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Beautiful Designer Bedrooms




Bedrooms come in all styles, shapes, and sizes, so how do you design your own? We've got your bedroom decorating inspiration here. With more than 80 bedrooms (and styles) to choose from, there's an idea for everyone.



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Casual Interior Design and Venetian Blinds


Expert Author Mark Row
Rest Your Eyes and Mind with Casual Style Venetian Blinds
Casual interior design presents a fine opportunity to make your home a very comfortable, cosy and welcoming place, filled with joy and happy memories, where you can spend quality time with you family and friends, relax after a long and hard day and leave all your problems and worries behind. In order to be able to rest whenever you need or boost your energy with as much natural light as possible, you will need a special kind of window treatment which allows optimal light and privacy control. This is the place where Venetian window blinds step in.
Not only can they live up to any expectation in terms of light and privacy protection but they are also easily incorporated into casual interior design. This especially applies for wood blinds although artaficial wood ones may also provide a more economical substitution. Wood being the natural element brings about a kind of heart-warming and rustic quality which goes well with the principles of this type of decorating style.

The Calming Principle of Natural Elements and Neutral Colors
Since it is the material mostly used in people's homes, depending on the color, wood blinds can nicely match your hard wood floor or furniture in case your floor is tiled or stone. As they come in variety of shades, from very light to dark ones, the number of potential combinations is relatively high. Wood Venetian blinds can be paired with either a colorful curtain (avoid geometrical shapes) or a single colored one in a refreshing, neutral color. Valances are also very effective especially when they are attached to an extraordinary looking rods or drapery hardware.

The rest of your casual interior design should not be limiting or traditional in any way. Strict and symmetrical lines are reserved for other types of decorating styles and they are not welcome here. The accent is on soft, round or rectangle surfaces, upholstered, oversized furniture, natural elements like wood or wrought iron, antique or vintage details tastefully arranged on your wood or wrought iron bookshelves. If your furniture is closer to traditional style than casual, you can add some decorative pillows, place a slipcover (cotton or linen) over to soften the edges and make it look more comfortable and relaxing.

As for the colours, neutral tones like tan, soft beige, grey, off-white, or pastel colours provide the basis for the upcoming decorating combination. Avoid dark colours however, for the goal is to open up the space and make it look larger, and dark colors can have an oppressing effect so use them carefully and only for decoration elements. Darker shades, olive green, navy, burgundy or cranberry red for example, should be used selectively and only as details. Details in contrasting colors are immediately observed so pick only the most effective and eye pleasing strong colored ones and place them in strategic places (that is, the parts of your home you to which want to draw attention). Framed pictures on your wall or paintings depicting wonderful scenery are a valuable addition to your walls as well as the bookshelves and mirrors with wrought iron or wood rims.

To sum up, living in a stressful environment can take its toll after a while, and the beauty of casual decorating style is that it offers a lot of matching possibilities for creating a safe and relaxing atmosphere in your home. The role of window blinds in maintaining the calming effect and increasing the decorative value of your interior is not to be overlooked, so it is safe to say that Venetian blinds in a casually decorated home are a highly appreciated window dressing.

Visit Slats for more info on our beautiful selection of custom crafted Wood and Wood Effect Venetians, perfect for any interior decoration project. Our mission is to offer quality window blinds at affordable prices.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Row


Blinds 4 Less
Quality Blinds, Shutters, & Shades
Proudly Serving Southern California since 1994
Free In-Home Shopping
(951) 924-9435

                                                    

Venetian Blinds or Vertical Blinds


Expert Author Mark Row


Similarities and Differences
Making the right choice between Venetian blinds and vertical blinds (especially for those of you unacquainted with these types of window treatments) can be simplified with this detailed comparison review. The variety of window covering types offered on the market today can, indeed, be a cause of confusion. People searching for the most functional, practical and aesthetically pleasing window treatment have to approach the matter very seriously if they want to be certain that the choice they make satisfies their needs. One has to consider not only the aesthetical value of Venetian or vertical blinds, but also some other aspects before heading to the nearest home depot.

Venetian window blinds, also known as horizontal blinds, consist of a set of horizontal slats connected with a string ladder and pull cords. Their easy lift system allows you to lower or lift them without effort. Rotating slats, which you can position at any angle (up and down), serve to protect the inside of your rooms from curious passers-by and the damaging influences of sun rays to the delicate surfaces of your furniture.
Vertical window blinds consist of a set of vertical vanes (louvers, panels, slats), which can be traversed from the left to the right side of your window or vice versa (depending on the side of your chain mechanism). Vanes can also be rotated from left to right.

Venetian blinds and Vertical blinds standoff

APPEARANCE
The natural, warm and refined look of wood and wood effect Venetian blinds is one of the main reasons they are considered a timeless and very classy choice of window covering. Different shades of brown and white make them adaptable to any decorating style and easy to combine with a large spectre of colors.
Vertical ones, depending on the material they are made of, come in different colors and patterns. In accordance with your personal aesthetic criteria, they can add a dose of elegance, liveliness and style to your decor.

MATERIALS
Venetians can be made of wood, faux wood, vinyl or aluminium. The quality of wood blinds, along with their closest supplement faux wood blinds, is the main reason for their high ranking among all the types of window treatments.
A range of materials starting from natural to synthetic is used for this type of window treatment. Natural materials include cotton and wood while the synthetic ones include polyester and PVC. According to the individual characteristics of each of these materials, vertical blinds can be more or less energy efficient, durable, easily maintained etc.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Wood and faux wood have proved to be very efficient insulators. Thanks to this addition to your windows, the level of energy efficiency in your home is very likely to rise while the amount of money you spend on your bills decreases. In addition, thanks to their moisture resistance ability, they are a safe option for your kitchen and bathroom where the condensation levels are pretty high.

The materials used for making vertical window blinds determine their energy efficiency levels. Although the vanes are treated with protective covering (those made of fabric), there is still a chance of mould appearance. PVC has shown a better performance in high condensation areas than the fabric ones.

MAINTENANCE
Regular maintaining of both Venetian and vertical blinds might prolong their lifespan and provide a neat and clean appearance of your windows. Occasional dusting of wood blinds is enough to remove dirt (vacuum cleaner with the part designed for treating the upholstered furniture). For a more detailed cleaning, wiping slats with a sponge soaked in water and a mild detergent should be sufficient.
Since the fabrics tend to attract a lot of dirt and dust, it is possible to wash them (check the labels on the back to see if this option is possible). More sensitive fabrics must be dry cleaned or steam washed. PVC blinds are easily cleaned with a sponge and water but the tricky part (as with the Venetians) is cleaning each vane separately which takes some time.

DURABILITY
Venetian window blinds are very durable. Their slats are can be more or less rigid and bendable, but they are still very hard to break.
Small children and pets present a potential danger to vertical window treatments in your home. They may easily tear the fabric blinds thus making their change inevitable. PVC blinds are more durable and not as easy to damage as the fabric ones which also applies to the wood blinds.

PRICE
Venetians are a more expensive option, but their durability and other advantages compensate for their higher price. A less expensive option is faux wood, similar in appearance to wood but more moisture resistant and slightly more energy efficient.

Prices may vary from more to less expensive, cheaper vertical blinds depending on the chosen material.
The choice is yours, and hopefully, it is an easy choice to make!

Visit Discount Blind Centre for more info on Venetian and Vertical Blinds. Our mission is to offer quality window blinds at discounted prices.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Row


Blinds 4 Less
Quality Blinds, Shutters, & Shades
Proudly Serving Southern California since 1994
Free In-Home Shopping
(951) 924-9435