Lighten Up! Interior Design and Home Decorating Lighting Tips

“Tips to help you select the perfect light for your room.”
Part II

Before you choose a light, you may want to know some basic terminology used in selecting and measuring light. Four terms or units of measurement of light are footcandles, candelas, lumens, and footlamberts.

FOOTCANDLES:
Footcandles (fc) is the amount of light hitting a surface. Specifically, one footcandle equals the illumination produced by the source of one candle falling on one square foot of surface at a distance of one foot from the source of light.

The amount of light (or fc) that a space should have depends on the task to be performed in the illuminated area and the age of the person using the space (as we age we typically need more light to perform certain tasks). For example a dining area may only require around 10-20 footcandles, while in the home office you may want 100 footcandles or more.

CANDELAS/ CANDLEPOWER:
Candlepower describes how intense light output will be in a certain direction or at a specific point. Candlepower distribution curves are available from most lamp manufacturers and can help you determine how to ensure that the appropriate level of brightness is delivered in you room.

LUMENS:
Lamps are typically rated by manufacturers in terms of lumens, or the amount of light output from that lamp. Lumens are also used to measure efficacy (the amount of lumens produced per watt of electricity consumed). One of the reasons many people switch from incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs is because the fluorescent bulbs have a higher efficacy (they produce more light).

FOOTLAMBERTS:
Much of the lighting in a space is actually contributed by light reflected from a surface. Footlamberts (fL) measure the amount of light reflected from a surface. If you want to get really technical, (fL= fc x % reflectance). For example, if 100fc reach a wall or table that is painted with a 40% reflective surface, then 40fL will reflect from that surface.

Regardless of what type of home you reside in, whether it be a condo in the city, an apartment on the edge of town or you simply just want to decorate the smaller rooms inside of your home; interior design can be a challenge in this type of environment because of the limited space and options. However, you can still maintain a sense of style without requiring a large area of space, because essentially it is only one room that you are decorating; right? If you keep things simple and organized, home decor selection for small rooms can be easy!

If you take the right design approach, you can simplify the decorating process and make it so that the room seems larger than it really is, once the process is all said and done. Focusing on organization and storage will help you create an atmosphere that is not only functional and elemental, but also very structured or random depending on which way you wanted to take it. In some cases, randomness in room construction can make for an interesting design process.

Take into consideration the following when preparing your plan for the room:

A small room must have plenty of lighting because this really helps to visually open up space. If it is possible, consider a built-in lighting structure such as track or recessed elements. If this is not a possibility or is overbudget, use small accent lamps to light up the corners.

Coordinate your palette and the room will come together by itself. Keep in mind the above mentioned techniques and just have fun with it!

5 Hot Interior Design Ideas For Decorating Small Rooms

Regardless of what type of home you reside in, whether it be a condo in the city, an apartment on the edge of town or you simply just want to decorate the smaller rooms inside of your home; interior design can be a challenge in this type of environment because of the limited space and options. However, you can still maintain a sense of style without requiring a large area of space, because essentially it is only one room that you are decorating; right? If you keep things simple and organized, home decor selection for small rooms can be easy!

If you take the right design approach, you can simplify the decorating process and make it so that the room seems larger than it really is, once the process is all said and done. Focusing on organization and storage will help you create an atmosphere that is not only functional and elemental, but also very structured or random depending on which way you wanted to take it. In some cases, randomness in room construction can make for an interested design process.

Take into consideration the following steps when preparing your plan for the room:

1. Focus on the desired functionality of the room. Use this as the foundation for which you will build upon with furniture, artwork, accessories, etc.

2. Choose furniture and decorative items by size and position, to ensure that the room is not cluttered and remains organized.

3. Find furnishings that serve multiple purposes, which will help improve your storage capacity (such as end tables with drawers, sleeper sofas, etc.) and increase the functionality of the room as a whole.

4. Place accent pieces in areas that highlight your room’s color theme, such as corners and around windows. Avoid placing items directly in front of the wall, but rather accent the outside portion of the room, making it seem bigger.

5. A small room must have plenty of lighting because this really helps to visually open up space. If it is possible, consider a built-in lighting structure such as track or recessed elements. If this is not a possibility or is overbudget, use small accent lamps to light up the corners.

Coordinate your palette and the room will come together by itself. Keep in mind the above mentioned techniques and just have fun with it!

Mary Elizabeth Beal is not just the founder of Trend Funnel, she is also an experienced Interior Design Consultant. Mary graduated with a bachelors degree in Interior Design from the FIDER accredited School of Architecture at the University of Florida. She has 8 years of design, decorating, and visual merchandising experience in both residential and commercial retail design.

So go ahead… ask her a question! Or, if you see advice offered below and feel you can do better- go right ahead! We are certain that the person who asked will appreciate your advice as well. After all… design, like art, is in the eye of the beholder!

Use the revolutionary 3-Step Trend Funnel® Method to shop for unique home decor items, furniture, artwork, accessories and more all from one complete source!

Our team of experienced PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR DESIGN and HOME DECORATION SPECIALISTS search high and low to offer you decor that fits your desired theme.

Home Decorating Idea – Use a Touch of Red to Add Beauty to your Home

Why use “a touch of red” in your home decorating idea? Red is the warmest of all colors and symbolizes vitality, energy, action and confidence. It makes a bold statement and is, incidentally, the color most chosen by extroverts. This article gives practical tips on using “a touch of red” in your home interior as well as suggestions for using “a touch of red” in various decorating styles.

In feng shui decorating, red is associated with power, love, inspiration and pleasure. Accent colors, such as red, which are more dramatic, are used in moderation, such as a single piece of art work or furniture. The reason is: the more intense the color, the less of it is needed for it to be effective. Thus, use lighter colors for larger areas with accents in more vibrant, dramatic colors. What an interesting home decorating idea!

A recent home decorating idea in our home became a reality by using “the touch of red” concept. Window coverings were installed on a series of three windows in the dining area. The coverings consisted of four vertical drapery panels made out of wool tapestry-looking fabric. The background of the fabric is medium tan with subtle red, green and blue flowers. The panels are outlined in a navy/small beige polka-dot fabric. A 6-inch cornice board covered with the same navy fabric completes the look. This window treatment may sound quite “busy” but is very pleasing to the eye.

To complete the home decorating idea of a “touch of red” look in the dining area and because the wool fabric is somewhat bulky, red tassel tie backs were added to the panels. In addition to the tassel tie backs, red was incorporated in the large picture on the dining room wall, in the table centerpiece and in a red chair cover. Another decorating project completed!

How can you use red décor and red accents in your home decorating ideas? Here are a few suggestions:

*Rustic Decorating Style – Red, green and black plaid work very well as accents.

*Modern Decorating Style – Basic and cool colors with a splash of bright red.

*Oriental Decorating Style – Think of using those luscious silk prints.

*Shabby Chic Decorating Style – Use red as an accent to contrast with the white shabby chic.

*Art Deco Decorating Style – Red is a vibrant and energetic color for this style.

*French Country Decorating Style – Use red to build on the rooster collections of this style.

*Cottage Decorating Style – Red is a great accent in cotton fabrics for cottage decorating.

*Mediterranean Decorating Style – Make use of red accessorized with blue and gold.

By being creative and using your imagination, you will have fun decorating with “a touch of red.” Make your home the envy of the neighborhood!

For ideas on keeping your home organized, download a free copy of the ebook “The Essential Guide to Organizing Your Home”. This ebook has many practical, easy-to-use tips to make home organization a reality. Click here for your free download.

10 Home Decorating Ideas To Quickly Update Any Room

Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you’re looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

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

3. Bring In Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don’t have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

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

6. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows- The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

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

Diyhomeimprovementideas: Get Kitchen Decorating Tips and Home Decorating Ideas

Decoration is something which lightens up the surrounding. It is something which pleases the eyes of everyone and gives a beautiful look. When it comes to home decoration, different people have different views. Many say it is just show off, many say that it is waste of money and several other things. But decorating the interior of your house or your kitchen is necessary as it reflects the standard. It also helps in living a quality life. You can decorate your kitchen or your house by taking help of some professionals. However, there are several companies also which can provide you the facility of the home decorating ideas or even kitchen decorating tips.

 

For getting home or kitchen decorating tips you can choose any of these companies. But you should choose it wisely as interior decoration is not an easy task. If you are really finding a good company which can provide home interior ideas or kitchen decorating tips, then you should visit diyhomeimprovementideas. This is among the best companies you can opt for getting the interior of your house decorated. This company has a team of professional and talented employees which provide you with the best designs and color schemes so that you can get the best interior design.

 

There are various other benefits which you can get, here are some of them:

 

1)      Perfect designs: you can get several designs which can suit your home or your kitchen in the best way. They provide you with an ultimate blend of colors that can match your walls in the best way. They have a team of professionals who work very hard to provide you with the best and unique designs. You can easily use them as kitchen decorating tips or home interior ideas and can decorate your house in the perfect manner. This will not only benefit your standard but will also help in giving your house a perfect look.

 

2)      Low rates: the other benefit which you will get is that you can get the best and unique decorative designs as low rates. They provide you quality designs at a rate much lower than several other companies. You can easily get kitchen decorating tips and home decorating ideas by visiting diyhomeimprovementideas. You can easily decorate your kitchen and also your rooms in a unique way without getting much stress on your budget. This will also give a rich look to your house and in addition will enhance your standard.

 

3)      Different tips and ideas: the representatives of the company provide you with kitchen decorating tips and home decorating ideas which helps you in decorating your house in a planned manner. They provide you with such fantastic ideas, that by applying on them you can make your house a beautiful sight seen spot. They also provide you with their service and in just a matter of time you will find that your house is being completely transformed. By following the tips and ideas given by them you can completely renovate your house into a new one. You will find yourself in a completely new house. You will feel like heaven by seeing the decoration done all around you. You will not even believe that all this decoration is been done in such a reasonable price.

Love Interior Decorating? Then Why Not Get An Interior Design Job?

If you love interior decorating then an interior design job may be just what you are looking for. Often there is no better feeling than waking up into a home which looks professionally designed and which actually looks like a home. Interior designers get a great deal of comfort knowing that their creativity has helped another individual or family to enjoy their lives that little bit more! Also, it would give you the chance to have a well decorated home yourself. All it really needs is a little imagination!

How to Get Into the Interior Design Field

If you have been wondering how you could get into the interior design field then your first step should really be to research the education options within your area. Now, whilst you may have imagination and you may have the talent, nobody is going to hire you without any qualifications. It would be too much of a risk and not many people are too trusting these days. You need to be able to show what you can do and in order to do that you need to first get a qualification in interior design.

Once you have completed a college or university course, you can then focus on building up a portfolio. This is important if you want to show what you can do. Maybe if nobody will give you a chance, you could practice on friends and family? Usually friends and family are more than happy for you to redecorate one of their rooms and if they are happy with the result they may even let you loose on the whole house! In order to create a good portfolio you should take a picture of the room before you made it over and then take a picture afterwards. That way it gives people an idea of what you can do and it proves you know exactly what you are doing.

Working For A Company or Going it alone

When you first get into the interior design field, you will often find that you end up working for a company first. Whilst you may go into training and education imagining being alone and working for yourself, often it is just not that easy and you will need to work for a company before you can branch out. Working for a company will teach you new things and once you have enough experience you can then branch out on your own.

Remember that it will take some money to set the business up and also remember that all important profile too! It can take a while to build up a profile but you can do it if you really want to.

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.

Become a Bargain Hunter and Stretch Your Interior Decorating Budget to the Max

When you step into your front door, does it feel like you’ve blasted back to the 1970s? It is probably time to modernize your interior decor. A remake of your home’s interior can become expensive. If you’re struggling with stretching your dollar, then becoming a bargain hunter is your next step. You will need a bit of patience and will need to spend a bit of time in the process, but there are some excellent deals out there that will help you give your home interior a makeover at an affordable price.

When you are hunting for bargains, be sure that you buy items that have some value instead of frivolous purchases that you will regret later. For instance, you might come across a great piece of antique furniture that you think will look elegant once you’ve reupholstered it, only to find several years later that it is still sitting in your garage and on your husband’s “honey do” list.

Favorite interior design haunts for bargain hunters include second hand furniture stores and discount stores. If you spend a bit of time at these stores, you might discover some fantastic discounts on furniture, linens, accessories, and the like. You can even find bargains on household electronics such as wide screen televisions and stereo systems. If you are buying discounted household electronics, make sure that they are in usable condition. Ask the store owner to let you plug the appliance in and test it out. If not, the reason the item is so cheap might be because it does not work. The last thing any of us wants is junk and clutter in our homes, so buy your bargains with care.

Another favorite destination of seasoned bargain hunters are yard sales, flea markets, auctions, and estate (probate) sales that are usually run by private individuals instead of commercial businesses. Sometimes these sales offer nothing but obsolete junk, but with persistence, you can find some real gems. Estate (or probate) sales sometimes have the best offerings, particularly if it is a well-to-do person who passed away and the heirs are eager to sell things off. You can find nice artwork, furniture, linens and more at these types of sales.

New items can also be found at discount sales … and some of them are a source of affordable interior decor items at their regular retail cost. For instance, if you want to update your furniture today and want the ability to change it without having to spend a small fortune in the near future, futons are an excellent deal. Not only are they space savers because they can be used as either couches or chairs by day and beds at night, but there are hundreds of cover styles available at affordable prices. For example, if you create a floral design with your futon today, you can easily change it into a solid color with colorful throw pillows tomorrow, next month or next year. This offers a lot of versatility when it comes to interior decor.

One aspect of interior design work that bargain hunters may forget to consider is the cost of labor. Labor can include services such as painting, knocking out walls, installing light fixtures, carpet cleaning, and the like. Except for furniture and flooring, the cost of labor may be the highest factor in your home decor plans. Bargain hunting for labor is a bit different from bargain hunting for actual physical items. You might think you can save some money by hiring your best friend’s cousin who will work for $7 an hour, an illegal immigrant or some other person offering to do the work at a fraction of the cost, but unskilled workers may end up costing you more money in the long run because of mistakes or poor quality in workmanship. Not only can they help you in avoiding costly mistakes, but the more experienced or skilled worker may end up costing you less in labor than the “bargain workers.” This is because they have enough experience to finish the job at a faster pace then the unskilled worker, so you are paying for less hours of work.

If you are ready to jump on your interior decor upgrades, set a limit on how much you will spend. Sticking with your budget is a form of self-discipline that should be exercised throughout the interior design process.

Cheap Home Furnishing And Decorating Ideas

Not so long ago, home interior design was considered to be an industry of prestige. For those who could afford their services, interior designers could help them create a stunning and beautiful living space. But times have been changing, and that is also true of the home interior design field.

Today there is a demand for cost-cutting designs for the average consumer. Emphasis is placed on designing on a budget instead and cheap interior design is in style and receiving wide acceptance. Of course, there are still the designers out there who cater to the more expensive market and their price tag shows it. But for the needs of most everyday people, such high-end interior design work is just not necessary. So here are a few tips and ideas on how to make a great home interior design using cheap home furnishings and decorating ideas.

Perhaps the most important piece of advice in successful cheap interior design is to be able to make the right decisions at the right time. That means that in most rooms there will be some more expensive items where you just don’t want to cut many corners. And in the same room there other smaller items and accessories where you can save a lot of money instead. The key is to know where you need to spend a little more money, and where you can get by just as well with cheaper decorating ideas.

The first question on most people’s mind is where do I buy the bargain items for decoration? Actually this is pretty easy to answer. Your hunt can often begin successfully at any kind of local bargain type store. Many times there are local stores that have what are known as “bargain bins” where you can buy slightly damaged or used items at just a fraction of the cost you would pay for them when new. A word of caution here is that it is very easy to get carried away in these bargain bins and actually spend more money than you should. So just be sure to justify each purchase that you make and spend your money only where it counts. And keep in mind that there are usually several bargain stores that you can frequent to get good deals. So there is no need to spend all of your budget at the first store you stop at. The more you shop, and the longer you shop, the better deals you will find!

It can be a big help in bargain hunting to be a creative thinker, because you’ll often encounter obstacles where you just can’t seem to find the object that you are looking for. In this situation, if you think creatively, you can often come up with a very good alternative instead. So keep your mind open to different possibilities and different ways of using the items that you find. Sometimes the best home decoration ideas are those that just sort of happened rather than are planned out in detail in advance.

Some other places for finding cheap interior design ideas are yard sales, estate sales, and flea markets. Look over all the items here very carefully, and make sure that they are indeed bargains before you buy them. Sometimes larger items in these places sell for more than they should simply because of their size, where smaller items seem to be overlooked instead. So be thorough and thrifty, and only buy an item if you really think you can use it.

Actually, cheap interior design ideas are pretty easy to find these days, if you just know where to look and what you need to be looking for. The most important ingredient to getting great deals on cheaper decorating items is time though. Patience pays off in many ways, but especially in searching for cheap interior design items and ideas.

Decorating Interior Design-How To Do It Right

So you want some decorating interior design tips to improve your home? Today, many people want to redesign their houses in order to match their personalities and lifestyles.

Unfortunately, how many people never take action to achieve the decorating interior designing want, simply because they believe it’s too expensive. Actually, when you do it the right way, redesigning your home’s interior can be very affordable, not to mention rewarding.

Think about it: you spend so much time in your house, doesn’t it make sense to have a home design you want? And yet, so many people simply survive the interior their homes, because they believe it would cost much to change it. You spend so much time inside your house, if you like your home interior design, it can really do wonders for your mood.

Here’s an important step in finding the design materials you will need at a discounted price. First of all, checking outlets around you that may be selling materials for wholesale prices. Simply, when you start out in a retail store, you will be paying as high a price you can possibly pay for materials that you could really get much cheaper otherwise, and probably for just as good quality. Also, check any discount stores around you.

Next up, check the Internet. The Internet literally has millions of results for virtually any topic you are considering getting more information on. In fact, you can literally check out hundreds of different decorating interior design sites in a very short time.

This will help you to find out exactly what kind materials you will need, and how expensive they will be. Not to mention the fact that on the Internet, you can generally find much better bargains online than you ever will be able to find off-line.

Another common question people ask when doing interior design is that whether or not they should do it themselves. Of course, this answer will be different for everybody. Quite simply, you need to ask yourself whether you know enough about the material you’ll be changing in order to do yourself.

For instance, if you know a lot about your kitchen interior design, but you are forced to redesign your bedroom, you might consider hiring a decorating interior design professional, as they will know much more about the topic than you. You can often times end up paying much more money by trying to do it yourself and making many mistakes, as opposed to simply by hiring somebody in the first place who knows what they’re doing and will do right the first time over. Hopefully, these decorating interior design tips will help you a great deal in deciding whether to tackle that next home design project.

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