Choosing the Right Furniture For Your Patio

Choosing the Right Furniture For Your Patio

Your garden patio provides you with valuable outside space, and dressed with the right furniture can deliver a quality external living area. The variety of patio furniture sets and accessories available in the UK is vast. However, with some careful consideration and research you could purchase patio furniture that makes a stylish impact upon your garden whilst delivering comfort for years to come.

Price

Many outlets now offer small patio sets, seating two or four people at bargain prices. However, the price you pay will often reflect the quality of the furniture supplied and if you are looking for patio furniture that will last for several years then you should consider extending your budget where possible. Good quality patio furniture needn’t break the bank by shopping around you will be able find something to suit your pocket.

Style and size

So, you have decided to buy some patio furniture for your garden, terrace or balcony, but how should it look? Consider your surroundings. If you are living in a modern house or apartment complex then you may want to avoid the very traditional style of furniture such as wrought iron or intricate cast aluminium which are perhaps better suited to a cottage garden. In recent years the garden furniture market has been revolutionised by the introduction of resin wicker, a synthetic replacement for natural rattan. This stylish method of furniture making is becoming increasingly popular in modern homes and also restaurants and hotels. In addition to providing a clean and modern look, quality resin wicker will last a considerable amount of time and requires little maintenance. It is also incredibly comfortable, even without a cushion. If you choose to by resin wicker patio furniture you should opt for a set which is supplied with guarantee of UV stability (to prevent fading) and rot resistance.

If you are limited in terms of your outdoor space take measurements of your patio or balcony and use them when choosing your furniture. Remember that in a shop or on a photo the size of the furniture can be deceptive. You do not want to order furniture only to find that it is too big and bulky for the area it was intended for.

Storage

For many, the UK seasons mean that outside living space can usually only be enjoyed at length during spring and summer. During the cold and wet autumn and winter months it is a good idea to store your patio furniture in doors and at the very least it should be covered. Before you make your purchase you should consider where it could be stored when not in use. If your storage space is limited then you should try and purchase furniture that can fold flat or stack. In the past some folding furniture had a tendency to look functional rather than stylish but today this is no longer the case. In some cases it is in fact quite hard to spot a folding chair from a solid chair.

Construction

If you are a fan of DIY then you will probably not be phased by the task of building your patio furniture. However, if you really do not want to build it yourself then avoid anything sold as “flat packed”. There are plenty of patio sets on the market which are ready to use and can be delivered built. Look out for stacking chairs that are often supplied ready for use. Due to their size tables are often delivered with the legs requiring attachment to the top. If you are concerned about the amount of work required to build then you should speak to the retailer prior to ordering.

There are a number of online retailers offering quality patio furniture sets at very competitive prices so with a quick search you could be enjoying your outside space in no time at all!…

Design the Perfect Living Room With the Right Furniture and Accessories

Design the Perfect Living Room With the Right Furniture and Accessories

Is your sofa distressed or in distress?

Building a welcoming living room doesn’t necessarily mean completely chucking out all of your existing living room furniture. Remember you can change the character of a living room simply by investing in the right furniture and the right accessories.

Start with what you’ve got. Grannies settee which you’ve no doubt inherited probably isn’t your first choice but try and look beyond the floral pattern and matching curtains – soon you’ll see the type of style that stands the test of time. It’s the type of style that’s never forgotten but easily ignored.

Take a closer look at what you’ve got and then use your imagination.

Antique furniture like chesterfield sofas or wing back chairs, rocking chairs and 3 seat sofas are the stuff that legends are made of. All you need to do now is re-stuff and then reupholster everything and “voila” you’ve re-invented your entire living room furniture set.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t consider buying new furniture. Personal preference will decide that for you. One bit of advice though, if you go for new living room furniture then don’t forget to bring practicality into the equation when making impulsive purchase.

Interestingly enough, more and more companies are now manufacturing and selling their own bespoke living room furniture and the prices aren’t as bad you think. Some companies even offer interchangeable furniture covers which allow you to change the entire look and feel of a living room without having to replace or reupholster everything.

Furniture is the foundation, accessories are the decoration. One of the easiest ways to bring colour and feel into your d?�cor is through the cushions.

Cushions come in a variety of stunning shapes, sizes, and materials. Though they are often neglected in the grand scheme of decorating, they are a truly cost effective way to change the look and feel of a living room. The choice of colour and texture in a scattering of cushions can alter the way your guests react and even interact with your living room.

For a conservative start into the world of cushions, focus on creating a bit of soft contrast. If you have a solid coloured sofa then go for cushions that have a print in a contrasting colour. For floral or textured sofas, you can create the contrast you want by opting for solid coloured cushions or cushions that have an opposing texture to the base fabric.

This bit of subtle contrast allows you to bring in visual interest and tactile engagement without overwhelming the senses. You don’t want the room to be too busy with prints or textures, as this can be a bit off-putting for visitors. Too much of a good thing is just that-too much! You will be able to create a more inviting atmosphere by easing guests into contrasts.…

Bean Bag Chairs – The Revolution of Comfort

Bean Bag Chairs – The Revolution of Comfort

Bean bag chairs have been popular since the late sixties and were first discovered by three Italians. Someone told me that the origin of these chairs was actually accidental. Someone just put all the polystyrene in a bag and someone sat on the bag and found it very comfortable, and the rest, as they say, is history.

A few decades ago, bean bag chairs lost their popularity. But now, they are gaining their popularity back thanks to the innovations and improvements that have been made.

Now, bean bag chairs can be described in three words- fun, stylish, and comfortable.

You will probably remember that bean bag chairs are always kept in the closet. It will only be out of the closet once no visitors are expected and you want to play PlayStation in the living room. But you don’t actually want to be caught in it because it is unfashionable and dull. It is comfortable, no doubt about that but the color and style, sorry to say, is boring.

But that is not necessarily true anymore. Foam bag are now made of different types of cloth like microfiber, suede, khaki, leather and some are even washable which makes it easy for cleaning. Efforts have also been made to make the sofa bags more eco-friendly. And even some companies offer making foam bag chairs to be custom made so that it will just blend in the interiors of your living room. This also means that you do not need to keep it in the closet.

Foam bags have definitely come a long way from where it had been. Innovations in style and designs have been made but the comfort that it provides is still the same as before. Nowadays, you need not be surprised when you go to your boss’ office and see that the usual sofa is gone and the new chair is a sofa bag chair.…

The Planning and Purchasing of Modular Office Furniture

The Planning and Purchasing of Modular Office Furniture

The process of purchasing new office furniture can be a daunting task. When the people in your office learn that you are about to convert to modular office furniture each one of them will have an idea of how it should look when complete. And in most cases the ideas will not be complementary. This is why it is best to enlist the services of a professional office designer to assist you in the layout and planning for the modular office furniture conversion.

Once the professional office planner is on-board, this is the time to start gathering the employees’ ideas, as well as your own ideas, about how the finished office should look. This is a very important step in your purchasing process since the employees will be the ones using the furniture day-in and day-out.

Part of the design process will be to establish what each person needs in both perceived and actual layouts. Modular office furniture needs to support the work flow and the communications flow in an office. This will definitely save a lot of time and money down the road.

How is each employee’s own work structured and how much space will be reasonably needed to accomplish it? A person that routinely reviews blueprints of building projects will need more layout or work surface room than a person whose primary job is to do data entry.

The modular office furniture layout will take into consideration the professional relationships of one job description to another. Do they need to confer on a regular basis or is there an orderly flow that goes from one space to the next? Do they need to have other people in for conferences or is it normal for them to work alone? Will a group conference room work better than individuals having their own conference area in their cubicle? Will there be a need for private conversations that others in the office should not be privy too?

Once the data has been collected it is simply a matter of matching the modular office furniture with the tasks that need to be accomplished. If you can furnish the professional planner with an architect’s drawings for you building it will be best.

Be prepared for several reviews of the modular office furniture layout. The preliminary review should involve the staff as a whole. Then as the design is refined everyone will be knowledgeable about the process.

With a thorough plan in place, the modular office furniture can be ordered and installed. The people using the spaces created will have the best chance of satisfaction because they were all instrumental in the plan development.…

Right Ways to Choose Quality Teak Wood Furniture

Wood Furniture is a very strong natural fiber. In terms of quality, teak has a better quality than mahogany. Even teak furniture is very sturdy and cannot be eaten by termites or mice. But if you are going to buy furniture made of teak wood, then you should know the 5 right ways to choose quality teak furniture.

Wood Furniture finish looks nice and smooth

One way to find out quality teak furniture products is to see the final finishing that looks good. Where on the furniture there is even staining throughout the parts and all the pores of the wood are covered finishing.

In addition, the finishing layer is quite thick and not too thin. If touched by hand, the surface of the furniture feels smoother and not bumpy. A good finish also lasts a long time and doesn’t fade quickly.

Avoid teak furniture that has many holes in the surface

How to choose quality teak furniture correctly is to avoid choosing furniture that has small holes on its surface. Where there is a hole because the teak wood has insect houses in it which are connected to each other and cause powder to form on the wood. The result of the existence of holes in teak wood furniture is that the inside is porous even though the outside looks solid.

For that, avoid buying teak furniture that has holes in the surface.

Furniture has a sturdy and symmetrical construction

Considering the price of furniture made from teak wood is quite expensive, so when you intend to buy furniture made from teak, try to make the right choice. Choose teak wood furniture that has a construction that looks very strong and has a symmetrical shape on its surface.

The reason is that teak wood furniture that has a symmetrical shape contains a beauty value that is evenly distributed throughout the corners.

Choose furniture made from old teak wood that is 20 to 30 years old

Actually, the older the teak wood raw material used in furniture, the more sturdy the construction it has. While the characteristics of old teak wood have a denser fiber arrangement, very heavy weight and reddish brown in color.

Try to get original teak wood furniture from Jepara

In addition to choosing furniture made from old teak, you should also get furniture made in Jepara. Most teak wood furniture made from Jepara has a much higher value because the quality standards are already on an international scale.

As the center of the teak wood industry, Jepara is a city where the majority of the population works as wood carvers whose expertise has been passed down from generation to generation.

For that, choose the needs of teak wood furniture by buying it directly in Jepara.

You can apply the five right ways to choose teak wood furniture above. But when you buy it, don’t put the furniture in a damp place.…

Wire Book Display Racks Can Organize Your Classroom and Interest Your Students

Wire Book Display Racks Can Organize Your Classroom and Interest Your Students

Finding ways to fill a classroom with functional yet attractive furniture can be challenging at times. One of the most common types of classroom furniture is meant for storage. You probably have plenty of items that need to be either put away neatly or proudly displayed. Either way, you need ways to organize items while making them accessible to children, especially when it comes to books. Fortunately, there are several types of wire book display racks to do the job.

If you have lots of books and want to allow several children to access them at once, a rack that spins would be convenient. These wire book display racks are usually the perfect height for most children to reach even the books at the top, and you can usually fit up to about fifty books. If you need to store several books but need to place the rack in the corner, this kind may be perfect because books on all sides will be easily accessible. If you have ample space in your classroom, you may also place it in an area where all sides are available so that a few children at once can select a book.

If you have larger books, such as in classrooms full of younger children, you may need wire book display racks that have book pockets that are bigger than average. This way, you can place several oversized books in the rack. Some are plain wire book display racks, while others are more interesting, such as in the shape of a person or dog. These are perfect for getting the attention of younger children, which can help attract them to books. Most such wire book display racks are single-sided, but some also feature two sides so that you can fit more books.

If you need space for kids to read after selecting a book, consider obtaining an easel that also stores books. These are usually best for oversized books, and allow children to keep their hands free while reading. They can simply select a book, open it on the easel, and take their time reading each page. Some such wire book display racks come with two sides, as well as a unique design. Just some of your neat options include a circus tent and a gingerbread house, sure to excite kids of any age.

Keeping kids interested in reading is crucial, but organizing the books in your classroom is also quite essential. Getting one or more wire book display racks for your classroom is a great way to fill up the area with functional furniture while attracting children to books. Rather than having an unorganized pile of books, or even a crammed bookshelf where most of the book covers are hidden, consider displaying them proudly in wire book display racks.…

The History Of French Furniture

The History Of French Furniture

Middle Ages 900 – 1500

Furniture of the middle ages was designed to be practical. It was often very large, simple and heavy.

This early furniture followed the lines of architecture. Very few pieces of furniture from this era were carved, just those crafted to show off wealth.

Renaissance 1500-1610

During the renaissance era, French craftsmen started to create furniture with deeply carved and ornate designs. Many Buffets and cabinets were made to look like small buildings with influence from Roman or Greek architecture.

Louise XIII 1610-1640

French furniture during the Louise XIII era was heavily influenced by Italian design. The common theme was massive, and solid with geometric carvings.

In this era furniture was expected to be both beautiful and comfortable. Fixed upholstery became one of the era’s great inventions with furniture becoming padded.

Louis XIV 1640-1715

During this era there was an increasing fascination with the Far East and all things Asian. French craftsmen copied the style and added their own “French” influence.

The most prominent furniture of this era was extravagant and extremely detailed drawers.

Regence 1715-1730

Regence style furniture was influenced by an architect and cabinetmaker hired by the acting regent to Louis XIV who decorated his apartment.

Regence was the era that apartments came into being. The smaller scale of these homes introduced lighter, more graceful furniture. Asymmetrical curved lines replaced symmetrical straight lines and simple wood veneer instead of extravagant wood inlay.

Louis XV 1730-1770

Louis XV reigned over the “Golden Age” of French decorative style. Louis French style furniture was influenced by the increasing influence by women of the court, introducing exquisite furniture with graceful, feminine lines.

Predominant features in this era of furniture included squared corners on tables and cabinets instead of rounded, legs were straight and seat frames with ribbon twist mouldings were introduces.

Directoire 1790-1805

This style of French furniture represented a break away from lavish royal styles of the past. Designs were more subdued and themes of antiquity and nature featured less.

The furniture of this era moved away from geometric patterns and began to incorporate Grecian urns and sculpted female figures. Notable characteristics of the era were the Etruscan motifs such as animals and stylised palm leaves. Other motives were influenced by the French revolution and included wreaths, torches and other warlike emblems.

Empire 1805-1815

Empire furniture is generally large and decorated with brass and gold coloured alloy such as copper, zinc and tin. Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign saw the introduction of furniture being decorated with Egyptian motives such as sphinxes.

The furniture of this era featured bold symmetrical designs replacing ornate carvings and rounded romantic shapes. Empire artists were also inspired by the ancient Greco-Roman period with decorative elements including wreaths, swans griffins and urns. Motifs were cast in bronze and applied to symmetrical shapes.

The Restoration 1815-1830

The restoration coincided with the industrial revolution where the process in furniture making changed. At the same time middle class was on the rise, increasing the demand for furniture.

The styling of the empire furniture remained however, the rigid contours became softer and a playful touch was added. Common motifs of the era included musical instruments, rosettes, swans and cornucopia. The restoration era also saw the return of wood inlay being used to decorate the furniture.

Louise Philippe 1830-1850

Until now furniture had been sold piece by piece. The industrial revolution brought new production processes, craftsmen began to make furniture sets for the bedroom and dining room.

Furniture of this era maintained the simple, rounded lines of the restoration era, but with less ornamentation. A defining characteristic of the Louis Philippe style was the soft curve at the top of buffets, chests and wardrobes.

Napoleon III 1850-1880

The napoleon III style was described as broad, diverse and ostentatious. Furniture from this era took influence from the past 500 years of French style. It was not uncommon to see several furniture styles mixed into a single piece of furniture.

Furniture of this era saw the introduction of coffee tables, ottomans and comfortable chaise chairs. Furniture incorporated whimsical shapes, mother of pearl and often included cast iron, paper mache or ivory inlay.

Art Nouveau 1880-1920

This style …

Buying the Right Corner Sofa for Your Living Room

Buying the Right Corner Sofa for Your Living Room

There are many choices to be made when buying a corner sofa. Corner sofa designs are plentiful, and considerations of upholstery material, size, and other factors are taken into account along with the overall look of the sofa as a single corner unit. Then, there is the option to get a sofa bed. Here, corner or sectional sofas often have the advantage of offering both more and deeper seating space, which can translate into the sofa being used as a bed without having to do anything besides remove the pillows and put a sheet over the sofa. While they aren’t as versatile as a separate sofa and loveseat in terms of arrangement possibilities, corner sofa furniture do offer more sitting and sleeping possibilities.

One of the first things to decide is size- should I get a small sofa, or a large one? That will depend mostly on the size of one’s living room, of course. The smallest models are the two-piece, L-shaped ones. These are about the size of a traditional sofa and loveseat combined and can be quite compact compared to some of the behemoths which can consist of five separate pieces- yikes! The contemporary corner sofa was designed with television viewing in mind, and the really large sectionals may really be set up to facilitate staring at the boob tube. Cup holders, remote control storage, and reclining seats come standard on many such models.

Another thing to decide, just as with normal sofas, is whether to get a leather corner sofa or a fabric one. A sofa made of full grain leather will be stronger than a fabric corner sofa and therefore last longer (assuming the frames are of equal strength- which they often are not!). And here, the effect of the leather can be even more impressive as you have a long, unbroken surface of leather to look at- just imagine all the leather on a large black leather sofa bed. If the sofa will get heavy use, leather can be a very good investment, but again, make sure it’s full grain leather if you want to get the most use out of it.

It’s not recommended to buy a really cheap corner sofa, as you usually get what you pay for and here you might be getting something that won’t stand up to even regular use for a very long period of time.…

Why Rattan Makes The Best Garden Furniture

Why Rattan Makes The Best Garden Furniture

What do you think of when you think of the term or phrase “garden furniture”? Do you think of something green and plastic? Something lightweight that gets blown around in a storm? Something that splits and cracks in a few months and will need to be replaced before next season? Unfortunately, that is what many of the “big box” retailers out there think of garden furniture as. The reality is that furnishings for this part of your home should be just as high quality and just as durable as any other interior piece would be. For years, homeowners “in the know” have preferred rattan in place of that mentioned above. It makes for the best garden furniture for the following reasons:

1. It handles the weather great.

Rattan doesn’t need to be babysat in a storm. When the winds blow or the snow falls, it typically handles just fine because it is used to the temper tantrums of Mother Nature. After all, before it was furniture, it was part of the tree scape. With plastic, it does not take much of a storm or a weather diversion to leave you needing a replacement. Since the storm seasons can last for several months of the year, it pays to pick quality first instead of something that may need to be replaced once or even twice per year.

2. It requires little upkeep.

You don’t have to take in your furniture at the first sign of trouble. You don’t have to worry about what the sun may do to the color scheme either. Some materials may fade to gray in the sunlight, but often that leaves behind nothing more than an even more spectacular shade for showing off to your guests at the next outdoor barbecue that you have planned. There are no special treatments that you have to put your furniture through, unlike your deck, though you can if you wish to preserve the original shade of the material.

3. It looks as good in as it does out.

Why would you care how garden furniture looks inside the house? Because part of your outdoor living area may consist of a sun room that you keep close to the pool or the back patio. This mix of indoor and outdoor quality is something that is hard to get right for rattan furniture manufacturers, but there are nevertheless many who have been able to get it right.

Whatever the reason that you have for needing garden furniture, no type of chair or furniture set makes a better buying decision than rattan. Be prepared to pay a little more upfront, but on the back end, get ready to reap a consumer benefit greater than any you’ve ever known.…

Which Kitchen Furniture Should You Replace?

Which Kitchen Furniture Should You Replace?

In today’s very tough economy, more and more people are choosing to stay in their home and redecorate instead of doing wide-scale renovating or moving to a nicer home. The room that most of us spend our time in, and that gets constant action throughout every day is the kitchen, and buying new kitchen furniture is a great way to really live up this room.

Most of us have several items of kitchen furniture that can and probably should be replaced. Of course there is the table and chairs, but you may also have an island, a moveable rack, a baker’s rack, or even an enclosed trash bin. All of these items are easily replaceable and extremely affordable.

Of course most people start by replacing their old kitchen table and chairs, and that is probably a good idea. This is the most used item of furniture in the average home, and after year and years’ worth of food, drinks, cleaning, and germs, the idea of getting something that is new and clean and stylish probably sounds good to you.

The internet is a great resource for all kitchen furniture items, and you will find that even when it comes to smaller items like trash bins and baker’s racks, you will find more choices than you could possibly imagine.

If you are thinking that the cost of shipping (because of the weight) would be too high, that is not always the case. Many online furniture shippers will ship free of charge as well as give you a discounted price because of their low overhead. Although you may end up doing a little bit of the construction yourself when it gets to your home, you will find out that the entire family truly appreciates a brand new and stylish kitchen to enjoy every day.…