The Carpeteria Blog

When you look at this room, its basement origins are hidden behind the daring and sophistication of its design.

Let’s start with the most powerful element in the room – the staircase. The homeowners made the wise choice to allocate the bulk of their redecorating budget to open up the basement stairwell and replace it with this almost sculpted staircase. The dark metal structure and brown wood stairs work together, making the space feel like a destination rather than a basement afterthought.

Notice the power of the floor in this room. This second design decision also defines the space as out of the ordinary. By choosing a surface with an almost commercial feel but adding the rich glossy finish, the floor echoes the staircase in its depths and provides an intriguing contrast to the matte finish of the sofa and loveseat. This flooring is not as expensive as other choices, but works so perfectly that it doesn’t feel like a budget-based decision.

The furniture and art also maintain the sophisticated modern look so effectively presented in this room. The sleek lines of the sofa and loveseat coordinate well with the daring zebra print on the area rug and the simple black and white vases on the coffee table.

The art wall creates the mood of a gallery, but the cost was minimized with the use of simple contemporary prints matted with off-the-shelf matching frames. It’s the number and the layout that creates an upscale image.

These homeowners wanted to turn their basement into a destination for family and visitors alike, and their smart design decisions helped them succeed.

Have you noticed that rooms in magazines have everything perfectly lighted? Special architectural photographers may spend an hour or more setting up a shot and lighting it, and then take dozens of shots from different angles to find the perfect way to show a decorated room at its best.

If we want our homes to look more like the magazines, we need to pay attention to lighting the way professional photographers do.

To start, notice that this photo-shoot combines lights with reflectors. In your home, walls, ceilings and floors can act as reflectors, and windows can serve as lights. You need your living area to look good both during the day and in the evenings. For good daylight in a room, choose window coverings that can open or be raised during the day and closed at night for privacy. If windows get full sun, you may want to consider one of the new adjustable translucent window coverings that can be positioned to bring in light while keeping glare to a minimum.

In the evening, use a combination of overhead lighting, lamps and ceiling spots to create an inviting mood. A plain overhead light may work from a task-lighting standpoint but doesn’t really contribute to the ambience of a room. Look for table lamps and up-lighting from torch lamps to create the look you want.

Mirrors can also distribute light. Positioned opposite a window, mirrors can increase natural light in a room. Choosing light walls or flooring will also brighten a space. Look for shiny or metallic surfaces to reflect light also.

Your home may not be able to match those well-staged photographs in lifestyle magazines, but you can use light and reflections to highlight your home’s best features and create the mood and style you want.

Have you noticed that rooms in magazines have everything perfectly lighted? Special architectural photographers may spend an hour or more setting up a shot and lighting it, and then take dozens of shots from different angles to find the perfect way to show a decorated room at its best.

If we want our homes to look more like the magazines, we need to pay attention to lighting the way professional photographers do.

To start, notice that this photo-shoot combines lights with reflectors. In your home, walls, ceilings and floors can act as reflectors, and windows can serve as lights. You need your living area to look good both during the day and in the evenings. For good daylight in a room, choose window coverings that can open or be raised during the day and closed at night for privacy. If windows get full sun, you may want to consider one of the new adjustable translucent window coverings that can be positioned to bring in light while keeping glare to a minimum.

In the evening, use a combination of overhead lighting, lamps and ceiling spots to create an inviting mood. A plain overhead light may work from a task-lighting standpoint but doesn’t really contribute to the ambience of a room. Look for table lamps and up-lighting from torch lamps to create the look you want.

Mirrors can also distribute light. Positioned opposite a window, mirrors can increase natural light in a room. Choosing light walls or flooring will also brighten a space. Look for shiny or metallic surfaces to reflect light also.

Your home may not be able to match those well-staged photographs in lifestyle magazines, but you can use light and reflections to highlight your home’s best features and create the mood and style you want.

When it comes to sleep many of us with busy and hectic lives don’t get enough. When we finally do lay our heads down it’s the start of a long and labored night trying to fall and stay asleep. So what do you do to make your bedroom a place which not only encourages sleep, but actually envelops you in such comfort and ahhhh inspiring plushness you’ll never want to leave? There are a few ways to create a relaxation haven without spending thousands on a new mattress.

Bed
Dressing the bed in comfort has never been easier with all of the great products and materials on the market right now. Start with the foundation by making the most of the mattress you have. Adding a feather bed or thick padding on top of the mattress will increase your comfort level ten-fold. Atop it, add high thread count sheets (600 or higher) for unbelievable softness. Throw a soft fleece blanket over the sheets and under an overstuffed feather comforter dressed in a velvet or silk duvet. Next are the pillows and lots of them. You’ll need large square European style ones to rest on the headboard, rectangle American style ones filled with feather or cushy foam, then your preferred sleeping pillows.  Think cocoon.

Floor
If you’re fortunate enough to have ultra thick wall–to-wall carpeting in your bedroom then you’ve got it made. If not, there are ways to remedy the situation. You’ll want softness on the floor for when you get in and out of bed. Cold feet are no fun and stepping on freezing tile or hardwood is miserable, so rugs are in order. Not just any rugs, but thick, soft and luxurious feeling ones like an Alpaca fur or Euro shag. Place them on each side of the bed and at the foot depending on your space.

Windows
Covering windows properly is extremely important to the quality of sleep you get. Make sure your window coverings close tightly or if they are drapes they should have a blackout lining to keep the brightness of the streetlights or the sun at bay.

A dark room, cushy bed and soft flooring will give your body and mind the peace it needs to fall asleep and stay there soundly for the recommended 7 to 8 hours.