Furnishings

SPLURGE OF THE WEEK EXOTIC DREAMS BRANDON HOME FURNISHINGS 118 Shawan Road / / 410-771-9191 or brandonofhuntvalley.com Looking for an armoire or a new sofa? Brandon Home Furnishings, a recent arrival at Hunt Valley Towne Centre, may have what you need. The store has more than 35,000 square feet crammed with furniture, art and other accessories. Everything is available immediately; in other words, if you buy something, you can take it home right away, provided you have car enough to haul it. Store hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

In Sunday's Nation section of The Baltimore Sun, there is a picture of President Obama in a meeting with senior advisors using a table for a foot rest. In the past, there have been other pictures in various settings showing the president's feet on an assortment of furnishings within the White House. They all show disrespect for the White House and its furnishings. The White House belongs to the people of America and should be more revered than to use anything and everything for a foot rest.

ANNAPOLIS -- Schaefer administration officials could provide no information yesterday to support allegations made by Hilda Mae Snoops concerning a sale of furniture from the governor's mansion during the Hughes administration.Mrs. Snoops, Gov. William Donald Schaefer's longtime companion and the chief overseer of a recent mansion refurbishment, told reporters Thursday that numerous furnishings had been sold at auction during the administration of former Gov. Harry R. Hughes.Among other things, Mrs. Snoops alleged that the items were sold at a fraction of their value by C. G. Sloan & Co., a Washington area auction house, and that she had "no idea" what happened to the proceeds.

IT'S A HOME DESIGN TREND THAT has legs. Curvy legs. Feminine styling -- curvaceous contours, slimmer silhouettes and dressmaker details -- has taken wholesale furniture buyers by storm in the past year or two. These are the graceful pieces Maryland shoppers are now finding in local retail showrooms. Eyes accustomed to minimalist pieces and chunky chairs-and-a-half designed for McMansions (both of which looks are still around) will see plenty on furniture store floors to appeal to their softer side.

Q: The interior of my recently built, Northwest-style home is furnished in a mostly contemporary manner. I'm tempted, however, to redo the kitchen and the family room in an informal, country-type decor. Do you think the country look would be appropriate for this kind of house?A: Why not? I think of modern Northwestern architecture as being casual and expressive of the region's environment, with lots of wood and natural surfaces. That kind of space seems well-suited for so-called country furnishings.

The pale-green lamp on the shelves at West Elm is made of common clay but looks as if it's carved, polished jade. At another Los Angeles high-end furniture store, Kartell, Dutch designer Marcel Wanders' plastic stone stools sparkle like chunks of topaz and citrine. And Fendi Casa's crystal chair looks like a cushion-cut diamond. These days, a residence described as a jewel box may actually look like one. Furniture and accessories resembling gemstones on steroids are beginning to bring a little bling into the home.

Hilda Mae Snoops' vow to give away the furnishings she selected for the Governor's Mansion is simply the empty threat of a woman who feels unappreciated, say several State House watchers.While no one is dismissing her plan completely, people are predicting that the furniture, chandeliers and silverware she collected will stay right where they are.Snoops is simply feeling unloved, said one government source. "We're dealing with an individual who as a volunteer has given an inordinate amount of time and it just simply hasn't been appreciated," the source said.

Green just isn't what it used to be -- at least not in home design. Remember when environmentally friendly furnishings were something tree huggers purchased? Ugly bark and twig chairs that said, "I'm saving the earth?" The rest of us brought nature indoors with a fern-patterned throw pillow or two. Well, wake up and smell the greenhouse gases. With the opening of Bluehouse in Fells Point, the city has a store devoted exclusively to eco-decor, from reclaimed dishes to organic sofas. You don't have to drive a hybrid to love the look of these furnishings.

Less, as they say, is more. What was notable about this spring's International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., and nearby Thomasville was what wasn't there. And that was a good thing. Start with parking spaces. "I don't remember the last [time here] I had to wait in line to park," says Michelle Lamb, editor of the industry newsletter The Trend Curve -- suggesting that this spring there's a new and lively interest among the buyers, interior designers and architects who traditionally attend.