Archive for February, 2010

What are Sofa Tables?

By Codyhwn, 14 February, 2010, No Comment

Sofa tables are regarded as prime necessity and are common pieces of accent furniture for all homes. But, the sofa tables we know today come from a long history of development.

Sofa tables began appearing around the seventeen hundreds, and like settees, they were known for their high features. Their popularity spread among all classes of people.

In many rooms at that time, sofas and sofa tables were paired with fireplaces. A fireplace was often considered the center and focus of a common room. Sometimes, they would be placed near the hearth or fireplace with chairs so those in the room could take advantage of the warmth of the fire.

For some time after this, sofa tables made a move, to the wall. They were pushed back, away from sight, between the wall and the back of the sofa. It was during this time that their design and style took a dip. No longer was it important for them to be icons of beauty, as no one would see them.

Then, thankfully for sofa tables, there was another shift. Nowadays, they are just as commonly located in the centre of the room or near the fireplace are they are up against a wall.

So just what are sofa tables?

They are loosely defined as any table near a sofa and were considered to a number of different tables. As we know, a sofa table is generally found at the back of the sofa these days. Modern ones serve more as a decorative piece, usually having a narrow and long appearance. They usually are available in various styles from contemporary to baroque.

The sofa tables which originated during the late seventeen and early eighteen hundreds were very much intentional. The upholstered sofa did not appear at that time as we can see today. The settee was the standard before that period, which would be paired with a sofa table.

As the Industrial Revolution began to pick up speed in the late eighteen century, weaving of fabrics changed dramatically. The fabric weaving quickly moved from a cottage industry to mass production. Eventually, the cost for fabric dropped and new uses for it grew. It was in this time when the settee was replaced by the fully upholstered couch, or sofa. This is when they became less important, and were pushed to the wall.

The best table, which epitomizes the early history of sofa tables, is the Pembroke table. The designs of various tables that are being used today had their genesis in the Pembroke style. The main characteristic of Pembroke table was a drop leaf section, which could be a single leaf or two. There are some other features too, for distinguishing Pembroke tables from other tables. The Pembroke tables usually have a drawer and often have two drawers. The tabletop of the Pembroke takes a rectangular shape with its leaves in down position. Many of those features have held through time and are those that are much coveted with this furnishing to this today.

Original Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Akre

Choosing the Right Sofa Table for Your Home

By Codyhwn, 14 February, 2010, No Comment

It’s often the finishing touch in a living room, the sofa table. From ornate pieces that help define the theme of a space and finish the look of your sofa to simple tables that offer you a place to put lights and display treasures behind your sofa, the style of these furnishings run the gamut. While the style you choose will depend on your personal preferences, you should also consider some of the other traits to a sofa table before bringing one into your home.

Length – It doesn’t get any tackier than looking at a sofa table that sticks out past one end of the sofa. It looks like someone wasn’t paying attention to the details of fitting furniture together. And that’s probably exactly what happened. Instead of trying to figure out a way to cover up ill-fitting furniture after the fact, take the time to measure the length of your sofa and make sure that the table will fit well within its limitations. It’s ok for a table to be a little short, but having it stick out past the sofa is not going to look right.

Depth – if you have a smaller living room, this is going to be very important, a deep sofa table will make your sofa stick out more into the room, and will eat up more floor space. If you are already limited by floor space you may well be making this room feel much more cramped by adding this piece of furniture.

Height – Another important consideration to make is the height of your sofa or console table. You don’t want the table to stick up way over the sofa, nor do you want to have to reach way down over the back of the sofa to get to it. Instead you need to try and make sure the table matches the height of the sofa. A way to figure out what range you have to work with is to sit on your sofa and reach over behind you, as if you were to retrieve something from the table. How far can you reach before it seems awkward? Usually it’s just a few inches below the top before it starts to feel uncomfortable. Take this measurement into account when shopping.

Function – if you aren’t planning to put your sofa table against the wall with the sofa in front of it, can it serve an extra function? Many are set in the middle of the room with a sofa on one side, and open access to the other side. This is a great space for extra storage. Look for a table with drawers, shelves, and other amenities you can put to use.

While it may seem there are a lot of details to note before purchasing a sofa or console table, you need to remember this is a larger furniture purchase. The price can be substantial, and it’s important to make sure you will be completely happy with the purchase once you bring the piece home.

Original Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Akre

How to Choose the Best Sofa for Your Home

By Codyhwn, 14 February, 2010, No Comment

Today’s sofa styles have design influences from furniture periods dating back to the Italian Renaissance.

A variety of these period influences include adaptations of the camel back from the 18th century, to the heavily carved wood frames of the Victorian era, and simple silhouettes of the Art Deco period in the 1920′s.

Ultimately though it doesn’t matter what style your sofa is or if it fits into a classification. What is important is that it fits into your lifestyle and will stand the test of time, and that it enhances the style and comfort of your room.

But with so many sofa styles how do you choose?

Decide on the style of back first. No other aspect of the sofa has a greater impact on the way it looks and feels.

There are four basic back types.

A loose cushion back, is a style that has removable and reversible back and seat cushions, giving you the option of turning them over to get the most wear.

The back cushions usually line up and matches the number of seat cushions (with the exception of the bench seat) and the casings are zipped for easy removal for cleaning and replacement of the inserts.

The comfort depends on the depth of the sofa but this back style generally appeals to a lot of people.

An attached cushion back sofa the cushions are not reversible because they are upholstered directly to the inside back of the sofa. They don’t require any fluffing or rearranging, always maintaining a neat look.

A tight back sofa is contoured to the shape of the sofa. A tight back sofa feels firmer than the loose or attached cushion, because you don’t have any pillows to sink into, and they are low maintenance because of it.

A camel back, a channel back, and a tufted back are examples of sofa styles that fall into this category.

A multi or scatter pillow back style back on a sofa has more loose pillows than seat cushions and the pillows are smaller and usually is a more casual look.

They generally have a soft and deeper seat and are sometimes considered more comfortable because the pillows can be adjusted to persons of varying heights.
The down side is they need constant fluffing, especially if they are stuffed with down.

If this is going to be a distraction to you, you would be wise to consider the tight back, or an attached cushion.

When you are comfortable with the selection of the back, these are other key design elements to consider making your selection of the different sofa styles available much simpler.

One, two or three seats?

How many people do you need seating for?

One seat cushion or a bench seat is a clean look, and more people are apt to sit because there is no crack between cushions. Be sure the cushion can be clipped in place to prevent it from flaring up on the ends.

Two seat cushions on an average size sofa are bigger than the conventional three seat cushions.
Technically three people can sit on a two-seat cushion sofa of average length but only two will, because no one wants to sit on the crack between the cushions.

A two-seat cushion sofa is transitional, meaning it can be happy in a traditional setting or a modern one, while the more traditional sofa styles tend to have three seat cushions.

The arms on a sofa have different designs and contribute to the appearance.

A classic example being the roll arm that has a flat panel and is often outlined with a welt or cording.
Another ageless style is the English arm which is rounded with the fabric pleated at the front into sunburst pleats. A straight or slight flare parson arms are most often used in contemporary styles.

How high or low do you want the arm to be? A tuxedo sofa has the arms at the same height as the back, though if the arms are too high it may be difficult to place things down on an end table next to it.

Do you like a skirt on your sofa or do you prefer an exposed leg?
These choices are decorative in nature and purely a personal preference.

Exposed leg styles consist of a bun foot, a tapered leg or a turned English leg with or without a castor and available in a number of different finishes.

Skirts can be of a traditional or dressmaker in length, sometimes with detailing like a box-pleat, shirred on the corners or a ruffle, or even embellished with a bullion fringe at the bottom.

Original Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Mabey

Tags: are tuxedo style sofas comfortable, tuxedo sofa 3 cushion tufted back, 2-seater camel back sofa, sofas with attached ruffle back cushions, sofa seat cushion non reversable

Tips On Preventing Your Home From Termites

By Codyhwn, 14 February, 2010, No Comment

Termites usually live in colonies. Termites and white ants feed on the cellulose found in wood. Just like any other living beings, even termites play an important role in nature. But, the beneficial role is as long as they are within the natural boundary. Once they move into your house they can cause havoc and irreparable damage. It’s very important to initiate actions for termite prevention as it can cause significant damage to your house both structurally and financially. So if you suspect that termites have entered your house, you should take immediate action for termite control.

Identification of the Termites
To begin with you need to identify the termites that have entered and infected your house. Thus you will need to gather all the termite information to achieve effective result. In the residential areas the most common form of termite infection is caused by the subterranean termites. Apart from the subterranean termites, even the damp wood termites and the dry wood termites cause major infestation and damage to your home and property.

Elimination of the Termites
After identifying the termites, the next stage is effective elimination of them. There are three effective ways to eliminate termite infestation:

(1) Barrier Treatments
It is one of the cheapest ways of termite elimination. It includes applying the barrier products like termidor. Though termidors are very effective it does not kill the termites immediately. How it works is, first the termites who enter the termidor treated area receive the lethal dose of the fripnoil, the active ingredient in termidor. This lethal dose is then passed over to other termites that they come in contact with and then slowly and gradually they die. It works like a moat that helps to protect your house from termite infection.

(2) Bait Stations
In this case the bait stations are spread all around the perimeter of your house. As the termites are attracted to wood, these baits have a wooden base. When the termites come attracted to the bait stations because of the wooden base, it is then replaced with baits which are poison laced. Thus the termites feed on these poisonous baits and also carry the food back to their colony. Thus it helps to eliminate the entire colony.

(3) Licensed Professional
Another way that you can eliminate the termites is by using the help of licensed termite control professionals. If at any point in time you feel that the infestation is out of control then immediately you should seek the help of the professionals who are licensed termite controllers.

So what happens if you take all of these precautions and termites still begin to munch on your home? Use a pest control specialist in your area to help you deal with the problem. Here are a few of the treatment options that are currently on the market:

Liquid Termiticide: This liquid pesticide is generally applied around the foundation of the house, as well as underneath the foundation. For new construction sites, the termiticide is applied to the graded soil as the home is being built, but for existing buildings, the foundation is partially dug out and drilled to ensure proper coverage. There are termiticides on the market that act as barriers and repellents to termite invasions, and there are termiticides that act as nerve poisons, killing the termites upon exposure.

Subterranean Bait: Rather than acting as a deterrent to termite invasion, termite baits attempt to eliminate the colony at its source. Bait stations are set in the ground every ten feet or so around the perimeter of the home. The treatment begins when untreated wood segments are installed in the bait units to determine if termites are active around the house. The units are checked once a week, and if live termites are found, the wood is replaced with a toxic bait that is ingested by the termites and carried back to the colony. The toxins in the bait affect the termites by preventing the molting process, causing them to die ‘within their shell’. This long acting toxin allows the termites to both ingest the poison and carry it back to share with their colony. Special bait units can also be installed inside the home if termites damage is evident. A new series of bait traps have been developed by Dow Agrosciences to fight the more aggressive Formosan termite, which can penetrate cement, brick, heavy duty plastics, and high-pressure water lines just to get to food and water sources.

The best treatment option is a combination of termiticides and bait units setup both in the ground and throughout the house. Termites are hard to kill, and they are even harder to eradicate, so be tenacious in your efforts. Your best bet is to call a professional to help you. Over the counter solutions do not offer the same level of effectiveness that professional grade products do. Your house is one of your greatest commitments you will ever make. It is worth protecting the right way by getting the help of professionals who know what they are doing. But remember. In this case, an ounce of prevention really can take you far, ensuring a better chance of keeping these nasty bugs from eating up your investment before you have a chance to truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Tags: termites in house, house termites, termites house, signs of termites, termites in home

How To Prevent Termite Damage

By Codyhwn, 14 February, 2010, No Comment

Termite infestations are normally difficult to detect, exterminate and may cause lot of damage to houses especially ones that are made of wood. Just like many other problems and diseases, the best method to combat termites is to prevent them from infecting the house in the first place. House structural termite damage left unchecked can mean thousands of dollars in repairs. Unfortunately, most homeowner insurance coverage does not include termite damage repair.

Although termites are sometimes referred to as a white ant, they are more closely related to cockroaches and the praying mantis. Their primary food source is wood. In order to know how to prevent a termite infestation, it is good to know about the way termites operate and live. The types of termites found in the US are usually subterranean termites. There are also other kinds of termites such as drywood termites but those other types are not as common and do not cause as much damage as subterranean termites.

Subterranean termites, as indicated by their name live underground in nests. These nests are usually situated five to six feet under the ground though sometimes they also nest above ground as well. The individual worker termites, about one eight of an inch long in length, travel or tunnel hundreds of feet in search of food usually on the surface of the soil to carry back to the nest. Some of their favorite foods include wood, paper and other substances, used by humans in building construction and in variety of household items. Damage caused by the termites by eating into these substances may take a long time to appear as they only consume tiny amounts of food. But through the gradual accumulation of damages, it can be quite substantial. Wood for instance will gradually hollow out even though no external sign is detected. Damage can be extensive if the nest is situated inside the house.

Termites require lots of water to survive and one of the methods of detecting them is through the observation of tiny mud tubes on the soil that transfer water to their nests. Other sign of detection is when the swarming occurs. In spring or summer thousands of winged termites will emerge and try to fly way to establish new nests. This will only last few hours and most of them will die and will not do any physical harm.

If you suspect that a termite infestation of your house is a possibility, the best method of prevention is to create an impassable barrier between the nest and your house for worker termites. This is usually done by chemically treating the soil around and below the house. Two broad types of liquid chemicals known as termiticides can be used for this purpose. Repellents prevent the foraging termites from entering the treated soil, while non repellent chemicals kill the termites entering the treated soil. Once the barrier is established the foragers will not be able access food in the house and if a few of them have already reached the house before the treatment, they will not be able to return and will die.

However in order to be effective, the preventive treatment method has to be comprehensive and cover all the soil in contact with the house. The house owner aiming for an effective prevention should not stop at spot treating a patch of soil that may show signs of termites. Foraging termites will find ways around the treated spots easily.

Another factor to keep in mind is that most chemicals used today are effective only for up to about three to seven years. Older chemicals known to be effective in preventing termites up to twenty years were banned to protect the ground water from contamination. While chemically treating soil comprehensively every few years can be expensive, it will also be an effective preventive method and will save money on the long run by safeguarding the investment in the house.

These preventive treatments are best carried out by professionals. They will not only be able to advice and carry out the treatment more competently and use the required specialized equipment and experience but will also carry out periodic inspections. Most such professional termite control firms will also give a guarantee as well.

Tags: termites, termite pictures, termites pictures, Termite damage, Termite

Early Signs Of Termites Infestation

By Codyhwn, 14 February, 2010, No Comment

Although nobody wants to have termites in their home, the fact is, almost all of us are at risk for termites. They can destroy your home if you don’t know the early signs of termites. Termites play an important part in the ecosystem, but in our homes, they are considered destructive. Unfortunately, homeowners normally don’t know they have termites until after a great deal of damage occurs. Having some knowledge about the early signs of termites can help protect your home and catch this problem before it escalates. Termites will do more damage to a wood structure in a small amount of time; therefore, knowing some things to watch for helps you stop this infestation before a serious problem occurs.

Because not all termite infestations are visible, detecting the annoying wood eaters may require a little time and a careful eye. They live and feed in your walls, under your floors and other areas of your home, even your furniture depending on what type of termites you may have. Checking for mud holes and feces piles helps in determining if you have termites.

Detecting early signs of termites requires checking the areas where termites would feed. Checking outside in the garden would show signs in dead leaves, tree stumps and the soil for mud holes. Check, for entranceway into your walls by way of the siding, may sure you have know cracks or spaces for termites to enter.

Check windowsills, basement walls, moldings and door frames for any sign of feeding activity. These outside areas are crucial and require proper inspection. If you notice any early signs of termites, contact a professional exterminator or do it yourself if you have the proper equipment. The main goal is early detection for prevent serious problems of termites.

By doing monthly checks of your home, you can prevent termite infestations that will cost you more money, not only for the exterminating process, but you may have to replace areas of your home that have received severe damage and become structurally unstable. Knowing the early signs of termites helps homeowners detect, protect and prevent total devastation that this pest can cause if allowed to feed on your home or building. Always remember to check your outside wood furniture and the wood decking as well as the hot tub surrounding.

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Tips On Installing A Ceramic Glass Tile Backsplash

By Codyhwn, 8 February, 2010, No Comment

If your existing backsplash is painted drywall, you can install your new tiles right over top. Just sand the area to rough up the surface and get ready to install. If you have an existing tile backsplash, your best bet is to remove it totally. This will involve actually cutting the existing backer (usually drywall) and getting rid of both it and the attached tiles. You can install your new backerboard directly onto the exposed studs. Some experts suggest you should put in new cement backer board, while others suggest regular drywall is just fine. As a compromise you could use green (waterproof) drywall. It’s cheaper than cement backer board as well as being lighter and easier to work with.

Determine the length of your backsplash, and then measure the distance from the top of the counter to the bottom of the wall cabinet to calculate the area you’ll need to cover with your tiles. Now that you know how much space you have, figure out your tile pattern. Use graph paper and draw a scale outline. The most common tiles used for backsplashes are 4 x 4, 6 x 6 or 3 x 4 subway tiles. You could also use 1 x 1 tiles attached to a back mesh if you like the appearance better. Whichever you choose, be sure the tiles are glazed. Unglazed tiles will stain from moisture and grease, so they aren’t a good choice. When you calculate your tile quantities, don’t forget to add about 10 percent for cutting and wastage.

Tags: tile backsplash, backsplash tile, backsplash, tiles, kitchen tile backsplash

Some Tips On Installing A Ceramic Tile Backsplash

By Codyhwn, 8 February, 2010, No Comment

You would like to give your kitchen a new look but you don’t want to spend a lot of time and money. A great option for you is to install a ceramic tile backsplash. Since there are such a large variety of tiles, you can find the pattern that best suits the updated style of your kitchen.

Choose your tiles. Before you can install your ceramic tile backsplash, you need to choose your tiles. Pick a pattern or a color that goes with your existing décor yet gives the look a slight update.

Take measurements. Before you purchase your ceramic tiles, take accurate measurements. What size is the space? When it comes time to determine how many tiles to purchase, make allowances for the space you need to leave for the grout.

Gather your tools. When you install your ceramic tile backsplash, it is best to gather all the tools you will need in advance. You will need the tiles, a straight edge, a ceramic tile cutter, grout, adhesive, applicators, a pencil, and other materials. Gathering your tools before you start to install the backsplash will prevent you from needing to make a trip to the store while in the middle of the progress.

Cut the tiles. You may need to cut some of the ceramic tiles before you begin. It is best to cut the tiles before you begin assembling the ceramic backsplash because once you lay down the grout, you’ll want to put the tiles on it immediately. Use a ceramic tile cutter or a ceramic tile jig. When cutting, make sure to wear goggles to protect your eyes. Also learn how to use the equipment properly to prevent injury.

Install the ceramic tile backsplash. After making all the preparations you are finally ready to install the ceramic tile backsplash. First, you’ll want to turn the electricity off for any outlets that you are working near. If you accidentally put a tool into the sockets you could get electrocuted. Then, wash the wall thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Make sure the wall is completely dry before you go on to the next step. Next, spread the adhesive on the wall using an applicator. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Finally, start laying down the tile. Start at the center of the design and work outward. Let the adhesive dry and then apply grout. Follow the mixing and application directions provided by the company that made the grout.

This is a project that can easily be done in one weekend. The more skill you have before you begin the project, the easier it will be.

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Installing Pebble Countertop Tile Backsplash

By Codyhwn, 8 February, 2010, No Comment

At minimal effort, Pebble Countertop Tile Backsplash remodeling enables you to easily transform your home design contemporary and luxurious. It seems like no other tiling technique can be used for so many applications as provided by these stone panels. Using this unique tiling technique provides many important benefits.

Short Overview
Quite quickly you get to understand why it is different than any other tiling solution: Pebble Countertop Tile Backsplash redecoration is based on unified smooth beach-stones organized and then mounted onto a standard sq/ft mesh backing. It seems like the most popular tiles are those originated from the shores of the exotic S.E. Asian islands. They are so versatile, enabling you to remodel anywhere: Bath walls, shower bases & backsplashes, kitchen backsplash, countertops, patios, pool surfaces, decks, and fireplaces.

Important Benefits
Going down to the bottom line we notice the following benefits:

* Saves extra expenses on hiring a professional installer.
* Considered inexpensive compared to other similar solutions.
* Made of natural and durable stones that hold for many years ahead.

Quick Tips!
* Epoxy based grouts are considered stronger than conventional grout, however take in mind that they are less forgiving to the ignorant installer.
* Order a small sample of the desired tiles prior to making a complete order – just to make sure it answers your expectations.
* When you prepare the grout avoid adding too much water in the initial mix – that additional water can result in weak grout that can flake.

There are plenty other advantages provided by this popular and easy home improvement alternative simply because it provides numerous opportunities whether for the average or professional home-makers.

Tags: pebble countertop, pebble backsplash, pebble countertops, backsplash designs, tile countertop

A Quick Glance at Pebble Tile Backsplash

By Codyhwn, 8 February, 2010, No Comment

A Pebble Tile Backsplash is an excellent way to bring nature into your home design. These natural stones enable you to bring nature into your home providing any interior or exterior surface the luxurious look and feel you’ve always wanted. Thinking of redecorating surfaces at home or in the office? Read the following important review.

Overview
Pebble Tile Backsplash is created by fixing together similar looking decorative natural stones that are glued over supportive mesh backing that eventually creates a seamless tile. If you ever wondered about the origin of these natural stones, then most of them are imported from the exotic islands of Sumatra and Bali – Indonesia. This is an excellent solution if you plan or redecorating in the following areas: All shower and kitchen surfaces including walls and flooring, patios, swimming pools, counters and counter tops, and much more.

Benefits
Undoubtedly most of us can find it useful and easy in order to remodel our home:

* Installation process is quick and takes only a few hours.
* Easy to be cleaned and maintained.
* Can be used on surfaces at home that have high traffic and that need a product that looks good and can stand up to a lot of action.

Some Tips

* Using grout should be handled carefully so it is recommended to grout a small area at a time.

* Order a small sample of the desired tiles prior to making a complete order – just to make sure it answers your expectations.

* Test the sealers on an area first to ensure it is giving you the result you want and is compatible with the stone tiles.

A Pebble Tile Backsplash coating technique is mostly popular due to the fact that it requires almost no special technical knowledge from your side. If we search a little more, we could easily find other pluses provided by this simple tiling method, simply because any average and unprofessional home-maker can do it easily by him/herself. If you wish to succeed with your first installation it is recommended to remember the above tips and advices just before you start installing.

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