Eco Friendly Furniture Refinishing

Author: Shelly Cruz
Eco friendly furniture refinishing helps to reduce our demands on the environment by preserving furniture created long ago, and prevents cutting down and wasting trees growing today. It also helps us to improve our homes with updated fine quality pieces of furniture that might otherwise be overlooked, and clog our waste dumps and landfills. Fine, old trees were cut down in decades or centuries past, and utilized in the production of furniture that is eventually in need of maintenance, not discarding. Old furniture finishes, especially twentieth century finishes including lacquer, turn dark, translucent, and finally semi-opaque, hiding the beauty of the wood beneath. An old finish is then susceptible to whitish heat and humidity marks, becomes brittle and scratches easily. If a new, natural wood finish strikes you as unappealing, then a vibrant, more contemporary colored lacquer finish may be applied instead. Perhaps a glossy bright yellow, orange, or blue is more what you have in mind for your old, tired looking Danish modern furniture ?

If you prefer a natural wood finish, keep in mind that beauty is skin deep, the damages are just to the finish, and you will start over when the finish is removed. If the old finish is removed using Eco friendly furniture refinishing techniques, then a new finish applied, the furniture can display the original beauty of the wood when it was created, with an antique patina that is irreplaceable. The quality and species of wood available and used then was generally better than what is available today.

Whether colored lacquer or natural wood finish is more attractive to you, there is little comparison between craftsmanship of yesterday with today’s shoddy manufacturing. Old furniture you find that was made more than twenty years ago, will outlast just about anything made today.

Eco friendly furniture refinishing is about more than just preserving old furniture, and not wasting resources to produce new flake board, melamine, laminate, or MDF and their waste products in the production of new furniture. Critical to Eco friendly furniture refinishing involves the use of less toxic strippers and removers to take off the old finish, prior to applying a new finish. Over the past fifteen years or so, removers have been developed to strip off old finishes, that are not lye based, or methylene chloride based. These modern, environmentally improved furniture removers include N Methyl-2 Pyrrolidone, or NMP, and other enzymatic removers that facilitate the removal of finishes without such toxic or ozone damaging chemicals as the older generation of furniture finish removers. Other Eco friendly furniture refinishing removers include the use of ceramic or quartz emitter infrared lamps to remove paint and heavily built up finishes, leaving no toxic remover waste or organic solvent to evaporate into the atmosphere at all.

Living on our planet today, we have a responsibility to tomorrows’ generations. Preserving our heritage and the environment is something all can appreciate. The vintage antique, or designer furniture we admire from the 50’s, 60’s, or 70’s, including Eames, mid century modern, space age, op art or pop art is often available in local thrift shops, or from eBay, from yard sales, or flea markets. Often, you need look no further than in your own homes to find candidates for refinishing. Open your imagination to wider refinishing possibilities for such handsomely designed furniture, and you will be helping yourself, our society, and the environment for a brighter tomorrow.

About the Author:

Olek Lejbzon & Co. takes care of all your furniture refinishing , restoration and re upholstery needs ranging from a single kitchen chair requiring re caning to refinishing, reupholstering, and repairing all of the furniture. For more information please visit: Eco Friendly Furniture Refinishing

Feng Shui Tips For The Bedroom

Feng Shui Tips for the Bedroom, By Kartar Diamond

While each bedroom is truly unique, and can be analised based on more specific criteria, there are some general tips which can help most people, most of the time. The premise of feng shui, is to create balance and positive energy, and to cater to the function of the room when possible. In other words, what may be appropriate for a bedroom is not necessarily appropriate for other rooms.

1. Avoid sleeping under large, heavy exposed beams. They can cause downward pressure and a chaotic flow of energy in the bedroom, eventually undermining health and triggering specific problems associated with body areas that are directly under the beam.

2.Avoid placing a bed in direct alignment with the entrance to the room. This means, DIRECT alignment, as if your entire body could be taken out of the room feet first, without bending the body. This direct alignment can also cause health problems over time.

3. Avoid having large mirrors, like mirrored closet doors, in the bedroom. Although they are extremely popular and common, a large mirror in a bedroom can bounce the energy around a room--to the extent that people can have their sound sleep interrupted.

4.Avoid sleeping with your head very close to a low window. This is simply draining. We lose most of our body heat from the head and feet.

5.Avoid having a TV or computer in a bedroom. Some people have few options for where to place these items, but they emit an electrical field which is not good to sleep close to.

6.Avoid a sloped ceiling. Once again, they can bounce the energy around the room and are not considered as stable as flat ceilings. The bedroom is for sleeping and re-charging yourself, not for adding more to your stress.

7.Close the bathroom door if the toilet is aligned directly with the bed. Feng Shui masters have been tracking the effects of sleeping too close to toilets for many decades now. It is not "ancient" feng shui since modern plumbing did not exist until relatively recently. Yet, documentation has shown that people are healthier if they sleep further away from the bathroom.

8.Unless you know specifically what your bedroom needs in the way of colors, then just stick to safe colors such as the lightest pastels or white. Every bedroom is truly unique and bold colors will emulate the elements. As an example, if you paint your bedroom walls Hunter Green, that resonates some of the Wood element. If you paint the walls blue, that vibrates some of the water element. There is nothing inherently good or bad about any color, but color will effect occupants differently depending on the "chi" in the room. As an example in extremes: lots of red color in the right place could enhance income and enhance fertility, but red color in a bedroom that should NOT have it, could only cause sickness, accidents or arguments.

9. No heavy lighting fixtures overhead or near the headboard of the bed. This is just plain dangerous and it also creates an oppressive feeling to have anything heavy looming near your head (even if you are asleep.)

10. Try to sleep in one of your best personal directions, based on your birth year. For instance, a woman born in 1951 sleeps best with her head to the westerly directions, such as west, northwest or southwest. Whereas a man born in 1951 sleeps better in the 'easterly' directions, which are east, southeast, north and south. To find out what your best sleeping directions are, plus a lot more, you can get Kartar Diamond's informative feng shui book at www.FengShuiForSkeptics.com You can also email Kartar with your birth date for a quick answer.

Why buy made to measure curtains?

If you are unfamiliar with what exactly makes a made to measure curtain (or any other custom-made fabric product for your home) so different from shop bought ready mades, this article might be useful to read before you start the custom design process.

The following are some of the most important advantages:

See it to believe it. We all know the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Unfortunately, with made to measure curtains, that saying doesn't quite apply. Many of the factors that make a made to measure curtain so extra special can't be seen in a picture. Custom curtains, for example, are fully lined, making them fuller and heavier. They weigh about 2 - 2.5 pounds per panel on average, whereas the same size, unlined ready made curtain weighs less than a pound. Of course, there are some ready made curtains that are lined. Unfortunately, most are lined with cotton percale fabric, which is a thin sheeting fabric with a low thread count. While it may help to block out the sun and prevent fading to some extent, it does little to add fullness to a drapery.

Lining makes the difference. Made to measure curtains are lined with a thicker polycotton fabric that blocks the sun in the best way possible (up to SPF 50). The polyester component in the lining gives a drapery more strength and fullness. Lining is especially useful in rooms that experience more moisture and evaporative fumes. That's because cotton captures and releases these fumes much easier, making lined window treatments a must in busy kitchens and bathrooms. As you see, the ideal lining is made of both cotton and polyester.

Tailored to your needs. Made to measure curtains are made especially for your room the way you'd like. Ready made curtains are designed to please the majority of consumers. These include curtains that are made with solid, neutral colors and standard sizes. If you need to dress a very wide nursery window in pink and brown toile fabric, you will have a hard time finding the perfect window treatment that you want. Decorator fabrics come in a wide range of colors, prints, and sizes, giving you endless custom options that most shop bought curtains don't offer.

A wise investment. On average, people who purchased made to measure curtains keep them on their windows for seven years. Ready made curtains are changed every one to two years. The quality of made to measure curtains is better, but going after the look that you really want instead of the look that is available will also keep you happy with your room for many years longer. Many of our clients tell us what a relief it is to finally see a made to measure curtain on their windows. Unique window treatments are not easy to find if you're looking for a specific look to fit your room. Most consumers start designing their rooms with matching furniture, pictures, walls, and little accents, only to see their designs come to a screeching halt when they realize that they can't find a matching curtain.

There are many more reasons why made to measure is better than ready made, but the most important one of them is simply value. made to measure curtains pay for themselves throughout all the years that they gracefully cover your windows.

Furnishing Your Home With Wicker Furniture - Part 2

Proper care and maintenance of wicker furniture will ensure that it stays in good condition for many years.

Brushing wicker furniture

Periodically brushing your wicker furniture using a brush with stiff, non-abrasive bristles such as a paint brush, vegetable brush or a tooth brush is the best way of keeping your wicker furniture looking clean and beautiful. The bristles should be soft enough to be able to get into the areas between the weave and yet stiff enough to have the adequate muscle behind it. Alternatively you could vacuum your wicker furniture using a bristle brush attachment.

Occasional clean-up using furniture cleaner or a mild detergent solution is good for removing stains and will help your wicker furniture maintain its high gloss and good looks. Lemon oil, applied lightly with a soft cloth, will help protect the finish and enhance the shine of wicker furniture.

Washing wicker furniture

Natural wicker furniture can withstand moisture, but only to a limited extent. Too much water over an extended period will leave it looking loose, limp and saggy. Here are a few important tips to remember when washing your wicker furniture:

• When hosing, tilt the wicker furniture so that the tighter weave is on top. This way the excess water can run down to the looser weave, which is below, from where it is easily wiped away.
• It is absolutely important that the weave spacing and pattern should not be disrupted during the cleaning process, especially when the furniture is wet. Wicker furniture will dry and set in any new position that it has been subjected to. If there is excessive pulling of strands, the weave is more likely to have large gaps in it when completely dry. Strands that are too far out of position could pull the entire piece askew.
• Let the wicker furniture dry completely before using it again. Sitting on it or placing any heavy objects on it while it is wet, could leave it looking misshapen when dry.

About the Author:

Get rattan furniture from http://www.rattanland.com/

Furnishing Your Home With Wicker Furniture - Part 1

Stylish and elegant wicker furniture is the perfect choice of furnishing for any home, be it a contemporary city apartment, Victorian country home or a vacation retreat. Made from natural materials including rattan, banana bark, willow and rush, wicker furniture comes in a wide assortment of weaving styles and colors that can complement and enhance any décor. Wicker furniture fits in easily with wooden and upholstered furniture, adding texture and warmth to any setting.

Wicker refers to the pattern and process of the weave as well as to the products that are made from these natural materials. When wet, these materials are varyingly pliable and can be woven employing different patterns. Being natural products, each material has its own unique, individual qualities and when dyed, each produces slight differences in color, which adds to the exotic and versatile beauty of wicker furniture.

Rattan, a solid-core vine found in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, is extremely strong and will not break, warp or splinter. Its innate strength and versatility make rattan a much sought after material for furniture. The natural fibers offer optimum comfort and its old-world rustic charm combined with its attractive casual look makes it appealing in any setting. Once solid rattan is woven, molded and set, its contours are permanently retained.

Natural wicker, while perfect for use indoors, may not stand up too well to adverse weather conditions and needs to be moved indoors when not in use. Weather wicker, which looks and feels like wicker but is constructed out of soft, woven vinyl is a better option for use outdoors. A synthetic material, vinyl is resistant to temperature variations, UV rays and rain and is easily cleaned making it ideal for use as patio and garden furniture. High quality weather wicker furniture resembles the beauty and design of the finest hand-woven, natural wicker furniture. Beautifully cushions in a wide array of exotic shape, sizes and colors add to the beauty and comfort of weather wicker furniture.

About the Author:

Get rattan furniture from http://www.rattanland.com/

Cleaning for Revival

Upholstery cleaning is a very useful means for reviving your home. Appearance, health, extended wear and air quality are among the reasons why you should become one of the many people that are taking benefit of this.

The nice appearance of your furniture can best be kept by having upholstery cleaning done in your home. Who would want to be the laughing stock of the neighborhood because of a dirty appearance of the upholstery? I can tell you, no one would. Therefore, you should start considering furniture upholstery cleaning! The result can only be an advantage to you, as your furniture will always look as good as new. Furniture upholstery cleaning can even be used in order to avoid the future damages of the upholstery, by spills and other home incidents.

Furniture Covers are a great way to keep your furniture clean, they are so easy and cheap to clean. All Covermyfurniture.com's covers are fully machine washable. You can't get cleaner or cheaper than that!

Carpet Cleaning

There’s nothing better than fresh, clean carpet. The way it looks, feels and smells right after it's been cleaned.

Having a pet can be quite an expensive proposition. Aside from having to care for your pet by feeding it, grooming and regular check ups, there are also other expenses that you might not have thought of. Keeping your home clean when you have a pet can cost more, and it can also be a matter of health. Many people are allergic to pets of one kind or another, with the most allergenic pets being cats and dogs. Unfortunately, for families that own pets, getting rid of them because of an allergy is not always an option. For this reason, keeping the house clean and free of pet dander is essential in having a home that's happy and healthy for the whole family.

Carpeting is a major investment in your home, and regular cleanings are necessary to keep it looking new. Just as the clothes we wear need regular washing to keep them fresh and hygienic, so carpets require periodic cleaning. Accumulated soil and grit are major causes of reduced carpet life, and enable destructive and health harmful mites and bacteria to work unchecked. Cleaning costs are minimal when you consider the replacement cost of carpets and furnishing, so regular cleaning makes economic sense too.

Blending Modern Contemporary Decorating Ideas

Eclecticism is a simple concept of merging themes together. You can mix a number of variables, and then start blending these together to create your own theme.

If you have a few design concepts in mind and do not know which one to choose, it may be a better idea to blend them together. Many people increasingly prefer the eclectic design approach.

So what is Eclecticism? It is a simple concept of merging themes together. You can mix a number of variables, and then start blending these together to create your own personal theme. It's a mix and match approach where you end up having all the good things although they may not belong to one original concept in particular. Although it may prove challenging, the end results often turn up to your liking. After all, it' about creating a harmonious flow of design concepts in your given space.

To begin with, find a common factor such as color. Once this is decided, you need to figure how the furniture is to be arranged and what needs to be discarded. You may have to spend some quality time thinking about this as the final output depends on this thought. Most of the times, you may find the decoration concepts conflicting with each other. The blend is what matters.
You can use a few ideas and modify them as per your taste. Blending these in the right proportion will give you a great look and feel.

Try the Country and Contemporary look. The blend in this case is called Modern Country. Here traditional country elements are used and fit into a new design concept. The new concept reflects the modern age and so includes gadgets and electronics.

Will the Greek theme suit your need? In this case the Greek themes are blended with Roman themes. The result is famously called Greco Roman. Originally these two styles are quite similar and are easy to blend.

Try blending the tropics in a modern setting. The Asian Art and Design is in preference in many countries, and tropical interiors mixed with a contemporary touch can be very pleasing to the eye.

You can begin experimenting with the above mentioned ideas. These are very easy to begin with. Once you have a hang of these styles, you can always add your own touch to polish the final look and feel.

You can graduate to other styles and try complicated combinations to bring about the unique look. After all, that is what matters. Otherwise, why would one think about evolving a new design concept when there are time tested ones already in existence. Creativity knows no bounds. However, even if you are not the creative types, the eclectic approach may well be your savior.

An Endless Source of Home Improvement Ideas

Home improvement magazines contain a plethora of house plan designs, renovation and decoration ideas for the kitchen, bedroom, living room, den and sun decks covering all types of houses and materials imaginable. There are so many, in fact, that the home improvement magazine industry has become a multi-million pound business worldwide, catering to every home improvement and renovation niche.

There are magazines dedicated to do it yourself projects like kitchen cabinets, outside Jacuzzis, above ground pools, patios not only on their printed versions but on their online versions as well. The explosion of the World Wide Web gave added momentum to the publication of home improvement magazines because the web gave them even more exposure, globally and in real time.

More and more home improvement magazines are now publishing their issues on their websites including up to date tips and information on home appliances, materials, paints, wall papers, and other home improvement related products making it virtually impossible for the wife or DIY enthusiast to miss an issue.

Reading and browsing these magazines enable you and me to pick up ideas from various dependable sources, compare them and finally choose the better one or incorporate them in designing our own homes and the rooms within, especially the kitchen, bathroom, master bedroom and the living room.

Some sites even offer a virtual tour or a walk through of particular designs and models in order to get a first hand and realistic interpretation of how it would actually look like even before the first nail or screw is bought!

This innovation of the online version compared to the printed version is enough to inspire us to make necessary renovation changes in our homes and kitchens. You can even have real-time modification of changes you want from color, to material, to appliance placement and cabinet construction including effects of the various types of lighting fixtures.

Bringing your renovation ideas to reality however may be a pretty expensive option if you follow the home improvement magazine advice and techniques to the letter. What you see on screen and on the printed page look really good and beautiful because they do not have any financial constraints like you and me. However, with careful planning and judicious choice of materials, you can without a doubt duplicate that very striking cabinet on the page in time for your wife’s birthday!

Continue browsing and reading those home improvement magazines and pick out the styles you want; when the right time comes, you can then bring them to reality in your own home at considerably lesser cost and without jeopardizing your budget!

About The Author:

Vincent Yim - founder of http://TropicalHomeImprovementIdeas.com

Save Your Sanity: Use Loose Covers

Many people don't think about loose covers when it comes to redecorating their home, yet loose covers are an inexpensive tool that not only protects but also renews the look of your furniture.

If you've spent several hundred pounds on a furniture suite for your living room, getting exactly the right color and fabric you wanted, you might wonder why on earth you'd want to hide that perfection with slipcovers. Well, the answer is simple. Accidents happen. It's better to strip off a removable loose covers and throw it into a washing machine, then have to re-upholster or replace the damaged fabric on one of the pieces of furniture of your perfect living room suite.

Because loose covers are easy to put on and take off, there's no need to have them on all the time, of course. Many people reserve them for certain occasions - for example when they are entertaining a group of kids during a birthday party.

Loose covers don't just come in demure white or other solid colors. They come in floral patterns, in geometric patterns, even in plaids. They come in themed patterns - sports, holidays, and so on.

Most people don't want it to be obvious that they have loose covers on their furniture, they want it to look as if the material on that furniture is what came with it originally. And with made to measure loose covers , this is easily achieved.

Loose covers, therefore, are used not only to protect the original upholstery of your furniture, but also to give a new look to old, faded upholstery, so that you don't have to go to the expense of re-upholstering it.

More than that, loose coversare used in situational relief - to brighten up a holiday or birthday party, for example. And if you've got a bunch of old, mis-matched furniture, the easiest way to make them look like a matching set is to buy a set of matching loose coversfor them!

About The Author:

Adam Peters is the editor of http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com/.

Can you cover Leather Furniture?

You can a Leather Sofa but we have to advise that there maybe some slight movement when loose covers are applied to a leather surface due to the slide effect of the leather underneath. A solution to this can be to insert some sort of foam batting underneath the loose cover to prevent it from sliding. This can be purchased at most Craft shops and Haberdasheries.

How long do loose covers take to make?

The actual making of the Covers is usually 3-4 weeks, this is because the measurements and pictures you supply are used by skilled craftsmen and women to manufacture the covers by hand. Using the finest materials and applying frequent quality checks to ensure that your satisfaction is guaranteed.

The quicker you can supply us with the necessary measurements and photographs means we can begin the manufacturing process as soon as possible..

Can you cover Wing-back Chairs?

We really can cover almost any style of furniture using any fabric in the stretch covers range. The cotton and non stretch fabrics will not give a great result on complex designs as there is no give in the fabric. If you are at all unsure about your furniture style, you can either send us photos or we can send you a disposable camera (in a pre-paid envelope), which we will process for FREE! We will then be able to give accurate advice before you order. The vast majority of furniture styles are perfectly suited to any of our fabrics.

Please have a look at some of the different style of furniture we can cover!

Kitchen Window Ideas

Kitchen windows are great to dress up with brand new window treatments, either to change a look or create a dramatic effect. Ironically, the vast selection of window treatments makes it a little difficult to choose which one is right. Here are some ideas you can try to help you with your choice:

1. The size of your kitchen

Size does matter when choosing window treatments for your kitchen window. Don't overwhelm your small kitchen with large, bold prints. Choose smaller prints and lighter colors instead. Use accents sparingly. A drape over the window creates a great look, but it might devour a lot of space and make your kitchen window look ridiculously tiny. Work with your kitchen window size and you can't go wrong.

2. Have a large kitchen window?

Use a swag or a valance from which to hang curtains from. You can also use ruffled curtains to create a lovely country look. Want it plain? Go for the more structured tailored look and add a few accents like a colorful tieback, for example.

3. Do you want more privacy?

If you want more privacy but want to let in light, choose sheer printed curtains or louvered blinds. Roman blinds also work well or half-panel curtains that only cover a portion of the kitchen window. These window treatments allow a partial coverage without totally keeping you isolated in your little nook. They also give your kitchen a great look without a lot of cost.

4. How much light?

When deciding on which window treatment to use for your kitchen, determine how much light you want to let in. While it's always a good idea to encourage a lot of sunshine in, there might be times in the day when you want to reduce the glare. If you do, go for sheer curtains topped with printed fabrics or go for slightly thicker curtains and drapes you can tie back if you want more light.

About the Author:

To learn more window treatment ideas, visit http://www.windowtreatmentideas101.com

I can't believe the difference they made...

I was initially a bit sceptical of how these covers were going to fit my sofa, especially as I had taken the measurements myself, I am the most least hands-on person you could ever meet. I was also very surprised at how easy it was to measure my sofa, the measurement guides were very useful and simple to use. The sofa covers have far excelled my expectations, and I can honestly say that they are perfect and could not be improved on.

Our living room now looks completely revitalised without the cost of having to buy a new suite.

Lucy Mews
Berkshire

Can you fit Loose covers to Sectional (Unit) Furniture?

Unfortunately there is no easy answer to this question. Due of the different types of sectional furniture, such as ones with reclining parts and removable arms that can cause problem with the standard covers.

If you have a sectional sofa we can easily advise be seeing pictures of the furniture. You can either send us photos or we can send you a disposable camera (in a pre-paid envelope), which we will process for FREE!

Can a Parker Knoll recliner chair be recovered?

Being a Parker Knoll doesn't cause any problem, however for this particular type of chair it would be very difficult for you to measure and fit the covers. This is mainly due to the mechanics of a Recliner.

It would be advisable for you to contact a loose cover specialist or reupholsterer, Plumbs would be the ideal company help and advise for this particular type of furniture as they have the skills and expertise to offer a Home Consultation service.

For any unusual piece of furniture you want covering, we can send you a disposable camera to take pictures and we will process the film for FREE! With no cost or obligation to you.

Decorating Your Home: 5 Style Tips that Cost Less than £110

Do you dream of adding style to your home but don’t have a lot of money? Don’t despair! There are 5 things you can do that will help your house look beautiful without spending much money.

1. Make display surfaces pretty.

A key element in houses that are decorated by a professional rather than want-to-be is the art of accessorizing. Flat surfaces such as mantels, bookcases, and coffee tables are the perfect places to restyle for less. The one important point here is to keep it simple. Bookcases should only be 2/3 full. A mantle should not have mirror above it (a very dated look) – choose artwork instead. Place no more than three items on an end table – cluster these varied but related items together for more impact.

2. Paint to Impress.

Paint, as you know, makes the most dramatic change for the money. Be bold, be daring and most importantly -- don’t do white! Choose a complex color. This simply means if you would use several different words to describe the color than it is probably complex. For example; if you said it was a kinda “gold, straw, beige-y color” than it is probably a complex color. If you said “just yellow” - it probably is not a very inspiring look. A beautiful color on the walls can make the room go from ordinary to extraordinary in less than a day and usually for less than £25.

3. Make it personal

Decorating your house is a job but styling your home is fun. Personalization is putting your interests, hobbies or values into your décor to really make it your own. Buy simple – read inexpensive - curtains at your local big-box store and then buy exquisite wide ribbon to hot glue on the edge. Use your grandson’s first sneakers to tie back the den curtains. Use some family photos but just promise not to use too many. A guest coming for a visit may find all those staring eyes unnerving.

4. Change with the seasons.

You know the drill – lighter brighter for spring/summer and darker richer for fall/winter. This easy task of changing the fabric items around the home can help you make it seasonal. Change out placements, bath towels, and accent pillows. The final touch is to purchase a seasonal bouquet of flowers: fresh or fake- these centerpieces can add punch to a room.

5. Change the colour of your Sofa.

You can now make dramatic changes to the look of you living room furniture without the expense of replacing Sofas & Chairs. For under £109 Covermyfurniture.com can now offer you many different colours, patterns and styles to make a Sofa not only look brand new but to give your decor a new lease of life.

Decorate your home by spending time not money in decluttering, painting and accessorising. By following these simple tips, you can make a huge impact by bringing your home from average to spectacular for very little money.

About The Author

Julie Dana is a professional Interior Redesigner and Accredited Staging Professional. Her company, The Home Stylist, offers online decorating consultations, do-it-yourself decorating plans and real-estate staging.

Visit http://www.thehomestylist.com to take a fun style quiz, vote on a color poll, and sign up for free decorating e-newsletter.

Spirit of Individuality

Changing the style of your home can be a gradual process, built around specific furniture or individual architectural details within a home. Today it is very easy for people to get bogged down or stuck in a style rut, especially in the home. Interior design trends change as often as fashions in clothes, but it’s a bit harder to change the style of your home like you would a pair of jeans.

Joanna Whitworth, co-founder of Covermyfurniture.com says: “We’re seeing more decorating trends following fashion. In the past, fashion was very minimal, now it’s more established. So today’s rules say it’s okay to mix styles, for example, to put in a clean-line sofa in a more traditional setting and visa versa. People are no longer pigeonholed into one style, everything adds up to personal taste.”

This is great news for those of you who want instant results in your home without having a complete overhaul in order to keep up to date. It is also a fantastic way to really express your own personal tastes, enabling you to keep the look your own. One way to really express the spirit of your individuality is through Covermyfurniture.com’s various furniture cover designs. The collection of designs available reflect a range of individual styles that will let you mix and match, allowing you to express yourself through your choices.

The new movement of “trad-modern” i.e. the fusion of modern materials and traditional designs is the perfect trend to follow for those of you who want to put your personality into your home, think retro, art-deco, modernism & Baroque but with a modern twist. Covermyfurniture.com’s Mandara and Tico ranges have a modern take on the classic floral design and are available in a choice of the most popular living room shades. A cover in this design would really capture “trad-modern” when put over a sharp edged contemporary sofa or chair.

If you are a nature lover, home design is also taking on environmental motifs. Even if you can't be outside, you can still bring the outdoors indoors, bringing calmness to your inner spirit.

The Wisteria and Folly range is for all garden lovers who want to bring the outside in! The fabulous flowers will bring your furniture alive and look particularly good on conservatory furniture. The Folly covers really have that wow factor! You can choose from red or pink for a really dramatic look and they look great if you mix and match them with plain covers in your room.

So with the current interior trends promoting individuality, what better way to do it than with a cover from Covermyfurniture.com? During May, Covermyfurniture.com is offering 50% off all chair and sofa covers and is also running a special offer on its Romo range of sofa covers. From 12 May until 31 May you will be able to purchase a made-to measure sofa cover from the Romo range for just £99. The range is available in a choice of 6 popular plain colours, including rich cream, duck egg and deep rose.

The Kid Proof Sofa

The days of putting off the purchase of a new sofa until the children get older are over. Donning the attitude that sleek interiors and sticky little fingers can go hand in hand, Covermyfurniture.com have created sofa covers that can withstand the rigours of child raising while serving a multitude of functions - eating, sleeping and jumping to name a few.

Covermyfurniture.com’s made-to-measure covers are easily removable and machine washable, so if you are a parent or grandparent, you can now stop worrying every time a pizza gets dropped or a drink gets spilled!

The covers incorporate sturdy, kid-proof styles that are not only durable, but incredibly practical. Available in contemporary floral designs, chic patterns and popular plain colours, the covers will instantly transform the furniture in your room as well as act as a reliable barrier to your much loved sofa. Easy to re-fit, they can be machine washed time after time.

Joanna Whitworth, co-founder of Cover My Furniture says; “So many parents and grandparents make do with loose throws to protect furniture from the kids… however, these can sometimes not look that great. Covermyfurniture.com provides a stylish tailor-made product, so the frame of your sofa doesn’t have to be hidden away.”

Get the British Touch Anywhere...

British expatriate numbers have been increasing annually for many years. According to various studies by Barclays Bank and the Office of National Statistics, one million of us have migrated permanently to live abroad in the past six years. We Brits have always had a reputation for exploration, both in terms of travel and lifestyle, because we have an insatiable appetite for enriching our own experiences.

Whatever our reasons for migrating, the one thing we all dream of is setting up the perfect home. However, the reality of creating a living space away from our home country can be somewhat different to the fantasy.

Accommodating shops that close for 3 hours at lunch time can take a while to become the norm, especially when the shopping is limited at best. Not all of us are gifted bi-linguists either. Not speaking the language of your chosen country can impose many difficulties, particularly when you are trying to explain what fabric you want for your new curtains, or the shade of paint you want for your living room.

Missing loved ones also means that many of us yearn for a bit of familiarity and crave that ‘British touch’ in the home – of which quality and designs cannot be found in most overseas countries. The DIY and interiors market in Europe is also a lot more expensive, not to mention much more limited than the UK market.

If you long for top quality furnishings in your home that you can’t get hold of in your adopted country then you need look no further than www.covermyfurniture.com.

The recently launched online, made-to-measure furniture covering service was set up with the needs of British expatriates in mind. Cover My Furniture customer service manager, Jackie Thompson says: “Cover My Furniture has a unique ordering process that means no consultant is required to come into your home to measure the furniture/items you want covering. You actually do some simple measuring yourself. The great thing about the process is the benefits to those living abroad who want quality, UK designs delivered to their doorstep, without the usual hassles involved… not only are the designs in keeping with British fashions but the covers will fit your furniture like a glove”.

Joanna Whitworth, Co-founder of Cover My Furniture continues: “Covering a piece of furniture with Covermyfurniture.com also means that you will have a sofa or a chair that actually looks like a brand new piece… however, you won’t have had to fork out the extortionate transportation costs that shipping a new piece from Britain would incur”.

Are women the real DIYers?

Well it certainly seems so. A new phrase "Handy Mandy" has been coined by Halifax Home Insurance to represent female DIYers. Research by the Halifax reveals that women are now taking over from their Husbands and Boyfriends to take charge of the DIY in the home.

Read the full story here...

Change the look of your home in an environmentally friendly way

It is a fact that the success of recycling is of utmost importance to our society and to make it really work, everyone needs to participate and do their bit. With kerbside recycling schemes being rolled-out across the UK, we are all becoming more aware of the need to partake in the three ‘R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle.

Mountains of waste are being dumped in landfills every year. Though we are all pretty well educated in the processes of recycling small items like aluminium, glass, and paper, how many of us realise just how easy it is to recycle larger items – like a sofa or armchair.

Many of us would like to change our homes the same way we change our seasonal wardrobes, but few of us can actually afford to. A recent survey* carried out to cast light on people’s interior tastes revealed that 60% of people could only afford to redecorate their homes every 2-5 years, even though the same percentage said that their tastes actually changed from year to year.

Luckily now, not only is there a more affordable, stylish and easy solution to instantly change the look of your home, but there is an environmentally friendly one too, enabling you to ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’. Rather than spending a fortune on this season’s fleetingly fashionable designs, or putting up with a shameful suite, you can give your piece of furniture a stunning new look using a unique service: made-to-measure, furniture covers from Covermyfurniture.com.

Says Joanna Whitworth, co-founder of Covermyfurniture.com: “Interior fashions are changing faster than ever. But big items of furniture are too valuable to simply scrap when they go out of fashion. Whatever the shape of your furniture we can cover it – and it makes much more sense environmentally to revive your furniture rather than consigning that much-loved sofa to the skip!”

In the same survey, 33% of respondents used loose covers on their furniture, yet 77% don’t like the look of them. Covers from Covermyfurniture.com, however are made to fit your furniture like a glove, making it look like a brand new piece.

*Carried out by Koan Ltd

Fresh Looks – Bright Ideas

Top 10 Tips to Brighten Up the Home this Spring

There’s nothing like spring to give us all a breath of fresh air, just when we need it most. And after a long, dreary winter, it’s a delight to see the arrival of vivid colours. Winter’s palette is mostly neutral: white snow and dark bare branches, so it’s fun to feel cosy with warm colours and soft feathery fabrics. But now spring is finally around the corner, a cool, fresh look is more alluring.

If you’re stuck for ideas on how to revamp your living room this spring, the experts from the new online furniture cover service, www.covermyfurniture.com are here with their top ten tips on bringing the freshness of spring into your home.

Joanna Whitworth, Managing Director of Cover My Furniture says; "Colour is the essence of spring. Think duck egg blues, perfect pinks, fuchsias, and brilliant greens – these incorporated into the home will freshen up any space".

1. Cover Up
   Do you have a dark, tired looking chair or sofa? Spring is the time to change them for lighter, brighter alternatives. www.covermyfurniture.com has a range of made-to-measure furniture covers that capture the spirit of spring, and the floral contemporary designs and chic patterns will instantly transform the furniture in your room. Covers have never looked so good.


2. Lighten Up
   Change your lamp shade and match your lighting to the season – lamp shades are the shoes and handbags of the design world, so don’t be scared to experiment.


3. Rethink Rugs
   Cosy, thick rugs look just right in winter. But when the temperature rises its time to roll them up and replace them for spring cotton alternatives in light, cool colours. This is also the perfect opportunity to have heavy rugs cleaned or repaired.


4. A Room With a View
   If your furniture is centered in front of a fireplace, think about ways to rearrange the look for spring. Try and change the focal point to a view of a garden scene.


5. Create an Inviting Porch
   Spring living often moves out to a porch or deck, but even if your home doesn’t have these amenities, you can get the look and feel of a porch inside. Introduce a few garden chairs, accessories, and floral fabrics into a family room - you’ll get the feel of the outdoors every time you sit back and relax.


6. Store Silks
   Remove dusty silk flower arrangements from your rooms and store them away for a few months. Instead, bring in fresh green plants and flowering pots. These lively touches can breathe life into winter-weary spaces.


7. Re-Accessorize
   It’s time to rework your accessories and makeover your shelves. Clean off winter dust and replace heavy objects with a selection of lighter, brighter alternatives. Set up a collection of pitchers or glass, and include plants and picture frames as well.


8. Think Sheer
   Sheer curtains and sheer tablecloths shout spring louder than any other element. Look for plain, embroidered or printed sheer designs to complement your interiors.


9. De-Clutter Now
   Look for organising solutions for your home. Any spot that is overcrowded or unorganised can drain your energies.


10. Clean out the Fireplace
    Now is the perfect time to sweep away the ashes of winter fires and start fresh. Fill your fireplace with an arrangement of candles, or an attractive folding screen covered with summer fabrics.

Covermyfurniture.com is finally here...

Cover My Furniture is a mail order, international furniture covering service with many years of experience in the textile and cover solutions industry. The company makes exact made-to-measure covers without even stepping a foot through the customers door. Customers do the measuring, no consultant comes into their home, it’s a straightforward Do-It-Yourself process.

The covers are available in a range of contemporary designs on a choice of practical and washable fabrics.

The service is perfect for:

• Busy people looking for a stylish, new look for their prized sofa or chair
• Home lovers who fancy a bit of fashion fun for their furniture
• Parent/grandparents who desperately need machine washable covers

Unique benefits of the covers

Value for money - If you have decent quality furniture then the covers are excellent value for money. Often the framework of furniture is fine but the fabric may be wearing or it is simply time for a change of scene. The covers are cheaper than new furniture which means the piece of furniture can be re-decorated as often as wanted! Everyone will think it’s new, because it looks it.

Covers for all the seasons - The covers are a fun and stylish alternative to buying new furniture. Generally speaking they cost a lot less which means you can change the look of furniture as often as you like. And not only is it cheaper but it’s often easier to buy covers.

Less hassle - Finding time to buy new furniture can be a struggle, so can getting rid of the old stuff. How easy instead to simply purchase covers online and then slip them on when they arrive. New covers are much easier to get through the door than a new sofa.

Practical - Easy to slip on and off for washing especially if you’ve got children who love spilling things onto the sofa!

The process is simple; it takes just 4 easy steps:

1. Go to http://www.covermyfurniture.com/ and choose the colour and type of fabric you want for your chair or sofa. The range has colours and patterns for all the seasons - the possibilities are endless.
2. Take a picture of the furniture you want covered, using a digital camera and send it back to Cover My Furniture. If you don’t have a camera, a disposable one can be sent.
3. Cover My Furniture will then send you a bespoke measurement chart for you to fill in – don’t be scared, it’s like joining up the dots.
4. Once Cover My Furniture have received your measurement chart and a balance payment, your new cover will be delivered directly to your home within 28 days.

For more information, fabric samples or a free Cover My Furniture brochure please visit the website; http://www.covermyfurniture.com/ or call 01772 838 308.