Home Improvement Guide

Interior design is all about style, quality and personal preferences; but finding an inspired ‘look and feel’ to suit a client’s brief, and delivering precisely what a client wants even when they can’t describe it themselves is never easy. We sometimes need a few clues:

Most people want their homes to mirror their own personality. They look for features which echo their likes, loves and longings. Pictures, and specifically photographs, can play a huge part in ’scene setting’. Holiday snaps, family portraits, familiar landscapes all come together to create an ambience that reflects the home owner.

Traditionally photography, in the form of framed matt or gloss images has always had a place in our homes but many interior designers are now keen to see what digital technology can do to enhance the versatility of displayed photographic images.

The obvious route is to take an appropriate photograph, digitally enhance it and then enlarge it to poster size. Evidence of success can be found in any teenager’s bedroom. Let’s face it; size is definitely important when it comes to interior design.

Many interior designers have already experimented with giant photographic prints produced in strips with a large format printer. This technique, pioneered by hoarding sign printers and developed further by exhibition and display companies has also given us full drop floor to ceiling banners – just visit any major exhibition to see examples.

Floor to ceiling banners as an interior design accessory have actually been around for a long time. Full drop brass rubbings mounted on hessian, made by hand and very popular in the 1970s, are a good early example of people personalising their homes using big, bold images. A number of design houses were quick to bring a range of full ceiling height, photographic reproduction ‘rubbings’ to market.

Photographers simply can’t resist the opportunity to enlarge their work. One enterprising London photographer has actually built an incredible giant ink-jet printer, housed in an old warehouse by the Thames, which can reproduce his avant-garde digital images on genuine canvasses bigger than a house. Great for massive corporate atriums but it could be a tad excessive in suburbia!

The issue is simply one of scale as the ‘photographic image on canvas’ issue is definitely worth exploration. Portrait painters and landscape artists have traditionally used canvas as a foundation for their work. A glorious painting on canvas is rightly perceived as an expensive, luxury item and far removed from the same image painted onto board or paper; but can the same be said for photography on canvas?

Of course it can because, despite critic’s protestations, art is always ‘in the eye of the beholder’. The added dimension offered by canvas media and additional perceived value of a canvas photographic print lifts it out of the realm of simple photography and into the art print arena.

So what are you waiting for? Next time you have a client who doesn’t know what they want, simply digitise a selection of their own photographs and have them converted to canvas. Use appropriate images to lift dull areas and bring light to dark corners. Family group and favourite pet pictures can be an amazing resource.

Finally, don’t be afraid to commission a special image for a particular location. Photographic costs are relatively low and the same image can be used as a foundation for a number of related features.

Your living room is the room in your home where most of the living takes place. It is where your family gathers to watch television, read, and generally unwind and relax after a busy day. It’s also the room where you and your co-employees are gathered during parties and holidays.

You are struggling to come up with interior design ideas and strategies for it, and you worry that your budget is not big enough to do the job justice. However, with a little planning, creativity, and ingenuity, your living room can be more relaxing environment where you can unwind or entertain with comfort and ease. You can find available interior decorating ideas in local stores or you can browse the net for it. You may also consult for feng shui expert to suggest for feng shui color design that would be best for your living room.

Feng shui is not only for proper positioning but for appropriate colors as well. And though, many do not believe in this practice, some would say that they are able to connect fung shui ideas to their benefits experienced. Yes, appropriate color selection, right furniture positioning really provide pleasant feeling when you stay at home.

Utilize your furniture arrangement to define functional areas. Strategically placed floor rugs, lamps and furniture can create zones in your home. You can redesign your seating to take advantage of a focal point, such as a television, picture window or a fireplace. You can also find affordable part pieces that combine functional storage with fashionable decorating lines. Tables with drawers and shelves add valuable, and a simple desk doubles for homework, household management, bill paying and filing, and other related tasks.

Select neutral colors and accent with colorful textured throws, rugs, and other decorative and artistic components. Keep the harmony of your room in perspective. You do not want to overwhelm a small room with large, bold pieces, nor do you want to place smaller, neutral pieces in a large room where they will get lost.

If you are working with used furniture, try distracting from worn upholstery or a faded finish by using colorful toss pillows or table runners. Bright color curtains can distract from a faded carpet and breathe new life into an old room.

Whatever interior decorating idea you may have, whether you consult a feng shui expert or do the interior design tasks on your own, do it with what is pleasing and relaxing for your heart. It is not really a necessity to buy expensive accessories, what matters is, you are best served by the designs you have.