Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Interior home Decoration

Home Interior Decoration is nothing but a practice of restructuring and designing anything that forms part for the interiors, including, walls, doors, windows, furniture, lighting, texture, etc. Interior decoration is a skill that not only needs a lot of intelligence and creativity, but it also requires effort, money and time. While designing the home it becomes important to focus on very tiny bit of information and detail. The imagination must be allowed to run free, and before you can realize, your home would transform in the home of your dreams, right before your eyes!

Prior to drawing any conclusions, check the durability, affordability and feasibility of the options. Some factors to consider while opting for interior decoration are:

Start with deciding on the look you desire to have. Select form calm, rustic, sleek, loud, traditional or modern look. Everything goes well, varying with your tastes and preferences.

Make sure you compare as many options as possible, weighing their advantages, disadvantages, prices, durability, etc. Before settling for anything, do your research well from the magazines, internet, brochures, television shows, etc.

For the perfect look, or to save your own precious time, you may settle for a professional in home decoration. Explain to your home decorator clearly what you desire and what your predetermined budget for this entire affair is.

Ask your neighbors, friends and relatives for their opinions. Their suggestions and experiences can throw light on some very crucial points that may be capable of affecting your decision on any particular given matter.

You may like to consider the Indian art of Vastu Shastra or the Chinese Feng Shui, as you go about decorating your house. These are two extremely popular beliefs that revolve around such techniques that can free your surroundings off any possible ‘negative energy’ that may be prevailing. This idea are said to promote well being and prosperity.

Adding a personal touch to your house is a good idea. You can have crafts work and paintings that you have made yourself. Or you can simply hang some family pictures. It makes your home cozy, refreshing and also inviting. Do it well, and manage it properly so that the place feels full of warmth and love!

And last of all, do not stray form your budget. Always keep your budget in your mind. It is important to keep comparing the various prices of different lightening, furniture, flooring, paints, and all kinds of other things. Check them all out properly, so that you neither forget your budget, nor do you end up opting for something which is not really good enough, quality wise. Though interior decoration tends to be an expensive business, doing to efficiently and well enough can get you a lovely home, without really emptying your pockets on endless expenditures.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Vacation, here I come!!

It's official! I am burnt out beyond belief and taking a vacation! I've been ignoring my little blog lately because I've been moving offices, adjusting to an even longer commute, and have been wrapped up with 'life'. It's the first time in three years that I am taking a week off and it's well over due!

The boyfriend and I are leaving Lodi (where we live) on Friday and taking a little 'tour' of the central California coast. First stop will be Monterey for the afternoon where we plan to visit Cannery Row. Then onto Carmel where we are staying for two nights. Sunday morning we head out early to drive South down Highway 1 along the coast. We'll be stopping in San Simeon to visit Heart Castle (where I plan to take tons of pictures of the beautiful architecture to share with you!) Then onto Morro Bay and Pismo Beach where we will be staying three nights. While in Pismo we plan on going wine tasting, squeezing in some relaxing and beach time, and hopefully enjoy some sunshine. I should be back the end of next week, rested and recharged! Bon voyage!



Thursday, April 15, 2010

Banquette Seating

I am currently working with a client who just purchased his first home. The place is an wreck and needs a lot of work. (Think faux finishes gone wrong, horrible lighting, mismatched trim work, stained carpet, broken banisters, etc.) Right now we are working on making the house livable (new carpeting, painting the ENTIRE house, etc.) so that he can get in the door. Next on the agenda will be new furnishings. My client has a large eat in kitchen that would be ideal for a banquette. I absolutely adore banquette seating, whether it's used in an eat in kitchen, dining room, or family room. It can be configured in a number of ways--L shaped or U shaped and can look as casual, or as formal as you would like. It's a comfortable seating alternative whether it's built in or free standing and can maximize the space you have to work with. Take a look at a few of my favorite dining setups utilizing banquette seating;



























Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Friday, April 9, 2010

Inspiring Plate Walls

A few months back I started picking up plates here and there with the intentions of creating a focal point in my dining area with them. I purchased a few from Ross, TJMaxx and Marshalls, as well as Pier One and Goodwill, and I didn't pay more than $3.00 for a single plate. The assortment is neatly stacked in a corner in my kitchen until I plan to hang them. Maybe I will tackle this project this weekend?! I am not sure of the exact arrangement that I would like to do, but I am finding a lot of inspiration from these photos!


 via Design Sponge


via Belle Maison


via Apartment Therapy


via Apartment Therapy


via Desire to Inspire


via Modern Chic Facebook Fanpage


via La Dolce Vita


via Houzz


via Belle Maison


via Apartment Therapy


via Houzz


via Decorology


via Discover Interior Design


Do you have any plans for the weekend that include sprucing things up around the house? Or will you be outdoors enjoying the sunshine instead?!



Thursday, April 8, 2010

The Innate Chicness of J.A.



Have you checked out Jonathan Adler's website lately? If not, GO THERE RIGHT NOW! I promise, you won't regret it!



It's been updated with all sorts of fun stuff like free wallpaper downloads for your cell phones (titled PDA's-- 'Public Displays of Adler') and a whole new 'juniors' section filled with cutsies for kids. My favorite addition to the website is a link that lets you customize your own pillows, rugs and totes. I could spend hours playing around with the different patterns and colors!








I'm not sure if this is new or not (at least it's new to me!) but there is a stationary section filled with fun and affordable things for your office.



 Hosting a party and don't want to deal with the dishes, but the 'ol Chinet screams tacky?! Solution-- Jonathan Adler paper plates and napkins!



I could literally spend all day on his website. Oh, and did I mention, I'm a fan on his Facebook page? I get "Daily Adlerisms" in my news feeds every day. Somehow, I can't help but chuckle when I open up Facebook and see this:

Daily Adlerism! Walking in your front door should feel like running into your ex-boyfriend and he’s fat.



I know Jonathan Adler's manifesto has been on his site for some time now, but I can't help but smile re-reading it over again:  

We believe that your home should make you happy.

We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right.
Unless the husband is gay.

We believe in carbohydrates and to hell with the puffy consequences.

We believe minimalism is a bummer.

We believe handcrafted tchotchkes are life-enhancing.

We believe tassels are the earrings of the home.

We believe in our muses: David Hicks, Alexander Girard,
Bonnie Cashin. Hans Coper, Gio Ponti, Andy Warhol, Leroy Neiman,
Yves Saint Laurent, and Madonna.

We believe in the innate chicness of red with brown.

We believe in being underdressed or overdressed always.

We believe in infantile, happy emblems like butterflies and hearts.

We believe celebrities should pay full price.

We believe in rustic modernism: Big Sur, A-Frame beach houses,
raw beams, and geodesic dome homes.

We believe in Palm Beach style:
Louis chairs, chinoiserie, Lilly Pulitzer, The Breakers circa '72.

We believe our designs are award winning even though
they've never actually won any.

We believe in Aid to Artisans.

We believe dogs should be allowed in stores and restaurants.

We believe in mantiques - suits of armour,
worn chesterfield sofas, heraldic tapestries.

We believe you should throw out your Blackberry
and go pick some actual blackberries.

We believe colors can't clash.

We believe in blowing your nest egg on our pots.

We believe our lamps will make you look younger and thinner.

We believe in irreverent luxury.











Also available for your viewing pleasure on Jonathan Adler's website is a section labled 'Musings'. All I have to say is that you can't read just one!







If you can't tell already, I am a huge fan of all of his work--interiors, furnishings, decor, pottery, etc. In May I am going to be taking a trip to San Francisco (it's just a short 1 1/2 hour drive from where I live, but I don't get over there nearly enough) to visit the Decorator Showcase House. I plan to stop by Jonathan Adler's store while I'm there in the city. I can't wait!!


Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Wedding Wednesday!

I thought I was going to die when I saw these floating orchids from a bridal shower that was featured on Style Me Pretty earlier this week. This is too gorgeous not to share!





I thought I had never in my life seen anything like this, but then I remembered an image that I had saved in my inspiration files. These flowers hung from a chandelier spruce up an otherwise boring corridor of a church where a wedding ceremony was held.


This is a simple wedding decoration that could easily be done with fresh blooms or fake flowers and some clear fishing line!