Unique Glass Home Decor

I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Venice some years back. There, I had my first experience with this art form. The process is simple. You melt glass and form it into various designs.  What is intriguing is the complexity of the techniques used to come out with beautiful blown glass art.  Some finished products do not even resemble glass anymore.

Blowing glass might be an art but the end products are not just for galleries to display.
Functional items made of blown glass like vases, lamps and bowls may be bought in the market.  Small sculpture pieces and jewelry are great to have and to hold, to collect and cherish.  You will love them so much; you will want to give them to members of your family and friends.

Sometimes we are just looking for that perfect small dish to throw in a few mints, candies, or cookies before your guests arrive.
This hand blown glass dish is a part of Fantezia Collection and is absolutely gorgeous.

Looking for that special accent to make your party decorations complete? Need a great housewarming or holiday gift for family and friends? Then you will love these hand blown martini glasses from the Fantezia Collection. Each piece in this collection is hand blown and hand painted so no two pieces are alike. These martini glasses are an exquisite addition to any table setting. To maintain the integrity of the piece, we do recommend hand washing. Each piece or the entire collection would make an elegant gift any time of year.

After a long cold winter, the spring is an amazing time when everything comes to life. The first flowers of spring and the songs of the returning birds are welcome for the spirit. I love this season, is the season when I was born. My favorite flowers are tulips and freesias.
But nothing reminds me of spring like this beautiful hand blown and hand painted glass vase from the Fantezia Collection.

The Fantezia Collection is a line of mouth blown and hand decorated glass, produced in the European country of Romania. Each piece is created one at a time in several stages, therefore no two are alike. Not only is the creative process time consuming, it is also demanding. Each glass is a piece of art created by a worker best described as an artisan.

This unique collection contains a wide variety of pieces to meet your decorating and entertainment needs. It has been our most popular line over the years.
Like the chameleon, the colors of this line change and adapt to any home decor theme making this line very unique. This hand blown art glass rose bowl is a real beauty that would make a unique gift for your love ones. It could also be use as a tea light holder. This vase will hold dozens of blooms from your garden.

Today, people of all walks of life are learning to appreciate a good wine. Some of us even take classes for wine knowledge, making and wine tasting. Because he is that special person in your life, you already know him so well and know what he likes and dislikes.

If he is one of these people that appreciates a good wine served in quality wine glasses, you came to the right place. These beautiful hand blown and hand painted wine glasses are perfect for Valentines Day, or enjoy them with any other occasion.

Make your sweetheart feel special as you celebrate the most powerful emotion on earth, Love.
Valentine’s day is the day to let your heart talk.
Like a person, this beautifully hand blown bud glass vase needs a beautiful single stem flower to be complete and we hope you will be the one to fulfill that need… it is waiting for you. This unique hand blown art deco glass vase would be a great gift for your loved one on Valentine’s Day.

A love partner is someone that shares with you, their hopes, their dreams and their inner most feelings. That person is the one you can count on to always be there for help and support, for comfort and care.
Now that Valentine’s Day is approaching, we have a few ideas that we would like to share with you, to help surprise your love on this special day.
For a man, sometimes finding the right gift for that special someone in his life can be very difficult, but if you are the kind of man that pays attention to small details and listens to your love, picking up on subtle hints in everyday conversations, you shouldn’t have any problems.
A woman likes to feel appreciated and knowing that you put deep thought into the smallest gift would count more then any diamond ring in the world.
Bring joy and happiness into her life with this unique hand blown perfume bottle made by one of the best artisans from Romania. Each piece is intricately hand made and signed by the artist.

Finishing touches are like the icing on a cake. Without accessories any living space is lifeless.
So, if you think that having a sofa, chairs and a coffee table you are done decorating, think twice… you are far from it. When you are ready to invest in decorating a room make sure that you have enough of a budget to add some home decor accessory pieces such as hand blown art glass, modern decorative pillows, cotton or mohair throws, area rugs or natural sheepskin, curtains, natural or artificial flowers and original unique wall art to add the finishing touches. Search for new ideas in home decor magazines. Bring out pieces that you already own and incorporate them into your display. Learn how to group decorative items that will contribute to the overall look of your room and add that personal touch.

A decorating trick I often use is to take a digital picture of the setting that you are trying to accomplish. The picture won’t lie. You can see for yourself if something jumps out at you. Quite often I take pictures of a group of items, and by looking at the picture I can more easily see when something is not quite right. That’s when sometimes you would remove or add another item until you find a harmonious grouping.
For example if you want to decorate your coffee table, start by displaying your favorite accessories in a variety of heights and shapes. Mix textures using glass, wicker, ceramic or iron. Display books in neat stacks. Take a picture of your coffee table and you will get an honest feel of what is working and what is not.

Don’t allow magazines and newspapers to take over your coffee table. Place them in a bowl or basket for a more organized look. Remove the candles that are at the end of their lives and don’t display mismatched ones. If you love fresh flowers don’t forget to replace them with new ones when their time comes. These are a few ideas of how to make your place more inviting. Now take these ideas and try to decorate a bookshelf, a unique vignette, or a bedside table.

(ARA) – More and more Americans today are looking at their homes as a place of refuge in a stressful world of challenges and economic instability. Instead of going out to dinner or social events, they’re cocooning with their families. Now, more than ever, their homes need to be restful and soothing, yet stylish at the same time.

Interior designers and industry experts across the country have noted this trend as well, along with an increased focus on cost-consciousness as homeowners become more selective about how their money is spent.

Here are their top 10 home decor trends for 2009:

1. Color Your World
Colors will literally be across the spectrum next year. On their Web site, the Pantone Color Institute forecasts lively colors and sophisticated, grounded hues with Fuchsia Red, Salmon Rose, Palace Blue, Lavender, Rose Dust and Vibrant Green predicted to be popular.

Andrea Vollf, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), believes strongly in “transforming an ordinary home into a living oasis” using neutrals, especially warm and cool grays, along with bold accent pieces. Deep shades of blue are in demand by customers of Jan Hubbard, ASID, and Candice Mathers, Allied Member of ASID, with Hubbard also noting a draw to spice, bisque, toast and green/gold tones to create a warm ambiance. On a brighter note, both Mathers and Susan Pantaleo, ASID, see yellow emerging as a very versatile color. Popping up in every shade from Sunlight to Dijon Mustard, Pantaleo lauds yellow’s attention-getting appeal and ability to add life to any room.

2. Light up Your Life
Because residential interiors are incorporating more intense paint colors — not only as accent walls, but throughout an entire room — more light is needed to properly illuminate a room. According to Jeff Dross, senior product manager of Kichler Lighting, lighting manufacturers will introduce chandeliers with more arms or multiple lights per arm, as well as pendants and wall-mounted fixtures that accept higher-wattage bulbs.

3. We’ve Got You Covered
Wall murals will continue to be in high demand in 2009, according to Todd Imholte, president of www.MuralsYourWay.com a leader in the production of decorative wall murals for more than 35 years. “Wall murals are a very cost-effective way to completely transform the look of a room,” says Imholte. “We recently introduced 90 new mural designs including bold graphic patterns, contemporary designs and murals inspired by nature such as birch trees and bamboo.” Murals Your Way offers a gallery of more than 5,000 images, as well as the ability to personalize an existing gallery image or create a custom mural from a personal photo or artwork.

4. Establishing a Pattern
In a press release distributed earlier this year, Michelle Lamb — co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, Inc. and senior editor of “The Trend Curve” — stated that patterns are being constantly updated and reinvented. Some ways to keep them fresh include combining classic and contemporary styles in one piece; utilizing tiny, country patterns that include calico or patchwork; and trying distinctive materials, like foil, or embellishments that cluster and layer upon each other.

5. Comfort is Key
Vollf sees 2009 as being the year of comfort, with furniture that is comfortable and functional, yet still elegant. More and more people are interested in creating a personal refuge that is chic, peaceful, inviting and easy to maintain so that they can relax and unwind at the end of a busy day in an aesthetically pleasing environment.

6. Wood is Good
According to Kathy Peterson — celebrity design expert and co-host of Lifetime TV’s “The Balancing Act” — wood flooring is blending into an eclectic mix of wood tones. She also forecasts hardwood wall coverings (wood, resin, metals) with seamless panels of custom designs becoming focal points of a room. Dross echoes the popularity of wood throughout the home, seeing floors, walls, ceilings (bead board) and furniture incorporating wood at their center.

7. Shining Stars
Metals will continue to shine next year, according to Lamb. She envisions them being translated into modern metallic finishes and textures that create a sense of visual excitement and high energy. Particularly noteworthy are platinum, dark silver, rose golds and copper, and colorful metallics.

8. Hooray for Hollywood
Carmen Natschke — editor of “The Decorating Diva” — sees a revival of “Hollywood Regency.” According to her Web site, this style is “glamorous, classy and elegant; composed of an eclectic mix of styles like Neo-Classic, Asian, Baroque and Art Deco; sumptuous and luxury fabrics, shimmering finishes, mirrored furniture, chinoiserie, bamboo and lacquered furniture; bold color; clean lines and beautiful symmetry.”

9. Embrace the Outdoors
Seamless transitions from indoor to outdoor space are envisioned by Pantaleo, who says the most successful outdoor spaces will be an extension of the home’s interior style and color scheme. Using nature as a backdrop, she suggests pulling colors from adjacent rooms to maintain a visual connection. She also recommends accessorizing gourmet cook centers and plasma televisions with weather-resistant chandeliers, rugs and artwork to create a cozy, appealing and relaxed ambiance.

10. Go Green
Eco-friendly products will continue to be in demand by today’s energy-conscious and environmentally-aware consumers. McKinley Adams, Allied member of ASID, predicts consumers will be interested in sustainable building materials that may cost a bit more up front, but will save money in the long run. He also sees a surge of interest in vintage furnishings for inside the home, while Mathers anticipates increased use of grass cloth and natural Sisal finishes.

Please visit homedecorbylulu.com for great ideas in home decor items such as modern decorative pillows, mohair and cotton throws, a variety of Romanian handblown art glass products and much more.

Courtesy of ARAcontent