Modular Sectionals: Why are they a good investment?

There are many reasons to choose a modular sectional (such as the fact that ours is on sale this month!) but 2 of the most often cited reasons are versatility and saving space.

Versatility:


With large, joined couches, the size of a room is often the most important factor in the selection process. You might come across a couch that you absolutely adore only to discover that you can't buy it because its dimensions are all wrong. Sectional sofa couches eliminate this problem due to the fact that they can be manipulated to fit into any room, regardless of shape.


Most sectional couches can be configured into at least eight to ten different formations, from straight lines to l-shaped and horseshoe shaped configurations. Larger couches can even be placed in interesting octagonal or equiangular formations. Many people buy a couch to fit into one room in particular, and then find themselves in a complete bind when they move homes. Sectional couches can be separated and then reconfigured to suit a new space. If certain sections don't look right in their new space, you can always move them to different rooms around the house. A single arm chair or chaise can always be moved into a bedroom or TV room.


Space saving:


Sectional sofas are adaptable enough to fit into even the smallest of rooms. This is primarily due to the fact that sectional couches can be configured to take advantage of space that would normally go unused. Because they can be configured around other furniture as opposed to beside it, sectional couches offer the advantage of providing the maximum amount of seating in the smallest amount of space. By carefully configuring a sectional couch to fit into unused corners and crags, you can create additional space in the center of a small room and prevent it from looking crowded.

Read more: http://www.guide4home.com/dec-sofa/sectional-couch.htm

Bringing Furniture Into the Bathroom

Get the scoop on a hot new trend in the furniture world...furniture in the bathroom!


Don't worry. I am not going to torture you with photos of cavernous bathrooms that resemble formal parlors straight out of Downton Abbey. I think we all know those sumptuous Elle Decor and Architectural Digest bathrooms adorned with grandoise antique armoires, chaise lounges and massive armchairs. It's a wonder the homeowners don't entertain guests in their lavatories.


But mammoth pieces of furniture are no use to those of us with regular or small-sized bathrooms. Never fear. You, too, can incorporate interesting case pieces, chairs and tables into your bathroom. Integrating furniture not normally associated with the bathroom (from little night stands to wicker chairs to vintage medicine cabinets) is a lovely way to soften a bathroom's harshness while adding storage and character.


Here are some of our favorites:

See more fabulous photos at ApartmentTherapy.com.

Ready to redecorate your bathroom? Here are some great pieces from Home Decor that you can use to freshen up your space!

Practical, Inexpensive Gifts for High School Graduates

Great gift ideas for recent high school graduates!

Graduating from high school is a major milestone, celebrated with an open house and lavishing of gifts. Most graduating high school seniors will soon be going out into the world, however few are completely prepared. For these young adults, household necessities are gifts that they will appreciate for years to come. Many of these items are inexpensive as well, making these type of items a graduation gift tailored to any budget.


Bath Linens


When I graduated high school over ten years ago, one of the best gifts I received was a plush, oversized bath towel. It was from my cousin, who personalized it by having my name embroidered in large letters across the bottom. It has long been my favorite towel. I still have the towel, which has outlasted many other towels and remains in good condition, a testament to its quality. Towels, wash cloths, and bath rugs are all items a grad will soon need.


Kitchen Wares

Life on your own means preparing your own meals. Basic kitchen implements from wooden spoons to microwave ovens are things a graduate will need but likely doesn't have. Other inexpensive ideas include crock pots, coffee makers, cookware, and cookie sheets.


Serving Ware


Along with pots and pans, a basic set of serving ware is a thoughtful gift. A small set of plates and silverware are items a grad is sure to use. A set of drinking glasses is also a useful gift.


Compact Furniture

Whether moving into the dorms or into an apartment, grads will appreciate compact pieces of furniture. Items like fold-up tray tables are practical and functional, and take up very little space. Comfortable camping chairs take up very little space in a closet or dorm room, providing extra seating for guests or even used in lieu of larger, more expensive pieces of furniture that aren't within a college student's budget.


Gift Cards


Aren't sure what the grads you know need? Gift cards are always an appropriate gift choice. Stores that sell groceries, cleaning supplies, house wares, and other things a young adult needs to purchase on their own are good places to buy gift cards. For grads who will be commuting to college, a gas card is a gift they will be thankful for. If you are buying for a grad who lives out of town, make sure that you purchase a card for a store that has locations in their area.


Read more: http://voices.yahoo.com/practical-inexpensive-gifts-high-5838620.html?cat=7

Glossary of Bedroom Furniture Terms

Shopping for furniture can be confusing if you don’t know the lingo! Here’s a quick crash course in some of the most commonly used bedroom furniture terms.

Rails – Long metal bars that attach a headboard and a footboard. Rails can have metal hooks at each end (hook-on rails) or flat panels with screws at each end (bolt-on rails).

Metal bed frame – A simple, non-decorative bed frame made entirely of metal. You can always tell the difference between metal frames and metal rails by seeing where the support comes from. If you see little metal feet going from the frame to the floor, you know you’ve got a frame. If there are no feet, you’ve got a pair of rails (for rails, the support comes from the headboard and footboard).

Split Box Spring – 2 smaller-sized box springs that can support a larger sized mattress when placed side by side. Split box springs are much easier to move around than regular box springs. Also, doorways and stairways in some cities are smaller than average, and split box springs are much more likely to fit through.

Headboard – A piece of furniture that attaches to the head of a bed.

Baseboard or Footboard – A piece of furniture that attaches to the foot of a bed.

Slats – Flat pieces of wood that lay inside a bed frame to provide additional support to a mattress. Slats can be screwed in place or just lay freely depending on the bed.

Bunkie board – A flat piece of wood shaped, fitted, and often covered in fabric to lay in a bunk bed as support for a mattress. Many bunk beds have slats (see above) that are very far apart, so a Bunkie board is critical to keep a mattress from sagging through.

Bunkie mattress – A mattress with a wooden frame built into the underside. It serves the same purpose as a Bunkie board, but there’s no need to shop for a separate mattress since it’s built right in!

Need clarification on something else? Ask us in the comments!

The Carpet Myth...Debunked!

We’ve all probably heard that carpets and rugs are bad for people with allergies. The good news is that it may not even be true. Bring on the throw rugs!

A simple Google search will direct you to numerous sites that attribute allergy irritation to carpet and suggest that a switch to hard flooring surfaces such as laminate, hardwood, or vinyl will solve your problems. The real problem is that many of these sites are authored by individuals outside of the flooring industry who postulate without testing. On the contrary, carpet studies preformed by the Carpet and Rug Institute have indicated that carpet is the best flooring choice for allergy sufferers because it is better at trapping allergens than hard surfaces. Once allergens are trapped in the carpet, they cannot circulate in the air you breathe.

Proper cleaning with a CRI tested and approved vacuum effectively sucks up the dirt and dust from the carpet, locks it in the machine, and keeps it out of the air. In addition, scientific studies now show that carpet is one of the lowest emitters of volatile organic compounds (VOCS) into the indoor environment. Carpet has recently been proven to emit less VOCS than other flooring products and wall paint.

Read more: http://www.nestexpressions.com/breathe-easier-carpet-myth-debunked/ 

The Top Five Strategies for Decluttering a Small Space

Need to tackle that apartment clean-out project you've been avoiding? Don’t worry. Here are 5 simple tips from a lady who organizes other people’s homes for a living!

It is a lot harder to keep an apartment or small house organized and tidy — but it is critical that you do so. It only takes one pile of papers and one box to overwhelm a smaller space. What to do?


We asked organizing and de-cluttering guru Nicole Anzia of Neatnik in Washington DC what her top five strategies are for harnessing chaos in smaller homes and apartments. Here's what she said…


Embrace Storage Containers: People often think, "My apartment or home is so small, I can't fit a filing cabinet, bookshelves or a desk," but if you don't buy the appropriate storage products, things pile up quickly in a small space. In other words, embrace the fact that you have stuff and like to have certain things around — that's what makes you interesting. Just find a way to manage it all so you don't feel overwhelmed by it.


Furniture As Storage: Is there an ottoman you could also use to store blankets? If you're in the market for a new bed, consider looking at one that has drawers underneath or at least enough height to store some under-the-bed bins. Bedside tables are typically too small to hold all the things people want to use them for - magazines, glasses of water or tea, clock, newspapers, reading glasses, lamp, etc. If you're buying a new one, think about whether one with shelves and/or drawers might work for you.


Think Vertical: In small homes it is very important to maximize all of the space. Think vertical. Could you hang shelves above your desk for extra books, papers or pictures? If your desk is too small or you don't have a home office, maybe some hanging file folders would work in the kitchen to organize incoming papers. Bulletin boards and magnetic boards are also great places to display artwork, school reminders, travel plans etc. These don't require a lot of space, but can be super helpful for getting things off countertops and other surfaces.


A Little Bit Each Day: People often say that they don't have enough time to do any organizing, but everyone can find 10-15 minutes in their day to focus on at least one small space or project. I recently had a client say to me as we neared the end of our session, "I would love to clear off my desk, but 30 minutes isn't nearly enough time." Guess what? It was a perfect amount of time. We spent 30 minutes very focused on our project; she knew there was a limit to how much time we had, so we worked quickly, and were able to organize all of her miscellaneous papers into several categories very quickly: To File, To Toss, To Shred, and To Do. Done.


Get Rid of Things: Chances are you don't need most of the papers that you're keeping — shred them. If you haven't worn that sweater for three years, donate it. Expired food should be tossed. Clearing out even a few items will make you feel calmer.

Read more: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/top-5-strategies-for-de-cluttering-a-small-space-167741

The Experts at Elle Decor on Interior Design trends

What Mitchell Gold, an interior design expert, tells Elle Decor about interior design trends (hint: it’s not what you’d think): 

Beginnings

Bob and I grew up in homes where comfort wasn't the focus. My mother told the kids: “Here is the living room. Now don’t come in.” When we started our company, we made comfort part of our mission statement.


We do very little market research. We introduced a butter denim some years ago. Everyone told us yellow doesn’t sell. Well, the wrong yellow doesn’t, but this one was so soft and great looking. People’s eyes were ready for it.

We had an English bulldog, Lulu, who came with us to the factory every day and made people smile, so we began collecting bulldog objects. My advice for starting any collection: Do it for the fun of it. Display pieces in groups—like items make a powerful visual statement.


Inspiration


Our eyes are wide open. An Hermès plum dress with a yellow scarf might inspire a sofa and pillow. I took our design team to Brasserie, a restaurant in Manhattan, to see the interior, which is white with cherrywood. We’re thinking of doing a collection with that feel.


Why is midcentury-modern style popular now? It’s a confluence of things: Mad Men is a gigantic influence. Young people are moving to neighborhoods with midcentury houses. They want the whole look.


Decorating


In a living room, incorporate different kinds of seating—upright chairs that are easy to get in and out of, a comfortable sofa, pull-up chairs or ottomans as extra seats for a big group. For entertaining, I like a large cocktail table and a console for serving food. For a family room, get the most comfortable sofa you can afford.


Try to get your entire home done at once so it feels serene. Having a work in progress for three years can be a drag: You’re always looking at something you’re unhappy with.


Five Essentials


1. Chairs come first for me. I have ones I bought 35 years ago. We pay a lot of attention to the backs of chairs: The best ones float in a room like pieces of sculpture.


2. Invest in a well-made sofa with classic lines—either a track or roll-arm style—in a neutral color, perhaps with some texture. You can change the look over time with pillows, a throw, or a new rug.


3. An upholstered headboard makes reading in bed so much easier and more comfortable.


4. A bar cabinet stores your entertaining needs in one place and adds a touch of classic sophistication.


5. One piece of standout art can make a room. I have a photo from NASA’s archives called Saturn’s Rings. It has amazing hues that look great against the gray wall in my apartment.


In the Air


Today, everything moves so fast. At home we want a sense of calm. There’s less fussiness. I think modern design—architectural and clean in feeling but comfortable—is going to continue to be important.


Hard-edged modern leaves me cold. It’s not comfortable to look at or touch or sit on. Dressier traditional is on the horizon.


In 2008, when the economy got really bad, people were buying safe furniture. Lately they want more style. They’re committed to making good choices environmentally. We’re seeing more color: People want things to make them smile in our mixed-up world.


Read more http://www.elledecor.com/decorating/articles/mitchell-gold-trends