Archive for July, 2010

Black Wicker Outdoor Furniture

Wicker furniture is used to beautify your outdoor setting although Mother Nature has already added her beautification process but, wicker furniture helps it along. Wicker furniture is strong but how much weight it will carry depends on the type of wicker that is used. Wicker is not a plant in itself and is made from twigs of plants such as willow, reed, bamboo and rattan.

Rattan is the plant most widely used to make wicker furniture but, bamboo is coming up fast behind it. Bamboo is being favored not only for its strength, but because it grows fast (three feet per day) and grows tall (100 feet). Rattan grows taller (800 feet) but it grows slowly. Wicker furniture can now be had in colors and the black wicker outdoor furniture seems to be a favorite. Most of the fibers used for wicker outdoor furniture comes from Indonesia although some of it comes from Asia and Australia also. For added strength and elegant lines an aluminum frame is used in the furniture’s construction.

Black wicker outdoor furniture can be decorated with colorful cushions to make an area more colorful and inviting. Its smooth lines and similarity to wood furniture makes it very appealing and gives it that indoor feeling. Wicker outdoor and indoor furniture comes in many colors so whatever scheme you are trying to create there is a color available for you. The most sought after color is black because of its elegance and because it is a color that can create an unforgettable image when combined with colorful patterned or plain cushions.

If you bought used wicker outdoor furniture than before you paint clean it well using a stiff brush to clean out any dust and a sponge with water and liquid detergent to wash it. Do not soak the furniture or you will have to wait considerable time to paint it. With a bit of sandpaper remove rust stains. Use spray enamel suitable for wicker. Do not use the furniture for forty eight hours after painting. You now have your black wicker outdoor furniture.

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Wicker Patio Sets – Creating an Asian Theme

Decorating the backyard can be even more fun than decorating your homes interior, because you have more to work with. And with outdoor resin wicker being the center of attention on the patio, you can’t go wrong. In this article, we will look at how to create a Zen Garden and patio area with an Asian flair centered on pieces of wicker furniture.

Backyard spaces are meant for times of quiet tranquility, but also festive evenings as well. Mix the two well by having areas that are cozy and inviting to you on restful days, but also make sure you have enough proper seating places for guests. If you have enough room, consider making a dining place as well as a lounging place in this fantastic outdoor room. To create an unforgettable dining area, try paring a cast aluminum glass top table with some Brielle dining chairs from GAR. These chairs feature clean lines and high backs that are welcoming to the weary homeowner. They come in natural colors that enhance the look of the Asian theme extremely well. Options are available for chairs with arms or without, allowing you to mix up the look at your dining table. Choose cushions in jewel tones that will contrast nicely to the natural appearance of woven material.

To embellish the overall look of this décor, try some bamboo screens set right up against your backyard fence, or somewhere visible on the patio where somewhat of a wall can be created. A large ceramic pot in jewel tones can house a Japanese Maple, bringing nature ever closer to you. Planting some Jasmine nearby will guarantee that a fragrant aroma will envelop you during your outdoor time. Less is more is the call of the Zen garden, so keep it simple. Flowers and plants like hydrangeas and bamboo or ferns are wonderful additions for those who prefer more greenery and color. To go to the hilt with this theme, you could replace your grassy area with sand, which represents water, and place large rocks throughout, representing mountains. A water feature and some Asian inspired statues placed in prominent places will round out the calming effect of your patio. As you create your Zen garden, consider placing wicker sitting chair which matches those on the outdoor dining area so that you have a resting place within the garden itself. The natural looking weave compliments nature perfectly, and fits right in with the idea of the garden, which is peace and serenity.

Having the right outdoor furniture for any theme is essential. Wicker patio sets work well with many different styles, and they are ideal thanks to their ability to be simple and also to be long lasting and low maintenance. In this particular theme, that is what it’s all about, simplicity.

Jennifer Drozd is a foremost expert in outdoor decor including, patio furniture, outdoor umbrella information, wicker patio furniture, outdoor cushions and patio heaters. Her articles and work is widely distributed and she is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com and ePatioUmbrellas.com.

Modern Furniture Around the World

The first pieces of modern furniture were designed and manufactured in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While the boldest departures from classical furniture appeared before the middle of the 20th century, furniture continues to evolve today. Modern furniture is characterized by functional design with clean, simple lines-a sharp contrast to the heavily ornamented decorative furniture that was popular for centuries. European designers introduced the unique styles, but interest in modern furniture quickly spread to Los Angeles, New York, and other American cities.

Through the use of new methods and materials, furniture design combines art with technology. Designers use innovative materials such as plastics, molded plywood, and steel-all suitable for mass production. By decreasing cost and increasing the availability of pieces, mass production brought modern designs within the reach of ordinary people. Fine furniture was no longer a luxury only for the wealthy; rather than symbolizing old wealth, power, and the past, contemporary furniture is populist and present-oriented.

Modern furniture designers span the globe. The famous chair designs of the German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe were considered functional art when they came on the design scene in the 1920s. Isamu Noguchi, of American and Japanese descent, used his talents in landscape design and sculpture to create furniture with organic, natural lines. Irish-born Eileen Gray combined tubular steel and glass into a strikingly simple adjustable table. The Hungarian modernist Marcel Breuer employed industrial production principles to create simple modular forms. American poet and millwright Herman Miller was one of the first to design comfortable and functional office furniture; the company he founded now operates in over 40 countries around the world.

Different countries exert varying influences over modern furniture designs. European sofa beds, for example, are much simpler in style and mechanics than the typical American sofa beds. Minimalist lines and effortless operation make for trouble-free and uncomplicated pieces. Modern Italian furniture includes platform beds that appear to be floating above the floor. Modern Japanese designs tend to be organic, reflecting the natural world.

The reach of modern design is nearly universal. For today’s fast-paced lives in urban centers like Chicago and Los Angeles, contemporary furniture is a perfect fit. It is efficient, neat, accessible and adaptable to typical city homes with limited space. But the demand for modern furniture has spread well beyond the cultural centers of the country. Spacious rural and suburban homes provide open areas for showcasing the elegant and clean lines of modern furniture. The practicality and comfort of contemporary pieces has by now trumped any reservations about what were once considered strange and alien designs.

For furnishing homes and businesses nothing tops modern furniture. It blends well with other styles, where it can play a background role to more traditional and ornate pieces, yet it can make a strong statement in an all-modern interior design. Contemporary furnishings are cool but not cold and simple but not boring. And because modern design is still evolving, the best is yet to come.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Modern Furniture.

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