Dress Up Your Windows (Add Swarvoski Jewelry)

No, you can't pin it to your lapel or dangle it around your neck, it is jewelry for your window treatments!!!

The spectacular drapery hardware line, The Saturday Decor, is producing Swarvoski encrusted jewels for those designers who are not afraid of opulence.

Saturday Decor also offers beautiful jewel designed tiebacks, drapery pins and scarf Holders.

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Not so fond of the glitz and glam of Austrian crystal, but like the beautiful design? They also have a line of very 'killer' non-encrusted hardware that would work in almost any setting.

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If you are in need of an interior designer, click here to check our Interior Design Guide to find a designer near you.

Importance of Rhythm In Designing A Room - Design Concepts: Rhythm

The beautiful dining room completed by Slifer Designs is a great example of how the design concept of rhythm helps make our rooms beautiful.
Design Concepts: Design concepts give us the "why" of decorating, tell us how to select a item of furniture that is scaled properly for the size of a room. Design concepts tell us to achieve balance on opposing walls of a room. If you have a room that looks 'off,' going over the design concepts will probably help you identify and fix the room composition so that you have something truly beautiful.
Rhythm: Every composition has rhythm, or progression, it connects the various elements to the whole and encourages continuity, makes the room less fragmented. A wagon wheel is a good example of this, the hub, the spokes, and the rim are arranged in a way that makes these relationships obvious. Our eye naturally follows the items of the rhythm or progression. Items that are arranged graduated in size (small to large, or light to dark) or arranged to show transition (young to old, winter to summer) are examples of how we can organize movement assisting our eye to travel around the room. In a room with rhythm, the eye will first be attracted to the focal point (in the wagon wheel example, the focal point would be the hub) and then it will travel around the room from place to place, grouping to grouping, discovering new sensations along the way. Rhythm not only encourages the eye to travel, but rhythm controls it. Proper selection and placement will allow the eye to travel easily and steadily until it returns to the focal point. We want to avoid the eye hitting a visual cul-de-sac or dead-end.
Analyzing Rhythm In The Slifer Designs Dining Room: In the photograph of this dining room, designed by SliferDesigns, we're drawn immediately to the large wall art - which happens to be the room's focal point. If we say that this art is placed at 12 on a clock, we can analyze how the rhythm works here. Rhythm causes our eye to be drawn in a clockwise direction by the placement of items and groupings. At 3 on a clock, the tall candlesticks pull our eye to the right and then down to 4 where the eye is drawn to the first of the upholstered chairs. The line of the table at 6 pulls our eye to 8 and 9, traveling around the room. We are drawn to the vertical line of the drapes, they allow a nice feel of variety amongst so much progression and the strength of the drapes verticle shape subtly hold us for a second. But at 9, 10 and almost 11 on our clock, the horizontal pattern in the drapes, the horizontal lines of the mountains cape seen in the window, and the horizontal line of the hanging light fixture completes the rhythm of this composition, returning us to 12, at the artwork, our focal point, and around again.
There aren't any 'dead ends' in this room, it has excellent composition; each element has a a relationship to the whole. Good application of the design concepts including rhythm helps assure the creation of beautiful rooms.

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This article is one in a series of Design Concepts, to go to the entire list, click here.

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If you are in need of interior design help, check out our Interior Design Guide for a designer in your area.

Regeneration ~ Relaxation ~ Unwinding

Europeans already know steam showers are a MUST for the bathroom. They're becoming trendy here in the States but I'm thinking, ignore that.

The benefits (regeneration, relaxation, unwinding) mean steam showers will not be a trend. Rather you'll make your steam a part of your daily routine (a spoiled-rotten bit of your I deserve to be pampered routine).

The fact that they are popular in Europe helps us 'yanks' since now these high-end bathroom fixtures are becoming more affordable.

So, I think it isn't unreasonable to add this feature to your home improvement wish list. Tell your significant other that steam therapy is good in countless ways. Steam shower color therapy, music therapy and aromatherapy are wonderful for the body and soul and that is a benefit for the both of you.


The Duravit Steam Shower Cabin designed by Jochen Schmiddem has frame-less silicone-free safety glass, natural wood. The two seats can be folded down to make a bench.

The Tris steam shower, offers the function of shower, sauna and steam room and because it's compact even city-dwellers with limited space can enjoy this unique natural wood grain beauty. You would expect to find this beautiful quality shower cabin in a large property in a rustic setting.


To view bathroom trends slideshow, click here.

More Steam Showers, click here.

Bedrooms - Your Private Comfort Space

Thomasville's bedding line Bouvier toile against a creamy background pattern is tranquil and serene and when combined with the colors, textures and accessories shown, this room's design gives off feelings of relaxation and comfort.

Private spaces are precious and it is here that you can truly express yourself. The details individually and collectively can affect your desire and use of this important area, if cluttered for instance rather than serenity, you feel angst. All of your home’s private spaces should reflect what makes you feel content, and a bedroom, well cuddling and huddling under the sumptuous layers of bedding, that is luxury you deserve.

If your private spaces aren't lived in fully, richly, and lovingly it is possible that a professional interior designer using much of what you already have can accomplish that with you and for you.

Patricia

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To find an interior designer near you, check out our Interior Design Guide. Using an interior designer will help assure you achieve the look you desire minimizing costly mistakes.

Valentines Day Punch Uses Reds Whites & Paisleys

Punched up reds and whites aren't just for Valentines Day cards anymore. Interior designers are using reds and whites in home and office interiors. The ever traditional paisley is even enjoying a new look. When it is rendered in red and white, paisley is clean, crisp and graphic. Above, Alessandra Branca's office is done in reds and whites, shown in this photo from Traditional Home Magazine. Note how the this color palette is the perfect backdrop for black and solid red accessories.

Designer Kim Zimmerman used only red and white prints (including a paisley) from Les Indiennes in this Atlanta living room at right. Bottom line- it's a great way to add some zip to one's room. Design by Kim Zimmerman (photo from Cottage Living, Jan/Feb 08; photographer Jeremy Samuelson)

"Paisley Linen" in color Brick, Suzanne Rheinstein for Lee Jofa

Paisley Print from

Les Indiennes

Paisley Park in Garnet from Lewis and Sheron

Spiral in color Lipstick & White by Buy Fabric of RichTex Fabrics

Paint Color Choices - What Would Bette Midler Or Bill Blass - Or You - Choose

A colorful personality herself, Bette Midler says she loves to use color as a design element in her home environments. "I love color." According to Ms. Midler, "I don't care where it comes from . . . walls, flowers, anything. Color is a subliminal source of joy and happiness that sets off something that lifts your spirits."CELEBRITIES FIND INTERIOR DESIGNER DIRECTORY OR DECORATOR OR LOCAL INTERIOR DESIGNER

Just like Bette Midler, most of us love color, so what's up with choosing a paint color. It's not for lack of beautiful choices - it is said the human eye recognizes at least ten million colors. The issue is more amongst so many beautiful colors, how do we decide which colors to paint in our home. Rest assured, not to worry. If you can't decide what colors to paint your kitchen or bathroom, don't feel bad. Color has more to do with emotion than with technicalities. HOW TO FIND AN INTERIOR DESIGNER.

Think about what color does. It pulls you in, or pushes you away. It can easily shock. Or calm.SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL DESIGN DIRECTORY FIND INTERIOR DESIGNER

Have you noticed a particular color that repeats in your clothes closet? Learn to trust yourself that you know you love certain colors and let your eye and instinct lead you.

Color has energy - pediatric wards are often painted bubble-gum pink to soothe children. Blue is known to lower blood pressure, ideal for a meditative space. The yellow legal pad comes from the belief that yellow stimulates the intellect and the memory.

Take your time. Peruse decorating magazines and note similarities of colors of rooms that you enjoy. Note rooms that instill various emotions such as beauty, restfulness, comfort, etc. INTERIOR DESIGN IDEAS DE SIGN IDEAS?

Realize you may have already identified colors that are beautiful to you. Look around your home, you may have a favorite vase, a distinct pillow or a cherished personal item . . . consider its colors. There are reasons we love the things that we love and color may just be why these items are precious to you.HOW TO HIRE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER OR FIND A DESIGNER

Patricia,Editor FIND INTERIOR DESIGN ARTICLE BEAUTIFUL

Photographs from Christy Ferer's book Breaking the Rules: Home Style for the Way We Live Today FIND OUR LATEST INTERIOR DECORATING ARTICLE

Focal Points Are Vital In A Well Designed Room

Sometimes it’s the ‘biggest’ feature in the room. Oftentimes it’s a fireplace, a picture window or a built-in bookcase. It wants to be special, it wants to be dramatic. If it is played up, this focal point helps to make your room more inviting, offering a more comfortable place to rest. Since this one design item can do so much, play it up! DECORATING IDEAS AND PROJECTS TIPS
Determining Your Focal Point: HOW TO CHOOSE COLOR
A focal point should be something interesting to look at, something colorful or texturally and visually appealing. You can create a focal point for the room, by focusing on artwork, floral arrangements, paint color, or shelving. It should be the 'first thing' you see when entering a room. If possible, build your furniture arrangement around it.
Play Up Your Focal Point:
You can create a focal point wall by painting one wall a different color from the rest and accessorizing with a wall arrangement, artwork, or display shelves. Use lighting to enhance your focal point. For example, use a picture light, track light, or wall washer fixture on a painting or wall display. If you've identified a mantle or shelf as the focal point, use plants and accessories to decorate them.
Use contrasting color to make the focal point stand out. For example, use a light wall color behind a dark wood focal piece.
A Neat Niche:
What could have been an awkward niche has become a focal point by filling it with interesting pieces. A mural is seen here, but you might also use a painting or a collection of prints. The Asian-style dresser is topped with a few simple accessories and a pair of lamps, while recessed lighting is focused to brighten the mural.

Lady's Master Bedroom Designer: Chris Garrett / Garrett Paschen Ltd, Evanston, IL From the 2003 Lake Forest Showcase House and Gardens Photo ©2003, Glenna Morton, About Interior Decorating