Month: January 2013

Corner Decorating Ideas for Your Home

January 29, 2013

You know that empty corner in your room? The one collecting dust? Get ready to sweep out the cobwebs, because any corner, big or small, can be customized to fully-functional yet stylish perfection. It’s all in the corner decor you choose!

  1. Corner Etagere: Ideal for displaying collectibles and photographs, an etagere will benefit a large, bothersome corner in an otherwise well-decorated room. Antique gold scrolls and four glass tiers make the Castleton Etagere a particularly elegant furnishing.
  2. Corner Table: The pedestal table serves the same purpose as the etagere but is smaller and more understated; the Victoriana Corner Pedestal, with handcarved floral patterns finished in natural cherry, is the perfect setting for a decorative lamp, which can brighten dank corners.
  3. Corner Cabinet: Whereas the etagere and the pedestal are meant to display, the corner cabinet stores all your treasures. The compact but attractive Lombardy Cabinet is finished in regal, English walnut and even reserves a flat space to accommodate a decoration or two.
  4. Corner Shelf: Limited floor space? Take it to the wall! The corner shelf just makes sense in an area like the bathroom, where the less clutter, the better. The Aldabella Wall Shelf supplies two surfaces of storage space cradled by stately metal scrolls in versatile hues of gold or slate.   
  5. Corner Desk: Besides providing a practical place to study, the corner desk can balance out larger items, like a sofa or an entertainment center, at the opposite end of a room. The Auston Desk, with or without hutch, is sturdy and comes with panel doors, drawers, and a slide-out keyboard tray.
  6. Indoor Fountain: To offset that potted plant in the entryway corner, try an indoor fountain. Trickling water and your vivid greenery will coalesce and enliven the entire room. The Classic Lion Fountain lends ancient wonder to the entryway, like stumbling upon forgotten ruins.
  7. Room Divider: A room divider can either fill neglected space itself or complement a corner accent, such as a potted plant upon a pedestal. The scrolling leaves and fleurs of the Ashville Divider are echoed wonderfully in your potted plants.

If you have a corner to fill, keep your surrounding decor and your basic needs in mind. What sorts of potential does that forgotten space hold?

      

Versatile Panel Wall Mirrors

January 25, 2013

At first blush, mirrors might not seem like art. You brush your teeth in them and sometimes doodle funny faces when they steam up. Hardly glamorous things! But what if you should encounter—horror of horrors—the dreaded “bald spot” on your wall? True, negative space has its uses, but other times that white maw of emptiness makes for a sparse-looking wall. If the space is too narrow to accommodate the usual painting or tapestry, it might be time to give mirrors a second glance—specifically, panel mirrors.

Panel wall mirrors are longer than they are wide, the perfect skinny space solutions! Besides taking up space, beveled mirrors provide an illusion of depth and can amplify the perceived size of a room. More than that, they’re fun. Position your panel mirror so that is reflects glittering candlelight, a breathtaking painting, or a slice of sky. Be creative! The fun of panel mirrors is that they play directly off your own unique home accents.

Align a row of beveled mirrors along the wall for an unexpected scene. The elongated shapes side-by-side create the illusion of one large mirror fragmented by space, a stunning effect that your run-of-the-mill tapestry is unlikely to replicate!

Finally, panel mirrors can blend with any and all types of decor; the frame is key. The Anisah Panel Mirror Set, with its ornate arches and two finish options, is ideal for decor with an Arabesque spin.

Anisah Panel Mirror Set

A romantic theme is complemented by the flower and leaf embellishments of the Britannia Panel Mirror.

If there is an Asian influence in your decor, the Ginkgo Panel Mirror is the obvious choice.

Ginkgo Mirror

The creative possibilities a simple panel mirror affords you are endless. In other words, don’t just fill that boring space—fill it with intent!

How to Measure for Curtains and Window Treatments

January 18, 2013

When curtains blend so effortlessly with their surrounding decor, you would never guess the amount of time and consideration invested in selecting them. Your room could have an opulent comforter or a remarkable centerpiece, but if your curtains are ill-fitting or the wrong material, they could sabotage the overall unity of your decor.

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A major part of choosing the perfect rod-pocket window treatments is determining how many valances or panels you will need for each window. Here’s how in three easy steps:

      1. First, measure the width of each window you plan to decorate. Round to the nearest inch.
      2. Next, multiply that measurement by 2 or 3 (2 for a moderately gathered (“full”) appearance, 3 for the maximum fullness).
      3. Divide this number by the width of your desired curtain pair, panel, or valance. The result should be your ideal quantity.

When deciding the length of window treatments, keep the room you plan to decorate in mind. Rooms like the bathroom, utility room, or playroom are high-activity centers with small windows. Shorter curtains (think a 63-inch length) are practical and won’t get in the way. Stately rooms with bigger windows will need longer curtains (think a 95-inch length). In addition, long curtains can pool upon the floor for an elegant atmosphere.

Another thing to consider is whether or not your curtains should be lined. Lined curtains can block light and save energy but may tread on the bulky side. Unlined curtains are not as energy-efficient yet drape more nicely than the lined.

You can dress up any window treatment and increase privacy by inserting a sheer or lace panel behind your original curtains.

 

Finally, if you intend to install curtains for your sliding glass or patio door, just remember that these typically come in one extra-wide panel meant to push easily to one side, like an accordion.

Keep these basics in mind, and you’ll get it right the first time. Choosing curtains should be a careful process—not a stressful one!

Romantic Ruffled Home Accents

January 11, 2013

These aren’t your garden-variety home accents! Ruffled embellishments are remindful of flower petals in spring bloom. Curb your winter blues and rejoice in the beauty of spring by introducing a bit of this flouncing flair into your home.

Ruffled bedding turns even the most tired mattress into an unfurling blossom. Pastel hues of coral and light cream rollick in alternating bands along the Melody Ruffled Bedspread; floral and polka dots are cheerful prints recurring throughout. Peppered with flowers, a vining motif traces an intricate circle on the light cream face. Even the round pillow resembles a wildflower taking root among your other pillows and shams.

Melody Ruffled Grande Bedspread

For more blossoming beauties to add to your ruffled bedding, the Sophia Rose Pillows are a chiffon spray of rich, colorful swirls.

Sophia Rose Square Pillow

Windows beautified with ruffles are eye-catching in the spring. Light and crystalline, the Jessica Ninon Priscilla Curtains will easily admit the warmth of the sun and the chirrups of birds. The ruffled edges lend this ensemble a frothy airiness, almost like a cloud. Included tiebacks neatly bind these ruffled curtains and create a lovely, hourglass shape in each panel.

Jessica Ninon Wide Priscilla Curtain Pair

April showers bring May flowers—or a more attractive shower curtain, at any rate. The Flamenco Shower Curtain in Charcoal Ombre is ten ruffles of a lovely white-to-black gradient, like spring rain cascading from plump thunderheads. Recreate that natural drizzly atmosphere with these tumbling, ruffled shower curtains. Springtime, after all, is not a season to be enjoyed outdoors only.

Flamenco Ruffled Shower Curtain

With ruffles, you can imply the soft edge of a petal or the contours of a cloud anywhere in your home.

Home Decorating Ideas for 2013

January 4, 2013

The start of a new year prompts us to look ahead, but maybe we need only to look to the past for a little inspiration. In the home, little accents go a long way toward a fresh start. A memento from years gone by may be just the thing to jump start your home decor for 2013.

The Dameisele Figurine is a throwback to the Roaring Twenties, age of juice joints and fierce femininity. This beauty lounges in an opulent chair, pink gown swishing about her ankles. She wears the modest half-smile so common in early photographs, but don’t let her fool you. Packed behind that dainty expression is a lot of moxie and a desire to live unbound. For vintage flair, let her lounge about on your vanity or accent table.

Dameisele Figurine

Friend to flapper fashion was the peacock—inarguably, the most fashion-forward bird in the animal kingdom. Its stunning plumage is a major staple of an art deco theme. Draped over a lounge or chair, the Peacock Feathers Throw Blanket is timeless elegance. Greens, purples, and blues fan magnificently across a black backdrop. Black fringe skirts the ends of the throw, while multicolored fringe borders the sides.

Peacock Feathers Throw Blanket

The Cosmic Firestorm Clock captures the retro essence of the Space Age. Celestial bodies twirl about a dark brown face with old-fashioned gold numbering. The earth-toned color palette is evocative of the 1960s fascination with nature. Mirror accents embedded in some circles provide an unexpected touch, making for a truly one-of-a-kind relic.

Cosmic Firestorm Wall Clock

Finally, for a contemporary twist on old world Arabic flair, look no further than Casablanca Bedding. Colorful medallions and florals in sizzling pinks, lime greens, and baby blues are true to the intricate, geometric designs of this Moroccan style. This lively color palette will jazz up your bedroom and give it a distinctly antiquated look, without being too stuffy.

Casablanca Medallion Quilt

So this year, don’t struggle to keep up with the “next big thing”; inspiration is only as far away as a simple glance to the past.