Indoor Lighting-Don’t Be Left In The Dark

Renovating a home can be exciting but far too often incredibly stressful.  There are so many decisions to make and it can be overwhelming. Often minor details fall through the cracks. We renovated our home and made a few mistakes along the way, so I would like to share my experiences with others so the mistakes I made can be avoided. One of those little details that fell through the cracks was lighting. We didn’t realize how much of an impact lighting would have.

With our home we had our main floor completely gutted and rebuilt so we were able to choose exactly where we wanted the lighting fixtures to go and how much lighting we wanted. For the dining room we did plan exactly where the chandelier would hang and researched how low the chandelier should sit above our table but what we didn’t do was add a dimmer switch. Now really, isn’t that a no brainer but in our defense we had a lot going on with the reno and it was something we let the contractors take care so we didn’t give it a thought.  We can still add the dimmer switch but you know how those little jobs around the house seem to take forever to get done. Seven years later and still no dimmer switch.

Both our dining and living room chandeliers are anitques. I instantly fell in love with these chandeliers and still love them today but the chandelier in our living room is more beautiful then it is functional. I believe the shape and size is too small for the space so it doesn’t provide enough light. The chandelier was expensive so we’re not prepared to replace it at this time but if I knew then what I know now I wouldn’t have chosen it.  We have pot lights in our living room l but I am using them in conjuction with our chandelier because it’s too dark but that’s not ideal.  If we had realized at the time just how important lighting is we would have taken more time to get it right.

Our partners at Lighting Showplace not only offer a wonderful selection of indoor lighting and more,  they also provide an wealth of information to help you choose the proper lighting for home. Click on any of their categories from Indoor Lighting and there you can read about Crystal Chandeliers, Bathroom Lighting, Recessed Lighting, Kitchen Lighting, Tiffany Lighting, Pendant Lighting and so much more.

So don’t be left in the dark. Proper lighting really does make a difference.

 

Bathroom Renovation Ideas

Are you about to embark on a bathroom renovation? If so I would like to offer a few words of advice…do your homework. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and make hasty decisions but take your time and visit as many bathroom retailers as you can. Research on line, go to Home Shows and get yourself a few books or magazines for inspiration. You are only limited by your imagination so if you take the time to see what’s out there you will have a better sense of what you like.

The first thing you need to decide on is whether you want a traditional or modern bathroom. Originally I was headed towards a traditional bathroom but the more I looked around the more I found myself gravitating towards modern so my mind was made up. Modern it is.

A vanity can be one of the most expensive features in your bathroom so choose carefully. Do you need a lot of storage? Do you really have the space for his and hers sinks? Is the vanity a comfortable height? Is the vanity too wide or too narrow? Is the counter top of the vanity high maintenance? You need to ask yourself a lot of questions before you commit. I personally love the wall mounted vanities but our bathroom is very narrow so it really doesn’t make sense to have a mounted vanity if you can’t get far enough away to appreciate that it’s a wall mount. So in this we’ll likely buy a full size vanity and take advantage of the storage space.

Make sure you do a drawing on paper or on the computer with measurements of your vanity, tub and toilet to ensure that everything fits. Our bathroom is very old and has a tiny bathtub. Any new tub we replace it with will be longer and wider so before we make our final decision on what we want, I will definitely do some drawings to scale just to be sure we won’t be crowded in our space.

These are just a few tips but if you would like more ideas, books are great for inspiration. I ordered the book Before & After Bathroom Makeovers from our Partners at Chapters.Indigo.

This book has photos of before and after bathrooms which I love. It touches on everything from flooring to window treatments to sink selections. The uses of tiles and colours schemes is really helpful for deciding on whether you want to go with warm or cool colours, large or small tiles or going full out mosaic. You may even take ideas of a few different bathrooms and combine them all into one. There are no rules but the key is to do your research and look around. It will be well worth it.

 

Instantly Update Your Bedroom with New Bedding

Is your bedroom looking tired and outdated? Well the good news is that updating a bedroom with new bedding is one of the easiest things you can do to instantly add colour and life to your bedroom. Our Partners at The Home Decorating Company offer a wonderful selection of Designer bedding including this beautiful set below from Tommy Hilfiger. The bold and fresh colours of this collection will transform any drab room into your getaway oasis.

To add even more drama to  your room take one of the colours from your new bedding and paint or wallpaper an accent wall (usually the wall behind the bed) which will really add punch to your room.

In a young girls room add a motif to one wall by using a stencil to really give it personality.You can also purchase wallpaper of a single motif if you’re not comfortable with your painting skills.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns and colours when choosing pillows and linens. As long as  you incorporate the colours from your duvet cover or comforter you will find it’s easier than you think.

Adding a small accent rug just at the end of your bed really brings the look together. For bedding as this Hilfiger set above I would suggest a solid colour rug rather than patterned rug. A shag rag would be perfect!

So have fun and be bold. If you like this Tommy Hilfiger bedding click the link below for a $10 discount.

$10 Off Tommy Hilfiger Bedding Coupon on All Orders Over $100 – Use Code: TH10