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Reproduction furniture takes on the look and the original design of the traditional furniture but comes with a cheaper price tag. If you love the genuine article and can’t seem to get hold of a particular piece or just simply cannot afford the original then reproduction furniture is definitely the realistic option for you. Only the best reproduction furniture can be crafted using the same materials as how they were originally intended. Usually this type of furniture is hand finished whether that be polished, glazed or upholstered.

Reproduction furniture is probably best known for the regency style of the 18th and 19th centuries or from the early American shaker style although it can also be used with more modern styling. The beauty of any of these styles of furniture is not only shown by the care in the craftsmanship, it is also shown in the accuracy of the original styling. Whatever style of furniture you are after, it can be sourced if not replicated, which is when reproduction furniture comes in to its own. You can commission pieces that are no longer in existence or just if they are too pricey, in order to fit in with your existing furniture, it really opens up the options for you and your home. Materials can be specified and the finish can also be copied allowing you to suitably tie in your furnishings. Antique furniture reproductions are becoming more and more popular particularly in the current economic climate and are well worth taking into consideration when furnishing your home.

Where can I pick up reproduction antique furniture?

If you are on the lookout for a particular period of antique reproduction furniture, I would first suggest your local auction rooms. Auction rooms are a tardice for precious treasures and you can potentially pick up a bargain which it why I will suggest trying this option first. Alternatively, if you have a more of a specific style requirement that you are in search of mail order companies saturate the internet and any style of antique furniture reproductions can be found if you take the time to trawl through them. Be sure to search carefully in order to get the best deals and I would always suggest seeing the item before you buy just to be sure. If you specifically search for your nearest stockist’s or suppliers of this type of furniture you will most definitely find somewhere near you so you can have a look and perhaps pick up your item to save on even more pennies! Try antique shops as well, here you can again find some bargains and also remember to try and get some money off if you don’t mind going for the display model.

What sort of style are you trying to achieve in your home?

It is so nice to have this technique available to us as it is not always easy to come by a specific original piece also at affordable prices. As with all decisions with furnishings, it is important to discover what feel you would like to achieve in your home. You may have an 18th or 19th century house that needs a bit of traditional furniture to bring together the modern style of living with the older more traditional. A one off piece of choice furniture would do this effectively, making it a centerpiece in your home. You can choose from clocks to bedsteads and tables and chairs from any period, each having its own charm.

French reproduction furniture is very in fashion at the moment – Louis XV and XVI period French furniture is elegant and chic and this style has become the modern day ‘shabby chic’ bringing to your home an eclectic heathery haven. Beautifully distressed painted furniture looks feminine and soft especially in the bedroom.

Traditionally, the term shabby chic had been used to describe old, worn out furniture. It was a term to acknowledge its shabby appearance, but the owners want it to seem better than it actually was by adding the ‘chic’. Today, the complete phrase shabby chic does still retain its original meaning but looses the negative aspect. Shabby chic furniture has become a fashion statement, a trend and a style that many interior designers are using in order to create a feminine, elegant and rustic look. This rustic appearance can be achieved by painting and sanding the furniture building it up in several layers.

 
Modern Shabby Chic Furniture

Shabby chic furniture doesn’t have to have a specific base style– it is more about the technique of making it look old. You can take any modern style of furniture and create a rustic feel with it, but older styles seem to suit this fashion a little better. If you are fond of the simpler style of design, try looking at the early American shaker style. This furniture has clean lines and doesn’t have any intricate scrolling or floral detailing and would be a nice base for trying this effect. You can get hold this shaker style in various places; maybe try your local auction rooms or there are a great deal of places on the internet. Wherever you chose to shop there are great offers out there if you are prepared to search a little and are able to see the potential in a piece.

Shabby Chic Antique Furniture

Antique furniture is where this style really comes to life. I feel that whatever period you chose to either replicate by reproduction methods or chose to buy the original, it will do it justice. Obviously you can use Victorian, Edwardian or even Gothic but I feel that French Baroque furniture suits Shabby chic more closely than other eras.

French shabby chic furniture is beautiful, elegant and it’s intricate designs so expressive. The scrolling of legs and arms and s-bends on the fronts of drawers, add to the sumptuous lines of this style. Shabby chic bedroom furniture lends itself perfectly to this period. The French furniture is painted in white, which accentuates the elegance of the detailing – Perfect for achieving the beauty a chic ladies bedroom deserves. I have seen the professionals style a bedroom in this style with class and elegance and it’s all about mixing whites, olive greens, blacks and duck egg blue hues with a hint of heathery pinks and grey. Mixed together, this palette makes for a calming and soft yet sumptuous space.

Shabby chic kitchen furniture would suit a more stable and heavy style. The Early American Shaker style in this instance would be more suitable in this room as I explained earlier. Its simpler lines would marry in with the more geometric lines of your appliances.

Doing it Yourself

Shabby chic can be relatively inexpensive and easy to replicate. Once you have decided on a style of furniture you wish to furnish your house with, you can begin to style your item(s). We’d suggest you start with a shabby chic white chest of drawers, they look great in any room.The best idea is to get yourself two pots of paint; one white and the other perhaps a pale green or grey to contrast it. Start by rubbing the piece down and then give it a coat of the coloured paint. Once this is dry, ‘dry brush’ on the white so that it ‘scuffs’ over the surface creating a worn look. If you have painted the white paint on a little too heavily, then just gently rub it with some sandpaper to achieve the finished look.

There’s somebody at the door! Thank goodness for that door knocker that you had installed last week. Gone are the days where you aren’t able to hear that someone is at the door over the noise of simmering potatoes or the brash Hoover.

The history of door knockers

Door knockers have been in use on and off during the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries but the time that they became most popular is during the Romanesque, the Gothic, and the Renaissance periods. Door knockers can be divided into three categories the styles very different but all with the same purpose. Ring based door knockers, by a ring, a hammer, and the third by human figures and animals’ heads. The door knockers during the medieval period were probably the most well made and during the renaissance period they proved to be more detailed and focused on intricacy.

Iron was the first metal to be used to make door knockers partly due to its low price. The finished article was beautiful though, even though it is an ugly metal. Brass took over as the more popular medium to use to take the place of the dowdy iron look. Brass door knockers once highly polished looked stunning and still remain the most popular material today. Brass door knockers, still to this day prove to be an attractive, aesthetic piece of door furniture as well as functional tools. The lion head style of door knocker was always more popular in England compared to anywhere else in the world. England still stands to be the traditionalist home of many types of door knocker and many are still used today. In fact London is home to the beautiful angel with long flowing hair outside the outer gate of the Duke of Devonshire’s house at Piccadilly.

 
A status symbol perhaps?

Interestingly enough, door knockers did not suffer from snobbery, actually during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, knockers were used on all classes of houses and in quite a few houses they were actually bigger than ones on the colonial houses.

Door knockers generally remained in fashion until the mid nineteenth century apart from a small window in the seventeenth century. During the middle of the nineteenth century a wave of modernism swept across and brought with it plain furnishing detailing rather than paneled. This was when the brass door knocker left the fashion runway. Many went to rubbish heaps but a few were saved and today are considered antiques.

What style shall I choose?

I don’t ever feel that here in England door knockers had ever gone out of fashion. They have become part of a door. The door would look empty without one. There are so many types to choose from; rings, heads or hammers, but the most common type of door knocker, the striker round or stirrup-shaped. This is either plain or ornamental looking with twisted details, with wreathing or masks, and the plate is formed of a rosette or lion’s head – the lion door knocker is a very popular choice. The hammer design of knocker – the striker is as the name suggests hammer-shaped, while the main plate and actual knob are plain. This is based on antique door knockers. It is to this type that the beautiful, original iron-chiselled knockers of Henry II and Louis XIV belong. The third style take on the appearance of masks, snakes, dragons, and human figures. These are often found made from brass or bronze. If you fancy something different and pesonal you could take a look at an engraved door knocker.

Whatever design you choose to add to the beauty of your front door, remember that it is the entrance to your home and should not be over-looked. If it is a black wrought iron affect you would like or a highly polished brass option, there are so many different choices on the market. Combine your knocker with a latch and go for the whole look! I still believe that door knockers have a place in our exterior design world and what a way to make a statement to passers by. They were always popular and I can see why and they are also beautifully crafted. – It would be a shame to see tradition disappear completely so take the time and find the right style for you home.

House lights help to create the perfect first impression of your home to visitors after dark not only do they look fantastic they also provide a great deterrent to thieves whilst for you they will make getting in and out of you home in the dark easier.

With so many house lights on the market it’s difficult to know where to start but before you part with your money ask yourself these questions:

What type of home do you own?

This is going to be a big factor in deciding the style of house lighting you choose for the outside of your home. A more traditional home will look better with a more traditional design of light. If you’ve got a home that was built in the 1960′s and decide that a porch light designed on an 1800′s lantern may look nice I’d urge you to reconsider! Try to match the style of lighting to your home if you’ve taken the time to read this article then you probably have a good idea of what style is appropriate to your home.

What type of porch do you have?

Is your porch enclosed so that you lights will not be exposed to the elements or is it a canopy that provides a small amount of shelter for visitors to your front door. If your porch lights are going to be exposed to the elements you will need to look at outdoor porch lighting that has an IP rating of IP33 or more.

What do you want your lighting to do?

Do you want your house lights to provide a useable light so that you can get in and out easily in the dark? Do you want your outdoor house lights to deter thieves? Or, do you just want some lights to look nice and enhance the appearance of your front door? LED house lights look nice but do not give off a great deal of light. If you are looking for a light to just enhance your property there are many alternative to regular porch lights, for example you get illuminated house numbers and signs that are far more energy efficient that porch lights and are also very pleasing to look at.

How bright do you want it?

This follows on from the previous point, but should be considered. Even if you do want the light to be functional do you need to use a 100W bulb or would a lower wattage but focused beam be more appropriate. Light pollution in our cities is becoming a major problem and is affecting nocturnal wildlife; unnecessarily bright lights can also cause problems between neighbours so choose your outdoor porch lights carefully.

Environmental impact

Whatever type of light you are looking for whether it’s an indoor or outdoor house light try to find one that has the best green credentials. This doesn’t necessarily mean finding a light that’s has an LED or energy efficient light bulb – it could be that you have a convention bulb that is only activated when someone gets close to your door way. If you do want your lights to be on for 12 hours a night then an LED or energy efficient bulb will be the option best for the environment.

How will you power your outdoor house lighting?

The easiest way to install a outdoor house lights is to get a solar powered light. Solar powered lights mean that no cables need to be routed to it to provide the power and therefore no drilling through the external walls of your home will be necessary. If you ant a brighter light than that provided by solar powered light then you may be well advised to opt for a low voltage or mains powered light.

How do you want your house light or lights to be mounted?

Do you have a canopy that the porch light can be fitted to or hung from or do you want your porch lights mounted on the wall either side of your front door. Perhaps you don’t want them near your front door at all and want to light your driveway.

By considering the above point before purchasing your house lights you will hopefully end up with the right light for your property first time – saving you time and money. Lights added to the front of your property will increase its curb side appeal and as such will increase the value of your home so don’t rush your decision. Driveway lights are another way of adding some interest to the front of your property; if you already have lights in your driveway you could try to match your outdoor house lights to them.

Outside lights are an excellent way to improve the look and security of your home.  This guide provides an overview of the types of outside lighting available to you.

Outside light fixtures – no matter how small – will look great and deter potential thieves, exterior lighting need not cost a lot either – you will be able to finfd a solution that matches your budget and requirements. Let’s start off by looking at the power sources available to outdoor lights as this is the most disruptive, time consuming and costly part of installing lights.

Power sources for Outside Lights

Solar power is by far the easiest type of light to install – they require no cables and consequently you can be quite creative as to where you position the lights.  Cheap solar powered garden lights may not give out a useable light but they certainly will provide a visible light that looks appealing. If you’ve got a large budget then some of the more expensive solar patio lights will actually provide you with a useable light.

Mains and low voltage outdoor lights can be grouped together in terms of installation hassle. Depending on where you live there may be restrictions on the types of light you can install outside – you may be forced to use low voltage lights. Regardless of this though, you will still need to bury cables to get power from your house to the lights the only difference between them is that the low voltage lights will require a transformer before the cable leaves the house.

Outside Lighting Technologies

There are three main types of lighting available and these are LED, traditional filament and cold cathode. LED outside lights are now by far the most common type of lighting.

LED outside lights come solar powered or low voltage powered and are available in many different colours, they are cheap to run and are very durable and for these reasons they are proving to be very popular.

Traditional filament lights are the second most popular – these will have to be low voltage powered or mains and therefore are more difficult to install. That said, they will provide you with very useable and therefore practical light. Outdoor patio lighting fitted with traditional filament bulbs really do look great.

Cold cathode lights are a very specialist type of lighting that can be likened to fluorescent tubes. From an outdoor lighting design point of view the source of light would be hidden away so that you would just the see the glow. This type of lighting can be stunning but will cost you a lot of money.

Types of Outside Light

Where you can put your lighting will depend on the landscaping of your home, but fundamentally you’ve got four options:

• In/On a wall
• In the ground
• As a post
• Decorative Ligthing

Outside wall lights that are actually built in to the wall are sometimes referred to as brick lights – brick lights or wall lights they can both be considered the same thing. If you are at the exciting design stage of your garden or driveway then the world’s your oyster,  you will be able to design in the lights and run the power cables through the foundations of the wall and build the lights in to the wall. If however you are adding lights to an existing wall the easiest way is to use a surface mounted light. Outside house lights can be installed by drilling through the wall of you home and are relatively easy to install. Wall lights tend to come mains or low voltage powered and not solar powered – although if your budget allows you will be able to find some solutions that have a remote solar panel.

Most people consider ‘driveway lighting’ to be the types of lights that are set in to the ground and point upwards, but you can also get sideways pointing lights that spread the light across the surface of a driveway. Generally speaking this type of light provides only back ground lighting and is there to mark the edge of the drive and not really to emit any useable light. Like with the outside wall lights if you are in the process of landscaping your driveway then you can put what lights you want, where you want, if you’re retro fitting the lights though restrictions will apply. If you are installing lights in to an existing garden or driveway one of the best options may be solar powered. The lights sit in the ground facing upwards and are surrounded by a solar panel. The light given out by the solar lights is bright enough to create a stunning effect, yet dim enough to not contribute significantly to light pollution.

Post lights are an effective way to add lighting to the front or back of your home – there are many solar powered post lights but there are also many mains and low voltage types on the market. They look good but can be delicate so you’ve got young children or boisterous dogs this type of lighting may be best avoided.

Decorative lighting is also an important factor of any outdoor lighting design. The main form that decorative lighting takes are outdoor string lights and there are many different form to choose from. Patio string lights are a popular choice that can be mains powered or in some cases solar powered.

Lighting Strength

I touched on this in the previous paragraph but the strength of lighting should be considered.  In many circumstances some low powered solar lights will provide the perfect light to make your garden look stunning at night. This is better for the environment and wildlife, if you are worried about security then you could get a motion and heat activated porch light that would only come on when someone is detected.

A glass dining table is the ideal practical solution if you need a nice, easy and low maintenance option to keep clean. A dining table should be (along side the fireplace) the heart of your home. This is where the family gathers to spend time and discuss day to day things. It is where families laugh sharing jokes and gather around the homemade cooking that mum has been lovingly cooking all afternoon- this is why I feel that the dining table is without a doubt the heart of the home.

In today’s families lives, this image of ‘togetherness’ is becoming more and more scarce and it’s sad to think that the short periods of time that we must grab and take advantage of, we don’t and it becomes an all too familiar scene of the children running in from school, dumping their school bags and grabbing their dinner at random times to everyone else. They then take the food either into their layers or plonk themselves in front of the television and inevitably get lost in a trance mechanically feeding him / herself!
 

Why a glass dining table and chairs are a good choice

On the subject of children, the option of a glass dining table and chairs has to be the most practical, as it is easier to maintain and keep looking clean and withstands all the abuse a normal child throws at it! Being glass it is easy to wipe all sorts of; paint, food and grime that become attached to it.

The glass table is also a good choice because it is safe. It will have been made from toughened glass, which will give you peace of mind with your little ones. Also, If you are concerned about edges of tables for the same reason, you may want to consider a round glass dining table or even an oval glass dining table – this way there will be no sharp corners and lessen the chances of any accidents.

Another excellent reason why glass is generally a good option is because any type and shape of glass table will inevitably look stylish and will not impose on your room as much as a solid table. If you stick to clear glass, the table is almost invisible to the eye and even though it is there, serving a purpose, visually it blends into its surroundings making it a great option for smaller rooms.

If it is glass that you wish to have in your room but you wanted more of an impact than a clear table you may want to consider black glass dining table. Extremely retro in feel, a black glass dining table would look simply stunning in the correct place. Originally, the black glass was popular in the seventies but today it has come back into fashion adding a contemporary twist to its original staging. Glass does come in different colours so you are of course able to get tables in these hues. If you wanted a pop art sixties feel then why not go for a green or red glass table. This way you can get all of the practicalities of owning a glass table together with the style as well. You will also find that you can get functional tables and an extending glass table is perfect for people that infrequently have guests over for meals.

Finding a simple way to clean your glass

A simple solution of white wine vinegar, water and newspaper is a non-toxic way of cleaning your glass wear. Simply rub onto the glass and use the newspaper to polish off, this will leave the glass with a non smeared appearance. An alternative option is to get an off the shelf cleaning product which will usually come in a spray, you can still use the newspaper to polish it off, which again, will help leave the surface non smeary. You can use this technique to clean any type of glass cabinet, glass table or glass shelves.

I have always believed that lighting completes an environment. Whether it is a room in the house or outside, lighting without a doubt makes a difference on how relaxed you feel or how cosy it feels. Bearing this in mind it is so important to get it right.

If you look at any lifestyle shots in a magazine or on the television – you will be sure to find ambient lighting. The garden however is an area of the home that can get forgotten about and lighting it may not be at the top of your list. This is a mistake though because if you get the correct lighting it ‘forgives’ any imperfections or projects you may be chasing every year to finish. Your garden doesn’t have to look like something taken from the Gardeners World magazine a simple form of outdoor patio lighting will transform your space and make it somewhere you want to spend most of your time especially in the summer months.

Patio lights can come in many forms depending on your budget, taste and what style you wish to achieve with it. You only have to have a good look around your local garden centres on the internet and you will find a plethora of ideas to get inspiration from. One of the main differences in the type of lighting you choose is what sort of light you want them to give off. If you go for an LED option it more often than not will give off a white or blue rather stark light. This can look good in it’s place but if you wanted a more warm yellow light – plug in or wired options are a more suitable choice. You can get a warm LED light but this will cost you more ONLY on the outset as, once installed, the running costs will be cheaper.  LED solar patio lights are great for an environmentally sound option they do not add to the issue of light pollution. They are without a doubt easier to install due to the absence of a cable and they are much safer for children and pets to play around. With solar powered garden lights you will not have to remember to turn them off after you have finished outside either!

Once you have decided on the feel you wish to achieve with your lighting you need to think about whether you would like a single source of lighting or a string of lights for example. Here I shall outline the types that I can think of to help you.

Post Patio Light

This type of lighting is usually a stand-alone single source option. This type of light will mimic the old fashioned traditional style of lamp post and usually fairly ornate and finished in black. This light is ideal if you wish to create an oldy worldy feel in your garden. It will need a bulb and will also need to be wired in, the cable will have to run under the ground to a socket. Be careful if you chose to do this and you could get advice from your local authority or alternatively do a bit of research if you want to know how deep to bury the cable. I better idea may be to bury the cable under the patio slabs – that way you know it will be safe and it will look more concealed than if you were to dig channels out of your precious lawn!

Patio String Lights

There are plenty to choose from. Some battery operated, some LED functioning and some solar – all give fantastic looks. These string lights come in various lengths so think about where they are going to go before you part with your cash! There are also plenty of fun choices of patio string lights out there too! It is worth thinking about the fact that they will invariably stay outside for the most part so you will need to go for outdoor string lights specificaly designed to endure the outdoors. These look great draped over a shrub or intertwined on a willow fence – they bring a little bit of magic in to your summer garden.

Patio umbrella lights

Patio umbrella lights are relatively new to the market. They look like a UFO but absolutely fantastic once installed! They fit around the top part of your parasol or umbrella and cast a beautiful light onto the table. These light are usually battery operated but the lifespan of them is quite good considering.

Patio rock lights / mini post lights

Again, these can be solar, wired or LED options. These can be dotted around your garden and patio to accentuate specific plants or areas of interest in your space. The rock lights in particular are more dramatic and add depth to your garden because of the fact that they can be angled. Remember if you do want the flexibility of having no wire the light will be whiter and a little colder as opposed to an amber light that you get from wired lights. It is possible to obtain amber hues with an LED source but you may have to be prepared to spend a lot more.

If you have a large room that you wish to segment or even if you have a small room you are best off buying for a corner sofa. Corner sofas are so adaptable and can be used in so many ways. A corner sofa gives you the option of changing a layout of a room easier than if you went for a traditional 2 seater sofa shape not just initially but also after months if you feel like a change.

Today, most rooms are not exactly how we’d like them to be set out, so in order to alleviate this we need to go for options that help us with this little conundrum. A corner sofa is one of the most ingenious designs by adding both style and shape and also the imperative of comfort.

Chimneybreasts tend to segment a room directly in the center just so that it makes it more difficult to make a large lounge or living room in to a lounge dining room with two sofas. Having two large sofas around does somewhat restrict what you are able to do with a room with the chimneybreast issue. Maybe you have like us, thought of getting rid of one of you sofas so that you can free up some space to place a dining room table and chairs but it just isn’t feasible as having the space that they provide is always nice for when people come over so you don’t feel as though you have to sit on the floor with the dogs when entertaining!

So try a corner sofa – that is really the best solution to this dilemma and an extremely popular one. By having a corner sofa, you still have the space to provide enough room for a) Your guests  b) Plenty of space to stretch out whilst watching a movie c) More usable area for you to utilize as something else i.e. getting that long awaited dining room table so you won’t have to sit on your original sofas and eat on you lap anymore! You can then get a leather armchair to compliment your sofa – and this offers a lot of flexibility.

Choosing the right colour and style

My advice before venturing out and buying a corner suite is to think about materials and look you wish to achieve in your room. There are many varying options of material and style – some more contemporary than others and some more comfortable than others, so be sure to try them out as well. If you have small children, I would advise you think seriously about getting a leather corner sofa. A leather sofa, if you do have the budget, will last a lifetime and it won’t date. Spillages and stains can be simply wiped off and even though it will cost a little more at the outset, it will make up for your investment.

Leather corner sofas come in varying colours and types of leather so you will still have many options for making it fit in with your style.

A brown leather corner suite looks soft and slick. The rich tones that a brown leather gives out, I feel is warming and it will match any interior. Chocolate browns look stunning with duck egg blues, sage greens, purples and creams. There really is no colour that will not sit comfortably with a brown leather option.

A black leather corner sofa looks just as good – by sticking to these simple colours you will find that they won’t date and they will hide marks a little better than on a red or green leather option. Black leather looks cutting edge and high fashion if contrasted with white and grey making a great either a 1920s style statement or a 1960s bold retro feel. Black and white gives clean and crisp design and teamed with the correct interior will look stunning. Although you may be tempted to make a statement and buy a red leather corner sofa we would recommend to keep the colour simple i.e. black, white or brown and then you can change the decoration every few years instead of coughing up for another sofa!

Not only should you bear in mind the style of the sofa, you should also consider the functionality of it. For example do you frequently have guest over? Perhaps a corner sofa bed would be ideal and you’ll be pleased to hear that there are many leather corner sofa beds on the market.

Caring for your leather sofa

Quite honestly, I would recommend either baby wipes which work really well on getting any grime off and also putting back into the leather some much needed oils and moisture which does get lost over the years. There are protectors on the market, which you will need to coat the sofa in at least once a year but these are more pricey!

Like most outdoor lights, string lights for the garden come powered by three main power sources. Regardless of the power source delicate string lights in the garden make a fantastic addition at any time of year. The three main power sources for outdoor string lights (or in fact any type of garden  light should they be driveway lights, patio lights or pond lights) are solar power, mains power or mains powered but low voltage and battery power. Not all of these power sources are suitable for year round use though, so if you want to use your string lights outdoors all year round then you will need to consider your power source carefully.

Solar Powered Outdoor String Lights

The most popular choice of power source for garden lights at the moment is that of solar power. Manufacturing techniques and the introduction of LED light sources means the solar powered garden lights have flooded the market. Although great in the summer (depending on where you live)  winter performance of solar powered garden lights may leave a lot to be desired. If you only want to use string lights in your garden in the summer then solar power is the ideal choice. The wire free solution of solar powered string lights really does give rise to some creative thinking as to where you can position the lights. There are solar powered string lights on the market that have the solar panel remotely located and this gives you even more flexibility in terms of where you can position them. The solar panel can be positioned in the sun and the lights positioned in a shaded area.

Battery Powered Outdoor String Lights

As with solar powered string lights the effect that LED’s have had on the battery operated lighting market has been astronomic. You are spoilt for choice as to the number of battery operated string lights you can get now although the most popular is still the traditional white string lights. The choice of battery you use in your lights is very important and not many manufacturers will explain this to you. Most battery powered string lights will run on AA batteries and these tend to come in two ‘flavours’ alkaline and lithium. If you only want to use your lights in the summer then just use cheap alkaline batteries. If however you want to use your string lights in the winter then you really should use lithium batteries. There is a very simple reason for this: lithium batteries will work in sub zero temperatures, alkaline will not. Battery operated outdoor string lights come in various guises – one of our favourites are patio umbrella lights that wrap around or clip to the arms of the umbrella.

Mains Powered String Lights

Mains powered outdoor string lights are certainly the most reliable, however they do have one very big constraint – they have to be plugged in. Having to be connected to a mains power source does give you year round lighting, regardless of the weather, however you will be severely restricted as to where you can put the lights. There are also some very important safety considerations that need to be taking in to account before buying and installing some mains powered outdoor string lights. You will find that the vast majority of commercial outdoor string lights and designer outdoor lights are mains powered as reliability is of the upmost importance. If you want ultra-reliable and you are going to use your string lights on a patio which is close to your house then these will without doubt give you the best performing outdoor lights. Mains powered outdoor patio string lights come in numerous different colours, lengths and styles so you shouldn’t find it too hard to find some that you like. Unlike solar patio lights you should be able to find that these types of light come in greater lengths.

Shoes can make or break an outfit and a variety of shoes helps ensure every outfit you own looks great and up to date. Shoes are often quite a financial investment, so you want to make sure the ones you buy are going to last a long time and look great for more than one season, so protecting them and keeping them in good shape by storing them properly is important. Storing shoes, though, can be quite a task. Shoe storage needs to be easy and convenient, or you will not use it and your shoes will end up scattered about or laying in front of the door, just waiting to trip you after a long day at work. There are a lot of storage options for shoes, and this is your guide to shoe storage solutions. This quick overview of storage ideas should help get you organized and ready to put your best foot forward.

A shoe storage cabinet is a great solution for families and households with children. These cabinets are actually pieces of furniture that organize and hide your families shoes while keeping them ready at hand. Available in armoire and chest styles, these pieces offer an elegant solution that will blend with your existing decor while offering organization for your home. Designed with individual cubbyholes, every member of your household will have a place to put their shoes and you will not find yourself tripping over your children’s shoes or struggling to find them every morning before school. Shoe cabinets offer another advantage in that they are often large enough to offer a place for hanging coats, handbags, and other items, as well.

Plastic shoe boxes are another great solution to keeping your shoes neat and orderly. Clear shoe boxes make it easy to see shoes while keeping them off the floor and out of your way. Plastic shoe boxes are stackable and take up little space, making them a perfect choice for closets. Just put your shoes in the bin and stack them on your shelves, and your shoes will be easy to find and access. Plastic shoe boxes are also inexpensive, allowing you to buy multiples without breaking the bank so all your shoes can be neatly put away, not just your true investment piece shoes.

Shoe storage benches are perfect in a hallway or entrance because of their narrow footprint. Offering a place to sit while you take off or put on your shoes, shoe benches protect and organize your shoes and de-clutters your house. Many shoe benches offer enough storage to hold up to ten pairs of shoes and some models have additional storage drawers that can hold umbrellas, keys, and other small items that might otherwise end up strewn about cluttering up your living space. Shoe benches are a great addition to an entryway and ensure your family has a place to take of their shoes as soon as they come in, eliminating most of the tracking in of dirt and debris through your home.

Hanging storage units are handy and inexpensive options, as well. Hanging units can accommodate multiple pairs of shoes and take up very little space. Hanging units have individual shelves for each pair of shoes that are designed to hang on the back of your closet door or from the clothes rod in the closet. Many hanging units have smaller shelves or cubbyholes that hold accessories such as belts, gloves, or scarves making them a great addition to the closet organization you already have in place.

Bedroom storage for your shoes is a snap, too. There are a number of storage pieces designed to hold multiple pairs of shoes, even high heels and boots, while still being slim and narrow enough to slide under your bed easily. These shoe organizers are a great idea for people with exceptionally limited closet or floor space. Small apartments and homes often have tiny closets and you need every available inch in them for storing your clothes, so these under the bed units are a great choice in those cases. Depending on the size of your bed, you can house multiple under the bed storage units in your bedroom without clutter and without eating up valuable closet storage space.

With all the available options, there is a shoe storage solution just right for your home. Whether you choose a cabinet, plastic box, a bench, a hanging unit or bedroom storage, keeping your shoes tidy is easy. De-clutter your home and keep your shoes looking new with one of these great ideas today.