Recipe for a beautiful home

What makes a recipe a success? A recipe is a success when it has the right balance between various elements it makes and the required punch, the spark and the spontaneity! So, what exactly makes for a delightful recipe for a home beautiful and manageable home? Here are the steps to a delightful home:

1. Mix and stir the decor of your room

Having a coordinated space takes away more than half the burden of creating a beautiful home. Choose colours for your home decor wisely. Curtains, sofas, walls, doors, paintings, accessories, table runners...everything should have a coordinated look. No colour should overpower the decor, if different colours are being used...they should hang well together. Choose your style!

Image Courtesy - DIY House

                                           
2. Throw in some accessories

Add some new accessories to your home. Throw the old ones and bring some fresh accessories to your home. Some artworks, new pots, beautiful paintings, fresh and bright curtains would work just fine to renew your home decor. Accessories really refresh the way your house feels. In low budget, you can find some great accessories for your home. Mixing and matching is the key to decorate your home in less expenditure and more style!

Image Courtesy - Busyboo

3. Add some light to taste
When the question is about beautiful look and home atmosphere, warm lighting plays an extremely important role. Lighting changes the mood of a person completely. A decor can appear warm, inviting, lax, casual, formal, glum..anything depending upon the lighting of the place! So choose your space's lighting properly. Lamps, hanging lights, chandeliers, overhead lights etc. are some of the great options you could explore from!

Choose lights- bright or light, of different colours and kinds...as you would like in your home!  

                                          

                                                             Image Courtesy - This Next

4. Garnish with green

Greenery in your house has a really relaxing and out of the world impact on your system and your mind. Having a garden really helps in creating a better atmosphere around you. Bring home some plants for your interiors as well and use them to accessorize your home interiors. A garden with beautiful plants growing fantastic flowers and different shaped and coloured leaves looks absolutely fabulous. You could always have a quiet time with a cup of coffee in your garden, amongst your plants to feel and rejuvenate yourself on and off!

                                              

                                                            Image Courtesy - Balistar Island

Just follow the simple steps above and your beautiful and fabulous home is ready!!! Enjoy :)

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Home Sweet Home

A home is where you belong. The feeling of belonging comes from feeling of knowing and association. Association with home comes from the memories of the moments that one spends and has spent throughout in that place called home.

When one moves into a new house, it becomes a home when one spends moments of togetherness, sharing and caring with the family members and the loved ones. A house is a home when sentimental value gets attached to the architecture.

The sentiments are associated with the time that one spends in one’s home through times that are joyous, times that are unhappy. There may be times that are beyond smiles and tears. Words can’t always express what one feels with one’s loved ones in one’s home. 

                                         

What really makes home more special and ideal? Or should we say that special and ideal home adds on to the sentimental value that one may attach with the place to call it home? It is both. If one feels happy and warm thinking about one’s home, if one’s home is a happy place to be in, then home becomes ideal with the mind associations that one has. These sweet and warm feelings towards one’s home makes one try a little extra to decorate one’s home in a way that speaks a ton about oneself. Being in a space that home speaks of you and you reflect your home is what makes it special. It is true otherwise too. For instance, if one decorates one’s home with a lot of thought and a lot of understanding as per one’s taste, the attachment from all the things that contribute to make the home comfortable become high on emotional value and quotient, making the home an ideal place to be in.

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PAINT IT MAROON

Do you like to go bold with colours? Are shades of red family… your favourite? Do you ever wonder about going wrong with the bold hues and overdoing colours in your home? There are definitely ways in which you can balance out even the boldest of colours by correctly fusing in the furnishing with the bold colours on the walls.

In this picture, one wall has been painted in deep maroon and the rest of walls are white. Combination of maroon and white is doing the trick here when it comes to balancing a bright and a light colour. The side table and centre table used are in dark wood which is complimenting the dark wall of the room. The tables used are low and have drawers which are more spacious as well look classy.

To even out the dark tone in the room, cream furry rug has been used to add in the light shade in the room. Also, the cream sofa is the major element which is taking away the focus from the dark coloured wall and breaking even the shades in the room from getting monotonously dark.

The maroon cushions are supporting the sofa and making it fuse with the wall and the wood flooring in the room. The wood flooring looks judiciously chosen to support the wall colour. The white window panes look fabulous with the whole décor.

The creatively displaced candle is placed at a corner, however, it definitely is adding onto the room’s style. Candle peaking in from apple shaped case is a very distinct touch that the room is adorning. The vase standing at the floor near the sofa is at a solitary position decorating the room, but it definitely is connecting the room décor with an element of base and simple style!

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Living Room Design and Wall Design

Do you wish to change the look of your room? Are you bored of the plain solid coloured walls? Don’t worry, the paint industry can provide you with a plenty of wall design options. From murals, to wall stencils, faux finishes to colourful designs- there are numerous choices to pick from.

A wall design must be selected according to the dimensions and geometry of the room and personality of the inmates. First of all, let’s check out styles for living room design. A living room entertains all sorts of guests and people in a family. So the wall design should neither be too feminine (flowers, veins) nor too masculine (granite design or geometric). Ideally, one should go for a combination of neutral colours and wall stencils. Paisley print on a solid base, bubbles or polka dots, tree and branches, borders and strips add character to walls, while grisaille murals look elegant of big wall surface. The base colour and position of the design can be customized according to the placement of furniture in the room. 

Also, type of furniture and its shade should be considered while going for a living room design. For example, if sofa set, centre table, chair and racks in the room have pointed edges then a somber colour with floral wall print will harmonize the feel of sharp edges. Conversely, if the furniture is rounded or has soft edges, then strong colour and geometrical wall design will look good. Now for the shade — conventionally, people use shades of similar colours on the wall, but sometimes contrasts give a rich and dramatic effect. However, avoid using contrasts of two strong colours. Keep one colour dull while the other bright while going for contrasting designs.

For the rest, follow your heart and you will never go wrong!

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SOFA PILLOWS/CUSHIONS

You can easily deck up and refresh the look of your space by choosing bright, decorative, creative sofa pillows/cushions. You should choose your sofa pillows matching your décor. These days vibrant colours with shimmery and shining sequence work in vogue. Colours of the cushions or pillows need to match with the sofa colour and the draperies. You can also go in for contrasting colours in cushions to enhance the décor and make it all the more fabulously colourful.

Patterns of the cushions and colours can be as per the kind of sofa you choose. You can actually jazz up your furniture using pretty and rich looking pillows. Also, the size of the cushion and pillows has to be taken care of. Just make sure that the cushions you choose to use are not too big or too small. You can definitely use cushions of all sizes together to create a fusion of style and comfort but make sure you do not neglect the comfort quotient. You need to put some big and soft pillows, just in case you decide to enjoy a nap watching T.V.

Also, do not have huge cushions and pillows if your sofa is light and small. Optimize the size of the pillows along with that of your sofa. Adding too many pillows also creates a feeling of congestion and totally takes away the pleasure of sitting on the area as there is no space to comfortably sit.

Do not overlook the aspect of quality along with the aesthetic quotient. The cushions need to be low maintenance otherwise you will have a tough time in managing the décor. Also, if you buy good quality of pillows as well as good quality fabric for the covers, then, you can expect the pillows and cushions to last longer which will be a comfortable thing for you.

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CHOOSING AN APPROPRIATE SOFA FOR YOUR SPACE

Be practical while opting for a sofa as a sofa may look pretty but may not be as comfortable in using. Make sure the seats of the sofa you choose are comfortable and cushiony. You can use separate pillows, cushions in different colours, shapes and sizes etc to make your seating more comfortable. There are so many types of couches, sofas available in the market these days. You need to choose one which suits your needs the best and gives you the comfort that you require. Choose a colour of your choice that complements with the rest of the theme and décor.

Understand the dimensions of the sofas. If you use your drawing room is more or less your living room, then make sure you have a sofa or a bed that is your length. You may sometimes want to relax and watch T.V. on your sofa or couch. So it is important that you have a comfortable place to crash in and relax onto.

You can choose amongst traditional sofas, recliner sofas, sectional sofas, sleeper sofas, home theater sofas. Traditional sofas are popular and are liked by everyone. They are elegant, traditional and classic. Sleeper sofas look like bed and have bed frame and mattress. These kinds of sofas come in handy when you have guests at your place and less space to give to them to stay. You can turn your sofa into a bed and use it as a bed when required. Recliner sofas have mechanism by virtue of which one can recline with half-lie position. Sectional sofas are made as modules and have to be just moved in and used as whole sections to be moved in altogether. Home theatre sofas have built in cup holders, magazine holders and remote control arm rests. Choose from a wide variety of choices and enjoy comfort of a sofa as you want!

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MAINTAINING CURTAINS

Curtains can really add or take away visual appeal of any room. Curtains are used for protection against weather and to ensure privacy in your home.

Choose a thick fabric for curtains to make sure that excessive sun rays do not bother you. Thick curtains can help you make sure that your home is protected against extreme weather. Also, thicker fabrics are more durable. However, thicker fabrics may be tough to wash. These can be dry cleaned though. There are a wide variety of designs, colours and patterns available in case of thicker curtains too, to pick from. Lighter fabrics are used for aesthetic purpose more than for functional purpose.

Since, curtains are hung against windows, they are bound to catch dirt and may even suffer discolouration due to exposure to heat. The dirt and dust around the house and even from the outside gets accumulated and make the curtains dirty. Due to exposure from the outside, curtains catch dust and dirt; therefore, they need to be maintained against the dirt.

Cleaning your curtains regularly is the key to beautiful rooms. Generally people wash curtains in the washing machine. However, too much detergent and wrong kind of washing powder may take away the colour and shine of your curtains, making them look old and damaged. In order to protect curtains, you can also use dusters and even vacuum cleaner. Steam cleaners are also available to protect and maintain curtains. Maintaining curtains is as important as choosing and hanging them. No matter how pretty your curtains are; if you do not clean them properly and do not maintain them well, your room is not going to look pretty.

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PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DOORS

Doors usually are left ignored while one is busy taking care of the rest of the home decoration. There are a lot factors that have to be taken into account when it comes to choosing doors for your home.

Overall style of the door is important. You need to make sure what style you like the best for your doors. The style should definitely agree with the rest of your décor. If your décor is rich and royal, then heavy antique design doors are best for your room. If your décor is classy and contemporary, then you may choose glass doors or lightweight doors. Also, you need to pick from panel doors, glass doors, flush doors etc.

Consider the material of the door while choosing doors for your home. Solid wooden doors would be expensive than others but are always a great choice to lend a traditional and evergreen appeal to your décor. You need to choose the kind of glass that you are using if you decide to opt for glass doors. Synthetic doors are also available in great styles and colours.

Keep in mind the safety and security issue as well. Opt for a multi-lock system and good quality doors for the areas that lead to gardens, terraces and other open out of the house areas. Make sure the quality of your doors leading to the exterior of the house is very good and sturdy so as to have proper safety and protection for your home and family.

Choose colours of your doors as per the colour of your walls to make a perfect blend of style in your home decoration. You can choose colours of your walls from the wide variety of shades of hues Dulux provides. Match the doors with your wall colours and your home decoration to create a balanced and harmonious look of your space.

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Attractive Features in a Home

High ceilings, floating staircases, exposed brick, and big windows are all great assets to a home. If you have a large home, it might be okay to have all of these because they would all be spread   out between the rooms.

Floating wrought iron staircases act like accessories for your home and also have utility value. They do not look imposing as you can see right through them that gives you a feeling of space. Wrought iron works well on circular staircases which are very elegant to look at but not always the most functional, especially not when it comes to moving furniture around.

High ceilings are one of the most attractive characteristics of your home. Big windows are a fabulous feature to have in a common open space of a home like in a lobby area or a living area. Big windows let in a lot of natural light and can add a very dramatic and overpowering element to a space.

Other things that have attractive value are furnishing of your house, the theme and general aura of the house. Furnishing of your house will depend upon the kind of person you are. Pillow covers, curtains, cabinets, wood work and other things add to the visual value to your house.

The décor of your house is in tandem with your taste and personality. The wall colours and kind of paint you choose also add on to the visual appeal of your house. Dulux has paints for everyone. You can opt for Magik Smooth Acrylic Finish to have a smooth and durable mall finish on the applied surfaces. Dulux Velvet Touch is a good choice to give your walls a unique glow and finish. For a rich matt finish you can choose to paint your walls with Dulux Super Smooth. There are a variety of other emulsions available at Dulux to suit different tastes.

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CABINET OPTIONS FOR YOUR HOME

Cabinets can really affect the look of any room. You have to experiment with the look, material and colour of cabinets you use in order to give your home a fresh touch. There are a number of options depending on your requirement, taste, your budget, your room décor etc, that you can choose from! 

You can choose from stainless steel, corian, parapan, glass etc as per your taste and availability of the material. 

Stainless Steel is industrial material and is favourable to make appliances. Corian is a solid surface resin material mostly used to make countertops. It is silky and matte finish. The doors, drawer fronts, appliance panels, countertop, and slat wall system are all manufactured from Corian. 

Parapan is a solid surface used to manufacture cabinetry and is an acrylic based material and is extremely high gloss shine. It comes in an extremely varied array of colours! Aluminum framed glass doors can also be used to give your home a nice and modern look. Mixing glass with wood and warm finishes is a very innovative option for cabinets! 

Blackened Steel finish fridge panels, oven cabinets etc are good options to give a normal kitchen, a fresh look. The dark wood tone and textural effect renders this material a very unique look. 

Wood is very popular, still, to make kitchen cabinets and amongst the many types of lumber used to make kitchen cabinets, maple remains the favourite option. You can choose from cherry, hickory, oak and pine. Natural tones and colour tinted wooden cabinets look amazing! 

Melamine can be used for kitchen cabinets and is available in many different colors and hues and different surface finishes. PVC is a durable material made up of wood fibres covered with a sheet of PVC which is said to be tougher than both laminates and melamine. Laquered cabinets are good to give your kitchen an ultra modern or even the oriental look. Store in style!

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HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD DESIGN & DECOR

A good design or decor involves a lot more than just visual appeal. A good design involves a lot of other factors like sustainability, accessible, economically viable, functional, beautiful and emotionally resonant.

Sustainability would also, in the lay man’s term mean, durability. Whatever you may use to decorate, it should always be long lasting and should be sustainable. Accessibility is also an important factor when you choose a design. If you want to give your house a make over, always opt for easily available and inexpensive options to go with, as the look of a house is very dependent upon how things are placed. For example, even if you use pictures to decorate your walls, you have to place them together in such a way that they look interesting when placed together.

All the designer options should fit your budget. Going over budget will not really fulfill the purpose of your feeling relaxed and refreshed. Spending too much in designing your home would mean stressing yourself which is not very wise as it defeats the entire idea of feeling fresh while decorating. Strained moods and tempers will not even help you better choices in terms of taste. Therefore, always go for decorative pieces like art work, pots etc. which are easily available and are not too expensive.

Functionality is very significant. For example, you can not just go and pick the best looking sofa for your drawing room for appearance’s sake, rather you need to choose a seating option which is comfortable and goes with your living style. A family of ten people needs big sofas and not a sofa which is just pretty to look at. Beautiful and well made pieces will only add to the over all appeal of the thing.

The kind of decoration you choose will always be as per your personality and your taste. It will reflect your thoughts, your feelings and your emotional quotient as you choose the design and décor. Your home will be emotionally resonant of the way you are! Happy designing and decorating!

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TIPS TO CHOOSE GREAT TILES TO GET A GOOD LOOK FOR YOUR HOUSE INTERIORS

Tile floors are a better option for flooring as compared to hardwood floors. Tiles not only look great but also are immensely durable for bathroom areas, entryways etc. Out of the vast variety of options, choosing the right kind of tiles may prove to be a difficult task! You can make a good choice by considering colour, size, tile grade, price etc. while buying tiles for your home.

You can choose between ceramic and porcelain tiles as per your colour choice. Marble, granite, quartz are also great options to choose from. You can choose matte tiles for a simple look and high gloss tiles for a polished glossy look. Carpet tiles are also good and preferable for people who like to give their house a different and contemporary look! If you like contemporary décor, you can go in for tiles to go with your entire décor. Design and texture of your tiles should reflect your taste, personality and compliment entire decor of your home.

Size is another factor to be kept in mind while picking a tile for your home. A 12 by 12 inch tile would be good for larger spaces like drawing room etc. Entryways, bathrooms need smaller tiles for a better look!

Tile grade is another very important thing to take care of, as you need to choose tiles as per the area that it is to be used for. Bathrooms, yards, hallways need durable tiles. Pricing of tiles is another important factor that determines the look of your home.

You should always get simple tiles for your home as it will allow you to avoid conflict of décor and will help you make changes in your bathroom! Get going and give your home a coordinated look using matching and complimentary tiles that go with the walls and your taste in décor!!!

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DESIGN YOUR TEENAGER’S ROOM

Teenagers are very choosy when it comes to their rooms. Idea of having a cool room which not only looks contemporary but also different and unique as per their choices is what should be kept in mind. Teenage bedroom should be designed with a lot of thought and creativity.

To make the room really interesting theme-based interiors can be done using accessories and decorations that go with the theme. For example, bright pillows, lamps with dangling jewels, plaques with funny sayings and interesting picture frames can be used to give the room a unique style. A beach or surfing theme is the most favourite and common among teenagers and beach elements and images are used to carry out the theme. There are many other options like rock metallica theme, floral theme etc are available to decorate teenager rooms.

The best furniture for teenage bedrooms are the ones that have multiple functions, such as bed frames with drawers or a desk that has an attachable shelving area. You can use velvet paints or paints with a silken and smooth look to add warmth to your walls. There are a variety of good designs in wallpaper and versatile products are available that appeal to a teen market. There are enough patterns and designs to suit just about any bedroom theme. For example, if your teenager is fond of music, then wallpapers with musical instruments like guitar and violin etc are available in the market. Also, if you are decorating a girl’s room then flowery or pastel wallpapers can be used to suit the personality.

Design your teenager’s room to suit their preferences and requirements to give them a positive space to live in. It is a proven fact that if the rooms are decorated and designed as per the person’s requirements, the person living in the room is happier and tends to be more peaceful and productive in work life. So what are you waiting for? Get started and give your child’s room a surprise make-over!!

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