Small Dining Room Tips and Tricks

Maybe your home is old-school, pre-dating the open-floorplan craze, so you have a maze of small dedicated rooms as a parlor, dining room, den, etc. Or perhaps you’re making the most of apartment or duplex living. Anyway, the challenge this poses is: “How do I make a dining-room setting that’s truly expansive and inviting when I have limited square footage? I want more than a counter or dinette, and I’m out of ideas!” Fear not. We at Roberts have been helping Hampton Roads households like yours pick the perfect dining room furniture since 1960! That practical experience plus some ideas from the interior-design pros inform our blog topic today: to make your small dining room the ideal you’re aiming for.

Corners Are Your Friends

A novel way to carve out a unique dining room space is to take full advantage of a room’s corner. Place a dining bench along each wall, then add a round or square table. If you plan to seat still more people, a smartly designed dining chair or two, depending on your space and table size, will do the job. If you go with the square table, a smaller dining bench or stool that you can push completely under it is a wise option. Finish off your awesome new dining decor with some cool accent pieces, such as reminders of culinary inspirations France and Italy. There’s always the designer’s standby of a wall mirror, not for vanity’s sake but because mirrors both create the illusion of extra space and enhance your room’s light.

Tiny Space? Then Flip Out!

If your apartment is extremely small so you can’t have a dining table, but you want more than a counter ledge with bar stools, interior designers have this fresh take. Remember the Murphy bed or old-time built-in ironing boards? It’s kind of like that: install a table along one wall that flips up when not in use. That way you have all the table space you need plus elegant dining chairs on three sides. Ingenuity for the win!

How About a Booth?

If you have a small rectangular space off one room, that can be your dining room by turning it into a booth. A narrow dining table and two benches or banquettes are all you need, plus you can always augment this with a dining chair to use the end of the table facing out.

For your dining-room furniture needs stop by our Williamsburg, VA store or any of our other locations.

Kids’ Furniture Shopping Tips

Shopping for furniture can be difficult as it is, let alone when you’re shopping for furniture that someone else will use. When that someone is your kid or kids, you face the challenge of not only finding functional and fun furniture, but also something that is safe for your kids to play on. At Roberts Furniture & Mattress one of the many things that separates us from our competition is our huge stock of options, which also allows us to offer a wide variety of choices for kids. But before you go shopping, we thought you might like to read some tips on what to look for. 

Durability

You probably already know, or are about to find out, that kids will turn your house into a daily amusement park. Furniture will be jumped on, hung from, eaten on, and so forth, which is why durability is the number one priority for most families who are shopping for kids’ furniture. In practice this means you should look for relatively heavy and solid furniture, preferably made from hardwood that’s been glued, screwed and corner-blocked. 

Fabrics should have a flat weave, because it withstands use better than lightweight or looped fabrics. There are also plenty of materials out there that are pretty much stain-proof and easy to take care of, like vinyl, ultrasuede, denim, twill, velvet, felt and wool.

Storage

With kids comes clutter and an excess of stuff, so look for furniture like kids’ loft beds that comes with drawers. Also consider double-tier tables where the lower tier can function as storage, and stock up on items like storage cubes, shoe cubbies, and toy baskets. 

Space

This depends on the size of the house and the rooms, but most families with kids long for more space. That’s why we recommend considering options like bunk beds or beds that integrate desks, drawers and more. Don’t forget to take advantage of extra space lurking under beds and other furniture. 

Safety

Look for features like rounded corners for tables and countertops to avoid accidents. You could also consider a couch with attached cushions if you’re not a fan of pillow fights with huge sofa cushions. 

For one-on-one advice on finding the ideal kids’ room furniture for YOUR family, stop by our Yorktown, VA store or any of our other locations.

Don’t Miss Out THIS Black Friday on EXTRAORDINARY Deals

We at Roberts Furniture & Mattress know that by now you’ve been inundated with Black Friday Sale announcements. But we’ve got to tell you THIS Black Friday furniture extravaganza is the REAL deal! ONLY the weekend after Thanksgiving at our End of Season Black Friday Sale can you get THESE fantastic furniture bargains.

Black Friday Weekend Deals Too Good to Pass Up

When you need a small chairside table for your drinks, enjoy this doorbuster, a handsome stand in wood, finished in gray or white, ONLY $29. Another with a drawer in distinguished espresso or oak is $89. Get them before they’re gone. Another doorbuster special perfect for the bedroom is our wood-framed oval cheval mirror, just $29.99. Living room reclining furniture in Italian leather has never been THIS easy to get. At all of Roberts’ stores this Black Friday weekend you can have YOUR choice of dual reclining sofa OR console for $899. If all you need is to settle into a relaxing new living recliner, FRIDAY ONLY is your big chance to get one for as low as $149 (no layaway). If you require power to operate your new recliner, Roberts has got something for you too, for only $299. Or sink back into our Black Friday special lift chair, going for an unprecedented $699. Share the relaxation affordably this Black Friday weekend with a stunning 2-piece dual reclining sofa and loveseat set for as low as $799.

Queen bed need replacing? Our trim modern Black Friday weekend special practically GIVES one to you at $169. If you prefer an upholstered tufted queen headboard, swing by one of our stores, where your new bed awaits. Take it home for $299. Don’t settle for a sagging mattress when you can get a new one for as low as $99 for a twin, $139 for queen, and $479 for king.

We at Roberts appreciate the finer points of decor. That’s why this Black Friday weekend you can take home a lovely wood accent table in blue or white for $42, a gleaming white accent credenza table for $99, and, perfect to show and store seasonal mementos, a handsome accent cabinet in your choice of blue, black, or ivory at a record-low $199.

Stunning Furniture Sets Only This Low for the Weekend

Roberts’ End of Season Black Friday Sale includes entire sets to redo a room. Our Bedroom Madness starts with an understated 7-piece queen bedroom set with chest, in black or gray, for $799, up to our deluxe Woodlands Mansions bedroom, including a queen mansion bed, dresser, mirror, and nightstand, which you can take away after this Thanksgiving for an astonishing $1,799. For a new living room look, enjoy sofa and loveseat sets starting at $699 this weekend only. That sectional sofa you’ve always wanted is in Roberts’ stores too, from $999 to $1,199. Now is the time to SAVE!

You’re not done giving thanks, because Roberts Furniture & Mattress is offering Hampton Roads and Winchester households like yours the furniture deals of the season. Stop by our Hampton, VA store or any of our other locations to save BIG this Black Friday weekend ONLY!

Make Your Too-Large Room Livably Smaller

It’s hard to believe there can be too much of a good thing until you’re faced with it. That goes for a room in your home that seems to have more square footage than you know what to do with! Never fear, dear readers. Hampton Roads’ furniture specialists since 1960 are proud to share with you some designer’s tricks to scale down that behemoth into something more human, a space that’s even intimate if you want.

Smart Furniture Tricks for Instant Coziness

A common rookie design mistake is to manufacture smallness by trying to employ small pieces of furniture in a big space. This backfires because the first thing you notice is all the dead space around them. Actually, if you pick furniture that fits the room’s real proportions well, such as long sofas and consoles, it makes the room appear smaller. Placing the furniture along the walls, as though it were part of the wall, works wonders as well.

Doing the Shrinking-Room Shuffle: Arrangement That’s Magic!

An obvious solution to a too spacious room is to break it up into two or more rooms. Don’t want to bring in the contractor to add walls? No worries. An accent folding partition (room divider) can inexpensively do the same thing while giving you flexibility if you change your mind or your needs for the room shift. Another designer’s tip is simply to treat the room as if the dividing walls were there by clustering furniture for different uses in various spots: sofa and loveseat combo gathered around the TV, bistro counter-height table and chairs in another spot, and so on. How about your whole home bar taking up a third of the floor space? Your eyes will focus on only one section at a time and thus you won’t be overwhelmed by the room anymore.

Light and Color Tricks

A standby for interior designers is light creating the illusion of space. So what do you do when your room’s too big, brick up the windows and light the room with candles? While we’d love to sell you accent candle-holder sets, you don’t need to do anything that drastic. Just choose more subdued, less reflective colors for your room’s palette, from the furniture such as a living room sofa to your area rug. Recommended hues to turn your echo-ey airplane hangar of a room into an inviting space for your friends are charcoal gray, burgundy, deep green, and chocolate brown.

Patterns and Textures That Fill Your Space

Big, striking patterns on your furniture and draperies, again agreeing with the room’s proportions rather than trying to fight them, fills the space visually, scaling down your brain’s impression of it. Good old-fashioned wallpaper works for this too. Another design trick: avoid anything with too much shine such as chrome. Stay away from lacquered wood, for example. Try painted or stained finishes instead. Metal should be dull or wrought-iron. Mirrors in these cases are a no-go.

For home furniture suggestions to fill a room affordably, check out Roberts Furniture & Mattress in Hampton, VA or one of our many other locations.

Reassess and Redress Your Living Room to Be Yourself at Home

As the years pass and your tastes change, it only makes sense to rethink your home decor now and then. Classical motifs that once enamored you in youth may now feel static and overstated; while what was once too avant-garde for you may now in fact complement your style. Pondering all of these heady questions of style and aesthetics, it’s only natural for your mind to drift to your most prized and personal pieces of home decor: your living room furniture. 

A Leather Sofa Changes How You Relax

In many cases, what your living room may be lacking, in both style and function, is comfortable leather sofa seating. Here, your options can feel seemingly endless—but don’t panic! Start out by asking yourself if your space and your furniture is hard-lined or rounded. If in fact your living room decor could do with a helpful injection of curvature, try out an affordable faux leather chair and matching ottoman, for a delicious blend of antique aesthetics, and state-of-the-art durability.  

Picture Yourself and Your Partner on a Brand-New Loveseat

Somewhere, at some point, you’ve undoubtedly thought of cozying up with a special someone on a sleek classic loveseat of your own. In your living room, a new loveseat means giving yourself a shot at elegance, along with a look and feel that’ll ease your mind the second you and your partner are seated. As far as versatility goes, this timeless piece of living room upholstery will fit almost perfectly in any home—softening out edges, and making an afternoon into a truly sensible and memorable experience for yourself and any of your guests.

Look Beyond Upholstery: End Tables to Reframe Your Room

After you’ve reexamined your living room seating, it never hurts to look beyond the ordinary and inquire into suitable end tables to enhance the ‘livability’ of your space. One small, adorable and affordable end table, positioned at the side of your leather sofa, can serve as the ideal spot for a piece of artwork, or even your smartphone. The decorative potential of an occasional table is—in a real sense—almost infinite, so long as you give yourself permission to have fun with decor in your living room. 

Your Local Furniture Store Knows All About Living Room Decor

Whether your Williamsburg, Virginia home or apartment was decorated last year or 5 years ago, do yourself a favor, and think about restyling it with affordable living room furniture from Robert’s Furniture & Mattress. 

Updating Your Bedroom Decor for the Autumn of 2018

As we escape the summer season, having sweltered under heat waves, near-constant clouds and rain, we here at Roberts Furniture & Mattress can safely say we’re happy to be entering the autumn again. Autumn for our family is all about the falling of the leaves and the coolness in the air—memories of Halloween, pumpkin picking and, of course, fall-styled decor!

In honor of the autumn season, we think now is the perfect moment to adjust to the fall inside of your most personal of living spaces: your bedroom. Since you begin and end your days inside of your bedroom, redecorating with new bedroom furniture can help you transition into the second-to-last season of 2018, full of style and confidence!

King or Queen, You Need a Headboard for Your Bed

If you’re familiar with the latest trends in bedroom decor, then you know that pairing headboards with bedframes is, by now, practically a law of interior decorating. With a new headboard, it is so easy to inject classic or contemporary style into your bedroom, without overwhelming the space unnecessarily. As far as clean and understated elegance goes, a full panel headboard does this effortlessly.

Admire Yourself in a Vintage or Modern Bedroom Mirror

Having persevered through two thirds of the year, you deserve a chance to admire your face in the mirror now and then. Instead of marching from your bedroom to the bathroom to do this, get yourself a matching bedroom mirror. Beyond being practical, a bedroom mirror bounces light off the rest of your bedroom decor—vastly enhancing the atmosphere of the space. You’ll probably also appreciate the beauty and detail incarnate in our favorite pieces and collections.

A Dresser Drawer Will Reorganize All Your Autumn Wear

While we guess that you already own a dresser drawer in your bedroom, who knows how much you utilize it, or how organized you keep it. With the intention of updating your decor, and sense of style, why not reevaluate your bedroom dresser as well? We think there’s nothing quite as grand or as graceful as a piece of bedroom furniture that alludes to the Old World, at the side of your nightstand or mirror.  

We invite you to transition into the fall, by taking advantage of discounts at our furniture store in Hampton, Virginia.

How to Choose and Place Your Coffee Table

When you’ve got your living room seating picked out, put some thought into this space’s second most sought furniture, the coffee table. It can be your room’s centerpiece if you desire, rather than the sofa. Here are a few placement and style suggestions for yours.

The Rule of 2

Most living room coffee tables are 16 to 18 inches tall. It’s generally recommended that your coffee table be 2 inches lower than your seats such as your living room sofa or loveseat.

The Rule of 18

Some interior designers say your coffee table should be 18 inches (a foot and a half) away from your sofa, making it close enough for you to set down plates and drinking glasses but roomy enough for you to stretch your legs, so consider that when measuring your floor space to pick the size of your coffee table.

The Rule of 30

Consider which part of your living room floor gets the most traffic as a passageway. Your coffee table should be narrow enough to allow about 30 inches of space from the side facing away from the sofa to accommodate this.

Use Contrast

If your living room sectional or sofa blends in with a simple design and neutral color, make your living room’s decor “pop” by using contrast: make your coffee table interesting, for example, with a dark finish and/or intricate woodwork. Likewise if your living room furniture uses bold lines and primary colors, consider a nearly invisible but still handy glass-topped metal coffee table.

Child-Friendly Coffee Tables

If you have young children running through your house, consider getting a coffee table without sharp edges; round or oval designs might be better for you.
For an incredible selection of living room coffee tables visit our Hampton, VA furniture store and other Virginia locations.

An Awesome Home Bar in a Few Easy Steps

Whether you invest in a simple bar cart or some cool barstools to liven a counter, convert a bookcase into a handsome shelf dry bar, or go all out in installing a wet bar with sink, refrigerator, and even taps, a beautiful home bar is a phenomenal way to succeed as a host. Here are some things to consider as you plan yours.

Home Bar 101

Like with real estate, a great home bar depends on location, location, location. Where do you actually entertain your guests? Which place in your home has the most space for this? Would you like to move this venue, say, from a small front room to one end of a finished basement rec room? Maybe the glass porch in back is your home’s most hospitable spot for twilight drinks.

How big a bar do you need or are willing to invest in? Does your chosen space need plumbing and electricity or would you like to start simple? A well-planned home bar pays its dividends in many years of enjoyment by you and your friends.

Basic Home Bar Furniture

Now that you have a rough plan sketched for your home bar, hopefully on something more reliable than a bar napkin, now it’s time for us at Roberts Furniture & Mattress to offer our expertise. For bars and bar stools ranging from traditional “Cheers”-style decor to the space-age bachelor pad look for retro cocktail coolness, choose sturdy, comfortable, but cool bars, drinks carts, and stools that will give your living room, rec room or porch the wow factor.

Knock Yourself Out with Home Bar Decor

And once you’ve planned out the contracting work and picked your home bar’s furniture, now it’s playtime. Anything goes when decorating your new home bar. Perhaps old beer cans repurposed as cool track lighting by a crafty friend, or old bottle caps incorporated into your backsplash can add fun to your home bar setting. The only limit is your imagination!

Once you’ve planned your fantastic new home bar, we will help you get started with the right bar stools and, if you like, the bar itself. Stop by any of our Virginia furniture showrooms including Hampton, VA to make your home bar dream a reality!

Vaughan-Bassett Furniture, An American Classic

If you seek the authenticity of good old-fashioned American craftsmanship using native-grown, sustainable hardwood, your dream come true is Vaughan-Bassett solid wood home furniture. Employing 700 craftsmen all based in the United States, Vaughan-Bassett has earned a sterling reputation, winning the lasting respect of buyers like you, because of its myriad of styles and lovely finishes. The company’s exceptional commitment to quality has made it America’s largest maker of wood bedroom furniture.

Explore Vaughan-Bassett’s Bedroom, Kids’ Room, and Home Office Furniture

Roberts Furniture & Mattress has wonderful bedroom furniture on display to give you an idea of how Vaughan-Bassett solid-wood quality can enhance your home. Relax with the warm wood finishes and classic colonial design details of one of our poster beds or sleigh beds with matching dresser, mirror, drawers, and nightstand.

Kids’ room furniture is a challenge for parents as you want a lasting style that will span your youngster’s changing needs and interests as well as match your décor. Vaughan-Bassett’s fine American craftsmanship can take all the heavy use your children can dish out. Choose from the among the simple elegance of one of our twin poster or sleigh beds, some with the adorable trundle option when two of your kids are sharing a room or you have invited a young guest to stay the night.

In the Internet age, telecommuting has come into its own, and with that comes your need for a well-appointed home office. Vaughan-Bassett has applied its timeless style to craft beautiful computer desks and chairs to make working from home both fun and productive!

Why Appalachian Hardwood?

Solid Appalachian hardwood offers furniture makers like Vaughan-Bassett an incomparable variety of grains and colors to choose from, ranging from rich dark walnut to lighter maple and ash. Appalachian hardwood must meet a stringent standard of grading rules, resulting in home furniture more than up to the task of many years of household use.

Going Green: Committed to Sustainability

Vaughan-Bassett is committed to the environment, aware that wood is in fact a crop that must be replenished. In that spirit, the company replaces each tree it uses to make your home furniture. Growers apply best management practices to forests used for Appalachian hardwood to ensure sustainability for wildlife habitats. Only about 1% of that hardwood inventory is harvested per year.

We can usually deliver your new, “Made in USA” Vaughan-Bassett furniture within 2 weeks. To find out more about Vaughan-Bassett bedroom, kids’ room, and home office furniture pieces and sets, stop by Roberts Furniture & Mattress’ Williamsburg, VA showroom or any of our other Hampton Roads locations.

Design Inspiration: Living Without a Sofa

We know what you’re thinking—“What’s a living room without the sofa?” But hear us out. In some cases, a sofa can make a living room feel crowded, or worse, uninviting. Some layouts simply don’t accommodate a big three-seater. Considering that most homeowners arrange their furniture around the television (in houses built before the tube was a major fixture), awkward placement of sofas has become commonplace.

If you have this problem, or you simply want a fresh interior, read our design tips on the many ways you can live without a sofa.

Armchair Army

Versatility is the name of the game when furnishing your living room sans sofa. A collection of armchairs opens up your space, and provides greater flexibility in regards to positioning and organization. Plus, with a living room chair for each person to call their own, it eliminates the potential for your guests to accidentally bump elbows, or get stuck in the middle seat.

Gathering two to four matching armchairs gives your interior a sense of unity. Fabric upholstery in neutral colors also allows you to inject color into your design scheme through the use of vibrant accent pillows, while patterned area rugs can lend texture.

Throw in one or two armless accent chairs to keep your living room from becoming monotonous, again in neutral colors to allow your lighting to really glow in the room.

And of course, no living room is complete without a classic recliner. Try to find one that has a wood grain that is similar to the feet of your armchairs, to maintain visual harmony.

Loveseats Are for Lovers

Two-cushion loveseats are never a bad idea. They take up less space than a full sofa, and are more than appropriate for snuggling with your sweetheart while watching a movie, or simply enjoying each other’s company. Remember to be consistent with your color choices. Similar tufting to your other chairs will also lend to the room’s synchronicity.

Chaise the Dream

Perhaps the most obvious drawback to not having a couch is the lack of lounge seating. Who doesn’t enjoy an afternoon nap on the sofa? However, with a low-profile chaise, not only do you keep your living room unobstructed, you also get all the benefits of lazy Sundays.

For more living room furniture, including ottomans and occasional tables, visit Roberts Furniture & Mattress in Hampton, VA. Our low-priced chairs, loveseats, and chaise lounges are of the highest quality in both construction and design. Let our family serve your family!

Refresh Your Interior for Spring

Spring is finally upon us, which means it’s time to pull back the curtains, raise the blinds, and crack open your window to let the cool spring breeze into your home, after months of wintry darkness. The change in season brings with it excitement, renewal, and of course, lots and lots of cleaning. After you have finished removing the dust from every surface in your home, and aired out each musty room, one of the best things you can do to refresh your interior for the springtime is to decorate with seasonal home accents. New home décor is ideal for giving your home the cheery makeover it truly deserves.

Bright and Colorful Home Accents

With the springtime comes feelings of newness and vibrancy, so decorate your interior accordingly. One of the simplest decorating tips that the experts swear by is to stock up on fresh throw pillows. These can really bring some much needed pop after the gloom of the colder months. The myriad colors and designs make for easy arranging in pretty much every room. Choose throw pillows in muted pastels and primary colors, like mint green or canary yellow, to bring some of the freshness of the outdoors into your home. Similarly, pick patterns or prints that evoke nature, like organic paisley and flower designs, or even animal prints. 

Another simple design trick that seems obvious when mentioned, but is often overlooked, is to hang mirrors in various sizes throughout your home. With mirrors, you can capture and direct the emerging sunlight to break away the winter shadows. Also, mirrors give your home a sense of depth, and are particularly ideal for smaller spaces. Hang them opposite your windows and in hallways to take advantage of both elements. Choose a frame that is organic or colorful to really usher in the spring season.

You can find colorful home accents like throw pillows, mirrors, and lots more at Robert’s Furniture & Mattress. Visit us in Yorktown, VA, or any of our four other furniture store locations for springtime home decorations at unbeatable prices.