A Home Office or a Guest Bedroom? Why not BOTH?!

There's one room in your home that doesn't know what it wants to be when it grows up. Originally, you intended to use it as a home office, so you bought a desk but when relatives came for a visit, you stuck a bed in there as well. Currently the room is being used as a storage room, and now there's barely enough room to sit down at the computer. With a little bit of creative planning, you will be able to transform it into a functional dual purpose space that will be a welcoming place to work and an inviting room for guests.

Decide first what the room will be mostly used for. If you have a home-based business, or use the computer on a regular basis, then choose the home office as the room's primary purpose. The room's emphasis will determine the type of furnishings you buy and how they will be arranged.

The most important piece of furniture when planning a home office is the desk. Select the smallest size of desk you will be comfortable with. You might be tempted to choose an impressive looking executive desk, but when decorating for a dual purpose room, you will want to use your available floor space sparingly so that you can fit everything in.

To make the room as warm and inviting as possible when used as a guest room, choose enclosed storage wherever possible. Putting office-related peripherals, such as the printer, fax machine and the CPU behind doors, not only controls clutter but helps to make the atmosphere less business-like.

Bookshelves are an excellent choice when decorating a dual purpose room. Even if they are used mostly for manuals or reference materials, a shelf full of books tends make the room look comfortably lived-in. It is also a great place to display mementos and collectibles. When guests are over, place baskets or storage trays in a section of the bookcase or shelving unit to use for items they would like to keep close at hand.

Of course, your home office/guest bedroom will need someplace for your guests to sleep. There are so many alternatives to choose from but the three main categories are sofa beds, futon sofas and daybeds.

Sofa beds, also called sleeper sofas or hide-a-beds, are sofas with a bed frame and bed built into the unit. As needed, it can be unfolded from inside the couch and then retracted when not being used as a bed. Due to the bed mechanism, sofa beds tend to be heavier than regular sofas of the same size.

Because they can be used as a sofa by day and a bed at night, futons are ideal for dual purpose rooms. Once used to decorate dorm rooms and basement bedrooms, today the futon is a popular choice for the living room, family room, den or guest bedroom. Since the mattress sits directly on top of the futon frame, it tends to be lighter and more user-friendly than a sofa bed.

Daybeds resemble a standard sofa, with a back and two arms. They function as a bed and generally do not transform into a couch. During the day, daybeds can be used as a sofa. Since they are essentially a kind of bed rather than a couch, they utilize bedding linens and accessories such as skirts, throw pillows and comforters, and can look quite decorative. For a dual purpose room where the home office is the primary use, a daybed might not be the ideal choice, especially if you need to meet with clients or business associates.

Filing cabinets come in all shapes, sizes and designs. Select one that is stylish enough to be used as a nightstand or end table. If you will be storing sensitive materials in your home office, choose a lockable filing cabinet.

If there is closet space, consider adding a chest of drawers or a small dresser. When not used by guests, it will be a great place to store extra office supplies such as copier paper, notepads, etc. If there is no closet, consider adding a wardrobe armoire. Should that be out of the question, put hooks on the back of the door so that your guests will have someplace to hang clothes, etc.

These dual purpose room design tips will help you create a space in your home that is an ideal work environment for you, but a comfortable place for guests whenever they come to stay.

What Did You Expect?

Anyone who’s ever been to an amusement park is likely familiar with the log ride. You know the one where you and 2 to 3 others sit in an imitation-log vessel and trolley up coaster tracks before plummeting down into the water below with a great splash. It’s like a watered-down (pun intended) roller coaster for those not so brave as to take on the Corkscrew et al.

Every time and each one I’ve been to has a sign, in plain view from the line-up, stating something along the lines of “Please understand use of this ride may result in your garments becoming wet to varying degrees. Remove hats, store cameras ... etc., etc.” in the simplest language possible. Not only that, but the splash zone is usually in full view of the cue and those waiting can see the aftermath of the landing as water explodes in every which direction.

Yet, there always seem to be one individual who has this purely mortified look on her face as the log approaches the dispatch area. As she steps from the log, she’s in a heated huff-n-puff exasperated state staring at her wet clothing in disbelief and erratically looking around for sympathy or an explanation.

I have to admit I find this no end of comical and entertaining. What on earth did you expect? The last time it happened the missus and I were visiting her folks in Seoul and we were at Everland, where I was taking video with my digital camera and captured the whole sequence on tape. Needless to say, it’s been quite a hit with friends and family here. At the end she proceeds to berate one of the ride attendants who you can tell is trying desperately not to laugh.

The terms inevitability or likelihood come to mind, much in the same way my dad used them when he explained the concept of inflation to me as a pre-teen. Fast forward a good twenty years where the cost of consumer goods is growing exponentially based on a number of factors, not the least of which is skyrocketing transport costs growing out of our addiction to oil, and many people are screaming blue murder. Again, however different the context and severity, I’m left wondering what exactly we expected based on the projections which started to surface as long ago as the 1980s.

The fact is that consumers now need to shop smarter, with a greater multi-tiered objectivity. The advent and growth of online shopping has been of considerable benefit to this end, and Cymax Stores is a perfect example of such a resource happily at the disposal of the people. Selection, quality and competitive pricing are values any individual can appreciate.

For those looking to add functional and sufficiently stylish bedroom storage on a budget, consider any one of the Prepac Dressers or Chest of Drawers which students and young adults will likely find hard to beat for the price. A young family may feel similarly enthused with the selection of affordable quality at www.morediningtables.com, a Cymax Stores subsidiary and an excellent source to fill all your dining area needs.

There just might be a few who’ll be pleased to know they don’t necessarily need to stand their TV on upturned milk crates after looking over the selection of Sauder TV stands at www.audio-video-furniture.com as rigid and stylish as they are light on the wallet.

Sometimes you just have to know it’s going to happen. How you respond is often all you have. Pack an extra t-shirt or make an e-stop by Cymax for reactionary measures alone.

Bedroom Furniture on a Budget

Furnishing a bedroom can be a pricey adventure. It can also be time consuming; going from one retail store to another to match the pieces you want, while searching for the best price can sometimes seem like it's more trouble than it's worth. Considering that, for many of us, the bedroom is not only a place to sleep, but a sanctuary as well, you want to get it right the first time, without breaking the bank.

It might not seem like much of an issue if your nightstand doesn't match the headboard, but the mood of a room is largely determined by the color, material and style of furniture selected, and how each of these elements work together. To ensure that your bedroom will be comfortable, harmonious and inviting, maintaining the consistency of your decor is an important consideration when decorating your room.

Purchasing bedroom furniture in a set online at Cymax Stores offers a number of neat solutions. First, it eliminates the necessity of matching pieces to each other, especially if not all the items you have selected are made by the same manufacturer. Second, a bedroom set is generally cheaper than buying the pieces individually. Third, shopping online allows you to browse and compare products from trusted manufacturers all under one roof-in the comfort of your own home.

Bedroom sets are an economical way to decorate a room because they include basic bedroom furniture pieces in one convenient grouping. A bedroom set may include a number of different pieces such as the bed or a headboard, a dresser, one or two nightstands and an armoire. Most furniture manufacturers will specifically design a number of collections, in a variety of styles and configurations, so that customers can customize a particular bedroom collection to their specific needs.

But even a bedroom set isn't much of a bargain if it turns out not be exactly what you wanted or if not all of the pieces will fit into the intended space. To ensure that your bedroom set will be the perfect fit, here are some things to consider before making the purchase final.

• Take measurements - knowing the dimensions of your bedroom will give a clearer picture of just how many pieces will comfortably fit

• Set a budget - knowing exactly how much you have to spend can inspire you to come in under budget (and maybe have a little extra left over for that must-have impulse item you can't imagine living without)

• Size of the mattress - choosing the size of mattress you want to sleep on before purchasing a bedroom set is important for two reasons: mattress size determines the size of bed you will be buying and some manufacturers will offer certain collections in limited sizes, for example, only in twin and full but not queen or king

• Overall style that you want to achieve - you might fall absolutely in love with a particular bedroom collection but it's just too ultra-modern or traditional to comfortably fit with the existing decor in your home

• What is it made of? - a bedroom set made of solid hardwood will be more expensive than one constructed of engineered woods like laminated particle board or medium density fiber board (MDF)

At Cymax Stores, customers can choose from a wide range of reliable bedroom furniture manufacturers for a comfortable and personalized online shopping experience. Taking time to choose the right dresser, a pair of nightstands and a bed will be time well-spent when you come home after a busy day to the perfect place to relax and unwind.

Elevator Chargers: Where Lay the Roots of Impatience?

Since relocating to the big city, a predominant trend has become increasingly bothersome to me – elevator chargers. I’m totally at a loss as to why waiting for the elevator to clear before entering seems to be conceptual thinking for a great many people in this city. I realize we live in a “go go” world, but to me this is a little bit much. I firmly believe it’s only a matter of time before I get a torso full of hot coffee as a result of simply vacating the elevator in an orderly, logical manner.

I have to say this tendency annoys me to no end. The very second the door opens it’s head down and forward, full bore. What gives? Are you really in that much of a hurry to get to the office? The two-to-three second delay you’ll give up to allow the passengers to exit is going to inconvenience you that much? Sometimes I think these are the same people who’d pull a Costanza when a “fire” breaks out at a child’s birthday party...

What is at the root of such disdainful behavior? I’ve given it some thought and I’m at something of a loss. As a result, I’m going to speculate that some of them may have experienced a painfully-recent home furnishings shortcoming, and if so I recommend online shopping at cymaxstores.com as a means of developing necessary social graces.

Perhaps he or she is running late due to their being unable to find the car keys that morning. Could it be that a Home Star Nesting Table, perfectly situated next to the door with those elusive keys and a comforting photo of the family, is a suitably stylish solution? Very reasonably priced for a pair in a fine hardwood finish, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more affordable means of adding quality-made character to the common areas of your home. A Home Star Corner Curio would serve the same purpose with similarly excellent value.

Maybe it’s an inclement weather day and one of the cattle is in a bit of a foul mood from being unable to find their raincoat in a cluttered foyer closet. Wouldn’t be enough to drive me to abandon all manner of civility, but I’ll refrain from ranting. An inexpensive Home Star Coat Rack would likely have meant a quick and easy procurement of the necessary garment and an umbrella to boot. Enough to prevent bowling over the elderly to get a seat on the Skytrain? Don’t know about that, but it’s worth a try.

The incomparable value of a Nexeria Allegria Mirror would allow any of the stampeders to take stock of their impeccable appearance each morning, and might inspire a little more relaxed strutting across the lobby so that others may admire the view; not to mention some of that coffee will likely end up on you as well. Perhaps Mr. or Mrs. Self-Absorbed were at a loss to find the right necktie or accessory belt that A.M. The value of a visibly attractive South Shore Drawer Chest in allowing you to be a more well-mannered member of society would be so much more than its clear dollars-and-cents appeal.

Pure speculation I admit – But what’s a guy to do when he’s at a loss to find any explanation for such reproachable behavior.

Slow down folks

The Tent Dresser

Each B.C. day weekend I return to the island and enjoy three days of camping with childhood friends I regrettably don’t see as often as I would like. A four hour drive from our hometown of Victoria takes us to our not-so-well-kept-any-longer secret spot at Hornby Island, a jewel of an island in the Georgia Strait with beautiful white sand crescent beaches and the best six-gill shark diving anywhere on the west coast. An abundance of beverage-soaked sun tanning, scuba diving, mountain biking and endless reminiscing take up the bulk of a few days that always pass far too quickly for my liking.

The whole I-haven’t-looked-at-my-watch-since-yesterday carelessness and don’t-care-if-my-feet-are-encrusted-in-sand slovenliness is truly a tonic for my soul. I love the whole haphazard existence of it. I walk by the wash huts and see guys in their shaving and think “why on earth?” as I run my filthy palm over my 45-hour shadow. I can happily eat chunky soup and hot dogs every night and don’t mind one bit waking up in a tent with an acrid stale campfire smell about me and all manner of items strewn about randomly. Granted I’m sure it would wear on me over an extended period of time but for those 3 days each year, I’m in heaven.

Speaking of tents, last year one of the guys’ girlfriends decided a little more order was needed in their nylon domicile. I don’t recollect whether they were purchased explicitly for the purpose, but they brought eight of those cheap plastic “click” stacker shelves and made what she coined “the tent dresser.” Years ago we would have scoffed at such logic and practicality in our disheveled bushman utopia, but we all admitted it was a fairly nifty idea. While my sweatshirts often served as my pillow come morning, Big O’s were neatly folded next to his sleeping bag.

Now, I’m loathe to disappoint those persons who are eagerly anticipating my announcements of cymax stores’ new tent dresser, but alas, there’s no such thing.

However, for those of you who are not constantly inclined to revert back to your wonderfully disorganized youth and do in fact keep your garments impeccably arranged, a new dresser or chest of drawers from moredressers.com may be very much to your liking. Myself, I’ve rather grudgingly come to accept the need to organize my dresser chest; socks n ginch on top, shirts and the like in 2 and 3 and pants on the bottom. However, that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten a simpler time when each one contained a mish-mash of each as I frantically rifled through in search of the right Metallica t-shirt to wear to school. The spray-on jeans and converse hi-tops were much easier to find.

I’m not much for anything pricey, and moredressers.com also offers a fair selection of cheap dressers for like-minded individuals. If it’s nothing more than a box for your threads, that’s likely the way to go.

Now if they had one that was somehow imbued with the sweet aromas of campfire, seawater and a few-too-many the night before, the nostalgic sway of influence would surely be to much for me to resist.

Compelled to Shrink: A Lack of Roots and Residence in the BIG City

Growing up on an island, I’d never felt overly close-quartered or impinged in my accommodations until a job and a woman (the latter being slightly more influential and infinitely more rewarding) drew me out of my idyllic surroundings and into a seething metropolis full of “opportunities.” Much to my chagrin, every month I bleed nearly twice the number of dineros for a one-bed with a view of a taxi dispatch lot, and for which “cramped” is beyond an understatement, as I did for a spacious two-bed and den pad with a huge balcony and ocean views back home.

Inevitable? Yes. Grudgingly accepted? Yes, but with a considerable dose of new-found semi-misanthropy (Just joking…I think).

Demographic trends and the dynamics of supply and demand mean that, in the big city, space = money. Like many young people, I accordingly have little of either, and the king-size Captain’s bed and sectional sofa I’ve admittedly grown attached to over the years are likely doomed to the storage unit long term. In all honesty, I should probably get over the fondness and, ideally, pawn them off on one of my many friends from high school who went into the trades and now sport a family, a mortgage and a truck to pull their lake boat…sigh…

So, in the interest of my newfound urban identity, I’m looking to acquire some less expansive home furniture. Pieces that are more lightweight and more easily disassembled in anticipation of the day I upgrade to an equally miniscule apartment, but one with a preferable view of a four-lane artery and a convenient coin-op laundromat.

For starters, I’ve been considering a platform bed, maybe even a futon, and I’ve been perusing the considerable selection offered by Cymax Stores online at MorePlatformBeds.com. Haven’t made a decision yet, but I keep going back to look at three or four that match the look I want (I’m flexible) and my budget (painfully inflexible). The convenience of shopping from home really works for me too.

I’m also considering a chest as a more upright, less width-oriented clothes storage solution than the double dresser that currently takes up nearly my entire bedroom wall. I’ve seen a few at MoreDressers.com that intrigue me and are similarly priced right. If I could find both and maybe a bare bones nightstand at once that’d be ideal, and to that end I’ve been browsing the selection at MoreBedroomSets.com, a Cymax store just like the first two. I’m not the most décor conscious guy but a matching set might be a nice touch for my meager domicile. We’ll see.

Anyways, it’s nice to know that I can affordably and practically furnish my “cave”, as I half-endearingly, half-derogatorily refer to my current pad, with Cymax Solutions and their online stores.