Interior Decorating Tips | Page 26 of 44 | Expert advice on interior decoration techniques

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Horizontal Window Blinds Measurement

When we are measuring for horizontal window blinds the first thing that we should do is to make sure that we start with the right kind of measuring instruments. It is being advised that we use a metal measuring tape, but then, a yard stick will also work. Because when we use a cloth measuring tape or even a measuring with a string it can cause our measurement to be inaccurate.

Second step is that, we should decide if we want to mount the blinds inside our window or commonly being known as the inside mount or we can even place it outside of our window which is known as the outside mount. If we had already decided to mount our blinds outside our window, we should always remember that our blinds will end up covering the casing, or even be mounted on our windows casing. On the other side, if we had decided to mount our blinds on the inside of our window, we should make sure to measure the depth of the casing or else our blind slats will be sticking out past the edge of our window.

Now that we already have all the tools that we needed, and have already decided on the kind of mounting that we are going to use, we can now begin measuring our window. For us to be able to measure it from the inside mounts, we must make sure to measure the depth of its casing first. Simply because, window blinds will not always fit at the depth of our window. And if ever we wanted to have a one inch slats, we will need at least a depth of one and a half inches of it.

The very next step after we’re done measuring window blinds for an inside mount, is to start measuring its width. Most of us make some mistakes of only measuring the width at the top of our window, but then, windows are not always built as a square. To have a more accurate measurement, three measurements are needed to be taken. All these three measurements will be measured from the inside of one of our window. The first measurement should be done at the top of the window, the next one will be at its middle, and the third and last one will be taken at the bottom part of our window. And once that we already have these three measurements; we can now start measuring our windows length.

The length of our window is also being measured the very same way as measuring its width. It also requires three measurements all from the inside top of our window up to the inside part of the bottom of it. These three measurements of our windows length should be taken from the right, left, and middle part of it. And once that we already have the measurement of the width and length of our window; we should now take the smallest width and longest length and have our measurement for an inside mount.

Painting

How to paint a room for the first time?

There are some times where there are some of our friends that are calling us to ask for some help in painting their room, but then, how we can do it if we haven’t done any wall paintings before. Now, we might be wondering how to paint a room for the first time?

Here are some tips on how we can help our friend and be knowledgeable on paint a bedroom.
We, as well as our friend first need to determine our painting needs. We can simply take a good hard look into our friends place and think of what we hope to accomplish using a color or even an accent. If we are planning to lighten it up, we may want to choose an extremely light pastel paints, which is almost look like a white color, but are tinged with another kind of color.

The second step is that, we should know what we are looking for. Some paints come in cans or even in buckets. We are better off buying the ones in the buckets which are usually being premixed and less expensive than others. We just have to let the paint person know at the store on which kind of paint we will need, and for what purpose it may be used. And then, we should fine tune things and choose our friends favorite color. The kinds of paints include the matte, semi-gloss, full-gross, and even eggshells. We can also get to choose from the water or even the oil based type of paint.

The third step is to buy the paint and supplies that we needed. Some of the other supplies which are very essential in painting are the ones that we should be looking for in the painting section such as the primer, brushes, rollers, masking tapes, paint trays, and even some plastic paint drop cloths. Even the bunch of some inexpensive rubber gloves is very helpful too in painting walls. We should purchase all of these things at once if we still do not have any of it in our home, as it would not be a very convenient or even a wise way to go back and get these items on the latter part.

The very last step on how to paint a room would be the painting itself. We just have to make sure that there is a plenty of ventilation in the room before we start painting it. Let us also try to clean the room and sweep the dust as much as possible beforehand. And if there are some outstanding holes or some imperfections in our friends’ walls, it will surely make sense if we are going to spackle it before painting on it to have a crisp and clear painted wall afterwards. And that’s it; we just have to paint the wall equally to have a great outcome.

Painting

Sponging as a Creative Decorative Painting Technique

If you are tired of sticking wall paper into walls or if you want to try adding your own flavor to the decoration of your room, you should try out decorative painting. It is a very simple method of painting that can yield really marvelous and adorable results. It can help you produce mesmerizing walls for your room or home. Decorative painting can let your creative side take over and bring out your imagination into your walls.

One of the techniques used in decorative painting is sponging or sponge painting. This technique uses sponges and paint to create a motif or a design onto a wall. The use of the sponge instead of a brush gives more texture to the wall which gives it a more distinctive, interesting look. This sponging technique of painting can also be used on areas other than walls. It can be used on the ceiling, on the doors, and even on furniture and cabinets. It is very versatile in the sense that you can use it on practically any object that you wish to paint. It also has no requirements on the type of finish that it can be applied to. It works just as well on smooth finishes as it does on rough finishes.

Sponge painting works best when 3 or more paint colors are used. Although a minimum of 2 colors is required to make a sponge painting effect, using 3 or more colors would make it even more distinguished. Furthermore, using more colors would mean more choices of combinations that you can use. Creating great combinations is one other advantage of sponging. Before you begin sponge painting, you must first coat your wall with a base paint. You can use a wide brush or a paint roller to apply this because it must be applied to the entire wall. This is needed to provide a background contrast to your creative sponge splashes later. Make sure that the base coat is thoroughly dried before you start sponge painting on it.

Once the base coat is dry, you can already start your foray into sponge painting. Have your equipment ready: your sponge, your paint, a pail of water and some paper towels. Also, remember to cover or protect any furniture, window frame, door, or wall space that you do not want to be painted. Cover the floor well too because there will surely be drips of paint dropping from your sponge. Nothing looks more amateur than a floor full of paint drippings.

When the room is fully prepared and protected, wet your sponge with water and then dip it into the paint of your choice. Dip only one side of the sponge. You can then proceed to dabbing the sponge on the wall. Rotate and change the way you hold the sponge when applying the paint to help create variation. If you want to use another paint color, you should also use another sponge. Always use one separate sponge for each color that you would like to use.

Painting

Easy Interior Paint Techniques

We can simply use the easy interior paint techniques for disguising flawed walls in our home without spending too much of our time and paint. All we have to have is a sea sponge which is being considered as the natural sponges that is irregularly been shaped and have some holes with some different sizes, from a very small one to about a fingernail size one. By using these sponges, we can now mend a broken finish in our room’s wall by simply moistening this sponge and dipping it into the latex paint that we are going to use, which contrasting slightly with the color of our wall. We just have to dip the sponge lightly into the paint and then dab the paint loaded sponge into a sheet of a newspaper until we are getting a clearer imprint of our sponge pattern and no running paint. And then, we could now start using the same motion in applying the paint in our wall.

The only real trick to have an interior paint techniques for walls in our home is to start with a loose spacing than the close spacing, since that we can always go back and redo it to have a more dense sponge pattern. For us to be able to create something more intricate we can simply use a two contrasting colors. We can sponge loosely with a color which is slightly darker than the wall, then, after it dries up we can now go over and use a paler color on it. We can also achieve a slightly different broken paint effects by simply using the material other than the sponge like the plastic cling wrap, which can also be used like the sponge.

Another option is that, we can paint a strip of wall and then apply a flat sheet of it into the painted wall and then pull it off. This is where some of the fresh paints will life off just to reveal the underlying color, but then, the effect of it is more likely that as if the wall has been covered up with some wrinkled fabric or even a panne velvet. Another thing is that, some of the other work material will surely make a well work too. We can try bunching up a wad of cheesecloth or burlap for an added textured effect. We just always have to be sure to dab away at any piece of newspaper until we achieved the right amount of paint left to show the weave of the fabric as we daub. There are a lot of ways on how we can make easy paint techniques in our room. It is really true that having some flawed walls can make our whole room look untidy. This is the main reason why we should try this tips and start renewing our rooms look.

Furniture

After Work Leisure: Choosing the Right Recliner

Recliners are the perfect after-work “rest piece”. They provide the comfort that ordinary chairs cannot give; and they can be set and customized to a variety of different modes and poses to suit the person’s comfort. It’s a very nice piece of furniture if you just want to lie down and read a book, magazine or newspaper; or would just like to slack off in front of your television after a hard day’s work. However, you might want to consider some points in choosing the perfect recliner for your maximum reclining satisfaction.

Whenever you are in need for a recliner for your home, you need to know the three most important factors in finding the perfect recliner for you. These factors are: style, fit and fabric.

Style means the overall aesthetic look and feel of the recliner. This might well be of anything for any person because it all depends on what the person actually prefers in design. This could mean design as a pattern or design as a function; and can comprise both. A simple and uncomplicated style is sometimes more recommended over loud and very decorative designs. One note though: if you want that recliner to fit in perfectly, the recliner’s design must still somehow fit in the room’s general theme. You wouldn’t really want a gaudy recliner sticking out openly in striking contrast to everything around it.

The fit of your recliner is also one of the most important things to consider in purchasing a new recliner. Recliners that are very appealing to the eye but rather unappealing to the comfort of your body are worse than having a bad recliner design itself. Your recliner should feel very comfortable; as it is the main purpose of the recliner itself. Choose recliners that offer sitting positions that won’t strain the back, shoulders or the neck when sitting for a long period of time.

Finally, the fabric to be used is also important when choosing the appropriate recliner. Aside from the general function of the fabric itself such as added comfort or increased or decreased friction when sitting, it is also important to note the fabrics’ maintenance factor. Fabrics to be used on recliners must be sturdy and easy to clean for easy maintenance. Fabrics that are elastic enough are also recommended; but it will depend on the recliner’s general shape and fabric layout.

There are other factors such as the overall available functions of the recliner; but these three are the most significant. Which means their importance takes precedence over all other factors. Sure, your recliner might be a very high tech recliner that can modify itself according to your sitting position and all, but if the fabric is not too comfortable enough then you might as well opt for a sandbag for your recliner.

ideas

Creating a Craft Room

You may have a spare room in your house that is left unused with piles of junk inside it. Don’t you think it is time to clean up the room and make the room functional and turn it into a room where you can let your creativity out? If you love doing crafts, then it is time that you make your very own craft room where you can keep the extra things that you used that can still be used for another craft.

You can set up your very own craft room now with the use of the spare room that you have in your very own home, or you can make use of your basement or your garage. All you need to have is a table and a comfortable chair that you can use while working. You can choose a table that is already prefabricated with drink holders that is built in so that it can hold a glass of water used to wash the paint brushes off. Have a table that can be easily wiped off with a paint remover in case of spills. You would also need a table where you can do spray painting and where you can place crafts that are for drying. For convenience, you can use one long table for the said functions.

Another thing that you will need in your craft room is a large caddy that can hold brushes, adhesives, knives that you can place in one location so that you will not have a hard time in finding the things that you need. Then beside the table you will need to have a trash can that you can use for your wastes; this will give you a cleaner working area.

How tos

How to Create an African Inspired Dining Room

How can we achieve interior designs which create an African inspired dining room? It is true that creating a dining room which is African inspired is being seen as a very great way to celebrate where we really came from; or even just to show our love in the culture of the Africans. Now here are some great tips that we could use which will surely help us too.

To have an interior design which create an African inspired dining room, it is very important to do it in a very coordinated way. Like for an instance, our flooring must be covered with some rugs which are made from the natural substances such as the grass cloth or hemp. The coverings of our floor could also be bounded from some animal prints around its edges. Or even have some Egyptian border which has been stenciled in it.

Let’s now talk about our wall color and the hangings that we could put in it. We could simply put some faux finishing in our walls with the use of a sponge or even a rag rolling technique by simply using some naturally earth-toned colors. As for our hangings, we could simply have some African artifacts in some shadow boxes; or even a quilt which is made from some Kente cloth will also do and a lot even more.

When it comes with our tables and chairs it is very advisable to use a simple and yet an elegantly looking dark wood table which will surely blend well with our African decorated room. We could also have some intricately carved and heavily made table of Mukwa wood which are just being exported from Africa and also have some chairs made out of it. Or, if we don’t want this one, we could have a simple Parsons chair which can be easily covered with an earth tone fabric or even an animal print which will surely match our rug trim area.

Those are just some of the specific areas that we have to consider in making an interior design which create an African inspired dining room. The other areas that we should consider are our window treatments, accessories, and a lot even more. If we really want to have our own African inspired dining room all we have to do is to search for the possible and rightful way in doing it so. It won’t hurt us if we are going to search for more ways to have a lot of different tips and then choose the right one that we truly want. That’s not all, this African inspired dining room will let us feel like we are really in Africa while eating our favorite African dish.

accesories

The best available ensembles in waverly bedding

Twin, full, queen and king sizes are the available ensembles in waverly bedding. Every ensemble includes pillow shams, a bed skirt and its own reversible container. The ensembles are also categorized according to lifestyles which are explained in detailed below:

• The Modern Living Lifestyle offers a crisp, clean and classic theme. The bedding ensembles for this category represent the bedroom into a warm climate along with sand, turf, and with a light tropical breeze. Tropical is the word to use for this ensemble and is further reinforced by motifs such as lighthouses, palm trees, pineapples, passionflowers and orchids with other innovative optional themes for decorators such as nautical themes.
• The Beautiful Things Lifestyle offers a pretty, fresh and a floral theme. This ensemble comes with a feminist touch and the idea is reinforced by beautiful roses and floral sprays that can bring up the mirage of a romantic garden along with all related biological life such as beneficial insects like butterflies and the likes. The styles on this ensemble closely resemble English and French gardens and countryside.
• The Town and Country Lifestyle offer a classic, timeless and versatile theme. From the words “Town” and “Country” combined, the two create the general theme. The “Town” theme is traditional, elegant and refined whereas the “Country” is none other than the relaxed traditional. Black toile, multicolored toile, a graceful paisley motif in a scroll-like design and other designs are what this ensemble represents.

• The Past Perfect Lifestyle offers an eclectic, bold and romance theme. There are three ensembles created with trailing floral bouquets and bold stripes that describes this theme grinding an antique inspiration to create this ensemble. Aged, romantic patterns with soft and mellow colors clearly dictate this theme and design; and are considered the most nostalgic, vintage design of all these ensembles.

Waverly also provides a full array of matching coordinates in each of these bedding ensembles. These coordinates may be comprised of fabric, wallpaper, borders, window, decorative, pillows and lamps. Almost all things that are needed to complete that theme of your now elegant and absolutely glamorous bedroom are exclusively made by waverly bed sheets.

Painting

How to Fix a Bad Paint Choice without Repainting the Whole Room

Choosing a paint for your room is really exciting; and choosing it actually in the paint store may not even be a problem. However, when you finally have it painted on your wall, you would then realized that it is not the paint that you actually wanted. You would see that the color is just too strong compared to what you really wanted it to have. This problem can be prevented if you know the things to be considered before buying the paint so that you future problems will be avoided. However, if the damage has been done, it is not easy to just let the paint be wasted and buy another one to serve the purpose better. The next time that you choose a paint, you need to make sure that you choose the color carefully. If the damage has already been done, you never have to worry and you do not have to repaint the room all over again. You just have to do some quick faux painting that will change the look of the wall that you have.

Here are some things that you can do for you to somehow make your wall look more of the paint that you like.
If you find your wall color is too dark, you can purchase a quart of the color that you chose with a lighter shade. If possible, you have to find the original shade of your color and ask the paint personnel to give you the paint which is two shades lighter from the one that you have on your wall. Then purchase a faux glaze and rags that are cotton lint free. After this, mix half a gallon of glaze in the bucket with the half of a quart paint color. Then you can saturate the cloth and squeeze the excess paint (make sure you are wearing gloves). Then wash the walls using the soaked cloth and layer it until you achieve the color that you want. The more layers that you add on your wall, the lighter the colors will get.

This is a technique that you can also do when you think that the color on your wall is too bright. Make use of this technique to soften that bright color by adding a shade of the same color which is less glaring. You can even darken a too bright wall by adding a brown color to the glaze that would result in an aged effect on the wall. You can also treat a green colored wall with another green or cream color to give it the look that you would want ot have on your wall. All you have to do is learn how to do faux painting and you are on your way to repairing a newly painted wall to give it the color you wanted it to have.

Furniture

Kincaid wooden furniture

Kincaid primarily uses solid wood in making furniture. Plywood, veneers and laminates are used as structural elements; either for functional or decorative purposes. But their design are not only limited to the use of wood but other materials as well; such as metal, stone, marble, granite and other composite materials to use in conjunction with the wood to be used in the furniture.

Kincaid has its furniture styles in five major categories: Traditional, European Country, Country, Casual/Contemporary, and West Indies. Traditional collections have classic styles such as sleigh beds and four posters; and the finishes are rich. Plus, the drawers have brass pulls. European Country collections have more ornate designs and include the Laura Ashley collection. Country collections have turned-post beds and nice oak finishes. Casual/Contemporary collections have simpler, American-styled furniture. Design of these collections resembles the Shaker and crafts pieces. West Indies however, only has one collection in the category: the Bermuda Triangle, a rich and exotic theme. Kincaid caters to almost all kind of preferences in furniture; and in addition to wood furniture, they also provide upholstery divisions, manufacturing upholstered sofas and chairs and even interchangeable slipcovers.

If you happen to visit North Carolina for an official furniture shopping stroll, you can visit Kincaid’s new outlet at US 321 near Granite Falls. Globalization has now provided a much easier way of furniture production overseas; and Kincaid, along with all the other U.S. furniture manufacturing companies, are now adapting to the new trade-based economy. With this kind of environment in the world market theater, merging with other furniture companies is a way to increase odds of surviving in today’s marketing environment. Nevertheless, Kincaid still holds a strong foothold in the furniture manufacturing market; and the superb craftsmanship and beauty of their design are sure to make good products for their customers for many years to come.

Bathroom

Bathroom Makeovers: The Perfect Countertop Material

A countertop is basically the horizontal workplace where you do all sorts of things depending on where it is located. It is well distinct from other horizontal articles of a room such as tables; because they are usually pinned at a wall and is commonly supported by cabinets underneath. Bathroom countertops are as essential as any other countertop in your house and knowing the good material to use is crucial for your bathroom design.

First of all, consider the humidity and moisture of a bathroom in general. And for this reason, we’ll have to let the wooden countertop go. There is just too much moisture and humidity in a bathroom that a wooden countertop would just rot and decay quickly; thus, effectively ruining your bathroom makeover.

Natural stone countertops would probably be the de facto countertop to use; especially for bathroom use. The most commonly used stone for this kind of countertop would be granite. Granite is an ideal countertop material because it is a very sturdy material. You can whack your pans and pots into a smoothly-shaped granite slab but it would not budge (well, it would probably crack and chip with enough force; but it would never get smashed to pieces by conventional methods). The other reason why it’s a good countertop material is because it’s a rock solid slab. Meaning, no drop of moisture can ever seep to the very interior of the rock; and it would not erode quickly when soaked in water even for a very long time.

Plastic laminate is another common countertop material that is used as a granite slab substitute; and is effective for countertop use regardless of whether it is for a bathroom or for something else because of its mass production capabilities. A plastic laminate countertop is actually created from materials that are closely related to wood; but is artificially treated to survive most of the other things that an ordinary wooden countertop cannot.

Crafted glass may be an unconventional material for a countertop; but it sure is one of the best countertop materials when we speak of aesthetic design. The glass can either be tempered or textured depending on your preference; and it gives that lavish ambience that any other countertop material could not bring up perfectly. A forewarning though, crafted glass countertops are usually made with very detailed customizations; and it could really hurt the budget if you don’t know what you are dealing with.

But nothing is closer associated to a bathroom than tile countertops. Tile countertops are created with the same kind of tiles that are also used for the walls or floors of a typical bathroom; and can either be ceramic or made of stone. The installation of a tile countertop is also the same as how you would install the tiles on a wall in the bathroom and is probably the best countertop material in terms of compatibility to the overall design and ambience of a bathroom.

color

Perfect Colors: Transforming your Home through Color

In decorating your home interior, colors play a very significant role. The whole interior decoration must complement with the color: walls, windows, furnishings, etc. On how to choose color schemes for the interior of your house, some crucial factors would be space, the furnishings and the personal preference of the person decorating.

Moreover, colors create moods on people which draw out their feelings towards what they see. Your home is also the place where you spend time for rest after a long day’s work. While deciding for the perfect colors, some helpful questions to pose to oneself would be: What impact do I want my house to make? Do I want it to reflect my personality? Am I the conventional type or am I ready to explore modern type of color schemes?

Here are some simple tips:
• Obtain remarkable ideas from resources. While thinking about what you want your house to look like, it would help to obtain ideas from references such as photographs in paintings, magazines, in the internet, etc. Looking at these samples would inspire you to creatively think about how to choose the color scheme for the interior of your house. Collect samples of the various colors, patterns and textures that you were able to see. Imagine putting them together or the various combinations you can make up with them to see if they match.

• Use the Color Wheel to select your colors. The color wheel is a valuable tool that will allow you to see colors that appear good together. On the right side of the color wheel are the warm colors while on the left side are the cool colors. The primary colors are blue, red and yellow while green, orange and purple are the secondary ones. Yellow-orange, orange-red, violet-blue, blue-green and green-yellow are the six tertiary colors.

Color categories when using the color wheel are as follows:
Complementary colors – these are the colors that are placed opposite to each other in the color wheel. You may use these colors if you would like the interior to manifest energy and be very visible to the eye.
Analogous colors – these are the colors that are placed close to each other in the color wheel. You may use these colors if you want the interior to appear very pleasant and nice to the eye.
Warm colors – these are the colors that are on the right side of the color wheel which are red, yellow and orange. You may use these colors if you want the interior to exhibit warmness and are inviting to the eye.
Cool colors – these are the colors that are on the left side of the color wheel which are blue, green and purple. You may use these colors if you want the interior to display calmness and a peaceful effect.
Neutral colors – these are the colors that are on the left side of the color wheel which are black, white and gray. You may use these colors if you want your home interior to display elegance and brightness or radiance.

• Find samples of the paint. Although following interior painting ideas are great, it would still be important to get a sample of the paint. Probably paint sample jars or a quart of paint. It would also be good to try brushing them to the wall to see its true color. Sometimes the colors from the books may be misleading and you will only be able to see the authentic color once painted on the wall.

There are a lot of color variations that one may choose from. Arriving at a final decision may be a bit complicated but by understanding the basics of color schemes of painting, the selection process will be a lot easier for you. By investing time in planning and of course with a lot of creativity and imagination, the perfect colors in transforming your home will definitely be just a few steps away.

Decoration

Tips to do your Own Mosaic Theme and Patterned Instructions of Designs

Mosaic is one of the best arts that you can do because it is easy to do and you can have fun especially if you’re already good at this kind of art. There are many kinds of mosaic. But let’s not go out further because we can do our own kind of mosaic at our own homes. What we need is just a simple tile, art materials and of course, your creative mind.

First and foremost, we should determine what kind of tile. You can actually use any thing that is available at your home but if not, you can go to your local hardware store and ask for sample tiles. The usual tiles are square in shape but there are other available shapes like diamond, circle, etc. If you don’t want to purchase anything but can’t find a tile in your home, you can break your coffee mugs, glass or any porcelain. Just make sure that you are careful and you won’t be wounded. Place the pieces into a plastic bag and head to the next step.

The second thing that we will do is we will decide what will be our design. You can do research on this but you can still have your own personal choice. The usual themes here are nature and persons itself. The usual mosaic tiles are more of religion (As you can see in Churches) but of course, it always ends up in what the person can do and what the person likes to do. After deciding, you may now sketch your design on whatever surface you will like to put on the design. Make sure your design is clear so it won’t be that confusing.

Now, for the last part, apply the tiles. In applying the tiles, you need to have a strong type of glue with you while thin set for projects that are outside your homes (outdoor). A thin layer of adhesive will be used in putting the tiles in place. In order to grout properly, leave at least 1/8 inch of space. After having all the tiles in position, let it all dry first before going into any action. After drying, we’ll apply the grout. When applying the grout, wear some hand gloves so it will not that be messy. Apply the grout in the spaces entirely. Also apply a grout sealer for protection from some stains and moisture. After doing this, clean the residue by using sponge and water before it dries so it won’t be that cloudy. Finally, you have your own mosaic tile! You can try other designs but make sure that you’re still in your budget and please be careful so that you will not get injured from the tiles. Also, make sure that you like your own design because it might end up unattractive.

Remodeling

The form is an essential element when decorating a home

The form is the next essential element to be considered when decorating a home. This will give you the feeling of completeness and fulfillment. Say for example, a square room may appear boring; however, you can add forms that may give the room an amazing look. You can either make the ceiling look lower or higher; or whatever look you may want the room to have. Triangles will also give your room the balance and unity that you may want it to have. You can also create a variety of effects and contrast when using circles and give your room a subtle look when using the oblong forms.

The next element, which is the most important one, is the color. This sets the mood that you would want your room to have. The color provides the background, creates the harmony in the room, the accent and the variety as well. Colors also do wonders in changing the size of the room or it can create a restful feeling. Colors have effects on the user; thus, it is important to know what colors to use to have the feeling that you want in your room.

The fourth essential element that you need to consider when decorating a home is the texture. Always remember that this element have psychological effect on the room and it may give a formal or rugged look to the room and thus it needs to be considered when you will be decorating your home.

These are the essential elements that you need to consider for you to have an idea what effects does your decorating plans have in your home.

Furniture

Creative Fun for your Home Windows: Balloon Window Valances

Window valances are a great addition in decorating the windows of your home. They provide that additional sparkle and color that ordinary curtains themselves can’t do. One such type of window valances, balloon window valances, are usually distinguished by their billowing designs resembling clouds, and are perfect for small windows or when fitted outside your window recess. You can purchase window valances at your local home décor store, but if you really want that streak of originality on your window valances, you might want to consider making a balloon window valance on your own.

Finding the right materials to use would be the primary step in making your own balloon window valances. The fabric must be of lightweight composition. This is of course for us to be able to fit the fabric into the window easily. Curtain rods should have a diameter of almost 1 inch or 24 millimeters and must have a length that can fit the outside window recess, but must also have excess length of at least 1inch from the window recess. You will also need a matching thread to thread the valance to the curtain rods, and finally scraps of soft papers like tissue for fitting purposes.

The general idea in this self-made balloon window valance is to apply an unlined sheet of fabric that have casings on both top and bottom ends, onto the curtain rods by threading them through the casings. The lower curtain rod is then fixed on one position, and the valance is draped over and concealed, thus creating that billowy effect.

To fit the fabric into your window as a window valance you must first know the size of the fabric to be used. First fit the curtain rods in place, give allowance of at least one to three inches from the actual position of the rods. Then, hold the tape measure at the top edge of the upper rod and at the top edge of the lower rod, looping it between the rods until a measurement is achieved at the end of the upper rod after the first loop. This is now the flat measurement of the valance at its finished form.

To know the width of the fabric needed, measure the length of the curtain rods multiplied by two. Then, divide the result by the width of the fabric to be used, rounded up to the nearest whole number after it. To calculate the amount of fabric needed, multiply the flat measurement of the finished form by the necessary width of the fabric. After knowing the size of the fabric to be used, the next step is to create the balloon valance itself. Cut the fabric to the size prescribed by your measurements, and join the widths together by French seam. Make sure that there would be a full width at the center supported by part widths on both sides numbered equally across the fabric.

Pin then stitch them after turning in a double hem at each side. Afterwards, turn up a double hem at the upper and lower edges, pinning both hems in place near the central fold to make the casings. Check the curtain rods if they would fit snugly through the casings. Adjust and rearrange if necessary. Then, stitch the hems close to the central folds and press them. Finally, thread the valance onto the upper and lower rods. Adjust the gathers evenly across the valance, pull out flounces and stuff them with the scraps of soft paper to achieve the balloon valance effect.

Garden

Nature’s Solemn Breeze Amidst the Urban Jungle: Garden Rooms

Nature has always been the general theme of tranquility, an escape to the modern hustle and bustle of the ever busy industrial world. Today, several homes now adopt this concept, and many people now are joining nature’s bandwagon for a number of different benefits other than the tranquil atmosphere that it can offer. If you are interested in summoning nature’s prime goodness right at your very home, then creating a garden room might just be the perfect remedy for you.

A garden room, like any other kind of room, offers many kinds of themes and designs. There are general factors that categorize them as garden rooms, but there is one article that basically dictates the fact that such room is a garden room, plants.

Depending on the theme or design that you are going to do for your garden room, you’ll have to select the right kinds of plants to produce the desired effects in garden room decoration. Maintaining these plants is yet another challenging factor in creating garden rooms. You must know exactly a specific plant’s need, and must know when to properly give it to them. It is very much like maintaining articles such as furniture from dust or dirt, the only difference is that you’ll have to do it more often.

There are a multitude of different techniques and ways in creating a garden room, each with their own function and aesthetic use in one general theme or design. Garden rooms may be of functional use, of purely aesthetic use, or both. Here are some tips to help you perfect that design and them in creating garden rooms.

Mark a borderline in your garden room. The room has to end at some point, and in the same way the plants that you are going to put in your garden room must also cease to extend itself in anything outside the boundaries of the room itself. This is important especially for an external garden room, where the room ends with a vest expanse of urban traffic anywhere outside the actual area of the house itself. In other words, don’t turn your home into an indoor jungle of sorts.

walls

Handmade decorative stencils pattern on walls

Handmade decorative stencils pattern on walls is often being considered as a thrifty decorating option that has been used by some early American colonists who is seeking a way to add some color and pattern into their humble-farm homes. Even if this is true, stenciled walls are also being found in the eighteenth and nineteenth century homes as their own way to pattern after the famous European decorating styles.

Nowadays, decorative stencils are generally being used as a border or a frieze decoration. The word “frieze” is referring to the part of the wall below the ceiling where the designs are being added to the outline of the rooms’ architectural lines. It is also being considered as a good way to border our window or give an accent to our wall clock. For us to be able to create our own stenciled looking wall, we can simply purchase a numerous pre-made laser cut stencils or we can even make our own stencils as a coordinating compliment to patterned each fabric that was already existing in our room.

There are some other modern handmade stencils that are being used. Like the Japan paints that are the fast dying and the one that offers a traditional method of stenciling. Making some stencils with the use of acrylic paint and some stencil brushes are the ones easier to work with and provide a much softer stippled pattern in the finish embellishments. Commercially speaking the handmade stencils always includes a small hole to help us center each and every stencil piece and line in it up with the next overlay. We can also create this guide holes in our own handmade stencils.

For us to be able to hold our stencils in place while we are applying the paint, we will have to use a spray adhesive being found in some crafting and art supply stores. We will just need to let it dry for a few seconds before our acetate become tacky and provide a good bond. These adhesives are also very safe to be used on walls and will not be remove by the paint.

We can also dab a small amount of paint on a paper plate or even at a palate. After which, we can now just have to apply some paint into our stencil brush and blot the brush into a newspaper or even at a paper towel until we have a very dry brush. We could also start to pounce our brush onto the stencil working from each of its edges until the stencil has been covered up. The small rhythmic pounces with an up and down motion are much better than a broad sweep. If we are using a fairly large stencil our paint will be about dry by the time that we are already finished and then we can now carefully remove the first stencil and apply the second stencil for the second color.

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