3 Alternative Things to Sit On For Your Home
There’s a lot to be said for sitting down on a comfy sofa, putting your feet up and stretching out to enjoy a night in front of the TV. For most households, a three-piece suite from the local household furniture superstore is enough to serve your living room seating needs, but how about the rest of the house? And what happens when you need some overflow seating during visits from friends or when you throw a party? Here are 3 alternative things to sit on that are secure, extremely versatile and look pretty cool too.
Beanbags
Still consider beanbags as overblown floor cushions that are manufactured from cheap material and difficult to get out of? Obviously you have not been introduced to the Fatboy range.
Beanbags aren’t just additional seating options for the living room, they can be used as a sofa replacement in student digs, a chill-out chair for a teenager’s bedroom or even a spare bed if you want to put up your mate overnight. Have one or two of these cool seating options convenient for impromptu events or any time you’ve got more visitors than your permanent seating can cope with.
Hammocks
The simple mention of the word conjures up images of hazy summer days, swinging between two trees beneath the shade of branches while enjoying a long, cool drink. Yet isn’t a hammock just for the warmer months? In fact, it’s not. And before you ask, no you won’t need two trees to tie it to either – at least not with modern hammock technology because a steel-frame manages things.
A hammock can easily be placed in the house as out and should you be short of furniture in your conservatory it’s ideal. When you do need to take it easy in the great outdoors, or when you need something a bit more comfortable than the standard bistro chair and table set in your garden, then a hammock is a good substitute.
Gaming seat
Okay, this one may appear like it’s simply for the gamers and geeks but as a substitute seating choice it’s as adaptable as they come. Should you be of the Playstation or Xbox generation then you may be all too familiar with sitting forward on the sofa, straining to get nearer to the action. Instead of attempting to drag your sofa a couple of inches closer to the box, pull up a gaming seat.
Not only will a gaming chair take care of your comfort while challenging the latest level of Halo, it’s versatile enough to turn into a footstool or an occasional seat for social events if you require further places for friends to park their bums.
Creating a Boudoir Bedroom
For the romantics, the lovers and the more adventurous types of decorators among you, there clearly can be no sexier design statement than creating a boudoir style bedroom. Whilst the bedroom aspires to be a place of rest, it should also be considered a room for enjoyment. If all of the muddle, discarded laundry and empty coffee cups are dampening the passion in your bedroom then it’s time for some opulence and decadence to ignite the flames.
Modern life is rubbish
All the stuff that make today’s lifestyles so convenient can easily be distracting, especially in the bedroom. The very first stage of making your beautiful boudoir is to get rid of any traces of technology and practicality. Ban the TV and relocate the hair-straighteners since there’s no glamour in gizmos and gadgets. Hide as much of the clutter as possible with bedroom storage that will go in drawers or cupboards but display your most prized perfumes and place your rings and necklaces on show with a jewellery tree.
The essence of boudoir
This style evokes an opulent, sensual and rich lifestyle so colours such as purple, pink, gold and black give the perfect look. Your room can be as flamboyant as you desire, but wall coverings will give the most striking change so use pink and purple wallpaper with a strong pattern. Using bold floral prints and stunning damask will give your room a feeling of femininity and extravagance.
Materials play an significant role in the boudoir bedroom. Diverse textures and finishes produce an intimate feel so incorporate plenty of colourful cushions with mixed fabrics created from rich and heavy materials. For an air of sensuality, floaty materials like silks and organza can be draped throughout the room.
If you like the Moulin Rouge style of boudoir, opt for bohemian elegance by including vintage furniture pieces and elegant swagging around the windows. Dress your bed in silk and satin and place candles round the room to spark the romance. Colours to go for include scarlet, gold and black. For a 60s style boudoir, synthetic animal skins with deep pile carpets and fun cartoon’ish furnishings will establish a naughty, fantasy themed room. Choose a blend of black, white and red colours throughout the room.
Lighting the passion
Light plays an important role in creating a sultry ambiance. The boudoir look embraces extravagance and so should your lighting fixtures. Vintage crystal-drop chandeliers are perfect for the dramatic centre piece while antique brass and crystal wall lights controlled by dimmer switch will create the right mood.
Cooking Up a New Kitchen
Arriving at the decision to do a little reorganisation, redecoration or remodelling of your kitchen can sometimes seem like you are cooking up a storm of problems. If you’ve ever felt too overwhelmed to try an overhaul of the kitchen, this approach to the challenge might help.
Rather than contemplating the kitchen as one big project, break it down into small, manageable and practical mini-projects. Trying to do everything at once is a sure-fire way to get you hot under the collar without being anywhere near an oven.
To begin with, have a plan. Focus on what you want to achieve with certain aspects of the kitchen by answering a few basic questions.
Solar Power History Returns Back To Ancient Civilizations
Most people think that the use of the sun’s power goes back to only the collection panels we use today to charge our battery operated systems. Solar power history goes back to 400 BC.
Native Americans and Greeks were among the earliest users of the sun’s power. They used it for heating their homes. Romans learned that glass could aid in the collection of the sun’s rays.
The glass panels were gathered into small greenhouse type outbuildings and seeds were planted and grown inside. Their season for growth was longer and they could start their gardens earlier than ever before.
Native Americans were using solar power from around the year 400 BC. They built homes into the sides of mountains and hills so that they could capture the sun in the daytime. Then the heat would escape in the night and be collected once again in the daytime. Read more
Giving Your Hallway the Wow! Factor
If you’re thinking of decorating, the hallway can be the forgotten area of the home since it is usually seen as a space to be passed through to be able to reach connecting areas. Being a ‘transient space’ has its disadvantages as homeowners would rather spend time, money and effort on decorating ‘living spaces’. That’s a real shame because it’s the first part of your house that visitors are greeted by and who doesn’t want to create the best first impression? With some forward planning, the right wallcoverings, lighting and storage, your hallway can acquire the wow! factor.
Colours and coverings
Selecting the most appropriate colours can help make the entrance to your home as light and attractive as possible. Dark hallways can be a bad idea in smaller homes so heavy and strong colours on the wall need to be avoided. On the other hand, should you live in a period property that has far more space, then classic colours that are in keeping with the general décor (like greens and reds) can enrich the look. For narrow spaces, select neutral colours on the wall.
Changing the colour on the walls will make a significant impact on the sense of space. Some people like to continue the colour scheme used in connecting rooms while others select a colour that complements and gives a different look. Wallpaper has undergone a huge design revolution recently and wallcoverings with neutral colours and embossed designs look fantastic. If you’d rather paint but need a cool feel, wall stickers can bring some interest to the walls.
Adding to the walls
With many hallways being narrow and long there’s usually a premium on floor space so utilise the walls to create your design statement. A properly placed mirror reflects light and helps to make your hallway look bigger – given the space is the entrance/exit point of the home, a mirror also allows everyone to check how they look when coming or going.
Photos are also a great idea to give your home an individual touch. Black and white prints offer a real chic appearance while a selection of different sized photo frames give your hallway a gallery feel. If you’re going to add a piece of art to the walls, make sure it will be lit correctly to benefit from the full effect – a long, narrow picture light will provide you with the right look.
Augment Your Outdoor Experience With An Outdoor Canopy
Nothing compares to a comfortable outing on a warm summers day. For relief from the midday sun and the harmful effects of UV exposure, some form of shade is an absolute necessity and this where an outdoor canopy comes into its own, protecting you from those wonderful summer rays while even giving you someplace out of the sun to store your food and drink.
They’re great for nature outings or camping trips. While conventional tents provide you with very reasonable shelter, they are somewhat cramped and don’t give you much freedom of movement or the ability to experience nature while keeping an eye on the kids. Read more
A Number Of Quick Advantages Of Hardwood Floors Over Carpeted Flooring
Any homeowner who is looking to decorate will eventually come across the dilemma of whether to have hardwood floors or carpeted flooring. This can certainly be a difficult decision and there are certain benefits to both options. If you are looking into getting hardwood floors then here are some of the benefits of doing so.
The most obvious of these is simply the fact that the sorts of laws are a lot more durable. Let’s think about what happens when you have kids and pets running around on carpets. The chance of having some sort of spill some sort of stain is very high and as a result of this the carpet can often be ruined and will need to be replaced.
AGA & Rayburn Cookers Explained
The king of range cookers is without doubt the AGA. First introduced to England in 1929, it quickly became the cooker of choice for English society, particularly for those who lived in medium and large country houses. Now the AGA range cooker, and the versatile Rayburn range cooker, can be found in rural and urban homes up and down the country.
One of the main questions asked by anyone looking to invest in one of these cookers is “what’s the difference between an AGA and a Rayburn?” In this article we’ll explain the basics.
Buying an AGA Cooker
Without doubt there is one name that is synonymous with quality in the kitchen and that is AGA. Since its invention in the 1920s, the AGA cooker has not only provided a great way to cook food, it’s also offered a warming focal point in the kitchen for family and friends to gather around. Don’t just take our word for it, a recent survey revealed that sixty per cent of British women aged 25-35 would love an AGA cooker at the heart of their kitchen and celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Antony Worrall Thompson swear by theirs.
An AGA oven is an investment that will last you a lifetime but what should you ask when buying an AGA ? Here are some questions to consider asking a supplier of AGA cookers before you buy.
Knitting – the Worlds Oldest Hobby
Knitting really is one of the worlds’ oldest hobbies and there are a few reasons why knitting needles continue to click throughout the world. One of the main reasons is due to the fact that it is a productive, yet extremely relaxing pastime.
There are many people that knit to make money and then there are those that knit for their family members and to give as gifts to either family or friends. The most wonderful kind of knitting comes from the heart, and each year, thousands of enthusiasts knit babies booties, shawls and gorgeous cardigans that they then donate to raffles, maternity wards in hospitals and for local charities.
If knitting has been your hobby for a long time, chances are you are familiar and confident with all types of knitting patterns, knitting accessories, knitting kits, and have worked with various types of wool knitting yarn.



