Be careful about exposing wooden furniture to sunlight for prolonged time periods. It results in a phenomenon called ‘spotting’ where bright and dark spots appear across the cross section. On a wooden table, you could use tablecloth to effectively mitigate its effect.
TIPS TO MAINTAIN WOODEN FURNITURE PART 2
Dust it well
A sparkling piece of furniture makes for a sparkling room. And the right amount of dusting helps in doing so. Make sure you use a soft, dry cotton cloth to wipe any dust off. If you could clean your sofas, tables etc. on a bi-monthly basis, then there’s nothing like it.
TIPS TO MAINTAIN WOODEN FURNITURE PART 1
Maintaining furniture is a task but an extremely rewarding one. Here are a few tips that you could use to make sure your wooden furniture lasts long.
Wooden furniture, with its vintage charm adds a sense of allure to your home. Any wooden piece is a centre piece worthy of all attention. It is for this very reason that one must give its maintenance extra care and attention. But it’s extremely important to know what helps and what does not.
Make your Bedroom Look Bigger with Furniture
Small bedrooms are uniquely difficult to design and decorate because of one essential piece of large furniture: the bed. However, just because you have a large bed in a small room, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your sense of style and, more importantly, sense of space. By following some simple bedroom design rules and color schemes, you’ll be amazed how quickly a room transforms.
Use Space-Saving Furniture
Not all small bedroom design ideas are optical illusions. Obviously, the less furniture that you have in your bedroom, the bigger it will look. A simple solution would be raising your bed with risers and then storing your clothes beneath. You can also purchase beds with built in storage beneath, like the bed pictured here. But, don’t stop there, get creative with the rest of your small room design ideas. Utilize folding desks and chairs and store them when you aren’t using them.
Avoid Excessive Furniture
You don’t always need two bedside tables, especially in a small room. This tip is relatively simple on paper, but somewhat harder in practice. It is always nice to have extra things to make your life easier, but if space is an issue, less furniture will make your room seem much bigger. By keeping the bed on the floor and using only one small table as the only piece of furniture, this small bedroom looks much bigger.
Get Creative
Instead of a full-size bed, try using a futon, which doubles as a couch during the day. If you really want to hide away, try installing a pullman bed. These will maximize floor space when you aren’t sleeping. If you are looking for some nice small bedroom design ideas for lounging that don’t take up floor space, try a hammock. Another great idea for small rooms with multiple children is the bunk bed—the ones pictured here even have built-in shelving.
Keep Low to The Ground
Stay away from tall chairs and tables in your small bedroom design, and definitely get rid of the high headboard. By keeping things low to the ground, you are creating more space above, which keeps the wall cleaner and ceiling seem higher. The bedroom pictured here has smaller ceiling, but by keeping the bed on the ground, it makes the bedroom look and feel much bigger.
Transparent Furniture
Try replacing your wooden desk with a glass table top. This takes up the same amount of space, but tricks the eye into feeling like it does not. Pair your desk with some acrylic or lucite chairs and you have a minimal visual impact work space that will help make your whole bedroom look bigger. This lucite chair and small desk combination do the trick for a small room.
Exposed Legs on Your Furniture
Similar to the bedroom design tip above, by exposing the legs on your furniture, you are creating the illusion of space and making the bedroom look bigger. The key to this one, however is to make sure to keep the area below your furniture clean and organized. Ditch the bed skirt and let the room breathe a bit, like in this little girl’s room. The long legs of the bedside table also help to exaggerate the sense of space.
Built-In Shelving Around Bedding
Building shelving around your bedding and recessing the bed a bit is a great small bedroom design idea. The shelving doubles as bedside table, saving space in that regard, but by having the bed recessed, it creates an illusion of depth in the wall, making the small room feel bigger.
Overall, a room will always feel larger if you keep it clean and organized. Experiment with different types of furniture, beds, and bedding. Rearrange the layout and build shelves to maximize the space of your room. A simple design with coordinating colors and patterns will not only make it more visually appealing, but also make your small bedroom room seem bigger.
Living Room Layouts
For many it’s a common space meant for sharing stories and laughs with the whole family. Naturally, the living room is where you might have relaxed with the family and entertained guests for the holidays, or just because. To create new memories in your home, it’s important to create a living room layout that first serves its function and second reflects your family’s style.
To inspire your big move or home remodel, we created living room layouts that can be replicated in all types of living room shapes and sizes. Use our living room templates as a guide to create a space that shows off your family member’s personalities by personalizing the color, furniture and home decor.
If you’re moving into a new home, consider waiting to fully plan the living room until living in the space to get a feeling for where the light hits throughout the day. Don’t feel like you need to fill every crevice of the room—you can always add furniture and decor over time and rearrange.
Conversational
If your living room has a natural centerpiece, like a fireplace and mantel, create a cozy gathering around it. Try two comfy armchairs like the photo above or a combination of armchairs with a small love seat. Encourage conversation by including accessories like throw pillows and blankets that invite someone to relax and share their day.
Activity
If your family spends most of their time in the living room, make it kid-friendly by creating an open space with plenty of room for activities. Choose dependable furniture like sturdy sofas and chairs that will live with you as your family grows. Opt for larger sofas and coffee tables so you can fit all the kids (and their stuff!) without making the room feel too cluttered.
Open-Concept
Have a living room that spills out from the kitchen? Embrace the open space while still creating a clear definition with a longer sofa. Match your small decor like end tables and rugs to the decor in the kitchen (like the wood matching the backsplash above) so the whole space is in harmony. Be sure to pick colors that compliment one another when painting the rooms.
Focal Point
If you have a big feature that you want to emphasize in your living room, design your layout around it. Anything from a fireplace, large window, accent wall or big bookcase can become the center of attention if you balance the furniture around it correctly.
Family Gathering
Make your favorite part of your living room, like a pool table or big screen TV, the main event. Decorate around these large items with versatile pieces like low back sofas and plenty of smaller items that are easy to swap out, like throw pillows and plants. Not only will it make the space less distracting, but also easier to navigate when you have more guests.
Symmetrical
Create the ultimate balance with a symmetrical room. This is most easily done around the fireplace where you can stack shelving on each side. Complete the look with identical sofas on and wall decor that matches. This creates an elegant and clean look that your guests will pine over.
Multifunctional
If you have a smaller living room, consider creating a space that can have multiple uses. Include a coffee table and small couch for lounging, in addition to a small desk and chair for a workspace. Use something to divide the two spaces like a coffee table, a bookshelf or the back of a couch to define the spaces.
Balanced
Similar to symmetrical, balanced living rooms don’t need exactly matching furnishings. You just have to make sure the room feels not too heavy or light on one end, like in the photo above where a large sofa is complemented by two armchairs. This is ideal if you want to achieve a symmetrical look but don’t feel like investing in many large pieces.
Contemporary
Use unique furniture to turn a simple room into a crafty space. Throw away your traditional thinking. Want a circular bookcase? Hexagon end tables? A dramatic gallery wall? Anything goes! Keep the space feeling organized by keeping to the same style, like travel themed or a specific color palette.
Diagonals
Possibly the most challenging style to decorate, sometimes you have to work around a oddly spaced room or wall. Embrace the change by keeping furniture minimal and utilizing the wall as a blank canvas. Create a bright accent wall or decorate with your favorite photos. Guests will be more focused on the impressive decor that they won’t even notice the misalignment.
With these layouts in mind, create the living room of your dreams. Include vibrant accent walls or an inviting photo wall to make your space feel like home. Don’t forget to personalize your living room as well with throw pillows, blankets, wall art and more.
Stylish Couch for Your Living Room
Mid-Century Modern Sofas
You’re designing your new living room in mid-century modern and you have no idea where to begin – the right couch can go a long way to fulfilling the look. Decorating around a sofa helps with organization and flow. How do you know which piece is best for your mid-century modern home?
The mid-century style you need probably has wooden legs (often gently splayed) and low profile. Along with tufted backs and some with round shapes, you can easily start creating your hip new living room. Mid- Century Modern Collection has a variety of finds for your home sweet home.
Industrial Sofas
Industrial is all about leather. Steel frames and ultra-sleek designs create a fine finish that will fit right in with the rest of your decor. Industrial couch styles are universal, which is beneficial because once you want to transition into something urban or glam, for example, your couch can stay right where it is by simply mixing up the decor around it. Raw finishing and warehouse weathered looks don’t have to go into play when it comes to your seating arrangement.
Industrial Collection to create the perfect setting with your new leather find!
Bohemian Sofas
Bohemian couch designs come in all shapes and sizes. Choosing the right furniture is the fun part about creating a boho oasis!
Go for the colorful route and choose soft green tones in suede to go with your favored Aztec pillows. If you’re not a fan of color, change things up a bit and go with all white cushions that way your vibrant bold throws will stand out. Wood frames, tufted detailing to curved backs… Bohemian living rooms always need an accent lounge piece.
Get inspired by design ideas for a boho paradise and sofa styles.
Urban Modern Sofas
When it comes to finding the perfect urban touch, keep in mind that the selections are endless. The hardest part about incorporating a couch into your living room is going to be actually picking a favorite. I wouldn’t know which style to choose because they are all stylishly unique in their own urban way! From blue hues to minimal tufted details, sofa covers and over sized cushions, your couch will be the go to place to throw on the record player and enjoy the day!
Get your fix of decor and couches with Urban Modern Collection.
Contemporary Chic
Contemporary chic is for the glam worshipers. Anything chic that looks like it belongs in a fashion magazine means you have selected the right choice. Tufts upon tufts, unique shapes and gold or silver accents, if it’s a couch made for a queen, then it should be in your living room.
Don’t be afraid to take things up a notch when you are going for the contemporary chic look. The more fashionable it is, the better. When it comes to this specific couch style, from dark blue to pastel purple, any hue will create an eye-catching focal point for your space.
Contemporary Chic Collection to get inspiration and shop favorites.
What I love most about the different couch styles is that they are all so distinctly different. No matter what type of furniture store or online shop you stumble upon, there will always be a variety.
How to Choose The Right Color?
When making your selection, taking into account the type and purpose of the space is key to choosing the right color. If you’ve been feeling a little drained whenever you step into your bedroom, it might be time to change your room color or add a revitalizing accent wall.
For office colors, blues are known to keep you focused and refreshed whereas white can be a bit draining. For your bedroom, however, blues can make you feel calm, while greens awaken and refresh the mind. Your routine and personality can also work best with certain colors as they can complement your natural mood and lifestyle. Whatever your goals are for your bedroom, keep reading to find out how you can paint your bedroom walls to set your ideal mood.
Although all bedrooms have the same purpose, various routines, preferences and personalities have to be taken into consideration when selecting the right color. Before you begin, put together a list of your personality and lifestyle traits. Here’s a list of questions to get you started:
- Are you a morning person or a night owl?
- Do you wake up right away or hit snooze several times?
- Do you fall asleep as soon as you get in bed or have trouble sleeping?
- Do you open the blinds as soon as you wake up or slowly ease into the day?
- Do you feel drained around white or bright colors?
- Do you prefer uncluttered, minimalist spaces or eclectic decor?
In order to help you paint your perfect room, below are some popular bedroom colors and the moods they’re known to encourage. When selecting a color, keep in mind the intensity of the shade and your personal style. If you prefer bold and unique bedroom color combinations and decor, be sure to select complementary moods. If you like to keep things light and minimal, choose a shade that will set your desired mood year-round and one you can easily refresh with simple decor.
Neutralizing White
Whites to light-medium beige are great neutral colors that don’t tend to have much of an effect on mood. If you like to change your bedroom decor often, we recommend going for a shade like this as it can be easily matched with any style and pops of color. A fun accent wall or eye-catching wall art is an easy way to make your room look put-together and chic. These shades are also great for practical people who enjoy the feeling of clean, bright and open spaces.
Serene Blue
Blues are known to be calming and relaxing. It’s one of our top choices for bedroom and bathroom walls as it can bring down blood pressure and encourage a feeling of ease. If your room does not receive enough natural light or if you often read at night, go for pastel blues as they will keep your room looking bright.
They can also make any room look and feel a bit cooler so it’s a great option for those of you who live in hot weather. To encourage a serene and cozy atmosphere, go for warmer blues like ultramarine, cobalt and periwinkle. We recommend staying away from deep, dark shades if you’d like to avoid constantly feeling blue.
Energetic Red
Perhaps the most stimulating color choice, red is great for increasing energy levels and creating excitement. As red is very intense, it can often drain your body’s energy so we recommend using this color sparingly in the bedroom. One accent wall will do the trick to energize you in the mornings. Reds also stimulate conversation and creativity so if you have a desk in your bedroom or often study on your bed, this shade can get you in the right mood to bring out your best ideas.
Uplifting Yellow
Yellow can be an incredibly uplifting and exhilarating shade. If you’re a morning person who likes to open the blinds the minute you wake up, yellow is a great choice. It will match your natural morning mood and get your days off to a good start.
Although yellows represent joy and happiness, studies have found that too much of this color can create frustration and uneasiness. For bright yellows, we recommend a wall or two and if you’re planning on painting your entire room yellow, go for a softer pastel shade.
Soothing Green
Greens are excellent for every room in the house. They make us feel calm, refreshed and soothed. Green is known to attract prosperity and fertility while encouraging togetherness and comfort, making it the perfect color for couples with kids. We also recommend green for those who have trouble waking up or falling asleep as greens have a mind-clearing and restorative effect on moods.
Restful Purple
When we think of purple bedrooms, we normally picture lighter shades like lilac, lavender and wisteria. These tones of purple make us feel comforted, calm and well-rested. Lighter purples, similar to greens, are flexible shades that work for early and late risers as they have both soothing and revitalizing qualities.
Although darker purples, like plum and wine, give rooms a much more sophisticated and luxurious feel, they can often lower our energy levels. Keep these shades limited to an accent wall or behind your desk to encourage creativity.
Exciting Orange
A bright and surprisingly cleansing color, orange shades are great for pops of color in the bedroom. Since orange isn’t known for helping us unwind or feel calm, we recommend this shade for early risers who have no trouble falling asleep. Vivid oranges are great for stimulating the mind and making you feel excited to start your day. For a rustic and personalized look, pair with large, wooden wall art.
Grounding Black
Not a very popular choice but color psychology often recommends having black accents in your bedroom or office as it’s a very grounding and strengthening shade. It’s a confidence-boosting color that helps us focus and feel in control. A black accent wall can make any bedroom feel extravagant and chic, especially when paired with the right decor such as metal prints or a unique family photo wall. To balance out the darkness, be sure to pair with white or neutral walls.
Calming Pink
Studies have shown that people often exposed to soft pink feel calm and relieved of any anger or feelings of aggression. If you would like to experiment with this so-called “Pink Effect” yourself, apply it to some or all walls in your bedroom. Tone town with muted decor like a brass or rose gold bench at the end of your bed or a soft gray fleece blanket. Pinks are also known to encourage playfulness and feelings of kindness, making them a flexible color for all personalities and lifestyles.
Peaceful Grey
Another great color for those who like clean and open bedrooms. Muted and pale grays achieve a Zen-like atmosphere and can make a room seem a little more spacious. It represents peace and balance so it can be ideal for people who have trouble sleeping.
Lighter shades tend to make a room feel calm and airy while darker grays give a more masculine and sophisticated look. As a neutral color, it makes it quite easy to decorate a room with a few bright pillows or a statement word art wall.
Colors are an easy way to give your bedroom life and help you set your ideal mood. Whether you prefer cozy warm shades or something more refreshing and cool, finding the right color is only a matter of knowing what works best with your lifestyle.