This is a balcony detail that I really like. Most balcony rail heights are only 36inches high because of the minimum height code requirement. Consequently most installers cut the newels down to accommodate the rail height. This little drawing depicts a way to keep your newels long by adding goose neck fittings to the handrail. The newels are then kept long and tall. Makes for a nice show don’t you think?
balcony detail
In the nineties, the kitchen became the social center of the home and earned the title of “new living room.” More space was added, paint colors got brighter, the lighting got cozier, bar stools and Barista tables appeared and chopping block islands proliferated. Now this same renaissance is underway for bathroom design. In fact, the new designs for bathrooms have them looking more like spas than mere toilet-rooms. Whirlpool tubs, double sinks and powder rooms are becoming the norm, as the bathroom transcends into “the new living room.”
While on a vacation, one of the most impressive features is usually the bathroom design. Women love that there is a separate vanity area with lighting, mirrors and a sink, where they can put on their makeup, brush their teeth, do their hair and spread out their supplies a little. Additional drawer space reduces clutter, which the men can appreciate. Rather than a shower stall, there is a separate whirlpool-spa tub and an enlarged shower area with space for drying off, which eliminates the need for shower curtains. New designs include heated floors and towel racks, natural halogen lighting and soft paint colors, in addition to multiple sprayers, all of which add luxury hotel caliber ambiance to one’s bathroom.
Looking at dramatic new designs for your bathroom can be exciting, but they should also be practical, experts say. Rather than simply looking at shower fixtures in your bathroom design search, take this opportunity to correct any defects. If you suffer low pressure from small pipes, mixed up hot/cold valves or high energy costs, then spend the money now to reap the benefits later. In the past, whirlpool tubs were everyone’s dream and they are still popular with customizations like lighting, aromatherapy and bath jets. However, Suzie Williford, National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) vice president, says the customized shower is gaining more attention these days. “People have time to use the shower every day, but they don’t really have time to take a bath every day,” Williford explains. Rain bars, steam showers, mosaic tiles, hand-held shower heads and dual-mounted shower heads are just a few of the many enhancements to make your shower more enjoyable.
Color is the starting point for many Americans looking at new designs for their bathrooms. “You need colors you like to make you feel good in any room, and the bathroom, even a small powder room, should not be neglected,” advises professional interior designer Cy Winship of Minneapolis. Since the bathroom is so small, you can get away with brighter color palettes. Choose colors that complement your towels and bath rugs. For instance, chocolate-brown goes well with vintage pastel tiles that so many older bathrooms have. While dark colors may look great, you need to make sure the lighting is bright enough to do your shaving or put on your makeup. Avoid lime green or sickly yellow, which will make you look like a horror show in the morning, Winship cautions.
When decorating a kitchen, it pulls the room together – visually – if there is a kitchen décor theme and accessories to go with it. Having a theme makes the kitchen feel “planned” and well thought out as opposed to just thrown together.
Colors – The Simplest Way
Some people choose their theme to be a color. The color can be any color that appeals to the eye, but common choices are red, blue, or green. Sometimes, the décor is more than one color, like “blue and white” or “black and white” for the unique look of the two colors in combination. When a color is a kitchen décor theme, accessories and décor are easy to do. Keep the same color(s) and use it in several places – paint, curtains, tablecloth, hand towels, and spoon rest, for example. Don’t try to use it everywhere, or it will be muddy and the effect diluted. It is much better to have the room be white and use the color as an accent than to try to use the color everywhere.
Style – Furniture, Too!
If you don’t mind including changing the furniture if necessary, your kitchen décor theme and accessories can be influenced by your furniture style. For example, antique furniture (or furniture with antique styling) lends a different feel to a kitchen than one where there is European styled furniture and stainless steel appliances. Be sure that the look you are going for is one you really like, as this style is hard and expensive to change!
Getting Fruity?
Some people like to decorate their kitchen with a fruit theme. Apples are common for this, as are grapes. The nice thing about apples (or grapes) are that they can incorporate many colors because of the fruit – green and red – and also go well with other colors, like brown. If your kitchen décor theme and accessories are fruit, look for a wallpaper strip (to use around the top edge of the kitchen) that includes your chosen fruit. Or art for the walls of the dining area with the fruit. Look for a vase or other container decorated with your fruit to hold long-handled utensils on the counter, or place mats that have the fruit on them. If you chose grapes, a popular extension is to incorporate wine into the theme, with other wine products visible in the kitchen.
Oh The Places You Go…
Another alternative is to have your kitchen décor theme and accessories revolve around a place. Maybe you went to Paris, France or Venice, Italy – why not decorate with that place in mind? Have artwork that reminds you of your trip, or hang items from your trip on the walls. If you haven’t yet gone, but dream of someday taking a trip there, that’s ok, too. Decorate in anticipation of the trip!
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So you’ve got the basics of your kitchen décor in place – there’s flooring and the walls are done (maybe paint, wallpaper, paneling or a chair rail). The lighting is how you want it. You’ve got furniture that fits with the style of kitchen you want to have, and you’ve even got curtains that look great! The colors of everything are just right. Your kitchen décor theme and accessories are important!
The décor is finished – now, what about the decorative accessories and products for your kitchen, to help it all look complete? There are many products that can give your kitchen the finished look you desire.
First, For The Table
What decorative accessories and products can your kitchen table use? First, how about a tablecloth? A tablecloth can be changed whenever you want to change the overall look of your room quickly and easily. They are usually not very expensive and wash well. Measure your table before you shop so you’ll know what size you need – they come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes!
On top of the table, maybe you’d like a flower arrangement. Fresh flowers are a terrific way to bring some of the outdoors inside – and many experts agree that helps elevate mood and increased our health overall.
Also good on the table are place mats. They make the table look ready for use at any time, and are great decorative accessories for your kitchen, a product that comes in as many styles as you can imagine. It should be easy to find place mats that look good with your décor.
And The Counters
On your counter, there’s room for your kitchen decorative accessories and products that enhance your room. It can be helpful to have some sort of holder for the long-handled and awkward utilities, like spatulas, tongs, whisk, and wooden spoons. These come in many designs.
Spice racks are also available for the kitchen counter. Though not in as many styles, it should be easy to find one that looks good in your kitchen and keeps your spices close at hand.
And The Walls
Don’t neglect your kitchen walls! Decorative accessories and products that some people like for their kitchen walls are special artwork that ties in with the theme of their kitchen (like Italian, wine, or fruit of some sort) or a display of their plate collection. Collector plates are a valuable addition to any kitchen, and displaying them can be much better than keeping them “safe” hidden away in a drawer.
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When it comes to getting kitchen decorating accessories, “the best” is a good goal. It’s nice to have things that are high quality – which usually means high price tag….Or is it?
Is these days of economic stress, it is important to take a look at the things we are spending our money on, and carefully consider alternatives to our instinctive behavior. As this applies to the best kitchen decorating accessories, we should think about the levels of investment, and determine which is right for us, at this point in our lives.
Choices….
There are many choices when it comes to where to buy kitchen decorative accessories and products. There are the high-end stores in the mall (like William-Sonoma), and there are free-standing specialty stores (like Bed, Bath, and Beyond). These tend to cater to the upper-end customers, those who have the money to spend without needing or wanting to look for bargains on basic things like kitchen decorating accessories. It’s best to look at these, but if you want a bargain there, watch for sales or be sure to take in a coupon to lower the cost on your purchase.
The bottom-end stores that carry kitchen decorating accessories, best or less-so, are the dollar stores. These often have all types of kitchen products – like measuring cups and spoons, vases, knives, and towels. Usually they are priced at 99 cents or a bit more – and you should be careful about the quality of the item, as they are sometimes familiar brands that have been discounted, but often they are made specifically for the dollar store from inferior or less-quality materials or designs.
What about a middle-ground for buying kitchen decorating accessories? The best would be to go to a lower-priced retailer and be able to buy quality products. Take a look at the “Better Homes & Gardens” line of products at Wal-Mart. It’s a good example of that niche.
When Does It Matter?
For many products, like measuring spoons or cups, and vases, the quality isn't that critical. You can tell from looking at a product before buying whether it is sturdy enough for the type of use it will be getting so that you get your money’s worth. For these types of kitchen decorating accessories, “the best” is simply a way to spend your money frivolously. For these products, usually buying less than the best will work fine.
But there are other products where buying a bit higher quality is more important. In this category are things like a vegetable peeler, a can opener, pizza slicer, a knife block with knives, and other specialty products. For these, often the extra cost of a higher quality is well worth the greater enjoyment in using them.
Whether you decide to buy the best in kitchen decorating accessories or products or not, choose wisely and you’ll be happier in the long run.
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When it comes to decorating your kitchen, there are so many fun things you can do! Think of it in terms of two parts – there is the décor – the parts of the kitchen decorating that costs more and is more permanent, and there are the décor accessories in your kitchen. The “décor accessories” of a kitchen are the more flexible, more fluid, more easily changed with the seasons, holidays, and your mood.
The Decor….
Before you can consider kitchen décor accessories, you need to have your décor finished, or at least well planned (to finish as your budget allows).
First, look at your flooring. Flooring in a kitchen is a costly expense, if you want to change it. Many people decide to work with the flooring they have, in order to cut expenses. The type of flooring you have will make a difference in the type of kitchen décor you choose.
Next, try to complete any wall treatments that you plan to do – paint, wallpaper, paneling, or perhaps a chair rail.
Lighting is also something to consider early on, whether futuristic or retro, it should tie in well with the other décor you’ve already completed.
What about your furniture? Having wooden, sturdy, “Early American” syle of furniture is vastly different from something sleek and shiny and European. Furniture is not a simple, cheap expense, so be sure you are getting furniture you will want to live with for a while.
Finally, your curtains or blinds can be considered a part of the décor, though some think of them as accessories. They can be costly to replace, and shouldn't need to be changed with the seasons, though some like to do so.
The Accessories….
Once the décor is established, think about accessories to complement your kitchen décor. There are so many things that you can buy or make that can be changed seasonally or as you desire, giving your kitchen a little change her and there.
Many of the best kitchen decorating accessories are the ones that would go on your counter top. They can be chosen as a set, designed to go together, or you can find them and add them as you come across them. These types of kitchen décor accessories are containers to hold baking ingredients like flour, sugar, and salt, a spice rack, a cookie jar, and a container to hold wooden spoons. You can also get a spoon rest to match the coloring in your kitchen.
As for your table, the place where people spend much of their time, think about getting a nice tablecloth and place settings. These can be easily changed with the seasons, yet still tie in with the basic décor of the kitchen. Accessories like a vase for the table are also a terrific idea.
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Wine theme kitchen decor can transform the look of your home if you are prepared to put a little work into your project and plan everything carefully before you begin. In fact this kind of theme can lend your kitchen an air of elegance and rustic charm if you don’t overdo it. If this kind of theme interests you then do not overlook wine bottle kitchen decor because it offers an inexpensive and practical way of making your home look fantastic.
Racks And Holders
Just looking at a bottle of wine is sufficient to make one think of style and sophistication. Therefore wine bottle kitchen decor can look great. It is especially stylish when the bottles are stored on some high end wrought iron wine racks. Fortunately there is a lot of choice when it comes to wrought iron wine racks because they come in a wide range of different designs. There are also some very innovative looking individual bottle holders that can provide a unique touch to any kitchen. If you also invest in a good quality wine bucket and some fine crystal glasses then your kitchen will look fantastic and you will be able to crack open a bottle whenever you have guests or if you simply feel like relaxing. Therefore wine bottle kitchen decor has two distinct purposes.
Lights And Decorations
Wine bottle kitchen decor is about more than wrought iron racks, posh ice buckets and crystal glasses. Wine bottles can also be used in various craft projects because they come in a variety of different shapes, colors and sizes. You can put candles in the opening of a wine bottle to create rustic looking lights for your kitchen benches. You can also use paints and fabrics to decorate wine bottles so that they match the color scheme in your kitchen. The only limitation when it comes to wine bottle kitchen decor is the boundary of your own imagination.
Avoid Excesses
If you are interested in wine bottle kitchen decor it is important to keep things simple if you want your home to look rustic and charming rather than gaudy and overly complex. Try not to include too many wine related accent pieces or accessories. A wrought iron wine rack and some bottle candle holders can make any kitchen look better. However if your drapes, table cloth, place mats, apron and ceramics all have a wine bottle pattern or design your kitchen will look somewhat ridiculous and your guests will surely wonder what goes on in your head. Therefore it is important to avoid excesses when it comes to wine bottle kitchen decor, especially if you are hoping to achieve an elegant and sophisticated look.
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Wine theme kitchen decor can add a touch of the rustic Mediterranean to your home. It can make your kitchen look stylish and upscale, especially if you do it in a way that works well. If you are going to remodel then you may wish to consider wine theme kitchen decor if it is something that would be in keeping with your character and personal taste.
It is easy to find kitchen decor accessories and accent pieces that have a vineyard theme. You can purchase such items at the stores in your municipality or via the internet. However, making the wine theme kitchen decor work well is a little trickier. As with every other room that is decorated with a particular theme you can easily make things look excessively garish if you don’t put some thought into what you are doing.
Start With The Basics
If you choose wine theme kitchen decor it is best to start with the basics before you buy any accent pieces or accessories that are reminiscent of vineyards. Begin by choosing materials and paint colors. Natural rustic materials such as stone, marble and granite tend to compliment wine theme kitchen decor. You should also choose paint colors that are in keeping with your vineyard theme. For instance, warm yellow, oatmeal, terra cotta, leaf green and a light reddish-purple that is similar to the color of grapes could work very well in such a kitchen. Once you have chosen your materials and colors you will then be in a position to choose matching wine theme kitchen decor accent pieces and accessories.
Keep It Simple
When you are searching for wine theme kitchen decor accessories try not to go over the top. If you insist on making sure that every picture, bowl, plate, table cloth, dish towel and window dressing has a vineyard theme then the overall effect will be course and excessive. It is better to limit the number of wine theme kitchen decor items. The idea here is to suggest rather than insist. Stick a wine rack or two, some decorative bottles, a few ceramics, a candle holder and a couple of prints that have a vineyard theme.
If you don’t want your kitchen to look too complicated you had best avoid tablecloths, drapes, place mats and wall clocks with a wine theme, especially if they clash with the rest of the decor. By keeping it simple your kitchen will look classy and chic. If you have made it work well your guests will be reminded of elegant country homes in the heart of rural Italy rather than the latest discounts on offer at their local liquor store.
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There are few things more inviting than a room filled with wine kitchen décor, and this theme is an easy one to add to your own home. One of the first elements to include to a wine country theme is grape vine kitchen décor that will provide a color and style scheme for the entire room. There are plenty of options when decorating in this style, from wrought iron accents that offer aesthetic beauty and practical storage to a rambling vine that circles the entire room. You can create your own vine in your grape vine kitchen décor with a bit of paint and a grape vine stencil.
How to Stencil
Adding a stencil to a wall border is one of the easiest and least expensive decorating tricks around. Most homeowners find that the easiest way to stencil a wall is by using a paint designed just for this purpose, and a stencil that can be purchased at any home improvement or craft store. To apply the paint, some people prefer to use a soft sponge, while others swear by the round stencil brushes. You can try both to see which offers the effect you are looking for.
To begin your grape vine kitchen décor project, make sure your walls are clean and dry. Tape the stencil securely to the wall in the area that you want to begin your border. Put a bit of the stencil paint onto your brush or sponge and dab off the excess. The key with a successful stenciling project is to never use too much paint all at once. If your stencil comes out too light, you can always go over it again. However, if you start out too dark or intense, it will be much harder to correct the effect.
If you are using a brush, go over the open area on the stencil with round motions to work the paint into the wall. If you are working with a sponge, simply tap the sponge onto the wall until you have the right amount of color. Work one area completely before moving onto the next. It is important to make sure that your stencil is secure each time before you begin painting to avoid smudging. You can do this with masking or painter’s tape, or you can use a spray adhesive designed for this purpose. It will take some time and patience, but it will be worth the effort when your grape vine kitchen décor project is complete.
Once your stencil project is finished, you can correct any smudges or marks by painting over them with a bit of the wall paint. Your stencil will remain on your wall for a very long time; probably until you are ready to paint over it and switch to a new them in your kitchen. This stencil project will be an easy, inexpensive way to add some grape vine kitchen décor to your kitchen. Happy painting!
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If you hear somebody mention wine kitchen decor perhaps it makes you think of the kind of kitsch accent pieces and accessories an eccentric elderly aunt would choose. If you get it wrong wine kitchen decor can easily look outlandish and way over the top. We have all seen those kitchens that are chock full of cockerels or fat chefs and wondered if the owner of that particular home was entirely sane. However, if you know what you are doing wine kitchen decor can actually look very tasteful and attractive.
What To Avoid
How can you avoid getting wine kitchen decor terribly wrong? The secret is not to go over the top. Wine kitchen decor does not mean that every accessory, apron, plate and table cloth must have a bunch of grapes or a wine bottle on it. Four or five grape or wine bottle kitchen decor items will suffice. It is also important to make sure that everything in your kitchen matches. Resist the urge to purchase wine bottle drapes and a grape table cloth, especially if the patterns and colors clash. Remember that less is always more when it comes to themes and each item must match with everything else.
Make It Elegant
You can make your kitchen remind people of vineyards in a way that is subtle and elegant rather than excessive. A painting of a vineyard or a tasteful wall tapestry combined with a full wrought iron wine rack and some pottery with a grape motif is enough. You may also wish to add a grape motif candle holder, wine bottle holder or wine bottle shaped salt and pepper cellars. Always remember that wine kitchen decor does not mean that every last thing in the room should make you think of vineyards and chardonnay.
Wine kitchen decor matches very well with natural materials such as stone, marble and granite. It also looks good with Mediterranean paint colors such as rich green, rustic yellow and terra cotta. Your wine kitchen decor should not make a recovering alcoholic want to reach for a bottle. Instead it should make your guests think of rustic homes that are surrounded by vineyards in southern France or Italy.
Getting Ideas
If you are interested in wine kitchen decor you may wish to consider perusing the web or reading home improvement magazines to get some ideas. This will help you to choose colors, accessories and materials that match without taking things to extremes. You can also purchase wine themed accessories and accent pieces online. Alternatively you could visit department stores in your local area to see what is available.
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