12.27.07
Tips On Cleaning Your New Leather Sofa!
A brand new leather sofa should come with a well detailed instruction manual on how to clean your leather sofa. It is very important that you refer to the manufacturer’s advice and key points before you start cleaning. It is also best to do a test run like at the back of your leather sofa, to test for colorfastness. If you are still unsure, contact the sofa manufacturer or a professional cleaning company.
General sofa cleaning:
To maintain your leather sofa, use a good quality soap, such as Dove. Use the soap on a soft dish cloth and wipe the sofa to remove dirt. Be careful not to soak the leather too much, and do not rinse after washing, as this will totally ruin your sofa. Gently dabbing with a soft dry cloth allows the moisturizing soap to condition the leather. For best results try and polish the sofa to get that brand new look.
Feed your leather:
Use an over the counter good leather conditioner which you can find in most furniture stores or supermarkets. To get the best results, rub the conditioner in a circular motion, covering the entire surface. Rub the conditioner in thoroughly and let it settle for about 10/15 minutes, then buff the sofa with a soft cloth to bring a shine to the sofa’s surface.
Cleaning Products: liquids:
Some water-based liquids will stain your leather sofa. For this problem, simply dab up as much of the liquid as possible. Be careful not to rub it as you will risk spreading the spillage to other areas of the sofa; therefore creating a much bigger job for yourself. Keep keep dabbing your sofa until the cloth comes back completely dry and then let the leather air dry.
Butter/Grease stains:
If you have a butter or grease stain on your..lets assume ‘new’ leather sofa, do not use water to clean it! Dab the spill until the cloth comes back dry. After you have done this, allow the stain to settle over a day or two before going back to it. The oil will settle in the leather and will not be very noticeable. If the stain is still visible, try using a leather sofa cleaner which you can at any supermarket or sofa store.
Pen Ink stains:
If you have children…you will be no stranger to seeing pen ink all over your furniture…..A good way of removing ink stains from your leather sofa is to dip some cotton wool or even a cotton bud in some alcohol or vinegar and then rub it over the stained spot, then dry the area with a blow dryer or a fan. If the stain is still visible after the drying, you may want to try using some really cheap acetone-free nail polish remover, rub a small amount over the ink stain with a soft cloth. The stain should disappear instantly.
The Finish:
To keep your leather sofa in tip tip top condition, any leather cleaning should generally be followed by a quick application of quality leather conditioning cream; which again you can buy from any supermarket or sofa store
12.20.07
Choosing Leather Armchairs
There’s something special about a big leather armchair. They scream opulence and style, and never seem to go out of fashion. Leather sofas have had a great resurgence of late, and the past couple of years has seen a flood of large chunky, square armchairs hit the furniture market in luxurious warm colours. It’s a clear step away from the bright, cool 60’s mod inspired leather sofas which have been making their mark since the 90s.
What colour leather armchair would you chose?
Depending on your home, choose the colour of your armchair accordingly. Modern homes look great with black, brighter red shades and white leather, whist more traditional or ‘country’ style homes suit the rich warm colours like browns, warm cherry reds and dark greens.
What style armchair would you chose?
The chunky square style armchairs may not go with everyone’s décor, but no doubt there is a different one to suit your home. The great thing about leather furniture is they really last. Leather is extremely durable and can take a lot of abuse from children and pets. Stains are less likely as you can wipe spills off immediately, and they look great with age.
If you’re looking for something lovely to curl up and read a book on this winter I’d thoroughly recommend one of the following brown leather armchairs.
Left: Carmen Leather Armchair @ SofaSofa £199
Right: Hector Leather Chair @ John Lewis £795
12.19.07
Thousands move house for a good school
Forget moving house because you’ve found the house of your dreams in an area you love – thousands of people are moving home so their children can go to a better school!
The decision to move home is quite a big one – there are many factors to consider including areas, costs, the proximity of the house to your workplace, home design and then finding a house you love.
The most common reason for changing address is the need for more space. However, 70,000 people are moving home so as their children can receive a better standard of education. They look for properties which fall within the catchment area of their ideal schools.
Many parents are desperate to secure their children a place at a good school and are even prepared to take on a higher mortgage for the privilege.
Many deliberately move house to be near a better school and are bitterly disappointed when they are told that their children have not been accepted. This has lead to appeals and complaints from exasperated family members.
One expectant mother was reported to have approached parents, asking them to recommend areas that she should move to in order to secure a good school for her unborn child.
One family made the decision to move from a beautiful three bedroom Victorian house in the north of London to a smaller house in a catchment area simply because the local primary school had a 35% target level in Key Stage 2 assessment tests.
A house move for educational reasons can be a costly process – especially once you get a couple of removal quotes – but on the upside, good schools have a reputation for being situated in a good neighbourhood with a lower crime rate and a cleaner environment.
12.10.07
The Future Of Furniture Looks Modern?
Now that we are in the era of modern living, there seems to be a steady influx of futuristic and shall I say “different” looking household and living room furniture that is starting to appear on the market, which are affordable to some and not so affordable to others. More of us are now starting to turn our places of sanctuary into something you more or less see in a Ikea or the Littlewoods catoulouge, which to some can get people thinking ‘that must cost a few bob’ to do. Though some of us often day dream of designing our next home looking very sheek and modelesque, the most important question that may come to a few of our minds is ‘How much is creating a contemporary home going to cost me?’.
There are many different means to styling your home such as rural, urban, expensive, cheap, contemporary or retro at prices that do not aim to dig a deep hole in your bank balance. All you need to do is ‘Shop Smart‘, in my opinion (and I hope most of you agree!) means shopping around for those all furniture sales which will add those desired effects that you are looking for in your home. Shopping at car boot sales, charity shops, clearance furniture sales and online furniture sites can leave you with you jaw wide open as you will realize that you do not have to give in to those extortionate prices you often see at those up-market furniture stores.
Take the Ideal Home Show for example, these are exhibitions that will give you a few ideas on how to style your home and also shows you the diverse range of furniture that you can buy to help you on your way to achieving your goal of completely re-designing your home. Even taking notes at these exhibitions can get you thinking that your the new up and coming interior designer ready to grace our TV screens!
Watching leading lifestyle shows such as House Doctor, Front of House, How To Rescue a House or Colin and Justin’s Home Show can open your mind to various design ideas which in turn could lead to that sought after ‘warped into the future’ effect! So instead of spending nearly over £100 on a futuristic looking lamp or £50 on a set of blinds, shop around and keep your eyes peeled for those low priced furniture deals that could turn your home into a new, young and vibrant pad.
