Sunday, July 17, 2011

My Leather Couch Can Beat Up Your Fabric Recliner - Leather Or Fabric For The Masses?

Are chocolate sundaes more fattening than vanilla? Coke or Pepsi for a summer day at the beach? Did the Beatles have better bangs than The Rolling Stones? Are boxers more comfortable for skydiving than briefs?

The great debates of the world seem like they will rage forever, across continents, during both war and peace.

But, maybe the biggest debate of all is this: Should my next sofa, recliner, sectional or chair be covered in leather or fabric?

Tough stuff, I know, but I'm willing to tackle it.

Drawing Lines In The Sand

Of course, just like there are cat people and dog people who will never cross over to the dark side, so too are there leather and fabric people who can't imagine living the desperate lives of the others'.

The leather gang celebrates the style, durability, comfort and versatility of their furniture covering of choice.

And the fabric crowd? They celebrate its style, durability, comfort and versatility.

Uhh... wait... something's amiss here. So, let's dive in point-by-point and see what's going on.

Comfort Is As Comfort Does

Fans of leather like its supple softness. And leather does get softer and more comfortable with age, like the love of a good friend. (I hope this doesn't make you weep for hours, but it's true.) As long as you maintain and clean your leather furniture it will be comfortable for years to come. It's a little slick and has a nice cool feel that many people are drawn to.

Folks who tend not to wear a lot of clothing prefer fabric. They report sticking to it less. Of course, high quality leathers aren't very sticky anyway. And there are many kinds of fabrics you can use to cover your furniture, so if you are looking a very specific texture and feel you can get it with fabric.

Pets Love Your Furniture A Little Too Much

Leather is winning the pet war. Many cats avoid it, probably because they think it's not ideal for a 12-hour nap. While it can be scratched by claws, leather is easier to clean than fabric and won't absorb smells and fur as easily.

Will It Outlast Aunt Edna?

A well-made leather couch is usually more durable than all but the highest quality fabric sofa. Of course, this all depends on how you maintain your sofas and whether you have five kids who play flying superhero games off them while eating cheesy poofs.

The Kids Are Alright, As Long As They Eat At The Table

And speaking of kids, some folks swear that leather couches are easier to clean and keep stains off than fabric. If Little Johnny spills his Sunny D, you can quickly and easily wipe it off a leather couch. If he spills it on fabric it will quickly soak in and might never come out. Of course, if you choose a fabric with good Stainguard protection you are in good shape too.

Style Is In The Living Room Of The Beholder

Some people would rather wear a purple tube top, a checkered mini skirt and plaid leg warmers, all at once, than put an ugly leather couch in their home. And some leather nuts think adding a leather couch to their living room is akin to parking a red Ferrari in the corner - which they think is a good thing.

While leather couches, sectionals, chairs and recliner come in a wide range of colors and styles, there will always be exactly 12,812 more kinds of fabric available to cover your fine furnishings. So, if you are trying to match your next settee to the exact shade of chartreuse on your emu lampshade, you will probably have to go with fabric.

Can I Still Afford Hair Extensions?

The cheapest real leather couch is always going to cost more than the cheapest fabric couch. But, leather aficionados say a good leather couch will last your whole lifetime and gain character and suppleness with age. If you are looking to get the most long-term value in a classic piece, leather is probably the better value. If you want a cheap item to tide you over until your book of cat poems gets on the New York Times bestseller list, go with fabric.

Faux Vs. Real Leather

Fake leather is great for college dorm rooms, transmission shop waiting areas and 24-hour diners along state highways. Don't buy it unless you want your home to look, feel and smell like one of these pungent locations.

Maintenance Is For Lovers

You really don't have to do anything other than wipe leather off occasionally, to keep it looking good. Some leather conditioner a few times a year - especially in hot, dry climates - is a great idea too.

Fabric couches usually require a little more maintenance. If Senor Fluffy sleeps on it you will find yourself vacuuming a lot more with fabric. Of course, some people never clean any of their furniture, so it's a moot point for them.

Conclusions, Conclusions, Delusions

It mostly boils down to your personal style and preference. A classic leather couch is going to cost a lot up front, but should last longer and be in style through four or five presidential terms. A fabric recliner can be had in almost any color or style, but pets, kids, and drunken uncles might damage to it easier.


An Online Guide to Door Stops

Door stops are the tools or devices that are used to keep the doors open or closed. These can be termed as useful tools or silent helpers that are being used in the offices as well homes. They perform several functions such as:

• Holding a door open
• Preventing a door from opening too far to protect the walls
• Door stoppers can prevent your children's hands getting their hands by the heavy
slamming of the doors.

There is a wide range of door stops so that users have the option to choose the most suitable one for them. You will find a large number of online stores that offer a variety of Door stoppers in different colors and designs. It depends upon the demands and needs of the people to choose the most appropriate door stop for them. Following are the different kinds of it:

• Funky, these are designed with unique patterns.
• Novelty
• Animal, these are designed with animalistic patterns and shapes
• Fabric
• Magnetic

Fabric and the Magnetic ones are mentioned in details as follows:

Fabric

Fabric ones perform two functions; practical and decorative. Some important features of the fabric door stops are:

• These Protect the doors by preventing the powerful slamming of the doors and create the beautiful look of the entire door frame.
• In the fabric, the inner material is pretty heavy so they can keep the doors open or closed effectively.
• Most people prefer fabric Ones because they do not leave the scratch marks like the metal door stops.
• Since the fabric door stops are available in different shapes, patterns and colors, you can synchronize with colors and designs of your interiors.

Most people prefer to use the ones which perfectly match with the curtains, furniture and the overall interiors to create an outstanding look of the rooms.

Magnetic

Using of Magnetic stoppers are an effective way to keep your office or house doors closed or opened. This can be defined as a wall or floor mounted device. It utilizes magnetic to hold a door open. During the older days bricks or stone were used as stoppers. In modern times, these are an ideal option for houses as well offices. The include the magnet to control the movement of the doors. With the help of magnetic stoppers:

• People can keep the doors opened or closed
• They do not get slammed as they move the it slowly to shut them.

These magnetic ones are available in different colors and patterns with beautiful finishes like:

• Polished Brass
• Antique Brass
• Oil Rubbed Bronze
• Brushed Nickel
• Antique Nickel
• Polished Chrome.

The weight of the doors plays highly significant role while choosing the doors. If your doors are heavy, you need to choose the suitable door stop having the strong enough magnet to hold the doors open.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Enjoy the Summer With Garden Furniture

Summer is filled with time to sit in your garden and enjoy the weather. Now all you have to do is get the right garden furniture for you new favourite pass time. So what is the best garden furniture? You have to keep some things in mind when deciding on what furniture you are going to get.
What types of garden furniture is there?
The first thing you will notice when looking for garden furniture is that there are many options. The type that most people get is a set where you have a table and chairs. The style of the table can vary from square to rectangle to circular. Garden loungers are also popular as you can rest on them while you soak in the sun. You can also get hammocks and benches were you can sit in the sun. Some of the other furniture will be gazebos, parasols and umbrellas that help you when the sun becomes too much.
Conservatory furniture and your own style
Style should be taken into account when you buy conservatory furniture. The style you have in the rest of your house should continue in your garden and conservatory. This can be achieved through the different types of furniture and cushions that can be placed on the chairs. If you want to have a different feel to the garden then you can also achieve this.
Rattan furniture and the weather
If you want rattan furniture then you have to be sure you can protect it. Many people do not get this kind of furniture because they believe that the weather will play havoc with it. While this was the case previously it is no longer the case. It is possible to get rattan furniture made to survive all types of weather. This will include rain and intense sun. If you do not want to get the weather resistant rattan then you have to be prepared to take care of the furniture. You will either have to cover the furniture when not in use or move it indoors.
What about folding garden conservatory furniture?
Do you find that you do not have that much space in your garden? Does furniture just get in the way? If the answer is yes to these then you should consider folding garden conservatory furniture. There are many different kinds of folding furniture that you can get. People generally think that the only folding chairs you can get are the caper chairs and this is not true. You can get wooden loungers that fold up as well.
Maintenance and cleaning of garden furniture
Garden furniture will need maintenance and cleaning. If you are going to have wooden furniture then you have to treat the wood so it becomes weather resistant. You should clean the furniture regularly so that dirt does not build up. This can be done with a cloth and some water.
Summer is the best time to sit outside and enjoy the weather. This is best done when you have good garden furniture that you feel comfortable in. Caring for the furniture is also important as this enable it to last much longer.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Big Box Stores Or Regional Stores For Your Mattress Purchase

Without a doubt, buying a mattress is one of the most important long-term purchases you will make. The wrong choice can result in health problems, missed work and obesity. And because mattresses are built to last at least 5 years (sometimes even more than 10 years), the decision is one you will have to live with for a long time. The long-term nature of your purchase decision means you really have to know and understand the product you are looking to purchase. So while big box stores might be able to offer considerable savings on current or older mattress models, the smaller, local retailers can often offer the right kind of advice to make sure you buy a product that will suit your and your body's needs. There are pros and cons to each type of mattress retailer. Read on to find out more.

Local/Regional Retailers

Believe it or not, but a lot of local or regional mattress and furniture retailers perform exceptionally well it comes to bedding, mattresses and overall sleep health. With retailers who earn more than 75% of their total revenues from mattress sales, shoppers can expect a much higher level of expertise when it comes to the product itself as well as how it will suit a sleeper's body and needs. In other words, the level of knowledge from regional vendors is typically high as far as the overall industry goes, so if you need advice (i.e. you have not done your research on your own) then a smaller, specialized retailer is ideal.

The flaws with these smaller stores is that the salespeople are most often commissioned. They may prefer one product over another if there are special commissions associated with selling one instead of the other. In most cases, their primary goal is to turn you into a repeat customer, so if Product A is better suited to your needs and they sell you Product B, chances are good that Product B is going to be the next-best alternative. As well, you can expect to pay a little more on the regular retail price; sales prices are ideal as they will be more than competitive compared to the big box stores.

Big Box Stores

A lot of big box stores will retail bedding products, but most often the staff are either shared (e.g. work in electronics on Saturday, bedding on Monday and lawn and garden on Tuesday) or they do not have the same level of expertise as a smaller store. This is not always the case, however; big stores like Sears and Macy's often have a dedicated staff - finding which stores have the true experts and which have the true salespeople is virtually impossible, though.

The biggest benefit with big box stores is that their prices are steeply discounted. They make great sense for the true bargain hunters who have invested the time to properly research a product and who fully understand their sleep and mattress needs. As well, these stores make it easy to test out products without the pressure of pushy salespeople who are more often salaried or paid hourly than commissioned (again, some big box stores have specialized departments).

Where To Buy

Again, depending on the shopper's knowledge level and understanding of the product, it is always best to shop at a store that will meet your individual needs. Partnering with the wrong retailer can result in long-term dissatisfaction with a product and possible consequences, which ultimately means that instead of shopping on price, shop with your needs at the forefront of your mind.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Recognizing Good Chair Upholstery and Fabric

Comfort is an important factor to take into account when considering chairs. Upholstery provides added comfort to your seats by creating a plush surface and distributing pressure while providing you with extra support.

Upholstery is not as straightforward as it sounds, and what may be passed off as upholstery may not really provide any added comfort to your seating experience. Here are some key features to look for when buying upholstered seating.

Springs

Springs provide structural support in the chair seat. The two types of springs used in chairs are coil springs and zigzag springs. Coil springs are laced together and attached to the frame of the chair and move. Zigzag springs are attached to the frame but are stationary. It is important that the springs in the seat provide adequate support; if the coils flatten out easily, it will cause the chair to become uncomfortable.

Industrial webbing

Industrial webbing provides added support to the upholstered seat. It is comprised of interwoven strips which are stapled to the base of the chair. This type of reinforcement makes the upholstery more durable and comfortable.

Cushion fill

The comfort and durability of the upholstery is dependent on the type of material that the fill is made from. Polyurethane foam and down are the two most commonly used fill materials. Although down is soft and comfortable initially, it flattens easily. Polyurethane foam, on the other hand, provides as much comfort as the density of the foam will allow. Any foam with a density less than 1.8 will flatten over time and not provide much comfort.

Fabric

Poor quality fabric will wear out quickly and expose the foam. Not only is this visually unappealing, it can also be quite uncomfortable to sit on. Consider how much use you expect to get out of the chair and how long you want it to last when choosing fabrics.

Tailoring

Not only does tailoring affect the physical appearance of an upholstered chair, it also affects its durability. Poor tailoring can be a warning sign of poor workmanship, and this type of upholstery will easily tear or come apart at the seams.

Familiarizing yourself with the components of a well upholstered chair will make you a savvy buyer and will help you choose a chair with confidence. Whether you are purchasing chairs for your home or business, it is important to invest in quality from the beginning.


Saturday, July 2, 2011

Are Bunk Beds Safe for Kids?

Bunk beds seem to be a staple in many children's bedrooms. However, you may be wondering about how safe these beds actually are for your children. Are there any risks associated with them? What about children who don't like heights? You may also want to think about the other options for children who want bunk beds but are on their own.

What are the risks of bunk beds?

There are many risks that come with bunk beds. Falling from the bed is the most common risk and results in the most injuries. Studies have shown that this risk is greater for children under the age of 6 when they are in these beds. The ladder of the beds is also a great risk as children can slip off it or hit themselves on it. Older children who are using these beds will run the risk of hitting their head when getting up in the morning. It is possible to reduce these risks by having a few rules agreed with your children.

Sleeping on the top of bunk beds

Sleeping on the top bunk is something that any child will want to do. That does not mean that every child should do it. There are certain rules you should stick to when it comes to sleeping at the top. The most important one would be that the child has to be over the age of 6. Younger children run a higher risk of hurting themselves if they are on top. Generally it is the older child that should be placed in the top bunk. Children who are fearful of heights may have a problem with the top bunk.

Bunk beds and night walking

Does your child walk around at night? Do they have sleep disturbances? If the answer is yes to these questions then you may want to wait before buying bunk beds. Children who sleep walk should never be placed on the top bunk. Additionally, if they are on the bottom bed they run the risk of hitting the ladder when they get up. Children with other sleep disturbances should not be placed on the top bunk as well as they may fall while sleeping or when they try getting out of the bed.

Midsleepers as another option

If you only have one child but want to get bunk beds you may be looking for another option. Midsleepers are a great way to give a child a bunk bed without having the additional bed going to waste. These beds will have the mattresses raised with space under them. This space can be used as a play area or a study space. Many manufacturers now add fun items to the space beneath the bed. Some midsleepers even come with slides as well as ladders for children to have a fun and easy way to get off the bed.

Bunk beds are considered normal for a child's bedroom and children love them. However, there are a number of risks of injury that they carry and you need to be aware of them. If your children suffer from sleep disturbances or sleep walking then you will need to carefully consider whether these beds are right for them.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Bedside Tables for All Occasions and Spaces

Bedside tables are more than just a convenience. They are a necessity these days, as the modern bedroom has become something of a retreat from the workaday world we live in. While people used to barely spend eight hours in the bedroom, today's master bedrooms are built as a sanctuary of comfort and luxury.

In the old days, an alarm clock or even a glass of water could be placed on a dresser off to one side. But as we spend more time watching television, reading or surfing the net on our iPads in bed, bedside tables have become indispensable.

While you could conceivably make due with a floor model lamp for lighting, it's far nicer to have a small table lamp that is scaled to your bedroom. Bedroom lamps are made specifically to fit on bedside tables. Typically the base is smaller, consuming less table space. It is also shorter in stature, allowing you to easily reach over and turn out the light when it's finally time to get some shuteye.

There are other bonuses to bedside tables as well. While you can opt for a table that is open on the bottom with a shelf, you can also get one with one or more drawers so you can keep all sorts of things near your bed. This can range from additional books and eyeglasses to those unmentionables you love to wear, but don't want to always have in a shared dresser.

Of course, who doesn't get an occasional runny nose in the middle of the night? A box of tissues next to the bed will be a real convenience, should you get a case of the late night sniffles.

While you could go to any discount store and find a serviceable table, top quality bedside tables are easy to recognize and add to the beauty of your room, rather than detract from it. One of the great things about bedside tables is that they don't have to be a traditional nightstand. If a table is the right height, nearly any occasional or accent table can be used bedside.

The key is to find bedside tables that fit your needs, including your personal tastes, usage and storage needs.

When thinking about which bedside tables are best for you, first consider what you'll be using the table for. Will it just hold a book and tissues, or will you need a space to store cosmetics, remote control, chargers for your cell phone or iPad, etc.

You also want the table to fit your décor. This should be fairly straightforward. If you have a traditional bedroom set, then you want to go traditional. If you have modern, then stick with modern. However, you can vary this a bit, by going with an accent table, which is meant to stand out on its own. With accent tables, you can also change it up a bit, going with two different accent tables, one for each side of the bed.

Shape and size is something you also want to think about. While nightstands are typically square, you can add visual interest to the room by going with an oval or round table instead. If you're going to go this route, however, keep in mind that these tables need a little extra elbowroom since you need a larger table to get the same amount of table top.

If your room is on the small side, you may want to consider having just one table next to the bed. You never want to overwhelm a room with too much furniture, even if you treasure the extra storage it offers.

Most important, be sure to pick out something you like. There are literally hundreds of choices out on the market and as with any quality piece of furniture for the home, you'll be living with your decision for a long time.


Where to Go Shopping for Furniture

Furniture shopping can be a rather daunting concept. The thought of having to first find a store and then walk through it can put anyone off. It is for this reason that more and more people are looking for local stores to do their furniture shopping.

Why use local furniture stores?

The first question that may pop into your mind is why you should use a local furniture store. There are a host of advantages from not having to spend money travelling far to faster delivery. In today's economy with the price of petrol rising you don't want to have to travel very far to go buy furniture. Additionally, local stores are more likely to give you right price furniture. Delivery is something to consider when buying furniture. You generally need the furniture so you don't want to have to wait too long to get it. A local store can get the items to you much faster than one on the other side of the country.

Where can you buy furniture?

If you are looking to buy furniture from your local store there are many ways to find them. Certainly there are many stores in your city that sell furniture. The stores that you will find are not branches of large corporations which means that they price may be lower. If you are, for example, looking for furniture in Limerick you could try Instore which has been selling furniture since 1988. You can find a local store or a branch of a nation-wide chain.

Online furniture shops and their benefits

There is of course another option if you don't want to go out and find an actual store. Online furniture shops have increased in number and the benefits that they offer. One of the main benefits is that you do not have to leave home to view a large range of furniture. Additionally you can move from one store to another with just the click of a button. In order to get you business many stores will offer fast and free delivery of your furniture regardless of where you are. Reviews are another benefit of shopping online. You no longer have to hope that you made the right choice when it comes to furniture. There are stores that rate and review the furniture so you can see what other people have to say.

Discounts and furniture sales online

Online furniture shops will often have discounts and furniture sales. The reason for this is that they have to compete more fiercely to get you business. These sales can make a great difference to your budget and even allow you to get more than you originally thought possible. Discounts are things that everyone looks for and it is a great way for stores to get more customers. You can get discounts online for a single piece of furniture or a whole collection.

Where to go shopping for furniture is something you may wonder about. There are many local stores that you can try. These stores may be part of a chain or not but they do hold a host of benefits. Additionally, buying online also has a host of benefits that you should think about.