Archive for the ‘Interior Design’ Category

A Constant Source of Comfort

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

The pillow: a soft, overlooked therapist that never complains. We’ve all dampened its sheets with our tears, and harmed it unintentionally by throwing it against the wall. The pillow is our bed partner when we go to sleep, and our cushion when we wake up. It is the friend we talk to when we our lonely and the lover we embrace when we are miserable. The pillow is an everlasting source of comfort. A house may have beds, but beds can be flat and uninviting without the presence of pillows. Who knew such a simple object could have such a profound effect on people?

The main purpose of the pillow in interior design is to accompany another soft object such as a couch, a bed, a cushion, or even a rug. One does not simply place a pillow on the floor in an attempt to make a room set-up look nicer. Despite the many uses of pillows, they cannot stand alone. However, they are able to enhance a room’s features in many ways. Pillows are versatile and diverse in the many roles they play and in the many forms they appear in. We have all seen the common stuffed square pillow lying around, as well as variants of its many shapes and sizes. Pillows are more often than not, the size of one’s head, because that is usually their purpose. However, nowadays, more bizarre shapes are popping up, from cylindrical pillows to star-shaped ones. Their sizes also may vary, and some are even as big as chairs. The variety can be confusing and make it difficult to decide what kinds of pillows you may want, but remember that many different pillow combinations can produce wonderful arrangements.

The earliest pillows have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs, apparently only having being used by the wealthy. Back then, they were purely decorative, which is a purpose that still holds true today. Throw pillows (sometimes called toss pillows) are pillows that are not designed for comfort or support, and are only added because they are pleasing to the eye. These are the most common pillows used for interior design, and are recognizable because of their heavily designed covers. The decorations on such pillows are usually used to bring shape, texture and pattern to home décor.

They are very popular in interior design mainly because they are readily available. Made of only cloth sheets for the covers and fluff (such as feathers, foam, down or synthetic fills), pillows are easy to make and thus very affordable. One can even make their own pillows using old leftover ones and making their own covers from excess cloth. A disadvantage to using them is that sometimes, the contents of a pillow cause allergic reactions to certain people. It is best to use filling that is hypoallergenic, as well as covers that aren’t dusty. By habitually cleaning the pillow, you maintain your source of both comfort and splendor.

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Home Decorative Lighting

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008

Decorative home lighting consists of many layers of lighting sources including display, general, accent, chandeliers and table lamps.Indoor decorative lighting should enhance the interior features of a home without overpowering the general, functional lighting required for daily living and home security. Within the home’s interior, decorative lighting should focus on accentuating key elements of interior design and distinguishing works of art and specialty displays with an aura of significance. Interior decorative lighting should also be used to support positive emotional states by complimenting special activities, celebrations, relaxation, and home entertainment. Lighting control systems and dimmers are important elements of interior decorative lighting because they allow for multiple themes and effects to be created with a single group of fixtures.

Because the interior lighting design of a home contributes so much to the essence of a person’s unique, individual lifestyle, lighting designers should begin their work with a careful assessment of the home’s existing décor. The dimensions of a room and its respective furnishings should be studied to locate patterns of symmetry, pattern, and color. The height and nature of the ceiling is also very important because it can function as both a direct lighting and an indirect ceiling lighting source. Not only can it function as the source of general overhead lighting, but it can also work as a source of indirect home interior lighting. Decorative cove lights and rope lights shine their light upward to the ceiling, which in turn reflects it back down the walls and into the room in an ambient wash of color and light.

It is a good idea to treat fine art, specialty display and architectural custom lighting as a separate science. Decorative lights for collectibles and fine art require special fixtures, lenses, and lamping configurations to effectively light the subtleties of fine oil paintings, rare antiques, and special edition collector’s hardbacks. Decorative lights for fine art must also have special UV and infrared filters to protect oils and canvases from the harmful effects of invisible light. As a general rule, retail picture lights do a very poor job of dissipating heat and should be avoided. We recommend using either recessed halogen lights with UV filters or a specialty art projector for advanced filtration and adjustable, optical effects. Display lights also need to be adjustable in order to balance with general lighting in the room. The best display lights are typically linear light strips with Lutron wallbox dimmers that allow light levels to be controlled at will by the homeowner.

Decorative indoor lighting also plays a role in highlighting activities and establishing a positive state of mind. Every home has certain rooms that are used for special tasks, and other areas used specifically for relaxation and entertainment. The den or bedroom is a preferred place to read. The kitchen is a place for social gatherings and festivities. The bathroom is the mainstay for personal grooming. The home theater is the place for high-tech escape from the mundane drudgeries of society. These are but a few examples of what we mean here by activities that create mindset, and they are familiar to almost every American. Every one of these locations is also prime real estate for interior decorative lights. LEDs are excellent home theater lighting and supplemental reading lights, and they use only 20% the electricity as incandescent fixtures. Cabinet and under cabinet lights in kitchens can cast a special glow over the countertop for a cooking demonstration, birthday party, or wedding celebration. Cove lights in living rooms, foyers, and kitchens can shine light up the walls wrap around the edges of the ceiling, replacing dark shadows with ambient fields of radiance.

Lighting controls of some sort are essential to every home’s interior decorative lighting system. To maintain overall aesthetics and avoid overpopulating the house with fixtures, a minimum number of actual lights should be used. A specialized electrical contracting firm such as ILD to install both the lights and a home automation, lighting control network pays off in many respects. It Spartanizes the system with a less is more approach to equipment, and it overlays multiple themes and effects onto a single set of fixtures that can be controlled at will with wall mounted dimmers and remote wireless hand held controls.

About the Author

Illuminationslighting.com. For more information on Home Decorative Lighting and Home Lighting Design visit us online.

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What You Can Get From the Patio Heater

Monday, August 25th, 2008

If you are wondering why people are crazy about patio heaters, you should know that these are those who have benefited from their new found love. They were use to be in restaurants and pubs but now, you can find outdoor heating in almost any homes with a backyard. Electric patio heaters are purchasable and can give you instant benefits so get yours today!

This kind of equipment requires a bit of work in order to maintain the quality of its outdoor heating. In order to save you from potentially hazardous situations, maintenance and safety measures should be strictly followed.

You will have to pay more on the electricity bill for electric patio heater. Without proper maintenance, you can expect more energy consumption as your heater gets older. Checking them often up will save you a lot of money. This will keep it running longer and smoother.

There will be some effort required on your behalf in order to maintain your electric patio heater. It’s quite simple really. All you need to do is follow these steps.

• Check closely for cracks, rusting, and any loose parts such as screws, wires, or bolts. An open wire may cause fires or electric shocks. Loose parts are also just as dangerous.

• Make sure that dirt doesn’t build up near your machine’s heat source. If clogging occurs inside the heater (cobwebs in the electric current route etc.), it is advisable that you contact maintenance instead of doing it yourself. Remember, if in doubt, paying a professional would cost less than buying new equipment – not to mention the possibility of losing your life.

• It is most crucial that you keep the inside of your electric heater clean at all times. You must dust it regularly with a soft brush or dry cloth. Use only a small amount of cleaning solution will do. You can even use a small vacuum cleaner for cleaning purpose. Only the base of the heater is allowed to be rinsed with water.

• To keep your electric heater running smoothly and at its optimum level, you should have it checked at least once every year. Even if your heater seems to be working fine.

• The heaters usually come with sharp metal parts. This might cause injury. Therefore, you should read the manual first before you attempt to clean the heaters. They are usually printed in the manual. Reading them before hand can save you from nasty cuts.

Accidents happen because of carelessness. Patio heaters give out heat because its what they function to do. Extreme caution and care must be practiced when you handle things such as an electric patio heater. Fire and getting hurt unnecessarily can be avoided when you follow these simple steps.

• Never let children play with electric heaters as they are not toys.

• Gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, paint thinner, and kerosene are flammable so keep them away from your electric heaters.

• If you expect your heater to be left unsupervised for a long period of time, make sure that you turned off. Advising someone to check on it every now and then is unnecessary as most electric heaters instantly heat your patio the second that they are allowed to operate.

• Unless you bought a waterproof unit, chances are you will need to cover your heater during scheduled sprinkling and whenever it rains. The best thing to do is make sure that you purchase a unit which is marked waterproof and windproof to save yourself from the unnecessary trouble.

Taking care of your outdoor heating will give you its benefits after some time. You can therefore enjoy your electric patio heaters for a long time and be able to enjoy every cent you spent on the heater.

About the Author

Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using outdoor patio furniture, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions, patio heaters, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His articles and work for market umbrellas and so on are widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShopp

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Decorating Your Home With Art Deco Design

Thursday, August 14th, 2008

There are many style options you can choose from to decorate your home in today’s day and age, even options that one would never have considered back in the 20th century or even in the past few decades. This includes one style from the 20th century that seems to be regaining some popularity recently, and that style is art deco.

Back in the 1920s to 1930s, art deco design was very popular. In that time period, art deco was considered to be functional, elegant, and ultra modern. Art deco designers would often reject the traditional ideas and materials of decoration and interior design, instead opting to use more unusual materials such as ebony, marble, stainless steel, lacquer, aluminum, inlaid wood, sharkskin, and zebra skin.

The use of harder, metallic materials to construct the furniture used in art deco design were to reflect the celebration of the machine age. Sometimes, art deco designers would alter the furniture they had to give it more of a look that fit the art deco interior design. This is why the process of Lacquering (or giving the furniture a glossy finish) was created.

In addition, art deco designers liked to emphasize clean lines and geometric shapes. Strong, sharp angles were often added to the layout of the room to emphasize the art deco interior design.

If you are considering turning your living room or bedroom into a room that accentuates the art deco design, here are some ideas and tips to consider.

Realize that there is often a pyramidal effect on the rooms that use the art deco design, thanks to the Aztec and Egyptian elements that influence art deco.

Giving your room a gradual lessening of form can present a perception of strength and endurance to those who experience your room. That is why this type of interior design was very popular back during the days of the Great Depression, as people tried to display their financial strength and stability in that dark economic period.

There are other ways to emphasize the art deco interior design in your room.

One way is to add more furniture pieces and accessories that have black and green tones to your room, as black and green are primary colors in art deco design.

Adding intriguing and unusual accessories, such as distinctive artwork, is another way to add to the art deco flavor of your room.

Another way is to have wall-to-wall carpet that coordinates well with the art deco design of your room. This would include having neutral color carpet to help soften up the intensity of the art deco interior design.

You should also pay attention to the lighting in your room, as it should match up well with art deco decorating. Lamps with geometric glass shades often work best with art deco interior design.

In addition to artificial lighting, you should also consider the natural lighting from your windows and the window treatments. With art deco design, going with ordinary-looking drapes may be your best option, though if you want to have people focus on your window style, you could consider using vintage drapes instead.

Decorating your home with art deco design involves using materials that are different from traditional materials, such as ebony, marble, stainless steel, sharkskin, and zebra skin. Lacquering is also a key component in art deco design. Art deco also emphasizes clean lines and geometric shapes, especially strong, sharp angles. Art deco design continues to make a comeback after being very popular in the 1920s and 1930s; if you want an ultra modern, functional, yet elegant design, art deco would likely be your best interior design option.

About the Author

Discover Decorating Simple, simple decorating on a budget at DecoratingSimple.com

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Ideas to Improve and Enliven Your Interior Design

Tuesday, August 12th, 2008

The old saying is “Your home is your castle.” It is where you come home from work and relax. It is where you live out the majority of your life. Obviously, it’s a very important place, and for it to be as relaxing and as comforting as it should be, the interior design of your home needs to match up to your own tastes, yet be functional as well. Here are some interior design ideas to help your home be more inviting for you.

Many newer homes are using wallpaper on “feature walls” to add some real creativity to the interior design of a home. At one time, feature walls were mostly used in commercial settings to designate certain areas. That same need is not often needed in most homes, but the fact that wallpaper has been added to those feature walls to add more color, textures, and patterns to those structures can allow homeowners to distinguish a certain area of their home without it just being a plain old wall or divider, thereby making it more appealing and practical for homeowners to use feature walls in their homes.

Another interior design idea that more and more people are using is designing your home to allow the most “Chi,” or life force, to flow through your home. This interior design idea is known as “Feng Shui” and comes from Chinese culture. It usually involves the specific placement of objects in your home so that they are in harmony with the environment, and supposedly, will help you to achieve more harmony and peace in your life. Someone who is versed in Feng Shui principles can assist you in arranging your interior design to match those principles.

Incorporating color and texture into your interior design is very important in presenting a pleasing and comfortable environment in your home. A good way to get creative ideas is to observe nature carefully and see how certain elements bring out the color or texture of a surface.

For instance, emphasizing one color by putting a lighter color next to it to bring out the contrast between the two colors is one interior design strategy to consider when trying to bring more color and contrast into your rooms. By putting similar items that have different textures near each other in the same room, you can incorporate a subtle design that blends into the room and gives it a different look, feel, and mood.

The lighting in your home is another important aspect of your interior design. Some types of light provide better light for safety and working, other types provide subdued lighting to provide atmosphere and intimacy, while other types provide lighting that is designed to highlight a certain area of your room.

For instance, tungsten bulbs emit a yellowish-white color that tend to brighten warm colors and mute cool colors. These work well in bedrooms, living rooms, and dining areas because they provide atmosphere and coziness.

Conversely, tungsten-halogen bulbs are particularly suited for accent lighting, which is why traffic lights use these type of bulbs - to emphasize the colors red, yellow, and green so you know for sure what you are supposed to do at an intersection. These types of bulbs can provide a nice contrast in warm, ambient settings where tungsten bulbs are often used.

To determine what type of lighting will work best for a room, analyze and determine what the room’s purpose will be and what elements are already in it (windows, a fireplace, etc.) By doing this, you can save on time and cost in utilizing the best lighting for your room the first time you install or put in lighting.

Your home can provide great comfort and relaxation to you, but you need to take into account several interior design aspects to get the most enjoyment and function out of your home. These aspects include the placement of objects, feature walls, color and texture and how they compare and contrast with other objects and elements in the room, and the lighting of the room. By taking into consideration these elements, you can create a home that will allow you to unwind and enjoy your home that much more.

About the Author

Discover Decorating Simple, simple decorating on a budget at DecoratingSimple.com

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Design Your Ideal Home With an Interior Designer

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

Your home is the most important place in your life. It is where the majority of your time is spent and the place where you can relax and do nearly anything you want. Being that the home is such a significant part of our lives, it only makes sense that we would want to make it as aesthetic and beautiful as possible. Some people get lucky and land on a home improvement television show, and receive an incredibly luxurious, free makeover to their house.

While the average homeowner probably will not get this opportunity, there are still ways to improve on the interior design of your home by yourself, and with the help of friends, family, and local contractors.

To renovate your interior, the first thing you need to think about is, obviously, what you want. Many people can instantly conjure up images of their perfect home, while others need a little more time to think about what would be most pleasing to them. Things to think about include color schemes, room arrangements, how much space you need, what fixtures and accessories to have, and any themes or styles you are fond of. You may also need to get new furniture, or at least clean some of it up a bit, to fit in with your vision. Do not be afraid to spend a lot of time on this step; after all, the dream is what will guide you and will be very evocative of the final product. Since you will literally have to live with the end creation, you want to make sure you will love it.

Gathering ideas is much simpler than you would expect. Many homeowners are faced with the challenge of creating a new interior design, and the market has acknowledged that problem and met it with a variety of resources. There is a multitude of home related magazines available, which include a plethora of tips and suggestions that you can choose to follow. In addition, there are tons of home related websites on the Internet, which can be an additional source of inspiration for you to use. The best ideas are often locked away in your own mind, so take some time to brainstorm. If you cannot come up with anything, do not worry. Often, you just need some time to incubate for the best concepts to emerge.

One popular, specific idea that several homeowners are deciding to go with is the beach layout. In this structure, walls are painted with ocean related colors, such as light whites, greens, and blues. Furniture should be overstuffed, comfortable, and easy to move around, for a feeling of mobility and flexibility. Rooms should be well lighted, and even the lighting fixtures themselves can have a coastal theme, such as a lighthouse shaped lamp. Depending on how far you want to take the premise, you can decorate your home with sea creature figurines and models.

If you want to fully integrate the theme in to your home’s overall environment, you can attach large items to your walls, such as fishing poles. The greatest touch is artwork, which, if chosen thoughtfully, can fully elicit the ocean experience. When you take into account all of the aspects of interior design, there is no limit to how intense a design you can create.

About the Author

Hire a well know interior design artist who specializes in window treatments and more.

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You Light Up My Life

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

When selecting lighting, remember to choose the lighting effect, not the fixture. Work with your interior designer or with a lighting consultant to plan the location and type of light you need in every room. House plans from www.slhouseplans.com come with an electrical plan, but definitely personalize it! Remember that many built-in fixtures, such as recessed downlights, are much less expensive than sconces or chandeliers. If you have a fixture allowance, you’ll be better off using simple, inexpensive fixtures, and lots of them, than a few expensive ones.
It’s also a great time to plan for any special electrical outlets. For example, you might want to install a flush, floor-mounted outlet in the living room or family room to accommodate a table lamp or floor lamp without the need for extension cords running to a wall outlet. You see this done in every Showhome and Idea House featured in Southern Living. Also, special outlets can also be installed for picture lights or for swing-arm lamps and/or the T.V. over the fireplace. Once the house is framed up, but before electrical wiring is roughed in, simply schedule a walk-through inspection with your builder and interior designer. This is the best time to verify location of all outlets, switches, and fixtures. Happy lighting!

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[Via Home Improvement]

The Pros and Cons of Outdoor Heaters

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

A house can now be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors. The indoor area would be utilized as spaces that offer resting places while the outdoor area for recreation. A house can indeed become the most expensive investment we make in our life. However, the joy and feeling of content will be fully felt if we devote our time and effort in making what we dream it to be.

It is common for a newly bought house to undergo some upgrading work. Not only this is done to turn the house into a place the new owner wishes it be but it will only increase the value of the house. Unlike a car, a house does not loose value but it will increase over years. Unless of course the house have been badly neglected and the next owner will have to spend huge amount of money in order to repair the house.

Invariably, many homeowners choose the outdoor décor route by creating beautiful gardens, with patio umbrellas marking out the boundary, lined with potted flower plants on ornate decorative vases and perhaps, a wooded pergola, making it a standout from the neighbors. It might take some time before the garden really blossoms, but when it does, a good patio garden simply brightens up a home.

Having wood furniture further enhances the look of the garden giving the environment the look of elegance and style. Wood is the best match you can have for the earthen look of the patio and this will also drive the wood base industry further. Spoil your home with good taste; it is after all your little niche in this planet.

Wooden furniture is also dominantly English style. Not only is it loved in England but is also a bit hit all around the world for its practicality of displaying ones property.

A popular term often used to describe such settings would be the word rustic, conjuring image of a house with a natural earth lane leading from the wooden gate to the garden, where guests could just lounge around, or use the patio furniture of perhaps a stool or two and a table; just handy to place the tea tray and a plate of shortbread to enjoy over the chat.

Outdoor heating is essential for places like England or any place that experiences these four seasons. Having it will mean that the garden can be used not just during the warm season but the chillier ones too. However, the idea of outdoor heaters cannot be accepted elsewhere where they experience warm temperament all year round.

Of recent times, however, there have been some moves to ban the outdoor heaters for the greenhouse emission that it is said to produce. While the notion seems amazing to ponder – one would somehow imagine emission to be related to cars and the greenhouse effect culprit to be more of the petrol guzzling Sports Utility Vehicle than the venerable outdoor heater – but the fact remains that they do produce some carbon dioxide into the air.

The key however is a more efficient use of energy. In Japan for example, office goers are directed to wear comfortable open neck clothes and opening of windows to ease the use of air conditioning. It’s the same with light bulb, hence the use of fluorescent lights to save energy and in turn reducing the amount of emission produce each year.

How does this affect your patio heater? Surely, it does not emit that much amount of energy as it comes into play only during the cold weather seasons when homeowners would sometime just want to enjoy brief stint of the outdoors. And some experts agree, stating that the impact of patio heaters is at best very minimal on global warming.

Some belief that one should opt for warmer clothing rather than use outdoor heaters. However, not a lot of people would fancy the idea of sitting outside enjoying the garden donning think layers of clothing. Furthermore, isn’t the idea of being outside during the chillier season is to enjoy the cold wind?

Whatever the issues that rises, you can be sure that the idea of being one with the nature and nurturing your own garden is here to stay. Though it has been proven to contribute to global warming, outdoor heaters is probably a strong enough reason why one would want to continue nurturing the outdoor area of one’s home.

About the Author

Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using outdoor patio furniture, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions, patio heaters, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His work on outdoor teak furniture are widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.

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Flexible Cove Lighting

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Phantom’s unique linear lighting design allows the product to be field cut for right angles, radius bends or serpentine applications. This makes Phantom cove lights exceptionally flexible and ideal for the builder constructing a custom home with eclectic interior architecture. Regardless of the bend or angle in the ceiling, flexible Phantom cove lights can seamlessly fit ceiling interiors, valances, and foyers. Many builders also install CM series linear cove lights in kitchens above custom cabinets in order to provide over the cabinet lighting complimentary to under cabinet lighting.

Phantom’s consultation services and light fixture manufacturing processes are extremely contractor friendly and highly flexible. Cove lighting fixtures are custom manufactured after a Phantom Agent conducts an extensive dialogue (and in some parts of the world, onsite meeting) with the general contractor or electrical subcontractor. The Agent will asses such things as foot candle minimum requirements, interior design themes, and interior structural keynotes that distinguish the interior architecture of a home or office. This data is then used to determine the exact dimensions for the cove lights themselves. After manufacture, the finished product will be shipped in sections labeled for easy installation in the field

Unlike fluorescent cove lighting or rope cove lights which are clearly visible to the viewer, Phantom flexible cove lighting can be repositioned inside the cove itself and hidden from normal viewing angles. This ability to conceal our light sources led to the origin of our company name-“Phantom”-because the apparently sourceless light our flexible linear cove lights and display lights produces adds an aura of mystique and special ambience to a room. Also, because of the way our strips reflect the light off the ceiling in a more diffused, even pattern of dispersal, they work better at overcoming unsightly shadows that may occur from more awkwardly positioned, bulky, and less flexible kitchen cove lighting fixtures.

Unlike cove rope lighting which is wired in series, Phantom utilizes a parallel wiring method. This means individual lamps may be replaced if a bulb happens to fail. Builders constructing large custom homes should think twice about installing rope lights in ornate and eclectic homes. New homeowners will not like the inconvenience of having to replace an entire string of rope lights if just one bulb fails. Phantom Lighting offers a much more convenient and cost effective method of maintenance due a patented engineering design that is far more original, user friendly, and flexible. Cove light strips by Phantom are manufactured cove using a heavy duty galvanized steel trim with individual festoon sockets with standard and custom on center spacing. This allows for individual lamp replacement without the hassle and cost of replacing the entire cove lighting fixture itself. It also offers additional advantages and flexibility for cove lighting upgrades. Incandescents can be upgraded to xenon or LED energy saving lamps by simply leaving the cove lights in place and switching out the festoon lamps.

Phantom linear cove lights are designed to be flexible and versatile in any residential or commercial setting where ambient, sourceless down light is required to contribute to an eclectic sense of decorum. Phantom cove lighting fixtures are fully dimmable and can be linked to automation or lighting control systems so the home owner or office manager can manipulate them at will.

About the Author

Phantomlighting.com. For more information on Flexible Cove Lights for contractors and architects, visit the Cove Lighting section of our website.

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5 Common Interior Design Mistakes

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Making interior design decisions in your home are often overwhelming and stressful. There are several mistakes that many homeowners make that can be avoided with just a little thought and planning. What are the mistakes that you should refrain from making when decorating your home?

Mistake #1 – Putting too much or too large furniture into a room.

Too much furniture in a room or extra large furniture in a small room can make the room look cluttered or even smaller. Purchase furniture with the room in mind to make sure that it goes with the size of the room, as well as your needs. When placing furniture in your room, be sure that you allow enough room to breathe. This can make a big difference in how a room feels to both your family and your friends.

Mistake #2 – Not having enough lighting.

Lighting is an important component of any room. A bright and lit room can add ambience and a feeling of welcomeness like nothing else. Whether you add lamps, track lighting, or overhead light fixtures, you want to be sure that your room is well lit and inviting.

Mistake #3 – Not making the room’s design feel cohesive.

Repeat the colors throughout the room to make the whole design of the room flow and come together. Choose a color from the sofa or pillows on the couch to use on your windows or if you like your curtains, use a color from them to add color to the couch or buy a vase in the same color. By choosing colors from existing pieces in your home and buying accessories in these colors, you can bring the entire design of the room together.

Mistake #4 – Hanging pictures and mirrors too high.

Most homeowners hang their pictures too high on the walls. You want them to be at eye level, so that they can become part of the design space. The center of the art should be 5 to 5-1/2 feet from the floor, so that they will be at the right height. Showcase your art and special pieces by hanging them at a level where they will become a focal point on your walls.

Mistake #5 – Being afraid of color.

There are many homeowners who choose to leave their walls a neutral tan, cream or white color, simply because they are afraid to choose a color. This is a big mistake, as color can add quite a bit of personality and style to a room. To choose a color that you like, find curtains, a pillow, or other accessory that you like and choose a color from it. By choosing a color from a piece that you like, you are almost assured of having a wall color that you will like.

Interior design does not have to be overwhelming or stressful. By making sure that you don’t make the same common mistakes that other homeowners make, you can make better design decisions to make your home into that relaxing and beautiful space that you want and deserve.

About the Author

If you have ever looked for that perfect piece of furniture you know what it feels like when you find. You know its right because it just looks and feels right. You imagine yourself using it in your home with ease: http://www.beyondfurniture.com.au

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