Card Tables Ideas for Children

Question: My children are fond of playing cards in their spare time but they need me to get a table for their play. Since they are glued to it for hours together with their friends and don’t like my interruption in between. Any suggestion for proper card table? – Katty

Answer: Card tables are big enough for card games. But by the lime you add refreshments, cigarette packs, ashtrays, and oilier accessories; there isn’t room left for cards.

Mere is a super-top that gives you all the room you need. Even the handyman with five thumbs can make it. And the few hours you spend building it arc nothing compared to the years of convenience it will give you.

What to buy

From 3/4 inch plywood, have your lumber dealer cut a 4-foot circle for you on his band saw. Then buy 12 feet of wood strips about 3/4 inch square, and a dozen 1/2 -inch, flathead wood screws.

The circular top fits firmly over ordinary card table, In spite of its sturdiness top is quickly removed. Just lift it an inch off the table so the wood strips no longer hold top in place

How to build it

Lay the card table top down, on the disc of plywood; measure from the four sides of the table until the super-top is perfectly centered; then mark the outline of the table top on the disc. The square you have drawn should be no smaller than your table top itself and not over 1/2 inches bigger. Next cut the wood strips to form a square outside the square you’ve drawn. Miter the corners if you’re a perfectionist, or let them butt if you don’t care. When the strips are cut, lay them in position, drill holes through them and into the top and screw the strips firmly into place. Countersink the screws.

How to Finish

Use coarse sandpaper and a hand-sized sanding block to smooth the curved edge and remove all traces of saw marks. Then switch to medium grit sandpaper to smooth the surface and the rest of the edges. Complete the sanding job with fine sandpaper. Shellac is easiest to use as a finish.

Apply the first coat thinned about half with alcohol. Shellac as it comes from the can may be used for successive coats. Sand with finest sandpaper between coats after each dries. If you prefer colored enamel, one thinned coat of shellac is a good primer and filler.

Two coals of enamel should cover completely. Lacquer may be sprayed or brushed on, but never over any other type of finish. As a primer for lacquer, use the same lacquer, thinned half. Hardest to apply because it dries slowly and may pick up dust is varnish, but under spillage and battering, varnish is the most durable finish. Apply it as you would shellac.

Driftwood for Smart Decoration

Question: I have guest coming this weekend and would like to decorate my living room. What would be the best option to do this quickly? – Susan

Answer: If you’re looking for a handsome decoration for your living room, try your hand at a driftwood arrangement. The ones you can see at some shops are usually made by Tatsuo Ishimoto, author of the book, The Art of Driftwood and Dried Arrangements. Follow directions, step by step, using dried materials from the florist or those you gather from the fields.

1. Study your piece of driftwood select its most interesting angle for front of arrangement. Then fasten the wood to a large needlepoint holder. Place on a block of painted plywood.

2. Cut dried wild parsnip at different heights. Form in a triangular-shaped cluster and hold in place with modeling clay. Place at right front of wood.

3. Next arrange two artichoke or thistle seed pods and three small branches of eucalyptus or rose hips on small needlepoint holder-Place to the left of the drift-wood and slightly front

4. Put a large and a small rock in position to hide the needlepoint holders. Last, you tuck in an artichoke or thistle seed pod at lower right. Now place your distinctive arrangement where it shows off to beat advantage. It will lend rustic charm to the room.

Choosing Interior Furniture That’s Green & Affordable

Is your living room badly in need of a facelift but your budget just can’t seem to stretch any further? If this is the case, there’s good news! There are ways you can totally renovate your living room in a way that’s not only attractive but green as well, without sacrificing on style. When we hear the word green, we often think of the color.

However, green furniture is furniture that’s eco-friendly and good for our environment. Even furniture manufacturers are now doing their part in making furniture that’s environmentally friendly.
Furniture Arrangement: Sometimes, just rearranging your furniture is all your room may need to give the entire room a new look. Consider spacing your furniture in a way that makes the room appear larger without compromising on walking area. You don’t want to have to make walking through the room difficult because of furniture blocking the walkways. Throw pillows in bright and cheery colors add a lot to couch or loveseat.

If you have some old pillows you’re no longer using, you can make simple and removable covers for them. Even if you don’t have the pillows, you can still make them buy purchasing stuffing and sewing them together yourself, making sure it’s all hypo-allergenic.

Consider Redoing Furnishings: If your furniture is old, you may consider having them reupholstered or covered. While reupholstering may be more than you care to spend, coverings can be very inexpensive. This allows you to work with what you have and preserve it rather than throwing it out and purchasing new stuff.

Old coffee and end tables can be easily stripped down to the natural wood and refinished with eco-friendly stains free from harmful chemicals. Before you rush out to price new furniture, take a good look around your room at the many things you already have. You’ll be surprised at the results when you’re finished redoing your current furnishings! You’ll also be pleased at the dollars you’ve saved in the process.

Go Rummaging: A trip to the local thrift shop can help you find many things that may enhance the décor of your room, while helping to keep them out of the trash.

Like the saying, “one man’s junk is another man’s gold.” For instance, look for picture frames that have been made from reclaimed materials or consider making your own from old chunks of wood laying around the garage. Nothing adds a more personal touch to a room than family pictures.

Once your room is totally redone to your satisfaction, you may find some area or throw rugs in the thrift shop that coordinate with your “new” furniture. Or, consider redoing the furniture to match the floor coverings you already have.

You’ll be amazed at the satisfaction you’ll get out of renovating your living room (or bedrooms) in a green style while spending very little!

Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table

The Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table is a new take on an old and favorite design. Known to many as just simply a toy, or a headache depending on your ability to solve it, Jellio has created a coffee table modeled after the Rubik’s Cube.

Made popular in the 1980’s, the Rubik’s Cube has continued to be a much loved item that is still being bought in record numbers. To honor the nostalgia and memories that come with a Rubik’s Cube, Jellio’s Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table has taken the design and created a much larger version ideal for any room of the house.

The coffee table comes in the classic style, complete with colors we all associate with the toy. Luckily, the Jellio Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table comes solved so all you have to do is kick back and put your feet up.

Made from acrylic, the coffee table is durable and strong. The dimensions of the coffee table is 16″ x 16″ x 16″, a perfect square, or cube rather. The Rubik’s Cube Coffee tables are versatile and can make a perfect end table and by combining two together will make a more fitting coffee table.

The Rubik’s Cube Coffee Table is perfect for those fun loving designers and consumers. The table often finds itself in spare rooms used for entertaining guests or play rooms but why hide these fabulous tables?

The table is definitely not for the faint of heart with its bold colors and style, but if you can pull it off by all means do so and do so proudly.

Images courtesy of: jellio.com, coffeetablezone.com, and maniacworld.com

Arlington Fundy Play Table

Parents with stylish decors have a very particular problem. With all that expensive furnishings and careful decor planning most of the kid’s play furniture clashes horribly with the surroundings.

Plastic is a common material for children items since it’s cheap and durable but having something red and tacky in the living room is just too much for some. But we deal with it since it is for the children and after all they come first even before that chic divan. 

This play table, on the other hand, promises to make everyone happy. The table, which is really a movable art studio, is created using Baltic Birch a sturdy and durable material insuring a long life and the ability to survive a few beatings. The top comes in either a chalkboard or dry erase cover which opens to reveal a storage area. Read more

All Work and No Play: The Pencil Bench

The Pencil Bench is a rather unusual piece of furniture that, if nothing else, will make you say; "Hmmm, now that is unusual." As the name suggests, the Pencil Bench is just that, pencils and a bench. One thousand-six hundred pencils to be precise create a "cushion" of erasers on a dark wood base creating a great contrast.

The pencils are pink in color but if you do not care for that, then just replace them. Each pencil is removable but make sure you place back properly to avoid any painful accidents. As office furniture or bedroom bench seat goes this piece will be a great addition for the more whimsical of companies but will definitely have no place for those lacking a sense of humor.

The Pencil Bench was created by Boex 3D Creative Solutions known for their stylish designs.  While the bench is fashionable it may not be too comfortable but that’s not really the point, now is it; it looks good and that’s what counts. The piece will probably have no place in your home but maybe your study or teenager will be able to make good use of it. No word if the Pencil Beach was created using recycled pencils so if being eco-friendly is a concern you may just want to pass the bench by. 

As to date, there is no accompanying Pencil couch or Pencil table which is probably for the best. This should really be used as more of a decorative item then for practical reasons. If you like the unusual, and need a handy place to keep all your pencils, then the Pencil Bench is perfect for you.

Images courtesy: padstyle.com

Instant Christmas Decoration with the Expanding Christmas Tree!

If you are looking to save time and energy while decorating your house for Christmas this season, I strongly recommend to get the expanding Christmas tree (by firstSTREET.com)…  Tired of removing the Christmas Tree… in 2008? it’s going to be artificial?

Every year, Christmas decoration takes up a lot of my time. I do not grudge this as almost all the other decorative elements center around the main theme of the Christmas tree.

So, imagine my pleasure and surprise on beholding this instant Christmas tree that is a beautiful sight and transforms the look of your house in a jiffy.

This tree comes equipped with red and gold ribbons and bows, 300 clear lights and a variety of other baubles and shatter proof ornaments.  All you need to do is to insert the center support pole after lifting the tree at the top and your Christmas tree is all ready for the living room of your house.

This means that you do not have to be harried about the correct lights or other decorative items as everything comes along with the tree.

You also do not have to wonder where you will store the tree after Christmas as it contracts to a thickness of 3 inches once the metal support pole has been removed from the spine of the tree. The company also provides a storage box and a tree stand so that all you need to do is buy the tree and set it up with the least discomfort to you and your family.

This product has a height of 6 feet and is reasonably priced as you will be saving not only on the time required for setting up the tree but also on the cost of the lights and other decorating elements. So, all in all, I think it is a very good bargain.

For those of you who feel that the highlight of Christmas is the decorating of the Christmas tree, a great idea is to buy the expanding tree and then add your individual touch by hanging personalized and attractive items onto the tree.

One of my friends has been so impressed by this tree that she is on the look-out for other items like these which will ensure that one spends a relaxing time during Christmas rather than spend the whole time worrying about how to beautify the house during this festive season.

Not a bad idea, I must say!  I totally endorse this thought and I am looking forward to the time when we have other products like the expanding Christmas tree to simplify the decorating procedure of Christmas. You can read a nice review on the pros and cons of xmas trees entitled:  Christmas trees: Real vs. artificial vs. eco-friendly at Julie’s Health Club blog. A worth reading indeed.

Photo credits: firststreetonline.com

Modern Living Room Pixel Couch

Redecorating a living room is often the hardest room to do especially if you are on a budget. This isn’t to say that it simply can not be done; just that it can not be done simply and easily.

Many decorators will suggest that you first take stock in your living room and see if there is something that is worn, faded, but integral to the function of the room as a whole before starting a redecorating campaign.

To no one’s surprise the couch often fits the description and should be the first to be dealt with.

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Coffee Tables Buying Tips

A good coffee table can make or break a living room. While, traditionally, these tables are a must, many have shied away from this piece of furniture in fear of bruised shins and bulking up rooms.

The art of finding that perfect piece of furniture is not lost to the ages. All it takes is some basic information and knowing what to look for.

These tables are for more than a cup of Joe. Used for quick dinners, a place to prop up feet, and really just anything else, they can become the centerpiece of the entire room.

Since coffee tables isn’t right for the room, then it can become an overwhelming force ruining the entertaining space.

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Marshmallow Couch

Functional and whimsical, the Marshmallow Couch may not be for everyone. Sure, the metal frame and light weight body is easy on the back, but not everyone will be brave enough to display this unique and fun couch in their living room.

George Nelson is the mastermind behind this design which takes a very bold step into futuristic fashion. The couch is comprised of several individual disks that are sturdy, interchangeable, and colorful. Read another colorful couch, the pixel couch by Cristian Zuzunaga

First conceived in the 1950’s, the Marshmallow Couch has an unmistakable retro flair with a touch of the atomic age and a foreshadowing of the pop art mania that was to come.

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