Posts Tagged ‘Decor’
May 14th, 2011 | 
Author: A home office is a sacred space that can either be designed and decorated to inspire and increase productivity or just crammed in a closet in the hopes that burrowing oneself away will prevent distraction and things can be accomplished. However, psychologically speaking, the design of a home office is vital to the work that is created within the walls. The design flow can literally expedite work and create a space that is enjoyable to work in, which in turn creates better, more creative work.
When decorating a home office, start with the basics. The desk, filing cabinet, printer, fax machine, and all other pertinent work space materials should be the focus of the room. By placing the desk where work space will be optimized (such as in front of a window for some and away from the window for others) the room can be created to draw away from the desk. From there, creative inspiration becomes the key focus. This isn’t just for those who are in creative fields. Creative inspiration works just as well for the business person as it does the writer, the inspiration is different. After all, we all work for a goal. By interweaving that goal into our workspace, we can create more efficient places to work because we’ve given ourselves a psychological advantage by surrounding our psyche with décor which motivates us.
To draw the room together as more than just a collage of inspiration, home office décor should also correspond with each other. If you choose a classic theme and add to the décor with classic nautical pieces, the entire room should reflect the same theme. Using one piece of classic nautical and one piece of new age and so on only creates confusion and in-cohesiveness, which psychologically detracts from the room’s inspiration. Additionally, a home office is used for peaceful working on projects that are not motivated by monetary gain, such as personal journaling, reading, and self improvement. A chaotic home office is really not conducive to this sort of creative energy.
Lighting is vital in any room of the house, but a home office that is dimly lit is very unhealthy for the eyes. While overhead fluorescent lighting will make it seem too much like the office away from home, a few strong, preferably adjustable lights can add to the décor while providing adequate lighting. Three way floor lamps work well while you are off hunting the perfect lighting for your home office. However, floor lighting generally doesn’t provide direct lighting over a keyboard or desk. Pendulum lamps can be positioned to add to the room while providing good overhead lighting. Fortunately, pendulum lighting is becoming sleeker in design, which is very good for home office décor.
When piecing together your home office, go with what “speaks” to you in a calming yet inspiring manner. You can really make a home office personal and somewhat private, as very few people include the home office in a home tour. If you want to be surrounded by play and fantasy, a few pewter dragons can add class to the fantastic. At the same time, if you want to be surrounded in watercolor paintings of the beach, then you can bring the beach home to you. You can even add a driftwood sand box to a corner of the room and offset it with shells if that what makes you feel like you’re in your prime. We can not always surround ourselves in the world that soothes us and makes us feel at peace. The home office decorating quest is a perfect place to allow the décor to take on a world of its own.
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Ashley Furniture New York was founded in Chicago, Illinois and Goshen, Indiana. Their popularity and growth has grown amazingly over the years. In 1970 they established another branch in Wisconsin as ‘Arcadia Furniture’. Arcadia Furniture and Ashley Furniture merged into one big company in 1976 and retained their old brand name, ‘Arcadia Furniture’. In 1987 Ashley introduced Millennium as their single biggest launch. First Ashley Home Store was opened in Anchorage, Alaska in 1997. In 2003 Ashley Home Stores were recognized as furniture-chain in today’s furniture and also listed among ‘Today’s top 100 furniture retailers’ and at the same time opened their 100th store. Year 2004 brought the second consecutive year for Ashley for being the fastest growing furniture store chain.
Ever since then Ashley Furniture New York has remained the top most furniture manufacturers not only in Unites States but all over the world. Ashley now distributes more than 4000 jobs with their stores opened worldwide. Apart from United States, Ashley Home Stores are in Canada, Mexico, Central America, Puerto Rico and Japan and their source is known as Ashley Home Store LTD. This furniture company is now world’s leading company and works not just to provide quality furniture but fund-raising for betterment of community is just another facet of Ashley.
Talking about facets, this is surprisingly a very refreshing trend set by Ashley Furniture New York to use recycled material for their furniture. It just proves the reliability and importance of Ashley furniture more and more. By taking a look at the excellent quality furniture being produced by Ashley, nobody can deny the durability and beauty of Ashley furniture. Ashley owns more than 87 acres of green leafy wetlands and utilizes 100% recycled wood. Their products also carry water-based finishing, reducing solvents.
This is very true if one says that Ashley Furniture New York are marketing in not only their furniture but are also featuring their trademark as being bearers of cool and friendly environment. Through Ashley a number of communities have gained better lives with their continuous charity and fund-raising programs. With more than 400 independently owned and operated locations in United States alone Ashley surely satisfies their clients through and through. Ashley often offers great bonus discounts to their customers. Who can resist such tempting furniture and that too world’s top brand? Certainly Nobody!
Furniture is something that is perhaps bought once in a life-time. It is no doubt everybody’s necessity but often quite expensive. Ashley Furniture New York proudly sell this commodity with a very reasonable range, so as to increase their number of clients and quantity of products without harming the environment as their products are formed with recycled materials. Recycled materials automatically create a drop down in price with more and more people getting to enjoy the luxury of Ashley Furniture.Make the most of the discount offers given by Ashley. Remember every product of Ashley is first tested and then sold. Comfort and quality is Ashley.
Every wall of your house has a story to tell. The wall decor boasts about your taste and makes a style statement to everyone who pays a visit to your place. The way we stylize and decorate our home can make a lasting impression. This makes it important for you to concentrate on home decor art for your house as it portrays your uniqueness and knowledge about art.
We all wish to have everything perfect for the place we love so much. Our home is very special and when we put in so much effort in building it then why stay behind in decorating it the best. Home decor art is the first priority we should have after settling on the major furniture selection for the house. Before buying any piece of home decor art keep these four factors in mind. The art decor selection greatly depends on your style, the interiors of your house, on your personal art choice and finally the budget.
Different people have different choices. Some like antiques and unique pieces of art while others may like more of contemporary style. Same way some may like to choose real piece of art and go in detail to scrutinize the art values and others may buy home decor art for the sake of it, based on their likes and dislikes. There are varieties available for both the sections of people. In fact there many pieces of art which are designed to suit both your house decor as well as look artistic.
Personal preference has a great part to play on what kind of art do you choose to decorate your walls. Whatever style of art you choose fine arts or mosaic art, make sure it blends well with the rest of the room so as to increase the overall looks of the room tenfold.
Wall art is indispensable when it comes to home decor art. They are the most cost effective option for those looking for good items on minimal budget and offers myriad of options in designs, patterns and art work. Wall art, today, is printed and designed on various materials. Wood, metal and canvas have been the most popular medium of displaying true art. Selection of these wall art pieces again depend on the theme of your room. Also the kind material the wall art is made of, wood or metal, can add different element to the room.
At the end of the day, what ever home decor you choose, it is all about yourself. Never choose a piece of art for purely investment purpose. Let art be for art sake. Only then will you be able to do full justice to art as well as your interiors. It is not always necessary that the home decor art you choose should go exactly with the rest of the room – it can either be contrasting or complementing. Overall, color and composition is what’s more important.
The newest trend for decorating your house? Modern home decor. While some may think of contemporary decor as minimalist and kind of cold, it’s not true! The styles offered today for modern home decor are welcoming and warm without being dark and busy. There are basic guidelines to follow if you’re interested in updating your house to a modern home décor style.
First, know the basics that define modern home décor: simplicity, clean lines, and subtle sophistication. Instead of putting objects on display, rooms styled with modern home décor focuses on the room’s space, making the interior of your home fresh and sleek.
When it comes to color, modern home decor focuses on neutrals, white, and black. But that doesn’t mean that your home has to be boring! A popular way to introduce color into the picture for a contemporary home is to accent the rooms with bold, bright accessories. Dress up a neutral-colored couch with a pair of bright red pillows, for example. Or paint the walls a bright, bold color and then keep all of the furniture and accessories in neutrals.
One of the most distinctive elements of modern home decor is the use of line and space. Many lovers of the contemporary style prefer homes with high ceilings and bare windows, and they may accessorize a room with geometric-shaped wall art. Even the bare space on the walls, in between furniture and art, is important in modern home décor. Keep this basic rule in mind when approaching contemporary styles: less is more.
These are just a few things to keep in mind when decorating your home in the modern home decor style. To review: neutrals rule the rooms, but bold and bright colors provide a punch; and when it comes to wall art and objects in a room, less is more. The focus is on the space, not on the objects! Now go have a blast redoing your living area in the modern home decor style!
Greetings friends! It’s hard to believe another year has passed, but we know what that means. Every New Year brings new design trends and 2007 is bursting at the seams with them! Every week I will publish one of my top five favorite emerging trends in design and décor world for 2007, I hope you find it helpful and inspiring.
Innovative ideas, retro styles, and effervescent colors are arriving on the scene as we speak (or read). Whether you are ready for an updated look, or even if you just completed your project, there is something for everyone in the coming year.
These are my top five favorite emerging trends in design and décor world for 2007:
1. DIY- Do It Yourselves, girls and boys! Now, you’re thinking, “why would any designer exploit this idea?!” Well, let me just say that everyone is worthy of beautiful surroundings. Truth be told though, personal designers can be pricey! Now there are a lot of situations where we should leave it to the professionals, but not in every case. With numerous programs, blogs, and publications sharing great ideas with the general public, there is no reason not to be taking advantage! I was just at Lowe’s the other day and I picked up a great book called 1001 Paint & Color Ideas. I have only done a minor amount of faux finishing in my lifetime, but in about 2 hours the backsplash of my new kitchen had a mosaic finish! I think the whole project probably cost me ! Faux finishing is one of the many DIY projects available! Just keep your eyes and mind open to new ideas, and let your creative side free!
2. Understated lines are where it’s at! Open any number of home magazines, walk into a furniture store, or just watch your favorite sitcom! Whether it be sofas, occasional tables, or patterns on rugs, designers are leaning towards simple, not-so-busy designs. I believe the roots of this trend directly correlate with the chaos that our every day lives can bring. When we are at home we want to feel relaxed and comfortable. Simplicity in your décor can and will do that for you. Also, if you are an art enthusiast like myself, you will find that even the most dynamic piece of artwork (Klimt is one of my favorites) will fit perfectly in an otherwise calm and uncomplicated space.
3. Little changes make big differences! So many people concentrate on the bigger aspects of design to give a room a makeover. What they don’t realize is that the little things can make such a big difference! Drawer pulls and knobs, pottery, artwork, mirrors and one of my most recent favorites-unique headboards! I am a huge fan of Japanese style! So, when my husband and I moved into our new apartment a couple weeks ago, one of the few things that we didn’t need to buy was a bed frame. I love the idea of a bed on the floor–it’s easy, and it’s great feng shui! One thing that I have really been looking into is creating a unique headboard. There are some fabulous ideas for this! For example, find a horizontal piece of artwork, frame it to fit the width of your mattress and hang it on the wall above your bed (leave about 6 inches between the top of the mattress and the bottom of the work). Or, buy a number of blank, ready-made canvases and paint them the color(s) of your choice. Then, hang them on the wall in a level row (or do several rows) behind your bed (the same concept can be used by stretching fabric over the canvases). One of my favorite ideas is to use a Japanese screen as a headboard. There are numerous styles! Just pull your bed out a bit from your wall to allow the screen to bend at the hinges.
4. Comfort through color is the essence of a great décor. Many people are not aware of just how big of a role color plays in surrounding. The color of a roomaffects a person mentally, emotionally, and physically. This year the forecast seems to be leaning towards finding comfort and stability in unpredictable times. The environmental crisis is an issue that we cannot continue to ignore, and the design industry was one of the first to take it on board. This year the color forecast is directly affected by earth friendly concepts. “There’s more interest in organic products, yoga and Pilates, recycling, and conservation of fuel and fresh water.” (Becky Ralich Spak senior designer, Color Marketing and Design, Sherwin-Williams) Natural greens, blues, and golds are finding their way into homes as well as fashion, automobile, and web design. Think the Impressionists-Cezanne, Monet, and Manet. Sherwin-Williams forecasts colors like Naval, Inland, Sapphire, Gallant Gold, and Raindrop for this palette. Another beautiful palette brings comfort with cultural perspective. Influences from Eastern cultures bring warmth and creative influence into our homes. Bold and rich colors like maroons, plums, and oranges may seem risky to put together, but when you look at Eastern prints and fabrics, they couldn’t be a more beautiful combination. Still not convinced? Check out Modigliani, Klimt, and Degas who all blend rich and bold to create masterpieces. Sherwin-Williams forecasts colors like Marooned, Gingery, Aurora Brown, and Fine Wine for this palette.
5. Give me personal space! It seems like no matter what our clients’ style may be, they are always eager to fit their intimate belongings into the space. There has been a turn from the standard matchy-matchy décor. This year the industry expects people to go more eclectic, adding heirlooms, artwork, antiques, and ‘forgottens’ in the attic to even their most prized rooms. To reiterate from before, people are intrinsically looking for comfort. These times are fast, impersonal, and mass-produced. We deal with enough of that at work, and the general public doesn’t want it at home. So, take a gander in the attic, under the bed, or in that old closet that hasn’t been opened for five years, you may find something you like!!!
Well, can you see the general focus of these 2007 trends? People are interested in becoming more at one with their homes again. Rather than the cold, catalogue, show home look of the past, homeowners are focusing on what makes them feel comfortable in their space. Where is the pride in a beautiful home that you cannot unwind in? And what gives us more pride than playing a part in creating our own surroundings? Be open, creative, and make a home that makes you feel good! Happy New Year!