My Home Inspire Ideas

We all want a beautiful home, the sad part is that many of the things that we would really like to have cost a great deal of money. In todays world, money is scarce. With gas prices, the price of food, and the price of general living, we have to save money in any place that we can. So, while many of us want our homes to look great, we want to do so on the little bit of money we have.
The good news is that there are many home designs and interior design projects that you can do easily and stick to your budget at the same time. There are little things that you can do, which will make dramatic improvements to your home in no time flat. For example, any home design or interior decorator will tell you that a good way to give those walls a new look or a face lift is with wallpaper. Wallpaper is fairly cheap and comes in such a wide variety of designs that you will have no problems finding something to suit your tastes.
Mirrors can make great accents for your home. They can be strategically placed to reflect artificial or natural light within your home, creating a soothing and welcoming atmosphere. As you can see with just these first two tips, it does not have to cost a lot to create a home design that you love.
While the exterior of the home should look good, the interior is where you spend most of your time, so designing something that you feel comfortable and love is important to you. The great part about home design is that you can tackle any room within your home. If your kitchen needs an update, why not consider just repainting some of your cabinets. This can give you a new look, fix some damage even, and save you a ton of money, as an alternative to replacing your kitchen cabinets.
Something simple, but extremely beneficial to the home is to add new plants to your home design. Bringing home a few flowers or plants, no matter if they are real or not, can really add something special to your rooms. Flowers bright up any room and plants just give it a homey feel.
If you feel your walls are just too boring and you really do not want to wallpaper the whole room, why not look into some other elements. The great thing about home design is that you can make it anything you want it to be. Some interior paint, along with some stencils or sponges can help you create your very own work of art. You might even consider borders or decals to help you out as well.
As you can see, there are many ways that you can update your home design and interior without having to spend a great deal of money. All you have to do is use your imagination and get to work, whether its wallpaper, painting, or moving things around a little, you can really had some style to your rooms. (more…)

Mosaic, an ancient art of setting tesserae together through colorful and labor-intensive design to form many patterns, is one of the most powerful methods to decorate floors and walls of buildings,in order to express owner’s special style. The mosaic patterns with slate are artistic drawings from the industrious hands, creative minds, and passionate hearts. They are vivid reflection of designers endless pursuance for beauty. Please Create your mosaic products with our colorful slate. Slate has been used for centuries to create beautiful and rigid mosaic. With unique textures, classic colors and strong durability, it has been recognized as the best suitable roof material for its practicality, beauty and environmental protection. It can satisfy people’s desire of close to nature in this modern society. The basic colors of our mosaic slate and craft slate are black, grey, green, rusty, etc. In every big item of color, it still can be divided into some preciser colors. With these materials, designers can create endlessly beautiful patterns which are widly appling to many styles of architecture. The pieces forming the mosaics could be cutted in minimal sizes for 1 x 1cm (0. 254″ x 0. 254″. ) and many different kinds of shapes , in natural cleft, honed or tumbled finishes, a process by means of which the pieces acquire a weathered look, which is both elegant and pleasing to the eyes. The pieces are set onto a fiberglass mesh and are bonded by a water-soluble, neutral glue, altogether harmless to the stone. Also according to your demands and drawing, we can make and process any different kinds of mosaic slate. Why don’t you try it now! (more…)

HomeDesignOutletCenter has been known to offer high quality bathroom vanities and building materials at affordable prices. The Company offers many different types of products. Besides vanities, the wide range of products include faucets, natural stone tiles, mosaics, glass sinks, mouldings, medallions, shower systems and whirlpools/jetted tubs. The range of products is meant to provide flexible solutions for homeowners. When building or renovating a bathroom, there are two challenges that contractors and homeowners must overcome. The first challenge is to find a suitable bathroom vanity. The second challenge is to source for compatible bathroom tiles that will match the vanity. Very often, the bathroom design is compromised because homeowners cannot locate the right materials. For example, many modern bathroom vanities have a simple and classic looking design. The vanity top is almost always white in color. The next step is to pick a tile with a color that matches the white vanity top. However, most of the tile colors are not white in color. Colors may be grey, beige, or golden brown. For some, such colors are nice to have because they create a sharp contrast between the vanity and the floor tiles. But there are some homeowners who prefer everything to be completely white. Understanding that different homeowners have different preferences, the Company has decided to import a complete collection of white carrara marble. The white carrara marble collection is a rare collection that consists of tiles, mosaics, and mouldings. This means that if a homeowner chooses to have white as the primary color, the entire bathroom can be constructed with the new white carrara marble collection. Homeowners do not have to compromise on the design just because matching colors are not available. The situation of having beige for the tile color, grey for moulding and white for the vanity top can now be avoided. “The availability of white carrara marble is rare,” a spokes person from the Company commented. “This is due to the fact that pure white marble cannot be imported easily from any country as the material is mined only in Italy. “Pure white marble is created by a process that is known as metamorphism. Such marble can only be created by very pure limestone. The surface of the marble is completely white. But like all other marble types, one can expect the interior to contain swirling patterns. Such patterns are subtle and add to the elegant appearance of the building material. The swirling patterns are created by minerals such as clay or sand that is trapped inside the marble. Besides mouldings, the Company is proud to announce that it now has stock for mosaics and tiles that are of different sizes. Having the material available as both mosaic and tile is great news for homeowners and contractors. Bathrooms that are of all shapes and sizes can now be fitted with the new white carrara marble with minimum hassle. (more…)

What mainly comes to mind when you think of granite? Kitchen countertops? Bathroom vanities? Perhaps flooring now and again in public buildings? These are popular applications of granite, and they all certainly have their place. But there are actually many other ways to incorporate granite into a home. Here are some ways you can include this lovely product of nature in your house without necessarily adding a counter or vanity top. Granite Basins and Sinks You may think stainless steel, porcelain, or glass when you think of sinks, but stone is also a popular sink material these days. If you’d like to go au natural in your bathroom, granite is a terrific stone to use. It’s elegant and durable, resistant to common stains, and doesn’t require a lot of upkeep to remain beautiful. You can find granite sinks, including pedestal style, but also basins, which add a sleek, modern edge to this timeless material. It’s a touch of luxury and refinement in any bathroom. Granite Table Tops A step away from a countertop, a granite table top makes a beautiful dining table or even desk. Just like granite countertops, you can count on the long-lasting quality of a granite table top. Granite’s stain and scratch resistance makes it a great surface for eating, and you won’t need to spend hours grooming it or worrying about it. When company comes, you have a fabulous place to gather, and when they’re gone a little soap and water cleans up perfectly. Even if you plan to use your granite table top everyday, a little mild cleaning and wiping up of spills will keep it shiny and healthy for a long time. Granite also makes for a solid desktop for an office or even just a home office. Granite Fireplace Mantles Surround your fireplace with a granite mantle to make an elegant focal point. The flecks and swirls of various colors in the stone will glimmer in the firelight, and granite is naturally heat-resistant so it’s a perfect contender for a fireplace. If you like to sit by the fire at night with your family, consider adding granite as a mantle piece for the visual benefit of everyone. Granite Medallions A granite medallion is essentially a pattern made from pieces of granite that have been laid onto one large tile. They’re safe to use inside or outside, on the floor or on the wall. You can find various designs, all of which make the perfect natural art. Because medallions are one composite piece, it’s easy to install. You might consider installing one in your entryway, master bathroom or shower floor, patio or deck floor, or pool. It can bring art and color to some otherwise artless places. Now you can see that you have many more ways to bring a little granite into your home. You no longer need to wait until a kitchen renovation to consider granite. A simple sink upgrade in your bathroom, for instance, or a new dining room table top can work just as well. Same beautiful material, different application. (more…)

Rustic lamps with rawhide lamp shades are among the most common western lamps you come across in log homes and in rustic style decorating or western decor. If you have lived in the west or visited western States, you know exactly what I mean. Lamp shades made of rawhide are easy to decorate with, fitting into just about any decorating style. Rawhide leather lamp shades are also made in many colors to make it possible for designers to use any color pallet. Try including rawhide shades in your decorating project and see for yourself how well they enhance your southwestern design theme.
When you prepare to buy rawhide lamp shades you will want to decide the way your lamp will be used. This is just a matter of deciding where in the room you will use it. For example, you could be lighting a big area or just adding some light to a dark corner of the room. Rawhide shades are also popular on antler chandeliers and antler lamps since rawhide lampshades are a standard for southwest style lighting. From little chandelier lampshades with attached bulb clips for candelabra bulbs or sconces to big accent lamps or desk lamps, rawhide shades fit the bill for southwest home lighting.
rawhide lampshades for accent lighting, you are going to really be impressed by the warm space created by the lamps light coming through the stretched rawhide. This is the way rawhide shades function to create that special mood. It is a great harmony of color and tone that causes that warm glow. While it may not be the focus of your room, it will certainly add some character to your space.
When using rawhide lamp shades for reading you will probably want to select a larger lamp and lampshade that could be used to provide light from above and behind the person reading. This allows for the most comfortable reading environment. Wall lamp shades also allow for excellent reading light and rawhide shades are available in just the right dimensions for your lighting and decorating needs.
Remember, when you are deciding on the lighting fixtures for your home, the light from rawhide desk lamp shades allows you to filter the bright glare and bring out the charm of the light while using it where you need it. Bleached rawhide, sometimes called southwestern lamp shades, lets the greatest amount of light shine through while dark rawhide shades, referred to as western lamp shades, are more subtle producing a smoke or charcoal color when the lamp is turned on.
One of the incredible things about the rawhide lamp shades for sale online is that they combine well with so many different variations of lamps including western lamp styles as well as traditional styles. Like the popular antler lamp with a rawhide leather lamp shade, they also look great used on desk lamps or wooden lamps. Iron lamps with rawhide shades are another very popular choice in lighting accessories for western decor.
It’s really not necessary to make drastic changes if you own more traditional style lamps. It is the rawhide shade that is enhancing the western look and feel which is why home decorators love designing with them. You can use rawhide with traditional lamps and create a very nice western feel.
The variations of size and color allow these lamp shades to be placed in practically any environment where you want to add rustic charm or are enhancing your room in what has been termed rustic chic style. Just as appropriate in the living room, family room or den as well as bedroom or study, rawhide shades can be used in just one area or used to bring in a western theme throughout your whole house.
Popular as desk lamps as well as on end tables or on floor lamps and chandeliers, lampshades can make a dramatic statement and bring a unique charm to any room. Purchasing rawhide lamp shades online is quick and easy and often saves you a lot of time and money. Using rawhide in your home is an investment in tranquility and peace that you will cherish forever.
If you love the rustic decorating style of the southwest, or want to enjoy your own year round Arizona room or bring in the Native American style of New Mexico, you will love adding your southwestern decor with rawhide lamp shades. (more…)

If you’re considering investing in property, you might just want to start by drawing your home like my dear friend Jean-Louis advised me to do.   He’s a believer that what you visualize, you’ll bring into your life.   And this is not the first time I’ve hear this.   “Draw it for you, you don’t have to show it to anyone”, he said.   If I close my eyes for mere moments, I picture a house with solid foundations with bay windows, facing a garden.   I can already see myself planting tomato plants, with the dirt in my fingers.   If I enlarge the picture, we’re walking distance to the local schools and town, down a hill to the Saturday open markets.   And I already feel a sense of community and the well-being that comes from living, near good people a sunny climate.    Today, I closed my eyes again, and added soft pink walls, and maybe even on the front door.
Jean-Louis’ approach actually makes sense when the possibilities seem endless and you might, like me be wondering, when I’ll find the home for me, for us.   After all, how am I supposed to know it’s the right house, if I don’t really have a clear picture of what I’m looking for?
The same goes for your furniture.   Why fill your home with furniture that comes from an assembly line?  If your goal is to have furniture that matches your style, then opt for customized furniture.
This is the new trend, specialty custom cabinet shops that offer you the chance to design your own kitchen table nook, custom cabinets or antique-looking bookshelf.   And the process is a relatively simple one.   You meet with one of consultants, and describe what you’d like.   I can describe the book case I want simply by closing my eyes.   I’d like a quaint bookshelf painted soft green with three simple shelves, the kind of bookshelf that beckons visitors to look at the titles you’re reading.   And I know that I want bar stools because somehow drinking coffee in the kitchen first thing in the morning, tastes so much stimulating when you’ve got a little altitude.   That and my pink walls and I’m set.   I’ll know when one of the consultants designs my bookcase and bar stools because I already have them sketched out in my mind.  It’s the architectural expertise that’s missing.
With three decades of in the design, manufacture, and installation of custom and architectural design NYC Custom Furniture is a solid name in the industry.
http://www. NYCCustomFurniture. com/ (more…)

Today shopping for furniture is getting harder and harder due to the lack of funds. We have to tighten the proverbial belt and choose wisely when buying. But; that is not so bad, Why? Because if we are tightening so are retailers. They are feeling the squeeze just like us and they want – perhaps need is the word to sell their products. As the products sit on the floor they loose money and can’t make room for newer shipments. This is definitely good for you – the shopper. The most important thing to have before going shopping is a budget. This will keep you from overspending. Many stores are having sales and this is the time to take advantage of these to purchase the furniture you need. Of course; don’t be foolish and go out and furnish your whole house (unless you really need to) since his is just the time for getting what you really need. Here are a few tips that may help: 1. If you have a tight budget splurge on a good sofa. This is where most people will be comfortable. 2. Leave room; when purchasing furniture or add more items later. 3. Put items in a room hat are personal and have stories in them to tell your guests. 4. Don’t buy a coffee table – be creative by using and old trunk or bench. 5. Don’t fill a large one with one giant seating area. Make several smaller ones for more intimate arrangements. 6. Antique pieces give a room personality. . . but don’t overdue. 7. Old furniture can be recovered or slip covered to update its look. 8. Have a common color to unite the room and pull everything together. 9. Matching pieces is not always necessary as long as the scale is the same. 10. Monochrome palettes make rooms look larger; so keep this in mind if you have a small room. Once you find what you are looking for you should “make a deal” with the salesperson. The salesperson just wants to make their commission and many times are allowed to make deals. If not; they will check with their manager to see exactly what they can do to make the sale. Another way to save money on purchases is to see if the floor model can be purchased. Some stores need to get rid of floor models to make room for new merchandise. Some times the store will forgo the delivery fee to move stock. This can help you save more money if it is offered along with a good sale price. If not; you need to decide if the sale you are offered is within your budget. Remember; you can always go to another store to see what deals they will make. Be creative when shopping. It is not always necessary to shop in retail stores. You will be surprised the items you can find in garage sales, thrift shops and flea markets today. Many people are looking to make money by selling pieces they don’t really want or need. You have the chance to find the items you want and a great price. Be a smart shopper. (more…)

The need to live a healthier lifestyle is something more and more of us are becoming aware of. We are constantly bombarded by the media with shows informing us of the dangers of being overweight, other shows telling us how lose it and more still telling us how fabulous we look and feel when we lose it. Obviously there is much more involved in being healthy than simply losing a little weight but you understand my meaning. As our homes are where we spend most of our time, they should do all they can to help us achieve our health goals. The most obvious starting point is to install a home gym. If you have a bedroom going spare, a few mirrors and a spot of white paint and matching roller blind and a laminate floor covered with rubber matting should freshen things up in preparation for some exercise equipment. Ideally if you want to install a treadmill, a downstairs room would be better suited due to the loud vibrations caused. If this isn’t an option, try an elliptical machine or cross trainer- both run much smoother and therefore make less noise- they also have the added benefit of providing a whole body workout rather than lower body only, as is the case of the treadmill. As for the rest of the house, wooden or tiled flooring should is preferable to carpeting as they hold less dust which can lead to mites and create breathing problems- especially in the case of asthmatics. For similar reasons, pets should be kept out of bedrooms. Make sure your home is clutter free and has lots of obvious places to chill out and re-energize. Cover these areas in blankets, throws, bean bags and cushions- the purpose of the area should be utterly unmistakable. Paint can now be bought with less toxins and more natural ingredients. Not only is this good for your well being it is also kinder to the environment. Health however is not only a physical thing; you also need to look after your mental health. Using lighter shades around the house will keep your spirits lifted, and adding colour and texture in the form of soft furnishings and paintings will really increase mental stimulation. An open plan with lots of window space will allow lots of natural light into the house which is vital for mental well being. Dress your windows with horizontal blinds which allow you to maintain an element of privacy whilst still allowing sunlight to enter. Choosing blinds over curtains also increases the “wipeability” of your home- important for keeping it dust free. A home which provides us with a setting for socialising will do wonders for our well being. Human contact is proven to be a great mood buster so invest in a large dining room table and make lots of use of it. Also arrange your sitting room around socializing NOT THE T. V. ! Lastly, include lots of plants around the home. Plants take the CO2 we breathe out and replace it with oxygen. . . which is fairly important I think you’ll agree. (more…)

 
Rugs, like all pieces of furniture you buy or decorating you do, are style statements you have to literally live with so it’s important that you make the right choice first time around. Otherwise you’ll feel a little dissatisfied each and every time you step into the room where your rug resides.
The two main styles of rug provide different angles to design and make different statements about someone’s personality but within each category there are a whole plethora of patterns to be seen and choices to be made.
Traditional rugs are still very popular with their earthy tones and rustic feel and tend to be used to make a room feel more imposing while bringing a certain warmth and homeliness to many a family home. There are a variety of patterns, many of which feature vine-work or interleaving geometric shapes and these rugs are generally chosen by someone looking for a more refined ambience.
The second of the most common rug types feature more modern designs and often have a very urban feel to them. They are classed in a broad way by the term “contemporary rugs” but this really includes anything that counters the traditional style by including more vibrant colour and more chaotic patterns. There are not many rules when it comes to contemporary rug design and patterns can sometimes stop mid-flow or be segregated into areas between which lie clean crisp lines, giving a fresh feel.
There are also rugs which try to cross the borders of these two design schools which are colourful but fall short of the complex patterns seen in either style. They are sometimes considered to be very homely and used mainly as a bringer of warmth and comfort to a room. They are there to fit the natural flow of a room and while bringing elements of other designs together are created more for the style neutral.
Finding the right rug for your home is not as simple as you might think but shopping around is the best advice anyone can give.

Zapotec rugs are gorgeous hand-crafted rugs by the Zapotec Indians from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. These hand-made rugs are known around the world for their traditional craftsmanship, bright colors, and classic styles. Native rugs are a wonderful southwestern accessory for use in rustic homes and cabins, southwestern homes, or anywhere you would like to add color and elegance. They look great when used on living room and bedroom floors, and also make fantastic Native style wall tapestries for complementary design on your walls. As with the Navajo rug of North America, Zapotec rugs make it simple to get great Native design style in any room of your home. Studying the history of Zapotec rug making gives you a full appreciation of the time consuming work of weaving rugs. The Zapotec Indians, an ancient people with no known stories of migration, believed themselves to be born of nature. They were primarily farmers until the 1500s, when they were presented with new forms of weaving by the Spanish. As well as with the weaving loom, the Spanish transported the first European sheep to Mexico and taught the Zapotec how to weave. The state of Oaxaca is where the world-famous rug making began and still continues today. The bright colors and patterns are the first thing you will notice about Zapotec weavings. Although some rug artists have started to use more modern types of dyes, many still use the traditional and natural elements from the area to dye their wool. When passing by the home of an Oaxacan rug artist throughout the day, you might see them mixing wool in big pots of rich colored dye, over an open fire. Some of the things used to dye the wool come from nature. Perhaps one of the most interesting dyes they use is derived from the cochineal, an insect known to the area. After drying the insect, it is then pulverized to make a rich red dye. Rug weaving often involves the whole family, with each person taking part in the production of an exquisite rug. The wool must first be cleaned and washed, dyed, and then spun into yarn before the weaving process begins. You will find it very fascinating that each rug has a unique design and is an exquisite masterpiece of the artist. The fact that no two rugs have the same design is one of the reasons for their rising popularity. Zapotec rugs are excellent for Indian art collectors that like original pieces, or for those who appreciate Indigenous arts and crafts and rustic home decor. No matter how you choose to use your Indian rug, whether as a stylish floor rug, or as a Native style wall hanging or tapestry, you will certainly admire the quality design of these Indian rugs. With such a variety to choose from, you will easily find the best style to match your interior. Although you might come across Zapotec rugs or similar style southwest rugs in stores that sell home decor, you will probably find lower prices online. Add great character to your southwest or western style home, with the unique design and elegance that is characteristic of Zapotec rugs. (more…)