Archive for March, 2007

Posted on Mar 26th, 2007

Though hanging Wallpaper Borders can be an inexpensive way of adding some color and style to your room décor, it can also be time consuming and strenuous. And if you’re not careful enough, you might end up with a not so good-looking wall covering.

The first thing to remember before hanging a Wallpaper Border is to find an experienced person who can lend you a hand. This is especially important if it’s your first time. Then decide which corner of the room you want to begin applying the Border.

Turn of electrical power and remove all switch plates and outlet covers. Clean surface of the wall and make sure the entire area where you’re going hang the Border is dry. Paper paste will not stick on walls that are dirty or moist. Don’t forget to fix holes, cracks, loose paint or plaster, and remove old wall covering on the wall.

Choose an area of the wall where you want to start hanging the paper (the least conspicuous is the best). From here, measure a gap about half an inch shorter than the width of the border. Mark this with a pencil, and through this mark, draw a vertical line from where you want the Bordering to start till the end using a level.

Use Border adhesive to paste the Border. Some Wallpaper borders are pre-coated so you don’t have to buy additional pastes. Lightly sand slick the wall before installing the border on painted walls.

After you’re done pasting the paper on the wall, use a smoothing brush to remove any wrinkles or bubbles that may appear, starting from the middle out. Be careful not to push too hard in order to avoid ripping the paper. Then trim excess paper as necessary with a razor or a knife.

Wallpaper Borders provides detailed information about wallpaper borders, discount wallpaper borders, kids’ wallpaper borders, and more. Wallpaper Borders is affiliated with Discount Kitchen Cabinets.

Posted on Mar 26th, 2007

Most people like you love to keep everything in its place. They like also to clean up every room of the house often. However, it can take some hours to get everything in the correct place, specially if you don’t have a kind of storage organization guide. Everyone knows that getting organized is either a small or a huge battle. It depends on how thoroughly you clean and organize your stuff. Closet organizers are definitely the storage space that will make your life easier. You can increase the current storage space as much as you want. There are many options to achieve either a double or triple space, depending on how organized you are and the available space to work with. Try to make the most of available dimensions and existing storage will not be a problem anymore.

You will save on headaches as well as a lot of energy just by having a guide on how to keep all your belongings well organized. A closet organizer will make the cleaning process easier than ever. You will be able to see your clothes all the time. Forget about spend a lot of time on finding that shirt you bought last year and don’t know where exactly is. It is probably a women’s dream to have a double-sized wardrobe. Now it’s possible to double or even triple your closet space with closet organizers. Once you have installed it you will stay and get organized forever.

How to arrange a closet organizer?

Closet designers have people like you in mind. They want to help you on doubling your closet space. Every single detail inside a closet organizer has been included to provide you the most without wasting space. Usually they come with one hanging rod. However, it is possible to have two hanging rods and even designs including a walk-in. A typical option would be as follows:

  • Jackets, shirts and belts on the top rack
  • Pants overlapped on hangers on the bottom rack
  • Straight-hanging trousers and dresses on a large area provided usually on the right side

There also exist kind of advanced closet organizer systems with special options for shelves. They are called “comprehensive organizer systems”. Shelves in there can be broken to get dividers, which will be known as sections. From here on, your mind comes to help you on the process of sorting the closet. It’s also very important to have in mind unusual used items such as suitcases or other heavy objects, off-season storage boxes as well as sweater bins. All this stuff should be out of the way to don’t disturb when is not in use.

Shoe storage, the critical process.

Shoe storage in closet organizers is a very critical component for those who have many pairs of shoes. You might think on including a couple of racks, called multi-rack shoes attachments into the already installed organizer. Another possible solution, which works pretty well in various houses styles, is to add a multilevel floor racks or multiple-compartment on the wall; some manufacturers call them pull-out shelves where you can store also sweaters, scarves, socks amongst many other complements.

Andrew Caxton is the webmaster and successful author of various articles published at home decorating reviews. Andrew contributes adding content regularly on decorating topics. Read further information about closet organizers at his site.

Posted on Mar 25th, 2007

Planning on remodeling your bathroom? You’ll find out very quickly that one of your major decisions involves the selection of a new vanity base and vanity top. Let’s see what the choices are and which one is right for you.

There are two basic types of vanities, built-in and freestanding. Built-in is exactly what the name implies, a vanity base and a solid countertop that installs against the wall and is designed to look like part of the structure.

For those who lean toward modern décor, or are remodeling the bathroom in a contemporary home, loft, high-rise condominium, or upscale townhouse, a free-standing vanity will definitely appeal to your creativity due to the greater range of more unique designs that are available. These vanities also enhance the visual space of smaller bathrooms and powder rooms found in today’s new construction.

Built-In Vanities – The Traditional Experience

Deciding on a built-in vanity is a two-stage process. First, you choose the vanity base. Walk into any home remodeling center and you will find rows of stock vanity bases bolted to the wall, ready to take home. There are variations in style, including length, height, number and placement of doors and drawers, but that’s about it. If you have an older, traditional home, this style is most likely your best choice.

Now that you have your vanity base selected, there’s still something missing…the vanity top. Most of the time, the vanity top will be made from cultured marble, ceramic, or granite, and usually the sink (or basin or vessel, depending on the manufacturer’s description) will be an integral part of the top, forming a one-piece unit that will not leak. In some cases, a vanity top will have a cut-out (or cut-outs in the case of a double vanity) to allow the basin (or basins) to drop in.

Whatever type of vanity top you choose from one of the big box suppliers, the tops that you can take with you are fairly limited and conventional in appearance and configuration. However, those retailers always have a wide selection of vanity tops from various manufacturers that can be custom ordered. Prices are reasonable and you can choose from a wide variety of sink shapes and placements in the top. If you’re re-doing an older house or simply prefer a traditional built-in vanity, this is an excellent way to add a little ‘pop’ to your bathroom while maintaining a traditional appearance.

Another thing to consider, if you’re planning on doing it yourself, is the relative difficulty of connecting the supply lines and the drain. When it comes to modern sink and faucet installation, it has gotten simpler for do-it-yourselfers to make the necessary connections. The problem lies in access to the connecting points. With built-in vanity bases, as well as some of the fine furniture versions and the occasional free-standing ones, you’re going to wind up with your head stuck in a cabinet, trying to thread a nut in a hard to reach area.

Much of the problem with access to these built-ins comes from their name. You cannot move the base or countertop to get to the water lines. Depending on the exact set-up of your bathroom lines, it may not be that much of a problem, but other times a complete re-rerouting of the water supply line will be necessary in order to avoid a structural element of the cabinet. In a worst-case scenario, you could end up adding a number of very colorful epithets to your vocabula ry as you pull the entire unit out for a mid-project supply line revision. As they say in the army, however, proper planning prevents poor performance.

Freestanding Vanities – From Contemporary to Eclectic

Free-standing vanity bases allow you to be a little more adventurous in design. Unlike built-in vanity bases, they typically come complete, with the vanity top. Because of this, you have a chance to evaluate the whole look before making a commitment to a particular style. Some free-standing bases look like fine furniture and use tops similar to the built-ins, made of granite or glass. The holes for the vessel and faucet are pre-drilled and ready for installation.

These vessel bowls are contemporary, artistic, and, sometimes, exotic. They range all the way from tempered glass to antique hammered copper, cultured stone, real stone, and stainless steel. Some of them are designed to mount on top of the flat counter, while others sit inside the vanity top with only a few inches of the vessel above the counter surface. In either case, many leave exposed the supply lines and drain. If you enjoy being on the cutting edge, these types of vessels or sinks are made to order for you.

Also available are tops integrated with sinks as one piece, usually in interesting ceramic shapes or out of glass. Other vanities are designed with flat surfaces, where you can use some of the avant-garde sinks (vessels) by mounting them on top of the solid stone or glass vanity top.

You can find everything from chrome pedestals that stand on the floor to cantilevered wall mounts that support the basin in mid-air. Prefer fine cabinetry? Common wood choices range from wenge (usually painted ultra dark brown, almost black) to oak. Exotic hardwoods, such as sapele or zelkova become available from time to time. These rich grained woods are highly prized by custom furniture makers. It’s even possible to find a free-standing vanity that looks and functions exactly like an antique chest of drawers.

Freestanding vanities eliminate the installation problems mentioned above because the open designs are easily accessible. The drain hardware is also designed to stay out in the open. P-trap drains, in particular, are very modern in design so you don’t mind them being in plain view.

Odds and Ends – Build it Yourself

There is a third vanity alternative that deserves a brief mention,namely, custom building a vanity base from scratch. This option provides the ultimate in flexibility (and is sometimes your only choice if you have an oddly shaped space) by allowing you to build from any kind of exotic hardwood. Think long and hard before taking this route, however, because it often takes an experienced woodworker with an ability to visualize in three-dimensions to make such a project successful.

Conclusion

An old adage in woodworking advises that one should measure twice and cut once. When choosing a new vanity, take the time to browse the home remodeling stores to see the common offerings and search the Internet, if you are looking for something more expressive. In other words, research much, choose once. Do that, and you will wind up with a new bathroom of which to be proud.

Steven Pollack is the owner of Bath Plus, an importer of exotic hardwood bathroom vanities. This line can be found at www.BathGems.com You may reprint this article, unedited, so long as the attribution and links remain in the reprint.

Steven Pollack is the owner of Bath Plus, an importer of exotic hardwood contemporary vanities. This line can be found at http://www.BathGems.com.

This article is © 2006 Bath Plus Inc. You may reprint this article unedited so long as the attribution and links remain in the reprint.

Posted on Mar 25th, 2007

Bathroom vanity lights are often overlooked in a bathroom. Artificial light from vanity bathroom lights and general lighting is important during hours when natural light is not available. Without good lighting, the decor and the personality of your bathroom can not be developed properly. And since the day usually begins and ends with a trip to the bathroom, time spent there should be comforting, relaxing and easy to see when grooming.

Bathroom vanity lights typically include one light or perhaps two or more above the mirror. Or, there may be lights or sconces on each side of the mirror or medicine cabinet and one ceiling light or a row of recessed ceiling lights over the vanity, depending on the size of your vanity and mirror. Make sure your bathroom mirror is evenly illuminated and free of shadows since this is where applying makeup, shaving and other grooming activities will take place. If you have two bathroom vanities, each one should have the same bathroom vanity lights setup.

You should have both ambient lighting and task lighting in the bathroom. Here are lighting types for providing artificial bathroom light:

• Ambient Lighting - chandeliers, surface-mounted, bathroom vanity lights, wall sconces and recessed fixtures are types of general lighting that illuminate the overall bathroom area. This type of illumination allows you to move around and see safely in the room. These types of bathroom light fixtures should be controlled by dimmers where you can change the intensity of the light for a relaxing feel when you are soaking in the tub, for example. General ambient lighting gives your bathroom the most illumination towards the floor, but it will produce more glare than other types of bathroom light fixtures.

• Task Lighting - is a direct beam of light that illuminates a particular area with very work-specific tasks, not intended to light the entire room. Task lighting can be a beam of light directed towards the reading area while in the tub, while shaving, reading, exercising on the treadmill, applying makeup or putting in your contact lenses. It can be turned on only when you need it. Use wall sconces on both sides of the mirror or medicine cabinet as bathroom vanity lights so that you benefit from lighting from both sides.

• Accent Lighting - these types of bathroom light fixtures are intended to create a certain visual drama and atmosphere in the bathroom, and they provide focus to selected details of the room for a decorative touch. Consider using track lighting to spotlight decorative objects or to provide a relaxing environment that you’ll enjoy when soaking in the tub.

• Decorative Lighting - these are lighting fixtures that draw attention to themselves as objects and they are used to create an effect. Chandeliers, candles (traditional and electric), fireplace, candelabra and low voltage pendant fixtures are examples of decorative lighting.

Always choose light bulbs for bathroom vanity lights that provide light in the natural daylight spectrum. Bulbs that are mostly yellow or white will not show you how you will appear outside the bathroom, which makes applying makeup more difficult.

You should have many options for your bathroom vanity lights. Just as a luxurious soaking bath is a great way to begin or end the day, the lighting in your bathroom should provide you that warm, cozy feeling when you want. And when you need to see while grooming or shaving, vanity bathroom lights and lighting should make it easy to see.

If you find yourself unsure of how to proceed, consider consulting with a lighting designer to assist you in creating the best lighting for your home. Read and learn as much as you can about bathroom vanity lights and home lighting. Good lighting planning, design and implementation will provide you enjoyable, practical and dramatic effects for your bathroom and your home in general.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

Learn more about bathroom light fixtures and creating the very best bathroom for your home. David Buster is VP of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.yourdreamloghome.com - visit the website and find informative articles for a variety of home improvement topics on bathroom design and planning, kitchens, fireplaces, home storage and more.

Posted on Mar 24th, 2007

Probably one of the most overlooked features of window are the curtain rods and finials. For a lot of people this is the last thing they think about if they’ve chosen a curtain that covers most (if not all) of the curtain rod anyway. Who cares what it looks like? Well, someday you may fall in love with a curtain style, such as a button tabbed curtain, that prominently displays the rod underneath. You don’t want a $2 tin stick beside your adorable window treatments, you need something that makes a similar statement as the curtains.

This overlooked feature can really bring pizzazz to your décor and needs to complement both the window and the curtains you have chosen, as well as be appropriately functional.

Hardware for window treatments is available in a wide variety of styles. Some curtain rods are designed to be covered by the curtains, while others are best displayed prominently due to their highly decorative nature. If the rod is meant to be featured you could hang the curtains from decorative rings sewn into the top panel. Considering both the curtain and the rod at the same time will save you the disappointment of having pieces that don’t complement each other.

Today’s Lesson: Do you know what finials are? They are the decorative ends on the curtain rod. I didn’t know their official name for several years. I just called them “ends of the curtain rod.” They can be wooden, wrought-iron, glass, or plastic.

The most standard types are:

  • hook
  • the onion (or ball)
  • the swirl
  • the dagger

Finials can range widely in price, from the $2 plastic pieces to $100 very heavy fancy pieces. Consider your budget but also know that what you choose will make a certain statement in the room and that statement will last longer than the effects of spending a little extra money. You also have to be sure the finials will fit where you are hanging the curtain. Consider the shape of your window and the molding around it. In some cases there just isn’t room for large fancy finials, nor is it always appropriate for the style of curtain you’ve chosen.

Learn more about what curtains, rods and finials can do for you at the curtain review. This is the companion site to wicker furniture review.

Posted on Mar 24th, 2007

Wall art can be defined by family portraits or historical paintings adorned on the walls of a home. In a home with young children, wall art can even be described as crayola mishaps. Wall art depends upon the personality of the home and in most cases, the homeowner’s preference. Whatever wall art that you prefer, here are some reasons why your home’s wall art will transform your house into a home.

Wall art sets the tone of a room- From pastel shades to bold colors your home wall art will emphasize the feel and tone for a room. A playroom might not feature Victorian style art, but rather colorful artwork, or even candid photos of the children. Likewise, Victorian paintings would be more suitable in a formal dining room. Wall art displaying food items would obviously work best in a kitchen. Imagine the cravings you will develop at the sight of a picture depicting a fruit basket or a retro burger drive-in!

Wall art reflects upon a memory- The family trip to Disneyland is captured by the 8 x 10 photo shot of your 5-year old son shaking Donald Duck’s … um … wing, or a 5 x 7 photo in your office features your baby daughter’s big smile of her first teeth coming in. As your children grow, these family moments become a valued reflection of their childhood. The photos on the walls in your home will document the priceless memories of the family milestones.

Wall art brings life to a room- Bringing these outside creations into your home is usually a beautiful addition to your home décor. For every season, and in every region, there are various flowers and plants associated with those areas and times of the year. The fall foliage, the summer sunflowers, the snow-capped mountains can all be represented in the home through an artist’s paintings or an actual preservation of the natural creation. The orchid lei that you were welcomed with on your vacation to Hawaii can be preserved in a frame on your bedroom wall.

After a full day of absorbing the scenic views of the beautiful outside creations, can you imagine coming home to bare walls at each corner? The wall art of your home will fill the void of blank space and add presence, life and a human touch to your home. Wall art doesn’t have to be the most expensive painting auctioned off from the art gallery. It can be as simple and priceless as your child’s artwork from school. Wall art can be anything that you want to display. Most importantly, let your wall art be a definition of you and you will feel at home.

Stephanie Tuia is an internet marketer for Wall Art Concepts
Give your home a more personalized touch with our array of handcrafted wall art to compliment your home.

Posted on Mar 23rd, 2007

Bar stools are very popular items of furniture, which not only enhance the appearance of a room, but provide versatile seating for all types of occasions. Modern bar stools come in a huge variety of designs, to suit rooms of any theme and some are even made for outdoor use. From traditional wooden counter stools for rustic country kitchens, to contemporary metal bar stools complete with swivel seats, ideal for a home bar or games room, there’s a barstool design to suit all tastes.

If you like to entertain, bar stools are perfect for relaxing in whilst enjoying a sociable drink with friends. You can take your pick from various different styles, including simple backless designs with solid or cushioned seats, and those with armrests and seatbacks. Upholstered barstools can be covered with hardwearing fabric in your choice of colors and patterns, to compliment your existing décor and other furniture. Vinyl and leather bar stools are other popular options to consider.

Alternatively, you may prefer to buy stools with detachable bar stool that tie-on to the seatbacks. This gives you the advantage of being able to change the covers for cleaning or if you fancy a change of look, and can be useful if your stools get lots of use.

When deciding which bar stools to buy, remember to take accurate measurements of the space available, to ensure a comfortable fit. Bar stools should be just the right height, so they are comfortable to sit in, with adequate legroom, but close enough to the counter top for convenience. As a rough guide, aim for a gap of around 9 or 10 inches between the seat and the counter. Think about the positioning of your bar stools and leave enough space between each one for people to be able to move freely. Commercial style swivel bar stools can work well in home settings too, and are great for saving space.

Online stores are excellent places to browse a huge range of different bar stools and compare prices, making it easier for you to find the perfect bar stools to transform your home.

Caroline Smith is a successful freelance writer and regular contributor to bar-stools.ws - an online resource packed with tips and advice on choosing all kinds of bar stools, including swivel bar stools and kitchen counter stools.

Posted on Mar 23rd, 2007

If you’ve been consistently bewildered about how to make your style happen in your home, relax, take a deep breath and forgive yourself. We don’t come into this world with knowledge, we learn as we go!

At first glance, interior design appears to be about the latest trends, beautiful fabrics, furniture or rugs, and the hottest label.

First of all, let me tell you what I’m not going to talk about! I’m not going to talk here about current trends, what’s in, what’s out. I’m not going to show you homes of movie stars or business tycoons. I’m not going to show you rooms and rooms of expensive furniture that you might be able to afford– or not.

So, you won’t find the answer on any TV show, in any magazine or website.

The answer is in you!

After serving over one thousand clients in 25 years, the secret of creating a dream home is– dreaming! So, the first step is knowing what you want.

Experts and authors who talk about goal setting, from Napoleon Hill to Anthony Robbins to Lynne Grabhorn, talk about a FEELING. Yes, written goals are essential, but where does the writing come from? A book? Someone else’s goals? No! They come from YOU! Have you ever really explored what is important to YOU?

From trash to treasure

Here’s an exercise for you to do. It will help you pick your home accessories, but it will also help you find your individual style, your "Design Sign".

Go up into your attic, rummage through your closets, look under your beds and pull out the things you packed away. Pull them out and lay them on the floor. What items make you feel good, bring you joy that you’d forgotten?

Look through any decorating magazines you have lying around (or any other magazines, for that matter). What images stir your heart, make you smile, and move you? Start clipping pictures and pasting—just a few if you don’t have a lot of time.

As you go about your day, look for things that make you feel good. I’m not talking about expensive things or status items; I’m talking about the simple, subtle images and memories that bring you peace, joy and comfort. Only you know what they are. These are the things that bring Beauty into your life, not the latest trip to the shopping mall.

Echoes of Childhood Past

Think about the places you lived growing up. If you have pleasant memories, recall them. What gives you a sense of safety, excitement, wonder?

Growing up, I loved to ride horses on our family farm. I liked everything about it: the green fields, the sound of wind in the trees, and yes, even the smell of manure!

So it’s not surprising I live in a bungalow in the middle of horse country. No, it’s not a "McMansion" in a trendy zip code. I moved there because of the feeling of freedom I had when I was a kid.

Believe it or not, your conscious intention to find these things will influence your attention to noticing them! If this sounds strange, believe me when I tell you I’ve seen stranger things. I have my clients do just these things, and I’ve seen them come alive when they rediscover parts of themselves they had forgotten.

For me, this is the whole point of interior design: creating a home that is warm, expressive, and personal. The first step on the path of self-discovery– before buying anything, or reading anything– is to spend a little time with yourself and those you love.

Good luck and happy decorating!

Mary Cynthia Knowles is an interior designer with over 2,500 clients in her portfolio. She has been sharing her home decorating knowledge and teaching the joy of self-expression for over 25 years.

For an expanded version of this article, complete with a quiz and illustrations, please visit http://www.decoratebydesign.com/home-decorating-ideas.htm

Posted on Mar 22nd, 2007

Are you thinking about buying a memory foam mattress?

Are you confused about all the hype and confusing claims made by the different advertisements for memory foam?

I’ve set out to clear the air, remove the "smoke and mirrors", and put into one article all the true information you’ll need to make a selection that will thrill you, give you years of value and make poor sleep a thing of the past.

The term "memory foam" or "visco-elastic memory foam" was coined in the early days of NASA’s space program. That’s why it’s also known as NASA foam.

Sometimes, a memory foam mattress is referred to as a NASA foam mattress.

During lift-off, astronauts were being subjected to tremendous g-forces that the human body just wasn’t designed to endure.

The need for a new material, that would make these conditions tolerable for the astronauts, spawned the research that resulted in the invention of this brand new kind of foam.

If water, springs, air or any combination of those things had been an alternative, the expensive research that followed wouldn’t have been needed, and the need for a new material wouldn’t have existed.

Visco-elastic foam has unique qualities.

It is able to mold itself to the shape of any object that puts pressure on it and, yet, when the object is removed, it will slowly return to it’s original shape.

The picture that comes to mind is the hand above the memory foam mattress that still has the hand print showing on it.

Memory foam is an open celled foam, which means that air is free to move from one cell to another, so when pressure is applied, the affected cells collapse and you feel sort of like you’re floating down into the material.

This collapsing of the cells allows the material to "melt away" from pressure until the entire surface of your body is evenly supported over the surface of the memory foam.

It virtually eliminates pressure points.

Another unique feature of a memory foam mattress is temperature sensitivity.

Within a short time of your body lying on the mattress, your body temperature will start to cause the memory foam to soften.

Any area of your body that has excess heat, such as a fevered injury, will cause the mattress to soften even further where it is touching, making memory foam the ideal material for a comfortable mattress.

The problem with the NASA foam was that it "off gassed", putting off a smell that was overpowering in the confined quarters of a space vehicle.

It was eventually scrapped by NASA. To my knowledge, it was never actually used on any space mission.

At that point, memory foam was just too expensive to be used for mattresses and the off-gassing wouldn’t have been acceptable either.

A few medical research companies started experimenting with the material for use in hospitals. Many patients develop bedsores when confined to bed over long periods of time.

Because it was cost effective for this application, these experiments led to using memory foam in a variety of health industry settings to alleviate pressure points in hospital patients.

Through this medical research, memory foam became more and more adaptable to use as a consumer product in the form of pillows, mattresses, toppers, chairs, etc.

The Memory Foam Mattress Industry Was Born

The memory foam mattress industry started slowly in the early 1990’s and then shot into the mainstream in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.

So much so, that it’s difficult to find a magazine, newspaper, or television that doesn’t have several ads for memory foam products running continuously.

With that kind of demand for the product it’s no wonder that a lot of people started forming companies to manufacture and sell to an audience with this enormous appetite.

And, yes, as in all industries, some companies are born just to make inferior products and, then, using terminology that is confusing or misleading, capitalize on the lack of good information that’s available to consumers.

So let’s clear some of the confusion with a few simple facts.

What Is The Difference Between Good And Bad Memory Foam?

Memory foam is graded by it’s density. Imagine yourself cutting a huge "dice" (yeah, like the kind you throw on the crap table) out of memory foam 12"x12"x12" and slapping it onto the scale in your doctor’s office.

The weight of that 12" sized cube is how you determine density.

For example, if your "dice" weighed 5.9 lbs. it’s considered to have a density of 5.9, or if it weighs 3.2 lbs. the density is rated as 3.2.

Pretty simple, really, isn’t it. Like most things, we all thought density would be determined by some E=IR formula or something terribly complex.

You, now, know more about density than most of the sales people in your local mattress store.

It’s also a fact that the less dense foams are made mostly of air, not foam. Less foam, less cost to manufacture…they can sell it cheaper.

For most memory foam mattresses, it’s a fact that the human body is best supported by a density of 5.3 lbs. to 5.9 lbs. Any heavier than this and it tends to be too dense and won’t allow the proper cell collapsing that allows your body to settle into it.

Any lighter and you don’t get the needed support in the hip and shoulder areas.

Another problem is that the lighter foams won’t continue to return to their original shape after a relatively short lifespan. They’ll lose their comfort.

Some of the 5.3+ lb. mattresses are still going strong after 15 years being just as comfortable to their users as the first day…and with no body impressions.

Remember, too, that we discussed temperature sensitivity. Not all foam being advertised as "memory foam" is temperature sensitive.

Make sure it has this feature so you get that "fine tuned" comfort.

A better memory foam mattress will contain 3 1/2", or more, of memory foam as a top layer. Any less than this probably won’t keep you from bottoming out and laying on the underlying base layers of foam.

Those foams aren’t meant to be in contact with your body and won’t comfortable for you. They are there to help the memory foam do it’s job correctly.

Just remember density and temperature sensitivity, when you go shopping for your memory foam mattress and you’ll be miles ahead when you purchase.

Chuck Harmon is a researcher, online marketer and the author of several articles including The 5 Deadliest Sins Most People Commit When Buying A Memory Foam Mattress…And How To Avoid Them. Get the article at http://www.memory-foam-buyers-guide.org/Memory-Foam-5-Sins-Optin.html He is co-owner of http://www.TahoeMattressCompany.com

Posted on Mar 22nd, 2007

Wooden bunk beds are a very popular type of bunk bed and have many advantages over metal bunk beds. Specifically, wooden bunk beds are often safer since there is no need to worry about metal or weld cracking.

The main disadvantages of wooden bunk beds are size and bulk. Wood is much thicker than the metal tubing used on beds and, as such, takes up a lot of space and is very heavy. As a result, moving a wooden bunk bed is an ordeal and not something you want to do very often. Likewise, shipping these beds is fairly expensive, although if you buy online and out-of-state, you will save money on sales tax.

Wooden bunk beds are often quite elegant. Many have shelves, drawers and/or desks built right into them, and can be finished in a variety of wood stains. The beds can make a bedroom more appealing to children, who can draw on them, put stickers and hang posters on them, depending upon the desires of their parents.

When selecting a bunk bed, there are many wooden options available to fit the needs of your children and your own stylistic demands. Owning such a bed can prove to be a welcome addition to your home.

Bunk Beds Info provides information on the types of bunk beds that are available, and how and where to buy a bunk bed. Bunk Beds Info is the sister site of Murphy Beds Web.

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