Price Includes: 1 x Chest, Dresser, Mirror, Nightstand, Bed (RAILS NOT INCLUDED)
Hertland Pine Full/ Queen Set
Price Includes: 1 x Chest, Dresser, Mirror, Nightstand, Bed (RAILS NOT INCLUDED)
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If you have an oversized living room, you probably feel like you just have a lot of wasted space that is not being used to its full potential. It just makes sense to section off an area as a separate “”room.”” This allows the living room to feel a little cozier, and it gives you the opportunity to create that reading nook you have wanted for so long. This is a lot easier to pull off than you might think.
Pick a Corner – Picking a corner may be more challenging than you thought it would be. If you have a window near a corner it would certainly be nice to look outside and see the snow falling or the birds taking turns in the bird bath. However, if it is the living room’s only windows you probably don’t want it hidden from the rest of the room.
Isolate the Space – Room dividers make it very easy to essentially create a separate room from the main space. You can also suspend curtain rods from the ceiling and make or buy floor-to-ceiling curtains. You could even make them with different fabric on each side, so you can decorate your nook differently than the rest of the room.
Comfortable Seating – The seating you choose should be something you can get really cozy in. For a larger nook, a bean bag sofa sure would be nice. If you prefer to sit on or near the floor, Jaxx makes a few seating options you may be interested in, such as the Five Points Lounger, Futon Hippo, and Nest.
Corner Fireplaces – You will never want to leave your nook, if you have a fire to relax next to. As their name implies corner fireplaces simply nestle right into a corner. Some even let you turn the heat off, so you can enjoy the ambiance of a realistic flame year-round.
End Table – You definitely need a small table, so you have something to put your lamp and beverage on. If you get a floor lamp, you could consider a coffee table instead. It just depends on how much space you have. Of course, you could always go with a nightstand, so you have a drawer to hide your secret stash of snacks.
Small Fountain – If there are other people in the home who may want to watch the TV in the living room while you are using the nook, a small fountain you will come in handy. The sound of cascading water will help mask the noise from the TV.
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“What do you do with that small spare room, the one that’s not quite big enough to be a full-size bedroom? Often this room is used as a child’s room or a home office (often with an awkward furniture arrangement). Sometimes it becomes a dumping ground for extra stuff. Here, design professionals offer advice on getting the most from these tricky spaces.
Play with reflections. This is a classic trick and one that can be invaluable in a tiny room, especially when it’s a well-used living space. “Add mirrors to help expand the space, creating an illusion that the space expands beyond the room,” Letiche Black of Amberth says.
Directing a mirror toward the view beyond the window can increase this effect, adding an airy feel as well as an optical illusion.
Give it a purpose. In many cases the difficulties in decorating a spare room — the room you wouldn’t be sure whether to count as a bedroom or a study if you were selling your home — stem from the ambiguity of the space.
“One challenge clients often face is to know what the room’s function is,” says Charlotte Ford of Cotton Tree Interiors. “They are often unsure of what it should be used for.” It can also be tricky to create sufficient storage and give a dinky space a focal point.
Ford suggests furnishing a guest bedroom with a daybed. “The room can then be used as a private study the rest of the time but still look stylish,” she says. “Your daybed can be dressed up with cushions and pretty throws when it’s not being used.”
Color with care. “Once you know how the space will be used,” Black says, “you can start thinking about colors and whether you will opt for a darker shade for a more intimate feel, or brighter tones for a more open, airy approach.”
If your spare room is blessed with an abundance of natural light, paint it white to boost the airy effect and eliminate any cooped-up feeling. Keeping furniture and decor pared down and using pieces you can see through will add to the free-flowing feel.
But if you’re dealing with a windowless or dark room, it will never look light. White paint in this situation risks appearing gray and dull — so go the other way with a bold, moody or quirky look.
Embrace maximalist decor. “Small spaces make great areas in which to be more creative,” Ford says. “Go overboard with wallpaper and cover all the walls — even have the same design on the curtains.”
Spare rooms are often used as kids’ rooms. This space also shows how nicely bunk beds can boost the usage of space in a small area.
“It’s all about fitting everything you need into a small space without impacting on how you physically move around the room,” says Diana Greenhalgh of My Bespoke Room.
Focus on the features. “Embrace original features, which will add depth to the space,” Black says. Here, though the fireplace takes up space, it adds visual interest, making this little living room feel substantial rather than appear to be a featureless little box.
Note, too, how effective that large mantelpiece mirror is at seemingly expanding the room’s dimensions. Skipping window treatments, if you can, will also keep a small room feeling more open. If you have good-looking windows such as these, all the more reason to keep them bare.
Get on up. Greenhalgh advises using the space in a spare room vertically as well as horizontally. “Keep the larger surface area of the bed near the top of the room so you have more free floor space,” she says.
JADO DECOR PTY LTD
Pimp out your storage. Built-in storage — if you can squeeze it in — is a fantastic way to pack extra space into a tiny bedroom. Adding a wall of mirrored doors takes the humble fitted wardrobe to a whole new level in this small sleep space, exploiting Black’s mirror trick to the max. The black and white striped rug provides another optical illusion, appearing to stretch the floor away from the bed.
Round things out. “Try to understand exactly how you will use the space and design around that, defining each area with real purpose,” Black says. “A round table in a corner works well in a square room. Not only will it fit neatly, it will help to create a better flow within the space.”
Downsize your bed. To make the most of the space, use appropriately sized furniture and try not to overcrowd the room, Ford says. If you can’t comfortably fit a double bed into the room, go smaller.
Cabbages & Roses Ltd
Hang it up. “If there really isn’t space for a wardrobe,” Ford says, “think about using some decorative hooks and lovely fabric hangers, just enough for a guest to hang one or two items.” She also suggests choosing a bed with a base so that suitcases and other bulky items can be hidden beneath it.
Dig in. When you don’t have the luxury of being able to encroach on the livable space in a room with protruding shelves, why not dig into a wall to create storage niches? Here, architectural interest has been added too, which, as Black has suggested, creates depth in rooms that can otherwise be featureless.
Do get an expert to check out your walls first to see whether they’re suitable, as this won’t work on every type.
Employ the “two’s company” rule. A home study or office can be a fantastic way to make the most of a spare room. But to avoid feeling cramped while you work, Greenhalgh advises, use two full walls but leave the others completely free. “This balances functionality and ergonomics,” she says. “The desk should also be positioned at the small end to create the feel you’re lengthening the space.”
Create a feature wall. Black explains why carefully positioned wallpaper in a square space is such a clever trick. “It focuses the eye to one particular wall, drawing you into the space and changing how you see the shape of the room,” she says.
Claire Stevens Interior Design
Add depth. Finding the right colors for the walls in a small bedroom can be challenging, as you try to inject depth into the room, Black says. In an otherwise plain room, details such as a striking landscape painting that draws you toward a point in the distance, and structurally interesting shutters, as seen here, can create a sense of depth where there was none.
The challenge of these rooms, Black says, is that “you have to consciously think about every little detail, as the space won’t give any natural clues.”
Choose clever furniture. Not only should you consider choosing downsized versions of regular furniture to make more of a little room, Greenhalgh says, but you should also seek out furniture that does more than one thing.
This narrow bed is also a desk, a shelf and a bedside perch, and it houses a spare bed as well.”
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According the Oxford English Dictionary, if you “turn the tables” on someone, it is generally understood that you have reversed the fortunes in your favor to some capacity, so as to “reverse one’s position relative to someone else, especially by turning a position of disadvantage into one of advantage.” Useful saying, especially for motivational halftime speeches at sporting events, but where does it come from?
Believe it or not, from board games!
Backgammon and similar games belong to a class of board games referred to as “tables,” a general name given to games played on a board with dice. If the game wasn’t going in your favor, you would have to “turn” them, figuratively, if you wanted to win. You can’t actually “turn the tables” in a game of backgammon, although that would be nice. The phrase is a metaphor, a substitute for the common idea of a “comeback,” because you would have to reverse the board/the players’ current positions/situations in order to change the outcome.
While not as directly relevant to the meaning of the phrase in today’s language, there’s also a hint of this phrase, at least in terms of the words themselves, found amongst old-school dinner party procedures. To prevent anyone from being excluded from conversation, the host would choose a direction (typically the right) and speak with the person to that side of him/her. Everyone else was to follow suit, until the host “turned the tables” halfway through the meal, at which point everyone then switched their focus to the person on the opposite side.
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“Gone are the days when we used to cut out pictures from interior design magazines and filed them away for future use. Today, technology has invaded nearly every aspect of our lives, including home décor and design. So whether you are buying furniture for your living room, choosing paint colors for your dining room, or simply looking for ideas to do up your kid’s room, you can rely on technology to help you achieve the best possible results.
Here are some of the top apps in the home decor and design space today. Don’t forget to check them out before you plan your next home renovation project!
Color Smart
Want to paint your bedroom in the colors of the painting you fell in love with, but not sure how it will look on your walls? Simply click a photo of the room and upload it on the free Color Smart app (available on both iOS and Android), and the app will come up with a color scheme for you based on the image. What’s more, you can also apply colors to the photo of the room you wish to paint so that you can see how it looks with the new colors.
Houzz
Looking for inspiration to do up the rooms of your new home? The Houzz app (available on both iOS and Android for free), with its hundreds of thousands of photos of nearly every type of room and product, is just what the doctor ordered. The app also includes a directory of architects, designers and contractors in your area.
Snapshop
Ever bought a piece of furniture only to realize that it doesn’t go along well with the rest of your home décor? Say goodbye to such problems with the free Snapshop iPhone app, which uses augmented reality to help you visualize furniture in any room you choose. All you need to do is hold up your phone and drag and drop furniture from the app’s catalog so that it appears as if it is in your room. You can even click a photo and share it with your friends via email.
Mark On Call
Planning to remodel your home yourself? Use the Mark On Call app from famous interior designer, Mark Lewison, to play around with your floor plans. Not only does it replicate actual measurements, it also allows you to take photos of finishes, fabrics, countertops or flooring so that you can skin them onto virtual surfaces to see whether they look good together or not. It is available on both iOS and Android platforms.
Homestyler
The Autodesk Homestyler, available on both iOS and Android, is a one-stop solution to most common design concerns that homemakers have. This free app allows users to snap pictures of rooms and place high quality 3D models of real furniture in them, hang light fixtures from the virtual ceilings, or add paintings and mirrors to the walls. You can also browse the Design Stream for inspiration, share your favorite designs with friends and family on Facebook and via email, and connect with professional designers in your area.”
“Sometimes the way to improve a room isn’t to buy new furniture: It’s to rearrange pieces you already own.
Interior designers can spend hours creating the best furniture plan for a room, balancing practical considerations and creative risk-taking.
Changing up the placement of your furniture can make a massive difference. Adding, subtracting or relocating furniture, affects how natural light plays in the space and also how frequently the room gets used. By simply adding a bench to a wall, a room can become more of a hangout. Removing a few pieces to create more space “”can make it feel a bit more casual and informal.
How do professionals map out a furniture plan, choosing the best location for each item?
ANALYZE YOUR SPACE
Begin by deciding how the room will be used. Is it a living room used mainly for TV watching or socializing? Does the space have two roles, such as a home office that doubles as a guest room? Or is it a playroom, where the priority is open space and maximum storage?
In a new home, knowing the answer can take time. It’s important to live in a space for a few weeks or months before assigning it a space plan so that you truly get a sense for how you’ll use it. Then decide on your seating capacity and find a way to maximize it without sacrificing visual balance.
Consider any quirks: Are there lots of windows or doors? Unique architectural items such as a fireplace or beautiful windows with a view? A particular piece of furniture or art that you want visitors to notice?
Depending on the answers, choose one “”standout feature”” and then arrange furniture in a way that highlights it.
Also, lighting can direct a furniture plan. Is there a lot of natural light or will you need plenty of lamps? Are there built-in sconces or a central chandelier?
MEASURE AND DRAW
Even if you’ve got a general plan in mind, measuring the space and creating a scaled drawing with exact measurements of every piece you’re planning to include. Don’t skimp on empty space. always allow a minimum of 18 inches between sofas and coffee tables and 3 to 5 feet for walk spaces. The flow and negative space in a room is as important as the overall function and the furniture”” because it makes the space feel more open, uncluttered and inviting. Consider the size and placement of rugs. Don’t imagine designing a living-room space with a rug any smaller than an 8-by-10. The rug is meant to unify the entire space and connect furniture pieces together, so a good rule of thumb is that at least the front legs of any sofas or chairs in the living room should be on the rug. For a larger area rug, allow at least 18 inches from the edge of the rug to the wall.
In very large rooms or loft spaces, rugs can help define small areas and make the space feel organized.
To keep everything balanced while visually separating each zone, use area rugs in coordinating colors with slightly different textures and patterns.
KNOW THE RULES, THEN CONSIDER BREAKING THEM
Some rules are important, leave at least 36 inches of open space between the back of a dining chair and a nearby sideboard to allow for proper traffic flow. But plenty of other rules can be broken or modernized.
it’s not ideal to enter a living room and be staring at the back of a sofa. But if you flank the back of the sofa with a console table and lamps, it instantly becomes more inviting and less closed off. Also, while some symmetry is important to ground a furniture plan, mixing in a little asymmetry makes for a much more interesting room.
flanking a sofa with matching end tables and table lamps, may balance the grouping with mismatched chairs and a standing lamp. Remember, you don’t have to place furniture along walls. Floating furniture in the middle of the room helps highlight architectural features and also aids in proper movement throughout the space. Placing furniture away from the walls also works well in spaces that have lots of doors, or soaring windows that shouldn’t be obstructed.
And not every living room needs a sofa. trying an unusual layout, like a living room with four lounge chairs around a center coffee table instead of the expected sofa. Use unexpected pieces, like a library table stacked with books in a wide hallway, or two area rugs instead of one to define spaces within a bedroom. And remember: You’re not obligated to use everything you’ve got. Curate and edit down your existing pieces keeping the items that work well and selling the items that don’t.
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“Many sofas and chairs can be surprisingly bad for your musculoskeletal health. But if you follow a few simple guidelines, you can find furniture that gives you the right amount of support and cushioning, just like a good pair of running shoes.
• Choose firm. Look for sofas and chairs with a foam-density rating of at least 2.4, or those with hand-tied coil springs. If you sink into the pillow abyss when you sit down, keep shopping.
• Make sure your seating holds you in an upright position, vertically aligning your ears over your shoulders over your hips.
• When you rest against the back support, your feet should be flat on the floor, with your knees at a 90- to 110-degree angle to your hips.
• There should be some space between the edge of the seat and the backs of your bent knees when you’re sitting, so there’s no pressure on the veins and arteries there.
• Try before you buy. Sit in a chair or sofa for at least 20 minutes, so you can see how it feels.
• Be sure to take into account what you’ll be using the seating for most often. Activities like reading, watching television, knitting, playing video games and talking have different ergonomic requirements.
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