One thing I've noticed recently when comparing various oak bedsides is that the dimensions can vary quite significantly. This is apparently one of the oldest tricks in the how-to-sell-furniture book, as revealed by someone who works for a major UK furniture supplier.
If a manufacturer is struggling to compete with a rival on the price of their product, they simply make the furniture just a little smaller and the cost saving is enough to make a difference to the selling price. This can be a particular problem when shopping online because most websites show the furniture against a plain background and not next to anything else. I remember once marvelling at the price of a pine bookcase - before seeing from the details that it was actually a photograph of a DVD rack!
So, don't forget to measure up the space you have available for your intended bedside cabinet and then find something which is as close as possible within your price bracket. Not all bedside cabinets are the same - even if it looks like they might be.
Monday, 24 May 2010
Friday, 7 May 2010
Why summer 2010 is the time to buy
If you're thinking of getting an oak bedside then buy now - here's why...
This morning we still don't know who the next government is going to be but you can be sure that whoever gets lumbered with the task is going to have their work cut out in balancing the books and clearing our massive national debt. What has this to do with oak bedsides?
Well good quality oak furniture has been available now for some years at affordable prices - but this year has already gone up in price by 10 to 20% - due to rising fuel oil costs for shipping and the weakness of the Pound amongst other things. When government austerity measures begin to bite we'll all have less money to spend and the furniture industry will react by supplying lower quality products in order to maintain (or perhaps reduce) prices and stay in business.
This means the choice of good quality, solid oak bedsides will become smaller and the prices of these items will rise. You'll still be able to buy something for around the same price, but it is unlikely to be as good. My advice therefore is (if you can afford it) buy once, buy good quality that will last, and buy as soon as possible.
This morning we still don't know who the next government is going to be but you can be sure that whoever gets lumbered with the task is going to have their work cut out in balancing the books and clearing our massive national debt. What has this to do with oak bedsides?
Well good quality oak furniture has been available now for some years at affordable prices - but this year has already gone up in price by 10 to 20% - due to rising fuel oil costs for shipping and the weakness of the Pound amongst other things. When government austerity measures begin to bite we'll all have less money to spend and the furniture industry will react by supplying lower quality products in order to maintain (or perhaps reduce) prices and stay in business.
This means the choice of good quality, solid oak bedsides will become smaller and the prices of these items will rise. You'll still be able to buy something for around the same price, but it is unlikely to be as good. My advice therefore is (if you can afford it) buy once, buy good quality that will last, and buy as soon as possible.
Monday, 8 March 2010
French style Oak Bedsides
In case you hadn't spotted it, the latest furniture fashion is French style. Much of this is made of pine or MDF and completed in a painted or shabby chic fashion, but there are also some manufacturers offering French style furniture in oak with a wood (lacquered) finish.
One of the better ranges, that offers good quality oak bedsides in a French-style and at sensible prices is the (unimaginatively-named) French Style Oak range from Devonshire Pine. I guess they must have put all their creative effort into the furniture rather than the name, as it really is nicely styled, well made and well finished. Prices are around £120 or less for the nightstand and £140 for the bedside cabinet.
One of the better ranges, that offers good quality oak bedsides in a French-style and at sensible prices is the (unimaginatively-named) French Style Oak range from Devonshire Pine. I guess they must have put all their creative effort into the furniture rather than the name, as it really is nicely styled, well made and well finished. Prices are around £120 or less for the nightstand and £140 for the bedside cabinet.
Friday, 12 February 2010
The Oak Bedside to not buy
The one on the right is from Heal's pretty standard offer from their Montanna Furniture Collection.
All seems well until you check the price THREE HUNDRED AND NINTY FIVE POUNDS.
The Montana Bedside Table has been inspired by the best of both traditional and modern design. Created with a combination of oak solids and veneers, this Bedside Table has a drawer and handy shelf, it also accompanies the rest of the Montana range superbly.
Two things spring to mind
- This isn't even 100% solid oak, for that money if it was made from Gold the price would closer to what we'd be looking to pay
- You can pick up a flat pack solid wood version from £50 and a 100% solid oak bedside would only cost £120 maxiumum
Should you wish to purchase here is the link to Heals Over Priced Oak Bedside
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Stand by your bedsides!
Just thought I'd issue a friendly seasonal warning to all those who will be having friends or family coming to stay during the Christmas period. We all know how useful the bedside cabinet can be as somewhere to put lamps, books, clocks, spectacles and so on but I thought I'd mention an experience that happened in our house a few years ago.
This tale involved shall we say a more senior member of the family. Last thing at night they would remove their dentures and put them into a cup of Steradent denture cleaner. The trouble was that on this particular night they had filled their cup a little too much and, not having their spectacles on, didn't realise some of the contents had spilled onto the bedside cabinet.
By morning the denture cleaner had removed all the paintwork (did I mention our bedsides were painted?) right down to the woodwork. I have since used the same denture cleaner as an effective but gentle way to clean all kinds of furniture! My point is, just be careful to put a cover such as a neat lace doilie (with furniture protector underneath) on furniture if you think it might be 'at risk.'
By the way, talking of bedsides, I guess you'll have checked out the selection of bedsides on the website of RightPriceFurniture.
This tale involved shall we say a more senior member of the family. Last thing at night they would remove their dentures and put them into a cup of Steradent denture cleaner. The trouble was that on this particular night they had filled their cup a little too much and, not having their spectacles on, didn't realise some of the contents had spilled onto the bedside cabinet.
By morning the denture cleaner had removed all the paintwork (did I mention our bedsides were painted?) right down to the woodwork. I have since used the same denture cleaner as an effective but gentle way to clean all kinds of furniture! My point is, just be careful to put a cover such as a neat lace doilie (with furniture protector underneath) on furniture if you think it might be 'at risk.'
By the way, talking of bedsides, I guess you'll have checked out the selection of bedsides on the website of RightPriceFurniture.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
What about Pine Furniture?
At the weekend I was looking at some pine furniture and it was like meeting an old friend I hadn’t seen for some time. I’d forgotten just how new pine furniture can be so fresh and natural – add a few pebbles and some sisal rope and it feels like the seaside, but add a thick rug and a blazing log fire and it feels like a cabin in the mountains.
For a great choice of pine furniture in traditional and contemporary styles I’d look for pine furniture on Right Price furniture’s website. They have dozens of ranges of genuine solid pine furniture and Right Price Furniture is now one of the biggest and most trusted online furniture retailers in the UK.
For a great choice of pine furniture in traditional and contemporary styles I’d look for pine furniture on Right Price furniture’s website. They have dozens of ranges of genuine solid pine furniture and Right Price Furniture is now one of the biggest and most trusted online furniture retailers in the UK.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
The Many Choices of Bedroom Furniture
If you are in the market for bedroom furniture, then you probably have a vague idea of what you would like. This can affect your decision about the type of furniture set that you buy. If the bedroom furniture that you are looking at is a simple and basic design, then you have a wealth of options to choose from. There are many different styles, and many of them feature simple, yet elegant pieces which are designed to enhance the room in which they are kept as well as function in a variety of different purposes. While there are also elaborately designed bedroom pieces as well, these can be a little more difficult to find, but they often have a theme, and you would need to buy an entire bedroom set to make sure that all of the furniture matched correctly.
The two most common types of bedroom furniture options are pine furniture and oak furniture. Pine furniture is often used for those bedroom sets that are designed to have a rustic appeal to them. Also, because the colour and look of pine furniture in general is capable of blending in with a variety of other wood types, it is often the choice for people who are looking for just one piece of bedroom furniture. Not to mention the fact that you can buy unfinished pine bedroom furniture and stain it or paint it to match your specific decorating needs. The notable fact about pine furniture is that each piece is unique because of the knots and variations in the wood. Many people enjoy this fact and they opt to use pine furniture because they know that no one else will have a piece exactly like theirs.
On the other hand, if you are looking for an entire set of bedroom furniture that is designed to last, then oak furniture is a good option as well. This is because oak is a hardwood, so it is durable, and is capable of taking years of punishment without breaking down. Since it is a hardwood, it is also a good choice for those who do not want to have to think about replacing their furniture anytime soon. If you were to buy a set of oak bedroom furniture (including wardrobes, drawers, nightstands, and even chests), then you would probably not have to worry about replacing this furniture any time in the near future. And, you would have a complete set.
The important thing to remember is that both pine furniture and oak furniture have their different traits. What you need to do is to go through and make sure that you are getting bedroom furniture that is going to work best for your needs. Since both of these woods are commonly used in furniture, you can find both of them in a wide variety of different styles that will fit your decorating needs. If you still are unsure of the kind of bedroom furniture that will work best for you, then you can visit furniture stores to see them in person before making your final decision.
The two most common types of bedroom furniture options are pine furniture and oak furniture. Pine furniture is often used for those bedroom sets that are designed to have a rustic appeal to them. Also, because the colour and look of pine furniture in general is capable of blending in with a variety of other wood types, it is often the choice for people who are looking for just one piece of bedroom furniture. Not to mention the fact that you can buy unfinished pine bedroom furniture and stain it or paint it to match your specific decorating needs. The notable fact about pine furniture is that each piece is unique because of the knots and variations in the wood. Many people enjoy this fact and they opt to use pine furniture because they know that no one else will have a piece exactly like theirs.
On the other hand, if you are looking for an entire set of bedroom furniture that is designed to last, then oak furniture is a good option as well. This is because oak is a hardwood, so it is durable, and is capable of taking years of punishment without breaking down. Since it is a hardwood, it is also a good choice for those who do not want to have to think about replacing their furniture anytime soon. If you were to buy a set of oak bedroom furniture (including wardrobes, drawers, nightstands, and even chests), then you would probably not have to worry about replacing this furniture any time in the near future. And, you would have a complete set.
The important thing to remember is that both pine furniture and oak furniture have their different traits. What you need to do is to go through and make sure that you are getting bedroom furniture that is going to work best for your needs. Since both of these woods are commonly used in furniture, you can find both of them in a wide variety of different styles that will fit your decorating needs. If you still are unsure of the kind of bedroom furniture that will work best for you, then you can visit furniture stores to see them in person before making your final decision.
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