Guest Post: Spring Inspiration

15 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

Tags

accessories, blinds, color, curtains, decorating, design, emerald green, interior design, interior goods direct, mint, rugs, shades, spring, spring colors, window treatments

With winter slowly leaving us and the hope of a bright and cheerful spring, it seems only appropriate to begin to decorate our homes for the long awaited sunny season. There are so many gorgeous colors for us to choose from, and we don’t always know what style and theme we are looking for. So this is why I have created a list of this season’s top spring colors, along with a few simple but effective design features to make your home look and feel like a happy haven.

Spring Colors We Love
My unpredicted favorite color, which has decided to grace us with its presence this year, is green. Emerald green has been given loads of attention over the past year. However, it’s time to put a new spin on green and opt for a new shade for this season, Mint. This beautiful color, which doesn’t require a lot to stand out, has solely become our new favorite color for this spring.

Photo Credit: HGTV

Considering my love for anything neutral, my passion for cream is rapidly disappearing, and in its place are bright pops of color like green, blue, and yellow.

Photo Credit: Station of Interior and Eksterior Ideas

Now this doesn’t mean I will paint my whole house in this shade. Why not try a statement wall with one of these three colors or opt for bright accessories. This will provide just enough to make your home stand out, but not so much you feel like you’ve taken a step back into the 70s.

Guest Post: Spring Inspiration
Photo Credit: Vertical Blinds Direct

Curtains or blinds? That’s the question
I have always had a love for a gorgeous set of curtains, and in my opinion, there’s nothing better than when they fall to the ground in a beautiful pleat. However, lately my opinions are changing. Despite my love for curtains still being strong, they have been taken over by my passion for a set of bright and cheerful blinds.

Guest Post: Spring Inspiration
Photo Credit: Vertical Blinds Direct

Now that spring in around the corner, we want to embrace the beautiful bright mornings. Blinds are the perfect opportunity to do so. However, if mornings aren’t your thing, you can still opt for a set of black out blinds in your favorite spring shade, but with the effect of a set of lined curtains. I have recently installed a set of gorgeous blue vertical string blinds to my white and blue home. They are just enough to add a pop of color without it looking over the top.

Guest Post: Spring Inspiration
Photo Credit: Vertical Blinds Direct

Everyone Loves Accessories
Accessories are the perfect opportunity to add personality to your home. If you’re not ready to take the step into bright walls and blinds, you can still change the whole look of your home by accessorizing.

Photo Credit: Houzz

Photo Credit: Coodet

Bright cushions, rugs, and table decorations have the ability to change the look of your home with minimal effort, and if you are anything like me, small touches really count. So invest in little trinkets, wicker baskets, and beautiful wall hangings. Just because we don’t live in the Hamptons doesn’t mean we can’t make our homes look like we do.

Photo Credit: GHID

{Written by Alice Lawson on behalf of Interior Goods Direct}

Guest Post: Glass Treatments

14 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by melissaoconnor in Everyday Design, Guest Posts, The Home

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etching, etching glass, film and tinting glass, frosting spray, glass treatments, nicholas haywood, window treatments

From kitchenware to fixtures and windows, glass is a fundamental part of our living spaces. The decorative and functional aspects of glass have come a long way since the first drinking glass was made or the first home window was fitted with the improvement over cloth or wood. Still, many leave their glass in the plain, clear state in which it tends to come. There are plenty of options to branch off and make something more of the glass at hand.

Frosting Spray
Using a frosting spray is an inexpensive and easy way to adjust the appearance of your glass. This is the least permanent option and also the least variable, so it makes a good way to experiment with ideas, but not necessarily the best for adding value. There will be some stencil work involved if you don’t want the glass completely frosted, though it is fairly easy to remove and retry.

Photo Credit: Mireio Designs

Photo Credit: Kuangyi

Film and Tinting
Applying film or tint to glass is another great option for a variety of effects on windows. For aesthetics, window film is a simpler way to achieve decorative effects such as a stained glass or etched look. This can also be used for tinting purposes to reduce light or transparency.From a functional perspective, film can be used to protect interiors from the harmful and color-fading effects of UV rays as well as reduce the effects of outside temperatures on the indoors. It also provides an alternative to curtains or blinds if you like to keep your windows uncovered.

Photo Credit: Ebay

Photo Credit: Continental Window Fashions

Etching
Etching is another common technique used to add designs or writing to glass. Kits are inexpensive and somewhat easy to use, though it will take some practice to develop a talent for detailed designs. Discarded bottles make for good practice, but make sure to practice safety first, as etching is done with a caustic substance that can be harmful. If you have access to a glass cutter, you can also find functional uses for etched bottles such as drinking glasses or containing light sources.

After gaining some confidence, you may even want to try applying etching to your fixtures. Some of the things professionals do may look intimidating, but there’s nothing quite like adding personal flair to your personal space.

Photo Credit: This Old House

Mix and Match
The great thing about enhancing glass is that different methods can be used for different purposes in harmony. Films and tints can be applied with etching or frosting effects or frosting can be added to glass that is etched in other areas. Don’t be afraid to try things out and have fun!

{Nicholas Haywood is an eco-friendly home improvement specialist and DIY enthusiast with an eye for interior design. He is slightly prone to OCD behavior as he often gets lost in thought over ways to maximize efficiency and aesthetics in living spaces both at home and the workplace. When his ideas come together, he writes for Vista Window Film, provider of premium window tint for homes and commercial buildings.}

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.}

Guest Post: Four Ways to Integrate Mid Century Furniture into Your Modern Apartment

05 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Guest Posts

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

design, diy design, furniture, home, interior design, mid century, modern design, window treatments

This guest post is brought to you by Aubrey Boone, design enthusiast. Enjoy!

Home decorating means updating a living space and refreshing dated décor. Whether those updates focus on carpet or window treatments, adding new design elements to your home or apartment can increase value while creating a space of tranquility.

Novel interior design projects now aim to integrate mid-century vintage furniture into your modern apartment. The majority of these vintage DIY projects can be completed in a short amount of time for little to no money. The main thing needed is an imagination of how things were way back when. Here are four ways to do just that.

Collectibles
Finding nick-knacks and collectibles adds the rich history of the past into a modern theme. Consider showcasing a series of decorative porcelain vases made in the characteristic style of the 1960s, or other works from esteemed artist Yevgeny Vuchetich.

Add a small mahogany and bronze table found in apartments dating back to the 60s. The clean lines and small stature will fit easily into your modern apartment.

Lighting
Mid-century styles focused on minimalism, so creating a lighting solution is not only simple, but cost effective. Create a swing bar lamp with a few pieces of steel tubing, a flat bar, scrap wood, cloth covered wire and electrical fittings. With a few bends and welds, the lamp will perfectly adorn any corner or reading nook.

An easy solution to lighting is simply to design a lamp shade, or to add a new set of blinds. Don’t underestimate the effect a great set of window treatments can have on a room. For the lamp shade, consider a large cylindrical shade with solid colors such as off-white or light pastels.

Seating Solutions
According to R. Wesley Hurd of the McKenzie Study Center, an institute of Gutenberg College, the color pallet used during the mid-centuries focused on primary colors. Locate a distressed chair at a flea market or a local antique store and dash primary colors, while adding sharp lines and contrasting colors to create a mid-century look. With a few sprays of paint, outdoor seating is turned from modern to vintage as well. In addition, nothing says mid-century quite like the hard plastic/metallic chairs from an old lunch room.

The Outdoors
The outside serves as the window into the soul of a home. For under $100 worth of materials, individuals can construct an outdoor bench inspired by the great George Nelson, a modern design aficionado. The project does require a bit of woodworking, but the end result is a piece similar to Nelson’s vintage futuristic designs.

Mid-century furniture focused on clean lines, vibrant and primary colors, with a minimalistic approach. Recreating a vintage space requires attention to the details of the past, without losing the continuity of the present. With a bit of time and money, your apartment can be the mid-century modern living space you’ve dreamed about.