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Choosing up the hardwood floor or the home decorating plan or idea that better fits in with Empire furniture can be a little bit difficult. There are some very good books of designs to base your decor idea. You can then get from them interesting complements and ornaments for all the corners of your house, of course based on the colonial style. One the most famous books at the date was the - Illustrated history of furniture, by Frederick Litchfield. You can read some tips from that book along the following paragraphs. We want to encourage the readers to follow its ideas because they can help you to find your own style.

Materials And Ornaments For Careful Finishes

On secretaries and tables, a common ornament of this description of furniture, is a column of mahogany, with a capital and base of bronze (either gilt, part gilt, or green), in the form of the head of a sphinx with the foot of an animal; console tables are supported by sphinxes and griffins; and candelabra and wall brackets for candles have winged figures of females, stiff in modeling and constrained in attitude, but almost invariably of good material with careful finish.

The bas-reliefs in metal which ornament the panels of the friezes of cabinets, or the marble bases of clocks, are either reproductions of mythological subjects from old Italian gems and seals, or represent the battles of the Emperor, in which Napoleon is portrayed as a Roman general. There was plenty of room to replace so much that had disappeared during the Revolution, and a vast quantity of decorative furniture was made during the few years which elapsed before the disaster of Waterloo caused the disappearance of a power which had been almost meteoric in its career.

What Books To Read

The best authority on Empire Furniture is the book of designs, published in 1809 by the architects Percier and Fontaine, which is the more valuable as a work of reference, from the fact that every design represented was actually carried out, and is not a mere exercise of fancy, as is the case with many such books. In the preface the authors modestly state that they are entirely indebted to the antique for the reproduction of the different ornaments; and the originals, from which some of the designs were taken, are still preserved in a fragmentary form in the Museum of the Vatican.

Classic Designs And Ideas

An arm chair and a stool, together with that of the tripod table which are favorable examples of the richly-mounted and more decorative furniture of this style. While they are not free from the stiffness and constraint which are inseparable from classic designs as applied to furniture, the rich color of the mahogany, the high finish and good gilding of the bronze mounts, and the costly silk with which they are covered, render them attractive and give them a value of their own. By reading the books proposed above you definitely can break the look of the interior design of your house, and will learn how to include empire furniture into home decorating ideas and plans.

Andrew Caxton contributes adding articles to an online home decorating and interior design magazine. Your guide on home decorating and how to choose from hundreds of decorating ideas and tips. Andrew will inspire you to capture the look you wish. Find further information on decorating and design at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com

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So you’re in the mood to decorate your bedroom, but you’re on a limited budget…

AND you don’t have a headboard. And we all know that the bed is the major focal point of a bedroom. Your bed needs weight and drama… a headboard!

But if you don’t want to spend $1000 on a headboard, what do you do?

Well here are 6 very budget friendly ways to adding a headboard to your bed.

1. Place box cushions along the wall at the head of your bed. These are thick enough to hold there shape while adding a cushioned backdrop to your bed. Now you can lay in bed and read a book comfortably. You can make your box cushions out of foam and fabric or find some discount cushions to match your decor. Even old couch cushions covered in new fabric can work!

2. Hang a full-length mirror horizontally above your bed. This will give the feel of a headboard, reflect light in the room and help open up your space. You’ll be surprised at how great this looks!

3. Hang fabric down your wall. Quickly sew up some rod pocket curtains, or find some pre-made curtains and hang them from the ceiling down and behind your bed. This will add height, texture and drama to your bed. You can hang your fabric with a standard curtain rod or staple it to 1″ x 2″ board.

4. Hang framed art across the wall above your bed. Find images that complement your room’s color scheme and frame them in a rich wood tone or paint the frames to add a punch of color. Evenly space them on the wall above the head of your bed.

5. Make your headboard! This is easier than you think. Get some plywood at the height and width that you need. Glue a layer of foam to the board. Then cover the foam and board with batting, stapling it to the back of the board. And the cover the batting with your fabric, stapling it to the back of the board. Easy!

6. Hang shutters behind your bed. What a terrific country look, to reuse some old shutters or fencing and use it as a headboard!

With a little imagination you can come up with your own special headboard creation that will add much needed drama to your bedroom plus adding in your personality. Because what’s a bedroom without your personality shining through?

Happy Decorating!

Jennifer Thoden

Discover free home decorating ideas for all rooms of your home. Visit http://www.homedecoratingideas4u.com to enjoy free interior designer tips, home decorating ideas and dozens of interior decorating articles.

http://www.homedecoratingideas4u.com

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The kitchen is a room that is more personal than any other room in your home. This is because your kitchen decorating theme deeply reflects your personal decorating tastes and style. When you decide to decorate your kitchen, it’s important to be sure you’re decorating for youself… not others. Take your family into consideration of course, but if you’re the one who uses the kitchen most, it’s safe to consider it as your room. Now, the easiest way to add a little decorating flavor to your kitchen is by adding a fresh new coat of paint. If you don’t feel like taking on a painting project though, don’t worry. There are plenty of other ideas for decorating the kitchen that don’t involve painting.

First, try putting up new curtains. New curtains help create a fresh new look in your kitchen, and sometimes just this one change will make your kitchen look completely different. This is a simple and cost effective method for decorating. Curtains can bring out the personality of your kitchen with little effort too. If you have a country style kitchen for instance, a few country cooking themed curtains will help pull the decorating them together.

Next, try new kitchen accessories. Every kitchen could do well with new fresh accessories. After a while your old accessories tend to get tiresome, and… well… old. New accessories like paper towel racks, bread boxes, salt and pepper shakers, or even old jars can make your kitchen look like it’s been completely redecorated. And along with these new accessories, if your budget permits, purchase a new kitchen gadget that will go along with your new theme. Instead of a plain white coffeemaker for instance, go for a new red coffee maker to accent the red apples in the country themed curtains. Be creative and add a personal touch.

Alternatively, try making your own kitchen accessories. If you are the crafty, artsy type then you could make your own kitchen decorating accessories. Most craft stores have several unfinished kitchen decor items that you can purchase and decorate on your own. For instance, you could buy an unfinished bread box and custom design it to fit your favorite decorating theme. When finished, that bread box will be an evident testimonial of your creative decorating abilities. Doing this with your entire kitchen decor collection will further add that personal touch that every kitchen deserves.

Your kitchen is the primary source where you feed and nuture your family. By adding your distinct personality to your kitchen’s personality, you’ll create life-long memories for you and your family. So start working on some of these great kitchen decorating ideas today, and you’re bound to come up with something completely unique and special that you’ll absolutely love.

Additional resources and updates for this article can be found online at:
http://www.diyhomedecorating.com/articles/2005-11/215/easy-decorating-ideas-for-the-kitchen/

© 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Visit The Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network for more kitchen decorating ideas.

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