Contemporary Bedroom Designs for Studio Living In The New Year

Contemporary Bedroom Designs for Studio Living In The New Year

For many, one’s first home is either a studio or one bedroom apartment. Although these may be compact, it’s perfectly possible to make a studio homey, especially with all the clever storage solutions you can find in furniture today. It needn’t be too expensive to kit out a small space. Look around at a furniture sale to give you some ideas of what kind of furniture you should be getting – there are often room sets which can provide you with some inspiration.

If you have a bedroom and a living room, you might want to buy a sofa bed, rather than just a normal sofa. This will provide you with easy to organize guest accommodation – and the bed will fold away and disappear back into the sofa bed whenever it’s not required. If you’re not in a rush to buy a sofa, wait for the sofa sales before you buy – you’ll save a great deal this way. Sales are usually put on to clear the last season’s stock and if you’re not too fussed about what colour or shape sofa you have, you can find some real bargains.

In the living area, you’ll need a table and chairs – even if you don’t have a dining room, you still need somewhere to eat. And if your kitchen is just a corner of the living room, the table can provide useful extra workspace to prepare your meals on.

Find a unit that will hold your TV and DVD player, but also provide some useful storage space. You could get a wall unit that has a space for the TV, or a TV stand with a cupboard built-in underneath it. The key to making a small space work is to keep it organised, so once you have your furniture sorted out, keep the clutter to an absolute minimum and your space will remain quaintly bijou rather than poky and cramped!

The modern passion for interior decorating and contemporary design means that it has never been easier to find items for your home to create the look you want. Contemporary interior design has changed the way we decorate our homes and allowed us to express ourselves through interior design in a way that reflects style and class, without spending a fortune.

For our grandparents’ generation, it was the case that the more ‘stuff’ we had, the better! Living rooms cluttered with a million and one items, and bedrooms decorated with chintz and flowers galore were the norm. Thank goodness times have changed! Nowadays, the minimalist look is favoured, and homes reflect a more pared back approach to design.

To create a contemporary and modern look in your bedroom, choose the right key pieces of furniture and don’t over-clutter. Double beds in sleek and sharp designs make the ideal central focal point for the bedroom and you can find a wide range of fabulous modern designs at Bensons. Take your time to choose the right bed for you and this can be your springboard for the rest of the room.

Once you have found the right bed, consider the rest of the bedroom, and in particular the bedroom furniture. Choose wardrobes, dressers, chests of drawers and bedside tables in clean, modern shapes and styles. If you’re going for a contemporary look you obviously don’t want to go for anything vintage or with an antique feel. The colours you choose to decorate your bedroom with once you have found your furniture will really finish off the look of your room. For a contemporary look, think blocks of colour as opposed to lots of patterns. Simple is the key, so flowery or chintzy wallpaper is out! Finish off the look with a well chosen piece of modern art hanging on the wall.

New year, new opportunities indicates weekly trips to the gym, carrots instead of candy and an opportunity to break bad habits. How about a resolution that goes beyond 2012 and keeps your children and home safe for years to come? This year, make it a priority to childproof your kitchen and clean beyond the countertops to keep your family happy and healthy all year long. “Your kitchen never gets a day off,” said Doug Rogers, president of Mr. Appliance Corp. “Between hot appliances and sharp cooking utensils, kids can often be in danger of hurting themselves. Fortunately, homeowners can prevent most accidents by making a few simple adjustments and educating their children about kitchen safety.”

Follow these resolution tips from Mr. Appliance to keep your kitchen clean and your kids safe: Keep items not safe for kids on higher shelves. Place juice boxes, apple slices and cheese sticks on the lower shelves for a healthy snack within your child’s reach. Soak refrigerator removable parts in the sink with warm, soapy water to remove stains from food spills to keep new produce as fresh as possible. Position refrigerator shelves to make it difficult for children to climb inside and close the door leaving your kitchen with a dangerous hide-and-seek spot.

Turn pot and pan handles in and away from the edge of the stove so curious hands can’t pull them down. Remove oven racks and wash them by hand with warm water and soap to remove caked on food that can burn in your oven.

Establish a “safety zone” marked by a small rug or area of the kitchen to keep kids several feet away from the oven while it’s hot. Wipe interior microwave surfaces with a mixture of two tablespoons baking soda and one quart water to remove food stains and keep your microwave clean for future use. Encourage children to use an oven mitt when removing a hot plate or bowl.
Heat a microwave-safe bowl of vanilla extract for three minutes to give your kitchen a fresh scent. Keep the dishwasher closed when you’re not loading or unloading. Sharp utensils inside can be dangerous to children. Create a “safety zone” when opening the door to a steam-heavy dishwasher to avoid burns from the hot steam. Teach children to wait for dishes to cool down before unloading.
Give your dishwasher a fresh start to thoroughly clean your dishes. Remove food residue by running an empty dishwasher with a cup of white vinegar.

Most of these resolution tips can be accomplished in a matter of minutes and keep your home safe and energy efficient, too! If you find a problem that you can’t handle, contact an appliance repair professional to help.