#UPCYCLING ... How to Make the Most Out of Your Existing Decor

If you are looking for an inexpensive way to revamp your patio or deck - than upcycling is great design option for you. Upcycling has grown in popularity and is also an eco-friendly trend that DYI individuals have adopted in recent years to enhance the beauty of one's home without creating more waste.  

Statistics with the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) show that nearly nine million tons of America's overall waste consists of used furniture.  That's four times the amount that made it to landfills in the 1960's! So rather than throwing out those used chairs, tables, and decorative pieces, you can bring them back to life with a little love and elbow grease.  

For example, if your furniture, chair or table is made of wood - sanding down and varnishing it to a new color will not only restore the old piece, but will create a new look by either lightening, darkening or completely changing from the original color.  Here is a great link to TLC's article on restoring old wood furniture: http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/how-to-restore-wooden-furniture-finish.htm.

Upcycling is not limited to old wood restoration.  Do-it-yourselfers have found clever ways to renew and enhance all facets of your home design inside as well as outside.  Here are some to name a few:

1. Repaint~  Adding new color to walls, trim, shelving or old furniture can dramatically renew your room.  If you loved the existing color, but notice it is peeling or faded simply touch up the room with a new coat of paint.  If you want a more bold makeover than choose deeper or darker shades for an instantly new look and a brand new room feel. For added depth or contrast you can even choose to wallpaper in lieu of paint.

2.  Reupholster~  Many times your furniture frame is in good condition and only the fabric material has been worn or faded throughout the years.  Upholsterer's can work magic in renewing your old furniture by upholstering with a new fabric and replacing the foam core.  If your furniture frame is wood or metal than you can easily replace the existing cushions.  There are many companies who have affordable replacement cushions for existing furniture lines such as Smith and Hawken or can manufacture custom cushions for your specific dimensions.  

3.  Restyle~ Whether or not you decide to revamp your area with new paint, varnish or upholstering; simply restyling your works wonder's in recreating your existing space to a new and fresh look.  Rearrange your furniture to maximize space.  Add new accent pillows with fresh colors.  Add draperies to a window OR an awning to the exterior of your home.  Replace old door knobs, drawer pulls, hinges and/or locks.

There are many ways to enhance your home at an affordable cost.  In these days of fast-pace working and living you deserve to have a home or office that expresses not only your personality and taste, but also allows you to live within an aesthetically pleasing environment designed by you...for you.

Decorate Your Porch or Patio for Fall

During the summer months, your porch or patio is likely one of the most popular places in your home to relax and enjoy the warm weather. Fall brings cooler temperatures and changing weather doesn’t mean you have to move indoors just yet; the beautiful array of colors and festivities provide a multitude of decorative ideas to celebrate the season. Even if you are working with a limited budget, there are many fun ideas to dress your porch or patio to make it the centerpiece of your next home event.

Creating Warmth

As the nights begin to cool, a fire pit provides a gathering point that everyone loves to get cozy around. It creates a great ambiance and provides extra warmth on those chilly evenings. You can also add a bit of extra light with hurricane lanterns, candles, or heat lamps if a fire pit is not feasible. Extra light makes your porch or patio warm and welcoming, encouraging people to relax and enjoy the environment. Using bright colors to decorate the area will also brighten up the space. You may want to keep extra blankets on hand for you to cuddle under.

Natural Elements

Some of the most iconic décor items for the fall include pumpkins, squashes, ears of corn, cornucopias, and a variety of other vegetables that are reminiscent of the harvest. There are also a wide variety of blooms and plants that thrive in cooler climates. Natural elements provide beautiful, colorful accents to the area. Besides the more traditional elements, you can use a variety of natural features to create conversation or centerpieces for your porch or patio.

You can easily create an outdoor centerpiece with potted plants and rustic accents that will be sure to last through the season. 

Baskets are excellent decorative touches that are both inexpensive and easy to use. You can find them in all shapes and sizes and fill them with combinations of apples, walnuts, evergreens, or pinecones to add both color and texture to the décor. You can also incorporate traditional gardening equipment such as a small wheelbarrow or metal buckets as planters or containers for your fall foliage.

There are also less traditional elements you can introduce which are sure to capture the attention of any guest. Antlers for elk or deer and large pieces of driftwood are fun and interesting additions to any outdoor space. If you live near wooded areas or beaches, you may be able to find these locally which will add an even more rustic appeal.

  

Fall Hues

The changing colors provide a rich backdrop of reds, oranges, greens, and yellows to decorate your patio or porch. You can incorporate natural elements such as flowers and foliage, but you should also use these tones as an accent in other décor. You can match or coordinate table linens, fabrics, candles, plant boxes, or other items to capture the tones of the season.

Fabrics can add a variety of rich texture and accent colors for any space. You can use throw pillows or custom cushion fabrics to layer textiles in order to create a worldly, eclectic feel in your seating area.  Make sure you choose a resilient fabric for your outdoor furniture so that it will stand the test of time. It is also wise to move your outdoor furniture to a covered area or nearer to the house; closer proximity is more practical when rainstorms descend.

2014-2015 #Sunbrella Furniture Fabric

Storing Your #Cushions - a great blog article by Sunbrella

http://www.sunbrella.com/blog/index.php/fabrics/storing-your-cushions-for-the-winter/

Storing your cushions for the winter

Summer is over and the cooler weather is moving in.  Once you’ve decided  your outdoor furniture season is over, we suggest some tips for storing your Sunbrella cushions for the winter.

• Clean your cushions according to the instructions found on the Sunbrella Website.  Make sure cushions are completely dry before you store them.
• Be sure to store in a clean, dry environment.
• Cover or bag cushions to prevent dust and dirt from settling on cushions while they’re in storage.  Also, rodents do not consider acrylic fiber a  source of food, but would gladly use it to nest if allowed to do so.  Covering/bagging your cushions will help to keep them away.
• Be sure not to store heavy items on top of any cushions.  Although it may not damage the fabric, it could compress the filling so that it doesn’t recover, leaving permanent or long-lasting indentations.

Before we know it, the summer months will be here again, and it will be time to bring your Sunbrella cushions back out from their winter hibernation!

http://www.sunbrella.com/blog/index.php/fabrics/storing-your-cushions-for-the-winter/

#custom cushions #outdoorfabrics.com #cleaning #storing cushions

SNEAK PEAK! - #Sunbrella 2014 Upcoming Collection

 WWW.OUTDOORFABRICS.COM

45936-0000 Accord II Crimson Sunbrella

  45922-0000 Accord Jade Sunbrella

45922-0001 Accord Koi Sunbrella

45920-0000 Aria Teak Sunbrella

45913-0003 Bellamy Tangelo Sunbrella

57000 Canvas Blush Sunbrella

57001 Canvas Chestnut Sunbrella

57002 Canvas Iris Sunbrella

57003 Canvas White Sunbrella

8079 Echo Citron Sunbrella

8078 Echo Limelite Sunbrella

8076 Echo Midnight Sunbrella

8080 Echo Sangria Sunbrella

8077 Echo Teak Sunbrella

45837-0000 Empire Dawn Sunbrella

45837-0002 Empire Dove Sunbrella

45885-0004 Fischer Graphite Sunbrella

.45885-0000 Fischer Lagoon Sunbrella

45885-0001 Fischer Sunset Sunbrella

56092 Frequency Ash Sunbrella

56093 Frequency Parchment Sunbrella

56094 Frequency Sand Sunbrella

42066-0000 Jive Sparrow Sunbrella

42066-0002 Jive Stream Sunbrella

45919-0000 Kuna Sand Sunbrella

57004 Lido Indigo Sunbrella

45921-0004 Mod MInk Sunbrella

45890-0001 Pinnacle Fiesta Sunbrella

44215-0000 Pulse Sunset Sunbrella

32000-0026 Sailcloth Sailor Sunbrella

32000-0025 Sailcloth Shadow Sunbrella

56097 Solano Dusk Sunbrella

56098 Solano Fiesta Sunbrella

48082 Spectrum Almond Sunbrella

48085 Spetrum Carbon Sunbrella

48083 Spectrum Caribou Sunbrella

48035 Spectrum Crimson Sunbrella

48086 Spectrum Denim Sunbrella

48080 Spectrum Indigo Sunbrella

48081 Spectrum Peacock Sunbrella

48084 Spectrum Sesame Sunbrella

58002 Stanton Greystone Sunbrella

58001 Stanton Lagoon Sunbrella

42067-0000 Voyage Sparrow Sunbrella

42068-0000 Voyage Stream Sunbrella

7774 Carousel Confetti Sunbrella

Sunbrella furniture grade material comes with a 5 year warranty against fade mildew and water resistance.  Samples available by emailing tracy@outdoorfabrics.com!  Trade Pricing Available.