WRAPPED IN WARMTH

(continued from page 46)

first we'll light
up your imagination.

• Quaint, cushy romance reminiscent of Eu-
ropean country homes — consider, as an ex-
ample, the English manor charm of a floral print
wing chair.
• Contemporary pieces redone with softer
lines and nurturing cushions.
• American West collections that incorporate
the broken-in leather look and desert earth tones
as well as the seaside hues and nautical themes
of the Pacific Northwest.
• Styles that reference back to the plush,
rounded '30s and '40s looks of comfortable Art
Deco or those influenced by the function-first
straightforward appeal of Mission and Prairie
furnishings.
• Tactile materials have become more im-
portant as well. People want furniture that makes
you want to touch it, whether it be soft and sen-
suous suede or rough and rugged twig, wicker
and rattan — topped with oversized cushions, of
course, and paired with ottomans to prop up your
feet.
With today's complex lifestyles and limited
home space, another important trend — re-
gardless of design style — is for furnishings to
be versatile. As more rooms in the house pull

Color adds warmth.

Custom Gallery, Bath
sr Lighting Studios

24200 Telegraph Road

Between 9 & I 0 Mile Roads, Southfield • 355-4550

Hours: Daily 9:30 am-6:00 pm — Friday 9:30 am - 8:00 pm — Closed Sunday

SPECIALISTS

48 • SPRING 1993 • STYLE

IN BATH, LIGHTING & HOME DECOR

double duty, so too do the furnishings in them.
The addition of a sofa bed and decorative
screen to a great room used primarily as an en-
tertainment center or home office also allows it
to be a guest bedroom. A drop-leaf table used as
a work surface or game table in a family room or
den can double as a formal dining table when
the need arises.
Sofas scaled to fit the end of a bed or luxuri-
ous chaise lounges make the bedroom a sitting
room as well, and artful armoires can hide away
a work space or entertainment center.
When starting to shop for new furniture, plan
to buy the best furnishings you can afford. Con-
sumers of the '90s have replaced a disposable
philosophy with the mindset of wanting pieces
that will endure both structurally and aestheti-
cally — wanting to feel that there is inherent val-
ue in the products they buy.
Also, take along a floor plan showing windows,
doorways and any special architectural features
as well as the width of doors and hallways
so you can be certain the furniture will fit in the
home.
Also take along paint chips, swatches of fab-
rics and carpet samples with which your new
purchases must coordinate.