Archive | August 2018

Petrol blue

Petrol blue is a dark, greenish hue with a tint of grey, named after petroleum.

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Box beds

Old arty box beds

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Far East

The Far East always seemed to be a mystical world for European people. The very different cultures were highly attractive at the same time. Many people desire for enjoying the mood of an oriental holiday in their home also.
Japanese style is based on Zen which is a type of Buddhism. It is characterized by nature centered, calm and undisturbed harmony. There are no surplus things in homes, everything has clear lines and is practical. Walls can be slided frequently, this way the spaces can be separated or opened up again. Furniture is low (futon, seating cushions), lighting is modest. Neutral colors give the base: beige colors of bamboo objects, dark browns of wooden materials, off white of rice paper. Pop of colors can be applied to them but only in a small amount. Bonsai trees and living bamboos bring in the nature. The total effect can be accomplished with a mini Japanese garden. For breaking neutral colors, a cherry-red kimono as wall decoration or traditional household objects (e.g. tea set) as decoration elements are good solutions.
Indian style interiors will impress you first with their vibrant colors. The bold spice-colors (curcuma yellow, cinnamon brown, paprika red etc.) and colors of precious stones (e.g. emerald, sapphire and ruby) are daringly used together. Richly carved, dark brown furniture mirrors and brass accessories, colored wall are typical of this style. The four-poster bed is a good choice for creating this mood at home. Symbols are deepening the anyway stirring sight: Buddha, elephants, lotus flowers. The big cushions embroidered with beads and small mirrors are used instead of chairs also. Curtains can be made of traditional saris but they look good as bedspreads also. Modest lighting fits for this, it can be a lantern or many candles.
Balinese style brings a real tropical island in our home. It is a calm and modest style. Houses are open to the forest or to the ocean. The space is big and airy. Brown of teak dominates the interiors. It is used not only for floor covering and furniture but for making marvelous statues also. Nature has primary role here too. Water and plants are essential accessories for creating the style. White fabrics break the monotony of neutral colors. Four-poster bed, soft muslin curtains and natural stones in the bathroom complete the sight. Tropical flowers provide bright colors.
These above can be implemented in our home also. However it is important to customize the styles to the features of the estate or else it can be easily overwhelming or scenery-like. Ask for help of an interior designer for implementing.

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MSC Splendida

Interiors of MSC Splendida through the eyes of the guest (2016)

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Apple crates

Decorative and useful storages made of apple crates

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For “beginner” interior designers

If the kid wants to be an interior designer…

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Corner cabinet

How to make the kitchen corner cabinet easily reachable

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Before renovation

In case of buying a used property in poor condition, time, money and difficulties caused by the renewal, always have to be considered. If we decide to do it by ourselves, it’s recommended to think some issues over before starting.
Find a constructor who is reliable, working nice and free in the required timeframe. It is not easy, but if we can plan for 6-8 months before starting, it has a good chance. If a construction company is proposed by someone, the situation is luckier since we can go and see their references in the proposer’s home. Quality job means not the same for everybody! That is why it’s worth the time. If we look for a specialist on the internet, always ask for references. It can tell a lot about if it is given wholeheartedly. Ask for proposals from more companies. As soon as the new property is available, take the constructor to a survey and ask for a quote. The latter will contain not only the cost but the contracted time also. Of course, it has a cost (per implementer) but it is worth this little investment compared to the cost of the whole renovation. This way we can choose the best nominee for us. If we don’t want to work with a constructor to reduce costs, be prepared to make coordination tasks, time table, control, and purchasing by ourselves. In this case the renovation usually takes longer time.
Look after the nowadays prices. Costs are continuously rising, so we cannot depend on the paid cost of the new entrance door of our neighbour two years ago, for example. Examine more companies’ websites, where we can buy what and on what price. Obviously, there will be products that might be priced after a measurement (e.g. windows) but we can ask for approximate amounts. If we have an idea of the style and colors, we can choose products in advance fitting for our purse.
An important factor is the delivery time from the order. Only a few things can be bought immediately, from store during a renovation. Shops deliver in 2-3 days from their own stocks, but it could be 2-3 weeks from an offshore store. In case of unique production this can be extended even to 6-8 weeks. These times should be calculated in the order of works and the implementing timetable.
Usually everybody knows the available amount to spend for the renovation. Anyway, we shall count on sudden difficulties which cause plus costs (usually there are) and allocate further 10% for these.
We can ask for help of an interior designer even from the survey of the property before buying until taking the keys of our renovated home. We can save a lot of time, money and worrying with this decision.

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Drying herbs

It’s time to dry and store herbs

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Home theater

Comfortable and stylish movie-nights at home

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