Thinking About Moving? Time to Invest In Your Home!

If you are thinking about selling a house, why would it be time to invest in improvements to the house? Read on for the answers.

The data about the weaker home sales market has been in the news for many months.  There are a lot more homes for sale, and it is a buyers’ market.  But there are two things a homeowner can control: the price the home is offered at, and what the home looks like to the prospective buyer.

The statistic quoted by realtors is that within the first 20 seconds of entering a home, the impression of that home is formed in a person’s mind. With that in mind, ‘the stage needs to be set’ as soon as the front door is opened.

Most of have already learned that clearing of the clutter and de-personalizing is necessary. A good rule of thumb to follow is if you don’t use it on a daily basis, pack it away.   Think about this as a great first step towards packing up to move to your new house.  Also, clean, clean and clean.  Your home must look and smell fresh and clean.

If you have an older house, it doesn’t need to be a disadvantage.  Here is a case example about a twenty plus year old home had a lot going for it.  However, there were quite a few things that if not addressed, would almost certainly prevent the homeowner from getting their asking price.

The Problems:

 

  • The furniture was old and poorly maintained
  • The kitchen and two bathrooms had old style wallpaper (think late 1980s),
  • In the common areas and bedrooms of the home, the walls were stark white and dingy,
  • The carpeting in the bedrooms was worn and dirty,
  • The flagstone in the entry courtyard and side patio was in need of a cleaning.

In summary, the home was in dire need of a visual update!

The Solutions:

To address the objective of making a great first impression, a beautiful focal point was created using paint color and inexpensive accessories to greet potential buyers as they walked in the front door.  The wall above the fireplace was painted a warm red tone and a colorful, yet soothing piece of artwork was hung on the wall.  In addition:

  • New furniture sourced from a hotel furnishing liquidation firm was selected for the family room and the old furniture was either donated or sent to a storage unit.
  • The wallpaper was removed in the kitchen and bathrooms and the walls were painted a warm welcoming color to complement the new furniture and art work.
  • The carpeting in the three bedrooms was beyond help and therefore was replaced.
  • The flagstone outside was power washed and sealed.
  • Fresh linens were selected for the bedrooms, and new towels and shower curtains for the bathrooms were placed.

Additionally, the lighting was updated in the bathrooms, the closets were significantly emptied, flowers were planted, and new bedding and ambient lighting was added in the bedrooms.

The entire makeover took about two weeks.  The realtor wisely held off making the listing active until all of the updates were in place.  When the listing went ‘live’ he had a wonderful looking, and welcoming home to show.

The results; two offers within the first 2 weeks of showings!

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Filed under Home Staging, Interior Design, Renovation, Residential design

Optimizing Natural Light In Your Home

When I got asked if I would enjoy a guest blog post on the subject of Natural Light I immediately said YES!  I am a firm believer in the power of light and how it impacts how a room looks and feels, and often say to my clients that we need to leverage natural lighting in our design work together.  Of course living and working in perpetually sunny Arizona brings great options to work with natural light.  So assess your home and see where you can install a Solar Tube or get rid of heavy window coverings and let in some of nature’s bounty—LIGHT.

Guest post below:

The effects of natural lighting on a room can be very subtle, but that doesn’t detract from its importance. Ideally whenever you design a room you need to consider what light it will get from the outside and how best to utilize it. There is a large number of factors you will need to think about when planning the lighting for a room, too many for this article to cover. But hopefully it will give you an overview of how to make the most of natural lighting for your home.

The first and most important factor is the direction from which the light is coming from. Whilst I’m writing in the northern hemisphere, if you live in the southern hemisphere you can swap north and south around.

  • North: Because north facing rooms never receive direct sunlight the light often has a cold flattening quality. For this reason artists often prefer north facing studios as they allow you to see the true colour of your paints.
  • East: East facing rooms get direct light in the morning as the sun rises but far less light in the evening.
  • South: South facing rooms get the benefits of direct sunlight on them for most of the day making them warmer and better lit than others.
  • West: West facing rooms will be dark in the morning but brighten up as the sun moves to the west. They will often get the most heat as not only does the early afternoon sun tends to be the warmest but the setting sun will often shine directly into them.

Natural History Museum by Stephen Boisvert (used under CC licence)

This picture gives a nice illustration of how much stronger light from the southern window is. (South on the left)

You should take the factors above into consideration when considering the purpose of a room. For example east and north facing rooms will tend to be colder and darker than south and west facing rooms. This means that you will need use artificial lighting not only to brighten the room and to counter the flat effect the reflected sunlight often gives. For south and west facing rooms then window treatments such as blinds or curtains will help you to control how much light gets in and reduce glare.

South Facing Bedroom by Tom Parnell (used under CC Licence)

Functional rooms like kitchens and studies will benefit from large windows so as to let in as much light as possible. Often you can increase the drop of a window without affecting the structural integrity of a wall. Though if you want to replace the wall with say French doors then you will need to get a builder in. In rooms where you want to relax small and medium sized windows tend to give you a more relaxing atmosphere and privacy.

Natural light can have surprising effects on the colours that you paint your walls. For example you might well find that bright colours used in a south facing room are overwhelming, while pastels in a north facing room can appear washed out. In general though you can use paints to either counter or enhance the effects of the natural light. For example if your north facing room is too cold and dark then bright colours will help to liven it up.

East and west facing rooms need the most thought as the amount of light in these rooms will change dramatically through the day. In general you will to design east facing rooms for morning use and west facing for the afternoon. Therefore I prefer bright colours in eastern rooms to help you wake up and warm or darker colours in the west to help you relax.

Author Bio: Daniel is a UK blogger and copywriter with an interest in interior design. He is writing on behalf of Wooden Blinds Direct a specialist online supplier of wooden venetian blinds.

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Filed under Artwork, Bedroom Design, Colorization, Design Elements, Dining room, DIY, Interior Design, Lighitng

It’s Time—–Your Home Needs a Make-over Today

Another guest blog post to share with you! An interesting point of view on the subject of when is the ‘right time’ to do some make-over work in your home.  A lot of us procrastinate because we are over whelmed or even scared to make changes to our home environment.  I am working with a client who read in her journal from January ,  2010 about what she wanted to do to her space and had put off for over a 1 1/2.

Yes, she is a bit scared to finally start making the changes she has thought about for so long.  I am guiding her and providing a design plan that she is comfortable with.  So, don’t put it off any longer, dive in or slowly put a foot in the water.  You may find out that if FEELS GOOD!

Guest Post-

Today I am being forced to put a pen, get a writing pad and write a nice little article to all my dear friends out there. You must be thinking who forced me to do so. Well, that’s a long answer you are asking for. It’s my home who has been screaming at me since a couple of days. It’s creaming out loud, ‘Please, My owner! My custodian! Look at me. Look closely as to what have you done to me throughout these passing years. Just imagine what I was when you moved in and now what a tragic death I am dying”. After hours of recollection I have reached the conclusion that yeah, what the hell have I done to my home. Every nook and corner of this place is crying, asking for attention, and demanding nothing but a make-over and some frequent touch-ups here and there.

Everyone likes change, nobody likes living a stagnant life. Same goes for the interior decor of your living place. A neat, trendy interior design is a must to compliment the good architecture of a building. This involves everything from the selection of color combos to the choice of furniture, from wall hangings to floor mats and carpeting. Also a special attention must be paid while deciding on the interior of the room keeping under consideration as to what the room would be used for. Bedrooms should always have cool light colors with comfortable and cozy fixtures. Living room should have a vibrant and energetic feel to it. These tips are not universal but can be molded per your own taste and requirements.

What is universal and vital is that Interior of your villa or apartment affects your life immeasurably so having a poorly designed home can be such a blow to your lifestyle which can’t be cured or reverted at any cost. Even if a place was given a brilliant interior at the start and was not maintained with changing seasons and passing time, it is of no use. This is something which needs recurrent consideration and refreshment. So be always vigilant about the interior design of your homes that whether they are prim and proper or not. If you feel that things are out-of-place and you are having concerns regarding your living place its time you get its interior modified and get a fresh one.

About Author

Gabriel Ryan is an artist who is passionate about http://www.juliasantengallery.com/

Check out his website www.juliasantengallery.com where you will also find http://www.juliasantengallery.com/go/vintage_posters.html”

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Filed under Commercial Design, Design Elements, Design Plan, DIY, Interior Design, Interior Designer, Redesign, Renovation, Residential design

More Easy Ways To Update Your Bathrooms

There must be a voice somewhere whispering “refresh and update your bathrooms” as this is the second guest post in a week I am sharing on this topic.  don’t worry, it is not a repeat of the prior post, so take a read and perhaps get inspired to do some bathroom updating yourself this weekend!

Bathroom Updates

Megan Gates is an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to Suffolk Rentals, NY Rentals, home improvement and the latest architecture, design and fashion.  Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign.

If you’re looking for an easy home makeover project to do this weekend, look no farther than your bathroom. With these easy tips, your bathroom will be looking fresh and chic in no time.

Bring in some bold or neutral splashes of color (depending on the wall colors) in a simple way by buying a new shower curtain and new towels. Your towels do not have to always be out of sight and can be folded over a bar, washcloths can be folded on the vanity, or you can have an extra towel or two on the back of the toilet. Don’t forget your bathmats and window curtains if you have them.  Toothbrush holders, soap dispensers or dishes, and bathroom cups will also add a nice accent of color if you match them with the towels and bathmats.

S Interior Design would say that your accessories don’t need to strictly match, but rather coordinate well with one another. 

Make your vanity look modern with some new hardware. By changing the handles and knobs, you can modify the look of your cupboards and drawers in minutes. Add a new, modern mirror and update the sink faucet. Change your old lighting fixture to a stylish modification. If you do not want to change the sink or faucet, bringing in a large mirror that covers most of the wall over the sink, and adding bright new light bulbs is a quick and easy update.  How many times have you gone into a bathroom and found the lighting is just awful for sprucing up and getting ready for the day.  Lighting makes a huge different when it comes to a bathroom. ]

We could not agree more with the lighting commentary!!

If you want to change up the entire color of your bathroom, bringing a new color to your walls is a simple afternoon project that can result in a major room transformation for little money. Your bathroom is a small room in comparison to the rest of your house so deciding to paint it is not as much of a time and money commitment as it may be in another room. Since the room is small, experiment with a bold color. If you don’t like it, it’s easy enough to change it to something else. If you decide to change the color of your bathroom, choose a neutral color for all of the accessories mentioned above.  If you decide on a neutral warm tone, spice it up and definitely add those bold accents.  Remember though, that since it is a small room, staying away from dark colors is a good idea to keep your bathroom feeling open and fresh.

S Interior Design  varies from this opinion on staying away from dark colors…..we say go bold, go dark if that is what your design scheme needs.  Small will not feel any smaller.

 

With these simple steps, you’ll be surprised at the dramatic changes your bathroom can go through in a weekend. Share any other smart and chic ways to update a bathroom here!

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Filed under Bathroom Remodel, Design Elements, Design Plan, Hardware, Home Staging, Interior Design, Lighitng, Paint Color, plumbing Fixtures, Redesign, staging homes

Easy Bathroom Decorating Ideas

Below you will find a guest post from Valerie Gravel representing Smart Tiles on the subject of bathroom renovation.  Smart tiles are a fabulous option for  a home owner who is a DIYer!

Before

After Smart Tile Installation

After the kitchen, the bathroom is the room you use the most every day. It’s where you get ready in the morning before you dash off to work and where you take a few minutes to relax in the evening while soaking in a hot bath or a shower. If you’re thinking of giving your bathroom a much-needed makeover, here are a few trendy tips you might want to take into consideration.

Merging one room into one:

People need more and more room to escape the fast paced society in which we live, that’s why the size of bathrooms has increased over the last few years. Merging two rooms into one like a bathroom and bedroom is a trend that has been exported from the hotel to the home and it is catching on quickly in the home renovation world.

Going digital:

Technology is all around us and we rely on it almost 24 hours a day. You can have a television in your refrigerator door now, so why not do the same for your bathroom. Imagine watching your favourite movie or television program in your bathroom while you soak your worries away in a bath. What could be more perfect than that?

Heated floor tiles:

Tiled bathroom floors are cold all year round. Heating them with a radiant floor heater is a good idea because not only will the heat prevent you from getting cold feet; it might actually help you save money in the long run. It’s true that installing a heated floor may raise the cost of your renovations, but once tiles have been heated, they retain their heat for a long time and they continue to warm the room even after the heater has been shut off. Therefore, a heated floor might help you save a couple of dollars from your heating bill.

Multiple mirrors:

Even if the trend dictates that bathrooms are becoming larger, not everybody has the space to double the size of their bathrooms. People who live in smaller houses or in apartments might want to put multiple mirrors in their bathroom to create an illusion of grandeur that will make the room look bigger than it actually is. Also, mirrors come in some many different shapes, sizes, and frames nowadays that they can look great in any type of bathroom decor.

Going green:

Renovating while still being kind to our environment is a trend that has been catching on not only in bathrooms, but in every room of the home as well. Imagine recreating a spa like atmosphere in your own bathroom. With the help of wood furniture and even by encasing your bath tub in a wooden frame, you could relax in spa without ever having to leave your home. It’s also quite eco-friendly to install low flow toilets and energy-efficient lighting while renovating your bathroom.

Painting with neutral colors:

Bathroom colors have always been neutral, and that trend never really went away. While I am not condemning the use of color in the bathroom, neutral colors should be your palette of choice if you plan to add a new coat of paint to your bathroom. It’s better to favour relaxing colors like beige, olives and pale tones. If you’d like to add contrast to your pale room, use dark furniture or colored accessories.

Choosing the right lighting:

A bathroom shouldn’t be too bright. Since the room is used for different reasons throughout the day, different types of lighting should be installed to keep things lit up or tone them down when you need to. Consider installing a dimmer switch to set the proper mood when you want to relax in the bath or the shower and install bright lights where a woman would normally put on makeup.

Changing without spending a lot

If you’re not considering to have your whole bathroom made over, you could just change a few existing elements to refresh your existing decor. Custom sinks and counter tops are all the rage and self adhesive tiles  used as a frame for your mirror or as a backsplash will add diversity to your bathroom without the need of contractors invading your home for weeks to come.

 

 

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Filed under Bathroom Remodel, Design Elements, Interior Design, Lighitng, plumbing Fixtures, Redesign, Renovation, Residential design, staging homes, Tile, Wall Coverings, Wall Decor

Sunlit Interiors

I always say there is no better light source than natural light and always strive to leverage it in my designs.  Here in perpetually sunny Arizona, we are fortunate to  have a lot of sunny days to enjoy.   When Arcadian Lighting  offered to write a guest post on this subject for our blog, I was very pleased. Here it is, enjoy the fabulous visuals.

Arcadian Lighting is an e-commerce website that specializes in top lighting ideas around the world, and while I may write for them now, I had already been a fan of their site for years. I’ve been writing about home decor for almost half of my lifetime, and it’s given me a deep love and appreciation for style and creativity when it comes to interior design. And that’s why I love blogs by professional designers like Suzanne Lasky – what could be better than getting ideas straight from the expert? Thanks for letting me guest post here today Suzanne!

While light fixtures such as ceiling lights and wall sconces can illuminate a space, there’s something that is just as beautiful: sunlit interiors. Sun-drenched dining rooms and glass-walled bedrooms, bright bathrooms and living rooms full of sunshine, these eight rooms take advantage of Mother Nature’s greatest asset.

Mellow yellow

Design Home Interior via

As if the sunlight coming through the massive windows weren’t enough, this living room also has yellow walls to keep the space bright. The dark brown wood furniture and exposed paneling provide a nice contrast.

The brightness of whiteness

decorpad via

White looks all the more clean and crisp with an abundance of natural sunlight -this striking kitchen may have a stylish ceiling light, but the multiple windows are ample enough.

Second is just as important

Home Bunch via

Secondary transitional spaces like hallways and staircases crave just as much sunlight as main living spaces – in this image the size of the window may not be seen but the wealth of sunlight can’t be denied.

A double dose

Jackie Clarke Realtors via

The light fixtures in this tall living room are illuminated but it’s the glare of the sunshine pouring in through not one set of windows but two that the eye is drawn to.

A wall of window

French design on the Texas Coast via

The perfect place for a picture window is in a kitchen that also doubles as an informal eating area – by day the sunshine fills the room and by night, stylish pendant lights do the trick.

Bring in the brilliance

b-3 bond via

Expansive windows like this create incredible shadows on the walls at dusk and dawn – they add to the unique texture of the formal living room.

Look overhead!

Miauu Interior Design via

Yep, it can show birds, planes, and an endless supply of sunshine – massive skylights in any space, from a bathroom or kitchen to a kid’s bedroom, are always a hit.

Beam me up Scotty

Villa Mirador via

Who wouldn’t want to show off the extraordinary design of this room? A wall of windows stretches the entire length of the space, as do the remarkable wood ceiling beams.

Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. If you like this post, be sure to stop by the Arcadian Lighting blog and say hello!

 

 

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Filed under Design Elements, Interior Design, Lighitng, Redesign, Renovation, Residential design, Space Planning

5 Forward-Thinking Contemporary Furniture Designs

Homeowners seeking modern interior designs for their living areas are constantly searching for a way to make their space look unique and cutting edge. This has pushed furniture designers to come up with ever more creative ways of reinventing existing pieces, ranging from anything between foot stools and electric radiators

In terms of storage, it doesn’t get much better than this Stack 8 Drawer Veneer from New York based company Matter. Designed by Shay Alkay this really is a striking piece of furniture. The draws sit in a tower arrangement but can be pulled either way, which gives an incredibly interesting form to the set and really catches the eye. (source: mattermatters.com)

Next up is this amazing Drift Bench designed by Amanda Levete, again for Matter. This piece was inspired by a piece of driftwood apparently, which must have been an incredible find, as the bench is stunning and has an equally stunning price tag. However, with its smooth lines and gloss finish it would create a beautiful focal point in any room. (source: mattermatters.com)

Staying with seating for a moment, designed by Singapore based Ministry of Design and built by Italian furniture company Saporiti Italia, the Woofer Chair, is quite something to behold. Inspired by a simple speaker, the chair allows user to feel the music around them as well as just listen to it and creates a “fully immersive soundscape”. The body of the chair is made of fibreglass with a soft canvas covering. Although it looks great in a minimal rectangular shape, the main body of the chair around the seat is designed to be reformed in order to create any number of aesthetics. (source: zillamag.com)\

Designed to examine the basic connection between human and fire, Moscow MA graduate Alexandra Mazur-Knyazeva created the Essence of Flame. This is a series of bio inserts that can be fitted to transform a normal dull looking fireplace into something that really excites the imagination and actively shapes how the fire acts, as opposed to merely framing it. (source: essenceofflame.co.uk)

Last up is the BotoxLamp. Now, this is not strictly a piece of furniture so much as an installation. However, it is a brilliant piece of design and creativity, as it is a light feature that can interact with the users in its close proximity. Bent, plasma cut aluminium geometrically houses a set of LEDs, which are attached to a sensor designed to pick up the movements of users around the fitting and alter the lighting pattern accordingly. See it in action here http://vimeo.com/27123472.

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Filed under Artwork, Custom Furniture, Design Elements, furniture, Interior Design, Minimalist Design, Modern Design, Residential design

Sustainable Kitchen Design-Guest Post

Sustainable Kitchen Design
Courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate Company, New York Vacation Rentals.

Kitchen design and re-design tends to be the most costly, especially in a larger home. But investing with the environment in mind will certainly save you money and headache in the long run, all while reducing your carbon footprint. Here are some simple tips for creating a greener kitchen.

H20

One of the most earth friendly favors we can do is save water. The easiest way to manufacture a kitchen with this in mind is to install a low-flow facet(s). Ultimately, this will prevent the unwanted waste of clean water while putting a few extra bucks in your pocket every month.

Many of these low-flow faucets actually come built with a sensor that automatically shuts off running water while you’re away from the sink. You’ll also find that many commercial and public restroom faucets are spring-loaded and self-closing, meaning that they’ll shut off just after a few seconds of being turned on. Another increasingly popular, yet expensive luxury is the infrared faucet, which flicks on when your hands are placed underneath. Likewise, it shuts off immediately following a retreat.

Lighting

 Next on the green design list is lighting. Your kitchen is already consuming the most power in the house, with all the large appliances like the refrigerator, stove and dishwasher. So, it’s highly recommended to improve energy consumption anywhere possible. Usually, the easiest change would be your lights. This could range from a kitchen fanlight to track lighting above the sink. Next time you stop at your local hardware store, be sure to ask about low energy and LED light bulbs. Not only will you save money on your energy bill, but you’ll be invest in a bulb that lasts much longer than a traditional halogen.

Appliances

Spending extra money to buy an energy star rated appliance will save you a bundle in the long haul. Despite the initial blow, an appliance built with energy ratings in mind will certainly save you 10 – 20 dollars a month over the course of however long you own your home. This could mean anywhere from 5 – 60 years, and that’s a lot of money when you add it up!

Fridges are a given; most energy-star rated refrigerators have an energy saver option which will cut the amount of time spent cooling during the day in half. Yet, it gets a bit trickier when it comes to selecting the right stove. For those who like more control usually select gas over electric, yet there are newer, induction cook tops that will generate heat faster while allowing more control. This translates to less cook time and more money saved each month.

Space

Quite commonly, the installation of energy efficient appliances mixed with the ease of reach and layout is typically referred to as the ‘triangle.” This means that you should be able to reach most of your major appliances without having to move more than a few steps. Yet, the stove should not be facing the fridge because of heat remittance, and the stove should always be somewhat close to the sink for food preparation. Lastly, there should be sufficient counter space directly behind, or near the fridge so that items can be placed from the freezer to the counter top.

Larger kitchens come equipped with an island, which is the center of attention for most people. An island can have a built in vacuum, which allows for easy clean up, while saving you the energy that a normal 12-volt vacuum would consume.

Waste

Aside from composting and making sure to recycle, there’s one particular method that most people nowadays use to rid of excess food waste, while not harming the environment. Garbage disposals are a great way of recycling waste and further supplying water treatment plants with what are known as biosolids – These can thus be used to generate renewable power for the plant.

Floors, Cabinets and Walls

Even if your home isn’t completely built with reclaimed wood, your kitchen can be. Hardwood floors and cabinets made from reclaimed wood or recycled wood products are becoming increasingly popular. It’s also true that you can purchase recycled tile for your kitchen floors and/or walls.

When painting, always use non-or low volatile paint & stain products as to keep the air clean during humid days.

If followed thoroughly, the above recommendations can make for one fantastically sustainable kitchen. The next step would be to decorate it with plenty of green décor and incorporate green cookware into your every day lifestyle!

 

 

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Filed under Design Elements, Interior Design, kitchen remodel, Renovation, Residential design, Susatinable Design

5 Easy Ways to Create A Bedroom Oasis

We spend between 7-10 hours in our bedroom sleeping, or attempting to sleep.  We also spend time in our bedrooms, getting dressed, reading, ’relating’ to our partners and sometimes watching TV.  I have found that the master bedroom is often last on the list in terms of interior design attention.

You don’t need to necessarily do a major make over, but you can make it a more inviting space by implementing these

  5 Easy Ideas

 

1. Warm it Up! Add some new texture to your bedding by incorporating a new throw for the end of the bed, or a few accent pillows. West Elm has some great options to choose from.
Cozy PillowHand Knit Throw

 

You can also add an area rug in front of your bed or on each side of the bed to provide a comfy treat for your feet in the morning.

 

2. Add a Scent- Much research has been done on the ability of aromatherapy and its’ value on allowing the mind and body to relax.  We recommend lavender.  You can light a candle, or use scented oil with reeds for a set it and forget it solution.

Lavender Reed Diffuser

 

3. Adjust your lighting- You may have a ceiling fan with a light kit and/or bedside table lamps.  Regardless, you need to have your lighting on dimmer switches.  Harsh task lighting needs to be reserved for reading and soothing, soft lighting should be available for everything else in your bedroom.  Pink light bulbs are a good option.  This article from ELLE Decor offers additional details to consider for bedroom lighting.

bedroom lighting

4. Add Soothing Sound-Music has been said to ‘soothe the savage beast’.  Do you prefer soft classical music, or prefer the soft trickle of water flowing in a nearby fountain?  Create an ambiance in your room with music that relaxes as well as rejuvenates. Meditation is becoming popular in bedrooms, and relaxing nature sounds can help you refocus and get centered.  Depending on your style of music bring soothing sounds into your bedroom and transport yourself into another state of well-being. (credit to Fresh Home)

5. Get new sheets and pillowcases-When choosing bedding, the saying is ‘you get what you pay for’.  Purchase the highest thread count sheets you can afford! Sheets will make the difference in your sleeping experience.  Luxury hotel beds feel heavenly because of their wonderful bedding.  Fluffy comforters, pillows your head sink into, and sheets that feel luxurious will make your bedroom feel the same way.

Some inspirational web sites to check out are HOUZZ, Traditional Home, House Beautiful and of course HGTV.

 

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Filed under Accessories, Area Rugs, Bedroom Design, Design Elements, DIY, Interior Design, Pillows, Redesign, Residential design

Fun Accessories for Your Home or Office

When looking for accessories, think in terms of variable heights, textures and colors for the most interesting and unique out come.  The decorating rules of grouping items in odd numbers such as 3 and 5 almost always will work best.

Just out accessory shopping for a client’s home and I wanted to share some of the fun items I found for her. I am a big fan of organic-modern objet like this piece composed of manzanita branches.


(Eclectic Home-Scottsdale,AZ)

This collection of vases also caught my eye

One of my favorite sources for unique accessories is Global Views.  Here is a sample of what they offer-

 

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Filed under Accessories, Artwork, Colorization, Commercial Design, Interior Design, Interior Designer, Redesign, Residential design