Restoration Hardware
“Easton Upholstered Sofa in Café Velvet”
, $3,180
- Kiln-dried hardwood frame and steel springs will last forever
- Option for down-filled cushions, which is critical for comfort and retaining shape of sofa — cushions return to former shape when not sitting on it
- One of the most versatile and great-looking sofas
- Modern shape with traditional velvet fabric so goes with any décor
- Mixes in seamlessly with all the pieces you already own
- Arms and back the same height, which is a custom-made look — without custom price
- Like its namesake, this table is big, bold and natural
- Made of solid European white oak; the wood is really pretty and looks unusual
- Supporting the table are 4 hefty legs, each crafted from a single piece of heartwood, exposing tree’s inner rings
- Has heft and solid proportions
- Looks one-of-a-kind; has natural cracks and knots and wood pegging detail on top
- Polished wax allows wood to gain character as it ages
Pottery Barn
“Nail Head Chair”
www.potterybarn.com, $229
- Looks custom-made but great price
- Antiqued-bronze-finish nail heads make chair special — custom decorator details
- More modern version of a classic French chair
- Sturdy hardwood construction
- Natural linen upholstery, which is chic and understated
- Go-anywhere piece — there’s nowhere that this chair wouldn’t look good
- Can be formal or casual; looks great as dining-room chair or around the kitchen table
- Fantastic as occasional chair in living room to throw off a room that’s too symmetrical
- Perfect in bedroom, or pair in a hallway or entrance hall
- Made of plastic
- This pattern, faux bois, is always a classic; it's been around for ever but is super-hot right now; never goes out of style
- Gives a room texture, bringing the outside (tree branches) inside
- Instantly lightens space — every room needs something in chalky white
- Clean and modern
- Looks like it’s imported from somewhere exotic — adding one exotic piece not only makes you appear well-traveled, but lends eclecticism and history to a room
- Helps a room look lived in — not too sterile — and gives the impression that you didn’t buy everything in the room yesterday (if a room feels too matchy-matchy, this is a great piece to throw into the mix to shake things up)
- Black-and-white pattern goes with anything — foolproof way to introduce pattern to a room
Anthropologie
“Italian Campaign Canopy Bed”
www.anthropologie.com, $1,698 for queen-size
- Canopies can often be overly romantic or little-girlish — this one balances masculine and feminine (your husband won’t feel like he is sleeping in a little girl’s room)
- Starkly beautiful as is — you can leave it bare-bones for a French country look or drape with fabric for a private hideaway and highly decorated look
- This bed is versatile and keeps giving you decorating options for years to come
- Upholstered headboards soften the room and are more comfortable to prop up against in bed
- Camelback shape is timeless and classic — a tailored clean shape is a real “decorator” look, and this shape looks great covered in any fabric
- This chameleon transitions effortlessly from girly (if you paired it with floral wallpaper) to masculine (if paired with a woven-leather bench)
- Perfect lamp with great mix of simple shade with substantial base — well-proportioned, leather adds texture to a room (mix with different types of fabrics, textures) and square column base is, solid, hearty, which adds weight and importance to a room
- Adds a dose of masculinity to a room (helps a room or look that’s too precious or frilly)
- Neutral color goes with everything
- Good on either side of sofa or on a desk
- Timeless — will never look “last year”
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