Forward Furniture

Stress Busters – Home Décor

2007-10-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Adults and children alike are prone to stress. Be it managing a career, home or school stress surfaces at some point in time. With competition and pressure to live to expectations being on the increase, the individual is always trying to achieve balance among things that require attention and the only safe haven for most, is a special space at home. This niche, the most relaxing, comforting and safe zone has to be maintained such that it permeates a sense of calm and still be functional.

The process of creating and maintaining a relaxing environment at home could itself be the most effective stress buster.

First of all, remove the clutter. Overcrowded space hampers clear thought as you are always bumping into and sorting out the clutter occasionally, but it is always there to be cleared again. Restructure and organize things for good.

A lot of natural light is good. Changes in furnishing, color of the curtains, and open windows bring change, especially if it’s a closed air-conditioned space.

Closed, cool spaces often need to be aired-out to get rid of any harmful organisms thriving there. An airy and better-ventilated space enhances its usage.

Soft colored and textured fabrics often give a relaxed feel. Be it clothing, pillows, bed linen, upholstery or cushions; do try out a different texture occasionally.

Indoor plants and fresh flowers add a lot of greenery and color especially if you cant afford space for a traditional garden. Altenatively you could add a windowsill garden or a terrace garden feature to your living space.

There’s nothing like the effect of flowing water in the role of a stress buster. A water feature or an indoor fountain adds vitality to the living space. Alternatively a well maintained indoor aquarium is a good option.

Aromatic candles, soaks and the likes are most likely to melt your stress away.

Homemade food could be another way to beat the stress both for the person who prepares the meal and the other members of the family. Adding an artistic touch to the preparation and serving of the meal makes it an enjoyable experience.

Most importantly, create a comfort zone in the house that most reflects your personality, where you can be yourself during all situations.

The next time you are stressed, just curl up in that cozy zone at home, cook or enjoy a hearty meal, watch the fishes in the aquarium, the flowers and plants around you and feel the difference a well maintained home décor could make.

Latest Trends in Massage Chairs and Recliners

2007-10-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

At the end of a day’s hard work, all you want to do is slump into the most comfortable furniture and relax for a while. Sofas and beds allow you to either sit upright or lie down. That’s where the recliners and rocking chairs come the rescue especially if the recliners and chairs are heavily cushioned and are fitted with massage facilities. There are many models of such chairs to suit every budget.

What started off as simple recliners fitted with mechanical vibrators, massage chairs have evolved to use robotics, thermal and air pressure devices to provide total massage to the whole body. These chairs also come fitted with memory chips using which your choice of massage modes and massaging speed are stored, to be replayed for next use. Also, using robotics, the effect of a manual massage is simulated. These chairs mainly offer two forms of massage based on the manual Swedish and Shiatsu forms. Shiatsu, the Japanese form is based on acupressure method and is carried out by applying thumb pressure while the Swedish form is a combination of eight kinds of strokes like rolling, stretching etc.

Certain models have ergonomic sensors, which locate the stiffness in the body and address those areas. They also sense the body dimensions and re-adjust accordingly such that the body fits correctly in the chair. The chairs combine actions like vibration, rolling, kneading, and pressure application to provide a totally refreshing experience. Few of these chairs also offer stretching action. Additionally, the chairs could have an integrated or a separate foot massager.

There are many brands in this niche market like Omega, Premier, Ijoy, Human Touch, Panasonic and Sanyo. These products are available for both home and office use. When the massage system is not in use, they could be also used as simple recliners. Upholstered in leather, suede, vinyl with additional detachable cushioning and head rests, these chairs add to the interior décor of the your space.

While you could watch television when enjoying a massage, technology advances have helped creation of massage chairs that come with speakers and sub-woofers built into them. The speakers are capable of connecting to your existing music system like an MP3 player or Ipod so that you can experience a personalized surround sound effect and relax completely.

A refreshed mind and body, free from aches and pains and of course improved blood circulation and mobility are all the advantages of a massage. In modern times, when we are under constant pressure for time and other resources, a massage chair could help us get back on track right in the comfort of our home or office. It doesn’t come cheap though, however, in the long run it’s worth the investment. Don’t be discouraged by the price tag, there are models ranging from $500 upward, so do locate the product most suited to your needs and soak in the experience.

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The Benefits of the Zero Gravity Chair

2007-09-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

Does your back hurt even when you are sitting down? Tired of sitting in an uncomfortable chair all day long? Do you want to recline on a chair that is both comfy and cozy at the same time? Fret not anymore. Introducing the Zero Gravity Chair, which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) originally created for astronauts who are in space for such a long time. When they take off, these astronauts sit in a position where their feet are propped higher than their hearts. This kind of position remarkably diminishes the pressure impacted on the spine when they journey at top speed.

When you are standing or sitting down on an upright position, gravity renders force on the spinal column that induces the spinal discs to constrict and spinal muscles to shrink in order to sustain equilibrium. A person who experiences back pain would have difficulty in this position, especially for long hours. Once gravity is not present anymore, your muscles are in a relaxed state and the spinal discs go back to their natural size and shape.

The Zero Gravity Chair is believed to decrease the pressure put to the body when it is in an upright position. Through the extension of the legs higher than the heart, the spinal column becomes relaxed. Some of the benefits in using a Zero Gravity Chair includes:

Decreased force on the spinal column
Decreased tension on the heart
Alleviates muscle tension
Decreased force on the heart and enlarged lung capability
enhanced blood circulation and enhanced blood oxygen levels
Maintain the health of the spinal discs
Helps keep the spinal muscles relax

By using a Zero Gravity Chair, it helps you to maintain a good posture even when you are working or doing leisure activities since it is made of materials that conform to the natural shape of the spinal column as well as render complete upper back and lumbar support so, you would be able to avoid the tendency to appear hunchback. The Zero Gravity Chair allows you to easily lay down in an erect position, completely recline and get off the chair at the same time, which makes it a very convenient and comfortable fixture. And what is more is that it is ideal for people who have chronic lower back pain.

Aside from providing a great sitting and reclining experience, some Zero Gravity Chairs come with a massager or reflexology tools that help you relax and ease pain in the neck, shoulders and lower back. And it removes stress from your neck and muscles and provide therapy to any injury and muscle spasm. At the same time, it is ideal to put it in your home or even in your office.

Now that you know more about the Zero Gravity Chair and its benefits, why not buy your own set and enjoy this delightful furniture.

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Cabinet Refacing

2007-09-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

Cabinet refacing can give your kitchen a whole new look. You will be surprised by the dramatic improvement on your kitchen when you use cabinet refacing. The concept behind refacing is simple; it will allow homeowners to save money while giving their home the updated look it needs so that it will always look new. Cabinet refacing is actually a simple endeavor because instead of removing all the boxes on your cabinet and then replacing it with new ones, you will simply need to remove the drawer fonts and re-skin the surface paint of the cabinet. You can also replace the doors of the cabinet to complement the new look. Refacing will give your cabinet a whole new veneer that has the latest style and finishes.

Before you start with cabinet refacing though, you should first create a timeframe for this endeavor. The refacing itself will actually only take a day or two but remember that the measurement and the product orders also need to be made. So if you want to finish refacing your cabinet as soon as possible, start with a plan.

Begin by shopping in different retailers because there are a lot of materials you can choose from. But most of the time though, you may need to place a special order for your needs because there are too many size and style range for major home improvement stores to keep an inventory of all these. You may also want to consider going to a smaller store that specializes in selling cabinets and its materials since this is their niche. Expect that the prices will be higher in the smaller stores but the service and the quality of the products they provide are well worth your money. Some retailers even send someone to take accurate measurements of your cabinet as an added bonus.

It is also important for you to determine if you want to use wood or the self-adhesive veneer for your panels. You will need to measure all the rails and stiles before you order the materials so you will be able to use what you have ordered. Take note that most of the time, adding 10 percent to the actual measurements is recommended to make allowances for errors and breakage. As you can see, cabinet refacing is very simple to conduct while providing a lot of benefits to the homeowner. It is no wonder then that this method of updating your house is becoming very popular nowadays among homeowners.

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5 Excellent Decorating Tips

2007-09-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

One of the most important aspects of home interiors is the decoration. There are many ways for you to decorate your home but the most important aspects you have to deal with is how you feel when you see the results of your efforts. A lot of people have the misconception that home decorating will take up a lot of their time but the truth is, decorating does not necessarily need to be a difficult endeavor. Follow the basics below to get you started in home decoration:

Your personal style – even professional home stylists and interior designers will tell you that your home should be a reflection of who you are. But the problem is that some homeowners to not even know what their style is. So try to browse some design magazines and look at the styles that appeal to you to give you a clue about what you should do on your own house.

Color scheme – the basic idea you need to remember about color scheme is that each room should have two base colors and one accent color. This will give the room a welcoming feel and an attractive look. The proportion of this color scheme should be 60% main base color, around 30% for the secondary color, and 10% for the accent color.

The lighting – you might not realize it but lighting has a great impact on the overall look of the room. Choose the lighting that will complement the color of the room and its decorations.

The textures – there should be an interplay in the textures found on your house. A contrast between shinny/matte and between hard/soft is recommended. Put some rugs or throws around the room to complement sleek surfaces.

The size and shape of the room – the room should have a combination or towering items and short items. If a room is filled with towering items then it will look terrible. One the other hand, if the room is dominated by square pieces then it some round and curvy furniture should be used to offset the sharp edges. There are simple ways for you to implement some changes without too much additional cost is to put paintings or other hangings above the sofa. You can also hang an oval mirror on a room that is filled with sharp edges. These little things can add up to give a nice and attractive result for your home.

Interior House Painting

2007-09-19T22:16:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to make your home interiors look better is through repainting your walls to complement the rest of the house. Interior house painting has now become a simple task because of all the tools and equipment that is available for the homeowner. However, there is still ways for you to save more time and become more productive when you are painting your interiors, here are some of the tips you can follow:

1. Slosh the brush – even before you begin painting your interiors, sloshing your brush in the solvent you will use to clean your brush is recommended. For example, you need to use mineral spirits for oils and water for latex. You will have an easier time cleaning the brush later on.

2. Wrap your brush – if you expect to paint again the next day or within the next few days, you can try wrapping the brush in a tight plastic so you can start painting immediately.

3. Have a wet edge – it is important for you to have a wet edge when you paint because you will encounter overlap marks once you pain on a dry edge.

4. Don’t use cheap rollers or brushes – try to get good tools for painting because there are some cheap brushes and roller covers that will just leave streaky and fuzzy marks on your wall.

5. Test your interiors for loose paint – you need to determine if the paint you use will hold for years. Test your wall by putting a strip of low-stick masking tape onto your wall and then ripping it off. If you see flakes come off in large clunks, you will need to scrape the paint and paint your wall all over again.

6. Always paint from the top going to the bottom – in painting your wall, remember to always start from the ceiling down to the walls. After that, you need to proceed to painting the trims, the cabinets, and the doors. Painting from top down is important because it will lessen the potential of damage and make the paint on your wall look more even.

As you can see, these tips are quite simple to implement but you can save a lot of time and effort if you do these measures. In addition, you can expect that your paint will be able to withstand the test of time if you follow these tips properly.

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Get Rid of Clutter in your Home

2007-09-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

Clutter is said to be an inevitable part of every home. So you might be wondering how some homes may seem to be so polished and organized. The truth is though, that homeowner took some serious effort to make their homes look the way it does. The problem is, most people don’t have the time to organize their homes like that. What should you do then?

Well, the first thing you should do is to organize and classify the different kinds of clutters at your home. Get four boxes and store different clutter into each one of them. The four boxes should be classified as (1) trash, (2) give-away, (3) storage, and (4) put away.

Trash

You should put everything found in your house that is no longer of use in the “trash” box. Damaged and broken items should likewise be included into this box. All items that cannot be resold or donated should also be put into the trash.

Give-away

Try to be generous. Other people have a more pressing need for these items so try to donate any items that is still usable but you can’t use anymore. You will be surprised by the number of items you can give away from your house.

Storage

Of course, you will also encounter items you simply cannot part with or items that you think you might need in the future. The best way to get rid of these clutters in your home is to put these items into storage. Be careful that you don’t store more than you should because some people have a hard time letting go of their things. It is recommended for you to group similar items for easier sorting.

Put-away

This box should contain the items you need regularly. You first need to determine if you have a place for each of these items in your house though because otherwise, clutter will remain at your home.

A lot of people have a hard time letting go of items that they are emotionally attached to, there is nothing wrong with this so don’t fight it. Instead, you can try to store these items until you are ready to let these things go. You can also design your house in such as way that these items can be used decoratively. Otherwise, just think of a proper way to organize these things. But remember that the clutter would remain until you get rid of all the items you no longer need.

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Double Duty : Furniture that Knows How to Multi-task Works Twice

2007-09-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

At this present time, the most common and most economical dwelling to date is a condo unit where there are two types in the market: a studio unit where there are no walls nor dividers to segregate the areas from one another such as the kitchen and the bedroom and one that has one or more separate rooms. If you happen to live in a condo unit, then, you would know that space matters very much and that you need to fill it with furniture, decorations and furnishings that would not take too much space and at the same time, create an illusion where your condo unit would appear bigger than it really is. Also, you need to design the interior part of your condo unit with furniture that would serve you in more ways than one.

One of the most economical and practical means to save room space is to get furniture that can multi-task. What that means is that it can take on more than one job so, you can use for different and multiple purposes. For instance, you can place an ottoman in your living room and at the same time, it pops out and reveals a storage room for your blankets. Another furniture that can multi-task is the Office-in-Bed that was displayed during the International Home Furnishings Market in North Carolina. This furniture, when it is not used as an office desk or a breakfast nook, just appears like a typical bed but what's strange about it is that it has oddly shaped headboard. Other than that, it has a shelf located at the foot of the bed as well as bookshelves connected to the platform base. When you need to use it as a desk, you just roll the raised shelf on a track back. Meanwhile, the headboard hides two huge storage containers where you can put your things. In addition, side tables appear when you slide the bookshelves from which end you want.

The furniture mentioned above are typically for everyday use. But what if there is a special occasion such as a dinner party, you need to consider re-arrange your furniture in order to have more space for your guests. You can set up the dining table and the chairs once you have the space ready. You can consider using folding tables and chairs so, you can tuck them away when you do not need them. And to add a more festive ambiance to your party space, place some colorful tablecloths on the tables and put some party decorations around it.

Now that you know about double duty furniture, think twice before decorating or re-decorating your condo unit. See how much more space there is when using such a furniture.

Cheap Ways to Decorate Your Wall

2007-09-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

Decorating walls seem to be a big problem for a lot of homeowners; they usually do not know how to make the wall complement the rest of the room. One of the most common mistakes they make is sprinkling different designs on the wall without having a clear idea of what the end result would look like. They just want to fill up the empty spaces. Don’t make this mistake because the entire room will end up with no cohesiveness at all.

Instead, you need to know the focal point of the room. To do this, you must create an imaginary rectangle and think of how you want to draw attention to that area. Don’t focus on the wall first, imagine if you put different related items on the area such as clocks, plates, and picture frames and determine if it will look attractive. This solution is better than filling out empty spaces of the wall with different items. Then after you had taken this step, take a minute to appreciate your effort and determine how the room can be further improved.

You may also want to hang a huge painting on your wall. This will make the room seems bigger and the painting will have an instant visual impact on the visitors. This does not mean though that you need to shell out huge amounts of cash just to get the painting because you can buy these kinds of paintings from up and coming artists and other trendy shops which sells at affordable prices. Otherwise, you can even opt to hang an attractive rug on your wall or use other attractive materials as design. It makes sense to focus on one main point of a wall to make everything much simpler for you.

It would also be a good idea to use stencils to draw additional details on your wall. It is relatively easy, inexpensive, and even fun to do. You just need to pick a sample design for your windows or doors to do this. It is important for you to let your creativity flow to come up with the perfect designs that will suit the look of your room and make it look trendy without paying out huge amounts of money.

As you can see, designing your wall is not an expensive activity to do. In fact, this is probably the cheapest and easiest way to update the look of a room dramatically. It is no wonder then that a lot of designers focus on creating the perfect wall first before integrating other design concepts to fit the look and feel of the wall.

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Hardwood vs. Carpet

2007-09-12T23:53:00.000-07:00

Building a house is not an easy feat. So, when you are planning for one, one of the major considerations is whether to go with hardwood floors or carpet flooring. Different people have certain preferences about it but here are some of the comparison in installing a hardwood floor against going with a carpeted floor:

Economical Value

Generally, hardwood floors cost much more than carpeted floors and the cost of the hardwood is dependent on the square foot measurement. For instance, floating wood floors cost $2.75 per square foot. Meanwhile, installing hardwood on the stairs cost $3.25 per square foot. Then, installing refinished parquet floors would cost $3.25 per square foot. Though it is more expensive to install hardwood floors in your house, the main advantage in going this way is that hardwood floors never go out of style and can last for a lifetime.

On the other hand, installing a carpeted floor is less expensive compared to installing a hardwood floor. You can choose from three fibers, which are nylon, polyester and olefin. As for the price, a carpet may cost $3.50 per square yard or up to $75 to $85 per square yard for wool carpeting. Though carpeted flooring is easier on the budget, there is a downside to installing a carpeted flooring. It can easily go out of style and, therefore, if you want to be updated on the trends, you have to spend again for your flooring. At the same time, the lifespan of a carpeted flooring is not that long so, again, you have to set aside a budget for re-doing your floor.

Cleanliness

It is always important to keep your floors spic and span. If you are particular about cleanliness, then, you should opt to install hardwood floors because it is easier to clean for you can easily spot the dirt compared to a carpeted floor where the dirt may get hidden between the carpet fibers. Hardwood flooring is always ideal for home owners who have pets inside the house.

Meanwhile, carpeted floors may harbor dirt in it, which may be hard to get rid of. In fact, a US company, which reprocesses carpets has stated that a minimum of 35% of the weight of the carpet is composed of actual dirt. In addition, you need to use special cleaning aids to get rid of stains on the carpeted flooring.

But on carpeted flooring, there are some types of fibers that can easily be cleaned. For instance, carpets made of polyester and olefin can give you an easy time in cleaning them up.

Beauty

Hardwood is known as one of the oldest type of flooring there is so, you can create a number of possible designs with it. What's good about hardwood floors is that they never go out of style and people do not get tired of seeing hardwood floor designs.

Meanwhile, there are certain carpet floor designs that can make your flooring look elegant and sophisticated such as wool and acrylic. You can even chose to install floral patterned rugs and carpets to give your house a countryside feel to it.

Durability

A hardwood flooring is very durable and it can even last from 10 to 20 years and even for a lifetime so, it is always a worthwhile investment to have hardwood flooring installed in your house.

On the other hand, carpets that are made from nylon are wear-resistant, durable and are good for areas where there is heavy foot traffic. Olefin is another carpet fiber material that is both durable and easy to clean. In addition, if you take good care of your carpeted flooring, you can be assured that your flooring will last for about 10 to 15 years.

Whether you opt to install a hardwood floor or a carpeted floor, pick out whatever fits your budget and at the same time, would give you a worthwhile investment.

Step By Step Instructions on How to Reupholster Your Sofa or Chair

2007-09-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

Reupholstering your sofa is seen as the perfect way to make it look more attractive. This will also make the sofa more comfortable since you do not have to deal with holes and scratched surfaces that are commonly found in old sofas. It is actually very easy to make your sofa look good as new. Here are the steps:

1. The first step is to look for the covering that will replace your old seat cover. Shop around for the best pattern and the best color scheme that will suit the chair and the room.

2. Estimate the cost. You need to set aside a budget for the seat cover. Don’t go over your budget because you want to save on costs as much as possible.

3. After you had bought all the materials, take it home and be ready for reupholstering.

4. You need to unscrew the seat from the chair itself. You need to do this in order to remove the cushion from the chair for replacement.

5. Get a hammer claw and ply to remove all the tacks or staples that may be holding the sofa to the chair frame.

6. Use the old sofa cover as your measurement guide.

7. You can cut the new cover that is roughly the same size as the old covering using sharp scissors.

8. Get a new padding. The reupholstering will not be complete without the new padding. It is important for you to replace this as well to make the chair look new.

9. Apply the adhesive. It is recommended for you to use spray adhesive to the base of the chair to make the new padding and cover stick to the base. The adhesive is available in hardware store and home improvement stores.

10. Press the padding to the base of the chair. This step is important to ensure that the padding will stick to the chair.

11. Put the fabric you choose to the padding. Be sure to put it properly on the padding to make it look attractive and professionally done.

12. Pull the fabric over the padding tautly so that the patterns will clearly be seen and it will look neat and clean.

13. Sew the fabric over the padding or use other methods to attach the two.

14. Screw the padding over to the chair. After you had determined that everything is fine, the last step is to screw the new upholstery to the chair.

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When Space is Tight, Suggestions on How to Store Things Vertically

2007-09-10T17:06:00.000-07:00

Living in a limited space presents a difficult challenge for the home owner. When space is tight, it means that the home owner needs to make every single space on his apartment count to be able to use all the space provided. Doing this is not an easy task to do. You need to consider the different things that a person normally does at home such as working, sleeping, eating, and just hanging out. Creativity is needed when you want to integrating these functions into a tight space so that you will be able to do these activities comfortably without comprising the look of your apartment.

So what is the best suggestion to fit all these into your apartment then? Well, think vertical instead of horizontal. This means you need to present the image of the room vertically by storing things vertically as well as using visual manipulations to create this image.

There are many ways for you to store things vertically. For example, you can stack the shelves on the desk, store boxes beneath your bed, or even build a loft in your apartment to increase the amount of space. Closet organizers can also aid you in maximizing your space. For a more creative look, you can even string wires across your apartment ceiling and then hand colorful canvas baskets around it. It can create more space for you while looking like a great decoration at the same time. Another great suggestion on how you can store things vertically is to buy a tall bookcase. Fill the bookcase with books and plants so that it will give the room a comfortable feel.

In addition, it is also recommended for you to use long drapes on your windows to complement the room’s vertical feel. You can make use of area rugs also to create boundaries that will distinguish one room from another and make the room look wider and taller.

As you can see, storing things up vertically will really make the room look and feel bigger than it really is. You also get the benefit of maximizing your limited space while improving your apartment’s look. But even with the benefits of storing things up vertically, it is still important to remember that you should not put too many things in a limited space. It will only make the room feel crowded and unattractive no matter the kind of creativity or innovation you use.

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Best Places to See and Learn about Modern Furniture - Part 2

2007-09-06T19:36:00.001-07:00

The Portland Museum of Art in Portland, Maine is known to be the largest and the oldest museum in the state, which has been established in 1882, that showcases many important historical and contemporary artifacts in both art and architecture. It displays various collection of elegant and ornamental arts all year round. Every year, it boasts of over one hundred and fifty thousand people who visit this esteemed museum in order to see the different exhibits shown in the Portland Museum of Art.

One of the many exhibitions that the Portland Museum of Art would show is the Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful, which was displayed on starting June 28 until October 8, 2007. In this exhibit, Frank Lloyd Wright presented his extraordinary desire for making a new way of life for people through the field of architecture. Specifically, the Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful encompasses the great artist's well-renowned proficiency in in creating artistic balance between architectural framework and interior design and at the same time, focusing on the demands of contemporary lifestyle.

All in all, this exhibition shows over one hundred artistic objects that is comprised of furniture, metalwork, fabrics, sketches and accessories from the private collection of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation as well as other collections. This exhibit imparts the know-how that Wright has put and used in the philosophy of the “House of Beautiful.” At the same time, the Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful shows clearly how Wright searched to make a contemporary interior that imbibes a unique American spirit of democracy and freedom. Furthermore, this exhibit highlights how Frank Lloyd Wright incorporates his architectural creation with space as well as his ventures in offering this unique ideas to the abodes of ordinary people.

For those who are not aware, Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the world's most well-known and prestigious architects and interior designers who had made individualistic designs and styles that made a mark in the field of American architecture. He has made wonderful and unique designs for furnitures, carpets, windows and tables and chairs. In addition, he made excellent and sturdy light fixtures. His creation has made him the most famous architect in the American history.

This wonderful exhibit is brought about by the International Arts and Artists with the cooperation of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, which is located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

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Tips & Tricks for Making Your Home Beautiful from Furniture.com

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Best Places to See and Learn about Modern Furniture

2007-09-06T19:33:00.000-07:00

One of the must see places in the Southeast Asian region is the Philippines where there are lush beaches and great views. But other than the wonderful tourist spots that this country has to offer, the Philippines hosts numerous exhibits and fairs that is a delight to people all over the world. One of the exhibits that the Philippines would sponsor is the 2008 Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition, which would start from March 6 and end on March 9, 2008, organized by Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation Inc., the governing body that represents Philippine furniture makers as well as exporters. On that year, the exhibit would be held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino in Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City.

The 2008 Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition would present a lot of innovation in the furniture industry such as new and important designs as well as new materials for furniture making. At the same time, a lot of new and young designers would participate in this event to show furniture designs that is not only creative but also harmless to the environment. Indeed, this would be an ideal venue to showcase different Philippine furnitures and furnishings that are best in the country.

Filipino furniture designers have been popularly known for their inventiveness, their awesome workmanship and their strong drive to continue in searching to respond and conform to the needs of the emerging markets through involvement in global fairs and exhibits.

Aside from the different furnitures and furnishings displayed during the exhibit, a new logo would be unveiled, which reflects the future – the opportunities that would come and the challenges that it reins in. The new Cebu X logo represents fresh vim and vigor as well as optimism. At the same time, the logo has two intersecting arrows that depict vitality and opposing views and even though these are conflicting, there is also a creation of equilibrium. Furthermore, the logo is meant to imbibe that rules in furniture design can be changed or broken, thus, designers would be able to employ their creativity and sense of style in creating and designing furnitures. For Philippine furniture designers and manufacturers, the exhibit serves as an important venue for innovation and a symbol of inspiration and expectancy.

For those who would like to attend the 2008 Cebu International Furniture and Furnishings Exhibition, tickets are sold at P100.00 or US$3.00 for each person and the show catalogues for P550.00 or US$10.00 each.

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Tips & Tricks for Making Your Home Beautiful from Furniture.com

Free design advice at Furniture.com

Shop the latest deals and specials at Furniture.com

Caring for Your Furniture

2007-09-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

Have you finally bought your dream furniture? Whether you have purchased a leather lazy boy chair, a wooden dining set or a upholstered sofa, you know that you need to lengthen the lifespan of the furniture in order to protect your investment. Here are some tips on taking care of for each kind of furniture:

Fabric Upholstered Furniture

Tip #1: Regularly vacuume or lightly brush the fabric of the furniture in order to eliminate the dirt or soil that can cause the furniture to wear out more quickly.

Tip #2: Turn the cushions of the furniture from time to time to lengthen its lifespan. It is best to do this once in a week.

Tip #3: Use fabric protection products to remove the dirt and stains from the furniture. Thus, it can be assured that the lifespan of the furniture would be prolonged.

Tip #4: Follow the specified instructions that come with the furniture in cleaning it so, that the furniture would not wear out quickly.

Leather Upholstered Furniture

Tip #1: Dust the leather furniture often. You may even use an art-gum eraser to eliminate common dirt.

Tip #2: For coated leather furniture, you can remove the stains by washing it with mild soap such as castile and water. Afterwards, rub the leather furniture with a slightly moistened cloth.

Tip # 3: Apply leather cream to the furniture once or twice a year.

Tip #4: Avoid applying oil, furniture polishes and varnishes to the furniture for these may have solvents that may make the leather gluey.

Wood Furniture

Tip #1: Avoid using cleaning aids that are not meant to clean wood furniture for these may cause damage to it.

Tip #2: Dust the wood furniture often with a duster. If you use wax or polish every time you clean the furniture, this would lead to an accumulation of dirt on the furniture as well as strip off its overall finish. Every month, apply a liquid wood polish to make your wood furniture sparkle.

Tip #3: If you want to apply polish or wax on your wood furniture, be sure to test it out so, you can be sure that it is the right cleaning aid to use. Else, there is a chance for your wood furniture to look weird after you have used polish or wax on it.

Tip # 4: If your wood furniture has drawers, get wax paper and rub it on the drawer slides to allow it to go in and out smoothly.

Be sure to take note of these cleaning tips closely and you can be sure that your furniture would look good for a very long time.

Creating a Fully Functional Office in a Small Space

2007-08-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

In today's day and age, how much space you have is a large consideration in designing and decorating of let's say an office or any other kind of area for that matter. So, it is always a challenge to create a fully functional office area in a small space, especially when it would be located in a studio apartment, condo building or a small house. But you don't have to be confined to the space in order to set the style you want your office to have. You can always get creative and set up your dream office.

Here are some of the tips that you may take when you are creating an office for yourself but with limited space.

First, you can include the basic essentials of an office area: work table where you can place your telephone and desk calendar, office chair and a cabinet to place your important documents and you can put your fax machine on top of the cabinet and a bookshelf to put your books, if needed.
Second, to create an illusion of a spacious and cutting-edge office, you can paint the walls in neutral colors, place some artwork on one wall and install a hanging fluorescent lamp to make it look like a clean gallery impression.
Third, you may also color the different areas of the working area in various hues or through installation of ventilated screen doors.
Fourth, if you want to display knick knacks or your prized trophy collection in your office, you can put them on drifting shelves to add personality to your office area.
Fifth, install shelves in your office area so, that you would be able to have a lot of space that can hold more books, doodads and the like.
Sixth, make your office area versatile through installation of rolling furniture such as a side table, chair and others.
Seventh, place the furniture in your work area in a way that would make you feel relaxed and open. It is not ideal to place the furniture side by side because it would just look cluttered.
Lastly, add the finishing touches by placing a unique décor or something outrageous to make your office area reflect on your personality like your unique collection of funky jewelry so, that people would concentrate more on that instead of on the size of your space.

Now that you are finished designing your work area, it is sure that you are ready to move in and raring to start working in your dream office.

Choosing your “Dream” Couch

2007-08-15T22:46:00.001-07:00

As everyone knows, the sofa, or commonly known as the couch, is a very important piece of furniture in the living room and it may even be deemed as the centerpiece of any living room. So, hunting for the perfect couch can be such a daunting task. But do not despair! We have lined up a few tips for you to take on your hunt for THE couch.

Tip #1: Before leaving the house, do not forget to measure the usable space in the room, so you would know the exact length and width of the couch you are going to put in that area.

Tip #2: The style of the sofa should fit the general theme of the room where it would be placed. For instance, there are different sofa arm styles to choose from such as English traditional that is fit for a straight-laced abode, the roll arm that is also traditional in nature and the straight or square arm that imbibes a contemporary aura. But if you do not have much space to put the couch, you can opt for a sofa that has no arms at all.

Tip #3: When you have selected the right shape for the couch, you can now move on to the fabric. What you need to pay attention to is the wear and tear quality of the cloth. Solid colors would fade quickly compared to patterned fabric such as stripes. On the other hand, it is always sound to choose a leather sofa since it does not wear out compared to fabric.

Tip #4: When you have decided on the look of the couch, you can proceed in considering the make of the sofa. The frame for the whole couch must be made of kiln-dried hardwood such as maple, poplar or oak.

Tip #5: Next, you should ensure that the sofa is durable. Here, you can opt for coils, which are tied together, or wire springs, which are less costly.

Tip #6: Check the cushions of the sofa since these are the ones that actually makes it comfy and cozy. If you want an inexpensive choice, then, go for foam that does not lose shape. If you want comfort and you are not too stingy, then, you can opt for an inner layer of foam covered in cotton batting and covered with goose down. But if you crave for luxury, go for a goose down filling.

Tip #7: Give a test run on the sofa of your choice to check out firsthand if it is really comfy and cozy.

Tip #8: Before leaving, measure the couch so, you would be sure that it would fit easily in your front door.

Now that you have selected your “dream” couch, it is time to sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

What is “Modern Furniture”?

2007-08-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

Ever since furniture was first created, it has been a manifestation of our culture and civilization. From the ancient times to the contemporary era, furniture was been a reflection of how we view the world and how we think it should be changed, going away from it’s mere functional aspect. Furniture takes up space all around us, usually taken for granted, obscuring its real meaning most of the times

Meaning

The term “Modern Furniture” refers to the furniture created all through the 19^th century till today, inspired by the art movement called modernism. A huge departure from the furniture design before it, highly ornate and gilded pieces of wood and richly textured fabrics gave way to staggering simplicity and the aesthetic geometry of metal.

Chief Influences

Before the modernist movement began, great emphasis was laid on creating furniture which was highly ornate with intricate patterns and rich fabrics. Usually the time taken to create a piece was directly related to amount of desire for that particular piece. While the western or old school of thought laid emphasis on tradition and history, the modern movement looked for fresh newness, originality and innovation. The chief influences of Modernist design evolved out of a combination of various ideas: technically more advanced materials and manufacturing methods and the new thought of design from Werkbund and the Bauhaus School, from the exoticness of foreign influences, from Art Nouveau and from the tremendous amount of creativity of the various artists and designers of that era.

Icons of Modern Furniture

Elieen Grey’s side table created in 1972 created specially for her new home is one such great example of Modern Furniture. It’s unusual asymmetry and the non-conformist design style is a reflection of her own self. True to the Bauhaus school’s thought of usability the table can be adjusted such that breakfast can be eaten on it while one is in bed. The iconic Barcelon Chair on the other hand today represents the infamous Bauhaus design movement. Designed by Mies Van Der Rohe and Lilly Reich in 1929 for an international design fair in Barcelona, many consider this chair to be functional art instead of furniture. The Noguchi Coffee Table created by the noted sculptor, architect, furniture and landscape designer Isamu Nogichi still remains as landmark owing to its unique and unmistakable simplicity. Refined and at the same time very organic, this particular piece of design still remains as one of the most sough after pieces of furniture in the modern furniture movement.

When the going gets tough, the tough ‘Go Green’!

2007-08-12T18:39:00.001-07:00

Vanity Fair is talking about it, a former US Vice President has been talking about it, and even the Academy of Motion Pictures is impressed with this Inconvenient Truth – ‘going green’ is going strong at the moment! The truth is that our home interior choices, big and small, have a lasting impact on the environment around us. Be it just changing the drapes or the paint of just discarding old and tired furniture, some products are more environment friendly than others. It is about time that we consider our ‘green’ choices and help preserve our planet. Here are some easy ways to make your furniture ‘green’, without compromising on even an inch of style:

Use Green: Use natural eco-friendly products to make your furniture. Consider using products such as Bamboo, which are a great combination of good looks and eco-friendliness. Being one of the fastest growing plants on earth, Bamboo is easy to cultivate, and its wood tones infuse interiors with natural warmth. And it also remains as one of the sturdiest natural material for furniture.

Paint it green: Most of the conventional paints used to paint furniture release highly volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - fumes and chemicals, which are not only bad for the environment but may also cause those fresh-paint headaches. Ask for Low- or no-VOC paint from your paint retailer as an environmentally safer option.

Cover it in Green: Look for natural fibre weaves as a natural alternative to upholster your furniture. Seagrass, sisal, coir, jute and rush are quite in demand right now and create a very definitive style statement. All these variety of materials vary widely in terms of their durability and stain resistance, so make sure you ask about their merits and limitations before purchasing.

What Are the Current Trends in Modern Furniture Design?

2007-08-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Eileen Gray’s Adjustable Table, Breuer Nesting’s table, Hoffman Kubus arm chair, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair – each one of these classic pieces of furniture have represented modernity. All of these designs are as vibrant and relevant today as they were decades ago - clean lines, functionality, simplicity and great design.

The current trends in modern furniture design are developing yet greater relations with the fashion world. Your personal space and the physical space around you are more in tune with your public persona. We’re more aware that anything in our home makes a statement about us. Design is more about re-enforcing individuality – no strict rules but one – Reflect your individuality.

Some of the recurrent hot favorite themes of modern furniture design are:

Minimalism, harsh lines and a clinical ambience is replaced with a touch of old world warmth
Colors are bold - pumpkin orange, bright red, yellow, gold, deep cinnamon, luxurious violets, turquoise and ofcourse pink - bright and daring
Metal remains an extensively used feature of design
Decoupage - very chic

Modern furniture design concepts give us the best of both worlds…old and new. Eclecticism is in. This is the time when that colonial/antique piece of furniture can be placed alongside your contemporary straight-line sofas, and not look out of place. Mix and match is the trend as aesthetic independence becomes more pronounced. Ornate fixtures and accessories alongside straight-line minimalist metal furniture would not be incongruous.