Friday, April 20, 2012

How to Decorate a China Cabinet

There are as many ways to decorate a china cabinet as there are china patterns. So how to decorate a china cabinet can be a tricky inquire to ask. It all depends on what the cabinet is used for. China cabinets aren't just used for dinnerware anymore. You can also use a china cabinet to store curios and just normal knickknacks. Let's look at the original china cabinet first.

If you're displaying china then you need a background to show off the design. This means you'll want to use some shelf paper on the back of the china cabinet.

Dining Room Table Set

All you need to do is grab a utility knife and a roll of decorative shelf paper.

How to Decorate a China Cabinet

Unroll the shelf paper and stick it to the back of the cabinet. Use a plastic squeegee to remove any bubbles from the shelf paper. You can also use the tip of the utility knife to pop any stubborn bubbles that won't press out.

Now that you have a background color it's time to start stacking up the plates.

You'll need a few display racks so that you can stand the plates up on end with the face of the plate positioned towards the front of the cabinet.

There are fullness of distinct designs out there that will allow you to stack either a single row or do a cascade pattern along the back.

You can now build forward in the cabinet. Stack your heaviest items on the bottom shelves.

This will give a nice balanced look to the cabinets.

Another good idea is to stack like items together. Stack any plates that aren't displayed on top of one another, same with salad plates, saucers etc.

A good trick to forestall scratching the plate face is to place a piece of tissue paper in between each plate.

If your cabinet has cup hooks in it then hang the tea and coffee cups from them. If not stack them up along the sides of the cabinet.

By stacking them along the sides you avoid creating a optical distraction in the middle of the cabinet.

Moving into the china cabinet drawers you'll want to keep all your silverware sorted.

This is a pretty easy task, just head to a agency store and buy a silverware holder.

You'll want to keep everything separated from each other to avoid tarnishing.

Be sure to buy a silverware drawer that has a lid on it. This means less dust when you go to use it for Thanksgiving dinner.

Finally move to the bottom drawer of the cabinet. This is typically where all the weird shaped pieces go such as the gravy boat, carving boards, serving trays etc.

The best way to arrange all the odds and ends are based on usage.

Stack the least used items at the bottom of the cabinet and work your way up to the most often used.

These are just a few tips for figuring out how to decorate a china cabinet. Well displayed china can accent any dining room décor. A few straightforward tricks are all you need to set up a beautiful china cabinet.

How to Decorate a China Cabinet

How to Use Teak Oil

If you're looking to refinish and waterproof some outdoor furniture you might want to think using teak oil. It's a natural alternative to commercial grade sealants and finishes. There's unquestionably nothing to figuring out how to use teak oil. It applies just like any other wood stain.

The first thing you need to do is find a place with decent airflow. Since you're working on outdoor furniture you might as well just do the work covering no? There's no think to risk your condition around all the vapors when you can let mother Nature blow away any nasty fumes. If you feel the need to work inside though be sure to have abundance of ventilation and wear a respirator.

Dining Room Table Set

The next step is to deep clean the wood. You need to scrub it down and make sure there isn't mold or mildew built up. Let the furniture completely dry before starting to stain.

How to Use Teak Oil

Now that the wood is ready for staining, give it a quick once over with a rag soaked in mineral spirits to remove any dust that might have gotten onto the furniture over night. While the wood is drying go ahead and stir up the teak oil and lay your brushes and rags out.

Since you're working with a stain you'll want to put on a pair of gloves before proceeding. A hand streaked with stain unquestionably isn't that spicy of a look.

Now that you're gloved up grab a brush and lay on a thick layer of oil to the whole piece of furniture. Be sure to apply heavier layers on areas exposed to direct sunlight. Stay away from any attachment hardware, you don't want to streak the bolts with an oil stain.

Let the teak oil jab for 10 to 15 minutes. After times is up use a clean cloth to wipe down the whole surface. You don't want to leave any pools of oil sitting and waiting to dry.

The furniture will need at least a full day to dry between stain coats.

You can add as many coats as you want. Each successive coat will bring a deeper more luxurious look to the wood. Just be sure to allow twenty-four hours in between each coat.

The great thing about oil is that it unquestionably accentuates any wood. The deeper the oil penetrates the more grain will be brought out. The oil will also establish new rich colors over time and exposure to weather. The longer the furniture sits covering the prettier it will become.

To assert your discontinue in tip top shape, reapply it every year. You won't need to go to the same lengths to put in order as these first few coats you've applied. Naturally rinse off and let dry then reapply the teak oil.

Now you have the how to use teak oil know how. Just pick up a few cans from the hardware store. Grab a pair of gloves and you're set to bring out the gorgeous wood patterns hidden in your outdoor furniture.

How to Use Teak Oil