Monthly Archives: July 2013

The right drapes or blinds can do more than bring a room together visually. They can also be a great way keep your home at a comfortable temperature throughout the year. With a little planning and know-how, your window treatments can help you keep cool in summer and warm in winter, and they can do it all while still looking stylish.

Controlling light controls heat
One of the main functions of any type of window treatment is to regulate the amount of light - and therefore heat - entering a room. This means that knowing when to keep your windows covered or uncovered is one of the simplest ways to influence the temperature. In summer, keep all blinds closed or curtains drawn during the daytime. In winter, on the other hand, you should leave any windows uncovered that receive direct sunlight. During the day, cover only the ones that don't face the sun. At night, cover all of them in order to keep as much heat inside as possible.

However,

If you're thinking about updating your style with new window blinds or rugs, don't throw away the old ones just yet. With nothing more than some scrap fabric - such as what you might salvage from curtains, drapes, or even carpeting - you can create a custom art mat to frame any picture, in colors and designs that may be hard to find in stores. All it takes are a few simple steps.

Make your own mat
You can create your own mat from scratch using a rug or carpet square. Before you start, though, make sure that the color and texture of the rug look good with the artwork that the mat will be framing. When deciding on the size of the mat, keep in mind that small art often looks more impressive in a wider frame, while large pictures may not need as much of an edge.

To create the inside window of the mat, carefully

Can't find the perfect ottoman design to complement the theme in your room that you are designing? How about creating your own by simply just stapling a rug or fabric on top! This easy project just requires four materials: an ottoman, heavy-duty shears or scissors, a staple gun and a rug.

Pick out the rug 
Make sure that the design of the rug complements the rest of the colors and themes in the room. A busy design can pair well with simple textured or pleated shades and basic draperies.  It is also important to measure the ottoman and find a rug that is larger than the dimensions so that you can cover the fixture completely and fold it under, in order to staple it together. The ottoman can be any color

You may be tempted to think of area rugs as old-fashioned, boring, or purely utilitarian, but nothing could be further from the truth. Here are a few simple tips for tapping into the functional and beautiful potential of rugs that you may never have considered before.

Hanging out
One of the most basic but effective tricks you can try is simply to move the carpet off the floor. After all, what's stopping you from making it into a work of art? This type of wall hanging is essentially a tapestry, but you can modernize this idea by choosing a rug in a bright, solid color or with a vivid pattern to liven up a sleek, contemporary space. Feel free to hang multiple rugs together in an interesting pattern, or turn them at unusual angles. You can use a rod to hang them by their top edge to create a tapestry effect.

When deciding where to place a rug, the sky's the limit - or maybe just the ceiling. Turn

Sick of staring at an empty hardwood staircase? Get in touch with your artistic�side and add some color to the steps. Make sure that when remodeling your staircase your new theme matches your current decor such as keeping your�wall colors and�windows and draperies�in mind. �All projects can be done on your own, so there's no need to hire outside help.�

Vacation or location tribute wall
Collect different signs and artwork from vacations and special places and hang them up on the wall alongside the staircase. Dig up all of the old postcards from your travels and make a collage to pin up. Frame old scenic landscape photographs from the trip, and you will be reliving the vacation with every step that you take. �

Vintage family tribute wall
Print some black and white photographs of your loved ones in all different sizes and frame them to hang them up along the walls leading up to the next floor.

It's not too late to take advantage of 2013's design trends. This year has been marked by a move away from plain, bland design and a greater emphasis on saturated color schemes, fun and graceful patterns, and sophisticated designs that combine vintage and modern elements. The shift towards brighter, richer colors is one of the most notable�trends. Here are just a few of the elements that designers are in love with this year.

The brighter, the better
As video technology gives us higher-definition screens and�vibrant colors in our television and movies, more people are also eager to see brighter hues in the rest of their home. Even a pop of color in a rug or roman shades can provide energy and interest.

One brilliant shade you can take advantage of is Pantone's color of the year, 17-5641 - also known as emerald green. This rich, beautiful color works

Redecorating your home with an invigorating splash of mint is sure to help cool you down this summer. The hue made an inspired comeback on the runways last summer, and has remained popular ever since. The look�conjures up the energy of the swinging '60s, is�post-modern and entirely fresh. Here are some tips for decorating with mint.�

Minty fresh walls
While mint may seem like a bold color, it goes on walls easily, without being too jarring. Simply pair it with neutrals to tone it down. The pigment looks amazing with black and white, or any variation of. Just picture a romantic mint room with sleek, dark blinds and shades and white windowsills. It's also the perfect color for a bathroom - soothing, and fantastical. Match mint ceramic tiles with onyx-colored ones and white accessories�and you've got yourself one�retro chic commode!

Rooms with a side of mint

The big thing on Pinterest these days is a room decked out in white and gold. The color combo screams luxury, because it offers�a mix of Cleopatra and modern day California. Here's how to introduce�the trend in your home.

Custom window treatments
By using bright white drapes and gold-colored hardware, you can hop on this fad naturally. After all, drapes require hardware, and there's nothing unusual about white drapes. Since the look is so casually implemented, you'll have no trouble working it into your existing decor. You'll be surprised at how much shiny new window treatments brighten a room!

Furniture
Have you ever wanted a throne of your own? A hot white chair with gilded legs can be just that: The perfect addition to your castle. If you're worried about stains, toss a white slip over your existing furniture and top that with a throw with metallic thread. Remember, spray paint can be an inexpensive way to help you transform your

Post-Fourth of July sunburn keeping you awake? It takes a serious AC unit to completely rid your bedroom of the insufferable heat, and even then there's still that sticky, humid feeling�to contend with. Fortunately, your interior design can help. Stow your flannel sheets and red paint in the closet - this is the time of the year for a total cool-down bedroom makeover.

Custom window treatments to suit your needs
Sure, avoiding reds and yellows in your decorating will make you feel cooler, but choosing a set of energy efficient window treatments will actually help to lower the temperature in your home. First of all, it's important to keep your blinds and shades closed tight during the day or when the room is not in use. Otherwise, the sunshine will filter into your room and heat up the air. Natural light is a great decorating tool, but when the air isn't circulating and no one's home,

The fall semester is fast approaching, and�whether this is your first year or you're a seasoned student, you may have started hunting for dorm decor between barbecues and trips to the beach. Stores often provide helpful checklists for what you'll need, and while they often are on the right track, they tend to steer you toward low-quality designs. Though these items are inexpensive, and it's important to save money for the impending living expenses you'll have during the next year, chances are you'll end up tossing the cheap stuff after graduation. In the long run, investing in well-made home furnishings�will be�a wise decision. Here are some things you may want to consider buying to make the post-grad interior design transition a breeze.�

Decor
Custom window treatments will be a welcome departure from the dull shades that come with the dorm, and will better fit in what are frequently uniquely-shaped windows. Not to mention�the typical window treatments found