minimum—one or two towels, two sets of sheets and a single set of dishes. The minute you set foot inside your tiny dorm room, you’ll understand why.

Don’t sleep, study and socialize in the same place… Do create separate zones

Your bed might (hopefully) be comfortable, but it shouldn’t serve as the room’s lounge and study spaces. Instead, easily and inexpensively create a social nook with a few poufs. You might also want to invest in an ergonomic desk chair, which is sure to provide more support than the hard-as-a-brick one provided by the school.

Don’t rely on dreaded fluorescent lighting…Do make use of desk and floor lamps

Fluorescent lighting is not only unflattering and unsightly, but it can also cause headaches. Try to make the best use of natural light during the daytime and use floor and desk lamps in the evening. Compared to overhead fluorescents, “soft white” CFL bulbs create a warm glow and provide amazing ambient lighting.

Don’t overlook opportunities for storage… Do think vertically

Floor space is severely limited in tiny dorm rooms, often requiring creative storage solutions. You should absolutely invest in floor risers to maximize under-bed storage. Also consider hanging wall shelves if your school will allow it.

Don’t neglect your study space… Do love where you learn

No matter how dedicated you are to your education, there will be days when studying is the absolute last thing on your mind. But, the exams, papers and projects must go on. Try to make your study space as comfortable, stylish and “you” as possible. Make this your special place—somewhere you’ll want to hang out even when your nose is in a book.

2/23/2016

FLEX YOUR SPACE & SPEND MORE TIME W/FAMILY AND FRIENDS

If you’ve ever opened your home to host a family party or had people stay with you, you know the anxiety that goes along with it. One of the worst dilemmas we face is finding a place for everyone to sit (or sleep). For those of us who have downsized and simplified our living quarters, hosting gets even trickier. Lucky for us, there’s a wide selection of flexible seating options to choose from that make entertaining a breeze.

Dining Tables

If you already have an expandable dining table, you know the benefits of being able to pop in a leaf or two to seat extra people when the need arises. But finding enough chairs to go around the table can be a real challenge. Here are a few creative solutions for improvising the perfect perch.

Move your dining chairs to one side of the table and use a bench on the other side. Armchairs can work well at each end.

A slipcovered folding chair is an elegant and inexpensive solution to the seating dilemma.

Anything can work, borrow an upholstered chair from your bedroom and a pouf or two from the kids’ rooms to fill in the gaps.

Bright idea: Push a sofa or loveseat against a wall and place your table in front of it, and voila! An instant banquette. A round table tucked in the corner of a sectional creates ample seating, especially if paired with a chair or two on the open side.

Sectionals

Hosting a TV-viewing party of any kind is a snap with the versatile options available in sectional seating. Featuring armrests with cup holders, rockers or recliners, sectionals were designed with the sole intention of serving up comfort for one and all. But that’s not all, sectionals are just that; sections. Consider pulling them apart for your next party and setting up individual seating islands that will make it easier for your guests to navigate the room. Coffee tables with lift-tops and hidden ottomans expand your options even further.

Extra-large ottomans are happy to serve dual purposes—a place to prop your tootsies or an impromptu serving station.

And talk about hidden talents, some pieces appeal on many levels.

Sofa beds

Once the party’s over, our hero of the day can emerge: the sofa/sleeper. Converting in moments from a sofa to a full or queen size bed, this overachiever can turn a den into a guest room with ease.

See how easy it is to play the perfect hostess? There’s no reason not to flex your space and spend more time with family and friends.

What clever furniture hacks have you come up with for entertaining guests? We’d love to hear from you.

2/22/2016

TIPS TO PAINT LIKE A PRO—SAVE MONEY & MAKE IT YOUR OWN

Take time to do it right:

Make sure the walls, trim and baseboards are free of dust, dirt and grease before you begin painting. Use a degreaser or mild dishwashing detergent to clean grease and stuck-on dirt. Then use water to remove any soap residue.

Hint: Get wipes to clean walls and wipe off wet paint later on.

Apply painter’s tape to protect the trim, window frames, doorframes and carpeting. Use 1.5-inch tape for narrow baseboards and two-inch tape for wider baseboards and floors. Let the tape overhang the baseboard so paint drops are caught. Place strips of tape on the floor or carpet along the baseboard, tucking under with a putty knife.

Hint: To prevent paint from getting through the tape, use a putty knife to press down the tape for a good seal on the surface you’re protecting.

Remove all switch plates, curtain hardware, wall hooks and grills that cover duct openings.
Fill cracks and holes in the walls with spackle or joint compound, then sand away any imperfections using a fine-grit sandpaper.
Don’t forget to lay down drop cloths.

Hint: Vinyl tablecloths actually make great drop cloths. If you put the smooth surface down, it won’t slip around on hard flooring. On carpet, put the smooth side face up.

Prior to painting, apply lotion to your face and arms to make it easy to wash paint splatter off your skin.

PAINTING

Brush up on painting techniques and learn tricks of the trade:

If you’re making a drastic color change or if the walls are riddled with holes and numerous spackled areas, start with a primer coat.

Hint: Use a tinted primer similar to the color you selected to help reduce the number of paint coats and create a more vibrant finish.

Begin by loading the bottom 1.5” of your brush with paint. Tap it against the inside of the can or tray to remove the heavy drips.
Prevent paint runs by applying the brush a half inch away from the corners and trim, then work your way into those areas. This allows you to unload excess paint first.
Brush where you can’t roll. Apply paint with a 2” angled brush around trim and in the corners of walls, where your roller can't reach. Extend two to three inches out from windows, doors and moldings.
Paint one wall at a time for a seamless look. Edge first, then roll, blending as you go.
Slightly dampen the paint roller by gliding it over the tray and pulling it back over the tray’s grate to evenly distribute paint. Make sure the roller is fully saturated but not dripping.
Use the “W” technique with the paint roller. Begin in the corner and create a 3-foot “W” pattern then fill it in. Follow this pattern until the wall is coated.
Roll as close to the edged areas as possible to cover up brush strokes.
Let the paint dry, then apply a second coat, if needed.

CLEAN UP

Remove tape, dripped paint and keep your painting gear:

Use a hair dryer to help peel off the painter’s tape at a 90-degree angle. The heat will help the tape release without pulling off paint.
Use a razor blade to simply scrape paint splatter from windows.
Use a putty knife to scrape dried paint drips from wood.

Hint: Angle the knife down so it does not dig into the wood. Use a razor knife for corners and hard-to-reach spots.

Either wrap your paint roller and brushes in aluminum foil to keep them from drying before you paint again or rinse the paintbrush, roller and tray with water.
Use denatured alcohol to wipe paint residue from wood. Use a stain or stain marker to touch up any light spots.

The best part of this project is the ability to call it your own. After the paint has dried, apply decorative decals, hang artwork and furnish. Enjoy a fresh-looking room for years to come.

2/21/2016

Ashley Furniture coupon: 5 Simple Tips for Decorating With Accessories

Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF: Up to 50% 70% OFF Select Dining Room Apartment Decorating items + Free Shipping Redeem this Ashley Furniture coupon and get Up to 50% OFF Select Home Decor + Free Shipping On Many Items.

It’s amazing how small decorative items and accessories can make a huge impact in a room. Designers know the influence that rugs, lighting, throw pillows, art and other accessories can have in a space and know how to use them wisely.

Because unfortunately, accessories and small decor can also break a space. Decorative items are the most inexpensive way to freshen or add a new look to a room, but because they are so easily had, if a decorator is not careful these items can quickly overtake the home.

These simple tips for choosing, combining and decorating with accessories can help you pull together your room like a pro and avoid the common mistakes many home dwellers make with their decor.

1) Choose quality over quantity.

Mass produced items are inexpensive and readily available at your local home goods store, but is that really what you want to fill your home (and your life) with? When it comes to room accessories, less is often more. One specially chosen, unique piece may work better in your space than loads of tiny knickknacks that have no value beyond price.

2) Choose accessories that are the correct proportion.

We’ve all seen homes where dwellers have mistakenly choosen a postage-stamp rug in a coliseum-sized room. And those awkward walls where the too-large piece of art is crammed into a too-small space. Before choosing and/or placing accessories, take the time to study scale and proportion and what fits best in your space. Scale and proportion are what help create a comfortable home and doesn’t cost a dime!

3) Combine textures and colors.

I’m a big proponent of neutrals in large furnishings and permanent fixtures, but I love using inexpensive accessories to really break out with pops of color and varying textures. Accessories can and should be used to add visual interest and contrast in a space, and accessories can easily and inexpensively be altered or exchanged to fit changing moods, styles or seasons.

4) Consider asymmetrical arrangements.

Mantles are commonly decorated with a mirror or art in the center, flanked by a candle or vase on each side, but this type of symmetrical arrangement can induce a snooze fest in a room more quickly than one of Grandpa Larry’s “stories.” When arranging accessories, try going for balance instead of symmetry and group smaller items in odd numbers, such as in threes or fives.

5) Add accessories in layers.

Think of accessories as decorations on a cake. Large accessories should be placed first and sparingly, with medium and small-sized accessories filling in and adding balance where needed. Several small accessories can give the “feel” of a large item when grouped, but don’t forget to leave some breathing room. Not every nook and cranny in a room needs to be filled with decor.

Home Accessory Ideas
Below is listed a very small sampling of home decor items that you can choose from to accessorize and enhance your home. Remember to mix colors, layers and textures by choosing pieces of varying heights, widths and styles. For additional contrast, I also love mixing vintage items in with new. Just remember, if you don't absolutely love it, leave it sitting on the store shelf. Accessories are like trains... another one will always come along.

Lighting such as floor, table and pendant lamps.
Baskets and bins
Books and magazines
Vases and other glassware
Candles and candleholders
Natural elements such as flowers, seashells, twigs and pinecones
Mirrors, art and photos
Rugs and doormats
Pillows, cushions and throws
Themed or specialty collections
Birdcages and other hanging decor

2/19/2016

Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF: How to choose awesome area rugs

Ashley Furniture Clearance Sales 70% OFF: Up to 50% 70% OFF Select Dining Room Apartment Decorating items + Free Shipping Redeem this Ashley Furniture coupon and get Up to 50% OFF Select Home Decor + Free Shipping On Many Items

I grew up in homes with wall-to-wall carpeting and didn't know the beauty of a hardwood floor until my late 20s. Moving into a newly built condo in the heart of downtown, I was faced with what seemed like acres of gleaming wood floor. I loved the coolness under my feet and how streamlined everything looked.

It didn’t take long, though, before I craved a little coziness — so I bought a carpet. Let me clarify, it was nowhere near that simple. For me, finding an area rug was a months-long journey that taught me everything I could want to know about pile, durability, size, shape, patterns, textures, weight, cost, dye, practicality, manufacturing processes and, last but not least, beauty.

In the end I found that I personally gravitate toward antique low-pile or flat-weave rugs with a visible patina. Where some see old and used, I see a romantic past that might have included time spent on castle floors.

Eclectic Home Office by Joel Antunes photography
Joel Antunes photography
Beautifully worn antique rugs take me back to living in Amsterdam, where rugs are more about function than fashion. The Dutch are effortlessly stylish and extremely practical, and fully carpeted floors are an anomaly. Area rugs are placed only where bare feet might encounter them, and they are usually easy to clean and to hang outside on a wash line.

My newest love is patchwork rugs made from antique rug fragments. They're a modern take on very vintage carpets and offer one-of-a-kind patterns and combinations. Like the rug shown here, they beautifully adorn the floors of modern homes, adding interest and a story.

I have since moved houses many times, and my prized rug with its timeless pattern and vintage allure has weathered countless iterations of home design and decor. It has also been to the rug cleaners a lot more than I’d like to admit, and not only is that time consuming, but it’s costly too. Because my rug is made of wool, it gives off faint hints of “warm goat” scent if I don't care for it properly. That is definitely not a good thing!

It's important to take into account how easy it will be to clean your rug and whether you can do it yourself or you'll have to take it to a professional. In a home with pets, children or multiple activities going on, a rug is going to get dirty. Can you clean it without a lot of hassle?
Eclectic Carpet Tiles by FLOR
FLOR
Cambium Carpet Tile in Geranium - $12.99
The Right Style for Your Lifestyle

The other day I went to a client’s house to check on a renovation, and she wanted me to see how things had come together in the master bedroom. When I had left it last, the room was a warm modern bedroom with beautiful wood floors and a jute area rug under the bed with a pattern that wasn’t really working. I recommended we find a better suited rug for the space.

Walking to the doorway this time, I saw the enormous shag carpet that used to be in the family room taking up every square inch of the space. I’m very bad at pretending something looks great when it doesn’t, and in my shock all that came out was, “What happened in here?” My client could see I was alarmed and said, “Oh no! You don’t like it? It took my husband and I all day to take the bed apart and get this in here.” She was crestfallen. They meant well in their effort to repurpose the family room rug in a different space, but it just didn't work. The golden shaggy carpet took the room from modern to the '70s in an instant.

High-pile or shag carpeting works perfectly in a living room or bedroom in smaller doses. The high-pile carpet tiles shown here were put together to create an unexpected mix of pretty patterns. Enough floor surrounds the carpet that it doesn’t overpower the space but still provides comfort and coziness.

Many people like the luxury of a high-pile carpet underfoot. In those cases I recommend placing large, dense area rugs in the space, and only in the areas in which they’ll be walking on it. My personal belief is that rug is wasted when too much of it is hidden under furniture, in corners or underneath baseboards.
Contemporary Living Room by Apartment 46 for the Home
Apartment 46 for the Home
Because my recent client’s family members love to entertain, host a lot of sleepovers and are always on the go, high-pile or shag rugs really don’t fit their lifestyle. Frequently used spaces require rugs that can withstand a multitude of sins — from spilled drinks to muddy shoes — and a shag rug is very difficult to keep clean in those situations.

Switching to a flat-weave or extremely low-pile rug reduces the look of wear and is more practical when it comes to vacuuming or spot cleaning.

In the room shown, my client needed an area rug that provided warmth underfoot but was still minimalist and elegant. A high- or medium-pile rug would have changed the sleekness of the room by creating an "island" with furniture on top of it. We chose a very low-pile quatrefoil-patterned carpet that was cut and bound to create a custom area rug. Although the homeowners and their guests do not wear shoes in the house, we had the rug protected with stain repellant to prolong its life.

Consider three things when choosing an area rug:
What you love
Where it will be
How to take care of it
As a general rule of thumb, medium- to high-pile carpets should be cleaned once a year to remove dust, allergens and accumulated dirt that isn’t easily removed with a vacuum. However, most people don't take their rugs to professional cleaners for years, if ever.

Low-pile and flat-weave carpets provide fewer hiding spaces for nasties and are more easily spot cleaned, but they require a twice-yearly old-fashioned rug beating to remove accumulated dust. Many can be dry cleaned in lieu of being cleaned by a professional.

It is important to schedule regular cleanings of all of your rugs and carpets to create a cleaner and healthier home environment. Rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting harbor a lot of yuck if not properly cleaned — from carpet beetles to carpet mites — and it makes sitting on the floor or walking barefoot really unappetizing.
Modern Living Room by Niki Papadopoulos
Niki Papadopoulos
I recommend people choose flat-weave area rugs for high-use rooms. If there are young children who play on the floor, a low-pile carpet with a premium rug pad creates a soft, cushy place to be.

The rug shown here has a very low pile. But if anyone wanted to sit on the floor, it'd be comfortable enough for them to do so.

Bedrooms are a nice place to have a high-pile or shag area rug, but it should surround only the bed and not reach the far expanses of the space.

2/18/2016

5 Smart Dining Room Apartment Decorating Ideas

Whether it's the site for a dinner party of 12 or homework for one, the dining room can be many things to many people.

photography by MICHEL ARNAUD

Creating a comfortable dining room in a small apartment can be challenging. Try these tricks of the trade and you'll find your tiny dining room has never looked bigger.

photography by MELANIE ACEVEDO

Lighter look
Instead of a massive hutch that towers over the room, consider keeping dishware on a slender side table. This one, with mirrored shelves, makes things airy and bright, and the table lamp is cozier than a scene-stealing chandelier.

photography by MAX KIM-BEE

Clear solution
The reality is that when you're in a small space, furniture needs to step into double-duty roles. A table can be used for dining and working from home. A "Louis Ghost" chair avoids cluttering an already compact space centered on a heavy table

photography by MIGUEL FLORES-VIANNA

Repurposing an awkward space
It's a dining room, it's a library, it's your own personal reading room. An unused area that feels like a glorified corridor can be converted to a cozy multi-use space by adding shelves for books and art and a table for entertaining.

photography by ANNIE SCHLECHTER

Expanding horizons
Tables that expand are compact in close quarters but extendable when you need to spread out your work or add bodies around the dinner table.

photography by FRANCOIS DISCHINGER

Movable feast
Chairs gathered around a light pedestal table make for a living-room seating area that can quickly be transformed into a fireside dining space.