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Lots of us love our gardens and enjoy the necessary upkeep to make the garden a space of natural beauty and tranquility. However you may be thinking of giving your garden a makeover and not be so sure where to start. There are many things you can do to change the look of your garden, some are small simple changes and others may require a bit more in terms of financial input but whatever your budget it’s easy to give your garden a fresh new look.

Garden awnings are increasingly popular partly because they offer the exterior of your home some level of protection from strong sunlight and harsh rain but also because they look elegant and stylish. If you enjoy entertaining outdoors then an awning also offers protection from the elements. There are many different types of awning on the market from fabric freestanding awnings in bright colors to remote controlled aluminum types that come with heating and lighting built in.

Garden ornaments are a simple way to change the focus in your garden. Many people choose an ornament or several ornaments to continue a theme within their garden, with Buddha and animal ornaments very popular. Choosing an ornament that has some personal meaning for you will always mean that you can enjoy a simple pleasure in your life as you sit in your garden and admire the view.

Water features remain a popular way to change the look of a garden and these can range from a small landscaped pond to an ornamental fountain. The sound of running water appeals to many, as it is so soothing. Water features may also attract small animals and birds to your garden meaning you can enjoy a spot of wildlife watching.

Simply giving your shed or fence a lick of new paint can brighten up your garden and change the look and feel of it. Greens and blues usually look good in most gardens and add a Mediterranean flavor. Pastel shades are popular and work well in small gardens giving the illusion of light and space.

Decking is a great option if you want to make a big change to your garden. Some people with smaller gardens choose to deck the whole area while those with bigger gardens may choose to keep their space part decked and part lawn. Decking is great if you enjoy holding social gatherings in your garden and looks smart and stylish. What’s more you won’t have to mow the lawn so much!

A great idea for enthusiastic gardeners is to add a vegetable patch or a herb garden. This way you give your garden a new look and also grow yourself some produce. Vegetables are fast growing so you won’t have to wait too long to see results and herb gardens can smell wonderful. Growing your own has never been as popular so why not make your garden work for you too?

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When deciding on a fashion basis for decorating your house , there are many to choose from. One of the most well-liked decorating styles today is country home decorating. Maybe it is the most accepted due to the fact that it provides a welcoming   atmosphere and overall pleasant feeling. Country style home decorating , due to its warm atmosphere , is enjoyed by the ones who stay there in addition to all those who stop by .

As with any home decorating project , a homeowner must first pick where they want to utilize country theme home decorating . Some   homeowners choose to utilize this theme throughout their entire home while others choose to use country theme home decorating by creating a focal point on just one or two rooms, such as the the living room and kitchen . Since this fashion is meant for individuals who benefit from simplicity and the nature, some individuals may choose to carry the country decorating style through the entire living area .

Country style home decorating combines colors which are clean and vivid with country furniture and accessories. When selecting colors for country home decorating , light to medium shades of white, yellow, pink, green or brown are decent selections . Colors should replicate a country feeling. To emphasize the painted walls, a property owner or decorator might choose to use cut-outs with country character such as vegetables or fruits, plants or flowers . Wallpaper boarders are also often used in country home decorating . It is fine to use these alternatives but the rule of thumb is – the patterns don’t clash.

So as to stay with a country and simple theme , country style home decorating uses wood – natural wood. When deciding on a material for a country floor , real wood is an ideal option . Of course utilizing natural wood throughout a big area can be expensive . If searching for an inexpensive way to make floors have a country look , a light shade of a rug might be considered or laminate flooring. These alternatives would also work well with the home decorating country style . Other selections for country flooring are flagstone or tile .

Several   home owners, if they’re very creative , decorate their floors with stencils and form patterns. Another good way to liven up a space is to use area rugs. So as to keep with the country home decorating theme , those with an indisputable look create a warm and cozy feeling. Hooked, quilted and braided rugs make excellent additions to a country fashion floor .

When selecting furniture to go with the country theme home decorating , light wood or wicker is ideal . Again, these materials reflect the beauty of nature. If a homeowner or decorator decides fabric would emphasize their furniture, for instance slip covers, pillows or cushions , floral patterns or checked material add to the a valid look.

Decorating a space constantly adds to its beauty. When buying accessories to fit in with a home decorating country style , it is good to keep in mind the type of atmosphere you are trying to create, a warm and tempting space. Simplicity goes a long way in country style home decorating . It is ideal not to overload with too many decorations and choose accessories   that visitors will enjoy. Pictures in plain wooden frames, plain mirrors, plants as well as scented candles revamp home decorating country style . Blinds should also be plain . Lace or shutters give a warm country feel. Country theme home decorating can be fascinating and fun . Perhaps the primary detail to bear in mind is simplicity. Try not to over-decorate , keep in mind too many patterns will clash. Too many decorations will eliminate the amount of space in a room. Country theme home decorating makes a soothing and welcoming atmosphere , intended to be warm and homely .

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Living in the Arts and Crafts Style — Now available in paperback, this practical handbook is designed to help both beginners and aficionados decorate in the Arts and Crafts style. The movement’s timeless appeal, characterized by superior craftsmanship and natural materials, is at home in any interior.

Living in the Arts and Crafts Style helps readers understand what makes an Arts and Crafts space, from fabrics and wall treatments to warm lighting. For each element, whether a dining chair or a bathroom tile, photographs and drawings describe a range of typical styles. Special sidebar sections focus on classic designers of the era—from William Morris to Gustav Stickley—providing a look at their signature motifs and most famous pieces. Accessible text and glowing visuals give the reader the tools to take on home projects ranging from small accents to large-scale interior design. With hundreds of inspiring photographs as well as pictorial examples, this is the most comprehensive and useful guide available to decorating and dwelling in the Arts and Crafts style.

Living in the Arts and Crafts Style

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Rustic or log cabin decorating can seem like an overwhelming task but don’t let it get you down. Start small using rustic décor elements but plan big with an entire log cabin interior design laid out. Break it down into rooms or living areas and take it step by step.

Plan Big with Log Home Interior Design Themes

Start with choosing an overall décor theme. Many people like the wildlife themes for cabin decorating, like moose, bear, wolves, elk or ducks. If you go this route make sure you really love it because it becomes very easy to select log cabin decorating elements with moose or bear and pretty soon you can be overrun with woodland animals in your cabin. Nature themes include pine cones, pine trees and maple leafs.

Other log cabin interior design themes are areas and eras such as Lake Cottage décor, Western Ranch, the Lodge look, North Woods, Southwestern and Adirondack style. Each of these cabin decorating themes looks great and many rustic décor accents and furnishings can be found in these styles for your country lodge or log cabin.

Don’t be afraid to mix them up the way you like it. Pick and choose different rustic design elements from various sources; maybe decorate different rooms in your cabin in different rustic themes to give that rugged rustic country appeal.

Another idea for a log home interior design theme would be an eclectic mix of antiques and imported items. This really opens things up and almost anything that interests you can be incorporated into your overall log cabin decorating plan.

Start Small with Log Cabin Decorating Elements

Start with individual cabin decorations like rustic lighting fixtures. A cabin-style combination light and fan can anchor an entire room. Or plan around different dominating features, like the fireplace. The stone hearth and log mantle can suggest cabin decorating themes, like birch-bark canoes and pine trees, bear switch plates and moose coat hooks, metal art ceiling lights, a wrought iron fireplace screen silhouette or twig furniture.

Or start with a small room – the smallest room in the house makes planning easier to visualize. Make your bathrooms stand out with rustic hardware or wrought iron towel bars. Add a substantial outdoor-themed mirror and bear or moose light switch covers. Rustic bathroom vanity lighting sets the mood.

Colors and Textures

Log cabin interior design can be overwhelmed by the monolithic look of wood everywhere you turn. With log walls, hardwood floors and log or paneling on the ceilings, the dominating visual aspect is wood. Some people like this, but others would rather have some colors thrown in to the mix to set off the beautiful golden wood tones of the logs and timbers.

Don’t be afraid to install some drywall on your interior walls. Use this as a blank canvas to add color to a room. Add a texture to the walls with plaster and give it some depth. A bright color will reflect the cabin lighting and brighten the entire place. Muted earth tones blend well with the log cabin look and provide some contrast with the rich tones of the logs.

Light Fixtures and Lighting

Log cabin light fixtures take on a new role with their ability to set a mood or enhance a rustic décor theme. Log homes are not ordinary and their light fixtures should not be either. The high cathedral ceilings of a Great Room call for large, dramatic light fixtures such as an antler chandelier, a cedar log chandelier or a birch bark canoe chandelier that focus the eye and make a statement. Use pine cone wall sconces or twig wall lamps to continue the natural rustic décor on stairs. Rustic table lamps and dining lights round out your theme.

Fireplaces

What would a log cabin be without a fireplace? Nothing sums up the rustic coziness of log home living like a stone fireplace set against logs and timbers. While there are many factors involved in designing the perfect fireplace, the most noticeable features will be the hearth and mantle. Using artificial or manufactured stone for the hearth facing can reduce the weight load by a factor of 6 or 7.

Choosing a mantle can be an intensely personal choice and a key feature of your log cabin decorating, but you can rarely go wrong with using a massive timber made of reclaimed wood, or a red cedar log sawn in half and resting on two log corbels, or a rough-sawn slice of a log with the bark side showing, or stone slabs set on a recess above the fireplace. This is a chance to let your imagination free, but remember that there are minimum clearances required for flammable materials.

Iron Railings for Log Cabins

An ideal combination in nearly every log cabin decorating theme is wrought iron with the logs and timbers. They complement each other with their strength and rustic simplicity. Iron railings contrast nicely with the lighter wood inside and anchor down the feeling of solidity and permanence.

Log Cabin Flooring

Your floors are one of your largest log cabin decorating elements, but their importance is often overlooked or minimized. The choices you make for your log home flooring will partly dictate the overall design and look of your cabin. You can make the flooring a significant décor item or you can choose to make your flooring become a background for show pieces like soft leather couches, rustic wood tables and wrought iron benches.

You can make a small room feel larger by using flooring that is lighter in color than the walls. Mix up your cabin flooring with stone or tile at the entrances that get the most wear. Blend or contrast this with hardwood flooring and use area rugs to soften the hardwood and help define interior spaces. Spice it up with cowhide rugs and pillows.

Kitchen Cabinet and Bathroom Vanity Hardware

An easy upgrade to your log home interior design is replacing your kitchen cabinet hardware and your bathroom vanity hardware. This is easily done with just a screwdriver and you can choose from dozens of different rustic décor styles such as bear and moose drawer pulls, brass pine cone knobs and bear silhouette door knob backing plates.

Log cabin decorating or log home interior design can be as simple as choosing a few rustic décor elements to enhance your cabin decorating or as grand as selecting an overall theme for your log cabin interior design and ensuring that everything is designed and crafted around that theme.

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I remember my first Christmas as an adult. I had just landed my first job and moved out of the house. I had arrived. I went with a little fake table top model; I was living in a studio.

I opted for a Victorian Motif – mother of pearl ornaments, cherubs, white lights and so on. The tree looked picture perfect despite its diminutive stature. It looked like a creation  you would see in a shop window, not in a warm and cozy den. Admittedly, I didn’t have a den, but isn’t that the idea?

20 some odd years later, our Christmas Tree is a far cry from those early days. Now, it’s a tree of memories. Part of our holiday routine is going out to select the tree. That one is too tall, that one is too sparse, and inevitably we settle on what we believe is the perfect tree.

Once in our home, the pine aroma fills the house – marking the start of the holiday season. We string the lights and then it’s time – the ornaments!

Here’s wishing warm memories this holiday season . . .

Bear at Home celebrates the places and products which remind us of a simpler time when craftsmanship guaranteed satisfaction, and service was just good business. We hope these items will grace your home and inspire future generations of memories.

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As a former vintage modern dealer and author of “Kitschmasland!,” a book devoted to Retro Christmas decor from the 1950s through the 70s, I have amassed quite a collection over the years. My partner and I like to mix these holiday decorations with our year-round collections.

You can do the same – look around your space for accessories that may translate easily into that “Atomic Yule” look. Ceramics or art glass in red, white, or green can be used as tablescapes with dramatic poinsettia arrangements. Fill up a modern glass cylinder vase with silver ball ornaments for a simple but elegant centerpiece. Display your vintage tin toy collection on shelves with other Christmas decorations or around the base of your tree. The possibilities are endless.

For interior decorating there are such classics as the 60s felt Pixie elf dolls for grouping on a fireplace mantle or dining table, small light-up plastic Snowmen and Santas – these are actually great displayed on a bathroom vanity or kitchen counter to add mood lighting for parties creating an endless assortment of vintage centerpieces for tablescaping, garlands, and more. You can even still find those cardboard stencils to make window designs with spray fake snow!

Outfitting your front yard can be just as easy: the larger sized plastic light-up lawn decor such as Santas, Carolers, Candles, Snowmen, etc., I found a large number of 60s toy soldiers to line our walkway on eBay. Always check the shipping charges on these listings – sometimes they can be more than the item is actually worth. Also, this year Walmart is offering a vintage style light-up plastic Santa that looks like the real deal. We found him in their garden department. Target has similar designs.

Also found on eBay are the paper posters to hang on your front door of Santa welcoming visitors. But you can be creative and do something more personal – covering the door with foil gift wrap, ribbon, and a huge bow is a very classic 50s/60s look and quite elegant (and inexpensive too!).

For lighting you can find the old school large outdoor bulbs to outline your ranch roof in classic vintage style. I have also seen some really cool homemade lawn decor from those periods which have a one-of-a-kind “folk art” look.

For your Christmas tree you can find stunning blown glass ornaments or the old standby “Shiny Brite” ornaments (Christopher Radko currently reproduces many of these designs), angel tree toppers, and those atomic looking sputnik ornaments from the 60s. Again, a lot of these are being reproduced by the more hip stores – especially Target. We always make several pilgrimages to Target during the holiday season – their displays, marketing, and merchandise never ceases to be brilliant.

One of our personal vintage Christmas collectibles is the line of Starry Eyed Santa ceramics by Holt Howard from the 50s and 60s. These whimsical little guys really have that atomic look – we display them in groupings on shelves along with other favorite Kitschmas items. Look for these on eBay or your favorite vintage shops.

If you really want to get some wonderful ideas for holiday decorating, look for vintage magazines and books from the 50s and 60s dedicated to this decor. Old “Better Homes & Garden” type magazines published yearly holiday issues that offered a huge assortment of craft ideas that you can recreate at home – kids love it too. And even better, you will most probably be the only one on your block to have them!

I hope this article helped to inspire you with your holiday decorating – next week we’ll discuss the perfect vintage tree…

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Travis Smith

www.kitschmasland.com

www.goodeyeonline.com/design.htm

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