Making Old Furniture Look New Again with Slipcovers

With the price of quality furniture always on the rise, it's no wonder more and more people are looking for ways to rework their existing pieces to their liking. Unfortunately, there's a limit to what can be accomplished without spending a small fortune. Upholstery offers one option, but the expense of quality upholstery can be prohibitive and in some cases, more expensive than simply buying new furniture. Another common option for covering worn, stained or otherwise unsightly furniture is through the use of slipcovers. Long considered appropriate only for college dorm room or rental furniture, slipcovers have recently been afforded a new level of popularity.

Slipcovers offer an easy method for getting more use from your existing furnishings as there's little work involved when fitting them. They can be used to bring new life to worn out chairs, sofas, loveseats and even futons, but are just as often used to bring new life and color to furniture that is still in good shape but simply unappealing.

The secret to making old furniture look new again with slipcovers is to shop for the most form fitting fabric or material available. One size fits all options rarely look good, and most offer saggy coverage that makes furniture look as though it's in storage. The closer the slipcover comes to your furniture's existing dimensions, the better it will look. There are a few select slipcover manufacturers who produce stretchable slipcovers that are form-fitted to various furniture types. These offer a distinct advantage in that the materials are designed to stretch where it's needed and retain their elasticity where it's not. The end result is a slipcover that looks as though it's part of the furniture.

For some sofas, loveseats and chairs with removable cushions, slipcovers are available for both the main bulk of the piece as well as the cushions. The separation between cushions and the bulk of the piece afford a custom upholstered look without a custom upholstered price. The more definition a slipcover provides, the more it looks as though it belongs on the furniture.

Colors are an option that should be reserved for individual tastes, but there are some hard and fast rules that usually result in a more palatable look. For antique style furnishings, patterns seem to be the best option, while modern furniture does well with solid colors.

One way to make a slipcover look less conspicuous is through the liberal use of decorative throw pillows and afghans. Decorative throw pillows can rest on the areas that are hardest to form fit while draped afghans take the focus off the underlying material.

Slipcovers can be found online from several retailers and offer an affordable alternative to replacing what you already own.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/


About the Author

For more information on our unique stretchable slipcovers, visit www.stretchandcover.com. For the best deals on form-fitting slipcovers,, visit our online store. For throw pillows and other accessories, visit our decorative pillows page.

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Home Decorating Television Shows Helps Millions

Some of us just have to face the fact that we have absolutely no taste when it comes to how we decorate our homes or businesses. Lucky for us over the past several years television has once again came to our rescue by supplying us with numerous home decorating shows.

If you are decoratively challenged, then you need to be watching these new shows. For many years, This Old House was one of the only shows that could teach you things that you needed to know about how to fix up your home as far as plumbing, adding on a room, or turning your garage into useable living space. This was great for these kinds of projects and it is still a much watched show even now.

Today we have HGTV, or more specifically, Home and Garden Television. The Do it Your Self Network is right up there in popularity too. It is amazing what you can learn about decorating on the cable and satellite channels. They show you how to paint, how to lay stone, how to remodel entire rooms, or an entire house.

There are many programs like Designed to Sell and Flip That House, that people watch to help them know what the best ideas and design are when it comes to selling a home or condominium. They teach you what remodeling options may be or may not be a good selling point. They can show you how to do some of the work yourself that can sometimes save you thousands of dollars.

Some of the home decorating shows like Design on a Dime and Decorating Cents, are programs on HGTV that give you great ideas about how to make and buy some great things for designing on a very limited budget. You can go from trash to chic in no time after viewing these shows.

Design Star is a different sort of decorating show. It is a reality show that comes on HGTV that hosts a competition for up and coming designers. They can get their own home decorating show on HGTV if they win. They are given various decorating projects, both as teams and individually, to see who can make the winning room designs. It is as addictive to watch as any of the other network reality shows.

The next time you feel you could use a little help decorating in your home, the help is just a remote control away. You will be able to find at least one, if not countless shows that can help you make your home become beautiful and stylish.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

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Home Decorating Ideas That Protect Nature and Conserve Energy

Are you planning to remodel your home? If you are, then there is no reason for you not to start in the kitchen. The kitchen is considered to be the most used area of the house and this simple fact alone makes it the number one candidate for regular remodeling and redecorating. Of course, while you can any type of kitchen remodeling and revamp your own way, you can always opt for such a way that you make it friendly to the environment. Creating an eco-friendly kitchen is good but you and the entire family should also employ habits that are environment friendly and energy efficient.

Here are a few great ideas on how you can have a lifestyle and kitchen remodeling the green way and how you and your family can promote green habits.

1. Choosing Energy Efficient Kitchen Appliances

Most kitchens are not only equipped with the basic structures such as a stove, a sink and a countertop but are also equipped with modern appliances and amenities that make cooking and food preparation a breeze. Instead of buying just any type of kitchen or home appliance, you must check out if a certain item is energy efficient or not. Check for the energy star stickers which indicate how energy efficient an appliance is.

2. Changing to Environment Friendly Flooring

if you are thinking kitchen remodeling by changing the flooring of your kitchen, the you ought to consider eco-friendly types. One very popular natural flooring these days is bamboo. Bamboo floorings lets you spend less while being green. Use it especially if you want to be set free from the usual kitchen looks using tiles.

3. Making Use of Natural Light

During daytime, instead of turning on all those light and lamps in your kitchen and dining area, make use natural sunlight to provide light and heat to your kitchen. Open windows to let fresh air in and to let sunlight in. Not only will you have a very natural and classy look, you can also have lower utility bills.

Aside from kitchen remodeling, you and the entire family should also change lifestyle habits as they too can affect your energy consumption and the environment. Here are some useful tips to follow:

1. Use reusable napkins and dish towels.

Instead of using too much disposable napkins, save hundreds of dollars on your grocery bills by using reusable dish towels and table napkins. Save the trees by not using as much paper towels or napkins than we need to.

2. Say no to styro and plastic

Instead of using styrofoam cups for your morning or afternoon coffee, you can use washable cups and mugs. Not only will it be more personalized but you can also save the environment by avoiding these hazardous styrofoams. Also, it would be wise to prevent on using disposable plastic much. Store your leftovers or your lunch to go on reusable and washable containers.

Follow the above said tips so you can have a lifestyle and kitchen remodeling that saves you lots of bucks in expense and one that works for the good of the environment and the future.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

HomePros is author of this article on Home improvement. Find more information about Green building here.

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Ideas And Tips To A Suggestive Bedroom Interior Design

The biggest impact on our mind occurs through our sight and that is the main reason why today there is so much emphasis on interior design. You can literarily change a person's mood with the right interior design and here is how you can conduct a test on yourself. Walk in a book store such as Barnes & Nobles or Borders and you will experience a warm feeling that is inspired by the large amount of books placed in wooden shelves, people sitting comfortable reading while enjoying a cup of warm coffee, which is made at the coffee bar in the corner of the store.

From the feeling of warmth and comfort walk out and step into a home improvement store like Home Depot and instantly you will become alert and inquisitive to everything that is new or on sale and could be a good buy or addition to your home. It is all in the interior design that provides you felling through your eyesight.

Provide The Right Mood In The Bedroom

Bedrooms are the primary place of relaxation, where we all retire to rejuvenate and refresh; away from the world and worries but only in the presence of a loved one who adds even more to the comfort and well being.

The bedroom interior design is extremely important in order to provide that instant feel of relaxation and here are a few tips: the first thing that meets the eyes are the colors used on the walls, carpets and bed set so, they all must be soothing in pastel colors in order to provide a relaxing effect.

The second thing the you will see and will also have an effect on your mood and feelings is the furniture and its placement; bedroom interior design must be simple and most of the times minimal in order to provide you with open spaces that usually inspires relaxation. Overpowering furniture will crowd and clutter your bedroom, which even if you don't think will affect your subconscious in a negative way.

If however, you choose to use your bedroom interior design for setting the mood of a romantic evening all you have to do is, change the bed set from pastel soft color sheets to bright red or black in satin or silk and instead of the electric light use only candles, which will create shadows and thus, cover the soothing colors of your walls and carpets putting in evidence the bright seducing colors of the bed sheet.

Other Helpful Tips For The Bedroom Interior Design

Keep the bedroom interior design minimal, neat and always clean but also don't forget to add some change and color with every season in order to keep it exciting and adventurous. Changing your bedroom interior design should only be done to suit an occasion or festivity as constant major changes will actually induce restlessness instead of relaxation until you get used to the sight and sounds and once again be able to relax and enjoy your bedroom interior design.

About the Author

Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of information on a range of topical subjects. This article Ideas And Tips To A Suggestive Bedroom Interior Design , is just one of a host of useful articles about Top Homes and Materials listed on our site map at Top Homes and Materials.

Find more : interior designs , furniture design , room interior , interior designing , bedroom interior

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Tips For Smart Modern Furniture -- Design And Comfort

Modern furniture and design has the distinct ability to look harsh and stark compared to other styles while still being amazingly comfortable and enjoyable. Its recent rise in popularity only proves how wonderful contemporary furniture, sofas, and accessories really can be. If you have a stoic, modern interior design plan, here are a few tips and hints for increasing the comfort and visual effect of the space so you get a great room every time.

Contemporary Furniture, Sofas And Chairs

Regardless of whether you choose an armchair, sofa, day bed, or sectional, seating follows the looks of most modern furniture. Most of the pieces included in this style have harsh straight lines that emphasize the geometry of the various items in a room. Some might also be curved, but the one constant is that all lines are crisp and clean.

Color is one of the best parts of this decorating style. You'll find that almost all of the pieces are a solid color and are often bright, dark, and very bold. Texture is something else you'll notice is different with contemporary furniture. Sofas and other large pieces might be a solid color, but some will have folds of buttons to add to the number of visual lines.

When choosing modern furniture, sofas and other seating, you should always be comfortable first. If you like to lay and watch television or read a book, consider a day bed or sectional with a day bed attached. If you entertain and want lots of spaces to sit, consider larger couches and sofas.

Usability Is Key In The Placement Of Contemporary Furniture, Sofas And Accessories

Before you get all excited and head out to purchase your main pieces, consider the amount of space you have available. If you are fighting with a small space in an odd shape, don't buy large pieces of contemporary furniture. Large items such as smaller loungers will likely still fit into the space, but you might have to choose a slightly smaller version or even a set of armchairs instead of a full couch. In large rooms, sectionals are a great idea to keep the room from feeling stark and empty or cold.

Clutter is also a big no-no in modern interior design. It is ok to choose a few favorite pieces to dress up the flat appearance of the design style, but too much of it makes the space look institutional. Some common items include vases, statues, and sculptures with crisp lines.

Lighting

It may be the element forgotten most often, but lighting is a key point to modern furniture and design. The idea is to work as much as you possibly can with the available natural light. This is why window coverings are not as common. If they are included in the space, they are often blinds or verticals because of their clean lines and ease of use. The lighting styles themselves also carry the same traits. Some of the most popular styles include track lighting or pendants with straight, definite edges. An added benefit to this practice is the amount of energy you can save.

If you are a lover of modern furniture and design, these simple tips will help you achieve the design you'll love while keeping the space comfortable. After all, contemporary furniture, sofas, and accessories were made to enjoy.

About the Author

Karen Phillips writes for ScanDesign, specialists in contemporary furniture, sofas, tables, and more. ScanDesign has provided modern furniture solutions since 1969.

Find more : interior designs , home decorating , modern furniture

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