Carpets and rug are not widely used in warm countries, but in northern Europe and the United States, they are a basic decorating feature. Carpets give a lovely sensation when you walk over them, especially barefoot, and also offer interesting aesthetic possibilities. They are seamless and therefore unify spaces, but also can be used to mark off zones, or areas of activity. They permit versatile solutions for our interior design due to the colors, textures, and finishes they come in.

When choosing a carpets and rug, bear in mind that it will be tacked down, or fitted, and can last many years if well looked after so it will have to be easily adaptable to any new decoration style we may wish to achieve. Another quality of carpets is the acoustic and thermal insulation they provide. They are suitable for all the rooms in the house, except in the bathroom and kitchen unless you are prepared to make the extra effort to ensure they do not get wet or stained when bathing or cooking.

Unfortunately, they can get dirty easily and may be difficult to clean. They are not the most hygienic of floors. When choosing a carpet, take into consideration its texture, pile, the yarn, weight, density, color, and design. Most carpet is made of sheep’s wool, which is durable, dyes readily, and handles easily. For floors that are heavily used or in contact with the open air, use durable materials like stone, marble, tiles, and some types of hardwoods.

Do not use carpets and rugs if you have pets or if you or your family members suffer from allergies to dust: they get dirty easily. Vacuum carpets regularly so that neither dust nor dirt accumulates in them. Make sure all carpets used on the floor are designed for floor use: some carpets are intended for wall use. Avoid spills because stains are hard to remove from carpeting. Carpets give a space a natural look and feel, however, they are made of delicate material and often do not stand up well to humidity.

About The Author: Roger King has been involved in home interior designs for several years, and has been helping people find and review the best value for interior design solutions. Visit his Web site http://www.all-homeinteriordesigns.com to learn more about this service.

Step #1: Choose a Style

Here are some ideas of different styles you can use to decorate your whole house or just one room.

* Cottage: This home furnishing style calls to mind a cozy cottage tucked away in the country or by the lake. Cottage style means white couches and chairs, or white wicker furniture with floral printed cushions. Pastel colors, soft lighting, and gauzy curtains create the cottage look, as do antique accessories and patchwork quilts. Complete the look with landscaping: nothing says country cottage like a stone walkway and a garden full of flowers and herbs.

* Mediterranean: This home decorative style conjures the Italian and French seaside. Think warm yellows and earth tones, as well as simple patterns set off by blue and gold accents. Chunky, natural wood tables fit right in, as do patterns of sunflowers or ships.

* Oriental: As the name implies, this style invokes the simple and sleek lines of the Orient. Less is more with this look, so choose pieces like teak and lacquered tables, armoires and coffee tables sparingly. Accessorize with Oriental rugs, silk prints and pictures of dragons or Japanese seascapes.

* Traditional: This classic home furnishing style is elegant but not extravagant. Floral patterns look great on your couches, chairs, curtains and pillows for the traditional look, as do plaids and damasks. Heavy drapes and mahogany dining room tables also work well with this look. Put the final touch on your traditional home with accents like china, crystal and framed landscapes.

* Victorian: This style will make your house look as beautiful and stately as the mansions of Victorian England. Choose small but elegant couches and wooden armchairs with silk covered cushions in striped or simple floral patterns. Do not be shy with velvet and rich brocades. Porcelain and dried flowers will also help you get this look across nicely.

Step #2: Enhance Your Home

Whatever style you choose, use these elements wisely to achieve the maximum from your decorative style.

* Lighting: Stay away from halogen and overhead lighting, both of which can create harsh light and therefore harsh shadows. Instead, choose lamps with bases that fit your style and taste. Track lighting and sconces also provide nice lighting solutions.

* Color: Color is one of the most basic and most effective ways to create any style. When choosing paint, think about practicality as well as décor; bright colors energize and light colors soothe. Creams, beiges and pastels create the illusion of more space, whereas dark, rich reds and blues make a statement.

* Texture: Texture is an often overlooked element, yet it is crucial when creating the style of your choice. Textured walls evoke a natural, native, earthy feel. Smooth walls are more elegant, traditional, and will reflect more light, creating a brighter room. Be careful, though, because if a floor is textured with tiles, stone, or wood flooring, it can make the room look small. With a large enough room, however, texturing your floor with tile, wood or stone is an excellent way to instantly create a "look".

Choose the style and décor that feels right for you. Even if your budget doesn’t allow you to renovate your entire house, choose a few important furniture pieces (couches, tables) that will set the tone for the whole room. Finally, accessorize along the lines of the decorative style you have chosen, and your look with be complete.

Please find the original article and more information about this subject at http://www.homeandliving.com/DesignAdvice.aspx?Category=EnhanceYourHome

When Yale graduate, BatSheva Vaknin is not writing helpful and insightful articles like the one you just read for http://www.homeandliving.com, she writes plays, screenplays and short stories. In fact, she has just completed her first novel.

If you would like to publish this article own your site, please feel free to do so. Please let us know the URL of the posted article by emailing the URL to customerservice@homeandliving.com. All we ask is that you include the whole article, without changes, including the link to the original article location, author information, this disclaimerand the following link.

Find great home furniture online at http://www.homeandliving.com…

Is this worth framing?

If you like it, if it gives you enjoyment, if it has sentimental value, then frame it and enjoy it. Don’t judge it, and don’t let others judge it either.

A few years ago I owned and operated three picture frame shops/art galleries. The number one question I used to get was, “is this worth framing?” My answer was always, “Yes, of course it is.”

I would get customers carrying in snap shots, children’s artwork, prints from the free calendar they got from their insurance company and just about any picture or print that you can imagine from a number of sources. Yet, the answer is always the same. What makes an item worth framing is what it is worth to you, and no one else. The vast majority of that value has nothing to do with dollars and cents. It has to do with its intrinsic value that no one else can appraise or appreciate.

I especially encouraged parents to frame children’s artwork. Now obviously this can get a bit expensive if the child is cranking out 3 or 4 a day in a school art class. However, framing selective pieces can go a long way towards encouraging a budding future great master or just building self-esteem in general.

Vacation snap shots are also worth framing. The more time that passes the more you will be glad you made the investment. With all the new computer technology, it is easy to touch them up. You may be surprised to find you have a little more “Ansel Adams talent” in you than you thought.

I have a good friend that lives in a beautiful home surrounded by a golf course community that boasts of residents that include NFL Football stars and professional golfers. She is retired now, but at one time was a rather large art dealer specializing in paper art. Her home is beautifully decorated, as one would imagine an art dealer’s home to be. I can’t begin to tell you the huge amount of artwork she has had the opportunity to chose from, many of them very valuable.

Yet, walking through her entryway into her home, the very first piece of artwork you see is a small but gorgeous, professionally framed and matted print entitled “Ted”. I sell it in my eBay Store for $15.00, http://stores.ebay.com/FrameHouseGallery/.

When I asked her of all the beautiful prints and originals (not that this one isn’t beautiful) that she had to chose from why was “Ted” picked to be the first piece one sees when they enter the home, her answer was simply, “Because I like it!”

So if you like it, it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks. Frame it, hang it and enjoy it!

No permission is need to reprint or distribute an unedited copy of this article as long as the about the author information including links are included.

Floyd Snyder owned and operated three framing galleries for nearly 20 years. After selling his business in the late 80’s he has returned to the business he has always loved and missed. He has established an eBay Store at http://stores.ebay.com/FrameHouseGallery and his own online store at http://www.FrameHouseGallery.com. He can be reached at Floyd@FrameHouseGallery.com.

Tired of ogling the latest styles in brand name home furnishing stores and catalogues, only to find that the price of one little coffee table equals more than half your monthly salary? Don’t be discouraged — with a little ingenuity, your home can be as beautiful and stylish as a Hollywood celebrity’s, for just a fraction of the cost.

* Start with the walls. It’s easy to forget that sometimes just adding a fresh coat of paint or changing the color of your walls can give your living room, bedroom, or dining room a brand new look and feel.

Wallpapering is another way to jazz up a room — but don’t break your budget hiring a contractor. Consider wallpapering just one wall, or only wallpapering borders.

* Create atmosphere with Light. Don’t overlook the power of a lamp. The right lighting can transform any room. Forgo overhead lighting for lamps, and stay away from halogen unless it fits into your modern decorative scheme.

Wall sconces are another great way to add a stylish touch to any room. Look for the type that lends itself to easy, self-installation.

* Accessorize. Another inexpensive way to create a designer look is to buy a few key accessories, like silk pillows, chenille throw blankets, and fresh-smelling candles. Choose an elegant centerpiece for your dining room table or coffee table, like floating white candles, fresh flowers, or a ceramic or glass fruit bowl.

Pictures, photos, prints and paintings can be hung around a room to create whatever look or feel you desire. Shop flea markets and thrift stores for prints and interesting photographs, or go to a discount store for frames and hang some of your own creations.

* Buy furniture that won’t break the bank. Shop smart for couches, lamps, tables, entertainment centers, and more. Estate sales, consignment stores, flea markets, junk and thrift stores can be gold mines for second hand but stylish furniture.

If you don’t want second hand, shop clearance sales or online. Online furniture stores can be treasure troves for good deals, since they generally have little overhead and therefore don’t pass those costs on to you, the consumer.

* Can’t afford a new couch? If you are somewhat handy with a sewing machine, use discounted fabric or beautiful sheets to sew yourself a couch cover. Still have energy? Create more cheap but beautiful "new" furniture by sewing upholstery covers for your armchairs or dining room chair seat cushions.

If you can’t sew, buy a shabby chic slipcover or tuck in a large beautiful sheet or blanket for a homemade slipcover. Finally, consider simply rearranging your furniture — finding a different wall to put your couch against can create a whole new look for your living room.

Use any or all of these tips to achieve the style you want at a low, low cost. Amaze your friends and family with your stylish home, then dazzle them with the shoestring budget you had to work with. Go ahead! It’s your home and you deserve the best without having to spend the most.

Please find the original article and more information about this subject at http://www.homeandliving.com/DesignAdvice.aspx?Category=YourStyleYourBudget

When Yale graduate, BatSheva Vaknin is not writing helpful and insightful articles like the one you just read for http://www.homeandliving.com, she writes plays, screenplays and short stories. In fact, she has just completed her first novel.

If you would like to publish this article own your site, please feel free to do so. Please let us know the URL of the posted article by emailing the URL to customerservice@homeandliving.com. All we ask is that you include the whole article, without changes, including the link to the original article location, author information, this disclaimerand the following link.

Find great home furniture online at http://www.homeandliving.com…

As it is known, tastes differ. When someone arranges his dwelling, he can demonstrate his own color predilections. And still, when you invade into “color power”, you should firstly learn its laws and orders in more detail. Every color has its own character and order.

Visual image of our house is composed of many components. Furniture was a dominant of interior for a long time. But modern designer style of furniture is fundamentally simple, functional, and has almost no individuality. Under such accentuated minimalism of setting, amount of visual impressions needs some compensation… and receives it – in color. Tonal interior is in fashion. This means that basic color components of room – are walls, curtains and furniture upholstery coloring – are decided in one whole color spectrum. As for various details - abat-jours, pillows, table-cloths, vases, small utensils – they can submit to general color spectrum, and can also contrast with it, adding touches of warm tints in a cold spectrum, or, conversely, cold – in warm coloring. Tonal interior looks simple – like a common truth, without such pictorial disseminations.

Rainbow

Dark-blue-blue spectrum is associated with coolness, crispness of sea breeze, so these tints are so good while arranging rooms with big windows or loggias, which are open to sky and nature. Bedroom, nursery and dining room can be decided in bluish-silvery tones. Deeper dark-blue is associated with reflections, serious evening conversations; it will be good in a study or drawing-room. Dark-blue is chilly – it doesn’t like fluffy, long-pile materials, connected with a sense of warmth. That’s why dryish, small- texture surfaces do good for it.

Red color creates exultant mood. This is a color of celebrations. It affects as a stimulant, so, in a nursery it can be used only as some supplements. It may feel tight in chamber, small rooms, but it can greatly show its worth in a big sitting-room or main dining-room. Red color is also good in a hall of a spacious modern apartment, and – like an innovation – in a kitchen of vanguard design in combination with metal and plastic. Red color in interior can be of any tint – from bright cinnabar to dingy- flaming and cherry tones. Red walls, red curtains or red tiled floor can add some poignancy to your interior, but – like any other eccentricity – such decision requires immaculacy. No unnecessary things, no casual kickshaws. All combinations of cherry, vinous, terracotta tints are good with bright-red, but pink spots on scarlet and scarlet spots on pink are unpleasant and unsightly. And in general, you may just make a slight mistake in tints or illumination – and here’re it is: anxiously-menacing “sketch in purple tones”.

Pink interior is no less capricious, than red one. It also has clearly expressed character. You can arrange drawing-room, dining-room, bedroom, a daughter’s room in pink spectrum – in that case, when an owner herself prefers feminine style deliberately, style, full of refined small things, antique porcelain, hand-made details. However, “life in pink color” is quite capricious – it is absolutely devoid of different modern High-Techs or massive “Victorian style”.

Yellow color is for tonal interiors of ecologic and ethnic trend. Various tints of yellow combine with each other unconstrained, creating a warm spectrum, full of light. Wicker furniture and natural wood will feel comfortable in creamy-yellow setting. Yellow color is undemanding, and can be chosen for almost any room in the house.

Green color draws the richness of its tints from live nature: delicacy of the first grass, lush depth of July leaves, silverness of mosses, rusty-withered autumn forest… All tones and tints of green are wonderfully combined with each other, like they naturally adjoin in the nature itself. Green color can adjust to different styles of interior with the same easiness. Pure delicate light-green and grassy tints are used in modern furniture coloring, including suites of transparent plastic furniture. (Modern teenagers will be delighted with these chairs and tables, resembling huge lollipops). Furniture of simple wood, colored in dimly-green color, is much in fashion today, it imitates the effect of antiquity with success. Clean-colored green flax of any tint and wall-papers with chintz pattern on goldish background can add this ensemble very well.

In contrast to “natural palette”, compound and rare colors are very sensitive to the choice of their “companions”. Lilac, violet and purple materials and walls are elegant, but it’s very difficult to chose decorative accessories to them. In their languid and slightly mysterious atmosphere furniture of smooth shapes can be located harmonically, such furniture reminds us of modernist style, - then they also liked combinations of lilac with dirty-green, silvery and opalesque-chatoyant.

Brown color is natural from the very beginning: this is a color of earth and tree trunks. Brown color has a solid, agreeable and accommodating character. Brown color is associated with composure and solidity, that’s why it is so good in respectable, slightly conservative atmosphere, among “Victorian” cosiness of studies, drawing-rooms and halls. Leather, velveteen, thick upholstery materials and velours are especially good in brown interiors. Leisurely people with stable life aims and tastes usually chose such spectrum for their rooms. Here we can often see spots of gravel, melon-yellow or creamy colors, not large touches of terracotta, bright ochre are possible – in pillows, pictures, vases, walls decoration. The more severe and classical a basic color is, the more important are nuances in decorations. Thus, if a tone of leather upholstery of furniture reminds of old bronze, then additions of greenish color may remind of coppery platinum. Brown can be accentuated by light-lilac, purple, violet and even bluish.

Rules of good form

A choice of color spectrum of interior, of course, depends on personal taste of owners, but it’s rather good to know how to coordinate your predilections with the function of rooms and consider also that each color has its own steady figurative-associative and emotional characteristics. Say, a nursery shouldn’t be gloomy, sullen or irritating. Thus, it shouldn’t be arranged in graphite-grey or “acid” spectrum, even if parents do like these colors. And a man’s study will look rather strange, if arranged in light-pink colors. You shouldn’t follow also a transient fashion on “color of the season” in a tonal interior, as an apartment decoration is counted for rather long term. Color spectrum of living-rooms shouldn’t be too exotic (say, orange or neon-green); exotics is like a spice: it’s good only as small, piquant additions.

You can create various variations inside of one tonal spectrum, depending on distribution of tone deepness between basic components of interior. In simpler words, someone from basic trio (walls, curtains or furniture upholstery) should be colored in lighter color, and someone – in darker. Thus, in nursery and bedroom, walls should be the lightest spot, furniture should be upholstered in deeper color, and curtains may be overshadowed at all. And in drawing-room, on the contrary, walls can be colored in darker color, as the most important events of this room take place under evening illumination, which shades in deep, rich colors favorably. In general, tonal interiors are quite captious to illumination. Color variations are chosen to match both day light and evening lights.

Principle of motley

As it is known, modern fashion is disposed rather to pantophagy, than to stylish austerity. It prefers eclecticism and breaking of the rules even at those moments, where it has just built them up. Thus, after working out tonal interiors, designers began to offer us a mixture of pure, simple, childly bright colors. Kitchen panels and floor coverings, walls and furniture for dining-rooms, drawing-rooms and, naturally, nurseries were painted in dark-blue, yellow, red, green. In this fundamental multi-coloring, a term “suite of furniture” changed too: chairs of the same shape can have different coloring, sofa and table gladly use an opportunity to play in rainbow, and rugs, pillows and pictures on the wall are just destined to look like illustrations in a book for children of preschool age. We’d like freedom, spontaneity, when we don’t feel shy of a casual color spot or slippers that we forgot somewhere accidentally.

Yana Mikheeva is the creator of the WomansPassions site for women and about women at http://www.womanspassions.com , it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others. She also has a blog for women at http://www.womanspassions.com/blog/

Small changes can have a big effect on how your kitchen looks. Below are 11 decorating ideas that you can do yourself in a day or less. Not only are these simple changes are easy to do, but they are inexpensive too!

1. Afraid of changing your drab white kitchen walls? Instead of choosing rich, deep colors for your first project, you will likely feel more comfortable with a neutral such as beige or gray which will not date the room or create a jarring palate that you will easily tire of.

2. Brighten up the kitchen. Use mirrors to capture the sunlight and bounce it around. Try putting a mirror across from a window or on a wall that corners against the window wall for the most light distribution.

3. Make seasonal changes. Moving the kitchen furniture into a ’summer arrangement’ can optimize your space and give it a more airy feel. Make it light and breezy - think about removing some of the furniture and decorations for a lighter feel. Open those curtains and let the sun shine in!

4. Use slipcovers. Slipcovers over your chairs can soften the room and add to your decor. For the holidays, try using special covers in holdiay patters or colors. For a nice summer change use white cotton or canvas slipcovers on the chairs.

5. Get ideas from the pros. Look in magazines, books, television or the internet to get a flavor of the accessories and designs you would like to see in your kitchen. IF you see a kitchen decorated in a way that you like, think about how you can duplicate the same decor in your home.

6. Decorate with cookbooks. You can make a nice display with your cookbooks. Try grouping them in interesting configurations with some laying down and some standing. Don’t put small books next to tall books but align them in graduating sizes.

7. Warm it up with rugs. Area rugs can add a splash of color or cover up an old or unmatching floor. When buying rugs, measure the space so you can be sure to get the right size. Rugs used under a table should be large enough to also accommodate the chairs when fully pulled out.

8. Bring the outdoors inside. Don’t be afraid to hang plants from any bare ceiling corner to give a lived in feeling to a plain kitchen. Plants provide interest and soften up the room. For above the cabinets or hard to reach places, silk plants work just as well as real ones, however, if you do buy silk, go with a good quality arrangement that looks realistic.

9. Change your look with accessories. A few strategically places accessories can change your kitchen from dull to dramatic! Maybe you want to go with a certain theme and you might be able to give your kitchen a whole new look just by replacing some key accessories like toaster covers, dish towels, cannister sets, salt and pepper shakers and pot holders.

10. Change your cabinet pulls. Theres so many different styles of cabinet pulls these days - figural, wooden, ceramic, glass - you should be able to find a design that matches your new decor easily. They are easy to install yourself and your friends will think you got new cabinets!

11. Add a border. wallpaper borders are easy to put up and can add color and interest. You can use them at the top of the wall or go with a less traditional use underneath the cabinets. Use them at chair rail height to break up long walls. An even less expensive (but more labor intensive) alternative is to use stencils and paint.

Lee Dobbins writes for Kitchen Decorating Ideas where you can find tips to decorate your kitchen no matter what your budget. Visit http://www.a-kitchen-decorating-idea.com today and find out more about decorating your kitchen for less!

Decorating any room can be challenging, especially if the styles your room displays are completely different. Your sofa is more traditional while the side tables are contemporary. Maybe you’ve just purchased an antique armoire that does not match the bedding you’ve just had made. Fortunately, your decorating dilemma may be answered. Ever heard the word “eclectic”?

This seems to be the new buzz word in decorating. But what does “eclectic” mean? From a decorators stand point, the eclectic style mixes a variety of styles together to create the look that you can enjoy most. This style is a “no rules” decorating type that could be the one you’ve been looking for.

An eclectic environment is comfortable and lived-in while still reflecting your individual attitude, creating a personalized theme between color, furniture, accessories, etc. For instance, you may have a chair and a side table of two different styles, but you can add a lamp, statue, or candle holder to connect these two styles. Look through our lamps and accessories categories for just the right embellishment to complete your own eclectic room.

Another way you can develop your own eclectic style is to utilize different styles and patterns of fabrics. You can add a beautiful slipcover over your traditional sofa to help blend it in with your more contemporary furniture; recover your pillows to help match them with your current sofa pattern; or choose a fabric for new drapes. Whether you choose solids, stripes or prints, make sure to employ a unifying color. Check out the many new fabric patterns and prints we have available. We’ve added several new sheers, faux silks, and outdoor fabrics.

Eclectic designs have personal touches and intriguing contrasts, a mix of eras and cultures tied together by complementary color, pattern, and texture . By using some or all of your pieces, you can accomplish an eclectic style that is uniquely your own. It doesn’t matter if you prefer modern, country, contemporary or traditional; eclecticism can be applied successfully.

Mistie Chiles works for http://www.interiormall.com Working day in a day out with numerous interior decorating products, Mistie has a real talent for decorating. Phone:(800) 590-5844 Website: http://www.interiormall.com email: decor@interiormall.com Here you will find interior design and decorating products from lamps to chandeliers, fabric to upholstery, clocks to grandfather clocks, and so much more. Everything is discounted and everything is first quality only. Come visit us and browse. We also have a how to section, glossary of terms, and many more helpfull tools to make this a rewarding and pleasant shopping experience for you.

If you are buying a free-standing cooker, oven or hob to makeover your kitchen, you may want to consider shopping for a few other important kitchen appliances, as well. Agas and cooker hoods are both important tools for the serious cook.

If your kitchen is on the large side, you may want to consider buying an Aga. These appliances may take up quite a bit of space, but they more than make up for their size with their convenience. Of course, if you have a small kitchen, you can still have a cooker manufactured by Aga, but it will not be as big or as flexible as the traditional Aga cookers. When you are entertaining, it is so easy to cook a large meal with an Aga. With the many ovens in an Aga, it is easy to cook the main dish and the side dishes and bread at the same time and have them all ready to serve at once, so that nothing is cold or overcooked.

Of course, many people buy an Aga for other reasons than the fact that it is a convenient way to prepare large meals. Some buy an Aga because of fond memories of the Agas in their childhood kitchens. Others buy one because they feel that a spacious kitchen does not look finished without an Aga in the center of it.

If you are frustrated with all of the smoke and strong odors in the kitchen when you are cooking, you may want to consider a range cooker hood. These hoods are big enough to run the width of your range cooker and can be installed on the wall over your cooker. Since they are free-standing, you can raise or lower them to a height that works well for you before installing them. You can choose from a hood that recycles the air in the house or one that is vented outside and draws in fresh air. Most hoods also provide lighting underneath so that you can see the food cooking on your hob more easily.

Built-in cooker hoods are similar to free-standing range cooker hoods. These hoods can be built in to the center of the kitchen ceiling to draw smoke and odors from the entire room, but they are most likely to be installed over the cooker instead.

Once you have your new appliances installed, why not invite a few friends over to admire your beautiful kitchen? After all, cooking for them will be much easier than it used to be.

Matthew Anthony writes articles on many home and garden subjects including cookers and coffee makers.

Color is appreciated by everyone. Don’t most people have a favorite color? The colors we choose to surround ourselves with can reflect our various personalities and affect our moods. We make important choices when selecting colors for our living spaces and for personal adornment, such as what we wear. Color theory is used by artists and designers but it can also be applied to every day use for any kind of decorating that we choose to do. The variety of colors we choose can affect each other when combined and in their relationships to one another.

Lets start at the beginning. Every color in the universe is made up of three primary colors; red, yellow and blue. Difficult to believe, isn’t it? This was learned long ago in the seventeenth century by Sir Isaac Newton who analyzed a ray of sunlight projected through a glass prism. The dispersed ray of light separates into a spectrum of color looking very much like a rainbow. You might wonder about black and white. Actually, they are not colors at all, white is the presence of all color and black is the absence of all color. All colors displayed through the prism at once displays as white, the absence of light is black. From these color theory observations, we not only learn about the three primaries; but also that there are three secondary colors; orange, green and violet. The secondary colors are made by adding two equal parts of the primary colors, such as when mixed, red and yellow make orange. You may have learned this as a child in art class in school. These six colors, primaries and secondaries, make up the basic color wheel.

The next set of colors we call the tertiaries. The six tertiary colors are made up of equal parts of one primary and one secondary color. For instance, blue (primary) plus green (secondary) makes a blue-green. All twelve colors; the three complimentary colors, three secondary colors and six tertiary colors create the complete color wheel. Try making your own color wheel by starting with red at the top and moving around a circle clockwise; red-orange, orange, yellow-orange, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green, blue, blue-violet, violet, red-violet and back to red.

There are a many other color properties to learn but here are a few of them. A color by itself is a pure hue. The addition of white to a color changes that color to a “tint”. Adding black changes the color to a “shade”. A “tone” is created if both black and white are added, this makes a grayer version of the color. the relative warmth or coolness of colors Another property of color is called temperature, colors can be warm or cool. Warm colors have red, orange or yellow present and cool colors contain green, blue and violet. However, it is also possible to have a warm blue or a cool red. If a little of a warm color is mixed with a blue, it will become warmer. The same principles apply if a bit of a cool color is added to red. Color temperatures are formed by variations in the pigment. Color temperature can create a mood and also depth. Warm colors come forward and cool colors recede.

Putting colors together and using them in different color schemes can be exciting but sometimes difficult to know where to begin. There are different types of color schemes that can be created using color, and here are a few to try. One type, the easiest to begin with, would be a monochromatic color scheme. This means using variations of one color only. This color can be modified by adding black and/or white to create tints, shades and tones and vary the intensity of the color itself. This type of color scheme is rather subtle with little color contrast.

Another type of color scheme would be the analogous color scheme in which you would use three colors that are adjacent to one another on the color wheel, or neighbors. An example would be, green, blue-green and blue. This type of color scheme works well because the neighboring colors create a color harmony. When used in a design, one color is dominant while the others are used to enhance the color. Again, the intensity of each color can be varied with black and white.

The strongest of color schemes would be the complimentary color schemes. Complimentary colors are directly across from each other on the color wheel. For instance, red and green, blue and orange, and yellow and violet are all complimentaries. When complimentary colors are placed next to each other, they create energy and movement. Two complimentaries create a strong contrast, intensify one another and attract attention. Often its best to use a warm color with a cool complimentary but keep in mind that the warm color will come forward while the cool color recedes. Use the two complimentary colors carefully, as too much of a good thing can be overpowering!

Balance your designs and color schemes, whether you’re using paint, fabric, yarn or decorating a room. By repeating color in a design, emphasis is given to the effect produced by each color and will carry the viewer’s eye from one part to the next. This movement or flow around the pattern is called the rhythm of color. Contrast is important too; use lights (tints) and darks (shades) to add impact to your design. Also balance by keeping colors somewhat uncomplicated. Too many colors and too much detail will distract from the overall design.

Each person uses color differently to express themselves. Experiment with color and let your own intuition lead you to your own unique color expression.

Born in Glastonbury, Connecticut, Kendra moved to Rhode Island with her family as a teen. She was immediately drawn to the beauty of the ocean and shoreline throughout the state. Currently she lives in Portsmouth, just outside of Newport, with her husband and three sons.

A graduate of Massachusetts College of Art with a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts, Kendra was first attracted to graphic design and worked at a newspaper and later a printing company for several years. In 1996, Kendra chose to pursue her art full time and also to be home with her sons as they grew. She currently teaches watercolor and colored pencil classes at local art associations and continues to take art classes and workshops herself in order to grow as an artist. Her exhibits her works in local art galleries as well as http://www.LoriJGallery.com and http://www.kjfdesign.com

Modern bathroom vanities and medicine cabinets come in a huge variety of styles and finishes, from the simulated antique look to sleek modern designs. Your choice of vanity unit and storage cabinet can have a big influence over the look and feel of your bathroom, so it’s worth putting some thought into your decision to make sure you get it right. Think about the theme of your decor, as well as the layout of your bathroom. The positioning of your bathroom cabinets and vanity set plays an important role in the overall appearance of the whole room.

A well designed bathroom sink vanity can be adapted to store all sorts of items to help you keep your counter tops neat and tidy. You could have partitions in the drawers for small things such as makeup, with shelving for larger toiletries, and perhaps a pull out trash can to save space. Door racks for holding hair dryers or electric shavers are another useful feature of many contemporary vanity units. Similarly, bathroom medicine cabinets can hold all kinds of accessories, from towels to toothpaste. They can rest on the floor or be wall mounted or situated in a corner, depending on the best use of the space available.

Bathroom sinks can be made from a number of materials, from traditional porcelain to rustic looking stone or fashionable glass. Vanity tops can be custom made from your choice of material, including polished marble and granite. As well as choosing whether to have a furniture style vanity with legs or a block cabinet design, you can select all kinds of finishes, from unfinished wood to glazed maple or distressed paint. Attention to details such as your bathroom cabinet hardware can make all the difference to the end result. Try to find hinges and handles that match to the style and finish of your bathroom fixtures, such as your faucets.

Vanity units and cabinets are relatively easy to install and can work wonders at transforming an outdated bathroom. Vanities and cabinets for bathrooms are available in loads of different designs and can be the icing on the cake when remodeling your bathroom.

Caroline Smith is a successful home furnishings writer and regular contributor to showers-bathrooms.com - A one stop online resource to help you find the best deals on bathroom vanities, shower curtains, shower enclosures and much more!