All About Rustic Furniture

The term rustic furniture has come to mean cozy and charming in most decor usage, however the true meaning is something that is handcrafted out of authentic materials or furniture items that appear handmade.

When you think "rustic" think about the type of furniture you might see at a ski lodge in Aspen or at a cozy nook by the lake. It will generally be simply made and very sturdy. Wrought iron furniture is a great example of rustic furniture as well as plain, wooden type tables. Hearty and sturdily built are the very hallmarks of the rustic furniture design.

The rustic look often blends fantastically with the French Country look and some good rustic pieces to add to a living room would include a big, simply designed coffee table in front of a large sofa with a wooden base. Other rooms can benefit from the cozy feel of rustic decor. A wrought iron bed with a big, soft comfortable and the addition of an overhead canopy will add a homey and romantic feel to the bedroom. Other ideas include large, heavy wooden tables for the kitchen with a bench on one side and simply constructed chairs on the other.

Small decorating accents such as baskets placed around a room to hold silk plants for a touch of color or magazines for a touch of function are a great little accent to not only tidy up a room but add a touch of rustic coziness to a room. Adding a few rustic touches to your decor will tone down a room that is a little too austere and make a comfy, cozy room even more so.
 posted by Allure Furniture Designs   

How to Choose an Interior Decorator

If you want a new look for your room and you can't decide on what to buy or the colors you want to use; an interior decorator might be the answer to your problems.

An interior decorator is often confused with an interior designer, but there are a lot of differences between the two. An interior decorator often does not have a degree in the field and concentrates only on the decorative aspects of a house. An interior designer will be well versed in both interior design and will have a grasp on the building codes and construction laws needed to see a large project to fruition. If you just want someone to help you decorate a room, then an interior decorator is a great choice.

The easiest way to find an interior decorator with a style that you like is first to ask your friends if they have used an interior decorator, then shop around and ask to see the portfolio of any potential decorator. This will enable you to choose the best decorator for your own personal tastes. You don't want a decorator with a penchant for using bright red with peacock feather accents to do your house when you prefer low-key earth tones.

Although your interior decorator is probably going to have a slightly different vision of your room than you do, a good interior decorator will listen to what you want and try to incorporate the elements you want into your finished design. One thing that many people forget to consider when hiring an interior decorator is budget. Besides the fees charged by the professional, you also need to budget for materials and work. Get all estimates in writing so you have something to fall back on.

If you're ready to make a change in your personal design style but you don't have the time or inclination to do it yourself, consider hiring an interior decorator to get the job done right!
 posted by Allure Furniture Designs   

Choosing Pillows for Your Decor

Never underestimate the power of the pillow to enhance your room. Throw pillows are a great final decorating touch to any room. You can use them in your living room, den, bedroom or even outdoors on your patio. Whenever you need a little added coziness, add pillows.

You can purchase them or make them yourself. Making pillows couldn't be easier and it's a great way to use fabrics that are left over from upholstery or draperies and have a bit of fabric on a couch or chair to really tie in the decor of your room.

If you choose to make your own pillows, you will have two choices; you can either use pillow forms that your purchase at your local fabric or craft store or you can buy poly stuffing that you just stuff by the handful into your pillows.

Pillow forms usually come with a pattern on the back for making your own pillows and if you're going the "stuff it yourself" route, just measure a square of fabric between 12 inches and 16 inches. Put the "right" side of the fabric pieces together and sew them using a 1/2 inch straight stitch. Sew half the of the fourth side if you're using poly stuffing or leave it open if you're using a pillow form so you can get it in.

Insert your pillow form and sew up the side. If you're stuffing the pillow with poly stuffing, use a pencil or knitting needle to get the stuffing into the corners of your pillow. When your pillow is stuffed, sew up the opening. You can further embellish by adding beads or other accessories to really make the pillows have your own unique touch.

Pillows can add so much to a room, make your room have a little more life - add the simple touch of pillows all around!
 posted by Allure Furniture Designs   

Dorm Room Decoration

From a decorating standpoint, a dorm room is a huge challenge. They are normally small spaces and multi-functional as the typical dorm room serves as a bedroom, study room and living room all at the same time. Additionally, this room may be shared with another person, making the space even more precious.

In many dorm rooms, standard decorating tactics such as painting the walls and making window treatments usually aren't allowed. First off, get a copy of the ground rules. Find out what your latitude is for the room and then you will know exactly how much you can change the room to suit your own style.

In general, many colleges allow a dorm room to be painted as long as the maintenance staff can restore it to a neutral color easily. This means either learning to live with the present dorm room color scheme or using lighter shades of paint. For an interesting look, mottle one slighter darker color over a lighter background with a feather duster dipped in paint for a light and airy look.

Less is more is the rule of the dorm room. Furniture should be multi-functional and storage area is precious, so make the most of your small space. A very useful item to have is the combination headboard and tray. The headboard converts to a rolling desk that can be used to sit in the bed and work on or eat on. When not in use, it is back behind the head of the bed quietly being a headboard.
 posted by Allure Furniture Designs   

Decoration in Motion

One trend that will bring an air of drama to your room is the motion design. It is where you create the idea that motion is or has recently occurred with an object or objects based on their placement.

One bold decoration move is to display a decoration box and have the top off to one side and the contents creatively dispersed across the shelf. It doesn't matter if they are glass figurines or small trinkets, as long as they look "spilled" it will work. This is to give the impression that the box has been over turned on the shelf, when in fact you are merely cleverly displaying a small collection of items in a very creative way. Another fun way to display this type of motion decor is to use two shelves and have the items appear to be going from one shelf to another.

Another way to put design in motion into action in a room is to use the curtains to their billowy best. Use two panels across a window and then tie them back in one direction only, bringing the whole of the drapery back and tie off one side or the other. You can further make your window treatments interesting by using a decorative rod across the top or a cornice board will also add a decorative touch.

Prisms in windows are another way to capture motion in a room through the use of light. A slyly placed prism where light comes in a window during the day will send panels of color to specific areas in a room. Hanging from a window frame surrounded by green plants will lend a comfy, cozy feel to a room.

Those are just three ways to bring life into your decor, experiment and see which way works best for your room!
 posted by Allure Furniture Designs