Five Pieces Of Furniture To Complete Your Dining Room

Monday, February 18, 2013


If there is one thing that we cannot deny, it is that despite the ever hectic lives we now all live and no matter how independent our children may be; nothing will take away the importance of meal times. Whether it is once a day, week, month or during the holidays; sharing a meal is the perfect chance for a growing family to bond and in today's technologically obsessed world of gadgets, social media and smartphones; it is a rare beauty.

With that in mind, it is surprising that many home owners fail to give real thought and attention to their dining rooms and instead purchase low quality tables and chairs and fail to create a real warming presence. Why not give your dining room a revamp this year and instead of going all out, simply invest in a few pieces of quality, classically designed furniture that will ensure your home and your family are catered for, for years to come.

There are numerous quality pieces, designed in the style of antique furniture but far lower a cost, available from specialist reproduction furniture makers and below are just some of the must have items that can ensure your dining room remains the focal point of your house:

Dining Table - It may seem like the most obvious point but with many families trying to save money by opting for a smaller, lower quality table it can be easy to see where things can go wrong. Whether catering for a small family, growing family or if you want to ensure you have extra room for your extended family; consider opting for quality dining table sets that can withstand the wear and tear of a growing family and remain sturdy and stunning for many many years.

Dining Chairs - Again a somewhat obvious point however, having seen too many families making do with a few flimsy chairs; it is important to reiterate the importance of quality chairs. Most furniture specialists will ensure to provide equally stunning, quality chairs to match all tables.

Display Cabinets - Having been used for years, display cabinets are fantastic focal points of larger dining rooms and can be used to house dining pieces in true style. Available in quality mahogany wood there is no reason why this piece of furniture cannot become a staple of the home.

Sideboard - For those with a much smaller dining room, a mahogany sideboard can work wonders and add a fantastic, unique touch to the home. Stunningly crafted and beautifully finished, this is one piece of furniture that us sure to add a touch of class.

Lighting - Never underestimate the importance of unique lighting and the warm ambiance it can create. Whether you want to opt for a grand chandelier, a few spot lights or the right style lamp; lighting can create the perfect mood.

Forget redecorating every year and instead just do it once and do it right. Invest in quality dining room furniture to ensure that your family meal times remain memorable for years to come.

Eco-Friendly Living Room Redecorating Ideas

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The living room is the second most used room in the house after the kitchen. I don’t mean a formal living room, like I grew up with. I mean the room you and your family actually ‘live’ in! Some people might call it a family room or the t.v room. It’s where the family gathers in the evening and where you entertain your friends. With all that use, it should be a healthy and energy efficient space.

Natural light, windows and coverings, and air movement.

Windows for natural light will keep electric use down during the day. They can be opened in warm weather to create a breeze. As with a ceiling fan, moving air is cool air, and a breeze can cool you off. Heavy drapes or quilted window curtains are good for cold weather to keep cold air from infiltrating and hot air from moving outside.

Paint that’s friendly to your living room environment.

Paints and finishes should be low- or no-VOC. These are water-based instead of oil-based, so they are healthier and clean up is easy. If you need turpentine to clean your brush, it contains toxic ingredients that will off-gas for years.

Choosing earth-friendly fabrics and surface materials.

Textiles are a big part of your living room. Rugs, upholstered furniture, carpeting and drapes can have a huge carbon footprint and an adverse effect on your air quality. The textile industry is a huge polluter. Cotton is a water intensive crop. When a mill bleaches cotton, the wastewater goes into nearby waterways. This water makes it into your house for you to drink. Cotton farmers also use copious amounts of pesticides. Even though cotton is a natural material, the way it’s grown and processed is not very earth friendly.

The plastics in carpeting are made from oil. A green remodel should be using fewer fossil fuels, so carpeting is not a good choice environmentally. It is also an allergen magnet. If you have allergies, skip the carpeting and install hardwood floors. Throw rugs can be washed easily.

The backing on carpeting often has formaldehyde in it, and the padding of recycled foam pieces is toxic. When I had two rooms of really old carpet removed, the contractor wore a respirator. Not a mask. A respirator!

It wasn’t long ago you couldn’t find interior decorating textiles that were healthy for you or the planet. Now most designers and manufacturers have a ‘green’ line of fabrics that are organic, recycled, recyclable, natural, biodegradable and/or renewable. Non-toxic dyes are more prevalent than before, too.

Even if you buy second hand furniture and want to reupholster it, you can find eco-friendly fabrics. Here is some great information about that.

Living room comfort, and your insulation.

If you have the opportunity to add insulation to the walls, do. More important, though, is to insulate the ceiling. Heat rises, and if you are short on insulation above, it will rise right out and into the sky. It will melt the snow off your roof, too. That is a good indicator, by the way, of how much insulation you might already have or not have up there.

If you live in a hot climate, ceiling insulation will help keep your living areas cool, reducing cooling bills. In either scenario, a ceiling fan helps heat and cool. It can help distribute warm air, pushing it back to the floor. When it’s warm out, moving air is cool air, and a fan can drop the temperature five degrees or more. Ceiling fans are an inexpensive way to lower your energy bills.

Healthy living room, healthy environment.

Paints, windows, earth friendly textiles that will improve your indoor air quality, and saving on your energy bill are all apart of an eco-friendly living room remodel. You and your family will be healthier, and you will have stretched the planet’s resources. That’s a green remodel.

Tips on How to Nurture Your Furniture

Monday, February 11, 2013 ,


Vintage, distressed, shabby chic whatever you call it, there's no denying that well-worn furniture is in style in homes today. Just because some of your décor is trendily tattered, doesn't mean it's all right to beat up the furniture you bought new. Follow these tips to protect, clean and care for what's in your home, no matter the material.

Fabric Upholstery

One of the most important things to remember when caring for fabric upholstery – or really any type of furniture – is to keep it clean. If you don't, the dirt inside the fabric can cause it to deteriorate, warns Daniel Danforth, vice president of education for Fibrenew, a Black Diamond, Alberta-based company that specializes in the restoration of leather, plastic and more.

Danforth recommends having your upholstered furniture cleaned about once a year by professionals who can identify the particular fabric and the appropriate cleaner for it, and also says people should "put a fabric protector on there after they've had it cleaned."

Fabric protector is available at most hardware, home improvement or furniture stores, but make sure to check the label that it is safe for the type of upholstery you are protecting.

Leather

"Think of [leather furniture] like the skin on your hands," says Geoff Shadman, owner of the Portland, Maine-based Furniture Repair Services of Maine. "If you allow it to dry out and you don't keep it conditioned, it cracks, it peels, it flakes up."

To prevent damage to your leather, Shadman suggests using a leather conditioner/cleaner every four to six months.

Between treatments, Danforth says people should wipe down their leather furniture with a damp rag or mild leather cleaner to prevent buildup of dust and body oils. He also recommends a leather protector instead of a conditioner, and says people should "stay away from wives' tales products," like mink oil.

Plastic

Care for plastic furniture is simple. "Wipe it down," Danforth says, and don't keep it under the sun. Direct heat and sunlight, which can also dry out leather furniture, will make plastic more brittle.

Wood

"Water and wood – unless it's a boat – doesn't mix," Shadman says. When cleaning your wood furniture with a water-based product, "dry it immediately so it doesn't soak into the wood and expand the wood grain and cause flaking, separation, things like that," he adds.

Danforth also suggests using a furniture polish, which can "create a barrier between the finish of the wood" and the outside world.

Other wood protection tips from Shadman and Danforth include using coasters and mats to prevent water and heat damage, or getting a glass (but not plastic) overlay for a table.

"Plastic is not a good idea because plastic sweats and it can hold moisture," Danforth says, which will damage the wood.

Keeping Your Home In Shape and Organized


Every year, Americans make resolutions to get in shape, save money and get organized. While exercise can help shed pounds and a list can keep you organized, a renewed commitment to the overall fitness of your home is an essential key to saving money and reducing stress.

Her are some tips on how routine home maintenance checks can help homeowners avoid home repair emergencies and unexpected costs.

1) Safety Equipment: Its recommended for homeowners to confirm all smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers are in good working order. This simple step can ensure your home is protected from the risk of fire and your family is safe from carbon monoxide. Be certain to replace batteries in appropriate devices as needed, or at least twice each year.

2) Furnace Filters: Remember to clean or replace filters every one to three months, or as needed. When installing new filters, do so correctly, as this is a common mistake. Homeowners should also check and clean the dryer vent, air conditioner vents, stove hood and room fans.

3) Heating and Cooling Systems: Heating and cooling systems can be costly to repair. To ensure the proper function of your heating and cooling systems, have them checked by a licensed HVAC professional annually to prevent future emergency repairs. HomeAdvisor’s patented ProFinder technology connects homeowners with qualified and available local service professionals. Having a qualified service professional check your system is a great way to prevent costly unexpected repairs in the future.

4) Roof: Its recommended for homeowners who live in regions that receive heavy rain, hail or snow to be on the lookout for water damage after these storms. Homeowners should not go up and inspect the roof themselves but rather call a professional if they notice damage or leaking. Ideally, homeowners should have their roofs inspected every one to two years on average.

5) Hot Water Heater: Hot water heaters are becoming more innovative and advanced, but if you are not ready to upgrade your water heater to a more efficient piece of equipment, you can still get the best use out of your current device. A simple tip is to gently touch your hot water heater to determine if it feels warm. If so, wrap an insulated blanket around the tank so that it improves the function of your heater.