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home decoration

Are you hyped for the summer? We all are! But the only thing that isn’t looking to excited to welcome summer is our homes which are still stuck in their winter look. But, don’t worry, because you can infuse those addictive summer vibes in your home with only a few easy and (relatively) cheap décor pieces and home improvements.

Summer decor

Little colour pops

While whites, greys and beiges will always be trendy and stylish, summer is the perfect time to go a bit bolder when it comes to colour. Accentuate your home with a few big and bright touches! You can stick to one shade per room or be brave and mix and match different complementary colours, patterns and textures. This project will not only improve your home but also exercise your creativity!

Summer decor - bright colours

Timeless blue and white

If you want to upgrade your walls but want to take a safe path, go with timeless blue and white combo. This will awaken that dreamy Greek island vibe and bring the coast to you, even if you live somewhere deep inland. Blue is a perfect summer colour because it’s soothing and calming and creates a great contrast with crisp white. Every time you step into your blue and white room, you’ll be reminded of fluffy clouds, blue skies and sparkling ocean.

Summer decor - blue and white

Get nautical

If you love a blue and white colour combination, why not push things even further with a nautical theme? This is truly a perfect way to welcome summer into your home without spending too much money. So, think small anchor figurines, ship steering wheel details, knots and paddles (you can find these for practically free at boating junkyards or make your own replicas in a few hours). You can also add some marine feel to your beach-inspired coastal cushions perfect for any minimalist space that needs a touch of colour and softness. No matter if you prefer navy blue, want to go for a classic blue and white stripe or want to spice things up with pink coral, you can find your coastal cushions online. And if you pick the right cushions, you can use them both inside and outside. Your patio will love a new summer look!

Summer decor - nautical

A tropical-themed corner

Is there anything more “summer-y” than a tropical jungle? While you can just plant mangroves and palms in your pots, you can go smaller with exotic plants. Create a corner filled with all sorts of ferns and mini palms. Add some pineapple and coconut motifs to the corner and finish with a mango and coconut oil-diffuser.

Summer decor - tropical

Relax in a hammock

Ditch your boring armchair until winter and replace it with a comfy hammock. This addition to your home might look super crazy and first, but with amazing indoor hammock types, you and add some swing to any of your rooms. From rope hammocks to hammock chairs, you can find anything and everything! And as soon as you jump in to relax in your new seating, you’ll feel like a pirate ruler overlooking their kingdom! Yarrrrr!

Summer decor - hammock

Fresh and trendy dinnerware

While your living room is the centre of your home, it doesn’t deserve all the action. So, refresh the look of your dining room with some new plates! Go crazy with funky patterned plates or serve a salad in a coconut or watermelon inspired bowls. Grab some custom dinner napkins and your dinners will never be this fun and stylish!

Summer decor - dinnerware

Airy curtains

Bring that chill summer vibe into your space with some airy and light curtains that will flutter in the summer wind. These are specially designed to be let the cool air inside and keep some of that scorching sunlight outside. You will appreciate some gentle breeze, especially when trying to relax. Plus, if you opt for a crisp and clean white look, your entire space will instantly look fresh and airy! In general, light neutral tones area always perfect solutions for achieving a pleasant summer vibe.

Summer decor - curtains

Colourful rugs

Replacing your heavy rugs with something fun, colourful and light will also transform your space. Think bright colours and fun patterns that will add some visual interest and serve as a statement piece of your room without being too much in-your-face. When designing a room, it’s a good idea to start from rugs and build your design upwards.

Summer decor - rug

Light bedding

Imagine slipping between cool and light covers every night. You can have that with a small bedding upgrade from hefty winter materials to breathable ones in light and cheerful hues. This year is all about tiny floral patterns!

Summer decor - bedding

Touch up your garden

Don’t neglect your outdoor space! While shabby-chic is going very strong right now, you can’t just throw anything in your garden and call it a day. However, carefully distressed furniture, some ornate lanterns and soft coastal cushions will be able to compete with even those magical gardens by the sea.

Summer decor - garden

Summer is finally here, so make sure to welcome it in style. These few décor ideas will be easy to incorporate into your space and even easier to fall in love with!

While minimalism ruled our lives and our homes for quite some time now, it seems that some of us got really bored with it. So, we made some room for the new kid on the block – maximalism. Basically, a rebellious reaction against minimalism, maximalism embraces the aesthetics of redundancy and excess. However, when designing within the rules of maximalism, you can easily slip and fall into sloppiness. Therefore, you need to be careful when embracing maximalism. If you’re not sure how, here are some helpful tips.

Vibrant colors

The first staple of maximalism is vibrant colors. So, forget everything about toned-down hues and earthy nuances, and embrace vibrant, lively colors. Even though in minimalism you were also allowed to have a pop of color here and there, in maximalism, there are pops of color happening all around you.

So, the space you’ll create won’t be just colorful and bright, but it will completely eliminate that sterile vibe of a minimalist space. To avoid making the space look chaotic, try to go with colors that either complement one another in some sense, or the ones that completely contrast one another.

Natural materials

Natural materials also play a huge role in maximalism. Therefore, to create a unique look, try experimenting with mixing materials such as marble, leather, brushed metals and jute. Combining all of these (and any other you might think of) in your decor will add more interest to your design, as it will provide sensation not just for the eye but for the touch as well.

Therefore, think in terms of a coffee table with legs made of metal and the top surface made of marble, place it on a jute rug, add a nice round leather ottoman, as well as a potted cactus on the top table surface. If you are handy with yarn, you can even add a woven basket with colorful yarn and turn your hobby into an additional decor piece.

More is more

A sort of a mantra you should follow when decorating with maximalism in mind is more is always more. That’s why you should never shy away from using your overflowing bookshelves as a statement design piece in your living room or adding some more colorful throw pillows on your bed in the bedroom.

In the bathroom, you can decide to embellish your bathtub and go crazy with tile patterns or display all of your favorite mugs or plates in your kitchen. With the more is more mentality, you’ll create a space that looks a bit chaotic at first glance, but if you look closer, you’ll notice that everything is in its rightful place.

Play it smart

Now, we need to address the issue that’s most commonly left out of decor-oriented articles, and that is cleaning. While maximalism has its perks, cleaning a room decorated in this style can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.

However, this doesn’t mean that you’ll suddenly be faced with a choice to either live in dust and dirt or spend your entire life cleaning your home. No, this just means that you will have to clean a bit more often. On the other hand, to make things easier for you, you can arm yourself with various little helpers, like Roomba, to make this task easier.

Start collecting things

No, we’re not suggesting that you should become a hoarder. Instead, we’re advising you to start collecting something and turn it into your statement decor element. Since maximalism is already all about the opulence and having things on display, why not just give it your personal touch a bit more?

Your collection can consist of various vintage trinkets, ceramic figurines, nice glass bottles or even porcelain dolls, if they don’t absolutely terrify you. The important thing to remember is that you should find your thing, stick to it and put it on display so everyone can see.

As you can see, there are options for the people who find minimalism to be too sterile and boring. You just need to dig a bit deeper through the world of various styles and you’ll be sure to find something that works for you. Besides, you should be daring and not afraid to try new things out and this style is the perfect means through which you can let your true self shine.

Fall is the time for cozy clothes, soft accessories, and of course, lots of pumpkins in many forms and sizes. Even though fall is usually not considered a very cheerful season, you can liven it up with seasonal decorations, lots of tasty food, and good company – all of which can make a perfect Thanksgiving. So, if you’re preparing for this holiday, here are some home decorations that might inspire you and help you make your home more welcoming, comfortable, and stylish.

Door wreath

A beautiful door wreath is one of those décor pieces that never go out of style. Plus, since it hangs at the entrance to your home, it gives you a great opportunity to leave a good impression. This is why you should pick a door wreath that both matches the season and the message you want to send. So, you can opt for a simple wreath with brightly colored leaves and pumpkins incorporated in it, or you can choose something a bit more complex. For instance, there are many gorgeous wreaths with ribbons, sunflowers, red berries, and wooden welcome signs. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong with a stylish door wreath.

Doormat

Just like door wreaths, doormats are also an essential part of your entrance décor. They are simple, they are practical, and with so many different choices on the market, you are bound to find one that would fit your home. If you want to emphasize the beauty of fall, choose a durable doormat with brightly colored seasonal motives. After all, there aren’t many better ways to welcome your Thanksgiving guests than with a gorgeous welcome mat that might even become a great conversation starter.

Scented candles

There’s nothing like a pumpkin-infused scented candle to set the perfect atmosphere for Thanksgiving. After all, it’s not just about what you can see – you should engage all your senses if you want to truly emphasize the seasonal spirit. Scented candles are perfect for creating a cozy atmosphere, they can last for a while, and you can never have too many of them. As your candles’ scent fills out the room, the Thanksgiving dinner might become the second best-smelling thing that evening.

Artificial foliage table arrangement

If you want to emphasize not just the scent of the candles but their calming appearance as well, consider making your scented candles a part of a beautiful artificial foliage table arrangement. This décor piece is very versatile, which means that you can place it pretty much anywhere. So, you can use it as your dinner table centerpiece, an accent on the coffee table, or you can even turn it into a gift for your guests. Either way, it’s bound to draw attention.

Throws and pillows

Nothing says fall better than soft throws and pillows. Plus, besides being practical, they can also add to the sense of style of your home. They provide you with a great opportunity to spice up your interior with some patterns and textures. Or, you can take the party outside for a change of pace and warm up the atmosphere with faux-fur or wool throws. Moreover, since the colder weather is not going away any time soon, soft blankets and pillows are perfect for both fall and winter – and perhaps the first part of spring as well. In other words, cherish your comfy accessories, as they will surely come in handy more than once.

Dressing up your home for Thanksgiving – and the whole colorful season – does not have to be difficult. Even smaller details like scented candles and a few pillows can make a big difference. Therefore, think about the things you look forward to when it comes to fall, add decorations that would emphasize those things, and your home will be ready for the best Thanksgiving celebration ever.

If you’re looking for a suave and durable material for flooring, as a worktop, or for a backsplash upgrade in your kitchen, bathroom, office, or patio, Caesarstone is right up your street. Strong, low-maintenance, and resistant to liquid spills, scratching, heat, and stains, it is extremely versatile and easy to install, which makes it an ideal choice for upgrading a commercial or residential property. With the right slab size and thickness, adequate installation, and due maintenance, Caesarstone surfaces last a lifetime, and as far as application is concerned, the quartz stone can be added to almost any area you can think of. Here are a few ideas on where and how you can add chic quartz to achieve cool effects and optimize space functionality.

A Kitchen Fit for an Haute Cuisine Chef

Designer: Carlisle Homes Caesarstone color: Walnut
Designer: Carlisle Homes,  Caesarstone color: Walnut

It’s no surprise that this type of stone is often used for kitchen islands, worktops, backsplashes, and floors. The material’s easy cleanup and durable nature make it a perfect finishing touch for contemporary residential kitchens where style and functionality are equally important. For an elegant kitchen worktop, choose a Caesarstone slab with a thinner diameter to reduce total weight load and cut the update costs. As far as design is concerned, you can choose from a range of textures and hues based on your personal preferences and existing kitchen backdrop.

Bathrooms Out Of Designers’ Dreams

Designer: Kryptonite Stone Works, Caesarstone color: Alpine Mist
Designer: Kryptonite Stone Works, Caesarstone color: Alpine Mist

Bathrooms are another indoor area where Caesarstone can be installed easily and to a superior effect. Floors, shower rooms, and counters can be updated with a quartz coat to extend the lifespan of existing fittings and dial up the ambiance from sterile to suave. For peak aesthetic value, opt for a buttermilk, concrete-color, or light grey quartz: this will help avoid the sterile all-white look while still keeping your bathroom as sanitary and functional as it’s supposed to be.

Commercial Space of Corporate Bliss

Designer: Stewart Rahr
Designer: Stewart Rahr

Commercial kitchens, restaurants, and office spaces can all utilize Caesarstone in their design. While rendering a clean, modern ambiance to commercial property, quartz flooring will provide a non-porous base for your corporate growth and employee satisfaction. White quartz will work for most businesses, but muted or earthy colors and matte textures are also a clever option, as they add character and depth to space and create an ambiance of professionalism and comfort to go with resilience to heavy foot traffic and everyday use.

Timeless Elegance in the Garden

Though Caesarstone is sensitive to UV rays, it can still be used in covered patios, terraces, and similar areas al fresco which are not constantly exposed to direct sunlight. Compared to marble and other sensitive stone types, Caesarstone will not degrade when exposed to heavy rain and frost, but its color may fade with intense sunshine in the mix. Perfect for outdoor kitchens and BBQ areas, it will help achieving a sense of design unity between indoor and outdoor space and increase your property’s market value.

You can also introduce Caesarstone to your home office, hallways, and living rooms if you feel like it. Whatever design, texture, and slab size and thickness you opt for, make sure to maintain quartz surfaces according to the upkeep guidelines so that your residential or commercial space would stay graceful elegant and functional in the decades to come.

Feature image design by Kristi Michelini

There’s something to be said about Oriental décor in a home. It’s inspirational, refreshing, and calming in a space. No wonder why it’s becoming popular in modern-day homes thanks to its Zen feel and soothing effect.

Bring Oriental Décor to Your Home

If oriental décor has somewhat been on your inspiration list but you don’t quite know where to start, begin here for easy to implement tips to bring some asian touches to your space.

Zen-ify your Home

This is much easier than it sounds. Create the perfect harmony and balance by adding natural materials, a neutral colour palette, and simple furniture. Combine the power and beauty of Asian details with modern, sleek lined furniture and décor pieces.

Oriental Décor

Let the Energy Flow

Thankfully, many new homes now incorporate open floor plan, which really encourages the flow of energy. Large windows, bright lighting, also gratify the Zen design, in which positive energy flows throughout a space. Create balance of the positive and negative energies and of opposites in your space by incorporating Feng Shui elements. A centuries old practice, this traditional Japanese design embraces modern décor as it preaches minimalism and simplicity. Get rid of clutter, add good lighting, and ensure proper flow of energy into all rooms.

Japanese design

Bold Colours

Red, purple, yellow and orange are all powerful colours that you can incorporate in doses in your oriental décor. These shades are passionate, and some are symbolism of life, energy, and vitality. Ensure you add them in the right amounts and in the right places.

Bold Colours

Find Buddha a Sacred Spot

Buddha is the face of Oriental décor that represents balanced proportions. It embodies a religious, historical, and cultural significance and harmoniously joins all elements in your home.

Buddha

Bamboo

Bamboo is the quickest and easiest way to incorporate Oriental décor in your house. Options of how you can add bamboo are endless, from flooring, to window treatments, cabinetry, furniture, and frame detailing, the list can go on and on. Even adding a few branches in a vase can really start an asian décor vibe in your home.

Bamboo

Silkscreen Prints

Wall with silkscreen prints bring a room to life. They tell a story with stunning details and vibrant hues, add dimension and become a showpiece in a space.

Silkscreen Print

Folding/Sliding Screens

Folding screens or sliding screen doors, there’s something to be said about this eccentric piece of décor that can at once be a room divider or three dimensional piece of art. They provide privacy without creating boundaries.

Sliding Screens

Incorporate Chinoiserie

Chinoiserie can be found in embroideries, textiles, on furniture, or porcelain objects. Add flavour to your basic neutrals by incorporating Chinoiserie prints to your cushions, or China set. A distressed antique piece of chinoiserie hutch can be whimsical background for any plain wall and simple décor. It’s the luxurious piece that steals the show of your oriental décor at any dinner party you may have.

Chinoiserie

Paper Lanterns

Subtle Oriental décor elements such as paper lanterns can improve its design aesthetic. Soft lighting coming from paper lanterns can really bring home some much needed tranquility.

Lanterns

Come Full Circle

The circular shape is important in Oriental décor as it represents the sun. The most beautiful way I’ve seen circles incorporated into décor is on entrance doors, cabinet doors, as the circle can be displayed largely enough on them and be visible from a distance.

To Summarize…

For the full effect of gorgeous Oriental décor, it’s important to combine the above elements in doses which your space can handle:

  • Add some Zen to your home
  • The flow of energy
  • Bold colours
  • Buddha
  • Bamboo
  • Silkscreen prints
  • Folding/sliding screens
  • Chinoiserie
  • Paper lanterns
  • Circles

What’s your Oriental décor tip to create perfect harmony?

Rania AbdullaAbout the author

Branding herself The Wardrobe Stylist, Rania began styling and blogging nearly a decade ago. She worked with a long list of clients and covered coveted events. Rania loves to give advice to people about the things she’s most passionate and knowledgeable in: fashion, beauty, fitness, and home décor. You can also check out her DIYs and her innovation the Reversible Pocket Square. You can find Rania on Twitter/The_W_Stylist and Instagram/raniastylist.

We all like beautiful things and can’t resist buying new stuff we like, from souvenirs to cushions and furniture we don’t need. I used to be the victim of my own good taste, I passionately searched for and collected everything that was pleasing to my eye. Until there was no space left in my house and I started to suffocate. And that’s how I discovered minimalism, by being forced to de-clutter and simplify.

Minimalism appeared in 1920s, as a reaction to heavily decorated lush styles of the previous epochs. The motto was ‘Less is more’ and later ‘Do more with less’. This rather self explanatory rule emphasized the need to simplify and keep only what is necessary, using what’s left to heighten the esthetics. It is a complete U-turn from piling things up and losing the esthetic impression due to the excess of visual stimulation.

So I began, from the golden rule – have a big clear out. I guess the most difficult part is deciding what to keep and what to let go of. Once you have that done, your new look starts to emerge. Then you need to tidy up and organize what you’ve kept in the most functional way, and change the colors, textures or replace some items with new more suitable ones.

Kitchen

minimalist kitchen

My kitchen was cluttered the most. It was full of souvenirs, flowerpots, utensils, machines … you name it. I let go of most of the stuff. We only kept the things we actually do use in the kitchen, and we were surprisingly able to fit them all into cupboards. We completely cleared the counters of any objects except the blender and the coffee machine. The cupboards became visible again and clean lines of kitchen furniture brought texture out so we repainted the cabinets and refinished the table and the chairs and we had ourselves a new spacious kitchen.

Living room

minimalism in your living room

We did the same with other wooden furniture in the house, refinished and repainted it in the same light crème color, staying consistent with combining only two basic colors – white for the walls, crème for the furniture. We wanted to have a functional but cozy and comfy space. The change was amazing. In our living room, we only kept the couch and the sofa and covered them with white throws. One coffee table replaced two chairs, a chests of drawers and the TV stand. The TV was hung on the wall, all the floor lamps were replaced by one wall lamp, and our heavy old patterned carpet with a dark grey rug.  Twenty or so little framed drawings and photos that hung on our walls were replaced by a single large wallpaper photo of nature. Calming and non-intrusive at the same time, it gave our space soul but did not distract us.

Bedroom

Simple bedroom

We did the same with the bedroom, leaving only the bed, the night table and a chair. We installed a big mirror over the entire surface of the closet giving the room depth and richness. It was functional at the same time.

Bathroom

 

Our bathroom was already minimalist, I just uncluttered it from products putting them all into one cupboard and removing everything else except the towel hangers and soap. We changed the rugs into light crème and white and threw in a single white candle for atmosphere. The coat hangers from the hall were taken down and the coats are kept in our almost invisible hall wardrobe.

What we gained from going minimalist is actually some serious relief. I used to waste so much time cleaning and arranging all the stuff in our house. Now cleaning is a breeze and it stays clean for much longer. We can sit on the floor, we can move about much more freely, the space is fresh with whiteness, open, relaxing and soothing. Yet we have everything we need and we enjoy our house much more now. ‘Less is more’ turned out to be true – more time, more money, more space, more freedom!

 

It’s that jolliest time of the year again. And, as always, it’s time to decorate your home, but you think you’ve used up all your ideas last year? Luckily, we’ve got quite a few fresh ones straight from the fountain of ideas so that you can bring the true spirit of holidays and set your mood for enjoyment.

EXPERIMENT WITH COLOURS

If, like the rest of us, you can’t resist buying new baubles each Christmas, then, like the rest of us as well, you’ve made quite a significant pile of them in your attic. So, try to organise them by colours. Try something different this year – use only one colour, or combine two – for example, something you’ve never tried before, like green and brown, pink and purple, or white and red. Or, you can decide to use classic colours – green and red.

ALT IS IN

If you feel innovative, then you will agree that a Christmas tree needn’t be a real tree at all. You can make your own tree with the right resources. For example, put the lights on the wall in the shape of a Christmas tree. Another easy solution can be to arrange decorations inside your bookshelf in the shape of a tree. Or, pin them to a pinboard. Instead of baubles, you can try with big buttons. An eco-friendly solution can be to find a cardboard or some old shelf and cut it out in the shape of a tree and then decorate it, matching it with the rest of your less-is-more assembly.

WREATH

This year, you can put your Christmas wreath not only on the front door, but onto the tree as well – and let it be the only decoration you’ll have. Or, you can try to sew one from buttons and cloth. It won’t even take time, and it sure will be original!

DECORATIONS

Instead of buying new baubles – go to a park and collect pinecones. If you’re not thrilled with the idea of putting brown pinecones, you can paint them and give them a modern look. See how they will look hanging off a chandelier, curtain or a lamp. Wrap up your couch pillow or coffee table so that it looks like a present, or just put bows and ribbons to give your pillow a designer look.

LIGHTS

This year, you can dress your tree with lights only. But, make sure to use a number of lights, because you don’t want your tree to look like bare bones. Or, dress your wall with hanging lights. Make it shine! You can try dressing the handrail with lights only. But, watch out when you’re going up or down stairs – you don’t want to pull them out!

COMBINE

Another creative thing you can do is to put ornaments into a bowl and give your dining room another touch of Christmas. Or, you can put them into candlesticks and arrange them at the corner of a room. Don’t be afraid to experiment!

We hope that these few tips will indeed add some festive spirit to your home, so that you can relax and dress your finery and celebrate the upcoming holidays in a cosy atmosphere.

Tired of walking into the same old home every day? Not having time or resources to hire a professional to redecorate your home from basement to the rooftop? Here are some of the tips you may want to try to refresh your home and make it sweet again.

RESHUFFLE

Sometimes, the best solutions are the easiest ones. The first thing that will take you literally 10-15 minutes is to reshuffle the furniture. Don’t think your furniture is pinned to the floor. You can easily move it around and see if the new layout would work. If your TV is, however, fixed to the wall and is at the centre of the entire room, then try to switch places of the couch and the chairs. Or, just move them under a certain angle. Try moving the lamp in a different place, or move the tea table a little to the left. You can also rearrange all your paintings, or drill new holes in different places just to give the space a new dimension. It may take you a day or two to get used to the new layout, but you are sure going to feel better than ever when you enter the room.

decoration

LESS IS MORE

The truth is that the key to simplicity is to have as few things as possible. The space should not be crammed and you will feel a lot better if you didn’t have to pay attention to not breaking that decoration you’ve never even liked in the first place. So –  put all the objects you don’t really like and ditch them into a box. Give them to charity, or recycle – read the following few lines.

EXCHANGE

Ask your friends and family if they have some old furniture back in the garage and offer your old furniture in exchange for theirs. It is recommended to exchange, for instance, book shelves, or tables. To spice things up, organise a neighbourhood exchange – gather all items people are willing to give up, put names into a bowl, and see who gets what! It’s fun and risky – but every new item can revive your headroom. And don’t worry if the things look a bit shabby – rustic look is in, and you can always say that it was an antiquity!

FLYING COLOURS

If you, however, have enough time – such as to wait for the paint to dry – then roll up your sleeves and take the first object in your room into your hands, get some sandpaper, and get cracking! Mind you: white matches everything. So, if your kitchen is blue, nothing will look as fresh as new white chairs. Or, if you are not sure what to paint, try painting all your doors. Let your new green door be the entrance to your new home. If you, however, don’t want to change your designer’s furniture, then the simplest way is to paint only one wall. It will do wonders.

And finally, whatever you did, remember that, sometimes, even a detail – like a new carpet – can restore liveliness of your home.