Archive for the 'Home Living' Category
Thailand is not only the land of beaches, attractions, hotels, resorts, night life of clubs and pubs. The art of Thailand is so unique that a visit to the place improves your artistic tastes a lot. Wood carving is not new thing to Thailand; it has been around for generations. It is not necessary for you to be an expert wood carving critic to appreciate the hand carved wood art from Thailand. The decorative stuff would involuntarily impress you and you won’t be able to resist yourself picking up one or two bits and pieces for your home.
Most of the wood carvings and craftsmen in Thailand come from the northern part of the county due to its plentiful hardwood forest which particularly includes teak wood, the most suitable wood for carvings and designing. Though skilled craftsmen are found throughout the country, it is this teak wood craftsmanship which is basically in high demand. Most of the art forms in Thailand are traditional family business. Even the art of wood carvings too is the work of some families where sons learn from their fathers and daughter from their mothers.
The wood carvings of Thailand are unique because of their very find decoration and lines. Sometimes artists take more than months to complete one piece of work. It is highly believed when you see the intricate workmanship and the exquisite carved designs. This impressive work is usually carried on planks of raw timber which is basically teak. They use some other wood quality too, but the fineness of teak wood carving is unmatchable. The designs are first drawn on the surface of the timber and then using a mallet, some range of specialized chisels artists carve the drawing to make it come to life size. You will find fine and deep carvings of statues of Lord Buddha, animals like elephant, fishes, birds and others. Carvings of scenic beauty and villages are find position in this art. Other beautiful items of wood carvings include salad bowls, statues, furniture items, decorative trays, lamp posts, candle sticks and others.
You can find the hand carved wood art from Thailand in most parts of the country and its local markets. They are mostly sold by street vendors or the artisans themselves through special galleries, shops or stores. You would be amazed to see the huge collection of life size statues of Buddha, elephants, tigers and other animals in display which would make perfect decorative items for your office, home or other living spaces like garden studios. For unique wood carvings such as these beautiful carved wood vases, please visit www.homedecorbylulu.com.
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.
Trends forecast for 2009 emphasize chic, sophisticated, elegant décor, focusing on comfort, quality and practicality.
A new direction in style is emerging, as traditional décor meets modern with clean and simple lines. And contemporary furniture and fabrics are becoming warm and cozy.
There are also several cultural movements influencing how we decorate our homes, one of which being the environmental movement.
The consumer is becoming more knowledgeable about how their purchases impact the environment and they want to make a difference.
Leveraging 2009 home décor trends can help to easily transform and elevate the mood and atmosphere within your desired space. Remaining aware of popular color schemes, newly designed patterns, and updated home décor and accessories can provide you with a simple way to reinvent and redesign any room within your home.
Grey is the newest tone of neutral, ranging from cool silver to warm charcoal gray. It will be used often as the base color in the room and accented with fashion forward colors like acid green, yellow, fuchsia and plum.
Metallic tones of silver, gold, copper and rust are the most dominate after grey. They will become increasingly popular in the next few years.
Bright colors can be seen in lots of funky accessories, such as hand blown glass vases, glass platters and any type of decor objects, so it can be easy to add a splash of color into your neutral décor.
Mauves and purples are still strong colors and blend perfectly with the new greys and silvers seen in fabrics and accessories.
Give yourself the bright and cheery space that you need, or an area with neutral colors that can help you to focus or meditate. Whatever your designing and decorating pleasure is, know that you have the power to make it happen.
The martini has been around for a long time, but in the last couple years a new generation has breathed fresh life into the martini and many other retro-cocktails.
While no one knows the exact origin of the martini, it has definitely made a come back. The chocolate martini and other great flavors have made this drink hip all over again. There are so many things that you can do with this versatile drink that it really comes as no surprise to those that already love martinis that they are once again very popular.
Today you can go to just about any bar or restaurant and have a whole host of martini flavors to choose from. It’s important to remember though that the taste of the martini will depend in large part upon the alcohol that is used in the drink. It seems as though anything goes, but many consider a true martini one that is made with gin and perhaps a wave of a vermouth bott.e. Today vodka is also offered. Many have said that there really is not much difference anymore between a martini, a cosmo, or a simple cocktail. The bottom line is that if it is in a martini glass chances are it can be called a martini!
It doesn’t matter what flavor you like, you can create or purchase a martini in that flavor. Today some of the common flavors are chocolate, green apple, orange, dirty, clean, and just about every other fruity concoction that you can think of. With all of the great flavors to choose from, even if you are new to the martini, you will likely find something that you love to whet your whiste!
If you don’t happen to like the gin varieties you may want to try some of the vodka varieties as they each offer something very unique. A martini bar is where many people experience their first martini. Many clubs offer martini bars where patrons can indulge in their favorite flavors or try a variety of flavors. This can be a great way to make a bachelor or bachelorette party truly special and tasty, too!
Many have considered the martini a woman’s drink in the past, but many men enjoy the variety of tastes that are available through this very diverse drink. Whether you are having drinks with the girls over dinner or having friends over to your home for a get together, the martini is the perfect drink. Experiment with a variety of flavors and alcohol to get the perfect mix for you. When it comes to the martini everything goes these days, so take advantage and enjoy creating drinks that you really love and love to share with others!
For beautiful Romanian hand blown martini glasses, visit our website www.homedecorbylulu.com.

As we progress further and further into spring, the weather only looks to get warmer. But that doesn’t mean that your house or apartment won’t cool down once the sun goes down. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to have a supply of light throw blankets available on the back of the couch or at the foot of the bed. While large, thick fleece or wool blankets are helpful in the winter, a lighter cotton blanket is the perfect thing to just take off the slight chill in the spring air.
These are perfect to wrap yourself in when you’re feeling cold, but they’re also great for outdoor use. Meteor showers start picking up in late spring and into the summer, and it’s a great time to be a star gazer. But if the sky is clear, there’s still bound to be a little nip in the air. You can cut that cold with one of these throw blankets and a cup of cocoa, coffee, or tea. For some added light and a little bit of warmth, light some candles while you’re watching the stars.
Add comfort and style to your home with our selection of throws. Consider buying a unique throw to add your own flair to your home decor. We carry so many styles and vibrant colors that it’s easy to find the throw you’re looking for.
Our decorative throws are made of high-quality materials, so you can rest assured that they will withstand everyday wear and tear in your home. Add warmth and texture to your decor today.
Adding area rugs is a great way to personalize a room, whether at home or in the office. Not only do they add shade and creative design to a room, they also enhance a room’s mood and character. Area rugs, for many, are considered a necessity in decorating a nice inviting home. On the other hand, for a few, an area rug is not just a mere decoration to place in your home and wait for other people to compliment. It is also a reflection of how they carry themselves and how well they choose in life. It may stand as a sound absorber, a floor bandage, or a wall décor. But whatever it is, in conclusion, area rugs are useful and therefore practical. For sheepskin area rugs, please visit homedecorbylulu.com.
Home decor is an art that has been perfected by many individuals. Unique home decor is achieved by a person concentrating on their own likes and dislikes in order to achieve what they think is the perfect room for them and their family to enjoy.
It is truly a profession that many make a substantial living at. By helping a person with their interior design, a professional can help achieve that perfect room.
In order for a designer to help an individual, they must focus on certain aspects of the room to achieve the just right feel for the client.
One of its first rules that an interior designer uses is to make sure a room that is being decorated is functional. One of the most used rooms that a family uses is the living room or the den. This room must be kept functional when decorating.
Home decor items that are chosen to enhance this room must be able to be used for everyone in the family including young children.
The second rule of good home decor is that a room must express a mood. A good place to think of mood setting is the bedroom. With the right ambiance, a couple or even a single individual can have the best of rooms to fully relax in.
A bedroom must be inviting for peace and serenity and painting the room a bright orange may not be the best plan for that serenity to be achieved. However, if an individual must keep their own tastes in mind when choosing the perfect home decor products.
The last rule of interior design to think of when one is using it is that a successful room must exhibit a sense of harmony. This can not be more prevalent then in the kitchen.
If a person is an avid cook, a disheveled kitchen can throw a person into a state of chaos and the Sunday meal may not come off in time for everyone to enjoy it while it is hot. Harmony is essential in the design and development of a kitchen.
It can be made to enhance a house and make a family feel complete. If the three simple rules of home interior design are followed, a person can turn a house into a home.
The main thing to remember about it is that when a person chooses home decor products they should make sure and follow their instincts. Only a person truly knows what design elements are best for their family and their home.
The 21st century has had its impact on the human civilization. We are more and more concerned about work, money and jobs, and we forget about the comfort of our home. For those of you who still remember the pleasure of relaxing in your own space, the people of New Zealand have a solution to your problems: a New Zealand sheepskin area rug, where the originality and simplicity can come right under your feet! Sheep were introduced to New Zealand by Captain Cook in 1773 and are now an established part of the New Zealand culture. With over 40 million sheep the country is a leading exporter of the meat and other byproducts. We are pleased to be able to offer you a quality range of sheepskins area rugs.