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How to use accessories in a bedroom decorating project?

by: Shrinivas Vaidya

Any interior space is primarily composed of walls, floor and
ceiling. These elements give a habitable character to the
interior space.

Apart from providing protection from natural elements such as
rain, snow, wind and other natural calamities, an interior
space is also responsible for creating moods, depending upon the
theme of the decoration.

Depending upon the functional purpose of the interior space, the
quality and quantity of the furniture and other elements may
change. For example a "meditation center" might not require
any furniture at all, but a gymnasium on the other hand requires
specially designed equipment.

For the sake of this article we are only going to concentrate on
bedrooms. A bedroom is a space, which is close to our heart. This
is the space where we take rest and regain the vital energy
force for the next day's work. A typical bedroom consists of
a double/single bed depending upon the size and occupancy of the
room, wardrobe, study table, chairs for informal gathering,
dressing table, side tables adjacent to the bed for keeping
items such as telephone, watch, etc..

Since a bulk of volume gets occupied with the furniture pieces,
the beauty of a bedroom greatly depends upon the quality of the
furniture. But that's not all. Any interior space can be greatly enhanced using "accessories" and some great amount of detailing
can be added to an existing bedroom with furniture.

1)Use of decorative curtains.

These are called as "valances" are a very good means to decorate the
windows and other openings. These decorative curtains have 2 purposes.
a) They define a window opening b) They diffuse the incoming sunlight
and help the dispersion of light evenly. Valances can be easily be
prepared at home with some basic knowledge of stitching.

2)Wall Hangings

Wall hangings are used as an alternative for wall paintings.
These have a great advantage that they can be prepared from almost
any material. Some possible options for material use could be
matt finished paper, handmade paper, silk cloth, bamboo sticks,
jeans cloth!, wool, plastic sheets, crape papers, etc...
Small square pieces of these materials along with bits of mirrors
pieces can be creatively used to prepare a wall hanging.

3)Wall Paintings.

The choice of the painting in this case highly depends upon the
likes/dislikes of the user. Also the nature of the surface on which
the painting is going to be, is also important.

4)Photographs

Most people like to use framed photographs of the family members,
ancestors, or some live stills from outside world. This method has got
a great advantage. The user has got perfect control over which
kind of photos to choose. Photographs of real people can greatly add
a human touch to an interior space.

5)Statues

These greatly add to the quality of the space. In case of bedrooms
the statues which can add some interest to the overall theme can be
used. Some gift articles come in the form of statues or a watch embedded
in it can serve two purposes at a time. They add some grace to the
design and at the same time, become a useful functional piece.

6)Shade Loving Plants.

Depending upon the size of the bedroom, lots of varieties of shade
loving plants are available today. If the plant is a flowering one,
then this can be very creatively used. A flowering plant can greatly
add to the mood of an space because of its changing nature of
foliage and color.

7)Decorative Lamp Shades.

Decorative lamp shades have a very unique quality attached to
them. Because they are functional mostly at night times, the shape
of the lamp shade itself can be chosen in such a way, that will add
some interest in the bedroom. During its functional times a lampshade
which is made of semitransparent cloth covers can add some
wonderful ambience in the interior space.

8)Free standing wooden partitions.

These are used in large bedroom to define certain areas of the
same space into different parts. for example a wooden partition
can be used to segregate a study space inside a bedroom or
a decorative wooden partition can be used to hide the direct
entry to the toilet, by creating a private area.

These are some of the ideas I have come up with randomly. These
can be a good starting point. You can always come up with more good
and creative ideas of your own. A very creative use of these
accessories can definitely cheer up an interior space

I hope this article was informative to everyone.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:
Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of Bedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com .Here you will find some great concept level design tips for master
bedrooms, child bedrooms, teen bedrooms and guest bedrooms.

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A Guide to Good Furniture Care
by: Holly Linington

During my long career in the furniture business I�ve often been asked, �What is the proper way to care for my fabric?� After all, you�ve purchased your dream furniture piece but you�re terrified to use it out of fear of damaging it. But you don�t have to live in fear! After extensive research and testing I have found the following guidelines and suggestions to be helpful.

Upholstered Furniture

Because of the wide variety of fabrics and fiber combinations, there is no guarantee that these methods will be completely successful and I recommend that a professional upholstery cleaner be contacted in particular cases. However, these simple solutions will keep your new upholstery crisp and clean for years!

� Vacuum at least once a week to remove grit that can cause abrasion, and be sure to dust vacuum the top surfaces as often as possible. Professional cleaning is the best way to make a slightly soiled sofa look new again, but weekly vacuuming will make professional cleaning a less frequent event. (Never brush any fabric with a stiff fiber or metal brush, since they�re destructive to the fibers. Instead, use your vacuum attachments like the upholstery brush or the attachment for dusting draperies and furniture. The latter brush has longer bristles and is less abrasive to your upholstery fabric. It may be your best option if your fabric deserves a softer brushing.)

� Reverse the cushions each week after vacuuming. Rearrange the furniture occasionally to ensure even wear of the cushions and other areas.

Cushions and pillows filled with down or similar cushioning material should be hand-fluffed and reversed regularly to retain their original softness and resiliency.

� Protect fabrics from the sun. Fabrics should not be placed in direct sunlight because the ultraviolet light will cause the fibers to degenerate and colors to fade. Occasionally dyes can fade from impurities in the air as well, but protection from the sun is a good way to prevent premature loss of color.

� Keep pets off the furniture. Pet urine and pet body oil can be difficult to remove.

� Use proper care with structural weave fabrics (where the design is created by the weave) to protect against snags. These fabrics may be cleaned by sprinkling dry powder cleaner over the fabric, spreading it uniformly and letting it stand for the recommended period before vacuuming with gentle suction. (However, I do recommend professional cleaning with stains on a woven fabric.)

� Caution those wearing clothing with transferable dyes, such as blue jeans, that the dye could transfer onto light-colored furniture.

Fabric Cleaning Guide

Today�s new fabric treatments improve the chances of your fabric�s survival. Fabric protection products are usually applied by the retail store for an additional cost. Most of the various brands work the same way by causing spills and soil to sit on the surface of the fiber instead of migrating to the fiber�s interior.

Today�s fiber protection products are free of ozone damaging chemicals, and most are hypoallergenic and invisible to the eye. Some even provide additional UV protection from color fading caused by intense light. One of the greatest benefits of fabric protection products is that they come with specific written warranties that provide peace of mind.

Whether your new upholstery has been fabric protected or not, you should follow the same basic guidelines in cleaning liquid spills or surface soil that can�t be brushed off (such as newspaper ink).

Fabric Cleaning Codes

Before attempting to clean a spill or spot on your furniture, you should identify the fabric and the correct cleaning method recommended by the manufacturer. This information is represented by a cleaning code (W, S, WS, or X) often found under a cushion, on the bottom of the furniture or on the manufacturer�s tag. If you cannot find this information, contact your salesperson at the furniture store where the item was purchased.

W � Spot clean only with water-based shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner.

S � Spot clean only with water-free cleaning solvent. Do not overwet. DO NOT USE WATER.

WS � Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or a mild dry cleaning solvent. Do not overwet.

X � Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic brush. DO NOT USE WATER OR DRY CLEANING SOLVENTS. Do not use a foam or liquid cleaner of any type.

Never apply cleaning solutions to visible areas of your upholstery fabric without first testing on areas that are not visible. It is important to pretest for color loss and fabric compatibility.

Cleaning Instructions

As a general rule, when a spill occurs, it is important to clean the fabric immediately. The longer a spot remains, the harder it is to remove. It may even become permanent.

Blot, don�t rub. If the spill is still �fresh�, use a clean, dry and very absorbent 100% cotton cloth. Should you have to use paper towels to blot out spills, be sure the paper towel (or cloth) is white, as colors in the towel may, when applied to a wet surface, fade onto the upholstery. Color from one fabric can rub off onto another fabric, even when dry -- a process known in the industry as �crocking�.

If blotting with a dry cloth doesn�t quite finish the job and you have cleaning directions from the furniture manufacturer, follow those. If none are available, use the instructions provided here.

I hope this information has been insightful. Use these tools when necessary, but most importantly, enjoy your upholstered piece -- it was meant to be used!

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