Modern Home Decorating

Home Design and Interior Decor Ideas

Archive for February, 2010

When do the Christmas decorations go up in NYC?

Posted by admin on Feb-28-2010

When do all of the Christmas decorations go up in NYC? Please try to give as much of a spefic answer as possible!

Thanks!

Well i do remember around Thanksgiving time….so i would say Right after Thanks Giving….I think its Cool when the Tree Is About to light…Thats Truly NYC Christmas LOL hope i helped

New Window Fashions from Hunter Douglas Help

Whether it is a starter house in the suburbs or a loft in the city, making a first house or apartment feel like home is a daunting challenge to young people at the start of their careers. Furniture from Mom and Dad’s attic or from stores making high-style sofas available at affordable prices can help, but what about those big, naked windows that are in dire need of blinds and window treatments? And chances are that the windows will be big. According to statistics in the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) “Housing Facts, Figures and Trends” report published in March 2006, new houses in America continue to get larger and so do windows. NAHB states, “Fully 73 percent and 77 percent of echo boomers and Gen-Xers, respectively, say that they want nine-foot or higher ceilings.” These soaring rooms often incorporate enormous windows. People want bigger windows to maximize their views and fill their rooms with natural light. This trend holds for apartments as well as houses, where realtors report that loft-style apartments and new glass towers are gaining preference over traditional apartments.

Privacy and light control are two important factors in turning a house into a home. The right window treatment will provide both – plus mood and style enhancement. Hunter Douglas, the nation’s leading manufacturer of custom window coverings, has new introductions to fashionably dress those big new windows and make even an almost empty first house feel like home.

New Park Lane Privacy Sheers offer affordable luxury with the best features of sheers, draperies and vertical blinds in one streamlined product. With this window blind even decorating virgins can’t go wrong. Park Lane Privacy Sheers redefine the tradition of Privacy Sheers by offering a relaxed, casual alternative at a lower price point. The sheer fabric softens and diffuses light while fabric vanes rotate for light control and privacy. The textured sheer fabric is offered in six neutral colors that complement virtually any décor, with translucent or room-darkening neutral white vanes for a uniform appearance from outside. An optional decorative valence available in three painted finishes – Extreme White, Porcelain and Winter White – conceals the headrail and top of the sheer blind. With dimensions up to almost 16-feet wide and 10-feet high, Park Lane Sheers bring soft illumination, expansive views and dynamic performance to large window expanses.

Aluminum blinds, first introduced by Hunter Douglas in 1946, will never look the same again! It’s easy to add sparkle to a home with Modern Precious Metals aluminum blinds and now its new, patent-pending product – Reveal with MagnaView – revolutionizes the look of metal blinds. Tilted closed, they look like standard blinds. Tilted opened, however, the slats nest together to create double the view-through compared with standard blinds. For example, the 1” slat size opens to a view-through comparable to a 2” slat product. The 2” slat size opens to a view-through comparable to a 4” slat product. With such new on-trend color additions as as Venetian Bronze, Brushed Nickel, Turquoise Sky and Vintage Gold, Modern Precious Metals are available in dozens of colorful choices as well as fresh-looking neutrals.

For new homeowners who would like to have the classic look of wood blinds at an economical price, Hunter Douglas has expanded its offering of Chalet Woods wood blinds earlier this year, including four new trend-setting distressed finishes available in the collection’s most popular stained colors: Straw, Hickory, Walnut and Black Cherry. Along with the new distressed options and the addition of two new paint colors – Bavarian Cream and Beechnut – Chalet Woods blinds now boast 24 finishes in both 2” and 2 ½” slat sizes. Additional introductions include 20 total decorative tape options and two attractive valance styles for a complete fashion selection. The light-blocking de-Light feature and the LiteRise cordless operating system are also offered on the Chalet Woods blinds collections.

Brilliance pleated shades are an affordable way to add dramatic design touches to any room and are offered in enough choices to truly personalize a new first home. Color, texture and limitless options set them apart from all other pleated shades in the industry. The recently expanded collection encompasses 160 SKUs and 18 styles, with seven exciting textured fabrics ranging from sheer to opaque. These fabrics add depth and visual appeal to any décor, and three of the new offerings are softer fabrics with a “pleat-on-pleat” design. The softer fabrics are backed with a neutral white non-woven fabric and come with the innovative Precise Pleat lifting system for crisp, clean, uniform pleats.

Among the new fabric offerings are Woodlands, which adds a three-dimensional look, and Potter’s Wheel, which uses slub and cross-dyed yarns to add depth. The collection also includes 43 updated colors in neutrals, pastels and earth tones that follow the latest color trends. Brilliance shades offer a new SoftGlide single continuous cord loop operating system that makes it easy to raise and lower even the largest shades and is ideal for homes with children and pets. Speaking of which, next to new window fashions, a pet is a great way to make that first house or apartment feel like home.

More detailed resources about Hunter Douglas Blinds or even about window coverings can be found by simply visiting this webpage http://www.aceofshadeswc.com

Groshan Fabiola
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/how-to-transform-a-first-house-or-apartment-into-a-home-with-hunter-douglas-blinds-221278.html

Interior Landscape Design

Posted by admin on Feb-27-2010

Interior Landscape Design – Supremus Group provides cost-effective and excellent-quality Interior Landscape Design Services. We also provide 3D Rendering Services, 3D Walkthroughs, Construction Cost Estimations and Architectural Design Services

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Architectural and Civil Engineering

Supremus Group provides the highest quality professional services in architectural engineering, geotechnical engineering, civil engineering, drafting & design to private and municipal clients. Our services are:



Structural Design


Supremus Group is a reliable and cost effective civil structural design company. We can provide any type of structural design as per your requirements along with architectural design, construction drawing, electrical drawing; plumbing drawing & HVAC drawings.



Architectural Design


We are architectural design and drafting services vendor located in USA provide service to US, UK and Canada clients. Outsource all your architectural drafting and design, 3d rendering, paper to cad conversion, architectural custom lighting design and any other overhead details work to us.



Construction Drawings


We act as construction drawing service provider. We can provide all type of design and drawing of landscape, interior & exterior decorations of drawing room, bedroom, kitchens, resort and hotels, commercial offices, and showrooms.



Building Cost Estimation


Outsource your building cost estimation project work to us. We act as estimating service provider. Our expert engineer will formulate all your requirement needs and will perfectly guide you with effective solution.



CAD Services


We are a CAD service provider firm located in USA provide services to US, UK and Canada clients. We provide all type of CAD drafting, drawing, 3d CAD rendering and conversion solutions.



CAD Conversion


Supremus Group is a CAD conversion company which provides reliable and cost effective solution to US, UK and Canada clients. We provide CAD conversion services such as paper to cad conversion, raster to vector, CAD drafting & digitization & much more.



3D Rendering


We provide 3D rendering services which includes 3d architectural rendering, 3d modeling, digital, image, interior and landscape rendering & much more.



3D Walkthroughs


We provide 3D walkthroughs services including multimedia presentation, web animation development; interior designing visualization, 3D visualization services and much more providing you an efficient and cost effective solution.



Interior and Landscape Design


Along with other service we also provide Interior Landscape Design services to US, UK and Canada clients. We offer any type of interior designing such as shopping complexes, malls, resort, hotels, building, institutions, etc.



Electrical, Plumbing and HVAC Drawings


We have a very good expertise in providing services for electrical drawing, plumbing and HVAC drawings. We can generate any hand sketch electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC drawing into MS Visio, 2D and 3D, or any other form as per your requirements.


Supremus Group
http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/interior-landscape-design-710922.html

Laminate flooring installations are creating a buzz among home remodeling rookies. This flooring phenomenon is building a do it yourself following that is unheard of in the industry. Overnight a tattered, carpeted home can be transformed into an elegant mansion with gleaming, stylish floors brandishing every real wood grain imaginable. If a homeowner qualifies for a home improvement loan or home equity loan, this is one sure way of spending it sensibly while adding impressive value to the property. What exactly is a laminate flooring installation and why the home improvement hype?

A laminate flooring installation is a flooring project done with tongue and groove planks that click together to form a stable, floating floor. No adhesive or nails are used to fix the planks to the sub-floor. The planks can have the appearance and texture of real wood, ceramic tiles or stone tiles and the latest technology is such that the look created is extremely authentic.

You won’t necessarily need to rip out existing floors if you plan a laminate flooring installation. Laminate planks will be quite at home if installed over vinyl, tiles, or real wood. Just make sure that the sub-floor is perfectly smooth and even and follow the manufacturer’s detailed guidance in every respect. Carpeting and real wood on concrete floors will have to be taken out before installing laminate flooring.

The planks used during a laminate flooring installation usually consist of four fused layers. The bottom layer is mostly reinforced with melamine. This substance provides stability and protects the upper layers from moisture. The most important layer is the inner core made of a medium density fiberboard, treated and impregnated with edge sealing substances. The third layer is the decorative part of the plank. This is nothing more than a photograph that gives the flooring plank the authentic wood or tile looks. Covering the decorative layer is the wear layer, usually consisting of cellulose paper, combined with melamine plastic resins and an aluminum oxide coating. The best wear layers resist staining, moisture, scratching, fading and other signs of wear, protecting the laminate flooring installation for years to come.

In the case of Alloc Flooring, an additional thick Kraft paper layer has been added between the design layer and the core. The Alloc Laminate Flooring core consists of a unique Aqua Resist fiber board which has been engineered to minimize the risk of fluid absorption. Alloc floors are in the company of other classy manufacturers such as Pergo Flooring, Quick Step Flooring, Wilsonart Flooring, and Trafficmaster Allure Flooring.

The budget sections of laminate flooring installation ranges are often manufactured with a direct pressure method. The four layers are assembled, heated and pressed to form the fused flooring plank. The pressure exerted is around 300 pounds per square inch at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

More expensive laminate flooring installations consist of high pressure planks. The top and bottom layers of the planks are treated separately and Phenol impregnated Kraft paper is added. This is all fused to the core layer. Extreme pressure of around 1300 pounds per square inch is used at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures a more stable, durable end product with less chipping and a higher degree of moisture resistance.

As a laminated flooring installation isn’t affixed to the sub-floor, you need a good quality padded underlayment to dampen sound, add to the stability of the floor, give warmth and add a more comfortable feel underfoot. Some manufacturers pre-attach this underlayment to the planks. While this is a convenient option, some experts view attached padding as slightly less effective than a separate underlayment. The underlayment usually consists of cork, felt or foam.

In the case of an Alloc Laminate Flooring installation, the underlayment is pre-affixed to the planks. This Alloc Silent System padding claims to dampen sound to a higher degree than other comparable padding products. The Alloc Flooring system can even be ordered to include under-floor heating that is incorporated into the underlayment.

In addition to the underlayment, a plastic moisture or vapor barrier is placed between the planks and the underlayment to give additional protection against moisture. Any contact with fluids may cause the core to swell, leading to buckling or blistering of the floor. This level is usually a polyethylene material. It isn’t used in a laminate flooring installation where the sub-floor is real wood.

What makes a laminate flooring installation so popular, is the fact that it is an easy, glueless operation that can be attempted by any do it yourself novice. This is a home remodeling option that gives highly gratifying results within a few hours and can be used immediately in most cases. The tongue and groove designs of the laminate flooring installation planks simply snap or click together, creating tight-fitting, almost invisible joints.

If done correctly using a high grade product, these installations will retain their immaculate appearance for many years. Most ranges are warranted for between 15 and 30 years, giving an indication of the robustness of a laminate flooring installation. It can be used in virtual any interior space, and even does well in bathrooms and kitchens, as long as the laminate flooring installation instructions are followed carefully.

To recap, here are the 10 main benefits of a laminate flooring installation:

1. A laminate flooring installation is a low-maintenance flooring solution.

2. A wise decor choice will give you long-lasting quality.

3. A laminate floor is stain resistant.

4. Laminate flooring installations are usually fade resistant to a large degree.

5. Laminate floors can be installed over most existing floors.

6. This type of flooring can be installed on all grade levels.

7. A top-rated laminate flooring installation will offer superb impact resistance.

8. Laminate floors mimic the warmth and texture of real hardwood accurately at a fraction of the cost.

9. The new, glueless laminate flooring click together designs are a terrific home improvement project for a do it yourself novice.

10. These floors can be lifted and replaced easily, partly or room-wise. This is of particular importance in case of a serious mishap. This is also why you always need to store a few planks.

Virtually every wood grain and texture is catered for in laminate flooring collections. By extending the ranges to include ceramic tile and stone tile options, there is no end to interior design ideas in the flooring realm. Any decor style and architecture can get a speedy face-lift with a laminate flooring installation.

Rika Susan
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/laminate-flooring-installation-laminates-lead-the-way-in-diy-interior-design-135232.html

Transform Your Home With New Flooring.

Posted by admin on Feb-27-2010

Have you gotten bored with how your home looks, how it feels, has it lost the luster in your heart that it first had when you moved in. Does it feel like it might be time for a change, for a new venue? A great number of people feel the same way, in fact quite often. But rather then moving you might consider replacing some or all of the flooring in your home.

Replacing flooring along with minor changes in furnishings from time to time can keep that feeling of newness ingrained in your home. Adding a special touch with just the right flooring can make even the most commonplace room décor into something special. Carpets once were king, now hardwoods and custom style tiling have come into their own. Not to say that carpeting has gone out of style, it hasn’t. But more and more where once a home was wall to wall carpet, people are experiencing the magnificence and select beauty that contrasts in flooring materials can make in a home.

One methods of home decorating use to be to visualize a room with all the furnishings, then furnishing the room with the flooring only being thought of in a functional manner or by virtue of color coordination. But today it is not uncommon for the floor itself to be the center piece of the room, with everything else being selected only to compliment the beauty of the floor itself.

interior design today will view a space and visualize a period or a texture that matches the space. With the texture in mind the very first thing to be concentrated on is what type of flooring to use. It becomes the single most important element of the space because everything else in the room, by design will compliment that particular flooring material color, texture and design, everything! You might think that the concept is hard to follow but it really isn’t. Because flooring is usually the largest single element in a room, it stands to reason that it needs to be considered very highly when its time to make the decision to put it in place.

To make my point, the next time you are at the supermarket or discount store, pick up a copy of your favorite home magazine, and when you get a moment, sit down and study it. I don’t mean read it, but study the pictures. If you do you will find the essence of what I have just said is true. You will discover that in fine homes, homes that continually get photographed for these types of magazines, more often then not, the floor is the center piece of the room.

How can you know? Looking at the pictures, do the room spaces seem to be full? Do they seem cluttered or furnished too heavily? Usually not, and if they do, how memorable was the flooring material? Do the individual pieces fit well with the flooring, are they arranged in s manner that cover most of the floor, or are there lots of throw rugs about? Sometimes possibly but more often the room are sparsely furnished to allow the viewer to take in all of the room. You might notice that each furnishing fits into a well molded scheme that accents the beauty of a floor. Bedrooms if any might be an exception to this type of design, but they too are often floor orientated in design.

You might argue that what you are seeing is a perspective from someone who has a passion for fine flooring, and you would be right. Most great interior designers have a passion for the finest of flooring materials. But you don’t have to be filthy rich or an interior designer to share in that passion for fine flooring. With the cost effective, durable and beautiful choices availed to homeowners like us today; we too can have those magazine picturesque type spaces in our homes.

I found that when I started thinking about what type of flooring best fit a space in our home, the better job we did in the entire design project of each room. The best way I can tell you to begin is to visualize your rooms empty with no flooring, no wall paint or coverings, all neutral or white, then from the floor up, decide how you want the room to feel. Consider the light, the time of day the light is natural, when will it be used, how will it be used, then think about the feel of the flooring, how do you want it to feel.

Too many people get bogged down with the ideas of ease of installation, ease of maintenance, and durability. All admirable qualities to consider, but they shouldn’t be your driving motivation for selecting the right floor. If I had to put them in order these would be the criteria for selecting the perfect floor.

? Could the flooring stand alone? Would the space have beauty with nothing but the flooring material in place?

? Will the flooring give voice to the way I want to feel about the room. Will the flooring match or compliment the particular type of energy I want this room to have?

? Will changes in light (natural to artificial) change negatively or positively the aspect of the space? Sometimes flooring material that is too dark or light will tend to be less appealing during specific times of light. Be warned though that is not always true, so it is important to understand how the room will be used and when that use will take place if possible.

? Then decide what type of furnishings you might want or need that will rest directly on the flooring. Those furnishings might be ones you want to obtain, or ones that you already have. In either case, the flooring needs to fulfill its task of melding the contents of the room, how ever furnished into an esthetically pleasing as well as applicably functional space.

Then if you so choose, you can hold your choice up to the general considerations usually taken into account about flooring, which would be durability, ease of maintenance and then ease of installation. I put ease of installation last on the list, because a great floor is worth some extra effort if need be.

If you can conquer these criteria in selecting your flooring material, I can almost guarantee that the rest of the room will fall into place and make for that picture perfect room that deserves to be showcased in the next issue of your favorite home magazine.

So the next time the walls of your home seem to want to close in on you and moving comes to mind just because, you might want to consider a change in flooring. It’s usually a lot cheaper then moving, and has the advantage of adding value to your existing home.

Scott Best
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/transform-your-home-with-new-flooring-122024.html

If a new custom home is in your future, consider doing at least the preliminary designs yourself.  Of course you have no doubt already looked at countless home designs in magazines, but none fit your bill – exactly.

With today’s technology, computer drawing software has been made extremely user friendly.  There are a number of design software options available that the complete novice can quickly manage.  And many of these programs are powerful enough for professional designers as well.

Simple and professional.  What could be better for your own do-it-yourself custom home design software?  Now you can take the best ideas of all of those plans that you have been browsing over and try to incorporate them into your special home.

Many of these software programs offer simple “drag-and-drop” features.  This speeds up the design process considerably and allows you more time to do the more important design tasks like bathroom designs and kitchen designs and closet designs…..

Now designers, architects and builders will do this work for – FOR A PRICE.  But it may take a few generations of drawings to get to your desired home design.  And we all know that time is money!

You will gain a great deal of insight into your home when you design it yourself.  You will look at space requirements and flows that you may otherwise disregard if designed by someone else.  And some of the small but important spaces – closet, linen storage, laundry, even kitchen cupboard spaces – will get the extra attention that you deem is required.

Having this kind of input into your special new home design will be exciting and self-satisfying as well.  Imagine having you friends over raving about a particular design feature and being able to say “That was MY design idea”.

Now you will likely still have to engage someone to produce the construction set of drawings, but the design is still YOURS.  And you will truly end up with a custom home designed especially for you.

Brian A Schmidt
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/custom-home-design-software-for-the-doityourselfer-724944.html

Moroccan home décor is the answer if you’re wondering how to turn a room into a romantic retreat but you aren’t into frills or pastels. Romance doesn’t have to be all about flowers, ruffles and satin or even about colors like pink or peach. Decorating your room with the rich, deep colors of Morocco will evoke the romantic mood of Moorish Spain, a world where Spanish charm and the mystery of Arabian knights crossed paths ages ago.

Moroccan home décor features rich, jewel-tone colors with lots of depth, including red, green, blue, gold, silver and amber. You’ll find these colors in everything from the intricately carved and painted furniture to the beautifully faceted glass and wrought iron lamps, as well as hand-woven rugs called kilims.

Moroccan furnishings also have lots of textural interest. The rugs have varying length of wool pile, the bed linens, wall hangings and pillows are richly embroidered with silk threads and the furniture is deeply carved. The tactile feel of everything is sensual and delight to the senses, adding to the romantic feel of any room that includes Moroccan pieces. It’s this wonderful combination of rich texture, color and detail that makes Moroccan home décor so romantic. It looks and feels luxurious and, and luxury is always romantic.

Romantic Moroccan Accents

Kilims, or Moroccan rugs, are one of the easiest ways to add a touch of romance to a room. These colorful rugs can change the entire look of a room, bringing in some much needed color and warming up a wood or tile floor. A quality kilim can also be the starting point for every other element in your room.

Kilims are handmade in the mountains of Morocco by women who have passed down the skill of weaving them for generations. The rugs are rich in color and feature a variety of geometric patterns. Imagine lounging on one of these soft, thick wool rugs in front of the fireplace or simply snuggling on it while watching television in the evening.

Nothing sets the mood in a room more than lighting, and Moroccan lighting options definitely say, “Romance.” You can choose wall sconces, table lamps or hanging lanterns for your room that are imported from Morocco; they will all provide soft, filtered mood lighting.

Moroccan lanterns and wall sconces feature elaborately detailed metal work that mimics the appearance of lace and is inset with stained glass, giving off warm, colored light in shades of amber, green and red. Using Moroccan lights such as these for indirect lighting instead of harsh, direct light provides a warmer, more intimate feeling in your room, which is perfect for romance.

Ottomans, also sometimes called poufs, are those wonderful, overstuffed stools that made come from Morocco that are made of hand-stitched leather. Unlike the plain, sturdy varieties you see in most furniture stores, Moroccan versions are made of glove-soft, buttery leather and elaborately embroidered with contrasting threads in lacy patterns. They invite lounging, and are truly works of art for any room. Moroccan home décor wouldn’t be complete without tucking an embroidered leather ottoman into a corner for a bit of romantic lingering in the evenings.

Yes, you can turn your room into a romantic getaway without any sign of flowers, ruffles or pink. Simply take a short trip to a more exotic location for romance by way of Moroccan home décor.

Andy West
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/moroccan-home-deacutecor-romance-with-an-exotic-touch-111929.html

A Great Decorating Idea- Stencils!

Posted by admin on Feb-27-2010

How to pick stencils for your home. Uses of stencils on different materials. Finding the right pattern of stencils.

One of the fastest growing trends in home decorating recently has been stencil design. Using stencils adds a creative note to any home and you can incorporate the styles and colors to suit your own tastes. You don’t have to be an artist to have beautiful artistic expressions on your walls and furniture, you just have to have a good imagination and be able to follow instructions. Stencil designs are an easy and fun way to literally “imprint” your style on your home.

There are a number of ways in which you can use stencil design. Most people use stencils on walls, but it is also used successfully on furniture, glass such as mirrors and windows, and on fabrics. There are many people use use stenciling as a hobby and they do not even use it as an interior decorating tool, but just to create beautiful artifacts that have lovely stenciled designs on them. There are t-shirts, vases and wooden furniture that look beautiful with a stencil design on them.

The most common way of using stencil design is to create borders on the edges of walls. But with a little imagination, you can decorate an entire wall with stencils, using large patterns or repeating one pattern over and over. Consider using stencils on fabrics and covering your chairs or curtains in a stencil to match a pattern on the walls.
There are so many patterns and designs of stencils that it is easy to find one that suits your taste and decor. You can find pattern in craft shops, home improvement stores, and of course, on line. If you are considering a stencil project, be sure you lay out exactly what you want for the room or for the item you are stenciling. You can choose a fantasy look, or create a forest or garden right in your home. There are many simple, classical lines that add just an elegant touch to a room, and there are very ornate ones if that goes with your theme.

You can even carry this artistry one step further and create your own stencils. Using a pattern from the wallpaper or drapery fabric you have chosen for the room, you can trace it out and make your own design.

Though stenciling is fun and easy to do, you will have more success if you do a little research to learn the right kinds of brushes and paints to use, and how to prepare surfaces properly.

Using your imagination, doing some research, and getting involved in this interesting project will give you a unique look for your home that you and your family will enjoy.

Mr.Andrew Caxton
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/a-great-decorating-idea-stencils-109646.html

Get Creative With Shower Enclosures

Posted by admin on Feb-27-2010

It is time to liven up your bathroom’s decor. The white acrylic bathtub, white sinks, and cream vanity are certainly nice but the bathroom just looks boring. If you plan to resell your home in the near future, you need to make it look nice! The two rooms that people look the most closely at when they are searching for a new home are the kitchen and the bathrooms. Therefore, you need to make sure you keep these rooms updated. One quick tip: do not go too extreme with your creative designs. You want everything to look modern but do not go too crazy. Refrain from decorating the bathroom with your school colors or deciding that everything needs to be gold. Try to make it less outrageous and more creative. Here are some great ideas for everything from vanities to shower enclosures!

If you want to find a high quality bathroom vanity, you need to start doing some research. Most people have vanities custom-made for their home, but there are several beautiful pre-made options. Decide if you need a single vanity or a double vanity first. There are great options for both. You can opt for a vanity that sits on the floor or one that is wall mounted. You also have many choices when it comes to the counter top, sink styles, and faucets. Would you like the warm, elegant look of marble and granite or would you prefer a finished wood for the counter? Sinks can either be mounted into the vanity itself or sit on top of the counter, which is also known as a vessel sink. Check out all the options, you will love the outcome!

When it comes to shower stalls, you have more options that you even thought possible! Try to find one that has beautiful glass sliding doors. Glass really helps open up a smaller room and looks beautiful no matter what type of decor you have already. Another option is to live out on the edge, literally. Tile your shower enclosure but have the top line scalloped and chipped. Then match that pattern along the top of the shower door with a ragged wave cut. It will look contemporary and cool!

Good luck coming up with creative ideas for your bathroom!

Jane Worthington
http://www.articlesbase.com/bath-showers-articles/get-creative-with-shower-enclosures-681567.html

I’ve seen people keep Christmas lights up well into February! And they’re putting decorations up earlier, too. What’s your opinion?

it was a family tradition to start the process at thanksgiving a new decoration the color of the lights on the tree pictures etc. I put up my tree around the 1st of dec. as far as outside decorations i do the simple things on the first but the blow up things and the lights by the 15th not trying to have a high light bill and i take mines off on January 7th because the 6th is the three kings day and i as a Hispanic celebrate it but living in Chicago if the snow is above your knees oh its staying out till theirs barely snow out.