Posted by Jody Raines on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 @ 01:03 PM
Refinishing furniture can make an old piece new. But did you realize it's also helpful for the environment? Just think about it - you are re-utilizing something that already exists and making it into something that has new life without sacrificing another tree! And even more than that, the furniture is saved from being part of the landfills that are cluttering our planet.
Even something as environmentally simple as refinishing furniture can make a big impact. If every neighbor refrained from throwing away a table or couch and instead, they recycled furniture by reupholstering or refinishing, we'd have less garbage at the dumps and landfills.
Newer, inexpensive furniture is crafted to be disposable. Many of the newer pieces are made with pressboard that will warm or disintigrate if it gets wet. Did you realize that pressboard also contains carcinogens? Formaldehyde levels from new pressboard furniture are high, just as they are from new carpet. It's safer to refinish your existing furniture since the newer finishes are lead and formaldehyde-free, and most new finishes also have the advantage of resisting fading or changing color.
Even if your furniture still looks great, you may want to consider having it refinished. The new sealants are chemically composed to last longer, wear better, and protect the furniture from fading. If you are concerned about lead in an older piece of furniture, having an expert evaluate it for you is a good first step. After that, the professional may make recommendations that will protect the furniture, but also would encapsulate any potentially hazardous material that may have been allowed by an overseas manufacturer or an earlier process.
And refinishing furniture also has the advantage of creating a room of unique styled chairs or tables. By reupholstering, you can change the look of an entire room and create a room that reflects your individual taste and style.
Don't be afraid to expore refinishing tables or chairs or reupholstering a sofa. You will be upgrading and updating your home while saving the planet!
Posted by Jody Raines on Fri, Jan 20, 2012 @ 09:07 AM
Classic contemporary furniture like Eames lounge chairs feature beautiful stylized lines that are timeless. If you've been lucky enough to get a great piece or find an Eames chair at an estate sale or auction you may need some reconditioning or refurbishing to make it the classic Eames chair you've dreamed of.
Investing in classic furniture is rewarding. Most collectors and antique furniture hobbiests would agree that period furniture that is in excellent condition will appreciate in value.
The sixties and seventies were noted for mod designs. Furniture styles during this period may feature bentwood furniture, which is one of the predoniminant characteristics of Eames chairs. IF the wood becomes scratched or marred, don't give up hope. The wood scratches can be repaired to the original beauty and luster. Leather upholstery can also be repaired as can springs or hinges. If a chair cushion is burned, leather cushion ripped, or damaged leather seat they may be able to be repaired or if the leather damage is extensive, leather reupholstery may be necessary.
You may have a classic contemporary piece of furniture that needs some attention. Whether it's an original Eames, or an Eames reproduction, repairing or reupholstering may give you a beautiful piece of furniture that is unique and which will endure with style to be enjoyed for years.
Posted by Jody Raines on Tue, Jan 03, 2012 @ 11:33 AM
Refinishing wood furniture and reupholstery are two standout trends for 2012. To reuphoster sofa and chairs makes a dramatic change that can update your home to match contemporary trends in furniture and fabrics.
According to expert, Jim Sutter, owner of JC Wood, there are some interesting furniture and fabric trends to keep in mind on when updating decorating in your home or office.
Jim notices that the color palletes change year to year. Having a 'dated' color can make the entire home feel neglected. Imagine the days when lime green shag carpet and foil wall paper were in... now think how much those colors and finishes have changed. We are seeing that again and again as tastes evolve.
This year, Jim shares three important trends in furniture design and decor for 2012:
- "Lighter colored wood is becoming favored again." Recently woods have been featured with the darker tones, like Mahogony and Cherry wood. Newer decorating trends are moving toward the natural tones, and blond, light natural finishes.
- "Small geometrics are making a resurgence." New designs are passing over the bold florals and big geometric prints and moving toward smaller, geometric shapes. This is a nice trend because the smaller pattern tends to make the furniture more important and creates a pleasing flow for the eye, versus bold, garish prints.
- "More traditional jewel tones are picking up in popularity". In the past, colors had been bold and bright, and current color palletes tend to favor the true jewel tones, like ruby, emerald, sapphire. Muted colors are being passed over and customers and designers are selecting the definite and bold color combinations.
Regardless of the room, custom color combinations and custom uphostery can provide and exciting new look without the expense and hassle of getting all new furniture. Many customers are starting the new year by creating a whole new feeling to their environment without ever having to leave their home and go shopping! With the beautiful new designer fabrics for reupholstery we can create matching or contrasting cornices and pillows that carry the color statement throughout the home without breaking the budget.
Posted by Jim Sutter on Wed, Dec 28, 2011 @ 11:21 AM
Kitchens are the heart of the home. And when it comes to 
the holidays, most of your guests tend to congregate around the kitchen drawn by the allure of a roasting turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Is your kitchen ready? Is it entertaining worthy?
Will you be proud or dismayed with your kitchen? Is it time for a kitchen renovation?
With the holidays upon us you may be wondering what options may be available to improve your kitchen quickly and without breaking the bank. There are alternatives to replacing kitchen cabinets that are less costly yet provide the updated kitchen you’ve wanted.
These alternatives to replacing cabinets can renovate a kitchen quickly.
Three options to consider include cabinet rejuvenation, cabinet refinishing and cabinet refacing. Each of these alternatives cost less than replacing kitchen cabinets, can be accomplished in less time and is less expensive.
Cabinet rejuvenation
In as little as 1 day, the kitchen can be updated to look fresh and new. Cabinet rejuvenation is an intense cleaning and polishing of your existing cabinetry. Any nicks or gouges or scratches or cracks are repaired and touched up. Years of grease and dust are cleaned and the cabinets are deep cleaned and polished. Hardware is also adjusted so that the end result is a glowing and refreshed appearance to your kitchen cabinets. Rejuvenating may be appropriate where the cabinets appear tired and are in need of sprucing for holiday entertaining.
Cabinet refinishing
When cabinets may be attractive in design, but the color is too dark or too light, cabinet refinishing my be just the trick to update your kitchen. Especially in situations where the cabinets are in decent condition, refinishing them is a wonderful option for updating and keeping the quality of solid wood. There are many color options and sometimes just updating the color of the wood can give the kitchen an entirely fresh appearance.
Cabinet refinishing is an excellent option when you like the cabinets, but they just need to be transformed into a more contemporary color.
Cabinet refacing
When the cabinet style may be dated or tired, a great way to update the kitchen is to reface the cabinets. The trick is to use the existing cabinets and update them with a new face in a new color, style and/or design. Keeping the existing interiors and thoroughly cleaning and restoring them with a new door or drawer give the appearance of a brand new kitchen at a fraction of the price. Plus it’s much faster to accomplish.
Don’t despair with a dated kitchen. Especially with entertaining and holiday guests upon us, it’s great to know that your kitchen can be ready to entertain quickly and with incredible style.
Posted by Jody Raines on Tue, Nov 29, 2011 @ 04:27 PM
Wood trim windows offer beauty and value to a home, but how can wood trim improve the value or depreciate the value of your home when replacement windows have been installed?
The real estate market is very competitive and homes just are not selling quickly. When the market is tight, a buyer will look at every opportunity to lowball the price.
Custom wood trim thoughout a home can add value and sophistication to a property. The warm glow of custom finished wooden frames surrounding a window add elegance and distinction.
When replacement windows are installed replacing the wood trim can pose some difficulty. The original trim may have faded due to the sun, or even darkened with age making it difficult to match if attempting to use the old stain.
Matching existing trim is an art, especially because the windows in an older home may have older finishes that refract the light of the sun differently than the light from artificial sources. To assure that the wood matches in all lighting situations is tricky. Consider that over time, the window trim will be closest to a source of heat or cold, and again the wood stain and finish will be tested by these extremes.
Finding the best match for all seasons for custom wood trim is important. If the trim does not match, it may reduce the value of your property, in addition to reducing the aesthetic appeal.
Finding a professional who can match the existing trim will save money in the long run, as well as add value to your home.
Posted by Jody Raines on Thu, Nov 17, 2011 @ 08:27 AM
First impressions are important. When your customer enters your office, do they see a professional environment, or does the furniture create a different impression. Stand back and take a look as if you are seeing your office for the first time. Do the desks have rings from countless water glasses and coffee mugs? Do the table legs have mars and scratches? Do the seats appear worn, and saggy? Does the leather upholstery have rips or tears or scratches?
Each imperfection may not render the furniture unusuable, but over time, the appearance of the damage can give an impression of an old and worn environment.
New funiture can be costly, and while it's important to maintain that professional appearance of your office furnishings, having a maintenance contract or periodically inspecting office furniture and making plans to refurbish office furniture may pay off in the long run.
Especially the waiting area is important. Take a look at the seating and be honest with yourself - are the fabrics faded from the sun? Do they seem saggy? Are the springs worn, or the cushions lacking support? Even situations where you've aquired furniture that doesn't match - can be corrected by re-upholstering. It's suprising how much refreshed office furniture can improve productivity!
Re-upholstery does not have to be expensive. A maintenance agreement can be inexpensive insurance that the details of your office can be managed with little oversight.
Be sure your first impression is the impression that wins the sale.
Posted by Jody Raines on Wed, Nov 02, 2011 @ 08:13 PM
Reupholstering furniture can create a beautiful new look for existing sofas, chairs or couches. Whether your choice is to update furniture by selecting new fabric, or repairing damaged furniture, re-upholstered furniture can actually be as good, or better than new!
When would it make sense to re-upholster chairs? There are several reasons you may decide to repair instead of replace, but here are a few that may help you with the decision:
1. You love the sofa! Why should you have to part with a sofa that you love when it's outdated or ripped? Perhaps the dog loved it a little too much, but you really appreciate the sofa or chair. Reupholstery can replace springs, fix rips, correct sagging and work miracles to restore furniture that has been the victim of wear and tear.
2. It has a great frame. The addage that they don't build furniture like they used to is somewhat accurate. Craftsmen who built furniture by hand have been replaced with pressboard and mass manufactured, inexpensive and less durable furniture. If you have an older piece of furniture that was well made, and it has a great frame, it would be worthwhile investing in repairing or restoring that furniture to look like new again. The advantage is that a well made piece of furniture will withstand the test of time.
3. It just doesn't match. Recovering an existing chair or sofa can make it look entirely different. If you've changed your color scheme, you don't need to toss the old furniture. Reupholstering it with different furniture would result in a completely different look. And it can be less expensive than replacing the furniture.
4. It's been in the family. Yes, grandma's furniture was well made, but it's not your color or style. Jazz it up with attractive fabric that complements your decor.
Reupholstering can give your room an entirely new look. Some of the newer fabric options are stain resistant, fire retardent and much safer than the original fabric may have been.
Creating your unique style if up to you. The only limit is your imagination!
Have you thought about reupholstering furniture? What were the reasons you wanted to change the look of your piece?
Posted by Jody Raines on Thu, Oct 20, 2011 @ 12:49 PM
Repairs to wooden furniture, including those to chairs, doors, drawers, caning and mirror frames can be time consuming, but when they are done correctly, the result will be a beautiful piece of furniture. Whether it’s an heirloom or has sentimental value, or it’s just a table that you love, repairing wooden furniture is ecologically savvy and you’ll wind up with a unique piece of furniture.
Most structural issues that we see involve joint failure. The joint can weaken over time, especially if the table was not crafted well initially. Repairing the furniture in that case can result in a stronger piece of furniture after being refurbished.
Joints can be simple or complicated and old wooden furniture, that was crafted prior to the current generation of pressboard and mass production, typically has stronger joints. Age and abuse can take their toll, even on the best constructed tables and chairs. Test your table to see if it wobbles, and if it does, it may be time to have a professional take a look and make repairs.
Most structural problems of wooden furniture is due to one of three issues:
- The material
- The construction
- The function
If the material is broken, warped or missing, it can still be repaired. Sometimes crafting a replacement arm or leg to match the other pieces is required. If the furniture was constructed incorrectly, the joints may fail and cause the furniture to wobble or even collapse. This can be dangerous and for a commercial business, could be a liability. The way the furniture functions is dependent upon the material as well as the construction.
If the furniture was created from quality material and is suffering due to stress, age or issues related to abuse such as kicking or leaning backwards over time, the piece can be rescued with professional repair.
The difference between having a professional repair as opposed to do-it-yourself furniture repair is in the knowledge and details. Covering and disguising screws and hardware, assuring proper placement, alignment and fit, identifying potential future issues are all details that a professional will observe and correct, but which may not be evident to a novice.
Have you ever been somewhere and the table was wobbly? How did it make you feel? Have you ever seen poorly repaired furniture in a restaurant or hotel lobby? What impresion did it give you of the establishment.
Posted by Jody Raines on Fri, Oct 14, 2011 @ 12:14 PM
When redesigning a kitchen, one of the first choices are the type of wood for your cabinets. Sometimes it’s not so much a decision about the color until the type of wood is determined. Many kitchens are designed to fit a look or lifestyle. Whether your preference is contemporary or traditional, colonial or modern, the wood finish on the cabinets will either work with the look or fight it.
In a contemporary kitchen, generally a painted or color wood stain is preferred. Style is clean, and lines are simple. Lighter color woods are also considered contemporary. Maple with a natural finish is a beautiful hard wood that has a fine grain and holds stain very well.
To contrast the idea of a light, contemporary kitchen, is a dark, rich traditional style. Mahogany, Cherry Wood, and Ebony wood are all hardwoods that are luxurious. The deep colors of a dark wood cabinet can actually make a room look larger, despite popular belief that smaller rooms must be light in color.
Oak is a mainstay and a very popular choice for kitchen cabinets. Oak is a hardwood that comes in over 200 species. It’s strong and accepts wood stain colors well. One of the reasons for Oak’s popularity is because it has nice graining and it’s a long lasting wood. Dependent upon the choice of stain, oak can be used in many styles of kitchen cabinetry.
Hickory or birch are often used in country styled kitchens. The graining and knots lend a rustic look to modern cabinets and both can be colored with multiple wood stain choices. Birch tends to look better with dark stains, while hickory is usually coupled with midrange stains to accentuate the natural coloration and patterns.
Eclectic styles are always an option when redesigning a kitchen. There is no manual that says you have to fit the mold - your only limit is your imagination. Contrasting woods are intriguing and can create a very individualized kitchen. Adding interest through cabinet color and stain creates a one-of-a-kind effect. Your frame can be a dark ebony wood, and the drawers a lighter natural stained maple. Another idea is to use color to create interest in a corner, or highlight a focal point.
Regardless of your current kitchen, updating your kitchen cabinets can create an entirely different look and feel. If you are not sure, and would like to explore some re-design options, give us a call.
What questions do you have regarding wood choices and kitchen re-design projects? We'd love to hear from you and answer your questions.
Posted by Jody Raines on Thu, Aug 25, 2011 @ 11:12 AM
Want to make a great first impression when prospective clients come to visit your offices? Pay attention to the lobby or greeting area. Wood and furniture repair or restoration services for commercial properties can save your company money over replacing furniture, and represent an important aspect of marketing your business. A beautifully furnished lobby which is well maintained is important to create an aura of professionalism.
Consider the money you spend on marketing your business to bring in new clients. If the lobby or greeting area looks tired, and the conference table is marred with water rings, it can affect your prospects impression of your business. Why spend money on advertising when the stage hasn't been set for impressing the visitors.
Areas that can make or break your prospect's first impression include:
- Lobbies or greeting areas
- Conference rooms
- Executive suites
- Elevator Cabs
- Company dining areas
- Restrooms
- Hallway areas
- Company auditoriums
- Entry vestibule
The list could go on and on.
Creating a professional area may include leather repair, reupholstering office seating, refinishing the conference room table, repairing cabinets. A color pallete should be selected and the furniture can be refinished to coordinate mismatched furniture into looking unified.
Have you ever walked into an office and were surprised how the furniture appeared? What was your impression of the company and their stability? Did the condition of an office and the office furnishings ever influence your decision whether to work with a company or not?