Home Tree Atlas: Home Decor Ideas and Mood Boards

Creative Book Storage Ideas: From Nooks to Staircases

Creating a Reading Sanctuary: One of the best ways to store your books is within a reading nook. In picture (1) you can see a little nook has been designed right under the staircase – this is a perfect spot for a nook because the sloping stairs makes the space feel cozy. Picture (2) shows a reading nook surrounded by books that looks out of a full height window. Another great way of using that awkwardly shaped space under the staircase is to fit book shelves there (3).

Decorative Book Storage Ideas: Picture (4) shows how a wiring spool can be turned into a side table with book storage. If you want to liven up your wall shelves, one way to do that is to put a frame around it (5). Or how about using alternative materials like a sliced up rock, reclaimed wood, or driftwood to create shelving (6). One DIY idea I’ll be trying soon is to create the countertop book stand in picture (7) – two slabs of wood with a concrete/stone base.

Framing and Function: One thing you can do with your books is use them to frame a part of the room like a doorway, or a window (8). Or how about creating built in shelves that also double as benches (9).

Out of Mind: A reading area with shelves filled with books is a stimulating space to be in. To create a more relaxing room, and at the same time store your books, use a curtain to hide away the shelves just like in picture (10). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

September 3, 2013 in Storage

Bathroom Shower Curtain Ideas: From Space Saving to Decorative Extras

A great space saving idea is to use a curved shower rod as seen in picture (1). This way you won’t feel too closed in when you are in the shower. A curved shower rod doesn’t take up any extra floor space – because when you draw the curtain back, it tucks away where any strait shower curtain would. You can also get a double curved rod – so that once you’ve finished showering and you open up the shower curtain, there right in front of you is your towel hanging on the second rod (2).

Another design idea that can make your bathroom feel larger is to use extra long shower curtains (3). By hanging these up closer to the ceiling, you make the room feel taller and more spacious.

Some decorative bathroom shower curtain ideas include having a fixed curtain and using tie backs just like in picture (4). Or how about having a second rod to hang up a decorative fabric curtain (5). For a more modern and contemporary look, hookless shower curtains work best (6). While a vintage and country ruffle style curtain adds a more decorative touch to the room.

One thing to remember when choosing a shower curtain is that in most bathrooms the curtain is a large item in the room. It becomes a focal point, and can play a role in determining the style and look of the room. So if you want to create a more spacious and airy feeling room, then go for lighter colors like white, cream, or light blues and green. Orange and red will create a more dynamic looking room. While darker colors like purple and black can create a more romantic and cozy looking bathroom – depending on the rest of the design and decor. And a monogrammed curtain creates a more formal and traditional looking space. 1/2/3/4/5/6

August 21, 2013 in Bathroom

A Mood Board for Tile Shower Designs and Ideas

The mood board above shows a range of different tile shower designs, and here are some design notes to help you along:

Size and Color: The two things that you need to keep in mind when planning on a tiled shower is the size of the tile and the color. These two things can make a difference in how the shower feels and looks. There is a lot of debate on whether large tiles will make a smaller bathroom/shower feel larger or not. But one thing is for sure, larger tiles are more modern, more expensive, and can be harder to install. Larger tiles tend to create a better design because there are less grout lines.

If you do have a small bathroom space, the definite way of creating a larger feeling shower room is to use light colored tiles. Also, use glossy shower tile designs – as they reflect the light around the room.

If you are using smaller tiles, look for a grout that blends in with the color of the tiles. Grout that contrasts the tiles stands out and ends up framing them, making the shower feel smaller.

Style: For a more classic and traditional look, go with subway tiles just like in picture (5). To continue that classic style, use period shower fixtures. Darker tiles look more modern but will also make your shower space feel smaller (6) (7). Another way of creating a modern look is to use tiles like in picture (8) – tiles with a simple and minimalist design.

Glass Dividers: The best way to enclose the shower area is by using glass – frameless glass that goes from the floor to above head height. Doing this creates an open and more spacious bathroom design – just like in picture (8). For more tips and ideas on designing a shower room have a look at our post here: (Design Notes for Shower Room Ideas). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

June 13, 2013 in Bathroom

Entry Foyer Lighting Ideas: For Large and Small Spaces

The foyer area is an important part of the home, since it is the first area people experience when they step into the house. Great entry lighting can play a big role in how the space looks and feels – even during the day.

Good lighting not only makes it a more pleasant space when you enter, but can help make things a lot easier to do. Like putting on your shoes at night, finding the keys, or checking the mail.

Lighting for Small Foyers: A lot of homes will have a standard sized foyer. Here the ceiling height can be normal height or double heighted. Either way, you’ll probably only need one ceiling light in a compact foyer to light it up. For a standard height ceiling, recessed lights or a flush mount light will work best. For a 1.5 or double height ceiling, you’ll want to bring the light down and away from the ceiling. So something like a pendant light is ideal – like the lights in pictures (1) and (2). If you have the space, then a nice mini chandelier can make a grand statement.

Foyer Lighting Ideas for Large Spaces: If you have a larger foyer space then you’ll probably need more than one light fixture to properly light up the area. A lot of people with a large foyer like to have a chandelier hanging down (or grand pendant lighting) – but this doesn’t have to be the classical crystal styled chandelier. It can be a more lantern styled chandelier (3), or more modern like the one in picture (4). In the same picture you can see that other foyer lights are being used too – like the table lamp and wall lights. You can also get more decorative lighting, like the display shelves in picture (5). Or another decorative lighting idea is to fit cove lighs like in picture (6)

Daytime Lighting: In the daytime you don’t want your foyer area to be a dark place – one where you’d have to turn on the lights. Instead, look to having windows that bath the foyer in natural lighting. Some ways to have windows and still keep privacy include fitting thin windows on the sides of the door like in picture (7), having a window panel above the door, using frosted/curtained windows on the door (8), or if you have a double height ceiling, a skylight would be a major design addition to have.

A Helping Hand – Having a side table would be a good idea. This can be a place for putting mail, keys, and having a table lamp. You can have a mirror hanging above (9), or sitting on top (this will make a smaller spaced foyer feel much larger). If you have a large foyer, some stools tucked away under the table can be useful when putting on shoes. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9