Tag Archives: home decor

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

Easy Decor Items To Restore

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In the décor world, upcycling is the big trend at the moment. If you don’t know what upcycling is, it’s the concept of taking old items and either restoring them to their former glory or turning them into something new rather than buying a new item.

Upcycling and restoring is a budget friendly and environmentally conscious way to give your home a fresh new look, so let’s look at a few restoration projects you can crack on with at home.

Wooden Furniture

Generally, wooden furniture such as coffee tables, wardrobes and wooden chairs are incredibly easy to restore and you can easily give them a new lease of life with a bit of elbow grease in only an hour or so.

Simply take your tired wooden furniture and lightly sand the surface of it to remove any varnish, once you have sanded off the top layer, you can either paint the furniture with some wood paint or apply some wood varnish, after a few coats of paint or varnish, your wooden furniture should now look as good as new.

Window Blinds

Window blinds are another décor item that can be restored pretty easily depending on what type of blinds you have. Soft fabric blinds like roller blinds or roman blinds can be steam cleaned to give them a fresh look, but vertical blinds are by far the easiest to restore.

With a set of vertical blinds, you can remove the individual fabric slats from the blind’s headrail and replace them with new vertical blinds replacement slats to quickly give your vertical blinds a fresh new look, without having to completely replace them.

Kitchen Cabinets

Another item in your home that you can quickly restore is your kitchen cabinets, it can be incredibly expensive to outright replace them, but you can restore them incredibly cheaply if you know what you’re doing.

Much like the wooden furniture, you should start off by sanding them down then either giving them a few coats of paint or wood varnish. But once that’s done you can further compliment their new look by replacing the door handles on each cabinet, which will give them a completely new look without requiring you to smash any piggy banks.

Old Rugs

Rugs are a décor item that can be incredibly hardy, with some well-made rugs being in good shape for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, their longevity can work against them as that just means they have more time for dirt and dust to be rubbed into them, creating a dirty and dull look.

However, if you have a tired old rug, you can bring it back to life with a good clean. You can hand wash a rug, but that can be a long process, the best way to clean a rug is with a steam cleaner. After a quick steam clean your old rug should look like it’s brand new, with it’s colours being more vivid.

Lamps & Lights

If you have an old lamp or set of lights in your home, you may notice that they seem a bit out of place in rooms with a more modern décor set up, but you can easily modernise your lamps and lights at home without spending too much.

Firstly, you can upgrade the lightbulbs to modern bulbs which can shine in multiple colours, allowing you to alter the vibe of a room at the touch of a button. You can also replace the shades on lamps and ceiling lights with newer ones to create a more modern look.

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

How To Create A Stunning Living Room Feature Wall With Sticky Wallpaper

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Creating a feature wall in your living room is an affordable way to give your home a wow factor and make it stand out from the crowd. Sticky wallpapers are a quick, affordable, and impactful way to achieve this. Unusual wallpaper has become popular in recent years, with more adventurous designs available than ever before. There are lots of different types of wallpapers that you can use to create a feature wall in your living room, but sticky wallpaper is one of the easiest and cheapest options. It’s also one of the most effective ways to update your home instantly. You don’t need specialist skills or an interior designer to pull it off – follow these simple steps, and you can have a fantastic living room feature wall in as little as half an hour.

What is sticky wall wallpaper?

Sticky wallpapers are printed with a strong, removable adhesive on their back. They are designed to stick directly to your wall without required prep work or painting. Once applied, they can be removed and repositioned as many times as necessary, so there’s no chance of them damaging your wall. There are many different styles of sticky wallpapers available, but they can generally be divided into two basic categories – vinyl and fabric. Vinyl sticky wallpapers are a smart option for living room feature walls, and they can come in even more adventurous designs than sticky fabric wallpapers. A fabric sticky wallpaper has a more natural look, with many designs inspired by nature.

How to create a living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper

The first step when creating a living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper is to ensure your wall is clean, dry, and free from dust. You can use warm, soapy water to wash the wall, followed by a wipe-down with a damp cloth. Then, you’ll need to lay out your sticky paper and cut it to size. Most sticky wallpapers come in standard-sized rolls, with widths ranging from 1-2ft and lengths up to 10ft. If you have tall or wide walls, you might need to buy more than one roll. Next, peel off the paper backing and slowly position the sticky wallpaper on your wall. Once you’re happy with its position, press down on the paper to bond it to your wall. You can use your hand or a soft squeegee to smooth out any wrinkles or bubbles that appear. You can then fill any gaps between the sticky wallpaper and the wall with either cyanoacrylate glue or ready-to-use gap filler. And you’re done!

4 tips for creating a stunning living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to create a stunning living room feature wall, sticky wallpaper is a great option. But before you get started, keep these tips in mind:

  1. Choose a design that complements your living room’s theme: Your living room is the heart of your home, so choosing a design that ties in with the rest of the room is crucial. Whether you have a modern, vintage, or minimalist theme, there’s sure to be a design that will look great on your wall.
  2. Choose a design with bold, eye-catching colors: The primary purpose of a living room feature wall is to create a wow factor. Select a design that has bold, eye-catching colors to make the most of your wall’s space.
  3. Ensure the design fits your wall space: The size and shape of the wall you want to cover will determine your chosen design. Make sure your selected design isn’t too large or too small for the space.
  4. Keep within your budget: Sticky wallpapers come in a range of prices, so you should be able to find one that fits your budget.

2 ways to make your living room feature wall even more impactful

  1. Add a frame: A frame will help draw attention to your new wall design and add a stylish finishing touch. You can use a readymade frame or make your frame out of wood. 
  2. Add a focal point near your feature wall: Your feature wall should be placed at eye level, so place a tall plant or shelves in front of it to make it stand out even more.

Conclusion

Creating a living room feature wall with sticky wallpaper is a quick, affordable, and impactful way to give your home a wow factor. Feature wallpaper living room come in various designs, so there’s sure to be something that fits your theme. You can make your wall more impactful by adding a frame and placing a focal point near it.

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

Light Filtering vs. Blackout Curtains

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Curtains in your home can greatly improve the ambiance and decor of your home. Apart from this, you can also integrate your curtains into your Home Security Systems. They improve home security by shielding the occupants of a building from unwanted prying eyes.

For this work, there are different types of curtains classified on the amount of light they allow in a room; for example, light filtering and blackout curtains. Let’s look at how the two curtains compare.

Light Filtering Curtains

As the name suggests, light-filtering curtains allow the most light into the room. Their fabric is loosely woven, and they are not heavy. When you install these curtains, you will experience a soft, warm glow of natural light evenly distributed in the room.

In addition, light filtering curtains prevent a direct view of the house’s interior from the outside during the day. However, at night, neighbours and passers-by can see inside the house when the lights are on.

Because of this, you can pair light filtering curtains with blinds or shades.

When to Use Light Filtering Curtains

  • The ideal use for this curtain is when you want to enjoy natural sunlight while blocking the line of sight of people outside your house.
  • They are ideal in an office setting.
  • When the sunlight is a bit extreme, and you want to regulate it in your house.
  • When you want to enjoy some quality television time without the annoying glow.
  • These curtains can help save on electricity costs. They allow light to pass through, removing the need for turning on the lights.

Blackout Curtains

Blackout curtains prevent light from entering the room completely. Their fabric material is dense and opaque; thus, no light passes through.

These curtains provide the most privacy, especially if your house is in an urban setting. However, blackout curtains can have light gaps or allow small streams of light to pass through, depending on the size of your window or how you have mounted your blackout curtain. To prevent this, pair these curtains with light gap blockers or ensure your curtains extend a bit outwards from the edge of the window.

When to Use Blackout Curtains

  • When you want to watch television or use your computer screen without the light glare from outside.
  • When taking a nap during the day and you prefer sleeping with no lights.
  • They are also ideal for use in bedrooms where privacy is needed.
  • Blackout curtains are also ideal for photography production in dark rooms.
  • These curtains can also be used in cinema rooms to provide an ambiance for watching movies.
  • Blackout curtains block sun rays and hence help to regulate indoor temperatures. It can have the effect of saving energy costs for air conditioning. 

Final Thoughts – How Do They Compare

Light filtering and blackout curtains are privacy-enhancing, adding to your home security. In addition, you can get them in different colors depending on your taste and interior decor style.

Other times you might want to enjoy the different functionalities of both. In this case, you can install both of them on your windows. It can work to regulate light during the day and completely block light at night, allowing you efficient light control 24 hrs a day.

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

Five Interior Design Tricks That Will Elevate Your Home

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With enough determination and skill, any home can look like an editorial spread from an architectural digest magazine. All you need to get the job done is some inspiration and plenty of creativity. In this article we’ve picked five of our favourite interior design tricks that will elevate your home to the next level. 

Install New Cabinet Handles 

This trick works wonders in any kitchen, pantry, or bathroom. Instead of pulling out all of your cabinets and replacing them with new ones, you can install fun handles to give it a new lease of life. Whether you prefer the classic golden look or a bold and colourful look, this design trick can suit any aesthetic.  

Add Statement Wallpaper 

Everyone has that one area of their home that they just can’t seem to fill. Statement wallpaper is an incredibly easy way to breathe life into a dull space. You can add a fun twist to your bathroom by covering the walls with a tropical or custom wallpaper. Just make sure to keep the decor on the wall simple as you don’t want to overshadow your statement wall.  

Hang Up an Art and Photography Wall 

If you love expressing your creativity and putting your favourite pieces of art on display, this is the interior design trick for you. Simply order your favourite prints and photos in an array of sizes and hang them up on your wall. You can go for a sleek look by keeping a consistent colour palette and style of frame or totally mismatch them instead. 

Anchor Your Rugs Under Furniture 

Most of us have rugs at home, however, not everybody knows how to place them properly. If you want your home to feel like one of these luxury apartments in Downtown Cleveland, we suggest that you anchor your rugs under your furniture. This makes the room feel much larger and grandiose. Without this anchoring effect your furniture can look isolated from the rest of your decor.  

Make Use of Decorative Mirrors 

Mirrors aren’t just for vanity, they’re for decoration too. Hanging up large mirrors to make a space look larger is one of the oldest tricks in the book. You can also create a panel of mirrors to create more dimension. Another popular design trend is creating a mirror nook. In this instance, you lean your mirror against the wall and place a large rug underneath. If you want to make it extra cosy, add a basket with blankets. 

If you’re not too keen on the DIY aspect or you’re simply afraid you won’t get it right, we suggest getting an extra set of hands to help you with the job. Re-decorating is always more fun with a friend! 

Hopefully this blog has encouraged you to make some changes in your home and unleash your creativity. We’ve tried to cover a range of budgets and aesthetics so that all of our readers can start revamping their home to the max!

Home Decor, Home Improvement, DIY

The right school furniture makes all the difference in the world.

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As adults we know and understand the benefits of sitting in a comfortable chair and many of us spend a great deal of time picking out the right one that will allow us to watch our favourite TV programmes and also allow us to doze off in the middle of the afternoon, if this is something that we would like to do. Not any chair will do and so we go to great strides to browse around the many furniture stores and look online to find the ultimate in comfort. Why then do schools not apply the same kind of thinking when it comes to getting chairs and desks for their students. These kids are sitting at these same desks for the most part of the day and so it is crucial that they are comfortable when a teacher is trying to teach them something new.

This is a place of learning where young minds are moulded and these are the future leaders that we are talking about here. It seems only right that the students should be supplied with the right kind of quality school furniture that is incredibly comfortable and provides excellent functionality. When it comes to purchasing school furniture, no school can afford to cut corners when it comes to their student’s best interests. If you’re still thinking of buying cheaper furniture because you want to save money on your school budget then you really do need to think again because quality always provides you with many more benefits. The following are just some of those.

  • It’s incredibly durable – When you think of the amount of abuse that any single piece of school furniture is going to take every single day for five days a week, you really need school furniture that is top quality and can provide excellent durability. You don’t want to be having to constantly be replacing your faucet and no school can afford to be replacing furniture every six months. This is why it makes so much sense to invest your money into quality items.
  • It’s easy to maintain – Quality school furniture is easy to take care of because it is made of the best quality materials and this means that if it gets scuffed or scratched then it can be easily rub down and repainted without any issues. It is built with ongoing maintenance in mind and so this is what makes it perfect for use in schools.
  • It is functional & comfortable – Kids need to be comfortable when sitting at their desk because it helps them to concentrate and it leads to better learning outcomes. Your teachers will have a greater appreciation for your choice of school furniture because of its functionality as well.

You wouldn’t purchase a chair that you know isn’t comfortable and isn’t practical so why would you make the same buying decision when it comes to purchasing school furniture for your learning institution. This is a time for smart and responsible decisions and the best decision you can make financial or otherwise is to purchase quality school furniture.