Benefit #1: Competitive Prices.

Most furniture sold online is shipped by small carrier or freight carriers in RTA, ready-to-assemble, condition, which means a consumer, may have to screw in a shelf or some legs or put a bed frame together themselves. This enables online furniture retailers to keep their prices affordable and competitive.

Benefit #2: Free Shipping

Online furniture retailers frequently offer free shipping. Where as, most store front retailers add on a “delivery fee”. Also, purchasing furniture online consumers get the same in-home delivery options for large furniture pieces as they would get at a store front retailer.

Benefit #3: Price Comparison

Shopping for furniture online enables a consumer to compare items at a click of a mouse. No more driving here to there for price comparisons. With online shopping, consumers get generally find the lowest price by a simples search of the item.

Benefit #4: Convenience

Your at home! Online furniture retailers offer detailed descriptions, multiple pictures and dimensions of their products. Being at home a consumer can measure and visualize, while in the room, if the furniture piece will fit here or there or not at all.

And lastly, online furniture retailers have refund policies. If a consumer doesn’t like a product they can send it back, usually with no questions asked. Shopping online has become safer and easier over the years. It’s convenient and competitive. So, save gas, shop online!

M.E. Shobe
EmShaw’s Place at http://www.inyourhomedecor.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Shobe

By Mary Shobe

Determining where to place your framed pictures is one of the challenges involved with home decorating. On one hand, you don’t want to put up so many family pictures that guests get bored or feel that the host is self-centered. But on the other hand, family photos in individual or group shots can add a warm feeling to any room. The key is to strike a balance. Some families make a “wall of fame” display of loved ones’ photos in the family room, staircase wall, or another living space. Framed photos remind viewers that loved ones are special, and if they won’t be with us always, their images will remain for many years to come.

Another type of framed art that adds to a home’s beauty comes in a range of artistic wall hangings that are framed by coordinating frames of wood, acrylic, or metal. Typically, the frames will match household fixtures or furniture, or provide interest accent points for the rooms in which they appear. Delicate dried flowers, a child’s handprint, someone’s personal poem, or a favorite Bible verse make wonderful framed feature pieces for your home’s walls.

However, you need not restrict all your framed art for the walls only. You can set table framed pieces on the bedroom dresser, atop corner shelves, and even on the bathroom vanity. Coffee tables or end tables invite these special objects of interest, as do bookshelves, plant stands, and window sills. Kitchen counter space and dining room tables, when not in use, also provide great spots for cute curios. If you have collected several items over the years, you can get a lighted collector’s cabinet to keep the most attractive or recent on display for guests and family members alike.

If you are an arts-and-crafts kind of person, you can take a class on framing and learn to do it yourself. Then you can buy the materials on sale and put up any special wall piece that you want to preserve, whether it is a diploma, a watercolor, or a collage. You may even be able to sell your work at craft fairs. But if this isn’t your cup of tea, you can always pay to have certain pieces framed by professionals who work with these materials all the time. You can get a simple picture frame, with backing, of course, for wall or table use. Or you can request a matte finish to add dimension and perspective to your art piece.

Don’t overlook this exciting way of putting your family’s heirlooms to work as home decorator pieces. Start shopping for attractive, functional frames.

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By Charles Kassotis Platinum Quality Author

How you decorate your fireplace will depend in part on the room where it is located. A bedroom fireplace may look quite different from one in the family room or den. Part of your decorating decision will be based on the room and its tone. For example, your bedroom fireplace should have a cozy, intimate look with a décor that is special for the occupants of the room. If one or both spouses like cats, use cat-decorated accent pillows with a matching throw for a rocking chair on the hearth. Add a coordinating mantel runner, and you have a total look, especially with a nearby wall picture or two of a related theme.

A living room fireplace can become the focal point of the area. Accompanying floral arrangements sitting in an unused fireplace center or on either side of the hearth add a warm touch. Fireplace tools, like tongs, a brush, and a poker for stirring the embers come in many designs and styles to match the room’s decorating scheme. You can get a Mediterranean, early American, or French provincial style to suit the mood of your living room. Adorn the mantel with period antiques or accents to add color and design.

Some people even have kitchen fireplaces on which they cook or hang decorator pots and kettles. Baskets hanging on the mantel and pewter urns across the top help to make that type of fireplace inviting and attractive. A cat, ceramic or otherwise, adds even more charm.

During the holidays, a fireplace offers the perfect place to hang Christmas stockings or holiday greeting cards. Some families stack gifts on the hearth or arrange Christmas decorations for a magical display area in keeping with the holiday spirit. Children sometimes put out a plate of cookies and a cup of cocoa for Santa. A wreath above the mantel is a nice seasonal touch.

When you arrange a fireplace in your den or home office, it could look semi-formal, with paperweights, books, and quill pens for effect. But it also may have accents like your favorite coffee cup, a planner, and an afghan quilt draped over a nearby rack when you stretch out on the leather sofa for a snooze or to catch up on your reading. Photos or busts of famous people and admirable mentors can round out the various types of décor you may want to include in your personal workspace area fireplace.

Your fireplace serves as the heart of any home, and particularly the room that it occupies. Use your creative talents to devise a decorating scheme to make your fireplace a showcase of the things that are special to you, as well as those that make a visitor feel welcome.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Kassotis

By Charles Kassotis Platinum Quality Author

Picnic baskets are great for taking to a baseball game, a public park, private garden, or just your living room on a rainy day! They come in all shapes and sizes, all styles and tastes. You can buy them packed with dinner plates, bowls, silverware, mugs, corkscrews, picnic blankets, cutting boards, glassware, and much, much more.

Or, if you need a way to pack the food itself, you can buy a picnic basket that is already full of food. They come very simple, containing just the basic like cheese and crackers and a bottle of wine, or very luxurious and decadent. Gourmet picnic baskets can include, smoked salmon, caviar, a wide variety of cheeses and crackers, breads, jams and jellies, fruits and vegetables, various dips, or a couple bottles of wine.

Picnic baskets are usually made from a wooden weave, such as willow or maple strips. They can also be made of rattan and solid wood with hinges and flaps. Others are made of nylon for full durability and longevity.

Picnic baskets range in price from about $10 for a simple, vintage-style, empty basket for full customizability, to $200 or more for a picnic hamper. A picnic hamper is a huge basket with handles to be carried by at least two people. The hamper can be packed with dinnerware, napkins, and other objects, along with a gigantic assortment of food that is sure to please your entire palate.

No matter what you’re looking for in a picnic basket, the possibilities are endless. So why not? Get outside and dig in!

Picnic Baskets Info provides detailed information about decorative, wholesale, wicker, gourmet, and wine picnic baskets, as well as picnic gift baskets, picnic baskets for two, and more. Picnic Baskets Info is the sister site of Fruit Baskets Web.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely

One the latest designs of absorbent drink coasters to hit the market is the cling coaster. This coaster has three layers – an absorbent bottom, a top layer that is grated to prevent the glass from sticking to it and an inner layer between the top and bottom. This inner layer provides sufficient depth for the liquid to seep through the top layer into the absorbent layer on the bottom, which also has a rubber backing to prevent scratches from occurring on your furniture.

There is an absorbent coaster to meet every sports fan with the designs of all sports teams, colleges and universities. A set of such beverage coasters is the perfect gift for the sports fans on your list. It is one gift that you will certainly see displayed on the coffee table.

Cork coasters are regarded as the most absorbent coasters you can buy, but the sandstone coasters also rank high in their absorbent qualities. In addition, these coasters have a cork backing giving you the best of both worlds. The sandstone is an all natural ingredient that brings a touch of nature into your home.

Sandstone is extremely porous and has the holding capacity of ¼ cup of liquid. You won’t have to spend time emptying the coasters after your guests leave because the liquid naturally evaporates into the air. Thirstystone coasters are perhaps the best known in this absorbent coaster variety with an extensive collection of designs to choose from.

Coasters are not only for use in the home as protection for the surface of the table. You can also purchase an absorbent coaster for use in the cup holder of your vehicle. This coaster will absorb any drips or spills into the cup holder, which is very hard to clean out when this happens. Such a set comes with two beverage coasters that are small enough to fit down into this small opening.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to display a set of drink coasters that have real seashells embedded in them? This is also a possibility when you start shopping for the perfect absorbent coaster. These coasters are handmade and each one has an assortment of seashells. No two coasters in the set are alike. Rattan is used around the edges and there are cork bottoms offering you the ultimate in furniture protection.

When you search for coasters online, you will find many companies that import different kinds of absorbent coasters from other countries of the world. In this way you can really have an elegant item to enhance the decor of any room in your home. If you are in business, there are many wholesale companies that will imprint your logo on a beverage coaster for you and manufacture them in bulk at an unbelievably low price. This is the perfect mode of advertising because it is an item that will get lots of use.

The miniature paintings and decals on sets of absorbent coasters will not wash off because of the care taken in the imprinting process. You don’t have to worry that when the surface of the coaster gets wet the ink will run. Let your imagination run wild when you shop online for absorbent coasters and start a collection of coasters for every occasion.

Allison Ryan is a freelance marketing writer from San Diego, CA. She specializes in home improvement, interior design, and accessories for the home. For a beverage coaster set for your home or an absorbent coaster set for your business, please visit http://www.thirstycoasters.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allison_Ryan

By Allison Ryan Platinum Quality Author

Sejauh ini industri furniture mebel Indonesia masih memiliki pamor bagus dalam perdagangan dunia. Pada ajang pameran tunggal bertajuk “Indonesia Paviliun” yang berlangsung selama 18-22 Maret 2007 di Shenzen – Cina, furniture asal Indonesia banyak diminati oleh para pembeli internasional. Terdapat sekitar 50 hingga 70 pembeli telah meminta pengusaha Indonesia untuk menjadi pemasok furniture dan kerajinanIndonesia dengan nilai transaksi mencapai sekitar US$ 100 juta .

Pemerintah juga telah mengupayakan untuk mengembangkan industri furniture. Terlebih sektor ini telah ditetapkan pemerintah sebagai salah satu dari 10 komoditas unggulan ekspor Tanah Air. Ini didukung baik oleh aspek kualitas dan desain produk yang diminati oleh konsumen luar negeri, ketersedian bahan baku maupun sumber daya manusia yang terampil.

Demikian juga dari sisi pangsa pasar nasional, industri mebel lokal masih menguasai 70% pasar mebel domestik. Tetapi pangsa pasar ini terancam oleh impor mebel asal China yang pertumbuhannya mencapai 200% per tahun dalam satu tahun terakhir. Peningkatan impor mebel asal China yang terjadi tiap tahun terutama untuk segmen mebel murah, untuk pasar menengah ke bawah.

article source:http://www.bi.go.id/web/id/DIBI/Info_Pengusaha/Kalkulasi_Biaya/Industri/furniture_kayu.htm

Worldly influences

Hundreds of years ago, Egyptian artisans embellished everything from tables to pottery with colorful motifs to pass on ancient fables to future generations. “We’re seeing a resurgence of these hand-painted items as consumers look to add personal style to their home with unique pieces from around the world,” says Babcock. “They’re embracing heirlooms and other richly decorated items that they see as authentic to a certain era or culture.”

Today, influences in hand-painted home furnishings are widespread, coming from as far away as the Middle East, Europe and South America. “We’ve seen a variety of items wrapped with ethnic-inspired artwork, from a sideboard with a soft, delicate floral print inspired by Eastern Europe to an Asian armoire with clean, simplistic lines and finished in black and red with the added touch of painted landscapes and pictorials,” says Babcock. “Painting styles vary from region to region. From the palate of colors to the brush stroke, every region has its own influence. The uniqueness of the hand-painted piece is reflective of the individual artist’s background, as well as their talent.”

Arhaus commissions gifted artisans from all over the world to give each hand-painted piece its own unique qualities and traits. For instance, the Sam Remo Armoire gets its charm from old world style cabinets reminiscent of those that can be found in the Italian villas of Tuscany. It features intricate, hand-painted floral accents and a distressed garnet finish achieved by applying several layers of multi-colored paints and lacquers. A matching cupboard and sideboard are adorned with the same hand-painted finish making the San Remo an exquisite collection.

Ethnic motifs

From attractive 19th-century Southwestern prints to those of Northern Sweden, there are a number of decorative motifs to choose from when incorporating elegant hand-painted pieces into the home. “Artwork with Moroccan, Indonesian and Middle Eastern influences tends to be very ornate with rich, bright colors like cinnabar red, black and bronze,” says Babcock. “If the goal is to add a vibrant color or pattern to a specific room, but you are not ready to paint the walls, try adding hand-painted pieces from one of these regions to create a focal point or accent to the room.”

To create a balanced, eclectic look with clean, ethnic-inspired collections, Babcock recommends introducing lavish hand-painted furnishings showing a variety of influences from all over the world. “It’s important to choose one piece to serve as a center piece or focal point in the room. This may be a large Venetian mirror with a handcrafted frame covered with Middle Eastern art to hang over the sofa or a grand vintage-inspired armoire with doors ornamented with lilies,” Babcock added.

Ethnic-inspired accent pieces are becoming increasingly popular, especially mixed with contemporary furnishings. According to Babcock, there are no rules to decorating with hand-painted items. “You can take an intricately painted console table like our Kartini Console and pair it with a handsome contemporary leather sofa and brushed chrome lamps. Accent the look with graphic pillows and a fur throw and you have a contemporary look full of color and texture,” says Babcock.

Endless opportunities

With ethnic-inspired hand-painted home furnishings, the opportunities are endless. Below are suggestions from Babcock and the Arhaus team of interior design consultants as to how to incorporate these one-of-a-kind pieces into your décor.

* Look for antique-looking pieces that bring a certain era or culture into the home. This adds a personal touch to your décor, and because hand-painted is such a big trend, it’s becoming easier to find unique pieces with a variety of ethnic influences.

* Introduce painted that brings a new element of style and color into the space, adding an eclectic look. This piece doesn’t necessary have to blend with the existing furnishings; it’s the subtle details like an accent color of paint on a coffee table duplicated in the pillows on a sofa or the beading on a lighting fixture that pull the entire look together.

* Mix more modern, contemporary styles with ethnic, antique-looking designs. For instance, take the Verona TV Cabinet by Arhaus. The doors of the cabinet are accented with clusters of hand-painted roses and vines. Pair it with a floral tapestry sofa and throw in pillows with lots of floral mixes — now that’s a refined, elegant look!

* Embrace pieces with a variety of finishes. For example, the panels of a simple armoire can be brushed with black and gold filigree accents, while the casing is a deep-waxed stain allowing the natural wood grain to show.

* Watch for this season’s decorative, hand-painted accessories like mirrors with delicate floral designs, candlesticks imprinted with Asian-inspired designs and bowls, platters and tabletop figurines to add color and interest to any room. Accessories are just another way to achieve this charming hand-painted look in your home!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/handpainted-furniture-the-musthave-home-furnishings-of-the-season-362492.html
Author: Navneet

Basril said on Friday that frequent international furniture and handicraft exhibitions have helped keep Indonesia on the radar screen, with orders coming in. “A lot of domestic and foreign players have made use of these events to promote products and make orders,” he said, citing the example of the recent Indonesia International Furniture Fair that attracted foreign buyers. In October, for instance, the association will hold an export exhibition to further promote global interest in domestic products and then later join similar events in China and some European countries. The industry has seen steadily growing demand in the last three years, translated into an upward trend in export values. Asmindo data shows exports in 2005, 2006 and 2007 were valued at $1.79 billion, $1.81 billion and $1.96 billion, respectively.

The products include tables, chairs and filing cabinets made up from rattan, wood and bamboo. “Thus far, sales to eastern European countries are less than 10 percent of total exports. But we are upbeat that they can be promising markets within a few years,” he said, adding that the Middle East was just as attractive. Grabbing customers from those regions, he said, could significantly boost the performance of Indonesian products ( Indonesian furniture) in the international furniture market, led currently by China. Last year, China earned $17 billion, out of the $80 billion global trade in wooden furniture. Asmindo groups together over 2,000 members, most of them centralized in several regions, including Cirebon in West Java, and Jepara and Demak in Central Java. Raw materials, especially rattan, are supplied by farmers living outside Java, such as in Sulawesi, Sumatra and Kalimantan. Those regions are able to produce between 250,000 and 400,000 tons of rattan per year. (ewd)

Source, The Jakarta Post, September 15 2008

article source:http://www.indonesia.go.id/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7705&Itemid=701

But for business transactions to occur, all business need leads. Without leads, nothing happens. It doesn’t matter if you are an exporter or an importer, you still need targeted leads. If you are an importer, you need supplier contacts. If you are an exporter, you need customer contacts. So how do you go about acquiring leads?

The slow and manual method of acquiring leads.

You can acquire leads using trade directories. Usually, the information is organized in such a way that it’s easy for anyone to locate the relevant contacts. The problem with this approach is that it’s very slow. How do you contact these companies? Are you going to email them or are you going to write to them manually? In this day and age, it doesn’t make sense to write letters. Email looks set to be the way to go. Technology is certainly here to stay.

Using search engines to source for leads.

Search engines are very useful websites that can help businesses locate the right type of leads. For instance, let’s say you are searching for gardening tools. You are selling these tools, so you certainly want to make sure that the tools come cheaply when you buy them. This will help increase your profit margins. Of course, you can’t compromise on quality. One way to buy gardening tools cheaply without compromising on quality is to buy at wholesale prices. When you buy at wholesale, you enjoy bulk discounts.

So you make a keyword search in the search engines, using these keywords – “wholesale gardening tools”. If you want very specific results, include the double quotes. Otherwise, just leave the double quotes out. If you want to source for leads in China, just add in the keyword “China” in your search phrase.

The quickest way to source for highly targeted leads – trade directories.

Trade directories exist for one sole purpose – that is to connect suppliers and customers from all over the world. For example, if you want more exposure for your company, you can list your company details in a trade directory. The information will be organized in different categories. Someone looking to find what you have to offer will go to that particular category, and they will attempt to make contact with you. In a similar fashion, you can also try to be active and seek out trade leads. Seeking out trade leads won’t cost you a single cent. All you have to do is to send out some emails using the contact information, and you may have taken the first step to forging a potentially fruitful partnership.

For high quality trade leads and international trade leads, please visit our B2B website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_W_Chow

By Darren W Chow Platinum Quality Author

Here are some examples of how you can incorporate international design elements into your home; Lacquer red paint on an accent wall or on a table, a rustic wooden horse sculpture on an entry hall console table or an alter style table behind your family room sofa will bring to mind thoughts of China. The French countryside calls for a palette of cornflower blues and sunny yellow combined with crisp white. Table linens from Provence a top the dining room table topped with a large chipped crockery vase of colorful flowers will do the trick. If you are looking for the more urbane feel of Paris, a chandelier in the master bedroom or the dining room adorned with crystal drops and constructed with curving wrought iron, also bed linens or an upholstered ottoman in the classic Toile de Jouy style of fabric will get you closer to the Eiffel tower. We have the heat, but not the beach, so adding a touch of the tropics to your home can mentally take you to the islands (Pina Colada anyone?). Painting the walls a beautiful shade of Caribbean Sea blue will definitely set the stage. A sisal or jute rug underfoot will bring a bit of the beach to your home. A large wooden bowl filled with real or faux tropical fruits will add color to the center of a kitchen island or the middle of a coffee table in a family room. Rattan furniture with white canvas cushions in the family room also suggests the feeling of the Caribbean. Linens or accessories that celebrate the pineapple motif definitely have a place in Caribbean décor. A fish tank filled with tropical fish surrounded by large scale shells is a great way to accessorize a console table.

Some national retail vendors that represent the wares of foreign lands include Pier One Imports and Cost Plus World Market. Even Target has a Global Markets section in their home goods area. With airfares sky rocketing and the value of the dollar declining overseas, we can still ‘visit’ another country or culture by bringing aspects of that country or culture into our homes via our interior decorating choices.

About the author:
Suzanne Lasky, Allied ASID is the owner of S Interior Design. S Interior Design makes homes harmonious, functional and beautiful for families with 2-legged and 4-legged members. Suzanne has an M.B.A. and an A.A.S. degree in Interior Design. Suzanne offers years of real world experience, giving her clients the peace of mind to know that their projects will be professionally handled from start to finish. She is an experienced residential and small commercial interior designer and is the exclusive provider of Pawprint Design Services™ ‘Stunning Interiors with Pets in Mind’. For more helpful tips-visit http://www.sinteriordesign.com

©Copyright 2007 Suzanne Lasky, All Rights Reserved, http://www.sinteriordesign.com
You have permission to re-publish this article as long as the Resource Box is included with the article. All rights reserved.

By Suzanne Lasky

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