After being in the retail furniture business for the past 20 years I have seen so many people find the perfect bedroom or dining set but not purchase because it was the wrong stain or type of wood. Why not start off with a blank canvas and let your creativity go to work and make yourself a one of a kind. There is a great selection of unfinished furniture out there in woods that readily take a stain like maple, alder, pine, birch, and of coarse oak. Several advantages come to mind in the "do it yourself" plan. First you can get a great piece of furniture in the exact stain you want to fit an existing décor or start a new direction altogether. Also you can customizing with hand painting, crackling, distressing, or stenciling, and really make your own statement. In addition, many of the unfinished pieces are solid wood so you can usually find a quality item often much better than the typical veneer over particle board construction. Who knows, you may even have some fun!
Your bedroom should be the ultimate place for rest and rejuvenation, so create peaceful surroundings that are a nice combination of simplicity and nature. The Kyoto line by Haiku Designs was inspired by the Edo Period of Japan which has been modernized here with a fresh new look. In keeping with the nature theme, the bed is made of ecologically responsible farmed solid mahogany and ergonomically designed individual headboards. The Kyoto is a platform bed and works perfectly with a futon or memory foam mattress for a sleek clean look. Available in Queen, King, or California King with a rich brown stain over mahogany.
If you are looking for some really great classic modern furniture but want to stay on the economical side, then Zuo Modern could be the right choice for you. They design their products with two ideals, sharp lines and shapes with classic colors, and strict quality control that works to create an exceptional value for their consumers. The main focus of their production is office chairs, bar stools and tables, dining chairs and tables, occasional seating, and outdoor furniture all with a unique look, but still paying homage to the gifted designers of the past.
In a recent post I reported on the strong come back of white lacquer furniture, a style that has been away for a few years, but made a strong showing at this year's High Point Furniture Market. Well here is another come back on the interior design scene that will surely bring back some memories, hopefully good ones. That's right, shag area rugs. Of coarse no ones ready to do the entire home like they did in the 70's, but the area rugs may be just the start. Area rugs are a great cost effective way to introduce color and texture to rooms with tile or hardwood floors. In addition many of the rug companies are issuing really thick long shags in colors like lime green, orange, pink, and other cool colors. I recommend getting a rug made of synthetic fibers like olefin, and a size that's not to big so you can take it outside and shake it out, 5x8 or 6x9 is perfect.
Consider this one for the record books. I know this is not furniture any of us will have, or even see for a long time, but here is just the way things are going in this day of technological advancement. Dutch architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars worked for six years to develop this floating black platform using opposing magnets that repel each other to create the world's first floating bed / dining table. Ruijssenaars was inspired by the mysterious monolith in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 cult film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Thin steel cables tether the $1.54 million dollar modern sleeping platform that the designer admits "needs some comfortable bedding", in place. I am holding out for them mass produced version that will significantly drop the price so I can be the first on my block to float to sleep.
