Thursday, June 30th, 2016
Backsplashes are known to infuse personality to kitchens. Those who want to remodel their kitchens or bathrooms often think of many different materials but few take the glass tile home. Most resort to ceramic tiles, stone, even metal, but only a few appreciate the jaw-dropping beauty of the glass tiles.
Here are several reasons why the glass tile should become one of the popular options –
Customized Look
Glass tiles come in an endless array of colors, transparencies, and bold designs. You can truly customize the look of your kitchen or bathroom with the use of this beautiful material. Choose the size and color of the tile then create a pattern that you can use for installation.
‘Wanna go classic? Then find subway tiles. If you want to be more modern, then look for the mosaic glass tiles. Glass tile borders or insets can also complement stone or ceramic backsplash. You can further heighten your creativity by painting the wall beside the glass tiles with the same shade. Your options are actually limitless so this is the perfect material to use if you want to express your individuality.
Space Expansion
Glass is known for its reflective properties. It can sparkle while bouncing off the light around the room. This reflection can visually expand your space. A kitchen that is small or too dark would do well to use glass tiles that would reflect light coming from a good lighting source. Unlike the usual ceramic tiles, glass can add depth as well as interest to the kitchen walls.
Glass Is Green
Glass tiles will never grow mold and mildew which is why they are great for family members with allergies. They are also stain-resistant even easy to maintain and clean. What you need to do to keep them clean is to just wipe using wet cloth – and you’re done. If you want a more thorough cleanup, then use a mild detergent. A more eco-friendly option is to use recycled glass which come in green color.
Their stylishness is also a huge plus.
There are also some cons to the use of glass tiles. Weigh your options by knowing both benefits and downsides.
Glass Tiles Can be Costly
Glass tile is more expensive than stone or ceramic tiles. The price depends greatly on the kind of glass used. It can vary from $7 to about $30 for each square foot. If you have set a limited budget, then consider adding just an accent border to your stone or ceramic backsplash.
Tricky Installation
Though glass is durable once installed, it can be a bit delicate when still in its raw form. The glass tile backsplash is not your perfect material for DIY weekend projects.
Cutting and grouting, alone, require precision when it comes to glass tiling. Should you try to attempt the project on your own, you could end up with more breakage than successful installation. You can always turn to a pro for help but with their expertise comes a fee.
Difficult to Repair
Glass may be easy to maintain and clean but they easily show smudges and fingerprints. Since this is so, homeowner’s tendency is to clean up more often. This could lead to scratches or cracks when gritty materials were used to clean the glass surface.
It is often impossible to fix a cracked glass tile so be careful in cleaning it up.
Glass tiles are an exciting journey towards a more dramatic and beautiful home. If you’re thinking of trying this material, then find out how much would be required for your space, what style or color would go with your theme, and which professional installer you would be hiring.
It’s time to add sparkle to your life so have glass tiles installed soon.
Tags: glass tile, glass tiling, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, tile, tile design, tile flooring, tilework
Posted in Accents, Bathroom Design, Interior Design 101, Kitchen Design | No Comments »
Thursday, June 30th, 2016
Do you agree that the furnishings you choose have a lot more impact compared to the accessories, textiles, window treatments and other interior design elements? Your furniture literally make or break the look that you have set up for your home. This is why one of the biggest decisions that you will be making is to find the right kind of furniture for your home.
There are many important features that call for a homeowner’s attention. And since furniture is especially important, you have to determine how durable it is, what makes it visually appealing, and what material it is actually made from.
When searching for long-lasting and beautiful furniture, there are but a few materials that you can trust. One of such materials is the walnut.
Most traditional furniture pieces are built using walnut. It is an excellent choice because it is a durable hardwood which can retain a beautiful finish for many, many years. This has also been part of many iconic designs in furniture history. There is no question as to why it is one of the most favored materials that are used in manufacturing furniture.
For many generations, walnut has been used by interior designers and master artisans. The only question left to ask now is this – which walnut furniture is right for you?
Walnut Is Hardwood
Walnut is a tree that loses its leaves during autumn and winter. The two most common walnut types used are black and English walnut. The cut wood has a grain that is often straight though it can become wavy the closer you get to the roots.
Walnut color can dramatically alter from light to dark brown. The middle part of the tree is able to produce dark wood while the outer layer produces the lighter colored wood.
Choose Walnut
Walnut is durable and hard so it carves well. It can also hold its shape for many years. This is one of the best choices for ornate furniture requiring intricate woodworks. The headboard or mantelpiece would look great if carved in walnut.
Walnut furniture can easily become heirloom pieces. All that you need to do is to care for them properly.
Know What to Look For
Walnut comes with straight grain that will be beautifully accentuated by a coat of urethane. Be careful with stains, though, as they can make the beautiful grain less noticeable.
The finish that you choose is all a matter of taste. Wood furniture that comes with burly or wavy grains can be easily covered with walnut veneer if you want to make the appearance improve. Walnut furniture can also be covered with walnut veneer.
Solid walnut furniture naturally costs more. Decide whether appearance is more important for you than material or construction.
Restore or Discard?
Looking for ways to restore any walnut furniture that you might already have is wonderful idea. This is good way to revitalize the furniture piece. Restoration frightens a lot of people but it shouldn’t since the process is quite simple.
The easiest way to restore or fortify the look of walnut furniture is to merely reapply the wood’s existing finish.
Clean finishes are shellacs, lacquers and varnishes. Apply just a small amount of denatured alcohol to a small section of the finish and you should be able to determine what finish was used. Shellac is absorbed by denatured alcohol while varnish and lacquer tend to stay.
Natural wood finish comes with oils or waxes. They are rougher to your touch and do not have a glossy look. Natural finishes can be reapplied to restore the beauty of walnut. If the surface is damaged, though, the furniture piece might already require resurfacing.
If all else fails, it is best to invest in new walnut furniture.
Tags: hardwood, hardwood design, hardwood pieces, hardwood species, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, types of hardwood, walnut, walnut hardwood, walnut hardwood type, walnut wood, wood
Posted in Furniture, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 29th, 2016
Lighting in residential spaces consumes about 8-15% of the household budget. There are factors to consider when gauging lighting technology. One is lighting design, another is the user behavior, also the efficiency of the light that will be used. The last factor (efficiency) will greatly affect the household’s energy savings.
In the year 2012, the average energy use in homes showed varied results. This is because the climate can also be a huge factor on how lighting is used in each home. For household use, energy is essential for water heating, cooling or heating, and the use of appliances.
Lighting homes should have the objective of providing comfort and a safe environment. The lighting used must also be visually appealing. Nowadays, with green living and all being propagated, it is also important to know that your light is as energy efficient as it claims.
Lighting Design
Thinking of proper lighting design fuses different day and electric lighting strategies. You need to optimize certain aspects so that light will be properly distributed inside your home. You also need to consider the whole house’s energy impact in order to minimize the overall energy use, if needs be.
Lighting design also takes advantage of glazing technologies as well as shading strategies. These can be used to moderate the spectrum and intensity of the lighting that is used as well as the daylight that is allowed to stream inside a home.
Lighting can also be set up so that heat gain is minimized during cooling season while heat loss is reduced during heating season.
Lighting design also chooses the right window aperture size, shading and glazing for every orientation.
Daylighting Explained
Daylighting science makes use of daylight to negate the use of electric light. Daylight sources include sunlight, a directional beam, skylight, or a diffuse light that is about a tenth of the sunlight’s illumination. Daylight is wonderful as it constantly alters its colors, direction, even its intensity.
With this in mind, make sure that you design your home in such a way that it would only require electric lighting at night.
Industrial Lighting Put to Good Use
Lighting upgrades can significantly cut your energy costs. You can have your existing fixtures retrofitted so that ample light will be provided without upping your costs and diminishing your comfort.
LED lights are a necessity. They are efficient, durable, long-lasting, and they offer a lot of design options. These are environment friendly lights which you can operate with zero emission.
Upgrade your home lighting now to LED industrial lights in order to increase your energy savings. Whether you require high ceiling lights, fluorescents, or LED pendants, it’s high time to change to what’s modern and cost effective.
Remember also that industrial elements are quite huge in interior design nowadays so you would surely be the talk of the town as you embrace the trend. Industrial materials are not, of course, for the faint of heart but it is surely a move that you will never regret.
This is where industrial lighting best comes in. It will create a bold statement yet subdued enough to those who aren’t ready to go all in.
Industrial Lighting Applications
Industrial style pendants are best placed over the kitchen island. First, they are functional and now they also have the added feature of being visually pleasing. Use industrial lighting to stage a specific theme inside any room. You can go rustic with this light if you use the same style on the lighting fixtures and the railings of the stairs.
Try to think beyond mere metal when designing your industrial lighting. You can also use glass for your pendants.
Tags: daylight, general lighting, home lighting, industrial lighting, interior lighting, layered lighting, lighting fixture, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Lighting | No Comments »
Tuesday, June 28th, 2016
Okay, you’re excited to remodel your kitchen. But do you even know where to begin? Some homeowners begin their journey by looking at appliances, initially. Others begin by looking at kitchen photos online or in magazines.
Kitchen remodeling could be the result of many reasons. First, some decide that they need more room. Others just want to upgrade their current theme. As soon as you know what your purpose is in remodeling, then it’s time to learn these essential steps –
Know What You Need
This is the first step in remodeling your kitchen because this is that stage when you need to get ideas from books, showrooms or magazines. Knowing what you actually need will help you stage a more targeted approach in finishing the project.
Know your priorities. Find out how many people will usually gather there and how much room is needed to cook the food or even to just move about. Is there a need to topple down walls because of these needs? Or would you be fine with the current space and what you would need to do is to just alter the placement of some furnishings?
Plan
A huge part of planning is researching. Figure out the budget that you can shell out while considering the duration of the project. Find out also what the essentials are and learn to separate them from the mere wants.
Hire Professionals
You might have chosen a DIY project but there are certain aspects of kitchen remodeling that require the help of experts. For instance, plumbing and electrical works require professional expertise. Find persons to interview by asking for referrals from your friends and relatives. If they are not able to provide any, then visit showrooms or hire a designer who knows where to get these kinds of professionals.
Professionals can also help you in aspects of your project such as what permits and contracts to apply for, budgeting, space planning, choosing furnishings, and deciding on fixtures and finishes.
The Schematic Phase
This is the part when space planning, sketching, and drawing the preliminary floor plans are all done. While you may be tempted to concentrate on how the kitchen would eventually look like, you must also remember that the space and layout should be well considered, too.
A well-thought plan will help you figure out where to get the materials, how many square feet will be needed, and how much the project would cost.
Design Development and Documentation
This is the phase when design is finalized and the floor plans, details, elevations, lighting switch plans, electrical drawings, and exterior elevations are all reviewed. This is also when the construction drawings are used. Have the fixtures and finishes selected by this phase so that the contractor can draft the final price for the project.
Ask for Estimates
If you haven’t found a licensed contractor yet, then your next step is to ask for project estimates from at least three different contractors. Ask for preliminary walk-throughs as soon as the schematic designs are finished.
Ask for a Demo
See if the project requires you to move out or if the kitchen would just be closed off while the construction is ongoing. Ask regarding the logistics so you get to keep your sanity. The contractor will need to discuss if he requires that you meet weekly or monthly. Ask also who will remove the dust and debris after the construction. These are seemingly small things that cause a lot of headache at the end of most remodeling projects.
The Checklist
As soon as the kitchen remodeling is done, there’s that time when you start looking for missing items or jobs that have been forgotten. Create a checklist and stand by it as you go through the project. This need not be a formal list. Sometimes it is as informal as an email that lists the things that need to be finished or fixed.
Tags: kitchen, kitchen organization, kitchen remodeling, kitchen remodeling tips, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, remodeling the kitchen
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Tuesday, June 28th, 2016
Setting the mood in a dining room is as easy as matching the table with the chairs or mixing up some of the seating units to achieve a certain look. Chairs are a great help when it comes to setting the tone inside any room.
Here are some of the chair types that you can choose from –
Arm Chair
The arm chair is a type of chair that is often situated at the head of the table. These, compared to other kinds of chairs, have a more formal look and feel. Contrasting arm chairs can be used to establish a statement while there are also those that match the side chairs.
Arm chairs can be made of plastic, metal, wood and many other materials. It can also be upholstered or not.
Side Chair
A side chair is an armless chair that is often placed at the side of a dining table. In a more casual setting, though, a side chair may be placed at the head of the table. This can be upholstered though, generally, they are not.
Parsons Chair
The parsons chair is suitable for any home theme. It comes with basic lines and design. This can also be upholstered. The fabrics used range from leather to linen, tufted to patterned, and many more.
Upholstered and Non-Upholstered Types
There is a wide variety of upholstery options as well as styles for chairs. It is crucial that you assess your lifestyle as well as the members of your family before you come up with your final decision regarding the fabrics and upholstery.
Upholstered chair seats and backs have a more glamorous and traditional feel to them. An all metal or wood chair, on the other hand, has a streamlined appearance, thus, they are perfect for modern settings. This second type is also a lot easier to clean and maintain as compared to the upholstered chairs.
Here are some of the leading choices when it comes to chair styles –
Traditional
This dining chair has more elaborate slats, they often come with ornate details and carved legs. Regency, Chippendale and Queen Anne chairs are common traditional chair styles. These are commonly tufted or upholstered.
Modern or Contemporary
These are often made of molded plastic, bent wood, or metal. They offer an organic or streamlined look.
Ladderback
The ladderback chair has horizontal slats that re spaced evenly along the back of the seat. This is a traditional design but it can be made suitable into any home theme including transitional and country styles.
Mission or Shaker
This kind of chair shows clean lines. Expect no extra details with this kind of chair. Mission chairs come with straight, simple lines and are made of wood. Shaker style chairs show curved panels.
Windsor
This is a kind of English chair that features spindle back and legs. Its back can be hooped or bowed. It offers a country or casual feel.
If you want to learn the different chair backs, here they are –
Balloon
This is a chair with rounded back which tapers towards the seat. This if often associated with Art Noveau and Victorian style chairs.
Banister
The banister back comes with three to six baluster-shaped, vertical slats. This is often used in Early American chairs.
Bentwood
The bentwood chair back comes with curved wooden pieces. Art Nouveau pieces often come with this kind of style.
Crossbar
As its name suggests, crossbar chair back comes with an X-shaped splat. This is associated with the Duncan Phyfe furniture style.
Crosspiece
This style comes with a single, flat, vertical slat. It is used in Duncan Phyfe, Sheraton, and American Empire furniture styles.
Ladderback
Also known as the slatback, it comes with equally-spaced horizontal slats. Chippendale, Colonial, Pennsylvania Dutch and Early American all feature this kind of chair back.
There are many other chair backs to choose from. See which one fits your chosen theme.
Tags: chair, chair styles, chair types, chairback, chairs, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, types of chairbacks, types of chairs
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Sunday, June 26th, 2016
Did you really think that animal prints are limited to that bear rug on your floor? There is so much more to animal prints that can make your interiors more fabulous. What’s amazing about ‘em is that you don’t even have to alter the entire room. From textiles to furniture, even the simplest accessories, the most vibrant animal prints are sure to make them all leap to life. So it’s time to rethink your everyday, ho-hum décor and start using some animal prints.
Animal Print History
Animal skins and prints are known to convey power and confidence. Fabrics with colors and patterns that imitate the animal skin first became fashionable in the 18th century. The dresses during that time were intertwined with silk and lace in order to evoke wealth and luxury.
By the 1930s, fashion showed a lot of cheetah and leopard prints on coats, blouses and scarves mainly because the Tarzan and Jane sensation was ongoing then.
Animal motif is also considered erotic as it is a kind of fashion that attracts others. This is a kind of fashion that desires to be noticed. Just imagine the head-turning prints that you see on animal designs and you’d know why some people are hesitant to use them.
Animal Prints as the Focal Point
If you find joy in having big and bold décor, then you would surely like having animal prints. Use anything from large zebra stripes, giraffe prints to tiger area rugs. Just make sure that you keep them subdued else they would easily overpower the existing design or could make the eyes overly busy.
Marry the solids and contrasting colors in order to balance the bold nature of animal prints. A great place to start is the pillows, ottomans and side chairs.
Animal Prints and Sophistication
If you’re a bit worried that your living room would begin looking like an African safari, then learn to tie the furnishings with some kind of art. Take a cue from animal print photographs, paintings, even modern sculpture. Find time to visit décor stores that offer a wide selection of arts and craft.
Monochrome…Or Not
Monochrome often comes in boring white and black. If you want to veer away from the usual stark and boring monochromatic scheme, then use zebra prints to give the room a bit more of activity. You can also use cheetah or jaguar prints to envelop the area. These exciting prints can be used on the flooring, walls and also on the window treatments.
Fusion of Prints
Polka dots, stripes, and animal prints can be mixed, too. The trick behind their fusion is to unite them with a base color that’s common to all of them. Small prints are way better to use if you want to combine so as they won’t be too large to disrupt the eyes.
Mix the solids, patterns and prints then unite them on a single color anchor. If you are not that comfortable in matching or mixing many different patterns and colors, then get one piece at a time then grow the room accordingly.
Animal prints can be versatile, just don’t be afraid to use ‘em.
Animal Prints Are Chic
You can also design your home using beautiful touches of animal print styles. If you are a huge fan of zebra prints, then add it as an area rug in your living room. These prints are also now being used on curtains, chairs, bedding, and many others.
Zebra chairs are quite stylish as they pop in a room. Complete the look of your home with zebra cushions, zebra bedding, zebra runner, and many more.
With all these suggestions, aren’t you just aching to start using animal prints soon?
Tags: animal print, cheetah print, history, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, patterns, tiger print, tips, zebra print
Posted in Accents, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | No Comments »
Saturday, June 25th, 2016
Do you agree that furniture and wooden things are very much a part of man’s everyday life? Some are used for functional reasons such as the dining table and the chairs that are paired with it. Others are used for aesthetic reasons like those antique carvings and sculptures. Still others are simply used for symbolic or sentimental reasons such as an heirloom chest and other collectibles. Speak of heirloom pieces, most of these – if you have keenly made observations – are made of wood. Whatever the purpose of each wooden furniture piece, one thing is certain about each one of them – they need to be properly cared for.
Damages Are Preventable
It is a total waste to see fine wooden pieces go to waste all because the owners did not care for them. There are many forms of damages or destruction that can actually be prevented. As the furniture owner, you have a huge amount of influence on how your furniture would eventually end up.
Misunderstanding the use or nature of wooden objects can sometimes lead to damage. Other causes could be the poorly-controlled environment specifically regarding humidity, temperature and lighting. Carelessness, of course, can also lead to furniture damage.
But all wooden things degrade, right? Sure. While this is so, the processes of destruction can be substantially slowed down. What you need to do is to apply certain principles of care as well as maintenance.
So what should you do? Keep in mind that there is no perfect environment for any furniture made of wood. There are different conditions under which a certain furniture can deteriorate over time. Just like other materials, there is a so-called optimal environment that can provide the best balance for wooden furniture. This optimal environment is at 40º Fahrenheit with about 50% relative humidity. It is also advisable that the furniture be free from constant contact and in a chamber that is not constantly exposed to light. Now, having read these conditions, do you think it’s feasible to have a wooden furniture used?
The least that a wooden furniture owner could do is to try to minimize the effects of temperature, humidity and light on his prized piece.
Light
The easiest environmental problem that you can resolve with regard to furniture damage is that of light. Light interacts with anything that it illuminates, thus, it can damage furniture surfaces over time. The amount of damage is dependent on the color and intensity of the light used. The brighter the light, the more damage it could cause. Light damage often comes in the form of discolored surfaces. These, however, can be easily solved by installing screens, curtains and other types of window treatments.
Humidity
Humidity constantly changes, hence, it continually pushes and pulls on wooden objects. This issue can be solved by dehumidifying during summer and humidifying during the winter season. Raising temperature tends to lower the humidity and a lowered temperature does the opposite.
Use humidistat to keep your wooden furniture intact.
Biopredation
Microorganisms and small animals can also attack wood. Wood’s eternal enemies are rodents, insects, and fungi. Keep a close watch over your furniture and make sure that you and your family members do not leave food or anything that can lure these animals to your furniture.
If you see any exit holes on your wooden furniture, then it is probable that termites are starting to infest it. Fumigate if necessary. As for mold, fungi, and mildew, they can be kept at bay if you stain your wooden furniture. Make sure also that moisture is kept out.
Fire
Fire is something that may be accidental but it can cause the most damage in one instant. To avoid the occurrence of fire, be sure to keep hot items off the furniture or even near it. Steaming tureens, irons, even coffee mugs should be kept away.
Keep caring for wood furniture and you would enjoy it for a very long time. Who knows, your grandchildren might even get to inherit it from you?
Tags: caring for wood furniture, caring for wooden furniture, designing with wood, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, wood, wood elements, wood furniture maintenance, wood furniture pieces, wooden elements, wooden furniture, wooden furniture care, wooden furniture maintenance, wooden furniture maintenance tips
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