Tag Archive: Interior Design


Home Improvement – Putting Up Wallpaper

Filed Under: Interior Design
Aug.09, 2011

The right shade of paint can really add life to a room. It sets the tone and mood of the space, whether in the kitchen or in the bathroom. If you really want to give the room some personality and life, however, wallpaper might just do the trick. All sorts of patterns exist, from the festive to the elegant, for children and adults. Lining the walls with wallpaper does not require much technical know-how, and anyone with a little patience should be able to finish the task. Here you will find some advice on putting up wallpaper.

The first thing to do is decide on the pattern that will achieve the look you want for the room. Take for example a child’s bedroom. Trains or superheroes will delight the child each day. For a den, however, wallpaper featuring quieter patterns is more appropriate. After settling on a design, then the walls must be measured, starting at the top of the baseboard and ending at the ceiling. Bear in mind that one roll of wallpaper often provides around 29 square feet of paper. When performing measurements, use a level to mark plumb lines in order to place sections of wallpaper together so that the pattern is not interrupted. Also, before adhering the paper to the wall, cracks in the wall must be filled and any mildew must be eliminated.

Another step to complete before actually hanging the paper is to remove wall plates and fixtures, of course only after shutting off the power to the room. As you cut the wallpaper, be sure to leave it about 4” longer than the measured height of the wall. As you cut piece to piece, be careful to match the pattern up before adhering the paper. Do not get too far ahead with the cutting, as you should cut no more than three strips at a time. This allows you to be sure that the pattern fits together properly before being left with a bunch of unusable paper.

When applying paste to the paper, do so with the pattern side facing down and using a brush. Coat all but 1/3 of the strip with paste. Do not use too much paste or else it will lose its adhesive quality. Folding each of the strip’s ends back, move it up on the work area and finish applying paste. It is now time to tack the paper to the wall, making sure that you align it and center it properly. This is important because all subsequent strips must use the first as a guide.

Continue the procedure as you have been, and soon the room will take on a life of its own with picturesque wallpaper. Once a strip is adhered to the wall, creases should be smoothed out and bumps removed before it has a chance to dry. Next thing you know, you will be finished. Putting up wallpaper is not an arduous task when care and patience are applied to the job.

You can read more articles, on a wide range of topics, by visiting www.clicklooklearn.com or www.thereferencepoint.co.uk

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Eclectic Style Essentials

Filed Under: Interior Design
Apr.19, 2010

A home adorned in eclectic style comprises a variety of themes that are pulled together for a well-balanced feel. The biggest advantage of eclectic style is that you can choose pieces from various styles and fuse them together. Maybe you adore the perfect lines of modern decor, but want to add a few conventional or country rural pieces. Maybe you like French country but want to add modern pieces as well. An eclectic approach will let you utilize all of these sources. It will require a great eye for what goes together to pull together an eclectic style. Decorating with a theme is simpler because it helps to have a common thread. When producing an eclectic style, you need to find acute similarities and contrasts. The following tips will help you to produce an eclectic room.


Shifting the Conventional Rules
To start, forget what you thought you knew about decorating. You are going to discount the fact that furniture comes in “sets” and buy only pieces you want. These sets are foreseeable and can be tiresome. You do not have to contain yourself to one type of wood. Instead of getting all oak or pine, get various pieces in mahogany, cherry, and other types. Make sure that the different pieces of furniture mix with texture, style, color, etc. or for out of the box themes, like an antiquated window frame used as wall art, or an old garden gate re-purposed as a headboard.


Producing a Balanced Area
You have to balance things out. For instance, take a rug from India and set it underneath a round oak table and an oak hutch. A hardy oak table is resonant of the country style, but bringing in a rug that is brightly colored with navy blue, burgundy, and forest green grants the space a totally new look. The style of the room can be further altered with accents. You can add understated elegance with an unusual flavor with accessories like a burgundy candle in an Asian style brass wall sconce holder – which also functions to pick up color from the rug. Use navy blue fabric with cream trim for chair coverings. Antique china collection plates with a blue and white design are commonplace and are an ideal accent piece for a dining space. This room can have a blend of country, quaint and modern using these different elements. The plates on the walls and the rug bring out the saturation of the colors and give the room proportion. These pieces also have a light background in common, in addition to having a reasonably quaint motif. Some components, like rooster plates, for example, are too folksy country and would have neglected to attain a proportion in the room. There are a number of things that draw this room together. For one thing, the accent colors all have the same chroma and are dispersed throughout the area space. Oak furniture inclines to mix into the background amid richer pieces, toning down the motif of the space. The chairs have the simplicity of modern-day style, but they are discerning enough to go with the theme. Simple oak furniture and coordinating linen coverings can work well to balance more exotic accents.


Using Less Pieces
When applying an eclectic style, it is easy to overdo it. The foremost thing is to try setting individual pieces together and seeing how they look. Order heavy pieces throughout the space as proportion is essential; you do not want large items set up together. The astuteness and lucidity of colors is also important. Pastels blend well because they are all clear and light.


How to Blend Multifaceted Components
In order to make an eclectic style work, it is essential to merge elements on various levels. For example, you can combine styles, such as contemporary and rural, but it is also important to combine unique woods and materials. You can complete the feel by placing items from different styles, such as an antique vase and a modern table, next to each one another. Combining one piece from a different style into a space that is otherwise one style, will make it look as if you resolved to put a mismatched item into a room instead of a fashion theme.


An Eclectic Room You Adore
It is important to love the pieces that you put in the area because you are the one who has to reside there. This can be as simple as contributing your favorite color with a piece of pottery, a modern sculpture or paintings and prints. You can mix all of these items in one room by using the same color to unify the different pieces.

Article written by Carol Mcguire of WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, check out our selection of wall hanging candle holders & wine decor for kitchen online.

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Interior Design Based on Chinese Feng Shui

Filed Under: Feng-shui
Mar.27, 2010

Home style that commonly used in Asia is very interesting. In China, there are some rules of the culture in creating interior design with the purpose of capturing the beneficial Qi and protecting it from negative energy. According to the feng shui master, this culture is created because the ancient people would look for a sheltered spot where the wind was not too harsh for their settlement.


Feng shui can be adapted to the modern home without regardless to the rule. The first tips on feng shui are you need to keep the door and pathways unblocked. The purpose is the Qi hoped to flow into your home.


During the day, the doors and windows would be good to be opened in order to let the fresh air in and let it circulates. You will also be suggested to have some indoors plants, but not too many. And then keep your home clean and tidy because it will bring comfort to all family members.


Next rule is about the bedroom, it needs much feng shui touch because the importance of this room is for relaxation. The first thing to make the bedroom as a relaxing place, you need comfortable furniture in proportion to the room. It is not good have too many furniture in small room either as if you have little things in a huge room.


It is important not to use too many round or circular shapes because it denotes motion. In the other hand you can choose furniture with square and rectangular shapes because it will give sense of stillness. However, the feng shui rule said that placing television in your bedroom is not good because you can see your own reflection while lying in bed.


When we go for interior design living room, you can arrange for furniture so people can sit around together. But still you must arrange for space to move within the room. Generally interior design for this place consists of sofa, coffee table and TV but it would be nice if you put soft fabric and soft cushions because it will make relax.


It is also recommended to have some sort of nice metal sound. You can post a chinning clock, the sound of piano, even recorded piano music. According to the feng shui, these arrangements can help to keep Qi clean and clear.

Know more what Feng shui said about your home design, read in interior design room

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How to Decorate in Contemporary Style

Filed Under: Interior Design
Mar.19, 2010

If you like keeping current with today’s styles and designs, then a contemporary style might be the perfect decor choice for your home. Today’s contemporary styles are a far cry from several years ago and are no longer as cold and unwelcoming as they once were. Rather contemporary styles today tend to be lighter, comfortable and very welcoming.

So what exactly is needed to create that contemporary look? Simplicity, clean lines, and sophistication are the main components of this design style. When decorating your home in a contemporary style, focus mainly on size, shape, and color. The fresh, sleek look that results will fit just about any room in the home. If a contemporary style seems like the décor choice for you, here are some other important features to consider.

Contemporary Color Choices for Your Room
Contemporary styles tend to incorporate mostly neutral colors, although modern variants are adding more colors such as blues and greens into the mix. Traditionally, black is often the color used to ground the decor, creating a base for the look. It’s best to keep walls neutral, using tones such as light gray, white, and light tan.

A new trend among contemporary styles is the monochromatic theme. In this approach, you choose one or two complementary colors such as green and blue and work with only those colors, adding in one or two punches of a neutral color such as black or white. Following this style, you might add white pillows to a modern light-blue chair.

Accentuate the Lines and Geometry of the Room
Distinct lines are an important component of contemporary style. You can use geometric shapes and bare windows to establish definite lines in your décor. Don’t overcrowd the space. You need each and every piece to stand on its own and not get shuffled in with everything else.

Choose Sleek and Modern Furniture
When you go to furnish your room, look for sleek and modern pieces that have geometric patterns. In a contemporary-style room, a big plush, comfy sofa might seem out of place. But a sleek wrap-around sofa with exposed peg legs would definitely fit right in. Upholstered furniture should be neutral, in tones such as white, black, tan, and gray. You can also consider purchasing contemporary oak furniture. Avoid furniture with frilly accents or pillows, or pieces with skirts or trim on the bottom.

Contemporary Decor That’s Basic, Bold and Functional
It’s important to remember that with contemporary style, less is more. In other words, you need to eliminate the small, cute, little things and focus on larger objects. Avoid any floral or paisley prints, as well as fringes and ruffles.

Decor should be basic, bold, and functional. For a shelf or table, all you might need is a simple large candle on a dish. Another contemporary accent might be a glass vase with colored balls or marbles. Just limit your accents to one per surface area, and keep some surfaces bare.

Contemporary style can create a great look for practically any room in your home and can be achieved with something as simple as new living room or bedroom accents. Before you invest, however, be sure this is the style you want. Contemporary pieces are very difficult to incorporate into other decorating themes.

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Simple Ideas for Your Kitchen Flooring Project

Filed Under: Interior Design, Kitchen Remodeling
Mar.16, 2010

It’s always best to choose a kitchen floor that will work well with the style and look you wish to achieve in the room. Although people tend to go for certain flooring options more than others, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to fall in line. If you’re looking to put flooring in your kitchen, here are a few different options to consider.

Wood Flooring for the Kitchen
It’s very common for kitchens to have wood flooring. Overall, wood floors tend to be one of the most popular types of flooring options available. If you decide to go with wood floors, you’ll have several different types of wood to choose from. The warmth that’s inherent in wood adds character to a kitchen space, whether it’s a basic pine slat or a trendier, more environmentally conscience bamboo wood floor. Consider your kitchen’s style and theme, and choose a color and type of wood to fit that.

Tile Flooring: Timeless and Tasteful
Tile flooring in the kitchen is also very popular. With this type of flooring you have many different options to choose from, from different colors and designs to a variety of materials. For instance, you can choose from plain tile floors, ones that are laid out in a design, and others that resemble stone or are decorative. If you’re looking at ceramic or porcelain tile, both require little maintenance. In addition, they’re resistant to both stains and scratches. However, do be careful not to drop anything upon the tiles, as they can crack.

Laminate Flooring in the Kitchen
If you’re looking for a less expensive choice for the kitchen floor, consider laminate. You have a variety of options to choose from when it comes to the new laminate flooring that’s available. One popular option is a laminate floor that looks like a wood floor and can easily pass for real genuine wood. Also available are laminate floors that look like tile as well as plain laminate floors, which can provide the perfect neutral in a visually striking kitchen. The reason may people choose laminate floors over a tile or real wood floor is that they can be installed easily and cost much less.

Concrete Flooring in the Kitchen
Although people don’t always think of a concrete floor for the kitchen, they are actually becoming increasingly popular. It’s important to note that a concrete floor designed for the kitchen differs from a regular concrete floor. These concrete floors are decorated and stained and often have patterns and colors incorporated into their matrix. Concrete floors are very reasonable when compared to real wood floors and are also remarkably durable.

Vinyl for a Kitchen Floor
If you’re looking for another inexpensive flooring option, consider vinyl tile or sheet. When people think of vinyl, they often think of the old linoleum floors of the past, but vinyl has actually come a long way. Now vinyl comes in all kinds of patterns, colors, and designs, and can add much style and beauty to any kitchen. One of the best advantages to vinyl is that you can really save money by installing the floor yourself. With its versatility, you can make a clear statement with that vinyl tile floor or let it be a quiet, calming addition to your kitchen. There are thousands of options, so it’s up to you what type of vinyl tile you choose.

You have many flooring options for the kitchen—these are just some of your choices. If you’ve narrowed down your selection to a couple of options, then you need to go and find out what’s locally available to you. You’ll be surprised when you find out just how many options are available to you.

About the Author…
Leon Tuberman has been in the home furnishings and interior design industry for 4 decades. He owns and operates his family owned furniture store. They carry a large selection of American made solid oak furniture for your home office, dining room and bedroom. It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping for dining table for your kitchen or formal dining room or wood file cabinet for your dorm then they carry everything you need.

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Lighting for Your Kitchen

Filed Under: Interior Design, Kitchen Remodeling
Mar.02, 2010

You probably have more lighting options than you think, depending on the style and layout of your kitchen. When it comes to lighting a kitchen, there are plenty of options, but not every selection will fit with every type of kitchen. Here’s a list of options to consider when choosing your kitchen lighting.

Under-the-Cabinet Lighting Can Enhance the Look
You can definitely enhance the look of your kitchen by installing under-the-cabinet lighting. The key to this kind of lighting is to pick a type of light that best fits your layout, particularly that of your cabinets. There are certain things you’ll need to consider before diving into the project, such as which areas of the kitchen you’re going to want lit. The three different options for under-the-cabinet lighting include incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, and LED lights. You can determine which will work best for you and your kitchen by doing your research on each type of lamp.

Decorative Lighting Can Add Style
You’ll want to consider decorative lighting if your major concern is making sure your new light fits the style of the room. You might choose a light that hangs from the ceiling or one that lies flush with it. Examples of decorative lighting include products such as chandeliers and pendant lights. These types of lighting fixtures not only look attractive but also will provide plenty of light for the room. To make the light look even more appealing, choose a fixture that matches the style or theme of the rest of your kitchen.

Track Lighting Is Great in the Kitchen
If you have seen any pictures of or toured any new homes lately, you’ve probably seen track lighting in the kitchen. More and more people are going with track lighting in the kitchen these days. The reason for its popularity is that track lighting allows you to direct your lights where you need them the most. Thus, you can get your best lighting by the stove or countertops. Track lighting is also now much more attractive than it once was and is available in a variety of styles and designs. You also have more options than the traditional simple straight line. If you want to get creative, you can also get a track that’s curved or that follows an “S” shape.

Recessed Lighting Is Common in Kitchens
Another popular lighting choice is to install recessed lighting in the kitchen. Recessed lighting is actually installed right in the ceiling. Similar to track lighting, most recessed lights are aim-able, so that you can point the light at whatever spot you want in the kitchen. The clean and streamlined look offered by recessed lighting makes it a great choice for contemporary and modern kitchens. Plan on hiring a professional to do the installation in the ceiling, as this will ensure that it’s done properly and safely.

These are only some of the kitchen lighting options available these days. With a little research, you should be able to find a type of light that goes with the décor in the kitchen and emphasizes the beauty of the space.

About the Author…
Leon Tuberman has been part of the home furnishings and interior decorating  business for 40 years. He is the owner and operator of popular furniture store in Los Angeles. They offer a huge assortment of solid mission furniture for your living room, bedroom and dining room that’s built in the Heartland of America. Are you looking for a wood dining table or dining room chairs for your dining room  then they probably have everything you need.

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Easy Theme Ideas for Teenager Bedrooms

Filed Under: Bedroom, Interior Design
Nov.05, 2009

Those of you with a teen at home know that decorating a teenager bedroom is not the easiest thing in the world. Some teens know just what they want—it just may not be possible depending on your budget. For other teenagers, it’s more a matter of caring what their room looks like, as many of them don’t. If you’re having a difficult time finding a theme idea that meets with your teenager’s approval, then here are some great ones to consider.

Theme Ideas for a Teen Girl’s Bedroom
For many teenage girls, the color scheme is the most important thing to consider when it comes to their bedroom. Pink and brown, turquoise and brown, and purple and white are all very popular color schemes for a teen girl’s bedroom. Plenty of accessories and fabrics are available in all of these types of color schemes that will work great in your daughter’s room.

The glamorous style is a popular theme for a teen girl’s bedroom. This theme doesn’t have to be as expensive as it sounds. You should be able to easily find accessories, furniture, and other décor items that fit the theme without breaking your budget. Anything with jeweled or glitter accents will work. Try a fake glass chandelier, or a leopard-print lamp on the nightstand for instant glamour.

If glamour isn’t your daughter’s thing, consider a modern or funky style. You will definitely need some input from your teenager if you decide to go with this style. Bright colors are a hallmark of modern style, along with unusual or contemporary artwork, designs, and patterns on the walls. Do be sure to not get too trendy or out there with the décor, though, as you don’t want your teen tiring of it within a few months.

Here are some other great theme ideas for your teenage girl’s bedroom:

· French theme

· black-and-white theme

· stripes-and-shapes theme

· floral theme

· romantic theme

· cheerleading or dance theme

Theme Ideas for a Teen Boy’s Bedroom
Most teenage boys don’t tend to show much interest in their bedroom theme, throw in a couple of wood nightstands and wooden bookcases and they’re satisfied, unless of course they are truly passionate about an activity or hobby. Chances are that your teenage boy will simply want to choose a color scheme for the room and then leave it at that. If this is the case, then suggest a color scheme that goes beyond black or blue. You can add interest and color to the room by involving other colors such as turquoise, green, red, yellow, brown, and orange.

A sports-related décor is very popular amongst teenage boys. You could either concentrate on just one sport, such as baseball or basketball, or you might go with a more general sports theme. Decorating the room with their favorite professional or collegiate team is another option. Sports themes are generally pretty easy as long as you don’t go overboard and clutter up the room.

A car theme is another popular bedroom idea. There are plenty of different ways to implement this theme, depending on whether your son favors old classic cars or the current hot racing cars. You can frame and hang pictures of cars on the walls, or for a really creative touch, paint a mural of a speedway in the room.

Some other great teen boy ideas for the bedroom include:

· music theme

· skateboarding theme

· technology theme

· surfing theme

· camouflage theme

· wilderness theme

The experience of decorating a teen’s bedroom should be enjoyable for both the parents and the kids. Suggest some of these great theme ideas to your teenage son or daughter; you might just end up scoring some parent points with your teen.

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