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Living Room Designing

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

Modern black living room furniture, whether made of leather or wood, lends a very sophisticated look to the room. Earlier, people used to be very apprehensive about using black furniture as it was a widely held belief that black furniture will make the room look dark, gloomy and small. On the contrary, if black furniture is used intelligently with contrasting elements in the room, it can make the interiors look very classy. So, if you have bought a black sofa and other living room as bookcases, coffee tables, side tables, entertainment units, display units, etc., in black, and are wondering how to do the interiors of your room, below are some interesting tips on black
When using a high gloss black living room furniture, make sure that the walls are painted in some neutral color. When the walls are painted in a light color, the black living room furniture gets highlighted very beautifully. An ideal  with black furniture is light beige. You may add accents and shades of brown at various places on the wall to give the room a sophisticated brown-eige-black look.The flooring of the living room should be light colored too. Whether it is  or  that you opt for, see to it that its color is in total contrast to the black furniture and makes it stand out. In case the flooring is of a dark color and you do not want to invest money in getting it changed, then placing a light colored rug on the floor will do the trick. Another thing that has to be considered here is that the floor and wall paint color should not both be same. Although both should be of a light color, there should still be some color difference and contrast present. For example, if you are going in for the light beige-brown wall paint, then the  should be dark beige.When choosing accessories with black , remember to choose the ones which will add a lot of color to the room. A large vase with multi-colored flowers or a wall hanging made using a plethora of colors or a huge painting, will be ideal to bring life to the living room. With black living room furniture, it is best not to add too many accessories, but add lot of color to the room to break the black. To do that, you can throw multi shaped pillows and cushions of various colors and designs on your sofa. Or you can keep a line-up of red and green vases on the side of your black furniture.Add as much lighting to the room as possible, by way of both artificial lights as well as sunlight. One of the best  with black furniture, is to use sheer curtains on the windows and pull them back during the day to let natural light in.

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Black Living Room Furniture

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Modern black living room furniture, whether made of leather or wood, lends a very sophisticated look to the room. Earlier, people used to be very apprehensive about using black furniture as it was a widely held belief that black furniture will make the room look dark, gloomy and small. On the contrary, if black furniture is used intelligently with contrasting elements in the room, it canake the interiors look very classy. So, if you have bought a black sofa and other living room such as bookcases, coffee tables, side tables, entertainment units, display units, etc., in black, and are wondering how to do the interiors of your room, below are some interesting tips on black When using a high gloss black living room furniture, make sure that the walls are painted in some eutral color. When the walls are painted in a light color, the black living room furniture getshighlighted very beautifully. An ideal  black furniture is light beige. You may add accents and shades of rown at various places on the wall to give the room a sophisticated brown-beige-black look.The ooring of the living room should be light colored too. Whether it is  that you opt for, see to it that its color is in total contrast to the black furniture and makes it stand out. In case the flooring is of a dark color and you do not want to invest money in getting it changed, then placing a light colored rug on the floor will do the trick. Another thing that has to be considered here is that the floor and wall paint color should not both be same. Although both should be of a light color, there should still be some color difference and contrast present. For example, if you are going in for the light beige-brown wall paint, then the should be dark beige.When choosing accessories with black  or black , ember to choose the ones which will add a lot of color to the room. A large vase with multi-colored flowers or a wall hanging made using a plethora of colors or a huge painting, will be ideal to bring life to the living room. With black living room furniture, it is best not to add too many accessories, but add lot of color to the room to break the black. To do that, you can throw multi shaped pillows and cushions of various colors and designs on your sofa. Or you can keep a line-up of red and green vases on the side of your black furniture.

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Interior Living Room Design

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Most of us spend a lot of time getting our living room in fine order, as this is usually where we entertain guests and needs to make a good impression. Making a good impression is a noble goal so long we don’t turn the room into a picture perfect place that intimidates guests and requires a high maintenance upkeep from family. A living room is meant for living, not preserving, so make yours comfortable and friendly to be inThe first step is to look at what you have at hand and chalk up a design plan. Consider both the effect you want to create and the architectural elements of the living room. Make a list too of the activities you are going to use the living room for. Is it going to be reserved for entertaining guests or is it going to be a family room as well? Is it going to double as a dining room? Will it be used for reading or playing games or watching television? If you have pets, will they be allowed in itThen think about the kind of furniture you will require for the proposed activities. If you are going to have a dining table, what kind, large or small? Are you going to have cabinets for the television, books, ornaments and other stuff? What kind of sofa and chairs will be comfortable for you and your guests, and wear well too if you have pets jumping on and offOnce you know what you want, you can look at different design ideas. Refer to magazine photographs, color swathes, fabric designs, artworks, other people’s homes, shop windows, nature, the Internet, everything is grist for the mill. It is inspiring and certainly very interesting to know what leading interior designers are doing currently, but don’t fall too much for ‘what’s fashionable now’ and ‘what’s hot and happening today’. Remember, you should be your own style expert where your own home is concerned. The point is not just to have a well-designed living room, but one that portrays your personality vividly, is both fun and comfortable to live with, and is easy to maintain. If you have a living room that is too precious to be used, one of you needs to be changed.In the opinion of many interior design experts, the best color for a living room is a light and neutral shade. Having your living room walls and floors in a neutral hue certainly offers plenty of leeway in choosing the furniture, draperies, ornaments, lights and so on in varied colors and textures, and so is especially useful if you like to change around the look of your living room every now and again. You don’t have to repaint the whole room to get a different look. Paint your ceiling lighter than the walls if you want to create a feeling of spaciousness and tint it darker if you want to create a more cozy feel. Highlight interesting architectural elements like crown moldings, baseboards, doors and windows by painting them in a contrasting color to your walls.

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Interior Design Tips

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

While it may be nice to have a pretty, summery look in your living room during the hotter months and even into fall, there comes a point when you simply can`t deny that winter has set in. The bright florals and light colors of summer need to go and it`s time to bring in the cozy feeling of a winter look. If you aren`t sure just how to do that, here are a few interior design ideas for you.

1. Pay attention to color. We use color everywhere in our lives and it affects nearly everything we do. For the cooler months, darker, richer hues are ideal for creating a cozy, winter look in your living room. Rich browns, burgundies and dark greens and ochres are perfect for making it feel warmer inside, but you don`t have to run out and buy new furniture. Slip covers make it very simple to change the palette of a room, as do curtains.

2. Use plenty of texture. Clean and smooth is the way to go for hot weather, but once the snow starts to fall, it`s time to get nice and warm and fuzzy. Texture adds a lot of personality to a room and you can use as little or as much as you like, depending on your taste. This can mean anything from throwing a couple of warm fleece blankets over the back of the sofa or adding some fuzzy pillows to bringing out extra throw rugs and hanging up heavy oil paintings. Thicker curtains can also help warm a room.

3. Bring the outdoors in. Just because it`s cold and wet outside doesn`t mean there`s nothing interesting in nature. Try creating an arrangement of stark branches to place on the mantel, or find seasonal plants that can be brought indoors during this time. Like you would decorate with flowers in the spring, do the same with what you have at hand during the winter, albeit less colorful. A tall collection of reeds or decorative dried grass, for example, can lend a natural winter feel to a living room and keeps things from getting too bare.

4. Literally warm it up. If you have a fireplace, real or electric, now is a great time to fire it up. Keeping things cozy and warm with flames automatically makes the living room a place that feels like a retreat from the blustery world outside. But even if you don`t happen to have a fireplace, you can still create that homey feeling with candles. One or three candles (odd numbers tend to look better) set on the sideboard or on a low shelf are perfect if you just want to add a touch of warmth, but for a real comfort zone, try lighting a dozen or more around the room.

5. Change the decorations. Flat surfaces such as mantels, windowsills, coffee tables and shelves offer a multitude of decorating possibilities that we often forget to alter. What works for a summer layout isn`t going to work for winter, so take a good look at the decorations and centerpieces that you have and make some seasonal changes. Winter scenes make a great alternative to floral paintings, while crystal jars and such are a great way to decorate a shelf.

Transitioning from a summer look to a winter one with these interior design tips should be a piece of cake. Think about what makes a room feel warm and inviting and then add that to your living room to create the perfect hideaway for cold, wintry days.

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Design Series: Transitional Design

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

Transitional design is what happens when warm traditional meets clean, contemporary style. It is one of the most sought-after looks in design today. Why the popularity? From my perspective, I see people staying home more often and wanting to enjoy it. As a result, they tend to gravitate toward uncluttered, but still inviting rooms where they can relax.

While you might know it when you see it, transitional style is hard to pin down because it’s all about the mix. Let’s take a closer look at one example, a living room from a recently completed Refind Interiors project.

This apartment is situated in a vintage Chicago high rise along the city’s lakefront, where the owner was looking for a tailored, warm environment. He also asked that I incorporate family heirlooms into a simple aesthetic.

Here’s how we did it:

We used furnishings, fabric, and finishes that are both contemporary and traditional throughout. No one element in any room is either one or the other. For example,the window is dressed with a tailored mohair cornice, a traditionally patterned silk drape and soft–but still masculine–neutral sheers.

We mixed objects from different places, times and textures. In the corner, an antique lamp sits on a new dark wood table with clean lines next to a contemporary sofa in soft silk and chenille–all atop a lively, patterned Persian rug. Complementary tones like cool silver and blue and unite the details throughout. The quieter tones in the fabrics, wainscoting and molding, and on the home’s vintage radiator come alive with contrasting dark herringbone-patterned hardwood floors and the bold cornice.

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Tips to Painting Your Vinyl Shutters Successfully

Monday, June 7th, 2010

Are you tired of looking at the same furnishings in your home? As time goes by you get tired of the same old table, the same curtains and the same livingroom furniture. Perhaps, it’s time for a change! Why not attempt to spruce up your home? Begin by painting your vinyl shutters to modernize and brighten them up.

You may be considering throwing away your old indoor or outdoor shutters and replacing them with new ones. Reconsider this. Your indoor or outdoor shutters can basically be painted with modern colors of your choice to give them an entirely new appearance. It’s like buying brand new shutters at discounted prices!

5 STEPS TO PAINTING YOUR VINYL SHUTTERS

Painting your vinyl shutters should be done in a cool area. Exposing them directly to sunlight may damage their surface as the paint could dry too quickly, deterring its ability to adhere well to the vinyl face.

Apply these easy step by step tips to guarantee success when painting your vinyl shutters:

1. Remove Your Indoor or Outdoor Shutters

A good number of shutters are hung on clips that make it easier to remove. If the shutter is installed with screws then simply find the screws in between the slats to remove the shutter.

2. Scrub The Vinyl Shutters

It is imperative to clean the shutters extremely well, as this is what allows the paint to apply smoothly. Use soap, scrub brushes and sponges to displace the dirt and marks. After that rinse them off with a hosepipe and allow them to dry entirely.

3. Choose the Appropriate Type of Paint

Mixed acrylic and urethane resins are paints that are effective for vinyl shutters. Urethane resins have a sticky quality that lets it stick to any sort of surface, making it a perfect alternative to employ for your painting activity.

4. Choose the Right Tone of Paint

Selecting which color to use is relatively simple. Dark colors are ideal for shutters that are currently dark in color and light colors for light colored shutters. Do not attempt to adjust the color from a light shade to a darker one, as vinyl has the propensity to absorb a lot of heat which may well buckle the shape of the vinyl shutters.

5. It’s Time to Paint the Vinyl Shutters

Set the vinyl shutter in a frame or sawhorse so it doesn’t get knocked or moved. Spread the paint sparingly and evenly using a spray painting gun. To paint the slat cavity, hold the painting gun at a 45 degree angle, and start painting. If you wish, you can also use a small paint brush, but just ensure to paint all areas including the sides of the slat and the edges of the shutters. After a number of layers, apply a transparent gloss to the shutters as a last touch and for protection.

That is it. You are ready to hang your revived indoor or outdoor shutters.
Using cost effective ways of freshening up the interior or exterior of your home, you can transform its atmosphere completely. A perfect way to modernize your home with a brand new style is to paint your old vinyl shutters and give them a new lease on life.

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The Role of Lighting in Interior Decorating

Friday, June 4th, 2010

The types of lighting used in a room can dramatically change the way that room looks. Lighting can be a complicated issue, so let’s start by defining some lighting terms.

Incandescent lights. These lights give a nice, golden glow to a room. They are much nicer to use than the cheaper looking flourescent lights.

Downlights are round or square cannisters, usually metal, that are recessed into or mounted onto the ceiling. These lights could be used as spotlights, floodlights or for general lighting.

Table lamps can be used as task lighting or for general lighting.

Uplights are normally one-bulb lights that are placed on the floor behind furniture, glass shelving or plants to give them a dramatic accent.

Strip lighting can be used behind shelves and on stairs and platforms for a dramatic result. The platforms lit this way can appear to be floating above the floor.

Track Lighting. A track makes it possible to use one electrical outlet to supply electricity to many lights along the track’s length. The track can be surface mounted or recessed. Track lighting is one of the most versatile lighting systems available and can be moved around to accent different areas of a room.

Track lighting and recessed lighting can be set to produce an effect called wall washing which, as it sounds, washes an entire wall with light.

Dimmer switches give the ability to provide a different level of light by turning the knob. Dimmers save electricity and provide mood lighting for special occasions.

Different rooms in the home need different lighting. Halls and stairs should be well lit to prevent accidents. Livingrooms need a mixture of lighting options: background, task lights and accent lighting. The best lighting for kitchens is bright overhead lights and extra under-counter lights for task lighting.

All types of lighting fixtures can be found for whatever your needs may be. They can run from very inexpensive to extremely high cost fixtures.

There are special considerations when using lighting for art or wall hangings.

If you are lighting a single picture or painting, try to place the light so that it does not show a reflection on the glass of the art piece. There are special picture lights made especially for lighting pictures but some of these are not very effective since they can only highlight the top or bottom of the picture. Downlights are a good alternative.

When lighting a group of pictures, it’s better to use individual lights in track lighting that can be positioned towards the pictures.

Lighting sculptures can be particularly challenging. You can use uplights, downlights or even strip lights, depending upon the sculpture and its placement. Experiment with different lights and their placement to get the best effect.

Creative use of lighting can really enhance your decorating project. Make use of all of the different types of lighting to make your home a beautiful showcase.

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