The Benefits of Pre-finished Hardwood Floors

Pre-finished floors come with an extended factory finish warranty unlike unfinished floors. The heavy duty finishes are urethane-based. Within a few minutes, a number of urethane coatings can be applied on planks using ultra violet lights. However, you also have the option of unfinished hardwood flooring. The pre-finished hardwood floors... Read More

How to Clean Mini Blinds

Mini-blinds are very convenient and attractive window treatments. They typically have either vertical or horizontal slats, and are woven either from natural or synthetic reeds.The only disadvantage they have is that they cannot be cleaned easily. Cleaning mini blinds doesn't require strength ? it requires delicate handling. The following instructions... Read More

A Look at Solid Hardwood Floors

Solid hardwood floors should neither be installed over a concrete slab nor below ground level because of high moisture sensitivity. Unsightly gaps appear when moisture dries and the floors contract in the winter heating months. The floors expand and gaps disappear during summers. The wood planks may buckle or cup... Read More

An Introduction to Down Comforters

Down comforters are one of the more popular ways of staying warm when the chill of winter fills the air. Made from duck or goose down, they are available in a wide range of prices, depending on the type of down and the surrounding material, among other things.There are a... Read More

What to Look for in Bathroom Vanity Tops

Bathroom vanity tops offer many options to the discerning customer. Ideally, they should all have a strong, smooth surface that defies stains and spills, mild heat and impact. Some materials on the market are heat and burn proof. Product durability and appearance are important since the bathroom vanity top will... Read More

A Look at Water Softener Systems

Do you ever feel like nothing you do when you clean works? Do you still feel dirty when you get out of the shower? Does your hair feel dry after you wash it? The problem may not be the soap or detergents you are using. Your problem might be hard... Read More

Feng Shui in Colours

How does choice of colour affect your feng shui?Colours and colour schemes are factors that are considered thoroughly in interior design. And so it is in feng shui, too. In this issue, our feng shui consultant, Jennifer Brand Palencia, shares some tips on the choice of colours for your home... Read More

The Magic of Design

There was a time people thought the world was flat. At another point in history it was believed that women didn't have the know-how to run a business or change a tire. Then there was the one about man not being able to fly. Over time all of these fairytales... Read More

Entryway Benches - Why Theyre a Must Have in Every Home

One of the easiest ways to leave a lasting, warm impression on first-time visitors to your home and to make those visitors feel welcome is to place an entryway bench just inside your main entryway. Not only do entryway benches create a warm and inviting atmosphere, they are also very... Read More

Dont Just Clean, Organize

Instead of cleaning, decorateTrying to maintain both a beautiful interior, and a neat and organized home, can be a daunting endeavor. One of the worst mistakes that you can make when planning the design of your residence is to arrange it in such a way that your decoration actually gets... Read More

How to Buy a Used Adjustable Bed

Mounting health costs and cuts to government funding are making people seek cheaper alternatives like used or secondhand adjustable beds. Used adjustable beds are no doubt cheaper than new ones, but a lot of care should be taken while buying a used adjustable bed.The exact condition in which the adjustable... Read More

Decorating with Brains

Did I get your attention? Sorry, I just couldn't resist! When I was a little girl, we called them "brains". We would gather them into huge piles and either throw them into the woods or throw them at each other.I know what you are probably thinking, "That must have hurt!"... Read More

The ABC of Being a Good Interior Designer

It may seem that all you need to be a good interior designer is a sense of aesthetics and a flair for design. That is a good start, yes, but it gets you about five feet forward in terms of your career. The first thing to do is to turn... Read More

Candle Making Supplies

Candle making can be a fun creative hobby. It can also be a great business opportunity.There are a number of methods used to make candles. Molds, votives, and containers are three items used to shape the molten wax into candles. The wax itself can come from several different sources. Bee... Read More

Decorating Your Kitchen With Antique Plates

Antique plates can add whimsy and interest to your décor. Many people hang them right on the walls for a unique look. You can hang them up on special holders made just for this or use ribbons to hold them and hang from fancy hooks. Learning how to arrange your... Read More

The Magic of Color

Deciding what colors to use when decorating your house can be a real challenge. Do you want a soothing atmosphere, vibrant or warm and cozy? The choice does not have to be complicated if you understand the workings of the theory of color.As many colors as there are out there... Read More

The Hunt for Vintage Kitchen Sinks

Want to relive the excitement of California's gold rush of the mid 19th century? Or the grandeur of the Victorian age? If your answer is a 'Yes', try installing an antique sink in your kitchen and mull over the glorious past of your ancestors while eating your meal.Obtaining a real... Read More

Bathroom Vanity Cabinets

Bathroom vanity cabinets are considered bathroom furniture, and usually range from simple two door storage units with a wood veneer or a single color paint to exquisitely detailed richly carved hard wood cabinets, with hand applied finishes and marble inlay tops. The vanity cabinet is the place to start in... Read More

Pool Table Lights Guide: How To Light Up Your Game

The proper pool table lights is critical to playing your best game of pool. The ideal pool table light fixture is attractive, unobtrusive, and provides just enough illumination without creating a glare. Choosing the right pool table lights for your home need not be difficult. Just keep a few points... Read More

Inuit Stone Sculptures From The Arctic North

When most people think about stone sculptures, it's probably giant pieces of abstract art located outside large buildings or perhaps inside a famous art gallery or museum. Sometimes people think of stone sculptures as the ancient Roman or Greek mythological characters like Apollo, Venus or Zeus. For contemporary fine art,... Read More

Refinishing Hardwood Floors

The quality of the wear layer determines frequency of refinishing of hardwood floors. Poor quality products can not withstand being refinished even once. The thicker the wear layer, the more refinishing it can withstand. Good quality engineered flooring can be refinished two or three times depending on subfloor's smoothness and... Read More

Furniture Placement Secrets

The easiest and most inexpensive way to invigorate the design of your living room is to rearrange the furniture items you already own. Furniture placement can be a daunting task, no matter how big or small the room. If you are someone who always figured furniture placement would be better... Read More

The Advantages of Wooden Wine Racks

Wood wine racks provide the best storage system for a large collection, cheaply and efficiently. Pine wine cubes hold 24, 48, 96, or 120 bottles. They are easy to assemble, study, stackable, attractive and cost between $30 and $130. You can easily purchase more cubes as your collection expands. Ask... Read More

Luxurious Linen ? Surround Yourself With Sensual Texture

Luxurious linen has been used for centuries. Writers speak in poetic terms of the lovely sensual textures and styles of sheets that were once decadent and even sinful because they were so lush and beautiful. Luxury linens were so revered that one of the most important heirlooms a mother could... Read More

Want a Beautiful Limestone Floor but Worried About The Maintenance? Read On

Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock. It is chemically made up of the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate). Limestone is formed by the deposition of calcium carbonate on the floors of water bodies. Limestone is one the most widely known form of sedimentary rocks comprising about 10% of the sedimentary... Read More

George Brazil and Cecilia Sagrera-Hill
San Francisco Chronicle
"For us, interior design isn't just about decorating a home," says Sagrera-Hill. "It's helping a family or single person create a comfortable environment ...

and more »

Bavarian Born Beauty Nina Freudenberger's Haus Interior Party in New York
Huffington Post (blog)
... a meeting place between her and clients to go over wallpaper swatches, magazines, design books or the items in the stores for interior decorating ideas. ...

Texture returns for fall decor
Sioux City Journal
Metal fabrications are quite trendy for the fall, Patterson acknowledged, and "bling" remains popular in interior decor. "Lots of celebrities have that and ...

Decorating your deck with container gardens
Orlando Sentinel
For 25 years, interior designer Patricia M. Wheeler has been meeting clients in showrooms, helping them select furniture, ...

Interior intervention
Calgary Herald
In fact, these two homes represent opposite ends of the decorating spectrum: Buchanan's condo is the perfect blank canvas and a lesson in how to do it right ...

and more »

The Consumerist (blog)
10 State Taxes That May Be Coming Your Way
The Consumerist (blog)
*Interior decorating -- Oregon, Colorado and New Jersey want to tack on anywhere from 2 to 6 percent in taxes on pro interior decorator services. ...

Avoid decorating faux pas by featuring your space properly
Kansas City Star
(Reach Mary Madden, an interior designer at Madden-McFarland Interiors, 1903 W. 135th St. in Leawood, at mary@maddenmcfarland.com.)

and more »

Home Front: Design ideas from Jura Koncius and Terri Sapienza with interior ...
Washington Post
Temporary bedroom help: I've put off decorating my bedroom because it needs major structural updates in every aspect -- floor, walls, ceiling. ...

House Beautiful editor's design secret: trial and error
Lexington Herald Leader
Despite 25 years of experience in the design business, Turner is the first to tell you he's no pro at decorating. "I'm not a designer; I'm an editor," he ...

An interiors dialogue with House Beautiful's new editor
Washington Post
Despite 25 years of experience in the design business, Turner is the first to tell you that he's no pro when it comes to decorating. "I'm not a designer, ...

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