How to Decorate Your Dining Room in an Asian Theme

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It is possible to decorate your dining room in an Asian theme without having it looking like a Chinese restaurant. When an Asian theme is done properly it does not look tacky; it looks elegant, calm and inviting. The looks is also quite easy to achieve by just adding a few appropriate accessories. Do not be afraid to coordinate your tables and chairs with your placemats and cutlery.

Serving bowls and dishes should look Chinese and be in the colors of Chinese reds and bamboos. Another popular design is the blue and white Chinese porcelain that features fish. The cutler should be rudimentary and consist of bamboo sticks. Make sure the bowls are big and round for holding steamed rice and soup. A little ceramic wine set also gives the room an authentic Chinese feel. Cherry blossoms make a nice centerpiece and give the dining table a truly fresh Asian look.

The best way to make a difference is to simply shop for the right Asian inspired serving dishes, gable ware, serving dishes, runners and table cloths. Just these few touches can easily add a touch of the orient to your look. You may not want to paint all of your walls in mandarin oranges or bamboo greens but you can add an instant oriental flair by adding folding screens made out of rice paper or Shoji doors combined with Asian potted plants. Exotic knick knacks like Buddha’s, geisha girl figures or swords hanging over the mantelpiece or table can give your table an exotic flair.

You can buy Chinese art or you can do something simple like hang an elegant kimono on the wall. A small tank filled with Chinese fish such as angel fish, carp or goldfish also gives a room an oriental touch especially if it also has a small pond in it.

Any wall that is painted a deep red and then contrasted with woods does automatically convey a room that has a bit of a Chinese flair. To really accomplish the Chinese effect well you can also try furniture that is covered with white or red silk and rattan and finished in a crimson or black lacquer finish.

Lighting is important when it comes to creating this type of look. Although a crystal or wrought iron chandelier would do, wooden or big white paper shades look more Chinese. One idea is to hang little Chinese lanterns in a chandelier to give it more of an Asian celebratory effect.

Decorate a Bathroom With Glam Lighting

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Having the right type of lighting in a bathroom can make the difference between a drab bathroom and a romantic one. Here are some ideas for making your bathroom appear more stylish.

Try decorating with bathroom wall scones. Purchase some stylish wall scenes to create elegant, soft, sophisticated bathroom lighting. Recessed scones look the classiest. You can put them in pairs for an elegant effect. Scone lights look wonderful on either side of a mirror. They also can help illuminate darker areas in a bathroom because they look god placed near recessed areas.

Ceiling bathroom light can also add a lot to the atmosphere of a bathroom. It is nice to have your lights on a dimmer to create a romantic effect. You can add recessed pot lights to give it a contemporary look or hang the largest, glittery chandelier that you can find.

Mirror lights also make a bathroom look wonderful. They apply adequate light for sprucing yourself up in the mirror but you can also place them in spots so that they light up the objects that you own. Back-lit bathroom mirror lighting not only provides soft glamorous lighting.

A common and practical effect is to line the mirror with bulbs so that you are well lit when you are examining your face. Mirrors lined with neon are also a nice idea.

One wonderful development when it comes to bathroom lights is dimmers that you control from a long string that is attached to the light. That way you can have all the lights you need on until you actually step into the tub. You can be safe until it is time for a long soothing bath in half light. When it is over you can yank on the chain again and the light will also dim.

One of the most interesting developments in shower lights is ones that illuminate the shower streams by lighting up the shower spray with colored light. These are known as LED shower lights. These LED shower lights also serve a practical purpose. The LEDS in the shower head are blue when the light is a cool blue and when it warms up to red it means the shower water has warmed up. You can also get high-tech new age versions of this in off-beat colors like neon purple or yellow.\

In bathrooms pressed glass flat or circular shades are becoming more common and are considered to be quite retro and hip. These are flat fixtures that evenly distribute light and that are very utilitarian in appearance.