Posts Tagged by Furniture

www.schneidermans.com One of most common questions we get asked here at Schneiderman’s Furniture is “What is the difference between solid wood and veneered wood furniture?” One is not necessarily better than the other. In this video Chad & Susan from Schneiderman’s show us what to look for in a piece of wood furniture and how to decide what’s best for you.
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Solid wood furniture often holds a special place in our homes and lives because it is so durable and beautiful and can easily be passed down from one generation to the next. Well built solid wood furniture is harder to come by these days and often costs a small fortune when bought new. More and more people are finding and buying older pieces of furniture and refinishing them to bring them back to their former glory.

The process of taking and old piece of wooden furniture that has been neglected or forgotten and restoring it to a beautiful piece of furniture can be time consuming and frustrating at times, but it can also be incredibly rewarding when you’re done. Here are the general steps required in refinishing a piece of wooden furniture:

1. Pick a piece of furniture – The first step is obviously having a piece of furniture to refinish. If it is the first time you have tried such a project it should probably be something relatively simple in design and without a lot of ornate decorations. You may also want to avoid trying your hand at refinishing priceless antiques and furniture that is in need of extensive repair. A simple chest of drawers or a single chair is a good start. Assess the piece of furniture and make sure it is mostly sturdy and able to be refinished. A flea market or large garage sale is sometimes the perfect place to find old dressers or toyboxes that have been painted over but are just waiting to be refinished.

2. Removing the finish – Now that you have a piece of furniture you’ll want to remove the existing finish. Often this finish is paint and it can be removed several ways. Using a chemical paint stripper that is made exclusively for wood is a good start, but you’ll also need a lot of elbow grease, some steel brushes and a paint scraper to really get that paint off. This is sometimes the most time consuming part of the entire job. Once you begin to remove the finish you should try to identify what type of wood your furniture is made out of because that may affect how you sand and even how you ultimately refinish the piece.

3. Sanding – Once the majority of the previous finish has been removed from every square inch of your piece of furniture you can begin sanding it. Typically you sand with a lower grade grit (lower number, rougher sanding) and move up to higher grades. Yes, you will sand the same piece multiple times. First you may go over a piece of furniture with an 80 grit piece of paper and then you may go over it again with a 120 grit sandpaper and then you may go over it a third time with a 220 grit sand paper. The “grit” refers to how many grits of sand are in a square inch of the paper. The higher the grit the smaller the sand grits and the smoother the sanding job. You sand a piece of wooden furniture for several reasons. You are removing any excess finish and you are also preparing the wood for the next finish. Be careful about over sanding! Some stains and finishes actually have a hard time adhering to a wood surface that it too smooth.

4. Repair – Once you’re done sanding you should check the piece over and make any structural repairs if they are needed. Check dovetail joints to make sure they are tight and consider replacing any metal hardware if it is not functioning properly or could damage the wood of the furniture.

5. Finish – Finally, you can now apply a finish to your new piece of furniture! There are several different options for staining from water based to oil based to Gel stains. They all have advantages and disadvantages and the stain you choose may depend upon the type of wood you’re working with and refinishing. After applying several coats of stain you’ll then want to add a protecting coat which will also depend up the type of wood and the type of stain you are using.

The process of refinishing a piece of wood, no matter how large or how small, is a long one which often requires a lot of patience, a little bit of creativity and a fair bit of persistance. Many people find that once they’ve refinished one piece of furniture that they can’t wait to find the next piece of wooden furniture to fix up and refinish!

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Everyone should have a place where all worries are left behind, a place where you can charge up your batteries and get ready for another day of work, a home where we build our privacy away from the eyes of the world. And since not all of us would want their home to look like their office – all steel and glass – there is the traditional way of decorating your home with simple yet elegant furniture that will give it a relaxed and comfortable look.

And if you want to make your home really at home you should consider buying Amish furniture. It is all about great, high quality, hand-made furniture that may not be considered the latest in fashion but it surely is the most beautiful on the entire market. We are talking about furniture made by people who really know how to do it since they have been practicing this craft for some time. Even if the Amish furniture was initially, and still is made for the simple use of the Amish people, this great classical style is in high demand with the general public. And it was just a matter of time until you could find original Amish dining room furniture or dining tables all around the States.

Your entire home can be decorated with Amish style furniture. As obvious as many people think it is for this type of furniture to be designed for your bedroom or living room, you should know that actually every room in your home can be decorated in Amish style. Not only does this furniture come in a variety of materials and styles, but there is also a piece of furniture for each room in your home, including dining rooms, hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, dens, and so forth.

Like all the other pieces of furniture in your home, the dining room furniture is important because this is the room where all the family get together for meals, whether it’s every day’s family dinner or a holiday dinner with all the members of your family. Enjoying each other’s presence is very important, but being in a comfortable room, where you feel relaxed and at home is also to die for. If you think of your dining room furniture in terms of durability and sturdiness, you should opt for Amish dining tables and chairs.

Probably the best thing about Amish dining tables, and the rest of the Amish furniture for that matter, is its beauty, which is given by its simplicity. The dining rooms have this classic look that will never go out of style. Creating the tradition of dining with your family gathered around the same dining table for generations is now very easy, because this type of furniture was certainly made to last for many generations.

The dining tables come is large variety, so as to meet all tastes and needs. You have a choice of leg base dining tables, trestle base dining tables, or pedestal base dining tables, in order to make the best choice according to the space available in your dining room, to the price or simply to your taste of what your dining room furniture should look like.

If you are looking for dining room furniture or dining tables please visit http://www.onlineamishfurniture.com

You’ve finally got that solid American grown oak wood bedroom set of your dreams. The high quality is apparent in the way it enhances your home. Made with color-matched lumber from superior regions of the United States and a finish done by hand, your new wood furniture is a sight to behold.

Now that you’ve invested in such a perfect piece of solid wood furniture make sure you know how to care for it properly. Maintenance of hardwood furniture shouldn’t take a lot of effort, but there are steps you should take to avoid wear and damage to the beauty of your furniture.

Sometimes wear can come from things that are seemingly out of your hands. Like heat and humidity.  You can’t change Mother Nature, but you can make sure changes in the weather don’t damage your wood furniture.

Try to avoid drastic changes in humidity by keeping a humidifier. Also, avoid long exposure to direct sunlight or heat sources to prevent drying and fading.

Sometimes you can cause damage unintentionally. You’d be surprised but a lot of damage happens during cleaning. You do want to dust to rid wood furniture of dust particles that can be abrasive, but you want to do it the right way. You don’t need expensive products to clean your wood furniture. In fact, it doesn’t take much to protect and enhance your wood furniture.

A simple soft cloth like a baby diaper or an old t-shirt can be used to dust your wood furniture without damaging it. Lightly moisten the cloth with a few drops of water, but be sure not to get it so wet that it leaves wetness on the furniture. The moisture in the cloth will help dust particles adhere to the cloth better.

Never use a dry cloth as that can cause tiny scratches in the wood. When you are dusting be sure to dust along the pattern of the grain. Dust underneath objects like lamps or candles by picking them up rather than sliding them across the wood surface. You may want to occasionally wax or polish your wood furniture as well.

To prevent stains and other damage from normal use, make sure to use coasters or pads. Under accessories like lamps always use felt to prevent scratches. And when writing on a wood surface use a pad underneath paper so you don’t leave indentations in the wood from your pen.

Solvents, alcohol, nail polish or polish remover, and similar substances should be kept away from your furniture. Spilling these items can cause a damaging reaction with the wood or finish.

You’re furniture is beautiful and a fine investment. Treat it as such. Make sure it lasts for years to come by taking proper care of your wood furniture.

If you’re in the market for some new wood furniture, you might have wondered which wood is right for you. The best choice will depend on the atmosphere you want to create, your own aesthetic tastes, and your budget. Read on for a look at the most popular woods used to make wood furniture.

Pine

Pine wood is arguably the most popular wood for affordable furniture. People love it for its light color and natural texture. It’s also less expensive than many other woods. Pine is very versatile. It is used to make bookshelves, bed frames, baby furniture, dining room tables and chairs, and lots of other pieces designed for everyday use. Furniture designers like it because it’s a soft, pliable wood that’s easy to work with. Though pine doesn’t have the longevity that comes with harder woods, it is commonly used to add a rustic touch to any room. Pine can come with veneers, which are made from hard woods like walnut, or unfinished. The unfinished variety can be stained or left natural for a cozy, down-home look.

Oak

Oak is a very popular choice for furniture construction. Like pine, it is versatile and can be used to good effect in many decorating schemes. It comes in two basic types: red and white oak. The red can range in color from pale blonde to light reddish brown, while the white can range from blonde to light brown or even gray. Oak furniture is durable, making it a good choice for children’s rooms and other areas where it will see daily use. It is also quite affordable.

Walnut

Walnut is a hardwood that can be used on its own or fashioned into veneers for furniture made from softer woods. Its rich brown color makes it an instant classic. Walnut trees are famously easy to work with because they have a grain that runs straight throughout them. As an added bonus, walnut wood is easy to carve and polish, and holds a stain well. The lustrous finish that this wood holds makes it a great choice for furnishings that are built to last, such as formal dining furniture or family heirlooms. Its affordability makes it even more appealing to cost-conscious consumers.

Mahogany

As far as looks and price go, mahogany is at the very top of the wood furniture list. This gorgeous red wood has a hard surface and a medium grain. It is commonly used for high-quality, ornamental furniture. Its price puts some shoppers off, but the beauty of mahogany furniture can last a lifetime; in addition to being very attractive, mahogany is also very resilient and stands up well to the rigors of time and use. When cared for properly, mahogany furniture can survive to be passed down from generation to generation. Most higher-end mahogany furniture is made from South American mahogany. There is also an African variety.

Now that you’ve learned about the most popular choices in wood furniture, you’re all set to pick out new furnishings of your own. Choose a wood that fits your budget and style. Keep your wood furniture clean and polished, and you’ll be able to enjoy it for many years to come.

Throughout the centuries, oak furniture was treasured by well-to-do people with sound taste.  The characteristics of oak furniture spotlight its long lasting strength and astounding good looks.  Nevertheless, for a few years. when contemporary furniture was in style, there was a swing against oak furniture.  But as time went by people saw that the modern-day furniture only looked good for some time and then collapsed, they went back to oak furniture.  It’s a certain fact, oak furniture is not merely magnificent but it’s sound and enduring.

Choosing oak furniture means that if a bit forethought is taken, this furniture will give you a good yield for your initial monetary expenditure with its its elegance and strength. The lumber from the oak has been quite a favourite when it comes to furniture. As a matter of fact, checking the past record books, oak wood was utilized for furniture in England during the Middle Ages  The strength of oak timber is demonstrated by the fact that many of the pieces of furniture made then still endure. The texture and the grain patterning of oak becomes quite pronounced when its made into furniture and carefully finished.

The grea goodat part about oak furniture is that in today’s busy life, it doesn’t ask you for much care and maintenance.  You need to comply with a few rules that will guarantee that your furniture lasts longer than will actually make your ancestors impressed!  You need to use small mats and coasters on the table in the event that spill ups occur.  All the same, if spillage does come about on the table, the most advantageous thing is to wipe it up at that very instant.  Frequent regular removal of dust is likewise an important requirement.  You should remember to polish your oak furniture every 4-6 months.  It should be noted, in moist atmospheric conditions oak wood takes in water and in very dry conditions oak articles of furniture will buckle.  Hence it’s not a sensible notion to use under floor heating in the rooms which have oak furniture. If the weather condition becomes hot and humid, it is a good idea to put some plants in the room or even look at setting up a mini de-humidifier. Sticking with these easy rules will assist your fine-looking oak furniture to persist in tiptop condition.

If you have a big family with many children, oak furniture may be the foremost choice for you to make. As time goes by, oak pieces of furniture will proceed to look even better. An amazing feature about oak furniture is that it can fit into any sort of decoration style, whether modern or traditional. As oak furniture lasts for generations, in the long run it will save your hard earned cash too, because you won’t have to invest in its repair or even keep purchasing brand-new furniture. Though oak furniture always looks high-priced, when you study its many exceptional characteristics, it’s invariably money well spent.

No matter if you buy simply a little table or a large dresser, oak furniture is always a best buy because it it is top quality durable furniture  It’s easy to look after also.  In conclusion, oak furniture is a fantastic choice since it is the perfect mix of expressive style and elegance!

People buy oak furniture for many reasons. Some buy for the sheer style that oak brings to any furniture item. Others love the durability of the wood and how with a little care and attention any oak furniture item will last for decades.

Then there are those who look on buying oak furniture as an investment that gives great value in the long term. Lastly, of course, there are those smart people who buy for all these reasons. Let’s consider them each in turn.

First, let’s look at the style factor.

What wood can match oak for sheer style? No other material radiates that ‘aged’ quality that oak has and brings such warmth to any room it graces. It’s a versatile beauty, too. With its deep lustre, seductive grain and natural brown finish, oak furniture can compliment any style of home from a futuristic downtown apartment to a Victorian country cottage.

Whatever type of home you live in, you’re sure to find the perfect pieces of oak furniture to fit in. Consider the Vancouver furniture range. Crafted from solid European oak this range offers everything a complete range of stylish furniture including lamp tables, wardrobes, chests, desks and bookcases all in a rustic finish featuring tapered legs and heavy gauge rustic brass plate handles. The wood is finished in a blend of wax and oil. This gives the items a measure of shine without sacrificing the rustic charm.

The great thing about the Vancouver furniture range is that not only is it extremely stylish, it’s also made from reclaimed oak. This means you’re getting quality oak wood reclaimed from such sources as wood flooring from old houses. Vancouver furniture offers the finest range of bedroom furniture, home office furniture, and living room furniture.

Durability is another major reason people but oak furniture. Oak is a very hard wood and is resistant to temperature, knocks, spills and stains.

For durability, let’s consider the dining table. This is one item of furniture that gets repeated heavy use for year after year. If you’ve ever bought a dining table made from pinewood or some similar material, you probably know if gives up the ghost after a few years or even worse collapses on you. For that special daily occasion of the family breakfast, you really need something that will give you faithful service for a lifetime and beyond. If you invest in a oak breakfast table, you’ll be getting a stylish piece of furniture that will provide decades of use for your family morning gatherings.

In fact, durability is not restricted to items made of solid oak. Furniture featuring oak veneer also offers both style and the strength to give a lifetime of happy use. Consider the Atlantis breakfast table as an example. This features a polished reflective granite top set into laminated wood frames with panels of oak veneer. These dining tables look great in any setting and blend in with any decor. A choice of optional leather or slatted back chairs gives you all the options you need. They come packed up ready for easy assembly.

Finally, let’s consider the important topic of the value of oak furniture. One factor that puts some people off buying oak furniture is the cost. It’s no secret that oak commands a premium price. But remember, when you buy oak furniture, you’re making an investment.

So is there such a thing as cheap oak furniture? It depends on how you view ‘cheap’. When you buy oak you’re getting decades of quality use; if you but an ordinary table, you’ll have to replace it every few years and it may give up on you at any time. If you look at things from this perspective, then yes, there is such a thing as cheap oak furniture.

For all you oak furniture needs from the Vancouver furniture range to classic dining tables, check out the great deals available online. You can browse the web sites of vendors and peruse their extensive illustrated catalogues. Most reputable online merchants offer swift free delivery to destinations in the UK mainland for the ultimate in convenience and value.

Furniture plays a very important role in deciding the look of your home. Perfect set of furniture can make your home looks stunning. It is the selection and arrangements of furniture that makes the home worth living and pride for the owner. If you have antique furniture at your home then its a matter of pride and honor for you and zeal for your neighbors and relatives.

There is always a great craze for antique furniture among people. It displays your unique sense of affection for class and integrity. Although they are quite expensive, due to there rarity and everyone just cannot afford buying antique furniture. Pride of owing antique furniture shows the love for beauty of past and history. Antique furniture reveals the great glory of one culture.

What Makes Antique Furniture Special

Antique furniture is among rare collectibles, made of best quality of durable wood (generally teak and sandalwood). They illustrate fine artisanship and carvings along with matching traditions of their time. They also carry the rich heritage and history along with them. Their association with notable names or period makes them unique and special. All these things are decisive factor for their rarity and expensiveness.

Antique furniture collections are categorized based on their periods or styles. Some important and famous classifications are as follows:

Gothic – Antique furniture in this category is influenced by church architecture. The style is mainly characterized by pointed arches, counterbalancing buttresses, open tracery and vertical grandiose emphasis.

Renaissance – Furniture under this category is derived from Italian Renaissance style, mainly oak functional furniture with scroll & arabesque carving, etc. with horizontal emphasis.

Early Colonial – With some wealth attained, carved oak Hadley chests and turned Great Chairs start making their way into American homes.

Antique furniture collections were made with stress over the beauty, comfort and knowledge of interiors. People take interested in antique furniture due to their masterpiece in carving. Most of the antique furniture has some kind of rare carving style illustrating excellent designs. They are usually made of good quality of materials, so the chances of decaying are less. Antique furniture posses nice design and do not change with time.

Maybe you are putting in a home office (or perhaps you are going to furnish one off-site), and you want that professional feel as you work on your bills or business. Perhaps you would like the perfect look for your living room or home theater to better enjoy the feeling of entertaining guests or kicking back and watching a movie on your own.

If you are in the market for great home or office d?r, but you are unsure of which materials to use, then you should strongly consider leather furniture.

Why leather furniture? Because of all types of furniture out there, leather furniture offers perhaps the most benefits and the least drawbacks. Here are seven strong reasons why leather furniture is right for your home or office:

Leather furniture is beautiful. This is an easy one. Through some indefinable quality, leather furniture has always impressed those who see it and sit on it because it feels like a higher quality, classier material. It has earned a reputation for elegance that far exceeds any of its competition.

Leather furniture feels good. Not all leather is the same texture. Some forms of leather invoke the smooth feel of velvet, while the weather-beaten look produces a soft cloud-like feel that only grows softer and more supple over the long haul.

Leather furniture adjusts to the weather. During the summer, plopping down in a leather sofa or chair with bare skin can give you that extra jolt of cool you need to fight the increasingly hot weather conditions. However, in the winter, leather actually seems to have the opposite effect. This is because most leather is made from cowhide, which is nature’s protection for cows from the elements.

Leather furniture molds itself to you. The longer you have leather furniture in your home, the more it will adjust to the contours of your body, providing a custom fit over time at no extra cost or effort to you. All you have to do is continue to use it, enjoying its comforts and elegance, and it will take shape around you, growing more comfortable in the long run.

Leather furniture is made to last. Despite its soft and malleable feel, leather furniture is a lot sturdier than it looks. A good piece of leather furniture can last for over a decade before you even have to think about replacing it.

Leather furniture’s look holds up in time. While many pieces of furniture fade and lose their luster, you will not have to worry about what color your furniture will be ten years from now, because quality leather furniture resists the natural color-fade that many other types of material do not.

Leather furniture is efficient. Again, leather furniture is made from cowhide, so it is really just a by-product that would otherwise go to waste. You are actually doing your part to help the environment when you find a use for leather furniture in your home or office.

Do not make the decision any harder than it has to be. Find the leather furniture that works for you, and get started enjoying its benefits for a long time to come.

This Red House Furniture ad was produced as part of our I Love Local Commercials Series sponsored by MicroBilt ( ilovelocalcommercials.com ) — Nominate your favorite local business for a FREE local commercial at ilovelocalcommercials.com Watch all of our RhettandLinKommercials and see who’s been nominated! http — Pre-qualify for financing right NOW at: RedHouse.prbc.com GET the T-SHIRT NOW!! www.districtlines.com — Be sure to watch the “Making Of” episode: www.youtube.com Thanks to all of the guys at Red House for being such great sports. Help em out by referring a friend in the High Point NC area, or drop by the store yourself to meet Richard, Johnny, and the gang! To address any controversy around this video, watch our video response (or read the transcript below): www.youtube.com We knew this video was going to be controversial. Anytime race is discussed in any capacity, controversy ensues. The racial reconciliation concept was a joint effort between the Red House staff and us. They pointed out the fact that their employees and customer base were like the “Rainbow Coalition”, and we thought something with a comical racial reconciliation theme would be fun, as well as a conversation starter. For those of you who think this video is racist, we’d like you to distinguish between “racist” and “racial”. Racism is “hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.” Racial is “of, relating to, or based on a race”. This video is very obviously racial as opposed to racist …
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Keeping up with the trend is something you want to achieve as an individual.  This may also be your basic purpose for changing your home’s furnishings into contemporary furniture.  Just like when you want to update your home appliances, you also want to update your furniture.  In the middle of deciding between making a shift to contemporary furniture and retaining the old ones you have, you may want to look at possible reasons on why you should opt for the transformation.

One of the reasons behind not totally entertaining the thought of revamping your old furniture into more contemporary items is the cost that goes with it.  Imagining the fact that you need to invest some money just to provide a twist to your old furnishings makes you back out from the endeavour.  But then again, there are some reasons for you to highly appreciate the thought of shifting to contemporary furniture.

Why opt for contemporary furniture?

Changing the look of the house transpires with the help of contemporary furnishings.  Below are some of the reasons behind why you should choose such furniture for your home:

It is flexible.  The flexibility of contemporary furniture cannot be denied.  Since it adapts well to a modern environment, you may use the furnishings in any part of your room.  You will not have any problems about where to place that piece in your home.  In fact, even if you place it in a corner, it will definitely strike the eyes of those who will see it. It will help save you money.  Even if you think that now is not the right time to invest on this furniture, in the long run you may need to shed off some cash for these items.  If you will buy contemporary furniture now, you may still use it once you renovate the look of your home in the future.  This will be a lot of cost savings on your part thinking that you do not need to spend for another set of home furnishing later on. It works for all.  With contemporary furniture, you are assured that every member of the household will appreciate it.  You do not have to exert too much effort just to please everybody.  Choosing these pieces for your home is your licence to impress other people who have varied decorative preferences. It can also be mixed and matched effortlessly.  As mentioned, you do not have to exert much effort to make contemporary furniture standout.  Along this line, two pieces of different colours may just go together well.  This is somehow synonymous to abstract art that other people will look at beautifully.

Contemporary furniture is indeed worth all your investment.  Choosing to style your home with these pieces will definitely allow you to create a better impression to your guests.  In fact, investing on just one piece of contemporary furniture will be enough for others to be mesmerised about the new furnishing you have added to your residence.  If you are thinking of making a change in your residence, make this furniture one of your options.