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Trends change, but a comfy, cozy room is always in style

Room size should not dictate comfort. Furniture comes in many sizes and configurations to accommodate rooms of all sizes — from the tiny apartment to the massive great room.

Furniture is also made to accommodate people of all sizes, from the tall to the small, said Anne Hildreth, a designer in the Vernon Hills Steinhafels Furniture store.

“Tiny rooms are great for sectionals,” she said. “If you have room for a love seat and two chairs, you also have room for a sectional that gives a more comfortable, ‘loungey' look to a room. Everything today is modular and can be made larger or smaller, depending upon the needs of the buyer.”

Modular furniture, since it is finished on all sides, can also be reconfigured in many different ways so homeowners aren't “stuck” with only one way to use it.

“We have what we call ‘small space solutions.' On sofas and sectionals, smaller spaces can be accommodated by lowering the back and narrowing the seat box of the sofa or sectional,” Hildreth said. Conversely, to better fit a huge room, Steinhafels sells oversized furniture on which the backs are higher and the seats are wider.

“You also have to consider the size of the people sitting on the furniture. You don't want to put a 6-foot-tall man on a small sofa. The poor guy would have his knees up to his chin!” she said. “It is as much about comfort as it is about room size.”

As for furniture materials, Hildreth said many people are getting away from leather sofas and sectionals and gravitating toward mixed-color tweeds for a nice variation in color. But if the homeowners have pets and small children, leather is still best because it is much more durable, doesn't attract pet hair and is practical for cleaning up spills.

“I am seeing much more interest in an eclectic looks in all rooms. People are mixing fabric and leathers on chairs and sofas within the same room. That sleek, all leather look from the 1990s is gone,” she said.

The “in” color, no matter the material, is, of course, gray in all shades — from a light taupe-looking gray to dark charcoal. Accent pillows, rugs and other accessories are making them pop using navy, mustard yellow and even a little sage green, Hildreth said.

As for occasional pieces, young people are gravitating toward gray-washed wood for both tables and flooring as they continue their love affair with the color gray. End tables that look rustic and worn are generally chosen, she added. The sleek look is out, which is nice because if something happens to the wood, she said, it is no big deal — it just adds to the distressed look.

But interestingly, cocktail tables are being largely replaced by cocktail ottomans. Hildreth usually suggests that such ottomans not match the sectional or sofa they accompany. So a leather couch or sectional would have a fabric ottoman and vice versa.

“They are great for putting up your feet after a long day and if you need to serve on the ottoman, I recommend the use of a large wooden tray which can be hidden under the ottoman when not in use,” Hildreth said.

Another interesting trend she has seen is that of transforming the living room from a “looking” room, where you look in and then walk by, to a secondary family room and/or office by adding a smart television that can double as a computer monitor.

“People are downsizing, so they need to get more use out of each space within the home,” Hildreth said.

Remember to consider your long-term plan, budget and stage in life when choosing furniture.

“If you are furnishing an apartment you plan to keep for a few years and then move into a house, you probably won't want to spend a lot on your furniture. But if you are moving into your dream house, more high-end furniture is probably in order,” Hildreth said.

When furnishing the more formal areas of a home, like the living and dining rooms, she continued, it is wise to keep your base items, like couches and chairs, neutral. That way, you can change the rooms with pillows and other accents to coincide with the seasons and you can make more substantive updates every seven to 10 years without replacing big ticket items that are still perfectly fine.

Steinhafels Furniture is located at 569 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Vernon Hills. For more information, call (847) 281-0050 or visit www.steinhafels.com.

Furniture too big for the room

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The "in" color, no matter the material, is gray in all shades.
Shoppers want eclectic looks in all their rooms. People are mixing furniture choices and that sleek, matching look is out.
Rugs can pull a space together.
Neutral colors are often the choice in formal dining rooms, where the furniture will be used for a long time.
End tables that look rustic and worn are popular.
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