4 Inexpensive Things You Can Do to Improve Your Living Room

4 Inexpensive Things You Can Do to Improve Your Living Room

In which room do you spend the most time while you are relaxing at home? Chances are that you will say the living room. This room is where most of the action happens in my home. From video games to board games and watching movies to sports, there is a lot of entertainment that goes on each day. Since we use our living rooms so much, it may be a good idea to improve the space where we spend so much time. Here are some inexpensive things you can do to add a bit of swagger to your home. 

Now, I understand that inexpensive is a relative term, but some of these ideas will only require effort and a few supplies. 

1) Hardwood Floors

If you are lucky, you may have some hardwood flooring underneath that old carpet. If your carpeting has lost its luster, you may check a portion of the floor underneath to see if you have hardwood. If you do, then you can always sand it down and put some fresh coats of floor finish on it and you will have given brand new life to your living room. There is always the option to actually put down a floating floor if you don't have hardwood, but that would definitely depend on your budget. 

2) Paint Walls

Painting your walls in your living room is a relatively inexpensive way to breathe new life into it. For the price of a couple of gallons of paint and a few hours of work, you can drastically change the way your room looks and feels. Try painting an accent wall to really make the room pop. Choose a color that works with your current furniture and you can make a big difference in how inviting your living room can be. 

3) Accent Furniture

This one fits under the "relatively inexpensive" category. Accent furniture is a way that you can make the living room stand out even more. Adding in a chair or a couple of end tables will not only give more room for decor or for seating, but it also can change the look and feel of your room. For instance, if your furniture is all classic-style, then adding in a couple of modern-style accent chairs can be a good way to shake things up. From colors and patterns to even profiles, an accent chair or table can lend visual appeal to your room for much less than the cost of a new furniture set. Not only will you have a new chair that extra guests can use, but you can show off your decorative skills. 

4) De-clutter

This one may seem like it is a no-brainer, but it's easy to let things get away from you. You may not mind that stack of DVDs on the entertainment center, but others may. If your living room is cluttered or dirty, it will feel less inviting to your guests and it can also have an effect on your overall state of mind. Studies have shown that clutter can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression. If you take the time to go through your living room and pick up things that aren't necessarily trash (items like movies and magazines) and organize or store them properly, you may find that your room is suddenly a different place than usual. I know I am guilty of leaving all my books scattered everywhere. Perhaps I should buy a new bookcase?

Lubbock Furniture Store

The House of Furniture in Lubbock has a fantastic stock of home furnishings and accent furniture. Not only can you find the big items you need like sofas and beds, but you can find all kinds of different accessories like area rugs and wall decorations. From lamps to sculptures, they will have something that you need for your home. If you would like to visit their website, please click here!

A History of the Modern Dryer

Modern Tumble Dryer

A History of the Modern Tumble Dryer

Nothing can put a wrench in your plans quite like opening the dryer to grab some clothes and realizing they are still damp. When your dryer is on the fritz, you realize how convenient they are to have in your home. The modern clothes dryer is actually a relatively new invention. Even by the mid-'50s, only about 10% of modern households had a clothes dryer in the home. Luckily, today, they are more affordable. Advances in manufacturing and electronics allow them to be made for far cheaper and the result is that most households have one. 

The First Dryers

The first dryers appeared around the 18th and 19th centuries. The invention was called a ventilator and consisted of a centrifuge powered by a hand crank. The metal canister that held the clothes was ventilated with holes and placed over an open fire. I would assume that this method of drying clothes out had to have been one where necessity drove the action seeing as the smoke and soot from the fire would leave the clothes smelling like they'd been burnt. Needless to say, no one really took credit for this invention.

George T. Sampson's Dryer

George T. Sampson of Dayton, Ohio was the first to patent a dryer in the United States. He improved upon the original ventilator design by adding a rack and enabling it to be used over a stove. Still not an ideal situation, but at least your clothes didn't smell like smoke. 

J. Ross Moore's Electric Dryer

Moore lived in North Dakota in the early 20th century and basically got tired of hanging up wet clothes during the frigid winters in his state. He built a shed and put an oven in there to heat the clothes while they dried. Over time, he developed the concept of the modern tumble dryer. He developed two types of automatic dryers; electric and gas. After a long search for a manufacturer, he found one that would produce and sell his invention in 1938. 

After World War 2, the modern dryer had been redesigned by several different companies and was gaining popularity, however, even by the '50s, they were still relatively expensive. In 1955, the average cost of an electric tumble dryer was 230 dollars. By today's standard, that is equal to approximately 2,200 dollars. Modern dryers only cost about 340 dollars on average in 2019. If you reverse the inflation calculation, 340 dollars now would be like 35 bucks in the 50s. It is always crazy to me to think of inflation in reverse. 

Dryers for Sale in Lubbock, TX

The House of Furniture has a wide variety of dryers from which you can choose for your home. If you are in need of a new dryer, they can help. With low prices and financing options, it can be pretty easy to get what you need and have flexible payments. There is no need to continue going to the laundromat or hanging your clothes out to dry if you don't want to. Click here to visit their website and see what they have to offer you!