Home Decorating in the Tudor Fashion

Tudor style home exteriors are rather easy to identify. Many people drive by them quite regularly with jaws dropped and eyes wide at the simple beauty and elegance of this style of architecture. From humble cottages to grand castles the Tudor style of architecture is very memorable indeed. When decorating the interior of a home in the Tudor fashion there is no set in stone rules though there are some touches that are the hallmarks of Tudor style and beauty.

One thing you can do to bring a touch of the Tudor style to your home, even if your home wasn’t built in the Tudor style is to incorporate the use of beams in the interior as decorative touches. When the original Tudor style of architecture was about this was more a design of need than one of opportunity. Today the paneling serves as a simple reminder of the beauty that has earned this period in history and architecture such fame. This is only one method however, that can be used in order to establish a Tudor style upon the interior of a home.

The floors in Tudor homes were typically made of either brick or flagstone. Many people today opt for stone tiles in order to portray a remarkably accurate look with a modern twist. These floors were often covered with ornate Oriental rugs (in wealthier homes) or small wool rugs in more humble abodes. If attempting to imitate the wealthier Tudor styled homes nothing short of Oriental style rugs will do in the more prominent areas of the home. Keep in mind that there are reasonably beautiful imitations currently on the market at prices that the average homeowner can afford.

Ornate wall tapestries often graced the walls in order to complete the richness of the look in wealthier homes. This is a style that is often imitated in homes attempting to cling to their Tudor roots around the world. It is a beautiful affect however and one that is very well worth adding to your home if you are seeking to incorporate a Tudor style in your home decorating efforts.

As far as the bedroom goes, the beds were the focal points of these rooms. Solidly built four post beds were the thrones in these homes and made fit for the king of any castle no matter how humble it may be. The posts and feet on these beds were ornately carved and quite beautiful. This is a remarkable recreation to include in your home in order to bring about an authentic Tudor atmosphere for the interior decorating. In wealthier homes, rich fabrics canopied these massive beds in order to provide privacy and elegance.

In order to create an authentic Tudor atmosphere in a home of today you would also want to incorporate some sort of wrought iron chandeliers into the home as well as wall sconces for lighting. This is the style of lighting that was often used at the time and will lend credibility to the scene you are attempting to recreate. This to me is one of the most stunning effects that can be incorporated into a home decorating plan in this day and age. If timeless beauty and elegance are the goal, then this is definitely a style of décor you will want to consider for your home.

Home Decorating with Baskets

There are very few things you can add to your home décor that will have quite the versatility of baskets. Baskets are not only decorative touches, they also blend well with almost any décor and in most cases are quite willing to suit dual purposes as both decoration and much needed storage.

Below you will find some clever ways to use baskets. Enjoy!

1)      Mail sorter. Try hanging a row of baskets near your entryway. As you are walking into your home while sorting the mail slip the appropriate piece of mail into the corresponding basket. Have one basket for each family member and drop the junk mail into the wastebasket you’ve placed just below the row of baskets on your wall. This way everyone has easy access to his or her mail and junk mail is handled as well.

2)      Kitchen organizer. There are many jobs in the kitchen that baskets pull off beautifully. One such job is that of napkin holder. There are actually baskets by a famous brand that are the absolute perfect size for holding napkins for the dinner table. Additionally taller baskets make excellent holders for kitchen utensils that need to be within easy reach of the stove. There are even small baskets that make excellent holders for small jars of frequently used seasonings such as salt and pepper. Keep your eyes open the next time you’re in the kitchen and consider all the great ways baskets could help out.

3)      Knitting supplies. Larger baskets are excellent tools for taming the beast that can easily become your supply of knitting tools and notions. Limit your collection to one large basket and eliminate the things that will not fit. This keeps you on top of your knitting supplies while keeping them out of site and protected from dirty baby paws.

4)      Umbrella holder. This is an excellent use for a basket if you have one of the proper size. Place it on the floor next to your coat rack or closet or in your entryway and you will always have ready access to your umbrellas when bad weather comes your way.

5)      Magazine holder. This is one very common use for baskets but one that should very well be mentioned.

6)      Toy box. This is perhaps a favorite among parents who are fortunate enough to have an extra empty basket at any given time. Anytime unexpected company shows up this is an excellent tool for quickly gathering all stray toys and getting them out of sight.

7)      Office supplies. There are many baskets that make excellent organizers and holders for office supplies. From pen and pencil holders to those that are ideal for paper clips, sticky notes, and liquid paper there are many baskets that are almost ideal for a home office.

      Laundry hamper. This is yet another great use for a basket. They are able to breathe by the very nature of their design so that if for some reason a wet wash clothe or damp towel gets thrown in it doesn’t necessarily spell ruin for the whole batch of laundry.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the virtues of baskets but a good place to start the next time you are having an internal debate about whether or not to invest the money in a good quality basket for your home decorating needs.

Bathroom Remodels: Turning your Bathroom Into an Oasis

By Gary Nealon

An atmosphere of personal indulgence, which used to be the domain of day spas, is finding its way into master bathroom remodels. Limited only by imagination and a project’s budget, standard master bathroomss are turning into customized retreats. The good news is luxury can be incorporated into any design by using higher end tile designs, fixtures, and bathroom vanities or decorative bathroom furniture vanities.

STYLE
Start scouring those magazines that you see in the waiting rooms… make sure you check out the local design studios and design tradeshows. Styles change year to year, so if you want to keep up with current trends make sure you do some research.

MATERIALS
“For master baths, no material is too luxurious or too unusual. Whether it is installing travertine tile from floor to ceiling, find a rare type of granite countertops, or buying a one-of-a-kind decorative bathroom vanity, the options are endless” says Dale from Artistic Bathroom Designs in Philadelphia, PA.

LAYOUT
To create a custom floor plan, consider hiring a certified bathroom designer, who will analyze the size of the space and your family’s needs. Some things to discuss with the designer include:

Shower or Bath: “The master bath has undergone some changes in recent years. Giant tubs, once wildly popular, have fallen out of favor. Instead, people are choosing custom showers including overhead showerheads, wall-mounted showerheads, hand-held showerheads, shower tiles, rain bars, body sprays and steam showers. Oversized tubs and jacuzzi tubs are under-utilized these days. When people are shopping for homes, they are not looking for the high end tubs, but they are demanding more and more out of the shower features” says Jake Parks of Atlantic States Realty.

Choosing a custom shower with a smaller bathtub can have a big impact on the layout of a bath, too. “A big tub with a nice surround takes up a tremendous amount of space. We can do a great big custom shower in a lot less space,” Parks says.

Number of Sinks: If it is new development, it is almost expected to have two sinks in the master bathroom. In a remodel of an older home, the running of the second line and installation of a second sink can be cost prohibitive. Think about the return on investment before making a major change like installing a second water line and sink.

Delicate Matters: While it may seem a bit awkward to talk about the toilet versus the tub, whenever doing a remodel or new bathroom, the recent trend is to separate the tub and toilet by creating a second room. This can add a lot of value to your home.

Universal Design: Another trend in master bathrooms is the use of universal design. This approach, designed to accommodate people of all ages and abilities, includes wider doorways, showers with no raised lip around the bottom, larger shower doors and more room around fixtures. Once thought of as industrial-looking, universal elements such as grab bars now blend seamlessly into even the most luxurious master bathrooms.

THE DETAILS
When it comes to extras in a master bathroom remodel, look toward the luxurious. Hang an extravagant chandelier over a soaking tub; install a high end decorative bathroom furniture vanity; add built-in warming drawers for towels or install a pass-through fireplace for ambience and warmth. You might also consider increasing the master bathroom’s convenience by housing your washer and dryer, adjacent dressing rooms or even massage tables in the space.

Sound systems and televisions have become quite common in master bathrooms, but today’s remodels are taking the concept to a new level. Flat screens are becoming more popular and in-mirror models, where the television is visible only when it is on, are another option.

A master bath should be a calm, quiet retreat, and that can be tough to pull off with the noise from a television or stereo bouncing of the room’s hard surfaces. These finishing touches will add that extra bit of luxury to an already spa-like master bath remodel.

Turning your Bathroom Into the Centerpiece of your Home

By  Gary Nealon

With today’s busy lifestyle, people are looking for house that has somewhere that they can escape the day-to-day grind and relax for a while. The latest trend is to create a spa-like environment or an ultra decorative bathroom. With the current environment of the real estate market, this is also an easy way to have your house stand out from the rest. For the higher end home builders that are looking for a centerpiece for the home, a decorative bathroom furniture vanity can not only be a unique feature of the home, but it can also be considered a work of art in some cases.

I have included a picture of one of my favorite designs from a company called Artistic Bathroom Designs (www.highendvanities.com) that they call the Madrid Furniture Vanity. As you can see, this is no ordinary bathroom vanity… with the use of several different materials and it’s highly decorative and ornamental design, this could easily be considered a work of art. Since the big box stores are usually the last place to catch on to new trends, you can only find decorative bathroom furniture like this at high end design studios or on the internet. If you were to walk into a designers studio, you could expect to pay anywhere from $2,000-$6,000 for a one-of-a-kind decorative bathroom furniture vanity. The best deal I have been able to find on them, would be on the internet where you can get the same designs for $1,200-$3,000 (big difference!!). The nice thing about ordering something like this on-line is that you can have it delivered straight to your home and have it installed by your owner contractor, rather than paying the excessively high labor costs that design studios would charge. The only website that I have found that sells direct to the consumer would be the company I mentioned earlier, Artistic Bathroom Designs. They have roughly 20 different styles to choose from, and as I mentioned they will deliver your new decorative bathroom furniture vanity.

One of the biggest concerns with buying a big ticket item like this off the internet “how will they deliver it to me safely?”. I have installed one of these for a friend, so I can tell you from experience that these things are packed safely. They ship each decorative bathroom vanity in a custom built crate with padding between the crate and the vanity, and inside the vanity as well. The nice thing about these decorative vanities is that they come complete with the vanity top, sink bowls, hardware, and matching mirrors, so it makes for a complete bathroom set. So if you are in the market for a high end piece of decorative bathroom furniture, or a unique bathroom vanity that could be the centerpiece of your home, I would suggest checking out the latest trend: decorative bathroom furniture vanities.

Home Decorating With a Nautical Theme

For those who love the sea and everything it represents there is no better theme to bring into their home decorating plans than a nautical theme. The theme itself is perfectly lovely and suitable for homes and homeowners that are not so in love with the mystery and romance of the deep blue sea. For those who do love the idea of sailing off into the sunset however, this is an excellent choice for home decorating.

There are many ways that a creative mind can incorporate a nautical theme into the home decorating plans. One of these ways is by using darkly stained wainscoting for the lower half of your walls along with a chair rail in order to imitate the wooden interior of finer sailing vessels. This imitates the interior of a sailboat and some powerboats. This is an impressive addition in most homes and quite ambitious in some as it is not the least expensive method of decorating. The effects however are stunning when used for this purpose.

Another great idea is to use a marine shade of blue for curtains and window coverings and have them made of the same type of materials that sail covers are made of on a sailboat. If you are truly ambitious you could elect to paint the walls in this marine shade of blue and select another color for the curtains or wooden blinds instead. However, white walls are perfectly acceptable when it comes to creating the look and feel of the interior of a boat.

Rope is another great tool to use in order to make the nautical theme a bit more authentic. You can twine rope around picture frames, candleholders, and all manner of other things in order to incorporate the rope into the room without having it look out of place. If you are truly ambitious you could even string a hammock in some forgotten corner of the room in order to hold coats in the wintertime or merely to authenticate the theme to some degree.

Portals, clocks, barometers, and such make excellent art in a nautical themed room. Other great additions would include items such as seashells, sand dollars, model boats, and artwork depicting the sea. For many, this is where we feel most at home, we derive our inspiration, and we literally feel as though we can truly commune with Mother Nature. 

No nautical themed room or home is complete without a lighthouse to guide weary sailors home at the end of a long journey. Do not neglect an important feature such as this in your nautical themed home decorating ventures and purchases. If you are lost as to how to subtly incorporate this into your room you may want to look up a talented artist by the name of Thomas Kincaid. He is known as the painter of light and has managed to capture the essence of lighthouses in a manner that no other artist has been able to duplicate. One of his paintings would make an excellent addition to your nautical theme.

A nautical theme for home decorating is a great way to go for many families and for many reasons. All in all it isn’t the most expensive of decorative themes though it isn’t by any means the least expensive either. The good news is that there are very few absolutely right or wrong ways in which to achieve the look and atmosphere you are hoping to achieve.