Let me just say, the more time I spend around Paula Deen furniture, the more of a fan I become.  Her designs are so all-purpose, with a design sensibility that works with the vast majority of American homes...whether they are rustic, traditional, coastal, lodge, or eclectic.   Take for instance, this weeks Favorite Floor Item...Paula's Down Home Kitchen Organizer, now on clearance at Carolina Rustica.  

First of all, its a cool vintage design, with aged brass pulls and little organizing tabs in front.  For compulsive organizers like myself, its a wonderful feature to have, especially as you can change out the tabs in the middle of the night when you realize that you've organized your photos by date and THEN region, when really, who travels by date?  So you get up at 3 am and resort your favorite travel photos by region and THEN date, front to back.  Anyway, I digress. 



Besides the organizing drawers, the cabinet space itself has more functionality than you can imagine, with a small bulletin board, a shelf for all of your pens, pencils, crayons (in our home), and most importantly, a key rack.   A key rack!  Finally, you can have one place where you and your spouse agree that the keys belong, rather than floating around on a counter somewhere.   There are also shelves which have metal trays for all of those loose things as well.  Again, in our family, that means "My Little Pony" accessories.

On the other door you've got two shelves for all of those priority bills or important letters.

I think the best thing about this cabinet, besides the accessible design, is the finish.  The Oatmeal finish is a very warm, slightly distressed wood finish that could blend with Pine, Maple, Oak, and light Cherry.   It also has a wonderful feel to it, like an old family piece that has had lots of hands, big and small, touching it over the generations.   

As with most floor items, we are selling this at a great price of $870 plus shipping.   Click here for more details on this Paula Deen furniture piece and then give us a call at 800-205-7819 to place your order...as with all of my favorites, we only have one in stock!

Summer Time Means Paula Deen Furniture!

Its really amazing how quickly Paula Deen furniture has become iconic in the furniture industry.   Introduced about 5 years ago, this group is manufactured by Universal Furniture and strictly distributed through authorized dealers like Carolina Rustica.   The collection has a huge, cross-market appeal for two simple reasons: accessible design and price.    Lets face it, Paula Deen is not going to design furniture for Manhattan lofts...that is the job of licensees like Donald Trump or Jane Seymour.   Paula designs for comfort and simplicity.   Her collection features a limited number of finishes, such as Tobacco, Linen, and Sea Oat.   They also feature designs that can be used in any number of decor styles, such as transitional, cottage, and coastal (just to name a few).    Some of the most popular pieces are here on our showroom floor, such as the Sea Oat Utility Cabinet, which has a wonderful arched louvred door and lots of great storage.   The light finishes available also make this a great collection to feature during the summer, since it reminds us of porchfronts and warm breezes.

Paula Deen is a beloved personality, and Universal has really tapped into that appeal with their whole marketing approach to this group.  There are plenty of first-hand stories from Paula about what inspired each individual piece, such as the Down Home Bubbas Chest, designed for that Southern Guy who absolutely needs a place for everything (and this has it!) This gives the group a warmth and depth that is sometimes missing in furniture introductions.   It is  an extra step that creates a bond between the homeowner and Paula...similar to how she seems to reach out to you personally when she is on her cooking show.    The warmth of the finish seems to echo the warmth conveyed by Paula herself.

The other aspect of Paula Deen is that the furniture crosses generations...some of her pieces have a bit of the old Pottery Barn look and feel, and thus appeal to a younger consumer.   Simple designs have always done best (at least for us), and certainly first-time homeowners lean towards less ornamentation and more functionality.   Take the Kitchen Organizer Pantry in Oatmeal finish, for example.   Practical storage but very very fashionable as well.   We especially love the vintage style hardware and faceplates for keeping track of everything.

In our business, you know a line has been successful when other manufacturers introduce new collections and tell you "its just like Paula Deen".   Why not just buy Paula Deen?   Give us a call at 800-205-7819 and we will be happy to assist you in this endeavor!