Guest Post: Decorating Your Home with Original Art

23 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Guest Posts

Tags

art, art galleries, color, decorating, design, exhibitions, greece, greek, greek artists, original art, painting, Spiros Amerikanos, Technosfaira, Vasileios Arapis, Vasiliki Tambouri

Why Not Decorate your Home with Original Art?
When you decorate your home, you think very carefully about the color schemes you will choose for each room and about matching furnishings and so on. Then you go out and look for something to put on your wall, perhaps as an afterthought. You go around the usual stores and pick a picture that will suit your color scheme and will probably pay as much for it as you would for an original work of art, which will appreciate in value, if you choose wisely.

Painting by Vasiliki Tambouri

Where Do You Buy Original Art Works From?
You could go to a gallery of course, but you could consider visiting some art exhibitions, where you can talk to the artists who are displaying their works and discuss their paintings with them. This gives you an insight into their thoughts as they were creating a painting and you can better understand the creation that you like. Galleries are good, but you have to pay commission and it is so much better for the buyer to buy works direct from the artist.

What You Can Expect From an Exhibition
Recently I had the privilege to be invited to a week-long exhibition of Greek artists’ works and would like to share some of them with you, in order for you to have a flavor of what you can expect for probably less than 1,000 Euros.

Painting by Vasiliki Tambouri, not in the exhibition

There are usually various sizes of paintings to choose from but the bigger the canvas the more they tend to cost. Sometimes an exhibition will have a central theme, but others will be more diverse, with a mixture of styles to choose from. There could be abstracts, or more traditional types of art, including sculptures and icons, if you are interested in religious paintings.

Painting by Spiros Amerikanos

You will, of course, have your color scheme in mind as well as the type of art that appeals to you. I particularly enjoy having artists explain their works as this gives me a deeper understanding of what it is I am seeing in their paintings. I find this particularly fascinating.

Color Scheme First, or Painting?
Personally, I would go to an exhibition first, and find a painting I liked and then build my color scheme around it. A good painting is always a talking point when you have guests to your home. I have found that people are impressed when they see something original on a wall, and if you care about their opinions, they will probably think that you have spent more than you actually did on an original painting.

Once you have found something that you really adore, you can fit your colors around it. You will probably be living with your choice for a few years, so make sure you actually like the painting and can comfortably live with it.

I have illustrated this article with paintings that would typically cost less than a thousand Euros. They were displayed at the fifth exhibition mounted by “Technosfaira” which is a relatively new association of Greek artists. It encompassed various genres of art, and I apologize for not being able to include the works of all the artists who participated in the exhibition. However, I have chosen my favorites, and the rest may be viewed online at the Technosfaira Omada site on Facebook.

Spiros Amerikanos, Vasiliki Tambouri and Vasileios Arapis on October 1st 2012 deciding where the pictures should be placed for the exhibition

It actually makes no difference where you are, there are always exhibitions which feature the works of good artists, so look for these in your local events page online or in your newspaper. Visit an exhibition and I am sure you will be very pleasantly surprised.

{Lynne Evans lived in Pakistan for four years and worked there as an English and social studies coordinator in an English-medium private school. She has written short stories, has a novel awaiting publication, and has also helped to produce text books for students of English. Lynne has also worked as a writer, proofreader and editor for Hillside Press, Athens, Greece and has travelled widely, both for work and for pleasure. She is currently back in Europe and still traveling.}

How to Buy Antique Furniture and Other Collectables

19 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Guest Posts, Shopping, William Robinson

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Antique Furniture, Antique Shows, Antiques, charity shops, Clarice Cliff, classified ads, estate sales, flea markets, Loveday Antiques, Royal Worcester, Shopping Online, table top sales, William Robinson

If one of your favorite things to do on the weekend is browse antique shops than you will find this post helpful. You might feel like it’s time to buy some of those things you’ve had your eye on for months, maybe a new cabinet or dining table. The thing is, do you know enough to part with a large sum of money? Whatever you are looking for in an antique you must do your research first:

There are a few tell-tale signs that what you’re looking at is a true piece of antique furniture. Keep an eye out for the following:

• Square nails: this can indicate age but be replicated
• Ornamentation applied by hand: signs of hand crafted workmanship rather than machine manufacture
• Specific styles, such as Art Deco, Victorian
• High-quality items: these cost more and are more likely to have been kept well
• Older wood should show variations in colors
• Joints within draws should be hand-made and unique angles: identical joints show a machine manufacture
• Evidence of wear/use: sometimes it’s simple sun bleaching while other times it’s how it has been used
• Very old wood shrinks slightly: look for odd measurements/uneven surfaces

Educate Yourself
If you’re really interested in learning about antique furniture, then reading up on your preferred style or era is a very important part of becoming a collector. Visit museums and antique dealers to get a feel for what’s out there. Ask questions and learn about specific pieces, time periods or art movements that you’re particularly interested in. If you can find someone with a collection of the similar piece you are interested in and look closely at them and even feel them to see how they should feel in your hands.

A great tip for anyone looking to buy genuine antiques is not just to know how it should look but how it should feel too, sometimes people try to replicate older pieces to con people into thinking they are genuine, even in the Victorian ages they replicated 16 century furniture, but you can tell from the feel as well as the look.

Sometimes doing your research on the symbols and markings applied to genuine pieces of pottery, jewelry or ornaments can help you decipher what is higher quality and what is not. It just depends on what area of antiques you’re interested in as to whether this would serve you during you’re searches. Pottery is a great example where knowing your Clarice Cliff from your Royal Worcester would be very helpful.

However, items such as furniture may be unmarked but this would not necessarily mean that this does or doesn’t have age or value. Sometimes great furniture manufacturers would be known by their style alone. Some printed a logo on the furniture and other would have branded the furniture with a symbol or sign that tied it to them as the maker. Furniture would be an expensive place to start with collecting antiques. For a novice, starting on something less likely to impact your pocket would be wiser.

Shopping for Antiques
The best and cheapest places to find antiques for less include table top sales and flea markets, estate sales, charity shops and classified ads. Sometimes the seller doesn’t even know that they have a true antique on their hands. If possible, take along a friend who knows a thing or two about antiques. They’ll be able to steer you toward what’s worth it and what’s not worth a penny.

Antique Shows
The next stop you should make is at a real deal antiques show. Keep in mind that the sellers at these shows know what they have and how much money their antiques are worth. While you may not find any huge savings at trade shows or antique malls, you can find pretty great items. Plus, if you’re looking for something specific, the antiques dealers should be able to point you in the right direction.

Shopping Online
When it comes to buying antiques online, it’s always difficult to know the condition of what you’re buying. If possible, try to visit the antique dealer in person to see the item before you pay. If you want to shop for antiques online, go ahead, it’s a great way to find tons of items you wouldn’t otherwise come across. However, search antique dealers within driving distance so you can look at everything in person before buying.

The most important tip for shopping for antiques is to buy something you actually like. No matter how valuable something is, if you can’t stand to look at it, it shouldn’t be sitting in your living room. Antique furniture comes with its own set of warnings. Always measure the space properly so the item fits well. It would be heartbreaking to find a piece and not be able to get it into your home.

There are many different reasons to own antiques. The most basic reason is many antiques are beautiful to look at. Others like owning something valuable from another era. No matter what your reason for wanting to invest in antiques, knowing how to shop is the key to spending your money wisely.

Written by William Robinson

Guest Post: A Fitting Guide for Awkward Windows

16 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

blinds, decor, decorating, diy, home, measuring, window treatments, windows

It can be a real struggle when trying to measure for blinds on difficult shaped windows. Two of the most awkward types of windows to measure are the Recess Windows and Bay Windows. Have no fear the experts fitters of Wooden Blinds Direct have made some clever visual guides to help you measure up your own windows without having to get someone in.

Recess Fit
There are two major ways to fit a blind to the average recess window. The first of these ways is the recess fit which is when you want to fit the blind into the recess of the window rather than on the outside. When measuring for the Recess fit take three separate measurements of the height and three for the width. See the diagram below.

Take the smallest measurement of each of these and deduct about 1.5cm from the width for account for clearance. You don’t need deduct any height unless you are measuring for a vertical blind and then we suggest deducting around 2cm.

Outer Fit
The other way to measure a blind for a recess window is to measure an outer fit of the recess for your blind to cover. As shown in the diagram: simply measure the areas that you wish your blinds to cover. When measuring for vertical blinds we recommend deducting around 2cms to allow for clearance.

Bay Windows
Bay windows can be hard to measure. You are often left with overlapping blinds that don’t fit together well. There are three types of bay window blind styles to choose from when deciding to measure your windows so decide in advance before starting.

Type A – Full Front
Use this method when wanting maximum coverage of your front window to stop unwanted light and people being able to see in. This is often the most popular choice when buying blinds for bay windows. Usually the small gaps in between the front and side blinds are obscured by the window frame.

To size up the front blind first measure the recess in which the front blind will go. Make sure you follow the Recess fit guide above as the recess size may vary from top to bottom. Deduct around 1.5cm for clearance from the width and height.

For the side blinds measure each side recess individually as they might be slightly different. Again remember to use the Recess fit guide above. However you then need to minus the depth of the front blind from the width of each side. Also deduct around 3cm for clearance to make sure the blinds aren’t overlapping.

Type B – Full Sides
Imperial Windows for windows and doors in Toronto suggests to use this method when wanting maximum coverage of your side windows to stop unwanted light and people being able to see in. Usually the small gaps in between the front and side blinds are obscured by the window frame.

For the side blinds measure each side recess individually as they might be slightly different. Also deduct around 1.5cm for clearance to make sure the blinds aren’t overlapping.

Type C – Symmetrical Corners
Use this method when not wanting your blinds to overlap in the corners and give you more symmetrical look. Usually the small gaps in between the front and side blinds are obscured by the window frame.

To size up the front blind first measure the recess in which the front blind will go. Again, make sure you follow the Recess fit guide above. Deduct around 1.5cm for clearance from the width and height and also remember to deduct twice the depth of the blinds you are using for the side windows.

For the side blinds measure each side recess individually as they might be slightly different. Deduct the depth of each from each of the side blinds and around another 1.5cm for clearance to make sure the blinds aren’t overlapping.

{This was a guest post by Sam Fisher on behalf of Wooden Blinds Direct for more information and a more in depth guide to blinds fitting see their website.}

Unique Ideas to Help with Organization in the Bedroom

12 Friday Oct 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, Jim Klossner

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Tags

Cahill, Functionality, furniture, Gadget, home and garden, interior design, Jim Klossner, organization, Shelves and Panels, Storage

The bedroom is the most prone to clutter because it isn’t just where we start and end our day. For many people the bedroom is also where they work, engage in their hobbies and interests, study, etc. Here are some simple yet effective ideas to get you started in organizing your bedroom and keeping it clean, spacious, and clutter-free.

Think Vertical
So often when we walk into a room, we visualize the arrangement of furniture, and the space each piece would take, horizontally – as in, we are more commonly concerned with footprint than height. Think vertical, and you will see the storage and organization potential of utilizing heights and the vertical spaces in your room. Use hanging closet organizers. Instead of going for a wide shelf, why not go for a thin and tall one? Ditch the space-consuming photo frames lined up on your dresser and go for a film strip wall decal where you can display your pictures.

Photo Credit: East Side Bride – Robert Reck for The New York Times

Set Up a “Gadget Garage”
Cellphone and laptop chargers, earphones/headphones, data cables, iPods and tablets — these are things most of us use every single day so we end up taking them anywhere and everywhere. To minimize the wire and electronic clutter, set up a charging dock instead of bringing everything with you. If you REALLY can’t go for a couple minutes without your cellphone or laptop, put a storage bench near the wall outlet/charging dock. You can use this as storage for your game consoles and peripherals, etc.

Photo Credit: TechnGear

Storage on Wheels
Whether you’re a college student, young professional, or a mom, there will always come a time when you just have too much stuff and nowhere to put them in. More often than not, these stuff end up on furniture surfaces or the floor. If you’re out of shelf space for your books and magazines, you can put them on sturdy, wooden platforms with wheels so they don’t end up in a messy pile and will still be easily accessible. This will also make them easier to move around when you feel like rearranging your room every once in a while.

If you want a more secure storage, there are “rolling drawers” that you can get which will fit perfectly under your bed or side table. These are among the most common areas that go underutilized, yet could provide the perfect storage space.

Photo Credit: West Elm

Wall-Mounted Shelves and Panels
Not only do hanging and wall-mounted shelves save you precious floor space, they actually look way more trendy and stylish than your typical standing shelves. If you want to put up a workstation in your bedroom, you can just put a cheap but sturdy table against the wall, install/mount open shelves above it, and voila – you already have a place for your desktop/laptop and desks for your books and documents. Make your white wall-mounted shelf even more stylish by attaching it to a gold or colored chain that extends up to the ceiling.

Photo Credit: Decoist

Photo Credit: The Luxe Home

Arrange by Functionality
Arranging the things and furniture pieces in your bedroom by function not only helps in organization, it also shows you the corners and areas of your room that go unused — freeing up space and giving you better storage and design options. If you spend a lot of time on leisurely reading, set up a little reading nook in one side of the room with a comfortable chair and put all your bookshelves in that area. Put your full-length mirror, coat/bag racks, and accessory stands near your dresser, since this is the area where you try on different ensembles on a daily basis.

The basic idea is to, as much as possible, have the things you would need for any activity located in the same area. This lessens the tendency to clutter because you wouldn’t be walking around the room grabbing (and discarding) the things you need.

Photo Credit: Design Various