Interior Decorating Tips | Page 37 of 44 | Expert advice on interior decoration techniques

Home

Tips

Infrared Thermal Imaging: A new way to find a water leak in your home

Water leaks are one of the household problems that should be solved immediately. With usable water running out it is not wise to let all that precious water to waste. When we have water leaks in our homes, we can experience a drop in water pressure preventing the water from reaching the faucets that are located in high areas. Depending on the location of the water leak, you may also experience indoor flooding especially when the leak gets aggravated. And to make matters worse you will still be paying for water that you were not able to use!

It is advisable to fix the existing water leak before it worsens and become unmanageable to prevent bigger expenses. Water leaks can cause other household problems if not fixed immediately.
Looking for a water leak is a very arduous task because water pipes are usually installed behind the walls, over the ceilings and under our home floorings. In the past, people can only determine if there is a leak when flooding occurs in their home. Finding the specific location of the leak is the hard part. In the past, people needed to tear down walls, bring down ceilings and dismantle the floorings to identify a single leak. This method consumes a lot of time, effort and money but it is very necessary to prevent wastage and bigger complications. Today, we can easily detect water leeks in our home through the emergence of the Infrared Thermal Imaging Technology. We do not need to take the house apart just to find a single water leak anymore. This means that we can save a lot of money from costly repairs.

Through the thermal imaging system we can easily detect water leaks because it displays the variances in the surface temperature. The areas that are darker in color represent a cooler temperature and the lighter colors represent hot temperature. The thermal imaging system often displays colors like blue, purple, black and green for cool temperature and red, orange yellow and white for hot temperatures.
Since the water is cooler than room temperature, the area that has a water leak will display a darker color than the area around it.

This feature of the infrared thermal imaging technology makes it a convenient detecting device for problems that are not readily visible to our eyes. And because it focuses on the temperature, we can easily detect problems that lie behind the walls, above our ceilings and even under the floors. Infrared Thermal Imaging is clearly the best way of finding water leaks. Aside from detecting water leaks, infrared thermal imaging can also be used in determining other household problems like electronic faults, overheating equipment, heat loss, air conditioner leaks and many more.

air conditioning

How to Save Energy with Air Conditioner

‘Big’, this word often frustrates women when it comes to electric bills. Electricity is in a business deal with your appliances. Electricity will keep them running for you to be more convenient and depend on them. Now, appliances depend upon the availability of electricity that you will pay for. Everyone gets what they need, appliances get their juice, users get their convenience and electricity is just happy with the thought of being needed and that you would pay anything for it so just not to ruin that cool feeling while watching your favorite show and re-heating a pizza at the same time.

So with everyone’s wants and need fulfilled, everyone must be happy right? Well, not really because when the electric bill comes, that big smile of yours will slowly turn to a frown while our eyebrows forcefully meet each other. Each day, people activate several appliances and gadgets – TVs, radios, home theaters, computers, ovens, fans, refrigerators, air conditioners and many more. Even just by a turning these appliances on and off, you are already given consuming much power. One of the appliances that eat up too much electricity –thus contributing greatly to your bill- is the air conditioner. But even if the with the huge bills, you still would not want to replace your air-conditioner with a hand fan. With all these taken into consideration, we strongly suggest that you utilize these cool tips on how to maintain and save energy with air conditioners:

Proper use of the air conditioner remote control

• First thing to consider make sure that there are no leaks and that the air conditioner ducts in the system is fully insulated and sealed properly. Leaks cause around 30-40 percent of the energy to be wasted.
• Automate your air conditioner. If your machine does not have this feature, try to install an electronic setback thermostat. This allows you to program when the air conditioner should start. Hence, you do not have to turn it all day until you go back home.
• If it is possible, try to find a proper spot for the air conditioner without exposing it to too much sunlight. This insures that less energy would be needed in running it.
• In winter, set the room temperature between 18-21oC while in summer, put it at around 23-26 oC. Due to lack of humidity in summer, 23-26o C should feel cooler. And try to close the curtains on a hot summer day or cold winter nights.
• Pre-cool the room by turning the air conditioner before the day turns hot.
• Close the windows and doors when using the air conditioner.
• On summer days, adjust the air flow towards the ceiling. It would be the other way around if it is winter. Note that hot air rises while cool air subsides lower.
• Make a habit of cleaning your air conditioner. Refer to the manufacturers’ manual.
• If you have the budget, replace your old air conditioner with a new and more efficient unit. This is a long term investment in which you can save tons of money from your bills.

How tos

How to build an outside wood furnace

With the rising cost of gas and utilities skyrocketing, more people choose to use the alternative methods of heating and cooling their houses. Woods are one of the cheapest materials to buy. These woods are practically useless for anything else because it is so dry. One of the easiest ways to keep the heat billing low is by assembling an outside wood furnace. To have this, here are the basics steps on how to build an outside wood furnace:

1. The first thing you have to do is to decide where you want to place your furnace. Usually, it is placed about 50 to 100 feet away from the house. However, it should be close enough to be hooked into the central heating system. It is required to place your furnace on a level surface. Keeping it away from direct eyesight is a good idea because these furnaces can be ugly to look at.

2. After deciding, your next step is to look for materials. Usually, a lot of steel and metal are involved in making furnace. If you are not familiar with metals, ask someone to come with you when you purchase the metal for your project. You can make several trips to hardware stores for canvassing.

3. Join the steel together to create a box of at least 35 cubic feet. Let the one end open to attach the water door. Attach the water door using sturdy hinges and a door sealer. It is very important that there is no water getting into the firebox. Make a small round hole on the top of the box for the chimney flu.

4. Put the firebox inside the water jacket. Secure it using a steel base or wire to attach the box inside the water jacket. Be sure that the firebox can be reached from the outside of the water jacket and that there are no leaks in the water jacket. Measure the hole in the firebox to the roof of the water jacket and then cut a hole out of the top of it as well.

5. Weld the steel pipe together to make a chimney the size of the holes you cut into the boxes. You can use a chimney sleeve to secure it to the water jacket and firebox. Place cloverleaf chimney cap inside the chimney. Build flu to go inside the chimney to direct the smoke.

6. Insulated water pipes are advisable to bring the heated water into the house. Attach these pipes to your current heating system and water heating system. You can consult a professional if you are not familiar with heating systems. Put the pipes for about three feet under the ground. Plumbing fittings can be used to attach the pipes inside the water jacket.

7. The last and final step on how to build an outside wood furnace is to fill it with wood. Refill it every after 12-hours with constant use. Put 200-gallons of water to water jacket and build a fire to heat the water. If used properly, the outside wood furnace will cut your heating bills down by about 1/3 to ½ of your current heating bills.

The only disadvantage of these wood furnaces is that when it snows a lot, it might be hard to reach them to refill with wood. However, by following the steps carefully, you will surely apply the learning about how to build an outside wood furnace.

Styles

A Natural Look for a Natural Home: Tuscany decors

Do you want to have a natural interior design for your home? Do you want to blend in with the natural ambience your place offers? It’s time for you to make use of a different approach in arranging your home designs. Why not try a Tuscany décor? A natural yet stunning interior arrangement that suits your personality!

If you want tranquility and calm space at your house, it is recommended that you try this decors to have the soothing ambience in your home. It gives you space and lighter environment that in effect, creates an aura of peace that suits busy and stressed people. It offers different kind of interior arrangement, far from the expensive and complicated ones because it makes use of the natural arrangement of ornaments and furniture inside the house to blend in with the natural perspective of our eyes to create the illusion of being at home, safe and warm. Most of the people who use this kind of decoration are those with busy schedule that want at the end of the day to rest and look at the comforting and soothing house for their own relaxation. Some just like the idea of wider environment, safe and relaxing.

If you are thinking about the cost, Italian decors are affordable, especially when they are on sale. Most of the stores have their seasonal sale where in you can really save a great deal of money. It is also easy to find because there are so many existing stores that offer this kinds of decorations. This kind of arrangement at home can be done by your family alone. You need not to hire more people to do the work for you because relatively, it is easier to set-up than other kinds of decorations. It gives you the idea that natural looking house comes in low price but with great compliments.

Natural looking houses nowadays are on the top list of every dream house because of its different ambience. It lets you release the problems and stress in your body at the same time, savor your moment alone or with your loved ones. You will never go wrong in a house like this where you can really feel the wide space, the bright lights and the cold air touching your tired body. Tuscany decors can really make the difference at your house and even the way you look at it. With its elegant appeal to the eyes of the people, you will get a simple yet striking interior arrangement that you can brag to your friends and neighbors.

Set yourself different from the rest. Make your dream house the best that it could be. Be different from the conventional home designs. Your house is on the line so better try and make an improvement with Tuscany Decors!

ideas

Using Coat Racks to Decorate Vintage Clothing

If you think that coat racks can be used only to hang coats and hats, then think again. With little imagination you can transform an ordinary coat rack into an object of art. In fact they provide a perfect opportunity to showcase you decorating skills.

Displaying vintage clothing on coat racks is one of the best decorating ideas. If you have wall mounted coat racks then they will work perfectly to display your vintage scarves, bonnets or hats. Shawls, gowns and cloaks will look better on a floor mounted coat rack. If you are about to purchase a coat rack for decorating purposes then look for quality and materials that will blend well with your home décor. Pinching your purse to choose a generic coat rack will not give you the desired effect.

For wall-mounted coat racks, solid hardwood is best and for a floor-standing coat rack wrought iron, bent wood or brass can give a classy look. You can even choose coat racks with decorative paintings to add to your accent.

Adding an etched mirror to your wall-mounted coat rack will serve to add beauty as well as please you guests by giving them an opportunity to check their appearance while coming in or going out. Or you can add a plate rack on top to display your decorative plates or other collectibles.

If you are wondering where to find vintage clothing, then check out estate sales or a store that specializes in vintage clothing. Even second-hand stores collect these items and you can get them for a bargain. If your budget doesn’t include the real thing then an imitation vintage clothing store will work out just as good as the real stuff.

You can also look out for merchants who supply vintage reproduction clothing to living history events like the Renaissance festivals or Civil War Re-enactments. An easy way to find them is to look them up in the internet. Though these reproduction clothing can look quite real they will also put a big dent in your purse.
While choosing vintage hats and bonnets, instead of sticking to one single era, choosing hats from different eras with different styles will add flavour to your accent. Also, adding a vintage cane or a colourful umbrella along with the hats and bonnets will be a nice contrast. Instead of choosing formal or new looking hats, hats that have a well-worn look but unique in style will be very effective.

Similarly, for a floor-standing coat rack you can include a bright shawl amongst dark and stylish formal wear. You can also throw in a vintage hand bag or lingerie to the mix. Instead of hanging gowns perfectly, just throw them casually to give an asymmetrical look.

The possibilities are endless. With a little imagination and creativity you can give the coat rack a stunning make over. See that you use an excellent quality coat rack to show case the vintage clothing or any other decorative items (as decorative pieces of glass or sticker decors) of your choice.

office

Pep Up Your Work Place with Cool and Trendy Fittings

Is your work place dull and monotonous? Add some zest to your office by putting up some cool and chic furniture which will drive away the dreariness and make you feel fresh and energetic all through the day. If you do not own your own space then adding new wood furniture, for example, may pose a problem, but mostly employers do not mind you bringing in one or two odd furniture as long as it improves your work performance.

If the atmosphere at work is dreary add some zest to it by adding some small piece of furniture of your choice. It can be anything, even a small dresser or bookcases as long as it is interesting and brightens up your space and makes you look forward to your day at work. You can keep your personal belongings like your family photos, which are always an excellent decorative item, your files and simple knick knacks that will make you feel at home.

If you want some really cool furniture then you can surf the net to find lots of peppy ones which add some spice to your office. There are chairs shaped like penguins and dressers that look like puckered lips. There are many others that range from weird to bizarre but no doubt will make your day. If you search hard you will definitely come across one you like. Though you may have to spend some money it will be worth it when you find your work place pulsating with energy.

Other than dressers and bookcases, ottomans too come in handy and enhance the work area giving a sense of pleasure. Ottomans can be further adorned by adding frilled covers or placing colourful rugs over them. You can add your own special touch to these ottomans. They give grace and elegance to any place they adorn.

An arm chair or a recliner can be added if you have a space of your own in the office. This gives a homely feeling and you can relax and feel comfy in it when work gets too stressful. This will add a personal touch to your office space and make the work area a home away from home.

All these office furniture need not be bought anew as they would cost quite an amount if you buy them. Instead look for furniture in your local yard sale. If you search thoroughly you are bound to find the exact one that suits your particular needs. There are lots of such sales and you can find these sale sites online too. Spend your weekends searching for these and once you latch on to the right one you will start looking forward to your Mondays.

accesories

Removable Sticker Decors perfect for your Home!

Are you the type of person who wants to put stickers on your wall? But sometimes, you get too worried because of its remnants when you remove it, right? Now, you do not have to worry at all. Even it is your favorite artist, band, singer or cartoon character, you can put it on your wall without the fear of damaging it and having stains that look bad on your home. Removable wall stickers home décor are the perfect designs for you. Now, you can do your own touch of arranging stickers without any limits at all!

Add some color to your room! Add some fun and funky touch! These stickers are really adorable because it makes you smile and feel lighter whenever you are too tired or stressed. These stickers remind you of your favorite things or characters that can make you smile in times of problems. It adds a lighter and calming ambience to your home perfect for your busy schedule.

Removable wall stickers home décor are available at almost every store in the country. You can find a wide selection of stickers to choose from. Whatever you want, whoever it is, it is sure that you can find a sticker of it. It varies from comics and movie characters to kid stuff like flowers and animals. There are also life sized stickers available that are 100% clean and genuine, and it will guarantee you that there will be no residue left in your wall when you remove it. Perfect for your clean and nice wall!

Stickers are really helpful in interior designing. It requires effort in conceptualizing because you just don’t put stickers at random. You need to have a central theme for your stickers not to look like out of their place. It is important that you work on the compatibility of the stickers that you will put together. Also, stickers are cheaper than most of home decorations. You need not to spend big bucks to achieve a unique and mesmerizing room decoration. Also, since stickers are easy to find, it will reflect your personality, your choice of color, your choice of characters and the way you put them together. Definitely, sticker decoration in your own room will show yourself and introduce you without saying any word at all.

Start buying your own set of removable wall stickers home décor and see for yourself its soothing effects! Enjoy the light atmosphere that can help you forget the harsh reality for a period of time. With these stickers, you can create the word of your own here only you can tell what will happen, where you are the real and only king! This is your comfort zone so make sure that you have the best that you can have! Be as creative and imaginative as you can!

Floors

An Overview of Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors apart from being reliable and durable, gives any home a classic touch. Its elegance and exclusiveness cannot be achieved with any other type of flooring. Hardwood floors are versatile and can be laid in almost any part of a home. There are numerous varieties of hardwoods to choose from, like oak, teak, elm, walnut, maple, rosewood and many others. The durability, hardness and colour vary depending on the type of wood. The hardness of Chestnut and Douglas fir is very low when compared to the hardness of Caribbean Cherry or Brazilian Walnut. The moisture content in the wood affects its stability and durability adversely.

Hardwood flooring are classified into different grades like clear, select, common 1, common 2 and grade 1 to 3. The grading depends on the exterior look of the un-finished hardwood flooring.
Hardwood flooring provides a timeless elegance to any room when it is laid in sync with the interior décor of the room. At the moment of installing hardwood floors you can there are different methods to choose and it includes:

Glue Down method: Here parquets or wooden panels are glued to a subfloor which can be made of wood or concrete.
Nail Down method: Nails of ¾” thickness are used to bind hardwood on to a subfloor that is of the same grade or above grade than the hardwood.
Staple Down method: Here a pneumatic stapler is used to attach the hardwood on to a subfloor instead of nails. This method is the easiest of the three and is mostly used by DIY aficionados.
Floating method: This method is employed to lay hardwood on uneven surfaces. A layer of foam is placed in-between the hardwood and the subfloor.

Once the hardwood flooring is laid perfectly they are very easy to maintain. Below you can find a few tips to keep your hardwood flooring sleek and shining.
• Regular maintenance like vacuuming or sweeping is a must to remove the dust that might otherwise scratch the flooring. It is important for this process to choose a good vaccum cleaner to help you in this job.
• You can place attractive doormats or rugs near doorways to prevent transfer of sand or dirt from shoes to the flooring.
• Since wood expands and contracts with temperature, the relative humidity of a room should always be maintained at about 45%.
• You should pad the legs of the furniture to prevent scratching while moving them.
• Hardwood floors are sensitive to light. You should protect your floors from direct light, both natural and artificial to prevent discolouration of the hardwood flooring.
• You can also add some rugs in frequently used places like washbasins, workstations, etc, to protect the hardwood flooring from scratch, water or soap.

Surface finishing of hardwood flooring will give a glossy look in addition to making floors water-resistant. There is no need to wax a hardwood floor that has a surface finish. If your hardwood floor is wax-finished, then a periodic buffing will keep it sleek and shiny.

Remodeling, walls

Iron wall décor: Metal Decors for a High End Home

Nowadays, people are paying too much attention to the choice of style and design especially at home. Some settle at ordinary and conventional wall decorations that make their home looks plain and dull. If you want to have a brad new look for your home, a classy, artistic but easy to place, then wrought iron wall décor is the perfect home decoration for you!

Fused with futuristic concept and a sense of art in metal works, it gives you the impression of skilled craftsmanship. There are many variations of designs to choose from. These decorations highlight the art of metal carving. You can see very detailed carves in each ornamental decoration. It is easy to appreciate because of the difficulty of the carvings in the decoration.

Wrought iron wall décor is available almost at every decoration store across the country. They have variations in sizes, colors and textures that give you wider options. These decorations are not that expensive, perfect for the start of your home. It is also easy to put up although most of them are heavy due to the material they are made up but nonetheless, your effort is worthwhile when you see the stunning effect of these decorations in your home. You will witness how a plain and dull wall turns to a smashing spot where you can’t help yourself but to stare and be amazed by how these decorations were made.

Looking closely at how the details were made, you will start to appreciate how these decorations are the perfect ones for you. It emphasizes the unique choice of the owner. It also empowers the owner because of its different approach to the eyes of the people. By just staring at it, you will surely fall in love with them. These decorations are worth of your money. It will satisfy your budget and at the same time, surpass your idea of home arrangement and interior design.

So are you still confused if you will choose wrought iron wall décor at your home? If you want to be traditional and ordinary, you may not opt to have metal decorations at your home. But if you want the other way around, unique, extra-ordinary and stunningly beautiful, then the choice is clear! These decorations will not just make you mesmerized but it will give you a real blast! These decorations are perfect for you and your definition of style! For a high end home, classy but not really expensive, metal iron wall decoration will simply give you the clear way! This is not just your ordinary ornaments you can find at everyone’s house but this is the kind of decoration perfectly made for you and for your home!

Lighting

Installing contemporary lighting on your houses

You will probably distinguish Asian contemporary lighting from Western contemporary lighting. From the designs, color of their lamps, even on how they are placed. Contemporary lighting is actually a term used for new designs for light or lamp shades. Interior design should always include lighting as one factor that would make their finishes perfectly. So a good design on the lights is a must in order to have that smooth, matte finish. Light is important in every house, lights also should have designs. People should go with their taste of designs not what books tell them to do. It is better to see a room that’s yours than to see a room that doesn’t feel like yours at all. People have these mistakes of watching television shows that do some renovations or make-overs of rooms and stuff like that; truth is that, not everybody can have make-overs in their rooms done by those professionals.

When adding light, try considering other factors aside from just putting them where they’ll just fit. It won’t hurt if you’d read some of the Feng Shui articles or books. Not only will the room look brighter, it would also give you luck. How about that? Not all contemporary lighting suites all houses, everybody must assess first which contemporary lighting would do for their type of home. Some people make these mistakes of adding contemporary lighting to their homes just to say that they have that. Everybody can design their own house; they don’t need to have degrees or any educational attainment in order for them to design their own living room. I mean, come on, all they need is some creativity and some sense and they could probably pull it off. There are different styles in decorating rooms, some of which are either doing a maximalist or minimalist approach. If you want to minimize the look on your room, you’d probably do this approach. It’s taking off the extras and just goes with being simple, whereas the maximalist approach is the opposite of it.

Asian contemporary lighting style has this oriental feel to it. The designs make use of bamboo, the lamps make use of paper and the pictures are usually simple. The colors used in these deigns are usually black and white, it’s like yin and yang or the chi. These colors are popular in Asian culture for they show simplicity and blend well with other Asian elements. The elements popular to Asian culture are mostly accentuated in every part of their house, even the designs that goes with lights. Western contemporary lighting is different from Asian contemporary lighting, some designs are futuristic, some with metals, and some work with woods. It is best that even though designing a home can be done by yourself, thinking of installing contemporary lighting on your houses should be thought of and had been consulted of first with a professional.

Styles

Scandinavian style interior design

Wondering what is Scandinavian style of interior decoration? What is it? Many people still aren’t cleared out on the evolving trends in interior design. It is only in the 20th century that Scandinavian interior design came to be. Carl Larsson, a 20th century artist is credited with creating Scandinavian style. The Scandinavian interior design that he created is a mixture or combination of neutral colors of the Norwegian, Swedish and Danish landscape, with a casual aged look. The land of Scandinavia usually experience long winters and sometimes sunlight is less experienced, so this resulted to a need for airy and sleek interiors that the sunlight is made available most.

Scandinavian Colors
Basic colors usually relates with Scandinavian colors. The colors ranges from shades of whites (ecru to bright white), beige, light blues and natural light wood tones. There is an exception in the neutral color scheme which is the adding of bright red. The reason for that exception is that red dramatically contrasts with the pale interiors to add more design.

Scandinavian Textures and Fabrics
Natural themes are also followed by fabrics. What are the most commonly found fabrics in their design? That would be cotton and linen, fabrics used mainly on curtains. The fabrics may be able to be plain or textured and their designs usually are that of with white stripes and checkered. There are also those that makes use of floral designs, these are usually associated with white background and small designs that are usually repeated.

Scandinavian Furniture
The deal with Scandinavian wood furniture is that they have their trademarks in them like they usually have mixtures of straight lines with curved detailing that are gently made. The legs of this furniture are thin and generally tapered. Staple furniture in Scandinavian interior design is that of benches and bench-like sofas which are set on six legs with separate cushions or with minimal upholstery. Scandinavian interior designs are great to put on your room. If you’re the type of guy who wants some remnants of classic touches or feel in your houses, well this kind of design is for you. The motif of Scandinavian interior design is timeless, elegance and freshness. It’s a nice way of changing up the designs that are commonly used by other people. So why not try being different and let people see a different look in your house; show them what it means to be timeless, the meaning of elegance and fresh. These designs are sure to make your visitors, guests, family and friends feel welcome and warm at the same time.

Bedroom

Thematic Baby Room Decorating Ideas

Today you will be surprised at the sheer number of baby room decorating ideas that you can come up with or that is presented to you by a professional decorator. This is mainly due to the countless new baby products that are being introduced in the market every day. In fact, you will have a hard time narrowing down your choices instead of searching for them. One of the best ways to narrow down the search is to decide on a theme for your baby’s room first and then go in search of the perfect items to suit your theme (like some funny furniture).

To come up with an original theme for your baby room, you can start by brainstorming some of the best baby room decorating ideas that you can find and like. You should keep in mind that the colours and layout of the things in the room are something that your baby is going to be looking at for most part of his/her first few years. So take care to paint and put up objects with colours and shapes that are interesting and fun for your baby to enjoy, recognize and learn.

To get a good baby room decorating theme you don’t have to look far. All babies love a teddy bear and you can take this cuddly bear as the theme for your baby room. To help you further, here are some tips to decorate your baby room with the teddy bear as the main theme.

Walls: The colours you choose for the walls of your baby room should be pleasing and bright to give it a spacious and airy feeling. Instead of sticking to brown bears, stencil different coloured teddy bears on the walls or you can even paint mural or you can just go easy with wallpaper.

Floors: Though most people ignore this part of the room, it is important to give equal attention to the floors to complete your theme. You can go for carpeting the floor with colours that match your theme or you can have it finished with hardwood and throw some rugs for comfort and looks.

Furniture: Solid wood furniture always adds to the character of any room, especially a baby room with its elegance, sophistication and reliability. Depending on the space you have and your budget, you can choose from a crib, rocking chair, changing table and dresser to name a few.

Bedding: If teddy bear is your theme then you will have ample choice of bedding ideas and sets to choose from in any baby store. Along with your theme make sure to check for the quality of the material and whether they are hypoallergenic and machine washable.

Last but not least, make sure to include a big fluffy teddy bear in your shopping list!

color

Cool and Trendy Colours to Spice Up Your Home

When it comes to choosing the correct shade for your home you always end up in a dilemma whether to get the sane beige and grey types or go in for more trendy and fashionable colours. The right colour can change the entire look of the house and can transform even dull and boring furniture to look dazzling and vibrant. So do not overlook this aspect of decorating in the hectic work schedule of finishing up your home.

Usually people go in for beige or grey colours as they suit almost any type of home décor (like the japanese style). But at the same time they may give a lack lustre and monotonous appearance to the building if not applied properly. For example if you have bright and contemporary furniture and accessories, lighter shades of beige will not look good, instead go for more brighter shades that will match the intensity of the room.

If you are not sure about the bright shades you can get different varieties of beiges and greys at your local home improvement store. These will give you an idea about the colour to opt for. Beige is best suited if you want to go in for the warm, sunshine type of atmosphere.

Greys are the choice if you want a cool and roomy look. Blue or lavender tinted grey shades are best for a clean and fresh look. There are even green or pink undertones to the grey shades which add a lively touch to your décor. They go well with light coloured furnishings.

If you decide on the furniture and accessories first and then start selecting the optimum colour to go with it, zeroing on the right colour will be a whole lot easier. So if there is a lot of black and navy in your furniture then choose orange or pink shades of beige. In case of brown and red shades of furniture, go for cooler grey shades with tints of blue or lavender.

If you feel both beiges and grey shades are not suited then try green shades which go well with any colour of furniture. They give a trendy and cool appearance when applied in muted tones.

Choosing the right colour will bring about a dramatic change to the entire appearance of your home, so do not miss out on the selection of the appropriate colour. Instead of going in for sane beige colours try the various shades of beiges available and grey shades too. Bright colours are more suited to the exterior decor of the house than the interiors. Muted tones of yellow, blue and green work well with the interiors and give a warm, bright and appealing look.

Decoration

Selecting Decor for a Lodge or Cabin with a Rustic Theme

If you are the proud owner of a cabin retreat or a hunting lodge you can take this opportunity to decorate your get away location completely different from that of your buzzing city residence. There are a number of themed décors and other designs for you to choose from to create an ambience for your lodge or cabin that is in contrast to the décor in your main residence.

If the purpose of your cabin is to get away from your hectic lifestyle, then the more different your cabin is from your city dwelling the better and moreover you can choose a décor that will add to your sense of escapism. A change in environment is said to have the same effect as taking a good rest. When that change is made to the internal and external surroundings according to your wishes it will add to your relaxed mood that you aim in achieving during your weekend or vacation.

If you are the owner of the cabin or lodge you can have a free hand in decorating and furnishing it to suit your vacation mood with all the comforts of your home. In case your city home is ultra-modern with sleek lines and bright contemporary interior décor, you can choose a rustic décor for your cabin retreat as an excellent contrast that blends well with its surroundings.

The best choice for your cabin retreat is the old vintage styles as it suits a lodge environment perfectly. The vintage styles suits a lodge better due to the generous use of wood, particularly the dark wood in furniture and other interior décor objects to achieve the rustic looks of a 16th century English country side cottage.
Even your furnishing fabrics, lighting and other interior necessities can be chosen to reflect the rustic atmosphere of a country cottage, which will work out perfectly for your hunting lodge or cabin. The kitchen décor too can be done to give a rustic look of the past but with all the modern amenities. Hang a few vintage pots and pans with matching hangers and place some rustic tables and chairs to add to the vintage theme. Today you can find rustic style ornaments, fittings, furniture or any kind of decorations that you want to add to your lodge to make it look as close to a country cottage style.

You can add a twist to your main vintage theme with a sub theme that blends well with the main theme as well as the surroundings of your lodge or cabin. You can look out for fabrics, decorations, wall hangings and other things that feature a deer or other animals that suits your hunting lodge. If your hideout is a cabin for nature watch and trekking then your sub theme can include decorative items that feature local flora and fauna.

With a little effort and your imagination you can transform your plain looking hunting lodge into something exotic that you can look forward to spend your leisure time in.

Lighting

The Ideal Glass Lamp Replacement

Do you need replacement glass lamp shades in your house or for your leg mamp? Does your room lamp shade, or in any part of your house, malfunctions? Before it is too late, it is better to act now! Find your ideal glass lamp replacement for lighting your homes! Your ideal light color, size and design! Find it at the cheapest price but with high quality!

There are so many stores across the state that offer glass lamp shade replacement in your bathroom lighting. Most of them sell light bulbs that vary in color, sizes and designs. There are so many glass lamp shade replacement to choose from! If you want to be classy, you can choose dimmer light for its soothing and calming effect. Of course, if it is for your study room, you should choose white light for a brighter effect. Your ideal glass lamp shade replacement depends on where to use it so don’t just buy it at random.

So to make sure that you are on the right track, first, check all the lights in your kitchen. Check if some of it needs replacement or some of them are on the verge of breaking down. It is better to anticipate things or suffer its consequences at the end when you can’t do anything at all. Then make a list of what to buy. It is recommended that you buy the same glass lamp shade replacement to where you bought the original lamp. Some of the replacements, due to their unauthenticated ability only worsen the case of your original lamp. Some of them cause more problems than answers that you need. Buy only genuine and quality replacement glass lamp shade for your home.

Art

Give Your Home the Natural Look with Native American Indian Art

Using earthy colours in the interior decoration has become the rage nowadays. People have started favouring natural, earthy colours as it gives them a sense of belonging. Native American Indian art is one such theme that is in vogue now. The essence of Native American Indian art, comprising of pieces of handcrafted wooden carvings, prints and pottery centres on nature with brown, red and yellow shades being predominantly used. This can be seen in the wood carvings of the Pacific Northwest region and the shades of grey used by the South.

Excellent pieces of work can be seen in the Pacific Northwest region. The states of Oregon, Washington, British Colombia [Canada] and the southern part of Alaska form the Pacific Northwest region. This area has vast stretches of forests with an abundance of wood available for use in the carvings they specialize in. The wooden carvings done in bright hues or just given natural hues tend to dress up any room, be it the office, living room, bedroom, corridors or even bathrooms. These carvings come in shades of green, blue, brown and yellow which are all natural shades that blend with the natural styles of interior décor that is in use now.

Besides these wooden carvings and prints the Pacific Northwest Native American region also specializes in producing one of the most stunning and remarkable aboriginal masks. These masks when adorned on walls give the place a truly authentic and alluring look. Native American Indian art is based on the colours of nature like green, blue and brown. This can be seen in the numerous wooden carvings done by them. The theme of these carvings and prints is also based on nature like animals, trees and mountains. Eagles, thunderbirds, killer whales and salmons feature predominantly in their carvings. This North American Indian art when added to your home décor brings in an earthy ambience to your home and gives it a truly cool and trendy look. As the shades are all natural hues of brown, yellow green and blue they tend to match with almost all types of décor.

The art pattern used by the North American Indians is authentic and confined to that area only and remains largely hidden to the rest of the world. Such splendid pieces when bought on one of your trips to these regions can embellish your home décor and make your interior decoration a unique one. You can also find these carvings, prints and masks in the art galleries or you can search for them online. Choosing a few of these works of art will add grace and sophistication to your interior decoration, giving it a more natural and earthy feel and bring in an element of nature into your home adding class and style that surpasses all your imagination.

Kitchen

Give your Kitchen Cabinets a Makeover with Minor Changes

You will be amazed at how quickly your shinning new cabinets can loose their fresh look. This is because of all the fumes, steam and moisture that are the by products of any kitchen. Here are some simple but effective tips to give you cabinets a new look.

Replacing cabinet handles: Because of their frequent use, handles are the first to lose their lustre. Changing them is one of the best and the cheapest ways to give a new look to your kitchen. Though replacing the kitchen cabinet handles sounds easy, with all the different types of handles available today, you will have a really hard time picking up a new handle that will match your cabinets and the general kitchen décor. Since you want to give a new look to your cabinets, avoid choosing handles of the same colour or shape as the old ones. You should also pay attention to the material of the handles, as you can choose from metal, wicker or plastic. With little patience you can find the perfect handle to fit in your cabinet. Though handles are a minor part of a cabinet they attract our attention to it.

Replacing cabinet hinges: Hinges also come under spotlight and replacing them can give a new look to your cabinets. Usually hinges and handles are available as matching pairs in most hardware stores. It also makes choosing them easier and moreover they give a uniform look to the cabinets. Even if they don’t come together as matching pairs, it is always better to find handles and hinges that matches or blends with the cabinets. If you opt to have coloured handles then you should also think about choosing hinges with matching colours. This is a tricky situation as mostly coloured hinges are made of plastics and they would definitely not be a good choice for refacing cabinets that are used frequently. One solution to this problem is to go for a hinge that perfectly matches your cabinet colouring to make it blend well with it and go unnoticed. This is an easier way to make your choice less tedious, as most of the cabinets are made of wood and all you have to do is find a ubiquitous brown hinge to blend with it.

Kitchen cabinet organizer: Though cabinets are supposed to keep things organised in the kitchen, they are a real terror when you want to find something, especially small items. This is where a kitchen cabinet organizer can help you out. With the right organizer you can give a completely new and organized look to your otherwise cluttered kitchen cabinets. Usually the size of the kitchen cabinets and that of a cabinet organizer is standardised. This makes picking out an organizer to match your cabinets much easier. There are many types of cabinet organizers available in market today ranging from cheap plastic organizers to more expensive models of different materials and quality. You can also go for custom made cabinet organizers to fit your particular requirements. Though this can be quite expensive, if you are very particular about how you want your cabinets to look, then it is better to hire a professional to build a cabinet organizer that is perfect for your needs.

These are some of the simplest and workable solutions to give your kitchen cabinets a complete makeover. With little patience and effort you can have a bright new look to your kitchen in no time at all!

Page 1 of 8

First

Last