North Bay Woman

12 NORTH BAY WOMAN | F A L L 2 0 1 5 return of wrought iron; we're getting a lot of requests for it in lamps, decorative objects and tables," says co-owner Patrick Mutt. "It's a texture that adds a lot of warmth to a room." Mutt also noticed that when it comes to woods, people are looking for warm, transitional colors, lots of natural tones to mix with what they already have. Woods are stained, or treated with a matte finish. Some natural wood pieces are given bright pops of painted color on surfaces in terms of drawers or handles. Another key shift is the size of pieces. Mutt has noticed that "smaller is definitely coming in. The big oversized look that was popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, is going away." Smaller translates into lighter as well. This autumn, notice a wealth of lighting fixtures with clean, gold-toned Edison bulbs (these are now available in LED options), or clear glass bases for table lamps, or simple metal frames rather than the classic traditional ginger jar or heavy decorative base. Over at Port & Manor in San Rafael, a relatively new store that specializes in furniture designed just for the store and made in Indonesia, spokesperson Karen Stromfeld sees a growing trend toward industrial chic, combining wood and iron in a variety of different types of pieces as well as lighting. "A lot of what people are doing now, is mixing things up," she says. "No more matchy matchy." This means you might place a linen chair next to a rugged piece with a recycled tin top. In a bedroom, you might position what looks like an old school cubby streaked with turquoise paint and filled with baskets, as your clothes holder instead of the standard dresser with drawers. In lieu of a chandelier, you might choose lights that hang from iron chains, or are strung together with hemp rope for an earthy yet dramatic effect. All four in-store experts agreed that if you're on a budget or don't want to commit to a total overhaul, the best way to refresh a room is to redo the throw pillows, change out the art, and get a new rug. Bring in a pop of color to a neutral room with various hues of orange, or geometric patterns such as black and white. "You can have a big neutral couch or sectional, and strew it with black and white cushions; it will make a big statement," Stromfelt explains. "There are no rules anymore. Mix everything together and make it work. Make it your style." "We are very big on pillows at Sunrise Home," says Bowman. "We have thousands of them. Pillows are the least expensive and quickest way to refresh a room. This is a wonderful time for home furnishings. There are so many options now and so many price points, you really can find exactly what you want." >> con't on pg. 46 Above: Sunrise Home in San Rafael has thousands of pillows to choose in a wide range of color and shapes. – Photo provided by Sunrise Home.

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