Mother’s Day is a really special day for me. Mothers are truly wonderful nurturing creatures, especially my mum, and they are definitely worth an enormous amount of spoiling.

Here are some ideas to make this Mother’s Day present a hit. It is all about the gesture not the price tag. At Parkes Furniture One we have gifts that will suit anyone’s budget or taste.

Most mothers like to create a home that is inviting, comfortable and welcoming. May- be mum would love some faux flowers in a vase to brighten up a corner of the room or maybe some new cushions to update the sofa.

Decorator pieces such as statues, candleholders or a pot or urn will also prove a hit. If you really want to pull out all stops, why not buy mum her own chair or recliner so she can relax in a quiet corner and catch up on her reading.

There is also the option of a Parkes Fur- niture One gift voucher, or an inhome consultation with me. I would love to help her bring her decorating dreams to life!

Come and see our enormous range of homewares and decorator pieces. We would love to help you pick the perfect gift for your mum.

Happy Mother’s Day to all! Love Karen xx

The decorating powers that cushions hold should never be underestimated.

If I only had one item to use to turn a house into a home, I would use the humble cushion to instantly add warmth and personality to a room.

Cushions are an abundant species in my home even though the male in resi- dence can’t understand the deep connection I have made with these innate objects. But all I know is that at the end of the day when all the cushions are picked up off the floor from where John has casually thrown them and they are replaced perfectly on the lounge once again, everything is good with the world and I can sleep in peace. My lounge room looks warm and inviting once again.

You may wonder what it is about these simple objects that can render such deep emotions from me.

To begin with cushions are an easy way to link your home’s colour palette together. They are a relatively inexpensive way to inject colour, texture and style to a neutral room. It is very easy to update your look with just a few new cushions in a different decorator style to immediately change the feel of a room. If we add a new rug, espe- cially a shag rug – my favourite, the room can undergo a facelift without too much work.

I absolutely love it when we get a shipment of cushions in store. It is like opening Christmas presents. To see and touch all the new fabrics, textures and colours and

New stock arriving daily work out how I can combine them for display is akin to the rush I get from shopping. Just look at the difference cushions make in these photos. The before and after photos speak for themselves and the results are powerful when a touch of fluffing comes into play.

By Karen Creith

Western red cedar is a popular and durable timber that is sought after due to its beauty and durability. It is a timber that remains stable under most weather conditions and is not prone to shrinking or swelling. This means it holds its shape and ensures longevity.

As a low-density timber that offers very good thermal insulation, it helps with heating and cooling efficiency, reducing electricity costs and making a home more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Its versatility enables it to be used for both internal and external applications, as it is visually beautiful with rich and inviting colours. It has a fine texture and straight grain with growth rings often vis- ible. The durable yet soft properties let the material take very well to being stained and polished. The wood’s natural preservatives provide resistance to fungus and insects.
Western Red Cedar is a stylish and practical option with natural appeal, superior structural performance and elemental protection. For more information contact Glassplace on 6862 2346 or visit the showroom at 4 Clarke Street in Parkes.

So in autumn and spring we don’t need to be too concerned with temperature extremes.

On the other hand, our summers can get very warm and our winters rather cold.

Experience has shown the experts at the Glassplace that Low E grey tinted glass performs well in both summer and winter.

How does Low E tinted glass work? (Other names are smart glass, pyrolytic glass, or comfort glass.)

Low E grey glass cuts down the U value of a window or door. This is the amount of heat moving through the glass due to the difference in temperature: from the inside to the outside of your home, or office. Low E glass can therefore reduce your heating bill and your cooling costs.

Low E grey glass also reduces the total solar radiation coming through the glass. This is the Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient or SHGC. It also reduces glare to make your home more comfortable in summer.

The lower the numbers, the more benefit you will get from Low E glass.

If you still feel a bit confused about this glass, but want to know more, why not drop into the new Glassplace showroom in Clarke Street, Parkes. They will show you examples of Low E Glass in full sized windows so you can see what it looks like.

You can also have a go at their radiant

heat display to actually feel the difference Low E glass can make in your home.

Give them a call today!

I have been very busy over the last few months staging a variety of homes for sale. Staging a home is very important and can add value to your property and thus give you more money in your pocket after sale day.

Staging works perfectly when a home is empty and unfurnished. It gives me a blank canvas to enter and create magic within that will have any prospective buyer simply falling in love with your home and thus wanting it to be their home.

An empty home is devoid of personality and the WOW factor and will not let that property to stand out from the crowd and create, no matter how good its bones are. It would not make a lasting impression on a prospective buyer.

With staging people hire my services and furniture for a specific period of time, usu- ally six weeks to entice a quick and profit- able sale from the marketplace.

It is simple and stress-free but the results absolutely speak for themselves.

Pictured right, are my favourite before and after images from a home staged last week in Dubbo. The clients and the real estate agent were so happy that I think a speedy sale could be just around the cor- ner. One home I staged last year in Orange didn’t even get to show its charm as it was snavelled up the first day it was listed for sale. It just looked that good!

By Karen Creith

I had the opportunity during the Elvis Festival to style a major event for the Parkes Shire Council.

We held a reception for the major spon- sors of the festival and gave them an opportunity to get together and mingle.

Fluffing an event is very similar to how you would style and decorate a home. You want to create an atmosphere that sets the stage for the rest of the evening. And my philosophy for styling an event is the same as in homes. I like major wow pieces to command a space , look sensational but not crowd the surfaces to allow for people to move freely around the event.

You can see in the photo, with the enormous candelabras we created a really dramatic statement that was perfectly matched to the Vegas feel of the event.

The second key element was adding a roll of red carpet and bollards to the side entrance to the Royal Hotel. Instantly it set this area apart and deemed it of special significance just by its exclusive appearance. In a home the same rules apply. Creating a bold statement in your hallway with a large artwork will enhance and denote the home as an interesting place to visit. Always use over scale items that fill a wall rather than small artworks that can actually shrink the space. Remember that whatever the size of your frame of the artwork on a wall is your eye naturally thinks that could be the size of the wall as well. So big in artwork is always better!! I was also lucky enough to compere a fashion parade at Viva Splash Vegas. It was the first of its kind for the festival and proved very popular. It was also very special to me as my daughter Ali was the main co-ordinator. I donned my volunteer clothes on Sunday afternoon and had a ball describing the outfits each entrant wore.

Stay cool and I will be back to fluffing full-time in February.

Love Karen x