Tag Archives: living

How to Decorate With Antique Lamps

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There is nothing that adds more elegance and automatic ambience to a room’s décor than an antique lamp. They are fantastic objects to have in a dining room or living room because they not only make a personal statement about you but because they are great conversation pieces. There is nothing like a 1930s big chandelier with large drops of ice hanging from it to help break the ice with your dinner companions.

One of the most interesting antique lamp fads that is around lately is the passion for chandeliers made out of deer antlers. These date back as far as the 1890s and straight through to today. They were standard lamp fixtures in medieval times in Europe (as they do have a bit of a pagan flair to them) but they are also considered to be part of American and Canadian furniture kitsch.

However keep in mind that when you buy one of these deer chandeliers that it is not always that politically correct. Some unscrupulous dealers are selling this type of thing on eBay as being made out of found antlers when what they have done is take the antlers off of live deer. This is a big ecological no-no. You are safest to look in antique shops and for chandeliers that look like they have been found on the ground. These antlers will not have sawed off ends. If they do have sawed off ends you might start the wrong type of conversation at your dinner party especially if you have invited any conservationists.

Yet another very popular type of kitsch antique lamp that is being manufactured right now is the “Sexy Leg Lamp.” This is the lamp that was featured in the movie “The Christmas Story.” It consists of a plastic molded ladies leg wearing a black high heel and it is topped with a shade that looks like a burlesque dancer’s skirt. If you have one of these in your home, your guests are sure to point out that “you have the same lamp that Ralphie’s Dad does.”

A kind of lamp that is getting harder and harder to find but used to be a common sight on top of television sets all over the world is the classic ceramic black panther that is topped with a shade made from paper pressed with glitter.

Perhaps the most popular of the antique lamps are the lava lamps. It is getting harder and harder nowadays to find a real lava lamp from the fifties or sixties. The knock offs that can be had for twenty dollars and be bought in a hardware store are simply not as nice as the ones you find on eBay or in antique shops. This is because the newer replicas tend to be a lot smaller then the original lava lamps that were sometimes tall enough to reach your knee. They also often contain glitter instead of the “lava” and their design is not as nice. If you manage to find a real lava lamp from the fifties then the design from the Atomic Age is certain to become a conversation starter.

How to Decorate a Home Office Space

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If you have a space at home that is specifically dedicated to work, working from home seems more attractive. The idea is to create an office space that is really productive.

First of all start by decide one corner of your living room as the designated workspace area. Avoid bedrooms as seeing your work clutter at night could prevent you from sleeping.

Your first step is to buy set of computer table and a comfortable chair and put it in such a way that your back is towards the wall. Select a corner that has enough light but not so much that there is going to be a lot of reflective glare on your computer screen. Put your desk, cabinets and counters to create an L-shape. This saves space and looks more professional.

On fact one f the biggest challenges with a home office is lighting. You should get a horizontal surface such as a desk and doing it in such a way that you don’t get glare from your reading back into your eyes. I f your light source is coming from in front of you, it will bounce off what you are reading and go into your eyes. It is best to two sources. One from the right and one from the left that cross from the side so, that way the reflections go away from you as you read a glossy magazine for instance

Set up shelves and a file cabinet behind your chair, within easy reach. Try not to put your head directly below any overhanging shelves as that is not only dangerous but according to Feng Shui (the rules of object placement to attract positive energy.) Then set up counters for other equipment such as printer, fax, scanner and personal computer.

Interesting lighting figures can be great. Try using glass shades or paper globe shades (like the ones you can get an IKEA.)Decorate your office by adding clocks, pen stands and your very own personalized coffee mug.

Since this office is also your home try to blend in the décor by using cushions and curtains that match with the décor in the rest of the living room area.

To keep it looking neat make sure you keep the wires around your computer and technology hidden. You can buy compact tubes that hide them or you can ask an electrician to put them through the walls. Since your space needs to be clutter-free, buy some good storage for all your files and documents. The less cluttered your office the more inclined you will be to spend some time in it!