Wavey River interiors is committed to providing quality decorating advice, excellent service, and products that reflect the client’s personal style - tailored to repect and meet every budget.
We strive to ensure that every client feels that they are “home” when they walk into their space.
“FRIENDS GATHER HERE”
Spring has finally arrived and we are beginning to shed the heavy throws that have cocooned us throughout this very long and cold winter. The frigid temperatures depleted us of our energy and leisure time consisted of reading by the fire, or watching hockey games. But now we are ready to come out of hibernation and the urge returns, to gather together at home with family and friends.
After tackling the job of decluttering and freshening our space, we want to ensure that our home is welcoming and ready for our guests. In the entryway, replace the winter-weight mat with a new brightly coloured rug. If your door is screaming, “boring,” there is paint for almost every style and type of door. A freshly painted front door in a new colour can really increase the “wow” factor.
After removing winter coats and boots, from your hall closet, assess the condition of your hangers. Wooden hangers are now quite reasonably priced and are preferable for outerwear.
Walk into the room where you will be seating your guests. It may be your formal living room or a family room. Ask yourself, “Where is the focal point?” It may be a fireplace, a piece of artwork, a staircase, or an entertainment centre. An inexpensive way to make your room more pleasing and inviting is to experiment with the placement of your existing furniture. The pieces should be placed in such a way that the eye looks to the focal point, yet the room remains balanced. The following are only meant to be guidelines. In a perfect world we would have lots of room to make all of these adjustments.
- 12 to 18 inches from the edge of the sofa to the coffee table (first 4 inches are for knees)
- 18 inches clearance to walk behind something
- 3 feet in front of a chair to allow for leg extension, if there is no coffee table in front (unless your guest is like my son’s friend Joe who is 6 feet 10 inches tall!)
- 3 feet normal pathway for comfortable walking
- 18 inches to 2 feet away from a fireplace
- No more than 8 feet from each seating area so guests can converse. (Twist and Shout” is a song, not a method of communicating.)
- Give your pillows “the slip.” Change the cushion covers with lighter, softer fabrics.
- Try to get away from lining the walls with furniture. If space permits, create a conversation cluster with two chairs and a table, and a sofa and chair.
When you are having dinner guests, here are a few tips to enhance their dining experience. Do not worry if this is not possible. If I followed the guidelines in this particular area of my home some of my guests would be dining in the bedroom!
- 2 1/2 feet between the dining room table and any item. Ideally 3 feet is best to allow for walking behind a seated diner.
- 2 feet for each diner’s personal space at the table.
- 18 inches between dining chairs
- If lack of space is an issue, present the meal buffet style, or use a sideboard or tea wagon to place extra bowls.
- To create a welcoming and romantic mood at the table, turn down your lighting.
“Go Dutch!” Bring the outdoors inside with a vase of spring tulips. One of the simplest and most elegant statements can be achieved with the use of candles. Do make sure that the candlesticks are either very tall or low so vision will not be obstructed.
Invite Spring to your dinner using the colours of Provence, bright blue, pale yellow, and sunny orange, for tablecloths and napkins.
In the bathroom, replace worn dull towels, with fresh new ones in spring colours. Have guest soaps and lotion on hand.
Although our guests’ comfort is paramount, the most important aspect of opening our homes for entertaining is that your family and friends feel welcome and that there is a lot of laughter and happiness. Happy Spring!
