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 |  | EASY GLAMOUR
How can I add glamour to my home without a complete overhaul?
Giving your home a makeover doesn’t require a major project. Simple adjustments, such as adding throw pillows or blankets to your current sofa, will change the landscape of a room immediately. The right lighting creates a special ambience: Place decorative sconces and hurricanes about and fill them with various types of candles. Simple tapers and votives add instant charm, especially when paired with fresh flowers — a necessity in any truly glamorous home. This season, integrate textiles that incorporate touches of silver or gold metallics and instantly update your décor.
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|  | OUTSIDE IN
How can I create an indoor space that feels like the outdoors?
During the warmer months, outdoors and in can blend together seamlessly. In order to create a home environment that straddles the two worlds, try an unconventional approach. Bring outdoor or garden furniture and accessories into your home — think Adirondack chairs, wicker frames and terracotta accessories. When choosing textiles and fabrics, use the natural world as inspiration. Scatter throw pillows and blankets that are made of natural fibers and choose fabrics with floral patterns. Fresh cut flowers and beautiful topiaries will put the finishing touches on the theme.
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|  | BAR RULES
How can I store or display my barware in a sophisticated way?
An at-home bar is an area of both form and function. To make yours particularly suave, invest in decanters and carafes—a mix of vintage and contemporary—for storing and showcasing your liquor. This creates an attractive display, especially on a butler or serving tray. If you wish to stow part or all of your service, invest in a grand bar piece: A handsome credenza or console, for example. These throwback pieces will keep your barware out of sight while adding an element of Cary Grant sophistication.
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|  | FLOWER POWER
What are some tips for incorporating flowers into my home décor?
Flowers are an essential part of any home environment, whether you’re entertaining or enjoying the space yourself. Of course, we would all like to have fresh cut flowers replaced daily (and, if you have the time, this is the ideal), but schedules often interfere. To that end, potted house plants can create a similar effect. Orchids can last for years, flowering several times over, if well cared for, and many simple green plants—rubber trees and palms, for example—require minimal maintenance. If your green thumb is truly non-existent, don’t give up hope: Decorating with black and white photos of flowering plants or purchasing silk reproductions can create the desired effect with zero upkeep.
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|  | DINING OUT
How can I create a special dining experience in the great outdoors?
As the weather warms, bring the fun outside with a dinner or luncheon party. Dining al fresco is an inherently casual affair, but that doesn’t mean you can’t instill some glamour. A rustic wine tote and classic picnic basket add refined charm, while comfortable blankets and pillows can be arranged to create an elegant setting on which to dine. If you’re not going any further than your backyard, use hurricanes and potted flowers to set a special mood.
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|  | TABLE MANNERS
How do I best create a formal table setting?
For a formal table, mix different sets of china and plates together. Nothing should match too closely. Choose a color scheme and let the color guide you, then layer in different pieces. Combine different sets—for instance, a soup bowl over a different salad plate over a different dinner plate. You can mix antique items with new pieces. Use different glasses as well—for example, one set of wine glasses and another set of water glasses. Your table will look less uniform this way and more unique, expressing your personal sense of style.
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|  | ECLECTIC TOUCHES
What are some unique pieces I can add to my bar collection?
The perfect bar creates an aura of warmth and comfort. While every well-appointed bar should contain the essentials—highball and lowball glasses, a martini shaker and a decanter—the accessories can add that little something extra. Keep your bar from looking too staid by incorporating classic pieces in new, interesting silhouettes. Whimsical shapes and conversational patterns run the gamut from dice and dumbbells to skull-and-crossbones and haberdashery Glen Plaids. Let your bar express your personality and you’ll be entertaining in style.
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|  | WELL-SUITED
Can I incorporate menswear styling into my bedding collection?
Absolutely. Haberdashery style abounds in many bedding collections’ lush fabrics, rich patterns and immaculate tailoring. Elaborate paisleys, intricate jacquards and crisp shirting stripes rendered in luxuriously soft wool and cashmere are heavily influenced by menswear styling, as are windowpane and Glen Plaid patterns. Look for pieces created with exquisite suiting elements, such as tuxedo pleats or channel-stitching, to infuse the collection with a look of absolute finesse.
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|  | DEEP HUES
What colors do you suggest for the bed in cooler months?
With temperatures dropping, pastels and florals don’t quite do the trick. Create a world of difference by selecting bedding pieces in a deeper, richly hued palette. Dress your bed in vibrant reds and blacks for a sophisticated, elegant look. Plush velvet throw pillows lend luxurious opulence, while throw blankets in tartan plaids offer a heritage look. Signature crests and conversational embroideries are exquisite finishing touches.
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|  | A MODERN MIX
How can I create a modern environment that’s still warm and inviting?
Even in an extremely modern interior the mood can be warm and romantic. The trick is to use texture and contrast. Hard materials should play against soft ones and shine against matte. Make the space personal with books, art and family photographs. Modern can also be functional and comfortable. Decorate with deep upholstery, luxurious fabrics, and well placed lighting. Lastly, modern doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for the traditional. Traditional patterns and materials can mix easily with sleek finishes and modern accents. It is the more traditional elements that keep a space warm and familiar.
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|  | SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
How do I create an elegant atmosphere when entertaining?
Creating a comfortable, inviting mood is paramount in formal entertaining. Decorate your home with pieces that make your guests feel at home, while incorporating beauty and intricate detailing. Lend a modern twist to a classic silver punch bowl by using it as a vase for fresh-cut flowers. Bookends and paperweights in whimsical shapes—think lock boxes and hunting dogs—add that certain je ne sais quoi. Finish the look with classic candlesticks in gleaming black glass or dessert plates with signature crests for an artsy, creative touch.
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|  | WEIGHING IN
Is tweed too heavy a texture for my bed?
As long as you choose the right accompanying pieces, tweed works perfectly with this season’s textures and patterns. Reserve tweeds for the final coup d’etat, selecting throw pillows and shams to complement the rest of your bedding collection. Try sheets printed with a heady floral, imbuing your bed with a vintage feel, and layer with throw blankets in a plush cable-knit. Look for pretty finishing touches, such as lace detailing or floral embroidery, that act as romantic counterpoints to the heavier fabrics.
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|  | STOWAWAY
What pieces of furniture work best for storage?
When things are properly stored or hidden, order in interiors is created. Choose well-designed pieces that are functional. For instance, armoires that are fitted to serve as either entertainment centers or wardrobes. Use one to hide your television and stereo equipment, or if you are short on closet space, it can hold your clothes. Some coffee tables also feature trunks built on the sides, which are great for storing magazines, newspapers and books. While a “casually cluttered” look can be charming, everything should be stored in its proper place.
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|  | A GLOSSY MATTER
What is the difference in paint finishes?
Paints can be oil-based or water-based latex. Oil-based paint is durable and long lasting, and takes two or three days to dry. Water-based latex is easier to clean up. Finishes vary according to how much light they reflect. In oil-based paints, eggshell paint provides a mid-sheen, and a gloss paint offers a shiny, durable coat. In the water-based paints, flat paint has no sheen at all while semi-gloss paint offers a mid-sheen. Use a flat paint on ceilings and an eggshell finish on walls, which is easier to clean. For trim, go up a step in shine to semi-gloss.
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|  | GROUP WORK
What’s the best way to display a collection of art or photographs?
Unify a collection of prints in different sizes and subjects by framing them in the same way. Hung together on a wall, they take the place of one large piece of art. Even a close corner comes alive when artfully decorated with a framed collection. Or, try a modern way to display your art collection: lean multiple frames of various sizes and finishes against the wall on a floating shelf for a chic collage effect.
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|  | EASY TRANSFORMATIONS
What seasonal changes can I make to my interiors?
Summer means fresh breezes blowing through open windows, while winter is a time to relax, reading books in a warm library. In the living room, slipcovers are a good way to make the change: use cool cotton and linen in the summer, and warmer corduroy or velvet in the winter. Or, simply drape cozy blankets over your sofa. Roll up your area rugs for a clean, airy look in the summer, and unroll them again for the colder months. In the bedroom, replace summer’s cool cotton sheets with warm flannel sheets, then pile the bed with additional blankets.
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|  | THE RIGHT GLOW
How can I use lighting to create a mood?
The right lighting can add drama and elegance to any room. Whether turned up or dimmed low, general ambient lighting sets the mood. Ambient lighting works well with task lighting (like a pharmacy lamp pulled up next to a reading chair or a bed.) The contrast between general light and task light lends mystery and drama to an interior. The most romantic light is accent lighting. The gleam of candles through glass hurricanes, or the glow of votives in crystal glasses scattered throughout a room, across a dining table or along a mantle are perfect ways to create accent lighting. Use general ambient, task and accent lighting together to set a mood that’s right for you.
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|  | NATURAL BEAUTY
How do I care for my wood products?
To ensure the long life and beauty of wood products, avoid excessive sunlight, dampness, and hot or cold conditions. Place a felt or leather pad under all lamp bases and accessories to avoid surface scratches. Polish only every six months with a silicone-free polish, as polishing too often may result in a waxy build-up. For routine cleaning, use a cloth that has been dampened with a diluted cleaning polish. Clean spills or smudges with a damp cloth moistened in mild soap or cleaning polish.
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|  | LIGHT AND SHINE
How do I care for my lighting?
To maintain the beauty of Ralph Lauren Lighting, the following, simple guidelines are recommended. For general maintenance, all finishes should be wiped gently with a soft, damp cloth, followed by a soft, dry cloth. Avoid cleansers with ammonia, bleach or harsh chemicals. Silk and vellum shades should be brushed gently with a feather duster or soft cloth to remove surface dust.
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|  | LEATHER GOODS
How do I care for my leather products?
To ensure the long life and beauty of this piece, simply dust lightly with a soft, dry cloth for routine cleaning.
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|  | A BIT OF FLUFF
How do I care for my upholstered furniture?
To ensure the long life and beauty of this piece, avoid excessive sunlight, dampness, and hot or cold conditions. To maintain the original softness and resiliency of the cushions, hand fluff and reverse cushions regularly. Vacuum to remove surface dust.
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