Handicrafts Guide

Eco Friendly Fashion- Norm of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 05:40:00 -0700

Much has been already said about eco friendly fashion and almost all of us know that the chemicals used for processing traditional fabrics are harmful to health. This awareness has given birth to the trend of using eco friendly fabrics for not only garments but also for other textile products including home furnishings, bags, kids clothing, towels, rugs, carpets and many other such things. Fabrics manufcturers too have understood this concept. Therefore, those who want to be eco friendly and wish to wear only eco friendly fashion need not worry about finding environmental friendly garments and accessories. There are lots of them but what one needs to know is the difference between the natural fabrics and eco friendly fabrics (sometimes taken equivalent of each other). Not all natural fabrics are eco friendly. Why? Read Eco-Friendly Fabrics: A Brief Account to know this and also to get introduced to some real eco friendly fabrics.

Sofa Trend 2010

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Mon, 8 Feb 2010 04:40:00 -0800

Furniture trends can not be complete without knowing the sofa trends. Why? Because, first and foremost furniture that one can think of buying for a new home or for remodeling home is none other than the good old sofa. Sofa is the heart of any living room but now it is not confined to living room alone. There are sofas for bedroom and kitchen too! However, the focus will always remain on living room sofas. For the present day living room modern sofa, the trends 2010 have been compiled to help all those readers who love to decorate and renovate their homes.

Modern Sofa Design Trends- Modern sofa or the contemporary sofa is all about looking good and feeling comfortable- both at the same time. It has straight lines. Minimalistic designs are the norm of the day. Modern sofas are bulky and comfy with a perfect match of upholstery material, color, and design. What more, it keeps utility in consideration too but in this attempt never compromises with its beauty. So, the modern sofa will have ample storage, can be folded at times or have other useful features but in such a way that enhances the look and comfort of the sofa.

Sofa Color Trends- Color range in which the contemporary sofa will be mostly available is essentially neutral. Simple and stylish neutral colors have become the essence of a modern home. However, bold and bright colors have not been neglected altogether. Although bright colors do not find place in the modern sofas, they are introduced in forms of throw cushions or in form of other accessories. If you can afford to change your sofa color every couple of years, you might like to go with modern day color trend that indicates towards neutral colors like cream, taupe, coffee, camel, white or black.

Sofa Upholstery Trends- Mixing and matching of fabrics- that is the hottest trend in modern sofa design. A sofa that combines a leather and fabric upholstery design will be liked by the present day home decorators. However, all leather or all fabric sofas will not be altogether out of the scene, they will be creatively matched with accessories. For example, matching or contrasting throw cushions and throw rugs will be used to produce interest in the sofa having upholstery only in one material.

Green Sofa- Not the color green sofa but the eco-friendly sofa will be the hottest trend in sofa furniture. People will prefer to buy reclaimed and recycled wooden sofa and will avoid buying sofa that is made from endangered woods. Sofa made from bamboo and other eco-friendly woods like rubber wood will get popular.

Excited to know more about modern sofas? Check out some interesting types of wooden sofa!

Tips on Wood Care : How to care for your Wood Furniture?

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:05:00 -0800

Wood care is of the cardinal concern for each one of us, as all of us uses one of other kind of wood in the form of furniture, wood flooring, cabinets, cupboards et al. If you care for your wood then it will last long and will remain in the same form in which you have purchased it. Although caring for wood is not difficult but you will have to keep in mind certain things to care for your wood furniture. Read the below given tips on wood care for long life of wood furniture.

Life of the wood can be increased by polishing it as this wont let the wood to dry too quickly. Wood furniture care must include polishing it at least once in a year either with spray polish, liquid polish or semi solid polish.
For polishing the wood use soft and white cloth and polish in the direction of the grains of the wood.
Wood polish having silicone or alcohol should be avoided. Spray polishes or aerosols are easiest to use but they contain silicone so must be avoided.
Then there are liquid wood polishes are available in emulsion polishes and oil type polishes. waxes, oils and organic solvents are the emulsion polishes whereas paraffin, lemon oil and mineral, linseed oil and walnut oil are the oil type polishes. Lemon oil is considered as the best polish for wood.
Third category of wood polish include semi solid polishes or paste Waxes. These are least harmful to the wood than the other two categories. But do not apply wax very frequently as a thick coat of wax above the surface of the wood will be created leading to its unattractive appearance. Although using wax polish is hard but always go for the semi solid wax polish for your wood furniture, cabinets and floor as it is the safest and does not cause any damage to your wood.
Mix lemon oil in three parts of olive oil. Use this mixture as a wood furniture polish at home.
Use scratch powder to cover the scratches on wood furniture. To apply this take a white soft cloth, apply powder on it and gently rub it on the surface of wood.
To remove candle wax from your dining room furniture or any other wood let the wax get hardened after cooling. Now apply ice on it. Take plastic spatula to scrap the wax off.
To get rid of water spot from the wooden table or furniture let it dry and then apply mayonnaise with soft white cloth. Rub it on the water mark and you will be surprised to see the watermark gone. Better to use wooden coaster under glass to avoid water marks.
Never place wood furniture directly under the sun as this will cause the excess and quick dryness.
While keeping hot dishes on your dining table use tablecloth or table mats.

Wood Kitchen Cabinet Doors

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 04:17:00 -0800

Your kitchen is not just the place where you prepare food but it is also a place where you discuss matters with your family. 35% of the families use it as their socializing and entertainment place and 15% use kitchen to play with their children. So you need to have a constant check on the style and design of it. Replacing your old wood kitchen cabinet doors with the new one is the quickest and the easiest way to transform the look of your kitchen. So it is not untrue to say that wood kitchen cabinet doors are something that can change the entire look of your kitchen. You can pick the one that suits your style and the season. Also keep the old ones with you for future change. If you are not interested in wooden ones then you can also go for the cabinet doors that are made up of steel, RTF (Rigid Thermo Foil), stainless steel and aluminum. But wood is the most desirable of all other styles of kitchen cabinets.

The cabinets that are made up of wood are of two types i.e.

Finished
Unfinished

MDF medium density fiber board) comes under the category of unfinished cabinets. These are cheaper than any other form. You can paint your boxes in a color you like and order the MDF wood kitchen cabinet doors. Then paint these with the same or contrasting colors to change your kitchen.

Finished cabinets are completely done and you just need to place these at their place. There are numerous styles and finishes for everybody's budget and style like square, single arch, double arch, recessed panel door, or solid panel door can be bought in the category of wooden cabinets. It is entirely your personal taste to pick anyone of these. The color of the finished wood cabinets can be natural or given at the time of finishing it during dyeing or staining.

How to Pick the Color of Wood Kitchen Cabinet Door

While picking up any wood cabinet for color select the one in lighter tone as after finishing the tone will go up so you will get bit darker than what you have selected.
If your kitchen is small then go for the light color as it will give space to your kitchen. This can be pale yellow to pale tan. Pine, Birch, Maple, Oak, Ash and Poplar come in this category of color.
If your kitchen is of traditional or contemporary style then you can pick the medium color wood cabinet doors for your kitchen that ranges from pinkish cast and light brown to tan color. Beech and Cherry wood are perfect for these.
Medium color to absolutely dark wood i.e. Butternut, Mahogany, Rosewood and Walnut can be picked to have dark color kitchen cabinets.

Most of these items by the manufacturers are custom made as size of each kitchen differ from other. Any wood cabinet made from Oak, Maple, Cherry and Walnut will be of highest quality.
Along with color make sure to check for the stains, dyes and finishes. You can also select the matching dining room furniture.

To clean the product no chemical based solvent like thinner or liquid having acetone should be used as these products for sure damage the protective acrylic coating and will lead to the discoloring of the same. But you can use Methyl Hydrate or non-abrasive soap to clean the wood kitchen cabinet doors.

Most Popular Wood Kitchen Cabinet Door Manufacturers

Cabinet Door Depot: Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Maple Craft USA: Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Randy House: Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Kitchen Cabinet Mart

Tips on Buying a Wood Bed

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:24:00 -0700

Wood is durable and elegant too. You don't need to take intense care of wooden products and the most important fact is that wood can be given many shapes and can be decorated through innumerable means. Perhaps that's why we all love to have wooden furniture all around our homes. If you are planning to buy wooden beds for your bedroom, kids room or guest room, just browse through the following tips before going out to buy one.

First of all make a layout of the room where you wish to place your new wooden bed. Accordingly decide upon the size of the bed- will it only support a single bed or king/queen beds also?
Next, measure the height of your door, if you are satisfied with the fact that a king sized bed will go into your room, your door must definitely be high enough to bring in the large bed.
If anyway, your room and door supports your decision of buying a big wooden bed, don't just go out and buy it. Ponder upon the other facts too- do you need a big bed? Won't a single bed enough for your needs? If you want to place some other furniture like wooden sofa or a wooden cabinet in the room, will the big bed leave enough space for them to fit? After finding all these answers, go ahead with your plan of buying the right size of the wooden bed.
Next comes the purpose of buying a bed. If you are buying it for your guest room, it definitely needs to be large enough to accommodate more than one person. However, if you are buying it for your kids room, think twice before going for a big bed. A single bed is good enough for your child.
If your kids room is smaller than the normal size and you have more than one child, you can even buy bunk bed for you kids. This will save space and will be attractive for them too.
If you are planning to buy a wooden bed for your bedroom, you can give a thought to platform beds that have inbuilt storage space in them. You can store all your beddings and even other things in them. They are great for smaller apartments too. Know all the types of wooden beds for taking an informed decision.
Always check the bed frames- their strength and joints- all should be perfect as it will support all the weights put on the bed.
Give attention to the theme of your home decor too. If your interior is decorated traditionally or in country manner, you can even go for an antique wooden bed or antique reproductions but if all your other furniture have contemporary look, its better to buy a bed that has clean angular lines.
Match the color of new wooden beds with the color of all the other furniture in the room.

How to Renovate an Old Wooden Chair?

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:49:00 -0700

We all have wooden furniture in our homes. If nothing, everyone must be possessing one from among many types of wood chairs. If one of your wooden chairs is in such a condition that it can't be used further, you can revamp it to get a new chair. Chair renovation will not only save you money but also do a favor to the environment. You'll get a new cheap chair which is a fine piece of eco-friendly furniture too! Here is the step-by-step instruction for renovating your old wooden chair into a brand new upholstered chair.

Get the required material for your DIY project of chair renovation. You will need wood glue and clamps; a staplegun; some filling material (batting) like cotton, wool, synthetic fibers etc. or a foam cushion; upholstery fabric-5 inch larger than the foam cushion; fine-grit sandpaper; some paint or stain; and of course, the old wooden chair.
Remove any screw that is still there on the chair. Also pull out the parts that are no longer strong enough to support the chair.
Make the chair as strong as you can by reassembling the parts (that you had earlier pulled apart) with glue and clamps and then putting the screws back from where you disassembled them.
If you plan to stain the wood, take out all the paint with the help of sandpaper. However, if you wish to paint your old furniture chair, you don't need to sand it down to the wood.
Wipe the chair with a damp cloth and let it dry.
If staining, apply the wood stain with a piece of cloth evenly over the whole chair. Apply stain everywhere, even in the cracks. Apply two coats of stain to get a perfect even surface.
If painting, apply the paint on the chair with even strokes of a small brush. Here also, you may need two coats of paint to get an even surface.
Take the wood base of the cushion and set it on some thick batting. Now trace around the wooden seat form and lift the batting, upside down, onto the fabric. Put the wood on top to make a batting sandwich and then pull the fabric towards yourself. Staple on the underside of the seat platform. Staple it tightly across the top surface. Trim the extra fabric from the bottom and turn it over.
If you want, you can even make another thinner cushion for the chair back (to be tied on at the top and bottom of the back). Alternatively, take the fabric(whatever is left) and make a simple pillow case. Slip it over the back and secure with a sash tied from front to back with a large bow behind it!

Your all renovated eco-friendly new upholstered wooden chair is all ready to be used!

Home Decor: Creative Uses of Wooden Trays

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:36:00 -0700

You have been using wooden trays for serving. If not, you might be using them for storing items like cutlery, cups, mugs etc. There are different types of wooden trays available these days and you are making use of them in various ways but what do you do with these trays when they become old and you get bored with them? Do you either push them into garage storage or sell them off as scrap? Whatever you have been doing with them, there are many creative ways to use these wooden trays. In fact, they are so innovative and beautiful ways that you would be tempted to bring new unfinished wooden trays and apply these techniques to satisfy the creative soul in you. Here are some novel ways to use wooden trays that I found on net while searching!

Room Divider

Make a folding screen or room divider by using some decorative trays. You will need three or four shelving units that are hinged together. Just fasten the trays onto the units and your room divider is ready.

Multi Level Side Table

If you need a side table with multiple levels, use trays for making one. Take three or four trays and wooden dowels having thickness of about one inch. Cut them into needed size. Drill holes in the corner of each tray and into the ends of the dowels. Then fasten the dowels to trays by using threaded rods. Screw wooden balls on top rod to give a finished look to the table.

Table Centerpiece

Take a wooden tray and fill its bottom with a layer of sand. Now take some decorated pillar candles and votive candles and arrange them in a beautiful pattern in the center of the tray. Now decorate the fringes with any of the materials of your choice- it can be pebbles, berries, gourds, bamboo sticks, anything! Place it on table and make it a delightful experience for your guests.

How to Buy a Wooden Sofa for Utility Plus Decor

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:30:00 -0700

A sofa is not only for sitting and relaxing for a while. A sofa set now defines the personality of your living room or bedroom wherever it is placed. However, it is also true that the basic function of sofa still is to provide comfort. Not only this, sofa has now become a multi functional piece of furniture. Sofa beds or storage sofas are common and adored by people. So, when you are out to buy a sofa, how do you know what sofa to buy? Here are some tips on buying the right sofa for utility as well as home decor!

Plan beforehand about where you want to put your new sofa and why you need it- only for decoration or for other functions too. There are many types of wooden sofa- some are upholstered and some are not. Know the features of these different types of sofa sets to determine your needs.
Take the measurement of the space where you intend to place your new sofa. Measure the height and width of your doors as well as stairs too. You definitely do not want to renovate the whole house for a sofa.
If you need a sofa to simply sit on, length ranging from 65 to 75 inches is enough for a room of average size.
Check the quality of sofa that you consider for buying. The frame and sofa legs are most important factors in a wooden sofa for its durability as well as comfort.
Ensure that the sofa frame is made of kiln-dried hardwood.
See if the joints are properly attached or not. They should be glued, doweled and screwed for maximum security.
Check for corners. Whether they are further strengthened with the help of reinforcing blocks. It is good for giving extra support.
Although a plywood frame is considered of inferior quality but if your budget is tight and you decide to buy one, ensure it has at least eleven to thirteen layers of plywood.
Wooden sofa is generally upholstered with fabric or leather for giving seating support and maximum comfort. Read tips for buying upholstered furniture and ensure that you get the best sofa for your home.
Always check the sofa legs for ensuring whether they are sturdy or not? They should be joined in a well secured manner with the frame of sofa and should also be enough strong to take the bulky weight of sofa as well as people who will sit or sleep on it.

Decorate Home with Handicrafts on Diwali

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:25:00 -0700

Diwali cleaning is over and now its time to decorate home for Diwali. Market is full with different and innovative handicrafts. Decorate your home with them. Here are some Diwali ideas for decorating home as well as performing rituals.

Laksmi Ganesha Jhula: How good they both look on a jhula. Get a handmade piece of swing with Diwali idols of Ganesha and Laksmi and place them at your pooja place. You and your guests, all will love that!

Personalized Photo Candle: A candle with a family picture on it! Great isn't it. Buy one to keep in your living room. I undersatand, you'll not be able to light it. Just decorate with it and buy other decorative candles for lighting your home.

Ganesh Wooden Wall Hanging: bring all luck to your home, bring a wall hanging of Ganesha or for that matter of goddess Lakshmi. You can give it as gift to your friends too. A great Diwali idea!

Decorative Diwali diyas: Decorate your living room with them. When lighted up they'll look fabulous. You can even use them as show pieces afterwords.

Wooden Trays and Bowls: Decorate your dining table with fabulous hand crafted wooden trays and bowls. Serve Diwali sweets to your guests in style too.

Handcrafted Table: Buy attractive furniture like a painted wooden handcrafted telephone table and keep it at the corner of your living room or bring a simple table to keep at the center and place all goodies for your guests.

Buy Handicrafts For Diwali Gifts online just by clicking the images.

How to Choose the Right Wood Finish?

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Thu, 8 Oct 2009 04:58:00 -0700

You are all set to start with your DIY project for wood finishing! Read on these tips to help you with the proper selection of wood finish for the results you want.

Decide on such issues as to how the wooden product will be used? Whether it will be exposed to water, moisture or other such elements? Do you want the wood finish to be transparent, semitransparent, or opaque?
Depending upon your requirements, buy the appropriate finish. For this, you must know the basics of wood finishes. Clear finishes give transparent looks and include varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based and shellac. Opaque finishes are paints, which come in various colors.
Always read the information on the package label for additional help in selecting the right finish. Look at the finished samples available at many stores to get an idea of what the finish will look like.
For exterior wood surfaces like siding and fascia boards, use a paint that is labeled for exterior use and preferably contains a fungicide.
If you want to change the color of raw wood, use a wood stain. Wood stains also make inexpensive wood, such as pine, look more expensive (like cherry, oak, or mahogany)
If you want a weatherproof finish such as for outdoor wood furniture, use wood stains made with sealers.
Give thick finishes to the furniture in high-moisture or high-traffic areas. Examples of such furniture include your garden furniture or living room furniture. To get a thicker finish, go for wood varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based finishes, shellac or paint. These can be applied in several layers on the wood surface. Oil finishes cannot build up layers and leave the wood surface more natural-looking.
To bring out the beauty and the grain in wood, use oil finishes. They work more efficiently on hardwoods such as red oak, maple, cherry, and walnut.
Use linseed oil finish only on interior projects and for restoring wood furniture with an existing linseed finish. You will find both- regular and boiled linseed oil. Use boiled linseed oil if you want shorter drying time.
If you are finishing a wooden craft that has not been finished previously, you can use either danish or teak oils. Danish oil has comparatively low luster than teak oil.
For non-toxic wood finish, like for butcher blocks or wooden toys, use mineral oil.
For articles that are more exposed to moisture, use tung oil finish.
For slightly glossy or flat appearance, use wax finish.

Whatever finish you choose, remember wooden finishes protect your wooden crafts and furniture apart from making them look good. So, give a finish that is appropriate to the wood surface and make them stay with you for a lifetime.

Tips on Wooden Wardrobes and Cupboard Designs

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Thu, 8 Oct 2009 00:29:00 -0700

A bedroom wardrobe or a cupboard is the second most priority after bed. In fact, cupboard designs are given more attention in the room's layout or bedroom remodeling than even beds. The wooden cupboard with traditional doors are still there in spite of large number of people going for modern cupboards with sliding doors and walk in wardrobes though the designs for such cupboards have undergone tremendous changes. All said and done, modern wooden wardrobe is a representation of beauty. However, if the functionality of the wardrobe is not kept in consideration, the purpose is lost. If you are up to a custom wardrobe, here are some tips to properly design your wardrobe and closets.

The traditional door wardrobes have multiple doors. Use this space by having storage solutions behind each wardrobe door. It can be anything from rails to drawers and shelves.
For the main section of cupboards, combine all- long drop rails, short drops, drawers and shelves of different widths and heights according to your requirements. For example, if you wear jeans all the time, then get more shelves than hanging space and if you mostly wear long dresses, then go for more hanging spaces.
If you are fond of collecting footwear, get more shelves at lower part. You can even go for sliding shoe trays that can hold many pairs of shoes per shelf.
Get handy sized drawers for your different storage needs - from jewelery to sweaters, blankets or bed linen. Keep the blanket drawer enough deep to store the things properly. If you like to collect watches, get a drawer of appropriate size with divisions.
If you opt for sliding door wardrobe, then match the interior segments to the number of sliding doors. For example, three doors should have three or two interior segments to ensure easy opening of all the drawers.
You can make the closets and wardrobes more beautiful transforming them into a mirror wall by using sliding mirrored doors. It will also save space that could have taken by the dressing table.
Ensure that the slider mechanism works properly. A sliding door which comes off its tracks is a pain.
If you prefer a walk-in wardrobe, keep the point number two in view and combine the hanging spaces, shelves and drawers as per your needs.
Allow at least a meter from the ground for hanging jackets otherwise your clothes will keep dragging along the floor and collect dust.
Try not to cover the clothes rails and shelves with doors in the walk-in wardrobes. These wardrobes are quite small rooms. If you have to open doors you will make the space more small. Instead of having doors, keep it open and dust regularly.

Types of Wood Finishes

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 22:32:00 -0700

Who doesn't want to keep the relatively expensive wood furniture and other wood handicrafts for years? Wood is durable naturally but then it also gets affected by such factors as humidity, extreme temperatures, moisture, etc. Clear wood finishes protect wood from outer elements such as chemicals, extreme weather conditions and abrasion etc. They also make it shine and give a smooth, clean, and colored surface. There are two types of wood finishes- film forming finishes and penetrating or absorbing wood finishes. They can be water based finishes or oil finishes. To know all these types of wood finishes as well as for information about which wood finish is good for what purpose, read Wood Finishes

Decorate and Bring Luck with Wood Sculpture

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Mon, 5 Oct 2009 03:53:00 -0700

Sculptures and statues have always played an important part in home decor. It is, in fact, one of the oldest form of art which are found in excavations too. This goes to prove the love of human beings with sculptures. Wooden sculptures/ wood statues have always been appreciated equally by the art connoisseurs as well as home decorators. Apart from having value as a decorative, wood sculptures are also believed to bring luck by some of the astrological schools like 'vaastu shastra' and 'Feng Shui'. Lets see how wooden statues of deities, animal figurines and sculptures bring luck with them.

Importance of Statues in Vastu Decoration

According to Vastu Shastra- the ancient Indian school of home construction and decoration according to astrological attributes- main door is the most important part of any home. As such, it should always be clean and decorated with auspicious symbols. Following statues are recommended to be placed at the main door:

Family deity: There are many Hindu gods and goddesses. Although Indian families worship almost all gods but there is one family deity (kul devta or kul devi) who is particularly worshiped as an ancestral legacy. Vaastu recommends the statue of this family deity to be placed at the main door.
Sentinels or Guards: Two statues of soldiers (Prathiharis) at both the sides of door is believed to protect the home dwellers from any untoward event.
Statue with Eight Holy Symbols: or Asthamangala is a statue seated on lotus flower wearing a sacred garland of eight auspicious symbols that include umbrella, pair of golden fish, conch, treasure vase, lotus, infinite knot, victory banner and wheel. It is considered very auspicious.
Goddess Lakshmi: who is seated on lotus and well decorated, being bathed by elephants- is believed to bring prosperity to home.
Cow: Well ornamented animal figurine of cow with her calf and flower garlands alo bring prosperity.

Diwali Cleaning- Take Care of Antique Wood Furniture

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Sun, 4 Oct 2009 23:39:00 -0700

Home cleaning is on an all time high! And why not? After all, its Diwali time! Cleaning of curtains, carpets, windows, doors, furniture- every nook and corner of the house- becomes a responsibility of everyone at home. Apart from cleaning all these household goods and amidst the mission of decorating home for a joyful Diwali, one comes at a sudden standstill- How to clean antiques? They need special treatment. They have to be cleaned as well as kept intact with their 'old' looks. How is it possible? Read How to Clean Antique Wood Furniture and know the secret!

Tips for Choosing Wood Bar Stools

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Sat, 3 Oct 2009 02:32:00 -0700

A barstool is not only for a bar. They can be seen everywhere- from restaurants and pubs to home kitchens, eating areas and of course bars. The most commonly prevalent barstool is the one that is made from wood. Although, metal stools are also liked by many people but wooden bar stools are still at number one position. The versatility, durability and their capability of blending with any kind of home decor, be it rustic, country or contemporary style have made wood bar stool furniture the favorite of home dwellers. Here are certain tips on getting the right bar stool for your use.

The first and foremost factor for buying a barstool is its comfort which comes with the right height of the stool. The standard bar stools are 30 inches high (this is the distance from the floor to the seat). If the counter is higher than average, you may need to get taller spectator stools, which are 34 inches tall.
The best way to get the right height of stool is to measure your bar and remember that the top of the seat should be 12 inches from the bottom of the bar for adequate legroom.
Wooden bar stools come in different styles. Choose the one that goes with your home decor.
If you have a traditional decor at your home, go for deeper and darker wooden stools with detailed backs and leg designs. Upholstered stools with dark colored fabric will match your home decor perfectly.
For modern homes, choose contemporary stools that have finer lines and simpler shapes. Bright bold colors and even black and white goes well with modern decor. However, these stools mostly have hard seats without any seat pad.
If your home has a more country like decor, go for the stools that have double-toned look, generally in a dark and a light contrast. You can yourself decide whether they should have hard or padded seats.
Match the stool shapes also to blend it with your interior decor. Stools with saddle seats, high backs and armrests are more typical to traditional decor where as backless wood bar stools without arm rests give a more contemporary look. Swivel bar stools are also very popular and match well with traditional decor.
If you wish to use your stools for various purposes, better get a stool with adjustable height and use it anywhere, in bar, kitchen or as counter stool.
If you have a small apartment and face the problem of smaller space, get folding bar stool and use whenever required otherwise keep it folded and save space.

Wooden Candle Holders – For All Purposes

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Sat, 3 Oct 2009 01:48:00 -0700

Whether you want a subtle, soft and romantic decoration for your bedroom or want to give a unique experience to your guests by lighting up your driveway with candles or tea lights, you will find wooden candle holders for all purposes. Lets know what are the types of wood candle holders and what sets them apart from other candle holders!

Types of Wooden Candle Holders

From time immemorial, our ancestors had been using wooden candle holders. Such a long practice of making these pieces have refined the art of making hand carved wooden candle holders. In the ancient times, these candle holders were a necessity but with time, they have grown into art pieces. Now the wood is carved into different and interesting designs to match with all types of home decor.

Centerpiece Candle Holder: These are large candle holders, usually in shapes resembling chandeliers. They can be used on tables any where- in living room or on dining tables to give warmth to the whole atmosphere.

Ethnic Candle Holders: Pieces of wood are carved out in ethnic designs, such as African candle holders or Indian candle holders. The designs reflect the culture and traditions of the respective countries.

Outdoor Candle Holders: These are simply a log or large plank of wood, with large holes drilled into them to hold tea lights. They give extra charm to the outdoor decor of any house.

Floating Wooden Candle Bowls: The wooden bowls with or without stands make the floating candles tremendously attractive. The wood used for bowls are either left in their natural form with their pale shades or are painted with colors. Sometimes, carving is also done to make them more beautiful.

Contemporary Candle Holders: These wooden candle holders have interesting shapes and styles. They are mostly colored with fire resistant paints.

Whatever be the style of wooden candle holder, a right sized candle holder undoubtedly complement other pieces of furniture and accessories in a room. The most interesting fact is that they can be bought within any kind of budget. While the simple mass produced candle holders are cheap and readily available, the hand carved or turned candle holders are comparatively more expensive. So why wait, go grab a wooden candle holder according to your needs and make your whole surroundings beautiful.

Outdoor Wood Furniture Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:50:00 -0700

No matter how fast and easily your neighbors get metal and plastic outdoor furniture, they can never match the hand crafted outdoor wood furniture you owe. Here are some ideas for choosing the right outdoor wooden furniture for your garden, deck or patio.

Although there are many types of wood but for outdoor furniture, teak is considered best. It is the hardest hardwood and can withstand outdoor conditions better than any other readily available wood.
While buying the outdoor furniture, always keep the purpose in mind. If you enjoy having meals with your family and friends outdoor then go for bigger dining tables so that you have ample space for you and your guests to relax. Buy at least a 7 piece deep seating dining set.
If you just like to relax outside with a few friends, purchase a smaller dining set of 4 to 5 pieces.
If you have limited outdoor space or you long for intimate outdoor dining, a bistro table or a 3 piece set will be the best.
When you have decided for parties outside then why make multiple trips inside for getting all your stuff. Get a serving cart to do all the carrying for you.
If you like to be relaxed in the natural outdoor environment, go for a lounge chair with multi-position back. It is perfect for lying around on a lazy summer day.
Get a comfy sofa set made with all weather fabrics and forget the comfort of your indoors. You can even get a rocking chair for relaxing out in the evening.
And for your kids, you can purchase porch swings and enjoy them yourself when kids are not around.

If your outdoor wood furniture isn't teak or cedar, remember that it will need to be treated regularly to prevent rotting. It should also be stored inside during the winter. If you can't bring them inside, cover them up with some waterproof but breathable material. If you have opted for teak furniture, also remember that not all teak is ecologically sound. As far as possible, buy Eco-friendly wood furniture and be responsible towards our planet.

Diwali Gift Ideas!

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:33:00 -0700

Diwali is round the corner and you are still puzzled about what to present as gift to your dear ones. Make this Diwali special for your family and friends by giving them tasteful gifts. Give them artifacts having a touch of elegance. And they need not be expensive! Select from among smaller furniture items, some home decorative or simply show piece but with a difference. Get Diwali gift ideas. Read What Artifacts Should You Gift This Diwali?

Contemporary Wood Furniture- Style Plus Function!

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:07:00 -0700

With all the haste and rush in their lifestyle, people today prefer furniture that is simple and functional. They want furniture that could be used in 'not so delicate' manner because time is very less to spend on maintaining furniture. However, people have also become more aesthetic, so they don't want to compromise on the beauty aspect of any furniture! What's the result then? It's the evolution of contemporary wood furniture which is functional and stylish too!

Simple Cuts and Shapes: People today want to spend more time with their families at home- in a very informal way. The trend for casual living has led the modern furniture to become multi-functional with clean uncluttered lines. People are turning towards durable materials and so wood furniture tops the list. Light woods dominate the modern furniture of today- oak, cherry, and birch being the most popular woods, with rattan and bamboo increasingly getting popular due to the growing preference for eco-friendly furniture. http://crafts-textiles-guide.blogspot.com/2009/09/eco-friendly-wood-furniture-go-green.html However, simplicity doesn't mar beauty. Style is still maintained through varnished solid fronts combined with veneered bodies and stainless steel. Other materials that are combined with wood to make it trendy include aluminum and boldly colored fiberglass and satin glass.

Incorporated Gadgets: A wooden sofa is not only a seating option now! Multi-media applications are liberally applied to the wooden furniture. Flat loudspeakers are being incorporated into slim, spacious sofas, covered in dark trendy upholstery fabrics. LED lighting technology can be seen on wooden coffee tables. And what more? These lights change depending on the mood required! The modern furniture has all got futuristic!

Different Types of Wood and Their Properties

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:03:00 -0700

Like all other things, wood too is categorized according to its texture, strength and the beauty it to a furniture. Some types of wood are very hard and durable and some are flexible enough to be bent. "Hardwood" is one of the common types of wood which is obtained from trees that lose their leaves in winter. The other type of wood, the "Softwood" is obtained from evergreen trees like fir, pine and redwood. Further, all of them are placed in one of the two basic wood grades. These two grades are 'select lumber' and 'common lumber.' When appearance and finishing are important for a furniture, then select lumber is considered best. Common lumber having certain defects is used for construction and general-purpose projects.

To know the individual wood properties and which wood is used for what purpose, read Types of Wood

Tips for Buying Upholstered Furniture

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:48:00 -0700

Those who look for durability as well as comfort, buy upholstered furniture, preferably made of wood. Why? Because wood is stable and durable and the upholstery on it makes it comfortable too. Definitely no one would like to sit on a wooden sofa that doesn't have a nice and comfortable seat on it! So whenever you go out to buy a wooden upholstered furniture, follow the tips given here to get the best deal.

First of all decide certain aspects as how this upholstered furniture will be used in your home, do you have pets and children, do the family often spends time in living room and how often do this furniture is used? This and many other similar question will tell you what type of furniture to look for?
Check the frame, supporting foundation, and cushioning or padding of the upholstered furniture.
Choose a solid and sturdy frame. Traditionally the frames made of kiln-dried hardwood are best as they resists warping. Frames of maple or oak are also good.
Don't go for frames made of plywood, particle board, plastic or steel frames as they tend to warp and bend.
Ensure that all pieces are joined well. Dove tailing and metal screws that fit angles and joints together securely are good. A furniture with corner blocks glued and screwed are best.
Ensure the furniture has good support provided by webbing, sling straps, slats or springs. Go for eight-way hand-tied coil springing which provides the best support.
Look for comfortable cushioning. Foam and polyester fiberfill wrap are widely used padding materials which are durable, resilient, mothproof and mildew and fungus resistant.
Go for HC(High Comfort)foam and HR(High Resiliency)foam
If yours is an active household, go for fabrics with tighter weaves and durable fibers like polypropylene or nylon.
Fabrics such as satins, damasks and brocades, although beautiful, should be chosen only if the furniture has limited use.
Ensure that cushions fit well, cushion zippers work smoothly and the buttons are secure.
Check for straight seams and welts and stripes, plaids and patterns matched at the seams and across seating cushions.
Before taking the final decision, sit on it and feel it. This should be particularly done by the person who's going to use the sofa or chair most of the time, especially when buying a recliner or "easy" chair. The height and angle of the back and depth of the seat should be suited to the size of the person.

Eco-Friendly Wood Furniture: Go Green with Your Home Decor

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 04:54:00 -0700

We all share this beautiful planet called earth! And we all are equally responsible to save it by doing every little bit we can. The easiest way to do this is using eco friendly products. When it comes to our home decor, we can buy wood home furniture that is eco-friendly. I'll tell you how to go green with your furniture wood but before knowing some tips about buying eco friendly furniture, it is helpful to know in what ways furniture affects environment and how we can minimize this environmental pollution by going for green furniture?

What is Green Furniture?

We all know that furniture wood is a forest product. Many trees are harvested for getting that fine wood for your home and office furniture. However, green furniture is not green because it comes from forests but it is green in the sense of its being eco-friendly. Furniture is considered eco-friendly according to its impact on the environment. How the wood is harvested and to what extent this contributes to forest depletion, whether it has eco-friendly upholstery on it, how much chemicals and toxic paints etc. are used in making them, how it will affect the surrounding air quality- all contribute in defining a furniture as eco friendly. When a wood furniture causes minimum deforestation, uses non toxic materials for finishes and do not pollute the home environment, it is called an eco-friendly wood furniture.

How to Buy Eco-friendly Furniture?

Here are certain tips on how to buy green furniture? Follow them and be a responsible and proud earth dweller.

Buy FSC-certified woods. They are researched and certified as socially and environmentally harvested by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This council is an international non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization which works for promoting responsible management of the world’s forests.
Buy reclaimed and recycled wood products. Many wood furniture manufacturers reuse discarded furniture and lumber.
Refrain from buying endangered woods. Select furniture made from "secondary species" which are less depleted. These species include sweetgum, madrone, and California oak.
Buy lower grade woods as lesser timber is needed to produce a low-grade wood product than a high-grade product. Many low-grade woods are rated low just because they show knots and streaks.
Ask the manufacturer, where and how the wood was harvested.
Particleboard, plywood, and other pressed woods contain formaldehyde, a possible carcinogen leading to poor air quality in your home and office. As such, avoid pressed woods and go for second-hand solid wood, or FSC-certified new wood pieces.
Do your furniture shopping at antique stores, garage sales, and thrift stores where you can find furniture made from solid wood.
Buy furniture made from rubberwood. It is very sustainable and one of the most eco-friendly lumber used by the modern furniture industry. Most of the other woods are obtained from trees that are cut down just to make furniture. However, rubberwood is harvested only after it completes the cycle of producing latex and dies for about 18-25 years before dying.
Buy those furniture pieces that are finished with nontoxic paints, stains and varnishes.
Buy bamboo furniture. Bamboo grows fast and is able to replenish itself quickly. This makes it eco-friendly otion for furniture making.
Buy locally made furniture to reduce the pollution created from shipping them long distances. If any how you want to buy a furniture that is made in a particular region, you can buy it from local retailer and help in cutting down on transport.
If you find eco-friendly furniture costly, start small. Don't try to change all your home furniture at once. Buy small pieces initially and buy one by one as and when you can manage to spend on expensive furniture. Also you can first buy something having only one sustainable component such as reclaimed wood but treated with a conventional stain and finish. These are less expensive and you can find them easily. Additionally, you can choose unfinished wood and finish it yourself with eco-friendly products.

How to Care for Wooden Furniture?

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Wed, 9 Sep 2009 02:57:00 -0700

Whether we go for traditional style of home decor or a contemporary one, we all love to have wood home furniture. Wood furniture is liked for its beauty, strength and durability but if proper care is not taken, these furniture lose their sheen and also develop cracks that can make you lose them shortly. So how to care for wood furniture? Here are certain tips for your help.

Extreme temperature and relative humidity harm wooden furniture the most. Keep the temperature of your home between 70 - 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Relative humidity should be at 50-55%.
Take help of humidifier or de-humidifier to keep the air in the rooms from becoming too dry or too damp.
Dust regularly. That's the mantra to give long life to any furniture.
While dusting, avoid using wet cloths or mops. They can stain and damage the wood. Use soft cloth, preferably lint-free cotton, or a vacuum cleaner with dust brush attachment for general cleaning of your furniture.
Always use coasters, place mats or other protective things for keeping hot or cold items, even water, on top of wooden furniture.
Keep solvents like nail polish remover, alcohol and paint thinner away from wood furniture. They can easily harm their finish. Colognes, perfumes and medications, wine, beer and liquor- all contain alcohol and are harmful to your wood furniture.
Plastic objects like tablecloths, wrappers, plastic toys and games lying on wooden surfaces can leach into wood over time. Avoid them.
Don't expose your wood furniture to direct sunlight, heat, cold or excessively damp or dry environments. Curtains on windows will protect the furniture from sunlight.
When polishing and waxing wooden furniture, select the correct cleaner and polish according to the type of the furniture's finish.
Always follow manufacturers' instructions when using spray or liquid polishes.
Use polishes that are specifically manufactured for wooden surfaces. Never mix different types of polishes.
Polishing too often can lead to a cloudy, filmy build up on the furniture that doesn't assimilate with the look and feel of wood. Polish once or twice a year. Its enough to give extra life to your furniture.
If possible, use paste wax as it provides a thick, hard, lasting finish to hardwood furniture. It also delays the formation of water rings, which give a little extra time to wipe up the moisture. Liquid wax are like paste wax but provide a thinner coating.

Tips For Buying Wood Furniture

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Tue, 8 Sep 2009 00:07:00 -0700

Wood was perhaps among the first few materials which were used for making furniture by man. Whether you inherit from your ancestors or buy yourself, there will be always a few items placed in your home that is made from wood. There's no doubt that wooden furniture- used, new or antique- make our home decor more attractive. Nowadays, wood furniture manufacturers make wide variety of such furniture. They may be hand carved in small workshops or can be mass produced in bigger factories. When you go to buy a wooden furniture, you can get better deal if you keep certain factors in mind. Here are certain tips for buying wood furniture.

Durability of furniture depends on quality of wood construction. Solid boards are always better than veneers or particle boards.
Many artificial veneers have plywood or particleboard overlaid on them. A plywood core, although light weight and less expensive, will swell when wet. Particleboard, on the other hand, will fracture because this hard material cannot absorb shocks.
Check whether there is any crack or splits on the wood. Also check splits in joints. These joints will eventually come apart, when you'll place the furniture in a centrally heated room.
Check the back panel of wood furniture for nails and screws. Make sure that it is not just stapled.
If you are buying a wooden cupboard or something having doors, check whether the hinges are solid, secure, and strong enough to support the weight of the door.
If buying larger furniture like dressers, check whether they have traditional mortise and tenon joints in them. In such larger items, even screws, nails and glues fail sometimes.
Ensure there are levelers on the bottoms of large furniture pieces. If buying chairs, see that they do not wobble. Check on how easily they stand on all four legs.
When buying wooden drawers, don't take the one without guides as it can make the drawer bind when opening and closing.
If buying used old furniture, know about its finish. If you want to change the color or repaint the furniture, you should know that factory finishes are often difficult to change.
If you want the old furniture to have a light color, check the original color of the wood by rubbing across an exposed unfinished part (you'll find such portion on the back or inside of the furniture) with wet finger. By this, you will come to know what the color of the wood will be when varnished with natural stain. Also remember that naturally dark wood can't be lightened.
Old and badly stored chests of drawers may get damaged by dampness. This leads to swelling which in turn makes it difficult for drawers to open and close smoothly. Check whether the drawers can be repaired using beeswax which helps in sliding the drawers smoothly. If its beyond repair, don't buy it.
When buying antique wooden furniture, make sure you buy real antiques and not mere reproductions. Seek advice from an antiques expert.
Antiques were specially made for specific locations. Ensure before buying the larger antique pieces that they will fit into the doors of your home.
Check for any boreholes and active woodworm. Tap the wood for detecting any fresh woodworm. Dust coming out from the holes means there are active woodworm there in the furniture. Even if there are no active woodworm, treat the antique or old furniture as a precautionary measure.

Different Uses of a Wrought Iron Tree

noreply@blogger.com (IIL) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:16:00 -0700

Whenever the term iron tree comes, we think of a Christmas tree only as if it is some reflex action set with our body mechanism. However, they are not only for decorating at the occasion of Christmas, they can be used to decorate any surrounding at any time. And when it comes to wrought iron tree, they not only prove to be a decorative iron work but a very functional and useful item that can hold our many belongings. They can be used for ornaments decoration also. Lets explore how the beautiful wrought iron trees can be used?

Coat Tree: Don't like to put your coats back in cupboard after wearing them? Can't even wash them just after using once? Use a wrought iron coat tree to hang them. These wrought iron tree racks are strong, durable and, not to say, beautiful! Use them to hang not only coats but other clothings too! If you need bigger space, you may even go for a wrought iron hall tree.

Mug Tree: Do you find yourself searching safe places for keeping your beautiful delicate coffee mugs? A wrought iron mug tree will not only hold them but also give your kitchen or dining table a charming look.

Ornaments Tree: Your colorful ornaments will look stunning when hung on a black wrought iron ornament tree! What a combination! Did you say you don't like black? Go for colored ones then. The manufacturers these day paint them in different colors to match the ornaments and you'll get the basic features of wrought iron too- strength and durability!

Basket Tree: Whether you keep your fruits or other tit bits organized in a basket, you must ensure that you find them quickly and intact whenever needed. Use one in your kitchen to hang your fruit and other food baskets and one in your kids' room to organize their tiny belongings in baskets. And no one has stopped you from hanging other things than baskets on these wrought iron trees!

Jewelry Tree: Do you get late for office daily and just because you have to find your matching bracelet and earrings from the messy things collected in your large jewelery box? Why don't then make this treasure hunt a fun activity by hanging your jewelery on a wrought iron jewelry tree? Not only this will make it easier for you to find exactly the jewelery you want to wear but also gives an opportunity to mix and match different options in a matter of just a few seconds!

Wine Tree: And there for you all gentlemen, is the fine wrought iron wine tree to display and relish the drinks of your choice! A wrought iron wine tree will not only hold your bottles in the right manner but will keep them safe too.

Mitten Tree: You have a lots of mittens and all for different purposes- for kitchen use, for saving from cold and the decorative ones to match your beautiful evening gown! Put them all organized and within an easy reach by placing them all on a wrought iron mitten tree.

These were only some of the established uses of decorative wrought iron trees. As the saying goes - 'beauty inspires', let you imagination fly and invent some innovative uses of beautiful wrought iron trees- no one better knows your needs than yourself!