Monday, 8 August 2011
Elements of a Good Design Blog
If you are looking for information on modern interior design, finding a good design blog can be a great way to stay up to date on the latest trends. As you probably already know, however, not all blogs are equal. The sea of choices offered by search engines can be intimidating, but if you know what to look for it's much easier to find a quality blog than you might think. When searching for a good design blog, look for one that:
Covers a wide variety of design topics
As the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life. Variety also adds spice to a design blog, and can transform the mediocre into the exceptional. While narrowly focused niche blogs may serve the purpose if all you want to do is tile your bathroom or redo your kitchen cabinets, a nicely rounded selection of design topics gives you a blog you can refer to again and again. Try to find a blog that includes not only design product reviews, but also tips and advice on modern interior design, gift ideas, info on design trends, and even the occasional interview with an expert.
Offers balanced product reviews
There are few things worse than a shamelessly biased product pitch. While it's true that some bloggers do generate an income from reviewing products for companies, that doesn't mean the website needs to read like a sales brochure. Look for balanced design product reviews that weigh the good with the bad and give you honest opinions of the products.
Lends a fresh perspective
Nearly everyone on the internet is blogging about something these days, and it's easy to get lost in the sea of old information that passes for original ideas. A good design blog will offer a fresh perspective to even the most retro of topics. Fresh, fun posts that you will actually enjoy reading are much more valuable than how-to advice that read like stereo instructions.
Frequently adds new posts
To keep up with the hottest trends, and to keep you coming back for more, a good modern design blog needs to be updated on a regular basis. Design products, techniques, and styles are constantly changing, and the best information is the most current.
Is more than just a catalog
Many blogs are nothing more than a glorified online catalog, offering pictures of products, maybe a review, and a link to where the item can be purchased. A good design blog will offer not only reviews and photos, but also videos, informative articles, do-it-yourself information, and much more. The best blogs inform and entertain the reader, and can develop into a whole online community for people who share a common interest.
Covers a wide variety of design topics

As the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life. Variety also adds spice to a design blog, and can transform the mediocre into the exceptional. While narrowly focused niche blogs may serve the purpose if all you want to do is tile your bathroom or redo your kitchen cabinets, a nicely rounded selection of design topics gives you a blog you can refer to again and again. Try to find a blog that includes not only design product reviews, but also tips and advice on modern interior design, gift ideas, info on design trends, and even the occasional interview with an expert.
Offers balanced product reviews

There are few things worse than a shamelessly biased product pitch. While it's true that some bloggers do generate an income from reviewing products for companies, that doesn't mean the website needs to read like a sales brochure. Look for balanced design product reviews that weigh the good with the bad and give you honest opinions of the products.
Lends a fresh perspective

Nearly everyone on the internet is blogging about something these days, and it's easy to get lost in the sea of old information that passes for original ideas. A good design blog will offer a fresh perspective to even the most retro of topics. Fresh, fun posts that you will actually enjoy reading are much more valuable than how-to advice that read like stereo instructions.
Frequently adds new posts

To keep up with the hottest trends, and to keep you coming back for more, a good modern design blog needs to be updated on a regular basis. Design products, techniques, and styles are constantly changing, and the best information is the most current.
Is more than just a catalog

Many blogs are nothing more than a glorified online catalog, offering pictures of products, maybe a review, and a link to where the item can be purchased. A good design blog will offer not only reviews and photos, but also videos, informative articles, do-it-yourself information, and much more. The best blogs inform and entertain the reader, and can develop into a whole online community for people who share a common interest.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Online Interior Design Degree

The only real requirement for an online interior design degree is to have access to a computer with internet access. The student must also have a degree of self-discipline in order to complete an education from home. In approximately seventeen months, you could obtain an associate degree in interior design while working around your current schedule. In a little less than three years, you can obtain a bachelors degree in interior design.
One such college where you can obtain an online interior design degree is Westwood College Online. Each program at Westwood is designed through a joint collaboration of instructors and business professionals to ensure that your education helps you succeed in your chosen profession.
Interior Design is a fast growing field, many North Americans absolutely love their homes and many have the money to spend to upgrade to the styles they want. This is where the Interior Designer can show off their creativity and flair for modern design learned through an online interior design program.

Many of the top design firms will not even consider hiring a new designer unless they have attended one of the many accredited schools of interior design. Many talented people do not have the resources or even the transportation to attend even a part time school. It is because of this and the popularity of the internet that some of the top design schools in the country offer an online interior design degree.
If you have ever considered a career in Interior Design and never thought that you would be able to attend school, think again! Do not let your dream fade away. The demand for
Interior designers will continue to grow into the future as more and more focus on ergonomics, high-tech construction materials and the desire of many families to spend more time at home.
An online interior design degree will train the designer to work in a wide range of fields such as residential, commercial, sales or specialized design for specific industries. To be competitive and successful in interior design you must be up to date on new materials, specific building codes and zoning laws of your area. These technical and creative skills can be learned by taking an interior design degree program, whether it is on campus or an online interior design degree.
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Colleges For Studying Interior Designing

It is a true point of view that uniqueness and creativity are the most important tools of success today. Each person possesses his or her own creative potential, thus, one wishes to develop these skills and talent by mastering some new profession or a course. The latter will not only suggest a person the space for thinking and creativeness, but also invention something new and unusual which has never been done by previous generations. Besides, such creative people are able to build a fundamental starting-point for future generations. Here the freshness of a new approach is of great importance.

In order to become a good interior designer one has to be able to fulfill the professional demands of the industry. Thus, students should train their working standards in special colleges which have started courses in interior designing. To enter such a college one has to pass an entrance test which is conducted by the colleges to test imaginative analytical skills, technical drawing, sketching skills of the students.
The applications to the interior designing colleges can be made by the student only after he has passed with his 12th exams. The duration of the course can vary from two to four years, it depends on the chosen course and the institute from which the student is planning to receive his education. There are different colleges providing professional courses in interior designing and you are welcome to make your own choice. They are:
> Lovely Professional University, Phagwara
> Academy of Art and Design, Maharashtra
> International Academy of Fashion and Design, Chennai
Architects may design different surroundings, for instance, those designing the houses, offices, hotels, malls, retail shops, film studios, cultural establishments (museums, theatres, cinemas), educational institutions (kindergartens, schools, colleges, institutes, universities), sports establishments (stadiums, sports palaces), nutritional establishments (canteens, cafes, restaurants), medical establishments (hospitals, health centres, preventoriums, polyclinics), public offices, adventure spots, conference halls etc. No doubt, all of designers are always in demand to decorate their interiors as well as exteriors.
After completing his degree in interior designing a student should start his studying as the intern or trainee in some designing house. It is especially necessary to do in the beginning of their career in order to get an experience needed in future activity. This will certainly give a student such an important initial practical knowledge required to implement in further career. There are certain qualities which an interior designing student must possess. Here you will probably ask - What are the Qualities that Make a Good Interior Designer? They are as follows:
- Every future interior decorator should be able to read the mind of the customer and accomplish the designs according to the wishes of the customer. Very often a person is not quite sure what he or she wants to have in his or her house. In this case a good designer should have a skill to feel the client's likes and dislikes in order to meet his interests.
- A nice Interior designer should keep himself updated with the latest tendencies in the design and new developments as well as innovation in the world of designing in general. In order to get new information about progress in the world of design, a designer should visit new design houses, communicate with more experienced interior designers, look through design websites etc.
- A perfect interior decorator must be very creative and imaginative, it means he must be able to implement some new ideas for every new project. There are many interior designers who follow the standard rules of design in which there are good enough because they have often practiced them. No doubt, that such designers are not bad at all, but on the other hand, they are not able to suggest the client something fresh and unique. Thus, their works become more and more monotonous and the development of a designer, as a professional, stops on this stage. Besides, they cannot bring excitement in the world of design. So, an interior designer must be creative not only for the sake of his clients, but also in order to refresh the interior design in general.
- The next point also concerns the interests of the customer. A designer should be able to organize the design in accordance with the budget and financial status of the customer. Each new client requires his individual approach and his wishes do not always coincide with his material opportunities. In this case a good designer should be rather tactic to suggest his client something identical but for lower price.
- A good interior designer should possess a good sense of texture and color combinations, as well as work on improving his knowledge of different classifications of interiors. Besides, he should be able to define what kind of design could be suitable for this or that room.
- It would be preferable for the designs created by the interior designer to be more than the term satisfactory for the customer. It is needed for further cooperation not only with that customer, but also with those who will probably come to you after seeing your great design made in the house of your previous customer, for instance. Besides, this will ensure your regularity with the organization you work in.
- A designer should have an ability to handle stress and problems which can appear during his activity. Having a problem one shouldn't simply shudder at the thought of possible bigger problems, but real interior designers take the problems by the horn, get things under control, and even if a problem occurs, they try to solve it. Problems of interior designers may include the following: developing a design that their clients will hopefully like, meeting the interests of both clients and building code, having to deal with difficult and inadequate clients most of the time, handling different projects all at the same time, etc.
Friday, 5 August 2011
Color Wheel For Decorating Ideas
Many people shy away from using color when decorating because they are afraid to take a chance. As a result, their homes are a boring combination of whites and beiges. A color wheel can be used as a decorating tool that helps make the process of choosing color combinations a little easier. The color wheel is visual representation of the relationships between colors that is made up of primary, secondary and tertiary hues. Compliment your personality by bringing color into space around you by following the instructions for using a color wheel for decorating ideas.
First, choose a room to decorate. Understand that certain ones will enhance the mood of one space, but not make sense in another. For example, a kitchen should be bright and cheerful, but the same color in a bedroom might be obnoxious. In the same way, the relaxing colors that work in a bedroom may not translate to the kitchen. Make sure to pick one that is appropriate for a given room.
Once a base is selected, the color wheel can be used to determine which other hues to introduce into the room that will go together well. Colors that appear directly across from each other on the wheel are called complimentary colors. For example, purple and yellow are directly across from each other and work very well together when decorating. When placed next to each other, they make both colors look brighter and create a contrast. Complementary colors are pleasing to the eye when used sporadically.
Analogous colors are those that appear in succession on the color wheel. Using three colors that are side-by-side on the color wheel creates a sense of order in a room and appears balanced. When decorating a room, consider using two colors that are analogous to the base color of the space.
The color wheel does not just apply to paint colors. Rather, it can be used to relate the colors of any material. Fabrics, furniture, and accessories can be chosen based on the complementary and analogous colors on the wheel.
In order to fully appreciate and enjoy a home, it is important to incorporate personality and visual interest that reflects the mood of the person who lives there. Using a color wheel for decorating ideas makes it easier to choose paints and fabrics. Now, there is absolutely no excuse for having white or beige walls in every room of the house.


Analogous colors are those that appear in succession on the color wheel. Using three colors that are side-by-side on the color wheel creates a sense of order in a room and appears balanced. When decorating a room, consider using two colors that are analogous to the base color of the space.

In order to fully appreciate and enjoy a home, it is important to incorporate personality and visual interest that reflects the mood of the person who lives there. Using a color wheel for decorating ideas makes it easier to choose paints and fabrics. Now, there is absolutely no excuse for having white or beige walls in every room of the house.
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Interior Design Feng Shui


Even more important than the bedroom is the kitchen. You don't need to worry about entire kitchen remodeling in order to have good feng shui. Your kitchen need not be crammed with too many appliances. Of course you need the refrigerator, stove, and microwave, but try to keep smaller gadgets out of sight. The stove should be placed where the chef can have full view of the kitchen. If this is not possible, don't start kitchen remodeling. You can fix this by putting a mirror above the stove so you can see the entire room. The kitchen needs excellent lighting and should be as spacious as possible. Sinks and refrigerators should be diagonal from the stove -fire and water do not mix. Microwaves should not be placed above a stove because it is considered a bad omen.
Next comes the interior design of your living room, a place for family and friends to gather and entertain. Any seating should be facing the door and never in front of windows, blocking chi. If the living room is also the family room, place any electronics in closed hutches to separate room functions. A fireplace should always be the focal point of the room. Dark corners need to be lit with floor and table lamps. When choosing colors and furniture, there should be a balance of the yin and yang. Have both soft and dark colors, high and low furniture, and horizontal and vertical items. When hanging mirrors, do not place them opposite the door and they should not reflect a bathroom, kitchen, or staircase.
When it comes to the art of feng shui, it may seem like there are many rules. But in reality, it comes down to balance and simplicity. When looking at furniture pictures in home interior magazines, it's always the simple pictures that look the best. Un-clutter your home and you can un-clutter your life.
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
The best luxury Basement Design
With several basement design ideas to choose from, you can turn a wasted and abandoned basement into something exciting and useful place in the house. A basement design doesn't have to be costly and difficult. All you need is careful planning and a little creativity. Here are some ideas that you can use in remodeling that useless basement.
You can turn your basement into a home office. With the number of Internet-based jobs growing these days, people are increasingly finding it more convenient and cost-efficient to have an office in the house. The basement is a perfect place for this because it is quiet downstairs. A table, some chairs a computer with Internet connection, a telephone line and some cabinets are basically the things that you need.
You can also choose to make a home theater out of your basement. This basement design is among the most popular these days, considering the availability of reasonably priced LCD flat screens available in the market now. A spacious movie/TV room complete with large speakers and cozy chairs will be a wonderful experience for the entire family and friends.
You may decide to make your home theater basement to double as arcade room. Just place a pool or ping pong table and some game machines in one corner away from the LCD screen. This works best in spacious basement.
Work Those Fats Out
If you and your family go to the gym, a basement workout room may be your best option. Tread mills, weights and other gym equipments and machines are becoming more available at cheaper prices these days. But while you can create your own gym at the basement, continue hiring the services of fitness experts in monitoring your workout progress.
If parties and other social gatherings are a common event in the house, the basement can be converted into a bar, or an entertainment room, especially if there's not enough room upstairs. Parties can be held in the basement even late at night without ever disturbing the rest of the house. You can convert a corner into a mini-kitchen to confine all party activities in the basement.
Spare Room For The Guest
For small houses, basement can be made into a guest bedroom. A guest bedroom in the basement can free up the rooms upstairs for exclusive family use. But as a matter of course you have to construct a toilet and bath in the basement if you want to convert into a guest bedroom.
In any of these designs, all the basic elements in basement construction should still be applied. Of prime consideration are ventilation, heating and cooling features, drainage, sewage and lighting.
Whatever basement design you will choose for your basement, you might have to consider subdividing it to maximize space. You can add some movable dividers instead of constructing permanent walls for mobility and flexibility. Depending on the design, you can install glass panels to make your basement appear wider. As mentioned earlier, designing your basement for comfort and utility all boils down to creativity.


You may decide to make your home theater basement to double as arcade room. Just place a pool or ping pong table and some game machines in one corner away from the LCD screen. This works best in spacious basement.
Work Those Fats Out
If you and your family go to the gym, a basement workout room may be your best option. Tread mills, weights and other gym equipments and machines are becoming more available at cheaper prices these days. But while you can create your own gym at the basement, continue hiring the services of fitness experts in monitoring your workout progress.
If parties and other social gatherings are a common event in the house, the basement can be converted into a bar, or an entertainment room, especially if there's not enough room upstairs. Parties can be held in the basement even late at night without ever disturbing the rest of the house. You can convert a corner into a mini-kitchen to confine all party activities in the basement.
Spare Room For The Guest
For small houses, basement can be made into a guest bedroom. A guest bedroom in the basement can free up the rooms upstairs for exclusive family use. But as a matter of course you have to construct a toilet and bath in the basement if you want to convert into a guest bedroom.
In any of these designs, all the basic elements in basement construction should still be applied. Of prime consideration are ventilation, heating and cooling features, drainage, sewage and lighting.
Whatever basement design you will choose for your basement, you might have to consider subdividing it to maximize space. You can add some movable dividers instead of constructing permanent walls for mobility and flexibility. Depending on the design, you can install glass panels to make your basement appear wider. As mentioned earlier, designing your basement for comfort and utility all boils down to creativity.
Tuesday, 2 August 2011
Best Interior Design Schools


Students with degrees from reputed interior design schools are recruited for jobs in the business sector, restaurants, hotels, homes and theatres. While designing the area allotted, it is necessary to utilize the space with a lot of planning. The interior designer must have a vision and should be able to put it on paper.
Another important detail to keep in mind is the preference of the client and the budget. The interior designer can give suggestions for the client to think about and approve. Things such as furniture, color scheme, lighting and fixtures must also be kept in mind and a rough layout should be prepared.
Interior designers help to enhance the interiors of a house, an office, hotel and hospital. Their demand has increased over a period of time.
Monday, 1 August 2011
Types of Interior Design Jobs
There are a number of different interior design jobs that one can get into with the right training. These are positions where you are hired and paid to change the look and feel of the different rooms of someone's home, an office building, or pretty much anywhere that has rooms. Different designers will choose different areas of expertise from general all the way through to choosing a specific room within a specific area of design.
Residential interior design jobs focus on the decoration or redecoration of one's home. There are many different rooms in the home, and some of these are different areas of specialty. There are bathroom specialists that will give your bathroom an amazing look and feel, and there are kitchen specialists that will make your kitchen more amazing and functional that you ever thought possible.
There are also corporate interior design jobs. This focus on making the office areas of businesses is appealing to the customers and clients of the business. Related fields are in the areas of hotels and restaurants, but each of these is a different specialty. Each time you stay in a hotel, it is most likely that the owners of that hotel employed the services of a designer to help them create the style that you see in each of the rooms as well as the style that is used throughout the rest of the hotel.
Feng Shui and Zen interior design jobs are focused on making the rooms involved have a more relaxing yet productive feel to them. They are supposed to be able to create tranquility to the level that you are capable of doing much more and focusing much better just simply because your home feels that much better. The Asian specialties are also similar. This is an area of design that becomes more and more popular all the time as there are more and more people hoping to find a way to escape the stresses of life and work.
Due to the recent trend in green living, there are now green interior design jobs. What these do is to help make your home more economically friendly. This includes implementing ways to help you in your recycling and other methods of reducing your personal impact on the environment. It also includes the process of making your home more energy efficient as well. There are multiple reasons for this being a popular trend now. One of these is that the population as a whole has decided that it is necessary to begin thinking about future generations and preserving what is left of the natural world for them. Another reason is because making your home more environmentally friendly includes cutting down on the energies that you use, and this means that you end up with lower energy bills. Everyone can appreciate that.
There are a great number of specialties within the field of interior design jobs. No matter what you are looking for there is guaranteed to be a specialist that is able to fill your need for you. Get an idea of what you are looking for and then do a little research and find someone who is capable of getting it done for you. Have at it.


Feng Shui and Zen interior design jobs are focused on making the rooms involved have a more relaxing yet productive feel to them. They are supposed to be able to create tranquility to the level that you are capable of doing much more and focusing much better just simply because your home feels that much better. The Asian specialties are also similar. This is an area of design that becomes more and more popular all the time as there are more and more people hoping to find a way to escape the stresses of life and work.
Due to the recent trend in green living, there are now green interior design jobs. What these do is to help make your home more economically friendly. This includes implementing ways to help you in your recycling and other methods of reducing your personal impact on the environment. It also includes the process of making your home more energy efficient as well. There are multiple reasons for this being a popular trend now. One of these is that the population as a whole has decided that it is necessary to begin thinking about future generations and preserving what is left of the natural world for them. Another reason is because making your home more environmentally friendly includes cutting down on the energies that you use, and this means that you end up with lower energy bills. Everyone can appreciate that.
There are a great number of specialties within the field of interior design jobs. No matter what you are looking for there is guaranteed to be a specialist that is able to fill your need for you. Get an idea of what you are looking for and then do a little research and find someone who is capable of getting it done for you. Have at it.
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