Paint Colors

 

 

Are you unhappy with your home's interior design? If so, you may be the victim of a bad color scheme. It's no secret that color can either make or break a design, but luckily, neither is finding out how to choose the perfect color palette for you. When the color's right, it can:

• Enhance feelings of health and wellbeing
• Modify perceived temperature — make your space feel warmer or cooler
• Transform perceived space — make your space feel larger, or more cozy and intimate
• Illuminate dark areas
• Create mystery and romance in dull areas
• Energize static areas

 

 

But it has to be the right color for you. Color, and the psychology of color, is a big design trend says Barbara Jacobs, principal of Barbara Jacobs Color & Design. "But generalizations — green is relaxing, blue is soothing, red is energizing — only apply when certain hues are used," she says. "A sharp, electric green definitely would not be relaxing; a deep blue-green might feel cold instead of soothing. The wrong red used in an entire room might create the sensation of entrapment rather than energy."

Before planning color in your personal environment, make a mini-questionnaire and poll yourself and your family.

Your answers are 50 percent of the project because your color choices depend on them for direction, Jacobs says. She gives her clients a very long questionnaire with hundreds of questions, but you can start with these five. The answers will lead you to your new color scheme.

1. Where is the room?

2. How many windows are there and which direction do they face?

3. Is there landscaping outside that will have an effect on the colors in the room?

4. Who will use the room, and what will they do there? Is it private or community space?

5. Will it be a sociable and active place, or a peaceful place? How do I want it to feel?

http://www.hgtv.com/decorating/choosing-interior-color-schemes/index.html?ic1=obinsite

Bathroom Design

 

 

 

 

   Plan enough space for each fixture and function.  For example, plan for a place to dry off when stepping out of the shower. Plan a convenient place, and enough wall space, to hang towels within easy reach of the shower and tub. Make sure there is room to stand at the sink and not get hit with the door when your partner comes into the room. Think about where things will be stored near your sink. Is there enough countertop area? Do you need things plugged in for power? Can drawers open and close without hitting other things? Make sure to have enough room to maneuver around the toilet. If the toilet is in a separate room or “closet,” is there room to step in and comfortable close the door behind you? Consider how you would move if you have restricted mobility in later years.  

Plan for daylight and privacy.  A good bathroom design, like any room, benefits from natural light. Getting natural light into your bathroom while maintaining privacy from the neighbors requires good planning. Think about what’s around your house when placing your bathroom windows. One way to gain natural light with privacy is to create a private outdoor garden space with a privacy wall around it. You can then have windows without shades or even patio doors into the garden and never need to worry about prying eyes.  

Think through your daily routine.  If you and your partner need to get ready in the morning at the same time, you might want a bathroom that is split into zones. I call this a compartmentalized bathroom design. You could separate the vanities and sinks from the bathing area so one person could shower while the other is fixing their hair. Think about where you place the toilet. You don’t want to walk farther than necessary in the middle of the night.


Plan how your bathroom relates to the bedroom and closets.  Some people prefer to have their closet accessible directly from the bathroom. They feel it makes dressing easier. Other people like to separate the bath and closet. They prefer to enter the closet only from the bedroom. Design your bathroom-bedroom-closet arrangement to suit the way you really live.


Consider your mechanical and electrical needs.  Don’t place shower valves on exterior walls. They are more susceptible to freezing and harder to repair if they ever leak. Plan for access to whirlpool tub motors and isolate them for better sound control, if possible. Provide good ventilation for odors and humidity. Design in the lighting from the beginning. Light for the vanity should come from two directions, if possible. This will allow one light to fill in shadows cast by the other. 

Plan for your future needs.  Yes, we do all grow older. If you’re going to the expense and effort to remodel or build your ideal bathroom, make sure it will still be ideal when you are less mobile, susceptible to falling, and need more light for good vision. Make sure there is enough floor space to move freely. Make sure your doorways are wide enough. They don’t have to be huge to work. But a 24” wide door is not wide enough for a wheelchair. Plan for the placement of grab bars and other wall-mounted accessories. It’s easy to install wood blocking now to be sure these items are solidly anchored when they are installed later. 

Think about your luxuries.  Do you want heated floors or towel bars? Do you want a steam shower? Do you want a spa experience in the shower with body sprays and a rain-head shower? Should your perfect bathroom include music, a television, a fireplace, or aromatherapy? This is your chance to make your bathroom design exactly what you've dreamed of.



Consider cleaning and maintenance.  What type of flooring, countertop, and wall finishes are best for you? Some finishes look great but require constant maintenance. Make sure you know all of the characteristics of each of your selections before finalizing your choices. Chances are you’ll make different choices for your master bathroom than you might for your children’s bathroom.

Your other bathrooms require proper planning and design, too. Even though they might be less elaborate, don’t neglect them. Every bathroom design is important, including the powder room. And doing it right will make your house better.

http://www.about-home-design.com/bathroom-design.html

Tile Trends

TILE TRENDS
What do copper, stainless, hardwood and glass have in common? They represent some of the hottest tile trends currently popping up in hip bathrooms. Here's what designers have to say about today's latest bathroom tile trends.

GLASS

"Glass accent tile is really exciting right now," . Used for backsplashes, shower walls and as accents on floors, glass tiles add a depth, sparkle and luminescence not found in ceramic or natural stone. With a broad color palette, and finishes ranging from glossy to flat, glass tiles can fit most design schemes. When used sparingly, vivid glass tiles can provide exciting visual highlights. Conversely, when covering an entire bathroom wall, glass tile can create a luxurious spa-like atmosphere. Bonus: Many glass tiles are made from recycled glass.

METAL
Looking for a tile that complements either traditional or contemporary bathrooms? Gary Fratianne, owner of Creative Kitchens, Baths and Closets in Westlake, Ohio, says the natural choice is metal wall tile. "Much more interesting than those huge sheets of stainless or copper," says Fratianne, "small metal wall tiles allow the homeowner to create different patterns and designs." The most obvious application for metal wall tile is the backsplash. For a polished, contemporary look, Fratianne suggests going with stainless steel, which is available in finishes ranging from satin to brushed. Warm bronze or copper tile adds a timeless beauty to baths with more traditional style.

"PICTURE FRAME" A WINDOW
When Wolf points out the tile-bordered window in his showroom, his customers invariably say, "I can't believe how sharp that looks." For a totally finished look, Wolf may suggest removing a window's existing wood casing and replacing it with tile. "We call it 'picture framing' the window," he explains. Wolf typically recommends a natural stone or ceramic border tile with some depth for the best results. And to really tie the look together, incorporate tile used elsewhere in the room.

Crown Molding

Adding a coat of paint can bring any bare wall to life. However, installing trimwork - specifically crown molding (moulding) - adds a touch of elegance to any room.   Whether you're updating your living room, bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom adding crown molding will give any room a facelift.

 

Myth #1: My ceilings are too low for crown moldings.

It's untrue that crown molding should not be installed in rooms with low ceilings. In fact, using moldings that project further than the wall can provide an optical illusion that makes ceilings appear taller than they actually are. For rooms that are vertically challenged, use crown moldings to give modest spaces a sense of elegance.

Myth #2: Flimsy crown moldings will add just as much value to my home.

If part of your motive for installing crown molding is to enhance the value of your home, using cheap and poorly crafted crown moldings will not suffice. Just like any interior design pieces that you would use to decorate your home, flimsy crown molding will not provide the same visual splendor as do high quality moldings. Moreover, crown moldings that are lacking in quality, construction, or material are easily recognized as such and won't contribute to the monetary value of your home.

Myth#3: Crown moldings made of wood are always preferable to those made of polyurethane.

There are a number of reasons why choosing to install polyurethane crown moldings can be a better choice than wood crown moldings. The advantage of using crown moldings made of polyurethane is that they are not affected by changes in climate or humidity. Wood crown moldings, however, are subject to expanding, contracting, cracking, and warping in environments with variable temperatures. For this reason, polyurethane crown moldings are a better suited for areas with frequent temperature and climate changes; they are also a good alternative to wood in isolated areas of your home that often vary in climate, such as damp basements.

Myth #4: Wood crown moldings are more durable than polyurethane crown moldings.

Recent developments in the materials used to construct polyurethane crown moldings make this statement obsolete. As discussed above, polyurethane moldings will stand up to changes in climate and humidity and are not affected by indirect lighting. Moreover, though, new, high definition polymer systems are now used to produce a new type of polyurethane that is used in crown molding production. This new synthetic, high-density material is extremely durable and stress resistant, which means it won't crack or scratch; lastly, polyurethane crown molding is not attractive to bugs or termites.

Myth #5: Crown molding is unsuitable for rooms frequented by children.

Many people think that crown moldings are not well suited for use in children's bedrooms or playrooms. The primary reason for this is because of the misconception that crown moldings are not durable enough for application in rooms that house more rough-and-tumble activities. Contrarily, though, crown moldings, specifically high-density polyurethane crown moldings, are extremely durable and perfect for application in rooms where children are at play. Specifically, chair-rail moldings can even help protect walls from being dented, scratched, or damaged, and are known for their resilience.

Myth #6: Crown moldings should always be white.

Crown moldings do not always have to be white. This is a frequent design faux pas; in fact, crown moldings should be the same color as the moldings that are already in your house. They can also be painted or stained to match existing color schemes, making them perfectly suitable for any room decor.

Myth #7: All the crown moldings in your home should be the same style.

All of the crown moldings in your home do not need to be the same style. Different styles of crown molding may more appropriately suit some rooms but not others; there is a wide array of crown molding styles to choose from, and you should take advantage of these options to maximize their aesthetic potential in each particular room. However, it is important to consistently use the same crown molding size around your home to maintain consistent dimensions and visual proportions.

http://www.invitinghome.com/Crown_Molding/Mouldings_Enter.htm