Home Design Tips: Get the ball rolling on your dream home

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Building your own little cozy adobe is a dream for many. The design for your home would have started long back in your own mind and before actually taking shape on paper, every individual has a certain perception and vision for what his home must ultimately look and feel like. But designing a home is a lot more than just owning a piece of land and then handing the construction process over to a reputable firm. At every step you must take care that you get what you want- ultimately it’s you who’s going to live inside those walls. That’s why these home design tips will help you get over the early blues and lay the right foundation for your future home.

salon house Home Design Tips: Get the ball rolling on your dream home

Make sure you have done enough research on home design

The first step to designing a home is to understand what exactly you are looking for and the direction you would like to move forward. For this, one must take a look at the many existing models available in the market today and what features you like best among them. This is a matter of purely individual choice and by doing your homework on home design you understand what you are exactly going to get.

Create your own blueprint and check its feasibility with an expert

Design your own blueprint for the home and if you are architectural engineer, then check the technical feasibility and the intricacies with the expert that will put the “pieces” together. You don’t have to own a construction degree to sketch up your own blueprint. Good observation and decent creativity are more than sufficient to get the job done.

stair home design Home Design Tips: Get the ball rolling on your dream home

Make a cost estimate and keep your budget in mind

The design that you often end up with is largely governed by the budget that we have allotted for the construction of the home. Make sure you get all the estimates right and also ensure that the total cost is just a tad bit below the budget. This way you can accommodate any unforeseen expenditure as well. There are very few in this world that can afford the luxury of building a home with no budget ceiling. So keeping a tab on the cash is very vital.

grey black home design Home Design Tips: Get the ball rolling on your dream home

Maximize space and plan for future expansions

The aim of every blueprint that you pencil down must be to maximize the available space to the hilt, create an ambient and practical living atmosphere and to allow for any planned future expansions. There might be occasions when you build the basic portion of the home and wish to expand on few lavish excesses when you have further time and cash on hand. Your basic home design must contain room for all these expansions.

Home design plan must suit your interior decorating needs

Remember that whatever you are going to do in future, you will have to work within that walls of the home that you build today. Depending on your choice and needs, your design must allot space and location of rooms. In some cases people prefer a larger than usual living room, while others might prefer a more even use of space. Have a vision for what you will do with the interiors even before you build them.

wallpapertv home design Home Design Tips: Get the ball rolling on your dream home

Let lighting and heating needs take prominence

Your home design must keep in mind the effects of natural sun light and heat. The direction and the home’s windows, define these factors. Make sure that the home is always well-lit by natural lights during daytime. Also, keep in mind that the use of skylights is a popular option that is catching on these days.

Home design is a culmination of technical and aesthetic aspects. The right balance between both of them is a must, and can only be achieved when your personal tastes are integrated with comfortable and practical design.

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Published by Alex Ion 17 Mar 2009 in Tips & Tricks

Staying in touch: Hot Interior Design Styles of 2009

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They say that what is cool in fashion changes overnight and while the world of interior design is not that overly dynamic, the trends when it comes to doing your interiors also change with passing time. With each year come there are new hot designing tips, colors that are more relevant, shades that reinvent the space that surrounds you and accessories that add a whole new dimension to your home. So what is hot and happening in 2009 and what will be the fashion that will hold sway in the months to come?Here are a few hot interior design styles of 2009…

interior design 2009 Staying in touch: Hot Interior Design Styles of 2009

#1 Lay emphasis on comfort and the cozy-factor

The latest when it comes to interior designing is to integrate a great looking blueprint with a home that is great to live in and easy to use. Modern architecture and special arrangement looks for a fine balance between cozy interiors and a sleek and sensuous look. Eye-candy homes are no longer the rave. Utility and practical value is the latest mantra.

interior designs 2009 Staying in touch: Hot Interior Design Styles of 2009

#2 Mix and match styles and shades

One of the major impacts on the designing styles of 2009 will be that of the global economic meltdown and how people will think twice before they part with their cash. The trend will be to mix and match the old stuff that is still useful with new accessories that are affordable and add a little something to the space. Excessive and extravagant spending of cash and throwing away everything old as it does not match the new look will be a thing of the past for some time now.

interior designs 2010 Staying in touch: Hot Interior Design Styles of 2009

#3 Do not clutter- Let the space look larger than it really is

Going with a simple and stylish look seems to be the way forward for 2009 as a clutter-free interior is the popular choice among both consumers and designers. This gives the room a more sophisticated and ergonomic look along with saving on the cash. Only keep what’s needed and arrange it with precision.

interior design style 2009 Staying in touch: Hot Interior Design Styles of 2009

#4 A minimalist look with contrasting patterns

There is no doubt that the minimalist look is the most popular style that is going around today when it comes to designing either office spaces or homes. The minimalist design saves on space, looks futuristic and with contrasting bright and bold patterns the look just gets accentuated further. If you look around any modern home design today, you are most likely to find something in lines with this fast catching trend.

interior design styles 2009 Staying in touch: Hot Interior Design Styles of 2009

#5 Think green to reap long-term benefits

Going green with the energy usage in your home is a great way to invest in the future. That pattern is being quickly and silently integrated into the design and structure of most modern homes. The further you go green, the more you will reap its benefits in the longer run. It is not just a healthy initiative that you can take, but something that you can be really proud of.

cool interior design style Staying in touch: Hot Interior Design Styles of 2009

#6 Bright colors are the flavor of the season

The blacks, whites and grays are always popular and go well with the more modern look, but it is the bright shades such as vibrant oranges, cool blues and exciting yellows that will rule the year. So go all out and paint the interiors in the bold and bright shade that you love. You can be also sure that this will lift your mood when you are a bit down.

The designing styles and trends of 2009 seem to be following the global recession to an extent and also the sleek and ergonomic look that people seem to taking to heart. It is also nice to see how functionality is again gaining prominence when compared to form.

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Published by Alex Ion 16 Mar 2009 in Tips & Tricks

Going Classic: How to accent your home Victorian style

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Designing a home and decorating it the way you want is a lot more than merely putting a few objects together that serve the purpose. It is often a wise thing to have a running theme across your home as it will give the right idea on how to accessorize and make shopping a lot easier. If  themes are what you are going how about the instant classic – the Victorian style of decorating interiors. It brings a touch of royalty, a sense of class and adds timeless charm. Going Victorian though is a lot harder than picking contemporary styles and design as you are trying to recreate the past. But here are a few simple tips that will you with that task.

victorian style home interior2 Going Classic: How to accent your home Victorian style

#1 Mix a renaissance decorating style with plenty of metal

A Victorian theme is brought in largely by using stuff that is reminiscent to the Renaissance period. You can do that by using plenty of metal wherever possible. It could be in the furnishings, photo frames or even in the accessories spread across the room. Also, the use of gleaming metal with intricate and artistic design helps a great deal.

#2 Decorative moldings, ornaments, plasterwork and arches

The essence of Victorian style is in its sweeping and larger than life design. This can be achieved using arches wherever possible to create a grand look. Use of plasterwork and moldings could be expensive, but they bring in the feel of authenticity of the design. Remember that this will always cost you a lot more than the other modern themes, but it will also attract people in a unique way of its own.

victorian style home interior Going Classic: How to accent your home Victorian style

#3 Use stain glass and stone fireplaces

One of the most important Victorian accent to a home is the use of stain glass as this is an integral part of the era. It adds in a small yet authoritative way to the furnishings around and it really brings out the bright mood in the room. The fireplace is also an essential aspect of a Victorian styled living room and one made with stone or even polished marble accentuates the already classic feel.

#4 Design with dark colors and rich shades wherever possible

Most often modern designs demand neutral tones and dull shades, but you can throw that out of the window if you are going the Victorian way. Dark and bright shades along with very rich colors are the very essence of the style. Even your woodwork should be grained in dark tones so as to compliment what is around it. Feel free to tone up the reds and the violets, the yellows and the blues as you please!

#5 Lavish designs drenched in fabric

Use plenty of fabric whenever and wherever possible in the shape of curtains, separators and even as wallpaper to bring out the Victorian flavor. You can throw away the idea of repainting your walls or even bringing in new wallpaper by just using printed, light fabric instead. This will only make the interiors far more majestic.

#6 Bring in the fruits, flowers, candles and candy

This might appear simple, but nothing says classic like a bowl full of fruits, a wonderful arrangement of roses in a pot, some beautiful candles and maybe even candy in a basket. These are simple to do, easy to get and will increase the charm of your Victorian interiors manifold. Even wilted flowers bring about a new and wild spirit to the room!

Going Victorian takes a lot more care and effort than most other themes. It will also need you to pick out special furniture and accessories and change most things that would be found lying around otherwise in a normal home. The transformation might be tough, but the result will leave you more than satisfied!

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Published by Alex Ion 11 Mar 2009 in Tips & Tricks

Designing harmony: Simple Feng Shui tips for beginners

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In what is becoming a trend that is gaining great following, Feng Shui has become a sought after craft that even designers are forced to study because more and more customers are asking for it. But you do not have to be a deep student of the subject to follow some of its simplest techniques. Feng Shui is an art of living in harmony with the elements and while some of its intricate matters need expert touch, the most basic principles can be implemented with ease. Here are some simple tips for those who wish to get started on the harmonious way of living and decorating.

feng shui Designing harmony: Simple Feng Shui tips for beginners

Positive Chi is always clutter-free

Chi is the energy flow that is professed by Feng Shui and if you keep the energy flow positive in the space that surrounds you, then your life becomes all the more peaceful. The best way to achieve this positive Chi is to keep your home and office space clutter-free. Cramped up spaces, piled up trash and irregular arrangement not only look bad, but is detrimental to your thought process as well.

#1 Understand your home’s Ba-Gua

Ba-Gua is the map that indicates the flow of Chi in each particular home and how you can alter it. You can always contact an expert to understand  Ba-Gua and how to vary it for positive results. While this is a bit more complicated than other simple steps, it will help you greatly in altering the atmosphere that surrounds you.

#2 Make sure that furniture faces the door

By making sure that all your furniture faces the door, you ensure that there is always a positive flow of the Chi. This seems pretty scientific too, as it offers you better ventilation, fresh air and a view of who exactly is waling in and out. Make sure that the furniture is aligned in a proper fashion with a set pattern.

#3 Use mirrors at the end of hallways and make wide and spacious pathways

Dead ends are not good for a positive flow of the chi. Hence you should put up a mirror at the end of each hallway to create the illusion that it is endless. This makes the room look a lot more spacious and offers better lighting as well. The pathways must be spacious, wide and clean so that there is free and uncluttered movement of the chi.

#4 Create a calm and tranquil environment

Ensuring that the atmosphere around you is peaceful, quiet and serene is a great way of creating positive chi. Instead of making noise use chimes to ensure that gentle and beautiful tunes are created as the wind blows.

#5 Bring in green plants for a refreshing look

Decorate your home with as much green as possible as this will create a positive flow of energy. This gives a great look to your home and adds life to the interiors. You can also add more life by bringing home a fish tank.

#6 Color your home in the right fashion

Use tranquil and neutral colors and soothing textures as much as possible Avoid bright colors that disturb you and create unrest. This is all the more true for places of rest such as bedrooms and sitting patios. Also, avoid colors such as bright red as they promote restlessness.

Feng Shui is no alien art as many would have you believe. Simple, peaceful and clean lifestyle is all it is and if you are following that, then it is most likely that Feng Shui has already made its way into your home. For those who have not tried it yet, give it a shot to notice the difference!

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Published by Alex Ion 09 Mar 2009 in Tips & Tricks

Designer Quest: How to find an interior designer to suit your need

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Starting off with a new home or office space. But deciding on what you’re buying requires more opinion. Most of the time you go about asking your friends what they think or how would they do it. But have you considered a professional interior designer? If so where do you find one? Here’s our take …

interior designer1 Designer Quest: How to find an interior designer to suit your need Image Source : Live Bohemian

#1 Decide whether you need a decorator or a designer

The first and most important part of your search for a designer is to actually understand your own needs. You may only need to move a few things around and re-decorate. That’s where an interior decorator is just enough. But if you need to revamp space and/or move your walls to  recreate the whole dimensions, then going for a designer is a must. Do not rush in before completely understanding your needs as it would be complete waste of time and of course, money.

#2 Inquire friends and neighbors and look for references:

A very safe way of finding a reliable designer is by asking your friends and contacts, who they know or who worked for them. Most of them would have hired a certain designer at some point. It’s a first step.

#3 Online portfolios and previous work make for a fair idea

Checking out portfolios and previous work of the designer – either on his personal website or in his office, will give you a fair idea of what you can expect from his work. Most modern designers with repute have an extensive personal site dedicated to their previous work. Since most of the stuff here will be a glorification of what has been done, be neutral in observation. You are out there to check out his style. Don’t be lured in with false promises.

interior designer portofolio Designer Quest: How to find an interior designer to suit your need Image Source : xJavierx

#4 Look for variety

If you are looking for something of very high quality or unable to find the designer to suit your taste and budget, websites like ASID.org and IIDA.org will help you check out more about the latest designer companies in your area.

#5 Ensure that the designer you pick falls within your budget

When you go shopping it is not granted that you always fall in love with the most expensive stuff and bring it home. Similarly, money does not guarantee great taste when it comes to designing. If your designer falls beyond your budget, then go for others as there are many options available. Do not be tempted to pick a designer who charges you way above what you can afford.

#6 Up and coming designers

If you know, like and trust the work of an up and coming designer, then do not hesitate to go with them. He will devote more time, effort and thought to your project trying to build his experience and adding work to his portfolio. This way, you would also be encouraging young and budding talents.

Finding a designer is not as tough as it was before the age of the internet. It is just a matter of selecting patiently for those things that you need.

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Published by Alex Ion 06 Mar 2009 in Tips & Tricks
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