Clever In Leather (Sofa)

   Are you finally ready for the soft and luxurious comfort of a leather sofa? Leather upholstered furniture is blasting its way into mainstream America as an affordable alternative to a fabriccovered sofa. With more people choosing leather for their living rooms and family rooms (not to mention automobile seating), gone are the days when leather was reserved only for the gentleman’s clubhouse.

   Have you ever know what kind of  leather are you using, the quality, mechanism & durability ? Seller or sofa suppliers keep claiming that there are selling full or 100% leather for interior furnitures especially sofa. Few years later, those who bought leather products, facing a problem of defectiveness on their leather products.Pathetic! Any furnitures material made need good maintenance either its a fabric, plastic or leather kind. That is why you need to understand your leather products & how to maintain it.

   There are a few common animals been used for leather sofas;

Cows

According to recent research, cows have distinct personalities and are generally very intelligent animals who can remember things for a long time. Animal behaviorists have found that cows interact in socially complex ways. They develop friendships over time, sometimes hold grudges against other cows who treat them badly, form social hierarchies within their herds, and choose leaders based upon intelligence. They are emotionally complex, and they even have the capacity to worry about the future.

Researchers have found that cows can not only figure out problems but also, like humans, enjoy intellectual challenges and get excited when they find solutions. Cows have been known to perform impressive feats, such as leaping over a 6-foot fence to escape from a slaughterhouse, walking 7 miles to reunite with a calf after being sold at auction, and swimming across a river to freedom.

Cows who are killed for their skins are subjected to painful procedures such as castration, branding (which causes third-degree burns), tail-docking, and dehorning—all without painkillers. At slaughterhouses, they are often hacked apart and skinned while still alive.


Kangaroos

Millions of kangaroos are shot for their skins every year in Australia. According to Australian government code, orphaned joeys and wounded adults should be killed by decapitation or a sharp blow to the head "to destroy the brain." When hunters kill a mother kangaroo with a baby in her pouch, the baby is often yanked from the mother's lifeless body and stomped to death or left to writhe in agony.


Pigs

Pigs are curious and insightful animals who are thought by animal behaviorists to have intelligence beyond that of an average 3-year-old human child. They are smarter than dogs and every bit as friendly, loyal, and affectionate. When in their natural surroundings—not confined to factory farms—they are social, playful, protective animals who bond with each other, make nests, relax in the sun, and cool off in the mud.
Pigs dream, recognize their own names, play video games better than some primates, and lead social lives of a complexity previously observed only in primates. People who run animal sanctuaries often describe pigs in terms of human characteristics because they've learned that, like humans, pigs enjoy listening to music, playing with soccer balls, and getting massages.

Pigs who are killed for their skins spend their lives in extremely crowded, filthy warehouses where many of them never get to see daylight. Their testicles are cut out of their scrotums, their tails are cut off, many of their teeth are clipped in half, and their ears are mutilated, all without any pain relief. Many pigs end up scalded alive in hot-water tanks meant to soften their skin and remove their hair after they've been slaughtered.Pork skin are NON HALAL for muslim user.

Leather Sofa are not all the same!

If  you have decided to treat yourself to a new leather sofa it is a good idea to think carefully about what you want before you look around the stores and the internet. First of all you need to decide exactly what kind of leather sofa you want to buy.  Didn’t know there were different types of leather sofa?  Well there are.

If you choose a full leather sofa then the whole of the sofa covering will be made of leather.  A half leather sofa will cost you a little less but it will only be made of leather where you actually sit and the rest of it will be made of fake leather, leatherette or matching fabric.  A bonded leather sofa is made from recycled leather which has been processed to look like new and it is not the real thing, but it is the cheapest way to buy a leather sofa if money is an issue.

Check the seat and the back of the sofa to make sure it is comfortable to sit on. Everyone is a different size and what might suit a small person may not be any good to a larger one.  The main thing to look out for is soft comfortable seating. Sometimes a leather sofa can feel hard and uncomfortable to sit on.
Next, decide whether you want a two-seater  or a three-seater leather sofa. You might also consider the dimensions of your room and opt for a corner model. There is lots of choice in colour and style but it is always wise to have some idea what you are looking for before shopping for furniture, then you will not come back with something you don’t really want.

The right shape of leather sofa in the right colour can look rich and fabulous in any room, whether it is a lounge, sitting room, bedroom, or even an office.  Leather has a special texture and aroma that cannot be matched by any other material. A well looked after leather sofa will last for many years.
Before you part with your hard earned money make absolutely certain that you are getting what you think you are getting. Ask questions but also inspect the sofa (pr leather chairs), bearing the points mentioned above in mind. That way you will not end up disappointed.

How To Shop?

Leather furniture can be a confusing product. All you see is the outside leather. The construction of the sofa – frame, springs, cushions and padding are hidden from view. Whether you are looking at a leather sofa with an $800 price tag or one tagged at $3000, it isn’t easy to determine what you get for the money.

Salespeople at a general furniture store may not be knowledgeable about leather furniture. Many don’t have the time to learn about the details of leather choices (if offered at all) or upholstery construction.

In the past, consumers have often used brand names and warranties as the only measure of quality. In the case of leather furniture, a brand name many times is just not helpful. Only a few of the hundreds of furniture manufacturers have recognizable brands – through massive advertising expenditures. Prices you pay often reflect the cost of image building – not necessarily quality. In fact, a majority of the products marketed by the brand names that your mother trusted are now made in China – where labor rates are the lowest in our global economy.

TYPES OF LEATHER UPHOLSTERY

Leather used for upholstery is divided into two categories: aniline and semi-aniline. All leather hides are drum-dyed with an initial color to penetrate completely through the cowhide. Aniline hides are the finest available and need little or no surface correcting or buffing to remove the natural blemishes of a cowhide. These premium hides have a natural patina that will develop over time, creating different shadings throughout the hide, but offer little resistance to fading and stains.

Semi-aniline means that a combination of methods are used to ensure color consistency – light surface buffing and pigmentation. Active families are often suggested to use semi-aniline leathers for stain protection. Natural softness (the real reason you love leather) can be reduced with a semi-aniline leather.

Colors in leather today are plentiful, but beware of the store that wants you to select the color they have in stock. Your leather furniture retailer should have numerous colors and types of leathers available for your choice. Why not get that hot red leather sofa? Why not a yellow recliner? Yes, brown is always available, but haven’t you always wanted a caramel-colored leather sectional?

The conventional wisdom used to be that an upholstery frame should be made of solid wood. Today, virtually all upholstery manufacturers use a combination of solid wood pieces and furnituregrade plywood. Plywood will not warp and is structurally stronger than solid wood. Additionally, plywood component parts are now cut with Mortise & Tenon joints to fit together like a super-strong puzzle. Finally, metal fasteners and glue are used to create a world class frame.

Cowhides, in their natural state, are too thick to be used for most conventional purposes. They first must be split into thinner layers.

Full Grain Leather is outermost layer of the hide. It is leather that has not been corrected or modified outside of removing the hair. Full grain leather is often seen as the most authentic type of leather because it maintains all of the texture from the original cowhide.
When the hide is split into layers, Split Leather is taken from the inner layer of the hide. It is typically more delicate than full-grain leather, and is often used to create suede.
Top-Grain Leather is the same as full grain leather but the cowhide that is used is most often severely defective. To remedy this, top grain leather is typically sanded and then a finish coat is added to the surface. It is usually less expensive and has higher resistance to marks and blemishes than full-grain leather.

In conclusion, leather furniture is now an affordable luxury for every lifestyle. Many leather sofas are within a few dollars of a fabric sofa – but will last far longer in your home. With all of the color choices and styles (traditional, casual and contemporar y) available, it just makes sense to choose leather when you want to update your living room or family room – you’ll love the natural feel of leather.

HELPFUL HINTS

• • Leather is four times more durable than other fabrics.
• • Choose the right leather for your lifestyle.
• • Leather allows you to choose the color you’ve always wanted.

Fake & Good

 Whether you use flowers in your home or office, adding greenery to your décor improves the mood of your space. High-quality artificial flowers are a way to add to the ambiance of your home or office without adding to its maintenance. Water, insects and allergens are not a problem with an artificial flower and the only upkeep involved is an occasional dusting to keep your flowers looking fresh year-round. 

Terminology

As early as the 2700  BC the Chinese mastered the art of working with silk,  not only to make clothing but to create elaborate floral replicas. They were the first to buy fake flowers! They used these flowers as a way of expressing themselves and decorating, just as we do now.

   It was not until the 12th century that the art of silk flower making was taken to Italy, possibly by Marco Polo,and the Italians began making flowers from the cocoons of silk worms, assembling them and selling them. The French wanted to buy fake flowers,so,  not to be outdone, they began to vie with their neighbor until by the 14th century, the best silk flowers you could buy were French  ‘silk flowers’ which were unrivaled in their field. There is a story that in 1775 Marie Antoinette was presented with a silk rosebud which was said to have been so perfect that she fainted at the sight. In 1787 the same Revolution that ended her life almost ruined the fake flower industry when many skilled craftsmen escaped across the channel to England taking their craft with them, but few who were left had the energy or inclination to buy fake flowers in the quantity they had before.

By the 1800’s English settlers in their turn brought their expertise at silk flower manufacture with them to the New World and the ‘Parisian Flower Company’ which had it’s offices in Paris opened another office in New York and started to supply silk flowers.  High end dressmakers and decorators all wanted to buy fake flowers. By the 1920’s florists, who until that time had only dealt in ‘natural flowers’ began to use silk flowers in their vases and containers when natural seasonal flowers were in short supply. Clients were happy to buy fake flowers if the quality was good.

In the 20’s and 30’s decorations and wreaths using faux fruits and vegetables in the Italian della Robbia style became extremely popular. Then came the fashion of ‘artificial flowers’ made from celluloid from Japan but these turned out to be highly flammable and were soon banned. Thus began the search for new materials for making ‘silk flowers’, until in the 1970’s much lower priced flowers made of plastic from Taiwan appeared in the US. A daffodil would be given away with a packet of ‘Tide’ but these were nothing like the beautiful blooms of today, in fact many described them as  ‘disgusting’.  They looked like plastic and smelled like plastic.

In contrast, modern ‘silk’ flowers are often so realistic we have to touch them to check, and in many cases even then you can’t be sure. Now the Chinese ‘silk flower’ trade has turned full circle as the majority of the beautiful individual foliage, flowers and stems are now imported from China, Thailand and Honduras where the intensive labor can be acquired more easily.  Fresh flowers are still prized, but once again high end decorators, as well as discerning home owners and even brides are happy to buy fake flowers where the quality is good and they are almost indistinguishable from the real thing.

Benefit

•   Always in season
•   Life-like and realistic
•   Non-allergenic
•   Never wilt or weep
•   Last a life time
•   Easily Transportable
•   Inexpensive and stunning
•   As individual as you are

The benefits of silk, artificial or fake flowers are many, but so are the choices. When you set out to buy fake flowers, how do you choose?

Most people are looking to buy fake flowers that look realistic. In that case be careful in your choice of color. Blue roses, in fact almost any blue flower (except hyacinth, delphinium, cornflower and hydrangea) do not look good. Most real flowers have a considerable variation in color across the bloom, so look carefully and choose silk flowers with realistic shading, especially if choosing hydrangeas.

Look at the type of flower. It is usually good to buy foliage in ‘bush’ form, even if you intend to take the bush apart for use in an arrangement. When it comes to flowers, the individual stems are usually better quality. Choose these for accent flowers in an arrangement, and only choose sprays or bushes for your fillers, if any.
If you plan to create your own silk floral arrangement, consider the height of stems you will need. As a rule of thumb, the tallest stem will be one and a half time the height of the vase. If you are planning an arrangement where stems are on display, you may want to buy fake flowers from one of the botanically correct ranges, often described as real touch silk flowers, as all parts of the flower, the leaf, the stem, the underside, look equally realistic. You may end up paying a bit more for these, but it will worth it. Most real touch flowers are hand made and MUCH more realistic.

Room Colours? How To Pick The Right One?

Even in today's open-plan homes, where kitchens, living rooms, and dining rooms are often one large space, color is used to help define interiors and create focal points in relatively featureless rooms. The trick, of course, is figuring out which colors to use and where to put them.

Living Room Colour Schemes

 Using Color Architecturally

One of the most effective ways to use color to transform a room is to play up its architectural features. Molding, mantels, built-in bookcases, arched doorways, wainscot, windows, and doors all offer an opportunity to add another layer of interest to colored walls.

 For a bolder approach, try using two different colors in the same room. For example, paint a built-in bookcase or niche a shade of green in a room with blue walls, which will highlight the items on the bookcase or inside the recessed area. Of course, architectural elements can also provide continuity throughout a house if they are painted the same color in every room. Starting in the Federal period and continuing today, white and off-white have been the traditional choice for molding, windows, and doors.

Blue Collage

Monochromatic

 A room containing wainscot provides a good opportunity for a contrast between light and dark. A dark wainscot below a bright wall will draw attention to the upper walls, while a bright white wainscot next to a colored wall will focus the eye on the wainscot. You can also use paint to create the effect of wainscot where it doesn't exist by covering the bottom third of the wall in one color and the upper walls in another; then place a piece of flat molding along the intersection and paint it the color of the lower wall to reinforce the wainscot look.

 If drama is your goal, you might rethink the entire notion of painting a wall from corner to corner,and you'll create an architectural emphasis where one doesn't exist. Moving around the room in a clockwise direction, try painting a third of one wall and two thirds of the adjacent wall, wrapping the corner in color. Then paint the last one eighth of the second wall and three quarters of its adjacent wall, covering that corner. Another bold play: Take a big wall and, working in from both corners, paint it almost to the center, leaving an 18- to 20-inch vertical line of white space, and hang artwork down the center.

 Consider the ceiling the fifth wall of a room. Though sticking to "ceiling white" generally makes a space feel airy, a similar effect can be achieved by painting the ceiling a lighter shade of the wall color. Just take the paint sample card that has your wall color as the middle choice, then go one or two choices lighter for the ceiling color. The result will be a room that appears larger, because the contrast between wall color and ceiling color has been softened. In a small room, such as a bathroom, the ceiling can even be painted the same color as the walls to make it look bigger.


Choosing Colors You Can Live With

In a world where thousands of colors can be yours for just $25 a gallon, it pays to consider the advice of architectural color consultant.Once you have your colors in hand, consider the finish you'll be using. Though today's flat paints have increased stain resistance, conventional wisdom has long held that a satin (also called eggshell) finish is best for walls because it is scrubbable and doesn't draw attention to imperfections. Semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes, it was thought, were best left to the trim, where they could accent the curves of a molding profile or the panels of a door. Today, however, finishes are also being used to create visual effects on the entire wall. Paint one wall in a flat or satin finish and the adjacent wall in a semi-gloss, both in the same color, and when the light hits the walls, it creates a corduroy or velvet effect.

Double Complement Room

Split Complement Room

 Similarly, you can paint the walls flat and the ceiling semi-gloss to achieve a matte and sheen contrast. (The ceiling will feel higher the more light-reflective it is.) Keep in mind that the higher the gloss, the more sheen and the more attention you draw to the surface. Used strategically, color and gloss together can emphasize your interior's best assets.

5 Common Color Mistakes

1. Being afraid.
  The world is divided into two groups—the color courageous and the color cowardly.People who live in colorful interiors have gotten over the fear of making a mistake.The best way to get over that fear is to always start with a color you love—from a rug, a painting, a fabric. Then test it on the wall. If it's too strong, consider asking your paint store to formulate it at "half-strength" to lighten it or to tone it down by adding more gray.

2. Putting too much on the walls.
Be aware of the intensity of the colors in a room. If you have an Oriental rug with five or six strong colors, don't paint the walls in equally strong hues. Let the rug be the focal point and the walls a lighter color.

3. Putting too little on the walls.
If you think your room is boring, look at it in terms of the 60?30?10 rule that designers employ: Sixty percent of the color in a space generally comes from the walls; 30 percent from upholstery, floor covering, or window treatments; and 10 percent from accent pieces, accessories, and artwork. Translation: Liven up those white walls.

4. Rushing the process.
The best way to find a color you can live with is to paint a 4-by-4-foot swatch on the wall and live with it for at least 24 to 48 hours so you can see it in natural and artificial light. Taking the extra time to do the swatch test is worth it to find a color you'll love living with for years.

5. Forgetting about primer.
When changing the color of a wall, primer (white or tinted) is vital to getting the actual color you picked out.  Priming ensures there will be no interference from the previous wall color.

DE KUCHEN

Kitchen Solution now available. Northern Malaysia only.

Flower Power

     Flower diffusers combined fragrant beauty and the simple elegance of a botanical garden. This fun and natural approach to diffusers is the latest in home fragrance trends. Once placed in the fragrant solution, the flowers will naturally absorb the scent with efficiency similar to reed diffusers. These fragrant flower diffusers are hand-made so each piece is wonderfully unique. These floral sculptures and fragrances are a beautiful addition to any home décor.

    Floral diffusers are a safe, fragrant way to liven up a room. Consisting of a jar of scented oil and artificial flower, floral diffusers don't require an open flame or any heat source whatsoever.

    Our flower diffuser containing high fragrance with Desson herbal imported from France, pith flower & ceramic vase from Thailand & assembled in China, and cost you only RM15! Lavender, Iced Orange, Turkish Rose, Angel Flower, Violet, Cologne, Ocean, and Peach Spice scents available. Psst!, it suits for your vehicle too!

Why Choose Natural Home Diffuser?

   Fragranced Oil Reed Diffusers come in sleek and sophisticated designs for fashionable home fragrancing. The oil diffusers have the same true to life scents as all the wax candle ranges. These stylish air fresheners are perfect for any room including bathroom and kitchens. These diffusers are simple to use, the scent oil is drawn up through natural reeds and then dispersed into the air. This is another perfect way to enjoy all your favourite fragrances at home.

  Fragranced Oil Reed diffuser are the best alternative to candles. Vibrant scents. No risk of fire.Reed diffusers have a wonderful aromatic scent while being flame-free.Absolutely no heat is needed.This makes them for classrooms, offices, nursing homes, homes.

  Oil Reed diffusers are very enviromentally friendly.They emanate no soot or film onto ypur furniture, walls and ceiling- the way cansles do. If you use ionic air cleaner, you should know that ionic cleaners must be cleaned twice as often if you use candles in your home.

  Oil Reed diffuser also cheap & worth buy if you comparing the conventional battery powered air spray which containing aerosol,CFC and the scent  not lasting, while reed diffuser up to a month and the scents consistent . Our rattan reed diffuser only cost you RM15 a set with various scents such as lavender, vanilla, lime, rose, berry & ocean breeze. 100% natural fragrance from France!

Laugh Of The Day

Are All Interior Designers Direct Descendants of Satan?

  
   Not every designer is a ruthless son of a bitch who lives to add needless drama and pure professional incompetence to your life. The trick is in finding a good one who will do what you want for an agreeable price. Here are a few of my best tips:


1. Ask your most respected sources (like your AV dealer, architect, etc.) for referrals for top designers.
Pick a style that you like (modern, mission, country chic, etc. …) and be clear about what you want. When interviewing a designer, beware of the “I can do that style” line when they don’t have at least one project they have photographed or can show you on a walking tour.

 2. Interview no less than three clients who have completed projects with the designer. Ask them what the upsides and the downsides of the designer are. Designers tend to be highly creative, which is good, but it is important to know what their weaknesses are before you make a significant commitment with them.

3. Check the support staff of the design firm. Chances are, your dealer has someone who can do CAD (computer assisted drawings), but can your interior designer? Some designer couldn’t. They wanted to draw on paper, which really looked pretty, but in the end cost you a money in mistakes, some of which could not be fixed. For simple design space was sketches acceptable.For whole house? You better not.

 4. Most importantly, test the designer to see if he or she is listening to you. Many designers want to talk over you and then just do whatever they want, thinking that you will deem it fabulous when they are done, additionally parting with thousands of extra dollars to boot.


5. Beware of any sub who repeatedly tells you how busy he or she is. Ask why the designer is meeting with you if he or she is “too busy” to take on your project. Remind the designer you aren’t too busy to meet or talk with him or her. If the designer makes a big deal out of how “slammed” he or she is, find someone who is hungry. Someone who really wants the gig will assuredly do a better job than an entitled fat cat designer.

 Conclusion
Not all designers are Antichrists. You will need to work with them even if you don’t like them as friends. You have to understand that they work at your convenience. Accept no drama – ever. The longer you wait for a cancerous situation to cure itself, the more money it will cost you in the end.

Negotiate yourself a good deal and get excited about what bringing a creative force in can do for the enjoyment of your room. With proper Time Saver (Method used in proper furniture arrangements), ultra-comfortable room seating and a beautiful overall design, your interior can be a selling point that makes your house more valuable. For this reason alone, it might be worth considering a few calls to get your next design project started.

Why Choose Natural Interior Design?

When one thinks about the interiors, colors and the measurements, it’s best to keep in mind the beauty of nature, natural colors, sandy structures or stone figures. Interior design, when blended with nature, becomes a true inspiration. It’s amazing how beautiful it can become when there are factors such as floral ornaments, color of sand or drawing of rinds impacting your overall design.

A lot of modern interior design trends are implementing methods from history. Even though there’s a big change happening in interior design as it gradually evolves, many things are still the same, whether it’s home decor or fashion. One of those critical elements is the use of ornaments and color, which are an inspiration from nature.

Natural Colors Bring Out the Best of the Moods

Natural colors have been used in interior design for many years, as they give good results for both classic interiors, as well as modern ones. Bright, delicate, pastel colors in neutral forms of white are in high demand. For example, the color of wood, sand and similar colors, are widely used. Interiors having the color of white, ground, delicate grays, greens or violets tend to give a fresh look and bring out the harmony. Neutral colors present the room in a nice, yet sophisticated manner.

In order to give the interior a more dynamic feel, all you need to do is concentrate on factors like matching the natural beige with rough wood and adding some fresh citrus accessories. This on the whole creates a harmonious climate. Let’s take this example into consideration – matching simple furniture in light materials, geometric shapes, organic elements, flowers, ordered interiors and various decorative accessories such as wicker pots and vases, create a relaxing ambience and add a feel good factor to the interior. Also, contrasting each of the elements helps in making a comfortable, elegant and timeless interior.

The True Expression of Light

What does light do? It gives the interior a seamless flow of fresh air, brings out the positive aspects of the rooms, vividly shows the architecture solutions, and it does everything by being an almost invisible decorating element. Light seamlessly and optically can close the room or open it. It can also make the interior cold (with white or blue color) or warm it up (with the use of yellow color), depending on the style of the interior or the time of the day.

If you seek to be closer to nature, you should be choosing a soft cream light and contrast it with a highly bright light. This will not only add to the room’s comfort level but will also bring in more harmony. Geometric lampshades, modern glass frames, and crystal bowls give the interiors a warm and beautiful look.
Interior designing is art in the truest sense of word, by bringing in natural elements; we are simply redefining how nature can help us enhance our environment.

Be natural! Be Sustainable!

Bamboo Mat & You

There are different colors and styles of bamboo rugs. Some colors are vibrant and stand out, while others are more subdued and fade into the background. Bamboo rugs also come in circle or rectangular forms and in various textures.

  Bamboo rugs are extremely durable, and will likely outlast any other type of rug. They are water and dirt resistant which makes cleaning a bamboo rug no problem. To clean the rug you can either shake off the dirt or, for a spill, just wipe it clean and you’re done! Bamboo rugs are also great for people who have allergies because they are hypoallergenic. These rugs are convenient for any room in the house as they have the strength to hold up against the wear and tear of a busy home without sacrificing style for function.

  These rugs come in a variety of colors and patterns that will suit any style whether you appreciate classic décor or a more modern feel. They are also great for people who want to purchase a “green” piece for their home.

 It is difficult to know where to start when trying to pick out a bamboo rug. There are many options now so choosing the one that suits your personality and home decor could be confusing. Here are a few tips to make your decision a little easier.

 If you are a person who loves to be noticed, and has a very outgoing personality then rugs in red, deep chocolate brown,  and green colors will work well in your home. For a modern feel try a rectangular rug in a smooth texture.

  Bamboo rugs look stylish in any home and can easily liven up a boring room. Along with being a great decorative piece, bamboo rugs also have many advantages over ordinary rugs that you may have used in the past.

  If your taste for home decor is more simple, then try a rug in a brown, beige or a textured green color. If your home decor is more country than modern, a circular rug will look wonderful.

  Bamboo rugs are great for your décor and easy on your wallet.So, get your selective bamboo mat at cheapest price range from RM35 to RM50 in our store!