Curtains are a beautiful, elegant part of any home. They are one of those small, warm touches necessary to transform a house from someplace where you simply stay, to a place where you feel at home. When looking for a window curtain design for your home, you want to make sure you find the right one to give your place the proper atmosphere of warmth and comfort. Here are a few tips regarding the components of various curtain designs, and some ideas to help you decide on a Look for your curtains.

Curtain Rods - regarding curtain rods, some decorative ideas include using brass designs at the ends of the rod, or even exotic carvings. Also, curtain rods aren’t just a matter of picking something to hang your curtains from. You can actually buy matched sets of curtain rods that will allow you to layer multiple curtains in tiers, giving you more creative options when it comes to your design.

Curtain Ties - curtain ties hold back the curtains from the window, allowing sunlight in. More than this, however, the PLACEMENT of a tie can be itself a decorative touch. Some people for example split the curtain in the middle of the window and use ties to hold the curtains at the edges of the window, essentially framing it.

Others use a single tie and a single piece of fabric, tying the curtain to one side, giving the window a unique look that can be likened to a woman wearing a single-strap dress. The height of the ties also allows some control over the pattern of the curtain. While usually placed in the middle of the height of the window, ties can be placed higher up the curtain to allow the fabric to billow out, or can be placed lower down to give the curtain a more fluffy effect.

Curtain Fabric - The actual fabrics used in the curtain are important, obviously. The choices to explore are entirely to your taste. You can choose from a wide variety of cloths, from warm, down to earth choices like cotton, to the more elegant options of silk, satin, and lace. The color and design patterns on the fabric are likewise another area to let your creativity take free rein.

Some people for example prefer solid earth colors, while others prefer brighter ones on their curtains. Solid colors aside, floral print curtains enjoy a lot of popularity as well. Taking into account the additional layering options provided by using multiple curtain rods and ties, it’s also possible to mix and match different fabrics and different colors to further give your home’s window curtains a unique appeal.

The above three are the basic, simple components of any window curtain set. Aside from them, the cut of the cloth and the manner in which it falls are also factors to take into account when looking for a window design. Here are a few of the more popular window design types that you can choose from that will be readily available from most curtain manufacturers:

Valance - a valance is not a curtain per se, but rather is a short drapery lain across the top of the window. It accents the curtain across the supporting rod, and adds a nice, neat little layering effect.

Swag - swag curtains are designed with a reverse V-shaped cut across the bottom. This means that the window itself is displayed between the 2 sides of the V, which themselves frame the window beautifully.

Panel Curtain - this is the classic type of curtain composed of a flat, square piece of cloth that hangs down from the curtain rod.

Ruffle - ruffle curtains are designs that have a vertical rippling effect, making the window curtain look like it’s flowing instead of looking like just a piece of hanging cloth.

Sheer - Sheer curtains are made from semi-transparent material, and are popular because they let sunlight in easily and have an ethereal and relaxing quality about their appearance.

Scarf Curtains - this design is similar to a Valence in that it’s main feature is a piece of fabric supported across the rod to accentuate the main curtain near the top. But where a valence is generally a square piece of additional paneling, a scarf curtain’s accent is tied tightly upwards at the ends of the curtain rod, allowing only the central part of the scarf to cascade downwards.

The designs given above are not mutually exclusive to each other; rather, they themselves can be mix and matched by a creative mind to make even more elaborate designs. For example, you can go with a Ruffled Panel Curtain made of Sheer Fabric, or a Swag Curtain with a Scarf to accentuate it. These are just a few samples of the things you can do.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://curtains.home-webzone.com where you can learn more about different styles of curtains and choosing the right type for your room.

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The secret to your home’s interior design is Love.

If you love yourself, you create a home for your happiness.

If you love your family and friends, you create a home for their happiness.

The next step of love is to be grateful for your home. Gratitude lays the foundation for creating glorious spaces to share your love.

The final aspect of love is joy. Homes designed for joyful living are not decorated for prestige and show; homes designed for gracious living are decorated for happiness and the joy of life!

Interior Design Psychology Tips for Decorating Your Home with Love

1. Don’t clutter your home with too much decorating. The important accessory in your home is you and your family or friends. Select quality furnishings for comfort, beauty, function, and emotional support.

2. Create spaces that support your emotional well-being and productivity. Determine the activity of a space and choose design details that support this use. For instance, soft gray walls in home offices give support for creative writing while slate blue striped walls offer organized tranquility.

3. Give tribute to your family heritage. Honor your ancestors by using design details that tie to your sense of tradition.

4. Bring Mother Nature indoors. Green foliage represents life and growth. People have an innate sense of feeling connected to the earth. As a bonus, houseplants help keep the air fresh.

5. Add your personal touch and creativity. Design a stencil from a loved object or make a stained glass window. Feel connected to your home through physical work and your daydreams of the next improvement.

Celebrate life; love your home.

Joy to you!

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm

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An outdoor Christmas decoration holds a special place in people’s hearts. Christmas is an elaborate celebration for many people throughout the world. For most families, Christmas involves an extensive amount of decorating, both indoors and outside. Many towns and neighborhoods hold lighting and decoration contests to see who can come up with the best seasonal decorative scheme for their home. There are many different types of outdoor Christmas decorations.

One type of outdoor Christmas decoration is a homemade decoration. These are perhaps the most sentimental decorations, as families typically get together during the season to create and places these in their yard or on their homes. They are less costly than store bought decorations, as they can save over half the price of store Christmas decorations. Simple items like wire coat hangers can be fashioned into reindeer, trees, stars, bells, candy canes, and other ornamental signs of the season. They can then be wrapped with outdoor lights to illuminate the night. Strips of wood can be fashioned into figures like Santa Clause and set to illuminate the blackness of a winter night as well.

Let an outdoor Christmas decoration spice up your home for the holidays

Another type of outdoor Christmas decoration is a string of lights, though these days they come in many shapes and sizes. Lights are, perhaps, the most popular form of outdoor Christmas decoration. It is possible to purchase lights in the shape of trees or stars. You can also buy lights to hang on your house. For these, you can by dangling lights that resemble icicles or a simple strand with one white or colored bulb every few inches. These strings of lights can flash or blink in any pattern or you can simply have them stay on in a constant fashion.

One final type of outdoor Christmas decoration is a pre-made statue or figure of some type that has lighting capabilities. These come in many shapes and sizes from religious figures and nativity scenes to popular characters like Santa Clause or cartoon characters dressed in festive gear. Air inflated decorations like this are gaining in popularity. They us a constant source of air to stay inflated much like a children’s jumping tent might. Additionally, they are lit for visibility at night. They are inexpensive to own and operate, and look quite festive on the lawn or on the roof with the lights.

An outdoor Christmas decoration can be an important addition to any holiday season. Be sure to choose the right decoration for you.

Adam Peters writes regularly for an online interior home decorating magazine. Peters contributes adding reviews very often on decorating and design topics. You can also reach interesting articles on easter and christmas decorations at his site

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