Category — Design

There is a battle raging between preservationists and vinyl siding manufacturers. The preservationists, those who are determined to keep up the integrity of historic homes, point out that vinyl siding looks as natural in a historic district as a neon sign would look on a mom-and-pop corner grocery store. In response, vinyl siding manufacturers point to new products that were created to mimic the look of clapboard and other traditional materials so precisely that it is difficult to tell the vinyl from the real thing.

Which camp is right? They both have valid points. The bottom line comes down to neighborhood requirements or restrictions, personal taste and in some cases, budget constraints. Here’s what you need to know to make an informed decision.

The cons of vinyl siding

Let’s start with the preservationists’ side of the picket fence. Just as there are downsides to almost everything, so is the case with vinyl siding. The following points might cause some concern for homeowners:

1. Vinyl siding is not historically accurate. Vinyl siding is popular today, but it wasn’t around when most historic homes were built. No matter how good the vinyl looks, it is only a mimicry of originals, and that isn’t enough for some homeowners.
2. There are questions about vinyl siding safety. Vinyl siding is made of a plastic resin that is suspected of being carcinogenic. The production of vinyl siding is a concern for many communities.
3. Vinyl siding can fade over time. The colors of vinyl siding have long been a bone of contention among preservationists because they don’t accurately portray historical colors. In addition, the colors can fade over time, making it even more obvious that a home is covered in vinyl.

The pros of vinyl siding

But before we get mired down in the downside, let’s look at the advantages vinyl siding brings to old-house homeowners and historic neighborhoods:

1. New product lines look like the real thing. Vinyl siding colors are now available in a wide range of colors that are historically accurate. Carefully replicated wood grain is also a nice feature.
2. Minor architectural details are now available. In the past, the minor details that made a house unique were covered over with vinyl siding. Today, vinyl siding can replicate even the smallest details for a more accurate look.
3. Vinyl significantly reduces maintenance. Homeowners who are accustomed to painting that old clapboard every few years can appreciate the draw of a product that requires no painting at all.

Vinyl siding products that work for historic homes

Vinyl siding manufacturers have heard the concerns of historic homeowners and are constantly working toward making their period-relevant products even better. A few companies have led the surge into vinyl siding lines that are historically accurate. Certain Teed has seen its products used in many historical districts, with the approval of historic commissions. Crane and Revere are also two good names to turn to when looking for siding that makes your historic home look just as it should.

Fed up of soft pastel colours and pretty feminine touches in the bedroom? In need of a complete change? Time to make a bold statement? Then a black and white bedroom may be just the thing you need. And it’s not just for the boys either: black and white is a big trend right now so get on board and embrace it. Here are a few tips on how to get it just right:

1. Don’t go too heavy on the black. Unless you are a ‘Goth’ you will not want to paint all your walls black as it will feel like you inhabit a cave! Balance is the key to pulling this look off.

2. Don’t forget you are decorating a bedroom. Black and white does not typically say ‘restful’ so make sure you keep the beds inviting and comfortable without compromising the scheme.

3. Get the right bed for the design. Visit Sleepmasters for expert help in choosing the right bed. How about black leather to add another textured material to the room.

4. Soften it off with a bit of grey. For the more faint-hearted then introduce a tonal quality to the scheme using greys and silvers.

5. Go on – add in your favourite hue. If you really miss colours there is nothing wrong with adding a bold accent colour to brighten up the room. Try canary yellow, pillar box red or a striking purple.

6. Bold accessories. Spectacular black glass chandeliers or distressed white painted furniture – whatever you choose make sure it is in keeping with the black and white theme.

7. Be a bit wild and whacky. Go for a Friesian cow print, spotty Dalmatian dogs or even a zebra stripe pattern to take black and white to another level. Great in the kids rooms, and why not for you too?!

When it comes to decorating their home, most people want to do something a little bit different. There’s no point in spending hours and hours painting and reupholstering only to find out that your property looks exactly the same as absolutely everyone else’s.

While there are obviously interior design trends and popular looks out there, you want to put your own slant on them to make sure your house stands out for all the right reasons. One of the easiest ways to redecorate your property is by adding some stylish prints.

Whether contemporary art floats your boat, or you like some traditional Van Gogh pieces, prints could be the perfect way to update the rooms of your home. Since you’ll probably be spending more time in your bedroom over the winter months – wrapped up warm in your duvet – that’s as good a place to start as any. Pop art prints are arguably the most popular ones around, so if you want an easy life, that could be the way forward as you’ll definitely be able to get your hands on some.

However, you could also create your own prints if you’re feeling particularly creative. If you enjoy taking photos, they could be made into some very personal prints. Or, you could go for wall art made from your own canvases, created by stretching patterned fabrics over a simple wooden frame. Once you’ve chosen how you want to decorate your room, you’ll need to find the right accessories to go in it.

To add an arty touch to the other pieces of furniture in your room, you might want to put some patterned wallpaper in the back of the shelving on your book cases. You could also go to a bed sale to find a stylish new frame which matches the new décor in your bedroom.

Choosing a vintage style or contemporary bed frame, depending on which prints you go for, from http://bensonsforbeds.co.uk is a fantastic way of adding the finishing touches to your bedroom.

What’s amazing about this table? It’s not just its elegant looks. This table is made from the white oakwood reclaimed from Canadian whiskey barrels. Dimensions are 84″ x 35″ x 29″ and retails at USD1,900.

The table exudes grandeur without having to try hard or sound loud. It’s minimalist design is captivating and features traditional mortise and tennon joinery. The design is well thought out with the legs of the table set further in from the edges to allow the adequate legroom on either end of the table. Certainly a table I would not mind owning.

Verpan, originally lighting specialists decided to dabble in furniture design. And boy did they display prowess in this area by coming up with a rendition based on the Panton chair. Verpan significantly revamped the 1973 design with the steel base and tight leather stitching as the key change elements.

Available in four classy colours, this sure is a chair that will be the talking point of any household. A great piece of furniture to have and be truly proud of. Being a fan of beautiful chairs, this sure is one I can definitely appreciate.

Behold, a mind boggling work of beauty from Guido Ciompi. These stairs were designed for The Gray Hotel in Milan, Italy.

Simply stair design genius. Wouldn’t you want a set of stairs like this in your home?

If you are decorating one of the larger rooms in your home, perhaps the living room or an open plan downstairs area, one of the most expensive elements will be the floor covering. Because of this it is important to think carefully about your options and make the right choice – the chances are you will be living with this floor for years to come.

Carpets are great for warmth and comfort underfoot, however they are not appropriate for every room – when was the last time you saw a carpeted kitchen or bathroom for example?! Carpets can also look tired and worn quite quickly if they receive heavy foot traffic, and if you choose a pattern or particularly fashionable colour then you may feel that the design of the room begins to look dated after a while too. Hardwood flooring can be a great alternative to carpet as it creates a timeless look which is easy to incorporate into most interior design styles.

If you choose to go with a wood floor then you will need to decide between laminate and hardwood. Each has its own advantages and your decision may depend partly on budget and partly on whether or not you plan to fit the material yourself. Laminate is cheaper overall but may not last as long, however it is easier for a DIY-er to install as it does not flex and expand like real wood. Genuine planks are more of a challenge for the fitter but the final result is perhaps more pleasing though for a large area you will be looking at a considerable cost. If you have hardwood doors then you may wish to match them exactly to a hardwood floor so the decision in that case almost makes itself.

Whatever you go for make sure you choose your flooring wisely and are confident you will be able to live with it underfoot for a long, long time.

Not only is the Acoustable a really good looking coffee table, it can also serve as the music epicentre for your living room. Made from a polymer and mineral blend, the table consist of a top surface that sits on top of a foam core embedded into the base shell. The Acoustable comes with a media player and remote that can neatly be tucked into one of the pre-built pockets within the table. It also comes stock standard with an iPod interface which means you’ll be able to play music from your iPhone, iPod or iPad!

The Acoustable is no lightweight in the area of sound as it is equipped with woofers and speakers to give off enough oomph to wow your guests. It’s no lightweight literally as well, weighing in at a hefty 70kilos! Rest assured it won’t be something burglars will lift. Apple enthusiasts will definitely appreciate it’s simplistic yet extremely elegant design, aligned with many of today’s Apple offerings. I’m sure Jonathan Ive would be approve of this design.

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If there’s one aspect in our personal worlds that both change constantly and stay the same, it’s trending in interior design. Although new details may emerge each year, the fashion world experiences faster changes than interior design. Some of the now-standard favorites are continuing very strongly in 2011, and other aspects are emerging, primarily in the accessories arena.

Space, Space, Space

Sociologists and psychologists have long expounded the isolation individuals are invoking as the Internet world expands, but it seems humanity is compensating somewhat in our environments. While either actual or perceived space has always had some rules of thumb, the frequency at which space-invoking techniques are being incorporated is growing almost beyond tracking.

High ceilings, big picture windows and open floor plans are definitely leading the space trends in 2011. Avid Internet users may be isolating themselves, according to the humanity experts, but we’re expanding our caves in which we huddle. Creams, ecru and light pastels are adorning walls and ceilings in an effort to present an airy look in almost every room in the home.

If floor plans already have that space readily provided, brighter, bolder colors are often used for palette anchors with complimenting and complementing tints and hues adorn trim and accents.

Geometric patterns in pillows, valances and curtains are becoming more prevalent, and white or light-colored sheer drapes are re-emerging as a space-invoking tool that allows the curtains and drapes to act more as props than actual coverings for windows. It’s not unusual to see thinly-bladed horizontal blinds and a sheer curtain accented by drapes and pattered valences.

Applications, furniture and  are heading from just a modern style—lots of glass, chrome and bold splashes of color—and an industrial style—wrought iron, chrome, bare piping, cement and loft-type appearances—toward what’s known as “techno chic.” From high-tech, sleek-looking electronics and gadgets to steel cabinetry and camouflaged, combined-functioned furniture and accessories, our cave-homes are becoming more technology-oriented.

For example, remember those old steel lockers and cabinets? Techno Chic styles incorporate those seemingly innocuous cabinetry into not just storage lockers but hidden safes and security systems.

Master electronics and home networking control centers are moving from arm chairs and desktops to remote networking and integration. Synching home PCs with laptops, notebooks, tablets and cell phones is conceptually finding homes in homes as well in the mobile, outside world. It’s not unusual for techno-geeks to dedicate more than an entertainment center and a computer table to electronics. Any gadget that has multiple uses or really cool singular operations is increasingly being integrated into home décor schemes. Flat screen TVs that provide both entertainment and wall decoration were a hit when they were introduced, but Techno Chic trend-followers bring their use into a new category.

Gaming systems that allow not only video game playing locally but WiFi integration for Internet play and video and audio streaming are being used almost as often as the DVR purchased last year.

Once upon a time, you’d only see in the movies those desks that have built-in keyboards and monitors. Contributing to both the multiple-function and the camouflage concepts, these once-sci-fi furnishings are finding their way into more home offices than ever before.

Gadget and technology lovers are ecstatic with the confirmation and escalation of the Techno Chic trend in interior design for 2011. Are you an enthusiast, a skeptic or a traditionalist?

This article was written by Holly Miller from Coupon Croc. Save on all of the latest interior design trends when you buy furniture and decor with a Littlewoods discount code.

One of the biggest debates surrounding historical homes is the question of using modern materials to recreate a look that was first put in place well over a century ago. Can modern materials really make the grade? Is searching for the best reclaimed woods, old windows and other original features the best way to go?

Many owners of older homes will point out the difference in cost. Original features can be hard to find, and that makes them rather expensive. Modern materials can be much cheaper. New technologies can make those new materials look very much like the real thing, especially in the case of vinyl siding or replacement windows.

But don’t make a purchase based solely on looks. Take these points about replacement windows:

1. New windows can provide a serious increase in comfort and a significant reduction in your utility bills. Those original windows are lovely, but they are usually single-pane, which doesn’t provide much in the way of energy-efficiency. Replacement windows are double-pane or triple-pane, with modern technologies that make them a superior choice for comfort and savings.
2. New windows can very closely replicate the older ones. Well-known companies like Marvin offer windows that are specifically designed for historic homes, and some smaller companies specialize in creating windows that look as though they have been around for centuries. You can even get these windows in single-pane if you are looking to truly replicate the originals.
3. New windows actually work. Anyone who has ever been in an old house for an extended period of time knows the pitfalls of old window systems. Pulleys, cranks and springs can rust and fall out of service over time, making a window difficult or impossible to open. In some cases there are provisions to keep a window open–how many times have you seen an old window propped open with a stick? New windows can slide open and closed with ease and stay open exactly how you like them. That comes in especially handy in a home that was built before air conditioning became the rage.
4. Custom jobs can give you the best of both worlds. So you want a window that actually works, but it breaks your heart to sacrifice the delicate, bubbled panes or that original stained glass that has been there as long as the house has? You can have both. Custom replacement windows can be created that incorporate those old panes of glass into a new window that preserves the character of the real thing but offers the relief of a simple window that does exactly what you want it to do. However, keep in mind that custom jobs mean the window replacement cost goes up.

A few decades ago, replacement windows looked very out of place on historic homes. Today, they are not only acceptable, but often the material of choice for those who want the old-fashioned look but the modern convenience.