Above all else, the furniture in the living-room should make it livable. It should be grouped so that it offers centers of interest, convenience and comfort. Look for upholstered seating with homespun-type fabric, or toss a pieced quilt over plain fabric or leather. An old rocker is a great addition.

By the time you are ready to choose the furniture for the living room, the walls and floor coverings should be in place so that the choice of furniture will be merely the selection of the best out of several possibilities. Of course, the quality, shape and color of furniture varies, and the quantity will as well.

Can one imagine a more livable living-room than one with a large, soft sofa in front of a fireplace, behind it a long table filled with books, while holding a lamp at either end. Or else, at the end of the sofa, a small table for the reading lamp and on either side a pair of comfortable chairs?

The main essentials are a comfortable sofa, a table large enough to hold books, magazines and lamps, and at least two comfortable, upholstered chairs and a smaller table.

While at the other end or side of the room, a pair of book-cases, cabinets or a credence. These balance the fireplace, since they are placed against the wall and have a corresponding shelf, cornice or mantel line.

In developing the original simple formula there may be added a chaise, a good-size table, another large chair, and another small table

Remember that it is always better to leave a space empty than to have it occupied by a badly placed piece of furniture. Good furniture needs space to be seen to its advantage.

If there is a large array of furniture in the living-room, keep the carpet, and furniture upholstery all to one tone.

Mantel accessories may be applied to the other shelves and the tables in the room. Keep them free from dust-collecting, trivial things, while creating a sense of order and cleanliness.

Balance is maintained by using objects in pairs a pair of vases, candlesticks, bowls, or jars. Placed at either end of the mantel, they should be higher than the intervening objects, to form a sweeping curve. Also they help to frame in the over-mantel picture or mirror.

In fitting furniture to its architectural background there are 3 things to consider

contour and proportion
design and decorative detail
color of wood.

The first two points are obviously necessary; it is in the last that the furnishing of many rooms fails. Oak and mahogany do not mix amicably; one does not set off the other because there is not sufficient contrast, nor are they closely enough allied to harmonize. On the other hand, black ebony and yellowish burr walnut, such as is used in inlaying seaweed pattern in oak, are examples of harmony gained.

Lisa French

Use of article requires an active link to http://www.decorating-country-home.com

Related posts

• Live in your Living Room (0)
• Find The Look You’re Going For In Living Room Decor (0)
• Your Living Room Starts With Your Sofa (0)
• The Ultimate Ladies’ Living Room (0)
• The Ultimate Guy Living Room (0)

Go to your local hardware store. Browse through the cabinet knobs. It is amazing that we live in a society which allows us to choose what design we prefer to our cabinet knob. You see various designs and it is up to you which one you get. Cabinet knobs no longer come in a generic form. It has been revamped to express the buyer’s personality.

A cabinet knob is attached to a drawer and a closet. It aids the person in opening the drawer and closet without any trouble. Cabinet knobs come in various colors, structures and designs.

Consider shopping for cabinet knobs a serious matter. Are you chic or manly? Are you into plain designs or would you like something similar to that of the time of the renaissance? Will there be different doorknobs to each room? Perhaps you are thinking of having those animal designs for the nursery?

Some are circular which makes it easier for you to enclose your whole fist in it and then pull the drawer open.

Some are elongated and has a space in between the end of the knob and the drawer. In that space, you fixate your fingers and then pull.

Some are like that of a knocker in castle gates. These are the ones that have a circular design and you see a loose hoop hanging by it. You hold on to that loose hoop and pull.

Some has a square shape. You hold on to that shape and exert what seems to be no effort in opening your drawers and your cabinets.

If you want to be different, you can see various designs like that of animals. There are cabinet knobs with a bull design. The head of the bull is found in the center and you hold on to the horns to pull the drawer and the cabinet open.

There are also heads of animals such as bears, dogs, tigers and cats. It is similar to that of the circular cabinet knobs where you enclose your fist in order to open the cabinet.

With so many choices to choose from, you eventually get the best one which reflects your personality and your lifestyle. Shopping for cabinet doorknobs has become shopping for shoes.

Home-owners usually get the same doorknob to each room so that there will be balance and symmetry from one room to the next.

Just like cleaning the floor of your house, you must also take the time to clean your doorknobs. Most of the time we forget to do so because it is hardly seen and is there in the corner. And then again, cabinet knobs usually come in brass and in steel. If you don’t wipe it clean on a regular basis, it might rust eventually.

Avoid using material that could trigger rusting to your cabinet doorknob. If your doorknob is painted, double check if some spaces are already chipped. Try to maintain the beauty of your cabinet and also do your best to not overlook the cabinet doorknob.

A cabinet doorknob is like that of your fingernails. It is a part of your body - although small can still be seen. Just how you care for your hand and your skin, you must also care for your fingernails on the same level.
The minute you see a damage, have it repaired eventually. If it is a chipped paint, you can always have it coated. If it is rusty, try to see if it is still manageable.

Some obsessive compulsive customers eventually go back to their hardware store and buy new stocks of cabinet doorknobs if theirs have lost its touch of magnificence and perfection. After all, they are not pricey anyway. Prices for cabinet doorknobs range $3 to $7. The elaborate designs are around $8 a piece.

In a nutshell, a cabinet doorknob is still part of the house. Cabinet doorknobs as small as they are can still say something about your personality to your guests. A well-maintained cabinet must also be reflected on its knob, just as well-maintained hand is reflected on its fingernails.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://cabinets.home-webzone.com/ where you can learn more about kitchen cabinets and how to make yours look like a million bucks!

Related posts

• Selecting the Right Kitchen Sink (0)
• Living Room Feng Shui (0)
• Improve Your Kitchen With Better Lighting (0)
• How to Turn Your Porch into an Outdoor Living Room (0)
• Tips for Creating the Perfect Kitchen (0)