Category Archive: Lighting

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Home Decorating Ideas – Cottage Style Decor Defined

  By admin | August 28, 2011 - 3:28 am | Lighting

Do you enjoy a simple, light-filled, vintage type home? Then you may love Cottage Style Decor! Your home doesn’t have to be a literal cottage to incorporate this style of decorating into your lifestyle. Just about any type of home interior can be transformed into cottage style utilitzing some simple design strategies that can be quite economical to implement.

The color scheme you select should be light overall for most types of cottage style decorating. A healthy dose of white along with soft shades of green, pink, blue, yellow, aqua and rose will set the cottage tone. If your taste lends more toward a rustic cottage look, you may incorporate more golds and medium shades of green into your decor. Use these colors on your walls, and don’t hesitate to vary the colors from room to room. Keep the shades soft and light, and you can transition beautifully from room to room, keeping the cottage theme prevalent.

Try using a deeper tone of one of your selected colors as an accent in the room. For example, if your color scheme includes soft blue, use a bit of navy blue in an area rug, an accent piece, in artwork, etc. Remember to use a light touch and it can make your room even more memorable while maintaining the soft, simple overall look.

The ideal floor treatment for this style of decorating is wood, and if you are into the time-worn look, use wood planking or distressing techniques to make newer wood look old. The floor can be painted, stenciled around the perimeter, stenciled with an ‘area rug’ or use several area rugs to continue the cottage style decor. If wood flooring is not an option, use light colored carpet or tile if possible, and anchor the main pieces with an area rug.

Furnishings can be handled in a couple of different ways.

If you are looking for a little more elegance in your cottage style decor, you may decide to use new furniture and accessories, keeping the colors and wood tones light. You can use a mix and match of small fabric patterns on upholstery, pillows, table skirts and the like, and still maintain a clean and fresh overall look. The upholstered pieces should be comfortable and informal, with a ‘come sit in me’ look about them.

For those who really enjoy true vintage, and who may also have a leaner budget, flea markets, antique shops, garage sales, etc. can be great sources for cottage style decor. You may find an awesome antique door and decide to cut it down to use as a coffee table by adding legs to it. An old cabinet or nightstand can be converted into a unique bathroom storage unit. Feel free to paint any piece, using one of the selected shades from your color scheme. Look for vintage prints, fabrics, accessories, and anything that tickles your fancy, no matter what it is.

Cottage style allows for a mix and match of accessories, whether you are showcasing a theme of accessories or all pieces are unique. One caution as you create your cottage style look is to avoid overcrowding and creating a messy, flea market look to your room. Instead, opt for fewer pieces that are truly unique and have a presence of their own. You will be able to appreciate the beautiful wall color, unique floor treatment, furnishings and accessories without being overwhelmed by all of the ‘stuff’.

Slipcovers are a great way to change the look of a piece with minimal investment, so if your current furniture needs to be used but doesn’t fit the style, try this option. Another budget saving option is to look for well-priced accent pieces and accessories at discount stores such as Homegoods or Target.

Cottage style window treatments are simple and informal. Wood shutters, plantation shutters, and wood blinds are always a good choice for areas that need privacy. If you decide to use fabric for valances or side panels, use an organic fabric such as cotton or a simple weave. Lace works well in this style if you are decorating on the more feminine side.

As you can see, there is not one right or wrong way to decorate Cottage Style. If you keep your selections to light, natural, vintage (real or reproduction), organic materials and colors, you can create your own unique Cottage Style home.

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Accenting Your Home Decor With Wall Sconces

  By admin | August 25, 2011 - 1:25 pm | Lighting

When it comes to lighting your home there are two different types of lighting. There is general lighting and ambient lighting. General lighting is your most common form of lighting. This comes from chandeliers, ceiling lights and your main sources of lighting. Ambient lighting is more of accent light such as a table lamp or wall sconce.

Wall sconces are a great ways to add lots of ambient light as well as adding a unique design element to your homes décor.  You can accent a picture or unique piece of décor in your home. Wall sconces can also be used in some general lighting applications such as using a few of them down a hallway.  This is a great use because you can have the light shine up or even down. To create unique and different lighting elements that can make a hallway feel less drab.

A Sconce can create a warm and inviting feeling with its illumination, color and design.

They can provide soft and comforting lighting for watching movies or just cuddling up on the couch. They can also put off enough light to perform task and to read by. They are a very unique and versatile lighting fixture.

With the ability to light up ceiling and cast light how you want you can make a room feel larger than it really is. It also can accent pieces of art work with a sconces so that is will make the piece of art a focal point in a room

There are several styles of sconces available. There are sconces that get hard wired into your homes and sconces that have a cord that can be plug in. With these options you will be able to make a permanent lighting fixture in your home.

Or you will be able to move it around such as a table lamp. Some options that make this type of lighting fixture very versatile are the use of a dimmer switch. This will allow you to dim or brighten a room to meet your lighting needs.

In the early days of before electricity a candle wall sconce was typically the lighting in a home. Now they are used just about in every space in home. Including outdoor wall sconces that accent the exterior of your home. Exterior wall sconces are a little different from interior wall sconces. Because they are typically all sealed up to protect them from the elements. But they still serve the same great function of the interior lighting fixture.

One thing that also makes the wall sconce a great lighting choice is the versatility of all the different styles and finishes available. They come in modern designs and traditional designs and everything in between. They also come in a wide variety of materials that they are made from. Such as metal, copper, glass, wrought iron, ceramic and tiffany stained glass.

They also have become a great choice as accent lighting over a table lamp. If you have small children in your home, because they do not have the cords that toddlers and children could play with.

So it does not matter the budget or style your are looking for a wall sconce can be a great and affordable choice for your home.

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Home Decor 101

  By admin | August 24, 2011 - 6:25 am | Lighting

If you have never done any decorating before you may feel like you do not know how or where to even begin to start. Then again if you have decorated a hundred times over then you might not know where to end. Whether you are an amateur or an old hand at it, the thing is, you are going for a brand new look and want to be able to get it started. There isn’t any question really about what element to end your decorating regime with but there are a lot of things that you can select to start with. Since paint is one of the most inexpensive parts of the project and can be selected in any single color you shouldn’t buy your paint upfront, but wait until you have identified other things that you want to start with.

So, what is it that you should start with first? Do you start off by buying an entire roomful of nick knacks and furniture or do you choose a few throw rugs that you absolutely love? You can actually start wherever you want and mix it all together into the plan.

But it really does make a difference when you start with a plan and a color scheme. You’ll want to find your sources of inspiration and then be able to work your way through your decorating. You’ll be happiest with your results whenever you make a plan.

Put your plan on paper. Draw up a statement for you to do at home project. Identify your style and then pick your color scheme to work around it. Are you a formal or casual kind of person? Does cottage or gothic style strike your fancy? Spend time identifying the style that suits you best and add them to your plans so you’re able to successfully bring them into your space.

For most of us it’s not possible or practical to be able to start decorating with a completely barren room.

So, you have to be able to start with what you have? Do you have any decorative pieces? You more than likely already have a piece of furniture that you are not ready to part ways with. Focus on the things that you already own and love and make those your focal point. If you have a collection of rustic birdhouses, delicate china, or gorgeous crystal, then you can use these as the start of your plan of decoration.

You can always start with a brand new or old area rug in your home decorating plan. With patterned rugs you are able to keep all the other elements simple as then the rug becomes your focal point. Focus on a beautiful rug instead of the paint or fabrics. Pick colors from the pattern of the rug and use them throughout the entire room when it comes down to the accessories, furniture, fabrics, and even painting the walls.

You can also start with an art piece that you love and make this your focal point. It will now depend on the style of the art as to what type of decorating that you do.

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Decorating Your Home Windows

  By admin | August 22, 2011 - 11:23 pm | Lighting

There is an old saying that the home is where the heart is. And what better way to manifest that than by decorating your home? Most people, when they think about home decoration often do a wonderful job of sprucing up all aspects. Unfortunately, for some reason, the window area is often sadly ignored. The window is not only an opening into your home, it is the harbinger of light and air. So it deserves to be treated with as much care, if not more, as the rest of the house.

One way to spruce up your windows is by making use of beautiful window shades. There are a number of varieties of window shades available in the market today and all you have to do is to choose one that matches the interiors of your house. Shades serve several purposes. They keep out the dust and the heat and make the window appear aesthetically pleasing. And when you need some breeze or light, you can simply open them up to let it stream in.

The best part about window shades is that you don’t really have to break the bank in order to buy them.

Simple shares are very economical and come in a wide range of styles to suit any decor. Shades also come in a variety of materials. Inexpensive bamboo shades are not only light, but very flexible as well. Plastic shades can come in a variety of colours and can blend in with your interiors. They are washable too, making them easy to clean and maintain.

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