A Bigger Bathroom Through Lighting Techniques

As is the case when selecting lighting for any room in your home, an important thing to consider is the design and layout of that space. The illumination of a room affects our perception of space proportions as light reflects from various surfaces including the walls, floor, and ceiling. Most often for bathrooms, we want to make the space seem larger or wider.

To create the illusion of a larger bathroom using lighting, select décor and furnishings with reflective surfaces. Keep in mind that a substantially lighter color on the ceiling (compared to the walls) visually lifts the room, creating the illusion of a higher ceiling. Dark floors create the illusion of a dropped floor, instantly lengthening the room. By directing lighting upward and keeping light saturation on the walls, you can visually expand your bathroom.

When choosing lighting for your bathroom it’s important to remember that optimal lighting has 3 layers: general/ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. Layering light creates a tranquil atmosphere while having a function and purpose.

The first layer is general light. This layer of light illuminates a wide or general area. Ceiling lighting or overhead lighting is typically used to create this first layer. With ceiling lighting, keep in mind that the farther away light is, the larger the surface area that’s illuminated. For recessed lighting, consider a spotlight bulb as opposed to a floodlight bulb for a more even distribution of light. If ceiling height is not an issue, consider creating a chic or luxurious feel in your bathroom by adding a chandelier over the tub. The width of the chandelier should be twice the width of the room, but in inches rather than feet (a 12 foot wide room should have a chandelier no wider than 24 inches in diameter).

Task lighting is the second layer of light to consider for your bathroom. It illuminates specific areas as opposed to the general area. The most popular type of task lighting for the bathroom is vanity lights. When selecting bulbs for your vanity, keep in mind that the amount of light released into the bathroom is directly proportional to the clarity of the bulb. Frosted bulbs will cast less light than clear bulbs (depending on the paint job in your bathroom that might not be such a bad thing).

The final layer of bathroom lighting is accent lighting. This layer sets the mood of a room and can be used to draw focus toward its pleasant features while making the room seem larger. As an example, indirect or accent lighting could be used to highlight crown molding on the ceiling.

By choosing a light ceiling color and directing light upwards, you can instantly add length to your space. Layering light is multifunctional as it helps create a soothing environment while providing task specific illumination. Be mindful of small and large details of your bathroom’s décor, as this can affect our perception of space proportions.

Article by Bellacor : A one-stop showroom that promises a new way to shop the entire lighting and home furnishings industry from the comfort of your home by providing superior personal service and access to the largest collection of lighting and home furnishings on the web. Bellacor offers access to over 500,000 products from 700 manufacturers.

Top 10 Home Decor Trends in 2011

When it comes to decorating a home, everyone wants a stylish, trendy and functional look without burning a hole in one’s pocket. Whether it’s a new home or refurbishing an existing one, style it a la mode. Here are the top trends for 2011.

Go Green
With climate change weighing down on our planet, becoming eco- friendly is the mantra for the coming year. Furniture made from re-used wood is in vogue; it could come from a discarded shipping boat or simply an old door. The colours and ‘imperfections’ in the furniture reflect the previous life of the wood before it was made into a dining table, shelf or lamp, giving it a distinct character of its own.

Say it with Plants
You can go green literally too. Leafy friends add that x-factor to your décor. Go for big indoor plants like palms, ferns or smaller trees. Or clump small potted plants together in a basket and cover them with pebbles to create a chic look. Cactus or plants with colourful foliage look great indoors. Also with Chinese New Year just around the corner, bring bamboos into your home, and enjoy the luck, serenity and positive energy they bring.

Mix and Mash styles
Classic antique ornate pieces work very well against modern clean cut furniture pieces, creating depth with contrasting elements. Play with artefacts’ – a classic pot can be enhanced by metallic handles or a traditional chandelier can be coloured unexpectedly. Eclectic styling, seen particularly in the revival of colonial furniture in Singapore and a mixing of periods, allows for a home to convey the personality of the owner. Hang an antique door as artwork in your otherwise contemporarily styled room to give it an edge. Furniture and accessories, which incorporate metal, ceramics, wood, iron and brass will be in vogue in the coming year as will furniture with a raw look.

Just pure Vintage
If mix-n-match is not your style, you can go pure vintage. It’s timeless and always in vogue. Nostalgia and old world designs from both the east and the west will be the rage in 2011. Antique furniture pieces can be given a new lease of life with modern re-upholstery. So whether it is antique cabinets or armchairs, go splurge.

Space Savers
Spacious bungalows are passé, and with property prices rising year on year, studio apartments have come to be in vogue. Space is of the essence, and the furniture in your home can reflect that. Go in for that sofa-cum bed, or a sofa-cum-massage chair, a coffee table with in-built cabinets, a bar which doubles as a dining area, or an L-shaped cabinet for the corners which will help maximise your living space while being stylish at the same time.

Metallica
Furniture with an industrial look made its mark in 2010, and is here to stay. This furniture fits in with most room schemes, whether its minimalist, modern, traditional or luxuriously detailed settings. Wrought iron furniture is most popular in this category. It’s fancy, cost effective, and can give character to your drawing room as well as your terrace garden. Whether it’s a gold coloured coffee table, an ornate bed, or a chandelier with leaf motifs, these wrought iron products can add that class your living room was missing. You can even style your outdoors with wire garden chairs, tables or gazebos.

Invest in Art
Gone are the days when one cluttered the walls with tiny paintings and artefacts. Today a huge, stand-alone painting can be the mainstay of your living room. It’s time to invest in an expensive piece of art, even if you don’t understand it. Not only will it adorn your wall for decades to come, it will also appreciate in value and can be a nice gift to pass on to your kids.

A Splash of Colour
Just repainting your house can give it a new dimension. Mix colours in a room or contrast the wall colour with the furniture. A light, airy, citrus yellow will be in vogue in 2011. Vintage wine is also a good option when paired with leather couches or wood finishes. Or try a deep brown base with a hint of smoky violet to make your home look magnificent.

Go Wicker
Woven wicker furniture gained immense popularity earlier this year and promises to be a hit in 2011 as well. Couches and coffee tables made out of woven wicker are low maintenance and UV- Resistant. They look stylish indoors and are practical for the outdoors as well.

Rugs
An intricately hand woven or Persian carpet, can do wonders to your room. Put it in your living room to add vibrancy to those couches or use it to sit on in your study. Cotton or sheep skin rugs come in different sizes and are perfect to lounge on, and you can mount some colourful cushions on it to add some character.



By Sunaina Anand (Courtesy of PropertyGuru)

How To Use Mirrors To Open Up Smaller Spaces

Mirrors are great for creating an illusion of space and are an affordable and easy way to open up a room or hallway.

• Place mirrors on the sides in narrow hallways to make them less claustrophobic.


• If you have a wall just in front of the entrance then placing a mirror here opens this up.


• A mirror can be a great feature as well so consider investing in a really classy mirror and frame that stands out and complements the rest of the home décor.


• Use mirrors in bathrooms, you can be liberal here especially if the room is small.


• Make sure you place mirrors in usable heights. It can be quite frustrating and cumbersome if you are forced to bend or jump just to use a mirror
  
  How by: InsiderPropertySecrets

Top Design Tips for Your Dream Kitchen

The focal point of most households, the kitchen – not the bedroom – is where all the action happens. From preparing meals to family bonding, a good kitchen should be equally as conducive to group gatherings as it is well laid-out and easily navigable. Creating this haven of domesticity can be a tricky task, so we at iProperty.com bring you our guide to creating the perfect kitchen environment.

Before you decide
Getting an expert kitchen designer takes a lot of the hassle and problems associated with any renovation job, but have an idea of the mood and design that you would like to create. The more input you give the designer, the happier you will be with the finished product, not to mention that it will avoid time-consuming and expensive delays if you work closely with the designer to create an end product.

Kitchen suppliers normally have their own designers who can make recommendations and their advice usually come for free. Be aware though that they will steer you towards their products and contractors. It makes sense, both financially and design-wise, to shop around.
Remember, while we all love all things stylish, kitchens are functional areas, which means that they have to be practical and make efficient usage of layout and space.

Step one: Planning spaces
The amount of space that your kitchen has determines its shape. Many kitchens are rectangular or L-shaped, which are suitable for HDB units or flats where space is at a premium. Condominiums may use gallery-shape ones, while ‘island’ concept or G-shape kitchens – where the entrance is in one corner and every wall is utilised – are popular in properties, such as landed or bungalows, with a larger floor space. Consider the layout of your kitchen first in the design stages.

Form and Function
The next step is to work out the function areas of a kitchen. Generally, every kitchen is divided into four areas:
The cleaning area: including the sink and faucet
The cooking area: where the stove, oven, hood and hobs are
The preparation area: for food preparation
The storage area: including cupboards and fridge.

A good kitchen design practice is to have the cleaning, wet storage and cooking area within a distance no further than a metre away from one another. This “work triangle” cuts down on unnecessary movement by centralising your working space.

Step two: Choosing a concept
Functional as it is, you want your kitchen to look the way you imagine it to be. You will need to determine the kind of kitchen concept you want, right down to the flooring and wall colour.
A well-designed kitchen not only looks nice but is fully functional too.
In general, there are four popular kitchen concepts:

1. Modern Classic

Uses modern materials and concepts, such as glossy door panels, reflective glass and funky lighting.

2. Urban Concept

Plays around with the proportion of the cabinets. They are usually out of the normal standard size of kitchen cabinets.

3. Classical

Uses solid wood such as pine or oak with decorative glass and wood and handcrafted pieces. 4. BasicCheaper and simple in design by using melamine board with wood texture design.

Step three: Functionality
The devil’s is in the details. Now that you are closer to getting your dream kitchen, do remember the small but important things.
Get practical accessories and appliances for your kitchen such as soft closing drawer runners, soft-close lift-up mechanisms, dish holders, railing baskets and the likes to make working in the kitchen a better experience.

Article by IProperty.com

5 Easy Steps to a New Look Bedroom

A few easy changes can transform the appearance of your bedroom. Best of all, you can do most of the work yourself, save some money, and end up with a bedroom that has been given a new look. Try these ideas:

1. Clean up the clutter

This is the time to evaluate your needs and wants. Carefully assess the items in the room and remove anything except those items you wish to keep for the new room layout. Be discerning! You’ll be amazed at how much better the bedroom looks with just this one step.

2. Redress your bed

The bed is the most prominent object in the room so you can transform the room simply by changing the bedding set. Choose something that matches your personality and and use it to set the mood and theme for the room.

3. Don’t forget the floors!

An area rug is a great way to change the look of the room without a complete overhaul. Remember, darker floors will make the room appear smaller, while lighter colors will do the opposite.

4. Throw in some pillows and add some shams

Accent pieces, shams and euro shams that coordinate with your bedding provide an easy way to carry the design scheme around the room. Many companies offer entire lines of accent pieces designed to coordinate and complement the bedding sets they offer.

5. Treat your windows to a new look

Choosing longer drapes that reach to the floor will elongate the walls and give the room a grander ceiling. For a traditional look, contrast the window treatments to the color of the walls to allow them to shine as a distinct element in the room. Matching the drapes to the wall gives a softer, more contemporary feel. Alternatively, try some valances or blinds.

Article by Alan Riley

www.beautifulbeddingsets.com : A site devoted to helping people find the perfect bedding for their needs.

Ideas For Using Your Space Effectively

Feel like you're running out of space for all your stuff?

Here are simple ideas for using your space more effectively.

INSUFFICIENT OR INEFFECTIVE

Do you have insufficient storage space or ineffective storage space?

There's a big different. Insufficient storage space means you don't have enough space for your things. Ineffective space means you have enough space for your things, but you're not making the best use of that space. Most closets and cabinets have the volume to hold twice as much as they are usually constructed for. And you probably have quite a few nooks and crannies for storage that you haven't even thought of. Of course, it's important to make sure you don't have things you don't like, are outdated, etc., but it is also important to have effective storage space for the things you do like and enjoy.

ADD-A-ROD

Looking for extra storage space in your closet. If you have the type of closet with two+ walls for hanging clothes, on one wall hang a rod at head height for long clothing (dresses, pants, etc.). On the other wall, hang two rods--one above the other--for shorter clothing (shirts, skirts, blazers, etc.) In other words, you're not restricted to only one clothing rod.

INSTALL SHELVES

Most shelves can be moved up-a-notch or down-a-notch. If you have three inches of space above your linens, you may consider adjusting the shelf so the shelf below it has more space. Or, perhaps you can add another shelf in between. Plastic, multiple level shelves are wonderful for kitchen cabinets. And corner shelves are great for picture frames, knick knacks and other small treasures.

USE STORAGE UNITS

Storage units, which can be picked up from housewares or hardware stores, are great space savers. Your spices can be removed from drawers and placed on a spice rack. There are racks for canned goods that, when a can is taken from it, the next can in line rolls forward. Some of these hold over 40 cans! Ice cube trays are inexpensive storage containers for smaller items such as earrings. There are coffee tables on the market with storage space hidden inside. Under bed containers are perfect for storing quilts and linens. Be creative and make use of these great tools!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT WALL SPACE

Look around and you're sure to find quite a bit of empty wall space. There are many uses for this new-found space. Pots and pans can be taken out of cabinets and hung on walls. Tools can be placed on pegboards. Shelves can be installed for picture frames and knick knacks. Many stores now carry corner shelves that can be installed in a snap.

PUT FREQUENTLY USED ITEMS WITHIN ARMS REACH

Whenever possible, store regularly used items where you use them most. Recently, my husband created a toilet paper holder on the back of our bathroom cabinet door, with a small dowel, 2 nails and 2 loops of rope. It holds three rolls of toilet paper, and it's right near the area it's needed most. You shouldn't have to walk from one room to another to retrieve items you use every day. Store linens in the bedroom. Store videos near the television. If you use the scissors in the office area and in the sewing room, have two pairs of scissors, one in each room.

ADD-A-DRAWER OR SLIDING SHELF

Many hardware and housewares stores carry drawers that can be installed underneath a cabinet. These are great if you have a home with limited drawer space. In addition, you can also install shelves under cabinets that slide out when you need them, and slide back in when you're finished with them.

KEEP YOUR DESK CLEAR

A clear desk is directly related to your productivity. You will get more done, if you're not constantly under a pile of papers and files. A sturdy, full-suspension filing cabinet is a must for any home or office. Portable file boxes that hold hanging file folders also come in handy. There are plenty of storage choices for CD-roms and diskettes. Desk supplies belong in an on-the-desk caddy or in trays inside your desk.

REARRANGE

Everyone is different, and has different needs. Make your home or office work for you. One woman I know told me she never uses her dining room, not even when she has company over. And she had no intention of ever using it since her kitchen was big and elegant enough. She also said she hated her dark basement office. So, I suggested she rearrange a bit, and turn her dining room into her office. And that is exactly what she did. So think about your surroundings and make them work for you, even if they seem a little out of the ordinary.

ROTATE

You may have many items you love in your home or office, but not enough space. Rotate them. In other words, keep some things in storage for a month or two and display some of your things. Then, once that time is up, make the switch. The items on display go into storage; the items in storage go on display. What a neat idea!

by Maria Gracia

http://www.getorganizednow.com

What items do I need to furnish My First Apartment or Home

Photo: Guocoland.com.my

Stocking your first living space can seem like an overwhelming task, but it doesn't have to be.

Use this 5 "S" Space Strategy to help you organize the items you will need to furnish your new living environment.

Before making any purchases, create a list of what furnishings you will need for the below 5 action areas:

Where you Sleep

Where you Sit / Socialize (leisure time)

Where you Snack

Where you Study (work or hobby area)

How you will Sanitize

Let's break these down even further into a general suggested item list of what can fit in these areas. (This list may not included everything for your specific needs, so add or subtract as needed)

Sleep - Bedroom

Bed (frame, mattresses)

Pillow & Bedding (blankets, comforter, sheets)

Dresser or Storage for Clothing

Hangers

Night Stand

Table Lamp

Alarm Clock

Telephone

Chair

Mirror

Socializing / Sitting - Living Room

Comfortable Sofa or Chairs

Side Tables

Table Lamps

Entertainment Center or Stand

Bookcases / Shelving

Coffee Table

Coasters

Snack / Eating - Dining Room or Kitchen

Table (to sit and eat)

Chairs (for table or bar)

Utensils (for eating or cooking)

Plates, bowls, glassware.

Cooking Equipment ( pots & pans, spatulas, coffee makers, can openers, blender,etc., this can be lengthy and is left to personal choice)

Study

Desk (with flat surface for writing & the computer)

ChairComputerOffice Tools (stapler, pens & pencil storage)

Shelving for books

File cabinet

Desk lamp

Sanitizing (Cleaning & Bathroom Supplies)

Sponges

Duster / Dusting cloths

Cleaning Chemicals

Plunger

Mop

Broom

Vacuum Cleaner

Towels & Wash Clothes

This list should give you a good start at setting up house and on your way to making that house/apartment your home.

Article : http://www.rentaldecorating.com/