Month: February 2007

If you have ever rented a beach house for the summer, then you know the level of relaxation and peace you can experience when surrounded by beach home decor. So why not try it year round by adding the beach home decor to any room that needs a facelift? Since we can t all live by the coast, this is the next best way to bring seaside living into your everyday life.

The most obvious way to add beach home decor to your house is to make a nautical statement. It is easy to find inexpensive boat or yacht models that you can place naturally on your shelves. A clever decorator will find small anchors or buoys to hang as art work. If you anchor these designs with wicker or white furniture, you can really bring the beach home decor together. Furniture and colors tend to be neutral in shades with many whites, beiges, tans, light blues, and yellows used as the palette.

Try collecting accessories from the coast when you are shopping for your beach home decor. Shapely glass jars filled with seashells can make a nice statement. Stacking a few bottles together, maybe with sand or rocks in them, can actually look like art when done correctly. If you go on a beach trip, walk along the beach and pick up things along your way to bring home. Nothing will add to your beach home decor better than personal items from favorite family vacations.

The Cape Cod Beach Home Decor

Cape Cod style furniture and beach home decor is more than just the furniture itself; it is a way of life. It is about the feeling of the ocean breezes, the open air, and the clean natural emotion of relaxation that is evoked from the furniture.

Cape Cod style furniture really came about in the 1930 s to the 1950 s. People were looking for a way to slow down and enjoy life. The Cape was very popular at the time, a vacation spot that people would travel days to get to.

It was a haven of serene tranquility but very creative with artists, poets, performers, and those with a passion for art. When arriving, it was like stepping into a different era. The houses and furniture had clean lines, neutral colors, simple curves, and furniture styles that we would now consider shabby chic .

Everything was fresh and lively, just like Cape Cod itself. Beach home decor was incredibly influenced by Cape Cod and the thought of better times. You can easily have this tranquility. Start by using the seashore as your inspiration, by taking the colors and lines from the sailboats, the water, the rocks, and even the seagulls. Use your imagination, and you can be living on the coast in no time.

Keywords: Home Improvement, Home Decor

Asian homes range from wooden houses on stilts in the jungles of Thailand to tiny, super-efficient apartments in Tokyo. So there are a lot of inspirations to draw from when putting Asian home decor in your dwelling. Many decorators draw on feng shui, minimalism, or tropical patterns to evoke an Asian look. Whether you prefer a simple Chinese teapot or an elaborate Vietnamese wall hanging, there are a few accessories that are necessary to Asian decor.

Red and Gold

Because of Chinese influence, red is a very popular Asian furniture color. Asian home decor should incorporate at least one or two pieces of wood furniture painted in a rich, deep, patinated red. Real antique Chinese furniture does not generally have Chinese words or gaudy flowers painted on it. The furniture is about subtlety.

Yet mixed with carving and gilt, Asian home decor can look subtle but also rich. Throughout Asia, adding a little gilt detail to furniture is common and tasteful. There is also a symbolism to the carving for people who know how to read it. Experts can tell where and why a piece was created just by looking at the kinds of patterns carved into the wood.

Fine Fabrics

Asia was already home to a thriving silk industry thousands of years ago. While silk is still a luxury, it is also typical of fine Asian home decor. This does not mean your whole couch must be upholstered in silk, but it does mean some throw pillows or a footstool covered in silk should be part of the look. Be creative with your choices. You could hang a picture of a woman wearing a kimono; for example, or you could hang a real kimono. The latter is definitely more interesting.

In Southeast Asia, batik or hand-woven textiles are popular. In Indonesia and Malaysia, intricate batiks are native attire for everyone from peasants to sultans. The best are hand-made in a restrained, geometric style. Some communities still weave on handlooms and create symmetric masterpieces with just a few colors of silk or cotton thread. Simply hanging one of the fabrics on the wall is a beautiful and authentic touch for your Asian home decor.

Flowers

While Asian decor might not utilize flowery fabrics, fresh flowers are a staple in the home. People in North America cannot get the inexpensive stems of orchid and lotus that are available in much of tropical Asia, but they should at least invest in some high-quality silk flowers, pictures or paintings of flowers.

Keywords: Home Improvement, Home Decor