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Allison
May 1, 2012 - 9:44am


Cultivating an Outdoor Living Space

 

We wanted to create a garden that didn’t require too much work from year to year, just watering and the occasional weeding. When we went to Lowe’s we kept low maintenance in mind and chose lots of perennials—two Knock Out roses, two peonies, and two hydrangea bushes. We also wanted to create an herb garden, so we bought basil, dill, parsley, rosemary, peppermint, and lavender. Along with the herbs, we wanted to take a stab at tomatoes, so into the cart went two tomato plants. 


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Allison
March 27, 2012 - 11:23am


The Eggstravagant Tablescape

 

Easter is such a great holiday. It’s full of pastels, and spring is in full force. Since Easter Eggs play a big role in the springtime holiday, I decided to use the small, white object to inspire a pastel-infused tablescape.


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Allison
February 29, 2012 - 3:37pm


Romantic Décor: It’s all in the Details

 

During the last month, Hooker Furniture has focused on romantic-themed décor. Recently, I stayed at the Inn on Biltmore Estate, which offers the ultimate in  romantic décor. The hotel rooms all had Victorian-Era décor. Along with sharing some photos with you, I wanted to help bring the romantic look home with a more modern twist.


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Allison
January 27, 2012 - 8:27am


Organizing at Home with Baskets

 

Better organization was my biggest New Year’s resolution for 2012. I decided to choose one simple way to organize and it was inspired by a photo that was posted on the Hooker Furniture Facebook page. I chose to organize with baskets.


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Allison
December 15, 2011 - 10:57am


Easy & Inexpensive Christmas Decorations

 

Now that Thanksgiving and autumn are over, it’s time to pull out the Christmas decorations. I absolutely love decorating for the holidays, especially in my new home. Since I had very few of the holiday decorating staples, I had to go shopping.  I needed lighted garland for the staircase and mantle, candle lights for the windows, and outdoor Christmas lights for the bushes. It was important that I had all of these items prior to beginning my decorating escapade. 


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Allison
November 17, 2011 - 10:55am


Decorating on a Budget with Antique Gold Frames

 

Sometimes I find decorating with wall art and personal photos to be a challenge. Currently, we are a small family, just my husband and me, and I love hanging photos of the two of us. But how many is too many?

 

One wall art alternative is really fun and allows you to use your creativity: antique gold frames!


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Allison
October 27, 2011 - 1:29pm


Changing Up Your Furniture & Flowers for Fall

 

Fall, one of my four favorite seasons, has arrived! And with fall comes lots of festive things such as pumpkins, the color burnt orange, turning leaves, chrysanthemums, and (my personal favorite) fabulous red furniture. Since I am now a proud homeowner, I decided I need to show my pride by decorating my front door with all of those festive symbols of fall.


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Allison
October 11, 2011 - 12:14pm


Installing a Bathroom Vanity

 

One of the first steps with replacing the vanity was to cut the back of it so it fits flush against the wall. We have thick floorboard trim, so we needed to cut the back of the vanity in order for it to be flat against the wall. We decided to use a special tracer which consists of nails that you press against the floor board and you trace that outline onto the back of the vanity. Once we had an outline, we used a saw to cut the vanity. Once the vanity was cut, we tested it to make sure it was flush against the wall. It worked perfectly!


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Allison
September 20, 2011 - 12:37pm


Choosing the Right Size Rug for Your Space

 

Rugs can really complete a room. Not only can they add comfort and depth but they can also prevent echoing in rooms with high ceilings. I recently purchased a beautiful Persian rug for my living room but prior to buying, I discovered there is a method for choosing the right size rug for a space. Apparently it’s a mathematical equation! (A simple one, of course.)


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Allison
September 9, 2011 - 9:03am


The Exciting Purchase of Our First Home

 

I am sure you have enjoyed all of the wonderful stories Jess and Peter have shared with you about the purchasing and updates they have made to their first home. I know I enjoyed reading them! I loved reading their stories so much that I wanted to share with you my own personal story about purchasing my first home with my husband, Keith.


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Jess
August 30, 2011 - 11:50am


The Dreaded Task of Cleaning the Garage

 

 I recently had a dinner party with a few of my friends where the topic of moving came up.  My friend Allison and her husband Keith have just bought a new house, and their excitement about moving combined with the dread of packing reminded me of how Peter and I were feeling last spring when we bought our new house.  When we moved, we put away the majority of our belongings in the appropriate rooms and left the remainder in our garage.  Over the last year and a half, the garage has continued to stay in the same state (a mess!) while the interior of the house has been organized and really come to life.  Allison’s talk of packing reminded me that I still had a lot of unpacking to do!


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Jess
August 24, 2011 - 9:47am


Adventures with Soufflé Making

 

 With several guests coming to dinner, I wanted to make something that would be easy to make but also look impressive on our dining table.  My friend Allison was bringing her famous lasagna, so I decided to attempt something a little experimental since we would have the lasagna to fall back on as a main course.  I decided to make a leek soufflé, something I had made before and had some success with.  On the previous occasion for making this soufflé, it did not rise very well, so I was determined to get this soufflé to elevate!


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Peter
August 16, 2011 - 12:35pm


Easy Entertaining with Dining Room Furniture

 

 With our July summer vacations out of the way, Jess and I have more time to spend around the house with our friends.  With our large dining space, we can host great get-togethers on a regular basis.  Hosting dinner parties can be stressful if you think about what you are going to serve too much.  We have a couple of tricks that make dinners easy and worry free.


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Jess
July 28, 2011 - 2:27pm


Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

 

 After all the other elements in our bathroom came together for that perfect beach feeling, our original mirror just was not working with the rest of the room.  It had a worn oak finish that I was hoping would look like driftwood.  However, in juxtaposition to the newly updated bathroom cabinets vanity, the mirror just looked shabby & old.  Laura Redd suggested a way to match the feeling of the vanity with the mirror through white washing.


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Jess
July 11, 2011 - 11:43am


Decorating your Bathroom in Coastal Sophisticate Style

 

 Last year I had the chance to spend some time in a very nicely decorated beach condo on the North Carolina coast.  Every other beach cottage I have been to features coconuts, weird signs about beachy subjects, tiki-type decorations, and generally a lot of kitschy stuff.  However, this condo impressed me with its modern style, and I loved the pastel colors of buttercream and light ocean blue together.  After falling in love with Carolina coastal style, Peter & I decided to bring some beach with us to inland Greensboro in our bathroom.


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