home deco mart

Celeb designer Eric Leong to meet fans at HSBC Fair

2011-11-13T18:31:00.001-08:00

BANDARSERI BEGAWAN

Sunday,September 25, 2011

CELEBRITY designer Eric Leong (picture) is setto meet fans at the upcoming HSBC Fair which will run from September 30 toOctober 2.

The fair, to be held at Times Square, offers excitement for all ages withvarious activities including "a children's colouring contest, where thereare prizes to be won, and Jenga and golf-putting games with instant win luckydip prizes", HSBC said in a statement.

Eric Leong's participation is the highlight of the fair. "Malaysia's MostFavourite Interior Designer", known for his "bold and stylish designstatement" will share the latest trends on interior design at the event.Leong, who is an author, columnist, international speaker and productambassador, is celebrating his 20th Year Anniversary in the industry this year.

Leong became a household name in 2001 when he started his interior designmakeover show "Casa Impian"m which ran for six seasons. In 2007, helaunched "Deko Bersama Eric". His distinct style earned him the title"Raja Hias" or "Design King". A year later, he charmed thepublic with his lifestyle-based talk show - "Jom! Bersama Eric".

He also successfully ventured into and completed two Cantonese TV programmes:"Creative Home - The TV Show" and "ID Show", and a newprogramme called "Cantik Tak?" on Astro Prima.

Eric will be at the HSBC Fair in Times Square on October 2 from 3pm to 5pm. Formore information about the HSBC Fair, please visit www.hsbc.com.bn.

The Brunei Times

Create a Winter Wonderland in Your Home This Holiday Season

2011-11-13T18:17:00.001-08:00

Create a Winter Wonderlandin Your Home This Holiday Season

By LaurenFlanagan, About.com Guide

WinteryBird Ornaments

LaurenFlanagan

Those of us who live in colderclimates are really lucky – we get to experience the beauty of winter. Sureit's cold and we have to bundle up when we go outside, but in exchange we getpure, white snow; glistening icicles; crisp, cold air and all the other joysthat come with winter.

Even if you don't live in this kind of climate you can create the illusion withyour holiday décor. Here are some tips for creating a winter wonderland in yourhome this holiday season.

The Palette

Let the forest be your guide. To create a rustically winter-themed scene stickwith a palette of silver, white, green and natural materials like birch bark orother types of wood. Icy blue can also be a great addition. Avoid any strongcolors that you wouldn't find in a forest in the middle of winter. No red,purple, orange or hot pink.

Ornaments and Accessories

Small decorative trees are a great addition to holiday displays. They come in tons of colors and materials like wood, birch bark, glitter, and more.

Garlands are always great during the holidays. Go with natural greens or other natural materials like bark. To up the winter ante you could try a white garland (opt for one with sparkles if you can).

Galvanized metal is inherently rustic. Grab a couple of pails and stick some candles in them. Use them indoors or out on your front steps or porch.

Lanterns can also work indoors or out. If you want to use them indoors you can display them on their own or tuck them into a garland. Just remember that if you light a candle inside of a lantern be very cautious and make sure there are no fire hazards.

A pinecone wreath is the perfect rustic accessory. It's a natural, rustic material, but also sculpturally beautiful.

Wood spheres are great for adding a rustic accessory. They're not festive per se, but when you add them to this type of décor they add depth and shape without adding kitschy clutter.

Glass is also a great material as it creates a little sparkle and can be reminiscent of ices. A candle flickering in a glass vase is always a pretty and festive look.

Decorate with branches. It's cheap and easy. Simply collect some from outside and display them in a clear glass cylinder vase.

Woodland Creatures

One of the keys to creating this kind of woodsy look is to include somewoodland creatures. Sparkly bird ornaments, birch bark reindeer, mercury glassowls and any other little animals can be tucked into garlands, displayed onmantles or hung on trees. The key is to keep it classy and not overdo it. Trytoo avoid anything too cutesy like little stuffed animals. Keep them within thepalette and don't stray too far from the other materials you're using.

Where to Shop

Pottery Barn – Pottery Barn is the go-to store for this type of décor.They have all sorts of mercury glass accessories, little woodland creatureornaments, lanterns and more. It's also worth taking a look at the website justto get some ideas.

West Elm – Even though West Elm tends to be a slightly contemporarystore, they have tons of silver mercury glass pieces that can contribute to thewinter wonderland theme. Check out their little votive holders and owlfigurines.

HomeSense/HomeGoods – These stores are terrific for finding these kindsof holiday decorations. This year look for sparkly birds, birch bark reindeerand other such objets. The inventory is constantly changing so check backoften.

These kinds of decorations can be found just about anywhere. If you're lookingto create this style on a budget you can find plenty of items in the greatoutdoors. Pinecones, sticks, branches with some greenery – the list goes on.You can also always use household items like cotton balls to create a snowyeffect and head over to the dollar store for some silver glitter to add alittle sparkle.

No matter how much you want to spend or how far you want to take the look, awinter wonderland theme is a great way to add some holiday flair to your home.

Great Looking Interiors Mix It Up with Styles and Budgets by http://www.rentaldecorating.com

2011-10-31T03:02:00.000-07:00

(ARA) - So many of us find ourselves in the same decorating boat - a home filled with a few family heirlooms, flea market or tag sale finds, and maybe even one or two treasures from a successful dumpster dive. You love them all, but how do you combine high and low design pieces to create a unified and polished look for your home?

First says Marjorie Marcellus, an interior design instructor at The Art Institute of California - San Francisco, forget about the cost of a piece. "A successful interior is not determined by the cost of its components. For a space to work, it needs to have balance and harmony," says Marcellus. Finishes and home furnishings, even kitchen rugs should relate to each other as part of an overall design scheme, but "that doesn't mean they have to match, be of the same era, same price or quality," she explains.
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For example, says Marcellus, "I placed an expensive slab of marble onto a salvage-yard industrial black metal stand and then added four black bargain stools from Pottery Barn." The similar finishes of the materials made it work. The result? "A custom kitchen table for my client's urban loft. Topped with a delicate antique vase, fresh wild flowers and colorful cloth napkins from IKEA, the outcome was unexpected and delightful," says Marcellus.

Suzanne Wilkins, an interior design instructor at The Art Institute of New York City, is another proponent of mixing both high and low design elements. A basic rule of thumb, says Wilkins, is to avoid having a less expensive item next to a more expensive similar item.

"Too many similarities invite comparison, and may make the less expensive things look cheap," she says. Instead, pair precious things with inexpensive finds by following two rules of thumb: keep it simple and clean lined, or keep it funky. According to Wilkins, simple clean lines naturally look expensive, and we associate clean lines with a more modern and expensive look.

On the other hand, she says, funky items can often stand alone and speak for themselves. But use them sparingly. For example, a nice grouping of African masks can add a lot of texture and color and can be found inexpensively in flea markets. To make it work, don't use more than three or four or in more than one location, says Wilkins.

Dan Noyes, chairman of the Interior Design department at The Art Institutes International, Minnesota, loves to combine modern pieces with weathered antiques, "to create a wonderful gypsy chic look." Whether high end or low end, an antique's patina and unique character flaws can set it apart from a great, modern piece of furniture, he says.

Furniture pieces themselves can combine the best of both high and low end design features says John Gambell, chairman of the Interior Design department of The Art Institute of New England. For a stylish-looking dining or end table, Gambell suggests taking a simple and inexpensive parsons-styled table (Ikea is a good source) and add a made-to-order stone top of either slate or marble. " A small 'reveal' between the base and the top wood appear to make the top float," says Gambell.

A few final words of wisdom about mixing high and low end design from the experts: When shopping at stores like Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn, pick a few pieces from each instead of outfitting an entire room with one look. "Mix it up," says Wilkins. And remember, be patient and shop around. What makes a room look rich and expensive, no matter what the budget, is time.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Decorating Contemporary Spaces

2011-10-31T02:57:00.000-07:00

Contemporary home decorating refers both to the utilization of recent trends in the decorative arts, and the overall style which acts in opposition to more traditional themes. There are several elements which characterize this form of interior art. Each one of them can give a room a distinctive and look and feel, which is quite different from the interiors found in more traditionally decorated homes.

Lines:

The most common and recognizable feature of contemporary decorating is its linear nature. Traditionally the more complex a shape the more attractive it was deemed. Ovals and circular shapes were preferred to straight or boxy styles. This was often because they required more work, with the handicraft of an individual artist or artisan being required to craft the most complex pieces.

Today however contemporary styles have rejected this notion, instead embracing the subtle simplicity of straight lines. Contemporary decorative styles feature square and rectangles in its furnishings. The architecture is straight, laid out in uncomplicated patterns that create spaces built on logically placed right angles.

Colors:

Generally the backdrop of a space decorated in a contemporary style consists of subdued neutral colors. White and off white hues a grounded by bits of black creating a sense of an empty canvas within the space. These subdued pieces will often feature rich textures that will add interest to the pieces.

This relatively empty space can then be contrasted with a few vibrantly colored focal points. The interplay between the neutral backdrop and the dramatic accents can create a sense of dramatic tension which can add a lot of energy to the room.

Materials:

The most commonly used materials in contemporary furnishings are natural stone, hardwood, steel, and glass. These are all elegant and eye catching substances, with intriguing textures that will add personality to each room they are used in. If the subdued neutral colors in the space are too drab, you can also use thick curtains, or plush pillows to make the area seem more inviting.

Clutter:

One of the most important elements of contemporary decorating styles is the creation and maintenance of space. Less is more, and you want to remove any clutter so that attention is not drawn away from the desired focal points in the space. Clutter can consist of both unwanted items which fill a room, and decorative pieces that are not necessary. Remember, you want wide open spaces punctuated by focal points, so do you best to remove any unnecessary pieces from the area.

This article is sponsored by PebbleZ’s line of sandstone beverage coasters, which are crafted from mountain born, naturally absorbent stone materials. The article itself was written by stone designer and artist Joey Pebble.

How To Do Home Repairs Yourself

2011-01-30T19:41:00.000-08:00

You just brought your first home, and you are going about your daily routine, when all of a sudden, something breaks, what do you do? Well the first thing comes to mine is to locate the problem and call someone in to fix it. ut remember, you just brought your home, and you can’t afford to hire a service man to come out and fix your problem. Having a toolbox in your garage is as handy as having a first-aid kit in your bathroom.

There are a couple of handy tools, you should keep in your toolbox, such as;
Pliers, an adjusted wrench, a set of allen wrenches, electric tape, a cordless-drill, a tape measure, a good hammer, a small handsaw, a plunger, a chisel, a level, duck tape, a screw driver set, a utility knife, a flashlight, and screws and nails.

Depending on what the probleum is, you can usually do the repairs your self, or if it’s too much for you to handle, ask your friends or neighbor to recommend someone to you.

Sometime it can be difficult to find a repairperson that is honest, that won’t ripe you off. Finding someone from out the phone books can be very scary too. Your repair can go very smoothly, when the right steps are taken from the get go.

As a new homeowner, maintaining your home goes with the territories. From time to time, something will go wrong like the plumbing or the electrical that can be easily repair.

Sometimes the washers in the faucets might just need to be changed, and the electrical breaker may need resetting. Door lock are common ware and tear on any home, you must be prepare for unexpected emergency when and if it happens. Be aware of the inner-workings of your home, and you will be ready for the next repair.

About the Author:

Roger King has been occupied in home repairs for several years, and has been helping people with tips and advice to simple repairs to their homes. Visit his web site http://www.allhomerepairsyourself.com to learn how to do home repairs yourself.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com

Beautiful Living Room Inspirations

2010-12-02T00:39:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Living Room Inspirations

A living room is a perfect place to spend your times with your family. But there is not easy to crate beautiful and comfortable living room. By this 4 beautiful living space that is many style showed up here like design of sofa, table, furniture, wall decoration, color combination, curtain, etc. The design gives some inspiration for your home, remodeling, and improving your house interior design. Just check this picture out.

Modern Home Interior Design Using Concrete and Steel from http://www.neathome.net

2010-12-02T00:37:00.000-08:00

Modern Home Interior Design Using Concrete and Steel

The luxury concrete and steel modern home interior design was designed by the international award winning interior design firm Garrett Cord Werner LLC. This contemporary small house built in the 1930s in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The site is situated on a hilltop, overlooks the city of Seattle that gives amazing views. The architect was redesigned this old house by request from the owner where is the owner wanted to keep the shell and entirely refurbish the interior design, rather than split down and start new. And beside that, it is successful combine of Mediterranean style doorways and tile roof with sleek, muscular modern interiors.

Decorating Your Home for Valentine's Day Add a Dash of Romance to Your House for the Holiday of Love

2010-12-02T00:31:00.001-08:00

Decorating Your Home for Valentine's Day

Add a Dash of Romance to Your House for the Holiday of Love

most people celebrate Valentine's Day, which is traditionally a holiday that features flowers, chocolate and cards. But what are some unique ways to incorporate the romance of Valentine's Day into your home decor?

Keep It Simple

One does not need to cover the home in rose petals and heart-shaped boxes of candy to give an effective nod to the holiday of love. Choosing one area to decorate is a great way to recognize a holiday season. Think about your front door, dining room table, a mantel or a kitchen table to add a decoration 'from the heart.'

choose and Reuse

Of course, fresh flowers are always one of the most gorgeous ways of decorating the home for Valentine's Day. But when they die, it's sad, and then they are gone forever! Consider instead a silk flower arrangement that can be used from year to year, or a silk heart-shaped wreath to decorate the front door. Major home retailers like Target and Walmart have decorating sections for Valentine's Day that include decor that can be reused every year, which is an economical and environmentally friendly approach.

Light It Up

One of the easiest, most simple approaches to decorating the home for Valentine's Day is the addition of candle light to your home. Whether it's a bag of red tea lights scattered on windowsills, tables and other surfaces or three large red pillar candles on the dining room table, adding candlelight and the romance that accompanies it is a wonderful way of celebrating the most romantic of all the holidays.

Read on

Gifts from Nature

Whether you live in the country or near the woods, if you have a nature walk of any kind nearby, it's often possible to choose from nature's bounty to add a dash of romance to your home. Go for a walk and see if you can find a few branches of holly with bright red berries, or even if you have a Nandina bush nearby you can collect a few handfuls of its gorgeous red berries. A simple vase filled withcrimson berries would be a beautiful addition of the holiday's most popular color.

Other small Valentine's decorating touches for the home could be a pretty crystal bowl of heart-shaped Sweetheart candies, a collection of empty heart shaped candy boxes, silk rose petals on a table runner with pretty candlesticks, or a few heart-shaped frames...of course with romantic pictures inside!

Mexican Decor For Home Decorating from http://mexicandecorhome.com/

2010-12-02T00:23:00.000-08:00

Mexican Decor For Home Decorating

Home decorating isn’t as difficult as you may think and getting acolorful and unique look with Mexican decor in your home should be a breeze if you know what furniture, accessories and colors to include. Below are a few approaches on how you can transform your home to have the colorful style of Mexico.

Apply spicy colors like red and cobalt blue for the tones in your Mexican style home. Once you have painted, make sure you keep a paint card that has the exact colors you used. You can take the cards with you when shopping for accessories and furniture and you can match the colors perfectly to the card.

In the home, look at accessorizing with paintings and knick knacks as well as furniture. You want to end up with a cheerful style with wormwood or pine furniture. Careful selection of furniture and accessories will add interest to your Mexican decorating scheme.

Your Mexican decor project should pay attention to colorful tiles and pottery for adding flavor to the room, but you also must think about the windows, walls and floors. Window treatments for the Mexican decor should be artsy. Try enhancing your windows with colorful curtains, iron or wood treatments. Once your windows are looking wonderful, your walls might be boring. For wonderful wall decor, you could try hanging Mexican pottery plates in scrolly plate hangers and racks.

Lighting is a vital element in any home but a lot of people don‘t take the extra effort to make sure their lighting matches their decor. For a Mexican interior design, you want to decorate with lighting that is wood or iron with colorful shades or colorful pottery or iron.

Your floors are a big part of you room so it makes sense that you should have flooring to balance your decor. Large pottery tiles look great with the Mexican look, but hardwood floors can also be good. Adding area rugs to your home can add ambiance as well as comfort and soften the look. What you should keep in mind for your colorful and unique look is stenciled mats or woven rugs which you should plan to buy in reds, oranges and cobalt blues.

For some finishing touches which will help accentuate your décor try colorful Mexican pottery on shelves and tables or wrought iron accessories displayed here and there as well as worm wood decor, stone fountains, and cacti to tie together your design style. For a softer style add pillows that have colorful ethnic prints and don’t forget some house plants.

Spicing up your home with Mexican décor can be a great way to get a new look and if you plan it out professionally it will be fun as well as easy. Simply buy the accessories on your plan and put them in place – your room with have the feeling of Mexico before you know it!

Wholesale Home Decor

2010-11-11T19:38:00.000-08:00

Wholesale Home Decor / Housewares - 113 matches

		1. United Textile Supply Denver, Colorado United States United Textile is a distributor of towels & linens, sheets, pillowcases and beach towels, for business and home use.
		2. J.D. Yeatts & Son, Inc. Danville, Virginia United States We Have 2500 Different Items In Stock such as Lawn & Garden, Seasonal Items, Giftware, and Much More General Merchandise. Call Today 1-800-289-4966.
		3. West Coast Design Studios Eureka Springs, Arkansas United States Leading designer of Holographic Mobiles, Wind Dancers and Windsocks for Home, Baby, Office, Garden, Party or Holiday. Buy from the original manufacturer.
		4. Africa Imports S Hackensack, New Jersey United States We specialize in African Goods. We carry a large collection of african art, incense, oils, apparel, jewelry, musical instruments, decorative accessories and fabric. Call us @ 1-800-500-6120.
		5. Houseware Distributors Inc West Bend, Wisconsin United States Specializing in kitchen plastics, gadgets and utensils, food storage, general merchandise, incense, sachets, spices, kitchen textiles, batteries, cleaning and more. Wholesale drop ship service, with minimum quantities. Single cases sold
		6. AMERICAN LINEN S. Plainfield, New Jersey United States We have one of the largest selection of DOLLAR STORE ITEMS targeted from the smallest retailer to the mass merchant USA and worldwide. Multiple product lines include AMERICAN CRAFTS, AMERICAN MILLS, AMERICAN PLASTICS & AMERICAN LINEN which include doilies, towels, vinyl products & more!
		7. My Southern Home Place ... Decor Country Wholesale Alamo, Georgia United States Southern Wholesale Garden and Home Décor Gifts & Collectibles wholesale direct. Décor Country Wholesale: holiday, bath and body, Christian, tote bags, fashion jewelry, tools, toys, fountains, furnishings, figurines, shabby chic, western decor, candles. No minimum. Dropshipping.
		8. VD IMPORTERS INC. Miami, Florida United States Wholesalers & Distributors of Incense Sticks, Fragrance oils, Body oils, Candles, Electric Aroma lamps, Incense burners, Dollar items and Plastic Housewares.
		9. CAVA TV Products Ormond Beach, Florida United States At CAVA TV Products, we carry more as seen on tv winners than anyone else in the business. CAVA has been in business for more than 15 years, and we have a pulse for this business.
		10. Fushida USA Corp. Norcross, Georgia United States Fushida USA Corporation, high quality & low price merchandise directly from China. We have been a manufacturer & wholesaler of quality sunglasses & reading glasses for more than a decade. We recently added Moving Blanket into our product line. Lowest Price is guaranteed!. Come check it out!
		11. Puzzled Inc - Wholesale Wooden Toys, Gifts & Souve Agoura Hills, California United States Manufacturer and supplier of 3-Dimensional Wooden Puzzles, Woodcraft Construction Kits and new & exciting Gifts and Souvenirs. Puzzled, Inc. has been manufacturing and supplying the highest quality woodcraft products for years and now brings the same low price points and great mark up to you with it.
		12. Jasmine Trading, Inc. Houston, Texas United States Jasmine Trading is a major distributor of best selling name brand closeouts and dollar store items. Find discounted prices on many exclusive items that are hard to find anywhere else. Our Website is updated daily. Please visit www.jasminetrading.com
		13. Big Deals Outlet Minneapolis, Minnesota United States Deep Discounts on Top National Brands! Specializing in General Merchandise, we carry Lawn & Garden, School & Office, Kitchenware, Glassware, Cleaning Supplies, Toys & Sporting Goods. We offer free shipping on orders over $500. Order Online Today!
		14. Odom's Wholesale Fort Smith, Arkansas United States Whether you're buying furniture, kitchen appliances, home decor, electronics or office supplies, we have the name brands that your customers are looking for at a price that will keep your profits high.
		15. SUNCATCHERS UNLIMITED Ooltewah, Tennessee United States Suncatcher window decorations--over 500 designs. High volume sales with excellent profit margin. Easily turn our suncatchers into nightlights for added profit. Also, over 100 styles of suncatcher key chains and magnets. Great items for gift shops, convenience stores, mall kiosks, craft shows/festiva
		16. Crazy Deals Wholesale Greenville, Ohio United States We feature major department store BRAND NAME merchandise by the pallet or the truckload for pennies on the dollar. At Crazy Deals Wholesale we have great deals on great merchandise!
		17. A Whole Lotta Lots McKees Rocks, Ohio United States Your wholesale superstore. We specialize in brand name cosmetics and fashion accessories from closeouts, liquidations and overstocks. We also carry general merchandise and novelty items. NO minimums and fast shipping!
		18. Union Pacific Designs (U.P.D. Inc.) Vernon, California United States UPD supplies licensed merchandise directly to wholesalers, dollar stores, and retailers.the best values in stationery, toys, backpacks, keychains, children's dinnerware & drinkware, photo albums, stickers & novelty items for children. Phone :323-588-8811
		19. UltraViolet Distributing Grayslake, IL, Illinois United States We have Blacklights & blacklight reactives, party lighting, posters, t-shirts, figurines & collectibles, invisible ink, chess sets, professional & DJ lighting, body jewelry, beaded curtains and novelties.
		20. Merling Wholesale Inc DBA Blanket Depot Cumberland, Maryland United States HOME BLANKLETS ALL DESIGNS & SIZES 25,000 IN STOCK ALSO Licensed Sports Products,BEACH TOWELS NFL, MLB, NBA, HARLEY, JOHN DEERE, DISNEY,Banners, Flags and much more. NEW CLOSEOUTS, IRR'S 301-729-2571. Yankees, Redsox, Steelers, Cowboys, Patriots, NY GIANTS, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS, NEW ENGLAND
		21. FastFurnishings.com - Wholesale Dropship Furniture Oceanside, California United States Wholesale Furniture. We drop-ship directly to your customers. No minimum order. Beds, sofas, dining, office furniture, rugs, lighting, entertainment centers, office chairs, desks, eco-friendly, platform beds, mattress, game room, pool table, dart boards, bathroom, towels, bedding, shower curtains
		22. Mazer Wholesale Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States Wholesale Contractor Bags, Vinyl Floor Tile, Housewares, Hardware, Plastics, Tools, Painting Items, Dollar Store Items, Stationery, General Merchandise, Low minimum orders, drop shipping, wide variety and quick shipping makes us a great source of merchandise since 1986.
		23. Toilet Tattoos Macedonia, Ohio United States As seen on HGTV, Today Show and CBS Early Show. Toilet Tattoos are a removable, reusable, hygienic appliqué for the toilet lid. Made from electrostatic film, they wipe clean and are easy to apply. They are available in a large variety of designs including Holiday, Seasonal, Themes and more. Paten
		24. Dollar Store Wholesale Items Brooklyn, New York United States With over 50 years of service to the retail hardware & dollar store industry we are now offering online ordering. Our entire line of products which includes Tools/Hardware, Household/Cleaning Products, Pet Supplies, Automotive, Electrical Supplies and Fashion Accessories is just a click away.
		25. Elms Gifts Wholesale North Port, Florida United States We have a wide variety of Unique Gifts, Licensed Collectibles, Home & Garden Decor, and so much more. No minimum order. No membership fees. We ship worldwide. FREE DROPSHIP!!
		26. Mingzhou Oriental Imports, Ltd. Cincinnati, Ohio United States We are an importer & wholesaler in the US specializing in oriental furniture, home decor, fine gifts, figurines, wood, crystals, souvenirs, pewter, jewelry, ceramics, antiques, general gifts, glass, arts & collectibles. Experience the eastern culture, we drop ship. Visit Us At www.moriental.com
		27. Touch Lamp Wholesale Penn Yan, New York United States Leading wholesaler of unique and beautiful TOUCH LAMPS. Huge selection. Many styles. Excellent volume discounts for big profits!
		28. Whirled Planet Kapaa, Hawaii United States Hundreds of sterling silver items starting at just $1.95. Gemstone rings start at $3.75. 10% off your first order. 300% mark up!
		29. Home and Garden Wholesale Mount Sterling, Illinois United States Home and Garden Wholesale has one of the largest in stock selections of cast iron garden planters, urns, & fountains in the U.S. to go along with over 1000 other decorative wrought iron garden accessories. Check out our arbors, arches, trellises, and topiaries to hanging baskets & window boxes.
		30. Shaffer Wholesale Lecanto, Florida United States Shaffer Wholesale specializes in anything that you would need or want for a kitchen, from bakeware to utensils. Please visit our web site to see our kitchenware products or call (352)621-3712 to speak with us directly.

MIAMI BEACH

2010-11-11T19:33:00.000-08:00

MIAMI BEACH

Miami Beach is known for its upscale, posh lifestyle, designer boutique shopping, rich retirees and luxury beachfront apartments. At the same time, Miami Beach is home to the neighborhood of South Beach, renowned in recent years as a top Spring Break location with a wild and crazy party scene. Somehow, Miami Beach manages to balance these very different cultures with a style and grace all its own.

The city was incorporated in 1915. In the early twenties, the Miami Beach boom began when business magnates J.C. Penney and Harvey Firestone made this Florida haven home.

Sultry Miami Beach, with an average daily temperature of 76 degrees, is home to one of the largest snow skiing clubs in the United States!`

Miami Beach started with the purchase of South Beach in 1870 by Henry and Charles Lum where they started a coconut farm, dredged Biscayne Bay, and created the island city's first causeway.
Fashion Icon Gianni Versace's Mansion on Ocean Drive is the most photographed home in Florida. The mansion steps are where Gianni Versace was notoriously murdered in 1997 by a psychotic with obsessive fantasies of romance and modeling.
Miami Beach has the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world with over 800 original buildings from the 1920's and 30's.
Sultry Miami Beach, with an average daily temperature of 76 degrees, is home to one of the largest snow skiing clubs in the United States!

Art Deco Hotel, Miami Beach
This photo provided by
AllPosters.com

Miami Beach Hotels
This photo provided by
AllPosters.com

South Beach Florida
Welcome to the 24/7 party central paradise known as South Beach! Long stretches of hot, sandy beaches lined with tropical drink stands and lots of skin are where it's at for this increasingly popular Florida Spring Break destination.

South Beach is known for its young and diverse community and some of the largest, most outrageous night clubs in the world. Fashion shoots and movie filming are common here and an eclectic mix of vintage cars, swimsuit models, roller bladers and bikers are always out and about in South Beach.
Miami Beach Art Deco District
Art Deco originated in Europe in the 1920's and quickly made its way to the United States to settle in fashionable Miami Beach. The district is home to many small Art Deco hotels, lovingly preserved as part of Miami Beach history. The Art Deco architecture in the district uses bright pastel colors, stark lines and zig zag forms inspired by Egyptian décor unearthed with King Tut's tomb. Shops abound with both replicas and original works of Art Deco jewelry and art.
Miami Beach Botanical Gardens
The Miami Beach Botanical Gardens are an oasis of lush tropical foliage, a kaleidoscope of colorful flowering plants, and lovely water gardens. Visitors can spend hours wandering the Gardens, or enjoy guided tours led by horticultural experts. The Botanical Gardens host all kinds of events, from elegant luncheons among rare tree specimens to charitable events to massages in this outdoor nature's paradise.

टिप्स Tricks to Help You Create a Moving Plan

2010-09-02T20:27:00.001-07:00

Tricks to Help You Create a Moving Plan

If a move to a new apartment is in your future, it’s time to create a moving plan. A moving plan will help you set goals for how to use your time most effectively and keep you organized when things get busy.

What’s a moving plan?
A moving plan is a handy guide that’ll let you organize your timeline and to-do list in one convenient place so that nothing falls through the cracks while you undergo the busy process of getting into a new apartment. It’s basically a customized plan of attack that’ll make moving easier.

Set your goals
The first step is to create a list of every task you’ve got to accomplish before you move. This moving list should include items related to any of the following:

• Finding a new apartment
• Packing
• Hiring a moving company or reserving a rental truck
• Preparing your current apartment for move-out
• Setting up your new अपार्टमेन्ट

Don’t worry about writing things down in order, just concentrate on thinking about everything you have to do. Get it all down on paper on the moving list so you can assign deadlines to every task with a moving timeline.
Set a timeline
The next step in creating a moving plan is to set a moving timeline. Get out a calendar and decide how much time you have to accomplish all of your tasks. Look back at your moving list and assign deadlines for all of your tasks. Mark these dates.

If you’re feeling particularly plucky, you could use colored markers, stickers, or printer ink to designate between different types of tasks. For example, all tasks related to finding a new apartment can be marked in red, tasks to take care of once you’re in your new apartment could be yellow, etc. You might find the color code system helpful, but color-coding your calendar isn’t as important as actually getting down all of your important dates onto the moving timeline.
This calendar is an important organizational tool for your move. Display it in a place where you’ll see it every day, and you’ll be sure to accomplish all of your tasks by their deadlines.

Print out a चेच्क्लिस्ट
Once you’ve got deadlines assigned to all of your tasks, you may also want to create a moving checklist. You can refer to this checklist throughout the moving process and physically mark off tasks as you accomplish them. You can create your own checklist from scratch or you can use Apartment Guide’s Moving Checklist.
Make a room लिस्ट
Next, start listing all of the rooms you’ll have in your new apartment. Taking this step will help you think about where to place furniture and belongings in your new place, especially if you’ll be upsizing or downsizing. When you start to pack, you’ll be able to refer to this room list and label moving boxes according to where they should end up in your new place. The room list is the part of your moving plan that’ll help make unloading your belongings fast and efficient at your new apartment.
Create a moving file
Your moving checklist, timeline, and room list all combine to form a comprehensive moving plan। One way to make the moving plan work for you is to create a moving file or binder, one centralized place where you keep your calendar, checklist, and room list so you can find them
when you need them
With your moving plan easily accessible, you should feel more comfortable about having a plan of attack for moving. Instead of worrying about what needs to be done and when, you can get down to business and make your move go as smoothly as possible.

Flower Care Tips

2010-07-09T01:43:00.000-07:00

Most floral arrangements last 4-7 days or longer, depending on the flowers used and the care they receive. The Society of American Florists provides these tips for longer-lasting, more vibrant flowers:

For floral arrangements

* Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing a flower food provided by your florist. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with either a pint or a quart of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

* If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Be sure to use a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems. Immediately place the stems into solution.

* Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes flowers to dehydrate.) Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

For loose bunches or boxed flowers

* Keep your flowers in a cool place until you can get them in a flower food solution. Don't forget how important it is to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet.

* Fill a clean (washed with a detergent or antibacterial cleaning solution), deep vase with water and add a flower food from your florist.

* Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial microbial growth that may limit water uptake by the flower.

* Re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Place the flowers in the vase solution you've prepared.

Selecting Flowers

* When selecting flowers, look for flowers with upright, firm petals and buds beginning to open. Yellow, spotted or drooping leaves are signs of age.

* When using woody stems and branches (such as quince, forsythia or lilac), cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place them in warm water containing fresh flower food to promote flower opening.

Ask your florist about flower care.

plumbung tips

2010-05-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

Plumbing
Indoor plumbing has moved beyond just being a modern convenience to a necessity. You home's plumbing system is important to maintain so that you can avoid any unpleasant mishaps.

Whether you have completed some plumbing repairs in the past or are attempting your first job, you'll find the tips in this section to be helpful. There is information here about adjusting the water level in your toilet, adjusting the water heater temperature, and finding a good plumber.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers
The following articles are available for the 'Plumbing' topic. Click the article's title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

Adjusting the Water Heater Temperature
One of the easiest, though slightly annoying, jobs that you can do around the home is adjusting the temperature of your water heater. While it may not seem like much, by adjusting the water heater temperature, you can actually save a lot of money on your monthly utility bills. Here's how you do it.

Adjusting the Water Level of a Toilet
Knowing the correct way for adjusting the water level of a toilet can help you in a surprising number of ways. Whether you have a running toilet, a leak, or a just looking to cut back on your water bills, fiddling with the water level in your toilet will have a huge impact.

Adjusting Water Heater Temperature
Adjusting the temperature of your water heater is as easy as moving the dial of your thermostat. The difficult part is finding a temperature that everyone in the household finds comfortable. Keep in mind that water can burn at temperatures higher than 150 degrees and adjust the thermostat accordingly.

Diagnosing Plumbing Pressure Problems
One of the biggest causes for a grumpy morning is the sudden loss of water pressure during a shower. If you find yourself faced with sudden plumbing pressure problems, take some time to diagnose them. Diagnosing plumbing pressure problems is relatively easy, and can help you save a lot of money in plumbing repairs. Here's how you do it.

Finding a Good Plumber
As anyone who has ever had any plumbing work done can tell you a good plumber is worth their weight in gold. Here are some simple steps that anyone can use to help them in finding a good plumber before the next home crisis happens.

Fixing Leaky Pipes
Fixing minor pipe leaks is not a labor-intensive chore. The worst part of the job may be that you have to fit into tight places such as a crawl space, inside of a wall, or under the kitchen sink. If you've determined that you have a minor pipe leak, follow these steps to fix your leaky pipe.

Installing a Pop-Up Drain
If you haven't already got a pop-up drain in your bathroom sink, then you need to think about installing one. Installing a pop-up drain is a relatively easy plumbing project that even a novice can complete in less than an hour. All you need to do is follow these instructions.

Insulating Your Plumbing
Even if you live in a mild climate and don't experience cold winters, you can insulate your plumbing and save energy and money. A simple task to complete, insulating your plumbing can help your water heater work less. Follow these tips for insulating your plumbing.

Keeping Your Pipes from Freezing
If you've ever experienced the aftermath of frozen water pipes, then you've probably already taken measures to ensure that it will never happen again. However, if you're a new homeowner and need to winterize your home, follow these guidelines and suggestions to keep your pipes from freezing in cold weather.

Winterizing a Hot Tub
Improperly shutting down your hot tub for the season can ruin an expensive investment. Most people should call a professional to winterize their hot tub, but if you think that you can handle the job yourself, follow these steps for winterizing your hot tub.

Winterizing Exterior Water Faucets
While you're putting your garden hoses away for winter, take the time to drain and turn off your outside water faucets, too. While you can easily replace a burst garden hose, the same cannot be said for replacing a burst water pipe. Follow these steps for winterizing your exterior water faucets.

Safety And Cleaning Tips

2010-01-28T18:30:00.001-08:00

Don't let paint harden on your brush
Wrap your brush in cling wrap, if you take a break in between painting, to stop it from drying out.

Clean all your tools immediately
After painting, clean brushes and rollers immediately. Use turpentine to wash oil-based paint from brushes. Store flat or on their handles. Use water to wash emulsion paint from rollers. Hang them to dry to prevent crushing the pile.

Storing unused paint
Wipe the rim of the can clean and replace the lid. Place a block of wood over the lid and tap it down with a hammer to reseal. Invert the can for a few seconds to pevent a layer skin forming on the paint surface. Store in a well-ventilated place that is cool, dry and out of children's reach.

Dispoing of paint safely
Do not pour paint down the drain. Allow empty cans to dry out first and place them in double-lined rubbish bags before disposing.

Colour That Works Beautifully Everywhere - The Role Of Colours

2010-01-28T18:08:00.001-08:00

Your choice of colour is an extension of your personality and individuality. Whether you utilize colour as a form of self-expression or to serve a specific purpose, Nippon Paint has your perfect shade. Choose from our wide spectrum of beautiful colours or create your own! Our paints will bring your room to life, with advanced formulae that ensure they will satisfy and delight you for a long time.

The Role Of Colours

Colour is a very individual thing. It speaks of who you are. It echoes the many facets of our persona. Some use colour to express creativity. Others draw on its power to enhance the quality of life. Like rejuvenating the mind with energy and zest. Or calming the soul with peace and tranquility.

So let your individualism and inspirations be guided by the various roles of colour. And fill each room in your home with the right ambience.

Functional colours

Functional colours tend to be mild and often allow furniture and other objects to be the centre of attention. Functional colours can also make a room smaller or bigger. As such, they are often used in contrast with the furniture. For instance, a soft eggshell shade to offset the bold furniture.

Decorative colours

Decorative colours shout out, and tend to be bold and bright. They are useful for highlighting details you want people to notice. For example, splashes of yellow to emphasise trimmings and skirtings. Decorative colours are also used to play off each other, making each other stand out more.

Emotional colours

Emotional colours are designed to affect and influence emotions. Emotional colours set the tone and mood of a room. The use of certain colours inspires romance and tenderness, while others can make a room seem festive or cheery. Similarly, the poor use of colours can affect emotions negatively, making us feel sad or irritable.

Psychological colours

Psychological colours are all about energy. Different colours convey different messages to the mind. They can calm or they can excite. White suggests purity and innocence. Red is active, bold and aggressive. Orange and yellow convey brightness. Green is refreshing. Psychological colours are popular in places like living areas or conference rooms because they can affect a large group of people in the same way - usually with positive results.

Colour That Works Beautifully Everywhere - The Role Of Colours

2010-01-28T18:08:00.000-08:00

The Role Of Colours

Functional colours

Decorative colours

Emotional colours

Psychological colours

Full-time Interior Design Training - Intake February 2010

2009-11-25T21:15:00.000-08:00

Contact Us
DMZ Academy of Creative Art, managed by DMZ Sdn. Bhd. 717141-A registered with SSM, Malaysia.

Address:
21-3, 3rd Mile Square, 151 Jalan Klang Lama, 58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel.: 03 7984 2800 Fax.: 03 7984 7800

Email.: info@dmzacademy.com.my
Website: www.dmzacademy.com.my

The best Interior Design Training in Malaysia.
(part-time & full-time training available)

Monday, November 16, 2009
Full-time Interior Design Training - Intake February 2010

Full-time Interior Design Training - Intake February 2010

Learning pathway :
Begin
Certificate Level 1
Certificate Level 2
Certificate Level 3

4months Internship
Executive Diploma
Bachelor of Art (ID)

For more detail, please contact our representative: Call : 03 7984 2800 or email enquiry to info@dmzacademy.com.my

DMZ Academy welcome all SPM leavers and College Students to join this training.

Certificate - validated by International Council of Interior Architects and Designers (ICIAD)
Certificate - validated by International Design Council (IDC)
Diploma - affiliate with Millennium International University (MIU)
Bachelor Degree - affiliate with Millennium International University (MIU)

TTS Motto is Home Interior Design from singapore

2009-11-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

TTS Motto

To satisfy the needs of TTS customers.

Misson Statement

TTS Window Fashions is a full service window furnishing firm that is especially well-versed in creating high-end interiors. Hence, we strive to focus on styles that enhance architecture and reflect the taste of each client. Working from preliminary design concept through selection of window furnishings and construction, we put an emphasis on excellent communication with the client. Every effort is made to interpret the client's style and personality. We believe that our clients are our most valuable assets to success. This is the mission of TTS.

About Our Business

Incorporated during the early 1980s, TTS window fashions has been supplying all types of blinds and curtain accessories to the domestic and contract markets in Singapore and Malaysia. Our products include venetian blinds in a range of widths and materials, roller blinds in 4 different systems, vertical blinds, pleated blind, roman shade system, decorated curtain tracks, sloping window blinds, skylight/ceiling blinds, exterior blinds, retractable awning, all types of motorised blind and other Tachikawa's Interior products.

Based in Singapore, we also have a production plant-cum-sales office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with a staff strength of 100 people in all. Over the last 20 years we have been fine-tuning and perfecting our product ranges and developing them by using our knowledge and experience built up over time. As the sole agent of TACHIKAWA blinds from Japan, we will always be in the forefront of the latest hardware designs and technologies. We are also an authorized Somfy dealer and an expert in all kinds of Somfy motorised products. We are also proud to be the exclusive distributor for world renowned fabrics makers such as COULISSE, ALMEDAHLS, PHIFER, J&M and many others.

Today, TTS has grown and is still progressing. We pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality and service to all our customers. Our sales engineers are trained to assist customers in securing the right materials for the job. We are a Company committed to the highest level of customer service in the industry. It is our company policy that we only use components of the highest quality and under no circumstances do we compromise on our highest of standards. At TTS, we continue to be creative, innovative and imaginative in our approach to all future developments.

Our Sales Team

The sales team of TTS covers 3 main areas:

* Wholesale / Dealer Sales - supplying to various retail outlets throughout Singapore & Malaysia.
* Contract Sales - tenders & contracts for commercial projects in the ASEAN region. We can deal directly with Architects, Interior Designers, Main Contractors to assist them in specifications of blinds for projects.
* Export Sales - Exporting blind components or finished products to Fabricators or Dealers anywhere in the world.

tip to deco Lighting

2009-09-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Lighting creates ambience and makes a room welcoming. Good lighting enables activity, enhances color, and gives a room a sense of warmth and life. Lighting can fill a dark corner, lift a low ceiling, camouflage a dark angle, or brighten up a gloomy room. We are always seeking balance, so we don't want to over-light or under-light any area.

Light fixtures also bring fun and fashion to a space. One of the keys to creating a comfortable and flexible room is to layer the lighting. There are three kinds of lighting to consider. Use a mix ambient, task, and accent lighting to delineate different zones. Choose light fixtures and lamps that add character to your decor.
Ambient lighting

Begin with the ambient lighting or general lighting that just makes the room visible. Ambient light is the basic lighting layer, illuminating walls, open areas, and main pieces of furniture so that you can navigate the space with ease. For instance ambient lighting in a living room is very important because the room is often occupied by more than one person. Hanging ceiling fixtures offers the broad wash of diffused illumination required for soft, general lighting. Ambient light can be direct, bounced off a wall, or diffused through a shade to warm up the quality of the light.
Select your style:

* Torchières are uplights that emit a soft, even wash of light, their beam bounces from the ceiling before angling down.
* Recessed downlights are built into the ceiling and have a reflective lining.
* Pendants hang from the ceiling. They come in different shapes and styles that can add another decorative element to a room.
* Suspended uplights are ceiling-mounted fixtures that cast light upward and give an even glow.
* Wall-mounted uplights or sconces cast a diffused glow and are wise choices for pale-colored rooms or reflective wall finishes.

Task Lights

After, consider the task lights you'll need for you and your family to read, work, or play. Task lighting is focused light that illuminates a specific activity. Available in a vast number of styles, task lamps offer both direct illumination and great design flexibility because you can often change their style and the effects of their light with different shades or positioning. Place a wall sconces behind the sofa to facilitate reading, or use a swing-arm table lamp on a side or parson's table. Most bedrooms require effective task lighting next to the bed as well as in reading corners, at vanities, and on work surfaces.
Select your style:

* Table lamps with three-way bulbs allow for adjustable levels of light. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and wattages.
* Swing-arm lamps have adjustable arms that allow the light to be swung into position, perfect at the bedside.
* Sconces attach directly to the wall and can offer useful supplementary lighting.
* Floor lamps are freestanding and may be adjustable in height.
* Desk lamps focus a bright, downward beam of light with high level of illumination.
* Closet lights come in options such as hard-wired, low-voltage, or battery-operated.

Accent lights

Accent lights are specific and attention-grabbing. They are used to set mood, draw focus, or add sparkle. larger accent lights like wall washers impart a soft, colorful glow; spotlights can draw attention to favorite artwork or emphasize a focal wall; candles create a sense of movement and cast dramatic shadows. Often, it can be a beautiful decorative accessory on its own. Use accent lighting to spotlight a photo, collection, or display. Place accent lights in bookcase shelves or on a long mantel for subtle illumination.
Select your style:

* Picture lights perch over artwork to illuminate it. They are usually low wattage to minimize glare off reflective surfaces.
* Track lights can be aimed to highlight architectural details and favorite objects.
* Mini-chandeliers hang from the ceiling and add sparkle.
* Candles fill a room with warmth and animation; they can add color and scent as well.
* Nightlights are very low wattage and offer illumination by which to navigate or sleep.
* Beaded-shade lamps change the quality of light, tinting it with jewel tones.

Lighting every room:

* Foyers, halls and stairways: size the decorative fixture to the space. If the fixture can be viewed from another room, be sure to select a fixture which look attractive. Stairways and halls must have good general lighting for safety.
* Bedroom area: gently filtered and flattering light in a bedroom creates a sense of calm and repose. The placement and intensity of lighting affects a space's atmosphere, making it cozy or cool, dramatic or cheerful. The right level of light in a bedroom is entirely personal, it should be flexible enough to let you read, work and relax comfortably. Consider first the ambient lighting or general lighting, it is the light cast by overhead fixtures, whether recessed and largely invisible (as in most modern houses) or pendant and decorative (as in older homes).
* Living area: recessed lighting is one of the best ways to light a general area because the light source is concealed. One of the most immediate ways to bring graciousness to a room is by implementing a well-designed lighting plan. By providing multiple sources, both an inviting wash of ambient light and a variety of task and accent lights, you establish the living room a place where all will feel at home. Individual lamps create an intimate feeling. Commonly used as sources for task-specific lighting, floor, table, and wall lamps and their shades can transform the mood of the room. Think of lamp shades as fashion accessories. translucent shades, such as those made of natural parchment, silk, handmade paper, or linen, softly diffuse light; opaque and semi-opaque shades alter the direction of light and focus the beam up or down. Candles are infinitely useful for adding drama, warmth, and sparkle to a space. Aromatic candles infuse a space with long-lasting scent.
* Dining area: a chandelier or pendant can be a general lighting element, as well as a focal point of your home. A chandelier should be 6" to 12" smaller than the narrowest side of the table and the bottom of a pendant or chandelier should be approximately 30" above a table. Recessed wall washers can provide additional light while helping to create an illusion of a larger room space.
* Kitchen area: decorative fluorescent fixture mounted in the center of a work space is a common choice but as energy efficient as they are, fluorescent bulbs cast a cold white light that makes people look ghostly. Cooking and food preparation require good lighting, you'll make the kitchen a much more attractive place to be by replacing fluorescent lights with incandescent or halogen lighting. Down lights mounted 18'' off the edge of the cabinets, and spaced 3'' or 4'' on centers is an excellent way to create additional general lighting.
* Bathroom area and vanity lighting: a good lighting plan begins at the vanity, and proceed from there. Use both side and top lighting, surround the mirror with clear, soft light to avoid shadows and glare on your face. For a nice, ambient radiance, think about indirect lighting, which usually recesses the light source in an over-head cove. Areas over 100 square feet require several recessed down lights or decorative surface mounted fixtures. It's important to understand what qualities of light will work best, both with your skin tone and the materials in the bath. The goal is to provide the room with a background of flattering, even light. To change the mood of installed lighting or to add flourish, use accent lighting, floor lamps, table lamps or chandeliers can all function as accent lights. Bring in pillars, votives, and scented candles to create a true sense of private refuge.
* Outdoor lighting: Select a design and size to complement your house while providing sufficient lighting for safety. When installing a wall lantern, size the fixture to the door and surrounding space. Wall lanterns should be mounted slightly above eye level from the center of the fixture to the floor. Post top lanterns are an excellent way to light a walkway, while complimenting wall lanterns. Large post top lanterns make a better impression when used in large open spaces..

Decor Accessories

* Rugs
* Candles
* Interior Lighting
* Cowhide Rugs
* Art
* Flowers
* Decorative Mirrors
* Dog Beds
* Vases & Vessels
* Slipcovers
* Plants
* Centerpieces
* Runners & Throws

Interior Decorating

* Window Treatment
* Flooring
* Floor Coverings
* Faux Finishing
* Trompe L oeil
* Fabrics
* Upholstery

Furniture

* Furnishing
* Bunk beds
* Beds
* Canopy Beds
* Cabinets & Side Tables
* Shelves
* Mosaic Furniture

Room Design

* Workspace / Office
* Bathroom
* Kids Room
* Kitchen
* Dining Room
* Living Room
* Garden & Outdoor spaces
* Bedroom
* Entrances / Halls

Decorating Tips

* Find a general contractor
* Healing Fragrances
* Color Your Home
* Principales of Design
* Impact of Colors
* Enlarge a small space
* Storage
* Staging for sale
* Feng Shui
* Displaying Objects
* Christmas decoration

Reference

* Interior Design Schools
* Historical Style Index
* Interior Design Magazines
* Cool Sites

Feng Shui

* Feng Shui Living Room
* Bright objects and energy
* Feng Shui and Numerology
* Feng Shui Guidelines

How To Prepare Your House For Sale

2009-09-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Prepping and staging a house. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.

Here's How:

1. Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.
* Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
* Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.
* Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!
* Say goodbye to every room.
* Don't look backwards -- look toward the future.

2. De-Personalize.
Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself living here."

3. De-Clutter!
People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.
* If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
* Remove all books from bookcases.
* Pack up those knickknacks.
* Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
* Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
* Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

4. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.
Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:
* Alphabetize spice jars.
* Neatly stack dishes.
* Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
* Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.
* Line up shoes.

5. Rent a Storage Unit.
Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"

6. Remove/Replace Favorite Items.
If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.

7. Make Minor Repairs.
* Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
* Patch holes in walls.
* Fix leaky faucets.
* Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
* Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls.
(Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
* Replace burned-out light bulbs.
* If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!

8. Make the House Sparkle!
* Wash windows inside and out.
* Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
* Clean out cobwebs.
* Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
* Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
* Clean out the refrigerator.
* Vacuum daily.
* Wax floors.
* Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
* Bleach dingy grout.
* Replace worn rugs.
* Hang up fresh towels.
* Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
* Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.

9. Scrutinize.
* Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
* Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
* Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
* Make sure window coverings hang level.
* Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?
* Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.

10. Check Curb Appeal.
If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.
* Keep the sidewalks cleared.
* Mow the lawn.
* Paint faded window trim.
* Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
* Trim your bushes.
* Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.

How to Buy a House -- A guide for first-time home buyers

2009-09-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

HouseBuyingTips.com is a useful FREE consumer advocate site giving you tips on buying new or used homes. You'll find tips on financing, real estate agents, negotiating, builders, scams & more.

We reveal the scams that other sites gloss over or ignore altogether because they don't want to alienate their advertisers. We don't care who we upset in our quest to bring you the truth, because we only care about you. You'll see this repeated all over this site:

HouseBuyingTips.com Law of Home Buying
The only person looking out for you is you!

When buying a home you'll meet lots brokers, agents, representatives, customer service account executives, VP of this, VP of that, the list goes on. But keep in mind that every one of these titles should be renamed "salesperson". Every one of these people makes their living selling you something, so tread carefully. Anything you say will be used against you.

We are not trying to scare you, we just want to educate you and prevent you from falling victim to the scams that cost people thousands of dollars every day. After reading this site, you'll be ready to buy a house with a calm and confident attitude, not paranoid and confrontational. We'll teach you how to negotiate with the best of them. If you were successful after using our other site CarBuyingTips.com, you'll do well here too.

Buying a house is 90% logistics and 10% negotiations. Whether you are buying a new house or a used house, you must keep in mind that everything is negotiable in life, and you should be negotiating at every single step of the way, because you'll find on closing day just how many people have their hands in your pocket. Don't ever feel guilty or foolish for asking for a discount from anyone of these people, they have no problem asking for money from you. Most important of all, do not buy a house without having an inspection performed.

Web sites To Help You Find A Real Estate Agent
Try HomeGain. Their free site with over 1.7 million consumers and 42,000 real estate agents registered, matches informed, confident homeowners and buyers like you and I with the most productive, highly qualified real estate agents in your area. You remain anonymous as agents submit detailed marketing proposals online. You can compare real estate agent qualifications and marketing plans before choosing the agent you want to work with. Other features give you the facts on prospective agents' backgrounds, experience, local sales, commission rates and more. You can use these reports to find agents who will list your house at a lower rate. Be sure to use their "What's My Home Worth?" feature. Whether you are buying or selling your home, everyone should at least start on HomeGain.

Tip For Buyers Of New Construction Homes
We have found a great resource to help avoid getting scammed by a new home builder. It is a downloadable book written by industry insiders called Home Building Pitfalls. It's not free but it contains an incredible amount of detail about what goes on in the home building industry and how to avoid getting screwed. Click here to learn more about the Home Building Pitfalls downloadable book.

video House Paint Tips

2009-08-24T00:59:00.000-07:00

Tim Carter, of AsktheBuilder.com, shows some sweet tips on how to keep paint brushes looking like new, how to seal paint can lids and how to get professional results when painting two different colors.

video Feng Shui Home Decorating Tips : Understanding a Compass Reading Feng Shui

2009-08-24T00:56:00.001-07:00

Tips on understanding a compass reading with techniques for feng shui home decorating in this free interior design video.

professional designer tips

2009-08-24T00:53:00.000-07:00

A professional designer discusses a variety of environmentally friendly interior decorating products for your home, in this free online natural home decorating video guide.

Tips how to Arranging Room Accessories!

2009-03-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

Arranging Room Accessories!

nightstand display(RDD) Arranging your accessories and creating a beautiful display of collectibles is easy when you follow these simple ideas:

1. Use Odd Number Groupings - one three or five, seven, nine... you get the idea. A great place to start is by reviewing and duplicating professionally inspired arrangements as in magazines such as Martha Stewart Living. Notice the details, the odd numbers, the sizes, shapes and colors.

2. Size Matters - There are two ways to display your collectibles. A symmetrical display means everything is the same size and color. This works best in modern, minimalist or elegant style decorating. Asymmetrical groupings work best in a more casual or contemporary situation varying sizes cause the eye to flows gracefully over each item.

3. Don't over accessorize - Enough is as good as a feast! To many items displayed can equal clutter. To get the most visual impact out of the items you want to display, choose sparingly and rotate different decorative pieces every few weeks to a month.

4. Display what you love - A fundamental element of good Feng Shui is to love what you have. Accessories are not necessarily for your guest, they are for you to enjoy. Be willing to look carefully at what you are accessorizing with. Do you love it? Then show it. If you get luke warm feelings about it either store it away or discard it.

5. Accessorize one space at a time - Take your time and think about what and where you are placing objects. Remove all accessories and start with a clean slate. Methodically place treasures, step back and take a look, then add another.

How to Select Art for Your Home

2009-03-24T21:52:00.000-07:00

Selecting art for your home can be an exciting adventure and a source of enjoyment for years to come. Keys to success are figuring out what kind of art you like, how it will fit in with the rest of your interior design plans, and how to exhibit the art to the best effect in your home.

What kind of art do you like?

There are many opportunities to browse art within your community at local exhibitions, art fairs and galleries. Even small towns usually have a not-for-profit gallery space, or cafés and restaurant that exhibit local artists. In larger cities, galleries often get together for monthly or periodic “gallery nights” where all the galleries hold open house receptions on the same evening. It’s a great way to see a lot of art in a short time.

Today the internet provides the largest variety and depth of fine art available worldwide. You can visit museum websites and see master works from ages past, check out online galleries for group shows, and visit hundreds of individual artists’ websites. One advantage of using the internet is that you can search for the specific kind of art you are interested in, whether it’s photography, impressionism, bronze sculpture, or abstract painting. And when you find one art site, you’ll usually find links to many, many more.

Should the art fit the room or the room fit the art?

If you feel strongly about a particular work of art, you should buy the art you love and then find a place to put it. But you may find that when you get the art home and place it on a wall or pedestal, it doesn’t work with its surroundings. By not “working,” I mean the art looks out of place in the room. Placing art in the wrong surroundings takes away from its beauty and impact.

What should you do if you bring a painting home and it clashes with its environment? First, hang the painting in various places in your home, trying it out on different walls. It may look great in a place you hadn’t planned on hanging it. If you can’t find a place where the art looks its best, you may need to make some changes in the room, such as moving furniture or taking down patterned wallpaper and repainting in a neutral color. The changes will be worth making in order to enjoy the art you love.

Sometimes the right lighting is the key to showing art at its best. You may find that placing a picture light above a painting or directing track lighting on it is all the art needs to exhibit its brilliance. If you place a work of art in direct sunlight, however, be sure it won’t be affected by the ultraviolet light. Pigments such as watercolor, pencil and pastel are especially prone to fading. Be sure to frame delicate art under UV protected glass or acrylic.

How to pick art to fit the room.

Size and color are the two major criteria for selecting art to fit its surroundings. For any particular space, art that is too large will overwhelm, and art that is too small will be lost and look out of proportion. The bolder the art, the more room it needs to breathe.

As a rule, paintings should be hung so that the center of the painting is at eye level. Sculpture may sit on the floor, a table, or pedestal, depending on the design. Rules should be considered guidelines only, however, so feel free to experiment.

When selecting a painting to match color, select one or two of the boldest colors in your room and look for art that has those colors in it. You’re not looking for an exact match here. Picking up one or two of the same colors will send a message that the painting belongs in this environment.

Another possibility for dealing with color is to choose art with muted colors, black-and-white art, or art that is framed in a way that mutes its color impact in the room. A wide light-colored mat and neutral frame create a protected environment for the art within.

Style is another consideration when selecting art to fit a room. If your house is filled with antiques, for example, you’ll want to use antique-style frames on the paintings you hang there. If you have contemporary furniture in large rooms with high ceilings, you’ll want to hang large contemporary paintings.

How to create an art-friendly room.

Think about it. When you walk into a gallery or museum, what do they all have in common? White walls and lots of light. If a wall is wall-papered or painted a color other than white, it limits the choices for hanging art that will look good on it. If a room is dark, the art will not show to its best advantage.

If you want to make art the center of attraction, play down the other elements of the room like window coverings, carpeting, wall coverings, and even furniture. A room crowded with other colors, textures and objects will take the spotlight away from the art. Follow the principle that less is more. Keep it spare and let the art star. Then relax and enjoy it.

Selecting and displaying art is an art in itself. Experiment to learn what pleases you and what doesn’t. You’ll be well-rewarded for the time you invest by finding more satisfaction both in the art and in your home.

home Safety Tips For Kids

2009-03-04T18:04:00.000-08:00

Safety Tips For Kids

Teach your children about personal safety at a young age so they can better protect themselves.

* Map out a route to and from school and walk it with your children. Make sure they follow this same route every day unless they have your permission to go another way.

* Find out if your school has an attendance call-back program to let you know if your child does not arrive at school.

* Your child should carry some form of identification, for example, a laminated ID card with his or her name, complete address, telephone number and an emergency contact person and their phone number.

* Click here for more information on Ameritech's Kid Safe & Sound program, a child identification program which may be available in your community.

* Keep up to date records on your child, including a recent photo, a lock of hair wrapped in plastic, age, blood type, height and weight, date and location of last dental x-rays, distinguishing marks, eye color and any other identifying characteristics.

Home Alone?

In the event that you need to leave an older child at home alone, be sure that he or she understands the following safety rules:

* How to call you at work, or a neighbor, if you can't be reached.

* How to call 911 in the event of an emergency

* How to get out of the house in case of fire.

* Never let anyone in the house, even someone who claims to be a policeman

* Never tell a caller they're home alone; tell them that their parent can't come to the phone right now

home deco tips Organise With Tiscali

2008-12-03T17:18:00.000-08:00

Organise With Tiscali

IS YOUR kitchen often in a state of disarray with trays, baskets and chopping boards left in the sink, and everywhere else? Do you need help organising your kitchen utensils without burning a here in your pocket?

If so, then you need a new Tiscali multipurpose stainless steel sink.

Tiscali is proud to present three new stainless steel sinks: the Bangke, EFA and EPA.

Now, you can have proper storage space for everything you need around the sink, for a neat and tidy kitchen.

The Bangke and EFA sinks come with a unique surface that is oil-stain-free, easy to clean and has high scratch resistance.

The Bangke sink also comes with accessories such as a hanging basket, water filter, defrost board, chopping board and double-layer drainage to ensure a less chaotic environment in the kitchen.

Besides sinks, Tiscali also offers a wide range of cooker hoods and gas stoves.

Eric Leong and His Casa Impian / Profile

2008-10-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

http://ericleong.com.my

The popular interior designer, Eric Leong was born in Kluang, Johor and completed his education in Johor and Singapore. He holds 2 major academic qualifications - Degree in Business Studies, and later Degree in Interior Designing.

He has been collecting home-decor magazines since his youth time, and often become a ‘consultant’ to his mother, suggesting improvements here and there for their house.

He rose to prominence soon after starring in Casa Impian - which today has become the household name of interior designing and decorating industry in Malaysia. Casa Impian is the county’s first and most popular interior design make-over show. In the show, Eric display its magical touch by transforming plain, boring looking space into area of breath-taking look and feel. The show has continued for more than 6 seasons, and in later development, the show was re-branded as Deko Bersama Eric.

Eric has the capability to produce design of distinguished styles that include contemporary, traditional, Mediterranean, English-style, Oriental, Indian and tropical. He continuously shares his tips and wisdom such as how to make wise fabric selection, upholstery, mix and match and floral arrangement that reflects the lifestyle and interest of the house owner.

What sets him apart from other designers is his ability to throw challenges which may seem daunting for many but consistently rises to occasion. He is given only 8 hours to transform or make over the selected participant’s houses, but his expert combination of flooring selection, painting, lighting and decorating skills allow him to deliver stunning results. Best of all, those selected for the make over do not have to pay a single cent! He certainly knows how to make people happy.

Additionally, Eric also writes periodically for popular magazines such as Home Pride, Anjung Seri, Impiana and Living Taste, sharing his over 15 years of experience in the design industry. He believes that well arranged and decorated space is not only good for design, but it also helps to become an ‘agent of healing’. His article entitled “Healing Space” was recently featured in Health Today, the widely popular international health magazine. What we see today in Eric’s overwhelming success is only a small part of his colorful life. Like many other successes, he also has his period of ‘darkest days’ too. In 1999, his first interior design business that he co-built with a friend collapsed thanks to the infamous Asian economic crisis. Eric had to face a series of hardship that include being chased by the vendors and contractors, and was put into a deep crisis of debt. He toiled and worked hard to settle his problem and only after 5 years he managed to get out from his financial difficulty. Life of Eric Leong could not have been better since.

5 tips for decorating your Kids' Room

2008-10-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

Creating a room for your baby can be an enjoyable labour of love with a long-lasting impact. Here are some helpful stress-free decorating tips to consider for your infant's room:

1. Always keep your child's safety in mind. Be sure to check out safety guidelines before implementing any design idea. Use ICI Dulux Paints for their 100% mercury-free and lead-free formula that keeps your infant safe

2. Use your hands! Paste large stickers, put up your own shelving and sew your own bedsheets for the little one

3. Paint walls with a colour that will last through future updates in furniture and accessories. Turn the page for suggestions on colour schemes.

4. Try to future-proof your decorations and furniture. For instance, use furniture that can double as toddler beds, or try out room design themes that can last beyond the first years of infancy
5. Use clear colours that allow easy coordination with toys, accessories and future additions such as study tables. Come for some suggested colours you might want to consider.

Garden Style By Penelope Hobhouse

2008-10-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

The design and planting of fine gardens is an art best learnt by example. Inhis book, Penelope Hobhouse uses some of the finest gardens in the world tohow how to lay out and plant formal, patterned, natural and flower gardens.er examples range from, California,ith its spectacular curving staircase and rectangular pool, to theekyll-inspired planting of white foxgloves in the wild garden atnightshayes, Devon; from the excitement of the summer flower border atontrancart, Dieppe, to the simple greeness of a garden room at La Pietra inuscany.;But this book is more than a tour of beautiful gardens. Penelopeobhouse informs, advises and inspires on every aspect of garden design. Shexplains how to relate a garden to its setting; the importance ofstablishing a proper structure, whether as an end in itself or as a backdropor decorative planning; and how to create a successful small garden. Thesehemes are balanced by in-depth portraits of more than 20 gardens, someamous like Great Dixter, Villandry and Giustry, other less known and

More details

Garden Style

By Penelope Hobhouse

Published by frances lincoln ltd, 2002

ISBN 0711219877, 9780711219878

216 pages

http://irenovate.com.my/ home deco mart

2008-08-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

http://irenovate.com.my/

Welcome to iRenovate.com.my

iRenovate.com.my aims to provide you, our customer, a whole new level of office and housing improvement on renovation.

iRenovate.com.my is not your ordinary contractor for hire. We take into account of our clients ever changing housing and office needs, style and budget. We are a customer-oriented and focused on delivering an excellent service to you. You can walk into our showroom for an obligation free interior design and renovation consultation. We will draft out an affordable renovation package based on your requirements or designs.

Forget the credit crunch - Style for less kasa impian

2008-08-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

IKEA

Don't let the credit crunch stop you from updating your home. Our shoestring budget ideas will help you wave good-bye to your dated look. Big impact, little cost.

1. IKEA at your fingertips

The best kept secret among budgeting style aficionados is that IKEA can now be bought online. Hail the Scandi retailing institution that bought us the £150 sofa. Since launching 50 years ago, the Swedish flatpack giant has delivered endless bargains with style. The Bram steel palm leaf bowl (£5.99) tops our wish list. So, unless you're craving their meatballs, shop their products from the comfort of your armchair. Like this style? Buy the Look.

2. Cut back on cost, not on style

Dressing head-to-toe in designer gear is no guarantee to style. In the same vein, throwing cash at your home is not the solution. Juxtapose the old and bespoke with the mass produced for a home with personality. Are you an apprehensive shopper? Use the mydeco Plan my Room tool to test out products in 3D before you buy. About 40,000 products like this Curved wood dining chair (£24.95) from Dwell have been modelled so you can design your room on a budget.

3. Colour me wonderful

'The best way to update a room is with key accessories. Colourful, distinctive rugs can really brighten up a space,' says Michelle Alger, furniture and lighting buyer for Liberty. 'Add vibrant, patterned or image-embellished cushions.' We've fallen in love with this Douppion silk cassis cushion (£20) from Heals.

4. Bring nature inside

Flowers and plants are uplifting yet costly. Instead of buying fresh flowers on a weekly basis, save some pennies and go down the faux flower route. You would never believe that Bloom's faux flowers aren't the real thing. This white garden rose arrangement has been now £38, reduced from £54.

5. Lick of paint

Instead of spending a fortune replacing your kitchen or bathroom, update it with a funky splash of colour. 'It's so easy to update a wall with gloss paint. The finish looks clean, shiny and modern and really makes the colour pop,' says designer Cath Kidston. 'And, of course, it's super-practical.' One tin of Elizabethan red paint (£28) from Designer Paint goes a long way in a downstairs loo.

2. Impact without expense

Instead of splurging out on rolls and rolls of wallpaper, how about creating a feature wall? Pick a wow factor design like this Flamingo wallpaper (£44) from Wallpaperdirect to create real impact at a snippet of the cost. Get creative in your bathroom – mount your design on a thin MDF board, protect with glass splashback and place behind your basin. Trust us, it looks great.

7. Spend wisely

Spend your money where you can see it. So think big – don't waste a fortune on a pretty little ornament that is barely visible. Turn your favorite photo into a piece of art. This Bespoke single image canvas (£70) from 55 MAX will take pride of place in any room.

8. Bargain basement

There's no need to sacrifice style when there are great bargains to be found in the sales. Our favourite brands Graham & Green, M&S, Cargo and Next are all on sale this month. Think of mydeco as your very own one-stop-shop for all the sales. Clear clutter in this Morton low sideboard now £369.50, reduced from £739 from Graham & Green.

9. A frugal fashion: wall stickers

The wall sticker phenomenon is greeted with enthusiasm from commitment phobes, bargain hunters and parents of little ones. Ideal for creating an instant update to any wall at little cost, these blossom wall stickers (£29) from Not on the High Street are a cheap and cheerful decorating solution – just how we like it.

10. mydeco exclusive – get it while you can

The best deals always run out quickly – these bargain hunters don't hang around – so when you spot something you like, jump! Get 50% off this Chubby rattan conservatory chair from Cargo now £100 reduced from £349 just for mydeco users. At checkout, type in the mydeco code my8735. Perfect for indoors or out, the lovely round shape is so inviting you'll be tempted to curl up with a book and forget the world.

The Garden of Eden

2008-07-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Garden of Eden was there before architecture...

They also say that the mother of all arts this century is landscape architecture! It use to be architecture… something has changed. I like that shift. Like everything else, things are trying to get back to basics. Music is unplugged, architecture is moving back into the garden… God has a lot more input in the garden, I think. It is alive and growing. Architecture is man trying to be god. Not too long ago architecture was build for the gods, nowadays it is build for the rich Dubai Arabs. This is when some of us realised we have to return to basics. Groovy reflective architecture, gravity defying buildings, man made palm island, is only entertaining for a while. In Eden, Adam tried to be god for a while by eating the apple; his genes have been passed down to some of us. We will entertain ourselves for a while building things but in the long run we will yearn to return to that original garden.

Ever since Le Corbusier detached the building from the land with Villa Savoye, and in fact detaching the landscape from the attention of the architect, architecture has floundered and landscape architecture flourished. You think?

I’ve only seen pictures of Villa Savoye. Visited his Ronchamp a couple of years ago. Absolutely beautiful architecture but the relationship to the land and the wider landscape is not so hot. Fast forward to today, we have a lot of architects who see architecture as detached from the landscape. The thinking is compartmentalized. Buildings are designed as ubiquitous sculptures that can be placed anywhere on earth. This can be very problematic. The works of Frank Lloyd Wright, Luis Barragan and Geoffrey Bawa take on a more wholistic approach. The gardens and the wider landscape are totally locked into their buildings. It is not really about the competition between architecture and landscape architecture, it is more about the two coming together to form something that is greater than the two. These masters are magical.

You try to visit Bali as often as you can. I guess that's as close an ideal for living with nature we have. But the model of everyone owning and cultivating his/her plot of land is surely not sustainable- especially with rampant urbanisation. We stack homes upwards so we can free more land for greenery in between them. But how do you "lock" the landscape between these high-rise so that they are not left over spaces to be beautified by landscape architects? Are you happy with the level of inter-disciplinary approach you advocate in your work?

It is a common complain that landscape architects are not brought in early enough and are left with left-over spaces between the buildings but sometimes it is just a good excuse for doing a lousy job. I am not a big advocate of coming in early. Some of our best works are done when we came in late. The reason being the gestation time is a lot shorter and the design ideas are a lot fresher. In our industry the lapse between ideas and implementation is between 3-5 years. That is a long time. Whilst I believe that design ideas are not meant to be fashionable but in a period of 5 years I find myself doing and appreciating things differently, most of the time making things a lot simpler.

I have no problem with left-over space especially when it is a precondition for that negotiation to have total freedom to do what I like. I usually have more problems with interference by third parties; get in early where options are too many, designs are then done by committee. We have a term for that in Malaysia, the 'rojak' (mixed salad) scheme, where everyone’s opinions are considered, and ending up with the lowest common denominator.

Lately my preference is to work with a set of preferred clients and architects. We have got to a level where there is a lot of trust; we can second guess each other. That level of inter-disciplinary approach you described has become almost second nature, negotiations are less, pretty and meaningless drawings are less, and we can concentrate on what’s important.

I mean, don’t you wish to come on early enough in a project's design phase where you can address the ecological and land use issues instead of this aesthetics of left-over land parcels?

What gives you the impression that I am so ecological?? I have some major confessions to make on this!

But seriously, I believe that ecological and sustainable issues are not in the sole domain of landscape architects. An enlightened client and architect is almost a prerequisite. We can come in early and articulate such issues, but such enlightenment of the team usually happens long before, usually the project before the last. The question is not how early we come in, it is about that consistent effort that will lay the groundwork for that next project. For developers it is very much about the realisation of the hidden value on ecological issues, otherwise there is no action. Enlightened developers are emerging, not necessarily educated by us, but more likely by Al Gore and his inconvenient truth on global warming. But it is true that we are getting involved in projects a lot earlier nowadays.

Recently we looked at a 2000-acre site in Malaysia. The planners and architects did not think it necessary to investigate the site. "It is a flat site." "There is only 2m difference from one end of the site to the other." Eventually when we did visit the site, there were ponds and lakes with cyan blue water and a beautiful orang asli village in an oil palm estate in the middle of the site. The standard modus operandi in this part of the world is to shift any orang asli settlement to the fringe of the site in order for "value" development to happen in the centre, likely to a swamp near a cemetery or a sewerage treatment plant. Our early involvement in this case helps in preserving the existing location of the orang asli village and giving a rationale to locate the new town central park around it and the cyan blue lakes.

Your "Sekeping Serendah", inspired by Peter Stutchbury, is a primer in "touching the earth lightly." But can a high-rise building also "touch the earth lightly"?

It is a matter of defining "touching the land lightly" differently in the case of high rise high density buildings. There can still be a lot of respect for the land. Sometimes we advocate less blocks and compensate with much higher blocks and leave some land untouched. We have also advocated building high rises with a large area of do-nothing land instead of spreading out all over the site with row houses and retaining walls. We have just completed a high rise development where the rock outcrops are kept intact. We have to fight on multiple fronts as there are a lot of interests to have the rocks blasted away for some lame safety considerations. The neighboring site did just that and they spend months blasting and hacking away at the rock. I don’t think the genus loci was very happy. I guess every piece of land calls for its own solutions.

Touching the land lightly is about listening very carefully what the land is telling us. It takes a bit of effort. I have on numerous occasions encountered planners and architects who do not think it necessary to visit the site. Plans are drawn without even a contour plan. I guess the assumption is that the land can be flattened anyway. We have all these heavy machineries at our disposal. You can almost imagine the result in most of these cases.

Geoffrey Bawa builds a series of 4 to 5-storeys building for the Kandalama hotel in Sri Lanka. It is painted black and native plants are crawling out from every nook and cranny. It is totally integrated into the land. I bet it could go 20-storeys and it still works. He was touching the land very lightly.

Touching the land lightly is also more than just the physical manifestation. The process of healing the land is an extension of that same philosophy. In Kandalama’s case, every guest that checks into the hotel take away an equivalent of their own waste in the form of plant compost when they check out, elegantly packed. That is a very gentle thought.

Also in the same philosophy is getting the land to reclaimed the buildings, having the land touch the building gently. The jardin vertical and vegetated walls of Patrick Blanc are leading in this area. He has open up some tremendous possibilities for cities, a paradigm shift in which we view the land and the garden. When we have stacked up homes to cater for urbanization, horizontal surfaces might be scarce, but there are a lot of vertical surfaces. Like the limestone cliffs and waterfall cliffs, they could be graciously cladded with vegetation. I am sure Patrick Blanc’s vegetated wall was inspired by these.

There could be tremendous amount of greenery in future cities. It does not need to look like Batman’s Gotham city.

PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT Your LifeStyle Guru

2008-07-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT

Your LifeStyle Guru

your 'BRAND' SPOKES-PERSON

Brand is the proprietary visualBrand is the proprietary visual, emotional, rational, and cultural image that you associate with a company or a product. When you think Volvo, you might think safety, when you think Nike, you might think of Michael Jordan or "Just Do It.", just like that we welcome you to ERIC that gives you an image of " BOLD and style ".

The fact that you remember the brand name and have positive associations with that brand makes your product selection easier and enhances the value and satisfaction you get from the product. Hence brand with ERIC today and be remembered..

Drop us an email for more info 'brand@ericleong.com.my'

A good brand name gives a good first impression, is easy to remember, and evokes positive associations with the brand.

Brand archetype and personality adds emotion, culture and myth to the brand identity by the use of a famous spokesperson (Bill Cosby - Jello),or a character (the Pink Panther) or an image ....

You're in good hands with ERIC

eric house

2008-07-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

URBAN GLAMOUR

the urban sleek furniture collection by Eric Leong
"urban glamour" is a series of simple, sleek, modern appeal perfect quality finished furniture. Inspired by the urban living … the collection include sofas, chairs, coffee table, side table, sideboard console, dining table and chairs, bed room set etc.

THE STYLE PEOPLE

the urban style ready to wear fashion
"the style people" is a in house label of simple, clean cut new urban design ready to wear guys and gals fashion line. coming soon…

URBANNISMO

the urban hip home fashion
"urbanismo" is the label for the "MUST-have" home fashion item like Sofa, Occasional Furniture, Lighting, Soft Furnishing, Funky Cushion, Home Accessory, Magazine, Book, Bath product, candle, Fresh Flower Arrangement, gift idea etc. It showcase of NEW urban décor and ambience. Styled in the modern context, mixed of culture element… coming soon…

DESIGNCITY THE MOOK

the architectural and interior design magazine
designcity the mook - a new style of quarterly publish magazine covering architectural, interior design, urban living and hip interior news around the world. coming soon…

How to Make a Small Room Appear Larger

2008-06-23T06:16:00.000-07:00

How to Make a Small Room Appear Larger

If you can stand in the middle of your room and touch the walls on all four sides, then you probably need to add some visual space to your room (either that or see a surgeon about those gorilla arms of yours!). If the neighbor next door has a closet bigger than your room (and it’s not a walk-in closet!), then you need a little help "growing" your small room!

Here are some miracle visual tricks to make your room appear larger:

1. Use light values when painting your room. That does not mean you are doomed to white walls! (padded or not!) Try a pretty celadon or chamois (light green or cream beige, for those non-lyrical decorators out there!)

2. Place the large pieces of furniture against the walls so the open space in the middle isn’t broken up. "The large piece of furniture against the wall completely COVERS the middle of the room.

3. Choose a sofa and chairs with open arms and exposed legs. This allows light to filter under the furniture, making the room appear airier.

4. Consider smaller scale furniture. A sofa or bed that takes up less area will help visually open the room. (Probably not a good idea to put a king-sized bed in that closet!)

5. Use vertical space for storage. Add a hutch or floor-to-ceiling bookcases as a storage solution to reduce the amount of floor space taken. (But I would discourage hanging books and bric-a-brac from the ceiling - you never know what will land on your head in the middle of the night!)

6. A large mirror in the room will reflect light around the room. This is especially effective with near a window so the outdoors can be reflected.

7. Arrange furniture at an angle if possible. This gives visual interest to the small space.

With a few visual tricks and some rearranging of furniture, you can make any room appear bigger than its actual size

home deco mart with Eric Leong http://www.ericleong.com.my http://www.ssf.com.my/

2008-05-12T07:49:00.000-07:00

http://www.ericleong.com.my
http://www.ssf.com.my/

ABOUT ER!C

Your LifeStyle Guru

the Celebrity Designer

sapa yang tak kenal eric kasa impian,seorang yang botak dan kepalanya penuh dengan inpirasi untuk menghias rumah sesiapa sahaja yang dia inginkan,saya adalah peminat beliau yang boleh dikatakan no 1 di Malaysia kerana apa sahaja yang eric ingin lakukan ketika menghias rumah saya pasti akan meminatinya,ini ada sedikit cerita mengenai eric,

Eric Leong a Kuala Lumpur-based stylish and bold interior designer. Eric born in Kluang a small town in Johore states (the south gate of Malaysia) and was raise in Johor Bahru the state capital of Johore. He completed his formal education in Johor Bahru and furthers his study in Singapore. Eric holds two major qualifications in both Interior Design and Business Studies.

With his cheerful, helpful and happy go lucky character Eric has gained his title as the “Malaysia most favorite interior designer”.

In 2001 Eric started his interior design make-over show – Casa Impian (Malaysia first interior made-over TV show and
eric leong
currently running its 6th season.) he managed to showcase his magic touch on an ordinary interior space and transform them into the breath-taking space thus once again Eric gained another title - “Raja Hias” / “the Design King” of Casa Impian.

Eric celebrates his '15th Year Anniversary' in the industry this year.

Di sedutan yang akan dating saya akan menceritakan banyak lagi cerita tentang kehidupan eric,

Sekian terima kasih

rahsia dari dapur oleh home deco mart

2008-04-18T01:26:00.000-07:00

Assalamualaikum dan selamat sejahtera kepada pembaca yang setia dan budiman sekalian,

hari ini saya dari home deco mart ingin berkongsi pengalaman dan rahsia dari dapur kepada semua,

Baru-baru ini saya baru sahaja mendapat seorang cahaya mata, hanya tuhan sahaja yang tau bertapa saya gembira dan home deco martbersyukur terhadap kurnian seorang puteri bernama hanny qistina,cerita tentang mendapat cahaya mata,ada satu saya nak kongsi pengalaman saya kepada semua pembaca sekalian,malam sebelum anak saya dilahirkan saya digemparkan tentang seekor ular tebu telah masuk ke rumah saya dan ular tersebut telah bersalin kulit di dapur rumah saya,alangkah terkejutnya saya tentang kejadian tersebut kerana rumah kediaman saya berada di tingkat 4 sebuah apartment,

kejadian itu memang menjadi satu tanda tanya kepada saya sehingga kini kerana saya berasa hairan macam mana ular tersebut masuk ke rumah saya,

pelikkan semua,

sekian terima kasih

five easy steps to your new kitchen by kasa-impian

2008-03-06T05:10:00.000-08:00

kasa-impian

kasa impian get inspired

take your time browsing through the ikea catalogue to choose the door style tou like.a visit to the ikea store is recommended.there you can see and try our full-build kitchen sets in the showroom.

kasa-impian measure your kitchen

save time and money at the start by measuring the height and length of all the walls in you kitchen,plus distances between windows,door and any appliances you may have.

kasa-impian choose cabinets

before buying any cabinets,first locate the cooking,cooling and washing areas,and note the position of all plumbing,air vants and eletrical outlets.then select the choice of smart interior cabinet fittings from the rationnal range to suit your every day storage and organisational needs.

kasa-impian choose features

nothing will work as in the kitchen as your sink,taps and worktop.that's why ikea only uses materials that offer good durability and strength. pickfrom a number of different desings and combination to match your choose door style.

kasa-impian personalise it,

lastly, add some personal touches to make your new kitchen truly yours.select matching cover panel,decor strips,khobs and handles,wall storege accessories and lighting.

Home Improvement atau pembinaan rumah

2008-03-03T22:14:00.000-08:00

When someone is thinking about home improvement it is probably because one of two things is happening, the first is the basic wish to improve the look of the house, of the functionality of different things. Make rooms look better and change them and improve the quality of life, the second option is that one is plan to sell his or her house and needs to put in some work to make it worthy of a better price for the property.

Obviously both are of the same importance, and the same rules tips and advice regarding home improvement apply to those who want to improve their living space as to those who wish to improve the prospect of selling their houses, but naturally it is better used by those who are going to improve the home as a function of their daily experience and that they will allow be the ones to gain form the changes they are about to make.

Home improvement is very general term for the changes that you can make in the interior of your house, the family rooms, the kitchen and the home office, or the changes that you can make in your backyard or garden, patio or porch. The garden changes are usually more significant as they allow you to make a complete change to what was there before, not only bringing in new features and installing new things into your garden, but also changing the entire layout of the garden. The third kind of home improvement changes you can make involved the outside of the house, and generally the fundamental things that make your house, these are sometimes a little more difficult and you will need to think about maybe getting some professional help for these tasks, unless you know what you are doing.

Home improvement tasks also require that you make a plan of the time frame and the different changes you are about to make, since you do not want the house to stay in a home improvement phase for too long, you should think about what needs to be done, and when to do it. Most home owners prefer to make indoor changes in winter, taking care of the living rooms and the kitchen, the spring and summer are a good time to make changes to the roof, to any concrete work you may have in your property, installation of new things in the garden or backyard and work on the house shutters.

As with all other things you will need to make sure you understand that these home improvement have costs, and that usually doing things by yourself will save you some serious money, but not time. There are a lot of home improvement centers in which you can find almost anything you need for your house, you can also research on the internet and find interesting new things and cheap ideas for home improvement, the great thing about home improvement is that you can do almost anything in your house, and change your living environment completely, so don’t wait, research and prepare, and good luck with your home improvement.

Kasa impian mempersembahkan Luxury bathroom faucet by Teknobili - Oz Diamond Edition faucet made from pure Gold

2008-02-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

For those seeking something with a little bit of glitz… the Oz Diamond Edition bathroom faucet from Teknobili has just arrived. A luxury bathroom faucet, the Oz Diamond Edition could really be a girl’s best friend, completing her fabulous, opulently fashioned bathroom. Designed by the architect Nilo Gioacchini, the Oz collection faucets have been reproduced (with a very special twist) by Professor Alberto Cotogno. Winner of the International jewel Oscar, the professor has created a work of art entirely in gold. Encrusted with a generous, dashing line of 282 natural diamonds, the Oz Diamond Edition faucet is strictly for those with the taste and means to enjoy such an exclusive pleasure. Those who demand the best can revel in the glamour and sparkle of the Oz Diamond Edition faucet from Teknobili.

SSF Home Deco Mart

2008-02-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

Seperti mana yang kita tau,di Malaysia memang ada bermacam-macam kedai menjual perabot dan aksoseri hiasan rumah,salah satu nya SSF home deco mart.

Disana kita boleh mendapatkan bermacam-macam keperluan dan hiasan rumah,dengan itu sedikit sebanyak membantu kita untuk mencari hiasan rumah kita di satu tempat sahaja.dengan itu jangan lah ketinggalan untuk pergi ke sana kerana anda akan ketinggalan untuk mendapatkan hiasan-hiasan terbaru.

Malaysia’s leading one stop Deco Mart that gives you great ideas and inspirations, fantastic range of imported décor products and home deco themes exclusively for the desired lifestyle you seek. Likewise, give your home a character with your personal touch.

Our décor products bring your ideas to life anywhere, anytime. With us, you can change the atmosphere at every corner that suits you best. Our main clients are florists, interior designers, bridal boutiques, home furnishing outlets, developers, commercial showcases and hotels all around Malaysia.

(Home Decoration Products, Handicrafts, Wedding Accessories and Artificial Flowers)

kasa impian ku

2008-02-22T20:11:00.000-08:00

kasa impian ku