Interior Decorating Tips | Page 32 of 44 | Expert advice on interior decoration techniques

Home

Styles

The Retro Wave in Your Room

The 80’s and 90’s surely have made a lot of impact on the people. This is the period of the retro. Though years have passed and we are already on the modern age, retro has not been truly eliminated from our culture. In fact there are a lot of people who still appreciates things that are designed to look like retro. Retro can be seen in clothing, buildings, cars and even houses and bedrooms. If you like to create a retro bedroom but you do not have enough money to do it, here is a way on how you can have retro bedroom. You can do it yourself.

The first thing that you should do is to know what retro means. What does it really mean? How can one thing be considered retro? What are the unique features of retro? Answer all these questions first. By doing so, you will be given the idea on how you will decorate your bedroom. This will also give you the idea on what materials you need to buy and how much it will cost you. This part is really important in order for you to create a true retro bedroom. Retro is characterized by the use of so many colors and shapes.

The next part will be buying the things that you will need in creating a retro bedroom. Here are some materials that you will need. You will need paint and paint brush. You will also need nails, hammer and saw. You will also need to buy wood for the furniture and crafts that you are going to need. You will also need cloths for your bed and pillows. Remember to choose bright and varying colors for your paint and for your cloth. You may buy additional things if you like for as long as they will blend with your theme.

Now that you have the right materials you can now start designing your bedroom. The first thing that will need to do is to empty your bedroom. Then put newspapers to areas where you do not want to be painted. When you are done doing those, you may start painting. Remember the theme of your bedroom so paint your room accordingly. For the furniture and crafts, you can either create yourself or ask for help in doing them. You can make your cabinets, desks and chairs that are really retro. You must also paint them with bright colors. A famous feature of retro is having picture frames with the same images but colored differently. You can do this yourself by printing colorless images on glossy materials and then painting them colorfully and accordingly.

After making the furniture and the crafts you can now make the cover of your bed and pillows. This time you can use a single bright color for the entire bed and the pillows. You can use bright red for it.
When the paint of the room is already dry, you can now start cleaning up the room before you put in the furniture, crafts, other designs and the bed. Now you are done designing a retro room. There are a lot of possibilities doing things yourself. You should just know what and how to do things.

Tips

Maximizing Space for a Better Room

You would certainly feel so blessed for having such a large and spacious bedroom. You think you can do a lot with it, like you can run inside when you feel like it. You can also invite friends over to sleep with you because you won’t have any problems with space. You can even add another bed for make the sleepover more convenient. But hey, before you get too excited to invite your friends, be sure you have decorated your large room to make it more fun and conducive to stay in! The question is how are you going to fill all those space up? Are you going to use every space you see just to have the whole room decorated?

The answer to that is no. For you to be guided with your room decoration, here are some design ideas for an oversized bedroom. Well, actually, just because you have a large room means you must also have big plans for its design! You need to make it simple, actually. Since it is already a big room, you have to have fewer things and have each of them emphasized. For example, you have to organize your things. You have to scatter your big stuff with your small stuff to make the elements in the room balanced. You can also prefer to use brighter colors to make the room more cramped, compressing every detail together to make the room appear smaller. Dark colors, like clothes, make look one or something big.

You might also want to put on some wallpaper or posters on the wall so that while it is a larger room, you can also make the walls appear taller, balancing the area of the whole room. You can of course, put other materials to fill in the space. For example, one part of the room can be turned into a small study area where you can put everything that you need for school or for work. You can decorate it with colorful papers to make it brighter.

You can also display some of your pictures and other hanging fixtures on the walls to fill in the spaces of the large walls. Another part of the room can be turned into a collection area, where you can display all of your collections. This will fill a big space especially if you are indeed a collector. For big furniture, make sure they are really big. You can use bigger appliances or fixtures too. Your bed must be of king or queen-size to fill a larger space. Your cabinets must also be big, and so are your tables and sofa. In fact, you can put up a small living room at your large bedroom to maximize more of the space.

Girls

DIY Butterfly-themed Bedroom

When your little girl is growing, and she would have shifted from the Disney-themed bedroom to, say, like a butterfly motif room, you, as a parent, would most probably want to consider doing the redecoration yourself and touching up the furniture, curtains, and other fixtures based on you and your child’s creativity.

Designing the Wall
Selecting the color for the wall is relatively easy. Your girl might want pastel colors. Hence, pink and purple are usual choices for both the walls and the drapes. For the butterflies, try to conceptualize their colors too. You and your child may want them to float around the walls with brilliant hues such as red, orange, dark green, etc. If you have a desire for a glow-in-the-dark effect, try purchasing paint specially meant to glow in the dark.

Do you feel like a sky with medium-sized grasses would suit your liking? No problem with that, for as you use your imagination, you can absolutely create your own designs. Stencil out a certain pattern and have your way into decorating the room with butterflies, flowers, clouds, and many more. Moreover, you may also make use of wallpapers with the designs of your choice. But in sticking them onto the walls, have someone to help you around.

Selecting the Fixtures
As for the carpet, you might desire something like a bright yellow sunflower mat or a green grass design. Or if you want a carpet to go for most motifs, try one that is subtle gray or a light hue of brown. This will help you save in the cost and will go along your future plans of redecorating. Meanwhile, for the windows, you can avail of curtains with butterfly prints. Or better yet, why not design your own curtain using a stamp? Besides the cheaper cost, with this, you will be able to bond with your child as you both prepare for the room of your dreams!

If your little girl has accessories that are not being used now, you may recycle them too. Plastic gems and pins will blend accordingly with your motif. Try searching through the tinker-tank of your own frills also, and you may find other stuffs to embed on your fixtures. Then, for the bed, pillows, and the rest of the furniture, you may desire searching through shops. There are canopy beds, metal beds with butterflies fixed on them, as well as delicate pieces to top the fixture.

And again, if you want to customize, have a go with sewing. It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it, and true enough, you will have control with the style and design. Fabrics can be purchased cheaper once you scout through bargain and specialty stores in your area, and furthermore, you may also consult salespersons about sewing. Hence, now that you have the spree to furnish your most precious’ room, try whatever means you feel suits you and your child, research, and release the artist in you!

Decoration

Glass Block to Light and Decorate Your Home

Glass block were traditionally used in factories and basements to let in light and at the same they provided a fair amount of privacy and security. The glass blocks are durable and can be used in any part of the house as a decoration or as a means to let in or reflect light into the rooms.

In some luxurious homes they were usually featured in showers and in bathroom windows. But their usage in a house is only limited by ones imagination as these glass blocks are very durable. Glass block is even used to construct desks, tables and other furniture. They can also be used in divider walls and because of their durability they are perfect for kitchen counters. Glass blocks are not completely opaque. They allow light to pass through them partially and they also blur or dim the reflections.

In addition to their durability, glass blocks can also withstand the weather. These blocks are sealed using mortar on the exterior walls of homes. This air-tight sealing will prevent any leakage and also block the outside air from entering the house. This will greatly help to reduce your utility bill. Moreover, while plain glass in windows will allow the light rays to pass through them that may affect the furniture and carpets, glass blocks refracts the light rays thereby minimising any damage to the accessories. If you want to know in detail about this durable material and would like to know how they can fit in your home décor, you can consult a glass block professional. For maximum efficiency these blocks have to be installed properly which requires skill and knowledge.

Girls

Close to Nature Bedroom: The Rainforest Theme

Every kid would love to have their room designed into something that will not make their room look just as a simple room but it would make their room look like something else. It could be a room that looks like a cave, a mountain or even the sky. This is because kids love adventures and they love to imagine things. Having a room that is designed as such gives kids the chance to imagine more. Now, we are going to talk about designing a rainforest bedroom.

The key into designing a room is that you know the details about the design you are going to make. To start off, you should first know what a rainforest is. A rainforest is a forest that is dominated by trees and is frequently visited by rain. You should take note that a rainforest is different from a jungle. Their difference is that a jungle is dominated by shrubs and that there are only a few or no trees at all while a rainforest is dominated by tall trees and there are few plants below those trees.

Now that you know what a rainforest is, you should take note of the primary features of the rainforest so that you will know what to place in the room to make it look like a rainforest. You now need to know the materials that you will need in designing a rainforest bedroom. You will need some paint and brushes. The colors that you will need will be mostly green and brown. You will also need some fake leaves, fake plants and maybe some fake trees if you can find some but if not then you can always make them your own. You will also need some construction materials like wood, nails, hammer and sandpaper. If you like, you can also buy some additional designs like animals.

The first thing that you should do is to paint the room. You should paint the walls with a lot of tall trees. The walls will be mostly composed of the trunks of the trees. Then paint the ceiling with branches and leaves of the tree. The floor should then look like the ground so paint it with the roots of the trees and earth. You should remember to first place some protection like newspapers before painting each.

For the objects inside the room like the cabinets,the bed,and other furnitures you can customize them so that they will blend with the room. The bed can be shaped as the root of the trees or an old rock that is filled with moss. The cabinets can also be shaped into the trunk of large trees. Remember that one of the features of a rainforest is that there are a lot of mosses around so make the object found in the room look like they have moss around. Remember to paint the objects that you have customized.

Lastly will be the added designs like additional trees and vines. Place them wherever you want. Make it look like they have been placed randomly to make it appear like a real rainforest. Now that you have an idea on designing a rainforest bedroom, you can now start doing so for your kids’ room.

Boys

The Perfect Pre-historic Room Design for your Kids

Personalizing things is one the things that people really like to do. This gives people the impression that although there are already a lot of things that are common to each one of us, there are things that we can be different about. This gives people the chance to have something that is really unique to them. This is especially true even for kids. Kids will want to have their personality or the things that they want to have, to be inscribed on something that they own like their bedroom. What if your kids want to have a prehistoric designed bedroom, how can you design it for them? Here are some tips on designing a prehistoric bedroom for your kids.

The first thing that you should do is to buy the materials that you will need in designing a prehistoric bedroom. So what are the things that you need? For the paint of the room, you will need different colors of paint and you will also need different sizes of brush. If you are the one going to make the customized bed, cabinets and other furniture for the room then you will need some wood, hammer, saw, nails, sandpapers, chisel, screw and screw drivers. For the other designs of the room, you will need some fake plants, animals and other designs that you will place there.

The design of the walls should be prehistoric. Since it is prehistoric then your kids will love if the design of the walls will be like the place where the dinosaurs lived. You can paint there scenery that was common a long time ago. It will help to have a design to follow. You can check for sceneries in books. This can be something like the dessert or like the Grand Canyon. Remember that before you paint the design, you should first place newspapers to protect the floor.

The paint of the floor should agree with the paint of the walls. It would be good to generally paint the room as a place that is really dry. So the colors that should be dominant will be yellow or brown. The design of the ceiling should be the sky. You should also place newspapers to the part of the wall near its junction with the floor and near its junction with the ceiling to protect the wall. For the furniture of the room like the bed, if you are good in it then you can make these furniture yourself but if not then you can hire someone who can do it for you. The bed should be shaped like the egg of a dinosaur. The cabinets can be designed to look like caves. The chairs of the room can be shaped into old brown rocks.

For additional designs, you can place there some fake plants. You can also place there fake vines on the wall and on the ceiling. You can also place there fake animals and especially fake dinosaurs. Remember that the designs that you place there should look prehistoric. When you are done designing a prehistoric bedroom, which is your kids room, allow some time for the paint and all the stuff that you place there to become stable. Allow the smell of the paint to vanish before letting your kids go into their room.

Girls

Perfect Theme for your Kid’s Room: The Underwater Experience

Have you always dreamed about redesigning your kids’ bedroom the way they wanted it be but you were unable to do it because of money constraints? Designing your kids’ bedroom is can be done in an easy and not so costly way. You can do this by doing it yourself. Though it may seem that those wonderfully designed rooms cannot be possibly achieved by doing it yourself, this is not true. There are a lot of possibilities when you try to do it yourself. Here are some ways on how you can design your kids’ room in an easy and inexpensive manner.

The first thing that you should do is to ask your kids how they would like their rooms to be decorated. This way, you will have ideas on how to decorate kids room. This will also give you the idea on what materials you are going to need. This way, instead of buying expensive furniture and decorations you can make them your own and save a lot of money. You will need some wood for the kids furniture and crafts that your kids want to have. You will also need some paint and paint brushes. You must check if the paint you are buying is permanent because sometimes people make the mistake of buying the wrong paint. The brushes that you will buy must be in different sizes so that in case you are going to make a mural, then you can do it more easily.

You may also need some nails and sandpapers. If you do not have hammer, saw and other equipment ask your neighbors first if they have them and ask them if you can borrow them so that you will not spend money on buying them. For other decorations that you cannot make your own, you should buy them but be sure to spend only on the necessary and choose inexpensive but quality products. It is a sure thing that your kids would love to have their own aquarium. You can either choose on buying a finished aquarium or buying glass and other materials so that you will be the one doing it and again, you will save money.

In order to make things faster, you can do the redesigning of your kids bedroom by doing it as a family. This way, all of you are going to work together. This will make things faster and fun. This will be a good family bonding. Whatever the outcome of your kids’ room will be surely appreciated because all of you contributed in achieving it. In making the furniture and the crafts, be sure that you will not to let your kids’ help in doing them because they might get hurt in case an accident happens. If you do not know how to make furniture and the crafts, you can always read manuals on how to do them. When you are done with them, be sure to paint them with the color that your kids like.

The things where your kids can help are painting the room, arranging the objects and cleaning up the mess. Remember that in painting, you should always put some protection for areas you do not want to be painted. You can use newspaper for this. When you are done, it is time to clean up. Remember that there things that you can do without so much spending. Doing it yourself saves you from so much expenses.

Garden

Transform your Garden with Low Voltage Lighting Design

Lighting plays an important role in transforming your carefully designed landscape to a magical place at night. For best results you should start to plan for a landscape lighting design when you plan for the garden layout. Planning side by side for both will help to coordinate and also to avoid any mishaps. You can either plan for a simple and elegant landscape lighting layout or you can make it a work of art that blends artificial lights with natural elements to bring out the best in both. Even an ordinary garden that looks dull in daylight can be transformed to vibrant colors and shades at night with proper landscape lighting design. A garden is full of different surfaces with different textures, that when illuminated with the right lighting can set your garden aflame with rich colors.

Careful planning
Once you have planned your garden, go over the objects in them, like trees, sculptures, etc, and decide what objects you want to highlight and what objects you would like to keep bathed in muted lighting. Decide how you want them to be lighted up in contrast to the level ground surrounding the highlighted objects.

Lighting
Basically there are two types of lamps, the spotlight and the floodlight. A spotlight uses a narrow angle lens to focus a bright ray of light to highlight a particular object with laser-like precision, while a floodlight uses a wide angle lens to flood an entire surface with bright light. Floodlighting can be best employed by placing them below a big bush or shrubs and trees to create interesting shadows with the foliage. Spotlights are best to highlight objects of art, like a sculpture or a fountain or a specific plant. The best way to make this work is to fix the spotlight and then move it till you achieve the right amount of lighting on the object you want to highlight.

Color
Color is one of the most important aspects of a landscape lighting design. While white light is most common and brings out the natural colors of plants, colored lights can be employed to enhance or highlight the natural colors of the foliage. A warm yellow light is best to bring out the rich brown hues of tree trunks and its branches. You can also use red or blue light to highlight your foliage.

Water
When highlighted, water shimmers and flickers to create the most magical and interesting patterns. Using proper lighting on water bodies like fountains or miniature waterfalls will be a feast to your eyes and other senses. The most important aspect of a good lighting design is to see that the lighting fixtures are kept out of sight. When a light source is not properly guarded it will produce an unbecoming glare. Make sure to keep these in mind and you can create the most enchanting garden.

Furniture

Green Furniture: Trendy and Environment Friendly

Though technological advances have improved our lifestyle by leaps and bounds, they have also made an equally negative impact on our environment. We are surrounded by invisible pollutants that are ever present in the air we breadth, even inside our homes. To combat this, an innovative method of furniture making has been in vogue for a few years. Eco-friendly furniture or ‘green’ furniture as they are known is becoming quite popular nowadays. This green furniture is environment friendly, non-toxic and very safe. They are so safe that you can even eat right off them without fear of any contamination.

The basic requirement of green furniture is that the wood for its construction should be obtained from a sustainable forest. Gone are the days when the few remaining trees from endangered exotic forests where used to make equally exotic furniture. In case of green furniture, for every tree that is cut down for construction, a new one is planted in its place. Using non-toxic bonding agents are another factor that makes the green furniture environment friendly. Most of the furniture, particularly the imported ones gives off gas formaldehydes and many other air-borne harmful chemicals that are detrimental to our health. On the other hand, by using environmentally safe glues, the green furniture does not give off harmful gases. They are very safe to use without fear of any harmful emissions.

Another notable feature of green furniture is its finish. While ordinary furniture uses lacquers, varnishes and other finishing agents that contain many harmful chemicals, green furniture uses FDA approved finishing agents that are water based or oil based. Green furniture manufacturers guarantee a non-toxic and 100% environmental friendly wood surfaces. If you are one of those who have growing concerns over the amount of pollutants we release into our environment and the amount of forests we keep destroying without care, then the green furniture is the perfect choice for your home. Though green furniture might be a bit expensive than the ordinary furniture, the peace of mind and the ‘green’ factor more than compensates for it.

Chairs

Reclining Chairs: For Comfort and Style

Nothing can compare to the comfort offered by a reclining chair to sit back and relax at the end of a day. Better yet, they add style and elegance to your living room. Reclining chairs are specially designed to provide ultimate comfort to your aching back by providing perfect support to your upper and lower back. They are so comfortable that you can sit on them for hours together without any discomfort.

Besides being comfortable to all, they are especially suited for people suffering from arthritis and other ailments who cannot find comfort in ordinary chairs, like dining room chairs. They also provide the much needed rest and comfort for pregnant women and for people who are very short in height.

While there are countless reclining chairs in every type and style, each chair is unique with its own distinguishing features and their reclining capabilities. While some have just a few reclining positions, others have numerous positions for ultimate comfort.
Two-position reclining chairs: These types of chairs recline to about 45 degrees and have completely motorized functions that can be operated with hand controls. Though they are comfortable for sitting, they are not a good choice if you want to have a catnap on them.
Three-position reclining chairs: These types of reclining chairs can be adjusted to any angle for maximum comfort. They also offer the same hand controls as the previous model to control the different reclining positions.
Multi-position reclining chairs: Unlike the above models, the footrest of the multi-position reclining chairs can be operated independently and moreover they are powered by two motors. You can lie flat and have your feet in a raised position for ultimate comfort with these hi-end chairs.

In addition to the above models you can also find the following and more in numerous retail outlets and online stores.
Reclining armchairs: These are perfect to unwind after a particularly strenuous day.
Swivel reclining chairs: These chairs can rotate through 360 degrees and are perfect for spacious rooms. They are accompanied with separate footstool.
Riser reclining chairs: These chairs offer complete control with great mobility as they combine the comfort offered by a reclining chair along with the reclining action of an electric riser.

Though style and colors matter, the most important factors to look for while buying a reclining chair are comfort and their reclining capabilities. While leather is most durable and easy to clean, reclining chairs are also available in different fabrics to suit your taste and budget.

Styles

Return of the Rustic Home Décor

While the sharp cold lines of contemporary décor is still favored by some, the warmth and comfort offered by a rustic or country décor is the most sought after decorating theme of today. The simplicity and functionality of rustic home décor is combined with contemporary elements by decorators to give a stunning look.

Until recent past, there has been a marked difference between ultra-modern, upscale home décor and the down-to-earth, comfortable but affordable home décor. While upscale magazines displayed perfect homes styled with sleek lines in glass and chrome, the magazines for Mrs. America featured comfortable homes filled with warmth and comfort. Homespun fabrics, solid rustic furniture and rag rugs drew the guests to get cozy near a functional fireplace. Today the gap between the two styles has merged to create the most sought after decorating style that blends the classic charm of rustic homes with the stylish lines of a contemporary home. This new decorating style features mostly natural materials like stone, wood, cotton, linen and silk which are blended well with floor plants and quaint decorative accessories.

If you too are interested to blend in a little rustic charm to your home décor, here are some suggestions that are put forth by decorating experts to help you out. If you are starting from scratch, you can consider a country cabin look with wood wall panelling. These rustic walls have wide wood planks that give a rough-hewn but warm look and feel. A few strategically placed country crafts can transform the whole room. You can use a patchwork quilt with classic lines on a contemporary metal framed bed. Country style appliquéd pillows thrown on homespun sofas can bring in the rustic charm to your living space.

Antler lamps and chandeliers or antler hangs to hold hats can create a hunting loge ambience. Simplicity, functionality and charm come together in a rustic décor to provide a practical but enchanting décor that everyone can appreciate. The type of flooring also plays a major role in contributing to the rustic décor. While a solid, hardwood flooring is best to enhance a rustic décor, stone flooring is also a good option. Stark stone flooring when contrasted with soft rugs and homespun carpets is perfect to complement and enhance the rustic décor.

South-western designs and patterns in woven wool or a Hudson Bay woollen blanket will bring in the rustic charm and masculine grace that is perfect for this setting. The important thing is to keep everything simple and subtle. Take care to provide a lot of open space with very few but charming accessories. Make sure to choose colors, materials and lighting to enhance the rustic effect.

accesories

Luxury Bedding For Style and Comfort

Today we have more choices in bedding than we can possibly handle. Bedroom decoration or redecoration can pose a lot of dilemmas with all the choices presented to us. There are numerous varieties of comforters and pillows that come in different thickness, quality and textures. Though one falls in love with the picture perfect bedding displayed in a magazine, we move on when we lay eyes on the price tags. But if we take a little time to find the facts, the amount we spend on the quality bedding will be well worth the investment. This is because the manufacturers craft bedding to meet the needs of their customers who want only the best. High quality bedding, though expensive, will be the highlight of the room and will withstand everyday use far, far better than store bought ones. Above all, they feel fantastic and bathe you in luxury and give you maximum comfort.

Today, bedrooms are not used just for sleeping. It is also the best place to curl up during the day with a favorite book or to watch television or to even have a romp with the kids. The décor of a bedroom has a major impact on our moods. Soft and quality fabrics, like egyptian cotton, warm colors and pleasing textures are essential for a peaceful and comfortable sleeping environment. To come up with a perfect bedroom décor, a lot of aspects have to be taken into consideration, like what kind of activities you plan for in the bedroom, what style and tone you want to set, what kind of colors and textures you want and most important, your budget.

Colors and textures play an important role in creating the perfect bedroom. Before investing on designer bedding, see that they complement the existing colors of your bedroom décor. You can create an entirely new look by choosing the right color and pattern for your bedding. For a country look you can select checks or stripes in greens, burgundy and tans. For a breezy seaside look, large prints with cool colors of blues and whites are best. For a contemporary look, geometric shapes in bold colors will give you a modern flair. Decorating a bedroom for a couple is all about compromise. While she is inclined towards pastels and flowers, he wants it to look as utilitarian as possible. The only way is to see that both gets a little of what they want by combining styles, colors and textures. If the duvet and cover are to his taste then throw in some decorative pillows which she can appreciate.

Another important aspect that you should know before purchasing luxury bedding is the thread count. You need to have a better understanding of thread count to make the right choice of bedding. Thread count is nothing but the number of threads that are woven lengthwise and widthwise in one square inch. A higher thread count does not mean that the bedding will have more finishing or comfort. A 200 thread count might be a better choice over a 500 or even a 600 thread count. Low thread count will result in softer textures and long lasting quality.

Garden

Fountains: For a Perfect and Beautiful Garden

Any beautiful garden will definitely feature a water body of some kind, of which fountains are the favorite choice. Fountains are comforting, elegant and have the most relaxing and soothing sound. They are the best feature of any garden and add to the beauty and ambience of a garden. The importance of gardens is felt by people irrespective of where they reside. A garden is place where you seek beauty and peace and what can provide that better than a fountain which is not just a feast to your eyes but to your ears as well. Japanese gardens are renowned worldwide for their beauty, charm and peaceful ambience. The main feature of these exquisite gardens are strategically placed water elements that lends an air of magic and serenity. When one sets eyes on these beautiful gardens the first things that come to mind are Koi ponds and the popular art of Feng Shui.

Today, there are literally countless varieties of garden fountains. They are available in a wide range of materials, both natural and man-made, ranging from natural stone, copper and brass to stainless steel and etched glass. You can find one to suit any type of garden, whether indoor or outdoor. Fountains come in different types and styles from tabletop fountains to the most elaborate fountains that can be the highlight of any garden. They are majestic and perfect in estate ponds or lakes and they are equally perfect when placed in the backyard of a modest home. An innovative model of the fountain is the ‘rain chain’ that when installed in the gutter system, makes the rain water to flow down from the roof as a sparkling and bubbling sheet of water.

How to find the right fountain that is perfect for your home.
Conventional: Fountains made from natural stone or resin is perfect for conventional homes. If you want something elaborate, you can choose from tiered garden fountains or wall fountains.
Contemporary: To suit your modern décor you can choose from stainless steel or slate fountains. Simple free standing fountains or cascading fountains are a perfect backdrop for any contemporary home.

Asian: A complete range of fountains made from bamboo or stone in exotic Asian style and designs are available from which you can definitely find one to suit your Asian style home.
Eclectic: These are homes that boast bold colors with a fusion of different styles. Granite or mosaic fountains are best suited to these types of homes.

Whatever type of home or garden you own, you can find a fountain that perfectly suits your home to provide peace and serenity. And the best of all you can install a fountain by yourself.

Art

Fill the World with Colors: Photos on Canvas

Technology brings about great advances. Today, it is now possible for a person to print your photos onto canvass and show it to your friends or family, it’s great for displaying or even as a source of income. Before going further, what are canvasses? Well a canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, and other functions where sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used as a painting surface, typically stretched, and on fashion handbags and shoes. Canvasses are used in painting and now you could also see photos on canvas.

Many people nowadays are having so much income out of this trend. Most people think it’s hard, doing over with process of printing photos on canvas but it’s actually not. As a matter of fact many printing companies or even others who’s into this kind of business gathers so much income that they want to tell everyone that doing this kind of work isn’t complicated as others may thought it would be. Artists or even ordinary businessmen prefers canvas because it’s inexpensive, it last long, it can be customized for your convenience, it has been choice of medium over the years and that canvas creates an aesthetic feel.

Adding or placing photos isn’t booming yet for the reason that they know less of how the process is done and they think it needs so much work. Print houses are still being utilized and the source where they get information on them from the yellow pages, the internet or if someone just told a friend or referred it. The very disadvantage that is obvious in utilizing these print houses is mainly the cost. Not only does the company charge you expensively for the ink and material, they also charge you for the service. It’s expensive.

Why should one consider just putting photos on canvas? You could actually be satisfied and see a preview of the outcome before going on with the actual printing, plus with regards to its materials; the ink is relatively cheap, you can get at least $4 for an 8 x 10 inch canvas, much cheaper than the prices of printing companies, because they also charge service. If you wish to do printing photos on canvas at home, you are just required to have of the canvas where you will be printing, a photo printed out in photo transfer paper, scissors, an iron box and a staple gun. All you have to do is do some researching on how to go on with the process of the whole thing; a printer also that is appropriate for canvas is needed. Once you get the hang on this kind of trend, this hobby could be an effective way on how to earn. Everybody wants to earn, right? This trend is in; it can attract lots of costumers so might as well take hold of the chance or opportunity in which you could do a business that involves printing photos on canvas.

accesories

How do I Install a Projector in a Conference Room?

A projector as what it names says is an apparatus for projecting a picture on a screen. It is a great aid and help to every teacher and is an asset for every conference meeting. The device can either be an overhead, slide projector or a film projector. You can either have professionals install the projector or you can also do it yourself. So, how are you going to install a projector in a conference room? Usually, the slide or the film projectors are easy to install since doing their set up does not require plug and mount installation work. They can be set or just put on the table; this kind of method is called table top.

The advantages of installing a table top projector are:
• Less time for set-up
• Little or having no calculations at all
• Less tools used
• Short cable is required thus projecting high quality videos
• Installation is less expensive
• Having a screen is optional

The things you need are:
• Equipments (projector, screen and other accessories)
• Cables (audio, video and power)
• Location of screen and projector

Steps:
1. You can either install hooks or mountain brackets or hang the screen at a desired location.
2. Plug-in the projector and try to find the perfect location where your projector emits high and perfect resolution.
3. Place the projector on a table or on a flat sturdy surface.
4. Then connect video cables to the projector after which connect audio and video cable to sources. Refer to your user manual.
5. Install and test the projector.

They do not fare well security wise, people can trip over people and people can easily walk on light path. A ceiling projector is usually much more secure and they do not need to be moved and to be properly kept. Having to install a ceiling-mounted projector can be a tricky business if you do not have all the facts. Using this kind of method usually needs professional but installing this all by yourself can be manageable.

Advantages of using this type of installation:
• Wire does not surfaces
• Looks professional
• No tripping over wires
• Projector cannot be tampered
• Difficult to walk on light path

There are a lot of things you need using this type of installation. From basic installation tools up to mounting hardware; from having to use calculation method-projector distance calculation and image offset calculation. Here are the steps:
1. Drill holes for cables and wires. For cable drop down purposes.
2. Measure and calculate projector positioning and projection screen.
3. Drill holes for ceiling mount and for projector screen.
4. Install the ceiling mount and the projector.
5. Install projection screen and test the projector.

Other considerations to be considered in installing projectors are the ventilation, security features and projector model.

Tips

Easy but Helpful Tips on Successful Real Estate Investing

Are you looking to be a successful real estate investor? You can and you don’t have to be a big executive or a legal whiz. Real estate investment doesn’t require an in-depth knowledge about such fields. You just need to be able to put good real estate investments together. However, there are a few tips you might need to keep in mind to help put good deals together. First, know the true value of the real estate you are selling. This is what you “appraisal.” Banks, realtors and appraisers (people who appraise for a living) usually have an accurate estimate of real estate value by comparing the sales of property in the same area. To put a good deal together, you have to find out how much the nearby lots have been selling.

Second, ask around. Ask fellow investors on the conditions of the market in the area. This gives you a position to pull off better deals. However, you should come to recognize that there is no perfect market. In rising markets, getting a bargain is hard because in this type of markets, the chances of selling the property right away for a big profit is raised. While ironically, in falling markets, bargain deals are easier to find. And remember to always consider the date you expect to sell when you make your initial purchase.

Another word you must know when it comes to real estate investing is leverage. Leverage is very important in becoming a successful real estate investor. Don’t invest too much on one property, but rather invest in several properties. You can get greater rates of return if the properties go up in value. Well, if the properties devaluate, you might encounter negative cash flow. But since the real estate business runs in cycles, you don’t really have to worry about a temporary problem.

Also, limiting risk is an important task in real estate investing. You must keep up-to-date with trends in the global market down to your neighboring area. To fully comprehend this, you must keep communication with other real estate investors, preferably those who are more successful than you are. Pull a better deal by approaching more seasoned investors who will help you interpret the market.
Lastly, think ahead. To pull off good deals, you must have a viable exit strategy. Even before you buy the property, you need to have a clear plan of how you are going to deal with the property. You must have Plan Bs and Cs, in case, Plan A does not work which happens more often than not.

Remodeling

Learn How to Faux Paint Finishes

Do you love to admire antique stuffs but just do not have sufficient money to buy one? Well then, try to make your own. Do not spend that much money on something you can make yourself. Antique houses and furnitures look classy and make you feel cozier. But the cost can sometimes be too much to handle. An alternative solution would be to make or buy a new, cheaper one then finish it with faux painting. Below are some step by step instructions on how to faux paint finishes:

Step 1 First try to find the furniture you want to customize. It would be better to start with something small like a counter top or a bar table and possibly a part of your wall.

Step 2 When you have settled for item you want to configure, start by sanding its surface well using coarse sand paper so that paint will stick properly and the rough look will add to the distressed effect.

Step 3 Then apply your first coat of paint. Note that the color of this first paint will appear least on the finished product.

Step 4 After drying the first coat of paint, add a second layer to the entire surface. This layer should be the first wax layer and should be applied using cloth. Let the wax settle.

Step 5 Next, apply another coat of paint with a different color than that of the first one. After it dries, repeat the process of applying the wax layer. Hence, you now have two layers of wax and paint.

Step 6 Apply a crackle medium with the same consistency as your paint. Use a brush and cover the whole surface.

Step 7 After the medium dries, paint in the final layer of your paint using tough bristle brushes; this will add to the distressed effect. The paint should contain the color that you want to appear most. Upon applying the paint, notice that it will crackle as the medium did. Be careful to properly cover and complete the surface evenly on you first try for when the paint dries up and you pass it again, you will loose the crackle effect.

Step 8 Once the final layer has dried, sand the surface carefully and gently. Forceful sanding can remove the crackle effect, so it will be ideal to go smoother on the whole surface.

Step 9 To maximize the distressed effect, sand the corners and high points of the item or wall, rougher.

Step 10 After sanding, clean the surface then apply the final layer of wax. Do this until ou have achieved the antique look that you prefer.

Don’t forget that success does not come without fruit of labor in your part Do your best and follow the given steps above.

Page 1 of 8

First

Last