Posts Tagged living room
Add A Touch Of Elegance To Your Living Room – Bring Home A White Leather Sofa
Posted by in Uncategorized on January 4, 2010
White leather sofas can add a touch of elegance and beauty to your living room. The most pure color in the world âwhiteâ looks ultra chic and sophisticated on sofas. It has an ethereal appeal and adds style to the room. Though it requires some maintenance, you will love its ability to turn heads. The maintenance wont hurt, for your sofa can be such an attention grabber, you are sure to receive compliments for its beauty. It looks beautiful and larger than life. Leather sofas have a sensual appeal and if you have not yet adorned your home with a white leather sofa, we suggest you buy one soon. But before you buy your new sofa, we suggest you consider a few factors.
Â
* The quality of leather is an important factor. Leather that has tiny pores will ensure that it does not get too hot during summers or too cold during winter. So, look for one that has pores.
*Â Cleaning methods â Cleaning a leather sofa is different from other sofas, since leather is a natural product. Do not use strong soaps or chemicals and sponges to clean stains. Instead, use a clean cloth to remove marks or stains. Never use water for cleaning the sofa, always use oil for removing stains. Moreover, this type of sofa is subject to discoloration, so it is advisable to use leather sprays to bring back the color and shine.
* Conditioners â No, we are not talking about hair conditioners. We mean leather conditioners, which add luster to your dull leather sofa. There are conditioners and sprays available to bring back life to your sofa. Donât bother too much about maintenance, with a plethora of products available, you can get your hands on some of the best cleaning agents for your white leather sofa.
Â
There are some more handy tips to keep your sofa clean; these are home remedies, which can save your sofa from stains and marks.
Â
*Â Use a moisturizer like petroleum jelly, aloe vera gel, butter or any such emollient cosmetic product for cleaning your sofa. You can also use your makeup remover for removing stains or yellowness from your white leather sofa.
*Â Glycerin is another quick fix method of cleaning. If you donât have the time or have run up on your other sofa care products then glycerin can be very handy.
*Â Another product that can be found easily in the house is shaving cream. A shaving cream soothes the skin and softens hair; similarly, it softens the surface of sofa and makes for easy cleaning.
Â
Whatever method of cleaning you choose, remember to do a patch test in an area that is less visible. Though you havenât brought home a white leather sofa yet, we have given you information that will surely help you decide. Beauty comes with a price, so your white sofa will need your time and care. Rest assured, it will liven up the ambience of your house and will score high on the drool quotient.
White leather sofas can add a touch of elegance and beauty to your living room. The most pure color in the world âwhiteâ looks ultra chic and sophisticated on sofas. It has an ethereal appeal and adds style to the room. Though it requires some maintenance, you will love its ability to turn heads. The maintenance wont hurt, for your sofa can be such an attention grabber, you are sure to receive compliments for its beauty. It looks beautiful and larger than life. Leather sofas have a sensual appeal and if you have not yet adorned your home with a white leather sofa, we suggest you buy one soon. But before you buy your new sofa, we suggest you consider a few factors.
Â
* The quality of leather is an important factor. Leather that has tiny pores will ensure that it does not get too hot during summers or too cold during winter. So, look for one that has pores.
*Â Cleaning methods â Cleaning a leather sofa is different from other sofas, since leather is a natural product. Do not use strong soaps or chemicals and sponges to clean stains. Instead, use a clean cloth to remove marks or stains. Never use water for cleaning the sofa, always use oil for removing stains. Moreover, this type of sofa is subject to discoloration, so it is advisable to use leather sprays to bring back the color and shine.
* Conditioners â No, we are not talking about hair conditioners. We mean leather conditioners, which add luster to your dull leather sofa. There are conditioners and sprays available to bring back life to your sofa. Donât bother too much about maintenance, with a plethora of products available, you can get your hands on some of the best cleaning agents for your white leather sofa.
Â
There are some more handy tips to keep your sofa clean; these are home remedies, which can save your sofa from stains and marks.
Â
*Â Use a moisturizer like petroleum jelly, aloe vera gel, butter or any such emollient cosmetic product for cleaning your sofa. You can also use your makeup remover for removing stains or yellowness from your white leather sofa.
*Â Glycerin is another quick fix method of cleaning. If you donât have the time or have run up on your other sofa care products then glycerin can be very handy.
*Â Another product that can be found easily in the house is shaving cream. A shaving cream soothes the skin and softens hair; similarly, it softens the surface of sofa and makes for easy cleaning.
Â
Whatever method of cleaning you choose, remember to do a patch test in an area that is less visible. Though you havenât brought home a white leather sofa yet, we have given you information that will surely help you decide. Beauty comes with a price, so your white sofa will need your time and care. Rest assured, it will liven up the ambience of your house and will score high on the drool quotient.
Related posts
Feng Shui For the Bathroom
Posted by in Uncategorized on January 4, 2010
The bathroom is a challenging room when it comes to maintaining Feng Shui in your home. The ba gua, the optimal map for a home’s layout according to Feng Shui principles, doesn’t leave room for a bathroom—indeed, it was developed before indoor plumbing, when the bathroom area would not have been inside the home.According to Feng Shui, the bathroom has a draining effect wherever it’s placed—so it will diminish the positive effects of optimal placement for the bedroom, living room, and other important areas of the house. The effect it has depends on where it’s placed in your home. However, there are a few things you can do to prevent chi drainage and ensure your home’s Feng Shui integrity. If your bathroom is in an important area of the home, for example in the marriage, family or abundance area, it could have a draining or dampening effect on the benefits proper Feng Shui in those areas provides. To prevent this, place a full-length mirror on the outside of the bathroom door—or hang one above it. This will help prevent the chi in your home from flowing into the bathroom area. In addition, keep the toilet lid down and keep drains closed or covered when not in use—this will further prevent chi from being drained. If your bathroom is near or on the second floor above your front door or kitchen, it could direct negative energy into these important areas. Located near the entryway, the bathroom can drain away chi before it has a chance to circulate around the house. Above the front door, it can deposit negative energy in this important area. Above the kitchen, the water energy prevalent in the bathroom can quench the kitchen’s hearth energy and flood the area with negative energy. To prevent this, there are several steps you can take. One is to place a picture or statue of something uplifting and natural—a bird or a tree or flowers, for example—in the kitchen or area beneath the bathroom. In addition, hang a multifaceted crystal pendant from the bathroom ceiling, as close to center as possible. Hang a mirror above the toilet to prevent energy from draining down the plumbing. Place an object made from natural earth materials (for example a decorative stone statue, clay or terra cotta vase or crystal) in each corner of the bathroom. Materials made from earth will help balance the strong water alignment in the bathroom, which can cause positive chi to flow out of the home If your bathroom is in the center of the house, this can also be a problem. Locating your bathroom in a central location is one of the worst choices you can make from a Feng Shui perspective, as it can destabilize all the energy in your home. To counteract this, you’ll need to take more drastic action. Paint your walls red; the bright, warm colour will help negate negative energy. Place a full-length mirror outside the door, and put an object made of natural earth materials such as stone or clay in each corner of the room. No matter where your bathroom is located, there are a few things you should do in the interest of good Feng Shui. Always keep your toilet lid down when not in use; keep the door closed and keep drains closed or covered when you’re not using them. Incorporate growing bamboo plants in your bathroom, particularly in front of mirrors where their image will be reflected. Decorate with items made from earth materials such as clay, terra cotta or stone to balance the water energy that’s prevalent in bathrooms. Open your windows whenever possible, or hang a mirror above the toilet if there are no windows in your bathroom. Decorate with warm colours to counteract the dark yin energies that come with an overbalance of water influence. Life is hectic—and most of us need all the help we can get to improve the serenity of our homes. Follow these tips, and keep your bathroom clean and well-organized, and your bathroom can be a wellspring of positive energy rather than a drain on the rest of your home. With these tips, you can counteract negative effects and balance the water energy of your bathroom to achieve a harmonious home.
Related posts
How to Find Small Sofas for Small Rooms
Posted by in Uncategorized on January 2, 2010
Do you have a small living room, dorm room or apartment that is in need of a sofa? Are you unsure of what to purchase in order to incorporate both comfort and spaciousness?
If you already have a small space, the last thing you probably want is a large sofa that makes the room appear even smaller. After a hard day at work or school, you want to relax in your home, not feel confined and claustrophobic in a small living area due to a bulky piece of furniture.
The difficulties inherent in a small living room are not insurmountable. There are various options to choose from in small-scale sofas. You do not have to forego style and comfort to save on space!
What to Look for in a Small Sofa
There is more to space saving design when it comes to seating in a small living or family room than choosing a loveseat. You might be asking yourself what other options are available. Surely, a sofa’s dimensions are not the only avenues that need to be investigated, right?
Correct! There is more to choosing a small sofa than just its size. Along with size, there are different sofa features that are available that make a sofa appear sleeker and less bulky.
It is important to have a sofa that would not overpower the space in your small living area.
What Makes a Sofa Appear “Small Scale”?
Besides size, there are different sofa features that make it appear sleeker and trimmer. In other words, perfect for a small space. These features include:
* Few curves with clean, straight, and simple lines
* Straight or no arms
* Legs remaining visible underneath the sofa, that is, they are not covered by upholstered flaps
Futons also have features that give this sofa a small-scale appearance. They have simple, straight lines, narrow arms, with no upholstered flaps. Although many are wider than what would be considered small-scale, their simplicity makes them a natural for small spaces.
By simply changing the cover of a futon, you have the ability to change its overall look. You can go with a more traditional feel by having a design of large flowers and leaves on a subdued color palate of dark brown and beige. Or, if your style leans toward contemporary, you could choose plain beige, black or any other neutral color.
With their sleek, simple lines, most futons naturally have a modern contemporary look. However, this can be curtailed into a more traditional look with the use of different designs in coverings.
The other wonderful feature of a futon is its ability to be changed into a bed. Once the cover begins to wear, it is easy to replace with a new one.
Taking Size into Account
Most sofas for small spaces range in size from 72 inches or smaller. It should be noted that if you go too small, you might end up with seating for two instead of three. That is, you’ll end up with a loveseat instead of a sofa.
If you wanted something smaller than a loveseat, you could purchase a settee or Chair and a Half. Chair and a Halfs usually range around 49″ or smaller and settees range between 40 to 50 inches in length.
Below is a list of measurements to help you remember approximate sizes of small-scale sofas as compared to loveseats and settees. Make certain to take measurements of the space you need to obtain seating for before making a purchase. This will alleviate any unnecessary headaches and hassles from purchasing the wrong size seating for your room.
* Small Scale Sofas: 72″ or smaller
* Loveseats: 63″ or smaller
* Chair and a Halfs: 59″ or smaller
* Settees: 49″ or smaller
Use the above list as a guide, not as a hard-and-fast rule. There are sofas, loveseats, Chair and a Halfs and settees that do not meet this criteria. However, the above measurements are the norm.
Also, it is possible to find a sofa that is over 72″ that would still afford your room a spacious feel. For example, if you discover a sofa that is over 72″ with a sleek appearance and no upholstered flaps, it may work perfectly in your room if space allows.
It basically comes down to your individual taste.
Another option for a sofa in a space that would normally fit only a loveseat would be to look for sofas without arms. This would allow seating for three instead of two. Sofas usually have large arms that take up a fair amount of unnecessary space. By eliminating arms, you would increase your seating area!
This may not be for everyone, as you may not find an armless sofa comfortable enough for you. However, due to its space saving potential, it is worth investigating.
A Word to Those Lovers of Traditional Furnishings
Small-scale sofas tend to appeal more to lovers of modern or contemporary furnishings than those who prefer traditional. This can be disappointing if you prefer traditional furnishings, but you need a space saving sofa!
If your taste leans toward traditional, the sleek, straight lines of contemporary furnishings may appear cold and sterile and would not lend to the homey warm feel that you enjoy.
You should keep in mind that it is not necessary to purchase a sofa with all the features noted previously. For example, you could purchase a sofa with arms and legs that have curves instead of the contemporary straight lines. If the curves are not too thick, then this may satisfy your desire for a traditional look while still saving on space.
Summing Up
Having a small living room, family room, dorm room or living room has its disadvantages when it comes to seating. You want to get the most “bang for your buck”, by having as much seating as possible while still giving your room a spacious feel. Not always an easy feat in a small space!
There are particular features in a sofa that would give it a small-scale look such as straight lines, small arms and legs that raise the sofa. You could even maximize your seating by purchasing an armless sofa. This would allow seating for three instead of two.
Even if you do not appreciate all the features listed above in a sofa, you can pick one feature and look for other features that you love. For example, if you have a traditional lean in furnishings, you could purchase a sofa with curved arms and legs, but have it raised off the floor by legs uncovered by upholstered flaps. This way, you achieve a spacious look (by the negative space left underneath the sofa) but retain your unique sense of style and taste in the sofa.
Bottom line, you don’t have to sacrifice your style in home décor to achieve a spacious feel in a small space.
