About.com Furniture

Follow Blu Dot's Real Good Chair Experiment

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:21:48 +0000

Do you know what curb-mining is? Maybe you've indulged in a little curb-mining of your own. If you have rescued furniture or other objects from the street and given them a second life in your home, you have been curb-mining. And if you are in New York City, your curb-mining may have got a little impetus, courtesy Blu Dot.

Blu Dot's little experiment consisted of dropping off 25 Real Good Chairs around the city. Some of these chairs are GPS enabled and you can follow their progress at Blu Dot's site. You can also follow updates on Twitter.

But it doesn't end here. Blu Dot will follow up with the new owners, who get a chance to discuss their chair related stories in a new documentary to be released in December to celebrate the first anniversary of Blu Dot's SoHo showroom.

Follow Blu Dot's Real Good Chair Experiment originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 19:21:48.

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Trends � Technology Driven Home Furnishings

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:49:03 +0000

It is no secret that technology is now an important part of how we live and function. American Home Furnishings Alliance or AHFA's October 2009 national telephone survey shows that within the next year, one-third of those surveyed expect to purchase a piece of furniture to enhance the function or style of a new piece of home technology.

The most avid technology shoppers belong to the 18-34 year age group, followed by 35-44 year olds who have children living at home. These two consumer age groups are the ones that are most looking to buy furnishings that complement or support their technology.

While office furniture and entertainment centers have been complementing technology for a while, manufacturers have begun making allowances for that in bedroom furniture as well, such as Hooker's Envision series. Another collection offered earlier this year is Copeland's Catalina Collection.

Trends � Technology Driven Home Furnishings originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 16:49:03.

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New Twists and Turns to the DWI Chair Story

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:03:05 +0000

You remember the crazy La-Z-Boy DWI Chair story we were following? Turns out it wasn't La-Z-Boy after all, and the La-Z-Boy people objected.

Trouble is, every recliner or lounger gets called a La-Z-Boy chair, and this one was no exception. When the La-Z-Boy people objected to Police Chief Walter Wobig, he agreed to take their name out of the listing and promised full disclosure to the bidders that this was not a La-Z-Boy chair.

The auction was supposed proceed, but without La-Z-Boy's name in it. According to Wired, Wobig had no problem with the request and immediately went on eBay to make the changes.

But then eBay wasn't satisfied and the new listing was pulled Monday night. When Wobig tried to get in touch with the decision makers at eBay he had no luck. So now a completely new listing has gone up again as DWI Chair, Motorized Chair, Racing Chair, but for that very reason, the bidding had to start anew and now stands at $6800 as opposed to the almost $45,000 earlier. The auction now ends November 5, 2009.

New Twists and Turns to the DWI Chair Story originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 20:03:05.

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Reupholster Your Sofa, or Simply Cover it?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:01:08 +0000

Recently a reader asked if she should reupholster her old sofa. She did not specify whether it was a particularly valuable antique or a family heirloom, so I was not able to give her a "yes" or "no" answer.

As a general rule, I wouldn't advise anyone to go the reupholstery route. It is almost as expensive as getting a new sofa. Sometimes it costs even more. In my book only antiques and furniture with great sentimental value qualify for it.

Slipcovers can do the job nicely if you are just tired of looking at the same fabric after years. They can also help if you want to re-do your color scheme. But even doing something as simple as changing out your throw pillows can take the attention away from the offending sofa.

Reupholster Your Sofa, or Simply Cover it? originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 16:01:08.

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Remember to Set Your Clocks Back

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:41:29 +0000

After all the ghouls, ghosts and goblins have gone their merry way, and you get ready to call it a day, remember to set your clocks one hour back. Daylight Saving Time is over.

I realize these days not all clocks require adjustment, and I might be giving away my age here. But if you have retro or vintage clocks, you know what you have to do. The formula is Fall back and Spring forward. But between you and me, I'm never very happy doing the Spring forward thing.

Retro George Nelson Clocks

Remember to Set Your Clocks Back originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 23:41:29.

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The Motorized La-Z-Boy DWI Chair

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:01:21 +0000

I consider Dennis LeRoy Anderson of Proctor, Minnesota to be an inventive genius. Now who else would have considered turning a La-Z-Boy lounger into the luxury mobility device that is now infamously known as "The Motorized La-Z-Boy DWI Chair."

After rigging his recliner with an 8-horsepower lawnmower engine and headlights., he gave it luxury upgrades, a stereo and a cup holder. For good measure, he even stuck a bumper sticker saying "Hell yeah it's fast" on the back.

Anderson used this remarkable vehicle to drive to bars where he watched football games and downed a few beers. It was the beer that did him in. A little over a year ago, the police got him for driving under the influence after he hit a parked car. His blood alcohol levels were 3 times the legal limit. He admitted to having had 8 or 9 beers.

After pleading guilty to DWI, he had to forfeit his La-Z-Boy, which is now being auctioned off on eBay by the police. The latest bidding at 10:18 a.m. PST, October 31, is for $37,300, with 2 days and 22 hours to go.

The La-z-boy DWI Chair, Motorized Chair, as it is listed on eBay, is for local pick up only. The listing also mentions that it is not a street legal vehicle.

To Dennis LeRoy Anderson I say, you are capable of great things. Just don't drink and drive.

Update 11/02/09: With less than a day left for the auction, the current bid is now$43,100.

More on Recliners:

Choosing the Right Recliner

Melena Recliner from Cantoni

Profile ComfortTouch Recliner by La-Z-Boy

The Motorized La-Z-Boy DWI Chair originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Saturday, October 31st, 2009 at 14:01:21.

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Have a Safe and Happy Halloween

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:24:40 +0000

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is stressing safety precautions to make sure that injuries from burns and falls don't mar your child's enjoyment of trick-or-treating.

In a press release CPSC's Chairman Inez Tenenbaum says "Using inherently flame-resistant fabrics in home-made costumes and using battery-operated candles when decorating the house for Halloween can help keep children safe."

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 23:24:40.

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Choosing a Mattress Size

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:50:16 +0000

Since mattresses come in so many different sizes, it can be difficult to find a size that's just right. Very often, you may find yourself choosing a certain size over and over again through force of habit, but next time you're looking for a mattress try out other sizes as well. You may find that you like a different size more than the one you already have.

It is much harder to adjust to a smaller mattress, and I wouldn't recommend doing that unless you have moved to a smaller space. Smaller spaces do put more constraints on how large your furniture can be. For one thing it may be difficult to get it through the passages and doorways. For another, it may be too large for your room. You may have to choose between a bigger sleeping surface or moving around more freely.

In the end, finding the the right mattress size is all about your own needs and personal preferences. What baffles me is how often we forget to stop and consider them.

How to Choose a Mattress Size

Choosing a Mattress Size originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 13:50:16.

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Martha Stewart's Glitter Halloween Decorations

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:01:41 +0000

Are your own Halloween decorations looking a bit flat? Well, you're quickly running out of time and if no inspirations are forthcoming, consider using glitter. Liberally. That will make everything stand out.

Just take a look at what Martha Stewart has done. And she should know a thing or two about decorating, right? Besides, glitter for Halloween makes perfect sense. It can suggest ghostly phosphorescence, magic, fairy dust, fire. It is entirely up to you. And who knows, it might even be a good thing.

Martha Stewart's Halloween Decorations

Martha Stewart's Glitter Halloween Decorations originally appeared on About.com Furniture on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 19:01:41.

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Is Temperature a Factor in Comfortable Sleep?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:18:22 +0000

I think people toss and turn if it is too warm, and don't sleep too soundly if it is cooler than they like. That is why I was intrigued by the ChiliPad, a mattress pad that lets you control the temperature of your bed with the help of a remote.

The ChiliPad is available in standard mattress sizes and now also comes in a dual zone model that lets you regulate either side of the bed to be cooler or warmer than the other one depending on personal preferences.

The idea seems so simple, I wonder why no one thought of it before. My only quibble is that it can be a bit pricey coming on top of a mattress purchase.