Nowadays we are all short in free-time. So it is getting increasingly important to take breaks consciously by fully enjoying them while they last. Don’t take your free-time for granted, but really live the motto ‘Carpe diem’. A chaise longue is the ideal piece of furniture for a relaxing short rest – because it is not a bed and it is not a couch, but it is something therein between.

Fashion for Home offers a wide range of appealing chaise longues from designers all over the world. A contemporary chaise such as the Guildford Chaise Longue will beautifully fit into your private library or reading room providing ultimate comfort to lie back and relax, maybe with a cup of tea on your side table? With its soft and comfortable cushions having a nap is also quite possible.

If you are looking for a traditional variant, the Mayfair Chaise Longue with a back and armrest is the solution for you. It is best presented in large, luxurious and modern living rooms thanks to its elegant and minimalistic design. As this chaise longue is about spaciousness really, you can easily stretch out on it or take a full comfort nap. There is even enough room to invite your friend to join you.

Next one, the Long Island Lounger is also an elegant piece of design furniture. It is not only adjustable to your preferred seat position, but its strong frame makes you feel comfortable and supported from top to toe. With a nostalgic design, inspired by the 1960’s, this kind of ergonomic lounger fits in any kind of living space, whether modern or traditional.

Make your living room the ideal place to recline – with a chaise longue.

Take the Plunge

If you can’t see yourself falling backwards on to it after a long day, then a furniture piece isn’t right for your bedroom. Stiff, constricting furniture will only wind up being ignored, or worse, a rack for your clothes. You want to select pieces that invite relaxation. The same goes for bedding fabrics. You want to select bedding materials that you can sink into. Items like down comforters or cashmere throw blankets are a wonderful way to bring softness to a room. Some essential fabrics to incorporate into your bedroom design include linen sheets, bulky quilts, and Sateen weave sheets, which boast a high thread count and supple feel.

Set a Pattern for Comfortable Living

Believe it or not, the pattern on your bedding fabric also plays a big part in how comfortable you will feel in the bedroom. Soft, soothing patterns can have a truly tranquil effect on your mood. Busy patterns, such as polka dots, can be wonderful in moderation. However, you don’t want to over stimulate your senses just before bed time, so make sure you incorporate them accordingly. Subtle polka dots and floral patterns such as paisley, when used in proper proportion, can create a truly cute and cosy feel that lullabies you to sleep and also inspires you to spring out of bed in the morning for a new day!

Colour Sets the Mood

Don’t underestimate the power that colour has on setting the mood in a room. Hotel and restaurant designers have a professional team of colour experts to help them pick out small details like wallpaper and towel colours in order to manipulate human sensation and make for the most enjoyable experience. The colours you choose for your own bedroom are important. One of the best techniques is to select subtle, neutral shades as a base for your decor. This means a cream coloured duvet cover for your down comforter, layered with eggshell coloured linen sheets, and topped with a throw pillow colour accent like pink or blue for beds. Choosing simple tones also cuts down on expense since you can mix and match the neutral shades with assorted accent pillows or wall decor.

Redesigning your bedroom with the proper fabrics can create a retreat area that lets you really feel at home after a long, stressful day. Weave your own perfect room with the help of amazing fabric choices!

Patrick is guest blogging for Warren Evans, retailer of beds hand built in London from sustainably sourced materials.

The very first thing you need to do is find out the estimated value to replace the home and its contents. This might seem like a big chore, but if you just purchased the place you already have a great deal of applicable information at your fingertips. In addition, as it is the first house of your very own, you will probably be purchasing the majority of your furniture, electronics and decorations. Therefore, you will have the receipts, and proof of the value right in front of you. If you have inherited the structure, and the contents, inquire as to whether the last owner had a list of their own. If this proves fruitless, a builder will be able to give you a valid estimate to rely upon. Look online to find similar furnishings that are being sold to identify a reasonable value, or cost for replacement.

Thus, it is just a matter of putting it all together, which will be excellent for you in many ways. It will help you to stick to your budget, and should a time arise when you need a list of what filled the house it is your go to document. This collection of information will tell you the cost of replacing items, and how much coverage you should obtain. Without this, you will be guessing, and run the risk of holding too little coverage to make things right, or paying for more than you actually need.

Then, review products to learn what is usually included, and what it is you need. You will soon become familiar with the fact that there are things you would not have known were at issue. For example things like coverage if damage is caused by emergency services, or replacement locks if your keys are lost or stolen. Neither of those were things I would have ever thought about on my own, but I now know to get. After you get your house insurance you will be able to rest easy, and then lead your friends through the process as they acquire their own places. Wouldn’t you rather be the person they call on to chat over a cuppa about insurance, then the one they call to help physically move their stuff?

Following the pathway of one’s favoured colours is a smart way to decorate. Taking clues from the things you already wear, or own makes good sense. You want to live in an environment that suits you and feels comfortable. There is just one down side to this that many people who decorate their houses without the assistance of a professional encounter. They find that either their place is too plain, or conversely too audacious.

The pros have tactics that prevent this from occurring in the rooms they decorate, and you should too. So lets talk about that right now. We will use the example of a refined and classic palate of cool shades. Imagine if you will a kitchen with light flooring, maybe white washed wooden floorboards. Put in coordinating cabinets, and a granite top in a simple dark tone. The walls are some shade of white that is named an equally acceptable eggshell, paper white, or lily shadow. The accent is stainless steel, and found on just about every appliance in either abundance or small doses.

Summary, the space is refreshing in appearance, but nothing special stands out. It is lacking a definitive statement element. You want a serene space with character. This is where you can bring in that verve, or call it energy if that floats your boat. If you are a collector of Chinese vases, take them out of the china cabinet, and display them front and centre in the kitchen. Then pick out the most vibrant colour you can find in the beautiful containers and get, or paint kitchen chairs that shade. We are talking Caribbean waters blue, or canary yellow, not robin’s egg blue or buttermilk. Repeat this colour, or tones of it with the other things you display. For example, if you choose that yellow we spoke about above, then fill a glass bowl with lemons, if you went with the blue, hang art with matts with similar qualities.

Finials and Midials

These are two particularly easy ways to add a touch of décor to your curtain poles without having to put too much thought into it. What’s more, they are both extremely convenient and require very minimal effort to fit.

Finials are decorative ends that can easily be fitted onto the end of any pole and their designs are often reflective of years gone by. Many represent certain periods in time and it isn’t unusual to see very easily recognisable finials, for example many medieval ones that are carved from different types of wood. The materials used can also give some pointers towards the time period they take inspiration from, as metal and glass finishes tend to provide a more contemporary look.

Talking of modern designs, midials are a more contemporary option for the home. However whilst finials slot on to the end of the pole, midials are best suited to be slid down the pole, usually about 10 centimetres along. However, as you may expect with a more modern option, your choice when it comes to style are somewhat limited in comparison to those that have been doing the rounds for some time. Truth be told, if you’re looking for anything other than circular or square designs you may struggle here. However despite this, you won’t find yourself restricted when it comes to colours and patterns so you still shouldn’t struggle.

Rings and Gliders

For homeowners looking for an even more subtle change, the addition of new rings or gliders could be a good option. Whilst many curtain poles already come with these, they are usually unattractive, don’t stand out at all and are simply there to serve a purpose. There are many more decorative, flamboyant options on the market which can very easily be incorporated into most rooms.

Tiebacks and Holdbacks

It’s hard to describe what these do without actually stating the obvious. The names of these accessories do go a long way towards explaining this, as holdbacks usually take the form of decorative hooks which can be used to peg the curtains back. Similarly, tiebacks are decorative pieces of material (usually cotton or cloth) which are used to tie the curtain in a certain position with the intention of controlling the lighting in a room. Again, these are available in such a wide variety of designs and patterns that they should fit into most rooms.

Hopefully after reading this, you’ll see just how many options there are when it comes to sprucing up your curtain poles. Once you’ve taken into account the many variables in the home, such as existing décor and colour schemes, there shouldn’t be many problems in finding more accessories to enhance it.

1. Choosing A Mortgage: As soon as a family decides that it is time to begin the house hunting process, many real estate agents will advise them to seek pre-approval for a mortgage. This is an important step, as it establishes how much money a family will be able to finance towards the purchase of their home, and, along with the down payment, this will establish a price range for their new home. It is advisable to apply with multiple lenders, so that prospective homeowners can compare interest rates and other repayment terms, to choose the mortgage that is the best fit for their family’s needs. It is also a good idea to determine what the monthly mortgage payment will be, as well as add in items such as the cost of the homeowner’s insurance policy and property taxes, to avoid becoming overextended on housing costs.

2. Working With A Builder: Many families opt to purchase a new home, preferring the opportunity to select design options themselves as well as buying a home that is move in ready. Buying a new home can help lessen the burden of immediate repairs if the buyer negotiates for a builder’s warranty or home warranty. This allows the homeowner the opportunity to move in, and if covered items in the home are not in good working order, the builder will return and make repairs. This coverage is a good idea, as many times small items, such as an outlet that does not work, or a window with an inoperable lock, may not be revealed until one moves into the home. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to prepare a comprehensive written list of all needed repairs as they arise and promptly provide it to the builder.

3. Selecting Homeowner’s Insurance: An often neglected aspect of purchasing a new home is securing homeowner’s insurance. However, this is an essential step, as it is virtually always required by lenders that homeowner’s have adequate insurance to prevent against loss. As was the case with choosing a mortgage lender, comparison shopping is an important step in selecting a homeowner’s insurance policy. Insurance agents can take prospective buyers through a detailed survey that will help determine the value of the structure and its contents. Homeowners should also inquire about a policy feature known as an ‘umbrella’ policy, which can protect homeowners against claims in the unfortunate event that someone is injured on the property.

4. Planning For Maintenance Costs: Many new homeowners consider only the mortgage, property taxes, and insurance policy costs when determining the affordability of a home. One expense that is often overlooked by renters, who are accustomed to having a landlord who is responsible for needed repairs, is that of maintenance and repairs of the home.
When the need for large repairs, such as the necessity of replacing one’s roof every ten to twenty years, or small ones, such as a broken faucet, homeowners will benefit from having savings to cover those expenses.

By planning for all aspects of choosing a family’s first home, prospective homeowners can rest assured that they have chosen a home that they can truly afford, and one that is protected against unforeseeable losses.

Take for example, the floor mat pattern. In that scenario, you place the inexpensive basic tiles around the exterior of the room, and as you work inward switch to the more expensive of the tiles. Choose something that will be the same colour, but is a totally different texture. This will make an uninterrupted visual plane, and that is visually appealing. But, the texture, say tumbled marble, or pebble will define the two zones, and draw the eye inward to the center of the room. And if you like, it can also replace a fabric rug, so you save some moola there too. Oh yeah, and did we mention this floor design will make the room feel bigger? Well, we definitely should have, because can anyone have too big a bathroom?

Country Cottage

Nowhere is the trending cottage decorative style more appropriate than in a summer home. Evoking the colours and ambiance of a lush flower garden, cottage décor is a mix of casual and rustic furniture, textural contrasts and botanical prints and colours. Indoors and out, wicker or rattan seating, made comfortable with cushions dressed up in floral fabrics, are complemented by painted wood furniture. Walls may be papered with striped or floral patterns or covered with crisp, white headboard panels. Cotton fabrics, second-hand furniture, baskets, tins and pottery make the cottage style an affordable look to attain. The look features a collection of items that are treasured for the memories that they evoke, rather than for they monetary value.

Seaside Chic

Whether a summer house is by the sea or not, a beach theme can establish the relaxing mood and atmosphere of holidays spent by the shore. This look begins with colours, materials and textures than reflect the sea, sky and sand. Beach styles may evoke the elegance of a holiday spent at the luxury seaside resort or may conjure up images of a rustic grass hut. Bamboo flooring, grass matting and tropical woods like mango or koa set the right tone. Simple lines and streamlined forms echo the expanse of sea and sky. Natural light is emphasised with reed, wood or bamboo window blinds. A few specimen sea shells, set on the mantelpiece or on the front porch, add discreet style.

Designed for Entertaining

For many people, a summer house is all about strengthening bonds among family and friends. A summer home designed for fun will include plenty of comfortable, oversize sofas and chairs, plush fabrics, tactile surfaces and amenities built for entertaining, such as a wet bar or billiard table. The comfort of such a home is paramount. Electric heating systems ensure that family and guests are cosy and secure even when the weather turns hostile. In a summer house focussed on entertaining, the kitchen becomes the heart of the home. A kitchen island invites guests to congregate and allows the cook to participate in social gatherings.

The décor of a summer home not only plays a definitive role in the fun and pleasure of a summer holiday, but can transform a summer house into a place that can be restorative and relaxing the year round. Amenities like electric heating systems can make the summer home a holiday destination throughout the year without sacrificing a summery atmosphere. Effective decorating and home improvements can turn a summer house into a home.

Thus, when designing your own bedroom sanctuary, be mindful of your intent when purchasing bed linens. You do not have to buy matchy matchy sets, instead assert your personal taste by shopping for independent duvets, pillow shams, dust ruffles, and blankets. Be on the lookout for hand stitching, and a common tone throughout all of the linens you pick out. And don’t forget to load your bed up with pillows galore. A big fluffy bed with a cloud of soft pillows can be the most inviting place in a home, so set one up for yourself, and sleep like a baby in your personal cushy crib.