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Although Cliff May established the look of the ranch house in 1932, his designs took inspiration from architects as diverse as Frank Lloyd Wright and Alfred Levitt. The sleek, versatile and unpretentious design of the ranch-style home defined an era of American architecture, but it still hasn't outlived its use. As you consider home renovations, bring this style into the modern era by familiarizing yourself with its basic design principles.
As a primary center for family life, the kitchen must be well-designed and aesthetically pleasing. The layout of cabinets is an essential part of this function, and will dictate how well the space flows and how easy meal preparation is. Cabinet proportion is part of a successful remodel, and entails selecting pieces that are in keeping with the size of the room. When fitting a corner base cabinet for a sink, there are a few basic dimensions to keep in mind.
Board and batten shutters are a decorative addition to the front of a house. They are constructed by joining horizontal boards together with vertical or angled timbers known as battens. Modern board and batten shutters are designed to stay open and often include decorative hardware.
Eaves are the lower overhanging edge of a roof. This feature of a home may be plain and functional or ornately decorated. The eaves serve temperature regulation and moisture control functions that preserve the condition of your dwelling. They direct rain away from the vulnerable point where the roof of a home meets the walls, and they can be designed to offer some protection to your home’s exterior at ground-level, preventing water from falling around the foundation.
Gas cooktops offer an alternative to the traditional home cooking appliance, the range. While ranges incorporate your burners and oven into one appliance, cooktops feature burners only and are often installed in a kitchen island or countertop. Those who choose this design often place a wall oven elsewhere in their kitchen to fulfill their baking and broiling needs. Most gas cooktops feature pilotless ignition systems, and some reignite burners automatically if the flame goes out.
Chimney cowls, also known as chimney caps, are devices placed on top of chimneys to protect the home in various ways. Chimney cowls can be designed to serve many purposes, such as preventing strong winds from blowing smoke back down the chimney on very windy days, or blocking rain and snow from dampening the fire. Chimney cowls can even stop small animals from entering the chimney and causing problems for the homeowner. Traditionally, chimney cowls are made of clay, tile, iron, stainless steel or other metals. Many chimney cowls can be made at home, which can be a big cost…
Mid-century buildings and structures refer to an architectural and design style that debuted in the late 1930s. Architectural characteristics like simplicity, integration of nature, clean lines, open floor plans, a lack of trim and large windows were at the forefront of this style. If you have such a home, you truly have a fascinating piece of America's architectural heritage. However, if this architectural style isn't your cup of tea, you can strategically update it to better reflect your personal tastes.
The Federal style, which is a colonial style of architecture, flourished from 1780 to 1820. The distinct features of a Federal-style facade make it an easily recognizable style. Mainly influenced by ancient Roman architecture, the Federal style, of which the American bald eagle is a common symbol used, is seen in public buildings and homes, several of which are historically significant.
Spanish style homes feature stucco exteriors, arched windows and porticos, tile roofs and wrought iron railings on balconies and stairways. The interior architecture is characterized by arched doorways, plaster walls, tiled and hardwood flooring, and floor plans that extend the living space to the outdoors. Complement the interior of your Spanish style home with rich color, elaborately carved furnishings and Spanish inspired accessories.
Pitch is the slope or steepness of a roof, usually expressed in inches per foot. A 3/12 roof, for instance, rises from a wall at 3 inches per foot, a 6/12 roof at 6 inches per foot, and so on. All roofs must have some pitch, so water runs off them. Flat roofs are usually defined as 3/12 pitch or lower, medium roofs between 4 and 8 pitch and steep roofs above 8.
Ditch Witch is the manufacturer of heavy machines, like plows, sod cutters and trenchers. The Ditch Witch C-99 is an older, walk-behind trencher made by the company. It is comparable to the RT series, including the RT-10 trencher. A trencher uses a single, long blade that digs into the earth as it is pushed to form small trenches for laying pipe or cables. The Ditch Witch trencher needs its oil changed on a regular basis.
Hearkening back to classic English medieval architecture, the original Tudor cottages were built around the end of the 15th Century. The Tudors name comes from the ruling family of the time, which included King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. In the early 1890s, the architectural style was revived in England and the United States. Tudor-style homes share distinctive characteristics that make them unmistakably Tudors.
If you read James M. Cain's classic "Double Indemnity" or saw the film, you may recall the manuscript's quirky introductory passage: "It was just a Spanish house, like all the rest of them in California, with white walls, red tile roof and a patio out to one side . . .." Cain refers, of course, to California's distinctive Mission/Spanish Revival style of architecture, vintage buildings that are so unique that the U.S. National Register of Historic Places protects many from demolition.
Moorish decor is often mixed with Moroccan design to create a distinctive flair to your home. Moorish architecture -- found in Spain, North Africa and Portugal -- is known for arches, intricate and repeating patterns in wood and metal, and for earth tones and jewel colors. Bring some or all of these design elements into your home and you'll add the distinctive Moorish flavor to your home's interior design.
Ball bearings help reduce friction for smoother acceleration in vehicles. They also quiet moving parts in other machines. In fact, ball bearings are used in nearly any modern machine that has moving parts, including computer hard drives, inline skates and jet engines.
The art nouveau style means "new art" in French. This style emerged in the 1880s and lasted through about 1910. Art nouveau focuses on the flowing lines found in feminine forms, flowers and stems. Other objects often depicted in nouveau art include birds, insects, curving lines and right angles. Decorating your home with eclectic art nouveau gives it interesting and unusual appeal.
The term "window drapery" encompasses curtains, valances and any other fabric pieces used to decorate the windows of a home or office. These drapery pieces can be put together in a number of ways to create different designs for your windows. Figuring out the best design for your window drapery depends on the room in which you're using them, and the purpose of the window covering.
The Mediterranean Sea wraps around the lower part of Europe and it includes several countries, including Spain. This area is known for its warm weather, beautiful beaches and vineyards, delightful villages and gorgeous mountain views. The architecture throughout the area shares many of the same features including tall interior ceilings, cool tile floors and lots of windows to bring in fresh breezes. The people of the area also like to decorate both indoors and out with bountiful flower arrangements.
In a city that is always one step ahead, it's no surprise New York's sense of style triumphs when it comes to urban decor and chic sophistication. Whether you live downtown or reside in cities where traffic is something that happens somewhere else, you can still create that trendy cosmopolitan style.
Prairie lily, Lilium philadelphicum, grows wild in the prairies and open woodlands of the United States and Canada. Common names include wood lily, western red lily and wild lily. Prairie lilies grow 12 to 30 inches tall from underground, perennial bulbs. The orange and red flowers bloom in July and August. Plant prairie lilies in the garden for color and a touch of wild beauty.
The prairie architecture style first appeared in the early 1900s as a part of the arts and crafts movement of that era. The simple architecture design and interior style takes a minimalist approach in opposition of the excessive appearance of Victorian style homes common at the end of the previous decade. The houses feature an open and airy design style with rooms flowing into each other separated by cabinets or glass panels. The lighting choices in the prairie style coordinate with the simple straight lines of the furnishings and décor.
Create an ambiance of comfort and warmth with Spanish-inspired decor. Brightly colored accent pieces complement the earth tones, inspired by nature. Rustic furniture choices maintain the inviting appeal you wish to achieve in a Mediterranean-style home without overpowering the often smaller spaces of a bungalow. Tile flooring and vividly woven rugs tie the pieces together to create a Spanish bungalow you and your friends can enjoy for years.
Converting to a cooktop from a traditional range may require rewiring your kitchen, depending on whether you choose a gas or an electric cooktop. Both types of cooktops feature stainless steel or ceramic finishes that may complement your existing kitchen appliances.
Knowing what plaster styles are available and learning the differences between them allows you to make informed decisions when refinishing or redecorating your home. Explore the options available when considering plaster styles. Practice on a scrap piece of drywall or plywood so you know how the plaster feels when you're working with it and how to achieve the plaster style you desire.
The Prairie School of Architecture, credited with being the first original American architectural style, enjoyed popularity from about 1893 to 1917, but its unusual designs have since become timeless, inspiring later architectural styles. Frank Lloyd Wright, the best known architect of the Prairie School, apprenticed under Louis Sullivan and credits Sullivan's philosophy of form following function as a catalyst sparking his own architectural leanings.
Spanish-style architecture features low-pitched, red-tiled roofs, white stucco walls and arched windows and doors. Other elements include decorative tile work surrounding windows and doorways, elaborate wrought-iron grill work on balconies, and bell towers. Spanish architectural style combines details from Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic and Renaissance cultures. In the United States, a revival of this style borrows details from early Spanish missions in America, such as the one in San Juan Capistrano, California.
Tuscan design isn't derived from the well-groomed manors or estates of Tuscany, but rather from the quaint cottages and farmhouses that dot the countryside. They're filled with rustic, well-used items that bring to mind the warm colors of the sun or cool colors of the Mediterranean. There are a number of ways to incorporate Tuscan design style into your home.
Alpine design is a decor style that takes its cues from mountainous ski regions, specifically the Alps. Alpine design should evoke ski vacations and warm hot cocoa sipped by the fire. It is a masculine style mixed with crafty warmth and coziness. Rooms decorated in this style often incorporate natural materials from the terrain typical of the mountains.
Before starting an architectural project, you should understand the roles and positions of those working on the project. There are only three key players in a typical architectural project -- the owner, the architect and the general contractor, forming a tripartite relationship. Other experts and consultants help the key players realize a successful project.
Lighting your home and landscape provides many benefits. It increases your home's curb appeal, serves as a security measure and enables you to enjoy your yard in the evenings. By implementing a few architectural landscape lighting tips, you can emphasize the attractiveness of your home. Focus your efforts on the entry, pathways and significant architectural features.
Down through the ages, designer drapery styles were developed for monarchs and those privileged to sit in a monarch's court. The styles were taken from Italian and French palatial dwellings. From the structured swag to the shaped lambrequin, each has found a place in today's interior spaces, both residential and commercial. The question to answer is about the appropriate setting for the elegance of a designer drapery, with all of its fittings and accessories.
First devised in Venice during the 1500s, Venetian plaster replicates the look of a polished marble wall without the associated cost and weight of actual stone. Several different types of Venetian plaster are still used today, utilizing the same techniques and material that have been used for centuries.
Quarried granite was used in Egyptian monuments, pyramids and tombs, so if it was good enough for King Tut. Granite is known for its durability as well as its varied styles and colors. In fact, color-wise, if you can imagine it, a color likely exists in granite. Color options number in the thousands, according to the Interior Decorating Colors.
Lighting is a key element in designing the interior and exterior of a home. Exterior architectural lighting effects illuminate the facade of a structure and the surrounding gardens, trees and pathways, adding greatly to security, safety and nighttime curb appeal. Interior architectural illumination highlights design features and adds ambient lighting to a space. Proper use of this design tool will increase the value and enjoyment of a residence.
When it comes to kitchen design, it's no secret that things have changed significantly over the course of the past 100 years. From the utilitarian kitchens of the early 1900s to today's modern, highly functional work spaces, kitchen design is in constant flux. One of the most interesting periods of kitchen design was the 1950s, during which time color, lighting and appliances were unlike anything in the past or afterward.
Most wives in the 1950's had one job: to be a homemaker. This meant wives must not only clean the house but also truly make a home. Being a homemaker in the 1950's meant caring for both your family and your house, as well as presenting yourself as picture-perfect throughout the day. Not only that, you had to make it seem effortless.
The region of Tuscany, Italy, encompasses more than the rural region commonly associated with Tuscany. Located along the coastline northwest of Rome between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, Tuscany includes the cities of Florence, Sienna, Pisa and numerous others. If you embrace the entire Tuscan region for design inspiration, you can expand your definition of Tuscan styles beyond the rural countryside.
Buying wholesale allows you to buy directly from the manufacturer instead of paying higher retail prices. Kitchen accessories and products can be especially pricey when placed in retail stores. You can find special kitchen gifts for a friend or loved one at a local wholesale store or online from a wholesaler.
The Ditch Witch line of pedestrian trenchers is the world's best-selling line of "walk-behind" trenchers. Models such as the RT10 provide a one-man device for the small contractor and homeowner to dig narrow trenches quickly for electrical conduits, drain pipes and underground sprinklers. Hydraulic assist does the work for you, and a simple four-lever control panel operates all functions. Custom options include steel tracks instead of tires, and a backfill blade to cover the trench when the work is done.
Traditional fireplaces required a flue to take the smoke from the burning wood outside. Today's prefabricated, or zero clearance, fireplaces don't need a brick-and-mortar chimney for venting. Some styles don't even require venting at all. A prefabricated fireplace is safe and quite easy to install inside an existing fireplace or in new construction.
Laundry room countertops are a convenient area to hold laundry detergents and stain removers, as well as to fold clothing. An unsupported countertop lacks stability and strength, which can lead to the countertop loosening and falling. A laundry room countertop without support is a shelf. Using the same techniques as bracing a shelf will provide a secure and firm surface. Manufacturers make shelf brackets capable of holding a countertop in a laundry room in place.
Spanish-style decorating is used in homes in the West and the South in the United States. Homes in western states often lean towards a convergence of Mexican and Spanish styles. Homes in the Southwest often merge Native American décor with Mexican styles, resulting in a "Santa Fe" Spanish style. No matter where you live, you can create a Spanish style for your home. The key is to incorporate design elements that give the home authenticity in delivering a style that definitely says "Spanish."
The Tuscan style is reminiscent of old Italian-style family homes. Telling features include Mediterranean colors and the use of old rustic decor made with metal or straw. When decorating the exterior of your home, going simple will help you achieve a genuine Tuscan vibe. There are a few different things you can do to Tuscan-ize the outside your house, no matter what the structure looks like.
The 1950s were a time of much post-war prosperity in America and houses of the time reflect this optimism. Certain structural and design features are typical of homes of this decade. For example, an attached double garage, a cedar roof, brick or stone trim, front and rear covered porches, services porches, sliding glass patio doors and hardwood floors were all characteristics of homes of this period. If you have a home built during this period, update the exterior making strategic changes so your house appears more contemporary.
Choosing the right house plan may lead to a happy home. Modern home plans incorporate steel and glass in place of old-fashioned home materials. Large glass walls framed in steel are sometimes part of the plans. These homes often stand out in traditional neighborhoods due to odd shapes and material choices. For the person looking to build one of these houses, selecting the right plan is essential.
Spanish-style decor has its roots in the villas and farmhouses of the Mediterranean. As Spain extended its empire into the New World, it brought its decor style with it. But Spanish design was also impacted by the cultures of the people it conquered, and today it's a mix of Aztec, Mexican and traditional Spanish colonial with a dash of Southwestern decor thrown in for good measure. Spanish style is not limited to a grand hacienda. You can create it in your casa no matter where you live.
Sealmaster bearings are used in any number of different industrial and commercial applications where bearings are required. Bearings, in their simplest form, are parts intended to allow metal surfaces to move together, such as in a wheel. Bearings may be made of greased balls that move inside of a track, or they may be made of greased round rollers or needles that also move inside of some track or captive enclosure.
The Xactimate program is software designed to determine the approximate amount of damages done to a home in the event of a fire, storm or other disaster. Professionals use this software to gain an idea of what components of a home were damaged and how to go about replacing them. One of these items is the carpet in a home. Once you add carpet to your virtual floor plan, the carpet directional tool will help you determine which way the carpet should face.
Leatherman multi-tools are filled with useful implements, and the blades on the knives, saws and files are the largest on the market, according to the company's website. The number of tools in a style range from five to 21, and the sizes vary from less than three inches to longer than four inches.
Whether your Alpine home is in the mountains, on a lake or in a rural or urban neighborhood, you have options for interior design. These styles focus on warmth, comfort, functionality and personal style.
Stairwell architecture varies from home to home, but staircases are often visible to guests and can make your home appear chic or dull. Add decorative accents to your stairwell that enhance your stairwell design. Consider a design that matches your existing room décor when choosing your stairwell accessories. Neutral colors and earth tones are classic options that provide you with many opportunities for seasonal enhancements such as during the holidays. Personalize each accent with sentimental objects from around your home.
Contemporary garden furniture is designed to impart a uniform and clean look to your yard. Oftentimes, the materials used for contemporary furniture is eco-friendly and easy to maintain. There are numerous factors to think about when choosing the right contemporary furniture for your yard, such as how many people you want to seat and what type of outdoor entertaining you want to do. The look of your overall landscape is also important to consider, because you do not want your furniture to stick out like a sore thumb.
Magic Chef is a brand of cooktops that has been sold for decades. Although Magic Chef is a reputable kitchen appliance manufacturer, its products can fail with repeated use over time. If your Magic Chef electric cooktop suddenly fails, do not fret. A number of replacement parts are available to restore your electric cooktop to its original status.
Oriental or Asian design is characterized by rich embellishment and elegant simplicity. Natural fibers and materials predominate. Colors are subdued neutrals offset by dramatic bursts of jewel-like intensity. The juxtaposition of the spare and the elaborate can make designing an Oriental-style interior seem like a daunting task. But, in fact, it is more like a Chinese puzzle or Japanese origami -- a challenge that can yield a very satisfying result. For a simple living room, an excursion into some classic elements of Oriental design produces a distinctive and livable space.
When you're choosing granite for a remodel of your kitchen or bathroom countertops, your main priority is likely to choose a color that matches your taste, but the edging style of your granite is also an important factor in the design. Granite edging styles range from simple and contemporary to elegant and classic. The right edge for your granite depends on your personal design taste and the elements in your existing kitchen.
The southwestern region of the United States features a distinctive and memorable look. The bright blue skies, expansive deserts and rich mountain landscapes are reflected in the houses of the area. Southwestern decorating schemes can be warm and inviting, open and airy or a combination of both, depending on the designer's preference. Typically, the look centers around pottery, wooden furniture and large windows. Even subtle touches can bring a Southwestern atmosphere to an area, room or entire house.
It is standard practice for architects and building contractors to build houses and estates. But some people prefer to purchase land to design and build their own homes, especially when dreaming of living in a castle style house. So providing the necessary research is carried out in terms of building regulations; any person with an idea in mind can become his or her own architect.
Searching for a home built in a specific architectural style can become quite overwhelming when faced with numerous and widely varying styles. Jackie Craven, expert writer for Realtor's online magazine, remarks on the challenge of identifying a home's architectural style, "Most houses do not fit precisely into any one category. Older homes may have gone through many renovations, taking on the features of several different architectural trends." Pinpointing a home's architectural style, whether a combination of styles or not, becomes easier when you know the primary features that characterize each style.
Decorative keys come in all sorts of patterns and colors, such as your favorite sports team colors, floral designs or even animal prints. It is not difficult to have this type of key made. The different patterns and colors make it a simple task to distinguish your keys from one another, giving them an added safety feature. Getting into your house when coming home late at night or trying to get into your automobile in a busy parking lot happens a lot quicker if you can locate the key you need quickly by its color or design.
If you've ever cooked catfish on a stovetop, you've been thankful for the little fan in the vent hood over your range in your kitchen. Some modern designs open the kitchen space by moving the stovetop to an island. While the stovetop may be anchored to the middle of your kitchen, smoke and steam from the range don't have to stay in your home when you install a ventilation range hood above your stovetop in your kitchen island.
Everyone wanted to own a home following World War II, and the American building industry was happy to oblige. During the 50s, the housing boom raged with virtually the same home shape and design marketed under regionally favored names like the ranch, bungalow or prairie style. Commonalities abounded during this 10-year period. Asymmetrical design, horizontal orientation, hipped or gabled roofs, open floor plans shaped into rectangles, L- or U-shapes, minimal ornamentation and the use of quality, natural materials were the benchmarks of 1950s architectural styling.
As builders construct residential homes in various styles and designs each day, these houses receive different styles of roofing depending on the taste of the home buyer and the availability of materials during construction. However, despite the differences in style, home owners expect the house to have a roof that is durable and resistant to weather conditions.
Stairs are something people use in the home but don't think about in terms of their design. If you're renovating or building a new home, the right style of staircase can enhance the decor in the rest of your home.
Whirlpool offers a number of cooktop options that suit various styles, cooking needs and budgets. From classic coil cooktops to advanced induction technology, Whirlpool's cooktops are designed to combine form and function, and have innovative features that help make cooking faster and cleanup easier.
Carpet's warmth can't be duplicated by tile or hardwood flooring. Using carpet in bedrooms, walk-in closets and playrooms makes the floor space more usable for sitting or storing items conveniently. For example, moving clothes or shoes about in a carpeted walk-in closet works well, because the floor area can be used to sort items. Carpet in a playroom works better for small children than having them play on a hard-surface floor. Many different weaves and textures of carpet are available for creating a certain effect in various spaces.
The Modern period took place between 1900 and 1950. The United States flourished with an abundance of homes in this period. These homes were meant to be affordable and in line with the progression of the Industrial Revolution. The materials were new, the floor plans were different, and the architects became world-renowned for their work. The Modern masters were Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright. They practiced modern architecture all over the world.
Venetian plaster, or Venetian stucco as it sometimes called, has a rich history going back hundreds of years. Some claim this type of plaster is related to plastering techniques that were started 9,000 years ago in Mesopotamia. The styles used in home design now, however, are more closely related to the techniques developed by the Venetian masters. There are several different styles of Venetian plaster you can replicate in your own home.
Spanish and Mediterranean style homes can be found across the country in new and older home communities. The exteriors of the homes are often stucco painted in earthy colors with recessed arched windows and a hip style, terracotta roof. Often the doorways have ironwork and the homes will feature a walled and gated interior courtyard with a water feature. The interior of the home will often have vaulting tall ceilings, over-height thick wood doors, faux stucco earthy-colored walls and tile floors. Colorful decorative tiles will often be featured at stairways, niches, bathrooms and on patios.
Lane cedar chests were once a quintessential furniture item. Lane furniture marketed the chests as "hope chests," the perfect way for brides-to-be to store clothing or home furnishings. Women of the 1940s and '50s, associating romance and housekeeping, highly prized Lane cedar chests and what they embodied. Even today, Lane cedar chests in all styles are prized finds on auction sites and in antique stores.
Ball bearings are rounded pieces of metal used for a vast amount of industrial applications. Essentially, their function is to provide smooth, low-friction movement to rotary-style parts; that is, parts that spin. Among the applications for ball bearings are auto-engine parts, electric motors that run home appliances, power tools, machine tools, conveyors, escalators, fans and pumps. Ball bearings actually come in a wide variety, but the industry does have some standard specifications you can use to tell them apart.
From old country haciendas and colonial homes to rustic adobe ranches and tiny casitas, traditional Mexican homes are typically painted in a palette of vibrant colors. To keep the heat out, larger properties often feature high wood beamed ceilings, tiled interiors and cobbled courtyards.The architecture of Mexico was heavily influenced by Mediterranean and Moorish styles that colonists brought with them. As the richest region in Spain's colonial empire, Mexico features many houses built in the colonial style.
Ditch Witch began making trenchers in 1949 and the company is still known for its compact utility trenchers. Trenchers are just part of the vast amount of products Ditch Witch sells worldwide. The R100 was made as a ride along tractor-style trencher designed as both a trencher and plow. This R100 was made, according to Ditch Witch, from 1975 to 1999 and was replaced by the RT115.
If redesigning your porch or planning to use interior columns in your home, square columns come in a variety of styles. As with round columns, square columns are manufactured in various materials from wood to fiberglass to brick. Like any column, there are three components to consider in the design: the base, the column itself, and the cap.
Architectural lighting is a term often used by designers to refer to commercial or public lighting styles. Residential designers know that these architectural techniques can be applied in home lighting plans. Home owners can educate themselves on these architectural lighting techniques, learn about layering light and track the latest lighting trends through professional interior design resources.
Oriental design generally refers to design styles found in China, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam as well as other Eastern countries. Oriental design is often interchangeable with "Asian design" and has become a prominent design style throughout the entire world. The most common and easily recognizable characteristics of oriental design come from China and Japan as the design elements make use of bold colors and unusual ornamentation.
The Mediterranean-style stucco home is one of elaborate beauty and color. When choosing any decor element, including plants, you must remember to adhere to the Mediterranean aesthetic. That aesthetic includes rich, earthy colors that may be used as the stucco or in the decor. Plants for this sort of home, whether indoor or out, should match those colors and invoke the feel of the Mediterranean.
Vintage wallpaper styles are a trendy, stylish way to add some pop to your redecorating plans. Wallpaper styles from the 1930s include several motifs, from floral to art deco. Using one of these patterns will add a hint of sophistication to your room, making it a conversation point at parties.
Good web design excites visitors. Award-winning web designers can create stunning web designs in hours, but their expensive fees might just leave you looking for alternative ways to beautify your web page. Don't fret. With a basic web-hosting package, templates are available that allow you to follow basic guidelines of web design while adding creative touches to your website to pique visitor interest. Your attractive decorations will encourage visitors to linger on your page to read content, purchase your product or forward your page to friends.
Mobile cabins are buildings that can be moved from one place to another, and can be used as storage, for camping, as play structures or as barns. They are popular for their customization options and are more affordable than permanent structures. If you are in Arkansas, you will be able to find these structures for sale at several locations.
A fireplace is a focal architectural feature of any room. A Tuscan fireplace's surroundings should play a supporting role in bringing the flavor of Italy into your home. Tuscan style is mainly associated with the Italian Renaissance when artists such as Botticelli, Donatello, Giotto, Leonardo, Raphael and Michelangelo created artwork that defined European culture for more than five centuries. Employ the right elements, and your fireplace will enhance the Tuscan theme of your room.
A mailbox typically serves two purposes for a home or business: functionality and attractiveness. Mailbox styles typically include four basic types of mailbox function and placement; however, these four styles offer many options of design to match the taste of the home or business that the mailbox serves.
The Italian region of Tuscany has an instantly recognizable and very welcoming feel to its houses: earthy and natural colors, wall murals, rich fabrics and the use of plenty of terracotta help to distinguish the Tuscan style of home interior from elsewhere and gives a farmhouse ambience that's rooted in the past but doesn't feel ancient. Though the Tuscan home style is familiar to many, that doesn't mean there hasn't been room for sub-styles to develop.
Bathroom remodeling and design is an important aspect of home renovation as the quality and style of a bathroom can greatly affect the value of a home. Even though the look is important for aesthetics, the safety of a bathroom's electrical system is of great importance and is regulated to protect homeowners from electrical hazards.
Leatherman is the brand name for one of the first and the most popular multi tool on the market. The name comes from Tim Leatherman, a mechanical engineer, founder of the company and creator of the first Leatherman multi tool. Continuing to innovate, the multi purpose tool has evolved over time since it's creation and now has dozens of styles and specific tools.
A bungalow house is generally defined as a small or medium-size home built in the United States between 1900 and 1950. Some architects and designers classify a bungalow-style home by exterior architectural details, such as a low-pitched roof or large verandah. Still others define a bungalow as a practical home offering an open floor plan and efficient use of space.
Red Rooster Fabrics are cotton fabrics designed for sewers, quilters and craft enthusiasts. Founded in 2002, Red Rooster Fabrics includes contemporary designs, novelty prints, folk art and traditional designs. They also produce seasonal fabrics and reproduction prints. Red Rooster Fabrics are wholesale only, but customers may purchase the fabrics at quilt shops and sewing shops.
Designing your own shelving is the perfect way to increase the storage and display capability of your kitchen while preserving the original design and feel of the space. By matching the colors and shapes of the shelving, it is possible to make the new additions appear to be part of the original kitchen plan -- and at a fraction of the cost that a home designer would charge. Designing countertop shelves requires only minimal tools and can be installed easily by a beginner and mastered by an expert.
If you're looking to add a little curb appeal to your saltbox home, adding a fence can jazz up your home's exterior. Named for the saltboxes they resembled, saltbox homes were first built in New England as early as 1650. They're typically one and a half to two stories and feature simple lines. For a pleasing look, stick to simpler, historic fence styles to keep from overpowering the basic lines of your saltbox home.
When choosing a fence style for your home, consider both the purpose of the fence as well as the style that best suits your home. A fence suitable for a country cottage differs from one that's right for a sprawling ranch home or a mid-city townhouse or an elegant mansion-like place. Choose your fence based on your need for privacy, decoration or protection.
Contemporary furniture, also referred to as modern or modern contemporary, reflects a simplistic design style which emphasizes line and the use of both the furniture and the space it occupies as part of the overall design scheme. Contemporary furniture contains three major characteristics reflected in each piece, regardless of whether it's a table or a sofa. Consider the characteristics to better understand contemporary style and if it's a good fit for your home.
You don't have to live in Montana or Wyoming to enjoy or give rustic items as gifts. "Rustic" refers to a back-to-nature, home-style type of design and architecture. There are many unique rustic gifts that can be purchased from wholesale stores and still look as if they came from a boutique or roadside stand in the Ozark or Adirondack Mountains.
Sheds are additions to homes that can be both functional and stylish. With a variety of sizes, styles and types of sheds on the market, there are many options to choose from. Many homeowners prefer to try and match the shed as closely as possible with their home in terms of roof line and siding color. Others try to blend the shed in with the yard and outdoor environment, such as a rustic garden or modern landscape.
The cottage style of home decorating is all about bringing nature and the countryside indoors and creating a room design that looks like it's been around for years. Mismatched, battered-looking furniture is combined with natural materials and fabrics in cottage-style decorating. The theme can be achieved with designer items or thrift-store finds. Cottage and shabby chic design schemes are similar. However, shabby chic focuses on French styling and formerly grand items that have fallen into slight disrepair. A country cottage style focuses on creating changes to turn a room into a cozy haven.
Contemporary homes saw their peak of popularity in the 1970s but are still being built today. The simple, open, artistic nature of these homes draws people to them. Large windows and asymmetrical structures characterize contemporary design. They seem to go against nature in form, but at the same time, to invite it in by using large expanses of glass.
Modern furniture, which first became popular in the middle of the 20th century, is often found in contemporary homes and features a slick and clean design. Modern furniture styles can work well in a number of homes, especially those which are new or unusual. Designers and homeowners have several styles available for modern furniture, including matching furniture, space age furniture and mod furniture.
Art Nouveau is a design style that flourished during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and permeated architecture, decoration, furniture and the visual arts. Developed in Europe, the movement celebrated "art for art's sake" and emphasized fluid, undulating shapes inspired by nature. Its decorative, ornamental style led to individualized furnishings as well as Antonio Gaudi's architecture and paintings by Gustav Klimt and Toulouse-Lautrec. Collectible home accessories in the same style are Lalique glassware and Tiffany lamps
Oriental design styles include décor from East and Southeast Asia. Although Korea, Vietnam, Thailand and Mongolia cultures contributed to Asian style, Japan and China remain most influential. Elegant, yet understated, Oriental design dates back to ancient Asian cultures and emphasizes quality over quantity. Feng shui, a Chinese philosophy that uses concepts of space, energy and flow, and zen, a Buddhist practice of seeking enlightenment through mediation; became terms used by interior designers to describe calm, Asian-themed spaces. Modernized and industrialized East and South-East Asian nations have developed a style that incorporates their ancient cultures in a way that is markedly…
Numerous types of granite edges and many different varieties within those edge types are available. Though the many options available can make choosing your granite edge tedious, taking the time to pick the right style for your home ultimately is worthwhile. Edging is a small part of a room, but the right style accents the room and your granite. Visiting a showroom or looking at pictures of different granite edge styles will aide your decision process because the edging can look different in reality than in theory.
Stucco homes have been around for hundreds of years, gracing the exteriors of a number of architectural styles. Stucco, a mixture of cement, water, lime and sand, creates that unique textural finish that we traditionally associate with Mission, Tudor and Mediterranean architecture. Although not as popular as it once was, stucco can still be found on a number of home styles, although the lines between these architectural styles have blurred as home styles evolve.
Almost every bathroom in America features a medicine cabinet. In the past, a medicine cabinet was a plain metal cabinet good for storing bathroom necessities, but now they are decorative, lighted, beautiful bathroom essentials. Although they are called medicine cabinets, they are used to store many items. Medicine cabinets come in a wide variety of sizes, types and styles to fit any home.
If you're thinking about renovating or redecorating a room in your home, don't overlook the design process. Whether you tackle this important phase yourself or do it with the help of a trained professional, the design process can save you money and time--and ensure that you end up with the home interior of your dreams.
Contemporary furniture, or modern furniture, comes in a wide range of individual styles. According to the Museum of Design in Berlin, modern furniture is a combination of practicality and artistic expression.
Based on medieval English architecture, the Tudor home style takes its name from the ruling dynasty of the time. This classic home style is enjoying a surge of interest, says Cheryl Durst, executive vice president and CEO of the International Interior Designers Association. In times of stress and recession---when consumers don't want to appear glamorous---tasteful Tudor lines and understated interiors are soothing. Tudor-style homes herald an era of family, permanence, legacy and comfort.
Classic, or traditional, radiators provide constant, gentle radiating heat in the home. They contribute to the style of the room by giving it a retro or Victorian-era vibe. Classic radiators have the same basic metal column design, but become more unique by adding details like etching or functions like a bench. Radiators rarely go out of style, and can be purchased to suit both modern and period homes.
Mediterranean motifs include both Greek and Italian designs. To create a Mediterranean-style garden, you will need to blend plants, furniture and accessories from both cultures. Turning your garden into a themed oasis creates a comfortable environment for outdoor gatherings or for simply relaxing on a sunny afternoon.
Designing the interior of your home can be a lot of fun, as well as a lot of work. If you are not experienced with interior design, take the time to educate yourself about different simple design styles to incorporate in your home. Start with simple and somewhat basic design styles before you delve in too deep. Before you design your interior, take into account your needs and lifestyle.
Curtains aren’t typically regarded as dangerous, but when it comes to fire safety, they can be. Their length puts them in the way of heat sources on the ground like fireplaces and space heaters. Thousands of fires occur each year, resulting in millions of dollars of damages and thousands of fatalities and injuries. And even if curtains aren’t the source of the fire, they provide many yards of flammable material to add to the inferno. Fireproofing curtains is an important and easy preventative measure to take.
Using three separate cultural influences, a Spanish style home is composed of characteristics of Adobe Indian Pueblo, Spanish mission and Mediterranean accents. Often referred to as Spanish colonial revival, Hispanic or Spanish eclectic, this style is commonly found in the Southwestern United States.
Mediterranean is a popular architectural style for houses. Every Mediterranean-style home has a couple of consistent physical qualifiers.
Design styles for homes range from traditional to contemporary and everything in between. Design of homes can be affected by economic concerns of the times, regional attributes and personal tastes. Colors and shapes that are used in clothing are often shared in interior design. Styles that were popular years ago can be re-invigorated and become popular again, creating a retro trend. Interior designers, home center consultants and decorating magazines are good resources when it comes to choosing a design style for your home.
Because a Roman style pool is a specific style, designing one for your back yard is straightforward with few design options. Work within the design parameters, and you can draw up the plan for your Roman style pool that a pool builder can install. Of course, if you deviate too much from the basic design, your design will no longer be a Roman style pool.
Spanish-style homes refers to an architectural style of house building that is heavily influenced by New World Spanish Colonial architecture. Also important is the Spanish Revival (sometimes called the Spanish Colonial Revival) style, an architectural movement of the early 20th century that has influenced the contemporary Spanish-style home.
Carpeting is comfortable to walk and sit on, and there are endless choices of colors and textures. If you've chosen several styles of carpet for rooms within your home, you'll likely be faced with the challenge of transitioning from one to the other between rooms or at the entry to a foyer, hall or stairs. There are several ways to combine two different styles of carpet without an awkward transition.
Remodeling your staircase banisters can make a visitor's opinion of your home go from ho-hum to fabulous. Often the focal point of the foyer or main hallway, the staircase is usually the first thing a guest sees when they enter your home. By simply adding a new banister, you can make your tired, old staircase look like a modern work of art.
The Dutch Colonial period is famous for its furniture designs. German settlers to the Pennsylvania area introduced this style to the United States in the 17th century. With its architectural origins, a distinct interior look soon took shape and resulted in a furniture movement that has survived for centuries.
Shutter mounting can occur in several different ways. Each method of mounting provides a different look and effect to the house and windows. When installing shutters, consider all of the mounting options for the best performance and longevity of the shutters.
Exterior renovations can go from simple to elaborate. More complex renovations should not be attempted without professional help on design and construction. But there are many things that the do-it-yourself homeowner can do to get a big result. Windows make one of the biggest differences, turning the two-dimensional look of a 70’s exterior into a three-dimensional updated design with depth and interest. And don’t limit exterior design elements to the front, as was done in the 70's; give your home a 360-degree makeover allowing a smooth transition from the different elevations.
Draperies are panels that hang from a rod and flank a window. Some draperies cover the window, while others remain stationary, framing the view. Unlike curtains, draperies are made of heavier materials and usually help block the light and keep a room warm on cold days and cool on hot days. Usually floor length, drapes may be topped with a valance of matching fabric, or left plain.
Country-style decor is an enduring classic due to its warm and inviting look. Whether you prefer the cleaner, more minimal aesthetic of contemporary country decor or the weathered and distressed furniture and finishes of French country style, you can use architectural elements, color schemes, faux finishes, furnishings, textiles and accessories to give a new home distinctive country style. Integrate nature into your country decor by hanging leafy plants in doorways, filling window boxes with flowers or lining window sills with canning jars holding herbs or wildflowers.
From the large seamen's chests of the 17th century to the cabinetry that marked the finest homes of Boston and Charleston, colonial American furniture shows a certain quality and style. Today, a few dedicated craftsmen still hand craft chairs and tables in the traditional manner, making the elegance of colonial design available to contemporary consumers.
A silver plate from Tiffany & Co. likely is the creation of designer Elsa Peretti, who has been designing silver home decor for the jewelry house for more than 30 years. Peretti joined the Tiffany staff in 1974, Tiffany.com reports, with sterling silver designs that "came directly from nature: bones, beans, hearts, apples, scorpions, snakes, teardrops and shells." On Tiffany's website, Peretti's 16-inch sterling silver "thumb size" platter is listed at $5,000.
Decorating a Tudor style home requires a trip into the medieval time period where kings ruled castles and peasants worked the fields. Tudor style homes have an old English sentimentality that is both dark and boding yet full of classical architecture and dramatic woodworking. Exterior decoration defines a Tudor style home and sets the mood for the interior design.
Metal roofs are costly to purchase and install, but prized for their durability and quality. Do-it-yourself metal roofing can eliminate some of this cost, but it is considered a highly technical and skilled undertaking. When setting out to place metal roofing onto a home, it's critical that directions are followed to the letter to prevent leaks and future damage.
The basis for a knockout Spanish Mediterranean decor is the flooring. Dated wall-to-wall carpeting and plush rugs drown out the rustic design elements, earthy colors and vibrant accents that evoke Spanish Mediterranean style. You can redo all your home's flooring, or just add details and floor coverings reminiscent of Spanish beach resorts, colonial haciendas and old-world European estates.
Southwestern design combines interior design and architectural elements with Native American and Mexican influences. This style of design is most commonly seen in residences and corporate buildings located in southern Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico. It is fairly easy to recognize iconic symbols and architectural elements that are distinct to the Southwestern style.
Marquis Crystal is a line of crystal stemware manufactured by the Waterford Crystal Company in plants in Waterford, Ireland, and also in Germany and Slovenia. In addition to the Marquis line of stemware, Waterford produces china, linens, flatware, silver gifts, writing instruments, holiday ornaments and jewelry.
Spanish-style homes are popular today in Southern California and Arizona, as well as Florida and Texas. The architectural style originated in the ornate buildings of 17th- and 18th-century Spain. California missions of the18th-century California also influenced this style. Spanish-style homes combine simple red roofs and stucco walls with complicated wrought iron detailing and colorful tile work.
Throughout their history, the Caribbean islands have been influenced by many cultures including the English, French, Dutch and Spanish. Each culture brought with it to the islands its own style of furnishings and decor, which over time combined with the local style. Island decorating is a mix of vibrant colors, open air floor plans and European inspired furniture and accessories, making it both casual and elegant. Using a combination of natural elements and European formality assure that a home decorated in the Caribbean style will be intriguing as well as inviting.
Mission-style furniture, also known as craftsman or arts and crafts style, began as a reaction to the mass production of the Industrial Revolution and has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Original mission furniture is highly collectible, and reproduction pieces are widely available.
Old Spanish-style home design is warm and inviting. Spanish-style décor is comfortable to live with, pulling its palette from the colors of nature. The rich, earthy colors of reds, oranges and terra cottas warm up a home and infuse it with Spanish design. Use these earthy colors in tiles, fabrics, ceramics, wood and copper. Lush, creamy stucco walls enhance this beautiful design style. Casual, rustic wood furniture draped with tapestries, along with runners on dining tables, and old Spanish-style wall themes mix well in most modern homes.
Perhaps you are still dreaming about your fabulous stay at that historical farmhouse in Tuscany, Italy--so much so, you've decided you want your own Tuscan farmhouse now that you're back home. A new, specialty home should be beautiful, inviting and comfortable. Perhaps the best way to get that is to design your Tuscan farmhouse yourself.
The middle-class demand for suitable homes away from inner cities brought the suburb and, with it, a massive building boom took place during the Victorian age. Because of the Industrial Revolution and its increase in manufacturing on a large scale, Victorians wanted large, lavish homes.
Frank Lloyd Wright, one of America's most well known architects, is widely credited with creating Prairie Style home design in the early 20th century. As a young man in Chicago, Wright's goal was to design buildings that were organic and blended with nature. The Prairie Style is characterized by strong horizontal lines, cantilevers and large overhanging eaves. Building interiors were cozy and informal, echoing the welcoming spirit of America's Midwest.
A chaise lounge is the size of a daybed, and it has a raised back that can recline or be rigid. Although originally developed as an ornate piece of indoor furniture, the chaise lounge comes in many forms and can be found in many locations around the house, including the bedroom, living room or outside next to the pool.
Spanish-style homes are characterized by thick adobe walls and subtle, earth- and sea-inspired colors. The design is warm and inviting and incorporates outside areas as living space. There are usually several entryways into the house, each with its own courtyard or patio. Though the earliest Spanish-style homes had small windows, now homeowners design large windows to allow the sun to play a role in decorating the home and offsetting the typically heavy furnishings.
A Gambrel ceiling is a certain style of ceiling that can be done in any home with high ceilings. Find out how homeowners can use Gambrel ceilings as part of creative design with help from a professional carpenter in this free video on home improvement, ceilings and roofing.
Prefabricated fireplaces are just what they sound like -- pre-built fireplaces constructed to standard measurements. They are typically less expensive because materials can be purchased in bulk and they can be built assembly-line style, saving on both materials and labor. A fireplace built from scratch, or custom-built, is normally constructed to a customer's exact specifications and are often built in during the construction of a home. Prefabricated fireplaces are often added after a home is already built.
Whatever the architectural style of your home may be, the front door is the first thing visitors look at. When the entry to your home blends in with the architecture, the entry door itself is a welcoming site. If the entry door is too small or too big, or contradicts the style of your home, visitors will get a sense of discord, and the welcoming feeling you hoped to achieve will be absent. One of the more important factors to consider is size, or more precisely, proportion. An entry door should reflect the proportions of the facade of your home.…
There are many similarities between Persian and Moorish gardens, for example the shady trees, scented flowers and the idea of water channels. But whereas Persian gardens were enclosed to keep out the desert, in Moorish gardens the rigid and confined lines were opened up to give views of orchards, olive groves and distant hills. If you are looking for an open courtyard garden that invokes an exotic feeling, consider building a Moorish garden.
The first pleasure gardens in Egypt and Persia were based on water and their long narrow canals ran in grid patterns, stemming from the idea of the four-square paradise garden. Where these channels met, there would be a large central pond or rank with fish and water lilies. A royal paradise garden was large, with raised pavilions to catch the slightest breeze. You can sit under the shade of trees, enjoy the sound of running water and take in the scents and colors of flowers.
According to the Home Safety Council, more than 5 million people are injured in the U.S. by falls in and around the home each year. A large number of these accidents occur in the bathroom. Taking the time to assess the risks and dangers in your family bathroom could prevent an accident or even a more serious injury. This article is meant to be a starting point to making your bathroom safer.
