Unique Glass Home Decor

(ARA) – Nothing’s harder to face than packing up your belongings after a week at a cozy beach house and heading back home to the real world. Sure, it’s hard to leave paradise behind, but who says you have to? Why not just transform your own living space to a beach-inspired haven that lets you get away from it all, even if you aren’t on vacation? It’s easy and inexpensive to do.

With some clever use of all those shells, beach glass and driftwood you’ve picked up during your travels, as well as scenic vacation photos and a little paint, you can transform your home into the ultimate beach cottage, creating an inviting, relaxing haven away from the real world outside your front door.

First, clear out the clutter. Cottage style is clean, bright and fuss-free because, if you think about it, beaches are simple, wide-open spaces – that’s where cottage design gets its inspiration. The beach experience is stress-free. Clutter equals stress, and you want to create an atmosphere that’s serene and fresh. A massive purging of extraneous clutter will give you a blank palette on which you can apply the true essence of the seashore.

Paint is one of the easiest, most cost-effective ways to completely change the look of a living space, helping make your beach decor a reality. Just be sure you choose the right colors, so you can be happy with your revamped rooms for years to come.

“Cottage style is all about taking cues from nature, so think sand, clear skies, sea glass and sparkling water when selecting the ultimate beach-inspired palette,” suggests Mary Ward, Dutch Boy Paints’ senior product manager. “To create a cottage-ready scheme use pale blues, aquamarines, periwinkles, sea-tinged greens, sandy tans and bright whites reminiscent of ocean foam and fluffy, cottony clouds. All of these colors, in any combination, can work to create a picture of rest and relaxation that’s reminiscent of a day at the beach.”

Serenity rules in walls painted in soft pastels or sandy neutrals with ultra-white trim. It’s clean. It’s clutter free. It’s fresh and airy. It says beach house, even if you are miles away from the one of your dreams.

You also can easily add a bit of beach chic to your furniture, further creating a feel of a distant getaway. Slipcovers give any room that easy-living feel that is so important to cottage style. Cover upholstered pieces in slip-on, easy-to-wash covers made from light canvas, cotton duck or sailcloth. Add a unique mohair throw on the back of your sofa or chair for a warm look. Paint dark furniture white to add a year-round summery glow to the space, or invest in a few inexpensive, fun wicker pieces to lighten up tired rooms.

Don’t stop here. Keep digging for ideas and inspiration using the vast array of decorating books and websites. One new site, Dutch Boy’s Restore My Decor! offers DIY tips and inspiration from professional designers, such as TV design personality Danielle Hirsch, as well as homeowners, all of whom can help you find more ways to add cottage appeal to any restored room in your home.

For example, consider incorporating these other ideas for adding beach-worthy serenity to your living space:

* Window treatments – Less is more. Think wooden blinds, plantation shutters or airy sheers.

* Floor coverings – Natural or painted wood floors with throw rugs are the hallmarks of cottage style. Think basic. Think organic. Think sisal and textures. Or paint your own canvas throw rug with sea-inspired motifs, such as shells and starfish.

* Lighting – Think soothing versus overly bright or dimly lit. Recessed lighting works like magic in any room. If you want to go for a more quirky look and make lighting a focal point, display inexpensive figural lamps in the shape of lighthouses or anchors. Or perhaps find one made from driftwood or shells.

* Souvenirs – Make use of those shells, sand, beach glass and driftwood you collected during your week away in paradise. Fill decorative glass bowls and jars with sand and shells. Display beach glass in vases of fresh flowers. Paint driftwood with beach-inspired images and hang it on the wall as art.

* Artwork – Make use of those vacation pictures, especially the ones you took of gorgeous ocean sunsets, lighthouses and sailboats. Use existing snapshots and enlarge some of your favorites, framing all to create a collage that not only says beach living, but also reminds you of a great time your family spent together at the seashore. Why buy artwork when you can make use of something that brings back such great memories?

“It all comes down to thinking light and breezy in everything you do decor-wise,” Ward says. “Use your imagination to create a true feeling of openness that beaches offer. Beach-inspired cottage style is casual, comfortable and fun – and reminds you of vacation, even if you’re miles away from the nearest beach.”

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If your sofa is starting to look boring and you feel that it needs an immediate makeover, why not give it an instant fabulous look using a bright colored throw blanket? Just imagine the amount of money that you can save compared to opting for an upholstery job—saves you the waiting time too.

With many choices in colors and designs on throws these days, you can even change the look of your sofa everyday of the week. Besides, throw blankets can easily be mixed and matched with whatever current furniture or accent pieces that you have in your home, it’s just a matter of choosing throws that will best compliment and accentuate them.

When a chill hits the air and the leaves start changing colors, you can be sure that fall has arrived. Enjoy the beauty of fall while staying warm and cozy by bringing those gorgeous colors into your living room.

1. Place a fall-themed table runner on your coffee table. These can be found wherever home goods are sold, usually at a fairly low price.
2. Place miniature pumpkins and gourds in a ceramic bowl on your coffee table.
3. Place medium pumpkins on end tables or shelves.
4. Drape a cozy mohair throw blanket on the back of a chair or sofa. Look for throws in fall colors such as rust, brown, yellow or red. Choose a color that will complement your current color scheme.
5. Choose throw pillows that carry the same color scheme as the throw blanket, and place them at the ends of your couch. The combination of the two will seem inviting to sink down and cozy up in comfort.
6. Place candles with fall colors throughout your living room. For an added touch, choose scents that are reminiscent of fall, such as apple, pumpkin and spice. Burning candles will give off a warm glow and gorgeous scent.
7. Hang a fall foliage wreath on a wall or door.
These are a few ideas of how to decorate your living area this fall.

The lotus flower is a symbol of peace, purity and perfection and a lotus tealight candle holder is a perfect representation. Nothing can describe the ethereal glow that is cast when the beautiful lotus flower is lit with one tealight candle in its center.
Spread healing, purifying fire energy with this lotus tea light candleholder. Excellent for the center of your home, as well as for the bedroom, this candleholder radiates peaceful and uplifting energy.

As a wonderful home accent, our tealight candle holder makes a beautiful wedding favor and your guest will treasure for years to come. This unique tealight holder is available in silver and gold.
 

A good feng shui bedroom is a bedroom that promotes a harmonious flow of nourishing and sensual energy. A good feng shui bedroom is a bedroom that invites you, lures you in, excites and calms at the same time. A good feng shui bedroom is fun and pleasurable to be in, either you are there for a quick nap, a good night sleep or to make passionate love!

To create a good feng shui bedroom, you can use a variety of simple, practical feng shui tools, such as the basic feng shui tips below:
1. Let go of the TV, computer or exercise equipment in your bedroom. The good feng shui energy in your bedroom is destroyed when these items are present in your bedroom.

2. Open the windows often or use a good quality air-purifier to keep the air fresh and full of oxygen. Be mindful of the quality of air in your bedroom. You cannot have good feng shui in your bedroom if the air you breathe in is stale and full of pollutants. Please note that plants in the bedroom are not good feng shui, unless your bedroom is fairly large and the plants are located far from the bed.
3. Have several levels of lighting in your bedroom, or use a dimmer switch to adjust the energy accordingly. Good, appropriate lighting is very important, as light is our # 1 nutrient and one of the strongest manifestations of energy. Candles are the best feng shui bedroom lighting, but be sure to buy candles with no toxins.
4. Use soothing colors to achieve a good feng shui balance in your bedroom. Feng Shui bedroom decor is a balanced decor that promotes the best flow of energy for restorative sleep, as well as sexual healing. Best feng shui colors for the bedroom are considered the so-called “skin colors”, and we know the colors of human skin vary from pale white to rich chocolate brown. Choose colors within this range that will work best for your bedroom decor.

5. Choose the images for your bedroom wisely, as images carry powerful feng shui energy. Best feng shui advice for the bedroom art is to choose images that you want to see happening in your life. Unless you enjoy being sad and lonely, do not use sad and lonely images in your bedroom. Personally, I always wanted to be a dancer. That is why I love the modern wall art, dancer series by Tina Tarnoff and I would enjoy having it displayed in my bedroom.

6. Follow the basic feng shui guidelines for your Bed, which are:
- have your bed easily approachable from both sides
- have two bedside tables (one on each side)
- avoid having the bed in a direct line with the door.
A “good looking” and well-balanced bed is very important in creating a perfect feng shui bedroom. Good mattress, solid headboard and high quality sheets from natural fibers are also very important in creating harmonious feng shui energy.
7. Keep all the bedroom doors closed at night, be it the closet doors, the en-suite bathroom door or the bedroom door. This will allow for the best and most nourishing flow of energy to strengthen your health, as well as the health of your relationship.
The idea of a perfect feng shui bedroom may bring different images to different people, but they will all have one thing in common – Pleasure and Dreaming as the keywords. In a good feng shui bedroom, every item will reflect the clear intent for love, healing and relaxation.

                                              The nice and sunny days are almost over. Kids are going back to school, the leaves are changing colors and falling from the trees, and us people who love changing our home decor with the season, cannot wait to switch our focus from outside to inside.
It is the time to make a new vignette with piled books and accents in the warm colors of fall.
Layers are important this season. Therefore, bring out your chunky wool throw and roll out a few sheepskin area rugs over your hardwood floor in the bedroom and the living area. Also cover your entryway floor with area rugs to make tiles more inviting.
Place a unique wicker basket by the fireplace.
As for the front door fill up beautiful urns with fall foliage to create stunning seasonal looks.
Use your imagination and create your own winter cocoon just in time for the coming season.

Often the focal point of a living room, the fireplace, requires a proper seating arrangement to complement its beauty and purpose.
A gracious fireplace is the ideal focal point for a living room. Its architectural presence commands attention, its warmth is a comfort in cooler weather, and it provides a natural anchor for the main seating arrangement. An impressive feature, it also allows for several options when it comes to arranging living room furniture. Perhaps one of these three floor plan ideas will spark your own creative space planning.
1. Formal The most formal arrangement is to place an identical pair of sofas perpendicular to the fireplace. That creates a strong, immediate impression and emphasizes the mantel’s role as focal point. To finish the conversation grouping, you might place two chairs facing the fireplace. Add a large area rug, such as sheepskin area rug, a central coffee table and end tables to complete the scene. If there’s sufficient room, a pair of footstools positioned directly in front of the fireplace would be great. They could be called into service during larger gatherings and will fill the visual void an empty fireplace leaves in the summertime. This classic floor plan works for traditional and contemporary interiors.
2. Semiformal in similar though more casual fashion, position one sofa perpendicular to the fireplace but arrange a pair of chairs (rather than a second sofa) opposite. That works well if the chairs are placed between the living and dining room or entrance, as it may be preferable to look toward two chair backs and an interesting end table rather than toward a full sofa back. It’s most common to upholster the chairs in a fabric that coordinates with the sofa, rather than match it exactly. To finish the conversation grouping, add two different chairs or perhaps a daybed or bench. The latter option leaves the view to the fireplace unimpeded and provides flexible seating — a person can face the mantel or turn his or her back to it. This setup is ideal if your living room is large enough to accommodate two separate seating areas.

  When decorating your home don’t forget to add candle holders to your list. Just remember your best experience dinning out. Candles are a part of almost every holiday tradition throughout the world and add a sense of warmth and peace. Soft flickering candlelight provided by candle holders make you feel relaxed and comfortable. Romance with candle holders is my choice in my room design. In the market, they are endless choices of styles to choose from. By choosing your favorite metal candle holders, you may give your room look of your choice.
Please visit our website for more decorative and unique candle holders.

Fragrance
Fragrance has the unique ability to transform our mood, elevate our senses and add a special ambiance to any room. Use top-quality fragranced items throughout your home, varying scents from room to room and even “layering” scents in the same room. Experiment and create your own special touch.

Room Surfaces
Wall surfaces are sometimes overlooked as we often focus on tabletops and forget those big blank canvases that beg to be decorated! Use paint color to transform a room, and watch the glow of beautiful candlelight bounce off your walls and create patterns of interest. Warm, darker tones create a feeling of richness especially at night, while lighter earth tones evoke nature and are compatible with most furniture and accessories.

Seasonality
Turn a number of “everyday” home accents into a seasonal display by adding just a few simple elements. Tuck pinecones, ornaments, miniature gifts, dried beans or seashells inside a glass hurricane holder to help tell the story of the season. Choose a candle color and scent that adds to the experience and reflects the season.

Multiples
Even the simplest of home accents can add big drama when displayed in multiples. Try two large hurricanes on a table with a tall vase filled with flowers or branches between them. Better yet, place these on a table in front of a large mirror. Or, try three, four, five or even six of the same small candleholders all in a row on any stable surface. Votive candleholders look especially nice this way. When doing so, we suggest using the same color candles.

Candlelight
Multiple points of candlelight add an instant glow to any room. Floater candles, in particular, add real drama by combining “fire” & water. The reflection of candlelight off the water and bowl is exquisite.

Room Lighting
Simply turn down the lights, add multiple points of candlelight around the room, and you’re on your way to creating a room right out of your favorite magazine.

Color
Color makes one of the biggest impacts when it comes to creating ambiance. A single bold item in purple, red, or even orange adds “punch” in a room. Neutral home accents let you experiment with different colored candles to get just the look you want.

Height Variation
Whether it’s displaying different sized candles or using home accents in varying heights, multiple points of candlelight at different height levels creates a lot of visual interest and ambiance.

Reflections
Mirrors create stunning visual impact, thus adding their own special ambiance. Placing candles on mirrors automatically doubles the impact of candlelight and color. Use one large mirror flat on a table with candles on it, or display smaller mirrors in multiples on a wall or mantel for an even bigger statement.

In addition to colors and styles, you will need to seek furniture and other home decor items to complement your space.  Finding functional furniture that boasts extreme comfort is no longer a significant challenge in today’s retail world.  Designers and consumers alike crave home furnishings items that evoke feelings of peace and create soothing sensations.  Coming home to a well-designed sanctuary is something that we all deserve after a long day or week.
2009 calls for lively colors combined with neutrals and grounded hues.  The combination can create a vibrantly soothing atmosphere inspiring good cheer and positivity.  Some of these colors include fuchsia red, palace blue and vibrant green among a plethora of others.  Utilizing color as a foundation for the ambiance that you hope to project within a specific room is a brilliant way to begin your redesign.
Gorgeous bright accent pillows or throws can accent a warm grey sofa for example.

Brown has lightened up a bit from dark chocolate into more medium tones like cognac and cinnamon bark. It is such a decadent, yummy and versatile color that works well with green, blue, yellow, orange, and even pink.

The consumer’s desire to add warmth and comfort into their decor has driven the return of draperies in home décor. Modern and sophisticated styles are dominating.
Use of velvets and shimmery sheers are the most prominent.

Roman shades are still popular since they are practical and versatile.

Making your home look beautiful is a dream of most people, and you can make that dream come true even if you’ve never decorated before.