Survivorlink Home

One of the most important decisions in your life is going to be the purchasing of a house that is going to be either just a house or a home. If your finances are extremely sound and you have the capacity to procure a well furnished house of your liking, well and good. Or maybe you would prefer to purchase a house and do all the interior decoration yourself. Again, well and good. But then you will have to choose an Interior Decorator to do the job for you, unless of course you know all the techniques of interior decorating and also have the capacity to do-it-yourself.

Now, unless you choose a really good Interior Decorator, you are going to find yourself in some difficult situations due to time and /or cost overruns. And these overruns can lead to a lot of stress, physical and/or mental. So to avoid such difficulties here are a few tips that you might try following before you finally decide on an Interior Decorator.

First Know What You Want

If you are going to lay out a substantial amount of money in interior decorating then it is best that you know just what you want. And the Internet is the best way to get this information. You could also get some good magazines or books. Check out your likes and dislikes and try not to deviate from them at a later date. Decide on the amount of money that you are prepared to spend and the amount of cost overrun that you can afford before you embark on your project. Another important factor is that of the time required to complete the project and the possible time overrun. These are very important decisions to be taken before setting out on your interior decorating job.

Discuss With A Number Of Decorators

Do not blindly hire an Interior Decorator just because he is highly rated nor just because he has been recommended by a relative or a close friend or acquaintance. Go through the samples of their work, they almost always have pictures of the work that they have done to show to you. But you may not like their work. Sometimes a small time Decorator might just have turned out the kind of decorating that you like. So interview a number of Interior Decorators before deciding on one.

Sit across the table and tell him your likes and dislikes that you did in the first place so that the Decorator understands your needs. Do not think that the Decorator is there to sell you something he has. Designing and decorating you house which is going to be your home is a great responsibility and also fun. It is one large creative work that you are going to execute in your life. Positive discussions with your Decorator will result in a positive decoration which will in turn give your home a positive atmosphere. If not it will just turn out that you have a house and not a home.

Also try as much as possible to have one person in the family talk directly to the Decorator.

The Decorator Is Not Responsible For Everything

You have to remember that the Decorator is not responsible for everything. Based on your ideas and the discussions that you have with him, the Interior Decorator prepares the drawings and once you have finalized them, the Decorator appoints the Contractors who are going to do the actual work and does the supervision and sees that the work is being done to the design. But if the Contractors are late or there is some delay in the delivery of materials, the Interior Decorator is not wholly responsible. You can ask him to contact the Contractor(s) responsible and sort out the bottleneck.

Try to follow the above general guide lines and you may get your interior decorating completed in a hassle free manner.

Interior Decorating Styles – Part Four – The Mid 19th and Late 19th Century

Obtaining information on your preferred decorating style will allow you to know why you like what you like. If you’ve ever gone furniture shopping and had difficulty expressing to the salesperson what style of sofa, bed, or whatever you wanted, the information gleaned in this series will help you.

In part four we will continue to look at a few of the decorative styles that became popular in the Mid 19th and Late 19th Century. This five part series on interior decorating styles will give you a good working knowledge of the contributions offered to the decorating industry.

In the Mid 19th Century the Eclectic style became vogue. The eclectic styles of the Mid 19th Century were rivals of popular styles from previous centuries that were talked about in the first three parts of the series. During the Mid 19th Century it was common to see different decorating styles in different rooms of the same house. And, that’s probably how your house is today. For example, I love 18th century furniture because I am very traditional at heart. Traditional is my preferred decorating style although, as a professional interior decorator, I definitely appreciate the beauty in all decorating styles. My master bedroom is decorated in the traditional style, but my living room is French inspired or French Provincial and that’s my favorite place to have a cup of coffee on a early Saturday morning. However, today, meaning in the 21st century, the eclectic style has come to mean showcasing different styles in the same room or space as opposed to different rooms in the same home. That is perfectly fine because style is essentially about creating a space that is uniquely yours and fits how you live.

During the Late 19th Century, it was still popular to use different historical or period styles of decorating in different rooms of the same house. In the late 19th century, eclectic meant, for instance, having a Medieval dining room, a Louis XV study, and maybe a Roccoco style parlor. In the late 1860s designers began to want to re-introduce a more streamline decorative style. They wanted to reduce the clutter of Victorian interiors. The two styles that were prevalent to this reaction to the Eclectic style were the Aesthetic and the Arts and Crafts styles. These were movements that arose to combat the cluttered look of the Eclectic style. Both of these styles, Aesthetic and Arts & Crafts, were primarily dependant on color and pattern rather than any particular architectural style. These styles could be applied to different types of homes because the shell of the house or architecture of the house was not as important.

The motifs and imagery on Aesthetic and Arts & Crafts style wall paper, tiles, and furniture were taken from Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, and Chinese influences, to name a few. The Aesthetic and Arts & Crafts style was identified by good craftsmanship. In the 1890s, Art Nouveau emerged in Europe and Britian. It peaked in popularity around the turn of the century, but by 1910 was not so popular anymore. Two new style paths were taken. One was based on very elegant, elongated, linear forms with tight, precise floral ornament. The other was composed of wild, flowing, curvy elements characterized by splashes of lines. So, they were very much on opposite ends of the spectrum. During this time stenciled decoration was used again. The colors chosen were olive, sage green and mustard, including browns, lilacs, violets, and muted purples. Window treatments were simple with curtains made of plain or multi-patterned fabrics or sometimes window treatments were not used at all.

In the fifth and final part of this series on interior decorating styles we will briefly discuss the 20th and 21st Century.

©Rena Bullard 2010This article may be reprinted, in its entirety, with copyright information.

The temperature is sizzling and what better time to bring the cool beach breeze into your home décor. If you love the beach but can’t get there as often as you like, then bring the beach to your own home.

What color do you think of when you think of the beach? If you said blue, you are right. Blue is the color of the deep ocean, blue is the color of the perfect sky and blue is a color that will make you feel cool regardless of the temperature. Consider painting this beachy color on your living room, bedroom or bathroom walls. Colors that will work well are, Ebb tide, Open Seas and Vast Sky, by Sherwin Williams, the names alone will tell you what inspires them.

Cool down your home this summer with shades and textures that create a vista of calm. Feel as though you are on vacation all year long. You don’t have to pack your bags and drive several hundred miles to reach your vacation spot, simply create it in your own home with simple, easy and affordable quick changes. You will be surprised what you can accomplish in a weekend.

Changing out your fabrics will evoke a day at the beach. Consider slip covering your sofa and chairs in a sandy beige. Toss in some throw pillows in a fabric with a shell motif.

Nothing looks fresher in the summer than a light fabric at the windows. Choose a white or sandy beige fabric. Tab top panels also work well, many will have a button at the tab, consider gluing a shell on top of the button. The result is quite fresh and very easy to do. Shells can be found at most craft stores or simply stroll down the beach if you are lucky enough to live by the sea. Strands of small shells can also be used to create a valance effect on a simple panel. The result is the unexpected.

Switch out your art for oceanscapes or fish motif prints. Create your own wall décor with large star fish, ceramic fish and large shells.

Create an inexpensive coffee table. Purchase two large garden urns, fill with sand, place shells in the sand and top with a piece of glass. This is a very fast and affordable answer for a very unique look.

Going on vacation to the beach is a very relaxing getaway, but vacations come to an end, so why not create that vacation feeling everyday in your own home. Our homes are the place where we should be able to find peace and solace. I invite you to create that place in your own home.

Homeowners who want to remodel their kitchen will definitely be in the hunt for high-quality yet affordably-priced kitchen fittings and accessories like kitchen faucets. Because of the importance of these items, those who want to enhance the aesthetic qualities of their kitchen should choose the right models that will suit their budget and their lifestyle.

There are a myriad of kitchen faucets out on the market today and they vary in quality, design, style, and price. Interested individuals can choose from models are made of chrome metal, copper, brass, and stainless steel, among others. When it comes to contemporary kitchens, shiny nickel or stainless steel faucets that complement existing decors are ideal. On the other hand, pewter or brass ones are appropriate for cottage or country style kitchens.

While it may seem like a straightforward undertaking, kitchen remodeling is actually a complicated task. It is not as easy as purchasing the high-quality faucets and installing them. It is a good thing that the remodeling process can be simplified by paying attention to the existing design and plumbing connection of the kitchen.

Regardless of the theme or design of the kitchen, there will always be faucets that will complement their style. Interested individuals may need spend long hours and exert effort to find them, but as soon as they are found, the desired kitchen design will be achieved in no time. With regards to the existing plumbing connection, this is important for those who want to perform straight faucet replacements. With this in mind, individuals who want to employ such re-modeling strategy need to find faucets that have the fitments as currently installed ones.

For instance, if existing faucets only has several holes that attach them through the plumbing connection, new ones should also have the said feature. If this is not the case and if new ones that have different fitments are preferred, plumbers should be asked to have them refitted. This may mean additional expenses, but is a worthwhile kitchen investment that will surely last for a long time.

With a clear understanding design and remodeling, having well-decorated as well as aesthetically appealing kitchens can be achieved in no time at all. In a majority of cases, the help of professionals need to be employed to make sure that every aspect will be well-taken care of. Overall, it should be remembered that achieving exceptionally designed kitchens may cost a lot. But with careful planning and implementation, expenses can be reduced to a minimum without compromising quality.

Storage sheds are usually used – just for that! Storage; all the excess ‘stuff’ you have accumulated, along with lawn mowers, power sprayer, rakes, shovels, tools and so on. However, storage sheds have many other used that you may not be aware of.

Consider using a wood storage shed for a playhouse. If you have a daughter, this could be a fun project for you both. Put up some sheet rock on the inside and paint it – let the little one pick the color and help you paint. Add some shelves, a small table and chairs, maybe a baby bed (doll size). Give your daughter some magazines and let her cut out pictures that she would like to decorate her house with. Next paint some flowers on the outside, close to the ground, add some shutters, (you can paint these too). Your little girl is now the most popular kid on the block! When she outgrows it, you can use it as a storage shed.

Do you hunt? Put your cheap storage shed on hunting property, add a couple of cots, a battery powered heater and a port-a-potty. You now have a functional hunting cabin. You could probably advertise locally and rent it out for the days you won’t be there. Easy way to pay for your hunting cabin.

A hobby room? Maybe mom would like to work peacefully alone on her pottery, or needlework or reading. (Maybe mom would just like some peace and quiet for an hour or so!) Insulate, put up sheet rock, paint, add a rug and whatever mom wants. This now a nice soothing atmosphere for mom to have all to herself.

A poker room? Let dad have a place where he and his buddies can ‘hang out’. They can play poker, drink beer, be loud and not have to worry about language in front of the kids, making a mess on the table or smoking. You can put a small refrigerator, in the ‘poker room’ a table with at least 6 chairs. Add a love seat and end tables – dad will love it, and so will his friends. The weekly poker game is likely to be at your house from now on.

I bet you have now thought of many other uses for storage sheds, all of them practical and easy to do.

If you are looking for your look and your style for your interior design project you should read this article. It will define a few of the basic styles of interior design and possibly give you some ideas about what style is for you.

One style of design is Modern design. With Modern design sleekness and straight lines are emphasized. Furniture, doors, etc are basic without unnecessary decorations and adornments. Another style of decorating is called Traditional. With Traditional design the style is much more elegant with rich wood finishes and more intricate wood work. Country style is a third type of design style which has simple design with distressed woods or lightly stained woods. The style is very friendly without any fancy or flashy decoration. Yet another design style is called Southwest. With this style you often have stucco or even adobe walls on the home with tile roofs. You often also see unfinished wood log type furniture and native Indian upholstery prints. This just scratches the surface of the different design styles available for more information do an internet search on interior design styles. You will see that there are more styles than you might think. The actual list of all the available styles goes on and on.

Determining the style of decoration that suits you best is the most important thing to do before beginning a design project. Do some research and look at examples so you can find what you like the best. You can then go forward with your design project.

Do your interior decorating dreams include informal, relaxed spaces with comfortable furnishings, accessories that represent days gone by, and the feel of nature? Then without a doubt you love the allure of country and cottage decorating. You will learn more about the basic characteristics that are common to these two decorating styles in the interior decorating tips to follow.

Furnishings for both country and cottage rooms are made from what we might call relaxed woods. These woods include wicker, rustic oak, and pine that have often been distressed or painted. Furnishings also include comfortable, upholstered pieces that typically have plain, clean lines. Floral prints are used quite often for upholstery in the cottage decorating style.

Accessories include antiques, birdhouses or other outdoor accessories as well as baskets and fresh or silk flowers. Vintage quilts make interesting and attractive wall hangings.Graniteware, stoneware, and pottery represent country style; depression glassware, mismatched pottery and china symbolize cottage style.

Both country and cottage style decorating make use of natural fabrics, such as cotton, linen, and simple, homespun fabrics. For cottage style rooms, integrate floral chintzes, embroidered linens, and crisp stripes and plaids for slip covers, cushion covers, window treatments, and pillows. Casual trimmings, such as buttons, fringe, piping and soft pleats add to the comfortable feel without being overdone.

Red, white, and blue as well as sunny yellows and spring greens are characteristic of country decorating. Cottage-style decorating makes generous use of pastel colors which may include pinks, soft reds, lilac, soft blue and mellow yellows and greens.

Hardwood floors in natural or painted wood are perfect companions for both cottage and country-style rooms. Woven rugs or area rugs add color, pattern and warmth.

Country decorating has been all about comfort and creating a setting that is a retreat from the stress and fast pace of our daily lives. Cottage is a very popular decorating style today that is closely related to and an expression of the country style.