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Freshen Up Your Interior For Under £100

Most of us look to save money where we can, however when it comes to our home décor things are never cheap. Whether that be replacing the flooring, buying new furniture or even installing a whole new kitchen, it’s never a penniless process and we have to accept that we’ll need to cough up. But there are certainly ways you can dramatically improve the look of your home without having to spend a fortune. With the current climate, it looks like we’ll be spending most of our time at home, so turn this crisis to your advantage and see what can be done to freshen up your interior.

Take a Moment to Reflect and Reassess

Once we’ve made up our mind to update and have a change in our homes, many of us get too eager and want to get started straight away, which can lead to rash decisions and end up not doing our home the justice it deserves. If you’re looking to renovate your entire home, before you go out looking at fancy kitchens and bathrooms, make sure all the under-lining jobs are done. This includes the wiring, plumbing, render and making sure that there’s no rot. The last thing you want to do is spend a pretty penny on a gorgeous solid wood floor to then find your entire house needs rewiring and have to rip it all up. Get a survey done, talk to builders before you go out buying the snazzy parts, get the boring stuff right first!

However, if you’re just looking to change things around in your interior and a renovation isn’t what you’re looking at, then before you buy any new furniture think about furniture you’ve already got. It might be that there’s a cupboard from the dining room that would work perfectly in the living room. Even repositioning furniture can end up feeling like a big refreshing change all without spending a penny.

Painting

It would be silly of us not to mention painting, as it’s usually the first thing you think of when you’re looking to redecorate. A new coat or even just a lick of paint is the perfect way to instantly lift any interior and the best part is that it costs hardly anything at all. Why not be bold and go for a different colour to the one that’s already there, after all if you’re going to go to all that effort to paint you may as well have a change!

Don’t think that paint is just restricted to walls and ceilings either. Instead of purchasing new furniture, have a go at painting over old tired furniture and it gives you the freedom to have any colour your like.

Think Carefully About the Little Things

It’s all very well having new floors and freshly painted walls, but an interior is nothing without its soft furnishings that give it that character that makes it personal. If you’re not in the mood to be splashing out on new beds, sofas or any kind of expensive furniture then consider purchasing new throws, cushions and ornaments. A cheap, easy and quick way of adding charisma and style into your room.

Don’t Hold Back with Artwork

Any style interior, whether that be contemporary or traditional welcomes artwork. If you’ve got a room that looks a bit bare and you’re stuck on how to jazz it up, then paintings are always a good bet. The price of artwork massively depends, you can choose to spend a lot in art galleries or you can go down to your local charity shop and pick one up for hardly anything at all. If you have kids, then frame their paintings and drawings – you’ll make them feel very special and kid’s paintings are perfect for adding colour to your room! Family photos work well too and you can even get them blown up into a big canvas.

Have Your Say

Do you have tips to share with us on how to do up a home on a budget? Leave a comment in the section below!

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

The post Freshen Up Your Interior For Under £100 appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

A History of Flooring

If you’re familiar with flooring, then you’ll be all too aware that options such as hardwood are often described as ‘timeless’ or ‘classical’. A lot of the time, this is used to make it sound appealing when really, it’s completely true if you’re looking at it from a historical angle. So what flooring did our ancestors really walk on? If you’re a big fan of history and are looking at purchasing your next floor, then read on.

 The Very First Floors

This article would be pointless unless we mentioned the very first floors that ever existed but it’s not as exciting as you might think – the very first floors were actually the ground itself. In most cases, the floors of huts were complete mud and straw, or planks of wood placed down if you were lucky. A far cry from the luxurious oiled wood floors we’re used to today right? You also have to remember that our ancestors shared their huts with their animals and all sorts being left on the floor, which would then get trodden down and make the surface as hard as concrete.

In hotter climates like the tribal people in America, sand was a common practise. Although not the most pleasant thing to have as flooring, it would collect waste and absorb moisture, eventually resulting in a mucky clump which would get swept away and replaced with a fresh layer. Another common practise was to use shells and seeds as a protective layer. Pretty but we’d still rather have laminate!

Stone’s Vast History

With stone being use for structure and tools by humans since the beginning of time, it’s no surprise that it was made use of for floors too. There’s plenty of evidence that the Romans used it in their bath houses, to medieval castles and lots of use in the Dark Ages. This then developed into colourful stones such as mosaics that are still used today. Marble was another common material too, often used a symbol of wealth and prestige.

If you’re into your ancient history, then you’ll likely know that the Romans were very sophisticated and advanced for their time and a lot of their inventions are still used to this day. They took stone flooring to a whole new level and created a floor that was heated from below and thus underfloor heating was born. This was made so that the tiles were propped up to make a gap between the surfaces of the floor, so that the heat was able to fill this gap. This abstract invention was used only in homes of the wealthy and communal buildings and is still seen as a luxury today.

Wood Flooring

Moving on from ancient times, wood flooring has an extensive history too. A beautiful and classical choice, we can’t ever see wood flooring going out of fashion any time soon. Although wood flooring has always been popular, sales have soared in the last decade or so and is probably the most fashionable choice at the moment. With the world becoming increasingly more modern, perhaps we’re looking for a taste of something from a bygone era. Not only this, but wood is incredible durable and is likely to last longer than a life-time. Many Victorian and Edwardian homes still have the original wood flooring!

Wood flooring’s origin can be traced back to the 15th century, with a lot of old palaces and manor houses boasting wood that was laid when the building was built. Parquet and herringbone are often associated in old houses, with many of us enjoying its luxurious and interesting pattern in our homes today.

What About the Floors of Today?

Modern flooring consists of mainly Luxury Vinyl Tiles, laminate and cork. With technology advancing every minute, who knows what flooring materials could emerge in the future?

Have Your Say

Do you have any knowledge of the history of flooring? Let us know in the comments down below!

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

The post A History of Flooring appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

Lockdown Flooring Projects Directly From Our Customers

Although times are tough at the minute and many things are a struggle, our wonderful customers have shared with us their flooring projects! Although our lives are very redistricted at the moment, there’s lots of updates and projects you can do around your home to keep yourself busy, so why not consider a new floor? Here are some of our products in action in our lovely customer’s own homes!

First up is our Elgin Latte Oak (EO5018) what great taste! We love this product because of its gorgeous rustic and authentic look while still showing off modern style and sophistication. They said: “The downstairs flooring started going down today. So excited to see how it looks in the living room, dining room and extension! We were so happy with the quality and look of the floor. Looks great, we can’t wait to see the finished product.”

Next is the very popular Thorpe Prime Oak Herringbone (PAR210). If you’re really looking to give the wow factor to visitors and are keen on a traditional style interior, then this product is for you. Despite its old-fashioned reputation, herringbone wood is actually at the height of fashion at the moment and this picture certainly shows off its fabulous chic look. They said: “Parquet in progress! We decided to go for larger oak blocks in a lovely herringbone pattern. Definitely go heavy traffic if you have pets!”

Now we’ve got Studley Frost Oak (EO2016). This is a little different to the ones we’ve mentioned previously, as it offers a much fresher and more mutual appearance, due to the minimal knots and gorgeous neutral colour. It’ll therefore work well with any style interior and you won’t need to worry if you do decide to redecorate! They said: “The first of our floors went down this week. We ended up going with an engineered wood for the kitchen, it’s brushed and oiled oak which will work perfectly for everything else we’ve got planned in here.”

 

We love the way our floorings look in our customer’s homes and thankful to everyone who shared their renovations with us! The best way to improve your mood and make things a little more bearable during these troubled times is to get your home beautiful. After all you’ll be spending a lot of time there and it’s the perfect opportunity to purchase that floor you’ve always wanted!

Have Your Say

Have you got any lockdown projects to share with us? Let us know in the comments below!

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

The post Lockdown Flooring Projects Directly From Our Customers appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

Summertime Flooring Trends

The season most of us have been waiting for…summer! It’s easy to see why it’s the most popular season, where the weather gets warmer and life gets easier – with sun, festivals, holidays and plenty of social events to look forward to, it’s not surprising we all rave about it so much! Along with a new season comes a change in fashion and flooring is no exception. Let’s dive into what’s looking hot in the flooring world this summer and how you can get ahead of the interior style.

Changing the flooring in your home is the perfect way to create a whole new look to your home. The flooring can either make or break a room, so it’s important to get it right and it’s a great place to start! Here are our favourite trends of summer 2020…

Grey Wood

Here at Luxury Flooring, we’ve always been a fan of grey and wood flooring and are so excited to see that both of them together are hot this summer! Grey is a very fashionable colour at the moment, in both clothing and interior due to its neutral, sophisticated yet timeless appeal. Grey complements nearly everything and is enough colour to make a statement without being too loud. For those of you who enjoy a rustic grade wood, then you’re in luck when it comes to grey. The wood’s natural imperfections of knots and grains show up beautifully on grey and will really present that gorgeous natural look. One of the best things about grey wood is that there’s so much choice, whether a lighter more contemporary colour is more to your taste, or a darker traditional look – it looks fantastic whatever the shade. If you’re really wanting to show off your taste and fashion sense, grey herringbone is all the rage right now, presenting the perfect mix between contemporary and traditional…

Walnut WoodMalham Thunder Oak 190 x 15/4mm Click

A daring choice but a fabulous one at that. Walnut wood presents its own unique beauty that you just don’t get in other wood flooring types. Its richness is faultless for those wanting to add a touch of class and something from a bygone era to their home. Dark walnut is ideal for bringing proportion to larger spaces and will create the perfect backdrop for a traditionally styled room. Don’t think that a walnut wood floor will make your home look too classical, its clean-cut premise with minimal knots and grains makes for a stunning contemporary feel too. Its advantages are endless!

Luxury Vinyl Tiles

It’s no secret that we think LVT is the best thing since sliced bread. Forget the ugly, cheap outdated lino vinyl from the 1970s, it has been revolutionised to create the highly sophisticated Luxury Vinyl Tiles of today. Perhaps the best quality of LVT is how practical and durable it is with virtually no maintenance needed to keep it in mint condition. It is scratch, stain and water proof and will last a long time looking as good as the day it was installed even with lots of foot traffic. Its benefits don’t stop there – with so many of us lusting after real wood but being put off by its price tag, LVT is here to save the day. LVT presents the glory of natural products such as wood and stone so well that often it’s impossible to tell them apart – all this at a much more affordable price. What’s not to like? Once more, LVT’s popularity is growing and it’s emerged as one of the hottest flooring choices right now and we can’t see it going out any time soon.

Have Your Say

Which is your favourite trend? Let us know in the comments below!

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

The image features our: Malham Thunder Oak (EC3190),

The post Summertime Flooring Trends appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)

Red mulberry, often just called mulberry, is best known for its delicious sweet dark purple berries that ripen in midsummer. If you can beat the birds to the ripe berries, you are in for a special treat indeed. (My wife has a recipe for flat-pan mulberry pie that is fantastic.)

It is likely that grandmother hated the tree if it was within a couple of hundred yards, however, as ripe mulberries, when eaten by birds, result in dark purple droppings that the birds would deposit (in fact, seldom missing) on white sheets and other light colored clothes hung on the clothesline outside to dry.

The mulberry tree is widespread, ranging from Massachusetts to South Dakota to Texas, to Florida, up the Eastern Seaboard, and everywhere in between. However, due its small size (usually under 50 feet high) and because it is not found in thick stands, most sawmills will ignore these trees. Yet it is an outstanding furniture wood. Let the mills know that you want mulberry and you will have it on a regular basis, and probably for a very low price.

Because the wood is naturally decay resistant, it has been used in the past for boat building, tight cooperage (tight means that the barrel can hold liquids), and fences.

Processing Suggestions And Characteristics

Density. This is a fairly heavy wood; approximately the same density as red oak. The green specific gravity (SG) is 0.58; at 6 percent MC, the SG is 0.67. The weight, when dry, is 43 pounds per cubic foot or about 3.6 pounds per board foot.

Drying and Stability. The wood dries easily. It does not warp, as the grain is usually quite straight. End splits can be a problem, so end coating is suggested. Staining of heartwood is not a risk.

Overall shrinkage from green to 6 percent MC is estimated to be 7 percent tangentially (the width in flatsawn lumber) and 4 percent radially (the thickness of flatsawn lumber). Once dried, the wood will not move much even if there are large RH changes or if the MC is not matched to the environment’s EMC conditions. A typical final MC range is 6.0 to 7.5 percent, unless used in a humid location. It takes an estimated 4 percent MC change to result in 1 percent size change tangentially and 7 percent MC change radially.

Gluing and Machining. Mulberry machines quite well. No special issues or requirements exist. It turns well on a lathe,

This wood glues easily with conventional adhesives and conventional practices.

Strength. Mulberry is only moderately strong; that is, not as strong as ash or oak. It would be best not to use this species in high strength situations, such as chair or table legs unless the size is increased to develop more strength. It is not exceptionally hard. Specific strength data is not available.

Mulberry tends to split when nailed or screwed, so pilot holes should be used when fastening, especially at or near the ends of pieces of wood.

Color and Grain. The lumber will be mostly heartwood, which is pale orange in color, becoming slightly darker on long term exposure to light.

The grain texture is coarse, but without any fancy figure. The annual rings are noticeable and fairly straight, lengthwise. The wood is ring porous, so the earlywood pores in each growth ring are somewhat open, like white oak. A sealer may be required for even finishing.

There is a little ray fleck on a quartersawn surface, but mostly the wood is flatsawn.

This post appeared first on http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com

First Impressions – Flooring for The Hallway

The hallway plays a big part in the overall look of your home and is often taken for granted. When we think of redecorating, we get excited about the living room, bedroom and kitchen but often the hallway is one of those forgotten rooms. It’s actually one of the most important places in the home with it being the first room you step foot in and giving that all important first impression.

Aesthetics

With any big purchase, there’s no point unless we love the way it looks. A flooring can make or break a room, so it’s important to get it right! It’s also very disruptive and expensive to change, so you’ll need to make sure that you’re going to like it in five years’ time. As we’ve said previously, the hallway is the perfect opportunity to give fantastic first impression. If you’re really wanting to show off with a striking impression, then solid wood in a herringbone arrangement will certainly do the trick. It’s known for really giving the wow factor to your guests and works well in an open space like the hallway.

Although solid wood is a very desirable option, a lot of us are put off by its price tag. If you’re looking to get the luxurious look of real wood but at a cheaper price and easier maintenance, then Luxury Vinyl Tiles and laminate come in very realistic impressions of natural products.

DurabilityPainswick Silky Oak 80 x 300 x 10/3mm

Since everyone who enters and leaves your home has to go through the hallway, it does experience a lot of footfall, probably the highest in the home. With this being said, something that will withstand high foot fall while still looking good as the day it was bought is ideal. Of course, wood flooring comes out on top again, offering unbeatable durability and will last a generation and is likely to outlive even the person who laid it! Therefore, not only does wood present a beautiful plush look for your hallway but will last a lifetime too.

Laminate and LVT are known to be very durable and will last a substantial amount of time, but it’s likely you’ll need to replace it a lot sooner than wood. So even though wood’s original price tag is a lot higher than these flooring options, it can often end up paying for its self with its longevity.

Maintenance

The hallway is somewhere a lot of dirt from the outside gather and get a lot of shoes wiped on it. In terms of maintenance, laminate and LVT are much easier to keep clean than wood flooring with them being resistant to scratches, stains and water. Wood on the other hand is susceptible to scratches and stains and is no good when it comes into contact with too much water, as it causes it to warp and swell.

However, there is one quality that wood has that makes it superior to its competitors. You can sand down and refinish wood a number of times depending on its thickness or wear layer. This will eradicate any stains, scratches and general wear and tear. This should not normally need to be done for the first 15-20 years, so you can only imagine how long these beautiful floors can last and with an area like the hallway!

Have Your Say

What flooring do you have in your hallway? Share with us in the comments below!

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

The image features our: Painswick Silky Oak (HE6001).

The post First Impressions – Flooring for The Hallway appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

Creating the Dreamy Bedroom Space

We all want our bedroom to be a haven for relaxation and style, as well as representing our personality and taste. However, getting it exactly as we want it is easier said than done unfortunately, with practicality, space and budget always getting in the way. However there are ways you can spruce up your bedroom without having to break the bank, and we’re here to help inspire you.

Make Your Bed the Centre Piece of the Room

Although it doesn’t come as a surprise that the bed is dominate feature of the bedroom, a lot of us don’t make the most of it. A bed isn’t just for sleeping in, it can really brighten up your room and plays a large part in the room’s overall style and theme. Therefore, a good place to start is to centre things around the bed – other furniture should accommodate the bed, not the other way around. Then you can go forth and pour your personality into it! If you’re a fan of a rustic look, then a wood headboard will work wonders. Introduce fairy lights, treat yourself to a characterful bedspread – this is really important to get right as it will set the tone of your room – so if you’re going down the route of a nautical theme, then start this off by a large nautical bedspread! Don’t forget to decorate your bed with lots of fancy cushions in a range of patterns and textures…

Mirror Mirror…

Not only do mirrors serve a practical purpose, but they look great too! Don’t think you have to go for a plain mirror, there’s plenty of statement mirrors available too and they don’t always cost a fortune. A great place to go looking is antique stores, which often sell big grand mirrors at a more affordable price.

The advantages of mirrors don’t stop there. If you have a smaller bedroom, then mirrors can help it look larger, creating the illusion of more space. This works especially well with a full length mirror too, allowing your room to appear taller.

Do Up Your Old Furniture

Interior makeovers don’t have to break the bank. Repurposing old furniture is a fantastic way of freshening up your interior without having to spend a fortune. You can sand down wood furniture to eradicate any scratches, dents or stains. Perhaps add a coat of paint to mix things up too? Often there’s nothing wrong with the actual furniture it just looks a bit tired! Having a go at this is certainly worth the effort and will save you a lot of money. Perhaps there’s a piece of furniture from another room that would work perfectly in your bedroom that you didn’t first think of?

Sand Down and Refinish Your FloorStudley Forest Oak 150 x 14/3mm

Here at Luxury Flooring we’re a big fan of wood flooring and it’s become an increasingly popular choice in rooms like the bedroom. If you’re lucky enough to have wood flooring in your bedroom but it’s starting to look worn, then a great project is to sand it down and re finish it. Flooring can make or break a room and a newly renovated wood flooring will create the perfect backdrop to your dream bedroom.

Paint

While this is something we all know improves things but a lot of us put off, you can get much more creative than just adding a coat of paint to your existing colour. Paint is inexpensive and will dramatically improve the look and feel of your room. Why not opt for a feature wall or paint the walls all different colours? Make sure the colour you choose works with the rest of the room– pastels are a great choice, tuning into that relaxed bedroom vibe that we’re all after.

Be Clever With Lighting

Decorating the walls can be something as simple as adding lights to your walls and bam, you’ve got instant decoration. Even introducing new bedside lamps is a cheap way to upgrade your bedroom’s look. You can really incorporate your style through lamps too, with many attractive designs and sizes available. Depending on the type, a bright light can be dimmed to create that desirable cosy bedroom atmosphere.

Who said you had to spend a lot to completely transform your rooms look?

Have Your Say

Do you have any tips to share with is on how to spruce up your bedroom? Let us know in the comments below!

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

The image features our: Studley Forest Oak (EO2060).

The post Creating the Dreamy Bedroom Space appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

Which Is The Best Flooring For Your Baby’s Room?

Many expecting parents decide to find out the sex of their baby before it’s born, however there are still the few that enjoy the surprise. This then often influences decisions around how to decorate the nursery, whether to go for the typical blues and pinks, or whether to try and keep the room as neutral as possible, using shades of greens and yellows. However, it’s not just the colour of the walls which needs to be considered, but also what the most suitable flooring option is too!

Solid And Engineered Wood Flooring

Although not such a clear choice for a child’s bedroom, both wood options unquestionably come with their own benefits. Unlike carpet, real wood flooring doesn’t lose its colour over time. It’s also considerably more durable, looking newer for longer whereas carpet can tend to appear worn and trodden in, particularly the more wallet-friendly options.

In terms of damage, one of the main causes of damage to flooring in children’s bedrooms is when it gets discoloured or stained due to spillages. Although there are a number of cleaning products out there to help deal with spillages and stains on carpets, it’s arguably a little more difficult to get them out of wood flooring. Having said that, if you have chosen to lay wood flooring in the nursery, as long as you act quickly in the event of a spillage, you should find that no lasting damage has been done. If over time you find that stains do appear on your floor, with a solid or an engineered wood product, you’re able to sand it down and the floor will look as good as new. With a carpet on the other hand, you may find you need to replace the entire room, making it more costly in the long run.

Wood flooring also never goes out of fashion and can even add value to your property, so if you want to use the nursery for other purposes or even look to sell the house in the future, there should be no issues with this at all!

Carpet

A popular choice for bedrooms, due to its homely and soft feel. This is especially good for young children, as it’s gentle against their skin and warm when playing on the floor. It also looks pleasing, so it is easy to see why carpet is an obvious choice for a new baby’s room.

While carpet is a sensible option, it is worth considering all the factors that help you narrow down your preferences when choosing for a new baby. Firstly, if you know the sex, you may have already decided on a theme. But if you don’t know the gender then a neutral colour such as cream, light blue or white may be preferred.

Secondly, babies cannot object to whatever colour flooring you decide to lay down, but, if this is to be their room as they grow older, they may decide that they want something different. If you decide on a bright pink carpet and the child turns out to be a pink hater, you have a problem. Of course if you have kids, you’ll know their taste is always changing. One week they’ll like one thing and the next week they’ll have moved on, not to mention them growing up so fast! That is why we would always recommend a softer neutral colour so it’s hard for them to feel so strongly about it. Still, if spillages occur, then it is more obvious with a lighter floor. It all depends on what’s more important to you.

Luxury Vinyl TilesNest Windswept Oak Click Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Tile Wood Flooring - 6.5mm Thick (inc. 1mm Underlay)

If you’re wanting to be completely practical, then Luxury Vinyl Tiles could be the perfect solution. Unlike wood flooring and carpet, it’s completely waterproof and stain-resistant, so you won’t have to worry if anything gets on it.

On the other hand though, it perhaps doesn’t look or feel as homely as carpet or wood flooring.

LVT isn’t as warm or as inviting as the two previous options, but it does come in a range of styles, colours, patterns and thicknesses meaning you can find the perfect solution for your nursery, should you want a little more practical option.

Ultimately, only you can decide whether you’re looking for the style of wood flooring, the comfort of carpet or practicality of LVT.

Now, once you’ve decided on the very best flooring for your new little darling’s room, it might make choosing a décor theme a little easier.  You’ll both be spending a lot of time in the room, especially in the early days, so make sure you love it.

Furniture

If you do go down the route of neutral walls and flooring, then perhaps you can afford to be a bit more adventurous on cot colours! Pastels are a charming soothing look, baby blues and pinks… clue is in the name! They will also keep your room bright; most people don’t want dark harsh colours in their baby’s room. Even the timeless look of a traditional wood cot, perhaps with shapes cut into it would suit most décors.

We know that cots aren’t the only furniture in a nursery; you’ll also likely consider traditional rocking chairs, bookshelves, and chests of drawers. Whatever furniture you choose for the room, there are plenty of places to buy it!

Walls

Now we need to face it, there is a danger your little tot will draw on the walls at some point, so something that’s easy to cover or replace would be rational. There’s a lot of stickers popped onto walls at the moment, including fun dinosaurs, birds, aeroplanes, teddies and these stickers are also handy as a temporary solution to hiding marks on the wall!

Soft Furnishings

From a practical point of view, a black-out blind would be a great idea to help your little one sleep through the night, by making the room as dark as possible. You can double up by including curtains too, which in addition to making the room as cosy as possible, can also make a real statement, with a variety of designs and patterns to choose from. Some parents even chose to make their children’s curtains themselves, which really allows you to personalise.

Other soft furnishings including throws, cushions and blankets will often match with other elements of the room, such as the colour of the furniture, wood work or curtains, in order to continue a theme throughout.

Having a baby on the way is an extremely exciting and busy time, but there’s no reason why you can’t take delight in decorating their room. Don’t stress about it – use it as a relaxing project and don’t worry if it isn’t complete by the time they come – we can promise they won’t mind!

Have Your Say

How have you decorated your baby’s room? Let us know in the comments below!

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

Have Your Say: Nest Windswept Oak Click Rigid Core Luxury Vinyl Tile Wood Flooring (NESTV127).

The post Which Is The Best Flooring For Your Baby’s Room? appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

Sapele

Sapele (pronounced sa-pee’-lee) is in the African mahogany family. Indeed, sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum) has the appearance of African mahogany; that is, sapele is dark reddish brown with a ribbon pattern. It is actually heavier, stronger and harder than African mahogany. Its excellent working properties and wonderful appearance result in a moderate to high price in the lumber market. This wood is also available as veneer.

The tree grows in the tropical rain forests of Africa, ranging from the Ivory Coast to Cameroon and eastward through Zaire to Uganda. On the edge of its range, it has been harvested heavily and may be nearing extinction; however, in most of its range it is more plentiful and can be grown in plantations, assuring good supplies into the future with good forestry practices.

The tree in the natural forest will reach a height ranging from 100 to 150 feet, with some trees reaching 200 feet in height. Tree diameters can reach 6 feet, although 4 to 5 feet are more common. The merchantable stem is typically straight, free of branches and over 100 feet long. As might be imagined, this large tree produces tremendous volumes of clear lumber and veneer.

As the tree is growing, the vertical cells do not align vertically in the tree, but are aligned at a small angle. In other words, the grain spirals up the tree, similar to the stripes of a candy-cane. The direction of rotation also reverses from year to year. This phenomena is called, when the wood is sawn into lumber, interlocked grain. When quartersawn or riftsawn, this interlocked grain creates a wonderful (and desirable) ribbon pattern on the face of the lumber.

As with many imported species, this wood is subject to attack by powderpost beetles which are common in tropical regions. They can be eliminated by fumigation when shipping or kiln drying above 133 degrees F. Once treated, the “sterilized” wood must be kept away from unsterilized, infected wood.

 

Processing Suggestions and Characteristics

Density

Sapele is similar in density to red oak, but heavier than mahogany. Kiln-dried wood has a density of 36 pounds per cubic foot. Lumber planed to ¾ inch thickness 7 percent MC will weigh about 2-1/4 pounds per board foot.

Drying and Stability

Sapele may be dried at the sawmill, but it is not uncommon to bring the wet wood to the U.S. for drying. It dries rapidly, but the interlocked grain results in a strong tendency to warp. This warp is best controlled by excellent stacking and low initial temperatures. Kiln schedules are similar to red oak.

Overall shrinkage in drying (about 5-1/2 percent in width of flatsawn lumber and 3-1/2 percent for quartersawn) is not excessive.

This wood moves somewhat in service when the humidity changes. Quartersawn lumber that shows the ribbon stripe will actually be fairly stable in width, requiring a 6 percent MC change to produce a 1 percent size change. Flatsawn lumber will move 1 percent with a 4 percent MC change.

Gluing and Machining

Gluing is moderately easy, but with the high density of the wood surfaces should be flat and freshly prepared. There are no resins to deal with.

The interlocked grain means that on quartersawn and rift surfaces, the tool is always cutting some of the fibers “against the grain.” Tear-out (torn grain, chip-out) is therefore likely, especially for low MCs and slender knives. The hook angle should be small so that the knife acts more like a plow than like a splitting chisel.

Strength

Sapele is a little stronger than red oak. The bending strength (MOR) is 15,300 psi, the elasticity (MOE) is 1.82 million psi, and the hardness is 1510 pounds.

Screw and nail holding is very high; predrilling of screw and nail holes near the ends of the pieces is be suggested to avoid splitting.

Color and Grain

Sapele is almost always 100 percent heartwood. The heartwood is dark reddish brown with a purplish cast. The grain texture rather fine, similar to mahogany. The interlocked grain on quartersawn surfaces produces the ribbon like pattern. There is a very slight aroma at times which smells a bit like cedar.

When sanded smooth, the wood has a slight luster. It may be necessary to use a sealer on the wood surfaces (or use multiple coats), as there can be variations in absorption of the finishes without a sealer.

This post appeared first on http://www.woodworkingnetwork.com

The Advantages of Under-Floor Heating

Although you might think that under-floor heating is a modern invention, it’s actually been around since the Roman times with them using it in their bath houses. It’s almost certainly something you’ve heard of even if you don’t have it in your own home. It’s been popping up more and more in the last ten years and we can certainly see it being in every home in the next twenty years! It you’re not already convinced, we’re going to go through the reasons it’s the best option in your home.

Energy Efficiency

Generally, under-floor heating requires less energy to run than bulky radiators. This is because it only needs to run on a temperature of 29 degree Celsius or less in order to warm up the room, therefore less energy used resulting in lower bills.

Ease to RunStudley Barn Oak 125 x 14/3mm

Under-floor heating needs virtually no maintenance to keep it running smoothly and efficiently. The warmup controls ensure that your heating runs in the most profitable way possible, so you can decide when it comes on and off, meaning you can save on your heating expenses.

Compatible with Most Flooring

You might be thinking, what if my flooring or my dream flooring isn’t compatible with under-floor heating? The good news is that most flooring materials is able to work with this invention, from laminate, Luxury Vinyl Tiles to engineered wood. However, under-floor heating is not compatible with solid wood, due to it shrinking and warping under heat. With solid wood being a popular choice, it can be disappointing to hear that your favourite choice isn’t compatible with this feature! You do get wood’s realistic appearance with the other flooring materials, so you don’t have to sacrifice solid wood’s beautiful authentic looks!

Safety and Appearance

Safety is something we all need to put as a priority, especially if you come from a busy family household! Like anything, as radiators get older they wear out and sometimes fall off the wall – the last thing you want when you have kids running about the place! Sharp edges and hot, you have to be much more careful with radiators. Under-floor heating is tucked out of the way, so nothing dangerous in the way and unsightly radiators!

Of course, there’s probably many of you that want under-floor heating in your home, but the cost and disruption is too off putting. One it’s installed though, you’ll notice a big difference in bills and aesthetics, it will end up paying for itself!

Have Your Say

Do you have any experience with under-floor heating? Share with us in the comments?

Remember to follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram for the latest news and discussions. We’re always finding new ways to improve our stock, so keep up to date!

The image features our: Studley Barn Oak (EO1098).

The post The Advantages of Under-Floor Heating appeared first on Blog & Advice Centre – Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

This post appeared first on https://www.luxuryflooringandfurnishings.co.uk

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