GREENCulture blog We put the “green” in greenyness!

If you are like many people, you remember the out-sized, clunky coffee table that resided in your parent’s or grandparent’s home. These unimaginably heavy pieces featured drawers everywhere and were blown up with odds and ends which ranged from TV manual guides to playing cards and all else in between. It is no wonder many people believe that the weight of these old coffee tables had more to do with all the stuff they housed rather than the actual chassis itself.

Today, coffee tables couldn’t be more different. They are not only airy but ultra light and portable, with open spaces and modish designs that could sometimes pass for art work. Whether you are looking for a place to elevate and rest your feet after a tiresome day, or simply a modish piece of furniture to augment some sophistication and a contemporary flair to your living room furniture, trust contemporary coffee tables to deliver.

Wooden coffee tables are still a main component in many modern coffee table designs. Wood as we all know it ages very well with time and is very easy to maintain and clean. However, the wood finishes today vary to some extent from those of the past. Today, the old cherry and mahogany finishes that formed the better part of coffee tables have been replaced by dark concentrated espressos and clean, pastel natural finishes.

Glass coffee tables which started becoming popular during the 80s are another common material for modern coffee tables. A glass top allows the table base to be well accentuated and in most cases to be the main point of focus of the table. Sadly, they are yet to invent a type of glass that doesn’t show fingerprints and dust, hence these attractive works of art will need cleaning every so often.

While standard square and rectangle designs are still very common, some eccentric and inventive styles of coffee tables have hit the market lately. Asymmetrical shapes, and coffee tables that come with interchangeable sectional parts, are few of the many styles and designs available in the market.

The best dining room sets are determined by your tastes and preferences, budget, needs, the shape of your dining room, and the space available. First and foremost, you have to make a list of the stores where you are likely to purchase your dining room furniture. If you are working with a shoestring budget, you may consider buying a dining set from a garage sale or secondhand store. If you would rather invest in a new dining room table, always go to the stores with the finest cabinetry.

If your dining room space is small, the best dining room table is a drop leaf style table as you can always drop a leaf or two, or even entire sections of the table to save on precious space. Normally, a block of wood attached to the base of the tabletop can be skid one way to hold up a leaf and the other way to release it so it hangs down on the side near the legs of the table. Once the leaf is down, that side can be placed against the wall to save space and the chairs can then be placed on the other three sides.

Most of the time you will find drop leaf dining tables in rectangular and oval shapes, therefore if you would rather have a round-shaped dining room table, the pedestal style may be your best bet. These dining room tables have one focal support column with carved feet at the underside. If your dining room is long and narrow, you can always use the same shape of table. A square-shaped dining area works perfectly with a round table.

As for the finish and colors of your dining room tables, they will be determined by your tastes and preferences. However, they have to blend well with all other furniture in your home. For example, if the floor of your dining room is made of wood, why not place a dining room table of the same color and then put a smart area rug to add interest as well as tie the woods together?

When you set out to decorate your new home or your bedroom you can have a lot of fun in the process of designing the perfect room to suit you. It is funny, however, to see how many people will go about decorating their homes without really being able to remember one of the most important, yet subtle aspects that will give it a homely feel - the lighting. There are many ways of going about lighting up your home but one of the best is by using a floor lamp.

By using floor lamps you are easily able to create a very warm and comfortable home with a lovely atmosphere to it. They also have lots of different uses and can simply be used a decorative little items to be stuck in the corner of the room, or more specifically to be used when you are reading the papers or a book.

It is certainly important to remember what you are using the lamps for when you go out and get them. Some will be simply, as said decorative and will therefore give off more of a dull glow that can be used in order to maintain a lovely look to the room. For those that are meant to be used for reading, the light that is given off will be a lot brighter allowing you to see the words and pages clearly and not be forced to strain your eyes.

One of the key things to think about with the design of any floor lamp will be their height. If you have quite a small house with low ceilings then you may find that having tall lamps will make the room feel lopsided. There is such a range on offer, however, that you should be able to find some ideal lamps to totally compliment your house.

One last thing to consider will be the energy that your lamp uses. We are now waking up the problems that the world is facing and we are being asked to try to conserve energy as much as we can. When getting your bulbs then it will therefore be a good idea to get a lower watt that will not waste energy, or cost you as much at the same time.

For a limited time only, use the coupon code ecolights5 during checkout to receive 5% off your total purchase.

Madagascar Bedroom Set Collection

A new bedroom furniture collection coming soon to Eco-Furniture.com is one that is sure to give your bedroom a look of tropic paradise. The Madagascar Bedroom Collection is an exquisitely designed furniture set made from Mozambique and Prima Vera veneers in warm cognac and black smoke finish. The bedroom set includes a platform bed in the Minuet (featuring two puck lights on both ends of the headboard) and Ballad editions (Queen, King, and Cal King sizes), Pier Nightstands, Demi Dresser, and Mirror. The Pier Nightstands feature a touch latch center drawer that holds a charging station and a puck light with touch dimmer switch.