16.11.2018
2. Chad Turney - international expert and head of a furniture company from the USA
3. Heart-to-heart talk about the near future furniture market
3.1. Online sales and virtual reality
3.2. Buyers in the USA and Russia
3.3. How does the US retail system work?
3.4. Video interview with Chad Turney
If you think that the American furniture market developed in hothouse conditions, you are mistaken.
More recently, in the mid-2000s, a wave of bankruptcies of furniture companies swept across the United States. What do you think is the reason? That's right, in the growth of Chinese furniture exports - so rampant that restrictive measures had to be taken at the state level. Moreover, the introduced anti-dumping duties did not have any significant impact on the position of the US furniture industry, since they were applicable only to some Chinese exporting companies.
Do you also remember the 2008 crisis, which seriously crippled business? It was not only in Russia; moreover, its trigger point was the fall of the US mortgage and stock markets.
USA and Russia - what's the difference?
The way the American market restored stability and began to develop further can be compared to how Baron Munchausen pulled himself out of the swamp. The constant search for new sales formats, new management systems, and new ways to attract customers has led to the fact that, according to experts, the US furniture market will grow by 6.14% in the coming years.
It is obvious that even before the 2008 crisis, the Russian furniture market was not nearly as developed as the US market. Since the collapse of the USSR, it has had too little time to develop. Plus sanctions recent years, which brought additional problems. That is, we start from a obviously lower point. What can we say if, according to statistics, the United States now occupies 14% of the world furniture market, and Russia - only 1%.
But this does not mean that everything is bad with us and therefore there is no point in doing anything. On the contrary, due to the large field of activity and the “freshness” of the market, more prospects for development are opening up for Russian furniture makers. What the furniture business in the USA is built on today will be relevant here in 3-5 years.
Right now you have a unique chance to find out what American businessmen are doing, to peek suitable ideas, adapt them to your company and outperform your competitors.
Chad Turney - international expert and head of a furniture company from the USA
About how they act American companies, Chad Turney told me. He has been working in the furniture industry for 25 years and knows both retail and wholesale well. As Chad himself says, he has been involved in the furniture industry since birth. Many of his relatives are in one way or another connected with this branch of production. He lives in the furniture capital of the world - the city of Hints Point, North Carolina. The first job he got after university was retail sales furniture. Furniture business for him it is not just a profession, but a real passion. It is not surprising that the brands he promoted quickly achieved excellent results.
Since 2013, Chad Turney has been the President and CEO of CMT Home. It is a global furniture development business that includes retail sales, worldwide wholesale distribution, insurance, extended warranties and other services to help grow the furniture industry.
He is familiar with the Russian furniture market firsthand. For four years Chad has worked closely with AP Home, so he knows the characteristics of the market itself, the mentality of our entrepreneurs, and consumer behavior. He still comes to Russia several times a year because he conducts consulting projects with our companies. The information he gives is actually applicable in our conditions.
Heart-to-heart conversation about the near future of the furniture market
Chad and I discussed several important issues, which relate to the near future of the furniture market in Russia.
Online sales and virtual reality
The first thing we absolutely agreed on was importance, which are becoming increasingly global. They can no longer be put off. They are becoming more and more significant and are developing faster than other sales formats. Accordingly, they begin to influence consumer habits. Customers are getting used to buying from home, seeing several options for purchase at once in one place - on the computer screen.
Are developing technologies " virtual reality» . A person can go into a small store and use the terminal to see a huge assortment. There are “augmented reality” applications that help you see how the furniture in a consumer’s home will look – against the background of the walls, in combination with other interior items.
In this way, the furniture company involves customers in interacting with products, shapes their activity and stimulates sales. It turns out that a person receives detailed professional advice right at home, without going to a real store.
But modern technologies are already being used in stores. I recently recorded a video about “IKEA Augmented Reality”. Take a look (turn on the sound in the lower right corner of the player):
Buyers in the USA and Russia
The second thing I’ve also been saying for several years is that people hate complexity. They don't want to waste time and resources choosing best option out of hundreds of possible ones. They they want to receive a convenient product directly to their home, and not have to think about its delivery and installation. That is why universal mattresses packaged in rolls have become so popular in the USA and Germany. In the USA, almost every factory began to produce such compact mattresses, because they are also profitable for manufacturers - transportation costs are lower, and sales due to affordable price and more convenience.
Chad advises to actively develop and implement interactive technologies. The client should be able to do everything on his smartphone: view the product, get advice, pay for the purchase. Listen to young customers - this is your future.
According to Chad, people in Russia are less likely than Americans to believe that they need New furniture. The cult of consumption reigns in the USA; Americans love to buy. Russians are more conservative; they prefer to save money for a rainy day. However, there is something in common - both do not want to wait long, and at the same time they want to have their own “style”, their own design features. Often it's not what they see in the store, so you need to be able to make small changes to the basic models. Only local producers can provide this. That's why many American brands are relocating their production from Asia back to the United States.
How does the US retail system work?
There is no single retail system in the United States. There are chain stores, large and small, and each builds a sales system in its own way. Chad Turney will tell participants about the most effective approaches , which will be held as part of the Large Professional Furniture Conference in Moscow.
Retail is expanding the list of services. Ashley stores, for example, began offering furniture cleaning. This is how companies build long-term relationships with clients. A very important service - extended warranty. Basically, manufacturers establish an annual warranty, sellers increase it to 3 years, but for a certain price.
American stores often offer product protection. If a person puts a hot mug on and ruins the tabletop or rocks on a chair and breaks a leg, their furniture will be repaired or replaced. At the same time, the buyer receives a feeling of security; he feels the seller’s care.
For retail, this is an excellent additional income without expenses, because the buyer, two years after the purchase, is unlikely to remember where he bought this particular table, or that he purchased a protection service or an extended warranty.
In July, I shared ideas on a promising sales format and ideas for display design and store navigation. Have you seen it? If not, then take a look.
Video interview with Chad Turney
Chad is generally a very interesting conversationalist and a great professional. In his video interviews he gives even more interesting and useful information about the possibilities for the development of the Russian furniture market.
Watch these videos so you don’t miss those features of successful American furniture companies that can become breakthroughs for your business:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
The most important information for furniture makers in 2 days
CMT Home specializes in helping furniture companies. Chad Turney and his staff dive deeply into the client's business and look for the best development paths that suit each specific case. The decisions are based on the experience of Chad himself and all those companies with which he collaborated. As you understand, over 25 years, many proven strategies have accumulated that are guaranteed to lead to improved management, increased marketing efficiency and increased sales.
How does the American market differ from the Russian market on many issues that interest owners and managers of furniture companies;
- what sales formats are popular in the USA now and why;
- what sales channels do American manufacturers use;
- what should be done Russian manufacturers to increase the competitiveness of their products;
- which customer acquisition tools work better than others;
- how a small furniture business can resist the giants;
- how to form a sales department - how many people should it have and what processes need to be set up in it;
- how to achieve efficiency in a retail business, from choosing a location to methods of accounting and evaluating indicators.
Chad Turney with pleasure share these and many others knowledge with you. And also will provide expert assessments and recommendations to those who need them. That is, you will be able to personally ask what to do specifically for you, and get advice that works. You just have to take them and do what others will only come to in a few years (if they don’t close down before then).
The leading American industry weekly Furniture Today conducted another study of the retail market for furniture and home goods in the United States. The publication’s experts came to the conclusion that the largest volume of furniture and mattresses is still sold on the US market by traditional furniture stores. However, not all traditional retail formats demonstrated positive sales dynamics.
During the study, Furniture Today specialists analyzed the structure of American furniture retail and compared sales data for 2008 and 2010. It turned out that in 2010, traditional outlets provided 53% of all sales, which is 9% lower than in 2008, when the previous study was conducted. Converting percentages into US currency, Furniture Today reports that traditional furniture retail generated sales of $41.6 billion, that is, 20% less than in 2008, when the result was $52 billion. At the same time, furniture sales as a whole in the US market fell from 2008 to 2010 by only 6.4%.
What formats do Americans include in the category of “traditional” retail?
Firstly, multi-brand showrooms, including chain stores, where furniture is the main product category (examples: Rooms To Go, Nebraska Furniture Mart, R. C. Willey, Star Furniture, Jordan’s Furniture, American Signature, Raymour&Flanigan, Havertys). It was this first category that lost the most in sales: during the reporting period, its share fell from 50% to 40%.
Secondly, branded points. They are dominated by the products of one manufacturer, and the store can be owned either by the factory itself or by an independent dealer or franchisee (Ashley Furniture HomeStores, Ethan Allen, La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries, Select Comfort, etc.). The share of sales through such mono-brand stores has not changed - 7%.
Thirdly, the so-called lifestyle stores are hypermarkets that sell furniture and household goods, and in addition, the product matrix may contain all kinds of accessories, small electrical appliances, grocery delicacies, clothing, Jewelry, personal care products, etc. (e.g. IKEA, Pottery Barn, Pier 1 Imports, Cost Plus World Market, Crate&Barrel, Restoration Hardware, Bed Bath&Beyond). Lifestyle stores benefited the most from the recession, with their share of the US market rising from 5% to 6% during the reporting period.
Two other channels that have successfully developed in past years are direct sales to consumers via the Internet, mail catalogues, television or at home (furniture sold for $7.1 billion, market share - 9%, which is 2% higher than in 2008), as well as sales through professional designers (the share of this channel increased from 6% to 8%).
Speaking about less significant distribution channels for furniture and home goods in the American market, we can note the growth of discount department stores, in which furniture is sold on an equal basis with other products and products (Wal-Mart, Target, Big Lots, Kmart, T. J. Maxx/Marshalls, HomeGoods , Tuesday Morning, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Fred Meyer, Meijer, Kohl's, Ross Stores, Stein Mart, etc.) - they provided 7% of all sales compared to 6% in 2008. The share of regular department stores such as Macy's, Bloomingdale's, JCPenney, Sears, Neiman-Marcus, Belk, as well as office supply stores did not change - 3% each. Sales of used furniture through auctions and consignment stores (3%), furniture rental stores (5%), sales through private clubs (4%), as well as the “other” category - gift stores added about 1% , goods for children, electronics stores, textiles, etc. (5%).
The top 100 largest furniture retailers in the United States, compiled by Furniture Today, accounted for 30% of all sales in 2010 - 2% less than in 2008 and 4% less than in 2005.
Furniture Today specially for MB
Read also December 02, 2019 Furniture resistance front
Companies with a furniture subscription business model are reaping the rewards of success among millennials.
November 11, 2019 Get married - keep your eyes peeledVietnam is a country where orders for furniture previously placed in China are now being massively transferred. Journalists from a leading trade publication in the United States visited twelve large Vietnamese factories. As it turns out, new customers and partners are not welcomed with open arms everywhere.
October 23, 2019 Presidential reportThe Furniture Business magazine will lead the International Alliance of Furniture Publications for another two years.
October 23, 2019 Lifehacks for exportersVice-President of the Topol Group of Companies Nikita Semenov shares his experience with furniture makers who are just beginning to master the export direction.
October 04, 2019 Announce the whole list pleaseThe final list of congress and exhibition events of the Russian timber industry complex for the next two years has been formed with the support of the Russian Export Center. Registration for participation in approved projects is open.
October 04, 2019 To the reward!Leaders of the Russian furniture and interior market are invited to nominate themselves for the Furniture Leadership Awards. Applications are accepted until November 15. Prestigious professional award awarded to furniture companies, visionary entrepreneurs and top managers who excel in management and marketing in the furniture and related markets.
American interiors have always been based on classic style England and the Old World, but their distinctive feature there was a desire for more practicality and less pretentiousness. As a result, the American-style kitchen turned out to be both beautiful and, at the same time, super-functional.
- In this material you will learn how to create an American kitchen design from 20 basic elements, and you can get ideas for arranging from 60 photo examples of interiors of small and large kitchens .
20 basic elements of an American-style kitchen
All furniture and appliances in a typical American kitchen are lined up around the perimeter of the room in an L-, U- or C-shape, and an island or dining area is placed in the center. This grouping of items is convenient because it allows you to maximize the space for free movement and arrange the sink, refrigerator and stove according to the “working triangle” principle.
2. Big Island
It is impossible to imagine an American kitchen design without a massive island in the center. Sometimes these are several islands at once, if the dimensions of the room allow. The island is a multi-functional worktop with plenty of storage, as well as a stove, sink, wine cooler and/or breakfast bar.
- The island should follow the shape of the room or workspace.
- The passages around the island should be at least 90 cm, ideally 120 cm, but no more. Therefore it cannot be put on small kitchen .
- If your the kitchen has an area of 18-21 square meters. m, then choose a small island no larger than 90x120 cm in size. It’s good if it’s mobile, then if necessary you can move it to another place.
- A more compact replacement for an island is a peninsula, which differs in that one of its ends is built into kitchen set or rests against a wall.
3. Place the sink by the window
American-style kitchens involve placing the sink under the window. This is, firstly, very convenient, since natural light illuminates the washing area well, and secondly, it is pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, in a city apartment, moving the sink is not always possible, since a significant extension of communications is extremely undesirable.
4. Wood in decoration and furniture
Wood is the most popular material in American kitchens. Wooden furniture used everywhere. For example, this could be a kitchen set with wooden (most often veneered) facades, a countertop, tables and chairs, a sideboard. Wooden beams often decorate the ceilings of American kitchen-dining rooms, and panels are used to decorate walls.
Wooden floors are also an integral part of American style in the interior.
5. Kitchen facades with panels
A kitchen in the style of American classics always has paneled facades, but not too elegant, but laconic. Glossy solid facades are typical only for kitchens in the style of an American retro cafe.
By the way, Americans are not afraid to repaint their kitchen several times
6. Lots of storage space
Any American kitchen has many different cabinets and shelves, and the furniture in it is built up to the ceiling. Americans use separate cabinets to store plates and cups, various utensils, holiday services, textiles, cookbooks and small household appliances.
Open shelves lighten the interior, but complicate cleaning - dust accumulates on them very quickly
Sometimes a separate pantry is located next to the kitchen to store food supplies and groceries (see photo slider).
7. Open plan
A characteristic feature of the American kitchen is its combination with the dining room, living room and often an entrance hall or corridor. On the one hand, this technique increases the space and gives the cook the opportunity to communicate with the rest of the inhabitants of the house or guests. On the other hand, there are also a lot of disadvantages to an open plan. So, for example, an untidy kitchen, where people have just been cooking in a hurry, will disturb the comfort of the living room or formal dining room. Other disadvantages: the penetration of odors from the kitchen into the living room, which is why all the textiles eventually begin to smell like food, as well as noise from the kitchen, say, from a working hood, which often disturbs those relaxing in the living room.
8. Zoning the premises
An American-style kitchen is always clearly divided into zones, for example, a working, dining and bar area. The visual or physical separator can be: furniture (for example, a bar counter, an island, a peninsula, a table, etc.), a partition, ceiling beam, large plants in pots, carpets and rugs, lamps.
An example of zoning a kitchen-dining room with a through partition
9. Spacious and cozy dining area
Regardless of family size, dinner table in an American-style kitchen it should be spacious (for 6-8 people or even more) and massive. The table is complemented with simple wooden/metal chairs or more elegant half-chairs with soft upholstery. The table itself is decorated with a runner and a central decoration, for example, a vase of flowers, a dish of fruit, topiary, a candy bowl and other decor.
10. Good countertops
To cover working area a single monolithic tabletop is used. It can be made of natural or artificial stone, from natural wood and even concrete. But MDF or laminated chipboard, popular in our country and Europe, are not very popular in America.
11. Neutral colors
- The most common options for painting walls are white, beige and light gray shades.
- Kitchen facades are most often white, but light gray and olive shades are also popular.
- The floor is almost always brown or dark brown (wooden), due to which the American kitchen acquires a spectacular contrast of dark and light shades.
For examples of colored kitchens in the style of American classics, see the following photo slider.
12. Tiles “boar” or small mosaic in the apron
Rectangular ceramic tiles "hog" ("subway") are most typical for cladding the work area. It is usually white or light gray.
Other suitable design options: square tiles small size, small mosaic tiles, figured tiles, herringbone tiles, as well as stone finishing to match the countertop or wood panels.
13. Abundance of textiles
American kitchen interior unimaginable without cotton or linen textiles:
- Narrow rugs in the work area and a large carpet in the dining area;
- Table textiles - table runners or napkins for plates;
- Napkins in the interior color scheme;
- Bar or basic chairs in fabric upholstery.
14. Household appliances
In the USA it is customary to equip the kitchen with the latest household appliances. Here minimum set devices and gadgets that will be useful in every kitchen:
- Large refrigerator Side by side;
- Coffee machine or drip coffee maker– an essential assistant in any American kitchen.
- Stationary blender, in which it is convenient to prepare fresh juices;
- Food processor;
15. Large built-in or dome hood
Built-in or dome hood a mandatory attribute of the American kitchen, because, as already noted, it is almost always combined with the living room. Often the hood and the entire space around it are decorated elegantly - the dome has a carving or arch, sometimes a large clock or other decor is hung on its facade, and the apron under the hood is usually decorated differently from the rest work area. For example, in this place the tiles are folded into a mosaic or a painting/panel is placed behind the slab.
16. Classic lamps in each zone
Creating uniform lighting using several lamps, rather than one central chandelier, is a kitchen design principle that is really worth taking note of.
- The work area is illuminated by furniture lighting or wall sconces.
- The island and/or bar counter is illuminated by a large chandelier or two or three pendants.
- The dining area is illuminated by one or two elegant chandeliers suspended directly above the table at a height of 70 cm from the tabletop.
17. Availability of a bar
Many American homes have a bar or sideboard in which to store alcoholic drinks, glasses and glasses, there is often a wine cabinet or at least a bakery and a cart with drinks. Below is a selection of ideas for arranging a large and small bar in American style.
Almost every kitchen has a main and additional dining area near the work area. Quick breakfasts and snacks can be enjoyed either at the bar, at the island/peninsula with seating, or at the coffee table with corner banquette.
19. Things with history
Americans value the concept of the spirit of a place or the spirit of things, which must be protected and appreciated. That's why you can often see things with history in their kitchens, be it a vase found at a flea market, a family heirloom, or an old cabinet that was simply repainted. For the same reason, when planning the interior from scratch, homeowners are in no hurry to radically remodel or completely update the decoration.
20. Ceramic or stone sinks
If you want to decorate your kitchen in an American style, choose a sink made of white ceramic or artificial/natural stone. It is better to choose a classic two-handle mixer.
Kitchen with ceramic sink
We'll talk about 15 characteristic features that will allow you to create an American-style kitchen interior: expert advice, tiny, but important nuances, and, of course, photos! Shall we get started?
1. Combining the kitchen and living room
If you paid attention to this, you probably noticed that the rooms there are different large sizes, including kitchen.
This is one of the main features of the layout of American apartments, where the kitchen is often combined with the living room and dining room.
In our realities, similar design projects can be implemented either in a studio apartment or in a private house, since apartments with a typical kitchen layout are often not very large.
Before you start planning, make sure you have enough space - classic American style requires plenty of space and light.
About artificial lighting we'll talk separately, but natural should be enough - ideally you need a room with two or more windows.
Important nuance: In addition to the fact that a kitchen-dining room with a living room is not feasible in every home, you still need to take care (or even more than one). Keep this in mind when calculating your budget.
2. Kitchen island
In the American style you cannot do without it - it is not typical for it to arrange furniture exclusively along the walls. Here it is better to occupy the center and a kitchen island is the best choice.
It’s not for nothing that Americans love this piece of furniture so much: it is not only beautiful, but also functional. See for yourself:
- The issue of zoning has been mentioned more than once - even directly in the kitchen area, sometimes it is necessary to separate one segment from another.
- Additional work surface.
- There is no need to buy a separate dining table for a kitchen with an island. This is especially true for a kitchen-living room without a dining room, decorated in American style.
There is one more important point : Have you ever paid attention to the fact that in most American houses There is a special pantry in the kitchen for kitchen appliances and extra dishes that are not used every day?
With a kitchen island, you can do without it - the main thing is to order not a monolithic model, but with built-in shelves.
3. We divide the territory
If Americans have a tendency to unite everything in one room as much as possible, then why can't they create chaos?
It's all about the correct division into zones - despite the absence of walls, they do not mix thanks to the proper arrangement of furniture, the use of color transitions and decor.
For example, a bar counter. We talk about it in more detail in the corresponding paragraph of our review, but it also copes with this function perfectly, helping to separate the kitchen from the living-dining room.
For the same purpose, a dining table, flowerpots or various structural elements can be used.
4. Walls and floors are the basis
Simplicity and naturalness with high quality- this is the cornerstone of American design. Leave pretentiousness and complex textures to the Baroque and.
It is not for nothing that the now popular design originated in this country - pay attention to the types of finishes that are used there. Of course, this is only one branch, but it gives an idea of what is worth focusing on.
However, this only applies to repairs. What about the situation?
5. Practical furniture
While viewing American films it seems that even middle-income families live in luxury apartments.
There are two basic rules here: quality natural materials(or a good imitation of them) and elegance. The most simple and functional silhouettes are what you need.
There is another nuance: it all depends on the style you choose. Don't think that American design is monotonous - it all depends on its focus.
Want retro? Buy lacquered sofas and cabinets with a glossy tabletop. If you like classics, choose fabric upholstery and natural wood.
5. Pay attention to the facades
The most popular type of facade is paneled. But unlike our latitudes, where they often try to decorate them with curly handles or painting, Americans prefer a simple style - plain wood in light colors.
This is also typical for other furniture parts - the simpler the better. Functional, practical and beautiful.
6. Now about the color
This is where it’s difficult to single out a clear set of shades: it all depends on what you want to get as a result.
Do you like interiors from good classic Christmas movies? Then brown, beige, greenish tones are more suitable for you - those that are considered natural. Avoid flashy colors, try to make the kitchen elegant and discreet.
There is an opinion that Americans most often make white furniture facades - this is not so. The shade can be any, even coffee - it is important that it be natural.
It's another matter if you plan unusual interior in the style of an American cafe. This is where they will come in handy - bright rich colors are just what you need.
But there are also nuances here: the main thing is not to overdo it. One main tone should be emphasized by a restrained background. Otherwise, the kitchen will turn out to be too colorful. This is no longer American design, but kitsch - why do you need this?
7. What's behind the door?
If you look closely at the photo American cuisines, you can notice two details:
- There is no clutter of dishes, utensils and other kitchen items;
- A lot of cabinets and shelves.
This is no coincidence. One of the basic principles of this interior is that everything that can be hidden must be hidden. The above-mentioned items can only be visible if they are used not only for their intended purpose, but also as decoration.
We hide everything else! In large American houses, a separate pantry is sometimes specially allocated for these purposes.
Please note that these are not our mezzanines - no stepladders, everything should be as comfortable as possible. Usually a separate corner in the kitchen is fenced off for it - so that everything you need is at hand.
8. Let there be light!
We already wrote above that such a kitchen requires a lot of space and light. And if the first one is clear, then the second one needs to be said separately - especially if you decide to try to make one designed in the American style.
Firstly, this daylight- the more windows, the better. True, turning the walls into one continuous aquarium is still not a good idea.
Secondly, carefully designed artificial. This is where the difficulties begin. No massive chandeliers or heavy floor lamps.
If in the recreation area you want to create a cozy corner with a fireplace, a warm carpet and sofas, you can place one elegant chandelier there - no more.
For the rest of the room, we recommend choosing spotlights. Firstly, they fit well into the concept of American interior design - nothing superfluous where it is not needed. Secondly, it is convenient to make wiring for zone lighting under them.
An alternative could be pendant lamps with the simplest possible lampshades - but this requires a certain height of the walls.
Convenient solution: In addition to lighting on the ceiling, place spotlights above functionally important places. This could be a stove, a sink, a work surface - anything where good light is often needed.
9. Cozy twilight
What about darkening the room if necessary? No curtains or curtains in the kitchen area! Blinds, roller blinds or Roman blinds. In fact, there is logic in this - thin fabric in the kitchen is easy to stain or damage. So this decision is dictated not only by style, but also by considerations of practicality.
Pay attention to the texture: glossy or printed options will not fit into the interior.
The best options are vertical wooden blinds or bamboo stands. If you live in a private house, we highly recommend that you think about shutters - then the compliance with the American style will be complete.
10. Home saloon
We have already mentioned the bar counter. An almost indispensable element for a studio apartment with an American kitchen.
It can be used both as an additional cabinet for kitchen items, and as a separator between two zones and, of course, for its intended purpose.
In addition, the original bar counter is already an interior decoration. If we were you, we wouldn't neglect this combination of style and practicality.
And, since we are already talking about aesthetics, let’s smoothly move on to the decor.
11. Decorative elements
Let's return to cinema again. Notice how their kitchens are decorated. On the one hand, it seems as if there is practically no decor - you will not find a collection of figurines, an abundance of paintings...
On the other hand, it cannot be said that Americans are fans. It’s just that decorations should also be functional. Bright jars with spices, unusual dishes, motivating inscriptions - all this is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also plays a certain practical role.
Sometimes a lamp also acts in this capacity - for a wide wooden frame With light bulbs on thin chains, you can hang light frying pans and pots, small kitchen utensils. Both beautiful and practical - just what you need!
Greenery will also go very well with the theme. Moreover, these are not necessarily decorative flowers - mini-vegetable gardens on windowsills have recently become a trend. And the fashion for them originated in America. We personally recommend: this is not only a decoration, but also natural spices or vegetables for your table!
12. Technological age
By the way, there should be a lot of it: Americans’ love for technical innovations is known to everyone. Therefore, if you have long wanted to buy some kind of device, do not deny yourself this: a sandwich maker, an electric grill... All this fits well into the conceived concept.
Pay attention to the plumbing too.: wide and deep sinks, into which all the dishes can be easily stored after preparing for a festive dinner, are just what you need. It is better to choose natural materials - stainless steel is not entirely suitable here.
13. Dining room - the center of the house
Even if you have a small family, spacious and comfortable dinner Zone- this is a must-have.
The only concession is the ability to use a kitchen island or bar counter in this capacity.
But ideally it should be a beautiful dining table with a massive top in the dining area.
14. Breakfast place
An island, wide countertops, a dining area... Americans believe that this is not enough.
It would be a good idea to arrange another place to relax - for breakfast or lunch. You can adapt a bar counter or a small coffee table for it.
15. Kingdom of textiles
Pay attention to how many fabric elements Americans use in their interiors. This is easy to explain even from a historical point of view - they are still proud of their cotton products.
Therefore, choose natural fabrics for upholstery and accessories. Tablecloths and napkins will also come in handy - no paper!
Of course, at first glance this is not very convenient for those who are used to paper tissues - but it helps to provide a real American atmosphere.
16. Bonus for creating atmosphere
America is characterized by the presence of all kinds of bonuses and additional options. We decided that if we did not take advantage of this tradition, the article would not be complete.
Remember how they celebrate parties in the USA? An abundance of themed accessories can turn a kitchen into a festive zone. Don't neglect them - this will help you not only add variety, but also keep the kitchen authentic. American style regardless of the season.
There are no trifles in this style. Even plastic dishes- for example, the red cups familiar to everyone from the TV series.
We draw conclusions: the costs of creating an American interior in the kitchen will be considerable. Mainly due to the quality of materials and the need for a large area. But if you take a risk, the result will please you long years: This style is not one that fades quickly.
Anya and I have already been to America several times as tourists, enjoyed the landscape design and interiors and secretly hoped that sooner or later our streets and houses would be just as beautiful (this is a subjective judgment: yes, we think that we have less beautiful, but you can think differently). Now we are here again, and from the very first days we have been closely examining the neighbors’ gardens and the interiors of houses. Today we will talk about convenient items and interior elements that you may find useful and have in your home. What we are going to talk about is not necessarily found in every American home, but it is commonplace there.
Kitchen
Farmhouse sink
Deep sink for dishes
Remember how many times you splashed yourself while trying to wash a large frying pan, pot, or filling a flower vase. American shells are three times deeper and three times wider. You can fit all the dishes there after a feast at once, without placing them on all free surfaces.
Ceramic dishes are not very convenient to wash, but there are dishwashers for them. And they won’t surprise anyone here anymore.
Garbage disposal
Chopper
in the sink
This article could have been written just for this thing. We noticed it on our first visit and even asked the price in Moscow: a year ago they cost about 15-20 thousand, and we will definitely do it in our house.
The purpose of the shredder is that 60% of household waste does not need to be thrown into a bin, but can be shredded in the sink and washed down the drain. Leftovers from plates potato peelings, forgotten shrimps in the evening, even chicken bones are crushed into powder and allow you to almost forget that the garbage bag might leak. Not very suitable for country houses with septic tanks, but still incredibly convenient.
Pantry closet
Pantry for kitchen appliances
This is, of course, rare. But those people who live outside the city and are going to make repairs - listen carefully. Even if you do big beautiful kitchen, then all the mixers, toasters, blenders and other multicookers placed on work surfaces, firstly, spoil the interior, and secondly, they take up a lot of space, and you are forced to build an even larger kitchen.
But if you fence off 6-7 meters (we warned that this is not suitable for everyone), then you can do small room without a door, where you can put all the equipment and arrange storage for canned goods, pasta, cereals, and even put a freezer (which, frankly, is not needed so often). As a result, all the equipment is at your disposal; you don’t have to take it out from the mezzanine. And the storage area in the kitchen can be made small by redistributing the space in favor of space for work surfaces.
More often, of course, there are islands in the middle of the kitchen (kitchen island). They are gradually starting to appear in our interiors.
Shower
Two heads shower in one cabin
Two showers in one cabin
Admit it, you tried to take a shower together at the beginning of your relationship, but you quickly became disillusioned with the idea, because while one was warming up and washing off the shampoo, the other was cold, right? So you can just put two showers on different walls, and the problem is solved. Sometimes not even on different ones: just one pipe bifurcates into two hats, and here it is - harmony in family life.
Shower bench
Bench in the shower
As with the two showers, we initially thought about the bench that this was a strange decision. They don't read there before going to bed. But after a minute we realized that this is incredibly convenient if you tend to shave your legs, rub your heels or trim your nails. Benches can be separate, made of teak wood or larch, or can be part of a wall, made of the same tiles. These are not benches, like in hammams, but 35x35 ledges.
Bedroom
Bedding
Blanket made of sheets and blanket
There is no extra convenience here, it’s just that a made bed looks nicer if you use a sheet instead of a duvet cover and lay a blanket on top so that they both do not reach the pillows. But they put pillows in three or four layers, not only for beauty, but so that during the day they can lie down in their clothes on some pillows, and sleep on other, clean ones. The advice is, of course, only suitable for full beds. And we all wish you the opportunity not to sleep on folding beds.
Not identical nightstands
Different nightstands near the bed
It’s better not to read this paragraph if you are completely satisfied with your life and don’t want to change anything in it. Seeing such a couple for the first time, we stopped and honestly froze: on the one hand, who said that bedside tables have to be the same? On the other hand, why make them different?
But, living with this knowledge, we can no longer calmly look at the usual combination, where everything is in the same style and the bedside tables are similar to each other, like two left shoes.
And now you can’t either.
Living room
Built-in closets
Built-in cabinets or shelves
Only American apartments - and even cheap ones - have free-standing wardrobes. A built-in wardrobe is both cheaper and looks better. At the construction or renovation stage, you simply make extra plasterboard walls and hang doors on them, and storage systems can already be purchased from us in several stores.
We don’t want to upset fans of “closets that don’t reach the ceiling,” but appearance a closet with a ceiling plinth is much better.
Spot lighting
Dimmable directional lamps
We have already written about them several times, but we consider it worth repeating. Most Russian houses were built in the 50s–70s and have only been rebuilt since then. The ceilings are quite low. This is especially felt in rooms larger than 20 meters, where the chandelier will simply block the room.
Therefore, you have to use local light ( desk lamp, floor lamps), and to help them are spotlights that shine not directly below them, but on bookshelves or posters. Not to say that we discovered America here, but the variety of chandeliers in Russian stores still exceeds the assortment of spots by hundreds of times.
Little things
Celebration stuff
Party supplies
Americans are accustomed to congratulating not only their family, but also their neighbors on graduating from school, having children, or moving. You probably know about decorating houses for Halloween and Independence Day, but you’ve hardly heard about decorating houses for City Day.
Supermarkets have large sections with balloons, flags and door wreaths for every occasion. As a result, the holidays turn out to be very large-scale; no city budget is enough to decorate it the way the townspeople themselves do.
In addition, you can often find large drink dispensers, entire ice bowls (which hold beer or soda cans), 36-packs of hot dogs, and, of course, barbecue grills the width of a kitchen table. Because leaving the house even for half an hour and not making friends with anyone is a real challenge!
Icemaker
Ice maker in refrigerator
Before we even noticed, we started drinking everything with ice.
As a result, both juices and drinks taste less concentrated. In addition, they say that Americans get fewer colds and get sick because of this.