RSS Feed (xml)One is always looking to try to update the interior design that they have on the current home that they are living in. Everyone wants that place that they live in to look nicer and more inviting. Sometimes there is the thought of creating a theme or to include something in the room that will set it apart, however in many cases we are looking to do this on a budget. So help is required to make the place better without actually doing something in regards to the improvement of the residence.
Where To Look
In many cases thrift stores and discount stores will offer ideas and items that you can use to aid in the improvement or altering of your interior design. They have many different options and unique items at discount prices that you will be able to use to spruce up your home. Some other places that you may want to look at would be local craft shops. Here you will not only find many ideas, but many items that can be created from the ideas that are inspired. You can also, look into going to garage sales as a means to sprucing up your own home. Seeing what someone else is trying to get rid of may provide you with the perfect piece to make your room special and set it apart from all of the rest.
Other Sources
There are other sources that can aid you in finding ideas as well as provide you with inspiration and help in accomplishing the goals of the interior design that you want to achieve. Some of these sources include books or magazines that are centered on giving ideas and introducing different design themes to people. There is also computer software that can be used to help in the layout as well as over all design of a room. By using these items, you can see where the budget will stand as well as come up with different ideas as to how to accomplish the goals you have set forth.
Always remember that the interior design is what you want and not what someone else tells you looks good. You want to make yourself happy and do not want o be miserable in your own home, because you think someone else may not like it. Remember it is all about you and not them, express yourself through your home and different rooms.
By Adam Peters
Monday, August 11, 2008
Interior Design on a Dime
7 Interior Decorating Mistakes You Can Make
1) Living with White Walls - I hear it all the time, "I don't want to paint because what if someone doesn't like the colors when I sell." O.K. when you sell you're going to need to repaint anyway to give your home a fresh and clean look, so why live with white walls. I'm not saying you should paint the whole house green, but look to see where you can do some colorful accents. And trust me that a nice neutral will make everything look more expensive then white.
2) Wrong Size Furniture - You're going out to buy new furniture. You go into a 200,000+ square foot showroom and buy. They deliver and it's too big or too small. Do not shop without measurements. It will take 5 minutes to measure your room and save you a lot of money and aggravation.
3) Inadequate Lighting - I went in a home once and there was no lighting in the family room, none at all. They didn't know where to put it so were using the cans in the kitchen and the light over the stove, I'm not kidding. To properly light a room your lighting should be placed at least on a diagonal across the room, with a triangular pattern being the best. So you should have at least two to three portable lamps in each room. Portable lamps are table and floor lamps.
4) Over Doing Collections - Have you walked into someone's home and didn't know where to look there was so much going on? It's easy to have happen when you collect things. When you have an extensive collection keep it to one room and edit. Put half out and switch them out every six months or even yearly since I know it is a task. You'll enjoy them more because actually after 27 days you no longer see them. At one time I loved Garfield and before you knew it they were everywhere. I have a Barbie Collection which has grown so large my closets are filled with them. Now I like to tell people I collect money and wine. I enjoy them both and they get used on a daily basis.
5) Art Hung Too High - No matter your height, unless you're a giant or little person, art is to be hung at eye level, which for the average height person is about 60" from the floor to the center of the picture. It should also not be hung more than 10" over a piece of furniture. When you hang art too high it becomes disconnect from the room and your furniture.
6) Function following Form - Here are a couple examples that I have seen. Having a silk sofa in a family room with children and pets. It was beautiful but after one week it was stained and the fabric was torn. Putting a small desk in a home office because they liked the look of guest chairs sitting in front. The desk was now too small to work at. You need to think about the room you're decorating. How are you going to use the room? What do you need to make it functional? How do you live?
7) Fear of Making a Decorating Decision - Are you looking for the "perfect" thing and having to get everyone's opinion. There will always be something new to choose from. And asking all your friends, family and every salespersons opinion will just get you overwhelmed. Remember that is why we have vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream. If you are constantly looking for the perfect fabric and needing everyone's opinion you will get discouraged and never get it done. Purchasing interior decorating items is a financial investment, but not the end of the world. It's time to feel the fear and do it.
By Gail Mayhugh
Top Tips On How To Dress Your Windows Beautifully
Let your windows steal the show with fabulous new curtains and blinds. Whether you have a bay or straight window, discover the best way to dress it up?
Use a wave heading
Soft waves of fabric create a smart but simple finish that's easy on the eye. A wide Tempo heading pleat makes curtains fall in soft, regular waves, so they will always look just right. Team it with a sleek, modern suspension rail that the curtains glide below and let the curtains sit flush with the floor so they'll look neat open or closed.
Stylist's tips
A cut-velvet pattern adds a luxurious edge to this otherwise pared-down window treatment.
Where to buy
Curtains made in Bolivia 230 0321, £37 per metre, Camengo.
Use a double pole
Need to dress your window for privacy and prettiness? A double pole lets you do both
A clever double pole design means you can hang both a sheer and a curtain around the bay window, but draw them independently. Brackets normally get in the way of curtain rings being pulled around a bay, but this design uses passing rings that allow the curtains to be drawn all the way round. A standard heading tape left ungathered on both curtains creates a soft, informal effect. Keep the sheers sill-length for a neat finish and go for floor-length curtains to create real impact in a bay.
Stylist's tips
Team a bold, modern, floral curtain fabric with a floral patterned voile for a modern take on a curtain and sheer.
Where to buy
Curtains made in Samara J515F-01, £37 per metre, Jane Churchill. Voile curtains made in Sophia 074, £48 per metre, Harlequin. Fusion double curtain rail, custom-made by the Bradley Collection.
Use a pelmet
A neat, modern pelmet creates a smart, fuss-free finish in a large bay window
For a contemporary take on a traditional curtain finish, use a small pelmet that picks up one of the colours in the curtains. It gives a sophisticated finish to a bay window and means you can use a plain curtain track around the bay as it will be concealed by the pelmet. Team it with a curtain in a pinch pleat heading that creates regular gathers for an equally understated effect. A pair of holdbacks that match the pelmet is all that's needed when you want to draw the curtains back and let in maximum light.
Stylist's tips
For a hotel-chic window treatment like this, choose striped satin for a tailored look and give the pelmet a touch of decorative detail with a fringe trim.
Where to buy
Curtains made in Sapphira 8515, £48 per metre, Harlequin. Pelmet and holdbacks made in Jem silk in Maroon 33, £19.90 per metre, Linwood. Ruche trim JM38E-02, £27 per metre, Jane Churchill.
Use Four Single Curtains
Dress up your bay window with four sweeping curtains for an elegant finish
A pair of curtains hung centrally, plus a curtain to each side of the bay, makes an opulent alternative to a single pair of curtains. A flat-faced pole in a wood-effect and metal finish is a feature in itself - use a suspension-rail system so that the fabric gathers neatly below the pole and doesn't hide it. Position a holdback for each curtain two-thirds of the way up the window, so the curtains can be draped across the top part of the window when drawn open. Allow plenty of length on the curtains so they pool on the floor to complete the lavish look.
Stylist's tips
Repeating the colour of the curtain pole in the fabric's trim pulls the whole look together.
Where to buy
Curtains made in Sapphira 8515, £48 per metre, Harlequin. Pelmet and holdbacks made in Jem silk in Maroon 33, £19.90 per metre, Linwood. Ruche trim JM38E-02, £27 per metre, Jane Churchill.
Use Blinds and Curtains
Team blinds for controlling the light with dress curtains that frame the bay
Roll-up blinds are a fuss-free way to dress a bay. Go for a bold pattern that can be seen in all its detail and choose a complementary plain fabric for the back of the blinds so your window looks good from outside, too. Combine with an attractive pole around the bay and narrow dress curtains at either side. These provide a soft framing effect for the window, but can't be drawn closed. Snap-together rivets attach the curtain fabric to the pole for a neat, modern finish that doesn't require heading tape.
Stylist's tips Choose the same fabric for the dress curtains and the back of the blinds, as this will be on show when you roll them up during the day.
Where to buy
Curtains and blind backs made in Venice Grass, £27.75 per metre, Villa Nova. Blinds made in Osaka 658-26102, £14 per metre, John Lewis.
Use a Leading Edge
Create an eye-catching effect for a plain window with a vivid leading edge
A curtain with a leading edge is a real show stopper. A contrasting fabric from the back of the curtain is continued to the front, and simple holdbacks allow even more of it to be on show when the curtains are open. Use a simple pencil pleat and an unfussy pole to keep all the attention on the curtains themselves. You can enhance the effect of this stunning treatment by choosing a pole that's slightly wider than the window, which tricks the eye into thinking that the window is bigger than it really is and allows you to hold the curtains back without blocking light.
Stylist's tips
A satin-finish fabric for the leading edge gives it even more attention-grabbing shimmer.
Where to buy Curtains made in Stanza Onyx 1041/04, £20.50 per metre; Leading edge, backing and cushion made in Valetta Gerbera, £23.50 per metre; all Villa Nova.
Use Panels
Mix panels of plain and pictorial fabric for a window that's a real work of art
A fabric with a pretty illustration is a great way to dress up a window with an uninspiring view. Use plain fabric for two-thirds of the length, with the panelled pattern on the lower third. Create visual separation between the two with a ribbon braid, finishing off with a trim below. An eyelet heading on a pole means the fabric won't fold up, so the illustration can be seen clearly. Keep the curtains to sill height so they hang properly, draw easily and don't block heat from the radiator.
Stylist's tips
Choose a plain fabric in a paler contrasting colour and trim the join to make the print stand out.
Where to buy
Curtains made in Agean Blue, £8.99 per metre; Beaded trim, £5.99 per metre; both The Fabric Warehouse. Panels made in Petits Oiseaux in Framboise on White, £39.50 per metre, Brocante Fabrics.
By Penny Day
