Tag Archives: decorating

7 Tips To Choose The Right Door For Your Home

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You’re thinking of sprucing up your home, and you’ve decided that doors are a great place to start. You’ve made an excellent choice! Doors are frequently overlooked when remodeling, but they can make a huge difference in the appearance of your home. Of course, it can be a bit of a project narrowing down your options. There are as many doors as there are personalities, and picking the right ones for your home can seem daunting. There’s size, shape, color, style, hinge type, knob type…the list goes on and on. But with a little planning, you can make sure your doors fit perfectly within your budget, your lifestyle, and your decor. Read on to learn seven tips to make the right choice!

1. Set a Budget

Before you start looking, figure out what your budget is going to be. This is one huge step you can take to narrow down your choices. Interior doors start at around $50 and go up from there (in some cases, way up!). Having an idea of your overall budget will allow you to break down your budget per door. You may want to spend more or less depending on door placement. For rooms where soundproofing is important (think bathrooms and bedrooms), solid core doors are the way to go. But for rooms such as closets and pantries, a hollow core door can save you serious money.

2. Consider Your Style

You can’t go wrong with a standard white raised panel door, but you’re not going to be making any kind of statement with it, either. Instead of opting for the norm, think about your style preferences and consider finding a door to match it. Do you like a mid-century modern look? You may want to go with flat panel doors to get that 1960’s vibe. Are you into the country-chic look? Consider using a sliding barn door style in a room or two. Do country French cottages inspire you? Arched doors give that provincial feel. Whatever style you choose, just make sure it fits with your overall decor!

3. Think About Space

If space is a concern, pocket, sliding, or folding doors are a great space-saving choice. Bedroom closet doors are a great place for folding doors. Another space-saving idea is a pivot door that splits the width of the door between two areas, or smaller French doors that only take up about half the space of a regular door when open.

4. Pick the Right Material

Doors come in myriad materials, but the most common are wood and MDF (medium-density fiberboard). Wood is sturdier, great for staining, and an excellent choice for soundproofing. But it tends to be more expensive and difficult to paint. MDF is typically less expensive, lighter, and easier to paint. However, it can’t be stained, and it’s not the best choice if you are soundproofing a room. These days, there are many composite materials available if there’s a special issue you’re looking to solve (such as smudge resistance) or a specific look you’re going for (such as a more glossy modern style).

5. Make a Statement

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Most doors in your home will be similar in style, but they don’t all have to be. Consider a single area to do something fun. Common accent doors include pantry or closet doors, or doors between a kitchen and dining area. Use these doorways to make a real statement with etched glass or saloon-style swinging doors. Want to get creative? Add color to your doors or frames. Use door color to add continuity from another part of your home. Or create a dramatic entrance by using a bold color on your front door!

6. Don’t Forget the Hardware

Door hardware can be as important as the door itself. The right knobs and hinges add not only style but also serious functionality to your doors.Soft-closing door systems can prevent doors from slamming in a cool breeze. Quiet hinges can keep you from waking your loved ones when you close a door late at night. The aesthetic of hardware can completely change the look of a room. If you’re on a budget, you may consider changing the hardware on your existing doors rather than getting all new doors. It’s an easy way to spruce up a tired look.

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7. Get Creative!

The last thing to remember is not to box yourself in. Try going to a flea market or a salvage yard to find an old door that will add a vintage pop to your decor. Or consider making a door out of reclaimed wood. Finally, you can find ways to creatively spruce up your existing doors to make unique statement pieces for your home.

Whatever you decide, upgrading your current doors will bring new life to your home and be an investment you can cherish for years to come!

How To Design Space For Wellness At Home

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Chronic stress and negative emotions can strain your mental and physical health. Generating a wellness routine is more important than ever between managing long hours at work, paying bills, and other daily responsibilities.

Research has shown that creating time to practice self-care and healthy habits can elongate your life. In one particular study, researchers found that women and men who adopted healthy habits lived until they were 93.1 and 87.6 years old on average, respectively.

Self-care requires making time for a comprehensive wellness routine comprising positivity, nutrition, exercise, and optimal sleep. That’s why designing a designated space to focus on wellness is a helpful reminder to prioritize yourself every day. Here are five ideas for creating the perfect wellness space at home.

1.   Choose a Location

Decide which area of your house is conducive to creating the perfect wellness zone. Perhaps this is a vacant room, an outdoor area, or even a corner of an occupied space, such as your living room.

If you’re planning to foster a daily yoga practice, somewhere with a solid surface to place your mat is probably best. Otherwise, an empty bedroom may be an excellent place to turn into a meditation or arts and crafts room.

Do you enjoy reading? Turn a corner of your living room or bedroom into a reading nook with a bookshelf, comfy chair, small table, and a reading lamp. This would also provide a wonderful space to journal or listen to relaxing music or your favorite podcasts.

Maybe you like gazing out the window or spending quiet time outdoors, such as on a patio or balcony. Consider the space you have to work with and decide how it can best fit your needs.

2.   Design With Intent

Depending on who you are, slipping into a self-care routine could be difficult for some and easy for others. Therefore, setting an intention for your wellness can assist you in maximizing your design.

When thinking about your ultimate wellness space, how do you intend to improve your health? For example, if you plan to create an at-home gym, a large spare room or a finished basement is ideal for a few pieces of exercise equipment and an oversized wall mirror. Of course, the layout should be functional, with plenty of workout zones.

You might also want to check in with yourself and think about how you want to feel in your wellness space. Are you looking for greater tranquility to ease your anxiety and stress? Consider adding acoustic panels to maintain even more quietude.

Understanding exactly how you want your space to make you feel will help shape your wellness area into the perfect relaxation spot.

3.   Incorporate Natural Elements

You’re probably aware that natural elements, such as wood and plant decor, evoke a sense of calm. Surrounding yourself with plants has several therapeutic benefits, including better memory and cognition, lowering stress and anxiety, and enhancing mood, healing, and a positive outlook.

You might choose to create an outdoor oasis to better care for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Studies show that spending 120 minutes a week in green space is associated with higher well-being.

There are many ways to turn your patio into your ideal wellness space by incorporating an organized layout with comfortable furniture and cushions, potted plants, lighting, and a partition for privacy.

Natural elements may also come from a beautiful window view, a landscape mural, nature photography, or botanical fabrics.

4.   Enhance Lighting

Although natural light is always the best choice for your wellness regimen, direct sunlight may be too intense or distracting.

If your wellness space has a large window, framing it with light sheer curtains or adding mesh blinds can filter some brightness without making the room dark.

Of course, if your space is missing light or you’re designing a cozy nook for nighttime reading, finding lighting that enhances your wellness space is essential. A table lamp with soft illumination has just the right amount of light for you to read without hurting your eyes.

You might also want to consider adding unique lighting – for example, market lights on the ceiling, twinkle lights on furniture or plants, or colored bulbs to change the aesthetic of your space.

5.   Support Sensory Stimulation

When designing an at-home wellness space, you should consider tapping into all five senses. Think of ways to cancel unwanted noise, such as a noise machine or adding a sound system to play meditation music.

A diffuser is another option for providing aromatherapy benefits, such as eucalyptus, tea tree, or lavender essential oil. Several studies have revealed lavender’s relaxing effects on anxiety symptoms.

You might also stimulate your senses for optimal health by bringing a hot cup of tea into your wellness space or including decorative accessories, such as throw blankets and pillows for enhanced comfort.

Temperature is another crucial factor for wellness, especially since you don’t want to be uncomfortably cold or too hot. Installing a smart thermostat can help regulate the room’s temperature and provide better air quality.

Making Room For Self-Care at Home

Designing a space for self-care takes some time, consideration, and patience. You’ll likely continue adding and removing elements until you’ve cultivated a room that works best for you. However, these tips can help get you started improving your well-being at home.

Author

 Evelyn Long is a Baltimore-based writer and the editor-in-chief of Renovated. She publishes home decor advice and product roundups for readers in spaces both big and small.

Incorporating Cottagecore Elements Into Any Home

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Cottagecore is a popular trend that has gained popularity across all social media platforms. As a style of interior design, cottagecore blends traditional country-style aesthetics with coziness and practicality.

However, cottagecore also weaves a hint of enchantment into its aesthetic. You can almost imagine a fairy settling down on the windowsill in a cottagecore home, and cottagecore designers make great use of the natural world to create a hobbity style in contemporary homes.

Even though most of us don’t live in a hobbit-hole or countryside cottage, that doesn’t mean you have to abandon your aspirations to create a cottagecore home — you just have to get a little creative. So, here’s a guide to help you incorporate cottagecore elements into any home.

Finding Inspiration

Transforming a home from sleek modern design to cozy cottagecore takes time and effort. Fortunately, you won’t be without inspiration on your journey to convert your home into the cottage of your dreams — even if your cottage is really an apartment in a large urban city.

You can find inspiration for cottagecore through social media pages like thehouseofcottagecore and Rachel Maksy. These pages will give you inspiration and often highlight other cottagecore influencers so you can take a deeper dive into the aesthetic. You can also find practical tips to help you do some cottagecore DIY on a budget and cover up elements of your home that don’t align with the cottagecore style.

It is worth remembering that cottagecore is more than a trend on social media. Inspiration for cottagacore can be found in the real world by visiting places like Monk’s House in the south of England or the Dyckman House on Manhattan Island. Visiting historical houses can help you notice little interior design choices and may help you spot vintage appliances that suit your dream style.

Vintage Appliances

Cottagecore exists at an imaginary juncture between traditional and modern life. This means that ultra-modern appliances like stainless-steel fridges and microwaves will likely stick out and look a little odd when juxtaposed with handwoven baskets and vintage tea sets.

The next time you go thrifting, try to look for vintage appliances that compliment your current style. You’d be surprised by how easy it is to fix or renovate old appliances, as most folks throw away outdated appliances even if they’re in perfect working condition.

You can even help old appliances like fridges last longer by treating them with some TLC. Avoid overburdening older appliances, and treat them with the same care that you show to interior decore. If you do use older appliances, just be sure to check your energy usage, as old appliances may demand massive amounts of energy compared to newer models. This will help ensure you live a sustainable, vintage-inspired life that is good for your soul and the planet.

Making Use of Space

The cottagecore influencers you see on social media usually have plenty of space and financial resources to achieve their dream aesthetic. However, it’s entirely possible to incorporate cottagecore elements into your home, even if you’re living in a small rental apartment.

Start making space for cottagecore elements by reassessing your use of storage space. Most folks make poor use of closets and cabinets, and could easily cut down on clutter by utilizing space-saving hacks like track shelves, compression bags, and over-the-door organizers. This will make it easier to reclaim space in your home for cottagecore elements.

It’s worth bearing in mind that cottagecore suits smaller spaces. You’re going for a “cozy” aesthetic, so filling a space with knick-knacks and cushions is perfectly acceptable. If you’re on a budget, you can still lean into cottagecore elements by handmaking your own statement pieces. You might, for example, follow simple crochet patterns to make your own throws and pillows.

DIY and Staging

One of the joys of cottagecore is that it is seldom perfect. Unlike other modern interior design styles like Scandinavian and mid-century design, cottagecore elements can be made with your own two hands and thrive off the character inherent in dropped stitches and frayed rugs.

When creating a cottagecore aesthetic, remember that staging is just as important as the actual furnishing you have in your home. Start with a simple space like your living room. When someone walks in, what kind of scene should they find? Perhaps you’ll stage the area by storing a ball of yarn in a wicker basket beside your armchair. Maybe you’ll leave flower cuttings to dry beside the windowsill. The idea is to create a space that makes use of your DIY both for practicality and for impromptu stylizing.  

Conclusion

Cottagecore is all about making the most of what you already have. But, if you do need to add some statement pieces, consider heading to the local thrift store and picking vintage goods that suit a dreamy cottage vibe. Once you’ve gathered your cottagecore decore, try your hand at staging, and make use of DIY’d materials to invoke a cozy, enchanting feel.

Sustainable Victorian Interior Design Tips

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Though traditional Victorian homes are not very eco-friendly or sustainable, there are many ways you can renovate an old house to make it more sustainable or design a new Victorian-style home using sustainable materials and elements. There is no reason you have to give up your love for Victorian design just to be more eco-conscious.

Sustainability is important, and homeowners need to do their part to minimize their home’s carbon footprint to mitigate further damage to the environment. Still, it is possible to have a beautifully elegant Victorian home while being mindful of your impact on the planet.

Below are some tips and tricks you can follow to design the sustainable, modern Victorian home of your dreams:

1. Build Your Own Sustainable Victorian Home

If overhauling an existing Victorian-era home seems like too much work, or if you simply can’t find exactly what you are looking for, building your own home in the Victorian style is an option. Building a family home takes a lot of time, money, and effort, but the result is often worth it. It means you can use more sustainable materials from the start and ensure everything looks exactly the way you want it to.

2. Renovate a Condo or a Townhome

Maintaining a smaller carbon footprint can sometimes be achieved by living in a smaller home. So instead of buying and renovating a Victorian house, you can look for a smaller condo or townhome that is a new build designed in the Victorian style. New, smaller builds like condos and townhomes are often more sustainable, and even if you can’t find one in the Victorian style, you can renovate it or decorate it using Victorian design elements.

3. Eco-friendly Subdued Hue Paints

Today, chic Victorian designs are all about using darker, subdued hues such as smokey blacks, blues, and greens, while bringing in brighter colors with the furniture and decor. Not all paint brands are the same, however. So when choosing your Victorian paint colors, opt for brands that use non-toxic paints that are more sustainable and better for your health.

4. Sustainable Patterned Fabrics

Contrasting textures and fabric patterns are staples in Victorian-style homes as they can give the space a very opulent and luxurious feel. However, you don’t need to buy expensive fabrics to achieve this look. You can purchase more sustainable fabrics and dye them yourself using natural dyes. Or you can even find what you are looking for at thrift stores.

While fabrics and decor from a thrift store might not have been initially made sustainably, buying things second-hand helps keep landfills from overflowing and reduces the number of new things that need to be manufactured. You can shop second-hand for just about anything, including curtains, lace table cloths, patterned pillows and bedcovers, and more. 

5. Upgrade Old Appliances

One of the best ways to make your home more sustainable is to install new energy-efficient appliances. Older, Victorian homes often come with outdated appliances that use more energy than they need to. Of course, many new energy-efficient appliances do not reflect the Victorian style, but there are design hacks you can use to make them look vintage. There are even some companies that sell modern, energy-efficient appliances that are designed to resemble those from bygone eras.

6. Prioritize Natural Light

While elegant, vintage light fixtures are a great way to bring the Victorian style to your home, they are not always the most eco-friendly design option. This is not to say you can’t install these light fixtures or use elegant lamps, but it’s best to actually use them as little as possible. To avoid having to use lights during the day, try to design or buy a home that has a lot of windows and good natural light. This can help you reduce your energy bill and lower your home’s carbon footprint while still allowing you to use elegant, Victorian light features when it gets dark.

7. Buy Second-hand Art and Decor

The elements that often tie a space together are art and decor. Hunting down vintage pieces to create your Victoria dream home can be fun and even eco-friendly, depending on where you shop. There are plenty of new companies that manufacture things in the Victorian style, but supporting these sellers is not very sustainable. Instead, seek out thrift shops and antique stores to repurpose existing art and decor.

It’s more satisfying anyways to know that you are using an actual piece versus buying something new that looks vintage. You can even find and repurpose old light and plumbing fixtures that better match the Victorian style.

Wrapping Up

Just because Victorian design doesn’t look sustainable doesn’t mean it can be environmentally friendly. There are many construction companies today, for example, that can build a Victorian-style home using eco-friendly materials. And the interior design can easily mimic the Victorian era while utilizing sustainable and thrifted products and materials. There are really no limitations if you are willing to get creative and put in a little extra effort.

 

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5 Gorgeous Gifts For The Interior Design Fanatic In Your Life

When you visit a person’s home and stand in awe of the immaculately detailed decoration of their living space, you can safely assume that this person loves anything and everything related to interior design.

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If you have such a person in your life who often redesigns their rooms and is always on the lookout for unique home furniture and decor, you should appreciate their aesthetic sensibility. When it’s time to give that person a present, it’s a no-brainer that you should give them an interior decor item. But what?

A generic decor item won’t do. You have to ensure your gift suits their style and their home. Here are five home design gift ideas to please anyone’s interior design tastebuds.

1. Classic Wall Clock

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A nice big clock is elegant and practical for any room of the house. A wall clock can serve as a decorative accent to fill up any empty wall space. Although we have the convenience of checking the time on our electronic screens, it doesn’t compare with a grand, artistic display of time.

There are a few aspects to consider, first the size of the clock. For an accent piece, choose something smaller, within the 10-18 inch range, but for a statement piece, go for a larger clock, between 24-30 inches. When it comes to materials, you can go the less expensive route with plastic, or choose a higher quality and price tag material like wood or metal.

The material you choose affects the styles available. You can select something modern with a metallic frame or something traditional with a natural design. Try to choose a color that will blend with the decor of any room. Neutral colors like white, beige, gray, and black are best. Natural colors of wood and metal are also safe choices.

2. Intriguing Showpieces

A showpiece can be the perfect gift for someone who has shelves and cabinets decorated with quirky items. Unique and interesting showpieces add a touch of detail and character to a place and reveal the interests of the homeowner.

One home decor tip when shopping for a showpiece for someone else is to buy something that matches a showpiece they already have. For instance, if someone is into animal figurines, you should get them a similar kind of showpiece. That way, you can be sure that they’ll like your gift and it will fit with the rest of their decor.

3. A Unique Vase

Displaying fresh (or artificial) flowers in a vase can enliven any room. But vases are not just for bouquets anymore. According to modern home decor conventions, a unique vase can also serve the function of a showpiece. It can fill up empty surfaces, draw the eye to a piece of furniture, and add charm to the space.

There are several vase shapes available, from bottleneck to flared, footed to cube, centerpiece to minimalist and more. Before picking out a vase, take a look at the decor styles already in the home and make sure your choice will compliment them.

4. Photo Frame with a Personal Memory

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Nothing makes the heart grow fonder of a gift than a touch of personalization. A photo frame with a picture of the two of you can be a personalized housewarming gift that will remain timeless. The best part of a framed photo is that the picture takes the center stage. If you choose a picture that has captured a memory both of you cherish or simply a picture you know they will like, the gift immediately becomes valuable, no matter which kind of frame you put it in.

Having said that, it’s still necessary to go with a frame that complements the picture. An easy way to do this is to match the color and tone of your frame with the color palette of the picture. Go for a simple, understated style if you are unsure about opting for something more bold. The perfect gift is a personal thing, so consider getting the frame engraved with the date of the photo within.

5. Meaningful Antiques

This is a bit of a niche choice of gift, but it can be a treasure trove for someone who is into antiques. Including antique pieces in your living space adds an archaic aesthetic to a modern home. For some people with more traditional and rustic homes, antiques will complement the home well.

There are multiple considerations to be made while buying antiques, especially if you are making an expensive purchase. Since these will be used, vintage items, you might have to do some restoration as well. Buy something small and manageable if this is your first time.

Make Each Gift Count

There are only two rules for buying interior design gifts for someone—know the person’s taste and know their home. If you can look at a gift and immediately tell whether it will fit into their home and their general style, you’re on the right track! If not, the best way to find out is to experiment. Either way, what makes your gift valuable is how much thought you put into it.