Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Bedroom And Bathroom Renovation Ideas

By Edward Anderson

Ahead of making any home renovations yourself, it is important that you have a full picture of the areas you want to modify in your home. There are bunch of renovation ideas than you can go for. It is critical that you get yourself exposed of these ideas so that you will be able to stretch your home renovation plans and come up with several design options and finally choose the best one that fits your taste.

Let us start with the bathroom. At present, the bathroom is being acknowledge as one of the most important rooms of a house. Planning a renovation for this room must thus be carefully plotted. To get off the ground, examine the current situation of your bathroom. Check how bad of shape it is and how much money you will have to spend if you do renovation. Carefully consider the sort of results you desire to attain, for instance you may need to increase the size of your bathroom.

After carefully looking on the layout plan, the next thing you have to think about is what ornamenting style you like to put on: traditional, contemporary or rustic? There are a lot of breath taking bathroom design accesible online, it is a great idea to go and see these and pick your choice. Your decision will affect the choice of faucets, light fixtures, etc. Next, ask yourself about the things you need to add in your bathroom: a separate shower and bath? Do you like to add more space under the sink? It's time for you to find the new techniques for efficient storage solutions. Are there any on-going problems in your bathroom you have to cover during the renovation process? Do you want to add a few more light sources? How about the ventilation? Make sure that you have invest some thought and consideration on the details before you make any last decisions for your bathroom renovation.

Let us move on to the renovation ideas for your bedroom. This is a thrilling section of the renovation process. The bedroom is our own personal sanctuary from the outside world. It gives us the chance to lie back, relax and read our favourite books. Since this is a room that most people dont see, you can put on whatever you want here. But do remember to have some sort of theme. Choose the color that you love. Get bedroom furniture that are cozy and is a immediate display of your personality and tastes.

Irrespective of what kind of home renovation you want, the best way to get things done the right way is to look for the help of professionals in this field. Describe to them what you want to do and ask for their advice. Through this, you are sure that you are on the right track for your home renovation plans and you are sure that your money is spent wisely.

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Monday, January 4, 2010

How To Design A Kitchen The Right Way

By Martin Elmer

If you are planning to design a new kitchen, you should know the recommended measurement that will give you the perfect cooking work space. This article gives you 10 tips on how to make your new kitchen the best place for the daily cooking task.

1. The work triangle, which is the space between the refrigerator, sink, and stove should be 26' or less with none of the sides longer than 9', or less than 4'.

2. In kitchens smaller than 150 sq. ft., opt for at least 13' of base cabinets, 12' of wall cabinets, and 11' of countertop. In kitchens which are larger, go with at least 16' of base cabinets, 15 1/2' of wall cabinets, and 16 1/2' of countertop.

3. For convenience, plan work aisles to be at least 42" wide for one cook, and at least 48" wide in multi-cook kitchens.

4. Specify a minimum of 24" of counter space on one side of the sink and at least 18" on the other.

5. To create the most accessible landing for unloading groceries, allow at least 15" of counter space on the handle side of a standard refrigerator; on both sides if it's a side-by-side model. Or include a landing area directly across from the refrigerator, but no more than 48" away.

6. To make it easy to clean up, the dishwasher should not be more than 36" of the edge of the sink. Leave minimum 21" of standing room next to it.

7. Provide at least 15" counter space near ovens and microwaves. The space should be minimum 16" deep.

8. For optimum clearance, no entry, appliance, or cabinet doors should interfere with another.

9. The prevent repetitive-motion injury make the work counters have different height. For chopping and seated-use access have them between 28 and 36" off the floor, and for more general tasks make then between 36 and 46". This is standard measures. Taller cooks may need higher counters.

10. The clearance between the cook top and a cabinet unit must be minimum 24" if the surface is fireproof and 30" if it isn't.

Kitchen design is equally divided between science and art. You can have a lot of good ideas, but if you do not know the recommended measurements, the result will never be satisfying. It is expensive to build a new kitchen, so you should make sure that you get the best result.

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Paint Your Own Floor Rug

By Kathy Li

It's hard to find a rug to place in your home that you like. You can find some that coordinate but maybe you are having trouble capturing the right look and feel. Now you have the option to paint your own rug for home decor. You can create the look that works best for your taste.

Some of the supplies you will need in order to paint rugs for home decor include a rug (you might want to start with an old rug for your first time); a pattern (either stencils or stamps); fabric paint or dye and a set of brushes.

Getting started...Before you attempt to paint the rug for your home, be sure that you know what you want to do. You should have a design idea in your head and be able to sketch it out on paper. Once you have an idea of what you want to do, sketch it out and think of how you can make it a reality. Gather up the materials and get started.

You will want to prepare the area where you are working with newspaper or tarp so that you do not get paint or dye anywhere else. For your first project, you should start with an older throw rug.

Fabric dye is a great to use but it can be tricky. It doesn't come off of your hands as easy and sometimes the colors can bleed onto another. But fabric dye has a great look on rugs when used correctly.

Fabric paint can be purchased at almost any store. You can purchase several colors or color coordinate depending on what you want to go with. You want everything to match and coordinate well. It can easily come off of your hands by using water and soap.

Fabric dye is another choice for painting a rug. It doesn't come off of your hands well so be very careful when using. You can purchase these dyes at markets all around the world. Use the same instructions with the fabric dye as you would with fabric paint. Be careful that your dyes do not bleed. To avoid this, make sure that you remove all access paints and dyes from the brush before painting.

Fabric dye is permanent so avoid getting it on the floor or other areas around where you are painting. You may want to wear gloves when painting to avoid getting the paint on your skin.

When you begin you may want to start at a corner of your rug to make sure that you are creating the look you set out to do. Once your area rug is completed you can show off your wonderful masterpiece for years to come.

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Sunday, January 3, 2010

Modern Floor Lamps - The Secret to a Stylish Home

By Chris Siewert

People spend the majority of their time inside their own home. Yet some people choose not to decorate their home and leave it ugly and depressing. Enhance the environment you spend most time in and decorate your house. Yet there is one step that many people miss when decorating a new room, most people paint the walls and get new furniture but completely forget about this one crucial step that has a huge impact of the style of your home.

The important step to home decorating that many miss is improving your lighting. Lighting is key if you want to create a warm welcoming mood in your home and the best way to add more light, with some extra style, is to add a modern floor lamp.

When buying a modern floor lamp you must consider what you intend to use it for. A floor lamp whose sole purpose is for reading must be very bright and have be able to illuminate an area well, while a lamp just for decoration does not necessarily have to be very bright.

There are many factors that can contribute to the purchasing of a lamp but the two ma in factors are the brightness and size of the lamp. You will want to check that the lamp is bright enough to light up your room while still small enough to fit. Although you never want to get too big of a lamp as these might not fit in all houses and tend to make the room look lopsided.

Lamps require electricity to run so the next thing you should do is to reflect on the amount of electricity your lamp will use. No one wants a high electric bill and you can keep it low by limiting the amount of energy your lamp uses. If your lamp is not the main source of light in an area then maybe think about replacing the bulb with one of a lower wattage. Having your lamp emit only a soft glow is also the latest trend in floor lamps so you can save power and stay trendy with one simple step.

Remember that having good light when you are reading is very important so you should always use bright floor lamps for reading. Buying a floor lamp that is too dim for your room is one of the worst things to do and is extremely annoying. I would say that, for reading lamps, a 120 watt bulb should be sufficient and for other lamps under 120 should be just fine.

Also I recommend that your go with a compact florescent light bulb as these are much more energy efficient and will last much longer than a normal light bulb. These can be purchased at any local home hardware or department store.

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Saturday, January 2, 2010

Decorate A Child's Room In Feng Shui

By Jay Lions

Feng Shui is very popular when designing rooms but many haven't heard of using it in a child's space. Feng Shui is usually used to create relaxation and also harmony in a rooms design. It also means the arrangements of the furniture in each room need to be placed correctly to give the positive energies for life.

Look around your child's room and you'll see many different belongings. If you notice the room is very crowded and you also see your child has a hard time concentrating, it may be due to the design. By opting for a nature-like style, you'll make it seem simpler and not too distracting. Soft fabrics and lighting will apply this Feng Shui feeling in your child's room.

Producing a room that exudes security and comfort is a must for your child. To exude a sense of safety, set the bed's head against a wall and ensure that your child can easily switch the lights on before going into his room, as well as in the middle of the night.

You also want the room to be clutter free. Try placing toys and other items on shelves or even in a storage tub underneath the bed or in the closet. This will keep it out of the way but easy enough for them to pull out when they want to play.

Just like adults, children need their rest, too, so keep the room stimulation to a moderate level, in order to induce sleep once it is time for bed. Extremely bright pastels should never be used in a child's room because they can cause the space to be overwhelming and stimulating. You should also make sure toys put back in storage bins and tucked away immediately after play time is over, so that the child understands that it is bedtime.

Provide a soft area rug to cover the floor of your child's room. Rugs create softness and balance against hard walls. Texture is an important part of Feng Shui so a rug is the perfect accessory for your child's room. Find a rug in a soft color so it doesn't overwhelm your child or make the room feel weighted down. Look for an area rug that is soft and comfortable for when you child plays on the floor.

Even the wall and ceiling angles play a part in Feng Shui. With sloping eaves, posters are not recommended to be put at the bed's head since it creates a sensation on pressure hanging above your child's head.

If you aren't quite sure what Feng Shui is but you want to create this style in your child's room or any other room in the home, try researching it before decorating a space. Another great idea to make sure your child's room is safe and has that Feng Shui feel is to sleep in it for a night. Look around and see what the vision is before you rest your head and also when you wake up. Also take into consideration shadows which may appear with the glare of the night light. Make sure it's not going to scare your child if they wake up in the middle of the night. On the other hand, if the room is bright due to a street light then place darkening shades on their windows to give them peace. If your child is old enough to help you decorate their room encourage them to help you. This will be a great learning experience for them and also show them that other cultures have great design techniques. Also ask them how they feel when they enter their room. Make sure nothing is harsh to their eyes and they feel at peace with the decor.

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Decorating a Bachelor pad

By Adam Everson

When you think about designing most of the time you will think of women redesigning. But there are men out there that live alone and want to give their room a masculine look. Men aren't looking to have a home that has a bunch of flowers on the wall; they want to have their own character on the walls and decorations.

If you want the perfect makeover for your masculine room, begin with searching online and even in magazines for ideas you want to try. Don't choose a home design magazine which wouldn't be anything you'd choose, but search through magazines you already subscribe to. It doesn't need to be a story in the magazine, look in the background of ads. You never really look closely to those pictures but there are many great room designs behind them. Make sure to mark down designs that you like and others that you dislike to make your options easier to choose when decorating elements come into play.

Take a close look at the current room you are looking to re-design. Check to see if you have features in the room that you can play up with the new design or any architectural elements which make the room unique. Also are your floors covered with carpet or are they natural wood or stone? Pick one area in the room which will be the focal point and you can accent it well.

Men work different in designing a room; they will start at the bottom and work to the top. Start with an area rug that has something that shows your personality. Pick something that is comfortable and soft to walk on. Choose a color that you like. It should be solid colors that will make the room feel more masculine. Make sure if you have a pet you buy a rug that won't show dirt as well.

The next step is to focus on the wall color you prefer. Paint is the quickest way to change a room's appearance. Make sure the color will provide an energy feel when entering your pad and also creating a larger space if necessary. Dark blues or greens are a great color to add into a masculine room for the wall color. If you want a sexier more passionate sensation in the room go for a bold red or a burgundy. Try not to choose wallpaper just to make things simple. Wallpaper is very outdated and won't be too masculine either way you look at it.

If you add some lighter shaded curtains they will help to make the bold colors a bit softer. A nice masculine color or something that has stripes is a good choice. Make sure that the curtains go with your flooring or rug if you've added it to the room.

Finally, choose some wall art to jazz up the space. You can choose any theme you want for your wall decor, but avoid posters. Choose nicely framed prints to create a sophisticated bachelor pad, as opposed to a college boy's dorm room. If you must use posters, place them in nice frames before you hang them up. You could also hang photos of old cars or airplanes. You could also display vintage baseball cards or football helmets on the walls with the help of display cases or shelves. Get creative to personalize your masculine room design according to your tastes and interests.

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Friday, January 1, 2010

Black and White Ideas for Stylish Home Decor

By Marion Jones

Whenever people start to think about living room decorating ideas and making changes to their residence, whether it be one or two rooms or even the entire house, the first question that usually springs to mind is 'what colours shall I use'. Frequently, people choose colours that they like or those which correspond with pieces of their existing furniture. When looking for living room decorating inspiration, one idea which is perhaps too often overlooked is decorating with the two basic colours (or shades, to be completely accurate) " black and white.

Black and white, when used in decorating shows style and creates drama. Top decorators say that every room in the house could benefit from adding a slash of black. Black is a colour which anchors and grounds a room. Adding sophistication, black is certainly a colour that demands attention. Living room decorating ideas for a home using black can include accessories such as light fixtures, trim or furniture. Black serves to bring definition to the focal points in a room. Black is just one of the colours that makes a statement, but it is definitely one of the most eye-catching!

Decorating with the shades of black and white in your living room decorating ideas, lends a clean, fresh, elegant air to the mood of the room. This combination can be used in any room in a home making it a sophisticated area. Black and white are frequently used in contemporary home decorating and often used to highlight other colours in the French Country style. It may be hard to visualize but there are many ideas for decorating a home using combinations of only these two basic shades.

The floor is a great area to start when you're having living room decorating ideas. Black and white vinyl tiles laid alternately make a beautiful chessboard pattern and gives a clean and elegant appearance. Black marble used on the floor, accented by wide white baseboards is another beautiful idea for decorating a home. Laying white ceramic tiles with a black border or simply painting the floor black or white and using pattern stencils of the opposite colour for decoration is also really stunning. These all are fantastic ideas for re-vamping a home.

Is there anything more perfect than white walls? Painting the walls white or even an off-white makes a perfect background for accessories such as artwork framed in black. Imagine that - stylish home decor! Elegant black window treatments or black shutters against a clean, crisp white wall would certainly create an air of sophistication. Perhaps a glass-topped table with black iron trim and black chairs? These are great ideas for decorating a home using only black and white.

Imagine a bedroom decorated using only black and white - that would be lovely stylish home decor too. A black or white iron bed-stead, covered with a striped black and white blanket or eiderdown. The pillow cases could be either all black or all white and you could add throw cushions in the opposite colour.

A chunky leather black or white armchair in the corner would certainly accent the living room decorating ideas. Then you could have the white walls with a sophisticated piece of artwork, framed in black, hanging on it. That would surely add to the modern feel of your living room decorating ideas. Black furniture against the stark white walls would look really neat and tidy and you could spruce it all up with accessories like pewter or silver candlesticks, jugs or vases.

However, if you think that the living room decorating ideas need a bit more colour to finish off the look, perhaps a throw or a cushion in a bright colour like red or gold for the chair in the corner of the room would be enough to highlight the room. There are innumerable ways to decorate a home, however, finding the one that suits you and those who live with you is really very important. It's nice to do something extreme and unusual, but please remember that you must be able to live with what you have created for quite sometime.

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