Interestingly, antique or period lamps offer a much greater range of shapes, designs and styles than the range offered by contemporary table lamps, which inevitably take on a rather uniform look, in vogue with current style.

The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co offers a range of over 100 antique lamps.  Each lamp is individually designed, producing a unique table lamp in every sense of the word.

The company offers antique and decorative English, French, Chinese and Japanese lamps in a range of porcelain, glass, bronze, cinnabar, treen, marble, pottery and even papier-mâché!

Sophisticated interior design requires thoughtful and subtle lighting.  To over or under light a beautiful interior is to detract from the finished effect.  The great benefit of table lamp lighting is that it is easily portable, allowing for lighting to be repositioned producing the most satisfactory outcome.

Antique and decorative lighting is primarily a personal choice, from the perfectly understated white lamp, through to the highly decorative, four coloured Japanese Imari lamps, all available from the decorative lighting specialists, The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co.

Please remember that The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co, ship lamps,

ready wired for the U.S, the U.K and Australia.  You are invited to visit The

Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co’s web site at ww.antiquelampshop.com

© The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co 2009

We always strive to improve our quality of life and it starts within our own home.  We invest our hard earned money into a monthly mortgage payments and continuous repairs and upgrades.  I can only assume that over the last few years you have taken a closer look and your home improvement budget and due to cost, probably cut out some major projects and replaced them with minor fixes.  For example, maybe instead of knocking down the family room wall to open up the space, you chose to simply paint the wall a lighter color to make the room feel larger.  You saved two ways, your cost of material is significantly less, and chances are, you would’ve hired a contractor to do the work.  Or, maybe instead of replace the interior doors and trim, you took the doors and trim off, brought it into the garage, sanded them down and stained them until they look brand new.  I could give you many more examples, but my point is that we can save money while still improving the value of our home and the quality of our life.

Tip of the day: Try to avoid doing it yourself if the project is honestly out of your realm of carpentry.  How do you know it’s not a DIY?  Try this check list.

-          Have you done it before?

-          Are you 100% confident you can do it?

-          Do you have the necessary tools, or are you willing to spend the money needed to get them?

-          Do you have a friend that has done this before and can help you in a jam?

-          Do you have a plan from start to finish?

If you can’t answer the majority of these questions with a YES, then maybe the job is cut out for a contractor.  Remember, it is usually more expensive for a contractor to fix your work and complete the job rather than just start the job from scratch.

Ready to start your DIY interior decor upgrades?

I hope you had a fun summer staining the deck, repairing the fence and building your garden, but winter is approaching and it is time to look for interior decor upgrades projects.  Walk around your home and find as many DIY upgrades as you can, choose the upgrade that you think will make the biggest impact, and then decide if it fits within your budget.  If so, then good luck!  Below you will find some DIY upgrade ideas that make a big impact without undergoing a major renovation!

Add decorative molding and trim

A little pricey, but fairly easy to do and can really make a big design impact on any room, especially the dining room and living room.

Check out http://www.crownmoldingshop.com for decorative molding and trim.

Add a tile backsplash in the kitchen

Moderately priced depending on the size of the area you want to cover.  This is easier to do than you may think. It will require patience and attention to detail.  You will be surprised what it can do to the look of a kitchen…amazing.

Check out http://www.kitchenbacksplashtileandmosaics.com for tile backsplash.

Replace plastic white switchplates with decorative brass, nickel, oil rubbed bronze switchplates

Cost around $50-$100 a room, depending on the style you choose and the amount of switches and outlets in each room.  What a difference this can make, and it’s probably the easiest upgrade you will ever do.  You might not notice your switchplates and outlet covers, but like a bad pair of shoes, everyone else does…and like a good pair of shoes, you will want to show them off.

Check out http://www.switchhits.com for decorative switch plates.

Replace door hardware

Each door should cost around $30 to $50 depending on the hardware.  Just follow how to instructions and this is an easy job. You might not think door hardware is a big deal, but similar to switchplates, it is seen and touched by everyone.  It is noticeable and can really accent your decor.

Check out http://www.directdoorhardware.com for door hardware.

By Richard Mariano

If your old couch is boring you, a simple recovering will save you the cost and hassle of forking out for a whole new piece. Sweden-based Bemz sell made-to-order cushion covers for the most popular IKEA sofas. You choose the colour or pattern and they’ll deliver it to your door within six weeks. For other furniture, or more significant work like replacing springs and stuffing, check your local directory or try House and Garden Addresses for upholsterers. Reupholstering doesn’t come cheap, so unless the piece is worth the investment (or you’re a dab hand at sewing), you might be better off buying a decorative throw to freshen up your look. If you’re willing to take the plunge, head for John Lewis where the upholstery service team will collect your tattered piece, replace the fabric and mend it, before returning it to you in sparkly new condition.

If you can’t see much potential in that old couch, have a look at the flamboyant creations of London-based Squint. Designer Lisa Whatmough. transforms vintage furniture with recycled fabrics and a whole lot of imagination.

Swap it

SwapXchange in a nationwide network which allows users to ‘swap’ their junk for something they actually want (like a nice bottle of red wine). SwapXchange
Surrey began in 2004 and Hera Cottrell, Waste Information Officer for Surrey County Council, has this advice for would-be swappers. “Describe the item you
want to swap as well as you can and be honest about the condition of the material.” The one condition is that ads have to be moderated by the council and no money can be made openly through the site (what buyers/sellers choose to do offline is up to them). Islington council’s website has some other good advice tips for swapping furniture.
Call your council
Each local council has their own policy about old furniture disposal, but many offer a free collection service and advice on needy centres that can use your furniture (if it’s in decent condition). Find your local council here or find out more about recycling furniture in your area from Recycle Now.

Give it away

No such thing as a free lunch? Wrong. Freecycling offers you a place to literally give away your unwanted household possessions at no cost to yourself. The not-for-profit aim is solely to get people, as they put it, ‘keeping the good stuff out of landfills’, and there are no guidelines for the condition of product (except stuff’s free). Put up an ad, wait for someone to show interest and then arrange a collection date. You might just find yourself ‘collecting’ a few products in lieu of those you have just parted with. Or for £1 for a month, you can post your goods on Rag and Bone where everything featured has to be in somewhat decent nick.

Be charitable

Paul Smith, Chief Executive Officer of the Furniture Re-use Network (0845 602 8003), estimates that 17 million items of furniture and domestic appliances are sent to landfill in the UK every year. That’s 47,000 items every day – an astronomical amount of
waste. The FRN helped with flood relief in the UK in the summer of 2007, distributing second-hand beds to those struck by the disaster. ‘It so happened that we were doing chalet clearances for Center Parcs at the time,’ says Smith. ‘Now Centerparcs beds are all over the country.’ Relieve your guilt for throwing out by passing on old stock on to one of the charities under the FRN umbrella (there are over 400 in the UK). The FRN usually offer a free collection service and items most in demand include good quality mattresses and beds,as well as electrical items. Furniture must, however, pass certain test requirements: couches need to have fire safety regulation tags, beds can’t be stained or torn and gas Shop the UK’s largest selection of cookers are no longer accepted.
The British Heart Foundation has also opened furniture and electrical shops nationwide that will collect your goods and sell them on. If you’re moving home, they will even clear out your whole house for a nominal fee (just to cover the bits they don’t actually want).

Sell it

‘The Joy of Second Hand’ is what it’s about at Preloved, a website that specialises goods that have already been worn in. Place a free advert and make a quick buck on just about anything.

Salvage it

If your furniture is a classic and in pretty good form, salvage company Retrouvius might be willing to take it off your hands. They give a new lease of life to old pieces and then sell the one-off, unique items for top of the range prices. ‘Last week someone phoned up with a leather armchair but the leather was completely knackered,’ partner Adam Hills says. ‘We re-upholstered it and now it’s selling for £695 on the site. It’s a win-win situation and most importantly the chair didn’t go to landfill.’ Retrouvius take on anything from Georgian or Victorian era articles to contemporary furniture and Hills currently has his eye on the 1950s and 1970s and for hard wood pieces like Mahogany and Teak that would be scarce today. We’ve all got a history we’re proud of, but now there’s a way to put it to good use.

When it comes down to the appliances, shopping around, not only for the price but for the appliance you truly want is the thing to do. Reading consumer reports is a great way to compare different brands and features. Worth ranges vary from store to store thus take your time. It’s definitely worth the time to wait on a sale. Conjointly you’ll use as a bargaining tool too by shopping for all the kitchen appliances from one store. Anyway you can safe cash is the secret in kitchen renovations. Keeping your kitchen renovation on a budget is to be disciplined. When the impulse comes “I simply have to have that” syndrome, you may have to exercise discipline. Buying things that you had not planned on will send your budget through the roof.

When it involves kitchen reworking, there are many things you wish to consider even before acquiring the services of a professional contractor, or creating appliance choices. Additional than any other room of the residence, the kitchen is the most versatile. It is used to prepare meals, feed the family, store foods, and clean and store service ware and alternative household things.

The kitchen is additionally the family meeting place. Everybody without doubt migrates to the kitchen as a result of it’s the main hub of the home. Therefore, it’s necessary that each kitchen remodeling idea be taken into consideration. Search through home decorating magazines and discover some great ideas on TV. Whether you decide to style the kitchen yourself, work with a kitchen remodeling contractor or home center, formulating a strategy can be the first step. In other words, write the vision and make it clear.

The primary kitchen remodeling tip is to contemplate the 3 basic kitchen functions: storage, food preparation, and clean-up. A well thought out kitchen style can accommodate each of these 3 functions. The layout of the kitchen style should be defined with convenient layout and simple movement. The classic “work triangle” ought to be the basis of the ground plan. The kitchen sink, refrigerator and stove, because the 3 kitchen features used most often, should be organized in an exceedingly triangular pattern. This work triangle saves unnecessary steps when cooking and has proven to be the foremost convenient layout. The work triangle concept saves unnecessary steps when preparing foods, and proves the most convenient layout design.

1. Pay attention to color. We use color everywhere in our lives and it affects nearly everything we do. For the cooler months, darker, richer hues are ideal for creating a cozy, winter look in your living room. Rich browns, burgundies and dark greens and ochres are perfect for making it feel warmer inside, but you don`t have to run out and buy new furniture. Slip covers make it very simple to change the palette of a room, as do curtains.

2. Use plenty of texture. Clean and smooth is the way to go for hot weather, but once the snow starts to fall, it`s time to get nice and warm and fuzzy. Texture adds a lot of personality to a room and you can use as little or as much as you like, depending on your taste. This can mean anything from throwing a couple of warm fleece blankets over the back of the sofa or adding some fuzzy pillows to bringing out extra throw rugs and hanging up heavy oil paintings. Thicker curtains can also help warm a room.

3. Bring the outdoors in. Just because it`s cold and wet outside doesn`t mean there`s nothing interesting in nature. Try creating an arrangement of stark branches to place on the mantel, or find seasonal plants that can be brought indoors during this time. Like you would decorate with flowers in the spring, do the same with what you have at hand during the winter, albeit less colorful. A tall collection of reeds or decorative dried grass, for example, can lend a natural winter feel to a living room and keeps things from getting too bare.

4. Literally warm it up. If you have a fireplace, real or electric, now is a great time to fire it up. Keeping things cozy and warm with flames automatically makes the living room a place that feels like a retreat from the blustery world outside. But even if you don`t happen to have a fireplace, you can still create that homey feeling with candles. One or three candles (odd numbers tend to look better) set on the sideboard or on a low shelf are perfect if you just want to add a touch of warmth, but for a real comfort zone, try lighting a dozen or more around the room.

5. Change the decorations. Flat surfaces such as mantels, windowsills, coffee tables and shelves offer a multitude of decorating possibilities that we often forget to alter. What works for a summer layout isn`t going to work for winter, so take a good look at the decorations and centerpieces that you have and make some seasonal changes. Winter scenes make a great alternative to floral paintings, while crystal jars and such are a great way to decorate a shelf.

Transitioning from a summer look to a winter one with these interior design tips should be a piece of cake. Think about what makes a room feel warm and inviting and then add that to your living room to create the perfect hideaway for cold, wintry days.

So what exactly does customizing your furniture entail? It’s exactly as it sounds, cus-to-miz-ing.  It’s all about taking just that little longer to say what you want your home to say.  Let it breathe.  Go creative.  Paint the walls soft pink if you want to.  And pick the furniture that matches your personality and style.  Sometimes to get it all right, you need to opt the DIY design, and that includes the furniture.  You want people coming into to your home to comment on what an experience it was.  The only drawback is that as they sink into your sofa, and sip their wine and listen to Enya, you’ll probably find it’s hard to get them to leave.

Myself, years I ordered an oak table from a small family-run NYC furniture shop, where you knew that you were getting one-of-a-kind. Mine came with two pull out drawers so that the silver cutlery is easily accessible. I love my kitchen table.  It’s for my friends and family as much as for me.

www.NYCCustomFurniture.com has 20 years in the furniture industry and they will work with hand with you from conception to creation.  They design and craft high-quality custom wood products for homes, and have a growing reputation. Book your free design consultation today.

http://www.nyccustomfurniture.com/

the surface gets sealed the surface is binded back to a hard shell ready for its last coat

The importance of knowing the properties of the undercoat for your home interior decoration job is vital. It will help you understand what happens on a finer and microscopic level. It’s not just an excuse to sell more paint to you! It’s a very important product even more important than the finish coat, because it determines the finish product.
If you can imagine a sponge and its surface it has a lot of holes and is very porous, right!  So you need to seal that surface back to a smooth workable platform that will give you a nice clean canvas to  work with. That is the job that undercoat is built for. To act as a surface builder ready for any coat you may be applying. So an undercoat is extremely important ay mate!
Before starting your next home interior decoration job try this!  Do a sample, a surface with no undercoat and one with undercoat and you will notice a huge difference in the one that is coated, better coverage and a lot smoother finish. 
BUT REMEMBER a good quality undercoat! Don’t just say ahhh phh it’s just an undercoat, I only need something for the top coat to sit on. Big mistake! The quality ones sand to a nice powdery finish and are not plastic looking.  So remember this when starting your home interior decoration job the undercoat is the most important coat of paint that will determine the outcome of your finished product.
Well I hope you’ve learnt something from my painting tips and I’ll catch ya on the next run for more painting and decorating tips.  Happy painting people………….Wayne the painter.

Today, people want to spend days indoors, painting their kitchen walls a soft pink hue, and their hallways off-white, and hours sanding down old furniture, but this would require realigning their lifestyles and commitments. It’s not just a question of having the know-how; it’s about freeing up the time in a hectic schedule.

If you can’t DIY, then the next best thing is to have craftsmen who love what they do, to help you design your own furniture in Queens or in five boro.  Some people many baulk at what they imagine the costs will be.  You want to remember that you will be purchasing a keep-sake that you’ll want to pass on to your children. And there really is not price-tag that you can attach to a dining set or bookcase or stool, which matches how it feels to be surrounded by furniture, made to match your taste. It’s the same feeling as wearing clothes that fit you well, or wearing your favorite colors. You’ll feel immediately at ease when you come in the hall and put your keys on the little stand in the hall.

What appeals to me is the impact this will have on your home.  Put your personal flair in one corner, step back, admire the handiwork and you’ll be drawn to more of the same.  My hand-made solid oak table has compelled me to buy a gorgeous array of pottery and plates.  I have green-leaf art deco plates, rose flower cups and saucers from the antique fair, white pasta dishes engraved with oil branches, and silver cutlery to match.  And it’s this same table I bought a bright-yellow-orange Mediterranean table cloth for.

I’m into the feel-good feel that only comes with the personalized touch.  It’s not a feeling you’ll get if you buy from the local chair dealer, who’s selling his chairs as fast as he can get them out the shop door.

Go to NYC Custom Furniture (www.NYCCustomFurniture.com), and share their success. With 20 years in the furniture industry, they have mastered the art of customizing, from conception to creation. They’ll put you at ease immediately, with their portfolio of clients, and the authenticity of the testimonials of satisfaction.

http://www.nyccustomfurniture.com/

Choosing your flooring is a big decision because it can make or break your house. If you’re afraid of making this decision on your own, hire a professional. An interior designer will gladly help you decide what is right for you and your home by finding out your individual likes and dislikes.

You can find an interior designer for your flooring needs in just about any city world wide. If you don’t know of one on your own, then ask for a recommendation from someone you know or look for one in the phone book. You will be able to tell if the interior designer has the same vision that you do or not.

Once you’ve decided on the flooring, you can keep the interior designer around or you can do the rest on your own. You will know right away if you still need the help of a professional or not by how hard it is for you. Those without an eye for design should consult an interior designer if they want their house to look beautifully decorated. Some people do have a natural talent for decorating and won’t need any help at all. It all depends on your personality and what you’re good at. So, if you know what type of flooring, drapes, colors and furniture go best together, you should save yourself the money and do it all on your own!

There is certain information that home owners simply need to know in order to carry out the various renovation projects that are likely to arise at one point or another over the years of home ownership.  A recent development that is of major importance to home owners revolves around the issue of home energy and resource efficiency.  A home is liable to consume an incredible amount of resources over time, and all the more so if the home’s various appliances are not efficient in their operation.  Inefficient home appliances, and generally outdated appliances (these separate categories are largely overlapping, of course) are bad for home owners in a variety of ways: first of all, these outdated systems do nothing to help the value of a home but rather, if anything, cause it to sink a little; secondly, they are a direct cause for exorbitant electricity, water and gas bills on a monthly basis.  Hence, old and inefficient appliances are a financial liability for home owners, and should represent one of the first and most urgent home renovation projects that any home owner (except those that move into a brand new home with completely updated, energy efficient technologies) ought to tackle.  

In this very regard, home owners need to keep in mind what constitutes a reliable rating for energy efficiency.  As of the present moment (late 2009), the most heavily relied upon rating body is Energy Star, whose simple and easy to understand rating system is used by the government itself to determine energy efficiency.  The benefits of investing in such technologies extend beyond the issues mentioned above regarding home value and lower monthly utilities bills; there is also, potentially (depending on the size of the home renovation project and the details of the project), a tax credit for home owners that help to make their home more energy efficient.  This is a truly unique opportunity to carry out a wide variety of renovation projects that no home owner should pass up!