Archive for November, 2010

Make a Shower Curtain with Matching Towels from a Sheet

Monday, November 29th, 2010

There are times when you find the perfect shower curtain, only to be disappointed by the outrageous price. However, sheets come in so many beautiful colors and patterns these days that you can create a stunning, coordinated look for your bathroom with a sheet and matching pillow cases. Some easy sewing will turn them into a beautifully coordinated shower curtain and matching hand towels.

From Sheet to Shower Curtain

A flat sheet for a standard full size bed can be used to create a decorative shower curtain; a vinyl liner will be needed on the inside since the sheet is not waterproof. The sheet comes already hemmed on each side so there is not much required sewing to turn it into a stylish shower curtain.

You have several choices for attaching the sheet to the curtain rod. You can simply slip the curtain rod through the wide hem at the top of the sheet; snip the side stitches and slide the rod through the pocket. In this case, you will need a second inner rod to hold the shower liner. Alternately, you can install grommets to hang the sheet; grommets can be found at any hardware store, sewing store or home goods store. Lay the top edge of the sheet on a work table and fold it over, making a three-inch hem folded over toward the back side. Use an iron to steam press the fold; repeat with another three-inch hem, and iron again. This extra thickness in the material will help secure the grommets and keep the material from fraying. Cut slits in the sheet and install the grommets approximately two inches from the top edge; refer to package for directions on how to hammer the grommets in place.

The final choice is to create a three inch hem at the top of the sheet and sew it in place. Use a hole punch and slide shower hooks through the holes; a hole punch designed for use with leather or thick material will be the easiest to work with. With either grommets or punched holes, the holes should be spaced every six inches. You can use the holes in the vinyl liner as a template.

Make Matching Towels

Pillow cases that match the sheet can be used to create embellishments on plain towels and finish your coordinated bath ensemble. Choose plain towels in a color that coordinates nicely with the sheet set. Cut a strip of fabric from the pillow case, folding the unfinished edges under and sew the strip onto the bottom of the towel, one to two inches from the bottom edge. Or, instead of creating a straight embellishment, you can also use any pattern in the sheets as an embellishment. For example, it the sheets feature a graphic floral design, cut out the design and attach it to the towel by hand stitching it or using fusible fabric adhesive.

Enjoy your stylish new bathroom! You may be inspired now to underscore the new style with new accessories and wall decor: From cottage style wrought iron sculptures and candle holders to inspirational verses and metal wall crosses, online retailers offer a vast array of items to suit any taste and budget.

Simple Designer Looks with Paint

Sunday, November 28th, 2010

By using paint in smart ways, you can lend a contemporary look to your modern home.  Paint is a very versatile substance, and you will find that this medium is now available in an unbelievable variety of finishes and colors.  You can achieve fresh designer looks by combining your paint color, creative form, and lighting.  The tips that follow will help you to create simple but stunning designer looks with paint:

  • Bold colors are all the rage.  A popular trend right now in the interior design world is to use a bold color to increase the vibrant look of your room.  Colors such as orange, aqua blue, and lime green are very popular as both accent and main colors, providing a spicy backdrop for sleek, clean furniture, and working well with neutrals and browns.  Pairing a strongly hued color with a warmer or cooler counterpart is invariably attractive. For instance, cool blues or greens in a room where the main color is orange, or using warm lilac hues in a room that features lime green colors is a visually stunning undertaking.  Think about incorporating bright, strong colors into a room by painting an accent wall in your chosen shade.  Raspberry pink accent walls with the remainder of the room painted in a shade of smooth cream is beautiful and trendy.  An accent wall in a bold color also sets a perfect backdrop to show off your wall decor, whether you are featuring Tuscan style wrought iron grilles or contemporary wood wall plaques.
  • Glossy finishes on an accent wall with a matte finish on the remaining walls is also attractive.  Because each type of paint will produce a different type of visual effect, this painting technique can be quite interesting.  Or go for pearlescent paint or metallic paints for contemporary looks.  Consider the artificial and natural light within your room when choosing metallic paint finishes. For example, if your kitchen receives a lot of natural sunlight, then it will look fantastic with a shimmering pale yellow paint in a metallic blend.
  • Wall murals are making a big comeback in the modern home.  Artists and decorators create attractive painted murals that can bring a dramatic visual appeal to the room while coordinating with fabrics and furnishings.  If you don’t have the budget for a professional mural, get the same look by tracing a pattern from wallpaper or fabric onto a transparent sheet and then projecting the pattern onto the wall with a craft projector.  Use a pencil to trace the image onto the wall and then paint inside the lines.
  • The restfully spacious feel of a classically clean room painted in white will never go out of style.  Choose the right shade of white and combine it with proper lighting to make the room look inviting and warm rather than sterile and institutional.  Decorate an all-white room with subtle hues of pastel or brighter shades to set the ambience you’re looking for.
  • Another good idea for a designer look with paint is to go for black and white paint with an added color from a vibrant palette – like bright yellows or hot pinks.  A white wall with black furniture and brightly colored accents is super-chic and trendy.

Creating an Eclectically Designed Living Room

Saturday, November 27th, 2010

An eclectic design is a great way to decorate a living room: It creates an interesting and unique look and is great way to express your personality. Especially if you find that different styles appeal to you, an eclectic style design will let you mix in pieces that speak to your heart. However, when poorly done, you can end up with a mismatched jumble rather than a chic decor. Here are some tips for pulling off an eclectic look with success.

Use Color to Unify

You can unify different genres in a room with color; for instance, the same shade of poppy red that is featured in a modern painting can reappear in the upholstery on an antique side chair. The color echo brings a thread of continuity to the room and visually “connects the dots”, allowing your eye to move freely throughout the space without any sense of disruption.

Combine Genres in One Piece of Furniture

Representing both styles in one piece of furniture is a great way to introduce an eclectic design. You might add vintage crystal pulls to a contemporary dresser or upholster the seat of antique dining table chairs in a graphic modern fabric, for example.

You can also mix genres to create a focal wall. For instance, a grouping of mirrors from different eras can be hung collage style; in this case, the common denominator is “mirrors”, although they can be of different sizes, styles, ages and eras. Another way to pull this off is to display a group of statuary with a related theme in different styles.

Keep Things in Proportion

Make sure that you don’t have too many pieces in the same size and scale in the room. For example, a vintage loveseat might look wonderful in your living room but you don’t want it competing with other pieces of furniture in similar sizes.

Pick One Main Genre

Mixing too many styles will look chaotic. A better approach is to choose one main genre and mix in a secondary one. For example, your living room may be primarily contemporary accented with a few well chosen ethnic African pieces, such as wall masks or plaques over the couch. Balance this with a carved African style coffee table and a handful of African style accessories sprinkled throughout the room.Juxtapose with an Unexpected Item

Adding one unexpected item to the living room can give it chic sophistication. For example, if your room is traditional, hang a bold contemporary painting above the fireplace mantle or hang a large ornate antique iron wall art above a modern console.

Go with Good Choices

Some pieces naturally fit into any design style. For example, antiques mix well with traditional, country, European or contemporary decors. Any piece of furniture, artwork or accessory that is classic and tasteful (for example, beautiful wall candle sconces) will be easy to add to an eclectic decor, just like heirloom pearls go perfectly with a little black dress or faded denim.

Fresh Tile Motifs for a Bathroom Update

Friday, November 26th, 2010

If you have grown tired of the monotonous look of white, square tiles covering the walls and floors of your bathroom, then maybe it is time that you considered fresh tile motifs for a bathroom update.   You will be pleasantly surprised at the wide array of tile that is available now – the different colors, sizes, shapes and materials that you can buy are quite astounding.  Decide upon the atmosphere that you want to create in the shower or bath, whether it is refreshing, luxurious, or relaxing – and let that be your guide for this fun DIY project.

Rock or Stone

Sleek, natural stone can be used to replace the white ceramic tiles in your bathroom – and this is a selection that you won’t soon regret.  Lend luxury and elegance to your bath with large stone tiles in warmer, neutral shades or with white marble tiles or those in varying shades.  This style is popular for the master bath, and allows for a relaxing ambience that will allow you to recharge your ‘batteries’ at day’s end.

Another option that is trendy right now is cobblestone.  This also gives you a fun sensation underfoot.  River rock tiles are extremely attractive and can be a fabulous complement to the outdoorsy look of the bathroom that can accentuate an open shower.

Mosaic Glass

A stylishly crafted mosaic cross the walls of the shower will add a perky feel to the morning shower.  Glass tiles are perfect to catch the light within the bathroom and create an effect that is illuminating.  Due to the fact that the shapes and colors of glass tile are so varied, you can easily craft a unique design within the bath with them.  The glass mosaic tile is very durable and watertight, which makes it a wise option for the often used shower.

Unique Textures and Shapes

You can also get a fresh shower look by installing unexpectedly shaped or textured tiles.  For example, a circular tile or modern tile with abstract shapes can bring a hip ambience to the shower.  You can find tiles with textural grooves and pyramidal or domed tile that will bring a vibrant look to any space.  Experiment with the installation of an accent of tiles along the shower walls.

The grout you select can also work with your shower update.  You will discover grout in various shades and colors to create different looks with the tile.  For instance, black grout with aqua blue tiles will bring out the color of the tile in a way that white grout cannot do.

DIY painting or stenciling

An inexpensive update for your shower tiles is painting the tile or stenciling your own designs onto the tile.  Be sure that tiles are thoroughly clean and dried before beginning to paint. You may also wish to use sandpaper in order to dull the tile’s surface so that your paint will affix to the tile correctly.  Use epoxy enamel paint that resists temperature and humidity change.  Choose stencil designs and colors that match the rest of your dеcor in the bathroom and you’ll be able to add character and style to a ho-hum dull shower with ease. Tile can totally transform your bathroom. Now finish the look with large wall planters, framed artwork, and wrought iron grilles and make the transition complete.