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Let There Be Light: Light Up Your Living Room with These 5 Hacks

Light Up Your Living Room with These 5 Hacks

You know how professional decorators say that focal points are the most significant things in the room? Well, if you apply that to the bigger picture, you’ll understand that living rooms represent the focal point of your whole house. That being said, the place that’s in the center of attention, where you spend most of your time and the place you use to spend quality time with your friends and family, deserves special attention. And what’s a better way to give a room that special something than to shower it with some light? Lighting plays a major role in interior design and these few tips will give you a proper insight on how to light up your living room accordingly.

Create the Perfect Ambiance

A living room should always radiate with a certain kind of emotion; it needs to exude warmth, hospitality and an overall inviting atmosphere. This is where ambient lighting comes in. The sole goal of this lighting system is to create a suitable environment to dwell in and it accomplishes this through the use of stylish chandeliers, valance lighting, ceiling lights as well as recessed lights. There’s a wide array of ambient lights available and all you have to do is choose the style according to the style of your living room.

Light Up Your Living Room with These 5 Hacks

Accentuate Certain Features

After you set the right mood, the next step is giving your living room a bit of structure. The best way to achieve this is by using accent lighting in order to put the focus on specific elements in the room. In most cases, accent lighting is used to illuminate certain architectural features, artistic elements, as well as specific areas and places in the room. In order for this type of lighting to be effective, it needs to be much brighter than surrounding lights, which is why adjustable lights and dimmers always go hand in hand.

Light Up Your Living Room with These 5 Hacks

Give It a Dose of Charm

Lighting features aren’t used solely for providing sufficient amounts of light, but also to give your room a specific dose of charm. Lamps are often used as decorative objects, which is why a stylish floor or table lamp always finds a way into a living space, while an extravagant chandelier usually makes a nice addition. Pendant lights are also quite a favorable choice when thinking about embellishing the room and you can always decide to add a bit of color by choosing bulbs in different hues.

Don’t Ignore Your Tasks

Every living room needs to have a designated reading nook. Sometimes, these spaces that are reserved solely for reading, painting or any similar activity, require brighter lighting. This is why proper lighting is a very important part of these small areas in the living room and it’s also the reason why task lighting exists. These are mostly adjustable lamps with LED bulbs which give you a direct light source and help you get a clear visual of the task in front of you.

Light Up Your Living Room with These 5 Hacks

Helpful Details

There are other significant aspects of lighting up a room that need to be considered. First of all, it’s important to know a good emergency electrician who’s competent enough to handle the entire electrical system in the house. Second, the type of bulb is an important aspect of proper lighting and in recent years, LED bulbs have become much more favorable than traditional, incandescent bulbs. The last thing to keep in mind is the importance of natural lighting and possible solutions on how to introduce more sunshine in your home.

Light Up Your Living Room with These 5 Hacks

With so many different lighting systems and options, sometimes it can be difficult to achieve a desired atmosphere in the living room. The goal is to learn how to consolidate all these different lighting options into one entirety and create a soothing and balanced setting.

 

 

 

WAYS TO UPDATE YOUR STAIRCASE WITH FRAMELESS GLASS BALUSTRADE

In the field of construction, the utilization of glass material is increasing day by day. No matter if you take into consideration the construction of residential buildings or the commercial ones, glass is being used everywhere. There are many reasons that make glass as a material suitable for the construction business. This material allows the entry of light and also reflects it to a certain extent. With the use of glass, it is  also possible to make a space look larger. The use of glass balustrade is also catching speed.

Glass Balustrade
Glass Balustrade

If you check out the market of glass balustrade, you will come across two types to choose from. One of them depends on posts. These are the ones that you get to see quite often. The latest other type which has impressed everyone is called the frameless glass balustrade.  Most of the people prefer this form of glass balustrade for upgrading their staircase.

USE OF FRAMELESS GLASS BALUSTRADE FOR STAIRCASE:

The magical appeal of frameless type of glass balustrade is winning hearts across the world. If you take a quick look at this balustrade, you will hardly notice any support given to the huge glass panes. The neat and stylish look renders an excellent finish to the staircase. There are many ways in which the frameless type of glass balustrade can be used for updating the staircases. For those who do not know, this kind of system is also known as structural glass.

Since in this system the glass itself perform the role of offering support to the entire system, so the application of frameless balustrade turns out to be more apt for updating the staircase. In this case, the pressure or the amount of load that the system withstands can be quite impressive. The cantilever feature of this glass balustrade can be utilized for designing the staircase in a more feasible way. No doubt, the thickness of glass used for making the staircase has to be really good. To be more precise, the thickness has to be 15 mm or more. This will provide enough strength to the structure of the staircase.

Glass Balustrade
Glass Balustrade

Glass made staircases certainly make a room look larger and beautiful, particularly if you want to build the staircase right in the middle of your living space. High quality glass based frameless balustrade can add tons of aesthetic elements to your living space. You can make the staircase look even more beautiful by incorporating attractive handrails. Talking about the weight of the handrail in staircases, it is important to mention that the handrail should come with the ability to withstand its own weight.

In the present time, most of the manufacturers of frameless glass balustrade prefer laminating the glass material for adding some extra amount of strength. No doubt, it also adds a smooth finish to the glass staircase. When it comes to choosing the glass balustrade, you certainly have to pay importance to the quality as well as design also.

The quality of the glass used in the frameless balustrade should be good enough. Good quality glass will not only last longer, but will also prove to be stronger and tougher. On the other hand, the kind of design you choose should go well with the look of your home’s interior. The design must accentuate the look of your home’s decor. So, spend some time in choosing the right supplier and then spend your money on updating your staircase.

Thus, the frameless glass balustrade effortlessly define boundaries without interruption, offering incomparable and perfect finish to the staircase.

 

 

5 ways to infuse your home’s design with modern minimalist principles

5 ways to infuse your home's design with modern minimalist principles

Born initially as a reaction to the dizzying displays of abstract expressionism, minimalism has developed quite a bit since its rather humble beginnings. In fact, over the past decades the trend has grown to encapsulate numerous ideas about art and life in general. Perhaps that explains why even today, this style continues to be such a popular choice among interior designers and people who aspire to live a simpler life in general. If you want your home to benefit from all the qualities inherent in a minimalist art work without sacrificing its ultimate livability, here are five essential aspects to consider:

  1. The “less is more” mantra

This central tenet of minimalism is often misunderstood in today’s society. It doesn’t refer to spending less money to buy more goods, nor does it involve eliminating some of the basic pleasures that make life worth living. Instead, “less is more” simply means that abundance by itself does not always guarantee happiness. With regards to interior design, this translates into having just the right amount of things at all times. Owning extraneous objects can quickly clutter a home, so be sure to always give away the things that you no longer need as you acquire new possessions.

home design

  1. Furniture placement and the value of open space

Open space is valued above all in minimalism. Just like the space between two musical notes can sometimes mean more than the actual notes themselves, it is believed that the absence of things can in some instances lead to more contentment than their relative abundance. This doesn’t mean that rooms should be devoid of essential objects like beds, bathroom fixtures and cooking appliances, but it does mean that the way you arrange things is all-important. Instead of simply placing things at random, opt for fitted furniture instead, making sure that you leave plenty of space around your most important items.

  1. The role of color

Color is another underrated aspect that usually gets misunderstood in minimalism. While the trend does indeed reject gaudy displays in favor of a more restrained approach, colors certainly have their place in minimalist decorations. The trick here is to settle on a relatively stable color palette, and then use variations of it throughout your entire household. It’s well known that colors affect our mood so you should always be careful when choosing the right one. In 2017, for instance, the fashionable hue is believed to be greenery, a fresh yellow-green shade that symbolizes new beginnings. If you were to pick such a shade as your base color, you should refrain from employing clashing tones that undermine its simplicity. Nevertheless, the occasional accent wall or stand-out piece can still be used to spruce up your home’s overall look.

infuse your home's design with modern minimalist principles

  1. Choosing appropriate building materials

If you are what you eat, then your home is what it’s built of. From its basic structure to its subtlest finishes, the materials you use to construct your home will inevitably have a big say in its overall character. To that end, a minimalist home will generally favor natural materials such as wood or masonry, but there is a place for man-made materials as well, if the situation demands it. Owing to their sleekness, minimalist homes can sometimes be perceived as overly distant, but this too can be fixed with the likes of textured timbers, which create warmth and give your home a friendlier, rustic vibe.

  1. The importance of good lighting

As a general rule of thumb, minimalist homes are designed to be bright, clean environments for people who want to gain a clearer perspective on life by leading an orderly existence. This kind of goal cannot be achieved in the absence of light, which is why optimizing access to light sources is one of the most important aspects of minimalist interior design. Natural light is always preferable, as safe sun exposure grants certain benefits that no artificial light can provide. To that end, make sure that your home’s windows are perfectly placed to absorb the sun’s rays without overheating the room or bothering your eyes. And don’t forget to also invest in plentiful artificial light sources that are kind to your eyes and only consume a reasonable amount of energy.

As you can see, the many precepts of minimalism can be successfully employed in interior design and will likely lead to beautiful, cleanly-designed home that many people will no doubt enjoy living in. While the minimalist style isn’t for everybody, plenty of homeowners could stand to benefit from its central tenets, as they generally translate into a much more relaxed and serene outlook on life in general. For all these reasons and more, keeping it minimal is something that you should definitely consider when designing your very own dream home.

 

What should we learn from Nordic interior designers

What should we learn from Nordic interior designers

Now, don’t let your inner gamer show. Nordic home design has nothing to do with your home decorations in Skyrim, unless you really want to have that alchemy table, but that’s a different story. Nordic interior design today is a simple, yet truly unique way to use your living environment to the fullest. The so called Scandinavian trend has taken the world by storm, and is described as a timeless style in interior décor. If you want to know the main characteristics of this design, keep on reading. Thanks to its inspiring simplicity, you’ll find it quite applicable to your own home.

1. Calming colors

Nordic-inspired homes do not shy away from occasional pop of color. Still, the dominant palette includes softer hues like whites, creams, grays and pale blues. Of course, various pastel shades can be used in this design if you’re up for some experimenting.

Nordic interior designer

While this soothing color scheme is vastly popular, Scandinavian homes are also known for bold lines and forms. Statement patterns in your decorative bits and wall décor can, therefore, add enough texture and warmth without breaking the minimalist approach.

2. Let there be light

Natural light is very important in Nordic-inspired interior design. It works especially well with brighter shades. Therefore, big windows that are not overly shaded with curtains are a staple in this trend. In case you don’t have big windows, you can make the most out of the ones you already have – just keep them pristine clean and use a light and breezy material for curtains.

Nordic-inspired interior design

The material shouldn’t be too dark in color either. Of course, artificial lighting plays an important role, as well. In most Scandinavian homes, you’ll find bold yet clean lines on chandeliers and floor lamps, and recessed lights in rooms with lower ceilings.

3. All about nature

If there’s one thing that’s truly emphasized in Nordic homes, it’s the nature-inspired décor. Big windows that offer great views of the outdoors are only one part of the trend.  Wood furnishings, as well as stone accent details are vastly popular, too.

indoor plants

Moreover, indoor plants that are tall, sleek and work as a statement piece on their own can truly bring harmony when matched with cooler colors of Scandinavian homes. Having plants in your personal surroundings is very important regardless of your preferred style, so make sure to fully utilize this tip.

Rustic antiques

4. Rustic antiques

In order to make the minimalist décor look warmer and more comfortable, My Scandinavian Home stylists suggest introducing rustic and antique-looking items. These go surprisingly well with the overall simplicity of the interior. You can choose how to mix and match these seemingly contrasting elements. For example, antique wall clocks and rustic frames or plant pots can add the necessary texture to the plainness of furniture and walls. On the other hand, you can keep your decorative bits and pieces pretty sleek and simple, yet go for rustic-looking cabinets, coffee tables or earthy rugs and furniture covers.

5. No clutter involved

No clutter involved

Accessories are allowed in Nordic interior design, but only if they work well in creating a warm, simple, unique and most importantly, functional layout for you to spend time in. Too much clutter, and especially pieces that clash with the overall theme and color palette, break the harmony and can cause mental pressure. In that respect, aesthetically pleasing décor that allows complete freedom of movement is something to keep in mind when incorporating accessories. Making a mess of your display décor should be avoided, as well.

Scandinavian décor

Feeling inspired yet? If you feel like your home’s interior doesn’t motivate or energize you enough, trying out Nordic tricks in home décor and design is definitely worth considering. With functionality, looks and a touch of nature in your immediate surroundings, you can efficiently improve the quality of your lifestyle. Using interior to de-stress and relax is undoubtedly one of the main reasons for success and appeal of Scandinavian décor trend.

Guest Post By:

Chloe TaylorChloe is an art historian, recreational ballet dancer and a contributor at smoothdecorator.com. She is passionate about photography, dance and music. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world with her husband and take stunning photographs of beautiful places. She also enjoys learning and writing about home design, since she is crazy about aesthetics. You can find Chloe on FB, Twitter, and G+.

5 Easy Ways To Spruce Up Your Home

living-room-fireplace

Do you want to jazz your home up a notch but don’t want to splurge on a full makeover? There are many ways to transform your home from drab to fab without breaking the bank! All you need to do is use your imagination and make little changes here and there. Your home will never be dull and boring if it is decorated with love and conforms to your taste.

Here are some awesome, fun and budget-friendly ideas for you which can be easily implemented.

Cozy Fireplace                                                                                                               

Have a fireplace in your living room and let it be the focal point of the room instead of TV. Place all your furniture around it to create a tranquil and soothing environment. Not only will it keep your family and friends warm during cold weathers, but it will also enhance your home’s ambience. Don’t worry if you don’t live in a cold climate! You can get a faux fireplace to add zing to your living room.

Stylish Mirrors

Mirrors have the ability to reflect light and to open up the smaller spaces. Hanging a beautiful mirror in the right place can transform your house by making it look wider and more sophisticated. No matter where you place it, it can instantly bring life to that area.

If a mirror is positioned accurately, it can do a lot for a room besides enhancing the décor. Hanging a mirror on the wall opposite to the window will help it reflect more light and make your room brighter. Placing the mirror on the bigger wall of a small room will give the illusion of a wider space.

5 Easy Ways To Spruce Up Your Home

Stunning Display

Take advantage of an empty wall and transform it into a gorgeous display. There are many ways to do it. You can opt for paintings, or wall stickers or other wall art available in the market. You can also do a DIY project and create a beautiful artistic piece for your wall. You can also convert it into a picture gallery by filling it up with framed photographs. What can give you more joy than looking at that wall and thinking about all the happy times in your life?

Vibrant Rug

Replace your old, dull rug with a new, brighter one. This will instantly lift the mood of the area. Choose a bold, artistic rug with a dazzling image or pattern on it, to make a statement in the room. The key is to keep the rest of the things neutral and muted so that the rug can stand out!

Themed Room

Another interesting twist can be to modify a room using a particular theme. All you need to do is choose colors that go with your theme and repaint your walls using those shades. You don’t need to buy new furniture. Just upholster the existing one and change the cushion covers. Add a few accessories that go well with your theme.

Follow these tips and we promise you that your home will look more appealing and fascinating.

Author Bio:

This post was written by Sadia Suhail. She loves interior decor, home décor and art & craft. She is a content marketer at www.Alrug.com.

 

 

Make the Right Choice in The Quality Carpet Required for Your Home

A home tends to look ‘incomplete’ without a carpet. Quality carpet can offer a luxurious, elegant and beautiful look and feel to your home. Walking barefoot becomes a pleasure as most of these carpets feel soft and cozy. The double benefit of this is that a carpet can cause less of an injury, if you have children, as it takes the impact of the fall. Carpets do require a little care and maintenance but for all the comforts provided, this is totally worthwhile. There is a wide range of carpets available these days in different materials, textures, colors print and so on. Choosing the right one can get a little confusing.

Considering A Few Factors Might Make Carpet Choosing an Easy Task

Carpet

  • Life Style Considered:

A carpet which is the hard-wearing type with darker shades work ideal for homes, which have pets and children. If it is just you and your spouse, you can opt for a lighter shade which is plush and luxurious. If you are thinking of carpeting your total home, you need to consider which rooms will face heavy traffic and which will be used by a selected few. Light colors will work in rooms which have few people using it. Darker and sturdier carpets are for those rooms which experience heavy traffic.

  • The Different Colors

Different colors can give a different effect to the total look of a room. You need to know that using darker shades make a room look cozier while lighter shades give a larger look to a room. You can keep this in focus when you are making a choice of your carpets. The size of the room needs to be considered. Look out for a shade deeper than planned as carpets tend to be lighter when placed in a room, besides which, there may be a little bit of fading as well.

Quality Carpet

  • Fibers Taken into Consideration

There are different fibers available in carpets, like nylon-wool mix, purely woolen and a whole range of synthetic carpets. Wool tends to be warmer in winters but can be cooler in summers. This works out well for any climate. Talking about the synthetic ones, it is ideal if you are on the look-out for a carpet which is resistant to fading.

  • Style and Quality

There is a possibility of one style of a carpet being sold in different qualities or weight. This helps you have the same pattern and color in different weights around your house depending on the amount of traffic in the specific room. You can think of having the best quality in the family room or even the staircase, while you can choose medium quality in the dining and living rooms, and the lightest one in your bedrooms.

Carpet for Home

  • Co-Ordination Is Important

Think of coordinating the color and pattern of the carpet in accordance to the interiors of your home. You need to take all the furnishings, paintings, wall color and more into consideration before you make a choice of a quality carpet.

Searching for the required carpet online is convenient as you have all the different colors and styles on display, giving you a fair idea of which will work best for your home. Different suppliers providing these carpets online, also quote different prices, so you can make a choice considering your budget. Make sure to visit more than one website to be aware of all the choices available, ensuring you can make the best possible choice. A little patience and a little effort can help you make the right choice of a quality carpet required for your home.

 

Clever Ways to Incorporate Reclaimed Materials in Your Home

Clever Ways to Incorporate Reclaimed Materials in Your Home

Give your home that warm and happy feeling by incorporating reclaimed and recycled items throughout your home. Here are some great ideas for you to use reclaimed items that you’ll love having in your home.

1. Suit Case Shelves

Are you tired of the normal shelves you have in your house? Go reclaimed retro and make your own shelves out of a vintage suit case! Suit case shelves are so unique. You can find suitcases at thrift stores, antique stores, or even at yard sales!

This is an awesome way to decorate your walls with a twist. It’s also pretty easy to do it yourself. You can cut it through the middle, horizontally using the top and the bottom, which gives you two shelves per suit case. You now have a great and cheap way to add some fun to your walls, while giving something a new purpose.

2. Vintage Tile

Want a way to spice up your home with something less modern? It’s so easy to reclaim and use tiles in your home. You can find tiles that are salvaged from renovated homes, shop online or reuse tiles you already have.

You have so many options when it comes to tiles because they come in so many different styles, colors, and even different places around the world. You can use reclaimed tiles on the floor, as a backsplash in your kitchen, inside your bathroom or shower. You can get creative and personalize the tiles in your home to your liking.

3. Wine Bottle Lamps

Give yourself a reason to drink up! If you like to save or recycle the empty wine bottles you have, here’s a great way to use them as décor in your house. All you have to do is find battery operated string lights, and drill a hole in the bottom of any wine glass. You can use lights with a plug but that would limit you to placing the wine lamp near an outlet.

Wine bottles come in blues, greens, and clear bottles which will allow you to add a pop of color to the lamp if you want. While clear is recommended for a brighter lamp, you can have a dimmer light with a green or blue bottle.

Don’t drink wine? You can use any glass bottle and turn it into a string light lamp!

4. T-Shirt Rug

Do you have t-shirts or old clothing you no longer wear and just haven’t gotten the chance to donate it? Make a t-shirt rug out of your old clothes! Give your floors a little warmth and recycled love. This is a way to give your home a rug for free! You already own the clothes, so you don’t have to spend a dime!

wood floor

5. Antique Wood

Natural, hardwood floors are craved in homes, and hard to find in good condition. Original hardwood floors have more history than you may have thought. For example, American chestnut hardwood floors came in the 1800s and were used to produce cabins, barns, and hardwood flooring.

If you have hardwood floors in your home, check to see if they’re reclaimed from the original hardwood. If you don’t have hardwood floors, you can incorporate refurbished wood inside your home other ways. Old barn wood can be used in a lot of ways throughout your home! It can be on your wall, made into a coffee table, turned into a sliding door, and more!

6. Recycled Plant Holders

If you want to add some fresh greens in your home, consider using recycled plant holders. Plants are good to have in your home because they purify the air and provide you with more oxygen as they take in the carbon dioxide.

Rather than getting rid of the plastic containers you use, cut an opening in them for plants to grow. You can paint the plant holders, or leave them in their natural state. You don’t have to use plastic containers if you don’t want to. There are so many items you can turn into plant holders. Either way, you’re reclaiming the containers into something new. Some great items to use would be coffee cans, tin cans or even old tea cups.

vintage planters

7. Pallet Head Board

Reclaimed wood looks gorgeous in any home, but it doesn’t have to be on your floors. Restore an old pallet and turn it into a head board for either your bedroom or even a spare bedroom.

There are so many different ideas for pallet headboards, you have plenty of options. You can whitewash the wood to give it a lighter, newer look. If you want to keep it vintage looking, you can paint it and distress it by using a sander. You can also add built-in lights to the headboard for a rustic feel. Pallet headboards are a popular DIY and a great way to reclaim wood in your home.

Re-using items in your home is a great way to recycle and repurpose. You can reclaim any item that typically would be thrown out otherwise. Don’t be afraid to get creative or fancy when reclaiming items for your home. Have fun adding or changing the pieces in your home.

Kacey-MyaKacey is a lifestyle blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts.

https://twitter.com/kacey_mya

https://www.pinterest.com/kaceymya/

https://www.instagram.com/thedriftercollective/

 

 

Most popular home lighting mistakes

Appropriate lighting in a home is very important for both functionality and aesthetics. Unfortunately, trying to get the lighting right in your house can be a very complicated task, because the light can turn out to be too bright, too dark or in wrong color temperature. Also the light fixtures themselves can look inappropriate or odd in your space. So to make it a little easier for you to choose the lighting for your home, here are some of the most popular lighting mistakes that you should never make.

Most popular home lighting mistakes

Installing only overhead (ambient) lighting

Most people choose to install only ambient lighting in their homes, but interior designers recommend using three different types of lighting – ambient, accent and task lighting. Ambient lighting is the one that gives overall light to the room, and it is usually achieved by placing one or multiple overhead light fixtures all over the room. Accent lighting is used to emphasize some specific characteristics of a house for example, shelves, paintings or other wall decor. But task lighting is lights that are used to perform specific tasks, for example, it can be a desk lamp for doing paperwork or a nightlight next to your bed for reading. And combining these three types of lights will ensure sufficient lighting for everything and anything.

Most popular home lighting mistakes

Choosing the wrong light for the coloring of your rooms

What many people don’t know is that you should match your light to the colors in your interior, because colors of your walls and other design elements can severely change how you perceive the color of your lighting.

Black color absorbs light, but white reflects it light, blue color absorbs the red tones, but red – the blues. And that means that white-yellow light, which will have the color temperature of around 3,000 Kelvins, will make red, orange, and yellow tones more vivid in your interior, while blue-white colored light (with the color temperature around 6,500 Kelvins) will enhance the blues and the greens, but will mute warmer tones. So, depending on what mood you want to create in your space, you should choose the appropriate color of your light sources.

Using wrong color temperature lights

The color temperature of a light source also often is chosen wrongly. Beside the lamp itself, there are many factors that can determine the appropriate light color temperature for each room, for example, the dimensions of the space, the owner’s preferences and the feel that the owner is going for in their home. On top of that, each room also has different lighting needs and expectations, and you should consider all of this before you pick up your light bulbs.

How to figure out what type of color temperature lights will work best for you? Well the easiest way to do this is to figure out if you want your room to feel bright and awake, or you want a more cozy vibe in your space. If the former is true, then buy blue-white bulbs, but if you like your house warm and homey, then chose warm-white bulbs, that will help you achieve that.

Most popular home lighting mistakes

Installing the wrong size light fixtures

It is very important to choose appropriate size light fixtures to keep the balance in your space. Light fixtures that are too small for your space, like recessed lights or small accent lights can create a very cheap look, to your room, if they aren’t used correctly. At the same time, lamps that are too big, like solar outdoor lights or big chandeliers can make your room look disproportional.

The best method how to choose appropriate size light fixtures, so they look good in your space as well as provide enough illumination, is by creating a simple cardboard light model and hanging it up, because this way you will be able to see if it fits in the rooms interior or not.

Not thinking about wattage of your lights

Lastly, most people simply doesn’t consider how much watts their lighting uses to light each room and end up with huge electricity bills. So to solve this, you should first figure out what is the optimal brightness of light in each room in your home, and then buy your light bulbs according to these requirements. For example, you don’t usually need that bright of a light in your bedroom, so 800 lumen bulbs will provide enough illumination. But for your living room you should go for around 1,600 lumen output lights, because they will ensure that you have sufficient lighting to perform different everyday tasks.

But where does wattage comes in? Well, wattage is the thing you need to consider once you know what brightness bulbs you need. And it will come into play when you will be choosing between incandescent, fluorescent or LED bulbs, because each of these bulbs consumes different amount of watts while producing the same amount of light. For example, both a 100-watt incandescent and 16-watt LED bulbs will produce enough light to illuminate your living room. So you chose which type of light you want to buy.

Proper lighting in your home means that not only it will be lot easier to do different tasks because you will have sufficient lighting, but also that your home will have the right atmosphere. So no matter if you are designing a brand new lighting setup or just want to tweak your existing lighting situation, take some time to read these home lighting mistakes and to think about how to make sure that you are not making them in your house.

 
Authors bio: Arthur Smith is a blogger, efficient lighting enthusiast and solar power aficionado. He has been working in the lighting and solar industries for most of his life, and now shares his knowledge on these topics in his blog LEDwatcher.com.

Guide on Interior Design Tips to Get the Best Designer Kitchen

Kitchens are undoubtedly the heart of homes today. Naturally, most people want to focus on the appearance of their kitchens and make it look the best. There is no perfect shape, when it comes to kitchens. Whether it is a plan for the sink, an L or U-shaped galley, cook top and fridge to create a triangle, you have to consider everything properly. There are many designer kitchens available in the market, and you can even customize the designs and layout as per your needs and budget.

Designer Kitchen
Designer Kitchen

Create a feature wall

It is a perfect way to add more character and depth to your kitchen, and allow you to make a solid style statement. Use patterned or colorful tiles or wallpaper that is particularly designed for kitchen spaces, or use a distinct backsplash in order to make a focal point. Moreover, countertops and wall hangings inside the kitchen also enhance the aesthetic value of your kitchen, and you can either go for a renovation, or just refurbish some parts according to your choice.

Use tiles for walls and flooring

If you have an old kitchen, you can provide it with quite a facelift with low-cost tiles used as a backsplash around the whole kitchen or just behind the cooker. For less than 15 pounds per sq. m, you can buy cheap tiles. You can use colorful or bold ones sparingly, and make them run along the plain white ones, in order to achieve an arresting appearance.

Opt for colored cabinets

  • You should not be worried about using bold colors for your kitchen cabinets in designer kitchens. You can opt for blue tones, deep grey or mid grey tones and even sage green or peppermint shades for the cabinets.
  • In case you have kitchen walls of white colors, you should not simply opt for white colored cupboards. If you do so, you will miss the amazing chance to add a little more character to your kitchen space.
  • When it comes to soiled and sticky finger problems, cabinets of a darker shade can also be great options to choose from.

Place shelves around the light

Kitchen Interior
Kitchen Interior

You can also try building your appliance shelves and storage cabinets around the windows, so that the objects placed inside can be illuminated and clearly visible. In case your window is in an unusual spot, you can combine wall cabinets of varying heights, depths and widths in order to create a dynamic and interesting storage solution for your kitchen, even if it has a limited internal space.

Place colored appliances

You can make a strong and nice fashion statement with colored appliances in your kitchen, and add style, contrast and interest to it. You may try the European style of picking sleek black appliances over stainless steel ones or go for red appliances in a specific shade of rich dark or white color scheme.

Color block your kitchen

This is a fantastic way to add color to your kitchen space, without making it look overwhelming. By adding contrasting cabinetry in timber grain or any other color, you can easily change your plain-looking space into a dual-toned one with unique visual appeal and more depth.

Finally, you can add more variety to your kitchen by adding a tiled backsplash as part of the interior decoration. Using a backsplash in designer kitchens can be a big decision, as it is permanent. Do not opt for mirror, glass or a similarly reflective surface. Reflective backsplashes’ reflect everything in your kitchen and simply add to the mess, which is the last thing you would want. You can maintain a tiled backsplash with a lot of ease.

How to Make Your Bedroom a Calming Environment

How to Make Your Bedroom a Calming Environment

We all use our bedroom as the room where we go to switch off and relax after a hard day – and if you want this to be the case – then the environment has to reflect the mood you want to create. The best bedrooms are usually made up of an arrangement which is simple, dressed down and peaceful. However, it can sometimes be a struggle to know how to make your bedroom feel this way, and if that is the case, try following these steps to ensure your bedroom has a calming environment.

Clear the Space

This is one of the easiest steps you can take, but it is one of the best in making sure you can feel relaxed in your bedroom. You should focus on trying to remove all clutter and maintain cleanliness, and the best way to go about this is by cleaning the top of the bedside tables and dispersing of everything but the things you really need – such as your tablet/book, a lamp and maybe some flowers or photo frames. To then make sure the floor area is clean you should try to put any clothing or items which aren’t needed out of sight.

Cover the Windows

The aim of this isn’t to make the room dark and gloomy, but when you want to go into your room to lay down and relax, it can be hard to do when there is lots of light coming through. Therefore, you want to make sure that you have adequate window blinds that will be able to provide complete privacy and darkness for when you want to shut the lights out and enter dreamland.

Use Muted Tones

Using colours which are neutral and soft is a great way to create an environment that is tranquil and calm. With your furniture and paint, try using white or beige colours, but if you’re wanting to be more daring – then you can go for a muted blue or green. However, the important thing to remember is that the colours aren’t too bright and harsh as they will make the environment more eccentric rather than relaxing.

Author Bio:

Ryan Duffy is a freelance writer who is a recent university graduate in Media Studies. His passion for people and writing has encouraged him to pursue this career full-time. He enjoys writing about home improvement and lifestyle subjects and this is where most of his work has taken him.

Find him on Twitter here: @Ryan_Duff199

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