Sustainable office design

Sustainable office design is partly about using sustainable materials (like timber from sustainable forests, or recycled plastics). But it's also about exploiting natural daylight and air, using energy efficient technology and choosing materials that don't emit high levels of carbon dioxide or volatile chemicals.

Sustainable designs - from our award-winning, LEED accredited designers
Sourcing sustainable materials - like recycled or natural materials, and organic non-volatile paints and wiring
Sustainable space planning - an office layout that makes the most use of natural light and air
Concept drawings - to show you the overall feel and flavour
Eco-friendly office furniture - with environmental ratings that qualify for enhanced capital allowances
3D walkthroughs - what will it look like off the page?
Working drawings - all the drawings you need to get planning permission and build it.

Home Office Design

House Paint Colors

Are you dealing with a small room and wondering what the best paint colors are to make it look larger? If so, we're going to go over a few options you can choose from that will give you the look you want.
Consider the following choices to open your space up...
Option 1) Use a (Light) Cool Color. If it's not yet obvious (light) cool colors are said to be the best colors to go with because they trick the eyes into thinking they are further away than they really are. If you're wondering what colors classify as cool colors, cool colors are considered to be...
* blue
* green
* purple
Putting an example to them, you can think of the colors of the ocean or sea, sky and trees.
Option 2) Use a Gloss Finish. If you want to go a step further consider using a gloss finish. Paint experts at Behr.com have said that using a gloss finish can also contribute to making a small room appear larger. The best ones to use are said to be an eggshell finish, satin finish and semi-gloss finish. You'll want to stick witch using a semi-gloss finish for the kitchen and bathroom. For bedrooms, living rooms and other rooms of the house a more subtle approach is best--the satin and eggshell finish being great choices for those rooms.

Option 3) Use Monochromatic Colors. A monochromatic color scheme is simply using colors that are close in tone so that when the eye moves around the room it is uninterrupted and tricks you into believing there's more space than there really is. A simple way to go about using a monochromatic color scheme is to use colors from the same palette, such as light blue, medium blue and so forth.

House Paint Ideas

A simple coat of paint can revitalize your home in one simple step. You can take your house from boring drab to a beauty of color. Paint is also the cheapest way to remodel any room of your home, or even the exterior of your house. There are now dozens of manufacturers with numerous sheens and colors to choose from. The color choice can often be the hardest decision of all. Many people make multiple trips back and forth from the home improvement or paint store because they cannot decide on a paint choice.
Paint is becoming very expensive, but it is possible to get samples to take home before you make a large purchase. Some stores have swatches; however, the color is never as dark as it actually is. There are stores that are now sending home a small bottle of your paint choice for free so that you can test various colors on your walls. Many people have a basic idea of the colors that they want in their home, while others have no idea where to start.

The best place to begin is with the colors that you are naturally attracted to. View each color during different times of the day. You should also pay attention to how a particular color makes you feel. If the paint is for your bedroom, then you would obviously need a color that makes you feel at ease. You should also use this method in a room that you go in the most frequently.
While copying another person’s color scheme might not be your idea of an original room, looking in books and magazines are great places for inspiration. If there are any show rooms near your home then you can also gain inspiration from those as well. Seeing color combinations used by other home owners can help you choose the correct colors. However, if you use a magazine for inspiration, do not try to copy the complete theme that is used. A magazine will almost never produce the same results that you expected.

Home Color Trends

It used to be that bathrooms were rather neglected spaces when it came to decorating and choosing colors; unappealing shades of pink or blue were often combined with harsh white, leaving this much used room short on ambiance. But the current trend in bathroom decor is toward brighter colors and updated style; you'll find color trends that are popular elsewhere in the home, such as brown paired with blue or black. Classic black and white, all white, and sea-inspired palettes are ever popular, as are soothing spa colors.
Accents Bright and Bold
Bolder, brighter colors that are popular interior choices are finding their way to the bathroom. Choose from rich shades like burgundy, sunny cheerful yellow or lively teal for walls that energize. If you prefer bright accents in a neutral space, a backdrop of monochromatic gray with colorful accents will make the bathroom as contemporary as your living room.

Seaside Inspirations
There's nothing new in the fact that bathroom colors may be inspired by the refreshing blues and greens of the ocean or a deep reflecting pool. What is new, however, is the shades chosen and how they are used. Bright turquoise blue, cool seafoam green and rich deep shades of violet are used individually or in combination in ceramic or glass tile, wall colors, wall art, towels and accessories or wall color.

Japanese Home Accessories

We have a wide variety of Noren, a Japanese cloth room divider, wall hanging, doorway curtain or a window curtain.Please come have a look and see if you can find your favorite noren to give your house a Japanese touch. The word noren usually refers to split curtains hung in front of a shop. It was used to keep out the sun and dust but now since it often has the shop's name written on it, it serves as the shop's sign as well. However, Noren are commonly used in private homes as well (such as the ones featured in this section)as space dividers or decorations They come in many different sizes, colors and designs.

Home Decor Vases

The introduction of the beauty and elegance of the tropics in the home decor range has been proved to be a boon to the home decor market. Its style, elegance of this range has made it the jewel in the crown of home decor. It can be rightly said that this trend has changed the world of home decor for ever.
The latest trend that’s gaining popularity in the market is the tropical home décor. The number of fans of this trend has grown tremendously within a short period of time. The ever increasing demand has made the manufacturers double their production. If you’ve been to the tropics you will exactly know as to why this style is being preferred for home décor rather than any other popular trends. This trend is a perfect blend of beautiful colors and fabulous designs to create a masterpiece of home décor, the combination of color and design creates a pleasant and cozy ambiance in your home as well as the heart of those who dwell in it.

The tropical home décor is offered to the customer in such a vide range that most of the some find it difficult to make a choice. But some customers are known to be choosy by nature but even these choosy customers can be sure to find something that suits their liking and at the same time are satisfied by the price at which these ranges are available. Fancy and trendy home décor has always been known to be the stuff for the higher class people, who are ready to spend huge amount to latest and the best for their homes. But with the introduction of the Tropical home décor range this notion has changed as these are much within the reach of the common man.

Decorating Dining Room

Dining rooms are your primary area to entertain and can add to the festivity of an occasion by being decorated to the max. When you are not entertaining, the dining room can still have a personality of its own by focusing on the structural pieces of the room and wall décor. To decorate your dining room for parties, one should set the table with gusto. Using fabrics to add color to the dining area through table clothes, napkins, table runners, and seat covers is another way to make your table bright and cheery. Bringing in live ornamentals like flowers or fruits and vegetables, as centerpieces are sure to enchant your guests. During the time when the dining room is not being used, your room should still have sufficient lighting to make the table shine and your artwork visible. Adding color to the walls in the form of custom paint or wallpaper is another way to get your dining room to portray personality and vivacity when no one is in it.
Setting The Table

Setting a table for an occasion should be personal choice that can range from high elegance to quirky fun. If you want a formal table setting, you will need fine matching china and several glasses. Silver ware should sparkle and be arrange the same for everyone. For quirky or more casual parties, table settings can be outrageously mismatched or just highlighted with different napkins, plates or cups. The choice is yours. If you do have a party, a set table should be a feast for the eye and help people to get in the party mood.

Home Accents Decor

There are many ways to decorate a home inside and out; there are also some that can be used in both places like candles. They can be used inside to make a room appear warm and inviting and they can be used outside to set a mood of romance among the aroma and beauty of nature.
Home décor is as diverse as the family that lives in the home, some people like the appeal of the modern décor and home accents while others find beauty in Victorian home accents or antiques.
There are a few things that will help to determine what type of accents will look right in a home, there is the furnishings to consider, the colors of the walls, the amount of light in the room and materials. If a room in a home has dark colored walls and modern furnishings then Victorian accents may not bring the warmth and appeal the person would like. However, if the walls are a deep color and the furnishings are a Victorian style then Victorian accents would do well in this room to give it a finished look.
Home accents come in many different materials such as glass, wood, metal, stone and others, which means that there is some type of home accent to complement any furnishings. Glass and metal often fit will with modern furnishings, while colored glass, wood or even stone will fit well with Victorian or antique furnishings.

Plants and lamps can also help to set a mood in a room for elegance and warmth and at the same time framed pictures of the family can lend a causal look to a room.

Home Decor Lamps

Decorating your home with lamps is a great way to highlight furniture pieces and augment a particular theme you are trying to create. Lamps can give your home the soft light it needs to establish a cozy feeling within every room. Finding the right lighting manufacturer is always important, when it comes to redecorating your interior environment. Many homeowners purchase illumination lamp fixtures that do not live up to the hype.
From lamps to chandeliers, the perfect choice for your illumination needs combines the top line illumination fixtures from well-known manufacturers, including lamps, wall sconces, cabinet lights, and much more!
We know the science of light, and how it interacts with the environment to produce a certain effect. Our lighting experts can assist you with questions regarding what type of fixture to purchase, and where to place the item to give your space the desired effect. We offer a variety of beautiful floor lamps that can accent any room within your home. Our floor lamps come in many styles and a variety of finishes to accommodate your specific requirements. These illumination fixtures can be set up around furniture pieces to bring out particular colors or add a soft touch of light over work areas, such as in offices or reading cubes.

Wall lamps can further accentuate that soft, gentle feel throughout your abode. These fixtures are attached directly to the wall and give your space a designer look. Spaces, which require limited illumination or have a small coverage area, are the perfect locations to install these devices. RLLD has many different kinds of wall fixtures to choose from, all which will give your home the beautiful illumination needed to foster a cozy living space.

Home Decoration Accessories

The remaining 50% decoration of your home includes the Kitchen and Dinning area, the lighting and the Blinds and shades, Rugs etc.
Kitchen and Dinning areas are very important too, we cannot live them out, it is important that we are also careful in what kind of furniture has to be used for these areas. They are also areas where hygiene has to be maintained.
Furniture to be used in Kitchen and dinning areas are Bakers racks, Chair cushions, Kitchen Carts, Napkins, Table cloths and table cloths. They are also available in different materials and different styles.
Once again you buy Kitchen and Dinning furniture that well suits the other bought furniture for your home.
The lighting plays a huge role in the decoration of your home, it is essential to know which lighting will suit best and will also give you warmth feeling in the comfort of your home.
Lightings have been listed into Bath lighting, ceiling lighting, and floor lamps, ceiling fans, Lampshades, Table lamps, Task Lighting and Wall lighting. Task Lighting and wall lighting are definitely optional.
While choosing lightings whether it be Bath lighting or any lighting you have to know that it should not be very bright and also not be very dull, you have to balance here, in some places of your home you would want bright lightings and in some places of your home who would prefer sober and soft lightings, so you have to judge on that…

Room Remodeling Ideas

For many homeowners thinking about a home renovation, DIY centers can offer the materials as well as the expertise on getting the job done. While people have been painting their own homes for years and performing minor remodeling work, today’s homeowners often home renovation DIY projects easy enough to accomplish without the expenses of hiring a company to work around their home. While many homeowners simply do not have the time or talent to perform much of the work involved in a home renovation project, those that do believe by doing to job on their own saves them a considerable amount of cash. For many, home renovation, DIY projects can realize a savings, even considering the costs of having a do a project more than once before they get it right. However, with some of the home renovation, DIY projects being unusually complicated, they may best be left to the professional.

Appropriate planning is the cornerstone for any home renovation project and unless you have performed this type of work previously, it will pay to look at the many aspects involved in a project. For all DIY home renovations there will be materials needed and there may be some expensive equipment required, although for most rental companies will probably have what you need to get the job done without the added expense of buying equipment only used for one job. By professional, it is not to mean those that offer to do remodeling work on the weekends or other days off. People who have the experience and knowledge to complete a home remodeling project in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost can benefit greatly from referral business. How ever, home renovation, DIY stores make many jobs sound so easy it becomes an attractive alternative to paying someone else to do the work.

Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

Remodeling your bathroom is a great way to breathe fresh life in to your home. However, the task can seem quite daunting and the package price tag can drive many people away from wanting to remodel. However, there are plenty of ways to remodel your bathroom on a budget and the end result can be the same.
When people think of renovating their homes, bathrooms are typically first or second on the list of renovations. Maybe it's because people like to start small, to dip just a toe in to the pool of remodeling. Whatever reason, bathroom remodels and renovations are very common.
When calculating the costs though, the project can rapidly become overwhelming. This is because the design people and people who produce the products are supposed to get you to spend money. However, there are different ways to do things.
If you're on a tight budget, first take into consideration why you want to change your bathroom. Is it appearance? Function? Whatever your reason is, it's good to know what it is. Then you can begin with small updates that can make big changes.

Change the paint on the walls, re-do the walls in your bathtub area or buy some molding from your local hardware store and put it on the walls. These minor updates can really make the bathroom look like a whole new room. If after those small projects are done, you're still dissatisfied, then it is time to consider doing bigger things.

Basement Remodeling Ideas

Basement Remodeling is a great way to increase the living area in your home. And unlike adding an addition onto your home, ground/site work and installing a new foundation are not required. Consequently a basement remodeling project can be a much more affordable project to do and provide a much higher return on investment.
However before you decide to tackle a basement remodeling project it is important that you first develop a basement remodeling plan.

Goals of Basement Remodeling Project
Part of a good basement remodeling plan is listing the purposes of the finished basement. For example, will the finished basement be used for a recreation area, or for bedrooms? Is a bathroom or a kitchen area desired? Is a home theater or wine cellar part of the ultimate plan? Understanding how the finished basement will be utilized will help in determining what specific engineering and mechanical needs are required in the actual design and plans for the basement remodeling project.
Making Preliminary Repairs before Basement Remodeling Construction

The second major item that should be addressed before tackling a basement remodeling project is taking care of any problems that exist in the basement. For example if there are cracks in the foundation walls or floor, they need to be repaired before starting the basement remodeling project. Also, if there are leaking or sweating pipes they should be repaired before remodeling starts. In addition, if the basement remodeling plans include plumbing that will require demolition of some of the basement floor it is critical to do this before the rest of the basement remodeling project starts.

House Renovation Ideas

There are so many great house renovation ideas out there that you can use, and it really pays to be aware of as many of them as possible before going ahead and doing any house renovations yourself, so that you can be more knowledgeable and informed and also so that you will have a better idea in terms of where to start. Many of them have new bathroom of their dreams and it will be perfect! Did you know that the cost of bathroom renovations will be fully recovered when it's time to sell the property? That is, of course, if the layout and plan have been carried out properly and the finished product is pleasing to the eye.
Not so long ago, most homes possessed a single, strictly functional bathroom and very little emphasis was placed on the decor. Well, those days are definitely gone! The bathroom has now been elevated to the same rank as any other room in the house. Some people will accept no less than a veritable spa that will erase all memories of that old cramped space, while for others, the simple goal of a bathroom renovation is to render this most frequented room more user-friendly.

While planning your made-to-measure bathroom, you'll also need to choose a decorating style: traditional, contemporary or rustic? The choice is important you know! It'll influence your choice of faucets, light fixtures, etc. Ask yourself what you want to add to the bathroom: a separate shower and bath? More storage space under the sink? Isn’t disorder a chronic problem in this particular room? Discover inexpensive and efficient storage solutions. You may want to add a few more light sources. And why not improve the ventilation?

Bontemporary Furniture Design

Fashion trends no longer dictate the way we dress or decorate our homes. Eclecticism and contrasting style directions reign in home design. More and more people develop a taste of mixing contradictory furniture trends in their home decor, combining contemporary furniture with vintage finds and exotic art pieces.
Uncertain economy, the rise of natural disasters, persistent war conflicts and terrorist threats has resulted in the further insulation of people within their home cocoons. This cocoon lifestyle has given a boom to houseware and furniture industry, since more and more people turn to home entertainment and dinner parties instead of “going out.”
The “cocoon boom,” which originally started after September 11, 2001, transformed the modern home into a family sanctuary and hideaway. Casual living remains as the major theme with contemporary furniture today, with an emphasis on home entertaining and informal dining.

From modern furniture to accessories and dinnerware, people look for items that possess a strong sense of personal style. The casual living trend in modern furniture translates into multi-functional furniture with clear non-cluttered design and extended seating furniture pieces such as extra-long and curved couches and sofas.

Kitchen Furniture Design

Kitchen furniture design: Basic element to consider.
All of us (who has a house with kitchen) realize that there are some of rooms that are very important. One could think about bedroom, living room mean while another think about bath room. In fact, in my perspective, one of the most important section of the house is a kitchen. Apart from considering to buy good quality kitchen appliances, there are some factors to consider about too. It is about selecting good kitchen furniture.
It seems that there are two important element of kitchen furniture that have to be taken into account, one is the quality of the material and the other one is the design. In this article we will talk about kitchen furniture design, which is one of these factors that you have to carefully consider. Following criteria is what you should think and do some research before you decide to spend money with. This is because kitchen furniture is generally expensive and you will have no second chance if you bought the wrong design.
1. Consider the type of the kitchen

This is very important factor that should be the first priority. Because if you choose the furniture design that could not match to the type of your kitchen, there will be difficult to manage, maintenance and clean. For example, if you have small kitchen for just cook for light meals, it is obvious that you do not need any kind of heavy kitchen furniture. You have to consider that whether you will put dining table in the kitchen room. If you have large space you can have a small set of dining table but if the kitchen is too small, you should look for some other place as a dining room.

Bfathroom Furniture Design

Many home design styles have evolved over the years and some are more popular than others. Keep-in-mind that design styles can also be trendy styles. This means that any particular trend can become obsolete in a short period of time. Consider this when choosing styles. Do you want to go out and purchase new styles when the old ones fade? Be sure you really like a particular style before purchasing.
Of course; many people like the home design styles for their look and feeling it gives a room. So, what design style should you choose when decorating your home?

That depends upon your own personal preferences. What do you like when choosing decorating items? Do you like painted furniture, American flags, soft and cozy? There are design styles which will fit your type of home. Look around and see what items you already have displayed.
If you are just starting out, it would be a good idea to go on-line or visit the library to see all the design styles available. Of course, your furniture choices could help with that decision.
Are your furnishings modern, traditional, contemporary or tropical? If so, then you are already tuned into a specific design style. Some styles fit specific regions of the U.S. Coastal areas use the nautical themes while those in the mountains and higher elevations prefer the ‘lodge’ themes.
Are you a world traveler? Or do you like foreign destinations? There are many styles that will fit your ideas. There are Moroccan, Tuscan and other exotic themes for you. These themes can bring the far away destinations right into your home without leaving the room.

Dining Room Furniture Designs

A Few Words About Buying Dining Room Furniture
If you’re planning on purchasing new dining room furniture soon, you have a big decision to make. The furniture will be in your home for a long time and will become a part of many family memories. How can you determine what dining room furniture is right for your home?
Pick Dining Room Furniture That Fits Your Lifestyle
Is your dining room more of a multifunction room than just a dining room? Do the kids do their lessons at the table? Do you use it as a workspace for craft projects? Is this where family and friends gather to play games? If so, you may want a more casual style for your dining room. The popular pub-style tables teamed with bar stools could be a good choice for you. You can seat up to eight people equitably around the table with no designated head or foot.
If you occasionally need a larger, more formal space to entertain, consider a table that has butterfly leaves. The table will expand to allow additional seating, but the leaves fold up and store conveniently within the table itself when they aren’t in use. No need to find special storage space for these leaves.
If you entertain often and your dining room is reserved strictly for dining, there are many elegant options available. Finding a set of dining room furniture that has a matching hutch or sideboard to store china and linens is a beautiful solution to your needs.
Dining Room Furniture Fashions

Dining room furniture is as varied as the families that use it. Your dining room furniture should reveal your personal style. You can find dining sets that are sleek and contemporary, ornately traditional, or rough hewn and rustic. Do you want the dining room to have a cohesive feel with the rest of your home? If so, dining room furniture that coordinates with the architectural style of your house and the décor in your other rooms will achieve that affect. Of course, you can always add some diversity. For instance, a metal table usually looks contemporary, but choosing one with curved legs will add more formality to the room. Style choices are plentiful. You’re sure to find one perfect for your home.

Bedroom Furniture Designs

You just moved into your first house and now are starting to get things in place in the different rooms. When you start doing your bedroom, you realize that your furniture does not really match the new digs because it’s a hodgepodge of old stuff from college and apartment living. If this is the case, then it’s probably time that you invested in some new bedroom furniture for your new grown up space.
What’s nice about bedroom furniture is that there are actually a lot of options to choose from in terms of style. For example, there are many, many different styles to choose from starting with those that have a modern feel featuring a clean look with stunning symmetrical lines and rich finishes like espresso or black. Another style option are those that have more of an antique feel with delicate ornamentation and accenting. In addition to the modern and antique style choices, there are many others as well including those that are more traditional with simple appearance, others that have more of a country feel, some that are contemporary, and there are even ones that combine styles known as transitional options.

The choices don’t just stop with style when it comes to bedroom furniture given that there are also a wide variety of designs and types that they are offered in as well. Like, believe it or not, there are a slew of dressers that you can get for your space, including ones that are tall and skinny, others that are shorter and longer, and some that kind of have elements of both. Dressers are great for if you have a lot of clothes that you need to fold and store away. If you need even more space for clothes, nightstands with drawers are always a good choice as well.

Furniture Designs Beds

If you have bought a new house and are looking forward to decorate and embellish it with some stylish and fashionable furniture that looks appealing and also serves its purpose to the fullest, then nothing could be better than bunk beds furniture. Basically, the functionality of any furniture lies in providing sleep and storing places. Bunk beds furniture is a great exemplary of such furniture that occupies a little place and also comes with many other great advantages.
If you consult your interior designer, or search on the internet, you can find out about the different styles, designs and patterns of bunk beds furniture. Normally, bunk beds furniture can be segregated into various categories:
• Full over full bunk beds - This has a full size bed, placed over another full size bed, and thus allows sleeping place for four little members of your family. These are extremely comfortable
• Twin over full bunk beds - They have a full sized or double bed and the bunk above is a twin or a single bed. This allows sleeping for three and although you may need for two members of the family, yet there is always room for a third.
• Twin over twin bunk beds – They are extremely beneficial for those who have comparatively smaller room. It is a single bed, built over another single bed. This is especially useful for kids’ room since each kid considers his sleeping space as his private domain. The kids enjoy this bed a lot and find it quite audacious to climb up and down the bunk on the ladders or the adjoined stairs.

• The twin over futon bunk beds – These are of great use, especially becaus

Beach House Furniture

We have several beach house plans that offer residents amenable, full-time living space combined with all the rich enjoyments of life on the beach.
Chief among these is a fantastic view of the water, which is the first thing that everyone who purchases a Jack Preston Wood beach house sees when they peer out of a window over an ocean populated by sailboats, ships coming home to port, happy families playing in the sand, and coastal wildlife of all varieties. Our homes are carefully planned to combine the best in human comforts with the most beautiful elements of Nature, creating a living experience that is removed from urban bustle without losing the better comforts of civilization in the process.
Most of our beach houses are planned as three-story structures, with the garage conveniently located on the ground level.
Imagine the feeling of luxury you will experience every evening when you pull through a stately Porte Cochere into a spacious two car garage nestled under your home. This ground level parking area offers plenty of room for two vehicles and reasonable amounts of light storage. Next to the parking area is a separate room that can be used as a main storage area, tool room, personal office, or downstairs apartment. Imagination defines this space beyond the simple blue print, so start thinking both practically and creatively the day you move in.

The first story of every beach house is planned as a special event and activity space that fully accommodates both daily life and entertainment.

White House Furniture

A dolls house isn't just a doll house - it's a whole new world for the lucky little girls who get their own special little home. I got one when I was a sixties youngster and now that my granddaughter is old enough for her own dolls house I am back viewing that special little world.
It's just the same - furniture built to scale that is really too big on the scale. I've never seen one that can fit all of the dolls house furniture into the room that it's supposed to reside comfortably. I guess that's part of the charm of a doll house.
It took quite an enjoyable while to choose but we bought a gorgeous wood and porcelain 7 piece bathroom set last week with Beth's birthday money. Bath, shower cubicle, toilet, set of drawers, towel rail, mirror and basin, they looked really good even though they were in Beth's favourite colour pink. As the bathroom walls are green Beth has decided that we need to redecorate soon.
We got home from town and got down to the serious business of furnishing the bathroom and no matter what we did we couldn't fit all of the furniture in. After several unsuccessful attempts we decided to put the shower cubicle in the main bedroom. Beth wasn't happy with that, she said that the bed would get wet and daddy doll wouldn't be able to get out of bed on his own side.
She hadn't noticed that daddy doll was too big for the bed and I wasn't about to break that bubble!

I suggested that we leave the bath out, have a modern bathroom with only a shower. Beth said that we couldn't do that because there would be nowhere for the children dolls to play with their boats and ducks. I saw her point if the dolls house and it's dolls were part of the real world but you can't help but humour 6 year old girls.

Interior Design Furniture

Creating a Beach Theme Bedroom
Some people just can’t stand the thought of summer being over! If you are one of those people, then try creating your very own beach-theme bedroom, to enjoy for the entire year. When transforming your bedroom into a beach-theme, keep in mind the simple things in life. Adding too many nautical items will only clutter the room. Think of how a beach would look; simple, airy and relaxing.
You want to create a simple and relaxed atmosphere, as if you were just relaxing on a beach or island somewhere. A few simple ideas and easy tricks will have you on your way to a tropical paradise in your room.

Wall treatments
Use colours that will relax and soothe. Pastel shades of green, blue, yellow and beige are fabulous choices to use on the walls. Adding a bit of bold with black or dark wood frames is also a nice touch with these colours. Choose basic wallpaper or do it yourself with a faux wall idea. Using sponges and textured fabrics to paint with will create this look wonderfully!

Simple Home Furniture

When you have bought your handmade solid oak furniture, you should know how to care for it properly. Besides the obvious ‘handle with care’ when moving your furniture, do not drop it from a great height and so on, here are a few tips that we mention to our clients to help them care for the furniture that we make for them.
Solid wood furniture needs to be waxed with natural beeswax regularly. The traditional thick ‘paste’ lightly applied with a soft rag (old towelling) is best, or a natural spray on is quite adequate, but silicon spray is not suitable as it does not feed or nourish the wood, but merely puts a slippery shiny surface on the wood.
Timber should be dried as closely as possible to the moisture content of the room that it is going into, minimizing movement in the timber. Cells will expand or shrink across their girth (not length) as they take on or loose moisture until they balance with their surroundings, and reach ambient (this is why doors stick in the winter). The British standard for kiln dried timber is 12%, plus or minus 2% (that’s the timber merchants’ job). If the room is very damp, then the wood will swell, ‘blowing’ joints apart, while too low and the wood can shrink causing tension in the timber and possibly splitting.

Hot coffee cups, red wine rings, watermarks from vases which mark polished surfaces are often repairable, while cigarettes and sharp edges can often cause irreparable damage. Highly skilled furniture polishers can remove small marks and scratches, wine rings and water marks and it is best to hunt for a local polisher in the yellow pages, than attempt removing the mark yourself, and ending up with a bigger problem. You should ask your furniture maker how durable the surface finish he uses is, or what else he would like to use to increase the durability to make it more suitable for your purpose. Although not as durable, we have noticed a recent trend going back to the natural finishes, such as oils and waxes, rather than the manmade lacquers, which tend to be sprayed on.