Italy is a leader in fashion and design, second only to France and the Parisian shopping district that is the fashion capital of the world. When trends are set and forwarded to New York, they come from one of these two locations. That includes not only clothing but home and furniture designs as well. In order to be hip and in the know, it’s important for designers in the United States to make pilgrimages abroad and see what the latest and greatest offerings are across the Atlantic. In terms of bedroom furniture, Italy has turned to the simplistic use of platform beds, which are modern and basic, with sleek lines and sharp angles.

In today’s society, people change their minds frequently and want instant gratification. That’s true the world over, even in places like Italy where the lifestyle is a little slower paced and less rushed. That means that, if someone wants their furniture to last through the changes in trends and personal style, it is essential for the pieces to be as generic as possible. Contemporary beds designed out of Italy are being manufactured this way specifically for such a purpose. Of course, because the furniture is meant to last through numerous redecorations and for many years ahead, the beds produced here are of the highest quality. At the same time, Italians are frugal and won’t spend more than necessary, looking for the best value for their buck.

Of course, in Italy just as in many European nations, the apartments or “flats” as they are called are much smaller than what people are used to in the United States, so furniture has to accommodate the space available. This leads to combination pieces like bookcase headboards, which offer a place to store books and other important items that need to be accessible while not taking up extra space. It will also grace the head of the bed with style that reflects personal taste and a sense of self through the items that are chosen for display.
The trundle day bed is especially popular when it comes to roommates sharing one of these small flats, most of which are no bigger than the living rooms in a typical American home. This allows for seating on the sofa bed portion during the day, which is transformed into a bed at night, as well as a second bed that can be put away during the day to clear up more floor space.

Even in larger houses, rooms are not as spacious as those in North America, so king sized furniture is not the best option. Instead, Italians are more likely to purchase queen wood beds, choosing wood because of its durability and stylistic appeal. And, in order to provide a very basic canvas upon which to build a new design or theme, many Italians will take advantage of the plainness of platform beds. This creates the opportunity to quickly wipe the slate clean and start anew without spending a fortune on new furniture with each whim.

American White Oak, Latin name Quercus alba, is a popular American hardwood with Furniture Manufacturers across the world. As well as the more recently fashionable use as hardwood flooring, American Oak has been used for centuries for manufacture of cabinets, doors, panelling, kitchen and bedroom furniture, as well as more traditional uses for ship building, barrels and casks. Its popularity is well deserved: the grain is mostly straight and regular, giving an even effect through out the piece, as well as being easy to work for furniture makers, and its light colour enables it to be stained to the ideal tone for the furniture required.

Being a hard, heavy wood it is perhaps surprising that American Oak is low in stiffness and can be bent into shapes desired, most often by steam bending. This quality previously made the timber ideal for ship building, but today this is more used for architectural uses as well as luxury staircases.

American White Oak grows mainly in the Eastern United States of American and Canada, although can grow commercially as far West as Texas and Minnesota. The tree reaches a height of around sixty to eighty-five feet (twenty to twenty five meters), but the trees true size is its in branch spread which can grow as wide as it is height. Having a light grey bark gives it the name White Oak, along with the light brown timber.

One special property of White Oak, not found in its red cousin, is being impervious to water. This has made the timber ideal for shipbuilding and wine barrels, and now makes it useful for outdoor furniture. This is due to cellular structures named tyloses that make a structure without gaps for water to pass through.

Furniture manufactures mostly buy American White Oak as a square edged, rough sawn board which has been kiln dried before being exported from North America. It is sold usually in thicknesses of 1” to 3”, although thicknesses greater than this are available, and is available in a wide variety of widths and lengths.  Widths are usually 4” to 9”, although 10” and wider is available at higher prices, while lengths can be as long as 14’ but 8’, 10’ and 12’ is more common.

Timber products made from American White Oak are also used: panels made from staves of American White Oak are sometimes used by furniture manufacturers, particularly for cabinets and doors, while blanks, often two part but matched grain, are used for staircase spindles and newels.

Furniture styles made from oak include dark stained regal designs, designed to emulate royal courts, to light unstained designs which give a natural feel. Table and chair sets are popular, as well as full-oak kitchens, beds and bedroom chests and wardrobes.

The only negative qualities associated with American White Oak are its reactions to non-galvanised ferrous metals, such as iron, can stain and corrode the timber. It is recommended that an alternative metal such as stainless steal or brass is used. The timber also is not ideal for gluing, although this is not impossible.

BROOKLYN, QUEENS, WOODSIDE, NEW YORK CITY, NY…

DirectBuy of Brooklyn and Queens and DirectBuy of Manhattan, the leading members-only showroom and home design centers, not only offer consumers a brand new way to save on home improvement projects, but also offers some helpful tips on designing the perfect kid’s room.

“A child’s bedroom serves as much more than a place for you kids to play. It’s a study, computer room, play room, game room, video/entertainment center and even a guest room,” said Marti Brandt, owner of DirectBuy of Brooklyn and Queens. “By following a few simple guidelines, you can create a room that’s comfortable for them to sleep and play in, but also maximizes the space.”

Some guidelines to follow include:

?        Involve your children in the buying of the furniture and decorating process; it’s their room, after all, and it stands to reason they will be more comfortable with items they helped select.

?        Take into account your child’s age, gender and how long the furniture will be used (e.g. bunk beds might be fun at 12, but at 16 your teenager might want some more space)

?        Only consider bedroom furniture that has quality construction and age-appropriate design. It is also a good idea to bring children along while shopping to make sure the bedding is comfortable.

?        Plan for growth – not just your child getting bigger but acquiring more things and clothing that will need to be stored.

Both DirectBuy of Brooklyn and Queens and DirectBuy of Manhattan carry a large selection of brand-name kids’ furniture at wholesale prices direct from the manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. In addition, DirectBuy employs product specialists and designers who can help parents and children select furniture and accessories to create the look you want for your child’s room.

“Sure, parents might lose a little leverage by sending a child to their room not being seen as a form of punishment,” laughs Brandt. “The upside is that by creating a room that’s a haven for your child, they’ll be happier, which in turn makes parents happier. So everybody wins.”

Consumers interested in becoming DirectBuy members may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by contacting DirectBuy of Brooklyn and Queens at 718-247-2320, or contacting the showroom co-owners Michael Wiseltier or Marti Brandt at info@directbuybq.com.  For DirectBuy of Manhattan, please contact Co-Owner Mark Brandt at 212-290-3020 or info@directbuybq.com.

About DirectBuy

Since 1971, DirectBuy has helped hundreds of thousands of families enjoy a better quality of life, enabling them to buy directly from more than 700 manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Buying direct enables members’ hard-earned money to go much further, while having the selection and choice not available at any retail store. DirectBuy has been serving the greater New York City area since 2003. Access to confidential prices, local suppliers and unparalleled selection helps make members’ dream projects a reality. It’s a comfortable, country-club setting, where you finally have the financial control of buying direct. The DirectBuy showrooms serving the greater New York City area are part of more than 160 locations throughout North America.

DirectBuy franchise locations servicing the greater New York City area are:  DirectBuy of Brooklyn and Queens, 72-25 Queens Boulevard, Woodside, NY, 718-247-2320 and DirectBuy of Manhattan, 469 Seventh Avenue 6th Floor, New York, NY, 212-290-3020.

For more information on DirectBuy, you can visit http://www.directbuynewyork.com.

The brand Ashley Furniture has acquired an enviable reputation among consumers and buyers for their quality workmanship. This is because customer satisfaction is the primary driving force behind their manufacturing methods and innovative marketing strategy. Ashley Furniture NYC is a proud part of this fastest-growing retail furniture chain in North America today. It is famous for excellent customer service with courteous sales staff, careful delivery teams and tactful customer sales representatives. The Ashley Furniture NYC is similarly committed to these guiding principles which include creativity in the designs, high quality product standards and aggressive marketing and advertising techniques.

The Ashley Furniture NYC is one of the many independently-owned stores that offer quality branded Ashley furnitures. This is made possible by a marketing and distributorship tie-up with Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. that allows Ashley Furniture NYC to carry items that have the Ashley name. At any rate, what you find in any of the various Ashley Furniture NYC outlets are the same since these are manufactured by the same maker according to the same exacting standards. The Ashley furniture brand has the most complete furniture line in the industry and have over 60 years of manufacturing

experience behind it.

Ashley Furniture NYC guarantees its products because they have their own design teams, build them directly without subcontracting the work out and deliver them using their own fleet trucks from company-operated warehouses that assure safe delivery without any damage to the items. The Ashley Furniture NYC does all these and carry a complete set of product lines such as kids’ bedrooms, leather match, occasional tables, recliners, mattresses, fine and casual dining and a lot of other home and office accessories. At Ashley Furniture NYC, you will find everything you can ever want and possibly need. Shipping schedules and delivery times are kept strictly to promised delivery periods as most stocks are delivered from the nearest strategically located warehouse.

People associate Ashley Furniture NYC with quality furniture at affordable prices. Visitors who come to your home or office will be greatly impressed if you bought your furniture pieces from any of the Ashley Furniture NYC outlets within the area. These furniture speak of timeless elegance with their exquisite designs and high quality workmanship. So the next time you are shopping for furniture, make it a habit to visit any of the Ashley Furniture NYC near you. It will be one of the smart decisions that you can make with regards to furniture purchases.