ABC’s of Fine Design

You don’t have to actually read the books you buy, but books do make great accessories and go with any decor. Having books around can also make you look like you know more then you do. There are many places to find cheep books to use, garage sales, Amazon books and library’s selling overstock. If your not sure how to use books as accessories here are a few tips.

Stack them: Put them in stacks on the coffee table, end table or side table. Don’t stack them nice and neat move them around so they are at different angles.

Stand them up: Set 2 or 3 on a shelf upright and add a few other touches to the shelf such as a vase or collection. You can do this will multiple shelves.

Stage them: Use them to set plants or pictures on, make sure the book has something to do with the item you are propping up.

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Since I am an interior design student I am very interested in art and history. Just over a year ago we went to Washington DC. I was very disappointed as most of the museums were closed for renovation. I was surprised as we went during the cherry blossom festival. The worst part about all of that was we had our German exchange student who really wanted to see both the American history museum and the native American museum, both were closed.

I plan on going back some day but I think I may end up at the Stark Museum of Art before I get back to DC. At least I will as long as I move back to Texas like I’m hoping to do. The Stark Museum is located in Orange Texas and has a large collection of Western art and native American art, it’s not just about art though they have books and manuscripts so you can learn a little about the cultures that are in the museum. One collection I am interested in is their decorative arts collection. This collection consist mostly of glass and porcelain. I’m interested in it from a design perspective. Of course all of the art interest me because of this. Another reason I would like to visit this museum is because of there connection to the stark foundation. This foundation supports the arts, education and human services.

Museums are a great place to figure out what kind of art you like. You can check out many different kinds of art and decide what you would like in your home. Art is a great way to express yourself and impress your guest. The best part is you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars. There are many reproductions of famous works that you can get for less the $100. I suggest though you find one piece you really like at an art auction, that way you have something to talk to your guest about. If your planning a summer trip you should really think about adding this museum to your list and visiting the town of Orange Texas. You never know what you may find to add to your home.

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I have a great tip to help you live longer and love your home more, get a plant. Not a fake plant that is not going to do anything but sit there and collect dust, but a real live plant. Why? Well plants not only help add to the design and decor of your home, but they have many health benefits, they create fresh clean oxygen for your home so when it’s all closed up you still get good clean air.

They can also help to make a teen more responsible without having to get them an animal. A classmate of mine pointed this out to me. Her mom got her a plant before letter her get a kitten, she took very good care of the plant so she was able to get her kitten. Her sister on the other hand did not take good care of her plant and was not able to get the car she wanted until she was 18.

Back to home and health benefits. Having a plant in your home makes you feel better, you will work better be less stressed and feel more comfortable in your home. There are many reasons for this but the big one is that we like the outdoors, even if we don’t think we do. We like plants just not bugs, trust me it’s true.

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I love style that can change with the times, the season or just your mood. That is one reason I love digital photo frames. They are easy to use and you can change the picture in them any time you want. I am hoping that I will have enough money to buy my mom one for Christmas this year as she had 5 kids and already has 3 grandkids. I think it would be a great way for her to be able to add to it and see all of them without cluttering the house with picture frames.

buying a digital photo frame can be tricky as most of them are smaller frames. If your looking for a big one to put on the wall you may have to wait a while or spend a lot of money. The small ones are still very useful though and allow you to store so many pictures. A classmate of mine has 2 of them over her fireplace with pictures of her nieces and nephews and her dog.

Not only do these frames keep your pictures organized they help you with your feng shui as well. You don’t have to have tons of picture frames all over to enjoy your photos now you can have them all in one spot and can enjoy a nice clean home design.

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I was watching one of the house flipping shows the other day and one thing that the agent pointed out that was a problem with the home was the metal door they put on could be opened from the outside if locked and if the main door was open  anyone could walk into your home and take whatever they liked. This got me thinking about door handles and the different things you can add to them.

What this women suggested was a key lock that worked from the inside that way the door could not be unlocked by anyone outside. A great idea as they spent a lot of money on a good security system. If they had left the door the way it was, they would have wasted a lot of money.

There are many types of locks to add to your door that can be right on the handle or can actually be considered a handle. My aunt has one that is a key pad and once you type in the password it will unlock and open the door for you. I love it, they have it on there office door at home.

Even if you don’t buy a fancy door handle with extras you still want to find one that works well with the style of your home. Check online for places if you can’t find one in a store near you, there are so many to choose from and when it comes to curb appeal a door and it’s handle can really make a great statement.

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Many people when designing their home or even just redecorating their home seem to concentrate mostly on the living and dinning area. These areas are the kitchen, the dinning room and the living or family room. What many forget about is the bathroom, bedroom and other areas of the home. The reason is simple, most people don’t see those areas of your home or at least they don’t spend much time in there.

If your looking to make a good first impression on new neighbors or are trying to sell you home, you really do want to take a second look at these areas. You want to get some nice bedroom accessories including stylish bed linen. You want the bedrooms to feel relaxing and inviting this shows that you are a person that is more go with the flow then everything has to be perfect. Yes you would think having a good looking bedroom would do the opposite, but it doesn’t.

Bathroom accessories are also a must when selling or showing off your home. You want a wow factor when someone walks into your bathroom. Nice well designed and decorated bathrooms show class and wealth. This is just the way some people think, if you have the money to spend to make your bath look good then you are pretty well off. Yes the same goes for a kitchen too.

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Sometimes something as simple as a table can give the room the pop you are looking for. I have found some interesting pieces at Artful Home that are really beautiful and would look great in almost any room. I love looking around this site and have a nice long list of thing I will be buying once I move.

Tables come in all shapes and sizes, you can get some that are twisted into strange shapes to complement a more modern style or of course the more traditional tables that show how elegant and sophisticated you are.

I really believe that a well placed table can help with some design issues. They come in handy with fung shui which requires fountains and plants. I think a simple table with a lamp and a plant on it makes the room feel warm and cozy.

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