Max Furniture Blog

Preparing the Garden for Summer

NinaCarmen Monroe — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:08:03 GMT

As the seasons change, the days lengthen, and the temperatures begin to climb, it is time to get your outdoor living area ready for you and your family’s enjoyment – not to mention your friends and neighbors. While no two gardens or outdoor living areas are exactly alike, there are some commonalities typical of all lawn and garden preparation. Here are a dozen great suggestions to help you get started on an outstanding summer season.

Prepare the soil with the safety of children and pets in mind. Add compost and a mild organic fertilizer.

Trim shrubs and perennials. Keep blooming plants dead-headed to encourage more flowers.

Add color to your garden by planting annuals. Mix in perennials to keep the color coming all season long.

A few vegetables and herbs planted in the garden add an edible aspect to it and they are perfect for summer grilling. A tomato plant, a zucchini or yellow squash, and a ...

Three Tips on How to do a Backyard Makeover

NinaCarmen Monroe — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:45:20 GMT

Now that the warmer months have arrived, perhaps it is time to give your outdoor living area a good makeover and turn it into the “go to” location for family, friends, and neighbors. How to go about doing this is quite another story, though, as budgets come into play as well as time and labor. In order to help with the decision making process, here are three tried and true ways to improve your backyard.

Use a landscaping company

A good landscaping company will work with you every step of the way. When you first meet, a landscape designer will help you decide on the best look for your outdoor space, and then show you several design options. The designer will recommend appropriate plants for your area and where they should be placed, and will also recommend what kinds of outdoor furniture best complement the new look and where to ...

Turn your Patio into Your Own Personal Sanctuary

NinaCarmen Monroe — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 20:10:00 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

No matter what size or shape of patio you have, the fresh, outdoors environment makes it the perfect place to create a sanctuary - your own personal haven where you can retreat at the end of the day and unwind with a glass of your favorite wine while watching the glorious sunset.

This may all seem like a fairytale fantasy but the truth is, any patio, whether it's a small concrete patch or a large decked platform, can be easily transformed into the place of your dreams with a bit of planning and a few choice purchases.

Introduce Natural Elements

First of all, decide what you want to achieve. If relaxation and tranquility are your goals then try and add some natural elements so each of your senses may feel the benefit. If you already have decking then this will make a perfect base while a concrete or ...

Now's the Time to Let Spring into your Kitchen

NinaCarmen Monroe — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:55:20 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Now’s the Time to Let Spring into Your Kitchen

It’s funny just how universal the urge to spring clean is – many put it down to imitating nature in this growing season when everything is fresh, exciting, and new, and you can’t really argue with that. It’s a great time to let all the cold and dark colors of winter fly out the windows as you fling them open to embrace the warmth of the spring sun.

The kitchen is no exception. As the warmer weather starts to creep in, the room that is the hub of the house more than deserves a spring make-over, but don’t throw up your hands in horror at the thought of re-doing your whole kitchen – a make-over doesn’t have to mean a complete remodeling job, but perhaps a quick splash of paint and a few bright and cheerful accessories. Before you ...

Discover the Charm of an Outside Family Living Room

NinaCarmen Monroe — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:05:00 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Discover the Charm of an Outside Family Living Room.

You may not have realized but you can instantly extend your home and create another 'room' by utilizing your outdoor patio. With summer right around the corner, what could be better than making your patio into a perfect family living area?

Think of the Children

The patio doesn't have to be big for the whole family to enjoy it when the sun comes out, but if you have very young children, you may want to think about some safety issues as you plan your new 'room.' If the little ones have just learned to walk, make sure the floor surface is level and smooth, that way there'll be fewer bumped knees and scratched elbows to contend with. Also, if you have enough space, it is advisable to have a designated 'play area' so toddlers and infants can stay far away from hot items such as the barbeque. This all sounds pretty ...

Add a Touch of Rustic Warmth to Your Kitchen

NinaCarmen Monroe — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:05:07 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

The rustic style of décor is becoming more popular. It never actually died away, but sort of simmered for a few decades and now it is starting to be the kitchen of choice once again. What could be better than to make your kitchen warm, inviting, and welcoming? If you have a large room now's your chance to make it the hub of the house where everyone naturally gravitates when they come home.

After deciding on a rustic style, you can really go in two ways - the natural look, where everything is as nature intended or the Mediterranean look that gives the feel of a warm summer's evening in Tuscany. Or you can blend the two together - this is your kitchen so take charge, get creative and make something special for you. The following, however, may give you a few tips on where to start:

Rustic means filling the room with old world charm so starting ...

Kitchen Adventures: Rice with Garden Veggies and Chicken Breast, Italian-style

NinaCarmen Monroe — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:11:37 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Like many of you, I'm really busy with school, work, bills, errands, and life in general. More often than not, when it comes to food, I'll go for something easy (and likely terrible for me). But I love to cook - I have fond memories of my grandmother, aunt, and mother cooking, and of big, shared family meals. And I actually enjoy healthy, fresh foods prepared at home -I just don't make time to cook as often as I should.

So sometimes I am left with the uncontrollable urge to go on a kitchen adventure. These usually don't involve recipes, just me rifling through the fridge and pantry, and maybe making a stop at the store for a few items, just to see what I can come up with.

Last night, I was craving fresh vegetables and something filling that wouldn't leave me feeling guilty for stuffing myself with unhealthy things. I was also in the ...

How Will I Know My Guest Enjoyed Their Stay?

NinaCarmen Monroe — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 22:46:53 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

It's always a pleasure to be able to entertain a guest. Besides the obvious wonderful feeling that a visit from an old friend or family member brings, there is also a chance to show off our hosting skills and make sure that our visitor is comfortable and happy. But our guests, being grateful for our hospitality, are often hesitant to make what might be perceived as critical comments regarding their stay. They save our feelings, but don't let us know about things we could improve on in our guest room. So how can we know for sure if our guests enjoyed their stay, were comfortable, and had everything they needed? Well, we might never know for sure unless we can convince them to talk, but there are some things we can do to spruce up the guest bedroom and make the chances higher that they will be very comfortable.

1. Make sure your guest doesn't have to roam ...

Going Modern: Tips for Contemporary Bedroom Design

NinaCarmen Monroe — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:55:28 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

It's easy to be impressed when you enter someone's modern sanctuary. Clean lines, sleep furniture, striking solid colors, and lush fabrics make the elements of contemporary design stunning, memorable, and irresistible. But how can one accomplish this sophisticated design? Here are my tips for creating a contemporary space that will be your sanctuary for years to come.

The Measuring Tape is Your Friend: It cannot be stressed enough that the foundation to any design must begin with measurements. Measure the length of each wall, and even the height of the room from ceiling to floor. Then, make sure to measure any piece of furniture you're considering adding to the space. No matter how wonderful it is, if it's too big or too small it'll stick out and not in a good way.

A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place: The contemporary look is characterized by a clean, clear, open space. This means no clutter! This ...

Christmas Decorations for the Whole Family

NinaCarmen Monroe — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:03:46 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Some people like to get all their Christmas decorations up and finished the day after Thanksgiving. Me, on the other hand, I like to let my turkey digest, get together with friends and family, and make the Christmas decorating a long-term event. The decorations aren’t complete until the celebration begins, and each year we add new decorations, new traditions, and a unique look to the house for the holidays.

My favorite thing to do, instead of buying all the Christmas decorations, is to make time to create them myself. This might sound like a daunting task, but you’d be surprised at how many beautiful trinkets you can create with a minimum of simple craft supplies.

It’s easy to make a country-cozy Christmas tree with the family. I strongly recommend a faux tree – these are beautiful year after year, are easily stored, don’t leave a million pine needles all over your carpet for the rest of time, don’t have ...

Thanksgiving Madness: Tips, Ideas, Recipes, & Memories (Part 3)

NinaCarmen Monroe — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:47:34 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Well, the big day is almost upon us. As you read this dedicated cooks are fretting over the moistness of the turkey, the lumps in the gravy, and the flakiness of the pie pastry. Here’s to hoping that none of you out there have to add traveling madness (gridlock and crowds and body scanners, oh my!) to Thanksgiving madness, and if you do – here’s to hoping you’re safe. Once again I am overwhelmed with all the things I have to be grateful for: home, family, friends, great work – but especially friends. When I called for help with tips this holiday season, they stepped right up to offer their favorite Thanksgiving ideas. So without further ado, here are their thoughts:

My friend Katiem2, who is a dedicated and passionate writer on HubPages, reminds us not to forget the pie! “I love pie and feel pie is a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving.” She also urges us not ...

Thanksgiving Madness: Tips, Ideas, Recipes, & Memories (Part 2)

NinaCarmen Monroe — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 20:01:15 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Menus, preparation, cooking, invitations, pre-dinner clean-up, post-dinner clean-up, decorations, entertainment – if you’re the one in charge of making sure your family’s Thanksgiving goes off without a hitch, you’ve signed up for one of the most grueling, but most fulfilling, jobs of the year. You, super-host, will be expected to coordinate a dinner full of everyone’s favorite dishes, enough room for everyone to spread out and dig in, a kiddie-table, clean-up – and you’ll probably be the one in charge of making sure everyone is happy, positive, and having fun. It’s no mean feat. But while you’re getting swept away in all the maddening preparation, don’t forget to keep in mind everything you have to be grateful for. After all, if you’re throwing a big gathering you’ve got food to serve, a place to serve it, and people you love coming to share.

Besides everything you have to be thankful for, you might also want to keep in mind these helpful suggestions ...

Thanksgiving Madness: Tips, Ideas, Recipes, & Memories (Part 1)

NinaCarmen Monroe — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:59:31 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Thanksgiving always sneaks up on me, and busts me over the head with fall-colored surprise. I can’t help but stop and take stock of things when it rolls around. Between daily chores and trying to figure out my holiday menu and plans for the day, I always end up pondering gratitude. Part of it’s the word itself – Thanksgiving, the giving of thanks. It’s important to pause and count the things that make life good and beautiful. Another part of it is warm memories of Thanksgivings during my childhood – a houseful of Monroes gathered around a true family feast of all our favorites. Part of it is the fact that I am often surprised by all that I have to be grateful for: I have family who love me, friends who care about me, and work I love with people who make me proud to know them – I can’t imagine wanting to ask for more.

...

Designing Dream Bedrooms for Kids

NinaCarmen Monroe — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:22:09 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

Designing a bedroom for your child gives you the opportunity to create a fun, whimsical space where your child can feel free let their imagination run wild while they’re feeling safe, cozy, and comfortable. At the same time, creating the perfect space for your young child can present challenges with everything from storage space to wall color, but these simple guidelines will help you make a plan that will delight your child while growing with them.

Design a Bedroom That Will Grow with Your Child

Kids grow fast, and just because your little one loves SpongeBob now, that doesn’t mean he or she will a few years down the road. It may be tempting to deck out your kid’s room with Disney Princesses or Toy Story, or whatever their favorite is currently, but remember, unless you want to remodel this room from the bottom up in just a few years (or less), you need to make a space that can ...

Prepare Yourself for Holiday Madness in the Dining Room

NinaCarmen Monroe — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:44:12 GMT

NinaCarmen Monroe

We all know what time of year it is. The stores are festooned not only with gobbling turkeys, seasonal gourds, and harvest time decorations, but I’ve also already seen hints of red Santas, sparkly snowflakes, and stockings waiting to be filled with gifts! The winter holidays are approaching fast, and on top of our daily duties like work, taking care of the family, keeping the house in shape, and many, many more, all the additional preparation can seem like a chore. Here are a few simple tips to help you prepare your dining room and keep the holidays on track with your spirit intact.

Start Planning Now: I know you have a million things to do. But believe me – a little planning now will save you a lot of hair-pulling later. Start with lists and ideas. How many people are coming to visit during the holidays? Are you going to have a sit-down ...