New location - great rooms

The Great Room store entrance on 390 First

Ave. E. in North Bay.

 

 

 

 

Who doesn't want a great room? If you're the least interested in design, the answer is probably a resounding "I certainly do"!

A good first step to achieving that objective is to check out the store with the same name in downtown North Bay. The Great Room recently moved to the lower floor of a 1909 house on 390 First Ave. E, just next to Fischer.

The 800 square-foot area is divided in various rooms, and provides an intimate setting for the store's classic and contemporary pieces. Take a look!
 

If you like white-washed pieces - which is my case - this is a great mirror.

 

Grey couch from G Romano. The tufted bench seat, narrow

arm rests and overall straight lines give it a light, tailored look,

despite its width. 

Blue - a hot colour this spring.

A versatile, wooden console.

Retailers' Christmas picks

 
Christmas preparations are in full swing! Everything is right here, so there is no need to leave North Bay to celebrate in style. I asked local retailers to share their treasured holiday items and ideas. Read on for some of their suggestions:


A new use for grandma's white crocheted doilies:
hip and decorative snowballs, as seen at the FARM.
These doilies are from Antiques at Deegan's. Be
sure to scroll down to the end of the posting for
DIY instructions. You  too can make these beautiful
snowballs!!

The Farm carries these cozy mittens, made in Hamilton,
ON by SLO Mittens. Katie Bevan, the FARM: "This is a
new purpose for those old "ugly" sweaters we all wore
in the 90's. The mittens fit nicely and are lined with eco
fleece. They are so soft you'll want to climb right in and
curl up! They come in two different sizes and retail for $38."

And here is yet another way to use granma's
doilies. Pillow from the FARM.



A soft, red throw from the Great Room.

Nancy Fullerton: "This looks great for
the Christmas season, but can be used
all winter long. Nothing better than having
a cozy throw wrapped around you on a
cold night!"

 




How about a TV stand from the Cutter's Edge?
Megan, the Cutter's Edge: "This is a great and
popular spouse gift. It can be passed down for
generations.  Since customers can choose their
own stain colour and wood it’s easy to make it
match in any home."

Plush Santa/Moose/Snowman, also from

the Cutter's Edge. 



And here are the instructions for the crocheted snowballs, courtesy of the FARM's Katie Bevan. Make at least three of them, or five, for a decorative display (odd numbers generally look best).

You need:
- Balloons (the punching balloons that you can get at the party store are best)
- Doilies
- White craft glue from the hardware store (more affordable than the glue sold at art stores), with a very little bit of water to make it smoother to put on
- Brush to apply the glue to the balloons
- String for hanging the snowballs
- LED lights (optional) for inside the balls

Inflate the balloons, wrap  the doilies around them and apply generous quantities of glue. Hang to dry for about 24 hours. Pop the balloon when you are sure the glue is dry, and remove it. If the decorations deflate, just soak them with water and re-glue. Easy peasy!

Check out this link for more details and inspiration, and have fun:

http://www.moredesignplease.com/moredesignplease/2011/3/4/diy-doily-lamp.html

Do you have other great DIY Christmas ideas? Drop me a line and send a photo!

The perfect couch: dream or reality?

Looking for a statement sofa, such as this showstopper 

from legendary Barrymore Furniture? Or just a comfy 

sofa for you and your family? Read on for some tips!

So you are on the lookout for a new couch. You know what size and colour you want. And you know it has to be comfortable and practical. But how about the rest: shape of legs and arms, style of cushions and backrest? Not to mention details such as piping and nail head trim? Let's start with the legs.

Skirted couch from Lee

Industries, available through

the Great Room, North Bay.

Look at the legs of other pieces in the room and repeat the same general shape on your couch. If the other pieces have exposed legs, consider breaking that trend and opting for a skirted couch, or a couch with an upholstered or recessed base with no visible feet.

Arms: Are there already many soft, round shapes in the room? Then go with a couch with a rounder appearance. Stricter lines in the room often require a straighter sofa. Choose narrow, low armrests if space is tight.  

Alger Furniture and Appliances 

in North Bay sells this two-cushion 

sofa. 

 

Seat and back cushions: There are many options; a three-seater for example can have three individual cushions for each seat, it can have two, bigger cushions, or one single seat and backrest. The cushions can be loose or tight. Consider this: each cushion creates vertical lines in the couch. So if you want a clean and streamlined appearance, a sofa with fewer (and consequently larger) cushions is preferable. Couches with individual cushions for each seat have a tendency to look more traditional, and that might be exactly what your are after.

Three-cushion sofa available 

at North Bay's Home Furniture.

Nail heads are decorative metal buttons applied to edges and arms. Available in different finishes and sizes, they give your couch a somewhat formal appearance. Match the nail-head finish to your cabinet hardware, and your space will read as coherent and pulled together. Achieve the same effect with the piping, the fabric that covers the cushion seams. Make it stand out by using a contrasting fabric present elsewhere in the room. These embellishing details will make your couch stand out from the rest!

Smart furniture favourites

Use console tables for vignettes (see

previous posting).

Some pieces of furniture are just ingenious! I'm thinking of furniture that does double duty and that can easily be moved around in a room. Console tables, pouffes and nesting tables all fall into this category. I saw some good examples of these versatile pieces at the Great Room in North Bay last week. Here are tips on how to use them:

Console tables: The typical console table is narrow, long and somewhat higher than ordinary tables. Their often slender profile makes them ideal for displaying beautiful objects on. They can also be used as a bar, an extra table for food when you have big gatherings, or as a "catch-all" surface in a hallway. 

The same console table reflected in

a stylish, round mirror.

I love how the candleholders pick up

the blue from the table.

Nesting tables: You can never have enough small tables it seems, especially when you are entertaining. Nesting tables can be neatly tucked away when you don't need them; clutter control 101.

I know, this is not a nesting table. 

But I just had to show this cool,

sculpted stool/table from the Great 

Room.

Nesting tables with a slightly distressed 

look. They work beautifully with the 

console table above.

Pouffes: The casual cousin of ottomans. Can be stored under your console table! Pull them out whenever extra seating is needed. They add texture and warmth to a room.

From Wikipedia: "Tuffet, pouffe or hassock are all terms for a piece of furniture used as a footstool or low seat.^[1] It is distinguished from a stool by being completely covered in fabric so that no legs are visible. It is essentially a large hard cushion that may have an internal wooden frame to give it more rigidity. Wooden feet may be added to the base to give it stability, at which point said item becomes a stool or a footstool. If the piece is larger, so that storage can take place inside it, then it is generally known as an ottoman."

How do you like the idea of some pouffes in your space? Too casual? Just right? 

Divine design at the Great Room

If you're a fan of the design shows on TV, then you'll also like this store on Oak Street in North Bay. The Great Room opened five years ago and has been bringing in fresh, contemporary design ever since. Stylish couches, chairs, beautiful table lamps, coffee tables, artwork... The Great Room is jam-packed with inspiration! In addition to what's on the floor, you should also make sure to browse through the store's many product catalogues and fabric samples. Start imagining that special piece that will make your home shine...

Coffee table in limed wood. This wood finish

gives the piece a slightly worn, weathered
look, that goes well with other natural materials.
Combine it with a linen or cotton-upholstered
couch or armchair, rustic pottery and glass. $770.

Console table in the same limed wood finish. 

This would be a great piece for an entrance

(practical with the drawers), or a living room 

$610.

Pottery is great if you want to introduce some

movement and flow, especially if your room

feels too square and symmetrical. This piece

has a beautiful shape. $131.

Armless chairs are ideal when space is tight. 

By foregoing the armrests, the chairs look

lighter. This might be desirable if you already 

have a lot of chunky, large furniture in the

room. $825 each.

A classic Bergère chair. This piece has

a pale, striped upholstery which gives it
a fairly casual appearance. I love the mix
of classic (the chair, which dates back to
the 1700s) and modern (the understated
upholstery. An oversized floral pattern
would also have an interesting effect).
$1140 for chair and ottoman.

Look twice! There is actually a chair

behind the pillow, and it's very similar 

to the iconic Ghost Chair. This version

is called Casper and costs $310.

Ottomans are a good alternative to coffee tables.

They can easily double as extra seating if you are

hosting a large crowd. They can also add some 

colour and pattern to a room. I love the graphic 

print of this piece. $807.

Simple, clean and effective! 

Pillows $62 each.

Interesting base on this table fixture.

If you have other circle motives in your

room, this is your lamp (or even if

you just like the shape of it). $125.

The shiny surface of this lamp will

make the light in the room bounce 

around. That's especially desirable in 

a darker, smaller space. $224.

I love the shape of this table lamp.

$196. 

This sculptural pedestal table would 

look fabulous in a big entrance. Just 

add a bouquet of fresh flowers on top.

You'll be smiling every time you come

home. $180.

Summer is almost here and it's time to say 

"hello" to bright, happy colours. Changing

throws and pillows according to the season

is a good way to always keep your home

feeling fresh and up-to-date. $55.

Every gorgeous home needs a beautiful 

mirror. $350.

The Great Room has some great 

fabrics. Check out these for example:

This Parson-inspired chair has timeless

style. "Pedro" dining chair in leather. 

$170.

Ten slick sofas (plus an armchair)

Hunting for a couch can be challenging. Not only does it have to look stylish, it also has to be comfortable and practical. And, the price tag must be right.

Here are a few tips to make your next sofa purchase a lot easier:

- Know in advance where the couch is going. Take measurements and determine the maximum width and height of your future sofa.

- Be specific about your functional requirements. How many should the couch seat? Should it stand rough treatment from little ones? Pets?

- Think about what style of couch would look good. Does your room call for an ornate couch with rounded arms and back, or should the sofa have simpler lines?

- Determine if you want a solid-coloured couch or a patterned. If there is already a lot of pattern in the room, on curtains, rug, etc, it will look better with a solid colour. When visiting stores, ask for samples of different upholstery options to try at home.

- Shop around. Take photos, write down measurements and price. Then go home and look at the photos, try the upholstery options and make a decision.

Here are 10 slick sofas (plus an armchair) from North Bay stores:

I'm a big fan of "condo-sized" couches. They have

a much more "human" scale than the typical over-
sized sofa. The proportions are also slicker. This
couch is from the Great Room and costs $1620.
Look how great it is with orange and red!

This Canada-made couch is "a designer favourite" 

at Alger Furniture & Appliances. It costs $1499,
has clean lines and a variety of upholstery options.
Imagine how beautiful it would look in these fabrics:

Leather is practical if you have kids and pets
(watch out for sharp claws though!). This leather
sofa is from Sears. $2249.

Elegant lines on this sofa with nailhead details. 

And the upholstery options are almost endless! 

It is part of Leon's Cobistyle selection. You should

check it out! $1299.

I like the curved arm and nailheads on this couch. 

Below are some of my upholstery favourites:

A three-seater with rounded arms from Sears.

$1099.

A sectional couch is a good choice if you have the

space and need a lot of seating, like in a family 

room. Different modular pieces are often joined 

together to create a sectional. This gives a lot of

flexibility, since you can move the pieces around 

and try various configurations. This piece is from

the Great Room and costs $4486.

This sectional is from North Bay Home Furniture.

$2999.

With two seat cushions and one single piece as back

rest, the look of this sofa bed is clean and stylish.
$1099 at Sears.

A Brentwood Classic, now 40% off at Cleopatra

(originally $2400). Instead of the tray which is
seen in this photo, you have the option to include
a third seat cushion and back support. The couch
comes with beautiful upholstery options. See two
examples below:

If you have a tighter budget, you might be 

interested in this contemporary, faux-leather 

couch from the Brick. $399. And why not add

a fun chair to go with it, like the zebra print 

below. Also at the Brick. $179.

Which couch is your favourite?