Category Archives: Outdoor Furniture

Choosing Furniture Upholstery Fabrics

The upholstered furniture in your house is an investment that needs to be made with care – like the many other things that are there inside the abode. No home owner wants to be in a position of second-guessing after the choice has been made or the piece has been bought. The color, pattern, style, and fabric type need to be matched not just with the interior décor, but also with the kind of furniture, its users, location, and so on. Else, you would end up fighting stains, snags, tears, poorly coordinated décor, and anything that makes the new piece look shabby. Here are a few tips that can help you zero in on the right upholstery fabrics that keep you happy for a long time.

Choose easy care fabrics for kids and furry friends

When upholstering furniture, one of your biggest worries is the fabric being spoilt by kids or pets that you have in the house. Today, the options for such needs are plentiful. Many of them are crafted specially for harsh use, and are durable too.  The range of low maintenance, easy care fabrics includes faux leather and indoor-outdoor convertibles. Slipcovers too are a great choice for such needs. Distressed leather is another popular choice among home owners as the fabric surface does not show off cuffs and scratches.

Pick silk and linen for a touch of luxury

An adult-only home can indeed be a boon when you want to flaunt luxurious upholstery. Textured silk, patterned linen, and fluffy wool are all great choices for homes that need comfy, indulgent fabrics. These upholsteries are great for locations that are little used, lesser prone to wear and tear, and which are not in direct contact with sunlight.  Imagine reading corners, in-home office spaces, and master or guest bedroom furniture with these upholstery – quite the stunners they turn out to be.

Always think long term

One big mistake that buyers commit when choosing upholstery fabric is getting carried away by how it looks in the present, and not factoring in use, wear and tear – all of which have a bearing on how the surface, color, and feel would be after a couple of years. In order to avoid this glitch, check fabric labels, and ask questions about the material content, its performance, maintenance and care needs. Certain materials like leather tend to develop a natural patina, so be sure if you are willing to embrace such details through use. Also, think about how much effort you are likely to put into the upkeep of the fabric. While some need minimal care and can be washed, others need constant upkeep with regular vacuuming. Some fabrics are sensitive to light, and if placed next to windows or sunny areas, you will need to maintain them well through the use of drapes and covered windows so that they fabric does not fade too quickly.

Consider solids vs. patterned

Solid upholstery fabrics and patterned upholstery fabrics have their own ups and downs. The former works well with larger furniture, especially when there are curves or joints involved. Mismatched patterns can look quite odd in such instances. Also, solids are a better choice for regular use furniture as patterns can wear out the eyes quickly. However, stripes, florals, jacquard designs, bold prints etc. such as those offered by Robert Allen upholstery fabric make great accompaniments to statement furniture or smaller pieces such as single chairs or ottomans.

Experience the fabric

An important thing to remember is that upholstery fabrics aren’t only about their visual appeal. They are also a lot about how they feel against the skin. For, who wants to feel pricked or chafed when lounging or engaging in a deep discussion? When on a visit to an upholstery fabric store, ask for swatches to feel with your fingers. Wherever possible, carry them home to see how they perform through time. Testing the fabric this way helps you understand how the piece would function in actual day-to day settings.

Use Reclaimed Wood Furniture for an Alluring and Antique Look

Reclaimed Wood Furniture

Reclaimed wood has historical importance, as it has survived the softness and the harshness of several years. Because of this fact, the timber will have gained real toughness, which will beat any weather condition; you can use the same without any decay or break for a longer time. This is the real worth of any furniture created using the reclaimed wood. This timber comes from very olden wooden things like barns, warehouses, houses, coal mines, factories, boxcars, wine barrels, etc. The various furniture items made using such wood bears not only authenticity, but also that ancient beauty, which will make everyone amazed and pleasant.

Buying Reclaimed Furniture is Supporting Nature

When you opt for the reclaimed furniture, you are indirectly supporting the movement against the destruction of trees, which is indeed a great thing. In our time, people destroy thousands and thousands of trees, for supporting the practical requirements of furniture industry. In fact, vast destruction of trees is detrimental to nature and affects its symmetry. When there is great demand for reclaimed wood furniture, automatically, there will be a decrease in the devastation of forests. This will stabilize the climatic changes and will bring back the lost glories of nature to a certain extent.

Reclaimed Furniture Have Unparalleled Antiqueness

Reclaimed furniture possesses indisputable authenticity and matchless antiqueness. There will be various marks and blots as well as small dents here and there in the wood. This is a natural happening because of constant use. When these marks are covered using the modern methods in an artistic way, there will be an overall improvement in appearance. These unique marks will add much allure to the furniture and will attract the attention of all viewers.

One can use these furniture items for quite a longer period in good condition, than the furniture created using raw wood, devoid of any damages. Moreover, they add much ancient value to the place, where you place them. The ancient touch of reclaimed wood is unique and peerless. It is easy to phase in a pleasant shade of nostalgic feeling within a room by placing a few reclaimed wood furniture items. Even when a particular space bears a pure contemporary look, the overall ambiance will get an energy-releasing ancient glamor, just because of the presence of one or two furniture pieces created using reclaimed wood.

Get the Item Customized

Reclaimed wood furniture comes in different designs and varieties, and such items have gained mass approval across the globe these days. Some of the popular items are T V console, kitchen island, bathroom vanity, bathroom console, barn door, etc. There is a great demand for these novel items; the tendency to get them customized for specific purposes is also prevalent. An interesting matter to note is that, many of the modern furniture sellers offer customization. Because of this scenario, the contemporary furniture market has become far more appealing and persuasive. There are lots of options available, and customers can choose the best suitable ones from the lot. However, buyers must show utmost prudence when they select the desired furniture items. The best way to buy reclaimed furniture is to buy the items through online methods.

Buy the Item from Reliable Sellers

There are plenty of online portals, which sell such cute furniture pieces. However, you must make it a point to make use of the websites of reliable online sellers, if you want to have genuine reclaimed wood furniture. It is easy to find such traders; check the experience and if you find that a particular company has decades of experience in this line, you can definitely deem it as a dependable one. You must discuss with the dealer and make sure about the authenticity of the wood used. There is a prevailing tendency among certain manufacturers to use reclaimed wood for certain main parts only like the top piece or the doors, etc. They might have used fresh wood to create the irrelevant underneath or the flip side portions. For sure, damages may occur to such parts easily and so, it may not be possible to use the furniture item for longer periods. Hence, reliability of the seller is very much significant.

Use Rustic Bar Stools to Augment the Beauty of Indoor and Outdoor Areas

Rustic bar stools possess an intrinsic mesmerizing charm, and this feature makes the item popular. You can phase in the exciting allure of the bygone days within your indoor or outdoor areas by using them smartly. The main interesting factor is that you can place them practically at all places of residences. Hence, even if you do not have a personal bar area, this furniture will be very much handy. For example, living room will become more attractive, if you place one or two matching bar stools created under the rustic theme. Of course, the items must have proportionate size and design. In the same way, this furniture will fill the bill for placing at kitchen islands, or near the balcony tables. Likewise, the item will perfectly match a garden table.

You can use rustic bar stools to change the look of any indoor and outdoor space. The only thing you will have to take care is to consider the significance and the overall space arrangements of the area concerned pragmatically. You can opt for various colors such as Americana, black, medium wax, red, turquoise, white, etc.

use-rustic-bar-stools-to-augment-the-beauty-of-indoor-and-outdoor-areas

Select a Professional Seller

Buying skillfully crafted rustic bar stools with is easy in our time. You will not have to check every shops in an endless manner to find a perfect rustic bar stool for your specific need. So many online vendors specialize in selling all types of furniture, including the most contemporary and the reclaimed furniture. Nevertheless, it is very important that you must select a professional trader who has earned the endorsement of buyers. The main thing you must make sure here is to select a trader who has decades of experience in this line. Such sellers will be fully professional and you can trust them. Apart from getting durable quality products, you can also expect to get trade discounts and free shipping facility.

Points to Note

You must take care of certain points to ensure that the rustic bar stools go well with the space. When you overlook these, there is a possibility that you may end up in getting improper and unsuitable stools. However, the good thing in our time is that many of the online vendors offer customization, which is not possible when you buy from traditional shops or traders. By making use of this opportunity, you can make the item fully suitable for the space where you plan to fix the same.

Measure the Space: Consider the purpose and the space where you are going to place the same. You must measure the space correctly and assess the special qualities of the overall interior decoration. Accordingly, you can customize the rustic bar stool.

Choose Proper Wood: Wood selection is important and do this wisely. For example, if you are looking for bar stools for outdoor use, you must make certain that the item is capable of withstanding the roughest weather conditions. Reclaimed wood that has undergone the related scientific treatments will be a perfect match for the same.

Pick the Style Accordingly: This is equally important. Different styled rustic bar stools are available, and you must get the required style correct. This is crucial to make the item compatible with the space.

The Shape: The shape of stool matters a lot in making it well-matched with the space or the table. You may be able to find varied shaped stools; there are high back stools with armrests, stools with saddle seats, or with flat seats. Some stools have no back supports. Presently, bar stools that turn around are also trendy. Again, you must make a decision strictly in accordance with the actual requirement.

The Finish: You will have to finalize this point exactly in line with the existing overhanging shades of the space, wherein you are going to place the rustic bar stools. You have to decide whether to go for pure dark shade, or a comparatively lighter shade. In some cases, an in-between choice may be practically wise. Dark shades give a rich look whereas light shades easily blend in will the surroundings. You must decide this point by precisely reading the existing overall lighting arrangements of the space.

Tips On How To Maintain Your Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture is furniture that is place in a garden or yard. When buying outdoor furniture, it’s important to opt for a piece that is made from durable material, so that it can withstand constant exposure to outdoor atmosphere. Otherwise, you will find the furniture to develop rust, get discolored, corrode or become pitted. Besides getting outdoor furniture that’s made from excellent quality material, you also need to constantly maintain it, to ensure, that it lasts for a long time.

One of the first and most important steps necessary to keep outdoor furniture in good condition is regular washing. Your decision on how often to wash depends upon the furniture’s material, the amount of debris it has collected over time and how long it has been exposed to the sun.

Tips On How To Maintain Your Outdoor FurnitureIf you have outdoor furniture, made out of rosewood (which happens to be most often used wood in outdoor furniture), you will find that, it tends to turn grey from constant exposure to the outside environment. This problem turns the furniture into a dull-looking object after some time. To remove this effect, you need to thoroughly wash it. While doing so, replace or tighten any troublesome fasteners. You can sand off the surface lightly using 150-grit sandpaper so that it becomes smooth. Any sawdust on the furniture can be wiped of with a rag cloth, dampened in paint thinner.

In the case of wicker furniture, you need to use vacuum to pull out the dirt accumulated on the furniture. This needs to be followed by a through wash with warm and soapy water. Such maintenance needs to be done regularly because, though wicker is material that can well withstand most weather conditions, it’s surface can dry and fade away when exposed for long periods to direct sunlight.

When you buy outdoor furniture made out of wrought-iron, you will find it to rust over a period of time. The rust can be removed by rubbing the affected areas with a steel wool. After this the cleaned area must be primed with a rust-resistant metal primer, followed by a finishing coat with a paint meant for metal surfaces.

In the case of aluminum furniture, you may see it acquiring an unsightly appearance and getting a “pockmarked” feel, under constant outdoor exposure. To remove this problem, you need to rub the surface with “elbow grease” using steel wool. This will make the surface smooth, after which you can apply some mild soap and wash the furniture. By using car wax on the surface you can further prolong the life of your aluminum furniture.

Generally, most people like to maintain their outdoor furniture by pressure washing. This method has become quite popular, but what’s a better option is to wash your furniture by hand using some good soap and then carry out pressure washing to have the best effect.

Maintaining your outdoor furniture will ensure that it lasts for a long time and will keep it in a good condition, in spite, of being constantly exposed to outdoor conditions.

Why Teak is the Best Wood for Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor furniture supplement the beauty and elegance of your home garden. Being a natural product, wood is considered to be the best material for constructing garden furniture. Since most timbers are not resistant to adverse weather conditions and insects, utmost care should be taken to stretch their lastingness. Here comes the prominence of teak wood as the ideal wood for making patio furniture. Teak is one of the best, long-lasting and strong materials used for indoor and outdoor furniture. Some of the specialties of teak as the most suitable wood for outdoor furniture, are given below.

Why Teak is the Best Wood for Outdoor Furniture1) Teak wood is good-looking, smooth, sturdy and durable.

2) It is resistant to bad weather and insects. A garden bench made of teak is capable of withstanding rain and sunlight for several years even without periodic maintenance.

3) Unlike furniture made of other materials, teak furniture don’t require artificial polishing or oiling.

4) Teak wood is rich with silica and natural oil content that make it resistant to all kinds of insects.

5) Teak is very suitable for structural works and carved designs for its sturdiness, elasticity and ease of use.

6) Teak wood does not get rotted or splintered even if it remains in contact with metals like iron for years due to the presence of silica and oil content.

7) The denseness of teak, together with its other qualities, makes it the favorite wood of shipbuilders throughout the world.

8) Because of its stylish design with clean lines, teak wood stands out among all timbers.

9) Cleaning and maintaining teak furniture is pretty easy.

The Teak tree is classed as Tectona Grandis and it belongs to the family Verbenaceae. One of the reasons for the high cost of teak is that it takes approximately 50 to 60 years to complete its physical growth. Despite its high cost and difficulty to acquire, teak is still the preferred wood for making high quality furniture, doors, windows etc. Although teak wood is immune to heat and humidity and resistant to insects, timely cleaning and maintenance will definitely prolong its life. The high cost and scarcity of teak have slowly given rise to the use of other hardwoods like African oak and mahogany in its place. But none of them matches the quality of teak.

Reclaimed Wood Furniture: Why Buy New When You can Reuse

The most interesting part of fashion is that “what goes around comes back around,” in other words, whatever that goes out of fashion eventually comes back again. Hence, it is not a smart decision to discard anything until it is damaged or defective. Cars, cloths, makeup techniques, hairstyles, and furniture styles, everything catches up what they lost in the past. Wood furniture has the highest benefit as compared to any other type of furniture because wood can be remodeled into a different thing anytime.

People need to consider that instead of buying new furniture every other month or year; they should become more innovative to reclaim its style. Reclaim has become a popular topic in urban markets, as people are more inclined towards creating wooden homes and even more interested in recycling the existing wood to model something else out of it. Ever thought from where this idea came from in the first place. Older buildings demolished for many years and that foundation used again to create something new in their place. Old woods can be reclaimed in typically two ways: first in giving structural support for the new building or once the building is created that wood is used a decorative item for furniture.

Reclaimed Wood Furniture: Why Buy New When You can Reuse

Every person is attached to his or her home and when the time come for renovation they don’t easily digest the idea of letting go of the things they grew old with. Reusing the same wood in renovation is a great option in such times. Reclaimed furniture has become a trendy option that adds to the personality of the house. There are various reasons why it is a good option to reuse than buying new furniture:

1.  Environment friendly: Effort from one person is sufficient to make a change. Wood flooring or rustic furniture is something that does not require cutting down new trees every time; it can be created by reusing the existing wood also. People talk about loving their nature and conserving wood, but when it comes to renovating their house, they easily let old stuff go away and consider buying new furniture made of wood instead.

2.  There are many regulations that prohibit harvesting certain kinds of woods now, so it is essential to keep wood lively by reusing it for creating something new. Recycling a resource is a great start to saving that resource for a long time.

3.  Durability: Old wood is always more durable than new wood, the age of wood also depicts the level of strength it have and the kind of structure it can withhold. In order to create rustic furniture, usually old grown wood used that become denser and stronger with time. Such kind of wood is preferred because it is less likely to get dents or scratch on it.

4.  In addition, of course the money, reusing the same wood for renovation can help save some bucks that you can use in buying something else for your house. Reclaimed wood does not undergo same traditional process of harvesting therefore it costs less.

Wood structure always gives a welcoming look to the house that other types of materials failed to do. This kind of material is best for flooring, ceiling, and decorative purposes. Getting your house rustic and traditional look is good, but in order to keep it for longer duration, it is essential to maintain wood from time to time. Retired beams once oiled and cleaned used as a great option for renovating an old apartment or house.

Everything that has advantage if not used properly can have drawbacks as well. In order to make reclaimed wood, there are certain procedures, including removing old nails and pegs that eventually leave dents and marks in the wood. Using that kind of wood to create furniture is deteriorating its quality level. There is a different kind of perspective required for appreciating this kind of wood as some people like that marks, but others consider it as a flaw and do not use such kind of wood for flooring or making furniture. The source of reclaimed wood is finite as there are limited historical structures left that have timber-oriented structure. Incorporate reclaimed wood in your home and add a life to it that can remain forever.