Designer’s Tricks: Cut the Clutter or Just Look Like You Did!

Even the most harried, high-energy household can sport a peaceful, ordered space you will look forward to coming home to. Don’t laugh yet. Really. Our furniture and interior design experts share with you these time-tested tips from top designers to streamline your home by keeping an excess of things out of the way. The Chinese art of feng shui even claims that clutter blocks life-giving energy (chi in the jargon) from flowing through your home, denying you peace. And this has recently been backed by science, in that clutter makes it harder for you to focus. So, amidst the bustle of your school and work schedules, here are our favorite ways to help you decompress and enjoy your home for a change.

Manage Your Home’s Stage Through Optical Illusions

“Does this room make me look fat?” Truth: just like you don’t want horizontal lines on a plus-size dress, your home’s current design might be sabotaging your war on too much “stuff.” One design-studio trick you might find helpful in your home’s look is to use vertical space in your home furniture and cabinetry, such as curio cabinets. Another is to group like items, such as literally having all your knives in one drawer. Out of sight when not in use equals visual harmony in your newly decluttered home. Oversize ottomans do this trick nicely as well. And don’t forget that the right accent cabinet works not only to store seasonal mementos in rotation but keep your home office organized.

Keep Some Things and Toss Others

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? But as you know, things carry memories you don’t want to throw out. Don’t worry; the memories won’t fade. Feng shui makes putting items in your discard pile simple: if it doesn’t bring you joy (anymore), toss it. Only save the items that mean the most to you. “Give till it feels good”: donate the items you don’t need to a worthy charity or three. You might be congratulating yourself on your moneymaking talent by planning to sell the items online or in a yard sale. But designers warn that for too many people that’s just an excuse to procrastinate. Sell only if you know you mean it. Otherwise donate. Another word to the wise from decluttering pros: if you know you can buy the same item below a certain cost, why hang onto it now where it’s only wasting space? Pace yourself: give away a few clusters of things a week at a time.

So whether you’re just breaking a hoarding habit or downsizing the empty nest, we hope these pieces of advice renew your living space as you hope.

For more interior design inspiration and advice, stop by our Streator, IL store or one of our other locations.

How to Use Home Accents in Your Bedroom

Your bedroom is one of the most important rooms in your home. It’s where you rest each night, prepare for the day ahead, and it’s where you can seek solace and enjoy a bit of solitude, away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of your home. To make your bedroom into an attractive and welcoming space, you should think beyond the basics. While your bed and your dresser are obvious necessities, they can look a bit bare completely on their own. To enhance your bedroom furnishings, we recommend that you invest in a few fashionable home accents. At our home furniture store, we can provide you with a variety of distinctive home accents that will enhance your bedroom décor without breaking the bank. 

Brighten Your Bed with Accent Pillows

Your bed may already have a set of comfy pillows that you sleep on each night, but have you considered the addition of accent pillows? Unlike standard pillows meant for sleeping, accent pillows are used specifically for decorative purposes. These decorative pillows are small and inexpensive, but their colors and unique patterns will make a big statement. All you need is one or two accent pillows to add more depth and color to your bed and your overall bedroom décor.

Enhance Your Dresser with an Accessory Set

Most dressers feature large, spacious counters, and if you leave that counter space empty then your bedroom may end up looking inadequately furnished. One idea is to top your dresser with a coordinating accessory set. A set of matching vases and picture frames is sure to give your bedroom a stylish and personal touch. Another idea is to purchase a set of decorative trays and use them to display your jewelry and accessories. The decorative trays will bring elegance to your room while also adding to your bedroom organization.

Liven Up Your Walls with Artwork

One of the easiest ways to make a large visual statement in your bedroom is buy adorning your walls with eye-catching wall art. Whether you enjoy soft watercolors, realistic acrylic paintings, or dramatic black and white photos—our home furniture store has it all. Wall art will not only add life to your bare walls, but it will also give your bedroom a polished and more complete look.

To browse our complete home accent collection, shop at Curly’s Furniture today! You can shop with us online or visit us at any one of our brick-and-mortar furniture stores. You can visit us in DeKalb, IL or at any one of our three furniture showrooms in the state of Illinois.

Budget-Friendly Ways to Update Your Living Room Décor

Are you tired of your current living room décor? Do you have sofas or other living room furnishings that are beginning to look dull or worn out? While redoing an entire living room is the ultimate home furnishing dream, limited funds can often make that option an impossibility. When purchasing a completely new furniture set is out of the question, consider adding new home accents to your living room instead. Our home accents are affordably priced, and though many of them may be small, they can have a large impact on your overall décor.

Enhance Your Living Room with Wall Art

There’s no easier way to instantly enhance your living room décor than buying a set of attractive wall art. Wall art not only adds beauty to a room, but it also adds to the atmosphere, making it more warm and personal. At Curly’s Furniture, we have an extensive collection of artwork, including patterned canvases, abstract watercolors, and even dramatic black and white photography. Choosing a set of wall art that reflects your own personal style will give your living room added character and make it feel uniquely your own. 

Update Your Sofa with Decorative Pillows and Throws

If you have a sofa that looks a bit bare or is beginning to show signs of wear and tear, there are other, more inexpensive options than buying a new one. For a sofa that is looking a bit drab, a set of decorative pillows can work wonders. Decorative pillows will not only provide a pop of color, but then will also make your sofa look more sophisticated and put-together. If your sofa is beginning to look a bit worn or faded, you can actually mask these unseemly flaws with an elegant throw. You can drape a throw over the arm of a sofa, drape it across the center, or use it in numerous other ways. Our home furniture store has a variety of cozy throws available in a range of colors and textures.

Invest in an Accessory Set

If you are looking for a way to really round out your living room décor, consider purchasing an accessory set. Our accessory sets include various coordinating combinations of vases, candleholders, picture frames, and more. By purchasing a complete accessory set, as opposed to just one or two random accents, your living room will appear more polished and complete. We have dozens of accessory sets to choose from in both contemporary and traditional styles.

If you are ready to liven up your living room décor, come to Curly’s Furniture, where you will find an extensive selection of affordable home accents that you are sure to love. Visit us in DeKalb, IL or at any one of our three furniture showrooms.