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Furniture Placement Secrets

The easiest and most inexpensive way to invigorate the design of your living room is to rearrange the furniture items you already own. Furniture placement can be a daunting task, no matter how big or small the room. If you are someone who always figured furniture placement would be better left to professional interior designers, fret no more. These tips will help you embrace the task of balancing your sofa with your coffee table or armchair, and allow you to create peace and harmony amongst all your furniture.

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The easiest and most inexpensive way to invigorate the design of your living room is to rearrange the furniture items you already own. Furniture placement can be a daunting task, no matter how big or small the room. If you are someone who always figured furniture placement would be better left to professional interior designers, fret no more. These tips will help you embrace the task of balancing your sofa with your coffee table or armchair, and allow you to create peace and harmony amongst all your furniture.

Location, location, location
A room must be balanced. Specifically, the furniture in every room should be placed in a way that is pleasing to the eye and easy to maneuver around. If all the heavy furniture pieces like sofas, armchairs, entertainment centers and bookshelves are loaded on one side of the room, a room can feel like a sinking ship.

On the other hand, if you spread your furniture around the room haphazardly, a room can feel cluttered even when it is relatively empty. Think about the size of your living room in relation to the amount of furniture you have.

You can anchor the room by situating a large entertainment center against one wall, and then arrange all seating comfortably around that anchor. Or, anchor your sofa against a wall, add a small side table or a coffee table in front for convenience, and violá! Your room is balanced.

Sofa Secrets
Using your sofa as an anchor, or as the focal point for your living room can be an effective furniture placement tool. However, modular sofas, or sofas with many components, can be too heavy an anchor, tipping the balance of the room with its bulkiness. A creative solution to this problem can be found in breaking up the pieces of the sofa.

Place the largest sofa piece against the longest wall of the room, then the smaller sections on the opposite side. If you have the smaller sections of the modular sofa face the long sofa at an angle, you will avoid that boring, boxy look that comes with having all furniture pieces pressed with their backs straight against a wall.

A fresh alternative to placing your sofa against the longest wall is to bring the sofa out, away from the wall. If you prefer this look and feel for your sofa placement, allow at least two and a half to three feet between the sofa and the wall for comfortable walking space. Less space is needed between chairs and a sofa, but always keep in mind walking patterns.

Go with the Flow
Imagine how you and your guests will maneuver in your living room with all the furniture in its proper place. For example, if there are two doors, you may want to place sofas and chairs in a manner that will allow passersby to walk behind or around the seating arrangement instead of through it.

If there is only one door to the room, don't block the flow with a large coffee table right in the way of the sofa. Make sure you allow easy access directly to the sofa and chairs from the door, allowing for some space around the seating area as well.

Larger living rooms can be designed so that they function effectively as two areas. For example, have one social, entertainment center seating arrangement in one section, and a quieter study arrangement in another. Tall side tables can be placed behind a sofa with decorative vases and pictures on top, as long as there is still walking space behind the couch.

When deciding on how to arrange your living room furniture, listen to your instincts. Wait to decorate the walls for a few days or even a week once you have decided on where you are going to put each piece of furniture, to give yourself a chance to get used to the new placement. Live in the space for a bit, and assess how you feel. If something doesn't feel right, you can always move it, and use these tips to help you bring your living room back into balance.

Added by: cc on 14 April 2013 at 12:46pm

Silk Fabric Buying Guide

Silk is one of the most desired and popular natural fibers with a rich history. Pliny, the Roman historian, quoted in his Natural History in 70 BC that “Silk was obtained by removing the down from the leaves with the help of water…". It is interesting to note that for more than two thousand years the Chinese kept the secret of silk altogether to themselves.

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Silk is one of the most desired and popular natural fibers with a rich history. Pliny, the Roman historian, quoted in his Natural History in 70 BC that “Silk was obtained by removing the down from the leaves with the help of water…". It is interesting to note that for more than two thousand years the Chinese kept the secret of silk altogether to themselves.

It is believed to be discovered by a Chinese Empress Hsi Ling Shi and was a guarded secret that passed through many centuries till it was discovered. Talking of silk fabric in furnishing, it has been one of the favorites owing to its light weight, rich and sophisticated feel, and because of its famous history.

Interestingly, a more recent archeological survey reveals a small ivory cup carved with a silkworm design predicted to be between 6000 and 7000 years old. Spinning tools, silk thread and fabric fragments were found from sites along the lower Yangzi River in China unraveling the origins of sericulture much earlier in history. There is a story that two monks smuggled seeds of the mulberry tree and silkworm eggs out of China by hiding them in their walking sticks. Silk is made from two continuous filaments cemented together and used to form the cocoon of the silkworm. It is again said that India learnt of silk culture when a Chinese princess married an Indian prince. The major producer and exporter of silk is Japan, followed by India and Brazil.

Silk Characteristics

• Rich, Light and luxurious.
• Comfortable and absorbent
• It is one of the strongest natural fabric.
• Not resistant to abrasions and sunlight and air impurities, resulting in fading of the color.
• Water spots can be easily visible. The fabric should be dry cleaned.
• Silk fabric do not resist wrinkle.

Producing silk From Cocoon to Yarn : Sericulture has a old history by which silkworms are used to cultivate silk by feeding them on mulberry leaves. The worms increase their body size by almost 10,000 times within a very short span of time. The silk worms stop eating by the end of a month and attach itself to straw to start spinning its cocoon. The worm ceases to eat by the end of thirty days and attach itself to a piece of straw and begins to spin its cocoon. This is when human intervention takes place between the stage of spinning a cocoon and before the hatching of worm, the cocoon is soaked in hot water and a fine thread is unraveled which is the silk fiber, later weaved into fabric.

Washing and bleaching of the silk thread after the fiber has been extracted, it needs to be thoroughly washed to get rid of the glutinous substance, which may also be bleached.

Weaving : one of the most crucial steps in producing silk, weaving is a process that interweaves by warp and weft yarns. Silk can be woven by hand or machine, while weaving is a process where the fabric is created by interlacing the warp yarns and the weft yarns. The handmade yarn is considered better than the machine. Handmade silk can entail delicate designs in different colored threads offering wide variety for clothing and upholstery. There are modern machines that use lances, projectiles, jet of compressed air to shoot the weft-yarn between the warp-yarns. As to the quality, any good quality silk starts at app. 2000 threads per meter width.

Dyeing, Printing and Finishing : Once woven, silk is either yarn-dyed or dyed-woven in different patterns. You can see different shades in silk and some of the popular yarn-dyed fabrics includes taffeta, duchess, satin and others.

Silk Printing allows in fashioning different patterns to the fabric. Different methods like screen printing block printing and roller printing is used to imprint patterns on the silk fabric. The embroidery process is like adding embellishment and bestows the fabric with great look. Silk cushions in screen print and embroidery make great furnishing items.

Finishing process allows the fabric to give it the desired effect. It is either physical or chemical. Different treatments result in different effects like crease-proofing, water-proofing, fire-proofing etc.

Final soaking in a chemical solution : This process helps to preserve the sheen and luster of the silk fabric. It adds weight and makes the fabric soft, smooth, easy to iron and wrinkle resistant.

Use of silk in home furnishing and bedding : Apart from the traditional use in clothing, silk has been popularly used as bedding and furnishing item at home. It is used in quilts and as upholstery fabric to bestow any piece of furniture with a timeless and rich appeal.

Upholstery fabric : A great upholstery fabric, silk is used in home furnishing allowing any room a luxurious look like quilts, curtains, sheets, pillowcases, and throws. Since silk is not a good resistant to abrasion, it should be taken extra care.

Added by: cc on 12 January 2013 at 8:11pm

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Antiques & Collectibles - where to find

An Antique is something which is an old collectible item. It becomes valuable because of its age, its specialty and its rarity and utility or may be because of its separate unique feature. Ideally it is measured by its craftsmanship or some other importance. It is not available in an open market like other commodity; however it can be purchased from an auction dealer or online from any website.

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An Antique is something which is an old collectible item. It becomes valuable because of its age, its specialty and its rarity and utility or may be because of its separate unique feature. Ideally it is measured by its craftsmanship or some other importance. It is not available in an open market like other commodity; however it can be purchased from an auction dealer or online from any website.

You can find antiques in museum too. Few antique items include books, furniture, jewellery, etc. It can be used as another term for collectibles. It is very important to know where you can find an antique item. Many people misunderstand as to where you can find an antique item. Most of the people search antique items in place where it cannot be found. It can be found easily from persons who really handle antique item like antique dealers.

It can be found in abundance in places where there is history. You should really know that antiques do not originate from the sky or directly at antique stores. It originates from home. This notion needs to be changed and understood that it can be easily found from home where old items are preserved. That is the fundamental truth about antique.

You can find these antiques from people who are very old. Be it a coin, an art piece or even a table or chair. Check with the old people, they will guide you as to where these are. Old people have antiques in abundance than young people. The reasons why antiques can be found with older people are they have passed generation and they will be carrying these things. You can find most of them preserve these items right from toys and coins and they carry with them.

So you should know where you can find antiques. To put in simple terms:-

Antiques can be found with older people.
To find more antiques you need to check the old house hold accumulations on regular basis.
To get this you need to go to people home where there is rich history involved where antiques originate.

Knowing where you can find antiques can place you much ahead of your competitors.

http://antiquesauctionstores.com/

Added by: cc on 25 November 2012 at 9:53am

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10 Tips To Home Organization

If you are looking for the perfect home organization plan, consider starting small and working your way up to the larger projects. A few simple tips will get you on the way to home organization at its finest.

Tip 1:
Use a flatware tray for utensils and place it neatly in a kitchen drawer. This will keep every utensil separate and will make it easy to find the one you want in a matter of seconds.

Tip 2:
Organize your favorite recipes in alphabetical order for quick ref...

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If you are looking for the perfect home organization plan, consider starting small and working your way up to the larger projects. A few simple tips will get you on the way to home organization at its finest.

Tip 1:
Use a flatware tray for utensils and place it neatly in a kitchen drawer. This will keep every utensil separate and will make it easy to find the one you want in a matter of seconds.

Tip 2:
Organize your favorite recipes in alphabetical order for quick reference. This can be done using note cards and a note card box or a binder with alphabetical separators.

Tip 3:
If you have a large number of VHS or DVD movies, consider a media unit to neatly store your collection. If feasible, select a wooden unit for strength and a pleasant appearance as opposed to inexpensive, plastic units.

Tip 4:
When storing away your seasonal clothes, don’t just hang them in the closet until next year. Instead, purchase a large plastic lidded storage tub and place your seasonal clothes neatly inside. Rather than folding, try rolling your clothes as this will reduce wrinkles and fold lines. In addition, it will save a lot of space. Place the storage tub in the floor of your closet and label the tub according to the clothing inside.

Tip 5:
Are you always losing pens and/or pencils? If so, consider using a coffee mug for neat and easy storage of your pens and/or pencils. Everyone has a coffee mug and this is a much more whimsy way of storing your writing utensils rather than a typical pen/pencil holder.

Tip 6:
Be sure to throw out any old magazines and/or newspapers. The best way to store them is a handled basket next to the sofa. However, this unit needs to be cleaned regularly in order to avoid any unsightly clutter.

Tip 7:
It is a good idea to keep all important papers, including deeds, titles and tax papers in a fireproof protective box. This box should also feature a lock & key and can be placed anywhere in the house. Most individuals place this underneath their bed.

Tip 8:
If you have any items that you no longer want, consider donating them to a local non-profit agency. This will save space and you will be doing a good deed.

Tip 9:
In order to avoid clutter, it may be necessary to throw away certain types of mail. This may include credit card offers, but don’t just throw them out without first shredding the letters. Identity theft is a huge problem and using a paper shredder on any bills or credit card offers will prevent anyone from ever gaining access to your private financial information.

Tip 10:
Make sure that your kitchen is neatly organized with all appliances close to an electrical outlet. You don’t want to have power cords running across the countertop and you will find that the microwave, toaster and coffee maker all in one location will be very convenient.

Added by: BF on 27 October 2012 at 5:25am

Your Style, Your Budget

Tired of ogling the latest styles in brand name home furnishing stores and catalogues, only to find that the price of one little coffee table equals more than half your monthly salary? Don’t be discouraged — with a little ingenuity, your home can be as beautiful and stylish as a Hollywood celebrity’s, for just a fraction of the cost.

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Tired of ogling the latest styles in brand name home furnishing stores and catalogues, only to find that the price of one little coffee table equals more than half your monthly salary? Don’t be discouraged — with a little ingenuity, your home can be as beautiful and stylish as a Hollywood celebrity’s, for just a fraction of the cost.

* Start with the walls. It’s easy to forget that sometimes just adding a fresh coat of paint or changing the color of your walls can give your living room, bedroom, or dining room a brand new look and feel.

Wallpapering is another way to jazz up a room — but don’t break your budget hiring a contractor. Consider wallpapering just one wall, or only wallpapering borders.

* Create atmosphere with Light. Don’t overlook the power of a lamp. The right lighting can transform any room. Forgo overhead lighting for lamps, and stay away from halogen unless it fits into your modern decorative scheme.

Wall sconces are another great way to add a stylish touch to any room. Look for the type that lends itself to easy, self-installation.

* Accessorize. Another inexpensive way to create a designer look is to buy a few key accessories, like silk pillows, chenille throw blankets, and fresh-smelling candles. Choose an elegant centerpiece for your dining room table or coffee table, like floating white candles, fresh flowers, or a ceramic or glass fruit bowl.

Pictures, photos, prints and paintings can be hung around a room to create whatever look or feel you desire. Shop flea markets and thrift stores for prints and interesting photographs, or go to a discount store for frames and hang some of your own creations.

* Buy furniture that won’t break the bank. Shop smart for couches, lamps, tables, entertainment centers, and more. Estate sales, consignment stores, flea markets, junk and thrift stores can be gold mines for second hand but stylish furniture.

If you don’t want second hand, shop clearance sales or online. Online furniture stores can be treasure troves for good deals, since they generally have little overhead and therefore don’t pass those costs on to you, the consumer.

* Can’t afford a new couch? If you are somewhat handy with a sewing machine, use discounted fabric or beautiful sheets to sew yourself a couch cover. Still have energy? Create more cheap but beautiful "new" furniture by sewing upholstery covers for your armchairs or dining room chair seat cushions.

If you can’t sew, buy a shabby chic slipcover or tuck in a large beautiful sheet or blanket for a homemade slipcover. Finally, consider simply rearranging your furniture — finding a different wall to put your couch against can create a whole new look for your living room.

Use any or all of these tips to achieve the style you want at a low, low cost. Amaze your friends and family with your stylish home, then dazzle them with the shoestring budget you had to work with. Go ahead! It’s your home and you deserve the best without having to spend the most.

Added by: B.F. on 07 October 2012 at 7:07am

5 Tips To Create Style And Elegance In Your Home

Creating the perfect home requires a lot of time and energy. There are so many things you need to take into account, especially if you are new at it. There are some very basic things to get you started.

1) The first thing to look at is the personalities that are in the house. If you are single then you only need to look at your own personality. For couples, the personalities are very often opposites. One may be outgoing and the other conservative. Be prepared to compromise...

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Creating the perfect home requires a lot of time and energy. There are so many things you need to take into account, especially if you are new at it. There are some very basic things to get you started.

1) The first thing to look at is the personalities that are in the house. If you are single then you only need to look at your own personality. For couples, the personalities are very often opposites. One may be outgoing and the other conservative. Be prepared to compromise when making decisions on design and color.

2) Browse through magazines and design books to get an idea of what you really like and what makes you comfortable. This really gives you the visual you need to think with when it will come to designing your own rooms. If you’ve never designed a room before, it can be intimidating staring at those blank white walls trying to figure out what you are going to do in there. Magazines can really help a great deal there by helping you choose an inspiration room as a guide.

3) The color of the walls will set the tone for the room so really take your time on that one. First start with the colors you like. If you already have furniture or have some in mind, look carefully at the colors in them. You can draw upon some of the colors in fabrics you will use in the room. If you are having trouble deciding, then go back to the magazines or books and see how the walls are painted and look for the color accents in the furniture and how they all relate. If you are using a picture of a room as your inspiration then it can be a lot easier to get the color right.

4) When you put your furniture pieces in the room, keep in mind the flow of the space you are in. You don’t want to make a room too small or choppy looking. Usually you know if it is not quite right. Rearrange until it is right.

5) Accent pieces go a long way in finishing up the look of a room. Plants and fresh cut flowers are great to put into any room. They have life in them that gives a comfortable feeling to any space. A crystal vase or candles can also soften a room. Framed posters or print and paintings on the walls are an age old custom of design. It is a staple that will never go out of style.

Design doesn’t have to be hard. You just have to find out what your style is and what makes you want to be there and then have fun putting it all together.

Added by: cc on 15 September 2012 at 5:46am

Traditional Futon Beds

Futon is Japanese traditional furniture, basically a mattress that makes up a bed which is still commonly used today. Futons first appeared as weed-made rags in ancient Japan. A traditional futon set usually costs under 10,000 yen (around$83) sold at specialty stores called futon-Ya in Japan and other department stores.

A traditional Japanese futon set generally consists of a mattress called a shikibuton wrapped in Shikifu or sheets, a comforter called Kakebuton covered w...

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Futon is Japanese traditional furniture, basically a mattress that makes up a bed which is still commonly used today. Futons first appeared as weed-made rags in ancient Japan. A traditional futon set usually costs under 10,000 yen (around$83) sold at specialty stores called futon-Ya in Japan and other department stores.

A traditional Japanese futon set generally consists of a mattress called a shikibuton wrapped in Shikifu or sheets, a comforter called Kakebuton covered with a kakebuton cover, blanket called mōfu, and a pillow called makura. The makura is usually filled with beans, buckwheat chaff, or plastic beads. The 4 to 5 cm thick futon itself is flat, having a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton and/or synthetic batting.

In Japan, there is a variety of futons available depending on the season. For example, futon may be made of feathers, which is light and comfortable during summers. Thick and heavy futons may otherwise be used in the summer season.

Futons are designed to be laid on Tatami - a traditional Japanese flooring created from individual woven straw mats of uniform size and shape, bordered by brocade or plain black cloth, and packed with straw. Styrofoam may also be used with the recent ones.

The traditional futon, when not in use, can be folded away and stored in a closet called oshiire, which has sliding doors and is usually divided into two shelves. The futon is generally stored on the upper shelf, and since Japanese homes are typically small in size, a room may be used for multiple purposes such as functioning both as a living and dining room. The futon quite comes in quite handy when considering this since it can be easily stored away.

The Western Transformation:

The futon become popular in the United until after World War II. In the 1960s, handmade cotton pads were used by hippies, students and health enthusiasts as alternatives for conventional beds. The first significant transformation, about a decade later, was the introduction of convertible frames which turned the futon into a bed-cum-couch furniture.

By the 1980s, the popularity of the futon had reached its peak in the United States and other western countries, and people started buying it in large quantities. The transformation continued with the introduction of components such as innersprings, pocket springs, coil, foam and polyester mattresses, as well as electric frames with massagers. The futon had become considerably westernized towards the end of the decade that it became almost hard to recognize a Western-style futon as a “futon”.

The popularity of the futon also spread to the country of its origin, and top Japanese futon manufacturer, Maruhachi Mawata, started manufacturing futons resembling the western style in 1997. Older generation of Japanese still very much use the traditional futon but younger people prefer the comfort, style and added features of the western style. Incidentally by the year 2001, there was a 60 percent increase in the use of western style futons and beds in Japan.

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To Reupholster or Not?
Is it Worth It?
Your Old Furniture Can Live Again Better Than Before With Our Reupholstery & Timber Repolishing Service.
Did you Know that most furniture made before the late 1990,s is generally made with a much stronger frame than what is made now and most were made in Australia or Europe where they had good manufacturing standards and did things the right way!

Today many people get caught by buying lounge suites,sofas and chairs that are really cheap and look great but unfortunatley for them most only last 1 to 3 years due to their terrible construction inside and cheap and nasty cover which starts breaking down almost straight away on using it.

Also many,many people get caught by buying "bonded leather" thinking they are getting a good deal. This is actually only a leather backing with a plastic top coating which peels off and looks terrible in a very short time.

You really do only get what you pay for especially with furniture.

The best way to get good furniture today unless you pay upwards of ten thousand dollars is to get a good upholsterer to either reupholster an older quality sofa or suite or get one custom made by them with a solid timber frame and good premium foam and fillings and with a good hard wearing fabric or real full grain genuine leather, not the fake imitations as seen everywhere today.

Doing this you are able to choose exactly the style of fabric,comfort and look that you desire plus you know if will last you many ,many years as opposed to a couple of years which is a false economy anyway!

So next time you are in the market for a new lounge suite, don,t get conned into thinking something really cheap is going to be good, it,s not possible if you think about it.

Added by: cc on 12 August 2012 at 2:16pm

10 Home Decorating Ideas To Quickly Update Any Room

Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you're looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the...

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Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you're looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang interesting art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

3. Bring In Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don't have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

5. Hang Pictures or Mirror- Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects and nice view or an interesting architectural element.

6. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows- The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

10. Eliminate Clutter- Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room. Find storage spaces for papers, toys, and other items that take from the personality of a room.

Added by: cc on 09 August 2012 at 10:14pm

Upholstery Upkeep

Upholstered armchairs and sofas are comfortable and attractive additions to any home. When neglected, however, upholstery can quickly turn into next year’s yard sale’s featured item. Help the upholstered furniture in your dining room, living room, family room and bedroom last for years and years, by getting to know the ABC’s of upholstery preventative and corrective care.

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Upholstered armchairs and sofas are comfortable and attractive additions to any home. When neglected, however, upholstery can quickly turn into next year’s yard sale’s featured item. Help the upholstered furniture in your dining room, living room, family room and bedroom last for years and years, by getting to know the ABC’s of upholstery preventative and corrective care.
Stop Damage Before it Occurs
Protect Upholstery from: SUNLIGHT, NEWSPAPER INK, FABRIC DYES, PAINTS & POLISHES
Allow common sense to dictate what you should keep from harming your upholstered furniture. Sunlight will fade upholstery, so keep your upholstered couches, armchairs and ottomans away from the window, or else well-shaded. Put your newspaper on a coffee table or side table, to avoid ink damage to your upholstered furniture.

Other items that can cause permanent damage include dark-colored sheets and blankets, for when damp or wet, the dark dyes on these fabrics can rub off and ruin your upholstery. Finally, paints and polishes, such as nail or shoe polish, should never be used on upholstery. Make sure to cover your upholstered furniture when painting your living room, dining room, or bedrooms!
Keep it Clean!
1: Vacuum, 2: Damp-Dust, 3: Professionally Clean
Cleaning upholstered furniture is easy as 1, 2, 3. First, Vacuum as often as possible. Second, damp-dust arms and headrest areas with cleaning solution recommended by the manufacturer. Third, indulge occasionally in professional cleaning for maximum dirt and dust particle removal.

Here’s a tip for keeping your favorite chairs & couches clean: Don’t be fooled by the zippers on those cushions: the cushion covers are NOT meant to be removed and washed separately! Before you vacuum, remove the cushions. Beat them, rotate them, then vacuum them.
911 Emergency Care
Blot, scrape, vacuum. Read label, match spill with remedy.
Spills happen. The key to avoiding a permanent stain is to react in the manner most appropriate to the type of spill. For liquid spills, don’t rub the spot, BLOT. Use a fresh, clean paper towel. For food or solid spills, first lift as much of the spill as possible with a dull knife or a spoon, scraping gently towards the center. For powder or cigarette ash spills, don’t add a liquid or rub. Instead, vacuum up the spill.

When remnants of the spill still remain, use a fabric cleaner. Here are some guidelines:

1.
Check manufacturer’s label for cleaning instructions and recommendations.
1. Codes on the labels are as follows:
1. W=water based cleaning agent;
2. S=water-free solvent;
3. WS=water based or water-free agent okay;
4. X=clean only by vacuuming or light brushing.
2.
Test water or cleaning agent in a hidden area of the upholstered furniture before applying to the stain.
3.
Be patient when applying cleaning agent. Go slowly to avoid causing a ring or spreading the stain. You may need to use several doses, blotting each time with a clean paper towel. Only blot, never rub.
4.
Use a fan or cool blow dryer to speed up drying process, working from outer edge of spill to inner. If velvet, use a brush on fabric before it dries.
5.
If a stain remains, call a professional cleaner.

Protect, clean and care for your upholstered sofas, chairs and loveseats using these tips and guidelines. With a little attention, the upholstery in your living room, dining room, family room and bedrooms will look fantastic for a long, long time.

Added by: Colin on 07 August 2012 at 9:59pm

Leather Sofas Choosing Tips

Leather sofas and leather sofa sets come in a diversity of colors and styles. A leather sofa is the ideal way to improve a room's decor and they are also simple to keep clean. But furniture upholstered in leather can be one of the most luxurious furniture out there.

Today leather furnishings are existing in an amazing number of styles and price points. Certainly, the price matters. And maybe an all leather sofa priced at $1,700 still sounds too costly to you.

leather sofas, furniture

Leather sofas and leather sofa sets come in a diversity of colors and styles. A leather sofa is the ideal way to improve a room's decor and they are also simple to keep clean. But furniture upholstered in leather can be one of the most luxurious furniture out there.

Today leather furnishings are existing in an amazing number of styles and price points. Certainly, the price matters. And maybe an all leather sofa priced at $1,700 still sounds too costly to you. But thats about what you can suppose to pay to get a leather sofa on a fairly good built frame. The value of that deal will become apparent over time.

You can get the look and feel of leather for a smaller amount of money by purchasing a sofa that is leather everywhere your body touches and matching man-made material on the sides and back. Be sure to ask your vendor for specifics on construction, leather grade and compare details at diverse price levels. A good leather furnishings investment nowadays can become tomorrows heirloom.

Choosing the true leather, means taking into consideration the flexibility and feel that works for the surroundings of your home. So I’ll try to give you as much information as possible to make sure that the living room with leather sofa you choose isn’t just the best looking, but its also the best suitable leather for you.

Some details about leather and leather sofas in particlular:

- Leather has a versatile quality and blends with any furnishing mode whether traditional or contemporary.

- Leather is a natural skin, and just like human skin, it is flexible enough to stretch and return to its original shape.

- Leather breathes. It is cool in the summer and retains warmth in the winter months.

- Leather seats never feel sticky the way synthetic materials do. The pleasures of leather are for every day and for everyone.

- Leather is not a special occasion covering. It can stand up to the rigors of everyday life and most types clean easily and are very serviceable.

- Leather is fire resistant and emits no toxic fumes, even when exposed to extreme heat.

- Leather resists tearing and cracking.

- Leather wont stretch out of shape.

- Leather is prestigious and gains richness and appeal over the years.

Corrected Leather: Corrected leather has been sanded to have the blemishes removed and then embossed to give it a uniform look. It also has had protective coatings applied to make it more soil resistant and have better color consistency.

Uncorrected Leather: With uncorrected leather, the best hides are selected which are more supple to the touch and will develop a beautiful patina over time. another characteristic is the romance and story that this leather tells; the natural scars, bug bites, neck wrinkles, brands and the slight difference in the shading of color on the hides will create a unique look to your furniture. This leather is not as soil resistant as corrected leather.

Added by: Colin on 07 August 2012 at 9:43pm

Antique Furniture Basics

Antiques may be of many different kinds and of all the antique collectibles and furniture happens to be the most popular and practical choice. Antique furniture is distinct from other categories of antiques in the sense that no one collects the same type of object repeatedly. It means that you would not want to buy and collect only tables or chests and fill up your home with everything the same. However, you may have a specific liking to certain wood or style.

Antique Furniture, antiques, online antiques

Antiques may be of many different kinds and of all the antique collectibles and furniture happens to be the most popular and practical choice. Antique furniture is distinct from other categories of antiques in the sense that no one collects the same type of object repeatedly. It means that you would not want to buy and collect only tables or chests and fill up your home with everything the same. However, you may have a specific liking to certain wood or style.

Regardless of your preference, if you are planning to purchase antique furniture, you need to know the basics. In other words, you should have some idea about various styles, techniques of construction, finishes and variety of woods used. You will need this knowledge to determine if a particular piece is original (in its original state without any major changes) or altered (if some major alterations or additions have been made to it.)

Once you are acquainted with the basics, go to as many antique furniture dealers and auctions as you possibly can. When inspecting the merchandise, don’t hesitate in pulling out drawers, getting down on your knees to look at the underside of tabletops or lifting chairs to have a look at their legs. If you don’t get down and dirty, you will never learn.

In the beginning, furniture was crafted from solid wood but with improvement in cabinet making techniques, furniture decoration by applying veneers (thin sheets of wood) was developed. This provided an inexpensive method of creating decorative effects from different grains and patterns. It was also an economical technique that made inexpensive woods look like expensive hard woods. Such furniture had a solid body called a carcass that is made of a different, generally less expensive wood, like pine. Some of the woods used in antique furniture are beech, cherry, chestnut, ebony, elm, mahogany, pine, oak, satinwood, walnut etc.

The following features are significant when determining the age, authenticity, quality and worth or price of antique furniture:

I> Color and Patina: Patina is the glow of the wood after years of accumulation of wax polish and dirt. A rich subtle color is also an important characteristic of antique furniture.

II> Proportion: A disproportionate piece of furniture may well be a “marriage” of different parts from different furniture.

III> Construction: Before the late 17th century, furniture was made using mortise and tendon joints and pegs were handmade.

IV> Condition: Do not ignore pieces with marks or blemishes as the wood has not been damaged. A good restorer can undo surface spots. Antique Furniture in it original pristine condition is worth the highest price.

V> Alterations: Altered furniture is always less desirable than the original piece. Telltale alterations include large pieces reduced in size, freshly cut surfaces, plugged holes, repositioned handles etc.

Now that you know what to look for, the question is where to look for antique furniture?

Well, apart from auctions and dealers, you can always check the classifieds section in the paper to see if anybody’s selling furniture and go check it out. You might even find a good bargain this way. Also, you will find many sites that sell antique furniture on the internet or you could use the internet to find out where you could go to get good deals on antique furniture.

Added by: Colin on 07 August 2012 at 9:33pm

This is the very first blog posting on the ABR Home Industries blog page.

We wish it a long and successful journey.

Added by: Murray on 07 August 2012 at 2:34pm

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