home design

Really Cute Bed for Kids

The other day we were shopping for a gift for a kid's room, and golly, everything is blue or pink or yellow. What's up with these three colors anyway? Did someone decide a long time ago that these are defacto kid colors and the whole industry just follow suit?

Frankly we're a little tired of pink and blue. Here are some alternatives that we think would be really nice for kids or teenagers. They are great focal points and you can build themes around them...

The furniture is from Guildmaster (we would have listed the link here but it's for the trade only so it won't do you any good, sorry). Prices for the headboards run from $800 for a twin to $1200 for a queen. Email us if you need help.

New Rugs from Safavieh

We're always amazed at how the right accessories can just transform a room. It's like taking a plain girl and putting the right makeup, hairdo and fantastic shoes on her. It makes a huge, huge difference.

When we pick out home accessories, we usually look for rugs first. It's because most rugs are instant focal points. There are so much to choose from, and because they are not too expensive (if you pick out the right one)-- you can interchange them easily.

Here are some from Safavieh Rugs that we like. They are fun, bright, well-made, and gently-priced (an 8 x 10 is less than $1000).

To see more, check out our Safavieh Rugs section or visit their web site.

Utlizing Outdoor Spaces

Utilizing outdoor spaces is an important aspect of home design. Whether your site is level, sloping, rocky, or wooded, you can maximize your living area and take advantage of views by considering one or more of these applications and spaces:

Sunrooms and three-season porches

Patios and decks

Terraces and courtyards

Pergolas and Gazebos

Cooking areas and fireplaces

Docks and water access

Walkways and paths

Gardens and landscaping

Outdoor spaces enhance the living areas and interior of the home. Talk to your architect in the beginning stages of your home design to incorporate them into your home plan.

Interior Designs

When remodeling and decorating, we usually look for furniture, paint, carpets and decorative items as pictures. However, the lighting can have a big impact on the overall look of a room. The lighting design is responsible for setting the mood or ambiance of a space. With careful design and planning for the type, color and hue of the lighting, the room can be given a different ambiance. The right lighting can set a mood, improve productivity and contribute to people�s sense of well-being. It can transform unappealing spaces into desirable ones. Bright rooms give a positive and optimistic feeling, while darker rooms are more intimate and romantic. Research had proven that light can make big difference in how we feel.Good lighting design will not make you frustrated in the kitchen when you are not able to see what you are doing, and it will stop the arguments in the bedroom over whose turn it is to get up to switch out the light. Instead, you should be able to transform a room from a bright, vibrant living space to the setting for a romantic dinner for two.

Natural lighting is the light from the sun that comes through windows and doors. Direct sunlight is a healthy source of light, but the brightness and intensity is very variable. The time of the day, the season or the weather all influence natural sunlight. To control the quantity of natural light, different types of glass or curtains can be used. Diffusion and reflection are great ways to control this free light source. A good idea is to find the wall that received direct light form the sun and paint it in a bright color. The reflected light creates an ambiance in the room. The surface of the wall can control the diffusion of the light; rough surfaces have different effects than smooth surfaces.

Artificial lighting can be any kind of lamp. This light source can be controlled in every aspect; intensity, color, and the area of spreading. To get the desired effects in a room, the best idea is to use a combination of different types of artificial lighting. Ambience lighting is to lighten the whole room and give a certain �mood� to the space. Accent lighting is used to illuminate certain aspects or details of the interior decoration, as sculptures, pictures or display shelves.

Interior Paint

A simple coat of paint can revitalize your home in one simple step. You can take your house from boring drab to a beauty of color. Paint is also the cheapest way to remodel any room of your home, or even the exterior of your house. There are now dozens of manufacturers with numerous sheens and colors to choose from. The color choice can often be the hardest decision of all. Many people make multiple trips back and forth from the home improvement or paint store because they cannot decide on a paint choice.

Paint is becoming very expensive, but it is possible to get samples to take home before you make a large purchase. Some stores have swatches; however, the color is never as dark as it actually is. There are stores that are now sending home a small bottle of your paint choice for free so that you can test various colors on your walls. Many people have a basic idea of the colors that they want in their home, while others have no idea where to start.

The best place to begin is with the colors that you are naturally attracted to. View each color during different times of the day. You should also pay attention to how a particular color makes you feel. If the paint is for your bedroom, then you would obviously need a color that makes you feel at ease. You should also use this method in a room that you go in the most frequently.

While copying another person�s color scheme might not be your idea of an original room, looking in books and magazines are great places for inspiration. If there are any show rooms near your home then you can also gain inspiration from those as well. Seeing color combinations used by other home owners can help you choose the correct colors. However, if you use a magazine for inspiration, do not try to copy the complete theme that is used. A magazine will almost never produce the same results that you expected.

Interior Paint Color

Choosing the right paint color for decorative purposes can be a very overwhelming task. While there are numerous choices offered to finding the right shade, the variety can sometimes make the choosing even more challenging.

If at one point you are trapped in this situation and are perplexed by this imperative choice, remember that the basic ideas and tips never fail. Consider the most basic things in the process.

Before turning to the technical aspect in considering the right paint color, remember the virtue of patience. Literally, access to all kinds, types and colors of paint is infinite. With that, learn to hold off your final selections until a general and overall scheme in the room has been developed.

It is a great idea to check on paint chips as you plan and collect your most favorite ones. Patiently think over the perfect array of colors as it is the most versatile decorative element in any room. Check your preferences. Consider paints that are inexpensive and easiest to change over time. However, never compromise quality in the process.

Gather all these ideas and set your considerations, but make your final decision after the fabrics, rugs and wallpapers have been finalized.

Now it's time to hit the shops. Initially, it is advised that you do window shopping. While at it, make important and constant references to your carpet, fabric, wallpaper, trim samples and tiles. You might be able to find a paint color that is complementary to what you have, so be sure that you take these things with you when you shop.

It is imperative that you seriously study the paint colors, vis-a-vis your room's furniture and fabric colors. Colors have different shades with underlying tones. Make sure that you ask the store personnel for a sample strip of colors that are coordinated. While the darker tones are not considered in most decorative painting cases, still check all the colors in the strip very carefully.

Interior Wall Color

Which comes first: the wall art or the wall? When selecting wall art, we have several options, including paintings, grilles, mirrors, shelves, and so on. Of course, the choices we make regarding these items are important. Some of the most important selections involve the type of wall art, its size, the arrangement we will use, and the wall art's color. Speaking of color, before selecting the wall art, here are some tips to help select the best paint color for the room:

1. Carry textile samples with you
Remember that the paint color should complement the colors of other items in the room. It probably is not feasible to haul your furniture to paint stores. However, make sure to bring various textile samples with you, including pieces of wallpaper, curtain, tile, etc. That will make it easier to match them up with the paint. You never know when you will spot a color that could be THE color!

2. Select trim that complements the wall color
It is generally advisable to select a white, off-white or pale color for various types of trim in the room, including:

- doors
- moldings
- doors

To make an even bolder statement, use light hues for the walls, and darker hues for the trim. This combination will match up well with art wall decor.

3. Choose the color after you have decided on other decor
While painting a room is often the first step in decorating a room, never rush into doing that. Make sure to do enough planning first, to ensure that the paint will complement other items in the room, including the furniture, carpeting or throw rugs, drapes, wall art, etc. Yes, changing a wall color is easy and you have several hues from which to choose. Still, remember that the paint is only ONE piece of the big picture.

4. Choose the ideal paint finish for the walls
To reflect more light from the walls, use a finish that is shinier. On the other hand, use flat or matte finishes in order to hide flaws on the wall.