Tips and Tricks to Re-Decorating on a Budget!

Are you feeling the re-decorating itch? Dying to add some new touches to your old décor? Well, Hudson’s Furniture is here to help! Here are some simple tips to help re-design your house without breaking the bank:

1.     Painting is the easiest way to give your room a new look, and it’s one of the cheapest too. Painting even one accent wall adds new color and dimension. If you’re feeling brave try painting the whole room!

   2.     Do the shuffle! Try recycling items from one room to the next. Change the wall art around, or maybe move your accent chairs around. Try moving one or two things at first, and if you find yourself still not satisfied shuffle some more!

3.     Try a DIY project. Doing little crafts yourself can help you add decorations to your home, all of which are made by you! Whether you've found an interesting way to hang pictures or you’re adding a design to an old lamp, DIY projects are a great way to infuse your personality into any room. 

For more tips visit our Pinterest DIY board or go take our Design Quiz!

2 Furniture Rules for Keeping Your Couch Clean

Your furniture is an investment, and spending a little time taking good care of it can go a long way! The couch is usually the most frequented spot in the house, and sometimes spills and stains happen. By taking action immediately, you can keep your couch clean and fresh. Follow these two simple rules to keep your couch looking as new as the day you got it!

1. Vacuum your couch once every two weeks

• Using the attachment pieces of your vacuum on your couch allows you to get any dust or small particles out of cracks and crevices. Occasional gentle vacuuming keeps upholstered couches looking new and helps to prevent discoloration and set in stains. 
• Don't just vacuum the tops, make sure you pull off the cushions and get between the sides and back of the couch!

2. Remove stains as soon as they happen

When spills happen it is best to clean them immediately to keep them from setting in.

•  For upholstered couches, a mix of equal parts vinegar and water will suffice for couch cleaner in a pinch. Simply soak a paper towel in the mix and gently blot the stained area (do this only after you have removed any solids.) After blotting with the mix, blot with cold water to remove any extra vinegar! Allow to dry completely before sitting on that area of the couch.
• For leather couches is it best to use commercial leather cleaner rather than run the risk of damaging the leather. Contact your couch manufacturer to get the best directions on how to clean your leather couch.

For other tips and tricks around the house visit our Pinterest tips page:  http://pinterest.com/hudsonsfurn/helpful-tips/ 

Make Your Home Your Own Tropical Paradise with Tommy Bahama

Escape to paradise from the comfort of your own home with these great design ideas from the Tommy Bahama Collection.

The woven wicker detailing of this collection is sure to give a tropical feel and help carry you away to that tropical island of your dreams. Touches of the tropics can be found in every Tommy Bahama piece and the Royal Kahala Bay Club Sofa is one that lends an elegant feel to any room. 

With hues of blue in fun and functional patterns, the Bay Club Sofa matches almost any of your nautical and beach decorations while keeping your home classic. Adding other Tommy Bahama pieces like the Sunset Cay Cocktail Table can lend to that vacation getaway feel!

For extra seating consider adding two chairs like the Koko Raffia which features matching cushions to the Bay Club Sofa. 

For extra decorations, Pinterest is a great resource for inspiration just search tropical decorations!

Remember to keep your decorations fun and add personal touches, family beach photos and personal shell collections are a great way to achieve your own tropical paradise! Check out more pieces from the Tommy Bahama brand at http://hudsonsfurniture.com/

Adding Personal Touches: Coffee Table Decorating Decoded

Your coffee table is often the center of your living room, and its decorations can often give your room new life. Toss the old stack of magazines, add some new elements and try these simple steps to give your coffee table new life and showcase your personality.

First give your coffee table dimension by adding something tall. Use a tall vase or candle to give add height and draw attention to the table.

Next, choose something unique that represents you to add to your table. If you have a collection of things, choose your favorite item. This item gives the room a splash of your individual taste. An intricately carved porcelain elephant or even a dish of seashells you've collected on beach trips can spruce up your coffee table.

Always have a fresh element laid out. An orchid or small potted plant can add life to your room. Fresh cut flowers are a great way to add color to your coffee table and they give you a chance to switch it up; from daisies to irises you can choose new colors and shapes week to week.

Lastly and most commonly used, coffee table books are essential. Stack books that represent your hobbies and interests. Try books with lots of photos and facts, you can find coffee table books at your local bookstore.

Follow these steps and remember to add your own personal touches and you will have a fancy and fun coffee table in no time!

For more helpful tips, visit: http://pinterest.com/hudsonsfurn/helpful-tips/

Five Ways to Decorate Your Bookcase

If you have a bookcase or multiple bookshelves that are filled with books, and they aren't your favorite focal point in the room, fear not! There are ways to revive your book shelves to make them into organized works of art that showcase your interests, photos and prized possessions. Follow these simple steps to organize and beautify your bookcases.

1.  First, remove all books, and sort them by size and subject. Take off any ripped dust jackets and dust all books, this helps to simplify and keep your shelves looking clean. Replace the books by lining some up horizontally and leaving breaks.
2.  Find decorative boxes and place any awkward books or manuals inside. Keeping them out of sight helps give shelves an organized, clean and artful look.
3. Add photo frames, and small decorations to your shelves. Think family heirlooms, and fun collectibles. Consider rotating each item slightly to give it interesting placement.
4.  If you’re truly daring- try painting the inside of the bookcase a fun color. Choose one with a contrast or pick up a color from one of your other pieces. This gives your belongings a background to stand out against.
5.  If you’re not up for crafty tie-ins, opt for fun bookends! Bookends can be found at any decorating store and are often made in the shapes of animals and other objects. Go for whatever suits your style. Whether you like loud bookends like pink elephants or elegant peacocks, you should be able to find something to give your room a new focal point.

Give our decorating tips a try or find inspiration at one of our showrooms; sometimes a bookshelf needs an update and occasionally it just needs replacing.  Either way, Hudson’s can help you make your bookcase an attractive showcase for your favorite objects! 

Check out our selection of bookcases at Hudson's Furniture.

Holiday Decorations for Your Home

The holidays are here, the menorah candles twinkle, the tree stands brilliantly in the corner and the house smells of sugarplums,vanilla, and balsam...

Not your house? Not yet!

Here are some quick ideas to help give your house the holiday help it needs:


If you have a chandelier, or hanging light fixture in any room
string bulbs at different lengths to add color and cheer.













If you have children, or even if you just enjoy crafting and creating, cut snowflakes from paper and string them in windowsills. Add as many as you like, you can create a blizzard or a gentle snowfall!

For extra fun, cut out colored snowflakes and add them as accents.

Hang your own handmade dreidel garland or just make driedels for center pieces and random decorations throughout your home.
Here's how!















To find accessories to match your Holiday decor go to http://hudsonsfurniture.com/

Updating your bedroom, decoration tips for a new feel

Your bedroom should be your place to relax, wind down and prepare for a healthy nights rest. When we find ourselves restless, many of us end up feeling the need to update our bedrooms just for fun! When you find yourself itching for a change of space it’s easy to make small changes in your bedroom to give it a more comforting atmosphere. Try any of the 4 ideas below to help you achieve a comfy space. 

 

1. Try moving your furniture:

A small change in furniture positioning can give your room a new feel! Try to keep the room flowing, position your bed on the furthest wall from the entrance way. Also try to be aware of windows; try not to block them so you can utilize natural light in daytime hours!

2. Lighting can make a big difference:

Nighttime lighting should be soft and subdued. Keep light fixtures near the bed to make your space appear larger and more open. Try different lamps; a simple change of a lampshade can give a bedside lamp a whole new appearance. If you can, match shades to throw pillows and blankets, this ties in the style of the room.

3. Get creative with wall décor:

Change out family photos for different ones, play up seasons; Hang photos according to season. Other ideas include using older photos, like parents baby pictures, or grandmothers wedding shots to give a more family feel. Rearrange photos on one wall, clustering and grouping are popular! Don’t be afraid to mix and match frames and colors to give a modern feel.

4. Update your bedding:

When all else fails, consider a new mattress. The difference in a good nights sleep and a great nights sleep is what you’re sleeping on. Whether it’s a pillow top or memory foam, a new mattress can give you that level of comfort you’re seeking.  Head to Hudson’s to find the best mattress fit for you and maximize your sleep comfort.

http://hudsonsfurniture.com/mattress.aspx

Decorating Tips for Tight Spaces

Tired of feeling like you are living in a cramped space? Try these simple ideas to maximize your space.

1. Go Curvy

    - Avoid rectangle and square furniture. Try to use round tables and chairs to enhance the living space.

2. Lighten Up with a Rug

    - Using a light colored rug brightens up the room and makes it appear larger.

3. See Clearly

    - Clear tables and chairs help create openness in the room.

4. Top Priorities

    - Do not try and cramp all types of furniture into a tight space. Pick the key essentials that will get the most use in your day-to-day activity. 

5. Layer It

    - Adding a different mix of colors and fabrics gives the room more depth. 

To find the perfect furniture for your tight space, visit www.hudsonsfurniture.com.

How to childproof your furniture

Safety is a huge issue when it comes to children, especially around the house. The last thing you want to be worrying about is your children getting hurt on necessary household items, especially your furniture. Here are a few ways to childproof your furniture:

1. Chairs- Children naturally are curious and love to explore, which leads to climbing. Chairs are very common for children to want to climb on, and that presents a huge safety issue because the chair could fall on top of the child, or the child could fall off the chair. An easy way to solve this issue is to use chair locks. That way your children can’t move chairs away from the table.

2. Coffee tables- Once your child starts walking or crawling, a coffee table is the perfect height for them to bump their head on. The sharp corners of the tables are extremely hazardous to children. To fix this, install edge shields, or any type of cushion, around the corners of the table.

3. Entertainment Centers- Entertainment centers are great for decoration; However, they tend to hold a lot of items that are potentially hazardous for a child. Items such as a large TV, speakers, or a DVD player can top over and fall on a child. To prevent this from happening, push all these electronics as far back from the edge as you can. You can also anchor your TV down so it won’t tip over.

4. Heavy Furniture- Although you might think heavy furniture would be likely to stand up to the test of climbing kids, they still present a huge safety issue. When children climb all over it, there’s a chance it could fall right on top of them. To ensure this doesn't happen, install safety straps to secure the heavy furniture to the wall.

Hudson's Celebrates 30th Anniversary

We’re very excited to announce our 30^th anniversary! October 2012 will mark 30 years in business for us. To celebrate this milestone, we’re offering huge savings store-wide.

Fred Hudson, who is now CEO, founded Hudson’s Furniture in 1981 in Ormond Beach, FL. Hudson’s later opened two more locations, one in Altamonte Springs in 1993, and the other in Sanford in 1994. By 2007 the store expanded to 13 showrooms throughout central Florida, including an outlet store.

In 2009, Joshua Hudson, Fred’s son, took over as president of the company. That same year, Adam Hudson was named Vice President. 

The brothers have expanded the company to New Smyrna Beach, opening a store there in 2012. Later that year, the brothers we’re awarded the Distinguished Retailer of the Year award, which was presented to their father back in 2002.

Fall Design Trends

With fall just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about simple redecorations to keep the style of your house in sync with the season!  Try as many of these ideas as you’d like, no matter what you’re sure to get a fall inspired room.

Update your throw pillows. A simple change in throw pillows can go a long way. Compliment your sofas and chairs with plush throw pillows. Make sure to choose a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. For the complete fall look, try a deep red or orange.

Layer your area rugs. This is a simple way to add color and texture to your floors! Choose from different styles, patterns, and colors. The extra padding will also keep your feet warm during the colder months.

Change up your window shades. It’s time to take the breezy and airy curtains down and hang up something more suitable for winter.  Try a deeper color window treatment, or one that offers insulation and a feeling of coziness.

Place candles around the house. Fall means shorter days, and less sunlight. Candles are a great way to add light and style all in one. Place various heights and colors next to each other for a more personal look.

Last but not least, swap out your summer bedding. With the cooler months coming in, it’s time to dig out your heavier comforter and blankets.

For more design ideas, check out our Pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/hudsonsfurn/design-ideas/

Klaussner Solutions Studios coming to Hudson's

We’re very excited to announce the addition of the Klaussner brand to our collection at Hudson’s Furniture!  This new line of Klaussner products will range from American made upholstered sofas and chairs, to leather and reclining furniture.

Along with the new line of furniture, we will also be adding a Klaussner Solutions Studio at our Melbourne and Lakeland locations. The studios will give our shoppers the opportunity to customize their furniture with more than 500 fabric options and 75 leather options using the Solutions Center kiosk. You will have the ability to design the sofa of your choice, and then view a digital copy of how the product will look prior to receiving your products! The kiosk will also give you the opportunity to check stock availability as well as the price in the store.

The new studio will be open to customers at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, August 28^th at 3 pm at the Melbourne location. Customers are encouraged to attend the event and help celebrate the newest addition to our store!

Come home to a clean house

When returning home from a nice relaxing vacation, there’s nothing worse than walking into a messy house. With the chaos of packing and planning your trip, it’s easy to get behind on cleaning. Here are a few quick things you can get done before you leave to ensure you have a more relaxing return home.

Be sure to put fresh sheets on the beds. There’s no greater feeling than climbing into a bed with fresh, clean sheets on it! Putting clean sheets on the bed will you relax and get back into your daily routine with a good night’s rest, especially after a long trip home.

Load and run the dishwasher. Take a quick trip around the house and gather up dishes left around. This way you’ll have clean dishes for when you return, and you won’t be up at 5 a.m. washing dishes for breakfast the next morning!

Take the trash out. There’s nothing worse than coming home to the smell of garbage. Make a quick trip to the dumpster or load up your trash cans so your home doesn’t start to smell while you’re gone.

Wipe down countertops. Take a wet sponge and quickly wipe down your kitchen and bathroom counters. This is a quick and easy way to make sure there are no spots or crumbs anywhere!

Clean up any extra clutter from packing. It’s easy to throw clothes everywhere in the chaos of packing, especially packing with kids. Putting away these extra clothes takes no more than 5 minutes, and is a sure way to leave your bedroom floor spotless when you get back home.

Hudson's Furniture Executives to be Recognized at Luncheon

We’re proud to announce that after receiving the Distinguished Retailer of the Year Award, President Joshua Hudson and Vice President Adam Hudson are being recognized at the Florida Home Furnishings Representatives Association luncheon. The luncheon is going to take place at Oceanside Country Club in Ormond Beach, FL on Thursday, August 9^th.

"My brother and I are both humbled and excited to be receiving this award. I can remember when my father won the award over a decade ago now, and we are so proud to be following in his footsteps," President Joshua Hudson said.

We’re very excited the brothers are being recognized by the FHFRA for their outstanding work dedicated to the furniture industry. Also for being acknowledged for successfully diversifying their business by creating an outlet concept, The Furniture Deal. We’re eager to see where these brothers take Hudson’s next!

If you’d like to come out and support us, tickets to the event are $20 for members and $49 for non-members. For more information, contact the association’s executive director, Linda Ledet, at FHFRALINDA@aol.com

Clever Solutions For Your Closet

Have you ever wanted your guests to say “How did you come up with that?” when they walk in your closet? Here are a few simple tips to get started:

 

Consider a curtain instead of a door for the entrance of your walk-in closet. This will still give you easy access to your closet, but gives it a feeling of exclusiveness. 

 

Use a tie rack to hang long necklaces, scarves or ties. This will hang super easy in your closet, and it’s the perfect organization for longer accessories. This is a perfect way to show off your necklaces, add decoration to your closet, and make accessories easier to get to!

 

Hide your dirty clothes in a built-in hamper! Your guests will never know this disguised pull-out drawer is secretly a hamper. Rather than keeping a big, bulky hamper around your closet, this sleek looking pull-out fits right into your closet and has super easy to remove baskets.

 

For drawer organization, add a clear drawer divider. This will help keep all your bulky accessories organized without taking away from the look of your closet. You’ll never be rummaging around for accessories ever again!

 

For quick and easy shelf organization, add a couple of canvas storage bins. They make for a great place to store out of season winter clothes and scarves. They’re still super easy to access and help remove the look of clutter on your shelves.

Consider adding an ottoman or other small chair to add seating to your closet. Check out our different options here: http://hudsonsfurniture.com/BrowseLivingRoom.aspx?LinkID=34

Hudson's Furniture Donates Thousands to Children's Miracle Network

Last March, Hudson's Furniture Store hosted their Customer Appreciation Night. At the event they announced they would take a portion of their proceeds and donate them to the Children's Miracle Network. The event turned out to be a huge success as they were able to give $2,000 back to the community. This money is going to help thousands of children in the Central Florida area. 

“Having children of my own, the work of this foundation really hits close to home. Giving back to the community is very important to us at Hudson’s, and we seize any opportunity we come across to help out,” said President Joshua Hudson.


The Children’s Miracle Network raises money for 170 different children’s hospitals across North America. The foundation has raised more than $4 billion total to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care for children. Hudson's furniture is proud to be able to donate to the Children's Miracle Network, and give back to the children of Central Florida. 

Painting Ideas: Simple ways to add your personal touch on your home

There are many different ways to customize your home to make it adhere to your style. One of the cheapest and easiest ways to do this is by painting! A quick and easy paint job can turn the style of your home from drab to fab in no time.

1.  Add texture to your wall. Transforming your plain walls with a sophisticated finish is a simple way to style to your room. Painting over crinkled tissue paper is a simple way to do this. Add a layer of paint on the wall, apply the crinkled tissue paper, and then finish it off with another layer of paint. 

2. To create a classic, elegant background, paint parchment stripes on your wall. First mark the stripes on your wall with a water color pencil. Then, simply put a small piece of tape on the stripes to keep it all straight. Last, mix your paint with one part water, and one part glaze in separate containers to get two separate colors. Now you’re ready to paint your stripes!

3. Transform a plain accent wall with a distressed paint job. Using simple household items, this is an easy way to create an antique finish on your walls. Paint your walls with a toilet brush to create rough streaks to give your walls a distressed look.

4. Spice up your furniture with an antique look. By adding your favorite stencil to your furniture pieces, you can easily get an antique feel to your room.  First cover your furniture with an oil-based primer. Once it dries, paint your favorite stencil on with a satin finished paint and blot with a towel.

Once your new style is adapted by your painting technique, complete the remodel with furniture to match. Check out all of our different styles of furniture at http://hudsonsfurniture.com/.

Smart Design Ideas for Small Spaces

Making the most out of small spaces is easy with these simple design ideas. All it takes is a little creativity to optimize your living space.

1.  For tight kitchen spaces, consider open shelves instead of cabinets. This will give you an open feel to your kitchen, as well as provide you with plenty of organization space.

2.  To create a work space in a small bedroom, add a small nook with a desk. Add shelves above the desk to create more storage and to be sure not to let any space go to waste.

3.  Narrow wall shelves are the perfect solution to a crammed bathroom! Invest in small baskets and containers to store extra towels and bathroom accessories.

4.   Use light colors for furniture and walls. Keeping the major color pallet in the room light will make your room appear bigger. Add darker and brighter colors as accents, such as pillows or wall decorations, to make your room look less bland.

5. Use a curtain divider to turn two spaces into one, or to add more privacy.

6. Utilize any and all space you can! Use the extra space underneath your stairs for added storage.

7. To make your walls appear larger, use floor to ceiling length window treatments. This is perfect to make your living room appear more spacious.

8. Add mirrors to walls and closet doors. The reflection will make your room appear bigger and is a quick and easy way to visually expand your space.

Fresh Design Ideas from Broyhill at Hudson's Furniture

Did you know that at Hudson's you can now customize your furniture? 

You can choose between the standard sofa, apartment sofa, loveseat, chair and ottoman. Here we chose the loveseat. 

You can choose which style of arm you want, for the loveseat we chose the Track Arm. We also chose the Turned Leg option for the base.

As you can see above, Broyhill offers a large selection of colors and patterns to choose from. 

Once you finish, you can view a summary of your design. Print this page out and bring it into your local Hudson's Furniture store. To find a store near you visit http://hudsonsfurniture.com/current/stores/Florida_Furniture_Stores.aspx. And to customize your own Broyhill furniture, visit http://www.broyhillfurniture.com/Furniture/Design-Your-Own.aspx