09.27.07
The Five Don’ts of Buying Furniture
1. DON’T Start shopping until you have a good idea what you want! Prepare yourself by taking measurements, browsing catalogues and looking online before you hit the stores regardless if it’s bedroom or living room furniture.
2. DON’T Impulse Buy – You have to live with it for a long time, and you could be looking at spending a lot of money. Ask to take a photo on your mobile or digital camera, a sample of the fabric, and the measurements and go home and see if it’ll work in the room and you really want it.
3. DON’T Take an Entourage – the more opinions you get will lead to more confusion! Go with the other person you live with or a friend for a second opinion on if that table is big enough for the dining room, or if that sofa is the right colour for the lounge room.
4. DON’T Ignore the salespersons help – yes, they do want you to buy something, but remember, they also know a lot from what the product is made of to what the difference is between products and can decipher the codes and warranties.
5. DON’T Leave home without a tape measure! More often than not the dimensions will be there for you, but it’s Murphy’s law that the desk you want won’t have it’s measurements and all the staff are on lunch the second you walk in the furniture store.
09.21.07
Tips for buying a Sofa
Furniture can cost a lot of money. When you’re buying a sofa you need to know it’s going to last you years – both in durability and style.
Remember that although you would probably like to replace it in a couple of years, realistically people keep their sofa for at least ten.
Room size & décor
Consider the size of the room and the décor, and try to stick to that theme. What kind of room are you getting the couch for? A formal lounge area or a casual space that people can relax in? Would a modern leather sofa match what else you’ve got or would a chaise lounge look better?
Measurements
Before you purchase – do all the measurements! Firstly measure the space to so you know what size sofa you want. Secondly, measure things like doorways and consider how you are going to get it in the room – will it fit up the staircase and through the door frame? Are the legs removable?
Colours
When thinking of colours – think of your lifestyle! Light colours look great, but if you’ve got small children they can be a recipe for disaster. Patterned and coloured fabric sofas will hide stains better.
Small areas
For smaller house, try an armless sofa. That little bit of extra space can fit another person on and, without arms, can usually be a good make shift bed for unexpected visitors.
09.14.07
Stain removing tips
Red wine – white cushion – just the thought of them mixing is enough to make you cringe. Sometimes it seems like wine, coffee and pasta sauce are a magnet for your light coloured carpets, white sofas and linen.
First step is to minimise the damage:
Act immediately! The more you get off before it dries, the more likely it’ll come off
If it’s a solid, remove all you can by scooping it up with a spoon. Start with the outside as starting in the middle will spread the stain, then follow on with the next step.
For liquids, Blot the area, do not rub! Rubbing spreads the sofa stain and pushes it further into the fibres. Use absorbent paper towels or a fabric cloth – just make sure the cloth is already clean.
If you drop something dry, like an ashtray for example, vacuum the area then brush it with your hand.
Once you’ve gotten rid of any excess you can use a stain removal product, blotting carefully from the outside ring into the centre, and follow the recommended instructions.
If you haven’t used the product on the fabric before, do a quick spot test on a part of the fabric that is unseen, like on the back of a sofa cushion, to check the stain remover wont discolour the fabric and leave you with something worse. Dry the area (a hairdryer with a ‘cool’ setting does a great job) then if you are still left with visible markings, use the stain remover again.
09.07.07
Fabric Furniture Tips
For fabric based furniture, like chairs and sofas, proper care can keep them looking better for longer.
When you vacuum your house – vacuum fabric furniture too. The build up of dust and dirt on your furniture will create markings and discolouration.
Rotate cushions on sofas and mattresses on beds to get an even wear of the fabric.
Choosing fabrics that are removable and machine washable will also mean you can clean it properly. If they aren’t removable, you may be able to steam clean them using a carpet cleaner – but check the manufacturers specifications first.
Airing cushions will keep them fresh and remove any stale smells.
Have some good quality stain remover on hand for unexpected accidents and read our blog on stain removing tips!
