Old Silver November 28, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design and Decorating , add a comment
With the high price of silver today, jewelry and flatware are constantly increasing in cost. But if you want the charm of silver in your home, check out shops that sell antique silver and silver plate items.
In big cities like New York, you can find stores that sell nothing but silver. The most expensive and popular pieces will be polished in the front window and in cases running inside the store. But if you want to discover an unexpected charming silver frame or box, move to the back where the silver is unpolished and crowded on open shelves.
Most of this is not sterling but silver plate, but if you’re looking for a piece or two to add an old-fashioned charm to your home, it really doesn’t matter. Find something that captures your imagination and then bargain to see what price you can get to before you buy.
If big cities aren’t in your reach, head out to antique stores or festivals. Antique silver napkin rings add a special feel to your table for holiday dining. They don’t have to match. How about a few serving spoons to add style to your buffet? You’re likely to be able to find a sugar and creamer set that would dress up a brunch or just your own breakfast table.
Yes, you do have to polish silver, and it can’t go in the dishwasher without destroying its patina. But you’re not buying a raft of it, just a few pieces. If you don’t use it every day look for a bag made of Pacific Silvercloth to hold it – the fabric is imbued with fibers that keep silver shiny.
Whether your taste is contemporary or traditional, with wood flooring, carpet or tile, a touch of silver – particularly old silver – brings back sparkling memories of another time.
Is your Garage Under Control? November 21, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Care and Maintenance, Hints and Tips , add a commentAre you looking for a garage band to help hide the mess behind the performers? Never fear, you can take charge of your garage again. Getting your garage under control can be 
addressed with the same tactics used to straighten out a closet, although the task is much larger.
To start, don’t try to do it all in one day. Divide the process into parts and focus on one job at a time.
The most important step involves making sure your garage is safe. If you have a corner or wall that looks something like this photo, it’s time to fix it. Storing gas, paint, oil or solvents all together without safe containers is an accident waiting to happen. Contact local waste control authorities to find out where to dispose of hazardous waste. Then follow their instructions to clear up this situation.
Next, sort through the clutter that has collected over time. You may want to focus on clearing up one wall before going to the next to keep from getting overwhelmed. As when
you clean out a closet, don’t put anything back in your garage that you don’t need.
When possible, look for opportunities to store materials on the wall rather than on the floor. This makes it easier to clean the garage with a hose without having to move items in and out. Take a look at this wall. Just some inexpensive pegboard and a few hooks helps tools stay tidy and easy to find.
While you have your garage in shape, you may want to take advantage and paint or cover 
the floor. Walking on raw concrete floors brings dust into your home, requiring more cleaning of your home’s flooring. Concrete paint is available, or take a look at some of the newer resin coatings that seal the cement and look very attractive. By cleaning up and fixing the floor, your garage will look fine, even without a garage band to add cachet.
Reading Cubby November 14, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Carpet, Carpet Cushion, Design and Decorating, Hints and Tips , add a comment
If you have children that love to read, they might find a cozy spot on their own to settle down with their books.
For this fellow, the soft carpeting and perfectly-sized space provides all he needs to get comfy with his books. For other children who are not natural readers, it pays to create an area that encourages reading and other quiet play.
If you would like to designate a place in your home for your children to read, you don’t need a lot of space or money to make it happen.
Start by choosing a quiet and out-of-the-way place to fix up. This may be a corner of a bedroom, a basement room, the space under the stairs, or even the back of a large walk-in closet. Find a place as free of distractions as possible.
Make sure the selected spot has sufficient lighting. This may be just an overhead light fixture or a floor lamp. For a chair, a table lamp may work. Look for lighting that is positioned to shine on the pages without glaring.
Comfort is the final requirement. For some children this may mean a corner like this boy found. Others may want pillows or cushions to create a little nest. A comfy chair and maybe an ottoman could be another preference. Consult with your child to determine the right choice.
It’s nice to have a shelf or table to hold current books. With a good place to read, you may find your child spends more time on this enriching activity.
Put the “Girly” in your Little Girl’s Room November 7, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Hints and Tips, Kids , 1 comment so farMany little girls dream of a dressing table like this one. You can create a similar look with a little imagination and effort.
Dressing tables are almost always available at used furniture shops for very reasonable 
prices. This table originally sported a dark wood finish, but a light sanding, a coat of primer and another of bright white paint brightened its look.
The original hardware was feminine enough to keep. The table top already had the cut-to-fit glass, but if your choice doesn’t, it’s a good way to keep everything easy to clean.
The final feminine touches come from a silk flower garland and a collection of pretty boxes and bottles. The garlands can be found at hobby or some fabric shops in almost any combination of colors and flower types.
The rest of this room is just as pretty and feminine as this corner. The simple white curtains are trimmed with pink ribbon, and a pink flowered area rug connects this corner to the rest of the room. Add a bedspread that coordinates and your daughter is on her way to having the girly and inviting room of her dreams.
Include your daughter in the planning and execution of her room’s new look. She will enjoy the experience and you will have the chance to show her that she can make her dreams come true with enough effort and time.
Caring for your Carpet October 31, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Care and Maintenance, Carpet , add a commentYou’ve just installed beautiful, thick new carpeting in your home. You’ve sworn the kids will never eat on it, you’ve sworn off red wine because we all know the odds of spilling 
that and everyone is expected to take their shoes off at the front door. While you can keep up on some of these rules and regulations sooner or later you are going to let your guard down. You’ll open that bottle of Malbec, the kids will get crumbs everywhere and your Aunt Lala will track in mud.
Keeping that “brand new” carpet feeling is not impossible. You just need to know how to maintain your carpet as you live your life. Naturally, one of the best things you can do for your new carpet is to make sure you have a quality vacuum cleaner on hand. More importantly, use it as often as possible.
There have been significant improvements to vacuum cleaners in the past few years, making them easier to use, and better at doing their job. They’ve gotten lighter in weight, stronger in suction, and loaded with convenience features. There are even unattended robotic vacuums that can do the work while you’re sleeping!
Thorough vacuuming removes loose dirt and dust from the fibers. Over time these particles dull your carpet’s appearance; frequent vacuuming maintains the beauty of your
floor covering and extends its life.
Remember that high traffic areas will need more vacuuming. You can’t expect your carpeted hallway to stay clean when the kids, Fido and everyone else troops through it several times a day. Use a machine with a good beater bar and maximum suction. Use the cleaner’s attachments, they’re not just there for decoration. They are designed to make cleaning along walls and up and down the stairs as easy as possible.
If your vacuum uses bags, be sure to change them frequently for maximum cleaning efficiency. Some newer model vacuums have been designed without bags, making the chore of vacuuming even simpler, and more time saving.
Be Adventurous! October 24, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design and Decorating, Hints and Tips , add a comment
The best designers, whether home or fashion, are always ready to be adventurous. One way to bring new ideas into a field is to look outside the normal scope of the industry.
Are you trying to make unique and daring home design decisions while limiting yourself to photos from home and interior design magazines? How about looking outside that box to discover new realms for inspiration? Let’s start by looking at how one designer took an unrelated image and turned it into a beautiful bedroom design.
Both colors and textures from this rustic gate are represented in the bedroom. Notice how the flooring pulls its colors from the wood of the gate. The texture for the floor is smooth, but that just civilizes the power of the weathered gate colors without losing any of the definition or appeal.
If you’re looking for a modern sophisticated design, don’t be hesitant to look beyond the traditional flooring choices to some that stretch your imagination and the room’s capabilities as this flooring does.
To represent the bolt and lock, look to the furniture. The stitched leather and natural cherry wood frame shows the darker shades of the bolt and the rusty red tones. The soft silver lock comes in with the bedcover, and even the gold shams pick up highlights from the photo.
Finally, the art on the back wall mirrors both color and texture from the gate. This stunning decision to stretch the art across the wall to the ceiling pulls everything together with a feeling that the wall was constructed to echo the boards of the gate. The end result is powerful and perfect.
Inspiring Painting for Bedroom October 17, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design and Decorating, Hints and Tips , add a comment
When you’re looking for inspiration for your bedroom, or a room for your daughter, you can find ideas almost anywhere. This painting provides a good example of some possibilities if you want something old fashioned and feminine.
The peach, lavender and green color palette creates an inviting look in a combination daring enough to keep this room from looking boring. You could paint the walls any of these colors or find wallpaper that combines two or more with some texture.
The arch over the window can be recreated with curved molding and paint. Stencils can produce flowers if your painting skills aren’t where you want them.
The wing chair and ottoman don’t have to match as long as the same wide striped fabric is used on both. For the dresser, look for one in honey pine and add an oval mirror to match. To carry the replication further, use a soft sage green glaze on the drawer fronts.
You may not have a window seat to match the one in this room, but a bench with cushions and pillows placed just in front can serve the same purpose.
This painting leaves the flooring to your imagination. Carpeting would look nice in cream, sage green or even lavender. Light wood flooring with a few rugs in floral designs or even simple plain colors would also suit this room. Whatever you choose, the space will be just as pleasing and pretty as this painting.
Decorating a Vaulted Room October 10, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Design and Decorating, Design Perspectives, Hints and Tips , add a comment
It can be challenging to decorate a room with a vaulted ceiling. Often, people choose to simply ignore the extra height. Let’s take a look at a few techniques this photo demonstrates for making an entire room feel cohesive.
One tactic is color connections. The tone of the small diagonal tiles added to this stone floor match the feature wall on the upper right. The same tone comes through on the stair banister. These elements pull the flooring together with the rest of the room.
The tall narrow windows and extra-wide crown molding provide architectural touches that make the entire space feel integrated from top to bottom. If architectural elements don’t support the high ceiling, it’s hard to compensate with decorating.
Using large-scale art is another effective approach. The three-piece canvas between the windows covers the need for art reaching down to eye-level while still reaching up almost to the ceiling. The soft tones of this piece keep it from distracting visitors while establishing the height connection.
One final touch comes from the long lean plant toward the back. This accessory carries the tall theme onto the living area of the room. Altogether almost every element in this room is designed to ensure that everything works to create a space that has elements of grandeur while still remaining inviting.
Pool adds to Home’s Charm October 3, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Stone , 1 comment so far
When you add a feature such as a pool to your yard, your design planning makes the difference. A pool needs to be more than a source for fun and exercise; it should enhance the look and feel of your entire backyard.
This pool provides a good example of an integrated effort. Starting with the size and shape of the available area, the choice of a narrow rectangle provided plenty of space for anyone stepping out to the patio area. Even without swimming, the simple clean design of this pool makes it as much a water feature as a play area.
Using one material – a rich varied stone – for the raised pool surround, the patio tile and the columns keeps everything appealingly integrated. The clean lines set a modern tone that works particularly well with the home, while the personality of the stone keeps the yard from feeling bland.
One daring design decision – using thatch as a patio cover – adds an adventurous touch to the scene. The lounge chairs in teak coordinate with the tropical mood while staying simple enough to maintain the modern feel.
There is quite a bit of hard surface to this yard, and the plants at the far side join the thatch in helping to soften the space. A few plants in pots would also add a softening influence.
Hosting Sports Events? Save Your Floors! September 26, 2011
Posted by creatingyourspace in : Hints and Tips , 2comments
Is your home the gathering place for family and friends to watch sports? The energy and excitement can be really fun, but clean up is a different story.
Do you want to have a fun party while keeping your floors nice? The best starting place comes before you select your flooring. Tile, laminate or stain-resistant carpeting will reduce the pressure to keep everything from spilling or falling.
If you’re not scheduled to replace your flooring soon and want to protect what you have, there are a number of things you can do to keep the excitement of the event going while still protecting your floors.
One approach is to choose snacks that lead to minimal damage. Pretzels work better than greasy chips. Cheese slices are better than drippy dips. Avoid beverages in dark colors that are harder to remove.
Another option is to provide the primary food choices in the kitchen. Set up a buffet with all the fixings for sandwiches. Choose smaller rolls so that the meal is easily handled with one hand and stick to sturdy plates so that food stays in place.
Your final option: grab a beach towel or two and tuck it under the coffee table and in front of chairs or sofas and sectionals. You can serve whatever you want and you don’t have to worry about the floor. You may get some laughs, but when the party’s done, just grab those towels and toss them in the wash, confident that your home is ready for the next event.
