Caring For Upholstered Furniture and Fabrics

To keep the fabric on your upholstered furniture looking bright, new and inviting for as long as possible, follow these suggestions:

Periodically, lightly brush or vacuum the upholstery to remove soil particles and dust and prevent them from imbedding between fibers.

Turn and rotate cushions after vacuuming to prevent excessive wear and soil deposits.

Avoid placing newspaper on fabric. The ink will permanently stain and discolor the material.

Keep fabrics away from direct sunlight if possible.

Do not use acids, dyes, paints or nail polish near fabrics.

Do not cover fabrics with darker fabrics when having work done in the home, since dyes may rub off.

Liquid spills should be absorbed immediately. Blot with white absorbent cloth or paper towel.

Spills such as jelly or soft spills should be scooped up with a soft edge spoon. If the spill has dried up, scoop it gently and vacuum the rest.

Never throw your fabric in the washer or dryer unless the fabric says it is machine washable. 

Remove the pillow forms before washing.

To spot clean, always test an area of the fabric that is not seen first, such as under a chair/sofa skirt. Let it dry, and then proceed if the results are positive. Do not oversaturate an area with any cleaning solutions.

Do not rub strongly and try not to let a stain dry.

Professional cleaning will prevent the gradual buildup of dirt and grime, but discuss with the dry cleaner any fire retardant finishes that may not endure through some methods of cleaning.

Furniture Consumers Looking For Better Quality

For 30 years Almira has been proud to offer only the highest quality solid wood and upholstery to our customers. Those folks who choose to buy a lesser quality product are now starting to rethink their decisions, looking for a better quality product next time around. A recent survey by the leading industry magazine, Furniture/Today bears this out.

Seven out of ten customers will do something different next time they purchase furniture with 40% of those planning to buy better quality. Over 25% plan to buy more durable furniture.

Here are some comments received during the survey.

"I couldn't find the perfect sofa in my price range and ended up settling. Knowing what I know now I would have invested more time into research and allowed myself a bigger budget"

"Good quality furniture lasts much longer with normal everyday use. Uncomfortable furniture may look good, but it really just takes up space."

"My current furniture has worn quickly because I bought it discounted. Next time, I'll invest more so that it lasts and remains comfortable."

"As we have gotten older, it has become a priority to spend more money on things that will last as opposed to cheap things that have to be replaced often."

The survey also showed 83% of consumers research their future purchases by visiting retail stores or retailers websites. This is a statistic we love. At Almira we welcome the opportunity to show you the benefits and features of our quality solid wood furniture. Furniture built to the highest standards and built to last.

We welcome you to drop by the store, enjoy a coffee, chat with a sales consultant and discover all we have to offer. We look forward to seeing you.

2013 Design Colours

The results are in. A survey by Furniture Today concluded that the hot design colours for 2013 are Blues, Grays and Greens.

Blues topped the consumer choices at 29%. Comments included; "It's always blue with another colour. Blue is the colour of the sky, ocean and in my opinion, looks good in every shade", "Beautiful, deep, calming, lovely", and "It can be elegant or whimsical".

Grays came second at 18%. Some say "Grey is the new Beige" while others say "Grey is neutral, but not boring". Additional survey comments included; "Gray is so timeless, and works with everything including my natural wood pieces" and "It's a way to add mood without permanently dictating my colours of the future".

Rounding out the top three are Greens. Nature is a definite influencer. Comments included; "It provides a pop that is refreshing", It calms me and feels fresh, clean and warm all at once" and "Colour of nature, calming and peaceful, feels like a sanctuary, feels like me".

Additional comments and directions coming out of the survey were that 76% of consumers preferred an unplanned, eclectic look while 24% preferred a complete coordinated look. 97% think it's important that their home reflects their personal style and creativity.

A Sea of Blue Brought to You

By Allison Kahn  - Hooker Furniture

There is nothing more relaxing and enjoyable than taking a trip to the coast and staying at a cozy beach bungalow with family and friends. Owning and decorating a beach house is a luxury not everyone can afford, but you can easily bring the beach to your own home—even if it’s far from the seaside. Hooker Furniture’s coastal cottage collection, Harbour Pointe, brings the vintage beach look to your home in fresh, light colors. I’ve put together some ways to create the perfect coastal-themed living room using the Harbour Pointe collection.

When decorating a living room, choosing a focal point is important. Be sure to work around this piece and only place items in the room that will complement it. In this case, I think using the sectional as the focal point would be a good choice because comfort is key to coastal decor. The sectional from Harbour Pointe in the Lindy Natural fabric is a great starting point. The upholstery fabric closely resembles the color of sand—how perfect!

Blue is a popular choice of color when furnishing and decorating a beach house. When decorating your home in a coastal cottage theme, choosing earth-tones, sands and browns with a contrasting color– such as blue– can really give your home an organic feel. Accent the sectional sofa with some comfy throw pillows in the fabulous blue Spicer Lapis fabric to make it very inviting. Strategically place ottomans in a blue hue around the room for some added comfort.

Transform your living room into a beach-themed getaway with a sand-colored upholstered sectional sofa, blue ikat patterned ottomans, and a rustic white cocktail table and entertainment console. Together they work in harmony to create a relaxing environment.

A relaxing coastal living room

Along with the essential furniture pieces, another way to bring the coast to your home is with accessories. Buy a large glass lamp and fill it with seashells—the seashells are easy to find in bulk at little beach shops.  A lovely white sailboat on a sofa table would make a great conversation piece. Strategically place some blue glass bottles on a shelf or use a blue lamp base with a large white lamp shade to tie in the blue theme.

Blue glass bottles on a shelf make a great accessory

It may not be in the plans for you to decorate a beach house anytime soon, but with Hooker Furniture’s Harbour Pointe collection and some simple accessories, the beach can brought to your house!

For Great Taste At Home, Pick Boyz-n-Berry!

By Mary Wynn Ryan - thanks to Hooker Furniture

In ancient days, purple was a color reserved for royalty only.  Today, this rich color is still right for a look that’s both elegant and exciting. The color forecasters at Color Marketing Group have flagged “Boyz-n-Berry” as one of the year’s top shades, and no wonder: This passionate hue is surprisingly versatile.Check out how regal Boyz-n-Berry looks when paired with gold or other warm neutrals, as in this inviting room

photo courtesy Calico Corners’ Calico Homes

Why not take it beyond a girl’s bedroom to a dramatic library or media room and harness the theatrical power of purple? Or mix it with warm neutrals (gold, bronze, beige) for a complementary scheme that’s refreshing and regal. For a contemporary twist, pair it with silver, chrome or light gray and an icy pastel such as mint or aqua. Or jump in with a mix of flower hues grounded in sophisticated shades of taupe, tan, gray or green.  Use a fabric you love as the basis for a room’s color scheme: A goof-proof plan is to color the walls in the lightest, quietest hue; flooring and some furniture pieces in darker or mid-tone hues; and other furniture and accent pieces in the brightest hues. Here are a couple of fabric choices from Sam Moore Furniture in the Boyz-n-Berry shades:
The “Elodea Berry” upholstery fabric from Sam Moore makes pink and lilac living room-ready with the savvy and surprising addition of hot golden-orange and cool, pale gray.

Elodea Berry fabric from Sam Moore

Classic medallion motifs make a splash in adventurous-but-elegant color schemes like the Lilac fabric from Sam Moore. Lavender takes a dramatic turn when used with deep red, bright gold, pale gray and black.

Lilac fabric from Sam Moore

The Boyz-n-Berry trend is even influencing housewares. In fact, check out this stand mixer in the Boyz-n-Berry shade sold at many outlets including Sears and Lowes! Why not mix  up your next cake in style?

A mixer in the Boysenberry shade

Living in the Moment: Keep It Simple at Home

Thanks to Loreen Epp - Hooker Furniture Company:
A growing desire to live fully in the moment is driving a pervasive design trend that has been brilliantly named “The Story of Now” by one of the world’s leading trend forecasters,WGSN-HomeBuildLife. WGSN recently presented the top trends shaping home product design and décor at the High Point Market, the world’s furniture capital.The Story of Now, WGSN said, is a pervasive market catalyst prompted by a growing need to simplify our lives, to make real time for the things that really matter.

Symmetry in design gives serene feeling

A fresh take on carpe diem? Perhaps. But more than just living the day, we want to live in the moment.  And this moment’s all about home. We want to celebrate our life as it happens in a place and time.
This focus on our ‘now‘ is driving a love affair with simplicity that goes well beyond the urge to clean up clutter,organize our drawers or buy a Swiffer. Our desire to pare back is causing a wholesale change in taste and style preferences, causing many to wonder if the modernists, with their less-is-more credo, were on to something.
In fact, such a growing want of less in pursuit of more is pervading new ideas about home… from less complexity (…the inherent character of a material may be ornament enough) to less strain on the environment (…materials in their natural form are the most natural) to less busyness(… viewing just one or two key design ideas on a piece of furniture can visually ‘calm things down’).
As far as color goes, it would be predictable to expect ‘earth tones’to be right in step with this trend to simplicity. But that’s only part of The Story of Now.Bark and bread tones have a role, but so do washed-out or grayed-down versions of almost any hue (‘complex neutrals’)… along with pure white.
Pure white, especially in bedding, is hard to beat when it comes to calming the senses and simplifying your surroundings. Both of these examples of white bedrooms that combine pure white and soft neutral colors project serenity and an embrace of the here and now:

White bedding is the essence of simplicity

White bedrooms calm the senses

Color is also becoming a key  tool to create depth or exaggerate shape, with light-and-dark ‘value’ contrasts, color blocking, or simple stripes offering a graphic, ‘less busy’ alternative to carving. The simple contrast of the antique mirrored front against the merlot wood finish in a symmetrical design on the 6-drawer mirrored chest in Hooker Furniture’s Mélange Collection illustrates a “here and now” approach to design.
With this less strident approach to color, high-touch textures(concrete, stone, mohair, linen, leather) and the drier finishes that exaggerate them,are becoming fast favorites.
This urn console from Hooker Furniture’s new Rhapsody Collection featuring simple lines and a dry, stone-colored finish is a good example of the color and tactile theme for the Story of Now. Not only the design, but also the function of this piece fits with décor that lives in the moment. In today’s open living spaces, this piece provides a perfect room divider that can be used as a serving piece for parties, dinners or other special occasions.

Dry, stone-line finishes fit the story of now

Although key ideas of modernism may be driving the attraction to less, The Story of Now welcomes historical ideas in pursuit of new ideas about simplicity. Witness the urn shaped bases on the Rhapsody console, straight out of ancient Greek culture.  Beauty and utility are considered inseparable, inspiring designers to mine past and present for ideas that blend the best of old and new ideas.
The Story of Now, in fact, is as much about yesterday as today.“We’re just like academic archaeologists,” writer Adam Curtis concurs, “using all sorts of fragments from the past to examine the present.”

The Power of Paint

By Nancy Lindemeyer (Reposted from Hooker Furniture, thanks!)



Working with color is just about the easiest way to make dramatic and welcome changes in your home. Use your imagination and a few helpful hints from how decorators are using paint today and you can change the look of your home without hammer and nails or a crew of carpenters and architects.

• Dark colors: The first thing to do is decide to be brave to get the effect you want in a room–like this bold wall in the dining room of the Primrose Hill collection.

Deep tone of walls compliment white finish

The deep tone of the walls perfectly sets off the trellis white finish of the chairs and the china cabinet. Artwork is also shown off to great advantage against such hues. Here are some other things to consider when selecting to use jewel tones:

• Don’t be reluctant to use dark color in small spaces. Bathrooms and foyers, for example, can benefit from not only the depth of a dark paint, but also from a lacquer-like finish. Besides being décor-savvy, the walls and even the woodwork will be much more durable. The spaces come alive with luster as well as a brave new look.
• Dark doesn’t mean gloomy. And no amount of sparkling white or happy yellow will turn a normally dark area that doesn’t get natural light into one that looks like it does. You can make the space have its own dimension by choosing an appropriate deep shade.
• A ceiling that’s not white?  Is it a decorating sin?  Not if you want to define a space that otherwise might be overlooked.
• For a cozy space, nothing is as appropriate as a dark tone. A den, library, or home office all take on character with dark paint colors.

• Bright colors: To give a room good cheer and energy, consider a bright color such as the intense blue walls in this Harbour Pointe dining room.

Navy, ink & midnight blue are on trend

Today’s decorators are using such color liberally throughout the entire house for results that make ordinary rooms special. Here are several ideas to take into consideration when using bright colors for a new look for your home:

• Use the same color for woodwork, doorframes, and walls. The uniform look will make your space look clean and fresh. Sometimes painted details can make a room, and depending on the look you desire, one bright color treatment takes attention away from old-fashioned fussy details.
• Old houses just might welcome a modern touch with bold colors–and the combination can be a striking one. Traditional furnishings against such backgrounds will give your home a fresh new look.
• Why not have complimentary colors flow from room to room? It’s been a rule for a long time to choose a color range and repeat it in different shades. But now, go for a new approach and have bright, distinctive colors play with each other as your eye moves from open space to open space. Within each space, pick up one of the colors of an adjoining room–this way the colors will get along beautifully.

• Neutrals and Off-Whites: And just when we thought these decorating standards have gone old hat, there are exciting new ways to take advantage of their subtle power. Giving a room a soft touch is illustrated in this living room furniture area from Hooker Furniture’s Sienna Canyon.

Rich finishes pop against neutrals

Here, the existing tones in the furnishings dictate the paint and allow a very pleasing, unified look. When using neutrals and off-whites, take into consideration these ways to work with natural light:

• For north-facing rooms, avoid off whites with a gray base as these will make a room seem darker. Instead, choose yellow-based, creamy neutrals.
• The joy of south-facing rooms is that you have a wide choice of hues. Whites with touches of blue give you a sense of a seaside home while red-based white paints are warmer and more formal. Using a pure white for ceiling and woodwork will give you a crisp linen look.
• When facing east, you might want to choose a white that has a touch of blue to give the feeling of morning sunlight.
• White walls will enhance west-facing rooms giving you a light, airy feeling. Natural and artificial light are both nicely reflected in this point of the compass. A neutral with gray undertones tends to change during the day giving a warmer feeling in the room as the day moves along toward night.
• Neutrals and off whites are real challenges, but can also give very satisfying results. Painting different aspects of a room with three or four shades can be stunning and actually create optical illusions. Don’t hesitate to ask for help at the design center where you buy your paint.

To sum: Paint is one way to make dramatic changes in your home without taking down walls or making other altering changes. And, it can be lots of fun in the process.