Childrens Lighting Articles

How to Prepare Garden Furniture For Spring

03/03/2010 16:17:03

Prepare Patio Furniture For Spring

The days are getting longer as we edge closer to spring. It is now time to start thinking about what''s involved to get the garden patio furniture ready so that you can kick back over the next 6 months.

Here's a quick patio furniture prep list to help make this procedure as efficient as possible so that you can enjoy sitting out in your garden or patio in no time.

1. Check any connectors such as bolts and screws to ensure they are tight.

2. Wash outdoor furniture with soapy water, rags and a scrubbing brush. Try stronger cleaner for tougher, dried on stains.

3. Oil metal joints and hinges.

4. Remove any visible rust from aluminium garden furniture aluminium garden furniture using sand paper, and seal with rust proof primer and paint.

5. Wax metal patio furniture to seal from rain. This should be repeated before winter storage.

6. Fill cracks in wooden garden furniture wooden garden furniture with putty and sand, and then apply sealer when dry.

7. Clean cushions and other fabric. Air out in direct sun if there is mildew.

How to sell patio furniture

21/01/2010 13:02:03

Have a desire to sell garden furniture? You might be thinking about the first steps to achieving this goal.

If you're selling one off pieces thinking about how you can sell your unwanted aluminium garden table or teak dining set without having to pay fees. Consider putting up fliers in your local post office or supermarket. This could save on the cost of advertising in a newspaper, or through online market places.

You need to make sure that you description is accurate. Take measurements of any tables and chairs and write as much detail as possible about it: including brand, number of seatings, condition, any nicks or marks and describe the design. Take photos in good light with close ups, and use different angles. It's best not mislead prospective buyers, and a good ad may save too many questions being asked.

Garden furniture on eBay and Garden furniture on Amazon are currently experienced a lot of popularity, and are great for advertising both new and second hand furniture. If it is second hand it is often best to try and sell locally using Craigslist.org, Gumtree.co.uk or the local paper as garden furniture can be costly to deliver by courier.

Lastly, price your furniture fairly! Even if you paid a lot for it if it's used then don't expect too much, and overpricing often causes people to pass by an offer. If you are listing on eBay, consider the 'Best Offer' feature, which will allow customers to submit an offer to negotiate. You will attract more interest this way and are likely to sell more quickly.

Happy New Year from The Garden Centre!

05/01/2010 15:10:31

2010, the second decade in the 21st century is finally here! So Happy New Year from everybody at the Garden Centre!

Also, we are now pretty much in the midst of the Winter season...and with all this snow and cold weather we hope that you all have your aluminium garden furniture stored away safely from the freezing conditions. However the good news is that there's only 73 days and counting until the first day of spring! (20TH March). So on the 19th get ready to wip out the garden fire pit and enjoy the first few days of sunshine around Easter.

The Best of Garden, Patio and Conservatory Furniture

21/12/2009 17:24:41

It's almost Christmas, and before we know it summer will be fast approaching! Be sure that you are ready with your garden furniture to enjoy the first sunny day in miserable England.

There are various roads you can go down in terms of which garden furniture to choose. Do you want a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor space, to kit out decking with complimentary teak furniture, or create relaxing centre pieces on a lawn such as rattan or modern aluminium furniture?

If you are looking for furniture that will harmonise with a stone patio, aluminium or cast iron is always a good choice for al fresco dining. Here's a few handy tips:

Buying conservatory furniture should differ from buying garden furniture for a lawn. Conservatory furniture tends to be more formal, more like regular furniture than lawn furniture. If you house is decorated with dark woods then you may want to consider teak garden furniture.

For a stone patio, cast aluminium sets make perfect entertainment pieces. Cast aluminium also looks great next to trees and gardens, and due to its durability can last a lifetime.

Wood tables and chair garden sets look amazing on wooden decking. A round or oval wood garden table will optimise a space and can seat up to 8 people. Rectangular tables are also very popular with styles occupying our range such as six seater hardwood garden furniture with cushions and parasol.

Maintaining your aluminium garden furniture

17/12/2009 11:05:15

Aluminium garden furniture continues to grow in popularity, and it's easy to see why. Despite the rustic quality of wooden garden furniture, aluminium is modern, stylish, and unlike cast iron is lighter and much more durable. In comparison to other materials commonly used for outdoor furniture, aluminium furniture is very easy to maintain, and with a little tlc aluminium will last you a long time. Here's a rough guide....

For every day cleaning the best thing to do is to just spray down with a hose. Aluminium is not damaged by water and can be left wet without rusting. This resistance to corrosion means that you can buy an aluminium garden table and chairs and leave them out in the rain without worrying. However once the winter cold comes it is advisable to coat your aluminium furniture in oil before storage. You should also remember to store the right way up to avoid moisture building up in the legs, freezing under cold temperature and potentially damaging the furniture.

In the case that something is spilled on well loved aluminium garden table and chair set that could stain (likes sun lotion), clean with some soapy water. Try to use a mild soap because some strong cleaners may cause discolouration.

Lastly the most important thing is to pay close attention the manufacturer's care instructions. Do not take a one-cleaning-fits-all approach, different care will be applicable for different types of aluminium for example.

Not in my back yard! Two thirds Brits Ban children from playing in the garden

16/12/2009 11:49:49

No children please. Gardens are to be admired and not to be played with.

Surely not? But yes it's true. House proud Brits have become a nation of NIMBY's with two thirds of families banning their children from playing around aluminium garden benches , bird baths , and even rattan table and chairs set up on trendy decking. Such figures are a shocking contrast to those in the 1940's when three quarters of families allowed their children to play on the lawns.

Head of Horticulture at the Museum of Garden History said 'The fact that children play in the gardens far less today than they did in the past is very disheartening and a great loss'. It seems that gardens are now becoming an extension of the home, with carefully manicured lawns and modern garden furniture kept all clean and tidy rather than a slightly chaotic yet idyll playground for children's tea parties and outdoor sports.

Fire Pits, bring some ambience to your garden decking!

15/12/2009 12:30:37

If you want to take the charm of having a fire on the beach and bring it to your own back yard, a cast iron fire pit is for you. Compared to installing a gas or electric fireplace in doors a fire pit is relatively inexpensive. Fire pits are increasing in popularity, and are a great way to enjoy your decking throughout the summer and also once the warmer months have passed.

Portable fire pits are the cheapest option, available from just 45 pounds at the Garden Centre. Made from metal any fire pit from our range are ideal accompaniments for camping trips, and many have grill attachments.

Getting a permanent stone fire pit installed is more costly, but is often consider more aesthetically pleasing. Professional installations may cost thousands and some cities do not allow them so you should check regulations before committing to a purchase.

Go al fresco this summer with a garden party.

14/12/2009 11:12:26

Occasionally, just occasionally the British summer surprises us by presenting us a few days or weeks like it did during the summer of 2009. Such days are perfect for al fresco eating. Early morning sunshine will get us all feeling all continental with breakfast, whilst cosy evenings beg us to serve Spanish tapas or a traditional barbeque alongside outside entertainment.

It is worth investing money in some beautiful, and yet sturdy garden furniture for all the summer weather (rain included!). A white table and chairs might not be the obvious choice for the garden, but this 7 piece aluminium garden furniture set is modern, easy to clean and will prove hardy over the winter months if left outside. Splash out on some crockery, simple candle sticks and some colourful glass wear as well as a matching cast aluminium parasol base and you'll have a beautiful scene for entertaining. A couple of cushions will make life more comfortable, so now you'll just need a fortunate weather forecast!

Should you leave garden furniture outside all year round?

01/12/2009 16:53:20

There is a huge variety of garden furniture available for UK customers. The extent of materials, sizes and styles reflect the magnitude of demand.

When choosing furniture consumers often focus on such things like design and comfort but often fail to remember to consider whether the furniture they are buying- designed for outdoor use can actually be left outside all year round.

There are multiple reasons why it is beneficial to leave furniture outside, namely the effort it takes to move it to storage, and also the absence of storage because many people have little of no storage space. Some people also enjoy to see the furniture outside and consider it an aesthetic contribution to the garden.

Consequently the demand for garden dining sets that can be left out in the garden through all seasons has increased. This has made aluminium furniture sets , aluminium benches, and garden furniture constructed from woven plastic or textoline garden sets particularly favourable. And it's not just durable aluminium dining tables that can be left outside but also those made of natural materials such as teak, hardwood garden furniture and rattan dining sets .

It is worth remembering though that even with the most durable materials like aluminium, if left outside for many years these products will still change and must be treated according to the manufactures instructions. Teak will weather to a silvery grey colour, and aluminium and textoline may fade.

Fire-fighters allegedly posing fire risk by putting up Christmas lights

05/11/2009 17:14:29

During the last festive season spoilsport bosses dampened the mood at fire stations in East Sussex when they told fire-fighters to take down their Christmas lights because they posed a potential fire hazard.

An email was sent out to fire stations all over the area requesting the removal of the outdoor lighting decorations unless they had been officially approved. The fire-fighters think that it is unlikely the checking procedure will be carried in time for Christmas, leaving little festive cheer in the workplace. This has added insult to injury after they were ordered to remove snooker tables and comfortable chairs from the recreation rooms.

It's thought that such precautions are being carried out because the management don't want the fire service to appear unprofessional, but you would think the firemen could be trusted to put christmas lighting up safely so that they do no create any hazards. Fire bosses denied that indoor and outdoor Christmas lighting had been banned, but said that all decorations had to meet safety standards. Let's hope they are less 'scrooge' like this year, because everybody deserves a bit of Christmas festivity...

A Starry-Starry Night with Star-shaped Christmas Lights

30/10/2009 09:59:17

Sparkling and twinkling- this is what you might see with a star-shaped outdoor Christmas light . Christmas lights are designed to give radiance in a season of joy and celebration, as over time some great shaped have been adopted using rope lights for outdoor use.

Commonly, star shaped lights come in larger size which are suitable for outdoor lighting, and are particularly effective on rooftops, churches and other buildings. Star shaped lights or snowflake rope lights are effective either when they are static or animated Christmas lights. There are also some designs like the Singing Angel rope light that incorporated twinkling lights to look like real stars in the sky.

It might be cold and dark outside this Christmas, but the stars will be out if you have your star shaped rope light , even if it's not in the night sky.

Christmas lights cancelled- Bray to be left in the dark after lack of donations.

30/10/2009 09:59:14

Outdoor Christmas lights have become a victim of poor funding yet again, this time in the town of Bray near London.

For the first time in Bray's history there will be no 2009 Christmas lighting unless local businesses donate enough money to make it possible. Whilst some businesses always contribute, there are some that never do. This is a shame since everybody gets to benefit equally from the attractive animated Santas and snowflake rope lights that are displayed through the town amongst other Christmas lighting designs .

So far less than one sixth of the required funds have been collected. In the past the council have gone ahead with the lighting after collecting only half of what was needed, but this year the council is simply not in the financial position to install the town's outdoor Xmas lighting and absorb the loss again.

Manchester Christmas lights and markets

29/10/2009 11:31:02

Soak up the festivity in the fantastic atmosphere created at Manchester's Christmas markets. From the 8th November the city centre will be adorned with Santa rope lights , festive bell lights , stars , angel lights , XXL Christmas lighting displays and much more.

Underneath the twinkling lights you'll find bustling stalls selling gifts and indulgent seasonal treats. Albert Square sees the return of the talking Christmas reindeer as well as the popular German tent serving genuine beer and real German sausage.

Villages have to cough up money for this year's Christmas Lights

29/10/2009 11:05:27

Hartford Parish Council's decision to give Christmas lighting a miss this December has created a stir in the village. At last month's meeting it was decided that the village would not put up any festive lights because of the costs and problems related to the reliability of the Christmas rope lights and other Santa animated lights used to decorate. Many are failing to understand why it cannot go ahead this year, especially since over half of last year's Christmas outdoor lighting budget was used to invest in a new electricity supply.

One village contacted the Guardian and said he would be willing to donate money to get the lights up and running, and hoped that other villagers and local businesses would follow suit.

Oxford bans the word 'Christmas'

29/10/2009 10:58:44

Council leaders in Oxford have this year decided to drop the word 'Christmas#39 from the city's festive celebrations to make it more 'inclusive'. This means that the festive decorations including the tree, Christmas lights and large outdoor Christmas displays will all have a different name. But the decision to adopt the new name 'Winter Light Festival' has upset religious leaders who have labelled it 'ludicrous'.

The idea was generated by the charity Oxford Inspires which was set up to promote culture in the area. Deputy leader of the council says that as far as he is concerned the Christmas tree will still be a Christmas tree, and the animated rope lights and colourful santa lights will still come under Christmas lighting for him.

Pie throwing breaks out in bakery art anger over Christmas lights in Yorkshire village

28/10/2009 17:17:14

Last year Mrs. Smith; a local village councillor of Holmfirth sued the The Holme Valley Business Association after she spent £6000 on animated santa lights , reindeer lights, star displays , Christmas bells and an assortment of other outdoor festive lights when it was her turn to organise the village's seasonal lights.

She spent thousands on large lighting displays , but there was little festive spirit when it came to picking up the bill. When Mrs Smith was refused permission to reclaim her credit card expenses a bitter dispute broke out, leading to pie throwing in the local bakery, threatening phonecalls and the summoning of police.

After three years of bitter fighting was awarded £3,300 for the purchase of the Christmas lighting , allowing just over half because the judge ruled that she did not have authorisation for all the purchases referring to misleading information and missing invoices and receipts.

Mother asked to removed Christmas lights in case they offend non-Christians

28/10/2009 17:12:57

With the Christmas season just around the corner many families will be putting up their outdoor Christmas lights and Christmas lighting displays for neighbours and passersby to enjoy and admire. However one story from last Christmas makes us wonder about the effect of such lighting.

Dorothy Glenn decorates her home in South Sheilds with hundreds of festive lights each Christmas, including a Christmas tree display , Santa Claus light and giant snowman . But she was left stunned when a housing association worker knocked on her door and informed her that the lighting decorations may offend her neighbours who were non-Christian, and asked her to take them down.

Dorothy was amazed, considering that the festive lighting displays were popular, she was close to her neighbours and there had been no complaints. The association later apologised and said that their employee's actions had been over-zealous and acknowledged that Christmas lights bring a bit of festive cheer and the council is delighted to see people taking so much pride in the appearance of their homes.

Jim Carrey and Colin Firth to turn on Oxford outdoor Christmas lights

26/10/2009 16:59:01

Disney's stars of A Christmas Carol will this year be switching on Christmas lights are the premiere of the animated film in London.

Jim Carrey, the voice of scrooge and Colin Firth aka Scrooge 's nephew Fred will be turning on the Disney themed outdoor Christmas lights in Regent street which are to include Father Christmas themed rope lights, Christmas Bell lights, star lights plus many more Christmas lighting designs. Bob Hoskins (the voice behind Mr Fezziwig) will set off a later fireworks display. Hoskins said: 'It's a fantastic privilege to be involved, especially as I will be starting the celebrations at St Paul's in the heart of Dickensian London. '

Spooktacular! Halloween pumpkins and Halloween lights galore

26/10/2009 16:38:06

This coming weekend there will a number of Halloween lights resembling ghoulish faces staring eerily out at those walking by. These will highlight the tradition of carving pumpkins to make them into Halloween lights, often placed in windows or doorways.

But whilst most are merely two eyes and a spooky grin, Scott Cummins and Ray Villafane have taken Halloween pumpkin lights to a new level with their range of crazy pumpkin carvings. After only a few hours of cutting, carving and gouging an average pumpkin can be made into a Picasso masterpiece, portraying the strangest images from themes such as Barack Obama, 'The Predator' a Starwars stormtrooper. Ray, who was an art teacher for 13 years decided to approach pumpkin carving like clay sculpting and over the last two years his Halloween pumpkin lights have begun to appear in online blogs, raising his profile.

But if like most of us you can't be bothered creating a masterpiece there is always the option to get a Halloween rope lightinstead! Ideal for indoor or outdoor use (and no knives required) TheGardenCentre.co.uk stocks a selected range of Halloween lighting including a Halloween animated pumpkin light , Bats and pumpkin light , and a large 2D Halloween pumpkin light .

Get Spooky with Halloween Lighting this October

13/10/2009 15:09:53

The end of October is about playing with Halloween themes and spooking the kids! So why not use some Halloween lighting as a novel way to decorate your home and garden this year? TheGardenCentre.co.uk has a number of great Halloween rope lights suitable for indoor or outdoor use.

3D Halloween pumpkin lantern

The perfect Halloween pumpkin light to have on your door step! This outdoor rope light is animated to light up your porch for the visiting trick or treaters.

Bats in a pumpkin animated light

Easy to hang on the wall inside or out, a 2D Halloween pumpkin wall light is a funky touch. The pumpkin light is animated to make the bats look like they are flying!

Halloween animated skeleton light

Watch this Halloween skeleton rope light disappear in a spooky way! The Animated Halloween skeleton rope light is a life-size, and displays the flashing words 'Halloween' for all to see.

Large 2D Halloween pumpkin rope light

Try mounting a crazy pumpkin rope light on your wall for a bit of Halloween fun. Suitable for indoor or outdoor use, this colourful outdoor pumpkin will light up the faces of the old and young alike.

Witch on Broomstick Halloween rope light

This will certainly scare the children! A witch rope light makes a perfect addition to a family home or garden. Just be careful she doesn't fly away for good!

To see the full range of Halloween lights and Christmas lighting visit candy canes, stars, Christmas bells, Santa Claus, reindeer and Christmas trees

Net Lights

Net lights are very small LED lights that are interconnected using a mesh of wires. Net lights make it very easy to quickly cover bushes and shrubs and will give the effect of symmetrically placed lights. You can also find Christmas light nets that are solar powered.

Animated Light Displays

Animated lights display a range of shapes using a series of carefully positions LED lights that light up accordingly to create a picture such as a Nativity scene, or something Father Christmas related.

The LEDs are also different colours to reflect the colours in the picture, yellow lights for example for an angel'ss halo. You can also purchase animated Christmas lights that light up to give the illusion of movement, such as a galloping reindeer, a waving Santa, or a swinging Christmas jingle bell.

Choosing the best Christmas Lights this season

15/09/2009 17:24:57

If you are thinking about buying Christmas outdoor lighting this year, you will have to think about a few things. For example, what style and theme do you want, where to put it and how you intend to install it!

There are so many different kinds of Christmas lights available to consider, including traditional string lights, rope lights, fairy lights, and animated light displays. Here is a brief over view of these types:

Christmas Lights that use C7 or C9 bulbs

String lights are composed of a long adjustable cord that has multiple sockets along. You can screw C7 lights (2 inch bulb or C8 bulbs (3 inch bulbs) onto the cord in assorted colours to taste.

The bulbs are bright and visible from a long distance, which probably accounts for their popularity. The advantage with modern string lights is that if a bulb burns out the other bulbs remain lit. C7 and C8 lights used to use incandescent bulbs (which are electrically inefficient), but now you can replace those with bulbs that have LEDs which are energy efficient, last longer and are cool to the touch. LED bulbs with twinkling effect are also available on the market.

Fairy Lights

Fairy lights are also sometimes referred to as 'smini lights's. These are a 'sbaby's version of string lights, with much small coloured, white or clear bulbs on a string. Most light strings hold up to 50 - 100 lights, but there are some available that have as many as 300 on a string. You can purchase fairy lights in almost any colour, and some are capable of twinkling or flashing and blinking in patterns. Traditionally fairy lights have been incandescent, but now it is common to find sets of LED fairy lights.

Christmas Lighting comes early for Rochdale

15/09/2009 17:17:32

Christmas Lighting comes early for Rochdale!

For anyone who already thought Christmas came much too early in many times, with Christmas lighting being put up at the mere jingle of a Christmas bell, then Rochdale takes the biscuit.

Shoppers were amazed to see workmen installing outdoor Christmas lighting, including rope lights and other Christmas lighting decorations in the shapes of a bobble hated penguin on skis, holly leaves and a huge Noel sign. Locals are saying that it is 'ludicrous', and many say that it'ss just plain depressing. A spokesman from the council claims that the Christmas lights have gone up early to celebrate a number of other festivals, including the Eid Muslim festival this month, and so in the long run will save tax payers money.