Archive for category Decorating

Decorating Your Windows Beautifully

Posted on December 10, 2011 | Accessories, Decorating.

Net curtains can look absolutely stunning as long as you buy the right style to complement your home. Some people commonly associate net curtains with the elderly and presume that they’re old-fashioned – however, they can look really modern and fresh if you pick the correct style and if you purchase them in a crisp, white shade. For those people who would like modern nets, a plain style is usually advised or one with a subtle, delicate pattern.

However, if a more traditional look is what you’re searching for, the cream shade and more accentuated patterns are ideal – they would look lovely in a traditional style home. They can really help to make a room feel cosy.

A perk to net curtains is that they give an element of privacy to your home. They allow you to see out of but won’t let prying eyes see in – this is a great purchase if you’re concerned about break in’s or if your house contains lot of valuables. Having this added privacy will also allow you to be able to relax more in your home and will ensure that you can rest more easily. Net curtains will make your home feel cosy and let you forget about the outside world, perfect for nights in front of the television.

You could also decorate your windows with curtains – they come in all different sizes, colours and materials so you can find a style that will suit the rest of your décor. Curtains can be quite heavy – which is perfect if you’re looking to keep the heat in and reduce energy bills this winter as they successfully block out drafts. Having curtains will also remove any light from a room (especially if they’re black out curtains) and this is a great feature to have if you’re planning on watching films during the day. Curtains are great and a perfect accessory for you to have are tie backs – they come in lots of different styles, from chunky ones to delicate ones and a wide range of different colours.

Lots of people don’t make much effort with their windows and just stick up a pair of curtains so it doesn’t look bare. However, if you take time to add products such as net curtains and tie backs then you can really make your windows look stunning and make a feature out of them. They can really complement a room and at cheap prices, you can’t really turn them down!

How To Decorate Your Conservatory

Posted on November 6, 2011 | Decorating.

The homeowner has moved into a place with a large, sunny conservatory attached to the south end of the house. It’s empty now because the old owners took everything with them. Three of its four walls are basically made of glass and though the windows and doors can be opened, the room gets a bit hot on warm days. The homeowner assumes they’ll need conservatory blinds. So, after moving furniture into the rest of the house and having a bit of money left over, the homeowner goes to work decorating the conservatory.

Painting

The paint in the room was peeling and bubbling, so the homeowner paints the mullions of the windows, the French doors that opened to the garden and the door that opened to the house a cream color. The brick wall of the house is in good shape, so the homeowner leaves it as it is.

The Floor

The floor of the conservatory was in fairly bad shape. It was a made of black and white lino, but was dented, stained and even torn up in places. The homeowner knew that the floor was going to be subject to sunlight and maybe water so would need to be water resistant and durable. They wanted to go with ceramic tile for its looks, but then realized that ceramic tile is not resilient and can be cold, and the homeowner and their family like to walk around in bare feet. So a green and red vinyl floor is laid down with the tiles laid down in an attractive pattern.

Lighting

The homeowner installs track lighting in the conservatory’s slanted roof and wall lanterns beside the windows of the house and on each side of the house’s door.

Furniture

At the east end the homeowner puts a white wicker settee, a couple of matching wicker chairs with scrolled arms, a curule style chair with a canvas seat and a small, wooden pedestal table painted cream. They decorate the wicker furniture with UV resistant blue and white striped cushions and pillows. Nearby, on the floor, they stack blue and white striped throw cushions for extra seating. They put a long credence against the wall beneath the southern windows. To the west end of the conservatory they add a dining set, with white wicker chairs around a round white dining table. A William and Mary style chest of drawers is put between the house’s door and its western window. The homeowner puts a white, wrought iron park bench beneath the western window. An old, non-working pot bellied stove is placed between the house’s door and its eastern window. The homeowner also installs conservatory blinds to cut down on the direct sunlight.

Plants

The homeowner craves lots of plants to take advantage of the light. So, on the credence they put terra cotta pots of geranium and bromeliads. A pot of bird’s foot ivy goes on the dining table and they hang baskets of baby tears, columns, more bird’s foot ivy and fern plants. They set pots of Boston fern, gold dust dracaena, a couple of weeping fig trees, rubber plants and parlor palms in various places on the floor.