Archive for the ‘Real Estate’ Category

There are a few people who really put thought into how much difference having the right bathroom fixtures can make.  Although, of course, almost everyone make sure that they have a toilet that works well, and a sink that looks good, no one really thinks about how they’re going to best display their towels.  I know this from my experience growing up.  Almost everything in our house was immaculate except for the bathroom towel rack.  The bathroom towel racks always looked awful.  They were nothing more than an old metal bar sticking out of the wall, with towels that were often slightly mildewed hanging them.  My parents never got one of those bathroom towel racks that looks like an aged copper ornamental fence, for example.  They did not even have a bathroom towel shelf.  I don’t think they knew how bad the bathroom towel rack looked, but I was always embarrassed.  I thought having such a bathroom towel rack, after all, made us look low class.

Of course, as an interior decorator, picking out the perfect bathroom towel rack is only one of my many duties nowadays.  A lot of people think that I am sort of a perfectionist and a bit silly to even think about such things, but really, it can make people a lot happier to have a house that looks and feels tip top.  It is not just a matter of whether or not the bathroom towel rack looks good, but of how the whole house fits together.  If you can make it all work as a seamless whole, people will really appreciate your decor, and note that you have taste and class.  If even one item, such as the bathroom towel rack, is neglected however, it can ruin the whole effect and that is a fact.

And besides, everyone thinks of the important details.  Everyone has a living room table that looks rather good, a bathroom organizer that suits their needs, the right paint, and the right decorations.  What sets some apart from others is attention to the little things that most people do not even notice.  You and your family might not think of the bathroom towel rack on your own, or even many of the other bathroom accessories that can make your house look fantastic.  That is why experts like me exist.  To make sure that everything is in its place from bathroom towel rack to kitchen table.

If you want to learn more about bathroom designs then head on over to  BathroomCentral.com.

There are numerous painting techniques you can use when doing up your home and faux painting is up towards the top of that list. The idea behind faux painting is that you use paint and the surface it’s being applied to to create effects that can look like suede, woodgrain or even concrete. These effects can be quite impressive if you’ve never seen them before.

The word faux is French and it simply means “false” – you’re using skill and materials to create an effect on your walls that is entirely false but that is clever and creative enough to fool the human eye.

For most home decorators when you paint any surface in your home you want the smoothest possible finish. Zero blemishes and no colors poking through the topcoat. Faux painting goes against everything you already know about painting. Faux finishes rely on using multiple colors and surfaces to achieve those amazing effects that only faux techniques can deliver.

Just like any other painting projects getting your base coat right is very important. If the surface hasn’t been primed properly then you’re going to run into problems sooner or later. Usually a base coat of a brighter color is the best way to start. Usually you’re going to be a putting on a darker color as the top coat so you’ll need the contrast of a brighter undercoat. Just make sure your basecoat is perfectly dry before you start with your faux effects.

Your paint should be a mixture of roughly 1 to 4 of regular paint and glaze in that order. So one quart of paint to four quarts of glaze if that makes sense? This should give you more than enough paint to cover a few hundred square feet of wall so you’re not going to run out of paint anytime soon.

So what do you use to create your faux painting finishes? Most people will just use a large piece of sponge for their main effects but you can also use a piece of cloth to achieve streaked effects or even just use a small paintbrush for more precise and detailed work.

It’s always a good idea to test your ideas on a small hidden surface before you go decorating an entire wall. Maybe try painting a garage wall to see if the final finish is what you want. If the worst comes to to the worst though you can always just paint over your faux finish with another coat of paint – you can’t “break” your walls by painting them after all!

Click here if you want more faux painting tips and ideas.

Painting is something that most people dread for a number of reasons. The fact remains that your home is going to need a lick of paint sooner or later. It might just be a bathroom that needs a touch up or you might have to go all in for a total facelift on the interior or exterior.

No matter what you have planned for your painting project it’s always best to understand the tools of the trade and the different types of effects you can create with just some paint and a brush or roller.

Get more interior painting techniques right now.

You need to do something about your home’s lack of décor, but you feel completely overwhelmed. There are so many interior decorating ideas available. How are you supposed to choose just one or two of the many interior design options you see in magazines, on television shows and in your favorite stores? You have no idea, but you do know one thing – if you don’t make a choice soon, you are going to be in big trouble, because you’ve been bringing home a random assortment of items that struck your fancy without worrying about a theme.

Get more great home decor ideas at www.aboutdecor.com

Then it’s time to decide on the colors, which mainly center around pale cream and blue, and white, which all seem to work equally well. Strong colors like red and green shouldn’t be used on the walls, as they ruin the relaxation because they are ‘busy’ colors. The walls need to be just a little bit duller than the furniture, so make sure you keep color in mind throughout the design process.

More on chalet style decorating tips and ideas.

This style can be marginally adapted to create a European bistro look. The stylish appliances will still fit in well, but instead of the light coloured paint you will want to go for rich reds and gold. Faux plastering to add a bit of texture, as well as mosaic tiling on the work surface or walls also go really well here.

Kitchen redecorating tips and ideas.