Designer Tips

Get ready to host in style! Discover five designer tips for styling your Sunpan dining table, from selecting low-profile centerpieces to mixing high-contrast dinnerware for the ultimate modern tablescape. Read the full guide to elevate your dining room today.

Getting a great night's sleep starts with one key decision: choosing the right mattress firmness for your sleeping position. In this designer guide, we break down the 1–10 firmness scale and match it to every sleep style—soft to medium for side sleepers, medium-firm for back and combination sleepers, and firm for stomach sleepers. We also cover how mattress materials affect feel and how to find the perfect "couple's compromise" for shared beds. Plus, get our top picks from Stearns & Foster and Tempur-Pedic to help you shop with confidence.

Your bathroom deserves more than builder-grade basics. In this designer tip, we explore why Four Hands vanities—with their exquisite materials, furniture-quality silhouettes, and smart storage—are the ultimate centerpiece for a truly luxurious bathroom renovation.

Never scramble for extra seating again. In this Designer Tip guide, we break down everything you need to know to choose the perfect extendable dining table—from sizing rules and extension mechanisms to durable materials and smart seating strategies—so every guest always has a seat at the table.

In a minimalist home, the floor is your most powerful canvas. This summer, discover how a carefully chosen rug can serve as the ultimate statement piece—bringing texture, color, and soul to your space without adding a single ounce of clutter. In this designer guide, we cover how to swap heavy winter weaves for breezy summer materials like jute, sisal, and bamboo silk, how to choose a bold pattern that anchors the room, and how to frame your rug like a true work of art. Less clutter, more character—starting from the ground up.

Great summer entertaining starts with one exceptional anchor piece—and knowing how to build around it. In this designer guide, we walk you through how to assess your hosting style, choose the right textures, and mind your table sightlines for effortless conversation flow. From Michael Aram's botanical multi-compartment dishes and Lalique's luminous crystal votives to Christofle's silver-plated ice buckets and serving trays, discover five standout decor ideas that elevate any gathering—and learn how to blend them beautifully with what you already own.

Summer is almost here—and your outdoor space deserves more than a folding chair. In this designer guide, we show you how to treat your patio like a true indoor floor plan using Sunset West's luxury outdoor furniture. From commercial-grade Sunbrella® fabrics and all-weather olefin rope to solid coastal teak and powder-coated aluminum, every material is built to outlast the elements. Plus, get pro tips on mixing textures, anchoring zones with rugs, managing traffic flow, and layering in those indoorsy finishing touches that make a backyard feel like your favorite room in the house.

Furniture sets the stage, but designer lighting is what truly transforms a house into a home. In this guide, we break down the designer secrets behind layered lighting—ambient, task, and accent—and share practical rules for getting proportions right in every room. From choosing the perfect color temperature to matching fixtures to your home's aesthetic, you'll learn how to use light as a design tool. Plus, discover standout pieces from Hudson Valley Lighting, Fine Art Handcrafted Lighting, and John-Richard, all available at Grayson Living.

John-Richard isn't just furniture—it's functional, fine art. In this designer's guide, we pull back the curtain on the signature techniques that define the brand: from the ancient art of Églomisé reverse-painted glass and gold cerusing on exotic wood veneers to the use of raw selenite, agate, and quartz geodes as decorative accents. We also explore their celebrated finishing touches—hand-embellished wall art, sculptural lighting, and lifelike botanicals—that transform any room into a curated, artisanal sanctuary. Discover what makes every John-Richard piece a true original at Grayson Living.