Top Tip of the Day

Leather comes in different grades. Some leathers retain the natural markings and variations that a natural hide has with the result that each piece of furniture is unique and it's these marks that distinguish real leather from man made substitutes. Other leathers are treated to give a more uniform appearance and colour and generally, the softer the leather the higher the grade.

Aniline – this is a leather which has been dyed using aniline dyes and has little or no protective coating applied. It is the most expensive type available and is subject to scars, bites, differences in grain and shade variation. Soft with a luxurious feel which will mould itself to your body shape.

Semi Aniline - this type of leather retains some of the unique features and characteristics of the animal hide. It’s dyed through and then given a light protective coating, these small amounts of pigment in the surface coating offer some degree of protection, but expect some shade variation as this is a beautiful natural product and every hide is unique.

Corrected - with this leather the hide is corrected by buffing the outer surface.  The correction removes some of the imperfections before modern production techniques are used to emboss the leathers surface. This type of leather has a more uniform appearance, has a protective coating to provide protection and enhance durability and is available in many colours.

Top Tip of the Day

Blending contemporary and classic styles
Few people would care to live in a property that's a museum-like representation of a single design style.
What makes a home a home is when a living space reflects the many sides of someone's personal experiences, loves and tastes.
So don't be afraid to let your rooms reflect this and create your own individual style. Remember less is more, avoid clutter.
Adding a storage stool can hold books, TV journals, DVD's, TV remotes and throws.
Classic elegance never looks out of place, so you can safely mix timeless style with more contemporary living room furniture and know that they will work together.
Alternatively, one of our more modern sofas could work well in a living room populated with more aged items. Antique mirrors can look stunning in a minimal setting.
Glass accessories and furniture always enhance a room and sleek modern designs are a fantastic way to give a contemporary blend to traditional rooms.

Top Tip of the Day

 Wicker and Rattan Styles are usually associated with the conservatory, but is also a great choice for the Living Room. It is very durable and easy to maintain and gives a light and airy atmosphere to a room.
Lighter weave finishes look better in contemporary rooms, while darker finishes look better in traditional spaces.
Occasional pieces can add a distinctive touch to your room and give it a unique character, look at our Cane Ranges.

Top Tip of the Day

How much space do I have ? Making a newspaper template of the area that will be covered by the new furniture or mark out your floor with masking tape.
This will help you check if you have enough room to move freely round the furniture once in position.
It will also help you make sure the furniture is in proportion and won't dwarf other furnishings. 

Top Tip of the Day

All you need is to mix a solution of equal parts of Water and White Vinegar in a spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean glass furniture.
Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer.
And, don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar, the smell disappears when it dries.

Top Tip of the Day

Unless otherwise advised by the manufacturer, turning your mattress over from side and side and end to end every few
months (every week for the first three months) helps upholstery fillings to settle down more evenly. Some more luxurious
mattresses, with much thicker layers of fillings designed to mould themselves to the contours of your body, may retain
signs of these impressions, despite turning.

Top Tip of the Day

With quality sofas & chairs the seat and back cushions are usually loose and reversible, that is they should have fabric on both sides. On a weekly basis always plump up fibre filled seat cushions and reverse them. You should do the same with Foam filled cushions. This reduces wear on the cover and also maintains the shape of the cushion filling.

To Keswick Island in the Whitsundays - OZ

Full Spinnaker

Returning to see Sunset over Mackay

On the Catamaran "Catch My Drift"

The Whitsundays

On board "Catch My Drift" with friends Glynis and Laurie and family. Sailing from Mackay to Keswick Island - Queensland. A perfect day.

Rotary News from Queensland Australia

Laurie Mayer of Mackay Rotary Club invited along Julian Thompson and Sue to a Rotary meeting in Mackay, Queensland, Australia on Tuesday 12th June 2012. They were made very welcome by all there and had a very nice evening as their guests.

Julian exchanged banners with the president Greg Sutherland, he enjoyed it so much that he is going along to the next meeting before returning home.