Choosing The Right Upholstery

By  Shop Grand Central 

Believe it or not, selecting upholstery that works for your home requires putting your lifestyle and design taste into perspective. In fact, here are some helpful questions you should ask yourself before choosing suitable fabric for your furniture:

Will it be exposed to sunlight?

Can it sustain heavy wear caused by children, pets & high traffic?

Is it spill & stain proof?

For the purpose of practicality and durability, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of natural fabrics vs. man-made or engineered fabrics.

Natural Fabrics:

Fabric	Pros	Cons
Cotton	Durable & easy to clean	Not as resistant to soiling & wrinkling
Leather	Forgiving & easy to clean	Develops more character with age
Linen	Stays clean & absorbs moisture	Does not resist piling & fading
Wool	Water repellent & durable	Blended with a synthetic fiber for cleaning purposes
Hemp	Durable	Wrinkles easily

Man-made Fabrics:

Fabric	Pros	Cons
Acrylic	Resists wear & lightweight	Low-quality will pill in high-wear situations
Microfiber	Durable & easy to clean	Electrostatically charged; can pick up dust & lint
Olefin	Durable & fashionable	Low moisture absorption
Rayon	Durable	Wrinkles easily
Vinyl	Easy care & less expensive than leather	May crack with time

Now that you have your upholstery choice down pat, don’t be afraid to opt for a vibrant color. To inspire yourself with this year’s color trends, you can refer to Pantone’s color palette. Also, choosing a pattern will definitely add some visual interest. Besides adding depth to your space, it just may help camouflage spills and other mishaps that are inevitable with children and pets. Choosing durable upholstery is wise for sofas, dining chairs and rugs, especially in high traffic areas. The idea is to achieve bulletproof decorating. Now you can get your desired look that meets all of your needs.

Content provided by: +Tailbase 

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Preparing For Grilling Season

By  Shop Grand Central 

At last! You made it through the winter and can now resume cooking outdoors. Most folks need to pull out their BBQ that has been hibernating for months. Only the die-hard griller opted to make use of it even during the winter. To each their own! For those of you who are dusting off your grill, you may want to run through a quick checklist before you light it up again! Besides, even the hardcore griller should consider a good spring cleaning.

Safety is paramount – Here’s the thing… many of us seem to forget that using a grill means playing with fire. Since your grill has been sitting for months, give your hose a quick glance before you decide to ignite. Your hose should be intact and free of any build-up. Even a hose can catch on fire!

Give it a quick cleaning – First, remove the grates and give them a quick scrubbing. It is recommended to use a wire brush, along with a damp cloth to get the job done. Using a touch of dish soap will help remove all the grease, but make sure no residue remains. As for you grilling tools, putting them through a dishwasher cycle will do the trick. It’s a great way to disinfect!

Don’t forget the grease traps – The best habit to adopt is to clean out the grease traps before you store your grill for the winter season. An easy-clean solution for the following year would be to line your traps with aluminum foil.

Last but not least – give it a test run. Before you give it a go, turn on your grill and let it burn for a few minutes. Keep an eye out for any leaks and be sure that all burners are lit.

Now you can enjoy grilling season in all of its glory!

Content provided by: +Tailbase 

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Effective Furniture Cleaning With Non-Toxic Products

By  Shop Grand Central 

Today’s society pushes toxic cleaning products to clean your home, because only the very toxic kind can “get the job done”. In fact, the long term effects of exposure to these products have raised health concerns for individuals with respiratory problems and allergies. People with such conditions should avoid being around synthetic chemicals that will only aggravate their situation. Thus, chores and spring cleaning should be done with non-toxic and environmentally friendly products by means of green commercial products or your very own homemade products! If money is tight, then the homemade route is a good way to go. Here are some good substitutions to the commercial green products you can find.

Baking Soda: Cleans, deodorizes, buffs. This household product is good for deodorizing upholstery that you cannot be drenched in liquid. Simply sprinkle some on the upholstery, let it sit a while, and then remove it with a vacuum. This can be applied to your rugs and sofas. 

White Vinegar: removes grease, mildew, odors, stains and build-ups. Who would have thought that white vinegar is so multifaceted? In fact, it would wonders to clean/dust furniture, or wash wood flooring! Some people use it as an all-purpose cleaner…that is if you don’t mind the smell! 

Isopropyl Alcohol: an excellent disinfectant and stain remover. Great for removing stains on upholstery such as microfiber sofas. There is no need to dilute it in water. It will dry quickly, as it evaporates more quickly than water. If the smell disturbs you, open the windows to air out the room.

These products are an efficient way to maintain a clean home, without damaging your health. By using them regularly, you will not be overwhelmed with build-up. The idea is to develop good cleaning habits, with the use of gentle cleaning products. Go ahead and try it for yourself… you won’t be disappointed!

Content provided by: +Tailbase 

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March; A Time To Be Green

By  Shop Grand Central 

The month of March is green for a number of reasons. First, St. Patrick’s Day is an Irish holiday that is often associated to the color green. Next is the first day of spring, which symbolizes blooming and greenery. Finally, this month also features Sun-Earth Day, a day that educates people about the sun is a powerful source of energy for the earth. This month is quite eventful to say the least!

                                                                   *Taken from nasa.gov

So how exactly can you promote being green this month to make mother earth smile? Opt to improve your energy efficiency when you wash a load of green clothing! It seems that Energy Star’s most efficient washers are front loaders! Their design features a short central agitator, which reduces the level of water consumption. In fact, it seems that the average Energy Star- certified washer will cost $85 a year to run.

                                      

By using Energy Star washers, US consumers will save the following yearly:

• 540 million kWh of electricity
• 20 billion gallons of water
• 1.8 trillion BTUs of natural gas
• A grand total of $250 million in energy bill savings annually

                                                                     *Taken from www.nrdc.org/

Despite the fact that one has a green washer, it might be a good idea to verify its effectiveness as well - no one wants to find their shirt shredded. Also, most of the highest performing washers come with a price tag. Although some of them can be quite pricey, your savings will result in the long-run. The idea is to do your research by looking at the latest tested models via consumer reports. That way, you can find the middle ground between, energy efficiency, effectiveness and price point.

  

Unfortunately, dryers do not get an Energy Star rating for the time being. We have yet to figure out how to create hot air inexpensively. Therefore, the focus has been shifted to doing wonders with washers.

                                  

So be green this March!

Content provided by: +Tailbase 

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The Super Bowl Checklist

By  Shop Grand Central 

Whether you’re hosting for Super Bowl 50 or spending game night with family, you should consider using a checklist to help you get prepped. Does a checklist sound a little too OCD for your taste? You’d be surprised how handy they can be to help remind you about all your must-haves! Score big points by ensuring that you cover every angle in time for kick-off. Let’s go over some of the indispensables for this event:

Food: Let’s face it. Some people might be showing up at your house for the food. Serve a mixture of finger foods and drinks to satisfy everyone. In fact, a little buffet table might be ideal, in case guests decide to replenish often during the game.

Super Bowl Decorations and attire: No one is expecting you to decorate your house as if it were the football hall of fame or the home of the most fervent football pool fan. However, if this is the case, by all means, go nuts! Otherwise, you may want to hang a banner above your buffet table and perhaps purchase some decorative napkins and disposable plates.

Seating: Besides food and drinks, seating is one of the most essential elements of your Super Bowl Party. Make sure you have enough seating for everyone. In the event that you happen to be shopping around for seating in time for game night, the ultimate seating experience is found on a recliner! Recliners are the “in thing” for Super Bowl fans. In fact, retailers often have sales before the event, because this specific product is a hit. Besides, it seems to be a favorite among the gentlemen! Which is better? Manual reclining or power reclining? Depending on your budget, review how much you are willing to spend.

Last, but not least – TVs: Make sure you look into Super Bowl 50 broadcasters ahead of a time. Your television is where all the action happens. If you’re trying to maximize your TV’s lifespan, but that isn’t a possibility, you may want to consider purchasing one before the event. It seems that retailers are lining up various TV deals as an incentive to buy for the game.

If you managed to get all of these points checked, then you’re ready for the big game! Happy game viewing!

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Samsung Is Steadily Occupying The Market

By  Shop Grand Central 

According to the CES 2016 being held in Las Vegas this week, technologies including 3DTV & Ultrabook Laptops have fallen flat. However, others such as Virtual Reality and 4KTvs are steadily making their way through 2016. That being said, we know that 2016 will be the year that 4KTVs continue to catch fire.

Following January 5^th, the first day of the CES 2016, a recap shows us how Samsung is arguably the industry’s leader and has now occupied broadly across the home in the areas of the kitchen, laundry room, living room and wrist. This South Korean company is without a doubt, well-known for its 4KTVs and remains steady in the realm of SUHD high-definition televisions which were initially announced at last year’s CES. During 2015, Samsung manufactured 4K TVs from the very economical 40 inch to the monster 85 inch. Now, the new models range from 49 to 88 inches in size.

*www.samsung.com

The VP of Samsung, Joe Stinziano, emphasized on the fact that there is a scarcity of movies and other content that are designed for such performing devices, which is why Samsung intends to work with studios like 20^th Century Fox Warner Brothers to shoot their films in UHD - All the more reason for Samsung to be planted as the market leader.

*www.samsung.com

So what is it about Samsung 4KTVs that is so appealing? Firstly, it represents the pinnacle of the home cinema viewing experience. Not to mention that it also contains four times the amount of pixels in comparison to the full HDt. Bottom line, it delivers unmatched clarity.  Second, the curved UHD TV draws you into the entertainment, bringing you the best cinematic seat in the house. That just about sums it up!

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