Freshome.com - Interior Design & Architecture Inspiration Newsletter

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• How to Arrange Your Room Around Your Christmas Tree
• Inviting Holiday Home by the Beach: The Shingle House in England
• Astounding Home in Australia Surrounded by Lush Vegetation
• How to Choose Kid’s Room Furniture that You’ll Both Love
• Enticing Apartment in Moscow designed by a Glass Artist

How to Arrange Your Room Around Your Christmas Tree Posted: 10 Dec 2010 04:01 AM PST We all love this time of year when we pull out the Christmas tree from the garage, or go buy one from the corner lot and make room for the tree. Although, it seems like every year we either forget how big our space is, or we simple forget we have to live in the room with our tree! Instead of going through this exercise this year, here are tips for how to arrange your room around the tree. Before you get started, measure out your space, so this entire effort won't be wasted! How much space do you have: While we all have ideas of grand Christmas trees in our living rooms, the reality of how much space we actually have can be a totally different. If you live in a smaller home or apartment, determine which furniture can be moved out of the space and which can't. Even if you have a large space, consider walkway areas and obstruction of doorways before settling on a specific tree. Plan a focal point space: In your home determine which room will you enjoy your tree the most, and still be able to live around it. While the living room has the perfect window to sit in front of, the television and sitting area it will be blocking doesn't make this an ideal place. Place trees away from fireplaces, heavy trafficked walkway areas, and obstructions. Stand back from the tree, once you've chosen a spot and examine from all vantage points. Removing furniture: While your furniture is important, determine how many pieces have to remain throughout the holiday. Could you do without the coffee table and lamp to make room for the tree? If the answer is no, then opt for a smaller tree. In recent years, potted Christmas trees and tabletop trees have become more popular and are ideal for homes that have limited space. In larger spaces, move furniture around the tree so that conversation areas can still be held without the tree becoming a visual distraction Use furniture in other spaces: If you need to, consider moving furniture into adjacent rooms to still provide seating without compromising entertaining space.  If you plan on having a large party or holiday celebration, you will need to determine how large a tree will be needed, to not intrude on your guests. If your plans call for a large gathering, considering housing the tree in a separate room than the bulk of the furniture. This will help guests feel comfortable, and keep your tree from being side-swiped by party-goers. This is the best time of year to bring out the holiday traditions, and one of them is decorating the Christmas tree.  Don't let your season be ruined because of poor planning when placing it inside your room. Use these tips and assess your room area and what your lifestyle and entertaining plans are for the holiday. Your holiday will be amazing, along with a beautiful tree with some advanced planning and decision making. Enjoy this season, and fill your home with holiday memories, that don't include you and your family bumping into the Christmas tree! Freshome reader's how do you choose an area for your tree? Do you move out furniture to accommodate it? We'd love to hear more tips than the ones we have here. Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! 10 Beautiful Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas Christmas Ornaments Goes Digital A Christmas Tree Like You’ve Never Saw Before How to choose and buy a Christmas tree A Different Kind Of Christmas Tree : Festive Ornament by Christian Dior Fuck Christmas Tree Ornament Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

Inviting Holiday Home by the Beach: The Shingle House in England Posted: 10 Dec 2010 01:34 AM PST Alain de Botton's Living Architecture project has recently been seriously taken further with the second finalized holiday retreat. The Shingle House comes from  NORD Architecture and is located on a beautiful beach in Dungeness, Kent, England. Its exterior is covered in black shingles which alternate pleasantly with wide windows. Together with a few transparent doors, they manage to open up the house to the beach and let in spectacular views. The Shingle House has a charming and unique interior design which combines traditional elements with modern utilities. The timber additions make for a warm and relaxing atmosphere while tasteful colorful details bring a happy tone.  All-equipped, this holiday home can accommodate up to 8 people and is perfect for a large family, whose members will not have to worry about leaving something behind. -via Dezeen Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! Stunning Home in Costa Rica Defined by Luxurious Tastes Universe Beach House in Mexico by Tatiana Bilbao House with an Unexpected Shape Design : The Letterbox House Palabritas Beach House in Lima, Peru Modern White Beach House by Richard Meier in South California Beach House With Transparent Glass Walls And A Modern Interior Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

Astounding Home in Australia Surrounded by Lush Vegetation Posted: 09 Dec 2010 11:59 PM PST Combining an interesting mixture of hard stone and lush vegetation, the setting in which the K3 House was constructed was optimistically embedded into the life of the home. Located in Sydney, Australia, this amazing structure moulded by the imagination of Bruce Stafford Architects draws its power from the life of the plants surrounding and protecting it. The renovation plan of the house centers around an internal courtyard. A connection between the outside and the inside is established by the large sliding glass doors that open up the living space facing the courtyard. All the rooms enjoy the luscious panorama because of their orientation towards north. A luxurious pool is separated from the rest of the courtyard by glass half walls. Wood is used inside and out: it has a calming effect that contrasts with the metal and glass surfaces. A large entertaining area on the deck continues inside, into the living area. This is where the family gathers and spends quality time together. But once the evening is over, the parents retreat in the master suite pavillion, where they can quitely enjoy the panorama. Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! Modern Barrow House in Melbourne, Australia Ultra Modern House on Australia Gold Coast Beautiful House Surrounded by Forest and Lush Landscape The Walker House For Sale in Sydney Remarkable Home with a View of the Golden Gate Bridge in California The Limes Hotel Opened in Brisbane Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

How to Choose Kid’s Room Furniture that You’ll Both Love Posted: 09 Dec 2010 09:35 AM PST Furniture in your children's room can be a challenge. Either you like and they don't, or they outgrow it so fast that neither of you enjoy it! In recent years furniture manufacturers have put more marketing and production effort into kid's room furniture. From nursery furniture to teenagers, their furniture can be unique and appeal to you both. Here are tips for helping you choose furniture that can be fun, decorative and not break into their college fund to buy! Determine your budget for kid's furniture: Like any furniture, children's room furniture ranges in price from inexpensive to expensive.  The range is wide spread but so is the quality and the versatility aspect. Decide how much you are willing to spend, and then factor in more or less if you find furniture online for shipping and handling. Higher priced furniture stores may throw in shipping, but you are paying more already. Get your child's opinion: Unless you are decorating a nursery, children age 3 and up can tell you what they like and don't like.  This doesn't mean you let them pick the wall color, window treatments and flooring! It does mean that this will be their room, and they will enjoy it more if they had a say in how it looks.  For ease of conversation, pick themes, colors and ideas beforehand and present a few options.  Then have them choose from your options. If you are stuck as to where to start, look to furniture manufacturer magazines and online resources for inspiration. Versatility for longevity: The mindset behind buying children furniture is slightly different than adult furniture, for the mere fact that children grow. Along with your budget, you need to decide if you'd rather pay a higher amount for furniture that can take a child from a crib into pre-teen years. The other alternative is to buy furniture at each stage in your child's growth. This option may be better if you plan on changing décor, moving homes, etc… and want the furniture to change with the current time. Be prepared for change: Along with the versatility of furniture, remember kids do grow, and the reality of needing new furniture is real.  Especially for children who grow taller quicker, you many considering buying them a larger sized/adult size bed earlier to prevent waiting until they are uncomfortable sleeping. Another factor could be family changes. An addition of a sibling to the family, or a college student returning home can be life changes that furniture can be versatile enough to endure change. Make it fun: Children's rooms are one room in the house that it's ok to not play by "decorative" rules. If your child likes bright colors, infuse them into decorative bedding, area rugs and matching lighting fixtures. If your child loves a color that you aren't crazy about – consider painting the room in a neutral tone, then adding your child's color to a piece of furniture or their bedding.  If you want to save money, consider online classifieds or garage sales to paint or fix-up furniture. There is no limit, so be creative! The furniture in your child's room should reflect their personality of who they are… or would like to become! Remember, your budget and family lifestyle will dictate how much you spend and how much longevity you need from their furniture.  Some people buy furniture to past down for generations, while others only need the piece for a few years. Decide what is right for your family and the child that has to live in the room. They ultimately should be happy and love to retreat to their room, just as you do in your sanctuary. Freshome reader's how did you chose furniture for your kid's rooms? Did your child have say in the decision? Share with us. Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! Living Room Furniture How to Choose the Perfect Furniture for your Home Office Girls’ Bedroom Set by Starlight Ikea Organizes Furniture Swap Indoor Vegetable Furniture The Mismatched Dining Room : Tips for creating a well-balanced mismatched style Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

Enticing Apartment in Moscow designed by a Glass Artist Posted: 09 Dec 2010 08:31 AM PST Kate Hume is an amazing interior designer that blends together modern furniture with savoury details and beautiful glass objects. An apartment for a couple and their five children was the perfect setting for an elegant, striking combination of modern furniture and classic backgrounds. Beautifully contemporary, this interior design inspires through the expressiveness of the space in which it is created. The large high ceiling entryway of this Moscow apartment makes a perfect background for the black pieces of furniture that mark visual points of interest. Forms and shapes, calming colours and bright spaces make this Moscow apartment a luxurious space. Glass objects scattered in an artistic approach in interior design accomplish the glamorous effect. An immense yellow glass chandelier balances light in the living room, while a round modern pendant light, also made from glass, hangs over the dining room table. The children`s room is an elegant interpretation of soccer, keeping the boys happy and not interrupting the interior design line. The shades of grey contrasted with bright gold glass and deep blue carpets, the white walls and the incredible entryway make this apartment an interesting living space and a gorgeous visual effect. Ready for more amazing design ideas? Check below ! Apartment Design by ERGES: Targets The Young Glass Shelves by Tonelli Modern Glass Bookcase Becoming Drunk Glass Three Great Print Ads That Use Famous Buildings Modern Apartment in Heraklion, Greece by Tectus Design Interiors Click here to connect with Freshome on or on

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