From the monthly archives:

December 2008

Decorative Throw Pillows Add New Life To Your Home

by FurnitureGuru on December 8, 2008

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

Other than a new coat of paint, there is simply no easier nor more cost-effective way to completely revitalize the look of many rooms in your home than to add some new cushiony comforts with a few casually tossed and thoughtfully selected decorative pillows.

I have had three couches in my life over the last decade or so, but you would think I redecorated my living room monthly. What’s my secret? Among my collection of personal home décor items are about 40 beautiful decorative throw pillows that suit my changing moods, changing seasons, and ever-changing mind! Whenever I get bored with the look of my room, which is about as often as I get bored with my wardrobe, I just change it all up super-quick by rearranging my decorative throw pillows and by playing around with the different colours, textures, shapes, arrangement, and styles available at FashionWindowTreatments.com.

My sofa is definitely a one-of-a-kind conversation piece, like a chameleon. It’s the cozy center of our home’s comfort and the place for all of us to sit together, talk, play Scrabble, or snuggle up under a soft blanket. Your sofa, too, can add sparkling new life to the same-old-same-old whenever you redecorate this easy way. I like to call it “pillorating”. Allow me to elaborate upon my easy schemes.

I have been collecting decorative throw pillows for many years now. It’s much cheaper than buying new furniture, and it’s so much fun! Some of my good stand-bys are in solid colors that coordinate easily with all sorts of patterns. I have several classic damask prints, a few bold geometrics, some with fancy beaded borders, cottons, satin, and even a leopard print one that is reversible with solid black on the other side. I combine new with vintage, and the latest patterns with Granny’s floral cross-stitch. It’s an eclectic masterpiece! This same concept can be used in other areas of the home, such as the dining room using chair seat cushions or the bathroom by changing the patterns on your long shower curtains.

My favorite decorative throw pillow of all is in gorgeous black velvet, appliquéd with red roses and bright green velvet leaves that set off the red and draw the eye as a good work of art will do. This throw pillow adds so much elegance to our otherwise ordinary, somewhat drab sage green velour sofa. All at a fraction of the price of a new piece of art!

I move my pillows from sofas to chairs, and even throw them in pile on the floor for some comfy seating! Sometimes I use the sofa pillows upstairs on the bed. And when guests visit, I dress up the guestroom, getting creative by designing a haven of delight for our houseguests. All with decorative throw pillows! I try to choose shapes and styles I know will suit the tastes of our guests, and it always works!

I get excited just thinking about all the possibilities of looks that are achievable by simply adding a few new decorative throw pillows to your home’s collection. When you tire of them, simply store your decorative throw pillows in plastic until it’s time for a change again. And then, when you bring them back out later, you’ll love all the looks they offer all over again!

Recently I have started thinking about decorative throw pillows yet again, because I bought a mid-century Danish modern, low-riser sofa in turquoise and teak. Sounds like a hard thing to work into your room’s décor without having to start from scratch, right? Nope! All I need is ONE colour to tie it all together, and I can achieve this by finding decorative throw pillows with turquoise beads, piping, or fabric. Voila! A completely new room that’s all tied together! It’s going to look so designer chic. I can’t wait to find that next perfect decorative throw pillow at FashionWindowTreatments.

Assessment Of Uses For Metal Storage Cabinets

by FurnitureGuru on December 7, 2008

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

When you begin an investigation for useful home furnishings or office furniture, you naturally think of tables, chairs, lamps, sofas and other practical or attractive furnishings. But seldom do our minds drift toward making renewed use of older items on the verge of being tossed out. Old metal cabinets fit that category.

Metal storage cabinets are often heavy and cumbersome, but those old file cabinets can be put to good use. By utilizing them as part of a contemporary design strategy, you can refurbish and transform those old metal cabinets into unique and innovative storage solutions.

Keep reading for some unique ways you can use that old metal file cabinet in your design.

Paint it Up

You can instantly give your metal storage cabinets an updated and fresh look with metal or auto paint. The appeal of auto paint is that it’s designed for use on metal and comes in a wide variety of colors.

Whether you want to use stencils, tape to create a geometric design or go with a basic, solid color, you can instantly stylize your cabinets to match your décor.

Start your painting project by washing down the cabinets to get rid of any grease or dust, as both can stop your paint from sticking or setting smoothly.

Once the cabinet is dry, either remove or cover the handles to avoid painting them. Now, you’re ready to paint. Apply even layers in a downward motion and allow the paint to dry between layers. Ideally, you want to apply at least three coats to get a sheen and professional finish.

Sewing or Crafts Storage Solution

Who says a filing cabinet has to hold files? Utilize that storage space to house your hobby, craft or sewing supplies in one convenient location. Start by organizing your supplies into categories like notions, fabric scraps, accessories and patterns.

Then, label each drawer with a Polaroid photo or printed label indicating the contents. You can even paint your labels right on the drawers using a stencil and metal paint.

Storage Solution for Vinyl Records

Older file cabinets typically boasted deep drawers that are at least 12 inches deep, if not more. And, since vinyl records (remember those?) are usually about 12 inches with their sleeve, they’ll fit inside perfectly.

The drawers will also protect your vinyl from outside debris, dust and moisture. Though this isn’t an airtight solution, it’s better than being stacked next to your record player. Finish your project by alphabetizing your collection and labeling each drawer.

To prevent the drawer sliders from breaking under the strain of the weight, try to put no more than 30 records in every drawer. You’ll also find that limiting the number of records in each of your metal storage cabinets will make browsing easier since you’ll have more room to flip through your selection.

Protecting your Mattress with Mattress Protectors

by FurnitureGuru on December 6, 2008

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

Having invested in a high-quality mattress you should spend a bit more money to make sure you get as much out of it as possible. One of the ways to do this is by using a mattress protector. This will help protect your mattress from stains, and also against allergens and irritants like bed bugs and dust mites. The price of mattress protectors is relatively inexpensive when compared to buying a new mattress so make sure you take steps to prolong the life of your mattress.

Mattress protectors are available in all popular bed sizes so you will easy find one to fit your mattress. For added protection you may also prefer to purchase the waterproof models to protect your mattress from spillages.

Children Motocross Bedding

by FurnitureGuru on December 5, 2008

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 3.8 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...

When talking about kids and bedding, they should never be held down by stereotypes and old fashion designs. As much as their attitudes change, so do their likes and dislikes. When it comes to creating a bed all about what is in the heart and the dreams they are about to undertake, style choices need to be as diverse as those they portray. Kids bedding options need to be about kids themselves.

If it is baseball your kids is into, realism is the key. There is a sense to every sports in the world, a feeling of life and energy. Kids sports bedding needs to give a credit to that life. It takes to solicit that hard work. Without these personalities, kids bedding cannot symbolize the child who lays beneath it.

Sports can be related to speed. With kids on the brink of activities like motocross, skateboarding, snowboarding bedding choices are no longer fit to be jaded. Kids want to fed what it is like to bring down in a good style, board the toughest angle and Superman their motocross bikes. Allow them to live their aspirations with kids motocross bedding relinquish throughout the whole night.

Imagine every night, your child will be hoping to sleep on his or her bed thinking the last jump of the day is captivated in this picturesque motocross bedding. There is no better sunset to a motocross rider then a dirt biker streaking across the sky. If you love motocross, this is a must for your bedroom! Kids come up with the most creative ways to turn their ordinary bedrooms into a motocross rendered board. Whether they cut out color pages from monthly motocross magazines to tape up on the wall or hang up their favorite riders jersey up, until now, that’s about as good as it’s been for beautifying the bedroom. Well, now they will not have to go to such lengths.

Tiffany Chandeliers

by FurnitureGuru on December 4, 2008

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (No Ratings Yet)
Loading ... Loading ...

The right tiffany table lamps can create the perfect ambiance to any room, on any budget, for any style. These are so unique and specific that professional decorators always start with lighting in order to bring out the attributes in a room and to draw a room together. Using the right kind can add a sense of joy and peace to a room. Obviously, darker rooms fair well with brighter rooms work well together. In general these can often be overlooked by amateurs and a floor lamp might be added as a last minute thought to the importance of lighting. If you are starting to decorate a room. If you are looking to accent an already decorated room, your task may be a bit harder.

This kind of piece gives a décor a freedom that others don’t. In reality, it can be more flexible and more decorative than almost any other style. tiffany chandeliers tend to overpower a room while they provide enough where it is most needed but doesn’t detract attention from the rest of the room. In the center of the room is the most important piece in the room, then placing a more highly decorative piece in the middle of the room will accomplish this. The use can work in almost any room, provided that the style of the light compliments the rest of room. Naturally, high ceilings are most appropriate for pendant lighting while lower ceilings can use a limited styling when it comes to these kinds of ideas. Hitting your head every time you pass under the light will only detract from the room.

Simple and stylish pendant lighting can work well in simple living rooms, high ceiling bathrooms, and even some kitchens, depending on the style of the lighting and the kitchen. They can also get more exotic as the size of the room increases. This in the master bedroom nearly always leaves room for significant creativity and open ended styles. Home offices and rec rooms also have potential for it. The most important key to using it is using the light to draw the room together while considering how well it will light certain areas of the room.

In offices and living rooms, glare can be reduced through the use of pendant lighting. A glare on a computer screen or television screen can be highly annoying. Using appropriately placed fixtures can reduce this glare and create even lighting for more specified spaces. Since these are not easy to move around once it is installed, this consideration should be addressed prior to hanging the light.

It can be very expensive, and many people will opt for a $50 floor lamp over the cost of a pendant light However, the specialized world allows for a higher level of creativity and personalization and is worth every penny of its higher than average price.