Archive | January 2015

Christmas

Christmas is the most beautiful holiday of the year. All homes are being decorated. If the nature does us a favor also, it covers the roads and gardens with snow that results a really sparkling spectacle.
Christmas decoration means a challenge for many of us every year. Fashion changes continuously, if someone tries to keep up, all decorations should be changed regularly. For classic interiors, there are eternal an elegant decorations that are independent on the fashion and still looking good.
The colors of Christmas depend on personal taste. What is important: to provide the emotions and shining of the occasion. Don’t save up decoration: it’s nice if there is a little surprise waiting for the guests in every hidden corner. Let’s start the decorating outdoor: place a wreath or other ornament. Put some evergreen branches and outdoor lights on the handrail of the stairs leading to the house. If it is solvable, emphasize the line of the roof, the contour of windows and doors also with some light strings. Buy a door mat with Christmas notes or figures for this month.
Since the hall decoration gives the first impression, this should not be neglected. Put garlands above the mirror and hang off glass spheres from the lamps. Another wreath can be hanged to the inner surface of the entrance door. Inside, poinsettias in decorative pots or lighting decoration should be placed on the window sills. We can also attach some snowflake shaped stickers on the glass of windows and internal doors. The stair handrails can be decorated with garlands and light strings also inside. Do the same with curtain cornices. Near the Advent wreath, further candles and candies can be placed to the table in glass dishes. If you have a fireplace, you can hang Santa Claus socks on it, even if the presents are not being put in them. Hang spherical ornaments or holly and mistletoe bouquets from the chandeliers. Branches, flowers and berries can be combined with shiny glass decorations and strings. Light will give the sense of the whole scene: candles, fire in the fireplace, light garlands and lighting decorations. From the last two, choose the ones having warm white light.
The crown of the home is the Christmas tree in the season. Although the synthetic pine tree saves a lot of work to us, the real one is much more beautiful and has a lovely scent also. Let’s purchase a pine tree in pottery or with soil ball, that will not die and can be returned after the holiday.
If you would like a classic-elegant Chritmas decoration at home, ask help from an interior designer before the holiday.

Chimney

Jan20

The chimney should be safe but it’s good if it is a bit unusual too

Door wreaths 2.

Jan19

Winter door decors – even DIY

Red

Jan18

Red is one of the three elementary colors. The most striking member of the color wheel, that’s why it is beloved by many people. Its complementary is green.
As a physiological effect, red increases blood pressure, has exciting effect on nervous system, fasten metabolism, it’s activating effect increases vitality but causes stress and makes one nervous at the same time. It is the most noticeable at daylight. We associate to love, sexuality, fire, blood and war by it. It means danger and prohibition in symbolism, that’s why it is used for danger signals in traffic. It is frequently used at groups of disaster protection and healthcare companies, just think about Red Cross and fire departments. In old times red was one of the most expensive clothes dyes which was made of cochineals or dye-murexes, thus only the rich could afford it, so it was connected with wealth also (e.g. carmine edged togas of ancient Romans, robes of the cardinals). The red lamp quarter got this name not by chance also.
Red has the most intensive narrowing effect among warm colors, that’s why we feel the room in this color much smaller. It is a food-color, so fits well for dining room and kitchen but it can be used in home office too because of its stimulative effect. Many people paint the walls of their bedroom red because it is the color of love. But this is not a good solution for a long term, it causes sleep disorders and nervous tension. The bedroom should be calming, if red is desired to bring in anyway, it shouldn’t be seen from bed. For example, lay a red carpet, paint red only the wall behind the bed, put a bedspread or cushions on the bed which will be put away before sleeping. Handle it cautiously anyhow, because it is a very intrusive and aggressive color. Use it rather on accessories or as a focal point at home. Its strength can be blunted with white or cream. It looks very good in combination with black, dark brown or grey. Its deeper tones are more elegant, for example claret or burgundy red. These were frequently used as background color for gilded framed paintings as a gallery.
Feng Shui assigns red to fire element. It is the color of Jang, the male side. It belongs to the 1st chakra (root). This is the color of good luck in China.
It is used by very dashing, fast-expanding, mass-producing companies in business life as color of their logos or products. It comes into view immediately on the shelves of the shops or in the advertisements.
It’s not an easy task to create a real elegant red interior, so ask for help of an interior designer-color adviser already for planning!

Niche

Jan17

Do not hesitate if we have possibility to conjure a nice niche!

For Santa Claus Day

Jan16

Decorate our home for Santa Claus day

Winter

Jan15

It’s winter again, the season of snow, clod and ice. The garden and the nature is not dull this time neither, since we can get inspiration from them.
Most plants and animals are having rest now. The amount of colors is limited and we can see muted hues. Nature is like an elegant lady in white coat. Characteristic winter colors are black, white, cold greys and browns, pine green, steel blue, cold red, ice blue and silver.
In our home, we can realize a really spectacular atmosphere by these colors. We can balance their coldness by the fire blazing in the fireplace and lots of candles. Use mood lighting instead of general lighting (standing or table lamp, hidden LED lights). Cover the couch with fur or polar blankets. Silver framed mirrors reflect the light of candles. Let’s use curtains made of light, monochrome or patterned material fabric with silky shine. Use middle hue paint on the walls, e.g. steel blue or gray-brown, which provide the background for the romantic and elegant mood. When purchasing decorations and accessories, choose the ones made of glass, shiny metallic or crystal. Using a muted red cushion, painting or vase, we can control the view of our guests creating focus points. Wooden floor, upholstered chairs, christal chandelier and wardrobe made of dark wood is a perfect combination for a winter style interior. White on moldings, doors and mantel can provide freshness in the view.
These colors have to be used with care, since the result can be very rigid. For an elegant winter home, ask help from an interior designer.

Bird feeders

Jan14

A choosy bird feeder gives food for winter to songbirds and nice view to us

Display chinas

Jan13

Display our nice dinner set or other chinaware collection in the mode of old times

Buying antique furniture

Jan12

Purchasing antique furniture is always risky if we are looking for original, old pieces. What can we do before going to a shopping trip, if we haven’t got sufficient professional knowledge?
First read about it. If the style, age and type of the desired furniture is decided, let’s search some comprehensive, furniture history books which detail the specification of a given piece or a given ages. They describe the types of pinnings, the thickness of varnish, or the applied materials specific to the era. Not necessary to purchase all these books, they can be borrowed from a library, but we can find lots of sources also on Internet. The essential pages should be copied or printed to be available at shopping.
If we don’t want special pieces, but simple old furniture, there are also some issues to deal with. Check the piece for possible damages, especially at marquetry and carvings, painting / varnishing and at the corners. If there is any damage, we have to decide to buy it or not, will it be fixed later or left as is for the old feeling. Restoration by the proper expert can be expensive! Let’s search the marks of previous fixes and restoration, e.g. parts made of different wood (like a part of the carved decoration or one of the legs etc.), or metal parts having different colours. In case of drawers, always check the pinning and try to pull the drawer. The weight of the furniture also can indicate if it is a modern copy. If the piece is extremely worn, later it can be renewed by painting, but in case of real old, unique furniture don’t change anything, instead of let them restored by experts, thus keeping or increasing their value. Common pest of wooden furniture is woodworm. Typical signs of it are the small holes on the surface. If these marks can be seen on a relatively great area, the furniture shouldn’t be bought.
If our budget allows, let’s purchase items at an official auction, because the authenticity of an object and its origin are guaranteed, but flea markets and internet auction sites also can be visited, since beautiful old furnitures can be found also there. In case of uncertainty, an expert can be involved when making the deal.
A unique, antique piece can be the decoration element in any home. For choosing the proper one, ask for help from an interior designer.