One of the many questions that we get asked is "Now that I've bought this furniture, how do I take care of it?" especially when it comes to wood furniture. Pieces from manufacturers like Maitland-Smith are high-end quality, so it's understandable that people want to avoid accidentally ruining the finish of their table or unknowingly damaging it. We've got our best tips and advice for you listed below.




DONT'S

- DON'T keep your furniture in direct sunlight.

One of the biggest culprits of damage to furniture is something that most people don't even realize can affect wood - sunlight. Sunlight is the top cause of wood furniture fading or degrading. Some simple solutions are keeping your furniture away from any windows or out of direct sunlight, but if that's not possible, be sure to install window shades or a special UV-protecting window film that can be applied on top of windows.

- DON'T let furniture be exposed to excessive moisture or extreme temperatures.

Wood is extremely sensitive to moisture and temperature changes, be it hot or cold. Excessive heat or humidity can cause wood to expand and contract, which can lead to the wood splitting, warping, or cracking. It can also cause wood joints or glue to dry up, which will impact the quality of the furniture and may deform it.

- DON'T put hot objects or cold drinks directly on top of your furniture.

Be cautious when placing food or drink on top of wood furniture - excessive heat from pots, pans, or dishes without a buffer or a pot holder can melt or damage the finish of a wood furniture. Condensation from cold drinks or items can cause "blooming," where a transparent coating or finish will become milky or cloudy. If you catch this happening soon enough, you can rub out the cloudiness with a dry, soft cloth, but otherwise may damage your furniture.

- DON'T use Pledge on wood furniture.

One last tip that we cannot stress enough is to never ever use Pledge on wood furniture. Any furniture repair technician will tell you the same thing - Pledge builds up silicone on top of the wood, "hiding" imperfections but doing nothing for the wood itself.

DO

- DO clean dust and debris from your wood furniture regularly.

Use a soft, damp cloth to clean off dust from your wood furniture. Most wood furniture abides by this rule. Special finishes like lacquered wood do not need to be wiped dry afterwards, but hand-carved or wood furniture should be wiped down with a dry, soft cloth after exposure to any moisture.

- DO have scratches looked at by a professional.

Scratches need to be filled and refinished in order to be hidden, but small dings or light scratches can be taken care of at home if you have a furniture touch-up pen. 

- DO treat your wood furniture with a recommended cleaner or polish.

Your wood furniture should be preserved with wax or polish to provide an additional layer of protection. Two products that come highly recommended from our furniture techs are Guardsman Wood Cleaner and Wood Polish - use the cleaner to get rid of any dust or old polish, then re-polish the table. A quick tip when polishing or cleaning the table is to put the leaves in to ensure that the leaves match the rest of the table when you bring them out at the next family event or function. Your wood furniture should be cleaned and polished a few times a year at least. You can find care information about specific types of wood below.

Specific Wood Types


Driftwood

If your driftwood item is unpolished, do NOT use a polish or cleaner as you will lose the natural coloration. Simply clean with a dry cloth or damp cloth. 

Polished driftwood should be polished with a good beeswax-based polish regularly. Driftwood will dry out if it is not polished regularly, so invest in a good, silicone-free, natural product. Silicons can harm the finish and appearance of driftwood.

Mahogany

Furniture polish is essential for mahogany furniture. Murphy's Oil Soap can do, but be sure to use a non-silicone furniture polish.

Painted Wood

If the item is completely painted, do not use any cleaners as you may damage the paint or finish of the item. If only part of a wooden item is painted on, use a non-silicone cleaner carefully over the area.

Teak

Teak only requires occasional cleaning and dusting - it is very low-maintenance compared to other woods. If your teak has developed its notable silvery patina, you can clean it gently with soap and water with a soft sponge or brush. Oil is not recommended for Teak.



Most of all, when investing in wood furniture, you want to ensure that you've bought a quality product with high-quality wood or veneers. Our recommended brands for wood furniture that stand the test of time are Maitland-Smith, Jonathan Charles, and AICO.

It only takes a small amount of time to clean and treat your wood furniture, but can add many extra years onto your furniture's life.
In honor of Valentine's Day, we thought we'd share the love and pair up some seemingly "unlikely" furniture and accessory pieces to make unlikely couples that will weather the storms and stay together for years to come, making a perfect marriage!

Not sure what we're talking about? Thinking we might be a little too excited because it's Friday? Maybe, but really, we're all about spreading the love and making perfect matches. Let's get the loving started!

First up, we have the ever-stoic Elegant Pedestal from Ambella Home. Of course, this is begging to have something beautiful put on top of it - what else are pedestals for? The obvious choices are a vase, or urn, something with a shiny, smooth finish to compliment the finish of the wood, and something round to balance the hard lines of the pedestal.

Enter the Vintage Silver Covered Sphere. It's not an obvious choice, like a vase, but it has all of the right curves and shine, along with a beautiful pattern and antiqued silver finish. It's exactly what the Elegant Pedestal needs to be complete.

Like ebony and ivory, or,  you know, silver and mahogany!

The next two items are definitely not the most unlikely of couples, but the call of the wild was getting to us and we couldn't say no to getting them together!

We think they'll definitely live happily ever after.

The Yareli Accent Chair from Uttermost and this amazing Antelope in Glossy White with Bright Silver Horns Wall Decor just compliment each other so well. Obviously they have an African/Sahara theme to them, but  the chrome accents of the chair compliment the silver horns of the antelope, and of course the black and white decor is very on-trend and impossible to go wrong with! 

The last unlikely couple is one we really love, and think it goes perfectly with the big hype of succulents and cacti! We love the trend of turning furniture into plant stands or carts, and we definitely think that the Davaughn serving cart is a great candidate - you would definitely need to line the inside top tray to make sure dirt doesn't get into the wicker tray, but it would look great with succulents or cacti inside!

No photoshopped image here, but just let your imagination do the work!

We hope you enjoyed our matchmaking process, and let us know if you disagree or have any other ideas for unlikely matches! 




High quality furniture is not just for the adults any more - the youth specialists at both Lea Furniture and Legacy Classic Kids are here to say that youth furniture is an investment you should make in your child. Not only do these items come with white glove delivery service (which means they put it together in the child's room), but these collections bring quality, statement, and safety to your child's space.

Legacy Classic Kids is dedicated to bringing a lifetime of memories to your child's space - and safety is their major priority. Comfort, functionality, and attractive rooms can be brought straight to your home for your child to enjoy well into their young adult years. These are timelessly designed collections so that your seventeen year old will like it just as much as they did as a seven year old. And their friends will benefit too, with awesome loft bunks and trundle beds to share for sleepovers!

American Spirit

Madison

Newport Beach

Park City White
Lea Furniture is a La-Z-Boy Incorporated company that specializes in youth furniture. They had established over 140 years of experience in youth furnishing and continue to create innovative designs in their creations to meet the demand of their consumers. They focus on modern and contemporary designs that provide function in the ways that kids need it most. They offer a wide variety of choices for modern, active girls and boys.

Lea Elite Classics

Dillon

Haley

Jessica McClintock Romance Collection