Decorating trends come and go, and matching, large upholstered pieces in the living room are out of vogue. Although buying a complete set makes decorating simpler, your room will appear monotonous, boring and repetitive. You want your space to offer a harmonious mixture of patterns, textures and colors, along with a few surprises for aesthetic interest. Synchronize Your Furniture For a more interesting room, avoid this kind of matching set.

Using a shape that is not seen often in the coffee table world will help distinguish your handmade coffee table from those on the market. Triangle coffee tables offer all of the advantages of the standard rectangular and oval coffee tables, with an open and unique impression. A triangle coffee table can be built with only basic materials and tools, and limited carpentry experience. These plans can be adjusted as needed to make the coffee table larger, smaller, higher or lower.

Shellac, known for its nontoxic qualities and color varieties, requires routine cleaning to inhibit grime buildup from penetrating it. It is a quick-drying finish used to seal wood furniture and protects wood from moisture loss, splitting, warping and cracking. Things You Will Need + Terry cloth rags Cotton swab Mineral spirits 1/4 tsp. mild soap Clean towel Although shellac enhances hues, this hard-drying finish eventually becomes soiled. Shellac finish accumulates oily smudges and loose dust fragments, which detract from the finish.

Treat a highlighter stain on the carpet as soon as you find it, using mild soap and household substances to render that carpet ink-free once again. Just like permanent markers, highlighters can leave behind unsightly stains on carpeting. Hiding the fluorescent spot may prove to be more than a little tricky, so deal with the mark while it's still fresh to remove it. Act Fast When It's Fresh If you've just noticed the highlighter with its cap off on the carpet, grab paper towels and blot the stain before it dries.

The Drexel Heritage name is a widely respected one in the world of furniture manufacture. Many older pieces of Drexel Heritage furniture are still going strong after decades of use, and some have even increased in value. If you have a Drexel Heritage pedestal dining table hutch in your home, you can learn more about it and perhaps even find its current market value. Contact an antiques dealer to assess your piece's value.

Making a crib comforter for a new baby is almost as easy as making a sandwich. In fact, a simple crib quilt is nothing more than a sandwich made of two layers of fabric and a filling of polyester batting sewn together with either yarn or thread. An easy hand-tied crib comforter is a simple and beautiful gift for a baby. In this article, you will learn how to make a quick gift by assembling and tying together the three sandwich layers with yarn that coordinates with your chosen fabric.

PVC cement bonds PVC pipe and its fittings in a way that is more accurately called a weld, than a cement or glue. PVC cement contains a solvent, usually methyl ethyl ketone that breaks down the top layer of plastic on both the fitting and the pipe. PVC pipe should be dry fit first, as once it is cemented it cannot be separated. Once the two pieces are placed together, the cement dries, fusing the two pieces together permanently.

Wood whittling is a term used to describe a type of wood carving. Whittling is simpler than carving because it usually involves a handheld piece of wood and a simple metal knife. There are additional tools, but the rudimentary knife tool is what creates the folk art-look of whittled wood. Practicing whittling a stick to a point is a good exercise for those hoping to learn the craft. The decorative possibilities are endless with this type of woodwork.

Amana, a division of Whirlpool Corp., is an American residential appliance manufacturer that's been in business since 1934. The company offers an extensive line of home heating options, including furnaces. Amana gas and oil furnaces use an internal safety component known as a pressure switch to monitor the appliance for venting obstructions. The pressure switch opens and closes to energize or deactivate the induced draft blower. Occasionally, the switch gets stuck in the open position, allowing the blower to run continuously.

A queen size bunk bed is a truly unorthodox piece of furniture but can be a great addition to anyplace where sleeping conditions are crowded, such as a college dorm or vacation home. This bunk bed project will be similar to those for smaller mattresses, except you'll need to pay special attention to supporting the middle of the mattress. These plans are for a very basic design using inexpensive materials, but you can convert them easily by adding extras or swapping for more expensive lumber.