| |
| |
|
Interior Decorating Information |
|
|
|
Summertime Simplicity in Your Home Decorating
Here in the Northeast, summer is almost here. With hot humid weather approaching-it's already here in the southern part of the country-we can learn a few tricks from our grandparents. Before air conditioning was common, most housewives prepared their homes for the heat of summer. They knew the windows would be open letting in dust as well as fresh air. Children would be home from school and running in and out, dragging sand and dirt with them and dripping water from wading pools on the floors. Afternoons were a time to sit on the porch and drink lemonade, read a book, and visit with neighbors. No one wanted to be cleaning and scrubbing in 90 degree weather. Our grandmothers prepared for the hot and humid weather by packing away the heavy rugs and drapes and those things in the house which made it harder to keep up the house. Chairs were covered with washable slipcovers, knickknacks were packed away so they didn't need to be dusted and the home was made as low maintenance as possible. This resulted in a clean, stripped down effect which was cool to look at and required less work to keep clean and comfortable during the sweltering days of summer. It was much easier to dust a clear surface or mop a wood floor than to clean around all of the small decorative objects we tend to collect or run a sweeper over the oriental rugs. Decorations were flowers and fruits of the seasons. Lace and linen mats were used instead of heavy linen or damask cloths. Sheer curtains or sun blocking shades were put at the windows. Many women had summer china. Food was prepared in the cooler mornings and eaten cold for supper. Houses looked cool and living was less formal. These days many of us have air conditioning and it isn't necessary to pack things away to make the house low-maintenance for the hot weather. However, if we use these same principles there are pay offs for the modern homeowner. Clear the table tops and shelves, simplify the table arrangements, put away the heavy bedspreads and curtains. If you wish to decorate there are lovely 'throw away' decorations made of paper or straw. Try a pleated paper fan on the mantel or a glass bowl filled with river rocks or shells. The result of this simplifying is that we have a home which appears cool and fresh. For full-time homemakers, being able to get the housework out of the way by lunch time gives us afternoons free to play with our children, go for a swim, or read a book we haven't had time for over the winter months. For those of us who work outside the home, it makes a nice change to be able to spend our free time in our yards, or walking in the park, sharing pool time with our children and having picnics. We spend less time taking care of our homes and have more time for our families and friends and for those outdoor activities which we enjoy and which help us to store up good health for the winter. When we are inside, our homes are more relaxed and have a casual summery feel. Our homes don't have to look like beach cottages but the plainness gives them a kind of simple elegance. Why waste time in caring for our homes when we want to be outside hiking, gardening, or playing tennis and enjoying time with friends and family? In the autumn when the weather starts to cool, we can bring out the heavier items and place them around the house. They will give our homes a new look and we can enjoy our homes and possessions much more because we've had a break from looking at them and caring for them. Content for this article was provided by ON THE GO 4 U design consultant, Suzanne Copenhaver, who has years of experience with decorating the less than perfect space. Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The company's creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating. For more information about the author and ON THE GO 4 U, please visit http://www.onthego4u.net © 2005 Indra A Books for ON THE GO 4 U
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Nursery Room Decor The nursery is your newborn's first room, his own little world: the environment, which in part will influence and shape his personality. As a parent your goal is to provide a surrounding that is comfortable, secure, inviting and cozy. Decorating Your Kitchen With Accessories Just like a nice outfit, your kitchen can benefit from accessories! If you are thinking about redecorating but don't have a lot of dough to put into your kitchen, try simply adding some accessories in a matching theme or color and see how it transforms the room!Now before you rush out to the store, you should probably decide what sort of theme you are going for. Do you want the look of old Italy? How about a cottage theme? Why not try a country style kitchen? You will want to buy different accessories depending on the theme you choose. Buying Custom Wood Blinds Window and door blinds on windows and doors are chief decorating elements in houses as well as in offices. Interior designers use window blinds made of wood or those that have a wooden look to offer a feeling of warmth and coziness to the atmosphere in the room. 5 Tips to Preschoolers Bedrooms, on a Budget Decorating on a budget can always be a challenge, but nowhere do our hearts yearn to provide a beautiful room as much as when it comes to our little ones. Luckily, there are some great ideas you can do today, to punch up your preschoolers room, and keep the costs as little as they are!1. Want a Beautiful Limestone Floor but Worried About The Maintenance? Read On Limestone is a type of sedimentary rock. It is chemically made up of the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate). The Benefits of Granite Kitchen Sinks If you are looking for durability and easy-to-maintain features in your kitchen sink, then granite is the choice for you. Granite composite sinks resist the rigors of everyday life such as denting, cutting, chipping and staining. A Guide to Discontinued Wedgwood China Everything has its day and its time, and Wedgwood China is no exception to the rule. Because the company is 250 years old there are patterns that were used to create dishware that simply no longer exist, but pieces of the dishware still do. Creating A Cozy Spot Having a warm & cozy spot to snuggle up is important as well as renewing. Creating intimacy in your home, or at least in one area of your home, requires a little imagination and some gut feelings. Faux Wood Mini Blinds Though wood blinds and shutters are the most popular window coverings sold in America, these two products are among the most expensive. Faux wood Blinds offer nature's rich, subtle colors and unique textures at a fraction of the cost of real wood shutters. How to Buy a Used Adjustable Bed Mounting health costs and cuts to government funding are making people seek cheaper alternatives like used or secondhand adjustable beds. Used adjustable beds are no doubt cheaper than new ones, but a lot of care should be taken while buying a used adjustable bed. An Introduction to Wood Stoves Wood stoves are like small fireplaces. They are inexpensive and can be built into a home or added later. How to Choose the Right Air Conditioner Filter The air filter in an air conditioning system keeps the cooling coils and air inside the room clean and free from all pollutants, pet dander, ozone emissions and airborne particles.There are many different kinds of air filters available today, such as HEPA, standard, pleated, electrostatic and electronic filters. The Charm of Traditional Shutters For those wanted to give their home an instant facelift, traditional shutters are a great option. Window shutters add style and grace to a house, transforming it into a warm and welcoming home. Where to Buy Wholesale Picnic Baskets Perhaps you are a vendor who would like to begin offering picnic baskets at your deli, grocery store, hardware store, gift shop, or other retail outlet. You might be wondering where you can get wholesale picnic baskets. The Value of Antique Cuckoo Clocks As cuckoo clocks have been around since 1730 and have always been manufactured by gifted artists and skilled craftsmen, many of the older pieces that have been even minimally cared for are still in existence today. A well-preserved cuckoo clock from the 18th or 19th century can bring a king's ransom at any of the prestigious auction houses around the world. Conservatory Furniture - Hints and Tips No conservatory is complete without beautiful conservatory furniture to relax in. This article reveals some of the important issues to consider while selecting furniture for your conservatory or sunroom. Wrought Iron Baker's Rack: Beautiful and Elegant When it comes to home accessories, baker's racks have long been a favorite of consumers due to their versatility, beauty, and practicality, and the wrought iron baker's rack stands out as a favorite. In addition to adding that special element of style, wrought iron bakers racks are also very practical in that they can be used for extra shelving, storage space and/or as a work center. Posters as a Decorating Style When I think of decorating a room with posters, I think of the 70's with black light, velvet and the famous Farrah Fawcett poster.Times have changed and decorating with posters have also changed. Summers Unexpected Outdoor Candelabra For picnic tables, decks, porches, patios, and sidewalks, decorators are using an unusual source of candle lighting. Fireplace candelabra-those candle holders intended for fireplaces-have moved outside for the summer!Fireplace candelabra were originally designed to hold candles in your fireplace when you want the glow of flickering flames but not the heat or hassle of wood or gas fires. How to Install Bamboo Flooring Not just food for pandas or the stuff of cheap picnic mats, bamboo is now being processed with modern techniques into beautiful "hardwood" flooring that beats standard wood floors in durability, hardness, and dimensional stability.An added bonus to these beautiful floors is the knowledge that bamboo, unlike wood, grows quickly and abundantly, reaching maturity in five years or less.
|
| home | site map | First Rate Hosting |
| © 2006 First Rate Hosting Powered By First Rate Hosting |
