For weeks you may have been running around gathering needed supplies and clothing for your children’s return to school. Even more important than the clothes, paper and pencils is what happens at home to ensure that every child has a successful school year. Here are a few tips to help transition back into the swing of things:

1. Consistent Routine – it is important that kids have a general pattern that they can expect.  I remember when I was growing up; as soon as I got home from school I had to do my homework.  After dinner, I had to finish up any remaining homework, or it that was complete, it was play time. This helped me understand that homework was important, which helped me prioritize my time to allow for it as I grew older.
2. Study Area Free of Distractions – an increase of the number of children having TVs, computers, various electronics in their rooms has also increased the number of distractions possible when studying. Have homework time at the kitchen table or in the living room, without the TV on, away from distractions.  This will help your child focus and enable them to finish their work more quickly.
3. Large Work Area – most desks made for children aren’t conducive to studying because they are too small.
   

   Photo Credit: A Girl, A Market, A Meal

   Being able to have a large area, like the kitchen table, to spread out helps children organize projects as they are working on them.

Following these three easy steps will ensure your child will have more productive study time and a fruitful school year!

Happy School Year!

Over the years we have sold many expandable tables of every shape and size.  We have received photos from customers’ parties and gatherings with 20 people gathered around one long table and it got us thinking.  When hosting a party with this many guests, there is usually (and thankfully) lots of food and beverages to be placed out for guests to help themselves to.  Even at our family Thanksgiving last year, which was 2 expandable tables and a card table, we had chafing dishes and serving platters throughout the dining room and kitchen and even on the stove.

We thought to ourselves, why not an expandable buffet?  In a space that could support an 18 foot table, an 8 foot buffet seems like it could make hosting Thanksgiving or any celebration a breeze.   After a lot of discussion and planning, our dream is complete!

We would like to introduce you to our: Expandable Buffet!  This concept can be applied to many of our buffets, at each size (48”, 60” and 72”)!  Allowing many styles to become expandable and fit your home and style!  The expansion is possible by using geared slides on the top to allow for it to open and accept leaves just as a dining table would.  It comes with (2) 18” leaves, giving you an additional 3 extra feet of serving room.

It is available in each of our standard wood types: Red Oak, Brown Maple, Cherry, Quarter Sawn White Oak, and Hard Maple and even some specialty woods.

Entertaining has never been easier with the Expandable Buffet.

The Centennial Open Plasma Wall Unit is perfect for those wanting a lot of storage, display areas all with an open, light feel. It has ample room to store TV and audio components, cds, dvds and other entertainment accessories. It also comes with 2 glass shelves to display pictures, books, etc.  We are excited about this new blend of the mission style with a more contemporary open look.  What do you think?

What’s the perfect way to welcome summer?  With a picnic, friends, and the grill!  Here are some fun items to make your summer shindig a beautiful one.  Everything from a cedar picnic table to melamine dinnerware, these items can withstand parties and gatherings summer after summer.  Other fun finds, include solar lanterns which look lovely in the evening and post cards to invite your guests!  Since baking is probably not on the top of your to-do list, this biscotti can be ordered and is deliciously homemade!  This enables you to be outside in the sun rather than in front of a hot oven.  All fun ways to help you enjoy every last drop of summer!

Style Guide – Summer Picnic

Picnic Table Set

Picnic Invitations

Solar Lanterns

Green Plate Set

Tumblers

Patchwork Drink Cooler

Homemade Biscotti

Warmer weather, longer days, sunshine; all welcomed changes from the dreary gray winter.  Why not freshen up a room in your home to bring the outdoors in.  This color palette uses soft hues from the budding spring life to brighten up your bathroom!

Style Guide:

Shower Curtain

Bathroom Vanity

Lighting

Vintage Letters

Bath Mat

Storage Boxes

Remodeling and redecorating can be expensive. But you don’t have to spend a bundle to get a new look. There are lots of different ways to refresh a room on a small budget. One of the easiest things that you can do is go through the room in question and get rid of all the clutter. Organizing and rearranging your possessions doesn’t cost a penny, but doing so could have a dramatic impact on the look of any room in the house. You may also want to try doing one or more of the following things:

The Nest.com

Living Room

You can dramatically change the look of your living room no matter how small your budget may be. A great place to start is by painting an accent wall a shade or two darker than your existing color. Another budget friendly option is to add new throw pillows in a variety of prints, colors, and textures. A new area rug or slipcovers on your existing furniture can make a big difference as well.

Bedroom

Does the look of your bedroom need waking up? Why not give it a fresh coat of paint? While you are at it, add some molding to give it a nice finished look. If you are not interested in painting the whole room, consider painting just the furniture. You could also try dressing up your bed by making a fabric slip cover for your headboard or by adding new pillows and linens.

Bathroom

Photo Credit: Real Simple

Who doesn’t like to go to the spa? You can give your drab bathroom a spa-like feel by painting the walls a soft, relaxing color. Instead of buying expensive artwork, try buying scrapbooking paper and framing it. Plants and aromatic candles are also affordable accessories that can change the appearance of any bathroom. For a real spa-like feel indulge in new towels. Setting a basket full of rolled towels near the bathtub can not only be stylish but also a storage solution.

Kitchen

Kitchen redesigns always improve the overall look of a home and don’t have to cost a fortune. Almost everything in your kitchen can be repainted, refinished, or renewed; you can repaint your walls, cabinets, or even your appliances. If painting sounds like too much work, updating your cabinetry hardware can be a refreshing change. Another economical choice would be to replace old rugs, dish rags, and towels with new ones. New curtains, updated plumbing fixtures, shiny counter top appliances, and a fresh bowl of fruit can also have impact when trying to give a kitchen a fresh look.

Photo Credit: Real Simple

Dining Room

Dining rooms tend to be forgotten about when doing home makeovers but there are many ways to refresh this room too. Everything in your dining room can be painted. If you don’t want to paint your table and chairs but want to give them a new look, try reupholstering your chairs. This is much easier than it sounds, all you need is about a 1/2 yard of fabric, a heavy duty stapler, and the ability to wrap a present. Other low-cost decorating options include a new mirror, wall hangings, window coverings, and a fresh and pretty centerpiece.

Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes for Area Rugs, a retail site that sells brand name area rugs.

Ahhh, the smells of fall: apple pie baking, bonfires, cinnamon, a big pot of chili on the stove!  Nothing can warm up a chilly evening quite like these comforts!

We felt inspired by the colors {and smells} of the season to bring you our first “fall must haves” style guide. We wanted to focus on ways you could incorporate the colors of the season into your home.  By accessorizing with pop color items you can bring these yummy colors into your home and then change it up next season!

What will you incorporate into your home this season to bring in the beauty of the outdoors?

Style Guide – Fall Must Haves:

Chargers: Pottery Barn

Dinnerware: Pottery Barn

Wallpaper: Anthropologie

Throw: Crate and Barrel

Bedding: Anthropologie

Wreath: Better Homes & Gardens

As we get ready to trade cookouts for bonfires and the “boom” of fireworks for the roar of football crowds, it’s time to start thinking about getting your house in order for the coming Fall.

Cooler days are coming soon and right behind them are oh-so-fun mornings of shoveling snow.  Here are three things you need to check off your list before the leaves start changing colors.

Get Prepared for the Cold

There is nothing worse than having heating issues in the middle of the cold season.  Not only are you going to be constantly wrapped in a blanket like a Russian baby, but you’re going to be on a long list for repair service.  Tackle these tasks now and save yourself the potential hassle and chilly nights.

• Have your heating unit checked out:  As much as it might pain you to do so, flip on that heater really quick to make sure it’s pumping out warm air.  If it’s not call a professional to have him take a look at it now.
• Change your air filters:  The last thing you want is nasty air blowing through your house.  You should be swapping out that air filter every month or so, but definitely do it before the cold hits and you’re relying on the heating unit to deliver warm air throughout the house.
• Check your barriers:  Make sure your weather stripping, storm doors and anything else that keeps the cold out made it through the spring and summer without damage.  Keeping cold air out is more than half that battle.
• Call a chimney sweep: Get your flue checked and cleaned out before you start any fires.  Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless and deadly, so it’s worth the time and nominal fee to have your chimney cleaned out properly.

Make Room for the Mud

If you don’t have a designated “mud room” or area where people can take off their dirty shoes and wet clothing, then you need to clear some space or your carpets will suffer the consequences.  Get extra all weather mats on both sides of your doors to get rid of as much dirt and grime as you can.  This is also an excellent time to hang up those new coat hooks or put in some storage areas like this hallway storage bench for your family’s footwear and cold weather gear.

Open Air Projects

Make sure you have wrapped up any projects you have been procrastinating on and that require you to be outside or need ventilation.  Painting, sanding or staining furniture are all big ones.  These tasks need plenty of fresh air and at least the open space of a garage to be done properly.  The same goes for painting rooms and other fume producing projects.

Speaking of the outside, you can’t forget to prepare the exterior of your residence for the coming cold as well.  Winterize your sprinklers, check the gutters and down spouts and clear away dead or over growing bushes and trees.

Do all of these now while you have the weather and extended daylight on your side.  You don’t want to be hassling with all of this in the wind, rain or even snow.  This way you can hunker down for the winter and dream of Spring cleaning and starting a whole new good weather “To Do” list.

Don’t the holidays seem to come more quickly every year?  It seems like even before the leaves turn color the stores start to march out their Christmas decorations, the kids are making their wish lists and Grandma is plotting the return of her infamous fruitcake.

When you strip away all of the marketing and commercialism of the season, it’s really all about spending time with the people you care about.  Dinners, brunches, games, long talks over coffee, catching up while enjoying some football or a parade are all on docket for the upcoming months.  Notice how most of the most precious moments take place around the table?

Holiday Entertaining

If you’re hosting the festivities this year and are looking to flush out your dinning room furniture, then you need to have a look at the wonderful specimens of Amish craftsmanship we offer here at AmishTables.com.  Not only are our tables made by some of the best furniture artisans in the country and with the finest materials, they are also extremely functional.  Add leaves as you need to expand your table to fit everybody that shows up this season.  With expandable tables that can fit up to twenty-two people, we’ve got your whole clan covered.

Heirloom Quality Tailored to Your Needs

Our dining room tables are heirloom quality and will become a part of the family memories you make over the years.  Just because Amish craftsman use centuries old techniques to make their tables, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t stylish and perfect for almost any interior design look you’re after.  Our selection encompasses a wide variety, so no matter what you’re looking for we have the table for you.  Here are just some of the different options that are available on the different tables:

• Top Shapes:  Rectangular, Square, Boat, Round or Oval.
• Seating Capacity:  You can chose between oval tables that seat six all the way up to our monster twenty-two person expandable rectangular table.
• Hardwood:  Several versions of oak, cherry, maple, hickory and walnut depending on the table.
• Legs:  Customize the look of your table with Regular, Shaker, Round Shaker, Hooiser, Fluted and Farmer legs.
• Edge styles:  Various tables are available with Beveled, Chamfer, Mission, Ogee and Roundover edges.

No matter what size, shape or style of Amish dining room table you select, you’re going to get a product made to the highest quality standards with the best materials, right here in the United States.  They are all made from slow grown North American hardwoods and constructed to withstand the test of time.

Don’t worry about the abuse that your family, guests, kids and pets will inevitably inflict on these tables.  Our tables can last you decades and since they are made from real wood can be refinished and repaired if they get worn, dented, chewed on or anything else you can throw at it!  Don’t worry about any of that; just sit back and enjoy the times with your loved ones around your new Amish table.

Photo Credit: Apartment Therapy

Sometimes, it’s about doing more with less, so if you’re looking to update or change the look of your living space but don’t want to drop a lot of money right now, then it’s time for this handy Do-It-Yourself guide.  Refinishing used pieces is a great way to spruce up a room.

In our last post, “5 Vital Tips for Antique Shopping“, we discussed trying to find pieces that are well made and affordable.  Some of these pieces require a little love so that they can shine again.  The following DIY provides the needed steps to bring your newly acquired piece back to life with with some TLC.

Thankfully, this DIY project is so easy, its one that you could tackle this weekend.  You’ll be amazed how a little elbow grease and trip to the home improvement store can up the style in your home.

How To: Stain Your Furniture

Here’s how you knock this project out over the weekend:

1. Sanding: Put down a drop cloth to collect the sanding debris and protect the bottom of your furniture.  Work outside if possible or failing that, in a garage.  If you do this inside you’ll be finding dust for months!  Gently sand the surface of your furniture, using uniform pressure throughout until the old finish is gone.  If you’re dealing with something large like a hutch or table a power sander might be worth the investment.
2. Prepare for the Stain: You’re going to want to take your time and make sure all of the dust is gone.  Wipe it down with a moist rag that is lint free.  Let it dry and then wipe it again.  Then repeat the wipe down one more time with a dry cloth and let the piece sit for a bit.  Examine it after awhile and see if the wiping needs to be repeated.  Make sure your drop cloth is completely free of dust and then cover it with something absorbent like newspaper.  If the piece is large, prop it up with wood blocks so you can easily work on the bottom edges.
3. Staining: Mix the can of stain up vigorously to make sure the tint is uniform throughout.  You will need to mix the stain as you work a few times to make sure the tint doesn’t settle on the bottom of the can.  Work in sections, starting on the underside.  Stain a section and wipe off the excess so that the wood grain shows through.  Make sure to have plenty of lint free cloths ready to go for this section.  You can always add more stain later so don’t worry about wiping too much away.
4. Dry: The stain will take about a day to fully dry.  In the meantime put it somewhere dust and dirt free that is also blocked from the wind.  There is nothing like leaving your piece to dry somewhere and find a random leaf or something stuck to it the next day.  The weather also plays a role in drying; a lot of humidity in the air will slow the drying process.
5. Final Finish: Check for rough spots or areas that may need to be touched up.  Sand rough spots lightly and re-stain where necessary.  After you’re satisfied with the finished project, apply the sealant coat.  This is either made from wax or polyurethane.  This will protect your work for years to come, so it’s a very important step.

Knowing how to stain your own furniture pays off in spades over the years.  Quality furniture, like the pieces we sell here at Amish Tables, can be refinished again through the years.  This gives you a piece of quality furniture that you can change to match a new style or just freshen up to make it as good as new.