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- White House Ornament Reflects Tiffany Decor
Decorate your home this holiday season with history and art. The 2006 White House Christmas ornament honoring the 21st president of the United States, Chester A. Arthur (1881-85), is fashioned after the period motifs and rich décor created for the White House by famed artist and decorator Louis Comfort Tiffany.
"Like all great houses, the White House reflected the tastes and interests of its occupants. Arthur's luxurious style was exemplified in Tiffany's showpiece…a unique large stained glass screen encrusted with glass jewels for the Entrance Hall," said Neil W. Horstman, president of the White House Historical Association. - Wall-to-wall Comfort
If dealing with dampness in your home has your back against the wall, you're in the right place.
That's because a new wall panel has been designed to resist both moisture and abuse. The new product is made from a unique gypsum fiber formula that offers protection from both moisture and mold. The panels are water resistant through their core and approved for use in wet areas, including tub surrounds in bathrooms. - Wall-to-wall Comfort
Before laying the next tile in your home improvement project, make sure you won't have to undo and repeat the job. The surface you're installing tiles on must be up to the job.
Key to any successful tile installation is choosing a strong, uniform surface that provides moisture durability so the integrity of the wall or floor will still stand up to moisture. - Wall Art At Your Whim
One day it's stripes, the next day it's dots. If every day inspires you to try out a new home-decorating trend, there's a new product made just for you.
It's WallPops, a wall art that comes in the shape of dots, blocks and stripes that you can mix and match. The part that makes this product endearing to anyone who welcomes change is that you can put it up and remove it just as easily. - Tips To Make Finding The Right Fan A Breeze
Today's attractive ceiling fans can not only help give you a break from high heating and cooling bills, they can complement your decor and increase your comfort.
Here are hints on how to find the fan for you: - Tips For A Professional Paint Job
Ask professional painters how they get consistently beautiful results every time and you'll get one consistent answer: First prime, then paint.
In fact, research shows that one coat of tinted primer and one coat of paint will give you a better-looking, longer-lasting paint job than two coats of paint. Here's why: - Ten Decorating Mistakes To Avoid
Decorator and HGTV designer Karl Lohnes has a list of the most often-made decorating blunders. Do these seem familiar?
1) Leaving windows for last. Window fashions create pleasing illusions of depth or height, and studies show the quality of natural light in a space affects moods and health. One popular option, Silhouette® window shadings, which feature soft fabric vanes between sheer panels, diffuse and soften light and let you direct it up or down. - Take Down That Wallpaper!
Have you grown tired of your old wallpaper? Is it out of date or the wrong color or pattern for your new décor? If you've ever tried stripping wallpaper using a homemade vinegar and water solution-or a heavy commercial steamer-you know what a tedious, unpleasant and time-consuming task it can be.
But wallpaper removal is simple if you use the right tools and learn a few tricks from the professionals. Here's some advice from the home improvement experts at Zinsser that can make removing old wallpaper quicker and easier than you ever dreamed possible- even if you've never stripped wallpaper before: - Sprucing Up Tired Spaces
Any time of year can be a good time to spruce up your home. Try new colors, new styles and even a few new pieces to breathe life and energy into tired old spaces.
For instance, something as simple as rearranging your furniture can make a big difference in a room. Separate pairs, angle sofas and beds, move things away from walls and establish new conversational groupings. The decorators of INTERIORS by Decorating Den also suggest using pieces from other rooms in your house and letting go of things that no longer appeal to you. They offer these additional tips: - Spotlight Shines On Masculine Pink Movie Star Sparkles As 2007 Color Of The Year
Many little girls dream of being "pretty in pink," but is it possible to also be manly in a color that until now has been so closely associated with cotton candy, ballet slippers and powder puffs? According to color experts, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, if forecasts prevail, this year will bring the liberation of men to incorporate shades of pink into their wardrobes-and their homes.
That's because Movie Star-a masculine shade of pink paint-is taking center stage as the 2007 Color of the Year. - See Today's Best Home Design Ideas
When it comes to home décor, where do you get your inspiration? At one "inspired home" in Atlanta, the interior design comes from the pages of top magazines, with furniture and accessories demonstrating today's best thinking in home design trends.
One of America's top interior designers, Patricia Crowl, decorated each room of the home with products exclusively available at Wal-Mart nationwide. - Return To Elegance By Transforming Concrete Surfaces
Homeowners on the lookout for creative ways to add beauty and value to their home need only to look beneath their feet. As seen at upscale shops, restaurants and model homes, decorative finishes lend interest and sophistication to otherwise dull concrete floors.
Etching stains applied to interior floors and exterior surfaces can create a multitoned finish to compare with natural stone, weathered marble or tile. The color tone is permanently imprinted into the concrete as the etching stain chemically reacts with the concrete, resulting in a finish that will last. - Renovate Any Room For Under $100
Tired of looking at the same drab décor, but can't afford new furniture or a major renovation? Not every room makeover requires a complete overhaul or needs to cost a fortune. Sometimes even the smallest changes or additions can make a big difference. Here are some easy and inexpensive tips to turn a room from bleak to chic for under $100:
• Pick up a paintbrush. Faux and decorative painting will brighten your room and add depth to your walls. Make a bold statement by adding colorful stripes or create an accent wall by painting one wall a different color than the other three walls. - Remodeling Boom Throws Spotlight On Realistic Laminates
According to the National Association of Home Builders, a record $238 billion will be spent on home remodeling in the U.S. this year-and more than $8 billion on new flooring alone. "Money well spent," say experts.
"Installing new floors is one of the best investments people can make to their homes," says Fred Miller, managing director of the Home Improvement Research Institute, which recently conducted a study that revealed 25 percent of homeowners plan to replace floors as a way of increasing their home's value. To maximize the return on their investments, more consumers look to laminates. - Refresh Your Home For Under $100!
Redecorating for the season can be fun and exciting, but an unlimited decorating budget is not always realistic. By making smart purchases and shopping at resources that offer off-price values, you can infuse the season into any room for under $100.
Living/Family Room - Redesign Your Home Without Breaking The Bank
Ty Pennington is most recognized as the charismatic designer who works wonders for deserving families each week on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," his home-makeover television program, but the self-proclaimed "jack-of-all-trades" is adding a few things to his tool belt. He shares the latest in a brief interview:
Q: So what's new for you in 2007? - Protecting Your Keepsakes And Clothing
In every household, there are items that are treasured family keepsakes. Many years ago, cedar hope chests were used to protect family heirlooms, such as christening and bridal gowns and blankets, among other items.
"Today, hope chests are hard to come by and even harder to find room for in the house," says Pat Simpson, home improvement expert and host of HGTV's "Before & After," "Fix It Up!" and "Room to Improve." "They're big, cumbersome and, in smaller spaces, they take away valuable square footage." - Painting Tools Decoded: How To Pick And Use The Proper Products
To many, painting usually seems like a fun project. It's an easy way to take a room from drab to fab, and it usually does not cost a lot of money. Those who have painted before know that having the right tools is one thing, but understanding when and how to use them correctly can take a painting project from mediocre to outstanding. Some frequently asked questions are listed below to help you choose and use the right products for your job.
• What prep work should I do before painting? - Painting Tools Decoded: How To Pick And Use The Proper Products
To many, painting usually seems like a fun project. It's an easy way to take a room from drab to fab, and it usually does not cost a lot of money. Those who have painted before know that having the right tools is one thing, but understanding when and how to use them correctly can take a painting project from mediocre to outstanding. Some frequently asked questions are listed below to help you choose and use the right products for your job.
• What prep work should I do before painting? - Paint Perfection In Just A Weekend: Tips, Tools And Know-how Make Paint Projects Simple
On any given weekend in the U.S., thousands of people set out to accomplish home improvement projects. However, stumbling blocks such as color selection and knowing where to start can cause DIYers to delay starting their projects.
To make life easier, enhancements to True Value's Color Made Simple paint program help simplify the often-overwhelming process of selecting paint colors. - Nanotechnology Offers Insulating Benefits
A growing number of homeowners are tackling the big problems of energy efficiency and mold resistance by thinking small.
Nanotechnology-the manipulation of matter at the molecular level at the scale of a nanometer, or a billionth of a meter in size-has recently come into play in the insulation arena. A material called Hydro-NM-Oxide has been shown to be highly effective at insulating against all three types of thermal transfer: solid conductivity, gaseous conductivity and radiative (infrared) transmission. - Murals Make A One-of-a-kind Impression
Decorating is getting personal-with more people customizing decor in a way that is significant to them and reflects their individual interests.
Creating a custom mural is one increasingly popular way to decorate a residential or business space. This one-of-a-kind wall decoration has long been used to add visual interest in restaurants, lobbies, hospitals, schools, fitness centers, stores and churches, and now it has been discovered by homeowners. - Lifestyle Trends Driving Home Design
Time-it's a precious commodity, and one that continues to be in increasingly short supply. Between junior's soccer game, dry cleaning, work, groceries, meetings, dance lessons, haircuts, homework…our list of things to do each day gets longer and longer.
"Contemporary Americans complain of unprecedented levels of busyness in everyday life. They worry about frenetic schedules," reports the major U.S./Canadian organization Take Back Your Time. "Americans are putting in longer hours on the job now than we did in the 1950s and average a little over two weeks vacation per year, while Europeans average five to six weeks." It seems impossible to fit in everything we need to do. - It's Easy To Turn Your Garage Into A Showroom
Is your garage dingy, cluttered and in need of a face-lift? Transforming it into a showroom for your car-or the perfect home workshop-isn't difficult. All it takes is a few hours, a little elbow grease and some advice from the experts at Rust-Oleum. Here's how:
• Get rid of the clutter. Remove outdoor furniture, sports equipment, lawn mowers and garage clutter. Bag the trash, donate too-small bikes and other items you no longer need, and decide what will go back in the garage after your work is done. If you're like most homeowners, you'll gain a lot of space just by clearing the clutter. - In Home Furnishings, Palm Springs Eternal
More than retro, today's designers have hung their hats on home stylings that celebrate 1950s Palm Springs and Las Vegas-with many even giving a nod to the Rat Pack themselves.
Picture light, airy and breathtaking views from every window and entire rooms bathed in sunlight. Indoor spaces are becoming more calm and less cluttered, while low-profile furnishings have sleek, straight lines and comfortable curves. - Home Office Spaces Need Special Treatment
As more and more individuals conduct some form of work from home, the borders between home and office are becoming increasingly blurred.
The Wall Street Journal found that nearly 10 million full-time employees work from home at least one day a month. And according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the main reasons Americans work from home are because they have work to catch up on (46.4 percent) or because that is the nature of their job (32.5 percent). - Home Mini-makeovers
If you're eager to spiff up your home without making a huge dent in your wallet, you may be glad to know it can be easier than you think. Rather than planning a major renovation, consider a mini-makeover.
A mini-makeover involves making simple improvements around the house to refresh your home and lift your spirits. From rearranging furniture for a new perspective to brightening the kitchen with a splash of color, little changes can make life more comfortable-and comforting-at home. - Glass Opens Up Small Bathroom Spaces
Creativity makes a big difference when coping with small spaces. Whether in urban areas where space is at a premium or in older homes where the emphasis is purely on the functional use of space, people want to improve appearance and style without knocking down walls. Have no fear: What you lack in square footage can be made up in ingenuity.
If home renovation is on your to-do list, a bathroom remodel is one of the smartest investments you can make. According to the 2006 Cost vs. Value report from Remodeling magazine, the average return on investment for a mid-range bathroom remodel is nearly 85 percent, second only to kitchens when it comes to room remodels. One way to enhance a cramped bathroom is to open the space visually by creating an "invisible wall" with a clear glass shower enclosure. Removing visual barriers, such as opaque shower enclosures and bulky shower curtains, can open the space dramatically and add depth. Clear glass enclosures will also showcase rich materials such as granite, marble and travertine selected for the shower surround. - Giving Your Child's Room The Vibrant Feel Of A Speedway
If you're trying to get up to "speed" with decorative ideas for your child's room, a collection of beloved characters can help kick plans into high gear.
Racing out of Radiator Springs and into youngsters' hearts are the animated vehicles who populated the hit Disney*Pixar film "Cars." And now these colorful creations can be part of a kid-friendly décor, from the fiery red of rookie racer Lightning McQueen to the deep blue of Doc Hudson to the bright purple of the mechanic Ramone. - Give Your Child's Room The Ultimate Makeover
Kids' likes and dislikes change as they grow. Favorite colors, toys, hobbies, sports and what they want in their rooms can change from year to year. The traditional "out-with-the-old" spring cleaning-getting rid of unwanted clothes, shoes and toys-takes place in the early months each year. Redecorating and helping kids create a special place of their own can take place year-round.
A room redecoration project can be a fun family activity, providing parents and children with quality time and lasting memories. To make the most of all room décor projects, skilled carpenter and homebuilder Paige Hemmis, from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," offers tips to help parents successfully redecorate on every size and budget: - Fresh Ideas For Fall Flowers
If you're looking for a way to spruce up your home with fresh fall flowers, try thinking outside of the vase and using this rule of thumb: If it can hold water, it can hold flowers.
That means you don't have to run out and buy vases or other items to hold your flowers. Instead, just take a look around the house or yard for inspiration. You can hold flowers in favorite collectables (think china animals, sugar bowls, etc.), pitchers or even in hollowed- out fruit. In fact, any watertight container will do. Here's a short list to get your creative ideas going and to help you add flowers to every room of your home: - Free Your Closet: Remove The Doors And Reveal Your Organized Self
"It's easy to hide a mess behind closed doors," says best-selling author and personal organization expert Meryl Starr, owner of the New York-based Let's Get Organized. That's why Starr radically recommends removing your closet doors. In her recently released second book, "The Personal Organizing Workbook" (Chronicle Books, January 2007), Starr takes home decluttering even deeper by helping readers organize their personal lives.
"There are solutions out there for a simpler, easier life," Starr shares. "Organization is a positive habit anyone can have and it helps reclaim your busy life one room, one task, one problem at a time. With an affordable, efficient organization system, your closet can become a beautiful and functional part of the bedroom. And when it's all together and out in the open, you're more likely to keep it organized." - Free Magazine Helps Turn Your House Into A Home
According to design experts, our homes are a unique reflection of who we are. Yet homeowners essentially want the same thing, a warm and welcoming place to spend time with family and friends.
Decorating styles change, but one constant remains: The simple beauty of wood never goes unnoticed. The rich patina of mahogany doors redone to their original grandeur, the warm glow of a refinished pine floor, and the flea market find restored to its original beauty are examples of projects that can be completed with a little expert guidance. - For You: A Room With All The Trimmings
Just as a necktie establishes the style of a man's suit, trimwork often makes the most definitive statement about the style of a home. Simply put, very often the trim in a room speaks volumes.
Very often those trimmings are constructed from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) because architects are finding this material has the inherent ability to outperform lumber in every important aspect. MDF, as its name implies, is made from wood and agricultural fibers. This means it has a much denser makeup and smoother surface. - Floor Shopping Is Looking Up
If you've taken the step to look for flooring, you have lots of company. At any given time, more than 10 million consumers are in the market for floor covering.
Now things are looking up for floor-covering shoppers. A Web site has been launched that lets shoppers explore all the flooring products (from hardwood to stone to carpet) in all their favorite colors, and to visualize these products in rooms throughout their homes. - Floating Floors Cut Steps Installation Tips From A Pro
Floating floors--what a concept! Sounds like something out of "Peter Pan." Actually, the floors are designed to stay solidly in place though they are neither glued nor nailed down--hence the ethereal name installers give them.
Some new glueless floors that look like stone, granite, ceramic tile, marble or hardwood are so warm and soft underfoot you may feel like you're floating. Made of resilient flooring with fiberglass backing, the new floors by Domco are called FiberFloor. - Find Your Painting Inspiration Online
Need a little inspiration for your next home décor project? Come to the destination for inspiring decorating ideas and creative projects for every room in your home.
At PaintIdeas.com you'll find hundreds of easy painting projects -picture frames, candlesticks, doorknobs, bookcases, mailboxes, planters and more! Visit the Idea Gallery to learn how an easy crackle technique can transform a flea-market find into a stunning vintage chic accent-or how to create frosted glass mirrors in just minutes. Give your home a quick makeover with simple accent pieces like brightly colored shelves or trays. Or create chalkboards in unexpected places-like tabletops. The possibilities are endless. - Fashioning A 'fifth Wall' That Will Floor You-and Your Guests
Once dominated by oak, flooring décors in America have seen a recent, dramatic shift in sales that indicates consumers are opening their minds-and their homes-to nontraditional flooring choices.
"It's a very exciting time for our industry," says Don Cybalski, senior creative director for Pergo, the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of laminate flooring. "Consumers are getting it. Rather than thinking of the floor in a purely functional way, they are viewing it as a sort of 'fifth wall' and incorporating it into their overall design schemes." - Entertain Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Where's the hottest hangout in town? For many, it's their own living room.
According to a recent survey, more than three out of four Americans (aged 21 to 39) prefer to spend an evening with friends at someone's home rather than at a bar or club. When it's your house that's become the destination for the evening, a little planning can make preparing for the party more relaxing. - Earth Hues Set The Tone In Home Décor
Increasingly, decorators and makers of home furnishings are turning to color themes inspired by hues found in the earth. Not your mother's earth tones, so prevalent in the 1970s, they're now clean, pure and lush, making them a truly modern statement rather than retro-inspired.
For example, a fresh take on shades of cool brown are complemented with highlights of warm caramel, mocha, light golden blonde and even tints of burnt orange in the predominant color statements from furniture manufacturer Natuzzi. - Doors Designed With Plenty Of Advantages
New uses of construction materials and techniques are opening the door to new design possibilities, especially when it comes to doors.
Architects can now design any door panel configuration or layout that homeowners want by using MDF, or medium-density fiberboard, because of the material's virtually limitless possibilities. - Decorating Partners For Kids And Pets
"All members of a family are meant to use and enjoy a home," says Laura Brenner of I Can Arrange That. Asks the Glenside, Pa.-based interior decorator, "What better way for kids-and pets-to learn how to act in and have respect for a nicely decorated house than to grow up in one?"
"When my kids were young," adds Catherine Swanson of Belle Maison (which, in French, means "beautiful home"), "I displayed a collection of 18th and 19th century pillboxes. It's a question of teaching kids how to behave-and of selecting sturdy, good-quality furniture and area rugs," says the Maplewood, N.J. designer, who admits, "I usually recommend bigger, more practical accessories like decorative pillows or a blanket on a sofa." - Curb Appeal-conscious Homeowners
Americans are spending more than $200 billion on home remodeling projects each year, according to the National Association of Home Builders. This figure continues to climb as homeowners invest more in home improvements that increase curb appeal and boost real estate value.
Among the top priorities on homeowners' to-do lists is upgrading exterior cladding. In fact, siding replacement is an affordable project that comes with a high return. More popular than wood or aluminum, vinyl is the material of choice for re-siding projects, and many say for good reason. Vinyl is tough to beat for sheer endurance. It requires far less maintenance than more traditional materials and is now available in an unmatched variety of styles and colors. It can complement any style of house including Ranch, Victorian, Arts and Crafts or any other while maintaining the home's architectural integrity. - Cooking Up A Colorful Kitchen Re-do
As floor plans are becoming more open and the kitchen is more integrated into the main living areas of the home, it becomes increasingly important to carry good design practices into the kitchen. This includes decisions on appliances, cabinetry, accessories, backsplash color, among other things.
The kitchen is seeing renewed attention as an area to make improvements-particularly among do-it-yourselfers. According to a recent survey from Lowe's, more than 70 percent of women homeowners surveyed say they feel prepared to be solely responsible for their home-including maintenance, repairs and improvements. Nearly all of these female homeowners say they prefer to take on these projects without professional help, a significant increase over what they said just three years ago. According to the survey findings, the kitchen is the most popular room to upgrade. - Connecting To Your Inner Designer Through Paint
Regardless of what interior-design reality shows might have you believe, you don't need a five-person design team to change the look and feel of your room. Simple changes, such as adding paint, can take a room from ordinary to extraordinary in just a few hours.
Painting your home is an opportunity to create a mood and express what inspires you. Adding or changing color can warm up the living room, create a relaxing oasis in the bathroom, or make the bedroom a dreamy retreat. The options are almost limitless when it comes to paint-Olympic Paints alone offers a palette of more than 1,200 interior colors. - Ceramic Tiles Evolve Into An Art Form All Their Own
Ceramic tiles are taking a big step forward and moving out of the kitchen and bathroom into other rooms of the home. Much of the reason for this is the popularity of the traditional classic Spanish design, which is now finding new energy and life throughout the U.S. This has led to some of the most interesting and creative design concepts the world has ever seen.
Equally as important as this innovation is, however, the tile industry has come to realize the importance of educating consumers in regards to the benefits of using ceramic tile. Casa Decor, for example, an international producer of interior design exhibitions, realizes the significance of this and has made both ceramic innovation and education its goals with every showhouse it produces. - An Armoire To Showcase All That Glitters
If you're looking for the perfect gift, consider a jewelry armoire. It is the gift designed to store her most cherished belongings.
In 1985, the Powell Company began designing jewelry armoires. Since then, the company's practical and beautifully crafted pieces of furniture have become a much-appreciated gift for Mother's Day or any gift-giving occasion. - Americans Have A Soft Spot For Hardwood Floors
If you've taken a shine to hardwood floors, here's some good news. Whether your taste is rustic, traditional or contemporary, today's wood flooring offers a wide variety of styles and surface textures to meet your needs. Coupled with a spectrum of stains, gloss levels, widths, surface textures and edge details, there's a myriad of options to complement any interior.
1. Species: Species influences appearance. Traditional oak has variations in grain and shade, while maple's grain is cleaner and more understated. There are many exotic species available that have a distinctive combination of origin, color and surface characteristics. - A Kit Created To Silence Squeaky Floors
There's good news for those who are tired of having to just "squeak by" when it comes to having a quieter home.
A new tool kit makes it possible to silence squeaky floorboards-even if an area is carpeted. - A Get-inspired Guide For Style Divas
Have you ever started a styling project and somewhere along the way looked at it and wondered why it wasn't working?
Lifestyle expert Susie Coelho answers this question, along with many others, as she helps readers build their style confidence with her newly released "Secrets of a Style Diva: A Get-Inspired Guide to Your Creative Side." Packed with secrets, diva drills and a one-of-a-kind Style Diva Quiz, this guidebook helps readers unleash their inner Style Diva.
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