Ellen’s Blog at TheHome.com poses an important question about your guest room.  She also provides a check list “to see if yours makes the grade”.  A great perspective in creating a guest room might be to ask yourself “What I would expect for my stay from a great hotel room?”  Old stories about guests and fish aside, Ellen’s list might help you along in designing this important room.

Read her entire article here.

In the constant search for the new and better, furniture manufactures are looking again at ultra suede.  Ultra suede (used as a generic term for a type of fabric) became very popular some years ago and then faded from favor.  There were many reasons, but chief among them were the proliferation of cheap products calling themselves ultra suede.  Since the high quality versions have such desirable wear, comfort and color characteristics, manufacturers would like to include some offerings in their fabric options.

UltraSuede brand

What does this mean for you?

1. Huge fabric color selection.
2. Great wear quality.
3. Comfort

Those are compelling arguments for this fabric.  But the million dollar question (as always) is “What do you, the consumer, think of the new UltraSuede?”

Comparison points for you to consider:

UltraSuede is actually a trademarked name for a particular manufacturing process owned exclusively by Toray Industries.  To better educate consumers to the differences between the legitimate Ultrasuede and the pretenders, Toray has issued the following information:

PRODUCT COMPARISONS
**Three categories of types of suede products
Non woven polyester, non woven nylon, woven/knitted polyester

ULTRASUEDE® IOO%POLYESTER ULTRA MICROFIBER NON WOVEN

1. Trademarked brand name, the original. Toray Industries, in the 70’s, invented the first microfiber. Apparel Designer Ralston introduced into the USA as the first machine washable/dryable designer garment. The benchmark product.
2. Manufacturing process is unduplicated and proprietary. Millions of tiny microscopic microfibers in each square inch. These microfibers are needle punched together. There are no threads. The microfibers are needle punched around an interior scrirn. This is one of the reasons why this product is so durable. Ultrasuede® microfibers are 50 times finer than cotton and about 200 times finer than wool. The suede look and feel are inherent and are achieved during the manufacturing process.
3. Exceeds all light fastness and color fastness testing. This product is used extensively in the automotive industry where color and light fastness testing have much higher standards.
4. Passes over 200,000 double rubs on durability upholstery test.  Residential standards are 15,000 double rubs, contract heavy duty standards arc 30,000 double rubs.
5. Machine washable and dryable.  Does not shrink, stretch, fade or pill.  Most any stain comes out with mild soap and water.

OTHER POLYESTER BASED MICROFIBER PRODUCTS – NON WOVEN

1. Only 1 or 2 other non woven micofibers in the market — no recognizably trademarked products.
2. Density per square inch of microfiber is substantially less due to inferior manufacturing process.  Usage of water jets to mingle fibers which cause force during process.  Less microfibers mean less durability, cleanability, etc.
3. Due to water jet process less surface effect and a dry feel, more like brushed cotton vs. suede.

OTHER POLYESTER BASED PRODUCTS – NON WOVEN AND KNITTED

1. Most microfiber in the market today is either woven or knitted.
2. A woven or knitted product does not have an inherent suede” feel.  To create a suede feel the product has to be sanded. This procedure immediately weakens the thread, leading to an inferior product. In most cases these products need to be backed for stability.
3. Poor durability and color fastness. Barely meets standards for residential furniture.
4. Product weight is about half of Ultrasuede®.

NYLON BASED PRODUCTS – NON-WOVEN

1. Nylon is inherently hydrophilic (absorbs water), can easily absorb its equal weight in water. Leaves water rings
2. Unstable color migration (crocking with other fabrics).
3. Permanent deformation under weight (stretches with poor recovery).
4. Extremely inferior abrasion resistance.

The debate over quality construction of upholstered furniture

Okay, debate may be overstating it. Nevertheless there are a lot of opinions about what features to look for in quality upholstered furniture. Here is ccino’s take:

We get the consumer’s problems:

1. You can’t see inside a sofa to see how it is put together.
2. The industry jargon doesn’t mean a darn thing to you.
3. Will it be as comfortable in a year as it is today?
4. Will the fabric last as long as the frame?
5. Will the cushions flatten?
6. And on and on…

We’ve looked on the web for consumer information on quality construction. And like all things on the web there is a lot of it. But, much of it is simple cut & paste journalism. Most of these “knowledgeable” people have searched the web for articles and simply regurgitated the standard pap:

“look for kiln-dried hardwood frames”

“Make sure the corners are blocked”

“buy only 8-way hand-tied spring frames”

“Custom-made sofas feature padding of horsehair and burlap, which retain their shape, topped with layers of goose down.”

This information is badly outdated! Besides, any list of even the best techniques can lead you astray. Because, in the final analysis, shoddy execution can ruin the best design. Your first defense is still to do business with someone you trust who offers great warranties. But, good construction does matter – so here are some things to look for as well as some expert information for you engineer types:

1. TAKE A LOAD OFF

• Sit on it. Each and every cushion. For a while. 5 minutes or so. Curl up if that’s your thing. Here comes the technical part: is it comfortable?
• Wiggle the back rail and arms. There shouldn’t be much.
• Give the frame a little twist by lifting at one front corner while someone holds down the opposing arm. If it twists very much – shout.
• Stores may have a cut-away section or an illustration of their construction techniques showing corner blocks, glue, screws and nailing details. If you are buying a floor model, you can probably get someone to remove the bottom dust cover near one leg so that you can see these details. Legs are screwed into the frame are fine. Legs that are part of the frame may be stronger but are harder to repair.
• As we said above, kiln-dried hardwood or furniture-grade plywood can denote high-quality materials. But they can’t make up for poor workmanship.

2. GIVE IT A SQUEEZE

• Run your hand along all of the “edges” of the piece: rails, corners, and arms. There should be a layer of padding to keep you from feeling sharp edges.

3. CUSHIONS – WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD

• Unzip a seat cushion and peek inside. Go ahead, you know you wanna. You should see foam covered with polyester batting, enclosed in a muslin or nonwoven pillowcase.
• Removable back cushions that contain loose filler should have a casing that is stitched into multiple compartments to minimize fill settling.

4. SPRING FORWARD, FALL BACK

(I always get that mixed up, like feed a cold, starve a fever. ??)

• Press down hard on the deck (the area under the seat cushion) to sense if seat springs are evenly spaced and equally resistant to pressure.
• Silence is golden — you shouldn’t hear any squeaks.
• “Eight-way hand-tied springs” are no longer synonymous with comfort or high quality. Other types of springs–coil, cone, S-shaped, and grid–can be just fine; they mainly influence how comfortable the sofa feels to you. We’re in subjective land here. The only thing that matters is your opinion.

5. TAILORED PERFECTION

• The best tailoring costs you more in three ways. 1) It takes longer to execute. 2) It takes more highly skilled, expensive workers. 3) It uses significantly more fabric to attain that flow-matched look. Your choice, but you need to know what that extra degree of excellence is costing you.
• Stripes and plaids should appear straight while other patterns should flow from one part of the sofa to the next.
• Welted seams should be straight, skirt pleats evenly spaced, zippers hidden or color matched to the upholstery.

Wood Industry site

We want to help you create a room that expresses your personal style.  But how do you know what that is?  How do you know what mix of furniture, fabrics, colors and accessories will work to create that harmony of design that will express your unique style?  Here are a few tips that will help you think about style.  Take a little time with this process, then work with your designer to put the entire profile together.  Remember, the process is a conversation — don’t rush it!

1.  Discover your personal style. Read the shelter magazines and cruise design sites on the web.  Start a style and idea folder of rooms that you love.  Don’t be afraid to incorporate items from different design styles — mix and match. This eclectic look enriches the look of a room. Learn what inspires you. And, refuse to categorized. This relates directly to the next point:

2.  Its all about you. Though you want to be proud of your room, don’t worry about your neighbor. While styles and trends are great ways to get new ideas to spruce up a room, don’t base your entire design around what you think will impress your guests. Make sure that your style is uniquely yours. Remember-you have to live with your design choices every day, not your neighbors!

3.  Don’t settle. Don’t just buy things to fill the room. Better to do without for a short period of time than put the wrong piece in and then have to live with it.  It will be well worth the wait when you’ve assembled a room made up of things you love.

4.  Work to a plan. Using an accurate floor plan and then adding in all the elements of your design plan is the best way to ensure a great design.  It allows you to spread out your purchases and still achieve the cohesive look that you’re after.  However, military strategists say that no plan survives the firs moments of battle.  You too should be prepared to be flexible over the course of your room project.

5.  Embrace color. Color is one of the best ways to to add warmth and personality in a room.  Find what shades make you happy and use it to add some life to your room.  Small rooms are a great place to make a dramatic color statement.

6.  Don’t worry about the Joneses. Like most everyone, we love to work with the new colors and fabrics.  Make sure that your style is uniquely yours. Remember-you have to live with your design choices every day, not your neighbors!

7.  Lighting is crucial. In addition to the functional aspects, lighting also helps to set the mood or add design to a room. Try different types of lighting, such as incandescent or halogen, or use lighting fixtures, such as sconces and chandeliers as part of your design theme.

8.   Consider your options for your walls. Wall art doesn’t need to be expensive — it needs to please you. Framed personal photographs tell about people and places that hold great meaning for you.  Incorporate art.Many homeowners think expensive price tags when they think of art. However, art doesn’t have to have a high monetary value as long as it has high personal value. Framing personal photographs of your favorite vacation can add a beautiful statement to a room, while making it uniquely your own. Even a unique faucet and sink as the focal point of a room can be considered art!

9.  Ceilings need love too. Add crown molding, paint the ceiling a slightly lighter shade of the same color. If you’re like most homeowners, when it comes to decorating, you only think about the four walls and floor of a room. But don’t forget the ceiling. If there is no crown molding in a room, there is no reason to not extend the color on the walls into the ceiling to create a cohesive, never-ending look to the room. Just be sure to choose a ¼ lighter shade of paint on the ceiling since horizontal planes tend to look darker than vertical planes. Also, be sure to choose quality surfaces for your flooring. As the most used surface in a room, quality that will withstand foot traffic is essential.

10.  Consider flow. Open floor plans make color flow and design flow more important than ever.  No room is an island. Some colors complement each other and work wonderfully together.  Others just seem jarring and uncomfortable when used together.  Help with color families is widely available on the web.
Design styles should also flow from one room to another.  All surface textures and finishes should be considered in your plan and be used to draw the design elements of one room into another.

Specialty fabrics often add the flair or punch to a fabulous room design.  At the recent fall High Point market those specialty fabrics frequently came from ikats and susanis.  There are furniture grade designs in these fabrics available.  Most often, fabrics with designs and colors this strong will be used as one of the accent fabrics in a room.  Perhaps on a chair or on some of the accent pillows.

Ikat Designs

The word “ikat” means “to bind.”  It is a very ancient way of creating designs in fabric by resist-dyeing (a bit like tie-dying) the threads before the fabric is woven.  In Thailand, villagers take the weft (crosswise filling threads) and tie tiny bits of plastic onto the threads.

The tightly tied areas of thread, when put into the dye pot, resist the color and create a pattern, once the plastic ties are removed.  Traditional Thai ikat cottons are often indigo-dyed in lively and engaging motifs representing the village life and beliefs of the people.  Modern Thai ikats in cotton and silk are brightly colored with good imported chemical or natural dyes.

This time-honored process creates a fabric that appears highly detailed, complexly woven and hand-crafted.  Ikats often have an ethnic look or feel to them.

In fact, Carole Sloan writing in Furniture Today said that many of the new ikats “in their latest interpretations evoke almost a Native American feel”.  Using this process with newer fabric design and fresh colors can provide a wonderful mix of traditional feel and contemporary fashion.  Take a look at the incredible black lacquered chairs shown here with a vibrant ikat fabric.  Wow.

Susani Textiles

Susani (sometimes spelled “suzani”) is the word for “needle” in Farsi, and the large embroidered dowry textiles of Turkic groups are so named because of the many hundreds of hours of needlework required to produce them.  Susani textiles originate in Central Asia: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and other countries where Uzbeks and Tadzhiks share similar textile traditions with the Turkmen and other neighboring peoples in Central Asia .

Susani from the Uzbekistan cities of Samarkand and Tashkent have larger, bolder patterns than susani from their sister city of Bukhara, known for susani with smaller, very intricate flowers and tendrils reminiscent of certain Indian textiles.

Used in Central Asia primarily as bed covers, susani in the hands of Western collectors often are framed and hung as wall art.  Modern fabric designers are bringing this wonderful textile into our homes as accents and even core fabrics.  But… take a look at susani used in an upholstery application.

You can see why designers love to use this vibrant design and color to add excitement and personality to a room.