Decorating a master bedroom can be fun, but it can also be difficult to know where to begin. Some get overwhelmed by the amount of choices regarding colors, decorating styles, furniture, and decor that are available for master bedrooms. If you start by considering a few key areas, decorating your master bedroom will be a smoother, enjoyable task.
Seating Areas
Seating areas look wonderful in master bedrooms and truly give them a distinctive style. Depending upon how large the room is, you can add different types of seating furniture such as a chaise, small couch or love seat, a recliner, or attractive chairs and pedestal tables. A seating area are especially impressive in a master bedroom that has a fireplace. No matter what the size of your bedroom, pull the look of your seating area together with a small rug, and make sure that the seating is facing away from the bed.
Consider a window seat. Window seats are functional and add visual interest to a room, and are especially useful if you enjoy reading or looking outdoors.
Colors
Certain colors have become known as being better suited for master bedrooms than others. The reason is that the bedroom should have a relaxing atmosphere, since it is where you rest, refresh, and unwind. Certain colors evoke relaxation, while others can be overstimulating.
Soothing colors include deep tones, shades of blue, white, and silver. Colors that can overstimulate include oranges, reds, bright greens such as lime, yellows, bright gold, and vibrant pinks. You can use these colors in your master bedroom, but limit them so that the space remains relaxing.
Consider cobalt blue, burgundy, and silver; teal, chocolate brown, ivory, and tan; black, white, pink, and gold; cornflower blue, white, and sunny yellow; sage green, lavender, mocha, and white; gray, red, white, and black; aqua blue and cream.
Storage
There are many options for storage in a master bedroom. One commonly used option is wall shelving. Wall shelves can be in the form on a single piece of mounted wood, wall-mounted cubicles, and even tiered corner shelves.
You can also choose a headboard that comes with built-in storage shelves, tiers, or drawers. Bookcases are another storage option for master bedrooms, and they are moderately-priced. Nowadays, you can find a bookshelf to perfectly fit any decor, and in a wide variety of materials such as brushed metal, wood and durable colored plastic.
When planning fit storage into your master bedroom, consider using furniture that doubles as storage. For example, put a hope or storage chest at the foot of your bed that is also decorative, or a bed frame that has a hidden under-bed drawer.
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Many people become overwhelmed when sitting down at a table with multiple forks, spoons and knives. One false step and you've committed an etiquette faux pas. But using the right silverware when dining is actually easier than you would think; when in doubt, begin with the silverware farthest away from the plate and work your way in.
Instructions
1. Watch for the butter knife. This knife tends to be in a different place depending on who set the table and the dining etiquette they're using. It may be next to your forks or it may be on your bread plate.
2. Utilize the salad fork on the left side of the plate, next to the napkin when served a salad. Unless you're dining European style, the salad comes out first.
3. Use a soup spoon for soup. It's the spoon next to the knives on the right side of the plate.
4. Pick up the fork closest to the plate when the entree arrives.
5. Cut meats in the entree with the dinner knife. The dinner knife is next to the soup spoon and closest to the plate.
6. Check out the dessert silverware at the top of your entree plate when served your dessert. Your dessert silverware may appear with your dessert, depending on who's serving you. There may also be a spoon for your coffee placed at the top of the plate with the dessert silverware.
As you decorate your baby's bedroom, keep in mind not to rush. You will have years of running around after your newborn arrives. Even if the baby is expected very soon, remember that you do not need the room done the day the baby is born. The new arrival may be sleeping in your room for a few months. So take your time and enjoy!
Instructions
1. Decide whether you want to have a room designed for either a boy or girl or you want to use a gender-neutral theme. Some parents know their baby's gender, and others want to wait until the baby arrives. Regardless of the gender, choose a look and theme that you can update over the first few years until the baby is ready for her first bed. This will save money and time.
2. Design the bedroom in a very simple and uncluttered way. Babies and young children like to look around and enjoy different shapes, sizes and colors. Yet too many colors, wall hangings and toys will make it difficult to discern one item from another. You want to stimulate, not overwhelm your baby. Plus, it will make the room less attractive.
3. Remember that you want the room to be very functional during the first two years of your baby's life. You will be spending a great deal of the day and night changing diapers, feeding, dressing and playing with your baby. You want a room that is comfortable, user-friendly and safe.
4. Purchase or borrow the basic pieces of furniture: crib, changing table and a rocker or other comfortable chair for feeding and reading. The changing table can also be used as a dresser. Rather than buying new, you can find used furniture in excellent condition second hand from tag sales, consignment shops or bargain newspapers. A new coat of paint or soap and water will usually make them good as new.
5. Add color and design with two colors of wall paint and wall paper trim, as well as a scatter rug or wall-to-wall carpet. You can put storybook pictures in brightly colored wall frames and easily change them every season to change the look.
6. Be in the room at different times of the day to decide what type of window treatments you want. Depending on how much sun comes in the room, you will have different options. If you have two window coverings, such as fine and heavier curtains, you can use them at different times of the day when the sun is very strong or not enough light is coming into the room. These double layers also help with changes in temperature. Add lamps for additional light.
Use folk art you already have to make a centerpiece
Folk art is art made by common people, not necessarily artists. Whether it's French folk art, American folk art, Mexican folk art or other cultural art, you may have the perfect folk art for a dining table centerpiece right in your home. Consider using old wooden candlesticks, or that trio of wooden hens painted in bright colors. Perhaps even a wooden matchbox chest made by somebody's great grandpa will make a warm, homey centerpiece for your dining room table.
Turn a Box Into A Folk Art Centerpiece
Folk art is handmade and one of a kind. If you have an unusual chest or old jewelry box, you can turn it into a folk art planter or flower box for your dining room table. You can also buy plain boxes in different sizes at the craft store and paint them in quaint patterns. Then use one or all of them to hold floral arrangements on the dining room table. Find a glass container that fits inside whatever box or chest you're using, place floral foam in it, and arrange the flowers. If they are real flowers, add water to the floral foam. Another fun and folksy idea is to find old fashioned pictures and glue them to old coffee cans. Apply a decoupage finish over the pictures. Or, cover your coffee cans with fabrics like calico and gingham and apply a varnish. Once you fill them with flowers, your coffee cans become charming centerpieces for your table.
Folk Art Motifs
Farm animals, roosters and hens, fruits and vegetables are popular folk art motifs. Find some wooden roosters or hens and circle them round a primitive candlestick. Better yet, drill holes in their backs big enough to hold candles, and turn them into a farmyard candelabra. An old pottery bowl with raised fruits, vines and roosters makes another handsome centerpiece for your table, especially when you fill it with old painted wooden apples. Everything should have that primitive rough-hewn look, with a matte finish and even a slightly banged-up condition.
Toile as Folk Art
The old fashioned looking print you see on fabric and pottery, usually in one color on a white background, is toile. Toile features commonplace scenes of farmyards and the rustic life. If you do not have toile objects in ceramic, buy some toile fabric and use it to make your own centerpiece. For instance, you can cover charger plates with toile fabric and then give them a decoupage finish. Use one of the charger plates as your centerpiece, and set candles of different heights on it. Using toile is a clever way to camouflage any container and turn it into a folk art vase for a centerpiece.
A clean bathroom floor can make the entire bathroom seem cleaner.
From dirt and dust to the hairsprays, soaps and shampoos used within the confines of your bathroom dirt can easily stick around for awhile. While tile floors are nice to look at when they're clean and sparkling, it doesn't take much to sully them. Dirt and grime trapped between the tiles and marring the appearance of the grout can make your entire bathroom feel unclean. Keeping your tile is essential not only for keeping your bathroom looking nice, but for sanitary reasons as well.
Instructions
1. Remove everything that may be on the bathroom floor such as mats, trash cans, and small pieces of furniture.
2. Sweep the floor to remove dirt, hair, dust, and other debris.
3. Dissolve oxygen bleach into warm water using the manufacturer's instructions for the correct water to bleach ratio.
4. Pour the solution over the entire floor so that the solution can fill into the grout lines.
5. Allow the solution to remain on the floor for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Scrub the grout with a small medium-bristled brush such as an old toothbrush.
7. Rinse the floor with a mop dampened with clean water.
8. Mix a second batch of oxygen bleach and water.
9. Mop the with the fresh solution.
10. Rinse the mop with clean water and mop a second time over the floor to rinse it.
11. Use a squeegee to push residual moisture to one area of the floor before absorbing it with dry towels.
Simple bathroom tile patterns are often easier to clean than complicated designs.
Although complicated tile designs are popular for kitchens and patios, bathrooms look best with a simple design. If you're installing new tile, create a sleek, clean look that goes well with the rest of the room's design. You can even simplify the look of your bathroom tile after it has already been installed.
Patterns
Simple tile patterns make installation easier in a bathroom. When each tile has a unique design of its own, uncomplicated tile layouts still present a unique design. Lay out your tiles in a grid pattern for the easiest installation. Fill the cracks between tiles with a similarly colored grout. For a unique twist, lay out the tiles in a brick pattern. Alternate each row a few inches off center. This is an especially appealing pattern for stone-colored tile.
Colors
Solid-colored ceramic tiles add a simple and clean appearance to the floor of a bathroom. Choose one or two colors to keep the look simple. White and cream are popular because they brighten up a room. This is an especially good idea for smaller bathrooms that don't get a lot of light. Add a splash of color to your tile pattern by adding accent tiles in a different color. You can use accent tiles in a border or in a random pattern.
Finishes
Even if your tiles are already installed, you can still change a complicated design into something simpler. Use a tile finish to change the color of the tiles. Tim Carter of Ask the Builder suggests that homeowners paint their bathroom tiles if they don't like the current design. Choose an oil-based paint in a color that works the other design elements in the room. After painting the tiles and letting them dry for a few days, apply a layer of water-based urethane to help protect the finish from moisture.
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The fewer cracks and crevices, the easier it is to bathrooms.
By their very design school restrooms are often extremely hard to clean. Grout in tile floors harbors germs. It's a constant challenge to restroom sanitation crews to keep faucets, soap dispensers and towel dispensers germ-free. To keep restrooms clean, school cleaning crews must have a detailed guide for cleaning and they must follow it daily.
Significance
As bacteria become more resistant to chemical disinfectants, it becomes more important than ever to learn what types of chemicals to use for cleaning. It doesn't pay to spend money on disinfectants that don't work. Nor does it make sense to use labor inefficiently. School restrooms should have a design that minimizes the number of surfaces that a child has to touch. This would minimize the chances of picking up contact germs. Unfortunately, most school restrooms utilize the same designs as other public restrooms, which include unsealed cracks and crevices that provide a breeding ground for diseases.
Types
School restroom cleaning should involve a thorough wiping down of all surfaces that students come in contact with. Hot water and detergent, mixed according to label directions, should remove any surface dirt. In some cases, it's possible to combine the cleaning with disinfecting in one step. When using disinfectants, it's important that the disinfectant targets the germs that most threaten the student population. Steam cleaning is another option that involves fewer chemicals in the cleaning process, yet is just as effective. As more schools go to green products, more sanitation supply companies are offering efficient and eco-friendly cleaning options. In some cases, however, it's hard to replace popular disinfectants, such as bleach.
Time Frame
While it's important that a member of the maintenance staff make periodic checks of the school restrooms during the school day to do spot cleaning as necessary, the main cleaning of toilets, sinks and floors needs to only take place once a day. At that time, all the paper products and soap dispensers should have enough supplies in them to last another day.
Odor Control
In addition to cleaning surfaces, it's important that the cleaning crew address odor problems. Keeping areas where bacteria, mold and mildew grow sanitized helps with the problem. Providing air fresheners is another way to mask any residual problems. When choosing fragrant cleaners and air fresheners, it's important that they all have a similar smell, or the fragrances may cause their own odor problem.
Training
It's important that the crew in charge of cleaning school restrooms do a thorough job each and every day. To do that, they must have the proper equipment and training in its use. The maintenance supervisor should perform spot checks to make sure the right cleaning agents are in use. The supervisor should also offer immediate retraining to any employee who is not performing their job properly.
Tags: important that, school restrooms, chemicals cleaning, clean school, cracks crevices
Claw feet tubs are a Victorian standard in bathroom fixtures.
Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901 and, her empire spanned more than 25 percent of the world. This time is known as the Victorian era. The Victorian era is known for lavish excess that influenced every aspect of life, including home d cor. Victorian bathrooms are no exception. With plumbing growing more available, Victorians splurged on bathroom d cor. Today, reproduction as well as antique fixtures can be incorporated into your Victorian-style bathroom.
Ornate Mirrors and Frames
Victorians used ornate gold frames on botanical prints, still life paintings, and portraits. Frames were thick and highly decorated. Often gold gilt was applied to the frames, depending on the owner's wealth. Bathroom mirrors ranged from the very plain, in perhaps a servant's room, to the very ornate. Oval, rectangle, square, the frames shapes were varied. Frames were often hung from ribbons or wires, suspended from heavy wood molding along the top of the walls. hung over dry sinks in bathrooms lacking indoor plumbing, and over sinks in modernized bathrooms. A bathroom mirror could be flanked by gas light fixtures, or later in the period, electric lights.
Fixtures
Claw feet bathtubs remain one of the predominant fixtures of Victorian bathrooms. Claw feet bathtubs are made of porcelain or cast iron. Cast iron bathtubs can be painted or enamel-coated. The claw feet were ornate, and some tubs also featured raised iron embellishments around the tub itself. Light fixtures ranged from simple glass globes to ornate stained glass. Many light fixtures were gas, or later the fixtures were converted to electric. Sinks varied in design. Pedestal sinks of white graceful porcelain were a variety of heights. Sinks inserted into wood chests and cabinets were also seen, along with wall-mounted porcelain and iron sinks with exposed pipes underneath. These exposed pipes led to curtains being installed around the sink to conceal the pipes beneath. Shower curtains were suspended from circular rods and the curtains were often made of heavy, beautiful fabrics. Toilets weren't left behind in the luxury department. Wood tanks and accents on chain pull toilets were often made of mahogany. Floors were of tile, marble and inlaid woods.
Asian Themes
Queen Victoria ruled over India, Hong Kong and other Asian countries, opening up trade routes that increased the supply of exotic goods to England. Asian themes involving the use of bamboo, lacquered furniture, and oriental rugs were popular. Bathrooms could feature oriental rugs and sinks set in black lacquered wood cabinets. Silk fans and oriental silk wall d cor could have graced the walls of a Victorian bathroom. Tassels and gauzy fabrics, as well as heavy velvets and tapestries, would have been intermingled with figurines of ivory or porcelain with an Asian slant. The Victorian era was a time of eclectic style.
Victorian Scrap Art
Scrapbook making was a popular Victorian hobby. Advertisers supplied free trade cards featuring flowers, birds, children and other romanticized images that were glued into scrapbooks. Boudoir screens, also called room dividers or room screens, were often covered with these images. Reproduction Victorian scrap art is available for use in craft projects such as decoupaging a wood room screen, or applying with wallpaper paste to the wall of the bathroom itself. Seal paper scrap applied to bathroom walls or screens to be used in a humid bathroom with a waterproof sealant.
Set your table for one guest or several for any time of the year.
Whether you're hosting a casual dinner with friends or a formal holiday gathering, your table setting sets the tone for your event as a whole. To create a truly unique and welcoming display, combine several ideas to create a dining room setting that is welcoming to guests at all times. With some ingenuity and household items, you can create a distinctive table setting for every occasion, no matter what your budget may be.
Instructions
1. Place linens on your table to act as a background for the rest of your decorations. If you want to accent the natural wood of instead, align a table runner down the table's center or arrange place mats at every seat instead of a full tablecloth. Alternatively, a tablecloth can be used in combination with a runner or place mats.
2. Lay out the plates you will use. For a formal effect, layer a large plate under a smaller one at each place. To create a mix-and-match look, combine patterned dinner plates with solidly colored accent plates. For a simple dinner, use only one plate per setting. While the plates should coordinate in color with the table linens you have chosen, they should not be exactly the same.
3. Add silverware and napkins to the arrangement. Place forks to the left of the plates and knives and spoons to the right. Place napkins under the forks, on top of the plates or even under the plates, allowing them to hang down over the edge of the table.
4. Create a centerpiece. Fill clear glass vases and goblets with fresh in-season fruits or vegetables as inexpensive, colorful and fragrant centerpieces. Alternatively, fill the bowls with holiday-themed items, such as ornaments at Christmas or heart-shaped candies and roses on Valentine's Day. The same clear glass containers can be used for multiple different dinner parties when you fill them with different objects each time.
5. Make place cards for each guest. Put the place card directly on top of each plate or just above it on the table itself. A simple piece of card stock folded in half and displaying a hand-written name will suffice. To take this idea up a notch further, pin or tie the place cards to a natural element, like a pine cone or piece of fruit, or cut the card stock into shapes that represent the season or holiday.
6. Light candles to provide ambient lighting options other than overhead, harshly bright lights. Use plain, white candles to create an atmosphere of simplicity or elegance, or coordinate the color of your candles to the colors of your table linens and dishes. Avoid scented candles as they may interfere with the fragrance of the food itself. Wrap candlesticks with printed scrapbooking papers or satin ribbons to coordinate them with your theme.
Tags: your table, card stock, clear glass, coordinate color, dining room, place cards
Create a unique bedroom environment that suits your lifestyle.
As a bachelor, you may have a hard time figuring out what type of decor will work best in . Since you have complete control over the look and style of your home, you can choose a theme that best suits your taste and lifestyle and turn your bedroom into a fun, inviting environment that also speaks to your personality.
Colors
For the most versatility, keep your color scheme neutral and use accessories to add a pop of color. Neutral doesn't have to mean boring, either. You can add colorful curtains, art or a surprising accent piece without the room seeming busy or overdone. Choose a darker, slightly more masculine theme if you feel it personal tastes.
Fabrics
Always choose fabrics based on your lifestyle. If you are going for a luxurious feel, choose a supple leather or suede and high-quality bed linens and curtains. If you are going for a more lived-in look or are on a budget, stick with cotton and basic upholstery fabric but don't skimp on low-quality bed linens. Use pillow shams for a finished look, and skip the throw pillows if you think they're too fussy.
Furniture
Furniture with clean lines will grow with you over time, and can coordinate with a variety of color schemes. At a minimum, invest in a bed with a headboard, night stands, a dresser and a place to sit. A comfortable chair will come in handy, but a bench for the foot of the bed is an excellent choice. Place lamps on each night stand, and equip them with dimmers or three-way bulbs for softer lighting.
Themes
As a bachelor, you can proudly display memorabilia, art or any other accessories you like. If you have a favorite hobby or sports team, integrate elements into your design. Use frames and shadow boxes to keep your items from becoming damaged and to keep the room feeling age-appropriate. However, focus the design elements. It's still a bedroom, so keep games and gadgets from encroaching into the space meant for sleep.
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Decorating with paint allows the most flexibility for change, and if you have the skills to do it yourself, painting can be inexpensive. You can paint your bedroom in a weekend, for instance, so you can change the color of the walls as often as you like.
Instructions
1. Protect the furnishings. Remove all the small items from the dressers by either putting them in the drawers or in a box. Move all the furniture away from the walls to the center of the room, and cover everything with a drop cloth. Use this opportunity to vacuum the dust along the base boards and in the corners of the room.
2. Start with the trim. Paint the trim first, using a two-inch brush with an angled tip. The angled tip makes it easier to get into the corners and paint the smaller surfaces. Start in one corner of the room and work your way around in a clockwise direction so that you don't miss any spots. Paint the trim around the windows, the baseboard and the crown molding, if you have one. Also paint the walls in the corners of the room where the roller won't reach.
3. Roll the walls. Start in the same place where you started painting the trim and work around the room in the same direction. Cover the floor with a drop cloth because paint tends to splatter from the roller. Roll in long motions from the top of the wall all the way to the bottom to avoid leaving roller marks.
4. Add a second coat of paint after the first has dried thoroughly. Start with the trim, as you did for the first coat. This time, work your way around the room in the opposite direction, so you have a different perspective and can see spots that were missed the first time.
5. Reassemble the room. Let the paint dry overnight before putting the furniture back.
Tags: around room, corners room, drop cloth, Paint trim, putting them
Use fabric to put texture and patterns in a bohemian chic bedroom.
According to Marketing Research Information, "bohemian chic" owes its look to the freewheeling gypsy styles that date back to 1960s. Though it began as a fashion trend, elements from this style are easily incorporated into bedroom design for a casual look that nonetheless hangs together and creates a distinct, original appearance.
Furniture Patterns
Patterns add complexity to a room without cluttering it up. Part of the charm of bohemian chic involves assembling it piecemeal, and using a number of different patterns adds to this effect. To make sure that the patterns do not fight, choose patterns that are in a neutral or complementary range, and keep the layout of the room simple. The bedspread, the rug and the pillowcases all provide possibilities for contrasting patterns.
Roughened Wood
Rough wood textures add an antiquated, unpolished look to a room that is an important part of the bohemian chic aesthetic. Look for older wood furniture and apply a fine-grain sandpaper to the wear spots, such as the corners and the edges. The fine-grain sandpaper creates a worn look without making the furniture appear too decrepit. You can simply round the edges of the wood furniture, or you can rub down to the grain for a contrasting raw wood look.
Fabric on the Walls
Texture is an important element in the bohemian chic look, and fabric on the walls gives you a well-worn, comfortable texture to work with. For example, hang rugs on the walls for a thick, coarse, textured look, or hang silk banners or saris on the wall for a smooth, rich look. Frame small squares of brocade fabrics to create a colorful, artistic look.
High Shelves
Small knickknacks are one aspect of the bohemian chic look, and to keep them out of your way, set them on high shelves. Install shelves that are slightly above your head or even close to the ceiling and set small glass knickknacks on them. They give the room visual variety without being on a level where you constantly have to work around them.
Wall Patterns
Paint the walls with curling floral designs. These vinelike designs use brightly painted flowers for splashes of color while keeping the room's layout simple. Similarly, look for highly patterned vintage wallpaper. Strong patterns or flocked wallpaper add a bohemian chic look to the room that can unify all the elements inside in it.
A glass-topped table presents some cleaning challenges. First, both sides of the table should be cleaned, because both are visible. If the table is near a window, the natural light will highlight any imperfections. Second, the glass may be framed in wood, plastic or metal, each of which interacts with glass cleaner differently. You can damage wood by cleaning it with ammonia, vinegar and other common glass-cleaner ingredients. Sometimes the glass sits on top of the table without a frame to hold it there--this makes it easier to clean. Follow the directions below to make your glass-topped table sparkle.
Instructions
Clean a Glass-Topped Table
1. Using a lint-free cloth and a bucket of warm soapy water, wash off the top and bottom of the tabletop; wipe both sides with a clean wet cloth when finished.
2. If your glass is framed in wood, use a cleaner that is safe for both glass and wood, such as multi-surface spray or wipes. You can also use one type of cleaner for the glass and another for the wood, being extra careful to keep the glass cleaner from coming into contact with the wood and the wood cleaner from touching the glass.
3. Fill a spray bottle with 1 cup water, 1 cup rubbing alcohol and one tbsp. vinegar. (The alcohol helps the solution dry quickly, which means you won't leave streaks behind.) Spray the solution onto the glass and wipe it off with a lint-free cloth. If necessary, use a shaving brush to clean etched portions of the glass.
4. To remove tough dirt, use the Bar Keepers Friend, a mildly abrasive cleaner made for glass and other hard surfaces. It will not scratch your tabletop.
5. To clean glass clouded by mineral buildup, spread a layer of petroleum jelly on the tabletop and let it sit for a couple of hours. Wipe it off; then wash the glass with soapy water. You can also use a denture cleaner.
Turn a simple bedroom into a source of inspiration with photography.
Using inspirational photography, you can take a boring and mundane bedroom and create the visual work of art. Inspirational photography can be found in most art galleries, at online e-commerce sites and in your own digital camera. Incorporating modern printing options, simple textile fabrics and traditional found objects, you can turn into a peaceful, tranquil environment filled with inspirational artwork.
Framing Traditional Prints
Traditional matting and framing options for your artwork are an excellent way to incorporate inspiring photographs with existing decor. Work with enlargements that are larger than 11x14 inches to draw attention to your image and use a mat and frame combination that does not distract from the artwork with bold colors or ornate frame decorations. Consider having a focal image in a large, 20x24-inch format as the main image in your room and placing smaller, complementary images surrounding the large print.
Using Large-Scale Canvas Printing
Printing your inspirational photograph on a large textured canvas is another excellent means of decorating your bedroom. The image is printed on a painter's canvas at a professional printing lab and stretched over a wooden frame, just as an oil painting would be stretched before applying paint. Your images do not need a frame and can be hung directly on the wall, making the artwork itself the focal point of your decor. Use uniform sizes and place them symmetrically throughout your room. Or, print one large image, a 20x24-inch print or larger, and surround the image with smaller supporting canvas prints.
Transferring Prints to Textiles
With the advent of printing technology, applying images to textiles and fabrics is no longer an expensive endeavor. The options are limitless for textiles and images. You can create textiles with inspiring images to support the artwork on the walls by adding images to pillows, blankets and lampshades. Using a digital image and iron-on transfer paper, you can put your photography on any surface to which you can apply an iron. (See Reference 1.) Another artistic option is to take a long, thin, hanging piece of material and add multiple images equally spaced vertically on the fabric. Then place the hanging-image textiles bedroom.
Using Recycled Architectural Embellishments
Get creative with old building parts, such as windowpanes, glass tabletops and barn doors. Mount your inspiring photography onto the individual glass panes of your old window frame and hang this as a divider in your bedroom or on the walls. Take an old glass tabletop and place images underneath the glass. Then add inspiring text with paints to the wood surface of the table. Prop an old barn door against your wall and add 8x12-inch prints to the wood with Plexiglas covers and mirror wall mounts. Combining old, recycled building elements with photographs is an excellent method for adding character and vintage flair to your room.
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One of the quickest ways to dramatically transform your bedroom decor is with paint. You can paint with a new neutral such as sunny yellow, peacock blue, stone gray or warmer rosy gray. However, to make your bedroom design stand out, consider painting with a cute color combination, decorative trim or whole-wall project.
Color Schemes
Kiss those four white walls goodbye with a trendy or cute color scheme. Go international with an Indian palace-inspired color combination of mango orange and fuchsia. A Hollywood glam bedroom gets a boost of color with cotton candy pink, black and silver. Evoke a weathered surf shack with grays, Mediterranean blue and bottle green. A bohemian modern interior features bright jewel tones of turquoise, amethyst, ruby and jade. Cool sophisticates combine lavender with espresso brown. Strike a shabby chic note with icy pastels accented with antique whitewash.
Stencils
Many people use stencils to accent bedroom walls, but you need not stop there. Small-scale stencils look brilliant on furniture frames, around wooden headboards, across the backs of bookshelves, along the edges of an armoire or on storage containers. Larger stenciled patterns might adorn a window or door frame. A single large stencil can serve as wall art, decorate a door or radiate from an overhead light fixture. Prepackaged stencils cover a range of motifs, including florals, paisley, ethnic designs, international alphabets, ivy, fleur-de-lis, graffiti lettering, abstract blobs and geometric shapes. For a custom look, cut your own stencil patterns using clip art or incorporate actual objects such as doilies, cogs and gears into your stencils.
Murals
If you prefer your bedroom wall decor to function as the room's focal point, consider a wall mural. Most people cover only one to two walls, because a surround mural overwhelms the space. If you have limited painting skills, you can use an overhead projector to project a simple silhouette or image onto the wall and trace around it before painting in the outlines. Sketch your mural with a piece of light chalk rather than pencil, which tends to smudge walls. Paint backgrounds and larger images first, allowing edges to dry before filling in smaller details. Popular mural themes include cloudy skies, nature silhouettes, trees with flowering branches, city-scapes and landscapes.
Tags: your bedroom, bedroom walls, color combination, cute color, with paint
Painting kitchen or bathroom cabinets for a budget-friendly remodeling project.
Bathrooms and kitchens are often some of the most expensive rooms of the house to renovate. Due to the high price tag associated with new cabinetry, updated appliances or a myriad of other items, renovating these spaces requires a big chunk out of the average homeowner's pocketbook. While on first glance the remodeling of a bathroom or kitchen appears expensive, there are several ways to update these spaces without spending a lot of cash. One way to accomplish a cheap remodel of a kitchen or bathroom is to refinish the cabinets and adorn them with new-looking hardware. The result is a space with a new, updated look and feel for an affordable amount of money.
Instructions
1. Remove the cabinet hinges and hardware. Take the off the cabinet frames and remove the knobs or handles. Place the pieces in a plastic bag to prevent loss during the cheap home remodeling project.
2. Mark the location of the doors. Using a small square of masking tape, write the original location on the back of the door with a marker. This makes the job of re-assembly much easier after painting the old cabinets.
3. Wash all the cabinets. Before painting the old cabinets, wash the doors and cabinet bodies with a household cleaner and dry with a soft cloth.
4. Sand the cabinets thoroughly. Using 120-grit sandpaper on a block or small electric sander, remove the old finish by sanding in a circular motion until you remove the gloss from the previous surface. Take a tacky cloth and wipe the sand particles off the pieces until the doors, door facings, and sides are clean and dust free.
5. Apply primer. To further your budgeting cabinet remodeling project, paint the cabinet doors and bodies with a coat of water-based, stain-killing primer, which serves as a smooth, durable surface for the finished coat of paint.
6. Paint all areas. Use a semigloss interior color of your choice, and paint the doors and cabinets with two coats of paint. Apply in thin, long strokes with the grain of the wood for best results.
7. Seal the cabinets. Apply a water-based polyurethane sealer to the painted doors, facings and sides in two coats to protect the finish of the painted old cabinets and reduce the chances of chipping or scraping.
8. Spray paint the hardware. To give the hardware a new, fresh look complete the budget cabinet remodeling project by applying a coat of spray paint and spray sealer to the cabinet door hardware. Screwing the hardware into a large piece of cardboard and spraying the paint and sealer on the pieces is a great way to accomplish this task easily.
9. Re-assemble the cabinets. Remove the spray-painted hardware from the cardboard, and replace the pieces onto their respective doors. Attach the hinges to the doors and replace them in their original locations for a cheap home remodeling project that is functional and stylish at the same time.
Tatami mats provide flooring in many Japanese homes.
Redecorating a room is a good idea to revitalize the space and take on new trends. Asian-inspired home d cor has become popular. One way to bring this look into your home is by creating a Japanese-style bedroom. Japanese influence in a bedroom involves a minimalistic style and earthy colors. Whether you choose to incorporate only a few key elements or create an entire Japanese-style bedroom, redoing a bedroom in this style can be very satisfying.
Tatami Mats
In many traditional Japanese homes, floors are covered with woven straw mats known as tatami mats. Within your Japanese-style bedroom, these mats can act as bedside rugs or a space to eat or meditate. For a more ambitious Japanese style, cover the entire floor with tatami mats. The website Haiku Designs also suggests creating a bed space out of tatami mats. The mats can be placed within a specially designed bed frame that is lower to the floor and built to fit tatami mats. Once the mats are in place, you can place a mattress on top for a more comfortable bed.
Bedding
Rather than using large bed frames for beds, many Japanese people sleep on futon mattresses arranged on the floor. These mats can be put away during the day to make space for entertaining or carrying out household duties. If a mattress on the floor is less appealing, look into buying a low, platform-style bed frame. Furniture and Design Ideas notes that more modern Japanese homes utilize furniture that is lower to the ground and space-saving.
Furnishings and D cor
Because much of Japanese design functions as a means to save space, furnishings and d cor within Japanese rooms tends to be multi-functional and minimalistic. For example, a small table known as a kotatsu functions as a space for eating and drinking tea while doubling as a heating unit. The Japanese use folding screens often in rooms for multiple things, such as dividing space or hiding unused items in a room.
Colors
Japanese style involves lots of natural colors, as well as muted tones. However, the color red also features predominantly in many designs. In a bedroom, shades of green may work well; in Japanese culture, green represents freshness and rest, according to the website Temarikai. For furniture, wood is a popular material choice. The website Furniture and Design Ideas notes that, while furniture and d cor do not necessarily have to match, all of the wood used should have the same tone.
Get your bathroom sparkling clean with products like Ajax and Clorox.
Ajax and Clorox are brand names for a variety of cleaning products. But, Ajax's Powder and Clorox's bleach have been used by generations of people for a number of cleaning jobs, including bathrooms. Ajax powder, composed of calcium and sodium carbonate, is a mild abrasive cleanser good for removing soap scum and grime. removes stains, mold and mildew, but it's also an effective disinfectant capable of killing infectious bacteria and viruses. Knowing clean a bathroom with these products will make that room more pleasant and hygienic for you and your whole family.
Instructions
Ajax
1. Remove all toiletries such as shampoo, hairspray and soap from the areas you are cleaning. Wet the bathtub, sink and toilet both inside and out with water. Sprinkle Ajax powder or put it directly on a damp sponge for a more controlled application to the areas.
2. Use a damp sponge to work Ajax in a circular motion to remove dirt, grime and soap scum. When cleaning the toilet, use a toilet wand and scrub inside the bowl and under the rim where deposits of lime or rust accumulate.
3. Rinse the areas well, using clear water and fresh sponges or rags to help clean it away. It may take several attempts until all residue is gone. Pay close attention to crevices and corners where the Ajax powder may have accumulated.
Clorox
4. Dilute the Clorox by mixing three-quarter cup with 1 gallon of water. Pour some of the mixture into a small spray-bottle for controlled application. This is especially helpful for small crevices where mold and mildew thrive.
5. Wipe off bathroom surfaces with water and a sponge. Spray the Clorox solution in and around your bathtub, sink and toilet. Let it remain for 5 minutes, allowing proper time to disinfect and remove stains. Rinse with plain water and allow to air-dry.
6. Remove rugs and other objects from the bathroom floor and sweep or vacuum it clean. Pre-clean the floor by wiping with water and a mop. Fill a one-gallon bucket with three-quarter cup of Clorox and water. Dip the mop into the bucket and ring out the excess. Wipe the bathroom floor in sections. Wait 5 minutes and repeat the process using a clean mop and plain water to rinse the floor. Allow it to dry.
Choosing the right color scheme for a can make a big difference in how the room is perceived. When you select the right color scheme for your small bathroom, you can make it feel much larger than it actually is.
Monochromatic
Monochromatic color schemes give a sense of flow to a small bathroom. When you use different tones of a single color, the eye isn't interrupted by processing new colors, making the room feel bigger.
Cool Tones
Cool tones have a tendency to make a room feel more open. When you're looking at paint, try to find a blue, purple or green tone that will complement your other decorating elements.
Shade
Using lighter shades of a color will make a room feel larger. Dark shades have a tendency to make a room feel closed in, while lighter shades seem further away from the eye, making the room seem larger.
Accenting
Another trick to making a small bathroom feel larger is to bring the color from the ceiling down onto the top third of the wall. To create a smooth transition, place moulding where the two paint colors meet. This accent feature draws the eye up, another trick to making a room feel larger. Place accent pieces around the room in brighter shades of the color you paint the walls to draw attention around the room. Keeping the eye moving is key to making a room .
Tags: , feel larger, making room, small bathroom, make room, make room feel
Bassett is a high-end furniture company that has 130 stores nationwide, as well as in Canada and Puerto Rico. Bassett has been in the furniture making business for over 100 years. the company offers quality wood dining furniture in a wide variety of stains and styles. It's the type of furniture people hang on to for generations so it's important to know the correct cleaning procedures. This will ensure many years of elegant beauty.
Instructions
Daily Maintenance
1. Dust the table often. Use a dry soft cloth and move in the direction of the wood grain. This will remove abrasive particles from the surface.
2. Wash the table off with a mild, non-alkaline soap and sponge. A diluted hand soap works well on wood. Dry with a soft cloth; buff going with the grain.
3. Create a safe furniture polish at home by combining one part lemon oil with three parts olive oil. Apply with a soft cloth moving with the grain. Buff dry. A varnished wood table does not necessarily need further polishing, but if you want to give it a shiny gleam, polishing will achieve this. Avoid waxing or using any type of polish or cleaning product that contains silicone, alcohol, or ammonia.
Water Spots
4. Let spot air dry completely.
5. Wipe mayonnaise over spot with a soft cloth. For tougher spots, try white toothpaste or a mixture of cigarette ashes and lemon juice or cooking oil.
6. Rinse clean with water and buff dry.
7. Use wooden coasters with felt bottoms for drinks. Moisture and heat can do the most damage to wooden furniture.
Heat Marks
8. Rub heat mark with an extra fine dry steel wool soap pad.
9. Move in the direction of the grain in a gentle motion until you see the mark disappear.
10. Wipe it down with a soft cloth dipped in camphorated oil mineral spirits.
11. Rinse clean with water and buff dry.
Tags: soft cloth, with soft, with soft cloth, clean with, clean with water, Rinse clean
Recaning your dining room chair can be done by anyone with just a few tools and steps. Consider doing this project yourself and gain experience for when a chair needs recaning again; your chairs will be recaned with a professional look and save money by doing it yourself.
Instructions
Recane a Dining Room Chair
1. Use your utility knife to cut out the old cane. Run your utility knife down between the spline and the groove. The glued seal has to be broken so that you can remove the old spline. Use the chisel to pry away any old splines out of the groove. Drill in the reed spline and fill with vinegar to soften the glue if the glue is stubborn. Clean the area.
2. Soak the cane and reed spline in warm water up to 4 hours to soften it before recaning.
3. Apply a bead of carpenter's glue in the groove all the way around the perimeter of the chair.
4. Lay the cane over the chair, making sure the shiny side is up. Inspect to make sure the cane is all even over the chair opening.
5. Tighten the cane but don't stretch it. Line the weave of the cane up at the edge front of the chair.
6. Begin caning by lightly hammering a caning wedge into the groove. The glue will hold it when it is dry. Lightly hammer the wedge into the groove at the center back. Repeat the caning process for each side of the chair.
7. Go 3 inches over from the center wedge on front, place the on the back of the chair in line with the front.
8. Repeat the process on the chair sides.
9. Place wedges in the front and back alternating 2 to 3 inches apart until installed.
10. Remove the wedges out of the groove. Run glue inside the groove on top of the caning.
11. Lightly hammer the new reed spline in the groove at the center back of the chair.
12. Cut the corners at a 45-degree angle so that all pieces match up in the groove correctly.
13. Insert spline for all sides of your chair. Cut all the excess cane with the utility knife.
14. Clean up any excess glue and let the chair dry for up to 48 hours. When the glue is dry, then the cane will be secure.
Change the upholstery on your dining room chairs to give the set an updated look.
Upholstered dining chairs serve as accent pieces in dining room decor. If you change the color scheme in your dining room, the chairs may no longer coordinate with the decor. Luckily, it's easy to replace chair upholstery. When you choose fabric to reupholster dining chairs, look for fabric that is easy to clean. It's also a good idea to buy enough extra fabric to replace one chair's upholstery in case something is spilled on it. That way you won't need to replace the upholstery for the entire set.
Instructions
1. Turn one of the upholstered dining chairs upside down. Remove the four screws on the underside of the seat that hold the seat in place. Put the screws in a safe location.
2. Pull off the cardboard or paper, if any, covering the bottom of the chair seat. Save the cardboard or paper to reuse if it's in good shape.
3. Remove the staples holding the old upholstery on the chair, using a pair of pliers.
4. Lay the new upholstery fabric on a flat surface. Place the old fabric on top of it. Align any stripes or plaids. Use tailor's chalk or a pencil to trace around the old fabric onto the new fabric. Cut out the fabric with a pair of sharp scissors.
5. Examine the old padding on the chair. If it's in , reuse it. If it's not in good shape, replace it with batting that is a similar thickness. Cut the batting to the same dimensions as the old padding.
6. Place the upholstery fabric right side down on a work surface. Turn the chair seat and padding upside down on top of the fabric, centering the seat on the fabric.
7. Pull the fabric for the front edge of the seat up and over the batting and the wooden seat. Staple it in place on the bottom of the seat with a staple gun. Don't use staples longer than the seat is thick, or the staples may poke through the top of the seat.
8. Pull up the fabric for the back edge of the seat. Staple it in place. Do the same for the fabric for the right and left sides of the seat.
9. Fold the corner of the upholstery fabric on one corner of the seat so it makes a nice-looking corner. To do so, fold the material as if you were wrapping a present or fold the material so the corner is mitered. Trim any bulk fabric before folding to create a neater corner. Staple the corner fabric in place. Repeat for each corner, folding the fabric the same way each time.
10. Place additional staples as necessary to hold the upholstery taut on all sides of the seat.
11. Reattach the cardboard or paper you removed in Step 2. Cut new paper or cardboard if needed. Staple the cardboard or paper so it covers the raw edges of the fabric.
12. Put the chair seat back onto the chair. Replace the screws you removed in Step 1. You may have to poke the screws through the fabric. Set the finished chair back on its legs.
13. Repeat the above steps for the remaining chairs in the dining room set.
Black and red are the new colors for a romantic and vintage inspired bedroom. When you first think of the colors red and black, you probably envision a bright and overly done room that has low quality outdated furniture, linens, and accessories. Now, transform your thinking and imagine the days of old Hollywood. If images of Clark Gable or Marilyn Monroe come to mind, then you are on the right track. Black and red are inspirational colors that create a chic and modern bedroom that is reminiscent of the vintage design trends of the past.
Instructions
1. Choose a Dramatic Mirror
You really can't divulge in the old Hollywood bedroom design without investing in a massive and dramatic mirror. The mirror should have a patina or brushed metal frame that rejuvenates the days of the glamorous movie stars. The mirror could be simple in its design or it could be highly ornate, but it must be very large. The dramatic mirror will provide a focal point to the room. The furniture should include a bed with a headboard and a dresser or wardrobe that complements the colors in the room. Darker shades of brown wood tend to look the best with the red and black color palate.
2. Go Glamorous with a Chandelier
If your bedroom is large or has vaulted ceilings, a perfect lighting option for the bedroom would be a large and decorative chandelier. Black or silver iron with finials and antique beads and crystals will help create the feel of old Hollywood. If you live near a local antique store, purchasing vintage crystals and beads to accent other elements of your bedroom will bring cohesion to the room. Crystal beads look beautiful on hanging wall sconces and tall candlesticks. Old Hollywood was glamorous, so your chandelier and accents should be as well.
3. Accessorize with Stunning Fabrics
Your bed coverings and curtains should stay consistent with the black and red color pattern and the vintage Hollywood accessories. Choose stunning fabrics that are appealing in their color, pattern, and texture. Since the colors black and red tend to be on the darker side and the dramatic mirror and chandelier provide some sparkle, select window treatments that aren't overly heavy or shiny. Silky sheer curtains that are semi-transparent tend to allow some extra light to enter the room while still staying consistent with the old Hollywood theme. For a bold touch, you can upholster a chair with two differing yet complementary fabrics. For example, you could upholster the seat of the chair with a soft floral fabric and the back of the chair with a subtle stripe. Stunning fabrics really pull the black and red Hollywood décor together in a way that is both inspiring and romantic.
Tags: chair with, dramatic mirror, black color, color pattern, colors black, consistent with
All areas of new or renovated commercial buildings are required to be accessible to those in wheelchairs, to avoid discrimination against people with disabilities, according to the American Disabilities Act (ADA). The required dimensions for sinks include its height, depth, knee clearance (if a person in a wheelchair had to sit in front of the sink), clear floor space (to maneuver or turn a wheel chair around in a space), pipes and faucets.
Height
Sinks should be installed with the counter or rim at a maximum height of 34 inches above the final flooring material.
Depth
All sinks should not have a depth greater than 6 1/2 inches.
Knee Clearance
Knee clearance underneath sinks should have a minimum of 27 inches in height, 30 inches wide, and 19 inches deep.
Clear Floor Space
There should be a clear floor space (with no physical obstructions) in front of the sink to allow a forward approach. This space should be 30 inches by 48 inches. It should be on a route easily accessible by a wheelchair and must extend a maximum of 19 inches underneath the sink.
Pipes
Exposed hot water or drain pipes should be insulated or protected to prevent contact. The area under the sink should be free of sharp or abrasive surfaces.
Faucets
Faucets should be equipped with a push-type, lever-operated, touch-type or electronically controlled mechanism
Style and fit are key to choosing new bedroom furniture, and neither means you have to spend a lot of money. The size of your room will necessarily dictate the size of your bed and other furniture items, but you'll want to get something that you love to wake up to. Take the time to comparison shop before you commit to new bedroom furniture. Good furniture will last many years.
Instructions
1. Consider what you'll be using for. If you typically watch television before bed, you'll want an entertainment stand. If you read, you may want a bookshelf. If your room is small, you might want as little furniture as possible, leaving only a bed, night stand and optional clothing dresser.
2. List the colors of your room, wood paneling (if any) and existing furniture. Unless you're replacing all your bedroom furniture, you won't want to pair a white dresser with cherry wood headboard. Then list all of the items you're considering.
3. Think about your personal style. Bedroom furniture can be sleek and modern or garden cottage style. While you can accessorize your bed with sheets, you'll also want to get furniture that matches your personal style.
4. Set aside a maximum amount of money you can spend on new bedroom furniture before you start shopping to avoid overspending.
5. Measure your bedroom's length and width with a measuring tape. You'll want to make sure your furniture can fit.
6. Browse online retailers to get an idea of the styles and prices to expect in bedroom furniture. Note the names of designers and styles you enjoy, plus the prices.
7. Visit local furniture stores to see bedroom furniture in person. If you're interested in a particular style but not sure it's right for you, getting a look for yourself can help you decide. Ask about the prices, delivery and installation of any piece you like so you're not surprised if you later have to set up a piece of furniture yourself. Most furniture stores deliver for a fee.
8. Shop comparatively by visiting several retail stores and checking many online retailers. Also determine whether pieces you like come in other finishes than the one displayed (many do).
9. Purchase furniture when you've found pieces you like in a budget you can afford. Buy either online or from a local store, making sure you arrange delivery or setup, if necessary.
Tags: bedroom furniture, your bedroom, your room, bedroom furniture, furniture stores
Decorate your bedroom in two colors that are similar or that complement each other.
The best way to create a bedroom with a harmonious look and feel when using two colors is to use either monochromatic or complementary colors. Monochromatic colors lay side by side on the color wheel, while complementary colors are directly opposite each other on the color wheel. These color schemes are pleasing to the eyes and can be used throughout the bedroom.
Painting Stripes
Decorate your bedroom in two different colors by painting a series of stripes throughout the room. Painting horizontal stripes can make a bedroom appear larger, while painting vertical stripes can make a bedroom appear to have more height. Stripes can be painted in even or varying widths. Painting stripes in complementary colors would be too jarring so it's best to apply monochromatic-colored stripes. For example, use a basic blue plus a lighter blue tint, such as sky blue.
Using a Dominant Color
When decorating a bedroom using two colors, you can choose one dominant color plus an accent color. This can be achieved using monochromatic or complementary colors. When using the complementary color scheme, for example, choose pink as the dominant color for all your walls, window treatments and bedding. Pink's is mint green, so use this color sparingly, perhaps on lampshades, throw pillows, picture frames or vases.
Color Blocking
Combine the use of two colors to create the look of color blocking in your bedroom. To color block, you can simply choose a paint color and its complementary color; any color plus a neutral shade; or a dark color and a tint of this color. For example, you can combine aqua and orange, turquoise and brown, or green and mint green. Color blocking can be achieved by painting the lower part of your wall--about 3 feet from the bottom up--with one color, and painting the upper portion with the other color.
Combined Colors
Instead of choosing two different colors throughout the bedroom, you can decorate by selecting things that are already a combination of two colors. For example, you can choose two-toned wallpaper, throw pillows, bedding, picture frames, lampshades, vases and area rugs. When decorating using combined colors it's important to use these two-toned items sparingly. For example, choose them for your bedding and wall treatments, or for your walls plus an area rug.
Tags: complementary colors, complementary color, example choose, , bedroom appear
Adding accents to the walls and table of your dining room will customize the space.
If you've just moved into a new home, or simply want to spruce up the house with new decor and accessories, you can start with the dining room. You can make a number of small changes in your dining room to make the space much more inviting.
Wall Decor
Add a large, professionally framed decorative portrait to the main wall of the dining room so that it can be the focal piece of the room. Or, hang a mirror framed in the main color of the dining room space to make the space seem a little wider.
Centerpieces
Use your favorite flowers or plants for the dining room table centerpiece. During the spring and summer months, use a clear glass or gold vase to house a bouquet of sunflowers or daisies. For fall and winter dining room decor, display a decorative dish filled with potpourri, or add pinecones, cattails and ferns to your flower arrangement.
Place Settings
Make your place settings part of the table decor by using your favorite colors and designs. If your dining room space is mainly red, use charger plates in a deep shade of red, and accent it with cloth napkins, cups and saucers in a slightly lighter hue. Add accents like silver napkin rings and eating utensils to create vibrant and classy place settings.
Tags: , dining room, , your dining room, , dining room space
Mixing pink and blue in a bedroom is fairly simple.
Whether blue and pink are your two favorite colors or you simply cannot choose between the two, you can decorate a bedroom with both colors in a few ways. Blending blue and pink is possible as long as you have an open mind and a creative imagination to use the objects you already have and purchase items that you need. Add a bit of personality and style to your bedroom decor with these bold and vibrant colors.
Instructions
Solids
1. Paint the bedroom's walls either pink or blue to make it the primary color on which the rest of the bedroom's decor will be based. If you paint the walls pink, then it will be the color first noticed by anyone who enters the room, which is a consideration as you choose which color to use.
2. Decorate the bedroom with the color you didn't use on the walls to create a contrast. If you chose to paint the walls pink, for instance, then use a blue comforter set along with a blue area rug. In that scenario, you would decorate any large part of the bedroom - aside from the walls - with blue colors. Do the reverse if you paint the walls blue.
3. Blend the blue and pink colors with violet bedroom accessories. Because combining blue and pink creates purple, using violet as the color for accessories evens the overall appearance of the room so that blue and pink are appropriately blended.
Patterns
4. Choose blue or pink as the color of the bedroom's main aspects. If you prefer blue as the main color, for example, then paint the walls blue, place a blue area rug on the floor and use a blue comforter set for the bed.
5. Decorate with accessories that have patterns on them that represent your style. The patterns must incorporate both blue and pink as the main colors so that they blend.
6. Incorporate different shades of blue and pink throughout the bedroom so that you also have an element of depth in your personal space.
Tags: blue pink, paint walls, blue pink, bedroom decor, bedroom with, blue area, blue comforter
When you think of Martha Stewart, images come to mind of attention to detail, a love of calmness and order. Colors are subdued but not boring. Occasionally you'll see bright wall coverings and accessories. Nature plays a big role in the Martha Stewart look, but that doesn't mean luxury and comfort aren't part of the equation. Bring that feeling to your bedroom.
Unusual Bedroom Furniture Refinishing
A matching bedroom set is so not Martha Stewart. She prefers furniture to look like it goes but doesn't match. Take a good look at your bedroom furniture to see if some, or one, of the pieces would look better in a different color or finishing. An unusual furniture refinishing technique is ceruse, which involves staining the wood a very dark color and then forcing white wax into the grain. The wax contrasts with the dark color. The finish is finalized with a coat of water-based sealer.
Hidden Entertainment Center
Leaf through an issue of the magazine "Martha Stewart Living," and you're unlikely to see a television set as part of the decor. Even a modest flat screen is hidden. Instead of using the armoire to hold clothes and accessories, use it to hide the TV. Adapt the armoire by drilling holes in the back for the necessary wires. Use the drawers and any other shelves to house your computer and other office paraphernalia. Shut the doors when the TV is off.
Oversize Artwork
If you would like to really put the focal point on the bed, use oversize art as a replacement headboard. Select artwork that is at least as wide as the bed and nearly as tall as the bed is long. Keep the rest of the room in a minimalist style to maintain the focus on the bed. Secure the artwork firmly to the wall so you aren't awakened in the middle of the night by it falling off. If the artwork is heavy, use bolts secured to the studs.
Custom Touches
Add tassels you've made to lamp pulls, curtains or shades. Tassels at the edges of a throw at the bottom of the bed add a bit of whimsy. Tassels are simple loops of fabric tied in the middle. Bend both loops so they're at the bottom of the tassel. Secure with additional yard or fabric, and then cut the loops. The colors are as endless as the different shades of yarns you can buy.
Dip white candles into melted beeswax and crayon bits. Set up a series of coffee cans with colors from dark to light, and add custom stripes to the candles by dipping them in the wax.
Cover a lampshade with fabric. Add a pink glow to the room by lining the inside of the lampshade with pink fabric.
Tags: Martha Stewart, dark color, furniture look, lampshade with, your bedroom
A "shabby chic" bedroom offers the ultimate in comfort. The furniture looks "lived in," easy-care fabrics that are worn and distressed furniture put to good use. The line between indoors and out is blurred with the introduction of wicker and older pieces brought in from the porch. "Shabby chic" speaks not only to decor but to a lifestyle.
Instructions
1. Rescue occasional pieces like small wood dressers and tables from flea markets, junk shops or from the curb on trash day. Look for pieces that are sturdy yet worn, with solid construction, no damage and no missing elements. Condition them and then paint them white or pastel shades.
2. Add an overstuffed easy chair. Look for good lines and a solid frame. Cover the chair with a chintz or linen slipcover and add throw pillows to soften the look. Select an ottoman to pair with the chair.
3. Create a bed by attaching a vintage painted door to the top of the bedroom. Position the door vertically and bolt each side of the bed frame to it. Leave the doorknob on the door for extra character.
4. Make a "headboard" by attaching a section of wood fencing to the wall. Paint the fence white and then distress it fine grade sandpaper. Attach the bed to the either side of the lower portion of the fence. Encourage an ivy to grow from a night table and vine its way along the "fence."
5. Buy a new, unfinished rocking chair. Sand it and spray it all over with a light coat of green or blue paint. Follow with two coats of white enamel, allowing each coat to dry well and distress it.
6. Bring a wicker chair, plant stand or side table into the bedroom. Use vintage wicker as it is or use the distress technique on new wicker. Add a lamp or two with fabric shades trimmed in ribbon or ball fringe.
7. Pickle a hardwood floor or sand and paint it white. Paint the walls a subtle gray-blue, bottle green or pale yellow with bright white woodwork and doors.
Your cabinets can be as tall or as wide as you wish.
Dining room cabinets are excellent places to store crockery, tablecloths and other items that are not often used, such as the best silverware that comes out only for special occasions. Cabinets can be expensive to have custom made to fit your rooms but you can save a lot of money by designing and building your own cabinets. With DIY dining room built-in cabinets you can personalize your room without breaking the bank.
Instructions
Building the Cabinet Frame
1. Decide on the position of the cabinets on the wall, either resting on the floor or hanging on the wall. Measure the area in which the cabinets are to be built, using a tape measure. Note the width of the area and the height to which you wish the cabinets to come up, on a piece of paper. Measure the distance into the room that the cabinets can take up and note this as the depth of the cabinets.
2. Decide how many cabinets you want, such as three long cabinets with double doors, or five smaller cabinets with a single door each. Divide the width measurement by this amount to find the width of your individual cabinets. This article will show you build three long cabinets with double doors. The method can be easily modified to accommodate the size and number of cabinets you require.
3. Cut two pieces of 3/4-inch-thick hardwood to a rectangle equal to the required depth and height, using the circular saw. Cut six pieces of 3/4-inch-thick hardwood to rectangles of width equal to the noted depth and of length equal to noted height minus 3 1/2 inches.
4. Cut a 3/4-inch-thick piece out of the six shorter pieces you just cut. Cut the line so the pieces are still as wide as the depth measurement you noted. Measure 3/4 of an inch down one of the two longer pieces you cut and glue one of the short pieces to this longer piece. Leave a 3/4-inch gap, then glue on a second short piece, to form the side panel. Repeat for the other longer piece.
5. Cut two 3/4-inch-thick pieces of hardwood to width equal to the depth you noted and length equal to the required width minus 1 1/2 inches. Cut one piece of 3/4-inch-thick hardwood to a width of 2 inches and to a length equal to the noted width minus 1 1/2 inches.
6. Glue the ends of the two longest depth measurement-wide pieces. Stick the first glued piece to the thin part at the top of one side panel, to form the top of your cabinet. Stick the second glued piece to the thin part at the bottom of the side panel, to form the bottom shelf and cabinet base.
7. Glue the pieces you cut in half earlier together in pairs, using the wood glue, so they form two pieces of wood 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut three pieces of 3/4-inch thick hardwood to a length equal to the width of your cabinets and to a width equal to the depth of your cabinets. Slide one of these shelf pieces into the cabinet in the 3/4-inch gap in the side panel.
8. Glue the ends of two of the 1 1/2-inch-thick glued pieces. Slide the first piece into the cabinet below the shelf so the last 3/4 of an inch of the shelf is supported. Slide the other piece in above the shelf in the same place. Slide the next shelf into position in the 3/4-inch gap left in the support pieces. Glue and fix the other two support pieces in the same way.
9. Slide the final shelf into position in the 3/4-inch gap left in the support piece and the side piece. Glue one long edge and both 2-inch-wide edges of the final wooden piece. Slide it between the side panels, below the bottom shelf, as a fronting beam. Cut a piece of plywood as long as the width you noted and as tall as the height you noted. Nail it to the back of the cabinet.
Mounting and Doors
10. Screw the side panels into the top and bottom pieces of the cabinet using two long screws per horizontal piece. This will reinforce the cabinet frame. Use countersunk screws to maintain smooth sides. Lie the cabinet on its back on the floor.
11. Place one mounting bracket into the top-left corner above the top-left shelf of the cabinet. Mark where the screw hole is on the plywood back panel using a pencil. Remove the bracket. Drill a hole through the back panel where the screw will go. Repeat for the top-right corner of the rightmost cabinet, the bottom-left of the leftmost cabinet, and the bottom-right of the rightmost cabinet.
12. Skip this step if standing the cabinet on the floor. Fasten the mounting brackets into the cabinet so the holes in the backing board line up with the screw holes in the brackets. Use long screws to fasten the brackets to the side panels, for extra support. Place the cabinet in position on the wall. Mark where the screw holes need to be drilled in the wall, using a pencil.
13. Skip this step if standing the cabinet on the floor. Remove the cabinet from the wall. Drill holes in the wall where the pencil marks are, using a hammer drill and masonry drill bit. Plug the holes with Rawlplugs. Lift the cabinet back onto the wall so the holes in the mounting brackets line up with the holes in the wall. Fix the cabinet to the wall using long screws through the mounting brackets.
14. Cut six pieces of 3/4-inch-thick hardwood into rectangles the height of the cabinets minus 3 1/2 inches and half the width of the shelves. Place two closed hinges on each piece, lined up with one of the long edges and 3 inches in from the top and bottom edges. Mark the position of the hinges with a pencil.
15. Cut a notch in the wood pieces where you marked the hinge positions, using a chisel, so the hinges will lie flush with the surface of the wood. Screw the hinges onto the wooden pieces to form the cabinet doors. Hold the first door up to the cabinet so it lines up with the inner piece of the side panel on the leftmost side. Mark the position of the hinges on the cabinet.
16. Cut notches in the cabinet using the chisel. Screw the door in place so the hinges fit into the notches. Repeat the marking, notching and screwing in place for the other doors. Screw handles on each cabinet door. The handles should be screwed on the opposite edge of the door to the hinges, for ease of opening.
Tags: side panel, 4-inch-thick hardwood, length equal, minus inches, equal noted, into cabinet
Read the manufacture's directions throughly when installing a pedestal sink.
According to This Old House, there is something elegant about a pedestal sink in a bathroom. Pedestal sinks work well in half baths and add a decorative touch in full baths. When installing your pedestal sink, preparation and proper measurements are critical. Pedestal sinks come in two parts: the sink and the pedestal. You need to purchase the faucet and valves separately. Follow the manufacture's direction for installation of your faucet and valves; this varies depending on the exact faucet and valves you purchase.
Instructions
1. Turn off water at the main valve.
2. Set your sink basin and pedestal in place where you want them in your bathroom. Brace the basin with two, 2-by-4-inch pieces of lumber: one on each side of the basin. Outline the top of your basin on your wall with your pencil. Outline the bottom of the pedestal on your floor with your pencil. Make your reference holes pencil for mounting on the walls and flooring found on the back of your sink and pedestal.
3. Remove the basin, pedestal and lumber pieces. Drill pilot holes in the wall and flooring where you marked the reference points. Replace the pedestal and anchor to your floor by screwing lag screws with your ratchet wrench. Do not over-tighten your screws as this could cause the pedestal to crack.
4. Attach the faucet according to the manufacture's directions to your sink basin, and place the basin on top of the pedestal. Align the holes in the back of the sink with the pilot holes you drilled in the wall. Use your ratchet wrench and screw the lag screws and washer into the wall.
5. Assemble the drain and supply fittings to the pedestal sink. This varies depending upon flex tubing or copper tubing. Follow the manufacture's directions that came with your and tubing for the specific directions.
6. Caulk between the back of your pedestal sink and the wall in your bathroom with your caulk and caulking gun. Allow caulk to dry.
7. Turn the water back on at the main valve and test the sink's water supply and drainage functions.
All kinds of games can be used as your bedroom decor theme.
Use classic board games, video games or computer games as the inspiration for your bedroom decor if you want something energetic, youthful and different. Decorating your bedroom this way can show off your game collection, display your passion for a particular game or create a space that is fun and inviting. You can turn your bedroom into a virtual reality that looks like a scene straight out of the game, or simply use game items as accessories to facilitate your theme.
Instructions
1. Paint the walls in a neutral color to provide a low-key background or a bold color that corresponds with your favorite game. If your favorite game is a colorful board game, for example, use bright pink, red, blue or yellow on the walls. Use tan or olive green if you prefer military video games. Install a game-related border or paint your own, free-hand or using stencils.
2. Frame posters that depict your favorite scenes or characters from video games or hang actual game boards on the walls. Blow up pictures or screen shots of the actual game to fill frames if you don't have posters or need smaller images.
3. Place your furniture in a way that leaves enough space to actively play the game you're using as your inspiration. Set up a table and chairs for chess or board game-themed bedrooms or a media center with gaming chairs in front of your TV and game console.
4. Make your bed with a solid-colored comforter or duvet set that complements the wall color and is a prominent color in your favorite game. Or use a patterned bed cover that has pictures, shapes or images found in the game. Sew your own duvet cover or have the fabric custom-made if you desire.
5. Install shelves on at least one wall or use a bookcase to display accessories that enhance your game theme. Set out large novelty game pieces, dice or actual game pawns on at least one shelf. Video-game action figures, collectibles or game cases are ideal for a video game theme.
6. Accessorize the room with any game-related items you can find, such as clocks, lamps, nightlights or pillows. Make drawer knobs out of board game pieces or cover the end with stickers that depict your favorite video game. Glue real game pieces on the wall to create a border or shapes in a decorative manner.
Tags: your favorite, actual game, favorite game, game pieces, video games, your bedroom, your favorite game