European Design Furniture
Furnishing the home in a way that blends functionality with aesthetic appeal is an enjoyable challenge. Each home has its own unique configuration, but this does not severely limit the design possibilities. Manufacturers of modern European furniture create sofas, loveseats, recliners, coffee tables and beds that can be custom-built with a wide choice of materials, fabrics and add-on features. From the wood and metal combinations popular throughout continental Europe to the hardwood and fabric elegance of Scandinavian design, European furniture focuses on natural contours and graceful curves, creating a sense of natural shape that goes well with the room accents.
Contemporary European furniture stresses build-on and sectional design. A number of different living room arrangements can be created from the same basic form. This means that every living room, no matter how large or small can be fitted with an example of nearly every design. Many of the top-quality sectionals designed in European style begin with a central sofa around which can be added a chaise, cornering loveseat and additional seating sections.
Choosing the appropriate fabric is important because this affects the entire room's appearance. Modern designers offer consumers a wide choice of fabrics and patterns, making it possible to construct a truly custom furniture arrangement. Dining room furnishings are built on the same principal. The popular oval tables with glass tops come in almost every size and base material imaginable, allowing for a great variety in the choice of accompanying chairs.
Finest Quality Materials
Most of the continental Europe and Scandinavian furniture today combines hardwoods and metal. The sofas, sectionals and beds are made with superior quality woods that are often reinforced with steel interiors. The result is a piece of furniture that is not only beautiful but will last a lifetime. Woods are chosen for their appealing grain patterns as well as their ability to show well when stained or varnished. For every shade and texture of hardwood there are several fabric material styles and colors available, each complementing the wood perfectly.
European Sectionals For The Living Room
European sectionals are all about custom design and add-on features. The combination of beauty and functional concept make these the most popular of living room sets. Customers can literally build their own sectional, choose the length of the main sofa, add a chaise to one end and even order a hollowed section for extra storage. Nearly every European sectional design is constructed in such a way that it can be a right-side or left-side configuration.
The fabric chosen for a sectional should match the carpet or hardwood floor surface and complement its color nicely. Fine quality sectionals usually come with the choice of recycled or organic fibers, foam or natural latex for the bottom cushions, fire retardant fabrics and even down fillers. When ordering a sectional that may be moved from one part of the room to another from time to time, selecting a variable height leg is a good idea. Most of the modern sectionals come with optional leg pieces that adjust the height of the piece by as much as six inches.
These sectionals are made with hand-tied spring systems and the hardwood is usually walnut, alder or maple. Many of the designs include a wider end piece opposite the chaise. This can be either topped with fabric or have a hardwood surface, perfect for setting trays, beverages or even a laptop computer.
European design sectionals made from high-quality materials generally carry a lifetime warranty. The fabric is selected for its resistance to staining and meets or exceeds rub test standards. Those interested in purchasing a sectional for their living room will have as much fun picking out the style and layout as enjoying the furniture once it is in place.
European Living Room Accents
The idea behind modern living room design is to make each piece of furniture look as if it belongs with every other object in the immediate area. No matter how beautiful the sofa or loveseat, things just do not look right unless the accompanying end tables, coffee table, laps and book shelves complement the color and fabric. When considering a purchase of a full living room set, remember the carpet or hardwood floor must go with the fabric style and color of the furniture. If a modern European sectional is desired, the style of floor lamps and fabric accent items like pillows and cushions should also complement the color of the sofa.
Natural contours are an important part of European furniture design. Most of the popular sofas, sectionals and end tables have a modular construction but also have graceful curves and sloping corners. The idea is to eliminate the feeling of sharpness and straight edges, which can have a negative effect on the senses.
Pendant lamps, hanging acrylic lamps and cube light boxes are modern styles of lighting that complement modern furniture well. Lighting fixtures are not just a matter of providing a means for reading or enjoying a meal, they create a specific atmosphere in the room. Many of the popular designs for corner lighting and tabletop lanterns give a rather soft glow that enhances the beauty of the woods, metal and glass of the furniture.
European Style Bedroom Furniture
The most popular styles of bedding furniture are those designs from Scandinavia. The central theme is a hardwood frame that is box-style, supporting a rather low-placed mattress. The frame is extremely strong and is supported by a slat system. Functional as well as beautiful, these designs can be customized to include an enormous amount of storage space. Drawers, self-closing doors with European hinges, removable headboards and a wide choice of fabrics means that no two Scandinavian beds are alike.
Much like sectional sofas, each bed can be customized in terms of its fabric. Depending on the hardwood or bamboo used for the frame, individuals will have several color choices that match the shade of the wood perfectly.
Most modern beds of this style come in two or three pieces that hinge together. No construction materials of power tools are needed. Customers often have the option of solid plywood for the support piece or ordering a central rail through which wood slats are woven.
One of the exciting options customers have when purchasing a modern European bed is the choice of wood finish. Each wood type can be finished with a particular shade of varnish or stain. Online retailers with virtual showrooms usually have the color options available for viewing on their website.
Another feature of European style beds is the use of natural mattress materials. Organically derived mattress fillers are very much in style these days and help protect sleeping individuals from certain allergies. Many of the cheap unnatural fibers used today in mattresses actually trap allergens as well as bacteria and mold. Fine quality mattresses made from natural latex provide plenty of comfort and are also environmentally friendly.
European Style Outdoor Furniture
Many of the modern outdoor furniture designs place an emphasis on color complements and wood accents. Two of the popular designs in demand today are the sun loungers and outdoor sectionals. Sun loungers can be single seat outdoor recliners or full two-person units. These are often made with teak or alder as the wood component and have steel frames. Most have a minimalist design, are lightweight and can be transported with ease. The design of many sun loungers includes the option of adding a sunshade. Outdoor chaise loungers are also popular. These are similar to the indoor chaise portion of a sectional and can be right or left-ended. A strong steel or aluminum frame supports a comfortable mattress with a full slat system in between. Most of these are constructed with a marine grade vinyl covering that is UV resistant and does not fade after long-term exposure to sunlight.
Stamskin fabric and quick-dry foam are two primary materials used in outdoor sectionals. Stamskin is waterproof and is very resistant to staining. It is also an anti-fungal material perfect for use on outdoor sofas and sectionals. Quick dry foam cushions are resistant to moisture buildup, with the foam encased in a polyester gauze that helps keep the cushion's original shape.
Outdoor dining tables are another wonderful addition to the patio or backyard. European designs include nesting units, square teak coffee tables, oval teak designs with steel tube frames and rounded rectangular dining tables made from lacquered steel. The latter are usually folding-style and come in a variety of bright color shades.
Caring For The Environment
Viesso is a Southern California company that offers a wide variety of European design furniture pieces and sets for every room in the home. The company has a commitment to protecting the natural environment and manufactures or imports only products that leave a miniscule carbon footprint on the natural world. Recycling materials, using wood products that are legally obtained, offering organic fabrics and fillers, and reducing energy costs during the manufacturing process are all important to the folks at Viesso.
Take a moment to visit the online Viesso showroom and product gallery at Viesso. The variety of modern European and other furniture styles is nearly endless, and Viesso offers consumers these fine quality products with lifetime warranties.