1. How to choose your carpet
   
2. Check for overall finish and Strength In Furniture...
   
3. Wavy Glass Is Defective...
   
4. Buy A Plywood According To The Application It Is Used For...
   
5. Take An Interior Decorator's Quotation In Advance..

How to choose your carpet:

The wearing qualities of all carpeting depend on the fibres used and how dirt resistant they are. Wool carpets are dirt resistant, luxuriously soft, and when mixed with 20% nylon they are very hard wearing. The polysters like Tereleyne and Dacron are fairly water proof and are ideal for bathrooms

Using the right carpet:
Since different areas of the home wear differently, use different qualities of carpets. For eg, stairs, passages and living rooms get rougher use than bedrooms. Adult rooms get more gentle treatment than children's rooms and rooms near water (kitchens, bathrooms) need tougher surfaces. Hard wear areas need the best quality that you can afford. Light wear aeas can be covered with more luxurious carpets. Have your carpets measured and laid by experts, and check their estimates carefully to prevent over-ordering.
Caring for your carpets:
Vaccum clean it at least once a month and spot clean any stains as soon as they occur, making sure you do not over wet it.

Gone are the days when you had to buy what furniture your local furniture store had in supply. Today you can order exactly the kind of furniture you want. Largely, buying furniture is a matter of personal taste, limited though by practical considerations like size of the room and the general climateof the area you stay in.

Low lustre woods like pine and cane and light finishes suggest a casual atmosphere. Highly polished dark woods like mahogany, teak and walnut and dark finishes suggest a formal atmoshere. Before you buy furniture, measure the dimensions of the space where you intend to place it. Then measure the piece to see that it fits.
Regarding the quality:
*Check if the wood is of the good quality you want.
*See that the finish is even throughout and the wood grains match across the pieces. See that the piece stands squarely on the floor.
*The joints should be firm and tight (fitted with screws in case of cupboards, etc.). Uneven joints and glue indicate sloppy workmanship.
*Check if movable parts like drawers fit well. The wood inside, beneath and behind the drawers should be sanded to a smooth finish.
*Hardware like hinges, latches and handles should be tightly and securely fixed. In upholstered furniture, the cloth used should be thick and closely woven, the patrterns should match all around and seams should be straight without loose fastening.
*Sit on the chair or sofa to see that it is comfortable.

The price of glass generally depends on the thickness, which can vary from 3mm to 19mm. A 3mm sheet can cost upto Rs.550 per sq. ft.

The tint on the glass adds nominally to the price. To check the quality of the glass, inspect it from the sides. The glass should not be wavy; if it is, it is defective.

Glass used on automobiles or windshields is toughened glass. This glass is manufactured at temperatures of upto 900 degree centigrade.

While sheet glass is supposed to break into large pieces on impact, good toughened glass is to break into minute crystals.
.
A square inch of glass is supposed to break into approximately 64 pieces. Toughened glass also goes through an electricity resistance test.

The quality of plywood you buy depends on the quality of wood and the adhesives used for bonding. There are two varieties:

The commercial variety - where softwood is used. The Phenol Formaldehyde variety (water proof variety) - where birch, teak, etc. is used. Birch or teak can be identified by its rich, dark colour. Buy according to the application of plywood. For kitchen or bathrom doors, or areas exposed to moisture like kitchen cabinets, use water proof plywood. If you use commercial plywood in these areas it will start chipping because of the  moisture.
Commercial plywood is ideal for shelves, living room or bedroom cabinets or storage cupboards. Always treat areas where you use wood for protection from termites

When you hire an interior decorator for your home or office, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Check the firm's credentials. Talk to their previous clients, inspect some of their earlier work to check on quality of materials used and timely completion.

Check the interior decor of their office, it will give you a fair idea of what they can deliver.
Take the quotation in advance and make sure all agreements are in writing.

These days, a fairly large architect's firm can also provide interior decor services. If you hire such a reputed firm, you can be assured of quality work.