Three Wackiest Beds from Around the World

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There is nothing in this world that is more welcoming after a hard day’s work than a comfortable bed, especially on those long and cold winter evenings. Not everyone purchases their bed with comfort in mind; however, as for some it is more of a design feature that forms the fulcrum of their bedroom space. No individual design or shape is too unusual for these individuals, who prefer style and flair over form and functionality.

Three of the Craziest and Most Innovative Bed Designs

So with this in mind, what are the most eye catching bed designs in the modern consumer market? Consider the following: -

  • The ‘His and Hers’ Bed: This Chinese design is sure to raise a few eyebrows, although whether it is practical for long term use remains highly debatable. It is a double bed with two very distinct sides, as while one is adorned by beautiful roses the other features acupuncture spikes. The designs merit as an artistic centrepiece cannot be denied, however, and it would provide a talking point in any home or place of residence.
  • The Still Sleeper Bed: If you are someone who is known to toss and turn during a night’s sleep, then the intricately designed still sleeper bed is certainly not for you. Its frame and accompanying mattress have been carefully sculpted in the shape of a human body, which means that any deviation from this fixed position would cause you to fall on a cold, hard floor. While this is certainly an acquired taste, it is certainly worth consideration for single hone-owners with a love of unusual furniture.
  • The Ceiling Bed: Another Asian inspired design idea, the ceiling bed is not quite as outrageous as it may first appear. Essentially, this bed is suspended high above your bedroom floor, and is lowered through a simple trigger mechanism. This gives the appearance that your bed is tumbling from heaven, which can be quite a reassuring sight after a long, hard day. This bed also has the benefit of providing a comfortable night’s sleep, so it strikes the ideal balance between flair and function.
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Lighting Your Garden, The Most Efficient Way

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If you have a beautiful garden, then it is great to be able to make use of it, even when it starts to get dark. If you want to see what you are doing or where you are going, you will need some lights out there though. There are many designs for lights that can be used in the garden, but most of them rely on having an electricity supply close by. This means that lighting is often put close to the house. This is fine for small gardens, but if you have something on the larger side, then you may want lights further away from the house. This could mean putting an electric cable under the ground, but that can be hazardous if the ground gets dug up as the cable could be damaged. An alternative idea is to use a solar panel battery charger.

garden solar lights 1

The battery will charge up during daylight hours from the 12 volt solar panel and the energy will be available to use to power the lights after dark.  It can be simpler than worrying about cables and will not cost you anything in electricity. It means that you can easily have lights some distance from the house if you wish.

solar charger

Some people do worry about the lack of power in the winter. However, solar panels are light rather than heat sensitive and so as long as it is not dark all day long or the panels are shaded from the light of the sun, they will charge up the battery even in the winter time. They may not charge up as long, but you should still get some power. They can not only provide much needed light so you can use the garden after dark, they will be an interesting talking point as solar technology never fails to impress people.

garden solar lights 2

Lights can be placed in trees or under plants to create pretty focal points in the garden and with no restrictions on location due to needing a supply of electricity from the house, solar power can be the perfect solution for lighting your garden. This means that even when you are not in the garden, you can enjoy looking at it from the house and see how pretty it looks in the dark. A few carefully placed lights can completely change the look of the garden and turn it from a dark void to a beautiful night time landscape.

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Kitchen décor trends from around the world

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The kitchen is often the heart of a house, in which families get together to enjoy meals and to discuss their day. Décor is very important when it comes to the kitchen, as it can be difficult to enjoy cooking in a kitchen that doesn’t suit your tastes.

There’s nothing stopping you from branching out when it comes to choosing your kitchen’s interior design though. There are all kinds of stylish options for you to choose from, and choosing designs from around the world could give your kitchen a bit of a twist.

Japan


Japanese interior design is all about simplicity and modernity. Traditional Japanese homes were made almost solely of wood, as this was an abundant resource, and a lot of modern Japanese homes still follow through with this trend.

Another important thing to remember is that, in Japan, most homes are very small in size due to the fact that millions of people have been squeezed onto such a small island. Japan in only 130,000 sq km larger in size than the UK, but has a larger population by over 65,000,000. This means that Japanese-style décor would be ideal for those working with minimal space.

Key trends include:

-    Open plan spaces – this increases the Zen aspect of your kitchen
-    Sliding door screens – used as partitions between rooms.
-    Use of natural materials including wood and metal.
-    Storage features – the Japanese are big on space-saving storage, so consider utilising this idea in your kitchen design.

France


The French are well-known for their delicious delicacies, so if you want to begin creating some mouth-watering dishes in your own kitchen you should definitely go for French kitchen design.

If you really want to recreate the world’s most romantic location in your kitchen though, you’ll probably want to go for a classic take on this design.

Key trends include:

-    Increased worktop space, required for the increased amount of cooking done in French kitchens.
-    Windowsill herb gardens – if you haven’t got access to a garden this could be a fantastic feature in your French kitchen. The French often use fresh herbs in cooking, so add rustic charm to your kitchen with a few pots of herbs on the windowsill.
-    Use of natural elements – again, natural elements are a must here. Use luxurious materials such as marble and solid wood.

Sweden


Home of IKEA, Sweden is the ideal inspiration for your kitchen if you’re after something that’s nice and simple and yet has a quirky charm to it.

Key trends include:

-    Increased storage – whether it’s a walk-in pantry or some handy shelves, increase your storage space to ensure everything has a place.
-    Use of colour – colour is very important in Swedish kitchens. Using white as a base colour is very common, but make sure you add bright splashes of colour with dining chairs, backsplashes and artwork.
-    Island dining – it’s very common to have a breakfast nook or dining option in the way of an island counter in the Swedish kitchens.

Including décor ideas and themes from around the world in your new kitchen design could help to personalise the room. You can create a welcoming and creative space in which you can cook up a storm by using some of the above ideas.

This article was provided by Britannia Living, a UK company specialising in premium kitchen appliances.

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Choosing the Right Type of Bed to Suit Your Needs

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When you are choosing a new bed, it is important to think about what you want to use it for. You may think just about using it to sleep on, but it is important to think about more than this. Although it is extremely important to have a comfortable bed so that you get a good night’s sleep, you need to think of other factors as well. You will think of the design and whether it will work in the room and the size and the colour but it is also worth thinking about storage. You need to think about the room that the bed will be housed in and whether the bed will take up a lot of space in there. You may need to consider storage space and how you will find room for things, once the bed is on the room. If the bed takes up a lot of room, there may not be room for other furniture to store things in. You will then need to think about whether you can incorporate storage with the bed. This may sound strange, but it is possible to do this.

wooden bed

Wooden bed frames can be useful because you can store items underneath them. They can be quite high up from the floor and so you can put storage boxes underneath them or buy storage drawers to slide under them. This means that you are able to tidy away some of your items neatly. This could be clothing, toys, games or other items. It can be satisfying having them stacked away neatly and out of site. It can also reduce the need for additional chests of drawers or other furniture in the room.

ottoman wooden bed

An alternative way to find storage in the bedroom is to use ottoman storage beds.  These beds have storage within the bed so it can be flipped up to put items underneath the mattress. This can be a great place to hide those items that you do not want on show and that you do not need to get to that often. It can be great for winter bed coverings, spare sheets and blankets and things like that.

Houses are quite small these days and there are not always built in storage spaces. Making the most of the furniture that you have can be really important to make sure that there is enough storage for all of your possessions. We tend to buy a lot of things and then find that we do not have enough room to store them. Buying a bed with built in storage or storage space beneath can make a huge difference to how much clutter you have visible in the house. It can make a whole room feel bigger if things are put away and nice and tidy. It can also make a room feel more relaxing and if the room is a bedroom, then it is really important for it to have a relaxing feel.

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Options Available for Sleeper Sofas Today

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Throughout the years, sleeper sofas have unfortunately gotten a bad reputation for being unattractive or uncomfortable. On today’s market, however, buyers will be delighted to find a huge selection of comfortable and aesthetically pleasing sofa beds in all sizes and styles. To help you find the sleeper sofa that will best fit your needs, we will take a closer look the options available today.

The Perfect Size

Regardless of the space that you have available, there is a sofa bed to meet your every need.

For smaller rooms like college dormitories or children’s bedrooms, an attractive chair that folds out into a cot may be your ideal selection.

Loveseats are another fabulous option for smaller areas. These pieces can work as functional seating for dens, offices, or even under lofts in dorm rooms and will open into a twin-sized bed for visitors.

If you would like for your sofa bed to double as the primary seating for your family room, you will need to look at larger options.

Standard-sized couches can either open into full or queen-sized beds that will comfortably sleep multiple guests.

For large living areas, a sectional couch may be the preferred option for filling your space.

Whether a true sectional or a chaise-lounge, these sofas are also capable of opening into beds that can sleep as many as three.

The Ideal Style

A sleeper sofa needs to be more than just functional – it also needs to match with the general style and decor of your home.

More traditional households may prefer options like overstuffed sofa beds that will work mainly as seating and is comfortable for lounging family members as they watch TV or entertain company.

Contemporary homes will better be able to incorporate sleek, modern looking sleeper sofas such as the previously-mentioned chaise-lounge, or beds that utilize “click-clack” technology.

Rather than unfolding a bed from within, the backs of these newer models can simply be “clicked” out of place and folded flat into a bed in seconds.

The Right Upholstery

In addition to providing your home with the right aesthetic, choosing upholstery also plays a role in the overall maintenance of your sleeper sofa.

Leather and faux leather provide a timeless look that meshes well with both classic and modern decorating styles. These materials are comfortable, highly durable, and fairly easy to clean, making them great for every day seating usage. You can read about different types of leather here

For families with small children or animals, it may be wise to go with an upholstery that is made of natural fibers as this type of material makes it easiest to remove deep and stubborn stains.

Sleeper sofas that will be placed in areas that are not frequently utilized for seating may benefit from a synthetic fabric such as nylon. These types of materials are very resistant to soiling which means that they will require very little maintenance if used only on occasion.

Absolute Comfort

Because of limited space, most sofa beds cannot accommodate mattresses much thicker than 5 inches (the average thickness being 4.5 inches), however, there are ways to ensure the ultimate in comfort.

Many modern sleepers employ memory foam to add a soft, plush feel. Air-Coil mattresses are also becoming very popular for sofa beds. These mattresses are inflated before each use and can rise to 10 inches of luxurious comfort.

This allows the strength of standard coil support but with a layer of comfort and air to ensure that no spring will be poking into anyone’s back!

With so many gorgeous and comfort-enhancing options available today, there is truly a sleeper sofa to meet the needs of everyone.

Thanks to Sleepersinseattle.com for photos of sleeper sofas used in this article.

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