Archive for the ‘Types’ Category
Showcase Your Collections in Corner Curio Cabinets
Almost all homes have cupboards and corner curio cabinets that are used to keep collections safe and to showcase them at the same time. Specifically made to fit into a corner of a room, corner curio cabinets are available in a variety of designs and styles and are made from different kinds of wood.
Not a few reputable furniture companies have contributed their own versions of corner curio cabinets to the cabinet market. A couple of the more famous furniture makers are Howard Miller and Pulaski. These makers employ wood in the manufacture of their curio cabinets, which are themselves collectible items. The more contemporary designs are made of glass panels and metal frames.
Corner curio cabinets by Howard Miller
The Howard Miller Company was founded in 1926 by Howard C. Miller. Initially, the company specialized in the manufacture of clocks, but in the late 1980s, they diversified to the construction of cabinets, which included corner curio cabinets made of a combination of glass and hardwood.
Howard Miller’s wooden cabinetry is known for excellent craftsmanship and eventually became as popular as their classic clocks. Their corner curio cabinets are slim, tall and intricately carved from the finest wood. Each piece is a work of art; the models have names such as Winthrop, Lamar, Claremont, Berkshire, and others.
Perfect for any home, Howard Miller corner curio cabinets are made from oak, mahogany, and cherry wood. All are complexly carved with outstanding detailing. For topnotch durability, the wood is doweled, glued and screwed. They come with glass-mirrored backs, adjustable shelves, built-in cabinet lighting, and elegant door handles. Pad-lock cushioned metal shelf clips add safety and stability for the collections.
Corner curio cabinets by Pulaski
Corner curio cabinets by Pulaski are slim, sleek and fit snugly in any room corner. These American-made handcrafted creations have been available for over a century. Pulaski corner curio cabinets are made with hardwood solids and veneers and their precise engineering, which is three times more precise than the industry standard, permits easy opening and closing of the doors. The doors are made of glass and the adjustable glass shelves provide ample space for different types of curios.
Corner curio cabinets by Pulaski are also made more elegant with mirrored backs, and are equipped with cabinet lighting. In addition, Pulaski furniture is inspected a total of six times before leaving the plant to ensure that you only get fine-quality creations.
Before purchasing a corner curio cabinet, decide on the type, size and style that would best house your valuable keepsakes. In addition, consider where the corner curio cabinet would be placed in your home so you can determine if you need to go with a traditional or contemporary design.
Console Cabinets: Movable Storage Pieces
Console cabinets are exquisite pieces of architecture that lend elegance to any room. Antique furniture enthusiasts treasure these cabinets, which were once very popular in Europe. Because these free-standing pieces are in themselves works of art, you need not attempt too hard to match it with existing furniture.
The pricey console cabinets usually have ornately designed doors and drawers, have smooth tops and are propped up on intricately carved legs. Drawers can vary from two to four, and in some cases, the shelves are covered with glass doors for displaying curios and precious collectibles.
The most popular attribute of console cabinets is that they are easily moved from one room to another. Console cabinets are detached from the wall and can easily be situated where needed or where a dull corner of a room needs a focal point.
Most popular console cabinet designs
Console cabinets are understandably treasured heirlooms because of the masterful architecture employed in making them. A very popular period piece in most English homes is the Henry II console cabinet. The wood used is mahogany, oak, walnut or pine. Its intricate carvings depict figures reminiscent of the Renaissance revival era. This particular console cabinet lends a handsome touch to any room and is easily regarded as a conversation piece. There are long shelves on the bottom and drawers on the top, which both provide ample storage space. Henry II console cabinets are further characterized by an exquisite hand-painted floral finish.
French console cabinets have beaded moldings and drawers. They are handcrafted, with a medium-tone faux burl finish. These models also employed hand-painted floral designs.
Another popular model is the leonine console cabinet. These console cabinets have carved sides, are rectangular in shape, and have several storage drawers and compartments. More than just being practical storage solutions, leonine console cabinets add exquisiteness to any room with their intricate hand-painted designs and flawless curves.
The Oriental/Chinese console cabinet model is usually of carved rosewood, glass tops, and embellished with convoluted Oriental designs.
Modern console cabinets
As time passed, traditional console cabinets gave way to contemporary functional designs to suit today’s modern lifestyles. They are now mainly used for media storage to house CDs and DVDs or used as stands for television units. Books and magazines can also be stored in the console cabinet’s adjustable compartments. The wood used is pine or oak, and the console cabinet handles may be of any material such as brass or chrome. The ease by which console cabinets can be moved to any part of the house makes them truly ideal storage pieces.
Cabinet Handles: Quick and Easy Cabinet Facelifts
An important piece of furniture in any room is the cabinet. Cabinets are not only functional but are decorative pieces as well. Cabinets need to be given as much designer’s attention as any other large furniture piece, as they can occupy a considerably big area of any room. This is the reason even cabinet hardware such as the handles now come in a variety of styles.
Cabinet handles are fixtures that make it easy to open and shut cabinet doors and shelves. You’ll be surprised how designers have come up with modern designs, combining form and functionality, for these small but important items. For instance, if you want to give a room and your cabinets a rustic and traditional look, you can go with carved hardwood cabinet handles. For a contemporary look, you can go with cabinet handles made of glass, resin or stainless steel. If you prefer classic styles then you can opt for cabinet handles with a bronze, brass, wrought iron or chrome finish.
Are you look for an easy and quick way to give your cabinets a fresh touch? Replace the old cabinet handles! Most home depots carry a vast array of cabinet handles that could suit almost any room’s theme or match any cabinet’s finish.
To replace a cabinet handle, carefully remove the old one and clean the area. If the new handle has an alignment that does not match the old fixture, you need to patch the existing holes and mark fresh holes for the new handle. Do not mark the handle from end to end; rather, mark it where the screws should fit in. Use a measuring device to ascertain that the attachment would be straight and not askew, unless you’re aiming for an asymmetrical look.
Drill new holes from the front and use the accompanying screws to securely fix the handle in place. Ensure that the hole sizes are just right; oversized holes will result in wobbly handles. If you wish to hide the old holes, use a long, oval-shaped metal strip that can be positioned between the handle and the cabinet door. A plate such as this can hide imperfections and enhance the cabinet’s look at the same time.
Select hardware that blends well with the cabinet or with the rest of the furnishings in your room. A whimsical, multicolored resin handle has no place in a room filled with Victorian-era furnishings. In the same vein, a children’s cabinet in a safari-themed room would look odd with antique bronze cabinet handles. Cabinet hardware can dramatically change the room’s overall look in a very inexpensive way.