The Search for A New Couch

It may sound easy - but searching for a new sofa is a lot more difficult than it looks.

As the focal point of any contemporary living room, a couch needs to tie together comfort, style, usability and durability - as well as being the right size and shape for the room it is going to be placed in.

Yes, sofas have a number of standards to meet -and we haven't even discussed the price yet. Many sofa stores run promotions all year round, so great bargains are out there. However, you must avoid shopping without a target purchase. Most sale purchases are made on an impluse. And unlike shopping in a clothes sales, it is a little harder to hide an unused sofa at the back of the wardrobe and pretend you will use it one day.

The best way to avoid price problems is to browse online first - the computer gives you distance. Make a list of the sofas you like without taking the price into account. Then set yourself a strict budget and do not go over it. This means when you get to the sofa stores you can choose a style you really like without going over your budget or (and this is the part you should really be careful about) buying something unsuitable just because it saves you some money.


Sofas not only say alot about your personal style, they are an important part of what makes a home a home - so it is worth some serious thinking time.

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Shining a Light on the Effects of Wall Lamps

Shamefully, lighting used to be the last thing most people thought about when decorating their living room.

I have to admit I have done it myself - choosing colourschemes, couches and carpets used to seem far more interesting. Matching lampshades and a couple of table lamps could be found after the job was complete.

But my eyes are open now -lighting can set the tone for an entire room on its own. Take these wall lights for example. Not only can they give the room a pleasant glow somewhere between glaring light and the dull glow of a lamp - they add a modern focal point to the room and add a hint of interest to plain coloured walls.

They aren't too expensive either, so a brilliant way to update a room for cheap. This has kicked off something of a lighting project, as I'm now going to experiment with other ways wall lamps can enhance a room - you could say I've seen the light.

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