Category: Decorating Guides

Brown marble-topped tables have a mottled mixture of brown hues in various shades from light tan to dark chocolate. This rich mixture of brown can be paired with a huge array of wall colors. Narrow down your choices by thinking about the accompanying decor in the room in addition to the camel. Whether you balance the space with cool tones, keep it cozy with warm colours or prefer to remain neutral, the flexibility of brown makes decorating a breeze. Monochromatic Harmony Pick up two or three of the hues of brown in the marbling. Taupe, tan, wheat, caramel, cocoa, coffee, mocha — any of these mild- to medium-brown hues make perfect backdrop colors on walls and trim. A deep chocolate brown with crisp, white trim adds stark contrast and a upscale appearance. Use it in an accent wall or perform the whole room. Include lots of additional lighting, such as…

Great interior design doesn’t have anything to do with the sum of money you spend. It has to do with how well your home tells your story. Successful design inspires curiosity and makes your family members and guests feel nurtured. It makes them desire to state “Because I’ve been here, I feel I understand you in a completely new way” One method to accomplish this is to use things in the family history — furniture, textiles, artwork, even everyday objects — on your interior design. Do not only think a hundred years ago (though it’s wonderful if you have such things). Think 10 years ago or maybe yesterday. If you don’t have some family heirlooms, start now and create some “instant” history! Corynne Pless These fantastic paintings hark back into the custom of family portraits, but with a new and twist twist. You can not help but smile when you…

In this series I am analyzing the parallels between contemporary Western style and wabi-sabi, the early Japanese philosophy of finding beauty in things which are imperfect, impermanent and aged. Purists may see that as disloyal to the philosophy’s core, but I am following the advice of Shiho Kanzaki, an esteemed potter and tea master who generously shared his wisdom with me once I was in Japan in 2003. Kanzaki-san’s beautiful vases, pots and tea bowls, fired in conventional wood-fired anagama kilns, embody wabi-sabi’s very character. However, Westerners in search of wabi-sabi, he told me, should not imitate the Japanese vernacular, because this wouldn’t be authentic. They should seek out their native design constructs that exude simplicity and imperfect beauty, ” he said. When Kanzaki-san visited the United States in the 1980s, he found wabi-sabi in Pennsylvania Dutch barns. My musings have led me to find parallels in fresh, crisp, unadulterated…

Overview The Southwestern style primarily reflects the environment and heritage of Arizona and New Mexico. Natural elements and colors and accents motivated by the Spaniards, Mexicans and Native American Indians are identifying from their style. Broad courtyards, open floor plans and flat roofs and gardens are hallmarks of a Southwestern home. Colors A Southwestern home utilizes subdued colors that reflect the area’s surrounding mesas. Earthy tones in terra cotta, tan, brown, cream and white set the platform for the bright pops of colour brought in through plants and Native American Indian–inspired colours and fabrics. Azure is a highly effective color with the Native Americans, and its reputed forces to ward off bad spirits make it a popular color for exterior doors and windows. All colors reflect colors found in nature, like slate blue, forest green, salmon, mackerel and yellow. Furniture Minimalism is a distinct characteristic of the Southwestern style. Furniture…

I grew up in a midcentury modern house that boasted a very large pot of mother-in-law’s tongue, and it took me decades to actually appreciate the plant and possess one. Now, I’ve a nostalgic affection for mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria), but I see how this wonderfully dramatic plant works with many layout designs, and how easy it’s to take care of. I’d recommend it to anyone, even those who prefer a houseplant with a softer appearance. It really can take some serious abuse. I am talking falling-over-and-detaching-from-its-roots neglect, which occurred not just on our walk home from the nursery, but at least five times more till I repotted it in deeper soil. Every time one of the larger spikes fell out of the pot and detached from the base, we just stuffed it back as though nothing had occurred. It is still alive also. You really can not beat a houseplant…

Spending my Fourth of July at the beach, I adored nosily peeking into peoples’ windows as I walked by and discovering their beachy decoration (in the road, of course). While coastal decoration which goes way over the top may be a great way to celebrate your environment, a lot of us are searching for more modern looks that avoid seagull-and whale-theme overload. Here are 10 ways to have a clean, coastal appearance that’s modern and uncluttered — also provides relaxation the moment you let the screen door slam behind you along the way indoors. Barnes Vanze Architects, Inc 1. Glean inspiration from a spartan ship. This kitchen is clean and spare, which lets subtle marine accents such as the chrome pendant lights, deep blue tile backsplash and mild blue modern klismos chairs stand out. Elliott + Elliott Architecture 2. Look to regional architecture for ideas. This beautiful waterfront house’s inspiration…

Have you ever thought about your favorite room in your house? Does it relax you, wake up you or make you feel contemplative? A thoughtfully designed room can have a calming effect, stimulate memory or refresh us. Chances are that your favorite room exudes positive emotions by appealing to one or more of the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch or smell. Maintaining these perceptions in mind is not difficult or even expensive once you’re placing a room together. It is just simply part of the specifics of an area. These details could be contained in the smallest of rooms or produce the scale of a large room feel human. I always attempt to keep these five senses in mind when designing a room for somebody else, a key step in making this room feel more personal. Below are a few tricks for designing your rooms with all these five…

When’s the last time you wondered sensed as anything apart from a crafts material? This gentle, nonfraying fabric — made by compressing wool or other fibers collectively rather than weaving them is creating a name for itself in the home design arena. Not a lot of textiles can boast felt combination of sturdiness and downy softness, and its unfussy character dresses down formal spaces and pairs perfectly with casual ones. Here is a peek at just some of the ways inventive architects and homeowners have elevated felt to celebrity status. decordemon Felt rosettes adorn a little girl’s chair seat for an impact that’s as cushy as it’s pretty. See more of this sweet kids’ space The Painted Home Here’s a more adult take about the idea. Felt rosettes pair well with a textural burlap lampshade and put in a little depth to the palette. Andrew Snow Photography A felt-covered sideboard…

Believe it or not, there is a completely renewable, organic, secure agricultural product which may be used for virtually everything. Bamboo has been around for centuries in pretty much every program. This elastic material may be worn out, made into paper and background, transformed in to shaped and countertops to eat from and with. Here are some suggestions for making bamboo perform in your house. Greenington Currant Six Drawer Dresser, Dark Walnut Bamboo, a grass, is among the most used materials on the planet. This durable material can be chosen every five to six years — unlike walnut, which requires 30 to 50 years to replenish. This fast turnaround makes bamboo an superb choice for furniture. Bamboo also is a popular wood alternative since it can grow almost anywhere. TEORI Laminated Wood/Bamboo Trays Bamboo’s clean grain and texture make it an outstanding choice for modern accessories. Various things, such as…

Cushions and pillows in almost any space introduce colour, texture and form — all vital design elements when you’re finessing a room. These days we’re bombarded with all kinds of styles and shapes of cushions, and here you’ll learn the ins and outs of the amazingly complex part of decor. Then you can impress your cushion maker with your knowledge of terms such as “bobble fringe,” “knife edge” and “Turkish corner.” Deborah French Designs The term “cushion” was used in writings as far back as the Middle Ages. Made of sackcloth or leather, filled with wool or hair and often embroidered, these big items were much more like the floor cushions of today. In the U.S., the terms “pillow” and “cushion” can be interchangeable. In a number of other Western nations, a pillow is usually larger and for sleeping, while a cushion is used for lounging. Most standard cushions available…