Congrats, Company C!

I noticed that the 24th annual ARTS Award for Area Rugs was presented to Company C. The ARTS Awards celebrate retailers, manufacturers and sales representatives for excellence in 25 different categories across the decorative home accessories industry.

I was greatly impressed by the designs and bright colors of Company C's rugs!

Benefits of Furniture Reupholstery for Homeowners

There are a myriad of reasons as to why reupholstering your furniture can improve your home, and your standard of living. Check out some of the reasons now!

Furniture reupholstery is a homeowner’s best weapon against the approaching forces of decay. Every room has a distinct personality, but is subject to chaotic forces like wear and tear. Sofa reupholstery can help protect that favorite piece of furniture and preserve the playfulness of the living room or quiet reading spot when the family is away. Of course, every humble abode may require more work than simple couch reupholstery due to the sheer amount of furniture. While buying a home is a big investment, maintaining the furniture can be as well. Despite this, there are a number of benefits involved when reupholstering furniture.

Furniture repair can enhance a home in so many ways. The first major benefit is the positivity it can bring into a room. Couches and tables are always prone to some form of damage, whether from the family dog confusing the fixture for its favorite chew toy, or the kids getting a little too excited for company and spilling juice all over the table. When guests arrive, most homeowners want to be able to show off their space and have furniture that is inviting. By consistently managing repairs and damage, any room can look as fresh and new as it was upon first entering the home. Those little nicks will be nothing and every homeowner can feel confident and comfortable hosting a wide variety of events.

Dealing with immediate damage is an excellent preventative measure since that little mark can morph into a nasty scar, marring the piece you were so proud of purchasing. Also, tastes can change when you’ve been with the same piece of furniture for years. If you feel your décor is starting to look stale, then consider furniture reupholstery! Search for different types of cloth and fabrics to spruce up the piece. Transitioning from a blue to a red can make all the difference. Pushing the couch over to the left side can free up more walking space, or leaving it directly under a wide series of windows can allow for more sunlight. Taking advantage of space can be another cost effective method to support reupholstering.

Some damage can seem irreversible, so there are many things homeowners should consider before deciding on whether to reupholster or replace. By remaining vigilant about the damage imposed on furniture, homeowners can cut costs since repairs can be significantly less than the cost of replacements. Depending on the longevity of the couch, inspect it before deciding to repair. The most expensive part of a couch is the cushions, so reupholstering should be a primary option since retailers can run high prices. 

     

Ultimately, reupholstering that favorite couch or sofa can do wonders for your home. Taking out those tears and scratches can help maintain the look and feel of your home. That couch in the living room may say “welcome!” but if its tattered or old, guests might think it says “go away!” And as the kids grow older, they want to look forward to coming home and enjoying some rest after a long semester. While price can be a big decision maker, don’t let that prevent any transformations from happening. A happy home equals a happy life.

Jonathan has provided this guest post.

Sofa Pillow Styling: Basic Tips

Sofa Pillow Styling: Basic Tips

The Sofa Checklist

 Shopping for furniture can be fun, especially if you know what to look for.

http://www.lowellsun.com/lifestyles/ci_22644039/sofa-checklist

We received this email from our friend and photographer David Duck:

The sunrises earlier, the sunsets later, the daffodils have started popping through the dirt, the rain has let up, spring is in the air and it’s SE Area Artwalk time again.  Dave will be featuring photographs from the Southwestern United States (Arizona/Utah) and Zephyr will have her sandblasted glass available for purchase. 

Join us at our home at 3550 SE Tibbetts St. Portland, OR  97202 from 10-5 on Saturday and Sunday, March 2^nd and 3^rd.  Rain or shine…bring a friend, bring an umbrella, bring a friend’s umbrella.

We will have some southwestern snacks to munch on as you browse.  Kayla and her friends have formed an informal non-profit, Planet Sisters.  The Planet sisters will be selling cookies and handcrafted cards to benefit the Goosehollow Family Homeless Shelter.

Please forward this email to anyone who might be interested in local art.  We are number 17 and 45 on the map that can be downloaded at http://www.seportlandartwalk.com/

Hope to see you this coming weekend!

Bev & Mike

Win An MTD Ride-on

Do you ever wander through the aisles at your local lawn and garden store and stare wistfully at the rider mowers? My husband does. He imagines himself on the back of a six-speed mower charging up hills and making tight circles around trees and other stationary objects. The wind is blowing through what's left of his hair, the sun brings out the sweat on his bare arms, and the smell of newly mowed lawn fills the air. At the end of his ride he looks back on the perfectly groomed lawn of his estate and smiles, pats the behemoth affectionately and heads for the barn.

"Imagines" is the key word here. Our lawn is a strip of parking six feet wide and 40 feet long with another tiny bit of grass near the house. It may take him 30 minutes, tops, to mow, edge and gather up the electric cord for the mower. There's no way we need a rider mower.

If you dream the dream of my husband, you may be able to win one. From now until March 14th, if you sign up for The Range's newsletter, you will be entered to win a six-speed 420CC MTD Ride-on lawn mower worth nearly £2000 or about $3,000 U.S.!!!



The winner will receive free delivery, full machine setup, first hand operational advice and an explanation of all its features.

Hardwood vs Fiberboard 101

When visiting most budget furniture stores, one gets a sense that real wood furniture has become a rare entity in this modern era of instant gratification - so long as it looks good and works now, consumers may overlook durability and quality, especially with a low price tag. However, consumers are becoming savvy shoppers - they want to spend their money wisely, and doing so means purchasing products that will last for several generations. Real, solid wood furniture can offer them that advantage, but they have become diamonds in the dust.

 

Particle Board Defined


Particle board is an engineered lumber product generally made up of wood chips, sawmill shavings and sometimes sawdust. These materials are compacted and then joined together by a synthetic binder.  The texture and appearance tends to be chippy, and though it can be denser than conventional wood, it is also prone to expansion, along with discoloration due to moisture. Particle board is generally the weakest type of fiberboard, which is found in furniture products such as those sold by most budget retailers.

Is Fiberboard as Good as Solid Hardwood?

Fiberboard, also known as Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF), is stronger than particle board. It is comparable to particle board in that it is engineered wood, but a mixture of wax and resin along with wood fibers creates a denser product. Although more durable than particle board, it is still susceptible to excess moisture, which will weaken a structure over time. Overall, both particle board and fiberboard based furniture are comprised of lumber refuse bound by chemicals and tend to be less durable than real wood.

Some may argue that fiberboard is just as durable as solid hardwood. Though it may hold up for years of service, once it has served its term, it will most likely end up in a landfill. Because solid hardwood holds up better to the elements and regular wear and tear, it can be used for several generations, even passing them down as heirlooms. When seeking solid hardwood within high end furniture, look for some brands known for their superior quality such as Marge Carson, Lexington furniture and Restoration Hardware.

Another consideration is the environmental impact as a result of these created woods. They do recycle a large quantity of lumbar waste. However, a resin used to bind the wood particles together in fiberboard often contain urea formaldehyde, which can have adverse effects on air quality in the home, and has long been suspect to have cancer-causing toxicity.

As technology evolves, so will today's wood by-products. They may someday even surpass real wood in terms of quality and durability. However, there is still something to be said for encountering an authentic piece of wooden furniture, which once stood tall as a tree in a forest, and retains an essence of its history within its grains. Solid-wood furniture honors that sense of history and gracefulness of nature. In that sense, no synthetic board will ever come close.

Baker furniture

Lexington furniture

Henredon