Monday, April 15, 2013

Greek Home Style



Inspiration of Greek home style
The brief history of Greece is compiled here as an introduction to web readers and to provide the historical background that’s needed to appreciate all the subjects of Ancient Greek culture. It was no easy task to compress the history of Ancient Greece into a concise format that would be appropriate both for online reading and as a precise overview of the subject. This history is divided into the major Greek history eras:



How to Create a Greek-Style Patio Area
A balcony or a patio is part of every Greek style home. Especially if you live in a warm climate, you can easily achieve this peaceful and sun-loving look inspired by the beautiful Mediterranean decor.

1. White and cracked walls
Give your patio an authentic Mediterranean look with white and cracked walls. Brick or adobe walls, but also tiles imitating brick patterns are good choices. A good tip to get the cracked effect common to the Mediterranean decor is to sandpapering your walls. You can also mix fine cement and fine sand onto your walls to create a dry impression. Don’t forget that a Greek style patio will work better in a hot area where the sun can naturally bleach your walls!





2. Mediterranean plants in terracotta pots
A Greek style patio area would not be complete without Mediterranean plants in terracotta pots such as lavender, thyme, rosemary, oleander and geraniums placed on a bed of pea gravel. These plants will also keep your patio cool, but don’t overcrowd them. If you are lucky enough to have a yard, don’t hesitate to extend your Mediterranean decor style with olive or citrus trees, for example.





3. Rustic and iron furniture & accessories
Greeks and the Mediterranean in general love to have guests and to eat in an outdoor dining area such as the patio. Opt for strong and rustic furniture made from cast iron or wood. For example, a nice way to add a greek decoration touch to your patio is to choose a table with a mosaic top and wrought-iron cafe-style chairs. Don’t forget to also place a little glass-topped table perfect to put on mezze (a selection of small dishes). Add a Mediterranean decor look to your patio as well with accessories like robust iron candle holders.







History of Greece: Classical Greece

The flurry of development and expansion of the Archaic Era was followed by the period of maturity we came to know as “Classical Greece”. Between 480 and until 323 BCE Athens and Sparta dominated the Hellenic world with their cultural and military achievements. These two cities, with the involvement of the other Hellenic states, rose to power through alliances, reforms, and a series of victories against the invading Persian armies. They eventually resolved their rivalry in a long, and particularly nasty war that concluded with the demise of Athens first, Sparta second, and the emergence of Macedonia as the dominant power of Greece. Other city-states like Miletus, Thebes, Corinth, and Syracuse among many others played a major role in the cultural achievements of Classical Greece.


The first inhabitants of the Greek peninsula, who are believed to be Neolithic, built very primitive and basic structures. The houses were mainly built with a circular, oval, apsidal, or rectangular shape. The rectangular house was mostly square, but some were oblong, and had the entrance at one of the short ends. They used mud bricks and stones in the mud with reeds or brush to help build the house. Most of the houses had one room, there were very rarely two.











The next group of settlers were the Minoan architects. Their towns were mostly residential with little or no temples and public places. Unlike earlier people, their houses were private and had many rooms. However, to separate rooms, they would use only pillars. Thus, the house was very open. The stairways were a very prominent feature for these massive homes. This began a whole new era for the Greeks dealing with architecture.

During the Classical Greek architecture period, it was made up of three different orders that are most commonly seen in their temples. These three orders were the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The orders are also known for their columns style. The Corinthian order was not used as widely as the Doric of Ionic. The reason being, is that the Corinthian order was fancier than the others, and had a lot more detail. Thus, information dealing with this order is very little, and some is not worth putting up.




The most basic order for their temples would be the Doric order. Doric architecture was known for being used by the Spartans. It all starts with some wood shafts, which latter was replaced by stone. On the top of the shaft, were circular pads with a square block of wood over it. The vertical columns were used to support the beams called architraves. In order to form the ceiling, other beams were laid across the building with their ends on these architraves. On the end of these beams, they could be channeled to make a triglyph. On the top of a triglyph there would be another beam which would be placed for the overhanging rafters. These type of beams were referred as to a mutules.


The finishing touches for the roof had to have a flat gables called pediments. The gutter ran along the top of the pediments and ended at a lion's mouth. This acted like a drain. The materials that were used for the roofs were thatch and the terra-cotta and marble. The of Doric temples were similar to those of the Ionic order in lay out and design.

Morocco Home Style

             Decoration of Morocco Style



Morocco's 1001 night fairy tale...


It was seven years ago that this couple visited Morocco for the first time. It was love at first sight, especially with the exotic Marrakech, the former imperial city of Morocco, which is known as the Red City for its predominantly red-colored buildings. The country is located in the north of Africa, directly bordering the Atlantic Ocean and Sahara Dessert while the Mediterranean Sea separates it with the country of Spain.




From their trips, they found out that there are two different classification of the Moroccan architecture: a simple architecture marked with beautiful but non elaborate design and a heavily ornamented architecture in the style of Baroque architecture. For comfort as well as aesthetic reasons, a clean cut shape with strong Moroccan influences was selected by the couple. This is evident in the color pallets of the walls and furniture. Burst of maroon and terracotta warmly accentuate the rooms, complementing the antique wooden furniture. In keeping with the clean look, there are no elaborate or intricate carvings in this house. Inspired by the French Renaissance movement in Morocco, several elegant chandeliers are hung in the ceilings.





Each rooms has its own function and is only separated by a glass window ornamented with a trellis depicting flower petals and leaves. The Moroccan style here is shown through the wooden door pattern, the water fountain in the backyard, ceiling treatment made of organza material, as well as the walls which are dominated with natural colors. Clear room demarcation ensures that the privacy of each house member is guarded.









How to Create a Relaxed Moroccan Seating Area

Sofas and tables

Get away from the pressure and relax in a comfortable and soft Moroccan decor with these few Moroccan decorating ideas for your lounge and living room!




Moroccan décor is known for its relaxing environment. To create the distinct Moroccan look, choose inviting sofas and tables set low to the ground. Moroccan sofas are usually made of leather, wooden or metal platforms. A good Moroccan decorating tip to easily create a relaxing home interior is to place your Moroccan sofas or custom-made corner bed against the walls. This will provide you more space and will instantly set a comfortable tone to your living room! Don’t forget that your goal is to create an inviting seating area where your family and guests will want to pass a lot of time. For this, add to the room carved wooden chairs and benches, ottomans and leather poufs placed around tea or opium tables made from Thuja trees. 


How to: Create a Moroccan-themed Bedroom
Give a distinctive Moroccan look to your bedroom with these 4 useful decorating tips!

1. Choose warm colors To create a romantic and exotic atmosphere, start by painting your walls with natural rich colors such as deep purple, saffron gold, cobalt blue or warm cinnamon red. Don’t forget to balance these shades with earthy tones like brown or sand and to adapt them with the chosen accessories. For the ceiling, select a lighter shade that will contrast with the rich colors used on the walls but avoid white. The molding (doors, window frames, baseboards…) should also contrast with the ceilings and walls or match with them. Blue can be a good option for the doors because it’s considered as a good luck color in Morocco. 





 2. Select carved wood and iron furniture You can rather adapt your existing furniture to give a Moroccan look by painting it in dark tones or buy new authentic one. Flea markets and garage sales are great places to find nice Moroccan pieces. Go for wrought iron or dark wood benches, chairs, tea tables and armoires painted with Moroccan motif. For your bedding, a headboard with oriental designs is a perfect choice!

3. Opt for airy fabrics for your windows Lightweight fabrics in warm or lighter shades are preferred to heavy drapes in order to let the light into your room.  

4. Choose exotic lighting Moroccan candles and lanterns will instantly give a beautiful Moroccan feel to your bedroom. Don’t hesitate to place mirrors on the walls to reflect the light! Henna lighting is also a popular choice in Morocco that will create an interesting mood.








5 Essential Moroccan Decor Accessories

Here are five essential ones you should consider for any room of your home! Mirrors Mirrors are an essential accessory to include in your Moroccan decor, especially for the living room or the bedroom.

 Depending on what you have in mind, you can choose between decorated frames with intricate designs or simpler style with a lacy design. Mosaic Table Tops Colorful Moroccan design for mosaic table tops are also accessories you may want to include in your decor, alone or with vases or lamps of the same style.




You can choose between carved inlays or painted designs. Pottery Created the old fashioned way with natural clay, Moroccan pottery are unique art pieces that can easily give an oriental look to your decor. The vases are original as well, stamped with metal or painted with attractive accents. Lighting To give your home a Moroccan feel, don’t forget to also consider the lighting fixtures. Many lighting types are available, from chandeliers to sconces, lanterns or lamps. Opt for lampshades made from animal skins (goat, sheep…) or go for stained glass, bead or metal.

For the colors, select energetic ones! Classic Area Rugs Moroccan rugs created by hand always add a perfect final touch to a Moroccan decor. Rich colors and sophisticated designs are very popular. You can simply display the rugs on the floor or hang them on the wall as decorative tapestry.
 




 


Sunday, April 14, 2013

Country Home Style




Country is a wide-ranging style that depends on geographical location but is generally exemplified by primitive furniture, muted colors, milk-paint finishes and vintage fabrics. Here's how the style breaks down:


Colors: Soft, muted colors showing the wear of time are indicative of a rustic country style. A more contemporary country look may feature a brighter color palette with accents of red, black or pure white to set off the design.
Furniture: Flea markets and Grandma's attic are the perfect spots for finding treasures for a country-themed home. Look for pieces with straight lines, painted finishes and very little ornamentation.
Accessories: A handmade, homespun quality permeates country-style accessories, which include baskets, carved wooden bowls, pottery, pewter and hand-forged metal accents.
Fabrics: Floral, checked and striped patterns printed on calico fabric add visual interest and color to an understated country room.




Country style is warm and welcoming. Comfortable furniture fits in naturally with this style. Colors and patterns should be informal. You can use New England, Shaker, or even some Modern Ethnic style furniture in this design. Some people believe that country style should have a darker color palette. You can make country style light and airy. Remember to bring a little of the outside in. Textures are important when designing a country palette.

Try choosing a color scheme form a garden outside. You can pull colors from a window box or use tactile natural wood with Earth tones. Pick something for inspiration to draw your color scheme from. You can try keeping your color palette neutral and throw punches of color in draperies, pillows, or fabrics. Using checks and floral patterns are very popular in country style. Remember to keep a sense of light and space throughout your design. If you use patterns of florals or checks in your design try using a classical white on trim or in the furniture. On the other hand, you may want to go with wood tones like naked wood tones or stained furniture. Think about what you like in country style and personalize your design to fit your taste. Placing old items in your decor can add charm to your country design. Display old cutting boards in the kitchen or old tea kettles, baskets, and dishes.




 

Using old boxes or baskets filled with flowers is another idea. You can be creative and find uses for old items. For example, kerr jars can be used to store spices or other items. However, keep it simple and uncluttered.

Simple patterns, furniture, and craftsmanship are the heart of a country design. Painted floorboards or white wash is another popular use in this design. Textures found in country style can include brickwork, pebbles, copper, steel, glass, wrought iron, baskets made from twine, and different types of wood. You can always mix and match textures along with colors and patterns. This is a natural way to design in country style decorating.



For a more chic country style use white or light colors on the wall to keep it light and airy. Then, add punches of color like red, pink, blue, yellow, or lavender. Pay attention to you instincts and pick colors you find pleasing. The colors you choose should be in the same color family. Pastels, antique colors, neutrals, or brights should be kept in the same group. Take your starting color and look for other shades in a similar family to complement the design. Adding contrast in your design can add life to it, but be sure to use it in small doses. Too much contrast can make your room seem busy. Always remember to keep country style uncluttered, light, and airy.









Country style lifestyle is slow paced, relaxing rural lifestyle. It is comfortable and laid back living in a country home. A country home may be a sprawling farmhouse or a gabled cottage, it has a charming appeal. Country homes have warm and inviting vibes. While entering a country home, you feel as if you have been there before. In modern days, you can experience this welcoming feeling of a country home anywhere regardless of where you own a house.

This can be achieved by designing your floor plans and interiors in country style home design. Country style home plans are suitable for casual and informal lifestyle. They are designed in a lovely rustic style. They offer the sense of spaciousness coupled with gracious elegance. Some of the features of a country style home design are stunningly attractive kitchens with welcoming hearth rooms. Spacious porches and extended living rooms create seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors. You can look forward to spending lazy afternoons on the poolside deck and evenings near barbeque grills at the back with your family and friends. You can achieve all these at any suburban neighborhood or right in the middle of the city.








Country style home décor is inspired by the peaceful and relaxed country side life. It goes well with the alfresco lifestyle. Although country style home design is location specific, meaning it depends on geographic location, a country style home may feature wood beamed ceiling, barn doors, wood floors, rock work, copper sinks, tumbled and hand painted tiles etc.