Category: Furniture

Carpet has been the traditional choice of flooring in the western world for over a hundred years now. Wooden flooring has always been there though, usually underneath the carpet. More and more people are moving back towards having wooden flooring as their flooring of choice. In what ways does wood flooring beat carpet and what benefits can you gain from making the change?

Elegance

Wooden flooring gives your house a sense of style and elegance that carpet doesn’t. The wood flooring in Toronto seems to be thriving currently and this is mainly due to the increased desire to make a return to having a home that looks elegant. If you feel like your carpeted floor gives off a drab feeling that you can’t ignore then switching to wooden flooring is definitely the move you should make.

Easier to Clean

Wooden flooring is infinitely easier to clean than carpeted floor. Not only are spills easier to clean up due to there being no fibres to soak them up like there are on carpets but wooden floor doesn’t stain as easily either. The ease with which wooden flooring cleans also extends to vacuum cleaners. Crumbs, dirt and dust all drop deep into the fibres of a carpet, even the ones with short fibres, which can make it hard for vacuum cleaners to get in there properly. Switching to wooden floors will make your life a lot easier, especially if you have young children around.

Allergies

Carpets tend to trap a lot of dust and bacteria in their fibres. This can often set off allergies in people. It isn’t just allergies that are affected by the dust and bacteria though. Asthma can be managed far more easily when dust is kept to a minimum in the house. Dust doesn’t settle and stick on wooden flooring, so if you suffer from allergies switching to wooden flooring is the way forward. It will make your allergy flare ups far less likely and will make it far easier to control your asthma. Not only that but you don’t have to worry about warning visitors that the dust in your carpet might set off their allergies.

Replacements

When a carpet is stained it is very difficult to get it out. It soaks into the fibres and once it is there, it’s not coming out without a heavy duty cleaner that might damage the carpet. If the stain is too bad then you will have to replace the whole carpet. This is the polar opposite to wooden flooring which resists stains. What if you do manage to stain your wooden flooring though? The great thing about wooden flooring is that if you stain it you don’t have to replace the whole floor like you would with carpet, you can just get the finish renewed. It’s a cheap and easy alternative that makes wooden flooring far more durable and long lasting than carpet it.

If you want flooring that will be both cost effective and long lasting then wooden flooring is the choice you should be making. It won’t let you down, no matter what the situation.

Furniture trends aren’t on top of everyone’s list. Most people are not too conscious about the furniture they buy. However, if you really care about the decor of your home then you need to be on top of furniture trends. Wooden furniture has been a staple in most households as it is aesthetically appealing and quite durable, depending on the type of wood used. We have some trends in wooden furniture for you to consider if you are looking to change your home decor.

Exotic wood

Exotic wood is basically any wood that you would not normally find domestically. These are imported and have become quite a trend in wooden furniture. You can find them in different shades, so pick on to your liking. Exotic wood is typically hardwood so they are durable and give a nice appeal. You can find numerous different websites online that make tables, beds, and other pieces of furniture with exotic wood. The feel and look of the wood are slightly different than domestic wood so it adds a nice “exoticness” to the home.

Warm wood tones

Whether you are looking to add wood furniture to your room or the kitchen, go with warmer tones. Warmer tones tend to add a more cozy feel to the room. Darker tones were quite a trend for a while but they have been played out. Warmer tones of wood are making a comeback and will surely add appeal to wherever you apply it.

Wooden kitchen

Going all wood in the kitchen gives it an elegant appeal. You can get wooden cabinets, shelves put in, wooden wall and even a wooden cover for your stove. The look adds a lot more depth to the kitchen and gives it a warm feel. We recommend going with warm wood tones but even if you go with slightly darker tones, you are sure to love your kitchen.

The good thing about wooden furniture is the fact that you can work on it on your own. If you have done woodwork then you can easily make wooden furniture on your own. It does require a little practice so if you are starting off, we recommend you get the basics down first. You can find tips and more help on how to go about woodwork at Wood working fuel. Rather than spending thousands of dollars, you can learn woodwork and save yourself a lot of money.

Subscription boxes are curated packages brands send to subscribers’ front doors on a recurring basis. Birchbox and Dollar Shave Club are two of the most successful subscription box services.

If you’re trying to start a furniture business, you might be thinking a subscription box would be impossible for your products. After all, furniture is big and logistically difficult to ship—it’s also slightly trickier than sending out snacks, razors or makeup would be. How could building an ecommerce subscription box service benefit your furniture business? It might surprise you to learn it can.

Here’s how to develop ecommerce subscription boxes for your furniture business.

Show Them Who You Are

Since most furniture is too bulky to fit in a small, easily shippable box, it’s crucial that your subscription box can sell your furniture brand in a small package. Essentially, you’re trying to get your foot in peoples’ doors so they can see how your brand would take their interiors to new heights.

The accessory items in your inventory will show off your designs, materials and craftsmanship… without shipping out couches to all your subscribers. Take the opportunity to show off your handiwork and branding principles in a manageable package.

Here are a few product ideas that could potentially work in a subscription box:

• Pencil Holder
• Tissue Box
• Bookends
• Picture Frames
• Throw Pillows
• Bedding
• Seasonal Redecorating Ideas and Accessories

Once your subscribers start accumulating your smaller products, they will then purchase larger pieces from you as well. Their friends may also inquire, thus building your word-of-mouth marketing. Subscribers also post pictures on social media, which inspires others to check out your wares.

There are a couple other great aspects to this model. First of all, you will be generating income from every subscriber. Even if they never buy a large piece of furniture, you will still have profited from the interaction. Second, in most ecommerce spaces, subscription boxes are a way for brands to leverage a dedicated following into income. This will also apply for your furniture business, as your most loyal customers will be eager to get more merchandise from your company—especially if it’s exclusive.

Plan Ahead

The downside to subscription boxes is they require you, the producer, to continually comie up with creative new ideas to retain customer interest. This requires you to make plans—lots of them.  

At minimum, you will need to come up with product, marketing and inventory plans. Without these in place, your subscription boxes will come off as unorganized, which will in turn result in lost subscribers. If you’re currently trying to start a furniture business, now is the perfect time to set these procedures in place and consider your short- and long-term branding.

Consider Outsourcing

While you want to make sure your subscription box is undeniably your own, there are companies helping brands start and run subscription box services. One is Cratejoy, which takes care of the logistical aspects of running a subscription box. It also lists your products on its website. You’ll still have to come up with the products, but letting someone else take care of some of the logistics and marketing behind your subscription box service will free up a lot of your time.

If you’re just starting a furniture business, or even if you’re an established player, subscription boxes can be a great way for your company to get brand exposure. Just make sure you approach developing the ecommerce subscription boxes for your furniture business in a smart way.

Choosing windows for your new house may seem like a purely aesthetic choice, but there are many factors to be considered when deciding on the type of windows for every room. There are an overwhelming number of options, and the convenience, security, and workings of each kind need to be considered before deciding.

Below are five types of windows that a new homeowner should be aware of before he starts building a new house:

1. Single or Double Hung:

The main difference between single and double hung windows is in how their sections move. Both the upper and lower parts can move on a double hung window, whereas in a single hung window, only the bottom section tilts.

The most affordable types of windows are the single hung kind. This is also a more common choice, so they will be easy to get used to.

However, double hung windows offer more utility and easy maintenance, since they look good in almost every room and are easy to clean. A double hung window can be cleaned from inside the house, and both its sections can be tilted, allowing more fresh air and cool breezes to enter your home.

2. Skylight Windows

Skylight windows are excellent options for when you want some natural light shining from a central location as well as from the sides of your house. These can be especially useful when installing too many windows in your exterior walls isn’t an option; for example, if your neighbors have privacy concerns.

Skylights are installed in a similar fashion to roof vents. Some could open and close for added ventilation and air circulation, but mostly skylights are meant to keep closed, simply bringing light into a room, or allowing you to star-gaze in the comfort of your living room!

While skylights are more on the expensive window options and can only be installed by professionals, they can enhance the look and feel of a main room or bedroom.

3. Bay or Bow Windows

These kinds of windows give a little extra floor space, as they extend out of the house. Not only do they make a room seem bigger, but they also provide a safe and sheltered balcony.

Aesthetically, bay windows are more united to old-fashioned homes, and bow windows are for modern buildings. Bay windows can be made from normal flat windows, while the bow kind needs specially made curved windows. As a result, bay windows are cheaper than the bow, with the difference being almost double. On a practical note, such windows can also be repurposed to accommodate window seats.

4. Awning or Casement Windows

Casement and awning windows are installed with hinges. They don’t slide but swing open. Such windows are excellent for keeping your house cozy and keeping out the uncomfortable weather. When opened, they provide an unobstructed view.

5. Basement windows:

Egress windows are large ones usually installed in basements for emergency exit purposes. These could be necessary to comply with local fire codes. Another type of basement windows is the Hopper variety, which is excellent sources of ventilation for basements.

To make a budget-friendly and informed decision on which windows are best suited for your house, you can contact a reputable window vendor like JDI Windows.

Your bedroom should be the room in your house, above all others, where you are able to kick back, rest and rejuvenate. In effect, it is your personal sanctuary.

Are you looking to transform your bedroom? Bespoke fitted bedrooms specialist Norwood Interiors is offering a helping hand by picking out some of the top bedroom trends that you should be aiming to work into your home over the next few months:

Reclaimed wood

Reclaimed wood is a favourite with eco-conscious homeowners, while also working to bring textural beauty into a bedroom when used as the material of choice for a room’s accent walls.

If you would like to add even more reclaimed wood to your bedroom, the material can be worked to great effect on everything from a custom bed to side tables and ceiling inserts.

In whichever manner you choose to introduce the material into your bedroom, it will seamlessly blend into any style you have going on in the room.

Scandinavian-inspired settings

Welcoming a Scandinavian-inspired setting into your bedroom is simple — it’s all about minimal clutter and the use of bare materials in order to present the room with a bright and clean atmosphere.

Need more inspiration? Here’s a few ways to bring Nordic style into your bedroom today:

1. Choose a grey and off-white colour palette, along with warm wooden accents.
2. Drench your bedroom in plenty of natural light by choosing not to hang curtains.
3. Keep floorboards bare.
4. Accessorise with lots of indoor plants.
5. Opt for clever furniture with hidden compartments which will keep stuff stored out of sight when they aren’t in use.

Wallpaper

Painted walls and statement walls have been popular when it comes to bedroom design over the past few years, but it seems as though wallpaper is making a comeback in the decorating world.

Consider the following options if you’re planning to use wallpaper around your bedroom when enhancing the space:

• Opt for understated wallpaper and you’ll be able to add a new pattern to your bedroom without causing too much disturbance to the current colour scheme of the space.
• Go for a vibrant pattern and your bedroom will come alive with the new decoration.
• Choose to wallpaper only the smaller sections of your bedroom when you’re still working out whether this will be the best way to decorate the room.

There’s nothing quite like hardwood flooring to improve the beauty and value of your home. Hardwood floors can instantly update any room of your home, giving it warmth and character. Hardwood is known to last for years when properly maintained, as well, making this an investment in your home that is guaranteed to last.

Choosing a new hardwood floor can be difficult when you’re faced with the many choices out there today. Solid hardwood flooring vs. engineered, factory finished vs. unfinished, the many different wood species and finishes are all considerations that you’ll need to make as you choose your new floor. Use these tips to help you choose the right hardwood floor for you.

Location

One of the first things you should consider as you choose your new floor is where it will be installed. Hardwoods come in many different durability levels, as well as different types. Solid hardwood flooring, for example, which is made of one piece of wood from top to bottom, can only be installed at or above grade. It also isn’t recommended in damp or wet areas like kitchens and baths. So, if you want hardwood in your basement or kitchen, you may want to consider engineered hardwoods, which are made up of several layers of wood, each running in a different direction. This makes a more stable floor, which will not be prone to swelling damp areas.

Timing of Installation

Your next consideration should be whether this floor is going into new construction or if it’s replacing a current floor in your home. This is important, because some hardwoods come unfinished, or ready to be finished at time of installation, while others come with a factory finish.

A factory finish means that your hardwood is ready to be walked on the second it’s put in. No need to wait for the finish to cure. Unfinished hardwoods are fine for new construction, because the home is uninhabited. But if you want to enjoy your new flooring right away, with no dust or VOCs from the polyurethane, a factory finished floor is your best bet.

Factory finished floors also tend to hold up longer and more consistently than unfinished floors do, so while you may pay more for the flooring upfront, you’ll refinish it less often and you’ll pay less for installation costs.

Durability

The finish of your floor and whether it’s solid hardwood or engineered can make a difference in its durability, but so can the floor’s Janka score. The Janka score is the hardness of the hardwood; floors with higher Janka scores are less likely to scratch, gouge, dent, and otherwise become marred through day to day use.

Pine has one of the lowest Janka scores available, while hickory has the highest Janka score of any domestic hardwood. Exotic hardwoods also tend to have higher Janka scores. If you choose a hardwood with a lower score, make sure that it’s factory finished, and consider an engineered hardwood rather than solid; these characteristics will help it last longer without refinishing so you can enjoy your floor longer.

Style and Finish

While you may think that style and finish are two of the most important factors to consider, they should ideally come after considerations such as location and durability to ensure that you’re getting a quality hardwood floor. Once you’ve narrowed down your selections, it’s time to determine what you want your floor to look like.

There are numerous style considerations for your floor including:

• Width and size of the planks
• Direction or pattern the planks are installed in
• Color or stain of the floor
• Texture of the floor – polished, handscraped, etc.

When considering what style to choose, let your home’s existing architectural and interior design attributes be your guide. For example, a very contemporary home will look best with a narrow, highly polished hardwood in a very dark or light color. A Rustic Modern home, on the other hand, would look best with a wide, warm-colored hardwood floor that has been hand or wire scraped to give it some texture and a more rustic look.

Remember that while you can refinish your hardwood floor, you won’t need to do this for many years if at all possible. So, take the time when considering your style and finish to choose one that will work well with your home’s overarching style, and avoid falling for something that happens to be trendy right now. Your hardwood floor is an investment in your home, and most classic hardwoods like maple tend to work well with nearly any style of home. Therefore, finding a style and finish that’s complementary to your home will have the longest staying power and the biggest payoff in your investment.

Get the Right Hardwood for You

With so many choices available, you’ll have no trouble finding the right hardwood floor for your home. Make sure that you consider things like its location and durability first to get the best fit for your lifestyle, and enjoy your new floor for many years to come.

If you’re trying to preserve your beloved grandmother’s old recipe cards, there are better ways to do it rather than keeping the delicate cards inside a locked box. Amp up your kitchen’s design with your family’s love for food by displaying these delectable cooking instructions in creative and interesting ways.

Add something unique and nostalgic to your kitchen that will definitely blend with your state-of-the-art kitchen appliances. This way, you can strike a balance between vintage and modern designs for your kitchen.

Here are five ways to showcase your family’s best recipes at home:

Personalized Photo Cookbook

Collate all your recipe cards, digitally scan them, and have the scanned images printed as a photo book for your own personalized recipe cookbook! For a customized touch, you can add fun facts to the cookbook, like how each recipe originated and how many years it has been used by the family.

Make it as comprehensive yet concise as possible. Share not only your culinary knowledge but also the story of how cooking and love for food bring your family together. Also, show your love for taking mouthwatering photos of food by including photos of appetizing dishes that you’ve developed over the years.

Laminated Recipe Cards

If you want an organized, systematic way of showcasing your recipes, reproduce and print them on color-coded papers. You can also punch holes on the papers for ring binding. This way, not only can you easily choose what dish to make, but you can also lend it to friends who are interested in your recipes.

Cute Recipe Boxes

If you want an old-fashioned way of displaying your recipe cards, put them in a recipe box. Stick washi tapes or colored papers on the box for a more appealing look. If you have recipes that need adjustment, make sure to re-write them for your future use.

You can also create a cute DIY recipe box and laminate the recipe cards, so if they get dirty or wet, you can easily wipe them off. Try to include different labels for an organized sorting.

Stylish Framed Recipe

You can also use your cooking instructions as wall art decorations! Cover up those bare walls with sleek and stylish framed recipe cards that can show how much of a foodie the whole family is.

All you have to do is find the right frames that will fit your recipe cards and strategically insert each card into a frame. You can also include multiple recipe cards and do a collage for a more striking finish.

Tip: For a longer-lasting framed recipe display, scan and reproduce old recipe cards because sunlight and extreme temperatures can damage the delicate original ones.

Family Recipe Scrapbook

Relive the memories and showcase your delectable recipes and the memories that go along with them. In your family recipe scrapbook, include not only the history of the dish but the story of the people behind it as well.

Fill the scrapbook with photos of your dishes and the whole family cooking together. Be as creative as you want and design it just the way it should be: overflowing with all the goodness of food, love, and family.

These creative ways to display recipes at home may be simple, but they can definitely bring back a lot of fond memories and familiar taste into your home. Not only can you preserve the culinary legacy of the family, but you can also share with others your family’s time-tested recipes.

When thinking about giving your kitchen a makeover, there are a number of considerations — but first of all, you need to decide whether you’re after a complete overhaul including furniture, appliances, flooring, countertops, etc. or do you just want to change one aspect and give your kitchen interiors a nice shake-up. While going from scratch may be the best way to give your kitchen a brand new look, it’s expensive as well as time-consuming. If you’re not prepared to invest as much time and money, there are still some ways you can breathe life into your old kitchen. Here are some ways to give your kitchen a new look by replacing or upgrading the kitchen furniture.

Open Shelving

Open shelving is a new trend that many homeowners are adopting, regardless of the kind of look they desire for their kitchen. Open shelving boosts the functionality of the kitchen along with enhancing the aesthetics. Ditching closed cupboards and boxed storage spaces for open shelving not only helps make things more accessible but also creates an illusion of spaciousness. An ideal space for the open shelving would be just behind the kitchen island. This way you can show off your range of cutlery, select herbs, etc. and keep things within easy access.

Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets are the most important type of kitchen furniture and can dictate the overall look of your kitchen. Before choosing a cabinet decide whether you want the kitchen to reflect the decor of the rest of the home or do you want the kitchen to have its own character.

Cabinets are available in a variety of styles and materials, so you can choose metallic cabinets for a modern kitchen or hardwood cabinets for a classic or countryside style kitchen. The best part, you can just replace the cabinet doors and give your kitchen a whole new look.

See-through cabinets are another way to add style to your kitchen. Neatly stacked plates and cups arranged in an orderly fashion inside a cabinet with transparent glass door is a great way to add style statement to your kitchen.

Butcher Block Countertops

Butchers blocks make great countertops because of their beauty, warmth, how well they go with a variety of kitchen styles. Plus, they are affordable. They require proper care and maintenance to keep them looking their best, so remember that before choosing butchers blocks for your kitchen countertops. With a wide variety of styles like these butchers blocks from Hudson Furniture, you can play around with a lot of different looks for your kitchen.

Kitchen Island with In-built Wine Rack

Want to show off your collection of rare wines but can’t find enough space to place a wine rack? No worries! A kitchen island with an in-built wine rack would be the perfect way to show off your collection while keeping the bottles within easy reach.

The Plate Rack

Install a plate rack in your open kitchen to have quick access to dinnerware. If you have a collection of plates that are worth showing off, then a plate rack is the perfect way to make your kitchen stand out. Being able to store the plates vertically also minimises the chance of breakage. Plate racks are available in a wide range of styles including classic, modern, rustic, etc. so you can choose the one that suits the decor of your kitchen.

The modern kitchen has evolved a lot and it continues to evolve with new kitchen furniture being introduced by the kitchen designers. So consider giving your kitchen a facelift with these modern kitchen furniture ideas and watch it transform into a whole new space!