Dry Bar Lighting - Rowan Buffet Lamp

As opposed to a small bar cart, a dry bar is slightly more appropriate if you have a larger home. The Rowan Buffet Lamps make the perfect pairing for a larger console area. Display your buffet lamps on either side of the console area to maximize your space for necessities. The lamps not only add needed lighting, but adds a touch of classically styled accents. Using a tray helps to divide the area into different sections to dedicate that space to bottle openers, glassware, coasters, etc. 

Having color is easy to do! The alcohol bottles are pretty enough to display and most have touches of color to help your dry bar stand out. Stock up the bar with mixers and showcase your favorite vintage glasses and dishware. Adding a painting or mirror above the bar area helps elongate the section and makes it feel more complete. The finishing touch is with fresh flowers; not only do they add a beautiful color into the mix but the aroma will balance everything off. A bar cart or a dry bar area immediately invites guests to enjoy themselves while they are in your home.

 

Ahoy Matey...errr Mirror

Rustic and Nautical Mirrors
By: Priya Patel

My fiancé, Alex, recently finished his five year enlistment with the United States Navy…so you can say that the Navy was and still is a big part of our lives. When moving into our first apartment we didn't know what kind of theme we wanted our living room to have, so we decided to have nautical décor accented with blue hues. We didn't want to ‘go overboard’ with Navy memorabilia so we decided to find key military inspired pieces that made our theme come together.

The Seagrass Wall Mirror is the perfect combination of rustic and nautical. It’s highly detailed with intricate knotted brown rope and is a substantial size which filled up our bare walls.  The teal pillows and wall color really pops with browns and neutrals. The ‘Stuff’ bin holds all of our remote controls and of course, the holy Xbox controller. The handles are tied with rope, which ties the mirror back into the décor. While a finished living room may be miles ‘aweigh,’ a mirror really adds more depth and light back into any room.

Find the Seagrass Wall Mirror at your local home decor retailer...or, online at these great e-tailers;

     

Reading Under Reeler

The Perfect Reading Light
By: Justin Draughn

A look around my house will prove my absolute love and borderline obsession with "tech-toys"...from the latest - thinnest laptop...to the sleekest new smart phone, my home is jam-packed with tech items. With this adoration for all things digital I still have yet to let go of my last remaining "tangible" vice...the book. Music lovers claim to hear the "warmth" in vinyl - book readers like the feel of paper, the experience of flipping the page, and the weight of a heavy volume. I have yet to have the same reading experience from an e-reader. With that, I'd like to tell you about my favorite reading spot in the house...

I enjoy sitting upright while reading - as such, I have a ridiculously comfortable over-sized chair in my reading area. It's well broken in and somewhat swallows your body during lengthy reading sessions. 

  

My ultimate reading light is the "Reeler" floor lamp which features an adjustable curved arm to situate the angle of the light in the perfect position. This particular model features a rich, oil-rubbed-bronze finish which provides exceptional warmth to my reading nook. 

Reeler reminds me of a private investigator's lamp from an old film noir style move - the look of the angles are what I'd describe as "vintage Hollywood". The over all look and feel of the lamp will give your room, or reading nook a decisive "classic cool" appeal.

One of the best features of Reeler is its use of directional light - with the right angle and bulb combination I can illuminate my reading area, while leaving the rest of the room in the dark. Conversely, with a higher wattage bulb and higher angling of the light you can easily warm up a living room.

Reeler can be purchased online, or at a local lighting retailer.

     

Coil: Solar Lantern

Solid Solar Lantern
By: Justin Draughn

The recent streak of cold weather has generally kept me from enjoying my backyard lanai - instead I've been confined inside reacting the type writer scenes from "The Shining". With the first burst above 50 degree temperatures in over two weeks, I pounced on the opportunity to go outside and enjoy cooking on my grille, and perhaps some light reading afterwards. The upswing in temperature also finally gave me an opportunity to review the "Coil" solar lantern. We on the social media team at Kenroy Home have admittedly been putting off a review on this product - we've been so enamored with the beautiful ceramic solar lantern collection "Leaves", that we failed to realize how incredibly awesome the Coil lantern was.

In less than a second after turning on the solar light disc I was treated to an amazing light cast pattern. The coiled rings project an almost bulls-eye light display. While not exactly practical for my outside patio, a series of "Coil" lanterns on a walking path would look outstanding.

The versatility of this lantern cannot be overstated - the lightweight frame made hanging it up by the handle incredibly easy. With "Coil" suspended above the grille, I now had a great downcast of light to prepare dinner. Just as easy as handing it, I transferred it over to the table for a nice "solar lit" dinner.

  
Beyond nighttime entertaining, this lantern would make an exceptional camping accessory - lightweight enough to suspend from a branch, durable enough to withstand walks through the campground, and powerful enough to last through the night on a single solar charge. The possibilities are endless...

Coil can be found at your local lighting retailer, or online;

 

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of...

Clean and Classy Night Stands
By: Priya Patel

Most of our nighttime routines consist of reading a few pages of a New York Times Bestseller - or debating on watching the next 10 episodes of "Breaking Bad" on Netflix. Regardless of what you choose as the last bit of pre-slumber stimuli, one philosophy will always remain consistent...a well organized room will help you sleep better. In this post we'll discuss a classic and clean nightstand - one that provides the right amount of "put-away" storage, with just enough table-top space for your daily go-to items.

An underutilized, plain and simple night stand is just as bad as a cluttered one - it lends zero aura to the room, and presents an "I'm just taking up space" attitude. With just a few simple accessories and must-have items, we can transform this simple piece of furniture into a well organized inspiration platform for the rest of your bedroom.

 
A good nightstand storage policy to adhere to is dividing your items into three categories: infrequent - magazines, "back-up lotions", various chargers, and that shirt button you just can't seem to ever throw away...in my case, I've appropriately named this storage area "stuff". Daily - lotions, jewelry, medications...any item that you'd want easy-quick access too, but don't want to necessarily display to the public. And lastly, the "OMG Where is my..." category - these are items that you'll want easy, uninhibited access to, such as your phone, keys, or glasses.

The most important element of your nightstand arrangement will be your lamp - with the top of your nightstand considered premium real-estate, you'll want to select a lamp with a small footprint. I found that the Emilio Table Lamp from Kenroy Home fits this criteria perfectly. Emilio's base is only 9.5 inches long and has a width a little over 5 inches. An additional benefit is the off-center shade position...while the footprint is small, the shade protrudes out almost 9 inches, this gives you a better viewing angle for nighttime reading or tablet surfing without sacrificing table space. 

      

A few decorative accents such as a chrome etched vase, and white candle positioned on top of a vintage box creates a classy and modernly inspired nightstand that will make your day-to-day routine a snap! 

Emilio can be found at your local lighting showroom - or online at these great retailers;

  

    

Desk Lamps: The Right Light for your Job

Desktop Lighting:
By: Priya Patel

For any work area, lighting is a must. A lamp not only adds lighting to your desk, but could be a decorative, accent piece. We spend so much time at work, so why not make it a place we enjoy?

The Baubles 2-Pack Table Lamp adds a sleek, yet funky touch to my work environment. I wanted to incorporate the silver and polished look from the lamp back into my desk area, so I opted for a tray to hold all of my office supplies. I chose a metallic wide tray which houses a crackled pen/pencil holder, fun and colorful notebooks, polka dotted file holders, and some Lilly Pulitzer for pattern and color. My choice of desktop lighting is primarily for aesthetics - while the soft glow from the taupe shade is easy on my eyes, the silver body finish of Baubles ties the desk together.

Now we'll see how one lamp style can be used in a variety of configurations.    

The GloverTable Lamp is a versatile, bubbled patterned ceramic lamp. Our Digital Media Manager, Justin, uses his Glover lamp to have brightness for his ‘reading nook’ and to have additional lighting for his monitor’s. Having the lamp positioned behind the viewing angle of his monitor helps with eye strain while editing videos and photos. A truly versatile piece, our Human Resource Manager, Tammy, uses Glover to add an additional décor piece for her office. The white glossy base really pops and adds flare and takes the drab out of a traditional office space.

The ReelerTable Lamp has an adjustable pivot to pin point your lighting direction. Michael, our fixture designers, uses Reeler for functionality - the pivoting head is perfect for providing light while sketching out fabulous new designs. The sleek and modern lines is a perfect match for the cleanest office space in the building.

Reeler lightens up for Jordon’s desk area. Jordon, Kenroy Home’s eCommerce Coordinator, mainly uses Reeler for optimal light. Spreadsheets and numbers can be daunting and can strain your eyes…Reeler will point and turn to give your eyes ease throughout the work day.

What do you do keep your office area fun, functional, and fresh?

Find more Kenroy Home Desk and Table Lamps at your local lighting showroom or these great online retailers...

  

Warm and Cozy

Designing a "warm" room - with "worn" furniture
By: Priya Patel

Before our big move to Florida, my fiancé and I were gifted these lovely coffee colored leather sofas from his parents. Due to our tight budget and knowing anything similar would retail far above what we could afford, we graciously accepted. They were upholstered with luxuriously supple blended leather and could easily be turned into a little reading nook, but first we needed to transform these sofas into more of a contemporary setting.

I could add a few blankets and make it cozier, but that’s not necessarily making it fun and fresh. I ran into these patterned pillows at my local home décor store and thought it would be a perfect balance with the dominating rich brown sofas. The shades of teal, silver, and periwinkle blue gave the room more of a balance.

Next came accessories. Accessorizing is the perfect way to add touches of your style and personality. Set the tone with personalized pictures or small plants. I found some inexpensive succulents at my local grocery store and decided to plant it in a plain rounded, crisp white pot. The white accents the periwinkle blue pillows, making everything consistent. I wanted to add more touches of white, but didn't want it to become a central color. So I opted for a textured candle in a warm yet inviting scent of vanilla. To tie everything back I wanted to add a rustic/natural touch…these pine cones did the trick! They are potpourri pine cones, which adds an extra scent to the living room.

Finally, I needed a bold accent piece and most importantly, additional lighting! The Lavo Table lamp was the perfect colored accent piece and it was quite functional for reading. While no two lamps are the same, I had a true unique piece. The ceramic lamp was sturdy enough to withstand play time with my shih-tzu and pretty enough to have lit for an extra beam of light throughout the night.

Have you ever received a hand-me-down piece of furniture? How did you design around it...?

If you are bold enough to design around the Lavo table lamp it can be found at your local lighting retailer, or online at these wonderful retailers.