Kohala Coast Beaches

Where are the beaches?

Aloha again everybody. Since you know from our previous post where to stay on the Kohala Coast, we want to answer the most asked question by Kohala Coast visitors is 'Where are the beaches?'. Depending on your preferences, you can choose from: Spencer Beach Park (perfect for families with small children) and Kauna’oa (Mauna Kea Beach w/public part - never crowded and separate from hotel part, so you don't need to mingle with the hotel crowd) and Hapuna Beach State Park. All three beaches feature shower and restroom facilities. Mauna Kea and Hapuna beach have both been ranked among the best beaches in the world by Conde Nast Magazine. Other great options are Wailea Bay in Puako or Anaeho’omalu Beach (called 'A Bay' by the locals) in Waikoloa Beach Resort. Just to name the most well-known and most gorgeous white sand beaches in our area on the Kohala Coast. Locate beaches on our Kohala Coast map.

Mauna Kea Beach

Kauna'oa Beach (Mauna Kea beach), 2 miles south from Kawaihae Harbor & Marina, also known as Mauna Kea beach has been voted one of the the top beaches world wide by Conde Nesta magazine. Located on the property of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, beach access is by way of a beach pass obtained at the entrance. Get there early to assured of a pass, otherwise hop on over to Hapuna Beach Park next door.

Mauna Kea beach is a quarter mile crescent of white sand offering swimming, snorkeling, boogie-boarding and surfing depending on the conditions. Food and drink are available at the Hau Tree Cafe on the beach (not inexpensive). Better you bring your cooler if staying very long. Outdoor showers and bathrooms on the public beach at the south end are maintained by the hotel. Don't forget your sunscreen. Enjoy!

Hapuna Beach Park

Hapuna Beach Park, 3 miles south of Kawaihae Harbor & Marina, Hapuna Beach State Park is located 2 miles south of Kawaihae Harbor & Marina. Hapuna offers one of the best white sand beaches on the island, the other being Mauna Kea beach. Beach activities such as swimming, snorkeling, boogie-boarding and surfing are available year around, though dangerous rip tides can appear during periods of high surf.

Sunbathing and picnicking are available year around due to the abundance of sunshine and warm temperatures, almost 360 days a year. Restrooms and outdoor showers are available. Picnic areas with BBQ pits make for a relaxing day on the beach. If you forgot food, a snack bar offers various basic food fare and drinks.

Spencer Beach Park

Spencer Beach Park, next to Kawaihae Village Harbor and Marina. As this beach is very protected from big ocean waves even in winter, it's the favorite beach for families with small children. Spencer Beach is also preferred by local residents for BBQs and family reunions as it kept the old Hawaiian style atmopshere. Camping permits are available for this beach. The Heiau next to Spencer Beach Park also attracts Kohala Coast visitors who are interested in Hawaii's history and culture.

Puako Beaches

Puako Beach 69 or Wailea Bay Puako Beach 69 (named after electric pole 69!) or also known as Wailea Bay is a more secluded beach well know by residents or return visitors to Puako, a tiny oceanfront village, next to famous Hapuna Beach. The south end of the beach is perfect for snorkeling and encounters with the green sea turtles and occasional Manta Rays or Eagle Rays. In addition to Wailea Bay, Puako offers many more beach access along Puako Drive. As Puako is the dry side of the island and gets less than 11" of rain per year, oceanfront Puako has developed into one of the most desired area for Kohala Coast visitors.

Mauna Lani Beach

Mauna Lani Beach Club is one of Mauna Lani Resort's nicest white sand beaches. All Mauna Lani condo visitors, like the Islands, Mauna Lani Point and Mauna Lani Terrace, have access to this beach from the road through their access card. However, as each beach in Hawaii is public, other Kohala Coast visitors can access this lovely beach by parking at public parking of Mauna Lani Bay and walk left past Mauna Lani Fish Ponds. It's an easy 10-minute walk. The beach is a crescent white sand lagoon with calm waters and a huge array of tropical fish, turtles and rays. Ocean activities like Scuba and Snorkeling are offered. Restrooms, outdoor showers and an ocean front restaurant make this beach a hidden gem on the Kohala Coast.

A-Bay Beach

Anaeho'omalu Bay in Waikoloa Beach Resort, also known as A-Bay, is one of South Kohala’s treasures. In the summer months this long curving sandy beach is great for swimming and snorkeling. Nestled on beautiful Anaeho'omalu Bay is Hawaii Ocean Sports which offers snorkeling, kayaking, diving, whale watching, sailing on a catamaran or relaxing on the beach. It's fun for the entire family.

There are many more beaches along the Kohala Coast. Talk to locals and return visitors for smaller, hidden beaches. Believe me there is a beach for everybody's taste! A hui hou. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Related Articles
Golf on Kohala Coast
Kohala Coast Resorts and Hotels
Kohala Coast Vacation Rentals & Vacation Homes
Kohala Coast Activities
Tags: Hawaii, Big Island, Kohala Coast, Puako, Best Hawaii beaches

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Easy and Cheap Kitchen Designs

Whether you are just moving in to a new place or you are trying to update your home decor, you may find yourself faced with a kitchen that needs a new touch. Even more daunting is when you find that you are facing this task while on a particularly tight budget. Kitchen designs can be quite expensive, after all, once you get down to it and add up the many, many little costs which accumulate during the process. And that is not even considering the larger costs!

Luckily, a little bit of creative thinking and design work, you can overcome even some fairly strict financial constraints and still come out with a great kitchen. The trick is to find kitchen designs which you can complete while incorporating existing fixtures with as little alteration as possible.

That may sound like it contradicts itself. After all, if your kitchen designs use things you already have and strive not to do much in the way of changing them, then can it really be considered a new design? It certainly can, and the reasons behind this can be found when you consider the objectives closely. The first objective is to use items and features you already have. This does not necessarily mean things that are currently in your kitchen. This can be something which is in another room entirely, or something which was put into disuse due to redesigning in other areas of your home.

An elegant, beautifully carved wooden wall clock, for instance, may not be appropriate for you living room under a new design, but it can easily be the central piece for a number of different kitchen designs. For instance, dark wood on the clock can inspire the use of dark tones throughout your kitchen. A coat of chocolate brown or deep maroon paint on your kitchen walls can serve to carry over the deep, rich tones of the wood into the rest of the room. Even simply changing the color of a few tings, such as drapes and trim, can be enough if your kitchen already has a dark color scheme.

The second objective is to make as few changes as possible to existing fixtures. This is the real hinging point of inexpensive kitchen designs. This does not mean that you should not make any changes. This simply means that while you are making changes, you should be sure to make every change count. For instance, if your clock from the previous example has gold hands, or even just gold trim, then you should simply consider changing the hardware on your cabinets to be gold in color.

If you have wooden cabinets that are a few shades off of the clock's color, then simply apply a little bit of stain to the cabinets (or, in fact, to the clock) to make the match. You might also want to bring in other items that work into the clocks colors or style, such as other wooden carvings. Now, obviously, this process can apply to kitchen designs which do not revolve around clocks. Simply apply these two objectives to your design, and you are well on your way.

Copyright © Jared Winston, 2006. All Rights Reserved. Interior Design can be a tricky subject for some, but it doesn't have to be! Restful Home is a resource that discusses everything from living room design ideas to more practical topics such as kitchen cabinet organizers.

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Furniture - Functional vs Stylish

Sure, lots of furniture is made to be looked at. What it's for, or even how well it's made is sometimes secondary, especially if it's an antique. But there are some folks who prefer to have furniture that is not only nice to look at but something that isn't going to fall apart within a year. Sometimes these two things are hard to get in one piece.

A good example of this is the computer table. If you look through some of the modern furniture catalogues, you'll notice that many of these computer tables are absolutely gorgeous. The finishes are breathtaking and the style itself is cool, to say the least. And then you get them home and find that some of the shelves aren't all that sturdy and the table itself starts to wobble. Yeah, it looks great but you're a little concerned about slapping a PC, printer, scanner and other peripherals on top of this thing.

And then there's that ugly work bench like model that you just want to slap a sheet over because it looks like something that the cat dragged in. But you get it home and find that you can kick it down the stairs, dump hot acid on the table top and throw it out a ten story building from the roof and it doesn't even scratch. Now THAT is a computer table. Why can't we get the two things together?

The problem of functional vs. stylish doesn't just end with computer tables. The one thing that's really hard to find is a very comfortable chair for your computer, especially if you're going to be sitting in it for eight hours a day. Most of the ones you find in office furniture stores look really great. And then you get them home and after about an hour you have to get up. Then you find one of these really comfortable chairs and they're just about the ugliest things you've ever seen. You're just glad that your computer room is out of eye shot from house guests.

Coffee tables are another nightmare. The really stylish coffee tables of today that you find in your chain stores, come with those screw in kind of legs. The finishes are real pretty but don't go moving that table around too much because those legs are going to fall off for sure. The surfaces are also beautiful but don't go banging on them with anything harder than a number two pencil. They scratch if you just look at them funny. And then there are those really well made antique coffee tables. These are the ones that your grandmother had. They look as ugly as sin and if you banged your knee into it you'd probably break it. Not the table, your knee.

Yeah, it would be nice if somebody would make a chair, a table, a cabinet, or anything for that matter that could take the punishment of everyday life and didn't look like it came delivered to you from the Salvation Army.

Maybe someday.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Furniture

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Laminate Flooring – Plenty of Designs

One of the greatest advantages of laminate flooring is the sheer selection of different patterns you can have on it. While real wood flooring comes in one look – that is, wood – laminate can have almost anything on it. It is, after all, just a picture printed on a piece of fibreboard, and it’s not difficult to get photos of different materials, even very exotic ones.

Wood effect floors are obviously the most popular, but they don’t necessarily have to be natural-looking wood. Many people go for wood-effect floors in odd colours, such as blue or black, or ones that fit together to make a big picture that would never occur in nature.

After wood patterns, the second most popular thing to have on laminate is stone. Stone-pattern laminate can be surprisingly convincing if it is well printed and put together, and gives your home a great ‘old castle’ look and feel. You don’t get the uneven surface of stone, but then again many people see that as an advantage over real stone – and the floor doesn’t get really cold in the winter, either!

Ceramic is another popular option, especially when it has been fitted with a damp-proof membrane for use in bathrooms and kitchens. It recreates the look of a tile floor, but without the dangers of slipping when it gets wet, or the tendency of tiles to collect dirt and other nasty things in the cracks between them.

But there are plenty of designs that are more unusual than this – far too many to list here, in fact. The best thing to do is to go down to your local laminate flooring showroom, where they will have a whole range of products, from the realistic to the simply ridiculous. Once you realise that you’re no longer limited about what your floor could look like, it can be very liberating from a design point of view.

John Gibb is the owner of http://www.Laminate-Flooring-resource2k.info

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Tips for Painting the Interior of Your Newly Built Home

You’ve moved your family and furniture into your newly constructed home, hung a few pictures, organized the closets and met the neighbors. Now that you’re settled into your new home, you probably want to begin personalizing your new space. And what better decorating tool to use than paint?

Many new home designs are based on an open floor plan and homeowners often ask “How do I incorporate color in one room and not impact on adjacent rooms?”. An easy way to add color to your living space is to paint an accent wall with a bold or interesting color and paint the walls that flow to other rooms a more neutral hue. This spark of color will brighten your living space and not create an uneven balance within the adjacent areas.

Here are a few pointers from the Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute that will help with your interior painting project.

Instructional Ideas
Follow the simple 4 steps below and achieve a terrific paint finish.

1. Prepare the Surface
Good preparation requires that the surface be clean and sound. Check for handprints, greasy fingerprints as well as dirt and scuff marks. Any glossy spots that will be painted should be lightly sanded so the new paint will adhere properly.

2. Pick the Correct Tools
Use quality brushes and rollers. For latex paint application, purchase synthetic materials. They will hold their shape and maintain the proper stiffness when used with water-based paints. Make sure the nap length of the roller you choose is appropriate for the type of surface being painted. The general rule is the smoother the surface, the shorter the nap; the rougher the surface, the longer the nap.

3. Decide on the Appropriate Paint Sheen and Color
The use of color is one of the quickest and least expensive ways to change the look of a living space. If you’re unsure of which color to use, purchase small quantities of a few you like and try them out in the room you will be painting. View the color in both daylight and at night; the color may appear different based on the lighting within the space.

Sheen is another factor. Higher sheen paints tend to offer a bit more durability than flat paints and are appropriate in areas that get a lot of use. Satin or low lustre finishes tend to impart more warmth and depth to a room than a flat paint. And, don’t forget the ceiling, it’s a great place to use a higher sheen paint for additional lighting reflection.

4. Purchase Quality Paints
Finally, always purchase a top quality acrylic latex interior paint. A quality latex paint will go on smoothly and offers soap and water clean-up and lasting beauty.

For more information on paint and paint trends, visit
The Rohm and Haas Paint Quality Institute at www.paintquality.com

Home Decorating Digest - http://www.HomeDecoratingDigest.com is an online magazine that helps homeowners find home decorating ideas and feature articles on style, color and interior design. Get decorating basics, do-it-yourself projects, organizing and outdoor garden design tips.

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How To Generate Ideas For Your Bedroom Design?

So, you want to design your bedroom. Hmm... looks like youare serious about it.

Lets' get started quickly. whenever I hear someone sayhe/she wants to design/decorate a bedroom a lot of thingscome to my mind.

But, let me clear one thing, design and decorating are twodifferent aspects. When I say design, I mean a whole lotbigger perspective. Design includes a lot more maturity interms of how you perceive a space from within.

Of course I will cover more about design in some other article.Decoration is more close to everyday actions that can betaken in order to change or alter a space. Decoration deals with accessories used in a space. Very small things, such ascurtain rods, their color, lampshades, small statues, tablecloths, light fittings, are all parts of the detailing.

It is not that design does not deal with these aspects, butdecoration is more do-able easily than the whole designprocess.

If you are not aware of the decoration techniques, or where to start, I will give you a list of some place whereyou can observe and get inspiration.

1)Of course, the World Wide Web: this Internet is a good place to start. But the information on the internet is not always compiled and sorted out, the way you want it to be, so you might have to look deep.

2)Local Book stores: Interior design

magazines, books, brochures from furniture manufacturers is a good source of inspiration. These books and magazines do their best to find out Works of successful designers, which can be quite inspiring.

3)Exhibitions: Exhibitions held by manufacturers of interior design products, can be a good source as well.

4)Movies and TV shows: Yes, these have a very high project budgets, so spend thousands of dollars every year to decorate the sets. Just keep your eyes open and you will definitely find some good themes in these too. 5)Look for hobby groups around in your city, look for seminars of those who are successful artists. Bedroom decoration includes detailing and paying attention to small things. Visit art galleries, where you can find some good paintings, other related artwork, which can enhance the beauty of your space.

Finally I would like to say that it's your room and youare the only person who knows better about your likes anddislikes. So start out immediately because "When There IsWill, There Is A Way". Copyright 2005 Shrinivas Vaidya
About the Author

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of Bedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com .Visit TODAY to get an in-depth knowledge of Bedroom Design, Bedroom Furniture Sets, Bedroom Decorating Ideas

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Lamps Are Decorative And Functional Too

Many people don't think twice about the lamps and lights in their home. When you're trying to spruce up your decor though, or creating a brand new decorating theme, one of the best places to start is with lamps... because they can be both beautiful and functional at the same time.

Here are several popular types of lamps to consider when decorating a room in your home:

Table Lamps - Table lamps are wonderful for both decorating and functionality. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, and can really accent specialty decor pieces you might already have. Small table lamps are quite decorative when sat upon a stack of hardback books, and large table lamps make great centerpieces for greenery, knick knack arrangements, or keepsakes.

You'll want to be careful not to overwhelm small, dainty tables with large, bulky, overbearing lamps though. A solid rustic wood table would easily carry a large wood table lamp, but a small victorian-style side table would do better with a delicate-looking tiffany or hurricane table lamp.

Floor Lamps - Floor lamps are excellent for adding both additional light and style to various areas of your home. I particularly like them in reading areas. Place a nice comfortable chair or divan in the corner for instance, away from the walls a bit, then place a decorative floor lamp in the corner space behind it. This will create a cozy, inviting feel to the space while also providing extra light for reading, writing, or knitting.

Wall Lamps & Lights - Lighting used on the wall varies in style. There's recessed lights which are helpful and decorative in kitchen areas or bathrooms for instance, and there are wall sconces which are wonderful for adding warmth and ambiance.

For a unique and different look, try creating a wall arrangement using wall sconces instead of candelabras or candle sconces.

Picture Lights - Picture lights are used primarily to highlight pictures and artwork in your home. These work similar to spotlights by focusing the majority of their light on the artwork. Most are very decorative, and they come in a variety of styles to match whatever your decorating theme might be.

Oil Lamps - Oil lamps can still be bought in many places today. Some are replicas, meaning they don't actual burn oil to create light, they simply look like the oil lamps of old. Others actually do have a wick and can burn oil. Most people use the actual oil burning lamps for decoration only, and you can even buy colored oil to fill the lamps for an additional decorative touch.

© 2006, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Looking for new lamps, lights and accessories? Visit the Lamps & Lighting Boutique at the Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network to browse a selection of thousands.

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Finding A Color Scheme

If you feel helpless when it comes to picking and blending colors, your answer could be as far away as your nearest pillow. Here is a quick way to create a color scheme for your home with PICK - SEE -LMD .

PICK a Pattern: Starting with a pattern is the easiest way to create a color palette for your decor. Choose a pattern from any object you already have and love such as a pillow, picture or piece of furniture. This will be your color palette !


SEE 3 Colors: Select a light, medium and dark color from your pattern to be used as your foundation. You may want to go to a hardware store and select color chips from the paint department that match your pattern to carry with you in case you come across a great find and need to know if it matches.

LMD: Light, Medium and Dark - How you use these colors can affect the overall appearance of your room.

* Light- Is the Background- this is usually easy to achieve since most rentals
are equipped with light to off-white walls.
* Medium- Large furniture and windows - Since the color of these objects will
blend with the above lighter selection, the medium furniture will ground the
room and give it a foundation.
* Darker- Accessories. Since your eye is drawn to a darker more intense color you
will be able to arrange you accessories in a manner to guide the eye flowing
through your room.

PICK - SEE - LMD Use it whenever you are trying to pull together a color coordinated room!

Home Decorating Digest - http://www.HomeDecoratingDigest.com is an online magazine that helps homeowners find home decorating ideas and feature articles on style, color and interior design. Get decorating basics, do-it-yourself projects, organizing and outdoor garden design tips.

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Home Decorating These Days Begins With Modern Lines

Today, the most popular home decorating ideas fall in the modern style. After all, modern home interior decorating allows for the clearest spaces, which provide the simplest maintenance for homeowners who simply do not have the time to be cleaning up all the time. Home interior decorating in this style is all about removing all signs of clutter and chaos. Instead, straight lines and organization provide a welcome replacement.

Decorating your home in the modern style will fill it will straighter furniture in plainer finishes of dark woods or black paint. The reason for such dark home furnishing decorating is the elegant, sophisticated feel it provides the room. Typically, the number of accessories in this home decorating idea are scarce. Only a few very purposefully placed items will be prominently displayed within the room.

This allows you to spend a bit more on the quality of your home decorating, with a few very special pieces, instead of filling the room with less expensive and less impressive items.

To contrast the dark furniture, interior home decorating in the modern style requires that you use very stark colors. A modern room will be well defined in whites, greens, blacks, and reds. Furthermore, many free home decorating ideas show that the less you add to a room, the better. There will be no throw pillows and blankets on the chairs and sofas, nor will there be ottomans and baskets on the floor.

Many people greatly enjoy the classic, sleek modern home decorating style for its tasteful simplicity. It permits the most openness and space for hosting parties, and the least time for cleaning and maintaining. If you are among these people, enjoy these home decorating tips, and carefully plan your design. Remember, since there is no room for additional clutter, you need to make your choices ahead of time, so that you can add the least amount possible, and create the largest impact.

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Quality Natural Stones In Interior Design

Natural stones have been used by man throughout centuries primarily due to their beauty, variety and durability. Today as before, their role in interior design cannot be overestimated.

Natural stones can enhance traditional and contemporary interiors in many ways, from marble wall or floor tiles to a limestone windowsill, let alone worktops in the kitchen or bath surrounds and vanity tops in the bathroom. Natural stones also go well with other interior design materials, such as wood or glass.

Even a small piece of quality stonework can make a lot of difference. My favourite examples of stonework for the sitting room are hearths, windowsills and table tops. For the more adventurous, a multi-stone floor inset would easily be the centerpiece of any room. However, nothing beats marble tiled floors, better still if accompanied by skirting made of the same natural stone.

The key is to use quality natural stones with top aesthetical and technical characteristics. Quality of the natural stones is driven by a number of factors, the state of the quarry, quality of the block, quality of the machinery and stone grading process at the cutting factory, commitment to quality of the stone supplier who chooses the quarry/factory/stone. You should ask your stone supplier for advice on different grades of a particular natural stone before you make a final

decision based on quality and budget constraints. Based on my experience, quality should never be compromised.

A fire surround is a good example. In most cases, quality of the natural stone and craftwork play a bigger role that the design itself. There is only one step from a luxurious piece to a tacky one. My favourite stones for luxury fire surrounds include Statuario, White Cappuccino, Rosso Lepante and Portoro. Fire surrounds are made either of slabs or blocks. Most contemporary and some traditional designs can be made of slabs. Generally, a piece made of slabs costs less than one made of a block.

I always use an opportunity to mention marble windowsills. In Sweden, windowsills made of natural stones are as common as snow in the winter. The reasons for that are twofold, decorative effect and practicality (they are hygienic and easy to maintain). I believe that many interior design projects would benefit from the use of marble (or other natural stone) windowsills.

I strongly believe that the use of quality natural stones in interior design is an investment in the property that pays off.

Article Source: Interior Design Guide

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From Small to Spacious

Decorating and furnishing a small home, apartment or studio can be challenging, but when done correctly by choosing the right furniture and colors, your small spaces will look and feel more spacious.

Try these suggestions for creating more space.

Furnishings
When selecting furniture for your small space choose smaller pieces that have a more open design.

Example:

A love seat with exposed legs, two small side chairs, and a small round glass top coffee table, would be a better choice than, a large sofa with hidden legs, love seat, and a large solid wood coffee table.

Arrangements and Traffic Flow
When arranging your furniture be aware of traffic patterns, all traffic should flow uninterrupted through your room. In a living room start with the sofa or love seat. When arranging your furniture start with the largest piece on the largest wall and facing your focal point. Then create a conversation area. Place a side chair on each side of the Love seat and place your coffee table where it can be reached from all three sitting places.

Accessories and Patterns
In small spaces be careful not to over use accessories. Remember, less is more if you want to create that open feeling. Mirrors and shiny reflective accessories help create the illusion of more space. Larger patterns should be limited to pillows and smaller accessories rather than a large sofa or love seat.

Color
When choosing color schemes, select soft and monochromatic colors.

Use the same or similar colors for your large pieces of furniture and your walls and keep your ceiling lighter than the rest of the room. See Color and Proportions

Lighting
Use a soft even light and eliminate shadows which tend to slice a room up into smaller spaces. Incandescent lighting will also soften a room. Avoid ceiling lighting this will visually lower your ceiling.

Tips
Keep your apartment simple and clean. If you don't need it throw it out!
Clutter free - Stress-free! Less is more !

Home Decorating Digest - http://www.HomeDecoratingDigest.com is an online magazine that helps homeowners find home decorating ideas and feature articles on style, color and interior design. Get decorating basics, do-it-yourself projects, organizing and outdoor garden design tips.

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Home Decorating: Planning Lightning

When you are choosing a bathroom light fixtures or lightning for any room in your home, the first thing to take into account is how that room will be used and, thus, the type of lightning you will need. Light is very important in a room, because it affects colors and makes them seem lighter or darker.

Natural light from windows will change the appearance of colors at different times of the day – enlivening them in the morning sun and gradually toning them down as the day progresses.

Artificial lights also affect the colors in a room, making them look lighter or darker. They can also play tricks with colors, sometimes causing dramatic changes a, literally the flick a switch.

Lamps are the most popular choice of lights today and are easy to install, a homeowner can accomplish this by himself in just a few hours. They are a very important part of any home that will beautify and add warmth and elegance for every room in your home.

The possibilities for using home lighting are endless when considering light fixtures to decorate your home and the fun and satisfaction of decorating the interior of your home by yourself will be rewarding.

Lightning can be used to accentuate features in the room in much the same way as colors and patterns. Strategically positioned wall lights, spotlights, uplights, or ceiling downlights can be arranged so that they wash a complete wall with a blanket of light.

They can also be used to good effect to highlight an isolated area, such as a display shelf, or a recess filled with beautiful objects, or to light a work of art such as sculpture or painting.

The days are long gone when it was considered adequate to light a room with a single, central pendant light. In specialist lighting store, you can be overwhelmed by the lightning options open to you. Light fixtures, bulb wattages, and even colored light have been brought into the scheme of things so that, apart from practical values, there is also the esthetic appeal to consider. Lampshades, too, contribute to the interest and atmosphere of the room, coming as they do in a vast choice of shapes, sizes, materials, and colors.

Home Decorating Digest - http://www.HomeDecoratingDigest.com is an online magazine that helps homeowners find home decorating ideas and feature articles on style, color and interior design. Get decorating basics, do-it-yourself projects, organizing and outdoor garden design tips.

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Kohala Coast Vacation Rentals & Vacation Homes

Kohala Coast Vacation Homes

In our recent post, we talked about Kohala Coast Resorts and Hotels. This article will provide the Big Island visitor with some 'insider' knowledge about vacation rentals on the Kohala Coast, from affordable to luxury.
Kohala Coast vacation rentals are near the best Kohala Coast beaches, such as Mauna Kea Beach and Hapuna Beach, and adventurous Big Island attractions, many beyond the ordinary. Kohala Vacation Guide also offers luxury Kohala Coast vacation homes or affordable Kohala Coast vacation condos, which provide privacy and comfort at your own vacation home. Discover the unique beauty of the Kohala Coast for your next Big Island vacation on the Kohala Coast.

If you missed our first Kohala Coast post, here is a little summary again. The Kohala Coast, also referred to as the Gold Coast has sunshine all year round and stretches of beautiful white sand beaches and spectacular championship golf courses. It is located on the west coast of the Big Island...north of the Kona Coast. The Kohala Coast features 5-star ocean front resorts & hotels. This is where Big island visitors find the best white sand beaches...Hapuna Beach, Mauna Kea Beach, Spencer Beach Park or A-Bay (Anaehoomalu Beach). However, the budget traveler will not find private Kohala Coast vacation rentals in any of the Kohala Coast resort areas like Waikoloa Beach Resort, Mauna Lani Beach Resort or Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

Kohala Coast Vacation Rentals

Kohala Coast Vacation Guide offers a variety of unique vacation rentals, vacation homes & condos, from affordable to luxury beachfront, on the Big Island’s exclusive Kohala Coast. Here is a fine selection of hand-picked vacation rental homes for their ambience and location. These Kohala Coast vacation rentals combine many of the amenities of a Kohala Coast hotel with the comfort, character and privacy of a beautiful Kohala Coast home to make your Hawaii vacation experience memorable and affordable. Our Kohala Coast vacation rentals offer significantly better value than 5-star Kohala Coast hotels for both vacation and business travelers. View our Kohala Coast map to find the location of your vacation rental. These Kohala Coast vacation rental homes are within a short driving distance to Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel or Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and offer a great affordable alternative option when attending conferences at Kohala Coast hotels.

Puako Beachfront Vacation Home & Puako Condos

You want to be right on the beach, go to sleep and wake up to the sound of gentle ocean waves, try our Beachfront Vacation Home in Puako. Last but not least, we have to mention Puako, which has become one of the most desired areas on the Big Island and the Kohala Coast. Puako is the only non-resort area where the traveler can find ocean front vacation rentals on the Kohala Coast. The former old time Hawaiiana ocean front village has become a favorite Kohala Coast vacation spot for beach lovers with quite a number of vacation houses located on both sides of Puako Dr (mauka or makai side) and lots of beautiful ocean front vacation homes in the area of gorgeous Wailea Bay. Puako's hidden beaches are not only favored by vacationers but also by the big green sea turtles, which one can spot frequently sunbathing when wandering the Puako beaches. Puako also offers easy ocean access spots for guests at Kohala Coast vacation condos, who are passionate snorkelers and divers.

Well, as you know, we could go on and on. Best you bookmark our Kohala Coast blog and come back frequently to check on new posts from the Kohala Coast Vacation Guide editors. Warm aloha, Pua

Related Article
Vacation in Hawaii on Kohala Coast
Golf on Kohala Coast
Kohala Coast Resorts and Hotels
Kohala Coast Beaches
Kohala Coast Activities
kohala coast vacation rentals


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Mixing Furniture with Storage

One of the most important basics in decorating a small space is to purchase furniture that does double or triple duty for storage. Apartments are notorious for their lack of built-in amenities providing adequate storage. Purchasing multiple purpose accessories and furniture allow options that give your living space character and flexibility.

* SOFA-SLEEPER: A sofa for your living room area might contain a bed for yourself
or unexpected visitors. FUTONS are another avenue for a quick fold out sleeper.

* Tables containing drawers or shelves give you other options further storage.

* BOOKCASES /ARMOIRES with or without doors, can be appropriate for entertainment
centers, home offices, kitchen storage or bedroom storage. Purchasing these items
within your style is a wonderful investment and can be used for multiple purposes.

* BATHROOM STORAGE UNITS are great for under sink storage. These units increase your
storage capacity in a small area. Stores specializing in storage elements can be
found both in large cities and on the internet.

Never underestimate the value of a garage sale. They can be useful for finding items that can be turned into Shabby Chic or re-used furniture accents. With your decorators toolbox, you can be creative and let your imagination take you to new experiences in your apartments and homes.

Home Decorating Digest - http://www.HomeDecoratingDigest.com is an online magazine that helps homeowners find home decorating ideas and feature articles on style, color and interior design. Get decorating basics, do-it-yourself projects, organizing and outdoor garden design tips.

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Plug-in table and standard lamps can be positioned just where needed

There’s nothing quite so attractive as a room lit by the warm, comfortable blow of a table lamp. Positioned on low sofa tables, on shelves, a chest, or a sideboard, a table lamp can be used to illuminate a collection, brighten a dark corner, or provide a pool of light for reading. Table lamps come in all shapes, sizes and styles, so it is easy to find something to suit your room. Lamps, which beam light downwards and sideways, usually fitted with a wide-based shade, are useful if you want to light a table top, or a corner.

Vase-shaped lamps wash light over the wall and ceiling, an attractive way to show off a painting or an interesting architectural feature. Tall standard lamps look best in a corner or behind a chair. A lamp with a traditional shade, or a shade which covers the top of the bulb, beams down, giving a comfortable pool of light just right for reading. Modern standard lamps are starkly stylish, adding interest to a simple, high-tech look room. Many of these lamps are up-lighters and should be positioned so that light washes a wall or the ceiling.

Floor-standing spot-lamps look best hidden behind a display of plants so that light shines through the foliage, throwing delicate leaf shadows on ceiling and walls. Before you buy lamps, look carefully at socket positions. You may need to have extra outlets installed for lamps to be positioned where you want them. Trailing cable is dangerous and tucking cable underneath a carpet or rug can cause a fire. Always have new sockets installed by a professional electrician.

A table lamp with conical shade beams light down, adding instant interest and comfort to a corner. This type of light is the ideal way to illuminate a collection of small boxes, plates or figures arranged on a table, or on a display cabinet. The perfect bedside lamp beams light over just half of the bed, so that one partner can read while the other sleeps. Lamps should be tall enough so that the light falls in exactly the right position for reading but not so that the beam hits the reader in the eye.

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5 Essential Factors Of A Good Bedroom Design

Dear friends, successful design is a relative term. What is goodor successful for me may not be so from your point of view.

But when it comes to interior design, there are certain factorswhich are always present no matter what the use of the space is.Let's have a look at the bare minimum design factors a spacemust have so that it can be called a comfortable and habitablespace.

1) Proportions of the room.

The word "proportions" is always used in the design field. Everyinterior space which is being used by humans must beproportionate. Proportions are extremely important in anydesign.

Every 3 dimensional object has properties such as length, widthand height. When these 3 are in accordance with the proportionsof various parts of human body we call it a "proportionate"design.

For example a handle of a wardrobe must have dimensions suchthat our fingers can hold it properly for effortless and smoothaction. or a chair seat must have enough are so that we can sitcomfortably. Again the type of seating will change thedimensions of the chair. A chair in waiting lobby of a bank willbe different than a sofa.

So proportions play a major role in interior design andfurniture in your bedroom must also follow these rules. Thedimensions of the double bed, it's height from floor level,height of wardrobe, dimensions of dressing table, etc...allthese matter as far as function is concerned.

2) Natural light entering the room.

There is no alternative for naturally lit spaces. Sun being thestrongest source of light and also helps to keep the biologicalbalance of the planet Earth, it is very much necessary in theinterior spaces.

Study shows that natural light can penetrate in an interiorspace up to 20 feet (Approx. 7 meters). Using appropriateposition for window opening can easily achieve this.

3) Natural Ventilation

A free and unobstructed flow of air can be a great way to keepthe atmosphere cool and clean in an interior space. This ispossible where bedrooms are located at the corner of thebuilding where 2 sides of the bedrooms have external faces.

Where it is not possible to provide windows on adjacent faces oropposite faces, a ventilator above the window is used. Theconcept behind the ventilator is simple. The lower half thebedroom height is always used by the habitants. Because of theconstant use of this are the air temperature rises and

airbecomes light weight.

This hot air rises above and must need an escape. At such timesventilators above the window openings play a major role ofcirculating the flow through the room in an upward direction.When the lower portion of the room becomes empty fresh air fromwindow takes its position, thus maintaining a balance.

4) Clear Movement Patterns.

Every bedroom has certain exit points attached to it. Such as a)Exit to balcony/ terrace. b) Exit to toilet block/ walk incloset c) Exit to backyard (if on ground floor)

If we draw an imaginary line from the entry point to all theseexit points, ideally the should not intersect. Since all otherareas are already occupied with furniture, keeping the insidecirculation space clear, helps to achieve a comfortable space.

5) Good Provision For Inclusion Of Accessories.

Accessories in a bedroom have equal importance. When all otherfactors mentioned above are fairly met what remains is the useof accessories which can make quite a lot of difference in thecomfort level of the habitants.

a) The first and the most important is a good provision ofartificial lighting. This includes basic lighting as well asspecial decorative lighting for decorative purposes. b) Specialprovision for upholstery and linen. Small details such ascurtain rods, provision for bed canopies can make the room extradecorative. c) Use materials that are easy to clean andmaintain. For example if you are using PVC flooring sheets ontop of standard tiled flooring, is it washable? Think of whatwill happen if your child uses it as a painting canvas.

The discussion above was an attempt to look for some universalfactor that can affect the comfort level of the users in abedroom. Finally the feeling which you get when you use yourbedroom is most important and is a good measure to decide thesuccess factor of the design project.

However it is important to note that these are not the onlyfactors that need to be looked upon, but I'm sure these can helpas a starting point for further creative thinking.

I hope this article was informative to everyone.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

About the author:

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster ofBedroom-Design-And-Decorating-Ideas.com .Here you will find somegreat concept level design tips for bedroom sets.Visit today.

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Bamboo Flooring Is Eco-friendly, Elegant, And Durable.

Bamboo flooring is unquestionable a unique form of flooring, and one that many people may have not heard about. First, a little background information on bamboo: Bamboo is technically a grass product, not wood. It is very environmental friendly, as it fully matures in three years, does not require planting, and does not require harmful pesticides. Bamboo has been used for construction for many thousands of years, and is still used in some cities. Aside from being economically friendly, bamboo flooring is also very beautiful. Most bamboo floors have a glowing honey finish which make distinctive patterns when made into flooring, and come in over 30 different colors. Bamboo wood flooring is also more durable than many other types of flooring, including wholesale vinyl flooring. Bamboo flooring is treated to resist both insects and fire. Also, bamboo flooring is as hard as Maple and more than 50 percent more stabile than Red Oak.

Bamboo Flooring will be perfect for your home.

Whether you want new flooring for your home, office, or anywhere in between, bamboo flooring is the answer. Relatively easy to install and maintain, it is hard to see why more people dont already have bamboo flooring. If your home has small kids running around, rest assured that bamboo laminate flooring will resist any normal household stains, and is easy to clean. If you want a floor that is inexpensive, elegant, and easy to clean, then wait no more and buy a bamboo floor.

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Mike Yeager, the publisher of:
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Seven Essential Color Concepts for Designing Spaces

Understanding a few essential color concepts will help you design your living and work spaces more purposefully. Embrace the colors that work best for your specific activity and emotional support. Here are seven Design Psychology color basics:

1. Light colors and cool colors recede; dark and bold colors advance.

2. Bold colors and large patterns take up visual space and help sparsely furnished rooms look finished.

3. Bright primary colors give off energy, while pastel colors absorb energy. Excessively bright colors, like excessively bright lights, are stressful.

4. Unrelieved monochromatic color schemes can be boring and, worse, depressing.

5. Adjacent rooms visually expand when the background colors are alike.

6. Northern exposed rooms generally need more light and warmth. Yellow-based colors add dimensions of light and warmth. Rooms with a southern exposure in a hot climate feel cooler when painted in blue-based colors.

7. Surrounding colors influence the appearance of nearby colors. A color appears lighter when surrounded by a dark background and darker when surrounded by a light background.

Use these color concepts to create your spaces for happiness and productivity.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm

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How to combine styles in any room

A well decorated home is one unified whole with rooms that blend and relate to each other like members of a family. The goal of any room arrangement in your house is a simple grouping of furniture pieces that work toward its purpose, dining, sleeping, working, or relaxing. Create easy access through your rooms with 3-fott-wide passages that suggest where you want traffic to flow. Use entry furnishings constant with the rest of your home.

When you are dealing with furniture the whole collection must take priority over individual pieces. It is easy to fall under the enchantment of an antique piece of furniture, but you have to consider how it will fit in with everything else. Plus, you have to ask whether it meets your needs. Everybody loves to buy new things, but before bring in new furniture you must figure out whether to take advantage of what you already have.

You may want to restore or renovate the external appearance of furniture if it is shabby or drab. Decorating is not merely throwing out the old and brings in the new objects. New furniture is certainly attractive, not to mention pricey, if you were to search secondhand market and antique stores, you would probably come across some surprising pieces of furniture that add a touch of distinction to our home. Remember that some old furniture has more personality than new designs and can be a source of inspiration as you seek to create your own decorating scheme.

Old furniture is adequately interesting to be the central feature of a room but be sure never to mix antique furniture with different styles. The general rule is that if you have one very quality piece of antique furniture, the other, more reserved pieces, should stay out of the limelight. In bigger rooms you can place two or three pieces of antique furniture without overdoing it. Decorating a home is a lifelong process that changes as you adjust. It’s an unfolding experience that lets you express yourself. Enjoy the time you spend doing it.

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Interior Painting

Interior painting can be a complicated issue for homeowners and inexperienced decorators alike. One of the most difficult decisions related to interior painting is choosing a color scheme that will not only compliment the furniture and art work that you love, but that will work with your idea of what beautiful colors are. After all it is your home, and the interior paint should reflect the feelings you want to have every time you step into the door.

Professional designers often recommend that anyone considering a new interior paint job first purchase a color wheel at the local paint store. This tool will help you in selecting interior paint colors for your home that you know in advance will work together.

There are a variety of approaches to selecting the right interior paint for you. Using the color wheel you have the ability to select complementary colors, or colors that are directly opposite one another on the color wheel. These colors compliment one another in the design and interior paint process, as the term suggests. Analogous colors are located immediately next to one another on the color wheel. These colors are considered peaceful tones in interior paint selection.

Other considerations for selecting interior paint may include taking a favorite pattern from the room, such as one on a sofa, or in a piece of art and using these colors as a basis for your interior paint choices. Designers often also suggest interior paint colors that are natural because they tend to provide a neutral base that works well with most rooms.

One additional tip in the selection of interior paint is a designer’s concept of a 60-30-10 combination. In choosing an interior paint the individual should select a one color that will be the dominant room color on the walls, one color that will compliment that color and be present 30% of the time, and one color that is a splash of accent color.

These ideas are a great start in selecting your interior paint color. With planning and a focus on what you truly want to express in your home interior paint has the ability to create a beautiful foundation for all of your decorating ideas.

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How To Make Use Of That Space Under Your Stairs

Have you ever wondered what to do with that space under your stairs? Here are a few tips to make it more useful and discover its hidden potential.

1. Installing shelves, cabinets and drawers under the stairs will reclaim some unused space just lying unnoticed for years. The shelves could be used for decorative displays while the cabinets could be utilized as storage for everyday items. You can also decorate the area with your favorite collectibles. You can add some small task lights to highlight the displayed objects. The shelves can either be custom-made or you can buy ready made stackable units available in any Home Improvement store.

2. You can utilize the space and transform it into a study area or home office. If you have been looking for some space in your house to serve as your home office, then look no further, this is the space for you. Bookshelves, filing cabinets and desktop can be specially sized and made to fit and nestle under your stairs. You can paint the filing cabinets and shelves in warm, welcoming tones to make it more user friendly. Clutter should be avoided in small spaces such as this, so use space-saving containers to keep desk accessories and stationery neat and handy.

3. Make it into a cozy retreat. Wouldn't it be nice to relax in a comfy nook under the stairs while reading your favorite book? You can place an under-stair bench with cushion and pillows for a warm and inviting look. It can also serve as a sleeping spot for a quick afternoon nap. Don't forget to accessorize. You can hang your favorite paintings or add a wall lamp for convenience while reading.

4. Utilize it as a tiny playhouse for the kids. Children would love the idea of playing under the stairs. Paint the playhouse entry with a whimsical design. You can also add shelves to provide storage for toys. A rug can create a softer look and feel while at the same time protects little feet from a cold floor.

So, whether you choose to use your under the stairs space for storage, home office, cozy nook or a playhouse, never forget to add light to this tight space. A desk lamp is advisable for reading and study, overhead lighting for play areas, while display lights are great for your collectibles.

Why not start planning now and convert that under the stair space into something you and your whole family will use and enjoy for a long time.

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Kohala Coast Resorts and Hotels

Kohala Coast Resorts and Hotels

This post is sponsored by Kohala Coast Hotels & Resorts

Aloha Hawaii friends,
After we gave you in our first blog about the Kohala Coast lots of good reasons why to vacation on the Big Island's Kohala Coast, we would to give you some ideas about places to stay. The Kohala Coast features a select number of 5-star ocean front Kohala Coast resorts & hotels starting with the fairly recently built Hualalai Beach Resort and the traditional Hawaiian old-fashioned Kona Village resort.

Waikoloa Beach Resort Hotels

Going further north, visitors will find Waikoloa Beach Resort with Marriott Hotel (former Outrigger), Hilton Waikoloa and with beautiful ocean view Kohala Coast vacation condos like 'The Bay Club', 'The Vistas' and 'The Fairways', which are located on beautiful Waikoloa Beach Golf Course, which golf players love. It's a short drive from these golfcourse condos to A-Bay Beach. Golfcondo rates are in the medium price range. The budget traveler will not find private Kohala Coast vacation rentals in the Waikoloa Beach Resort area or other Kohala Coast resort areas like Mauna Lani Beach Resort or Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. This Kohala Coast map shows all Kohala Coast hotels, resorts and beaches, such as Spencer Beach, Mauna Kea Beach, Hapuna Beach, Beach 69 in Puako, A-Bay etc.

Mauna Lani Beach Resort Hotels & Vacation Condos

Just a short drive north, Kohala Coast visitors will find the entrance to Mauna Lani Beach Resort with 5-star ocean front 'Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows', 'Fairmont Orchid at Mauna Lani' plus luxurious ocean view condo complexes like 'The Terrace' and 'Mauna Lani Point' (Mauna Lani Classic Resorts) or peaceful fairway condos at 'The Islands'. Beach lovers will have to drive from the 'Islands' and the 'Mauna Lani Point' golfcourse condos to their favorite beaches. Again, these are luxury Kohala Coast vacation condos, whose rates are similar to the 5-star Mauna Lani hotel rates. Island visitors attending conferences or functions at Mauna Lani resort hotels or Mauna Kea & Hapuna Beach Hotel ask us again and again for places with affordable rates in or close to the resort areas. There are no low cost vacation rentals within the resort areas!

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel & Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel Resort

Last but not least, Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel and Mauna Kea Beach Hotel complete our list of well-known Kohala Coast resorts, hotels and beaches. Actually, this is where Big island visitors find the best white sand beaches...Hapuna Beach and Mauna Kea Beach. Experience the Hawaii of your dreams ... white sand beaches, first class championship golf courses and fantastic Pacific ocean life on the sunny Kohala Coast.

Stay tuned till next time with more information on Kohala Coast vacation homes and activities. Aloha from Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Related Articles
Golf on Kohala Coast
Kohala Coast Vacation Rentals & Vacation Homes
Kohala Coast Beaches
Kohala Coast Activities


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Home interior designs will dress-up your home décor

The success of any decorating scheme depends on how well it suits all the members of your family. To create a decor that you will be happy with, think about what you want and also what you don’t want. It’s a good idea to know what you have before you begun to change things. As you begin to pull your design ideas together, think about your preference and what will work in your home.

Putting a new face on an old room is more fun when you have the basics on hand and can move ahead whenever the urge to decorate comes on. There are three surfaces, floor, ceiling, and walls, that can be treated all alike or each in a different way. Part of the fun is designing a space that appears as inviting and comfortable from within.

Color can work wonders; it can change the look of a room and change your feeling about the room. You can start by looking through magazines, and display catalogs. Give yourself plenty of time, it will take longer than you think, and your ideas will develop as you go. Gathering samples is a great way to begin. If you are starting with a color, your samples might include fabric, paint chips, wallpaper, carpet, wood, stone, and tile.

Knowing what you can spend on a project will give you a clearer idea of what you can achieve. If you’ll on a limited budget, mark off those things that will make the most difference, such as a new wall color and a new sofa. You can set the mood of a room in lots of ways, such as lights, and furnishings. There are no hard or fast rules or must-do sequence for this process. Whatever the purpose, you can create a truly inviting room.

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10 Home Decorating Ideas To Quickly Update Any Room

Not all home decorating ideas require a heavy investment of time and money. If you're looking for a few affordable home interior decorating ideas to freshen up a room over a weekend, try these ten:

1. Rearrange The Furniture- Pull your furniture away from the walls. Try positioning it at intriguing angles. For example, a sofa arranged diagonally across a narrow living room will make the room look wider.

2. Paint A Wall- Paint one wall your favorite color and make it the focal point. Hang interesting art on that wall and move a nice piece of furniture there. (Note: Make sure that the color is one that is shared with several other objects and fabrics in the room.)

3. Bring In Plants- Greenery always adds a breath of fresh air to a room. If you don't have a green thumb, try silk plants and trees. The quality has gotten so good that its hard to distinguish them from the real thing.

4. Lay An Area Rug- An area rug is a wonderful way of defining a conversation area. Try one that complements the room. Lay it at an angle beneath your coffee table.

5. Hang Pictures or Mirror- Hang pictures that reflect your personality. Try frames that are more ornate. When hanging a mirror, try and position it so that it reflects and nice view or an interesting architectural element.

6. Group Figurines- Pull out your favorite collectibles. Show off your personality. Find a display area and group related objects together, in sets of three or five. Try and vary the shapes.

7. Add Decorative Pillows- The good news about decorative pillows is that they are an easy way to add textures and patterns to a room. Still better, they can be changed to jazz up a sofa or chair before your room is ready for a major makeover.

8. Replace Lamps- Lamps are probably the one thing in your home that will give others a clue that your room is outdated. Seek out new and fresh lamps that make a statement.

9. Add A Throw Or Afghan- Similar to decorative pillows, throws and afghans add texture to your furniture. They come in all kinds of natural and man made fabrics. Find a pattern and style that you like.

10. Eliminate Clutter- Clutter has a way of eliminating the desired mood and effect of any room. Find storage spaces for papers, toys, and other items that take from the personality of a room.

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Narrow Hallway Makeover

Every day you come home and you pass by this small narrow hallway. Sometimes you will stop and just stare at the place and feel that you should do something about it. Then one day you just want to tear all the walls down and break free from that constriction. But before you do that consider these few simple tips on how to trick the eye and visually expand the space, adding interest to a narrow hallway and come home happy every time.

1. Mirror: The most classic and reliable way to expand your space is to place a mirror on the wall. This gives the illusion of a bigger space. The larger the mirrored surface, the more room space is reflected. To add visual interest, hang your favorite paintings or photos opposite the mirror, making sure not to incorporate large prints, as it will require a lot of viewing space.

2. Chair rail: Adding a chair rail would help make a hall appear wider. If you want to hang wallpaper below the rail, choose something with small patterns and with a light background, as this will make the wall appear receded. To add diagonal depth, replace your existing flooring with diagonally installed wood planks or tiles to create an illusion of width.

3. Paint the Ceiling: By painting the ceiling with a darker shade and adding a wallpaper border to the top portion of the wall, you will be able to visually reduce the height of the ceiling. The border will add horizontal emphasis and will help widen the look of your hallway.

4. Louvered Doors/Mini Blinds: If your hallway has a window, installing mini blinds will add some horizontal emphasis. For closet doors, you can replace the regular doors with louvers.

5. Picture Frames: To further widen the area, decorate the wall with small wide picture frames. These will usually draw the eyes outward, creating a widening visual effect.

6. Furniture: Adding a piece of furniture like a slim vertical chest or narrow vertical highboy at the end of the hall will make the room appear wider. The addition of some accessories, like a flower vase on top of the chest, will make this a focal point of the room.

7. Lighting: Subdued lighting can expand the feeling of space. A sconce placed in the wall of a narrow hallway with an up light projection will draw the eyes up and outward. Lastly, as a general rule, to make a room appear larger, always use lighter color for the walls and floors; when using wallpapers, use small and subtle patterns.

Article Source: Interior Design Guide

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Vacation in Hawaii on Big Island's Kohala Coast

It’s not the ‘Call of the Wild’ but it’s the ‘Call of Hawaii’, which has finally caught up with you. For one reason or another, you decided to spend your first Hawaii vacation on the Big Island. Maybe you heard that this is the only Hawaii Island where you can spend a day on sunny sandy white beaches and go skiing or sledding on top of snow-covered Mauna Kea later in the day or where one can experience the fireworks of a live volcano…I could name quite a number more but this is not the topic for this article.

Planning your Hawaii vacation

Well, here you are planning your first Hawaii vacation on the Big Island and you just don’t know where to stay on this literally ‘big’ island despite of all the Big Island guidebooks you read and the many Big Island websites you cruised. The purpose of this article is introduce you to the unique beauty of the Kohala Coast and make you fall in love with this beautiful coast and its wonderful people during your Hawaii vacation, just as many visitors did before. Some even became residents as we did. Many more will follow in the years to come.

Image of Hawaii

What are your associations with the word ‘Hawaii’? With me it was white sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, beautiful weather all year round and the ‘obligatory’ hula dancer! The typical image or cliché of Hawaii! Believe it or not, the Kohala Coast on the Big Island has it all. Most first time visitors to the Hawaiian Islands are not aware that climate and weather can vary on each island tremendously depending on location (east or west) and elevation. Located on the dry west coast of the Big Island, north of the Kona Coast, the Kohala Coast provides the most stable weather throughout the year thus guarantying the first major component for your Hawaii vacation…sunshine! Well, now you could say why not stay in Kona, as you heard from friends whose cruise ship landed there that it’s beautiful and fun. Admittedly, it is but…it’s a tourist town, traffic in and out of town gets quite congested, beaches are smaller and more crowded and sometimes the ‘vog’ from the volcano can be bothersome, especially during hot summer months.

Where to stay on the Kohala Coast?

The price conscious vacationer can find affordable Kohala Coast Vacation Rentals, vacation condos and luxury Kohala Coast Vacation Homes at different Kohala Coast locations like Waikoloa Village, Kawaihae, Kohala Ranch, Kohala Estate or Waimea. The only non-resort but ocean front location is Puako with many different ocean access spots. Puako has recently become one of the most desired areas on the Kohala Coast. See our Kohala Coast map for Kohala Coast resorts and hotels. Kohala Coast vacation rentals combine many of the amenities of a Kohala Coast hotel with the comfort and character of a beautiful Kohala Coast home to make your Hawaii vacation experience memorable and affordable. Rates of Big Island accommodations vary depending on location and amenities.

What to do on the Kohala Coast?

There are no limits to your Kohala Coast activities Kohala Coast activities. Within short driving distances of your vacation home or hotel on the Kohala Coast, you can play golf at 9 championship courses, play tennis, go horseback riding, take a hike into spectacular valleys, explore the Pacific waters snorkeling & meeting tropical fish, rays, dolphins and turtles, go deep sea fishing or scuba diving or go boogie boarding…the Kohala Coast has something for everybody!

So, what do you think of the Kohala Coast? Please, come and see for yourself! Last but not least, don’t get taken by surprise when landing at Kona International Airport in the middle of barren moonscape lava fields. It does not seem to get any better when driving Highway 19 north to your Kohala Coast destination. We assure you palm trees, white sand beaches, blue green waves of the Pacific, hula dancers and Mai Tai are awaiting you. Welcome to the Kohala Coast of the Big Island! Feel free to send us an email with your questions or post a comment here. Written by Pua, one of Kohala Coast Vacation Guide editors


Tags: best hawaii vacation, hawaii attractions, kohala coast vacation homes, kohala coast resorts

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Cheap Living Room Facelift

The living room is the main room of your home. It is a place of refuge after a busy and exhausting day in the office. It is a place where you cuddle and bond with your children before retiring to your bedroom. And when it's a lazy day, it is a place where you consume a bag full of chips and cookies and be the potato couch that you are.

Over the years you have loved this special place in your home. This has seen a lot of better days, of family reunions and gatherings. Now is the time to give your living room a new life and give it the makeover it long deserved. You can create an exciting new living room makeover even with a limited budget.

Before getting excited shopping for new accessories, try to sit down and examine your living room. Sure you want changes, but how much money can you afford for what you want? Check your budget.

Here are some ways you can create changes to your living room without spending so much.

1. Play with colors and make material changes. Changing the color scheme of your living room will create a new look. The use of color is a creative way of brightening up a room and at the same time cost efficient. Try using fabrics with brilliant jewel tones such as sapphire, emerald and ruby. Change your curtains. Lengths of sheers are much more affordable than curtain panels made from decorator fabric and lining materials. These will create color sophistication to your neutral colored living room. Place a new area rug. Placing a new area rug will not only give a new look to your living room but it's much cheaper than changing the entire wall to wall carpeting.

2. Sometimes we get tired of our old worn-out sofa. We may have chosen the best fabric or the most beautiful color during the time we fell in love with It, but it has seen better days. Buying a new slipcover will revive its beauty at half the cost of sending it to the shop for re-upholstery. One added advantage is that slipcovers are removable and easy to clean. Add accessories to create interest and rejuvenate the room. Add pillows that will compliment the new slipcover. When you cannot afford a new sofa or other major items, a new lamp or coffee table can create that needed new look.

3. If your budget allows for a purchase of a major item, consider buying a new sofa. Center your changes on this new item. Your color palette should revolve around the colors of your new sofa. To make more changes, you can add a fresh coat of paint to your living room walls. If you can stretch your budget further, you can renew your entire living room by adding an attractive wall covering. These are the least costly ways to make a total transformation to your living room. You can add pillows and lampshades with patterns coordinating with the sofa fabric and wall covering. Paint the window frames and baseboards to further create a fresh feeling in your living room environment.

Lastly, if you really don't have the budget to spend but are kicking to make new changes, rearranging the furniture is by far the most effective way to achieve your goal. Move that furniture around, change picture frame positions and locations. You can perk up your living room without spending a penny, just your imagination and a lot of lifting and sweating.

Article Source: Interior Design Guide

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Here are some useful tips to know before choosing curtains

Consider the style, size, and shape of the window, and what you want the curtains for. Think about the room, its proportions and what it’s used for, the upholstery, and accessories. Curtains can be hung from rods in a number of ways. Although most are functional rather than stylish, some decorative types are available. The right choice will not only enhance the window but also turn an ordinary room into a really special place.

Here are ten household helpful hints for choosing curtains:

1. Match curtain fabric with upholstery to unify space that seems untidy.

2. Use carpet to mark off space. A rug is ideal for establishing a social zone within a room.

3. Fabrics with classic patterns give a period feeling to the ambience of a room.

4. Remember that the bed linen, tablecloths, and towels also contribute to decoration.

5. Sheer curtain and gauze enable us to filter light.

6. Venetian blinds allow control over the amount of light entering a room.

7. Do not limit curtains and blinds to just windows. They can be used in an excessively long passage or hallway. Blinds make good screens.

8. In rooms with a lot of pictures, different colored walls, or furniture, it is suitable to use neutral tones for the curtains and upholstery.

9. Take advance of fabrics by using them to renovate your furniture.

10. Use rugs and tapestries as hanging on a wall. Their color and texture are unbeatable and they improve acoustics.

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Traditional Interior Design

Traditional interior design encompasses a great variety of elements in a home. From the ceilings to the floor; including the trim, the wall finishes--all the way to the window treatments and the furniture.

The careful designer must focus attention on each of these items in order to create the ideal design. Lighting, wall treatments, flooring, and furniture are all fundamental steps in creating a smooth design. Each of these elements should tie in carefully with the last, creating an interchanging staircase of design. Theme, color, texture, and placement are the tools with which you are to design this delicate stairway.

Themes of traditional interior design vary from traditional to modernistic, from eclectic to yes--even retro. The decision of theme should (in my opinion) be left entirely up to the individual homeowner or business owner. Each person has a message they would like to convey to the world through their space. It is your job, as the designer, to listen to their wants and needs and to develop a solution that suits them perfectly.

If the client is having difficulty in assessing his or her design needs, provide them catalogs or magazines to browse through. Traditional interior design is a concept that is simple and everyone should be able to understand. After browsing through magazines and determining what appeals to them visually, it would be a good idea to ask them about their lifestyle needs.

Most clients with children will definitely need to keep the cost modest of their furniture. If the person is active socially and plans on entertaining, you will want to be sure to organize any recreational spaces in a way that is ideal for that type of entertaining.

Once the basic theme has been decided upon, the next major set of choices will be what colors to base those themes on. I always advise clients that it is better to fit the color with the space than the person in this situation. Does that sound unfair?

Many clients will associate their first color selection with their favorite color. A favorite color and wall paint sometimes don’t mix very well. Traditional interior design motivates the color choices more towards colors that match the room’s needs. This is so because very often you will find that even if a client is less then enthusiastic about the color selection, after the room has been painted and they have had the chance to see it, they change their minds quickly.

Try to offer this type of solution to your client in an encouraging, helpful way rather then with a know-it-all attitude. If they are still not very enthusiastic, try to show them pictures of similar colors in catalogs to give them a better feel of how it will look. Catalogs and magazines are an endless resource for things like this because it offers people a little insight into how designs play out.

All right, you have a theme in mind and a palette of colors to work from. What’s next in traditional interior design?

It honestly depends on the magnitude and scope of the project. Choose your wall treatments and get those out of the way if you intend on making any flooring changes. Don’t become hasty and have new flooring installed or the existing flooring refinished only to paint over the top of it while applying your wall treatment. Once the walls have been complete and allowed time to properly dry, then is the time to make flooring changes.

Flooring! Traditional interior design offers so many choices for all types of flooring; it is best to base this choice upon the needs and lifestyle of your clients. If they have children, suggest that easily washable, flat surfaced flooring is used with the compliment of a large rug in any recreational room. These rooms will be the rooms that are used the most often and are danger areas for anyone with kids or children. Explain to them that the rug is easily replaced but carpeting is not!!!

When the ‘canvas’ is ready (the bare bones of the room), it is time for you to treat any windows before you begin moving furniture in and things get crowded. For small rooms, open them up by adding more light using sheer window coverings. The same idea with dark rooms that need a little extra light. Make ‘short’ rooms tall using window-to-floor curtains or draperies in contrast to short furniture.

Traditional interior design includes MANY alternatives to window coverings that will fit any home. Keep in mind while doing this the activity on the outside of the window as much as you do to the appearance on the inside of it. If it is a very open window and the setting of the home does not offer much privacy, they will probably want privacy window coverings. After your windows are complete, hang any wall accessories before proceeding to the next step.

Time to bring in the furniture! A few key rules to remember while positioning furniture in traditional interior design: first, create lines and continuity. Second, be sure to create adequate walking space. Third, don’t over clutter. And fourth, be creative.

Once your furniture is in place and has been ‘tested’, it is time to accessorize. Traditional interior design normally does this by placing a few instrumental accessories into place. Simplicity is elegant and too many accessories can lead to an uncomfortable room.

Try to purchase well-defined items that can even make great conversational pieces. If the homeowners are hands-on and involved, get them to add personal touches by creating an accessory themselves.

Traditional interior design is a catch-all that incorporates the workability and usability with the beauty of a room. Achieve the perfect balance by properly combining these items and you will be successful!

Rosemary Leake is an Independent Consultant with Southern Living at Home. Inspired by Southern Living magazine, our exclusive home décor line brings warmth and style to every room of your home! Visit Rosemary`s Interior Design website for more articles and resources - http://www.interiordesignprofits.com. Also get your FREE Mini-Report: "A Complete Guide To Interior Design."

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