DREAM HOME
DREAM HOME

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Small Bedroom Interior Design Ideas

However big your entire house is, invariably one of the rooms will be on the small side. Typically, people like to use the smaller bedrooms as a study, a child's room or a guest room.

Whatever you choose to turn your small bedroom into, the challenge for any interior designer is how to make good use of the space that is available without making the room too cluttered.

Here are excellent tips on how to make a small bedroom appear larger.

How to Make a Small Room Look Bigger
By Jessica Frost

One question repetitively heard by interior design professionals is how to make a small room look bigger. At any rate of home interior design - whether contemporary or country, most homeowners go along with; more space would be great. A small space can be challenging when it comes to decorating your home. You desire to make the most out of your small space. Regardless of house size or layout, one or more rooms are frequently on the small side. A small space can be a fine project to find out what style of decorating you can do with this size of space. It takes inventiveness and forethought to come up including an effective space saving room design devoid of compromising on home decor. There are ways that you can style the most out of your small space.

Clear Up the Clutter to Make the Room Bigger

The primarily thing is to make your room look enhanced and bigger then it actually is. Clear up the clutter - The most efficient method of cleaning is to first cleanse the entire house of every damaged or slightly misused toys. Whichever household items that have not been worn in a year or more ought to be recycled or discarded. Magazines, newspapers and old books must be properly disposed of. Just getting rid of all the clutter in your house will change its' look drastically. Too much objects always makes a small room feel cramped. With things neatly set and out of sight, the space that is in view will feel orderly and open.

Furniture and Curtain Arrangement

Another alternative ways to make a house look bigger is having less furniture and decorations in each room. Furniture poses yet an added challenge. Overloading a room with furniture exceptionally when your space is limited can just make it appear even smaller. Break up your furniture into small and intimate groupings to having one larger conversation area. Position the larger pieces of furniture at the wall's angle in corner. This will open up particular wall space and make the room look bigger. Moved away your furniture from the walls and it will make your furniture more attractive.

Keep an eye on how much furniture you place in your small space. Keep in mind, you want to avoid a cluttered look. Use the least amount of furniture that you can, and make sure the furniture you choose is functional, not just pretty. Together with furniture and accessories blocking the view into a room and out to open spaces, a room will appear smaller. By moving furniture out and away from walkways, you'll open up the room and make it feel larger, particularly if you can notice the floor. Only put furniture back into your room that you will use and therefore limit yourself to just a few pieces. A small room should always have shelves built in to the walls. Your room is small also you do not want to add much furniture in your room. Built in wall shelves can improve depth to your room and make your area look even larger.

When you hang curtains up, hang them up closer to the ceiling overtop of the window and spread out and hang your curtain rod over every side of the window to make your window seem larger. Let your curtains fall on each side of the window exposing the entire window in the center. This will fool the eye and make it appear like your window is tall and large. Making your small area seem larger. Don't put ornamental pieces in the way of visitors. Shift them to roomy areas. As soon as they are out of the way, passages will be enhanced together with the effect that the room becomes bigger. Buy home decor items that are tall instead of broad. Broad furnishings take up more space and will make the room look small.

Create an Infinity Effect

One of the preeminent, slightest expensive ways to adorn small rooms and create the illusion of more space is with the use of a mirror. Adding mirrors will make your small space seem bigger giving it reflections and making it look as if like it is bigger then it really is. Try to arrange the mirror side by side, floor to ceiling or facing each other on opposite walls to create an infinity effect. Consist of few sources of lighting in all room with light coming from different heights and directions. If workable, add ample mirrors in your bathroom as well. The reflection of the room in the mirror can fake the eye into idea like there's more of the space.

Choosing Color

Color is important for any room, but especially for small rooms. The color of your room can additionally make your area look bigger. White or neutral colors can brighten up your room making it appear to be bigger. Paint can open up your small space and grant it a friendly and alluring look. Neutral, light shades and bright colors perform best; stay away from dark colors. Dark colors in a room can get your room in making it look smaller. Stay away from patterned wallpaper, which has the leaning to overpower small spaces.

Let There be Light!

The room have to be properly lit to open up the space either by natural or artificial lighting. You can add a few lightning features to the room if you do not have a lot of natural light. Try replacing floor lamps and table with wall fixtures. If you cannot switch these stuff, look for ones that are space friendly and buy a small shades or no shades at all. If you have way in to natural light, make full use of it. Bring it into your home through windows. Pull back window coverings or use sheer ones to bring more light in. Open up the windows to let the light of the outdoors into the area, as well. By letting the natural light flow into the room, it will open up the room and make it appear larger. Lighting is a key element in opening up a space.

Conclusion

When selling a house there is one thing you can do to make the house easier to sell. This thing is make the house look larger and attempt to get as much light into the room as you possible can. Majority of people won't buy a house if it looks very small. Together with the information in this article you should be on your way to a bigger looking room in no time.

Soto Gifts is an online provider of home decor, home office decorations, garden decor, furniture, home accessories, collectibles and so much more at a very low-prices. Buy as gifts or for yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Frost

Small Bedroom Interior Design Ideas

Small Bedroom Design with Bright Airy Colors

Small Bedroom Design with Fixed Wall Lighting
and Natural Light

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Monday, October 5, 2009

Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Tired of your old kitchen look? Perhaps it is time to undertake a kitchen remodeling project. This article focuses on great kitchen remodiling ideas that you can use to create a modern and updated kitchen that also exudes warmth and pleasure that all beautiful kitchen do.

Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Updated Galley Kitchen Design



Find New Remodeling Kitchen Ideas
By Pieter West

So you are sick of your old kitchen? Tired of those boring countertops, old cabinets and scratched up floors? Need some new remodeling kitchen ideas? We've got plenty of ways to spruce up your kitchen, from a total redesign to a small facelift that remodels.

Kitchen designs can be simple, yet effective. The kitchen is no longer just serves a purpose, it is a room to be lived in and enjoyed by the whole family and by friends. It is a place to entertain and to provide the comfort and warmth that will spread through the entire household.

A great place to begin with remodeling kitchen ideas is to think of what you are attempting to accomplish. Do you want to bring color into your kitchen, do you need new appliances, are your floors in good condition and what about your counters and cabinets? If you just want to add a little style to your existing floor plan you can cut costs with cabinet refacing instead of brand new built cabinets or laminate countertops versus granite.

You can cut costs with flooring as well with laminate wood veneers versus real hardwood or tile. These options all look remarkably like the real deal but are much less pricey, leaving room for adding some stylish color with paint or tile back splashes, cushions, curtains and more accessories. These all give a new look that remodels. Kitchen headquarters is now the central hub of the home.

On a bigger budget, a complete renovation can really spark excitement. Creating a cooking island in the middle of the kitchen with a fireplace on one wall, a flat screen television mounted on the wall or in a new refrigerator, a couch, and a computer station can make for a grand kitchen design. Granite or marble countertops against dark oak cabinets and flooring with stainless steel appliances add to your remodeling. Kitchen ideas such as bringing in more light with floor to ceiling windows or bay windows work great and totally remodels.


Kitchen flooring can be heated with the new electric heating systems and are a must have for homes in the cooler climates, especially in winter. A cozy atmosphere where while someone is cooking they can be watching television with a loved one, while another family member is surfing the net on the computer or reading a book in the kitchen nook by the bay window. Everyone together in the same room creates a unity. And with today's open floor plans, the design of the kitchen is ever more important.

If you want something in your home that really pops and completely remodels, kitchen updating is the way to go. Nothing says love more than cookies in the oven, hot chocolate on the stove, a fire burning and a nice comfy couch. Remodeling kitchen ideas abound and if you do a little research you are sure to find the kitchen of your dreams. Make it your mission to bring your family together in your new kitchen.

Pieter West travels the world on a regular basis and have written about numerous subjects. He has an extensive knowledge about, finances, DIY, parenting advice and many more subjects. You can find more of Pieter's articles regarding kitchen renovation at http://www.kitchenrenovationtips.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pieter_West



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Bamboo Sheets


Bamboo shees are organic natural fiber bed sheets that are ultra soft. It is the latest rage in bedding and linen, and bamboo sheets are affordable too. The best part is that it is environmentally friendly.

The bamboo sheets have all the benefits of satin, silk, and high quality Egyptian cotton bed sheets, with few of the disadvantages of any of them. For instance, bamboo sheets are not slippery like satin or silk.

Be warnd though - bamboo sheets can be easily damaged by bleaching than other fabrics like cotton, so use baking soda and white vinegar in your wash instead of bleach. Bamboo sheets also fair better with a cold-water wash, rather than a warm- or hot-water wash. Think of the comfort you create and the money you save with these laundry changes!

Organic bamboo sheets are a natural for the lodging industry. Bamboo is environmentally friendly in its growth patterns, and if you take care of your bamboo sheets naturally, they also are good for your guests with allergies and chemical sensitivities.

Please read on for more bamboo sheets facts that you would want to know before making your first bamboo sheets purchase!

Bamboo Sheet Secrets That Cotton Manufacturers Aren't Telling You
By Brandon Hopkins

Bamboo sheets are not your normal 800 thread count bed sheets. Bamboo sheets are not only comfortable but they're designed to be the most luxurious sheets for your bed as well as your guest bedroom. Bamboo sheets have a large amount of natural antibacterial resistance. In addition to the antibacterial qualities, they are also very antifungal. This antifungal property is a natural way for the bamboo forest to protect itself from bugs and other vermin that would consume the plants before they reached maturity.

In recent testing by the China Industrial Testing Center, it was discovered that bamboo sheets kill 98.8% of bacteria after 24 hours. These strange-but-true sheets are not only antibacterial and antifungal, they're also renewable. Since they're made from a 100% renewable resource, bamboo, you're using an eco-friendly alternative to traditional cotton, nylon and rayon sheets. In addition the antifungal and antibacterial qualities and since bamboo is a natural repellent of pests and bugs, no pesticides are needed in the growth or cultivation of bamboo plants. This keeps them as natural and safe as possible.

People who sleep on bamboo sheets compare them to silk, but always not that the bamboo sheets are not as slippery as the silk sheets, but just as soft. Bamboo is a unique insulator as well. In the winter, they will insulate and keep you warm, and in the summer time they draw heat away from your body and keep you cool. Bamboo bed sheets are available in a wide variety of colors and thicknesses. You will definitely be able to find any combination of color, bed size and thickness. If you're like me, you like a light color bed sheet that is very thin. Bamboo is as thin as silk without the slipperiness of those silk bed sheets.

After reading the benefits of bamboo bedsheets, most people ask one question, "How much do they cost?", and they expect bamboo sheets to be 4 to 5 times more expensive that regular cotton sheets. After looking at the actual price of bamboo and cotton, you'll find they're very close to the same. I did a price search for 600 thread count Queen cotton sheets and 600 thread count Queen bamboo sheets. The cotton ranged from $39-99 for a queen set of sheets including two pillow cases. The bamboo sheets ranged from $79-109 for the exact same setup including two pillow cases. If you generally buy the cheapest bedding you can find, the cotton is still going to be cheaper. If, however, you generally buy in the middle of the road, or towards the top end of sheets, bamboo will be almost the same in price when compared to cotton.

A single problem I've found is that bamboo sheets are hard to find in stores. I've looked at large retailers like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, and Costco. None of them had any bamboo bed sheets in stock, but you can always find them online. After looking at enough reviews at different retailers, I knew that bamboo sheets were for me. Without discussing it with my wife, I ordered a set for us. When they came in, I put them on the bed and didn't tell her. That night she laid down in the bed and said, "Something is wrong with our sheets!" I said, "What's wrong?" My wife said, "These aren't the same sheets I slept on last night, they're softer and more comfortable!" If that's not enough proof, give it your own test and see if your significant other can tell the difference!

Bed sheets don't just have to be something you sleep on, but they can be something you look forward to sleeping on! Cotton is dry, rough and harbors microbes and bacteria. Bamboo sheets are soft, smooth and kill bacteria in your bed! Find out more about bamboo bed sheets at our website at http://www.BuyBambooSheets.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Hopkins

Bamboo Sheets in Bedroom

Pale Blue Printed Bamboo Sheets

Organic Bamboo Sheets from Costco

Ultra Soft Almond Colored Bamboo Sheets from Adella

Bamboo Sheets for Baby's Crib from Bamboosa

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Nautical Living Room Interior Design Ideas

One of the more popular ideas in themed interior designs is the nautical look. The word itself, nautical, should give you a sense of what this look is about. It is all about calming blue colors in various shade options, be it light blue, sea blue, sky blue or navy blue. One of the more popular color pairs for the nautical look is white, but vibrant constrast colors such as red can also work.

While the nautical look can be applied in the bedrooms - the wide range of nautical beddings are indication of the look's popularity - the nautical look can be a great look for a living room too.

Take a look at the article below that provides tips that you can use in creating a nautical themed living room look.

Also, are
Decorating a Nautical Themed Living Room Or Bedroom
By James R Shaw

Nautical themes are very popular right now, especially for living room or bedroom décor. When you're planning to use a nautical theme, the first thing you should do is paint the walls blue, like the water. Depending on your tastes you can use anything from very pale blue to bright or dark blue; any shade of blue will work with a nautical theme. When decorating your nautical themed living room or bedroom, consider scenes you may encounter when walking along a boardwalk or at a marina, and use those as your inspiration.

Nautical décor should include elements that you would find on a boat. Natural ropes, netting, accents in bright red and white, and a porthole motif can all be easy ways to tie everything together. You can also add a few flags tied to the tallest piece of furniture in the room, or use wooden flags that can be hung around the top of the walls all the way around your room. If you have wood paneling, don't cover it up; wood paneling on interior walls can remind you of the interior cabin on a ship or inside a beach house.

For the walls and windows, canvas is a traditional material that is very popular in nautical décor. It can be used for curtains, dust ruffles for the bed, and other details. Canvas curtains hung with the use of large eyelets are a classic piece of nautical décor. You can even recycle an old sail, if you have access to one. The canvas can also be used to cover cushions or throw pillows.

Use natural wood furniture or paint your furniture white or cream, possibly with a distressed look, to make it fit in with your nautical décor. The paint should not be shiny or new-looking; it should look as if the furniture has had years of use on the beach or out to sea. If you're choosing a whole new set of furniture to go with the nautical look, go for those that look like they belong in a beach cabin, including Adirondack chairs and wooden furniture. If you want to get creative with the furniture, you can even use a hammock for a chair or bed to represent a fishing net. Boat shaped beds are also a possibility. If you choose to stay with a regular bed, use blue and white bedding with red accents. These are the traditional "nautical" colors.

As for as decorations are concerned, paddles and oars are an appropriate touch for any nautical-themed room. Pictures of sailing boats or other nautical or beach themes can be a great way to provide a centerpiece in the room. Model sailboats, lighthouses, anchors, ship wheels, life rings, and vintage glass fishing floats can bring a nautical style to the walls, bookshelves, and tables in the room.

When done right, a nautical themed room is unique and inviting. It should instantly remind you of the seaside. If you want your room to be more relaxing than exciting, choose a color scheme consisting of white, khaki, and any shade of blue. Adding a pop of red or yellow can add excitement to the room.

Royal Tiki specializes in genuine Hawaiian-made Nautical Decor that will be perfect for your Nautical themed Living Room or Bedroom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_R_Shaw

Nautical Blue Living Room Interior Design

Striped Blue and White Nautical Living Room
Sofa from Crate & Barrel

Neutral Colors Living Room with Nautical Striped Throw Cushions

Open Airy Nautical Living Room Home Decor


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English Country Homes Living Room Home Decor

If you fancy having a quaint English country home, but do not live in the country, much less in England; well, do not fret. It is possible to create a lovely English country home within your existing living space.

You can create an innovative English country home decor in your own home by applying a blend of formal English style living room furniture, antique accessories and toile. Also key to the English country home style, especially for the living room interior design, would be to use neutral colors.

The above simple tips will help you achieve a regal English country look in your own home!

Additionally, do not imagine that English country home designs for the living room simply means Laura Ashley styles with small flowery printed fabrics. It is also possible to moderanize the English country home living room design.

Please read on more further tips and ideas on creating an English country home.

Below we also feature great English country home living room home decor ideas.

The Charm of English Country Style
By Denise Weiss

There's nothing cozier than to be enveloped in the comforts and charm of English country style. There are several elements that conjure up the tranquility of quaint English cottages, or a chintz filled drawing room.

This style pays attention to every small detail. A mixture of comfortable items such as overstuffed furniture, quilts, fluffy pillows, are inviting and relaxing. There is a quality of opulence, though understated, that is characteristic of this style. This opulence is personified by things like silver urns stuffed full of roses, porcelains, antique clocks, leather bound books, statuary, tassels, paintings and loads of plants.

With this style you can combine the delicate with the bold, the old with the new, the pedigreed with the whimsical. For instance, an English cottage almost always will open onto a garden, if that is not possible, bring the outdoors in with floral wallpaper or fabric designs. Chintz, that beautiful, colorful, shiny cotton fabric, says English cottage like no other fabric except for linen or lace. You can combine these delicate elements with heavier wood furniture pieces such as an heirloom armoire or dining room table and chairs. You can add whimsical elements that are unique to you in your decorating. A flea market find such as horseback riding gear placed on a console table, porcelain tea cups with small ferns inside placed on a windowsill, or a beautiful pitcher and bowl complete with a lace tea towel on a bathroom shelf are things that bring a smile.

Most every English country cottage or home had a fireplace and mantle. This undoubtedly was used as a focal point. This place of honor was home to many things, an antique painting, hung so that the top of the frame leans away from the wall, or a model schooner or sailing ship, or an impressive, ornately framed mirror found a place here.

For a very "cottagy" feel, you can paint your furniture white and distress it. You can add elements from the garden like rustic pots, wire sculptures or garden sculptures. You can even bring wrought iron garden furniture into the house. Soften this with comfortable pillows or chair pads, very colorful like the chintz above, or a vintage, softer looking fabric for a more aged appearance. Another nice touch would be crystal. You can find old crystal chandeliers commonly at flea markets, and with a little TLC, revive them for your space. You want to retain the charm of age, so just clean it up a bit. Small touches add lots of character. You can hang herbs upside down in the kitchen to dry; rustic looking baskets can be filled with things like fruit, fluffy rolled towels in the bathroom or in the bedroom - use them to store things like light quilts, or bed linens.

This style is very warm and inviting, you can use light colors and even though you have layers of interesting things it still will remain tranquil. If you tend more toward the dramatic make use of a lot of color texture and pattern, just have your colors remain in harmony from room to room. Whatever it is you're doing, just decorate with everything you love.

Denise is a skilled decorator and has been writing and publishing articles on decorating and other subjects on the web since 2001. Check out her latest website, http://www.knockoffgolfclubs.org, which is all about the benefits of using knock off golf clubs to enjoy the advantage of great name-brand technology for a fraction of the cost.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denise_Weiss

English Country Homes
Living Room Home Decor

English Country Home Living Room Gray & Blue Floral Theme

Classic English Country Living Room - Red and White Theme

Modern English Country Living Room
Sleek Neutral Colors

Modern English Country Living Room
Floral Green and White Colors

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Sunday, October 4, 2009

How to Add "Bling" and a Giveaway!

I love to walk into a room and be hit by that one accessory or element that makes me stop, admire and take notice! I call it "bling" - that flashy or interesting item, that leaves you wanting more, all the while knowing more would be too much! Like fashion, too much "bling" can look garish, but done right it can leave a lasting impression. Let's have a look at some rooms with just right amount of "bling!"
habitually chic
Here is the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse in NYC. The aluminum wainscotting certainly adds the "bling". But notice that all the other accessories and elements in this foyer are more graphic or structural in shape and form. This gives your eye a rest and the ability to take in the wainscotting with out too much distraction.
A close up - I love the texture of this application and it's sparkle against wonderful heft of the hand forged railing.

Southern Accents
Here is a wonderful vignette by the talented Daryll Carter with a more subtle addition of "bling". This room has many gorgeous accessories and to Carter's credit it looks fresh and inviting, without looking over staged. But to me, the main elements that make this room work, are the aged wood mirror and sconces. Both add texture and sparkle (and "bling") to the space, and the mirror brings your eye up and adds the illusion of height to the ceiling.
kerry joyce
Of course for most people a simple way to add the "bling" is with a mirror. Here the combination of mirror and mercury glass on the mantel really seems to bring this neutral interior alive.
Mirrors are generally the first thing we think about when adding the "bling". But here the fabulous aged mirror wall from Elle Decor adds an architectural element, as well as tremendous interest and a great backdrop for artwork. I also love the little garden stool to the left - I guess we can call that the "mini bling" in this room.
So Haute
Here is an sophisticated vignette and although the console table is a showshopper, the mirror and candlesticks really draw your eye over to it. I love the way the "bling" can direct how you would like people to recognize elements as well as the pattern in which you want their eye to travel around the room.Washington Post
Here Loi Thai, from our favorite store Tone on Tone, uses mercury glass to add the "bling" in this wonderfully serene guest room. Your eye travels around the room but ultimately lands on this gray cabinet filled with antique mercury glass treasures.
Like all accessories, "bling"elements do not necessarily need to be expensive. Here are some terrific little mercury glass birds from West Elm. These crackled mercury glass pumpkins from Pottery Barn can give you a bit of "bling" all through the fall.
laurie annas
Here are my personal favorite - mercury glass mushrooms. Toss these babies on your coffee table or mantle and your right on track.HGTV
Finally a room where the mercury elements are front and center creating a sculptural art vignette of "bling". Try to visualize a painting here, you just would not get the same striking effect.
I recently acquired some fabulous vintage mercury glass apothecary bottles. I adored them and picked up a few extras for my family and friends, and of course for you, my readers. Just leave a comment on your thoughts on "bling" and you will be entered to win one. Of course all my subscribers are automatically entered to win, so leave a comment for a second chance! Check back on Friday for our winner! Good Luck!

xox-Gina
(never miss a post- just subscribe in upper right hand corner)

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Isabell's Beautiful Gustavian Chair

I get the most wonderful emails from people all over the world about Willow Decor. One of the most recent was from Isabell in Norway, (but moving to Sweden). Please read her wonderful note and photograph, which she has allowed me to share with all you.


Hello ”Willlow Decor” !

My name is Isabell, a frequent reader of your lovely blog and I wanted to thank you, because by you I came in contact with lovely Kymberley Fraser. A while ago you made a post about her, and you showed pictures of some of 3 Fine Grains sacks. I have this great passion about sacks, so seeing them made my heart jump….. I contacted her and bought the one you see, which now is on my Gustavian chair…..the furniture upholsterer in Stockholm thought the old chair and the sack made a good marriage. So do we……………..

Your last post was wonderful, the furniture you have is really pieces to love. So beautifully done, and so nice they look in your home. Of course the cushions from Kym , just love the as well………….

Isn`t it fantastic how mutual interest have no boundaries, no borders, by your post I read, I came in contact with Kymberley, she sent me the sack to Scandinavia, (Norway), I sent the sack to Sweden, and now I am about to move back to Sweden living and loving among many other things our chair………the world seem smaller in a way……………………

Once again thank you !

Kind regards

Isabell

The reach and power of the Internet continues to amaze me. I am so grateful to be able to find so many other lovers of fine antiques and home decor world wide. I know you will agree that Isabell's Gustavian Chair is exquisite! Fabulous job, Isabell and thank you so much for sharing!