Home Design Tips

Should an older piece of furniture be refinished or left with its original finish?  Would refinishing result in a significant loss of value?

Speaking as the owner of a furniture refurbishing shop, I am amazed at how brain washed the public has become when it comes to the question of whether or not to refinish furniture.  Thanks in part to shows like the Antiques Roadshow, people are generally afraid to refinish any piece of furniture that remotely has some age on it.

In America, there are different standards regarding refurbishing depending on the type of merchandise.  Many people feel it is taboo to refinish antique furniture regardless of how awful the piece may look because of a possible negative impact on value.  But, you can take an antique car and tear it down to the bare bones, strip it, sand it and fill it full of new old stock replacement parts and it only enhances the value of the car.

If you are thinking of refinishing, it is probably because the piece of furniture in question is not very attractive and there are finish problems.  Think about what you paid for a piece and how you want to use it.  Most folks want to enjoy a piece of furniture in the most attractive way possible in their homes.  They would rather have a good looking piece of furniture in their house than a piece that looks like it only belongs in a museum.

Generally, factory, assembly-line furniture made in the late 19th and 20th centuries can safely be refinished without value being affected.

There are times that you do need to have a professional give you an opinion about whether or not to refinish.  If a piece predates 1850 and reflects the maker’s art, you should seek guidance before refinishing.  This is also true of most antique painted furniture.  Painted furniture from the 19th century may have value tied up in the painting.  This may be true of painted and/or stenciled furniture that really does not look very good at all.

Remember, an older piece of furniture may have already had repairs and restoration to the finish.   Furniture refinished in the 19th century may well have a nice patina making it difficult to determine if the finish is original.  When in doubt, ask the opinion of a professional in the restoration field.

Logan and Dick Adams are the owners of The Specialists of the South in Panama City, FL.  One of their specialities is the art of Furniture Refinishing and Professional Furniture Refurbishing.

For a sleeping room to look fantastic, it has got to be furnished .The furnishing will depend a great deal on your taste and the quality of bedroom furniture you want  to use. It also depends on your financial power and your environment. What’s important however is to give your bedroom a very unique look - this is very possible with the right bedroom furniture.

For you to design any type of bedroom, you must look out for new ideas. This you can get from powder magazines and also online. Try not to count on your experience only. Let your vision guide you and try to acquire more knowledge from other venus as you can. All of these will end up transforming your room into your paradise.

There are different types of rugs to use in beautifying your bedroom. We have the hand made rugs, the contemporary ones, the designer rugs, the specially designed rugs for children. We also have the modern tufted rugs. The rugs come in various sizes and shapes. You may opt to carpet the whole house or only portion of it. Rugs can be rectangular or circular, some come in oval shapes. They can be from very affordable to cost a lot. This depends on the fabrics used. It also depends on if the carpet is hand made or machine made.

As you choose the colors for your bedroom furniture, it’s important be conscious of what we call color wheels and the rules that go with them. Rule number one says colors in the same family always go together. A color red that you choose should definitely go with other types of red. This is addressed the monochromatiic schema.

It’s not unusual to find many different kinds of bedroom furniture. You can find the unusual ones and many conventioanl ones. The one you will pick should be dependent on your preference and how it will fit in your bedroom.

Have you ever enjoyed the beauty of antique white bedroom furniture? If not, then you are missing a great deal. The universal appeal that antique white bedroom furniture has is because it has the tendency to brighten up any bedroom - no matter how dingy or dark that bedroom is. Try it and you will be surprised at the unbelievable beauty and singularity.

Lots of my friends say they now use bamboo bedroom furniture to add comfort, style and texture to their bedrooms. Because of the fact that bamboo is both lightweight and durable, many see it as environmentally friendly material for building. Some of the bamboo bedroom furniture that many people use these days include bamboo picture frames, bamboo bed frames, bamboo headboards, bamboo nightstands, etc.

Even though one might want to spend less on bedroom furniture, it’s important not to sacrifice quality or beauty because you want to save costs. If you can’t afford to decorate your bedroom the way you truly want to, then postpone the decoration until when you can afford it. It’s much better to do things right the first time around.

Jon Ferriss has proved to be a very versatile writer with the hundreds of articles on “Bedroom Furnitures” he has written

Among the many styles of home décor the Tuscan décor that recreates an old world Italian charm occupies a special place. This is a home décor style that is inspired by nature. Stone, wrought iron, hardwood and marble are made good use of in Tuscan style home décor. If an inviting and tasteful old-world style is what you seek in your home decor then you can consider proceeding with giving a Tuscan touch to your home.

A characteristic of the Tuscan home décor is making sure that nothing looks too new, too modern or too sleek and shiny. In Tuscan home décor the feel of outdoors are incorporated in the styling done indoors. A reflection of your inherent passion for associating with nature and the earth is observable in the Tuscan style of home decorating. The forgotten days of the old come alive and becharm you via the décor style adopted.

Giving Tuscan touch to home setup

Here are some tips for you to help transform your home the Tuscan way:

• It is common to use terracotta tiles on the roofs of Tuscan style homes. These give an earthy feel. The windows are framed by sandstone and wooden shutters and are deep set.
• An airy feel is what is sought to be achieved by adding Tuscan touches to the home. Keeping-in with this, wooden beams, plastered ceilings and uncovered windows ought to be featured in the home.
• White or soft gray colors are added to walls with accent colors and natural woods or stone added to create an interesting feel. To this Venetian plaster may be made use of (applied) to add texture. Faux painting techniques can also be advocated for delivering a well-worn look.
• Wide wood planks, stone, terracotta bricks or clay tiles are selected for giving the Tuscan look to floors.
• While doing up your home the Tuscan way outdoor spaces are to be accorded much importance. A decorated patio can be set up. A Tuscan home may also be surrounded by sandstone bricks.

Furniture and accessory items in Tuscan style home

Wood furniture- armoires or cupboards etc. finished with a varnish allowing the natural wood color to become prominent are the befitting furniture for homes done up in the Old Italian way. Furniture with wrought iron accents also fit in worthily. A long, wooden table that can permit dining of the entire family together is also an appropriate selection.

Presence of plenty of open shelves and cupboards that display ceramics, pottery etc. is typical of homes with Tuscan décor. Patterns reflecting nature and fabrics like tapestries etc. go well with homes touched up the special old-world Italian way. Articles like statues, old clock, stained glass, wall sconces for lighting and wrought iron hangings fit well with the Tuscan home style.

Tuscan home décor accessory items may be usually obtained as Italian style ceramic pieces. However, in case some hand made items can be chanced upon then it is all the more better to make good use of them to create a more genuine, natural feel.