Author Archives: FultonHomes

How To Style A Coffee Table

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The coffee table just may be the most neglected piece of furniture in the living room. It’s much more than just a place to sit the remote and hold magazines. In fact, all the swoon worthy living rooms that you see in home decor magazines and on social media have one thing in common; a chic coffee table. Yes, with the right accessories you can make your living room coffee table the focal point of the room.

Statement Coffee Table
It’s always great to have a coffee table that makes a statement all on its own. From intricately shaped legs to bold hues with patterns there are so many different coffee tables on the market. If you want to add some interest to your living room choose a statement table.

Chic Basket
Baskets and coffee tables mesh well together. Not only are baskets super functional because they corral your tabletop items to create a sense of organization but you can use them to create chic vignettes. Start off, by picking out an eye catching basket, organize a few objects within the catch all and top things off by adding a scented candle and small bouquet of flowers.

Style With Books
Believe it or not books are more than just reading material. Did you know that they are interior designers “go to” accessory? Coffee table books specifically can add dimensions to the flat surface of a table. Whether it’s just one book or a stack of them they add style to the tabletop especially when you add in a few accessories like tray or basket. For a easy and clean look stack books within the same color scheme. You can also go bold and mix books with different palettes together.

Accent With A Game
One unique way to dress up your coffee table is to accent with a game board like an collector’s chess set, oversized dominoes or tic tac toe set.

The Space Underneath
Don’t forget about the space underneath the coffee table. You can stylishly stash throw pillows or accent with chic stools tuck underneath.

There are numerous ways you can dress up your coffee table. Get creative!

Ideas to Declutter Your Home

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How often to you walk past items that are stacked in a corner or piled up on a table? If you are like most people with busy lifestyles it is almost a given. We get so busy with work, school, children and home we start to ignore those messy spots and even program ourselves to walk past and not even notice! I was abnormally brilliant at overlooking, lol! Spring is the perfect time to declutter and purge alongside our often overlooked spring cleaning. Just by decluttering one room per month you will be surprised at how much better you feel and how nice and tidy the house looks! Our easy tips and tricks are listed below for creating a better work/home balancing act just by decluttering!

  1. Start in the bathroom using a 40 gallon heavy duty yard bag and begin cleaning underneath the cabinet and medicine chest. Of course, with expired medicines remove or mark out the identifying information. To be eco-friendly, simply drain the remaining contents of plastic bottles and containers, rinse with water and place in your recycle bin.
  2. Next head to the kitchen. We know the kitchen will take some extra time especially if you declutter well. Begin in the fridge and check all the bottled and packaged items expiration dates. Next move on to the freezer and do the same thing. Again, use a large yard bag and take the time for the environment and recycle the bottles and plastic containers, etc.
  3. Now look elsewhere for unwanted paper around the house like junk mail, advertising flyers, old homework, expired newspapers, etc. Again, place in a large yard bag, but make sure you use a shredder for anything that has personal confidential information.
  4. Old broken toys and sports equipment are always a given and should be discarded for safety purposes. Many of these items are large and take up a lot of room. Also, many of these are covered in dirt and other things we don’t want to think about that will most definitely contain bacteria. If there are items that are still in good shape, then donate them, sell at a consignment stores or sell them online.

As always, please let us know how your task turned out and please share your thoughts and ideas. Happy Decluttering!

Upcycling – How to use and repurpose items found in your bathroom

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Have you ever looked in your recycling bin and thought, despite the value of recycling, there might be an even better way? Enter upcycling – the repurposing of things to a new, sometimes even better use than was originally intended! Not only does it serve the environment quite well, it also taps into your creativity in new and fun ways. Try just a few of our ideas and we bet you’ll soon be dreaming up innovations of your own. For this blog post we are going to focus on things commonly found in your bathroom.

Prescription pill containers:
Before you put them to good use, clean them thoroughly. Medications typically leave a dusty residue so it’s important that it not get transferred to anything. The easiest method is to peel off as much of the label as possible, and then toss them in the utensil basket in your dishwasher. Once they’re clean you can use a bit of cooking oil or lemon essential oil to remove any remnants of the label. Swab with rubbing alcohol to remove residual oil. Then, use them to store these items: cotton swabs, bobby pins, safety pins, a couple of wet wipes, and travel size amounts of beauty products. You can even use them to store cash in a wet environment, such as at the beach or swimming pool!

Hair claw/jaw clips:
Perhaps you just made the change from long locks to a sassy short haircut. Don’t throw away those jaw clips! First, clean them with rubbing alcohol as there is likely residue from styling products such as hairspray. Then, use them to: secure a towel on your body or head after a bath, hold necklaces and scarves by closing them around a standard towel rack, or secure bagged coffee closed to keep it fresh!

Old perfume bottles:
A great deal of thought and design goes into the bottles used to contain fine fragrances. It seems such a shame to just discard them once they’re empty. Instead, remove the spritzer nozzle and clean them thoroughly using warm soapy water. Fill the bottle, shake the soapy water, and let it sit over night. Empty it and rinse with clean water, and then let it air dry. You now have a beautiful stem vase for fresh flowers. Display 3-5 of them with various buds, greenery, or flowers. Avoid matching or symmetry. The uniqueness of each one is what will make the display lovely!

What are some of your ideas?

What Should I Hang Above the Sofa

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Still haven’t figured out what to hang in the empty space over the sofa? Well, it’s time to stop deliberating. Filling this space with something chic can transform the look of your living room. You can use this space to create a focal point in the room. There are several ways you can accent your couch by spicing up the blank slate above and we have a few ideas.

  1. Use Personal Artwork
    Don’t be afraid to showcase your skills. You can fill this space with your own artwork. Or perhaps you have a little artist in the making? You can let the kids get creative on a large canvas and use a floating frame to give it a finished look. Using personal artwork is a great way to add personality to your home.

  2. Basket Collection
    Looking for a unique way to use the space? Consider displaying a collection of baskets by hanging them on the wall over the couch. To pull this look off, stick with one basket color scheme and use a variety of sizes. You can use clear thread to make a hanging look.

  3. Large Canvas
    Oversized artwork can really make a space look chic. Especially when it depicts an unique or bold image. However, oversized artwork can be expensive so it’s time to exercise those creative chops. You can try taking a shower curtain with a intricate design and stretching it over a large, blank canvas to simulate the look of something professional.

  4. Wall Tapestry
    You can use large, expansive textiles to dress up the area behind the sofa. Wall tapestry add a flair of elegance that’s hard to achieve with anything else. Don’t be afraid to select textiles with a bold pattern and a lustrous texture. You can suspend a wall tapestry using a rod with interesting hardware.

  5. Family Photos
    Of course, pictures of the family is a great way to make use of the empty space. Let’s take a different spin on the concept. Instead of traditional photos you can have a silhouette painted of each member of the family and hang it above the sofa.

Your Guide to Antique Shopping

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Are you thinking of adding character to your home by adding some antique pieces? Yes, the world of antiques is vast, but it has so much to offer. Many people think that you have to have access to exclusive places in order to get some really nice pieces. However, antiques are more accessible than you think. If you are curious and don’t know where to start, don’t worry we are here to guide you.

An antique is an item that is at least a hundred years old. Goods are considered to be vintage if they are at least two decades old. Collectible are also can be chic in the home. Collectibles can be items that are either vintage or antique.

Why Invest in Antiques?
Antiques can really add tons of warmth and style to your home. Here are some key reasons why antiques can be the touch that your home needs:

  • Most new furniture that you’ll find in stores like Ikea decrease in value over time. However, antiques hold they’re value and, in some instances, can increase over the years.
  • Most antique furniture and items are made from high quality and durable materials than mass produced items. You can expect it to last for several more years to come.
  • Even more important a beautiful antique item can add lots of character to a space especially if there is history behind it.

Learning More About Antiques
If you have an interest in antiques but don’t know where to start you should begin teaching yourself about different styles and what periods they come from. You can visit antique shops, auctions and fairs to see what kind of pieces are out there. Most dealers love to share they’re knowledge.

Shopping Online or Instore
You can shop for antiques online and in store. However, shopping for antiques in person is always much better especially when you are just starting out. Vendors will sell at fairs, flea markets and estate sales.

Happy Shopping!

Understanding Shade Variation in Tiles

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Have you ever painted a room and realized that your results slightly varied from the in-store color sample? Well, you can also expect shade variation in ceramic and porcelain tile products. Often, when people see variations in their tile products they assume it’s a defect but it’s actually a result of the manufacturing process.

What Exactly Does Shade Variation Mean?
Shade variation affects the porcelain or ceramic tile that you’re considering purchasing. Advances in technology has allowed for tiles to be printed in all types of patterns and colors. Therefore, you can expect some slight variation is some of your printed tiles. During the production of ceramic and porcelain tiles you’ll notice that there isn’t just a variation in color but it can slightly alter in texture and shade. However, shade variation only occurs towards unpolished tile.

How does shade variation occur? Well, during the production process, natural clay elements are taken and fired at high temperatures and depending on the baking conditions and the materials it can generate slight variations in each batch. It’s similar to baking cookies. All the cookies will look the same but you can expect small changes in each batch.

For some tile designs, shade variation is done purposely. These days, most tile products will come with a shade variation rating.

Understanding Shade Variation Rating
In 2001 the Ceramic Tile Distributor Association (CTDA) developed a shade variation rating system. When shopping for ceramic or porcelain tiles it’s important to see what rating a tile product has so you can know what type of results to expect. Here is a breakdown of the CTDA rating system:

V1- Uniform Appearance
A tile product with a V1 rating you can expect very minimal variation between each tile.

V2 – Slight Variation
There will be some clearly distinguishable differences between each batch.

V3- Moderate Variation
A ceramic or porcelain tile with a V3 rating will vary significantly.

V4 – Substantial Variation
Products with a V4 rating will have random color differences in each tile. One tile might be saturated with a different shade of colors than the previous tile in the batch.

Tips for “Non – Techie” Organizing & Managing Household Paperwork

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We know how busy you are – at work and/or as a busy stay-at-home mom, often resulting in letting your personal responsibilities suffer. We’re talking about paying bills, insurance, etc., while maintaining a calendar for yourself, family members, doctor appointments, game days plus a plethora of other responsibilities. Let us help you get a grip on your household and have quality time leftover for yourself, family and friends!

We Love Binders

? Easy to Use – We love file folders for organizing, but actually binders are the best way to keep papers organized for current projects and for reference down the road.
? Portable – Whether I’m using the binder in the room or need to take with me on the go, they are so easy to grab off the shelf.
? Organizing & Storage – Binders are the perfect product for easy storage. Put them on shelves, in drawers, filing cabinets for easy access and quick use.
? Inexpensive – Purchase when they go on sale like two for one. Binders can be reused over and over and their identification labels on the front covers or on their spines can be easily upgraded to a new topic.
? Binder Uses – If you sit down and start to jot down what you need help with organizing household tasks, you instantly realize that this practice is a critical key to developing a quality work life balancing act! We use binders for recipes, home appliance/warranties/manuals, home maintenance information, various holiday planning guides, detailed medical files for each family member, pets and etc.

I know what you are thinking, I keep everything on my phone! Well, we know all too often how easy it is to misplace our phone or the battery will die. While you are busy looking for your phone the thought of adding something to your notes or calendar have vanished. Technology is a wonderful thing, but writing things down helps us to remember and we make a mental note about an upcoming task. Please give us feedback and share your organizational ideas. Enjoy getting your busy life organized and manageable!

How to Choose the Right Size Tile

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Although, tiles are one of the world’s oldest building materials it’s still just as relevant to modern design as it was centuries ago. Whether you’ve settled on a bold ceramic tiles for a space or subtle laminate subway tiles selecting the right size is important to achieve the desired look. Over the past few years, tile sizes have increased dramatically. From 4×4 to 8×12 you can purchase tiles in virtually any size. So what size should you choose?

Basic Tile Size Guidelines
While there are standard shapes and sizes of tiles as you will see most manufacturers create tiles with dimensions that are tailored to their inhouse design. Sometimes the sizes are unique and you probably won’t be able to find it anywhere else. That’s why it can be challenging to determine what the ideal tile size should be for a space. However, there are some general rules to picking out the perfect tile size for a space that you should consider.

Small rooms
Often, design experts recommend using larger scaled tiles in small rooms. Large format tiles in a small space will visually expand the area making it seem bigger than it actually is. This is because larger tiles allow for fewer grout lines breaking up the flow of the floor. However, if the room is tiny than floor tiles larger than 18 inches will overwhelm the space.

Long Room
What about a long, rectangular shaped space? Installing plank style, large tiles on galley-like rooms creates depth, makes the room appear wider and spacious.

Texture
If you desire to create interest and texture than you might want to opt for small mosaic tiles. With smaller tiles there will be more grout lines but the space will flow smooth since small shaped mosaic tiles can be easily fitted in corners and around fixtures. In this way, small tiles are similar to carpet and it can really create a proportionate and harmonized look.

Defining A Space
If you really want to define a space whether big or small you can use smaller sized tiles to create an accent or border around large format tiles.

Selecting the right size tile is largely dependent on the desired look that you’re seeking to achieve!

Guide to Purchasing the Right Dining Chairs

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From casual breakfast nooks to elegant formal dining spaces, dining rooms come in all shapes, sizes and styles. Everyone knows that one of the most important elements of a dining room are the dining chairs. From traditional dining sets to mix-matched dining sets, the design possibilities are numerous. Before you invest in dining chairs, it’s important to consider these important factors:

  • Are they the right height for your dining table?
  • Are they fabric durable and easy to clean?
  • Are they comfortable enough for the type of entertaining you like to do?

Here’s a guide for choosing the best dining chairs for your dining space.

Design
While it has become trendy to pair contemporary with traditional chairs and vice versa, focus on finding pieces that share a common design element. For example, if you have opted for a square shaped dining table then you’ll want to make sure the chairs feature the same shape. Or if the table has an intricate design on the legs, then you should consider purchasing chairs with a similar design on the legs.

Dimension
The standard size of a dining chair is approximately 18 inches in height while the average dining table sits at 30 inches. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want at least 12 inches between the top of the seat and the bottom of the table. Also, the chairs should match the scale of the table. If you have a grand dining table than you’ll likely want to invest in bigger chairs.

Avoid purchasing chairs that are less than 17 inches wide. Why? Narrow seating won’t provide adequate support for your guests and will likely be uncomfortable. To create the ultimate comfortable experience look into obtaining chairs that are 20-24 inches deep.

Upholster or Not?
Deciding whether to invest in a upholstered chair or select something with a natural, easy to clean surface can be difficult. With upholstered chairs you can expect someone to spill something on it sooner or later. Therefore, the question is how much are you willing to care about it? If you want that upholstered feel but low maintenance, consider leather (or imitation leather) chairs.