Matchy, Matchy

Hi Guys,

My last blog talked about eclectic decorating, but I know that there are many of you who love it when everything matches. If you walk into a furniture showroom and you see a sofa with matching chairs that "speak" to you, then go for it. Purchase the whole set. There is nothing wrong with matching pieces of furniture. In fact, there are no hard and fast decorating rules that say you can or can't have matching furniture. You should purchase what you like and what makes you feel comfortable.

I have matching pieces of furniture in my home as well. My dining room set is one of them. Our dining room is small and by matching everything, it helps make the room seem larger. The only thing we changed were the dining room chairs. We chose big, comfortable chairs instead of the small, uncomfortable chairs that were shown with the table in the furniture showroom. The china cabinet, buffet, table, and chairs are all done in medium cherry. I've chosen not to use a rug under the table which adds to the lightness of the room.

The bedroom is another place where we have matching furniture. The armoire, dresser, and bedside tables are all the same pine. I did add a wrought iron headboard, oak desk, and painted chest to the room, but the major pieces are all the same. I've done some painting on the armoire, dresser, and bedside tables to add a touch of whimsy and color.

We found our living room set on sale and loved the sofa and club chairs--another example of matching furniture. Since everything is so white, I chose to paint the walls blue and chose a vibrant area rug to put under the coffee table. The rug is casual, geometric, brings in all the colors in the house, and is just plain fun.

My mother's swivel rockers have been relegated to the basement. They are still in great condition, so I created a small vignette placing them in front of the bar for lounging and visiting.

Whatever style you choose for yourself and your home, as long as it makes you happy and feel comfortable, is the correct style for you.  Don't be swayed by rules because there are no rules. Go with what feels right to you.

That's my tip for today.

b