colors for your home

Color and pattern are the backbone of a room's design. There are infinite combinations, and ways to mix or match to achieve a look that suits your style, taste and personality. All it takes to get started is a favorite color, a fabric swatch you particularly like, a single piece of furniture that you must have or a decorative accessory. In Interior Design this is called your inspiration piece. You can design a room or your whole home around the inspiration piece that you have chosen.

The Color Scheme:

Of course, regardless of what you choose as an inspiration, you will have to choose a color scheme. The colors can be bold, calm, complimentary or contrasting. There are a million ways to combine color, as well as just as many ways to accent with color. Today, the most popular base color for walls is usually a light beige or tan. While this is an excellent color and compliments almost any accent color, it can be rather boring. Unless you need a generic color because you are trying to sell your home, it may be better to let your personality shine through. Another trend today is to paint the entire home in this very generic color; some consider this to be very classy, others would say very boring.

How About Variety?

There is no reason why every room in your home cannot be a distinctly different color and design. As long as you have definite division between rooms, such as an actual doorway, then there is no need for all rooms to be alike. Some color schemes work better in some rooms than others, depending on the purpose of the room.

Example 1: A dining room can be a rich warm red or brown, which makes for a cozy and intimate dining environment. However, would you really want that color in your working kitchen area? It might seem depressing in a work area.

Example 2: The bedroom should be designed with relaxation in mind. There are two ways to go about this. Cool and calm colors such as pale green and pale blue create a relaxing environment for resting. Alternatively, navy blue, dark brown or even black can reduce light reflection and give you a dark and comfortable place to sleep. On the other hand, bold red, orange or purple is too busy and is not going to give you the restful environment you want for sleep.

In the end, the color you choose should reflect your personality and the type of room in which it will be used. Usually lighter colors are more versatile as base colors. If you have a bold fabric swatch that you just have to use for drapes, then pick your other room colors from the least bold colors in the design. Your room will be a perfect reflection of you.

references :
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6973875

How to choose curtains for the windows carefully

The style of the curtains depends on the common style of the room or house. There are four commonly used curtain types: simple eye-let curtains, pleated drapes, roman blinds, kitchen curtains, top tab curtains.

If you live in the MODERN house, then roman blinds or simple eye-let or top tab curtains made of natural or printed linen will be the best. Simple natural linen material is used in curtains and cushions for distant and inconspicuous interiors. Appropriate for place where the key role is for the person with dynamic and modern lifestyle. Linen curtains are appropriate for spaces with dominant interior elements as solid wood, concrete or stone.

RUSTIC style interiors with solid wood dominance will harmonize with straight and dense drapes in pastel color. Simple and elegant sky-way blue curtains will refresh the room with wooden furniture and wooden ceiling.

If in your interior dominates ANTIC style furniture, then you can choose romantic drapes made of linen or silk damask. Damask or Jacquard is fabric with luxurious patterns used in pleated drapes or simple eye-let curtains.

If the room contains furniture with dark LEATHER upholstery, great solution for windows will be the bamboo blinds. If the furniture has light leather upholstery, the same color roman blinds will be appropriate.

When you select the color of the curtain, please pay attention to the dominant and accent colors of the room, especially walls. Advisable is to take one of the existing colors of the room. Designers followed principles: if the walls are with some pattern, than drapes are monochromatic in one of the used wall colors. And opposite: If the walls are monochromatic, than window cover can be with some prints or fancy patterns. In this case is great if the table lamps can be with the same material as curtains. If your desire is to have dense and saturated color of the room, then paint the walls and choose the drapes in the same color, try it with yellow, orange or red in the sunny part of the house.

For curtains material recommended is to take natural materials as linen, cotton or silk. It will cure the common atmosphere of the space, the same as wooden furniture, parquet or green plants.

Great color and material combinations:

White walls, black furniture and curtains and dark wood table,

White walls and curtains, sandy yellow elements and metallic elements in furniture,

Curcuma yellow walls with play wood furniture and glass elements in the rest of the interior,

White walls, dark leather furniture and bamboo blinds.


references ::
EzineArticles.com

Easy tips to change your Apartment

Are you stuck in an apartment rental dreaming of the day you will live in a "real" home? Guess what? You already do! Home is where you choose to make it, and your apartment can be every bit as cozy and inviting as the house of your dreams if you're willing to invest some time, money and imagination into your current space.

1. Tame the Mess.

Even though living in an apartment can be tight, nothing reminds you of how tight the space is than having to deal with a constant mess. Throw out all the non-essentials and purchase some organizing systems to help you deal with what's left. Floor space is limited to begin with so organizing your apartment means taking advantage of vertical spaces wherever possible. Install shelves and purchase tall, shallow book shelves instead of short, wide units for housing all kinds of essential items.

2. Invest in Yourself.

For those who have just moved from a dorm room or your parents house, your furniture is usually sparse and what you do have is probably mismatched or from thrift stores. And if you've been on your own for years, but are still using bricks and plywood as a bookshelf it is definitely time to start buying some real furniture. Even though you may not be able to afford to replace all your furniture at once, you can start by making a plan and starting with a matching couch and chair, a kitchen table and chairs or even a matching dresser and night stands. Avoid anything too trendy or stylized. In the small scale of an apartment, show pieces can look odd and out of place. Choose well-built furniture that will work in your current space and transition with you in the future.

3. Light it Up.

A single bulb ceiling fixture as the only point of light in your apartment can feel cold and impersonal. Use floor and table lamps to add warmth to your rental apartment and make it feel more like home. If you've got a particularly plain or ugly fixture overhead, buy a ceiling fan or a better looking one. Carefully wrap and store the original fixture and replace it when you leave.

4. Add Color.

Changing the wall color is often forbidden in an apartment rental, but you can add a dramatic splash of color to any wall with a simple craft project. There are lots of options that don't need any paint or nails that still change a room dramatically. Cover a square of foam board with quilt batting and then again with fabric in the color of your choice. All it takes is a single, solid fabric color, one with patterns or you can even mix and match. Adhere the materials to the board with masking tape. Make enough colorful panels to fill a whole wall or just display a few. Secure them to the wall with hook and loop adhesive strips and you have a brand new room without breaking any rules.

There are many limitations to decorating when you live in a rental apartment, but don't let those limitations dissuade you from doing what you can to improve your environment. Try one of these decorating tips to make your apartment rental look and feel like home sweet home.

references ::
EzineArticles.com

change your home with carpets and hardwoods

Adding new carpet or hardwoods to a home is an exciting upgrade. There is a full range of colors, styles, shades, finishes, and textures to view when searching for a design. There are sweet flooring options for carpets and hardwoods within every budget to help fit virtually any home or commercial building's needs. Whether you are installing new floors for a new building or are replacing existing flooring, there are professional companies that can help you throughout the entire process. A flooring company's services range anywhere from design teams, huge show rooms of products, installations, removal of existing floors, custom rug making, refinishing, and more.

You literally have tons of options everywhere from color and style to finish, tint, and texture. The deciding process can be extensive but finding custom designs and fitting budgets is 100% doable with all the products available on the market. Visiting a show room will help you quickly narrow down selections from a hands-on point of view. Show rooms also have designers ready to help bring consumers to the best options for their home or business. Design decisions are based on price, appearance, durability, and quality. High traffic offices would have a whole different realm of options than a home shopper would have for their living room. All of these options are ready for viewing at a show room.

What rooms are you remodeling? Depending on the room you can go with carpet or hardwoods. Hardwoods are always a smart choice because they can be a lasting investment that can always be refinished if they start to show their age. Whether you have pets or children is something to consider when making a product choice. Stain resistant carpets are always an option if you are concerned about scratching hardwoods. Remember, you can always add a rug if you want hardwoods but need a carpeted area. Rugs can be custom made with design, measurements, custom binding, and budget in mind. You can always change out rugs and replace them versus having to remove and install permanent carpeting.

Financing is available for new installations. Professional flooring companies in your area can help find a financing plan that works for you. Free home measurements and estimates are always available to help make thorough comparisons.

references ::

EzineArticles.com

the Color of 2012 is Tangerine Tango use it in Your Home

As previously mentioned, Tangerine Tango is the 2012 Color of the Year, but seeing as how it's such a bright and bold color many wonder just how to use tangerine tango around their homes. Despite what you may think at first glance, Tangerine Tango is just as versatile as the more bland colors that so many homeowners stick to. You can use this amazing color both as a focal point of the room, to brighten an otherwise dark area, and even do the whole room in it for maximum vibrancy. While this color may not be the right choice for a man cave (based on the name alone) it works just as well in the kitchen and bathroom as it does in the family room and kids rooms.

Splash of color

Most people will probably choose adding it in small amounts, at least at first, to brighten and spruce up a tired room. The most amazing aspect of this particular color is that it really does go with everything: white, black, brown, gray, blue, green, pink, yellow and anything on the color wheel. This means that no matter what style your room currently has adding a little Tangerine Tango won't look out of place, and no matter what colors you're planning on using this color will blend with or accent. Add a pair of pillows to your living room sofa or repaint kitchen stools in Tangerine Tango. Add a few accessories to the bathroom, bedroom or kid's room to contrast the colors already in use for an exciting change. A shelf in a blue boy's room or mint green bathroom can add fun and whimsy.

Tangerine Tango walls

If you're feeling adventurous, really like the color, or are in a desperate decorating conundrum, consider painting the walls Tangerine Tango for a whole room makeover. Your brown suede couch, white cabinets and blue bed spread will still match and you won't have had to do anything but paint. If that's a bit much, however, there's always the option of painting an accent wall: one wall in a room, usually a focal wall like the one that houses a TV or large window, will add a hefty dose of vibrant color without overwhelming the existing decor. And if you learn to really love it you can always paint the other three walls later and replace your contemporary berber carpets with vintage shag in the same color.

Tangerine patterns

Stripes, polka dots, graphics, textured fabrics and flowery prints can be the ideal way to use Tangerine Tango in your current decorating scheme. Did you fall in love with a zebra striped rug? Go bold and get it in tangerine! Always admired the chevron design? Incorporate some in Tangerine Tango on a shower curtain, window dressing, accent wall or throw pillow for an exotic look. Because of how well the color looks with pretty much everything it makes an ideal color to include in a pattern, which can add brightness to a room while maintaining a consistent color scheme for neutral fabrics or carpeting.

references::

EzineArticles.com

bedrooms

Bedrooms

dining rooms

Dining room has not become a routine nature which is to be used for the purpose of eating, but has become an integral part of the basic decor of the house
. So a lot of designers interested in decorative furniture of this room and excelled indeveloping and updating after it was an old thing does not mention.