We were shopping for some dining chairs for a client the other day and we were surprised to see how much shoddy stuff is out there. Really. If you can pick an upholstered chair up with one hand it usually means it's not that well-made. In our experience, with most upholstered furniture, the more substantial it feels the better it is made. Solid furniture is made with solid wood, well-padded seat and sturdy construction.
So with that in mind, we recommend that if you are looking for high-quality dining chairs, take a look at Jessica Charles. It's a small division of Hancock & Moore, a very prestigious furniture maker in North Carolina. The style of Jessica Charles slants toward the more classic side, although they have introduced more modern designs of late.
Here are some samples:
The chairs are not cheap. They run about $650-800 per chair, but we think they are worth it.
To see the entire collection, visit Jessica Charles web site.
Well-Made Dining Chairs from Jessica Charles
Modern Office Accessories
We were looking for something cool for our desk the other day, and let's face it, Staples is really not the place to go for stuff like that.
So we were thrilled to see a line called Prestige Identity at the LA Mart. Despite the boring name, it is actually a very hip European company specializing in modern gifts and accessories.
Take a look at some of our favorites:
This is actually a bookmark.
A magnetic for paperclips.
Don't you love these photo holders?
This is a USB card holder.
Elephant bookends.
Most of the items are quite reasonable. You can buy them directly on the Prestige Identity web site.
Modern Kitchen Lighting
Find Ideas for kitchen lighting. Lighting a kitchen is not like lighting other rooms in your house. Kitchens demand several types of lighting - such as task lighting and ambient lighting - that you'll want to incorporate equally into your kitchen design.
When you cook it is extremely important that you can see what you're doing, so lighting above the stove and countertops is definitely a must. If you have deep cabinets in dark corners, you might even want to consider installing lights inside them so you can see what's hiding in the back. One important tip is to keep lighting over the table soft - for best results, put on a dimmer switch so you can have as much or as little light as you need in different situations.
Deciding on the lighting for your kitchen means you must consider both the type of fixtures you want and their ideal placement. Lighting variety is limited only by your wants and desires - styles range from contemporary to traditional, in materials that include pewter, nickel, bronze, brass and glass.
Task areas should have sufficient light so you can easily see what you're working on without too much brightness or eye-straining dimness. Ambient lighting should light the rest of the room, to avoid the spotlight effect. This lighting should be just enough to see by, without being so bright you and your family or guests feel uncomfortable. A dimmer switch is great for ambient lighting as well, as it allows you to control the amount of light for each situation.
There are also a number of options to consider in terms of fixtures. Pendant lights are a decorative way to flood your counter in soft pools of light, while track lighting gives you the flexibility to send light exactly where you need it.
You might have found the perfect light fixture, but don't forget the bulb! To make the most of your lighting, try using bulbs with different beam spreads for different effects. Flood lights are great for creating widespread lighting, while spotlights are ideal for shedding light on specific areas.
Unique Bathroom Accessories
Choosing Accessories for your Bathroom: Classy and elegant fixtures and bath accessories can turn your bathroom into a personal retreat while adding a creative and fun touch to your bathroom and may increase your comfort level in the bath too. It is necessary that the bathroom always remains neat and clean and is germ-free. Master bathrooms in modern homes built on larger scale are a popular tend these days and they may be as large and luxurious as the bedrooms in the house so you should pay special attention to the basic bathroom accessories that define the look of the bathroom such as bathroom mirrors, towel holders, shower curtains, holders to keep tissue, shampoo and holders, toothbrushes and paste; soap dishes and lotion dispensers.
While pondering on how to choose bathroom and bathtub accessory, make sure that you do not buy too much or less and that you may keep as many bathroom accessories in luxurious bathrooms as you want, as long as you have enough space for them and bathroom does not look too cluttered or crowded. Do not overdo your bathroom accessories or you may have to compromise on the organized look of your bathroom. Bathroom accessories make bathroom environment more appealing and can be bought based on a theme that goes with your bathroom design and style theme. Right accessories can give a unique, creative and different look to your bath space. A simple bathtub accessory such as a rack that fits on one end of the bath can make the soap and bathing lotions easily accessible to you while bathing and is a good idea.
Replace bathroom furniture set that sits unutilized in the bathroom with functional bath accessories that help you to relax and add warmth and coziness to your bath. Fresh towels kept neatly on a nearby towel rack ready to use after the shower or hanging on a towel holder in the bathroom wall cabinet are just priceless. Bathroom accessories also include aroma extracts and essential oils that soothe you with their fragrances as you massage them onto your body can occupy a place on your bathroom counters. You can recreate the spat at home or add romance to the day and pamper yourself by having a bubble bath in the tub strewn with dried or fresh flower petals or colored soap beads that serve as bathtub accents.
Color coordinate bathroom accessories and towels and you may even use a family of colors such as blended reds, oranges or pinks, with green highlights and summer bathrooms bedecked with youthful yellows. You can find soap dispensers, soap dishes, toothbrush holders and tissue boxes along with other bathroom accessories that can be grouped together as a theme. Find the matching ones and use them to make your bathroom look more attractive. You can change the look of your bathroom every moth or change of season by just changing the bathroom accessory sets and coordinate the colors of bath curtains, towels, hand towels and items around the washbasin items such as candles and magazine racks to go with them.
Magazine racks are for people who love to read while soaking in the bath. Make sure that accessories you are using are easy to clean and maintain and can resist moisture and dampness. A shower massager can help you ease the tension and relax before going to bed and a fog free shower mirror will help you to shave better. Expensive designer baths are creatively planned and indulgent and can use crystal bowl washbasins. A stylish, contemporary but small bathroom can use top cabinets; space saving radiators that can be used as towel rails too and may be a built-in seat for a luxurious touch or comfort place for the elderly. A light, simple bathroom carpet in a neutral shade suits contemporary bath decor much more than a heavy and plush rug. Other types of bathroom accessory ideas include pillar taps, bath panels, floor coverings, bathroom cabinets, shelving, window treatments such as blinds and curtains, towel rails, bins and mirrors.
Beautiful Bedroom Photos Ideas
The bedroom at your home that should be calm and relaxing. These rooms should be a refuge away from the stresses of your everyday life. Here are some ways to make that happen.
Your bedroom color should be decorated in neutral calming colors. Neutral colors will help you feel relaxed and calm in the evening you should always use neutral colors instead of bright colors in your bedroom. In the morning the colors will be easy on your eyes so you start the day relaxed.
The bedding and pillows should be soft and make you comfortable. You can try different types of fabrics.
Your bed should feel welcoming, so it is important to have a comfortable mattress.
Living Room Interior Design Ideas
The living room represents the owner's personality. Furniture and decor in this room determine whether guests will be welcomed in a formal or a casual manner. Chairs with straight backs, made of solid materials, will create a stiff feeling, while chairs with a simple, but functional, design will make guests feel at home and encourage friendly gatherings.
""The living room does not need to be spacious, because guests do not always drop by in large numbers. Nowadays, most families, especially young families, tend to have a small living room but with furniture that reflect their characters, and are simple and dynamic,"" said Lisa Miranti, an interior designer.
Character, she said, is seen in contemporary-style furniture that denote simplicity, functionality and color. ""A kidney-shaped coffee table with tiny legs or a trendy sofa inspired by bean bags can be the centerpiece of the living room. They bring something different to the room and their addition is a fashionable way to prove the owner's flair for style.
Bean bags were designed by an Italian designer in the late 1960s. The bean bags are made of polystyrene and are filled with small plastic beads, so that when a person sits in it, the bean bag molds itself around the sitter's contours.
Contemporary sofas are made of soft fabrics and are quite solid, but still make comfortable seats.
To save space and allow for flexibility in arranging the furniture, many like to place small side-tables at corners between chairs and so link them in an arc. Lisa said backless sofas are a new trend and function like a bench or chair, but provides more space.
Article Source:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2003/11/02/interior-design-creating-cozy-atmosphere-your-living-room.html
Contemporary Sofa Interior Design Photos
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Sofa is an inalienable part of the interior of every flat or office. And if you have to decide which sofa to buy, you should take it seriously. At first, you should decide for what function you will use it. It can be used instead of the bed or it can be a place for rest and watching TV. Another important issue is the quality of sofa. The opinion that only Italian furniture is good is wrong. The basis for quality estimation is following parts of the construction – sofa frame, upholstery and stuff. Producers use different materials, and the final sofa price of course depends on it.
The main sofa stuff is foam-rubber and spring cartridge. The sofa should be soft and elastic, with different thickness of the surface, so that you’ll feel comfortable on it. Before the purchase, you should know that the stuff in the seat, back and arms should have different firmness. The firmest stuff should, of course, be in the seat. The cheapest stuff variant is the pieces of foam-rubber. But you won’t save money on such sofa, because in few years it will roll over and you’ll have to buy a new one. At least there should be a whole piece of foam-rubber. Such sofa will keep its form for about 4 years. Nowadays polyurethane is sometimes used instead of foam-rubber. It will prolong the term of life, because it stays elastic for a longer time. Sofas are also filled with more expensive and elastic stuff - latex.
The best choice will be the sofa with several stuff layers. Lower layer is made of firm polyurethane, to make the sofa elastic; and the upper layer is made of softer and thinner polyurethane. Such combination creates an additional feeling of comfort. All this is covered with synthetic fiber. It is not typical for cheap models. The most popular fiber is synthipon, but the best one is considered to be hollofiber – it perfectly reestablishes its primary form after deformation and is durable. You should know, that the sofa price increases with the use of synthetic fibers.
Spring cartridges are used for orthopedic reasons (the spine burden is minimal). The quantity of spring cartridges on one square meter can considerably differ. It will affect not only the level of comfort, but the total cost. The quality of springs is also very important. It will be difficult to change them in case of the breakage. So sometimes it is better to buy a sofa only with qualitative polyurethane or latex filling stuff without springs.
It is recommended to buy a sofa with an upholstery zipper. This trifle allows not only to see the inside stuff, but also to change the old upholstery.
Glamorous Furniture from Julian Chichester
We first saw Julian Chichester furniture about 10 years ago. At that time the line was really small and very quirky; it still is.
An English company, Julian Chichester furniture has that glamorous-but-not-too-chi-chi quality about it. Ten years later, they are still around so they must be doing something right.
Take a look:
You can see the full catalog here.
At this time we do not have pricing information yet, our apologies. If you need assistance, email us we'll be happy to contact the company for you. Just know that it's quite pricey...
Corbel Love Two
After living with these little cuties for a few days, 
I decide to give my giant corbels a makeover.
I treated them to a few coats of white spray paint 
and a little hand scraping with the paint scraper.
I think I'm going to give this whole wall a bit of a makeover.
I'll be gathering up the supplies----right after I finish a few of the other projects I'm working on.
Marvelous Mirrors from Made Goods
Certain things in life you'd think would be easy to find, but they are not. Do you find it so? Say the perfect black dress, for example. With so many black dresses out there you'd think it's easy to find the perfect one, right? But nooo...
We find mirrors to be like that too. Most mirrors out there are so gaudy, so UNinteresting, that we get bored just looking at them. This is why we were so excited to see this new line from Made Goods at the New York Gift Show this week. The line is FABULOUS!!
Take a look:
We don't have the pricing information for this line yet but we promise to post it as soon as we do. In the mean time, if you want to see the rest of the line, check out Made Goods web site. If you need help in purchasing it, drop us a line (the company only sells to wholesale).
