Baby Nursery Furniture - A Booming Market!

Baby Nursery Furniture - A Booming Market! 
By Teresa Schahczinski, Fri Dec 9th 

Baby nursery furniture and baby crib sets are a growingcategory, representing $1.1 billion at retail last year, andexpected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2009. Today's baby furniturevaries quite a bit in style, price and selection, and at over abillion dollars, there is room for a wide range of manufacturersin the nursery furniture field.

There are many top manufacturers in the nursery furniturecategory. The baby furniture category includes nursery furniturefor children from birth through 2 years, including painted babyfurniture, nursery crib furniture, bassinets, a baby table forchanging diapers, glider rockers, rocking chairs, dressers,chests, armoires and bookcases. Basically anything you wouldpurchase at a baby store while furniture shopping.

Although most of the parents claimed that they mostly shopped atdiscount stores they admittedly would make more extravagantpurchases at a specialty baby store if there was something theyreally wanted. A Gen X mom talked about children strollers. Shepaid $300 for a stroller because she liked the features. So if aparent is willing to spend $300 on a stroller which is typicallya smaller ticket item in comparison to nursery furniture whatare they willing to spend on a nursery crib, an item that's useis far more than the use of a stroller. Things like blankets,strollers, a nursery crib mattress, a toddler bed andaccessories or items that would be bought for nursery gifts orbaby gifts, or furniture for children over the age of 2 are notincluded in the category being discussed as leading infantbedroom furniture manufacturers. This is primarily nurseryfurniture for babies 2 and under in the strictest sense of theword. 

According to Kids Today's exclusive Buying Trends Survey, 2.2%of U.S. households bought a nursery crib in 2004, and 2.7%bought other baby furniture. The median price point for anursery crib in 2004 was $150, with those consumers planning tobuy a nursery crib in 2005 saying they planned to spend a medianof $200. Even still, 18% of consumers who bought a nursery cribin 2004 paid $500 or more. 

What this tells me is that although 18% of parents purchasing anursery crib probably planned to purchase practically but whenpush came to shove they were willing to spend on average andextra $300 above and beyond what they initially planned tospend. Why is this? Is it because we are seduced by all thenew-fangled cribs such as the newer style of the round crib andthe BRAND-NEW Corner cribs (shaped to fit in a corner)? It iscommon knowledge that the median prices of these specialty cribscost much more than the traditional rectangle cribs. As far asinfant furniture goes round baby cribs are a fairly new concept.I do not even remember them being available when I had my firstchild. Since a separate room for a baby nursery is not always anoption some parents feel that the round baby cribs and cornercribs which is a new concept is the way to go, they are both bigspace savers. 

It could also be because parents are willing to purchase the topof the line 3-in-1 cribs in hopes that they will save money inthe long run? Or quite possibly is it because parents will spendjust about anything on their children, trying to provideeverything they were never given? 

Obviously a nursery crib is the most important purchase you willmake for your child...along with the rest of the nurseryfurniture. Nursery Furniture Manufacturers know this and caterour need to give our child "everything". That is why nurseryfurniture and nursery crib sets are such a booming market!

Tips For Maintaining Your Antiques And Furniture

Tips For Maintaining Your Antiques And Furniture
By kensium
Is your Antique furniture has started looking old and a little world-weary? It is very important to have a closer look at your furniture just like your car and your home. Your furniture needs your attention to maximize its value, appearance and usability. A little care on your antiques will last much longer then it normally would. The beauty of antique furniture lies in materials used while making it and how well it is aged. This article will help you to make your old antique furniture look like a new one without spending huge sum of money.

If you are working or if its not possible for you to clean the dust on your furniture then make sure you do dusting and cleaning on weekend and use only soft, lint-free and absorbent cloth for cleaning and polishing and don’t forget to cover your furniture if you are going away from home for long holidays .

A full scale washing or dry cleaning operation is necessary to remove the dust mites which may have gone deep into the furnishings because those dust mites can’t be removed even if you are using a good quality vacuum cleaner. So it is best to follow regular maintenance procedures which might take just few minutes a day.

The next thing in your Antique furniture maintenance list should be polish. The best advisable thing is to polish at least once a month if possible but depending on your furniture quality this can be done once in a year too. Make sure you use a quality furniture polish which suits your

furniture wood.

Avoid keeping the accessories made of plastic or rubber directly on wood as their elements react with them. A little piece of cloth can save your furniture from spills and hot boils etc which your antique furniture has to undergo on a daily basis. So use table cloth or pads to protect your wooden surface from scratches by bookends, flower pots, and vases etc. Do not keep your furniture in direct sunlight it causes fading & keep your furniture away from high temperature things like air-conditioning units, radiators etc.

It is in human nature to ignore small things, but when it comes to your furniture do not ignore any minor repairs or defects. Make minor repairs while they are still small or you may need to loose your expensive antique or furniture… always use the suitable equipment & if you not familiar with tools, get experts advice & help to repair badly damaged surfaces.

Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor Furniture 
By Deven 
What is better than spending a weekend out there in your backyard relaxing on some wonderful and comfortable furniture? In fact, a great weekend is truly relaxing only with the best of outdoor furniture which not only provides you the comfort but also speaks of your tastes while selecting the furniture that compliments your house. Whether you want to spend a relaxing day in your backyard or enjoy the company of friends over a barbeque, outdoor furniture is the perfect companion for all such occasions. If you are looking forward to buying some great outdoor furniture, the variety you will come across in the market is quite staggering. The available options in outdoor furniture range from patio furniture to garden chairs, swings and hammocks to benches, chairs and picnic tables. In fact the range and options you can find with outdoor furniture is limitless. If you have rich taste, you can also find the outdoor furniture that includes decorative pieces such as gazebos, arbors, umbrellas, bridges and arches.

With time, the designs of outdoor furniture have also changed a lot and today, a lot of outdoor furniture is made according to contemporary furniture styles. While you think of buying outdoor furniture, what you need to remember is that the outdoor furniture is subject to a lot of wear and tear due to natural elements. Moisture of them all is a major threat and hence only certain woods such as teak can be used for outdoor furniture. So when you look for wooden outdoor furniture, remember to look for only those which can endure the wear and tear. 
However, the wooden furniture can be bulky and more expensive if compared to the other options available. That is why, synthetic alternatives to wood like polywood, plastic, and fiber are widely used today in the construction of outdoor furniture. 

The aforesaid materials are known to be resistant to moisture and do not decompose. Also the outdoor furniture made using such materials is lightweight and easy to maintain. The mentioned materials also can be easily molded to form various different shapes. And as a result of this quality, modern outdoor furniture is available in a wide assortment of designs. Sharp edges, more part of the wooden furniture, have been replaced by curves, which perfectly support the body contours.

The modern outdoor furniture not only better if considered according to the functional value of these furniture pieces but have also given a wider choice on their aesthetic quality. Consider a patio table with chairs and an umbrella and it can definitely add charm to the house. With the use of the synthetic materials, the furniture is available in with bright hues and various staggering colors. Furniture designed using metals such as aluminum and wrought iron are also quite popular as outdoor furniture. The flexibility offered by the metal allows the manufacture of various unique designs without compromising on durability.

Discount Patio Furniture - 3 Tips On Where To Find It

Discount Patio Furniture - 3 Tips On Where To Find It 
By Jessica C 
Do you like the idea of spending some time on your patio out back, just to wind down and relax? That's hard to do unless you have a place to sit. Time to add some patio furniture back there. But you most likely want to save money as well. You want to get a really nice set of furniture without emptying the contents of your wallet. 

If you're looking to buy discount patio furniture, there are a few places to begin your search. Here are a few places where you can find patio furniture for a great price.

Online Auction Sites

First of all, if you are looking for patio furniture at a discount, you may want to consider checking out some online auction sites, such as eBay. More than likely you'll be able to find both new and used patio furniture for a bargain. Sometimes the bidding competition can drive the price up, but there will be plenty of opportunities to win some furniture for the price you want.

End of Summer Clearance

Another place to check for discount patio furniture is the end of summer clearance sales that many department stores have at the end of the summer. By this time, stores are doing their best to clear out the summer merchandise that didn't 

sell, which includes patio furniture. You'll be able to find some deals this way.

Online Stores

There are many online stores out there that offer excellent deals on patio furniture as well. With just a few clicks of your mouse, you can also do price comparisons and ensure that you are getting the best deal possible. Comparing prices has never been easier. With just a little bit of time and searching, you'll be able to find the best deals on patio furniture.

So, you have quite a few options at your disposal if you're looking to buy discount patio furniture. Want the best deal? Take the time to look at all these different options to find the best possible deal.

Visit Cheap Patio Furniture and discover the BEST way to find Discount Patio Furniture along with expert advice and tips on different types of Patio Furniture to determine which kind is right for you.

We strive to provide only quality articles, so if there is a specific topic related to furniture that you would like us to cover, please contact us at any time.

And again, thank you to those contributing daily to our furniture thomasville website.

Adirondack Chairs And Cedar Furniture For Your Outdoor Spaces

Adirondack Chairs And Cedar Furniture For Your Outdoor Spaces
By Jayson Gerth
If you want the best for the outdoor living spaces around your home, choosing Adirondack chairs in a cedar outdoor furniture grouping is the finest and most cost effective decision you can make. Cedar is a naturally soft wood, but is 80% as strong as the mighty oak. Cedar Adirondack chairs are as long lasting and as beautiful as teak, but at half the cost. Once you see how much better cedar furniture and Adirondack chairs will make your deck or patio look, you'll be glad you chose cedar.

Homebuilders across the country are adding decks to the new homes they're erecting as standard features. The average home has hundreds of square feet of empty lawn sucking water and demanding maintenance. Many of these excellent outdoor living opportunities stand empty as new homeowners are unprepared to furnish them. If you have the space in your backyard or on your deck or patio, why not make the most of it with Adirondack chairs and cedar outdoor furniture? Entertaining

will take on a whole new dimension for you and your guests when you can bring the outdoors into the mix.

With Adirondack chairs and other cedar outdoor furniture, you'll be able to enjoy the great outdoors in comfort for a very long time. High quality cedar furniture is built to last for generations with minimum maintenance requirements. Unlike some other cheaper wood alternatives that won't last long when facing adverse weather conditions, your cedar tables and Adirondack chairs will be there for you for generations.

What Things To Consider When Buying Furniture?

What Things To Consider When Buying Furniture? 
By Mo Tailakh24 Mo Tailakh45 
In today’s world there are multiple places you can look for your home furniture, each method will have its advantages as well as disadvantages so you will have to do the research in order to find the best answer based on your circumstances. 

The most popular would be buying online as it is a lot easier and more convenient as you don’t even have to go outside. You can browse through thousands of different designs and styles in the comfort of your own home when it suits you, this helps many people because some jobs require you to work unsociable hours so you wouldn’t have chance to visit the local shops in order to find suitable furniture. Along with being able to search day or night you have the option of buying online and getting it delivered direct to your door so the whole process will be made easy and based around your needs. Another great thing about buying online is the amount of money you often will save because when shops tend to sell things online they offer a cash discount as it will be much easier for them to process the payment and ship the goods to yourself. 

As mentioned earlier shopping online for furniture does have its downsides, you will not be able to see the product in reality. You will only get to look at a picture which could make your decision harder as pictures could be edited to make them look brighter, colourful etc so when you get the real thing it could slightly look different to what you were expecting. At least if you are buying from a static furniture store you will get to see the item before you make your decision, the problem with shopping offline is that you will have to shop around the different stores forcing you to spend more time on the process of finding the perfect furniture for your home.

A popular combination that many people use is to find the furniture they like in a showroom and then go home and search for it online to see if the price varies, this will ensure that you get the best deal possible. By doing this you will benefit from getting to see the product in real life as well as getting the ease of ordering over the internet and having it delivered direct to you because you may not have the facilities to transport the larger pieces of furniture yourself.

Make sure that you ask any questions before to make your final decision, for example if you are picking a TV stand you need to find out the details to ensure that it will safety hold your TV as it is intended to. Don’t just assume that you will get the best deals online because many places will hold special deals that the other stores cannot compete with – you just have to find them. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and check places that you may not be certain will sell it.

Tips To Keep In Mind While Choosing Bedroom Furniture

Tips To Keep In Mind While Choosing Bedroom Furniture 
By Susan Banks Sr 
Experts believe that almost 1/3rd of our lives are spent inside our bedrooms. It's a natural process and most of us aren't even aware of the fact that we spend such a lot of time in our bedrooms.
Its place we go to bed at night, and the place we wake up in. We prefer it over all other rooms and try to relax in our bedrooms. This essentially means that we need to make our bedrooms as comfortable as possible and this can only be done by using the right kind of furniture.

Moreover, the furniture should also be such that it increases the visual appeal of the bedroom by escalating the beautifying effect of its decor. Here are a few tips that will help you select the best of furniture for your bedroom:

Quality
Never compromise on quality. It's not worth it. The quality of a product is one of the most essential parameters, when you want to purchase it. This is also true, while you select your bedroom furniture. 
It must come good on certain standards of quality and must be both sturdy and reliable. Don't choose bedroom furniture that looks and feels weak. It must stand the test of time, as you are not going to replace it any time soon.

Should suit your personality
Your bedroom furniture must be a reflection of your personality. The design, size, and shape of the furniture must confirm to your needs and wants, and also be what you desire. By all means, ask for suggestions, but make sure that your furniture has been given a personalized touch.

Durability over attractiveness
It’s easy to get swayed by exquisite bedroom furniture pieces. Most people buy only those furniture pieces that look very attractive. However, this is not the best way to go about things.
If given a choice, you must always select the durability factor over the beauty factor. That is not to say that you must buy durable furniture even it it’s ugly. It definitely should look good, but that must not be the primary factor, that should help you decide.
After all, you are not going to buy bedroom furniture, on a regular basis. A good looking piece might just turn out to be of poor quality and in a short while, you will be able to hear it creaking and squeaking. 
To avoid such heartbreak, select furniture that is a mixture of durability as well as elegance and visual appeal.

Craftsmanship
Give exquisite craftsmanship its due. It’s important that you put stress on the craftsmanship of the furniture. This is not only about a great looking design, but it is also about making a well-finished product that also has superior quality. 

Comfort
As aforementioned, you are going to spend a lot of time in your bedroom, and hence are also going to use the bedroom furniture, a great deal. This means that, one of the most important parameters on which you have to make your choice is comfort.
The bedroom furniture must be comfortable for your body. It is not necessary that it should be luxurious, but should be good enough to offer your body some well-deserved rest. 
Bedroom is a place of rest, peace and relaxation. Only comfy bedroom furniture will help make that possible. 

Color
The color of the furniture or the polish of the furniture must match the décor of your bedroom furniture. The bedroom furniture that you select must not look out of place. It must gel together with all the existing pieces of furniture that might be a part of the bedroom. 

Size
Bedroom furniture is available in all kinds of sizes. It’s up to you to decide which size fits the requirements of your room size. If your room has a normal size then it would be a good idea to buy furniture that is not too big, but is just of the right size to fit into the room.
A large room not only requires more bedroom furniture than the smaller rooms, but the furniture should also be big in size. This is not a rule, but a generally accepted norm. 

Style
The market is replete with bedroom furniture catering to a host of style requirements. The choice in terms of style will make your mind boggle.
In the end, style is a matter of individual perception. There are people who prefer an old school sense of style, and select furniture that has curves and standard polish, while there are others who like the ultra-modern style of bedroom furniture. 
This has stark linear lines and many a times is made of materials other than wood like steel, aluminum etc.
At the end of a hard day, you want to sink into the comfort of your bedroom and forget about the worries of that day. Bedroom furniture will make your bedroom the perfect sanctuary that it aims to be.
So choose it with care, and at the end of the day, your bedroom furniture will only be as good as you wanted it to be.

Teak Patio Furniture - Why Is It The Best Choice?

Teak Patio Furniture - Why Is It The Best Choice? 
By onebrady 
The patio, it is where most people prefer to spend time unwinding, sipping lemonade, when at home. For some, it is also an ideal place to catch a short sun bath, away from the beach. But, if your home does not have a patio awning to cover the patio from the vagaries of climate or unless you are used to shifting the furniture back into the rooms post use, it is likely that your patio furniture may be affected badly by the rain, sun, or even snow. To make matters worse further, most of the – if not all - of the patio furniture available in the market are not designed to stand such grueling climatic tests. It’ll work fine under normal conditions, but starts to give away beginning with its first contact with moisture/water. However, teak does not have any such weak qualities. It is strong, tough, and enduring. 

This is also the reason why teak furniture is the best choice for your patio. It is dense, sturdy, and durable, and hence is not easily damaged. Further, natural oils make the wood impermeable to elements such as heat, snow, hail, moisture, and even incessant rains. Finally, it is quite pleasing to the eyes, the basic benchmark for any patio furniture. Further, as opposed to many other wood types, teak does not lose its sheen or splendor with age. Instead, it gets better with every passing year. Brand new teak furniture will be golden brown in color, usually complementing any surrounding setting, and as it ages, the wood turns ash gray in color, making it even more refined and dignified in appearance. 

With periodical wash with soap and water – once in a year preferably - the teak furniture could be preserved to look great forever. Those who prefer to retain the original golden brown color, some light sanding coupled with a light brush-on of teak oil would do. Some teak, however tough it is, may crack as it grows old. But this should not be an issue and selective application of teak oil would keep the wood moisturized and prevents it from cracking any further. Teak is resistant to termites, so no apprehension in that front. 

If there is one aspect that could damage or spoil the beauty of teak furniture, it could be an inadvertent spill of juice or wine on it. Such things happen sometimes, but it is important that the spill be wiped off immediately before it creates any stain on the wood. Sand the part of the teak furniture lightly until the stain is no longer visible, and then using water and soap solution, clean up the part removing any loose dirt or sanding dust. Once this much is done, let it dry, and then apply a thin coat of teak oil – or a couple of coats - on the cleansed part so as to make it look as good as new. If this creates a contrast in color with the surround wood, extend the oiling to cover the surrounding parts as well. 

To conclude, teak furniture is just the right furniture for your patio and a long term investment, given its durability and austere look and feel. And with due diligence, but with minimal effort, it can be maintained to look anew for many years to come.

Ethan Allen Furniture

Ethan Allen Furniture 
By Roberto Bell 
Ethan Allen Furniture is one of the finest brands of furniture available in the entire continent of North America. Ethan Allen furniture is produced by one of the giant furniture company, Ethan Allen Interiors, Inc. Te foundation of the company was laid down by Nathan S. Ancell and Theodore Baumritter in the year 1932. But the company took the present name Ethan Allen in the year 1939. Since then the company did not look back. The furniture of the Ethan Allen is very popular in USA and Canada. At present there are 310 Ethan Allen Furniture outlets.

Like any other furniture company, Ethan Allen has variety of furniture to meet the needs of the customer. Variety is not a dearth for Ethan Allen. Here you will find furniture of latest design and style. In the furniture section of living room, you will get 77 types of furniture. Similarly, its dinning room section is rich; it has 99 types of furniture. Bedroom furniture of Ethan Allen is really unparallel. If you wish to furnish your home with Ethan Allen furniture, you can visit local Ethan Allen Furniture store. North Carolina Furniture, Ethan Allen is the largest outlet of Ethan Allen. Other important furniture section of Ethan Allen includes kitchen furniture, children furniture, and general furniture. You can think of Ethan Allen Furniture for your office. It will definitely enhance the beauty of your office. Ethan Allen Tango furniture now reins the market of furniture. If you wish to buy Ethan Allen, first go through the Ethan Allen Catalogue; it will give a fair idea about the price and features of your required furniture. Online Ethan Allen Furniture is the easiest way to get required furniture from the company. If you are unable to buy brand new Ethan Allen Furniture, you can look for used Ethan Allen Home furniture and office furniture.

James is the owner of Furniture And Home Design. You can find more information at Furniture Boom.

Rustic Furniture: The Unique Alternative In Home Decorating

Rustic Furniture: The Unique Alternative In Home Decorating 
By Jason Gerth 
Introduction

Rustic furniture is usually hand made using the primitive methods of days gone by, leading to unique pieces that have a natural charm. One of the most popular furniture styles right now, it is displayed in homes from Maine to Hawaii, Alaska to Florida. Rustic furniture is usually handmade and not factory produced from wood such as hickory, cypress, cedar and pine wood.

What Really is Rustic?

The word "Rustic" is a wide-ranging term that corresponds to almost any type of furniture or decorating style that has a less refined, "outdoorsy" appearance. Rustic furniture was brought indoors in the Adirondacks during the building boom of the great camps and opulent mountain mansions commissioned by turn-of-the-century magnates. Rustic furnishings literally "spring" from the earth and give a home a homespun look that other furniture just cannot match. Furniture and accessories with a more raw look like these help create a less formal, "country living" atmosphere where ever they are used. Rustic furniture can also blend well with a variety of decorating themes, and are an excellent choice if you are redoing your outdoor living space. 

Rustic Style

Every furniture style makes a statement. Rustic furniture comes in many styles, shapes and colors, and most of them say "warm and comfortable" and/or "inviting." Quality homemade rustic furniture continues to remain very popular nationwide. It’s no wonder as well -- like jazz music, this furniture style is truly American-invented. 

The rustic style is as valid as any enjoyed today. Whether it be the delicate lines of a Queen Ann highboy, the kitschy boldness of a Louis XV vanity, or the resolute proclamation of a log dining table, rustic furniture can add texture, style, and charm to any home décor. It can add country-style appeal to a guest room, warmth to a game room, or a welcome atmosphere around the fireplace. "Rustic" used to mean "rickety or cheap." No more. The quality rustic furniture today is all grown up and now even borders on sophisticated and trendy. Beautiful wood, polished logs, and twiggy charm has made "rustic" one of the most popular styles in the market today.

Rustic Furniture in the Garden

Rustic garden furniture is a favorite among those who like to have even more of an "outdoorsy" feel in their gardens or backyards. One of the big reasons people tend to like rustic garden furniture is because it is typically not made in a factory (or if it is, it is made using hand tools one part at a time.) Another feature of rustic garden furniture that endears itself to people is the fact that every little imperfect knot or twist in the wood shows up. Some of the types of wood that are often used in building rustic garden furniture are cedar, hickory, cypress, and pine.

Handcrafted Rustic Furniture

The term "rustic furniture" can mean one of two things: furniture that is handcrafted out of authentic raw materials, or furniture that is built to look handmade. One key to finding unique furniture is to look for furniture that has truly been handcrafted or hand painted. The look and individuality of handcrafted rustic peeled wood furniture cannot be matched by mass-produced furniture offered in many specialty shops. In most cases, each piece of truly rustic furniture is one-of-a-kind in character and materials. Another benefit of handcrafted furniture is that it can be custom made to meet your unique design needs. 

Cedar Rustic Furniture

Cedar works wonderfully in rustic furniture. Cedar is used in many places for its comfort, long use, and durability at the cabin, on the patio, in the garden, or most anywhere else outdoors, but it also looks great indoors! One of the more beautiful kinds of cedar is aromatic cedar. Another variety of cedar -- Northern White -- weathers to a beautiful silvery gray if untreated and exposed to the elements. Northern white cedar can with stand the elements for years. You can expect between 20-50 years of useful life out of your rustic furniture if you choose cedar wood.

Conclusion

The label "rustic" when applied to furniture is most accurate when labeling older, more primitive furnishings, like the famous Adirondack chair. While it is cherished for its combination of form and function, the charm and appeal of rustic furniture is the unfinished look, the roughness and ruggedness made comfortable and homey.