As far as the quality and standards of office furniture is concerned, there are certain guidelines that governing production. Bodies such as the U.S. Green Building Council have set forth rating systems, called LEEDS, to ensure that socially responsible inputs as far as space management and use of modular wall systems used in most offices today.

In fact, there are issues such as the R’s of sustainability (Reduce and Reuse), are the leading indicators integrated in the LEEDS CI Rating System. While they are meant to help furniture manufacturers move forward soliciting some issues regarding its current version may yet be amended based on certain problems such as the flexibility of modular walls in the office setting.

Construction Waste Management 2.1 & 2.2 gives point consideration to the diverting of waste, but no such credit consideration is given when waste isn’t created in the first place by having pre-manufactured elements installed. According to Cornell University an average of one pound of drywall ends up in a landfill site for each square foot of drywall built in initial construction. Even if this goes to a recycler, it creates added transportation pollution, requires conversion energy and it still only refers to virgin drywall – not demolished.

A space made with studs and drywall may have diverted waste during initial construction, but is in no way responsive to the needs of the living, breathing business working inside it. Building out interior spaces using drywall is not sustainable. The EPA estimates changes in these inflexible spaces result in 155 pounds of material waste for every square foot. Electrical components, paint, screws, vinyl and adhesives make all that drywall difficult, if not impossible to safely recycle.

(Source) Interior Design

The age of transforming and flexible furniture never ceases to amaze us. In fact, they are great solutions as far as saving on space. Ideally, most home owners would want a great deal of chairs to be ready, especially if you have frequent guests.

But considering the limited space and mess they could serve, it would be best to consider these transforming Pick chairs by Italian Manufacturer BBB emmebonacina. The price for owning one is a whopping $1,630.00.

So if you can spare some cash, here is a good space saver you may want to check out.

(Source) Dvice

In perhaps what best describes this yet to be named chair conceptualized by Alessandro Beda, here is an innovative way of putting a unique lounge chair to use. But to get it done, Beda will need 100 pieces of shock absorbers to make it work.

The Untitled Chair

The intent is to come up with a lounge chair similar to the LC2 Petit Comfort by Le Corbusier. If all goes well, this is something that will really be interesting. Hopefully though the shock absorbers to be used maintain the same height since no one wants to sit on a bumpy chair to gain comfort.

(Source) Behance Network

Bean bags are desired by people who want more comfort than the usual bulky furniture in their homes. Similar to pillows for some, the flexibility of their use anywhere in homes these days is apparent especially for people who want to find a suitable position that they find comfortable.

Bean bags are made from various materials but are mostly non reactive to the human body. Further, they are easy to clean. With a vacuum cleaner to do most of the cleaning, bean bags are known not to gather much dust due to their fabrics. Some even use outer covering to make sure that they don’t get dirty easily.

Besides, some bean bags use covers that can be washed at times. But overall, they are convenient especially if you are particular about the position you are lying in, whether it is on the bed or by the floor.

(Source) Best Syndication

The best way to visualize how great home interior designs will come out is to lay them out using advanced technology. The best way is through actual images which you can these days using latest software. But for some companies, such is a specialty to which they integrate new ideas coming from software specialists to come up with catchy concepts of room designs outside the traditional sketches which interior designers and architects are known for doing.

For its part, 20-20 Technologies, the world leader in 3D interior design and furniture manufacturing software is partnering with leading home furnishing company IKEA to provide unique 3D web visualization space planning through a space planning tool called the 20-20 Virtual Planner. Through this deal, customers can now visualize and create their virtual spaces through a fully interactive 3D setting.

“20-20’s Virtual Planner will give IKEA customers the power to create and visualize spaces in a fully interactive 3D setting, putting them in the decorator’s seat,” said Jean-François Grou, COO of 20-20 Technologies.

“Several of our European clients have already experienced an increase in web traffic generally translated into higher in-store and online sales, particularly after having implemented our Virtual Planner solution,” he added.

(Source) Dexigner

With that new innovation, what more can customers want when they can now first visualize and then buy furnishings that are suitable for their home needs?

There are a lot of furniture designs we can see out there and apparently we can either look them up on the web or drop by nearest furniture fairs such as this one being hosted by the Midvalley Home and Furnishing Fair. Ranging from catchy living room to bedroom furniture, any home owner should not miss checking out what furniture solutions are present from various companies during such events.

For the Midvalley Home and Furnishing Fair whose theme is “Fairytales do come true”, various furniture considerations ranging from lazyboy chairs to sofas can be seen here. If you are looking for something to spice up your home, furniture fair events are something you should not miss!

Any living room needs the perfect accessories and tenants like Khazanah, Kohimaran Oriental & Lifestyle Gallery, E-Tree Home and Home Treasures provide shoppers with colourful items at the North and South courts.

(Source) The Star Online

When you are doing business, you have to get new ideas. Normally you would expect your business and development team to come up with one but don’t forget your customers who may want something custom-made not only for them but for you to consider as well.

Such was the idea that Magniflex Gold Pet Mattress got when a wealthy Russian client asked for a custom-made Gold Mattress for her Maltese. Gold Mattress sales have not exactly been comforting, perhaps due to its price ($24,000 for queen size and $30,000 for king size) and looking at other options just happened to fall on their lap.

The Magniflex Gold Pet Mattress has been added to their product line and are being offered between $1,000 to $3,000. They can be ordered directly at the Magniflex website.

(Source) New York Times

Some people may not buy it but a large majority of the market are following the usual Feng Shui beliefs that help improve lives by increasing positive energy in our homes. Among them include the bedroom which have various placements and directions that they should face to bring in good luck, prosperity and marital bliss.

Apparently these have brought luck and prosperity to people and it really wouldn’t hurt to try them out. Besides, what have you got to lose especially if you love to re-organize your home ever so often?

“The bed needs to be facing the nor-west direction to enhance good relationships and bring prosperity,” Mr Huang said.

“The coffin position is where the bed is directly facing the bedroom door. This can bring illness and a couple is prone to arguments, break-ups and domestic violence.”

(Source) Taranaki Daily News

Italian interior designers have their way of stirring up crazy yet alluring home designs and these include the kitchen. While you can always count on kitchen appliances to help, nothing beats hitting the counters and the kitchen cabinet designs as well especially if you are talking about modern design concepts.

Haute Living is one of the companies that take pride in spicing up everything in the house, the kitchen in particular. With its various kitchen system showcases, you can imagine at how the various designs by Haute Living can drive you crazy eventually.

Haute Living, located in the heart of Chicago’s design district, is one of only two US distributors of the world’s most technologically advanced kitchens, Binova Cucine of Italy. With a rich and diversified catalog that includes five kitchen systems, Binova and its timeless contemporary design is a perfect fit for Haute Living, whose other lines include Rimadesio, Lema, USM Modular Furniture, Fritz Hansen, Vladimir Kagan, Oluce, Moooi, Piet Boon and Erba.

(Source) PR Inside

For the people fortunate enough to start building on their own homes, a lot will be focused on the spaces and the provisions for rooms that will accommodate the furniture, appliances and of course the people who will live in them. But before you get all jumpy, just remember you have to consider the unforeseen and this includes fire protection.

A home is a fixed property but it will not be spared from untoward events. We have seen a lot of homes in the world go down in ashes once fire strikes. So to avoid the painful loss of a home, even if it is insured, owners would do well to consider fire protection such as sprinklers or even fire extinguishers at designated places of a great home.

For Horobin, a British architect and longtime proponent of living sensibly and sensitively with the earth, fireproofing is an essential part of building a sustainable house. In part, it’s personal: He and his wife Lynn lost a house in a 1986 Los Gatos wildfire. “I know how it feels,” he said.

That feeling he added is compounded when he hears reports of rebuilding the same kind of structure in the same place after a fire. “I watched a report about people who lost homes in San Diego fires in 2003 and 2007 and are rebuilding with stick frames — one definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results.”

(Source) Napa Valley Register