Stylish Furniture for Hire
If you want TO give an outdoor party the look of a high-end, open-air lounge but don’t have the sophisticated furniture pieces to pull off that effect, then rent them. CHIC Event Furniture in Orlando has all sorts of stylish furnishings that look like they belong at a luxury resort, including sofas, sectionals and lounges, and even occasional tables and accent lighting. CHIC has transformed outdoor space at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando into a hookah lounge with gauzy-curtained cabanas and oversized floor pillows, and morphed a rooftop deck at the Grand Bohemian into a swanky, Euro-style lounge with crisp white upholstered pieces, black ottoman tables and red-hot toss pillows. The fun part of renting furniture is bringing in pieces to create an entirely fresh mood that you’d never consider on a permanent basis. Pricing starts at $720, which includes a loveseat, two chairs, a coffee table, two end tables, floor lamps and pillows. 407-888-8233; chiceventfurniture.com.
—Denise Bates Enos
Uncommon Scents
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Lampe Berger fragrance lamps have been around since the late 19th century, when a French pharmacist designed one to combat foul hospital air. Over the years, increasingly elaborate designs were introduced, and the lamps became collectors’ items. They’re made of glass, porcelain, crystal or stoneware, and come in styles ranging from Art Nouveau to ultramodern—things of beauty that actually serve a purpose. Lamps, $59-$175; fragrance, $18.95, at Sam Flax Art & Design Supplies, 1401 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, 407-898-9785; samflaxsouth.com. For other area stores that carry Lampe Berger products, go to lampeberger.us.
—DBE
Colors for 2011
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Today’s trendiest paint colors are moody grays and metallics, especially purplish and bluish shades, as seen in the Behr “Boudoir Goth” dining room (left). Behr’s color trendspotting for 2011 also includes eco-aware, nature-based hues such as greens and browns, and candy-bright tones. There’s no other décor element that has as much impact as color for so little cost—just keep a gallon or two of primer on hand in case you don’t like the look.
—DBE
