Interior Design Ideas Episode

Interior Light Tips

2009-03-23T23:25:00.001-07:00

Light can define space, substance and style. Outdoors, with the shifting sun and atmospheric conditions, light and the shadows change the appearance of things natural and man made. But in the indoors, the play of natural and artificial lighting largely determine both function and decoration.

Today lighting is considered to be a very important element of decorating scheme. The invention of the incandescent bulb in 1978 revolutionized lighting systems as it allowed light to be easily manipulated. Apart from exploiting natural light by using opaque or transparent glass walls, sky lights, large windows etc. for offices, architect work out the detailed light fittings which are conducive for a work environment. In homes, a careful selection of lights extends and enhances the aesthetics of interiors. Similarly for hotels, showrooms, museums, gardens, water bodies, individual lighting requirements are worked out. Artificial light falling from various angles and heights on different surfaces guide us to perceive various features and dimensions while creating a specific mood. With technological developments and the stress on precision lighting, a variety of lighting fixtures are readily available with options which offer manifold possibilities in terms of effect.

The choice of fitting according to the room , gets very difficult , one gets puzzled off as there are so many varieties in lights like the table lamps , spot lights , clamp lights , recessed / surface mounted lights , up lighters , halogens , incandescent bulb , pendants , fluorescent fixtures and lots of others. Once the basic idea of the space, mood, interior design, highlighting, function of work have been specified, one can then consider the basic types of lighting. Initially only the planned positions of lights need to be decided. Later, the selection of bulbs and the exact effect can be created. One should always keep in mind some of the basic rules while designing the light.

*Every activity that takes place in the interior must have lights of the right kind, intensity and the right direction.

*The eye prefers even lighting with the minimum of contrast between the brightness of the room surfaces and the lighting fixtures.

*The eye works best when the work surface is more brightly lit then the surroundings.

*The eye is stimulated by the contrast of tone and sparkle.

*When room lighting change, color changes or disappear,thus objects become more or less important in the room.

*There are three basic types of lighting which are categorized according to the intensity of the light used.

General lighting

It supplies an overall illumination in the area.

Task lighting

It supplies the required illumination for specific tasks such as reading, painting etc. It directs strong local illumination without high general illumination as required for activities carried in a particular area.

Accent lighting

It offers a decorative element to the area by highlighting the particular objects or features in the area. They are auxiliary to the general lighting and provide an added, and at times, dramatic dimensions to the scheme.

Spaces can be provided with one, two or all types of these lightings, depending upon the requirement. With different types of lighting in each room and dimmers to adjust the intensity of light, an ordinary space can be infused with much dramatic look to convey different moods to suit different times of the day.

LIVING ROOM lighting

*Establish an adequate general illumination level to reduce the accent light, brightness, contrast.

*Illuminate an entire wall with overhead fixtures to provide background for room furnishings.

*Feature window areas with the cosmic lighting.

*Indirect light like that under a pelmet or above a cabinet will supply soft uniform illumination.

*Use dimmers to program lighting moods.

*Play up with the architectural features like ala, niches, mantles etc.

*Highlight artwork and plants with individual lighting arrangements.

*Be sure that the floor, table and hanging fixtures have adequate shades to prevent glare.

*Plan adequate lighting to handle a variety of family activities like rack for display.

*Bar area could use incandescent light to play up sparkling glassware. Lighted shelves or fluorescent fixtures under the front edge of bar are effective.

Dining Room Lighting

The decor of dining room depends upon the culture of the family. A dining room can change the style of eating. So one should be careful while playing with the lights to make the environment relax and easy.

*One must keep the visual emphasis off the ceiling and walls and on the decor of food and guests.

*Ceiling down lights should fall and focus primarily on dining room table surface.

*Candles and fuel lamps in decorative holders can add special touch to any meal.

Buffet or service areas and chinaware/silverware/crockery displays deserve special lighting emphasis.

Kitchen Lighting

Kitchen is a place where a lady spends her maximum time so it should have comfortable and fresh feeling. Today's kitchens are far removed from the dark dingy spaces one saw earlier.

*General lighting for a kitchen should be well distributed, uniform and as shadow less as possible.

*Fluorescent fixtures reduce the energy demands without sacrificing illumination.

*Even if there is window in the kitchen, install down lighting over a sink for cloudy days or nights.

*Special lighting for key work areas can be installed in the ceiling or in the upper cabinets.

*Provide light for storage areas in pantry or wall cabinets overhead or shelf mounted brackets will do the job.

Bathroom Lighting

Planning and designing is a tedious job. Today's bathroom wears a well dressed look, its design recognizing people's needs to begin and end their day in pleasant surroundings. It is after all an intimate personal place- perhaps the only room in the house where one can be totally private and get much needed peace.

*For a relatively small room, the bath area can use a no. of different types of lighting.

*General lighting is essential in a compact bath, a central ceiling may suffice.

*Medium size and large size baths and especially those with sectioned areas for tub, shower and toilet will require several overhead fixtures.

*The lights are general, recessed into the ceilings or those over a tub or a shower must be watertight and vapour proof. A minimum of 100W incandescent or 60W fluorescent lamp is sufficient.

*The most critical lighting in a bath centers on the mirror area, this is the basic for good grooming. For shaving, make up applications hair care, light should be soft and diffused without glare or shadow.

*Avoid lighting the mirror itself rather light of the person looking into the mirror. The most efficient to light up a person's face is to use three fixtures, one on either side of the mirror or one overhead. Side fixtures should be mounted 30" - 36" apart on the wall and install about 60" above the floor.

*Incandescent fixtures should have a minimum of 75W bulb and fluorescent tubes on either side of 20W and one tube of 30W or two tubes of 15W overhead. Additional bath lighting for specific purposes may include plant lights to take the advantage of bath humidity for growing the flowers and ferns.

Reading Room Lighting

The study is the most important room for the intellectuals, for students as this is the room where one builds his career. In the reading room, one should plan the lights very carefully as the intensity affects a lot on the eyes thus on the health.

*In a study, the priority is to provide adequate illumination for reading and writing. For maximum pleasure of reading and for easier concentration, reading lamps must have a proper quality and quantity of illumination and be placed so that the light falls comfortably on the open page.

*The complete room may be lit with powerful up lighters, down lighters, or the general lighting may be reduced to be supplemented with task lights as required. For the study it is necessary that task lights be supported with general illumination even if it is of low intensity to avoid eye strain.

*Care should be taken where computers are placed; the task light should not produce glare or reflections on the screen. Task lights for writing should be positioned so as to avoid both glare and shadow.

*If floor lamps are used as reading lights, then it should be 40"-49" from the floor to the bottom edge of the shade. The shade should be moderately illuminous to softly diffuse the light and eliminate glare, thus open top shades are preferred.

Swimming Pool Lighting

Water presents a challenging and rewarding medium for lighting. Swimming pools, fountains, waterfalls magically come to life with lighting effects at night.

*For effective swimming pool lighting, the lights are generally set below the water level, into the sides of the pool.

*This should be done while the construction of the pool so as to keep the wiring away from water.

*The lights should be placed to shimmer down the deep end of the pool.

*Fountains are effectively lit by submerged narrow beam sources set near the base of each jet or falling on the flowing water casting a color and sparkle on it. Waterfall comes to life when lit from behind.

2009-03-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

Designed by Permafrost and Katharina Styren, Røys is a multifunctional piece of home furniture that could be a smart storage unit for your books and a sound absorbing room divider too!

What’s different? The acoustic shelf system from Hov furniture industry is an innovative rack system with multifaceted flexible modules. It’s a modular bookshelf and a sound absorbing room divider that lets you enjoy your favorite program or music aloud without disturbing you’re family member on the other side. Set on a slight angle, the shelving provides much visual interest by displaying books on the diagonal.

3D models created by www.designhelper.blogspot.com

2009-03-11T21:22:00.001-07:00

3D models created by www.designhelper.blogspot.com
Here are 119 additional object files supported by the furniture import wizard available in Sweet Home 3D (the files available in the current version of Sweet Home 3D are surrounded with green):
Spiral staircase
Spiral staircase
Grand staircase
Darker grandstaircase
Fireplace
Coffee table
Glass coffeetable
Wooden coffeetable
Table
Black table
Gnome table
Wood table
Table
Round table
Kitchen table
Armchair
Black armchair
Chair
Stool
Kitchen chair
Desk
Desk
Computer desk
Big corner desk
Computer desk
Laptop
PC tower
Screen 16:9
Keyboard
Mouse
Switchboard
Switch
Plug
TV plug
Telephone plug
Pendant light
Floor lamp
Lamp
Ubuntu clock
Alarm clock
Venetian blind
Curtain rod
Curtain
Aquarium
Bowl
Picturemule
Pictureportrait
Pictureportrait
Pictureportrait
PictureYing
Plate, glassesand cutlery
Water carafe
Wine carafe
Candlestick
Mug
Water glass
Long dringglass
Wine glass
Flute
Small glass
Radiator
Verticalradiator
Faucet
Toilet paperdispenser
Tissue box
Razor
Bottle
Tube
Shampoo
Soap bottle
Workbench
Vise
Hammer
Screwdriver
Saw
Toy P40
Peugeot 103
Metal box
Beer barrel
Beer pump
Crib
Loft double bed
Microwavecabinet
Micro wave
Glass doorkitchen cabinet
Upright piano
Piano stool
Deck chair
Handrail
Semicirclehandrail
Hat and coatstand
Railing
Smallerrailing
Rounded edgesrailing
Rounded edgesrailing
5 panes window
Rectangular5 panes window
Picture window
SlidingFrench doors
Six doorFrench style
Front door
Darker front door
Patio glass door
Patio doorside window
Patio glass doorunit
Simple shutter
Two partsshutter
Traditionalshutter
Garage door
Small chest
Dresser
Black dresser
Glass-doorcabinet
Black glass-door cabinet
Bookcase
Shelves
Bathroomcabinet
Recycle container
Perfume

Interior Design Plans & Project - Learning Interior Design

2009-02-27T10:55:00.000-08:00

If you want to redecorate your entire home, then learning interior design and decorating might be the thing to do. So, with that in mind, interior design software could be one of your purchases, especially if you don't want to employ a decorator. There are of course advantages and disadvantages to the whole idea of "Do It Yourself". First, If you're not a computer-friendly person then you might find it a bit difficult to pilot the waters of interior design software. Again, there is always the alternative, to get yourself an interior decorator where you will shell out substantially more than you can afford. Which in turn, means that you might have to cut down on some of your decorating needs. If you are anything like me, you would be saying right now - "I don't think so!"

Now, here you are, you have made the decision to give it a go yourself. Leaving the designers and decorators behind. Congratulations! It needn't be as difficult as you think and can even be absolute incredible fun. The only time that you'll truly might get a worry is when you need to do your budget. After that it's a matter of sliding your way downhill through your home interior design plan. And hopefully with barely any bumps or detours. But, those can be exspected, so don't get discouraged, keep moving forward in your interior design plans.

ow back to the software. If you're not too well-situated with your artistic abilities and visual image skills you might look to some relief of a well know friend to help you understand the software. However, if you are a die hard and want to learn it yourself, by all means, don't hesitate. The learning will pay off for you. It doesn't actually matter either way how you go about it as long as you get you home interior design project off the ground

After all there's only so long that you can stand and watch your house fall to pieces around you. Ok, Though that might have been a bit of an exaggeration, if you're thinking about home interior design or remodeling then now is the time to do it. If you put it off now, there's no telling when and if there will be a next timeAnd one of the very first things you can do for your home interior design project will be to decide precisely what you're going to do. For example, are you going to go through the entire house one room at a time or are you going to do only one or two rooms right now. This is an important decision, so take your time and make sure it is what you want to do. This decision dictates the how, what and when of then next phases.

After you decide that, then you can move on to the next phase which is provision, what you're planning to do. And this is where the home interior design software comes in handy. I told you earlier, the learning will pay off, well guess what, here is where it pays off. With this little visual image aid you can imagine what your redecorating plans will do to your rooms and make your life just that much more easier. And in the end that's really what you want isn't it, to make your life easier. So, stop putting it off with excuses. Learn the fundamentals of interior design and decorating, get yourself a good piece of interior design software and bring you home back to life.

Coffee-Light

2009-02-25T01:19:00.000-08:00

Coffee-Light

Die Unterschrankleuchte Coffee-Light vom Antholgie Quartett wurde im Jahr 2004 von Bernhard Stellmacher entworfen.

Die dekorative Kaffeetassenleuchte ist einer klassischen Limoges-Tasse nachempfunden und wird zur Montage inklusive eines kleinen Trafos geliefert.

Die Collage aus stereometrischer Grundform und Alltagsgegenstand bietet sich nicht nur zum Einsatz in der Küche an, sondern verblüfft durch ihre Einfachheit und Witz überall dort, wo man mit Geschirr umgeht.

Material: Porzellan
Leuchtmittel: 1x12V 20W G4 (inkl.)
Abmessung: ø 150x65mm

FlexibleLove 16 - Stretchable Chair seats 1 to 16

2009-02-23T04:25:00.000-08:00

My friend Robert has an eye for design and tipped me off to an incredible "folding chair" by Pinzaan -- although folding is a bit of a misnomer. To say this chair folds is akin to describing origami as merely folded paper. This chair is less about folding than it is about expanding. While we're at it, "chair" is a bit misleading too. So consider this a story about incredible expanding seating.

Made of honey-combed cardboard, the FlexibleLove is a cross between Frank Gehry'sWiggle Chair (at least the cardboard part) and Richard James' Slinky. Closed, it weighs all of 55 lbs (25kg) and compresses to a very slinky 25" x 22" x 8" form (wide enough for one 5-year old -- or an adult's solo butt-cheek), but it expands to nearly 24 feet and can withstand up to 4230 lbs! (The manufacturer calculates the capacity to be adequate for 16 people -- which might be tolerable on a subway during rush hour but not for any prolonged casual seating. We Americans like our space.)

But why quibble about mere details of whether or not it is 12 or 16 bottoms that can be loaded onto a "bench" that can be transported home in the back of a car. It is the answer to every holiday dilemma of "how will we accommodate all these people." Further, with its patented accordion design, the FlexibleLove can be snaked and shaped to fit virtually any space. (See the FlexibleLove morph.)

FlexibleLove is the brain child of Chishen Chiu, a Taiwanese designer who first saw honeycombed cardboard being used to create palettes in lieu of wood. Available only in cardboard brown -- the love seat is decidedly green as it is made from recycled paper and wood. The paper is currently untreated -- so you do have to worry a bit about spills.

For inquiries, write Pinzaan directly. Available in four different lengths, prices vary USD300 to USD540 retail. -- Diane

Paper Sofa Folding Chair Carton Furniture

2009-02-16T03:28:00.000-08:00

Taylor's College Interior Design students winning video

2009-02-16T03:16:00.001-08:00

Why Scale Matters

2009-02-10T09:44:00.000-08:00

Floor plans must accurately depict the sizes of real-world objects—buildings, furniture, appliances—in relation to each other.

This requires scaling down the dimensions of all the objects by a common proportion, known as the floor plan's scale.

Scales are usually specified as a ratio, like 1:4. The first number represents units of measurement on the floor plan and the second number represents the equivalent measurement in the real world.

A scale commonly used on floor plans is 1": 48" or 1": 4'. This means that one inch on paper equals 48 inches or 4 feet in real life. This scale is also called the quarter-inch scale (1/4" : 1 foot).

SmartDraw's built-in standard floor plan SmartTemplates are set to the quarter-inch scale by default (metric templates are set to a 1 cm : 0.5 m scale). If you want to change the scale, go to thePage tab and choose Scale from theRulers & Grid group.

Drawing with a Floor Plan Template

2009-02-09T09:42:00.000-08:00

Drawing with a Floor Plan Template

In order to make drawing floor plans as easy as possible, SmartDraw comes with hundreds of SmartTemplates you can use as a starting point. Just pick the type of floor plan you want to draw and choose the appropriate template.

SmartDraw's SmartTemplates are not really "blank". They open with all the correct settings to make drawing as quick as possible including docked libraries, a drawing specific SmartPanel with all the key shortcuts to making a perfect diagram, and SmartHelp with step-by-step by instructions.

Using the Floor Plan SmartPanel and SmartHelp

To help simplify the process of making a complex floor plan, all the floor plan templates in SmartDraw will open with a diagram-specific SmartPanel to the left of the Work Area.

The SmartPanel condenses drawing your floor plan into a few easy steps that walk you through whatever you need to create with SmartDraw. If you need more help, you can reference the attached SmartHelp for more instruction.

You can go from a blank page to a completed diagram in just minutes—just follow the instructions on the panel!

11 Tips for Effective Space Planning

2009-02-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

You can save yourself a lot of time and trouble by taking careful measurements and thinking through the following issues before you start drawing.

1) When measuring existing spaces, lay your measuring tape flat on the floor and measure room dimensions in several places, especially where furniture will be a tight fit. Don't assume your walls are parallel.

2) Before laying out furniture, look for projecting windowsills, and note the location of electrical receptacles, light switches, vents and thermostats.

3) When placing a desk or chair, ask yourself "What do I want to be looking at when I sit there?"

4) When planning an office, first determine whether the occupant's back will be toward the door. Some people feel very strongly about this. Other design decisions will flow from this basic choice.

5) To reduce glare, try to avoid having computer monitors directly facing windows.

6) Leave enough empty space in front of filing cabinets to fully extend the drawer, plus at least 18 additional inches (1 foot, 6 inches) if the drawers will be accessed by a person standing in front of them. *

7) Allow adequate working space at desks or cubicles. The distance from the working side of a desk to the nearest wall or furniture should be at least 42 inches (3 feet, 6 inches), although most people find 54 (4 feet, 6 inches) or 60 inches (5 feet) more comfortable.

8) The walkway between a piece of furniture and a wall should be at least 30 inches (2 feet, 6 inches) in a residential space (36", or 3 feet, is preferred). In a public space it should be at least 36 inches (42", or 3'6", is preferred). *

9) To get a feel for the width of a walkway before placing furniture, put a tape line on the floor to see how different dimensions would feel.

10) When placing furniture on a residential plan, remember that most furniture will actually sit 2 or 3 inches from the wall.

11) Don't line all the furniture up along the walls. Break up spaces by placing pieces out in the room. Setting rugs, sofas, or other furniture at angles can help avoid an overly rigid feel.

What is a Floor Plan?

2009-02-08T09:32:00.000-08:00

Interior House Painting Rules

2009-01-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

1. Slosh Your Brush

Before painting, slosh your brush in whatever solvent you will be using at the end of the day to clean the brush (i.e., water for latex, mineral spirits for oil, etc.) It'll be easier to clean when you're done.

2. Wrap Brush or Roller

If you don't feel like cleaning your brush or roller at the end of the day and expect to get back to painting within a few days--wrap the brush or roller tightly in a plastic bag and put in the freezer.

3. Latex Gloves or Lotion, Your Pick

Latex gloves are great for keeping your hands clean (especially if you're using oil-based paint!). If you can't stand latex gloves or are allergic, a thick application of hand lotion before painting will make cleaning a lot easier later on.

4. Wet Edge

Always keep a wet edge as you paint, and work away from that wet edge. If you paint over a dry edge, you will get overlap marks.

5. Avoid Cheap Roller Covers and Brushes

This one is important. Cheap roller covers leave fuzz on the wall. Cheap brushes leave streaky brush marks. Avoid those multi-packs of rollers, ten for a dollar. Pay the extra few cents and get better tools. It'll be worth it. Honest it will.

6. Test for Loose Paint

Will the existing painted surface take new paint? And hold it for years to come? Test this out by adhering a strip of duct tape to the existing painted surface and...ripping it away. If flakes of paint more than microscopic size come off, you may need to scrape and sand.

7. Low-Stick Masking Tape

Also known as "blue tape," this tape comes off easier and doesn't peel off primer or existing paint. Blue tape, by itself, will save you at least an hour of frustration over the old-style beige masking tape.

8. Rein in Your Paint Can Opener

Paint can openers, those little metal keys (you do use one, don't you?) are notorious for getting lost in the shuffle. Chain it to a small chunk of wood just like a public bathroom key. Whatever you do, just don't lose it!

9. Painting Process

Paint in this order:

Ceiling

Walls

Trim

Cabinets

Doors

And remember to always paint from top-down!

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Welcome to Modern Interior Design IDeas Images! From design tips to the most stylish and durable products on the market, IDeas Images is a new series of video podcasts that explore interior design options to help you turn your home into a beautiful space!

Easy Ways to Add the Christmas Spirit to Your Home

2008-12-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

Easy Ways to Add the Christmas Spirit to Your Home

If you're like most people, you don't have much time left at the end of a busy day to do anything extra. But at this time of year, you want to do something to make your home look festive and special and create the wonderful Christmas holiday atmosphere. You'll find some ideas here for quick and simple ways to add a festive look to your home without spending a lot of time or money. And you'll have time left over to really enjoy Christmas!

Most are our ideas are very easy, many are free, and none takes more than a minimum of time and effort.

1. Decorate Everything With Bows

Tie generous ribbons to chair backs, candlesticks, picks in plants, wreaths, garlands, basket handles, drapery tie-backs, stair railings, and doorknobs.

Bows look festive and the ribbons you choose should tie together with the rest of your decorating. Choose ribbons in colors and patterns that coordinate with your decorating scheme.

You don't have to stick with red and green. Choose plaids or florals that tie in. If you can't find anything that looks quite right, then choose metallic silver, gold, green, or red.

Choose a ribbon that you can untie and re-tie each year. This will save money in the long run, and you'll end up with a good collection.

When the holidays are over, untie the ribbons and press them lightly. The bows won't get crushed and the ribbons will be ready when you want to take them out the next year.

See instructions on how to make your own floral bows of all sizes using wire. By using wire to make your bows, you'll be able to attach them to many objects.

2. Use holiday tableware for every meal in December.

Look through your cupboards and get out any dishes that look festive.

Discount stores often carry seconds of name brand china, as well as fun designs that are not so common.

Start a set of holiday dishes with dinner plates that coordinate with your everyday dishes. Add new pieces each year, like salad plates and mugs. Note: Be sure the pattern you select will be continued from year to year.

Buy 1 or 2 place settings each year. Before long, you'll be able to serve a feast.

If you're adventuresome, choose a different pattern and one place setting each year. Arrange the different dishes around the table and get lots of comments and rekindle memories. When they're not in use, the dishes can be displayed around the room.

3. Turn off the lights.

Arrange lots of candles on the dining table and dine by candlelight, even if you're just having leftovers. Every meal will feel special.

Burn a fire in the fireplace each evening and encourage family members to gather around and read, do homework, write Christmas cards, or snooze.

Arrange pillar candles in your bathroom, on the sink or around the tub. Take time to soak and enjoy! If you have little children in your home, you should be very careful with candles around the house. Always have an adult in the room.

4. Hang holiday wreaths.

Put a wreath or swag on every door you have. Of course, start with the front door to welcome guests.

Go on to the back door, inside and out. Remember over the mantle, and in all your front windows. Don't forget bedroom doors, inside and out.

Use real pine, holly, or grapevine, decorated with bows, berries, fruit, pinecones, raffia, ornaments, birds, photos, or candy.

To keep wreaths year after year, buy artificial wreaths that will last. Remember, you'll need room to store them!

Easy Christmas Decorating

2008-12-17T17:59:00.000-08:00

TRY A TABLE-TOP TREE

To save floor space, try a small table-top tree. Increase the visibility of ornaments, making it look spectacular from all angles. It will also be out of reach for small pets and toddlers.

Dress up the tree by wrapping the base in festive decorative fabrics. Choose from rich velvets, brocades or tapestry-style fabrics. Save money by using excess fabric from drapes, store samples and such. This is an economical way to add glamour to your tree skirt.

Instead of a pricier Frazier Fur tree, consider a Japanes spruce. It has small, strong and sturdy branches.

PERSONALIZE YOUR ORNAMENTS

Use a variety of ornaments and personalize your tree, rather than sticking to one theme or trend. Let your tree "tell a story" and not look too "finished". Remember, ornaments can be attractive no matter what the price. Choose cheerful ornaments. This can be done fairly inexpensively.

Use different sizes of lights and types. Choose from miniature white rice lights to large old-fashioned colored bulbs. Variety is the spice of life. The more heavy European tinsel will hang straight and looks very clean.

CALIFORNIA EVERGREEN - THE PERFECT CHOICE

For great alternatives to pine in your holiday wreaths and garlands, try bay and eucalyptus. Their fragrance is fresh and clean. They do not drop their leaves and last a long time.

You can get the bay or eucalyptus garlands by the length from your florist. Use them on banisters, doorways, mantles and around centerpieces. You can get boxwood, eucalyptus, seeded eucalyptus and bay.

DECORATING WITH AMARYLLIS

For those in a milder climate, consider red and white amaryllis as an alternative to holly. These plants grow tall and provide an elegant look. Do know that the flowers take about six weeks to bloom, but they last about 3 weeks. Place several together in a basket and cover the base with dried moss.

NEED A CENTERPIECE?

Gather your extra ornaments and place in a large glass bowl. Use this as a special decorative accent. Add more bay or eucalyptus around the base and place on a table runner for a special table display.

Decorate the kid's room with animals

2008-11-19T00:13:00.000-08:00

When you decorate the kid room have some fun and be creative. Ideas for designing the perfect baby's or child's decor for an animal or Noah's ark themed room.

It is easy to give your baby or child an adorable room by decorating it with animals and a Noah’s ark theme.

The curtain and the bedspread will set the stage for the rest of the decor. Many fabric stores have a good selection of fabric in the Noah’s ark theme. Try to find at least two fabrics that coordinate. Wal-Mart carries a line of fabrics that have animals and clouds. Some have just animals and some have just clouds and there are several with a mixture of animals and clouds. This is a perfect series to use.
If you know how to sew buy the patterns you like best for the curtain and the bedspread. If you are setting up a baby’s room you may want to make the bedding for the crib in coordinating fabrics. The bumper looks cute in an animal print while the blanket is clouds or whatever else. In this case you should make the curtains the same material as the bumper. If you are decorating the room for an older child make the bedspread and curtain in different but coordinating fabrics. If you don’t know how to sew these are pretty easy beginning projects to learn on, or find a seamstress to make these things for you.

The walls are the next biggest part of the room you will want to focus on. You may opt to paint them a color that goes with the material you have chosen. A shade of blue is your best bet for a boy’s room. If you are artistic you can paint clouds on the ceiling and animals on the walls, but a plain background will look nice when you add a few accessories.
Now for the accessories. An easy way to brighten the room is to add colorful picture frames. Soft yellows, greens or purples are nice. You can make these frames yourself by covering old frames with wallpaper or wrapping paper. Just cut out the paper a little larger then the frame. On all of the corners cut a diagonal line so that the paper can be folded and wrapped around to the back of the frame where you will glue it. Make a large frame to hold the Noah’s ark scene. This will pull the whole room together.
You can add expression to the dressers and bookcases with scarves. Use a coordinating material, cut it the length that you want, hem and you have a bookcase or dresser scarf.

You can also paint animals on the dresser or bookcase. Each drawer on the dresser could have a line of different animals walking two by two. If you can find a tall wooden lamp, you could paint a giraffe on each side. The lampshade can be stenciled with animals and the ark.

Finally, you can add a border about half way up the wall. You have three options for making the border. You can buy a wallpaper type border, you can paint the animals freehand or you can buy a stencil and stencil the wall. Whatever you choose to do you will have created a beautiful room that you and your child will cherish.

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The Color Yellow

2008-11-04T22:50:00.000-08:00

The Color Yellow

Color is vital element for interior decoration in your home. Without it our house would be dull, and so would our lives. We use color to empower us, to cheer us up, to raise emotions, to color our world and personalise it.

There are many meanings for the color yellow, the most obvious ones being sunny, warm and radiant.

We use yellow more than we know it, cream is yellow, it is yellow tinted with white. Cream is an extremely popular color as it is warm but not overpowering, it is more friendly than stark white and we use it in every room and a lot outside the house too.

I used to do a lot of design work for office fitouts and I used yellow frequently. It is an innovative color and sharpens the memory, perfect for the office environment.

Gold is yellow, rich and luxurious, a perfect accessory as seen here in this tieback tassel.

Learn how to lay ceramic tiles effectivley,and save money!

2008-11-04T22:29:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how those tiles are laid can look so perfect? What is the secret of laying tile effectively? How can we choose the right kind of tile for our home? Yes there are different kinds of tiles that we can choose from. There is the ceramic tile, the Quarry tile, the slate tile, and of course wall tiles.

The Ceramic tiles are for interior floors, usually used in areas such as Kitchens, Bathrooms or laundries. One of the key aspects to good effective tile laying is in the preparation of the floor. It’s just like decorating; preparation is the key to success. Both glazed ceramic tiles can be laid directly onto a concrete floor, as long as the floor is dry and in good sound condition.

If you have a timber floor, you can lay tiles directly onto the timber, but only if the timber is strong enough to support the extra weight of the tiles. Tiles in mass can be very heavy, so check with builder to see if your timber floor will take the weight. If not, here are some things that you can do:

1) Cover the floorboards with exterior grade plywood; make sure that the plywood is securely fixed onto your floor. This can be done with special floorboard adhesive and then some you can either nail it or screw it down to the floor.

2) Make sure that the floor is completely level; you may need some leveling compound to do this.

If you have vinyl on your floor you may want to remove any vinyl as this will help for leveling.

Ok, so now that we have our floor all nicely prepared what now? Well, the next step is to start laying out those tiles of yours. If you want the end result to look professional, then careful setting out of the tiles will be required.

Start off by finding the center of the floor, which should be your starting point. Lay the tiles out onto the floors from center out as you would like to see them, make sure that any patterns etc. are properly aligned. Remember too to allow for the joint thickness for the grout to go into. See how many whole tiles will fit onto the floor area Move the rows just slightly if need be to fit more tiles in.

How to lay ceramic tile

Learn how to lay ceramic tiles effectivley,and save money!

As you lay the tiles, use tile spacers to mark the gaps between the tiles. Use a level to make sure that all of the tiles are straight with each other.

Now comes the fun bit, the edges. To measure these tiles, lay a whole tile over the last whole tile laid. Then place the edge of the tile next to the wall. Mark the tile and then cut it to size. To cut the tiles you will need either a diamond tipped blade or you can hire proper tile cutters from your local decorating stores.

Use a high-grade tile adhesive once you have the pattern of the tiles set out. Some adhesives do dry quickly, so you may need to be fast.

Laying tiles may not be as easy as it looks. If you do get stuck, then you will need to consult a qualified tile layer. He will know what the best thing for you to do is.

In the mean time have fun laying those tiles.

A step-by-step guide for how to refinish your hardwood floors. Takes you through every step, from removing carpet, sanding, and finishing.

2008-11-04T22:03:00.000-08:00

As the trend toward restoring older homes continues, more and more people are refinishing their hardwood floors. Hardwood floors provide years of maintenance-free beauty, yet they are relatively cheap and easy to restore. What’s more, refinishing floors on your own can save thousands of dollars while raising a property’s value.

Removing Old Carpet

If you are lucky enough to not have your hardwood floors covered by existing carpet, you can skip to the next section. If not, depending on the condition of the carpet and the pad and how they were fastened to the floor, you may have a long and tedious job ahead. Older carpet pads can bond to hardwood floors, adding hours to the task.

The best option for removal of bonded pads is to scrape them off by hand with a putty knife. Take care to follow the grain of the wood and to not gouge it as you scrape. A chemical solvent can be used to speed the process. If the pad is too well bonded, you can elect to use an electric sander to sand the pad off. The disadvantage to sanding at this point is that you may sand some of the carpet staples into the floors themselves, leaving tiny metal scars in the final product. Staples can be removed by hand with a needle-nose pliers.

Sanding the Floors

The best way to obtain an electric sander and other equipment described is through a local tool rental business. These establishments are also usually eager to provide extra information and supplies related to what they rent. Sometimes you can save money by purchasing your own sandpaper and other accessories, however.

Start sanding with the coarsest grit of sandpaper. Perform three passes, using a finer grit each time. Be careful to move with the grain of the wood as much as possible. It is also important to keep the sander moving at a steady pace to avoid uneven patches. Corners are often sanded too much as the machine passes over them repeatedly. There will always be awkward patches where the sander can not reach. The only choice is to do these patches by hand, using the same progression of coarse to fine sandpaper described above.

Once the floors have been sanded three times, they are ready to be prepared for staining. Use tacking cloth, sold at hardware stores everywhere, to pick up the sawdust and other debris left after sanding. Make sure to pick up plenty of tacking cloth because you will also need it for the staining process.

Staining the Floors

After selecting a stain matching your taste, gather up plenty of rags and some old clothes. Apply the stain with the rags in a circular motion. Try to apply evenly to avoid any color inconsistencies. Be sure to consult the product label for drying time and other important information particular to that brand. If after the first application the stain is still too light, repeat until desired color is attained.

Buffing is the next step. Again, tool rental businesses are the best place to obtain a buffer. These machines are the same ones that are used to polish floors everywhere. Ask for a little advice about operating the buffer before you leave with it because they can be hard to handle. Generally, if you pull down on the handle of the buffer, it will move to the left; if you pull up on the handle of the buffer, it will move to the right. Just take it slow at first until you get the hang of it.

Use tacking cloth again to clear away dust and debris, and the floors will be ready for their first coat of polyurethane. The easiest way to apply the polyurethane is to use a mop-like tool. This prevents you from having to stoop over for hours and seems to work as well as other applicators. Once the recommended drying time has elapsed, repeat the above process twice more, making three coats of polyurethane in all.

Now your hardwood floors should be ready to go. You should wait two or three days before using the room and at least a week before putting down any area rugs (or they might adhere to the floor). Again, be sure to consult the labels of all the finishing products that you use for any specific information. Be safe and enjoy your new low-cost hardwood floors!

The Color Wheel

2008-10-29T20:38:00.000-07:00

Color is the most important part of interior decorating.

Everything we see has color and we need to be able to select color to enhance the space we want to decorate.

That entails choosing multiple colors, and can become overwhelming.

That is why we have broken down the colors to show their meanings, we profile

Color and Nature

Red

Orange

Sanding a hardwood floor

2008-10-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

Sanding a hardwood floor can be done in home. Create your own beautiful, natural effect with a polished hardwood floor.

Is that old carpet getting you down? Is it faded, stain embedded or just plain old fashioned? Well, how about pulling it up? You may just find that beneath it you have the makings of a first rate polished hardwood floor. Such a surface can add a real sense of charm to your home – but only if it’s done right. Here’s how:

(1) After carefully removing the carpet, sweep up all of the remaining dirt and other debris from the floor. Set all protruding nails into the floor so they are flush.

(2) Hire a sanding machine, ideally a disk type one. Fit it with coarse sandpaper and do an initial sweep of the floor to remove the roughness.

(3) Repeat sanding with the coarse paper and then do a third sanding with fine sand paper. Obviously the more sanding done with a fine sand paper, the better the final finish will be.

(4) After about the third pass, buff the floor with steel wool using a steel wool buffing machine.

(5) Use an edger to get at corners and edges after each pass by with the sanding machine. If you don’t have an edge sander, you will have to sand these areas by hand.

(6) Give the floor a careful check to ensure that all blemishes, nicks and scratches have been removed.

(7) Make sure that the floor is perfectly clean. You are now ready to apply your stain. Choose an oil based pigment stain and apply it with a brush. Use a painter’s tack rag to pick up any debris you spot in your path. Make sure that you are applying the stain only to bare, clean wood. Try to do the job with an indoor temperature of around 70 degrees.

(8) After the first coat has thoroughly dried, buff the floor with steel wool and then apply your final coat.

Apart from using a stain you may, of course, choose to apply either a varnish, a polyurethane or a penetrating sealer to your floor. If varnishing proceed as above but apply a coating of floor wax on the finished product. Finish off with a machine buffer. If using polyurethane make sure you work along the grain of the wood. Buff with steel wool between coats. To apply a penetrating sealer use a mop. Wipe up any excess with a cloth. Buff with No.2 Steel Wool after the first application and then apply a second coating.

Take your time with this project. Be especially careful not to allow any dust or dirt to contaminate the finishing process. And for the best results don’t leave it too long between the sanding and finishing stages of the job. This will prevent changes in moisture conditions from affecting the grain.

The Color Orange

2008-10-14T18:38:00.000-07:00

The Color Orange

Orange, the happy cheerful color. We often overlook using orange as we find it bright and bold and too brilliant to use in our homes.

But wait, where does peach and apricot come from? Yes, the color orange. They are a tint of orange. Now you can see that we do actually use orange a lot in our interiors.

It is a warm and happy color and useful for old people's homes and institutions as it is an anti depressant and decreases hostility and irritability as well as being cheerful and fun.

It is good for use in classrooms, or where large groups of people congregate as it improves social behavior.

Orange is a fantastic color to use as an accent. Throw around some bright orange cushions to brighten up a dull color scheme, add some orange flowers to a vase to enliven the room.

Use orange as a feature wall to create a focal point, add a purple vase on the table and you have a striking feature. Using color in small amounts is a good way to introduce strong hues into your home.

The Color Red

2008-10-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

The Color Red

Red is the color of roses for valentines day, romance and lust, red is an exciting color, stimulating and exciting.

No wonder the extrovert that wears a red suit to a business meeting gets noticed, not only for their boldness in color choice, but the sense of power that it carries.

Red is brave and carries good luck, it is a very popular and important color in asian societies.
How do we use it in the home?

With caution if you want to use it in bulk, if not, scatter it everywhere! To make a room feel cosy you can use red for the walls, it will enclose the space, but it does make it more intimate.

Red can be broken up and diluted as such, as shown here by the addition of taupe and gold in the fabric pattern.

I wouldn't suggest red for a bedroom as it increases your respiratory rate, and what you usually want to do in your bedroom is lower your rate, relax and sleep. But you can use it as accents and that is where red really excels.

I have seen a few commercial schemes that have taken some design ideas from the 1960's, the rooms are pure white and have red leather sofas and red pendant light fittings, they look spectacular, red is the focus and it draws you in to sit down and then look up at the lights. Simple yet effective. You may not want to be so dramatic in your home, but red can be a great color for focal points or features.

A red wall around a fireplace immediately hints of cosy warmth, even if it is not lit. A red wall in the entry of your home suggests bold opulence. One area that red has probably not been thought of for is the dressing room, a private space in your home, red flatters the skin and you will look your best while you are putting on your makeup and getting dressed.

Color and Nature

2008-09-27T03:15:00.000-07:00

The Observation of Color in Nature to Improve our Design

To unleash the creativity of a designer, simply start observing your surroundings. Take a stroll through the park, what do you see?

Trees, grass, water, ducks, leaves, flowers.

That is what everyone sees but look a little closer, look with a designer mind. Look at the way the bark covers the tree trunk, observe the myriad of colors within one small piece, retrace the form, feel the texture and see how it contrasts to the smoothness of the leaves.

Look how the sunlight can make the bark look different from when it is in the shade, observe the effect of shadow.

You can use these observations to learn how color, light and texture work in the interior. Another example is a flower, look closely, there is often more that one color in a single flower, and it frequently goes by unnoticed.

This simple use of juxtaposition means that the secondary color intensifies the main

Another example - a pond of water, the shadows created by the clouds in the sky, the different depths of water, and once again the juxtaposition of other items in the pond combine to create a fantastic monochromatic scheme of blue/green.

We need to slow down our hectic pace and deadlines that drive us to create without thinking and take the time to appreciate what is around us, this acts as our catalyst to design. How many times have you had a mental block and no matter which way you look, there seems no solution? Many! A simple stroll in the park can be all that is required to clear you head, get the blood moving around the body and gives you time to observe where design begins, at nature.

Carry around a note book and jot down your observations, what colors look great together, how the different textures of similar items create a subtle design, how the light can highlight or obscure, how much of a different color do you need to make a statement, how a mass of wild flowers with hundreds of different colours can work together to form a subtle single entity, how the curved flowing lines of a Willow tree are softer than the brutal severe lines of a Pine tree.

With these observations think how you would relate them back to your work, and how they can work in with people; after all we are the main reason for design, to create environments in which we can perform specific tasks comfortably.

How to Create a Color Scheme

2008-09-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

Where to Start?

It is important when planning the scheme of a new house to look at the positioning on the site. Work out which rooms will have a lot of sunlight and which will not. If a room is on the cool side of the house use warmer colors, and vice versa. Select one thing that will be constant throughout the entire scheme so that it will flow through the house.

For example the same paint color for all the doors and skirting boards. Visualise from the plans the spaces in 3 dimensions and work out what you will be able to see from each room, and then ensure the colors that you select are pleasing on the eye when viewed simultaneously.

Defining separate areas with a change in flooring If you want to define separate spaces, a change in floor finish works well. For example, solid timber floor in the kitchen area and dining room, (a large rug under the table and chairs will define that space as separate) moving onto carpet for the living area. Remember to consider all the elements of a room and not rely on one fantastic piece to express all. Creating visual balance and harmony is the most important thing. In general all other areas of selection are similar to those described in the renovation explanation to follow.

When renovating and redecorating existing spaces, it is not often possible to alter the flooring, so the best advice then is to choose something inspiring that you have to start your color scheme from. It could be an antique chest, a Chinese ceramic, a Turkish rug, a favorite chair or painting. Then use this item as your base to start selecting your color scheme.

it may sound daunting but as with any large task, if you break it down into small steps and successfully complete each – the whole task will come together.
The more frequently you practice these tasks, the easier it becomes until before you know it, you are achieving even bigger tasks.

Here is a methodical way of selecting color schemes, once you have taken the client brief.
(Client Brief: this is the client’s expectations or desired outcome. It is what they want to achieve, what they like and dislike, how they live and their family situation. It also encompasses a basic explanation of their existing items to be used and incorporated into the scheme.)