Ahhh, Spring! Temperatures are warming. Crocuses are popping up, and the birds are back in action, getting their nests in good order. It's a great time, too, for people to get their own "nests" in order, and a few basic interior decorating tips can get you started on the right path.
Whether you're selecting a few pieces to freshen up a room or reworking your space from the floors up, your first and foremost consideration should be functionality. What is each piece's function - is it practical or purely decorative? If the piece has a practical use, does it meet that use? For instance, if you're purchasing a reading lamp, is the shade high enough to light a person's reading material? Or in considering window treatments, does your selection provide the privacy you need? Few things ruin an interior decorating project more than getting your purchases home and finding they don't actually meet your needs.
Functionality is particularly important in selecting the right furniture for a room. The furniture should fit the room's scale and dimensions, but it also needs to be comfortable and fit the people who will be using it most. Furniture isn't meant to just be pretty; it's meant to be used, too.
Once the functionality of each piece is decided, the old rules are thrown out: Today's style doesn't require rigidly matched suites of furniture and accessories. Personalization is the key. You can mix contemporary furniture with antiques from your local shop, or find a special piece that stands out and serves as a focal point in the space.
The old requirements for wall-to-wall carpets are gone now, too. Instead, home owners are turning to hardwood flooring for many living spaces, sometimes coupled with patterned carpets that provide interesting visual or sculpted designs.
When it comes to windows, the drapery-and-sheers routine is no longer the current style. Blinds can provide a contemporary look, while fabric treatments provide more warmth. Roman shades with a decorative panel on each side are an interesting update on the old sheers and drapes.
As long as you keep functionality in mind, your choices for window treatments, furniture and accessories are nearly endless. But don't think of the array of interior decorating options as intimidating; view them as liberating instead. Take the time to relax, think, dream about what you'd like your redesigned space to be. Start with something simple - the paint, the flooring, the sofa and then build from there.
Still feeling a bit daunted? A qualified interior designer can help identify the best choices for your space and provide interior decorating tips specific to your situation. Check with your local chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers for the names of qualified professionals in your area.
And then have some fun... and enjoy the new space you've created!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Eyelet Curtains For Easy Home Decor
In my home when I moved in I was confronted by a phalanx of venetian blinds in the many windows. I had never heard of eyelet curtains, and had in my mind the heavy prospect of replacing, or at least covering the rather unsightly blinds with draperies or curtains at great expense.
As luck would have it, one of my daughters was then enrolled in a home economics class. One day, as I gazed in despair at the unsatisfactory state of my window treatments, she asked me what was bothering me and I told her. With the enthusiasm of a high school sophomore, she brightly informed me that I need not despair. Eyelet curtains would be the answer to my problem.
She patiently explained to me (with all the smugness of a high school sophomore who had a leg up on the old man information-wise) that eyelet curtains are of a simpler and generally lighter construction than the sort of draperies we'd had in our house before the divorce or the armor plate looking draperies in Grandma's house. They are made with eyelets (how about that?!) which are designed to be slid directly over a rod, or smaller eyelets, designed to accept hardware to hang on the rod, in the manner of a shower curtain.
Having looked ahead in her home economics syllabus, she knew that in a matter of a few weeks she would be designing and making eyelet kitchen curtains, and waxed enthusiastic about the prospect of providing me with such 'discount' curtains and bringing a smile to my face. I was delighted to commission her for the job, and a couple of weeks later, we were off to the fabric shop where she got to pick the material and some colorful plastic eyelets for her project.
Well, that story had a happy enough ending. She did a nice (B+) job on the curtains. However, she did not get the sewing bug, so the kitchen curtains were her only manifest contribution to the window covering project. In the end, I went shopping for discount curtains at a local department store. I found a wide selection of ready made curtains for every window in the house. I even bought some lined curtains for the upstairs rooms in hopes that the heavier weight would limit the amount of cold air coming in, which I think they have done. I have also discovered that the lined curtains are far more effective at blocking the intrusion of light from the outside. In those windows I have removed the venetian blinds altogether.
I even found lace curtains and silk curtains, although none of those have yet made their way into our house. Still, there was no shortage of colors or designs, and I was easily able to find curtains to complement our furniture and the wall and carpet colors in the house.
Whether you are someone who has at least some ability to do your own sewing or, like me, have to shop around, consider eyelet curtains as a low cost window treatment.
As luck would have it, one of my daughters was then enrolled in a home economics class. One day, as I gazed in despair at the unsatisfactory state of my window treatments, she asked me what was bothering me and I told her. With the enthusiasm of a high school sophomore, she brightly informed me that I need not despair. Eyelet curtains would be the answer to my problem.
She patiently explained to me (with all the smugness of a high school sophomore who had a leg up on the old man information-wise) that eyelet curtains are of a simpler and generally lighter construction than the sort of draperies we'd had in our house before the divorce or the armor plate looking draperies in Grandma's house. They are made with eyelets (how about that?!) which are designed to be slid directly over a rod, or smaller eyelets, designed to accept hardware to hang on the rod, in the manner of a shower curtain.
Having looked ahead in her home economics syllabus, she knew that in a matter of a few weeks she would be designing and making eyelet kitchen curtains, and waxed enthusiastic about the prospect of providing me with such 'discount' curtains and bringing a smile to my face. I was delighted to commission her for the job, and a couple of weeks later, we were off to the fabric shop where she got to pick the material and some colorful plastic eyelets for her project.
Well, that story had a happy enough ending. She did a nice (B+) job on the curtains. However, she did not get the sewing bug, so the kitchen curtains were her only manifest contribution to the window covering project. In the end, I went shopping for discount curtains at a local department store. I found a wide selection of ready made curtains for every window in the house. I even bought some lined curtains for the upstairs rooms in hopes that the heavier weight would limit the amount of cold air coming in, which I think they have done. I have also discovered that the lined curtains are far more effective at blocking the intrusion of light from the outside. In those windows I have removed the venetian blinds altogether.
I even found lace curtains and silk curtains, although none of those have yet made their way into our house. Still, there was no shortage of colors or designs, and I was easily able to find curtains to complement our furniture and the wall and carpet colors in the house.
Whether you are someone who has at least some ability to do your own sewing or, like me, have to shop around, consider eyelet curtains as a low cost window treatment.
Beautify Your Home's Decor With Granite Tiles
Tilling is the best measure to preserve the beauty of your house. Variety of tiles is available in the market to choose out of which granite tiles are gaining popularity with time. Granite Tiles have unmatched and unique properties so they have become a great source to create attraction amongst customers. Innovative and imaginative inscription on granite tiles impart a special appearance on entire area. Granite tiles fetch pleasing responses from the people who look at them. Installing these tiles at hall area create a splendid and stately appeal.
People generally prefer to use these tiles in flooring and worktops because of the aesthetic charm it offers. One must remember few pointers while getting these tiles installed in their living area. First and for most there comes the maintenance. Since like the granite slab demands an extra look after, hence it is also compulsory for you to reseal once or twice a year to maintain the quality of granite tiles. After installation you should listen properly to the installer and follow his guidance to preserve your tiles for decades and decades. Car wax is the best product to apply on these tiles to keep them shinning and to retain its glory. Its resistance towards heat and other forms of stress makes it a preferred product for home and office tilling jobs.
Always embark onto the positive and negative aspects of the tiles before installing it in to your living area. Complete examination of the place is necessary for long lasting presence. The initial factors that need to take into consideration is the right time, which means right season to get the installation done. Moisture level, slip resistance power and foot traffic all these points are amongst the measures of consideration. Now to save time and money, several tile retailers are also present over the net in order to cater the need of people. You can choose from the variety of tiles sitting at your home's comfort. While going for a online purchasing do take care of some points. Always rely over an authentic and authorised dealer. Ask them to install tiles in your home or office by skilled and learned installer, to avoid regrets in future.
People generally prefer to use these tiles in flooring and worktops because of the aesthetic charm it offers. One must remember few pointers while getting these tiles installed in their living area. First and for most there comes the maintenance. Since like the granite slab demands an extra look after, hence it is also compulsory for you to reseal once or twice a year to maintain the quality of granite tiles. After installation you should listen properly to the installer and follow his guidance to preserve your tiles for decades and decades. Car wax is the best product to apply on these tiles to keep them shinning and to retain its glory. Its resistance towards heat and other forms of stress makes it a preferred product for home and office tilling jobs.
Always embark onto the positive and negative aspects of the tiles before installing it in to your living area. Complete examination of the place is necessary for long lasting presence. The initial factors that need to take into consideration is the right time, which means right season to get the installation done. Moisture level, slip resistance power and foot traffic all these points are amongst the measures of consideration. Now to save time and money, several tile retailers are also present over the net in order to cater the need of people. You can choose from the variety of tiles sitting at your home's comfort. While going for a online purchasing do take care of some points. Always rely over an authentic and authorised dealer. Ask them to install tiles in your home or office by skilled and learned installer, to avoid regrets in future.
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