Clarizze @ Home

Archive for the ‘home decoration’ Category

Are you looking for wall panels for your homes? Wall panels could provide as an adornment in your homes or it could be provided in a place where you want to separate (as division between two rooms) between rooms. It’ll add character to every home space.

I find a lucrative sale of wall panels with decorative decals at a popular website. Every item is up for grabs at 50% discount. Go check out the sale at cashcashpinoy.com before the deal runs out.

Google Image

Do you use carpets at home? Beautifully-designed carpets or rugs can be a great decoration in every homes. They will surely add warmth and coziness in every homes just as how outdoor stone fountains can beautify a garden. However, other homeowners are reluctant to use/buy carpets because it is a lot harder to maintain carpet’s cleanliness. Because of its size and prominence in every home space, carpets are subjected to worst dilemma -dirt accumulation and stain catcher.

Homeowners find it hard to remove the dirt/stain in carpets. More often than not, cleaning agents only worsens the dilemma. If dirt are not removed from the carpets, it will effect bacteria multiplication which will add more harm to the carpet. A dirty or ruined carpet also lessen the appearance of the room where the carpet is placed.

Therefore, it is a must to keep our carpets clean. If carpet cleaning is too tough a job for a homeowner, there are carpet cleaning services which can provide maximum cleanliness and protection to your attractive carpets or rugs. You can save a lot  on time, water and cleaning detergents. Find out companies that offer green solution in cleaning.

Don’t you think it’s nicer when you know that certain companies offer these kind of green cleaning services?

Overdue post again. I delayed this one because I thought, we (the husband and I) could DIY the lower part into something that I had envisioned it to be. But, I am not losing hope, since it’s summer time, we still have many days to work on this faux fireplace.

Fireplace? On a temperate country? Kind of. But not exactly^_^. Pardon my design errs.

Actually, what I am trying to achieve here is a mantel shelf. I’ve been “drooling” over the mantel designs I have been seeing on design channel or the Internet. Then, when I have the chance and have our room renovated in November, I ask the carpenter to make me a mantel. He said, “A whaaat?” So, I did showed him couple of designs I collected on the Internet. And, here it was…

The carpenter hadn’t any trouble sawing and nailing pieces of wood to come up with what I wanted.

Had constructed the faux fireplace/mantel shelf in the part of our room where the lone display was our wedding photo. Nothing else was there. It became so boring a wall.  So, it needed a makeover.

When the project was done, I am stuck as to what paint color to apply. So, I played it safe on white… A mantel shelf where I can place some of my nifty thrifty items above while some more underneath. No fireplace underneath. Just for show

I thanked the commissioned carpenter for giving life to plain pieces of wood.

Different moldings i.e  architrave, a frieze, and a cornice are available on most hardware stores. We opted for simpler designs. However, the addition of different molding designs and sizes gives architectural details on the wood project. Tis the reason why I opted for white paint.

The wedding photo never came back to this wall. Variety of colors in different pieces is what this mantel needs.

My silhouette cross stitch project came in lieu of the wedding photo. Plus more…

Pink candles in frosted crystal holders…

Souvenirs from Paris from the husband’s former boss…

Glass vases…

Honestly, it’s not the most pretty mantel you’d see. I am most envious at those elaborate ones I’d seen on the Internet. But, what I am most happy about at the project? The realization of my dream -a mantel wish

Meanwhile, this part is half-done. Will install few more changes in there. Here’s hoping we could apply our DIY plan this summer…

Summer time is here. However, I am not sure if I’ll be loving this season when I have three kids to attend to 24/7. Kids who are always hungry which leaves me staying more in the kitchen as ever. Kids who tends to make clutter faster than I can clean them up. I guess, I am more busier when school is off. Whereas, when all the kids are in school and the husband is working, I can have spare time to do what I like best to do -cleaning the house, rearranging furniture, decorating.

I have this notoriety in changing the decors more often. I don’t know. Maybe, it’s one of those SAHM-thing. When all the chores are done, I’ve got nothing else to do.

Move things. Here, there, back here, again

When I purchased these clay potteries in December, I placed them in the living room. Then, in January I moved them outside near the entrance door. But the blustery winds of the Amihan endangers one piece which makes me find a new home for them, again.

Here they are now. In a wall where in November, a table with my angel figurines sit here. Angels are relocated^^ to give these earthenware pieces a new place. Above them is a framed clock with my cross stitch-giraffe-design.

So there. The trio potteries find its way in our so-called entertainment/family room. I personally thought, they fit better there as the color of the wall is a cool green and the flooring tiles are a combination of olive green/grey/yellow. I thought the yellow pieces complement the colors in the area. Did they?

I don’t know how long will they stay there.

BTW, the three potteries cost only 1500 pesos. They’re made of clay and spray painted the designs. A friend referred the seller to me in December who hails from Ilocos.

I dunno but nobody yet discovered that these two light fixture that are in our living room were actually outdoor lights used mostly as street lamps or in perimeter posts in some homes.

Yes.

When I had won over the husband (RE: home improvement), and had our living area renovated (along with our bedroom and the kitchen) last November 2012, he had to remove the two old chandeliers (he was the one who purchased the lights back then)  hanging in that same area as in the photos.  He cleaned the chandeliers so that it will look new when he installed it again. Whereas in the back of my mind, I vowed never to let those lights come inside the house again. Oh! They were quite okay. However with my mind racing to updated ceiling designs back then, I thought that those old chandeliers wouldn’t jibe into the overall concept of the ceiling plan.

And, my plan worked again. It was the husband who even suggested we better get newer light fixture into the areas -the living room, the kitchen, our room.

I went alone one day in home depots merely browsing around for designs. I got overwhelmed by too many pretty light pieces -chandeliers, pendant lights, and more. I I don’t know which one to pick. Besides, the prices of the ones I did fancy were quite high.  I am one frugal buyer.

But, I went home with pretty nifty ideas that could save me thousands.

First off, I plan to do a DIY on a lamp light I found for 895 pesos. When I asked the good hubby if my project would be possible, his major concern was our ceiling height. Too low. So, I quit on my first idea. Then, my second idea…this was it…

As I said, those lights were mostly used outdoors. It comes in three different diameter sizes. These one’s the biggest size. It also comes with covers, separately sold. Steel covers are use for protection and for aesthetic appeal. But since I am not keen on using it outdoors, I politely tell the store staff that we will be getting just the lights sans the covers. The staff are shocked when I told them I’d be putting the lights indoor and in our living room.

Yes. I did. And it saved me a lot. Each one cost 1295 pesos only. And, each one needs only 26 0r 32-watt circular electronic fluorescent light. Very energy efficient as compared to chandeliers which needed 5 single separate bulb lights. That’s over a 100-watts power usage. I am always on the lookout on how I can decrease my electricity consumption.

These units are very easy to install, too. Only, it was installed wrong side up ^_^

Hope I do not sound like bragging here, but I guess, the light fixture, even in its simple circular form, did fit into the design of the ceiling. The ceiling architecture should steal the show here, the light added should enhance its features. That’s my main goal here. Hence, no need for too much elegant chandeliers.

I always tell my friends who came to visit, I do not have the money to splurge on expensive fixture, I just look for inspiration on the net. And let some imagination and DIY magic do the works.

It helped me to save a lot.

PS: If you have time, please do check my post on a budget pendant light design and more lighting fixture which we installed in our kitchen.

Many thanks.

While the husband is busy reading about lateral spring plungers, I get myself busy prepping our small kitchen window. The husband (always my critic^_^) disapproves my idea of placing curtain on that kitchen window. Saying, curtain will somehow make the area darker and feel smaller. I should let the natural light comes in, he says. It’ll make the room larger and airy, too.

Okay. You got a point there. I said. But, as always is the stubborn wife, I came home one day with a small curtain and surprised him when he came home one night and saw the window treatment.

What did he say? Just a half smile^_^.

99 pesos? Flimsy fabric?

I choose a sheer fabric because I want fresh air to come through the small window. And, I picked the safest color and design -white with touches of gold stripes to match the hardware and the tile borders- too bold a design will be too heavy on the eyes. Then, I found two unused curtain holders and used both to gather the ends and hang right into the curtain rods. This way, the fabric would not totally block the air, the light and the view coming from the outside.

So there it is. Small window treatment for my small kitchen.

How I wished my kitchen counter stays clean and clutter free forever. Kids’ vacation are coming. The place will be busier more than ever…

(#Wishlist2013: Kitchen Island! Come to me this 2013. Pretty please. )

Here’s my latest colorful nifty finds at a “tiangge”. Costing 15 pesos a-piece. I was delighted to purchased 4 pieces.

What’s not to love with these cheap and brightly colored faux butterfly.

I initially didn’t know where to put them when I purchased them. The little daughter would be delighted to have them and stick them to her room. But, when I get to the house and held them on the table, I suddenly think of a better place for them…

Guard and feed on these faux flower will yah, Mr. Faux butterflies?

Can’t help but feel proud and always thankful for having him. A complete package ^_^. Have saved a lot of money because of him. He’s an around man-in-the house -a loving husband, a doting dad, and a jack-of-all-trade repairman. His forte is electricity. A licensed one. But, he can do other tasks, too. A carpenter, a plumber, a gardener, even a farmer, and what else. He’s done every little problem in the house. One weekend he’s sawing some woods needed in the storage roof, the next day, he’s sealing a pipe leak in the sink.

So, a few weekends ago, told him to drill few nails so I could hang the decor in our small terrace. I send the decor to have it refurbished and when it was returned to me, it all looks new. I am thrilled. So, here’s the husband working on his little drilling machine…

After a few minutes, the fan decor and the three little butterflies are all set up in the wall…

Had to make this wooden sticks (free from the neighboring fields) looks new, as well, by applying natural varnish. The terra cotta pot is an old one. I bought it in the market some three years back for 70-80 pesos. I hardly remember. My bad.

And, so here’s our small space at the front entrance. A wooden chaise necessary for those lazy afternoon when summer’s too overbearing. Added 2 single wooden chairs, too. Trying to keep it simple and functional. No extras needed.

Weather is harsh these days, needed sturdy furniture and fixture in that place. Nothing fancy.

Thanks for the hubby for always helping me out in decorating and more importantly, for his help in saving us some dough we can add up on our grocery funds

Have a great week, everyone. All the best.

Did I say I did find it a little hard to put away the Christmas ornaments specifically the Christmas tree after the holidays? I want the tree to be there in the living room all year round. Why can’t it be?

And also, I wanted our room to stay the way I fixed/decorated it last December. Don’t want to change anything. Besides, it’s too tiring changing decor and much more cleaning time again. I thought that after the improvement done on our room in November, I could last the look -holidays and up to summer time.

Then again, my adrenaline surge up, I was up and running changing everything again…

Starting with the window treatment. Yes. That’s the curtain that was in the living room last year. I do not have the money to buy the room new curtains. I just had to make it look new. How?

DIY styling…

Here, I used up the thick fabric to cover up this rarely opened window on our bed’s headboard side. And since I dropped off the valence and wouldn’t use the sheer, instead I used the yellow sheer as an accent. Forgive me, I don’t have the proper term how that type of curtain is named. All i know is, I knotted near the ends (both sides) and make a drape.

Yes. That’s it. The accent is a drape curtain. Haha. Here’s the curtain on the bay window. Had to break the drape in half (tie in the middle) as to create that “drape” effect.

Headboard side.

 Got the wooden bed a new coat of dark paint. Stole a white unused table and painted it white to use as a night stand as well as book shelf for those late night sleeps…

That’s how far I go at our bedroom. The rest of the photos when i am done with the faux fireplace…

Lighting within design is extremely important. Lighting can be used emphasise or de-emphasise certain fixtures within a room, either bathing them in light or covering in a slight shadow. Lighting is concerned with enhancing what you already have, it isn’t concerned with being a centre piece but rather is the supporting act to accentuate what is already there. There are various retailers of lights and lamps, but in my opinion none as impressive and reliable as Geoffrey Harris.

The most important aspect of lighting is the experience. Creating a balanced setting, with a correct ambience for the situation is most important to the experience. How often have you been sat in a room and just felt out of kilter because of the lighting? An interior designer seeks to place lighting in such a way that it doesn’t become intrusive, but rather adds pleasure to the experience of the room. For example, a floor light next to a comfy arm chair can be perfect for a more relaxed atmosphere.

The model of the light itself is important. For when it isn’t switched on, the design affects the aesthetic of a room. Certain stylish design can add class and sophistication to a room with a contemporary feel. For example, the European designers Artemide have a wide range of lamps available. As do Anglepoise. The conception of Anglepoise was created by the former car manufacturer George Carwardine in 1932. Not only does the lamp offer a suave, sophisticated design, but it is highly functional. The moveable stem makes it perfect for a reading lamp.

Geoffrey Harris is an independent lighting company based in the South of London. They offer great customer service, really showing they care about how lighting affects our lives. To check out their webstore go to www.geoffreyharris.co.uk.