Science Horizons

The living room is an essential part of home decorating. How can we possibly leave out the area where we entertain guests, hang out with friends and family or watch television and relax…or all of the above? If there’s one place that should always look its best, it should be the living room.

Cleanliness is next to godliness. How true is that! A clean living room no matter how small or simple is more appealing than a big and embellished but messy living room. A clean house speaks volumes about the homeowners and a cluttered receiving area magnifies that volume even more. Now you wouldn’t want to be called a slob, would you?

A vibrant-looking living room beats a plain, dull looking one by a knockout. The more cheerful your living room looks, the more enjoyable it becomes to stay in this place. Use colors that reflect your personality and colors that go well with the furnishings. A put together living room is an impressive space that your guests see firsthand. They might not see the rest of the house but when they see what a well-decorated living room you have, the impression weighs on the good scale.

An area rug is the perfect finishing touch to a living room, either as a centerpiece or as an accent to furniture pieces. An area rug creates a stylish effect to the division of space and highlights items that it is paired with. Choose an area rug that meets your living room’s theme.

Regardless of how you do it, be sure to remember that your living room should be inviting, colorful, and simple. You don’t have to break the bank to get the look you want into your family room. Keep it as stress free as possible, so you are able to sit back and enjoy the room once it is finished. Happy decorating!

If you found this information about Interior Living Room Decorating beneficial, then you are going to love these bamboo shag rugs.

Bill Younger Interior Design decorating, home decor, home decorating, home improvement, interior decorating, interior design, Living Room, living room decorating

Yes! Yes, yes, and yes a thousand times more. That was the answer you gave two weeks ago when your boyfriend took you out to dinner and asked you to marry him. There was no hesitation in your mind then and there isn’t any now either really. The only thing that you’re hung up on though is the actual details of the wedding.

Your boyfriend, now your fiance of course, is very laid back and casual about it and said that anything you want is OK with him. He was certain that you would do a splendid job, just tell him if you wanted anything.

That’s all good and fine, and normally you would have jumped at the chance, in fact you did jump at the chance. But now you’re getting confused about what to do for your wedding decorating ideas and motifs are all blending as one into your brain and you still don’t know where to have the reception.

Of course, you could hold the reception in an up market hotel with the works, everything catered for and all the niggily little details looked after, but that seemed so impersonal, and you really want your wedding to be one that you will remember for the rest of your life. So what should you do now?

Well, first and foremost, just take a deep breath and relax. Working yourself up into a frenzy won’t do you any good. Next call your bridesmaids and all willing and able people whom you trust to your side and have a council of war.

This is where you will hammer out the details and get fresh perspective and ideas into your planning, and where most of all, you can have some fun with your wedding decorating ideas. You’ll be simply amazed at how many bright ideas a group of people can get if they’re working on something like wedding decorating ideas with wedding cards being the least of it.

So you start off with an idea, maybe to have the all the cards handmade so that they become even more special to you as time goes by. Someone else has the great idea of getting a load of those little disposable cameras so that interested people would be able to take photographs, and you’d end up with a great many more candid pictures than you otherwise would have.

Yet another person suggests a great overall design theme. Your wedding decorating ideas are now flowing fast and furious as one person after another speaks up giving you all the advice you need to sort out your wedding plans.

However, it is your mother who comes up with the best wedding decorating ideas of all and such like being the least of all her concerns! Maybe|Perhaps you’d like to get married and then have your reception at their house.

They could put up a large tent to take care of all the guests, and the house could be done up to suit the occasion. And you say, ‘Yes’, again because there’s nothing you want more than to be married at home.

If you are looking for more wedding decorating ideas, then you really ought to visit our website for more free ideas on Stylish Home Decor and more. You can get a unique content version of this article from the Uber Article Directory.

Michael James Interior Design Advice, decor, decorating, design, Environment, Family, flooring, Hobbies, house, interior design, modern, other, self-help, style

While Southwest style rugs are ideal to complement decor appropriate to that particular region, they can be brought into your home regardless of style or appointment and can make a great talking point for your visitors. For example, you could put one of these rugs as a centerpiece and warm up the look of your interior rooms.

When you are shopping for an area rug, you should consider your needs first. Do you have a specific space that you want to fill while you are trying to define a focal area? For example. centering a southwest style rug between different seating areas to create a more natural “room within a room,” as part of a much larger space.

A variety of Southwest style rugs awaits for you to choose. Many of them are works of art and some creations are totally unique, one-of-a-kind and rare. Some of them are suitable for display on a wall as a tapestry as well, giving you further choice when creating your style.

As always, be careful to interpret the entire look of your room when introducing Southwest style rugs. There is a tendency to make your room a little too “busy” with two brightly colored or accented rugs. This typically happens if you already have a standout wallpaper design or your furniture fabrics are quite bold by themselves. For optimum effect, blend rather than match.

Within the choice of Southwest style rugs available, you can look for products that originated either in the West or the Southwest and this tends to confuse people sometimes. Southwest styles tend toward dark blues or grays, while Western styles tend towards more primary blacks and reds, accented with grays.

Southwest style rugs are designed and intended to last. They have been well constructed, but as many of them are made from high-quality and beautiful wood products they should be protected. These soft and durable items enhance any space, but avoid heavy traffic areas and places that are prone to spills.

Native Indian tribes take great care and dedication when they are producing rugs and you can often find one-of-a-kind and unique creations. Many dedicated hours of skill and work are put in to them and they are fashioned from the wool taken from domestic regional sheep. You will certainly sense the history and tradition that has been put with loving care into these products.

Southwest style rugs or Western tapestries are perfectly matched to your rustic decor, log cabin, lodge or ranch house. Within each room, use your eye to match particular colors, styles and patterns to the ambiance or natural light of the room and its purpose.

For additional information on southwest style rugs, pick up the acclaimed free Rustic Southwest Decorating Guide by author Craig Chambers, founder of Mission Del Rey Southwest, for unique ideas and rustic decorating advice. www.missiondelrey.com.

Craig Chambers Home decorating, Home, home improvement, southwest decor

An area rug may be a teeny-weeny vision in a room, especially one that is considered big and grand. But did you know that this teeny-weeny piece of decorating material can actually be the central element in transforming any room?

Before we discuss further, ask yourself if you already have a theme or design in mind for a particular room. What colors do you want to use? What items do you want to incorporate? Once you’ve answered these main questions, it’s time to shop for that perfect rug, that one thing which will become the centerpiece of your room. Given this objective, it’s a good idea to choose rugs that can live up to the standard of being the room’s focal point. These are Persian, Oriental and Transitional rugs. The last kind is named as such because of its ability to mix various colors and elements in just one creation. Simply put, this is a multi-faceted, flexible material.

Whatever you choose, you are assured that each of these types can attract anyone’s attention, even yours whenever you enter that room. You might be familiar with the designs of a Persian or Oriental rug and have noticed that a common element is a central medallion typically in bold, loud colors. This of course always easily becomes the room’s focal object.

Your rug as a focal point is also the basis of other decors. They should match it in color or at least have a neutral tone but also doesn’t necessarily mean boring. Things like a chair, an ottoman or even a beanbag can be in neutral tones but made more interesting with nice patterns or texture that also fits the rest of the room. Combination is good particularly in bringing together opposite textures such as dull and bright, soft and hard.

And in addition to normal furnishings, you can also consider traditional works of art to adorn your walls. The great thing about art is that it need only share certain elements of the general design of the room and can be transitional elements themselves. Think about some timeless favorites such as black & white photographs or, for those rooms where the colors are bright and bold, prints from some of the great masters such as Monet, John Williams Waterhouse, etc.

Once you are happy with all the furniture and art, another thing that will have to be paid attention to is the lighting. Does the room get plenty of natural sunlight? What kind of lighting does the room have at night? Having a couple of spotlights focused on key items could enhance the ambience of a place and supply it with a smoldering warm look.

No, we’re not yet finished with rugs. Last one, utilize more area rugs for specific places within the room. It can be the couch or even in the artworks area. As long as they match the over-all look of the room, the sky is the limit. Just don’t use more than one big-sized rug. Small ones accentuate but big ones split the room. I would guess you prefer a harmonious ambiance and not otherwise.

If you found this information about decorating with rugs helpful, then you will adore these round rugs on sale.

Tom Barnes Interior Design area rugs, decorating, flooring, floors, home decorating, interior design, rugs

Folding paper Lanterns are most popular at the Chinese Harvest Moon festival. They also are used to bring light to other festivals such as the Chinese New Year. Decorations of homes, offices and hotels are done by the illumination of these folding paper lanterns. They do not take much room when not in use since they are foldable and easily stored in a minimal amount of space.

Different shapes and sizes of lanterns are available for purchase to decorate outside homes and businesses often during the festival seasons. Lantern frames are made out of metal or bamboo and thick papers are used to cover the globe so they are durable. The box shaped paper lantern is the most common among the folding paper lanterns are available. There is also a round cylinder shaped lantern that is foldable.

You will be able to see many varieties of shapes and sizes of lanterns during the festival seasons hung at the entrances of homes and businesses. The more durable lanterns are made out of bamboo or metal and covered with tough paper. Among many types of folding paper lanterns available are the box shaped lantern, which is the most common. There is also a cylinder shaped foldable lantern that is very popular.

You can produce a dim light by using battery operated tea lights for these types of lanterns. If you are wondering about the decorations for an upcoming party, you can use this cheap option that also creates the perfect party atmosphere.

They are very easy to make and can be created at home. A few Popsicle sticks, lights or candles, glue and some light color wax or parchment paper are all you need to make these lanterns. You can decorate your living room with different shapes and sizes of these lanterns.

Words such as ?love, peace and strength? are commonly seen on these lanterns written in Chinese lettering. You can even use things like glitter to make your lanterns more festive.

Do not leave your lanterns unattended if you have used candles to light them since there is the risk of them catching on fire. Make sure that you are careful not to bump into the lanterns when you are walking here and there.

Cody Scholberg Gardening Art, Beauty, Children, china, crafts, decorating, design, garden, Gardening, Language, Movies, paper lanterns, product reviews, real estate, Travel

Oil paintings and pastels of still lifes seem to dominate Chuck Rosenthal’s work, but other subjects have also inspired him. He has done some brilliant work capturing people in everyday life, and some wonderful landscapes.

Sometimes you look at a painting and you wonder about the artist who painted it. What is his idea of art?

An artist’s statement is the artist’s own write up of what he is trying to accomplish with his art. This is what he says:

“I believe that truly Fine Art encompasses every aspect of the visual experience, from dramatic, or at least, interesting placement of the elements in the painting to the truest atmospheric values within the capability of the artist. All of this is intended to create an impact on the viewer that is so real as to provoke an emotional response. Strong contrasts of form and lighting are an important component.

“Looking at the long view of the development of western art one would see that there is a progression of stiff, awkward drawing gradually developing, over time, into the most sophisticated and articulate forms imaginable.

“Fortunately, traditional values in art are undergoing a revival in our time and I am greatly pleased to be a part of it.”

For a little background on the artist, he attended the National Academy of Design in New York City starting in 1963, hoping to embark on a career in commercial art. His first year was spent studying under Morton Roberts, a great illustrator and fine artist who passed away long before his time. Initially the intention had been to learn to draw so as to be able to do illustration, but after three months commercial art was forgotten and fine art had become the goal.

Many awards came his way for his artwork while he was at the National Academy. A scholarship to the academy and the Dr. Weller student prize were at the top of the list. In 1968 he gained membership to America’s oldest and most venerated arts and letters club, the Salmagundi Club, through efforts of another of his teachers, Daniel Greene.

After leaving school the goal of becoming a fine artist was stunted and delayed due to family situations. Although tarnished, the goal was never given up – Mr. Rosenthal continues to study and paint.

In 1998 he left New York City and moved to Clearwater, Florida. Since that time he has been studying and painting and moving closer to the goal of becoming full time as a professional fine artist. In 2000 he attained two first place awards and a third place award at the Clearwater Fine Artists and Crafters Show and in 2004 his pastel painting of the old Clearwater Memorial Bridge was selected to the Punta Gorda International Juried Competition. Additionally, a painting was purchased by a local Clearwater corporation and donated to Clearwater City Hall.

Park Place Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri exhibits Mr. Rosenthal’s paintings.

Penny Logan Interior Design Art, art works, art world, artist, color scheme, decorate, decorating, fine art, Home, interior design, oil painting, painting, still life, talent

There is something incredibly romantic about a beautiful canopy bed complete with covered top and matching bedding. Canopy beds have really increased in popularity and many people are looking at them as ways to add a personal touch to their bedrooms or guest rooms. Canopy bedding is available in a range of colors and styles to suit a wide range of tastes.

Historically, canopy bedding was developed for two reasons: to keep people warmer in drafty rooms and to prevent objects from falling on them while they slept. They were popular in the time when there were thatched roofs and it was possible to be struck by bits of thatching or other things during the night. The form, sturdiness and makeup of the bedding would depend on whether it was being used for warmth or protection.

Modern canopy beds often are made of wrought metal and offer a square canopy area and very straight lines. A more traditional wooden canopy bed may have a top which is arched and carved. This can affect the kind of bedding you purchase as it may be designed to fit a particular shape.

Your idea of what you want your bedding to look like may vary significantly from someone else who is also choosing canopy bedding. Do you want a clean look with minimal ornamentation? This style of bedding can work really well with a stark and simple metal frame. Do you like the look of lace curtains and heavy tie backs? Consider a more traditional bed with a more highly ornamented style of decoration.

Sources for canopy bedding can include online auctions, department stores and specialty bedding stores. If you are purchasing online it can be a good idea to have your bed’s measurements handy so that you know what size of canopy you require. Knowing whether you are working with straight metal poles or arched wooden supports is also good since some sets may not work with some canopy shapes.

You may want to consider having your canopy bedding custom made. This can make it fairly expensive in the long run. However, if the bedding is custom made you can ensure it will coordinate with other furnishings in your room or throughout your home. You can also make sure that the bedding will match your personal style when it comes to the amount and style of ornamentation. If you are someone who loves modern clean lines, you do not want to have a canopy bed that is covered in tiers of lace or ribbon.

You can also think about making a set yourself from a pattern. It is always preferable to have a pattern rather than a picture to work from. You can find patterns in fabric stores, online or in books of home furnishings.

Canopy bedding is something that can add a definite flavor to a room. If you like a historical look with a modern twist, think about canopy bedding as a wonderful option for your home.

Jessica Stannon Interior Design bedding, bedroom furntiture, beds, canopy bedding, canopy beds, Children, decorating, Family, furniture, Home, home furniture, home improvements, home products, interior design

These days, it’s a tough go to redecorate your kids’ rooms, with tight budgets and so many other things you need to spend your hard-earned cash on. Fortunately, you can do so with relatively little time and expense with letter decals.

These are so affordable that you can purchase two sets of the entire alphabet without straining your monthly budget at all. And unlike putting up new wallpaper or slapping on new paint, you don’t have to spend money on of the materials like primers, stripper, or paste. And best of all, your kids can help with the decorations, which is both fun and time effective.

Letter decals just let you buy the vinyl or plastic units and nothing else. There’s no need to buy anything to make them stick, because the adhesive’s already attached. And of course, no wallpaper or paint purchases are necessary, either. Instead, you can change the look of the room in an instant with just the use of the decals. You can use them throughout the rest of the house, too, as you wish, although you should keep in mind that they are really meant for children with their bright colors and childlike appearances.

Still, when you consider the decorative effects of lettering decals on your kids? bedrooms, you will realize that you should have done it earlier! These decals are just so easy on the eyes that, with a child’s bedroom as colorful as it is already, decals just seems to blend right in. But of course, even as they blend in with the theme of the bedroom, decals add a touch of personality and attitude to the room.

Just place the decals carefully on the surfaces you’ve chosen, like the ceiling, posts, walls, and even on the furniture. It’ll give you a new look without much money or time spent. That is, except for the time you and your child will spend planning the decoration. (But hey, that’s all in fun!)

Don’t worry about the effects the lettering decals can have on surfaces, either. You can put them on and take them up without ever damaging any surface, including wood or paint, because the adhesive used is very lightweight. Consider that in contrast to a permanent changes paints and wallpapers should make.

Besides that, letter decals are very easy to use. You just basically peel and paste, and even your preteen children can help you by pasting them wherever they want to. Doing this type of decoration themselves will also give them a sense of independence they might not otherwise have, especially when it comes to their decor.

After all, parents must allow their children to grow their personal sense of style even at an early age and even when it just involves choosing the lettering decals for their rooms. And did you know that this is an effective way to encourage your children to learn how to learn their name, learn to spell them and learn to love words in general? Not bad for a few dollars worth of quick redecorating, right?

Next time you want to give your kids’ rooms just a little bit of redecoration easily and quickly, and with very little money spent, consider letter decals!

Melissa Evans Home Accessories, children's room decoration, decals, decorating, decoration, Home, home decorating, home decoration, home improvement, interior decorating, interior design, kids decals, letter wall decals, personalized letter decals, wall decoration

Are you looking for a bright idea to save money, save energy, and join the green revolution? Then look no further than your nearest light fixture!

Its a good bet you are still using the standard light bulbs that Edison invented many years ago. Unfortunately these bulbs are only 10% energy efficient. That means over 90% of the energy you are paying for lighting is going to waste!

It’s time to step up to the future. Compact fluorescent bulbs and light at meeting diode bulbs are superior in almost every way. They are more efficient by a long margin and therefore save you money while reducing carbon emissions.

Here are some of the benefits and attributes of compact fluorescent light bulbs:

1. Just like standard bulbs these bulbs work in standard light fixtures including three-way fixtures and dimmers.

2. They can be used both indoors and out.

3. Fluorescent bulbs are available in many shapes and sizes. This includes traditional shapes, globe, vanity, floodlight, and candelabra shapes.

4. Bulbs are available in a varied spectrum of brightness which resemble natural daylight.

5. These bulbs use only 25% as much energy as incandescent bulbs.

6. Compact fluorescent bulbs cost a little more but last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent bulbs.

7. All of the large manufacturers produce compact fluorescent bulbs. These include Phillips, General electric, Westinghouse and Sylvania.

LED bulbs are a third alternative even more efficient then compact fluorescent bulbs:

1. LEDs have a life 100 times longer that standard light bulbs.

2. LEDs also use only 10% of the energy of a standard lightbulb

3. Flashlights and other battery-powered lights last much longer with LEDs because of their energy efficiency.

4. LEDs are suitable for many applications including Christmas lights, pool lights, nightlights, reading lights, and track lighting.

Just think what a difference it could make if every household in the country switched to energy efficient lighting, such as compact fluorescent or light-emitting diode bulbs! Its a win-win solution — good for your budget, good for the environment, and less housework changing light bulbs!

you can’t buy compact fluorescent bulbs and LEDs just around the corner at any Wal-Mart Home Depot or Lowe’s among other retailers. We are also available online.

Al Arbuckel Finance Accessories, budgets, decorating, electrical, Electronics, Family, Finance, finances, Home, home appliances, home improvement, home repair, lighting, save money, Technology

Chuck Rosenthal’s well known still life paintings in oils and pastels do not eclipse his other work. Indeed, some of his landscapes and paintings of people in local scenes may outshine his still lifes.

Did you ever wonder what the artist thinks of art? Or what the person who painted that painting has gone through to achieve it?

An artist’s statement is the artist’s own write up of what he is trying to accomplish with his art. This is what he says:

“I believe that truly Fine Art encompasses every aspect of the visual experience, from dramatic, or at least, interesting placement of the elements in the painting to the truest atmospheric values within the capability of the artist. All of this is intended to create an impact on the viewer that is so real as to provoke an emotional response. Strong contrasts of form and lighting are an important component.

“Looking at the long view of the development of western art one would see that there is a progression of stiff, awkward drawing gradually developing, over time, into the most sophisticated and articulate forms imaginable.

“Fortunately, traditional values in art are undergoing a revival in our time and I am greatly pleased to be a part of it.”

When the young artist enrolled in the National Academy of Design in New York City in 1963 he studied under Morton Roberts, a well-known fine artist and illustrator. His intention was to learn to draw, in order to become a commercial artist, but that idea was deleted within three months, and Mr. Rosenthal set himself a goal to become a fine artist.

In his first year at the National Academy he was awarded a six-month scholarship to the Academy. Several years later he was awarded the Dr. Weller student prize at the Academy. In addition, though the efforts of Daniel Greene, one of his teachers, he was awarded a scholarship membership in the prestigious Salmagundi Club, America’s oldest arts and letters club, and won an honorable mention in the 1968 scholarship membership competition.

After leaving school the goal of becoming a fine artist was stunted and delayed due to family situations. Although tarnished, the goal was never given up – Mr. Rosenthal continues to study and paint.

The goal of a career in fine art finally blossomed after Mr. Rosenthal left New York City and moved to Clearwater, Florida. Since the year 2000, several awards at local art shows have come his way, including two first places and a third place. One of his paintings hangs at Clearwater City Hall. His pastel work of a local landmark, Clearwater Memorial Bridge was selected for an international juried competition.

Several of his paintings are on exhibit at the Park Place Gallery in Kansas City, Missouri.

Penny Logan Interior Design Art, art works, art world, artist, color scheme, decorate, decorating, fine art, Home, interior design, oil painting, painting, still life, talent