Choosing the Right Furniture for Your Room

Are you confused by Louis XIV, Neo-Classic, or Rococo period furniture? What is it? I really just included Rococo because I like the name. Maybe because it sounds like cocoa? Anyway, I don't blame you for not knowing. Whenever I visit a museum someone tries to talk to me about the period or style of the artist and I want to say,"I just like the colors." Or, "Why doesn't the Venus de Milo have arms?"

However, when it comes to actually buying furniture I want to make sure I'm not making a mistake. Why? It's because I'm frugal and want the piece to last as long as possible. I am not against mixing styles, but it does need to be intentional. For example, I love what Joni from Cote de Texas calls "the Houston look." Casual furniture that fits great with our warm Houston climate, but combined with European antiques for an elegant look. Perfect!

I've combined styles myself by choosing a French bistro chair and an off-white table in my breakfast room. The chair is rustic enough to blend with the cottage style table, but the elegant lines tell a different story.




I love the warmth and elegance of this chair so much that it inspired me to change a few other things in my living room.



The ginger jar, horse and orchid vase accent the chair in the breakfast room. It also keeps this room from looking too coastal. I love a coastal style, but prefer mixing it up to avoid a themed room. This works especially well if you are like me and love too many styles to choose just one.

If you need a little help identifying different furniture styles, check out One King's Lane new resource guide. To view it on their website, click under "site map" and then "home décor resource." You can also click here. I found a plethora of information and I especially love their guide on how to choose statement chairs. Who knew that one breakfast chair would send me on a tangent to switch up the rest of my great room?

We could all copy a look we see in a catalog and it would look fabulous, but most of us want to see a little of ourselves represented somewhere in the room. I think this is why almost no one does it. Our homes give us the most comfort when they reflect a little bit of our thoughts and experiences. You can tell I crave a spa-like environment when I'm at home with all of this white. I do have three boys and say,"Calgon take me away!" on a regular basis. Can you also tell I love the beach and was greatly inspired by my trip to London and Paris? Yes, this room feels like me. :)