Wishing For Serviceable Counsel On Fake Flower Home Decorations? Winter D?cor

Posted on by laidea architects, interior design

Though each season is fun to decorate for, winter decorations seem to hold a special place in everyone?s hearts. Keep in mind as you decorate with plants and other foliage how the changes in weather and temperature will affect them. Wintry flowers (poinsettias, many white flowers, and a few other species), coniferous plants and elements, and bare tree branches can all be used to create a beautiful winter display. Inevitably your winter decorations will involve Christmas colors and elements, including wreaths and garlands. However, if you're planning to use this decor through the winter season, base your decor design on more generic wintry elements that can be added to during the Christmas season.

Plants as Interior D?cor

One of the best things to remember when you're designing for home silk plants is the size of the plant. For instance, if you are looking to decorate for a kitchen table the best size is around one foot to two feet. Also, look for plants with broad leaves?they look flattering on plants of this size. When you are placing plants in a corner, you will want taller plants with elongated leaves, which lead the eye from top to bottom and back up. Guidelines like these help enhance the beauty of your home. If you want a fresh look without the hassle and maintenance of real plants, choose a high-quality silk plant. They last much longer, they aren?t appealing to insects, and they are easy to take care of.

Designing Wedding Flowers

There are few times in one?s life as thrilling as a wedding. Every wedding can do with some flower decorations to heighten the attractiveness of the ceremony and/or celebrations. Flowers can be used not only as decorations but as part of the ensemble for many people in the wedding. The bridesmaids and women of the family have corsages; the best man, father of the bride, and groom usually have boutonnieres; most important of all is the bride?s bouquet. There are flowers decorating the wedding site and the reception area. If you are a beginning florist or are trying to save money by doing this yourself, the task may seem a bit daunting?and like any daunting task, it is best tackled in phases. As you decide what the overall style of the wedding will be, think about the color, then the types of flowers to be used, followed by possible designs for arrangements. The color is usually a very simple decision as the bride will already be choosing the color or colors for the wedding. When it comes to choosing which types of flowers will be used, the bride may have some strong preferences there. Roses are a very traditional choice. The most difficult decision is often with how the flowers are arranged, because there are so many choices. The best way is often to stick to two or three ?looks? and apply them to all the decorations you use. If you follow these steps, you will do a great job regardless of how practiced you are!

The Benefits of Hanging Plants

No matter the size of your house, adding hanging plants make for a great and non-invasive decorative touch. It is nice to have a good variety of plants in your home?different sizes and different placements make the whole area seem fresh and outdoorsy. Most often hanging plants get placed in a corner of the room, which is a great way to spruce up some of the more neglected, dusty areas of your house. Another benefit is that hanging plants in corners make them unobtrusive?they don?t take up any needed space. It is important to hang your plant correctly so that it does not someday crash to the floor. For very large plant, you will probably need to attach a sturdy hook to a beam in the ceiling. For lighter, smaller plants, plastic and wooden hooks are usually fine, and you can often just screw them in where you want. You have many choices available to you, so look around online or in gardening stores until you find something that fits your home. Whether real or artificial, a hanging plant is yet another tool to use in your home d?cor.

Contemporary Kitchen Design Planning And Tips

Posted on by laidea architects, home improvement


A contemporary kitchen design is by no means a simple matter of throwing together some modern appliances with white countertops and cupboards and basking in a zen-like space. It takes time, careful thought and planning to get the best results and a contemporary kitchen you?re happy to call your own.

Start out by considering the space itself. Do you have enough light, both natural and artificial. A contemporary kitchen will succeed or fail based on the levels of light it fills the room with. Windows and light from adjacent rooms are good natural sources of light, but skylights, mirrors and reflective surfaces will also help. In terms of artificial lighting, don?t just consider a bulb in the middle of the room, get far more creative. Think spotlights, task lighting and even LEDs on your kickboard to add subtle levels of light to your contemporary kitchen.

Make sure you don?t neglect picking out a contemporary kitchen floor. Many people forget about the floor and only make the decision in passing. However, the floor you choose for your kitchen has a dramatic effect on the room?s final appearance. This is something many people only realise until it?s too late. There?s no specific tips for picking out contemporary flooring, but ensure it remains consistent with the furniture and appliances you?re looking at.

When picking out your kitchen, remember that contemporary shouldn?t mean sacrificing functionality. You still need to be able to work in this kitchen and even if it looks great, it will fail if you can?t carry out simple tasks. Another important issue is warmth. Contemporary kitchens have traditionally been labelled cold and sterile spaces. To avoid this label, you might want to inject colour into the room by choosing bold tones for cupboard doors and countertops. Many contemporary kitchens use yellows, reds or greens to create warm spaces that are inviting to work in. To keep things contemporary, use reflective materials like steel, glass and marble to create a sleek and clean finish.

These are just some snippets of advice to help you on your way when creating a contemporary kitchen. There is far more to learn but the finished product will leave you feeling incredib

Egyptian Cotton Bed Linens ? 3 Reasons Why You Want Them

Posted on by laidea architects, interior design


Why does anyone want Egyptian cotton bed linens? The fact is a high quality set of Egyptian cotton bed linens will last for decades and become softer with each laundering. Besides these two compelling facts, three strong reasons are presented below for purchasing the very best in bed linens.

  1. Egyptian cotton bed linen is the smoothest and softest cotton in the world. These qualities are because the cotton in Egyptian cotton bed linens is made from the longest cotton staple or fiber of any cotton variety. Egyptian cotton fibers also have very small diameters or thicknesses. When these long, yet very thin fibers of Egyptian cotton are twisted into small threads or yarns, a strong, smooth yarn results with longer lengths of continuous fiber than the other cotton varieties. Once these thin, fine, Egyptian cotton yarns are weaved into a fabric, the result is a finer textured material which feels very soft and smooth.
  2. Moisture absorption capacity and breathability of Egyptian cotton is great. Moisture absorption and breathability of bedding is important for a sleeping person to stay dry and comfortably while sleeping. During a sleep, a person?s skin gives off small amounts of perspiration, but Egyptian cotton bed linens are capable of absorbing this moisture and transferring it to the air in the room due to the cotton?s ability to breath. By staying dry and comfortable throughout the night, Egyptian cotton bed linens insure a sound night?s sleep despite a person?s naturally perspiring body.
  3. You ? yes, you deserve some pampering and luxury in your life. Although, most people cannot afford the luxury of owning a Mercedes-Benz automobile, purchasing quality, Egyptian cotton bed linens is affordable. By the way, pampering yourself with fine Egyptian cotton bed linens is a better choice than purchasing an expensive luxury automobile. Which do you spend the most time in each day; your own bed, or your automobile? A person typically spends about one-third (1/3) of their life in bed while very few people spend one-third of their life or day in their automobile. Remember also, the softness of fine Egyptian cotton bed linens improves with age and washing, while an automobile typically depreciates and wears out with age and use.

So after looking at these three reasons why you want Egyptian cotton bed linens, please indulge and pamper yourself in the luxury of 100% Egyptian cotton bed linens. Enjoy the softness and smoothness of them against your skin and experience their dry, cozy, and comfortable feeling while you sleep. When considering their long life, the luxury of 100% Egyptian cotton bed linens is very affordable. So splurge a little, and have a great night?s sleep.

Furniture And Interior Decoration

Posted on by laidea architects, interior design


Home Sweet Home, this is something people love to say affectionately for their lovely homes. Everyone used to have some dreams about a perfect house their dream house. People arrange several things to decorate their homes. They take help of Interior Designers, expert painters or architects to make a wonderful and best of the best homes.

Home Decoration

To decorate their home people use several things, some important and some decorative materials only. Furniture's play vital role in interior designing of homes, and these are a necessity for every person. Every part of home needs special furniture like Bedroom, Living Room, Drawing Room, Study Room, and Kid's room all section has different use and importance. Therefore, the furniture should be different for all these different subsections, specially designed to suit your needs exactly.

Furniture Market

The furniture market is being bigger and bigger than ever. The demand for furniture is increasing. People want latest, customized, durable, and stylish furniture for their home to make it unique and more attractive than their neighbours do. The demand for antique furniture is also there, but limited to a particular class because of their costliness.

Earlier furniture market was based on the work by local carpenters only. People used to order them in advance for customized furniture, else used to purchase readymade furniture. Later by the time, the trend changed bit by bit and currently there is huge market demand for designer furniture. There are several well-known designer furniture manufacturers engaged in designing and making furniture according to customers demand, their budget, ease of use and convenience in mind.

The Design Concept

Design is very important in current fashion mad world. People always go behind design of furniture. No matter, how exclusive or durable the materials are, they will not buy a single piece of furniture if design is not suitable to their mood. Therefore, design is the most important aspects. The trend is to use wooden furniture, although teakwood, and sandalwood is also popular but they are very much expensive. Plywood is being used frequently due to its lightweight and humidity and fire resistant nature (present in select types).

If you are also going to build a home for yourself, its time for you to decide about your kind of furniture specially designed to your own home.

Roller Shades Link – Chain Controls

Posted on by laidea architects, home improvement, interior design


When it's time to cover our windows or complete the decorating process, we generally focus mainly on the colors of products available. But keep in mind, there are many differences in the control systems that are employed on similar roller shades. Thanks to these improvements, our window coverings work better and last longer. Roller shades are a traditional window covering, dating back to the late 19th century. With added springs helping to draw them up, pull shades have encountered a formidable adversary: the chain drawn roller shades.

The roller shades with springs can be lowered manually, by pulling on the shade itself, or an attached tassel. To retract the spring roller shade, simply pull at the bottom of the shade, or the tassel if one is provided. However, it is plain to see the problems that may arise with your manually manipulated roller shades.

So in answer to the concerns, developers in the shade industry have created a new kind of operation for roller shades. This mechanism is referred to as chain-driven, or clutches. Chain driven shades are operated simply by pulling the chain that is attached to the top of the roller shade one way or the other to raise or lower the shade. Chains can be produced with durable plastics or with various alloy metals. It may surprise you to know that plastic chains are stronger and more durable than their metal counterparts are. In spite of this, many consumers still prefer metal chains to control their roller shades. The manufacturers of roller shades make good quality shades, since they are aware that both are high quality. They choose usually only on the basis of price, but consider quality and performance too. Their intentions are good.

Time does not permit us to list every benefit of the chain controlled roller shade, so we will name just a few below. One benefit is that you can position the shade more precisely. Just imagine how difficult it could be to adjust a spring roller shade to a precise height. When you position your spring shade, you are very much at the mercy of the spring's "decision" on where it will be. In contrast, you can set the height of the chain roller shade to precisely where you want it.

Another perk to owning chain roller shades is that the roller shade fabric has the potential to remain in brand-new condition, even after years of use. This is possible because you will no longer be physically handling the shade's fabric to raise or lower it. By doing this, you can make your roller shades last much longer. With the innovation of the control chain, you may never have to wash another grimy fingerprint off your roller shade again.

Roller shade chain systems are much sturdier and capable of lifting heavier shades, compared to the spring systems of days gone by. This can be attributed to the variance in springs compared to the roller shades. The new springs have been placed in a sealed case, and these springs help to keep the shade from slipping. This may not seem like a big difference from the spring roller shade, but the new spring shades are not dependent on the weaker springs that came with older spring shades. Innovations in shades have now made it possible to control much larger shades, as large as 8 feet wide and 10 feet tall. Without spring roller shades, these large roller shades would not be possible.

If long-lasting, clean, and large shades are what you want, a chain controlled roller shade may be exactly what you've always wanted. They will maintain the beauty and extend the longevity of your window treatments. Just imagine medicinal developments are beneficial not only for health, but long life and beauty, as well.

The Advantages Of Buying Upvc Doors

Posted on by laidea architects, home improvement, interior design


UPVC doors have become all the rage, as a popular alternative to traditional wooden front doors in houses nationwide. Loved for their hardwearing, stylish properties, UPVC has become the material of choice for new home builders and renovation projects, particularly in suburban areas. But why is UPVC considered such a good material for door construction, and indeed why is it so popular given the fact that many people stull prefer the more traditional wooden style doors for the front of their homes? What are the advantages of UPVC doors and how do they compare to their traditional wooden counterparts?

One of the main advantages of UPVC doors as compared to traditional wooden counterparts is the fact that they pose greater insulation benefits as a result of their construction. UPVC doors are often hollow, and filled with specific insulative materials designed to keep the heat in and the cold out. Traditional wooden doors are less insulated than UPVC models and tend to be constructed of solid wood, which is less energy efficient. In terms of your heating bill and the warmth of your home, you will notice a tangible difference with a UPVC door as compared to a traditional wooden frontage.

UPVC is also a more hardwearing material than wood regardless of the elements, and is normally waterproof which will prevent damp and maintain insulation regardless of the conditions outside. Whereas a normal door will absorb rain water UPVC simple repels the elements to keep you warm and to keep the cold weather conditions outside. Additionally this means that a UPVC door is likely to have a longer life expectancy than a wooden door, leaving you with a less frequent need to replace your exterior door.

A major benefit of UPVC doors is the cost, when compared with traditional wooden doors. Because UPVC is machine moulded to fit the style contours fashion requires, there is less manual craftsmanship necessary to produce the desired outcome. What that means in practice is that whilst you can achieve a solid, stylish door as you would with a wooden counterpart, you end up paying a fraction of the price for the privilege whilst achieving the range of benefits brought on by UPVC.

Of course a wooden door can be a more personalised item and can be considered to be more of a luxury. However when it comes to practicalities there really is nothing that compares to a brand new UPVC front door for value for money, insulation and protection from the weather outside.

The advantages of buying UPVC doors are clear to see, although some people still prefer wooden exterior doors for their own individual reasons - be they stylistic, or practical. Whatever your personal preference, it is probably in your best interests to at least consider the advantages UPVC can bring for exterior doors and windows, with a view to potentially realising the differences between contemporary and traditional door construction for the value of your property and the other practical benefits it can bring

Space Saving Staircases

Posted on by laidea architects, interior design


If you are living in a small home, one of the things you need to consider very carefully is where you can economize on space. One of the things that tends to come up time after time is the amount of space a traditional staircase takes - and the amount of space underneath the stairs that often tends to get wasted in many homes. However, it doesn't have to be like that: you really can do something about changing your traditional staircase for one of the many space saving staircases now available on the market - some of them retailing at quite economical prices. Why is it that the traditional staircase tends to take up so much space, though?

There are different building regulations that relate to various categories of staircases, from private homes to commercial properties; to inside stairways to stairs that are built outdoors. Obviously, in this article, we are talking about an internal staircase within a private home. The regulations appertaining to this incorporates the depth of each tread, the minimum size of each tread, and the most appropriate width for each tread. For a private home the width of each tread needs to be 600mm, with between 170 - 220mm for the rise between each tread. The main stair in a house really needs to be 190mm wide, with an optimum tread width of 800mm.

In some older properties, built towards the end of the 19th century, you often find the staircases are too steep and the treads too narrow for a comfortable footfall, giving you the impression of falling backwards as you reach the top of the stair. This is hardly safe for an elderly person to climb safely, or for a young child to mount. Modern staircases are certainly more attractive but, if you need to be convinced into replacing your old traditional staircase with a modern one, perhaps the emphasis on health and safety could convince you?

One concept for space saving stairs is to keep the stair flight straight so as to minimize the space they take up. In general, this is quite true. Stairs that have turns in them and unnecessary landings as the stairs rise do result in a lot of wasted space below and behind the stairs that you can do nothing with. The exception, however, is the spiral staircase that can look quite elegant, is easy to install, and uses the minimum of space. Detracting from this is the inability for disabled stair-lifts to be fitted - or, at least, I haven't come across one yet. It is also more of a chore to take furniture up and downstairs when the need for moving your furniture becomes apparent - as in moving house.

Choosing a manufacturer who focuses on making staircases for small spaces, such as Mobirolo, an Italian manufacture, you can choose to float your new staircase, incorporate modern materials such as aluminum, or plump for an elegant spiral staircase. Mobirolo have been making staircases exclusively for over 50 years. Their ranges include designs by Spiral and self-assembly kits including their Fusion range, plus Stilo, Venus, Optima and others. In fact, choices today are quite varied and, unless you proactively choose to keep it, you no longer need to climb that wooden hill to bed.

The Forecast Is Bright: Infuse Your Home With Color

Posted on by laidea architects, home improvement


Every year when summer rolls around people look to brighten and refresh their homes with the bold, fun colors that represent summer flowers, sunny days and the outdoors.

One of the easiest ways to bring new and seasonal colors into the home is with professional custom framing. Changing the matboard and framing of artwork is a nice option to make a room feel new again. Add some matching pillows or accents and suddenly the room is fresh and new, says nationally recognized interior style consultant Barbara Schmidt.

Home design TV shows have really increased people s interest in interior design over the past few years and they ve realized the importance of color in the home, says Schmidt, whose work has appeared in Architectural Digest, In Style, Elle D?cor and Metropolitan Home.

Schmidt recommends visiting a professional custom framer for a personal consultation and a variety of ideas on bringing new color into the home with custom framing. Professional custom framers nationwide carry a wide selection of matboard colors, great tools, like the Crescent 2006 Color Trends Forecast, and are trained to help customers choose the best colors to accentuate the artwork and their home.

New in framing for 2006, Schmidt recommends bringing in layers of colors -- not just a single color. Says Schmidt, People are more and more sophisticated when it comes to color and decoration. You can t just throw up plain artwork anymore and have it look like it s a finished room. You really need to look at your color scheme and bring complementary or blended colors into your framed art.

No matter the color, Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, realizes the power color can have in home design and framing. Color speaks in different ways, so people should choose colors they are naturally drawn to and that feel right.

Enticing Bathroom Fittings For Refurbishing Bathroom Interiors

Posted on by laidea architects, interior design


Soothing and relaxing theme of bathrooms add extra elegant feature. With a touch of sophistication and grandeur, perfect colour scheme and right designs transform bathrooms into a perfect relaxing haven for bathing and body care.

Modern technologies and hi-tech machines adopted by various companies aid in designing and developing an outstanding collection of bathroom d?cor accessories that suit traditional as well as contemporary bathroom settings. Showcasing one?s aesthetic taste, a sleek bathroom reflects incredible luxury. Enticing bathroom fittings such as taps, showers, basins, towel holder, etc., these play an undeniable role in enhancing the overall d?cor. Ideal for both domestic and commercial purposes, these are extensively used in hotels, restaurants, homes, resorts, hospitals etc. Various voguish accessories and fittings help in developing a modish bathroom setting. These are designed in compliance with the international standards and are known for innovative designs, finishes, lustre proof, abrasion resistance, corrosion resistance and durability.

Showers play an indispensable role in bathrooms. These are ideal for a daily refreshing bath as well as for relaxing weekends. Available in different varieties such as air, electric, steam, power showers etc., these suit the present day need and taste. Offering convenient usage for all, the wide array of showers present finest reward to bathrooms. Gessi Showers with alluring appeal and designs not only enhance the design concepts of bathrooms but also offer pleasing visual effect. Featuring uniform water release these showers offer a soothing and relaxing bathing feel. Besides, shower screens also are a functional part of bathroom. These prevent water from flooding, splashing or spraying into the bathroom and are made from vinyl, cloth, plastic or glass material.

Selecting proper fittings and accessories with better functionalities enhance the design concept of the bathrooms. In fact, these can immensely affect the d?cor of the room and offer a lively start for the day.

Choose An Elegant Drink Coaster Made Of Stone

Posted on by laidea architects, home improvement


The most absorbent drink coaster is one made of stone. There are many different types of sandstone coasters you can purchase for the purpose of providing a base on which your guests can rest their drinks to avoid the moisture from collecting on your furniture and marring the finish. Coasters made from absorbent stone have a cork or rubber protective bottom so that they won?t scratch your furniture and keep the drink from sliding off.

A drink coaster made from Indian sandstone contains an explosion of colors that will complement any room decor. The trail of colors shows the stone in a smooth texture. Experience the colors of shifting sands or a complex pattern of hues that present a stunning visual effect. Other options in this material for drink coasters include ruby red coasters that give the impression of desert sand. You can also choose neutral colors that will not overpower your decor but blend in naturally with the wood on which they are placed.

A marble drink coaster is very elegant. The colors are reminiscent of ancient times, since this stone itself has existed since before history. These coasters are hand crafted and polished and if you look closely you may be able to see traces of fossils in the surface. There is a wide range of options for you to choose from in this variety from having coasters with images of clouds in the stone to those that are fiery red or midnight black.

Natural slate is also a popular material used in the manufacture of drink coasters. Since slate forms in layers in the environment, each drink coaster may have slightly different colors. This is due to the collection of chemicals present at each stage of the formation of the slate. Each layer seems to blend into the other creating seamless lines of color that present a very elegant surface. Two of the most popular coasters in this stone are those made from African slate and Indian slate.

A drink coaster made from limestone is also very absorbent. You can see the weathering of the rock in the colors of the stone coaster. A golden color will make you think of bright sunny days in the depths of winter while one that is blue-gray in color will help you recall images of the ocean and soft summer breezes.

Some forms of stone are more porous than others and thus will hold more of the liquid that condenses on the outside of the glass. Most of the manufacturers do coat the surface with varnish to add a protective coating on the stone, but this does not detract from its absorbent quality. Some of them are really expensive when made from imported stone and can become collector?s items. A drink coaster made from Chinese slate, for example, seems to look like a map of the earth with darker brown sections that look like the continents.

One thing that you have to be careful about when you buy a stone drink coaster set is that you cannot put these coasters in the dishwasher. Although they do need to be cleaned for them to retain their absorbent and porous qualities, you only need to wipe them off with a damp cloth. If you do need to give them a more rigorous cleaning to remove stains, make sure you do not use a harsh detergent and let them dry in the air.