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Interior Design & Decorating Information
Quick And Easy Bathroom Decor Changes
Are you tired of the way your bathroom looks? Don't feel bad, a lot of folks are in the same boat. The bathroom is one room in the home that can look drab and run down very easily. And what if you don't have an unlimited budget to make changes in the fixtures and plumbing? Well take heart, there is lots that you can do for very little money that will totally and radically improve the decor of your bathroom.
Seeking Balance in Your Home Decor
In our homes, as in other parts of our lives, we are happier when we live with balance and harmony. Just like the rest of our lives, balance in the rooms of our homes is sometimes hard to create.
For many years, decorators and home owners tried to create this physical balance by having pairs of everything: 2 matching end tables, a matched pair of wing chairs, even sets of twin beds in the master bedroom. This certainly created a balanced room. It also created rooms that were sterile, formal and visually boring. In a formal setting or a Federal or Georgian home, this is still the way things should be to look 'right.' Our ancestors valued this perfect balance so highly that they created false doors in hallways so that both sides matched or doors that looked like windows so that the right and left sides of the back of a house matched perfectly. This can still be seen if you go to visit some of our historic homes. A notable example is the Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis, Md.
We, however, tend to prefer a more relaxed approach to our homes.
So how do we create a feeling of balance without matched pairs of everything? You can use:
Color
Dark colors have more 'weight' than light colors.
Actual size
Height, depth and width of an object
Mass
A thick bulky looking object has more ?weight? than a fragile, delicate one. Just visualize a blown glass vase and a terracotta pot of the same size.
Number
A group of several like objects in different sizes grouped together creates 'weight.' Think of an assortment of silver candlesticks.
Light
A dark corner has more 'weight' than one filled with light.
If you want to prove this to yourself, gather together a group of assorted objects and use a tabletop/mantel and try out different scenarios. Be sure you have different sizes, colors, textures and shapes. You can put a larger framed picture against one end and a slightly smaller one in front of it. On the other end of your table put a heavy pot. Do the same thing with a matching pot at each end. Try pairing the picture group with an assortment of candles in candlesticks. Each time you create an arrangement, step back and look at it. In fact, if you have a digital camera, take a picture of it. If you do this for a while you will start to get a feel for balance. You can actually give the illusion that the tabletop is tilted slightly by throwing off the visual balance.
The same effect can occur in your room arrangements. If you doubt this, close your eyes and try to 'see' a room in which you felt physically uncomfortable or slightly disoriented even though there was no obvious reason. A room in which the heavy items are all on one side of the room, almost feels as though the floor tilts. Once you have a feel for balance you can start to create a harmonious home.
Stand in the doorway of any room in your house that you feel isn?t 'right.' What do you see? Does the burgundy chair stick out like there is a spotlight on it? Does the entertainment center overwhelm the room? Do you have a TV and a fireplace battling for focal point? Do your easy chairs look like they were made for children next to your mammoth sofa? Does your fireplace mantel look like you are setting up for a tag sale? Your room is out of balance.
Move the furniture around and try different arrangements until you have one that works. Unless you have a room that is just for show like a Victorian parlor, you need to be able to use the room comfortably. Once the practical set-up is done, look at the room from different angles. If the room is out of balance use color and accessories, plants and pictures, groups of like objects, light and volume to create an illusion of balance.
Try grouping the accessories on your mantels and tabletops. Balance the entertainment center on one side of the fireplace with a tall plant or group of plants on the other. Note: avoid having the tops of everything at the same height. You might as well draw a line around your room. Repeat the color of the chair in pillows, throws, lampshades or the matting around a group of pictures. You really will be amazed at the difference it makes.
We may all be born craving balance but except for the lucky few, we have to learn to achieve it. There is a myriad of books on the subject and it can help to read them and look at the pictures, but the best way to get a feel for balance is 'hands on.' Experiment with portable objects until you get a feel for what works and then enjoy creating your harmonious home.
Purchasing Framed Art For Your Home or Office - a Novel Way to Decorate
Framed art is an ideal compliment to any room of your home or office. Decorating an environment using framed artwork is quick, easy and is usually relatively inexpensive. People generally choose framed art because it matches their decor, or because they like the actual piece and conducting this selection can be great fun because the choice is simply huge.
Decorating on a Shoestring Budget
Right now one of the most popular shows on television is, â??Trading Spaces.â?? If you havenâ??t gotten an opportunity to watch this show, the object of the game is to decorate one room in someone elseâ??s house with a budget of a $1,000. The decoratorâ??s truly struggle to accomplish this so you know it is hard when even they, trained professionals, are having problems creating the room of the homeownerâ??s dreams.
Home Décor Tips To Impress Your Friends
Step 1: Pick a motif and go with it! Don't pair your childhood bedspread
with a new wrought iron bed and lace curtains. Choose colors that remind
you of things you love. For example, my bedroom is all done in tan and
pastels, because those colors make me feel like I'm in a spring meadow.
Other favorite motifs include ocean, fall or sunset. Make it the vibe that
fills the room. This mean not just your bedding, but also any framed
artwork or standing decorations should go with the motif.
The Art Of Home Decoration
If you would have your rooms interesting as well as beautiful, make them say something, give them a spinal column by keeping all
ornamentation subservient to line.
Make Simple Curtains and Valance for any Window
Making a quick set of curtains and a valance is something that you can do even if you don?t have much sewing experience. It?s just a matter of thinking through the process and calculating for fabric needed and knowing how to use a sewing machine.
Beyond Paint: Decorating Walls With Stencils
Painting walls in various colors is a quick and easy way to decorate any room in your home. But when you're looking for something a bit more artistic and unique, you might try your hand at stenciling.
Luau! Decorating with a Hawaiian Theme
Hawaii is a first choice travel destination with millions of people - and for good reason. Bring a little of that island feeling into your home, either indoors or in your outdoor living space. You can apply this theme to an elegant dinner party, a fun and funky luau, or anything in between.
About Pine Needle Baskets and How to Use Them in Your Home Decor
Have you ever had the pleasure of strolling through a forest covered with fragrant pine needles? Can you imagine those pine needles being crafted into a basket, tray, or sculpture? In this article, you will discover the brief history of pine needle baskets and how to use these beautiful and fragrant works of art in your home decor.
5 Ways In Which You Can Make Simple Changes To Your Home Decorating
Home decorating, ever wanted to try it, but hesitated because of time constraints or budget concerns. The following ideas will not only give instant results, but more importantly fit into any budget.
Home Decorating For Smaller Spaces
?Big Things Come In Small Packages? We?re all familiar with this quote, it?s normally associated with gifts not home decorating, but it should be.
Nursery Decorating Ideas: Creating a Timeless Retreat
Decorating a baby room is a wonderful opportunity to create a carefree hideaway - a place of slumber and lullabies.
Do You Need An Interior Designer?
All of us want our homes to be places of comfort and beauty. Some of us enjoy decorating and furnishing our homes and some of us don?t. How do we decide if we need an interior designer or not?
Spring & Home Decorating - A Fresh New Look
Open Windows ? Curtains fluttering from a warm breeze ? The air smells fresh and clean ? Buds on the trees are beginning to open ? Tiny flowers are popping up threw the ground ? Finally that little bird with the red breast is back
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