Archive for April, 2010


Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Accent your living room with end tables

End TablesEnd tables are the perfect accent piece for finishing off the beautiful look of your living room!

Used for lamps, extra storage for remotes and magazines, and a place to put keys or even a cup, end tables serve many proposes but most of all add style to your room.

When deciding on what end table to buy from your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee, the single most important factor you need to consider is the scale of furniture you will place it next too. Small tables with short legs will look awkward when located next to larger couches with lots of volume.  Your end tables need to be proportionate in size to the couches, sofas, and chairs by which they are placed.

End tables should measure about three inches above or below the arm of the piece they will be next too. This will allow them to be reachable when you are sitting. Nothing is more frustrating than going to place a drink down and having to either stand or reach way over the arm of the chair to set it down.

The design of the end tables should match the style of the room they are located in. That does not necessarily mean they should match the other furniture pieces exactly, but should overall match the design of the room. End tables are meant to stick out and be noticeable. Stay away from purchasing ones that have the same exact design of your couch they will be placed next too. Be creative.

Finally, the construction and materials they are created with should be both sturdy and durable. End tables are meant to get a lot of use and have things placed on them . Over a period of time the wear and tear can have a damaging effect to them so make sure they are well-built. Metal frames are the most sturdy but if you are looking for wood end tables, make sure they are made of real wood material. Tables made of press wood are more likely to get damaged if they get wet.

Visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of affordable, durable and beautiful furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection.

Saturday, April 24th, 2010

Setting up a home office

home officeIn today’s economy, more and more people are finding it easier to run businesses from the comforts of their own homes.  The results of this growing trend mean people are setting aside areas of their home as their office and most importantly now have to buy office furniture.

Whether you are buying a new desk or chair, knowing what to look for can be the difference between enjoyable working area or a painful one.   Follow this guideline for buying office furniture from purchased from your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee and set up your perfect office today!

  1. First, always measure the area you are going to set up as your office before you go out to buy. Knowing these measurements will help you decide what furniture you can purchase for your home office.
  2. Comfort and functionality always trumps looks. You are going to be spending hours at this desk so make sure it is the right height and size for you. Larger desks does not always mean better. Find something you can sit at comfortably.
  3. Think about the materials the desk is constructed out of. Always look for durability. Metal desk are known to hold up longer than wood desks. This is great especially if you have young kids. Wood desks can sometimes be more executive looking, but can get banged up and chipped. Also metal desks are much more easy to clean.
  4. Set a budget. Knowing your limit will help you decide what you can and can’t afford. This budget will help you avoid impulse buying.
  5. Pick a chair that is comfortable, adjustable, and can roll easily on all different types of floor coverings.  The chair is the most important thing you are going to buy. You will be sitting in this chair for hours so do not skimp on this purchase. A little pain in your wallet will be far less than that great pain in your back.
  6. Finally, research. Go online and do some research to see what stores have what offers. This will save you a ton of time and allow you to make great purchases.

Visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of affordable, durable and beautiful furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection.

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

Prevent your dog from chewing furniture

obeMan’s best friend can also be his worst enemy when it comes to the destruction of furniture. It’s a normal thing for puppies to want to chew on any objects they can find. This habit will continue typically from the ages of 1 1/2 to 2. No object or piece of furniture is safe during this growing time. They will chew on shoes, windowsills, moldings, clothes, sports equipment, but most importantly your brand new furniture!

Protect the wonderful piece of furniture you just purchased from your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee from getting chewed on by following these easy steps.

  1. Figure out why they are chewing. Is it because of teething, curiosity, boredom, or a behavioral disorder? Discuss these options with your local veterinarian.
  2. If you puppy is teething, buy them a teething ring or make a frozen washcloth for them to chew on.
  3. Keep a sharp eye on your puppy. Don’t let them wander about. Use a baby gate to corral them and keep them in the same room as you. Crates can also be useful if you fill them with chewable toys.
  4. If you catch your dog chewing, distract them by giving them something appropriate to chew on. Have toys with various textures on them and rotate them around so boredom does not become a factor.
  5. Practice obedience with your puppy. Set aside time to play with them or teach them tricks. Your puppy wants your attention and is very important that you give it to them.
  6. Finally, exercise your puppy. If you tire them out, they won’t have the energy to chew on furniture.

Visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of affordable, durable and beautiful furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection.

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Prevent your cat from scratching furniture

itch-cat-scratch-padWhy does your cute little kitty latch on to your favorite furniture and hang on for dear life, stretching his claws and your patience?

Cats are a great family pet. Their easy maintenance, sweet and loving nature, and great companionship can really add to your family’s home lifestyle. But one of the frustrations that come with having cats is your feline’s need to scratch, stretch, and flex their claws. This can lead to severely damaged furniture and leave you very frustrated.

Follow these steps to prevent your cat from scratching and preserve the look of the furniture you bought through your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee for a lifetime.

  1. Put a scratching post in your cat’s favorite perch. Cats often like to enjoy the sun on their fur, so place a post by a window.
  2. Find a post that best suits your cat. This may take a bit of experimenting on your part, but will be well worth it.
  3. Research your cat’s breed to find what surfaces or textures they may prefer such as rugs, wood or cardboard.  You will also discover if they prefer a vertical or horizontal post.
  4. Reward your kitty with a treat every time they use the post. This will create a desire in them to want to scratch the post instead of your PMD furniture.
  5. Upon waking from a long nap, pick the cat up and place it near the post. Cats stretch and flex their claws after waking up.
  6. Provide alternatives, not punishment, when your cat scratches the furniture. Punishment will only teach them to not do it when you are around.
  7. Do not permit your cat to scratch any furniture, even if you plan on getting rid of an old piece. This will only teach them to scratch any and all furniture.
  8. Finally, consult your local veterinarian about different treatment option before you give up.

Visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of affordable, durable and beautiful furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection that even your finicky feline will love.

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

Setting up your entertainment center

entertainment centerYour dreams are about to come true!

Standing lofty against your living room wall is the entertainment center you’ve been dreaming your whole life about. But now the fear sets in. You look to the left and see a bundle of electronic equipment that you must now, somehow, put together in order for your dreams to become complete.

But have no fear. If you follow the next few simple steps, you will be able to put together a great entertainment system that will blow your friends away.

  1. Place the television in the middle of the entertainment center. Connect your Blue-ray, DVD or VHS player to the television using HD or HDMI cables.
  2. Connect the home theater receiver to the A/V (audio/video) output on the television. If the television does not have an A/V Out, then connect it to the DVD or Blu-ray player. It is best to use either RCA or fiber optic cables for this.
  3. Center the channel speaker below or directly above the television.
  4. Place the two front speakers on each side of the channel speaker.
  5. For maximum impact, the channel speaker and two front speakers should be placed equidistant from the listening area in an arched arrangement. They should also be at the same height, ideally at ear-level for the listeners.
  6. Put the two rear surround sound speakers on each side of the listening area behind the listening area. These can be placed above or below the seated listener.
  7. Finally, place the subwoofer around the room and experiment to find the best location. Turn on a movie or music and move the subwoofer to various spots in order to find the best sound.

Visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of affordable, durable and beautiful entertainment centers from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection.

You and your friends and family will soon enjoy the ear-splitting, seat-jarring surround sound from your new home theater set up!

Friday, April 9th, 2010

Accessorize!!

accessorize“Oh, NO! Why doesn’t my new sofa look as good in my home as it did in the store?”

We have all asked ourselves this question and it’s one of the most frustrating dilemmas for furniture consumers today. What can you do when the piece of furniture you have just spent countless hours shopping for has a completely different look in your home than it did in the store, magazine or photograph that inspired you?

The solution is simple: Accessories!

Professional designers accessorize rooms to the max. When shopping for that ideal piece of furniture through your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee, make sure you take into consideration the accessories that have been shown in the room setting, such as:

• Occasional Tables
• Occasional chairs
• Curio Cabinets
• Artwork
• Picture frames
• Lamps
• Rugs
• Candles
• Throw pillows
• Blankets
• Floral arrangements
• Decorative accessories
• Place settings
• Table centerpieces

When adding new furniture to a room, go shopping in other rooms of your home to find accessories that will add drama and interest around your new piece. You can also visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of beautiful and affordable accessories from the beautiful furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection.

Attention to detail will pay off and soon your rooms will have the same sparkle and shine as a designer showroom!

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010

Design the layout of your living room properly

living room arrangmentIt’s a problem we’ve all faced at one point in our life. You’ve just finished purchasing some beautiful living room furniture from Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® but now have no idea how to lay out the room. Most of the time we spend countless hours moving furniture pieces around, like an endless puzzle, trying to figure out the layout we want.  But this doesn’t have to be the case. Follow these steps to find the living room layout you want while also saving your back.

  1. Get a piece of paper and draw a layout of your living room. Include all doors, windows, outlets, radiators, and air vents.
  2. Design and cut out miniatures of your items. Make sure all the pieces are named with the dimensions of each.
  3. Locate a focal point in the room. All your furniture pieces will revolve around this point. It can sometimes be a entertainment center, coffee table, artwork, fireplace, or even a mantle. Draw this focal point on the paper where it exists in the room.
  4. Move your cut out furniture pieces around on the paper to experiment with different layouts. Make sure your seating areas face each other and not the focal point. You want to encourage socializing. Place sofas and chairs at right angles around the focal point.
  5. Find a coffee table or trunk to place in the center of your seating arrangement for drinks or board games. This can also be used as a display area to place reading materials or pictures.
  6. Leave spaces in the corners between the seating for end tables or lamps. If you have an extra chair that fits this seating group, you can widen the arrangement and place the chair diagonally into the corner and skip the table.
  7. Finally, fill in any open places with any additional pieces of decor you still have. But remember, less is more. You don’t want to over crowd an area. So place accordingly.

Visit your local PMD Furniture Direct™ franchisee to shop our vast selection of affordable, durable and beautiful living room furniture from the Royal Heritage Home Furnishings® Collection, and start designing your living room today!