Home Improvement Editorial

Posts Tagged ‘decorating’

While it is sometimes hard to understand, the best feng shui position in the bedroom is called the command position. This command position dictates the best position and it doesn’t only include the bedroom, it encompasses business such as your office or building where you work. It is said in the guidelines that if you can’t see the door from your bed, that you avoid issues and can easily be overcome with stresses and life can easily stun you.

The greatest position is to place your bed so that it is in line with the entrance door to your room, as this will create a more positive atmosphere that has positive energies about it. It is also believed that this position can actually alleviate stresses, irritability and even health problems. Now if you can achieve all this through a simple repositioning of your bed, it is highly recommended that you at least try it. I mean what have you got to lose?

The best feng shui position for the bed is of high importance because in today’s society it isn’t uncommon to have a television in the bedroom and even a computer. According to the position guidelines, it clearly states that you should not have your office in the bedroom so remove those computers and rearrange it in a suitable position.

The idea behind this is that work and rest do not go hand in hand together and as such, creates negative energies that affect you and probably also the fact that unless you are independently wealthy, it’s likely don’t have that big of a bedroom that you can place both a computer and desk as well as a bed in the correct position.

Speaking of small bedrooms, it is a very common occurrence that it is difficult to even put the bed in the best position and could cause problems due to space limitations. It is important that you don’t place the bed on the same wall with the kitchen, bathroom, shower as well as any other ‘active’ items that might be on that wall. Use your finest interior decorating skills to arrange the furniture so you can receive optimal benefits even if it means taking the television out of your room!

Water gardens and ponds in the center of a garden can be an attraction that can be unique and rewarding. Fancy fish and exotic flowers in the pond would be an added attraction which would provide life to the garden. The ideal place to build a pond in a garden is on a flat surface away from trees. Good sunlight would keep the pond serene and shimmering. In order to build one of them, convenient water garden kits are available in the market that would assist you in building one. Building one would be challenging but definitely worthwhile.

Location and measuring the perimeter

Finding the right place and measuring the size of the pond is the initial step in building an artificial pond. You can select a place that is considerably calm and away from trees. Nevertheless, building one under the trees surrounded by stones is also a nice prospect if you have enough resources and patience to build one. Measure the perimeter of the pond using a hose. While measuring the size of the pond make it as large as possible. If you keep the size small, the pond will turn out to be much smaller after completion.

Digging the hole

Before digging the hole decide on what type of pond you need, what size and how much deep. If a small pond is your choice, then it will be advisable to dig a hole of at least 3-3 ½ feet. Dig at least 4-5 feet deep for a bigger pond. Enough depth is needed so as to prevent the water from turning into ice during winter seasons. If you are building water gardens and ponds around solid rock, then the digging process would be arduous. Lot of manual shoveling will be required in such circumstances. Provisions for pump & circulation materials for effective filtration of water should be provided while digging the hole.

Finishing and sealing the pond

Before adding water to the pond, seal the sides and bottom surfaces of the pond with newspapers and carpet padding. Good quality pond liners & seals are available in the market. Inside the hole provide space for rocks and plants to grow. If you plan to ornament it with fancy fishes then you could add appropriate decoration materials.

Fitting pond decor/ lights etc. could be brought from designer stalls and markets. While adding water, do not rush them out immediately. Slowly add water, simultaneously smoothing the pond surface. Test the temperature inside the pond before filling the pond. Test kits & thermometers are necessary to test the compatibility of the pond with the outside temperature.

Decorating the pond

Finishing is the most effective decoration that a pond can have. So perfect the walls and smooth protruding surfaces. Instead of smoothing such buckles you can also decorate them by positioning colored smaller rocks. Appropriate positioning of stones and pebbles will also create a spillway for small water falls. Spreading mosses can be used for extra ornamentation as it will help cover uneven surfaces. Use accent lighting to enhance a particular portion of the water garden during night.

If you intend to grow plants in the pond, choose the right type of plants that go well with the climate of the place. Ferns are not suitable for dry places and cactus plants are not suitable for ponds near trees. Hygienic water treatment is necessary to keep the water garden free from pollutants. So, periodic water change is necessary. Pumps & circulation materials should be a prerequisite if you plan to build water gardens and ponds.

Planning a new room? Before you make too many design or decorating decisions, think about the ceilings. Some options are:

1. Stretch fabric
Stretch fabric ceilings give a rather dramatic effect and so tend to be reserved for big venue events. One can get very creative with stretch fabric ceilings. Possible uses can range from colour, fabric type, using the ceiling as a projection screen and displaying video or photos. Fabric can be installed in a variety of ways to give the room a three-dimensional effect.

2. Wooden beam
Wooden beams on a ceiling can give any home or space a grand and country feel. Beams can be independent of the ceiling itself, hanging a bit beneath it, or they can be attached right onto it. Beams can be slanted on an angle or straight, they can be rectangular and smooth or they can look a lot like imperfect logs. For a very attractive look it’s always nice to have dark beams on a white ceiling.

3. Slanted
Slanted ceilings are often seen in attics or what they call ‘cathedral’ style rooms. They are very attractive and give a room a very warm feeling, almost as if they hug the contents of the room and bring it all closer together, including the people in it. A disadvantage is that they make the room a little bit smaller. This is less of an issue when the ceilings are high, but when they are low, people can often bash their heads, can’t store as much stuff etc.

4. Industrial
It’s been a bit of a hot trend for some time now to have industrial looking ceilings in lived/worked in buildings. This of course is mores so the case for properties such as lofts, warehouse, design firms and other edgy businesses. The whole idea with industrial ceilings is that everything is exposed, including piping, fans, vents, even wires, depending on the owners style.

5. Textured
Textured ceilings are a good alternative to plain painted ones. They add a bit of dimension to the room while keeping it simple and relatively basic. Stucco is a popular choice amongst those looking for a bit of a textured ceiling. Others prefer a pattern of some kind. This might be craved right into the wet plaster or even stuck on with some sort of stencil or thick paper.

Ceilings can have a big impact on a room. High ceilings make a room feel bigger, slanted ones cosier, beams, rustic, and industrial urban. What type of ceilings will you choose for your new room?

Home Improvement can be the most rewarding experience you can embark on, if you like the do-it-yourself thing. I think maybe it is the accomplishment of doing something that you think you can’t do, so it is very rewarding when you prove to yourself that you can do it. I am getting too old to do many of the things I used to do. I am a Female, now 72 yrs old, and this is why I say that. I have sons that just leave me alone (even now) and let me do my thing. I love remodeling and decorating. I love to change something into something different. I have had people tell me I can’t change this to that, so I have to prove them that it can be done. One such thing was my Oak Kitchen Cabinets. They were stained and old, out of date, and the more I looked at them the more I was determined to do this. I have worked in a cabinet shop (which my Husband and I owned) so many years I can hardly remember when I didn’t, so I have a lot of insight on the Home front.

My Daughter and I live together and I think I scared her with the many things I wanted to do, but she is a trooper and I usually got what I wanted to do. So we talked about painting the cabinets and we decided we would try it. Painting cabinets was the big thing now. Even in our Cabinet shop, most cabinets are painted (though they weren’t Oak cabinets). The grain in the Oak wood is so bold, it is hard to cover it up. We searched around and found the type of paint to use. Prime the cabinets first, then hand sand and start painting. We painted the cabinets white. They were beautiful. My Son put on new Counter tops for us. We also took up the old flooring and put down new vinyl floor tiles, because I am not the kind of person that stays with a look forever. I love change. So I use Materials that can be changed out without breaking the bank. I don’t like slate or granite, Corian or floor tile that is so cold. I don’t like the granite or hard cold Counter tops either. These are costly and you cannot change these out inexpensively. You are stuck with them. I still like the change, so this is not for me,

No, I don’t own a million dollar home but I do own a comfortable beautiful home, that I change, from time to time and I keep it changed to suit me. I love my home! It is similar to the old fashioned southern homes with the big front porch, three sets of beautiful steps, and Gates on all three for my small, great grandchildren, when they visit. My Yards are beautiful and there was no gardener for these either. I have changed my yard, just like I have the House and now I am finally getting satisfied with the way it looks. There is so much Love in my home that even the richest person could envy and wish they were in my Place. I can sit back and enjoy my home, which has been an on-going project for over 20 years, and I have enjoyed every project I have ever done!

Chinese paper lanterns are known worldwide; somewhere as a symbol of Chinese traditional culture and somewhere as a work of Chinese art. Through foreign trade, Chinese paper lanterns have now reached to people in Asia as well as other parts of the world. However, paper lanterns still remain an integral part of Chinese celebrations. Whether it’s a sky paper lantern or shaped like a star, they express creativity and create magic that is beyond everything in this materialistic world.

Sky paper lanterns are made of rice paper and are lit by a candle. It is really a mesmerizing site as they take off in the air. The flame from the candle heats the air inside the paper lantern decreasing the density of the air inside it. Thus the candle floats in the air as long as the candle burns inside it. Since hundreds of year, sky paper lanterns are released in air on the last day of Chinese New Year. You will also find paper lanterns of different shapes and sizes through every street in Chinatown. Some paper lanterns are inscribed with puzzles which you will enjoy to solve along with your family.

Chinese paper lanterns widely vary from being a simple device to an amazing piece of artwork. You can find traditional Chinese paper lanterns decorated with dragons or miniature paper lanterns known as Baby’s Bottom. The largest of all these paper lanterns are temple and festival lanterns.

All of these lanterns are used by Chinese for decorating their home to add color and an exotic touch to their interior. Chinese strongly believe that paper lanterns attract good luck and often use it for Feng-Shui. Nowadays traditional Chinese paper lanterns are available throughout the world. You can buy various designer paper lanterns from these stores and decorate your home. You can add a special charm to your party or event by decorating it with Chinese paper lanterns.