A welcoming room is...

I asked three local store owners for their definitions of a welcoming and well-designed room. This is what they had to say:

Judy Rayner and Nancy Fullerton, The Great Room:

The colour has to make you feel welcome. In our case, we don’t want too much colour. It has to be a soft, warm colour. The room also has to be functional. You have to feel comfortable in the room.

Kristopher Ledoux, Abode Reclaimed Furniture:

The most important thing is the ability to move in the room, the flow of the room.  The room should have good feng shui. There should be a healthy mix of contemporary clean lines and a little bit of rustic. And, lastly, the room should have big, thick picture frames, and not too much clutter.

Jennifer McNutt Bywater, Vested Interest Trading:

No clutter. This is especially true if you have children. You want to be able to put things away. The room should also have a complimentary colour scheme, and a warm and comfortable layout with a focal point. But most importantly: go with what you really love! You should be able to look around your home and feel that you truly love everything that you have chosen for it. That is how I feel about my own home.

What defines a welcoming home for you? 

Furniture with patina at Abode

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue...Abode Reclaimed Furniture's product lines have all of the above. The Abode "Originals" line includes glass cabinets, kitchen islands, entertainment units and hutches. All these pieces are made from reclaimed wood components originally found in old houses in the USA. With a range of colours and the possibility to combine the wood with reclaimed decorative tin, you can create your own unique piece.

Abode's other product lines feature modern furniture with a rustic twist. Have a look at the sample pictures below. The store on Oak Street opened its doors in November 2010 and boasts one to two week delivery times for their pieces.