Decorating Trends for 2013

Here at Woodchucks Fine Furniture of Jacksonville we are preparing to go to the High Point Furniture Market in Atlanta, GA. The High Point Market is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world, bringing more than 85,000 people to High Point every six months. Serious retail home furnishings buyers can be found in High Point twice a year because if you can’t find it in High Point…it probably doesn’t exist. Here we will be looking for new items to showcase in our store this up coming year! What do you think of these up coming trends? Is there any you would like to see at Woodchucks Furniture this year?

Antique Furniture "I hope people start looking at period furniture again — beautiful old pieces to mix with modern ones. Why pay $12,000 for a new chest of drawers when you can buy a gorgeous handmade faded mahogany thing at auction for $1,200?" — Bunny Williams

Bright Paint Colors "Photoshop, HDTV, and hi-res computer screens have dialed up our sense of vision. Our rooms will be full of brighter, more saturated hues. I just used Life Savers candy colors on a project and plan on using them more." — Stephen Shubel

Computer-Generated Fabrics "On runways, fashion designers have been showing computer-generated photorealist fabrics. Believe me, we'll soon be seeing those kinds of fabrics in living rooms." — Tom Scheerer

Homey Kitchens "We're moving toward a more organic modernism with warm, modern materials that look vintage: slate, irregular floors, weathered concrete, natural crackle-glazed tiles that look handmade. Less slick kitchens!" — Peter Dunham

Elegant, Graceful Design "Enough with the plain. I think people want pretty, and I predict a surge in demand for classic fabrics like Colefax and Fowler's Bowood." — Leta Austin Foster

Brass "I'm crushing on brass! I love how it revs up any space. It's timeless and affordable. What's not to like?" — Melissa Rufty

Bassett New Year's SALE!!

All of us here at Woodchucks Fine Furniture of Jacksonville would like to wish you a very happy and safe 2013!! What better way to ring in the new year than with an exceptional piece of furniture. With our Bassett New Year's SALE going on NOW it's the perfect time to buy! Make plans to visit us New Year's day because the sale ends tomorrow!!

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Now that the holidays are over, it's time to take down all your beautiful decorations. Follow these steps to ensure your decorations keep their splendor from year to year.

**Store Christmas Lights on Tension Rods**

A clever way to store Christmas tree lights without getting them tangled is by fitting tension rods inside a clear plastic container. Depending on the size of the container, you should be able to fit two tension rods lengthwise in the container, allowing you to store about six strings of Christmas lights. The trick to storing your lights this way is wrapping the individual strands around your arm, transferring them to the tension rod, then fitting the tension rod to the plastic container.

**Store Christmas Lights on Cardboard**
A fun and easy way to store Christmas lights is to wind them around a sturdy sheet of cardboard covered in leftover Christmas wrapping paper. Wrap a single strand of lights around a sheet of cardboard, cutting slits at both ends to secure the plugs. Stack each light-laden cardboard sheet in a box for easy Christmas light storage.

**Store Christmas Ornaments in Divided Trays**
For Christmas ornaments that are mostly the same size, you can purchase a divided-tray ornament container to keep your ornaments organized. Line each space with large squares of felt to protect delicate ornaments, keeping similar colors together so they're easy to find next year.

**Label Your Christmas Decorations**

Marking items is a great way to help distinguish similar accessories when you pull them out from year to year. Do you have specially cut artificial garlands to fit a stair railing, mantel, and sideboard? Hang a labeled tag from each section for easy identification or store them separately in clearly marked bags.

**Group Decorations Together**
For a display you want to re-create each year, be sure to wrap and store every item in one place. For example, a display with candles, a garland, a glass cloche, ornaments, and holiday boxes should be packed away together, making it a snap to arrange the following year.

**Store Everything in Clear Containers**
Clear plastic storage jars and tubs are indispensable in getting holiday items organized. Separate decorating elements by room, color, or style -- whatever makes sense for you. For example, you might want to designate one for candles, another for holiday ribbons and bows, and another for the mantel garland. Slip a large paper sign inside the tub, positioning it so you can read it easily through the side of the bin.