Modern Home Decorating

Home Decorating and Interior Design Ideas

Archive for March, 2010

Colorful Tiffany Lamps For Adorable Home Decor

Posted by Jade Martins on Mar-30-2010

If you want to lighten your house with perfect country ambience, there is nothing better than antique lighting. Well it is true that you are also fishing for modernization of your house and its interiors. But if you think that modern houses do not have place for antique lighting, you are grossly wrong! Today antique lights and lamps are “in” and they will definitely enhance the modernity of your house. Rather people are going for antique lamps not merely for collecting such lamps but decorating their personal and living rooms with such lights.

The antique lights do not mean the old-looking and glassy structures hanging from roofs. There are more perspectives to antique lighting today and if you do not know the antique light business is soaring high in the sky! No wonder these manufacturers and dealers of antique or period lamps try hard to meet the demands of customers worldwide. Among many types of antique lights, some names like tiffany lamps are popular. The popularity lies in the fact that they are one of the most colorful lamps available.

Here are some of the key points about tiffany lamps:

(1)    The art and design are of prime importance in the manufacture of tiffany lamps. Use of discarded pieces of colorful glasses is the peculiarity of tiffany lamps.

(2)    Whether you want decorative lighting, chandeliers, floor lamps or wall lighting, you will not be disappointed by the huge tiffany range.

(3)    The colorful glass pieces used in tiffany lamp attract people of all genres right from old people to today’s teenagers. That’s the reason why one gets crazy over the amazing range of tiffany lamps available online.

(4)    As many types of tiffany lamps are available online too, the customer has great choices to choose from. This thing has further propelled the sale of tiffany lamps and other antique lamps as well.

Your home is truly incomplete if there is no ambient lighting in the form of antique lighting like tiffany lamps. Even for people with modern taste, there are models like modern table lamps with fabric shades and modern chrome table lamp. Along with these, if you believe in rustic charm, you can also go for traditional colorful table lamps that are available in huge ranges.

The experts however will warn you before selecting the right tiffany or any other antique lighting for that matter. Many people say that online traders have started selling duplicate content and you may spend extravagantly for a secondary item. So, beware. Try finding the best reputed website for satiating your desire for antique lighting and only then seek to choose the best! After all, you do want value for your hard earned money! The home décor has come a long way and today people pay special attention to lighting arrangements because they have to find the required peace in their house. And that peace can be enhanced by these ambient antique lighting! So, why not utilize their splendor in making our home the most cherished abode?

Daisy Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/shopping-articles/colorful-tiffany-lamps-for-adorable-home-decor-1256425.html

Don’t Overlook The Use Of Mirrors In Your Interior Design

Posted by Jade Martins on Mar-30-2010

Home accessories are becoming an integral part of creating an appealing and welcoming home. Taking pride in caring for the interior of ones home is becoming essential. Most people are finding that it is becoming more fashionable to use mirrors in their design schemes. However, it is not always easy for people to know exactly what needs to be done to achieve the look that you are hoping for. Mirrors are never easy accessories to use because the choices it all depend on many factors.

In order for you to create your ideal decor with mirrors you need to set out a proper and well established plan. The only way to do that is to actually know the space you are working with. This will involve you making those crucial house measurements and making a drawing of your space. This is the way most, if not all, interior designers work. It is ideal to keep in mind that less is always more. There is no need to go into minimalist design, it is just important to note that space is provided less clutter in the room. The next step is to work out your color scheme.

The reason why color comes after determination of space is so that you will be able to determine which type of furniture you want to have. In this you will also be able to decide on the shapes and frames that your mirrors should have.

After color comes the all important role of the mirrors. You will need to decide what role your mirrors will play in the room. Will they be for illuminating more light, or will they come in handy for creating the illusion of more space? The sole reason for this analysis is so that you will be able to easily know where to place your mirrors.

Mirrors that are used for light will always be more directly at an angle from a window and those that are used to create more space are placed in corners to “stretch” the room that they occupy. Also, the style of the mirror is important. This helps give out a message of what you are looking for in terms of style for the entire space.

If your aim is to attack the more simple yet attractive side of mirrors, then be assured that your decor needs will be catered to. Mirrors with wooden frames or even bronze frames are readily available. The beauty of it is that if you wish to spend more on your mirror then you will be able to pursue individuals who can make you a personalized bathroom mirror frame and mirror design. It is clear that contemporary mirrors need not conform to traditional shapes. Therefore, if you are feeling a bit adventurous, then you should surely look into the options of mirrors and how the role they play in design schemes.

Gregg Hall
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/dont-overlook-the-use-of-mirrors-in-your-interior-design-70437.html

Ti(l)ed to Your Current Decor?

Posted by Jade Martins on Mar-30-2010

In my last recent articles I touched very briefly on the subject of tiles. This time I’ll elaborate a bit further.

Stone, metal, glass, and prefab hybrid. These are all tile styles that have become so popular over the last few years thanks to technological advances in mass producing it. As a result, one would think ceramic tiles are outdated, in a “good for grandma’s house” sorta way. Grab a chair, you are in for a shock.

Ceramic tiles these days are almost red carpet material. Yes they can be a price premium. It’s mostly the deco tiles that will set you back your prettiest penny. But if you have the cash, there isn’t much else to say – except to say it’s bloody well worth it.

At any worthwhile ceramic tile showroom you can easily spend hours upon hours just trying to pick a design and commit to it. And of course with anything ultra cool, once you have made up your mind you’ll inevitably walk by yet another selection of tiles and be transformed into a drooling, indecisive idiot. I’ve been to a ceramic tile showroom in west LA recently that literally blew my mind. It was complete sensory overload.

Ceramic tiles are made of a certain type of clay, which is fired at a certain temperature. At this point someone waves a certain magic wand and presto! Ceramic tile. Ok, that last part isn’t necessarily true, but at least now you know a few steps in the process. The difference between this and porcelain tile (to the consumer) is that ceramic tiles tend to be more artisan, less perfect, more irregular, more striking. On the other hand, porcelain tiles tend to be much more streamlined, much more perfect. Because porcelain tiles are fired at a much higher temperature, it is much more durable than ceramics. Yet most people tend to gravitate towards ceramic tile.

Typically the more perfect something is, the more beautiful we find it. When shopping for tiles, that’s not the case. Ceramic tiles’ beauty lie within the flaws and inconsistencies. Ceramic tiles just have an undeniable charm, and for the most part they look handmade. Of course looking handmade comes part and parcel to actually BEING handmade, but I just thought I would point out the obvious. OK, pointless fact time is over.

I’m a huge fan of using ceramic tiles, but I have to be honest, they are a frickin’ pain in the behind to install. Within the process of making ceramic tile, there can be as much as an 8% warping during the cooling process, for whatever reasons. So, when you do start tiling you can normally see a few tiles sticking out and looking odd. It will start to look less and less like you’ve been poked in the eye once you are around 50% completed with the tiling. At this point, the irregularities come together and you start to see the imperfect magnificence of it all. So if you’re new to laying ceramic tile, try not to have a cow when you see what looks like blatent flaws in the product, because when it’s all finished those imperfections will only add to your satisfaction.

Ceramic tile has a limitless design application really. You are only at the mercy of what you’re capable of dreaming up. There’s so many different colors, glazes, shapes, sizes, elements, repeating patterns, … ok, ok… I think you get the picture.

When in Rome, learn frickin’ Italian. (oh, and do as the Romans do) When in a tile showroom, learn what tile goes where (oh, and do what the Romans do). Here are a few factoids worth your attention when shopping for ceramic tiles:

  • Field tile is anything that will take up the most space on a wall or floor. It’s typically tile that lacks elaborate designs and decoration.
  • Base molding tiles run along the floor, at the bottom of a wall.
  • Rail molding tiles are normally used to top off a half wall of tile, creating a textural separation between your normal wall and the tile design.
  • corner (or crown) molding tiles are used where the top of the wall meets the ceiling.

To add flare to your tiling, you can use a border molding, which will run along the wall in a row, or you can insert a deco tile. Deco, or “decorative tiles” are used as accent pieces, in between moldings. You woudn’t use deco tiles together because in the first place it would just be too expensive, and in the second place it would end up looking as tacky as your ’80’s acid-washed jeans.

Deco tiles are only used as beautiful accents, splashes of decoration within an overall wall or floor tiling. Just by placing a few deco tiles strategically in your design you will make the most of your efforts.

So whether you think your interior living room needs a feature wall of ceramic tiling, or you just need to tear up your washroom and go nuts, ceramic tiles are a worthwhile and wonderful option to consider.

Peter F Gibson
http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/tiled-to-your-current-decor-744052.html

How to Make Money at Home With the Right Design

Posted by Jade Martins on Mar-30-2010

When running a home business, there are a number of facets you are going to have to focus on. Everything from writing the content to promoting your business to dealing with customers will be on your list. However, it is vital you do not overlook the importance of a quality design as well.

When wondering how to make money at home with a web site, you have to understand the design of your site can have a drastic effect. The first thing you want to focus on is the header. The header is the first thing people are going to see when arriving at your site. You want to make it large and bold so it stands out. Try to come up with a catchy phrase or something that will entice people to read on.

From there, you want to highlight specific keywords or sub-titles throughout your web site. Most people are not going to take the time to read all of the content on your web site. By highlighting specific words, people will be able to quickly find the information they are interested in.

Something you certainly want to highlight is the benefits of your program or company. People are more interested in how they are going to benefit from what you have to offer as oppose to you going into extensive details about your company. Keep it about the customer.

The next design tip for how to make money at home is to keep everything spread out. The more cluttered your site looks the less time people are going to spend looking over everything. It is fine to have ads and graphics, but try to keep everything spread out. Putting too many flashing banners and ads on your site is only going to turn off your visitors.

It is important you have a good balance between your graphics and content as well. You do not want to have all of your graphics at the top of the page and all of your content at the bottom, or vice versa. Instead, the two should interchange evenly so that your web pages flow smoothly.

The last tip for how to make money at home is by placing your contact information somewhere on your site so that people can easily find it. You want visitors to easily be able to contact you with any questions they may have. This shows that you are professional and are more than willing to talk and answer questions.

The design of your web site can say a lot about you and your business. Take the time to create a design that is professional and appealing at the same time. You want to be proud to show off your web site to others. If people can easily find their way around your site and quickly find what they are looking for, they will be much more inclined to refer your site as well as come back themselves. You will be surprised at the kinds of results you see with a well-designed web site.

Chelsie Lloyd
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-business-articles/how-to-make-money-at-home-with-the-right-design-729179.html

An Easy Way to Have More for Your Future

Posted by Jade Martins on Mar-30-2010

The biggest investment that most of us make is in buying our home. And, most of us don’t really consider the real cost of the home when we negotiate the purchase price. We’ve decided that we want to purchase a new home; our banker or real estate agent has shown us how much we can afford based upon our income, down payment and credit rating; and we’re ready to look at available houses.

Then we find a house that we fall in love with, and we negotiate the price. For many of us, as we envision our family and possessions in our new home, the purchase has become fully emotional. We even imagine the decorating that we will do to make it truly "ours".

Then we sign all the papers and begin making those monthly payments, not giving another thought about how much we are going to pay for our new home in the long run. We have forgotten or ignored the fact that over the term of the loan, interest can double the real cost of our house. For example, if we remain in our house with a conventional $200,000 mortgage, over 30 years, it would cost us $231,677 in interest – more than double the original cost of the home.

Many of us think that we can save money if we just re-finance at a lower interest rate, but we usually take the equity that we’ve have accumulated, so we just start all over again with a new 30 year mortgage – with an even higher balance! The only ones who win this scenario are the bankers.

But what if there were a way to pay down your debt in 1/2 to 1/3 of the time? Would you be interested? Not only is it possible to pay off your mortgage, but pay off ALL your debt, save thousands of dollars in interest and not change your current lifestyle. And, it’s really easy.

We can show you how with a free, no cost, no obligation analysis. It may not be for you, but you have nothing to lose and possibly a great deal to gain.Drop me an email at info@moreformyfuture.com, if you’d like to know more. 

Susan Carter-Joyce
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/an-easy-way-to-have-more-for-your-future-732111.html

The Role of Lighting in Interior Decorating

Posted by Jade Martins on Mar-30-2010

The types of lighting used in a room can dramatically change the way that room looks. Lighting can be a complicated issue, so let’s start by defining some lighting terms.

Incandescent lights. These lights give a nice, golden glow to a room. They are much nicer to use than the cheaper looking flourescent lights.

Downlights are round or square cannisters, usually metal, that are recessed into or mounted onto the ceiling. These lights could be used as spotlights, floodlights or for general lighting.

Table lamps can be used as task lighting or for general lighting.

Uplights are normally one-bulb lights that are placed on the floor behind furniture, glass shelving or plants to give them a dramatic accent.

Strip lighting can be used behind shelves and on stairs and platforms for a dramatic result. The platforms lit this way can appear to be floating above the floor.

Track Lighting. A track makes it possible to use one electrical outlet to supply electricity to many lights along the track’s length. The track can be surface mounted or recessed. Track lighting is one of the most versatile lighting systems available and can be moved around to accent different areas of a room.

Track lighting and recessed lighting can be set to produce an effect called wall washing which, as it sounds, washes an entire wall with light.

Dimmer switches give the ability to provide a different level of light by turning the knob. Dimmers save electricity and provide mood lighting for special occasions.

Different rooms in the home need different lighting. Halls and stairs should be well lit to prevent accidents. Livingrooms need a mixture of lighting options: background, task lights and accent lighting. The best lighting for kitchens is bright overhead lights and extra under-counter lights for task lighting.

All types of lighting fixtures can be found for whatever your needs may be. They can run from very inexpensive to extremely high cost fixtures.

There are special considerations when using lighting for art or wall hangings.

If you are lighting a single picture or painting, try to place the light so that it does not show a reflection on the glass of the art piece. There are special picture lights made especially for lighting pictures but some of these are not very effective since they can only highlight the top or bottom of the picture. Downlights are a good alternative.

When lighting a group of pictures, it’s better to use individual lights in track lighting that can be positioned towards the pictures.

Lighting sculptures can be particularly challenging. You can use uplights, downlights or even strip lights, depending upon the sculpture and its placement. Experiment with different lights and their placement to get the best effect.

Creative use of lighting can really enhance your decorating project. Make use of all of the different types of lighting to make your home a beautiful showcase.

Jude Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/the-role-of-lighting-in-interior-decorating-110188.html

Help! I need decorating ideas for my bedroom?

Posted by Jade Martins on Mar-29-2010

I’m moving into a new bedroom in my house and I have no idea how to decorate. This room has to last me for the next three or four years, until I’m done with college and move out. It’s a medium size room and I’m not working with any major design obstacles. I don’t like really big surfaces of bright colors in a bedroom, but I don’t mind little pops of a bright color. I’m pretty sure I’m going with this bedding set http://www.target.com/Modern-Home-Flocked-Leaf-Comforter/dp/B000Q5TC76 with white sheets. I’m also considering painting my walls a color similar to these curtains http://www.target.com/Home-Faux-Silk-Window-Panel/dp/B0027EYT36/ref=sc_pd_gwb_1_title

So here are things I need advice on:
-whether or not to go with that wall color
-color of the carpet i should buy (we have to replace it anyway, the rug in there is old)
-if a red throw blanket at the end of my bed would be able to fit with the wall color
-what kind of window coverings i should get (there are two windows, each on a different wall, but only one is usable because the other has an ugly view of the back porch so you have to keep the curtains closed)

So please give me any fun ideas you can think of… I was also thinking about putting orange Christmas lights around my closet door because I like the kind of glow orange lighting gives at night.

Also, how can I make my walls not boring? Right now I only have one photograph, which is this one http://www.art.com/products/p13586733-sa-i2381289/marilyn-monroe.htm?sorig=cat&sorigid=0&dimvals=0&ui=191c65742c764927959d3aac9e84e2cb&searchstring=marilyn+monroe
but I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy this as well http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41300129

Thanks for any ideas you can give me. By the way, I’m not a very crafty person so nothing too challenging in that area haha.

1] wine with black, gray, and red? NO, too dark; and the wine will clash with the red.
Mybe paint walls red to match throw; or one red, rest white/off white
2] a light neutral – gray or beige
3] see #1
4] black lace,
gray sheers,
solid black, or gray