‘Care and Feeding’ For Leather Furnishings

June 21, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

Below is a guest post providing some great information about how to care for your leather seating.
S Interior Design likes to mix leather seating with upholstered options when possible. Mixing the upholstery in a room provides opportunities to add varied textures, colors and patterns resulting in a more customized result.

Caring for your sumptuous seating
There is nothing like a designer leather sofa to add an element of luxurious style into your living room. From traditional chesterfields to contemporary minimalist designs, the sumptuous elegance and comfort of leather sofas makes them desired and sought after items for the home.

Leather is not only valued for its aesthetic appeal, its inherent properties make it extremely suitable for living room furniture. Leather is a hard wearing and durable material that will withstand the stresses and wear and tear of family life, including children and pets, far better than fragile fabrics that fray more easily. It is resistant to both tearing and puncture damage.

Leather is also easy to clean, meaning that accidents such as spilled wine, coffee and other substances can be simply wiped clean without leaving a visible permanent stain that may occur on fabric sofas, both light and dark colored. Marks can be simply wiped clean with a damp cloth. Leather will also hold its color better than fabric.

Leather actually becomes soft and supple with use, so well used sofas will not become misshapen but will retain their strength and shape. Leather sofas support the natural contours of the body making them extremely comfortable to sit or lie upon.

All these reasons mean that your leather sofa will last a long time. However there are some simple measures that you can take to ensure your leather sofa remains in top condition for its lifetime.

Find out what type of leather you have – Leather comes in various forms depending on how it is manufactured. The type of leather used may be written on tags on the sofa, or you could contact the manufacturer. However most types of modern leather sofa will be sealed or top coat protected. This is the simplest leather to clean and it is safe to use water. Pure aniline leather may need to be cleaned professionally while waxed leather such as Nubuck will need re-waxing as part of its regular care and to remove scratches and blemishes.

Prevention is better than cure – Use a leather protector to condition your leather against wear and tear and cracking, and keep it soft and supple. Leather protectors also provide protection against everyday dirt as well as oil, water and alcohol stains.

Use leather wipes for simple cleaning – Leather wipes are readily available from shops and are a great way to mop up spills or just to wipe over the sofa to keep it fresh and clean. Different wipes are available depending on the type of leather.

Tackle stains with foam cleaners – Foam cleaners can be sprayed onto stains and gently rubbed, before being dried with a clean cloth. These cleaners are often suitable for different types of leather. Nubuck and suede should be brushed beforehand for best results.

Try homemade remedies – There are several tried and tested kitchen remedies for keeping your leather in good condition and for removing stains. Simple soap and water can be used for general cleaning, while red wine stains can be tackled with salt. A mixture of two parts linseed oil to one part vinegar is recommended for removing surface dirt and leaving a superb, polished appearance.

Remove stains quickly – Always treat stains as soon as they occur for the best chance at complete removal.

The Most Important Surface In The Home and Office

June 9, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

We asked to co-write a blog post for UK Flooring Direct. Given the company’s wonderful product and service offerings, we were more than happy to do so.

If asked the question, What is the most important surface in your home or office? What would you answer? THE FLOORING OF COURSE. What you decide to put on the floors literally lays the groundwork for all of the forth coming design decisions. With this design element, FUNCTIONALITY is the most crucial factor to consider. The amount of traffic and type of traffic the floor will need to endure, the exposure to moisture, the care and maintenance for the floors are factors that must be considered. There is an ever expanding array of options in terms of how the floor LOOKS AND FEELS; including eco-friendly options such as Cork, Bamboo and even Teak.

If you are in the United Kingdom,UK Flooring Direct should most definitely be on the list of vendors to work with. They carry an extensive product line for virtually any flooring needs you may have.

Kitchen Flooring

“However comfortable and durable your kitchen floor you shouldn’t have to compromise on the appearance and even with all of these great qualities it shouldn’t have to cost the earth.”

Wood, tile, cork, laminate, vinyl and linoleum are all good options to consider for the kitchen floor. Within each of these flooring types, many color and even format options exist. For example, cork is available as tiles or planks.

Bathroom Flooring

“While everyone wants an attractive option it is also very important, because it is such a wet environment, to make practicality a priority. This will ensure that you get a product which can cope with the demands placed on it without being damaged.”

Do you have to use tile? NO!! Other good design options include laminate, vinyl and even cork (sealed of course) are great options to explore.

One design note on tile —now increasingly popular in commercial and home environments are tiles that look like wood planks.

Commercial Flooring

Here again many options are available. The branding for the business will guide the aesthetic decisions, while durability factors are the primary concern. Wood, carpet (tiles or wall to wall glue down), tile, vinyl, laminates and even cork should be considered.

A word on CARPETING—

Many people prefer to place wall to wall carpeting in the bedroom spaces so they have soft feeling underfoot throughout the room. Carpet is also a good choice to help with acoustics in a room, especially those with high ceilings. Here again, options for the material, look and feel are plentiful.

Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID, is the owner and founder of S Interior Design, the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services™. Suzanne works with her clients to develop a winning combination of design elements that result in warm, comfortable and functional spaces that reflect each client’s personal style. Suzanne and her team specialize in residential, contract and hospitality interior design, from simple color selections, to office build outs, to restaurant, spa and hotel designs. Suzanne shares her years of expertise through the power of social media. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and at this blog. To speak to Suzanne about your interior design needs, please call 480-220-4659 or visit her website at www.sinteriordesign.com.

Is Clutter an Avenue to Creativity?

June 5, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

Here is a guest post with an interesting twist on de-cluttering your closets and cabinets. Think of the de-cluttering process as a treasure hunt, a way to find items to work with to design ‘creative displays’. If you need inspiration, Pinterest is an excellent site to search through. While you are there, don’t forget to check the S Interior Design Pinterest boards

Here is the guest post. So if it is too hot outside, start cleaning out your closets and think off the ‘hanger’.

How to De-Clutter Your Closets and Cabinets and Put Up Creative Displays

The small storage areas in your home, your closets and cabinets, can easily become cluttered. As a part of your overall home organization efforts, you should try to de-clutter these areas in both conventional and innovative ways. In addition to regularly getting rid of excess items in your cabinets and closets, you can also do things like put up creative displays in your home. If you’re wondering how you should go about putting up displays, here are some tips to guide you through the process:

1. Search for hidden treasure in your closets and cabinets –

Look through your closets and cabinets for things you might want to put on display. For instance, that vintage electric guitar you’ve had stowed away in your bedroom closet for ages would look pretty cool on your living room wall. Additionally, your stainless steel pots and pans would look great on a hanging rack in your kitchen. Pick out a few items from each of your closets and a couple of items from your cabinets that you want to put up on display in your home.

2. Invest in some racks, hooks, and shelves –

You’ll need to get some attractive racks, hooks, and shelves to use to put up displays throughout your home. You can get these at most home improvement stores, and they’re usually pretty easy to put up with yourself (if you’re adept at following written instructions). Additionally, you may want to purchase attractive racks for your kitchen and shelved furniture at a department store. Take your time searching for attractive and sturdy racks, hooks, shelves, and other furniture for your displays. Remember that details always matter in the realm of interior design.

3. Don’t go overboard –

Covering your walls with displays isn’t necessarily the best strategy. Putting up creative displays is a great way to clear out some extra space in your closets and cabinets. However, it’s not the ultimate solution to clutter in those storage areas of your home. Regular organization and getting rid of excess belongings is the best way to de-clutter your closets and cabinets. Putting up a few, tasteful displays throughout your home should only be a part of your overall organization efforts.

Author’s Bio: Author’s Bio: Lisa is a blogger at Self Storage Deals who writes on the subjects of home storage, home organization, and self storage options. Professionally, she splits her time between helping people organize their homes and helping people organize their storage units, specifically storage units in Colorado Springs and storage units in McAllen. “

The Kid`s Rooms Always Come First

May 25, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

A dynamic I come across frequently when designing family homes is that the kids rooms always take priority . As parents, we want our children to have wonderful rooms to call their own. After the kids rooms are completed, the common areas of the home are most often next in the priority list. And almost always, the parent’s bedroom comes in dead last. When I was asked if I would be interested in hosting this guest post about furnishing and designing children’s bedrooms, I asked that it be written with this dynamic in mind. S Interior Design added some comments which are show in green color font. Enjoy-

The Kid`s Rooms Always Come First

Decorating a kid`s bedroom is the perfect excuse to let your imagination run wild. The only problem, however, is keeping it all within budget. It can be all too easy to spend thousands of dollars creating the perfect kid`s play space, leaving very little with which to decorate the other rooms in the house. Don`t worry. There are all sorts of hints and tips you can use to create a magical kids bedroom without it costing a small fortune.(and have money left over to decorate your bedroom too!!)

This guide will help you create your kids dream room on a minimal budget. Get your kids involved.

One of the most important things to remember when you are decorating a kids room is it`s for them, not for you. If you have always dreamed of creating an underwater world but your child is more into spaceships or jungles, then they are never going to appreciate all the hard work that`s gone into creating their space. Getting your children involved in the design process is the best way to ensure that they are going to love the finished effect. The more they love it the less likely they are to grow out of it in a short space of time. Choose themes that will grow with your child . Centering your design around a specific theme is a great way to create an imaginative space which your child will want to spend time in. The only problem with themes is that if your child`s interests change over time, they may consider their room too “babyish” and will want to redecorate again in a shorter space of time.

If you choose bright colors that will compliment a range of different themes then you can easily swap accessories to reinvent the space as your child`s interest`s change. You also don`t need to worry about creating a totally finished room once you are done decorating. By leaving plenty of space for your child to add their own drawings and ideas over time, your child`s bedroom will be a constantly evolving work in progress. This will help them to feel that the space is totally their own. Get Inspired!

You don`t have to spend hours poring over interior design magazines which are full of gorgeous, but expensive, accessories to get your inspiration. Sites such as Pinterest (and HOUZZ) are a great way of getting design ideas for kid`s room on a budget. You can re-pin all your favorite ideas onto your own pin-boards which will provide you with plenty of inspiration for creating that perfect kids bedroom. It’s not just about pretty pictures either.

Every image on Pinterest links to a website and you will often find some amazing blogs and tutorials to help you recreate these ideas for just a few dollars. Using thrift stores to find interesting and unusual objects is another great way of keeping costs down. Many things can be re-purposed into new and original ideas and the fact that they cost very little money makes it much easier to try out all those creative ideas that you’ve found on the web. Choose good quality furniture Without a doubt, the most expensive thing in your child`s bedroom is the furniture. It is the one thing that`s really worth investing in as it will last a number of years. Even after they`ve left for college they`ll still want a decent bed to come home too.

Choosing good quality children’s bedroom furniture in bright colors will make the room fresh and inviting, yet they won`t grow out of it as the years go by. Good quality storage (check IKEA options) is another essential for any kid`s room. After all if they have got somewhere to put all their toys away, you shouldn’t find them cluttering up the rest of your house.

Eco-Friendly Bathroom Ideas

May 25, 2012 by Suzanne Lasky

S Interior Design is pleased to bring you this guest post on ideas to help make your bathroom environment eco-friendly. Like any room or space in a home or office, using materials derived from nature (cotton, linen, plant-based), versus chemical compounds is taking a step in the right direction. So forego the PVC vinyls and harsh chemical cleaners. When it is time to replace your toilets, look for low water usage or dual flush options which are readily available. And don’t forget your lighting options-go LED for long-lasting beautiful light, and whenever possible day light from windows or Solatubes.

How to Keep your Bathroom Eco-Friendly

If living in an eco-friendly world is important to you, then it’s time to start with your own home. Which room do you utilize the most? Other than the kitchen, the bathroom comes in at a close second. This is a great place to start, though you may not consider it at first.

TheEnvironmentSite.org suggests, “… You will be amazed how much you could do to make your bathroom more environmentally friendly. This can start with the cleaning products you use end with how much water you use for flushing your toilet.” From cleaning supplies, to your basic bathroom items, you can go green from every angle.

DIY Cleaning Ideas

Photo Credit: onyxdistribution.com

If you feel ready to take this project into your own hands, get ready to make your own cleaners. Utilizing many products that you may already have in your house, this is an easy task that’s worth taking on. Not convinced? Care2.com says, “Ounce for ounce homemade cleaning formulas cost about one-tenth the price of their commercial counterpart.” Time to get started; here are your basic formulas.

Shower: Baking soda and water or lemon juice and vinegar.
Mirror: Mix vinegar and water – 2 tablespoons of vinegar to a whole gallon of water.
Clogged drain: Put half cup of baking soda into your drain and wash it down with 2 cups of boiling water.
Toilet cleaner: Baking soda, washing soda, distilled vinegar, liquid soap and tree oil

Buying the Right Cleaners

If DIY cleaning isn’t your thing, you can head to your local grocery store to find some eco-friendly products. Because environmental awareness is on the rise, almost every bathroom cleaning company offers recycled or earth friendly options. Before making your purchase however, look for these key ingredients. Greenhome.com suggests looking for:

Avoid any cleaner with phosphates or chlorine, which are harmful to people.
Look for plant born ingredients such as d-limonene or lauramine oxide.

Eco-Friendly Bathroom Items

Photo Credit: theuptown.net

While you may consider keeping your cleaning supplies eco-friendly, it’s important that your bathroom is green all over. That means you want to be stocked with all the right products. You can find all your basic bathroom necessities in organic, recycled or bamboo materials which are better for your bathroom, your family and the environment.

Natural fabric shower curtain: The plastic curtains that eek that ever-recognizable “plastic smell” are made with PVC and should be avoided. Find naturally made curtains in your local home goods store.
Recycled toilet paper: Many mainstream companies now offer recycled version of their traditional product, such as Seventh Generation.
Towels: Find bamboo and organic materials. According to Bliss.com, “Both are better for you and the environment because they aren’t made from plants sprayed with insecticides and pesticides and often use low-impact dyes.”

If you’re serious about going eco-friendly in the bathroom, there are a number of ways to incorporate bits and pieces or go the whole way. From cleaners to your everyday necessities like towels, you can do your part for the world while making a healthier environment for yourself, your family and visitors.

Sara Fletcher enjoys learning about all aspects of the home ranging from affordable double vanities, interior design, and green furniture. She one day hopes to build her own dream home, complete with luxury bathroom vanities.