What kind of bed suits your personality?

Picking the right type of bed for your room can set the tone for your entire space. Not only does should it provide comfort, it can also reflect your personality.

Here are the types of bed you may want to consider:

1. Canopy

Add some old world appeal to your little princess’s room with slender posts that are typically draped with fabric. Lean towards lightweight canvases or sheer gauzes for a tropical, beach-inspired theme.


2. Day Bed

Great for cramped spaces, this frame, which typically fits a single or a twin-sized mattress, can be converted into a makeshift sofa during the day. Simply add  throw pillows and a pretty duvet.


3. Four-Poster

Regal, stately and impressive, a four-poster bed is a classic that never goes out of style. This piece works well in large bedrooms with high ceilings—surrounding it with ample space allows the piece to breathe, whether it’s faceted with traditional filigree or is done up in straightforward, minimal lines.


4. Futon

Originally form Japan, futons are easy-to-fold quilts, mattresses or padding that can be laid out on the floor. The Western use of futon refers to a chair or couch that can be transformed and folded out into a bed, usually for visitors or houseguests.


5. Murphy

Extremely cramped spaces can benefit from a Murphy Bed—that is, a bed that is hidden as part of a wall and is folded or pulled down when needed. This type of bed definitely frees up space but can be tedious to maintain, especially when all you want to do is lie down after a long, busy day!


6. Platform

Those preferring a sleek, modern look often opt for a platform bed, which sits low on the floor and is a breeze to climb in and out of. Whether done up with a headboard or subtly plain, this style works well in a myriad of themes and palettes.


7. Sleigh

Resembling Santa’s sled, this classic piece is feminine and elegant, with a high, curved end and a graceful headboard—perfect for a modern boudoir or a country guesthouse, elegant sleigh beds are often tufted and upholstered.


8. Upholstered

If you fancy rich textures that make your bed more inviting, or find patterns in different palettes irresistible, then opt for a bed that is covered in upholstery. Not as flexible as their more minimal counterparts, these beds (especially when covered in eye-catching prints) make a bold statement in any room.

5 design solutions for small city condos

With so many urban spaces offering affordable studio units condos just a stone’s throw away from the nearest business district or a short walk to the train station, living in cramped quarters has becoming reality for many city dwellers.

But with the following design solutions, you can help transform your small space into a dwelling with big potential.

1.  Choose pieces that can be moved around. Think elements and accessories that offer flexibility and a smoother flow of traffic in any space. For example, sliding panels or pull-down blinds can enclose and open up your bed or kitchen area. Murphy beds or wall beds you can push up when not in use can free up floor space. Storage cubes on wheels offer extra seating or can be pushed back against walls to create more space.


2.  Use textures to divide spaces. Forget walls or too many dividers. Instead, use varying floor textures to indicate changes in function in different areas. A wooden floor in your living or study space can transition to a carpeted area to section off your bed space. Try the same trick on your walls. Graphic wallpaper can act as an accent against your bed, while using stone or brick can create a completely different atmosphere for your kitchen.


3.  Add height for more space. A high platform with pull-out drawers can double up as a place to lay your mattress on. You can also raise the area for your study desk and dresser to accommodate shelves underneath for books and other supplies. Having pieces built specifically for your small space frees you up from the limitations of store-bought furniture.
 

4.  Make it multipurpose. Consider a sleeper sofa instead of getting a separate bed and couch. Your coffee table can function as a dining table. Similarly, your dining table can be a study desk and a vanity or dresser as well, consolidating all your desktop activities in one compact space.


5.  Go minimalist. Filter through your belongings. Go through your closet and, except for emergency supplies, junk anything that hasn’t been useful in 30 to 60 days. Or, throw something out for every new non-essential that you bring in, whether they’re clothes, pots and pans, magazines or home accessories.


Decorating a small space can be challenging, but with the right clutter-busting attitude and smart, functional solutions, it is possible to turn a studio into a fun, habitable space that suits your needs and your personality

7 surprising things that make you fat

Surprising thing that makes you fat: Your friends

While having close friends generates plenty of health benefits, research has also indicated that being overweight can be contagious amongst friends. Research results published in the journal PLoS ONE indicated that students were likelier to gain weight friends if they had friends who were heavier than them, while a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that having an obese friend increases your chance of obesity by 50 per cent. The good news is being slim can also be contagious, so try to influence your social group and keep your weight down by arranging healthy, fun group activities such as walks, bike rides or dance classes.

Surprising thing that makes you fat: Diet foods

You’ve cleared your cupboards of junk food, stocked up on smoothies and cereal bars, and now you’re feeling pretty saintly. However, those seemingly innocent diet foods nestling in your cupboards could actually be causing you to gain weight. Many foods claiming to be diet-friendly are actually hidden calorie traps packed with sugar and syrups. In fact, ‘healthy’ cereal bars can contain as much fat, sugar and calories as an average chocolate bar. Research by the Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio also found that those who consumed diet drinks daily experienced a 70 per cent greater increase in waist circumference than those who drank none.

Surprising thing that makes you fat: Late nights

Most of us lead busy lives, and this could mean that sleep becomes a last priority. However, a study by researchers at the University of Washington found that getting less than seven hours of sleep a night was linked to a higher body weight. They also found that the longer a person sleeps, the less impact the obesity gene has on an individual’s weight. For a quick and easy way to keep off the pounds, try to skip your favourite TV show or night out every once in a while and catch up on your sleep instead.

Surprising thing that makes your fat: Your to-do list

As well as causing you to miss out on sleep, having a hectic daily to-do list can also lead to feelings of anxiety and stress, which can quickly pile on the pounds. Cortisol – the stress hormone – not only increases your appetite, but studies have suggested that it can also affect fat distribution so that it is stored on the abdomen; leading to an unhealthy ‘apple’ shape. Furthermore, a busy lifestyle can also lead to erratic eating patterns and a reliance on unhealthy fast foods. Try to opt for healthy filling snacks instead to fuel your busy day, and make sure you take some time each day to relax and unwind.

Surprising thing that makes you fat: Food sensitivities

While few of us have serious life-threatening allergies to food, many people unknowingly suffer from intolerances and sensitivities to certain foods which can cause a wide range of vague symptoms such as stomach pain, bloating and skin problems. Shockingly, food sensitivities could also be to blame if you are struggling to lose weight. When you eat foods you are sensitive to, this triggers a reaction in the body which increases levels of insulin and cortisol; two hormones which increase fat storage, particularly around the abdomen. Furthermore, our body’s reaction to food sensitivities can also, ironically, create an addiction to the foods we are sensitive to, causing us to crave them more.

Surprising thing that makes you fat: Your job

Whether you’re being tempted by staff meeting refreshments, celebrating a colleague’s birthday with cake and treats, attending business lunches or being inundated with edible gifts from grateful patients or parents, your workplace can be a source of constant food temptation, and there can be a lot of peer pressure to indulge. Furthermore, if you’re in a job that you don’t enjoy, the temptation to treat yourself is even higher. According to researchers, 62 per cent of people break their diets mid-afternoon (with 3.23pm being the time when you are most likely to give into temptation), and this is generally due to workplace stress or boredom.

Surprising thing that makes you fat: Exercise

While regular exercise is essential for good health, research has found that relying solely on exercise to manage your weight can actually be ineffective. Studies have shown that exercise, when not combined with dietary changes, does very little in respect to losing weight. Statistics also show that while obesity levels continue to grow so do the numbers of people getting active, which shows that exercise may not be having its desired effect. While exercise itself is not to blame, experts believe that many exercisers gain weight as they undo the benefits of their exercise regime by increasing their calorie intake to fuel or reward their sessions; often overcompensating for their workouts.