Buying a mattress

Buying a mattress, even ten years ago, was very different to how it is now. Back then, you had a few big suppliers based on retail trading estates out of town, where tired salesman would tell you the same mattress was bouncy or firm based on what he thought you wanted to hear. If you took but ended up not liking it, the returns process was rarely simple, with shipping costs and days at home waiting for a van and two burly blokes to bring your mattress down the stairs. Even with the online revolution booming, no one was buying mattresses online, as the logistics of shipping a cumbersome and heavy product had not really been mastered.

This has now changed, with the likes of Eve Mattress coming up with a solution for shipping them. With the vacuumed packaging, you can even get in delivered to the office and bring it home, something you could not do previously. Not only that, but the option of a 100 night mattress trial has also paved the way for you to feel completely happy with your new bedfellow and if you are not the returns process has become simple and convenient.

With many of the new start ups today such as Uber or AirBnB, you hear of the concept of ‘disruption’ in the industry. The likes of Eve and Simba have brought a new way to buy a mattress that you are happy with. The revolution has in this instance brought benefits to the consumer, with some prices lowering as a result as well, it’s never been a better time to make improvements to your sleep.

Decorate a Bay Window

To decorate a bay window, you first need to determine what style the overall room is in which you have the bays. This process might seem relatively easy, but there is a great deal of work and planning involved, especially since this type of window basically transforms the whole look of your room. Curtains, shutters, shades and valances are among some of the most popular ways to decorate windows, but you can also add other kinds of accessories around the bay in order to enhance its overall elegance. Depending on the room that the bay window is located, you might consider adding furniture around the immediate area, especially if the glass is rather large. Before you purchase any decorative accents for the windows, it is important that you plan everything out in advance so that you do not waste time or money.

Window Theme and Style

Before you even start to decorate a bay window, you first need to determine what the overall theme and style is of the particular room. If you are building windows within in an existing room of the home, then you have the option of sticking with the existing theme that you already have for the area. However, if you are in a new home, or just want to start to decorate from scratch, then you will need to come up with a more detailed plan.

First, you will want to consider the room and what its purpose is before you decorate a bay window. Windows in a bedroom or sitting area will likely be decorated in a relaxing way with cool solid colours. A dining room or library might stand to use more accessories, and you can also experiment with more colours and patterns.

Curtains, Shutters and Accessories

Depending on where your windows are located, you might choose to leave them plain, especially if the area does not face a street or other home. However, many homeowners have to worry about privacy, so it is important that you keep this factor in mind before you decorate a bay window. Still, this does not mean that you should decorate with heavy and boring stuff that will take away from the beauty of the space. Instead, you can choose elegant accessories that can allow you to put curtains in place, while still giving your home the privacy it needs.

Before purchasing curtains, you will want to double check the measurements of the bay before you decorate them. You might also consider getting shutters to put behind the curtains if you want to utilise them for sunlight control. The types of curtain rods and brackets you choose can also make or break the overall theme of the windows, so you should shop around. You can buy bay window shutters by visiting www.cheapshutters.co.uk/our-products/bay-window-shutters/ at affordable prices. Continue reading →

Storage Solutions for a Small Bathroom

There’s no denying it: our bathroom looks at its best when it’s clean. tidy and organised – the key to keeping it that way is clever storage solutions.

A small bathroom doesn’t have to be an ugly bathroom, some of the best designs I have seen in recent times have been smaller rooms. And the one thing that all of these beautiful small bathroom designs have in common is that they have made the most of the space they have. A good storage solution is as stylish as it is practical.

Below I have dished up a selection of my favourite small bathroom storage solutions and dig into why each idea is worth inclusion in your small bathroom.

Combination Unit

Combination units are perfect for small bathrooms because they combine 3 essential bathroom fixtures into one compact unit. Combination units typically consist of a back-to-wall WC, a bathroom storage cabinet and integrated basin. The bathroom cabinet is also usually designed so it can sit either side of the toilet for ease of use. Combination units are a stylish solution that work well in either cloakroom and downstairs bathrooms. Continue reading →

How to Install Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a wonderful and cost-effective option for flooring because it so closely resembles hardwood and tile. Generally, it is a fairly easy to moderate “do it yourself” (DIY) project that is beneficial for a number of reasons; cleaning becomes easier with laminate hardwood flooring; it can be more aesthetically pleasing; and it can add value to a home. Laminate flooring products are also very popular in environments that need to be kept extremely free of dust and allergens that can lead to respiratory discomfort.

Here is a basic guide if you decide to move forward with the laminate flooring installation process. Please remember that this is a general guide to give an overview of the installation process. Remember to always follow the recommended installation methods provided by the flooring manufacturing when they differ from this guide.

Evaluate your current flooring

Determine whether or not you are able to put the laminate wood or laminate tile over your current flooring. Although most laminate floors are considered floating (in order to allow for expansion and contraction from temperature and humidity changes), some underlying surfaces can leave laminate floors looking uneven. There have been reports of installing wood laminate flooring over very thin carpeting, such as indoor/outdoor carpeting used on patios, however, many manufacturer’s recommend full removal of existing flooring (unless it is cement). Even thin carpeting can have areas that can cause peaks or valleys in laminate wood flooring and laminate tile flooring. For the best results, subflooring should be flat, providing a solid base for your new laminate wood flooring.

If you decide to remove old carpeting, follow these quick steps, pre-installation:

Grab the carpeting from a corner in the room and pull from the tack strip.
Cut a 3 foot strip with a utility knife and roll.
Continue cutting 3 ft. strips until the carpet is removed and then proceed to remove the carpet padding with the same steps.

Prepare for installation.

Fill any holes and level all bumps or lumps.
Carefully remove all baseboard (if necessary). The drywall may not meet the floor in some areas. If this occurs, create a solid wall surface with a 2- to 3-inch wide facing strip of ¼“ plywood slid in between the subfloor and drywall.
Measure the area you want to cover and add approximately 10-20 percent to account for waste (generally caused by mis-cuts). To avoid ending up with an unusually narrow board at the finish wall, measure the distance between the starting and ending walls. Divide by the width of the board. To balance the room, add the amount left over to the plank width and divide by two.
Generally you will need to wait 24-48 hours to let the laminate flooring material acclimate to the humidity and temperature of the room. Remove any plastic wrapping material from the boxes and lay them flat on the floor with enough space around to allow for air flow. (Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines!)
Check the height of the new floor against all doors that open into the room before you install your flooring. You don’t want to end up with another project on your hands!

Install the flooring

Keep in mind that exact laminate flooring installation may vary according to the type of laminate floors you choose.

1. There are many variations of vapor barrier and padding with vapor barrier attached. If installing on a concrete slab you will need a vapor barrier. Begin by laying the vapor barrier and/or padding one row at a time from the longest wall of the room. Joining the underlayment together varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, some will have you butt each row against the next and others will have you overlap rows. Always follow the instructions from your specific manufacturer!

2. If you choose to leave the door jambs in place you may need to trim the bottom of the jamb to allow the laminate flooring material to slide under it for a clean appearance. Lay a piece of the laminate flooring flat on the subfloor against the door jamb and use a “flat” saw or a coping saw resting on the laminate flooring to cut the door jamb, parallel to the subfloor.

3. Installation of the first row will vary depending on your specific application (room dimensions, any designs in the flooring, etc.), however it is generally thought of as a best practice to begin installing the first row parallel to the longest wall in the room. Place a laminate flooring spacer (approximately ½” thick) against the wall every 12 inches and push the first flooring plank against them. This allows for the expansion and contraction of the flooring and provides a solid base during installation. Don’t worry, these gaps will later be covered by the baseboard.

4. For each plank match the locking mechanism and lock the flooring into each adjoining plank. Note – There are many different manufacturers of laminate flooring and almost as many different locking mechanisms. Please be 100% sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the locking process. It may be necessary to use a tapping block to securely lock each plank together, again, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.

5. When installing subsequent rows you will want to stagger the joints. When installing a new row, offset it six to eight inches so the joints at the ends of the planks are not lined up row to row (which can weaken the floor and create a too-uniform look).

6. The last plank will generally need to be trimmed to fit. To mark the width of the last plank, place a laminate flooring plank directly over the next to last plank, and place another plank on top of that. Slide the top plank to the flooring spacers along the wall and mark the middle plank down the middle with a pencil. This will give you the width of the last plank. Rip cut the plank along this line and install.

7. Enjoy your new laminate flooring!

Why you should choose laminate flooring for your home

When choosing a flooring for your home it’s important to consider all of the benefits that the floor type can offer. The most reliable and cost effective form of flooring to choose would be laminate flooring.

Laminate flooring is made up of four layers consisting of the backing, core, image and wear layer. The wear layer is made up of wood on a vinyl board followed by the protective layer over the top.

Kinder to your wallet than solid wood and in some cases, carpets, laminate flooring lasts for a prolonged amount of time, meaning you wouldn’t have to replace it for years. It also offers the ability to retain its colour, even when exposed to sunlight, so if you’re looking for a reliable floor that can be used in rooms with high light exposure, laminate is a strong contender. Laminate also proves to be resistant to stains, impacts and scratches, so would be an ideal choice for families, as well as being best at use in high traffic areas such as hallways and or kitchens.

Because of its lower price, laminate flooring is also very simple to install. With its tongue and groove click system there isn’t any need for added extras, as laminate flooring floats, meaning it doesn’t need to be glued or nailed down. Because of this, your floor could be installed in a considerably shorter time than other wood flooring, allowing you to focus on other tasks on your to-do list. Continue reading →

From Mundane to Insane – Amazing Furniture from Film & TV

When is a basic brown couch not so basic? The answer is easy: when it becomes part of the set of a film or television series, of course! But we aren’t just giving you a bunch of brown couches to ooh and ahh over. From the War Room Table to a chair that could set you back $30,000 for a replica, there are plenty of interesting furniture choices to check out. If you’re renovating a living room or an office, you never know — your inner film buff could be leading you to a whole new look! Check out this cool infographic compiled by Oldrids…

Add Beauty To Your Home With French Furniture

You want your home to look beautiful. You also want your space to have a classic and elegant look.

Many people have an idea of what they want when it comes to the look of their furniture, but they don’t really know what types of furniture will help them to achieve that look.

Perhaps the best way to elevate the look of your home is to add French furniture. This type of furniture has a unique style that you just can’t find anywhere else, and it is able to transform just about any room of the house. If you are looking to add something to your bedroom, the French bed is the perfect option.

These beds are comfortable and unmistakable when you see them. Another option that you might want for your bedroom is a chaise lounge. If you have a large enough room, you could have the French bed and the chaise lounge in the same space.

For those who have smaller bedrooms, this will look cluttered. Always maximize the potential of the space no matter what type of furniture you are choosing.

You might want to add a few other pieces of French furniture as well. An armoire is a wonderful addition to any bedroom. If you want to give the impression that the space is larger than it is, consider adding a mirror. You don’t have to stop there either, in fact we love French Furniture so much that we would even recommend adding it to all the other rooms in the house – ok maybe that is one step to far but you get the point… we love French furniture.

You do have to be careful though when you are choosing your bedroom and living room furniture as you are going to be spending a lot of time in these rooms, so it has to be right for you and for the space that you have.

A lot of people don’t know that there are also many different sub-styles of furniture that exist, and you should always choose styles that are complimentary to one another and from the same period.

For example: Baroque furniture and Neo-Classical furniture have a very different look, and they probably aren’t going to look great together! You should therefore choose one of the sub-styles that appeals to you and then choose the rest of your furniture from there.

Many different contemporary options are available as well. Finding the right French furniture for your home is easier than ever today. Even if you don’t have a large furniture store in your area, you will be able to get all of the information you need from the web. You can find stores online that have pictures of the different styles of furniture so you can get a true sense of what they look like. French furniture can add that needed “something” for your home. Check out some of the fantastic French Furniture on Mustard Monkey and let us know what you like!

Isn’t it about time you started enjoying your conservatory again?

After several years, the conservatory often becomes a neglected room in the house, a glassed-off area where the kids used to play. Perhaps it has even become a second storage area, rather than a room where you can relax in the sun.

So what can you do to reclaim your conservatory as a room to enjoy?

Give it a clean

With so much glass, the walls and roof of your conservatory will get dirty quite quickly. Not only does this grime look unsightly, but it also impairs the flow of sunlight into the room.

Get your local window cleaner to give your conservatory a good scrub twice a year to remove the dirt. This simple and cost-effective fix will immediately improve the look and feel of your conservatory. So much so, you will naturally want to spend more time in there.

Get some blinds fitted

Occasionally the sun is just too bright, particularly in the summer months. The glare and heat can turn your conservatory into an uncomfortable greenhouse – certainly not somewhere you want to spend an extended period of time.

The answer may be to have some pleated blinds fitted from Thomas Sanderson. Conservatory blinds can be carefully adjusted to minimise glare so that you get the right amount of light and heat to keep the room comfortable. And if you’re comfortable, you’re more likely to enjoy your conservatory. Pleated conservatory blinds are also a relatively inexpensive investment that will improve the overall appearance of your conservatory.

Add a mirror or two

If your conservatory feels small and cramped, try adding a mirror or two to the back wall. You should find that by reflecting more light through the structure, you also create the impression of a larger room.

Even if you don’t actually gain any more physical space, the illusion should make your conservatory a more pleasant place in which to relax. If you are looking to create a more enjoyable environment inside your conservatory, mirrors are a quick and affordable improvement that can be completed within minutes.

Upgrade your glazing

Your conservatory is bound to be warm and comfortable in summer, but what about during the winter when sunshine is much weaker? The type of glazing fitted and your conservatory blinds could have a significant impact on the temperature of the room. It could also be increasing your heating costs over the winter.

You could improve the conditions inside your conservatory by upgrading your current glazing to a newer, more efficient design. Obviously this is costly, but it may add additional value to your conservatory as well as cutting your household bills.

Add a plant

It may sound strange, but adding houseplants not only makes your conservatory look better, but it may also help improve your own wellbeing. According to studies by the University of Michigan, plants help create a calmer atmosphere that improves memory performance and attention span.

With a few potted plants, your conservatory becomes more enjoyable and lower your stress levels. A great value investment!

Making your conservatory a room you enjoy spending time is again could actually be a lot simpler than you thought. And then you know you have the perfect place to relax as the summer sun enters the panes of glass, and you can enjoy a nice glass of wine and listen to the bird song of an evening.

Entertaining guests becomes a whole lot easier when you make the most of your conservatory, even if the weather turns a bit grey, you can bring the party inside, safe in the knowledge you can take shelter in the conservatory, without having to disrupt the pleasure of enjoying the company of your friends and family.

So make sure you make the most of your conservatory this year.

Furniture Tips

Bedroom, Kitchen, Bathroom furniture guide