Art reproductions make splendid investments if you enjoy fine art and want to stay within your budget. Hand-painted reproductions are painted on canvas by experienced artists, which makes them more comparable to the originals than printed copies. However, not all art reproductions are created equal. Before buying an art reproduction, try to avoid these mistakes.

Mistake #1: Buying Art Based on Artist Recognition Alone

If you adore paintings by a particular artist, never assume that all paintings by that artist are going to be desirable. Many talented artists produce great and not-so-great paintings. If you buy paintings by a particular artist without seeing them first, you might be disappointed. If ordering online, you can usually see a photo of the reproduction or original beforehand.

Mistake #2: Buying Online without Seeing the Full Picture

When viewing art online, make sure you’re able to view an enlarged image of the painting (not just a thumbnail) so you’ll be able to examine it thoroughly. Smaller images on the Web tend to distort or cut paintings. If you’re thinking of buying a painting online, and a large view of the image is not available, email the Web site’s owner to request a larger image by email.

Mistake #3: Buying Art from Just Anyone

Another common mistake you should avoid is buying art from a company or individual without knowing who they are or what type of customer service they provide. See if there are testimonials from other customers. Find companies that are experienced in producing fine quality paintings. Oil painting reproductions should be painted by a professional to fully grasp the detail and mood of the original. If buying at an online auction, pay attention to the seller’s feedback if available. Learn all you can about the company or individual before committing to a purchase.

Mistake #4: Buying a Painting Just Because It’s Famous

Try not to get too caught up with the popularity of a painting. Not all paintings should be avoided just because they’re not famous. If you’re planning to use painting reproductions for decorative purposes, you might benefit from many paintings that are not necessarily famous or even created by a well-known artist. Never buy a painting just because everyone else has. If you don’t like the painting, you’ll only be wasting money.

Mistake #5: Opting for the Cheapest Shipping Method When Ordering by Mail

If you order art by mail or online, always choose the safest possible shipping method with tracking ability when available. Choosing the cheapest shipping method might save you a few dollars, but your painting could arrive damaged. Then, you’ll have to pay for shipping to return it, and wait on a replacement.

Join an art forum or subscribe to an art magazine to keep up to date with the latest art trends, best selling pieces of art, etc. Also, do some research before buying a painting to make sure it’s right for you. Avoid these mistakes when buying art reproductions, and you’ll be able to locate great works or art to treasure for a lifetime.

David De Groot helps art lovers around the world realize their dream of owning famous pieces of art. His web site offers affordable reproductions of some of the most extravagant paintings, each hand-painted by an experienced artist. Browse an amazing online gallery at http://www.myreproductions.com/

It’s fun taking something apart and putting it back together again in a new creative way. I work in an office where we had a lot of old promotional type posters that were very expensively matted and framed. Now that we’re moving to a new office we wanted something new, but didn’t want to spend a lot of money decorating. We decided to disassemble the old frames and re-use the mats to frame new prints.

We made a visit to a local craft store and found an abundance of inexpensive artwork in all sizes, ranging in price from $1.49 to $40.00. Definitely within our budget. We picked out several beautiful floral prints and framed them with the old mats and frames. Disassembling the old prints included tearing off most of the prints that had previously been glued to the mats, but I just tore it all off and used scotch tape to tack down the new prints.

The new prints don’t have to completely fit your frames or mats, either. It was hard finding prints that were just the right size. Don’t be afraid to move the print around in a mat that’s a little too small. Often you can cover some edges of the print and not take away from the overall effect of the picture at all. Just trim edges where necessary to make the print fit (after you’ve double checked your positioning within the mat). You can also buy bigger mats to make a smaller print fit in a larger frame.

If you don’t care if all of your frames match, it’s very inexpensive to shop thrift stores and yard sales for cheap prints and re-use the mats and frames for new prints. Or go through some of your own old prints and redecorate!

Also, when looking for inexpensive prints, don’t limit yourself to poster prints. Postcards and greeting cards also look great framed. Add a mat and you’ll never be able to tell the difference.

You don’t need a lot of special tools to get started. All you really need is possibly a screwdriver for disassembling frames, a ruler to make sure your print is straight, some tape for attaching the print to the mat, and a pencil and scissors for marking and trimming prints that don’t quite fit.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to have great wall art. It just takes a little planning ahead to match print sizes to frames and match colors. Have fun, and use your imagination! A beautiful picture really brightens up a room, and you can create your own easily and inexpensively.

Originally published at Suite 101. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For easy do-it-yourself home decorating ideas for busy moms, visit http://www.frugal-home-decor.com

Bathroom accessories like shower curtain rods have significance of their own. These are no more the less noticed accessories of your bathroom but have become one of the most important items for your shower area in the bathroom. Gone are the days when people just used to hang shower curtains on some metals wood rods. Lifestyles have changed now and people are quite aware of the design and styles of shower curtain rods.

The shower curtain rods can have a great impact on how you feel while taking shower in bathroom. While dull shower curtain rods can dampen the look of bathroom trendy rods make bathrooms look really cool. However, you have to make sure the color and design you are choosing for your shower curtain rods match your bathroom walls and tiles used in bathroom floor.

The selection of rod will also depend on the type of curtain you want to hang. If you are planning to hang dark colored curtains, then go for metallic shower curtain rods with curved knobs. If you are planning to cover your shower area from four sides, use rectangular shower curtain rods. Use curved shower curtain rods that will fit built-in tub units and various other shower units. You can also use crescent shower curtain rods that will fit your tub opening. There is also another type of shower curtain rods, which are called shower enlarger rod. You can use this rod when you require enlarging the shower area in your bath.

Ideally wooden rods should be avoided as a shower curtain rods since these rods go through wears and tears every time you open and draw the curtain.

Shower curtains come in different size and shape, as far as the rod width is concerned. You have to select one that will fit your bathroom structure, design and shower area.However, since shower curtains are usually lightweight curtains, light metal rods are perfect to hang the curtains. As far as the length of the rod is concerned, it will depend on your bathroom height. The shower curtain rods need to be durable and long lasting because these rods have to withstand daily use.

However, you must not forget that your shower curtain rods too need to be maintained like the curtain rods you use in your rooms.

Read further information on shower curtains and rods at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com/curtains/curtain-rods-shower.html . Adam Peters use to contribute adding content continuously to http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com , a free online magazine for interior design and decorating ideas .

These vibrant collectibles are as charming today as they were when they were first introduced.

Origin

The company Carlton Ware was formed in 1890 due to a partnership between J.F. Wiltshaw and J.A. Robinson. The company changed ownership several times during its century-old life. Today it is well known all over the world. Carlton Ware introduced this earthenware line of floral embossed patterns in the 1930’s.

Patterns were produced in either a green or yellow background and featured a range of floral patterns including: Fox Glove, Apple Blossom, Water Lily, Buttercup and Poppy.

Appeal

The vivid colours and floral patterns make this line of Carlton Ware as appealing today as it was in the 1930’s. This sturdy earthenware is used today for display and serving. Teapots, cream and sugars, tea cups, saucers, salt and peppers, toast racks, jam pots and a variety of serving pieces can still be found.

Quirky Fact

The rather confusing and wordy mark on this earthenware often appears as “Carlton Ware Made in England Trade Mark Registered Australian Design Registration Applied For”. This is for good reason. By the 1930’s, Carlton Ware had become a target of good quality imitations coming from Japan. Priced lower than the originals, it became a problem for the company. Carlton Ware discovered a clause in the South East Asia Treaty Organization with respect to trade between Australia and Japan. The treaty stated the Japan could not copy designs that were registered in Australia.

Shopping

They were moderately priced and quite popular in their day. Today it can be found at flea markets, antique shops, garage sales and on Ebay. Prices can range from a few dollars to much more depending upon the pattern, shape, size and condition of the piece.

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium, an antique shop located in Toronto, Canada. He does furniture restoration, caning and rushing repairs, custom reproductions, upholstery, teaches courses on antiques and does appraisals for estates and community events. He can be reached at 416-785-4555 or by visiting http://www.takeaboo.com

An interior re-designer specializes in arranging everything in a room, from the existing furniture to the flowers. Often used in magazine shoots, re-designers or stylists make rooms look fabulous on camera. Now homeowners can hire a re-designer to make their own rooms look fabulous…in real life!

I’m often asked just how the process works. It starts with talking with my client about their lifestyle needs. For instance, does the “man/woman of the house” sit in a certain chair in the family room and does it need to be lined-up with the TV or need a good reading light by it for using a laptop? Do they have young children or rambunctious teen-agers so no breakable decorations on the coffee tables? (This is my secret for why the finished rooms live as good as they look… I have seen family members from early grade school children to unenthusiastic spouses come home and wander around the newly re-designed rooms commenting on how they like it!)

Next I look at the furnishings with an eye to arranging them into a room with some real style. While I’m at it I will “shop” the home to see what I can find and put to better use in other ways. Often times the initial shopping list gets shorter as inspiration strikes, and we find new use for existing items. Just today I was re- designing a living/dining room combination and was able to place a console piece backed up to the sofa so it could also be used for additional serving service in the dining room. The client was thrilled not only with the new look but the added functionality of her room when entertaining without buying another piece of furniture. Other times I’ve found a chair tucked into a walk-in closet and a trunk, artwork, and area rugs stored in garages.

Then I direct an assistant to empty the room of everything but the largest pieces so I can begin with a clean slate to re-design a beautiful professionally decorated room. This includes not only arranging the furniture but hanging art and pictures, placing lamps and plants, accessorizing tables (tablescapes), mantles, curio cabinets, china hutches and bookcases. We complete the room down to the last detail the client gives me to work with. Having been a florist, I often arrange silk or use fresh flowers from the yard to add that extra style to the room.

If a client needs additional items, I then will write them a shopping list at the end for finishing touches. If they want help shopping, I can help them with that as well. I have one client who hates to shop because she finds it hard to visualize the items in her home. She has been living there several years feeling like it felt unfinished and not very “homey”. We’ve made several shopping runs now and after the last one, she sent me an e-mail and said “The house looks awesome.” Some times you just need a little help to get your home where you would love it to be!

I hope this helps you understand what an interior re-designer can do for your home. They can make all the difference within a few hours. The most common response I hear when a client walks into see their newly re-designed room for the first time is: “I can’t believe it. I would never have thought of doing it this way but I LOVE it!” So consider using an interior re-designer when you move into a new home with your previous furnishings or after you’ve remodeled or when you just want the home you’ve been dreaming of as you flip through those decorating magazines! A re- designer probably added their flair to the very rooms you are looking at. Why not hire one to do the same for your home?

Mary L. Brown of One Day Design is an interior re-designer who specializes in quickly transforming rooms using the furniture, accessories, and artwork people already have to give them a professionally decorated look! She’s been featured on FOXTV, NBC and HGTV. Download Mary’s FREE “Top 10 Decorating Mistakes (and How to Avoid or Fix Them!)” and sign up for her FREE decorating eNewsletter at http://www/OneDayDesign.com

One personal junk is another personal treasure. Never is that more true than when you are doing a spring clean up.

The good weather held out for Fred Dowling’s 25th anniversary junk day and treasure exchange. Each year for the past 25 years, co-op residents have gathered in the spirit of reducing, reusing, recycling of their possessions. Residents trade and dispose of unwanted items; it’s a win-win situation, all around. This year an Antiques Road Show was added to the day. I was on-hand as residents brought their prized possessions and family heirlooms to be appraised.

Some of the riches unearthed include: a 1953 Coronation toy carriage at $350; a Queen Victoria Jubilee milk pitcher at $175;a pearl brooch for $250; an antique desk for $275. The “piece de resistance” was a silver and diamond necklace valued at $750.

Here are some things to keep in mind when assessing the value of your items.

Condition

Chips, cracks and breaks on crystal, glass, porcelain and ceramics reduces the value of anything to a very minimal amount. Despite that fact, any item can have sentimental value even those with damage can have value to you.

Spotting Damage

Sometimes you can’t tell if a piece of porcelain is cracked. Use the ping test – flicking you’re your thumb and finger again the porcelain. If it gives a ping sound, there are no cracks. If it gives a thud sound, it is damaged. The same test applies to crystal.

Value

Appraised value, retail value and your selling value are all different amounts.

The appraised value, sometimes called the insurance value is the amount that you would insure an item for. It is based on the amount you would have to pay to replace the item if it made an insurance claim.

The retail value is the amount that a store would sell it for. Your selling price is the amount that you would get if you sold it.

Your selling price will always be less than the retail value because most likely, you would sell your item to a dealer who in turn marks up the price.

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium, an antique shop located in Toronto, Canada. He does furniture restoration, caning and rushing repairs, custom reproductions, upholstery, teaches courses on antiques and does appraisals for estates and community events. He can be reached at 416-785-4555 or by visiting http://www.takeaboo.com

Need kitchen counter bar stools? Read on to find some great online retailers of kitchen counter bar stools with terrific selections at a range of prices sure to suit your wallet.

To ensure comfort and that your kitchen counter bar stools do not sit under your counters unused, first measure your counter tops. Then, if the kitchen counter bar stools you’ve fallen in love with measure at least a foot from their seats to the bottom of your counter, you’ve picked a winner!

Color, styling, and fabric texture of kitchen counter bar stools set the pace of the design décor in your eating area. You can go from casual to contemporary and from fun-loving to formal depending on what materials you choose. Here are a few places to look online for kitchen counter bar stools that should fit into the design décor of almost anyone:

For a huge selection of kitchen counter bar stools, take a look at www.4BarStools.com. Here you’ll find bar stools in four different heights (24”, 26”, 30”, and 34”), plus a choice of 18” stools suitable for makeup tables or bathroom vanities.

In their 24”-26” heights (the commonest size for most standard home kitchen counters), their least expensive stool is a sleek, non-swiveling, metal-frame model that comes in 11 frame and seat-fabric colors for $139.

The most expensive of the kitchen counter bar stools offered on this site goes for $419 and includes a swiveling seat with “memory,” a deep-padded seat, and real wood trim on a metal frame. This stool comes in 28 wood, frame, and fabric colors. Free delivery comes as a bonus with all the kitchen counter bar stools on this Web site.

The kitchen counter bar stools you find at www.KitchenStools.com come in the classic 50s diner style; traditional styles in pine, oak, and maple; soda-fountain styles, and many, many more. Here you’ll find every price range imaginable along with every style that you can think of! This site will keep the shopper looking for kitchen counter bar stools occupied for hours.

From the offerings of these two online retailers, you’re sure to find kitchen counter bar stools that fit your needs perfectly. Just remember: Don’t forget to measure!

Carlo Morelli writes for OnlineTips.Org, where you can read tips on ceramic tiling, metal roofing and other home/garden topics.

Antique glassware needs a gentle hand. This month we’ll give you some useful tips to help you care for your antique or modern glassware.

1. Avoid putting glassware into direct sunlight or near any other heat sources such as radiators.

2. Avoid slippage by using two hands when carrying delicate items. Remove lids and stoppers to be safe.

3. Avoid stains in vases by changing the water every two days and removing any flowers or leaves before they dry onto the vase. Keep in mind that any liquid will stain glassware if it remains over a period of time.

4. Avoid temperature extremes. Very cold or very hot water is too taxing on antique glassware. Sudden temperature changes can stress the glass.

5. Avoid the dishwasher; it is too harsh on fragile glassware. Fill a plastic bowl with warm soapy water in the sink to wash glassware. The plastic bowl protects the glassware from the hard stainless sink.

6. Wash items one at a time to avoid any in-water collisions. 7. Use a soft bristled brush made of nylon or plastic to wash glassware.

8. Line the drying area with towels in case of any tumbles. 9. Gently dry glassware with lint-free cloths.

10. During storage, remove decanter stoppers and lids. If there is any dampness, the lid will trap it in and cause cloudiness.

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium, an antique shop located in Toronto, Canada. He does furniture restoration, caning and rushing repairs, custom reproductions, upholstery, teaches courses on antiques and does appraisals for estates and community events. He can be reached at 416-785-4555 or by visiting http://www.takeaboo.com

Office decor doesn’t have to be boring, or even all businesslike. You can spruce up your office walls with elegant oil paintings even if you’re on a tight budget. Art reproductions are beautiful works of art that are hand-painted by talented artists to capture the true colors and meanings of famous paintings from the past. With the low cost of art reproductions, anyone can decorate their office using famous paintings.

Enhance Office Waiting Areas

Use artwork throughout your office waiting area to enhance your decor. Paintings can be matched with chairs, couches, tables, lamps and carpeting to create the mood you want. If you desire a cheerful atmosphere, consider using colorful paintings of animals or landscapes. For a dramatic effect, use old-fashioned portraits of people or paintings of serious scenes with darker color patterns.

Create an Office Theme

You can also use painting reproductions to build a theme for your office. For example, if your office is related to finance, paintings depicting a financial theme will make a great addition to your decor. Another example is to hang cheerful, lifelike paintings of children in a pediatric office. Or, a travel agency might use paintings of fascinating places around the world. There are paintings to create almost any theme.

Inspire Your Employees

Art reproductions can also be used to inspire your employees as they work. Hang inspirational works of art near employee desks and in break rooms. Paintings of relaxing scenes might be used to help reduce stress in the workplace. For example, the gorgeous "Fishing in Spring" painting by Vincent van Gogh will give your employees a visual getaway at a glance. "Landscape with a Rainbow" by Peter Paul Rubens offers a peek into a faraway land of beauty. Your employees will enjoy working in a motivational environment.

Build a Reputation

Decorating your office with art reproductions will give it the look and feel of a high-class work environment. Your clients and business associates will assume you spent a fortune decorating your office when you really didn’t. Art reproductions make this possible because they usually cost so little while their original counterparts might cost thousands of dollars. This enables you to have a professional office decor while also saving money.

Artwork in the office can add tremendously to your decor. You can use it to create the colors and themes you want, and build an atmosphere your clients will appreciate.

David De Groot helps art lovers around the world realize their dream of owning famous pieces of art. His web site offers affordable reproductions of some of the most extravagant paintings, each hand-painted by an experienced artist. Browse an amazing online gallery at http://www.myreproductions.com/

Pressed glass, Depression glass and crystal — this month we’ll review the basics of these different types of glass and some tips on telling the difference.

History

Glass was first recorded being made in ancient Rome, Egypt and Syria. It was made by heating and fusing sand, potash or soda with lime.

Types of Glass

Soda glass, potash glass and lead glass are the three main types of glass.

Soda glass

Starting in the 13th century, soda glass was made in Venice. Glassmakers were able to form molten glass into elaborate shapes because it contained burned seaweed, making the glass very malleable.

Potash glass

Potash glass came from northern Europe. Potash was made from a combination of burned wood and bracken making the glass well suited for engraving and cutting.

Lead glass (crystal, lead crystal)

Starting in Europe in the 17th century, lead glass was developed. It was derived from adding lead oxide to potash glass. The words lead glass, lead crystal and crystal all mean the same thing. Crystal is simply a type of glass. It is the addition of lead to mix that makes crystal harder than regular glass. Crystal is less likely to have bubbles, which is helpful when cutting

Pressed glass

Popularized during the Victoria era, pressed glass is made from a mould and is less valuable than cut glass. You can identify pressed glass from the mould line that is visible and the less sharply faceted decoration.

Depression glass

Popularized during the Great Depression, companies such as Hocking Glass, Federal and MacBeth-Evans mass-produced this form of pressed glassware. It was often given away free as a gift with purchase. There are many colours and patterns available.

Decoration on glass

There are four types of decorations used to adorn glass: cutting, enamelling, gilding and engraving.

Cutting

Facets cut into glass reflect light and create sparkle. One tip to help date a piece of glass is to look for shallow surface cuts which were used in the earliest days of glass cutting.

Enamelling

In the 15th century, the Venetians popularized the enamelling of glass that is a process of painting on glass.

Gilding

It is a technique of adding gold decoration to glass that was often done by firing the gold onto a glass surface.

Engraving

It was done by diamond point engraving (scratching the design onto the surface of the glass using a diamond nib), wheel engraving (scratching the design on the surface of the glass using small copper wheels rotating against the surface) stipple engraving (scratching the design onto the surface of the glass using fine diamond needle that taps out the design in a series of dots and lines) or acid etching (scratching the design on the surface of glass using a sharp tool then subjecting the glass to hydrofluoric acid which etched the design onto the glass).

How to tell crystal from cut glass

Weight is the number one tip-off that something is crystal rather than glass. The lead in crystal makes it is heavier than cut glass. The telltale ping when you flick your fingernail against crystal is another way to tell crystal from glass.

Why is modern-day crystal less brilliant than antique crystal

Crystal made in the early 1900s contains about 25 to 28 percent lead. Modern crystal contains only 10 to 12 percent lead. This reduction in the lead content makes modern crystal less brilliant than antique crystal.

How to tell if it is early glass

Old engraving will look dark and grey against a white background. New glass engraving will not look grey against a white background.

Spotting reproductions

There are many reproductions circulating because modern glassmakers made imitations of 18th century glass. There is nothing wrong with reproductions as long as you know that is what you are buying. You can spot reproductions three ways:

Colour

Reproductions may not have the distinctive tint caused by natural occurring impurities. Use the white background test; if the engraving looks grey against the white, the item is likely to be old.

Manufacturing signs

Machine-made glass will not have the rough bump under the stem that hand-blown glass will have. This bump results from the item being removed from the glassblower’s rod. Also, hand-blown glass might have imperfections such as uneven thickness, ripples or striations that machine-made glass does not have.

Proportions

Styles and proportions have varied over the years. One thing to look for is that the foot on antique glass is often as wide as the bowl.

Value

Glass and crystal are one collectible where the secondary market is more affordable than the primary market. The reason is supply and demand. Plenty of crystal was made over the years, plenty of people took good care of it, and, as a result plenty of it is still around.

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium, an antique shop located in Toronto, Canada. He does furniture restoration, caning and rushing repairs, custom reproductions, upholstery, teaches courses on antiques and does appraisals for estates and community events. He can be reached at 416-785-4555 or by visiting http://www.takeaboo.com