Two are Better than One: Bathroom Sinks

Posted on April 14, 2012 by creatingyourspace

The standard for master bathroom design is to have his and hers sinks. In newer homes the master bathroom is the largest bathroom in the home and can accommodate a counter top long enough to fit two sinks. In older homes and smaller homes that lack en suite master bathrooms, two sinks are a luxury.

Two sinks ideally mean that you each get your own sink. This can be true in some homes while in others the extra sink is rarely used other than to store makeup and hair dryers. Sometimes one sink with extra counter space is a better option. Even a vanity or make up area would be preferential to the second sink for some couples.

If you do have a bathroom that has enough space for a long vanity and two sinks there are many sink options available. Vessel sinks continue to be popular as do undermounted sinks. Vessel sinks’ smaller footprint will allow more counter top to show around the sink. Vessel sinks may allow you the space to install two sinks on a smaller counter top space. Wall mounted faucets can also save precious countertop space. Atypical shapes like these rectangular sinks are popular in contemporary and modern design.

Because double sink vanities are such large elements in a bathroom, coordinating the sink color and material with the counter and flooring helps give a polished looking design to the room. Matching the counter top with the stone or tile of the bathroom floor can unify these two design elements.

Lavender in the Home

Posted on April 10, 2012 by creatingyourspace

Lavender is a fragrant herb synonymous with the South of France. The delicate purple flowers contain a heady scent that is valued for its fragrance the world over and has long been used to create perfumes and scent the home. The color of the flowers is also a favorite purple with strong undertones of blue and grey.

Lavender as a color is often a more pale, pastel version of the color found in nature. It is a calming color because of all the blue it contains. Because of this lavender is a wonderful color for a bedroom.

Shades of lavender can range from a pale whisper to a pastel with lots of grey undertones. Lavender can work as a wall color for a living room and is lovely when paired with silvers and gold. Lavender accents and rugs are a nice way to introduce the color into a space.

The herb itself can have many uses in the home. Lavender is one of the herbs in the herbs de Provence blend used for Coq au Vin, the famous French chicken dish. Because of its fresh fragrance, lavender and lavender scents can be used in cleaning and laundry. Lavender is a popular scent for laundry detergents and fabric softeners. Sachets of lavender can be tossed in the dryer to give clean laundry a lovely, natural scent. Cleaning products as well can be found scented with lavender.

For freshening up carpets and area rugs, dried lavender can be sprinkled onto the carpet before vacuuming.

Perfect for the Kitchen: Food Themed Art

Posted on April 6, 2012 by creatingyourspace

At first glance this photograph might appear to be of an exotic type of marble or granite. Or perhaps a marbleized paper or faux painting technique. It is none of those things. It is a cross section of a cabbage shot in close-up. Yes, cabbage.

Food based art and photographs can be beautiful and food themed art is also the perfect wall accessory for the kitchen and dining room.

Kitchen walls are typically filled with cabinetry and appliances, but rarely is ever wall surface filled. Most kitchens are left with some blank wall space and some more than others depending on the size and style of the kitchen layout. What to put on these blank kitchen walls can be challenging.

It is not wise to put original oil or acrylic paintings near a cooking area. Grease in the air can cling to the surface of the artwork. Dining rooms are a better choice for paintings like these that are not framed behind glass. Watercolors, drawings, collages and photographs can all be hung in the kitchen since the majority of time they are framed with glass to protect their surfaces.

Choosing what food themed art to hang can be based on several factors, including the style of your kitchen, your favorite food and other colors in the flooring and cabinetry of the kitchen. Traditional kitchens would do best with traditional still life style art, while contemporary and modern kitchens could have food art that was more abstract. Be inspired by food photography to take your own shots and frame them.

Bathroom Meets Wet Room

Posted on April 2, 2012 by creatingyourspace

A separate shower and bathtub, preferably a soaking tub, have been standard in a master bathroom for quite a while. And while showers and tubs have become fancier over the years with more spray and deeper soaks, the layout is pretty standard. With freestanding soaking tubs becoming more popular, we’re seeing a change in the layout of large master bathrooms. One of the changes we’re seeing is the creation of a “wet zone”. Have you seen these? Do you have one in your own master bathroom?

A wet zone puts the shower and tub in a single area in the bathroom, like the picture above. This one has a glass enclosure that contains both the shower and tub. If the glass goes all the way to the ceiling, a sort of steam room is created. The shower can be a step up from the rest of the bathroom or simple divided from the room with the glass partition; a tiled wall would also work to delineate the space. Continuing the same flooring, whether it be slate, tile, or marble, throughout the bathroom and wet zone helps unify the room. For the wet zone, a textured flooring surface will prevent slips when showering or getting out of the tub.

The remaining area of the bathroom can be dedicated to a large vanity with double sinks and storage. A water closet for the toilet keeps that separated as well. Containing the wet zone and steam is ideal for a master bathroom that opens onto the walk-in closet or dressing room.

One Man's Trash

Posted on March 23, 2012 by creatingyourspace

The saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” has never been more appropriate for decorating than it is today. Design shows routinely feature treasures found at local flea markets, thrift stores and even the curb. One famous designer routinely features these finds on his nationally syndicated design show.

What is it about flea marketing, thrifting and local curb scouting that appeal to so many DIY and professional designers? The answer may be as simple as the thrill of the hunt. Once you find one amazing treasure for very little money or no money, you might be hooked. For others, thrifting for decorating their home may be one of budgetary necessity. When buying a new home closing costs, moving and necessary repairs can eat into the decorating budget. Being resourceful and clever means decorating with found objects and pieces rather than buying everything new.

Condition is key when converting trash to treasure. A coat of paint can easily transform something that is in good condition but has issues on the surface. Rugs and carpets should be free of set in stains and strong odors. A good professional cleaning can restore a dirty rug to showroom clean. Found electrical things like lamps and lighting should be in good working order or be prepared to have them rewired for safety.

Looking past the scratched surface or ugly paint job to the form of the piece, these clever thrifters and flea market aficionados can turn trash into treasure to decorate their homes.

Home Decor – The Power of Green

Posted on March 20, 2012 by floors_admin

Green as a color or green as an environmental movement can be a powerful addition to a space. Green color can be introduced through paint and fabrics, rugs and accessories in both color and environmental friendliness. A simple way to be green in both senses is to have house plants in your home.

Not only do houseplants add a pop of green color to a room, they can also clean the air. Great for a room like a nursery or home office where you spend a lot of time. Variations of house plants do a better job than others cleaning the air, so do your research or ask at your local garden center.

A hot trend in decorating right now is terrariums. If you hear the word terrarium and think of a school project, think again. Today’s terrariums are stylish and chic. What they do have in common with the old school terrariums of your childhood is that they are a great DIY project. Almost any glass vessel, from a mason jar to a fishbowl, can be turned into a terrarium. This is a great project to do with your kids. It is a nice way to introduce them to growing plants, which could lead to an interest in a kitchen garden.

Terrariums are great decoration for a shelf, table or even the kitchen window sill. Check online for tips and tricks to designing and maintaining a chic and stylish terrarium. House plants and terrariums are a great way to go green in your home.

Decorating with Blonde Woods

Posted on March 19, 2012 by floors_admin

As with any other trend, wood floors and cabinetry go in and out of color trends. For a number of years dark cabinets and floors have been the favorite tones and types of wood for the home. Painted cabinetry comes in and out of style and trend as well. Lighter wood tones on floors and cabinets are due for a return to popularity. It is just a matter of time now that the pendulum has swung over to the dark tones before it will return to the light.

Birch, ash, beech and maple are all naturally pale woods. These woods are favorites of Scandinavian design which favors lighter wood tones and colors. Other woods like pine and oak can come in lighter shades or be stained with a white wash to make them as pale as possible. Light woods with tons of grey can recalled sun and salt water bleached driftwood, making them perfect for coastal style.

This picture illustrates how blonde woods can be used together to create an interesting and stylish design. The heavily figured wood on the chair backs adds pattern to the overall neutral space. Blond woods on table tops, the banquette, shelves and the room divider help unify the seating around. Pairing blond woods with pale neutrals creates an open and airy design. Accents in darker wood tones or color can easily be added to such a neutral design. A few touches of black on the chair legs and table bases ground the overall pale palette.

Shopping for Imported Carpets

Posted on March 15, 2012 by floors_admin

Shopping for imported carpets can feel like going to a foreign bazaar. Carpets are often stacked, folded or hung by the tens if not hundreds. Sorting through all the selections can be daunting if you don’t know what you are looking for. Before shopping for imported carpets and area rugs, do your homework—it will save you time and sometimes money.

Before deciding to invest in an imported new, vintage or antique rug, do your research. Online is a good place to begin. Learn what kinds of carpets come from which countries. Knowing the difference between a Dhurrie and a Kilim will cut down on what you’ll look for at the store.

Identifying what your color palette is and what colors you are looking for in a carpet will narrow down the selections once you are at the rug store. Bring paint chips as well as fabric and upholstery samples to get the best rug for your color palette.

Measure your room and the space for the rug so you will know what sizes will work for you and which will be too large or too small.

Most importantly know your budget. Once you see a rug and fall in love with it you don’t want to be disappointed that it is out of your price range. You can do some research online to get a general sense of what imported rugs may cost. When you get to the store inform them the size, colors, type and the price range you want.

How to Make a Small Home Feel Larger

Posted on March 5, 2012 by floors_admin

Having a large home is a luxury that most people aspire to obtain. However, we live in a time of economic uncertainty where buying or upgrading to a larger home is not an option for most Americans. Having the home of your dreams maybe have to be put on hold, but don’t feel stuck in your current living situation. Chances are your home is a suitable size for your needs; you just need to take some manageable steps to make it feel larger. Here are few tips for creating the feel of having more space without the cost of adding a new room or buying a new house.

One factor that determines how large a home feels the “diagonal view”, or the line of vision that extends from one corner of the house to another. The farther that your eye can see inside a house, the larger that house will feel. A house can have a lot of square footage, but if every room is divided by walls that limit your line of vision the house will feel small. Removing a wall, widening an entrance, or cutting a window in a wall to connect two rooms can go a long way in creating the illusion of having more space.

A more inexpensive option to create more space is removing clutter around the house. Piles of unneeded and used items lining walls or sitting in corners quickly make a room feel crowded and small. Unnecessary furniture and wall-hangings can have the same effect. Keeping a clean, uncluttered home works wonders in creating the illusion of more space.

Furniture takes up the most space in a home and should therefore be given the most thought to make sure you don’t waste space. When choosing furniture try to put larger pieces along the wall to maximize space in the center of the room. Eliminate furniture that is not functional or is simply collecting dust. Consider hanging your TV on the wall instead of adding an extra piece of furniture to set it on.

Paint your walls with lighter colors. Dark colors make a room feel small and cozy. Using a cream or other light color will open up a room and give the feeling of more space. Using natural light to brighten rooms also gives the feel of more space. Skip the extra costs involved in moving to a new house and make the house you’ve got feel larger.

Guest author Derek Dasher writes for http://www.topalarmsystem.com. Derek enjoys writing about home improvement and design

Coordinating Decor Colors

Posted on February 27, 2012 by floors_admin

Good design has a synergy between colors in the room. The wall, floor, furnishings and accents all work in harmony to create a beautiful color palette for the room. For professional designers and decorators, designing the color palette is a key part in the overall finished room’s successful design.

Learning to coordinate colors between different design elements can help you create a room that has a professional polished look. Coordinating colors doesn’t mean using the same color on every surface and object. This picture illustrates how you can coordinate colors between two surfaces by using paint chips to find the perfect match.

Picking up a color from one piece and bringing onto another surface can unite the two pieces. The paint chips pick up a highlight color in the wall paper. The same process can be used for the flooring and upholstery in the room.

Using a single jumping off point unifies the overall design in the room. In this case the wallpaper is the starting point. Paint color is next. Once the paint color is chosen the paint chip can be used to select carpeting or an area rug. Upholstery can pick up another color from the wallpaper.

Wallpaper, pillows or other fabrics are great places to begin when coordinating colors for a room. Once you have the main colors coordinated you can introduce contrasting colors that appear on the opposite side of the color wheel from the main colors in the room. Use these in objects and small pops around the room.

From the Floors Up

Tag Archives: room decor