‘Out with the old, and in with the new’, that’s how most people feel about their outdated furniture. But replacing old furniture can be a big hassle, and a big expense. So if it’s time to upgrade your old sofa set or kitchen cabinets, consider giving them a furniture face-lift. Here’s a few tips and tricks to help freshen’ up every day pieces of furniture.

Make Your Old Cupboards New Again

Bright colours are always a nice way to combat the winter blahs, especially when it comes to your kitchen cupboards. You can have your cupboards re-finished professionally at a low cost, or tackle it yourself. For those who prefer to do it yourself, remove the hinges and handles from your cupboards and wash them with soap or diluted bleach and let dry. Then lightly sand the doors with fine grade sandpaper and wash them again thoroughly. Finally, add a couple coats of primer and colourful paint and voila, a new set of colourful cupboards!

Covering up Old Styles

Has your couch seen better days, or even better decades? A slipcover might be the best way to update your style. Slipcovers don’t just look like sheets thrown over your sofa anymore. Today’s furniture covers are stylish and come in an assortment of colours and designs; they even come in stretch fabrics that make it hard to tell your sofa has even been covered.

Out with the Old, in with the Older

A newer, modern look isn’t for everyone. If you have a piece of wooden furniture that you’d like to send back in time, it’s possible to give it an ‘antique’ look. You’ll need to strip your furniture’s paint and apply numerous paints, glues, and glaze mixtures before sanding its surface to create that worn, aged look. Ask your local paint store or decorating centre for an Antique Paint Kit, and follow the instructions

Most Canadians would probably agree: a house is not a home without a pet. Over two thirds of Canadian households own at least one cat or dog and many own both – that’s a lot of furry friends. The problem, however, is that a pet can take a toll on your living space and put a damper on your design plans. Whether it’s scratching floors, staining carpets, or wreaking havoc on your new sofa set, cats and dogs often have their own design ideas. Thankfully, there are plenty of stylish options available to make your home more pleasant for your pets, and your pocketbook.


Carpets

As comfy as carpets are, they aren’t always the best flooring option for pets. Carpets get stained, collect pet hair, and tend to retain odours. Stain resistant carpets can help alleviate these problems but be careful, as most are treated with a topical application of chemicals that may be harmful to your pet’s long-term health. As a safe, cost-effective alternative, try using an area rug or even carpet tiles. Square carpet tiles join together to create a full carpet or area rug and allows you to mix and match designs and colours. As a bonus, you’ll have the flexibility to replace soiled or overused tiles at minimal cost.

Flooring

The pitter patter of a pet’s paws is best kept to harder surfaces. Hard surfaces are healthier for your cat or dog, easier to maintain, and cooler for pets with thicker coats to lie on. Wood surfaces such as oak, cherry, and maple are also scratch resistant and more durable than other woods. For a low cost flooring alternative, try using tile, bamboo, laminate or even rubber flooring. These types of surfaces will resist your pet’s claw marks and help prevent odour retention too.

Fabrics and Furniture

Let’s face it, keeping your dog or cat off the couch isn’t always easy. So, when searching for pet-friendly furniture, opt for tightly woven fabrics that can resist tears and rips. Crypton, for example, is a nearly indestructible synthetic fabric. It’s stain-resistant and perfect for defending against muddy paws and the dirt and grime that pet fur can leave behind. Quality leathers, ultra suede and micro fibers are all extremely durable, odour resistant, and easy to clean. And if purchasing a new sofa isn’t in the plans, try using a slipcover. Slipcovers can be custom designed to fit over any sofa, chair, or futon mattress that Fido likes to sleep on when you’re not home.

A pet friendly-home doesn’t mean that your design ideas have to ‘go to the dogs’. With the right mix of fabrics, flooring, and furniture, you and your pet can live in comfort and style.

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