Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Ideas To Add Style To Your Super Bowl Party

The NY Giants are heading to the Super Bowl on February 5th and New Yorker's will be heading to Super Bowl parties all over the state.  Most of these parties will provide folding chairs for extra seating, paper plates to eat from, and decorations bought at Party City.  While these parties can feel laid back and casual, if you are looking to host a party with a bit more style and flair, Marc Williams Furniture has some suggestions.

Extra seating is often a challenge when entertaining.  You want all of your guests to be comfortable, nit just those lucky enough to land a spot on the sofa.  Instead of placing folding chairs around your living room, why not place square poofs in viewing distance of the t.v.  The poofs can be used as seating, ottomans, or place a tray on top and it becomes a table.  X-Benches are another versatile seating option. They can be used as seating or tables as well.  Woven floor chairs are another comfortable option for seating and can be stacked to raise your guest higher off the floor.  Cover with a blanket to add warmth if you'd like. These may all be used around your home after the party and brought out the next time you need extra seating.  If you still need more seating and are looking for chairs that can be stored away after the party, try directors chairs instead of regular folding chairs. 

Style can also be added to your decorations.  Think vintage.  Collect vintage football memorabilia to place around your living room.  Gather photos of famous Super Bowl game scenes, blow them up to poster size and put up in your entryway and living room.  The living room is not the only room your guests will be in.  Choose small items from your vintage memorabilia to place in the bathroom, kitchen, and entryway.

Hopefully these ideas can help spark even more unique ideas and help make your Super Bowl party the one that will be remembered!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

How Does Color Affect Mood?

Choosing a color scheme when decorating the interior of your home is an important decision. Color helps to set the mood of the room so understanding the psychology of color is helpful in decorating.  Marc Williams Furniture would like to offer some understanding of color and as well as guidelines to follow in your decorating.

Color elicits strong moods, feelings, and emotions in people.  A persons relationship with color can be very personal and affected by life experiences.  However, there are some generalizations which can be made.  Bear in mind that these generalizations may differ among cultures.

Let's begin with the color black.  Unlike other colors which reflect light, black will absorb light which may make a room feel overbearing.  In western culture, black is often used to represent evil powers such as villains or death.  Black is also used to represent power and authority as in the top executive who drives a black Mercedes. Sophistication can be stated by hosting a black tie affair.  The color black is often used to highlight architectural details or furniture.  Black will stand out against light or neutral colors.

On to the opposite of black; the color white.  White will reflect colors and help a room feel larger and brighter. White is used to represent purity, elegance and sophistication.  Be careful however, because bright white on it's own can be too stark.  A solution is to layer different tones of white in order to soften the appearance.

The color blue is a popular color.  Blue makes people feel a sense of calmness and serenity and has been shown to lower pulse rate, blood pressure, and temperature. Blue is also a "cool" color. Blue may be used to make a person feel cooler in a hot, sunny room or conversely feel colder in an already cool room.   Office space is often decorated in a blue color scheme as people tend to be more productive in a blue environment.

Red is a powerful color which evokes strong emotions.  Red is associated with the feeling of love, warmth, and comfort as well as danger, excitement, and intensity.  A vibrant, bright red may be overwhelming whereas a muted, earthy shade may be comforting.  Well designed, red can create a passionate, loving environment.

Think of nature and you will undoubtedly think of the color green.  People find green calming and reassuring. Research has even found the color green can help relieve stress and help heal as well as improve reading ability. A good tip for decorating with green is to combine more than one shade or combine with other complimentary colors.

Another color of nature  is brown.  Brown evokes feelings of strength, reliability, stability as well as makes us feel reassured and safe. Brown can add warmth and depth to a room.

Use this information to help you choose the color palette for the room you are decorating.  Think of the activities which will take place in the room and the feeling you want to elicit.  Understanding the connection between color and mood will help you create the atmosphere you desire.