Feng Shui Interior Design - Bring on the Relaxation!

There was a time, not many years ago when you would walk into a home and be greeted to a living room whose plain, boring brown couches were straight up against the wall along with a brown chair and boring accessories. The room, though nice and clean, did not invite a warm feeling and you did not feel welcome as you walked into the room. Enter Feng Shui. These two little words were literally a foreign language not long ago, but since it made its debut on the design runway, it has become a household name. Feng Shui interior design is all about the placement of furniture and using the right types of fabrics and colors to make a room flow effortlessly while obtaining the most welcoming and comfortable room that it can be. This is not a type of designer, it is more of a feeling that one gets.

The first order of business when using Feng Shui is to clear the clutter. Having a messy room that is too full of knick knacks, paperwork or unnecessary accessories sets off bad energy and does not make a person feel at ease, which is ultimately what you want to do when you are inviting guests into your home. Once you have cleared the clutter, it is time to rearrange your furniture to produce a more open and inviting floor plan. Positioning your couches at an angle and away from the wall will subconsciously make you and your guests feel welcome and not "up against the proverbial all". Adding different textiles and colors to your couches will also help. Using natural fibers will relax your guests. Adding pops and splashes of color such as bright orange or red will stimulate your mind.

As with all Feng Shui interior design, you must always have a living plant or floral bloom inside of a room. The theory behind that rule is that even when you are not using the room, it is still being "kept alive" by the plant of flower setting off its living energy. That way, when you invite guests into a room you have not used in a while, it will not feel like a "dead room", but rather one that is alive and inviting.

Matt writes more about feng shui interior design at http://www.instant-interior-design-ideas.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Murren

Find More : interior design , Interior Design Room , Interior Design Home , Decorating Interior

Interior Design Ideas - Conservatory Living

Can you imagine the joy of spending late autumn afternoons warmly lounging in the midst of your garden, of growing and harvesting your very own tropical fruits and of twilight summer suppers that are guaranteed rainproof? No, this is not a description of life on a faraway tropical island, but a glimpse of the bliss to be had when you own a conservatory.

Yet another inspired Victorian concept that we are revisiting and appreciating anew, despite the disparity of lifestyles between then and now. A conservatory gives life a new dimension. It allows us to enjoy a garden year-round and stretches the living areas of our homes. All age groups can benefit: it provides an ideal space for a toddler to play in (the semi-outdoor finishes should stand up well), for an elderly person to relax in out of season, and for people of any age to enjoy atmospheric dinner parties.

Should you be on the brink of deciding to construct a conservatory, be sure to pin down your ideas well in advance;

How much do you want to spend? A finished conservatory may cost more than you imagine and such extras as heating, lighting, wall and floor finishes, furnishings and plants can add considerably to an initial estimate.

How will the finished conservatory look from outside? Do you wish its style to reflect the architecture of your home?

Which direction do you wish your conservatory to face? A southerly orientated conservatory will be full of sunshine, but unless a good ventilation system is installed and shade provided (by blinds or by painting the glass), it is likely to overheat in summer. A north-facing glass house will receive little sunshine and so will require an efficient heating system for cooler days.

To what purpose will you put your conservatory? Is it to be a place for indoor gardening, relaxing, dining, cooking or playing?

Do you wish your conservatory to become an integral part of an interior living area and/or to open up to and become one with your garden or terrace? The larger your opening on to either or both of these areas, the more linked they will appear. Double, sliding or folding-back doors will help to achieve the connection you desire.

Because the conservatory represents a link between the house and its exterior, the most appropriate furnishings will be those that reflect this connection. Well-designed garden furniture, softened with table cloths, cushions and upholstered seats, will help to blur the line between inside and out, as will rattan, wicker or cane furniture.

A floor of flagstones, scrubbed wood planking or terracotta tiles will underscore the connection. Accessories can provide a similar link - garden statuary, urns, plants and terracotta pots are all particularly suitable.

The best window treatments are ones that do not detract from the view or interior planting. Tailored blinds or curtains of muslin or calico in a simple style are ideal.

When it comes to selecting a color scheme for your conservatory, the choice is yours - but do remember that the exterior views will become your 'wallpaper' and indoor plants your 'accessories', so choose colors that blend well.

Lighting a conservatory is a relatively easy process so long as electrical points have been well positioned and there are sufficient sockets for free-standing fittings. Wall- or ceiling-mounted lanterns will look good, as will discreet spotlights focused on features.

A well-lit garden will form a magnificent backdrop at night and a dining table might be lit by a simple country-style chandelier or candles in glass hurricane lamps on the table. Free-standing uplighters placed behind plants will add some magic to the room.

Mike has recently refurbished his house and remodeled the kitchen and living area. Here he shares his interior room design ideas which inspired him to have a conservatory added to the house and the living room designs he used to help create his ideal reception rooms. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Spencer

Find More : interior living , interior room design , living room designs , Interior Design Room , Interior Design Home , Decorating Interior

How to Decorate your Home - Basic Interior Design Ideas

For many homeowners, learning how to decorate can be a challenging endeavor. There are so many factors to consider; where to start, how much to spend, how to layout awkward spaces, what type of furniture to buy. We hope that this article will bring some insight to home decoration and give you some interior design basics to help with decorating your home without too many hassles.

The first step in learning how to decorate is to determine your goals, style, and budget. Ask yourself a few questions about your interior design project. Following is a list of questions that should help you self-explore, and determine where to begin with your project.

1. What is the room or area you are decorating?
2. What is the style you would like this room to have?
3. What is the color scheme you would like to use?
4. What pieces of furniture & accessories will you need for this room, and what do you already have (and how much money are you willing to spend)?
5. How will you layout the space?

These questions are a great starting point to get you thinking about how to approach your interior decorating project. Determining the room you are going to be working on will help you to focus on one particular area, rather than becoming overwhelmed by a whole house, or multiple room projects. Do keep in mind, however that your color scheme and style should flow with other areas of the house.

Determining your style and color scheme are key elements in any room. These will help you set a direction and keep you on track in making choices. You can get interior design ideas from magazines, internet sources, online furniture stores, and from other people’s homes. Make mental notes about what you specifically like and dislike. As you look in furniture stores and online, be sure to make mental notes about the prices of the things you like. This will help you to determine a budget for your project.

You will almost always need to measure the room you are working on so that you know exactly what sized of furniture will fit in the room. If you are creative enough, learn how to draw out a floor plan to show you how to arrange furniture. It can be very expensive and time-consuming to purchase furniture that doesn’t fit in your room, or is ridiculously over, or under scale.

When learning how to decorate, be open to learning and getting interior design ideas from magazines, books and internet sources. Always keep your eyes open for things that you like, and constantly make mental notes about what you like and why. One of the most important interior design basics when starting a project, is to be sure to plan things out. Make the mistakes on paper, and in your mind, before you make the mistakes on your room. This will save you lots of time and effort!

Find more decorating ideas at http://www.designingonabudget.com . Also visit Our Ebook Digital Store for great home, family and business self improvement e-books starting at just $1.

This article may be reproduced as long as it is not changed, and remains intact, including all links, author bio and this statement.

(ArticlesBase ID #203675)

Angela Sullivan is a professional interior designer, decorator and author. Sign up for a free decorating newslettter, and download or purchase the book Designing On a Budget at http://www.designingonabudget.com The e-book features a great bonus package with worksheets and kitchen ideas. For great decorating information, articles and resources, visit http://www.houseinteriordecorating.com. Also visit Our Ebook Digital Store for great home, family and business self improvement e-books starting at just $1.

Find More : home decoration , interior design , interior decorating , interior design ideas , Interior Design Room , Interior Design Home , Decorating Interior

Interior Designing For Interested Individuals

When you think about it, interior designing is everywhere. It's in buildings, offices, hotels, apartments, houses, schools and even small spaces you never dared think possible for interior designing. But the fact is, it is, and interior designing, whether you look at it as a profession or you just have a knack for pulling things and colors together in one room to make them look good, you are a certified interior designer.

Interior designing in its simplest sense is art. Although it looks good to the eyes of people, particularly to the clients; important information which pertains to the why and how of the materials, colors and objects used for a certain room are all needed to be justified. This means, that an interior designer doesn't only do things that are good for a certain space but it also thinks about why certain materials is suggested to the client.

What's great about interior designing is that each space, corner and spots of a room at least, is utilized, beautified and exposed together with the main areas of the room. If you have a small room, interior designing can do wonders for you to make it look spacious. Working with what the clients want, how they react to their environment and stating what good the room is for to them helps an interior designer think and conceptualize a cozy and pretty environment.

So there, you get the idea. The basic essentials of being an interior designer is the creativity skill that you have in you. Treat colors, corners, accents and objects your friends because when you develop how to make them all interact with one another, you start to create an original concept. Even when you think you wont be making it to this kind of business, the important thing is that you practice your ability to decorate and love what you do and eventually put it to good use.

(ArticlesBase ID #237752)

Click Interior Design to find out more about the interior design industry.


Find More : interior designer , interior designing , Interior Design , Interior Design Room , Interior Design Home , Decorating Interior