Happy Birthday America!

Independence Day Mantel Decorating Tips

America’s birthday is July 4th and it’s time to get into the spirit of the holiday. Here are some decorating tips for your ClassicFlame mantel. All the items shown here were purchased at local stores such as Target and HomeGoods.

The American Flag is our inspiration for decorating these mantels. When we think about the American Flag, the first thing that comes to mind is the bold colors red, white & blue and shapes like stars and stripes.

Here are a few tips to help make the process quick and easy.

* Shopping tip: Before you go shopping, search online for decorating ideas on websites like Pinterest, this will help you generate your shopping list.

We took stars of mixed materials, shapes, and sizes then spread them out on the wall in a random pattern.

* Tip: We used command strips to create this look without damaging our walls.

To mimic the patterns of the stars and stripes, we took a red tray and put some clear, rectangular glass vases and partially filled them with white sand then topped them off with red and blue candles. A white wood star completes the stars and stripes design while the candles enhance the color scheme.

We continued to build on the theme by adding a distressed signs that display the message of the holiday.

The build on the color scheme, we placed some red, white, and blue candles in varying heights and textures on a white candleholder.

* Tip: If you plan on lighting the candles avoid getting candles that have varying scents. By keeping all the candles unscented or only have one scented candle, you don’t have to worry about having the scent overpower the room.

Decorating doesn’t just have to be on the mantel, try bringing the attention down to the hearth. We stuck with the theme and filled a bucket with some more of the decorative white sand and placed some mini flags.

  

* Shopping Tip: You can find decorative sand at your local craft or fabric store.

Then we added this stars and stripes birdhouse to complete the look.

 

For a more Classic Countryside look, we added some patriotic bears.

Here is a close up of the changed mantel.

* Tip: If you want to get the whole family involved in the decorating, find holiday related art projects to do with the kids then proudly display their art on the mantel. Websites like Pinterest are good for finding these types of activities for the kids.

 

Here we have taken a different mantel and added a few new pieces to create a similar look. We used the same stars from before, but replaced the center star with an all-American bottle cap sign. We then removed the red tray to give this mantel a more contemporary look.

By using old glass soda bottles as vases to display red gerbera daisies, we were able to carry the theme of the bottle cap throughout the design. White carnations in a cobalt blue glass vase complete the look.

* Shopping Tip: Fresh flowers are best, but if you don’t want to use them you can find a variety of silk flowers at your local dollar store or craft store.

Start designing your mantel decorations today! 

Share photos of your decorated mantel with us on Pinterest with @TwinStarIntl then follow us to see your photo on our “Fan Photos” board. We will also be putting these on our Facebook page.

Did you know that all Twin-Star products are designed and engineered in the USA?

Twin-Star International manufactures world-class brands such as ClassicFlame, ClassicFlame PRO, Tresanti, LUXE Bath Works, Duraflame heaters, Black & Decker heaters, Antiqua, Chimney Free and now Twin-Star Home.

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Top 5 Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

Mark your calendar: June 16^th is Father's Day so it is a great time to buy something special for dad. We have listed some of our best gift ideas for dad.

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Twin-Star International Receives Seven Prestigious ADEX Design Awards for 2013

 

Delray Beach, FL., May 17, 2013 - Twin-Star International is once again acknowledged as an award-winning home furnishings manufacturer of fine quality furniture. This year they received seven highly esteemed ADEX Awards. Receiving top Platinum honors is the Astoria electric fireplace. Gold honors goes to the Baldwin Desk and the Lakeland home entertainment fireplace. The Millennium home entertainment console, Beverage Cooler, Dakota Desk Pier and Axel bathroom vanity all received Silver honors for 2013.

“It is a great privilege to be recognized with one ADEX Award, let alone seven,” stated Brian Brigham, Twin-Star director of marketing and public relations. “Our talented in-house designers and engineers combine their vast knowledge of furniture designs with the latest in consumer trends so we can continually offer an array of innovative and diversified home furnishings.”

ADEX, the Award for Design Excellence, is the largest and most prestigious award program for home, office, hospitality furnishings and building materials marketed to the design trade. ADEX entries are judged on usefulness of the application, originality and innovation, technical merit, their effect on the global environment, feasibility of the design, efficient use of energy, innovative use of components, cost optimization and clarity of supporting documentation. The top designs are given Platinum, Gold or Silver awards and are featured in the April issue of the international Design Journal.

Twin-Star is a seasoned veteran when it comes to receiving ADEX Awards with their first two, a Platinum and a Gold for electric fireplaces, received in 2006. They have earned a total of 26 ADEX Awards including nine Platinum, nine Gold and eight Silver Awards for not only electric fireplaces but also for bathroom vanities, home entertainment consoles, wine coolers and a kitchen island.

The Twin-Star ADEX Award winners for 2013 are:

Astoria – Platinum Award – The Astoria wall mantel combines luxurious, old world charm with expert craftsmanship. It has a solid dark emperador marble top with an Empire Cherry finish. Applied molding with decorative corbel center, carved column capitals, half round corners and the marble surround with decorative metal fire grate crown the Astoria with its unique, unforgettable character.

Baldwin Desk – Gold Award - The mahogany finish Baldwin Desk has a retractable table resting on furniture grade casters that rotate 180 degrees to create a flexible and expanded work space. The right side of the desk has two cabinet doors that open to reveal adjustable shelves for storage while the left side has two smaller drawers and a large file cabinet.

Lakeland – Gold Award - The traditional style Lakeland home entertainment fireplace console combines TV,  component and media storage with a 28" ClassicFlame Electric Fireplace Insert surrounded by engineered slate and a kick out hearth base. The hearth sits above a beveled molding base. Lakeland is available in a Roasted Cherry Finish.

Millenium – Silver Award - The Millenium brings in a new era of entertainment centers with is integrated audio and video capabilities. The integrated sound bar includes four speakers, two tweeters and rear facing passive bass ports to provide a rich audio experience. Built-in iPod dock allows for audio and video streaming from iPods and iPhones, and wireless Bluetooth technology allows audio streaming from a wide variety of mobile devices. Open center shelves, side storage cubbies, and wide center drawer provide abundant storage capacity. Millenium is available in a Caramel Birch finish.

Beverage Cooler – Silver Award - Made from the finest hardwoods, the beautiful cabinet features a built-in beverage cooler that is perfect for keeping drinks cold at bed side, home office or simply next to the sofa.  Its thermoelectric technology makes it quiet and vibration free and it’s environmentally friendly since it contains no toxic refrigerants or ozone depleting chemicals. The Beverage Cooler is available in three finish options: Premium Oak, White and Drifted Oak.

Dakota Desk – Silver Award - The Dakota Desk Pier is designed in the Arts and Crafts style and is highlighted by its distinct hammered metal door and drawer pulls. Other features include drop down work area with non-slip surface and a top storage area with windowpane glass front doors. The lift door storage area under the worktable is perfect for printer storage while the bottom drawer is set up for file storage. The Dakota has a stand for use with any tablet and a built-in charging station with a power strip and USB outlets.

Axel – Silver Award - The Axel vanity has a solid Carrara Marble countertop with integrated basin that is carved from a single block of marble. Shown in faux-alligator upholstery with chrome nail head trim, Axel adds drama to any bathroom. The self-closing drawer is perfect for storing toiletries. Complete the look with the available matching mirror.

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About Twin-Star

Founded in 1996, Twin-Star International, Inc. of Delray Beach, Fl., is changing the way people entertain. Twin-Star, an award-winning home furnishings manufacturer of quality furniture, combines the latest trends with function and style to create unique pieces that enhance the lives of their customers. They use the finest hardwoods, wood veneers and finishes available, chosen specifically to match the character and need of each individual piece. Known for their ClassicFlame® Fireplaces, the finest furniture in the electric fireplace industry, their line-up also includes Duraflame®, Chimney-free® and Pro Electric Fireplaces, Tresanti® Media Consoles; Tresanti® Refrigerated Wine Cabinets; Tresanti® Kitchen Islands and Beverage Curios; Black & Decker and Luxe™ Bathroom furniture. Find out more at www.twinstarhome.com.

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