Decor-Blog.com

In my mind a beach house is painted white, with a large porch to view the water at sunset. The decor is simple, casual and very user friendly. Children, dogs and waterlogged adults would all feel comfortable in my dream beach house. A large fireplace, to ward off the cold of early spring or fall's creeping chill, perfects my decor. While I am sure my dream house exists on a beach somewhere, actual beach houses are becoming more elaborate everyday. The house at the beach is no longer a simple place to get away. It is an experience in fine furniture, and sumptuous fabrics that rival those found in the most luxurious hotels. Even the upscale rental market is no longer filled with simple beach homes. You can expect granite countertops, designer furniture and plush carpeting when you lease a house at the beach in many communities. Walking in the house with sandy feet is not an option, and the dog is not welcome in these homes.


Current " beach houses" are no where near as rustic nor friendly as my dream house. Increased development of coastal areas has created a much different type of consumer in today's beach communities. Many of the residents are permanent and desire the same luxuries they enjoyed before becoming coastal inhabitants. There are two significant reasons for the increase in coastal development . Moderate weather patterns have allowed more and more individuals to enjoy warm weather living all year round. As recent events have shown us, hurricanes destroy more quickly than man can build. While building technology has improved Man's chances against severe weather, these chances are contingent on infrequent level five hurricanes. If a Katrina hit New Orleans and the southern coast every year, development in these areas would be slowed significantly.

The second reason is one of man's greatest inventions; air conditioning. Air conditioning was invented as early as 1906 but did not become widely used by residential consumers until the 1950's. This invention made tropical zones livable for a wide variety of people. No longer did floor plans need to be open to allow the wind to cool the house. Houses could be built further from the beach and still be livable during the summer months. The oppressive heat and humidity that dominates the weather in many tropical zones, could be relieved by merely turning on the "air". Decorating choices expanded as residents were no longer limited to fabrics and materials that could withstand moisture and heat. The coastal inhabitant was now free to decorate their beach house in spite of the weather rather than in accordance with Mother Nature's whims.

Materials such as teak, bamboo, mahogany, cypress, rattan and wicker are all traditional tropical materials used in building and decorating. Many of these materials are increasingly used throughout the country as the " Tropical Style" is popular in home decor. These materials are weather resistant and well suited to residential use, especially in their natural habitat, the tropics. In a time when a tropical house was designed to catch the prevailing winds and shield itself from the incessant sun, these materials allowed for pleasant living in a climate that was not always hospitable. Today's consumer is rediscovering these materials as the increasing use of bamboo in flooring and other home decor products indicates. While there is an increased interest in tropical design and tropical materials, the best place to see examples of this style may not be the tropics. While tropical design may be popular nationally, it seems to be loosing it's appeal on it's home turf, the beach.

If you are in Miami before December 10, 2006, the House Beautiful Showhouse is open to visitors in Aqua, Miami Beach. Eight American designers have decorated a house with life in the sun as their theme. The designs barely acknowledge the vibrant warm setting of Miami Beach. Nor do tropical materials dominate the designs. Many of the designs seem more appropriate to the East coast than Miami. I do not think this is atypical for today's coastal resident. More and more people are living in the sun year round. The beach is no longer a vacation or seasonal retreat, it is a year round lifestyle. As more people move south, they bring their designs and desires with them. While coastal themes are present in the showhouse, to me what dominates is the incorporation of traditional design elements rather than any expansion of tropical design. The colors, fabrics and materials of the tropics seem to be giving way to a decor that has a more universal appeal.

As the tropical style seems to be moving north, northern style seems to be moving south. Air conditioning allows coastal residents to install plush carpeting and heavy fabrics that are not oppressive in their tropical homes since the air conditioning is never turned off. If you have ever spent time in a home without air conditioning, you will know how much heat plush wall to wall carpeting and thick fabrics retain. Add high humidity, and it is no surprise even European settlers eventually utilized native materials in tropical home decor. These natural restrictions have been removed by modern technology and current tropical design reflects these changes.

You are just as likely to see the decor of a New York penthouse in Miami as you are to see traditional tropical design. While coastal regions seem to scream for vibrant colors and tropical plants, these screams are increasingly being ignored by coastal inhabitants who are no longer forced by Mother Nature to bring the breezes in and keep the sun out. Muted color schemes are just as likely to be found as the brilliant colors that occur naturally in a tropical region.

Scientific inventions often change the way man lives and decorates. While my mental beach house may be the beach house of my dreams, it is not the beach house of today's coastal resident. Today's coastal style is the style of the entire country. Tropical has moved north, and north has moved south. Tropical weather no longer affects design decisions. The styles are blending, and short of a major power outage, I think they will continue to blend. Hopefully tropical style will live on in New York, after it is no longer present in the south. It is a style that has it's own charm, whether it is the decor of a New York apartment or a Key West beach house. I just am a little sorry it is no longer the dominate style of the tropics, since it really looks it's best on it's home turf.

The luxurious beach lifestyle can be yours even if for only a few weeks. Many of the beach houses in coastal communities that do not house permanent residents can be found for vacationers to lease through out the year. These homes have flat screen T.V.s and gourmet kitchens. They may be decorated in a tropical style but it is just as likely you will feel like you are in a New York penthouse if you do not look out the windows. Just remember, wipe your feet and board the dog.

When it comes to decorating a dining room, the scheme will depend on several factors, such as whether it is a separate room or part of another, the existing furniture, the available light and the mood you are trying to create. Your choice of colour or theme could be inspired by your china or curtains - or maybe you need a neutral backdrop for stronger accent colours or interesting furniture. Red is a traditional colour for dining rooms and it does promote an intimate atmosphere, but it can be difficult to live with all the time and is best reserved for separate dining rooms.

Whatever colour combination or theme you choose, stick to it as closely as possible - too many styles and colours can create a cluttered look and will feel claustrophobic.

Seating
It is difficult to estimate how many people you can seat around a table. For a start, it depends on how friendly they want to get, but as a rule 60 cm per person is a good guide. If your chairs have arms, about the width of a pair of crossed arms - or 70 cm by a depth of 35 cm - is adequate for each place setting. Something else to bear in mind when seating people is the position of the table legs. Most of us have spent at least one uncomfortable meal with our legs straddling the table leg.

If you are trying to find chairs for a table you already own, take the height of the table with you when you go shopping. Chairs with arms should fit underneath the table for comfort and to save space. Try to allow 30 cm between the chair seat and the tabletop.

Setting a table
- Most dining is fairly casual these days and when it comes to setting a table for dinner there are no strict rules.
- Set places so that guests are evenly spaced around the table, trying to give them a minimum of 60 cm each.
- Lay cutlery according to the order of eating. The first cutlery to be used should be on the outside of the setting, so that you start at the outside and work your way in. Knives (with the blade facing the plate) and spoons go on the right of each place setting; forks on the left.

Glasses stand on the right above the knives and spoons. Use a wide goblet for red wine or water, a small wine glass for white wine and a smaller version yet for sherry or liqueurs. If you are only using one glass, a stemmed goblet will suffice.

The side plate should be on the left of the place setting and to the left of the cutlery, with the napkin on top of it.

Special Occasions
Decorating a table for dinner is the icing on the cake. Take time to plan what you are going to do and match it to the occasion.

Keep to a theme and follow it through to the china, cutlery, napkins and candles. Be creative: outline each place in ivy; put a fresh flower on each plate; tie up cutlery with ribbon; write out the menu and place cards on handmade paper.

Your theme could be a colour or a birthday. Try painting glasses either to match china or with the name or favourite thing of the birthday person. Use cotton sheeting instead of a tablecloth and dye or paint it. It is cheap enough to use for one special occasion.

A centrepiece can be matched to the occasion. Keep it simple and effective: floating candles and flower heads in a decorative bowl of water; a small group of flowers displayed in tin cans; an arrangement of candles of different heights; a pile of presents; a bowl of fruit to be eaten for dessert. Keep the centre-piece low so that guests can talk easily to each other over the top of it.

For a children's party buy a block of sugar paper and use the sheets as table mats; cover the table with a paper table-cloth, give them crayons and let them draw; tie brightly coloured balloons to the backs of chairs and let them take them home afterwards.

Tablecloths and napkins
Unless you want it to be floor length, a tablecloth should have an all-round drop of 25-30 cm so that it falls a little below lap level and your guests do not get tangled up in it. To a certain degree, a cloth will protect the table, but a felt table pad underneath allows you to put warmed plates and dishes safely on the cloth without marking the table.

Table felt is available from department stores, or look through the classified ads in home magazines for mail-order companies who will cut it to size to fit your table.

With so many pretty paper napkins available why bother with the fabric variety? They provide an opportunity to dress the table and create a little theme on a plate. Be imaginative and use twisted ivy, ribbon, parcel tags, dried flower heads, raffia, beads, copper garden tags and handwritten cards. Personalize each napkin for your guests.

For birthday meals, a little present attached to the napkin with ribbon is a nice touch; at Christmas, tie baubles with curling ribbon. There are loads of things you can do...

Fabric napkins do not need to be expensive. Cut them from remnants to match colour schemes, or make each one different. Scour the remnant bins in shops for unusual fabrics at bargain prices. Dress fabrics are ideal for making napkins as they are designed to with stand regular washing. If you use furnishing fabrics, wash them first to remove any dressing or special finish.

Tips: The simplest decorations are the most effective. Floating candles and a cut flower head in a bowl of coloured water look stunning in the centre of the table.

Dining areas as part of another room

Most dining areas are borrowed from another room, usually the kitchen or living room, but a dining area in a large hall or conservatory is not unusual. New houses are often built with just one room downstairs which has to double as both the living and dining area. So how do you decorate a room that has to serve more than one purpose?

- Create different moods by using lighting and furniture to highlight separate areas of the room while keeping the same colour throughout. Freestanding open shelves can divide a dining area from a sitting area without blocking any light and will provide useful storage space for both rooms. Two large rugs on a wooden floor can contain dining and sitting space within their boundaries.

- Another way to create a separate dining area is by using a moveable physical barrier such as a suspended screen to isolate a kitchen from its storage area or muslin on a curtain track. A re-standing screen will partially separate the table to give the dining area an intimate feel, and can be folded back against the wall when not in use.

- The space under the stairs is often under-used, yet this alcove can make a cosy dining area in a small house. Shelved, it will also provide valuable storage space for crockery and glassware. Another often-forgotten space for eating is the hall. Some older houses and flats have enormous hallways that will easily accommodate a large dining table and chairs. Such an arrangement could create a wonderful entrance to any property.

Many people decide to build a conservatory to give themselves an extra room, but if there is not a separate dining room this would be an ideal opportunity to create one. Conservatories are lovely to eat in and by their very nature have views over the garden and an intimate atmosphere when the sun goes down.

by Lee Dobbins

If you are into the Western decorating theme, you can have a lot of fun using it to decorate your kitchen. In fact, you can take one element of the theme and go crazy with it. For instance, one Western decorating idea is to focus on a Western object like some cowboy boots or a cowboy hat. You can even combine elements and use both of them as your central decorating theme.

You can find all types of decor in the Western decorating theme. Try looking for cookie jars or other ceramics that you can sit out on your counter for an interesting effect. Also look for western themed curtains and light switch covers. One fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon is to scour the local antique shops for Western themed decor. You'll be surprised at the interesting items you can find! You can use browns, red, navy, or cream to pull in the Americana theme to the mix as well.

One great way to pull off the theme is to also look for accents made of unfinished wood. You can often find tables and chairs that actually look like they were made with unfinished logs. These are perfect for a Western decorated kitchen. In addition, you can use photo frames that look unfinished and put pictures of your family or of western mountains and hills in them. You can also find many items made from tree branches or logs as well as items made from deer antlers and items covered in cow hide (either faux or real!)

Another great thing to use is copper or black iron accents. You can get away with either of these. If you have a pot hanger over your kitchen island, you should try mixing both copper pieces and cast iron pieces. In addition, you can even use cast iron skillets or pans as wall decor and hang them accordingly. And don't forget pot holders, tablecloths and dish towels made with Western theme fabrics.

Try your own Western decorating ideas in your kitchen to see exactly what works for you and what doesn't. The Western theme is perfect if you love to constantly feel like you are the "Wild West" or in a log cabin. It can look great in any home if you are consistent with the decor. Using Western style accents on the counters, window treatments, floors and walls will help pull the look together and make you feel like you are rustling up grub for your cowhands on a Western ranch even if you are living in a modern city home!

by Owen Walcher

If you want to be a do-it-yourself plumber, make sure that you have following tools available to you.

Wrenches
There are many types of wrenches, but the two main types that will prove very handy for you as a do-it-yourself plumber are: adjustable wrenches and pipe wrenches.

Adjustable Wrenches
You can open or close adjustable wrenches to fit nuts, bolts of several sizes and fittings that have flat sides. You can find different sizes of adjustable wrenches that may range from 4" to 2' long. However, you, being a do-it-yourself plumber, can do with 10" to 12" handle only. They are good general-purpose-size wrenches. When you are using an adjustable wrench, make sure you have positioned it in such a way that the force applies against the fixed jaw.

Pipe Wrenches
Pipe wrenches are useful when it comes to gripping and turning threaded pipes and pipe fittings. Their adjustable and toothed jaws are specially designed for the purpose. These wrenches are available in various sizes that can range from 12" to 18" in length. Larger wrenches are suitable to fit larger pipes. In pipe wrenches also, make sure while using it, you are applying the force against the permanent jaw, and not the adjustable one.

Pliers
A do-it-yourself plumber must have the following pliers available to him/her.

Rib-joint Pliers
These tools are very handy when it comes to turning pipes, nuts, and fittings. You can adjust the size of its jaw by sliding the pivot along the slot and engaging it at various positions. This way, you can use it to firmly grip objects of various sizes.

Locking Pliers
You can use these pliers for clamping actions. You can use these tools to lock a bolt or a pipe. You can also adjust the size of the grip by using the knurled screw mounted in one handle.

Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers are multipurpose tools. Whether it is changing faucet washers or dissembling plumbing related appliances, these tools come in handy. You must have various sizes and types of screwdrivers available to you. It is better if you have two or three sizes of each standard. If you have a 4-in-1 driver, it can be very useful for you. Make sure that the drivers fit closely in the screw's head, otherwise both the screw and the tip of the driver can be mangled.

Pipe Cutters
A few types of pipe cutters are also very handy for the purpose. There are pipe cutters that you can use to cut copper or steel pipes. Their sharp cutting wheels and adjustable jaw are specially designed for such purposes. Another type is a plastic tubing cutter that you can use to cut rigid and flexible plastic tubing like sprinkle pipes.

Measuring Tape
Sometimes, you need to measure runs of pipe. In such cases, measuring tapes come very handy. When it comes to measuring tapes, a retractable steel tape is the best choice for you. Moreover, it is better if you have a 25-footer measure tape, as you can easily extend its blade for several feet without any support.

Drain Clearing Plumbing Tools
When you face the problem of clogged drains, drain-clearing tools can be very useful for you. Some of the drain-clearing tools include drain augers, toilet augers, hydraulic blow bags, and toilet and sink plungers, etc.

These tools are essential for do-it-yourself plumbing jobs. They are very useful and can make your work much easier.

by Melvin Ng

Shower curtains can turn your drab, dreary bathroom into the showcase of your home if you use creativity and imagination. Even the oldest ugliest tub can be hidden way to some degree by the right shower curtain. Bathrooms were once a utilitarian room within homes and older homes have not paid the close attention to detail to their bathrooms that many of today's homes have. Also keep in mind that avocado green and brown were once the fashion conscious color choices in home decor and you have a recipe for some rather hideous bath fixtures to attempt to hide.

Most people, when first purchasing a home have spent the vast majority of their life savings up until that point in time just getting into their homes. Down payments, closing costs, moving vans all add up to some fairly significant numbers for the average family and bathroom renovations are not always immediately in the cards. It's great to know however that a can of paint and some creative window treatments and shower curtains can make a world of difference in the way you feel about your bathroom.

While some may feel that this is an incredible amount of responsibility to place on a lone piece of fabric, I think you will be impressed at how much more you enjoy your bathroom once you've placed your own shower curtain in colors and tones, perhaps a design that you truly enjoy in your bathroom. By adding a little bit of yourself to the room and covering up something that the previous owner may have left behind, you have already begun the long process of making your mark on the bathroom and haven't really spent that much money in the process.

Shower curtains are definitely an inexpensive way to improve the look and feel of your bathroom. They are also great at hiding the jars of potions and lotions that we tend to keep in our showers. I know that my shower has a happy little collection of bath gels, soaps on ropes, shampoos and conditioners, and all the other fun things that keep us all shiny and squeaky clean-these are the things I'd rather not reveal to the guests who visit our home, thus the true wonder of shower curtains is that they can be pulled shut in order to hide those things (plus a few unseemly and invasive soap scum stains in the event that a child has taken the most recent bath) from the casual observer and if they peek behind the curtains, they deserve what they see.

Whether you are using your shower curtains to make your design mark on your bathroom, to hide some hideous colored tiles or fixtures, or even to hide the common every day signs of life and family coexistence within your bathroom, you are making a wise, wonderful, inexpensive choice in your method of doing so. While price rangers on shower curtains vary greatly, they are generally much less expensive than retiling or putting in new tubs and hardware for those just starting out. Shower curtains are a great way to make your bathroom feel more like home to you and your family.

By Christina VanGinkel

If you are in the middle of any home remodeling projects and you find yourself confronted with any sort of mold, the first step you need to take is to make sure you are not exposing yourself or your family members to any amount of it whatsoever. Mold can be a serious situation that you may need to call in the professionals to deal with. This can be costly to do, but if the mold has spread or the source of it is something you are incapable of dealing with, professional help is the way to go. Untreated mold or mold that is of a serious nature may end up costing you in more ways than just repair bills, as mold can also cost you in terms of medical bills and worse.

However, if after assessing the issue, you find out that the amount of mold is minimal, and you have identified the source of the mold and can fix it, there are ways to deal with it on your own without incurring major expenses that were not in your remodeling budget.

First, be sure you are wearing a protective respirator. You can find a HEPA respirator certified for such cleanup at most home stores, such as your local Home Depot. Be sure it fits properly and covers your mouth and nose. Be sure you understand how to wear the respirator properly, otherwise it will not do its job correctly, and the last thing you want to do is get up close and personal with any amount of mold without proper protection. Rubber gloves and eye protection will also be needed. You want to avoid having your skin or eyes come in contact with not only the mold, but also the cleaning supplies.

Next, consider the source of the mold itself. Is it is on a hard surface, such as the cement of a basement, or is it on a soft surface, say the drywall in your bedroom? From there, find out where the moisture is coming from that is causing the mold itself. Most often, a leaky pipe is the problem, or possibly an overflow from a dehumidifier, or even a constant spillage from something, possibly an air conditioning unit. Fix the source. This is necessary to keep the problem from cropping back up immediately after you deal with the mold. If your roof is involved, this sadly usually means you need to consult a professional(s), especially if a leak has caused mold to sprout up in various locations. You may need to consult with both a professional to fix the leak, and to find out where the leaks have promoted the problem of mold. I once saw a roof that had been leaking into a closet on the opposite side of the house where the original leak was at. There was mold in several different spots throughout the interior of the house, following the water trail that had gone unnoticed for quite some time.

Hard Surface

If the mold is localized, and the source of the problem is fixed, move on to cleaning up the mold itself if you do feel confident that you can handle it. If it is on a hard surface, you will need to clean the area itself and the immediate surrounding area, as mold is not always visible to the human eye, especially as it first leeches out from where its growth first started. Bleach or a commercial solution manufactured for dealing with molds is you best choice. DO NOT MIX CLEANING SOLUTIONS! Be careful when using any of them that you do not cause damage to any surrounding areas. Mix of eight ounces bleach to a gallon of water, and pour into a spray bottle. Spray the whole area, saturating the mold. Depending on how much mold there is, you may use a scrub brush, paper toweling, rags, etc., to mop and clean up the treated mold. Dispose of the debris and all cleaning supplies in a sealed bag when finished and put directly in a dumpster. Do not leave any of it in your inside trash. If you have any staining left, you may wish to retreat with a covering of the bleach or cleaning solutions you used. Let sit for a half hour at a time, and retreat as needed or until you determine that as much of the staining that can be removed has been.

Soft Surfaces

Mold on drywall will need to be cut out and replaced. It is impossible to fully clean mold that has saturated itself into drywall. If you notice a spot on a painted surface, you may be able to wipe it off, but chances are if there is mold on drywall, there is mold behind the drywall. Carpeting can also be difficult to deal with. If you had a small-contained leak that caused a corner of your carpeting to become moldy, for example a small leak from a fish tank, the underside of the carpeting is probably also covered in mold. Try to peal up the carpeting to see how much damage there is. If needed, you will have to cut away the part of the carpeting that has been damaged, clean or even replace the sub floor below it, and replace the carpeting. Many carpet stores can help you match a scrap piece to fill in the damaged area. As mold like this often goes undetected at first because it is off in a corner, you can usually camouflage the spot if your replacement carpeting is not an exact match by placing a piece of furniture over the newly repaired flooring.

Most important of all, do not panic. Mold is a serious issue, there is no way around that fact, and if you find yourself having to call in the professionals, remember that erring on the side of caution is your best bet as mold has many pitfalls besides looks including causing health problems. Bone up on the facts by visiting your local states Department of Health website, as most will point you in the direction of all the information you need.

For many of us who love history, one of the most colorful time periods to study is the Middle Ages. Knights on decorated horses, huge stone castles with flowing banners, and kings and queens with a shadowy past; it was an exciting time. For the true medieval connoisseur, you can actually turn one of your rooms into a medieval paradise. There's a lot more to decorating in this style than throwing some stone flooring down and painting some shields on the wall, however. You can actually make your room look like something out of the 1200s - if it's done properly.

As always, make sure the room is completely empty and get ready to get dirty. Stone floors are certainly authentic and most castles would have had stone floors for hundreds of years. Rugs and runners scattered here and there will both help with the freezing cold of winter and look elegant. Consider red velvet carpet runners or something with a medieval touch like a fleur-de-lis or even something medieval-themed if you can find it. Keep in mind that putting stone floors down will probably be very expensive, but it will make a world of difference.

Walls are probably the most fun part of the room to decorate. There are endless possibilities; portraits of your favorite medieval people in gilded frames (or you can of course use old portraits of actual ancestors) are a great choice. You can hang authentic shields as well; check out medieval sites to find things such as Charlemagne's shield, the shield of Richard the Lionhearted, and so on. You can paint a mural depicting medieval times, but this is time-consuming, expensive, and difficult.

The kind of wall hanging you choose depends on how you are planning to decorate; do you want a medieval *themed* room with statues of knights, wall murals, and other collections pertaining to the subject, or do you want it to actually *look* like a room out of the Middle Ages? If your answer is the latter, I'm fairly certain medieval men and women would not have painted murals of their everyday lives on the walls. It's all about your personal style. Sconces and candles are a great medieval wall decoration, as well as gothic mirrors. Tapestries are a wonderful medieval addition to your themed room.

Personally I never liked the addition of mythical creatures to medieval lore, but if dragons and gargoyles are your thing, feel free to scatter them in with your decor. You can ever find gargoyle doorknockers if you know where to look. If you are decorating a bedroom, a tall four-poster bed, perhaps with a solid-color or tapestry-print canopy, is always a good idea. You can find portraits and sketches straight from the Middle Ages that will show you what beds actually looked like (you can, of course, upgrade the part of your bed that is invisible to most people by adding a comfier mattress than your ancestors would have had). Red seems to be one of the colors most often chosen for a medieval-themed bedroom. Silk and satin would have only been for kings' and queens' rooms, but you can use it if you like.

There is nothing better suited to a medieval-themed room than a suit of armor. I actually saw one at a flea market once for a rather reasonable price (considering what it was). I should have brought it home with me for my travel room; if you are able to find something like this, don't pass it up. It will look great standing in a corner or guarding the door. If the room you're renovating is a hallway or breezeway, consider making a medieval banquet hall and constructing or buying a few suits of armor to stand against the wall.

Look for medieval furniture. You can find gothic-style chairs and end tables, and if you don't like the finish, you can repaint or refinish them. These are usually very expensive but well worth it for your room. Try a cracked look when repainting if you want it to really look old and authentic, but don't overdo it; an antique look can ruin the effect if it's overdone. If you're decorating a child's room in the medieval theme, you can find castle bookshelves and castle-shaped beds. Unfortunately it's very difficult to find castle bedding, but you should be able to find something that works for you.

By Lacie R. Schaeffer