Shrinivas Vaidya asked:




The latest trend in home interior design is the use of themes. Theme ideas range from sports to fabulously feminine and contemporary to eclectic. One of the most popular themes is the “Tropical Island” theme.

When using the Tropical Island theme idea, there are many directions you can go. From elegant to fun, you have a wide range of choices. You can use art work, painted murals, wall paper, textured wall paint or any combination of these materials.

Select colors that represent the tropics such as various shades of blue, dark turquoise and deep shades of green. Burlap fabric is a good choice for wall covering. For an inexpensive Tiki look, attach bamboo shades to the wall, than attach a chair rail above the shade using bamboo shafts.

Tropical plants are a must-have for the Tropical Island theme. You can use live or silk plants or sculptures of trees. Some craft and hobby stores have fake palm trees with strands of lights attached to them. Fake palm trees are fun and festive and provide a small amount of additional lighting.

Window treatments should be light and airy. Bamboo shades are a logical choice for this home interior design. Other options include brightly colored sheers or draperies made from bright, sheer fabric or an island print.

A wide range of art work is available to create any style of Tropical Island design. You might want pictures of sugar plantations or pineapple fields. Maybe you prefer oil paintings of cargo ships or fancy yachts. Perhaps your tastes are more suited for seagulls, pelicans, dolphins, turtles or other sea life. Regardless of art preferences, there is an abundance of art work depicting the beauty of the islands.

The Tropical Island home interior design can be used in nearly every room. It makes for an inviting living or family room, as it is bright and cheerful, yet relaxing. It is a calming theme for use in a bedroom and can easily be adapted for children or a nursery. Many children enjoy being surrounded by pictures of sea life and are calmed by the soothing colors.

Bathrooms are a natural setting for the Tropical Island theme. Accessories can easily be located in most retail and department stores. You can find everything from toothbrush holders to wall paper in a variety of island designs. A popular trend in bathroom designs is the use of glass bowl sinks. These are perfect for the Tropical Island theme and add exquisite beauty to the room.

Kitchens lend well to the Tropical Island theme. Bamboo kitchen tables and bar stools are quite popular. Another option is to use a picnic table or outdoor table with an umbrella. You could even go so far as to use a Tiki hut design umbrella to bring in the tropical island feeling in your dining room.

Laundry rooms and storage areas are usually boring areas within the home. Add a splash of tropical color or use a tropical island print wall paper border to breathe some life into a dull and boring space. Use wicker baskets painted in bright colors such as turquoise, orange or yellow, or paint shelves or walls in tropical shades.

The Tropical Island theme works well in the home office setting. It is inviting and friendly to guests and provides an uplifting environment in which to work. Use a variety of lush tropical plants and an aquarium or water fountain. Paint your office furniture white and add a tropical design for a fun and festive look.

Grab some home interior design magazines and catalogs and let your imagination go wild. Cut out photos of items you like and tape them to a piece of paper or foam board. Create a floor plan to help you determine what items you have room for, then go shopping.

Look for deals at your local thrift shop or visit yard or estate sales. You might be surprised at the great bargains available and you’ll probably find several unique accessories. Most importantly have fun and get creative with this home interior design idea and soon your tropical oasis will await you!

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Olinda Rola asked:




In log home interiors and log home interior design, the shape and color of the log wood selected is most important since the log wood used will reflect a range of moods, complexities and emotions. In general, the logs in log home interiors will be the most visual and dynamic element around which all else will revolve.

How much log wood is used in log home interiors is a major decision. Log home interior design today seldom uses logs for every wall in the home. Here are ideas to consider when planning your personal space inside log homes:

o Diameter of Logs – give careful consideration to the size of the logs you will use and how they will visually impact the space. For example, the visual effect of smaller diameter logs in rustic log home interiors can be subtle and somewhat subdued. If your log home is built with large diameter logs, they can be the most powerful and dramatic design element in the room and the entire home. Larger diameter logs will probably require you to build a larger log home, larger rooms, higher ceilings and consequently need more furnishings.

o Interior Light Levels – log home interiors can feel dark and oppressive with dark wood, insufficient natural light and inadequate windows or skylights. Windows give log home interiors natural light, enlarging and enlightening the room space. Orientation, size, location, shape, and style of the windows is very important in log home interior design. An east-facing window gives morning light, and a west-facing window brings late afternoon sun. Using very small windows in log homes is a thing of the past. You may want the windows or the skylights to frame the view of the lake, the mountains or the blue sky. Skylights are great and they provide natural light all year around and will brighten any room and your logs. Why not have it all!

o Room Focal Points – each room in log home interior design should have a focal point, a feature that attracts the eye. The focal point could be a fireplace, a special picture or painting, a staircase, a beautiful chandelier or a window. If the room is large, you may want several dramatic focal points. If you have a large space, create several smaller cozy sections with different furniture arrangements to entertain small groups of people doing different activities. Use a variety of sizes and shapes of area rugs to visually divide the room.

o Flooring Materials – if you choose not to use carpet under the dining room table and chairs, consider using different types of contrasting flooring materials. Use different materials to create a dramatic look – tiles set into wood, for example, or wood timbers laid into stone. A smaller room will appear larger if you install a floor that is lighter than the walls. If your room has numerous windows and plenty of natural light, a beautiful wood floor or stone floor can create the perfect setting.

o Walls and Materials Used – how the logs in log home interiors are finished is important because of the resulting visual impact made by their color. With log home and rustic interior finishing, you can use sealers, stains, and paint in some areas, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. Today, a variety of materials such as glass, stucco, stone, copper and steel are often used with the logs, creating striking contrasts. Or the materials used in log home interior design may be associated with the region or state such as combining logs and stucco in the southwest USA.

Creating beautiful log home interiors has many different ways in which the log home interior design can work well, ranging from informal handmade country style to a modern looking interior. The success of log home interiors, like any house style, may be measured by how much the space is enjoyed and by how well the space functions. Whether you are just beginning to have some ideas or are well along in your design, learn as much as you can about the process of creating your own interior space that is comfortable, cozy, stylish and inviting.

Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

Lee Dobbins asked:




Asian interior design is a stylish and classy way to decorate your home. There are many ways to use this design influence in your space. Some people, however, are a little lost when it comes to using Asian design in their own home. Here are a few ideas to help you begin.

Using Japanese influence in your Asian decorating theme is a popular choice. There are many different ways to use this style. Japanese Shoji screens are one of the most popular choices. These are wooden frames with a lattice design. The cutouts are filled with rice paper. Some shoji screens are plain and some have beautiful designs. These screens can be used as a room divider or simply as decoration. Another thing to add to your Japanese inspired room is the Kotatsu table. This is a rectangular table in a dark finish with clean lines. Many have heaters in the middle, and are considered in Japan to be the emotional center of a home.

Woven straw mats with colored borders are popular floor coverings in Asian interiors. These mats are called goza mats. In Japan, these mats are used for walking, sitting, and sleeping. They have two separate layers. One is the straw center and the other is the soft reed outer edge covered in cloth. These floor and bench coverings will add an authentic touch to your Asian style room.

Another classic element of Asian interior design is the gong. There are several different types of gongs, and the one you choose may have much to do with the size of your space. Some gongs are very large, so your room needs to be large to accommodate them. A more manageable size would be a hanging gong. These are usually 12 inches or so and come with a mallet to ring the gong. You can find ones with a beautiful scroll design to accent your Asian decor. You can also purchase a classic gong that hangs on your wall as an art piece. These are lovely and help to tie an Asian inspired space together.

Using Japanese and Chinese calligraphy is a classic and elegant way to decorate your walls for an Asian decorating theme. You can purchase these works of art already framed or just the print. If you buy just the print, it is usually most striking to frame them in black. Look for simple frames with clean lines. This will help enhance the Asian style.

As you can see, there are many ways to use Asian interior design in your own home. There are a plethora of websites and retailers that specialize in Asian interior design. You can find the materials and products that you need to create your perfect Asian inspired space with relative ease.