LED Lighting Made Easy

I get lots of questions from my interior design clients about LED lighting after they have been looking at fixtures and lamps for their homes. I thought that many other people are also confused and curious about what LED lighting is and why they may want to choose it. So here is a primer that will make you think like a pro next time you are shopping at the lighting store or on-line.

Color Rendering
The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a measure of light source's ability to reproduce color compared to natural light. Incandescent bulbs score high, with a CRI rating of 100. Mass-market LED bulbs often fall around 80 CRI. More energy-efficient compact fluorescents are also around 80 CRI, but one reason they stalled at 25 percent market share is that people don't like the twisted look of the bulb or the lighting quality.

Brightness or Light Output
This number, which refers to the amount of light produced, is measured in lumens. It's not the same as watts, which is the amount of power needed to light a bulb, but many consumers seek comparison. A 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 840 lumens, while a 100-watt produces 1600 lumens.

Color Temperature
This is the degree of warmness or coolness of a light source measured in kelvins. Warm light is found in the lower temperature range and is similar to the yellow glow of an incandescent bulb. It's preferred for living spaces because it casts a better light on skin tones. Cool light at higher temperatures provide higher contrasts for people performing visual tasks.  It is often found in offices and can appear bluish.

French Touch To Your Interior

Paris is the City of Lights---romantic, classic, grace and timeless. You can spot Parisian style in books, magazines and films. You may not be able to live in Paris surrounded by French architecture, but you can bring the chic touch of Paris into your home.  These are a few ideas I have found in France:
   
Gold and gilded touches accent furniture, accessories and architectural details. Brass finishes on doorknobs, hinges and drawer pulls add extra glimmer. Any kind of accessory with gold accents will blend right into your décor.

For color, beautiful hues range from jewel tones to pale oyster, ivory and white. Black is always part of a French interior. Street cafes and homes all have plenty of black color in iron railings, chairs, tables or planter boxes on terraces. For the more daring, go for deep rich navy, burgundy or black shiny lacquer which gives the feel of a lavish Paris salon.

Rich silk brocades and velvet are all classic fabrics in French style. These are best on deeply-carved wood furniture in walnut tones. Uniquely French fabrics are toiles with French scenes.

Try using fabrics to enclose rooms or outline the entry into a room. Tie large and small tassels t doorknobs, keys to a writing desk or the pull of a dresser drawer.

The most quintessential French décor accessory is the chandelier. Classic chandeliers, lush with crystals, recall the glitter of the Champs-Elysees.

Certain styles of furniture add French flavor to a room. The bombe chest or commode is standard. These large dresser type pieces are often used in foyers, halls and living rooms. Woven cane-backed chairs are also a Paris classic.

A chiming mantel clock is also found in many Parisian homes. Search flea markets or swap shops for these.

For more tips on French style, check home design centers that stock plenty of accessories that all speak Parisian style.

Romantic Bedroom Decorating

   It is always the season to spice up your bedroom with romantic and cozy decorating.

If you are looking for extraordinary bedding, see Chicago's unique bedding source Eastern Accents (www.easternaccents.com). They fabricate and represent esteemed bedding collections and exclusive lines of curtain panels and accessories. The company started many years ago in a Chicago loft by a young couple. Today they are currently located in a far larger space and have held onto their principles of good service and unparalleled quality. Designed and created in Chicago featuring premium fabrics and handpicked trimmings with a focus on skilled craftsmanship.

You may be changing your entire bedroom décor or just want to add pop with a new color. You may still love your bedding color and pattern but ant to update your room a bit. Think of using your current pillow shams and select a new solid quilted comforter to coordinate. Then use the comforter that matches your pillow shams as a throw folded at the end of the bed on top of the comforter, for a new look. And don't forget that throw pillows are a great room décor accent.

Staging Tips To Sell Your Home

Want to be the seller who goes to market instead of the one who stays home? The difference might be a few of the things you do before you put up that For Sale sign.

It's a buyer's market. Your home has competition, and that means you have to do some work to get it ready to sell. So while your home looks great compared to the neighbor's foreclosure, it might not quite compare to that home a block away. You don't have to spend a ton of time or money. A few simple tricks can get you market ready in time for the start of the spring selling season, especially if you start now.

Make it shine. Step one to getting your home market ready is to break out the cleaning supplies. Give your home a really good cleaning. The problem is that a lot of sellers might not have the same perception of deep cleaning that a buyer would. For that reason it may be worth spending a couple hundred dollars to have professionals come in and clean. Two places where clean can be critical for buyers are kitchens and bathrooms. Having those rooms clean and sparkling can make a huge difference in the perception of whether a home is kept up or not. Windows and baseboards are crucial. If you're not replacing carpets, have those cleaned. The potential outlay for cleaning service and carpet cleaning is likely around $300. to $500. total. And it has a much greater impact than most sellers think.

Add square footage - free. Ditch junk and clutter to make your home look more attractive and spacious. A couple of pro tips follow. Laundry room: Make it neat and orderly. Your goal is to make it look like the room is plenty big enough for the job. Pantry: It's for food only. Using the pantry for general storage screams there is not enough cupboard space. Garage: If it's a two-car garage, make room for two cars. For a lot of men, if the garage looks small because of clutter there's an issue. While you're de-cluttering, you're also depersonalizing. You really need the buyer to be able to picture your home as their home. A picture of your kids on the nightstand is not a big deal, but you don't want the family portrait gallery lining the hallway.

Color it neutral. With paint, stick to neutrals. Personalized colors on the walls can be more of a negative than a positive when you put your home on the market. The mistake is the color selection. Opt for neutrals, which have broader appeal. If carpeting is old and stained, replace it.

Keep plans practical. Keep any planned changes to the house reasonable and in character with the home and neighbors. Don't lie to yourself. If the  home has areas that show wear, get that work done before offering the home for sale. Seek a second opinion from  your agent or potential agent. A real estate professional can advise you on what repairs or upgrades will give you the most bang for your budget. The price of your home is going to determine what things you should do. For example, spending $10,000. putting in hickory cabinets and granite countertops in the kitchen of a home that lists in the $100,000. range is not necessary. In that price range, you wouldn't get any more money for the home because of that improvement.

See with "buyer's eyes".  View your home from the buyer's perspective. Approach your home just like a buyer is going to do. Let yourself in the front door. How does your home compare to others in your condo building or on your street? Is it inviting? Does it make you want to see more? Walk through the home with the eyes of a buyer. If  you are buying another home, think about what you want to see in your new home. Pay special attention to the entryway and you want it to be open as much as possible. Look at the furnishings, you have to err on the side of less-is-more. When in doubt get it out. You want it to be open and bright with neutral paint.

Top Easy Valentine's For Your Home

The stores are filled with retail displays of red and pink color items getting ready for Valentine's Day.   It's the day we celebrate love and it's easy to bring these holiday colors that signify the heart into your home.  what is more fun than to surround you and your loved ones with visual reminders of love for more than a day?

These ideas are a start for you to get your creative spirit in the Valentine mood. One axiom of many professional interior designers is to add a touch of red to every room in a home for pizzazz!

 - Drape a ledge or mantle with red garland.
 - Place Valentine candy in various size glass candy jars on a cocktail table.
 - Use red placements and table runner on your dining table.
 - Hang red ornaments from a chandelier.
 - Place red throw pillows on your bed.
 - Frame images of love in matching frames to create a gallery in a powder room.
 - Take out your artificial Christmas tree and decorate it with Valentine hearts.

Decorating with Botanicals Brightly Begins 2019

Contemporary artists, both emerging and established, are reinterpreting the age-old discipline of botanical art. Botanicals started as a way to catalog the natural world in the 15th century. Now, it is an intriguing trend in the contemporary art world.

Today's artists are rendering plants and flowers in surprising new ways, often drawing on classic botanical artwork to express distinctly modern views. The current work in paintings, drawings, prints and mixed media, not only brings the beauty of nature indoors but also provides some clever commentary on art history and the environment.

Historically, in the 1600s botanical artists led with sounds like a romantic existence. Some served as members of expeditions to exotic locations, while others devoted their lives to documenting all the bulbs, plants and flowers in gardens of rich patrons. Publishers issued these engravings and etchings serially in loose-leaf folios, usually as part of an encyclopedic or scientific project. Wealthy people could subscribe to a series, and some had whole collections hand-colored and bound into books. Botanical art continued to enjoy popularity through the Victorian era, when drawing from nature diverted ladies of the leisure classes.

While illustrations still beat out photography in scientific journals, textbooks and seed catalogs (because of their greater details) it's the contemporary artists who are giving new life to the genre. Though they borrow from tradition, they don't consider themselves exclusively botanical artists and they exhibit at mainstream galleries. Some might depict scientifically accurate plants but group them purely on the basis of aesthetics. Others dispose with precise representation, creating abstract or conceptual works.

There has been renewed interest in both antique and new botanical art. Works are featured in many galleries, art and craft shows. What is significant for interior decorating is that both the old illustrations and new interpretations come in a vast variety of price ranges. Many interesting pieces for an interior décor are still affordable. And better  yet, many art studios are offering classes in botanical illustration, for you to DIY.

DIY Tips for Interior Decorating

If you enjoy all things about interior design (as I do), then you know what it feels like when you walk into a well-designed room. You can sense how everything feels put together just right. There are principles that professional interior designers use to create those fabulous rooms. And I've got some of their secrets for you.

When you know the basic interior design principles, you can transform any room to look like a pro did it. With knowledge, practice and experimentation you're on your way to creating a beautiful home.

BALANCE
In design, balance creates a feeling of equilibrium. It's all about approximating the visual weight of objects. Balance is created not just through shape, but through color pattern and texture. There are three kinds of balance.
1. Symmetrical or formal. Traditional spaces call for symmetrical balance where the space is evenly split into two sides that mirror each other. For example, two chairs on either side of a coffee table or a mirror above a fireplace with wall sconces on either side of the mirror. This kind of balance is easy to achieve as design elements are repeated on each side. However, if you are not careful, this kind of balance can become boring.
2. Asymmetrical or informal. The visual weight of lines, colors, forms and textures are balanced without exact duplication. It is not as ordered as symmetrical balance and can be more interesting and complex. For instance, a sofa can be balanced by placing two chairs on the other side.
3. Radial. This balance is achieved when there is a central focal point with other elements radiating from it or around it. An example is a round dining table, with chairs arranged around it.

RHYTHM
As in music, rhythm in design is all about creating patterns of repetition and contrast to create visual interest.
You can achieve this by using the same color or shape at different intervals. Its purpose is to move your eye around the room. For instance, you can establish a rhythm by using a color in the pillows, picking it up in a painting and using it again in a rug. These repetitions will help carry your eye around the room.

 HARMONY
Harmony is created when all the elements act together to create a unified message. Just as rhythm can create excitement, harmony creates a sense of restfulness. You can create harmony by using just one color, even though your forms very greatly in shape size and texture.

EMPHASIS
A room where everything gets equal importance will seem either scattered or boring. You need an anchor. Architectural spaces often have points of interest such as a fireplace or a window with a beautiful view. You can choose to enhance the built-in focal point by arranging furniture around it to emphasize it. In a room that lacks a built-in point of interest, you can create one through groups of furniture or using an unusual or large piece.

PROPORTION AND SCALE
Proportion is the ratio between the size of one part to another and scale is how the size of one object relates to another or to the space in which it is placed. For instance, a large overstuffed sectional in a small room will be out of scale. Some proportional relationships are more pleasing than others. The ancient Greeks came up with the Gold Section which sought to reduce all proportion to a simple formula. The ratio of the smaller section to the larger section should be the same as that of the larger section to the whole  This proportion is present in nature, and the artists and architects use it as well.

10 Tips for Creative Holiday Decorations

Does seeing all the holiday decorations in shops, restaurants and city streets create a desire in you to bring some holiday cheer into your home?  If so, here are some interesting ideas for you.

1. Wrap gifts in the section of newspaper that is of interest to the gift receiver.

2. If you don't have room for a Christmas tree but have a large floor plant, decorate that with lights and ornaments.

3. Instead of using ornaments to decorate a Christmas tree, use bows and streamers of ribbon.

4. Decorate your holiday tree in your favorite color of ornaments even if that is

5. Keep a holiday tree up for 12 months, making the spirit of Christmas all year long in your heart.

6. Create a tropical flair by decorating a faux palm tree for your home.

7.  String garland and wreaths going up the banister of a staircase.

8. Place gold, silver, and red or cobalt blue ornaments in a glass bowl for a table centerpiece.

9.  Hang holiday greeting cards with ribbon on the holiday tree.

10. Miseltoe is a must!

Right Size Furniture For You

 There is so much focus today on the interior design trend of downsizing. I like the term rightsizing because that's what you're doing---making changes in your living space to reflect your current lifestyle. With this has come the need to adjust the size of the furnishings in your living space.

You still want your furniture to feel comfortable, look luxurious and meet your room's needs. You may have smaller rooms, fewer rooms and your rooms may serve dual purposed---such as your living room also serves as a family room/den, the dining area doubles as an in-home office and the second bedroom has workout equipment.

One of the solutions is the size and scale of your furniture. Most retail furniture stores do not offer smaller scale furnishings that still has a sumptuous, big look. When you are furniture shopping, look for a store that has options for the size of furniture such as the depth of a sofa can be 38" or the width of a lounge chair can be 31".

There are many furniture manufacturers that know the trend for smaller furniture sizing and just ask if this is possible at the stores you find furniture you love.
 

10 Tips to Combine Hers and His Furnishings

Combining her furniture with his furniture when a couple moves in together can be as difficult as dividing their furniture in a divorce.

Do you recall the scene from the film "When Harry Met Sally" and the character Jess moved his wagon wheel coffee table in to Marie's elegantly furnished living room? He cherished that table and she hated it. Neither wanted to give in and neither wanted to break the relationship. In the film he eventually gave up the table after his friend Harry told Jess how awful the table looked.  You and your partner may not have the advantage of a Harry around to help you solve your furniture problems.

Most couples today are blending households. In each case, either partner may have a small or large problem living with the other's treasures. Here's a list of tips that can help to happily combine his and hers furnishings into theirs.

1.  If your tastes in furniture are different and you are planning to combine the furniture you each have, then decide that your new blended interior will be an eclectic décor.

2.  Remember that your mutual goal is to create an interior decorating scheme that looks like it was done purposefully.

3.  Hiring an interior designer can help. I advise that you select a designer that you both trust and who will have the ultimate goal of a great project, even if the number of items utilized in your home may not be an equal amount from each partner.

4. Remember that your partner has lived with their possessions for awhile and is attached to these items being around. If there are items you will not be using in the new décor, give your partner some time to either store them, recycle them for a new use or get rid of them.

5.  When there are items, maybe sentimental, that your partner wants to look at and you may not want these on display, you can try the following options. The items can be located in an area where the partner can view them but not on display for your guests. You may decide to limit the display of these items to a specific length of time. If there are items of yours that he/she does not care for, you can decide to interchange and rotate the display time for each partner's things.

6.  Regarding upholstered furniture pieces, if the size and style works but not the fabric, you can update the pieces. Select a fabric you both like and reupholster the sofa or chair.

7.  More than likely you will need some new furniture items to complete your home decorating. Decide at the beginning what style direction you will want to take your décor.

8. Be prepared. Most likely you have seen his/hers furniture many times prior to your moving in together. Before the actual move-in date, start to look around and think about what items are negotiable for you to give up, and what items of your partners you can accept or need to reject.

9.  Keep in mind that your initial attempt may be the most emotionally charged and difficult for both of you. As time goes by, and you both take an honest look at your room's décor, good taste will win out.

10. Have fun. It's a joy and exciting to combine your living space together.

Rightsizing Design Is In

The interior design trend for a growing population is to downsize their living space---to make their living space the right size for their current lifestyle. People of all ages and demographics find that a change in lifestyle to smaller living spaces is the answer to their present needs. Couples are finding themselves in large homes where they raised their family and now have too many bedrooms and recreation room spaces. Many people who retire find they would rather have a smaller living space to keep up so they will be free to travel more and visit family and friends. Suddenly, single men and women are moving to smaller space that feel cozy for one.

But the change to downsizing can be unsettling. Many people believe the process is too challenging and are hesitant to move ahead. If you want to be excited about your move from a large residence to a smaller home, condo or apartment you may need help. A professional interior designer can help you to alleviate your concerns and cross the barrier with new enthusiasm and confidence.

I work with many clients who are rightsizing for many reasons. Here are just a few of the services that a professional interior designer can provide to help you to do this.

 - review of present furnishings
 - analysis of your lifestyle and budget
 - study of the floor plan of your new space to determine fit of current furniture
 - proposal for design of new space
 - accompany you to retail or wholesale suppliers to select new furnishings
 - recommendations for estate sales, consignment sales, movers, remodelers

Fireplaces Warm Home and Heart

Fireplaces do much more than just heat your home.  A focal point for gatherings of family and friends, a fireplace draws guests within its circle.  Your fireplace takes center stage in your home by its design and location. It can express your style of living whether formal or casual

In the widening search for alternative to scarce and expensive fuels in home heating, a growing number of homeowners are discovering the advantages of heating with a fireplace. Fireplaces designer for efficiency and used correctly, can spread their warmth over your home. Technically, fireplaces heat in two different ways---radiation and convection. The type of heater you have determines its heating effectiveness. Radiation is the direct transmission of energy in the form of infrared rays, these rays heat objects they strike, although they don't contribute to heating the air space in between. Convection is the movement of heat through air or fluids. When the air is heated, it rises, setting up convection currents that circulate the air.

The latest introduction is the EcoSmart Fire Innovation  It is an environmentally friendly open fireplace. The EcoSmart Fire is flue less and does not require any installation or utility connection for fuel supply, which makes it ideal for just about any architectural environment such as high-rise buildings.  It is fueled by renewable modern energy, denatured ethanol, burns clean and is virtually maintenance free. I really like this system as it feature remarkable design flexibility and choice.

The Importance Of Lighting Your Interior

Lighting can be one of the most dramatic effects of an interior design.  The importance of this element of an interior has increased over the past few decades.

It was the practice years ago that you would design your room---selecting floor covering, furniture, wall treatment, window covering, and accessories including artwork.  Then at the end of the project, the lighting would be selected according to overall lighting and task lighting which is necessary for reading, working and cooking areas.

Today's lighting interest is a focal point of the interior design project plan and that has been a wonderful evolution to room design.  Lighting is exciting.  The same furniture and color interior design plan can be changed by the lighting approach. You can take the same room furnishings, and with one approach to lighting selections your room will feel warm and cozy; or another lighting specification can make the same room into a cool, stark and stunning atmosphere.

I recommend that when you are designing your room's furnishings and color palette, you also pay as much attention to the lighting plan from the beginning.  This will help you to create that memorable home interior you desire.

Right Size Design Help

Are you living in a home space that has become too large for your life style?
It's a common situation today. I have many clients that are down-sizing their living space---and I prefer to call it right-sizing their home.

A big challenge is to find somewhere for the furniture that you do not have the room for in your new, smaller home, condominium or apartment. Most people would like to sell these items to get some money to use for decorating the space they are moving to. If they cannot sell the items, then donating them is another option. Key is the cost to move the items from the home to the place to sell or donate. If you sell, you can either move the items to the consignment or auction house, and if you do not move it yourself, the cost of pickup will be taken off the amount the piece sells for. If you cannot sell the items and decide to donate, most charities will pick up the items at no charge.  The first step is to contact the consignment shop and send photos of the items to see if they can sell them, or if you are donating you also need to send photos of the items you want to donate to see if they will pick up the size of items you have.

Another option is to have an estate sale in your home or to have an auction house take the items and put on sale either for live auction or on-line auction.

A few suggestions for sources in the Chicago area are:
Leslie Hindman, Chicago, IL
Divine Consign, Riverside, IL
Village Treasure House, Northbrook, IL
Direct Auction House, Chicago, IL
Everything But The House, Chicago, IL

The Color Palette Of Your Life

I attended a seminar today presented by Lori Weitzner. 

Lori is a designer and author. Her new book is "Ode To Color: 10 Essential Palettes For Living and Design". Her theory is that we all have a color palette that makes us feel the best to look at.  She does have an 18 question quiz on her website that will help you to determine your color palette.

  It's important to our joy, good health, peace and emotional balance to be surrounded by the colors that make us feel best.  Our visual world is made up of color and we have the opportunity to decide what color to live with in our home interiors.

Take the color palette test.  You may find you knew your favorite color palette all along---or you may be surprised at the colors you should surround yourself with to feel best.

The Heart of Home

I have been thinking a lot about what is a home.

Simply, home is a place that makes us feel good.  When you awake in the morning, the first thing you see is your interior---and it is important that it makes you feel good as this is the start of your day.

Home is a place that gives us a feeling of sanctuary. When you get home at the end of the day, open your door, walk inside---your home is the place that makes you feel this is your safe space, your refuge.

Home is a healing space.  When you are in your home this is the place that you can feel loved, peace and joy.

5 Tips To Start Your Decorating Project

Top professional interior designers have a few tips to help you to start your home decorating, whether you DIY or are working with an interior design. Here are their top five.

1. Every room needs a focal point.
A focal point is what your eyes are drawn to when you enter a room. When a room has a focal point, everything falls into place around it, or at least it should. Sometimes rooms have competing focal points, such as a functional focal point like a TV and an aesthetic focal point like a fireplace, and this requires some extra creativity, such as the trend to place the TV above the fireplace. If your focal point is an eyesore (like a clunky old TV) transform it. Hide it behind sliding bamboo panels or in an armoire. If your room doesn't have a focal point, create one. For example, buy or create a beautiful headboard and make that the focus.

2. Embrace contrast and great rid of the furniture suite.
Today's style is all about contrast. Use different textures, materials and patterns. Use furniture from varying time periods. To keep it looking curated and eclectic, not chaotic, tie the room together with repetition of color, wood tones and furniture heights. Avoid buying matching suites of furniture. Your tastes will change over the years. With buying different furniture pieces,  your furnishings can grow with you. Your home will show how your style has evolved and not remained frozen.

3. Declutter, declutter, declutter.
You can beautify your home as much as you'd like, but if your house is full of clutter, the clutter is the story and not your impeccable taste. As we get older, we accumulate so much stuff. Don't hang on to what you don't need. Purge and edit to keep clutter to a minimum. Once you've done that, conceal what's ugly and make the most of what isn't. And don't forget visual clutter. Busy wallpaper can sometimes make a perfectly tidy room look messy and so can bright brick fireplaces. Consider taking down the wallpaper and painting a fireplace one solid, neutral tone. Painting fireplaces white makes a dramatic difference.

4. Don't forget lighting.
With so many things to consider in a room, it's easy to forget something so practical as lighting. But that would be a mistake. Lighting can really transform a room, especially when it's used at different levels. For instance: in kitchens use overhead lighting, such as track lighting pointed to highlight cabinets; use table- or counter-level lighting to create intimacy; use practical lighting under-cabinet to make sure you have enough light when you're cooking.

5. Great unexpected expectations.
The point is, sometimes what makes a room great is that it has a dash of the unexpected. That little something extra that makes the whole room POP.  Examples of that wow factor with a big budget could be an infinity tub in a bathroom or a floor-to-ceiling waterfall in a loft. A wow factor on a budget could be using an antique iron gate as a headboard or a vintage door as a dining table top.

Painting: Beyond Color What's The Finish?

You've spent a couple hours or days or weeks or even months selecting the just-right color paint for your interior. And the painter comes to look at the job and you feel so proud to be able to promptly give the name of the perfect hue you selected. But the painter's next question is---what's the finish you want? And like most everyone, now you are stumped again.

Well I can help in this situation. I have attended seminars at the Benjamin Moore Paint Co. showroom in The Mart/Chicago and we were given answers to this question.

This blog is not trendy and sexy but the information is timeless. So I suggest that you print a copy and save it for whenever you paint.

This list is categorized by interior room surface and finish.
Ceiling: flat
Decorative Wall: matte or eggshell
Wall with imperfections: matte or eggshell
Dining Room walls: matte or eggshell
Living Room walls: matte or eggshell
Master Bedroom walls: matte or eggshell
Office walls: matte or eggshell
Children's Room walls: eggshell or pearl
Bathroom walls: pearl
Kitchen walls: pearl
Family Room walls: eggshell or pearl
Stairway walls: eggshell or pearl
Entry Hall: eggshell or pearl
Door Frames/Doors: satin or semi-gloss
Moldings: satin or semi-gloss
Wood Handrails: satin or semi-gloss
Wood Baseboard: satin or semi-gloss
Furniture: satin or semi-gloss
Cabinet doors: satin or semi-gloss

How the finishes compare?
Flatter paint diffuses light more, touch-up easier, maintenance is more difficult, and imperfections are less obvious and less resistant.
Glossier paint reflects light more, touch-up is more difficult, maintenance is easier, imperfections are more obvious, and more durable.

Folding Screens As Decorating Solutions

Folding screens have always given a room style while concealing something unattractive or ugly. Screens do have a history in interiors.

Ancient Chinese screens were made of painted wood. In ancient Japan. screens were made of portable paper that was painted, lacquered or gilded. In the 16th century, Asian folding screens were brought to European traders and the idea spread across Europe.

The concept is more than decorative as screens can hide an unacceptable view or section off a room based on current functions. On a trip to Paris and London, I noticed that screens are offered in all the design shops as a beautiful option to section off the studio-sized apartments that are prevalent in European cities.

Design ideas are unlimited today with modern manufacturing techniques. You can make a screen using wood panels stained or lacquered to compliment the room's wall color. Or a screen using a wood or metal framework can then be filled in with panels of fabric or wallcovering. Mirrored screens not only hide the unsightly or partition a room, but the reflections expand the space visually.  Incorporating an antique folding screen into an interior adds beauty with precious artwork.

And if you no longer want to use the screen as a partition, you can hang it on a wall as a piece of art.  A folding screen may be the answer to that design problem that won't disappear.

10 Romantic Home Decorating Ideas

As Spring and Summer approaches, have you ever heard that our thoughts turn to romance? And why not bring romance into your home?

I have gathered decorating ideas from various sources. Although they are romantic, these ideas can become part of your rooms all year long. Ranging from as easy as changing a light fixture to creating an entirely new scheme, these tips will add a spark of romance to your home.

1. A chandelier, with the glow of light reflecting crystal and metal is always romantic.

2. A Venetian mirror above a cabinet or console exudes timeless and elegant romance.

3. Pink is always pretty especially with green and white it's not too feminine for your guy.

4. A romantic dining setting uses white accents on cove molding, a chair rail, seating, fabric and trims.

5. Soft lighting creates a romantic setting by simulating the effect of candlelight,. Always use dimmers.

6. A sensual room uses soft-shaped seating and lush fabrics you can sink into.

7. A loggia is always a perfect way to bring the outside into your home and make a romantic getaway space.

8. A feminine bedroom uses crisp white and draped sheer fabric.

9. A "trip to Paris" themed room setting uses an iron and wood chandelier, tile floor, toile fabric and wood furniture.

10. Romantic headboard in fabric, wood or metal always set the romantic atmosphere of your bedroom.