Modern Furniture

The answer to this question will influence how you distribute your space and decorate it. Sleeping space is the first consideration: do they  need separate rooms or can they share? Children usually draw the short straw when it comet to handing out bedrooms, but if they are prepared  to share, it could be worth giving them the biggest room and freeing up the smallest for a study.

You should also consider their schoolwork and extra-curricular activities. These will vary according to age. but at different stages you are likely to need space for toys, homework, music practice, teenage rock groups and sleepovers. If this space Is not provided by their bedrooms, you will have to create it in other areas, and these will need furnishing in a robust style: white sofas and cream carpets may not be practical.

However much space you have, it can easily be wasted if you do not know what to do with it. So before you think about decorating and furnishing, consider how you are going to live In It. That way, you can reclaim space where it is not important and redistribute it where you need it.

Think about how you spend most of your time: cooking? entertaining? watching television? reading? working? Or have you got hobbies that need space: painting, engine-stripping or playing an instrument? If you are a single person who never takes work home, usually eats out and has an unhealthy obsession with pool, then a games room - or a huge living room - is probably more use to you than a study or a large kitchen. On the other hand, if you have school-age children and enjoy having friends to dinner, plenty of kitchen space and somewhere for homework become urgent priorities.

Wanting more space has become a mantra for our time, as though space were a necessity rather than a preference. But the only way to make it work successfully is to know why you want it, and in order to do that, you have to start prioritizing. What space is currently available and how do you use it? Where would you like more space and where could you manage with less? Which is more important to you: storage space for personal possessions or living space for family and friends?

The secret to creating extra space is getting to know your home and thinking practically about your lifestyle, then putting the two together and seeing what compromises and adjustments need to be made. Take it slowly and do not act on a whim: short-term wants may not fulfill long-term needs, and decorating a house - even a small one - is a long-term investment.

Be guided by the style of the architecture, but do not let it dictate to you. The fact that a building is old, for instance, does not prohibit you from decorating the space in a modern style. The beauty of period buildings is their individuality. Elegant lines, interesting architectural details - even uneven walls - all contribute their own natural character, and keeping your decoration and furnishings clean and contemporary is one of the most effective ways to enhance them. Concentrate on the space, not the facade or interior fittings. Doors and fireplaces can always be removed or replaced, walls and stairs moved or remodelled, but the space is yours, so make sure that it works for you.

When choosing a new mattress for your modern bed, start by evaluating the old one. Do you like the size? How about the support? Also consider the size, and sleeping or lounging habits, of the people who will be using the mattress. A comfortable bed begins with a comfortable, quality mattress and a good foundation, such as a box spring or raised platform.

Basically, there are two types of mattresses; innerspring and foam. Innerspring mattresses come in the same standard sizes as bed frames; king, queen, full (or double) and twin or (single). Innerspring mattresses are composed of springs connected in various ways: open springs, individual springs aligned in rows within the mattress; continuous springs, a network of connected wire instead of individual springs; and pocketed springs, with each spring enclosed in its own pocket. Pocketed springs are considered to be the best.

The comfort of an innerspring mattress is also greatly affected by its wire gauge and spring count. The lower the gauge of the wire, the stronger the coil. The heaviest, or strongest, you’ll find is 13, and 21 is the highest, or lightest. To determine whether a mattress has a good coil count, remember that twin mattresses should have more than 200 coils, and larger mattresses should have at least 300 coils. Also check the quality of the cushioning and insulation that are added. The more layers, the more comfortably you’ll sleep.

Foam, futons and waterbeds are alternatives to the traditional innerspring mattress. Consider a foam mattress if you need to fit an odd-size or antique bed. A foam mattress can be easily cut and tailored to fit almost any size or shape of frame. A good-quality foam mattress can be just as comfortable as an innerspring.

Originally from Japan, futons were first made of cotton batting inside a heavy fabric casing. Contemporary futons are essentially the same except they usually have an extra layer of foam or other padding for better durability.

Waterbed mattresses have improved dramatically; they now come with comfortable foam edges or use baffles to control wave motion. A “hard-side” model has a vinyl mattress, liner and heater encased in a frame. A “soft-side” waterbed looks just like an innerspring mattress. Soft-side waterbeds are usually composed of easy-to-fill tubes that sit side by side in an upholstered cover. A polyurethane liner is used to contain the water in case of a leak. Be sure the vinyl is at least 20 millimeters thick to protect the cover against leaks.

The traditional American bed has a standard steel frame and usually comes without a headboard. Bed frames come as separate pieces; the headboard, footboard and side rails are assembled to form one unit. Today, many bed frame styles, such as the look of traditional brass bed frames, are reproduced in lacquered wood.

The headboard is the element that dictates the decorative style of a bed. Rattan or wicker headboards have a casual, contemporary feel, while headboards made of fine woods, such as mahogany or walnut, create a more traditional look. Padded or upholstered headboards have a soft appeal. The ideal headboard is functional as well as attractive. For example, headboards with built-in storage are ideal options for bedrooms with limited space.

The four-poster bed frame creates a traditional quality in a bedroom, while cozy canopy beds create the feeling of a room within a room. Canopy and four-poster beds require high ceilings and a large space, or they can easily overwhelm a room. Platform beds are raised one or more steps off the floor and often feature some kind of storage space built into the frame. These beds require no box spring because the mattress sits directly on the platform. Futons and waterbeds require special frames suited to their specific mattresses.

Futon bed frames are usually made of wide wooden slats attached to a simple frame. The slats are spaced closely enough to keep the futon from sagging, and far enough apart to allow air to circulate around the mattress. Many futon bases double as sofa platforms as well.

Waterbed design has evolved dramatically since its introduction in the 1960s. For these beds, a good-quality frame plays an important role in the support of the waterbed. It is not so much the weight of the bed that is a concern-waterbeds weigh about as much as a refrigerator - it is the stress on the sides of the frame.