Tips on Buying a Wood Bed

Wood is durable and elegant too. You don't need to take intense care of wooden products and the most important fact is that wood can be given many shapes and can be decorated through innumerable means. Perhaps that's why we all love to have wooden furniture all around our homes. If you are planning to buy wooden beds for your bedroom, kids room or guest room, just browse through the following tips before going out to buy one.

• First of all make a layout of the room where you wish to place your new wooden bed. Accordingly decide upon the size of the bed- will it only support a single bed or king/queen beds also?
• Next, measure the height of your door, if you are satisfied with the fact that a king sized bed will go into your room, your door must definitely be high enough to bring in the large bed.
• If anyway, your room and door supports your decision of buying a big wooden bed, don't just go out and buy it. Ponder upon the other facts too- do you need a big bed? Won't a single bed enough for your needs? If you want to place some other furniture like wooden sofa or a wooden cabinet in the room, will the big bed leave enough space for them to fit? After finding all these answers, go ahead with your plan of buying the right size of the wooden bed.
• Next comes the purpose of buying a bed. If you are buying it for your guest room, it definitely needs to be large enough to accommodate more than one person. However, if you are buying it for your kids room, think twice before going for a big bed. A single bed is good enough for your child.
• If your kids room is smaller than the normal size and you have more than one child, you can even buy bunk bed for you kids. This will save space and will be attractive for them too.
• If you are planning to buy a wooden bed for your bedroom, you can give a thought to platform beds that have inbuilt storage space in them. You can store all your beddings and even other things in them. They are great for smaller apartments too. Know all the types of wooden beds for taking an informed decision.
• Always check the bed frames- their strength and joints- all should be perfect as it will support all the weights put on the bed.
• Give attention to the theme of your home decor too. If your interior is decorated traditionally or in country manner, you can even go for an antique wooden bed or antique reproductions but if all your other furniture have contemporary look, its better to buy a bed that has clean angular lines.
• Match the color of new wooden beds with the color of all the other furniture in the room.

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How to Renovate an Old Wooden Chair?

We all have wooden furniture in our homes. If nothing, everyone must be possessing one from among many types of wood chairs. If one of your wooden chairs is in such a condition that it can't be used further, you can revamp it to get a new chair. Chair renovation will not only save you money but also do a favor to the environment. You'll get a new cheap chair which is a fine piece of eco-friendly furniture too! Here is the step-by-step instruction for renovating your old wooden chair into a brand new upholstered chair.

• Get the required material for your DIY project of chair renovation. You will need wood glue and clamps; a staplegun; some filling material (batting) like cotton, wool, synthetic fibers etc. or a foam cushion; upholstery fabric-5 inch larger than the foam cushion; fine-grit sandpaper; some paint or stain; and of course, the old wooden chair.
• Remove any screw that is still there on the chair. Also pull out the parts that are no longer strong enough to support the chair.
• Make the chair as strong as you can by reassembling the parts (that you had earlier pulled apart) with glue and clamps and then putting the screws back from where you disassembled them.
• If you plan to stain the wood, take out all the paint with the help of sandpaper. However, if you wish to paint your old furniture chair, you don't need to sand it down to the wood.
• Wipe the chair with a damp cloth and let it dry.
• If staining, apply the wood stain with a piece of cloth evenly over the whole chair. Apply stain  everywhere, even in the cracks. Apply two coats of stain to get a perfect even surface.
• If painting, apply the paint on the chair with even strokes of a small brush. Here also, you may need two coats of paint to get an even surface.
• Take the wood base of the cushion and set it on some thick batting. Now trace around the wooden seat form and lift the batting, upside down, onto the fabric. Put the wood on top to make a batting sandwich and then pull the fabric towards yourself. Staple on the underside of the seat platform. Staple it tightly across the top surface. Trim the extra fabric from the bottom and turn it over.
• If you want, you can even make another thinner cushion for the chair back (to be tied on at the top and bottom of the back). Alternatively, take the fabric(whatever is left) and make a simple pillow case. Slip it over the back and secure with a sash tied from front to back with a large bow behind it!

Your all renovated eco-friendly new upholstered wooden chair is all ready to be used!

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Home Decor: Creative Uses of Wooden Trays

You have been using wooden trays for serving. If not, you might be using them for storing items like cutlery, cups, mugs etc. There are different types of wooden trays available these days and you are making use of them in various ways but what do you do with these trays when they become old and you get bored with them? Do you either push them into garage storage or sell them off as scrap? Whatever you have been doing with them, there are many creative ways to use these wooden trays. In fact, they are so innovative and beautiful ways that you would be tempted to bring new unfinished wooden trays and apply these techniques to satisfy the creative soul in you. Here are some novel ways to use wooden trays that I found on net while searching!

Room Divider

Make a folding screen or room divider by using some decorative trays. You will need three or four shelving units that are hinged together. Just fasten the trays onto the units and your room divider is ready.

Multi Level Side Table

If you need a side table with multiple levels, use trays for making one. Take three or four trays and wooden dowels having thickness of about one inch. Cut them into needed size. Drill holes in the corner of each tray and into the ends of the dowels. Then fasten the dowels to trays by using threaded rods. Screw wooden balls on top rod to give a finished look to the table.

Table Centerpiece

Take a wooden tray and fill its bottom with a layer of sand. Now take some decorated pillar candles and votive candles and arrange them in a beautiful pattern in the center of the tray. Now decorate the fringes with any of the materials of your choice- it can be pebbles, berries, gourds, bamboo sticks, anything! Place it on table and make it a delightful experience for your guests.

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How to Buy a Wooden Sofa for Utility Plus Decor

A sofa is not only for sitting and relaxing for a while. A sofa set now defines the personality of your living room or bedroom wherever it is placed. However, it is also true that the basic function of sofa still is to provide comfort. Not only this, sofa has now become a multi functional piece of furniture. Sofa beds or storage sofas are common and adored by people. So, when you are out to buy a sofa, how do you know what sofa to buy? Here are some tips on buying the right sofa for utility as well as home decor!

• Plan beforehand about where you want to put your new sofa and why you need it- only for decoration or for other functions too. There are many types of wooden sofa- some are upholstered and some are not. Know the features of these different types of sofa sets to determine your needs.
• Take the measurement of the space where you intend to place your new sofa. Measure the height and width of your doors as well as stairs too. You definitely do not want to renovate the whole house for a sofa.
• If you need a sofa to simply sit on, length ranging from 65 to 75 inches is enough for a room of average size.
• Check the quality of sofa that you consider for buying. The frame and sofa legs are most important factors in a wooden sofa for its durability as well as comfort.
• Ensure that the sofa frame is made of kiln-dried hardwood.
• See if the joints are properly attached or not. They should be glued, doweled and screwed for maximum security.
• Check for corners. Whether they are further strengthened with the help of reinforcing blocks. It is good for giving extra support.
• Although a plywood frame is considered of inferior quality but if your budget is tight and you decide to buy one, ensure it has at least eleven to thirteen layers of plywood.
• Wooden sofa is generally upholstered with fabric or leather for giving seating support and maximum comfort. Read tips for buying upholstered furniture and ensure that you get the best sofa for your home.
• Always check the sofa legs for ensuring whether they are sturdy or not? They should be joined in a well secured manner with the frame of sofa and should also be enough strong to take the bulky weight of sofa as well as people who will sit or sleep on it.

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Decorate Home with Handicrafts on Diwali

Diwali cleaning is over and now its time to decorate home for Diwali. Market is full with different and innovative handicrafts. Decorate your home with them. Here are some Diwali ideas for decorating home as well as performing rituals.

Laksmi Ganesha Jhula: How good they both look on a jhula. Get a handmade piece of swing with Diwali idols of Ganesha and Laksmi and place them at your pooja place. You and your guests, all will love that!

Personalized Photo Candle: A candle with a family picture on it! Great isn't it. Buy one to keep in your living room. I undersatand, you'll not be able to light it. Just decorate with it and buy other decorative candles for lighting your home.

Ganesh Wooden Wall Hanging: bring all luck to your home, bring a wall hanging of Ganesha or for that matter of goddess Lakshmi. You can give it as gift to your friends too. A great Diwali idea!

Decorative Diwali diyas: Decorate your living room with them. When lighted up they'll look fabulous. You can even use them as show pieces afterwords.

Wooden Trays and Bowls: Decorate your dining table with fabulous hand crafted wooden trays and bowls. Serve Diwali sweets to your guests in style too.

Handcrafted Table: Buy attractive furniture like a painted wooden handcrafted telephone table and keep it at the corner of your living room or bring a simple table to keep at the center and place all goodies for your guests.

Buy Handicrafts For Diwali Gifts online just by clicking the images.

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How to Choose the Right Wood Finish?

You are all set to start with your DIY project for wood finishing! Read on these tips to help you with the proper selection of wood finish for the results you want.

• Decide on such issues as to how the wooden product will be used? Whether it will be exposed to water, moisture or other such elements? Do you want the wood finish to be transparent, semitransparent, or opaque?
• Depending upon your requirements, buy the appropriate finish. For this, you must know the basics of wood finishes. Clear finishes give transparent looks and include varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based and shellac. Opaque finishes are paints, which come in various colors.
• Always read the information on the package label for additional help in selecting the right finish. Look at the finished samples available at many stores to get an idea of what the finish will look like.
• For exterior wood surfaces like siding and fascia boards, use a paint that is labeled for exterior use and preferably contains a fungicide.
• If you want to change the color of raw wood, use a wood stain. Wood stains also make inexpensive wood, such as pine, look more expensive (like cherry, oak, or mahogany)
• If you want a weatherproof finish such as for outdoor wood furniture, use wood stains made with sealers.
• Give thick finishes to the furniture in high-moisture or high-traffic areas. Examples of such furniture include your garden furniture or living room furniture. To get a thicker finish, go for wood varnish, polyurethane, lacquer, water-based finishes, shellac or paint. These can be applied in several layers on the wood surface. Oil finishes cannot build up layers and leave the wood surface more natural-looking.
• To bring out the beauty and the grain in wood, use oil finishes. They work more efficiently on hardwoods such as red oak, maple, cherry, and walnut.
• Use linseed oil finish only on interior projects and for restoring wood furniture with an existing linseed finish. You will find both- regular and boiled linseed oil. Use boiled linseed oil if you want shorter drying time.
• If you are finishing a wooden craft that has not been finished previously, you can use either danish or teak oils. Danish oil has comparatively low luster than teak oil.
• For non-toxic wood finish, like for butcher blocks or wooden toys, use mineral oil.
• For articles that are more exposed to moisture, use tung oil finish.
• For slightly glossy or flat appearance, use wax finish.

Whatever finish you choose, remember wooden finishes protect your wooden crafts and furniture apart from making them look good. So, give a finish that is appropriate to the wood surface and make them stay with you for a lifetime.

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Tips on Wooden Wardrobes and Cupboard Designs

A bedroom wardrobe or a cupboard is the second most priority after bed. In fact, cupboard designs are given more attention in the room's layout or bedroom remodeling than even beds. The wooden cupboard with traditional doors are still there in spite of large number of people going for modern cupboards with sliding doors and walk in wardrobes though the designs for such cupboards have undergone tremendous changes. All said and done, modern wooden wardrobe is a representation of beauty. However, if the functionality of the wardrobe is not kept in consideration, the purpose is lost. If you are up to a custom wardrobe, here are some tips to properly design your wardrobe and closets.

• The traditional door wardrobes have multiple doors. Use this space by having storage solutions behind each wardrobe door. It can be anything from rails to drawers and shelves.
• For the main section of cupboards, combine all- long drop rails, short drops, drawers and shelves of different widths and heights according to your requirements. For example, if you wear jeans all the time, then get more shelves than hanging space and if you mostly wear long dresses, then go for more hanging spaces.
• If you are fond of collecting footwear, get more shelves at lower part. You can even go for sliding shoe trays that can hold many pairs of shoes per shelf.
• Get handy sized drawers for your different storage needs - from jewelery to sweaters, blankets or bed linen. Keep the blanket drawer enough deep to store the things properly. If you like to collect watches, get a drawer of appropriate size with divisions.
• If you opt for sliding door wardrobe, then match the interior segments to the number of sliding doors. For example, three doors should have three or two interior segments to ensure easy opening of all the drawers.
• You can make the closets and wardrobes more beautiful transforming them into a mirror wall by using sliding mirrored doors. It will also save space that could have taken by the dressing table.
• Ensure that the slider mechanism works properly. A sliding door which comes off its tracks is a pain.
• If you prefer a walk-in wardrobe, keep the point number two in view and combine the hanging spaces, shelves and drawers as per your needs.
• Allow at least a meter from the ground for hanging jackets otherwise your clothes will keep dragging along the floor and collect dust.
• Try not to cover the clothes rails and shelves with doors in the walk-in wardrobes. These wardrobes are quite small rooms. If you have to open doors you will make the space more small. Instead of having doors, keep it open and dust regularly.

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Types of Wood Finishes

Who doesn't want to keep the relatively expensive wood furniture and other wood handicrafts for years? Wood is durable naturally but then it also gets affected by such factors as humidity, extreme temperatures, moisture, etc. Clear wood finishes protect wood from outer elements such as chemicals, extreme weather conditions and abrasion etc. They also make it shine and give a smooth, clean, and colored surface. There are two types of wood finishes- film forming finishes and penetrating or absorbing wood finishes. They can be water based finishes or oil finishes. To know all these types of wood finishes as well as for information about which wood finish is good for what purpose, read Wood Finishes

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Decorate and Bring Luck with Wood Sculpture

Sculptures and statues have always played an important part in home decor. It is, in fact, one of the oldest form of art which are found in excavations too. This goes to prove the love of human beings with sculptures. Wooden sculptures/ wood statues have always been appreciated equally by the art connoisseurs as well as home decorators. Apart from having value as a decorative, wood sculptures are also believed to bring luck by some of the astrological schools like 'vaastu shastra' and 'Feng Shui'. Lets see how wooden statues of deities, animal figurines and sculptures bring luck with them.

Importance of Statues in Vastu Decoration

According to Vastu Shastra- the ancient Indian school of home construction and decoration according to astrological attributes- main door is the most important part of any home. As such, it should always be clean and decorated with auspicious symbols. Following statues are recommended to be placed at the main door:

• Family deity: There are many Hindu gods and goddesses. Although Indian families worship almost all gods but there is one family deity (kul devta or kul devi) who is particularly worshiped as an ancestral legacy. Vaastu recommends the statue of this family deity to be placed at the main door.
• Sentinels or Guards: Two statues of soldiers (Prathiharis) at both the sides of door is believed to protect the home dwellers from any untoward event.
• Statue with Eight Holy Symbols: or Asthamangala is a statue seated on lotus flower wearing a sacred garland of eight auspicious symbols that include umbrella, pair of golden fish, conch, treasure vase, lotus, infinite knot, victory banner and wheel. It is considered very auspicious.
• Goddess Lakshmi: who is seated on lotus and well decorated, being bathed by elephants- is believed to bring prosperity to home.
• Cow: Well ornamented animal figurine of cow with her calf and flower garlands alo bring prosperity.

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Diwali Cleaning- Take Care of Antique Wood Furniture

Home cleaning is on an all time high! And why not? After all, its Diwali time! Cleaning of curtains, carpets, windows, doors, furniture- every nook and corner of the house- becomes a responsibility of everyone at home. Apart from cleaning all these household goods and amidst the mission of decorating home for a joyful Diwali, one comes at a sudden standstill- How to clean antiques? They need special treatment. They have to be cleaned as well as kept intact with their 'old' looks. How is it possible? Read How to Clean Antique Wood Furniture and know the secret!

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Tips for Choosing Wood Bar Stools

A barstool is not only for a bar. They can be seen everywhere- from restaurants and pubs to home kitchens, eating areas and of course bars. The most commonly prevalent barstool is the one that is made from wood. Although, metal stools are also liked by many people but wooden bar stools are still at number one position. The versatility, durability and their capability of blending with any kind of home decor, be it rustic, country or contemporary style have made wood bar stool furniture the favorite of home dwellers. Here are certain tips on getting the right bar stool for your use.

• The first and foremost factor for buying a barstool is its comfort which comes with the right height of the stool. The standard bar stools are 30 inches high (this is the distance from the floor to the seat). If the counter is higher than average, you may need to get taller spectator stools, which are 34 inches tall.
• The best way to get the right height of stool is to measure your bar and remember that the top of the seat should be 12 inches from the bottom of the bar for adequate legroom.
• Wooden bar stools come in different styles. Choose the one that goes with your home decor.
• If you have a traditional decor at your home, go for deeper and darker wooden stools with detailed backs and leg designs. Upholstered stools with dark colored fabric will match your home decor perfectly.
• For modern homes, choose contemporary stools that have finer lines and simpler shapes. Bright bold colors and even black and white goes well with modern decor. However, these stools mostly have hard seats without any seat pad.
• If your home has a more country like decor, go for the stools that have double-toned look, generally in a dark and a light contrast. You can yourself decide whether they should have hard or padded seats.
• Match the stool shapes also to blend it with your interior decor. Stools with saddle seats, high backs and armrests are more typical to traditional decor where as backless wood bar stools without arm rests give a more contemporary look. Swivel bar stools are also very popular and match well with traditional decor.
• If you wish to use your stools for various purposes, better get a stool with adjustable height and use it anywhere, in bar, kitchen or as counter stool.
• If you have a small apartment and face the problem of smaller space, get folding bar stool and use whenever required otherwise keep it folded and save space.

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Wooden Candle Holders – For All Purposes

Whether you want a subtle, soft and romantic decoration for your bedroom or want to give a unique experience to your guests by lighting up your driveway with candles or tea lights, you will find wooden candle holders for all purposes. Lets know what are the types of wood candle holders and what sets them apart from other candle holders!

Types of Wooden Candle Holders

From time immemorial, our ancestors had been using wooden candle holders. Such a long practice of making these pieces have refined the art of making hand carved wooden candle holders. In the ancient times, these candle holders were a necessity but with time, they have grown into art pieces. Now the wood is carved into different and interesting designs to match with all types of home decor.

Centerpiece Candle Holder: These are large candle holders, usually in shapes resembling chandeliers. They can be used on tables any where- in living room or on dining tables to give warmth to the whole atmosphere.

Ethnic Candle Holders: Pieces of wood are carved out in ethnic designs, such as African candle holders or Indian candle holders. The designs reflect the culture and traditions of the respective countries.

Outdoor Candle Holders: These are simply a log or large plank of wood, with large holes drilled into them to hold tea lights. They give extra charm to the outdoor decor of any house.

Floating Wooden Candle Bowls: The wooden bowls with or without stands make the floating candles tremendously attractive. The wood used for bowls are either left in their natural form with their pale shades or are painted with colors. Sometimes, carving is also done to make them more beautiful.

Contemporary Candle Holders: These wooden candle holders have interesting shapes and styles. They are mostly colored with fire resistant paints.

Whatever be the style of wooden candle holder, a right sized candle holder undoubtedly complement other pieces of furniture and accessories in a room. The most interesting fact is that they can be bought within any kind of budget. While the simple mass produced candle holders are cheap and readily available, the hand carved or turned candle holders are comparatively more expensive. So why wait, go grab a wooden candle holder according to your needs and make your whole surroundings beautiful.

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