Trends to Watch in the Kitchen and Bath

Posted by admin | Bath Showers,Interior Design & Decorating,Kitchens | Thursday 29 October 2009 11:50 am

When it comes to decorating the home, most people concentrate on their bedroom and living room. Although these are rooms where we do spend a lot of our time – it’s important to take every area of our home into consideration when decorating for the first time or deciding to take on a redecorating project. Two rooms that often have interchangeable trends that can be applied to both spaces are the kitchen and the bathroom. With many similar features (sinks, cabinets, tile flooring, etc…) – you can use certain trends in both rooms and create a modern and consistent atmosphere throughout your home.

Trends in the home are always changing. Now – something that may have been cutting age five years ago can come off to be quite dated looking. If you’re not interested in taking on a remodeling or redesign project in a few years, there are some trends that you should pay special attention to. They’ll help to modernize your home, but at the same time, they’ll give you somewhat of a “timeless” look that will save you from having to update the look down the line. Here are some ideas to take into consideration that will work great in both your kitchen and bath areas:

· Stainless steel is a great material since it’s extremely durable and works on a variety of surfaces. From your faucets to your cabinet handles – you can create a coordinated and sleek look in your room by installing stainless steel handles throughout your home. It’s easy to maintain and clean and will last you for many years. It can dressed up to create an elegant look, or you could dress it down to give your room a more modern and funky feel. Whichever direction you decide to go in – you’ll be able to find stainless pieces for your bathroom and your kitchen that you’ll be sure to love.

· Adding color to your room is always a great idea, especially if you want to brighten things up. In both the kitchen and the bathroom – you may be limited for space to add decorative pieces, so consider adding an accent wall. In the bathroom, you may consider the wall that your vanity lies on. In the kitchen, painting the backsplash a different color is a great idea. By painting small areas to add color to the room, you’ll save yourself from having to repaint the entire room if your tastes or trends change in the future. You’ll also be adding a decorative touch without taking up any counter or floor space.

· Marble countertops are absolutely timeless and can make beautiful and valuable additions to your home. Marble is available in many different colors – so finding one to match your décor shouldn’t be a problem. It’s very versatile – so you’ll be able to make adjustments to the space over time and you won’t have to worry about your countertops clashing. Choosing durable and classic materials will help give your space a beautiful and modern look for years to come.

· Finally, keep patterns limited – especially in places where they’re permanent. Flooring that features a floral motif or wallpaper that is patterned can create a problem since many patterns have a tendency to look dated over time. If you want to add pattern or detail to your room, do it through smaller elements like removable wallpaper borders or even decorative hand towels. Keeping your walls and floors neutral will give you a great palette to work with over the years and it’ll give you the freedom to make quick and easy decorative changes.

Although you may not consider yourself to be a trend setter or follower – keeping your home looking up to date and fresh is important. By using current trends in the home with caution and making smart choices when redecorating – you’ll ease the process down the line and work towards giving your home a truly timeless look.

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Wall Accessories Can Be Living

Posted by admin | Interior Design & Decorating | Sunday 25 October 2009 12:20 pm

Wall accessories do not always have to be family photos, fancy artwork or paintings. They can also be living such as a living wall which is a hanging of living plants attached to your wall.

This wall is a new idea in home decorating that an interior designer may want to start using. All it is comprised of is an indoor plant arrangement that hangs on your wall and gives one the illusion that it is growing from inside your wall. Many years ago it was very popular to have ivy growing up the side of your house. A living wall is the same type of thing except it is made inside a frame, is self contained, and hangs on your walls.

The ivy that is growing up the side of a house is actually planted in the soil that surrounds that house. The living wall on the inside does not have such a luxury. It is going to take a bit of planning as to how to irrigate and feed your wall; it is a little different than a regular houseplant. The end result is a very unique wall of living plants that everyone will enjoy.

If you do not have a lot of floor space for placing indoor plants, the green wall is ideal for houseplants. We can always find room on our walls for pictures of the family and paintings, all you need is a little more space for some living wall accessories. The size of your green wall can be as large or as small as you want it to be. You can make one yourself, have a professional do it, or purchase a kit on-line.

A living wall allows you to have more plants in a smaller area. These wall accessories will remove pollutants and toxins from the inside air of your home. We are indoors more during the winter so it is better for the health of our family to breathe purified air during this time and a living wall will with many healthy plants will provide that. Just think of all the plants you can now have and not worry about how much space they are going to take.

These living wall accessories are great for the penthouse apartment, our homes, resorts, restaurants, and hotels. Having this type of display of indoor plants will keep everyone talking for long time. Many of these living walls are in kit form and include all the planting grids, a top and bottom reservoir tray, mounting hardware, a cedar frame, and the instructions. All you do is water the display through the top tray and the water trickles its way to each grid. The remainder of the water will collect in the bottom tray. If your living wall is in a brightly lit area succulents and flowering plants will grow best. Ferns and ivies will thrive better on a wall that does not get very much light. Where ever you decide to place one of these wall accessories you will enjoy it for many years along with your family and friends.

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Living Room Interior Decorating Tips

Posted by admin | Interior Design & Decorating | Saturday 19 September 2009 11:58 am

When it comes to decorating your home, whether for the first time or the tenth, you may come short when it comes to ideas. Before you go spend money on an interior designer for tips and hints, do your own research and make note of the ideas that will work for your living areas. It is both possible and practical to get ideas for decorating from people you know, websites you trust and television shows you enjoy. Making a living room look like a million bucks doesn’t need to cost a million bucks.

The following are a few tips to get you started when decorating your living room.

Choosing Your Colors

The common homeowner may have trouble figuring out how to choose colors for their new decorating project. However, there is a very simple trick that even professional interior designers use when it comes to choosing a color palate. Simply take an existing piece of furniture, or perhaps a new piece that you will be buying, and choose colors from it. For instance, your multi-colored sofa, that beautiful new framed wall print or that glass blown bowl sitting on your coffee table might hold the answer. Choose neutral colors for walls and carpet, and bright, bold colors for accents as not to be too overpowering.

Furniture Arrangement

Many rooms in a home necessitate the furniture arrangement to be a certain way. If you’re lucky, you have several options when it comes to arranging the seating in your living room. If you have a fireplace, you can place a sofa and recliner on a wall beside it, or even several feet directly in front of it. If your room is large enough, it’s a bold look to place two sofas facing each other, with a focal point on the wall (such as the fireplace) between the length of them. Arrange seating evenly throughout the room and be sure to use furniture that is neither too large nor too small in proportion to the room itself. In addition, using too many and too few pieces of furniture can throw a room’s look off.

Inexpensive Wall Decor

Many homeowners spent countless choosing floor coverings, decorative accents and furniture arrangements — only to forget the most noticeable part of the room — the walls! The good news is that after spending money on your decorating project, you can still afford to cover those walls with beautiful hangings. Look for prints at a local poster or art shop and frame them yourself for less money. Consider using eye catching designs from used calendars and framing them. Some walls may only need one or two framed items, especially if you’ve already accented that wall with a color other than the other walls in the room. Framed family portraits are also a good wall covering choice.

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Window Valances – A Good Start

Posted by admin | Interior Design & Decorating,Windows | Monday 6 July 2009 11:24 am

For some people, nothing beats being able to gaze out a window and watch the world go by. If that is you, the last thing you want is to cover up the window and not be able to see. Yet, we want a scant color and decoration for the window and to meet these two needs, a window valance is the splendid solution. There are many, many styles offered in window valances, so you will be sure to find the exact one. If you would rather the window to be always open, just use the valance by itself, if however, you want a little seclusion at night, you can couple it with shutters, blinds, or perhaps a set of drapes.

One of the most popular window valance is the balloon valance. It derives its name from the manner it puffs out like a balloon. This look is comprised by pinching and bundling the material so that it “puffs” up. To keep the pufff in place, the inside of the valance is filled with tissue paper. Newspaper could be used as well, but you’ll have to be certain to be very careful if the fabric is delicate and lightweight, so that the writing doesn’t show! Old fasion white tissue paper would be best if you are using a delicate fabric.
You can choose traditional styles, casual or very formal, Depending upon the style of your room. A formal style might be a tapestry that is rather heavy and ornate. If you prefer casual, a light, sheet curtain would probably better suit you. The traditional style usually means using fabric that is stiffer and hangs straight, unlike the sheers that may billow in the wind.

Other window valance styles are also popular, such as the swag valance. Normally, you should use a lightweight fabric with this style, as well, so that swagging correctly. Swags can be full length and hang it on the floor , some people like it was still so that they can pool fabric on the floor. You can also have a short bribes if you so choose. In order to create palm holders you’ll want to set up on each side of the window and threw it across the fabric. Wide windows can be further support in the center.

Pleated draperies are popular for elegant look more formal. Fabric is usually difficult, and thus can maintain its form when it is folded. It is important that each fold to be uniform to look good, so it’s not the style that most people can create their own. To see that it looks good as a professional service or a seamstress, and painter. Pleated valance is dependent on a wooden frame specifically for this purpose. The material is sewn on the deck plate is then placed in parentheses.

Depending on the style you choose, you can create your beautiful window valance. To add an interesting accent in a room without blocking order, are the ideal choice.

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