Treasure Hill Cottage

Candles add ambience to any room by providing a soft, warm glow. Standalone candles make some people nervous; however, as they can get knocked over and accidentally start a fire. That’s why it’s a good idea to use candle holders, which hold the candles stable and make them more difficult to knock over, especially candle wall sconces. Some candle holders can even enhance the appearance and glow of the candles themselves.

Glass candle holders, in particular, allow the light from the candle to shine through and create an ambient glow. You can choose candle holders with different colors of glass to create different moods. Amber glass, for example, amplifies the natural, warm yellow-orange glow of standalone candles. Red glass creates a more intense mood, and blue lanterns can create a funky or relaxing ambience, depending on the rest of the room’s decor.

Snow globes have been a popular gift for children and adults alike for the past 150 years. The origin of these trinkets is a mystery. Though they had enraptured many in Europe and the United States by the turn of the 18th century, no one really knows where they came from. The tiny spheres are thought to have appeared in France in the early 1800s.

The early snow globes were made using lead glass with a ceramic base and figurines. Bone or porcelain chips were used for the “snow.”  More recently, snow globes were crafted from thinner glass, lighter bases, soap flake “snow,” and foil. Today they are made with old-fashioned glass, plastic and ceramic. They come in various sizes and shapes, can be musical, and have motors and moving parts. Some people only break out snow globes for the holidays, while others keep them on display year-round in a wood curio cabinet.

I just had my kitchen remodeled, one of the things that I stressed out with my kitchen designer is to make sure that extra shelf space and cabinets were added. Since I really love working in my kitchen, I have a surfeit of pots, pans and bakeware. I also like to see them showcased in one area of my kitchen. As for my small appliances such as blender, coffee maker and oven toasters, I also had the designer create a special place for them.

One kitchen item that shouldn’t be confined to a cabinet is your collection of wine glasses. Their thin glass breaks easily, and stowing them away in a cabinet is just asking for trouble. Since I didn’t want to take up valuable counter space either, I had the designer install a hanging wine glass rack over the island in the kitchen. Now I know my wine glasses are always safe and easily accessible.

This guide will assist you in keeping your crystal collection beautiful and almost dust free as they are oftentimes the cornerstone of home decor. To help prevent dust from entering your corner curio cabinet, apply weather stripping to the edges of the doors. When displaying your pieces, keep them back from the edges to prevent them from falling.

To clean Swarovski crystal figurines, wipe them with newspaper dipped in a solution of one part white vinegar to three parts water. Remove dirt from fine crevices using an inexpensive auto detail brush or soft toothbrush. The bristles are stiff enough to get into tight spaces, but soft enough not to damage surface.

Most people who own basements often think of the space as dank area without a lot of warmth or potential.  However, basements are also large spaces with a lot of practical uses.  You could turn your basement into a recreation room, a game room, or even a second living room, complete with a fireplace and cozy furniture.  Though their frigid temperature and minimal lighting characterize basements, there’s nothing holding people back from transforming them into locations for family fun.

You might think about adding some cozy furniture first, and then address the lighting with wall sconces, lamps, and a bright central light that illuminates the space. If you can’t afford to install a new fireplace, a space heater works great.  If you want people to spend time in your basement, be sure to install some entertainment as well, whether game tables or electronics.  You could also create a unique theme with some rustic, tropical or some other form of wall decor.

When decorating a small room, it is very important to choose the right paint since the color on your walls reflects your personality. The walls should look welcoming to your guests as well as appealing to you and your family at the same time.

When painting a small room try painting at least one wall a vibrant color and then using softer colors in similar shades for the adjoining walls. The boldness of the accent wall depends on your personality and how much color you can tolerate in the room. Bright color can also be added to the room in the form of wall decor and furniture.

My wife and I decide on paint color for a home project by choosing from the graduated color paint strips that we find in our home improvement centers’ paint department or in our local paint store. We return home and hold them up against the wall as well as the furniture in the room to get an idea if the paint would match or clash with the look we are trying to achieve in the room. To go a step further, some paint stores sell a small sample of paint for you to try on your walls before making your final purchase.  Keep in mind that wall color will look different depending on the lighting in the room.

It is important to choose a paint color that is easy to maintain. It is wise to choose paint that is durable against normal wear and tear and will last for the next several years. Do not compromise on quality when looking for paint. It is ok to pay a little extra for a paint that will last for several years than choose cheap quality paint that will chip and show smudges in a few months. The paint on the walls should be easy to clean and maintain so that your house always looks beautiful.

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Home decor and home accessories are very popular among wives and mothers. You can bet that when they go to the mall, they will, more often than not, head straight to the home improvement section. For most of them, it is the most fascinating and exciting section of the store. The reason being, women love beautifying their homes. One of the most popular items today is scented candles.

Candles come in countless designs, sizes and colors. But it is always better to showcase them in a wall candleholder. Hence, production of them has also escalated. You will find many of them available in most stores and malls. But of course what makes the difference is its uniqueness. That is where the challenge is.

If you’re looking for a few affordable home interior spring decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange the Furniture- How the furniture is arranged sets the mood of the space.  Pulling furniture away from the walls and  placing a coffee table between a sofa and two arm chairs for a more formal look.  Now try positioning the furniture at interesting angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles or shop for seasonal figurines to celebrate the spring season and to show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try different sizes and shapes.

3. Add a Throw or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and manmade fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like and complements the mood you are trying to achieve.

4. Paint a Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang attention-grabbing art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

5. Hang Pictures or a Mirror- Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects a nice view or an interesting architectural element.  An arched doorway is a good example.

6. Add Decorative Pillows- They are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room.  Still better, they can be changed to brighten up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.  Pay attention to the colors, prints and fabrics you are coordinating.

7. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.  If at all possible try to incorporate as much natural light as possible.  Take down those heavy insulated drapes and replace them with light shear curtains for spring.    

8. Bring in Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb or poor lighting in the room to support plant growth, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that it’s hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

9. Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room.

10. Eliminate Clutter - Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room.  Find storage spaces for papers, toys and other items that take from the personality of a room.

If you’re a homeowner, it’s very likely that you take a great deal of pride in the appearance of your home. This is true of the exterior and the interior. That’s why so many people spend their precious free time painting the outside of their house or mowing their lawns. After all, when a home looks its best, the people that live within that home can enjoy living there all the more.

But the interior is just as important as the exterior, because residents have to see both aspects of the home. One of the easiest ways to make the interior of a home more inviting is by eliminating some of the clutter that can accrue over the years. As such, make sure that your mantel isn’t overrun with knickknacks. Rather, one single mantle clock will offer a more sophisticated, refined, and classic look.

Morocco is often viewed as an oasis of inspiration for artists of all kinds.   Many cultures and styles meet in Morocco, which has several official languages.   The Moroccan style of home decor has become popular in America, particularly in the Southwest and California regions, where there are many pueblo-inspired homes.

Moroccan style uses a lot of vibrant red, green and blue as well as metallic accents. Exotic plants, terra cotta tiles, and textured walls are other hallmarks of the style.  Moroccan light fixtures are world-famous for their craftsmanship, evoking an atmosphere of interesting characters and sweet-smelling spices.  A Moroccan candle lantern resembles the renowned light fixtures of Morocco without requiring electricity and being of a smaller size, which makes them easier to incorporate into any home decor.