Caring and Cleaning Solid Wood Furniture

You've made the investment in quality solid wood furniture, giving it the regular care and attention it deserves will keep it looking good for many years to come. Here are a few tips to keep it looking its' best!
To avoid fading, keep your furniture out of direct sunlight and unless you have blinds you can close during the day, avoid placing it directly under windows.

Avoid wood stress from extreme temperature changes by arranging your furniture away from radiators, heat and air vents, and air conditioning units. Excessive moisture in the air will swell wood furniture, if it is too dry it can cause the wood to crack.
Use cloth/felt pads to protect your furniture from flowerpots, vases, hot dishes, etc as some items contain ingredients that can damage the finish.

Avoid staining by cleaning up spills immediately. Use a blotting motion rather than wiping. Water left for a prolonged period may cause white spots while alcohol, perfume, after-shave and medications will damage the finish if not quickly removed.
Periodically rotate accessories on your furniture so they don't always sit on the same spot. The colour of wood will change over time by exposure to light and if items are not moved, their outline will become very visible in the finish.

And always use a protective pad when writing on a wood surface.
By following these simple tips, you will enjoy your furniture for a lifetime!

 There are many misconceptions about how to maintain your solid wood furniture and this is not helped by some of the advertising for household cleaning products. Here's a few tips to keep your furniture looking good.

Dust frequently with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth. Clean the surface by rubbing in the direction of the grain.
Polish HIGH SHEEN FINISHES every six months, using a clean, soft, lint-free cloth. Always rub in the direction of the grain.

DO NOT polish LOW SHEEN FINISHES (flat or satin). Wash these finishes with a mild liquid hand soap mixed with water - a spray bottle is helpful. Use a soft cotton or flannel cloth to thoroughly dry the surface immediately, always wiping in the direction of the grain.
Of the three types of furniture care products, we recommend only POLISHES.
Polishes contain detergents, emulsifiers and mineral oil. Detergents clean dirt from furniture, emulsifiers give it body to clean and last longer, mineral oil is left behind as a barrier to dirt and moisture.

We strongly suggest you AVOID silicone cleaners and waxes.
Silicone seeps into even the highest-quality finishes, creating a barrier that repels stain and lacquer. This makes it virtually impossible to re-finish or touch-up furniture, or maintain consistency in the finish shine.
The regular use of waxes may result in a build-up of wax film, which can actually attract dirt, smoke and other pollutants in the air, resulting in smudges and streaks. Many waxes also contain grit which can permanently damage furniture surfaces if used improperly.

Let's Talk Leather

Leather is the strongest, most durable and practical upholstery covering and will outlast fabric four to five times.



How Leather Is Created:
From Hide to Leather:
After cleaning and conditioning, hides are sorted according to quality. Because leather furniture requires large unblemished hides, it is the most expensive upholstery covering per square foot. The outside surface of the hide is cut away from the rest and reduced by a series of rollers to a thickness between 0.9 and 1.4mm. Because the cells are closer together in this layer, it's the strongest, most supple and durable part of the hide. The layer below - called the split - is thicker and stiffer but not as strong.

Types of Leather:
Real Leather, Fake Leather & The Stuff In-Between:
Top Grain Leather: - The outer layer - or top grain - is the most desirable for furniture. Nature adds its share of markings, often requiring sanding, protein injection treatments to retain suppleness and a protective coating. This process - called correction - adds heat and light protection and makes it more resistant to spills. The more correction, the lower the quality. Those top grain hides requiring no correction, the rarest and most expensive are called full grain or full top grain. These premium leathers are incredibly comfortable because the leather can breathe. However, they are susceptible to staining and marking.
Bi-Cast Leather: - Made from the split hide below the top grain, it's vinyl coated to resit cracking, splitting and peeling. While this helps, it doesn't come near matching the durability and fell of top grain leather.
Bonded Leather: - The leather equivalent of particleboard, it contains only about 17% leather in the backing. What looks like leather is actually vinyl.

Dye & Protective Coatings:
Full Aniline Dye: - Hides are immersed in a transparent aniline dye allowing the natural markings to show through then rotated on drums until the dye completely penetrates from front to back. No protective coat is applied making the most luxurious of leathers. Generally reserved for premium leathers, it's also the reason they're so vulnerable to stains. As it is a natural product, variations throughout the grain will be seen on the final product.

Semi-Aniline Dye: - Used on corrected leathers. Despite the name, hides are dyed through but then a layer of pigment is sprayed on top to even out variations. A thin coat of lacquer seals in the colour, resulting in leather that's almost as soft as premium leather, yet harder wearing and protected against fading and staining.

Surface Pigment: - Used only on the cheapest hides, primary bi-casts. The pigment sits on top and is sealed with lacquer resulting in stiffer surface. Easily identified because the back is not the same colour as the front. The raw hide will show through if nicked or scratched and is susceptible to cracking and splitting.

Quality leather isn't an expense, it's an investment that looks better the more you use it. There's a place for bi-cast and bonded leathers but it's a false economy to think they are cheaper. Top grain full and semi-aniline dyed leathers cost more up front but last longer, age well and hold their value better.
It's confusing out there. Terms like "All Leather" and "Top Grain Seating" can lead you to believe you're looking at a quality piece of furniture when it's just the opposite. If you know what you are looking for though, it makes it that much easier to ask the right questions.

Things You Need to Know About Buying a Sofa

Learn about foam versus feathers, seat depth, springs, fabric and more for a couch that will work for years to come

By: Fred Albert - Houzz

A sofa is one of the biggest furniture investments you'll make — and one of the most permanent. Even if you're just buying one for a temporary fix, it'll eventually get demoted from the living room to the family room to the basement and, finally, the dorm. Before you know it, a decade or more has passed, and that impulse purchase has become part of your life. So give some thought to it before you buy.

Quality sofas should feel solid and heavy. Flop around on one to test its sturdiness, then lift it up by the corner and shake it a bit. If it feels light or wobbly, take a pass. Look for a frame made from a kiln-dried hardwood such as oak, alder, birch, maple or, alternatively, high-quality hardwood plywood or marine plywood. Eight-way, hand-tied springs are a hallmark of fine furniture, but sinuous S-shaped springs can provide nearly as much comfort. Drop-in coil springs are a less costly alternative.

Most cushions have a core of polyurethane foam; the denser the foam, the heavier it is and the longer it will last. In the cheapest furniture, the cushion is filled with just the polyurethane foam core. In better furniture the core is wrapped with Dacron batting. Higher-quality options include poly-down cushions, which have down mixed with the batting; spring-down cushions, which feature a core of springs surrounded by foam and feathers; and all down, which is all feathers (and all work, so avoid this unless you have servants).

The best sofas have joints that are double doweled and fitted with corner blocks that are both glued and screwed (not stapled) into place. Quality pieces have legs that are part of the frame, not just attached to it (although removable feet do make it easier to get items through doorways).

Buy the best-quality sofa that you can afford. Your purchase will be amortized over many years.

Chloe Warner

Choose a sofa that complements the style of your decor.

If your interior is traditional, look for a sofa with rolled arms, a contoured back, skirting or tufted cushions.

Contemporary sofas tend to have cleaner lines, fewer flourishes and understated upholstery.

jamesthomas, LLC

Consider the proportions of the room and determine what height, length and depth of sofa would look best in the space. If you're uncertain, mock up a footprint on the floor using masking tape or blue painter's tape. Or consider "building" a sofa out of empty boxes — then live with it for a few days to see how it feels.

Tobi Fairley Interior Design

If you plan to spend a lot of time lying on the sofa for reading or naps, make sure it has enough space between the arms. Don't rely on overall length alone, as the width of the arms will affect the space between.

Staples Design Group

If you’re short on space, think about buying a sofa with low arms or no arms — it’ll make your room look larger.

Oakley Home Builders

How many people do you want to seat? That might sound like a silly question, but the truth is, nobody likes sitting on the crack. So if you get a sofa with two cushions, expect just two people to use it. To accommodate more people, get a sofa with three cushions or a single long cushion, called a bench cushion.

Shoshana Gosselin

Sofas generally come with one of two types of backs: a pillow back, which has removable cushions or pillows along the rear; or a tight back, in which the upholstery is tailored to the contours of the sofa’s back.

MuseInteriors

Pillow-back sofas are generally considered more comfortable and inviting, but there’s a downside: Unless you’re diligent with your fluffing, the cushions will usually look slightly askew. If you’re the kind of person who is driven to distraction by something like that, you might want to consider a tight back.

Kendall Wilkinson Design

When it comes to sofas, one size does not fit all. The depth of the seat and the angle of the back will influence how comfortable you feel.

How do you know what depth is right for you? Let experience be your guide. If there’s a sofa or chair that you find particularly comfortable, measure the distance from the inside of your knee to the spot where your lower back hits the back of the sofa, then buy a sofa that has similar dimensions.

Anna Baskin Lattimore Design

Since sofas are such a big investment, you'll want yours to stay in fashion as long as possible. Given that, it's best to stick with a neutral fabric. You can always add color and pattern with throw pillows. Plus, pillows are easy and inexpensive to change if you decide to redecorate.

Lucy and Company

If you have kids and a neutral sofa sounds like an invitation to disaster, consider a darker color or a sofa with a subtle overall pattern.

As a rule, synthetic fabrics are more durable, colorfast and cleanable. Tightly woven fabrics and fabrics that are heavy will stand up to wear and tear better, as will leather. Avoid satins, brocades and damasks unless the sofa won't get much use.

Rachel Reider Interiors

Whatever fabric you choose, ask the store for a sample or cutting that you can take home on approval before you buy. (If no sample is available, ask for a cushion.) That way you can see the material under the light in your room and with other pieces of furniture. When you're spending this kind of money, the last thing you want is a surprise.

Take a Winter Walk on the Safe Side

Learn how to handle snow, ice and other cold-weather landscape factors to minimize falls and damage

By Jocelyn H Chilvers - Houzz

A wintry wonderland is a beautiful sight to behold, and an occasional walk along a snowy garden path is a real treat. For main entryways and often-used walks and patios, however, safety is a real concern. Here are a few things you can do now — and in the future — to keep snow and ice from becoming a hazard to you, your guests and your favorite delivery person.

Heirloom Gardens, LLC

Smalls Landscaping

What to Do Now

Remove snow quickly. Use a shovel or a snow blower and broom to remove snow as quickly as possible. Once snow has been walked on and becomes compacted, it is that much more difficult to remove. Dense, compacted snow converts to ice readily. Sprinkle gravel, straw or wood chips to provide some traction on areas where ice or snow remain.

Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Prevent ice buildup on walkways by monitoring water flow. Check to make sure that your roof and gutters are flowing freely. Add rain chains or downspout extensions to direct water away from paved areas and home foundations.

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC

Minimize the use of snow- and ice-melting products. Most of these products are composed of salts; they work by attracting moisture to themselves and forming a liquid brine that generates heat and melts the snow. However, salt will cause damage to plant roots and, once absorbed by the plant, will cause brown, desiccated edges on new leaves and shoots — or even death. Salts are also corrosive and may damage hardscaping. Last, but not least, these products can be harmful to pets.

If you do use a deicer, you can reduce its negative impact with these precautions:

• Use products that are labeled safe for pets.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and choose the right product for the conditions. For example, rock salt (sodium chloride) is effective only at temperatures above 20 degrees Fahrenheit, while other products are effective to -25 degrees.
• Cut the product with sand, kitty litter or sawdust — or forgo a salt product altogether — to provide traction and reduce the amount of product needed.
• After the storm, get out the shovel or snow blower and clear pavement areas as soon as possible. This will help prevent overuse of the product.
• Once the pavement has been cleared, sweep up and dispose of excess product. Don’t sweep it onto lawns, onto garden beds or into the street; this will keep it out of the stormwater drainage system and natural waterways.
• Flush landscape and pavement areas with water where you suspect product overuse or damage.

Greenhaven Landscapes Inc

How to Plan Ahead

Choose the right hardscape. Think about winter safety when designing or renovating your home’s hardscape. For active traffic areas, keep paving surfaces even and with a bit of texture. Think brushed concrete, large slabs of natural stone (shown) or landscape pavers (which are not as slick as house brick).

Resolution: 4 Architecture

Wood decking in particular is fairly easy to clean off, provides some traction, and allows moisture runoff because of the spacing between planks.

Caution: Some composite deck surfaces can be very slippery when wet. Expanded metal can be substituted for an industrial look.

Charles Cunniffe Architects Aspen

Add railings. Stairways in snowy climes should always include handrails for support, even for short flights of stairs. Consider using riser-free (backless) stairs, as shown here, for easier cleaning.

Consider subsurface heating systems for areas beneath driveways, patios and pool decks to keep daily outdoor activities accessible all winter. This is an expensive option, but one that may have value in locations with very high snowfall or for especially large areas.

James Martin Associates

Light up the landscape. Lighting can guide pedestrians and keep them safe. Strategically placed lights along well-maintained walkways are ideal, but decorative illumination, as show here, can be helpful, too.

Employ some or all of these ideas for a beautiful and serene winter landscape.

 

Christmas Cleanup Tips For The Not Naturally Organized

Dreading the postholiday chores? First let yourself unwind. Then grab some boxes, a few supplies and this easy guide

 

By Alison Hodgson - Houzz Contributor

 

Cleanup? I finally got my feet up! Let’s face it: After all the time and work we’ve put in to making the holidays, the last thing anyone wants to do is clean it all up.

If that resonated with you, you are probably Not Naturally Organized and this is just the holiday version of the core issue that divides the Naturally and Not Naturally Organized: now or later. While we, the Not Naturally Organized, want to finally relax and maybe think about cleaning up someday, our Naturally Organized brothers and sisters are twitch, twitch, twitching to haul it all away today.

But what about savoring the beauty? I’m with you completely … until February when your tree is moldering in the corner of your living room. Who wants that? Go ahead and relax; whenever you decide to tackle the mess, here are a few tips to make the process as easy as can be.

Alison Hodgson

 

Before you tear everything apart, take some quick pictures of all of your decorations. I did this last year, and these were my reference when I pulled out the boxes this year. I made a few small changes, but this gave me an easy start.

Be sure to take close-ups to see the details.

Alison Hodgson

This is my biggest time saver and how I start on the tree. I remove the non-breakable ornaments and lay them in their box. I don’t bother removing the hooks, and with a few exceptions they don’t get tangled. I began doing this to save space on the divided boxes but found it saved me so much time. Bonus!

Alison Hodgson

In addition to non-breakable and fragile ornaments, I have boxes for trees, books, lights and miscellaneous larger items like snow globes and the Advent calendar.

With the trees I set the large ones on the bottom and carefully stack the others. The glass or pottery trees I wrap in tissue and securely place in the middle.

Organize-It

Ornament Keeper Ornament Storage Box - $61.99

This is a very nice box, but inexpensive plastic ones work just fine.

Buy the right supplies

In my family growing up, taking down the tree was as much a part of the tradition as setting it up. My siblings and I were responsible for packing up our personal ornaments, and I carefully wrapped each one in tissue. When I had my own tree with hundreds of ornaments, I dreaded putting them away every year until I finally bought a slew of boxes with dividers.

Alison Hodgson

After the non-breakable ornaments, I remove the fragile ones. If an ornament is precious to me, I’ll take time to wrap it in tissue, but most of them I set in their little cardboard cradles. I’ve never had an ornament break in storage.

This is a really good time to cull the ornaments you don’t love or use. If it’s sitting in the bottom of your boxes when you take down the tree, there’s a reason. I always have a bag for Goodwill at hand.

Alison Hodgson

All season long I have a big basket of our Christmas books by the tree. Every night youngest and I read several titles — a favorite tradition. Storing the books is as simple as emptying the basket into their labeled box. A non-breakable tree or two is often stacked on top.

Alison Hodgson

Make a note

This is one of my miscellaneous boxes. Here I’ve created an inventory for this box: nativities, Advent calendar, snow globes, wreaths, luminaries, lights for the tree.

Under that is a second note and a reminder that we needed to buy two more strands of lights. I was glad to have this when we opened the boxes and before I hung the lights on our tree.

What do you need or want to buy before next Christmas? Take note and write it down.

Alison Hodgson

Get help at the end

I work alone stripping the tree. I’m able to move quickly without breaking anything. When all of the ornaments are boxed, I ask one or two members of my family to haul them down to storage.

Alison Hodgson

Although this looks like mayhem, it’s really only some cardboard, a few boxes, a bit of paper and tissue, and some greenery. This is when I want to throw in the towel, but I make myself keep going. Once I’ve recycled, thrown away or put away everything outstanding, my husband and son haul the tree out and tie it back on the van to take to a local park for recycling. I sweep and vacuum everywhere, but we’ll still see needles here and there for weeks.