Myndu Interior Design

I recently visited a friend in her new apartment, and I was so surprised to see how awesome it looked!  My friend’s new apartment is a studio apartment, meaning there are no bedrooms.  It’s just one big room that has a kitchen and room for a bed, the only room being the bathroom. I never thought I could deal with living in a studio apartment because I’m the type of person who has so much stuff, I wouldn’t know how I’d fit everything!  But I also realized the benefits of a studio room.  With a studio room, you really learn what’s the most important type of furniture and how to keep messes at bay, because there isn’t a lot of space to spare!

If you’re a college student or just anyone who is staying in a studio room, it’s definitely easier to move things in one by one and slowly moving in, instead of bringing everything into the room and trying to sort it out later.  Here are some tips for anyone staying in a studio apartment.

1. Keep furniture to a minimum
A bed, desk, and dresser are really the three essential pieces of furniture to have.  Something to sleep on, something to work on, and something to store your clothes.  If needed, a bookcase is also nice to have.  If there are other things you want to bring in, really consider the amount of space it takes up and how much you really need it.  Otherwise, clutter will pile up faster, especially there will be less room to take up.

2. Hang mirrors on the wall
Mirrors are a really great way to maximize space without actually really giving yourself more space.  Reflecting a room off the mirror can make it actually seem bigger, which can help create a more comfortable atmosphere because it feels like there’s more space.  A definitely a good touch if you get claustrophobic easily.

3. Hang things on the wall
Instead of a million photo frames laying around on your desk and such, try hanging or taping pictures on the wall.  Instead of lamps, try finding lamps you can hang off the ceiling.  Try finding different solutions for different types of things you want to bring into your room.  Instead of things taking up space from the ground up, ask yourself if there’s a possible way to take up space from the sky down.

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Two pieces of furniture that just seem to take up space are coffee tables and paper shredders.  A little random, but I mention it only because Pigeon Tale Designs has combined the two to create a more useful piece of furniture using less the space.  Although I hear it’s a bit pricey, it’s still really nice if you’re the type of person who actually uses a paper shredder.  The shredded paper that ends up inside the coffee table, which is see-through because it’s made out of glass, also creates a cool looking aesthetic for your coffee table, and changes over time as you shred more paper and empty out the trash later.

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Decorating or redecorating your kitchen shouldn’t be about the easiest way out. Let yourself go wild, go the extra mile and make your kitchen everything you want it to be and everything it should be.

The hardest part of decorating your kitchen is sticking to the decision to make the changes—which we all know is hard enough in a time where we’ve been brainwashed to believe that we can always procrastinate and things will still manage to get done. But don’t think that just because you’ve made the decision to decorate your kitchen means that it will be smooth sailing from here on out. Do that and you’ll be in for an extremely unpleasant surprise that will make you wish you had never started.

What you really have to do is be ready to commit to your kitchen decorating project and make a goal of going above and beyond what you’d normally expect yourself to accomplish.

For instance, my brother recently purchased a slightly used but newer home. The previous owner had ghastly taste in decorating and my brother inherited a puce stone floor. However, rather than tear it up—stone is expensive!—he decided to take matters into his own hands. Armed with a can of sealant stripper and a bucket of bleach water, he was able to lighten the floor three shades and give it a more palatable appeal. Then, just for good measure, he went out and purchased a blue and beige woven bamboo area rug that turned the eyesore of a kitchen into a girlfriend’s paradise. The simplicity of adding an area rug to the kitchen not only gave his kitchen life but also helped to disguise some areas of the floor where he couldn’t quite get the floor to evenly shade.

He also purchased one beige area rug for the inside of his closet pantry and two blue area rugs—one to place in front of the stove and the other for in front of the sink. These three rugs are all cotton area rugs—they match well with the more expensive bamboo area rug under the kitchen table, but can be washed in the washing machine whenever they meet with heavy traffic or spaghetti sauce.

Take a lesson here and remember that you don’t always have to engage in a complete overhaul of your kitchen just to make it look appealing to yourself and to visitors. All it takes is a little ingenuity.

But don’t think it stops with a bucket of bleach and a bamboo area rug. Your kitchen requires a certain amount of life that comes from your décor including your kitchen towels, wash cloths, curtains (if you have windows) and various amounts of chachka that show off your personality.

Whenever you decorate or redecorate your kitchen, whether it’s a permanent change, a temporary change or a seasonal change, get ready to go overboard and let yourself go wild. There’s nothing better than a room that shows off every part of who you are and how you see yourself. Go the extra mile and be the change you wish to see in your kitchen.

I think it’s really awesome and fabulous when furniture design takes its inspiration from nature, because there’s really nothing more beautiful and amazing than the natural world.  That being said, there is a lamp designed by Patrick Jouin that folds out as if it were a blooming flower. So cool and really beautiful!  When it’s “budded”, or closed, the light is dimmer, and when you open it/make it “bloom”, the light shines brighter!  A really fun piece to add to any room!

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There are many ways to relax and unwind after a day full of stress – decorating your home according to Zen principles is one of them. And there are more benefits of Zen home décor.

A hectic urban pace of life causes stress at each and every step, even though we don’t realize or choose to ignore it sometimes. So, it is only natural that at home we crave for relaxation and peace. Asia-originated Zen interior décor is based on simple lines, natural colors and textures, minimalism in everything, and plenty of open space. It is all about achieving balance and harmony between objects and eliminating distracting elements.

Zen home decorating is becoming increasingly popular in the western world today thanks to a number of benefits it brings along. The “less is better” home décor principle of Zen proves to work best for modern urban homes.

Less Stress

Multiple colors (especially very bright and contrasting), too many accessories, cluttered surfaces, and things of mismatching design and style add to everyday stress. Subconsciously, you might hate the way your room looks like and it disturbs you day after day. An irritating detail, like gaudy curtains or an out-of-place piece of furniture can ruin the entire look of the room and turn off your mood as well.

Zen home, thanks to its minimalism and organic color scheme, creates a balanced look and helps restore your own inner balance. Simplicity, earth shades and no distracting elements promote stress relief and relaxation. The soothing effect is also achieved through soft lighting, the use of natural materials (wood, bamboo, rice paper, natural fabrics, etc) and such decorative elements like a mini Zen garden, a lotus flower in a bowl, or a tiny table waterfall.

Less Clutter

Some people may argue that a Zen home looks rather boring, but compare it to a cluttered home and see which one looks more appealing. In order to give your home that spacious and neat appearance, you have to declutter it first, which is a great thing. Actually, a home of any décor style will only benefit from it. Instead of a billion of knick knacks invest in quality furniture, natural flooring and redesigning your home towards plenty of hidden storage spaces.

Getting rid of excessive details doesn’t mean, however, no decoration at all. There is always a place for a nice artwork or another decorative element in a Zen home. And, if well chosen, a single accessory might be enough to liven up a room. So, embracing principles of Zen home décor doesn’t mean making it boring – on the contrary, your house will look more intriguing and a lot better organized.

Less Housework

A lot of furniture, cluttered surfaces and walls, insufficient storage space that results in little objects scattered everywhere around the house certainly add to daily housework. Whereas, clear floors and surfaces, and minimum furniture make it much easier to clean the house within minutes. Ideally, things that are out of sight should also be kept in order and well-organized. In other words, decluttering the living areas doesn’t mean you can stack stuff to shelves and cabinets and clutter them instead. Mess in your drawers will not give you a peace of mind Zen home décor is supposed to. Make your home a true Zen inside out!

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Garage doors are never something people think to decorate, because it’s not even something people even bother to look at.  It’s the last thing people think to repaint and while home owners will maintain the appearance of their garage door, but they never bother to make it look extra nice because, really, what can you actually do to a garage door?

The answer is now simple!  Style-your-garage.com is a German company that aims to make your garage door a spectacle that will cause people to stop what their doing and wonder.  They offer a variety of themes and ideas for what you can put on the outside of your garage door, such as a poster of a huge airplane inside the garage or a giant cat.  If you’re looking for an extreme and fun way to spice up your garage door, definitely check it out.

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There are many considerations when purchasing a new home, and not among the least of these is how much space you will have for leisure and relaxing. Yes, the cupboard space is essential and storage is a great thing to have, but if your living room isn’t laid out to suit you properly, you won’t enjoy your home. Breathe new life into your family room with some small alterations that won’t blow your budget.

A great family room is designed from the ground up. If your broadloom carpet is older and worn but you don’t have the budget to upgrade it right now, consider investing in a large, plush area rug. There are many different area rugs to choose from that will complement your wall color and add a certain depth to your room. If your walls are neutral tones and your furniture ranges from reds, blues, or browns, choose chocolate brown shag area rugs. Accent your couch with contrasting pillows, and you immediately have a much cozier retreat.

The trim that borders the floor of your room as well as around your door is often overlooked. If the paint is dingy and yellowed, try painting it a fresh coat of pure white. Occasionally doors in a house are also dark brown, and adding white paint to these immediately brightens a room and makes it feel fresh. Add new hardware to the door handle for a modern feel.

Windows let the light in, but there are times that you may wish to keep the brightness out of your room. A pair of dark colored curtains works well in a room that isn’t already overpowered by color on the walls. Choose a type with a liner behind the actual curtain, as they give you the ability to blackout the light when you are watching a video or needing some privacy.

Add your family to the walls with some framed photos and wall hangings. There are so many new and interesting ways to display photographs and other mementos. Pick up a few shadow boxes from your local home store and fill them with your cherished memories and a few photos. A large bulletin board painted in a color that complements your furniture can look like a piece of art when you display your favorite photos.

If you are among the lucky individuals who have a fireplace in your family room, you instantly have an accessory that provides your room with that ‘welcome home’ feel. The mantle of the fireplace is a great place to place cherished objects such as vases, artwork, and books. Fireplace mantels are often the focal point of the room; so if you have a neutral wall color, consider painting the mantel a darker, complementary shade.

Plants bring your home to life, and there are so many to choose from that it becomes difficult not to stock your room from bottom to top. Stay within a theme of plant, such as dark green climbers or smaller palms. If you have a windowsill, add a few small potted plants for an extra boost of color.

There are many ways to keep the cash in your wallet and still update your family room. Take a few of these tips and try them today; you will be pleased with the results!

My husband and I are the owners of a real log cabin, originally built at the turn of the 20^th century in the lake country of northeastern Minnesota. It wasn’t much to look at on first inspection, having weathered to a pale gray. The wind whistled relentlessly through the gaps between the logs, some of which were badly rotted. The roof leaked, the windows and door were teeny tiny, and the primitive furniture gave a stark new meaning to the term “rough hewn”. Our new property lacked both indoor and outdoor plumbing.

Now I’m all for going back to nature. I enjoy the fishing trips with my husband, the fresh air and quiet. However, I do also appreciate the amenities our modern civilization has provided us, and have no personal compulsion to reinvent the wheel in any aspect of my life. In making our vacation home habitable I happily conceded to the provisos of natural materials, primitive bathroom facilities, and no television as long as I would not be involved in hauling logs out of the woods, and there was toilet paper available. My husband, in turn, vetoed drywall, lace curtains and singing bass wall trophies.

The dimensions of our little cabin were such that it could have fit comfortably into our double garage. After patching and replacing the messy bits of the original walls, we tore off the roof and raised the wall height another four feet with new logs hauled by someone else out of the woods. Windows and doors were enlarged and reframed. New roof beams were laid on the original ridgepole and the roof was redone in a nice cedar shake. A loft was constructed to serve as our bedroom. We scraped the wood of the inside walls, which were then stained a rich mahogany and water-proofed. A cast iron wood stove was installed on new pine plank flooring. With that the rudiments of construction were complete. We did nothing with the exterior, except build an outhouse about 20 yards away from it. When you own prime lake front property in one of the best fishing spots in the world, and cherish your privacy, ugly is good.

I achieved the impossible in finding a tastefully rendered rich woolen area rug in beiges and browns that featured a framed montage of a couple of big mouthed bass and fishing nets. The rug served to make a conservative statement of the purpose of our little lodge, kept our feet warm, and happened to match perfectly the quilt and textured floor to ceiling cotton curtains I bought for the windows. The space really didn’t need much more in the way of decoration than that beautiful rug. The hard floors had a softened effect and that thick rug felt wonderful on cold mornings when we tiptoed through the kitchen.

Lantern lighting provided an intimate evening glow. Racks were constructed to display fishing rods and there’s a trophy or two that stare at us silently from the wall. We were able to pipe water in to an antique hand operated pump. We furnished a little dining nook next to a minimalist counter and sink. The place reeks of comfort and solitude and peace.

With comfortable furnishings and our beautiful area rug, we have come to love our rustic log cabin lifestyle.

Flowers come in all different shapes, sizes, and species.  They bloom almost as fast as they wilt, and they are always pretty to look at.  Floral patterns in home decor have been looked down upon by younger generations because they seem “old” and “tacky”.  But floral patterns can really brighten up a home, and there are many possibilities when it comes to floral patterns decorating your home.

Floral patterns can pretty much go on anything–pillows, bedspreads, wallpaper, drapes, sofas, dishware, etc.  It’s easy to look tacky if you don’t know how to match up your floral decorations, but it’s also easy to make it easily  fit into any room.  Just look at the room you’re decorating and consider the color palette.  What colors are the walls?  What about the furniture? Look for floral patterns that incorporate the same colors as the rest of the room.  Not only that, but consider the size of the room.  A small room with larger furniture would call for a patter with flowers at a bigger scale.  For a room that is more cluttered, busier patterns with a smaller scale might be a better choice.  For a more vintage styled room, try using floral patterns that are pastel colored, and you can also get a vintage look just by having floral pattern furniture for a long time and letting it fade out.

There’s also the misconception that flowers are a womanly type of decor patter.  But it can work for the males, too.  For the men, largely scaled patterns mixed with primary colors add more of a modern look rather than girly.

There are many different species and types of flowers, so the possibilities of what kind of pattern to use are endless.

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There are so many furniture styles to choose from that this may be one of the hardest decisions you make for your home. Many times your choice is dependent on the style of your home as well as your personality. Here are a few more furniture styles for you to choose from:r

English Regency – This style started in England and the inspiration behind the style was drawn from classical designs. The main woods used for English Regency furniture are rosewood, mahogany, and satinwood. Black lacquer and gilt can also be used with fruitwoods. Today, English Regency furniture is reproduced in a more formal and modernized form and produces an aura of elegance and richness.

Chippendale – The Chippendale style has always been one of the more popular styles of furniture. Chippendale furniture represents the masculine spirit and is sturdy and broad. The most famous pieces of Chippendale furniture are secretaries, highboys, and cabinets. The couches feature arched backs; arms that are rolled outward; and can feature straight or cabriole legs. Using a pleasing combination of Chinese and French influence, the ladder-back chair has pierced horizontal rails and plain straight legs.

Pennsylvania Dutch – This simple and utilitarian style is still popular today. The Pennsylvania Dutch style is gay and charming and expresses friendliness and lightness. It is a sturdy country style that blends well with other informal styles such as Colonial New England and French Provincial, with tables that resemble the New England style.

Federal American – Better known as Duncan Phyfe, this furniture was adapted from the Georgian style and changed to represent American tastes. The tables are elegant and formal, blending well with Georgian style pieces. Duncan Phyfe furniture can use pedestal bases, flared legs, and can have clawed feet.

Classic Modern – This style of furniture has been adapted to meet the needs of contemporary living. The style is simplified with clean-cut, splayed, tapered, or straight legs. Rather than depending on ornamentation to create beauty, Classic Modern furniture makes use of the essential art elements and emphasized the beauty and grain of natural woods. Classic modern can be found in both formal and informal styles and the style is determined by the upholstery, colors, and finish of the woods.

Organic Modern – This contemporary style of furniture uses low shapes and horizontal lines to create a sophisticated new look. The chairs are lightweight and are usually molded into shapes that conform to the contours of the body. The seats are designed for comfort and feature rubber shock absorbers as well as well formed backs. The most popular feature of the Organic Modern style is that it consists of unit and sectional furniture and is designed for saving space.

Shaker – the United Society of Believers, a religious group that lives in self-contained communities in the United States, produces this simple and utilitarian style. This style is represented by straight tapered legs, woven chair seats, and mushroom-shaped wooden knobs.

Georgian – This style of furniture is named after George I and George II and is characterized by heavy proportions, ornate carvings, pierced back splats, gilding, and elaborately carved cabriole legs that end in a pad or ball-and-claw foot. The Georgian style of furniture is a more ornate version of the Queen Anne style.

No matter the style of furniture you choose it is always essential to decorate the rest of the room accordingly. And always remember your floor. Area rugs are an easy way to help tie in your furniture style to the rest of the room. No matter whether you need a traditional oriental rug or a loudly colored modern rug you are sure to find many available to choose from.