Why Luxury Condos Are Better Than Luxury Mansions!

If you want your home to be beautiful, chic and stylish then you first need to lay focus on the canvas which type are you going to be using, or in this case, which kind of luxury pad you will decide upon. But which is the best kind of luxury pad for you to create beautiful and artistic decor? A luxury condo or a luxury mansion. For us there is simply no choice and we would pick the luxury condo all day long, at least from a style point of view and here are just a few reasons why.

Size Is Not Everything

Nine times from ten, a luxury condo will give you far less space than a mansion and in our opinion this is actually a benefit in the style stakes. If you had a luxury mansion with say 10-bedrooms, then you are probably looking at a house with around 18-20 rooms altogether. The effort, money and work that goes in to creating something beautiful in each of these rooms would be incredible. In your efforts to create identities and concepts for each of these rooms, you could end up losing quality and actually diluting the overall style of the house. With a luxury condo it is far easier to create a conceptual style which runs throughout the property thanks to less, yet more creative space. 

Location, Location, Location

Such are the nature of mansions, they are often built out of town, in large and spacious locations, this is fine if you are looking to live out your years in peace or are happy to be relatively disconnected from the buzz of the city center, but that just isn’t us. Luxury condos are usually designed in the most beautiful spots of the city or town that they are built in. If you were to look for luxury condos for sale in Miami then you can bet your bottom dollar that they are in the heart of the city or at the water’s edge. Having the city on your doorstep is a far more favorable option for us than jumping in the car each time we want to get into town. 

Stronger Profits

Over the last 5 years, luxury condos have seen a huge leap in sales in the US, far more so than mansions and as such, the cost is continuing to rise. As cities reach their limits they are building up rather than out and now is a great time to buy a luxury condo if you want to see some yield in the future. Luxury condos are also far easier to rent out that mansions if you were looking to use the condo as a property rather than a home.

As with all decisions such as these, it comes down to personal choice and which property works best for you and your lifestyle. From a style perspective at least, we believe that the only choice between these two luxury properties, is the luxury condo.

Which wooden floor should I choose?

This post is provided by Luxury Flooring & Furnishings.

With so many options available, choosing flooring for your newly decorated room can be a daunting task. Solid wood? Engineered wood? Laminate flooring? There are so many options. But which one is the right one? 

Simply put, there is no ‘perfect choice’, as a lot of your decision comes down to personal preference. Of course, each different type of flooring comes with its own pros and cons, but ultimately it is down to you. 

Solid wood flooring is exactly that- flooring made from planks of solid real wood. It is a 100% natural product, and is seen as a great way to add character, and a warm and rustic feel to whichever room you choose to lay it in. There are many other benefits to having solid wood flooring in your home, one of which being its durability, particularly with oak flooring. One of the only downsides with solid wood is that it tends to react badly to moisture and stains easily. With this in mind, it is probably best to keep it out of your kitchens and bathrooms! Of course, you can go some way to protecting your floor by choosing a lacquered finish, but in the case of any accidental spillages, it is best to mop them up immediately. 

Engineered wood flooring is another option to look at if you are considering a wood floor for your property. Engineered wood floor is constructed by putting multiple layers of timber together which is then finished with a hardwood lamella. This makes it one of the strongest flooring options on the market, as the construction of the plank allows greater stability, meaning it is able to withstand high levels of moisture and fluctuations in temperature. This makes it an ideal flooring solution for underfloor heating.  

As with solid wood, there are many different types of wood, styles and finishes to choose from, and looks identical to the solid product. Another benefit to engineered flooring is that it takes a shorter period to acclimatize pre-installation, meaning it can be laid quicker, and you can have your new flooring sooner than you thought!

If you are not sure on the two more natural options, then laminate may be your best bet, particularly if you are looking for flooring for an area where moisture is present a lot of the time, such as a kitchen, utility room or bathroom. Designed to look like hardwood flooring, laminate is made up of four layers which consist of the backing, core, image design and wear layer. The backing keeps moisture out, with the core usually made of a sturdy resin or fiberboard. This is then topped with the image layer, a photographic image of wood on a vinyl board, and then the wear layer is the final step in the process. Laminate is long lasting, easy to replace if damaged, and is an ideal choice for redecorating on a budget, as it is considerably cheaper than solid or engineered wood. 

In summary, which floor you choose is really down to you and what fits with the style of your interior, but remember to always consider the practicality aspect. 

Happy 6th blog anniversary!

Yay! My little blog has turned six today! It's hard to believe that I have been talking about beautiful homes and stylish spaces for six long years. Through this blog, I have meet a lot of like-minded, design-obsessed friends which I wouldn't have met in real life and for that, I am very grateful.

Since starting this blog, I have received many exciting and unexpected opportunities, some I gladly welcomed and some I have politely declined. The most satisfying experience were from design clients who came back again and again to ask me for design help. It means my design clients trusted me enough to transform their homes and I did something right. As a decorator, I couldn't ask for more! :)

Over the course of six years, my blog has received over 8.5 million pageviews! Without your love and support, my blog wouldn't have come this far so I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who continued to follow and read my blog. I would also like to thank my dedicated readers who take a moment from their busy lives to drop me an encouraging and positive comment from time to time. 

I will try my hardest to find the most inspirational interiors to share with you everyday so I hope you will continue to stay with me. 

My lovelies, thank you for your love and support! You are the best!

Why customization of sofas is worth it!

This article is provided by Travis Nagle.

When choosing products for your home, the first consideration is typically how it looks. For some items like a vase, only considering how it looks is probably enough. But when it comes to your sectional or sofa, it is the main piece of decor in your living room. One you spend a lot of time not only looking at, but interacting with. In this sense the sofa needs to not only work in terms of its form but also its function. From over a decade of experience in the furniture industry, I recently launched a new furniture brand called Medley (https://medleyhome.com/) that offers tailor made furniture including a focus on living room pieces. Here is a breakdown of why it is worth taking a little extra time in choosing your sofa, and how personalization can make sure you are happier with it on the long term:

Comfort

Not all sofas are created equal. Not just in terms of quality, but also in terms of the elements that make it comfortable to you specifically. Two important measurements to keep in mind are seat height and seat depth. These can determine if the design gives you enough support or if you find it relaxing. Take a measuring tape on a sofa that you find comfortable and see what the seat height and seat depth are. For example, the lower and deeper it is, the more loungy it is. In addition, some people prefer fiber (more support) while others prefer down (more sink). Figure out what works best so you can find the most comfortable couch for you. When looking for your own new sofa, make sure that the measurements and fillings are right so you will be comfy and ready to lounge for many Netflix binges ahead.

Sizing

This is not always a concern, but I have been amazed at how many times people I have worked with need to adjust their piece just a few inches here and there. Or sometimes, even an extra foot either way is needed. Maybe it is to fit just inside a door. Or just under a window. Or they need it shorter so it does not block part of the living room flow. Whatever it is, if you can get a custom sectional that allows for sizing adjustments you can make sure you get the sizing that is just right. Goldilocks would approve.

Look

Most sofas come with a handful of color options and that is it. While this is fine for a vase, it is not for your sofa. This is the main piece after all! Custom sofas offer a bunch of fabric options, leg options, and other details to match your taste and the rest of the room it is on. If you have dogs or kids there are certain fabrics that are better. If you already have darker woods in the space, you can get something to coordinate. Get samples of the fabric options to see them in your own home, and you can always work with someone at the company to get some design assistance.

It may seem a little daunting at first with the options available, or that you are not sure if buying a custom sofa online is a good idea. Have no fear, many places like Stem offer in-home trials with free returns. And if you take a little time to sort through each step and work with a salesperson if you need some advice, you will end up with the perfect piece of furniture for you and your home.

How History Buffs Can Use an Era to Inspire Home Design!

We all want to make our homes a reflection of who we are. So, what does that mean for history buffs? It means you have distinct inspiration for your next remodeling or home décor project.

Living quarters have long been an interest for historians. They give us a glimpse into everyday life from the past, and the construction materials alone can suggest when a home was built. Over the years home décor and architecture trends have evolved, which also helps to establish an era.

You can use your own love of history or a favorite time period to create comfortable living spaces that show off your interests in years past. 

Frame a Piece of History

Artwork is a key element to home décor. It also offers plenty of opportunities for capturing the feel of an era or actual representations of it. However, that doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to paintings. There are lots of historical pieces that can be featured on your walls.

Presidential autographs from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln are a popular choice for those who are drawn to the colonial period or the Civil War era. Of course, virtually every American would take pride in owning a small piece of the country’s history.

Handcrafted quilts are another way to give an essence of Americana from the early 1900s. Given that this is a type of artwork that is fading from culture, authentic quilts are becoming more sought after.

Photographs have been a popular way to capture and display a moment in time since the early 1800s. Old postcards and stamps are another trend that can allow you to showcase a specific time and region in a piece of wall art.

Building a home? Incorporate the architecture of an era

You may not be building a log cabin or Greek revival plantation home, but you can incorporate architectural elements that pay homage to an era. If there is a certain period you want to emulate, then study the architecture of that time. Look for styles and accents that you can replicate in your own home.

• Add an identifiable architectural feature, like a fireplace. No matter what room they are in, fireplaces are a focal point and can impact the feel of the space.

• Use the doorways as an opportunity to add elements of an era. The framing, functionality, and look of the door can all suggest it came from a certain time period.

• Windows are another architectural feature that can be used to give a home a more historical feel. Even the glass selection can make a difference.

• Archways and columns can provide infrastructural support while also adding to the style of a home.

Do not forget about the exterior. There are historians who have spent their careers bucketing home styles into various time periods based on when they were first built and when they were most popular.

Lighting

You will want to use a modern day electrical system for safety reasons, but the lights in your home can be a throw back to the time when the light bulb was first invented.

Lampshades- The decorative shades that go over light bulbs are often the most distinct feature. Consider the material, shape, and patterns of lampshades during the era you are duplicating.

Sconces- Lighting fixtures that are affixed to the wall are known as sconces. They were very popular at different periods in history even before electrical lights were created.

Bulbs- Several years ago, intricate Edison-style light bulbs became very trendy. They are a prefect example of how small details can influence how the whole room feels.

Chandeliers- Another immediate focal point in a room is the chandelier. They are usually dramatic in design, but chandelier styles have varied over the centuries.

Use authentic furniture

Furniture provides a unique opportunity for history-loving homeowners. It is one of the few ways you can take period pieces and actually use them in your own home just as they were used years ago.

An excellent example is mid-century modern furniture. Anyone who loves the “mad men” era can immediately be transported back to that time by filling their living spaces with mid-century modern furniture. But that is just one example of many.

While you are studying the architectural elements of your favorite time period also pay attention to the stylings of the furniture. The shapes, upholstery, materials and even placement can point to a certain place and time in history. Because furniture serves a functional purpose, there are many pieces that were only produced for a short time and have become synonymous with a specific design era.

3 Colorful Kitchen Renovation Ideas!

This post is provided by Gary Wilson.

The kitchen is the heart of the home. It is a place of warmth and laughter, so the color scheme and overall décor should reflect that. There is nothing duller than the cliché white kitchen. When you are renovating your kitchen, you have the chance to not only change the aesthetics of the room, but to get new appliances or have faulty appliances touched up. Bringing a few appliance repair specialists in during your home renovations is the best way to ensure that you are pleased with the final result.

If you are the type of person who struggles with renovation because you have no idea what colors to choose, this list will help you. All of the fun colors below would liven up a boring old kitchen in no time.

Forest Green

Think deep emerald green, dark woods and loads of rustic accents. Using a tranquil and dark color scheme like this instantly transforms any kitchen into a peaceful getaway. The warmth of wood will keep the room from looking clinical while the rich green colors will bring it to life. 

Try to match the appliances and décor in the room to the color scheme as much as possible. Wood paneled appliances or silver appliances work best, while fabrics (for example, curtains) look best in dark emerald green shades. Include a few small works of art on the wall to make the room look more sophisticated.

If your budget allows it, a wooden floor will complete this rustic feel. Remember that a house’s décor should be connected, so do not use this theme in your kitchen if your dining room is all monochrome and glass. There should be a single theme present throughout the entire home.

Feeling Blue

Looking for something more subtle to change your kitchen? Consider adding pops of blue. Painting your cabinets a bold blue color or adding powder blue knobs to your drawers may not seem like a big renovation, but it is often these small details that can make or break how well put together a room seems.

This idea could work in any existing kitchen. Blue works well with wood, tiles and just about all colors (except warm colors, like red.) It is easy to implement and will be kind to your wallet. Not crazy about blue? This minimalist approach to renovation can work with any color. A pop of pink could work just as well. Certain colors will create certain moods within your home, so make sure to choose wisely when redecorating.

Fiery Red

If you are the type of person who loves to entertain guests, a bold kitchen would suit you. Bold red colors in a kitchen creates a feeling of warmth and passion, perfect for the passionate cook and host. Your guests can sip on wine as red as your kitchen while you prepare delicious meals and marvel at how stylish you are.

If you are looking to wow all your friends and family, a bold red kitchen is the right choice for you.

Remove The Appearance Of Clutter Without Compromising Your Style!

If you have lived in one location for many years, chances are pretty good that you have acquired a lot of stuff. If you have noticed that your home now seems overloaded with limited space to move about, there are ways to improve the appearance of clutter without compromising your style.

Room dividers

Room dividers come in all shapes and sizes. Some are free-standing and others you can mount to the wall or secure to your ceiling. Free-standing room dividers come in bi-fold, tri-fold and even quad-fold forms. They are made of wood, canvas, and metal. Some even feature shelves for displaying artwork, collectibles, photos, plants and books. Fixed room dividers also come in various shapes and sizes. There are stylish room divider curtains that can help you create a private retreat in a loft or studio apartment, giving you the ability to make two separate spaces out of one. 

There are also sliding partitions that come in your choice of solids and patterns, transparent or opaque and a wide range of fabrics and metals to complement your existing decor.

Decorative storage containers

Today many people take organizing to the next level by incorporating decorative storage containers into their homes to not only hide the appearance of clutter but also to add convenience. An open shelving unit no longer stands empty with a few collectibles. Instead, canvas, cardboard, and wood boxes now occupy the space, adding character and a handy place to store loose items without notice. 

To bring concealed storage to the bedroom and living room, a large storage chest at the end of a bed or placed behind a sofa provides a wonderful place to keep extra linens, blankets, pillows, out of season clothing and toys. The large space provided allows you to clean out the clutter and enjoy your room once again. For a playroom or child's bedroom, adding a toy box with a large shelving unit on top gives you a place to contain their toys out of sight while still allowing for easy access. The shelves on the top are ideal for keeping their books, puzzles, and games, neat, organized and ready for use. 

Closet organizers 

Want to freshen up your bedroom quickly, install a closet organizer. There are a variety of sizes available and many have add-on features that allow you to expand at a later date. By adding fixed shelves, hanging garment containers, shoe racks and additional rods for clothing, you are removing piles from your dresser and floor. Not only are you regaining your space but you are also now able to locate your clothing and accessories quickly, as well as easily. 

Wall racks and floating shelves 

If you are limited on space and can not bring in a large item to house your personal items, floating shelves offer a great way to display your books, photos, collectibles and plants without giving up valuable floor space. They come in a variety of styles and finishes to suit your needs allowing you to complement your interior. In addition to floating shelves, wall racks give you the perfect place to hang items. You can use them for keys, a dog leash, umbrellas, coats, hats, scarves, handbags, kitchen gadgets, towels, magazines and your collection of fine wine. They definitely add character and make excellent use of your existing walls. 

Decluttering and organizing your home's rooms does not mean that you have to give up on your style. There are so many products on the market, as well as many DIY projects that you can use to further complement your space. With a little creativity, you can acquire a neat and organized appearance, while still enjoying the look you have worked hard to achieve.

Four Reasons For Selecting Only High-Quality Artwork For Your Home!

One of the ways to get the most out of your living space is to take the time decorate it. Of course, your individual tastes will play the largest role in what you add to each room of your home. One effective way for you to add both class and attractiveness to the place you live in is by adding hand done art paintings. This can be a unique idea for decorating the individual rooms in your home and knowing some of the reasons to only choose high-quality pieces of art can be helpful to you.

Reason #1: Blurry images

The last thing you will want hanging on your wall is a painting that is blurry. This can make it look less than attractive, and this is not the look you may be aiming to have if you are taking the time to decorate and make significant changes.

The good news is when you choose art printing services that are of the highest quality, you would not have to be concerned about this problem. You can take pride in the fact that you have a one of a kind picture in your home that shows your visitors the amount of effort you put into decorating.

Reason #2: Creativity

One of the reasons you may attempt to put up a new painting is to keep your decorating efforts chic and up-to-date. This is sure to require the right amount of creativity to be executed by the artist.

You will typically need to rely on only high-quality artwork when it comes to this area. Many of the best artists you may find are full of creative ideas that can help make your artwork stand out in your home.

Reason #3: Durable

When you pay for an item, you will want to be sure it lasts for as long as possible. The key to making this happen in the majority of cases is to only choose the best of the best. This is additionally true when it comes to adding a painting to your home. 

Take the time to look at the various types of artwork that you are most interested in and then decide if the quality if high enough for you or not. Be sure to ask questions by talking to the artist if this is possible and if not, you can do some research on your own time by looking on the Internet or talking to friends about this individual.

Reason #4: Bolder colors

One of the things you can typically count on when it comes to some of the best quality paintings is that the paint that was used is top notch. This means the colors are sure to shine through with more ease and allow you to get more bang for your buck.

You may even notice the bolder colors looking fabulous and fantastic in the painting. There is no doubt that paintings created by an artist that does high-quality work will allow you to enjoy the colors more. Additionally, a variety of colors is sure to something you may enjoy having in your home.

Making sure your home always looks its best is sure to be high on your list of priorities. The key to being capable of making this happen will rest in a number of efforts and time you take when decorating your home. You will want to be sure to look for paintings that stand miles above the rest to call your own, and this will typically mean choosing the highest-quality ones you can find.

Bedroom Designs For The Whole Family!

This post is provided by Noah Sparrow.

Whether you have just moved into a new house, want to redecorate your entire home or just spruce bedrooms, then coming up with what exactly to do with them can be a bit tricky. Here are some ideas on bedroom designs for the whole family. 

Color Theming

This is one of the easiest ways of redecorating your bedroom. Pick a color. Purple or green for example. Swap your curtains, bed sheets, rug and other things so that they match this color. Pro tip- be sure to get slightly different shades, so that they each stand out as their own item and the room does not just feel overpowering. Try not to go for garish or intense colors and remember it is a bedroom, so you want peaceful and relaxing shades. If you are really up for a project then you could even re-wallpaper or paint your furniture to match your new color scheme. Just be sure you are happy with the color before you start. 

TV/Film Themed Kids Rooms

Whether you child loves Frozen or Marvel superheroes, then there are ways you can decorate their rooms. You might decide to re-wallpaper with something that depicts their favorite characters. This could be a time consuming endeavor, however. So perhaps some wall prints would be better suited. These can be stuck onto the existing wallpaper or onto wardrobes and drawers. If you want to go even further then look up lamps, bed sheets and rugs that also feature their TV heroes and you will quickly have an excellent themed room that I am sure they will love. Whatever you do though, be sure to get a bed with storage. Kids have enough toys, books, clothes and other things that storage quickly becomes and issue. An ottoman beds are a great idea since it has storage under the mattress and you can even get gas lift bed frames from Bedstar so you do not need to worry about lifting it up and down all the time.

Modernize or Vintage-ise

Giving your bedroom a modern or vintage twist is a really cool way to make it stand out. The best way to modernize your room is to swap your furniture for items that have smooth edges and feature more plastics and metallic finish paints. Perhaps get a modern looking set of lamps and swap the light shades as well. However, if you want to go vintage then you can do the same, but instead you want dark wood. Visit some antique shops and flea markets when hunting for furniture as you can often snag a bargain that will make your room look great for cheap. Either option will make your bedroom feel interesting and exciting.

Eco-friendly design tips!

Reducing your carbon footprint in your home really does not have to be as expensive as you might think. It only requires a small bit of creativity. The resources you can use are incredibly varied and infinite. You can use nearly anything to develop designs. Let us take a closer look at some of the things that you can do to make your home more eco-friendly:

Energy

When you want to be more eco-friendly, you can start with making sure that you are using energy friendly appliances. Make sure that they are up to date and running efficiently. Aside from saving energy, this will also save you money on your monthly energy bills. If you want to save even more on your energy bills, check out some of the resources in your area in regards to comparing energy rates and plans to find the one that will best suit your needs.

Doors

Did you know that there is such a thing as eco–friendly doors? There are many different types and there are different things that make them more eco-friendly than normal doors. Some are made using chemicals that are better for the earth while others are made using recycled materials or materials that can be recycled, such as PVC. You would not need to worry about these types of doors filling up our landfills or being incinerated.

Counter Tops

There are all sorts of eco-friendly design tips out there, you just need to know where to look. Some of them are pretty run of the mill and others must have taken quite a bit of imagination- such as this one. Most counter tops are made from materials such as granite, marble, Formica, and Corian. Instead of using the same thing that everyone else is using, consider going green with them instead. You can cut branches from the trees outside and then slice them into small circles before gluing them right onto your counters. Finish the project with grout in the cracks and a layer of urethane over the entire thing.

Architecture

You can save trees and trim your bills for energy at the same time with the type of architecture you choose. If you are building a new home, consider letting the placement of the home be dictated by the existing trees. This will cut down on the number of trees that will be chopped down during construction while also allowing the trees to provide shade to the house that will keep it cooler.

Windows

You can also reduce your carbon footprint with your windows. There are windows that have been recycled and there are windows that can be recycled. Aside from that, if you put the windows in at an angle, this will allow for the maximum amount of light to be filtered in. With glass panels right at the bottom of the windows that open just like little trap doors, the breeze will be let into your home making it cooler so the air conditioner does not need to work so hard.

Building Materials

Choose materials that are durable. Consider using materials that are recyclable and sustainable, such as siding made from cedar planks. This particular material is resistant to both water and pests. It is low maintenance and strong with a gorgeous gray patina that means it would not need to be repainted often. This is just one option in regards to sustainable materials. There are too many other options to list here.

Paint

When you need to paint or repaint your home, consider using a paint that is low VOC. This is great for covering that badly maintained siding that is beginning to turn colors. Paints of this type contain fewer of the volatile organic compounds that pollute the atmosphere, which make them the preferred paint to use for the eco-minded person.

Small Footprint

Build up instead of out. This makes the physical footprint of your home smaller. It is also cheaper to build more stories as opposed to spreading out.

Going green does not mean that you need to put in a lot of extra work. Just think smarter, use the right materials and teach your kids the value of this at the same time so that when it comes time for them to move out on their own, they will do so already knowing how to live a green lifestyle.