Monday 14 July 2014

Tips for Setting Up Your Study Room


Setting up a study room is not a simple task. There is no universal design for a study room. The main reason for this is that a study room reflects the personality and preferences of the person who it is meant for. So a study room that works for your friend need not be effective in your case. The location of the study is what needs to be decided first. If you are a person who can work and think without any hindrance in a noisy area, then you could utilise a part of your living room as a study. If you need a certain amount of peace and quiet to assist you in your thinking process then create a study area in your personal room.



An ideal study needs to be well lit and well ventilated. It would be ideal if the room has a window. You could position your desk beside the window. Even though it could be a distraction, having a window will help with your thought process, especially if you are a creative person like a writer or an artist.

Indoor plants are a good idea to bring greenery indoors. Try to remove the clutter in the room. There are people who can work amidst clutter but I would advise you to remove the unnecessary items in the room. It not only keeps your stuff well organised but also creates a warm and welcome atmosphere. It is ideal for you to have a desk and spend a lot of time on the desk. Bean bags and couches may be comfortable, but be realistic; you are more likely to spend more time dozing than working.

The table that you choose must be of an ideal size. Not everyone is blessed with the luxury of space. You could buy a table that has drawers in which you can organise your stuff. Try to keep the surface clean always. Lights in the study room must be bright as dim lights will tend to make you sleepy. Get a chair that has good lumbar support and one that does not make you slouch. Revolving chairs with wheels may be fun but they just don’t get any work done. Keep your supplies like rulers, pencils, pens, erasers and sheets of paper handy. Remember that your study is your personal space. You can create a collage with photos of your family and hang it on the wall. Timetables, calendars and boards are good tools for getting organised.

You will need a cupboard to keep your books. You may think that listening to music may help you study. It is a cool notion but trust me it does not work. Chances are that you will spend your time humming the tunes, your mind may start to wander and you will barely get any work done. If you have never listened to music while studying you will never be able to do so in the future. Keep the stereo and radio in a separate room. Make sure you keep your books and stationery beyond the reach of small children and pets. But most importantly make sure that you get familiar with your room and feel welcome when you enter it. Just remember, a study is a room that has to bring out the best in you and for more study design tips visit Barbara Genda

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Saturday 14 June 2014

Ideas for Bedroom Decorating


We spend a lot of time in our bedrooms, so here are some great decorating ideas for this important room.

Furnish Wisely
Design your bedroom to make it an any time of day room, so make sure that it has daytime furniture, such as chairs as well as a bed, making it a multi functional room.

Patterns and Colors
Make sure your bed is inviting, maybe by using a colorful combination of different floral patterns. Alternatively, perhaps just have one color for a touch of class or combine floral, striped and geometric patterns that have the same primary hue.

Formula for Color Schemes
Try using different variations of one particular color palette, perhaps using two different hues such as apricot and turquoise. Add accents such as pillows, rugs and throws.

Focal Point
An eye catching headboard can become a real focal point in a bedroom and can be created cheaply using and an upholstered headboard.

Ideas for Bedroom Windows
Most rooms need to have light blocked out in the morning and add some privacy at night. So consider ideas that do this and add some elegance to the room. This can be shutters, drapes that are swagged or gathered

Tips for Bedding
Choose your sheets and linens carefully. Look for the number of threads in each square inch, as this means higher quality. Sheets such as Egyptian or supima cotton are the best quality.

Mirrors Add Glamour
Mirrors in a bedroom add glamour as well as reflecting light and views back into the room. They will also make a smaller bedroom look larger and you can also check your outfit looks good before going out.

Filling in Blank Spaces
The space between the headboard and the ceiling is often dead space that isn’t used. Add some kind of accent with some picture frames or decorative object that will draw the eye.

Use Art
Add some personality to your bedroom by exhibiting family photographs and other artworks. There is usually plenty of blank wall space above the dresser, headboard or dressing table.

Bedside Manner
A good bedside table will not only be functional, but can also be fashionable and add a touch of style to the room. Make sure they have storage space or even have a small dresser on each side of the bed.

Closet Organization
If you keep your closet well organized and free of clutter, it makes it that much easier to find something fast. Plastic or wood hangers are gentler on your clothes than wire and look much more streamlined.

Furnish Your Child’s Room That Will Grow With Them
A practical bedroom that will grow with your child is a great idea. Avoid furniture that is obviously juvenile and make sure that the room has a nightstand, bed, dresser and desk that is strong and will last. Using plain color schemes will be longer lasting than maybe fairies or a childish theme. You can then change accents such as light shades and bedding to ring the changes as your child grows up.

Conclusion
We spend a lot of time in our bedrooms, so it is important to make sure that it is furnished and decorated in a way that invites you spend time in the room. These tips will help you make the most of your bedroom.

William is professional web developer. He is passionate about design and has worked out the image of Essay Minions 
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For more design tips visit Barbara Genda bespoke furniture design

Tuesday 20 May 2014

New Trends and Designs for Your Home this Spring


Winter season is almost over and you might want to brighten your home with a new design and style this spring. Perhaps the freezing climate turned your home lifeless and cold for a couple of months. Now, you can indulge into a new transformation and embrace the happy colors of spring. Here are amazing ideas that will give your home a new breath of life.

Taken from http://www.barbara-genda.com
Go ‘Green’

It is always a great idea to refurbish the home using eco-friendly materials. There are many ways by which you can improve the physical appearance of your home using environment-friendly tools and supplies. Examples of these are non-toxic house paint, antique wood products and other natural elements. Eco-friendly items are not difficult to find because these can be easily found at any DIY store.
Going ‘green’ is not only for beautification purposes but more importantly, for the preservation of the environment. Plants and flowers are the best and most cost-effective decors you can have in your home. Not only are they attractive, they are beneficial to the health as well.

Install Vintage Lights

Vintage light fixtures are impressive implements that create a unique statement for your home this spring. The fusion of brushed metal hardware and chandeliers are awesome fixtures that promote a romantic feel to any home. There are plenty of inexpensive options that you can find in home depot stores and DIY shops. The installation of vintage lights in the center or corner spots of the house creates a pleasant mood especially during the evening. Consider checking your storage room for old metal or antique lighting fixtures which can still be used after a cleaning or painting job.

Welcome the Colors of Spring

Painting the home with the colors of spring is just the best way to experience the season. Colors of spring follow the shades of yellow, pink, green, violet, orange and blue. Paint your living room wall with any of these colors and a huge difference will appear. Spring colors are actually happy colors that stimulate happiness and joy. They make a room livelier and more dynamic. You can buy all these from a nearby hardware store. In here, you can choose from a wide array of colors that range from dark to light. Go for colors that are pleasant to the eye.

Use Natural Fabrics

Another way of redesigning your home this spring is by integrating ornaments that are made of natural fiber. Some good examples are pillow cases made of cotton, carpets that are made of jute or wool and curtain strings made of sisal. You will never go wrong when you infuse natural elements into your home because these basic materials can fit both old and modernized home. In addition, these fabrics are cost-efficient and easy to find.

Introduce Metals for Contrast

Metals are somewhat contradictory to natural elements however; they create a beautiful contrast in the home. This can be achieved by using metal pots as containers for plants and flowers. A metal framed mirror can also make an attractive contrast when hung on a wooden wall. If you want to promote a classic appeal, brush gold or silver paint lightly onto the edges of the frame. There are many ideas where this tip can be applied. Just take some time to browse magazines and online sites. Metal products can be found in hardware stores and even thrift shops.

Make your home as beautiful as the spring season and try new ideas that will stimulate vibrancy and vigor. The essence of spring inside the home is truly a wonderful idea. Redecorate your home this spring and apply these new trends and designs. Your family will truly appreciate the charm and allure of their new surroundings.

Saturday 10 May 2014

6 Tips for Decorating Your First Home


What could make you happier than moving in your first house? No more rent, no more roommates; you now have the chance to create your own nest, buy your own furniture and decorate the entire house as you like. 

But for someone with no experience, this process may be a burden. 

Read this article before throwing away money on lots of things to fill your new place!

First of all, start with the house you are living in now. Begin with a global cleaning operation. Why? Because in your home there are a lot of things that you don’t use anymore, a lot of broken things, some useless items, and a few pieces of old furniture. You don’t want to carry all these things to your new house, just to decide that you have to throw them away at a later date. Instead, get rid of them now – organise a garage sale, donate them, or sell them on the internet. Make room for new useful things.



When in the new house, start with the bedroom. This is the place where you will spend most of your time, so it has to be nice and comfortable. First buy the bed and then purchase new bedding according to the bed size.  Next, you should paint the walls to match the bedding. 

Tip: If you are an early riser, light colors will be great for you; if you like to sleep late, deeper tones and thick coverings will keep the light out and will let you dream peacefully. 

Whatever colors or furniture you choose, always keep in mind that you are not likely to want to redecorate or buy new furniture for many years to come, so make the right decision now. 

No matter how excited you are, try not to buy everything at once. These days, retail stores have a bad habit of matching every piece of furniture and they will urge you to follow their style. Step back and do not divert from your own tastes. Your house should not be a carbon copy of the show suite in the department store – it should reflect your personality! So take time to find the perfect piece of furniture for every room.

Now, if you have found the right couch, but with the wrong color, do not panic! Nowadays, it is possible to buy covers for your sofa in any color you want. In this way, you can have the model you wish and you can also choose a color for it so that it will compliment the rest of the room.

Don’t worry if you don’t have money to buy new furniture for all the rooms. In the kitchen, for example, you can solve this problem by painting your old cabinets. 

Also, installing bulbs with different lighting levels is a great idea – they can easily improve the room’s appearance.

We hope that this article was useful to you and that it will help you ease the moving process. 

Enjoy your new house!

William is passionate about design. But his profession is web developing and currently he is working on EssayEagles.com.
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For more on bedroom design and creating the perfect home visit the website of Barbara Genda

Wednesday 9 April 2014

5 Big Kitchen Upgrades on a Small Budget




Some say that the kitchen is the most important room in the house, and it seems to be true when you consider the time you spend there. From cooking the Thanksgiving turkey to catching up with an old friend over coffee to teaching the grandkids how to make your famous chocolate chip cookies, some of your best memories are made right in this room. Why not give it an upgrade every now and then to help it maintain its title as your favorite room?

A lot of times, we get the itch to upgrade but our eyes are bigger than our budget. You can still make some changes to your kitchen, even when every penny counts – and these small updates don't require a lot of time, either!

Mood Lighting

The wrong lighting can make or break any room, and the kitchen is no exception. Luckily, swapping out a dated dome light for some hanging pendant lights over your table can make all the difference, even if you're on a budget. Go for a glass-blown style for a modern appearance and plenty of illumination, or achieve a softer look with the diffused light of a bowl pendant. There are many options available for less than a hundred bucks a pop!

Switch up the Hardware

Many people are surprised to see just how expensive it is to replace the cabinetry in a kitchen. But if your cabinetry looks outdated, you'd be surprised what a difference it makes just to change out the hardware. Getting new pulls and knobs in a modern brushed nickel or antique brass style will cost you less than £10 per piece. If you really want to change the look of your kitchen, you can simply sand and repaint your existing cabinets – no one will ever recognize them!

Get New Gadgets

That old, scuffed-up cutting board may be doing the trick for chopping vegetables, but it's not doing your kitchen any favors in terms of appearance. The same thing goes for dish racks, spice organizers, and even oven mitts. Each of these pieces are inexpensive on their own, but buying ones that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing is a good investment that will make your kitchen feel new.

Add Shelving

One thing that buyers look for when browsing homes for sale is storage. If you've got a small pantry and minimal cabinet space, things can start looking cluttered pretty quickly. Putting simple single shelves on the walls to store mixing bowls, baking ingredients, or even decorations can instantly make your kitchen feel more clean and organized. If you've got the space, you might even consider putting a rack across the ceiling off of which to hang some pots and pans – it adds a touch of rustic décor while also being extremely convenient!

Remove Cabinet Doors

A current popular trend in real estate is opening up kitchen space by removing cabinet doors. We all know that glass doors on the cabinet are a great way to create more visual space in the kitchen, but not all of us can afford them. As long as you have classy or colorful dinnerware, removing the cabinet doors altogether is a really chic way to update your kitchen.

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Barbara Genda offer a bespoke furniture design service.  

Friday 14 March 2014

5 DIY Ways to Revamp Your Home Decor


This guest post is written by Grace Keister, Content Marketing Specialist for First Team Real Estate. First Team Real Estate is the #1 Real Estate Company in Southern California with over 1,800 local agents throughout Orange County, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, and San Diego.

Tired of your furniture and longing for a new look and style? No need to go shopping, your home décor with just a few simple DIY tips and tricks! Working with what you already have is a great way to get creative, find your personal style and save a bit of cash in the process.

Not sure where to start? Here are 5 DIY ways to revamp your furniture, breathe life back into your boring old pieces and change up the same old same old in your home.

Repurpose

Repurposing furniture is a great way to revamp old pieces. Re-imagining and reusing something you love in a new way is not only exciting – it’s cost effective and cuts down on waste.

Taken from http://www.diy-enthusiasts.com/diy-home/diy-ladder-shelf-ideas-home

Make an old door a table top. Gut out a dresser you love and make it a book shelf. Hang a small step ladder and it becomes a statement piece and shelf.

Not only can you transform one piece of furniture into another, you can also simply update a piece that is out of style. Repainting a child’s dresser and adding sophisticated hardware can make it appropriate for an adult’s room or living area and a old picture frame can work with your new style with a bit of paint and the right technique.

Refinish

Refinishing furniture is a great way to revamp old furniture especially if you have very simple pieces but want a new look or color pallet. The best ways to refinish furniture is to stain, white wash, or paint.
Staining wood furniture is the perfect way to save an old piece that’s gone out of style. Sometimes it’s not the shape or style of a piece that makes it look old and dingy, it’s the old and faded condition of the wood. For example a new dark stain could transform your old and beat up table into a new sleek focal point for the dining room.

White washing is an easy option and popular because it gives furniture a rustic farm look. Think Tom Sawyer and his adorable white picket fence in the country.

Simply painting an old piece of furniture is the simplest and easiest way to breathe life back into it. The most fun and effective paint choices are usually bold ones. If your décor is subdued then a pop of lime green or royal blue can make a great funky yet sophisticated edition.

Distress It

Distressing ads character to your furniture and is a great way to transform something old into something vintage and cool. If you’d like to do a bit of distressing just pick a wood furniture piece and start sanding! Once you’ve finished sanding down the entire piece, add your choice of stain, white wash or paint color.

Tips when distressing:
  • Round out sharp edges to make them look soft and worn
  • Add (small) cracks with a chisel and hammer along the grain
  • Replace new hardware with vintage hardware
  • Once your stain or color is on, end with a bit more sanding to finish off the worn and imperfect look


Accessorize

If you’re thinking all of this painting and distressing is too difficult then take it easy and revamp your look by simply accessorizing what you already have. Tired of your boring old chairs? Add some flair and fun with seat cushions or recover ones you already have. Simply accessorizing what you already have is cheaper than replacing it and easier than transforming the entire piece.
Accessorizing in fact is the best way to revamp your home’s look in general because style is all in the details. Breathe life back into a tired old cabinet by filling it with decorative pieces that represent you and your style. Liven up your kitchen by adding new curtains or a funky cookie jar. Adding small pieces around your home that show off your personal taste can transform your house and everything in it.


Take Advantage of Hand-me-downs

Do you know what another word for hand-me-down is? Vintage! Using hand-me-down pieces of furniture can give your current décor a cool eclectic feel and the best part is – it’s free! Even if a particular piece is not your style give it a chance because with a little bit of work, it could be. Turning somebody else’s trash into your own treasure is affordable and could be the perfect addition to your living room.

Using hand-me-downs is a great way to save money and the best part is, the stakes aren’t high. Free furniture is the best canvas to practice your DIY revamping ideas on. If you pick a color that ends of clashing with your current style or hate the way your Mod Podge dries, you can rest easy knowing it was just your neighbor’s old desk.  

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For more bespoke storage solutions visit Barbara Genda fitted furniture solutions. 

Thursday 6 March 2014

How to Maximize Sound in a Home Theater


If you are one of those who plan to set up their own home theater or who already have their own, it is always best to understand the science behind the speaker channels and placement. This is to help you maximize your home theater experience. This is to let you experience the same real theatric feeling that you experience when watching at the movie house.
Determine the Speaker’s location
First, sounds only do three things in a room which either reflect and lingers, absorb into the walls or transmit outside the room. We aim to keep the sound inside the room that is why it is important to reduce the amount of transmission to have reflection and absorption. If you wanted to make most of a surround-sound system, it is best that you place the speakers in strategic locations. Some of us would just normally plug the speakers and situate them near the screen. Usually, the best place for the sound is third of the way back from the screen. However, if the screen is too large, you can place the speaker far out into the room. The best way to achieve good sound is to place the speakers on the fifth and seventh dimensions of the room.
Locate the Surround-Sound Speakers
There are two types of surround sound speakers which are the direct radiator and the dipole surround. The direct radiator has the standard type of speaker which is placed in front. Meanwhile, the dipole surround gives an enveloping effect. They create a very diffuse sound field. They are best located on the side walls besides the seating location.
The surround sound speakers usually have a center channel, front, left and right speakers. It also comes with two surrounds and two subwoofers. The most important speaker in the surround sound system is the center channel speaker since most of the dialogue and effects come from this. That being said, the best place for your speaker is at the front room. If you have perforated screen, you can place your center speaker behind it. However, if you have none, you can place your speaker above or below your speaker.
You can experiment when it comes to locating your left and right speakers. Just take note that placing the speakers far apart gives a wider sound stage while placing them closer together fits for a room with limited wall space. While you can experiment when it comes to placing your left and right speakers, there are mixed opinions when it comes to your subwoofer placement. Some of the manufacturers would recommend placing the subwoofer in the corner to achieve a smooth response while others suggest placing the subwoofer out from the room. You can decide which suits you best by doing some listening with each placement.
Besides these tips, also note these considerations in mind:
  • The most difficult room to setup a home theater is square. Hence, avoid rooms with equal dimensions as much as possible. Meanwhile, wallboard flexes are more absorptive which go well with your bass boom.
  • The worst location for a subwoofer is in the middle of the room. Placing the subwoofer in a corner will maximize the bass output while putting the subwoofer closer to a wall will make your bass output stronger.
  • Adjusting your couch or chairs near to the wall will smooth out the deep bass. Adjusting your subwoofer will also help you achieve just the same.
Author Bio:
Carmon Lovett writes everything about home-from interior designing down to real estate.
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For more ideas on designing your own home cinema furniture visit the Barbara Genda website