Printed table linens are a great alternative to the traditional plain mantels. However, not all of them suit your home or furniture, thus it may be helpful to know the kinds that you might encounter before actually buying them.

Bold prints and patterns

Many tablecloths come in bold prints and patterns, and are available in different colors as well. Using these linens is good for any kind of table, as they stretch and widen the surface area. If you are going to use a bold printed tablecloth, you may want to pair it with plates and dinner ware that come in solid block shades to promote an creative balance on the style.

Tropical and tribal prints

Tropical and tribal prints also tend to be bold, but they also offer a wide empty space at the center. They are usually drawn in single colors, such as green, blue or red. Some also tell a story. These linens are great for regular days, as they promote a relaxing vibe on the table and dining areas as well.

Luxurious patterns

There are also table linens that promote luxury. These include those that come in intricate patterns and glittery embellishments. They attract a lot of attention though, and are good for long tables. They are also used mostly during parties and events, particularly those held at night.

Textured table linens are becoming more popular these days because of their patterns and designs. They are either embroidered or embossed with lines and curves without affecting color or changing the fabric as a whole.

Among the things you may want to know about textured lines are:

1. Perfect for extravagant occasions. Textured table linens are perfect for parties and extravagant dinners, mainly because their patterns offer more drama and depth. If you are going to host a special dinner for friends and important guests, then you may want to cover your dining table with a textured mantel in bronze, yellow or red, as these shades are warm and boost the appetite.

2. Embroidered linens for rustic tables. Meanwhile, if you want a rustic, countryside appeal to your dining room, then you can use an embroidered tablecloth instead. These linens promote a homely vibe, and are fit for small tables and spaces that embrace the childhood nostalgia ambience.

3. Quilt linens. On the other hand, quilt linens come in vibrant colors and shades. They are not suitable for dining areas though, as they are scene stealers and can be confusing to the eyes. Quilt tablecloths are thus suitable for coffee tables and vanities in the living room.

The floor tiles were a different story, she has got them right. Beautiful, light, marble effect tiles that made the space look bigger than it was and cleverly hid the dirt, due to their texture and colour.

Tiles are amazing! They can make an inexpensive kitchen look designer. They can add vital colour to an otherwise neutral environment. The right floor tiles can create space and character but still be practical. Tiles come in every colour, shape, pattern and material. They can reflect your personality and style. In addition, they are durable and easy to clean. Furthermore, they are non-flammable so a safe material to have in your kitchen where the risk of a fire is ever present.

Tiles are key to creating the mood to a space we spend more waking time in than any other room in our house. The extensive choice means there is sure to be a wall or floor tile that provides the unique look you want and within your kitchen design budget. With new colours and materials available due to improved manufacturing processes there has never been a better time to choose your kitchen floor and wall tiles!

Article wrote by David Neil – Tiling Expert

Window coverings have a very practical purpose. They provide privacy, keep the light out, and can improve heating and cooling efficiency in the room. However, they have an important decorative purpose too. Window coverings can really set the mood of a room or bring the whole décor together. Custom blinds can be bright and call for attention, or they can be subtle, melting into the ambiance of the room. If you’re looking to personalize your room a great option is custom window treatments.

What are Custom Window Treatments?

While it is possible to buy window coverings off the shelf, to really personalize your room it is best to consider custom window treatments.

Blinds - Choose from wood, faux wood (which tends to be less expensive then wood), vinyl, or cellular blinds. Vinyl or cellular blinds come in a variety of colors so you can match any living space, whether it’s the kitchen, living room, den, or even a child’s room. Vinyl blinds are an excellent, inexpensive option and can easily add a splash of color to any room. Cellular blinds offer the added benefit of insulation and light control.

Shades – Shades can provide a stylish, refined look to a room. Options include popular Roman shades, pleated, and woven wood shades.  Cascading Roman shades offer a timeless style and provide unobstructed views when raised. Custom fit woven wood shades create a fun, laid back look and complement a casual room’s décor perfectly.

Shutters – Custom window treatments also include indoor shutters. Make a statement with architecturally impressive shutters that give a room a touch of beauty and elegance.

Curtains & Drapes – Fabric window coverings are also an easy way to completely change the look of a room. Choose from a variety of styles, lengths, and colors to match the look and feel of any room from a sunny beach house, to a suburban family room, to a cabin in the woods.

Let your personality shine with custom window treatments. Companies like 3 Day Blinds work with you closely to help you find the perfect window coverings to fit your own personal sense of style. Personalize your home with a touch of the designs you like best by opting for custom window treatments.

There are some tools that you can use to help keep the kitchen clean and tidy. If you think you need these items in your kitchen space, then better check them out below:

1. Trays. Kitchen trays and baskets are storage containers that offer instant space for small items, such as condiments, spices, bottles and other canisters. You can use trays and baskets to gather things that should be contained together in one place, such as for beverages or seasonings. By being able to place them in one area of the kitchen, the easier would it be to clean the space as a whole.

2. Pantry. Some people think pantries are just for offices. However, if you are the busy cook, then you will definitely have fun using one. This is because pantries contain everything you need to deliver across the kitchen and to the dining area without the hassle. You can place your condiments, meals, beverages and kitchenware in this container until such time that you need to use them. You no longer have to take the effort to move back and forth just to bring everything to their destination.

3. Tool hooks. Wall hooks and hangers are also important in the kitchen as they utilize the aerial space in this part of the house. They also make it easier for you to reach your kitchen tools whenever you need them, as you don’t have to open drawers and cabinets repeatedly to find that spoon, fork or tongs that you need to use.

But how exactly should you decorate your coffee tables and vanities? Here are some fun, quirky, and logical ideas to follow:

1. Place vanities on walls with hanging art. Vanities may be left barren, but if you want to complement the empty space, then do so by positioning the furniture near a wall with an artwork present. This way the vanity will still look glam even when there’s nothing on it, as it seems to carry the art at first glance.

2. Add collectibles. If you are a fan of collecting certain items, then you may want to showcase them on your coffee table. These items would serve as centerpieces to the tabletop, and as well be the focal point of the living room space. Of course, you should scale your collectibles and add only those that fit well with the size of the table or vanity.

3. Work with contrasting colors. You may not want to place figurines or decors that come in the same shade as your furniture, because they will only blend in and will soon become invisible to the eye. Hence, it may be better if you use accessories that come in contrasting colors, so that they will pop and attract attention when placed on the table surface.

Are you starting to feel restless and uneasy in your own home? If you can’t find any reason to feel uncomfortable in your room, then it may have something to do with the lighting. It may be time for you to tweak your lights to gain some balance around the house, and you can start with these tips:

1. Begin with a center light. A center light serves as the main light of the room. It should be bright enough to cover the entire room space. A light that gets dim in the corners or walls means it’s not enough to conquer the whole room space, so it is important that you find one that makes the whole room bright.

2. Install supplemental corner lights. Corner lights meanwhile offer a warm appeal to the room. They are used more as accents, especially when the center light is no longer in use. Corner lights are important because they provide adequate lighting in the certain areas of the room without affecting the entire space.

3. Scatter the center light with multiple lamps. If your room is too wide and cannot be covered by just one center light, then you may scatter the lights with multiple lamps instead. Multiple lamps can brighten up the whole space whenever necessary, and as well focus on certain areas depending on your mood.

It is actually very important to maintain proper ventilation in the home. With good air circulation, you are able to breathe freely and healthily without having to go out of the house, and at the same time you won’t feel cramped indoors. The cool vibe also helps in getting rid of the dust and disease-causing agents that usually thrive in the air.

But there are many ways to keep the home cool and well-ventilated without having to spend a lot on air conditioning and other complicated methods. All you have to look at are the factors that promote air circulation and use them to your home’s advantage.

Use the windows

The windows are the passageways of natural air. If you feel like your home is becoming too cramped and puffy to the point that you can no longer breathe properly anymore, then it’s high time to open your windows. All you need is to let the fresh air in and the dust to get out of your home.

Open windows allow natural to enter the home. They also help in keeping an ongoing air circulation and not just recycling and reconditioning the breeze trapped inside the house. You may want to keep your windows open during mornings before you leave the house, and during afternoons toward evenings. This way, you can catch both the daytime and evening breeze that’s cool and refreshing.

You may also want to open the windows during weekends or at times that you conduct your house cleaning so that the dust could easily escape your home.

Choice of curtains

Curtains have different uses. Some are installed as decorative elements for the windows, while others have more functional purposes, such as blocking the light and air that will penetrate through the windows. You may not realize it one of the major reasons why your home feels dark and puffy is because you’re using the wrong curtains and drapes.

To create a more refreshing vibe in the home, you may want to use light fabrics, both in color and weight. Cotton and chiffon curtains let the light and air pass through easily, not like wool, which is very heavy and dark. These types of curtains also make the room brighter, as they reflect both the light and air that circulate within the interior space.

Those who want dark bedrooms meanwhile may still use heavy curtains, but it may be better to open these up during mornings in order for the air to enter. You can close the windows and curtains later on, once you already feel refreshed.

Fans over AC units

If there’s one thing you have to realize about air conditioning units, it’s that they do not generate fresh air. Rather, they give off recycled air from the thermostat built inside their machines. Because of this, the cold air you enjoy inside the room is not healthy.

Perhaps a good alternative to an AC unit is a ceiling fan. Ceiling fans offer cooler, breezier air circulating around the house, and they are able to cover bigger spaces. Fans are ideal for living rooms, dining rooms and kitchens, as they are effective in getting rid of the hot air in the wider areas of the home, and as well as the smoke during cooking activities.

AC units are better used in bedrooms and offices, as they have smaller floor areas, which are more ideal for reconditioned cold air to build upon.

Indoor plants

Lastly, you may want to add some greens inside your home, such indoor plants. Indoor plants are not only decorative; they also help in cleaning the air inside the home. Plants thrive on carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are natural air cleansers, thus you will never run out of fresh oxygen to inhale while at home.

Indoor plants may be used as centerpieces in living rooms, or as corner decorations. They can also be placed in windows to help cleanse the air that will enter the house.

But there are times when photo frames and portraits are situated at the most inappropriate parts of the house, and instead of being displayed to visitors, they end up being hidden and covered. Thus the question arises-how exactly do you arrange photo frames and family portraits?

Below are some tips:

1. Go for a wall display. If you have a wide wall in the house, such as that in the living room, then better place your hanging photos and portraits there. Of course, the biggest frame should be the focal point of the wall space, unless otherwise you want to change the angle of the house. If you have a small interior space, you may want to position the biggest photo at the farthest part of the wall, beside it are the smaller portraits in order to achieve an illusion of growing space.

2. Arrange small photo frames on the dresser. Small photo frames meanwhile should be gathered on one place, such as the dresser, or on top of the fireplace. This is to direct the viewer to just one part of the house to look at the photos without having to roam around the whole floor area. After all, your home is not an art gallery.

3. Avoid the walls near by the stairs. Sure, the walls near the stairs are empty, but photos are really ideal to be hung in such areas. Reserve the space for diplomas, medals and certificates instead.

If you are starting to get cranky with the myriad of colors that you want to use in a particular area of your home, then maybe it’s time you check out muted color schemes instead. These color palettes make use of only a few colors-one or two shades actually. A restricted color palette, such as black and white combos or transitional pinks or blues, provides a lot of opportunities for design. Among its benefits include:

1. You can perk up with the accents. A restricted color palette gives more space for you to perk up on the accents without making your room overly decorated. This is because you already have a color guide to follow, and the accents you’ll use are those that fit well with the present scheme.

2. Muted color palettes are more versatile. Color schemes that make use of only one to two shades are very malleable to changes. You can go rustic or contemporary, vintage or artsy without losing the overall style. This is because you no longer have to work on the colors-just the other elements you want to add on the given space.

3. The ambience still looks cool. With a muted color scheme, your eyes are not stressed with the overall look of the space. Despite the presence of accents, your eyes are able to rest and relax, as the baseline shades help keep the other bright colors look subtle.