Do you ever browse design magazines or Pinterest and wonder how to make your living room as cozy and inviting as the images? It may not be as difficult as you think. With a little planning, you can achieve the cozy, inviting living space you’ve always wanted.
Choose Plush, Upholstered Furniture
Furniture is one of the main ingredients to set the tone in your living room. Plush, upholstered furniture that’s comfortable and inviting is sure to make your home cozy for all to enjoy.
Decorate in Layers
Layers invite an element of coziness by mixing and matching pieces. Layer throws and pillows to add warmth to your living room. Rugs can be layered under a coffee table with a few pillows placed neatly underneath for guests to relax wherever they please.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Lighting
We’re talking all forms of lighting. Natural light, overhead light, and the ambiance of lamps.
While overhead lighting sometimes gets a bad reputation, it may be because it’s the wrong fixture. Replace stale or outdated overhead lighting with a stunning fixture that spreads light at all angles. Add soft or LED lighting and ambiance with decorative lamps on side tables or floor lamps near reading chairs.
Too much of one thing is never a good thing. The key to cozy is playing with textures. Expand your horizons with soft throw blankets, woven textures, baskets, metals, fabrics, and glass. The variety can bring warmth to a cool place.
Mix Rustic and Glam
Natural wood furniture and antler accents won’t turn your space into a cabin when it’s accented by neutral gray tones, glass, and other glamorous pieces. Create the right mix of rustic and glam for an inviting place for friends and family to gather.
Knits and Cozy Blankets
Is there anything cozier than knits? As you layer textures, include a knit blanket over a chair or soft, furry throws at arm’s reach for those cool, brisk mornings. Curl up with a cup of coffee and a book and you won’t want to leave your cozy corner anytime soon.
Add Natural Elements
Keep your living room vibrant with fresh, green plants. Do you find it difficult to keep plants alive? Decorate with succulents for natural greenery and less watering.
Show Off the Family
Nothing makes a home more appealing than the lives lived by the people inside. Showcase photos of fun family times and special memories with friends.
Keep It Functional
Cozy can also be functional. Make sure guests have a convenient place to set their drinks. Hide magazines, toys, or extra blankets in functional ottomans. If space feels tight, reduce the feeling of clutter with open-aired chairs and coffee tables.
Need more cozy furniture ideas? European Leather Gallery has exactly what you need for sofas, chairs, ottomans, coffee tables, and more.
Life is busy enough. Cleaning and taking care of the stuff in your home shouldn’t need to take up all your precious time.
The new era of minimalist design aims to reduce clutter and offer an open, clean space that’s both inviting and comfortable. If you’re interested in reducing the clutter and stress in your life and home, consider these six easy minimalist design tips.
1. Keep It Simple
The underlying tone of minimalism is simplicity. “Keep it simple” should be the philosophy for all your design techniques and finishing touches. Tone it down, strip it back, and stick to the less is more approach.
Simple doesn’t have to mean boring. Minimalist design can be warm, inviting, rich, and beautiful. When you’re finished, you’ll have a clean, calm, and clutter-free space to relax and enjoy.
2. Choose Quality vs. Quantity
The challenge of paring back your belongings is realizing how little you have to work with. This makes choosing furniture trickier than usual. Each piece must be considered carefully.
That’s why it truly pays to buy quality over quantity and invest in classics that will stand the test of time. Trendy, impulse buys that you tire of quickly don’t belong in your home. Select well-made pieces built to withstand daily use and reduce waste in landfills.
3. Implement the “One In, One Out” Rule
Isn’t it crazy how much stuff one person can acquire in a short period of time? Empty drawers and cupboards when you first moved in are suddenly filled with non-essential items collecting dust.
Pare down your belongings by reducing the non-essentials and implementing the one in, one out rule. For every new item you bring into your house, you must get rid of another.
4. Stick to a Natural Color Palette
White, black, beige, and metal hues – these are the natural tones to live by. Go simple and natural with shades that invite comfort and relaxation with an occasional (very occasional!) pop of color with a throw or pillows.
5. Invest in Stylish and Functional Storage
Even though you’ve decluttered and invested in quality over quantity, there may still be a few things you want to hold onto. Stylish storage keeps the chaos inside while it appears sleek and chic on the outside.
6. Change Up Textures
Sticking to all neutral tones can feel cold or boring. The trick? Add in plenty of texture. Improve the mood with soft throws, velvet pillows, sheepskin rugs, and a genuine leather sofa and chair.
Too many textures, tones, and color can be headache-inducing. Opt for similar white, beige, or gray tones like those you’d see in nature.
While you don’t have to get rid of everything to adhere to minimalist design, the less is more approach can help reduce stress and improve your quality of life. At European Leather Gallery, our Scandinavian designed furniture offers the quality, design, and value that’s perfect for minimalist styles. View our ergonomic sofas, recliners, and chic ottomans with storage online or in store.
Need more Nordic style in your life? Some designers would say, “Everyone does!”
It’s no surprise Scandinavian furniture designs are taking American homes by storm. Their “less is more” approach, simplistic designs, and focus on innovation is a breath of fresh air and causes everyone to stop and notice.
Whether you’re a minimalist, or just fascinated by Scandinavian-inspired home design, the following are a few decorating tips to give your home a Nordic vibe.
Flooring
You will rarely (if ever) see wall to wall carpet in Swedish or Scandinavian design. While it’s hugely popular in America, in Nordic countries that style has never taken off. True Scandinavian interior design relies on wood floors or—usually simple white or light colored wood, birch and pine are great options here. You can also use light grey stone or slate tiles.
This type of flooring is popular in Swedish design because it makes rooms appear more open and airy feel.
Fresh Blue Accents
While Scandinavian design is well known for it’s white, neutral colors it does rely on accents to bring out the design choices. If Scandinavia could have a favorite accent color – it’d be blue. They love bright blue area rugs, lighting, anddécor that stands out effortlessly against wood and black or white surroundings.
Accenting with bright blue adds a fresh pop of color and is quickly becoming the new trend in home design in the U.S.
Let There Be Light!
Norwegian countries can have more than two months of ‘polar nights’ — when the night lasts for more than 24 hours. So lighting needs is an essential design component.
Aside from Alaska, the rest of the United States doesn’t have to worry about continuous darkness, but we can still adopt their mentality behind lighting. To combat the long, dark winter nights their design is built on lots of lights to illuminate rooms as much as possible.
In addition to electric lighting, Scandinavian design relies heavily on natural light via plenty of large windows. This is a great way to bring the outside lights in. Homes in Scandinavia do not generally close up their windows either, so window treatments are at a minimum. Everyone needs some form of privacy though—so light, sheer fabrics such as linen are good for drapery and window coverings. This type of drapery can be expensive so always use a reputable fabric cleaning service to keep your drapes in their best condition.
Live Plants
A recurring theme in Scandinavian design is a connection with nature. This is seen through the open views from large windows, but also in the use of fresh plants and botanicals
In addition to beautifying a room, live plants play a role in well-being. Plants have a positive affect on our health and happiness and have even been shown to increase productivity and creativity.
Along with fresh flowers and green plants such as ferns, succulents have become popular décor pieces for homes and offices. And decorating with cacti is a new favorite choice. Whether you choose little or big cacti, any size will add a cheerful, green burst to your living room, kitchen, or home office.
Gray Walls
The majority of Scandinavian design trends are centered around stark, black and white aesthetics. This gives their design a neutral, blank canvas to start with and is a timeless approach to design.
We’re happy to see gray is now making a comeback as an additional wall color of choice. It offers the same neutral, monochromatic appeal, but with a softer approach. It also provides homeowners and designers with opportunities to use bright and bold accent colors to play off the neutral tones of the walls and floors.
Wood and Metal Materials
Natural elements are a key to Scandinavian design. But along with wood and nature elements it uses metal accents also. So don’t be afraid to use solid wood materials and metals throughout your home. Copper and brass, along with chrome also offers eye-catching looks within Scandinavian design.
Wood materials could be used on walls and ceilings—including exposed beams—to add texture and warmth. It can also be combined with metal effectively in tables, around window-sills and with artwork. Incorporating natural elements into your design and combining it with color and spacious views is crucial to Scandinavian design.
This combination of wood and metal creates almost ‘work of art’ pieces throughout your design.
Livable Space
This style of design relies heavily on the ‘form follows function’ philosophy. Scandinavians like their homes livable and fully functionally. Furniture isn’t chosen to merely “look pretty.” Each piece holds a purpose and typically offers multiple functionality features.
Smooth, clean lines and boxy looks are a big part of the mid-century look that Scandinavian design aims for. This produces a truly minimalist look. When you embrace the ‘less is more’ approach to design you have to make sure everything counts and is functional first.
Modern, Innovative Furniture Styles
Speaking of livable space, their furniture designs are both innovative in design and modern in style. They believe furniture should be beautiful and built for human comfort.
Ekornes Stressless furniture is a prime example of uniquely comfortable furniture designed and built in the heart of Norway. Our modern Stressless sofas and recliners offer innovative, ergonomic technology to support you where your body needs it.
Less Is More!
We’ve already mentioned how the focus is on minimalism, but it needs to be emphasized more. Scandinavian designers would shudder at English Victorian-style interiors filled with knick-knacks and boxes containing little boxes of clutter. It’s time to declutter!
When it comes to accessories, be selective and only choose a few. Scandinavians prefer clean, open space with a focus on quality versus quantity. Simplify your life by reducing clutter and sticking to the essentials. Not only will your home look great, you’ll feel better too!
Use these decorating tips for a beautiful and simple Scandinavian-inspired home. Need modern and comfortable ergonomic furniture direct from Norway? At European Leather Gallery, we offer a wide range of Stresslessrecliners,sofas,sectionals,tables, andoffice furniture. Don’t ignore your health and comfort. Check out the beautiful furniture options available to enhance your living room, home theater, or office.
Have you ever left work with a sore back only to get home, ready to relax and experience the same ache from your sofa?
If you spend much of your day sitting, your back may suffer from unsupportive office chairs or generic chairs and sofas built to standard sizes. Luckily, there’s a better way.
Ekornes understands good back health is important for living a happy, healthy life. That’s is why they designed their innovative line of Stressless furniture to promote back health.
Learn more about why a healthy back is so important and how Stressless furniture can help.
Happy Back, Happy Life
Did you know sitting in an improper position could damage your health? Poor posture can cause chronic back pain, circulation problems, and digestive issues.
If you’ve experienced debilitating back pain, you know just how much a happy back is important for a happy life. Persistent mild to severe back pain makes it difficult to enjoy everyday activities, let alone do everyday tasks necessary for daily survival.
That’s why it’s important to choose ergonomic office chairs and furniture which support correct back positioning to avoid overworking your back.
Stressless furniture is designed with you in mind. While your spine and back may differ from your friends or significant other, the innovative comfort technology in Stressless furniture is intuitive to support your specific body shape and size.
Not just one, but three built-in technologies race to your rescue:
Plus System – cradles the back, neck, and head for much-needed support in an upright or reclined position.
Comfort-Zones Technology – allows you to sink deeply into the chair in the most comfortable position.
Balance-Adapt System – offers select Stressless recliners a slight motion to simulate rocking.
Never has sitting or reclining felt so good. With the support you need, where you need it, your back pain can vanish.
Furniture Shouldn’t Be One-Size-Fits-All
Most furniture comes one-size-fits-all. Unfortunately, we’re not all a 5’10” male weighing 165 pounds (the average furniture design). In fact, only 2% of the population matches this size!
What about the rest of us? Stressless understood the issue and solves the problem with three recliner sizes: small, medium, and large. This allows you to find the best fit possible to get the comfort and support your body size needs.
If you’re like many Americans, you may spend much of your day sitting at a computer. Whether in a home office or corporate office space, your desk chair should be friendly to the human frame.
Unsupportive office chairs may not only lead to back pain and body dysfunction, the lack of support can make it difficult to focus on tasks. Stressless office chairs offer the comfort your body craves with ergonomic support right where you need it for a full day of work.
Don’t stress your back by sitting in uncomfortable positions at work or home. Stressless furniture does the hard work of supporting your back and neck in proper positions so you can relax. Check out the Stressless furniture collections available for your home or office today.
What is it about Scandinavian furniture that makes it so iconic? Besides standing out with unique designs, are there other elements that make Scandinavian furniture different?
Scandinavian design brings with it a rich heritage of modern, minimalist thought and design with a focus on centuries-old values and quality craftsmanship. This makes Scandinavian furniture functional, practical, and oh-so-elegant in your home.
Learn more Scandinavian furniture and why these unique furniture designs are truly iconic.
A Modern Flair for Design
Scandinavian furniture designers believe natural beauty should be a part of our everyday lives. They’ve taken a fresh spin on creating eye-catching furniture designs with a modern flair for everyday home accessories.
The unique angles and soft cushions are designed for beauty and personal comfort as each piece of furniture is both functional and stunning in your home. The modern designs of most Scandinavian furniture pieces make them truly iconic.
They Implement Elements of Nature
Scandinavian furniture designs are rich with elements of nature. Many pieces combine elements of wood, metal, and genuine leather, tying in their love for nature and the outdoors.
These natural elements and gentle organic contours are just a few of the features that make Scandinavian furniture designs easy to spot and iconic in the furniture world.
Innovation Is at the Heart of Scandinavian Furniture Design
As minimalists with a modern flair, Scandinavian designers create furniture that enhances your everyday life. They’re innovators in the shape and design of furniture while focusing on how the furniture responds to the human form.
A Stressless sofa or a chair is never just a piece of furniture. Each is designed with purpose and meaning with innovation at the heart of everything they do. When you choose Scandinavian furniture, you receive advanced technology and quality designs you can’t find anywhere else.
Focus on Quality Craftsmanship
Scandinavian furniture designers adhere to centuries-old beliefs that furniture should be well-built with quality materials. When you choose the highest quality leather, wood, and materials available, your furniture will last longer and offer more long-term benefits.
This value holds true today for Scandinavian designers and furniture companies. They forgo using cheap materials and instead choose durable, high-quality materials and quality craftsmanship for all of their furniture collections.
The Perfect Blend of Ergonomic Design and Elegance
Can technology and elegance unite in furniture design? Yes, and Scandinavian furniture does it well.
Scandinavian designers believe beauty should enhance even the humblest accessories in your everyday life. They unite advanced ergonomic technologies with elegant, modern designs to create the perfect balance of elegance and function in furniture you can use every day.
You can’t go wrong when you choose beautiful Scandinavian furniture for your home. Modern and natural influences combined with their values of technology and quality craftsmanship make this furniture one-of-a-kind. It pairs stunningly in your home and is an investment in quality that will last for years to come.
Home theaters offer the convenience of inviting your family and friends over to enjoy great movies in the comfort of your home.
Whether you’re building a new home or remodeling your current home to include a home theater, consider these important features when designing a personalized theater experience.
Flat Screen TVs and Projectors
What is the most important element in a home theater? The screen! Most home theaters use an overhead projector or a large flat screen TV.
Formerly, projectors were the method of choice for all home theaters. Today, flat panel TVs come in larger sizes while maintaining bright, dazzling images.
LED, LCD, or plasma TVs offer quality picture with sharp resolution, vivid colors, and brightness for all lighting conditions. Screen sizes for these TVs may be limited and larger screens can be expensive.
Projection TVs have a large, variable-size screen with flexible positioning. Mounting and installation can be expensive for ceilings, walls, or on a pedestal.
Projectors still offer the largest screen size for large home theaters, though flat panel TVs are a great choice for smaller spaces.
Comfortable Theater Seating
Perhaps the second most important feature for home theaters are the seats and furnishings. Seats should be comfortable and the viewing angle just right.
The best home theater seating provides each individual their own seat with personalized support. Options like the Ekornes Stressless Arion home theater seating allow you to mix and match individual seats, loveseats, and sofas with connecting pieces to hold drinks and popcorn.
Each seat offers innovative, ergonomic technology which caters personalized support to each individual. This means your family and friends are supported in the best ergonomic position as they enjoy the movie.
Quality Speakers and Audio Systems
Sound quality will set your home theater apart. The receiver and speakers are two necessary elements so it’s important to do your research. A great movie can’t be fully enjoyed without clear sound throughout the room.
Soundproofing
Quality sound is only the beginning. Soundproof the room to keep the sound inside so you can avoid disturbing other rooms in the house (or your neighbors!).
There are typically three ways to soundproof a home theater:
Install acoustic sound-deadening drywall.
Install sound dampening materials such as sound drapes, panels, or carpeting.
Mount acoustic panels on your walls.
It’s suggested that new homes use sound-deadening drywall for best results. It’s thick and absorbs sound the best. Remodeled homes may benefit from sound dampening materials or acoustic panels.
Remote Control Lighting
Good lighting contributes to a personalized movie experience. Remote control lighting saves you from getting up and dimming the lights or turning the lights on or off.
Lighting in a home theater should be subtle with a theater-like atmosphere, yet have the option to fully illuminate for cleaning or other activities. Choose fixtures that can be dimmed and remote controlled.
Whether you’re a first-time home buyer, or moving into a new home, buying a new home is the perfect time to reevaluate your current furniture. A new home may mean it’s time to say goodbye to an old, worn out sofa or chair. Start fresh in your new home and upgrade to new furniture to match the style and elegance of your home. Here are the top four furniture pieces you need when buying a new home.
Comfortable Couches, Sofas, or Sectionals
Are you moving into a larger home and need new couches to fill it? Or have your old sofas or couches seen better days?
Start fresh with new, clean Stressless sofas or couches. If you have a large living room or bonus room and you’d like extra seating, consider a Stressless sectional for optimal seating and comfort.
Extra Seating with Chairs and Ottomans
Sofas are great, but sometimes it’s nice to have a chair or two nearby for individuals to kick back, relax, and put their legs up.
Stressless recliners and ottomans offer the perfect solution. They offer ergonomic support for your whole body and help you relax in ultimate comfort.
Matching End Tables and Coffee Tables
If you’re upgrading your sofas, it may be time to upgrade your coffee and end tables too!
Choose a design to match your new living room furniture and place end tables or side tables near sofas or reclining chairs to hold lamps, books, or your morning coffee cup.
New Beds or Guest Beds
A new home may mean it’s time to upgrade your current bed or plan on using a spare room for a guest bed.
Moving is the perfect time to get rid of old mattresses and have new ones delivered to your new home. Also, consider sofa beds for more sleeping areas for family or guests to crash overnight.
Need ergonomic furniture for your new home? At European Furniture Gallery, we offer a wide array of sofas, sectionals, chairs, and tables to suit your needs. Shop online or visit our showroom.
As fall weather fully takes over across much of the country—it’s still nice and warm here in Jacksonville though—this is the perfect time to make a few changes around your home to offer a warm welcome this fall season.
If you’re looking to make some interior design changes this season, consider the following ideas to help make your home inviting and cozy this fall.
Use Your Mantle Space
Consider changing up your photos or décor on your mantle. Welcome the new season with rich fall colors of orange, yellow, dark reds, and classic neutrals. Change out art and add candles for a fresh start to the new season.
Invest in Supportive Furniture
Fall and winter mean you may spend more time indoors. For this reason, you’ll want to invest in new, comfortable sofas or recliners for a cozy and inviting living room. Stressless recliners or Stressless sofas help promote relaxation while supporting your body where you need it most.
Encourage rest and relaxation this fall with ergonomic furniture designed with you in mind.
Set the Mood with Candles and Lighting
As you settle in for longer nights, improve the atmosphere in your home with fall scented candles and lamps. Soft or simple lighting in a room offers a cozy vibe and fresh fall scents remind people of the change in seasons.
Decorate with Natural Accents
The most popular decor for fall is rich, natural woods and materials such as pinecones, leaves, and acorns.
Fill glass jars or vases with natural fall decorations and place them on your mantle, dining table, coffee table, or throughout your house.
Fill the Air with Fresh Baked Goods
If you enjoy baking, now is the time to make tasty fall treats and fill the air with delicious smells.
If baking isn’t your forte, make your house smell good by placing cinnamon sticks in a small pot of water on the stove. Bring to a boil and turn to low to release a lovely smell of cinnamon throughout your home.
In fact, the furniture sells itself when you discover the built-in features designed to mold to your body shape while allowing for movement and optimal support when sitting.
Stressless furniture fits like a glove and offers an innovative, ergonomic way to sit and relax. But don’t just take our word for it, here are more great reasons many people choose Ekornes Stressless furniture for their home.
Lumbar Support
When you sit in an Ekornes chair, you’ll be amazed at the features to offer your back support in any position.
The lumbar, or the curve of your spine, is supported in the correct position while the headrest supports your head for perfect alignment. Before Ekornes chairs, your spine has never known such tailored support and alignment whether in an upright or reclined position.
Chiropractor Approved
Your back will love this chair and your chiropractor will agree.
Stressless furniture isn’t limited to a solo chair for one.
Ekornes developed a line of stressless furniture to include recliners and leg rests, ottomans, Stressless stationary sofas, Stressless reclining sofas and ergonomic office chairs. Your home and office will be complete with furniture designed to reduce stress and pressure on your back and spine. By having more support where you need it most, you’ll experience less back pain and more comfort in your home or office.
Colors and Options
Not only does stressless furniture offer optimal support for your back, they come in multiple colors offering classic or modern styles to match your home or office.
Choose from neutral, black, or white leathers, or make a statement with a bright red leather sofa. Include wood accents and choose from six wood finishes to match your home and décor.
If you spend much of your day sitting, choose Ekornes ergonomic furniture to reduce stress on your back. You’ll be amazed at the results. Visit our showroom at European Leather Gallery for the best selection of Ekornes Stressless furniture for your home.
You made a great choice when choosing Ekornes Stressless furniture. Now it’s important to learn how to care for the leather and wood accents so your beautiful Stressless recliners, chairs, and Stressless sofas look great for years to come. Use these tips to take great care of your new Ekornes furniture.
Caring For Leather Furniture
Wipe leather chairs or couches with a dry cloth at least once a week to remove dust. Use water or leather cleaning product to remove dirt and body oils. Apply a protective leather cream every six months to keep the leather healthy and avoid cracking. Be careful with scissors, knives or sharp objects around your leather furniture to avoid cuts or damage to the leather.
Caring For Textile Furnitures
Vacuum textile furniture once a week and treat stains immediately to avoid lasting stain damage. Even when vacuuming regularly, your furniture can become dirty over time from everyday use. Clean the fabric with a fabric care cleaning product and focus on areas where your skin or hair come in contact with the material. If needed, professionally dry clean the fabrics for a deeper clean.
Products For Cleaning and Extra Protection
Ekornes has taken out the guessing by developing a unique selection of leather and textile furniture care products. The Stressless Leather Care Kit contains leather cleaner, protection cream, and handy wipes. The Fabric Care Kit contains fabric cleaner, stain remover, and ‘Ox cleaner.’ Each of these kits offers exactly what you need to keep your furniture stain-free and looking brand new.
Protect Your Hardwood Floors
Just as your furniture needs cleaning and protection, hardwood floors in your home need a protective barrier to stay in great condition. Use the Stressless Hardwood Floor Protector underneath ring-based recliners. This self-adhesive protective layer will help protect your tile or wood floors from dings or scratches.
Keep your Ekornes stressless furniture looking brand new with regular cleaning. Don’t forget to apply an extra layer of protection on leather chairs or sofas every six months and deep clean fabrics when they begin to appear dirty.
Shop online or visit our store for Ekornes furniture cleaning kits.
