Keep Calm and Word Art

In the recent years word art became very popular and a lot of people decided to switch from traditional art and expensive paintings to more inexpensive and simple ways to decorate the walls in their home environments. Word Art is one of the inexpensive ways to make a room more welcoming and at the same time create the desired effect.

What do you think about Word Art? Some think it is too cheesy or not as sophisticated as they would like it to be. For others it is a way to express the inner writer in them. I personally love word art- inspirational quotes, famous sayings, canvas of family pictures with sayings, etc.

And according to the look of your place you can choose one that will fit the atmosphere. For more rustic houses, there are a lot of boards that can be put in the kitchen and won't look too urban. For the urban city apartments there are thousands of choices, from posters to framed pictures; they will all create the contemporary cutting edge feel that one searches for.

Also, the "Keep Calm and..." quotes became extremely viral in the last couple of years and people post them in every social media, hang posters with them on their walls,etc. I am a big fan of those and even bought one for my room; I think it perfectly fits the contemporary urban feel of the room.
 
I think word art is very simple way to create an amazing atmosphere. Of course, some interiors are not suitable for this kind of art, but if you chose the right one it will be the perfect accessory to your walls or on your shelves.

Spring Cleaning

 

Sneak Peak - Google Amsterdam

Generally I blog about homes and how to make them your sanctuary, but today I will show you the new Google office because I personally think it is not just an office space, it is a home and a sanctuary for its employees.

Google Amsterdam has a completely new office space designed by D/DOCK design development company. The office is far from mainstream and simple, it goes beyond everything you have imagined. It is unconventional, urban, creative; it combines every crazy idea you have ever had into one. It is a hodge-podge of styles and landscapes, but a very inspiring and in a twisted way an ordered one.

 

The interior reminds of the garage where the founders of Google Larry Page and Sergey Brin started the whole project. The graffiti walls,t he cardboard box lights, the container wall- all those items were inspired by this garage place.

The office is situated in the Southern part of Amsterdam. Each floor is a completely different setting, it is built around the so called "core" of the building- the place where all general facilities such as meeting rooms and video booths are situated. The individual work places are situated right next to the windows so that the employees can enjoy a 180 degrees view of the city. The diverse landscapes of the different floors make the whole office very dynamic and people can enjoy different types of arrangements and at the same time have their unique personal one. Look for example this caravan below, would you guess that this is a meeting room?

What seems like a designers' spree into expensive and mind-blowing furniture is made with thought about the environment and the company's employees. All the materials were chosen according to the existing Google healthy material list; they are non-toxic and with special attention on energy and water consumption.

The designers took into consideration not only the sentimental value that some items might bring, but also the Dutch culture itself. The design of the floors incorporates some of the typical Dutch elements- stroopwafel ceiling panels, Gingerbread wall. The creativity and inspiration with which the designers worked in order to design a place where people find comfort, happiness, flexibility, relaxation, can be seen everywhere.
 Every minor detail is done with great thought and consideration for the needs of the employees.


The office provides opportunities not only for productive work but also for relaxation and for staying in good health and shape. The employees enjoy a food-program which ensures that the menus are well-balanced, also a meditation room and desk bikes. It seems like the new Google office is the dream office for everybody!

Get the Spanish Look

If you want to send a bold statement with the interior in your house, then the beautiful and vibrant look of Spanish interior is just the right one for you. Today I am going to share with you some "must-haves" when it comes to Spanish interior. 

 #1 Painted tiles on the staircase. 

Choose colorful patterns for the stair risers. Remember, the more contrasting colors and patterns, the better. You can also use pattern tiles to decorate an outside fireplace or part of the kitchen; it creates rustic, warm atmosphere. Pattern tiles can also be suitable for the floor but only in the kitchen, or living room. 

#2 Arches.

Beginning with  the front door, through all the doors in the house and ending with the windows and niches, arches are a Spanish interior design trademark. I personally love the idea of making the entrance from the living room to the kitchen with an arch.

#3 Rich Fabrics. 

There is a strong Baroque influence in the Spanish furniture, and it can be observed in the high use of red and

gold. The colors are saturaded red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple. The fabrics and materials used are far from light- wool and velvet are pefrect for a couch. The carpets are also heavy and traditionally in red, beige, and gold. Patterns on the carpets and rugs soemtimes are similar to the patetrns of the couches.

#4 Decorative wrought iron.

This is one of the most porminent features of the Spanish interior design. It is very suitable for the sides of the staircase and the doors or the material for ornaments on the fireplace, also chairs, table ornaments, chadeliers. Wrought iron wall art is one very creative way to design a focal point of your room no matter whether the wall is in white or some very vibrant color.

#5 Wooden ceiling beams.

The iron elements make the atmosphere feel a little bit cold, so a wooden ceiling beams are a good idea if you want the place to be more cozy. They add a feeling of warmth and rustic charm. They can be dark wood or white wood, whatever you decide, but the dark one ceiling beams look more traditional.

#6 Dark Brown

Dark brown is the perfect color for the wooden floor, the wooden ceiling beams, and all the furniture- tables, couches, drawers, wardrobes, desks, etc. It creates a warm and cozy rustic atmoshphere and will help you create a traditional Spanish look.

#7 Velvet Curtains

My personal favorite- velvet curtains. I just love the idea of solid fabric used for curtains and it is an easy way to recreate the Spanish atmoshphere. Combined with velvet cushion or even a velvet couch, your living room will look very eclectic and classy. 

** All picutres are taken from pinterest.com

Feng Shui in the Bedroom

The ancient art of arranging our living places Feng Shui has been popular for quite a long time and has been teaching us how to make the energy, or "chi", in our homes the right one, so that we can be in harmony and find tranquility. The room in which we need the most tranquility is our bedroom and here are some tips on how to decorate your room so that you can improve your sleep. For the more passionate ones I will give you some tips on how to improve your romantic life by redesigning your bedroom.

#1 Basic guidelines for your bed

Position it so that you can approach it from both sides and make sure it is not in one line with the door. Feng Shui says that being able to see the door, but not being too close to it, will give you a feeling of safety. Have bedside tables from both sides, good mattress, and high-quality sheets. Those things may sound simple, common sense, or even lame, but they work, at least according to Feng Shui.

#2 The colors

Use soothing warm colors, or as Feng Shui calls them "skin-tone" colors. Light blue, green, lavender, cream, peach are said to be the most suitable. Those are proved to create harmony, and set the right energy in your bedroom; this applies both for good sleep and sexual healing.

#3 Make your bedroom be only bedroom

Get rid of the TV and the computer! According to Feng Shui this destroys the right atmosphere and breaks the balance of energy. Those devices take from your energy and the bedroom is the place when you actually want to restore it, not waste it. Feng Shui proposes to cover it with a piece of fabric which in my personal opinion will not look very nice. So, better leave the TV and the computer in your living room and don't bother with covering them with anything.

#4 Keep it fresh

Open the windows regularly or use a good air-purifier. I won't spend time on that because I think the idea is pretty straight forward. One important note is that according to Feng Shui plants are not a good idea for the bedroom, unless it is really spacious. So, forget about compensating with flowers.

#5 Be careful with the mirrors.

Either get rid of the mirrors or be cautious how you arrange them. Mirrors bounce energy around the room, which can lead to low-quality of sleep. According to Feng Shui mirrors can amplify worries. I do not know about the last one, but if you are a strong believer, get rid of the mirrors for sure. If you insist on having a
mirror though, do not place it next to your bed or anywhere where you can look at yourself while lying in the bed. This may be a difficult one for all the Narcissistic ones. Something that caught my attention was that you should not place a mirror on the wall facing your bed when you are in a relationship, because it promotes intrusion from a third party and thus provokes infidelity. 

#6 Accessories, Pictures, Paintings

Paintings, posters and pictures especially next to the bed have to be
chosen carefully- they are the last thing you see before you go to sleep and the first thing you see when you wake up. Avoid ones that present only one person, because this implies solitude. Although,
rivers, waterfalls and water seem soothing, Feng Shui does not recommend them for the bedroom. Although they represent financial gains and money in all other rooms, in the bedroom they may promote both financial and relationship losses. 

As for the accessories Feng Shui proposes to pair them- two bedside tables, two cushions, etc. Also, stick to the round shapes

and avoid furniture with sharp corners. 

 #7 Get rid of the mess

A messy or cluttered room will block the flow of energy and destroy the harmony. Keep the things that you need and use, and a few accessories to make it more personal and cozy but do not overdecorate the place. 

Spring it up!

Spring is knocking at our doors, flower scents will soon flow the air, blossoming trees will appear, birds will chirp. So why not get ready, and spring up our homes, too? We can decorate the terraces of our homes, no matter whether they are big and spacious or little and cozy. If decorated nicely, those places in the house can become the preferred habitat during the warm days. Let's look at some very nice terraces and balconies and get some inspiration.

If you live outside the city or own a summer house you can build a pergola, it is very beautiful and romantic and also it can keep you shade from the sun rays. Put a couple of wooden chairs and some bright-colored cushions and you will create a lovely atmosphere.

pictures form pinterest.com

If you have a big terrace at the back of your house, plant a couple of small trees, put some chairs or benches. If they are a bit old you can cover them with lovely yellow or orange cushions. Choose a cover for the bench in one color and to make a contrast, choose cushions in stripes or some geometrical figures. They are very trendy this year and will freshen up the place. Pots with flowers in the same colors will be a very good choice, also. 

taken from elledecor.com

Here is another great example of pergola, this time in white. If you do not like the usual brownish wood, paint it in white. Chose white garden chairs, a very nice decision is to by the steel ones with ornaments. They look very romantic. If the floor of your terrace is in white marble the ornamented chairs will create a very French taste. 

taken from vogue

If you live in the heart of the city, and have space for a terrace but do not know what to do with it or do not have enough resources to buy a lot of stuff, this is for you. This tall white bar-like table is very inexpensive, and you can find it in Ikea. The material is lack, which looks very fancy, contemporary and urban. As you see they used wood boughs to make chairs which will also cut you the expense. A few little details and you are done to enjoy the sunsets.

taken from pinterest.com

The Heart of the Home

People say the kitchen is the heart of the home, and they are not far from the truth. This is the place where thousands of memories take place in everybody's house- the breakfasts before school when we were kids, the family evenings over a lovely meal, the sunday panckakes, the gatehrings with friends etc.

And every kitchen has a character- it can be a sweet bright place where you cook cupcakes and desserts; it can be a rustic place, or simple and contemporary- the type where you prepare your morning bagel and the orange juice and in 5 minutes leave for work. 

But no matter whether the place has wooden floors, bricks walls, stainless-steel countertops, glass-door cabinets, bronze dishes, massive light fixtures it is the place that everyone loves. So dress it up accordingly- choose the vibe that the place will have according to your character. Bright or dark, rustic or contemporary, massive or small, does not matter. Check out those ideas grouped according to one's character and preferences.

#1Sweet


#2 Cheerful


#3 Calm


#4Rustic


#5Contemporary


#6 Luxury


#7 Simple


#8 Bold


#9 Creative


#9 Bohemian


#10 Urban


#11Cute


#12 Artistic


#13 Determined


#14 Honest


#15 Environmentally-friendly


#16 Cold


#17 Romantic


#18 Sophisticated