How To Decorate Your Home With a Nautical Theme

It is easy to get carried away when following a specific decorating scheme. For those of you who yearn for the fresh sea air, a clean nautical theme can be used to spruce up any room in your house. Note: we said any room. Attempting to decorate an entire home in a nautical theme should be illegal unless that ‘home’ is a tiny seaside hideaway.

We usually find that bathrooms are selected to be smothered in this design scheme as they are the rooms that we splash about and get wet in. However, bathroom is such a tiny room to decorate and it attracts all kinds of tacky dead starfish soap dishes and light-house soap dispensers. It’s all very wrong; unless you’re just pleasing a small child.

For us adults, we can bring a more sophisticated version of this design scheme to our living room or study by using more subtle references to the great outdoors. We simply have to look to nature for color references, our choice of materials and the imagery we use.

We have all enjoyed the brilliant eye-diverting shades of blue we get on a clear sunny day at the seaside. These bold, bright shades are great to use as highlights for your home accessories. They should not form the key tones you dress the room with. When choosing your wall colors, think of the slightly moodier skies you see at the beach, and consider muted shades of blue, grey, and even brilliant white to use as a back-drop.

Seaside living is all about being outside, running about getting sandy and wet. So, we typically see painted furniture with removable covers and painted floorboards that are easy to mop clean. If you aren’t living by the seaside and just want to use nautical tones, choose carpets and rugs in blue or beige, which are reminiscent of the sea and sand. Stripes are also popular for rugs.

The beach is brimming with shells, pebbles, sand and drift-wood and we suggest you just fill up a bucket and bring a bunch of this stuff home. Choose your home accessories carefully. You could ‘borrow’ a large unusual shaped stone from the beach and use it as a paper-weight but remember that if we all did that, there wouldn’t be anything beautiful left to look at. Most home accessory shops do sell pebbles and natural stone tea-light candle holders.

There are some fantastic silver lanterns available that are finished with thick rope handles that look like they previously lived on a ship. Or, you can even be creative and swap your drawer knobs for handmade rope pulls.

I have seen companies specialize in creating beautiful wall-lamps and mirrors from drift-wood. These are quirky and unique and are great conversation starters at dinner parties. Other great imagery for your wall art and ornaments include yachts and birds. If you really must include a fish or a light-house, then please do it subtly on a pretty embroidered cushion or lamp-shade, or on your church candle dishes.

As with nature, continue to evolve and add-to your nautical design scheme, as you find more pieces that inspire you….

    Design Devil

Design Devil is a multifaceted designer-writer-design analyst who touches upon conceptual interior development, communicate about the essence of designs and talks about design theories. Severely critical in his design analysis and approach, he is the best we got!!! By following his articles , you would get the best in global design information which no one else may share with you …. So follow him

Planning & Designing A Deck For A Home

As one of the primary outdoor entertaining spaces, your deck is the go-to spot for hosting family and friends. Since it’s an extension of the indoor living space, it’s the best place to hold that stunning barbecue or birthday party — just add a grill, good food, comfortable patio furniture and, of course, nice weather. While it’s great for parties, its breathtaking views and breezy locale make it a top-notch relaxation spot too. Regardless of its function, a deck is the perfect addition to any family home and its overall design & decor.

When you get ready to build a deck, do your homework on the material options. Keep in mind - price, appearance and overall maintenance when making your decision. Once you settle on your material, start thinking about the shape and elevation of the space. Do you want a raised deck or just a platform? Do you want it covered or uncovered? Think about what is safe and practical for your family. Finally, make it feel like home by investing in high-quality outdoor furniture and fun decor.

What Deck Material Should I Use?

When deciding on a material, think about how much time and money you want to invest. Wood looks more natural, but it needs to be stained and weatherproofed frequently. On the other hand, composite is easier to care for but might not look as authentic. Plastic is a cheaper alternative, while aluminium is unique but also more expensive. In the end, budget and care are important, but be sure your final choice blends well with your home’s current interior and decor style as well.

What Deck Style Works For My Space?

Your outdoor space is easy to customize, so consider all your options before going forward. A raised deck often includes an outdoor staircase, which helps with backyard access, and it can either be covered or uncovered. A platform is placed on or just off the ground, while a multilevel space takes a little from both. You can even opt for a freestanding platform, which is placed out in the yard and not attached to the house.

How Should I Decorate My Deck?

Once the construction decisions are done, it’s time to decorate! Comfortable patio furniture is what makes your outdoor space relaxing, so be sure you invest in a nice set. Include an umbrella and outdoor dining set for easy al fresco dining, and buy a weatherproof sofa and several chaise lounges for ultimate relaxation. And since your outdoor room is great for those cool breezy nights, don’t forget about proper lighting.

    Queen Bee

A True Queen by heart, she is always bringing us the most stylish decor tips from every part of the globe.She is known as one of the best Interior & Decor Content Contributors. Stylish & Glamorous - We are always waiting for her uber chic design suggestions...you may get them too...by following her.

Remodelling Your Home With Tiny Alterations

Are you one of those who call four walls and some furniture a home? Hope not. A home should be the ultimate combination of style and comfort and the place where you feel the most relaxed and peaceful. Home decor in not a one-time job, it requires changes owing to factors like your family and your lifestyle. It’s definitely not a cakewalk and many will agree to that.

Shopping for the latest accessories for your home decor can be fun. The market offers a wide variety for those interested. Shopping for accessories can be as simple as buying clothes or shoes to match your attire. A large number of people do it to keep up with the latest trend; while others search the market for exchange offers to get good deals for their existing, old furniture.

Change is the eternal truth and changing with times is the wisest thing to do. To keep up with the latest trend you need not renovate the whole place, as doing this will burn a hole in your pocket. Changing small accessories like candle holders, lighting accessories, towels, pillows and slipcovers can bring about significant changes in the overall look of your home.

If you think your home need a new look, and want to do within your budget, the best way is to change small accessories that contribute a lot to the looks of your room. One such accessory is the pillow, they bring a lot of color, elegance and comfort to your room. If you don’t mind taking a little trouble, you can make them yourself with the color of your choice. You can even experiment with the shape, size and color of your pillows. If you don’t intend buying new pillows, simply replace the existing pillow covers with decorative ones and that is it. The most exciting thing is that, it’s not too expensive.

Changing the entire furniture to get a new look might sound foolish, especially if your furniture is in good shape. You can work the magic with slipcovers. Like pillows, slipcovers too come in amazing colors and patterns. Combining the slipcovers with a few throw pillows can be like icing on a cake. And if you are planning to do these alternations for a special occasion, you can add a table runner instead of your regular table cloth in dining area. Place a candle holder and the magic is set. Don’t forget some fresh flowers around the living room for that blossomy look.

A beautifully decorated home speaks of the owner’s personality and can definitely be the owner’s pride. A little creativity and a sense of fashion is all it needs. Experimenting with items like, slipcovers and pillows can do a great trick; you could also take tips from my previous write-ups..

    Humming Bird

Humming birds are adorable, colorful birds with iridescent feathers and truly some of the most amazing creatures on the planet.Tiny, pugnacious, and jewel-like, Humming Birds are pretty easy to attract to a garden and fun to have around. Same ways, she is our most petite & wonderful contributor to some of the most amazing Home decor & Interior Articles. Her articles are always around small things which makes the best impact to any decor theme and theory…You may follow her.

Here Are The Best Ways On How To Keep Your Home Safe During The Holidays

The holiday season is that joyous time of the year when friends and families gather to share the festivities, but along with the joyous occasions is the rise in burglary incidents. That is why, it is your responsibility to know how to keep your home safe. For some families, holidays is the time for them to bond and spend time with relatives they have not seen for a long time sometimes leaving their homes vulnerable to break-ins. Thus in knowing how to keep your home safe you will be able to protect your property.

Keeping your homes safe, does not only involve burglar proofing your home, thus the list below provides how to keep your home safe in general. To begin, let us first consider how to protect you from becoming a victim of burglary.

Preventing burglaries is quite basic; make sure that all access to your house like windows and doors are closed when you leave and when you sleep at night. For door locks use deadbolts since they are more secure than other forms of locks. If you plan to be away for a long period of time make sure to have an arrangement with your postal company to send your mails and packages to a trusted friend or neighbor instead of your house to prevent the accumulation on your mail box, which is a sure indicator that there is no one in the house.

Fires are also common during the holidays that may be due to electric decors you use to embellish your homes. Thus, to prevent your precious property from turning into ashes make sure you check all the major wiring as short circuits are mostly the cause of fires.

As mentioned the holiday season is when families gather to feast on foods. Sometimes when you are not being careful those food could cause food poisoning. To keep your loved ones safe store food stuff properly to prevent contamination and spoiling.

You should also be aware that there are foods that spoil faster than others like dairy-based foods among others. Make sure that those kinds of food are not left outside the fridge for a longer period of time.

Next on how to keep your home safe during the holidays is to check for potential threats to children safety. Where children are present accidents are bound to happen. If parents are not careful about where they put things like glass and kitchen knives, children can accidentally wound themselves once they happen to get their hands at them.

To add to your homes safety, take advantage of what our technology has to offer by using security devices such as security lights with motion sensors and barking dog alarms. That is sure to give the solution on home safety by warning ‘would-be perpetrators’ that they are being watched. Furthermore, have security cameras installed that serve as your “eyes” while you are away from your home. And last but not the least is the Insurance – Medical Insurance and Home Insurance. It is a must to insure your family and home for any untoward, unforeseen happenings..

    Ms. Housekeeper

Our contributor of impeccable knowledge on day to day house care with her quick and easy to implement suggestions. Her knowledge makes our life easy- multi fold. Get enriched with her best suggestions… follow her.

Simple & Attractive Flower Bed Designs for Gardens

Putting up an attractive flower bed design is not an easy task; since it is usually difficult to know where to start from or where to end. Redesigning an existing flower bed garden or part of it is equally an uphill task to anyone who does not have an insight into flower bed designs. As much as designing of a flower bed design may be tricky, if one is given some tips on how to go about it, flower bed designs become very easy to undertake.

Having in mind the height order of your flowers plays a major role in arranging your flower bed design such that the tallest plants are at the back of the flower bed while the shorter ones are in the front to ensure that all plants get adequate sunshine. Blending of colors is also vital in flower bed designs to bring out that beautiful look. To ensure this, alternate cool colors with warm ones by having cool colored plants way forward followed by warm colors then cool colors again.

As a way of adding variety to your flower bed design, it is important to have perennial flowers to the back of the flower bed while annuals take the front place. This will allow you to change the annuals as necessary thus achieving variety. Bearing in mind individual plant requirements for example shade, sun and even space will enable one to come up with a good flower bed design thus ensuring good spacing during planting.

Knowing your flowers will also play a crucial part in getting that beautiful flower bed design. Some flowers do very well in areas lit by plenty of sunshine while others will thrive in shaded areas. By knowing which plant needs more sunshine than the other, you will be able to know where to plant each plant that you have. Type of soil will also affect the blossoming of your flowers. Understanding the flowers will also require going further ahead to know the type of soil required by the flowers you intend to plant. If you do not have a yard to establish your flower bed, you should not worry yourself as containers can also serve you. An outgrown flower garden can be a ghastly sight to look at. Therefore be sure to prune and propagate your flowers to maintain that beautiful look.

    Mr. Gardner

Green Green All Around…All the Greenery Year Around. That’s the motto of our most accomplished green garden contributor Mr. Gardner. His mind blowing knowledge on nature and maintenance of gardens is unparalleled in the whole world. Do follow him to get the best of your gardens& landscapes.

Celebrate The Indian Festival Of Rakshabandhan With Kheer

Kheer is widely prepared in almost every Hindu festival. It is a simple Raksha Bandhan recipe which every sister needs to try and pamper their brothers with. I have gone less on dried fruits but you may want to put more as per your brother’s choice. It is time to get to the kitchen and start preparing this Raksha Bandhan special easy to prepare kheer recipe.

KHEER – INDIAN RICE & MILK PUDDING

Ingredients : Servings 6

• 100 g basmati rice, washed and drained
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 litre fresh milk
• Cardamom powder, to taste
• 3 -5 chopped plain pistachios or 3 -5 almonds, for garnishing (I prefer pistachios)

Directions

• Wash the rice in 2-3 changes of water.
• Drain and keep aside.
• Now pour the fresh milk into a large pot.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add rice.
• Cook on slow fire for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Bring to a boil twice again.
• Stir constantly. Don’t leave the kheer unattended at this stage. Keep stirring to avoid it getting stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Lower flame and check if the rice is soft.
• Stir in cardamom powder.
• Add the condensed milk (make sure that the flame is low).
• Cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Cook till the kheer reaches the consistency of porridge or the desired consistency of your choice.
• Remove from flame.
• Transfer kheer into a large serving bowl.
• Garnish with chopped nuts.
• Do NOT cover the bowl.
• Allow the kheer to cool down to room temperature.
• Cover and refrigerate.
• Serve cold and tell your favorite brother…"ENJOYYYYYY"!

    Mr. Baker

Who doesn’t want to know him…the provider of best recipes to us at TheInteriorDirectory.Com. Every time we receive some post from him, the heart fumbles & tumbles and you get onto a gastronomic journey with him…so it’s best to be in touch with him…

How To Choose Art And Paintings To Decorate Your Home

How do you choose art for your home? There are four factors that will affect how you go about choosing art and paintings to decorate your home. They are price, style, your house, and the artist. Some choose art for the beauty of the piece itself, while others look for treasures that will blend in well with their decor. Neither is wrong or right, but it’s important to ascertain the kind of art buyer you are before choosing art for your home.

Style leads to the third factor, your home. For some, how art ‘matches’ means little, but for others, art is an accent and a part of the home. If your walls are covered in Victorian, floral wallpaper, perhaps that abstract might not look right. There’s nothing wrong with purchasing a piece for color or style alone, just make sure that you like it too.

First, price… Set a price level for yourself. Some will argue that such stringent values shouldn’t be put on art, but reality begs to differ. For less expensive options, try purchasing a print or reproduction, rather than original or buying pieces from young, new artists. By setting a price limit for yourself before you begin your search; you’ll also be able to narrow down where you’ll be looking – from high-end galleries to print warehouses.

Second is style. You don’t have to decide right away, but it can often help if you know whether or not you’re looking for a traditional landscape or a minimalist abstract. Are you the sorts of person that likes realistic portraits, or do you go for big, blotchy expressions of color? Think about your personal preferences and style before you wind up with a sketch of a horse when you really wanted Pollock-esque oil.

Finally, the artist… Whether you’re buying a print reproduction or an original, take some time to read the artist’s statement and learn about the piece. You’ll be surprised by how much this simple, yet fundamental background information into the work can influence your decision. Not only will you better understand the art you’ve chosen for your home, but you’ll have a story to tell as well.

Above all else, make sure you like it and that you truly enjoy looking at it. Pick pieces that you want to stare at. It may take a lifetime to find them, but it’s worth it.

    Queen Bee

A True Queen by heart, she is always bringing us the most stylish décor tips from every part of the globe.She is known as one of the best Interior & Décor Content Contributors. Stylish & Glamorous - We are always waiting for her uber chic design suggestions...you may get them too...by following her.

Decorate Your Home with a Spanish Feel

If you want your home to look warm and inviting, you may want to consider Spanish Mission Style home decor. This decor usually consists of items made with wrought iron and wood. Mission Style decor can be achieved by simply adding items around your home like wall accessories, candles, lanterns, planters and so on. Adding Mission Style decor items to your home would provide your home with that rustic feel and old world style.

Here Are Some Things That You May Want To Use For The Mission Style Decor:

If you like plants, you may want to look at a scrollwork plant stand. Most can be used indoors or outdoors. They can be placed anywhere in your home or garden, just make sure that there’s enough light for your plants and that it is sturdy and safe enough to hold your plants. The lacy scroll design is what gives these plant stands their Mission Style feel.

If you want to keep up with time, a Spanish Mission wall clock would be just the thing for you. Most are made in an antique style, some of wood and others in metal or wrought iron. There are Spanish Mission wall clock on a cross that is reminiscent of the ones that are located in Spanish cathedrals. You can hunt for one of them. They are very classic.

To set off the elegance of the decor in your home, a Spanish mission candle holder would work very well as a part of this decor. One made of iron and lacy scrolls would add a warm Spanish Mission feel.

If you want to keep up with how you look; an ornate wall mirror could be what you need to complement the rest of the Mission Style decor. Again wrought iron and a scrollwork design will give you that old world style.

If you want to brighten up your mission style decor, you can use candle lanterns. A nice mystical candle lantern can add the oomph factor. These lanterns are unique, in that the light illuminates as a rainbow of colors. You can see it shine from within and it provides a shimmering touch to a home. On the outside, the borders are made of metal, along with hand wrought iron. interior designing ideas

Moroccan style star lantern is a great example of how you can add a warm glow to your homes decor. The beautiful colors that glow from this lantern are reminiscent of the Spanish Mission colors. This candle lantern is actually made in the style of the multi-pointed Moroccan star. Use this as an example when searching for the right lantern for your home.

Some people like a warm and peaceful atmosphere in their home. A weathered copper candle lantern with glass inserts can work just as well as metal or wrought iron to provide illumination of the warm feeling that you’re looking for.

A Mission Style decor is for people looking at a unique style with warm and alluring ambiance for their home……

    Gossip Queen

She doesn’t need any introduction. She is quintessentially the part of every gossip – sorry – networking circle in Design World. She is always updated with the best of Designers and their small beautiful World. If you would like your Interiors to be club class, then follow our advice and network with her..

Celebrate Onam with the Kerala Delicacy - Avial

This is a semi-dry preparation which is a mixture of all sorts of vegetables. It is one of the many dishes prepared for the festival of Onam.

Ingredients: (Serves 10)

• Yam sliced thinly into 1-1/2" length pieces - 1cup
• Cucumber sliced lengthy into 1-1/2" thick pieces - 1cup
• Snake gourd sliced into 1-1/2" length pieces - 1cup
• Carrot sliced into into 1-1/2" length pieces - 1/4cup
• Long runner-beans sliced into 1-1/2" length pieces - 1/2cup
• Drumstick cut into 2" length pieces - 2 nos
• Raw bananas sliced into 1-1/2" length pieces - 1 no
• Mango pieces for sour
• Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Grated coconut 1/2 quantity
• Green chillies - 5nos
• Cumin seeds - 1/2tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Coconut oil - 3tbsp

Directions:

• Coarsely grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.
• Clean the vegetables.
• Heat 2tbsp coconut oil in a thick bottom vessel.
• Add the vegetables and cook in a low flame. Do not add water. When it is done, add turmeric powder, salt and mix it well.
• Remove the vegetables from the middle and put sliced bananas and mango pieces and cover it with the other vegetables.
• When steam comes out, add the coconut paste and stir well.
• Remove from fire.
• Mix the remaining coconut oil and curry leaves in the avial. Yummy Avial is ready to serve.

    Mr. Baker

Who doesn’t want to know him…the provider of best recipes to us at TheInteriorDirectory.Com. Every time we receive some post from him, the heart fumbles & tumbles and you get onto a gastronomic journey with him…so it’s best to be in touch with him…

Kerala, India Rejoices on Onam

Onam is the biggest and the most important festival of the state of Kerala, India. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by people of all communities. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.

Onam is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar (Kollavarsham). This corresponds with the month of August-September according to Gregorian calendar.

Carnival of Onam lasts from four to ten days. First day, Atham and tenth day, Thiruonam are most important of all. Popularity and presentation of rich culture of the state during the carnival made Onam the National Festival of Kerala in 1961. Elaborate feasts, folk songs, elegant dances, energetic games, elephants, boats and flowers all are a part of the dynamic festival called Onam.

Government of India has taken due notice of this vibrant and colorful festival. It promotes Onam internationally in a big way and celebrates 'Tourist Week' for Kerala during Onam celebrations. Thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit Kerala to be a part of Onam.

The Legend

Story goes that during the reign of mighty asura (demon) king, Mahabali, Kerala witnessed its golden era. Everybody in the state was happy and prosperous and king was highly regarded by his subjects. Apart from all his virtues, Mahabali had one shortcoming. He was egoistic. This weakness in Mahabali's character was utilized by Gods to bring an end to his reign as they felt challenged by Mahabali's growing popularity. However, for all the good deed done by Mahabali, God granted him a boon that he could annually visit his people with whom he was so attached.

It is this visit of Mahabali that is celebrated as Onam every year. People make all efforts to celebrate the festival in a grand way and impress upon their dear King that they are happy and wish him well.

Onam Celebrations

Rich cultural heritage of Kerala comes out in its best form and spirit during the ten day long festival. It is indeed a treat to be a part of the grand carnival. People of Kerala make elaborate preparations to celebrate it in the best possible manner.

The most impressive part of Onam celebration is the grand feast called Onasadya, prepared on Thiruonam. It is a nine course meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes. Onasadya is served on banana leaves and people sit on a mat laid on the floor to have the meal.

Another enchanting feature of Onam is Vallamkali, the Snake Boat Race, held on the river Pampa. It is a colourful sight to watch the decorated boat oared by hundreds of boatmen amidst chanting of songs and cheering by spectators.

There is also a tradition to play games, collectively called Onakalikal, on Onam. Men go in for rigorous sports like Talappanthukali (played with ball), Ambeyyal (Archery), Kutukutu and combats called Kayyankali and Attakalam. Women indulge in cultural activities. They make intricately designed flower mats called, Pookalam in the front courtyard of house to welcome King Mahabali. Kaikotti kali and Thumbi Thullal are two graceful dances performed by women on Onam. Folk performances like Kummatti kali and Pulikali add to the zest of celebrations.

As this great state of Southern India celebrates the festival with much ecstasy and vigor, let’s join them in their celebrations. Happy Onam!!!

    Festival Freak

A Complete freak about Festivity. He is always there at the world stage to bring us the best of festival fun. By following him, you would always be in “Celebration Zone”. Followhim