Archive for the ‘Home And Family’ Category
December 6th, 2009 | 
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Living in a small space is definitely challenging. And, small room decorating is a challenge in itself.
People live in small homes for a variety of reasons. It may be that they can’t afford a larger home or perhaps they just want to live a less complicated lifestyle. Whatever the reason, there are certain rules that should be followed in decorating small rooms. Here is a list of the most important ones:
1. Plan, plan, plan. Go through your home and note down how you actually use the space that you have. Then, look at it with an eye toward how you can better utilize that space. You’ll need areas for cooking, entertaining, relaxing, sleeping and possibly a home office. Write it down and then decide on the best places to fit those uses. Don’t need a formal dining room? Make it an office instead. A room doesn’t always have to be used the way the architect intended.
2. Get rid of the clutter. When you have a lot of “stuff” and very little space, the clutter-filled space that you do have can look a lot smaller than it actually is. So the first task is to clean out what you don’t really need. Have a garage sale, give to a charity and throw the worn out items into the dumpster.
3. Use color to visually enlarge the space. Choose lighter colors to give the room a more open look. Also, try to go monochromatic. Choosing tones that are in the same color family fools the eye to make spaces seem larger. Your furniture colors should blend in with your wall and carpet colors so that they don’t break up the visual flow.
4. Paint the ceiling a lighter color than the walls. Avoid using a heavy patterned wallcovering in a tiny room.
5. Select furniture carefully. Choose styles that are multipurpose. Furniture like ottomans that have removable tops and tables that have drawers for storage are ideal for a small room. Trundle or bunk beds or even loft beds are just the ticket for kids rooms or a den. Taller end tables with curved, narrow legs draw the eye under the piece, thus making the space feel larger. Dining and coffee tables that are made of glass provide a place for accessories without blocking the room’s view.
6. Use lighting to make a room look larger. Add lighting such as track or recessed lights. Also, eliminate heavy draperies. Use light sheers that will allow the sunlight to show through, or use no window coverings at all if privacy isn’t an issue. With the right kind of lighting, you can use darker colors in paint and furnishings. In fact, the result can be quite dramatic with the correct lighting effects.
7. Use a mirror to visually enlarge the space of a room. Not only will its reflection make the room feel twice as large, but it will reflect light around the room further increasing the visual space.
Visualizing the ways your rooms should work for you is a good first step to take when decorating a small space. Small rooms do not have to feel cramped and unusable. They can be beautiful and cozy with a little planning and creativity.
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Have you ever dreamed of bringing decor-savvy individuals like to freshen the look of your rooms? Bring summer indoors in full force – without losing the comfortable and cozy furnishings you desire in the cooler months.
You can simply brighten up your home by putting the heavy drapery away and making the widows a focal point. While the light is great during the day – especially if you don’t need to turn on interior lights – you may dislike the cavernous black holes that they become late at night. For privacy and appearance, keep up the retractable blinds during the day and put them down at night behind a sheer curtain.
Decorating your rooms with mirror will also lighten your place as they capture the sunlight and bounce it around. This doesn’t mean a major change in your decor but you may find moving a large mirror to a different wall will optimize the light reflection in the room. Try it across from a window or on a wall that corners against the window wall for the most light distribution.
Moving the furniture into a ‘summer arrangement’ can optimize your space and give it a more airy feel. If you normally place the living room furniture to focus on the fireplace consider turning them to face away. This can open up the space and make it more inviting for summertime get together. If you barbecue you might even switch the dining and living room area around if it will give you a better flow for entertaining and enjoying the evening sun during meals.
Roll up the area rugs, leave the table bare and get rid of excess blankets, pillows and other ‘comfy’ materials that tend to warm up the space.
If you have plenty of storage space (you’ve packed away all the winter clothes and drapery so you should be fine) you might like to use white cotton or canvas slipcovers on the furniture. Not only will it brighten the room, but they can come off easily to be cleaned so you needn’t worry about a stain – which is never a good look!
You can bring outdoor in by decorating your rooms with a large tropical with palm leaves. Adding some colorful cut flowers will add further summer appeal. However, too much of anything is not good. Don’t clutter your rooms with so many plants it feels like a conservatory.
By adopting some of these simple ideas, your home will easily surround with summer feeling.
The Victorian decorating style is one that combines antique accessories with modern methods and can really make your house stand out. Whether you have an old Victorian mansion or a new home, you can decorating with a Victorian style by changing small things, for instance painting and hanging vintage accessories to bring some of the Victorian age to your home.
A major component in victorian decorating is what you put on the walls. For this style the room colors make a big difference – you should contemplate putting reds and dark colors and anything with vintage appeal and depending on the particular style many colors either in your wall color or your accessories. Try using an antique style wallpaper and border sets on the walls, or if you want something different go with paint and stenciling. You don’t have to get too fancy or spend a lot of money and if you are afraid of a bit of color, merely paint the walls a neutral shade and let the accents in the room do the decorating. The floor covering can make or break your decor, but if you can not buy new flooring then just use area rugs with a Victorian design. Oriental rugs are perfect for this type of decor and you can buy genuine antique rugs, or reproductions if you are on a budget. Accessories are key to pulling your Victorian decor together. You’ll be surprised at the impact a few alterations can make! Concentrate on buying old photos, artwork and mantle clocks that match your Victorian decor. Be sure to add in plenty of antiques as well as Victorian era curios. Additional touches like vintage fabrics and vases filled with flowers can add that special touch that gives your home a professional look. You might want to consider light fixtures in terms of both style and type to go with your Victorian decorating style,. Given that you are trying to get a Victorian look, you might want to take a look at using old fashioned ceiling lights with lamps with silk fringe shades but remember to pass up anything which is primitive or country looking. Don’t forget to include table lamps as well as wall sconces. Furniture should be Victorian in style but you don’t have to use genuine antiques. For the sofa especially, you should consider a reproduction. This is because vintage Victorian sofas are very uncomfortable! Wooden pieces like side tables and curio cabinets would look best if you can buy real antiques – the new stuff is just not as beautiful as the old pieces with a rich patina. Always make sure you buy pieces that are in tip top condition. How you dress your windows are important to your victorian decorating design theme. For a fantastic design in your parlor go with working with layered drapery or velvet curtains or heavy draped curtains with different fabrics. There are a lot of window treatments that can be paired with this design theme, particularly if you match fabrics to your window treatments, but you should avoid contemporary style window coverings.
One decorating area that is frequently overlooked when decorating is the wall space. Even the ugliest walls can be made to look good with great wall decor. Try adding vintage paintings and old photos to create an interesting look to your parlor walls to really bring out the charm of your Victorian Interior Design.
Putting together a perfect Victorian look in your home can be as basic as just buying new decorative accessories or as involved as replacing everything. Either way, working on the details and making sure to coordinate your furniture and decorative accessories will help you achieve a great new Victorian decorating look that you will be proud to claim you accomplished all by yourself!
Home is where the heart is. No doubt! However it is no crime to desire for a home with a difference. A home looks beautiful with good furniture, accessories, and other things that are essential to embellish it. Designer drapery fabrics give your home a unique and exclusive look. These drapes convey a lot about your home.
There is a wide variety of fabric and colors to choose from if you have decided to spruce up your home.
There are lustrous woven polymer that glistens from the fabric or champagne base cloth with patterned fruits or flowers to choose from. Champagne base cloth provides you that “niche designer look” to your home whereas woven polymer gives you the feel of the finest chenille’s you’ve ever seen. There fabrics not only give you that deep desired gorgeous look, but also possess strength and durability.
There is a special category of embroidery where you can splurge on rich designs in silk and glistening thread that can brighten up your home instantly. The embroidery is well splashed out over the drapes and concludes to a broad board that gives it the ultimate finesse.
So, give your home a new dimension with drapery fabric and if cost is not a constraint, delve in for designer fabrics.
Thermal Drapery:
So, you want to keep out the cold, coming into your room through windows. There are many options available in the market to keep you rooms warm, but thermal Drapery is the best among the rest. It keeps out the cold, keeps in the heat and darkens room at the same time. All of us want something for our home that would serve the practical purpose as well as make our home look beautiful. Npw, when it comes to energy efficient window treatments and adding beauty to your home, thermal Drapery is the best option. It ahs a foam backing, that adds both beauty and warmth to your rooms. It is easy to maintain in polyester, duck cloth or cotton slubbed fabric, which are machine washable for easy care. Thermal is ideal for saving you good amount of money on your heating bills. This is due to its energy saving quality. They comes in a wide variety of colors, patterns and fabrics to choose from. These designs are sure to suit your individual decorating style, be it country décor, Victorian or contemporary, you are sure to find them perfectly accessorizes your furnishings.
Drapery provides intimacy and regulates the volume of natural light inside a room. Choosing the right kind of drapery in your room can be sometimes confusing. Drapery can either subtly blend into your room’s background or downright make an impact and statement in the room. The drapes you use will often times reflect your personality.
Here are some guidelines in choosing a draperies for your room:
1.Choose a fabric
Choose a fabric with colors and patterns that matches or complement your window, pre-existing furniture and artwork. Also, choose a kind of fabric you would want to use and fits your personality or style.
2.Hang an opaque draper
Hang an opaque drapery to block out intense sunlight, to complement the décor and style, and to keep nosy neighbors from looking in. A few drapes have special liners that completely blocks out the sun. This is especially good for your den, movie or tv room.
3.Choose a pattern
Drapes come in a variety of length and fabrics (e.g. silk, velvet, cotton). The patterns include floral print and animated prints, as well as solid colors. Choose a pattern that you like, don’t compromise just because it looks good in the room. Be sure that you actually like it. Choose a color that best fits you and the room. Lighter colors for a vibrant and warm feel or darker colors for a more relax mood.
4.Consider sheers
Sheers are usually hang beneath the drapes. They allow sunlight gently into the room by reducing the glare. The sheers are great when you’re spending some quiet time reading a book or magazine. It subtly lets natural light in but blocks distracting view from the outside. During night time they produce a delightful silhouette with the lights turned on.
5.Measure your windows
Measure your windows carefully and accurately before making any purchase. Determine how much of the drapery will cover the windows and its immediate surrounding.
Measure it from top to bottom. When you measure the length of the drapery, remember that it hangs from a curtain rod about six to eight inches above the window frame. The drapery usually measures two to three inches above the floor. So the actual length of the drapery measures from the curtain rod down to two inches above the floor.
Measure it from side to side. The drapes should extend to both end by about three inches. Double the side to side measurement of your window for a luxurious looking drapes.
6.Hardware for your drapery.
Put the final touches on your drapery with rods, holdbacks, finials and curtain rings.
Curtain rods are available in a variety of styles, finishes and color. They are usually adjustable and can be fitted exactly to your window. If you’re using layers of sheers under your drapes then find double rods.
Finials are fitted at the end of your rods. They can be simple, exotic or stylish. Whatever style you choose they come in metal, glass or wood.
Holdbacks are a stylish or simple way to hold back your drapes and keep them open. They come in copper holdbacks, bronze holdbacks, nickel holdbacks, brass holdbacks, pewter holdbacks, and chrome holdbacks. The holdbacks are available in intricate, simple or rustic design.
Curtain rings accentuate your drapes. They are made from various material and finishes. Choose a ring that fits the general theme or mood in the room.
Before purchasing anything, be sure that you know exactly what you’re purchasing. Read the item details carefully. If you’re buying online, do not use wire transfer services. They are not safe, if you are paying someone you do not know. Research your seller very well, so you feel safe with an online transaction.
To be really comfortable with your purchase online, you can do the following:
Check the seller’s online feedback rating. Check the number of transactions they have already completed? What is the percentage of responses do they have are positive?
What do buyers say about them in their feedback? Have the seller receive a lot of praises?
A lot of top sellers function like retail stores. They should have return policies. Do they offer any kind of money-back guarantee? What are the usual terms and conditions of the purchase?