Create a jewel box of a powder room with venetian plasters

Oh yes, it’s the tiniest room in our home – and the one that all our guests see, eventually. It holds such potential allure and such realized dread. We want that critical bit of real estate to make a good impression, we want it to be original, we want it to be sexy even – but how? Easy! Let your imagination run free! Be wildly creative! Be daring! A fantasy faux finish is perfect for grabbing everyone’s attention and setting the tone and attitude when those special guests enter that necessary little room.

So many options, so little space! Great, do something unexpected. Faux finishes can be simple and stately, subtly underdone, just a whisper on the wall. But in a powder room, why bother with tried and true when luxurious and exotic is so much more fun? Go ahead and make a statement with the wall treatment. Make your friends and family gasp for the first time in a very long time. It’ll be fun for them and for especially for you.

Ever heard of Venetian Plasters? They are spectacularly rich polished plasters that originated in ancient Rome and migrated to the finest homes in Venice in the 15th century. Those Italians are always painting on their walls and Sistine ceilings.

The original uniquely colored and textured finishes were made with ground lime and marble powders. These days they are acrylic or latex products and are much simpler and versatile to work with for today’s artisans.

And the looks are astonishing. Most commonly, Venetian Plasters are used to produce a polished stone–like look. But with a little creativity on the part of the artist troweling on this plaster, a whole new type of look is possible. The addition of spectacular metallic waxes, plus pearl and iridescent glazes can bring an entire new dimension and surprise to the time-honored beauty of Venetian Plaster.

Did I mention colors for these lustrous plasters? Think inky black, deep chocolate, sapphire blue, blazing crimson, spiritual turquoise. Let your imagination run free -- there are no limitations at all. Any color can be translated into this wondrous medium. Then watch as those metallic (such as: copper, gold, bronze, or pewter) waxes get applied and mysteriously alter the finish in a dynamic new way. The depth of color and variation will astound you and your guests!

Multi-layering of plaster colors is another way to create drama. Applications of two compatible or better still, two contrasting colors can result in something that is truly unique. A tiny dab of brilliant green and a hint of luminous pearl in the sapphire blue and suddenly you have a faux lapis lazuli on your walls.

Even if you opt for the stately single color look of these beautiful plasters without any further embellishments, you won’t go wrong. A highly polished, sealed and waxed plaster finish will stand the test of time and be a wonder to behold. And a huge practical benefit is that the durability and sturdiness of the plaster is perfect for a powder room (or a damp bathroom.)

Challenge a faux finisher to create a finish uniquely attuned to your style. Let your specially chosen artist shine while creating something fresh and new that will elicit awe and joy from everyone who sees it. Even the most staid of traditional interiors has room to a bit more flexible in furnishing that special little room our guests spend but the briefest of moments in. So be inspired and splash some color on those walls.

Home design - needing some inspiration

You will spend the vast majority of your life in your home – yes, sure, much of it will be sleeping, but there will also be plenty of times where you just sit and relax, in the evenings and at weekends. With that in mind, don’t you want your home to be nice to look at?

It’s difficult to underestimate the importance of good home design when it comes to your overall quality of life. Your home should be a place where you can relax, but at the same time get things done that you want to get done. If you’re always fighting against your home’s design to do simple tasks, it can seriously affect how happy you are with your life overall. More than one couple has broken up only to find that it wasn’t really their partner that was bothering them at all – it was the shabby home they had together.

Most people think that they can design their home perfectly well themselves, but in reality few can. You have to have a very specific idea of what you want, be able to accommodate everyone who lives there, and then actually follow through and get the job done quickly and to a high standard. If you miss one of these things out, then you end up spending years on home improvements, or with a finish you’re not happy with, or simply with a compromise design that no-one really wanted.

If you want your home designed properly, you should probably bring in a professional, who will take everyone’s needs into account and design an elegant solution to your problems. It can be truly shocking just how much homes improve with a minimal amount of professional design – it’s like the difference between an amateur newsletter and a real newspaper, or a landscape garden compared to a random set of plants. The best part is that you only really need to have it done once (at least until you move), meaning that it’s a very worthwhile investment that will likely improve not only the quality of your life but also the sale value of your home.

An introduction to futons

Futons have been a fixture of college students’ dorm rooms and other urban living settings for decades. Futons are stylish, functional, and versatile; they can be integrated into nearly any setting. Futon beds are lightweight and simple, providing sleepers with a comfortable place to rest.

What most people don’t know is that futon beds originated in Japan. For hundreds of years, Japanese people have slept on thin futon mattresses placed directly on the floor. They saw no need to have an elaborate bed with a frame and box spring and headboard. All that these early futons involved was the thin mattress, small pillows, and a blanket. In the morning, the futon bed could be rolled up and put in a closet. Over time, the concept of sleeping on futon beds spread to America.

Modern futons often have adjustable frames and can be used as either a couch or a bed, depending on how the frame is arranged. The frames are usually made of colored metal, but can be wooden as well. Futon beds do not needed to be folded out like couch beds, all the sleeper needs to do is push the back of the frame from the upright couch position to a horizontal bed position. These setups are comfortable in either the couch or bed position and are great for accommodating overnight guests.

Current models of futon mattresses are thicker than the original Japanese models. They are often filled with wool, polyester, cotton, or soft man made fibers. They do not have the springs that conventional beds have. A normal mattress can become uncomfortable over time if the springs do not hold up well to pressure. This is not a problem with futons because most of them have no springs.

Futon beds have evolved greatly over time. From their simple beginnings as space saving Japanese beds to their modern multi use models, they are a great alternative to conventional beds.