Making Your House into an Art Gallery

I’ve been collecting fine art for 30 years. I buy mostly signed limited editions consisting of lithographs, prints, serigraphs, etchings, and giclees. These are art terms for reproductions, usually created from original paintings by the artist. He or she, in turn, supervises the print-making process and then signs and numbers the prints. These results become what is known as original reproductions. Because an original Picasso or Chagall can fetch a million dollars, this method is the most common way an average person can afford their work.

For example, very few can buy a Rembrandt painting and his etchings are now long gone because the plates from the 1600’s that made them were never designed to last long. So Durand, a master etcher in the mid-1800’s recreated his own plates from the originals and therefore we have Rembrandts after Durand. Those type of prints are relatively affordable and can be purchased by the masses. But the modern artists of today recognize the power of lithography and make 1000’s of copies available to the general public. That’s where you and I benefit. We can gather a collection of plate-signed Picassos for very little. Add in various posters and you have a plethora of opportunities. Frame them up and you can form a “Gallery Chez Vous” in your own home.

If, however, you want to invest in more collectible pieces, you’ll need to fork over a tidy sum to purchase the “hand-signed” versions. Because of the value of the autographs alone, the signed artwork will be priced accordingly. The more rare or “hot” the artist, the higher the premium for the signed edition. Also, the smaller the number of printed pieces, the greater the value. But check Ebay and the other Internet sites for the best prices. It’s a very competitive place online and you can pick up some amazing deals. Pay the least you can for what’s available or offer a low bid when possible. Buy what you like and what looks good, rather than something more valuable that you hate.

Another tip. Lithographs are the least expensive type of print but modern printing processes have made them almost indistinguishable from other types of high-priced prints. So bypass the aquatints and etchings and shoot for the “lithos.” Also try to buy pre-framed pieces to save even more money. Framing can be expensive. Finally, don’t be afraid to buy the lesser-known artists if the art is appealing. Unless you are totally into investment grade, art is art. There are many Picassos I can’t stand but I love the Disney cartoon cels. Buy what you like and decorate the walls of your house with the beauty of art for an amount you can afford. It will bring you great pleasure and joy over the years. And if you decide to change houses, it all goes with you. That’s right, it can even be a moving experience.

Reducing Your Home Decor Into Miniature Style

Many miniature collectors enjoy using the décor of their own home to determine how they will decorate their dollhouses. There are several aspects of home décor that can be directly applied to the style and design of your miniature displays. By taking the time to pay attention to small details, you may be surprised by how accurately you can recreate the ambiance and feeling of your own home’s interior.

Color combinations and the right coordination is the first and most important step to replicating your interior design. Even the smallest differences in color shades can clash, so look at your own home's room colors and choose those that work well together. Complimenting colors and shading on your walls can make the difference between a room that looks blended and warm and one that seems awkward. Also, be careful of patterns. Patterns that don't mesh well will have your dollhouse rooms looking out of place. If you've used specific color combinations and patterns in your own home and know they work well together, replicate them in your doll house design. Pay attention to flooring as well. Look at your own carpet colors or hardwood flooring patterns and work on trying to reproduce them as closely as possible.

Replicating furniture style is another great way that you can incorporate the feel of your own home into your dollhouse design. A quick and easy way to do this is to get a sample swatch for the fabric that was used to cover your couch or chairs. This fabric can then be used to create the furniture pieces that you place in your miniature dollhouse. Many pieces of furniture can easily be placed in specific period of history or certain geographical locations by their styling. Try to replicate the stylistic features of your furniture into the pieces that you select for placement in your collection of miniatures. Not only will the colors be the same, but also the decorative flavors and styles will match.

Your interior design is unique and you've carefully chosen objects or colors to give a certain feeling to the rooms in your home. Use that same creative energy in your doll house design. Taking care to add the special touch of just the right miniature sculpture or painting on the wall can add plenty of ambiance. Adding miniature pets curled up on the couch or in front of the fire does even more for your doll house design. Those who look at your dollhouse will feel an immediate connection to their own pets and the desire to curl up in a chair near the fire as well. Details such as these bring a unique flavor to your dollhouse rooms. You'll ensure that you have a one-of-a-kind miniature home that no one else in the world has.

Decorate Your Home With Area Rugs

Area rugs have been around for centuries. In modern decorating the usages seems to have peaks and valleys that cycle ever 10 to 15 years. Right now, area rugs are definitely the "in" floor covering. There are a number of reasons for their current popularity.

Carpeting in one manner or another has always been a popular floor covering. The decorating cycle that seems to be prevalent is between area rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting. One of the inherent problems with wall-to-wall carpeting is the difficulty in cleaning. Carpeting is one of the worst enemies of individuals with respiratory or asthmatic health problems. It traps, dirt, dust, mold spores, animal dander, and a host of other allergens.

The better the carpet, by number of fibers per inch, the worse the problem. Vacuum cleaners, no matter how powerful, never remove a 100% of the dust or other contaminants. If you don't believe me, use your current vacuum over an area of wall-to-wall carpeting (after vacuuming, with the power still on, hold the hose in the air, stretch and shake the hose as best you can to remove any dust that may be trapped in the hose). Clean out the bag or canister, ensuring that there are no dust remnants. Vacuum the same area again check the bag or canister and you will see more dirt and dust!

Area rugs have the same inherent problem of trapping dirt, dust, and pollen, however they have the advantage that they can be conveniently removed from the home and taken to be dry-cleaned a process which will remove all contaminants including animal dander and other contaminants. The residential and commercial so called steam cleaners, I say so called because they do not use steam to clean the carpet or rug they use hot water, do a better job than a vacuum, but they still do not remove all the dirt, dust and other contaminants that have made their way through to the under padding. As well, cleaning with water has the potential of doing damage to the floor beneath the carpeting.

Now that other floor coverings, such as hardwood and laminates have come down in cost and are being manufactured for installation by the home handyman, wall-to-wall carpeting is decreasing in popularity and area rugs are being used to create warmth and decoration. Where wall-to-wall carpeting is generally a flat color, area rugs give a homeowner the ability to decorate with an assortment of colors, patterns, and even textures.

Area rugs are not an economical replacement for wall-to-wall carpeting and although you can find area rugs for three and four dollars a square foot, you can find area rugs that are hundreds of dollars per square foot. A Persian hand made area rug can be in excess of ten thousand dollars.

Many wall-to-wall manufacturers sell their end of roles to other manufacturers who cut the remnants to standard sizes and apply edging to the boarders. Although these are sold by the big box retailers as area rugs, the base material is not made to lie flat on a floor. Wall-to-wall carpeting is manufactured to be stretched when installed. This is important to maintain the connection of the fibers to the backing. Wall-to-wall carpeting used as an area rug, will curl and will a relatively short life span.

Asian Decor is Calm and Soothing

In Asian Decor both Japanese and Chinese philosophies believe that our most basic need is for space. Our spirits need room to breathe, move, and think with ease.

Keep the center of your room open. This principle comes from the Eastern belief that the center of the room represents the heart of your self and therefore should be kept open to allow the flow of energy to have full freedom of action.

One of the first steps necessary to transform a home into Asian decor is banishment of clutter. It is necessary to strip away all that is unnecessary in terms of furniture, accessories, and material possessions. For Westerners, this is a very difficult thing to do. If you want a true Asian style home, this is the first step.

Asian decor is attuned to nature and the environment. It would therefore follow that materials used in this style would be natural and bring good feelings to our senses. Oriental flower arranging in the Japanese Ikebana style and bonsai trees are often used. Bamboo is considered to bring good luck when used in a home. Water fountains are in use to bring calm and order to the mind

Natural fabrics and materials tend to hold more interest for us. Unlike manufactured products, every piece of natural material is unique. It is impossible to get two stones, two pieces of wood, or two pieces of natural fabric to look exactly alike. Natural materials add a new dimension to a design every time they are used.

Do Colors Have to Match Perfectly in Every Room?

Did you grow up with the idea that colors had to match? Whether that idea was in reference to colors in home decor, shoes/purses, makeup, or any number of other areas of our lives, everything had to match! That thought is not as prevalent today but still merits attention especially as your home decorating ideas begin to develop.

You might say that color is an imperfect science. If you don’t believe me, try looking through a paint sample display for that “perfect” color. Remember, the lighting in the store is much different than the lighting in your home which also changes with the weather conditions and the time of the day and year.

Let's look at the pros for matching colors in your home decorating plans:

* You have a favorite color

* Your favorite color makes a statement and you want lots of it

* You don’t want to make so many decisions—you know what color you like and stick to it

* You love the challenge of perfectly matching colors

* Matching colors is second nature to you and you don’t want to change

Now, let's look at the cons for matching color in your home decorating plans:

* It’s difficult to match color because of texture

* It’s difficult to match color because of light

* You want to incorporate several colors in your decorating plans

* You like the challenge of mixing and matching colors

* There is more flexibility and freedom to change your home decor over time

Consider a “middle of the road" approach

I prefer a “middle of the road” approach which would include coordinating and grouping colors as well as paying attention to lighter and darker shades and tones. Putting three varying shades of purple together will look magnificent. Putting five reds with the same tone together will certainly give energy and pizzazz to a room—get the idea?

As you walk from room to room, color makes a home flow comfortably; it is the connecting component. In your mind you unknowingly take the color scheme from room to room for a few brief seconds. Use a single color as a theme that runs throughout the house while still providing each room with its own color persona. Keep that in mind as you are embarking on your next home decorating project.

The Importance Of Lighting In Interior Design

How you light your house is an important part of redecorating. A change in the lighting can change how the room is viewed. Lighting interior design contributes greatly to the look and feel of a room. There are many types of lighting which can be used in various rooms. We are no longer restricted to a few lamps around the room.

Ambient lighting is a hidden light source that washes the room with a glow. This creates very few shadows and tends to flatten a room. Japanese paper lanterns and wall sconces both produce ambient lighting. For temporary ambient effects, use a dimmer with your ordinary lighting.

Accent lighting provides interest to a room. This method of lighting interior design highlights and object or architectural feature. To use accent lighting, you only need a bulb and a shield to direct the light to the desired focus. Halogen spotlights and opaquely shaded table lamps both provide accent lighting.

Another kind of lighting used in interior design is task lighting. This is a more practical lighting strategy, highlighting an area for daily activities such as reading, cooking, and sewing. Effective task lighting prevents eyes strain and helps with the performance of vital activities. The kitchen is a particularly good place to incorporate task lighting in your interior design. Task lighting sources should be unobtrusive and shielded to prevent glare. Task lighting can be effectively combined with accent lighting to produce lovely effects.

Some lighting can be a work of art in and of itself. Aesthetic lighting is purely decorative, such as a neon sculpture or a spotlight illuminating a statue or painting. This type of lighting must not be used alone, but accompanied by other lighting strategies in your interior design.

Of course, no survey of lighting interior design would be complete without a mention of natural light. Rooms can be arranged to take advantage of the position of the sun at different times of day. This type of lighting is also called kinetic lighting because the light from outside moves. It is one of the less reliable types, as it is affected by the seasons and the weather, but natural lighting can produce an effect unequaled by any artificial light source when used properly.

Lighting is an important tool in your design collection. The way you do your lighting interior design affects the perception of any room. Lighting is also versatile. Using several strategies at once in a room allows you to turn any of them off, changing the look and feel with the flick of a switch. This can be effective for creating different moods in different rooms at night.

Storing And Displaying Your Jewelry

Do you have trouble trying to store jewelery without it getting all tangled, earrings separated from each other, tipping out your whole jewelery box just to find one piece of jewelery?? Well here are some tips for on storing your jewelery in a neat and decorative fashion.

Designing and selling jewelery both on a website and from home I need to be able to display my earrings in an organised and professional manner - I hope you can find some inspiration from the ideas below.

* Store earrings (hooks) around a wine glass for an instant neat and decorative look.

* A long string of pearls across the top of your mirror and hang your earrings in the gaps.

* A small storage box from the hardware shop, the ones that have little draws for nails etc. There are 16 draws so you know exactly where everything is.

* Store earrings on a long piece of ribbon and tack the ends onto the back of a dresser/wardrobe

* Use a corkboard, with pins on it and the earrings and necklaces hang off the pins. Or if you are feeling crafty you can decorate the frame of your cork board - remove the actual cork inside the frame, paint the frame and add some little decorations like sequins, beads, lace, ribbon etc staple a piece of mesh (tulle fabric or mesh from your hardware store) and staple that to the frame, this provides room to hold lots of earrings this idea also works with old picture frames as well. To hold necklaces and bracelets simply screw in some little hooks (you can get these from hardware shops) around the frame.

* Large clear bead containers that are round and screw on top of each other-they are fantastic for rings, beaded bracelets etc as you can see exactly what it is you want and if you don't wear something for awhile it doesn't get dusty. Nothing gets tangled either!!

* A roll of film which is damaged place the film horizontal across your shelf and hook your earrings on those little square holes that film has on the edge

* An ornate candelabra that to dangle earrings, necklaces and bracelets from you can sometimes pick these up cheaply at op shops.

* A decorative glass light fitting and then hang them around the edge just like you would on a drinking glass - you could pick up a cheap old light fitting at markets, garage sales etc and then you just dismantle it.

* Mug/cup holders from home wares shops are great for draping your jewelery on.

Hawaiian Decorating - Make Your Home An Island Retreat

Tropical beaches, clear blue ocean, sunny sand filled beaches, palm trees, these are all things that typically come to mind when someone says Hawaiian. If you would like to create a Hawaiian style in your home, you want to think breezy and open. This would be the typical feel to a home or room in Hawaii.

To begin with, it you’re painting the walls, you will want a white or other bright and open color. The earthy tones that you might find elsewhere will not be found here. For Hawaii, we want to think of openness and white walls will help create that feel. If they are painted a color at all, make sure that color is bright without reaching into the neon categories. A soft, bright yellow or green may also create the open feel you’re trying to achieve. Doorways and moldings should be a rich brown such as an oak or cherry. These will contrast nicely with the painted walls while keeping the open feeling in the room.

Decorative touches should include some sort of large green plant. If you can do a palm inside this would be perfect. Another nicely large and green plant would be the elephant plant. This has large broad leaves and can grow several feet tall. This will further add to the tropical feel that you’ve already created through the use of paint on the walls. Other accessories may include shells that could have easily come from the beach, light, airy curtains that can sway in a breeze with an open window, and pineapple shaped glasses in the kitchen or other pineapple shaped kitchen appliances or utensils.

This style of home should be furnished with a heavy use of bamboo, wicker, and/or rattan. The use of this type of furniture will encourage the light, airy feel you’re trying to achieve. This tropical atmosphere will be completed with the use of this type of furniture. The furniture can be painted white or it can be in its natural state of wood. Either way, this addition will help to complete the Hawaiian look.

Fans and in the ceiling whose blades are shaped like palms are a nice touch when creating the Hawaiian feel. You can find them in stores like Home Depot, Lowes, or any retail hardware store that carries ceiling fans. These fans can be used indoors in a kitchen or dining room as well as outside under a canopy. This type of fan would make a great finishing touch.

The Hawaiian feel is one of relaxation and enjoyment. In order to create this feel in your home short of moving to Hawaii, use the above tips. You’ll feel like you’re on the beaches soaking up the sun in no time.

Victorian Decorating For Nostalgic Home Decor

In recent years an increasing number of people have become interested in Victorian style and this includes Victorian decorating. It is not too hard to give your home a Victorian look but it is not a cheap way of doing things.

Although people are interested in using Victorian decorating styles in their homes they don’t want to go the whole way – so other than a few eccentrics or English stately homes don’t expect to see the Victorian kitchen with the kettle hanging over an open fire. Most people who favor Victorian decorating have fitted kitchens, some have them made in natural wood but this is about the only concession. Some aficionados may have a plant on the kitchen window ledge and pans hung from hooks.

Victorian style was quite ornate and because of the hypocritical Victorian morality even the tables had to have their legs covered – in some homes the chair legs were also hidden by a sort of valance. The Victorians made great use of wallpaper and again this was quite ornate, often sporting a flowery pattern. The mantle over the fireplace was also kept covered during the Victorian era but very few people choose to do this today.

The Victorians liked their furniture to be well stuffed, usually with horsehair. Most of the chairs had upright backs and there has been a rise in the number of people favoring this type of chair. If you are going for a Victorian Decorating style then you would do well to remember that they liked heavy drapes. This was because they were not just seen as window decoration but were used as a way of keeping the draft out (no double-glazing) and the room warm. They were often accompanied by heavy lace curtains underneath. Many Victorian homes had lots of books and ornaments. It was not unusual to see a side table that was completely covered in framed photographs.

You can still get hold of genuine Victorian chairs and tables with their ornately carved legs but as they become more popular so the price gets higher. Another favorite from the past in this style of decorating is the grandfather clock. Modern examples of this are quite good though it is possible to find an original - again at a price. Beds were ornate and made of wood or cast iron with bolsters, a sort of long pillow, and often two pillows as well. The sheets and blankets were covered by an eiderdown quilt for extra warmth – no duvets for the Victorians. It was usual to have a jug and bowl on the dresser for the morning wash.

Tiling Adds To Your Home

There are many things to take into consideration when you are choosing new kitchen flooring. Since there are so many styles to choose from, even if you’ve picked out what kind of tiling you prefer it can still be hard to go from there. Once you’ve bought your ceramic tile than you need to know quite a bit before you start to put it down.

There are many pluses to choosing ceramic tile. For one thing it is very easy to maintain and clean up is a breeze. Sometimes your space won’t work well with ceramic tile and if you want them for a basement then remember how cold they will be during the winter. You should also be careful when choosing tiles for your foyer since they can be slippery and if you are coming home in wet shoes, this could be dangerous. You should find some tiles that are more gripping for your shoes.

You can buy ceramic tiles in many different shapes ands styles. Usually ceramic tiles are beween 1 and 1.5 feet. You can choose the right size tiles by knowing the size of the room that you need them for. If you have a small room then choose a smaller size tile. The larger your room the better a large size tile will fit in the space. They will also look less busy in a larger room and fit in better.

Style wise you can figure out what kind of tile you want depending on the look of your room. If you have a home in the country and want that rustic look than choose something more earth toned and rugged. If you want a more polished and clean look than go for marble that is sleek and polished.

You can choose the texture based on the look you want as well. For the rustic look get a tile that is less smooth. This is also a great texture if you want something that is more resistant to slipping. If you get a tile that is very smoothed you have to be careful in terms of slipping in your home. This is also something to consider if you live with small children who love to run around in their socks.

Make sure that the grout between the tiles will compliment your tile and not clash with it. You need to find the right colored grout to go with your choice of tiles.

There are lots of ways to install ceramic tile and you need to figure out which is best for you. It can be time consuming, but doing a good job is key to making the finished look something worthy of your home. Make sure that you lay them right and that cut is correct on all your tile. You want the space between tiling to be evenly placed as well. You can also think about hiring someone else to lay the tile for you if you don’t think you can do a professional job.

Take care of your tile by keeping them clean and sweeping and mopping your tile regularly. It is quite simple, but worth doing!

Including Kitchen Lighting Design In Your Remodeling Plan

Lighting is a key element in any design. It helps to set the ambiance and tone for a room and provides light for necessary tasks. In the kitchen, it is critical as this is not only a room where you gather, but also one where you do the important work of preparing and serving meals.

The method of lighting you choose for your kitchen is critical and florescent lighting in particular is a huge no-no. These lights, while handy, create a harsh light and are not at all interesting. Consider using a decent dome or chandelier instead. A fascinating chandelier works fabulous over the dining space.

Today, pot lights are a terrific option in kitchen lighting design. These are fantastic for overhead lighting, but usually you will also wish to provide some task lighting too. As they are recessed into the ceiling they don't clash with your decorating scheme. You can use them to have an even lighting affect. These lights may be turned so that they illuminate chosen areas.

An important thing to consider when implementing kitchen lighting design is the arrangement of the lights. You need to make sure to deploy the lights where it will be needed the most. If your house has a kitchen with an eating area, you have to be positive that each part is separately lit. Try to get even, moderate lighting but steer clear of over lighting, which can sometimes be harsh and produce ample heat. You should consider a dimmer switch that will allow you to control the ambiance in the room.

Pendant lighting is usually very pretty when placed over an island area. They can be found in many distinct lengths and styles to match any kitchen. Installed on the ceiling, pendant lights hang down and directly brighten a particular area.

Another thing you will need to think about in your kitchen lighting design is task lighting. Now, this can be accomplished with pot lights, but there are other spots where task lighting should not be overlooked. In places where you mainly prepare food, under counter lighting is suitable. This form of lighting can basically be installed by the homeowner. The light up the food preparation area. They brighten your counter accessories when you are not using the counter top.

There are several choices when it comes to kitchen lighting design. Try to make use of lighting that enhances your room design. Your lighting should be decorative as well as useful. Purchasing the best lighting can be fun and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you put your own personal touch on your lighting design.

Furniture - How To Organize It

Once you have purchased your furniture, you need to start thinking about how to position the pieces. Here is a quick guide on different strategies on how to organize furniture.

Once you’ve finally picked out the furniture you want and have it delivered, you are stuck with the task of trying to arrange it in the most pleasing way possible. Arranging furniture can be tricky, but with a little bit of planning you can set up your living space to be functional and stylish. Here is how to arrange furniture in your home.

If you are purchasing new furniture, it is a good idea to consider how you would want to arrange your furniture before you even hit the stores. Take good measurements of each of the rooms you are planning to furnish. When you go to pick out your furniture, take these measurements with you so that you can have a better understanding of how much room the furniture will take up.

After your furniture has arrived, there are two main ways to arrange it. First, you can make a drawing of your room on graph paper, setting it to scale. Make paper cut outs of each piece of furniture, making sure they are also done to scale. Manipulate your furniture on the drawing in order to see how each piece is able to fit the best. Although this method typically allows you to get a precise look at how your furniture is going to appear once placed in the room, some people find it too time consuming. The other way of arranging your furniture is simply to place it in the room, and continue moving it until it looks the way you want. Of course, this involves a lot more manual labor and if your furniture pieces are large or heavy, this is a lot easier said than done.

No matter which way you decide to arrange your furniture, there are few things to keep in mind. First, you should try to have symmetry in your design. If you have tall lamps or other high pieces, you’ll want to make sure that they are present in both sides of the room. If you have a piece that really stands out, you’ll either want to place it as a focal point in the room, or if you would rather draw attention away from it, place it over to the side. It is fine to mix and match furniture styles or colors. Just remember that less is often more when it comes to furniture. Too many pieces can cause a room to look cluttered.

There really is no right or wrong way to arrange furniture. Some people believe that the arrangement of furniture is important because it allows energy to flow throughout the room. If that is something you are interested in, there are books that teach you the art of feng shui. Otherwise, just focus on making the room functional and symmetrical and the rest will fall into place.

Purchasing Furniture Wholesale

There are two ways to products or things, wholesale and retail. Purchasing furniture wholesale is one way to save a few bucks right off the bat.

Purchasing furniture wholesale can be a great way to get a big discount on furniture if you are going to buy in a large quantity. Purchasing at wholesale typically means that you are purchasing directly from the manufacturer and therefore do not have to deal with the same markups as occur when purchasing retail.

In order to purchase wholesale furniture, typically you will need to have a reseller’s license. You can get this by registering a business through your state. Because you have to spend a certain dollar amount or purchase a certain quantity of furniture, most people who purchase wholesale furniture do so with the intent to resell it. Once you have obtained the proper paperwork, you will want to do research as to the companies which offer wholesale furniture.

There are a few things to keep in mind. First, you should be prepared to spend some money, as most companies which sell wholesale furniture have a minimum purchase amount. Second, you should try to inspect the furniture in person if at all possible. Some wholesale companies do not allow returns or exchanges, and you do not want to get stuck with furniture which you can not resell.

There are some companies which will allow the purchase of wholesale furniture to the general public. Typically you are not receiving true wholesale prices, but you might be able to get a large discount. This furniture is typically last year’s models, or might have slight cosmetic flaws. You should keep an eye out for these sales, because if you are not looking for perfection in your furniture choices, this can be a great way to cut the price of furnishing your home by seventy-five percent or more. You can also find furniture outlet stores which also carry close to wholesale prices.

Starting your own furniture business can be rewarding. Furniture is something that will never go out of style, and there is always a demand for quality pieces. With a little bit of research, you can figure out what style furniture is most in demand in the area you live. After you obtain your reseller’s license, you should have very little trouble setting up shop quickly. Just remember to make sure you are dealing with a reputable company and that you take the time to look at the furniture ahead of time. Within no time you could be running your own successful furniture store.

Victorian Theme Furniture

Like many things, furniture themes seem to come and go frequently. Victorian theme furniture, however, definitely has shown staying power through the years.

The Victorian period in England was named for Queen Victoria who enjoyed the longest reign in English history. The period extends for sixty four years, from 1837-1901, and was a time of major changes in England. When the period began, England was mostly an agrarian society, and when it ended it was almost totally industrialized. Victorian came to be the name given to many things in this time frame. It referred to architecture and art, but also to the social and moral changes that took place during this period. It is said that this was a time of as rapid social changes as our era is of rapid technological change.

What is the most surprising thing about the period is that despite the great variety of ground breaking social ideas and scientific advances of the time, the people became very stuffy and proper. The furniture theme followed this trend rather than the free thinking trend. Victorian furniture, in a word, was stuffy. This was best illustrated with chairs of the time that actually had large puffy cushions that were stuffed. The theme is marked by a rather out of control sense of what is ornate. Carvings and thematic carvings were typical, but it tended to be willy nilly rather than following the motifs that marked earlier and even later themes.

It was a time of denial and repression and this was reflected in the materials used. Wood was almost exclusively used with very little metal. The darkest woods available were usually the first choice. Dark mahogany with a reddish tint added was the favorite. Rosewood, black walnut, and bog oak were alternate choices. Cabinets were large and solid, as were tables and beds.

The theme spread across Europe during the period, and also to America. Although it made some inroads in the United States prior to the Civil War and influenced some of the more native themes, it never really took hold as it did in England. One of the biggest influences that Victorian theme furniture had was in its rejection by many furniture makers who searched for replacement themes. This search led to the introduction of the Art-Nouveau theme, and a revival of Gothic theme. It was almost as if furniture makers were looking for anything to replace Victorian.

Today, the Victorian era is viewed as a period where feelings were repressed, and its furniture is seen as a reflection of this. It is very much a theme of the past. In fact, Victorian theme furniture is often what one thinks of when they hear the word antique. Despite this reproduction Victorian furniture continues to be made, and collectors avidly search for rare original pieces in high price auctions or flea markets. Usually, these pieces will be used in home decoration as an interesting accessory rather than a theme.

Tuscan Theme Furniture

For some odd reason, Tuscany is often confused by people as being French instead of Italian. Well, Tuscan theme furniture is clearly and distinctly Italian.

Tuscan Theme Furniture is a rather broad based theme that is based on the architecture of the Tuscany region of Italy. This area in the North of Italy and surrounding the town of Florence is known as both a rustic down to earth region as well as the home of much of the greatest art of the classical Renaissance era. The furniture theme reflects this duality in that it is often consists of very simple folk pieces mixed with classic veneered and hand painted items with a very elegant look to them.

Wood is the basic material used in Tuscan Theme furniture with cypress, fir, chestnut, and poplar all being common choices. The theme uses quite a bit of leather and iron and metal worked into the designs. It often resembles Spanish theme furniture in this regard. The most common colors used are deep rich reds and cool Mediterranean blues. These colors also reflect the mix between the rustic and the classical that is the hallmark of this theme.

Most of the designs are based on the straight lines that are common in classical Italian and Roman architecture. It differs greatly from the much more ornate theme that marked Renaissance theme although they have co-existed in the region for centuries. When you view a piece and the feeling you get is very humanizing and down to earth, you are looking at a Tuscan piece.

The city of Florence is in the heart of the Tuscan region and is the home of some of the world’s best art. Although the furniture produced here is considered Tuscan theme, the Florence branch is where you find the more elaborate creations. They appear much more expensive, but share the basic lines and styling. It is out in the Tuscan countryside that the rustic side of the theme is seen more often. Here the pieces are much simpler in design, but also retain the distinctive marks of the theme.

Tuscan theme furniture came to America with the mass immigration of Italians around the beginning of the 20th century. The theme represented what they had known all their life, and before long Tuscan theme furniture was being produced in the United States. The theme is very popular still in areas with high Italian populations. Recently, the charm and the old world appeal of the theme have made it a popular decorating choice not just for individual rooms, but entire homes. There is a thriving market in reproduction Tuscan pieces, and the growth of the global market has made pieces made in Tuscany by the descendents of the original craftsman available worldwide.

4 Color Ideas For Painting A Home

Paint colors can really do wonders to one's house. The truth is, it can revitalize a home's surface, from the ceilings to the walls and the exterior. However, it is also a fact that choosing among the thousands of available colors for house painting can make one's mind go numb.

The home painting ideas that will be tackled here is different compared to the others. Here, you would know the four very vital ideas in home painting. These are the hue, intensity, temperature and value.

Why are they vital? It's very simple, these four home painting ideas would serve as the key for one to create a wonderful combinations for his home painting.

The four key ideas for home painting:

1. Hue

This is actually a synonym of the term color. Therefore, all colors are hues. Normally, hue refers to prime colors' combinations along with diverse values as well as intensities.

2. Intensity

This is term used when judging the colors' brightness. Intensity can only be either bright if not dull. When you perceive the color as light, medium or dark, it is the value that you are evaluating.

3. Temperature

Colors usually come with warmness and coolness. For instance, red and yellow are considered as warm. Meanwhile, blue and lime are known to be cool. The color beige though is referred to as a neutral color, the mixture of warm and cool.

Finding the right color temperature will eventually assist in setting the mood in the rooms of one's house. And this will have a vital part in affecting his views of the space.

4. Value

This pertains to the color's lightness and darkness. The term value is actually synonymous to tint, tone and shade. Therefore, the added amount of colors white, gray, and black to a pure color is being determined by value. This will later be judged whether it is light colored, medium, or dark.

How to Get a Contemporary Look in Your Home

A home with a contemporary look features bright, airy and sophisticated living spaces that revel in all things current and chic, yet still offers quiet escape and comfort.

Contemporary design derives much of its boldness from pairing neutral colors, black and white with a restrained, artistic use of brighter colors. With a muted background of furniture, drapes, rugs and walls, carefully chosen colors will pop with dramatic results. For instance, consider leaving walls neutral except for one painted in your favorite vibrant hue. Because the Contemporary style stresses a minimalist approach, you can also use color to define areas and add pizzazz, such as painting a door or ceiling.

Keep floors basic with pale wood, vinyl, laminate or tile. Friends of the environment can use reclaimed wood for this type of flooring. Rugs should be a solid color or adorned with geometric patterns. If you want a more natural approach, hardy sisal and jute rugs are a popular trend.

There are two ways to approach lighting within the contemporary room. One way is to make the light, rather than the fixture, the focus. Accomplish this by placing spotlights out of sight, leaving their bright shafts of light to slant across walls for theatric effect. This is particularly useful for highlighting a favorite painting or photograph. If you want to focus attention of plants or sculptures, consider placing lights underneath your target, for a fresh uplight effect that casts shadow and adds interesting depth to the room. Another way to explore your lighting possibilities is to let the fixtures function as art and accessories. Along with chandeliers and pendants, track and recessed lighting contributes an artsy, streamlined feel to ceilings and is a popular trend in contemporary design.

For the most part, use neutral-toned furniture to unify your look. Lines should be smooth and geometric and free of carvings and decorative frills. Cotton, jute, wool and linen are all ideal fabrics for upholstery and comfortable to recline against. As ecological awareness reaches new levels, the contemporary furniture market is crafting more and more pieces from recycled items or sustainable lumber, like the items found on the GREENCulture furniture site. Woods like beech, birch and pine are used, with plywood and medium density fiberboards gaining recognition as easy-to-clean, low maintenance alternatives to solid woods. Other contemporary materials commonly found in this furniture style include steel, glass, plastics and stone.

With contemporary interiors, resist the urge to fill open space with more accessories. The open space is an accessory that is crucial to creating an airy, structural environment in keeping with contemporary design’s minimalist look. Accents should be spare and include textured drapes and textiles that lack busy or fluid patterns. For this reason, sticking with two-tones is a safe bet. Apply this to any flower arrangements you plan to use, including placing a few bold and big blooms in glass vases and avoiding intricate bundles of buds. If you want to supply plush comfort to your deep seated chairs and sofas, throw on a few pillows in solid colors that retain a geometric shape.

Home Theater Decorating Tips For Comfort And Function

A home theater needs to be functional before it's anything else. Those who have put in the expense to build a "theater" in their home need to be sure the sound and visual and placement of seating is just right before they'll delve into decorating, but when that time comes, there are some tips to add to the room aesthetically without taking away any of the functionality.

A room of this sort is bound to have floor speakers, and speakers that surround your peripherals and centrally located speakers for both the front and back of the sitting area. In some of the newer homes or the more expensive remodels, some, if not all, of these speakers may be placed in the walls of the home. Yet usually the floor speakers will remain out and near the television. The tops of which may be a prime opportunity for knickknacks when decorating. There may be shelving on the walls in this room for speakers or for remote controls. Those shelves are also a great place for decorative touches.

A typical theater room is designed something like this: The television is centrally located either mounted on the wall or standing just in front of it. There are floor speakers on either side of the television and another smaller speaker centrally located above the TV. There will be more speakers either mounted or on stands placed on either side of the seating area and one more speaker centrally located behind the seating area. Finally, there will be a special speaker called a subwoofer placed somewhere to the side of the seating area. The seating area is located around what some refer to as the "sweet spot" because during the action scenes in intense movies when the music swells, the vibrations of that sound are felt in the seating area. All of this is necessary for the functionality of the theater room. What's left is what you have to decorate.

In order to keep the functionality of a theater room, you must realize that the room needs to be dark. This is no room for growing plants or bright colors painted on the wall. Rich earthy tones will work here. Along with this, keep knickknacks to a minimum. This room is for viewing the television, not your china collection. Do not place fragile things in this room. There will be much vibration in this room and that may cause a fragile item to fall from its perch and break. Keep your décor simple here. Use rugs to add color to the room and hang pictures to add depth to the walls. Do not clutter up this room with much more than this.

Before anything else, a home theater needs to be functional. If you'll also entertain in this room, keep your décor to a minimum and use unbreakable items. Add color through the means discussed above and be okay with a sparsely decorated room. It will provide much enjoyment and sometimes simple really is best.

Decorating A Traditional Living Room

With a home's living room traditionally being the gathering place for the family, ensuring that it has a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere is fairly important. Not only will good decor go a long way to making any visitors feel comfortable, it also enables everyday family members to quite happily spend a lot of time in it. If you feel that your own living room is lacking a little spark, the good news is that it's reasonably inexpensive to decorate a traditional living room and transform it from something bland into something far more stylish.

The first thing to do is give it a fresh coat of paint. Many people overlook the importance of changing your surroundings from time to time. Not only does it prevent you from stagnating in the same atmosphere, it also gives you a sense of achievement and the resulting sense of satisfaction within yourself. Bright colors are a good choice here, since the living room is normally the one with the most windows and sunlight. A yellow or similar happy color is a good starting point.

Once you have chosen the color you're happy with and repainted the walls, the next thing to do is look at your existing furniture. This doesn't mean you need to necessarily buy a new three piece suite, or spend excessive amounts of money on new coffee tables or similar. The great thing about decorating a living room is that you can keep within traditional styling and merely update a little. So, if you have a wooden coffee table, for instance, sand it down and give it a different color varnish or wood stain. The effect will be immediate, and it's very inexpensive.

Decorating a traditional living room calls for time tested and trusted designs in furniture so even your years old sofa can be made-over. If it's made of material, you can now buy bespoke fabrics and have them measured to fit, and in the space of a few hours, you have a completely new sofa that you yourself have had a part in designing. Once again, going for more natural, cream-colored materials can offer a living room a whole new perspective.

Consider changing your light fittings too. It's more than likely that your light switches are the same as the ones when you first moved into the property. Therefore, drop in to your local DIY or hardware store and treat yourself to a more stylish brass or dimmer-effect switch system. Once installed, they will bring out your new paintwork even more.

If you have the room and enjoy reading, think about putting a bookshelf into place as well. Not only does this help fill some space if you're out of ideas, it also gives off the impression of a family who enjoy spending quiet, yet quality, time together, perhaps discussing the latest book they are reading. At the end of the day, the choices are limitless – the only thing you need to remember when decorating your traditional living room is to express your own personality, as this is where you'll be spending many an hour.

Tips For Stress Free Girl's Bedroom Design

Whenever you make the decision to redecorate a room, it can take days and weeks before you actually decide on the color and a design you're happy with. Decorating a girl's bedroom, however, opens up even more problems, especially if the girl in question is a teenager. Thankfully, there are a lot of ways that you can make the often-thankless task of girls bedroom design easier.

If you're the parent of a young girl, then the first thing you should do is discuss her ideas. Although it's your house, it is her bedroom after all, and she still needs to feel comfortable in what is essentially her haven. So if she likes a lot of cuddly toys, incorporate soft cushions into the final bedroom design. Work the color scheme around her favorite posters, whether it's of bands or celebrities, so that you have an all-encompassing mix of your choice and hers.

It's also a great idea to work with what she already has in her bedroom. Remember, this room is the equivalent of a comfort room for the girl, so any new bedroom design should try having a happy mix of the old and the new. Simply spruce up existing furniture with little touches here and there. If she has a favorite dresser or desk, for instance, use of stencils to transfer various shapes onto the frame can make a huge difference in appearance. A little board for writing notes or simply doodling on can be a good personalized addition.

ONe thing you need to be careful about with girls bedroom design is when the girl is slightly older. Like anyone, a girl will change her mind as to what she likes one moment to the next, especially if she's approaching her teenage years. That fairy-themed design that you initially helped her make may not seem as cute and adorable now that she's turning into a young woman, so make sure that any design you settle on for a girl's bedroom is reasonably future-proof.

A good approach is to make the room fairly neutral, and then changes can be made along the way. Making any design temporary or easily changeable is relatively easy, yet can still add a touch of style to the overall feel. Rugs are a good way of filling a room yet are also easy to remove should they need to be. Drapes and furniture throws are another excellent method of changing the look of a girl's bedroom, but their very design also means they can be changed quickly and effortlessly for a different look altogether.

At the end of the day, as with any room, redecorating a girl's bedroom can be a strenuous and time-consuming project. However, with just a little forward planning and discussion of ideas, girls bedroom design can be a pleasant task for both parent and daughter.

Home Interior Decorating For Beginners

When you first get started on home interior decorating, it is a good idea to have at least some notion of the kind of color scheme you might like. That is not to say that you can’t change your mind while you are working out a plan. It is much better to change at this stage than when you already have the paint on the walls.

Good, well thought out interior decorating can add balance to a room and bring out its best features. Interior decorating should form the background for the way you choose to live in your home. If you’ve got a lot of books then it stands to reason that you will want plenty of good shelving. Plain wood shelves look best for this but if you already have some and they are beginning to look past their prime then play safe and paint them white. Think about the lighting in a room because this can enhance or detract from its overall design.

If you are not sure what color to use then play it safe and go for a neutral cream or magnolia – you can brighten it up with your soft furnishings and well placed lamps and ornaments. Many homes are a hodge-podge of furniture and decorating styles. If you replace furniture try to bear in mind the particular effects or style that you are trying to achieve. A well-chosen and well-placed piece can totally alter the look of a room.

Home interior decorating covers many aspects of the tasks. A lot depends on how much time you have to spare and what your budget is – whether you just want to spruce up a room or give it a whole new look. It is surprising for instance what new bath mats and towels do for a bathroom. Try sprucing up your room with some new cushions and perhaps a mirror or two. Move the furniture around and add feature wall paper on one wall – make sure that it tones in with the existing color scheme and you’ll be surprised how much style this can give to a room.

Perhaps the kitchen is your bete noir? If it is you can do a lot with some new blinds and lampshades. Try some potted plants on the window ledge this can brighten most kitchens. If the paint-work really is past its prime then you need to decide whether you need a whole new paint job or whether you can get away with touching up the doors and base boards. If your bedroom needs a face-lift then try some new bed covers and toning curtains. Add a few cushions to your bed and you immediately have a more luxurious look.

Great New Bath Hardware Adds Elegance and Function

Remodeling a bathroom shower or tub can be a major task. If you’re just looking for ways to enjoy the bathing experience, but don’t want all the expense of a total remodel there are several new items to help you create just what you want.

If you haven’t seen the innovations in bath hardware for showers, you owe it to yourself to find out what’s new in bath hardware. One of the most improved sections of bath hardware is showerheads. Showerheads have undergone tremendous changes. You’ll find many new benefits such as massaging, oxygenating, handheld spa-like head, and water saving on these great new showerheads.

To feel really pampered in the shower investigate the Showerhead with Massage. You get a spa-like experience with a showerhead containing five adjustable jets delivering fifty body sprays. Eight center jets provide pulsating streams to complete the experience.

If you’re looking for a great water-saving showerhead try the Oxygenics Water-Saving Showerhead. You’ll save water a while you get an oxygen enriched, energizing shower.

Another great improvement in bath hardware and showerheads are the hand held showerheads. One favorite is the Six-Pattern Handheld Showerheads. Choose from powerful massaging spray to gentle flow, you’ll get just the right water flow you want.

If you’re worried about having trouble installing your new showerheads there’s been improvements there as well. In most cases it a simple matter of removing your old showerhead and simply screwing on the new. To get a great new shower experience no tools, tapes, or plumbing experience necessary.

If you needing a new shower rod there’s been improvements there as well. One such improvement is with the Crescent Shower Rod. It curves out to instantly create a roomier shower without concerns of leaks.

One of the most innovative updates without a total remodel is the total spa shower organizer. You’ll get spa-like effects every time you turn on the shower. A five-function showerhead, plus six powerful massage jets complete with a built in organizer is the perfect solution. You’ll feel like you’re in a totally new shower.

Trendy Bath Furniture Delivers Instant Storage

The trends in bath furniture have changed drastically. No longer is the bathroom just for bathing and other essential personal care. Along with the basic functions, the bathroom has become a place for rest and relaxation. Newly designed bathrooms are larger than ever before. However, if you’re looking for ways to improve your smaller bathroom and increase storage space there’s great new bath furniture to supply just what you want.

Today’s bath furniture is designed to handle the extra moisture, yet it looks much like furniture you’d find in other rooms of your home. For example, a bathroom hutch made from warp resistant wood, provides two paneled doors and molding designed to match any décor. Inside you’ll find four shelves (three adjustable) perfect for storing towels, bed linens, and other bathroom accessories in one neatly organized hutch.

If you’re looking for ways to further increase storage space in a smaller bathroom, try bath furniture that’s designed to be wall mounted. The wall is often an overlooked space that’s perfect for creating new storage. A bath cabinet with towel bars can provide much needed storage for personal care items and provides easy access to towels.

Shelving is another way to use the walls to increase storage space. A small bath pedestal cabinet with shelving overhead provides extra storage as well as counter space to display bath accessories.

Don’t overlook the space above the commode. You’ll find trendy new bath furniture like the Bath Etagre designed to fit perfectly over your commode. Glass paneled doors cover shelving and an open shelf sits atop the commode. You’ll be amazed at all the new storage space you’ll have with this Etagre designed to match any décor.

These are just a few ways to increase storage space and liven up your existing bathroom. It’s a good idea to do an overall inventory of your current bathroom and decide how you might increase storage with these trendy new items. It may help to do a simple drawing of your current bath and determine where you might move or place new items.

New Bathroom Furniture and Accessories Makes a Small Bath More Functional

No matter how small your bathroom, there are ways to use bathroom furniture and accessories to make it feel larger. With a bit of planning you can create an enjoyable, uncluttered bath in even the smallest of space.

Evaluate Your Space

The first tip is to evaluate the total size of your current bathroom. Look at the current functionality. Sometimes you’ll be able to free up space by moving fixtures, adding bathroom furniture and accessories and still use your current items. Combining a mini remodel with the purchase of a few well-chosen bathroom furniture and accessories pieces, you’ll feel like you’ve done a total remodel at a fraction of the expense.

At this point, it is very helpful to do a rough drawing of the perimeter of the room including the measurements of all four exterior walls and any inside walls that may be present. Once you have this information on paper, you can begin to look for ways to maximize the space with newer more functional bathroom furniture and accessories.

Investigate Your Options

Before you begin to make any permanent changes such as moving showers, tubs, or commodes, browse bath furniture and accessories to find ways to improve the space without have to do too much remodeling. As you’re browsing, remember all aspects of the space. For example, inside the shower you can use shower caddies to store necessary items like soaps, body wash, razors, buffers, sponges and other personal care items.

Don’t forget wall space. If you have empty wall space in your bathroom, adding a bath cabinet with a towel rack can provide much needed space for storing towels and grooming essentials for everyday use. You can also use the wall space to add open shelving to store regularly used items or accent pieces. These are great ways to free up vanity and counter space in small bath.

If you’re really in need of larger storage, you may want to consider a bath hutch. Made very much like armories, a durable, moisture resistant bathroom hutch can provide the storage space of a full size linen closet.

Another place to add storage is over the commode. A wooden bath etaere with two upper shelves inside glass doors for easy view, and an open shelf below for frequently used items can store a wealth of items.

Just taking a bit of time to plan, measure, and shop can create a wonderfully efficient bathroom, even in the smallest space.

Glass Bathroom Vanities

A relatively simple way to update your bathroom is to replace your bathroom vanity. One of the hottest trends today is the glass bathroom vanity. With a little careful choice, you should be able to freshen up the look of your bathroom with relatively little trouble, and it’s a great way to give new life to the look of your bathroom without having to spend a lot of money.

What should you know before you choose your bathroom vanity? Well, what is your particular style? Is it traditional? Is it modernistic? Whatever your home décor is, if you want your bathroom to fit into the rest of it, then you want to match what you choose for your vanity to the rest of your house. Alternatively, if you’re only updating the bathroom vanity but you want to keep the rest of your bathroom the same, then you’ll have to take the rest of your bathroom décor into consideration as well. Therefore, you can go traditional, or you can go with this latest trend, the glass bathroom vanity.

If you do decide to go with a glass bathroom vanity, be aware that they are relatively fragile. It will also take you a little bit of extra effort to maintain the vanity. However, if you like the look, if you think you can do the maintenance, and want to impress your guests without a doubt, then go for the glass bathroom vanity.

You can find the latest designs in glass bathroom vanity sets by first doing your homework online. The Internet is a great place to do “preshopping” so that you can decide what you want without ever having to leave your home. This will give you a very good idea of what the latest designs are and what the latest trends are. It can also give you some ideas as to what will fit best with your own décor, so that you have better choices to make when you do go shopping.

The mirror fits in with the glass vanity as well. Of course, most bathrooms have a mirror, and some of those serve as medicine cabinet fronts as well. In this case, you want to consider the design you are using in the rest of your bathroom, whether you’re simply updating your vanity or remodeling your entire bathroom.

If you choose to do a medicine cabinet with mirror, choose one where the mirror overlaps just enough that the hinges of the cabinet will be behind it. Some glass vanity mirror and medicine cabinets are designed so that they looked simply like they are a protruding mirror, if you choose this option.

There are sinks and tops available in glass bathroom vanities as well. Although they may look fragile, it will depend on the brand and materials that you choose. Make sure what you decide on is well made and sturdy. If chosen carefully, your new glass bathroom vanity will absolutely add ambience to your bathroom.

Finding Inexpensive Window Covering Solutions

In your home, your windows are probably very important you, as they “provide you eyes unto the world.” Your house wouldn’t be the same without you windows, since you would simply be boxed in with no access to sunlight or a view of the outdoors. Windows are also instrumental in letting sunlight into your home, brightening it up and perhaps warming it on a cold winter’s day. However, windows can also be energy robbers in that they can let warmth escape out of the house in the winter, or otherwise create drafts. Windows themselves can also get broken.

If you need to repair your windows, it can be quite easy. However, once you repair your broken windows, finding suitable window coverings can help keep them from getting broken again. Window coverings can also help protect windows from ever getting broken in the first place.

Where should you go to look for inexpensive window coverings?

First, look at what you’ve got in your house. You might have something in your house already that you can use as a window covering.

Second, be creative. You might have things you never thought of that can be used as window coverings. Or if you’ve got a creative friend or neighbor, have or her come over and see what they can come up with for creative window treatments that won’t cost you much if anything in the way of money.

Third, if you want to buy something ready-made, relatively inexpensive options like shutters are available at most do-it-yourself repair stores.

Fourth, if none of these things seems to strike quite the right chord for you, and you want something that’s custom-made, you can hire a professional. If you have a broken window, of course you’ll need to replace it, but simply having some shutters to close over your broken windows quickly will help a lot until they can get replaced or until you can do it yourself.

Finally, keep in mind that the only real solution for a broken window is to replace it. Although you may not be able to do it quickly, if perhaps the break happens on a weekend, for example, you will need to do it, so keep in mind that any solution you use should be relatively inexpensive unless you intend to keep them long-term to upgrade the value of your home, such as installing shutters, for example. However, having a broken window in your home devalues your home. In addition, most neighborhoods now no longer let you have a broken window as part of the covenant over the long term, since they have specific maintenance requirements for their homeowners to follow. Therefore, the only final solution, of course, for a broken window is to repair it. Don’t look to other solutions to do that for you permanently.

Stain Glass Windows Brighten Any Home

When creating a stain glass window the design may begin as a drawing, a painting, a photograph or any other kind of graphic artwork. The design needs to be simple and bold. Once you are happy with the design you can start work on the stain glass window. Nothing is better or creates character like a stained glass window, it is elegant and it adds sophistication to your home, the light that is produced is soft and is diffused into your home and creates a soothing atmosphere.

It’s a good idea to make two copies of the pattern so that you can use one copy to cut the templates and the other copy to place on the work piece to see how it fits. You can cut some costs if someone can donate their old cutters to you, but even if you need to go out and purchase some stained glass cutters they are usually a pretty reasonable price.

Creating stain glass there are many techniques that can be used. When creating the classic stained glass window, there are many pieces of color glasses, you will need to cut each piece so they fit together, then you will need to take lead, brass or copper and use it as a buffer between the glass.

Rub the lead lines and get them well coated with the chemical on the cotton. Take an old rag and polish the lead lines very vigorously. To create an illusion of a lead line you need to do it on both sides of the glass.

Sometimes, a piece of stained glass will lose its original brightness and color that the lead lines once had. The blackness or copper of the patina will dull and you find that over time there will be a buildup of some type of corrosion and it usually appears around the edges of the lead. Most manufactures use lead as the bonding material because it is flexible to use and it last for a very long time.

Lead is used and stripped into predetermined shapes so that they can be fitted between then the pieces of glass.

As you get some experience under your belt you can acquire more tools and accessories as deemed necessary by you- the master craftsman. If you do your homework earlier on before diving in with both feet, you will find that some of the tools you use will continue to be used by you for many, many years to come. These tools help assist an individual in marking, cutting, smoothing, and soldering the glass. To make stained glass, you will first need to get the tools and materials ready.

Some people use stain glass making as a hobby and other times the hobby becomes a business. Stain glass windows are becoming very popular again and many people want these colorful windows in their home to brighten and bring good cheer. Many people bring the stain glass windows into their homes by purchasing lamp shades that are stained glass. One of the most popular stained glass lamps is tiffany.

Are Giclee Prints Collectible?

Giclee is the name used to identify a fine art digital print just like serigraph is the name for a fine art silkscreen print. One of, if not the greatest artists of the 20th Century, Pablo Picasso never produced a giclee print although he produced a lot of serigraph prints. His serigraph prints are available from just under $100 up to $7000 plus, the difference being the top dollar prints have been hand signed by the master.

Throughout his career Picasso made art in a variety of disciplines. He was a painter, sculptor, ceramicist and a prolific print maker producing not only serigraphs but etchings, lithographs, heliogravures (photographic engravings) and linogravures (linocuts). Had he had access to the technology it is a safe bet Picasso would have produced giclees and those that carry a signature made by his hand would be fetching the big bucks today.

As the 21st century unfolds, more and more artists are embracing digital technology in the production of their art. Painters now create digital files of their work as record and to produce giclee prints. A growing number of artists are using computers to create their art. If you want to hang one of these digital artist’s work on your wall, it will no doubt be a print and if you want it to last more than a few years, it will be a giclee.

Historically prints have been printed in open and closed editions. Open editions were and often still are printed in the 1000s on cheap paper whilst closed editions, more commonly known as limited editions, are printed on high quality art papers using methods that could only produce a finite number of prints. The limited number was due to either the printing plate be it a lithographic stone, a sheet of carved lino or an etched copper plate degrading to the extent that no more decent prints could be produced or the artist’s pocket running out of depth.

With the improvements in digital printing and the associated introduction of print on demand, the fine art printing industry has been turned on its head. The distinction between and open and closed editions has become decided blurred if not non-existent. An infinite number of prints on high quality papers and canvasses with a life expectancy that rivals if not surpass traditional printing methods can be produced one at a time, as and when required.

Tiffany Lamps, An Essential Part of Home Decor

Tiffany lamps and lighting have been an essential part of a luxurious home décor for over 100 years. These stained glass lamps are from the style and design of Louis Comfort Tiffany. Louis Tiffany used his creative talents to follow his love for art, rather than following in his father’s footsteps. His father, Charles Lewis Tiffany, was the founder of the silver and jewelry firm Tiffany & Co. In the 1880’s Louis turned his focus from his oil and watercolor works to interior design. The goal of Tiffany’s new passion was to elevate interior design to the same level as fine art.

During this period, Tiffany began using the discarded glass pieces from his stained glass panels to create the decorative lamps synonymous with his name. Tiffany lampshades were created by carefully fitting hand cut glass pieces into copper foil enclosures. Copper foil is extremely light and strong which enabled Tiffany to design and create large and complex shades for his lamps. Commonly

Tiffany style lamps can be used in any room within your home. Tiffany ceiling lights are a great lighting source for illuminating an entire room. Smaller table lamps are an excellent source for directing light to a specific area. Should space be an issue Tiffany floor lamps can provide a lot of light while taking up minimal floor space. Tiffany lamps can also be found for desks, walls sconces, and accent lighting as well as table lighting.

Adding the elegance and beauty of a Tiffany lamp to your home decore will easily bring a warm and inviting atmosphere to your room and home.

Spruce Up The Bathroom With A New Bathroom Vanity

The style of the bathroom vanities have changed, the new styles bring a touch of style and elegance to the bathrooms. Bamboo bathroom vanities improve the style and beauty of bathrooms. There are antique, traditional, and contemporary style vanities.

Many of the corner bathroom vanity come in wood; some of the popular woods are cherry, maple, oak and mahogany. Many home owners are not buying the standard vanities like our parents, they are looking for unique designs, something different that says something about their personality, and these new vanities are innovative and beautiful. All modern bathrooms have the one thing in common, sinks, toilets, vanities and mirrors.

Vanity tops have changed drastically; no more will you only have a choice of Formica you now can choose from granite, ceramic tiles, synthetic granite and marble. When remodeling your bathroom it is a good idea to replace that old pedestal sink with a nice vanity, it will not only help with storage but give the bathroom a new look and make the bathroom appear to be new again. Here are some things to consider when choosing new vanity furniture.

There is nothing that spruces up your bathroom like a nice looking vanity cabinet. Getting a bathroom vanity can change the look and feel of your bathroom and can be the focal point of the entire room; many vanities are considered furniture pieces. Setting up vanity tables is another great option to put into your bathroom, make sure you have space for it, this can be used to layout clothing, putting on makeup or anything else you think of.

Bathroom sink vanities have come a long way, they come in different sizes, shapes and many different colors, and some even look like furniture or pieces of expensive art. When looking for sinks you can get the standard white or colored bathroom sinks, some you can get with designs, of course the more detail you add to the sink the more expensive it gets. The more traditional vanity does what it is suppose to do, it holds a sink and has storage for bathroom supplies and hides the plumbing.

Your bathroom sink vanity will create the look of your bathroom, plus it will help provide organization and it will also reduce the amount of clutter on the vanity. You can have a single sink or multiple sinks in accordance with your usage, and the vanity tops can be fashioned according to individual requirements and the edges can be smoothed to prevent injury by bumping against them. Look at your bathroom suite, if your bath tub, sink and toilet are all in reasonable condition, you could get away with keeping them and just replacing the hardware such as the faucets.

When people are planning the dream bathroom many people forget about the storage that is needed in the bathroom. Bathroom vanity cabinets are an essential component of any bathroom and can add drama to your design and decor.

Suitable Decorating Styles For The Nursery

You may one day decide to have a baby. This is a big decision, but in my mind the toughest decision relates to picking the right time to do so. It is not just about the body clock: you need to be at that place in your life where both your relationship and career are firmly grounded. You do not want to wait too long for this to happen though, as you will want to be around to see your child grow up! This exciting process starts with getting ready for baby’s arrival, and kitting out the nursery.

Have you thought of what goes into the decorating of a baby’s room? You have probably started to play around with a few ideas if you are about to have a baby. Decorating the nursery is a wonderful and exciting experience in itself, and an integral part of getting ready to become of parent. First of all you get to pick the color scheme, and paint the room in a color that you have chosen. This obviously depends on your taste but also on whether you’re having a boy or a girl. A lot of couples traditionally veer towards decorating the baby’s room with shades of blue if they’re expecting a boy and tend to choose pinks if it’s a girl. There’s actually no rule about this and I personally don’t subscribe to this point of view. When we were expecting our baby girl I wanted to create a stimulating environment for her, with a lot of interesting colors. I wanted my little girl to be able to peek at a wonderful rainbow of colors from her cot as visual stimulation is an important part of infant development.

While we are on the subject of cots and cribs, this was definitely the most challenging part of the process for me. My mother had bought us a wonderful oak sleigh crib as a gift. It looked absolutely stunning once carried upstairs and assembled. The carrying upstairs bit, though, was a project in itself. The thing was extremely heavy, and of course this is a job for dad. Suffice to say that I now understand how tough it must be to be a mover!

Wood Railings - An Elegant Touch for Your Home

Just picture a large, beautiful home with a spiral staircase in one corner. What material would you expect this staircase to be made of ? The most common materials for such a dramatic statement would be a wood such as teak or mahogany. There is good reason for this. Most people realize that if you want to complement a beautiful home beautifully, you have to do it in wood. For millenia, the preferred choice for household items has been wood. For centuries, man has been crafting beautiful pieces of furniture, such as tables and chairs, and beautiful accoutrements for his home, such as railings and balconies out of wood. Wood of any type gives a home an elegance that is unequaled in any other material. Add to this elegance the long lasting qualities of wood, and you have a perfect combination. To illustrate, there are wood railings in English castles built in the sixteenth century that still hold the mellow beauty of wood. You will not see a five hundred year old metal railing still standing!

A well crafted spiral staircase is not a do-it-yourself project. The intricate curves of a winding staircase are difficult to achieve by an amateur, especially the process involved in creating the winding cap of the wood rail. The pieces are heavy to lift, and cumbersome to put in place properly. To have a lovely spiral staircase, rather than an amatuerish looking job, you need to use the services of a master craftsman. Someone who loves wood railings will enjoy the care and nourishing of this beautiful wood, since teak and mohagany, when kept oiled properly, is a stunning sight to behold.

If you are handy, and want to construct wood railings, straight rails are certainly within the scope of the do-it-yourselfer. This is a project that can be done single-handledly and you do not need a complicated, special purpose workshop to do so.

You will need certain tools to construct your own wooden stair railing, however, and some experience in woodworking. You will have to have the following: a hammer, sanding tools, a power drill and drill bits of various sizes, a circular saw, and a hand saw, clamps for holding wood in place, 12" rough files, a 3/8" socket wrench, as well as sanding tools, sharpening tools and joining tools. Of course, you will also require the standard workshop items such as a level, tape measure, pencils and other drawing instruments, T-square, safety goggles, gloves and dust mask. As noted, a straight wood railing is fairly easy for an amateur wood worker to make, and with enough practice and experience, a dedicated woodworker may eventually be able to graduate to curved railings. With experience building a fence, then perhaps a straight railing on a deck or porch, then an interior railing on a stair or balcony, enough experience can be gained so that a curved railing can be attempted. Practice makes perfect, as we all know, and if one is willing to devote enough time and care to these projects, it can be done. Getting experience working with different types of wood projects will eventually lead to the skills necessary.

Wood Railings Add a Beautiful Touch to Your Porch

Wooden porch railings add character and class to your home's looks. Wooden porch railings add elegance to contemporary and victorian homes, as well as classic and traditional style homes. The look of traditional railings is best achieved by rails crafted from wood, rather than newer materials such as metal. There are many benefits to wooden porch railings besides their classic good looks, however. Designers like to work with wooden porch railings because of the range of freedom they can have in the design. Because of the popularity of wooden porch railings, there is a wide range of components available in wood, at very reasonable prices. The top and bottom rails, the balusters, the posts and all of the other accessories are available in wood of many different styles. These wooden parts are easy to customize to the homeowner's taste, and, once installed, are easy to maintain. Wooden railings are extremely durable while still blending beautifully with the exterior of most homes. Interior wooden trim and flooring also blend nicely with wooden porch railings; this lends a lovely cohesion to a home.

Wooden balusters can be cut into an infinite variety of shapes: square, flat, or round. No wonder wooden porch railings are so popular. There are few other materials that offer the beauty and variety of wood at such a reasonable price. Woodbis an abundant commodity, and so the price of wood is still relatively low. Wood can be cut, sawed and carved into so many different shapes and designs and wood railings are very easy and quick to install. Wooden railings can be weatherproofed with the proper material, making them very durable over time. Wrought iron railings are subject to peeling and corrosion durable if they are not painted frequently.

People frequently choose wood railings over other materials because they can be customized by hand crafting to create a unique look for their home. Lovely custom made railings are easily installed with nails or wood screws. The accessories and furniture people choose for their porches are set off much better with wooden porch railings. Wicker chairs, porch swings, wooden furniture and rocking chairs all look even pretty against the backdrop of a lovely wood railing. Hanging plants and potted trees also look prettier on a porch with wooden railings.

There are many other materials are available for porch railings. These include stone, concrete, brick or metal. You can even combine materials such as wood and metal. But for character and class, nothing beats wood. It is the material one always associates with a classic, traditional style. Add to this feature the fact that wood railings are inexpensive and easy to install, you have a perfect fit with wooden railings

Design Tips To Create Space in a Crowded Home

Trying to accommodate children, personal relics and long-time furniture in your apartment can be a paramount challenge.

Here are some tips to create space in a busy apartment.

Lighting is everything! Flat overhead lighting makes your apartment seem smaller. Accessorize your apartment with separate light sources and lamps. Not only will this ‘stretch’ the corners of your room, it will give you control over your atmosphere, allowing you to conceal cluttered areas and highlight others to get the best and most flexible use out of your space.

Strategically place mirrors in your apartment to capitalize on natural light. This also creates the impression of extra space by tricking the eye into believing there is a twin room.

Pale furniture will open up the room. You should also look for furniture that serves more than one purpose and will free up space in your busy apartment. Find a coffee table with built-in drawers, tables with enclosed cabinets, a couch with drawers underneath. Note that cabinets with sliding doors will save space because they do not encroach on the room when opened.

Position your couch facing the living room entrance to increase the sense of space and give your apartment a welcoming feel.

Choose lightweight, versatile furniture that can be moved around easily. Floor lamps and tables can be moved between studying and socializing areas as needed in your apartment.

Double up on apartment space by using a futon instead of a couch in your living room. This will come in handy for extra guests. Use bunk beds if you have multiple children sleeping in a single room, to create more floor space.

10 Innovative Ways to Maximize Space in Your Apartment

Cluttering your apartment with odds and ends is not just messy but can be hazardous to your children. Follow these suggestions to streamline your apartment and save space.

1. Use empty jars, margarine containers and ice cream tubs to store your buttons, threads, nails, screws and other odds and ends laying around your apartment.

2. Cut plastic milk bottles in half and use them for storage to keep puzzles, marbles and other small toys off your apartment floor.

3. Keep your kids’ backpacks in an easy-to-find location to reduce last-minute rushes when leaving the apartment. Backpack Racks sell online for about $5.

4. Donate clothes to charity if your kids have outgrown them or if you haven’t worn them in the last year.

5. Reduce paper clutter in the kitchen by hanging a bulletin board (or adding fridge magnets) on an unused wall in your apartment.

6. Donate or discard multiple kitchen items, or items you haven’t used in a year.

7. Buy a cheap wine rack to store your bathroom towels. You’ll be surprised to discover that rolled-up bathroom towels fit surprisingly well in a wine rack, creating extra space in your cupboards!

8. Hang a rack in your shower to store soap, shampoos and conditioners. Make sure razors are kept out of reach of children.

9. Throw out expired medicines and old makeup. Expired medicines can be dangerous in your apartment if your children discover them, and ineffective if you return to use them. Makeup that is past its best is not good for your face!

10. Keep a watch in your neighbourhood for free furniture. Many people leave unwanted furniture at the curb, particularly the night before garbage collection.

Sleep Easy With Platform Beds - Great Storage Options Too!

Let's start be describing what platform beds actually are and why they are such a good idea. Basically they are beds consisting of a mattress on a solid platform raised off the floor by legs or framing. This allows for the floor space beneath the platform to be used for either living or storage. If built correctly, they can really give a lot of extra living or storage space to any bedroom, although they are chiefly used in kid's rooms to accommodate all their clobber.

The great thing about platform beds is that the frames come in a wide variety of sizes and styles so that they can fit different personal tastes and requirements. You can also choose a platform bed frame complete with wood posters and curtains to make it immediately functional. These types are typically known as a canopy platform bed.

Years ago, the first platform beds were known as loft beds as they were elevated way off the ground, so you may hear both terms used when scouting for more info, but they are really one of the same. Platform beds are also extremely versatile and easy to maintain, so if you're getting a little squeezed out by all the homely junk that so many of us tend to collect over the years, then you might want to take a look at the range of these special beds.

A lot of folks are drawn to these beds not only for the practicality but also the simple, elegant styling found with the latest options available. This especially makes them popular among discerning homeowners. But apart from the simplistic look that these beds offer, where they really come into their own is for those people who live in tight spaces or small rooms.

What's quite common these days is for people to equip their platform beds with special mattresses made of memory foam. Memory foam is a gel-like substance that conforms to the curves of the body while at the same time offering full support for the skeletal structure. It seems to be the latest craze in bedding right now. It's particularly beneficial to folks who suffer from neck, back, and shoulder complaints, but even if you don't, it'll guarantee you a good night's sleep.

Another reason why memory the foam mattress is a good idea is because a platform bed is a bed that has no box spring, and some people find it difficult to sleep easy without the standard box spring mattress.

Many Handy Andy's these days try to save costs by building their own platform beds. If you do you want to try your hand at building one, you could actually save quite a bit of money as many beds can cost thousands of dollars or more for queen and king sizes.

It's important to get your plans right before starting your construction so that you avoid any costly mistakes. A platform bed for under-bed storage will obviously be a different construction to a loft style which is simply a raised platform bed. Raised types are where you acquire the extra area underneath for desks, entertainment centers, or whatever use you might have for the extra floor space.

I Discovered My Million Dollar A Year Interior Designer's Bathroom Designing Secrets Portfolio

Design ideas for the Bathroom

When you are designing you’re bathroom you’ll first have to decide the style, color and theme for your room. Yet, as you are choosing the perfect design for your bathroom please keep in mind that everyone in your family, as well as guest who come in your home use this room.

After choosing your design or color scheme make a bathroom plan as drawn out in the example. If you don’t have a toilet, shower, and sink then you’ll need to place them where the plumbing has been stubbed.

If this is merely a redesign and you already have the shower/tub, sink and toilet in place then you will only lay out where your accessories, cabinets and wall hangings will be placed. Using a pencil and paper design the floor plan and where things are currently located, see example.

After you have completed your floor plan, draw out where you would like other things to be located, perhaps you’ll have a wicker laundry basket, small garbage can, elegant bathroom stand, cabinets, etc. Remember to have every object or accessory you purchase to coordinate with your theme or color choices.

If you will be redoing your flooring as well, as you have your colors and theme in mind, also keep in mind a floor that will work well with water and won’t wilt or will hold the water as to not seep through to the underlying. Your flooring choice should also be easy to clean and take care of, especially if your family includes young children. If the flooring is slippery be sure to buy a rug that matches your theme.

The lighting for your bathroom should also have top priority as you redesign your bathroom. For larger bathrooms you may need lighting in a few different areas, although if you use a larger lighting structure above your mirror or ceiling you may be able to use one lighting structure. When you are shopping for light fixtures it would be a good idea to take with you the square foot of your bathroom and your drawn design, that way you can ask a specialists advice at the hardware or department store.

Whatever you decide as far as colors, styles or accessories the most important part about designing your bathroom is giving it that personal touch that incorporates comfort, warmth and a welcoming atmosphere.

Choosing The Right Bed Frames

Bed frames are an incredible part of the process of building a bed. Most don’t realize the vast number of options that you have. A quick search though and you are sure to have hundreds of styles, sizes and types to consider. But, how do you choose and what differences does it really make? There are some important considerations for this purchase, but overall, the needs and desires that you have also play a role in what you decide on. Often, just browsing through the options can help you to decide.

Selecting For Quality First

No matter what type of bed frames you do end up purchasing, you’ll want to consider the quality of them. If you select a steel bed frame, you need to know how much weight is can support as well as how it is built. If it is a simple model that is weak, you may be looking for a new frame within just a few weeks or months. But, if you purchase one that has quality to it, and possibly even a warranty of some type, you’ll be able to secure the frame that fills your needs as well as having the long lasting qualities that are quite important in a mattress and bed frame.

Considerations For Your Needs

The right bed frames will depend on several key elements. For one, you probably need a bed frame that is strong and study. But, you may also have a style of bed that interests you. If there is a type of bed that you are after, for example, you may be interested in a platform bed instead of a standard model; the frame must meet this need. In addition, you’ll need to take into consideration whom the bed is for. A child’s frame can be purchased as a bunk bed set or even with considerations for their size. Still, there are plenty of other options out there.

It is quite important that the frame that you do purchase fit the bed that you purchase. For example, you need the frame to adjust down or up to the size of the mattress you are purchasing. A frame for a queen sized bed doesn’t help you at all if you have a king sized bed or even a twin size. Many frames will be able to adjust to one size up or down, though. Check this out before purchasing it especially if you want it to be flexible.

Remember, bed frames are the frame of your bed. They are required to provide your body and your weight with a place to rest. The higher the quality of the frame that you purchase, the more likely you are to find your bed relaxing and not worrisome. With so many types on the market, you may have to invest in a few minutes to consider your options. That’s okay because the end result is that you get the bed that you want, in the style and color that fits you as well as having the security and safety of a quality product.

Princess Theme Toy Box

As parents, we are more than happy to allow our children to enjoy the day, busy at play and developing her imagination and creativity in the process. There’s only one rule: at the end of the day, even princesses need to put away the “royal” toys, lest the kingdom deteriorate into a “royal” mess.

But clean up becomes a little more fun with a Princess Theme Toy Box. Toy boxes keep everything nearly organized until the next “once upon a time”. Large and roomy enough to hold an assortment of tea sets and all the bulky toys that won’t fit on the shelf, they can make clean up incredibly easy. Just open the lid, and put things back in. Even very young children can manage that (and they should, because Queen Mothers have better things to do than continuously pick up after her—that chore quickly becomes a “royal” pain).

However, the Princess Theme Toy Box is more than just a functional container. Painted in a bright and happy shade of pink—because we all know that princesses must love pink—it literally becomes a treasure box for all her most beloved playthings. The words “The Crown Jewels” are stenciled in the front, two beautiful tulips decorating the corners.

But there’s more. The princess theme toy box doubles as a love seat. Soft purple cushions and spindle backing make it the perfect place to read a book or watch a favorite video. There’s also room for another friend to sit next to her—where they can whisper the secrets that only princesses are allowed to know, or pretend to rule the kingdom from the royal throne.

The princess theme toy box is constructed out of quality wood and handmade by skilled craftsmen who put careful attention to every detail. From the beautifully painted flowers to the adorable princess crown on the back rest, it is certainly “fit for a princess”. No worries about any hidden peas, either—the soft purple cushions are as comfortable as a princess deserves.

The princess theme toy box can be placed at the foot of the bed, out of everyone’s way. It instantly adds a touch of whimsy and femininity to the room, and the design isn’t something she’ll get sick of right away. In fact, even when she’s outgrown her love for teddy bears and dolls, she’ll treasure the princess theme toy box (everyone’s a princess at heart). Instead of blocks and puzzles, she’ll put photo albums, trinkets and accessories, prom dresses and other keepsakes of her youth. Years from now, she may even pass on that princess theme toy box to her own daughter—who will have her own adventures, her own day dreams, and this delightful treasure chest to hold her best memories.

Retro Rocking Chair

Are you ready to rock? The Retro Rocker is the perfect addition to a child’s bedroom. Not only is it functional (perfect for reading bedtime stories or watching favorite videos) today’s designs add instant charm to a room. Why get a generic bean bag when you can soar to new heights on an airplane retro rocker or race away on a motorcycle retro rocker? And let’s face it—one of the toughest challenges of parenting is to get our active little darlings settled down for a nap. Retro rockers lull them to sleepy contentment, until they’re ready to get tucked into bed without any fuss at all.

Rockers have been used for centuries. Who hasn’t seen those traditional paintings and illustrations of a mother in her rocking chair, singing her wee one to sleep? They were said to have been invented by Benjamin Franklin, but historians believe that they were developed in England in the early 1700s and used in the garden (where one could relax while enjoying a light summer breeze). Furniture companies started making them in bulk in the 1800s.

The first rocking chairs had six legs. Later on, furniture manufacturers started using spindle-backs, which was called the Windsor rocker. The Boston rockers used arm handles that curved downwards, while the Salem rockers used straight wood panels instead of spindles. These were all developed in the 1800s.

While there have been several modern and contemporary designs, which look more like art statement pieces (complete with fiber glass and steel materials), the retro rocker is great for any child’s room. There’s a retro charm and innocence about them, harkening to simpler, more serene times. However, there’s nothing dowdy and old-fashioned about a retro rocking chair—not with the incredible artistry with which it is made.

For example, there are tractor retro rockers made to resemble a John Deere. There is the carousel retro rocker that is quite popular for its unique design and looks great in any child’s room or nursery. There is even a retro rocker that looks like an airplane ready to soar your child to new heights of imagination.