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Interior Decorating to Complement Your Home’s Architectural Style

Nov20
2009
Leave a Comment Written by Carrie

victorian

There is nothing like buying your first home. Many first-time buyers can’t wait to personalize the property, inside and out, making it their own. However, a lot of people don’t even know where to begin! A good place to start searching for ideas is outside, in front of the house.

Take a few steps back and analyze the architectural design of your home. Is it a colonial? A Victorian? A Cape Cod? The list goes on and on, believe it or not. And don’t worry if the previous owner never told you what kind of house you were buying. This handy guide will help you determine the style of your home. Once you figure out exactly what kind of house you are living in, it might make interior decorating decisions a little easier for you.

Here are just a few of the ways you could decorate a home to complement its architectural style:

Cape Cod/Colonial

Typically found in New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, etc.), these homes were constructed by the first settlers in America, and they are characterized by steep roofs and huge chimneys. Many of these homes were built in the 1600s and 1700s, and some of them are still standing today after many restorations.

When it comes to decorating, you should try to think about the simplicity of early America. This doesn’t mean you need to forget about little nuances like picture frames, candles and throw pillows. However, you probably would not want to drape your tiny casement windows with heavy fabrics or bamboo blinds. Choose light linens (preferably a crisp white), neutral-colored furniture (black, brown, cream, white) and wood accents.

Greek Revival

This style of home looks exactly how its name suggests. Much like the magnificent structures erected in Athens during 400-500 BC, these massive, three-story homes feature white exterior columns, arranged in a symmetrical pattern, flanking the entrance. You’ll also see several front steps leading up to a huge porch, much like the ruins of gathering spaces seen all over Athens.

There is usually a lot of ornate crown molding throughout the entire home, and it is sometimes so decorative that you may not even need to add much to a room, as it is already embellished to the max. Granite or soapstone counters are good options for the kitchen; however, many laminate choices give the same affect for a little less money. Complementary colors include green, gold and white. Stay refined; classic country furnishings look out of place in this elegantly constructed abode.

Victorian Queen Anne

French-style homes may reflect either a regal design or a country charm. Most of them boast very sophisticated features such as wrap-around porches, symmetrical towers, bay windows and a textured masonry. Some of these homes showcase such elaborately constructed exteriors that they are referred to as “painted ladies.” The outer walls, the roof shingles and the window shutters will all be different colors (generally pastels).

Queen Anne homes were very popular during the Industrial Revolution, when it was rather affordable to obtain furnishings once available only to the upper class. Heavy tapestries draped almost every room, and darker variations of reds, blues, greens and purples were very common. Ornamental wallpapers are encouraged. Many rooms were even overstuffed with furniture and knickknacks, so don’t worry if you have a lot of decorative pieces.

Posted in Home Improvement, Tips and Ideas - Tagged cape cod, colonial, greek revival, home decorating, interior decorating, queen anne, real estate tips, victorian
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Add Architectural Appeal

May08
2009
Leave a Comment Written by Alicia

moldings

You don’t have to buy a vintage charmer to enjoy the architectural features and customizations that come with one. Truth is, you can add features to your home’s architecture on your own, which will create a permanent difference in its overall character and design.

Adding architectural appeal to an older, standard home is a great way to increase originality and buyer interest. How do you change the architecture of an old home? Here are some common finds:

Molding
Crown molding is the most popular architectural add-on. Crown molding is molding that crowns your walls or pieces of furniture. You can buy molded pieces that stick to the walls with adhesive and look like they are part of your wall!

Cornice molding
is even simpler. One piece of molding separates your walls from your ceiling. Similarly, baseboard molding separates the floor from the walls, highlighting the floor and keeping the walls safe from wear.

Also, chair-rail molding lines the walls horizontally halfway between the ceiling and the floor. This often goes hand-in-hand with wainscoting, which is a textural pattern that can simply be glued to the wall. Lastly, panel/wall frames display multiple panels of molding on the walls, appearing like empty picture frames.

If not the walls, you can also add moldings to staircases, doorframes, columns, ceilings and just about anywhere!

Shutters
To create instant curb appeal, add shutters to your exterior windows.
Shutters can be strictly decorative, or they could help withstand poor weather while adding appeal! With a waterfront location, hurricane shutters are more popular than ever.

Columns
Inside or out, you can add a column here or there to increase the professionalism or elegance of your home. Columns outside make the house stand out and seem important; interior columns can pleasingly flank the walls and separate rooms. Most columns come in white and can be painted to your liking. Pilasters are similar to columns, but these actually attach to the wall and require more assembly.

Wall Niches
Decorative wall niches add a focal point to a foyer, a hallway or anywhere you wish. You can display your most prized possession inside a wall niche and feel that it is secure. Wall niches include two options: wall-mounted niches, which can be hung anywhere, anytime, or large recessed niches, which require a hole to be cut into the wall.

Mantels
The magnetism of one’s fireplace mantel used to define a homeowner’s social status. Now, it creates a focal point of any room with a fireplace.

The mantel on a fireplace adds style, originality, and a place for personal décor.

Ceiling Beams
Ceiling beams come in all different styles and can advert attention to otherwise unnoticed locations. Wooden beams cause a room to feel homier and part of nature, whereas modern steel beams allow the room to look futuristic and sleek. Beams are also ideal for adding recessed lighting and hiding wiring!

Contrast
Just adding contrast to a room will make it appear more architecturally interesting. For example, sleek black countertops could counteract crisp white cabinets, while a metallic silver backsplash could coincide with stainless steel appliances.

Choose a feature of a room, such as a fireplace mantel, a wall niche or a framed picture, and hang direct lighting to shine upon this prized focal point. This will assure your potential buyers or dinner guests to immediately notice your home’s architectural wonders!

Posted in Home Improvement, Tips and Ideas - Tagged Home Improvement, molding
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Visual Interest: Watching Where Eyes Go

Dec18
2008
Leave a Comment Written by Shanna

This holiday season, when you have a steady traffic flow through your home and when you are rearranging decorations, take the opportunity to examine the visual interest of your living spaces! Step into a room—or ask a loved one for their perspective—and see what immediately grabs your eye. Those are the same things that will grab a buyer’s eyes, so you want to make sure the features that stand out as focal points deserve to be getting so much attention!

Essentially, this advice is Staging 101: Use a fresh perspective to see what areas need addressing. If you immediately notice a stain on the carpeting, get it cleaned. If there’s a crack in the window, get it fixed. Anything that you can’t replace or fix, do your best to downplay.

Use decorating accents to instead draw buyers towards selling points: the fireplace, the gleaming hardwood floors, the elegant crown molding. How can you do this? Consider these suggestions:

1. To Downplay the Television: Especially if you have a television in the same room as your fireplace or some other attractive centerpiece, you will want to downplay it. Try tucking the T.V. away in a cabinet or an entertainment center.
2. Focus on the Bed: In the master bedroom especially, the bed should be the center of attention. Outfit it with clean, unwrinkled sheets/comforter, adding decorative pillows if desired. To add visual height, you could try a tall headboard or dramatic art behind the bed.
3. Showcase Hardwood Floors: The best way to emphasize wood flooring is to get it in immaculate condition and clear out the space so the floors can be seen.
4. General Tips: Whether you’re highlighting built-in bookcases or an attractive dresser, there are some general rules of thumb to help:
a. Color: Designing a room to have an overall neutral theme allows you to add very noticeable pops of color as desired.
b. Fabric: Bold prints will draw attention. Sometimes a very well-constructed window will look its best simply with no accents, particularly if it boasts an impressive view. Other times, you may want to decorate the window with interesting fabrics for draperies.

Remember, the ultimate test of good design is practice. Ask your friends to give their first impressions of your reorganized rooms and see what features are popping out to them. Use their feedback, coupled with your perspective, to make the most of your home’s style!

Posted in Home Improvement, Tips and Ideas - Tagged fabric, focal point, home staging, interior design, real estate, real estate tips, windows
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Trend: European Design

Dec04
2008
1 Comment Written by Alicia

American architecture has experienced numerous influences throughout its centuries, but the most popular has remained European architecture. Whether you are building a home or searching for a new home that already exists, here are ways to determine if it exhibits European style, which is a hot trend today! It could be a unique selling factor. Contemporary homes with Old World accents tend to grab people’s attention.

European homes usually exhibit a stone, brick or stucco exterior with wrought-iron and cast-stone accents. The roofs show off multiple steep roof lines and gables. The windows are usually arched, Palladian windows and create a great impact on the appearance. The entrances to these homes are outdoor focal points, and their significance continues into massive foyers. The interiors contain a sense of luxury and elegance, but also airiness and comfort. Spacious suites are available for adults and for kids! Lots of privacy is given to all residence. European homes also tend to include bonus rooms or accents, such as breakfast nooks, brick fireplaces, gourmet kitchens, French doors, spiral staircases, libraries, hearth rooms, screened porches, sitting rooms and more! The main purpose of European homes is to create an elegant, impressive appearance that also features comfort.

Though certain designs coincide across Europe, each country contributes its own unique style. Here are the major contributors to American architecture, broken into the separate countries that they originated from.

Spanish Influence

The Spanish immigrants first settled in the southern parts of America during Spanish rule. Therefore, Spain’s influence is mostly seen in states like Florida and Texas. Spanish homes usually display clay tile roofs and stucco siding in white or pastel shades, similar to Mediterranean homes. The walls are thick and keep the interior cool. The entrance usually features an archway and ceramic tile flooring fills the interior. This style is slowly moving north because of its unique appeal.

Italian Influence

Italy is known for some of architecture’s most prominent creators, including Vignola, Palladio and Bernini! These homes usually exhibit pitched roofs with overhanging eaves and decorative brackets underneath. Tall windows are grouped together for a significant impact. These homes are likely to contain a wraparound porch or an outdoor oasis, such as a tiled courtyard or gated garden. Inside, a spiral staircase creates the home’s interior focal point. Ceramic or terracotta tiles cover the floors of the contemporary Italian homes.

English Influence

The English incorporated much of Italy’s Palladian style into its more contemporary approach. These homes feature roofs with steep pitches, gables and stone mullions. Bay windows extend across the siding and contain transoms. Inside, high ceilings, significant living areas and large foyers create the impressive interior. This style is also referred to as the Tudor style, which sometimes incorporates half-timbered siding into the design.

French Influence

The French style is often referred to as the European style, because it incorporates most of Europe’s overall design. The exteriors are made of brick, stucco or stone. These also often display half-timbered designs. Polished wood or metal accents are often incorporated, such as a copper roof. The roofs slant down on all four sides and include long overhangs. Multi-paned windows and dormers noticeably add appeal. An arched doorway leads you inside, where you will most likely find a round tower. The interior is luxurious and spacious. The living area will be the home’s focus.

Thought we may not realize it, European influence is visible in most of our homes. What is today considered simple, standard architecture originally came from Europe. Any home with stone, brick or stucco exteriors, arched doorways or windows, large foyers, split floor plans, attached garages, centralized great rooms or high ceilings contain a piece of European style!

Posted in Market News, Tips and Ideas - Tagged design, european decoration, interior decorating, interior design, Market News, real estate trends
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