Whether you call it an end table, side table, occasional table, or even a nightstand or bedside table, these pieces are as interchangeable as their names. Who says your end table has to stay where it’s been living all winter?

Before you start thinking big-picture about your living room and those bad memories come flooding back of the last time you tried to lift your sofa. Stop. No other furniture has to relocate. This can be done in an afternoon and it is as easy as cleaning out a few drawers (which wouldn’t hurt anyway, right?).

Here are some tips to get the creative juices flowing:

1. Two (or more) can be better than one. Swap out your coffee table for two side tables.

2. Benches can be occasional tables too. Use in place of your coffee table and it doubles as more seating at parties.

3. Small tables are a great place to introduce colors, anywhere and everywhere. Putting your red end table in your bedroom could completely re-inspire the space.

4. Get over the idea that nightstands have drawers and side tables don’t. You may love having a convenient drawer to house your remotes and magazines rather than having them chill on the coffee table. “Androgynous” tables exist out there that successfully bridge the gap between the two.

5. Every transition takes a little time to get used to. When you become so familiar with something, it’s hard to see it out of context. Ask a friend, they’ll give you their honest take on your redo.

Try something new, and if it doesn’t work out, at the end of the day you will still end up with an organized drawer and a bicep workout. Happy rearranging!

To see more options, check out  “What’s Hot”.

Let’s start with what any self-respecting audio geek should judge loudspeakers by – sound: Parrots immerse you in 360 degrees of it. That’s because rather than generating a wall of sound, like conventional speakers, Parrots bounce sound off the walls, which means there’s virtually no bad place in the room for me to enjoy Zooey Deschanel (sigh). And when I’m listening to my Beastie Boys, the downward-firing woofer built into the base creates a righteous thump that makes “Brass Monkey” sound extra funky.

Parrot speakers are designed for compatibility with your iPhone and the latest generation of iPod and iPod Touch. Simply place your device in the docking station built atop one of the columns, and listen to your favorite tunes while recharging it. Then control your speakers and iPhone from your lounge chair using the remote control. Parrots can also stream music from computers and anything that’s Bluetooth-enabled. Bossa Nova Breakfast (iTunes radio) anyone?

Finally, Parrot loudspeakers are crafted with stylistic input from designer extraordinaire Philippe Starck. Colors include black, white, gray, red and lime green. The result is a modern, streamlined system that fits seamlessly into any home’s aesthetic – including The Century House, including yours.

THE CLICK CLACK
These sofas are simply named for the sound they make.  Click the back of the sofa into a sleeping position and you have the perfect contemporary sofa sleeper for a small space.  As easy as 1-2-3, and the click-clack has transformed the office into the guest room.

THE BI-SECTIONAL
A new modern favorite, the bi-sectional will have all other sectionals fearing extinction.  There is no need to order a sectional right or left facing, the same piece of furniture can have a chaise on the left or on the right.  The bi-sectional sofa is a wonderful option for the person who likes to regularly rearrange their room.

THE FLIP
Today’s youngins will have no idea what a pull-out sofa is.  Instead they will say, “oh, where the sofa unfolds, right?”  Imagine this: there you are, looking at a sleek sofa, when it opens like a book!  You don’t even have to be looking for a sofa sleeper option to fall in love with these couches, it may just be a bonus.

So, whatever you need from your sofa, whether it needs to accommodate a slumberer or two, or just be able to withstand a change in the room’s scenery, there are furniture options that are ready to be everything you need and more.  Smile, your furniture loves you!

Click this sofa to see it flip!

Recently, I had the privilege to chat with John from NBFN- one of our newest lines.  He is one half of the brains behind the conception of these lovely pieces, and we received a personal delivery from him. (We’re in his neighborhood.)  From John’s description, it sounds like the other half, Alex, is the yin to his yang.  The furniture line melds John’s Arts & Crafts background with Alex’s European aesthetic to create a piece of furniture that could comfortably coexist in either setting.

These pieces are not only rethinking design, but also construction.  The most prominent visual feature is a dowel that negates the need for screws.  While this isn’t a new technique,  it’s certainly a fresh take on an ancient craft.  (Recognize the Japanese inspired – Arts & Crafts based – connection?)

Despite it’s stated origins, I still see a little mid-century in that angled table leg.  These pieces are a melting pot of sorts, and it is truly a pleasure to see something so new and vivacious.  Fortunately, the gentlemen at NBFN have a lot more coming down the pipe, so we get to anxiously wait and see what new furniture they bring us next!

See more NBFN pieces

At The Century House, we are extremely excited to welcome our newest line of entertainment furniture from BDI. This furniture is like nothing we have ever seen before. Never again will you be forced to squeeze behind your TV stand with a flashlight while cursing at the confusing jumble of cables connecting your entertainment system! BDI has created a line of TV stands that provides a solution for every aspect of technology management.  Here are a few of the things that make this product line so cool…

Flow Through Ventilation: Too much heat buildup can cause equipment to burn out faster. BDI has solved this problem by integrating flow-through ventilation in the shelves, bottoms and backs of their entertainment units.

Openings in the shelves, bottom and back panels allow for full ventilation. This ensures heat will not build up inside the cabinet, causing your components to burn out quickly.

Cable Management: The cables just seem to keep multiplying.  BDI has integrated simple, but effective Velcro loops in several places to make it easy to manage and organize cables.  This also helps to keep a clean looking entertainment set-up. Also, back panels are removable, allowing easy access to all of that wiring!

Velcro straps make it easy to guide and organize cables while removable back panels make it easy to access all wiring.

Hidden Wheels & Integrated Levelers: Nothing could be more annoying than a crooked TV and unfortunately, floors are often not level.  So, BDI has solved this problem by building in levelers that ensure your entertainment stand is perfectly straight. Also, many of the TV stands have hidden castors, which allow you to easily roll your TV stand away from the wall. Imagine how much easier life would be!

Levelers ensure that your TV is always on a perfectly straight surface while hidden castors allow you to roll the cabinet easily, allowing for easy access to wiring.

These are only a few of the well thought-out features of BDI products. Other useful features include tinted, IR-friendly glass, adjustable shelves with rubber pegs that absorb vibrations and specialized compartments for gaming systems, sub woofers and speakers.

To view the entire line of BDI products and all it has to offer, click here. Also check out the Sequel Office Collection by BDI, which offers the same smart design and technology management for the office!

1. When mixing patterns, using similar colors helps with cohesion. Even if the exact color isn’t represented in each pattern, using a series of the same color (3 or more greens) can prevent too many patterns from being overwhelming in a space.

2. Stripes and polka dots are the neutrals of patterns. If you are having difficulty determining what to pair with a more active pattern, a version of one of these may help. As a general rule of thumb, dots will work with other organic patterns (free-form, flowing shapes); and stripes will work well with geometric patterns (crisp lines, squares).

3. The more light in the room, the more colors you can get away with. Have you ever had the lights turned on abruptly in a dark movie theater? Not a great feeling on the eyes. Light mutes bright colors, so if you have a well lit area, it can handle bright colors. If you have a very dark area, bright colors can be harder on the eyes and not have the same effect. In those darker spaces, you may opt for a more graphic print surrounded by neutral colors to give the pop you are searching for.

4.  Combining a couple different white on white patterns will never be wrong. If you aren’t confident in color, using a few prints that are dominantly white and grey makes for an elegant look.  It works best in the bedroom because there is typically enough fabric in that room to give it an inviting feel.  It’s good to note that in other rooms, like the bathroom, it can feel sterile because of the harder materials found there (floor and wall tiles).

5.  Always go with what you like! Love what you are using and you will enjoy it.  The most admired interiors are the ones that represent the people in them, so picking what you love to decorate your space is never the wrong option.

As a relatively new employee, I am not as familiar with the traditions that make the Swedish holidays unique as most of my colleagues are. So if, like me, you have ever been in the gift shop and wondered why Santa looked a little different, or what that straw animal was, we have compiled a bit of history that will hopefully clarify.

Sweden’s version of Santa is known as Tomte, or Tomtenisse in some places. But unlike our jolly, sleigh-riding Santa, Tomte is a small elderly man who can shift shapes and even make himself invisible. Dressed in grey and red woolens, he roamed the countryside, making himself available to help Swedish farmers while they and their families slept. In the past, Tomte was somewhat of a mischevious character: with glowing eyes, he would take his revenge on farmers he thought were rude, even using his powers to leave damaging bites on violators of his mandated etiquette. Most important to him was that he be left a full bowl of porridge with a pat of butter on top. Today’s version of Tomte, however, is closer to the American version of Santa Claus, and would not retaliate if Swedish families forgot to put out his favorite dish. Our gift shop features several books telling the story of this friendlier Tomte, beloved by Swedish families.

Another staple of the Swedish holiday season is the Yule goat. A historic Swedish tradition, the Yule Sacrifice, necessitated the pretend butcher of a participant dressed as the goat, who was then ceremonially brought back to. Now, Yule goats are most commonly seen as tiny straw ornaments wrapped in red ribbons. Swedish families play tricks on one another by hiding the ornaments in their neighbors’ homes secretly. If a family discovers a goat in their own home, it is their job to covertly place it in a neighbor’s house in the same manner.

December 13 brings about what it perhaps the most famous of Sweden’s signature holiday celebrations. Saint Lucia’s Day, named for a Sicilian martyr, is a Church feast day in which the eldest girl of each family dresses up as the famed saint, donning a white robe and a crown of leaves and candles. The daughter then serves her family Lussekatt, or St. Lucia’s buns, a type of bun made with saffron. The daughters of each town then join together for a procession in which they distribute candy, sometimes accompanied by the young men of the town, who are dressed as Tomte or gingerbread men. St. Lucia’s Day (or St. Lucy’s Day) is even celebrated by American families of Scandinavian heritage, who set out buns on their mantels.

If you would like to celebrate this holiday season the Swedish way, the illustrations in this post are available as desktop wallpapers. Click the appropriate link below for a high-resolution image that will add holiday cheer to your computer’s home screen. And as the Swedes say, “God jul och gott nytt år!”

• Tomte
• Yule Goat
• St. Lucia’s Day

One item that has caught our attention this year is the Swedish Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter. We were hungry for gingerbread and feeling crafty, so I decided to test it out. I used this recipe from the Food Network, but any gingerbread recipe should do.

After mixing together the dry ingredients and rolling out the dough, I waited anxiously for the timer to tell me I could use my intriguing new cutter to make shapes from the unhardened dough. (There’s nothing like sitting in a warm kitchen and basking in the scent of cloves and ginger!) It’s important to watch the dough carefully, as the thickness required for a sturdy but lightweight structure is prone to burning.

Fifteen long minutes later, the dough was ready, and I was pleased to find out just how easily the walls and roof emerged. After cutting the shapes, I removed excess dough so that the architectural cookie pieces could cool on their own.

Assembling the house is the best part of the process, and luckily for me, I had a great partner in crime to lend a hand. Krista and I used store-bought frosting and icing tips to decorate and hold our cookie cottage together. Scandinavian sweets were the perfect decorations for this holiday tradition.

If you want to make a holiday house of your own, the Swedish Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter is available in the gift shop for $15. And don’t forget to show off your tasty creation on a Heath large platter ($70). Happy baking, house elves!

The Century House had the opportunity this weekend to create a space for the MMoCA Holiday Art Fair.  For this event, we pulled our inspiration from an existing room.  While the finished spaces look very different, the two core pieces in this design are the same.  Choosing different colors, switching leather for fabric, or adding festive accessories can make a familiar room look unrecognizable.

Our inspiration room used the O.P. Mobler Noon Sofa and the Knoll Risom Lounge Chair to create a sophisticated, modern living room.  Pops of color give this room an energy that’s great for entertaining.

Our inspired MMoCA space has been planned around the same two pieces of furniture.  We chose warm, fall color s, added more wood, and used the same sofa in brown wool to create our Holiday Lounge.  Add a bold Fatboy Beanbag, and you have created an inviting space with a more casual appearance.

Design is a process, triggered by imagination and inspiration.  People often use the phrase, “this room just came together”.  Just as often, what is missing from that sentence is the phrase “once we found…”  Here the same two pieces of furniture have inspired two different but equally beautiful spaces.  Finding your own inspiration can allow you to create your own unique and beautiful space.

To see more images of these two spaces, check out our page on facebook.

When you find yourself curling up under the throw that’s hung neglected since May, take a look at the book by journalist and cultural critic Winifred Gallagher called House Thinking: A Room-by-Room Look at How We Live (Harper Perennial, 2007). Gallagher will get you thinking about your current home, your previous homes, the homes of friends and family and acquaintances. Have you either lived in a place or visited a place that feels more like home than any other place you’ve lived?

Sorry, The Century House doesn’t count.

“How does your home not only reflect but also affect who you are? How you feel? What you think and do?” Gallagher asks in the opening line. Thoughts will begin percolating—thoughts about your favorite homes and favorite spots in your home, which might be exactly where you’ll curl up with this book. What draws you?

Gallagher says a home that feels right has a tonic effect on your behavior. You feel both interested and relaxed. Fascinated and sheltered.

And she says it has less to do with aesthetic fashion than with evolutionary, personal and cultural needs. (What? The Hans Wegner Wishbone Chair doesn’t automatically make a house a home? We’re aghast.)

Wherever you’re reading this, enjoy November and what’s to come. Like mice, enjoy the life spent more indoors than out, if only for a few months. And let House Thinking help you understand just what makes a house a home sweet home.