Posts Tagged ‘Design’

PostHeaderIcon Design Concepts For New Bathrooms

Remodeling your bathroom doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank or taking out a second mortgage on your home, but what it does mean is a well thought out  master plan, some drawings and a calculator. Think in terms of an artist starting out with a blank canvas, he or she has their own unique design concepts for what they perceive as art. Creating your dream bathroom takes on a similar approach in that we must first decide on look we are trying to achieve.

With several design platforms to choose from starting with the century old Victorian bathroom that were characterized by claw-footed roll top baths, sculpted pedestal basins, free standing showers enclosures and sometimes a matching bidet.

Today’s modern bathrooms are depicted by the ever changing styles from year-to-year.

Recent modern designs include sleek, straight and geometric lines with white remaining the prevalent choice in bathroom furnishings sporting ultra mod bath and basin mixer taps in polished chrome.

Depending on the size of bathroom, keep in mind that less is best in the way of accessorizing.   Over powering the look of the bathrooms with numerous accessories tends to make a small room appear even smaller unless you are utilizing bathroom mirrors which lends way to a more open space. On the other hand when working with a large area, modern bathroom accessories are a welcomed addition to give the bathroom a finished look.

Traditional bathrooms tend to focus more on architectural details bringing nature inside.   With the inspired look of wood such as oak, maple, and beech shelves and cabinets, wood finishes enhance the mood by giving the bathroom a warm earthy tone, similar to a country or rustic looking bathroom.

Once you have selected the style of bathroom, think about how you will be using the space.   When it comes to function and space planning, calculate the dimension of the bathroom this will also help you to decide on the type of bathroom furniture pieces you can place within a designated area. Assess your bathroom storage needs, will you need a bathroom cabinet, shelving or vanity. For smaller bathrooms a minimalist style means honing in on crucial space and utilizing it in order create a clutter free bathroom ensuring the bathroom furniture has strong clean lines and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Look at several bathrooms designs, with several hundred bathroom design ideas available on the internet choosing a style that fits your style, space and budget can be simple and a pleasurable task  The key element that has to be taken into account is budget, keeping in mind if you are not a do-it- yourself (DIY) person, then it is best to leave the job up to a professionals even though this will cut into your bathroom budget, you are guaranteed the job will be done right.   For the DIY’s, making mistakes can be equally costly not to mention frustrating if your plans were not carefully thought out especially when it comes to the plumbing and electrical supply within your bathroom space. According to renovating and contracting firms when homeowners decide to remodel their bathrooms themselves they see a bathroom suite they want, purchase it, and get it home only to run into complications.   People forget when transitioning from a standard bath to a whirlpool bath there are several critical factors that must be considered like plumbing, hot water heaters, and floor supports.  Bathroom floors are built to bear the weight of a standard bathtub not whirlpool spa baths. Today’s custom homes will accommodate most luxury tubs, but floor joists may require reinforcement in older homes if the tub is oversized especially whirlpool baths.   Whirlpool baths have the water capacity of up to 80 gallons, if the proper hot water tank is not installed it will result in tepid bathwater taking away the enjoyment and purpose of  a whirlpool bath.

By creating a blue print to your bathroom remodeling project, you will not only save time, but save money on unexpected amendments in order to compensate your bathroom requirements.

Written by Shelley Murphy on behalf of http://www. victoriaplumb. com an online retailer of bathroom furniture, steam showers, whirlpool spa baths and bath related products serving the United Kingdom.

PostHeaderIcon Bedroom Interior Decorating Design Tips

As well all know the bedroom should be one of the most relaxing areas in our homes and those whose bedrooms feel disordered may find it difficult to sleep. In fact when redesigning your bedroom it should be a place of peace and relaxation and the ideas provided below for your bedroom interior decorating design should help you to achieve this.

In fact the biggest problem you have may when looking at bedroom interior decorating ideas is not that you can not find any ideas but narrowing down to the ones you want from a list you would like to use.

Today there are bedroom decorating ideas everywhere you can find inspiration in a magazine, on TV, through a display in a store or catalogs or from the internet. What you must do is decide what you really want in your bedroom. For most people they want some where that they can relax and will want to use relaxing colours in this room.

So if you are looking for a relaxed feeling to your room then avoid bright reds and yellows instead go for either a deep maroon or pale yellow instead. The whole idea is to make the room relaxing to your eye and not energizing or bright.

Another bedroom interior decorating idea you may want to consider is to use wall paper rather than paint. There are many different patterns to choose from but it is important that you look for one that is soothing and easy on the eyes and not bright or noisy. There are many unique wallpaper designs now available its all a case of spending time and looking around to see what you like.

Another great way of getting good bedroom interior decorating ideas is to watch one of the many home improvement shows that are now on television. The options that they come up with are endless and it just leaves you to decide which ones you think would suit your design the best.

But if you are not sure what to do or can not decide on the best design then why not ask an interior designer to give you come bedroom interior decorating ideas. Unfortunately they will charge you a consulting fee but it may be well worth it in the end. All you do is give them an idea of what you want and they will design something thing that you will fit the space you have as well as the look that you are after.

PostHeaderIcon Changing your Bathroom Design

There’s quite widespread idea that bathrooms are a space which should be nothing but just functional and that no effort whatsoever should be put into decorating the bathroom or making it a little more pleasant to the eye. Did you know that a person spends an average of three years of their life in the bathroom? At least that’s what statistics say. So, if we haven’t considered changing your bathroom design, do it now. Turning your bathroom into a relaxing place where you can take care of yourself doesn’t necessarily involve spending a fortune. Your bathroom design can be changed with the minimum of expenses if you modify some essential elements. Of course, you can always steal some ideas from bathrooms you have seen and admired, such as those of expensive hotels and restaurants. Or maybe it was the design of a friend’s bathroom that caught your eye.

Your bathroom design doesn’t have to be original as long as it provides the most important condition, that is it makes you relaxed and comfortable in your own bathroom. The bathroom doesn’t have to come down to just the toilet, sink and shower or bathtub. But if you can’t afford things like electric floor heating or a system which heats your mirror so that it stays clear although there’s steam in the bathroom or a shower with multiple water jets, there are still some improvements you can make to your bathroom design. Since the bathroom is actually a room, consider adding a piece of furniture to it, some cabinets maybe. Another useful trick would be to mix colors. Who says bathrooms have to be all navy blue or light blue or black and white? Painting your bathroom is not exactly what you had in mind? Nor is changing the tiles? That’s alright. All you have to do is buy some towels in bright colors or a toothbrush holder that’s a little different from the ordinary. Your bathroom design still doesn’t rise up to your expectations? Try bringing some plants into these rooms. You think it’s a little unusual to have fresh flowers in your bathroom? Give it a try and you won’t believe the difference.

If you’re mind is set on remodeling your bathroom, there are several aspects to consider. You have to think of the amount of money that you are willing to spend, the space at your disposal and the bathroom design. Although your sink or toilet may still be very functional, just think that these bathroom fittings have experienced a great change and in the past years and that switching to new ones may really improve the quality of your bathroom design. After all, isn’t true that bathrooms are supposed to reflect lifestyle, as well as all the other rooms in your house.

After a hard day’s work, is there anything more soothing and relaxing than to sink into a hot bubble bath and have a glass of wine? If you can’t relax in warm bubble bath while listening to your favorite music and enjoying a glass of good wine – and we’re not talking about Jacuzzis or a whirlpool bath, but maybe just a standard size bath or a corner bath – because you don’t have the necessary space, the least you can do is provide yourself with the tool that will fulfill your basic day-to-day needs: the shower.

When using the bathroom shower you can’t soak for a long time, but you can freshen up more quickly, using a smaller quantity of water than you would use in a bath. Bathroom showers are also the best answer for people who find it hard to get in or out of the bathtub. Almost every modern house has a shower and there can be several types of bathroom showers. It can be attached to a tub or built into a wall or even a stand-alone bathroom shower. If you choose to install a shower in your bathroom or simply change the old one, there’s a wide variety of products to choose from, according to your needs. For instance, if your bathroom is not big enough to have both a shower and a bathtub and for reasons of space management you decide to stick to the shower alone, then what you might find useful is the corner shower.

Bathroom showers come in different types such as the electric shower, which heats the water as it is being used, or power showers, which have a pump that pushes up water and combines the hot and cold water in order to reach the temperature you need.

If space is not a problem and you want to give your bathroom a new and appealing look, try installing bathroom vanities. The term “bathroom vanities” refers to the furniture, faucets, sink, rails and mirror, altogether. When looking for bathroom vanities, you can choose from a wide variety of colors, materials or style. But you must make sure that they are reliable and of good quality. Just as all the other bathroom fittings, bathroom vanities may differ as far as the style is concerned. They range from old Victorian style vanities, in wood, to modern vanities with frosted glass, stainless steel and chrome.

Bathroom vanities give a touch of refinement and luxury to your bathroom and they can help you turn your bathroom into beautiful surroundings.

For more resources about Bathroom Showers and Vanities or about Bathroom Design please visit http://www. nouveaubathrooms. com

PostHeaderIcon Interior Design and Interior Decorating – Some Definitions

Interior Decoration and Interior Design, although related disciplines, are different in terms of their application. Interior Decoration is the process of decorating a house with regards to finishes (for example wallpaper and paint, choice of furnishings and fixtures as well as adding finishing touches and decorations such as paintings and objets d’art. All of this provide a certain “feel” to a house but essentially the underlying structure of the house is not changed.

Interior decoration is normally professionally done by Interior Decorators although recently there is a movement for people towards learning about Interior Decorating through various courses or books and then apply the techniques themselves – usually on a shoestring budget. The whole objective of Interior Decoration is to make a house aesthetically pleasing and at the same time, unique, since it should reflect the owner’s specific personality and tastes.

Interior design on the other hand is more integrated with the architecture of a building and a professional Interior Designer will work closely with architects and builders to make choices regarding the integral design of the whole house or building. This includes looking at choices with regards to room layout, choice of cabinets and tiles and a whole host of other design factors. While previously the Interior Design budget for new developments was minimal, it is recognized these days that incorporating Interior Design into the project means the difference between a mediocre development and one that contributes to the branding and life-style image of the project. The money spent on Interior Design is therefore seen as a worthwhile investment in the whole property development process.

Homeowners are spending more and more to improve their homes. Since it is relatively easy to change the whole look of a house by changing the finishings, furnishings and fixtures a large portion of this money goes into Interior Decorating. The growing popularity in do-it-yourself Interior Decorating has meant that a whole industry around Interior Decorating books, TV Shows and courses have also sprung up, and it has become a popular hobby for married couples. Innovative Interior Decoration ideas, which cost less but at the same time giving the impression of style and class, are in vogue.

Young entrepreneurs have also seen the gap and there is a growing demand for information and courses on how to break into the Interior Design and Interior Decorating Industry. This has also given the home interior decoration industry a boost.

Although the trend recently is for people to tackle the exciting task of transforming a house themselves, it has to be recognized that this falls more in the area of Interior Decorating. Interior Design still requires study of the context of Interior Design, the theory of good design, knowledge of the technical advances in the engineering industry for both residential as well as commercial buildings and knowledge of the latest trends and advances in the Interior Design industry.

In short, an Interior Design project in which all the elements of design are pulled together is still the ambit of the professional designer who should be able to deliver on projects that extend beyond the boundaries of a hobby pastime.