Indian Furniture – Capture the Spirit

 

If you want to inject some real spirit into your home, check out the bespoke Indian furniture range.

Indian furniture is distinctive for its beautiful dark natural wood. If you are looking for a bed that really dominates your bedroom, Indian furniture is the choice for you. Whether it’s the New Dakota Kingsize bed featuring inlaid panels and solid wood slats, the Indy Tiger Sleigh Bed with its big bold contemporary lines built from solid mango wood or the award-winning Indy Provence range with sturdy design and polished fruit wood panels, Indian furniture offers a timeless and elegant style that is at once traditional and majestic – perfect for a classic or contemporary setting.

Indian Furniture – The King of Furnishings

From the majesty of the Mah Haraja Indian bed to the rustic charm of the Java Natural Bed made from eco-friendly solid mango wood, there’s a piece of Indian furniture perfect to fit your style. The mango is known as the ‘King of fruit’. Legend has it that a Buddhist monk found tranquillity and repose in a mango grove – and the monks introduced the mango from East India and Burma to Malaysia and eastern Asia. The mango tree is used as the source material for a range of Indian furniture thanks to its inner beauty and strength. In India, some believe the mango tree is a symbol of love and that it can even grant wishes. For Hindus, fresh mango leaves are hung outside their front doors during the Hindu New Year as a blessing to the home. And the leaves are hung outside the homes of newlyweds to encourage fertility. It isn’t surprising that such a sacred tree offers such beautifully unique Indian furniture.

Mango Magic

Across the south east of Asia, traditionally nobles and kings cultivated private mango groves. The mango trees were seen as a source of pride and social status. As well as mango wood being sought after today to carve distinctive Indian furniture, the whole of the mango tree is used and valued. Apparently, Sanskrit poets believed chewing on mango buds gave sweetness to their voice. And of course, while mango wood may make beautiful furniture, the fruit is bursting with vitamin C and vitamin A – it’s estimated over 20 million metric tons are grown throughout the tropics and sub-tropics, from Malaysia to Pakistan, Thailand to China, Peru to Mexico.

http://www.incredibleindia.org/

Pine Furniture – Time to Lighten up

If you live in a small or dark house, lighten things up – invest in pine furniture.

It can be difficult coping with small rooms – especially bedrooms that require big furniture like beds and wardrobes. The risk is the furniture will be out of balance with the room, making it look even smaller and darker. But there is a solution – pine furniture is light and stylish, so it won’t swallow all the light in the room.

Pine Furniture – The Stylish Solution

If you love the natural beauty of wood but don’t want the heavy veneer – pine furniture is perfect for you. White or cream furniture can look a little stark in some settings, but pine adds the warmth you want while still keeping your room bright.

If you are desperate to lift a dark or oppressive room in your home, pine furniture can be used throughout for a consistent and light feel. Also consider keeping your colour scheme light and neutral using creams or pale pastels for example. You don’t have to banish heavy colours – in fact introducing vibrant colours with accessories such as throws and cushions is a great way to add flair to a light room. If it’s your bedroom that you’re trying to inject a little life into, as well as pine furniture, opt for bed linen and cushions that shimmers or has reflective qualities.

Visual Tricks to Lighten Your Home

Patterns on the wall or carpet can make a room feel even more closed and small. But a light, bright mural or one feature wall in a room can add attention and life without overpowering the room. As well as pine furniture, consider investing in glass furniture where appropriate – a glass coffee table for example – or a see through bed frame rather than a solid bed frame to help the light move more freely around a room.

Let the Light in

If you do want patterns or wallpaper in your living room for example, wallpaper with a white background will help keep the room light. Curtains add warmth and depth to a room but if your room is particularly small, consider investing in blinds that allow light through it. If you must have curtains, make sure they have holdbacks to keep them clear of the windows by day and allow as much natural light as possible into your home. Or as an alternative to curtains consider plantation shutters to add some character to your windows.

How to Organise Your Wardrobes

Organising our wardrobes, chucking out the old and making room for the new, can be a cathartic experience. To find out more visit http://mocoloco.com/

Do you have a woefully inadequate wardrobe that doesn't do justice to your lifestyle? Are your clothes spilling out and crammed to the hilt? Chances are retrieving clothes from your wardrobe is something of a daily battle. Your wardrobe's life needn't be so difficult – it can be colour coordinated, logically ordered, easily stacked, clearly stored and ultimately, easy and accessible. Of course, if your wardrobe is simply too small, or creaking at the seams, you need to invest in a new wardrobe. And once you've got your beautiful, spacious wardrobe complete with bespoke drawers, shelving and racks, you're ready to get a grip on your garments, once and for all.

Improve Your Wardrobe, Love your Lifestyle

If you're tired of your wardrobe, it's time to take a good long look at it. Chuck out the unloved items and start relishing the silk, cashmere, leather and designer labels. Stop buying clothes because they're cheap and start saving for the wardrobe of your dreams.

Reclaiming our wardrobes with a good clear out and sort through is a hugely positive step. In fact, there is something extremely cathartic about tackling creaking wardrobes that are lost in a pile of confusion and delusion. Confusion is triggered by the sheer amount of clothes we have stuffed in our wardrobes. Delusion is triggered by the fact we are holding onto clothes that we fitted into when we were 18, but would barely cover a thigh today. Let go. If you find the idea of rummaging through wardrobes too daunting, here's a good place to start:

l  Take out all the clothes that you don't love. Why wear something that makes you feel a bit less than average?

l  Create three dedicated bags: Designer/ Charity/ Bin. Pick out the clothes that can be sold to designer second hand shops, the items that belong in charity shops, and those that need to be binned. If you have designer clothes you can sell, you may generate enough cash to buy a new capsule wardrobe!

l  Now your wardrobes are pared down, sort your clothes by type – trousers, skirts, tops, jumpers etc – and within each category, divide by colours and colours that co-ordinate well. That will help you choose outfits with absolute ease.

l  When the weather turns, put your winter clothes and heavy coats at the back of the wardrobe or if you have two wardrobes – or a very large wardrobe, split your clothes by season - bringing the current season's items to the front.

l  Invest in decent hangers for your wardrobes. They don't cost a fortune – but wire hangers can leave your clothes crumpled and indented and plastic hangers can break - wooden hangers are far kinder. Investing in rubber non-slip hangers means you won't have to be constantly picking up clothes up from your wardrobe's floor!

l  Wardrobes come with great storage accessories – storage bags for belts, tie racks, and shoe holders. Many people spend a fortune on their kitchens but skimp on their wardrobes – buying a great wardrobe is an investment in your style and can help you maximise your space. 

Coffee Tables Create Versatility

Coffee tables offer a versatile way to express your style and personality. TO find out more visit http://www.designsponge.com/

Coffee tables are one thing all home lovers can enjoy. They are versatile, movable, adaptable and portable. Whether you have a mortgage of 20 years or you rent from month to month, anyone can make a house a home with a creative approach and personal touch. Choosing a good coffee table is of course crucial – a coffee table can be a great expression of your style, from the elegance of glass to the earthiness of wood. Whether you choose a modern, minimalist coffee table or an old-fashioned, traditional-style coffee table, you're putting your own design stamp on your living room.

Accessories for Coffee Tables

But it isn't just about getting the style of your coffee tables right. What accessories you use on your coffee tables will also make an impact. You can decide whether your coffee table is going to be the centrepiece of your room or merely a well-thought through corner piece. The point is coffee tables can be as versatile as their owners – you can change the accessories with your moods and with the seasons. Feathering our nests is a very human instinct and the small touches make all the difference. If you feel your coffee table is too bland or too cluttered, here are a few tips to create a beautiful coffee table design:

l  If you are going to use accessories on your coffee tables, use items that really mean something to you. People find interiors interesting because they reveal a little about the person who lives there – whether it's an unusual ornament, a sentimental shell, a moment captured perfectly in a photograph or your favourite coffee table book of all time – make sure what you choose has value and aesthetics.

l  If you're unsure, look around your room and the items your eyes gravitate to and set your heart aflutter could be perfect to put on display on your coffee table.

l  For a uniform display on your coffee tables, group colours, textures or shapes together.

l  If you love gardening, why not opt for beautiful coffee table books on the subject, with a luscious pot plant on top. Or if you love travel, consider a stack of beautifully illustrated travel books topped with a beautiful shell.

l  Bowls filled with pebbles, dried flowers or pieces of gnarled driftwood look natural and earthy on wooden coffee tables.

l  Elegant vases with fresh flowers add an exquisite style to glass coffee tables.

l  For large coffee tables, consider displaying a sculptural piece that you love or that expresses your personality.

Brits Neglect Bedroom Furniture

When it comes to our beds, we Brits need to invest in better quality bedroom furniture and take a little more care over achieving a good night’s sleep with items like a mattress protector.

According to research, the British don’t achieve enough good quality sleep. One of the things that can help you get a good night’s sleep includes a restful, relaxing and peaceful bedroom. Investing in beautiful bedroom furniture will help you create the atmosphere you need, as well as creating a functional, practical space.

Bedroom Furniture for Peace of Mind

One of the most important functions of bedroom furniture is to create a sense of order and calm. Spacious wardrobes and sturdy chests of drawers mean you won’t have clothes strewn all over your room. With the right bedroom furniture you can create a calming sense of order in your bedroom. It’s important that your room is a calming place to be. Clutter can leave you feeling disorganised and on edge. In fact, it isn’t just the type of bedroom furniture you have – where you put your bedroom furniture could have an impact too. In China and the Far East, feng shui is a strong belief system. Aligning your bedroom furniture according to the rules of feng shui can help bring you good fortune and good health.

New Beds, New Life

It may sound dramatic, but new bedroom furniture can literally transform your life. By creating a relaxing boudoir where you can read, sleep and wind down, you are dramatically improving your health and well being. Research for the Future Foundation found that British people don’t sleep as well as the rest of Europe. One in five of us sleep for less than seven hours (eight hours is the recommended rest). Sleep deprivation can trigger ill health and impact on our mental abilities in the day – tiredness is one of the biggest killers on the roads. And studies have shown that poor sleep impacts on our performance at work. Creating a relaxing bedroom with beautiful bedroom furniture, could be one of the best investments you make in your life.

Bedroom Furniture for Beautiful Boudoirs

Sleep can be elusive. If it was just about closing our eyes on a mattress, life would be simpler. But many of us battle with sleep. As well as investing in good quality bedroom furniture, especially a supportive, comfortable bed, here are a few top sleep tips:

• If you have a poor night’s sleep, take an afternoon doze to catch up
• Invest in a supportive, comfortable bed and mattress, especially if you have a bad back or achy joints that could wake you up.
• Consider your bedroom environment – it’s advised you keep your bedroom window slightly open as fresh air can aid sleep
• Keep your feet warm – cold feet will keep you awake!
• Leave TVs, computers, mobiles and gadgets out of the bedroom – you need to switch off your mind before bed – read an easy novel or listen to the Shipping Forecast!

Bathrooms – Escaping the Hum-Drum

Bathrooms are one of the rooms in the homes that really should allow for a touch of design flair but, more often than not, bathrooms tend to be fairly pedestrian. However, with a few design tips, bathrooms can really be jazzed up.

According to a report on NBC News, many homeowners are growing increasingly disenchanted with their hum-drum bathrooms and are deciding to make some changes to give the room a bit of visual flair. Whether this be in the form of changing the colour scheme, acquiring new bathroom furniture or changing the shower enclosure, many are finding that with a little imagination, bathrooms can be easily transformed from an unappealing room to a welcoming oasis in no time.

Bathrooms – Remodelling or Updating

Bathrooms are generally one of the smaller rooms in the home, so, whether you are remodelling entirely or just updating a few features, it is easy to come up with range of designs that will make a bathroom stand out. According to the report on NBC News, homeowners are increasingly opting to add a splash of colour into their bathrooms and the white on white look is no longer as popular as it once was. Too much white in bathrooms can have the effect of making the room feel quite sterile and oppressive, which is which vibrant colours are increasingly being used in conjunction with white fixtures in order to create bathrooms that are welcoming.

Bathrooms – Style Tips

According to the report on NBC News, there are 3 key features to consider when it comes to decorating, remodelling or updating bathroom suites. These being:

      •    Furniture – Furniture is a great way to spruce up drab looking bathrooms and is simple to implement. Obviously, larger bathrooms are more conducive to larger pieces of bathroom furniture but whatever the size of your bathroom, you will be able to find some furniture to complement it such as vanity tables, bathroom seating and much more. http://www.tradebathrooms.com/catalog/282-Shower-Cubicles.html  are also fantastic.

• Mirrors – Mirrors are the ideal way to generate the illusion of space in bathrooms and liven up the space. Don’t use bland, square, unframed bathroom mirrors. Look for something with a bit more originality and something that will spice up the atmosphere of the bathroom.
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Originality – After the core of bathrooms is complete in terms of bathroom furniture and suites, show a bit of originality with the finishing touches. Artwork, for example, is a great way to give bathrooms a more bespoke and intimate feel. You could also have a fish tank, but remember important things like fish tank filters if you do. If you are original you can even save money, with http://www.markgroup.co.uk for instance. Ponder your options and invest in a great bathroom.