What is the most peculiar piece of bedroom furniture you have come across? I mean, take a look around your bedroom. Most of the bedroom furniture there is just that – functional bedroom furniture. This furniture has a specific function to perform and excels at performing that. Take the bed itself for instance. It comes with a mattress and facilitates lying down. Which is what most people do with it anyways! Or take the bed stands for instance. They are meant to serve as convenient storage spaces for items related to the bedroom, which probably need to be tucked away from sight. In some cases, these bed stands come equipped with shelves of sorts so that people can store their books. So far these examples of bedroom furniture are fairly straightforward. In the rare case, I have come across bedroom furniture that reflects the style or personality of the owner. But in some of the houses I have had the opportunity to visit, I have come across some really strange bedroom furniture!
The strangest of these kinds of bedroom furniture was a centuries old alarm mechanism. I use the word mechanism on purpose. Because, unlike the digital clocks of today, this truly was a mechanical device that would wake the sleeper up with a veritable shudder. Based on the principle of the spring mechanism, it could be set for hours and half hours. Once the set time arrived, the device would release a spring on the underside of the bed, literally pushing the sleeper off it. In order that the sleeper not hurt himself, there was a barricade of sorts to prevent them from flying completely off the bed. This whole contraption fit snugly under the bed and lay there until disturbed.
In older houses, I have found bedroom furniture that includes the quaint mosquito net holder. Basically, this comprises four posts of the bed on which the mosquito net is hung or suspended from. But when the net is off, it does look like a pall of sorts. In fact, the first time I saw it, it gave me quite a fright. But the one bedroom furniture that totally freaked me out was the rotary meal deliverer. I really don’t know what else to call it. It was a mechanical contraption that delivered food to the person reclining comfortably on the bed!
posted in Bedroom, Furnishings, Sleep, Technology |
When looking at homes to purchase, many potential homeowners have to decide if they want a hard wood floor or if they prefer carpeting. Some say hard wood floor adds beauty and elegance to a residence, while others think they are too hard to manage. A hard wood floor does have the disadvantage of being cooler in the winter months, but they are easier to care for than you may think. A good hard wood floor is sealed, making cleaning easy. In most cases, when it comes to cleaning a hard wood floor, you simply need to dry dust. This is where tools like a Swiffer come in handy. You simply apply the dry dust pad and go over the floor. Quite often, this is all they need to look their best.
Damp cleaning a hard wood floor is not something you should do very often. If you can get away with it, only do it once or twice a year. For stains or spills, do spot cleanings only. While most floors are sealed, you should still be careful to keep it free of moisture. When a spill happens, it is important to get the hard wood floor as dry as possible as soon as possible. Quickly wipe up the mess and blot dry. Any moisture on a hard wood floor can seep into the wood and cause damage and warping.
If your hard wood floor seems to be dingy and dull, you may need to do a damp cleaning. You should find a cleaner in your local store that is especially made for hard wood flooring. If you can’t find this in a regular store, go to a home store and ask if they have anything they recommend for hard wood floor. It is important to use as little moisture as possible and to allow the floor to dry as quickly as possible. This may mean damp mopping the floor with the cleaner, and then going over it with a dry towel or mop to soak up extra water.
If you live in a home where carpet has been placed over a hard wood floor, you can bring it back to life if you remove the carpeting. Unless the floor is extremely damaged, a good buff, wax and seal can bring it back to life. You may be surprised how a little work can bring out the beauty of a long forgotten floor. If you have hardwoods and want to put carpeting down, make sure you use care in the event that you may want to go back to the hard wood floor in the future. Have someone with knowledge of protecting hard wood floors install the carpet for you. You don’t want nails or staples inserted into the floor, which can totally ruin it.
posted in Bedroom, Cleaning, Floor, Living Room |