KITCHEN LIGHTING IDEAS

type='html'>In today's big homes, the kitchen has become the center of activity. This is because the modern kitchen is being built much larger than kitchens of yesteryear. Kitchen lighting has become an important consideration knowing that much time will be spent in this room.

Kitchen lighting design does not have to be museum quality but it does have to be thought out carefully. As the kitchen is the busiest room in the house, the lighting needs to be able to accomodate all activities. It needs to be bright enough to cook and to maybe do homework on the kitchen counter and it also needs to be right for gatherings and parties.

Of all the kitchen design ideas, the lighting might be the most important because it sets the mood for your kitchen. You will have to decide whether you want track lighting, flourescent tube lighting, or some other type of lighting to produce the desired effect. In addition, lights may be placed under countertops and over sink areas to make the lighting functional.

The main light source in most kitchens is flourescent lighting but that may not produce the warm feel to your kitchen that you desire. In that case, you may want to replace the flourescent tubes with some sort of track lighting that will look much better and give the kitchen and updated look. LED lighting is becoming popular even though it is more expensive at the outset. Home LED lighting will indeed save you money and the case for LED lights become more compelling as energy prices rise and governments make new laws.

Accent lighting can be used strategically to highlight different parts of the kitchen that you would like to bring attention to. All sources of lighting must work together to create a great kitchen ambience. Proper and creative lighting is one of the kitchen design ideas that you should spend a fair amount of time on to make sure you get it just right.

Decorate Your Balcony For The Summer

Pool-party season is around the corner and everyone with a backyard is gearing up for the festivities.  Now just because you live in an apartment building, doesn’t mean you can’t turn your balcony space into an area that’s style and social friendly!

Here are a few tips to get you started..

•    Remember to ask the management about weight limits or any regulations they have about redecorating the balcony.  You have to know these things if you’re going to be successful in turning your “outdoors” into a safe and inviting area.
•    Take careful measurements so that you don’t have to waste time or money returning things that don’t fit correctly.
•    Take into consideration what the weather might bring:  extreme sun exposure or harsh rain.  Look into some kind of protection; such as an awning or a large umbrella or parasol.
•    Draw out some sketches of potential design ideas so that you can truly see what looks  best in your space.
•    Go online to look at furniture, accent pieces, or flooring since it saves time.
•    Make sure your space is inviting to others.  Stay away from overly fancy items because you want people to feel at home.
•    Don’t clutter the space.  It should be free-flowing and easy to move around on.
•    Adding plants or a small fountain always adds to creating a more soothing and relaxed ambiance.

Remember, just because you don’t have an enormous backyard, doesn’t mean you can’t invite your friends over this summer!  With these tips, you can transform your balcony into a small oasis that’s meant to calm and relax it’s guests.

Small One Room Apartment Interior Design Inspiration

Last week I was in Bucharest to meet a few people that I knew from the internet. We spoke for a long time online but we never saw each other in real life, and I’ve decided that right now I could go to visit Bucharest and meet a few of my “digital friends“. Now to avoid paying between 50 - 100 euro/night to stay at a hotel a good friend of mine ( Adi ) took me to his little one room apartment, and how I have a blog about architecture, interior design, furniture, etc …I’ve decided to take some pictures, because I really liked how Adi made that small place look really good. Now let’s take a look at this small one room apartment, that is a great example of how you can make a small apartment look really good.

At night these red lights make a very romantic and calming atmosphere.

Here you can see the bed and a small part of the kitchen …yes I know is very small.

Design tips for smaller bathrooms

If you have a smaller area designated for bathroom use, you will have to make some adjustments in order to make proper use of this space.Start by figuring out what things you need to have in your bathroom. For instance, if you aren’t planning to spend a lot of time in your bathroom, you can install just the main necessary equipments and items in order to feel comfortable. Another important factor is the wise choice of color because a pastel and light color is likely to make your bathroom look larger. The lighter shades are also more welcoming.

Even if your bathroom is small, you can still make it look quite elegant by using the right visual accents. You should use subtle wallpapers that can make your bathroom look larger. Floor coloring is another important issue and you should go for neutral or light colors in order to make the space look roomier. Light shades of blues, tans or grays are the best choices for a small bathroom because they can make it look more airy and sophisticated.

A small bathroom space should be lighted up with additional lights. If you notice that there is no space for such additional lights in your bathroom, you should go for the bulbs that provide a high wattage. These bulbs will make your bathroom very inviting and brighter. Don’t worry about decorating your bathroom either because even a smaller place is likely to be well decorated once you follow the right steps. 

Start by using only a few mirrors because overdoing with mirrors is likely to provide your bathroom with unwanted effects. Keep in mind that using too many mirrors in a small bathroom will emphasize only the corners of its space. So, you should be careful when it comes to selecting the places where you want to have mirrors installed. For instance, installing the mirrors opposite to each other is not a wise idea. Limit the mirrors in order not to show the real size of your bathroom.

You should cleat out the bathroom walls in order to create the illusion of a larger space. You should also keep your things floating. For instance, you might install floating cupboards and a wall mounted sink in order to prevent these items from taking too much from the floor space. You can utilize the bathroom floor for other useful things such as putting a plant or a trash can. Using the bathroom door is another useful tip that will help you save some space. The door is more useful and helpful than acting as a simple exit and entrance.  For instance, you can use it in order to install some clothes or towel hangers because this will conserve extra precious space. You will also be left with more space to use for the bathroom design you plan to have.

You might consider using the collapsible shower screens. Such shower screens come in various types such as sliding or foldable ones. You can also use curtains in order to get the division you want. Allowing natural light inside your bathroom is another wise thing for you to do because having a window installed in this space will make it look more spacious. However, you must make sure that the window is not too big because, if this is the case, you will defeat the initial purpose of trying to conserve wall space. Now that you know all these tips, you are truly ready to start designing your small bathroom .   

Cool Bathroom Shelf and Towel Hanger, Milan 2010

As we already stated, Milan Furniture Fair was full of ideas that we so eagerly captured. Here is a really cool alternative for a bathroom mirror. Occupying  the same amount of space, but with a lot more functionality, this bathroom shelf can also become a towel or clothes hanger when needed. So simple and yet with a daring practicability, the hanger also features a mirror and a storage place for perfumes and other small accessories. Its white finish makes it perfect for any modern bathroom, big or small. Still, we think a smaller version would have even more success. What do you think of this design? Do you find it to be practical or a bit exaggerated ?

Cool Bathroom Shelf and Towel Hanger, Milan 2010

As we already stated, Milan Furniture Fair was full of ideas that we so eagerly captured. Here is a really cool alternative for a bathroom mirror. Occupying  the same amount of space, but with a lot more functionality, this bathroom shelf can also become a towel or clothes hanger when needed. So simple and yet with a daring practicability, the hanger also features a mirror and a storage place for perfumes and other small accessories. Its white finish makes it perfect for any modern bathroom, big or small. Still, we think a smaller version would have even more success. What do you think of this design? Do you find it to be practical or a bit exaggerated ?