Category — HowTo

Here’s a good find from the internet – a video from videojug’s Interior Design channel on how to make your room look bigger using colours

Watch the video here

Step 1: Whites
The best colour for opening up a room is bright white, so try painting this on all the walls. Neutral colours such as this give the impression that the walls are further away than they actually are.

If you want the room to be slightly warmer, try adding a few tints of your favourite colour.

If so much white really isn’t your thing, there are alternatives such as beige or light grey, which also work well. You could also try yellow, which is great for creating space due to it’s ability to reflect light, just like white.

Step 2: Blues & grey-blues
Blues, and grey-blues on the walls allow all the other colours in the room to stand out on the neutral backdrop, handily shifting the focus to the furnishings rather than the room itself.

Always try and keep to one or two main colours that flow from room to room, and certainly don’t use more than three.

Step 3: Pastels
Pastels, and light natural tones are excellent for creating an airy feeling in small bedrooms,bathrooms, and hallways.

You can bring the walls and woodwork together by painting both in colours from the same family, creating a light expanse. Use matte on the walls, and gloss or eggshell on the wood, so that it is not too flat.

Step 4: Stripes
Stripes can completely change the shape of a room. Narrow vertical stripes in white or soft pastel will make a low ceiling seem much higher. You can of course simply paper the walls, or be more adventures and paint the stripes on.

To make the room look longer, simply turn the stripes horizontal, and only use 2 or 3. This works especially well with a light coloured backing.

Step 5: Floors
It’s not only the wall colours that affect the sense of space, but the floors too. It is best to use one carpet colour throughout the house. Try painting the skirting board in a similar tone to break down the boundary where wall meets floor.

In a small bedroom, use a solid neutral carpet, or be a little more adventurous and use one with horizontal stripes to widen it.

So you want to live abroad for more than a few weeks? You’re going to have to find a rental. But for budget-strapped travelers, this can mean nothing suitable is within your price range. That’s when you get creative, and if you have a bit of hardy can-do sense about you, choose a fixer-upper rental.

There are many homes sitting idle, not rented because those who spend hard-earned money to travel that far want to live in luxury, not in the midst of a construction or remodeling zone. Those deals are often the best for those who don’t mind swinging the occasional hammer.

Where to Start with Your Overseas Rental

Start by looking into short term and long term rentals in the country you want to visit. Make a list of those that look promising. If they seem to have every amenity imaginable, check them off your list. That is definitely not a fixer-upper, and leaves little room to negotiate price. Look for those that are smaller than the ideal, homes that are a bit older, and those that don’t appear to be at their best in the accompanying photographs.

Then call those owners and ask about their property. Would they be willing to work out an arrangement for a year’s time, during which you work on the house in exchange for rent, or at least for a portion of it? Many rental property owners will be happy to provide materials if you provide the labor free of charge. Not only are they getting a nice remodel of their wood flooring or installation of their new wood windows for free, you are spending less money for being in the country of your choice–and that gives you more money to spend on the things you want to do, like a jaunt into the neighboring towns or a visit to another nearby country that has caught your fancy.

The Devil is in the Details

Before you start making serious plans, get it all in writing. What serious improvements is the owner willing to cover? Are they going to pay for all materials and tools as well? How much labor is appropriate to qualify for free or reduced rent? Discuss these plans long before you get to the property for good.

A word of caution: if there is anything you don’t agree on now, you can bet you won’t agree on it when money is involved. When something doesn’t set right with you in the beginning, it’s okay to walk away and look at other properties instead. Remember, you want to have the best experience possible, not one that has been tainted by red tape and disagreements with your landlord.

My last kitchen remodel was, I hope, my last kitchen remodel.

A lot of money, a lot of planning, a lot of glitches. I don’t want to go through it again–especially the money part. But mostly, I’m quite happy with the results.

But not totally happy. It didn’t accommodate two basic, eco-friendly activities–composting and recycling.

Kitchen Remodeling for Recycling

Even though a dump is called a landfill, you don’t want to fill it. Most anything with the recycle triangle, no matter how hard to see, should not be trashed, so to speak.

But I didn’t accommodate for recycling. I didn’t build bins into my cabinets to hold recycling, so I have to carry each piece to a remote bin, outside under the eaves. A couple times a week I tote that bin to the monster recycling container, waiting to be hauled to the street on Monday morning for pickup.

A simple bin system under the counter would have been so easy to add to the kitchen cabinets.

At least I live in an area with group recycling–no need to separate waste into its many categories.

Composting in Your Kitchen Cabinets?

What can be greener than composting? Take those kitchen scraps and turn them into nutrient-rich, all-natural soil enhancement. No meat scraps, please. They attract rats. But take your celery, onion, apple cores, coffee grounds–mix them with grass clippings and fallen leaves and watch them perk. It’s soil-enhancement extraordinaire.

So what does composting have to do with kitchen remodeling? Storage. Unless you want to traipse outside to your compost pile several times a day, you need a storage system. An airtight canister is a common kitchen compost container, but I hate counter clutter.

In retrospect, I needed an out-of-sight storage system, maybe an under-counter bin like I should have installed for the recycling.

Better yet, I should have found a kitchen contractor to design a chute system that would let me shove the scraps into a hole leading to an outside container. Then once a week or so, I could dump the contents of the container into the compost pile.

But, alas, I’m stuck with the airtight canister and counter clutter.

Too bad it was my last kitchen remodel.

As interior designers we have opportunities to market ourselves each and every day. One of the best ways to accomplish effective marketing is to print business cards.  A great business card gives a potential customer a snapshot of what services you offer, and they will have your contact information so they can follow up, or check out your website for additional information.

It’s important to carry business cards with us everywhere we go.  The chance to hand out business cards occurs more than you may think.  For instance consultations are an obvious situation where it’s appropriate to exchange contact information. But there are other times you may not always think of, like social gatherings and parties.   When you meet new people one of the most common questions asked is, “What do you do?”.  This opens the door for you to sell yourself. You can give a brief 60 second statement describing  your services and you’ll be able to easily offer a business card without seeming pushy.

Business cards must have a classy look, which helps you present yourself in the best possible light. If you have some graphic design skills spend some time creating a card that also shows off your talents. If you don’t have graphic design skills there are plenty of business card templates you’ll be able to use.  You may want to include a photograph of your work, you can even use the back of the card to include URLs to examples from a photo gallery of design work you’ve completed.

Don’t waste your time trying to print business cards at home off of your own printer.  Often business cards printed at home will look cheap as they will have perforated edges and crooked cutting. The sharp crisp images will be missing. You can find amazing quality at low prices from many of the online printers.

There is no better time to celebrate with friends and family than at the start of a new year.  Saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new is always exciting.  If you are planning a New Year’s Eve bash this year, select some eco-friendly, green table decorations to help you celebrate.  There are a lot of options available that will make your table decor something to remember, without breaking your budget.

Non-Disposable

No one wants to have dishes to do on January 1st, but the most eco-friendly way to give your guests something to put their snacks on is to use non-disposable plates, glasses and silverware.  If you are concerned about plates being chipped or glasses being broken, purchase some eco-friendly, reusable plastic plates and cups.  Reusable plastic has come a long way and it is no longer confined to ugly colors and unappealing designs.  Now, many reusable plastic plates, bowls and cups look just as attractive as their glass or china counterparts.  This makes them ideal for not only New Year’s Eve parties, but also for families with small children.  When selecting pieces, just make sure that they are made of non-toxic plastics.

Recycled Whatnots

Just like traditional heavy-duty paper plates, there are now paper products made from recycled and sustainable materials.  Cups made out of corn-based products are especially popular and are relatively sturdy.  While they do not hold up to hot liquids very well, they are perfect for sodas, punches and other cold beverages.  The benefit to this type of cup is that it decomposes quickly in the landfill or compost pile, with no harmful effects to the environment.  Paper plates are also now made of recycled materials.  Even the large disposable paper product manufacturers are getting in on the act and have come out with lines of plates and cups that are made entirely of recycled fibers.  Since they are competitively priced compared with their non-green counterparts, they are an excellent choice for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Table Decorations

Instead of plastic and mylar balloons, streamers and confetti on the table, make this New Year’s Eve party one with a sophisticated and eco-friendly flare.  Decorate a small pine tree with blue and silver glass balls and a string of small white lights.  Use a dark blue fabric tablecloth for the table covering instead of a plastic one.  And instead of plastic confetti, use a small decorative puncher to punch out festive shapes from colorful junk mail or holiday catalogs.  Try to make everything on the table useful and decorate with things that have been recycled or will not be thrown away.

Not only will your guests notice your eco-friendly decor and green living attempts, chances are that they will copy some of them in their own party decorating.  Your wallet will be thanking you for the money saved on decorating supplies and the earth will be thankful for less in the landfill.  While it takes a bit more time to think creatively about festive New Year’s Eve decor that is environmentally friendly, it is worth taking the time to do.

Alyssa Davis is the top writer and creative design specialist for Metal-Wall-Art.com. She specializes in designing with metal kitchen wall art and art metal sculpture

If you are looking for an unusual way to invite your guests to this year’s New Year’s Eve party, there are some great eco-friendly ideas that you can use.  Forget purchasing packs of invitations from the party good store, and instead try the suggestions below.  They are sure to make your guests smile and the earth rejoice.

After You Read This, Plant It

Instead of traditional paper invitations, try making seed paper invitations instead.  While it is not difficult to make your own paper, you will need at least a few weeks to get all of the paper crafted.  The Internet has a wealth of information on creating homemade paper. During the paper making process, toss in a handful of flower or herb seeds.  This will make your paper, perfectly plantable after guests have responded to the invitation.  To make the paper even more eco-friendly, use old junk mail and newsprint that you have around the house to create the paper itself.  Leftover glitter, sparkle confetti, or other shimmery additions can also be added to the paper to give it an even more festive feel.  Do not forget to include directions for planting with each card, so that your guests know to plant it in their garden or in a windowsill pot instead of throwing it away.

Message in a Bottle

If you will be hand delivering your invitations to potential attendees, create messages in a bottle.  On a plain sheet of paper that you have carefully spritzed or soaked in tea, write the invitation to the party after the paper dries.  Once the invitation is written, roll it up like a scroll, tie with a scrap of leftover ribbon or yarn, and place it in an empty and clean wine bottle or jar.  Since the glass would be going in the recycling bin anyway, why not give it new life as a delivery system for a special party invite?

Print It Out

While there is something intrinsically more personal about a handwritten invitation, printing out party invitations can save you a lot of time.  The more people you invite, the more time a mass printing will save.  Invest in an eco-friendly ink cartridge for your printer, and print out the invitations on pretty recycled paper.  Once the cartridge is used up, return it to a printer cartridge recycling drop-off point to be given new life.

Go Paperless

If all the thoughts about paper invitations are overwhelming you, consider going paperless with your invites.  There are many email invitation Websites around that allow you to create clever and cute party invitations that are emailed directly to your guests.  This saves you time and postage, while also saving the environment.  Many guests also prefer this type of invitation, as they can upload the event right to their calendars and planners.  If you are hosting an older crowd, be sure to have alternate invitations available in case they do not have email or choose not to check it frequently.

Celebrating the New Year also means celebrating the potential it brings.  This includes the potential to make a difference in caring for the environment.  Start the year off right with some eco-friendly, green New Year’s Eve party invitations to get things off on the right track.

Jessica Ackerman, writes for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com and offers aspiring home designers the opportunity to decorate with home wall art and decorative door toppers

With the tight economy affecting so many families, it is becoming more common than ever to decorate a home on a really tight budget. However, just because a project does not have a large budget does not mean that it should not look absolutely fabulous when it is completed. A homeowner can cut the costs on many projects simply by finding materials on sale and doing some of the work themselves. Many projects require just basic skills that almost every homeowner possesses.

Even for someone who does not sew, there are projects that are quick and easy to do, and here are three projects that require little more than sewing a straight, or relatively straight, line.

Easy Sew Throw Pillows

One of the quickest ways to add a splash of color to a couch and update its look is to add new throw pillows to it. Look for cotton napkins on sale in whatever colors, styles and patterns complement the room’s décor. Feel free to mix and match napkins to create contrasting or coordinating fronts and backs for the cushions, or make the pillow from one type of napkins. If the couch does not already have pillows to recover, simply pick up some pillow forms, and make sure that they are at least two inches smaller than the napkins.

Open the napkin packages and pin wrong sides of the fabric together. Sew a straight line along three sides of the napkins making sure to allow at least a half inch for the seam allowance. Then, snip the corners, flip the covers inside out, insert the pillow, and blind stitch the fourth side shut. Quick and easy, a new pillow is ready for the couch. Then when it is time to redecorate, simply find new napkins and repeat the process.

Custom Guest Towels

Another easy sew decorating touch that works especially well in the guest bathroom is to add colorful, decorative trim to the towels. Cut a length of ribbon twice the width of the towel plus an inch. Then decide where it looks best towards the edge of the towel and pin it in place. By simply sewing a straight line, attach the ribbon in place carefully lining up the back side of the ribbon to match the front side. Several inches before the end of the ribbon, fold under the last inch of ribbon and continue sewing. The net result will be beautiful guest room towels that are custom designed for a lovely guest bathroom.

No Sew Curtains

For a homeowner who does not normally sew, making their own curtains may seem rather intimidating. However, by finding sheets in a color and pattern that fits a room’s décor, making curtains for a window can be an easy sew or a no sew project. Use the top pocket of the sheet to slip onto a curtain rod. If the curtains are the right length, then this is a no sew project. If the curtains need hemming or if they need extra length added, then sewing one, simple straight line will get the job done. These curtains will be very attractive as well as fully functional.

There are many different sewing projects that do not require a high level of skill to perform, so by thinking creatively and doing some of their own work, just about any homeowner can liven up a room’s décor just by sewing a simple straight line.

Jessica Ackerman writes for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com where she provides detailed instructions for decorating with wall art for home and decorative door toppers

I stumbled upon this really really brilliant DIY to create a chandelier from mason jars through Kara Paslay Designs blog. Furthermore, what’s really great is that each step of the entire DIY is written in great detail with lots of images taken at intervals to help keep you on track every step of the way

Brilliant, isn’t it? If you’re interested in creating this for your home, follow the instructions on Kara Paslay’s Design blog here

If you have a small kitchen, it’s especially important to choose a good layout to make the kitchen more efficient. Small kitchens can be categorized by their overall shape, and the shape can help determine the most effective layout. Often the overall layout of the kitchen will be dictated by the size and shape of the kitchen, and in a small kitchen, there isn’t as much leeway to change the overall kitchen layout and pattern. Still, there is a lot you can do with a small kitchen, even when working within the constraints of the existing layout.

Galley Kitchens

A galley kitchen is often narrow, and has the countertop area, cabinets and appliances arranged on two opposing walls. Sometimes this style of kitchen has a door at both ends of the kitchen, which can create some challenging foot traffic issues. When planning a galley kitchen, make sure that the aisle between the countertop areas is at least four feet wide. Arranging appliances on both sides of the galley kitchen is usually the best approach, but care is needed to offset the appliances so that the doors don’t open into each other, creating a blockage in the center aisle.

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The living room is usually the first room guests see when they enter a home. It is also the space most often used for entertaining and relaxing with family and friends. A small living room can look and feel cramped and uninviting if it is cluttered and dark. You can make the room look
larger by selecting the right colors, furniture, and accessories to fill the space.

Light Colors and Simple Patterns

The colors used in your living room, from the walls to the floor to the fabrics and furnishings, play a major role in the appearance of the room. Dark colors like crimson, navy blue, and chocolate absorb light and tend to shrink a room. Light colors like cream, robin’s egg blue, and light yellow reflect the light that enters the room, making the space seem larger.

Since your walls make up the largest proportion of color in the room, make sure the paint color is a light tone. You can also paint the ceiling a shade or two lighter than the walls to make the ceiling appear higher, enlarging the room.

Patterns on wallpaper, curtains, upholstery, and carpeting should not be too busy or dark. Busy patterns fill the space and distract the eye, disrupting the visual flow around the room. However, there is no need to shy away from your favorite patterns used in one or two areas and in smaller accessories in the room.

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