The Feminine Expression

"Today's renewed desire for feminine expression is matched by the need for individuality. As styles change throughout history many fashion concepts remain the same. Seamlessly through time, High Style (reminiscent of the Carnegie's), is defined not only by the garments you wear but how you accessorize them. Even a very casual day deserves a little sparkle."This was quoted from a new friend of mine, Michele Eddins, we met at http://zabitatz.com. A great site to hang out and share home ideas and meet some great ladies. Ok, girlfriends, as you can see her creativity reflected here in a few of her pieces....this lady has talent!! Michele contacted me about adding a few pieces of her collection to a designer showcase which I had done, however, timing...

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Lighting Design

I have already written about the basics of buying bedroom furniture and bedroom furnishing planning. Lets have a look at a more specific issue that you need to consider when it comes to designing that special intimate place for you, your bedroom.Lighting can make all the difference when it comes to getting the overall feel of your bedroom just right. Lighting can totally alter the ambiance of a room, change how the colors look and dictate the way you feel in your bedroom. Lighting also has a range of different uses in a bedroom, sometimes conflicting, and you need to plan your lighting to make sure all are satisfied.For example what happens when you drop that hair clip onto the bedroom floor at night? You need good lighting to help you find...

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Serious Real Estate

This is some serious real estate folks!!!!!!!!!! Just for your viewing pleasure!!! If you enjoy a LOT of glass and a contemporary feel this simply says, "W...

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Our City/Charlotte NC

Charlotte NCThe Queen City, aptly named after the beautiful wife of King Edward, Queen Charlotte, is a vibrant Mecca for those seeking bigger and better things. There are more transplants than natives here, bringing more ideas and money into the city. Though it’s experiencing a boom in terms of population and commerce, Charlotte hasn’t lost its southern charm and grace. Good taste and disposable incomes means a constant turnover of decorating which in turn means Charlotte is flush with great consignment shops, too. With High Point just a couple of hours away, access to hand crafted furniture is readily available making NC a destination for design aficionados.The city is divided in neighborhoods and assigned numerical designations. But it’s...

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Why Stage?" A Little Style Works, Just Not Yours"

There are many reasons to stage your home. For example in this photo you immediately feel the ambiance, calmness and freshness as you do when walking into a model home. It is refreshing, clean and well coordinated. We get comfortable in our homes, leaving items out that need to be put away and out of sight and only until a stranger walks into the room do we realize that Oopps, I should have ?? A prospective buyer wants to visualize their items in the room with a clean slate to look at and or how their home will or can look.Reasons to Stage:A seller listens to a Stager differently than to a Broker.A Stager can help secure listings for a Broker.A Stager is versed in staging techniques to enhance a property. She looks at the architecture of the...

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Designer Showcase

Coordinate fabric designed on the pillows to accent the purple and redOverstuffed chairs and headboard was covered in print to match bed ensembleAccessories added the final touch using art, plants, statues and personal itemsThe wall was a faux using a pale yellow and white to soften the room and bring out the pastel yellows in the print and accent pillowsThe green and pale yellow silk stripe was used was used for the end table covers and for lining the draperiesView from Master Bedroom into Master Sitting RoomView from Master Sitting Room into Master Bedroom Master Suite Sitting Room/Not shown in this picture was an antique love seat across from the fireplace which was covered in the pale yellow...

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Fun with Faux

Hard to believe this is a faux stone wall that was hand painted.....I found this over at bhg along with the instructions http://www.bhg.com/homekeeping/faux-stone-wall/. Other forms of faux stone may be found at http://fauxpanels.com/stone. Although, I feel most wallpapers are obsolete using a stone wall look would also add the look of texture to your room and can be found at http://americanblinds.com/wallpaper. Create the same affect with old newspapers found at this link www.all-homedecor.com/faux/fauxstone.htm . Whether it be stone or a painted faux wall with texture will create interest and add dimension to your decor. Remember to do this with one wall in a room, if you overdo it, it will close the room in, you are trying to achieve an...

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Kitchen Elegance

Many consider the kitchen to be the most important room in the house, the family hub where day to day life is spent. When designing a new kitchen it is vital to produce a space that is practical, aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. Part of this design process is to find worktops that are sympathetic to the decoration and provide a feeling of luxury. The sheer variety of worktops out there means that the choice can be extremely complex; hopefully this article will help make this decision easier. The material used for kitchen worktops is the first concern. Popular choices include granite, composite stone, hard and soft woods and the cheaper laminate. Naturally all have pros and cons whilst varying immensely in cost as well as quality. The...

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Serene Sounds

This unique fountain channels the essence of the old Greek statues to create a stunning fountain. Shown here with an Aged Limestone finish. Crafted from strong cast stone, you can rest assured that this fountain will be sure to last for years to come. Pump and connections are included. It can be found at http://www.gardenfountainoutlet.com/Cara-Classica-Fountain You can also make your own urn fountain with these instructions: An easy way to create an inexpensive fountain is to convert a garden pot--any size--into a bubbling water feature. Place it on an apartment terrace on in a nook on your patio. Find out how to construct a bubbling urn and make your own small-scale instant water garden. Or, make your own indoor tabletop fountain. At HGTV...

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Personal Touch of Glass

Creating your own personal coffee table and end tables can be endless....begin by looking around your home for a base you may already have, ie...old books stacked and topped with round glass can create an interesting conversational piece as well as display your collectibles. Select the size for your glass, this will depend on the size of your room. Your base should be the same height of your sofa and or chairs in the room. If you collect decorative boxes and they fit with the theme and your colors, this will make another great conversational piece. If you select a large size for the glass top, make sure you place your base stacks equally for balance.Another idea for table tops is to use a round metal deco piece. Michael's usually carries these...

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Bookcases

Around the world, there are people who love to collect books, besides reading them. To store these books they usually use some kind of bookcases that are specially made just for this purpose. At the moment, sophisticated and elegantly styled antique bookcases are indeed very popular. People who are fond of collecting the antique pieces mostly prefer this style because it adds glamour to your home as well as keep the books safe and well displayed. You can find bookcases in various attractive styles, sizes and colors. Normally, the woods that are being used are oak, mahogany and walnut. You will find a wide variety of antique bookcases with several attractive styles and designs according to the period. You can choose from revolving bookcases...

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Patio Dining Elegance

OK, so you aren't in Paris, or maybe you are......as you can see even the simplest touches can create the same outdoor dining experience. It will make you feel like you are in Paris visiting the palaces of Versailles and Fontainbleu, the gardens of Giverney and the cathedral at Chartres, so why not?Add champagne, the perfect french menu, and music.....Enjoy Paris....or at least the feeling!!! My son has been on a seven country business trip and one was France, at this link he gives a ride through the Eiffel Tower, short segments but keep viewing, http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisnoessel/2614532384/in/set-72157605838166288/, you can also view all of the photos he took in Paris and the other countries and cities which included... Munich, Moscow,...

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Color Palettes

Selecting a color palette can be confusing, these samples show if you stay within the same color tones you can add interest by mixing and matching fabrics designs, color and scale.. Furnishings with simple lines invite fabrics that are more complex in color or texture. Most people use two fabrics when decorating a room -- a print and a solid. Add interest and variety by using three or more fabrics in a room with a pleasing mix of color, pattern, scale and texture. First, begin by choosing your focal or main fabric. Be sure it is a pattern that you LOVE!!!!!, it is the main pattern which guides you to choose the coordinating fabrics. Choose a pattern with a minimum of three colors. Choose two more fabrics, each having one or two of the focal...

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Photos to Canvas

My oldest son Chris took this photo during a recent business trip to China...this was on the tour while walking the Great Wall of China.You can't hang a digital picture up on your wall like a museum painting. Or can you? It is now possible to take cherished images and put these on canvas. The canvas is the same type of high quality material used for oil paintings. This process will be able to preserve your photograph for up to a hundred years. Once the process of putting the digital photos on canvas is complete, the picture can be hung with or without a frame. I prefer the canvas with no frame. Frames are difficult to match it is also a much less cluttered look.Why is it worthwhile to put these images on canvas? While digital photos are...

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Creative Photography

I published a post titled, "Hanging Garden", by one of my favorite photography artist. Here is more of her work, I have provided a link to her blog where you can view her gallery of lovely photographs, she is on vacation in France and I'm sure she will return with more beautiful photographs. Talk about a wall collage!!!!!!! These are nothing less than spectacular!!!!!!!!! http://is-theblog.blogspot.c...

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Create a Wall Collage

Gather all your framed photos, art collection, deco accent pieces and pictures. Stick to a color pallet to avoid visual chaos. If you are doing all black and white art, maybe paint the frames in different colors. If your art is in different colors, stick to one color frames. Measure out the wall area that you are planning to use for your collage. Measure out the same size on the floor and start laying out your pictures within that area. Play around with different configurations to get a feel for what you like best. You can also make templates of the frames out of Newspapers and tape it to the wall. Be careful leaving to much space between the frames or even putting to close together. I find that leaving about 2” between the frames tends to...

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Dramatics for your staircase

Decorating Rooms with High Ceilings/Tall Walls Iron wall decor and woven wall tapestry offer a myriad of choices and solutions for casual home decorating. When decorating expansive walls in rooms with high ceilings, iron wall decor is an excellent choice to fill spaces above wall tapestry, mirrors and framed art. Doors and windows are also complimented by scrolled iron. It's all about texture, color and theme when you update a room. When decorating for a casual look, consider using wall tapestry to decorate important rooms in your home. Update your casual home decor with wall tapestry in colors that compliment your color theme.http://www.rugsusa.com/rugsusa/control/prod/~pid=146311...

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Design Trends

Design trends for 2008 are running the gamut from “Earth Friendly” to “Glitz and Glamour.” The trend of coming home to a soothing cocoon at the end of the work day continues to expand design offerings to fit the requirements, varied needs and desires of consumers worldwide. Style also plays a huge role in determining color as well as psychological influences. Rooms are being created as an integrated mix that suits the personal style of the customer, with an end result that is an eclectic mix of pattern and color that is a statement of individuality rather than a grouping of matched “things”.In the psychology of color we see two historical trends colliding. Normally in an election year we see colors becoming brighter and clearer representing...

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Tableaux

If you love the look of wrought iron or leaded glass, but don’t want to replace doors and windows there is a perfect solution – Tableaux faux wrought iron. It’s lighter than real wrought iron so you can hang it like art, use it to decorate transom windows or arches and so much more. Tableaux is right at home decorating doors, cabinet inserts, windows, niches, walls, ceilings, arches, cornices, skylights, sidelights, air conditioning grills, interior gates and shutters.With 30 designs and eight finishes to choose from, Tableaux faux wrought iron is a great way to add personality to your home. You can even request a design of your own for a look that is all yours. Use it to screen undesired views while allowing sunlight to pour into the room....

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Silk Trees and Plants

You're staying at a gorgeous mountain resort in the middle of a forest of trees. The large lobby is filled with birch and spruce. It looks great and green and you are excited to be there. Everything in the lobby is lush and green. You go to check in and there is a large bouquet of fresh flowers...but wait. There is no smell and usually you're a little sensitive to live flowers, what gives? Don't be surprised. Commercial decorators have know the wonders of Artificial Trees and plants for quite some time. Hotels and offices don't want high maintenance trees that need constant care. They what set it and forget it convenience that comes with high quality artificial trees. Silk trees are available in nearly any size you can imagine and they are...

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Mood Lighting

When remodeling and decorating, we usually look for furniture, paint, carpets and decorative items as pictures. However, the lighting can have a big impact on the overall look of a room. The lighting design is responsible for setting the mood or ambiance of a space. With careful design and planning for the type, color and hue of the lighting, the room can be given a different ambiance. The right lighting can set a mood, improve productivity and contribute to people’s sense of well-being. It can transform unappealing spaces into desirable ones. Bright rooms give a positive and optimistic feeling, while darker rooms are more intimate and romantic. Research had proven that light can make big difference in how we feel.This is simply, sexy, cozy...

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Neutrals/ Purple/Blues/ Paisleys

· Neutrals:Neutrals are always the safe choice when dealing with color. These combinations are soothing and appeal to those looking for an “uncluttered” feeling. Also look for neutral palettes to pair with metallic accents for an updated blend.· Purples:Purples have remained the “new neutral” for over almost ten years, and show no sign of slowing in popularity! This is the color of the mind. Purples will pair with browns for a chic sophisticated combination. Pressing to the forefront are shades of lavender. Soft blue cast lavenders are predicted to be mixed with soft greens for a fresh, clean palette. Think Hydrangeas!· Blues:Surprise…spa blue combinations are still in the spotlight! Spa shades are like animal prints they have passed the “fad”...

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Radiant Red

Reds continue to play a starring role in the home fashion color palette. Bright red accents will mix with black and white as we move toward the Olympics. We saw this “world event” influence during the Australian Olympics as well. This is when “mineral” coloration's emerged. Along with true reds, look for a softening in the red family as well to include rich raspberries to soft pinks. Pinks will also mix with the black and white palette as a sophisticated high-end combination. Brown shades of red will mix with chocolate and cocoa to create a homespun look that will influence the American country home style as well as reflecting the “cocooning” and “nesting” instincts. This color combination reinforces a sense of stability....

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Going Green

Green may be the most talked about color of the season! In the past when we talked about green we were talking color. Today it can be color or eco philosophy. As a color family, greens are evolving from classic gray-greens to more yellow hued lifestyle nature coloration's. Green represents life, growth, fertility and financial stability. Soft greens are associated with calming influences. When mixed with blues and aquas, greens take on a soothing tropical note associated with rest and rejuvenation. Acid greens will be seen mixed with purples at the upper end. Even old friends like the ever-popular 1970 trademark avocado is re-making itself but this time the colors are called wasabi or gingko! Green is making its way to the head of the class...

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Toiles

This refined dining room features a dramatic and elegant wallpaper, Plantation Silk, in a striking red on ivory color scheme. Full luxurious draperies are in Bellagio Silk Taffeta that have been lavishly banded and trimmed, and Silk Road Velvet upholsters the dining chairs.http://www.fabric.com/home-decor-fabric-waverly-fabric-waverly-fabric-toile.a...

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