What is French polish? and why has it risen so much in price recently?

French polish has advanced much in recent years and modern polishes used

by professionals can now give a very hard & heat resistant finish when appropriately applied. They’re in some cases, every bit as good as modern lacquers. But also leave that elegant, lustrous and beautiful deep shine that only french polish can achieve.

French polish became prominent in the late 1800's of the Victorian era. Also known as Shellac Polish, it was found in the forest regions of India and Thailand. It is a secretion of resin from the Lac insect, Coccus Lacca. The female Lac insect sticks its teeth into the branches and bark of trees, which releases a secretion of resin from the tree to cover its whole body and secure itself in place on the tree. When the secretion is harvested or removed it often contains the bug itself and is known as Seedlac.

When removed, Seedlac is very brittle & flaky and normally comes in two different colours, Orange Bysaki & Blonde Kushmii. During production, the Orange Shellac is bleached with Sodium Hypochlorite solution to form white Shellac Polish.

Seedlac or Shellac as more commonly known was once used in many other ways other than just in french polish. This includes the outer film-like layer on common pills, candles, jewellery, dental technology, inkwells, old gramophone records, cycle handlebar tape & even Soviet AK47 Rifles. And more notably on fruit to replace the natural wax which is removed after the cleaning process. Interestingly, Shellac was also given an E number, E904 whilst used on fruit, but it was not classed as vegetarian as it may contain some crushed insects, causing it to have been referred to in the past as Beetle Juice!

Shellac sealer used by french polishers is used as a first coat barrier or primer coat on the wood to prevent the natural bleeding of resin or pigments into the french polishing process.

In the past two years because of the evident poor and inconsistent weather in the regions of India and Thailand, there has not been a successful harvest of the seedlac. Unfortunately, because of this the finished french polish product has risen considerably in price. CC French Polishing are expert french polishers in East Anglia and continue to use quality Shellac materials without passing any extra costs on to their customers.

Large Floor Tiles and This Year’s Tiling Trends

Large floor tiles are becoming an increasingly popular choice for interior designers. The unique and contemporary feel of a large tile surface effect, has propelled them to the forefront of modern interior design, with many choosing to employ them right throughout the home – as Hallway tiles, in kitchens, lounges and bathrooms alike.

But, along with a modern look, large tiles offer a range of other advantages, from practical reductions in workload, to visual interior effects.

Most notably perhaps, using a large tile in smaller spaces can really help a room realise its potential, by giving the impression of a larger floor space and greater room. Less grout lines not only means less post-tiling work, but it also helps achieve a continuous, monolithic look, that adds fluency and character to a lot of designs.

In particular the use of large bathroom tiles is growing in popularity, as many house builders try to make the most of the smaller interior spaces.

Other popular tile styles this season include the wood effect floor tiles, which offer an alternative to the classic vinyl wood flooring, and bring a unique texture and rich design finish to a variety of interior spaces. They are great in bathrooms, and becoming increasingly popular in living spaces.

Ballard Homes, a house building company based in South Wales, with a range of houses for sale in Neath and the surrounding area, said that their designers take great care when picking tiles. “With the right tiles,” they said, “indoor spaces can really change in character and atmosphere. We spend a lot of time making sure we get this right.”

Why Mozaic Tiles in Vinyl Is a Flooring Classic

Mosaic effect flooring is not only eye-catching it a design element that is featured in homes, which are incorporating styles ranging from contemporary to old world. The mosaic effect vinyl flooring, however, is more economically friendly and provides the benefits of being waterproof. This makes these types of flooring the right choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

The Traditions 573 Maroc vinyl features a pattern of blues. It has a 2 mm thickness and comes with a five year warranty. Investing in this product is a perfect up-grade for homes that are changing their flooring to a mosaic blue pattern. The floor features the look of tiles that are in harmony with different colours in the blue family.

The Traditions 574 Novecento Vinyl features a white background with a small blue diamond pattern. This is a solid option for shoppers who want to add blue to their flooring, but they do not want the colour to dominant it. The pattern is simple and elegant.

Mosaic flooring is a design staple that will never go out of style. However, for shoppers on a renovation budget, it may have seemed out of reach. The good news is that because these products are made of vinyl they are in reach of every home owner’s budget. By viewing samples of these products, before a purchase is made, shoppers can determine which option suits them best.

These pleasing designs are easy to install. However, it will give the look of having spent hours cutting each tile. The work can easily be done in less than a day in most cases. To review the options further, visit the Carpet Right website here: http://www.carpetright.co.uk.

Using Sliding Wardrobe Doors in a Modern Bedroom

In the modern home more and more people are utilising sliding wardrobe doors rather than the traditional free-standing or walk in wardrobe. When it comes to re-planning the layout and style of your bedroom it’s integral that your room delivers that certain ‘wow’ factor when you walk in. 

As the market for sliding wardrobe doors grows companies such as Forsyth Glazing are now offering extremely competitively priced made to measure sliding doors. With many styles, sizes, finishes and colours you can easily find sliding wardrobe doors tailored to your requirements.

Mirrored sliding doors are a fantastic way to add an illusion that a room is bigger than it really is. Doors that are mirrored from top to bottom can really give add that sense of space to a small room. Mirrored sliding doors are also a lot less intrusive than traditional wardrobe doors that outswing often making a small room feel cramped and in-adequate. Many websites have in built design and build applications where you can plan out exactly how you want your sliding door system to look in your bedroom.

Wooden sliding doors can also be implemented into your bedroom, offering a more subtle touch than mirrored sliding doors they are less of a focal point in a bedroom and offer a traditional feel. There are a range of different ranges of wooden sliding doors available on the market such as; oak, pine and mahogany. The choices are limitless and depend entirely on your existing bedroom’s style and character.

Coloured sliding doors are a fantastic way to add character, style and modernisation to your bedroom. Gloss black sliding wardrobe doors are sleek and sophisticated along with maroon and navy colours. If you are considering coloured sliding doors then dark, modern finishes are the way to go, your bedroom should adopt a calm and relaxing environment so avoid bright and brash colours that spoil the contrast of your room.

Once you have decided on the style of sliding door wardrobes make sure you correctly measure the dimensions so your doors can be made to exact measurements. The look of your bedroom could be compromised if the doors are not a perfect fit in their allocated space. The only dimensions needed should be the width and height of your doors. However don’t be afraid to seek professional advice before committing to an order.

What Are the Advantages of Bifold Doors?

Bifold doors are simply, as the name suggests, doors that fold in the middle in order to open rather than just folding along one hinge. They look absolutely great in a home, making your doorway into more of a statement as well as giving you greater access - providing that you have the space to install them, of course!

The Advantages

Bifold doors have many advantages with the first of these being accessibility. These doors are most commonly used as an exterior door, usually into the garden. As the door folds into itself instead of opening inwards or outwards you are able to get an attractive and practical door style which works even if you have a small amount of space which would not be enough for a standard door to open. These doors also make you feel as if the indoor space in your house flows into the outdoors as these doorways are often quite long; creating what feels like open plan living with your garden.

Obviously, a big concern with these doors is safety, especially if you have small children. You could be concerned that fingers could be trapped within the many folds of the door, but bifold doors now come with finger safe gaskets as standard in order to prevent such an injury occurring. Safety may also be a concern in the form of security too but there are many features which can be fitted to these doors such as high security hinges in order to ensure burglars are kept out.

Bifold doors are really easy to use as they glide within their frames really well. This means that you can open and shut the doors with ease and don’t have to worry that you will have to pull an extremely heavy door open and shut. Not only this, but these doors really can be designed to suit your home. Whether you want wood, metal or plastic, the doors can be designed around your home to ensure that they blend into your current decor and don’t stick out like a sore thumb.

If you’re looking for a different type of door for your home, why don’t you look into getting bifold doors fitted? Modern and customisable, these doors allow maximum light into your home, creating a seamless transition between the inside of your home and the garden outside. If you’re having door problems, bifold doors may be just the solution so take a look at the options open to you now!

Dulux wall and ceiling paint

When painting and redecorating your home, turn to Homebase. Homebase is a site that can meet all your paint, wallpaper, hobby, and decorating needs. They offer a wide range of wallpaper and paint. Homebase truly is a one stop shopping experience. They even post tips to make painting and wallpapering projects a breeze. Need a calculator to figure out how much paint or wallpaper to purchase? No problem, as their site even has a calculator to make your plannning easy to figure out. Their selection of Dulux wall and ceiling paint, offers a broad range of paint colors. No one carries the range and hues of colors as Homebase. As if that wasn’t enough, their wallpaper options are also endless. If you are searching for a hard to find color or pattern, your search will be over once you see what they have to offer on their site.

Like to save money and shop sales? You are in luck, as right now, Homebase is having up to ½ price on a certain wallpaper selections. They are running specials on paint as well. All Dulux 2.5L tins are buy 1 get the 2nd ½ price. This is the time to save on your next home painting project. If you have been thinking about repainting your home, stock up now while the sale is still on!

If you are planning to decorate a specific room in your home, Homebase will have what you need. Whether remodeling a kitchen or fixing up a room for a new nursery, Dulux wall and ceiling paint will make the room look fresh and new. Click here to see their awesome choices for your decorating needs: 

Designing Your Own Custom Made Sofa

A sofa is an essential part of every home, so selecting the right one for your home is important. Sofas are available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours, and you can choose from a number of different styles, from corner sofas to classic, traditional style sofas. With so many different styles to choose from, it can be difficult to decide on the right sofa. A good option for those looking for a perfect sofa, is to design your own, which can then be custom-made for you.

Benefits of Designing Your Own Sofa

Many people would love to design their own sofa. When designing your own couch, you can select every single feature of it. You can choose the material you want the sofa to be stuffed with, the size and shape of the frame, and you can choose what material you want it to be upholstered with, as well as many other features.

Many people, however, are reluctant to design their own custom-made sofa for two reasons. Firstly, many people feel as though they could not afford a custom-made sofa that they have designed. They think that it will be too expensive, but this is not the case. Designing your own custom-made sofa does not have to be any more expensive than purchasing a ready-made sofa. Also, a quality sofa that you have designed can last you for years to come, and save you money in the future.

The second reason why people are reluctant to design their own couch is that they think it is a complicated process, and they are not sure how to go about it. However, nowadays sofa companies make designing sofas a much easier process. They often provide online sofa design tools on their websites, which are extremely simple to use. Also, companies will often provide you with advice on how to design your sofa if you feel unsure about the process.

Designing Your Sofa

When you are designing your own sofa, there are many features that you can select. Once you have selected each aspect of your sofa, and completed the design process, a sofa company can custom-build it for you.

Size: You can provide the sofa company with the exact dimensions you want for your sofa. You can then get a couch that fits exactly where you want it too. You can also decide on what type of style and shape you want your sofa to be, such as love seat or corner sofa styles.

Materials: You can decide what type of material you want your sofa to be upholstered in, such as leather or fabric. You can also decide on the pattern and colour of the fabric.

Other Details: When designing your own custom-made sofa, you can also select the sofa legs, the shape of the arm rests, the shape of the back of the sofa and many other features.

Getting your own sofa, which you have designed yourself, custom-made to your exact specifications, can give you the perfect sofa that you'll enjoy using in your home for many years to come.

Leah Woodward learnt the art of designing custom furniture in her father’s furniture workshop. She enjoys sharing her tips and insights on various home design blogs. Visit the link to browse through some free fabric samples.