Archive for the ‘remodeling’ Category
Fiberglass Home Improvement
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
A contemporary looking home sends a message of the state-of-the-art taste. It is the look of the cutting edge which is linear. The aim is to achieve unbroken, smooth, architecturally faithful lines in the look of a whole room. If you want to achieve this look for your own house, you could get ideas from Richmond Home Improvement. The contemporary look relies on unblocked vistas which is why glass is so important, and you could get Fiberglass Doors Richmond VA to achieve that.
The proper flow of light is a very important element of a contemporary look as well. Try for the airiest look by using Fiberglass Windows Richmond VA and keep it uncluttered with no heavy draperies. The best look is either unadorned windows or hard-edge blinds. Also remember that to decode a contemporary look, the unbroken look is optimum, punctuated only occasionally with light colors that blend with simple floor. Look around and get a lot of ideas to achieve the best look possible.
Tags: Fiberglass Doors Richmond VA, Fiberglass Home Improvement, Richmond Windows
Posted in Contemporary, contractor selection, Door, finances, General, Home Renovation, interior design, living room, real estate, remodeling, renovating, windows | No Comments »
Tiles
Monday, February 1st, 2010
We always try to improve our homes. It may be just adding something here and there or renovating some parts of it to make it look different or modern. Sometimes, others really don’t notice the change but feel different somehow. There was a time when we went to a friend’s house and their floor was lined with wood. I’ve gotten so used to it being there that when I went back there I didn’t notice that they already took it apart and it showed white clean tiles. It only occurred to me at that time when I was thinking there was something different with how the whole room looked. It did become an improvement and somehow it looked cleaner. Maybe because each tile was so white and clean which somehow gave the whole room a different feel. It’s also easier to clean because it seems like the dirt are easily swept with a broom or some cloth.
Tags: floor tile, floor tiles, tile, tiles
Posted in bathroom, bedroom, decor, design, Dining Room, flooring, remodeling, renovating | No Comments »
Books
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
There are a lot of books about home improvement and of course DIY textbooks. If you are wanting to create some shelves or do some work at the house, these books will help you with the basics. Of course there are also books that would give something a bit more advanced but for the average user, the basics are enough. If you are a handy guy, it would be easy for you to follow some instructions for maybe replacing a door or putting up some new cabinets. It would be fun especially if you like the work. It may also give you some new ideas on how to work on something if you’ve done that type of work before. Some of the books will also give ideas on how to design the house or where to put the furniture.
Posted in Books, DIY, remodeling, renovating, tools | No Comments »
Practical Paint-Based Faux Finishes
Monday, November 30th, 2009
If you have the luxury of time and a huge budget, it’s better to have genuine surface materials. However, if you’re a little low on cash or can’t wait for a time-tempered natural finish to occur (antiquing, for example), take heart, a little cheating won’t hurt. Faux finishes are almost as good as the real thing!
Don’t know where to start? Check out these paint-based faux finishes below.
Antiquing and Verdigris
This mimics the patina that metals acquire over time. The natural greenish-bluish tones of verdigris can be duplicated when a piece of metal or plastic is exposed to heat and combined with acids. The trick is to apply the layers in uneven arbitrary patches for a more natural look.
Marbling
This age-old classic finish emulates various natural marble veins, including carrara marbling which involves dipping a thin brush in black gaze and sweeping a softening brush in light, random strokes to create the characteristic marble pattern. Serpentine marbling, on the other hand, is achieved by rubbing oil paint on a surface using a tissue paper.
Faux Bois (Fake Wood)
The subtle grains and lines of wood furniture or surface can be easily recreated. If done well, you can even replicate the book matching veins and knots of expensive wood veneers.
Paint Spattering
This easy and popular finish employs tiny paint dots in a variety of colors for a rich yet effortless-looking surface accent on walls. The “spattering” effect is achieved by thumping a loaded paintbrush (or old toothbrush against a screen for small surfaces) against a stick to spatter it in different directions.
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Tags: Antiquing and Verdigris, Faux, Faux Bois (Fake Wood), Faux Painting, Marbling, Paint, Paint Spattering, painting, Practical Paint-Based Faux Finishes
Posted in apartment, bathroom, bedroom, design, Dining Room, DIY, Faux Painting, General, Home Renovation, interior design, kids room, kitchen, living room, loft, painting, remodeling, renovating, walls | No Comments »
Do’s for the Client-Designer Relationship
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
A good client-designer relationship is the key to the project’s success. If you have found the right interior designer for your home, remember these pointers to produce your dream interior:
1. Do build a foundation of communication and trust. As in any relationship, constant feedback, listening, and trusting each other pave the way to great synergy. Think of the project as collaboration where the first few meetings will be focused on getting to know each other. As you interact more, you will start feeling more comfortable. Make that extra effort to start things right and ignite a productive chemistry between the two of you. Lay the groundwork for mutual trust, respect and professionalism from day one.
2. Do set your meetings in Advance. So you want the project done in time for your fabulous birthday bash? Then plan your house ahead, too. Meetings between you and the designer are vital to keep things moving at the right pace. Decisions are sometimes delayed not because of a lack of information or indecisiveness, but rather because of a lack of a common time to discuss and decide. Setting these meetings in advance at proper, regular intervals (usually weekly meetings are ideal) allows both parties to adjust their schedules.
3. Do communicate with pictures ad material swatches. Briefing your designer using descriptive words like “modern, soothing and casual” is a good starting point. But don’t stop there; collect pictures from magazines, material swatches or samples, and other visual and tactile references. Show what you like and what you don’t like, as design is subjective and words can mean different things to different people. Do your homework, and provide your designer with concrete visual and tangible references.
Tags: Do’s for the Client-Designer Relationship, interior design, interior designer
Posted in apartment, bathroom, bedroom, decor, design, Dining Room, finances, General, interior design, living room, loft, remodeling | No Comments »
Living the High Life
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
You can still create a chic home in your high-rise. Here are a few style-savvy apartment ideas.
1. Treat your furniture like art objects. Bold, unusual furniture, whether they are designer pieces or vintage finds, are great accents in small apartments.
2. Try a neutral palette with dramatic touches of color. Make your apartment unit more spacious-looking with a neutral palette. Add small punches of color like plum, yellow and poppy-red in your accessories.
3. Go for deep sleep with a deep color. A monochromatic evening blue in the bedroom creates a soothing, sophisticated look that’s just right for rest and sleep.
4. Decorate with vignettes. Add personal style to your apartment by fixing up small vignettes for each nook, area and corner. Arrange lamps, vases, books and travel finds of different colors, textures and heights on tabletops and shelves to create a story.
Tags: apartment, design, furniture, ideas, tips, vignettes
Posted in apartment, design, furniture, General, interior design, living room, painting, remodeling | No Comments »
THE BAUHAUS ∞ Modernism Design Movement
Friday, September 11th, 2009
In the 1920’s a school of architecture and design emerged in Weimar and later in Dessau, Germany called Bauhaus or literally, “House of Building”. The school’s focus was on defining design for an emerging lifestyle dictated by social changes during the early 20th century such as liberalism, radical experimentation in the arts, and the abolition of censorship. The movement gained much prominence in Europe, specifically Germany, where one of its founders Walter Gropius dictated that art and architecture should have no distinction between form and function, thus literally transforming the architecture world into a style that is universal. Through Bauhaus, the International Style later emerged through its simple, clean lines, absence of ornamentation, and harmony between the function of an object or a building and its design.
Tags: design, Modernism Design Movement, THE BAUHAUS
Posted in Bahaus, bedroom, design, furniture, General, interior design, living room, Modernism Design Movement, remodeling | No Comments »
DECONSTRUCTIVISM ∞ Modernism Design Movement
Friday, April 10th, 2009
Starting in the late 1980’s, Post-modernism shifted to “Post-post-modernism,” also referred to as Deconstructivism. While Post-modernism is a resurrection of the past, Deconstructivist architects on the other hand attempted to deconstruct architecture by “exploding “ the Building, its elements, or the design idea from within to without, resulting in a style that is non-systematic an unorthodox. Deconstructivism is characterized by disjointed angles, an unbalanced appearance, and a feeling that the whole structure would tip over due to the un-syncopated nature of its whole composition.
Tags: Deconstructivism, Modernism Design Movement, Post-post-modernism
Posted in Deconstructivism, design, Home Renovation, Post-post-modernism, remodeling | No Comments »