We bought our China cabinet 10 years ago because I thought it was a must in any dining room.  My need and design taste has changed since then. I would rather have a sideboard today because I could use that extra surface while serving dinner for company.

Nevertheless, I do love our china cabinet! The bottom cabinets, and drawers provide much-needed hidden storage space. The glass doors on the top part enclose a mirrored back, glass shelving, and accent lighting.  A perfect space to show off my style and bring character to our dinning room.

To create an inspiring display, I followed these tips for arranging tabletop accessories to style the china cabinet as an open bookshelf. I mixed fine crystals with framed art, and accessories that reflect my personality. Take a look…..

I am proud of our china cabinet display. I especially love the Islamic decal on the back mirror that instantly reflects my Islamic style of decorating.

So, who says a china cabinet should display china? Not me!

How about you? Do you have a china cabinet? What do you store in it?

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We are still chatting about the basics behind successful furniture arrangement. In part 1, I explained traffic patterns and how they should guide furniture placement. In part 2, I  shared questions that you could ask yourself while evaluating the space for the best furniture layout. Today, in part 3 of this series,  I will share examples of typical furniture groupings that might work in your space.

The L–shaped furniture grouping is done by placing furniture perpendicular to one another forming an L Shape configuration. This arrangement is the most popular because it allows for multiple functions, such as conversation and watching TV.

The U-shaped furniture grouping is done by forming a U shape configuration facing a focal point. This arrangement enables eye contact and provides for easy interaction between people.

The box-shaped furniture grouping is done by adding extra seating to the U-shaped furniture grouping forming a square.

The H-shaped furniture grouping is done when furniture is placed facing one another, with a coffee table in the middle, around a focal point.

The circular furniture grouping is done by arranging the furniture in a circular shape around a table.

Placing furniture on the diagonal could be a challenge for some. A trick I learned in school is to start with an area rug placed on the diagonal, then to align the furniture with that rug. The example below clearly illustrates my point.  It shows a room with a long area rug laid diagonally across it, anchoring two sitting areas in H shape furniture grouping.

Which furniture grouping do you currently have in your family room? Do you feel like trying a different one? Before you start physically moving the furniture around, you might want to try this trick by Marcia Prentice from Apartment Therapy.

If you would like some help drawing your plan, contact me. I will be happy to help.

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My daughter came home from school one day with this folder….

Her friend decorated it with duct tape!

Duct Tape!!!

The duct tape I am familiar with looks like this……

When did it start looking like this?

Woman’s Day

 Apparently they have been a popular trend for a while.  My daughter had been telling me that her classmates use duct tape to decorate their back bags, shoes, books, etc.  But all I could imagine was that silver duct tape! In my eyes, that doesn’t look good on anything! How can anyone use it to decorate with? It never occurred to me that duct tape has evolved with stunning designs and colors until my daughter brought back that folder.

I liked the idea. So, I purchased a roll for her to decorate with. I was surprised when she called me up to her room to show me how she used it.

That mirror was on my to-do list for a long time. I wanted to build it a new wooden frame, but could not find the time to learn how to do that. My little designer found a creative way to give that mirror a beautiful frame {and spare her mother the time, money and heartache of building one from scratch}. Yay!

I was so impressed! So, I went and bought her another roll to “frame” the cork board as well.

If you, or your daughter, would like an ispiration on how you can decorate with duct tape. Here is one creative idea from my little designer….

There you have it! A super easy way to add color, fun, and personality to a room without breaking the bank {I purchased my duct tape rolls from Wall mart at $3.37 for a 10 yards roll}.  A home decor inspiration for you from my little designer…….

Now its your turn: Have you heard about decorating with duct tape? Are you amazed by the patterns and colors of duct tape? Would you use it to decorate your home with?  Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Sunday was mothers day in the U.S., so happy mothers day to all the mothers around the world. While mothers day should be everyday, we all look forward to this day to use as an excuse to torment our children into doing what we please! That may sound evil to our children because they will never understand that what really makes us happy is having them around us, and seeing them happy.

I love my kids!

Anyways!

I mentioned in part one of this post that a successful furniture arrangement should be functional. The first tip was to evaluate the traffic patterns in your homes. What is the path that people take to move from room to room? Your furniture grouping should not be blocking these paths.

The second tip in deciding the best furniture arrangement, is to evaluate the space (room). Ask yourself the following questions:

 •   How many windows are in the room? What is the view from the windows?  Answers to these questions will help you decide if the furniture should be facing the windows or not.

 •   How many doors/openings are in the room? This should tell you about traffic patterns coming in and out of the room that would affect the placement of the furniture.

•   What is the focal point (the first thing you see as you enter the room)? Fireplace, window, entertainment center, wall art? This should give you a point around which the furniture should be grouped.

•   How do you use the room (Room Function)? Conversation/entertaining, watching TV, reading. Yes, you can have multiple functions in one room.  The furniture arrangement should accommodate each and every one of them.  

Once you evaluate the space, your furniture arrangement should maximize the focal points, serve the room functions, and accommodate traffic patterns. This video from BHG explains successful furniture arrangement in simple terms.

Next week, I will share examples of the most popular furniture configurations. Stay close!

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A Jali is a term often used to describe a window lattice, usually with intricate geometric designs . Here, Divia Amin describes the  materials used in making Jalis.

 Earlier jali work was performed by carving into stone, later it was used more elegantly by the Mughal employed the technique of inlay, using marble and semi-precious stones. Gradually, various materials like ceramic, bricks, marble, limestone, wood, bamboo, etc.,were also used to create these Jali patterns and each material has its own beauty.

You might also have heard of Mashrabiya. This refers to a window that projects outwards and is enclosed with lattice screens. I saw some of these during my trip to Umra.

Both Jali, and Mashrabiya were used to filter sunlight and provide a cool, private interior.

Today, Islamic style window screens are not only used for windows, they are applied to doors, cabinets, and room dividers.

Source: katehume.com via Lama on Pinterest

Source: thatbohemiangirl.tumblr.com via Lama on Pinterest

Don’t you just love the patterns on Jali screens?

It’s probably impossible to replicate a stone lattice window screen such as this one in today’s homes,

But, thanks to modern technology and businesses like Delia shades, I am able to have that look in my home ! I bought this Moorish inspired window shade from Delia shades a while back. It does not create beautiful patterns of light and shade like an actual carved screen would, but it filters sunlight and provides privacy. Good enough for now!

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My favorite part of interior decorating is furniture rearrangement. I enjoy creating furniture groupings that serve my family’s needs and look great at the same time. As a matter of fact, I like to test different arrangements from time to time to gauge each room’s design potential. You can enjoy this fun challenge as well, but before you start rearranging furniture in your home, allow me to explain some important factors that will affect your decision. 

 For a furniture arrangement to be successful, it has to be functional. What does that mean?

Every space serves a function (what it is used for). For example, a bedroom’s primary function is for sleeping, but it can also be used for changing clothes and reading. So, you buy the furniture that allow you to serve those functions, i.e. bed, nightstand, dresser, and lamps. 

How should you arrange that furniture for the room to be functional?

You have to place the nightstand in such a way that makes it easy for you to reach your reading material. The light coming from the lamp should be at the correct angle to make reading easier. The dresser should have enough space in front of it for opening the drawers and changing your clothes. And finally, there should be a pathway to help you walk around the room with ease.

The first tip to successful furniture arrangement is to consider traffic patterns; the path a person takes to walk from one room to the next. In the example below, the arrows around the perimeter of the room show a traffic pattern. See how easy it would be for a person to enter and exit the room without interrupting a conversation between seated people. 

Knowing the traffic patterns in your home will help you decide on the best furniture arrangement. I have provided an example below for illustration purposes only. In the first plan, a person entering the room has no choice but to walk through the room to get to the other side. This would be annoying for seated people who are trying to watch Tv.   

However, when the furniture is moved to the side of the room, A person has a pathway to get to the other side without interrupting conversations or activities.

A successful traffic pattern is one that reflects adequate Clearance. “Clearance” is the required space between objects for easy traffic flow. When applied correctly, traffic flows smoothly throughout the house. 

I drafted the plan below for one of my design classes. It shows my choice for furniture arrangement in the smiths house. 

Here is a close up where I highlight “Clearance”-the minimum distance allowed between furniture pieces. As you can see, a distance of 3′ (36 inches) is required between the back of the sofa and the window/wall for traffic. Also, 3′ between the sofa and the entertainment center, etc. Click here for more on adequate clearance.

  

Don’t let the numbers scare you! You don’t have to be exact and carry a tape measure when you arrange the furniture in your home. If you can easily walk around your room without affecting conversations or bumping into furniture, then you have applied proper clearance.

Try to apply this to your home and test your own furniture arrangement.

Imagine that you are a guest visiting your home. Stand at the entrance of your family room then walk to the sofa. Did you bump into any furniture on the way? Did you have to tilt your body to get through? Now imagine your guest walking to the restroom from the sofa. Is there any furniture blocking his/her way? What if he/she decides to help you in the kitchen, how is the traffic pattern from the sofa, or the restroom, to the kitchen? You get the idea, right?

  

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Note: I will not be posting dream on! as a weekly series anymore. It will just be a category that I post under when I find something worth dreaming about.

Today’s dream is about mirrors. It is no surprise that I love to decorate with them! Not only do they serve a function, they add beauty, drama, elegance, and character to any space. A simple home decorating trick is to use mirrors to visually expand a small space. You could place a mirror directly across from a window to reflect natural light and a beautiful view. Or you could use an oversized mirror, floor mirror or group of mirrors to add drama and visually expand a space.

I found 6 gorgeous Arabic style mirrors that would enhance the look of any room. I hope you love them! Let’s dream….

A beautiful oversized mirror adorned with Palestinian embroidery.

Margo Zeidan Tatreez.

A Syrian Inlaid mirror made of walnut wood and adorned with mother of pearl inlay arabesque pattern.

Linda Horn

A pointed arch mirror in a metal frame embossed with an intricate pattern.

A Curated World

A stunning mirror in the shape of an Islamic star framed with mosaics.

Elle Decor

A Dramatic floor mirror adorned with mother of pearl (or bone inlaid).

Lauren Rubintein

Finally, a Nada Dibs mirror featuring an Islamic star pattern in silver brushed metal against blue plexiglass.  {Doesn’t it look as if it is mother of pearl inlaid? }

Which mirror do YOU dream to own?

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On Sunday, I was invited to a sisters tea party at our local Masjid . We have a new building now so I thought it would be nice to decorate it with Islamic Art. I chose a Dua’ (prayer) that one should say upon entering the Masjid , as a reminder for everyone visiting.

 You can create your own Islamic stenciled canvas art (or any canvas art) with these easy steps.

Supplies:

2 (8 x 10) white artist’s stretched canvas.

 Folk art Acrylic paint (I used black, yellow, white)

Foam Brush, Stencil brushes

Islamic Stencils. (Contact me if you are interested )

Gems stickers Jolee’s Boutique dimensional stickers

Procedure:

1. Paint the canvas an even layer of black color using a foam brush. (You can choose any color for your background).

2. Using my cameo Silhouette, I created a vinyl stencil of an Islamic prayer (Dua’)- one in Arabic  and another in English.  {Allahumma Iftah Lee Abwaba Rahmatek-means: Oh Allah, open the doors of blessings for me. A Dua’ that is said upon entering any masjid}.  

3. I also printed a flower stencil – from the cameo library onto vinyl.

4. Once the canvas is dry, remove the paper backing from the flower stencil. Position it onto the canvas, then remove the plastic backing to expose the stencil.

5. Arrange the Dua’ word stencils onto the canvas (Follow the same steps in #4). Once you remove the plastic backing and expose the stencil, you will not be able to reposition it.

5. After you decide on the placement, remove the plastic backing and color your stencils. Dip the stencil brush into yellow paint, then dab it over the flower stencil.

6.  Use a different stencil brush to paint the words in white.

6. This last step is optional-I used gems stickers to embellish my art.

Final Look…

How did my stenciled canvas art look in the Masjid, you ask? Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the tea party!! My high schooler needed my help finishing up a presentation board that is due today. I could not fail him!

These canvas art are my gift to the Masjid and Inshallah I will get to hang them up there soon.

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Allow me to explain…..

The gorgeous night stands below balance each other out because they are exactly the same. That is referred to as symmetrical balance {I explained it here}. The result is a room that feels formal and dare I say….Boring!

It takes practice to produce successful designs with Asymmetrical balance, but it is worth a try.

Start with mismatching your accent tables (follow the example above).  Here are 8 nontraditional variations for your accent table……..

Houzz

Real Simple

Houzz

Martha Stewart

Houzz

Country Living

Digs Digs

Houzz

It’s that simple!  Are you inspired yet?

Which idea do you like the most? Which one would you be willing to try?

What other non-traditional ideas do you have for a night stand or end table? please share in the comments below.

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Today, I want to share with you something that I find special and unique. Something that I did not appreciate when I was younger because I did not understand its value! It has to do with this….

This dress ( Thawb) was given to me as a wedding gift from my parents. Its value is in the handmade cross stitched Palestinian embroidery also known as Tatreez.

As a young bride, that was not a dress I would want to wear because I associated it with older women. But it was a gift, so I kept it.

Alyibnawi

Over the years, I have only worn that dress for special occasions because I considered it something traditional and unique. According to Asalah magazine:  ”Traditionally, embroidery was the principal decoration of rural Palestinian women’s clothing. It was part of a village woman’s daily routine and a means of showing off her personal skills and social identity. The various colors, patterns and styles of dress reflected a woman’s social standing, marital status and wealth”.

Another fascinating fact about Palestinian embroidery is that each region in Palestine has its distinctive embroidery pattern. The examples I am sharing below are from two Palestinian cities;  Gaza and Ramallah.  {photos from the book: Palestinian Tatreez by Widad Qawar and Tanya Naser}

While Palestinian Embroidery may have its roots in traditional dresses, it is not limited to that. Take a look at these home furniture and accessories adorned with Palestinian embroidery….

Margo Zeidan Tatreez

Margo Zaidan Tatreez

And this is how I use Palestinian embroidery in my home….

I have grown to appreciate Palestinian embroidery because it is part of my heritage. My parents are both Palestinian who have immigrated to Jordan after the Israeli occupation. But, even if you have no connection to Palestine, I believe that the harmony between the colors and the mixing of the patterns, truly reflect an artistic touch. Don’t you agree?