From the category archives:

Living Room Furniture

Today’s living room generally needs adequate seating, a television cabinet and side tables. Patterns and styles abound for sofas, couches, loveseats and settees. When looking for your pattern and style of seating, keep in mind current curtains and rugs. Do you want to replace them or match them? As you study seating arrangements, you may want to have your measurements handy. Keep in mind where the doors are, the fireplace if any and the windows. If you are sure of furniture placement before shopping, this can serve to narrow your choices to a manageable number.

Table lamps and free standing lamps also offer options for updating the look and theme of your sitting area. Traditional seating may be less comfortable than many of today’s more casual options. Still, some sofas combine a traditional look with a decidely relaxing fabric and seating style. Televison cabinets can be used for DVD storage or can be combined with a bookshelf to give a finished look to any wall. If the living room opens into the dining room or home office, you will want to consider how the living room’s look will appear next to the other room.

You don’t want to finish one room and find that it is in jarring juxtaposition to the adjacent area. Careful decorating can lead to a seamless transition. Lamps, colors, art and decor can provide a bridge from area to area without requiring identical styling.



Improving The Look Of A Room With Art Work

by FurnitureGuru on January 28, 2009

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I have been wandering about local galleries the past month over North Wiltshire, West Wiltshire, Kennet and South Wiltshire and found that the numerous art establishments be they in Chippenham Wiltshire or Malmesbury Wiltshire are packed with some fantastic local artists prints and a number of fantastic national artists prints. I decided to give a break down of some excellent painters who’s work is around at this time that are producing works that are of benefit having a look at. Art is for all of us and a good print placed in the correct space of a room can create a different kind of environment.

The 1st artist I needed to talk about is the Scottish artist Jack Vettriano who I feel is producing exceptional works of art if you are into film noir. For me when I look at his work I feel like I’m looking at some scene from an American detective scene or a scene from Miss Marple. Sounds a little flippant perhaps but place with that a strong aura of sensuality and strength and you will start to have a sense of his work. Jack Vettriano’s work can be seen in print all around the world and adds strong tones to a place when you need to add depth and tension.

The 2nd artist I needed to moves away from moody tones to uplifting large characters. I think Beryl Cook was one of Britain’s best creaters of British character scenes. Many people will recognise her characters as large ladies by the seaside, but the diversity of her work brings so much humour to normal scenes of normal people having a moment. Have a look as I’m sure she will make you smile, her work is light and raises the mood of a place.

The Third person I wanted to look at is Philip Gray the Irish artist who paints gorgeous atmospheric scenes that I feel are so dramatic and effective that you have a real sense how it might have been to be looking onto them in real life. His painting is very thought provoking using colours that only nature’s beautiful sunsets and dawns can provide. There is always a sense of dramatic quiet about his work and is really of benefit a look if you like dramatic landscapes. Most homes will benefit from pieces of this artists work.

The Fourth painter I needed to talk about was Duncan Macgregor who produces scenes that reflect his love of the sea. Many of his paintings have ships travelling through their expanse which for lovers of the sea like myself puts in points of focus in very reflective scenes of the sea. His work is often quite striking using strong colours to show the contrasts of the sea.

These are good painters to look at to give you a wide range of styles that reveal the huge effect art can have on yourself or other people as they enter a room. Art I think should be something that allows you to dream about something else outside of your day to day. It can make all the difference to a room with empty walls, providing just the touch you need to show an aspect of self.

Twin Futon Bunk Bed In Chocolate – Cinnamon Are Cost-effective Kids Bunk Beds

by FurnitureGuru on January 26, 2009

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There are so many preferences for people who love to decorate their house very often. If they are very well off and rich then they do think of renovating the house and its interiors every 5-6 six years whereas people who are not very rich and they cannot afford to renovate or change the interior decoration every now and then they can indeed try various themes, colors, motifs that can even change as per their mood with very affordable price. There are many alternative ways to deck up the interiors of our home and especially when we are on the way to buy some good stuff or some good furniture like the beds for our home, then definitely the Cool Bunk Beds are some of the latest and the most modern types of beds used by many people these days.

We have to be very careful while we spend money for our home interiors and we also have to be very selective and see that we not only buy the latest type of furniture but it also has to be durable so that we do not have to spend money very frequently. Bunk beds are very durable types of beds and they are not only beautifully designed with hardwood but are also space savers as well as money savers. Cool bunk beds are also made up with metal frames but generally the wooden frame bunk beds are most liked b many people because of the stylish designs and rates. If we take a little extra effort while we buy the furniture for our home then we can not only save money but also can get fashionable furniture because what’s inside our house is more important than the outside. Our home interiors speak volumes about our attitude to life and hence it is very important that we keep our house neat and tidy with good furniture like the Futon Bunk. Suppose the flooring, the wall textures, paint shades and furnishings are very good but the beds which are kept in the child’s room or the drawing room are old types, then everything looks dull. The bunk beds are usually the types of beds which can match with all the decors’ of the room very easily. A living room of wood where generally the whole family relaxes after the whole days work can prove to be the best relaxing room if it is maintained properly and if the Futon bunk is kept in this room then it will add wonders to the room.

Generally the futon bunk bed proves to be the right choice for people who live in small houses and even for the families who have teenaged children in the house because the futon beds can even turn to a relaxing sofa during the day time where as it can be used as a bed during the night time thus giving the person an opportunity to use it alternatively. When I wanted a Twin Futon Bunk Bed In Chocolate – Cinnamon for my house then I selected to buy the Twin Over Futon Bed in Chocolate – Cinnamon because this was the fantastic bed and it was also reasonable priced.

Should You Hire A Pro For Your Modern Living Room Interior Design Needs

by FurnitureGuru on January 21, 2009

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When it comes to interior design, this is something that is usually left to the professionals because they are the ones with the knowledge. The modern living room interior design is something that a lot of people are starting to get more and more interested with. The idea of going with a professional interior designer scares a lot of people because of the cost that is typically involved. But if you shop around you may in fact find that it is not as expensive as one may first think.

In addition, it may be worth the money you spend on a professional to do your modern living room interior design if you consider that their is a considerable amount of time and energy you can save in the process. To do the all the work of a modern interior design for your living room, there will certainly be a lot of work involved for you and you should consider whether the amount of time and effort is worth it if you do it yourself. If you lack the experience in doing this type of job, it could end up costing you more and you might be better of hiring an interior designer instead.

Doing It Yourself

If you are bound and determined to put together the modern living room interior design yourself then there are a lot of things that you need to do in order to make sure you have a decent shot at success. The modern living room interior design is luckily an easy enough one to start with if you lack a lot of experience with this sort of thing. You will first want to make a rough drawing or outline of what you would like the living room to look like when you are finished. Use magazine cutouts to piece together what modern living room interior design you would like to see in your own home.

As soon as you manage to piece together your living interior design plan, you will then have to prepare a list everything that you need in order to be able to complete the project in a reasonable amount of time. Avoid making use of the weekends just run to and from the stores to buy your supplies, instead try to save yourself some time by shopping for all the items you need at one time. At this point of your project, organization is essential and to be able to complete your modern living room interior design it is imperative that you plan your time and resources well, and execute the tasks according to your plan. You will see how much work is really needed in completing an interior design project and you will understand the importance of good organization when attempting to do this kind of project yourself.

This Detail Makes A Retractable Screen Door Unique In Exterior Design

by FurnitureGuru on December 30, 2008

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Innovative technological applications have made for some creative ideas in the world of home design. The use of screen doors is an excellent example of this creativity for exterior design, and it is a method of allowing for a controllable and aesthetic transition between inside and out. Additional manufacturing features not only make this a visually appealing option, it is also a feasible one as well.

In as far as aesthetics are concerned, these screens are hard to beat. A traditional screen or storm door will often appear bulky or clunky. And over time, years of being opened and slammed shut coupled with rough weather can leave them bent and simply unattractive. After awhile, they may work against the appeal of your home rather than for it. A retractable screen, however, is much more appealing to the discerning eye. Because the screen retracts back upon itself, it saves a comparatively large amount of space. As a result, you will hardly realize that the screen is there, making it appear sleek and open-aired. It simply blends in with the existing door frame. Moreover, because they rely on retractable opening and closing mechanisms, there is no persistent slamming and bouncing which causes unsightly damage.

Of course, there is more to these screens that their looks. They are also cleverly designed to make them applicable for prolonged usage – check out the garage screen door option! This helps to prevent future repair and replacement. One of the ways that these screens display such intelligent engineering is with their element resistant coatings. The nylon plastic used on the screen assembly has been treated to shield it from ultraviolet light and corrosive natural elements. Because your retractable screen will be on the front lines as far as the weather is concerned, all of the above features are vitally important to the beauty of the door.

All of these practical features go towards making these screens perfect additions to any home. Their sleek, open design makes them nearly invisible at a glance, and their housing only further incorporates them into the exterior. When you take all of these points into consideration, the true value of these screens becomes apparent.

Tropical Room Makeovers

by FurnitureGuru on October 24, 2008

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You don’t need a lot of money to make a great makeover. You can choose a safari theme, a rustic theme or a tropical room theme. What ever you choose you can make it happen without costing you a lot of money. Sometimes making a simple change to your room can bring new life to your old room. You can make your room as good as new and without going overboard on the price. Your relaxation and serenity may be waiting for you. If you don’t know where to start, read on.

Makeovers are the flavor of the season. Creating the perfect look for your home is a good idea once you have a definite look in mind. One popular style that has taken over home makeovers is the tropical look. Not only it gives a calming effect to the room, it creates the aura of a real tropical paradise of your own.

This look is very natural, yet elegant and consists of spaces decorated with items that produce a tropical kind of effect – natural fabrics that add tranquil effects to the rooms. The best way of going about such a makeover is to give your rooms shades of subtle yet bright colors. This can also be done by painting all the walls white or bright yellow and creating bright stencil designs in hot pinks, fuchsia or turquoise.

Adding more class to the effect can be an item that lays an accent on the theme. Wild looking plants, African art pieces, bamboo rugs and cane baskets can give the room an immediate tropical effect. More emphasis should be laid on wooden items like hanging plants in wooden baskets, a wooden sculpture of some tropical birds, or even a group of wooden carvings of wild animals. Combine these with tall green plants and a corner fountain for a blissful effect. An aquarium or a pet bird, preferably a parrot or a cockatoo in a wooden cage can give a more realistic feel to the décor.

You can also add some zing to the room by adding metallic bells and chimes. A huge metal plate can be hanged at the entrance with a metal hammer. Wind chimes are also a popular choice. Lights should be mellow and should highlight certain areas of the rooms like the artworks and other exclusive items.

It is always better to focus on bright accessories highlighting the room. Items like palm fronds can also be used to decorate the walls. You can also create a special corner in your home that has lots of tropical flower plants lined with shells.

Fabrics like curtains, table cloths, placemats and bed linen should be of hand woven material to give it the final classy touch. For more color impact consider a cotton area rug or a tropical printed area rug. Just make sure to co-ordinate the colors.

For the right products and luxury items that add a classy effect, it is better to locate a shop that offers both home and garden products. More unusual and accent giving products would be a wiser investment.

What Size Area Rug Do I Need?

by FurnitureGuru on October 9, 2008

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Living Room Rug Size
A normal area rug is a rug that consumes a large area of the room but in fact area rugs can be in any size from door mat to room size. You can use the area rug for your living room and even your dining room, bedroom and as a stair runner. You can decide whether you want a bold design rug with strong color combination or simple designed solid color area rugs. If your room is quite loaded with the collectibles, artwork, bookcases and with much furniture, you can opt for a larger, plainer rug which can calm the room.

Multiple Rugs
Your living room can be large which may lack human scale, and you are sitting alone and your guests are sitting far away in the room. Many area rugs are used to spread over large spaces with which one can really feel comfy in a large room. Firstly, you have to think how your large room will be used. Whether you want a natural focus area as in a fireplace or you want a gorgeous view from your window? Which area is sufficient fore keeping your stuffed chair, lamp and side table? Such large space area rooms can go well sized rugs. The effect is to make a large space in complex and human sized areas.

Smaller Rugs
Since many years, people have opted for small living room rugs. They used to buy Oriental rugs that suited their living rooms. Typically, it was seen that wall to wall oriental area rugs were being used with arranged furniture around its perimeter.

At present scenario, because of expensive hardwood floors, the living room rugs are sized as per the furniture alignment, as in the furniture do not stand on the rug but are aligned around the rug. So, when you sit on the couch, your feet will touch the rug area. You can then be able to appreciate the rug design and color as it is not hidden under the furniture. This rug can be used as the main rug in your living room and can be 5 by 8 inches centered in front of the couch and the end tables.

Cheap Rug For The Dining Room
You can opt for a cheap but quality rug for your dining room. There are various rug types designed in different ways in different rooms. It is better to save money and buy less expensive rug for the dining room.

Several Approaches To Beautify Your Living Room For Less

by FurnitureGuru on October 5, 2008

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The work on a home to improve its appearance can be an expensive endeavor. Replacing kitchen equipment, upgrading bathroom fixtures, and other beautifying improvements can all dig a deep hole in one’s pocket.

But there are affordable options available to make attractive changes. Consider your living room – the area that most home designs present when first walking in the front door.

If you plan to update your living room, but don’t want to spend a fortune – keep reading for 8 great tips on how you can redecorate this critical family space for less and keep more in your pocket.

1. Check the Classified Ads

Keep your eyes open for garage sales and, in particular, moving sales. Look for listings in higher-end neighborhoods where you’re more likely to find a nice couch for a discounted price.

2. Visit Auctions

Auctions and estate sales can be great for tracking down full living room sets, repossessed furniture and antique finds. Before you bid, make sure you have the money on hand and understand the legal implications of placing a bid on an item. Online and offline, a good auction can deliver some great deals.

3. Update the Lighting

By updating your ceiling fixtures and floor lighting you can instantly make a room look more modern. Replace old, dusty lamp shades with something more contemporary and take down those retro ceiling fans in favor of a hipper, cleaner fixture.

4. Get Some Free Inspiration

Browse through design books and popular decorating magazines at your local library to get inspiration. You can also use the Internet or tune into popular home design programs.

While these methods aren’t a replacement for a personal interior design consultant, they’ll help you build your own style file as you take your living room from freak to chic.

6. Start Cleaning

Often a thorough cleaning can really brighten a room for minimal cost, making it feel new again. Start by de-cluttering the space and getting rid of any items you don’t use on a regular basis. Then, invest in some storage solutions that’ll help you keep your clutter at bay. Ideally, you want the kid’s toys and Disney movies hidden from view.

From there, spend a little money on carpet cleaning and having your couch and curtains cleaned by a professional. Simple and inexpensive, professional cleaning is a great way to instantly make your home feel new again.

7. Create an Indoor Green Space

Plants are an inexpensive design tool that packs a big punch. Plants not only filter the air and regulate indoor humidity levels, they look good too. Create an indoor garden by grouping a collection of plants by an unused window.

8. Throw Down a Rug

An area rug is an affordable way to make a room feel comfortable, cozy and new, but without paying for wall-to-wall carpeting.

Seagrass Rugs

by FurnitureGuru on September 27, 2008

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There are many ways of decorating our homes. To aid us in this decision we can use man made products or natural products. Both of these choices offer an endless scope for decorating and we are limited only by the money that we choose to spend on these and our imaginations. One interesting way to decorate our homes is with rugs and carpets as these offer comfort and a sense of warmth to our lives. One type of natural rug that is fast becoming popular is that of seagrass rugs.

These rugs make an excellent addition to the decorator’s palette of items to select from in the field of interior decorating. Seagrass rugs are made from 100% natural products and provide and interesting look to the various places where you may have such rugs placed. Generally you will find that seagrass rugs have been grown and produced in China and India.

The seagrass is grown is paddy like fields. During the crop season the seagrass needs to be flooded with seawater to help the seagrass grow strong and healthy. With its tiny flowers and oval strap like leaves the seagrass is hand harvested and sun dried prior to being hand spun. Once the drying has been completed the seagrass can be spun into cords which are woven into the designs needed for the floor covering.

Since the seagrass has a smooth and shiny appearance you can use it in many different places in your home. Some of these places include the living room, the dining room and the bedrooms. It is not recommended that you use seagrass rugs for your stairs as they have a natural smooth finish. You can however use seagrass rugs for the rest of your living spaces.

As far as natural floor coverings are concerned seagrass is one of the most versatile and least expensive ones that you can buy. Unfortunately seagrass does not lend itself for dyeing therefore you can buy seagrass rugs in earthen tones like olive green, beige colors, sage hues, light brown and beige colors with a green tint to them. In addition you will find that due to the nature of the seagrass itself the rugs that are made from this fiber are not of a smooth texture.

This interesting texture adds to the charm of the seagrass rugs. So the next time that you are looking to decorate you home with inexpensive natural products you should look to see about quality seagrass rugs. With their innate beauty and hardiness they will make a lasting impression in your home décor.

Living Rooms Decorating Ideas And Tips

by FurnitureGuru on September 25, 2008

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Yesterday I was packing my hand me down items to move into my first small apartment that I was sharing with my girlfriend. Today I am helping my daughter pack her things to move to her first apartment. That’s the way is seems. I do not know what happened to the twenty-four years in between the two events but they are gone. My daughter is so excited about her first job and her first real apartment. She lived on campus for her first three years of college and then shared a house with several other girls her last year, but the house was furnished so this is her first chance to decorate her own space.
 
The apartment she was able to afford is a small one bedroom with a balcony. The bathroom was next to the bedroom and a nice size. The kitchen was the standard apartment U-shaped kitchen with appliances on one side and counter space on the other with cabinets lining the wall space. Two people could cook in it. The counter space could be used as a breakfast bar and had room for two stools. This counter was adjacent to the small dining area that had the patio doors that lead out to the balcony. She was on the second floor and her balcony overlooked the side of the building, which was a grassy area with a small flower garden. The living room was nice size however it was long and narrow. My daughter wanted me to help her with decorating ideas for a living room that was so narrow. One end of the space had a gas fireplace the other end was a blank wall there were two large windows on the long wall. It was hard to think of decorating ideas for a living room that did not have any furniture in it. She had saved enough money from her summer job to buy some furniture. Her father and I told her that she could have the bedroom furniture from her room at our house because we were going to convert it to a home office space. So she needed to find a small dining room set and living room furniture.

I suggested that we start at a second hand store that I have shopped at through the years to see if we could find a table and chairs as well as lamp stands and coffee table for the living room. This would give her more money to spend for decorating ideas for a living room space that was going to be a challenge. We found a great deal on the table and chairs; we also found two chairs upholstered chairs that were in very good shape. I suggested she buy them to make a grouping by the fireplace and then have a television watching area in the other part of the living room. This turned out to be great decorating ideas for a living room shaped like hers. She loves her space and the feeling of independence that it gives her.

More articles about Living Rooms

How to pick the right furniture for your rooms

by The Decorati on September 23, 2008

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how to pick furniture

The addition of beautiful furniture can greatly change how you perceive your home. To ensure you are happy with the value for the money you pay, you need to choose the right furniture for your lifestyle. In order to get furniture that works well for your home and family, you must first consider the style of the room and everyone’s needs. How do you start browsing for furniture?

For what purpose will you be using your room? you need to decide if the room will be used as a traditional dining room or will be used for something else. Would you prefer that this space be formal so that you can use it for entertaining, or casual so that you can use it for family dinners? Before you can decide what furniture you need for your room, you need to think about what the room will be used for.

How is the room decorated? Does the room have a traditional feel or a contemporary feel? Your selected furniture style will depend on this choice. Furniture with clean lines is usually considered to be contemporary, and classic style and design can be found in more traditional pieces. Contemporary furniture is often considered a piece of art

How big is the room? It’s important to consider the size of the room. You should pick out pieces that make sense with the size and scale of your room, in order to make the finished room function well. The scale and amount of furniture that you pick out should fit into the space easily, without making the room too full.

How much money do you have to work with? If your furniture doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg, you are likely to be a lot happier with it. Establishing a budget for your furniture expenditures will enable you to concentrate on looking for items of furniture that will be appropriate for your needs and your finances. Furnishings can cost a lot of money, so be sure to prepare a budget in the beginning. The simple guideline gives you a basis to start with.