Saturday, May 28, 2011

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Style My House

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Style My House: "Style My House Today I wanted to talk about one of my sponsors. StyleMyHouse.net is a service that helps you find Service Contractors for..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Fabrics

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Fabrics: "Fabrics! There are so many fabrics you can use in decorating that I can't possibly list them all here. Fabrics are important in decorating ..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Wallpaper!

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Wallpaper!: "WALLPAPER! I appreciate the guest post, Ignacio Phillips I had no idea how to remove old, moldy wallpaper but I figured it couldn’t be tha..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part II, C...

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part II, C...: "Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part II, Conclusion Start Shopping Look for Bargains – Spend time shopping and looking for bargains,..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part I

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part I: "Preparing and Planning a Design Project Plan your Plan There are many steps to designing a decorating project, if you want very good results..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Where Do I Get My Ideas?

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Where Do I Get My Ideas?: "Where Do I Get My Ideas? There are a lot of sources for inspiration in the world. I like to read Decorating and Design magazines to help ge..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 3

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 3: "Simple Steps to a Greener Home - the conclusion: I wanted to end this series of greening your home by talking about ways to make your bedro..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 2

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 2: "Simple Steps to a Greener Home: Continued. As we we continue our discussion of ways to green your home I want to talk about some of the sim..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 1

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 1: "There are simple things you can do in and around your home right now to help reduce your carbon foot print. Simple things we take for gran..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Paperpixiecrafts: The story of the Ugly Chair.

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Paperpixiecrafts: The story of the Ugly Chair.: "Paperpixiecrafts: The story of the Ugly Chair. : ' '"

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Special Collections Department

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Special Collections Department: "Collectibles. People collect a lot of things. Some people collect things like bills, bad marriages, bad memories. But I am talking about thi..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Rolling, Rolling, Rolling With...

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Rolling, Rolling, Rolling With...: "COURAGEOUS DESIGNS : Rolling, Rolling, Rolling With a Rag : 'Another faux technique that I like, because it is easy, is Rag Rolling. Also ca..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Rolling, Rolling, Rolling With a Rag

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Rolling, Rolling, Rolling With a Rag: "Another faux technique that I like, because it is easy, is Rag Rolling. Also called ragging this is in my opinion the easiest technique to l..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Have A Nice Trip, See You Next...

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Have A Nice Trip, See You Next...: "COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Have A Nice Trip, See You Next Faux : 'I am really interested in Faux Finishes. I read and watch anything I can get my h..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Have A Nice Trip, See You Next Faux

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Have A Nice Trip, See You Next Faux: "I am really interested in Faux Finishes. I read and watch anything I can get my hands on relating to the subject. I recently watched a video..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Have A Nice Trip, See You Next Faux

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Have A Nice Trip, See You Next Faux: "I am really interested in Faux Finishes. I read and watch anything I can get my hands on relating to the subject. I recently watched a video..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: It's Curtains For You

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: It's Curtains For You: "So, I need new curtains for my bedroom. The old ones are tattered and torn literally. I need them to coordinate with burgundy and gold. I wa..."

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Hello World

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Hello World: "Welcome to my first post. This will be a forum to discuss interior design and decorating by novices but we won’t exclude the pros, we always..."

Style My House

Style My House

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Monday, May 23, 2011

Fabrics

Fabrics!
There are so many fabrics you can use in decorating that I can't possibly list them all here. Fabrics are important in decorating because they add a soft finished look to a room. They are also important because they add color, pattern, and texture to a project.

Below is a list of fabrics that can be used for upholstery, slip covers, cushions, pillows, and bed and table covers.

So many choices, so little time:
  • Brocade
    - Cotton or cotton blend with a richly textured woven pattern it is good for cushion covers.
  • Burlap
    - Made from jute or hemp, burlap adds robust texture and can be used for table covers and on walls. Now it comes in a variety of colors.
  • Cambric - Closley woven plain weave or cotton, often used for cushion covers.
  • Chenille
    - Tufted velvet cord or yarn with an uneven double sided pile, which drapes well as a throw.
  • Chintz - Medium-weighted glazed cotton printed with floral or animal patterns. It is used mainly in living rooms.
  • Corduroy
    - Velvet with a regular ridged texture, great for cushions and covers.
  • Damask
    - Elaborate patterns in contrasting textures through its complicated silk or linen weave structure. It is used for table linen, cushions, and loose covers.
  • Gingham
    - A light, checked cotton or cotton blend that is particularly popular in kitchens.
  • Hand-woven cotten fabric - An irregular, rough weave suitable for cushion covers and bed spreads.
  • Linen Blend - A heavy hard-wearing linen-and-cotton mix often used for upholstery, but also suitable for table cloths and cushions.
  • Madras - Hand woven cotton, dyed, and often patterned.
  • Moleskin - for fitted cushions and loose covers because it is a hard-wearing cotton that is sensually soft.
  • Poplin - Light- or medium-weighted plain or printed cotton.
  • Sateen - Cotton with a slight sheen. It is sometimes mixed with a synthetic material.
  • Sheeting
    - Usually a cotton/polyester blend made extra wide for use as bed linens.
  • Ticking - Heavy linen or cotton cloth with narrow stripes.
  • Velvet
    - A heavy cotton or cotton mix with a pile cut in one direction. It is often used for cushion covers.

Here are some tips that may help you to make better decisions when it comes to choosing fabrics.
  • When choosing fabric based on the color of your walls, take a piece of white cardboard painted with the main wall color with you to the store.
  • Request or buy swatches of your favorite choices to view them in natural and artificial light in your home.
  • Check to see if the fabric is flame retardant, if not you might want to treat it with a spray or wash.
  • Check on washability. If it isn't preshrunk, allow for 10% shrinkage.
A few more tips to create perfect finishes using patterns.
  • Suble patterns add a sense of space in small rooms, but tend to get rather lost in larger areas.
  • Bold Patterns seem intimate and cozy in a large room, but over powering in a small setting.
  • Mix bold patterns with plain fabric for a calmer feel.
  • Floral patterns are very traditional in fabric design and are suitable for cushions and small items.
  • Ethnic prints are more informal and can work well with abstract-style carpets.
Thats all for now. Until next time may all your designs be courageous.

































Friday, May 20, 2011

Wallpaper!

WALLPAPER!
I appreciate the guest post, Ignacio Phillips
I had no idea how to remove old, moldy wallpaper but I figured it couldn’t be that hard, right? WRONG! When I bought my house I knew it was going to need some work but I did not count on the worst part of it being that all the rooms had wallpapers and borders! I took to my Wireless Internet to research the best way to get it down and apparently there was a product out there that scores the wallpaper for you, making holes to soak in a solution you then squirt on that helps dissolve the glue. After that the wallpaper’s supposed to just peel off in your! hands…yeah right! My first try was an absolute disaster and my wallpaper kept breaking off in wet, squishy chunks…not exactly the best way to leave a wall. After try number three I decided it was finally time to go ahead and call a professional which was the best thousand dollars I ever spent in my life! I was going to go crazy if I had to touch one more piece of wallpaper!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part II, Conclusion

Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part II, Conclusion
Start Shopping
Look for Bargains – Spend time shopping and looking for bargains, a little money saved on the budget can give you more money for those overages that always come up. Also, impulse shopping for interior decorating items can be a huge mistake, especially if it’s for a big item.
Keep to the Plan
Check and Recheck and check again – Keep that design book handy and refer to the budget often, by checking and rechecking the progress against the plan, the entire project is more likely to be successful and keep headed in the right direction.
Make it a Game – Remember, this is supposed to be fun. You should have fun at every step of your project. I like to turn work into fun. If I thought of it as work I probably wouldn’t do it.
In Conclusion
Always keep the end in mind and you can turn your visions into a beautiful reality. Until next time keep your Designs Courageous.

















Monday, May 16, 2011

Preparing and Planning a Design Project Part I

Preparing and Planning a Design Project
Plan your Plan
There are many steps to designing a decorating project, if you want very good results. I have done projects with great planning and I got great results. I have done projects I threw together at the last minute and it looked like something the cat drug in. If you put the time and effort into creating something you can be proud of you will be proud of it. Paul “Bear” Bryant said, "It's not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters." Planning and preparation is as important as actually executing the project, if not more so.
Design Book - First you have to get an idea of what you want to accomplish. I like to draw, clip pictures of the elements I want included etc. Some people keep these ides in a sketch book or folder. You need to see what your creation will look like when complete. Sometime we get an idea that in reality just won’t work, but it may give us inspiration to try something different. So we need to put our mental ideas into the real world by sketching just to get an idea of how it will appear. Don’t worry if you can’t draw very well, I can’t either but it helps me put my idea into the “Real World”. I start by collecting pictures of rooms or furniture, etc that are similar and have the same features of what I want to achieve. I clip pictures of individual elements that I want. I collect swatches of color, fabric, paint and wood chips and other elements depending on what kind of project it is.
Budget - Making a budget not only helps ensure that finances don’t get out of hand but that all elements are accounted for to complete the process. Too many projects end up unfinished or delayed because you run out of money.
 Time - Timelines need to be set. They need to be practical and adhered to as much as possible. It’s too easy to get frustrated by a decorating project and unrealistic expectations on the timeframe are one of the biggest frustrations. Eliminate that element by being reasonable while setting up the timeframe and then stick to it.

Priorities – If there are things that just HAVE to be included in the project put them on top of the priorities list, like a certain brand of paint or a certain material. These items may require more money and may be more luxurious than other items. Adjust the budget and the lower ranking items to fall in line with the priorities list.
Next time we will talk about my favorite thing, shopping, sticking to the plan, and having fun.



Saturday, May 14, 2011

Where Do I Get My Ideas?


Where Do I Get My Ideas?
There are a lot of sources for inspiration in the world. I like to read Decorating and Design magazines to help get my creative juices flowing. I have been told if I didn’t subscribe to so many I might be rich. But I can’t seem to be happy with out them so I count them a necessary expense. But there are tons of other places to get ideas to improve your surroundings.
Free Ideas:
If you don’t have a lot of money (like me because of my earlier mentioned magazine fetish) then there are many places to look for ideas with out spending a penny.
Libraries:  Your Local library can provide a wealth of knowledge and information at no cost. You can check out books, videos, and those expensive magazines for free. You can also use the library to get on-line if you happen not to own a computer at home to look for ideas on the Internet.
Shops:  You can go to consignment and thrift stores and look for free, but you must have a Steele will to do this because if you are like me you will see something you just have to have. Also regular department stores and hardware stores can be inspirational for me.
Flea Markets: One of my favorite places to go is the flea market. It is loaded with decorating “projects” and ideas. But again hold tight to your pocketbook if you really don’t want to spend money.
Your friends homes: I love to visit my friends homes to see what they have done with their places. This usually motivates me to “fix up" my place.
Television:
There are numerous channels and shows on television that offer many Ideas. The premiere being HGTV. There is also DIY, and Style. There are some decorating shows that come on Discovery and TLC . If you have time to sit for a while this is a great option for inspiration and you will be entertained too.
Internet:
Almost everyone has access to the Internet these days, with desk tops, lap tops, tablets. And cell phones. So the Internet is probably the most used way to find information.
Decorating Blogs: Of course It would be silly of me not to mention blogs since I write one. But they are great resources for inspiration. I read many of them for inspiration in my own projects. Interior Decorating@ About.com is my favorite place to go on the web for ideas and information.

Of course magazines and catalogs are my old stand by. One of my favorite things to do is sit on my front porch with a drink (usually coffee) and peruse my new magazine or catalog and dream the day away.
Until next time be Courageous in your Designs.

































Saturday, May 7, 2011

Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 3

Simple Steps to a Greener Home - the conclusion:

I wanted to end this series of greening your home by talking about ways to make your bedroom greener, using energy saving appliances and devices, and recycling and repurposing products you were going to throw away.

A Natural Bedroom:

When shopping for mattresses and bedding look for stores that sell products that are made from recycled, sustainable or organic materials. One such store is ABC Carpet & Home.

When you buy a new mattress get one that is made from 100% organic cotton. Cover your new mattress in an encasement cover, which is also made out of 100% organic cotton. This will help keep dust mites and other microorganisms out of your mattress helping it to last longer and stay healthier longer too. All of which saves you money and helps you get a more restful sleep.

Find sheets that are (you guessed it) made from 100% organic cotton that are dyed with low impact natural dyes. The prices for these items are comparable to those made the non-Ecofriendly way. Ecofriendly products are continually coming down in price as more and more people are purchasing more and more of these products.

Energy saving:

When shopping for new appliances look for appliances and products with the Energy Star logo. This logo is only given to products those meet rigid standards of proven energy savings, and who doesn’t like to save money.


Change all your incandescent bulbs to compact florescent light bulbs. They give off 70% less heat and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They also use substantially less energy saving you money.

Reuse and Re-purpose:

Look for recycled products for your home, such as paper products. Paper towels, tissue, toilet paper and printer paper can be made out of recycled paper. There are a few companies that use recycled paper that you could not tell the difference from the old way of making them.

Before you throw out any item ask yourself, “Can I use this item for something else or another purpose?”. If your answer is no consider giving it away or donating it to Goodwill or another thrift store like it. Where I live we have an artist who takes in castoff metal and wood. He makes beautiful sculptures with these items that, If not for him, would end up in landfills.

Also if your items are just not salvageable at all consider taking them to recycle centers. There are such centers in most communities or close by. Old metal appliances and even cars can be turned into cash at your local recycle center. Glass, paper, metal, these centers sell the reclaimed materials to companies that make new products out of them, keeping those materials out of landfills.

These are just a few ideas to make your home greener. I am sure you can think of some more. Until next time be courageous in your designs.






























Thursday, May 5, 2011

Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 2

Simple Steps to a Greener Home: Continued.

As we we continue our discussion of ways to green your home I want to talk about some of the simplest ways to be Eco friendly in your home.

Houseplants:

Green your environment, literally, through the use of houseplants. Not only do houseplants provide natural beauty to our homes, but they also clean the toxins out of the air. A NASA study revealed that house plants can remove up to 87% of toxic indoor air within 24 hours, and can keep it at that level as long as you keep your plants.

Not all plants need to be placed near windows. Look for tropical plants to stick into dark corners and areas. They love the shade. Plants should not be placed in drafty areas because the draft prevents them from reducing toxins in the air.

If you are afraid of killing your plants because you might forget to water them or you travel a lot you can still have live plants in your home to help clean the air. Invest in plants known as succulents. They are arid plants and require very little water. They can go a couple of weeks and more between watering. My favorite succulents are Sedum, Red Succulents, and Aloe.

With so many indoor plant choices it is very easy to improve the air quality as well as the beauty of your home.
Here are some tips for caring for your houseplants:
·        When watering your plants use tepid water, not cold or hot.
·        Don’t over water your plants. More damage is done from over watering plants than under watering.
·        Read up on your plants to see what they need to thrive, light, fertilizer, etc..

Composting:

The average American household generates over 200 pounds of kitchen waste every year. I am talking about things like apple cores, lettuce, and pineapple peels. Most people throw this away. Instead of tossing this out make a compost pile. Think of the money you could save producing your own organic fertilizer instead of spending it on all that nasty toxic commercial fertilizer filled with unhealthy chemicals.

To make your own compost pile you will need a round plastic barrel shaped plastic container, that is open on both ends with holes cut or poked in the sides for aeration. You can just pile it on the ground if you don’t have a container but it will take longer to “cook” another way of saying turn into compost. It can be as elaborate or simple as you like, just o it! Remember to only place plant based scraps that are degradable in your compost bin. A good recipe to remember is to place items in your bin this way, brown, green, brown, and green. Brown being lawn refuse like leaves and grass clippings and green being kitchen refuse. Compost can provide nutrients to and improve the structure of soil. 

Next time we will talk about ways to Green up your bedroom, save energy around the house, and keep junk from ending up in landfills.

Until then remember to keep your Designs Courageous.

































COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home

COURAGEOUS DESIGNS: Simple Steps to a Greener Home: "There are simple things you can do in and around your home right now to help reduce your carbon foot print. Simple things we take for gran..."

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Simple Steps to a Greener Home Part 1



There are simple things you can do in and around your home right now to help reduce your carbon foot print. Simple things we take for granted. It just takes a little planning and your home will be greener and your pocket book and health will thank you.

Building or remodeling:
First I would like to talk about building or remodeling. If you are planning on building a home then you can start at the very beginning by letting your builder know to only choose supplies and materials that are Ecofriendly. These are products that are friendly to the environment. Products that are made from easily renewable sources, low toxins, organically produced or takes refuse out of our landfills by reusing or re-purposing them, such as used lumber, glass or stone. But if you are like most people you already have a house that was built with out any input from you. Don’t worry, because you can still green up your home.

Granite counter Tops
Granite counter tops are really beautiful. Granite is a naturally occurring material so it must be a green choice, right? Wrong! Because of the way that granite has to be dug out of the ground it is a very destructive (to the Earth) material to harvest. A better, greener choice would be recycled glass and stone counter tops. There are companies that take glass and crush it and mix it with crushed stone to make something that, in my opinion, looks just as beautiful as real granite.  A great place to buy this material is Vetrazzo Recycled Glass Surfaces. There are other places to buy it so shop around.The cost of these recycled glass materials is comparable if not cheaper than granite.

Paints:

Did you know that you could buy recycled paint? Yes you can. Recycled paint is available at some retailers. You just have to look. The only drawback is you are limited to color choice because it is usually already mixed. Although as the technology for mixing recycled paint is getting better, so are the color choices. But what if you can’t find the color you want? Don’t worry there are more green choices to paint. You can use non-toxic natural paints. Non-toxic natural paints are plant-based paints. The good things about these paints are they are low odor and low VOCs.  Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions.
VOCs are a contributing factor to air pollution as well as a cancer-causing toxin. Low VOC Ecofriendly paint is not only a good choice for the environment but also if you are health sensitive. Natural paints are made with plant oils, plant extracts, and minerals. Always look for low VOC paint. One helpful hint I want to give you about paint is, to get rid of the paint smell add vanilla essence or extract. You can find recycled paint at Recycle Paint -Calibre Environmental Ltd.. You can find Eco friendly paint manufacturers here ECO Friendly Home Interior Paint Brands. Then go find the paint sellers who have these brands. Recycled paints are usually cheaper than regular paints and Natural Paints are comparable in price to those made with dangerous toxins.

Floor Coverings:

There are many choices for floor coverings now that are made from natural renewable sources or recycled materials.
·        Sisal – Made from the pulp of the agave plant, after they squeeze all the delicious juice out to make tequila.
·        Hemp – this is a great green material used to make many things. It is one and a half times stronger than cotton.
·        Old tires – these are being used to make doormats that will last forever.
·        Bamboo – the fibers from bamboo can be woven into rugs and carpets. This is also a great sustainable choice because bamboo grows prolifically.
·        Regular materials – you can buy carpets and rugs made from regular materials such as cotton and wool, but be sure to look for low VOC carpet. The VOCs in carpet is what gives it that new carpet smell.
A great low cost tip for changing the look of your floors is by using carpet tiles. They are also non-permanent. When you get a stain simply remove the stained tile or tiles and replace with a new tile. How easy is that? EcoFriendly Flooring Inc. is a great source for flooring that is truly green. They also have other surface covering products as well.
The rugs and carpeting choices listed above are comparable to regular carpeting containing toxic materials.

Ecofriendly fabrics and furniture:
When shopping for furniture, look for items that are made of natural or recycled materials. Use products that are made of 100% organically grown cotton. Non-organic cotton is responsible for 25% of the world’s pesticides. That’s right, I said ¼ of the entire world’s pesticides are used to grow non-organic cotton. Imagine if everyone started using fabrics and materials made from organic cotton. Imagine how many toxic chemicals would not get into our water supply and air. One company that uses 100% organic cotton is Q-Collection. They have a wonderful assortment of furniture and items that are Eco-friendly. Check them out here: Q-Collection
Look for furniture makers that use 100% Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approved wood. The FSC is a non-profit organization devoted to responsible management of the world’s forests.

Textiles can also be made from Eco-friendly materials leathers, hemp, velvet, and silk.
Again the prices are comparable to regularly produced furniture.

Next time we will talk about using houseplants to detox your home.
Until next time be courageous in your designs.