HOME INTERIOR DESIGN-LIVING ROOM DESIGN

It is difficult to really pin down what man decor is. Guys are a diverse bunch with a wide range of traits and attributes. Labeling an entire gender with a certain personality is a dangerous habit.

However there are certain things which in our society are stylistically male. Not a firm scientific decoration, these are more a philosophy, a set of intrinsic notions which give us a common artistic playground upon which to work. Some things just seem girly, and some things seem male. It is as obvious as the difference between pink and blue.

Defining male decorating preferences is really a matter of understanding the psychology that we expect from this gender. Male décor is, by its very definition, not female décor, and therefore its essence is going to be comprised of the difference between the minds of the two.

One of the things society thinks of men, is that they are more functional than women. While females appreciate beauty, guys like things that work. In fact common conceptions state that men are actually annoyed by useless decorative touches.

This means that one of the key elements of guy decorating would be to choose function over form. A delicate coffee tables made from flowing strips of stainless steal will lose out to a sturdy work table made of oak.

Another manifestation of this trait is the male trend to decorate using their hobbies and interests. Sports accessories, toys, models, these are the favorite accessories of a manly room. Meanwhile flowers and incense stands, candles and lace, objects which create atmosphere and little else, those are generally considered more feminine in their nature.

Another aspect of male décor is that guys are generally larger than women. This means they need more room to be comfortable. They need to be able to stretch out, and feel like the world around them is proportionate to their size.

One of the most stereotypical pieces of guy décor is the recliner. Often this is the only furnishing which is big enough to fit a man's body comfortably. Able to lean back and stretch out, they can generally support the majority of a tall guy's size, in a comfortable and relaxing way.

Size and function trends collide in other aspects of guy decorating. Men tend to like big dressers, big beds, big shelves, and big drawers. This is both because the imposing size matches them, and because these objects tend to do their jobs better. Bigger containers hold more. Bigger beds comfort more. Bigger dressers are generally stronger and more durable.

Men also tend to like different colors than women. Guys tend to be drawn to darker and more earthen colors. Red, brown, black, and green are traditionally masculine, and in some shades have a distinctly male feel.

While these trends may hold true for some males, every guy is different. What is important when creating a space is that you take the desires and preferences of everyone that inhabits it, male and female, and find out where your tastes overlap. Compromise in decorating is the art of creating a symphony from many different visions.

When I think about decorating trends today, several things come to mind. I see more and more people staying in their homes longer and investing in upgrading what they have and to make their home adapt to their changing lifestyle. Clients are replacing windows, trim, baseboards and adding cove moldings to the ceiling. They are removing carpet and exposing or installing hardwood floors. Faux paint finishes on the walls are replacing wallpapers, especially in bathrooms.

In the past most clients were decidedly traditional: Queen Ann, cherry wood, polished and purposeful or very contemporary: modern, clean lines, austere or country collectible: cluttered, cutesy and charming. Now I enjoy working with clients wanting to mix the best of all these styles. Antiques, collectables and mid-century modern working together and creating an eclectic look can be enjoyed in a timeless and less trendy way.

Today's biggest trend is more then a passing fad. The buzz of building green, eco friendly, sustainable design is everywhere you turn. T V programs, newspapers, magazines, books, conferences and expo centers are all devoting time, energy and space to the idea: You can make a difference in how to live your everyday life and how it impacts the planet you live on. As you become more aware of the environment, look around your home, do you see areas that need attention? What will be your next remodeling project? How will you proceed, knowing that when you upgrade, it will produce waste and things you no longer need? Where will the debris go? And the items you select to replace the worn out, no longer needed, where will they come from? How are they made? What resources are used to produce the item? This is the first step to being green. That is: To become aware.

For example: You have grown tired of your dated 1970's kitchen. The hardware is pitted; there is a build-up of scum or missing finish on the cabinets, some of the drawers are don't close properly, the counter tops are scratched and stained. Cabinets can easily be re-purposed. Meaning they could become extra storage in the basement, garage or craft room. Another option is to add wood veneers to existing "boxes" along with new doors, drawers, and hardware to create an updated look for a fraction of the cost of new cabinets. Local non-profits, such as Building Hope, will take your unwanted, but salvageable cabinets (and other building materials). You are doing your part to keep your cabinets out of the land fill, helping a non-profit and getting a tax write off for doing it!

Recycled content paper, glass or granite chips incorporated into a concrete like binder, are popular options for counter tops. Use low or no VOC (volatile organic compounds-bad for your health) paints and finishes. Renewable or sustainable flooring: cork, bamboo, or linoleum are becoming more available and priced competitively with traditional vinyl options. Replace inefficient appliances with Energy Star Appliances, standards set by the US Department of Energy. "If just one in 10 homes used Energy Star qualified appliances, the change would be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees". WOW!

REMEMBER TO: REUSE, REDUCE AND RECYCLE

• Ask yourself: "Could someone else need this or uses this?" Before you throw it away
• Purchase quality, long lasting, durable products and appliances
• Look for recycled or sustainable content products: flooring, countertops, fabrics, wallpaper
• Request FSC-Forest Stewardship Council wood and paper products, This is a nonprofit organization that certifies the products produced are from responsibly managed forests
• Buy locally. How much fossil fuel is used to get the product to you?
• Consider adaptive reuse - Antiques, re-upholster furniture, repurposed items
• Use lighting and natural light more efficiently. Turn lights off when you aren't using them. Use compact florescent bulbs, LED (light emitting diodes), dimmer switches on incandescent bulbs or install light tubes
• Use low or no VOC paints and finishes
• Turn off and/or unplug appliances and computers when not in use. They are phantom energy eaters
• Use earth friendly /non-toxic cleaning products
• Bring fresh air into your home or business
• Buy carbon offsets, contribute to groups that plant trees or invest in renewable energy-a voluntary tax to make up for the fossil fuels we consume

Interior design trends today are easily incorporated into our everyday living. Weather it is to re-purpose an existing piece of furniture or to bring fresh air and natural light into your home. By becoming more eco-friendly, you are doing your part to reduce energy consumption and your carbon footprint. This in turn reduces global warming, conserves our finite natural resources and saves you money by using less energy. When choosing to work with Erin O'Brien and Erin Designs, LLC, together you can create beautiful, healthier, greener places to live and work.

By Erin O'Brien
Allied Member - American Society of Interior Design

The bathroom, which is incidentally the smallest room in your home, is the best place for relaxation. There are a lot of options which you can consider if you are planning to perform bathroom remodeling. You can equip your bathroom with twirling and twisting water and racks which are capable in warming your towels. These are just some of the many options that you can include if you plan to convert your bathroom into home spa. With proper planning, you can turn your small room into for favorite watering hole, literally and figuratively.

Whether you are constructing a new home or doing some remodeling in your bathroom, you have to learn about shower panels and vertical spas. This is important if you want to come up with a perfect design for your bathroom remodeling that matches your needs and preferences. However, don't allow yourself to be carried away by the prospects of having heated floors and waterfalls in your bath. Work on your budget first and assess what you can afford to include in your home spa. Your budget range can start from a paltry amount of $1,500 to as high as $15,000.

Creating Romantic bathroom more often than not requires the Master Bathroom of the property to be transformed with a masculine touch, whilst keeping in mind that two people share the bathroom space and one of them may have more masculine tastes in decorating. Romantic usually comes hand in hand with old world decorating accessories and decorates, when placed in an old world style bedroom or master bath, exaggerate the room's comfort while crafting ambience, drama and style. Consider framed art, wall tapestry and iron work when decorating a romantic bathroom.

Like all rooms in your home, choice of wall colour and accessories determines the decorating style. Enhance a bathroom's romantic look by including scrolled iron wall art in your bathroom decorating equation. Enjoy casual romantic bathroom decorating by choosing storage and display accessories that compliment European classical and in particular french interior design. Moen's Kingsley line of bathroom solutions, including faucets and shower faucets, are sure to have the finish to match your decorating flare. Meeting the expectations of the couple desiring a romantic ambience in their master bath is challenging, but coming to the rescue are the Mediterranean Italian - French decorating styles. Create a beautifully well designed bath by decorating the walls. Decorating French Style with Italian Ceramics and Scrolled Iron.

Today, wall mounted bathroom accessories are fashionable and practical, and can be suited to compliment both contemporary and classic styles. Add a ledge of candles or a romantic French style wall sconce to provide ambience and luxurious style to your powder room. If you are looking for beautiful coloured reflections, in classic Mediterranean style the Celice oval mirror is a widely acclaimed choice.

A home office might not get a lot of non-work related use but just because you have to work in there doesn't' mean it can't have great style! Here are some home office decorating ideas that will give your room sleek modern style.You can get more modern home office decorating ideas by looking in magazines and decorating books. The key is coming up with a plan for your color palette as well as the items you will need to buy. Make sure you follow your plan and buy the best items and your room will have the feel of a sleek designer home before you know it!

Basing the concept of Italian Bathroom Style with today's tasteful blend of old and new is something to look forward to. More than just a room to wash up and apply some makeup or after shave, bathrooms stemmed from Italian Design ideas never grow old.

Towel racks, door knobs and even a soap tray is meant to be eye pleasing to them, as Italian bathroom design revolves on using brass and polished metals to give an appearance of wealth, unless the said articles are actually molded gold. But cheaper alternatives would inspire any amateur home décor to spruce up the bathroom with designs that gives off an aura of ancient scenic beauty and Roman simplicity. Bathtubs may come in just about all shapes and sizes, but with some water jet-propelled ones like Jacuzzis are also introduced. Most of the bathtubs can be either ceramic or simply brass-types. And shower booths are also noted, can be made of clear glass or just an enclosed space with a blurred glass pane for a bit of privacy while showering.

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