Form, function and comfort? Yes! The design world has now realized that function must come before form. We are designing homes for the whole family, children, parents and now even pets.  Tufted furniture is great for families; these pieces are usually very well made. In order to tuft a product it needs to be reinforced so that the buttons do not pop off!

When you are designing a room, keep who will be using the space. If your cat always curls up on a chair in your dining room now, chances are good that they will still do this when you replace those chairs with new ones! Do not make unrealistic choices for your home. If you love white and want an all white dining room but you have 5 young children…maybe you should wait and use this look when you retire! Or slipcover your chairs and be prepared to wash them…often. I love white and I tell my friend Anne all the time that this is a look I would love to have, I know that this look may never work for me. I have 2 dogs and 2 teenagers…and I do not want to be following them around with a dust buster.

What you do want in a good dining room is…

• Comfortable chairs
• A table that is large enough for place settings, a center piece and some serving dishes
• A buffet or sideboard (if there is room)
• Good lighting
• Art
• Keep pets and kids in mind when you design
• Window treatments (this is a good place to have fun with pattern or even use white!)

WE TEST ALL FURNITURE IN OUR HOUSE!!! 

PET TESTED MOTHER APPROVED. (Dog Photos by Liz Donnelly)