Food & beverage stains on dining chairs are no match for Guardsman.

The greatest compliment I hear time and again from my clients is that I take the time to listen to them.  Yes, I make my living and feed my family from people purchasing furniture, but the last thing I want to do is steer my clients in the wrong direction.  They can always rely on me to tell them the truth.

That being said, one of the biggest sales scams out there is extended warranties.  It drives me crazy because that’s not what we have here at Furnitureland South.   As a consumer, I am not usually a fan of any sort of extended warranty plan, so I totally get it when some customers’ first reaction is to turn me down when I bring up Guardsman Protection.  Consumer Reports says not to buy extended warranties.  And rightfully so.  Many extended warranties, especially in the electronics industry, cost a hefty 30% of the price of the product they are “protecting”, and they only cover manufacturer defects.  Oh yeah, and lightning.  (How likely is that?) 

But here is the great news about Guardsman Furniture Protection: it’s not an extended warranty. It has nothing to do with whether or not your furniture has defects—that’s all covered in the manufacturer’s warranty already.  Guardsman protection covers what you (or your kids, your pets, your friends, your husband, your husband’s friends, etc.) can potentially do to the furniture.  And the most it ever costs is about 4% of the price, which is much smarter than paying 30% for less coverage!

Mattress Protection is 10 years & protects your manufacturer's warranty by keeping stains away. (Thanks to Sealy Mattress for this cute photo!)

Imagine having both a manufacturer warranty that covers defects and a service plan to cover you against any food and beverage spills and other common damages for five years (coverage details and prices vary by type of furniture).  And imagine it only costs a one time payment of $89 and that would cover in-home service for the full five years, non-prorated, no more additional payments.  That’s how much it costs to cover a sofa.

Everyone loves creams and beiges--until a drink gets spilled. You can enjoy your favorite colors, and beverages too, with the comfort of Guardsman coverage. (Photo by Lane)

A lot of times people falsely assume that they don’t need this type of coverage because they think of themselves as “clean” people.  Many of them are.  They take care of their home and likewise their furniture.  The thing that many of them forget is that they like to entertain—and that’s why they are purchasing this nice furniture in the first place. 

I am reminded of a very nice client of mine who lived alone and took great care of her Florida condo and felt she did not need Guardsman.  But when she threw a party for her bridge club, one of her friends left a glass on her coffee table, and now she has a permanent water ring.  Fixing it will be very expensive, and this is just one of the many things that Guardsman would have covered. 

We all know telling our kids not to play in the house doesn't always work. Luckily Guardsman covers breakage of glass and rips/cuts in leather! (Photo by Lane)

Another client who thankfully did opt for the protection on her leather living room group called me up one day to thank me for it.  Her husband is quite the “do-it-yourselfer”, and after working in the garage he came in the house to get some water, still wearing his tool belt.  He sat down on their leather chair, and sure enough, a screwdriver poked a hole in the chair.  One call to Guardsman’s 1-800 number, and they sent someone out to fix it as good as new!

When someone calls in a claim, Guardsman locates the best one of their certified furniture repair specialists in the local area and sends him out to remove the stain(s) or fix the covered damage, in the home, at no charge. If the item cannot be restored, Guardsman will offer full replacement…this is what I call peace of mind.

As I mentioned, each type of furniture has its own plan, so for more detailed information on the coverages in each of these plans, feel free to call me or click on one of the following links:

• Fabric Protection
• Leather Protection
• Wood & Hard Surfaces Protection
• Mattress Protection
• Machine-Made Rug Protection
• Outdoor Furniture Protection
• Clearance Product Service-Only Protection

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A timeless way of accomplishing this has always been a stool (or two)  under a sofa/console table.  Here are some elegant solutions I have happened upon recently.

Which group is your favorite?

Let me know if I can help you find a solution to a design dilemma in your home.

jaimeberg@furniturelandsouth.com

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Anichini Bambini's enchanting Gioia collection of bath linens for baby.

My husband and I have always been career-oriented professionals who have strived to create an immaculately decorated home.  But in the summer of 2010 our life was spun around 180 degrees by our decision, “Let’s have a baby”! Well our Little Miracle became reality pretty quickly, putting our plans into high gear.

Our joy was compounded by what can only be described as a monumental outpouring of love from family and friends. The culmination was a baby shower of epic proportions from my wonderful colleagues at Furnitureland South.  Soon gifts, diapers, toys and baby gear had turned our living room into something resembling a miniature “Babies R Us”!

Like many new moms I was then faced with the dilemma of how to keep our home fashionable, yet allowing for the care and nurturing of our little bundle of joy. I asked myself, “How can we live comfortably with the new baby without sacrificing our sense of style–or crippling his college fund?” Now that our son has turned one, I will share with you the knowledge I gleaned in my quest for “The Baby Fabulous Home”:

Antique Distressing and Weathered Looks: The furniture that is already antiqued looks even better with use, acquiring the ”patina of time”, which will be treasured by future generations. Incidentally, this style is very much “in” right now and you will be spoiled for choices! Many manufacturers offer “distressing” as an option on their finishes and a lot of others offer it as a standard choice.

Distressed Dining Room by Curations Limited

Practical Fabrics: Ultrasuede and other microfibers are super easy to clean and care for and come in myriad of colors! And have you seen the new generation of Sunbrella fabrics? These fabrics were formerly used for outdoors only, but they have come a long way and now offer a great hand and gorgeous designs.

A chic way to use easily cleanable Ultrasuede fabric by Century Furniture

Sunbrella fabrics, not just for the outdoors!

A living room set, all done in Sunbrella!

Dressy Fabrics, used sparingly: I am a dressy kind of girl who loves silks. Gorgeous, yes, but not very baby-friendly. But using it on some throw pillows or drapes offers a touch of glam while not having all of your furniture off-limits for everyday use.

I love these elegant fabrics from Anichini! They make amazing custom linens and window treatments!

More from Anichini

Leather: The most practical and durable of the coverings, leather makes clean-up a cinch. Try to select “protected” leather, which  will make your life even easier, but if you love the supple and breathable “natural” leather, make sure you get our 5-year Leather Protection Plan by Guardsman.

Leather chairs from Curations Limited

Guardsman Protection: As mentioned above, Furnitureland South offers Guardsman Protection Plans.  These are available not only in leather, but on fabric, wood, rugs and outdoor furniture.  For a small price, you will have great peace of mind!  Please ask me about details.

Curations' best selling sofa, along with some friends!!

Good Storage: Wall units with doors are your best friends, as they keep clutter at bay (do not forget safety latches!) Some of these units have open shelving at the top, so you can still display your treasures, while keeping them out of reach of little hands.

Gorgeous Melange Collection from Hooker Furniture

Baby Gear: There will always be some play yards, swings etc. that ‘”spill out”  from the nursery into the rest of the house.  Coordinate with your decor the best you can, and rearrange furniture temporarily to make the best fit. Most importantly, relax and smile! Even if your home is now not exactly it has once been, your Little Angel makes it worthwhile and more!

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A comfortable, peaceful environment is certainly not limited to one style of décor.  Whether you’re looking for a Romantic, Transitional, Modern or Traditional feel, you can create your ideal sleep sanctuary here at Furnitureland South.   Hooker Furniture, Currey & Company lighting and our Sleepland Mattress Gallery are three of my favorite sources that offer the right tools.

Here are some beautiful bedrooms from Hooker Furniture that do just the trick!

The Romantic Sanctuary Collection

The Transitional Sienna Canyon Collection

The Modern Felton Collection

The Traditional Beladora Collection

Add beautiful lighting by Currey & Company to create a mood that mirrors the decor.

Select the Bettina Pendant for a Romantic room.

Add the Bangle Floor Lamp to any Transitional room.

Sleep tight!

{Product photos courtesy of Hooker Furniture and Currey & Company.}

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Henredons Acquistions pinned by Maitland-Smith

I discovered Pinterest last fall from my talented daughter-in-law and promptly had her send me an invitation.  Since then I’ve become obsessed (Pinaholic is close) with the wonderful “Boards” that can be created to reflect my individual tastes and talents, and I continually add new boards to reflect different design interests.  To join, you can request an invitation from Pinterest, from a friend who is already a member, or send me an email and I will personally send you an invitation. 

Pinterest has allowed me to borrow ideas and inspiration from top designers and fascinating people from around the world (yes, both men and women are on Pinterest), and I love to see the latest trends developing.  Sometimes I just “pin” their ideas onto one of my own boards, and sometimes I upload my own ideas to my boards where others can “pin” them.  Now lots of pinners “follow” all of my boards and my ideas (sooooo flattering).  

Wesley Hall pinned by quintessenceblog.com

The website’s popularity has exploded in the past few months to become the third most popular social media site behind Facebook and Twitter!  I love how Pinterest allows you to showcase your own style and creativity by topic.  What a great way for you to preview my personal design style before your shopping trip at Furnitureland South with me! 

Furnitureland South is now on Pinterest with multiple boards, and can be followed just like an individual pinner.  We’ve always been on the cutting edge of technology here, and this is yet another tool to help you make great design decisions.

My very own living room--uploaded to my Pinterest account--and to be the subject of my next post!

Spring and summer are the perfect time (before the holidays) to consider ordering new furniture, so contact me if I can help with anything.  Just think how fabulous your home will look afterward, and maybe one of your new ideas can come from my boards on Pinterest!

chrisfox@furniturelandsouth.com

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For over 40 years Ralph Lauren has epitomized luxury, superior craftsmanship and elegant casual style in the world of fashion apparel, but did you know that it has also been a trend setter in the home furnishings industry as well?

First partnering with renowned furniture manufacturer Henredon, and now followed by equally prestigious E.J. Victor , the current official licensee of Ralph Lauren Home, this brand continues to set the bar when it comes to style, attention to detail and maintaining a sense of natural, timeless and comfortable style.

And now Ralph Lauren’s adherence to the finest in design and quality is available at a more moderate price point in a new collaboration with Schnadig called “Lauren Ralph Lauren”. Schnadig has an exceptional reputation for quality at an unforeseen value, and this assortment has become a talk of the industry for cutting edge style and design.

There are now five wonderful collections offered: Avalon, Beverly Canyon, Langholm, Laurel Drive and Mitchell Place. Each one contains bedroom, dining room, living room upholstery and occasional pieces!

The dramatic styles range from Art Deco to Old World Charm, Hollywood Chic to a Stately Mansion.  The finest cabinetry woods such as mahogany are heavily used, as well as exotic veneers like rosewood.

Each collection has a unique ambiance inherent to Ralph Lauren, truly the essence of style, and all are now available at Furnitureland South. Here are some of my favorite pieces from these collections.  Take a look!

Avalon

Beverly Canyon 

Langholm 

Laurel Drive 

Mitchell Place 

Let me know what you think about it!

{All photos  from Lauren Ralph Lauren.}

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People come in our store everyday and ask “I saw a mattress at XYZ Mattress Co. for $399.00, and you have one from the same company for $999.00. What is the difference?” That is a great question for a smart shopper to ask. Here are some tips to help you make an informed decision when choosing the right bed.  Today I am going to focus on traditional innerspring mattresses.  I’ll follow up with another post on memory foam and latex beds.

The first thing to remember when you see lots of different price points from the same brand is that mattress manufacturers want to sell to everyone and provide for every room in the home. Therefore they have products to fit in different price and quality categories. The mattress you have in your master bedroom might not be the same one that you want for your guest room (that is unless you tend to get into a LOT of trouble with your wife; then it might actually be a good idea), and most of the time a growing child needs a different mattress than an adult does.  Mattress companies offer different beds for these different needs.

When judging how much to spend on your mattress, it is important to remember that your top priority should be a quality night’s sleep.  In his article “Don’t Sell Mattresses… Sell “Quality of Life” Throught the Science of Sleep”, Ron Wolinski states, “To accomplish peak performance, we humans must, on average, invest one third of our lives to sleep.  Studies show that every hour of sleep deprivation below 8 hours results in a 25% loss in productivity.”  Sleep loss can lead to diabetes, raised blood pressure, weight gain and an increased vulnerability to cancer.

And it’s not just laying down that counts.  The key is to obtain uninterrupted sleep. The 2 major reasons for interrupted sleep are the transfer of motion from one partner to the other when one of them turns. The other is back pain, which is caused by the lack of proper spinal alignment and support by the mattress.

That being said, let’s go back to our mattress prices.  The main difference when it comes to the price of a mattress is frequently what you DON’T see:  the components on the inside of the bed.  Better mattresses will have components that help you achieve proper spinal alignment and uninterrupted sleep.

• Individually pocketed coil systems
  Better mattress designs will wrap each coil individually in a fabric encasement to keep one coil from pulling on the next, as opposed to less expensive models where all the coils are wired together.  A mattress containing individually pocketed coils dramatically decreases the amount of body motion transfer, meaning you don’t wake up when your partner turns over, and you get a much better night’s sleep, which is certainly worth the extra dollars!
• Full foam encasement
  Foam encasement will prevent the edge from sinking in when you sit on it. Also, if you’ve ever felt like you were falling off the edge of your bed, it might mean that your mattress did not have foam encasement, which keeps the last row of springs from “pushing” you off the side.  It also creates a flatter surface, which actually gives you more “sleepable” space on the bed, and the more room you have to sleep, the less chance you have of being disturbed by your partner, which leads to that coveted uninterrupted sleep.
• Foam layers
  Most nicer models have a layer of memory foam or latex in addition to the traditional foams for superior pressure-point relief, while still having the full-body support of the springs. Cool gel is another technology that could drive the price a bit higher, but is completely worth it if you’re a hot sleeper.  Cool gel gives you the same pressure point relief, but it sleeps cooler than memory foam.

So when looking into mattresses, ask a couple of different questions to make sure you are talking apples to apples when comparing models.

Sleeping well can assist you in having the energy to live life the way you want to live it!!

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Sleepland Entrance - Before & After

I’m a sucker for a good remodeling story.  There’s something so exciting about walking into a space and imagining all of the different possibilities! This is exactly what has taken place here at Furnitureland South with our mattress gallery! 

On January 2, 2012 demolition began on the first floor of our Mart building. The area had previously housed several upholstery and casegood displays and even a large, custom kitchen!  Plans have been in the works for the past six months to create a mattress shopping experience beyond any other in the world! In thinking about how we would create the ultimate environment for Sleepland shoppers, we identified several key areas that needed to be addressed:

Atmosphere
Your bedroom should be your sanctuary-where you can relax and unwind. Your mattress shopping experience should be no different! Our new gallery’s spa-like environment promotes all the health benefits that come from getting a restful night’s sleep!

Location
Previously our old bedding gallery had been tucked away on the 3^rd floor.  We believe that this category is so important that we decided to relocate it to the 1^st floor, right beside the front door! Now the gallery is easily accessible.

Sleep Specialist Consultation Desk

Layout
Navigating through a mattress gallery is not always the easiest thing to do when you have such a large selection! To solve this problem, our new space is divided into manufacturer-specific galleries  that are easy to shop.  All galleries pivot out from a central consultation desk, where bedding specialists are on standby for assistance.  

Technology
Information about each bed is only a touch away! Next to every bed in Sleepland is an iPad that prominently displays pricing and features/benefits about each bed.  There are even informational videos available!

Sleepland is also proud to offer the latest in mattress selection technology with Kingsdown’s Diagnostic Room.  Just answer a few questions about yourself, lie down, and the system will personally comfort-fit you to several sleep sets that are appropriate for your body.  To read more about this technology, click here.

Considering an adjustable base with your new bedding set? Spend approximately six minutes in the Tempur-Pedic Sleep Experience Center and learn about the health benefits that you can gain from owning an adjustable base!

Tempur-pedic Gallery

Come visit our brand new gallery and experience the Sleepland difference!

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Jason Harris, Wayde King, Jeff Harris and Brett Raymer

What is Sleepland, you may ask?  It’s the newest addition to the Furnitureland South campus, and we just happen to be holding its grand opening on the day that Tanked airs!  Sleepland will offer a new experience for mattress shoppers, focused on the health benefits of sleep and creating a serene, relaxing atmosphere for mattress shopping.

Customers who visit Furnitureland South on Friday and Saturday will be able to register for mattress giveaways, which will take place all day Saturday.  Also, be sure to visit Furnitureland South’s Facebook page during every commercial break of the Tanked episode to answer trivia questions about what is happening on the show.  All correct answers will enter the participant into a drawing to win a set of these luxurious Belle Epoque 420 thread count sheets!

Stay tuned to our blog and Facebook page for more exciting announcements related to sleep, mattresses, contests and free stuff (all of which, we think, will help you sleep better at night!)

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With all that said, let’s make it work! I took on the challenge of finding some individual pieces that could truly complement each other and add some pizzazz to your space. Using design savvy manufacturers such as Hooker Furniture, Lexington Home Brands, and Stanley Furniture this combination not only looks great, it also has a story to tell.

Images courtesy of manufacturers mentioned above

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