How to Give Your Room the WOW! Factor
Candle lanterns are wonderful accessories that are often overlooked. Creating a beautiful focal point using candle holders is not only a unique idea but if done properly will WOW! onlookers.
I will show you how to create a candle lanterns focal point in your home that will breathe life into your room and become an instant conversation piece amongst your friends and family.
This is a step by step guide that you can apply to not just candle lanterns but any collection of items. Just follow these simple steps and before long you would have created a room that is not only pretty to look at but beautiful to enjoy.
Many online stores will list candle holders as candleholders and vice versa. The difference between candle candleholders and candleholders is that typically candle lanterns can be used both indoors and outdoors, while candleholders are used primarily indoors or under protective covering if placed outside. For our purposes, we will use the term candle candleholders.
Before shopping for those perfect candle holders, you must first decide where in your space you want to create a focal point.
This is not as difficult as you may think. Just stand in the doorway of the room you want to place your candle holders display. Now consider the placement of the furniture and non-movable items in the room and choose a location you want to draw attention to. Keep in mind that there are all kinds of ways to display candle holders.
a) Create a candle holder scene on top of your fireplace mantle.
b) Clear off a coffee table or accent table and use it to display your candle lanterns.
c) Add a decorative wall shelf to a wall and create your display upon it.
You get the idea. Because it is going to be a focal point, your eye should be naturally drawn to the area you choose to place your candle holders display. Do not choose an area that is hidden. For example, a spot behind the door or in an out of sight location would not be the ideal place for your candle lanterns display. Sounds funny but it is been known to happen.
Should I use a curio cabinet, table, shelf, or storage unit?
What you choose to display your collection of candle holders on is entirely up to you. But, be sure that your display will not over-power the room. What I mean is the item you choose to display your candle holders collection on is just as important as the candle holders themselves.
For Example:
a) If the table or cabinet is too large, then your display will be overlooked and the table or cabinet will become the focal point.
b) If the shelf or storage unit is too small, then the eye will not be drawn to that area of the room. Your focal point will be over-looked or dismissed as an unimportant element in the room.
Now that you have chosen the location for your candle holders, it is time to take into consideration the physical object you will be placing your candle holders display on. Ask yourself a few key questions such as:
1) Do I need to place a decorative tablecloth over the table in order to create a more festive backdrop for my candle holders display?
a. Oftentimes the right tablecloth or covering can make the difference between having a nice candle lanterns display and having that WOW factor.
b. I always recommend some form of festive covering on your candle lanterns display table or shelf if it is showing signs of aging or the color does not complement your design ideas.
c. However, if you have a beautiful new table or shelf area and want to show it off, forgo using any covering.
d. Think outside the box when it comes to types of coverings:
1. use a yard of decorative fabric (cut to size).
2. use a decorative tablecloth (cut to size).
3. use an old blouse, sweater or scarf (cut to size).
4. use a silk decorative sheet (cut to size).
5. use a curtain that has a beautiful design (cut to size).
6. The possibilities are endless. Just do not limit yourself to traditional table covering.
2) Based on the size of my table, shelf, curio, etc., approximately how many accessories will it take to fill the space?
a. This is good to know prior to shopping. Everything depends on your budget. If your funds are limited you could purchase two large candle holders and use accessories that complement them (we will talk about accessorizing a little later). Or, you may want to purchase a collection of candle lanterns for that instant WOW factor. Whatever method you choose will work just fine. Remember you can always add to your candle lanterns collection over time.
3) Do I have enough space for tall items or wide items only? Can I use a combination of the two?
Try to ask and answer as many questions as possible about your candle lanterns display space as you can think of. The purpose of this is to eliminate the guest work prior to making your first purchase. The more you pre-think what you can and cannot do, the easier it will be for you to make the right candle lanterns purchase.
O.K., now that you have chosen the location of your candle lanterns focal point, it is time to shop for the perfect candle lanterns to take center stage and be the “star” of the show.
To keep your cost down, we will start out by purchasing just two candle lanterns and accessorize with other figurines or complementary items found around your home.
There are a flood of online stores where you can purchase candle lanterns. My only concern is that you purchase high quality candle lantern to be the “star” of your candle lanterns display. Prices can range from as little as $9.99 and up. Visit our Online Catalog for a nice selection of collectible and affordable candle lanterns.
Before making your candle lantern selection, ask yourself the following questions:
1) What is it about these candle lanterns that gives it “star” quality?
2) Are there enough intricate details in these candle lanterns that others would be drawn to?
3) How will these candle holders fit into the space I have set aside as my candle lanterns focal point area? Consider the height and width of the item.
4) How difficult will it be to find accent pieces to help highlight these candle holders?
All right, you have made your purchase of the perfect candle lanterns and there is no changing your mind. Good!
Now let us create that candle lanterns focal point!
You have already done the hard part (deciding on the perfect candle lanterns), now here is where the fun begins.
1) Cover your candle holders table or shelf with your festive cloth.
If you are utilizing your fireplace mantle, PLEASE USE EXTREME CAUTION as all coverings are highly flammable and can cause fire!
2) Place your candle holders in the desired position. Play around with different spots. Turn the candle holders a little to the left, now to the right, and then center it. You get the point. Find the best positioning that best display your candle holders.
3) A great way to add interest to your candle holder display is by placing them on multiple levels. Try placing some on various sizes of other items.
For Example: Let us say two of your candle lanterns are the same size, turn a small candy dish or flat bottom decorative vase (you are only limited by your imagination) upside down and place one of the candle holders on it. You have just created multiple levels of interest.
4) Now accessorize with other items from around the house that highlights and complements your new candle holder purchase.
Here are some suggestions:
a) Search around your home for existing treasures to add to your candle holder display.
b) Cover a lamp shade with translucent paper wrap (to prevent a fire hazard, cover the outside only), add it to your candle holders table to light up your candle holders display when the candles are not lit.
c) Go to an inexpensive novelty store and purchase little nick-knacks to dress up your candle holders display.
d) Add rope lighting to your candle holders display. This is a wonderful way to draw the eye in. This idea works best for weddings, baby showers, and special functions.
e) If you run short of creative ideas, flip through home decorating magazines the next time you are waiting in the grocery line and watch your imagination flow.
f) Do not be intimidated by this process. As you add items to your candle lanterns display, the creative juices will begin to flow and before long you will have out-done yourself.
Creating a candle holder focal Point in your room in not as difficult as you may think, it just takes a little know how. The good thing about it is, once you learn the basic principles you can apply them to any design theme.
Although the thoughts and ideas listed here uses candle holders as a focal point, you can substitute candle lanterns for any of your favorite collector items or accessories.
Reminder: You do not have to buy something new in order to create a focal point. Look around your home, find a favorite object or item and build your focal point around that.
Good Luck creating a dynamic candle lanterns focal point in your room and remember…Have Fun!
Home Decor Tips For Your Living Room
The living room is a very important part of the house. It is where you entertain your guests and also where you spend much time bonding with your family. Here are some great home decor touches to lend to your living room space:
Theme: Pick a theme you like. Traditional, Asian, cartoon, something you, at the very least, don’t mind looking at everyday. Themes like relaxation, desert, sea, and others make good themes for a living room.
Focal Point: The focal point should be the ‘first thing’ you see when entering a room. Build the focal point around a great lamp or an eye-catching piece of furniture.
Colour: The colours you choose will affect how guests feel in the space. Colours can energize or relax the space, depending on how intense they are and how warm or cool they are. For example, find a rug that really ties the room together and balance the colours in the room.
Furniture and Layout: Living rooms are gathering spaces, so use furniture arrangement to promote conversation and interaction. Keep in mind the scale and dimension of the room when choosing furniture, so that the pieces fit comfortably in the space. You need to also consider the layout, the size in terms of proportion to your living room and the number of people you want to fit in the area.
Windows: Drapery can make all the difference to a room, provide elegance and opulence. They also help provide a soft warm environment as well as creating colour, pattern and texture for your home decor. For understated elegance, you might consider going bare.
Finish the Walls and Ceilings: Traditionally, living room walls receive more elaborate or formal treatment than other rooms because the room is a public space. To make it a welcoming room that expresses your personality, choose wall-coverings or treatments that reflect your style.
Add Character with Architectural Trimwork: When doing renovation for your living room, keep in mind that trimwork serves practical purposes, covering the seams where floors and ceilings meet walls and supporting the structure around openings.These elements serve aesthetic purposes too. The style of trimwork helps give your home a distinctive look, whether classical, contemporary, old-world, or regional. Projecting lintels over the door and windows, a deep cornice, and a paneled and beamed vaulted ceiling combine to give this white-washed living room a sense of peace.
Choose the Right Flooring: In keeping with the function of the living room as a public space, choose a floor covering that provides comfort underfoot and makes a design statement as well. This vibrant wall-to-wall carpet lays the foundation for a refined mix of florals and stripes. If you prefer a less bold floor, choose a solid neutral flooring that allows attention to focus on furniture or art. Hardwood floors with area rugs are one of the most popular choices for living room floors, but ceramic tile, stone tile and full carpeting work too.
Accessorize with Art Collections: Walls come alive when you use them to display art or collections that you love. The most common mistake in hanging pictures is putting them too high.Group items for impact, and hang them low enough to relate to nearby furnishings or architecture.
Low Budget Decorating With Vinyl
Decorating a house can seem like a daunting task when you first start out, especially when your budget is lower than you would like. Many people struggle where to start. If you were to ask an expert what you should do they would generally tell you to find one specific thing that you like such as a sofa, picture, or table accent and then design your room around that. Most people like to choose a big item like a table or sofa because it is harder to find the one that you like that will match the colors that you have chosen. This method works great because you have chosen and bought your bigger items which means it is now easier to pick the smaller ones like paint and accents. Though at the same time decorating this way can leave your budget with a bigger dent than expected.
Many people have run into this problem and each has come up with their own solution to this problem. One of my favorite cheap ways to decorate but still look chic is to use wall vinyl stickers. A vinyl sticker can come in any size or color that you could want. You can even get it in a custom design to match whatever the style of your room may be. These stickers can be removable (if you buy the right kind) so that when you want something new you can change it around easily and have a whole new look. You can do custom borders around a room, do flat frame pictures, and even polka dots round a child’s bedroom.
Another fun idea is to use vinyl wall lettering to add sayings around the house. These sayings again can be any length, size, color, or wording. Using your own custom sayings can give any room character, humor, or personal motivation. Put them on mirrors to give your children a quick reminder when they get up in the morning, in the kitchen to add an easy durable decoration that says something about you, or put a humorous saying in the entry to give everyone that enters a laugh. I have had a lot of fun with these in my own house. They have created a humorous conversation starter and helped me contemplate the deeper things of life.
Using vinyl wall stickers and vinyl lettering can be your much needed solution to your decorating crunch. When you have run out of ideas or money look into seeing how it can spice up your wall or even the back of your car.
Make Your Own Kitchen Chair Cushions
For some home owners the use of kitchen chair cushions is a way to accent their kitchen area. Some use them for decoration and some use them comfort, but either way you can choose to buy your cushions or make you own. Buying them online or in a store would be the easier way, but you are limited when it comes to styles and designs. If you make your own cushions you have complete control over the padding, material and overall look of the cushions. You can add buttons or ties, or ever frills. When you decide to make your own cushions it will also give you a sense of pride and accomplishment every time you look at them.
When you are reading to begin making your own kitchen chair cushions you should head to the local craft store. You will need to picking up padding of your choice and in the thickness that you want it. Picking out a material to cover the padding with will also need to be done. Most commonly when these are homemade cotton is use, but you can use polyester, suede or any material that fits you. If you don’t currently have kitchen seat cushions then you should measure your chair from front to back and side to side. This will give you the length and width measurements needed for your fabric. Add an inch to be safe, and if you plan to use thick padding you may want to add up to 3 inches.
After getting home and beginning you want to cut our 2 squares of your fabric to be the outer shell. You will need to sew two of the side together with your choice of thread, and maybe even three sides depending on the padding being used. Then take your padding and stuff you almost completed cushions. Sew up the remaining sides, add any addition design features you want and there you have it. If you have a sewing machine this process goes much quicker, and you can sometimes sew up the sides while the padding is already inside. If you learn best by watching people do this, simple visit a video website with a tutorial on how to make these yourself. Websites like Google and YouTube offer many videos, and not just on cushions making. You can become a craftsman before you know it.
Advantages of Having Indoor Plants
Clean air without a costly price can be hard to come by these days. If there was a natural and possibly cheaper way to purify the air in your home, would you? Plants purify the air naturally and can be used to keep toxins out of the air. They are great for the environment, even when we’re talking about an indoor room within the confines of your home. They won’t cost you much to buy, and there are many other benefits to keeping them around as well. Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities here.
Plants aren’t just earth’s natural air purifiers, they are believed to bring a positive energy to your house and look great for decorating your home.
The color selections for plants are almost endless. This gives you tons of room to be creative when decorating your home. You can go tropical with some exotic colors that add great color to the different rooms in your home, or you can go with more neutral tones like whites, which bring out the best in the furniture, artwork, and walls that fill each room.
Medium sized plants like the bonsai have become a great trend for filling corners of a house or apartment.
Smaller hanging arrangements are recommended for smaller apartments or rooms as a decorative option.
Regular watering and trimming of dead leaves and twigs is the required maintenance to keep plants healthy.
One requirement for most plants is that they need sunlight. Providing sunlight can sometimes be difficult if the plants do not have access to the sun in some way. Indoor plants that do not need the sunlight are hard to find and can be costly.
Plants in your home can be an opportunity to take advantage of. They can be used to teach children about plants and how to be responsible for them, and your kids will love seeing them grow from their infancy to healthy living organisms in full bloom.