5 Surprising Benefits of Divan Beds for Children's Bedrooms

5 Surprising Benefits of Divan Beds for Children's Bedrooms

Is your child's bedroom in need of a stylish and functional upgrade? Look no further than divan beds! These versatile pieces of furniture offer a wealth of surprising benefits that will enhance your child's sleeping experience. From durability to personalized designs and smart storage solutions, let's explore the top 5 reasons why divan beds are the perfect addition to any children's bedroom.

Durability for Active Kids

Let's not forget about the durability that divan beds offer for active kids. Children are known for their boundless energy and sometimes rough play, which can put furniture to the test. Divan beds are built to withstand the wear and tear of daily use, making them a smart choice for children's bedrooms. With sturdy construction and high-quality materials, these beds can easily handle the demands of energetic little ones, ensuring that they will last for years to come. So you can rest easy knowing that your child's bed is as resilient as they are.

Storage Solutions to Keep Clutter at Bay

Now, let's talk about the clever storage solutions that divan beds provide to keep clutter at bay. Divan beds often come with built-in drawers or compartments underneath the mattress, allowing for easy organization of toys, clothes, and other items. This not only maximizes space in the room but also encourages children to keep their belongings tidy. By utilizing these storage options, parents can create a clean and organized environment for their little ones to thrive in.

These practical features seamlessly blend into the design of the bed, maintaining a sleek and streamlined look in the bedroom. With clutter out of sight and out of mind, children can focus on playing, studying, and relaxing in a clutter-free space. Plus, having designated storage areas promotes responsibility and independence in kids as they learn to keep their items in order.

By utilizing these storage solutions, parents can create a functional and aesthetically pleasing bedroom for their children.

Customizable Designs for Personalization

Divan beds not only provide practical storage solutions, but they also offer customizable designs for personalization to further enhance the room's decor and style. From choosing the fabric and colour of the upholstery to selecting headboard designs and accessories, divan beds can be tailored to suit the unique preferences and tastes of each child. This level of customization allows for a truly personalized bedroom space that reflects the individuality of the child.

With the ability to personalize their bed, children can feel a sense of ownership over their space, fostering creativity and self-expression. This attention to detail in design can also create a cohesive and visually appealing aesthetic in the bedroom, making it a place where children can feel comfortable and inspired.

Supportive Comfort for a Restful Night's Sleep

Divan beds are not only about style and storage; they are also designed with supportive comfort in mind to ensure that children enjoy a restful night's sleep. The sturdy base of a divan bed provides a solid foundation for mattresses, offering crucial support for growing bodies. This support can help promote proper spinal alignment and reduce the risk of discomfort or pain during the night. Additionally, the customizable features of divan beds allow parents to choose the best mattress for their child's specific needs, whether they require extra firmness or added cushioning. By prioritizing comfortable and supportive sleep, divan beds help children wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.

Long-Term Investment for Growing Children

As children grow, their needs and preferences evolve. Investing in a divan bed for your child's bedroom is a long-term decision that can adapt to their changing requirements over time. The durability of divan beds ensures that they can withstand the wear and tear of an active child, providing lasting comfort and support for years to come. With the versatility to switch out mattresses or add features like built-in storage, a divan bed can grow with your child and accommodate their changing lifestyle. By making a thoughtful investment in a divan bed now, parents can provide a stable and comfortable sleeping environment that will continue to benefit their child well into the future.

To Conclude

Divan beds are a smart choice for children's bedrooms, offering unmatched durability, storage solutions, customizable designs, supportive comfort, and long-term investment for growing children. With their many benefits, divan beds provide a practical and stylish solution for your child's sleep space. So why wait? Make the investment in a divan bed today and watch your child's room transform into a cosy and functional haven. As the saying goes, "Invest in quality now and reap the benefits for years to come."

The Benefits of Self Storage when Downsizing for Your Family

Thinking about downsizing? You're not alone! Many families choose to move to a smaller place for various reasons, like saving money, spending less time on chores, or simply enjoying a more manageable space. But downsizing can also feel overwhelming, especially when figuring out what to do with all your belongings.

This is where self-storage comes in as a lifesaver! Here's how a secure storage unit can make your downsizing journey smooth and stress-free.

Breathe Easy with Flexibility

• Find your perfect fit: Haven't found your dream home yet? No problem! Self-storage lets you comfortably move into a smaller place while you keep searching. No need to rush - you can move your belongings at your own pace.

• Declutter without the pressure: Don't feel pressured to sort everything right away. Store non-essential or seasonal items in a secure unit, giving you time to declutter later on your terms.

A Smooth Transition for Everyone

Moving to a smaller space can feel cramped. Self-storage helps ease the transition by offering a haven for your belongings you don't need right now. This way, you can unpack the essentials and enjoy your new home without feeling cluttered.

Seasonal Items? No Problem

Downsizing often means giving up some storage space. But don't worry about your seasonal favourites. A storage unit is a perfect solution for outdoor furniture, seasonal clothes, holiday decorations, and sports equipment.

Treasured Possessions Deserve Protection

Downsizing often involves tough decisions. If you can't bear to part with sentimental items like a childhood toy or a family heirloom, give them a temporary home in a secure storage unit. Our units feature 24-hour security and CCTV monitoring, keeping your precious belongings safe and sound.

Save Time and Reduce Stress

Focus on settling into your new home by only moving the essentials. Store the rest in a self-storage unit, giving yourself time to sort and declutter later. This way, you avoid multiple trips back and forth or mountains of boxes to unpack right away.

Helping Your Family Too

Self-storage isn't just for you. Maybe your child has flown the next and just bought their first home and needs extra furniture. A storage unit lets you keep belongings safe until they find a new home with loved ones.

Ready to Downsize Smoothly

We understand downsizing can be a big step. Currie Easy Self Storage offers clean, dry, and secure units with 24/7 security and CCTV monitoring. They provide flexible storage options to fit your needs, have convenient access hours at most locations, and offer competitive pricing. Downsizing doesn't have to be a hassle, use these top tips to help your family make this transition a breeze!

What Are Oilcloth Tablecloths And How Can They be Useful Around Your Home

If you are wondering what oilcloth tablecloths are and how is it different from the other tablecloths, then worry not as today will be the day that you will be able to differentiate all those types of tablecloth.

Oilcloths have been around since the 19th century. It was first used as floorcloth to cover the floorings. It was very popular back then because it was cheap and easy to maintain. With its waterproof and stain-proof features, people can easily clean oilcloths with damp rugs and other types of cloth. It was mistakenly called linoleum back then.

Oilcloth was also used as a substitute for expensive leather and was used as the outer layers of leather luggage bags, shoes, and other leather-made merchandise.

Today, most people confuse oilcloth tablecloth with PVC tablecloth, especially when one mentions PVC oilcloth tablecloth. And we totally understand why people commonly mistake the one with the other one. The main reason why people make that mistake is because both clothes have the same feel to them; they feel waterproof and plastic. But if you investigate further, you will discover that there are significant differences between the two that will certainly help you in identifying the difference. We will discuss below;

First of all, oilcloth tablecloths are made from 100% cotton and then coated with PVC to make it waterproof, while PVC tablecloths are 100% plastic. Because oilcloth tablecloths are made from pure cotton, it will feel a lot softer and will fit better on your table as compared to PVC tablecloths. Oilcloth tablecloths will also be able to smoothen out the sharp edges of your table, while PVC tablecloths will only add sharper edges to your table because plastics cannot easily fold and are less malleable than cotton.

Oilcloth can be very useful in your home for various reasons. First of all, you can use an oilcloth tablecloth as your table cover to save time and effort in cleaning stains and food spoils. It also protects your precious table from the usual wear and tear. Stains on wooden tables can be very hard to deal with, water also softens it and aggravates its’ wear and tear. Metal tables, on the other hand, can get rusty with food stains and water spills. It is only by using a tablecloth that you can save the table from damage and maximize its longevity. And of course, you can even enhance the look of your table and your kitchen with various oilcloth tablecloth designs available in the market.

Oilcloth tablecloths are also very easy to maintain. It can easily be washed with a wet cloth or with soap if there are hard stains to remove. Furthermore, they are long lasting and environmentally friendly compared to other products.

Because oilcloths have many uses, they are usually sold in rolls to custom fit according to the customer’s need. Other uses of oilcloth include:

•          Shelf coverings

•          Curtains

•          Seat covers

•          Placemats

•          Grill covers

•          Patio umbrellas

•          Wallpaper coverings

•          Desk protectors

•          Garage covers

•          Car covers

•          Aprons, gloves, bags

Five Ways To Beautify Your Kitchen

Image Source

Giving your kitchen a makeover takes time and effort and it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that a little attention to detail can go a very long way. Once you understand that, you can understand that you don’t necessarily have to rip out and replace all of your counters and cabinets just to have a beautiful kitchen.

Image Source

A beautiful kitchen is about maximising the space you have with your taste. So, if you are a lover of rustic antiques like the ones shown here, then you’ll be fairly likely to have wooden kitchen worktops and make use of scrubbed wooden dining tables. If you prefer something a little sharper and sleeker in looks, go for black marble or granite worktops instead. Your kitchen’s look is all about you and what you like, so you can enjoy the room as you see fit. Beautifying this space is about the little details, not the huge changes. So, how can you beautify your kitchen?

1. Update your cabinet handles. Draws and doors often come with handles when you have a kitchen installed or you move into a new home. A simple change from chrome handles to wooden knobs can make such a difference, especially if you are going for a warm, rustic charm in your kitchen.

2. Use light colours. Dark colours can shrink a room right down and if your current kitchen is on the dark side, swap for something pastel. A lick of paint can give a room a freshness it needs and when the natural light floods through, everything brightens up.

3. Metallic is in! Switch out your dated plastic sink and drainer and replace them from a variety of stainless steel sinks. Sleek and modern, metals in the kitchen can match beautifully. Your appliances and oven can all be in sync – no pun intended – and your sinks can match them, too!

4. Kitchen lighting is known to be quite harsh and bright. Strip lights are very fluorescent and of course, in a place you need to be able to see clearly while chopping and preparing food, it’s helpful. However, by changing over your lighting you are changing the mood of the space. Spotlights over the cooking area and low-hanging drop lights or chandeliers over the eating area give the entire room two entirely different looks.

5. Flowers are a beautiful way to change the look of your kitchen. It’s not just the colours, but the shape of the vases you use. Use several different types of vases for a different look wherever you place the blooms.

Beautifying your kitchen space isn’t about total replacement. It’s all about making it look homely, welcoming and perfect for your family. Put your stamp on it, as when children take over other rooms in the house you need a solace. Sure, it’s a place to cook, clean and eat, but it’s nice to be able to go into the kitchen to find your zen while you witness the stampede from there!

Plastic Coloured Splashbacks for the Bathroom

We've very nearly finished the extension work, with just a few bits and pieces to finish and to complete the play-room.  Then later in 2017 I hope to renovate the bathroom and the en-suite - this is our next rooms on the list for renovation.

On my dream list, is to fit the walk-in shower with acrylic splashback - a green coloured splashback. With it being plastic, it's much cheaper than the glass splashbacks, but still gives you a stylish and high gloss finished appearance. Adding a splash of colour to the bathroom.

Plastic splashbacks are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to other wall coverings as plastic can be formed and moulded into just about any shape. They offer a more vibrant and bold finish, with an array of colours and/or patterns to choose from.

Splashbacks offer a more modern, sleek and unique finish.

As well as their appearance, the other benefits plastic splashbacks offer:

• Fully shatterproof
• Quick and easy installation - either screwed or glued to the walls (as long as the wall is prepped beforehand)
• They are stain resistant
• They offer a non-stick surface so will not harbour mould, calcium build up or soap

Plastic Splashbacks are a great option for kitchens and bathrooms.

DIY Or Use A Professional - When To Choose Which

Whether you’re a seasoned expert or new to DIY, it’s a hobby that can be both enjoyable and rewarding at the same time. Not only do you learn new skills, but you get to reap the rewards too. But sometimes, being able to do it all yourself just isn’t an option.

Depending on your skills, time and experience, you may or may not be able to choose the DIY card every single time. If not, it might be time to call in the professionals. If you’re not sure which option is best, take a look at these top tips on when to choose which.

Designing

If you’re planning on decorating an entire room, you might want to get your design in mind first. Maybe you’re just doing a colour change, or perhaps you’re looking forwards to completely redoing it all. Either way, there’s one tell all sign that you can look out for when deciding on doing it yourself or asking for help.

Do you need to draw anything to scale? If so, you might need to rope in a designer to get you started. But if not, if you can work with a rough idea on build on it as you go, stick to your guns and DIY!

Painting

When it comes to painting, it can be a breeze or an absolute nightmare. Do you have a steady hand? Have you put in enough practice? Or, maybe you’ve never done it before, but you can handle the mess if it comes down to it? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, then do it yourself.

But, if you might mess up the cutting in, or leave marks on the wall, or even if you just don’t have the time to commit to painting an entire house, call in the professionals. In this instance, you might be glad you did!

Exterior

Outdoor renovations and improvements can be tricky. Unless of course, you’re a skilled professional, then you’ve got it covered. Whether your outdoor work is to repair a fence or build a roof, you might need advice if you’re deciding not to call in the experts this time.

If you’re going to give it a go, get measuring, planning and buying. Head to building and outdoors specialists, such as Timber Merchants, to stock up on the right materials, find what you need and get your specifications sorted.

Interior

Some of the most obvious areas to opt for DIY come under the interiors category. More often than not, you’ll find that you don’t need a designer. If you have a vision for how the rooms should look, you can consider trends and find inspiration in magazines or online to guide you. Pinterest has some really interesting ideas for DIY that might make a huge difference to the way you design your interior space.

Specialisms

The category that might be best left to the professionals - the specialisms. Things like electric and plumbing should really be left to those in the know. Make sure you save your budget for these areas. Unless you know someone in the trade. If you have a friend or family member that’s happy to lend a hand, even better. If not, it’s best to let the professionals get it right first time, then make a mess of it yourself.

Finally, don’t forget the hire the Skips, otherwise, the rubbish soon builds up. Thus, hiring a 10 Yard Skip will allow you and/or the professionals to keep on top of the mess caused by building works / renovations, in a much more easier and hassle-free way.

Tips For DIY IN 2017

2016 for us has been all about the new extension and renovations on our home. The extension is done and we are happily using the room and enjoying the new space. But, all the renovations on the other parts of our home is not done; we still have quite a bit to do. 

Currently, we are renovating our new dining room - The dining room was our old living room, we've put a partitioned wall in, thus, we need the rooms wiring to be separated, as well as new pendant lights, new spotlights, and some new sockets.  

All this inevitably means that in 2017 we’ll be knocking some sizable holes in walls or having to replace sections altogether. While doing some research for our exciting renovations, I came across a lot of talk about asbestos in walls, ceilings and even sticking down tiles - it’s all rather scary. I know our home is safe because of checks we’ve has carried out, but it got me thinking about all my fellow DIYers and how I could help them with their new year’s decorating.

Slater and Gordon, who are specialist mesothelioma lawyers (asbestos causes mesothelioma if you didn’t know), seem to be thinking about 2017 DIY plans and have made this guide about keeping safe. It even talks about dangers while cutting MDF, which I hadn’t even known about.

Making the most of your bathroom

Whether you have a large, luxurious bathroom or a cosy and small one - bathrooms are one of the most important rooms in the house. They are used for everything from part of your everyday getting ready routine in the morning to a long, relaxing soak at the end of the day; therefore it’s vitally important that your bathroom is fit for purpose. If your bathroom is on the smaller side, here are some helpful tips to allow you to utilise all of its space.

Clever positioning

To make the most of the room you have, you need to take a look at the space as a blank canvas. You don’t need to gut your bathroom for this, simply draw or use an online tool like Room Styler to map it out. Play around with your layout and see if you could add some extra inches by trying out a corner sink or positioning your shower over the bathtub. This will give you a good idea of where the room is being taken up. Bigger prints on walls or tiles on the floor will give the illusion of more space in a small room so if you can fully redesign then this is a great option.

If you don’t have the budget or the option to completely redecorate, there are some other things you can do. Adding a bigger mirror on the wall will add more light in and allow the room to seem more spacious. Opting for a shower curtain over a glass shower screen will also allow for more space. A glass shower door open out into the room so need to be positioned in specific places. A curtain will just slide across and won’t need to expand. Placing a towel rail onto the back of the door or some hooks will mean that you won’t need a big rail taking up wallspace.

Storage

If you have lots of toiletries or like to stock up on bathroom supplies, it's easy to start running out of space. Having bottles of shampoo, your favourite bath bombs and packs of loo roll crowding up your bathroom can make the room look extremely cramped and cluttered. Keep these items stored away in cupboards and wardrobes where possible or, alternatively, invest in some new bathroom cabinets to keep the essentials in. For a cheaper option, pick up some decorative wicker baskets to add a stylish storage touch to your bathroom and keep your toiletries neatly tucked away but within easy reach.

Finishing touches

Now you have your bathroom perfectly staged, your new mirrors or cabinets fixed onto the walls and your shampoo nicely stored away - it's time to add some finishing touches. Investing in some luxurious bath mats and towels will give your newly designed bathroom a hotel feel. Other popular accessories include a scented candle or reed diffuser to help you unwind after a long day. Sticking to simple but striking touches will make sure your bathroom looks stylish and inviting but without feeling cluttered.

Skirting Board

Earlier this year we embarked on having an extension built for what will become our new living room. And this week it is finally done (well nearly, just a few bits and pieces to touch up). The final piece of the puzzle was the skirting board and architrave and we had it fitted yesterday.

Fed up with carpets (4 kids, 2 dogs and 2 cats, trying to keep the carpet nice, is near on impossible) thus, we decided to go for the luxury vinyl flooring, which I hope will be much easier for us to maintain. We had to wait for this to be fitted first, but after being delayed for a while, it finally went down on the weekend, and I am pleased with it. Then the final piece for our new living room was the skirting board.

As we are going for plain white walls, I wanted a wood effect skirting board, not white. I don't want white skirting board, as no matter what type of white paint we varnished them with, they would, in the end,  turn the horrid yellowy white.  I also wanted a skirting board that didn't have any grooves (which can be a pain to clean). I wanted a nice smooth rounded finish - hoping that it would make it so much easier to keep clean.

The Skirting Board Shop very kindly sent me enough rounded one edge light oak veneer skirting board and matching architrave for our new living room, and it is just perfect! It's fully finished, which means we don't have to stain it - so much easier.

It's better than I was expecting. It's finished our living room off perfectly, giving the room a nice border/frame.  

The skirting board and architrave arrived well packed, wrapped in plenty of bubble wrap, so it didn't get damaged.  I also liked how it comes in long lengthed planks (although that was a challenge for us to store) it was perfect for our 24ft long living room.

I got my brother to install it in the evening (he's a carpenter), he used Gorilla glue and his nail gun (even though it is a new extension, it wasn't as straight as we would have liked). We will cover the tacks with wax that matches the colour of the skirting board, so you can't see the nails.

If you are looking for skirting board, then take a look at The Skirting Board Shop - they offer a wide range of products – sizes and finishes, which makes life so much easier, as they are a one stop shop for your skirting board and architrave needs.

We are currently renovating the dining room, which used to be the living room, and I will be ordering the same skirting board and architrave from The Skirting Board Shop to continue in these rooms.

Four questions to ask yourself when buying a bathroom suite

When it comes to furnishing your home, you usually approach it in the same way you would with anything else. From sofas to lighting, you begin with an online search and after a few clicks you’ve found what you wanted and it will arrive in 3 to 5 working days. Although this approach is hugely convenient, there are some areas where it just doesn’t apply, and bathroom furnishing is one of them. If you’re on the hunt for a new bathroom suite, these four questions should ensure you stay on track.

1.     What space do you have to work with?

First of all, you need to measure up the space you have available, and put together some rough estimates of what you can accommodate. This will help you when you start to look online at different styles; there’s no point in falling in love with a huge, ornate roll-top bath if you can’t accommodate it. Use the sizes to guide you, and you shouldn’t have to face this problem. When conducting your searches, narrow them down with measurements to discount anything you can’t fit into the space.

2.     What’s your style?

Now that you’re armed with the facts and figures, it’s time to look around online for the design ideas and colour schemes that will make your bathroom unique. From clean and contemporary porcelain to rustic wood or traditional, once you know the style you’d like, you can then start browsing between bathroom suppliers and companies for the suites you prefer. You’ll be able to get a good idea of what trends are around and what kind of looks are better value than others.

3.     Where’s your nearest showroom?

Of course, it wouldn’t be a wise move at this stage to buy a suite without checking it out first. On the one hand, if you’ve found something you love you can do a search for stockists close to where you live. However, what I’d recommend is visiting a bathroom showroom, such as the ones www.betterbathrooms.com have throughout the UK. Stores like this stock thousands of products, and even if they don’t have the specific product you’re looking for, you’re more likely to find ones of a similar nature set up for you to see in the flesh. You’ll get a far better idea of how it will work in your home, as well as being able to see the quality.

4.     What’s your budget?

Now that you know exactly what you want, look around online for the best deals. There are tonnes of seasonal offers and end-of-line discounts to be had, but you can also look on sites like eBay for high-end designer names at cheaper prices. Of course, the best approach is always to buy from a reputable retailer, who lists genuine reviews on their site. Look for people who have reviewed the suite you want, and check whether they came across any faults.

Did you find this post useful? Let me know in the comments section.