New Takes on the Traditional Bunk Bed

Post provided by Home and Garden Co

Many furniture makers are offering new takes on staid bunk bed styles. No longer do all bunk bed options feature two stacked, wooden twin beds. Now, one can easily find bunk beds that are a combination of a double and a twin mattress, perfect for room shares between an older and a younger child, as well as bunks that offer a true mattress on the top and a futon on the bottom. These options are a great choice, not only for rooms that are shared by siblings, but also for children who enjoy sleep overs, or guest rooms that need to house multiple people.

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One of the models that is enjoying a sharp rise in popularity is a bunk which features a bed on the top and a modified futon on the bottom. This futon, when unfolded, becomes a generously sized double bed, large enough to accommodate two adults comfortably. When the bed is not in use, the folded futon will add couch like seating to the room, maximizing the use of space in even the smallest bedroom. Most of the options in this category feature sturdy metal frames with attached ladders, another space saving amenity.

Another of the great modified bunk beds are those that include a third trundle bed on the ground level. Often wooden, these three layered beds offer a twin sized bed at the top, a full sized bed below, as well as a trundle bed that can be tucked away when not in use. Even if the trundle will be regularly used, it may be tucked away during the day, opening up the room and allowing more space to play or walk around.

A bunk bed is the perfect space saving tool for any sleeping area. Whether you are furnishing a room that will be shared, or a guest room that may need to sleep visiting groups, consider a modern bunk bed for comfort and convenience.

Using a floor mirror in your bedroom decor

Floor mirrors are great additions to a bedroom.  They provide many practical as well as decorative benefits.  They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and price ranges.  Let’s take a few moments to review some basic information in regards to a free standing mirror. You can find many great decorative suggestions at floors-web.com.

When choosing a floor mirror it is important to define what your use of the mirror will be.  Do you want it purely decorative?  Do you want it to be functional?  How much space to you have available to position the mirror?  All of this information is vital to assisting you to choose the right mirror for the right space.

A Child of Our Times ?
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Functional uses for a full length mirror are diverse.  There is the standard use of using it for dressing and grooming.  It will help reflect light around a room and make the room look brighter.  Strategically placed it can assist a room in looking bigger.  There are many functional reasons to include a free standing mirror in your decor.

Decorative uses often overlap with the functional.  Use of light and reflection can aid in highlighting areas of the bedroom.  An elegant wood mirror adds to the feeling of grandeur in a room.  The mirrors are usually very decorative and in and of themselves are works of art.  They come in varying styles from traditional to modern.Their purpose and presence in a bedroom is so much nicer than the standard full length mirror on the back of the closet door.

So as you can see a full length standing mirror can really be of benefit in your bedroom decorating scheme.  It offers functionality and style all wrapped up in one item. It will last for many years.  While most decorative mirrors are placed in master bedrooms don’t forget the kids as well.  A smaller scale version can serve the same purposes in their rooms.

Tips on Getting the Best Deal for Your Single Mattress

Whenever we buy something, we want to make sure that we are getting what we need out of the product. We want to get a good quality product. But we also want to get it at a good price.

It is the same thing when purchasing a mattress for your home. A mattress is an investment. We need to make sure we are getting the most out of our money. But that is not always easy. There are a lot of brands available.

Here are some tips on how to find a bargain for when buying a single mattress or any kind of mattress for that matter.

1. First rule when canvassing for a mattress is to look first for quality, then try looking for a bargain on that specific mattress. If you go out looking for a cheaper price first, you will most probably end up with a bunch of low quality (uncomfortable) mattresses to choose from.

girl's bed2.  Second thing to remember is that price and quality in not always directly proportional. Meaning, the most expensive mattress is not necessarily the mattress with the best quality. A lot of times the mattress from famous brands are the more expensive mattresses. When buying a mattress, what you should be paying for is the comfort and not the brand name of the mattress.

3. Comfort is subjective. It is true that the best place to look for a bargain is on the internet. But it is a bad idea to buy a mattress online based solely on information you got from the internet. What you should do is visit some of the latex mattress depot in your area so that you can test which mattresses you are most comfortable with. Take not of its brand and model or product number. Then search in the internet for bargains and discounts for that specific model.

4. And as a general rule, when buying anything, try buying around the 25th or 27th of the month. Sales people have quotas they need to meet. They will give you a better deal if your purchase is the sale that will help them meet their quota.

And there you have it; those tips should help you in finding the best bargains when buying a single mattress or an ottoman bed for that matter.  In fact with ottoman sofa bes its even more important to have a quality mattress.
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Looking for a Futon Mattress That Doesn’t Hurt Your Back?

The futon has a notorious reputation for being a cheap mattress that is for college or a bachelor’s pad. This was true of the futon from years ago, but times have changed. Now, there are reasons to have a futon mattress in places besides a college dorm room or your mother-in-law’s suite. All kidding aside, you might be surprised to learn what types of innovation have come to the futon market. Many of these have happened over the last decade and are in large part due to the fact that major mattress manufacturers have entered the futon market.

Some of the bigger names in conventional mattresses, like Sealy™ and Simmons™ have opened up areas that were not available before. Now, quality futon mattresses are a normal part of many people’s experience with them. This is a big step in the right direction. You might not have known that futons have some of the same great features that conventional mattresses have as well. These include things like inner coil springs, memory foam toppers and even more specific custom styles for athletes.

This is another thing to know about futons. For the most part, it is quite simple to find a twin or full size mattress. And, it can actually be relatively easy to track down a queen. But, once you start looking for king size or larger, this is where you might need to look into a custom futon order. Professional athletes enjoy this aspect to their futons because they can get a bed that fits them and also lets them wake up feeling refreshed. The latex futon mattress is still somewhat of a new-comer. It has proved itself in the conventional mattress scene, but it might take a bit more time to catch on with futons.

new futon
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Many people think of futons as part-time couches and part-time sleeping arrangements. If this is what you are looking to use your futon for, then you can likely get away with a cheaper model and not worry about the whole comfort aspect. This isn’t to say you want a thin and unhealthy futon for your body or back, just that if you don’t sleep on it often or have guests on it that much, then it really doesn’t make sense to upgrade to that level. You can get by with a simple cotton or cotton-poly or wool-wrapped foam core model. This type of futon sofa-bed will still have the quality appreciated by today’s standards.

Avoid Clothing Clutter with Portable Closets

Overflowing closet space can happen quickly, particularly when the wardrobe is small, or shopping is a regular hobby. To deal with the additional shoes, shirts, belts, hats, and accessories forming mounds on the closet floor, consider using a portable closet rack.

A movable wardrobe space is an elegant alternative to buying large, clear plastic storage bins to keep extra clothes out of the way. They are large enough to efficiently handle multiple hangings of every clothing item from dresses to suits, and the zippered front on most models prevents damage or dust build-up. Manufacturers offer their unique take on extra closet space in a variety of fabrics and colors. Simple idea – great closet design ideas don’t have to cost a fortune

Stored clothing should be accessible without making the wardrobe area look like a warehouse or moving van, and the versatile choices in removable closets offer this and more. Far more convenient than a bulky piece of furniture, the Honey Can Do is an intelligently designed product.

The Honey Can Do closet comes with swinging double doors and two pull-out drawers on the bottom. The doors and drawers are fitted with attractive handles, and the unit is accented with dark trim on the light material. Measuring 70” high, 43” wide, and 18” deep, it fits neatly in the closet or spare bedroom.

All done with laundry
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A less expensive, stripped down version of the portable wardrobe is made by Essential. At almost six feet tall, it has a steel frame like the double door ‘Honey,’ but offers a bland block front which zips down from one corner. The advantage to this is the unrestricted access, and this model does offer a bonus shelf for stacking folded garments. The Essential portable storage unit is an economical choice, measuring 67” tall, 30” wide and 19.5” deep. This would also work if you needed closet design ideas slanted roof or other awkward spaces.

Organizing clothing in portable closets maintains the cleanliness of the room, and the freshness of the wardrobe, while allowing easy access to the garments.

Purchasing and Caring For A Futon Cover

A futon is a versatile, useful piece of furniture that fits into any design scheme, from a college dorm room to a sophisticated apartment. One’s futon can serve as a couch and can be easily folded out for visitors to use as a sleeping surface. Since a futon gets so much use, it makes sense that one would want to protect it. A futon cover is the most sensible way to do this.

Futon covers can be purchased almost anywhere that futons and furniture are sold. Popular online store items include Ikea futon slipcovers and Targets online inventory of futon decor. What’s the benefit of looking online first though if you can simply go to these stores in person? Mainly, in that internet shopping allows one to compare prices and the opportunity to find a more unique cover.

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A cover may be fitted or may simply drape over the furniture. Different fabrics and thousands of colors and patterns. A futon cover is useful to protect the furniture. Another option is to use covers to change the design of the futon. This allows one to make the futon match the rest of the room’s decorating scheme. Different covers can be alternated with the seasons or for special occasions. Prices will vary depending on the quality of the fabric the cover is made from but may range up to a hundred dollars. There are many options, including cotton, suede or synthetic materials.

Caring for a cover may be simple. Some covers can just be thrown in the washing machine. However, others may require more care, such as spot cleaning or gentle sponging. A leather cover will not be likely to need maintenance and can simply be wiped clean if one spills something on it. Most covers should be kept out of the sun, so it is best to not put the futon near a window or in direct sunlight. One should read and understand the directions listed on their item’s tag or packaging.

Guest Post Courtesy of The Futon Cover Guide.

Adding Leather Bedroom Furniture To Your Home

Leather furniture goes well in any room, but more so in your bedroom. You can have anything you can think of made from leather these days. Black leather would be my first choice, but brown leather goes really with the woods found in the bedroom. For example a leather platform bed will surprise you with its great looks. The frame is covered in luxurious leather and it lifts the beds mattress high off of the floor. Your room is guaranteed to look infinitely more fabulous.

Leather furniture can really make your bedroom look so much better. If you want to you can buy head and foot boards finished in leather to match your current bed. These can really look great in the right setting. If your bedroom is big enough then you could think about having some leather living room furniture in there as well, a leather sofa in your bedroom is somewhere comfortable for you to relax. Or if you would like somewhere to sit and fit your shoes, or maybe somewhere else to watch the TV other than the living room, then this a great solution. This is fairly simple way to dress up your bedroom. If you happen to have a bay window in your room then this will become a great place to soak up those views.

Transform your bedroom into your special place. If you need a break from the outside world then this is your place to escape to. This room should match your style and make you smile when you walk into it. A few touches of leather bedroom furniture can do that. Class will be exuding from this part of your house.

IMM 2009 - Bretz Booth
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Another great thing about leather is that it is so easy to keep clean. Leather is also so easy to protect, there are various products available. If something does end up on it then this makes it even easier to clean up and protects it from staining.

Give your bedroom the facelift it has been asking for. I guarantee you wont regret spending your hard earned cash on this quality furniture.

The Varied Styles of Closet Organization


If you are like thousands of people today, you probably have a messy closet somewhere in your home or apartment. There are a lot of new and interesting products on the market today to help you organize your closet space. The basic units used for closet organization are the storage boxes. These can come in many different materials including cardboard, plastic or wood. These boxes will allow you to place many similar items into one handy storage unit for easy access. The plastic styles also come in sizes to accommodate drawers as well. Even if you need a difficult  closet design ideas: slanted roof or similar – you’ll find something to suit

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You will also see several styles of units which can be used in combination to create a better closet area. Some of these will include full size cabinet pieces which may include drawers or shoe racks. You can purchase these as separate units along with dowel rods for creating your own unique storage closet. There are several styles which come as complete kits you can use to redesign and organize your bedroom closet with. Each area will have its own compartments for storage of accessory items and undergarments. These cabinet units make finding the items you want to wear an easy task to do.

The top of the line models include custom designed pieces and storage wardrobe units. These can come as fitted items which are used in conjunction with your existing closet area. The fitted wardrobes are nice to use because they not only help keep your items in order, they make optimum use of the available space your room has. They can also be designed to work with a bed frame to create a complete wall storage area.

Having all of your apparel items neatly organized not only makes them easy to find, but keeps them in good wearing condition. When clothes are packed in your closet they will get wrinkled and be unsightly to wear. A neat and tidy closet will reflect on how you appear to others.

For more information:
Closet Organizers Do It Yourself Guide
Closet Organizers

Do You Know These Two Important Points When Buying Your Kids Bedroom Furniture?

In the good old days, everyone left their kids to play with the neighbors outside the home. It helped to develop adventure and independence, the character that made America successful. But do that now and the kids run too great a chance of being kidnapped, run down by careless or drunk drivers, or shot by druggies in drive-by shootings. Unfortunately, you need to keep your kids at home but NOT in front of the idiot box all day. Give them books to read or computer games to play in the comfort and privacy of their own bedrooms. Of course, that also means giving them proper bedroom furniture that serves their needs.

Who's that jumping on the bed?
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Unfortunately, most bedroom furniture designs for kids do not include a desk and chair. Those will be the first additional furniture you need to buy. You really, really do not want your child sprawled out on his bed or hunched over on the floor while reading or playing. This will cause him to develop poor posture, leading to all sorts of aches and pains in the future. Besides poor posture, kids who do not have a proper desks and chairs which fit them tend to keep their books or computer screens too close to their eyes, leading to shortsightedness. Your kid’s desk and chair need not be expensive. In fact, you should probably buy the cheapest one that fits him because he will grow rapidly and you will soon need to replace them.

The second item(s) you want to add to your kid’s bedroom is/are additional storage. Whether you give him shelves or storage chests does not matter as long as they are easy to use and make it easy for him to organize and store his belongings. Boys are not born naturally messy. They learn to be messy when they were young because they did not have enough space to properly store their toys and other belongings. The wardrobe that comes with most kids bedroom furniture is definitely not enough. Boys who grow up to become neat and organized men always had enough shelves and organized storage space available to them as kids. Of course, as a parent, you are also responsible for showing them a good example as well as teaching them how to use all that additional storage space effectively.

Too many parents buy their kid’s bedroom furniture based purely on looks. Far too often, not enough thought is put into its practical functionality. When their kids develop bad habits, they have no one to blame but themselves.

Why Choose A Futon?

As a way to inexpensively add extra seating and sleeping space, many people have purchased futons for their apartments and homes. If unfamiliar with the futon’s function and design, some people may still be hesitant to purchase one; however, futons have significant advantages over other types of furniture such as the ability to be assembled inside your own residence.

Consisting of a few pieces, futons are easier to transport from inside to outside, and from room to room. If a doorway is too narrow to bring a traditional couch into a room, a person will most likely have a better experience trying to move an unassembled futon into the room and by setting the unit up, once inside. Likewise, if wishing to store an unused couch in an attic or garage, transporting a futon up a ladder or down basement stairs is easier that moving a much heavier sofa.

In addition to facilitating an easier transport and move time, futons have dual uses. While it is possible to sleep on a couch, sleepers would first have to remove a sofa bed’s cushions, store them, and then unfold the halved-bed in place while adjusting its sharp, metal legs. Having a thicker handle and requiring a shorter set-up time, futons are more comfortable than a sofa bed and have a thicker mattress. When finished, they are easy to convert back to a quick seating area.

Finally, if needing to clean a couch’s upholstery, this can require either a professional cleaning by an upholstery servicing outfit or by having a person painstakingly clean it using a steamer. Unfortunately, some types of upholstery must only be cleaned by professionals. When owning a futon, futon covers are removable and allow the owner to wash and update the futon’s appearance as desired. This is very helpful when relocating a futon from one room to another or when passing it down from one family member to the next.

Make a Futon
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