Archive for category Decorating

Interior Decorating Fabric Guide

Posted on December 25, 2011 | Decorating.

Microfiber, also known as Ultrasuede, is a synthetic fabric with the look and feel of suede. The first microfiber fabric was invented in 1970 by Dr. Miyoshi Okamoto and has been a favorite upholstery and home décor fabric ever since. It boasts superior durability and stain resistance, making it a great choice for families with children or pets and for high use areas.

Silk is a natural fiber made from the cocoons of silkworms and was invented in China as early as 3500 BC. To this day, China still produces over half of the world’s silk. Silk is considered a fine fabric due to its delicate nature and high cost. It stains easily and is less durable than other fabrics, making it best suited for low-wear areas like draperies or more formal spaces that are less frequently used.

Cotton is one of the most versatile and useful fabrics for home decorating. It is soft, durable, washable, and easily blended with other fibers to create unique fabrics. It can be woven into many different weights and textures, allowing for use in many decorating areas. For instance, a cotton canvas could be used for heavy use upholstery while a thin, gauzy cotton sheer would make a beautiful, wispy curtain.

Linen is made from the fibers of the flax plant, which produces a beautiful, textured textile. It is labor intensive to manufacture, making it a more expensive fabric choice. Linen is often backed with a stabilizing knit-backing to provide stability when used on upholstery as the fibers tend to stretch and lose their shape over time. Linen is often blended with other fibers such as cotton and silk to produce beautiful, unique textures.

Vinyl, or polyvinyl chloride, is a synthetic material that is a great choice for use on upholstery. It’s waterproof, stain resistant, and wipeable, and can be made to have the appearance of leather, patent leather, ostrich, or other materials. It’s an excellent choice for families with children or pets and for high use areas.

Acrylic is a synthetic material that is a superior choice for use on outdoor furniture, pillows and rugs. It is mold, mildew and fade resistant. Solution dyed acrylic will not fade or discolor with cleaning, even when in contact with bleach.

Your furnishings will be more durable and will last longer when they are made with the right fabrics. Now that you are armed with the knowledge of the properties of these different fabric types, you’ll be able to choose appropriate materials for the different areas in your home.

Outdoor Home Water Features

Posted on December 10, 2011 | Decorating.

If you’re looking for a way to really transform your garden and to get the very most from it, then outdoor garden water features are probably the best way to do that. Outdoor garden water features are waterfalls and fountains that you can install outside in order to add atmosphere and serenity to your garden, and there are a lot of ways that they can make your garden more pleasant.

First of all, outdoor garden water features are visually appealing. They generally are designed to fit into the natural surroundings in your garden with things like rocks and stones and other natural aspects – though others might also use more modern designs that are intended to create a serene feeling in other ways. This is before the outdoor garden water features are even turned on, but once the water starts flowing, their attractive qualities are multiplied as you can start to enjoy the water moving and the sunlight glistening against the water. This recalls the feeling of being sat by a calm babbling brook – one of the most pleasant and relaxing sights in nature.

At the same time the serene sight of the water is accompanied by the equally relaxing sound. If you have ever enjoyed sitting and listening to relaxation CDs then you will know how prominently many of the include the sound of water. There is probably an argument that our evolutionary routes make us likely to enjoy the sound of running water as it meant nourishment and refreshment when we were in the wild.

Further though it’s not just you and your guests who can enjoy the running water of outdoor garden water features. Another group that is sure to enjoy this is the birds that you will attract to your garden simply by having fountains there and this doubles as a bird bath. This way you can attract more beautiful wildlife and you can get to enjoy the sounds of the birds too making your garden into a real sanctuary where you can go and relax in nature and enjoy the relaxing sounds and sights.

Perhaps though outdoor garden water features are actually at their best when you enjoy them at night time. This way you can enjoy the incredible light show they provide (they are usually lit from underneath) which creates a dancing luminescence which basks the entire garden in a serene glow. If you have some other garden lighting and something to cover yourself up then this is a fantastic way to enjoy peace and quiet – just sit and read and listen to the trickling noise of the fountain in the background and it’s impossible not to feel calm.

They’re interactive too though, and if you children or if your guests have children then they will be fascinated by the apparent perpetual motion and by the shapes of the water. They can enjoy putting their hands under the running water, or placing ping pong balls in them and seeing how they react. Fountains are really something that engage everyone differently, and they can add a lot to your gardens as a result.