Decorate Home With Flowers

Bunga Selain ornaments to decorate the outside (outdoor) house, interest was also good for use as elements of the interior decor. Interior decorating (room in) a house with flowers can provide beauty and graced the homes and the mood of its inhabitants. A variety of flowers available on the market there are imported and locally, but that does not mean flowers from the garden itself can not you use to decorate the room of the house. You can assemble the flowers are so beautiful views and the light emanating from the flower itself without decoration florist.

All you need is good will and courage to be creative in choosing a container (pot or vase), flowers, fresh leaves and twigs. Flower color is also very positive impact in your life. When selecting, consider the psychology of color, think back to what impact that will affect one's mood.

If you choose red, then it will make the house more and more exciting atmosphere and warms the body, increasing heart rate and breathing path. The yellow color is a source of energy so as to stimulate memory and enhance your spirit family. Green and purple is the color balance, calmness and helps relieve depression.

If you want a softer color or muted, blue is the right choice because it has the effect of increasing the reflection as well as relieve stress. To encourage and relieve tired, use the color orange flowers. The color pink also provide peace and free you from anger. While white is the symbol of purity but also provide peace in your heart.

Various media can be decorated like a table, wall lamps, chinese lanterns, and other media. You want to create a creative space that can be relaxed and casual look, and if you want to be inspired by such an atmosphere of casual clothes bali nuanced.

Similarly tips this time, congratulations creative ..

Interior Design Tips – Creating a Retro Style Bedroom

How to create retro bedroom decoration from the 1960′s, 1970′s, and 1980′s.

When one thinks of the word “retro”, their mind automatically goes to the decorating styles of the 1960’s and 1970’s. For more and more people, however, the 1980’s is also considered retro. Here are some ideas you can use to create a retro bedroom for yourself.

The 1960’s.

The 1960’s was the time of hippies, and free love. Even more than that, it was a time for people to discover love of their fellow man with the emergence of Martin Luther King, J.F Kennedy, and war protests. Home decor was as bold and free as the youth of the generation.

Walls: Room decor did not necessarily come from wall colors. They came from what was hung on them. On your white or neutral wall colors, hang colorful bold flower print fabrics in two or three colors.

Fabrics: Use bold color blocked fabric for your bedding and window treatment. For example, a white background with orange circles or uneven squares. Colors to look for are orange, brown, white, celadon green, and mustard.

Flooring: Floor tiles were very popular during this time. Purchase floor tiles in two colors and install like in a checkerboard pattern. Add several throw rugs to warm your feet in the morning.

Accessories: Accessorize the room with pop art reminiscent of Andy Warhol who was famous for his paintings of Campbell’s soup and Marilyn Monroe. Lava lamps and Hawaiian tiki carvings are also great room accessories of the time.

The 1970’s.

As the baby boomers came of age in the 1970’s, free love, war protests, and overall cultural awareness faded as disco and nightclubs became the obsession of the generation who needed to work off steam as they worked themselves up the corporate ladder. Home decor and fashions evolved greatly during this time from wild and crazy to clean lines, but bold colors remained.

Walls: Paint the room in a two-toned design like a beige on top and brown on the bottom. Two tones of any color will work well.

Fabrics: Floral designs continued to remain dominant, but more colors were added to the color palate. For your bed, purchase a cozy chenille bedspread and matching sheer curtain panels for your windows.

Flooring: Shag carpet would look great in your 70’s inspired bedroom, but you do not need to stick with the mixed shades of brown that was used to camouflage spills. Purchase your shag carpet in solid colors instead, and stick to area rugs to save money because shag carpet does not have a long shelf life.

Accessories: Mirrors and glass became the main room accessories during this period. Cover a wall with mirrors and add a mirrored disco ball to reflect the light in your room.

The 1980’s.

During the 1980’s the baby boomers became parents and so home decor became more grown up. Patterns became more subtle, subdued, and traditional. Victorian elements re-emerged during this time.

Walls: There was a return to white and neutral colored walls. You can paint your 1980′s inspired bedroom walls white with pastel colored trim, or antique white with high gloss white trim.

Fabrics: Pastel colors became the popular color scheme during this period interspersed with subtle florals by designers like Ashley Stewart. For a more masculine room, stick with classic stripes and argyle patterns.

Flooring: During the 1980’s, carpet got colorful and shorter. Short twisted pile carpet in pinks, blues, and greens would work well in your room.

Accessories: Accessories during this period were also a bit more grown up. Glass figurines became popular for adults and hand made bunnies and stuffed animals were the main decor in children’s rooms. Photography became the wall hangings of choice from candid pictures of family members to posters of rock stars, to black and white landscapes picures.

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Caring Wood Furniture

How to treat and protect wooden furniture. Repair nicks, scratches and watermarks with household items.

Wood furniture is perfect for every home. It goes with everything, is easy to care for, and adds class and elegance to all types of decor. Below are some basic tips for caring for wood furniture.

Although wood furniture is easy to care for, it’s also easy to damage. Nicks, scrapes and watermarks are just a few of the things that can mar your furniture if not properly maintained. If your wooden piece is one of history or value, and not intended for every day use, you should take steps to ensure its protection. When placing flowerpots, knick-knacks and picture frames on wood, make sure the surface is protected. You can do this by placing felt on the bottom of the object or placing the object on a protective covering such as a table runner or doily. If you’ll be putting a beverage down on wood furniture, use a coaster in order to avoid watermarks or heat damage. Every day wood pieces such as kitchen tables don’t require quite as much caution, but it’s good to use place mats to protect the wood and make it last longer.

Be sure to dust your wood furniture at least once a week to keep dust particles from building up. It’s best to use only a slightly damp cloth for this task as common waxes, sprays and polishes can leave a buildup on the surface of the piece. When it is time to polish the furniture, you can buff the piece with a paste wax, or use a little lemon oil. It’s best to use only products containing natural ingredients. For the best furniture cleaning options, ask the salesperson or antique dealer from whom your purchased the piece what he or she recommends, or call the manufacturer. Never use any product containing alcohol as it will cause the wood to dry. Silicone cleaners can harm your wood furniture as well. When polishing, go with the grain. Once or twice a year you can wash your wood with a mild soap formulated especially for this purpose. Murphy’s Oil Soap is ideal. Never spray any product directly onto wood. Spray a soft cloth with the product and apply to the wood that way.

If you have one of those homes that get very dry in the winter, you may want to use a humidifier to keep your furniture from getting too dry. Dry heat can cause your piece to crack. Avoid direct sunlight as well as this can cause discoloration. In order to avoid extreme temperatures, keep your wooden furniture away from heating or air conditioning vents and fireplaces.

When treating wood furniture for a stain or scratch, it would be a good idea to test the treatment method first on a hidden area of the table. The last thing you want is to cause more visible damage.

If you happen to spill a beverage on your wood furniture, or if you get one of those unsightly water rings that come from placing a glass down unprotected, you have several options for treating the piece. First, wipe up the liquid immediately. If a stain or watermark has been left behind, try rubbing the wood with some white, non-gel toothpaste and wipe with a clean cloth. If you don’t happen to have any of this type of toothpaste available, you can also follow the same steps using mayonnaise or salad oil. Something else to try is to cover the area with a bath towel and apply a warm iron.

If you spill liquid on paper, and the paper sticks to your wood furniture, this also comes up easily. Rub the area with salad oil or mayonnaise and it should be easy to remove.

Nicks and scratches are easy to repair, or at least hide. If you mar cherry wood, try applying iodine to the spot using a cotton swab. If the wood is dark, you can use a matching crayon. A waxy paste shoe polish works for this task as well.

For any other repairs, you might want to call in a professional. Unless you’re well versed in wood restoration, it’s best to leave this to someone with experience.

Caring for your wood furniture isn’t difficult at all. In many cases, the wood can be treated with items found in your home. With proper upkeep, today’s wood piece can become tomorrow’s heirloom.

(Featured article from: Home and Interior Improvement Textbook)

Basement Wet Bar Ideas

Creating family entertainment space, how to convert a basement or extra room in your home into a wet bar and how to choose a theme.

Whether you’re entertaining a spouse, children or friends, a wet bar is a natural way to incorporate food, drink and fun to an environment. Basement wet bars consist of a few basic elements: the bar top, seating, displays and storing facilities. When you’ve combined the right bar top, seating, display case and refrigerator or handy kitchen aids to prepare drinks or light treats, your guests will surely be impressed with how you turned a drab space into a wonderful wet bar. This article will explore a few ideas for each element in your wet bar as well as ideas for an overall theme.

First, let’s discuss the elements of the wet bar and possible ideas..

The bar top: Your bar surface can be wood, tile, stone or and variety of similar kitchen countertops. Often wet bars come straight, in an “L” shape or semi-circular. You’ll want to make sure that the wet bar doesn’t overpower the entire room, but provides enough space for putting drinks, sitting and basic entertaining. With the bar top, you’ll also want to consider if you’re going to have a draft fountain attached, sinks or various other appliances that would be taking up space of the general seating area.

Seating: The seating can be a bit tricky. You’ll want to be considering if the seats should move, swivel, and/or have footrests attached to them or will that be attached to the bar itself. You’ll want to consider if you prefer bar stools or bar chairs meaning a seat with a back, arm rest or just a simple stool. Since most of your guests may want to sit at the bar will drinking or chatting, you’ll want to make sure that they are comfortable.

Displays: Consider where you’re going to place all the serving ware and if it’s underneath the bar or behind the bar. You’ll want to have everything readily accessible for using, but not cluttering the overall look of your bar when it’s not in use. Some other ideas are having a mirror behind the bar, or framed photos or signs.

Storing Facilities: This references a mini-refrigerator/freezer or wine cooler or even a mini-dishwasher for glassware. You’re going to want to consider all the blenders, and mixing items you’ll need when preparing drinks. If you know you’ll be entertaining a lot, you’ll probably consider larger appliances for storing than maybe a wet bar that would be entirely for snacking or catering to children during playtime. You’ll want to make sure that the children have access to water, soda and non-alcoholic beverages while the items not necessary for children are locked away when the wet bar isn’t in use.

Overall, creating a theme for your wet bar can help you choose the elements. For example, if you were wanting to do a fifties style wet bar, you’d consider a root beer fountain for the children and mini-cooler for storing ice cream and other treats, black/white checked bar stools with stainless steel countertops and decor larger than life resound of the 50s era. While on the other hand, if you want a wet bar that is contemporary and chic, you’d probably choose items that are bold, clean, and bright. If you want a western wet bar, you’d probably choose an entirely wood bar with wood bar chairs and branded display wall which also suits as cabinets for storing mugs and other items.

Whether you’re into the 50s diner, 70s retro, Western, Cosmo chic, or a pre-fabricated wet bar, remember the basic elements and combine them in a pleasing manner that will make all your guests want to do a wet bar for themselves.

Painting Old Furniture

Do you need to spruce up a piece of old furniture? Find out how you can do it yourself.

Maybe you have an old dresser or hutch that is coated with paint, and it is chipped and cracked. Or maybe you just purchased an old varnished wash board stand at an auction, and it needs to be painted in order to spruce it up. Whatever the case, you can repaint old furniture yourself and end up with some beautiful pieces.

Before you start to paint any old furniture, you will first need to prepare the surface. To do this,

you will need to strip off any varnish, shellac, paint, etc, that is on it. There are several ways to do this, depending on the finish. If the furniture is already painted, then the easiest way to strip it is to used a liquid wood stripper. When you choose a liquid wood stripper, find one that is relatively safe to work with. Many strippers contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful if the fumes are breathed in, or, if the stripper touches your skin. But, there are safer alternatives on the market. And remember, you should always work in a well – ventilated area, and you should always wear protective eyewear, as well as rubber gloves.

If the old furniture that you are going to paint has drawers, doors, or any other easily removable pieces, carefully take them out first. Remove any hardware on the furniture too, and set it aside. Then, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using the wood stripper on your old furniture. Basically, you pour it on the wood, then you use a paint brush to evenly spread it around. Make sure you get the stripper in any cracks, crevices, and fancy wood work the furniture may have. After you have covered the wood, let it sit undisturbed. After the time is up, use a plastic spatula – a metal one can harm the wood – and scrape off the loosened paint. You can use steel wool to remove the paint from fancy wood work, etc. Place the loosened paint into an old paint bucket as you scrape it off. You might have to reapply the liquid wood stripper, depending on how many coats of paint there are to remove. Finally, wipe any residue off with a clean, soft rag moistened with mineral spirits.

A Word of Caution: Place the rag, the steel wool, and your rubber gloves in the paint bucket too; close the lid tightly. Do not dispose of the paint by placing it in your trash. Since it is toxic waste, you will need to contact your local officials to find out the proper way to dispose of it.

If the finish on your old furniture is varnished or shellacked, you can use steel wool and a furniture refinisher to easily remove it. This clear liquid will work quickly in removing lighter finishes. For the best results, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

After you have stripped the furniture down to the bare wood, you will need to lightly sand the entire piece so that the finish is smooth and free of blemishes. Wipe the dust off with a clean, soft rag.

Now that you have prepared the finish, it’s time to paint your old furniture. Start by using a good quality brush and paint. A two – inch wide paint brush is a good size to use for large, flat surfaces. If the furniture has cracks, crevices, and fancy wood work, you will want to use a small half inch – wide brush to get the paint into those small areas. In choosing the paint, you can actually use any color that you want. However, if you want to keep the piece looking original, you will want to repaint it the same color that it was. When you are choosing the type of paint you are going to use, keep in mind that enamel paint will provide a durable, glossy finish, while latex paint comes in matte finishes that will easily chip and peel.

Cover the work area with old newspapers, then place the furniture on that. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the paint can in order to achieve the best results. Basically, you will use start by using the wider brush to spread a thin coat of paint evenly across the top of the furniture. Use long, straight strokes with the brush, and be careful not to leave drips or runs on the edges; smooth the paint out as you go. Work your way down the furniture by painting the sides and the bottom, using the smaller brush where needed. After you have completed the painting, go back and recheck for drips or runs, and fix where needed. Then, let the furniture sit undisturbed while you paint doors, drawers, and any other pieces you removed.

Finally, clean any metal hardware with a corresponding cleaner. That is, if the hardware is brass, then use a brass cleaner, and so on. If the hardware is just a plain metal, you can use a soapy steel wool pad to achieve good results. Be sure to rinse the hardware clean with cool tap water. Finish the cleaning by drying each piece of hardware with a clean, soft rag.

After the paint on the furniture has dried, check it over to see if it needs a second coat; apply if needed. Then, after the piece has thoroughly dried, replace the hardware and the doors, drawers, etc.

(Featured article from: Home and Interior Improvement Textbook)

Interior Design Tips – Decorating Oversized Bedroom

Design Ideas for an oversized Bedroom to make them feel cozier

While it can be a great joy to have an oversized bedroom, such room can be a huge challenge to decorate. It may be difficult give a large space the cozy feeling necessary in a bedroom. Here are some ideas to make your oversized bedroom more conducive to sleep, rest and relaxation.

Keep it simple: Just because the room is large does not mean that you need to fill it with lots of things like exercise equipment computer systems. These things do not promote rest. All you really need in your bedroom is a bed, the bigger the better. All other items are expendable.

Get it off the wall: In a very large room, there is no reason to place your bed against the wall. Put it in the center of the room facing the windows with the best view. It is preferable for the bed to be facing a direction so someone entering the room would not be able to see the bed, but only the headboard. You can add to more privacy to the bed by placing a large armoire or dresser with the back of it to the headboard. If the back of the dresser shows through the headboard, you can upholster the back of the dresser with fabric, to coordinate with the bed. Sleigh beds adapt well to this placement because they have high headboards.

Canopy beds would work as well because you can use fabric hanging from the bed poles as a screen. Folding floor screens can be placed at the head of the bed if you do not have a dresser or armoire that will fit in the space. For side tables, find pieces that look good from all sides like round tables instead of traditional nightstands. You can also choose to purchase a headboard unit designed for such a placement. Side tables are usually attached.

Break it up: Break the room into two or three zones, sleeping, lounging and dressing. Creating a sleeping area is obvious. Place the bed and side tables in one area of the room. For the lounging area, add sofas and chairs to the bedroom for an area to sit and talk, or even furnish an area where the children can feel comfortable. If you find you are sharing your bed with children, and want them to transition into their own beds, make sure that your bedroom sofa or lounge chair is comfortable. You may even want to add a day bed to your room. This way they can sleep in your room, but not in your bed.

Once they can sleep without being next to you, transitioning them to their own bed will be easier. For your dressing areas, you can place your dressers, armoires and mirrors grouped together and add a bench or chaise that you can sit on when dressing. You can separate the room for more privacy if you wish. To do this, add a folding screen to block the view to your dressing area or use a two-sided bookshelf. The shelves can display beautiful items on the side facing the bed, and clothing related items on the other side.

Super-size it: Buy big furniture. A big room calls for big furniture. Get a king bed size with a double pillow top mattress that sits high off the floor. Add a set of bed steps or stools so you will not have to pole vault into the bed. Instead of traditional side tables, use three or four-drawer dressers on each side of the bed. Placed next to a large bed, they will look like night tables. You can use the drawers to eliminate clutter around the bed as well. Instead of a bench or regular chest at the foot of the bed, as they will tend to look like miniatures, place a low dresser without the mirror. You will have a super sized footlocker in which you can store spare bedding. Another option for the foot of the bed is a cabinet in which a television on a hydraulic system is housed. This way the TV is seen only when it is in use. Instead of traditional dressers in a room of this size, you might opt for a full wall unit or built in cabinets instead.

Take advantage of the shape: Many large rooms are also odd shaped rooms. Use the shape of the room to your advantage. You can place one of your room zones, like your dressing area out of sight in an L-shaped room. Alternatively, you can tuck your sleeping area into the nook of a T-shaped room

Choosing Paint To Cover A Dark or Contrasting Color

How to choose paints for covering up darker or contrasted coloring.

The colors we choose to paint our houses on the inside, as well as on the outside, are a direct reflection of our personal tastes. Some people like the warmth of reds, yellows, and oranges.

Others prefer light and cheery colors such as white and yellow. Lighter colors can help to make a small room look bigger too, and make a low ceiling appear to be higher. Still, other people choose darker colors like brown or blue. These darker colors can help to create a warm, cozy, effect in large interior rooms. On the flip side, they can also make a small room look even smaller. And, dark colors shows every crack, repair, dent, and every other imperfection that is on the walls.

If you have a dark room in your house that you want to lighten up, you can easily do this yourself. Here’s a tip for you: you don’t need to hire an expensive contractor to do the job for you. It doesn’t matter if the existing color of the room is brown, dark gray, royal blue, or even black. Any color of the rainbow, no matter how dark it is, can successfully be covered over with any other color. If it is done correctly, there will no bleeding of the darker paint into your lighter walls.

You need to choose a suitable paint that will cover the dark colors completely. Don’t even consider purchasing cheap, thin paints because they won’t do the job. Instead, these types of paint can streak and run when they are applied to your walls. Instead, in order to get the results you are after, and cover existing dark colors, choose a good – quality paint. It can be either flat or glossy, latex or acrylic latex, the type of paint doesn’t matter. This is because the primer sealer will do the basic job of covering up the dark colors.

The next step in this project is to properly prepare the walls. Wipe them down with a clean, damp cloth; rinse cloth in clean tap water often. Make sure the walls are free from dirt, grease, and other debris that can prohibit the paint from adhering to the walls properly. Use soapy water and rinse thoroughly, if need be.

Then, after the walls have dried, use a good – quality brush or roller and a primer sealer. Not just a primer, but a primer sealer. The primer part of the product will help to cover the dark colors. The sealer part of the product will help to seal the surface so the darker colors can’t bleed through the new paint. Be sure that you follow the manufacturer’s directions in order to achieve the best results. Here’s a valuable tip you can use: two coats of the primer sealer will provide the best coverage for the dark colors you are trying to eliminate. Here’s another tip you can use: usually primers come in a basic white shade. If you add some of the top coat paint to the primer, it will help the final coat of paint cover better.

Allow the primer sealer to dry thoroughly, according to the manufacturer’s directions. Then, apply the top coat of paint to the walls. Follow the manufacturer’s directions in order to achieve the best results, but, just like with the primer sealer, two coats will do the best job.

(Featured article from: Home and Interior Improvement Textbook)