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Area Rugs Define Spaces

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An area rug can serve as artwork for your floor. On top of wood or tile floors or even carpeting, area rugs define conversation spaces and pull colors together while adding texture.

This birds-eye view provides some insight into how an area rug can enhance a room’s look. The rug is primarily rust and brown, and it has tones ranging from light to very dark. This variation captures and connects every other element in the room.

The lightest tones in the rug are reflected in the maple coffee table and the fireplace surround. That light wood wouldn’t work as well if placed directly on the warm mid-range wood flooring, but the rug allows it to serve as a dramatic contrast.

The black of the fireplace opening and tools connect with the dark outlines of some of the leaves in this rug. Two different shades of rust making up the sofa and chair hang together well thanks to the choices of color in the rug itself. Finally, the rug clearly defines the living space in this part of the home, providing a frame for the furniture.

The photo to the right demonstrates another way an area rug defines space. This corner is created by focusing on the space left where the rug’s border ends. A comfortable reading chair under a window becomes a special private nook, with a couple of tables for a cup of tea or a pair of reading glasses.

When you use area rugs to highlight specific design features in your home, the extra layer adds charm to your décor.  Contact us or come to Browse Night and take a look at our new line of beautiful and well-constructed Feizy area rugs or just to get more insight into how area rugs can complement your design plans.

Make your Baby’s Nursery Inviting and Flexible

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When it comes to a nursery, it’s tempting to spend money to make it a dream room for your new child. Wallpaper, furniture and even rugs that say “baby” are an appealing option as you prepare for your little one’s arrival.

But that baby won’t stay an infant or toddler forever, and it pays to buy and decorate with the future in mind.

Let’s look at this nursery from Fulton Home’s Harmonique model at Ashcreek. The crib is classic and charming, but there’s much more to it than that. It converts to a toddler bed and later to the headboard and footboard of a double bed. This simple piece of furniture can go from nursery through high school with just a few adjustments. Choosing a classic cherry stain makes it even more versatile.

The wall design is charming and perfect for a nursery, and it really creates a darling environment. The border is wide enough to make a statement in the room and choosing a design like this that doesn’t immediately say “baby” also makes it able to last for a number of years. But the time will come when the elephants have to come down, and by choosing to use large border wallpaper the task is so much simpler than with a fully-wallpapered room.

The other child-like elements in the room such as the window valance, lamp and accessories are inexpensive enough to be replaced when the décor needs to be more mature. With the neutral carpeting and blinds, this room is large and flexible enough to grow as your child does.

Holiday Decorating with a Designer’s Eye: Part 2

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Does your home showcase your love of color? If so, you may be concerned that slapping holiday elements on top of your already bright home space may make everything overwhelming. Don’t worry; a few adjustments will enable you to blend your current color scheme into your holiday design plans.

Do you have carpeting in a non-holiday color such as orange or blue? Bring in metallics and holiday neutrals to complement your look. Silver and blue make a beautiful combination, and orange goes well with gold.

Even unusual choices such as pink and purple can fit in with traditional holiday colors. Adding some pink and purple elements on the tree and elsewhere in the room can help a table’s colors connect with the space.  You can make temporary pillow covers with some of the same fabric. Cut it in large squares – about twice the length of the longest side of the pillow. Place the fabric on a table on a diagonal, and put the pillow in the center. Tie opposite corners around the pillow and turn it so the knots are in the back. You have effectively covered your pillow in your key holiday tone with a minimum of effort on your part.

Above all, remember that it’s a festive time, and color brightens people’s mood, particularly in the middle of winter. Take some chances and make your home a colorful place for the holidays.

Thanksgiving Recipe: Chestnut & Sausage Stuffing

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Here at Fulton Homes, we are always focusing on family and spending time at home.  Thanksgiving is just a little over a week away and we thought we’d share our favorite Thanksgiving recipe with you.  Perhaps you can add this to your menu and enjoy with us on your mind!

What’s the second key ingredient to your turkey, besides the turkey?  Stuffing!  Every turkey needs a little bit of stuffing.  Here is one of our favorite stuffing recipes:

Chestnut & Sausage Stuffing

  • 1 (1 1/4-pound) loaf country-style bread, crust discarded and bread cut into 3/4-inch cubes (8 cups)
  • 1/2 pound sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
  • 3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
  • 1 pound bulk pork sausage
  • 1 turkey liver (optional), coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 cup turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 (14- to 15-oz) jar peeled cooked whole chestnuts, coarsely crumbled (3 cups)
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage, crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish.

Spread bread cubes in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and bake in lower third of oven until completely dry, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. (Leave oven on.)

While bread bakes, cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until crisp, about 10 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Pour off and discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from skillet, then sauté onions in fat over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add celery and sauté, stirring, 3 minutes, then transfer vegetables to bowl with bacon.

Cook sausage and liver (if using) in skillet, stirring and breaking up sausage with a fork, until meat is no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer with slotted spoon to onion mixture.

Pour off any remaining fat from skillet. Add Cognac (off heat), then deglaze skillet by simmering over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute, and add to sausage mixture.

Increase oven temperature to 375°F.

Soak bread cubes in half-and-half in a bowl, tossing frequently, until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Gently squeeze excess liquid from bread, then stir bread into sausage mixture, discarding remaining half-and-half. Stir together stock and eggs and add to stuffing, then stir in chestnuts, herbs, salt, and pepper until combined well.

Transfer stuffing to baking dish and cover with foil, then bake in upper third of oven 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top is crisp, about 20 minutes more.

Enjoy!!!