Some Of The Contemporary Furniture Trends

Posted by admin on Jun 20th, 2010 | 0 comments

Fashion trends no longer dictate the way we dress or decorate our homes. Eclecticism and contrasting style directions reign in home design. More and more people develop a taste of mixing contradictory furniture trends in their home decor, combining contemporary furniture with vintage finds and exotic art pieces.

Uncertain economy, the rise of natural disasters, persistent war conflicts and terrorist threats has resulted in the further insulation of people within their home cocoons. This cocoon lifestyle has given a boom to houseware and furniture industry, since more and more people turn to home entertainment and dinner parties instead of “going out.”

The “cocoon boom,” which originally started after September 11, 2001, transformed the modern home into a family sanctuary and hideaway. Casual living remains as the major theme with contemporary furniture today, with an emphasis on home entertaining and informal dining.

From modern furniture to accessories and dinnerware, people look for items that possess a strong sense of personal style. The casual living trend in modern furniture translates into multi-functional furniture with clear non-cluttered design and extended seating furniture pieces such as extra-long and curved couches and sofas.

Modern furniture today encourages family values, promotes quality family entertainment, supports traditional values and generally helps people connect. Another noticeable trend in home décor is a return to ‘formal’ for special occasions. People tend to make a greater effort preparing for special occasions or dinner parties and spend more time selecting dinnerware, candles, photo albums, seasonal decorations and table linen. Another important modern furniture trend is sensuality which means luscious fabrics, soft warm colors and simple shapes.

Many furniture items are adjusted for use for the targeted group of single men. This means sleek minimalist design and an emphasis on the use of multi-media applications. Flat screen TV’s are accommodated in hi-tech entertainment centers, and flat loudspeakers are incorporated into lean, spacious sofas, covered with dark trendy upholstery fabrics. This trend is also reflected in one-of-a-kind furniture items, such as art pieces having a functional meaning. Wide use of LED lighting technology helps transform a coffee table into a futuristic object that will change colors depending on a situation.

Speaking of materials used in modern furniture today, light woods still dominate. Oak, cherry, and birch are the most popular woods, with rattan and bamboo on the rise. Many woods are artificially stained to resemble exquisite tropical woods, for example, zebrano, mahogany, or palisander. A varnished solid front is often combined with a veneered body. Stainless steel, polished or brushed, and aluminum are used widely, often combined with innovative satin glass and boldly colored fiberglass.

In the upholstery, modern furniture designers favor refined large abstract patterns or sophisticated monochrome surfaces. Stripes and checks, as well as floral patterns are slightly out of fashion. The most popular materials are wool, cotton and leather, with wool felt gaining popularity.

The main characteristic feature of modern furniture is its understatement. Giorgio Armani, a couturier turned furniture designer says, that a subtle richness, not an obvious beauty, is most important in contemporary furniture design. Like a beautiful woman, furniture today reveals itself over time.

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304 vs 316 stainless steel

Posted by admin on Jun 19th, 2010 | 0 comments

When first discussing the differences between 304 stainless steel and 316 steel we must first understand what stainless steel is.  Stainless steel is always made using chromium. The minimum amount of chromium used to make stainless steel is 10.5%; it is chromium that makes the steel stainless. Chromium also improves the corrosion resistance by forming a chromium oxide film on the steel. This very thin layer, when placed under the right conditions, can also be self-repairing.

Other elements used to make stainless steel as well, including nickel, nitrogen and molybdenum. Bringing these elements together forms different crystal structures that enable a variety of properties in machining, welding and forming.

There are four major types of stainless steel.  The first and most widely used is austenitic  It has a nickel content of at least 7%, which makes it very flexible. It is used in a range of houseware products, industrial piping and vessels, constructional structures and architectural facades.

Ferritic stainless steel has similar properties to mild steel, but better corrosion resistance. This type of steel is commonly used in washing machines, boilers and indoor architecture. Martensitic stainless steel is a very hard, strong steel. It contains around 13% chromium and is used to make knives and turbine blades.

Finally, there is also a duplex stainless steel that is a composite of austenitic and ferritic steels. This steel is both strong and flexible. Duplex steels are most commonly used in the paper, pulp and shipbuilding industries. They are also widely used in the petrochemical industry.

Grade 304 is the standard “18/8″ stainless; it is the most versatile and most widely used stainless steel, available in a wider range of products including stainless steel tables, cabinets and more , forms and finishes than any other. It has excellent forming and welding characteristics. The balanced austenitic structure of Grade 304 enables it to be severely deep drawn without intermediate annealing, which has made this grade dominant in the manufacture of drawn stainless parts such as sinks, hollow-ware and saucepans. Grade 304 is readily brake or roll formed into a variety of components for applications in the industrial, architectural, and transportation fields. Grade 304 also has outstanding welding characteristics. Post-weld annealing is not required when welding thin sections.

Grade 316 is the standard molybdenum-bearing grade, second in importance to 304 amongst the austenitic stainless steels. The molybdenum gives 316 better overall corrosion resistant properties than Grade 304, particularly higher resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride environments. It has excellent forming and welding characteristics. It is readily brake or roll formed into a variety of parts for applications in the industrial, architectural, and transportation fields. Grade 316 also has outstanding welding characteristics. Post-weld annealing is not required when welding thin sections.

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How To Establish Credit For The First Time

Posted by admin on Jun 18th, 2010 | 0 comments

Lots of people are unclear about how credit works.  This article will help you understand how to establish credit for the first time.

How Do You Get Started Establishing Credit?

Before you can enjoy the benefits of good credit scores, you’ll need to establish your credit history.  People don’t start out with a good credit score automatically.  If you’ve never had credit before, any lender or creditor who researches you will get the same answer from reporting agencies:  “No Data Available.”  So how do you establish credit and keep your credit score high?

Step One:  Get Any Credit You Can, and Use It Sparingly

Whether you’re young and fresh out of high school, or your credit history is too far in the past, even if you’ve simply never used credit before, this tip will help you build good credit scores.  Simply find something you need to purchase, something you can afford, and find a store willing to offer you a credit account for the purchase.

For example, housewares.  If you need furniture, check all the retailers large and small, applying for credit.  It might take a while – a lot of places might refuse you simply because of your lack of a credit history.  Stay at it until you find what you need at a reasonable price, at a store that will offer you a credit account.  You might be told repeatedly that “nobody is going to offer you credit,” but ignore that and keep trying.

One possibility is to get a secured credit card, where your savings account acts as collateral on the account.  

Step Two:  Keep Your Credit Score High

After a couple years of stable credit use, you’ll start to be seen as a desirable customer.  You’ll start getting reams of credit card offers.  Don’t get too excited – be choosy about which cards you apply for, and continue to use them wisely.  Remember:  good credit scores are built by making purchases and paying them off quickly.

Keep a low balance, and pay at least the minimum balance – or even the whole balance – every month.  Paying even one day after the due date is a risk to your credit score.

Some other tips on building credit and keeping your credit score high:

1.    Never cancel a credit card.  Keeping those accounts open – even after you’ve stopped using them – helps your credit score.
2.    Get a copy of your credit report every 6 to 12 months and review it.
3.    Read your credit card bills carefully, and report any fraudulent charges right away.  Always call the credit card company immediately if you can’t find your card.  Many companies only offer protection against fraudulent charges for the first 24 hours after the purchase was made.
4.    Set security limits on your credit cards.  This ensures that big purchases won’t go thru unless you speak to the credit card company to authorize them.  
5.    Any time your credit or debit card is out of your hands, it’s out of your control.  There are true stories about bartenders using customers’ credit cards to “tip themselves” by buying things online!
6.    Get in the habit of checking your balance and recent purchases online at least once a week.

Follow these tips and develop the new habits described above, and you’ll establish good credit scores in just a couple of short years.

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Poole Pottery

Posted by admin on Jun 17th, 2010 | 0 comments

Poole Pottery, known for its fine antique vases, urns, dinnerware, and other collectible china, had a history that began with the takeover in 1873 of the defunct pottery works of James Walker by Jesse Carter in the town of Poole, Dorset, England. The manufactory was located near the docks of the harbor at Poole, so as to easily offload the rich clay deposits from the nearby hills and to ship finished products to the rest of the world. The company grew rapidly under Jesse’s direction, soon taking over nearby rival Patent Architectural Pottery at Hamworthy.

As the name implies, Carter’s Industrial Tile Manufactory produced mainly tile and mosaic until after World War I. But gradually there seeped in the production of ceramic artware as well.

Carter & Company, as the name evolved, had created a subsidiary by 1921 called Carter, Stabler & Adams. Charles and Owen Carter had succeeded Jesse Carter upon his death in 1901. Two sets of spouses – Harold and Phoebe Stabler, along with John and Truda Adams, had induced the Carter family to begin creating housewares, dinnerware, and other decorative ceramic items at Poole Quayside. Truda is credited with many popular designs reflecting the art deco style of the day.

Carter & Co. never abandoned its industrial line, however, and Poole Pottery tiles are still found in The London Subway stations that date to the first half of the twentieth century.

Early pieces of the 1920’s include volcano themes for vases, urns, and plates (as seen on this page). These are sought-after today and command high prices.

The 1930’s saw Stabler’s Studland design, followed by Purbeck and Streamline (later known as Twintone). Hand-decorated Ship Plates were also produced in the thirties. It was also during the 1930’s that the traditional red earthernware tended to give way to white clay.

Decorative pieces were de-emphasized in the war effort starting in 1939 up through 1945. By the end of World War II, Harold Stabler had died, and John Adams was no longer in good health. Another Carter family member, Cyril Carter, convinced backers to re-tool and purchase modern equipment.

By 1948, the company was again at peak production. New lines of decorative pottery began to appear, such as free-form designs of Sydenham and Read, and Studio Ware of Robert Jefferson. Jefferson and Tony Morris were responsible for the Poole Delphis line. Ann Read and Ruth Pavely were prominent decorators of that same period. The Poole Freeform shapes of the 1950’s fetch high prices today.

Cyril Carter died and in 1964, Carter Stable & Adams became part of Pilkington Group under the name of Poole Pottery Limited. The Pilkington era saw the creation of Calypso, Domino, Siena, and Olympus.

In 1992 the employee group was able to buy back the company to become an independent entity again. By 2006, however, bankruptcy forced a takeover by Lifestyle Group Ltd., which also controlled Royal Staffordshire. Production was moved to its factory in Burslem, Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent, but the shops at Poole Quayside were eventually re-opened.

The Poole Pottery name remains popular, and some of the finest works appear today at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

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Promotional Products San Antonio- Start The Year Right With Appreciation Gifts

Posted by admin on Jun 17th, 2010 | 0 comments

Starting a new year brings the chance for you to enjoy new chances in your business. You will face new challenges, new opportunities, and be able to make improvements in all types of areas. One of the easiest ways to improve your business on a more complete level is to show appreciation to customers and employees, allowing them to know that you care. When you use San Antonio promotional products and corporate gifts, you can remind everyone of how much your San Antonio business appreciates their efforts and contributions.

One of the best parts of San Antonio promotional products is that they can be customized to feature many different landmarks and elements from the city itself, reminding customers and employees where your company comes from. You can include different landmarks like the Spanish Governor’s Palace or the Alamo in your corporate gifts San Antonio to offer unique and appreciative gifts that show how much you really care. After all, the quality of the products that you give is just as important as the fact that you give them in the first place.

Regardless of whether you are looking for promotional items or employee recognition gifts, you can find all kinds of items to choose from. You can find pens, calendars, and other office supplies that are inexpensive and still show your appreciation. You will also find clothing, hats, housewares and other products that can be adorned with your company logo to show appreciation or promote your company in many different ways.

Your location is a very important part of the identity of your company. Using items like the Vietnam War Memorial or Mission San Jose as images on your gifts will let people remember where you come from. It doesn’t matter if you are gifting for employee recognition, special occasions, or holidays, or even if you’re offering gifts and promotional items to customers because there will be something to suit all the needs that you have.

While location does matter, the promotional items San Antonio that you find are going to be similar to items that you’d find in other regions and cities. The difference will be in the images and details that you include which make your gifts specific to your roots in San Antonio. You will always want to use creative and unique gifts whenever you can, because you want people to remember you in a positive way.

For example, if you have employees earning awards for their years of service, you wouldn’t give out the same inexpensive promotional calendars that you offer to customers and prospective customers at expos and in marketing campaigns. You will want to make sure that you offer gifts that suit each occasion, no matter how important or simple it might be. Your intentions with giving San Antonio promotional products DO matter and you need to choose gifts that reflect your intentions and will give people an accurate reminder of your company. If you want them to know that you’re a quality business that appreciates them, your gifts should be quality products.

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