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Creating a sumptuous expensive and look for your home can more often than not prove to be, well, expensive. The key to achieving this kind of feel without falling out with your bank manager is through accentuating the ordinary with well chosen details and accessories. Available in a variety of shades and grains, wooden blinds are an affordable way to add an element of luxury to your home. With wood being a timeless symbol of taste and decadence and blinds an up-to-date style statement, the combination of the two creates a unique and eye catching solution for window dressing.

Wooden blinds are also the perfect foil for the minimal look. Minimal is great but can sometimes look clinical and lack warmth without some natural elements. Not only will the natural wood soften a minimal look it will add some much needed texture and break up the snow storm of pure white. Cleverly, they also work in reverse. By adding wooden blinds to a traditional setting, their clean modern lines will update the feel of the room whilst still fitting in due to their wooden make-up.

Bringing the outdoors into your home is a reoccurring amongst interior designers of late. Moving to America’s Rocky Mountains and leaving the back door ajar for passing grizzly bears is one way of doing this; a much safer and certainly more design conscious method is through wooden blinds. The real beauty of them I that they allow you to choose just what type of outdoor scene you want. A blonde wood will give a very Scandinavian feel to your home. This alpine freshness is perfect for those wanting to keep rooms airy and light. Dark wood blinds on the other hand, bring all the mystery and charm of an English woodland scene whilst maintaining a modern look through the clean linear pattern of the blinds.

However the crisp, repeating pattern of the blinds is not there solely to look pretty, it actually serves a very functional purpose. The slat blinds can be angled an infinite number of ways which effectively gives you complete control over the amount of sunlight you want coming in through your WINDOWS. From full on sunlight to an indirect glow to a complete blackout, wooden blinds offer total freedom.

Sitting close the window in the recess of the sill, wooden blinds are completely ornament friendly as, unlike curtains, they don’t need to been drawn. The fact that they can be easily wiped down or pulled up to allow the window behind to be cleaned means wooden blinds are perfect for the modern lifestyle where we seldom have the time for anything more than a quick dash around the home with a cloth and a vacuum.

With wooden blinds there are no sacrifices to be made, they are both beautiful and practical, they require minimal upkeep and are both modern yet made of traditional a material. Like all blinds they are simple to hang and once up they are long lasting. Not only will they readily fit into any scheme, more often than not they will actually enhance it.

Terry Henman
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/wooden-blinds-the-natural-choice-702520.html

The bedroom is in some ways the most important room in the House. It is the sanctuary away from the troubles of the world, the ultimate escape from day to day life. Behind closed doors in the bedroom, problems can be forgotten. To create a setting for restful slumber, think about what colors and styles produce the greatest happiness and peace of mind. In your bedroom, you can have the off the wall decorations you’ve always wanted. The bedroom is private, so the interior design of your bedroom is all about you.

Your bedroom does more than just serve the need for a place to sleep. It accommodates you at all times of day, providing space for reading, studying, watching TV, talking on the phone, eating, and using the computer. Because of this, the bed is no longer the primary piece of furniture in the bedroom. Bedroom desks, large nightstands, or a television might be a better focus for your bedroom interior design. If you watch a lot of television in your bedroom, you might want to consider a chair and ottoman for more comfortable viewing.

If you like to read in your bedroom, you should pay special attention to the lighting in your bedroom. Dim, moody lighting may be restful, but it will cause eye strain when reading. The lighting should be at a level where you do not accidentally shade it, and tall enough to shine light on the book or magazine. Bedroom interior design professionals suggest that when using lamps in the bedroom, the lower edge of the lamp shade should be around eye level when seated.


Remember to choose colors that you find restful when decorating your bedroom. Exciting colors such as red should be avoided unless you personally find them comforting. Strong colors have been said to promote insomnia. Designing your bedroom interior with a splash of a bright color will liven up a room, but it should not be allowed to dominate.

Layered curtains in the bedroom are and excellent interior design choice. This allows you to wake up to filtered light, open the curtains for full light, or black out the room for naps and sleeping in. Blackout lined draperies will protect you from morning sun, whereas sheers or thin blinds will filter light for a gentle glow in the morning. Bedroom interior design has many options, and can be tailored to your personal preferences. The bedroom should be your sanctuary, and it is important to feel comforted and restful when you are there.

Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/interior-design-ideas-for-a-beautiful-bedroom-126161.html

A home theater is no small investment, particularly if you are going for a good quality home theater. With that in mind there are many mistakes that people make along the way when it comes to their home theaters. What you want to do is learn from the mistakes of others rather than dooming yourself to repeat those that have been made so many times before. Below you will find information on some of the most often made mistakes when it comes to creating a great home theater for you and your family.

windows

I’m not talking Microsoft either. One thing that is a killer for your home theater is a room full of windows. At night, every car passing by will prove distracting and during the day little can be enjoyed on your television from the sunlight pouring in. Even normal curtains allow some degree of light into the room, which will provide a distracting glare on you television screen. If you have no windowless rooms in your home you will at the very least want to install some heavy duty blackout drapes or curtains in order to prevent the glare and distraction that WINDOWS provide.

Cheap Speakers

Sound is one of the most important factors in imitating a theater quality movie viewing experience. If you have cheap speakers you will not receive the quality of sound that you will need in order to achieve that experience. The first five or ten minutes of the movie Top Gun provides one of the best sound tests I’ve ever seen. Grab a copy of the DVD and take it with you to the stores, compare speakers using that DVD and go with the set that provides the best quality of sound. It’s a good litmus test and you will be glad you did if you ever listen to a favorite movie on a friends inferior speakers.

Poor Installation

It makes no sense to invest thousands of dollars in a home theater system only to bring it home and do a poor job of installing it because you didn’t want to spring for the extra two hundred dollars for installation. Improper installation of your home theater will result in much less quality than you paid for, which makes a good quality system a complete waste of money. Pay the price now for professional installation if you have any doubts at all about your ability to properly install your system.

Not Reading Directions

On the other hand if you decide to do your own installation the number one problem is the result of not reading the instructions for not only installation but also the operation of your home theater. We may feel that we are intuitive by nature but sometimes it helps to have a roadmap to follow. Instructions for installation and operating manuals are our road maps and reading them first will not only save a great deal of time but also increase your enjoyment of your home theater.

Avoiding these common mistakes can go along way towards helping you get the most possible enjoyment from your home theater. It’s amazing how much of a difference little things can make along the way. Good luck with the selection, purchase, and installation of your home theater. I hope you enjoy many wonderful hours of movie, television, and game watching on your new system.

Zane Madisson
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/common-home-theater-mistakes-to-avoid-109556.html

A homes WINDOWS covering are now getting a lot more attention from ‘the neighbors’ and home appraisers when shutters are installed. Shutters are proving to be a better window treatment, due to the fact they are the only window treatment to increase a homes value and are a major visual element additive on the inside and the outside of the home. Shutters also control the lighting and set mood for each room. Most interior designers feel that shutters provide a finished look to a window and they are more durable than draperies, curtains or blinds.

More than ever before, homes with shutters are recognized as substantially upgraded and thus shutters are the number one window covering all other products. The ‘shutter’ category is the number one window covering product in recent years. Surveys have shown that 7 out of 10 consumers prefer shutters over any other type of window covering, however only 2 out of 10 can afford them due to the high price.

Shutters offers many advantages over blinds and curtains. Shutters offer superior insulation and control of light entering a room, varying from opening the shutters all the way for a full view to fully closed for an almost blackout control.

Shutters in general are lower maintenance than most other types of window covering. Older style shutters with staples require replacement every few years and special cleaning and upkeep. Synthetic and vinyl materials can withstand wet environments such as outdoor use and saunas. In recent years a laminate DuraShutter material with snap-in non staple construction provides durability and low cost alternative advantages.

Shutters can provide a better insulation value than any other type of window covering. Since 10 times more heat can pass through a glass window than through wall adding a shutter to your window will lower your heating and air conditioning bills.

Shutters are commonly made from 3 different types of materials. Each type has it’s own strengths and weaknesses as well as environmental effects. Traditional shutter manufacturers use wood and then spray paint or stain them to just about any color you desire and they perform well under most conditions. Like any wood product they are subject to warping over time and the paint can peal and crack over time. Unfortunately, some woods are imported and the harvesting of some trees causes harm to the environment. In addition most shutters are painted using lacquer based primers and or finish paints that release VOCs into the atmosphere. VOC’s have been proven to increase green House gases.

Vinyl and other synthetic material shutters were developed as an alternative to wood shutters. For certain applications such as outdoors, high humidity areas like saunas or poolrooms vinyl and other synthetic material shutters are an excellent choice. The plastics used in these types of shutters can fade, change color or yellow over time with exposure to the sun. Unfortunately, vinyl and other synthetic material shutters are made with oil products and the drilling, transport, refining and storage of oil based products are a concern to many as their use increases our dependency on oil, and when painted, the use of VOC is also harmful to the environment.

Many shutter fabricators are now, as flooring companies do, are offering Eco friendly lower cost laminate alternatives to wood. Many American and foreign shutter fabricators now offer all three choices, Vinyl/Synthetic Material, Wood and Laminate materials. Laminate materials are designed to overcome the disadvantages of wood, vinyl and synthetic material shutters. Laminate DuraShutter material is a dense, solid engineered composite that is an Eco friendly recycled wood and paper product. Its density gives it a better insulation value than wood and the Eco friendly laminate coating material provides better resistance to fading or yellowing than vinyl/synthetic material. Laminate shutters can be made into an excellent product that is indistinguishable from wood shutters. Since laminate DuraShutter is primarily made from recycled materials and the finish from Eco friendly laminates, it has a significantly lower impact on the environment.

Shutters are often referred to as “the ultimate window covering” but costly until the introduction of shutters made of lower cost laminate DuraShutter materials that many shutter fabricators are now offering as a lower cost alternative. So once you’ve added indoor shutters, just stand back and admire them, both from within your home and from your curb. Drive by any home with interior shutters across the front and you’ll see why so many people swear by them.

By visiting the author’s web site at www.Durashutter.com you will find all kinds of useful window covering information.

David Blachley
http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/can-a-window-covers-improve-a-homes-value-and-its-curb-appeal-117046.html

Drapes are fine but they are not as useful and contemporary as a window blind or shade.  Many people want the look and warmth of fabric with the operation and flexibility of a window shade.  Drapes are either open or closed with little in between, not the most useful for light control.  Whereas the various fabric window shades available offer a much wider range of decorating and light control options.  

So, if you want fabric, here are some window treatments you should consider: roman shades, roller shades and panel track blinds.  The first two are window shades, i.e. they roll or fold up.  Not to be confused with window blinds which have slats or vanes, e.g. mini blinds or vertical blinds.   Panel track blinds are kind of in a class by themselves.  The closest comparison would be to vertical blinds, but vertical blinds typically have vinyl slats or vanes.  Panel tracks have larger vertical vanes usually made from fabric or some kind of solar shade material.  They operate on a wheeled track system. 

If you are looking for the greatest variety of fabric options, roman shades, which are also known as fabric shades, are probably your best bet.  Roman shades come in a wide variety of styles and fabrics from silk, linen, suede and weaves combining natural materials like grasses, reeds and more.  Roman shades also offer features from insulated, to room darkening and blackout, to light filtering and sheer.

Roller shades offer slightly fewer fabric choices but are a popular window treatments choice with their easy use, contemporary looks and versatility.  The fabric options for roller shades tend to be more man-made materials but which closely approximate natural fabrics.  What is probably best about roller shades is their easy operation and broad choice of light control options, from sheer to blackout.

Next up are panel track blinds.  What you should first know about panel tracks is that they are expensive.  That said, they are one of the coolest new WINDOW TREATMENTS available today.  Panel tracks are an excellent alternative to vertical blinds and work well for all large windows; they can also be used as a unique room divider.  The large vanes come in almost nothing but fabrics, such as weaves, woven woods, patterns, solid colors and even solar shade materials; choices enough to compliment almost any décor.  They also come in a variety of light control options from sheer to room darkening.  That said, if you are looking for near blackout light control, panel tracks are not for you.  But, if you want the latest, contemporary window treatment for your oversized WINDOWS or sliding glass doors, or as a cool room divider, you should check out panel tracks. 

If you really want to go all out with the fabric window treatment theme, layering a roman shade or roller shade with curtains can work too.  This layering will give your room a rich, warm and elegant look, as well as potentially some nice contrasting colors.  I don’t think this option would work well with panel tracks.  Happy decorating.

Bottom line is if you are looking for fabric window treatments ideas beyond window curtains there are a few window shades that are a nice alternative.  – David Brooks

David Brooks
http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/latest-fabric-window-treatment-ideas-669403.html

Though it is obviously a daunting proposition to take on any large scale DIY project, decorating your holiday home carries extra pitfalls. As holiday homes are generally rented out to guests for much of the year you need to be sure yours appeals to the largest number of holiday makers possible. You also therefore need to do your research when it comes to the surrounding area in order to know what type of people make up your biggest target market.

The most time and cost efficient way to do this is by using the internet. You could go for a few extra holidays with the perfect excuse of “research” but this could get a little costly in the long run. Joining a forum related to the country where your holiday home is situated will help you gain a good understanding of the holiday makers who frequent the area.

Once you know your market make sure you bear them in mind when making big decisions on the décor. Generally it is best to go for a neutral backdrop of whites, off-whites and creams then from here you can tailor the look slightly in favour of your personal taste. Allowing a little of your personal style to show through is fine as it shows the home is cared for. Rather than do this on the larger things like flooring and fitted kitchens it is best to stick to details like throws, cushions, curtains and other soft furnishings.

If your holiday home is in a hot climate remember to include either blackout curtains or horizontal blinds or both on your shopping list. Horizontal blinds allow you to deflect the suns rays without compromising your views. Blackout curtains help if you want a late start or want to keep the House cool whilst you enjoy a day’s site seeing.

If all of this feels like a little too much work- it is a holiday home after all, help on such matters can easily be found. Furniture packs can be bought from local companies who have experience in decorating similar homes. The advantage of using such companies is they have done all of the research for you already and will be familiar with local tastes. There are packages to suite various budgets but is wise to get the best you can afford as good quality furniture will last longer and is a further sign that you care for the property. If you show you take good care of your home then so will your guests.

Once you are more familiar with your competition through time spent in your holiday home you will learn how make your home standout to potential tenants without bucking too many of the local trends or traditions. Keeping your home as authentic as possible to these traditions is certainly advisable, most holidaymakers are there to sample the lifestyle and soak up the atmosphere of wherever it might be and a successful holiday home will help people do exactly that. Adding some quirky ornaments relevant to the area, or choosing some commonly used colours is easiest way to do this without making your home resemble a themed restaurant.

Terry Henman
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/year-round-holiday-homes-675565.html