Home Improvement Advice

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.

There is nothing like wood furniture to add elegance and beauty to a home. Whether it is a thick, all-natural butchers block table, an Art Deco wooden dresser, a simple mahogany dining room table or a sleek, modern coffee table, wood furniture is a staple in homes across America and the world. Make sure your wood tables, vanities and dressers stay gorgeous for generations to come with these simple solutions and guidelines.
Stain, Stain, Go Away!
Ever gasped after a child inadvertently left a giant scratch in the surface of your dining room table? Or cringed when a well-meaning adult accidentally knocked over a drink onto your beautiful wood coffee table? Well, fear not. One of the best attributes of wood furniture is that it is simple to touch up or renew its original luster.

Small nicks and scratches can usually be disguised with the help of a store-bought scratch cover product. For larger scratches, try using a felt tip pen or shoe polish in a color closely matched to the finish of the furniture piece. Shoe polish applicator bottles filled with the stain work well for the cover-up job, as do Sharpie markers. Coloring in the scratch is easy and surprisingly effective.

Get rid of pesky water spots on your wood furniture by allowing the spots to dry completely, then rubbing real mayonnaise onto it with a soft cloth, until the spots disappear. Erase color rings left on tables by cups and glasses with a homemade mixture of cigarette ashes and cooking oil. Prep the stain first by scrubbing it with an abrasive pad or sandpaper. Then, rub the oil and ash concoction into the wood.

And what about candle wax, marring the beautiful finish of your wood dining room table? Wait until the wax cools, then apply ice. Once the wax becomes extremely hard and brittle, gently scrape it off with a plastic spatula. Finally, polish the table with a rich cream polish, and buff away any residue.

Prevent serious damage to your wood furniture by taking care not to position it in direct sunlight. Unless you are going for the weathered picnic table look, shield all wood furniture from the drying influence of the sun. Also, protect your dining room table’s finish using an inexpensive table pad when the table is not in use.

When eating a meal or entertaining guests, use a tablecloth or placemats to protect the finish of a wood table, especially when serving hot food. Place hot serving dishes atop a hot pad and candle holders over a large felt protector with a plastic top, since plastic prevents wax from running.

Use coasters beneath all glasses and mugs to protect your coffee table, dining room table and wood dressers from unsightly rings and water spots. Beware, because not all coasters are created equal. Metal coasters can sweat onto the wood, and plastic coasters can react with certain finishes on some wood furniture pieces. So consider choosing wooden coasters with felt backing and a waterproof material on top to further ensure the longevity of your wood table tops. The best coasters are those that taper up on the sides, preventing leakage.

Proper Care and Cleaning
Polishing wood furniture every week goes a long way toward protecting the finish from damage and helping your wood tables, chairs and dressers look their best. Beware, though, of cheap polishes, or any polish that contains silicone or alcohol. Alcohol can do permanent damage to a wood surface, as can any household cleaner that contains ammonia. An excellent polish can be easily made at home, by combining lemon oil with 3 parts olive oil.

Now that you know about polishes, don’t forget to clean your wood furniture as well. Regular cleaning is especially important for coffee tables and dining room tables where food and drink are daily staples. Use a very mild soap, such as a diluted mixture of hand soap and water, as a cleaning agent for your wood furniture. And if you really want to ensure your dining room table or heirloom wood desk stays beautiful, have your wood furniture buffed and polished by a professional service once or twice a year.

Now you are fully armed to properly care for your wood furniture. And don’t be disheartened if you are unable to make a nick or small stain disappear completely. Signs of use can add character to a piece of wood furniture, and are often barely noticeable. Whether it is a dresser, coffee table, bookshelf, desk, or dining room table, wood furniture is the perfect addition to any home.

The bedroom is the living space where many individuals spend a large majority of their time while in their residences. Individuals with disabilities may encounter some difficulties in maneuvering, performing daily activities, and/or accessing furniture. There are many strategies, adaptations, and technologies that can assist an individual in the bedroom. Bedrooms should be designed for comfort, accessibility, and functionality.

Some individuals with disabilities require turning from side to side every 2 to 4 hours as a preventative measure in decubiti (pressure ulcers) care. Others may need to sleep in a semi- “sitting” position for other reasons such as bronchial problems.

Although significant or complete reduction in assistant care may not always be possible, greater independence and flexibility can be achieved through the use of motorized adjustable beds and hospital beds. This technology can also be beneficial to the personal assistant. There are a few differences between adjustable beds and hospital beds.

Hospital beds typically can be paid for by insurance and these purchases are usually processed with little difficulty. The choice in size is limited and it looks like a hospital bed. However, hospital beds have one feature not characteristically found in adjustable beds without significantly altering the price. The entire bed can raise and lower to accommodate preferences for transfers and assistant care.

An adjustable bed looks and feels like a regular bed and comes in various common sizes, i.e. twin, full, queen, etc. In addition, the head and feet can raise or lower to individualized comfort levels. There are also models capable of tilting, massaging and heating. The mattresses may be made of visco-elastic foam, air-filled, latex, and/or coil materials. These kinds of beds are aesthetically pleasing and easy to match with existing decor.

As the name suggests, an adjustable bed (also called a Semi-Fowler bed, as it places the patient in a semi-Fowler position) can be adjusted to a number of different positions. For individuals with certain types of back problems, sleeping on an adjustable bed that is at a slight incline (e.g. 30 to 45 degrees) may be comfortable, with the upper body positioned higher up than the lower body (as when sitting in a recliner) and some support under the knees to bend the knees at a slight angle.

The combination of upper body incline and the knee support can help take some of the stress off the lower back. Provided that the patient is comfortable sleeping in this manner through the night, this position can support the curves osf the spine and relieve pressure on the entire body.

Basically, an adjustable bed has the potential to help anyone who feels more comfortable in an inclined position (such as sitting on a recliner with the feet up) rather than when lying on a regular flat mattress. The following provides a few examples of certain back conditions and how an inclined position in an adjustable bed can sometimes help the patient feel more comfortable

For some people with degenerative spondylolisthesis, sleeping in a reclining position with support under the knees can reduce some of the pain discomfort in the lower back, making it easier to sleep through the night.

Individuals with osteoarthritis in the spine, or facet joint arthritis, often wake up feeling quite stiff and sore in the morning. Sleeping on an adjustable bed may possibly provide better support and therefore decrease the irritation by minimizing joint compression.
In addition, after having low back surgery, some patients feel that an adjustable bed is more comfortable than a flat mattress. Like most choices when it comes to mattresses, this is largely a matter of personal preference.

In general, it is reasonable for a patient to consider the option of an adjustable bed if he or she feels better sitting in a reclining chair with the knees supported or slightly elevated and if he or she is having trouble getting a good night’s rest on a conventional flat mattress. If a patient is not sure if they would benefit from an adjustable bed, or is not sure about buying a new bed, then it is also possible to use pillows to prop up the upper body (being careful to provide support for the lower back) and placing a pillow beneath the knees.

This article is a storage cabinets buying guide aimed at educating you on practical aspects of buying storing media and entertainment units. Let us face it, no matter how simple it looks; choosing CD/DVD/Plasma TV Stands Units is a tricky affair. Narrowing down on the options within budget and your requirement needs some thoughtful action.

Capacity & Space : Since media units are constantly on the expansion drive, it is important to choose the largest unit you can buy in the space you have on hands. Try to accommodate a bigger unit for the continually expanding CD and DVD collections.

Size of the room : Measure up the room and the area you need to put up the unit. What all would like to have in your media unit—Plasma/ DVD and CD players, speakers and other media collection? You get low-slung units that allow you all of it and some more space to display art and collectibles. Then there are regular media units with racks for storing CDs DVDs and music. Compare standard shelf size and determine the kind of space you will need to store and keep adding.

Some of the storage style options and their Shelving Units

Shelving Units : Shelving units are functional furniture pieces. Metal and wood shelving systems also come equipped with casters for mobility, and are found in all different sizes to fit in almost any dimension. There are modular units that can be assembled and dissembled easily and arranged the way you like, even hung from top. You get shelving systems in conventional and unconventional material for home and offices, bamboo shelving look great and bestow a room with a decorative and utilitarian value.

Bookcases : You have bookcases that can be used to store and display books and collectibles. Then there are ledger units that allow you the freedom to stack and display in style. You get units that allow multifunctional uses in style. Some bookcases are designed to be a combination of storage and display with a glass door and extra shelving cases and drawers for displaying art and collectibles. Pay attention to the depth of the shelves to accommodate larger books, ideally a 12-14 inch shelf is great for storing different sizes of books. Normally, bookcases are designed to stack against a wall to draw support, you can get creative and also use bookcases for dividing spaces, storing books, decorative and other uses. You get wooden bookcases constructed with hardwoods, glass, metal and a combination of material to fulfill modern and traditional decorative tastes.

Media Cabinets/ Entertainment Unit : Media Cabinets are available in all designs and sizes to accommodate sleek plasmas and TVs, and also provide space for storing collection and artifacts. Traditionally, media units were sort of shelving systems with limited space. Over the recent times, with media and storage consisting of CDs and DVDs, while the size of TVs getting slimmer, media units have come to mean modified Entertainment systems that allow you to stack your players and plasmas and collections and also allow open space to display. You can also opt for models placed on spinners with shelves on four sides, like those often seen in book stores for your collection.

Curio Cabinets : Curios are great furniture units with set of shelves and a large glass door. Normally used to store collectibles, glittering chinas and antique pieces, the curio shelving system is normally mirrored at the back and some are equipped with spotlights for display. It is a decorative unit often placed in the living area, and the designs are a great combination of wood and glass. Some even entail glass shelves for a transparent display. Used normally as a decorative unit, check out if the styling and design goes with the overall theme in your living area.

Wall Mounted Shelves : For limited space, wall-mounted shelves look great. You get free-standing units and wall mounted ones, depending on your availability of space and convenience, consider factors like mobility while deciding on the best choice. Once mounted on a wall, shelving units are difficult and time consuming to move them to another location, whereas free-standing shelves can simply be picked up and moved easily.

Corner Shelves : Corner shelves are useful as both free standing and wall mounted units. Usually fashioned to fit any wall corner between two walls, they are designed to save space and provide utility and decorative value to a space. Ideal for small spaces and apartments, you can buy corner shelves in different materials and turn it into a functional corner. Used in bathrooms, kitchens and lobbies to display and hold in style.

Shelf Liners : To protect shelves, you get liners made of cloth or plastic. They majorly help you protect the surface and make it easier to clean a shelving unit. Available in a range of color and finish, they are great for preventing slipping of small items through wire mesh shelves and can be cut to fit any size.

If you are lucky enough to have a bar in or near your kitchen, then you know what a useful place a bar can be. Those who live without a bar don’t know the way that it adds space and seating options and the way it allows families to gather for short or long times in a setting more informal than at the dining room table. My kitchen bar has become the gathering place for my children both before and after school. We use that spot so much that my wife and I knew we needed to be intentional about choosing the right bar furniture.

As an interior designer, I am always giving people advice about creating their ideal homes. The longer I have been in the business, the more I have learned that there are certain areas of the home that need to be focused on more. A bar nook is one of those places that I always encourage people to spend a little more time, energy and money being intentional about. I say this because of the frequency with which most people use their bar nooks. My advice to people is that they will use their bar nooks a lot more if they take time to do it well. I share with them that a bar nook can become one of the biggest gathering places for families. Bar furniture is a necessary step to creating this great environment.

Obviously, you want your bar furniture to match the style and feel of the rest of your kitchen and dining area, so don’t be too quick to rush off into plans that will make your bar nook stand out too much. My advice to people is always that they should have a unique element or two to their bar furniture without making them entirely other than the decor of the surrounding area. You want it to stand out and blend in at the same time.

One of the key features of any bar furniture should be comfort. No one will stay in an area long if it is not comfortable, so think about longevity and comfort when you are looking for the perfect bar furniture. Grab a few magazines and get ideas from other peoples’ homes. See what works and what looks like too much in the bar nook area. Magazines are one of the best sources of creativity, so use this resource and slowly gather ideas for your bar furniture. If you have an interior designer working with you, he or she will be able to really help you make this space effective as well.