The rare-used, small summer house can be stylish, cosy and comfortable also
Small summer house
Archive | June 2018
Summer table set
Create a pleasing summer mood at the table by seasonal table settings
Patterns of wood
In case of not solid wood products that have wooden patterns, the production companies try to help customers with the name which indicates the real wood it was inspired by. The fantasy name commonly has two parts: one of them is the name of the natural wood (e.g. oak), the other one refers to the color (e.g. mocha) but could refer to the origin (e.g. American) or to the surface (e.g. rustic) also. Almost all companies have different products under even the same natural wood name. This way the customer is in a hard situation if he or she would like to have an integrated look in e.g. the kitchen by choosing a laminated floor and countertop with the same pattern.
Let’s see some common types of wood of the temperate zone and their short characterization, without limitation (for raw, untreated surface).
Oak: The color is yellowish brown. The pattern is strong, gives an almost masculine look to the product. It is very durable because of the high tannic acid content. This is the most commonly used wooden material in furniture industry.
Pine: The color is from yellowish white to reddish brown, depends on the species. The pattern is strong, characteristic, nervure is frequently spotted with nodes. It is cheap, easy-to-work with, well stainable.
Beech: The color is reddish white (smoked flesh color). The pattern is homogeneous with hardly visible, soft nervure. It is well-turnable, well-bendable when smoked.
Maple: The color is white, sometimes with yellowish tint. The pattern is equable, soft designed because of the light color. It is sectile without splints, well bleachable and stainable.
Cherry: Reddish brown color which deepens with time. The nervure is decorative, softer than oak. It is well polishable with grinding.
Walnut: The color is greyish brown. Lacquering shows the nervure at the best. It is well carvable. The nervure of walnut root is rich, multicolored and strong. It is exotic, therefore it’s expensive.
If the same pattern and color is important when choosing products with the imitation of wood, it is recommended to take a sample of the existent furniture (e.g. a shelf) or the other chosen sample product to the shop for comparing them.
Ask for help of an interior designer for the perfect accordance.
Fried Castle Hotel
Fried Castle Hotel Simontornya through the eyes of the guest (2016)
Shutters DIY
Creatively repurposed old shutters
Painting techniques
When we buy a picture for decorating the wall at home, most of the cases the technique it was made is secondary. Its beauty matters and if it fits for the surroundings and if the size is good. Maybe it is right. But it’s worth to know broadly the painting techniques because it may affect the value of the picture and if in doubt, it helps to define its age or origin also.
The pigment of tempera is dispersed in an oil-water emulsion. The emulsifier keeps together these two components. The simplest one is lecithin can be found in egg. Its yolk and albumen are mixed with powder pigments. The paint can be distempered before drying. This was used also by the ancient Romans, but the medieval icons were made by this technique too.
Oil paint changed tempera during the Renaissance. The pigment is dispersed in drying oil (linseed oil, nut oil, poppyseed oil). Its appearance coincides the evolvement of landscape painting which specialties are best implemented by this technique. The paint is dense, sticky, dries slow, so the colors and lines are mixable and shapeable still on the canvas. It hardens after drying and produces a shiny and resistant surface. The artists always mixed the paint freshly until the possibility for hermetic storage.
In case of aquarelle (that is watercolor painting), easily soluble pigments are mixed with water and it is applied in dilute state on the paper which is firstly wet. Fine, light, opaque colors are produced this way. This technique was used at first for sketching, later it became an individual art. It was most popular in Europe in the 18th-19th centuries, but primeval cave paintings and ancient Egyptian murals were made by water-based paints also.
Pastel is a transition between drawing and painting. Powder paint extruded to rods with minimal bonding are used for applying to the dry paper. The paper has special surface, it is grainy or on the contrary, velvety for better dispersing the powder on it. The colors are mixable longer on the paper, the picture is formable by finger, brush or even a piece of rag. Pastel appeared in France at the end of the 15th century, it was one of the favorite techniques of impressionism.
Engraving is the summary name of multiplier graphical arts. It has two groups. 1. Relief printing: the part of the picture which shouldn’t mark are dented into the surface. Printing ink is applied to the rest of the surface which is transferred to the paper. E.g.: wood-engraving lino-cut, stone engraving. 2. Gravure printing: lines of the picture are dented into the surface the paint is being applied here and it is cleaned from the topping parts. The paper is pressed into the hollows and the ink is transferred this way. E.g.: line engraving, etching, acid-washing.
In case of uncertainty in purchasing a painting, ask for help of a professional.
Brick floor
Old and sliced bricks can be reused as floor covering – perfect solution for classic country styles
Garden gnome
This week is Garden Gnomes’ Week. These little figures reputely bring luck, protect and fertilize the garden
Classic from modern
When classic style lovers buy a completely renovated flat, they frequently have to face with the fact that the newly built-in materials (kitchen cabinet, lighting, tiles, doors and windows etc.) are totally modern. Since these were included in the price and probably, they didn’t choose a flat in such a condition randomly, only a few of them would undertake a full conversion just for the classic style. How could be this solved with a low budget and few works to meet our conception at the best?
Choosing the proper wall color means a lot for the sight, since one of the advantages of classic styles is that the desired mood can be easily created even with colors. Painting can be done before moving in and it is much cheaper and faster than wallpapering. Placing polystyrene crown molding is always worth. It not only heightens the room but it is an elegant solution also. Rosette fits perfectly for chandeliers. Faux wall panel frames made of polystyrene laths can be put on the walls which look good even in the same color as the wall. However, this material is very vulnerable, so be careful not to hit it.
Let’s glue a frame made of thin laths on the plain surfaces of the built-in wardrobes and kitchen cabinets, just like if they would be real framed. A prefabricated decor panel can be used for this purpose also. Both of them can be painted / burnished to the color of the furniture. Changing the handles is a really simple procedure and amends a lot.
If there is no possibility to change the lighting and the chandelier is modern, or there is a multi-light spot, don’t be frustrated. Glass beads similar to crystal chandeliers’ decoration can be purchased in several hobby shops – let’s make the garlands DIY and fix them with small metal rings to the lamps. Its modernity can be moderated with this and some glamour can be smuggled in.
If the doors have completely plain surfaces, they can be popped up in the similar way as the cabinets. In the case of a glassed variation, self-adhesive foil can be a solution to make it more classic, for example with a lace motif.
Most of the inappropriate floor can be covered with a fitting classic style carpet. The modern tile in the bathroom is a harder thing. If the color is good, we can distract the eye from it with classic style accessories (storage boxes, decorative glasses, pictures on the wall). If its color is too modern and it doesn’t fit for our concept at all, it can be painted also. However, it should be known, that this is not a long-term solution, it lasts approx 2-3 years (in the case of a proper implementation) and it could happen that the painting has to be renewed during this time.
Above the low budget was in focus, of course, more spectacular solutions can be done with a bigger amount. Many similar questions can come up in the case of a modern interior. Ask for help of an interior designer for the solution.
Brown kitchen cabinets
Dark brown kitchen cabinets are not so popular recently, though combined with sutable elements (lighting, countertop, backsplash, wall colour) can be very attractive
