Feng Shui for Happy Living

Interior Design Psychology for Happy Living

Design psychology can turn your spaces into happy places, contributing towards your emotional well-being. It requires an understanding of the response of human senses to specific design details.

Sounds like feng shui? Except that it's better because Design Psychology incorporates the proven techniques used in feng shui with the beneficial methods based on physical science.

The elements of space, line, shape, form, texture and color all play an important part in the success of a design, be it a home exterior, a specific room, or a piece of furniture.

Feeling Light

Letting in more light be it natural light or artificial illumination can bring about an instant uplift to any room. Increased lighting does much for us too: improves our visibility, prevents fatigue and makes us happy and calm. It is the easiest and most economical way to bring about a change to any room, aligning it to the rhythms of our daily lives.

Balanced Proportions

Proportions or scale is just as important. A balanced room is an attractive room - a large sofa in one area balanced by a large picture on the opposite wall; or a tall piece of furniture balanced by a standing lamp.

Rooms with low ceilings can give an oppressive feeling, whereas those with a high ceiling provide a spacious and light airy feel. Add expanse to a small room by simply painting a couple of horizontal lines in a bold color across the middle of the wall that you want to lengthen.

Touchy Issues

Textures are of two types: tactile or visual texture, and texture which you can detect with your five senses.

Textures like grass sheets on a wall, or white pebbles embedded in a concrete wall, offer an additional dimension to any surface. Meanwhile, natural materials like stone and wood characterize country decor, along with handmade crafts.

Enhance our sense of touch through textures that are soft and smooth to caress. In fact, we don't have to touch velvet or silk to sense its softness, and textures like satins and chenille are visually luxurious, conveying wealth and comfort.

Keeping the Noise Out

Undesirable noise affects us significantly. The constant drone of the air-conditioner or other gadgets around us, the traffic outside, the construction works nearby and so on, all do little to evoke feelings of well-being.

Simple measures like double glazing the windows, additional sound insulation material built into the walls and soft furnishings like carpet, curtains and fabric panels can help reduce the intrusion of noise.

Fun with Furniture

Furnishing a small space can be challenging. Crowded rooms are more likely to have an adverse effect on our moods, increasing our stress level and general discomfort.

Be sure to choose the right furniture and colors, and take care not to overuse accessories. Remember, less is more for that open feeling. Mirrors and shiny reflective accessories also help create the illusion of more space. Larger patterns should be confined to designs of pillow covers and smaller accessories, rather than a large sofa or love seat.





Once we understand the science of Design Psychology, happy living can be achieved through the correct use of space, light, shape, form and texture. We spend more than half our entire lives at home so it is important that our happiness begins at home.

The Sophisticated Helen Green

Pick up a copy of England's House and Garden or Home and Gardens' Magazines and you are sure to find the work of Interior Designer, Helen Green. She has wonderful streamlined, sophisticated style. Green describes her style as cool contemporary, modern, precise, harmonious and elegant. Above is London Triplex she recently designed for client.
Her palette is often soft neutrals, which we all know I love here at Willow Decor. Green mentioned in a recent interview that in central London, with the homes interesting architecture, she felt color doesn’t really work. "In a sophisticated house where you’ve got a sophisticated palette of greys, for example, splashes of colour like a red cushion doesn’t work for me." Having moved into a historic home with many interesting architectural details I have also found myself moving toward a more neutral palette. Like Green, I felt this was a better way for the room to reveal its exceptional bones. This is such a wonderful dining room. I adore the gray blue color scheme. Green keeps the architectural details the focus of this room but enhances them by accenting them with mirrors. Notice the mirrors incorporated into the wall panels above. And, if you look again at the living room photo above you will notice mirrors built in, flanking the windows. I love this master bedroom. The room's architecture is front and center and beautifully enhanced by a soothing palette of beige. The furniture is a mix of what we call classic contemporary. (The silver hot chocolate pot and the roses add the subtle bling!)
Above is the Guest room -streamlined, sophisticated and very inviting.

Now let's have a look at her own personal residence in London. It is always interesting to me how a designer's home often parallels a clients. I prefer to work with clients that have similar taste and want to achieve a similar design aesthetic. The process becomes more exciting for me, because finding the perfect fabric, paint, or marble for client I get as excited as if I found it for myself.

Here is Green's living room. Again the palette is soothing, drapes match the walls for softness, and the focus remains on the beautiful furniture and the rooms mouldings and window. Green herself defines her house as the reflection of "a modern-classic style achieved by means of a selection of contemporary furniture and a collection of antiques, drawings and paintings".

The master bedroom is elegant is soothing. The blue color, chosen for the silk-upholstered walls and sofa, contrasts with the darker shades of the rest of the furniture.
One of the designer’s favorite rooms is her kitchen, a spacious area that looks out onto the beautiful gardens. Though I personally prefer a white kitchen, I do like Green's cabinets. I think the wood tone is very rich and the crystal chandelier gives the space and unexpected glamour. Notice how similar her dining chairs are to the ones above in her clients dining room.

Here is a photo of her lovely garden and entertaining area. No wonder she loves the kitchen looking out onto it. This is a place that reflects her maxim in interior decoration: "always follow your own instinct" Sophisticated and elegant.

Green has launched two wonderful furniture lines and has a line of carpets and fabrics. For more of Helen Green's work and her furniture check out her website here.

(all photos Helen Green London)

Giveaway Winner!

Elle Decor

Above is the wonderful living room of Ali Wentworth & George Stephanopoulos created by interior designer, Elizabeth Martin. Can you identify all the elements the bring "bling" into the room?

Thanks so all my subscribers and those who left comments for the giveaway.

I used the True Random Number Generator and it generated the number

The winner of the Vintage Mercury Glass Bottle is palmettomommy.

Please email me your contact information and I will send you off the lovely bottle.

Brown and Turquoise Bathroom Interior Design Ideas

One popular contemporary interior design color combination idea for bathrooms is brown and turquoise. Here are some great ideas on creating a brown and turquoise look in your bathroom.

4 Decorating Solutions For Your Bathroom's Brown and Turquoise Tile Floor
By Aja Klenna

While colors can date a room, they can also make it look very contemporary. One color combination that has gained tremendously popularity is brown and turquoise. While the color palette may sound modern and bold, it can also be muted and organic depending on how you accent the space. So, consider a bathroom with brown and turquoise floor tile and all of the possibilities that it offers.

There is Brown and then There is Brown
A wonderfully neutral and organic color, brown can be a perfect wall color to showcase this beautiful color combination in the tile. For a larger bathroom you can go with a rich, chocolate brown and accessorize in a lighter brown. Chrome fixtures will repeat the silver in the mirror, or porcelain fixtures could be used to echo the color of the tub. If your bathroom is smaller you may opt for a lighter tone in your brown wall color with a single accent wall in chocolate brown. To pull the turquoise into the room you have the option of picking up the color in your towels and shower curtain, or you can add a fun cabinet or stool to the room and paint it turquoise.

Contrast and Repetition
If you do not necessarily want to showcase the floor, then you can pull these two contrasting colors throughout the room. For example, you may choose to paint a focal wall brown on the upper half and a shiny turquoise on the bottom. Then paint the remaining walls a pale blue with brown stenciling for border designs. You can pull both colors in through towels, shower curtains and accessories. Since these colors are also organic think about using brown branches in a large turquoise vase, brown pebbles in a turquoise bowl or brown and turquoise beads in a glass bowl.

Retro is In
Turquoise is a perfect example of how everything old is new again. While turquoise can offer a very modern aesthetic, it can also illicit a retro vibe when combined with colors like burnt orange, mustard yellow and avocado green. You can tie all of the colors together by selecting a shower curtain or area rug that contains them all. If you have enough counter space you can embellish with retro accessories like a lava lamp. Fun, geometric shapes throughout your accessories including lighting fixtures and wall art will finish off the look.

Accentuate the Warmth
If you are worried about your bathroom not having a warm feel to it, instead of accentuating the cool turquoise tones, you can play off of the earthier brown colors. By pairing a warm red or orange with the brown, you can actually make the turquoise recede into the background. By having natural wood in your window and door frames, you add an organic and warm feel to the room. With soft warm lighting and luxurious warm tones in your towels and rug the room will feel inviting and cozy. Then you can balance the turquoise in the floor tile by adding a small turquoise vase or candle, and your bathroom will be warm, cozy and balanced.

Home decor specialist Aja Klenna is the top writer for Metal-Wall-Art.com, a wall decorating store offering unique contemporary wall sculptures and metal wall plaque.

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

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Interior Design for the Modern Master Bedroom

The master bedroom is an important room in the home. For that reason, the interior design of the master bedroom should be thoroughly researched. The master bedroom is the one place that should be the home-owner's private sanctuary, a place to unwind and relax after a hard day at work, away from the noisy kids.

The master bedroom should have a relaxing ambiance to it. One of the more important tips in creating a perfect interior design for the master bedroom is to pick soothing paint colors for the walls - naturals and neutrals would be the best. Dark colors such as navy blue, bright colors like scarlet red or vibrant yellows might be your favorite colors, but might not be suitable for a master bedroom.

Here are some excellent tips on creating the perfect modern master bedroom. Below the article we feature ideas on unique modern master bedroom styles.

Design the Perfect Modern Master Bedroom
By Christopher W Smith

Would you like to design the perfect modern master bedroom? Do you find that you have plenty of space to work with, but not enough creativity to do anything with it? Are you the type that has plenty of creative ideas to work with, but the bedroom space that you have is just too limited to work them all in? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you are sure to welcome helpful hints to let you discover tricks and techniques used to design the perfect master bedroom - in a modern tone!

Today's "modern" master bedrooms consist of many unique color schemes and unique geometric patterns and shapes. The modern look veers away from the traditional woods and brown color codes that are often integrated into the standard suite. Many individuals enjoy the style and flare that is associated with the new, upbeat look of the furniture that can be worked in to the modern bedroom. These furniture pieces offer more room for creativity and personal expression than standard bedroom furniture does.

If you are looking to design the perfect modern master bedroom, it is important to have a basic appreciation for exquisite architecture and artistic expressions. If you are all for adding a current, artistic flare to the traditional bedroom, you are ready to bring in the modern tone of luxury to the area where you relax and unwind. This new style allows an individual to create a spectacular museum of comfort that can allow them to achieve the rest and relaxation that they need and desire.

The first method to creating the modern bedroom is to carefully select the paint that you will use on the walls. It is important to go with natural and neutral tones. Many may elect to use special painting techniques, like those that make the wall seem as if it is "cracked" in an artistic fashion. This may actually seem unappealing, but once it is completed, it gives a unique and futuristic appeal to the walls in the master bedroom. It provides a form of texture and depth that is not likely to be found in the traditional bedroom.

When selecting bedroom furniture, it is important to select types that have contrasting colors, such as blacks and whites. You should also consider furniture pieces that have unique shapes and contours. Examples would be triangle shaped dressers and mirrors. Naturally, you can choose from many shapes and patterns when it comes to the modern bedroom. If you really want to set off the appearance of the modern room for sleeping, you should purchase a headboard that reflects the shape of the furniture that you choose.

The next area that you want to pay close attention to is the window area. The windows are an important component of them. If you want an upbeat look for this room, there are a number of different types of blinds that you can purchase. You can purchase artistic blinds that display beach scenes, nature scenes, flowers, religious scenes, wildlife, various art prints, and more! Any type of blind that can set off the artistic and geometric design of your bedroom is sure to be a big hit!

If you are looking to create and design the perfect master bedroom, the tips and tricks listed above are sure to put you on your way. These are the most important features of the traditional bedroom and should also be the most important features in the more modern bedrooms. Remember, in order to be completely satisfied with your bedroom, you must display some of your personality into it.

Visit us for more information on bedroom closet organizers, blackout window coverings and bedroom decor ideas.

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

Modern and Contemporary Master Bedroom Ideas

Modern Master Bedroom in Chocolate and Beige Tones

Modern Contemporary Master Bedroom Clean Sleek Lines

Modern Contemporary Master Bedroom
Black and White Decorative Motif Headboard

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Contemporary Living Room Furniture Ideas

Modern and contemporary living room interior design employs the use of sleek, clean lines of furniture. The colors used are also complementary, like black and white, and used to enhance the room's ambiance. Colors such as purple and orange in combination can also be used to create a modern and contemporary living room interior design.

The contemporary living room is uncluttered - one of its most defining pictures. There are less family framed photographs lying around. Instead photographs (portrait ones) are highlighted only in one of two places of the living room, and is not conspicuous.

One of the more prominent features of the modern and contemporary living room furniture is the sectional living room sofa (sitting area).

Read on for more ideas on creating a modern and contemporary living room with beautiful contemporary living room furniture.

Modern Living Room Furniture Decoration Tips
By Julie Blodgett

Homeowners, tenants, and hobby designers can decorate their own living space in order to tap into their creative side. When employing modern living room furniture, each room is enhanced beyond what is conventional or boring.

Although it seems as if there are fewer rules required in decorating with contemporary living room furniture certain rules still apply. The most important ones are displayed below:

* Make sure you coordinate the right blend of colors. For instance, yellow and purple is one opposing color pair often applicable to modern design. Black or white with any pastel or bright color is also very wise selection. Certain shades of red, orange, or yellow might be combined, too.

* Consider the application of a variety of different upholstery or rug patterns in the same space. For example, many individuals like to a striped sofa and floral rug in the same room. At the same time, remember not use too many clashing patterns.

* Be careful not to overdo the use of photographs in decorating. One or two family photos in each room are sufficient. Use contemporary frames and place them on small nightstands or armoire to add just the right touch.

* Consider employing a variety of materials and metals. For instance, different textures of glass, chrome, stainless, wood, platinum, or leather materials look exquisite when combined in just the right way. You could also integrate a few antique pieces in with your contemporary pieces.

* Don't overcrowd your rooms with excess furniture. You want the rooms to feel spacious and a place where you can feel relaxed and not closed in. Also, if you have young children living in the home or if children visit on a regular basis you would not desire for them to get injured, or for the furniture to be broken.

* Do not feel pressured to decorate your home in precisely the same way everyone else does. For example, if you want to paint your living room walls pink, that is your privilege. In fact, dusty rose is a very beautiful is an excellent choice for nearly any modern living space.

How to Recognise Modern Design

You can easily recognise contemporary design. Modern living room furniture is more often than not designed and constructed utilising bold, sleek and unconventional shapes.

This style of interior décor is most often distinguished by its clean edges, bright colors, and soft curves. You can spot it anywhere once you are used to identifying it.

Modern Living Room Furniture

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

Modern Contemporary Living Room Furniture Ideas

Modern Leather Sectional Living Room Furniture
With Matching Unique Floor Rug

Modern Contemporary Living Room Furniture
Combination of Neutrals and Colors

Modern Contemporary Living Room Furniture - Glass and Wood Combination

Modern Contemporary Living Room Furniture
Orange and White Sectional Contrast Wood-Paneled Living Room Wall

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Bathroom Interior Design Colors | Blue and Chocolate Inspirations

All is not lost with a small bathroom in your home. It is possible to decorate your small bathroom in a way that makes it appear larger, airy and open.

One of the more important things you can do to decorate your small bathroom is to first clear your bathroom of clutter. Remove unnecesasry bottles of shampoo, bars of soaps that are collectng dust. For the ones you use daily, store them in a wall cabinet, or create a place for them on the shower walls.

Also the small bathroom can appear larger with the use of certain colors, and correct kinds of bathroom accents.

And if you are still under the illusion that white bathrooms are still in - let me correct you! Go for colors instead!

For this article, we focus on blue and chocolate bathroom colors.

Please read on for more tips on decorating a small bathroom. Following the article, we feature blue and chocolate bathroom inspirations and colors.

Decorating a Small Bathroom
By Tameka Norris

A bathroom is our own little private place. We spend countless hours selecting the proper wall layouts, mirror shapes, the herbal oils and body lotions, etc. We always make an attempt to keep our bathrooms well maintained and up to date.

Openness and airiness is the key towards making your bathroom look larger in size. It may seem impossible to do it with no windows or one small window in a tiny bathroom that hardly affords you room to stand. Yet, with the right combination of color and décor if space allows, you will feel like your bathroom has grown by leaps and bounds. Let me reveal the secrets of decorating your tiny bathroom.

Saving the Space

Though there is not enough room for you to move around in your bathroom, still with a little thought, we can face lift your old and small space. Let's say, make a small glass cabin in your bathroom for quick showers? These ideas sound a little awkward - but trust me; a glass cabin will not only give you enough space for shower, but also will make your bathroom look more stylish.

Choose the Right Furniture

Rather than adding bulky bath tubs and sink, try getting more sleek and innovative items for your bathroom. Throw away your hamper, and other than that, try using a basket which will give the illusion of more space while still allowing towels and bath linens to be hidden away.

Get Rid of the Boring White Walls

We have been living under an impression that white bathrooms make clean bathrooms. But let me tell you that this is way out of fashion right now! Rather than using white paint and making your bathroom look a lot smaller, try applying monochromatic palette, or use colors which have identical power without making the room appear overcrowded. For example, bright shades of pink or orange can make your bathroom look spectacular. Make your walls look bright and exotic. After this, if you feel like spending more time in your bathroom, you have won the game!

Scented Candles

The scent in your bathroom will make you go crazy and lead you towards a lot comfortable life. Scented candles exert a feeling of clean atmosphere and the very aromatic feel makes you loose yourself. Candles can also hide the bumps and patches in your bathroom. To a surprise, they fill up the narrowest space. Go and buy some of these!

Add a Dash of Drama

While too many bathroom accessories or large pieces of furniture can quickly surround a small room, don't be afraid to add a little drama to your small bathroom's decor with a single bold focal point. A unique hanging chandelier, a graceful sink cabinet or an outstanding huge vanity mirror can add the perfect dash of unexpected glamour to complete your bathroom decor.

What are you waiting for? Start looking for the types of items you would like to purchase. There is a great collection of products available and you might be surprised at just how many different styles exist ranging from the stylish to sporty and then of course modern.

Learn how to decorate Small Spaces. Also enjoy, furnishing tips, photos of small spaces and projects for the DIYer.

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

Blue Chocolate Bathroom Interior Design Inspirations

Small Bathroom Walls in Baby Blue
and White Bathroom Accessories

Brilliant Blue and White Tiled Bathroom Walls
With Space-Saving Sink

Blue Chocolate Bathroom Accessories

Blue Chocolate Ceramic Tiles in Bathroom

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