When you look through a brochure or walk through a showroom, you see sofas and armchairs in their finished state, their frames and upholstery hidden beneath attractive fabric covers. What goes on underneath the covers is just as important as their surface appearance, though, so don’t be afraid to ask how particular models are made when making your choice. Upholstered furniture is generally made up of four parts: the frame, suspension, filling, and covering.
Frame
In part two of our two part series, we look at some specific decorating tips and ideas for apartment bedrooms…
Style Pointers
WALLS AND CEILING
Fresh white walls and ceiling reflect the light and create a spacious atmosphere as well as a neutral backdrop for colorful furnishings and accessories.
ACCESSORIES
Framed posters reinforce the blue and white color theme and break up the wall space. A few well-chosen accessories - vases of flowers, bedside candlelamps, and simple knickknacks - add a personal stamp.
SOFT FURNISHINGS
We expect a lot from closets. We want them to not only hold the items we use, but they also must hold the things we rarely need and even some things we just don’t want to see. And we want our closets to do both of these jobs at the same time. Is it any wonder that many of us have closets that don’t look perfectly neat and tidy?
Our poor closets are caught in a catch-22: we need for them to be neat and efficient because of everything we put in them, but because of everything we put in them, they cannot remain neat and efficient.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to renovate your home and let someone else pay for it? In many circumstances you can do just that! There are dozens of programs available today through local agencies, state governments and the federal housing authority that allow homeowners of every economic status and area of the country to apply for grants and/or financial aid packages to help pay for personal renovations and remodeling on your private home.
In part two of this two part series, we look at practical advice for choosing lighting according to both your decorating and usage needs…
A Lighting Checklist
In order to analyze the lighting requirements for a particular room, first draw up a checklist.
Does the room have several functions? Many rooms have to be multi-functional; clever lighting can make one room seem like several, illuminating dining, working, reading, and sitting areas in different ways, and allowing one area to be lit separately from the rest.