FURNITURE juice

A blog to inspire you in home decorating and other improvement projects

Aug
26

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Sometimes, it’s just better to hire a remodeling company

Category: Bathroom, Home improvement Leave a Comment

When it comes to interior decorating, having nice furniture and decorations can only take you so far.

If you have nice belongings, you need to have a nice-looking living space to go along with them.

I’m talking about addressing the wear and tear that an inside of a home goes through, particularly if you have kids and pets. There are a lot of touchups that I usually take care of yourself -– things such as painting, spackling cracks, touching up dings in doors, etc. But I recently had to bite the bullet and hire a contractor to handle some work in my house that above my ability, and I’m glad I did because I think it probably saved me a lot of time and headaches.

This was the situation: I was in the process of remodeling my bathroom, and I was sure I would be able to tackle it myself. I repainted the walls, replaced the light fixture and bought a new shower curtain and rug. But replacing the sink? After a failed attempt, I decided it was something I wanted to ensure was done right. And the contractor did the job perfectly. In fact, I want to give Rainbow Roofing a shoutout. In Texas, it’s a McKinney roofing and remodeling company. For readers who live in and around McKinney, Texas, you should consider giving them a call.

You can save money by taking care of what you can on your own, but when it comes to giving a room a fresh new upgrade, oftentimes a remodeling company can take you to the next level.

Jul
29

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A power lift chair was the answer to independence

Category: Chairs, Living room Leave a Comment

 

I hope I’ve inherited by grandmother’s gene for longevity.

She’s approaching 100 years old and still lives on her own. And she’s got no major health problems, unless you count her hearing, which has gotten much worse in recent years.

Why am I talking about grandmother and old age in this blog.

Here’s why: As I mentioned, she lives alone, but something happened recently that put her independence in jeopardy. She struggled mightily to get out of her chair in her living room. In fact, she couldn’t get out of the chair one time, but luckily she had a phone next to her and she was able to call a relative for help.

So the family was thinking that this was it, that she would no longer by able to make it on her own, as she has for many years, if she can’t get herself out of her chair.

But after a little research, one of my uncles found a solution, and it’s worked very well.

We purchased a power lift chair for her. Have you seen one of these contraptions? My grandmother piece of furniture is by Catnapper, and basically you press a button and the chair raises into the air, tilting on the way up. The chair  puts the user into a standing position, or close enough to it. This particular model has a 300 pound weight limit, well within the needs of my very slight grandmother.

What’s cool about the chair that it doesn’t look something out a hospital or some medical setting. In fact, you never even know there was something different about the piece. It looks like a conventional chair sitting there in her living room, until it lifts.

This particular Catnapper model has a few added bonuses, too. It’s also a power recliner, although I don’t know how much use my grandmother gets out of that feature.

She does make use of the side storage pockets that are perfect for the newspaper and magazines she likes to read.

My uncle said he found Catnapper lift chairs that ranged in price between $650 and $950, depending on the style. It certainly worth it, since getting the lift chair allowed my grandmother to continue to live independently.

Jul
27

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Here’s a ‘cool’ Samsung product you might not have heard of

Category: Kitchen Leave a Comment

This is the LCD touchscreen I saw on the Samsung refrigerator

We all know the name Samsung.

You either have a Samsung cell phone or know someone who does. Or you’ve seen or bought the electronics manufacturer’s TVs or stereo systems or tablets.

But the other day I was at a house party when I made my way into the kitchen and found a Samsung product I had never seen before, and it was very cool — in more ways than one.

The host of the party had a Samsung fridge with French doors, water and ice dispenser and a LCD touch screen. It was stainless steel, and it had a pullout freezer drawer and a smaller drawer in which you could control the temperature, independent of the main fridge.

This thing was one of the neatest refrigerators I’ve ever seen and the biggest surprise was it was manufactured by the same company that made my cell phone. Who knew? Probably a lot of people, but I didn’t.

When I got home, I did a little research and found that Samsung makes all sorts of home appliances.

This is the Samsung model I'm referring to in this post

But this fridge by Samsung was so awesome, and apparently it doesn’t break the bank. One online retailer had it priced at a little over $2,500.
By far the most eye catching feature on this refrigerator, which is loaded with features, was the eight inch LCD touchscreen just above the in-door ice and water dispenser. It’s Wi-Fi capable. That’s right. Fridges can now be connected to the Internet, with all sorts of apps that apparently allow you to do things like check the weather forecast, browse the Web, research recipes, check Facebook, or simply leave a note for other family members.

How cool.

And that’s not even considering the French door design — in other words, double doors opening onto a wide refrigerator compartment — plus the freezer drawer and an additional drawer.

Even cooler.

The other equally important factor in a fridge is its ability to work reliably. When it comes to the Samsung fridge, I’m not sure. The host of the party had no complaints, but he had only purchased the appliance a few months ago. And one major retailer had posted 94 buyer reviews that averaged four out of five stars. Still, that doesn’t give an indication of the long term reliability of the product.

I’ll have to keep an eye on it for a little while before I pull the trigger on purchasing a Samsung refrigerator.

Jun
26

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Buy a used sofa doesn’t have to mean buying a ratty one

Category: Couches, Decoration, Living room Leave a Comment

This sofa was found for sale online

The few times when I’ve wanted a different sofa in my living room, I’ve always bought a brand new piece from furniture stores that have seemingly miles and miles of couches on display.

That’s what happened last year when I bought a nice new Broyhill sofa, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The thought of buying a used couch make me feel kind of uncomfortable. How can I relax and stretch out on the couch knowing that countless other strangers have done that on the same couch before I owned it.

That’s my own hangup. I know there are ways to get a sofa in good condition at a great price, if you go about it the right way.

Several friends of mine who have made some great furniture finds offer some advice.

The Web’s a great place to look

Traditionally, good places to find deals have been thrift stores and yard sales and the like. That’s still the case, but in the age of the Internet, craigslist and even eBay have become great places, too.

But to find the deals, you have to be patient. Be prepared to wade through to some real junk to find the winners. And if doing your used furniture shopping online, make sure you have an opportunity to look at the piece before agreeing to buy. That way you can look for stains on the upholestry and damage to the frame or legs, things that might be spotted in photos online.

Also, check for cleanliness and whether the furniture has any odors. For me, odors are a very bad sign, no matter how faint. In my experience, there’s not enough odor-treatment sprays, foams, etc. to get rid of smells. And smells such as pet odors can get much worse when it gets hot and humid in the summer.

You probably want to avoid buying something like this

Stains or even rips in the fabric of the sofa don’t necessarily have to be a deal breaker. You might be able to hire an upholsterer to fix it. But check to see whether it’s worth it. Sofa springs, rounded armrests and corners and other features could add to the difficulty of reupholstering a sofa, and in turn the cost of doing it, pushing great deal on a sofa into a ripoff.

And don’t assume you can upholster the sofa yourself, unless of course you’re a professional or a really, really handy person.

New but very affordable

One other thing: Keep your eyes open for big discounts for floor models or at warehouse outlets or even going out of business sales, which seem to be happening more frequently in my area.

Good luck on your hunt. Like I said, you need to remain patient and eventually a good deal will come to you, or come across one.

Jun
26

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All is not lost when wood furniture is scratched, stained

Category: Beds, Dressers, Living room, Tables Leave a Comment

Because I have small children and several pets, sometimes I feel like I’m constantly on guard, trying mostly in vain to protect my good furniture from the damage young ones and clawed animals can bring.

After buying a new and expensive — at least to me — coffee table made out of beautiful oak I kind of have to be vigilant. But I’ve learned really quickly that there are ways to recover the beauty of oak furniture and other wood pieces, if the damage such as scratches and stains are at the surface level and not something deeper. Usually, though, you need to act fast.

Get a good polish or wax — or iodine

Wood polishes can often do the trick when you need to fix surface stains and scratches. Find polishes that are designed to blend in light marks and stains on the surface. You just need to find a polish in a shade that comes close to matching the finish on your furniture, then apply by following the instructions that come with the polish.

 

Cats can play havoc with furniture

Wax can do the job, too. Little coast can restore the wood surface, if the marks are just superficial.

Do you have some iodine in your medicine cabinet? If so, you can use in to fix light scratches on darker wood. Use cotton swabs to apply the iodine gently on the trouble area. Allow the iodine to dry. You might have to apply several coats.

A ring nobody wants to get

I think one of the most ugly things is a ring on a wood surface left by a cup or glass. Unfortunately, it’s a common occurance in my home no matter how many times I tell my children to use a coaster.

If they do occur, quick action can go a long way helping them disappear.

Here’s a trick I learned from a neighbor: Get some cloth, preferably thick, and put it on the top of the ring. Then get a flat iron and put it on a warm setting. Place the iron on the cloth and move back and forth until it disappears. Just be careful not to touch the surface of the wood with the iron itself.

For more difficult to remove rings, apply lemon or orange oil and keep it on for a few hours. When the oil is eventually removed, the ring will either be degraded or have vanished completely.

There are plenty of other tricks to remove stains and scratches from your wood furniture. But my point is that that those mars don’t have to be permanent. But you have your best chance of removing the marks if you act quickly.

 

Jun
25

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Crib, rocker, diaper pail, radio — the ingredients of a nice nursery

Category: Bedroom, Closets, Decoration, Dressers Leave a Comment

A lot new parents prepare for the birth of their first child by setting up one of the rooms in their home as a nursery.

I did it a little differently.

The work on the nursery for my son didn’t start until after he was born and in the house for a few weeks. Where did he sleep? In my room.

I don’t know if this is the best way to handle the arrival of a newborn in the house, but my thinking was that I’d have a better idea of what my son’s nursery would need and what it should look like. I don’t necessarily recommend this for other new parents, particularly because life caring for a infant can be hectic enough without having to also worry about designing and decorating a nursery.   First, I started off with the walls, I painted it icy blue. When it was done, it looked lovely, but when I thought about the accessories I would need to buy, I realized that I did not have a theme for the room.

While choosing a theme isn’t mandatory is building a nursery, it can make things a lot easier. As a parent, if you know the gender of the baby before birth I think you should choose an appropriate them to suit their gender. If you don’t know ahead of time, you can go for a neutral gender.

Since themed items typically come in sets, I checked them out and also took time to look at the individual items. Although it’s not always the case, I found that it was cheaper and more economical to buy the items individually.

When I was shopping, I saw this baby crib that converts into a bed. Perfect, I thought, now I won’t need to buy another bed once the baby gets older. Now that’s advanced planning.

Other items in my shopping list included a changing table. And since I decided to sue cloth diapers, I needed a diaper pail. I didn’t bother buying a dresser for his little clothes, instead opting to a have an organizing system installed in his closet to store clothing and other accessories.

I like having my baby listen to soothing music so a radio was a top priority.   An additional item that I couldn’t do without was a comfortable rocking chair. Since I was going to spend a lot of time in this room, this chair had to comfortable and smooth in its rocking motion.

Of course, my baby won’t be confined to the nursery so I when I saw a bassinet, I thought it was perfect. I use it when in other areas of the house. I also place it on top of my bed as we rest there with my son.

Even weeks after my son’s birth, I am not quite done with the nursery. I still need to make a few adjustments here and there. Obviously, I’m in no rush.

Jun
23

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My take on interior design, interior decoration

Category: Basement, Bathroom, Bedroom, Decoration, Guest room, Kitchen, Living room Leave a Comment

 

Interior design and interior decoration. I’ve heard many people interchange these terms thinking they are one and the same.

They’re actually two different things.

While decoration means paint application and/or adding elements to the physical look of the room, design goes as step further and takes into account the size of the room, color scheme, ambience desired and the presentation.

For example, if I were to decorate a living room, I’d buy a beautiful wall hanging or painting and hang it somewhere in the room. Whereas, if I intend to design the living room, I would  purchase wall hangings or paintings that were only in proportion to the size of the room,not forgetting the other furnishings already in the room. Careful thought will also dictate where a piece is hung so that it can achieve the desired effect. I would not want to end up with an imbalanced room.

Color palettes and other stuff

One interior design course I took long ago taught a great deal about color palettes and how furnishings and trimmings go with base colors. The most memorable lessons were those on how to complete a look from the beginning to the end. Just by looking at the bare bones of the room, I can draw out the plans taking into account the color scheme.

The plans usually include furniture placement, furniture elements, flooring, wall colors and the use of fabrics.   Decorating a room on the other hand is quite simple. Anyone can do it. It doesn’t require any special skills or courses. After all, the room has already been designed. All one needs to do is add some sort of furnishing or decoration into the room or house. For instance, on particular project, I added a beautiful sculpture on the coffee table in the living room.

Style board or Computerization

Defining it further, design is going into an empty house and deciding what goes where, their sizes, colors, positioning, and so forth. A style board can be used but I prefer a computerized plan since it makes me visualize what a room will look like when finished. It also makes it easy to make changes in the plan in order to arrive at the desired look.

My creativity is always put into test when coming up with the required design style. But then again, I love it so much given that I am in total control of the situation. Unlike in decoration where I have to work with what is already there, I have the freedom to experiment with new ideas, modern designs, etc. from one room to another.

I always look forward to an interior design job.

Jun
22

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Small bedroom? I know how you feel

Category: Bedroom, Beds, Decoration, Dressers, Organization Leave a Comment

 

Of all the rooms in the house, my bedroom is the most important. It’s become my favorite.

This is the place I wind up and take a good rest. It has to be welcoming and warm. When it is too crowded, it robs me the peaceful rest that I need at the end of a stressful day. So when I moved into my new house, I decide to take a few steps to make it look larger than it really is.

First off, I got rid of the California king size bed that I love so much and replaced with a queen size. Honestly, I realized I really don’t need it. The space created after this was amazing.

The next thing that I did was get rid of the clutter in the room. Clutter has a way of making a room appear smaller and crowded. It’s one of those things you don’t notice until after the clutter is gone. Cleaning and clearing up not only makes a room neat — which I think adds to the peaceful feeling — but it also creates an instant illusion of space.

Then it was time to remove the clothes dresser that I have placed near by window when I first moved in. More natural light got into the bedroom once the dresser was out.

There is still more work to do

Deciding between an underbed storage or a built-in has been a tough decision, all I know is that whoever I settle on, it’ll keep the room neat, and again restful.

Even after all these plans, I didn’t think the room would feel the way I wanted it.

Then it hit me, the walls need a makeover! The dark colours on the walls were making the bedroom feel like a cave. I hear light colours can open a place up.

I haven’t bought the paint yet, but I’m going to try icy blue and cream colors. Then dark colors on the border and trims and painting the moldings a bit lighter will make the room appear much larger.

Creating a focal point in the room actually draws attention from the rest of the room. Since the bed is the largest thing in there, that’s where I focused. Placing a wall painting I bought from a local flea market just above the bed will be excellent. I think this only works when your bed looks good. Otherwise may be it’s better to stick to a colorful vase to adorn the top of the dresser. The idea is to remove emphasis from the smallness of the room while accentuating the positive.

I’m sure it’s going to feel roomy once I’m done with the project. Now I just need to move the television into another room.