Home For Her

Real Estate and Renovation advice for women

Closets: Design and Inspiration

When looking for a new home, one of the top priorities for each bedroom is whether or not there is enough closet space. Having enough storage can make a big difference in how spacious, relaxing and calming your bedroom feels. Here are a few examples of how to make any closet feel fabulous!

closets design

photo courtesy of myhomeideas.com

 

Adding a large mirror to the far wall of your closet is one of the easiest ways to add depth to your closet space. The beautiful gold detailing on the mirror frame picks up on the glamorous feel of the sparkling chandelier.

walkin closet designs

photo courtesy of pinterest.com

These expansive drum pendant lights add a bit of drama to this bright and airy walk-in closet. The windowpane cabinets help create organized storage space that still looks very stylish.

closets design

photo courtesy of fabhousewife.com

Plenty of mirrors and natural light makes this walk-in closet a dream come true. A small bench and ottoman are a good idea, if you’re fortunate to have the space, for folding your clothes, laying out some outfits or just taking a second to pull on your boots.

closets design

photo courtesy of twoellie.blogsot.com

This combined closet and bathroom makes excellent use of space, providing plenty of storage, lighting and space. Built-in shelving allows you to customize your storage to fit in perfectly with the size of your closet.

walkin closet designs

photo courtesy of designindulgencies.com

Black painted cupboards and a modern chandelier makes this closet very chic and dramatic. Recessed lights help brighten any dark corners.

closets design

photo courtesy of apartmenttheraphy.com

The crisp white French doors on this closet are a wonderful option for closets that do not offer much space. The doors open up without taking up much room outside of the closet, and allow full access to the lower drawers inside.

walkin closet design

photo courtesy of pinterest.com

A brilliant light like this pendant light can make all the difference in how luxurious a closet feels. The mirrored center table helps add a bit of glitz to this lovely closet, as well.

walkin closet designs

photo courtesy of tobifairley.com

This fabulous closet is big enough to live in. The soft lavender color is perfect against the white in the rest of the room and the gold mirror frame. The wallpapered ceiling is a lovely accent that would help brighten even a modestly sized closet. 

Author Bio: I’m a writer for Arcadian Lighting, with a background in English literature, art history and a bit of French. Every day I get to discover beautiful, inspiring interior design ideas and light fixtures, and then get to share them with blogs and websites like Home for Her. When I’m not searching for the latest inspiring interior designs, I enjoy yoga, hiking, photography and traveling to new places.

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Buying Antiques For Less: How To Buy Antiques and Save Money

buying antiquesSome people have a passion for antique furniture. Designs and trends that have gone out of fashion are represented in the old pieces. Antique furniture has more value than new one. With the economic situation not quite rosy, investing in antique furniture seems like a bad idea. Yet, some people prefer antique rather than any other furniture. It is quite possible to stick to your budget while indulging in your passion. Here are some ways in which you can save money on antique furniture.

Ask Your Acquaintances

If you know someone among your family and friends who has purchased antique furniture, ask them where they bought it from. In most cases, people who buy antique furniture have knowledge of the best places to buy from. You can ask them about where you can find antique furniture for a reasonable price. They will guide you in the right direction. Asking people you trust is better than relying on the expertise of a total stranger.

Explore and Browse Around

There are a number of shops that sell antique furniture. You can also visit the flea markets and bargain stores that have old furniture pieces. The more you explore, the wider the range of prices will be for you. You will have a fair idea of how much cash you would have to pay to acquire the furniture you are looking for. You have to be patient because it might take some time before you find furniture for the best price. Keep your patience and efforts up and you will finally find the best place to shop for antique furniture.

Go Online

There are several online stores that sell antique furniture. It is a good idea to go online and research about the antique furniture available for sale there. More often than not, online stores offer a better price than the brick and mortar ones. Also visit stores such as eBay where people are selling their second hand things. You might be able to find just what you are looking for at the right price.

Auctions

Attend auctions where furniture is being sold off. Chances are that you may find a good piece of antique furniture which attracts no other buyers. If you are able to come up with a good bid for it, you can take it home. Avoid the high profile auctions because investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in antique furniture is hardly a good idea. If you are looking to save money on antique furniture, attend foreclosure auctions and other small scale events.

Package Deals

Sometimes buying one piece of antique furniture might be expensive but not if you buy the whole set. Some dealers are looking to clear out their inventory and are likely to offer a better price if you are buying more than one piece. Keep your options and your wallet open and you might be able to find good deals where you can save money on antique furniture.
These are the ways in which you can save money on antique furniture.

Chris specialises in french furniture.  He loves to browse around to find a great piece. At the moment, he is looking for a unique french provincial bed

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Colour Trends 2012: Pantone Color of the Year Revealed

Well it’s that time of year…the new colour for 2012 has been unveiled and like last year it is a bold choice. Here is the Pantone press release.

tangerine tango

 
Dance into the New Year with this vivacious and appealing reddish orange – Tangerine Tango PANTONE 17-1463.

The 2011 color of the year, PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Tangerine Tango for Interiors and More

Pantone colour of the year 2012Energize interior spaces with Tangerine Tango patterned home accessories. Pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact hue add spice to any room. Or incorporate Tangerine Tango appliances and personal electronics for an unexpected pop of color. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Tangerine Tango for a dynamic burst of energy in the kitchen, entryway or hallway.

What do you think….will you be using this colour in your home? Let us know by leaving a comment.

You can read the full press release at http://www.pantone.com

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Winter Wonderland – Decorating Ideas for a White Christmas

I love white Christmas decorating ideas! There is something so elegant and sophisticated about an all white theme. Even if you are a frugal shopper, learning how to decorate for Christmas on a budget, really isn’t that hard!

I found this little adorable snowman at a discount home decor store. He has such a happy face! He resembles vintage Christmas decorations, which always make me nostalgic.

winter wonderland
Choose Christmas accessories that appeal to you and make you feel joyful. Every time I walk in the room and look at this little guy, he just makes me happy.

Here I hung three grapevine wreaths above the bed. I changed the bed linens to all white, and added a silver reindeer on each of the bedside tables.

These decorative wreaths were easy to make. I spray painted the grapevine wreaths silver, and then added silver, white, and pale lavender wreath decorations.

winter wonderland

This amazing decorated Christmas tree is from The Bachman’s Holiday Ideas House of 2010, and was showcased on Rachel Le Grand’s blog Nestfullofeggs.blogspot.com

white christmas

I love how the packages coordinate with the colors in the tree.

This is such an easy idea, and just goes to show you that white Christmas decorating ideas can be affordable.
Whether you use real greenery or artificial sprigs, adding some large ornaments and white pearl picks is all you need to replicate this look.

christmas ideas

Artificial snow on the floor wouldn’t work in my home, but another idea would be to lay a white tree skirt down under the pot instead.

Wrap your presents in white paper, and white ribbon to continue your white Christmas decorating theme. Place a white tree in a silver or white bucket, and then use pillow batting to place around the base of the tree.

christmas ideas

To add a delicate touch of color, light blue mixed in with your white Christmas decorations gives a soft winter look. A pale blue mixed with the silver and white create a mini winter wonderland.  Here is another example of incorporating blue into your white Christmas theme.

christmas ideas

How simple is this idea? Silver painted sticks placed in a glass vase embellished with silver ornaments. Gorgeous!

white christmas

I love a white Christmas table setting. It is easy and elegant. Simple white dishes, silver chargers, and glass hurricane candle holders, all put together make this table lovely.  A bowl with unique ornaments always creates a stunning centerpiece.

christmas ideas
Most of the items you purchase to create White Christmas decorating ideas can be used throughout the winter season. I hope you enjoyed these ideas, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.

Article Source:     http://www.decorating-ideas-made-easy.com/index.html

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How To Make A Snowflake

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Tips For Saving Money on Decorating the Home

cheap decorating ideasYou spend so much time in your home and it is the base for entertaining family and friends, that you want it to be a stylish reflection of who you are. However, style doesn’t come cheap and you can easily become discouraged in your decoration goals and just give up. Instead of settling for an outdated home lacking in personality, think about how you can use these tips to save money on your home decoration.

  • Know what you want. Spend some time reading home decorating magazines and looking online at new styles and trends. You don’t have to replicate the designer looks you see, but you can use them as inspiration for your overhaul. Plus when you have a plan and an idea of the style you want in your home you will be able to look out for bargains and buy only what you need and what will fit with your new look.

 

  •  Take it slow. You don’t have to replace everything in your home at once when you are decorating, instead, work with what you have and let the natural style and features of your home shine through and change little things every now and then and your home will always feel refreshed and you won’t have a huge decorating bill to pay.

 

  • Watch for sales. You will notice that major department and home wares stores have regular sales, so watch and wait until the items you want are on sale and stock up.

 

  • Look for second hand gems. Not everything you find in a thrift store or a garage sale is going to be able to help you revamp your home, but look out for pieces you can add new life to, such as picture frames, shutters or furniture like tables, chairs and desks, all of which can expensive to buy new.

 

  • Paint it. Whether you are revamping that desk you found at a garage sale, or you want to update a room, painting is a fast and affordable way to achieve a new look. Stick to neutral colours to repaint your rooms to begin with, and look for places where you can add accent colours to add interest.

 

  • Natural decor. The next time you’re out on a walk or down at the beach, keep an eye out for interesting shells, branches, drift wood or rocks which you can use to make interesting displays indoors.

 

  • Bring plants indoors. You can also bring in potted plants to add personality, colour and of course life to your home decoration project very affordably. You can buy small plants more affordably than mature plants and grow them up, and you can even buy a plain pot and decorate it with left over paint, wrapping paper or fabric.

 

  • Less is more. You can save money on your home decoration by buying fewer things. A simple display of three or four items on top of a bookcase will make s much more stylish statement than if you covered the surface with thirty things.

 

  • Make your own wall art. Wall hangings will not only make your house feel like a home, they are also a great way to inject personality, and regularly update your home’s look. You can use anything to add interest to your walls and it doesn’t have to cost a lot, for example you could hang a window frame you found at a salvage yard, stretch and interesting pillowcase or piece of fabric over a frame or enlarge your photos and make a wall display of your family and friends. You don’t even have to use typical wall hangings, even quilts or china plates can make an eye catching and affordable display.

 

  • Paper art. Before you throw away your old calendar at the end of the year, look at the pictures on each month and see whether you can reuse them as wall art too. Many calendars will have beautiful landscape photos or adorable animal images while others will have abstract lines and colours. Simply use some cheap frames and enjoy the pictures for more than a year this time.

 

  • Make your room grand. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to achieve an opulent look  simply mount your window coverings high above the actual frame of the window and your rooms will appear bigger and more stately because the ceiling will look higher as the eye id drawn upwards.

 

  • Affordable window coverings. Curtain fabrics can be very expensive, but if you buy a sheet set in a department store sale, or get out one of those sets you were given but never got around to using, you can use the fitted sheet as a valance to dress up your windows – simply tack the sheet in strategic spots along the top of the window frame and you don’t even need a sewing machine or a curtain rod.

 

  • Bring books back in style. You have probably noticed book stores closing down left and right, and at garage sales and thrift shops you can buy books by weight. Therefore, use these interesting literary works as affordable decor in your home. Look for unique, hard cover books at library book sales and antique stores and fill shelves or stack them to create a display.

Alban has been helping people to save money on all aspects of their life. You can find more tips from Alban on how to save money at Savings Account Finder

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