Italian contemporary furniture is synonymous with style and quality.  From the Post-War period to today, Italian designers have been on the cutting edge of furniture and home décor design.  Early designers to make their mark, and influence generations to follow, were Carlo Mollino, Gio Ponti, Piero Fornasetti and Joe Colombo. Italian contemporary design is known for its clean lines, whether they are curved or straight, geometric shapes, and use of leather, chrome, glass and lacquered finishes.  You won’t find a lot of fussy details in Italian contemporary furniture as the focus is on form, function and style.

Here’s a useful glossary of terms for Italian Contemporary Furniture:

Aniline:  Type of dye used to color leather or wood in a spectrum of colors.

Lacquer finish: Clear high gloss finish applied to stained or painted wood furniture

Laminate:  Multiple thin layers, either wood or plastic, used in furniture construction or applied as a finish to furniture.

Micro-fiber: A densely woven synthetic fiber material that is resistant to staining and long wearing. Fibers are extremely fine, often less than the diameter of a human hair.

Modular Furniture: Individual pieces that can be combined into a larger piece, such as a sectional sofa, entertainment center or wall mounted shelves.

Platform bed:  A bed with a low profile that sits on the floor.  May or may not have storage drawers making up the platform.

Veneer:  Thin layer of expensive wood bonded to a lesser “secondary” wood used to construct the piece of furniture.

Be sure to ask your Chateau Interiors designer to share more about the Italian contemporary style.

Country style in a city space makes us think of the children’s story about the country mouse going to visit the city mouse. Adding country style to city lofts or apartments makes these urban spaces feel cozy and comfortable.  Gingham and patchwork might not work in an industrial space, but country style doesn’t have to mean farmer chic.

Wide wood flooring is more typical of farmhouse style but would look fantastic in a loft or apartment with exposed brick walls. Pine floors could warm up a cool, industrial space. Scatter rugs and braided rugs add a vintage feeling. The stripes and concentric circles typical of braided rugs would feel modern in a contemporary design space.

Vintage furniture or provincial style furniture can also bring the country to the city.  Walnut and pine are typically used in more country style furniture. Distressed painted pieces can add a well-worn, antique feeling to any room.

Linens, cottons, ticking and burlap used in linens, pillows, upholstery and curtains recall the simple elegance of farmhouse living. Added to a city apartment, these fabrics bring in texture to the room.  Quilts, Hudson blankets and plaid woolen blankets on a bed or sofa add country style to a bedroom or living room.

The kitchen is an easy place to add country style. Old fashioned tea towels, wire egg baskets, woven baskets can all add a bit of country charm to the kitchen.

A little bit of country can go a long way. Warm wood floors, natural accessories, fabrics, area rugs and vintage furniture and objects can all bring the country to your loft.

Visit with a Chateau designer to find out more about styles to suit your space.

Whether you are shopping for furniture or redecorating a room, you’ve probably heard the term “transitional” used to describe both furniture and decorating style.  What does transitional style mean exactly? Transitional is a blend of the best of traditional, modern and contemporary styles.  Transitional style it the chameleon of design.  It can blend in with a variety of furniture styles. Not to be confused with eclectic style, which is more about a collection of disparate pieces and styles, transitional is a single piece or room that seamlessly balances and unifies varied styles.

For transitional furniture, this means that a piece has elements of both traditional and modern or contemporary styles.   A great example of this is a sofa that has clean, modern lines, but traditional details like button-tufting or nail-head trim.  Another great example of a transitional furniture piece is a Parson’s table.  These simple tables can work in any décor by pairing them with modern or traditional dining chairs or a desk chair.

Fabric and textiles are wonderful ways to bring transitional style to a piece of furniture or room.  Period textiles from the sixties, like David Hick’s bold geometrics, on a French settee or wing back chair, turn a traditional piece into a transitional piece.  A little trickier is taking a modern or contemporary chair and upholstering it in traditional fabrics. It can be done. A traditional French toile or damask might not work, but a tweed or men’s suiting flannel could.

Blending traditional and contemporary styles is what transitional style is all about. Mix forms with textiles and trim from other styles. Unify a transitional space with color.

Be sure to visit with a Chateau Interiors’ designer for more information about Transitional style.

Very few of us will buy all of our furniture at the same time, at the same store, in the same style. While showrooms are great places to get ideas, do we really buy the entire room set when we shop? Mixing new furnishing with existing pieces, combining styles in furniture and decorative objects is what makes a house feel like a home, and not a showroom.  Eclectic style doesn’t necessarily have to mean funky.  Combining things you love, heirlooms passed down through the family or that vase you bought on your honeymoon, with new furnishings can be daunting. How do you make it all work together?

Color is a great way to incorporate the new with the old.  Think about the color palette of your room before you bring in new pieces.  Do you want the new sofa to blend in with existing pieces or stand out? Are you looking for decorative objects to accessorize your vintage furniture? Look at color, texture and shape that will complement the existing lines, colors and fabrics.

Don’t forget about scale. Like many other things these days, furniture seems to be getting bigger. Measure and map out your space so you’ll know what size sofa, tables and chairs will fit with your current furniture.

Be adventurous in your accessories and accent pieces. Pillows, vases and found objects are a great way to add eclectic style to your room.  Start with one of two pieces in a different style. Add a rustic farmhouse style basket to a modern room or a contemporary drum shade to a more traditional lamp.  Mix and match pieces to create an eclectic style that is all your own.

Visit with a Chateau designer to find out more about styles to suit your space.

If you grew up with wood floors, you may feel that the only option to consider is solid wood. However, if you spend some time looking into engineered wood you may change your mind.

To start, engineered wood offers considerable advantages for renovation. Solid wood installation requires cutting, placing, sanding and staining. This is a dusty and time-consuming process for established households. Engineered wood is pre-stained and finished. Installation is faster and cleaner.

In some cases, engineered wood is a noticeably better choice. For example, if you have concrete subfloors engineered wood is designed to handle the temperature and humidity shifts that occur. Solid wood may buckle and warp under those circumstances.

If you want radiant heat, engineered wood is the only reasonable option because of the changes in humidity and temperature involved under the floor.

Today’s choices in engineered wood include a broad variety of options. You can choose from many different types of wood, finishes, widths and textures. With expert installation, the floor will look just as good and be just as easy to maintain.

When you’re ready to upgrade to a wood floor, or if you’re installing wood in your new home, consider the possibility of engineered wood. You may be surprised by the quality, variety and results.

Bright colors have come back into fashion recently. This is confirmed by Pantone, the firm that produces color palettes for manufacturers, graphic artists and designers, with its choice of Honeysuckle for the top color for 2011. A bright reddish pink, this color invites other comparable light bright tones to join it for a lively room.

If you’re tempted by these vivid colors but not sure what type of flooring will work best with them, take a look at light-colored wood and bamboo floors. As you can see from the photograph, bright tones work extremely well against the warmth of a light wood.

The versatility of this flooring makes it a good choice for children’s rooms. As they grow and their tastes and color preferences change, this floor will work with their evolving choices. It also keeps a room light and inviting.

If you want flexibility in your home, choosing a light wood floor will allow you to adjust your colors with the seasons or your mood. Simply choose neutral shades for the primary pieces of furniture in your home and use area rugs, throw pillows such as these and accessories to vary the colors.

Selecting a light floor such as this maple or a bamboo option gives you almost unlimited choices for decorating. Whether you want to follow the color trends every year or just discover the colors that are just right for you, wood will handle any color choice you make.

Do you have a close friend or family member that is temporarily limited to bed or staying at home due to illness or a broken bone? There is nothing more frustrating than lack of mobility and feeling bad for a long period of time.

There are things you can to do reduce the difficulty of dealing with this situation. Here are a few suggestions that can help reduce their frustration and make the process more tolerable.

To start, when you visit, ask if there is anything you can do. For someone laid up with one room to look at day after day, having a crooked picture on the wall or a wrinkle in the drapes can really get challenging. Just straightening up whatever they want straightened will cheer up the space. If they don’t ask, do it anyway. Empty the wastebasket and clear out yesterday’s newspapers if they’re done reading them.

Make sure the floor is clear of tripping hazards and obstacles – particularly between them and the bathroom. If they’re dealing with a walker or wheelchair, the easier it is to get to critical locations the better.

Bring lunch. Chances are the food options are limited. If you know their favorite pizza place, stop by for one topped the way they like it. Bring something home cooked, or donuts from their favorite bakery. This is a gift that keeps on giving even after you leave.

Finally, stay in touch. Even a phone call when you can’t make it over can help. Isolation is one of the biggest challenges of being home or bedroom-bound. Your voice and your presence can make a difference.

Shopping for new flooring for a room can be overwhelming. If you answer a few questions before you start, you may find the shopping process easier and more successful.

• Take a look at whether the room has a different purpose than its original one. Perhaps what had been an office is now a child’s bedroom. Or as empty-nesters, you have converted an old bedroom into a sewing or guest room. Now is the time to decide whether the flooring should be changed to reflect its new purpose.
• With the change in purpose, your new flooring may need to fit new goals. Do you need low maintenance, or is style the first consideration? Make up a list of those expectations and bring it with you when you shop.
• Do you still have the same style preferences you had in past years? Do you find yourself leaning more toward modern elements or have you gone more traditional lately? Be sure to choose a floor that will reflect the way your taste is headed rather than how it used to be.
• Do you have any color requirements or preferences? Once again, choose flooring for what you want rather than what you have.
• Have you determined your budget for the floor? If possible, give yourself a range. If you choose a floor that will have more value for resale it may be worth spending some extra dollars.

Answering these questions can help direct your search and reduce confusion, making the purchase process more streamlined, easier and more fun.