Sherwood Bookcase from Khaos ItaliaJanet Ramin - Even with the proliferation of e-books, many booklovers still love to own physical books and show them off in their home. After all, a shelf of books is a sign of culture - even if you haven’t read them! I also prefer to display books in a special bookcase, but find most of them to be utterly utilitarian and ho-hum. After a thorough search, I discovered these unusual bookcases to be worthy of my books and special shelf accessories!
Khaos from Italy offers a whimsical design - see above - in its wavy Sherwood Bookcase. You may feel a little dizzy looking at it but it certainly is a showstopper! If you want a little Oriental theme, Khaos offers their Asian bookcase with its yin yang interconnected shapes of the circle and the square (below).
Asian bookcase from Khaos ItaliaHaworth designed a stylish bookcase with contrasting colors that incorporate waves in their shelves. Thus a static piece of furniture now suggests movement and becomes a more dynamic element.
(Hanging Terrariums from CB2 and Sprout)Janet Ramin - Spring is in the air and naturally, thoughts turn to spring cleaning, plants and flowers, and warmer weather! To bring a fresh breeze of spring into your home, we recommend the following decorating tips and accessories.
#1 - Hanging Terraria
The easiest way to bring the outdoors inside is to create a terrarium. These small landscapes under glass are a great way to exercise your green thumb without great expense or time. You can use a fish bowl or you can use these hanging vessels, from CB2 and Sprout. Sprout also offers classes on terrarium building.
#2 - Lively Bedding
Another easy step for spring decorating is to swipe out your winter linens with some bold and bright spring colors. The striking duvet pattern in turquoise, tangerine, and lime is called Frankie and is available from Serena and Lily. Frankie will banish out the winter blahs and invigorate your bedroom décor.
Jessica Ackerman - When you're decorating a kid's bedroom, it's important to focus on fun, convenience, and easy care - just as much as you focus on the overall look. After all, children spend a great deal of time in their bedroom, participating in a myriad of activities. Although you might think of a bedroom as primarily a place to sleep, your child undoubtedly views his or her bedroom as a playroom, study area, game room, and personal retreat ... in addition to a sleeping area. Because a child's bedroom is used for so many different things, it can sometimes be a challenge to decorate. However, by using these tips you'll be able to create a fun bedroom design that your child is sure to love.
Focus on Function
Before you start the decorating process, it's important to give some thought to the overall layout of your child's bedroom, as well as how he or she tends to use it. It's also a good idea to consult your child before you start the planning process. By keeping your child involved in the decorating, he or she will tend to take more ownership in the room. It's usually best to start by planning the primary functional areas of the room. The sleeping area is of course a key concern, but it's also important to pay close attention to your child's study and work area. Storage should also be a primary consideration when planning a child's bedroom.
Fun Bedroom Themes
Once you've decided on the functional aspects of the room, start to think about an overall theme. While an older child might not care too much about a specific decorating theme, younger children tend to love this kind of decorating approach. If your child has a cartoon character, hobby, or activity that he or she is particularly fond of, it can be a lot of fun to use it as the focus of the room's overall theme. Themes that are a bit more generic can also be a good idea, such as a beach-themed bedroom. For example, you could use metal beach wall art combined with a taupe and light blue color scheme to give your child's bedroom a fun and exciting look.
Once the theme has been decided upon, you can focus on the decorating process. Because a child tends to use his or her bedroom in so many different ways, it can be a good idea to create different areas within the room. For example, you might want to install wall shelves in the play area, making it easy to keep toys off the floor. Good lighting and plenty of work area are both important when designing a child's study space.