Interior-Design Articles
Let Decorating Be Easy And Fun
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 437)
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There is no reason that decorating your home has to be hard or stressful. In fact, decorating, when done well, can be fun and relaxing.
One of the first things to keep in mind about decorating is why you are doing it. I think too many people get stressed or frustrated with decorating because they forget the importance of what they are doing. Decorating is an amazing thing because you are making the space you live in more beautiful. What can be more important and more fun that figuring out ways to make the most of your space? We have all felt the difference of entering a home that has been decorated well verses a home that has not been decorated at all. In a house where decorating has been a priority we feel peaceful and at home when we are there.
Another great thing about decorating is that it allows you to learn who you are and the things you like and then show it off to others. I love entering the homes of friends for the first time because I learn so much about my friends just by seeing the place they choose to live in. I get a sense of what they value and of the small things that make them uniquely who they are. I'd encourage you to let decorating be something that helps you gain more understanding of yourself. Be proud to show off who you are by decorating your house in a way you love.
Take your time decorating. Don't allow yourself to be rushed or to be on a strict deadline. You will have much more fun and end up with a space you love if you take your time. Sift through magazines, photographs and catalogs for weeks if you have to just to gain good ideas for your own home. Learn from the mistakes and victories of your friends and families as you see their homes. Especially when you are making big decisions like what color to paint your wall or what kind of furniture to buy, taking your time will make all the difference.
Decorating can be a great way to involve your family in something fun together. Allow your spouse, your kids, or your roommates to help make decisions especially about areas they care about most. Give them reasonable boundaries, but within those boundaries let them choose things they enjoy. Decorating will be fun as you learn to do it in the midst of relationship. Whatever strategies you take on, just make sure that decorating doesn't become something you dread doing.
A Guide To Bedroom Decorating
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 346)
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When decorating a bedroom, keep in mind that the end result should produce a disitnct and memorable impression. Colors, space and decorations all set a bedroom's mood, and when put together well, can create a definite, pleasurable look.
When it comes to the arrangement of items in a bedroom, symmetry is the most important factor. The bedroom is your personal space and should not be cluttered with too many objects creating a claustrophobic effect. For a room to seem personal, special touches should be added that reflect your special loves and interests. This includes your favorite colors, books, photographs, etc. Make sure colors are balanced in subtle shades reflecting your lifestyle and interests. The older generation seems to prefer more subdued shades than the younger generation, who opt for bright, textured colors. To maintain balance, the color of a chair placed at one end of the room can be repeated on throw, pillows or carpet. Furniture in the bedroom is of utmost importance. Don't over do it with too many pieces making your bedroom look overdressed and cluttered. The size of the bed should be in proportion to the size of the bedroom. What matters the most is comfort. Therefore, a bed should offer quality, comfort and a feeling of elegance. Nightstands or side tables should be on either side of the bed for books, medications and telephone. A dressing table comes in handy for women, and dressers with lots of storage space are ideal. Ample closet space is important, as are mirrors and wall decor. Mirrors help to give a room a larger look and also help to reflect light. Lighting should be gentle and relaxing. Valence lighting is ideal for bedrooms, and colored lights can be used for added effects. Subtle light gives a romantic feeling to the room, and focused light is good for detail work like reading without disturbing someone sleeping in the room.
Finally, a bedroom should be well-ventilated, designed for comfort and always stocked with a vase of flowers for a fresh feeling.
After Centuries Of Advancement Silk Is Still The Far Superior Material For Comforters
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 739)
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Comforters are a common possession in American homes. Comforters are large thick blankets designed to make sleeping a luxurious experience. Anyone who knows how to truly get the most out of a goods night sleep, can appreciate the importance of comfortable sleep equipment.
Sleep is something many people simply take for granted. They do not approach it with the reverence that it deserves. With the proper attitude, sleep can be one of the most enjoyable parts of one's day.
When purchasing a comforter many people make the mistake of buying one that matches the theme of their room. Comforter sets that contain appealing patterns and colors are nice, but the most important purpose of any comforter is to provide comfort while sleeping.
Silk Comforters
For hundreds of years, silk has been the ultimate sign of luxury. The silk trade has continued its position at the top of the material heap, despite the widespread availability of cheaper fabrics.
The easy access to cotton has not deterred shoppers from enjoying the lavishness of a nice high quality silk. Silk comforters have many properties that set them apart from regular comforters.
Silk Production
Silk comes from the cocoon of a Mulberry-eating moth native to China. When their larval worms reach maturity, they spin cocoons from silk glands. These glands can produce strains of silk over 1000 meters long.
In the use of silk production, these cocoons are boiled to make them hard and kill the growing worm. A worm breaking out would actually break the continuous thread into thousands of smaller threads, making the production of marketable silk thread considerably more difficult.
Those interested in making thread would begin unwinding the cocoon, until it was one long piece and then begin the tremendous task of weaving the filaments together. The process for making silk comforters uses a different technique for silk weaving.
The silk cocoons are stretched into very thin layers and woven together with silk threads to make a silk comforter. Depending on the thickness of the comforter, it can take up to one hundred layers of stretched cocoons to complete one blanket.
Caring for Silk Comforter Sets
The delicate nature of silk makes washing it in a normal washing machine a dangerous task. Silk is very sensitive to water and can shrink or become disfigured in a traditional wash. Dry cleaning is the only safe way to clean silk.
Silk Duvet covers are made to be more resistant to water and can be either hand washed or placed in the wash on a gentle cycle. This is the most common form of care for duvet covers but should certainly be checked against the manufacture's recommendation.
Silk responds very well to sunlight and should be aired out when it begins to feel heavy or becomes less effective at holding in heat. Elements from the sun pull out moisture that can become trapped in the internal weaving of any silk product.
Advantages of Silk
The basic techniques used to construct silk comforters make it uniquely adept at evenly distributing heat evenly. This uniformity provides an uncompromising comfort that hugs the form of the person or people.
The weave of silk makes it nearly impossible for it to hold allergens and dust mites, making it the perfect material for someone who is plagued by allergies. This is the primary characteristic of silk that has helped it retain its popularity over down comforters.
Most comforters are designed to merely hold in heat. Silk holds heat in, but is also porous enough to draw moisture away from the body to help prevent overheating. It is light enough to be used in summer, but holds heat well enough to be a tremendous benefit in the colder months of the year.
Conclusion
Sleeping in a bed wrapped in silk can be a rejuvenating experience. A good nights sleep can mean the difference between a terrific day and a terrible one. Snuggling with your honey under a truly luxurious blanket can also provide its own benefits, which might be best left to the imagination.
Knowing how to properly care for your silk comforter can drastically increase the life of it and make it a fundamental part of your sleeping ritual for years to come. Comforters that are naturally designed to be hypoallergenic can help encourage your body to contentedly enjoy countless hours of sweet dreams.
Great Comfort With Reclining Chairs
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 94)
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Reclining chairs are the ultimate in comfort and style. Not only do they add oomph and style to the living room but at the same time they are comfortable too. Reclining chairs are designed in a specific way to provide maximum support to the lower and upper back and offer you the most comfortable sitting position.
The best part of reclining chairs is that a person can sit for hours on it without feeling even a slight discomfort.
Apart from general comfort, reclining chairs are especially beneficial to:
Seven Criteria To Help You Assess Who To Buy Window Coverings Online From This Holiday Season
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 598)
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Austin, Texas December, 2005 - Ordering window coverings over the Internet can be an unsettling thought for many. After all, there are many retailers to select from online and you are making a significant investment. How do you know who you should buy from? How can you tell one company from another? YourBlinds.com knows many questions exist and therefore provides some simple criteria to insure online purchasing success.
When comparing companies for online purchases it is important to keep in mind the following criteria; Reputation, Problem Control, Proactive Communication, Up-to-date quality website, Competence, Detailed Product Pictures, and Explanations of what the various options will do for you.
The first thing to do is to investigate the reputation of anyone you consider purchasing from. It is one thing to post testimonials from satisfied customers on a company's own website. They can be carefully controlled; positive comments included and negative excluded. Epinions.com, Shopping.com and BizRate.com are a few independent sites available to assist you in selecting a reputable online retailer. These sites invite consumers to post their opinion of their buying experience. If you do not find any independent testimonials endorsing the company, perhaps you should consider buying elsewhere.
In addition, what does the Company promise if you do not measure correctly? Or your blinds are fabricated incorrectly? Or the manufacturer forgets to include the mounting hardware? Or your new blind does not operate correctly? Do they promise to be very responsive in helping you? Or do they NOT make any commitments? If no promise is made on their website, do not expect outstanding service if you have a problem. What is not promised on a company's website is NOT part of that company's values, culture, thinking or actions.
Before you place your order, make sure you know what information you will be receiving from the company throughout the time between when you place your order and when you receive your new window coverings. Ensure that the company will automatically send you an order confirmation, the estimated ship date of your order, and the tracking number once your order has been shipped. This should be your minimum requirement.
You need to be satisfied that the staff of the company you plan to order from is competent at window coverings. How can you judge this from a website? To assess this, look for how the company presents specific manufacturer information. Take as an example, how they present information about how much the manufacturer will deduct from the width and length of your blind during production (known as factory deductions) in order for it to fit your window properly. Do they disclose this information? If they do, is it a copy of a page taken from a manufacturer's reference manual full of jargon that you do not understand? Or is it information that a knowledgeable person within the company "digested" and then had their web folks present in a format that is easy for you to understand? Expanding on this is the presence of close up pictures of the product(s) you are purchasing.
Finally, the site you order from needs to demonstrate they are competent to help you take care of what you care about. Do not be satisfied buying from a site that throws a list of available options at you leaving you to figure out how they might be useful to you. Insist that the company help you create the situation that will work best for you and what you care about.
Roller Shades Continue As Window Mainstay
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 765)
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Since the beginning of time and except for the early caveman period, windows have been an integral part of the living area for humans. Windows date back over 4000 years where home occupants were able to look outside and also allow fresh air to continually enter the occupied spaces. Imagine living in a cave where poor ventilation was the daily norm and its occupants were exposed to potential danger from other humans or animals. During these times people's lives were controlled by the presence and disappearance of sunlight. However, as economic traits were developed over time, humans desired to have privacy and sleep later than the time of sunrise, thus the creation of window coverings originated.
When actual windows were incorporated into the construction of early homes, windows were normally covered with cloth material held in place by nails at the top and somehow rolled up during the day and allowed down at night or whenever privacy was desired. As home construction evolved and windows became an integral part of the home, businesses dedicated to the fabrication of window coverings were born and production of more sophisticated methods of operation for window coverings were developed. This process led to the invention of roller shades. These early roller shades simply raised and lowered the fabric over the opening without the use of any mechanism.
As the popularity of roller shades increased, spurred on by their practicality and availability through dedicated window treatment fabricators, roller shades became a generally accepted product by society. Plain, basic woven fabrics were initially used in the fabrication of roller shades until specialty fabrics evolved over time. The light control capabilities of these early roller shades was limited yet very welcome by the consumers who wished for privacy and the appearance these shades created.
As time passed and manufacturing processes were developed, many products became mass produced and roller shades became a manufactured item which was readily available to the consumer. In the 1800's, the roller shade became highly popular and many innovations were incorporated into the product. These innovations included the availability of new fabrics and materials, operational components and additional designs. The development of spring systems adopted by roller shade manufacturers increased the mechanical capabilities of the product by increasing the ability to expand the control of the shade. This expansion meant that the roller shade can roll up on its own and stop at a desired point.
Through daily use and experience, manufacturers realized that spring loaded roller shades deteriorated much quicker than anticipated thus shortening their useful life and creating a demand for a better product. This fact accelerated the development of roller shades which could be operated by the use of pulled cords or metal/plastic chains. These newly developed mechanisms increased the useful life of the roller shade and also improved the ability to control the product in addition to the preservation of the fabric (now that the fabric needed not be touched in the daily operation of the shade.)
The introduction of sophisticated control mechanisms increased the popularity of roller shades throughout the world and new fabric materials also became available as the demand increased. These evolutionary product improvements now allow the consumer to meet specific needs such a full light control by the use of blackout materials, never previously imagined large sizes to cover modern window designs, specific translucency factors and hundreds of colors which create specific decorative ambiences.
Today's roller shades offer many years of enjoyment and practical use regardless of the specific application. Roller shades are now offered for sale almost everywhere from department stores to the corner hardware store in many instances. Yet, high quality, custom made roller shades, available through designers, decorators, specialty retail window treatment shops or Internet retailers are sure to satisfy the consumer's need and expectation since the shade is made to exact specifications in material, physical dimensions and design and control capabilities. The longevity and durability of a custom made roller shade far outdistances a ready made lower priced shade.
Since the creation of windows and the need to treat them for whatever reason, be that of privacy, light control or decorative purposes, roller shades have become and, will continue to be, a popular product that will meet the desired need. Most homes in the US have at least one roller shade in use. Now that roller shades are widely available in hundreds of fabrics, sizes and configurations, roller shades are expanding to most rooms in the house and creating a relaxed, safe environment for their users.
What You Should Know Before Remodeling
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 383)
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How ready are you to remodel? Asking yourself the following questions may help you organize your next remodeling project.
Q: Which remodeling projects are you most likely to recoup the cost of?
A: A minor kitchen remodel: 92.9 percent; siding replacement: 92.8 percent; a midrange bathroom remodel: 90.1 percent.
Q: What would make my kitchen easier to use?
A: A lot depends on how you already like to use your kitchen. If you like to bake, you may benefit from a lower counter or island. If you buy in bulk, you'll need extra storage space. If more than one cook will use the kitchen at one time, you may want to create separate work stations.
One must-have in the hardworking kitchen is a range hood. Because cooking churns out airborne contaminants like nothing else in the home can, you need a ventilating solution, preferably a high-performance, HVI-certified, ducted model, such as those made by Broan.
Q: The area around where I iron always seems to get messy, no matter how hard I try to keep it clean. Is there anything I can do to help prevent this from happening?
A: Consider an ironing center that can recess into the wall. Three NuTone Ironing Center models, the Basic, the Standard and the Deluxe, share the same high-quality construction and materials. These models can be either recessed into the wall or surface-mounted, and allow homeowners to combine all their ironing essentials into one clean, neat area.
Q: What about temperature control?
A: Bathrooms can benefit from up-to-date ventilation fans. Ventilation fans can prevent steamy mirrors, fogged windows and damp walls. More importantly, they can circumvent much deeper problems such as mold, mildew, peeling paint, warping, ruined insulation and wood rot. New models from Broan are quieter, more attractive and functional than those in the past.
Q: I live in a really small house. Are there any new ways to save space?
A: Medicine cabinets are always a great tool for homeowners looking to create extra space around the house. NuTone medicine cabinets offer value, convenience and easy installation while helping to solve storage issues. Best of all, the cabinets are so stylish that they can be used in other rooms of the house, not only in bathrooms.
Choosing Shower Hardware
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 196)
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Glass shower doors are a popular trend for all types of bathrooms. Shower doors are versatile enough to fit small or large bathrooms, and coordinate with any style of design. The hardware on shower doors can be order to coordinate with preexisting and even custom bathroom hardware. There are many options, and several key pieces that are necessary for every shower.
Shower Head and Faucet. Shower hardware makers have come a long way to develop incredible shower heads and elegant faucets. Go simple, with a standard shower head, step up with a hand massage unit, or go high end with a wall mount massager with six pivoting shower heads. The type of faucet and shower head hardware chosen is completely up to the buyer, and can be purchased within any budget range.
Towel Racks. Towel Racks come included with some shower door enclosure like Centec. With some brands however, the buyer has the option to choose their towel rack. They come in a variety of finishes to coordinate with existing hardware. They are also available in a number of styles ranging from traditional to contemporary, depending on the style of the bathroom d
Look At A Spun Glass Figurine It Will Scream Out To You To Buy It
(category: Interior-Design, Word count: 506)
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A spun glass figurine is a thing of beauty. Such an ornament is made from ornately designed crystal - a fact that will tell you how exquisite figurines made from spun glass are without ever seeing them. You can get a spun glass figurine in just about any shape you can imagine - ships, dolphins, angels, fairies, dragons and many more. Animal figurines made of glass are also very popular and for a collector there is no better gift than that of a spun glass figurine.
There is nothing as exquisite as a spun glass figurine in the shape of a sailing ship. This particular figurine stands 8 inches high and is over 9 inches wide. It makes the perfect centrepiece for a table or coffee table. Imagine how the light from a flickering fireplace will show off this figurine of spun glass to its greatest effect. When you are buying spun glass figurines, you can purchase those that are really tiny or larger models like the ship. The tiny figurines, such as glass animal figurines, look really elegant when you have them in a curio cabinet.
Children and adults alike adore glass animal figurines. If you wish you can add decorations to a spun glass figurine of an animal to give it the appearance of being in its natural habitat. However, most spun glass figurines are left alone allowing them to catch and reflect the light. Since these are delicate, they need to be kept away from places where they will be handled too much. This could lead to breakage. They also need to be dusted on a regular basis, which is why most collectors of spun glass ornaments and figurines like to have them in a display case of some kind.
Even though a spun glass figurine is mainly clear glass, you can get these figurines in colored glass as well. In a figurine of a hummingbird over flowers, having the flowers made of red or yellow really enhances the effect of the clear spun glass and shows it off beautifully. Such a figurine comes on a base of mirrored glass, which adds to the overall effect. You can also get glass animal figurines in various colors and when they are attached to green trees and plants, it makes them really exceptional pieces to add to your collection.
A spun glass figurine is not an expensive purchase. For less than $20, you can add a piece to your collection every now and then. If you do build up a collection of spun glass figurines over time, you should consider insuring it. When you add up the cost of replacing the spun glass and glass animal figurines, you will be surprised at the value you have amassed in your display. A spun glass figurine makes an exquisite gift and once people know you have a collection, they will not be at a loss as to what to give you.
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