TIPS FOR HANGING PICTURES

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With my hectic days, I don’t really have much time to write, but I do like to read… and as usual, I like to share with you interesting articles that I come across.
Here few useful tips when hanging pictures at home – I do really enjoy DYI Network! : ) Enjoy.

“If the space includes a large wall and a lot of floor space, make some decisions by arranging the artwork on the floor first. Measure how far they need to be from one another. Then take one at a time and put them up on the wall.
Another option is to make a template of each piece to be hung. Just trace around the outside of the frame on kraft paper, cut out the shape, and label it. Also draw an arrow on it to indicate whether the art is vertical or horizontal.
Secure the templates to the wall with a product known as reusable adhesive, which looks a bit like putty or chewing gum. It won’t tear pieces from the wall or the paper patterns.
Consider grouping four small same-size pictures together in a four-square, to give the illusion of a larger picture.
There doesn’t always have to be four in a group. Consider using a larger picture in the center. Then place two smaller pictures on either side of the large picture, spaced vertically to about equal the length of the larger frame. Or, in place of the larger picture, use a large mirror.
Not all frames will always be matching sizes, so approximate and just try to balance the impact of the frames — not match them perfectly.
Always hang pictures at eye level.
If hanging a picture over a sofa, don’t leave a lot of wall space between sofa and picture. Try for three to six inches. If you go any higher, the viewer’s eye will just go to the wall, not the picture.
Don’t put one little picture on a large wall. It looks ridiculous. If there’s not enough artwork to fill up more space on a large wall, consider putting mirrors or a shadowbox in the grouping.
Conversely, don’t overload a small wall with a large picture.
Consider resting pictures on shelving hammered directly on to a wall. Or display them on a plate rack in place of plates.
Nor do pictures always need to be on a wall. Consider a bamboo easel for an Asian-inspired decor. There are also wrought-iron or wood easels available, so choose one that complements the look of the home.
There are lots of ways to enhance how pictures are displayed with picture nails and various knobs.
As for physically hanging the pictures on the wall, look for a picture-hanging kit at the hardware or home store. It will include everything you need. And keep in mind, the picture’s weight will determine what size hook to use. For a very large picture, use two hooks.
Also consider the many decorative eye screws available for hanging pictures. Screw them to the top of the frame and then dangle the frame from a wire attached to a screw in the wall. Instead of wire, consider using decorative French ribbon to hang the frame from the wall.
For photos that will be displayed together, consider having all the photos framed compatibly. The frames can be in various patterns of the same color or material and should all have the same mat color. Mixing wood-framed pictures with metal-framed pictures works best in an eclectic home. For a more formal look, try to keep the same color for all the frames. Arrange the frame variety on the wall to form a gallery-style display.”

http://www.diynetwork.com/decorating/tips-for-hanging-pictures/index.html

8 FLOORING TRENDS TO TRY

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Experts share their option in flooring trends that bring style and function to any space. Take a moment and read the article that was published at the HGTV website.

Bamboo
“Bamboo has been around for a long time, but what we are seeing lately is an explosion of colors and styles,” says Dean Howell, president of Atlanta-based MODA Floors & Interiors. While technically a fast-growing grass, bamboo is as hard or harder than most hardwoods when dried. Newer products called strand-woven bamboo, a highly engineered product using the inner fibers, are twice as hard as traditional bamboo flooring. Dean says that in addition to the common thin-banded styles shoppers have become accustomed to, bamboo is offered in wide-plank styles that mimic the look of classic hardwoods. As with all wood flooring, it’s best to keep bamboo out of moisture-prone rooms like kitchens and baths.

Reclaimed Wood
“What I’m seeing more and more of in flooring is classic looks using new technology,” says Gabriel Shaw, owner of That Finishing Touch Design in Thousand Oaks, Calif. A perfect example of that, he notes, is reclaimed hardwood. New factory-finished hardwood flooring offers all the charm of reclaimed timber — right down to that timeless hand-hewn look — but without the high costs associated with true salvaged lumber. “Factory-finished wood will stand up to moisture fluctuations better than any wood flooring that is finished onsite.”

Large-Format Tile
“In the world of tile we are seeing an explosion of sizes, shapes, materials and patterns,” notes Dean. Particularly popular these days, he adds, are large-format tiles — tiles that come 12″ x 24″ and even 36″ x 36″ — as opposed to the tried-and-true 12″ x 12” tiles. In addition to looking great, larger sizes mean more tile surface and less grout lines to clean. Dean cautions that large-format tiles are heavy, requiring a perfectly level substrate and a professional installer for the job to come out right.

Cork
“I recently installed a cork product at the KROQ radio station in Los Angeles” notes Gabriel. Selected primarily for its amazing acoustic-insulating qualities, cork flooring also is much more comfortable to walk on than traditional hardwood and most certainly tile. Long gone are the days when cork was available in any color so long as it was blonde — today’s options span the color palette. Thanks to new factory finishes, cork is far more durable than it was just a few decades prior. But it is susceptible to moisture damage and will fade when exposed to sunlight.

Luxury Vinyl
“When you hear the term ‘luxury vinyl,’ don’t think about that peel-and-stick stuff people used to install,” explains Dean. Luxury vinyl is a new category of flooring that combines the high-end look of hardwood (or stone) with the durability of vinyl. “It is so realistic looking,” Dean says of the wood-look variety, “that I literally had to get on my hands and knees to see that it wasn’t real.” Because it stands up to moisture, wood-look vinyl is a natural fit in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Today’s vinyl does share one common trait with that old peel-and-stick stuff: It is still a joy to walk on.

American Hardwood
For homeowners who truly want a sustainable wood flooring product, Dean suggests good-old American hardwoods. Unlike cork and bamboo, which are shipped in from the other side of the world, “We can buy hardwoods from forests that are a few hundred miles away,” he says. “And North America does a good job replenishing our forests as we cut them down.” Oak, hickory, maple, heart pine: These classic
American hardwoods all are making a comeback.

Concrete
Trendy, sleek and durable as time itself, concrete flooring jumped from bare-bones utilitarian to chic in a New York minute. Thanks to a multitude of available colors, textures and finishes, concrete can adapt to almost any decor. Of course, it helps to already have the concrete in place. “Concrete works great in an old building that has very old subfloors,” explains Dean. “It’s very cost effective to use what’s already there versus installing a new flooring product.” Fashion often comes at a cost, and in the case of concrete, it’s comfort. “Think through the comfort factor,” he cautions. “It’s a very hard surface that is not friendly to walk on all day.”

By Douglas Trattner
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cda/article_print/0,1983,HGTV_42797_6049775_ARTICLE-PRINT-PHOTO-GALLERY-FULL,00.html