We were very excited to find a great post on Real Simple's "Simply Stated" blog about some of they're favorite Room Service Home things. Read the full blog post at Simply Stated.

~ Donna

Hey everyone, I have to be back at Market for some showroom appointments so I have to be brief today. Yesterday I focused my efforts on finding some great tabletop accessories for our upcoming catalog. Here is a glimpse of some of my favorite collections:

Our bird lovers will like this collection!

Brighten the kitchen with vibrant colors.

Cute dinnerware set in lime and white.

Sorry to be so brief, but I will be back with more great stuff for you soon.

~Grace

I just returned from my first day at the Dallas Market and wanted to share some of the things I found with everyone. Our designer Rob Webb was helping me today and we found some really exciting stuff to share. The color trends are the same as recent markets; grey tones and natural fabrics such as linen are still prevalent. We did find that lavender was a popular color from people trying to “brighten up” the grey palette. We often hear from our loyal customers that Room Service Home stands out because of our vibrant colors, so our design team is going to have to be extra creative to brighten the feel.


I made a special point to go see one of Room Service Home’s favorite designers, Ron McIntyre of Square Feathers. Ron is introducing a great new line of pillows with blue and navy being the primary style. We really love these pillows, and feel they would be great to alter the look of any room. The design also fits nicely into one of our best selling categories, coastal design.

New Pillows from Square Feathers

We found that mirrored furniture was still very popular with variations being made to the classics, like our Ashville Chest. Designers are also utilizing shiny silver to complement traditional colors, lending a modern feel to different spreads. We were really intrigued by the addition of a silver plate to our Lily Plate Collection.

Silver Lily Plate

We are also looking forward to introducing our own Private Label of Room Service Home scents. Candles with crisp linen or summer floral scents will be available with the designer inspired touches you have come to expect from Room Service Home.


Sorry to be brief, but I will have to get back to market. I will have more updates for you soon.

~Grace

The current economic climate has forced many Americans to reassess their priorities over the course of the last year, and many have put the emphasis back where it belongs, on friends and family. Suddenly the value of your relationship with those around you is once again more important than any exotic destination. While the backyard may be replacing the beach on this 4th of July, you can still make this Independence Day one that will be remembered and cherished for years to come.


The 4th of July is one of our favorite holidays at Room Service Home, and we have the art of backyard entertaining down to a science. Being in Dallas, we have to battle the Texas heat out there. We find that our friends and family don’t mind too much, as long as we have plenty of cold drinks on hand to quench their thirst. We use these drink buckets all the time; as a centerpiece they are equal parts fun and functional.

We are also amazed by how easily the feel of the backyard can be transformed by some simple décor. A single accent piece can transform the ambience of your backyard, adding a lakeside or beachfront vibe. Our Folk Art Fish set is perfect on a covered patio wall or just strung along a nearby fence.

Now that you have your friends and family in the right mood to celebrate, you are ready to just relax and enjoy each other’s company. Only one thing can dampen everyone’s festive mood, and we can help make sure they can’t crash the party. We hate mosquitoes, and never voyage into the backyard without protection – protection provided by our All-Clear Mosquito Mister. This handy and easy-to-use mister provides four full hours of protection from those annoying pests and allows all your guests to just sit back and enjoy the party.

Now that you have all of your bases covered, the only thing left up to you is the guest list. So surround yourself with friends and family this 4th of July and above all enjoy their company.

Clutter is the beast that pops up most just when you don’t need it, when things are hectic and you don’t have time to get on top of it. But clutter can rob you of peace of mind just by its existence at a time when you most need calm. Another name for “decluttering” is “space clearing” – making space for yourself – space to breathe and to enjoy your surroundings. It’s hard to do that when you are constantly surrounded by too much stuff. In my experience as a home organizer, I find many people who have chronic “tms” “too much stuff”. But getting on top of that can be as easy as one- two- three.

Here are some tips to help:

1. Get three large boxes – one for things you want to give away, one for trash and one for things you want to keep but don’t have a home for yet.

2. Start with one room at a time. Taking on too much can be overwhelming. Finish one room before you go on to the next. It will be good motivation to go forward.

3. Decluttering is all about decision making. What do you love and need – what is yesterday’s news. A good rule is: if you haven’t worn it or used it in the last year – out it goes.

4. Release any guilt about items that should be sentimental but aren’t. You don’t have to keep all those greeting cards unless they really mean something to you. The feeling is in your heart, not in the object.

5. Don’t feel guilty about keeping some things that seem ridiculous. If it speaks to you and you love it, then it should stay. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.


6. Once you have decluttered, create a system to keep the clutter at bay going forward. For example: I will put all my papers to file in this basket, when the basket gets ¾ full, I will file them all.

7. One of the biggest clutter hazards is the daily mail. If you don’t have a system for how to deal with it, it can pile up quickly. For example, coupons go here, bills go here, anything I’m interested in but don’t have time to read right now goes in my inbox, the rest in recycling.

8. Invest in storage if you need it. It will be worth it in the long run. A chest, bookshelf or set of drawers could make all the difference.

9. Have a friend help you. Sometimes this can be a lot of fun and help you get the job done when you’re dragging your feet. Just make sure you make the decisions about what stay and what goes so you don’t feel resentful afterward.

10. Going forward, resolve to buy only what you truly love. It is better to buy quality and keep and enjoy it, than to continue to buy things that don’t quite do the job or aren’t what you really love. Sometimes if you add up how much you spent on the “imposters”, you could have bought the real thing instead.

Once you have de-cluttered, notice how much freer you feel. I think you will find that you enjoy your space more and appreciate what you have more without all the other things clogging up the space. Go easy, letting go of things can be emotional, but the benefits are huge. You are free to enjoy the things you love and less encumbered by the “other stuff” . You may find that you are less stressed , more productive and generally a lot happier. Try it and let us know how it goes!


Overwhelmed? Our friends at the Container Store and The Home Depot are here to help.

- Kristin