Posted on October 15, 2011
Nearly every home these days has three main tables in the living room. Usually it's a coffee table and a pair of matched end tables. But there is so much more you can do to liven up the room and make it pop in terms of décor and functionality.
One of the easiest things to do is to add living room accent tables. These are typically smaller than end tables, but there's really no hard and fast rule about what an accent table truly is or isn't. However, when you see one, you know it is one, largely because it is designed to be a more showy piece of furniture, one that stands out from the crowd.
This is often because of the fine woodwork that is on display. In contrast to more pedestrian end tables, living room accent tables can have intricate carvings and inlays of fine veneers.
If you're cautious about the idea of veneers, thinking they are an indication of cheap furniture, think again. While you can find veneer used on less expensive furniture to mask the use of particleboard or plywood underneath, veneer can also be exquisite, both in the materials used and the masterful craftsmanship.
When you see a fine veneer on living room accent tables, you are seeing the very best woods available on the market. They can have extremely beautiful grains and often the veneer pieces are of rare or exotic woods. The veneer itself is extremely thin, about 1/40 of an inch. That way a lot of veneer can be harvested from a single tree so that the natural resources are used wisely and as fully as possible. Read more...
Posted on October 14, 2011
The headboard is usually the focal point of the bedroom. It is what your eye goes to when you enter the room. Headboards that are part of a "set" that you buy at the furniture store are fine. But if we can't afford the furniture right now, are tired of it, or just want something more artistic, more individual than the furniture store can provide, there are inexpensive solutions. Take heed of some ways you can achieve a whole new look.
Chinese Screen
You may use something that is not a headboard at all but you can use it as such. I use a six-foot tall Chinese screen as my headboard. The wall at the head of the bed is exceptionally high because the house has vaulted ceilings. Therefore, this screen presents an exotic look in a room that has antique Chinese furniture.
Quilt
You may choose many different headboard styles depending on the "look" you want to achieve. Try hanging a quilt on a curtain rod or dowel if you want a quaint farmhouse look. Read more...
Posted on October 13, 2011
There have never been so many options for remodeling a kitchen. A quick stop in at an Ikea store will reveal just a portion of the many styles available. Thanks to the development of contemporary kitchen cabinets, you can choose from a wide variety of looks and a wide variety of prices. You can choose from various woods or composites with wood tones. You may even choose a more modern look with bright colors or metallics. Whichever route you wish to go, you also have the choice of having your cabinets professionally installed, ordering rta cabinets for you to assemble and install, or even turning the renovation into diy project and building them yourself. Retailers like Home Depot and Lowes will have the supplies and advice you need to be professional if you choose to go this route.
You may also choose to purchase unfinished cabinets at wholesale prices as a site like easykitchencabinets.com. For example, a solid oak corner cabinet, complete with an rta lazy susan, sells for only $269 at this site. This is an excellent site for a solid wood cabinet, and there are a number of other options available. Your cabinets are delivered fully assembled, but needing to be finished. You can choose the stain or color that best suits your tastes and decor, and you save money in the process. Read more...