Friday, March 19, 2010

The Importance of Home Lighting in Interior Design

When remodeling your bathroom or kitchen, choosing the right lighting fixtures to accent the room is a supremely important decision. The choice you make will set the tone for the style and be a key factor in determining the overall atmosphere of the room. The lighting décor you choose should gracefully compliment the rest of your kitchen or bathroom fixtures and exhibit the ideal characteristics that liken your taste. While shopping for your new lighting fixtures, keep in mind some of these important aspects and helpful suggestions.

A crucial thing to think about while deciding on your lighting décor is the mood and atmosphere that you would like to exhibit in your kitchen or bathroom. Depending on the design you select, lighting can show a bold and vivid style or serene and elegant style. It can give you and your guests the warm, delightful feeling of a cottage home or the plush, modern ambiance of an upscale penthouse. Knowing this, you should be very specific about the style lighting fixture and décor you choose to design your kitchen or bathroom.

In general, going with common accent lighting will give your kitchen or bathroom atmosphere one of a softer, more gentle feeling. On the other hand, ambient lighting generally brings a bolder, more lively feeling. Another type that one might choose would be contemporary chandelier lighting, which offers a bit more lavish touch. Be sure to consider the color and shape and the importance each has on the overall declaration of the room. Bright designs such as abstract art glass pendants will inspire a more striking, energetic aura, while sleek styles of a flush mount lighting fixture will create a lustrous, modern look.

When pursuing your desired style also make sure to consider the precise placement of your lighting fixture. One thing to keep in mind is that when you direct light into the mirror in a bathroom or kitchen the light gets reflected more directly, creating a vivid, but also more unnatural look. A great place for modern lighting fixtures is above or on the side of mirrors, which causes little reflection and offers more direct light. Another idea is to strategically place lighting above portraits or other key items that you might want to bring focus to in the room, as even the smallest touches can make beautiful, resounding statements.

The relationship between mirror depth and light intensity is also an extremely important, but not so commonly thought of, aspect to consider while choosing your fixtures. The amount of light and reflection should collaborate with one another to make a bond that will balance and harmonize the room. Too much light will create a straining glare for you and your guests, while not enough light will make the mood of your kitchen or bathroom dim and lifeless.

Remodeling your bathroom or kitchen is always exciting and fruitful, but there is a lot to consider when it comes time to choose your perfect lighting fixtures. Color, shape, style, location, and intensity should all be finely tuned. Making your dream room come alive is an intensive, but highly rewarding accomplishment that will make a profound statement in your home for years to come.

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Bathroom Accessories - Add your own Flair

Replacing bathroom accessories can be one of the easiest ways to pull together the appearance of your bathroom and create a well-defined look. Bathroom accessories can help update your style with the wide variety of choices available. Towel bars, vanity storage shelves, Soap Dishes, glass wall shelving, toilet paper holders, floor rugs, soap holders, bathroom mirrors, robe hooks, toilet seats and towel rings are all accessories that can make a big difference in your bathroom and can offer a very sophisticated update.

How to choose your bathroom accessories

One of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing bathroom accessories is the measurements of your bathroom. If a bathroom is very small then try and keep accessories to a minimum. If you are redecorating a larger bathroom, feel free to add more accessories if the size of the space can handle it. Many finishes are also available to help blend together the finish of your faucet and existing pieces.

Toilet Paper holders and wall towel bars are among the most popular bathroom accessories to use in the bathroom. Towel bars can be used to hang a decorative towel to bring color and detail. A variety of paper holders are also available depending on the styling and size of the bathroom. Styles range from wall hung to pedestal for larger bathroom spaces. Towel rings are also an elegant addition to guest bathrooms to hang smaller hand towels. Vanity shelves can be a great addition to a bathroom that needs some organization. These shelves can be used to store bathroom supplies and can be really helpful if there aren't many cabinets in the bathroom.

Accessory placement is also important to remember.

Towel rings work well right beside the sink in a guest bathroom. This accessory can also be a great focal point in a smaller bathroom and there are many decorative styles to choose from. Towel bars should be hung at about 48 inches above the floor, or 36 inches in a children's bathroom. It is important to make sure there is enough room for the towels to hang freely below the bar. Double towel bars can give the bathroom an elegant touch and add extra room for family bathrooms. Paper holders can be hung on the wall, or free standing depending on the style of the bathroom. For bathrooms with tile walls or cabinetry, you may want to look into a wall hanging standing paper holder to avoid unnecessary items cluttering the floor area.

Unique soap dishes can also be an important accent piece for your remodeled bathroom. Soap dishes traditionally have been porcelain and plain. Newer versions include teak and bamboo soap dishes in contemporary designs as well as stone natural soap dish designs. Using bar soap holding styles are also ECO friendly avoiding disposable pump dispensers that in additional to disposable water bottles are burdening our waste systems unnecessarily.

Having bathroom accessories can have a wonderful impact on the appearance of your bathroom. Choosing the right number of accessories and the accessories that fit the purpose of the bathroom is important to establish the look you desire. Having too many accessories can make a bathroom appear cluttered when their purpose is to do the opposite. The perfect accessories complement the bathroom and assist in the organization of the bathroom.

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Bathroom Shower Faucets

There are several things to think about when purchasing a new bathroom shower faucet for your home. For instance, a relatively straightforward choice between one-handle and two-handle shower designs, or more complex decisions like whether you want a regular valve, thermostatic valve, or pressure-balanced valve faucet. These decisions will be important in determining which shower faucet will have the honor of making it home. This year’s NKBA Kitchen and Bath Industry Show had some great modern shower styles ranging in price from $450 to $2950. Many in the showcased shower fixture arena made use of cascading water rain fall shower heads, glass waterfall shower heads, wall mount and ceiling mount rain fall systems, and a variety of wall jet systems.

What’s the difference between one-handle and two-handle designs?

The most popular design for bathroom shower faucets tends to be the one-handle design. The main benefit of this design is the simplicity, as users need only a single handle to adjust the volume and temperature quickly to a comfortable level. This is an excellent option for any bathroom, but especially that of an elderly person or child, as it is easiest to use.

If going for a more traditional style in your bathroom, try the two-handle shower design. This option gives the bathroom a distinct elegance and is generally more common among typical shower fixtures.

What should I choose, a regular shower valve or a thermostatic shower valve?

The most affordable choice for a shower valve is the regular valve; they are also the most common. The main downfall to the regular shower valve, however, is that they don’t regulate the temperature or pressure of the water. This means that if someone flushes an adjacent toilet your shower could receive an unwanted burst of cold water. To avoid this situation there are pressure balanced valves, that most states now require, which prevent instant changes in water from hot to cold or cold to hot.

Thermostatic valves measure and regulate the temperature of your shower water, keeping it constant once you are fixed on a setting. They also allow you to change the volume and the temperature separately for a versatile shower. Shower valves can also be customized to meet your personal needs as well with additional benefits such as a handheld shower or body sprays.

When deciding which type of shower faucet will work well for your home, keep in mind the styling of your current bathroom. If you already have a two handle faucet it will be cost effective to replace it with another two handle faucet. If you are redecorating and want a faucet with the simplest use, consider purchasing the one handle faucet. Also, remember to look into regular, pressure balanced, and thermostatic valves that work best in your bathroom.

Do all glass sinks have the same size hole in the bottom ? Is it US standard size

Yes. All drain holes are all standard US size.

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