Do you have a fruit bowl in your kitchen? If so, what does it say about your contemporary space? It is surprising how many exquisitely decorated, modern kitchens have nothing but a simple bowl that was pulled from the cupboard to hold their fruit on their gorgeous table or counter-top. Think you can’t showcase your delicious vitamins as a stylish centerpiece? Think again!

The Blow Up Citrus Basket by Alessi is a showstopper! This is a piece that could find itself a special place in even the most stylish rooms in any home. The basket is composed with mirror polished, stainless steel, hand-welded pieces so each one is truly unique.

About Alessi

The entire Alessi collection is unbelievably stunning and it should be with the passion and attention that goes into each piece. Humberta and Fernando Campana, brothers and partners, come from law and architectural backgrounds and are hallmarked by the way they use raw materials to create functional pieces of art. They are also well-known for experimenting with recycled matter that most other designers would find no use for.

Every home needs a fruit bowl, why not make it one that will stop guests in their tracks? To view the entire Alessi collection, visit their website.

Quite often, the problem is not planning a remodel or even redecorating, you may even have the funds just burning a hold in your pocket ,waiting to be spent; sometimes, the problem is simply deciding what you want to do! Whether your mind is blank or if you’re over-inspired with so many fantastic ideas that you can’t decide on one, these tips will help get on track.

Finding Inspiration

If you’re having a hard time finding something to inspire you, maybe you’re looking for too much. Instead of trying to vision an entire room, perhaps find a rug, piece of art or a color that just draws you in and then plan your decorating scheme around that. Sometimes just looking through magazines, browsing the internet or going shopping will trigger the design that you’ve been looking for.

Finding Your Style

Don’t be afraid to try something that is totally not you! If you’ve always had neutral rooms, go bold! Been doing the contemporary thing since before it was in style? Why not try Victorian? It’s always a thrill to shop for antiques and vintage items.

Reuse What You Can

On a budget? Quite often, just changing the paint color on your walls, buying a new cover for the couch, moving the furniture around and adding a few new decorative pillows is all that you need to get you out of the boring rut that you’ve found yourself in.

Address Your Lighting

Whether you’re doing an entire remodel or just sprucing things up a bit, don’t overlook your lighting. There is nothing exciting about that same light fixture you’ve been looking at for the past 10 years. Adding pendants, recess lighting, chandeliers, wall scones or an assortment of fun lamps will give your space an instant facelift. You can’t imagine the impact that stylish lighting can have on a room until you see the transformation!

If you really are looking for that one exceptional WOW piece for that wall that is desperately crying for attention in your home, an Inspiration Falls wall water fountain is it! As you may or may not be aware, the key to being successful with contemporary design is providing a focal point in a room. Ideally, this will be a feature that demands attention yet offers comfort, it is essentially a place for tired and busy eyes to relax once they have scanned a room to arrive at their destination.

Your focal point of the room should add to the room’s decor, never become a distraction. Inspiration Falls wall fountains do just that. They are available in an array of stunning surfaces such as black spider marble, rainforest green marble, rainforest brown marble and rajah, green or black slate. You also have the power to choose your frame finish in antique black, rustic copper and stainless steel.

These mesmerizing water features are illuminated with halogen lights and since they are created from natural materials, each gorgeous piece brings its own unique pattern.

An Inspiration Falls wall water fountain will bring tranquility to your home and offer just enough moisture to win that battle with static electricity. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that you will have the most exquisite piece of art in the neighborhood! The Soothing Company is the perfect place to order an Inspiration Falls wall water fountain for your home!

You probably already know that wind chimes are just a special treat to listen to wherever they are hung but do you know why they should be positioned at your front door? This concept is very important in Feng Shui however, you don’t have to practice living harmoniously with your surrounding environment to appreciate this home decorating tip.

Why the Door?

Feng Shui practitioners believe that positive energy in your home is crucial for health and happiness. A door provides such a a large opening that energy can easily escape so wind chimes, especially bamboo, will chase negative energy away while keeping positive energy inside. It is also said that strategically hung wind chimes can help the mind transition from the busy outside world to the inside tranquil environment with ease.

If these reasons aren’t enough for you, some also suggest that bamboo wind chimes hung at your door will attract money and good luck!

Size and Positioning

Bamboo wind chimes should be appropriately scaled to the door size. A small, single doorway should have small chimes but someone with double doors or a large opening will need larger chimes for them to properly do their job. Be sure to position your bamboo wind chimes so the wind won’t blow them against the door and no one will hit their head on them. Never hang them with a plastic hook, only metal as this material is also an important element in the practice of Feng Shui.

While everyone can certainly benefit from the soothing and warming properties that a dancing flame provides, there aren’t many portable gel fireplaces that will fit in every budget. Fortunately, the Oasis Table Top Fireplace does! The design of this piece is like a dream come true, it’s contemporary, elegant and can complement any decor! Not to mention, it is the perfect size to take out on a small balcony, patio or you can simply enjoy it inside of your home. This fireplace is really lightweight so when it says portable, it means portable!

This stylish piece is stainless steel and comes with gorgeous white river stones but if these don’t match your décor, you can replace them if you choose with other colored fire glass, seashells or anything else nonflammable. It uses either pourable gel fuel or gel fuel canisters which are completely environmentally-friendly so you never have to be concerned with polluting the air outside or in your home. Nor do you have to be bothered with cleaning up the mess that burning wood would leave behind.

The Oasis Tabletop Gel Fireplace will provide you with warmth, ambiance and even when it’s not burning, it is still a stunning piece of art. You can find this fireplace at The Soothing Company at a great price!

More and more people are choosing wood, composite, marble, tile, etc., for their homes instead of carpet which means that rugs are becoming more popular than ever. Of course, those who have carpet also enjoy adding rugs to save the carpet from wear and tear, add style and even cover stains. Some individuals have no problem just going into a store and picking up a few rugs but if you’re investing in a large expensive area rug, you may want to put a little thought into your decision.

Play with Your Furniture

Your furniture will play a role in determining not only the size and style of the rug but the placement as well. If you are someone who moves around your furniture from time to time, you will need to imagine all scenarios and if your rug will accommodate your creativity. Don’t be afraid to get out your measuring tape to measure the space, this may also help you determine if you want a square, rectangular or round rug.

Explore Your Options

Rugs should ultimately compliment your decor however, in a simplistic or contemporary room, they can quickly become a focal point if you want to add in a bright color or pattern. If you are looking for a rug to place under your dining room table, be sure that it’s large enough for all chairs to fit on it, there is nothing worse than sitting on an uneven chair that’s half on and half off a rug.

Runners are great for entryways, hallways and stairs while floor mats made from bamboo, rattan, sisal or any other natural material will add just the right amount of texture to your flooring.

Experiment

Don’t be afraid to combine several rugs in one room that don’t necessarily exactly match. This is a good way to break up a large space or studio apartment, giving each area its own identity. You may also want to layer rugs if you start feeling really creative.

Reducing your carbon footprint goes far beyond recycling, solar panels and choosing non-toxic paint and flooring. The decor that you use in your home can also be environmentally-friendly as well. Today, designers are creating stunning pieces that are actually beneficial to your living space.

• Bamboo – This raw material exploded in popularity many years ago and has not lost its novelty. This renewable resource not only makes beautiful products, it grows back fast! Fresh bamboo shoots are always a great idea to bring any room to life as well.

• Recycled Glass – What else is there to do with recycled wine bottles, windshields and dinner plates besides make them into something spectacular. This glass is broken up into tiny pieces and then concrete holds it together. What you get are recycled countertops, tables, vases and more, made from materials that would have otherwise ended up filling landfills.

• Recycled Aluminum – Many manufacturers are recycling industrial scrap metal, soda cans, etc., to use as backsplashes, countertops, accent furniture, art and even sculptures for your garden.

• Cork – This is quickly becoming a preferred choice in flooring and is expected to be a material found in home accents in the near future. It’s durable, comfortable, water-resistant, contains no formaldehyde binders or PVC and is a renewable resource.

Other materials recognized as being environmentally-friendly are concrete, recycled paper and natural plaster. Whether you are building, remodeling or redecorating, there are now an abundance of choices available to make a contemporary home, GREEN!

In the autumn and winter months the cold weather outside puts the effectiveness of our central heating systems and their limits sharply into focus. It’s therefore wise to make sure your heating provision is up to scratch in preparation for this period. One option you may not have considered before is luxury underfloor heating.

Rather than being a modern concept, underfloor heating in fact dates back to Roman times when homeowners piped hot air under their homes to help keep their homes more cosy. These heating systems can sometimes be known as radiant heating systems and need to be installed by qualified plumbers. The system works by using either hot water or electric heating units under the floor to evenly distribute heat throughout a room. In hot water (wet) systems the water running under the floor in pipes uses water from a central boiler to heat the room. It can therefore be programmed in much the same way as a conventional central heating system.

Many people believe that underfloor heating can offer homeowners significant energy savings because of the way it operates. Because the heating comes from the lowest level in the room and hot air rises, this type of heating works more effectively at a low level that may otherwise be difficult to warm. It also heats throughout the room more evenly rather than emanating from a fixed centralised point as a radiator does. This means you are less likely to crank up the temperature – and the energy used – to warm up a colder corner in the room. Underfloor heating also boasts a reduced energy requirement compared with the use of water-heated radiators. Pipes for underfloor use require water heated to around 113-149° F (45-65° C) compared to the 176° F (80° C) needed by radiators. This type of system will comfortably warm a floor to 77-82.4° F (25-28° C) and it has been estimated that it could make homeowners energy savings of around 15 to 40%.

Other benefits of underfloor heating relate to space and convenience. A room without radiators on the walls looks larger and less cluttered and is also easier to decorate. In addition, underfloor heating can help reduce the moisture content of a room, which can be of particular benefit to asthma sufferers who may suffer problems caused by dust mites, which can thrive in damp environments.

The Museum of Modern Art is located in Midtown Manhattan, NYC. It has been described as one of the most influential museums of modern art in the world. Not only does the MOMA contain modern art from artists such as Jackson Pollack and Vincent Van Gogh, it also shares over 300,000 books about architecture, drawings, paintings and sculptures. The Museum of Modern Art originally opened 7 days after the Wall Street Crash in November of 1929. With this said, I felt very privileged to have been able to have this experience. I attached one photo of the modern furniture I ran across.

Just because you don’t have a backyard, doesn’t mean that you can’t make the most of your outdoor living space. If you have a balcony, regardless of the size, you can turn it into a tranquil oasis where you will want to spend time. The first thing you need to do is evaluate the space you’re working with and decide what you will most likely do out there. If you think you’ll eat or need a place to write or do crafts, etc., then a small table and chairs would be ideal. On the other hand, if this is just a place you’d like to escape to relax or read a good book, a comfortable chair is probably the most important feature.

• Furniture – If your balcony is like most, it’s probably not giving you a lot of square footage to work with. A bistro table will fit nicely or if you prefer a comfortable lounge chair, hanging hammock chair or something of this nature and then just add a side table to set your beverage on.

• Lighting – Most balconies have an outlet outside where you can plug a nice decorative light in. However, if this isn’t an option, there are plenty of solar lights that will soak up the sun’s rays during the day and then provide you with some lighting at night. Some even have motion detectors so they aren’t glowing all night.

• Rug – That hard concrete probably isn’t too inviting. Fortunately, there are a multitude of gorgeous outdoor rugs in every color, pattern and size for you to choose from.

• Decor – Many people simply neglect to bring any kind of decor to their balcony for whatever reason. There are outdoor canvases that are treated to stand up against elements, garden statues and wind chimes that will work well in this space. A water feature is always an added bonus to provide a soothing atmosphere and some of these are solar powered as well. Additionally, a small biofuel fireplace is the perfect addition to any outdoor space. They are environmentally-friendly and will provide ambiance and warmth on those cooler evenings. The best thing about these is that they’re portable so you can take them inside when you go in for the evening.

• Plants – No balcony is complete without plants or flowers. Corner plant stands gives you a place to really stack quite a few containers or you can hang them with hooks from the balcony above you. Most balconies have some type of railing so you can always make use of these and attach planters that are designed for this purpose. You can even grow your own vegetables if you want!

Even a small balcony can become a place to escape! Bring personality to your outdoor space but be sure not to overdo it. Too many items could make it cluttered and then it won’t be nearly as relaxing!

You don’t have to do an entire remodel on your bathroom to create a spa atmosphere. Adding a few essentials to your decor and hiding the clutter will ensure that you find tranquility whether you’re soaking in the tub or just trying to escape the chaos of a busy home.

Choose a Theme

Spas will rarely have mismatched towels or a confusing theme so you may need to purchase a few new essentials. A natural garden, blue lagoon or Asian theme are just a few ideas to get you started.

Add a Little Nature

Vases with fresh flowers, a hanging fern or some bamboo are all fabulous ways to bring nature into your bathroom. These living things breathe life into your space and promote a calming environment.

Pay Attention to Detail

You don’t have to spend a fortune on decor. Roll a few towels and place them in a basket, add a small table with a tabletop fountain and make sure that you place a few soy candles around the room.

Eliminate Clutter

Spas are simplistic and so should your bathroom be. Instead of having things laying around your sink, tuck them away somewhere. There are simple storage solutions available to accommodate even the smallest bathrooms. Remember, a spa is a peaceful place. If your eyes come to rest on a pile of towels on the floor or an assortment of hair products laying around, the entire aesthetic of the room is compromised.

The way a room is laid out can have a huge impact on not only how aesthetically-pleasing it is but on how comfortable it is to be in too! Creating a balance between furniture, accents and the flow of traffic can leave you with a harmonious room.

• Control the Flow – People and pets need to be able to find their way through the room without obstacles or tight, undesirable squeezes. Keeping seating where it won’t interfere with doors and electrical outlets is crucial. Also, take into consideration recliners that may become fully extended or leafs that might be added to tables.

• Have a Focal Point – Every room needs a focal point. In homes with a fireplace, the mantle usually takes over, a contemporary bedroom has a platform bed, etc. The eyes can become lost and exhausted if left to travel aimlessly throughout a room and never reach a focal point. Wall fountains, art, biofuel fireplaces or even large aquariums all work well.

• Scale – The furnishings need to be reflective of the size of the room. You simply cannot have over-sized furniture in a small space. Choose clean lines and create balance to make the room appear larger.

If you feel a little lost in your room or something is just not quite right, you may just need to rearrange a few things. When the layout of your room is perfect, you will know right away. Sometimes it helps to leave, go get a coffee and then see how you feel stepping back into the room for the first time to determine what is throwing the space off balance.