October 2019 - Page 2 of 2 - Comfort Works Blog & Sofa Resources

The beginners guide to setting up an indoor garden

Posted on October 15, 2019April 29, 2025 by Jan Johan

Always wanted to have an indoor garden for your home never knew where to start?

Let’s fix that.

Whether you recently became a plant parent who wants to grow your plant family, or have yet to even become one, this is a simple step-by-step guide that will cover all the things you’ll need to know about starting an indoor garden at home and how to maintain it once you have one.

Step 1: Location is key

The Beginners Guide To Creating An Indoor Garden (location) — Pexels.com

Decide on an arrangement and the location in your home where you’d like to have more green before you add plants to the picture. Having a clear idea of how you want your indoor garden to look will make your job easier down the line.

Some plant parents like to go vertical with their indoor garden with the help of a shelf to add elevation and height. Other varieties can be suspended from the ceiling so that they’re able to get the sunlight they need.

It should go without saying that a space which receives consistent sunlight would be a great place to nurture an indoor garden.

East-facing windows are best for gardens, but a problem with these is that the sunlight can be quite intense. Different species of plants have varying sensitivities to sunlight and heat, so be sure to keep this in mind when picking your greens.

If you notice your plants starting to feel dry, try placing them further away from the window or in a spot where there’s more shade.

Step 2: Decide on what you want to grow beforehand

The Beginners Guide To Creating An Indoor Garden (choosing plants) — Pixabay.com

There are no wrong answers here, but your choices will make taking care of your plants easy or difficult.

One low-maintenance variety to consider: Succulents, which look good and are easy to maintain. Some succulents like the aloe vera plant have healing properties (the sap in its inner leaves is a commonly-used remedy for burns and skin infections) and medicinal benefits.

On the other hand, you could choose to live off the land by growing simple things like herbs and produce like cherry tomatoes, lettuce and leafy greens.

Pro tip: If you’re planning to grow multiple greens at once, be sure to give each plant enough space to grow. Plants like mint are fast-growing and can end up crowding your other plants, killing them as a result.

Step 3: Let there be light

The Beginners Guide To Creating An Indoor Garden (light) — Flickr.com

Every plant is different.

Different plants have different needs and will require different methods of care. For example, different types of plants will need varying amounts of sunlight for them to grow lush and healthy.

Most nurseries usually provide plant tag with a brief guide on how to take care of each plant. While these instructions are helpful, they may not be specific enough to help you take care of your plant effectively.

Here are some general rules of thumb to follow:

Direct light: These plants need at least six or more hours of sunlight hitting it directly per day.
Moderate light: These plants need direct sunlight about four hours a day.
Indirect light: These plants need to be out of direct sunlight, and artificial lighting is best.
Low light: These plants need no direct sunshine and will benefit from some ambient light

Step 4: Know your soil

The Beginners Guide To Creating An Indoor Garden (soil) — Pexels.com

Before I became a plant parent, I was oblivious to the fact that there were different kinds of soil for plants.

For example: Who knew that it was bad to use outdoor plant soil for your indoor garden? If you’re like me, then it’s probably a good thing that you’re reading this post before you start planting your indoor garden.

When you use outdoor soil for your plants, you risk bringing in tiny parasites that live in the soil, which can end up damaging or even killing your plants.

When it comes to choosing soil for your indoor garden, consider getting a potting mix or well-draining soil. Well-draining soil allows water to percolate through it better than regular garden soil and does not allow the water to pool, which puts your plants at risk of ‘drowning’ (yup, this happens to plants too!).

A side note on well-draining plants: They have a tendency to dry up more quickly, meaning that they will require more frequent watering than those growing in regular garden soil.

Step 5: Feed is good

The Beginners Guide To Creating An Indoor Garden (Plant feed) — thearchersatthelarches.com

Here’s a simple trick that will help simplify your plant parenting: Arrange your plants in the order of how much feed and water they need.

This can end up saving you a lot of confusion when life gets busy and stop you from accidentally overfeeding (or underfeeding) and overwatering your plants.

Step 6: Get some mulch

The Beginners Guide To Creating An Indoor Garden (Mulch) — Flickr.com

Adding mulch to your indoor garden is one way to regulate the moisture and temperature of your soil.

Mulch is typically made out of organic residues like grass clippings, leaves, hay, straw, kitchen scraps comfrey, shredded bark, whole bark. Add some to the soil and watch your plants grow healthier than ever.

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, or simply just want to try growing something for the first time, these steps will help ensure that your role as a plant parent will be a smoother and joy-filled one over the long-haul.

Want more ideas on how to decorate your home on a budget? Get a copy of our FREE Timeless Living: How To Design A Classy IKEA- Inspired Home ebook:

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3 questions to ask yourself before choosing a sofa fabric for reupholstery

Posted on October 3, 2019April 28, 2025 by Jan Johan

So you’ve successfully found an upholstery service that has agreed to fix up your sofa. Now, you can’t wait to see your beloved sofa completely transformed.

The upholsterer takes out a whole book of fabric samples for you to choose from and proceeds to explain about each fabric’s composition, thread count, seam strength, resistance to abrasion, fraying and a few more things you that you never thought of.

At that moment, you realize that choosing a fabric is so much more than simply choosing one that will make your sofa look pretty — you also have to take into account how the fabric itself can fit into your unique lifestyle and needs.

Feeling overwhelmed? Here are the 3 key questions you need to think about when picking a fabric for your sofa.

Question 1: “How will my sofa be used day-to-day?”

3 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Sofa Fabric For Reupholstery — Image credit: Unsplash/ Paige Cody

When deciding whether or not a sofa fabric is right for you, it’s important to think about the situations and activities you will be putting your sofa through on a day-to-day basis.

Are your kids going to be jumping on it? Is it your favourite thing to be curled up on the sofa with a book and a glass of wine? Or are you thinking about hosting regular movie nights with snacks being passed around your sofa?

If you answered “yes” to most (if not all) of those questions, then you’ll probably want a fabric that’s comfortable, resilient and easy to maintain.

Cotton-based fabrics are known for their soft texture, high durability, and in most cases are machine-washable, which can be convenient when it’s time to clean your sofa.

Question #2: “Who’s going to use the sofa?”

If you’re struggling with pets and kids damaging your furniture, then you know how important it is to have a sofa fabric that’s durable and low maintenance.

One of our favourites for active homes: Leather, which can deliver a classy and elegant look while still being durable and easy to maintain.

Why? Things like pet fur, paw prints, and accidental spills can be easily wiped off without needing to be cleaned as often as woven fabrics like cotton or linen.

Question #3: “How easy is it to clean?”

As you know, one of the drawbacks of upholstered sofas is that the fabric is directly attached to the sofa.

One way around this issue is to get a removable sofa slipcover that’s made from upholstery-grade fabric instead.

This will make your sofa so much easier to clean and maintain while giving you the option to swap between multiple fabrics (read: more looks and colours to play with) for your sofa.

A slipcover can also be a time-saving (and often more affordable) solution if you don’t have the time to find an upholsterer and make the necessary arrangements to transport your sofa to have it reupholstered.

Thinking of getting a sofa slipcover? Take our slipcover fabrics for a test run here:

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How to design the perfect baby nursery

Posted on October 1, 2019April 29, 2025 by Fatima Ali Shaikh

The internet is exploding with ideas and images of the perfect nursery.

From lavish nurseries right down to minimalist ones, if you’re designing a nursery for your baby, there’s are plenty of options to choose from.

If you’re feeling confused and overwhelmed at the thought of getting things going, here’s a quick step-by-step guide you can start following right now:

1. Decide on a theme

By choosing a particular theme, you narrow your options. You also get a clearer vision of what you’re looking for and this will help you achieve a more cohesive design.

There are different ways you can go about picking the theme, and one way to do this is to pick a focal point, then making design decisions around it.

For example, if you’re choosing a large, contemporary-style mirror as the focal point of your room, then you’d get furniture with sleek, minimalist lines and colours that complement the mirror.

The other way to go about this is to pick a specific theme beforehand.

Popular choices include rainbows, marine life or animals such as cats and giraffes. You can even opt for a theme based on your favorite storybook or movie character.

Just try to opt for a timeless theme that your child won’t outgrow too quickly.

2. Pick your colour palette

How To Design The Perfect Baby Nursery In 8 Steps — Image Credit: blog.littleadi

This may just be the most difficult part of designing your baby’s nursery. Should you go for sunshine yellow or powder pink? Should you go for vibrant colours or opt for pastels?

It’s important to remember that there is no “correct” colour palette to use. As long as the colour you pick matches your theme, the rest of your furniture and size of room, you’re basically free to choose whatever you like.

TIP: Do NOT buy the paint at this stage — it’s always easier to get the textiles first and buy paint accordingly.

3. Put thought into the star of the show

How To Design The Perfect Baby Nursery In 9 Steps — Image Credit: unsplash

Your baby’s bassinet or crib is the most important piece of furniture you will need to buy, so be sure to pick one that fits your room aesthetic, functionality and more importantly, budget.

When in doubt, go for one that’s sturdy and meets the safety standards set out by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

4. Make space for nursing and changing stations

Babies can go through about 8-10 diapers in a day, so you’ll need an organised changing station where you can easily and quickly change your baby’s diapers with minimal hassle.

In addition to changing diapers, a comfy and well-stocked spot for nursing will go a long way in reducing your stress and bonding with your baby.

If your budget is tight, consider placing a changing pad on top of a table that you already have to save cash and space.

5. Get organized

You’ll need to get a wardrobe or dresser (or even storage boxes) where you can organize all of your baby’s things.

Try taking a long-term view and opt for storage that has ample room, knowing that your little one won’t be a baby for long and soon, you’ll be needing tons of storage space to keep his or her ever-increasing collection of clothes and toys.

And while you’re busy organizing your baby’s things, you might want to consider getting your own bedroom organised as well.

6. Use soft lighting

While setting up the perfect nursery, never underestimate the importance of lighting and its role in creating the right environment for you and your baby.

Soft lighting not only instantly gives any space warmth and coziness — it can also help keep your baby from getting overstimulated.

Apart from its functional role, lighting can also play a role in making your nursery look incredibly pretty.

For example, you can get fairy lights and string it up on your accent wall for a magical feel. If a touch of luxury is what you’re after, consider installing an oversized chandelier that’ll serve as the focal point of the entire room.

Ideally, you should have multiple lighting options that you can use as needed. This can include a changing table light, ceiling light and a soothing night light for your baby.

7. Decorate away!

This is definitely the most fun part of setting up the perfect nursery; it’s time to let your creative juices flow.

Have fun with decorative items like stuffed animals, photos, themed wallpaper, accent walls, furniture and wall decals, and crib mobiles to give your nursery a look that’ll all completely yours.

Whatever you opt for, be sure it matches or contrasts nicely with the overall theme of your nursery.

8. Make your nursery easy to clean

Last but certainly not the least, factor yourself in the equation when designing the perfect nursery.

This could simply mean getting a chair or sofa (if you have the space for one) where you can feed, burp, rock and cuddle with your baby. This is where it’ll pay off to have a fabric that’s easy to clean.

You might even want to consider getting a set of custom made sofa slipcovers that you can easily remove and replace when you need to. This way, if (read: when) your sofa gets stained, you can simply chuck it in the machine for a thorough wash while a spare slipcover does its job.

Also, don’t forget to get a side table where you can keep all your essentials such as water bottle, snacks and burp cloths within reach.

Looking to design a nursery that’s stylish and yet easy to maintain? Get some slipcovers for your nursery sofa chair which you can throw in the machine when they get dirty. Sample our slip cover fabric samples and choose the best one for your baby’s nursery.

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