Showing posts with label furniture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label furniture. Show all posts

November 23, 2013

8 Tips for a thoroughly organized bathroom...




Please welcome my guest blogger today, Eva Stephen! Eva has a lovely blog Home Decor by Eva, and she has some GREAT tips to help you not only organize your bathroom, but also give you some great product ideas to improve the decor!  Eva loves to write and does a lot of DIY, so do stop by her blog and follow her to see what project or advice she has next!!  

Here are Eva's tips on how to organize your bathroom:



The bathroom or washroom is a well-used part of the home, but not one
 that we particularly consider from a décor point of view, that is, 
until we have important guests coming over to dinner!


These eight tips will help you to get your washroom beautifully organised and attractive and, perhaps even more importantly, how to keep it that way.



1 Firstly, you must be organised when planning housework and décor. 
Set a specific time to sort out each room, allocating your bathroom a 
mere fifteen to thirty minutes each week. You may think that this is too
 little time, but once you have a planned layout for your bathroom, and 
have incorporated some or all of the following tips, you will be 
pleasantly surprised at how quickly each room can be restored to tidy 
glory. This is your time for sorting through the parts of the bathroom 
that are not obvious, the towel cupboard, the supply of toiletries and 
anything else that might not be noticed when you are quickly blitzing 
through.

Towel cupboards can be found here:  Target.





2 Throw away old and unused products and make sure that the family 
finishes up bottles of shampoo, conditioner, hand soap and shower gel 
that otherwise might sit on the shelf for months with a spoonful or two 
dirtying the bottom of the bottle. Insist that all the little ends are 
used up (you may find it easier to use them up yourself!) or tip all the
 little dregs into one container to take on holiday or camping. Make-up 
should be used up within six months usually so check the expiry date and
 throw away any products that have passed that date. Just throwing away 
old products and making sure that tail-ends are used will be a help in 
de-cluttering a bathroom, leaving only what is needed by the family on a
 day to day basis.







3 Everything in its place and a place for everything, goes the old 
adage. Make sure that there is space allocated to everything that is 
needed in the bathroom, and stay on top of the changing needs and whims 
of your children. Hair products, shaving paraphernalia and other beauty 
products will accumulate dangerously if left unchecked! Make sure, at 
least once a week, that there is nothing not bathroom-related in the 
bathroom, brutally pruning out anything that does not belong!


(image)





4 The simplest way to make sure that everyone has an equal amount of 
space in the bathroom storage is to allocate each member a certain 
amount of space for their stuff, be it a small container, wicker basket 
or even just a delineated space on a shelf. When everyone is given 
responsibility for their own toiletries it becomes a lot easier to 
maintain the room as a whole, and it is no problem at all to spot the 
one or two people who are responsible for unnecessary clutter

(image)



. 
5 A regular routine will be your friend in the bathroom. Sort out 
surfaces prone to clutter often – daily if needs be. You may find it 
helpful to set a rota so you are not the only one constantly doing the 
same thing! The basin is often crowded with small pieces of make-up and 
various lotions and potions because people like to look in the mirror 
while applying them. Similarly, the top of the toilet can become 
crowded, especially with items that are used by the whole family. Make 
sure that someone pops into the bathroom daily to put all these products
 back into their proper place. Visual clutter can also be managed by mirror cabinets, with multipurpose function, these pose to be mirrors with a hidden cabinet space.

You can get a medicine cabinet  like this one or like the one below:

(image)




6 Try and avoid wasting space, even in the name of beauty. If your 
bathroom is very small keep decorative items to a minimum, flat on the 
wall, with no protuberant and exuberant flower displays or any 3D wall 
art. While pot plants can be part of a larger bathroom colourful and 
attractive stickers and vinyl pictures can brighten up a small bathroom 
without using up any space.




(image)






7. If you make it easy to maintain and clean the bathroom, even quite 
small children will find it easier to leave the bathroom in a reasonable
 state. Try to ensure that they do not have to stretch too high or climb
 on the edge of the toilet or bath to put things away; not only is this 
difficult for them it is very dangerous too. Installing a lower towel 
rail and mirror so children can operate safely in the bathroom is an 
excellent idea.


(image)














8. Make it look attractive. As strange as it sounds, people like to 
keep attractive rooms looking nice, while dingy or grubby rooms will be 
left a little bit worse! Your efforts in making the bathroom look 
appealing will hopefully pay off with the dividend of being maintained 
that way!



Incorporating these easy steps into a regular washroom maintenance 
schedule are sure to help you have the attractive and still functional 
bathroom of your dreams, one that is easy to use and even easier to keep
 looking good!


HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEKEND!! THANKS FOR STOPPING BY -


If you need decorating or styling assistance, please contact me at monacointeriors76@yahoo.com

October 20, 2013

Top 8 living rooms...

Hello Bloggers!  I have compiled a list of my picks for the top 8 living rooms.  Please keep in mind these are only my choices and I know there are thousands of living rooms out there that deserve inclusion, but, courtesy of House Beautiful, my choices have lots of similarities as you will discover.  What makes a great room? Color? Texture? Balance? All of the above? Which is your favorite and why?

How is your weekend going?  I spent the day yesterday out in the New Jersey countryside, yes, New Jersey has fabulous country, at the Far Hills Race Meeting.  It is a steeplechase horse racing event on grass for charity and didn't disappoint. Lots of tailgate parties, tweed, wellies and wine to go with it.  Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!


White walls, leggy furniture, pop of color with soft reds, rustic beams
design by Jason Bell; image Simon Upton

White walls, leggy French furniture, natural rug, gold
accents, crystal chandelier - neutral and stunning
image by Bjorn Wallander

White walls, natural rug, leggy furniture, gorgeous pop of pink
design by Jonathan Berger; image Francesco Lagnese

One of my top two!  white walls, pop of yellow and blue,
striped black & white floor, star chandelier
design by Ginger Barber; image Victoria Pearson

White walls, curtains, rug, pops of colors - blue and orange, zebra
chair, gold accents
design by Melissa Warner; image Victoria Pearson


White/creamy walls, natural rug, leggy French chairs, metal tables,
lots of gold, LOVE that sofa
design by Dana Lyon; image Reed Davis

White walls, animal rug, white chairs, leggy tables, bust,
hint of gold in the pillow, black & white
design by Stephen Shubel;  image Luca Trovato


MY FAVORITE:
Design by Hal Williamson
Image John Kernick


Mauve walls, leggy French furniture, gold
accents, natural blinds, silky curtains, crystal chandelier

I LOVE French and Swedish furniture
in this type of room - it always looks
beautiful and adds 'legs' -

See any similarities?  I do - lots of white, animal
accessories, gold accents, natural elements,
pops of color, symmetry in some of the rooms;
my favorite room has mauve walls, but I could
see them with a soft white as well - this room is perfect to
me.  The crystal, the gold and the furniture are 
just wonderful; I only wish I could see the front of 
the sofa!!  I have studied this room ad nauseam and I never
tire of it.  Great design should never be tiresome, it 
should always be inspiring.  

With that said, I am available for e-design from anywhere
in the world - please visit my 'Services' page for information-
I am flexible as well, depending upon the project or work
needed.  

Do you have a favorite room from this list? Please let
me know which one and why in the comments below!

Also please visit my Pinterest Boards and
my Whites and Neutrals Board in particular 
for more inspirational rooms-





May 5, 2013

Mother's Day gift ideas...from NOVICA...

Hello and Happy Sunday!  I have a special treat for you from Novica, which is a new site to shop for goods made around the world in association with National Geographic  

When I was little, I used to love reading National Geographic because it gave me insight into other cultures and people around the world. This was where I first learned about Mt. Everest and the Himalayas. Where I learned about people living in Africa with different customs, clothes, food and jewelry. Places with no cars, telephones, TV's or books.  Novica is a unique marketplace where artisans from around the world can showcase their creations in one place, and give us, the consumers, a real connection to where its from, and more importantly, who crafted it, whether jewelry, furniture, handbags or art. Each item includes a full story and history of the artisan.

I have chosen some great items for Mom, or birthday, or gift for someone that you may need. I have been on the lookout for unique handbags, and I think I found what I'm looking for. Rather than buy a handbag from Macy's that was made in China, I would rather buy a one of a kind from an artisan who is trying to make a living in a remote part of the world.  Here are some gift ideas:

Please note that all of these are available with FREE GIFT WRAP!!

Gorgeous sterling silver pendant - Modern Heart necklace - $38.99
More info

Zapotec cotton bedspread - 'Emerald Fields' - $169.95 (King size)
More info

'Ebony Chic' cotton jewelry case - $49.95
More info

Cotton handbag - 'Blue Butterflies' - $21.49
More info

Cotton shoulder bag - 'Shadow of the Forest' - $49.95
More info


Rustic marble backgammon Set - $72.95
More info


Reclaimed teakwood chair - $189.99
More info




Cotton + Leather shoulder bag - 'Evening Dew' - $89.99
More info




Be sure to check out the following links as well:

Unique Gifts for Mom
Jewelry Gifts for Mom
Necklace Gifts for Mom
Religious Gifts for Mom
Sculpture Gifts for Mom

You can also join their site of curators: Novica Curators
and create your own collections like Elizabeth Gilbert
has - the author of 'Eat Pray Love' !!


(all images courtesy Novica.com)

I received a gift certificate and after viewing all the
fantastic products, I will have a hard time choosing  
what I want. I hope you enjoy learning about this wonderful
artisan site - have a great day!!