Home-Improvement:Interior-Design-and-Decorating Articles

Home-Improvement:Furniture Articles

Home-Improvement Articles

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Decorating Your Home With Antique Tapestry

Decorating Your Home With Antique Tapestry

If you are interested in a unique wall design for a room in your home, you should consider antique tapestry. This rich form or textile art can add a wonderful design and character to your home. You can adorn a single wall, or all four of your walls with beautiful antique tapestry.

The wonderful thing about tapestry is that it is portable. If you want to redecorate later on, you can easily remove the antique tapestry from your wall and put it on another one. Historically, royalty used tapestry to decorate rooms in their castles. Heavy tapestry was used to help keep the castle rooms warm in the winter time.

Tapestry is the result of creative design that all starts out with a sketch. The ideas for the design of a tapestry are first drawn on a paper or a piece of cardboard. After that, a craftsman or weaver will use the sketch as a guide to create the tapestry. The colorful threads and fabrics are then added to give the design life and style. What wonderful item to display in your home!

When you are choosing a piece of antique tapestry to display in your home, pay attention to the details. Each thread was hand-picked; these threads were all chosen by someone who had a special design in mind. Study the patterns and examine what colors were used to create such a fine piece of art. Tapestries are almost like paintings without the paint.

The furniture in the room should have similar colors to the tapestry, to give the room a put together look. other antique items, like an antique lamp or other antique furniture can give the room an authentic feel. Make sure that other items in the room don't take away from the attractiveness of the antique tapestry.

There are some more modern tapestries available today, but most of these were created in factories. These are still very beautiful and intricately detailed. Even so, handmade tapestry is typically of a higher quality and each piece is unique. The handmade tapestries, particularly the antique ones, are priced much higher than the more modern factory made ones, but the value is truly priceless.

Back in time a tapestry was a symbol of royalty, wealth and status. Why not reflect that type of history in your home? The more appreciation you have for the art of an antique tapestry, the more you will enjoy showing it to visitors. Antique tapestry is sophisticated and debonair.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for pottery, antiques, and figurines. When shopping for pottery, antiques and figurines, we recommend these online stores for pottery, antique tapestry

Friday, October 24, 2008

Industrial Era Art Works

Industrial Era Art Works

When it comes to deciding how to decorate your home, you may have considered wall art, but are not sure just how you want to bring them into play with your decor.

If you have high-end art taste, the best option is to look to the genius of William Morris from the industrial era. These works are fine art and beautiful skill woven into each design. Additionally, there are a so many of his creations that you will be sure to find one that will suit any decor style or color scheme you have chosen to put into play in your home.

No one can deny that 19th century artist Morris was able to bring any story to life through his artwork. Another fact, beyond denial, is that he chose as his subjects some very epic tales. Consider the quest for the Holy Grail or the story of the Magi. These are just some of the titles that he chose to bring to life through his artistic mastery.

While many think a painting will tell the picture just as well, there is something special about putting these images on your wall in tapestry form. Hiw pieces capture all of the beauty of the artistry as well as adding a soft and lively touch through the use of woven fabric.

While he may have been a man, he had an uncanny ability to capture the spirit of women in his artwork. If you have ever set your eyes on any of the tapestries in his goddess series or Flora or Pomona, you understand what I mean.

This may be why so many people who are looking for a more feminine touch to a home steer towards these works to accomplish that goal. A single of these tapestries on a wall in your home will soften the whole space. In the master bedroom, two or more tapestries are often hung to show this room has the soft yet sensual touches of a woman.

Remember, it's best to hang your tapestries out of direct sunlight, as sun can damage them, but do make sure they are lit properly so they can be appreciated. Tract lighting or targeted lighting should be able to accomplish this.

Want to decorate your home? Then see Tom Matherson's reviews of a great range of art works to decorate your home with style.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries: a Medieval Mystery

The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries: a Medieval Mystery

Full of mystique and beauty, the Lady and the Unicorn series are among the best examples of medieval tapestry in existence. Many interpretations have been put forward through the ages, but there is no definite explanation as to the mystery behind the Lady and the Unicorn.

Dramatic Medieval Art Each tapestry in this striking series shows a unicorn interacting with a woman in some way with the unicorn representing the six human senses in some way. These are sight, smell, touch, sound, taste and love.

Throughout history unicorns have been a mysterious force and have been considered a representation of Christ. Many people believe in unicorns, although their existence has never been proven.

Unicorns are said to possess magical powers, and the Chinese believed the rare sighting of this creature signalled good fortune ahead. The horn is considered particularly magical with an ability to recognise and neutralise poisons with an antidote. During the medieval era the unicorn was linked to Christianity. According to legend it could only be tamed by the scent of a virgin.

The Lady: elegance and tranquillity Unicorns were only attracted to purity and being connected with Christ and his spiritual integrity meant that only a woman with virginal attributes could be linked with the creature. The tapestries have been interpreted in several different ways. One belief is that they are a representation of the Virgin Mary with Christ.

Another suggests the representation of a woman embracing the spiritual world by renouncing the physical one. These tapestries in their own classical and elegant way have widespread appeal, perhaps because of their pure and spiritual nature. People need to feel that which is good and these tapestries give the impression that good will prevail over evil.

The origins of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries Originally the tapestries were made for a French nobleman, Jean Le Viste during the 15th century. The family coat of arms is visible in the tapestry serves. What is less clear is who designed the work, which family member they were intended for and how they came into existence.

Based on the style of the clothing in the tapestries it is thought the tapestries come from the late fifteenth century, and possibly designed for Jean le Viste himself in celebration of his promotion to the French Court in 1489.

When Le Viste died the tapestries were probably passed on through family connections, although the exact whereabouts was unknown for 200 years. In 1841 they were discovered by a member of the French government who recommended the purchase of this magnificent work of art. Following restorative work and a purchase for the nation the government donated them to the Cluny Museum where they can be seen today.

The mystique of the tapestry The origins of the tapestry remain a mystery to this day, with interpretation based on clues within the art itself. Perhaps the mystique of the work combined with elegance and purity affirms the appeal of these timeless pieces.

Copyright © The Tapestry House, all rights reserved.

Angela Dawson-Field writes on a number of subjects for the Tapestry House including The Lady and the Unicorn. and The Hunt of the Unicorn.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

How to Decorate Your Home in Victorian Style

How to Decorate Your Home in Victorian Style

Maybe it was a movie or an old book that got the idea in your head. Perhaps you want to take your home back in time to a more romantic and beautiful point in history. No matter what the reason, if you are ready to embark on the process of decorating your home in Victorian style it is not going to be as difficult of a job as you may think.

Colors of Victorian Style

Before you begin your shopping, you should have a color set that you are looking for to make sure all the portions of the room you are decorating go together. This is vital. Think of Victorian homes where something obviously doesn't fit. You can't? That's because it is not supposed to happen. The theme is supposed to look as if it was painstakingly put together piece by piece, each a perfect fit.

Most of the colors of this period are light. Don't waste time on pigment if you don't have to. Even though they were available in Victorian times, the style was inspired by classical Greek statues and looks, and therefore is very scarce in using colors, at least not bright ones.

If you are creating a late Victorian look, you can use some darker colors as the second half of the Victorian era did see more rich colors in dining rooms, bedrooms and libraries.

Make it Luxurious

Whatever you choose, think luxury. Victorian style is meant to show off that you appreciate the better things in life and that your furnishings are those better things. In today's world that doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune, just keep your eyes open for items that while affordable look as if they could be priceless.

Wall Decor

Much of what makes Victorian rooms what they are is the way the walls look. From rich, lush curtains around the windows to wallpaper and wall decor there are plenty of places to show off the posh adoration of Victorian style on your walls.

If choosing wallpaper, look for floral scrolled patterns or even paper that looks like a trellis has been covered with flowers in the room.

If you really want to make a statement, consider a William Morris wall tapestry to add a rich and lush accent to the room that brings that time period to life.

Take your Time

The most important thing to keep in mind as you create a Victorian themed room in your home is to take your time. Many people want to rush renovating jobs to completion. Doing this, you may rashly purchase a piece to 'fill a space' and not find the piece that is perfect for that space.

The creation of a Victorian decorated room in your home should be considered a work in progress. Only put a piece in if you know it is the right piece to put in the space. If not, keep looking until you find the right one. It may take longer to complete the project this way, but once you are done it will be a room you are forever in love with.

Want to give your home a touch of elegance? Then see this range of William Morris tapestries including the Tree Of Life tapestry as elegant wall decor. Tom Matherson writes for Worldwide Tapestries which offers a wide selection of wall art for decorating your home.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Ways To Decorate Your Rent House

Ways To Decorate Your Rent House

Renting a home does not mean that you must leave your personal style behind. There are many ways to bring your own personal flare into your rent house without violating rental contract. No matter how strict the home owner is you can easily make your rent house feel like home. Below you will find a few tips that will make decorating your rental property a breeze.

The easiest way to bring your personal taste into a drab rent house is to choose furniture that reflects your personal taste. Bold or colourful furniture will help to brighten up a bland room and attract attention away from the features of the interior that you are contractually not able to change such as floors and wall colour.

A sturdy piece of furniture is also a great investment. No matter how often you must change rent houses a good piece of furniture will bring familiarity and give the house an instant personal touch. It is important to choose your furniture based on the size of house you expect to be in.

A small, low sofa will look out of place and lost in a large room while a big comfy couch will make a smaller room seem minute.

If you cannot afford new furniture to brighten up your space there are many less expensive ways to make your rent house your own. A colourful tapestry will hide stark white walls and warm up any living space. You could hang paintings or framed pictures to achieve the same effect. If you want a more personal touch, paint your own wall hanging on a large piece of canvas.

One of the largest and most often overlooked spaces in a home is the floor. Finding a nice rug to lie in the largest area of your home will add a personal touch to your rent house that will make it feel warm and inviting. Even if the home you are renting has carpet on the floor a nice rug will add colour and style while protecting the existing carpet which can be a pretty expensive fix if ruined.

Now your room is really coming along. You just need that last item to tie everything together and give the room that finished feeling. It is time to choose your window treatments. Curtains are a great way to add texture to the room while complementing the existing colours.

Nice heavy curtain can be very functional as well. They can be pulled back to let the sunshine help warm the house in the spring and fall or they can be closed to keep out the heat of the summer and the bitter cold of the winter.

You don't need to feel limited on how stylish your rent home can be. Sure you have to follow the homeowner's rules and leave the bland carpet and white walls but with a little creativity you can create a look that will make both you and your landlord happy. And your personal touch can make any rent house can feel like home.

Are you looking for a property in UK? Do you want a stylish home? Alex Paterson a leading Internet Marketer and a real estate agent is proving all necessary resources to buy the best property in UK. Make your house more than a shelter at property to rent .


Friday, October 10, 2008

Superb And Glorious Set Of Bayeux Tapestries

Superb And Glorious Set Of Bayeux Tapestries

Tapestries, attractive wall hangings, tapestry cushions, tapestry pillows and other types of decorative material, which is used for decorating houses, offices, gardens and other places, are very much in demand today. People buy them to gift them to their loved ones. Tapestries and wall hangings change the entire look of the room.

The first choice of interior designers for decorating the house is tapestries and wall hangings. But interior designer should make a conscious decision of buying those tapestries which suits the color and entire theme of the room. Superb and glorious set of tapestries are available, having different designs, patterns, sizes and colors.

There are different types of tapestries like Bayeux tapestry, Flanders tapestry, unicorn tapestry, oriental tapestry, landscape tapestry and others miscellaneous tapestries. They all are famous for their own unique and special features.

Bayeux TAPESTRY

Bayeux tapestry is 50 cm by 70 cm long embroidered cloth which shows the images and patterns leading up to the 1066 Norman invasion of England. Bayeux tapestry is one of the different forms of tapestries and has its own unique features. Bayeux tapestry is embroidery it is not like a tapestry.

It was constructed from eight pieces of linen which were joined together to make up its length. Bayeux tapestries are available in many designs and colors and are famous for its patterns which are historical. Bayeux tapestry is one of the best tapestries and is very much in demand.

FEATURES OF TAPESTRIES

Tapestries are made up of cotton, jute, coir, silk and other fibers and very attractive appliqué work, thread work, embroidery, patch work and others are done on them which make them look more beautiful.

As we all know in today's world interior decoration matters a lot. Interior decoration, not only in houses but in offices and other working places has become very important. Tapestries are used for decoration of home, garden, office and other places.

Tapestries wall hangings are available in all sizes and a person should select the tapestry for a particular room, keeping in mind, the color, theme and size of the room.

Our company http://www.tapestries-tapestry.com offers a wide range of attractive wall hangings, tapestries and other decorative material at very reasonable prices and special discount offers and exchange offers attached to them. You can buy them online also.

Customer satisfaction is the main aim of our company that is why we deal with only quality products. For more information please log on to http://www.tapestries-tapestry.com

Jude is a well known writer who has been writing on topics like tapestries and Belgian tapestries etc for the website http://www.tapestries-tapestry.com for a long time.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Where Do You Want to Place that Tapestry

Where Do You Want to Place that Tapestry

You can use tapestries and rugs to create a delightful atmosphere, to make an uncomfortable big room look smaller in size, to increase the general effect of the room’s theme or to fill a desolate-looking room with warmth. The ideal tapestry or rug will be the one which will give the desired effect to your room so go for that rug or tapestry which you feel is ideal.

You can use rugs for multiple purposes in decorating your interior. Hang them on the walls and railings as tapestries or place them on the floor. Rugs are not only long lasting but they are also very portable.

Do not buy a costly and thick rug if the room is crowded most of the time. You buy a rug to have some color on the floor and possibly to act as an insulator. Such a kind of rug should be purchased in a dull color because it is not brought for the purpose of being the center of attraction. After all, your loved ones and guests will just pass through the rug.

On the other hand, tapestries will give out an impression about your personal style and fashion and as such they are intended to be seen by people. You can hang the tapestry on the wall near the entrance so as to give some impression about your home to your guests. The design of the tapestry should not be too much and it is essential that the tapestries be in warm and rich colors.

You interior decoration will give your guests some hints, about the kind of person that you are, right away. Keep this in mind the next time you go shopping for a tapestry or rug so that it will give a positive energy to your main entrance.

For further information on tapestries and interior design, please visit our website: http://www.european-wall-tapestries.com

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Belgian Tapestries: A Collection of Good Quality & Wonderful Designs Tapestries

Belgian Tapestries: A Collection of Good Quality & Wonderful Designs Tapestries

Tapestries are very durable collectible items and come from various cultural backgrounds including Asian, Italian, French, and Belgian.

Aside from the cultural aspect, tapestries are available in different textures, as well as designs that include architecture, nature like trees, birds, flowers, fantasy that includes unicorns, dragons, fairies, animals, medieval (castles, knights), royal crests, maps of the world, art and modern art, as well as religious designs.

Tapestries can sometimes be very helpful in providing social information of the time they were created. They depict the armor that was worn and the accessories such as banners and horse decoration used during battle.

They also show the original construction of buildings that may no longer exist but still hold historical relevance. Such things as food and drink and household customs are depicted with pride and preserved as an indication of the families' position. Some tapestries may depict many people and horses and activities all in the same piece of work.

A Belgian tapestry designs add charm and character to a dull and boring space. If you wish to be a proud owner of any of these tapestries, then www.tapestrycatalogue.com is the one stop online store for you.

The online store specializes in high quality Belgian tapestries, tapestry cushions, tablecloths/table runners, handbags, tablemats, bell pulls, throws, decorating accessories and gift items. It has got a user friendly website, wide tapestry collection and free shipping service that encourage its customers to buy tapestries at the click of a button.

You can now enhance the beauty of your room with exquisite Belgian tapestries. The patterns and scenes, which are woven into the fabric, are inspired from original European tapestry designs and paintings. The Belgian tapestry is one of the most pervasive works of art throughout historical Europe and elsewhere.

Many churches and cathedrals had a number of ornate tapestries depicting religious scenes, and kings and nobility would often commission a tapestry to tell the story of a great battle or event. The online store has royal tapestries available at very affordable prices.

The tapestry art prints are cheaper than framed prints and serve as an art heirloom. Rich in art and texture, the Belgian tapestry wall hangings, bring warmth and high spirits to the décor of your home.

Jude is a well known writer who has been writing on Tapestry, European Tapestries and Belgian tapestries www.tapestrycatalogue.com