“It’s not how big the house is, it’s how happy the home is”

What makes home a home? Home certainly represents something different for every individual, a place with different interior styles, furniture and colours, but what we can all agree on is a home is the place that’s supposed to be our safe haven. As such it’s meant to give us the optimal relaxation when we’re back from a busy day at work and have to regain the lost energy from being out and about all day; simply said it’s got to be the place we want to go back to. It’s not that rare that most of us start growing tired of our surroundings, but this happens mostly because we only arrange the interior décor for the sake of arranging.

If you want to create the living nest that’s the embodiment of happiness, you have to amp up it’s cosiness. Though we don’t often see the relation, cosiness and organisation go hand in hand. You can’t have a cosy place if all you can see in your surroundings is clutter, cramming all of the area. Not only is such a space dysfunctional, it’s also bound to make you moody. A way you can avoid ending up one step away from becoming a hoarder without resorting to going the other way of the spectrum, becoming a minimalist, is by adding furniture pieces that are elegant and utilitarian, like the ottoman for instance.

While it’s perfect for keeping your feet up after a tiring day, an ottoman also lives up its purpose as extra seating, and even outlives it by also being used as a coffee table (just place a tray and presto changeo), and storage where you can place all your books, magazines, knick knacks or even kids’ toys. It saves you space and helps you make a statement; what more could you want in a furniture piece? Along with looking for more multi-purpose pieces, you have to look around and carefully consider whether the colours of your home are giving off a happy feeling. Familiar with it or not, the psychology of colours has a great effect on us, so a word of advice is to use warm colours.

While cool colours widen up a space, and sometimes give it a rather stale look, warm colours bring about a cosy and welcoming feeling. Interior colours (those of walls and furniture) go together with lighting, so you can’t go wrong by opting for warm lighting hues either and the lighting fixtures are an added bonus to your interior décor. Essentially, you can have further control over the tones of your rooms by having light dimmers so you can set the tone you want suitable for every occasion, bright for parties, and more romantic for a cosy dinner with your significant other. The finishing touch is to surround yourself with the things you love, those that have a sentimental value and remind you of beautiful moments.

So, you are past the days of your parents telling you “it’s my house – my rules” and officially done with sleeping in college dorms. Welcome to the grown up world, big boy! Maybe you’re exploring the life in a new town, searching for a new job, a new place to call your own home? So many options, so much freedom to choose. Freedom sounds quite exhilarating, but there is also the pressure of diving into the unknown. That’s why many guys make hasty and catastrophic mistakes when furnishing their first home. To avoid being one of them, I’ve created a short guide to help you out to properly style your man cave so it doesn’t literally look like a prehistoric one.

We all know that the bigger the number of rooms, the more expensive the rent. So when starting off, you’ll probably go for a studio apartment or something similar. That means you’ll need a clever and cost-effective furniture solution. Or, better think of it like this: instead of over-cluttering your space, invest in only the most crucial pieces.

Start with the sofa. When looking for a sofa seat from the many choices on the Australian market, think of it as more than a place for you to jump on and play video games. A nice sofa seat should serve multiple purposes; provide enough space for your guests to sit on as well as to act as a comfortable and wide enough place for you to get the much needed Zs. This way you won’t need to get a separate bed for sleeping and you’ll actually save some space.

To further limit clutter, buy furniture with hidden storage, like a storage ottoman, that could do double duty as a coffee table. Just keep in mind that all furniture pieces should reflect your décor sense. Try your best to establish your own personal style by adding little hints of it. For example, if you like animal print, don’t buy a sofa that looks like a huge predator, instead, opt for a small leopard rug that will also help tie the whole design together.

If you’re lucky enough to have found a room with a view, turn that into the focal point of your space. Put large glass windows and let the city’s charm reflect into your home. Don’t forget to sound-proof them – you don’t need the chaos of the traffic noise in your private sanctuary. Another blessing that comes with wide windows is the huge amount of sunlight you’ll get during the day and the enviously good view of the cityscape at night.

In order to create a classy ambience that will show that you have a taste, you need to pick the right lighting. The living room should have a big overhead chandelier to provide enough brightness for the whole space at night. Furthermore, you can spice things up by placing accent lights just above the artwork or ornaments. It’s also good to install a dimmer switch for a romantic atmosphere when you’re in need of one. With a few lighting tweaks, such as picking different colours and brightness levels, you can add a more contemporary feel to the space.

Being the king of your castle means styling your place according to your own rules. The best thing about the whole thing? Nobody can complain about it! Be careful not to over-clutter it though. More maintenance and more cleaning are not what the single life is for – follow the rule less is more and you can’t go wrong.

Every woman has the chance to be an artist at the dressing table, and as Aristotle said, “art completes what nature left unfinished.” Though many may not agree on the matter, I strongly believe in the power of makeup to uplift your mood. I bet there’s no woman on Earth who wouldn’t feel happier and more confident when looking at the mirror and seeing her face perfectly contoured, eyelashes perfectly enlongated and lips shiny and fiery red.

According to a research, women spend about an hour a day on their appearance. For that reason, having a dressing table that will display and store your precious jewellery pieces, perfumes and make-up items while having them neatly arranged is the starting point for a more enjoyable and stress free ‘me time” glam up. I gathered a few simple steps to follow to ensure you choose a dressing table that will be your best ally to getting the look you want while also beautifying your space. Aiming for the big win-win combo!

Get the size right

Finding the perfect location for your dressing table is important from many aspects. Have in mind whether there is enough daylight coming in as well as whether there is a light source near the spot you want to place the dressing table on. You want the light to fall under a good angle so that you’re not annoyed by the shadows in the mirror. Moreover, its placement also plays a great role in the room’s design. The perfect dressing table should not overcrowd the room nor look tiny compared with the rest of your furniture. Therefore, before making your purchase, measure your available space and look for something in accordance to the dimensions.

Functional features

Drawers – Having at least two spacious drawers where you can store stuff like jewellery, makeup, hair accessories and whatnot, is essential for a dressing table to be functional. You certainly don’t want to be untangling the jewellery pieces you want to wear right before heading out, do you?

Mirror – There is no point in having a dressing table without a nice, large mirror. The mirror can also serve as a decorative element if it is accessorized with other elements. Most smaller dressing table models don’t come with a mirror but you can always mount one on the wall above.

A design to complement your interior

Besides keeping all your accessories and makeup well-organized, dressing tables can also beautify your room and make it look more girly and sophisticated. A metal dresser, thanks to its simple yet elegant design, can perfectly complement modern interiors. Models with a polished glass finish can bring more dimension to the space and usually work well with any design scheme. If your style is traditional or your bedroom has a unique rustic flare, then a wooden dressing table with its natural finish and classic design would be the ideal addition for your space.

In life, one wishes to find love, to form a family and to transform their house into a loving home. The rest may sound easy once the hardest part is out of the way – finding a soul mate, however, creating the look of the home is much like searching for many soul mates, (or should I say taste mates) in the form of furniture pieces. Plus, now you’re looking for something to match the taste of two. Although it’s difficult to do this without asking for professional help, it’s not impossible, you just have to follow a few simple rules.

No interior-designer ever said that it’s important to have a spacious and enormous house in order to feel cosy, but to have a good arrangement of the rooms and the smaller, additional premises. What matters the most is to perfectly plan the layout of your house to best meet your needs and the desires of everyone involved. However, the way you will furnish your house should be a reflection of your personal preferences.

The first thing you should pay attention to is the functionality of the movables. One should never save on big interior items that are frequently used in the household, such as sofas or corner beds. They are kind of a focal points that give structure to the room, and are used by everyone, everyday, whether you are having guests or the family is just lying around and relaxing. Don’t hesitate to get a nice, modern corner lounge that will adorn your living room, especially if you follow the latest interior-design trends.

When it comes to functionality, think about the position and the layout of every other piece of furniture, and bear in mind that the best way to position them is at about three inches from the wall, (this also includes the modern corner lounge) as this creates an illusion that the wall is further away than it really is. This way, the room immediately looks bigger and wider. What is more, keep the furniture away from the doors, the windows and other entrances, so that they cannot block the smooth movement around the house. But remember, you should first fit the large pieces of furniture such us dining tables or corner lounges into the room, and then you can manoeuvre the smaller ones.

If you like to elongate the appearance of a particular room, the answer lies in the details. You can do this by choosing stripes as the pattern for some decorative items, such as rugs or sofas. Use designer curtains to give your home specific nuance of vogue, and throw a pillow or two in front of the fireplace. This will make your home cosy and welcoming, and you’ll be the favourite host amongst your friends and relatives.

One of the most comfortable and versatile pieces of furniture you can have in your home, is the recliner chair. While buying one isn’t a difficult task, it still takes a certain amount of effort and upfront planning in order to get the best deal. However, being the versatile piece of furniture that it is, the end will definitely justify the means. Still, there are a couple of steps you should take before you decide which recliner chair is right for you.

First of all, if you are getting a recliner chair, you need to figure out your budget. Decide how much you want to spend for this particular piece of furniture, then go online and take a look at all the choices that match your budget. If you can spend a lot of money, try the most expensive chairs and work your way down. When the chairs become less than optimally comfortable for you, that’s the point where budget will meet comfort.

Secondly, further narrow down your search by the style of the chair you are going to purchase in order to make sure it matches your interior. Is it traditional or modern? It doesn’t matter, there are recliners that will suit every decorating theme.

Additionally, you have to consider who is going to use the chair most frequently. If you are buying it for yourself, consider what you’ll use it mostly for. Will you be just watching TV? Will you be taking naps? The comfort of the recliner is directly associated to the weight and measurements of the users, so make sure the chair is not only comfortable, but that it also suits your frame, weight and height.

And lastly, you have to consider how much spare space you have in the room you want the recliner to be placed in. Depending on the position and available space, your choice may be even narrowed down further. Make sure it’s not so close to a wall so you can recline it all the way back. Also make sure there’s space in front so you can put your feet up without hitting a table or any other piece of furniture.

To summarize, you have to know which extra features you need and want for your chair. Some of them have features like built-in phones, massagers, heaters and so on. Determine what you can and can’t do without. Make sure to test the chair before you buy it so that you are satisfied with your purchase!

You aren’t planning to throw away your furniture patio cushions just because they look dirty, are you? Follow our simple instructions and you will see how easy it can be to get your outdoor cushions looking like new again.

To instantly and with little effort turn your patio from dab to fab cleaning the furniture cushions should be the first thing on the to-do list.

The newer outdoor cushions available online and in brick-and-mortar stores, come with removable covers that you can simply throw into the washing machine, however if your cushions don’t have removable covers, you can still get them clean and ready for an entire season of outdoor fun. All you need are few tools and materials: vacuum, bucket, dishwashing detergent, sponge, warm water, borax, garden hose, scrub brush, towels and fabric protector spray. Here is how.

• Step 1: Use the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to remove any loose dirt and dust from the cushions. If your cushions are tufted, make sure to run the attachment slowly of the seams, crevices, and any buttons.

• Step 2: In a bucket of warm water, mix one tablespoon of dishwashing detergent. If there is mildew on your cushions, add ¼ cup of borax to the solution. With a sponge, generously apply the solution onto the cushions and let them soak for fifteen minutes.

• Step 3: If there are still some stubborn dirty spots after the soaking, apply a little more of the solution, and with a scrub brush carefully rub out the spots.

• Step 4: Rinse off the cushions thoroughly using a garden hose. Do not use a pressure washer for this as it may damage the fabric.

• Step 5: Wrap a towel around the cushion to absorb most of the water. Next, stand the cushion up to air-dry completely. To avoid mildew, make sure no moisture remains on the cushion.

• Step 6: Once your outdoor cushions are completely dry, spray them with a fabric protector. This will make the cushions resistant to dirt and stains from spilled drinks and foods. Moreover, this will ease your job easier at keeping your cushions clean for the entire season!

You should know that the easiest way to avoid complicated cleaning tasks, is to maintain your outdoor cushions on a regular basis. For that you need to brush your cushion surfaces on a daily basis to reduce the stains from visiting insects and plants debris. In case your cushions get soaked by an unexpected rain, turn them on edge to accelerate drying time. And do not forget to clean spills as soon as possible with a paper towel or clean rag.

Nobody wants to start the warm season taken aback by the worn out look of the outdoor furniture that awaits repairment or maybe even replacement. However, before you decide to skip the DIY and buy new cafe outdoor chairs and table, perhaps you could explore all avenues and try to revive the furniture that suffered from the tyranny of several seasons on your own.

Below you can find several sections with maintenance tips, depending on the particular material of your outdoor furniture. We chose the three most common materials:

The Wicked Wicker

Wicker is a type of material that can give you a headache when it comes to its protection and care, however, we all love it since it looks so darn good. Initially, wicker furniture was constructed by split reed, rattan or coated paper, however, nowadays manufacturers have started adding metal as to give more strength to its structure. This is why it is a bit of a drag when you are considering the proper way to clean it – the mixture of materials calls upon mixture of techniques as well. Vacuuming is an unavoidable first step, followed by cleaning with a mild soap or solution. Use only a few drops of water since it can damage and weaken the fiber – this is why we may never allow wicker furniture stay out in the rain. Before you repaint it, rub it gently with fine-grit sandpaper and you’ll certainly retrieve some of its old glow.

The Fantastic Plastic

Sometimes it seems like there isn’t anything that plastic would fail to mimic. Unfortunately, it is not good for our environment, but if we all spare a moment to recycle the used plastic from our homes, we could enjoy its benefits with clear conscience. The greatest perk about plastic is that it does not require much attention or maintenance. Its only enemy is the scorching sun, therefore if you manage to keep it away from it – you will prolong its life. Once damaged or worn out, plastic could be revived by using 10 parts water to 1 part of chlorine bleach. For milder stains, a mild soap solution would work perfectly too.

Maintaining Metal

Metal furniture has many enemies, the most common ones being rust stains and mold. Well, truth to be told, metal cafe outdoor chairs and tables can really take up much time to re-touch and revive. It all starts with a mild soap solution, then you need to remove the rust stains and mold thoroughly with fine-grit paint and apply a new coat of paint. It is also recommendable to use a silicone stray as to lubricate the swivels and the glides of the chairs.

Hopefully, these tips will help you keep your outdoor furniture in great condition longer, since sooner or later we all come to the conclusion that proper maintenance leads to prolonged radiance!