Posts Tagged ‘without’
Get an Antique Look Without the Antique Price
With the exception of unfinished furniture, pretty much all of the solid wood and all-wood furniture on the market is treated or ‘finished’ in some way. Most of the woods used to manufacture furniture take stains and lacquers very well, meaning the color and texture can be altered greatly in the finishing process. The colors and tones described in our Wood Guide are rarely what you find on the market. For example, it is very common to find an oak dresser with a dark cherry finish or a pine bed with a rich walnut finish. It is also important to remember that these finishes can vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. Company A’s cherry finish might look like company B’s rosewood and company C’s mahogany. Take the names of finishes for what they are—names, and use your judgment to determine if the finish is right for you.
A couple of terms that have become commonplace in the furniture industry are ‘antiquing’ and ‘distressing.’ The terms are somewhat interchangeable depending on which one a manufacturer chooses to use, but they both imply that a piece has been altered or treated to appear more aged and worn. Edges and corners are often sanded and strategic nicks and scratches are added to give the piece a well-worn or ‘antique’ look. Other techniques include cowtailing, which involves using a stiff-bristled paintbrush to leave random black marks, and applying white or off-white paint over stained or finished pieces to create a pickled finish.
If you like the look of antique furniture, but get a little faint at the sight of the price tags, consider new pieces that have undergone one of the aforementioned processes. Contrary to what some say, new furniture is built better than a lot of antique pieces. Who knows, maybe the piece you buy today will be tomorrow’s sought after antique.
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Article from articlesbase.com
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I am having my daughter’s first birthday party. I want to hang paper lanterns and butterflies from the ceiling all over the room. What is a good way hang them without ANY damage? It will be at my parent’s newly built home and I do not want any trace left on the painted ceiling. What would you recommend? No tape please!! Thanks 
I bought one of those metal wall plaques that are meant to be hung outdoors for garden decor. I live in a place where we are not allowed to drill holes in the siding, but I see people everywhere with them attached to their homes. I asked around at a home improvement store, but they weren’t very helpful. I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to hang it. I can’t use the command hooks with the sticky backing, because it would be too heavy. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Actually, there are many places where you can find cheap home decor – online stores, thrift and dollar stores, garage sales and flea markets… And now, guess where you can get not only cheap home décor, but find it even free of charge? Nothing comes to mind? What about your own home, where you store dozens of unneeded items? They can become great objects for your home decoration! How? There are only three secrets for achieving the look of luxury home décor without spending a lot of money on it:
Pick the right decorative items that perfectly match your specific interior and your needs
“Adjust them” if you need it (i.e. decorate them, arrange them with other home décor, etc.)
Put them in the right place in your home
How about a park near your home? There, you can pick so many things and transform them into beautiful home décor: pinecones, flowers, leaves, grass, small tree branches. Pick some, bring them home, and add them to your existing home décor. You can arrange them together with candles, dry flowers, or colored stones. You can fill a simple glass jar or bottle with small dry flowers or pinecones and use them as a kitchen or bathroom décor.
Here are some examples of really cheap home decor:
Old items with a new look: Rearrange furniture in your rooms so that you can renew your home’s appearance.
Bring a garden’s freshness to your home: Find a place in your interior for a flowerpot with a green plant or for a vase with an arrangement of dry flowers and grasses.
Change the colors—paint your walls: For a more interesting look you can use different colors for different walls. You can also put wallpaper on only some walls.
Refresh your old cabinets: You can either paint them or decorate with adhesive drawer liner. You can also add interesting, decorative cabinet knobs instead of your old ones.
Renew your chairs and sofa with new slipcovers: You can find many discounted slipcovers in home décor stores and online. Or, instead of a new slipcover, you can decorate your sofa with some colored cushions or with a decorative throw.
Add a touch of color to your home interior: Decorative ceramic accessories such as vases, framed tiles, or ceramic wall clocks will enliven your interior.
Don’t forget about wall decal: It’s a quick way to decorate a large space, a kid’s room, or to hide any defects on the wall or a crack on your mirror’s surface.
Alina has been working for many years as a textile designer for the home decor industry. For window treatment and home decorating ideas visit her site
www.window-blinds-project.com
Home decor has popularly been the province of women. However, there are plenty of men who want a unified theme to their home, but don’t go in for pastels or knick-knacks. What’s a manly man to do? Especially if he likes sports, guns and girls?
Don’t be caught alone in the decorating section of your local bookstore; people will only mock you. Instead, dip into a manly magazine. Some of the best ideas can come from mags like Stuff, Maxim and Men’s Health – look for articles & photos that feature the male in his ideal environment and see if you like any of the decorating schemes.
Floors
Wood, stone, tile or carpets in a dark or neutral shade are your best bets. When in doubt, choose the more testosterone-fueled floor covering. If you want easy-clean, consider wood or tile. Carpets should be stain-resistant and not require much in the way of care.
Walls
Paint in a neutral shade if you don’t really want to think about this. Red, blue and green are all colors that can impart different kinds of male energy. Red is a powerful color, evoking energy and passion. Blue is calming, but solid. Green is akin to blue, but is associated more with nature and the outdoors. Camouflage, while definitely manly, is too busy to make it a recommended color for walls.
There are other wall options for the manly man. Many wallpapers out there that reflect hobbies, work and a certain masculine appeal. Paneling is another option. Of course, you can always plaster the walls with pictures of cars, 38-point bucks and scantily-clad women, which makes their color more of an academic argument.
Windows
The masculine mind will derive great comfort from drapes that complement the color of the walls. Wooden blinds are also good. If all else fails, get the plainest curtain that you can find, or a blanket that has some kind of manly message on it, like “Harley Davidson Motorcycles”.
Appliances
Luckily, these come in basic white and black most of the time. Black is more of a manly color, but since white is acceptable everywhere, your masculinity shouldn’t be called into question. Every leisure room should have a refrigerator for refreshing beverages.
Furniture
Wood, metal and leather are your choices. High quality leather is actually one of the best materials for keeping clean – wiping up the remnant of Sunday football games becomes less of a hassle. Comfort is of prime importance; who cares if your couch costs a lot if it totally relaxes you at the end of a hard working day? Think of what you want your furniture to do – do you have a lot of friends coming over and lots of beer drinking? Choose something that can accommodate this.
Think big. Big is manly and more comfortable for a large frame. Size is imperative when choosing a TV, computer and surround sound system. Fewer larger things in a room is better than more smaller things. Keep it simple!
Art
There are many choices in art for manly men: trophy bucks, record-sized mounted fish, sports trophies and memorabilia. Consider model cars, planes or military vehicles. Rifles and fishing rods are other recommended items of decor. Weapons are great conversation pieces as well, especially if you have accurate replicas of ancient war tools.
Decorating need not be torture for the manly man. It only requires that you know what you like and apply it to your living space. After all, that’s what it’s there for!
For the tools and information needed to succeed in the Saint Paul real estate market, look no further. Saint-Paul-Real-Estate.com offers valuable information on St.Paul neighborhoods and surrounding communities including Hamline-Midway MN homes.