When you go out shopping for furniture for the living room, probably the most important thing to choose first is the seating. Once you have decided what kind of seating you’re going to have, you can coordinate everything else around that.

Of course, the classic arrangement for seating in a living room was always a sofa with an armchair on either side of it. However, times have changed and today you’ll find relatively few homes with this furniture arrangement. It’s far more usual for people to have two sofas facing each other, a large corner sofa or a sofa with one or two recliner chairs. Chaise sofas are also really popular as they offer the possibility of somewhere to stretch out while you’re watching TV.

The choice of seating is also restricted by the unchangeable aspects of a room. If, for example, you have two doors into the room, this limits the positioning of the seating – as do the position of radiators and windows. Some rooms are suited to corner sofas, others can’t accommodate them. Recliner chairs and sofas are also sometimes difficult to fit in smaller rooms, as you have to allow extra room behind and in front of them for the recline function to work properly.

Once you have settled on the shape and configuration of your seating, you then need to decide on which kind of fabric or finish you want. Leather is extremely practical as it can be wiped clean and doesn’t stain easily. Yet it can sometimes lack the feeling of warmth and cosiness that you get with fabric sofas and chairs. Again, this is something you should decide with the carpets and curtains in mind, so that you don’t have any colour or pattern clashes.

Spend some time making these decisions as it can be disappointing to have to live with something that you decide you don’t like once you get it back home. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to get a refund or exchange on big items of furniture, so it’s worth getting your choice right first time.

Wohnideen

Quite honestly to someone of my age (I only just remember the sixties) the thought of under floor heating was to say the least quite frightening. As I understood it there would be either warm water flowing away under my feet or loads of electrical wiring attached.  Any combination of the two seemed totally insane.

Underfloor heating in the kitchen

Modern kitchen with underfloor heating

Luckily sense prevailed and I found out after a visit to the internet (yes I can use it even at my age) that under floor heating was now becoming more and more popular as a heating system especially in newly built dwellings.  The advantages simply outweighed any apprehension I originally had.  Apparently even in houses with the conventional gas or electric central heating systems like mine under floor heating is easy to install and the DIY enthusiast need have no special skills.

Modern underfloor heating

Interior with modern underfloor heating

Admittedly the thought of walking on a warm floor did intrigue and interest me and I did seek advice and help from a local contractor.  Yes, DIY was a choice but my inability to do even the simplest of jobs meant help was paramount. Apart from the fact you can apparently save a wad of cash on your heating bills you are also able to place furniture where you want it rather than have to fit it round radiators and the like.  Each room also has its own temperature control so in future no need to have a warm bedroom in the middle of the day when all you need is just the chill taken off from where you are sitting in the Lounge.

Interior with underfloor heating

Minimalist interior with underfloor heating

An under floor heating system can be installed underneath virtually any type of flooring be it tiles, wood or even laminate. As already mentioned there are no radiators to take up space, no bulky heaters or fireplaces so a saving of space all round.  If required it is possible to lay the system on TOP of the existing floor.  Including the laminate or floor tiles on top this will only result in a height increase to the floor of something in the region of 25mm.

Underfloor heating

Living room with underfloor heating

You will find that some systems consist of heating cables attached to a sheet or mat which is stuck or laid on to the floor then covered with the desired floor covering.  All of this is attached to an electric outlet and controlled via a thermostat.

Dining room with underfloor heating

Modern dining room with underfloor heating

To generalise, conventional heating systems mostly provide heat that will circulate through the air.  Radiant heat will warm objects and people just as the sun warms the earth. Under floor heating will eliminate uncomfortable hot or cold air and provide a superb even heating. To summarise, under floor heating is clean, hygienic and vandal proof.  It is easy to install and requires little or no maintenance.  Also if you only want it in one or two specific rooms then that is perfectly possible.

Rob Stone writes many articles on Home Improvement from the DIY Conservatories to Interior Design and Decorating.

It had never occurred to me a mere male about having a fitted bedroom.  Naturally I had heard of a fitted kitchen and that seemed to make sense but a fitted bedroom?   Further investigation showed how far I was from the real world and that the fitted bedroom is apparently the new ?in? thing.   You are also able to get professional help with tailoring the bedroom to your very own taste (or my wife?s taste actually but never mind).   Like anything, cost is paramount to most people, but with careful planning and advice your dream bedroom can be yours.

Elegant bedroom

Elegant bedroom with platform bed

One thing did occur to me, what if we wanted to move one day.  I was abruptly told by someone in the know that a fitted bedroom properly executed can in fact be a good selling point and perhaps even help increase the value of the home.

Innovative bedroom design

Innovative bedroom design with purple rug

There are many different options to a fitted bedroom most of which will depend on the size of the room itself.  Obviously you need to start with a pen, pencil and paper and probably a rubber because it is fairly certain your first effort at drawing your new bedroom will not be the last.  Having consulted the internet I am told that the new in thing, the fitted bedroom, will ultimately provide me with more space than I would ever have imagined.   Well, let?s go then.

Stylish bedroom

Stylish bedroom with modern bed

The Bed is the largest item in the bedroom and must be the centrepiece however thought has to be given to the wardrobe as well.  If you have room to have a walk-in wardrobe then go for it.   If not then go for either a carcass or frame built-in wardrobe.  Either will have their own advantages and disadvantages which is why each must be studied carefully before any final decision is arrived at.  Alternatively if the room is on the small side how about a sliding door fitted wardrobe.  No doors opening outwards into the room and easier to maintain.

Bedroom

Nice bedroom with modern lamps

The Bed itself is easy to find especially if you are searching the internet but don?t forget the headboard.   Once the Bed and wardrobes are in place on the plan then consider what else you are having in the way of furniture.  The possibilities are endless and if money is available it is possible to tailor make your dreams into reality.  A chest of drawers is fairly essential but you must decide on what is going into it and consequently how many drawers will be needed and how big each one should be.   Bedside cabinets are another consideration

Contemporary bedroom

Contemporary bedroom with sliding door wardrobe

At the end of the day what really matters is whether you are getting professional help or not to install your new fitted bedroom.  If you are a DIY enthusiast then go ahead by all means but for those of us with less confidence employment of a professional is the best way forward.  Their experience will cost more but we are talking about the bedroom where statistically at least we spend one-third of our lives.  It has to be done correctly.

Rob Stone writes many articles on Home Improvement from the DIY Conservatory to Interior Design and Decorating.