The addition of a few living plants brings a wealth of benefits to any home — and to its human occupants. They add life, color and subtle movement to the room; they have been shown to improve our moods; and of course, they turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. Some even help filter out airborne toxins, which can be released by everything from cleaning products to paint.

Decorating with plants
One of the great things about decorating with plants is that it’s hard to get it wrong. One plant looks good. Ten plants look really good. You’d practically have to import a jungle to overdo it.

Give yourself permission to be creative about placement; they’re ideal for filling in empty, awkward spaces, like the tops of shelves and the undersides of tables. Rather than simply standing large planters on the floor, raise them up on shelves, benches or stands for added height and a more polished look.

Hanging planters come in all kinds of designs, and let you fill your home with greenery without sacrificing any floor space. Ivy and creepers look good in hanging baskets, but so can less conventional choices like succulents and air plants. Another interesting option is to plant in water rather than soil. A lot of plants, including herbs, can be grown in clear glass vases, giving you an amazing view of their root systems.

Clearing the air with plants
Many of us experience indoor air pollution without realizing it. A whole host of products, including building materials, gradually release chemicals, with unhealthy results. Below is a non-comprehensive list of plants that are especially good at removing the bad stuff from indoor air:

• English ivy
• Spider plant
• Aloe vera
• Snake plant, AKA mother in law’s tongue
• Chrysanthemums
• Gerbera daisies
• Dracaena
• Weeping fig, AKA ficus
• Azalea
• Chinese evergreen
• Bamboo palm
• Philodendron

Starter plants
If you’re new to the world of caring for plants, it can seem complicated at first. Different types of plants have different needs; some thrive in humidity, while others can’t stand being damp. Some need hours of sunshine per day, while others are much happier out of direct light. Plants often express displeasure by dying, so it’s a bad idea to try to wing it without advice. Ask for basic care instructions when buying your plants, and do a little online research for more detailed information after you get them home.

Among the air purifying plants listed above, the easiest to care for are spider plants, English ivy, philodendron and snake plants. If those still prove a little much, it’s worth remembering that cacti and succulents are virtually un-killable. Anything that can survive in the desert will probably survive in your living room.

Safety note
Before choosing any plant for the home, remember to check whether it is toxic to pets or young children. Among many others, philodendrons and lilies can both be dangerous if ingested.

Playing it safe with area rugs is not for everybody. There is an abundance of creative, colorful rugs available, meaning it’s never been easier to customize your floors. We’ve assembled a few pointers to help make extravagant, patterned area rugs work for you.

Avoiding the “too busy” trap: Perhaps the most common concern homeowners experience when choosing a patterned rug is that it might make the room look too busy — too much pattern, too many colors, too much going on. Balance and contrast are your allies here. Offset a patterned rug with solid-colored furnishings and plain walls for an effect that’s exciting but not overwhelming. Multiple patterns in a single room, in the form of upholstery, window coverings or wallpaper are for serious risk takers only.

The 60-30-10 rule: You may already be familiar with the 60-30-10 color rule. It’s a rule of thumb for devising a color scheme, and whether you are adding a rug to an existing room or designing a new look around the rug, it can be a handy tool.

To put the 60-30-10 rule into action, design your space around three main colors; a dominant color, a secondary color and an accent color. 60% of the room should feature the dominant color, 30% the secondary color and 10% the accent color. In most rooms the dominant color will be the wall color, the secondary your furniture color, and the accent will be reflected in your choice of accessories. Whether you consider your area rug an accessory or a furnishing is going to be a matter of personal judgment, but look at your color scheme as a whole and consider how each part is represented.

Proportion: When it comes to rugs, getting the proportions right can be a tough nut to crack. There are a few different approaches available to you when sizing up a rug, which frees you up to choose the one that works best for you. If you want your new rug to unify the whole space, opt for the largest one that will fit. If you’re more interested in defining independent areas within the room, one or more smaller rugs are a good bet. For a harmonious look, all your seating should relate to the rug in the same way; with either all legs on the rug, all legs off the rug, or all front legs on the rug.

Pets help make our houses feel like homes; however, they don’t always get along with our furnishings. Between the shedding, the scratching and the treats ending up in weird places, animals can be extremely hard on valued possessions. Whatever kind of furry friend you share your home with, we have tips to help you coexist a little more harmoniously.

Pet-proof upholstery
With pets, as with children, your soft furnishings are going to suffer if you don’t protect them. Performance upholstery is one of the best investments you can make when living with dogs or cats (or toddlers). Performance or technical fabrics are manmade textiles that can withstand far more abuse than standard upholstery fabrics and are easier to clean. There are several big-name manufacturers of performance fabrics; three especially good brands for indoor use are Crypton, Ultrasuede, and Sunbrella.

While they look and feel like luxury textiles, Crypton fabrics are liquid-repellant, anti-microbial, and resilient in the face of odors and scratching. Ultrasuede’s microscopic structure is so small that it doesn’t trap loose strands of fur the way woven fabrics do, and it too resists damage from liquids, friction, and odors. Initially created for outdoor use, Sunbrella now offers soft and vibrant indoor-only fabrics as well as indoor-outdoor textiles so tough they can even be bleached without damage.

Cats and furniture
Cats love to bite, scratch and stand on things they shouldn’t. Teach them certain things are off limits by:

• Applying lemon juice to items that your cat has tried to chew on — especially electrical cords and headphone wires. Cats have no sweetness receptors in their mouths, so citrus tastes foul to them. Lemon juice can be a little sticky, but the good news is you won’t have to do it for long; cats learn quickly when it suits them, so you should be able to wipe it off after a week or so.
• Wrapping aluminum foil on furnishings that your cat has been climbing or sharpening its claws on can help convince them to stop, as the foil feels unpleasant under their paws — the way accidentally biting a piece feels to us. Like the lemon juice trick, this isn’t super-attractive to live with, but the learning process should be a short one.
• Speaking of sharpening their claws, scratching is an essential behavior for cats — it keeps their claws down to a healthy length and makes them feel good. Preventing kitty from shredding your sofa arms means giving them somewhere else to scratch. There are lots of clever and stylish cat scratchers, beds and climbing trees available online, from eco-friendly cardboard to mid-century modern products that will complement your human-sized furniture beautifully.

Dogs and furniture
For dogs, outdoor time is essential — without adequate exercise and the company of other dogs, they can develop behavioral problems like chewing furniture and soiling area rugs, wreaking havoc on your house. Make sure they have a fenced outdoor area to run around in, or find time every day to take them to a park where they can burn off energy and make friends.

Daily brushing can reduce the amount of loose fur that makes its way onto your furniture, keep your dog’s coat and skin healthier, and even cut down on that funky canine smell. Fortunately, most dogs seem to enjoy a brushdown from their favorite person, so try to work five minutes of grooming into your daily schedule.

Dogs love getting comfortable on chairs, sofas and beds, so if you’re determined to keep your pooch off the furniture, be ready to provide them with plenty of bedding. Place a dog bed in any room where you spend a lot of time, including the living room and the bedroom, so your dog can be near you while enjoying a seat of his own. The Crypton Home line includes a selection of pet beds, throws and mess mats.

Nothing says home like a collection of books. Whether they’re well-loved paperbacks or the glossiest of limited editions, the books we choose to live with literally speak volumes about our characters and tastes. Rather than restricting your personal library to a freestanding bookshelf or two, pushed up inconspicuously against the wall, why not make it an integral part of your favorite room?

Contemporary shelving styles range from the virtually invisible to the huge and dramatic. Pack them tightly with nothing but books, or intersperse your collection with art objects and accessories that follow a common color theme. And never feel that your books have to live in the office or living room. Hallways, staircases, awkward corners and bedrooms are all prime bookshelf real estate!

The modular Fifty Bookshelf is as large as you want it to be. Mount a single column of shelving, or cover an entire wall with this striking and ultra-modern design. Built-in bookends keep your reading materials neat and tidy.

The Loft Bookshelf can be placed against a wall, but for maximum impact, consider standing it boldly in the center of the room. It makes an ideal room divider, with its open, backless design making it seem light and unobtrusive.

Press Bookshelves are constructed from painted metal, and when supporting a pile of books they seem to disappear. Stack several of them horizontally or vertically for a look that seems to defy gravity.

Finally, if flexibility is preferable to permanence, the Dappertutto Exhibitor Bookcase may be the one for you. Available in four sizes, these understated ultra-clear glass units can be moved on casters from room to room as required.

Spending quality time on the patio is one of the greatest pleasures of life in Florida. In fact, wherever you call home, creating the perfect outdoor space can only enhance your home and your lifestyle.

Outdoor Seating
Outdoor chaises are a natural fit for the poolside or patio. The Maui Patio Chair and Surf Sun Chaise are both molded from durable, man-made materials and available in a range of bright, fun colors. The similarly colorful Moma Barstool, companion piece to the Moma Bar Table, is another great outdoor seating option for those in search of a bold finishing touch. For smaller spaces, however, consider a more compact design, like the Tamiami Outdoor Collection by storied design house Brown Jordan.

Patio Dining
The Flight and Swim outdoor dining tables both exhibit great indoor as well as outdoor possibilities. Although designed for the patio, either one would be perfectly at home within the house, giving you the option of putting them to use on occasions when extra guests need to be accommodated. Pair your outdoor dining table with chairs that also work on the patio and in the home, like the Giuseppina Dining Chair, a modern interpretation of the traditional kitchen chair in colored polycarbonate.

Performance Upholstery
Patio furniture has to contend with more wear than even the most mistreated indoor furnishings, especially in our climate, so upholstery that can withstand water, sunlight and grime is a must. Sunbrella is a leading performance fabric brand, and is specifically engineered for outdoor use. Its cotton-like hand means Sunbrella already feels similar to indoor fabrics, from plain weaves to jacquards, and invites you to extend your living space outward. Outdoor drapery, area rugs, throws and pillows are all available in Sunbrella fabrics, making it possible to furnish your patio as if it were any other room in your house.

Outdoor Lighting
Portable outdoor lighting lets you keep the party going as late as you like, wherever you like. Some of our favorites include the pretty Kartell Battery Lamp, the Uma Sound Lantern, and the very large, reassuringly heavy Vases Floor Lamp. Their portability comes from the fact that they are powered by batteries or USB charging, so there is no need for cables. Outdoor lights are also designed to be weather resistant, and most will cope just fine in light rain.

Fire pits
Finally, a fire pit creates a welcoming, attractive focal point for any outdoor space. Styles range from the humble fire bowl to more advanced models that run on clean-burning biofuel. The Equinox Outdoor Fireplace is one of the latter, and provides both a safe, environmentally responsible fire and a low stone surface that can be used as a cocktail table or seat.

The beauty of floating shelves is that without visible brackets or hardware there is nothing to distract the eye from your display. In contrast to a traditional shelf unit, a set of floating shelves creates a light and airy visual impression that creates a focal point without necessarily dominating the wall. They also free up the space under the shelves for seating, storage or large display items.

Choosing your shelves
Opt for dark shelves on a pale wall, or vice versa, for a high-contrast look with lots of pop. Alternatively, choose glass shelves or solid shelves that match the wall for a barely-there impression that puts all the focus on the items you’re displaying. Custom-built shelves can be matched to your case goods to help create a perfectly coordinated room.

Placing your shelves
Designing a room is a bit like planning a city; if you can’t spread out, build up. Floating shelves look great above the sofa, over doors, between windows, alongside the vanity or ascending up the wall beside the stairs. Fill a corner with a set of triangular or L-shaped floating shelves to turn an under-utilized space into the perfect spot for displaying accessories. Use long, low floating shelves as an alternative to a buffet to display your dishes, glasses and servingware rather than hiding them away. Replace bulky bedside tables with a floating shelf or two on either side of the bed, to give yourself a handy space for lamps, books and glasses of water without taking up a ton of room. If you don’t have a full room to set aside for an office, create a micro office by installing a floating shelf at desk height. Suddenly, you’ve got a dedicated home for your laptop and no awkward desk legs to bang into.

In a smaller bathroom, powder room or dressing room, do away with cabinets in favour of displaying your towels, cosmetics and other essentials with pride. You’d be surprised how much space this frees up, and how an awkward wall or nook can be made both useful and attractive with the addition of floating shelves. Walk-in wardrobes can also benefit from floating shelves as homes for shoes, bags and favourite accessories that are too good to hide away.

Styling your shelves
Perhaps the most obvious use for floating shelves is as a contemporary alternative to a bookcase. Display your book collection with a little extra verve by organizing them by color, either as a rainbow or with a single color family per shelf. Floating shelves are also ideal for displaying accents, art, and collections of personal items. Larger pieces like framed artworks should sit at the back of the shelf — you can choose to hang them or just lean them against the wall for an arrangement that can be updated anytime. Look for accents that complement one another, but remember to work a variety of heights, widths and shapes in there. Aim to position taller items on the ends of the shelves for balance, layer smaller and shorter items in front of the larger ones, and try arranging them at a variety of depths for visual interest. Plants and fresh flowers add an ever-changing dimension of color and life to any shelf display. Remember that odd numbers of items tend to look more harmonious together.

Some great examples of floating shelves available at Sklar are the Alfabeto and Brama shelves from Tonelli, and the Press Bookshelves from ALF.

‘Tis the season of family gatherings and the lavish meals that go with them. You may not always need a large family dinner table, but when the festive season arrives, a little extra space for visiting relatives goes a long way. Extension tables are a great solution to this. The clever mechanisms that let you increase the surface area of these tables make them both beautiful and easy to use, with no need for wrangling separate leaves.

Denmark’s Skovby brand has been designing and hand-building modern extension tables for decades. Their Extension Dining Table seats up to 12 diners thanks to its generous dimensions and space-saving base. Smaller but no less impressive is their Round Dining Table, with a unique turning mechanism that causes built-in extension leaves to unfold.

The T240 Extendable Dining Table features a metal sliding mechanism that reveals its hidden leaves. This contemporary piece is made from Canaletto walnut on a graphite metal base and seats up to 12 people.

Available in American black walnut or solid cherry, the Audrey Extension Table can be extended by 24 inches thanks to a self-storing butterfly leaf. Choose from several Greenguard certified finishes to customise Audrey to match its surroundings.

The Quadrato Extension Table seats up to 8 people when its frosted glass top is opened out. Its square marble base lends the Quadrato a striking appearance and leaves plenty of room for everybody’s legs.

Finally, the surprising Lang Extension Table converts from a console to a table long enough to seat 12 people. This matt white wonder defies expectations, expanding to several times its original size. You’ll always have room for last-minute additions to the guest list, and once the holidays are over the Lang will occupy only the smallest of nooks.

Cover image courtesy of Brit + Co.

Thanksgiving decorations don’t have to be all cornucopias and paper turkeys (not that there’s anything wrong with those). If traditional decor just isn’t for you, express your personal style instead with contemporary table settings and decor ideas that update the traditions of Thanksgiving while remaining true to its core of generosity, warmth and plenty.

Modern wreaths
Your seasonal wreath doesn’t need to be circular. Try a triangle, a horseshoe shape or a single long sprig of greenery, held up by ribbon, decorative thread or wire. Weave in battery-powered LEDs for a 21st century wreath that glimmers prettily.

Unconventional color schemes
Take a break from the usual autumnal color scheme and surprise your guests with something unexpected this year. Pair a black tablecloth with contrasting decor — think a jewel-like purple or fresh green — or try out some on-trend pastels. Gold, silver or copper metallic accents add another dimension of interest.

Surprising floristry
Get creative with your Thanksgiving floristry – let it reflect both your personality and the unique qualities of your home. Live flowers, cacti or succulents are all striking replacements for the usual bouquets, as are arrangements of fresh fruit like pomegranates, apples, pears, clementines and oranges. Even pumpkins and gourds can be modernized with a coat of white, pastel or metallic paint to complement your color scheme.

Creative centerpieces
Build your centerpiece in a long iron or wood container, or use a row of tin cans or mason jars to line the center of the table. Exchange the conventional tall, tapered candles for a row or two of colored or mercury glass votives. Incorporate on-trend elements like antlers (real or faux), feathers or leaves dipped in gold paint and scattered along the table runner. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Your Thanksgiving table will be all the more appreciated if it expresses the personality your guests know and love.

Some images courtesy of Laura Trevey and South TX Creations on Etsy.

The cooler months are here, and for we Floridians it’s the perfect season for spending time in the backyard or on the patio. Whether you’re entertaining or just spending the evening at home with family, with a little preparation you’ll be ready to enjoy those refreshing evening breezes all season long.

Fire pits
A fire pit provides a mesmerizing centerpiece to your outdoor area, and takes the edge off those rare chilly nights. It can be as simple as a fireproof bowl or as sophisticated as the Equinox Fireplace, which is powered by clean-burning bio ethanol fuel. Whatever style of fire pit you choose, make sure you position it at least 10 feet from fences, walls, trees or anything else flammable, and smother the flames before turning in for the night by dumping sand or cold ashes over them.

Outdoor lighting
Portable outdoor lights let you stay out longer, and can be repositioned at will, freeing you up to explore the possibilities of your outdoor space. Vases Floor Lamps are available in a range of sizes and colors, are suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and can be operated remotely. The pretty Kartell Battery Lamp shines for up to six hours on a single USB charge, while the Uma Sound Lantern enables impromptu parties by combining a portable light with a high fidelity sound system.

Weather resistant backyard furniture
Equip your garden or patio with weather resistant furniture that suits the season. Faz Armchairs are made of durable molded polyethylene resin and are available in autumnal brown as well as pure white. The Kartell T-Table, designed by Patricia Urquiola, has a uniquely patterned top that suggests the veins of leaves, and is also available in a range of seasonal colors like red, brown and gold, plus always-popular clear. Finally, Brown Jordan’s Tamiami Collection patio chairs are comfortable, stylish and ready to meet the challenges of changeable weather, thanks to their resilient Suncloth® fabric straps. These boldly colored chairs are perfect for soaking up the last rays of sun, and will be just fine if you forget to bring them in afterwards.

Although it’s one of the oldest decorative surfaces, tile can be very contemporary, even futuristic. Tiles are also tough; ceramic floors have a life expectancy of at least 75 years, while tiles made of natural stone like granite can last over a century. It takes a little care to ensure your tiles remain in top condition over such a long lifetime, but the rewards are well worth it.

Types of tile
Ceramic tiles are available in an almost infinite array of colors and patterns, making them a creative and expressive option for those looking to set their homes apart. Ceramic tiles are categorized as either porcelain or non-porcelain, with a glazed or a non-glazed finish. Porcelain ceramic tiles are more expensive, but also better able to handle heavy wear than non-porcelain.

Natural stones commonly used to make tiles include granite, limestone, marble and slate. The three standard finishes for stone tiles are natural, honed and polished. Granite and slate are among the most durable stones, while marble and limestone are porous and prone to stains and scratching.

Unconventional tile materials, including glass and metal, are generally decorative and not recommended for use on floor or other heavy-duty surfaces.

Tile care
Debris like sand, dust and dirt can be abrasive and scratch the surface of your tiles, so step one of your care plan should be regular vacuuming, sweeping and mopping. Any liquid spills should be cleaned up immediately, to prevent staining – dry the spill, then wash the area with soapy water and a soft cloth or sponge.

Bleach, ammonia, and any cleaning products with acidic or abrasive qualities should be avoided at all costs, as they can damage both the tiles and the grout. Stick to specialist cleaners that are recommended for your type of tile, or play it safe by simply using warm, soapy water.

Attach foot protectors to any furniture that stands on your tile floor, to prevent scratching, and remember to lift, not drag, when furniture needs to be moved. Any sealers or protectants recommended by your installer should be re-applied every 3-5 years to ensure continued performance.

For a look into 2016’s Tiling Trends, click here.